Rutland Pride February 2021

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PRIDE RUTLAND

RUTLAND’S FINEST MAGAZINE

£4.50

This month’s front cover artwork is Double Bill, painted by Kay Johns. You can see more of her beautiful work and read about the artist inside.

FREE ONLINE

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WELCOME

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nother year and, evidently, another lockdown. You’d be forgiven for feeling gloomy... but this is a time for looking forward, not for sadness! The overriding sentiment we should embrace is optimism... and the Pride team are certainly feeling optimistic about the prospect of putting 2020 behind us when we’re free again, and enjoying the area in spring and beyond.

In 2021 we urge you to enjoy all of the events we missed out on last year, and put uncertainties behind us. Join with us in making a pledge to support our local pubs, restaurants and hotels, independent retailers and other Rutland & Stamford businesses to make this year a better one for us all.

It can’t have escaped your notice that this month’s covers for both Rutland & Stamford Pride as well as our sister title, Lincolnshire Pride, feature some absolutely beautiful local animals. Well, we’ll be meeting artist Kay Johns in this edition to find out more about her enchanting work.

Elsewhere we’re meeting siblings Karen and Kevin Clifton who are taking to the stage in Leicester this month to bring a little winter cheer to proceedings with their new touring dance show. We’ll be finding out about a conservation-themed fine art exhibition at Oakham’s Gladwells Rutland and we’re on the lookout for local drifts of snowdrops.

On behalf of the whole Pride team, welcome to a better year for us all.

Here’s to 2021 and to all of the local businesses helping to make Rutland & Stamford great!

Executive Editor robin@pridemagazines.co.uk 3

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102 CONTENTS NEWS & EVENTS 06

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NEWS The best ‘good news’ stories from across Stamford & Rutland.

Find out which local pub restaurant has been named the UK’s best in the 2021 Good Pub Guide.

HIGHLIGHTS 18

NATURE IN THE FRAME Exploring the beautiful countryside-inspired artwork of this month’s cover artist Kay Johns.

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FINE ART If you’re wild about fine art and about conservation, Gladwells of Rutland’s new exhibition will appeal!

FOOD & DRINK 50

DINING OUT Tom Kerridge on why it’s important to support Rutland and Stamford’s local pubs and restaurants.

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RECIPES & WINE Treats and tipples.

HOMES & GARDENS 62

WELCOME HOME A chocolate-box thatched cottage located in Exton.

LET’S DANCE Fleet-footed siblings Kevin and Joanne Clifton have taken their Strictly-inspired show on the road. Warm up your winter with some fancy footwork.

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INTERIORS Beautiful bedding and stunning tableware.

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SNOWDROPS Winter flowers.

LOVE SET IN STONE Stamford is

102 WEDDINGS Jessica & Steve’s

just one of a dozen locations commemorating the life of Eleanor of Castile. This month, we tell her story.

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JONNY KERRY The local accordionist is named one of the world’s best.

WEDDINGS & FASHION lockdown ‘micro-wedding.’

106 FASHION Stylish knitwear.

AND FINALLY...

122 MOTORS Land Rover’s Discovery.

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62 THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE IN THE AREA READ PRIDE MAGAZINE

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FREE ONLINE

Pride Magazine is delivered free of charge, via Royal Mail, to high value homes in the county. Our circulation is to homes in the top three council tax bands, which are predominantly worth over ÂŁ300,000. This guarantees the magazine has an affluent readership commensurate with our content.

The magazine is also sold in supermarkets and newsagents and our in-house distribution team also works hard to hand-deliver the magazine to selected hotels and restaurants, doctors, dentists, executive motor dealerships and golf clubs.

This helps to ensure we have a continued presence, right across our catchment area.

Our titles also have more social media fans than any other local magazine. In addition we have over 30,000 online readers each month who view the magazine free of charge, online, on their tablet, computer, laptop or mobile phone via our website, our app, and via the Readly and Issuu platforms.

If your business would benefit from being showcased to the wealthiest people in the area, please call our friendly sales team on 01529 469977.

Amazing new app out now: You can read our magazines on any device anywhere.

Read Pride Magazine free online at www.pridemagazines.co.uk or by downloading our free iOS and Android App. LEGAL DISCLAIMER By supplying editorial or advertising copy to 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.

Selected images in our content may be sourced from www.shutterstock.com.

THE PRIDE TEAM Managing Director: Julian Wilkinson.

Production Director: Ian Bagley.

Sales Director: Zoie Wilkinson.

Sales Manager: Charlotte Daubney.

Sales Supervisor: Cydney Dyson.

Executive Editor: Rob Davis.

Illustrator: Jocelyn Lawman.

Customer Care Manager: Mandy Bray.

Web Developer: Joe Proctor.

Administration: Sue Bannister, Carissa Clay, Sami Millard.

Sales Executives: Cassy Ayton, and Grace Mumford.

Pride Magazines, Boston Enterprise Centre, Enterprise Way, Boston, Lincs PE21 7TW

Tel: 01529 469977 Fax: 01529 469978 www.pridemagazines.co.uk | enquiries@pridemagazines.co.uk

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NEWS & EVENTS

Olive Branch wins Pub of the Year FINALLY! AT LAST! THERE’S SOME GOOD NEWS FOR THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY...!

CLIPSHAM The Good Pub Guide which was published last month, has named The Olive Branch at Clipsham, Rutland, as UK Pub of the Year for 2021.

“In this most difficult of years, we are delighted to award Pub of the Year to The Olive Branch in Clipsham,” says Fiona Stapley, Editor of the guide.

“To compete in the Pub of the Year category a pub has to have unanimous enthusiasm from all readers on all aspects of its business – it has to be top of its game and The Olive Branch is most definitely that.”

“It’s a really special place for a drink, a meal or an overnight stay. It’s also a perennially successful inn which attracts a deservedly loyal following from both near and far, and will celebrate its 21st anniversary this month, too.”

The Olive Branch is a small village pub in England’s smallest county. Three friends bought it in 1999 and, with the help of family and villagers, rescued what was then a closed pub from an

What’s in Oname...?

ALL NATURAL INGREDIENTS, THANKS TO KELLY & ALEX’S NEW RANGE OF SOLID SOAPS

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uncertain fate. Since then, The Olive Branch has achieved many accolades, including the same title in 2014.

“It’s brilliant news to receive at the end of a bad year,” says co-owner Ben Jones.

“Sadly, we will not be able to celebrate safely with locals and villagers. But we have an amazing team and wonderfully loyal and supportive customers, so celebrations are only delayed... not cancelled!” n

RUTLAND Local couple Alex Tuppen and Kelly Henderson have launched their very own range of all-natural solid soap bars under their Oname brand, inspired by the Two Minute Beach Clean Initiative.

“Handmade in small batches, Oname soaps are SLS free, palm oil free, cruelty-free and use essential oils rather than fragrance oils to softly scent the lather,” says Kelly. “The benefits of inhaling essential oils has long been established. We encourage our customers to slow down in the shower, inhale their soap, massage the body and breathe

in the moment. This is washing with joy.”

Reaching out to the sociallyminded, those who love natural products and those who appreciate the well crafted and packaged, a percentage of the sale of their Polar Bear and Diver, doublemint soap bar, will supports the charity work of the Two Minute Beach Clean charity.

“What we have created is more than just soap.” says Alex. “Oname is about making good lifestyle choices and living more in balance with the world that sustains us.” n Find out more at www.oname.uk.

£2.2M FOR LOCAL NHS HOSPITAL TRUST

Starfish, the Rutland film

by Bill Clark, goes stateside...

It’s the truly incredible story of Rutland couple Tom and Nicola Ray... and now it’s going stateside. Filmmaker Bill Clark retold the story of how Tom’s life was devastated by the sudden onset of Sepsis, a condition that few had heard of before the film. Together with the couple, Bill created Starfish, which tells how the family rebuilt their lives. Starfish debuted in Rutland in 2016 and was released on US Video on Demand (VOD) services last month. n UPPINGHAM

RUTLAND Rutland and Melton MP Alicia Kearns is delighted to welcome over £2,200,000 of investment in the North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust to upgrade hospitals, directly benefitting Rutland residents.

“I am delighted that Rutland residents will directly benefit from over £2,200,000 in hospital upgrades. Many Rutland residents use Peterborough Hospital which is part of North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, and

this investment will allow the Trust to upgrade services and provide better, safer care.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m done fighting for residents though. I am delighted that the CCG has committed to me that they aim to expand community health services in Rutland, on which they will do a future engagement with residents in 2021, and that I have secured the Prime Minister’s support for my campaign for improved GP services in Rutland.” n See www.aliciakearns.com.

OBE for Matt Hampson NEW YEAR HONOUR FOR THE FORMER LEICESTER TIGERS PLAYER AND OAKHAM SCHOOL COACH MATT HAMPSON

Matt at the opening of his foundation’s Get Busy Living rehabiltiation centre in 2019.

LEICESTERSHIRE Local sporting hero Matt Hampson has been recognised with an OBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours for his services to charity. Since establishing the Matt Hampson Foundation ten years ago, hundreds of people have joined his special community at the Get Busy Living centre and received support to rebuild their lives.

Matt was paralysed from the neck down following an accident in 2005 during an England Under 21 rugby training session and has dedicated his life to ensuring others who have suffered similar injuries can receive support and assistance. n www.matthampsonfoundation.org.

14.7 Hectares

Cash for Hospitals

STAMFORD South Kesteven District Council and the Burghley Estate have applied for planning permission to transform the Barnack Road site formerly occupied by Cummins into a new residential area with a retirement village and green spaces. If successful the 14.6/ha site will also include a commercial area and affordable homes. n

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LOCAL

NEWS In Brief STAMFORD x

ARTS CENTRE WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE BY SKDC...

SKDC has agreed a £190,000 programme of work at Stamford Arts Centre in St Mary’s Street.

The work, which has now started, will include replacement or restoration of the existing Collyweston slate roof, leadwork, along with timber treatment and repairs.

Rosemary TrollopeBellew, of SKDC said: “We’re delighted that this important work can begin. It’s home to a number of resident artists and many other local cultural organisations and is much-loved

by Stamford audiences. n 7

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European forests, which provide wood for making paper, paper packaging and many other products, have been growing by 1,500 football pitches every day!

Discover the story of paper www.lovepaper.org Source: Forest and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), 2005 - 2015 European Forests: EU27 + Norway, Switzerland and the UK

LOVE

PAPER

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l The practice is fully equipped with excellent facilities.

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l Separate dog and cat waiting areas and kennels ensure your pets feel more relaxed. l A team

of animal lovers, we treat and care for your pets as though they were our own and make the time to get to know you too.

l Owners can stay with their pets while sedated before routine operations. l We offer and encourage open visiting for hospitalised patients during opening hours.

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MARKET DEEPING, LINCOLNSHIRE OIEO £700,000

In a beautiful little town, sitting on a charming stretch of the River Welland, there is a superb stone and brick building originally used for making malt. Dating back to the 18th century, it has recently been converted into a gorgeous and modernised home set over three floors. Being just one room deep, natural light pours into all three floors through the multitude of windows.The timber front door is positioned centrally around the back where three pairs of glazed French doors open onto the conservatory, garden and terrace - a perfect arrangement for summer living and entertaining. Outside, the garden is completely enclosed and surrounded by mature trees. A large gravel drive provides much parking, with a row of olive trees delineating the lawn area, with a paths punctuated with box balls giving way to a paved terrace outside the sitting room, an ideal spot for al fresco dining.

Tel: +44(0)1780 750200 Email: stamford@fineandcounty.com

Tel: +44( 0)1572 335145 Email: rutland@fineandcounty.com

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ALDWINCLE, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE Guide Price ÂŁ1,450,000

225 offices across Great Britain Plus 75 offices globally

In the charming village of Aldwincle, an attractive property on a considerably large plot is hidden down a drive benefitting wonderful views of open countryside. The L-shaped house itself has five reception rooms and five bedrooms, a separate garage block to the rear has accommodation above, and it and the garage to the front both have planning permission to extend and convert into individual homes, providing superb potential for development. The proposed design of the rear garage cleverly capitalises on the rural views with an upstairs living space, that also allows room for a bedroom and bathroom, with two more bedrooms and bathrooms downstairs. The plans for development of the front garage are even more extensive with there being four, potentially five bedrooms. The plot is large enough for the developments not to impinge on any of the three properties, nor compromise on their privacy. This is a very attractive opportunity indeed for any enterprising new owner.

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Glebe Road, North Luffenham A rare opportunity has arisen to acquire a range of building plots with full consent granted for stunning new high specification stone village houses, with magnificent far reaching views over prime Rutland countryside.

This site is fronted by beautiful stone walls and benefits from mature trees on all sides.

North Luffenham is one of Rutland’s most sought-after villages with a very popular primary school and a thriving public house.

These properties have been designed by a renowned, award-winning local architectural company.

The market towns of Uppingham and Oakham are only a short distance away and the desirable Georgian town of Stamford is also within easy reach.

The design of the properties are in local vernacular and positioned to take full advantage of the unique site with some of the best southerly views in the county.

Each of these towns offers a wide array of amenities, with Oakham and Stamford providing train stations with good access to London.

Prices from £485,000 North Luffenham is centrally located within Rutland and offers easy access to the whole of the county, particularly Rutland Water and to Luffenham Heath Golf Club, which regularly features in the top 100 golf courses in England.

Rutland provides fantastic schooling options both state and public, with Uppingham and Oakham Schools both within a 10 minute drive.

To complement the building plot there is also the option to purchase with full architectural and build packages. n

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Plot 1

Plot 2

Plot 3

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UNDER OFFER

LANGHAM

£1,150,000

A superb, substantial single storey family residence set on a private plot of approximately 0.5 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and grounds with a range of amenity outbuildings, all located down a long private driveway on the edge of this highly regarded village and enjoying delightful views over adjoining fields. 2 Reception Rooms, Farmhouse Kitchen/Diner, 2 Cloakrooms, Utility, Pantry, 5 Bedrooms, 5 Bath/Shower Rooms; Garaging. Energy Rating: TBC.

MANTON

NEW

BELTON IN RUTLAND

£550,000

A beautifully extended character property providing spacious family accommodation situated in this desirable village. The property has been sympathetically refurbished to offer a contemporary home which still retains some original features. Family Room, Dining Room, Snug, Kitchen, Utility, WC, 4 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Dbl Garage, ample Parking, Walled Garden. Energy Rating: TBC.

UNDER OFFER

BARLEYTHORPE

£425,000

Stunning modern four bedroom detached family home with double garage and enclosed south facing garden situated in a cul-de-sac within a popular development on the edge of Oakham.

The property provides immaculately presented, energy efficient accommodation with Sitting Room, Study, superb open-plan Kitchen/Diner, Utility, WC, 4 Double Bedrooms, en-suite Shower Room and Family Bathroom. Energy Rating: B.

Offers in Excess of £800,000

A delightful 16th century Grade II listed farmhouse set on a large plot with a range of outbuildings within a highly desirable Rutland Water village of Manton and offering extensive accommodation with period charm and character in abundance. 3 Reception Rooms, Kitchen, Cloakroom/WC, ample Ancillary Accommodation (including Cellar), feature Orangery, 4 spacious double Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms; lovely Gardens. EPC Exempt.

UNDER OFFER

ASHWELL

£745,000

A beautiful period cottage situated on an enviable plot in the heart of a premium Rutland village.

The property offers extensive family accommodation with a wealth of character and is set within very private, glorious gardens and grounds of approx. 1.0 acre. 3 Reception Rooms, Farmhouse Kitchen, 5 Bedrooms, 2 Bath/Shower Rooms; Dbl Garage, parking. EPC Exempt (Grade II listed).

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ARTIST KAY JOHNS

NATURE in the

FRAME For Lincolnshire’s Kay Johns, home is where the heart is… or rather, where the art is. From her studio in the village of Threekingham, Kay and husband David delight in taking their work on the road, even if 2020 was a little bit different…

Words: Rob Davis.

“I’M REALLY OBSESSED,” Says Kay Johns.

“Honestly, I’d go crazy if I didn’t paint every day.” We’re in her studio on the first floor of her Threekingham farmhouse, equidistant from Sleaford, Boston Bourne and Grantham.

It’s a misty old morning, but that lovely flat diffused light is ideal for painting… which is why husband David and I have to drag Kay, kicking and screaming, from her easel to have a chat!

Prior to my untimely interruption Kay was face-to-face with a mouse… not in the house, thankfully, but on the canvas. Kay’s work almost entirely consists of the kind of British wildlife we know and love; hares, foxes, pheasants, mice… though the odd jungle animal has wandered past Threekingham in recent years, affording Kay the chance to paint elephants and giraffes as they graze the Serengeti-like landscape of Sempringham fen.

Her work is utterly magical, absolutely full of character and an unequivocal joy to look at. I’m no expert and I’m certainly no artist but I have spent a good deal of time puzzling over what makes Kay’s work so instantly likeable.

All I can conclude is that quite beyond the technical quality of her work, Kay has an uncanny knack of understanding the subject anatomically and appreciating each animal’s character.

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“Any artist that tells you they don’t research an animal’s physiology online is probably a fibber,” says Kay. “But the best source material for an artist is observing an animal for yourself in its natural habitat. We go on lots of country walks, and I find myself just watching each creature’s mannerism.”

“I don’t work from a photograph, I take a creature and imagine it in a setting, giving each one an expression that’s commensurate with its character. If something about an animal’s position or expression isn’t right, you’ll know it. You might not necessarily see what’s wrong, but you’ll know that something isn’t quite right.”

“Even subjects like dogs are so different from breed to breed that it’s important to observe and understand their character.

A Spaniel might look explosive; a Labrador might look faithful; a Dachshund might look highly strung.” >>

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Above: Moonlight Flit, limited edition of just 295 copies worldwide, ÂŁ595, 1145mm x 900mm including mount & frame (XL size). Other sizes available.

Left: Kay Johns in her studio.

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LOCAL ARTIST KAY JOHNS

>> “If you don’t capture that, you haven’t done your subject justice,” she adds.

Ordinarily you’ll find both Kay and David pretty elusive, since their specialism is taking Kay’s art on the road. Happily they’ve been a little more available this year to those in the county, and have been able to enjoy raising Kay’s profile right here in Lincolnshire instead of doing so outside the county at the 40-odd shows they attend each year.

Ordinarily Kay reveals a new collection every January, and has recently created a range of greeting cards including Valentine and Mothers Day cards. This year though, she’s planning to release new artwork throughout the year, creating a compelling reason for regularly checking her website.

David left the RAF in 2005 to take over his parent’s business, selling artwork at country shows and craft fairs. Kay meanwhile had always enjoyed painting but instead threw her creativity behind upcycling furniture.

Their eyes met across a crowded showground where both were exhibiting – separately – and the rest is history.

The two worked together selling artwork from other artists but when Kay’s work started to make an appearance in the marquees they set up, she soon became the flagship ‘artist patron.’

print for less than £40 or invest in a handfinished original piece, framed, for anything up to £5,000.

“I always start with the eyes as they’re the most important detail, and they’re really crucial to capturing an animal’s expression.”

Kay produces both white work (slightly quirky style) and also a classic grown-up scenes with the subject set against a black background, which really creates a dramatic look.

“I then work around the eyeline and outwards, darkest tones first. It takes anything up to six or seven layers of painted fur to achieve the depth and realism I love, and I often take a step back to look at a piece not close-up as an artist, but from slightly further back, as the viewer.”

“Every single piece begins with a walk around the Lincolnshire countryside,” says Kay. “Living here you can be just 10ft away from a fox cub, like a voyeur who enjoys the privilege of watching nature right before your eyes. There’s nothing like it.”

“Gouache has a wonderful depth of pigment, enabling white to paint over black unlike standard watercolour. >>

“I sketch all the time and the sketching process can often take as long as the painting itself. I work in fine black pen once I’ve a few ideas in mind and sometimes I overlay different versions to perfect a composition.”

“Once I’m happy I complete a final trace and then photocopy it onto acetate, then use a projector to overlay an image of it onto my canvas.”

“I work on mount board because it has a lovely flecked texture and I usually work larger than the intended prints are to be.”

Today, the two exhibit at Agricultural Shows and Game Fairs throughout the UK for eight months of the year and now have two units; a Mercedes Actros and a Mercedes Atego lorry – the former an 18 tonne unit purpose-built for the couple by Mercedes – with the couple’s 40ft windproof marquee, and about 500 examples of Kay’s artwork on board. The couple set up a complete mobile art gallery wherever they go, with LED lighting, carpeting and enough room for the very many fans that Kay has.

Happily, Kay and David are really democratic when it comes to art, and believe that Kay’s work should be enjoyed by as many people as possible.

The couple have prints, some limited edition work and exclusive original pieces too, with sizes ranging from unframed prints of 15cm square to framed pieces well over a metre in width. Accordingly, you can enjoy a giclée Top: Love Is… hare cuddling artwork. Hand embellished, limited to 195 copies worldwide. 335mm x 335mm, £89 including mount and grey distressed deep modern frame.

Above: Bootiful, Norfolk Terrier. Hand-embellished, limited to 195 copies worldwide. 335mm x 335mm, £89 including mount and grey distressed deep modern frame.

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Above: French Kiss, French donkey artwork, limited to 195 copies worldwide, 580mm x 720mm ÂŁ295 mounted and framed (medium).

Other size options available.

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LOCAL ARTIST KAY JOHNS

>> “I guess the whole painting process can take anywhere from 2 to 50 hours depending on the size and complexity of the piece. I tend to work on two or three pieces so I can allow one piece to dry whilst working on another.”

“From that we scan and digitise the artwork then decide which sizes we’ll produce or whether we’ll keep it as an exclusive original.

I’m pretty prolific but I can sometimes sit on a proof for days before deciding. If and when we do produce prints, we’ve a state of the art nine-colour large format digital printer which can output colour corrected giclée prints on lovely 315gsm artist soft textured art paper. I often finish work with gold acrylic flecking which is a great way to emphasise movement and to add an intrinsic, hand-finished individually unique value to a piece.”

David, in addition to being a first-class logistics man, is also an expert framer. Ordinarily his entire year’s work consists of providing reprographic services to the business – printing and scanning – as well as framing work either to order, or as stock to take to shows.

One side effect of a slightly reduced number of orders from shows this year is that David has been able to accept framing commissions for customers’ artwork and memorabilia. Ordinarily the team are too busy and have to politely decline such work, but with thousands of combinations of mounts and frames, if you’ve a piece that needs displaying, or a piece of artwork that could benefit from modernising, David is certainly the guy you should have ‘in the frame.’ As it were.

Meanwhile, Kay returns to her easel and puts the finishing touches to a painting of a fieldmouse – a creature proving popular with customers right now – its cheeky expression makes it seem so real I could almost hand it a chunk of cheese. It’s alive with character… like the Lincolnshire countryside itself, and just like Kay’s artwork! n Kay Johns is the Lincolnshire artist based at The Event Gallery in Threekingham, which offers viewing by appointment. For more information and to view Kay’s work, see www.theeventgallery.co.uk or call 01529 240529.

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Images: Banger, the Sausage Dog; Heartfelt, and Chuckle Berries, all hand-embellished limited to 195 copies worldwide, £49 - £89.

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Above: Heaven Sent, liver working Cocker Spaniel, limited to 295 copies worldwide, 610mm x 750mm, ÂŁ185 mounted-only; ÂŁ275 framed (medium).

Other size options available.

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AN EVENING WITH KEVIN & JOANNE

LET’S DANCE Dance your winter blues away with Strictly Come Dancing champion siblings, Kevin and Joanne Clifton for a lovely evening of song, dance and memories!

SIBLING RIVALRY? Well, not quite, but the friendly competitiveness of brother and sister dancers Kevin and Joanne Clifton is at least enough to provide a sparky dynamic for an evening of song, dance and laughter. You’ll know both dancers from the flagship BBC programme Strictly Come Dancing.

Kevin’s dancing career began long before he found fame on Strictly. Known by Brucie as Kevin from Grimsby, he did indeed grow up in the Lincolnshire town, born to ballroom dancing world champions Keith and Judy Clifton. Kevin was Youth World Number One then four-time British Latin champion, and upon his retirement from competitive dance in 2007, he was ranked the seventh best dancer in the world.

In 2010, he shimmied into musical theatre, appearing in Dirty Dancing The Musical, where he enjoyed steady work prior to auditioning for Strictly in Series 11. Kevin would go on to dance on the show from series 11 to 17, lifting the glitter ball and taking first place with partner Stacey Dooley in his penultimate series.

Joanne is the younger sibling by just a year, and has been a British Champion five times as well as a Professional Ballroom European Champion in 2012 and Professional World Dancesport Games Champion in 2013. Around the millennium, Karen moved to Bologna to train with Italy’s largest dance school, Team Diablo.

After working with Kevin for the Burn the Floor Dance Company in 2014 she also turned to musical theatre and played the titular role of Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie as well as Alex Owens in Flashdance and the eponymous Marilyn Monroe in Norma Jean the Musical.

Karen began joined the professional dancers of Strictly for series 12 and 14, meaning a few nailbiting nights for Keith and Judy. But what of the two siblings themselves, and rivalry...? >> Words: Rob Davis.

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AN EVENING WITH KEVIN & JOANNE

>> Tell us about the Show...

Kevin: Well, we’re heading out on a new tour

that’s been specially devised and produced for a socially distanced audience. It’s called An Evening With Kevin and Joanne Clifton and it’s unique as it features a brother and sister with a bit of sparky sibling rivalry – all good natured – adding to the fun.

Joanne: We were originally due to tour

together for the first time earlier this year in the world’s leading ballroom show, Burn the Floor. but unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the tour was unable to go ahead. That tour has been successfully rescheduled to 2021, but Kevin will now be headlining it without his sister, as my prior commitments mean I’m no longer available.

Have you worked together before?

Kevin: We have danced together before, right

from being small children. Hailing from a successful dancing family – mum and dad are former World Champions – we’ve numerous competitive Ballroom and Latin dance accolades between us including World Champion, British Champion, European Champion, and International Open titles.

Joanne: We have also both lifted the highly

sought after glitter ball trophy on the hit BBC show Strictly Come Dancing; Kevin won in 2018 with Stacey Dooley, and I won in 2016 with TV presenter Ore Oduba.

An Evening With will give audiences a glimpse into the our dancing lives, from young children growing up in a dancing family, to the successful performers we are today. It will, of course, also serve as a bit of a reflection of our time on the show!

How did the idea of a show in front of a socially-distanced audience come about?

Kevin: Our producers stayed optimistic the

whole time throughout lockdown. Rather than bin our current show – Burn the Floor – altogether, they kept following the guidelines with an attitude of ‘what can we do?’

When it became possible, it just became about making sure it was safe and everything was in place for a tour to happen. Me and Joanne jumped at the chance to get out there again.

Joanne: Kevin and I have always wanted to

do a show together, so it was such a shame that we couldn’t do the big tour this year.

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We recorded an album together, so I think the producers were like ‘well, let’s do a mini tour with all the songs from the album on etc!’ and we jumped at the chance.

Are you excited about the tour and what are you looking forward to most about it?

Kevin: I’m just so excited to be back in a

theatre with an audience. It’s the energy created between performers and the audience that I get such a buzz out of.

I did my first ‘in-person’ audition since lockdown for another musical a few weeks ago and it really hit home how much I’ve missed performing with, and for, other people.

Joanne: So incredibly excited! I think just

getting in front of an audience again, albeit socially distanced, just the thrill of it and with my brother!

We were mid-rehearsals when lockdown started, so we were all in great shape and raring to go. The show was shaping up to be incredible with a lot of new choreography and ideas, so obviously I was gutted when we found out it would have to be delayed.

But as things stand we are going out next spring, although Joanne is already committed to something else, so unfortunately she can’t do it. That’s why ‘An Evening with...’ will be so special, as we may never get to tour together again.

Joanne: I was so gutted. The show was ready!

It was the first time I got my passion for ballroom dancing back in an extremely long time, and the cast were incredible! I was so looking forward to it. Unfortunately, I already have some commitments for next year which means I can’t do it.

What impact has Covid had on you?

Kevin: We all miss performing and producing

“We all miss performing and producing live shows and it is great to be able to get back on stage. This will be the perfect show to lift people’s spirits this month!

What can the audience expect from the show?

Kevin: This year me and my sister made an

album of songs from Burn The Floor, past and present, so think of this like an album tour. It will be a more intimate show with us singing songs from the show, dancing, telling stories from our careers and taking questions from the audience.

Joanne: There’ll be songs from our album,

stories and dances. We have our dance partners too (we’ll be a bubble), so we’ll be doing dances separately and together.

How did you feel when Burn The Floor 2020 tour had to be postponed?

Kevin: We’ve wanted to do a show together

for so long. Obviously the 2020 Burn the Floor tour was supposed to be that show, but Covid put a stop to that!

live shows and it is great to be able to get back on stage. But we also know people’s health and safety is paramount.

Myself, Joanne and our producers feel a responsibility to the theatre industry to help rebuild audience confidence, so that one day theatres will be full again.

Joanne: Hopefully it will be the perfect show to lift people’s spirits, too... both after a long chilly winters and after Covid. We’ll be singing songs from our CD, sharing stories of our dancing lives, and performing some favourite ballroom and Latin dances with their professional partners. It’s a lovely ‘feel good’ show!

And it’s a great way to support a local venue?

Kevin: Yes. We feel this is a great way to

support The Curve, but also venues across the country, as well as provide work for freelancers from the theatre industry who have had limited support.

The aim is to boost audience confidence levels so that they feel safe to come to a theatre and watch live shows again. It also gives venues the opportunity to perfect safe social distancing measures.

What are your earliest memories of dancing?

Kevin: Our first competition when we were

really young. We were the only ones in our

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Leicester Comedy Festival: 3rd-21st February...

Who needs a chuckle? After 2020, we’re guessing everyone. Fortunately, February sees the return of Leicester’s 28th annual comedy festival created by founder Geoff Rowe BEM. “The world does seem to have significantly changed since the 2020 festival took place. It’s been a really difficult time for so many people.”

“We’re delighted to be back and we hope you’ll join us to support our venues, promoters, comedians and the local and national organisations and individuals who are putting on events as part of the festival.”

“I’m thrilled that the 2021 festival will feature appearances from Stewart Lee, and Al Murray as well as regular favourites like the UK Pun Championships, the UK Kids’ Comedy Festival and our annual Leicester Mercury Comedian of the year competition which has taken place every year since 1995.”

“In addition, we have scheduled online shows and events, including a fantastic line up of podcasts recorded live at the festival, streamed comedy shows and exclusive Q&A interviews with a bunch of friends of the festival.”

“Leicester Comedy Festival is produced by registered charity Big Difference Company and we increasingly rely on donations to support the festival. We receive these from a number of businesses, comedians and members of the public

who value what we do each February, and throughout the year.”

“We pass on 100% of the ticket sales to our promoters, venues and comedians and we now receive around 8% of the money we need each year from donations. If you value and support what we do, please consider making a donation when you buy your tickets. Your support is needed more than ever before.”

“We have a growing number of supporters and several new partners for 2021 so a massive thank you to them and everyone who works on the festival and supports what we do.”

“I’m so proud that all our main partners have stayed on board at this difficult time and are 100% committed to sustaining this festival, which has taken place each February since 1994. Although things might be strange and odd, I hope you enjoy the festival and together we can sustain Leicester Comedy Festival for many years to come!”

A full programme of events and the different venues taking part, such as Leicester’s Curve Theatre, is available online to view, or you can view the festival’s programme on its website.

Naturally, the festival’s different performances are all taking place in Covid-safe conditions, with social distancing, hand sanitisers and additional cleaning and sanitising measures being carried out by each different venue. n

To view the full programme, see www.comedy-festival.co.uk or visit The Curve’s website at www.curveonline.co.uk.

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age group, but we were too scared to dance on our own so they had to bring an older couple onto the floor. When they gave us a first placed trophy we thought we had beaten them!

Joanne: We have a video of our very first

competition! Four and five years old. We won... although we were the only ones in it.

We were so proud of ourselves.

Were you competitive siblings when you were younger and if so, are you still now?

Kevin: It’s funny, when we were younger I was

really competitive and Jo was very passive.

Now it’s switched the other way. Jo is super competitive and I’m a lot more chilled.

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MEET THE PARENTS...

Judy & Keith are no strangers to the dancefloor!

Keith & Judy Clifton’s Saturday evenings are a bit calmer these days. But it wasn’t always so.

With son Kevin and daughter Joanne both competing in the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, the weekend used to be quite nail-biting for the couple.

Judy is from Grimsby, and Keith is from Hemel Hempstead.

Between 1976 and 1981, Keith and Judy won four British Latin American Champion titles, plus European titles and also danced on the QEII cruise ship as professionals.

“The kids used to come along to our classes, and though we certainly didn’t force feed them, they were friendly with the other children there and inevitably wanted to join in. They’ve been dancing from around five or six years of age.”

“Having not just one but two children competing in Strictly made our Saturday evenings in interesting, to say the least!” n

Joanne: We’ve swapped! Kevin was so

competitive as a child and I was so laid back!

Now it’s me! That’s why I loved it when I beat him on Strictly!

Why are shows like Strictly so captivating?

Kevin: The greatest thing for me about Strictly

is having the chance to inspire other people to dance and get involved in what I have dedicated my life to. I get enormous pleasure out of watching the celebrities improve and love the dancing. Also, getting messages from people watching the show saying how they have been inspired to take up dancing.

How intense is it, training the non-professionals?

Joanne: The training can be very demanding

physically, but also emotionally. They are putting themselves out there in front of 10 million people, live, every weekend, well outside of their comfort zones and I applaud them for it. Although it can be very enjoyable it’s not easy for them at all.

We are working seven days a week on Strictly.

Four of those days are taken up with training the celeb to get the routine together, then there’s rehearsal day at the studio, a live show day and then choreography day... if you make it through to the next week! n Strictly Theatre Co., presents An Evening with Kevin & Joanne Clifton on Monday 8th February, at The Curve, Leicester. Tickets £10-£35, call 0116 242 3595 or see www.curveonline.co.uk.

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Truly Independent Financial Planning • Efficient Portfolio’s Charlie Reading • Author of The Dream Retirement

What Legacy Will You Leave?

Why do we want to build wealth? Is it so we can buy plush homes, drive fast, sleek cars or sun ourselves in exotic climes? Or is actually for a far more personal reason: So that we can give our loved ones a comfortable, secure and enriched life?

F

most they can. Only then can you ensure that you are in the best position to financially feed your own future as well as that of your loved ones, so you can have your cake and eat it!

OR SOME PEOPLE, filling our lives with luxury is a key motivation to make money; however, most of us also want to help those who we love by leaving behind a legacy that will give them the best start in lives, or enable them to continue to live out their lives with confidence and certainty.

Any planning around tax can be confusing, time-consuming and controversial! In the UK, we all have to pay tax in some form, so it is important that any plans you make are lawful, accurate and fair. Achieving the balance between what you want to do and what you have to do is a little bit of a minefield, so we will be launching a free online webinar to help with this topic in early 2021.

But is just making money enough to guarantee this?

Inheritance Tax is currently sat at 40%, meaning that, if your estate exceeds the threshold (currently £325,000 for a single person and £650,000 for a married couple) you could end up giving away nearly half of your wealth to the Government. Yes, the Tory government increased the limits by introducing the Residential Nil Rate Band, but it certainly isn’t the £1m allowance they promised, and if you don’t play your cards right, you may not get any of it at all. Your hard-earned wealth could be quickly eroded by tax and may end up lining the Treasury’s coffers, rather than the pockets of your loved ones.

I’m sure that you don’t want the Government to become the single largest beneficiary of your hard-earned money! That’s why protecting your wealth in later life is becoming more and more poignant.

Historically, Inheritance Tax has been the preserve of the super-wealthy, but this is changing. The ever-evolving world of tax, especially Inheritance Tax, is not just targeting the very rich; in fact, it is beginning to hit the average family too. HM Revenue and Customs collected £5.2 billion in IHT in 2019, so what can you do to prevent them becoming the largest beneficiary of your estate?

Careful planning around your finances is one of the key steps to

n If you would like details of this webinar, please visit www.efficientportfolio.co.uk or email hello@ efficientportfolio.co.uk.

sure that you “ I’mdon’t want the Government to become the single largest beneficiary of your hard-earned money!

”

take now in order to protect your wealth for the benefit of your loved ones. To use a palatable analogy, this planning is very much like baking a cake- there are multiple layers, which take a great deal of care to construct.

Firstly, you need to identify what could damage your creation; in this case, Inheritance Tax could ‘spoil the mix’. Next you need to choose the best ‘ingredients’ that will help you to minimise the amount of tax you pay and ensure that your loved ones will receive the

Charlie Reading created Efficient Portfolio to offer entirely independent financial advice and helping people clarify and realise their dreams and goals through financial planning.

Call 01572 898060, see www.efficientportfolio.co.uk or visit Portfolian House, 30 Melton Road, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6AY

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THE ELEANOR CROSSES

LOVE SET in

STONE From Lincoln to London, the Eleanor Cross monuments are a dozen reminders of King Edward I’s beloved wife, Eleanor of Castile. It’s a romantic gesture – though a rather extravagant one – to warm the heart this Valentine’s Day… Words: Rob Davis.

VALENTINE’S DAY sees most gentlemen picking up a greetings card in a supermarket and perhaps the obligatory bunch of forecourt flowers. We’re not the most romantic of creatures, as a rule. Rather more extravagant in his gestures was King Edward I. Of ye olde medieval marriage, you’d perhaps expect little beyond political allegiances, a long line of mistresses and a short, subjugated life.

The eventually happy marriage of Spanish princess Eleanor of Castile to England’s next monarch did, in fact, began as a political deal to regain the Duchy of Gascony from King Philip IV of France. Philip was an ally of the Scots, who also found themselves at war with Edward, claiming suzerainty North of the border, as the king also fought off a rebellion from the Welsh as part of the Plantagenet conquest of the country.

Edward was a hard-working king, recognised for formally establishing the role of Parliament in the setting of taxes and reforming law utilising the new legal device of the statute which his father Henry III had created. Henry’s original set of laws were given assent in 1267 and comprised 29 legal chapters, of which four are still in use today.

Edward codified many laws into the Statues of Westminster in 1275 and 1285.

The darker side of Edward’s reign were his constant scrapes with Scotland and Wales, and his Edict of Expulsion in 1290, which was not overturned until 1657 by Cromwell.

The king was physically robust, standing six feet and two inches, which gained him the nickname Longshanks. Though known to be pious, he was equally renowned for his Machiavellian mind and fierce temper… perhaps ideal qualities for a medieval king who needed to show strength.

Eleanor, meanwhile, was born in Burgos in 1241, daughter of Ferdinand III of Castile and Joan, Countess of Ponthieu. She was named after her paternal great-grandmother, Eleanor of England, the daughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II of England.

The future queen was originally due to marry Theobald II of Navarre, the territory between Spain and France in the Western Pyrenees north of La Rioja. Eleanor’s half-brother Alfonso X of Castile revisited another ancestral claim to the Duchy of Gascony though, so after negotiation, this was to be a territorial concession to Henry III instead, with the marriage of Eleanor and Edward thrown into the bargain.

The two married at a monastery in Burgos in November 1254, despite Eleanor being just 13 years of age (some sources suggest even younger) and Edward being 15.

Whilst the union had a less than romantic pretence, the marriage thrived and was one of the few close medieval marriages… and if you need any further evidence of their closeness, Eleanor and Edward had four sons and 11 daughters, including Edward II.

Unlike other kings, it’s thought that Edward I remained faithful to his wife, eschewing the usual retinue of mistresses. And, instead of leaving her behind, Edward and Eleanor travelled together, for instance during Edward’s ninth crusade to the Holy Land.

Eleanor was also a good businesswoman, with her own fortune as the Countess of Ponthieu which she subsequently used to make land investments and secure business interests buying and taking over debt from usuries which she would then write off in return for an acquisition of land instead.

Eleanor also supported Edward through the Second Barons’ War, remaining in the country and retaining control of Windsor Castle until Royalist forces were able to free Edward I from his capture during the Battle of Evesham in 1265.

It’s said that after this show of strength, England saw the Queen playing a greater part in ruling the country alongside her husband, although it’s unclear how formal or informal her influence was.

Eleanor was well-educated, very literate for the age, and had a keen eye for the aesthetic, commissioning tapestries, tableware and even turning her hand to designing gardens.

In total the couple’s marriage spanned 36 years – not bad as a medieval lifespan, let alone a medieval marriage, especially a royal one. >> 35

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THE ELEANOR CROSSES

>> However, Eleanor’s health suffered in her later years, possible from a Malarial haemorrhage or cardiac problems, and at the point of her death she was arranging marriages for at least two of her daughters (Margaret and Joan), presumably aware that she was nearing the end of her life.

The queen was touring her properties in 1290 and reached the village of Harby, just seven miles from Lincoln, when she was forced to stop and lodge at the home of nobleman Richard de Weston. There she received the last rites and died on 28th November with Edward at her bedside.

It was usual for the embalming process to involve the separation of the heart and the rest of the body for separate burial. Unusually, Eleanor’s viscera were also separated from the rest of her and these were buried in Lincoln Cathedral. The rest of the queen was taken on the 180-mile journey to London, a trip which took twelve days. Her heart would be buried at Dominicans’ Priory at Blackfriars whilst her body was buried in Westminster Abbey.

To mark the journey, Edward ordered that 12 monuments would be erected at the destinations at which the funeral cortège stopped overnight, as recorded in the executors’ account rolls. Upon each would be inscribed orate pro anima or ‘pray for the soul.’ The crosses were erected from 1291 to 1294, and were each made of caen stone or a similar limestone.

The first stone was situated in Lincoln, at a cost of £120 and was designed by Richard of Stow with just a remaining fragment now in the grounds of Lincoln Cathedral.

By 1650 the monument was all but ruined, and 50 years later the monument itself was almost certainly destroyed, though William Stukeley succeeded in excavating its hexagonal base and a few stones from its superstructure, enabling him to sketch his best impression of what the monument would have looked like – although he did take the next stone, situated at Geddington, as an influence for its appearance too.

One fragment from Stamford’s stone recovered by Stukeley was judged to be authentic in 1993. A Purbeck marble rose was rediscovered some years earlier and was taken to Stamford Museum. It is now kept in the town’s library.

In 2000, the Stamford Gateway project arose from public consultation, and would take five years to complete.

“In 2000, the Stamford Gateway project would see Wolfgang Buttress’s Ketton stone and bronze monument reinterpreting the cross...”

The scheme would cost £1.3m and would pedestrianise Red Lion Square and Sheep Market, but would also accommodate a centrepiece to celebrate the town’s history.

Grantham’s stone was located in the town’s High Street, pulled down during the civil war and replaced in 2005 by a modern relief stone plaque. The 18th century antiquary William Stukeley claimed to have kept a piece in his garden, on Barn Hill for a number of years.

A national competition was launched seeking suggestions for a piece of civic art which would give the project something significant at his heart, and of the 37 entries received, the ten-strong judging panel was intrigued by Wolfgang Buttress’s Ketton stone and bronze monument, a more modern structure reinterpreting the original cross.

The cortège stopped in Stamford on 5th December 1290 and perhaps the following day too. Stamford’s Eleanor Cross was one of the final to be completed and though its exact location is in dispute, it’s generally accepted that it was located close to the Great North Road.

It measures 1.2m at the base, and comprises four metres of stone and seven metres of bronze casting. Each bronze stud is engraved with the words of 150 haiku poems about love written by local youngsters with each of the words randomly mixed up to ‘spread’ the words of love around.

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The structure was created at the Atelier 109 workshop in Etton and was installed in September 2009.

The next Eleanor Cross is one of the best preserved of the three remaining ones.

Located in Geddington, it’s taller, slimmer and triangular.

Hardingstone in Northampton’s cross was subject to restoration work in 2019, whilst crosses in Stratford, Woburn and Dunstable were demolished by 1643, and St Albans’ cross was demolished in 1874, replaced by a drinking fountain.

Waltham Cross is still standing but its statue depicting Eleanor is a replica, with the original image of Eleanor is now stored in London’s V&A Museum.

On 14th December, Eleanor’s cortège reached London, where the queen would be honoured by two crosses, firstly at Westcheap (now known as Cheapside) where her heart was buried.

Stone from the Westcheap cross had an irritating habit of falling off and clobbering people, whilst its Catholic iconography caused resentment during the Civil War, and so in May 1643 it was demolished in an iconoclastic display which offended those with anti-monarchy politics.

The cortège reached Charing Cross on 16th December where the final cross would be situated just north of Westminster Abbey, on the site of what is now Whitehall.

It too met its fate in 1647 and Charles I, in the reformation era, ordered the erection of an equestrian statue in its place. Nevertheless the name of Charing Cross – a reference to what was there before – remains.

A new Eleanor Cross was created in 1865 in the gothic style by George Gilbert Scott and is situated just a couple of hundred yards from where the original would have been positioned.

As romantic gestures go, this Valentine’s Day any chap would be hard pushed to match a 180-mile series of monuments to honour their wife.

But then, Edward I was certainly no ordinary romantic… and Eleanor herself ? She was certainly no ordinary queen. n

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Stamford’s ‘new’ Eleanor Cross interpretation.

Hardingstone Queen Eleanor's Cross.

Geddington’s Queen Eleanor's Cross.

A portrait of Edward I.

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ACCORDIONIST JONNY KERRY

THE SOUND of

MUSETTE

Enjoy ‘un accordéoniste redoutable’ this month as we introduce the incredible sound of Stamford accordionist, composer and singer Jonny Kerry, whose hugely talented gypsy jazz, bossa nova and French musette performances will be music to your ears…

Words: Rob Davis.

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“There’s a certain offbeat charm to the instrument, like someone who writes in green ink instead of blue or black,” he says.

“I don’t know what it is about the instrument, there’s just a sort of general uniqueness to it, it has a certain… je ne sais quoi...!”

WE MAY HAVE LET EUROPE, but Europe will never leave us. From Italian espressos overlooking the piazzas of Florence, Siena or Trieste to a night at the opera in Vienna, or a Bratwurst in a BMW by the Bundesbank, our continental cousins will forever remain in our hearts.

And the soundtrack to Europe – at least in our minds – is the gallic sound of La Môme Piaf – Little Sparrow – herself. She’s performing the bal musette by a little café, to the sound of an accordion, as a chap cycles past, wearing a beret and a blue and white stripy top, festooned with a string of onions around his neck. We’re wild for the sound.

The French are remarkable. Culinary geniuses, and fiercely protective of their language, fabulously romantic… but insanely irresponsible motorists, at least in Paris. There’s no other country, no other folk, who could have popularised the stubbornly unusual accordion. It’s unique, magical and, sadly, underrepresented in this country despite being popular elsewhere in the world, as Stamford’s Jonny Kerry knows very well.

“People associate the instrument almost exclusively with France. But in fact, it’s an instrument of German origin, and is even more popular today in Brazil.”

Stamford resident Jonny knows exactly what he’s talking about. That’s because he himself is an accordionist, and not just any accordionist, but one of the world’s top 100 Jazz accordionists and one of the UK’s best performers on the instrument overall.

Just recently Jonny was competing in the world-class 1st International Trophée Richard Galliano competition hosted by the veteran of the instrument, with his huge continental following. Accepted into the competition were 32 world-class accordionists, including Jonny, who ranked eighth in the competition when an overall winner was announced in late-December.

There are just three things to know about Jonny. Firstly, he’s devastatingly handsome; remarkably so, in fact. Secondly, his voice is phenomenal.

Search for, and listen to, his performance of The Shadow of Your Smile on YouTube and you’ll hear that for yourself. His truly mellifluous vocal performance makes a Michael Bublé jazz standard sound like an Ed Miliband speech. Never mind any of the song’s past custodians – Tony Bennett, Andy Williams, Perry Como, each of whom sound mediocre in comparison – the Stamford accordionist outclasses them all.

Thirdly; Jonny really truly has found his musical soul-mate in the accordion.

“There’s a certain offbeat charm to the instrument, like someone who writes in green ink instead of blue or black,” he says.

“I don’t know what it is about the instrument, there’s just a sort of general uniqueness to it, it has a certain… je ne sais quoi.”

Jonny was born into a musical family in Grantham, with mother and father Phillip and Tracy performing the pedal steel guitar and the bass respectively – alongside his aunt and uncle, Carolyn and Michael Ashwin – in a four-piece band, favouring more acoustic songs and folk among their repertoire. Commendably, Jonny’s parents never pushed him in the direction of a career in music, instead allowing their son to discover the joy for himself.

“We always had an upright piano in the playroom and I found my way to it,” he says.

“My parents always said that I was different to other children in approaching it, as I could pick out a single note or melody.”

“We also had a recording studio in our family home, and dad was a songwriter who would compose his own music and record it.

He occasionally toured, but mostly worked in his music shop in Nottingham, playing all the instruments in the shop between customers. I enjoyed exploring the studio as a kid, trying out the different instruments there, and then at secondary school I’d always spend my lunchtimes in the music room playing on the piano.”

“I did have some formal tuition in the form of piano lessons, but I’ve never been able to read music – I’m not sure if it’s a form of

Opposite: Jonny performs as a solo artist and with his quartet. The accordionist was recently named among the top performers in a worldwide competition and was the only UK participant.

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JONNY KERRY – THE ACCORDIONIST

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mild dyslexia as the notes just seem to jump around and distract me whilst I’m trying to coordinate my fingers on the piano keys – so I guess I almost tricked my piano teacher by playing by ear, when I was supposed to be reading music.”

“I really enjoyed the piano and I loved performing classical music, but one day my grandfather Paul came home with an old accordion he had purchased from an antiques shop. I was 14 and it seemed absolutely amazing, the sound was unlike anything I’d heard before. It was defiant and different, a sort of non-conformist. I began listening to Edith Piaf and Yann Tiersen…

I was hooked on the sound and I still am!”

The long-lost cousin of the accordion is the Asian Sheng, which was introduced to Europe in 1777. It led to the creation of a group of instruments including the harmonica and the accordion. A similar instrument – bar a few technical differences – the concertina soon made its way around Germany. It was used in popular dance genres like the polka and in Italy it was common in the Tarantella.

Friedrich Buschmann of Berlin and Cyril Demian of Vienna are both credited with the accordion’s invention in 1822 and 1829 respectively, and it soon gained a reputation as a sort of low-brow instrument. That’s perhaps because it became associated with street music and performances at raucous dance halls of the era. The instruments were also taken to war where they would be used to entertain troops.

Unlike pianos, accordions could travel around with musicians on their backs to be played everywhere, which included ad hoc performances in drinking venues.

Along with the fact that the instrument was used in raucous venues and for lively new popular genres like polka and gypsy jazz in Germany and Italy, it later became associated with the risqué new dance genre of tango. It also had an uptake in France, most notably among the Auvergne. This included people who left their old province to seek a fortune in Paris running cafés and bars.

Many of these would be clustered around the 11th and 12th arrondissements, the former especially regarded for its fashionable café culture and nightlife. There was also a good cluster around the 5th arrondissement, popular with the bohemian students of the schools and universities – including the Sorbonne – exactly where Henri Murger’s Scènes de la vie de bohème, and subsequently Puccini’s La Bohème was set.

Entertainment in these venues would typically include dancing to the bourrée to traditional instruments like the cabrétte and vielle à roue (a bit like the English hurdy gurdy). The emerging music style of the café bars was the bal de familles – latterly bal musette – the genre featured in music halls too and it would later transition into gypsy jazz.

Because of the slightly seedy – let’s be charitable and say bohemian – culture, some of Edith Piaf ’s oeuvre features slightly risqué cabaret songs or lewd subject matter. Indeed her performance of Michel Emer’s song L’Accordioniste was about a prostitute finding love with a journeyman accordion player.

Thankfully the instrument has a rather more respectable following these days… which brings us back to Jonny.

“Three years ago, I formed the Jonny Kerry Quartet. I play alongside Harry Diplock on guitar, Ducato Piotrowski & Mike Green on double bass. The band has performed at concerts and festivals all over the UK but some of our work comes from corporate events and weddings, bookings for which have been limited over the last year for obvious reasons.”

“The time away from performance has been unfortunate but it has at least given me the opportunity to work on solo material too.

I’ve already released one instrumental solo accordion project which explores the French Café accordion musette, tango & jazz music from the 1920s to the 1950s.

The repertoire consists of wellknown, easy-listening songs, but now I want to introduce vocals too.”

Listen to Jonny Kerry

“The instrument really enjoys great popularity “I’ve recorded material to You’ll find Jonny’s work on with Brazilian audiences,” create and release a second his YouTube channel, as well as his social media channels. he says. “Choro forró is a album and I had intended His music is also available to popular instrumental genre, to release it in 2021, but stream live via Apple Music and still enjoying his enduring because of all the disruption and on Spotify. popularity is the French-Italian that we’ve seen in 2020 I may accordionist Richard Galliano – wait until 2022.” who gives his name to the competition – The music industry is suddenly conducive to still active, he’s just turned 69.” Galliano has self-publishing artists. For about £60 you released more than 50 albums and has can release music to a publisher which will nearly 50 million views on YouTube... administrate and pass on royalties from though it’s worth saying that Jonny himself services like Spotify and iTunes. has over a million views!

It’s difficult to raise your profile significantly “But still the accordion doesn’t have the if you’re a conventional popular music artist, same profile as other instruments, and is the likes of which you’ll see on X-Factor or often seen as a bit old fashioned. I’ve been Pop Idol – you’ll just be lost in the crowd performing at some weddings or corporate of wannabe youngsters – but if you’ve a functions and have been asked what unique, unusual (and good) offering, like I’m playing; some people have never heard Jonny, it’s comparatively easy to release and of the accordion. It’s still used by modern monetise your music, especially if you’ve a musicians – particularly folk-rock groups like good social media presence… which, we’re Mumford & Sons and The Levellers – but happy to report, Jonny does. typically it’s a background instrument. I “The appeal of artists like Piaf and Tiersen want to bring it to the fore.” is their uniqueness and the accordion has “It’s a more modern instrument than, that lovely sense of gratuitous difference and say, the violin, so its design and technical non-conformity. It’s a little anarchic and performance has improved greatly over the absolutely evocative.” last hundred years. It’s easy to learn initially, but it’s an instrument that has its own style “I love the sound and happily I’m finding and so not every song will suit it,” says Jonny. that I’m not alone,” says Jonny. “I’m looking “Some songs work, but others just don’t. It’s forward to more people hearing my material best suited to those which are rhythmic and in 2021 and to introducing the instrument have ballad-like melodies, accompanied by to a whole new audience!” guitar strings being picked.”

“I had been performing in a band called Maniére Des Bohemiens, based mostly around Nottingham and with a band called Café Manouche, with my brothers on guitar and double bass respectively.”

n Jonny Kerry is the Stamford-based accordionist and singer who performs his solo material, plus covers, and performs with the Jonny Kerry Quartet. For more information on the artist, see www.jonnykerry.com and search for Jonny Kerry on YouTube or his social media channels.

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FINE ART IN RUTLAND

Living Wild Gladwells Rutland welcomes 2021 with the exciting January exhibition ‘Living Wild.’ This month, the Mill Street gallery’s walls showcase the beautiful and diverse interactions of artists with nature and places optimism and hope at the heart of it...

Words: Rebecca Chatterton.

FRENCH & BRITISH landscape paintings have long been an area in which Gladwells specialises but this exhibition offers the gallery the opportunity to examine the changing perception and understanding of man with the physical world around him.

Within this collection the landscapes develop from pastoral scenes with domesticated animals or managed farmland, to the study of the wilder far flung corners of our planet and the wildlife within it.

The natural flora and fauna of Europe is represented in beautiful detail by artists and sculptures from such artists as Kenneth Webb, Karl Martens and Simon Gudgeon but this exhibition also sees us moving to Africa with iconic wildlife paintings from David Shepherd and contemporary artists such as Peter Pharoah.

David Shepherd (1931-2017) was an internationally acclaimed wildlife artist known for his depictions of African animals and Gladwells has been privileged to work with him and his conservation Foundation over many years. David started life as an aviation artist and his story is one of serendipity.

Having been turned down by art school he learnt to paint at the studio of professional painter Robin Goodwin and went on to work for the RAF. He was flown into Kenya in 1960 with a commission to paint the life of the country and his first depiction of a rhino on the runway changed the course of his interests.

Elephants, lions, tigers, cheetahs, zebras and giraffes all followed.

The sight of a herd of dead zebras poisoned at a waterhole by poachers set David on a life long passion for conservation. “Man is the most stupid, arrogant and dangerous animal on Earth,” he said. “Every hour we destroy a species to extinction, and unless we start doing something about that very quickly, we are going to self-destruct.”

His paintings struck a cord with the popular imagination and his style which placed the central focus on the animal itself, was very effective in capturing the strength and vitality of his subjects, as the rightful inhabitants of their surroundings.

Gladwell & Patterson have long championed David’s artistic and charitable work, across three generations of the Fuller family. >>

Main: Dube (Zebra), by Peter Pharoah, 115cm x 115cm, Oil on Canvas, £4,500.

Above: Wolong Panda, 2006, by Peter Pharoah, 66cm x 51cm, Oil on Canvas, £69,000.

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LIVING WILD

>> Their 268 year old gallery, historically in the City of London and later Albemarle street is now in Beauchamp Place, London, and has been fortunate enough to display David’s superb paintings over the decades.

In January 2019, together, the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation and the gallery held the first retrospective exhibition of David’s work since his death in 2017. The exhibition raised awareness and funds for the Foundations continuing work and for educational projects in Zambia.

Peter Pharoah (born in 1969) is a contemporary South African artist who will also be found in the Gladwells exhibition. His work has been described as a ‘stunning evocation of tribal people and wildlife, imbued with the heat and dust of Africa.’

His bold use of colour and the abstracted style of his brushwork reflect the energy of the continent itself. His subjects emerge from the canvas and dominate with their vibrancy.

This exhibition gives Gladwells Rutland the opportunity to bring yet more of their diverse art works to Oakham and the quality of the paintings and sculpture shine through.

They chose this subject matter to distract from the restrictions and impositions of the last year, to transport the viewer to other places and to remind us that despite the fragility of the world around us, it keeps turning and that we have to play our part in maintaining it. They hope to see people enjoying the exhibition and look forward to welcoming you to the gallery. n Living Wild takes place at Gladwells Rutland on Mill Street, Oakham, throughout January & February.

Gladwells Rutland is based on Oakham’s Mill Street, call 07866 450070 or see gladwellpatterson.com.

Above: Swift by Simon Gudgeon.

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Above: As Kingfishers,

by Simon Gudgeon, 182 x 85 x 30cm, bronze edition of 12, £9,500.

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MEET THE ARTISTS...

Living Wild includes work by David Shepherd, Clarissa James, Karl Martens and sculptor Nick Bibby...

Hen Harrier, by Karl Martens, 58cm x 76cm, Watercolour, £4,250.

Clarissa James (born 1971) is a contemporary artist whose interest in Renaissance and 19th century painting techniques shines through her work. Her paintings of birds reflect a period influenced by Japanese themes and are part of a 10 year exploration of the concept of silence and serenity.

Karl Martens (born in 1956) is one of the finest wildlife artists of his generation. From earliest childhood he began drawing and painting birds and his fascination and understanding of them means he is able to paint from memory.

His watercolours are fluid and free in style yet exquisitely capture the fleeting essence of his subjects.

The Plight of the Pangolin...

Morning Mist Rising,

by Clarissa James, 100cm x 150cm, Oil & Gold Leaf on Canvas, £38,000.

The plight of the Pangolin – one of our planets most extraordinary and intelligent animals – has come to the forefront in our awareness in recent years. Sculptor Nick Bibby (born 1960) has produced beautiful palm-size silver pangolins curled up in their protective pose and in representing them thus, he highlights their extraordinary scales. These scales which evolution has gifted them are now ironically the reason that they have been hunted to the verge of extinction. n

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RUTLAND & STAMFORD RESTAURANTS

SUPPORT YOUR

LOCAL

This year, spring isn’t just a time for new growth in your garden, it’s also a chance for the hospitality industry to put a devastating year behind it.

Here, landlord and chef Tom Kerridge reveals why supporting your local pub, restaurant or hotel is more important than ever before...

Words: Rob Davis.

THE NEW YEAR is usually a pretty flat time for the hospitality industry. We’re stuffed from Christmas, all spent up, and determined to follow a new year’s resolution to eat more healthily, cut down on booze or lose weight... and those are hardly conditions which are music to the ears of publicans and chefs.

The hospitality industry accounts for 10% of UK employment, 6% of businesses and 5% of GDP. It’s is the third largest private sector employer in the UK after retail and social work – double the size of financial services and bigger than automotive, pharmaceuticals and aerospace sectors combined.

But this year is different. Worse. Much worse. And that’s why it’s incumbent on us all to support our local pubs, restaurants, coffee shops and hotels to ensure they can claw back some of the lost ground from a miserable 2020.

It creates £130bn in economic activity and generates £38bn of tax receipts for the Exchequer, funding vital services whilst employing 2,900,000 people.

“Pubs are the living rooms of the whole community,” says Tom Kerridge. “They are spaces where people connect, they get rid of loneliness. People connect in pubs and restaurants.”

“They’re so important particularly at times like these. And now, there are so many places that are losing money hand over fist.

“Places that were close to breaking even, or just making a very small profit, pre-lockdown, now being locked down and coming out the other side, the profit margins are just not there to be able to repay any loans, let alone break even or make any money.”

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The message, then is not only simple, but it’s also not that unpleasant to follow. This month and in the months that follow, it’s imperative that we dine out, drink up, and support as many local independent pubs, restaurants and coffee shops as possible.

“If we don’t use those pubs, restaurants and coffee shops, they won’t be there in the future. If you don’t just call in for a couple of drinks or just a coffee and a slice of cake every now and then, or for that Friday night meal, that pub’s not going to be there. They need your help to survive, please support your local!” n Over the page we’ve selected a few of our favourite Rutland and Stamford venues as a reminder of what they have to offer their customers this season. Meanwhile Tom’s series Saving Britain’s Pubs, is on BBC iPlayer now.

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>> Are you seeking a memorable dining out experience this spring?

These are our recommendations to help you support the industry...

1. The Chubby Castor...

In the village of Castor near Stamford, chef Adebola Adeshina has created a fine dining restaurant to rival anywhere you could dine in the city, but in considerably prettier surroundings.

Adebola’s dishes are brilliant in terms of their flavour, and technically proficient in terms of their chefcraft, but also remarkably pretty, imaginative and well-presented with elaborate touches like the wood-scented smoke under cloches and homemade flatbreads and focaccia.

Bread, amuse bouche and pre-desserts are served to all diners, whilst good wine recommendations appear alongside each item, and local suppliers from across the county are used to create dishes.

Adebola’s presentation also extends to some pretty stunning looking tableware too, and his exclusive range is now offered for sale in partnership with Goodfellows... see later in the edition!

Chargrilled squid starter with beetroot, cucumber and yuzu mayonnaise.

n The Chubby Castor, Peterborough Road, Castor, PE5 7AX. Call 01733 380 801 or see www.thechubbycastor.com.

3. The Bewicke Arms, Hallaton...

If you’re seeking romantic dining this month, there are few prettier pub restaurants around than Hallaton’s Bewicke Arms, which current owners Erin and John took on last year.

Wonky beams, open fires and stunning looking food and a really simple menu of people-pleasers are highlights, and if

2. The Crown, Uppingham Laura Totten of The Crown in Uppingham spotted a gap in the local dining scene which she reckoned failed to provide a mid-way point between fish ‘n’ chips and fine dining in the town. Happily she has fulfilled the brief of creating a great pub restaurant for families, couples and groups of friends to enjoy homemade stone-baked pizzas (popular with the post-school run trade) to small dishes, akin to tapas, and dishes with Mediterranean influences.

Fine dining wasn’t the aim, but customer satisfaction was, and in that respect, Laura and the team have nailed the brief brilliantly. n The Crown Inn, High Street East, Uppingham, LE15 9PY. Call 01572 822302 or see www.crownuppingham.co.uk.

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you’re dining ‘à deux’ this month we’d nudge you towards the intimate little dining area we nicknamed ‘snogger’s corner’ when we visited in Autumn.

A superb pub restaurant with bags of character and charm! n The Bewicke Arms, Eastgate, Hallaton, LE16 8UB. Call 07511 785593 or see www.thebewicke.com.

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4. Barnsdale Lodge, Exton...

5. Hambleton Hall...

Christmas was flat and 2020 was a write-off, so it’s our belief that we all deserve a treat this spring. There’s nowhere in the area quite like Hambleton Hall in terms of its stunning dining, beautiful setting, and the welcome of its absolutely lovely team.

Daily-changing menus, dishes that are (almost) too pretty to eat and the provenance of its ingredients such as those from the hotel’s kitchen garden: it’s little wonder Hambleton Hall has been in possession of its Michelin Star for a longer period than any other UK restaurant. n Hambleton Hall, Oakham, Rutland LE15 8TH. Call 01572 756991 or see www.hambletonhall.com.

Introducing a dining room that needs no... um, introduction.

Barnsdale Lodge is one of the most well-respected and popular hotels, restaurants and meeting places in Rutland, headed up by Ed Burrows and Warren Browning with a team who are as friendly and as professional as you could wish.

The former farmhouse dates back to 1760 and was converted into a hotel 1989, now incorporating 46 bedrooms, and several dining rooms including private dining spaces for family events plus the

Vettriano Room with its artwork, and the garden room which is light and airy. Menus change throughout the year to reflect seasonality and Head Chef David Bukowicki and his team make the most of local ingredients including those from its own kitchen garden to create really satisfying dishes.

It’s a great place to enjoy launch or a coffee whilst getting a bit of fresh air walking around the reservoir!

n Barnsdale Lodge Hotel The Avenue, Exton, Oakham Rutland, LE15 8AH. Call 01572 724678 or see www.barnsdalelodge.co.uk.

Dining Out: Going a little further afield...

Naturally we’re keen advocates of enjoying Stamford and Rutland’s best pubs, restaurants and hotels, but if you were inclined to venture a little further, we promise the trip will be worth it...

Duck Salad at The Engine Yard.

n If you’ve a touch of cabin fever, and you’re seeking an afternoon ride out Belvoir Castle’s Engine Yard is a really charming luxury shopping village – delis; gift shops, homewares; garden centre – with The Fuel Tank restaurant and Balloon Bar at its heart.

01476 247059, www.engineyardbelvoir.com

n The Petwood Hotel in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, has lots of Edwardian charm, beautiful Harold Peto grounds and a series of events throughout the year... look our for the village’s 1940s Festival usually held in July.

01526 352411, www.petwood.co.uk.

n Orton Hall, Peterborough boasts a stunning location and has its own spa. Choose from fine dining in the Huntley Restaurant or relaxed quality in the Ramblewood Inn. 01733 391111, www.ortonhall.co.uk.

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In the KITCHEN Super-quick to prepare, hugely satisfying and you can utilise the very best quality locally reared beef... there’s little not to love about this mid-week winter pleaser!

STEAK & MUSHROOM STROGANOFF Preparation Time: 15 minutes. Cooking Time: 20 minutes. Serves 2.

Ingredients: 230g sirloin steak, trimmed of excess fat • 1½ tbsp olive oil ¼ tsp sweet smoked paprika • 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced • 1 onion, sliced 1 tsp Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce • 100ml fresh beef stock • 2 tbsp single cream Handful flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped Put a large frying pan over a medium heat. Brush the steak with ½ tbsp oil, season and sprinkle with the smoked paprika.

Cook on each side for 2-3 minutes, ensuring the surface of the meat is thoroughly cooked. Lift out of the pan and set aside to rest.

Add another 1 tbsp oil to the pan and add the mushrooms and onion. Add 2 tbsp water and fry for 8-10 minutes, until excess water has evaporated and the vegetables are golden.

Add the Worcestershire sauce and beef stock, simmering until the liquid has reduced by half. Stir in the cream until combined and warmed through, season, then take off the heat.

Slice the steak thickly and add to the sauce with any resting juices drizzled over.

Sprinkle with the parsley and serve with tagliatelle, noodles or a green salad, if liked.

Recipes & Dishes: Find thousands of recipes online at www.waitrose.com/recipes.

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In the KITCHEN To those who say ‘too much indulgence over the festive season;’ to those who embark on New Year diets... we bite our thumb at you sir, and tuck into an almost offensively generous helping of this very naughty chocolate treat!

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE WAFER CHEESECAKE Preparation Time: 35 minutes plus chilling time. Serves 12 (if you really must share it).

Ingredients: 80g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing, 150g digestive biscuits, 5 KitKat Original bars, split into 10 fingers 150ml whipping cream, 150g dark chocolate, roughly chopped, 180g tub Philadelphia Soft Cheese 50g icing sugar, 100g Greek natural strained yogurt, ½ tsp vanilla bean paste.

Grease the base and sides of a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin and line with baking parchment.

Whizz the digestives and four KitKat fingers to crumbs in a food processor, then mix with the melted butter.

Press evenly into the tin, smoothing with the back of a spoon.

Chill while you make the filling.

Heat the cream in a pan to just before boiling. Take off the heat, add the chocolate and set aside for two minutes, then stir to combine. With a wooden spoon, beat the soft cheese, icing

sugar, yogurt and vanilla together until combined, then mix into the chocolate-cream mixture, a large spoonful at a time, until combined. Tip the chocolate mixture over the base and smooth the top, then chill for at least six hours but ideally overnight.

To serve, lift the cheesecake from the tin and remove the parchment, then place on a serving plate. Decorate with the remaining six KitKat fingers before serving. Dip your cake knife into just-boiled water, dry with a tea towel and you’ll find it cuts through cleanly. n

Recipes & Dishes: Find thousands of recipes online at www.waitrose.com/recipes.

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Made from 100% English blueberries, hand picked from Lutton Farm near Oundle...

Dusk: Medium dry, crisp, fresh & deliciously fruity, 11% ABV, £11.95.

Also Available: Blue Aurora Midnight & Ice wine.

SHOP FOR THE FULL RANGE ONLINE AT

www.blueaurorawine.co.uk @blueaurorawine

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01832 273300

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Wine of the Month

A local whisky that even Robert Burns would be proud of!

Château Calon Ségur, Bordeaux, France, 2011

What do the English know about producing good whisky? Apparently quite a bit. This month we’ve a local Sassenach superstar that pioneers a ‘rapid aged’ technique...

Lincoln’s Unconventional Distillery takes a virgin whisky spirit, and with a carefully calculated combination of heat, sound, light, some secret ingredients and a little magic, transformed it into blended whiskey, that even connoisseurs would think has been resting in an oak barrel for years. www.unconventional distillery.co.uk

£70 / 75cl / 13% ABV

The Wine Cellar THIS MONTH WE’VE A TRIO OF LIGHT AND LOVELY ROSÉ WINES PLUS A RAPID-AGED LOCAL WHISKY FOR BURN’S NIGHT AND A BELTING BORDEAUX TO ENJOY BY THE FIRE...

LA VIE EN ROSÉ: Romantic rosés for those enjoying the first flush of blush...

1. Chêne Bleu is a beautiful Rhône wine combining Syrah and Grenache grapes to create a raspberry-scented wine with grapefruit and floral hints plus long citrus notes to finish. £22.99 / 75cl / 13% ABV.

2. From our very own shores comes the idyllic-sounding Bluebell Vineyards’ Hindleap Rosé. Exceptionally dry, with strawberries, rose and cranberries on the palate and peach on the nose, plus a gentle fizzy mousse. £27.99 / 75cl / 11.5% ABV.

3. Lively, dry and bright with pink grapefruit, and complex finish, Domaines Ott’s Rosé Château Romassan is a super premium rosé option £34.99 / 75cl / 13% ABV.

For a belting Bordeaux to enjoy by the fire, we’ll reach for this rock ‘n’ roll superstar, with its full body, and its Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend of grapes.

Calon Ségur harvested only 50% of the normal crop this year. Taut and pure, with lovely fresh acidity, this is an interesting wine with an intense blackcurrant character and some savoury and floral notes adding complexity.

This Grand Cru Classic has a dense ruby purple colour, sweet cassis and lots of spice.

Available from Waitrose Cellar, www.waitrose cellar.com.

Enjoy a Bit of Covert Surveillance If this isn’t a winter warmer we don’t know what is!

Covert Liqueur is a sort of hybrid mead and cognac with fig leaves, and honey... a proper taste of medieval England!

You can enjoy it as an alternative to dessert wine, in place of cognac, or over ice in front of the fire with the dog at your feet.

Flavour-wise, think honey, floral tones, and walnut... it’s absolutely delicious! £37 / 70cl / 33% ABV.

n Our featured wines are available from

the best local independent wine merchants, supermarkets and online, prices are RRP and may vary from those stated.

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HOMES & INTERIORS

A COTTAGE with

CHARACTER

If you’re looking for a property with character, call off the search. Pudding Bag Cottage in Exton looks as adorable as it sounds and has masses of period charm from its thatched roof and beams to its pantiled floors and inglenook fireplaces...

Words: Rob Davis.

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If you prefer your pudding over your starter or main course. If you enjoy the sweeter things in life. If you look at a cottage with a thatched roof and let out a satisfied ‘aaah,’ then this month’s featured property is right up your street and down Exton’s Pudding Bag Lane.

Pudding Bag Cottage is every bit as idyllic as it sounds. If the children have flown the nest and you’re looking for a property that’s slightly smaller than Rutland’s wealth of monstrously large country houses or Stamford’s triple-storey Georgian piles, you might just find that this place is large enough to live in, small enough to manage and beautiful enough to fall in love with... at first sight!

Main/Right: The main reception room has a very unusual round rustic log burner. It’s one of two reception rooms, with a dining room adjacent. There’s a living kitchen, too.

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Set back from the lane and along a private drive, the thatched cottage is approached up brick paths either from the drive where the double garage stands, or under a rose clad timber arch past impressive box topiary to the front entrance porch.

Inside, as you might expect, it features thick exposed stone walls with nooks and crannies, window seats, an abundance of original overhead beams and quarry tiled floors.

The oldest part of the property is made up of three large rooms on the ground floor with all the bedrooms and bathrooms up above. A single storey stone extension, totally sympathetic to this historical building, projects from the kitchen breakfast room accommodating a utility area and a downstairs lavatory, which in turn creates a sheltered walled courtyard at the back ideal for alfresco dining.

“The oldest part of the cottage is made up of three large rooms on the ground floor with all the bedrooms above...�

The living room features a rather spectacular inglenook fireplace, complete with a window overlooking the front, and has been fitted with a very unusual round rustic log-burner, whilst the kitchen breakfast room is not only large enough for a dining table but also a comfortable seating area where the stone inglenook cleverly houses the owner’s sofa.

The kitchen is fitted with bespoke shaker style oak units, base and wall mounted which are underlit to illuminate the good amount of solid granite worktops below.

Integrated appliances include a Neff eye-level double oven and an electric hob, concealed extractor over, dishwasher and a fridge. The adjoining utility room has more matching units, incorporating a second sink, under which is space for a washing machine.

From the spacious dining hall, dark oak stairs twist up to the first floor onto a central landing where natural seagrass is laid underfoot throughout and sloping ceilings and dormer windows are a trademark.

The master bedroom overlooks the south facing front and benefits fitted timber wardrobes and cupboards and a fully tiled, contemporary style en suite shower room through an archway.

The dual aspect second bedroom is also generous in size and has a wall of fitted panelled cupboards. >> 65

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>> Bedroom three is a double and bedroom four is a single with both having built in wardrobes. The contemporary style family bathroom is fully tiled and accommodates a fitted bath as well as a separate shower.

Outside, the beautifully maintained garden is sheer delight. The south facing front garden is lawned featuring numerous mature evergreens which have been neatly clipped forming an array of living sculptures lining brick paths and filling beds ensuring year round structure and interest.

Outside the kitchen breakfast room windows, stone paving provides a lovely spot for sitting at a table in the sun. At the back, a door from the utility room opens onto a particularly private, walled, gravelled courtyard surrounded Top: The kitchen has bespoke shaker style units, and solid granite worktops plus integrated appliances.

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by shrubs and where a pleached apple tree enjoys the sun on the rear wall, and a brick shed is in one corner.

The beautiful conservation village of Exton is composed of pretty stone cottages, many thatched, the others with Collyweston slate roofs, surrounding a traditional picture book village green with a very attractive eighteenth century gastro pub, The Fox and Hounds, which serves excellent food.

There is also a village hall in Exton as well as the multi-award winning Hambleton Bakery selling Julian Carter’s absolutely mouthwatering wares.

With every desirable feature of a country property you might have on your wishlist, Pudding Bag Cottage is well-sized, yet easy to manage, with a huge number of period details and plenty of scope for changes to decor and layout should you desire.

In every respect its as enjoyable and as delicious as any pudding you’ve ever tasted! n

PUDDING BAG COTTAGE, EXTON Location: Exton, 5.1 miles from Oakham; 9.4 miles from Stamford.

Style: Thatched cottage in local stone with four bedrooms and two receptions plus living kitchen.

Guide Price: OIEO £650,000 Find Out More: Fine & Country, Seaton Grange Barn Offices, LE15 9HT. Tel: 01780 750 200, or see www.fineandcountry.com.

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Professional Interior Design Service Re-Upholstery and Soft Furnishings

MARKET PLACE · UPPINGHAM · RUTLAND · LE15 9QH

01572 823389

www.sarahhardinginteriors.co.uk • info@sarahhardinginteriors.co.uk www.facebook.com/sarahhardinginteriorsltd

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Carefully selected artists from the Royal Academy, Royal Institutes, Federations and Societies

Linda Alexander ROI | Silver Jug and Greengages | Oil on Linen 8.25 x 8.25 inches

New Fine Art Gallery Now Open in Stamford 5-8 The Mews • The George Hotel • Stamford • PE9 2LB Tuesday - Sunday from 11am to 5pm | 01780 480800

Also at Lees Yard • Holt • Norfolk | Monday - Saturday 10am - 4pm | 01263 713883 Please visit the website to view and purchase our artworks

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HOME FURNISHINGS

A Whiter Shade of

STYLE This month we’re enjoying the cool, calm simplicity of white with – who else? – The White Company.

The firm’s spring 2021 range reflects the retailer’s commitment to timeless style and quality...

This Spread: Savoy double duvet cover £100; Halden quilt from £180, Garth collection throw from £60; Tibetan sheepskin rug from £125; Faro bench £275; Thurloe bed – king £1,595.

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Top: Wildflower hand-tied bunch, £60; Parham large ceramic vase £35; Burnham stool £185.

Above/Right: Etienne collection £35; Avignon print double duvet cover £70; Adeline double duvet cover £100; Camille double duvet cover £70; Avignon double duvet cover £70; Garth throw £150.

Right: Symons double-row cord double duvet cover £220; Amara collection £35; Hanson throw £100; Burnham stool £185; Mini domed cloche with tray £15; Sleep candle £20 Henley rug – medium £395.

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Kara Hemp Linen Double Duvet £120, Brittany Collection from £35, Southwold Table Lamp- mini £75, Holkham side table £150, Round Jute Rug £125 & Melbury Bed- King £1,695.

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Single-row cord double duvet cover £60; Wilton collection £35; Garth throw £150; Faro woven bench £275; White lacquer trays – set of 3 £75; Sleep collection from £10; Brampton rug – large £695 Richmond bed – king £1,795; Burford vase £40; Holkham table £150; Flowers, hand-tied bunch – medium £60.

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The use of white to furnish those rooms you wish to be most peaceful and serene – like the bedroom – can create a sense of subtle, calm, timeless style for all four seasons...

Above: Hanson throw £100; Electronic diffuser £65; Churwell table lamp £135.

Above/Right: Cavendish bed linen collection, white/black, from £45.00.

Sleep collection, candles, room sprays and diffusers, from £10; Round marble board £40.

Right: Freya double duvet cover £100; Thea collection from £35; Tibetan sheepskin rug – ivory £225; Burnham bench £325.

Products features are available from The White Company, High Street, Stamford PE9 2AL, call 01780 769192 or see www.thewhitecompany.com.

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Sh a Sh nd ow op C roo op offe m en e ...

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You can enhance the style of any room with striking soft furnishings This month we are showcasing the sumptuous Omega II collection of velvet fabrics from Linwood which drape beautifully as curtains or upholstery.

We will work with you to find the perfect fabrics and textures to suit your home, we can rejuvenate a loved piece of family furniture or you can select a new sofa or chair.

Visit our Showroom where you are welcome to browse sample books and view some of our furniture.

The Stables, Copthill Farm, Uffington, Stamford PE9 4TD

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Call 01780 757946 or pop in for a visit, we would love to see you www.huntersinteriorsofstamford.co.uk

Showroom and Coffee Shop Open Monday - Saturday 9.30 am - 4.00 pm

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BRING SOMETHING TO THE

TABLE The Chubby Castor’s Chef Patron Adebola Adeshina launches his new range of tableware to bring the look of a fine dining restaurant into your home...

Plates, 1: Narumi Shower plate, 28cm - matte or shiny, £20.23.

2: Degrenne Modulo Nature plate 28cm - warm grey, £7.42.

3: Narumi Esprit deep plate matte/shiny white, 27cm £35.15.

4: Narumi Forest plate 28cm - matte or shiny, £20.23.

5: Montgolfier Clair de Lune dinner plate 25cm, satin white, £43.18 6: Montgolfier Boheme charger plate 30cm - linen, £57.71.

Bowls, 7: Montgolfier Clair de Lune Couscous plate 24cm, £43.18.

8: Narumi Ena rock plate 10 x 10 x 4.3cm - white, £21.19.

Glassware, 9: Italesse Etoile Blanc glass, 57cl, £7.22 and Italesse Champagne flute, 29cl, £7.00.

Cutlery, 10: Radford Bright table knife and table fork, £5.43, £4.90; Perceval 9.47 steak knife in white and beige, £76.25/set of two.

Visit www.goodfellowsathome.com or call 0844 334 5232.

The Chubby Castor is based at Castor PE5 7AX. To book, call 01733 380801 or see www.thechubbycastor.com.

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Kitchen Ade

Local chef Adebola ‘Ade’ Adeshina launches his new range of designer tableware...

Chef Patron of The Chubby Castor Adebola Adeshina has partnered with G&G Goodfellows to launch his own range of dinnerware, bringing the luxury of dining out, to your home.

G&G Goodfellows are firmly established and affectionately known as the home of ‘Sexy Plates’ proudly supplying the nation’s favourite chefs and restaurants. Now, after six superb years of working with the best in the industry, they have teamed up with Adebola and other celebrity chefs to bring the restaurant look to your home.

“Food is art and when plating a dish, it is all about the finer details,” says Adebola. “Our new range of tableware allows you to take food presentation to the next level and really impress your dinner guests.”

Since opening in 2017, The Chubby Castor has been recommended in the Michelin Guide three years consecutively and has received 2AA Rosettes. n For more information see www.thechubbycastor.com.

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FITTED FURNITURE COMPANY

ENJOY A HAPPY NEW

KITCHEN

If being stuck at home during 2020’s lockdown highlighted the deficiencies of your kitchen, invest in quality this year by treating yourself and your home to a brand new kitchen from The Fitted Furniture Company, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year...

Words: Rob Davis.

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30 years old this year, the Fitted Furniture Company enjoys plenty of repeat business from satisfied customers. But unfortunately (for the company) only when clients move home or need quality freestanding or built-in furniture for another room.

If they stay put, the team has to wait a long time for a Fitted Furniture Company kitchen to look tired. Nobody ever regrets buying quality, and when it comes to choosing a kitchen, opting for solid, well-made, bespoke cabinetry will always prove to be the best option.

The Fitted Furniture Company’s team includes a workshop team of three people.

There are no sales people, so a customer is never paying for somebody’s commission.

Nor is there a showroom – there’s no point since everything the company produces is bespoke – so customers aren’t paying for those overheads, either.

Instead, the company works with budgets typically around £25,000 +VAT (but more or less, according to the kitchen’s specification), and you can not only see, but also feel where that budget has gone.

“You can purchase hinges for pennies,” says Jason. “But we don’t. We spend a bit more on them. And that’s why they do their job for years and why our clients don’t end up with rickety cupboards.”

“It’s an example of the fact that you can do a job well if you don’t compromise on quality.

Our kitchens are good value given their solidity and quality because we minimise our overheads instead of cutting corners.”

“Much of our work is in creating kitchens but often the client wants us to return and create studies and home offices, libraries, freestanding furniture or bathroom storage too. There has been a huge upturn in home offices as more people are working from home, especially following Covid.” >>

Left: The Fitted Furniture Company was recently commissioned to create this solid hardwood handpainted kitchen in a barn conversion near Stamford.

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KITCHENS

“Our bespoke cabinetry means there are no set sizes, so we can make sub-millimetre adjustments to the dimensions of a cabinet to compensate for wonky walls or floors that aren’t even.” >> “And much of our work is in older homes because our modern interpretation of the traditional shaker kitchen tends to be commensurate with the style of local properties and our clients’ need for a kitchen that will withstand kids, pets and entertaining.”

“It’s also because the nature of our bespoke cabinetry means there are no set sizes, so we can make sub-millimetre adjustments to the dimensions of a cabinet to compensate for wonky walls or floors that aren’t even.”

“Kitchens are a pleasure to work with because there’s both a technical challenge to making something that’s well constructed, but also an art to creating a room that’s essentially practical, but looks great, too.”

“We work in a whole host of solid wood materials from oak to maple to beech.

Sometimes these are lacquered to show the look and character of the wood but more often they’re hand-painted, typically in a Little Greene shade or with any other brand a client wants to use.”

“The fact that our work is often painted is another reason that their life span is so long.

Often clients want a mid-life facelift for their room in which case they can be painted to

cover up scuffs and marks inflicted on a kitchens from the rigours of daily family life.”

“We source appliances for clients, and again, we know which brands will yield quality.

Often spending a little more on a brand like Siemens, Bosch or Miele will mean a longerlasting appliance.”

“Another important element of our work is that we project manage each installation and coordinate trades like plumbing, electrical and gas work, which is advisable for any installation as there’s usually a preferred order for each part of the work to be completed... and it’s a hassle for a customer!”

“We began the business in 1991, just before the recession, and we’ve thrived amid another recession since, and during 2020’s Covid outbreak, too. It’s not down to chance that we’ve enjoyed a steady stream of work and a reputation for quality.”

“We’re good at what we do, we make sure our customers are happy and we always have our eye on quality and value... and we believe that’s the reason that we’ll be celebrating our 30 years in business and many happy customers in 2021!” n

Find Out More: The Fitted Furniture Company creates handmade bespoke kitchens, studies and freestanding or built-in storage for your home. Call 01780 480080 or see www.thefittedfurniturecompany.com.

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Peterborough’s Premier Kitchen Design & Installation Specialists...

Papyrus Road, Peterborough PE4 5BH JUST ALONG FROM THE BMW & AUDI MOTOR DEALERSHIPS

01733 894422 | www.pdakitchens.co.uk 86

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FULL DESIGN SERVICE, ALL MANAGED UNDER ONE ROOF

• Contemporary, modern, traditional & handmade bespoke kitchens • Affordable, quality kitchens and the latest designs on display • Over 60 appliances on show • Review our recent jobs on our website www.qksstamford.co.uk or visit our Facebook page • 25 large room settings in our extensive showroom The best quality, best value and best service from a company fitting kitchens since 1981

THE AREA’S LARGEST INDEPENDENT KITCHEN SHOWROOM The Maltings, Barnack Road, Stamford PE9 2NA T: 01780 756514 or 755855

E: sales@qksstamford.co.uk

www.qksstamford.co.uk

Open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm. Sat, 9am-3pm, closed all day Sunday

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HARDWICK WINDOWS

SPRING INTO

ACTION

If you’ve suffered drafty windows and rickety, stiff sashes, now might be the time to leave behind a winter of discontent and spring into action, commissioning new windows and doors for your home.

Hardwick Windows & Doors provides great advice, hard-working, energy efficient products and the promise of a great experience with non-commission sales staff giving great advice...

Words: Rob Davis.

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Biting winds, lashing around your home, old windows letting in the draft, and rickety sashes that are infuriatingly awkward to open.

If you’ve an older property, there are many reasons to hate winter, but window and door specialists Martin & Callum of Hardwick Windows love the winter... and specifically, they enjoy making their clients’ homes cosier during even the most inclement weather, even in conservation areas or for listed buildings.

“We work in every different style of house you can imagine,” says Martin. “From modern properties in the city to period properties in the country, we enjoy finding windows, doors, bi-folds and conservatories or orangeries that suit our clients’ homes and their budgets.”

“As we’re located close to the border of Lincolnshire, Rutland & Stamford, we pick up quite a bit of work in this area, especially since we’re able to provide a range of materials for our products, from hardwood to heritage uPVC units, to aluminium products.”

“Regardless of whether your property is in a conservation area or carries listed building status, we create products engineered to millimetre accuracy, with glazing that provides up to A+ rated energy efficiency.”

“The benefits for your home include greater resistance to drafts, lower energy bills, a more comfortable environment, a better looking property and greater security too.”

“We all love the look and feel of a period home, but modern windows and doors can overcome some of the frustrations of them being costly to heat and looking tired over time. With a range of door furniture in different materials plus the availability of windows and doors matched to any colour, our products are modern, well-made and unsurpassed in terms of their technical quality.” >> Left: Hardwick Windows can fit windows, doors, orangeries and conservatories to any property, even those in conservation areas or those which carry listed building status.

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HARDWICK WINDOWS

“We can advise any home owner, regardless of their property’s style, size or location and help them to find products that suit, whether they’re looking to replace a single window or door, or an entire property...” >> “What really sets us apart, though, is the way we conduct ourselves as a company.

Sadly, in previous decades there was a sector of the industry which practiced pressureselling and was very commission led.”

“We were always opposed to such practices which is why, for many years now, we’ve done away with commission for our staff and instead earn long-term approval by our customers thanks to good advice, pressurefree selling and a better overall experience.”

“At installation stage, too, there are no time limits imposed. If a job needs two days rather than one, it’s afforded that time.

The right products and good practices when installing are inextricably linked, both essential in ensuring that our products do what they’re supposed to do.”

“We’ve found that reports of a good customer experience travel far and they help to keep new enquiries coming in. For that reason, we look after our current customers and in doing so, we secure future ones too.”

“At this time of year people find themselves frustrated with the quality of their current windows and doors; a mix, really, of those who are in older properties with poorer quality windows, but also those in newer properties whose modern installations are less than satisfactory.”

“We can advise anyone, regardless of their property’s style, size or location and help them to find products that suit, whether they’re looking to replace a single window or door, or refenestrate an entire property.”

“With great products, a great customer experience and the benefits of brilliant engineering and installation, anyone can make their home warmer, more energy efficient and give it greater kerb appeal.”

“So if this has been a winter of discontent, there’s no need to move home or live in the draft... we can help to improve your home and at the same time dispel myths about the industry!” n

Find Out More: No obligation. No pressure-selling. No property too challenging. For a discussion about your property and your requirements, call 0115 855 6010, or see www.hardwickwindows.co.uk.

The company is based at Criftin Enterprise Centre, The Mophreys, Oxton Road, Epperstone, NG14 6AT.

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RUTLAND GARDEN VILLAGE for home • for garr den • for rutland

A beautifully curated interiors e and lifestyle store

Shop online at www.b ar efootsunday.co.uk @bar efootsu undayliving

THE GARDEN VILLAGE STO R E

RUTLAND GARDEN CENTRE

Houseplants • pots • car ds gifts • books Open 7 days a week w

Click & collect w w w .rutlandgar denvillag ge.co.uk email us: or ders.rutlandgar dencentr e@gmail.com e

www.rutlandgar denvillage.co.uk d

Open Monday-Satur day 9am-5:30pm, Sunday 10am-4pm Ashwell Road, Oakham • 01572 723583

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SNOWDROPS IN STAMFORD & RUTLAND

IN SEARCH of

SNOWDROPS The sight of the diminutive snowdrop is always a welcome one as it signals that spring is just around the corner. This year the presence of these little white gems will be especially wellreceived as the sign of a new season, warmer weather and hopefully an end to lockdown!

Words: Rob Davis.

THE BEST LAID PLANS of mice and men gang aft a-gley, said the poet Robert Burns, who will be celebrated at (private) Burn’s Night suppers as Pride goes to press. Also due to be celebrated at this time of year is the snowdrop, that diminutive white flower that heralds the end of winter and the coming of spring.

This year, the flower was also due to herald the end of Covid, and of social distancing, lockdowns and so on, but alas, with this edition written and completed prior to Christmas – complete with a guide to where you could see blankets of snowdrops locally throughout February – a fresh set of measures to curb the virus, including lockdown, has necessitated a hasty rewrite of these pages from the Editor’s dining room table.

In Search of Snowdrops...

Happily, we rarely need to do little more than look out of the window of our domestic prison cells to appreciate the snowdrop; it’s prolific and can be seen in our gardens, on verges and in woodland during even the most local of dog walks.

And so, the snowdrop – which will make its appearance as Pride goes to press and remain a feature of our outside spaces at least until mid-March, could still usher in an era when Covid restrictions are lifted, when spring comes along and when life begins to return to normality.

The Basics...

One man who knows all about snowdrops of Keith Weed, who, despite his amusingly ironic name, is president of the RHS and thus responsible for championing all of the stuff that should be in your garden, not the stuff that shouldn’t... >> Main: Snowdrop taken by Fred Cholmeley of Easton Walled Gardens... a great recommendation as a place to see snowdrops, we highly recommend visiting the garden once lockdown is lifted!

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“For welcome assurance that the brighter days of spring are on their way, we need look no further than snowdrops,” Keith says.

“They’re surprisingly varied in height, flower size, shape and even colouring. Any garden can accommodate snowdrops; they just need to be planted, freshly lifted, when the foliage is just dying back in late spring.”

“Snowdrops typically flower between January and March, and should be planted from late April into May.” “Plant them in a partly-shaded position in a moist, but well-drained soil with some leafmould or garden compost incorporated.

It’s important that the soil does not dry out in summer, but otherwise they’re fairly hardy and easy to encourage.”

Snowdrop Varieties...

“Galanthus nivalis is the familiar naturalised snowdrop of our February woods and gardens.

The narrow foliage is grey-green, the edges should touch at the base (not be ‘reflexed’ or overlapping). The flowers have outer petals about 2.5cm (1in) long and the inner petals have a small neat green inverted ‘V’ at the tip.

Often thought of as a British native, the variety was probably brought to Britain in the 16th century.” “‘Atkinsii’ is a very early, vigorous and slightly honey-scented variety with long, slender petals and a green heart-shaped mark at the tips of the inner petals.” “‘Magnet’ is perhaps the most elegant of all snowdrops, flowering in February and March, and noted for the unusually long

stalk which holds the flower away from the stem so it dances in the slightest whisper of breeze.” “‘Reginae-olgae’ is the best known of the autumn-flowering snowdrops, and is generally similar in appearance to G. nivalis. It may flower in early September, but usually opens in October or sometimes later.”

Propagating Snowdrops...

The four main ways to propagate snowdrops are to lift and divide them as the foliage turns yellow in spring; to sow seeds around June; or the rather more involved processes

Snowdrops Facts for Budding Galanthophiles...

n Fans of these Amaryllidaceae are known as galanthophiles.

n Traditionally snowdrops wouldn’t flower until late February, but since the 1950s, it has been noted that they’re making an earlier appearance in gardens. This has been attributed to global warming.

n The name translates as ‘milk flower’ and as they’re the first flower to appear in the calendar, they were traditionally a sign of purity and religious faith.

n There are more than 2,500 species of snowdrop, with Galanthus nivalis or the ‘common snowdrop’ the most commonly seen.

n Snowdrops are more formally known as Galanthus, a genus of over 20 herbaceous plants similar in appearance.

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n Snowdrops tend to prefer well-drained soil in light shade; a woodland habitat is ideal.

Late spring is the ideal time to divide and plant snowdrops just as the foliage is dying off. n Snowdrops should be divided up into three or five smaller clumps, and snowdrop bulbs rising to the surface of the soil is a sign they’re keen to be split up!

of twin-scaling and chipping – essentially cutting into the bulbs to producing many more in a short space of time.

Potential Problems...

“Squirrels digging up snowdrops planted as dry bulbs may be a problem,” says Keith.

“Sometimes seedlings are also lost through ‘damping off ’ which is caused by fungi and results in their collapse.”

Snowdrops in Stamford & Rutland...

At the time of writing, lockdown looks set to put paid to a visit to local snowdrop gardens.

However, as soon as restrictions ease – hopefully we’ll still be in spring – we must recommend a visit to Easton Walled Gardens, just off the A1 on the border of Lincolnshire and Rutland.

The 12-acre gardens have been restored by its owners Fred & Ursula Cholmeley, whose spring displays are a particular highlight, along with its sweet peas later in the year (Easton, NG33 5AP. Call 01476 530063, www.visiteaston.co.uk).

Elsewhere in Stamford & Rutland, Exton’s Barnsdale Garden (Exton, LE15 8AH), Deene Park (Nr Corby, NN17 3EW) and Burghley House (Stamford, PE9 3JY) also have spectacular displays of snowdrops and other spring flowers to enjoy. n

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This Page: Closeup of an Easton Walled Garden snowdrop

by Fred Cholmeley.

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STAMFORD STONE

STONE is where the heart is!

Words: Kate Cadman

Leading Lincolnshire & Rutland stone specialist, Stamford Stone at Home, has recently launched a new e-commerce website which allows visitors to browse and buy all their stone products online.

bold colours - all inspired by the beauty of nature.

Stamford Stone at Home supplies stunning natural stone flooring, paving and fireplaces, plus they’ve recently extended their range to include on-trend decorative natural stone, ceramic and porcelain wall and floor tiles from tiling specialists, Ca’ Pietra. All of these products are now available to buy online from www.ssathome.co.uk.

“We’re excited to be part of Ca’ Pietra’s trusted network of hand-picked retailers,” explains Luciana Ciarla, Stamford Stone at Home’s Showroom Sales Manager.

The new tiling collection has been carefully chosen to complement Stamford Stone at Home’s natural stone flooring range.

The handpicked edit includes over 70 handcrafted designs in exquisite bright and

“It’s exciting to watch our product range grow and to work with other family-owned British businesses.”

“Customers wanting to buy our products no longer have to make a trip to our showroom, with the option of ordering free samples and buying online, they can now make their purchases from the comfort of their own home.”

“Of course, if any customers would rather view our products in person, they can ring to book a showroom appointment on 01780 740970,” added Luciana. n

n To browse and buy the company’s stone products visit www.ssathome.co.uk. For all your Stamford Stone or Stamford Stone at Home enquiries or to book a showroom visit, call 01780 740970, or email info@ssathome.co.uk.

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Stone and Masonry Perfection...

In the heart of Rutland there’s an exquisite self-build project that showcases stone at its finest. The stunning Ashlar stone, supplied by Stamford Stone, can be seen in both spun and raked finishes.

The stone masonry skills and attention to detail have been extremely important to the owners, who have chosen to include many traditional masonry details, including a solid entrance portico, all in beautiful, local Clipsham Limestone.

One of the many impressive features in the property is the barrel-vaulted ceiling in the courtyard entrance - it’s a work of architectural and masonry perfection!

“It’s been a delight to watch this project progress and one which we are very proud of having been chosen as the stone supplier for,” explains Dan Wilson, Director, Stamford Stone.

Indoors the house portrays a wonderful sense of luxury; the ocean-inspired colour palette and sleek architectural detail all deliver a calming, high-end spa-like perfection in the swimming pool area.

Charlbury Grey English Limestone tiles, supplied by Stamford Stone at Home, have been used for the flooring, pool coping, steps and drains.

Since its completion, this magnificent stone residence, which combines the beauty of both traditional and contemporary design, has already become part of Rutland’s heritage and will be loved and admired for centuries to come. n

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HERITAGE WINDOW SPECIALISTS ENHANCE THE STYLE, VALUE AND APPEARANCE OF YOUR HOME WITH THE VERY LATEST ALUMINIUM, WOOD OR UPVC FLUSH CASEMENT BESPOKE WINDOWS & DOORS UNRIVALLED QUALITY & SPECIFICATION, MANUFACTURED IN THE UK BY CRAFTSMEN

Call our friendly team on 0115 855 6010

hello@hardwickwindows.co.uk • www.hardwickwindows.co.uk SHOWROOM AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING BY APPOINTMENT ONCE LOCKDOWN RESTRICTIONS LIFTED. CALL FOR DETAILS.

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WEDDINGS

JESSICA & STEVE’S

MICRO WEDDING Fun, relaxed and perfect! Jessica and Steve decided that life was too short to delay their wedding and despite Covid restrictions, enjoyed creating a brilliant ‘micro wedding’!

Wedding Photographer: Amanda Forman Photography, 01572 492791, www.amandaforman.co.uk.

Nothing was going to spoil Jessica and Steve’s special day... not even restrictions on weddings caused by Covid. And despite a limit of just 15 people at their wedding, the couple enjoyed the best day of their lives, surrounded by their closest family & friends.

“Steve and I became friends through mutual acquaintances, our friendship developed and we realised that we had feelings for each other,” says Jessica. “We decided to take the plunge as Steve was looking to move to America, and I realised that I couldn’t be without him. We’re the best of friends, laughing and joking all the time. I love his eyes, his cheeky grin and his dry sense of humour!”

WEDDING DETAILS JESSICA & STEVE TIERNEY

“We drove for miles, until we arrived at Sleaford train station, in what felt like the middle of the night. I still hadn’t caught on to what was happening when Steve took a picnic basket out of the car and led me to the platform. As a vintage steam train pulled up to the platform he dropped onto one knee and popped the question much to my surprise and rapturous applause from the other passengers!”

“We hadn’t planned on getting married this year – we were waiting for ‘the right time’ – but lockdown made us both realise what was important to us, so we made the decision and

“The ceremony was held at Catmose Cottage Registry Office, in the town where we live – it was a swift 15 minutes including two witnesses all wearing face masks!”

“We chose Hitchen’s Barn as the venue for our reception, as Neil and Louise are friends.

I knew that the food, service and setting would be the perfect venue for our micro wedding and we weren’t disappointed!”

“As we opted for a micro wedding during a global pandemic, we kept everything very low key. I searched ‘Kate Middleton Wedding Dress’ and managed to find a beautiful lace overlay floor-length gown online from Baylis and Knight. I wanted a full length dress but something that was also simple and classic and this ticked all the boxes for me.”

“Steve’s proposal was a total surprise!

The night before, he told me we were going out for the day, and to wear something smart but comfortable.”

“It was a very early start on a cold and dark December day, and I’m not a morning person, so the day didn’t quite get off on the romantic footing Steve was hoping for!”

six weeks later we were married! Our goal was to have the wedding we wanted - a quiet, relaxed day spent with the people we love.”

Wedding Ceremony: Catmose Cottage Registry Office, 01572 758380, www.rutland.gov.uk.

Wedding Reception: Hitchen’s Barn, Oakham, 01572 722255, www.hitchensbarn.co.uk.

Photographs taken at/Honeymoon: Hambleton Hall, Oakham, 01572 756991, www.hambletonhall.com Wedding Dress: Baylis & Knight, 0161 8349874.

Hair: All Saints Hairdressing, Oakham, 01572 759575.

Makeup: Liz Staniland, 07714 623763 www.lizstaniland.co.uk. n

“A quirky highlight was my dream pair of Irregular Choice ‘I Do’ Bride and Groom wedding character shoes. They only make a limited number of each design and I wasn’t going to miss out on them for our big day!

One of the best decisions we made was to ask Amanda Foreman to photograph the day. She was amazing! Everything came together so perfectly just as I had imagined it.”

“As it was a micro wedding, we didn’t have any entertainment, just good food, good wine and good company! The day went by so quickly in a warm fuzzy haze! I felt very calm and relaxed, right up until I came down the stairs, but a restorative glass of Prosecco – sent by my wonderful brother and sister in law from Edinburgh – helped to calm the nerves!” >> 103

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- WEDDINGS -

>> “Despite being in the middle of a global pandemic, I was absolutely blown away by how everyone pulled together, put on their PPE, observed social distancing and made the day the best it could possibly be.”

“Amanda engineered beautiful group photos through socially distanced couples shots, Neil, Louise and the team at Hitchen’s Barn managed to create a Covid safe environment for us to enjoy our wedding reception without compromising on service and style.”

“And of course my wonderful husband Steve was amazing, enabling us to create a really special day with family and friends who did everything possible to ensure that they were there with us on the day.”

“We spent our wedding night at Hambleton Hall on Rutland Water’s peninsular. Steve arranged it as a surprise at the end of the day. The hotel and staff were lovely; they upgraded our room, created a special keepsake menu for us to take home and helped us to make special memories that we will treasure forever.”

“Because we had a small wedding, it was much easier to plan and organise, but organisation is key to planning a wedding I think, especially amid circumstances like a global pandemic.”

“Making lists and ticking things off as you go helps. My only other piece of advice to other brides would be to relax and enjoy it... the day goes far too quickly!”

Images: Amanda Forman Photography, 01572 492791, amandaforman.co.uk.

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PLAN YOUR WEDDING PROPERLY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR 900,000 MEMBERS

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Join now for free at www.ukbride.co.uk To advertise your wedding business to 43% of brides-to-be in your area, call us on 0800 112 3 112.

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SAY ‘YES’ to ‘OUI!’ This month we’ve cosy and stylish knitwear from Oui, a brand renowned for the quality and versatility of its designs...

This Page: Knitted jumper with wide sleeves in cinnamon stick colourway, £159.

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Oui chunky jumper in cinnamon stick colourway, £159.

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Knitted print jumper in brown and orange, ÂŁ169.

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Oui cosy teddy coat, £299.

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Oui 3D cable knit jumper in moonbeam colourway, £139.

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Knitted jumper in moonstone colourway, ÂŁ139.

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- FASHION -

Top/Left: Blazer cardigan in light stone £139. Top/Right: Leather skirt in brown £349.

Bottom/Left: Knitted midi-dress £189. Bottom/Right: Check blazer £145.

For local stockists see www.oui.com.

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YOUR WARM WEATHER WARDROBE STARTS HERE! Classic styles and practical features, combined with the ultimate in comfort.

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Strike me Pink ACHIEVE A ROSY AND BEAUTIFUL COMPLEXION THIS MONTH AND TREAT YOURSELF TO A TOUCH OF LUXURY WITH OUR SOFT PINK-THEMED COLLECTION OF WINTER COSMETICS...

1. Be comfortable in your own skin with Dior...

Dreamskin by Dior aims to deliver on a promise of making the most of your own natural radiance. Its Moist & Perfect Cushion acts on the appearance of pores, minor redness and shine for naturally more beautiful skin in every circumstance.

The complexion is fresh, matte and luminous with SPF50 protection from harsh winter sun. £65/15g.

2. Frost in translation...

Top tips for your lips from Mac in the form of its special edition lip colours. Shown here is the white pearl ‘Once Bitten, Twice Shy,’ one of five shades available in lustre, pearlescent frost, matte or amplified finishes. The company promises eight hours of wear, £14/3g.

3. On Primer Facie...

Too Faced has created this excellent lightweight primer designed to visibly fill and volumise skin. The company promises a ‘lifted’ look for cheeks and jawline in three days, and greater texture and smoothness, £32/30ml.

5. A welcome way to warm up your winter...

Ascent’s Himalayan Bath Salts are rich in 84 precious minerals designed to enhance the pleasure of a long hot soak in the bath and to re-centre your spirit. A bright and invigorating hit of lavender, geranium rose, and ho leaf (cinnamomum Camphora) uplifts mind, body and soul.

With warming cedarwood, it’s a winter treat. £10.20/100g.

6. Look scent-sational with cookie cosmetics...

Too Faced has launched a brand new palette of sparkly, glamorous colours.

Enchanted Beauty Fox comprises an exclusive palette of 12 eye shadows, plus a highlighted and blush duo palette and its Damn Girl mascara... and did we mention that each product smells like cookies? £28.

4. Mascara Magic...

Too Faced’s mascara claims to be the number one best-selling premium mascara in the US and now it’s available here, too.

Thickens, lengthens and curls whilst delivering a deep, lustrous black colour. £22/8ml.

n All our beauty products are available from local independent stockists unless otherwise stated, please note that prices stated are RRP and may vary according to retailer.

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FITZWILLIAM HOSPITAL

HELPING

HEROES Everyone needs support especially during a crisis. Helping to back up the NHS during Covid-19 is the area’s independent healthcare sector. Ramsay Health Care’s Fitzwilliam Hospital has been supporting its state sector colleagues by assisting the local Trust with patients on waiting lists and ensuring everyone receives prompt, high-quality care even during a major pandemic…

Words: Rob Davis.

It’s difficult to find positives during a global pandemic. Economically, socially and emotionally, Covid-19 has impacted us all in a number of ways.

for our local trusts NW Anglia Healthcare Trust. With facilities like our MRI and CT imaging suites we have been able to provide these services to NHS Trusts.

But if this year has proven one thing across the healthcare sector, it’s that independent and state healthcare sectors can work brilliantly together to provide access to prompt, high quality support to patients.

“As part of our commitment to a safe and clean environment both for our patients and our staff, we’ve had to adapt our hospitals, and I’m really proud of the way that everyone has cooperated to ensure our facilities remain exceptionally safe.”

“In ordinary circumstances the Fitzwilliam Hospital provides independent healthcare through self-pay, insurance and NHS pathways,” says the Fitzwilliam’s Hospital Director Carl Cottam.

“During the Covid-19 crisis though, we’ve provided additional capacity to the NHS to ensure that procedures in areas like breast care, urology, gynaecology, orthopaedics - or diagnostic procedures such as endoscopy – that can be performed promptly and in a safe environment.”

“We’ve worked alongside our NHS partners particularly closely this year, and have seen many hundreds of patients come through the door, which has meant we can help people to access a range of services, which also helps efforts to keep the NHS’s waiting lists down.”

“Whilst we’ve been open as usual for our own patients, much of the throughput of our five operating theatres have been work 116

“Patients have been screened upon arrival, systems have been introduced around the hospital, we have created two more entrances, and we’ve been offering ‘virtual’ consultations to reduce the number of people who need to physically enter the building.”

“The feedback has been really great. With around 200 members of staff and a throughput of patients - sometimes for complex procedures - it’s really rewarding that all those coming into the hospital to work or for treatment report that they feel safe and confident with our procedures.”

“We’ve also been providing support for patients via our sister hospital, Boston West, which is a purpose-built day case Hospital which provides services for assessment, diagnosis and treatment of common medical conditions.”

“With a well-equipped modern theatre, we can also undertake a range of surgical

procedures and endoscopic investigations at the facility too.”

“It’s also been interesting to note that some patients didn’t realise our facilities can be accessed via the NHS and were not aware of the facilities that we had.”

“We believe that in the course of working even closer with our NHS colleagues than we ordinarily do, we’ve been able to help keep local NHS hospital beds free, introduce more people to our facilities and generally support all those helping to provide excellent healthcare across the region.”

The hospital offers consultant-led care from diagnosis services, to services like physiotherapy plus treatment across a range of disciplines from orthopaedics, general surgical, spinal surgery, ophthalmological and cardiac disciplines, as well as access to pain relief, weight loss and cosmetic procedures.

“We’re really grateful for all the feedback we’ve received and recognise the hard work and dedication of all those in the healthcare profession, both in the state and the independent sectors,” adds Carl Cottam.

Find Out More: Ramsay Healthcare’s network of hospitals include Peterborough’s Fitzwilliam and Boston West. For a no-obligation consultation call 01733 842304 or find out more at www.fitzwilliamhospital.co.uk

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LAXTON JUNIOR SCHOOL

A Culture of Learning in Wonderful

WOODLAND Words: Rob Davis.

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Laxton Junior School is an independent day school for children aged four to eleven.

The School’s Woodland Garden provides an opportunity for inquisitive children brimming with enthusiasm to embrace the many opportunities and challenges they are offered. The garden is integral to a learning culture which encourages kindness, positive interaction and working and learning collaboratively with others...

Laxton Junior School, set in the heart of the beautiful market town of Oundle – and an intrinsic part of Oundle School – is an incredibly happy school. The children are inquisitive, brimming with enthusiasm and they embrace the many opportunities and challenges that they are offered.

This is never more evident than in the School’s hidden gem; its Woodland Garden.

The product of a true community effort, including the PFA, staff, the children and Oundle School grounds staff, the shared vision and attention to detail is evident as you explore this enchanting space.

Careful thought has also been given as to how the Woodland Garden is weaved into elements across the curriculum, ensuring that, alongside regular outdoor learning experiences (led by staff who are fully qualified Forest School Leads), Form Teachers frequently take the children outside for a vast array of subject lessons to embed their learning from indoors.

This reaches far beyond the academic curriculum, the joy of outdoor learning plays a hugely important role from a pastoral perspective as well as encouraging children to develop important practical skills. The approach ensures you never know what activities you will find as you take a

stroll through the Woodland Garden; a group of Year One children trying to contain their squeals of anticipation as they creep from far flung corners of undergrowth in a game of ‘What’s the time Mr Wolf,’ Year Four children huddled around the fire in the Fire Garden enjoying a hot chocolate and cosy chat (hot chocolate is a popular reoccurring theme when you talk to any of the children about the Woodland Garden!) or a Year Six poetry lesson, with children writing their creative ideas on the giant writing wall with a sense of calm contemplation.

“Through all of our outdoor learning opportunities, children learn to be resilient, confident and collaborative learners who are able to take positive risks within all environments. It is not simply a lesson, it is a community activity that enables children to focus on care and kindness for each other as well as their environment,” says Outdoor Learning Lead, Heather Poole.”

Five core values sit at the heart of an LJS education: care, a love of learning, opportunity, community and quality. These values run like invisible threads through everything the School does and ensure the experiences the children take part in outdoors, not only develop their skill base but also an overall well-rounded and considerate character in every child. n

n To explore the Woodland Garden at Laxton Junior School please visit www.laxtonjunior.org.uk, or call 01832 277275 or email admissions@laxtonjunior.org.uk to visit us in person.

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MOTORS

YOUR VOYAGE of

DISCOVERY Luxurious. Capable. Practical of course. Posh, too.

There’s nothing to dislike about Land Rover’s Discovery, but as the car enters its mid-30s, the poor thing is facing a bit of a mid-life crisis. Happens to the best of us, I suppose...

Words: Rob Davis.

THINGS WERE SIMPLER ‘back then,’ we tend to say, with soporific nostalgia. Close your eyes and think back to 1990, before Britpop, or Blair, prior to the opening of the Channel Tunnel or mobile phones and Instafacegram.

Little wonder that Land Rover wanted to capitalise on its bright idea seven years later with the smaller but more affordable Freelander, a car that was also enormously well-thought of.

In those simpler times, if you wanted a Land Rover, it was a simple choice; for capability, choose a Defender. For luxury and capability choose a Range Rover.

But too much of a good thing isn’t always great, and today’s Jaguar Land Rover lineup is complex. The brand is split in three, for a start, with Land Rover & Range Rover as well as Jaguar all producing models that occupy the same price point in the market.

Land Rover in 1989 saw fit to introduce the Discovery, and it went on sale the following year, as a sort of half-way house between outright utilitarianism and comfort.

Suffice to say it was a roaring success; a car that could provide on-road comfort, huge offroad ability, and once that would eventually enable you to take the whole family along too, thanks to the option of seven seats.

If you’ve £55k to spend on a 4x4, Land Rover’s Discovery, Discovery Sport and Defender, plus Range Rover’s Evoque and Velar, and Jaguar’s F-Pace will all fit the bill, despite sharing the same engines and interior technology. So how on earth is a consumer supposed to choose? >>

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Sibling Rivalry: A Trio of Alternative Land Rovers...

Range Rover Velar D240SE £57,660: You’ll choose this Range Rover if you value a stylish looking car and on-road dynamics. A Discovery-matching budget will see you drive off the forecourt with a D240 engine designation, a 2.0 four cylinder engine good for 135mph, 60mph in 6.8 seconds and a fuel economy figure of 48.7mpg. It’s a five seater – not a seven seater like the Discovery. In SE trim you’ll enjoy powered heated leather seats, navigation and a 360° camera. It’s sprung on coil suspension and doesn’t have low-range gears. n

Range Rover Evoque Autobiography P300e £52,110: You’ll choose this Range Rover if you spend more time in urban settings than off-road; if space isn’t a priority; if you appreciate technology; or you’re a company car driver. Smaller than the Discovery, with styling cues taken from the Velar – e.g. pop out door handles – a flagship P300e is in budget. Plug it in and you’ll enjoy 34 miles of electric-only driving. It’ll do 132mph, reach 60mph in 6.1 seconds and achieve 143mpg. Autobiography trim means adaptive cruise, 360° camera, heated and cooled seats, heated steering wheel, power tailgate and automatic parking assist are all standard. n

>> The dilemma leaves the newly facelifted 2021 Discovery with a bit of an identity crisis – or rather, a lack of identity crisis.

It has seven seats; but so does the Discovery Sport. It’s sporty, in some trims; but so is the F-Pace. It’s posh; but so is the Velar.

Perhaps the best thing you can say about the Discovery, though, is that the car’s breadth of talent is fairly evenly spread. It’s perhaps the sweet spot in the company’s entire portfolio between value, luxury and practicality.

Land Rover Defender 110 HSE D250 £61,180: This is the Land Rover you’ll choose if you’re looking for off-road performance that’s beyond peerless, practicality and the option of five, six or seven seats. It’s a bit more expensive in HSE trim but strong residuals should level the playing field when you receive the finance quote. Low-range gears and air suspension, 3.0V6 engine for lots of grunt. Top speed of 117mph and 60mph reached in 7.9 seconds. Fuel economy of 32mpg. HSE trims brings adaptive cruise, and panoramic roof. n

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As standard the Discovery has seven seats all trimmed in leather, four wheel drive, Terrain Response electronics, a 3D surround camera, power tailgate, sat nav and heated front screen and front seats. You’re lacking in little, though we’d be inclined to add the optional Driver Assistance pack.

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“Land Rover’s Discovery is practical, well-equipped and spacious. It may be a great car, but next to the Defender, and not quite a Range Rover, it’s increasingly tricky to justify...”

In terms of engines, the base D250 is a three litre six cylinder unit good for a GTi-matching seven second 60mph dash and 120mph top speed.

Perhaps more relevant is the 570nm of torque you can put to good use towing and off-roading. You’ll still achieve 33mpg on long journeys and you’ll do so in comfort.

So far then it’s all favourable. This is a car that’s practical, offers decent tech, luxury, enough poke and favourable economy for its class.

But... look! A Land Rover Defender, giving me those come-to-bed eyes and a sultry smile from across the dealership. In 110, D240, HSE trim, it’s just £5,000 or so more, probably less on finance since it’s less likely to depreciate, being highly sought after right now. The Defender is also better equipped in this trim and it’s absolutely phenomenal both off-road and on-road too. Discovery may be a great car, but next to the Defender, and not quite a Range Rover, it’s increasingly tricky to justify. n

LAND ROVER DISCOVERY Price: £53,090. (On sale now).

Drivetrain: 3.0V6 MHEV diesel, 250hp, 570Nm torque.

Eight speed automatic gearbox, all wheel drive, low range gears.

Performance: 0-62 mph: 7.6 seconds. Top Speed: 120mph.

Economy: 33.5mpg, 221g/km CO2.

Equipment: Leather upholstery, heated seats, satellite navigation, climate, cruise, seven seats. n 125

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MOTORS

GET ON THE

BLOWER

This is the Bentley Blower. First made in the late 1920s, it’s recreated here using design and engineering techniques as faithful as possible to the original. It’s ‘car zero’ and just 11 more will be made. Each one will sell for £1.5m and if that sounds expensive, consider that a replica of the car is currently on sale in the UK for £700,000, whilst an original Blower sold at Bonhams in 2012 for £4.5m.

2,000 individual parts have been hand-made especially for the cars. Together, they’ve taken 40,000 hours to design and build.

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Sir Henry ‘Tim’ Birkin, was one of the 1920s’ original Bentley Boys, born not too far away from here in Nottingham.

He raced in a Bentley Blower, a modified version of Bentley’s four-and-a-half-litre car, the re-engineering of which he was heavily franchised in.

Bentley had increased the original car’s displacement to 6.5 litres, with less success, and Tim himself was a keen advocate of forced induction rather than increased displacement.

Forgive me if that sounds like waffle... but 90 years on, ironically the same trend is evident in motoring. Manufacturers are abandoning 3.0V6 engines in favour of 2.0V4, and 2.0V4 in favour of smaller units.

Indeed, even Ford’s sizable Focus is now powered by a 1.0 engine, relying on forced induction (in that case a turbocharger) just like the Blower did in the 1920s (Tim added an Amherst Villiers supercharger which also helped to give Bourne racing driver Raymond Mays’ cars a big of extra shove).

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There’s retro, and then, there’s this Bentley Blower. It’s a brand new vehicle engineered and designed as faithfully as possible to the original Bentley Blower – on sale 90 years ago – as modern legislation will allow. This was the car that Ian Fleming’s Bond drove in the original novels and the same model raced by Sir Henry ‘Tim’ Birkin in the roaring 1920s. The car pictured is ‘car zero.’ It’s the first of just 12 cars due to made, and with a price of £1.5m exclusivity carries a premium... but what price nostalgia?

Words: Rob Davis.

The car has been crafted from the design drawings and tooling jigs used for the original four Blowers built and raced by Sir Henry ‘Tim’ Birkin in the late 1920s. Specifically, Bentley’s own Team Car (Chassis HB 3403, engine SM 3902, registration UU 5872 Team Car #2) has provided the master model for the Continuation Series, with every single component laser-scanned to ensure sub-millimetre accuracy in their dimensions. The chassis has been created in heavy-gauge steel, hand-formed and hot

riveted by the specialists at Israel Newton & Sons Ltd. Other companies created the Blower’s key components, like the mirrorpolished, solid nickel silver radiator shell and the hand-beaten fuel tank formed in steel and copper, plus the car’s ash frame, and of course, its 4.5 litre engine.

Whilst £1.5m seems like a lot to pay for a vehicle, there’s no doubt that this is more than just a classic car. This is history, recreated lovingly, faithfully, in exquisite – and very British – detail. n

BENTLEY BLOWER Price: £1,500,000.

Drivetrain: 4.5 litre four-cylinder OHC with Amherst Villiers roots-type supercharger.

Interior: Oxblood red Bridge of Weir leather stuffed with 10kg natural horsehair. n 127

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MOTORS

Maximising Minimalism It’s small, but my goodness, it’s perfectly formed... and it’s made in Britain!

The Lotus Elise Cup 220 is the perfect embodiment of a sports car; rorty and impractical but with handling hewn from pure driving pleasure...

Most cars have a shelf life of about 10 years, with a mid-life facelift to keep it fresh. The Lotus Elise, meanwhile, has been around for about 25 years. Probably because it has a fiercely loyal fan base, and very few competitors that can match its back to basics appeal.

With a manual gearbox, this is a proper, raw driver’s car. There’s no dual-clutch automatic gearbox, no four wheel drive – only the rear wheels are driven – there’s no power steering, no traction control.

ABS brakes were added but only under duress of legislation... and as for creature comforts like air conditioning, sat nav, heated seats and parking sensors... forget it.

As for the latter, you won’t need much assistance given that the Elise is a mere 3,824mm in length and 1719mm wide; for context, a Ford Fiesta is longer and slightly wider too.

Whilst the Fiesta weighs in as 1,113kg though, the Elise is a distinctly trim 914kg and instead of the Fiesta’s 1.0 engine, the Lotus has a 217hp 1.8 DOHC VVT-i 16 valve engine under its bonnet... a space it also happens to share with a supercharger.

The result is a wallop of power to weight, and a 0-60mph time of under four seconds.

Lotus Elise 220 Price: £41,695.

Engine: 1.8V four cylinder inline, 245hp.

Performance: 0-60mph 3.9 secs, top speed 154mph.

Interior: Soft top, cloth seats, cruise control, Bluetooth/DAB radio. Alcantara/leather £1,495. n

It’s a pretty car too, like a supercar that’s been shrunk in the wash, but don’t let its looks deceive. Whilst it has the performance to see off cars many times its price, and a driving dynamic to match, this is not a car to take too lightly.

It requires fundamental driving skills and good judgement, which is why many purchase the likes of Lotus or Caterham cars purely for use on the track. As a daily driver there are better, but fewer than can match the fun and engagement of an Elise. n

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MOTORS

Three Wheels Good A WHEEL SHORT OF A CAR, BUT THIS MORGAN ISN’T SHORT OF STYLE...

MORGAN Short of a wheel, but not short on thrills, the Morgan Three-Wheeler may look like something Mr Toad would drive in The Wind in the Willows, but it’s proved a success for the firm with 2,500 sold since its launch in 2011.

The current model is not long for this world, but to celebrate its success, this special edition has been launched prior to the car’s official approval of its

S&S V-Twin engine coming to an end in 2021, preventing the model from being produced into 2022. The limited-edition P101 is priced from £45,000 and only 33 will be made.

Production slots have already been allocated to Morgan dealerships in the UK, Europe and USA. Production of the model will continue alongside ‘bespoke’ Three-Wheelers during 2021. n

A luminous Rolls Royce...?!?

GOOD NEWS FOR THOSE WITH AN AVERSION TO SUBTLETY. YOU CAN NOW ORDER A ROLLS WITH LUMINOUS PAINT...

Cut your company’s costs with an electric Ford Transit...

FORD If you run a business, you’ve doubtless been looking for ways to cut costs in 2020. If that business involves making deliveries, this could be on your fleet very soon. Tax friendly and promising fuel efficiency, Ford’s reckons its electric Transit could soon account for a serious number of the 32m vans on British roads. It’s 11.3kW on-board charger promises tax and fuel savings, plus 34 minute charges, providing 217 miles of range which Ford says is three times most drivers’ daily distance. n

MOTORING

NEWS In Brief

WINTER MOTORING

STEER CLEAR OF A WINTER BREAKDOWN WITH SOME SIMPLE CAR MAINTENANCE...

Road Safety organisation GEM Motoring Assist is offering basic tips for drivers to ensure trouble-free journeys in winter. Giving attention now to batteries, tyres, antifreeze, wipers, lights and other vehicle essentials is the best way of ensuring reliability in the months to come, especially if you haven’t been using your car as much as usual this year.

Here are GEM’s five simple steps for reducing the chance of a breakdown or malfunction this winter:

ROLLS ROYCE History is littered with examples of events that shouldn’t have happened but did.

And the latest example – perhaps the best – comes with the news that Rolls Royce has released three ‘special’ editions of its car sporting luminous paint jobs.

The three colours are ‘Lime Rock Green, a near-luminous hue naturally bestowed on the Australian green tree frog;’ ‘Eagle Rock Red whose hue mimics the flowers of ‘Ōhi‘a lehua, an evergreen tree native to Hawaii,’ and ‘Mirabeau Blue, which looked to an exotic butterfly, Rhetus periander for inspiration.’ n

n Get the battery and charging system checked to ensure best performance.

A number of winter calls to GEM’s breakdown control centre relate to flat batteries Cold weather puts a lot of strain on tired batteries, so consider changing it now to avoid the inconvenience of a breakdown. n Ensure your car’s cooling system has the correct levels of anti-freeze, which is vital to prevent the water in your engine’s cooling system from freezing. n Make sure all the lights on your car, are clean and working properly. n Check tyre tread depth and pressure weekly through the winter. Good tread depth will minimise your risk of skidding and losing control. n Check your windscreen wipers, front and rear.

Make sure they are working properly, and top up your screenwash regularly.

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The Directory... To advertise here call our friendly team on 01529 469977

DOG TREAT

PUZZLES

My own design of hand made dog puzzles...

07772 491 610 www.jbwoodcraft.biz

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