Rutland Pride November 2021

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RUTLAND

PRIDE RUTLAND’S FINEST MAGAZINE

Do you remember?

Social history from 1940-1990

The silver screen A new cinema in Rutland

Art in Rutland The county’s best galleries

FREE ONLINE

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WELCOME

H

istory isn’t about the past. It’s about the future. It’s about learning from past mistakes, repeating past successes and looking after our heritage. But it’s also something fascinating to view and enjoy, with a sense of nostalgia. What seemed so modern or promising, or held so many possibilities at the time, may later have fallen from grace or perhaps matured into something we now depend upon; the Blair government or the internet, for example.

This month we’re looking back on how both Rutland and Stamford have changed from the 1940s to the 1990s, and doing so in the context of national and international history too. We’ve tried to pack our feature with as much detail as possible, and given that it’s been such fun to write, we trust it’ll be equally fun to read!

In this edition we’re also looking at the county’s independent art galleries, curating collections of classic and contemporary art to view or own, and we’ll profile some of the area’s artists too. We’ll also meet Genevieve Margrett & Andrew Robinson whose bid to bring independent cinema back to Rutland will – hopefully – be realised as Pride goes to press.

Elsewhere? Well, we’re counting down to Christmas, not least with a few of the larger events planned for November, and we’re enjoying autumn dining at the wonderful Hambleton Hall.

Our best wishes for a wonderful month!

Executive Editor robin@pridemagazines.co.uk 3

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86 CONTENTS NEWS & EVENTS

FOOD & DRINK

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NEWS The best ‘good news’ stories

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from across Rutland & Stamford.

This month Stamford’s very own luthier adds another string to her bow.

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WHAT’S ON November’s live events.

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HOMES & GARDENS

LOOKING BACK A look back through the decades in Rutland and Stamford from the 1940s to the 1990s.

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RUTLAND KINO Meet Genevieve Margrett & Andrew Robinson as they announce the latest news in their bid to bring independent cinema back to Rutland.

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FINE ART The area’s best galleries and artists helping you to curate a collection of classic and contemporary art.

RECIPES & WINE Festive bakes.

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WELCOME HOME A really brilliantly-executed barn conversion located in Whitwell.

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HOMES Creating stylish and cosy interiors for the autumn months.

COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS Making preparations for spending the festive season in the area and the season’s best highlights.

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THE GOOD FOOD AWARDS A reminder to nominate your favourite restaurants and food producers.

HIGHLIGHTS

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DINING OUT Autumn dining is as enjoyable as ever at Hambleton Hall.

FASHION & LIFESTYLE 106 FASHION Great British brand Farlows showcases its sumptuous knitwear.

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HEALTH Health and nutrition with Rutland’s Ali Hutchinson.

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COSMETICS Autumn skincare.

120 MOTORS BMW’s all-electric i4 car.

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17 READ

THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE IN THE AREA READ PRIDE MAGAZINE

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 £300,000. 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

THE PRIDE TEAM

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.

Managing Director: Julian Wilkinson.

Sales Director: Zoie Wilkinson.

General Manager: Cydney Buck.

Sales Manager: Charlotte Daubney.

Executive Editor: Rob Davis.

Illustrator: Jocelyn Lawman.

Customer Care Manager: Mandy Bray.

IT Manager: Ian Bagley.

Web Developer: Joe Proctor.

Administration and Office Managers: Debbie Wellington, Sami Millard, Paul Robinson-Marsh.

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

Another string to Libby’s bow...

STAMFORD STRINGS COMPLETES SUCCESSFUL FIRST YEAR AND EXPANDS SERVICES STAMFORD In the same week that Stamford Strings celebrated the first anniversary of its shop opening, this regional destination business is expanding to include guitar repairs.

Until now owner Libby Summers has focused solely on violin, viola and cello with the occasional double bass repair. This new development has been possible due to the appointment of a new talented luthier, Roger Rosa.

In addition to his degree in violin making, he is also fully qualified in guitar making and repairs. The new workshop behind the St Leonards’ Street shop, Stamford provides space for the increasing repair workload for existing instruments and now, guitars.

Additionally, Libby has created an extra spacious, airy room, newly decorated, with a sofa and coffee machine, where musicians can come to try out violins, violas and

cellos to their heart’s content before committing to a purchase.

“Choosing an instrument is a very personal and important decision,” says Libby, “And as professional level instruments are a big investment, musicians need time to fully explore the potential of several of them before making a decision.

I wanted to create a calm and private space where this can happen away from the busy nature of the street and the workshop.”

Stamford Strings has vastly increased its stocks of new and pre-owned instruments, from student to professional grades, but is particularly proud of its handmade instruments from new and established UK makers, which attract customers from all over the country. n For advice on purchasing or repairing an instrument, please call the shop on 01780 764339 or see www.stamfordstrings.co.uk.

An Elizabethan education MAJESTY OF BURGHLEY HOUSE IS USED TO BRING HISTORY TO LIFE FOR GCSE STUDENTS

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STAMFORD The Burghley House Education Team has used the backdrop of the property and some rather fetching period costumes to bring history to life for GCSE pupils who will sit their exams next year.

Rachel Starmer, Lynne Denham and Amanda Carter, work as education co-ordinators for the estate whilst tour guide Neville Short, has also helped to put together a 30 minute video for history students.

‘William Cecil: Politics, Power and Patronage’ is a film lasting 30 minutes and has been produced with the

GCSE exam questions in mind to ensure that those taking their all-important exams in 2022 will get a good feel fr what live and politics were all about in Queen Elizabeth I’s England.

“Burghley House is a fabulous place to work.

You’re walking in hundreds of years of history,” says Lynne. “We did a rehearsal first in front of each other and the company we worked with was also good at putting us at ease. We’re all really pleased with it!” n The film is online now and can be viewed at burghley.co.uk.

80 PARTICIPANTS FOR CLASSIC CAR RALLY

UPPINGHAM Last month around 80 heritage vehicles enjoyed a 39.5 mile rally hosted by the Uppingham First Community Partnership. The route took in both the Rutland Water and Eyebrook reservoirs, and was a similar event to the Stilton Cheese Run, which is usually held April each year.

The participants were waved off at half ten in the morning by Rutland’s Lord Lieutenant Dr Sarah Furness and returned to enjoy lunch and live music at about 2pm.

The Cheese Run rally is organised to coincide with the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Club’s annual ‘Drive it Day.’ In the early 1700s the housekeeper at Quenby Hall, near Hungarton, Leicestershire used to make blue cheese.

Her daughter married the inn keeper of The Bell Inn at Stilton and she used to regularly take some of the cheese to her in-laws at the Inn. The 39 mile route is homage to the route she used to take to distribute her fresh truckles! n

Missing brooch returned ANCIENT BROOCH RETURNED TO RUTLAND COUNTY MUSEUM ALMOST 30 YEARS AFTER IT WAS STOLEN...

Julia speaks bravely about breast cancer battle...

RUTLAND BBC Countryfile presenter and Rutland native Julia Bradbury has urged women to be vigilant following her recent breast cancer diagnosis.

“I’m sad to say that I’ve just been diagnosed with breast cancer and need urgent surgery,” she said in a recent tweet.

“Please self-check regularly and if you have any unexplained pain, tenderness or lumps, please ask for checks and follow ups.

Ask for a second opinion if you’re not happy.” n

OAKHAM An Anglo-Saxon brooch stolen from Rutland County Museum has been returned almost 30 years after it went missing.

The bronze-gilt squareheaded brooch, discovered in Market Overton, was taken from the museum at night in 1995, along with eight other brooches and a Roman gold ring.

The brooch was sent by post to the Metropolitan Police anonymously at the end of last year and was welcomed back to the museum by representatives of Rutland County Council, the Metropolitan Police, The Art Loss Register and insurers Zurich. n

£9,540 Raised

Round Rutland Run

CLIPSHAM It’s a huge well done to the 20 colleagues at Clipsham’s Stamford Stone who have raised £9,540 for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice in Peterborough, a charity they’ve been supporting for the last four years.

The team recently completed a challenging climb of over 1,345m to the peak of Ben Nevis. n

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LOCAL

NEWS In Brief UPPINGHAM x

Making plans to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee...

Uppingham Town Council is appealing for locals planning events to celebrate HM The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee next year to get in touch.

Planning for Jubilee Weekend, which will take place on the first weekend in June, is under way, and will be led by Rutland’s Lord Lieutenant.

Locally organised events in Uppingham are being encouraged and letting the town council know about events taking place across Uppingham will enable a coordinated celebration of The Queen’s 70th anniversary of her accession. n Call 01572 822681.

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UPPER BENEFIELD, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE Guide Price £1,150,000

On the edge of a small and pretty village a few miles west of Oundle, there is this beautiful, fully renovated, former coaching in. The property has been skillfully refurbished keeping many original features, including inglenook fireplaces, mullion windows, exposed timber beams and an impressive staircase. The property offers comfortable, modern living with a large open plan kitchen / diner / family room and further three reception rooms on the ground floor. Bedrooms are all double with en suite; four are located on the first floor and the fifth is on the second floor. Outside, the south facing lawn garden is completely enclosed by timber fencing and a paved terrace stretches the entire width of the property at the back making it perfect for alfresco dining and entertaining. There is also a double garage and gravel parking area with access through the electric double gates.

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

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

fineandcountry.com

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PIPEWELL, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE Guide Price £1,350,000

225 offices across Great Britain Plus 75 offices globally

An immaculate, five or six bedroomed barn conversion with generous living spaces enjoys peace and tranquillity and far reaching views of the beautiful countryside, as well as expansive grounds of predominantly lawns and grazing. Externally, nods to its former use are evident, whilst the interior blends the traditional with modernity. Windows and doors are handmade timber, and a combination of oak flooring and porcelain tiling has been laid, whilst vaulted ceilings with exposed roof trusses in the main living areas, as well as upstairs, enhance the feeling of light and space. Heating is by a highly efficient, air source heat pump, with underfloor heating throughout the ground floor. The gardens provide many spots for dining with a terrace wrapping round the property at the back that leads to vast lawns that stretch to the paddock land. On arrival, passing through electrically-operated gates, there is plenty of room for parking, both under cover and on the extensive gravel drive.

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SSTC

LANGHAM

Offers Over £1.0m

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.

SSTC

OAKHAM

NEW

NEW PRICE

UPPINGHAM

£799,950

Superb stone-built period property with mature south-facing gardens offering elegant, extensive character accommodation on town outskirts. Drawing Room, Dining Room, Dining Kitchen, ample Ancillary Accommodation (including Cellars), Study, 5 Double Bedrooms , 2 En-suite Shower Rooms, Family Bathroom, Garage. Energy Rating: TBC. Viewing is highly recommended.

NEW

SEATON

OIEO £350,000

Built in 1881, this charming, stone-built, semi-detached cottage with large garden and useful outbuilding is situated on an elevated plot towards the village outskirts and enjoys outstanding countryside views. The property retains many original features and provides attractively presented accommodation with Sitting Room, Dining Kitchen, 2 Bedrooms and Bathroom. Large Gardens, Outbuilding, Parking. Energy Rating: D.

Guide Price £600,000

A detached family home set on a good-sized plot with double Garage and mature, private gardens in one of Oakham’s most sought-after residential areas close to the town centre and within a stone’s throw of Oakham School. 2 Reception Rooms, Conservatory, Study, Breakfast Room, Utility, WC, 4 Bedrooms, Wet Room, Bathroom. Energy Rating: TBC.

UPPINGHAM

NO UPWARD CHAIN £425,000

Stunning detached four-bedroom house offering immaculately presented, contemporary accommodation with garage and private garden set in a desirable residential area. The property has been beautifully reappointed by the present owners and features newly fitted UPVC windows, new high quality kitchen with matching utility, refitted cloakroom, en-suite shower room and family bathroom, newly replaced radiators and new consumer unit. Energy Rating: E.

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Uppingham Place, Leicester Road, Uppingham Uppingham Place is a collection of seven unique, individually designed properties n Built using traditional design aesthetics and high quality materials. n Sitting on generous plots with ample parking. n Carefully considered positioning to provide privacy and a desirable garden orientation. n Located within easy access to some of the county's most beautiful rolling countryside. n A short distance to the historic market town of Uppingham. n Flexible and versatile accommodation. n Contemporary living finished to the highest specifications.

Prices from £700,000

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PROPERTY FINDERS

The Buyer’s Advantage Local property expert Kate Vincent from Garrington discusses why more movers are using a property finder in a difficult and competitive housing market..

In contrast to other property booms seen over the decades, the current ‘drive to buy’ is showing few signs of abating after nearly eighteen months of heightened activity.

Fuelled by low interest rates and the ongoing wish amongst many buyers to change their circumstances, this competitive environment is unlikely to change significantly over the winter months and into next year. So, if you have attempted to buy a property in recent months and failed, is it time to ask for some professional help?

Working with a professional property finder can help you with your specific requirements and will increase your chances of finding the perfect home in a number of ways: Gaining exclusive access to opportunities Buyers who have previously been unsuccessful in their search might wonder if they truly have the time to dedicate to a search and maintain the necessary relationships to gain access to the best properties. Having built relationships with a wide array of industry experts, and having an unrivalled knowledge of their own local markets, established and reputable property search consultants frequently have access to off-market or premarket opportunities, providing clients with a competitive edge over unrepresented buyers.

Expert information on local areas Many new clients are surprised to learn that property-finding companies do not exclusively represent buyers relocating to a new area.

Whilst the advantages available to a buyer unfamiliar with an area are clear, many local buyers overlook the difference between ‘local knowledge’ and ‘local property knowledge’.

A property finder will swiftly bring clarity and objectivity on the best available options by aligning their local property knowledge of housing availability, types, sizes and average prices, with a client’s lifestyle requirements.

Professional negotiation How much is the right amount to offer? Buyers can often find themselves unsure how to proceed and find a professional advisor to be a welcome guide. A property finder will conduct thorough due diligence on a property of interest and offer assurance throughout negotiations. Whatever the situation may be, and however much competition is present, a seasoned buying agent will have prior experience and knowledge that can be applied at these pressured and sometimes emotional periods when procuring a property.

Saving time and hassle Finding and securing the right property is traditionally only half of the battle when moving home and typically around a third of transactions fall through between going under offer and exchange of contracts. A professional property finder represents the buyers’ best interests throughout a transaction by advising on possible solutions to problems, brokering sensitive conversations and sourcing specialist advisors when unusual questions are raised.

Kate Vincent Garrington

They’ll also tell a buyer when it is time to walk away from a purchase; offering an experienced and pragmatic voice of reason for buyers that can prove invaluable when making one of the largest transactions in their lifetime.

Advice for discerning buyers Whilst engaging a professional property finder will enhance a buyer’s purchasing status, it is always strongly recommended that clients also engage reputable experts to support all the elements of a purchase.

An independent surveyor, an effective and communicative solicitor and an efficient and knowledgeable financial advisor are all valuable members of the professional team a buyer can surround themselves with. Together with a dedicated property finder, they can ensure that when a buyer finds a home they wish to purchase they are provided with the best possible advice to make well-informed decisions.

If you are frustrated by the difficulty of finding and buying your next property and would appreciate being given a competitive advantage over non-represented buyers, please contact Kate for an initial discussion without obligation.

If you are thinking of moving this year and would like further information on how Garrington can assist, contact Kate Vincent: Tel. 01780 408377. Email info@garrington.co.uk www.garringtoneastmidlands.co.uk

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LOCAL HISTORY

LOOKING

BACK ‘I remember when,’ is a familiar phrase and this month we’re indulging our sense of nostalgia by looking back at life in Rutland & Stamford from the 1940s to the 1990s...

Words: Rob Davis.

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1940s 1941: BOMBS FALLING ON EMPINGHAM Local man Sidney John Branson was a youngster when he discovered the boyish joy of playing with unexploded bombs...(!)

“AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR there were 720 inhabitants of Empingham. It went without saying the belief in ultimate victory, but from time to time the Luftwaffe left reminders by way of bombs that even Empingham was a wartime target.”

“The most spectacular event occurred on Maundy Thursday of 1941. In the early hours, my father woke my two brothers and me to come and look towards the north of the village. The village was bathed in an intense light with a light reddish cast.

The appearance of the White Horse Inn was little different to that during daylight.

Account from John Sidney Branson from the BBC’s WW2: People’s War series.

Image courtesy of Britain From Above.

Main Street was deserted; there was no sound, just a gentle breath of wind.”

“My father was remarkably calm as he explained that a German air raid was in progress and that he expected that soon the Germans would be dropping explosive bombs and the best place to take shelter was under the dining table – which was a substantial one.”

“The whole family took blankets and took cover under the table but after a matter of minutes the light began to lose its intensity with no explosions, and no sound of aircraft.

Within forty minutes we were all back in bed. I can imagine that many villagers were blissfully unaware of this attack.”

“Mr Denny Griffin, the village baker was looking out of his bedroom at the Bakehouse on Church Street at the spectacle when he spotted an incendiary bomb on fire in the stackyard of Butler’s Farm. Fearing that the stacks might take fire he put on clothes, ran the 60 yards to the stackyard and extinguished the fire with a fire bucket of sand. Even in Empingham, villagers had acted on government advice to have sand buckets and stirrup pumps and buckets of water handy.”

“Good Friday was a school holiday and my first opportunity to go to fields up Exton Road into which the majority of the bombs had fallen. As far as I could see the majority of the bombs had fallen into Weed’s Farm fields and into the two spinneys, Warren on the side of Exton road and Lee some 60 yards to the east. A smaller number had fallen in Peasgood’s farm fields to the west of Exton Road.”

“There were small mounds of pure white residue within yards of each other. It was apparent that the number of bombs was in the hundreds. Some, not badly burnt, were of an olive green colour and looked well made, being about two inches in diameter and about four and a half inches long, having three fins. I went home to get a trowel, returned to dig and was rewarded with the nose assembly of an incendiary, complete with German markings and was able to unscrew the nose from the body of the bomb. The incendiary bombs were type B1E and weighed about a kilogram.”

“When I was searching the ploughed field to the west of Clipsham Ford, I came across a tailfin with silver body attached sticking out of the soil. No white residue was present so the magnesium had not burned. It was easy to recover the bomb from the soft soil and this revealed that some burning had taken place – the bomb was now harmless as the detonator had fired the primer.”

“The excitement was not yet over because I had pieces of magnesium that were in its original form and therefore capable of being burnt. The Smithy was close to where I lived and I was very friendly with the village blacksmith. The blacksmith was approached and after lengthy negotiation and assurance, he was persuaded to put a small piece in his fire. This produced the expected display.”

“So how about a bigger piece? This produced an even more spectacular display, but now the white residue was also greater and the blacksmith claimed that this spoiled his fire and refused point blank to continue with the experiments. The Smithy remains today converted into a residence... inevitably, Butler’s Farm stackyard now accommodates houses rather than stacks.” n

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As the country continued to reel from a war that seemed it was never going to end, some brave and curious souls back home were trying to keep their spirits up and keep the country going.

Later in the decade, Uppingham was back celebrating its agricultural heritage...

1947: PAGEANT TIME IN OAKHAM Pathé News was founded in the UK in 1910 and produced newsreels from its office on Wardour Street in London.

These were shown in cinemas and were silent until 1928, about four minutes long and were produced fortnightly.

By 1938 British Pathé was producing longer programmes which included magazine as well as news items. Pathé was sold to Warner Bros in 1958 and ceased in 1970 facing competition from television. n

Above: Oakham Pageant captured by Pathé in 1947. The carnival processions carries ‘Fight for Rutland’s Independence’ banners – a theme which would be revisited in the 1970s! An event was held in the town from the late 19th century. Mainly during the Oakham Feast of September, which had been held since C16th. During WWI the feast was suspended, it’s thought that it returned alongside a carnival event in 1929. It was again suspended from 1940-1944 but returned in 1945 with the theme ‘HMS Gurcha’ (commanded by Admiral O No-Yer-Don’t). The annual carnival tradition lasted until the 1960s. Photos above show Titus Oates, and the carnival queen.

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1940s 1949: THE RETURN OF UPPINGHAM’S FATSTOCK EVENT The hand-written minutes pictured below are from a meeting held to resume Uppingham’s Fatstock...

THE TRADITION OF A FATSTOCK EVENT in Uppingham dates back to 1889, but the two World Wars and the outbreak of two notifiable diseases in cattle led to the event stalling until a meeting in July 1949 presented locals with the opportunity to resurrect the event.

Chaired by John Blood the event was held in December, rather than the usual November, but the event’s original purpose remained; showing off the best local produce so that butchers could subsequently bid for the best carcases to sell to customers for their Christmas celebrations.

The event was increasingly popular when food rationing ended in 1954 and it would continue uninterrupted until 2001’s Foot & Mouth outbreak. The event would also be turned into a general town-wide celebration of agriculture, food production

and general festivities, but a competitive element remained at its heart, and in the above photo, we see Peter Scott and Owen Flint comparing notes about the 1949 event’s entries. n

1941: Brave firefighters needed in Peterborough One of the less desirable wartime jobs was a WWII Firewatcher on top of the Cathedral 1941 saw the country endure The Blitz, and Rutland, Stamford & Peterborough didn’t get off lightly. One of the less desirable jobs for the ARP fire watchers was to make sure incendiary bombs were dealt with swiftly. The job was simple: stand on the top of Peterborough Cathedral, and if an incendiary bomb is dropped, just pick it up and throw it off the roof.

Don’t worry, a helmet is provided(!).

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FACE OF THE DECADE: The Wartime Prime Minister...

The 1940s n THE COST OF LIVING:

Undoubtedly Britain’s wartime Prime Minister defined the decade with an irascible temperament, a penchant for a good glug of Champagne Pol Roger and his preferred brands of Cuban cigars, ‘Romeo y Julieta and La Aroma de Cuba.’

Between Chamberlain’s fondness for appeasement and Attlee’s Labour Party victory in 1945, was sandwiched the belligerent but endearing character of Churchill. The PM delivered his stirring orations and demonstrated an ability to keep the country’s spirits up even in the face of The Blitz decimating London less than six month into his tenure.

“An empty taxi drove up to 10 Downing Street,” joked Winston Churchill about the man who defeated him in 1946, “And out of it stepped Clement Attlee.”

Churchill was devastated when Britain rejected him in 1945, but Labour’s promise of social reform – healthcare and housing – saw the latter victorious, winning 393 seats to 197. Churchill died of a stroke in 1965 and was given a full state funeral which was assigned the code name ‘Operation Hope Not.’ n Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill 30th November 1874 - 24th January 1965.

DEFINING MOMENTS... A brief history of the 1940s

Average annual salary: £185 (equivalent of £10,905 today).

Average house price: £530 (equivalent of £31,217 today).

n SHOPPING BASKET: Loaf of bread: Pint of milk: Weekly shop:

2p (94p) 6p (£3.53) 38p (£22.14)

n IN FASHION: Rationing for clothing was introduced in 1941 and lasted until 1954. Therefore ‘make do and mend’ was very much the order of the day. We looked to Parisian designers such as Pierre-Balmain and dreamed of glamour, though fashions were, in reality, rather more austere.

Norman Hartnell of Berketex designed popular fashions and held Wales’ largest-ever fashion show a few years later in 1952.

n ON THE ROAD: Average price of a car: £310 (equivalent to £18,259).

Litre of fuel: 2p (94p) One of the UK’s best selling cars was the Hillman Minx.

It was originally released in 1931, but in 1947 and 1948 a MkII and MkIII were available, with a 1,200cc engine.

A radio was a £36 extra, as was the heater, yours for £18!

n ON THE RADIO: n 8th Jan 1940: Rationing begins in the UK, and is later extended to include clothes and soap a year later. n 20th May 1940: Sir Winston Churchill is elected as Prime Minister, replacing Chamberlain. n 8th May 1945: Victory in Europe day is declared and war officially ends. Japan, though, fights on. n 26th July 1945: Clement Attlee becomes Prime Minister, much to wartime PM Churchill’s annoyance. n 24th October 1945: Britain becomes one of five founder members of the United Nations. n 15th August 1947: India gains freedom from British rule, with the partitioning of India and Pakistan. n 1st January 1948: British Rail is established, lasting until the organisation is privatised in 1997. n 20th January 1948: Mahatma Gandhi is assassinated by Hindu nationalist Nathuram Godse. n 5th July 1948: NHS founded as a consequence of the 1942 Beveridge cross-party report. n 29th July - 14th August 1948: London hosts the 1946 Summer Olympics, opened by King George VI. n 14th November 1948: Birth of Charles, Prince of Wales, styled HRH from 26th July 1958.

“Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duty and so bear ourselves that if the British Commonwealth and Empire lasts for a thousand years, men will still say, ‘this was their finest hour.’”

Winston Churchill to the House of Commons, 18th June 1940.

BBC Radio broadcast The Empire Service from 1932, The Home Service from 1939, Light Programme from 1945.

The first Desert Island Discs broadcast in January 1942, its inaugural castaway was Vic Oliver. Woman’s Hour began broadcasting in October 1946. Muffin the Mule, sadly, is no longer broadcast!

n ON THE TV: TV broadcasting began in November 1936, ceasing between September 1939 and June 1946. The first TV news programme, Television Newsreel, was broadcast in January 1948.

n AT THE PICTURES: Disney’s Pinocchio (1940).

Casablanca (1942).

Brief Encounter (1945).

n IN THE PLAYROOM: The Slinky was invented in 1945!

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1950s 1950-1957: SIR MALCOLM SARGENT LEADS THE BBC CONCERT ORCHESTRA...

Malcolm Sargent’s parents lived in Stamford, but actually, the composer and conductor was born in Ashword whilst his mother was visiting a family friend. Malcolm was a resident of the town though, and attended Stamford School from 1907 to 1912 before being apprenticed to the organist of Peterborough Cathedral, Haydyn Keeton, before studying music in Durham.

After serving in the war, Malcolm became one of the best-known English conductors and was even knighted in the King’s 1947 birthday honours.

He’d also married Eileen Laura Harding Horne who was the niece of Hambleton Hall owner Evangeline Astley Cooper, and the couple attended many events there.

Unfortunately Sargent was also a notorious womaniser, waving his baton in the direction of young women with surnames like BowesLyon and Mountbatten.

His finesse and speed with the baton and his abrupt nature let to him being given the soubriquet Flash Harry, but his talent was undeniable. Aside from Honorary doctorates from Oxford and the Royal Academy of Music, not to mention the Légion d’honneur, Sargent was chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra from 1950 to 1957, and was chief conductor of the Proms from 1947 until his death in 1967, taking part in 514 concerts in total during his life.

Upon his deathbed in July 1967, it’s thought that Malcolm Sargent received telephone calls from both Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles. He’s was buried in Stamford Cemetery. n Right: Sir Malcolm Sargent.

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In the 1950s, one of Stamford’s most famous residents was at the top of his game, leading the BBC Concert Orchestra and hosting the Proms.

Meanwhile, Bourne’s Lady Jane Heathcote-Drummond was preparing to help a young queen enjoy a very special coronation day...

BOURNE’S LADY IN WAITING AT THE QUEEN’S CORONATION...

BOURNE ARISTOCRAT ASSISTED THE QUEEN ON 2nd JUNE 1953 “Although my parents knew King George and Queen Elizabeth, I’d never met the Queen so I couldn’t really understand why I’d been chosen,” says Lady Jane Heathcote-DrummondWilloughby, custodian of Bourne’s Grimsthorpe Castle.

The six young ladies, between 19 and 23, carried HM The Queen’s train, and had to rehearse, day-in and day-out for weeks. The procession included 250 people, and a further 250m were watching, many on their new televisions!

Lady Jane HeathcoteDrummond-Willoughby is pictured second from left.

The 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby is the granddaughter of Viscountess Nancy Astor, who was the first woman seated as a Member of Parliament in Britain, serving from 1919 to 1945. n

1955: CARING FOR OUR YEW TREES The land owner and philanthropist David Davenport-Handley in 1955 handed over custodianship of Clipsham’s Yew Tree Avenue to the Forestry Commission on a 999 year lease. The trees had been first designed by Amos Alexander who sought permission from John Davenport-Handley, David’s father. Government cuts meant that the Forestry Commission were unable to care for the 150 clipped trees as diligently as was required, so The Clipsham Yew Tree Avenue Trust was formed in summer 2018 and the trees have since been brought back to their former glory. n

Stamford gains a bypass in summer 1959: “The state of affairs in Stamford is most dangerous,” warned 6th Earl Howe Edward Curzon, in March 1959. And in summer that year, work began on creating the £1.5m, 4.2 mile long bypass of Stamford which would prevent ongoing traffic rumbling through the town. It was opened on 31 October 1960 by Ernest Marples, Minister for Transport. n

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1950s 1953: UK’S FIRST NUCLEAR BOMB IS DELIVERED TO RAF WITTERING RAF Wittering near Stamford was created in May 1916, but in the 1950s it became a vital site as the home of Britain’s cold war defences.

Blue Danube was the country’s first operational nuclear weapon, and the first bomb was delivered to Wittering in November 1953.

In April 1954 the Vickers Valiant was designed to carry the weapon and Wittering’s 1321 flight was established to load weapons onto the Valiants of 49 Squadron and 138 Squadron for live tests of the weapons on Maralinga and Christmas Islands. 58 Blue Danube weapons were made, at a cost of £1m each. n

Above: Four Valiant bombers of No 49 Squadron (Wing Commander K G Hubbard OBE DFC) Royal Air Force Bomber Command, based at RAF Wittering, left in March 1957 for Christmas Island in the Pacific to take part in Britain's nuclear tests later in the year. Fl Lt David Crowther, navigator; Fl Lt Donald Bridges, co-pilot; Sq Ld Arthur Steele captain and pilot; Chief Technician W R Quinlan; Fl Lt Wilfred Jenkins, navigator and bomb aimer; Fl Off Charles Scanlan air-signaller.

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FACE OF THE DECADE: Her Majesty The Queen...

The 1950s n THE COST OF LIVING:

Television ownership in 1953 was embraced by fewer than 2,000,000 homes, but with the broadcast of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, 526,000 sets were sold and by the end of the decade, three quarters of UK households owned a TV set. The state funeral of George VI was also broadcast on TV and together these events led to a huge boom in the number of people purchasing TV sets. In 1957, HM The Queen would also broadcast her first Christmas speech on television, a natural progression of George V’s first Christmas radio broadcast in 1932.

This meant we could see and hear from our monarch in an unprecedented way, and this undoubtedly made the nation feel closer to a young Queen who had acceded to the throne at just 25 years of age.

In 1969, the Royal Family would utilise the power of television again to appear in a fly-on-the-wall documentary aired on BBC1 and ITV, which would attract 30m viewers in the UK and 350m worldwide. The Queen reportedly banned the film after criticism that it would increase tabloid interest. n HM Queen Elizabeth II, 21th April 1926 - Present.

DEFINING MOMENTS... A brief history of the 1950s n 24th February 1950: Clement Attlee wins the general election, giving Labour a second term in government. n 15th August 1950: Anne, the Princess Royal, is born, The Queen’s second child and only daughter. n 4th May 1951: The Festival of Britain opens, celebrating British industry, arts and science over 27 acres. n 16th January 1952: Sooty, Harry Corbett’s puppet teddy bear, appears on TV for the first time. n 6th February 1952: King George VI dies from lung cancer at Sandringham aged 56. n 2nd June 1953: Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation at Westminster Abbey after the death of her father. n 24th May 1955: The Dambusters is released in cinemas, starring Michael Redgrave and Richard Todd. n 25th December 1956: PG Tips launches its TV advert featuring a chimps’ tea party, voiced by Peter Sellers. n 1st April 1957: BBC’s Panorama broadcasts a story about a spaghetti tree harvest... the nation is fooled! n 6th July 1957: Paul McCartney sees John Lennon performing with his skiffle group, The Quarrymen. n 10th October 1957: Cumbria’s Windscale catches fire and releases its radioactive material. n 1st August 1958: Carry on Sergeant, the first Carry On film, previews. n 5th Dec 1958: Subscriber Trunk Dialling introduced. The first UK motorway – the Preston Bypass – opens.

Average annual salary: £303 (equivalent of £9,565 today).

Average house price: £1,829 (equivalent of £58,345 today).

n SHOPPING BASKET: Loaf of bread: Pint of milk: Weekly shop:

2p (73p) 8p (£2.68) 52p (£16.45)

n IN FASHION: Rationing was still applicable to clothing in the first half of the decade, but that didn’t stop Britain dreaming of ‘The New Look’ which was debuted in Paris by Christian Dior in 1947.

A tiny waist, fitted top half with pointy breasts and a knee-length skirt were key characteristics of the style copied by Coco Chanel and Hubert de Givenchy.

The term teenager was first used in 1944 but became more prevalent in the 1950s with jeans becoming fashion items as popularised by Marlon Brando and James Dean.

n ON THE ROAD: Average price of a car: £600 (equivalent to £18,259).

Litre of fuel: 3p (£1.06) If there was one decade when Britain led the world in motoring it was the 1950s. The Mini wasn’t born until 1959 but the decade had already given us the Land Rover (1952), the Rolls Royce Phantom IV (1955), and the Jaguar XK140 (1957).

n ON THE RADIO: In the 1950s, The Archers was first broadcast in January 1951, and in that same year The Hit Parade was established.

Nat King Cole was first at number one in the new Billboard chart with Too Young.

n ON THE TV: Independent Television, the UK’s second channel, launches in 1955, the first of 14 regional franchises. Blue Peter began its 50 year run.

n AT THE PICTURES:

“The last two weeks of March are an anxious time for the spaghetti farmer.

There is always the chance of a late frost which impairs the flavour.

But now these dangers are over and the spaghetti harvest goes forward...”

Richard Dimbleby on BBC’s Panorama, 1st April 1957.

Quatermass Experiment (1955).

Richard III, starring Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud (1955).

Bridge over the River Kwai (1957).

n IN THE PLAYROOM: Lego and Play Doh go on sale in 1955 and 1956.

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1960s 1962: THE FIRST BURGHLEY HORSE TRIALS Serendipity led to The Burghley Estate hosting the first horse trials in Stamford back in 1961...

BACK IN 1960, The Burghley Horse Trials simply didn’t exist... although there was a three day eventing fixture at Harewood House near Leeds. When an outbreak of Food & Mouth scuppered the 1961 event, keen equestrian fan David Burghley, the sixth Marquess of Exeter, volunteered his own estate to host the event, and the rest is history.

Upon the event’s return in 1962 Burghley hosted the FEI European Championship and has since staged more championships than any other fixture including the first of two World Championships in 1966 and six European Championships.

Of course The Burghley Horse Trials is much more than just a world-class sporting fixture and now attracts over 150,000 people to the town, which contributes about £20m to the economy of Stamford each year.

Lorna Sutherland on Popadom taking the title in 1967.

A few other facts? The event covers 530 acres including 20 acres for the central ‘village’ of the event, 350 horses compete in the event, and 1,100 volunteers help out to make it a success. n 26

1967: The Queen visits Oakham Her majesty added to Oakham’s horseshoes collection in 1967!

1967 saw HM The Queen visit Oakham with Prince Philip, but on 19th June 1961 and during a three hour tour, the couple had already visited, enjoyed a presentation at Stamford Town Hall, toured a housing estate and went to St George’s Church, before an informal tea at Burghley House. Prince Philip had also visited the county on his own on 8th November 1957, and brought with him a horseshoe to hang in Oakham Castle. Upon his third visit to the county, once more with The Queen, the couple enjoyed an official tour of the county, arriving on the Royal Train and walking to Oakham Castle where Her Majesty unveiled her horseshoe. n

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David Burghley, the sixth Marquess of Exeter,

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In the 1960s Stamford’s most famous sporting fixture was established and the town itself was named as the UK’s first Conservation Area...

1969: RUTLAND’S COUNTY MUSEUM OPENS ITS DOORS

Richard Meade OBE won the Burghley Horse Trials on Barberry in 1964.

Back in 1794, the old Riding School of the Rutland Fencible Cavalry was created to house the regiment which endured until 1803 whereupon it was consolidated into the Leicestershire Yeomanry.

Sometime later in 1967, Rutland County Council took over the building and rehoused the rural life collection of E G Bolton from Casterton Secondary Modern as well as archaeological collections from Oakham School.

The museum was opened in May 1969 by the Duchess of Gloucester.

Today around 18,000 people visit the museum, with the Rutland Local History and Record Society and the Friends of the Museum and Castle helping to ensure the attraction continues to reflect items and exhibitions which celebrate local rural and agricultural life, social history and archaeology.

The museum celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019 with an exhibition of board games and toys from bygone years.

One of the more thought-provoking items on display is the New Drop Gallows. It is thought to be the only surviving gallows of its type in the UK. The gallows were portable and were set up at the front of Oakham Gaol when needed.

The gallows were first used in 1813 to hang two burglars. The New Drop design was not to be very effective as the drop was too short to break the neck cleanly. n

The Royal Family enjoying Burghley in the early 1960s.

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1960s 1967: STAMFORD IS NAMED AS BRITAIN’S FIRST CONSERVATION AREA...

IN THE 1960S, Stamford was at the sharp end of a few brutal decisions. The Albert Hall on High Street, a popular meeting place, was pulled down and replaced with flat-roofed buildings with rather mediocre architecture. Many were concerned and Stamford became a focal point for a national problem, one that led to the Civic Amenities Act of 1967 that introduced conservation areas, acquiring protective status and requiring more consideration when changes to the area are proposed. n

Above: The Stamford Civic Society was formed in the early 1960s to defend the town’s heritage and now comprises over 200 members.

Its website has a number of images of Stamford from the 1960s like these, showing (above) a view looking east along Broad Street showing the Friday market, and (top) High Street, looking east from the Library before pedestrianisation. See www.stamfordcivicsociety.org.uk.

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FACES OF THE DECADE: John Lennon & Paul McCartney

The 1960s n THE COST OF LIVING:

Formed in Liverpool in 1960 from the ashes of John Lennon’s Quarrymen skiffle group, The Beatles became synonymous with British pop culture until McCartney dissolved the band in December 1970. Their legacy was 600m album sales, 22m singles sold, and 15 number one albums. Incidentally there are also five asteroids named after the group members too. Their indomitability endured despite myriad controversies from their experimentation with many psychedelic drugs to Lennon’s claim that they were more popular than Jesus in 1966. n Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison with their MBEs in 1965.

DEFINING MOMENTS... A brief history of the 1960s n 19th Nov 1960: DH Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover sells 200,000 copies; it was banned from 1928. n 3rd April 1961: Jaguar releases its 150mph E-Type sports car, as a two-seater roadster or 2+2 coupé. n 4th July 1961: Barclays is the first bank to use an EMI computer and create an in-house computing centre. n 4th December 1961: Birth control pills become available on the NHS... they were backed by Enoch Powell! n 4th February 1962: The Times is the first newspaper to print a colour supplement. n 6th June 1962: The Beatles play their first session at Abbey Road Studios. They perform on TV on 17th Oct. n 10th December 1962: Crick, Wilkins & Watson win the Nobel Prize for discovering nucleic acids (DNA). n 22nd March 1963: The Beatles’ debut album, Please Please Me, is released. It tops the album chart in May. n 5th June 1963: Profumo admits to misleading Parliament and resigns over his affair with Christine Keeler. n 23rd November 1963: Dr Who is first broadcast, and in December, The Daleks make their first appearance. n 28th March 1964: Pirate radio station Radio Caroline begins to broadcast just off Felixstowe’s waters. n 15th Sep 1964: The Sun tabloid launched. Murdoch buys News of the World in 1968 and The Sun in 1969. n 8th July 1965: Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs, convicted for the 1963 crime, escapes Wandsworth. n 29th June 1966: Barclays introduces the Barclaycard, the first British credit card. n 30th July 1966: England beats West Germany 4 – 2 to win the 1966 World Cup at Wembley. n 27th July 1967: The first Conservation area in the UK is designated... in Stamford, Lincolnshire! n 22nd Dec 1967: BBC Radio 4 panel game Just a Minute, chaired by Nicholas Parsons, first transmitted. n 5th January 1968: BBC Gardeners’ World debuts on BBC1. Dad’s Army also debuts on 31st July. n 7th June 1968: Female sewing machinists at Ford’s Dagenham site strike, prompting 1970’s Equal Pay Act. n 1st October 1968: The A1 motorway is compete, a 35-mile road eventually connecting London to Leeds. n 1st January 1969: The Space Hopper toy goes on sale. The Chopper bike is released in April 1969 too. n 24th January 1969: The flashy Ford Capri is launched... a year after the firm debuts its Escort. n 12th March 1969: Paul McCartney marries Linda Eastman. John Lennon marries Yoko Ono on 25th March.

Average annual salary: £545 (equivalent of £11,446 today).

Average house price: £2,189 (equivalent of £45,969 today).

n SHOPPING BASKET: Loaf of bread: Pint of milk: Weekly shop:

5p (£1.01) 13p (£2.77) 90p (£18.94)

n IN FASHION: Paco Rabanne, Pierre Cardin, miniskirts, paper dresses, and 1964’s mods ‘n’ rockers. See also hippies and Hepburn, the latter in Givenchy’s little black dress.

n ON THE ROAD: Average price of a car: £800 (equivalent to £16,800).

Litre of fuel: 5p (£1.07) The three best selling cars of the 1960s, in order, were the Ford Cortina, Austin/Morris 1100 and the Mini.

n ON THE RADIO: BBC replaces its Light and Home services with the launch on 30th September 1967 of Radio 1, 2, 3 and 4.

n ON THE TV: The BBC launched its full colour BBC One broadcast in November 1969. We first saw TV soap Coronation Street (1960), The Avengers (1961), The Saint and The Avengers, (1961/2), Stingray (1964), and Thunderbirds (1965). Top of the Pops first broadcast on 1st Jan 1964, as did science & technology programme, Tomorrow’s World, on 7th July 1965.

n AT THE PICTURES: James Bond debuted in Dr No (1962). A Hard Days Night followed The Beatles in 1964, two years after their debut single Love Me Do. Also...

Lolita (1962), My Fair Lady (1964), Zeffirelli’s Romeo & Juliet (1968), The Italian Job (1969) and Kes (1969).

n IN THE PLAYROOM:

“Tune in, turn on, drop out.”

Timothy Leary, American psychologist, 1967, advocating psychedelia.

“In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.”

Andy Warhol, in a program for his 1968 exhibit at the Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Sweden.

The first Barbie doll went on sale in March 1959.

Her better half, Ken (Ken Carson, incidentally...), debuted in 1961. Space hoppers also went on sale in 1969 but weren’t popular until the 1970s.

Thunderbirds and James Bond also yielded spin-off toys.

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1970s 1971: RUTLAND’S NEW RESERVOIR IS CREATED Flooding of Nether and Middle Hambleton create ‘Empingham Reservoir...’

IT’S THE MOST FAMOUS LANDMARK in Rutland, and is so very much at the heart of the county that it’s almost impossible to imagine Rutland without the Water.

Nonetheless, prior to 1971, Rutland had a couple of extra valleys, Middle Hambleton and Nether Hambleton, both of which were teetering on the brink of extinction.

Following a review by the Welland & Nene River Authority and the Mid-Northamptonshire Water Board (Anglian Water didn’t exist until 1974), concerns were raised that providing sufficient supplies of water in the future might prove problematic. It was advised that one of 64 possible valleys in what is now the Anglian Water region be flooded to create a reservoir.

A reservoir near, say... Empingham could be fed by the Nene and Welland. Empingham was chosen, incidentally, instead of a site between Preston and Manton which would have created the Manton Reservoir. If both had been built, they’d have covered 5% of the land in Rutland.

Above: Press reports detail how Empingham Reservoir was renamed Rutland Water.

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The 1970s were a turbulent time for Britain with each successive recession, energy crisis and strike. Culturally things were a bit brighter with gaudy disco and glam rock superstars.

In Rutland, a new landscape was about to be created that would change the county forever...

Facts & Stats

Rutland Water Rutland Water attracts 1.75m visitors each year. It’s worth £124m annually to Rutland tourism and covers 3,100 acres of countryside, with a capacity of 124 million cubic metres. It has a 23 mile perimeter and is made of compacted clay.

The Water Resources Acts of 1963 and parliamentary approval in May 1970 saw work on Rutland Water begin in June 1970.

Construction was complete by 1975, and filling commenced when Minister of State at the Department of the Environment Dennis Howell ‘turned on the tap,’ or more accurately, ‘closed the scour valve actuator at Empingham’ on 15th September 1975. In 1976 Empingham Reservoir was re-named

Rutland Water after a campaign by Rutland schoolgirl Jane Merritt. The reservoir was full by 1979.

Lost to the development were Beehive Cottage – thought to be the oldest cottage in Rutland – and Normanton Hall, too, whilst the 1764 Normanton Church, a private place of worship for the Heathcote family – or St Matthew’s Church to give it it’s proper name – was saved, and de-consecrated in 1970. n

Top/Right: Filling of the reservoir officially commenced with the closing of the scour valve at a ceremony on 6th February 1975. In this picture are (left to right) Barry Gooding (Hydrologist), Harry Crowe (Reservoir Manager), Roland Field (Chief Scientist), Frank Knights (Reservoir Engineer), George Oglanby (Divisional Engineer), John Tindall (Finance Officer), and Peter Langford (Divisional Manager), all Anglian Water Authority employees.

Photography by Brian & Elizabeth Nicholls Photography, from Robert Ovens and Sheila Sleath’s Rutland History.

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1970s 1977: THE STAMFORD SHAKESPEARE COMPANY BIDS ADIEU TO THE GEORGE THEATRE GROUP FOUNDED BY JEAN HARLEY IN 1968 ACQUIRES TOLETHORPE HALL IN 1977 In 1968, Jean Harley began performing plays by Shakespeare in the sunken gardens of the George Hotel, beginning with A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

The group acquired their name – Stamford Shakespeare Company – in 1971 and then purchased the late 16th century or early 17th century Grade II* listed Tolethorpe Hall in 1977, debuting Macbeth and Taming of the Shrew there. The group purchased the hall with just £78 in the bank but a £36,000 loan provided, which was later paid back.

Jean Harley – right – gives fierce direction during a 1970 production of Romeo & Juliet.

1977: PRINCE IN THE RAF On 8th March 1971, Prince Charles flew into RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire to train with the RAF. He remained in the service and served in the navy until 1976 and during this time, also completed training in RAF Wittering near Stamford.

Meanwhile Princess Anne was competing in The Burghley Horse Trials in 1971 and Captain Mark Phillips won the eventing fixture in 1974 before serving as the designer of future cross country courses. n

1975: RUTLAND IS PARODIED Eric Idle’s first TV project after Monty Python was Rutland Weekend Television, a parody of ITV’s regional TV output. With six episodes in 1975 and six more in 1976, the series had a tiny production budget, as befitted a station with a tiny audience. The show’s third episode also gave us The Rutles, a parody of The Beatles, with Neil Innes, formerly of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band.The band’s story was told in the mocumentary All You Need is Cash. n

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Since then, over 1,000,000 people have enjoyed the group’s theatre productions, each of which take 500 hours of work to produce. The actors and technical crew remain unpaid volunteers who put on the plays for the sheer love of it... and their passion shows! n

Charles, Prince of Wales, in his flying kit during a visit to RAF Wittering, 13th July 1977.

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FACE OF THE DECADE: Margaret Thatcher

The 1970s n THE COST OF LIVING:

No Prime Minister has proved as divisive, but few have ever proved as decisive. That’s an assessment of Thatcher in my own words. But the Iron Lady, who trampled over her critics for three terms from 1979 to 1990, had a few pretty good words of her own. These are a few of my favourite soundbites:

Average annual salary: £1,080 (equivalent of £16,085 today).

Average house price: £4,378 (equivalent of £65,232 today).

n SHOPPING BASKET: Loaf of bread: Pint of milk: Weekly shop:

“If my critics saw me walking over the Thames they would say it was because I couldn’t swim.”

9p (1.31p) 19p (£2.80) £1.16 (£17.23)

n IN FASHION: The word ‘fashion’ is doing some heavy lifting here; thanks to Saturday Night Fever (1977), Disco and Glam Rock made flammable monstrosities out of us all before punk saved the day.

“Being powerful is like being a lady.

If you have to tell people you are... then, you aren’t.”

“I’m extraordinarily patient. Provided I get my own way in the end.”

n ON THE ROAD:

“It may be the cock that crows, but it is the hen that lays the eggs.”

Average price of a car: £1,090 (equivalent to £16,241).

Litre of fuel: 7p (£1.09) The Ford Cortina was selling 100,000 units a year in the mid-1970s, whilst its Escort was second in the sales charts followed by the Mini, Morris Marina and Austin Allegro.

“As God once said, and I think, rightly...”

“The wisdom of hindsight, so useful to historians and indeed to authors of memoirs, is sadly denied to practising politicians.” n The Right Honourable Baroness Margaret Thatcher, 13th October 1925 – 8th April 2013.

n ON THE RADIO:

DEFINING MOMENTS... A brief history of the 1970s n 1st Jan 1970: National Westminster Bank established after National Provincial and Westminster Banks merge. n 19th Sept 1970: Pilton Pop, Blues & Folk Festival hosted by Michael Eavis. It’s later renamed Glastonbury. n 17th Nov 1970: The Sun begins to print a ‘page three’ girl. Gay Liberation Front’s first march in London. n 7th June 1971: Blue Peter buries a time capsule in the Blue Peter garden, to be opened in the year 2000. n 9th August 1972: Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar makes its West End debut. n 16th October 1972: Emmerdale Farm’s first episode is broadcast, filmed in the Yorkshire village of Esholt. n 1st January 1973: United Kingdom enters into the European Economic Community. n 1st March 1974: Pink Floyd release Dark Side of the Moon, the all-time best-selling album by a British artist. n 1st April 1974: VAT comes into effect in the UK, replacing Purchase Tax... the rate is 10%. n 9th April 1975: Monty Python’s The Holy Grail is released. ‘He’s not the messiah... he’s a very naughty boy!’ n 3rd April 1976: UK wins the Eurovision Song Contest with Brotherhood of Man’s Save Your Kisses for Me. n 1976-1978: Filling/opening of Rutland Water, the largest reservoir in England at 2,995 acres, 124m3 metres. n 28th Oct 1977: The Sex Pistols’ ‘Never Mind’ album is released, Sid Vicious has recently joined the band. n 1978/9: Winter of Discontent with severe winter weather, strikes and Callaghan running scared. n 4th May 1979: Conservatives win General Election. Margaret Thatcher becomes the UK’s first female PM.

DJ Steve Wright makes his debut on Radio Luxembourg, joining BBC Radio 1 a year later. Pirate radio DJ Johnnie Walker joined BBC Radio 1 in 1969, taking over the weekday morning slot and early afternoon slot in 1970 and 1971.

Between 1967 and 1973, BBC launches 22 regional stations, starting with BBC Leicester.

n ON THE TV: A Question of Sport debuted in 1970, as did The Goodies, hot on the heels of Monty Python which launched a year before.

n AT THE PICTURES: Godfather Pt1/2 (1972), (1974) Jaws Pt1/2 (1975), 1978) Bugsy Malone (1976) Star Wars (1977) Superman (1978) Grease (1978) Quadrophenia (1979)

n IN THE PLAYROOM:

“I don’t think there will be a woman prime minister in my lifetime.”

Margaret Thatcher, 1973.

“They have made a grave mistake choosing that woman.”

Ted Heath, 1975.

Magna-Doodles, Chopper Bikes and Space Hoppers, Pogo Sticks and Hungry Hippos... all of the above gave way to electronic games, from the memory game Simon to the Atari 2600 in 1977 which brought us Asteroids, PacMan and Centipede.

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1980s 1983: GEOFF HAMILTON ARRIVES AT BARNSDALE

TV gardener found a Victorian farmhouse, with plot of land, ripe for transformation!

ALWAYS A PASSIONATE GARDENER, Geoff Hamilton was born and raised in East London and gained his horticultural qualifications in Essex before moving to Kettering to run a garden centre. During that time, someone recognised that he’d be a great presenter for Gardening Diary on Anglia News. He was already engaged in writing gardening articles and so his knowledge, combined with his easy-going manner, soon made him an obvious choice to take of the editorship of Practical Gardening Magazines and from time to time, this also meant guest appearances on Gardener’s World which had already been broadcasting since 1968.

In 1979, Geoff then became a permanent presenter on the show, and a desire to move home and begin a new garden project led him to discover a Victorian farmhouse with five acres of land in Exton.

The garden served as his home, his magnum opus and his Preserving TV studio until his death in 1996. The site now comprises eight acres and Burghley Estate was endowed 38 individual gardens. n to the Burghley House Preservation

Burghley House

Trust by the 6th Marquess of Exeter in 1987. The farmland at Burghley extends to around 10,000 acres across 15 farms, some tended by the same families for generations.

Right: Barnsdale Gardens was founded by Geoff Hamilton in 1983 and now covers eight acres.

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Back in the 1980s, The Burghley Horse Trials were enjoying a visit from one of the most famous women in the world, and just down the road, a gardener – and popular TV presenter – was transforming a Victorian farmhouse into one of Britain’s most beautiful gardens...

1982: BURGHLEY’S NEW CHATELAINE

1985: TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY?

The Sixth Marquess of Exeter, David Cecil, was not only a renowned Olympian and inspiration for the film Chariots of Fire (released in 1981), but also father to Lady Victoria Leatham (née Cecil), who served as Chatelaine from 1982 to 2007.

Lady Victoria Leatham MBE is also an antiques expert and television personality, having starred on the Antiques Roadshow.

She and husband Simon increased visitor numbers during their tenure from 48,000 to 97,000 and created the Gardens of Surprise before handing the estate over to daughter Miranda Rock in 2007. n

Kit Martin partnered with Country Life Editor Marcus Binney in 1982 to author The County House: To Be or Not To Be, which, when published in 1982, became a bible for well-heeled yuppies. At the time Asil Nadir was the über-yuppie of the 80s, making a fortune in anything from packaging to tech. He purchased Rutland’s Palladian mansion Burley on the Hill but when his business collapsed in 1990, he was forced to sell Burley to Kit Martin for £3m. Kit then created the 20 individual homes on the 3,000 acre site with its 67 acres of parkland we see today. n

1989: PRINCES DIANA ENJOYS THE BURGHLEY HORSE TRIALS...

In 1989, Princess Diana was probably the most famous woman in the world, when she attended The Burghley Remy Martin Horse Trials with her sister Lady Sarah McCorquodale. n

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1980s 1981: PETERBOROUGH’S QUEENSGATE CENTRE OPENS Creator of Birmingham’s Bull Ring turns his attention to Peterborough, to try to replicate his achievement there...

John Laing might not be a name that will go down in the history books as one of the great architects like Christopher Wren or Pugin... or Norman Foster, perhaps.

But his role as the architect of some of Britain’s most successful and well-established shopping centres was one that should ensure him at least a few footnotes in history.

In 1964 he created The Bullring in Birmingham. At that time only America had ‘malls’ and the Bull Ring was the first indoor shopping centre in Britain.

Peterborough Development Corporation wanted a piece of

or areas accommodating people who moved from other areas after their own houses were bombed out during the war.

Other examples of New Towns included Stevenage, Welwyn, Letchworth, Northampton and Corby, in three ‘waves.’ the action, and in 1975 they asked Laing to turn a 17-acre site into a similar development for their own city.

Peterborough had been named a ‘New Town’ under the 1946 act of the same name and these were designed to create fresh urban spaces in the post-war era for those who were living in run down areas

Planning hassle meant that work on Queensgate didn’t start until April 1978. The site was to serve the area’s 750,000 population and provide employment for 2,000 people.

John Lewis, Boots and BHS were all in place along with 92 smaller retailers when Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands officially opened the shopping centre on 9th March 1982. n

Above: Where better for a bunch of trendy punks to hang out than in the brand new Queensgate shopping centre? What’s more, Currys has a sale on... perhaps they were contemplating popping in for a ghetto blaster?

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1983: ON LOCATION TO FILM BOND; JAMES BOND...

In 1983 cinemagoers enjoyed the 13th big screen adventure featuring the world’s most famous spy. Octopussy saw Roger Moore battle Kamal Khan and renegade Soviet General Orlov in a yarn that featured fake Fabergé eggs, an octopus, circus clowns and, as you’ll recall... a bomb on a train. That train scene was filmed at Nene Valley Railway, with appeals in the local press for extras – there were 1,000 applications!

Set dressers made the Ferry Meadows line look like the film’s Karl-Marx-Stadt railway. Obviously quite effectively, too, as the film took at the box office over $187.5m (£148m)! n

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FACE OF THE DECADE: The People’s Princess...

The 1980s n THE COST OF LIVING:

Throughout her life the woman that 90s Prime Minister Tony Blair would name ‘the people’s princess’ sought to redefine how The British Monarchy would interact with people. Whether she was naïve as to the role she was undertaking, more sinned against than sinning or a canny manipulator is irrelevant. In the 1980s and 1990s her fearless gestures – holding hands with or hugging AIDS patients and walking through fields of landmines – proved that her desire to change the world was genuine. Undoubtedly she has ensured that if and when her eldest son accedes to the throne, he’ll be a better monarch, and will represent the country forever with his mother forever in mind. n Diana, Princess of Wales, 1st July 1961 - 31st August 1997.

DEFINING MOMENTS... A brief history of the 1980s n 19th March 1980: MV Mi Amigo (Radio Caroline) sinks. Broadcasting resumed on the MV Ross Revenge. n 10th October 1980: Margaret Thatcher makes her ‘lady’s not for turning’ speech. n 8th December 1980: John Lennon is shot dead outside The Dakota by crazed fan Mark Chapman.

Average annual salary: £4,242 (equivalent of £20,757 today).

Average house price: £18,574 (equivalent of £84,883 today).

n SHOPPING BASKET: Loaf of bread: Pint of milk: Weekly shop:

37p (£1.69) 68p (£3.11) £4.53 (£20.69)

n IN FASHION: Power dressing for women, New Romantic silliness for men. Surely something better was on the way... like a lovely smart neon shell suit, perhaps?

n ON THE ROAD: Average price of a car: £3,550 (equivalent to £16,224).

Litre of fuel: 28p (£1.29) Ford dominated the 1980s with its Fiesta and Escort. Of course, if you were a Yuppie, you could only be seen on your new carphone in a Porsche 911.

n ON THE RADIO: BBC Radio Lincolnshire launched on 11th November 1980, with a peal of bells from Lincoln Cathedral.

n 29th March 1981: The first ever London Marathon is held and the ZX Spectrum computer is launched.

n ON THE TV:

n 4th April 1981: Britain wins Eurovision after Buck’s Fizz rip off their skirts to ‘Making Your Mind Up.’

Rise and shine! 17th January 1983 saw BBC’s Breakfast Time and ITV’s TV-am go head to head for morning audiences.

Channel Four was brand new, launching in November 1982, and EastEnders aired its first episode in Feb 1985, giving us those ‘duff duff’ cliffhangers.

By the end of the decade, Sky would launch satellite TV, too.

n 29th July 1981: The wedding of Prince Charles to Diana Spencer is watched by 30,000,000 people on TV. n 12th Feb 1982: First Next store in Leeds opens following a merger of Joseph Hepworth & Kendall & Sons. n 2nd April 1982: Argentina invades the Falklands... Thatcher responds in kind, Belgrano is sunk in May. n Mar 1983: The CD goes on sale in the UK. Michael Jackson releases Billie Jean. Kajagoogoo are ‘too shy.’ n 22nd January 1984: At the US Superbowl, Apple unveils its new computer; the Apple Macintosh. n 3rd December 1984: Band Aid releases its charity single. ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’ reaches No1. n 1st January 1985: Bray’s Fat Duck, owned by the Roux brothers, is awarded three Michelin stars. n 1st January 1985: The first mobile phone goes on sale. It’s a success! The Sinclair C5 does, too; it isn’t! n 13th August 1985: The first UK heart-lung transplant is carried out on three-year-old Jamie Gavin. n 15th December 1987: Channel Tunnel construction begins. It’s expected to open in 1993 or early 1994. n 5th February 1988: The first BBC Red Nose Day raises £15,000,000 for charity. n 17th September 1988: Summer Olympics in Seoul, UK wins 5 gold, 10 silver and 9 bronze medals. n 5th February 1989: Sky becomes the UK’s first satellite TV broadcaster. Home & Away makes its debut. n 12th March 1989: British scientist Tim Berners-Lee devises ‘http://www’ and the internet is invented. n 3rd Dec 1989: Margaret Thatcher, George Bush & Mikhail Gorbachev, declare the end of the Cold War.

“I’d like to be a queen in people’s hearts but I don’t see myself being queen of this country.” [...] “I don’t go by the rule book... I lead from the heart, not the head.”

Diana, to Martin Bashir in 1995, 14 years after her 1981 Royal Wedding.

n AT THE PICTURES: Fame Indiana Jones Star Wars V/VI The Snowman Dirty Dancing

(1980) (1981) (1981, 1983) (1982) (1987)

n IN THE PLAYROOM: Franchises were popular in the 1980s, from Transformers and Care Bears to Cabbage Patch Dolls and My Little Pony.

But in June 1987, the Nintendo NES reaches the UK with Sega’s Master System a year later and by the end of the decade, ‘16-bit’ systems the SNES and Mega Drive going head to head. Graphics and gameplay had progressed a lot in the decade since Clive Sinclair’s 1982 ZX Spectrum with its rubber keyboard.

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1990s 1994: FILMING IN STAMFORD OF MIDDLEMARCH There were some unusual sights for shoppers in Stamford back in 2014...

WALK DOWN THE STREET in Stamford today and you’ll see the usual array of 21st century fashions, but back in 1994, it was all bonnets, bustles and petticoats as a crew Redrawing turned up to film a new six-part TV adaptation of Middlemarch In 1991, the boundary between

by George Eliot.

Lincolnshire & Rutland was redrawn.

The conjoined parish of Wothorpe is Stamford was now in the city of Peterborough. standing in for Barnack Road is the Lincolnshire the eponymous and Peterborough boundary, bordering St Martin’s fictional town and Without. swooning into the role Rufus Sewell as Will Ladislaw and Juliet Aubrey as Dorothea Brooke. of Will Ladislaw was Rufus Sewell with his floppy hair and his chiseled jawline.

Locations for the filming included Barn Hill, The town enjoyed a mini-tourism boom All Saints’ Place, King’s Mill Lane, St Mary’s although at the time the presence of over 70 Square and St George’s Square, the church actors, crew and support staff in the town standing in for St Botolph’s. Incidentally, was a little inconvenient. the busy nature of Stamford was rather

Boundaries

misrepresented in the series because in the 1830s Stamford had over 30 stagecoaches and 40 mail coaches passing through the town each day, and the Stamford we see in Middlemarch is rather quieter looking! n

1992: Sir Alan Duncan arrives Before Covid, before Brexit – and before Boris – there was Alan...

If you could clone an MP to exactly replicate their commitment to a constituency, their political integrity and their popularity among their voters, Sir Alan Duncan would be the perfect political template.

Born in Hertfordshire, and attending Oxford, Alan worked in the oil industry which gave him a broad working knowledge of the Middle East which would serve him well in his role in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Closer to home, he was selected as the Conservative candidate for Rutland & Melton in the 1992 General Election which brought John Major to power and remained MP until standing down in November 2019. Knighted in 2014, Sir Alan has recently published his memoirs, In The Thick of It. n

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Britpop and Cool Britannia characterised the 1990s, and we looked to the future with a brand new Prime Minister in 1997. Elsewhere, the TV cameras turned up in Stamford to film a new BBC period drama, and the area’s longest standing MP also arrived to begin his 26 year tenure...

1994: BURGHLEY HOUSE OPENS ITS SCULPTURE GARDENS Capability Brown is well-regarded for creating the parkland of country estates like Burghley House, but the lower gardens he created during the 18th century and Brown’s ‘lost’ lower gardens were reclaimed in 1994 to reveal an ice house, limestone ‘cliff’ and a stream which connects to Brown’s Great Lake. They were transformed into a sculpture garden, whose 2021 highlights include a giant snail whose shell take its geometry from Burghley’s octagonal towers, an origami house carved in stone, and an arc of four pyramids. n

1998: RUTLAND RADIO GOES ON AIR...

Rob Persani was in the studio right from the beginning

1997: RUTLAND CELEBRATES AS IT REGAINS ITS COUNTY STATUS We didn’t much care for that... in 1974 the people of Rutland were rather spikey about being made a mere district of Leicestershire. The Local Government Act 1972 introduced by Heath’s government created a pattern of metropolitan and non-metropolitan boroughs – the latter abolished in 1986 – and district and county councils. Rutland was effectively rolled into its larger neighbour.

It wasn’t the first time Rutland’s independence was threatened, either.

The Local Government Commission in 1958 proposed that Rutland was split right down the middle, creating a Ketton Rural District which, together with Stamford, would join the administrative county of Cambridgeshire. The western half of Rutland, meanwhile, would be ‘given’ to Leicestershire. Happily, Rutland was given a reprieve at the last minute, but only until 1974, when the 1972 act became law.

Fast forward to 1994 and the Local Government Commission once again sought to rearrange the deckchairs on the Titanic. And by 1997 (which by coincidence was also when Leonardo diCaprio and Kate Winslet made their appearance in the big-screen version of the film about the doomed liner), Rutland was once again independent.

Allying Rutland with its traditional borders, the county also regained its Lieutenancy, with Sir Thomas Lawrie (Jock) Kennedy serving from 1997-2003, Sir Lawrence Howard from 2003-2018 and Dr Sarah Furness serving from 2018 to present.

It also regained it shrievalty at the same time, with David Barry Owen of Teigh first to serve in the role in 1997. n

Sir Thomas Lawrie Kennedy.

On Sunday 13th December 1998, at 10am, Rob Persani slid up the fader in the studios of the newly formed Rutland Radio, and began broadcasting to the county. The station’s parent company was the Lincs FM group, and that station is still broadcasting, but the group was sold to Bauer Radio in February 2019 and Rutland Radio was one of the stations consolidated into the company’s new Greatest Hits Radio brand. n

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1990s 1996: THE RUTLAND OSPREY PROJECT IS LAUNCHED 25 years on from the project’s launch, Rutland has seen the 200th osprey chick born in the county...

A quarter of a century is all that it has taken to bring one of the most fascinating bird species in the UK back from the brink of extinction.

Ospreys were killed by humans from the 18th century, their eggs prized by collectors. By 1847 the species was extinct in England and Wales, and then by 1916, extinct in Scotland too.

The Rutland Osprey Project was a partnership between the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust and Anglian Water, with the Roy Dennis Foundation, which was founded in 1995 as the Highland Foundation for Wildlife, rebranding to recognise the eponymous ornithologist in 2017.

“To help re-establish the birds to central England, the Rutland Osprey Project started translocating birds in 1996, carefully collecting 64 osprey chicks from Scottish nest sites and releasing them in Rutland between 1996 and 2001,” says Rob Stoneman, director of landscape recovery for The Wildlife Trusts.

“The first breeding pair of ospreys successfully raised a single chick at Rutland, and 25 years later, there are now approximately 26 adults including up to ten breeding pairs in the Rutland area.”

“2021 has brought another major milestone with the 200th chick.

The team hopes she will return to Rutland to breed when she is mature.” n

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FACE OF THE DECADE: The architect of Cool Britannia...

The 1990s n THE COST OF LIVING:

How on earth can a premiership go so wrong? Upon his election, 43-year old Tony Blair was riding high on a wave of Britpop and Cool Britannia. Bands like Oasis, Blur, Suede, and Pulp were cool and lyrically gifted, whilst the Spice Girls advocated a brash, brave new feminism.

Meanwhile the severe recession of 1991/1992 had abated and new prosperity was promised. 1997 began a golden age for Tony Blair, but from his re-election in 2001, storm clouds were gathering and a dodgy dossier and war in Iraq would turn one of the most popular Prime Ministers into a man accused of war crimes.

Still, Blair’s finest moments in the 1990s were his emotional reaction to the death of Diana, Princess of Wales and his deft handling of the media, like Murdoch and his lieutenant Rebekah Brooks. n Anthony Charles Lynton Blair, 6th May 1953 - present.

DEFINING MOMENTS... A brief history of the 1990s n 1st January 1990: Comedian Rowan Atkinson’s feckless Mr Bean character makes his debut. n 27th Nov 1990: John Major elected leader of the Conservative Party after Thatcher retires on 22nd Nov. n 1st December 1990: British and French tunnelers meet 40m under the sea bed, creating the Channel Tunnel. n 9th April 1992: The Conservative Party re-elected for a fourth consecutive term; ‘It was The Sun wot won it.’ n 11th November 1992: Church of England votes to allow women to become priests for the first time. n 8th January 1993: Ford Mondeo replaces ageing Sierra with new safety features like airbags and ABS. n 19th November 1994: The National Lottery launches... ‘it could be you,’ it reckons. No such luck yet. n 16th April 1995: PhONE Day adds a ‘1’ to the UK’s telephone area codes and changes some regions. n 26th August 1995: Blur’s Country House beats Oasis’s Roll With It to number one. Peak Britpop era. n 8th July 1996: The Spice Girls release Wannabe, their debut single which epitomises ‘girl power.’ n 1st May 1997: The Labour Party wins a generation election, bringing Tony Blair into power. n 27th Jun 1997: A new children’s novel by J K Rowling is published; Harry Potter & the Philosopher’s Stone. n 31st August 1997: In the early hours, Princess Diana dies from injuries sustained in a car crash in Paris. n 3rd March 1998: Construction of the Millennium Dome begins. Millennium Bug technology fears arise. n 1st April 1999: Minimum wage of £3.60/hour introduced in the UK, £3/hour for workers under 21. n 10th October 1999: London Eye lifted into position on South Bank. Millennium Dome completed.

“She was a wonderful and a warm human being, although her own life was often sadly touched by tragedy. She was the People’s Princess and that is how she will stay, how she will remain in our hearts and our memories for ever...”

Tony Blair, on 31st August 1997, to describe Diana, Princess of Wales.

Average annual salary: £10,601 (equivalent of £23,852 today).

Average house price: £58,317 (equivalent of £131,213 today).

n SHOPPING BASKET: Loaf of bread: Pint of milk: Weekly shop:

65p (1.46p) 1.24p (£2.79) 7.73p (£17.39)

n IN FASHION: The rise of the 1990s ‘supermodel’ saw stick-thin bandy-legged models like Kate Moss make a name for themselves. Meanwhile grunge fashions were modelled on America’s Pacific Northwest brands, and saw scruffiness come to the fore. When Britpop arrived in the mid-1990s, so did unkempt hair, Ben Sherman shirts and casual fashions.

n ON THE ROAD: Average price of a car: £9,000 (equivalent to £20,250).

Litre of fuel: 47p (£1.06p) The Ford Mondeo arrived in 1993, replacing the aging Sierra. ‘Mondeo Man’ became a soubriquet for Blair’s voters.

n ON THE RADIO: The arrival of DAB radio in 1995 promised us an end to crackly radios. The BBC’s stations started the revolution, followed by commercial radio such a Classic FM and Virgin – which launched in 1993 – which went digital in 1998.

n ON THE TV: TVs in the 1990s measured 50”, but in depth, not across. Flat screen plasma TVs didn’t emerge until 1997. HD TV would also begin in Japan and would reach Britain a decade later. On our sets? The Simpsons arrived in 1989, and has endured 32 seasons later. In 1994 Friends arrived too, as did American shows like Frasier (1993), Ally McBeal (1997).

n AT THE PICTURES: Titanic (1997) was the highest grossing film (£1,333,233,554) followed by Star Wars I (1999) and Jurassic Park (1993).

n IN THE PLAYROOM: 1990s kids cared for their Tamagotchi pets, and were fast adopters of the Sony PlayStation in 1994.

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

The Life Legacy Gift Death: an incredibly delicate topic, but one that will affect us all. So are you prepared?

Will you be able to leave a lasting legacy for your loved ones?

And, more importantly, will you be able to fully enjoy your final years?

T

HE ULTIMATE EVENTUALLY OF DEATH is something all of us must face, yet few of us feel equipped to talk about. There are many considerations to make, ranging from the practicalities and administration following someone’s passing, through to leaving a legacy, both in a financial and in a more emotional sense. But where should you start?

delicate and of course upsetting prospect, however understanding how to make that time as painless as possible for you and your loved ones is crucial, whilst achieving the happy balance of enjoying your life in the here and now. This book It is about leaving a legacy: a gift to those people you care most about.

Life only has context and meaning because of death. But this book isn’t just about your

demise; it it’s actually about making the most of life, both now and for generations to come. n As a way of launching our latest book and supporting those in our community with the often painful and complex of death, we are giving away the first 50 copies of The Life Legacy Gift for free.

If you would like to claim yours, simply email charlotte@efficientportfolio.co.uk or call 01572 898060.

From my experience, most of us have two key aims in life: firstly, to give ourselves the best life we can; and secondly, to also create a better life for the people we care most about.

At Efficient Portfolio, our overriding ethos is that we want to ‘help people create a better future through inspirational financial planning’, and by that we mean for our clients, our team and our industry. I am sure you are no different; you want to create a better future for yourself, your family and perhaps also your community or industry too.

To help you achieve these aims and more, we have recently published our fourth book called ‘The Life Legacy Gift’. In this book we will show you the practical steps you can take to make this time as painless as possible for your loved ones. We will also provide you with the strategies you can implement now, so you can not only leave a lasting legacy, but live a fulfilled and rewarding life.

The Life Legacy Gift is a way of inspiring you, so that you can consider how to give your life the meaning it deserves, as well as ensuring that you live on beyond your death. The end of your life is a

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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NEWS & EVENTS

What’s On...

OAKHAM

PETERBOROUGH

25th - 27th NOVEMBER

WEDNESDAY 24th SATURDAY 27th NOV

THE SOUND OF MUSICALS

THE ANGELS ARE COMING: CATHEDRAL ILLUMINATED

Rutland Musical Theatre presents The Sound of Musicals, a cabaret-style evening of Broadway and West End hits at the Rutland Showground.

The Angels are Coming to Peterborough Cathedral!

Enjoy a spectacular light and sound show that will transform the magnificent west front and nave of Peterborough Cathedral.

It begins outside with a light art projection onto the three great porticos of the Cathedral, set to music composed by David Harper.

Then the interior of the nave is full of light projections, also with accompanying sound. n Peterborough Cathedral, £7.50/adults; £6/children.

Call 01733 355315 or see www.peterborough-cathedral.org.uk.

Narnia comes to Leicester THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE BRINGS PURE THEATRICAL MAGIC TO LEICESTER VIA CURVE THEATRE...

n £10/ticket; £64/table eight, See www.ticketsource.co.uk /rutland-musical-theatre LEICESTER

FRIDAY 5th NOVEMBER

TIM PEAKE: MY JOURNEY TO SPACE

LEICESTER

TUESDAY 2nd NOVEMBER SATURDAY 13th NOVEMBER

THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE

Step through the wardrobe this winter into the enchanted kingdom of Narnia. Join Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter as they wave goodbye to wartime Britain and embark on the most magical of adventures in a frozen, faraway land where they meet a faun, talking beavers, the king of Narnia, Aslan, and the coldest, most evil of all; The White Witch. n 2pm, 7pm, tickets £10-£38, see www.curveonline.co.uk 44

Join astronaut Tim Peake on an epic and thrilling journey to the International Space Station as part of his first UK tour. Tim will be your personal guide through life in space, with unprecedented access, breath-taking photographs, and never-before-seen incredible footage.

This is your chance to spend an evening with one of the world’s greatest living astronauts, and to rediscover the wonder of the place we call home. n Tickets £22-£35, DeMontfort Hall, Leicester.

Call 0116 2333111 or see www.demontforthall.co.uk.

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Send your press releases and events to: the Features Editor via editor@pridemagazines.co.uk.

STAMFORD

STAMFORD

THURSDAY 25th SUNDAY 28th NOVEMBER

TUESDAY 9th NOVEMBER

THE BURGHLEY HOUSE XMAS FAIR Wander among the chalets, heated marquees and Fine Food Market and enjoy a unique Christmas shopping opportunity. Offering everything from luxury gifts, to festive treats, artisan food and more.

MRS CHURCHILL: MY LIFE WITH WINSTON Liz Grand’s superb, moving portrayal of Clementine Churchill, wife of Winston. n Tickets £16, 7.30pm, Stamford Arts Centre, PE9 2DL Call 01780 763203 or see www.stamfordartscentre.com.

n See www.burghley.co.uk.

STAMFORD

SATURDAY 13th NOVEMBER

THE TAKE THAT EXPERIENCE As Take That celebrates 30 years as the UK’s number one boy band, The Take That Experience marks over a decade together as the ultimate tribute act with their best show yet! Wowing audiences everywhere they go with their amazing vocals, replica

costumes and electrifying dance routines, they continue to successfully recreate the magic of Take That with the ‘Greatest Hits Tour.’

All the classic songs you know and love including Pray, Relight My Fire, Patience, Shine, These Days and Giants! n Tickets £22, from 7.30pm, Stamford Corn Exchange, PE9 1PX. Call 01780 766455 or see stamfordcornexchange.co.uk.

My my! It’s Kilworth House!

MY MY! FEATURES THE GREATEST HITS OF ABBA IN A FUN LIVE SHOW THAT’LL BRING FESTIVE CHEER!

OAKHAM

SUNDAY 28th NOV

BARNSDALE LODGE GIFT & CRAFT FAIR Get in the festive mood with this super festive fair, with a wide variety of stalls including gifts, crafts, food, drink and more! n 11am-4pm, Barnsdale Lodge, LE15 8AH, Call 01572 724678 for details.

KILWORTH

FRIDAY 19th - SUNDAY 28th NOVEMBER

MY MY! ABBA AT KILWORTH HOUSE Look forward to the festive season with Kilworth House as the theatre presents My My! in the Orangery.

The tribute artists will thrill you with a mix of iconic costume, sensational vocals and a touch of audience participation that only My My! can provide.

Featuring such unforgettable hits as Waterloo, Mamma Mia and Dancing Queen, this fantastic cast of West End

performers are guaranteed to liven up your festive season.

So dust off those platforms and enjoy for the ultimate Christmas night out.

Also being held at Kilworth House this season is A Very Bublé Christmas on 30th November, and selected dates in December.

Michael Riseley returns to Kilworth for a very special series of Bublé Christmas shows, with an uncanny portrayal of the greatest swing Christmas hits. n Kilworth House, LE17 6JE. Call 01858 881939 or see www.kilworthhouse.co.uk.

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COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS

COUNTDOWN TO

CHRISTMAS Make preparations for the festive season easier as we countdown to Christmas in Rutland & Stamford. This month we’re eight weeks away, and so we’ve eight ways make life easier...

1. Making Gifts Go Further It’s a wonder that the old adage suggests its better to give than to receive, given the exhausting amount of labour and creative thinking that goes into ensuring everyone in the family has something to unwrap on Christmas morning.

If you’ve a large family, with in-laws and step-relatives, consider a gift cooperative.

The idea is that everyone purchases a single gift for a single person in the family – spending an agreed equivalent of what you’d spend on the whole family in total on one, more meaningful, present. The result is a more substantial gift and fewer presents to buy.

Alternatively, consider charity donations instead of gifts, the adoption of an animals in a rescue centre or challenge yourself to only buy gifts from local, instead of national, retailers.

2. All Wrapped Up Not all Christmas wrapping is as recyclable as we assume. Glitter or foil papers are often rejected by local authorities, and Lincolnshire’s Jane Means has a range of eco-friendly wrapping, and has a range of other suggestions such as using fabric, to get around the environmental impact of making your gifts look really special.

We also love the simple, rustic look of brown craft paper combined with dried foliage from the garden.

3. Find Your Festive Tree It’s always better to visit a local Christmas tree farm given that national garden centre chains tend to have their trees in cold storage for days or even weeks. The fresher your tree, the longer it will last without dropping needles.

For the ultimate eco-friendly tree, Rudies Roots Nursery at Nettleham (01522 752762, www.rudiesroots.co.uk), allow you to ‘rent’ a tree each year which is delivered potted up with roots. Once Christmas is over, it’s returned and replanted with a 40% discount when you bring it back into your home next year. In between, don’t locate your tree near heat sources, keep it well-watered and it’ll look wonderful throughout the season. >>

Left: Belvoir Castle, ancestral home of the Duke & Duchess of Rutland presents a Regency Christmas this year. See www.belvoircastle.com.

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COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS

>> 4. Decorating the Halls To make decorating your home a cinch, we thoroughly recommend a visit to Gates Garden Centre, Oakham (01664 454309, www.gatesgardencentre.co.uk), whose ranges of Christmas decorations are arranged according to theme – woodland, neon, Victorian etc – making it easier to create a cohesive look for this year’s tree.

If you’ve time and flair, DIY decorations will look superb, and it’s worth looking out for local wreathmaking courses given the abundance of material in everyone’s garden suitable for creating a stunning natural looking wreath for your door.

It’s also worth creating some gingerbread treats which look great when hung on your tree, and stocking up on lovely scented candles – cinnamon, spices and frankincense – to ensure that decoration is sensory, rather than just visual.

The secret, generally, to really good decoration is layering. Whether you’re creating your festive tree, your Christmas table or other areas in your home, mix contrasting sizes of decorative elements, and observe what designers refer to as the 60-30-10 rule; use your key colour for 60% of your scheme, then a complementary colour for 30% of your scheme and finally punctuate with a powerful accent colour for the remaining 10% of your decoration.

5. Entertainment It can’t just be us... despite having many more channels, Christmas television just isn’t as satisfying as when Morecambe & Wise were in their heyday.

Given that TV isn’t what it was, consider searching online for some family quizzes with little prizes for the victorious. And of course, a penalty of doing the washing up for the person who couldn’t quite remember how many lords were leaping or how many of Rudolph’s fellow reindeers’ names began with the letter ‘d!’ Dasher... Dancer...

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YOUR LOCAL

CHRISTMAS n Christmas at Belvoir, Belvoir Castle 15th November - 2nd January: Experience the magic of a colourful Regency Christmas at Belvoir Castle this year, with festive displays, an Enchanted Light Trail, Santa’s Grotto, and more. n Christmas Craft and Gift Market at Peterborough Cathedral, 19th - 20th Nov: The Cathedral’s indoor Craft and Gift Market will offer a wonderful selection of handmade crafts and unusual gifts to inspire your Christmas shopping! n Christmas Craft and Gift Market at Peterborough Cathedral, 19th - 20th Nov: The Cathedral’s indoor Craft and Gift n The Angels are Coming at Peterborough Cathedral, 24th - 27th Nov: A spectacular sound and light show on the west front and in the nave of the Peterborough Cathedral, created by the artists of Luxmuralis, suitable for all ages. n The Burghley Christmas Fair Burghley House, 25th - 28th November: Wander among the chalets, heated marquees and Fine Food Market and enjoy a unique Christmas shopping opportunity.

Offering everything from luxury gifts, festive treats, artisan food and more.

Speaking of entertainment, you can fill a dull winter evening by spending a few hours creating your own crackers. Retailers like Hobbycraft have kits, but you’re better off visiting one of the area’s garden centres for DIY cracker kits. You can combine your festive table place names with themed crackers to appeal to each of your guests individually, and you’ll no doubt come up with some much better cracker than the ‘professionals!’

6. Good Tidings If you’re the poor old soul contemplating hosting another festive season for the whole family, you might want to consider dining out. Whilst dining in a restaurant on Christmas Day does command a premium,

once you’ve factored in shopping for a turkey which barely fits into your oven, prepping all of that veg, wrapping all of those pigs in blankets and buying a small off-license worth of booze to keep all of your revellers in the festive spirit – and then ensuring there’s a buffet-worth of food for the evening – outsourcing Christmas to your favourite local chef then returning home to a tidy kitchen and a comfy sofa doesn’t seem like bad value!

If, on the other hand, you are resigned to hosting Christmas at home, look out for recipes like twice-baked soufflés for your first course and chocolate roulade for dessert, each of which can be prepared a day in advance. Complete your veg prep the day before and make Christmas morning as easy as possible.

Finishing touches to your Christmas lunch which, again, can be prepared a day or so in advance include making your own stuffing from local sausage meat and breadcrumbs, and your own ice cream... either of these will turn a good Christmas lunch into a truly great one!

7. Raising a Glass Opt for local drinks from local gin to cordials from Belvoir Farm to ensure you can really raise a glass to the excellent food and drink producers we have in the area.

8. Be Prepared You might want to curate a practical box of bits to make the festive season go a little smoother. Batteries are a must, as is a spare phone charger for when younger members of the family run out of juice to power their phones and tablets. Other essentials?

Decent scissors for attacking packaging around gifts, a couple of little screwdrivers for installing batteries into toys, paracetamol, indigestion relief and plasters, spare bin bags for all that wrapping paper and a safety gas lighter for fires, candles and for the gas hob when the ignition gives up – inevitably, just as the sprouts need to go on! n

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RUTLAND’S NEW CINEMA

A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY for the

SILVER SCREEN As Pride goes to press, champagne corks – as well as popcorn kernels – will be popping as two Rutlanders wait to hear if their vision to create Rutland Kino, a new cinema in the county, will finally come to fruition. This month, we’re getting the inside story on a golden opportunity for the silver screen...

Words: Rob Davis.

GENEVIEVE MARGRETT reckons that ‘going to the movies’ is one of life’s profound pleasures, and she and Andrew Robinson – another Rutlander who’s keen on the cinema – are addressing the lack of a cinema in the county with their plan to open the Rutland Kino boutique cinema in Oakham. In true cinema tradition, it should be a ‘happily ever after’ ending, following a five-year effort to bring a dedicated cinema to Rutland after an absence of nearly 40 years. So, why’s it taken so long?

Genevieve & Andrew aren’t just a couple of locals who fancy creating a cinema. Genevieve has over 15 years in communications, having worked in marketing and publicity for BAFTA and its subsidiaries like Albert, an environmental organisation funded by the industry itself which is seeking to decarbonise the film and TV industry. She also has experience working in the hospitality sector with a stint as marketing manager for Harvey Nichols’ OXO Tower Restaurant.

With an initial idea, and a possible site in mind for a cinema, Genevieve put out feelers on social media, and one of the respondents

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was Andrew Robinson. Andrew was about to retire as CEO of Harkness Screens, manufacturers of the screens that films are projected onto. Adding technical knowledge to Genevieve’s marketing expertise, the two set about assessing the viability of bringing a cinema to Rutland.

“We discovered there was really strong local demand, not just for the creation of a cinema in Rutland, but also for the type of cinema we envisaged. In the 1990s the rise of the multiplex ‘saved’ cinema from the decline of the previous 30 years. But these large, generally out-of-town cinemas, mainly targeted the younger demographic with blockbusters, and sold overpriced popcorn and cola.”

“Our vision was a cinema which offered the technical sophistication to do modern blockbusters justice, but also a town centre location, so that other businesses located around it would benefit too. The idea is that, before or after enjoying a film, you could enjoy shopping, have a meal or go for a drink. Rutland Kino will have its own café bar, which will serve good wines, cocktails

and a food offering geared to cinema-goers.

Our ambition is to sell over 1,000 tickets a week so there will be plenty of additional ‘footfall’ to benefit other businesses.”

“As well as a large screen for ‘mainstream’ releases, we also wanted a second screen to provide us with further capacity and the ability to host other productions that are sometimes overlooked by multiplex cinema chains. So, we have in mind including seasons of ‘classic’ films; arthouse cinema; the screening of children’s films as well as streamed productions from the National Theatre and opera houses.”

“We want to create something for everyone in the community, not just for those who want big budget films. Although we will primarily be operating a cinema and an associated café bar, we also want to include space that could accommodate local live music or art exhibitions, to extend the remit into other areas within the arts.”

“Four years ago, the idea of Rutland Kino was well received locally with positive comments on social media and directly via our website.” >>

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RUTLAND’S NEW CINEMA

>> “Investors, too, were keen and we quickly found ourselves gaining interest and potential sources of finance for the project.

We had a potential location at the Oakham Baptist Church, and it was really looking promising. However, the church has been unable to relocate and so progress had stalled until recently, when we were approached by the trustees of Victoria Hall on Oakham’s High Street.”

“In between, we looked at many sites in Oakham, and also considered Uppingham, but cinemas have quite specific requirements, and nothing was right until we started to look into the possibility of using the town’s Victoria Hall.”

“The business model of the cinema industry is quite simple. An independent cinema like ours buys films from a distributor like Independent Cinema Office, one of the best distributors for independents – responsible for bringing about £6.5m of box office revenues to small cinemas each year – and that distributor in turn would ‘book’ films from larger distributors or from the filmmakers directly.”

“It’s a case of determining what your audience will be and ensuring profitability of ticket sales over the cost of renting films.

Being an individual cinema, we’d have the ability to give screen-time to smaller independent films which are sometimes overlooked by multiplexes and chains.”

“Our costs to convert the Victoria Hall will be in the region of £2m, which sounds a lot but there are many technical issues to address when converting an existing building into a state-of-the-art cinema.

We’ve already obtained commitments from potential investors of about 70% of our target as we move into the detailed design phase of the project, which is the next major financial commitment.”

“The Victoria Hall is a beautiful building and the ballroom on the first floor is a good-sized space to accommodate our main screen with 89 seats and the second screen with 30 seats. The upgraded ground floor will accommodate the café bar on the right and the space on the left will give scope

for other community activities. The cinemas themselves will also be available for private hire when not showing films by community groups, individuals, or businesses.”

“We’re working with Stefanie Fischer of Philip Meadowcroft Architects, which is a firm of architects specialising in both historic buildings and cinema conversions.

They’ve a brilliant working knowledge of historic buildings, and their suitability for conversion, and will ensure that as well as creating a cinema, we will also retain as much of the character and as many of the Hall’s original features as possible.”

“Stefanie also has a really good knowledge of the technicalities of creating a cinema: knowing what’s necessary to bring a good picture and good sound with comfortable seating and good sightlines to the cinema.

Access for the disabled is also hugely important and both screens and the café will be well adapted for wheel-chair users.”

“We still have over £500,000 to raise and we are seeking more investors. We have a detailed and well-researched business plan for those who might be interested. Rutland County Council will consider our planning application on 19th October, which will be an important milestone. Beyond that we’ve a number of reasons to feel optimistic.”

“Firstly, we’ve already secured a substantial part of the funding necessary to proceed.

Secondly, we’ve made a good case for the how the building can serve as many people in the community as possible and how it can increase footfall in Oakham and help the economy, post-pandemic. Finally, according to our anecdotal evidence, the project is extremely popular with locals who want Oakham to gain its first dedicated cinema since the 1980s.”

“Overall, it feels incredibly positive and we’re hoping that we can begin construction work in early spring with an opening date late in 2022. That means this time next year we could be getting ready to put family favourites on the big screen of Oakham’s very own boutique cinema at Christmas: It’s A Wonderful Life, Love Actually... or my personal favourite, Home Alone!” n

Find Out More: For more information on Genevive and Andrew’s Rutland Kino boutique cinema project, see www.rutlandkino.co.uk.

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HOW TO SCREEN A FILM 100 years of cinema and storytelling

The earliest cinemas debuted at the turn of the 20th century.

The Lumière brothers had already shown their first projected film in Paris.

Early films focused on novelty, not narrative. One screening, for example, showed a steam train moving towards the screen, viewers screamed and tried to dive out of the way, convinced that the train would come out of the screen.

From about 1905, cinema moved more towards narrative.

US Director D W Griffith introduced parallel stories which the narrative would cut between. 1915 introduced soft focus to indicate beauty – for stars like Mary Pickford – and the coloured tinting of black and white films was introduced around 1920.

Ground-breaking early films included F W Mernau’s vampire film Nosferatu and Fritz Lang’s sci-fi film Metropolis.

1927’s The Jazz Singer brought synchronised dialogue, and though there were early experiments with colour, 1937’s Snow White and 1939’s Wizard of Oz introduced proper colour to films.

The latter begins as a black and white movie, turning into colour when Dorothy lands in the colourful – literally and narratively – land of Oz. Cinemas boomed from the 1930s, right into the new wave/art house movements from the 1950s, with France’s François Truffaut (A Bout de Souffle, 1960) and Jean-Luc Godard (Jules et Jim, 1962)

leading the way for other movements, like art house in other countries like Italy (Fellini’s La Dolce Vita in 1961 and Zeffirelli’s Romeo & Juliet in 1968).

From the Blaxploitation subculture of the 1970s and sci-fi blockbusters of the 1980s, to computer-generated effects in the 1990s, cinema has never lost its appeal. But for all its narrative evolution, the system of projection remains the same.

Today, a projector is still used, albeit one with lasers instead of conventional lamps for greater precision and contrast.

Meanwhile modern screens have evolved to provide richer, sharper colours. Sound technology, too, has evolved to direct sound systematically around a 3D space to give a more immersive experience.

The comfort of cinemas has improved enormously and seats have evolved to give more space, to recline and in some cases to include special effects such as vibrating, rocking and wind and water effects.

What has changed fundamentally is the means of getting films to the cinema in the first place. Gone are the days of loading film reels into projectors. Today’s films are downloaded electronically using a code or ‘key’ that includes agreed details about which screens a film may be shown on, on which dates in a particular cinema. Computers then stream the film straight to the projection system. n

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ART GALLERIES

Fine Art This month we’re proud to celebrate local artists and curators as we present a guide to the area’s best galleries and studios...

Above: Robert Fogell. Right: Nick Grove’s Midday Heat on Ironmonger Street.

n Nick Grove Fine Art

n Robert Fogell Gallery

The Studio, Otters Business Hub, PE9 2PA

23 High Street, St Martins, Stamford, PE9 2LF

07951 249559, www.nickgrove-artworks.co.uk

01780 762099, www.robfogell.co.uk

OUNDLE is not exactly a visually unappealing town, but moving to Stamford two years ago was creative rapture for artist Nick Grove, who enjoys practising and teaching oil painting. A canon of new work to view in his virtual gallery includes Stamford street scenes, plus scenes from Norfolk, Suffolk and London. Nick also specialises in portraiture and invites new commissions for portraits and landscapes.

ROBERT FOGELL GALLERY was established in 2006 by Robert & Diane Fogell, exhibiting contemporary and modern British art from leading and emerging artists. Robert is an artist himself and has a studio in the Kennel Yard of Burghley House. His career began in Sculpture Conservation working on classical and modern stone sculpture and allied materials in public and private collections around the UK, including English Heritage, Cambridge University and private commissions. Robert’s materials include bronze, stone, steel and mixed media. The gallery is open by appointment only; please phone or email to view any of the artwork on display. Commissions and studio visits welcome. n

Nick is also accepting enquiries from novice artists who would like to learn to draw and paint using oils, hosting small groups and individuals keen to learn from an experienced artist who has exhibited his work at The Royal Society of Portrait Painters and the Royal Institute of Oil Painters. n 54

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ART GALLERIES

n Stamford Contemporary Arts & Gallery Maiden Lane, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 2AZ, 01780 753737, www.gallerystamford.co.uk

NOT JUST A GALLERY, but a community for local artists to share inspiration and support for their work. Stamford Contemporary Arts and Gallery Stamford provide a place for a core of existing local artists and new talent to exhibit their work in a monthly-changing gallery environment, with up to 100 pieces on display during each exhibition.

In addition, the gallery has its own in-house picture framing professionals who are available to anyone – not just in-house artists – and can help to display work to its best effect. Meanwhile, the studio also has weekly classes providing tuition on, for example, watercolour techniques, life drawing, oils, mixed-media techniques and colour theory. n

n Adrian Hill Fine Art The Mews, The George Hotel, Stamford, PE9 2LB 01780 480800, www.adrianhillfineart.com

FINE ART is for everyone. That’s the philosophy of Adrian Hill, whose Stamford Gallery, and two galleries in Holt, Norfolk, exhibit artwork of both quality and diversity, plus some private collections from artists who are regarded as being the best in Britain.

On display are paintings from Sego and Munnings, as well as artwork from names like L S Lowry and David Hockney.

For those who favour colourful, whimsical or more abstract styles of art, Rosa Sepple (right) produces striking mixed-media pieces with visual strength and striking energy, whilst Peter Wileman (left) is an acclaimed artist whose sunsets, coastal scenes and landscapes have earned him recognition as a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Royal Institute of Oil Painters.

Above: Burnished Light, Peter Wileman, Oil on Canvas, 19.75″ x 23.5″, £3,250 at Adrian Hill Fine Art.

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Adrian, meanwhile, is renowned for his knowledge and approachability, making fine art accessible and affordable. n

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n Gladwells Rutland Mill Street, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6EA 07866 450070, www.gladwellpatterson.com

GLADWELLS RUTLAND is the sister gallery of Gladwell & Patterson, based on London’s Beauchamp Place. Cory Fuller established the Rutland venue on Oakham’s Mill Street and is the third generation in her family to work in the business, after graduating from King’s College with First Class Honours, before continuing her postgraduate studies at the Courtauld Institute specialising in French 19th century painting.

On display are exceptional fine oil paintings, watercolours and sculpture; from 19th and 20th century works to landscapes and portraits by leading artists, all with unsurpassed provenance. n Sir Alfred James Munnings is

Alfred

Munnings

renowned as one of the C20th’s greatest equestrian artists. Shown here is December Morning, painted in Cornwall, oil on canvas, 51cm x 61cm, £350,000.

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ART GALLERIES

n Rebecca Ivatts Fine Art Sidings Place, Station Road, Uppingham LE15 9TX 07788 664779, www.ivatts.art

REBECCA IVATTS originally grew up in Stamford and following the pandemic has returned to Rutland. Rooted in exquisite draftsmanship, her bold, expressive canvases – encompassing human figure, landscape and portraiture – will soon be on sale in her new art gallery-studio on Queen Street, Uppingham.

Here you can see a curated selection of Rebecca’s powerful paintings, meet the artist at work in the adjoining studio and discuss any private commissions.

After graduating in Modern Languages from Oxford University and completing an internship at the Musee d’Orsay, Paris, Rebecca studied at the Slade School of Art, Prince’s Drawing School and San Fernando Arts Academy, Madrid.

In addition to her studio work, Rebecca has taught Guardian Masterclasses and at The Arts Club, Mayfair; she now gives regular workshops in Uppingham. n

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

David Hockney RA OM CH | Untitled No 281 ‘My Window’ Edition B | Limited Edition Signed and Numbered iPad Drawing | 17″ x 13″

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

w w w. a d r i a n h i l l f i n e a r t . c o m 61

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BCM WEALTH MANAGEMENT

CHARTERED & FELLOWED Congratulations this month to Ollie Smith of Stamford-based BCM Wealth Management!

Last month Ollie has achieved not only chartered status, but gained his fellowship with the Chartered Institute of Insurance, positioning him as one of the highest qualified experts in the industry...

“Our services include financial advice and products for mortgages, pensions, retirement planning, investments, or any other aspect of your life. But unlike some financial advisers, our expertise and advice is always provided with a friendly, human touch.”

Wealth Management you can really count on... that’s what BCM Wealth Management has been providing since 2020 when Ollie Smith set up a new practice in Stamford after 15 years working in the industry.

Just a couple of years on, the firm employs four members of staff and has recently moved to larger premises... and the growth and development hasn’t stopped there.

Last month, after five long years and six seemingly much longer exams, Ollie Smith was finally able to celebrate after achieving the wealth management industry’s highest professional qualifications, achieving CII Chartered Status, and, in addition, achieving Fellow status too.

“I’ve worked in the industry for a decade and a half, and the intention of establishing BCM Wealth Management was to provide the most knowledgeable advice, but without sacrificing the ability to get to know our clients, to really understand their circumstances, and to provide advice that’s as tailored to their needs as it’s possible to deliver.”

“The wealth management, investment and mortgage markets are all more complicated than they’ve ever been. In one way that’s good as it offers more opportunities to make your money work hard for our clients.”

“But on the other hand, it makes experience, expertise and knowledge more important than ever. Our ability to retain clients is

“In spring 2022 we’ll be approaching the end of the tax year and that’s traditionally a time when existing and new clients are able to evaluate their circumstances, their pensions, ISAs, and overall tax efficiency in light of the success of their businesses or investments over the past year.” predicated on doing our very best for them, and so pursuing Chartered status was very much about being at our most qualified and knowledgeable so we can perform as well as possible for the 400 clients we represent.”

“The process was quite gruelling – hell, in fact – but that’s reflected in the fact that of all of the advisors in the country, few of them have Chartered status and fewer still are fellows.”

“For a client, that means peace of mind that they’ve chosen to entrust their circumstances to a firm which really values professional development within the industry.”

“In addition to being as highly qualified as the industry allows, we’re also a Partner Practice of, and supported by, St. James’s Place, which gives us an advantage when it comes to reliability and helps us to remain focused on our clients.”

“It’s a traditionally busy time of the year, but it’s likely to be even busier given that Covid and the emergence of working from home has led many to re-evaluate their working lives. Some are considering working from home more; semi-retirement or early-retirement having enjoyed a taste of ‘retirement’ whilst on furlough.”

“With the recent relaxation of draw-down rules and changes to personal allowance, it’s been a really unique time in the industry, which is interesting for us professionally, but for those outside the industry, there’s never been a more appropriate time to seek good advice and to look to the future armed with expert insight.”

To receive a complimentary guide covering wealth management, retirement planning or Inheritance Tax planning, contact BCM Wealth Management Ltd on 01780 437500 or email Simone.Harley@sjpp.co.uk n

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

The value of an investment with St. James’s Place will be directly linked to the performance of the funds you select and the value can therefore go down as well as up. You may get back less than you invested.

The levels and bases of taxation, and reliefs from taxation, can change at any time. The value of any tax relief is generally dependent on individual circumstances.

BCM Wealth Management Ltd is an appointed representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and service, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The ‘St. James’s Place Partnership’ and the titles ‘Partner’ and ‘Partner Practice’ are marketing terms used to describe St. James’s Place representatives.

BCM Wealth Management is based on Ironmonger Street, Stamford PE9 1PL. Call 01780 437500.

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Image: Elli Dean.

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Luxury lodges, great fun and a superb return on investment!

.! .. e f li d o o g e th in t s e v n I

Live on site all year round, achieve great rental returns or retain your lodge for family & friends to enjoy.

Four fantastic sites including Tallington Lakes, Tanner Farm Park, Thorney and Great Hadham On-site watersports and leisure facilities, beautiful surroundings

www.goodlifelodge.com • info@goodlifelodge.com • 0800 564 2266 • Barholm Road, Tallington, PE9 4RJ

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DINING OUT AT HAMBLETON HALL

COUNTRY HOUSE

COMFORT Not just one of the best restaurants in Rutland, but one of the best in the whole country.

Hambleton Hall remains unsurpassed for those seeking an enjoyable, comfortable dining experience and a warm welcome courtesy of an established and assiduous team...

Images: Dorte Kjærulff Photography, 07984 492 246, www.dorte.co.uk.

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REMEMBER, REMEMBER... not just on the fifth, but throughout November, that just down the road from where you live, there’s a dining room that is regarded not just as one of the area’s best restaurants, but one of the best in the country.

Though there could be few residents of Rutland and Stamford who are oblivious to the presence of Hambleton Hall, on the peninsular adjacent to Rutland Water, it’s also easy to take for granted what we have on our doorstep, overlooking what’s right in front of us.

It’s difficult to find fresh words to praise a country house hotel that’s so well-established, but perhaps the best compliment anyone could pay Hambleton Hall is that it’s remained consistently and unwaveringly excellent ever since it opened, back in 1980.

It’s hard to recall a pre-Aaron Patterson era Hambleton Hall, but the hotel had a couple of head chefs including Nick Gill – brother of the restaurant critic AA – in its earlier days.

the hotel has four AA rosettes for its food, for its rooms and it is affiliated with both Pride of Britain and Relais & Châteaux.

That was before the stars aligned and Aaron came to the hotel in 1984. Aaron left, then returned as Head Chef in 1992, and has protected the hotel’s Michelin-star status ever since. In addition to its flagship boast,

Whilst accolades are convenient shorthand to express how universally well-thought of Hambleton Hall is, though, they’re only half the story. Whilst the place is undoubtedly smart and offers peerless dining, the hotel never ever feels stuffy or aloof.

OPEN FOR FOOD

In fact, its team is as welcoming and as accommodating and as warm as anywhere else you’ll ever dine, perhaps due to the assuredness and confidence that comes from knowing they’re one of the best country house hotels in the whole of the UK.

Lunch: Monday to Saturday 12noon – 2.30pm.

Evening: Monday to Saturday 7pm – 9pm.

Sunday Lunch: 12noon – 2.30pm.

Aaron leads a brigade of 16 chefs, a necessarily large team given the complexity of the dishes the kitchen turns out. >> 67

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DINING OUT AT HAMBLETON HALL

on the MENU Starters Terrine of heritage carrot with spiced carrot ice cream.

Chicken live parfait with tomato chutney.

Lasagne of girolle mushrooms with Iberico ham and grappa sauce.

Ballotine of red mullet with wakame seaweed and yuzu.

Main Courses Roast presa pork with braised kohlrabi, apple and crackling.

Roast guinea fowl, pea and mint risotto, morels and Madeira sauce.

Loin of Launde farm lamb, roast aubergine, feta and red pepper purée.

Pan fried fillet of John Dory, English asparagus, sautéed prawns, mousseron mushrooms and Vermouth sauce.

Lobster tortellini, fennel and lobster bisque (£3/supp).

Desserts Hambleton Hall tiramisu.

Apricot soufflé with caramelised almond ice cream.

Passion fruit and banana tartlet with peanut butter ice cream.

Hambleton Hall, Ketton Road, Oakham LE15 8TH. Call 01572 756991 or see www.hambletonhall.com.

NB: All menu items are subject to change.

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>> Aaron is always keen to acknowledge the part that Hambleton Hall’s Restaurant Director Graeme Matheson, Sommelier Dominique Baduel and General Manager Chris Hurst each play in creating the whole Hambleton Hall experience.

Owners Tim and Stefa Hart are still very much invested in welcoming guests to the hotel, with Tim working closely with Hambleton Hall’s gardeners to curate roughly 17-acres of beautiful surroundings.

Meanwhile, interior designer Stefa contributes a careful eye to ensure the hotel’s interiors evolve, without ever losing the classic style the hotel has always maintained.

Stefa is responsible, too, for the look and feel of the hotel’s 17 beautiful rooms and suites

and for the look and feel of the dining room, drawing room and other communal areas.

Dining at Hambleton Hall, then, is by way of a main à la carte dinner menu of three courses priced at £83/head, with four starter course options, four main courses plus an additional two ‘gourmet’ choices which are subject to a supplement. Typically there are four dessert options, plus a well-curated cheese board and coffee served with ‘sweet delights.’ Hambleton Hall’s menu changes daily and utilises ingredients from the hotel’s kitchen garden as well as local suppliers.

Once Covid clears off, Aaron and the team will also reinstate the availability of their tasting menu, which typically comprises six courses for £95.

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“Ordinarily Hambleton Hall has a vibrant programme of events including dinners with live arias courtesy of Nevill Holt’s up and coming talent, motorsport days and wine tasting evenings...”

There’s a reasonable Lunch for Less promo from Monday to Friday offering two or three courses for £38.50 and £48 respectively.

The Lunch for Less menu runs alongside an à la carte lunchtime menu too. For a satisfying Sunday lunch, there’s also Hambleton Hall’s provision of sirloin of beef, or Launde lamb with all of the trimmings you’d expect.

It’s a great shame that Hambleton Hall’s 40th anniversary celebrations last year were scuppered and in the current year, the hotel

has been so busy that it had been impossible to restart their events programme.

Ordinarily, this includes an annual dinner with live arias courtesy of Nevill Holt Opera’s ‘up and comings,’ plus motorsport days run in conjunction with Palmer Sport and wine tasting evenings.

We hope that normal service can resume very soon, but until then, there’s still plenty to appeal in the comfortable surroundings of a hotel regarded as one of the best not just locally, but anywhere in the UK. n

MEET THE CHEF AARON PATTERSON Aaron leads a brigade of 16 chefs to create meticulous dishes which reflect Hambleton Hall’s four AA rosettes, and its Michelin Star. He has served as the hotel’s Head Chef since 1992.

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A reminder that voting is currently underway for our Good Food Awards for 2021. Vote for your favourite restaurants and food & drink producers from right across Rutland & Stamford and we’ll ensure they get the recognition they deserve...

Words: Rob Davis.

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Vote for your best restaurant, coffee shop and food producers at pridemagazines.co.uk or use our voting form; just turn over the page

ALREADY, THE VOTES ARE PILING IN! Many of our readers have already registered their nominations in our Pride Magazines Good Food Awards 2021.

A reminder, then, that we’d like to know about which restaurants, cafés, food and drink producers you consider to be the best in the county. By asking our readers for their recommendations we’ll ensure that advertising commitment in our magazines or our own opinions don’t compromise our readers’ ability to recognise the restaurants and food & drink businesses they want to celebrate.

Let’s get behind the industry, celebrate our pubs and restaurants and generally raise a glass to the whole sector!

Top: Celebrating success with the Olive Branch team.

Above: Rutland farmer Josh Makey.

Main: Main course is served at Barnsdale Lodge.

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Last month we provided over 70 of our own recommendations for what we think are the county’s best restaurants and food-related businesses, but we’re really keen that as many readers as possible fill in the form over the page or vote online to give us their recommendations.

Many of the businesses we featured last month have endured periods of closure during lockdown, and even with restrictions now relaxed, staffing problems and a shortage

of lorry drivers to deliver supplies are still hindering the hospitality industry nationally.

In 2019 hospitality contributed £59.3 billion in GVA to the UK economy; 3.0% of total UK economic output. The sector also provided employment for about 2.38m people; about 6.9% of the UK’s population.

Also, many of these businesses are SMEs, the health of which has a knock-on implication for the agriculture and haulage sectors too.

It’s economically important to ensure the sector is supported. But moreover, where would we be without our local pub or café, or that lovely restaurant to dine in on a Friday night? Let’s get behind the industry, celebrate our pubs and restaurants and generally raise a glass to the whole sector! >>

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Look out for more local food & drink producers...

Food and drink events to allow you to stock up for the autumn and winter months n 7th November 2021 Rutland Food and Farming Festival

A celebration of all that the county has to offer in terms of food and drink, rescheduled from July. www.rutlandshowground.com. n 25th to 28th November 2021 The Burghley Christmas Fair

The traditional and spectacular Burghley House Christmas Fair returns!

Wander among the chalets, heated marquees and Fine Food Market and enjoy a unique Christmas shopping opportunity. Offering everything from luxury gifts, festive treats, artisan food and more. www.burghley.co.uk. n 26th November to 12th December 2021 Belvoir Castle Engine Yard’s Christmas Market

OUR SIX GOOD FOOD AWARD CATEGORIES n Restaurant of the Year

n Restaurant with Rooms

Our flagship award looks to celebrate a restaurant that creates great food, with local ingredients and stunning presentation.

Often, great dining and lovely bedrooms go hand in hand. Name your favourite local B&B, hotel or country inn with rooms.

n Café, Bar or Bistro of the Year

n Local Food Producer

This category is designed to recognise places providing really good lunches, lighter dishes and afternoon teas.

The county has plenty of great food producers. Here, we’d like to name a butcher, baker, farmer or food producer.

n International Cuisine

n Rutland & Stamford Drink

In this category, we’re looking to recognise a restaurant which provides great dishes from around the world.

And finally, from wine and spirits to tea and coffee or local soft drinks, nominate your favourite local drink, too! >>

There’s so much to experience at the Engine Yard. During the run-up to Christmas 2021, there’s going to be late night shopping events so that everyone gets a chance to come and browse.

The site’s shops will be theming their offerings towards festive gifts and treats for all. You can grab a freshly prepared bite to eat at The Fuel Tank Cafe or the Pizza and Burger Kitchen.

Don’t forget, Belvoir Castle’s Engine Yard also has lots of great delis, farm shops and speciality food retailers too. www.belvoircastle.com.

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You’re free to vote for whichever Rutland or Stamford businesses you choose; they don’t have to be mentioned in this edition.

You can also vote online at www.pridemagazines.co.uk.

!

Vote for Your Favourite Restaurants and Local Food & Drink Suppliers...

Restaurant of the Year 2021: Your overall favourite place to dine in Rutland or Stamford. ...........................................................................................................................................................................

Café, Bar or Bistro of the Year 2021: Your preferred place to enjoy a lighter meal or coffee. ...........................................................................................................................................................................

International Cuisine 2021: A local restaurant providing great international dishes. ...........................................................................................................................................................................

‘Restaurant with Rooms’ 2021: A restaurant that also has really special accommodation. ...........................................................................................................................................................................

Local Food Producer: A producer of local artisan food e.g.: a butcher, baker or cheesemaker. ...........................................................................................................................................................................

Local Drink: This could be a wine or spirit, locally roasted coffee, local tea or soft drink. ...........................................................................................................................................................................

Name:.................................................................................................................................................................

Address:.............................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................................................... ...........................................................................................................................................................................

Postcode: ............................................

Telephone: ..........................................................................................

Cut out this page and send your nominations to Pride Magazines Good Food Awards 2021, Pride Magazines, Boston Enterprise Centre, Enterprise Way, Boston, Lincolnshire PE21 7TW. CLOSING DATE 1ST NOVEMBER 2021.

!

The small print: Multiple entries (e.g.: photocopies of the same vote) will not be counted. You must not be personally or professionally allied with nominations, The Editor’s decision as to our competition winners is final.

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The finest Nepalese & Indian cuisine prepared by Michelin-star trained chefs in the heart of Oakham.

12 EN-SUITE ROOMS PLUS GROUND FLOOR BAR

12 CHURCH STREET | OAKHAM | LE15 6AA 01572 720537 info@everestloungeoakham.co.uk www.everestloungeoakham.co.uk OPEN: MONDAY TO SATURDAY, 4PM - 10PM

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TIFFIN & CO BAKEHOUSE’S FESTIVE BAKES

If you’re entertaining this festive season, if you’re looking to give the gift of delicious cakes or you’d just like to treat yourself, let us introduce Tiffin & Co Bakehouse’s Shannon Riglin whose new festive bakes are, in a word...

Delicious!

S

OMETHING smells amazing...! Upon turning up to meet one of

the area’s newest luxury confectioners, it’s clear we’re in for a treat. And surely enough, Shannon Riglin’s studio is full of the latest products she’s created as part of her Christmas range, ready to offer to those seeking festive treats for guests to enjoy over the season. Her showstopper is a stunning looking four-layer marbled chocolate cake heaving with ganache and chocolate curls.

‘That must have taken ages!’ We remark, but Shannon’s been baking since she was a youngster and assures us it’s just a case of utilising her experience to approach even the most ambitious bake with patience and attention to detail. You could give Shannon the credit she deserves... or... if you were feeling particularly nefarious, you could just pass it off to guests as your own creation.

Either way, Shannon’s just happy that hundreds of people this Christmas will be enjoying her ranges of tray bakes, blondies, cookies, cakes, cheesecakes and cookie pies. And it’s a nice change of pace from the rigours of academia, like the masters degree she completed at university last September, just prior to setting up her business, Tiffin & Co Bakehouse.

“I’ve lived in the area most of my life and have always had the ambition of baking for a living. Previously, I’ve baked for family and friends, but I knew it would be a leap of faith to turn a personal passion into a business.”

“After pursuing a Business Studies & Management degree with the Open University and then completing my Masters, we were in the throes of lockdown and I finally had the time to set up a business. I’ve designed the branding, made the website and set about creating a range of products that I thought everyone would love.” >>

Words & Images: Rob Davis.

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TIFFIN & CO BAKEHOUSE

From Stamford

To Anywhere Shannon’s products are available in butcher Gary Simpson’s shop in Stamford and from the county’s leading garden centres... but her mail order service means you can send a delicious gift anywhere in the UK.

>> “That was seven months ago and the response has been really rewarding. I’ve some core products that are popular all year round but I also try to create new ranges, like my Christmas products, which are just about ready to go.”

“My ranges are available at all six of Gary Simpson’s shops including his Stamford shop and from Stamford Garden Centre. Most products can also be delivered nationally.”

“I’m already receiving orders for mixed boxes of brownies, blondies, cookies and festive products like cranberry flapjacks and white forest blondies; limited edition products.”

“I’m taking orders for Christmas delivery until mid-December, and already people are

Top: Shannon’s sumptuous salted caramel cheesecake.

Left: Selection of brownies, blondies and cookies.

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really happy to have found a gift for loved ones, up and down the country, which are more personal, really indulgent and a present that comes from a small local business.”

“Our chocolate and Lotus Biscoff products are the most popular at the moment, but we’ve hot cookie dough trays, dipping sauces and cookie pies too, and we’re also taking orders for completely bespoke eight-inch celebration cakes.”

“More involved cakes need about a week’s notice, but often for products that I bake daily I can send out with a courier for next day delivery.”

“After all, nobody should have to wait to enjoy something delicious this season!” n

Find Out More: Shannon is the founder of Tiffin & Co Bakehouse, delivering brownies, blondies, cakes and cookies nationwide. She can create bespoke cakes and other goodies to order. Order at www.tiffinandcobakehouse.co.uk, email enquiries@tiffinandcobakehouse.co.uk or enquire via social media @tiffinandcobakehouse.

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In the KITCHEN

PEAR & PECAN STREUSEL CAKE Preparation Time: 35 minutes plus cooling. Cooking Time: One hour. Serves 10.

125g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing • 125g light brown soft sugar • 2 free range medium eggs 125g plain flour • 50g ground almonds • 1 tsp baking powder • 1 tsp ground cinnamon • Crème fraîche, to serve For the brown butter pears: 20g unsalted butter • 1 tbsp light brown soft sugar 400g Conference pears (about 2 large or 3 small), peeled, cored and cut into thin wedges For the pecan streusel topping: 100g plain flour • 75g granulated sugar 75g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes • 50g pecans, roughly chopped Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4; grease and line a 20cm deep, loose-bottomed cake tin.

To prepare the pears, heat the 20g butter in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the foaming subsides and it starts to smell nutty and turn golden. Add the sugar and pears and cook gently for 2-3 minutes, turning in the butter from time to time. Set aside to cool.

For the streusel topping, put the flour, sugar, the butter and a pinch of salt in a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until you have a clumpy mixture. Stir in the pecans.

For the cake, use electric beaters to beat the butter and sugar for two minutes until pale and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the dry ingredients until just combined.

Tip into the base of the lined cake tin and even the surface with the back of a spoon.

Arrange the pears on top and evenly scatter over the streusel topping. Bake for 45-55 minutes until golden, risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Leave to cool completely in the tin on a wire rack. Cut into slices to serve, with a spoonful of crème fraîche on top. This cake is just as good made with apples instead of pears – or you could try a mixture of both.

Thousands of recipes can be found at www.waitrose.com/recipes.

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Wine of the Month

Just the thing to warm up your winter...

Passion by Punks, by Some Young Punks, £13 / 75cl / 14.5% ABV

Carollers’ Reserve Winter Gin Liqueur, a winter warmer from Bandsman Gin...

Only available for a couple of months a year, you’ll need to be quick to secure a few bottles of this spiffing winter warmer.

It’s a warming gin liqueur made using sloes picked from fertile land near the River Trent, damsons from the farm of a local brass banding family and honey from an apiary in the village of Doddington near Lincoln. Drink it over ice or with lemonade as a long drink. n £25 / 50cl / 30% ABV, See bandsmangin.co.uk.

The Wine Cellar WARMING UP YOUR AUTUMN AND WINTER THIS MONTH WITH A SEASONAL TIPPLE, A CELEBRATION OF BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU DAY AND A SUPER AUSTRALIAN RED...

BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU DAY: 18th November 2021...

1. Rochegrès’ Moulin-À-Vent is a Beaujolais beauty, whose charm will only develop with 2021’s new wine release.

Cherry, spice and oak on the nose, ideal with poultry or red meat, £19.99 / 75cl / 13% ABV.

2. Produced by the Cru of Morgon, by Dominique Piron on his 50-year old Gamay estate. Cherries and plums meet roasted coffee beans and tobacco yielding soft tannins and a really well-rounded flavour overall, £14.99 / 75cl / 13% ABV.

3. And finally, a remarkably good value midweek Beaujolais whose quality belies its modest price. Quite a jolly wine, with plenty of raspberry and cherry flavours, £6.29 / 75cl / 13% ABV.

This absolutely ripping wine was once known by the name Passion Has Red Lips. Its makers, Some Young Punks, produced funky bottles with 1950s pulp artwork.

That branding has been dropped in favour of a different looking label and arguably some of the charm of the original has been lost, but happily, the wine remains the same. Produced in Australia’s Clare Valley region, it’s a rather heavyweight Cabernet Sauvignon (45%) and Shiraz (55%) blend that’ll easily lay waste to winter nights with a hefty mix of cherry, smoke, tobacco and vanilla flavours.

Buy from www.all aboutwine.co.uk n

A friend in mead is a friend indeed...

The term honeymoon derives from the custom of leaving newlyweds alone to enjoy mead or honey wine – thought to aid fertility – for a lunar month immediately after their wedding.

Mead is still produced, most notably on The Holy Island of Lindisfarne in Northumberland.

However, Matt and Nicola Brauer have created their own take on the medieval drink, combining a honey spirit with Perthshire whisky... ably assisted by about 8,000,000 bees.

It’s a lovely, sweet winter warmer. £31 / 50cl / 30% ABV, www.beeble.buzz.

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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Beautiful hand-picked quality home décor, with inspiring timeless pieces which will add a touch of luxury to every home, our shop is right in the heart of Stamford on St Mary’s Street MIRRORS, LIGHTING, HOME FRAGRANCE, BEAUTY & BODY, HOME ACCESSORIES, VASES & JUGS, KITCHENWARE, BARWARE, GIFTS AND MORE...

Visit us at 2 St Mary’s Street, Stamford, PE9 2DE Call 01780 481852 or shop online at

www.simplystamford.co.uk Follow us on Facebook & Instagram

Visit our Grade II listed 1,600sq ft furniture showroom...

Fresh coffee and homemade cake in ‘coffee corner’...

High Street, Thrapston, Kettering NN14 4JJ Call 03301 331799 or see www.auburnfox.co.uk

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HOMES & INTERIORS

THE LONG & SHORT OF IT If you’re looking for inspiration on how to execute the perfect barn conversion, or you’re seeking the perfect family home ready to move into, this Whitwell property, The Long Barn, is ideal and for Mark Underwood & Family, that’s the long and short of it...

Words: Rob Davis.

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THE LONG BARN AT WHITWELL is pretty much the most perfect execution of a barn conversion. It’s Grade II listed with lots of character and period features, but also lots of practical features and a well-thought out layout.

“My wife and I happened upon the property quite by chance just a few years ago and at that time it consisted of five Grade II listed period barns that had fallen into a very bad state of disrepair,” says Mark Underwood.

“However, we could see that they had the potential to be transformed into a really fabulous home and that, combined with this amazing location, made it an opportunity too good to pass up. The development of the buildings was a mammoth task but we’re absolutely thrilled with the results.”

Main: A textbook example of how to execute a barn conversion, The Long Barn, based in the village of Whitwell, has four reception rooms including its 66ft living/dining kitchen, plus five bedrooms of which three are en suite. What’s more the property also has a self-contained annexe for multi-generational living and a great location with private access to Rutland Water.

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“We’ve owned barn conversions before and what I really love is that they are all so unique. Here we wanted to create a very modern home within this gorgeous period shell, so the accommodation is centred around one huge open-plan kitchen, dining and family room.”

“We’ve owned barn conversions before and what I really love is that they are all unique....”

The property is arranged over two floors.

On the ground floor, as well as that 66ft living area, there’s a games room or snug, and a formal sitting room. Also on the ground floor is a practical study, ideal for those working from home, and a bedroom with its own en suite.

Beyond that there’s also a self-contained annex for multi-generational living with a living kitchen, two bedrooms, shower room and utility. “Our eldest daughter has been living in it, but it could be ideal for an elderly relative,” says Mark.

On the north east elevation of the house is a boot room and utility for family clutter, and a garden room with bifold doors as well as an additional space for office use or for storage.

With modern bespoke cabinetry, white engineered stone surfaces and a suite of high end appliances, the kitchen has two fridge/freezers, induction hob, three Siemens ovens including a steam oven and microwave as well as a boiling water tap.

Energy saving features throughout the house include LED lighting, underfloor heating, and electrically operated Velux windows with rain sensors.

Meanwhile, there are en suite bathrooms to the property’s downstairs bedroom, master suite and its second bedroom upstairs, as well as a bathroom serving bedrooms four and five. The master suite also has a walk-in dressing room and Juliet balcony.

“We’ve gone for sleek units in the kitchen, the bathroom in the master suite looks like something out of a swanky hotel and in terms of the décor we’ve used a pale, neutral palette throughout,” says Mark.

“We tend to spend most of our time in the huge open-plan space, mainly because we can all be together, perhaps doing different 89

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things, and you never get the feeling of being on top of one another,” says Mark.

“It’s without doubt the real heart of the home, and it’s one of our favourite features of it, but the best thing about the house, undoubtedly is that it’s right in the heart of Rutland.”

“The property is literally planted by the side of the water, and in actual fact we have private access to the reservoir, so from a lifestyle perspective it simply couldn’t be better. People travel from far and wide to go sailing, cycling or just walk the shore, and we have it all practically on the doorstep.”

“The garden is another really lovely feature of the property and we have five sets of bi-folding doors in total, so there’s a fabulous Above: Between the main house and the annex is a superb garden room. The gardens, meanwhile are beautifully maintained with lots of hard landscaping.

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connection between the inside and outdoor area,” continues Mark.

“The garden incorporates terraces, a courtyard area that has a bit of a Mediterranean feel, a big lawn and a very pretty wooded area. It’s a great space for relaxing and entertaining and there’s more than enough room for children to have a good run around, and best of all it’s peaceful, private and the views are something else.”

“If it wasn’t for the fact that we’ve decided to move overseas, we wouldn’t even consider moving from this house,” says Mark.

“It’s everything we dreamed it would be and the location simply couldn’t be more idyllic. It’s safe to say we’ll all be very sad to leave!” n

THE LONG BARN, WHITWELL Location: Whitwell; Oakham 4.3 miles, Stamford 7.4 miles.

Style: 6,500sq ft barn conversion with five bedrooms including three en suites, plus four reception rooms and 66ft living/dining kitchen.

Guide Price: £2,500,000 Find Out More: Fine & Country, Seaton Grange Barn Offices, Uppingham, LE15 9HT. Call 01780 750 200, www.fineandcountry.com. n

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Victoriaa James FLORAL DESIGNS

Photo courtesy of John Sankey

Do you need a new Sofa or Chair in time for Christmas?

Exceptional artificial bouquets & wreaths, gorgeous vases and beautiful home fra r grances.

S H O P O N L I N E : V I C TO R I A J A M E S F LO R A L D E S I G N S . C O. U K

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

We are specialist suppliers of luxury hand crafted contemporary and classic furniture and can supply sofas, chairs or footstools customised in any upholstery fabric from our extensive range.

We have a selection of furniture in the showroom so please call in for a browse and a chat, we would love to see you.

Call 01780 757946 www.huntersinteriorsofstamford.co.uk The Stables, Copthill Farm, Uffington, Stamford PE9 4TD

Showroom and Coffee Shop Open Monday - Saturday 9.00 am - 4.00 pm

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

01733 894422 | www.pdakitchens.co.uk 92

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HOME FURNISHINGS

WELCOME IN

WINTER This month we’ve feel-good furnishings and textiles to ensure you can hunker down all winter long in comfort...

This Page: Bespoke sofa from Delcor, created completely to your specification, to your exact dimensions and in your choice of fabric. Call 01780 762579 or see www.delcor.co.uk.

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COSY HOMES

Logging On BASKETS FOR YOUR FIRE

Lewis & Wood Wallcoverings at Hunters Interiors Nothing evokes Autumn like this dramatic large-format wallpaper by Lewis & Wood.

Sika is one of two glorious wallpapers designed for the firm by muralist Flora Roberts for the English Ethnic collection. Available at Hunters of Stamford. n Hunters Interiors, Copthill Farm, Uffington, PE9 4TD. Call 01780 757946, www.huntersinteriorsofstamford.co.uk

Winter time means enjoying an open fire, which is wonderful. It also means carrying in a basket full of logs... which isn’t wonderful at all. Still, these beautiful baskets from Broughtons will hold plenty and look great by your fireside. Top is Bampton, £75, above is Country Log Basket, £74. n Broughtons is based in The Old Cinema on Cropston Road, Leicester LE7 7BP. Call 0116 2341888 or see www.broughtons.com.

Settle down on a bespoke sofa from H Works...

What could be better than sinking into a beautiful bespoke sofa created with your choice of fabric this winter? H Works has created this pillowback example for a client and used a 100% Italian linen fabric from luxury brand Colefax & Fowler.

Duck-egg accents and a plaid design, it’s family-friendly enough to stand up to mistreatment by kids, dogs... even husbands. n H Works Design is based on St. Mary’s Street Stamford, PE9 2DS. Call 01780 754605 or see www.hworksdesign.co.uk. >> Elizabeth Stanhope has curated a beautiful range of furniture for Rutland homes, including this Nordic Gustavian Display Cabinet, £2,299.

01572 722345, shoplizzieloves.com.

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Left: Burlington is a new collection from Clarke & Clarke, stocked by most of the area’s independent interior design specialists.

Shown here are Malone, Rowland and Thornton in moss.

>> Brand new from Colefax & Fowler for autumn is Emmeline (curtain, chair) and Leaf Trellis (wallpaper). The range is available from most of our local independent interior design studios.

Throw Caution To The Wind

1. Bronte By Moon lambswool windowpane grey throw, 1.4m x 1.8m, £96 from Simply Stamford on St Mary’s Street.

2. Arklet Throw with Fringe, 100% lambswool, made right here in the UK, 1.4m x 1.8m, £189.99, at Elizabeth Stanhope, Mill Street, Oakham.

>> The coffee’s on! Simply Stamford allows you to serve up the freshest coffee using this Nick Munro Fatso Pot Cafetière, makes three cups, £100. n Simply Stamford, St Mary's Street, Stamford PE9 2DE. Call 01780 481852 or shop online at www.simplystamford.co.uk.

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Dining set by William Yeoward, washed acacia finish, Lucillo side chair £1,150; Bywater extending table £5,650.

Available from Hunters of Stamford and Sarah Harding of Uppingham.

Stamford & Rutland Interiors: Broughtons: Leicester, 0116 2341888,www.broughtons.com.

Delcor Interiors: Stamford, 01780 762579, www.delcor.co.uk. Elizabeth Stanhope Interiors: Oakham, 01572 722345, www.elizabethstanhope.co.uk H Works: 01780 754605, www.hworksdesign.co.uk. Hunters of Stamford: 01780 757946, www.huntersinteriorsofstamford.co.uk. Sarah Harding Interiors: Uppingham, 01572 823389, sarahhardinginteriors.co.uk.

Simply Stamford: St Mary’s Street, Stamford, 01780 481852, www.simplystamford.co.uk.

Please note prices are RRP and should be considered a guide only, availability of brands and ranges at the above design studios subject to variation.

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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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Pride Magazine is available to read, for free, on your phone or tablet...

Enjoy the area’s finest magazines, using our App, free to download now!

Read online now at

w w w. pr id emagaz ines. co. u k You can now enjoy Pride Magazine with our app on your smartphone or tablet... completely free of charge!

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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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So Farlows, So Good As autumn’s rich colour palette unfolds and temperatures begin to fall, it’s time to invest in British-made, high quality countrywear and technical clothing.

Farlows was established in 1840 and remains unsurpassed in the field... literally!

This Page: Lambswool Crew Neck Jumper in Clipper, £99.99.

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Ladies Supersoft Fairisle Jumper in Denim / Jester, £109.99.

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Ladies Moss Stitch Turtle Jumper in Flannel Grey, £139.99.

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Ribbed Shooting Sweater in Hazelnut, £174.99.

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Ladies Donegal roll neck jumper in jade green, £129.99.

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FASHION

Top: Loden Cruz Cape, £595 and Tweed Jerkin, £285. Above: She wears Dartmoor Shooting Vest in Bronze Herringbone, £395; Lined Tweed Breeks in Bronze Herringbone, £215.He wears Moorland Shooting Vest in Saxony, £395; Lined Breeks in Saxony, £215.

Farlows was established in 1840 and provides a range of country clothing and technical clothing whether a long dog walk, working in the field or a morning shooting clays is on the calendar. Call 01544 322311 or see www.farlows.co.uk.

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Keeping Mum

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IF YOU’RE ATTENDING A WEDDING IN 2022, PERHAPS ONE THAT’S BEEN DELAYED, YOU’LL LOVE THESE STYLISH MOTHER OF THE BRIDE OUTFITS...

1. Condici: Utopia print and a smart navy colourway, from Condici’s style 71047, £799.

2. Linea Rafaelli: Château de Provence, £685.

3. Veni Infantino: Off the shoulder dress, £550.

4. Luis Civit: A-line dress and capped sleeve silk tunic top with matching fascinator £499.

5. John Charles: Luxurious waterfall crèpe skirt and drape sleeves, John Charles’ style 26798 is available in mustard, pistachio, navy and fuchsia too, £299.

6. Veni Infantino: Invitations dress with A-line skirt, £550.

7. Ispirato: Dress and jacket with matching fascinator, £350.

8. Linea Rafaelli: Château de Provence, £299. n

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HOLISTIC HEALTH

FROM GUT to GOODNESS Blood sugar is a good metric to keep an eye on, even if you’re not one of the 3.8m people in the UK with the condition of diabetes. This month Ali Hutchinson presents the case for consistently fuelling the body instead of relying on blood sugar spikes...

Words: Ali Hutchinson.

ACCORDING TO PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND over 3.8 million people in the UK have diabetes with the number of people experiencing pre-diabetes even higher, many of whom don’t even know they are experiencing such a dramatic issue with their blood sugar levels.

gut.’ And he was right, the growing research into gut health is discovering that underlying gut problems are a factor – if not a major factor – in a wide range of diseases, from depression to lupus, and blood sugar problems are no exception.

People who are overweight, or who struggle with weight loss resistance – a symptom of underlying metabolic problems – tend to have lower microbiome diversity with lower amounts of the beneficial bacteria and higher amounts of harmful ones.

It’s estimated that even more are suffering from other forms of insulin-resistance or blood sugar problems like polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS and metabolic syndrome – the combination of diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension) and obesity.

The food you eat can affect your blood sugar, but it can also change your microbiome – the trillions of microorganisms and their genetic material that live in your intestinal tract.

Gut health and blood sugar...

So let’s take more advice from Hippocrates and ‘let food be thy medicine and medicine thy food,’ as a first step to managing blood sugar, healing our gut and restoring microbiome balance.

These microorganisms are critical to your health and wellbeing which is why I’m so passionate about looking at our gut health as a window to our overall health.

n Eat a diet rich in wholefoods – anything that doesn’t come with a wrapper or have an ingredient list!

Most of us are aware that the foods we eat on a daily basis directly affect our blood sugar. It’s a pretty simple formula: the more sugar you eat, whether it is in the form of carbohydrates, artificial sweeteners, sugar, or fruit, the more likely your blood sugar is to be elevated.

When you eat any of these things, your blood sugar spikes, but when these sources make up the majority of your diet – cereal and toast for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, pasta with a creamy sauce, meat pie with potatoes or fish and chips in the evening, your blood sugar is constantly elevated, and this puts you on the path to diabetes and other metabolic health problems.

What you’re probably not aware of is how this affects your gut health – the window to your overall health.

As Hippocrates – the father of modern medicine – said: ‘all disease begins in the

Many of the same foods that spike blood sugar have been shown to wreak havoc on your gut.

For example, artificial sweeteners found in everything from yogurts to soft drinks, cakes, pastries and processed foods, have been implicated for years in poor microbiome health and bacterial imbalances in the gut.

Since food can directly affect both blood sugar levels and your gut health it makes sense to focus on healing your gut to help you to rebalance your blood sugar.

And that’s exactly what the latest research from scientific institutes like the Mayo clinic in the USA is showing. Studies that surround blood sugar and the gut show a direct correlation between the two.

Actions you can take today:

n Reduce or eliminate the amount of processed foods you eat n Reduce your sugar intake and eliminate artificial sugar from your diet n Add pre- and pro- biotics to your diet – I always recommend a good supplement in addition to eating foods rich in both – think Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Miso, fermented milk or yogurt, Tempeh etc. n Eat organic if possible – don’t peel fruits and vegetables if they are clean as there’s more fibre in the skins n Increase your fibre intake – both soluble and insoluble fibre – aim to eat 30 different fruits and veg a week.

Taking small steps like this can have a big impact on your gut health and blood sugar levels allowing you to look and feel your best.

Find Out More: If you’re experiencing gut or sugar issues and would like to have an informal chat to see how we might work together please get in touch. Or if you’re struggling with perimenopause or menopause, or need support with energy levels, weight loss or weight management, book a free call via my blog www.ali-hutchinson.co.uk or email: hello@ali-hutchinson.co.uk or call 07973 843020.

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COSMETICS

Heading into Winter WINTER SKINCARE PROTECTION AND FEEL-GOOD FRAGRANCES AS WE HEAD INTO THE COOLER MONTHS

1. Autumn skincare for gentlemen...

One of the most respected names in shaving and skincare, Kiehl’s has released its trio of core grooming products to cleanse, exfoliate and hydrate the skin. Utilising caffeine and vitamins, the products are specially formulated to control shine, remove dead skin and dirt and to give the skin a healthy, fresh appearance.

Trio of products, 125ml moisturiser, 100ml scrub, 75ml face wash, £52.75.

2. Idea for nail-philes...

A new collection of especially bold nail colours from spa band Opi. Downtown LA comprises violets, bold red, dusty pink and this shade, Angels Flight to Starry Night, with its iridescent sheen and heavy metallic qualities. Gel-shine finish and chip-free endurance, £15.50 / 15ml.

3. Lash-multiplying...

Estée Lauder’s new Sumptuous Extreme Waterproof moisturiser provides exceptional volume and extreme 10-hour tested wear.

Creates extreme volume, lift and curves that last through all wet conditions, £26.50 / 8ml.

5. The scent of autumn and winter...

Vibrant and soft, the PR-blurb states that Aqua Celestia Cologne forte ‘reveals a luminous and crystal-clear aura, offering a dream, a horizon beckoning you to evasion.’

That translates into a scent with fruity notes of blackcurrant, jasmine and mimosa, before softening into a fruity musky accord. Radiant, fruity and musky with strong fragrance intensity. £165 / 70ml.

6. A restful night’s sleep with aromatherapy...

As the nights draw in we think hibernation is a rather good idea. To help you achieve restful sleep, spa-brand Aromatherapy Associates has created this three-piece set which comprises a Deep Relax Sleep Mist for your pillow, Deep Relax Bath and Shower Oil, then a Deep Relax Body Butter.

Chamomile and sandalwood for a restful night. £40.

4. Wrinkle reducing...

Younger looking skin courtesy of IT Cosmetics’ Daily Retinol Serum in Cream formula which is designed to reduce wrinkles and hydrate the skin. Incorporates into your skincare regime and can be used on sensitive skin too, £20 / 15ml.

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

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MOTORS

ALL FOUR ONE AND

FOUR FOR ALL BMW’s all-new i4 is an essential car for the brand, set to compete with plug-in hybrids and all-electric cars at a price point where both luxury and volume sales are important...

Words: Rob Davis.

BMW’S 3-SERIES is one of the company’s biggest sellers, and has long been a class leader in the compact executive segment.

The current model remains popular and has both combustion and plug-in hybrid variants, but as the transition towards electrification continues and Tesla’s Model 3 continues to be popular, BMW can’t afford to be left behind when it comes to producing compact executive vehicles with electric powertrains.

Its new i4 is the car that will spiritually succeed its 3-Series, and is due to reach UK showrooms this month. There are three versions; the i40 eDrive40 in Sport and M Sport trim, and the flagship i4 M50.

Utilising electricity as its sole means of power, all three variants offer all of the

performance you need, so our advice would be to stick with the entry level Sport model.

The eDrive40 powertrain accelerates the car to 60mph in 5.7 seconds and on to a capped 118mph. Electric range is 367 miles, which should prevent any nervousness about running out of power mid-journey.

Should you need to break up a long journey, a stop at the motorway services for a 10-minute top-up from a DC charger will yield an extra 102 miles of range.

Prices for the i4 kick off at just under £52,000, and there are four doors, a decent boot and a handsome coupé-like profile to ensure the car is practical enough for day to day driving. As you venture further up the range, styling becomes more aggressive, but

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Power to the People: Electric vehicles go mainstream...

Tesla Model 3 Standard Plus £40,490: Whilst Tesla models higher in the range are costly – and far too fast in our opinion – the Standard Plus version of its Model 3 looks rather good value. Power adjustable and heated front seats, sunroof, and full connectivity are all standard. The car also has a range of 278 miles, and will reach 60mph in 5.3 seconds. What it lacks, though, is BMW’s cabin ergonomics and the rather more polished interior – Model 3, when compared the i4, is a little plasticky and dull. n

Mercedes Benz EQC £65,720: You’ll pay a premium for the EQC but you’ll also know why. For a start the car is a five seater with a decent boot but it also has an SUV body style with all-wheel drive transmission.

You’ll find the extra ground clearance and traction handy in our part of the world compared to the lower and sleeker profile of the i4. 60mph is reached in 5.1 seconds, and the EQC’s range is 255 miles. Top speed is 112mph, and standard kit includes Mercedes’s MBUX sat nav and music interface, heated Artico seats, cruise and climate controls. n

we think the Sport, with its 17” rims and therefore slightly softer ride is a better bet.

And speaking of standard equipment, rear wheel drive and automatic transmission with a single ratio with no ‘steps’ are standard, as it sprung suspension, with air suspension an optional extra.

Kia EV6 GT-Line S £51,245: In a relatively short space of time, Kia has transitioned from a budget car brand to a hugely respected manufacturer of some superb cars. Its EV6 is a decent size SUV that’s loaded with equipment. With a 77.4kWh motor, power is 321bhp, top speed is 116mph and 60mph is reached in 5.2 seconds. The GT-Line S has a range of 300 miles and comes with adaptive cruise, remote smart parking, 360° camera, wireless phone charing, heated front and rear seats, sunroof and heated steering wheel. n

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BMW’s Live Cockpit Plus is also standard, with DAB radio, 12.3” and 14.9” digital cockpits and navigation. Equipment standard to all versions includes a reversing camera, Parking Assistant, automatic air conditioning, ambient lighting and LED lights front and back. Ordinarily packaged options irritate me, and at £3,800 the Technology Plus Pack is tantamount to a whole extra trim level, but it provides a

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more value than opting for the MSport trim over the standard Sport version. Should budget allow, the Comfort Plus pack with its keyless entry, heated steering wheel and electric front seats is also worth considering.

very nice Harman Kardon stereo upgrade, Driving Assistant Professional software which includes adaptive cruise control, and Parking Assistant Plus which includes a top-view camera, and automatic parallel and perpendicular parking. It also includes a dashcam and wireless phone charging, and as an overall package, we think that’ll add

BMW as a car manufacturer has always majored on driving pleasure, and the i4 is on-message with that aim, enjoying a 50/50 weight distribution, a wider track than the 3-Series and the instant power that an electric powertrain affords.

The i4 really is BMW at its best. A simple lineup of trims, a good blend of range and performance, plus handsome looks and the practicality of four seats and a decent boot all mean it’ll prove easy to live with, future proof and really desirable too. n

BMW i4 SPORT Price: £51,905 (on sale Nov).

Powertrain: 80kWh electric motor 430Nm torque, 340hp, single speed auto gearbox, RWD. Performance: 0-62 mph: 5.7 seconds. Top Speed: 118mph.

WLTP 367mpg.

Equipment: Sat nav, heated seats, cruise, reversing camera, automatic tailgate. n 123

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‘C’ IS FOR

CLASSIC ‘C’ is for classic, and for continuation and for C-Type.

This month Jaguar releases a limited run of hand-built original cars, recreations of its 1951 racer, the C-Type, the car which won Le Mans in that year...

IF YOU’RE LOOKING for creature comforts, you’ll probably want to look elsewhere.

If, however, you’re looking for motoring heritage and retro style, Jaguar’s new retro continuation model will certainly appeal.

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The original C-Type was famed for its fluid and aerodynamic shape, which was designed by Malcolm Sayer, who was recruited by William Lyons in 1950.

Originally dubbed the XK120C and using

that iconic vehicle – essentially its predecessor – as its base, the C-type would go on to become one of the most important cars in Jaguar’s racing history.

Whilst the C-Type used the XK120’s engine, transmission and suspension, the C-Type was renowned for its slippery shape, its record breaking average speed of 93mph and its use of disc brakes.

Designed, engineered and built in just six months, 12 Jaguar personnel arrived with a trio of C-Types at the 1951 Le Mans 24 Hours, having driven from the UK in the competing cars.

The C-Type continuation will be hand built at Jaguar Classic Works in Coventry, to the specification of the 1953 ‘works’ C-Types.

Each example has a 3.4-litre straight-six engine with triple Weber carburettors,

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producing 220bhp, and disc brakes, with a four-speed manual transmission and 16” wire wheels.

Buyers can specify 12 exterior colours, and eight Bridge of Weir leather seat colours, but our choice of exterior colour is the Suede Green shown here. A Bluemel steering wheel is true to the original with no roundel affixed to the centre – it was omitted from the original race cars to reduce glare and reflections – however customers can specify the iconic Jaguar badging if they desire.

The ignition switch on the C-Type continuation also embodies this approach.

The precisely re-engineered component replicates the original’s start-up procedure, and the original-spec clocks and gauges are an illustration of the hours of craftsmanship that go into creating a C-Type continuation.

JAGUAR C-TYPE CONTINUATION

The car was created using 2,000 original drawings from the Jaguar archives, and contributed to the creation of a car which is as faithful to its forebears as possible, whilst taking advantage of modern engineering and technology. The price may well be a cool £2m, but undoubtedly the car will appreciate in value and prove a true collectors item for years to come. n

Price: £ 2,000,000.

Engine: 3.4 six-cylinder, with four-speed automatic gearbox.

Power: 220bhp.

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MOTORS

Three wheels for thrills MORGAN ANNOUNCES ITS INTENTION TO RELEASE AN ALL-NEW THREE WHEELER MODEL POWERED BY FORD

101 year old Harold’s verdict on 90 years of progress...

Harold Baggott is 101 and recently enjoyed a test drive in a brand new Ford Mustang Mach-E electric car, 91 years after learning to drive in a Ford Model T. Harold had his first taste of getting behind the wheel aged 10, driving the family’s milkman’s delivery float on a farm. He went on to get his license in 1936 (the first year they were introduced), and purchased his first car, a Ford 8 Popular in 1937, for £100, buying 20 more Fords since. n FORD

MORGAN If you’re seeking to place an example of true individuality on your driveway, there are few motor cars as unique as a Morgan, and still fewer than a Morgan that’s short of a wheel. Order books closed for the three-wheeler Morgan in January 2021, but happily the firm has released an image of its replacement; this prototype of its all new tricycle model.

Whilst many details on the new model are yet to be announced, the use of an internal combustion engine can be confirmed. Specifically, a naturally aspirated inline three-cylinder Ford engine, which continues the company’s long-standing use of Ford powerplants. The model is designed to appeal to those who love the idea of a unique weekend tourer. n

One careful owner... Mr Toad!

WIND IN THE WILLOWS CAR MAKES APPEARANCE AT BEAULIEU, AND HAPPILY, IT WAS DRIVEN WITH A BIT MORE CARE!

BEAULIEU Visitors to the Beaulieu motor museum have enjoyed seeing Mr Toad’s car from Kenneth Grahame’s classic story Wind in the Willows this summer.

The four-wheeled star was last driven by Terry Jones in the 1996 film adaption of the story.

Despite looking like an Edwardian tourer, the car has a bespoke Roi-de-Belges style bodywork but is actually a short wheelbase Land Rover in terms of its chassis and running gear.

The car was rediscovered by car fan Gordon Grant in a sorry state in 2020 and was restored at the National Motor Museum ready to ride again! Poop poop, as Mr Toad would say! n

MOTORING

NEWS In Brief

POPULAR COLOURS

ANY COLOUR YOU LIKE... AS LONG AS IT’S BLACK!

Henry Ford famously promised his customers they could order their vehicles in any colour they wanted, as long as that colour was black.

These days we’ve a rather wider choice of colours to choose from, but black and silver remain the UK’s most popular colours in which to order their new car.

Black is the UK’s favourite colour for a used car by a long way, according to new data covering the second quarter of 2021.

Between April and June this year, 461,050 black used cars were purchased in the UK, making it the most popular colour by a margin of nearly 100,000 transactions.

Leicestershire was the most popular part of the UK for pink cars - 23.7 per cent of the UK’s total for 2020 were registered there!

The UK’s most popular car colours for 2021...

Black: 461,050 Silver: 363,529 Blue: 362,140 Grey: 341,950 White: 303,192 Red: 220,472 Green: 38,573 Orange: 16,289 Beige: 11,957 Yellow: 11,415 n

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EFFICIENT PORTFOLIO

Local Financial Planner Publishes Fourth Book Throughout lockdown many of us embarked on various home-based projects, from redecorating our homes through to learning a new skill via the wonders of virtual tuition. But for local Chartered Financial Planner, Charlie Reading, it was an opportunity to focus on writing his fourth book, ‘The Life Legacy Gift...’ and secondly, to also create a better life for the people we care most about.

“IF THERE’S ONE VALUABLE LESSON that has come to light during the turbulent months of late, says Charlie Reading, “It’s that the wellbeing and security of our family is one of the most important things in the world.”

At Efficient Portfolio, Charlie’s Oakhambased Chartered IFA firm, there is an overriding ethos of wanting to ‘help people create a better future through inspirational financial planning’, and ‘The Life Legacy Gift’ sets out to do just that.

“Evidently health has been a key concern for us all, but for many of our clients their focus has turned to the future financial security of their loved ones. Will their family’s inheritance be penalised by hefty taxes?

Could their intended wealth be lost through divorce or care fees? Is their existing strategy enough to guarantee their intentions?

“COVID-19 has meant that many of us now feel uncertain about the future, and many of us are concerned about the financial impact it could have on our family’s future security.”

“Whilst life may still feel rather precarious at the moment, it is in fact the perfect time to reflect upon what you have in place and look to implement a suitable strategy to ensure that your wishes are brought to life.”

The topic of estate planning goes hand-inhand with the very delicate subject of death.

Whilst this ultimate eventually is something all of us must face, few of us feel equipped to talk about it. There are many considerations to make, ranging from the practicalities and administration following someone’s

passing, through to leaving a legacy, both in a financial and in a more emotional sense.

Charlie said that “When considering what to call this book, I wondered whether the title should be ‘Death: A User’s Guide.’”

“It wouldn’t have been the cheeriest title on the bookshelf, but it would have been a fair description of what is all about.”

“However, I realised that this book isn’t actually about death; it’s about making the most of life, both now and for generations to come. Life only has context and meaning because of death.”

Charlie went on to say that from his experience, most of us have two key aims in life: firstly, to give ourselves the best life we can;

In this latest offering, Charlie will show you the practical steps you can take to make the passing of a loved one as painless as possible, as well as providing you with the strategies you can implement now, so you can not only leave a lasting legacy, but live a fulfilled and rewarding life.

The Life Legacy Gift is a way of inspiring you, so that you can consider how to give your life the meaning it deserves, as well as ensuring that you live on beyond your death.

The end of your life is a delicate and of course upsetting prospect, however understanding how to make that time as painless as possible for you and your loved ones is crucial, whilst achieving the happy balance of enjoying your life in the here and now.

This book is about leaving a legacy: a gift to those people you care most about.

The Life Legacy Gift is now available to buy on Amazon, but you can also download a free electronic version from www.efficientportfolio.co.uk. n

Find Out More: Charlie Reading is the owner of Efficient Portfolio, based on Melton Road, Oakham.

The firm provides a suite of services including completely independent retirement planning, investments, financial protection and planning. Call 01572 342036 or see www.efficientportfolio.co.uk for more information on the company’s range of services.

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

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