Pell-Mell & Woodcote October 2020

Pell-Mell & Woodcote The magazine of the Royal Automobile Club | October 2020 | Issue 172

DRIVING CHANGE Club member Joerg Hofmann on steering the London Electric Vehicle Company towards a green future

A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS What six of our members enjoy most

GOING THE EXTRA MILE

How we have made the Club safer than ever

MOTORING BOOK OF THE YEAR

The books chosen for the 2020 shortlist

SEASONAL EVENTS AND DINING From talks to festive food; fill your diary

Forward Looking Our family owned bank has a long tradition of delivering exceptional levels of personal service.

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Contact one of our trusted Private Bankers on +44 (0)20 7292 9029 www.weatherbys.bank

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WELCOME

FROM THE SECRETARY

Throughout our history, the Club has adapted to changing circumstances and ridden through crises and, once again, we are rising to meet new challenges.

In considering these challenges, the Board was briefed recently by Kate Nicholls, the Chief Executive of UK Hospitality, on the key issues facing the Government and the hospitality sector in dealing with the pandemic.

She highlighted that the most successful organisations were those which had ‘pivoted swiftly’ to adapt facilities and services to embrace the ‘hybrid requirements of more seamless work and leisure activity’.

We have done this: we have been creative in adapting quickly to the COVID-19 restrictions and your requirements. As I write this, almost all of the facilities at both clubhouses have been open for several months, providing the excellent dining and sporting facilities, the high standards of service and the warm welcome that you expect. As you will see from the pages of this edition of Pell-Mell & Woodcote, your Club has an enormous amount to offer and I firmly believe that there is nowhere else which can provide such a safe environment in which to enjoy our breadth of services.

I would like to thank you for the tremendous support we have received from you, our members, throughout recent months. There is much to look forward to in 2021 and I am sure that your Club will continue to offer you a familiar and relaxing sanctuary where you can enjoy the company of your colleagues, friends and family.

I very much hope to see you at Pall Mall or Woodcote Park soon and that you have an enjoyable, if somewhat different, Christmas.

Miles Wade CBE Club Secretary

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*All cover is subject to insurer’s terms and conditions, which are available upon request. Footman James is a trading name of Towergate Underwriting Group Limited. Registered in England No. 4043759. Registered Address: 2 Minster Court, Mincing Lane, London, EC3R 7PD. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Telephone calls may be monitored or recorded. Sign up to our newsletter at footmanjames.co.uk to receive updates on all the latest news, events, offers and competitions. FP ADGE.1523.8.19

WELCOME

WELCOME Annabel Harrison | Pell-Mell & Woodcote Magazine Editor

“We are living in a time of great disruption in our industry; the most disruptive time since the invention of the car, I believe. Electrification, autonomous technology, car sharing – it’s all happening, but our strategy and our new factory give us the means to meet it head on.”

These are the words of Club member Joerg Hofmann, interviewed in this issue about steering the London Electric Vehicle Company towards a green future (p. 70) – upon which he is fascinating, and passionate – but in truth, as you all know well, disruption is to be found everywhere. COO Daniel Pereira details the Club’s response to COVID with innovative new services and the Heads of Housekeeping Maria Constantin and Jennifer Kennedy provide both information and reassurance about the work that goes into keeping the Club spotless (p. 64).

In this issue we look forward to the Veteran Car Run and the Motoring Book of the Year Awards, and to the opening of the family facilities in the Walled Garden in March 2021; I visited with Board Member Pippa Cronk to find out what members can expect from this remarkable new space (p. 38). In the meantime, the clubhouses are open as near to normally as they can be and some of our Board and Committee Members share their favourite Club activities with us (p. 32).

Christmas is fast approaching and six of our chefs showcase the recipe that, in their home country, they most enjoy cooking and eating at this time of year (p. 46). Find out more about the festive season at the Club and in particular dining, drinking and gifts (pp. 24-31); Christmas may be rather different this year but the Club is dedicated to creating as enjoyable a festive experience as possible.

Annabel Harrison Editor

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CONTRIBUTORS

CONTRIBUTORS The Club members, journalists, enthusiasts and experts who have contributed to this issue.

CLUB DIRECTORY For more contact information visit www.royalautomobileclub.co.uk THE ROYAL AUTOMOBILE CLUB Club Secretary, Miles Wade CBE 020 7747 3253 secretary@royalautomobileclub.co.uk Chief Operating Officer, Daniel Pereira

ANNABEL HARRISON Managing Editor of Pell-Mell & Woodcote magazine since January 2018, Annabel is a freelance writer and editor with 12 years of multi-channel experience. In this time, she has worked with a wide range of brands and publications across the luxury lifestyle, retail and publishing sectors.

JESSE CROSSE Founding Editor of Performance Car magazine in the 1980s, Jesse has freelanced for the past 30 years, writing for Autocar, Top Gear, Classic Cars, The Telegraph, The Times, Octane and many others. He is the Motoring Editor of Pell-Mell & Woodcote magazine.

SAM BARKER Sam’s cinematic photography has led to multiple awards and commissions ranging from tribal chefs in Columbian rainforests to Lewis Hamilton in the pits of Monza.

He shoots travel stories worldwide and has 14 portraits in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery.

GILES CHAPMAN Giles is an award-winning journalist and author, with 55 car and motoring-related books to his name. He created the Royal Automobile Club’s Motoring Book Of The Year Awards, and is an expert in collectable cars and artefacts.

JOHN EVANS John trained to be a concert pianist before becoming a car salesman. He went on to edit car, caravan and classical music magazines before becoming a freelance journalist specialising in motoring and music. He enjoys playing the piano, driving his Mazda MX-5 and riding his Suzuki motorcycle.

JENNY LINFORD Jenny is an established food writer, member of the Guild of Food Writers, and author of more than 15 books including Garlic, The Chef’s Library and Great British Cheeses. Her work has appeared in The Financial Times and in Time Out’s Eating Out guides.

TIMOTHY BARBER Timothy is a freelance writer and editor, contributing to the likes of The Daily Telegraph, Wired, Spears and The Economist’s 1843 magazine. He also edits Boisdale Life, the magazine of the Boisdale restaurant group.

CHRIS ANDERSON Chris has written on automotive, luxury and business topics for most of his freelance career. His work has appeared in Esquire, Condé Nast Traveller and The Telegraph.

JAMIE LAU Jamie is a specialist food photographer whose work appears regularly in Waitrose Magazine, Time Out, Eurostar Magazine and publications for John Lewis, ASOS, Bloom & Wild, Marks & Spencer and many more.

SIMON TAYLOR The official biographer of Sir Stirling Moss, Simon has covered motorsport for more than 50 years. He was the editor of Autosport and then BBC Radio’s F1 commentator for 20 years, and has made numerous TV appearances.

020 7747 3237 MEMBERSHIP 01372 229600 ACCOUNTS 01372 229608/9 PALL MALL 89 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5HS 020 7930 2345 recpm@royalautomobileclub.co.uk Banqueting 020 7747 3386 Barber 020 7747 3365 Bedroom Reservations 020 7930 2345 Brooklands Room 020 7747 3380 Events 020 7747 3441 Great Gallery 020 7747 3375 Hall Porter 020 7747 3267 Hanging Room 020 7747 3482 Library 020 7747 3398 Post Office 020 7747 3266 Simms Centre 020 7747 3349 Sports Reception 020 7747 3365 WOODCOTE PARK Epsom, Surrey KT18 7EW 01372 276311 wpreservations@royalautomobileclub.co.uk Banqueting 020 7747 3386 Bedroom Reservations 01372 229254 Cedars Sports 01372 229266 Events 01372 229230 Fountain Brasserie 01372 229225 Golf Reception 01372 229245 19th Hole 01372 276311 Motoring 01372 229627 Shop 01372 229248 Stirling’s 01372 229204 PELL-MELL & WOODCOTE MAGAZINE Editorial Office 020 7536 8405 pellmell@royalautomobileclub.co.uk Advertising 020 7531 7147 advertising@royalautomobileclub.co.uk Published on behalf of the Royal Automobile Club

by Luxury London Media Ltd.

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ON THE COVER: Club member and CEO of the London Electric Vehicle Company Joerg Hofmann, photographed outside the Pall Mall clubhouse by Martin Burton.

CONTENTS

CONTENTS OCTOBER 2020 | ISSUE 172

70 Driving Change Meet the man steering the London Electric Vehicle Company to a greener future 76 Motoring Book of the

Year Awards 2020 Discover the books shortlisted for this year’s award ahead of the prize-giving in October

03 From the Secretary Miles Wade CBE welcomes Pell-Mell & Woodcote readers 08 Your Letters Members’ views and comments 10 In the Rotunda

A Lamborghini 400 GT 2+2

with a star-studded history 12

Picture Perfect The Chairman shares a favourite photograph from the motoring world

13 Club News 18 Activity Group News 22 Club Promotions 32 A Few of Our

Favourite Things Six Club committee members share what they love most about the clubhouses 38 A Club For All Ages What to expect from the new dedicated family facilities opening in Woodcote Park 44 Taking Time For Tea

Introducing the Club’s new

afternoon tea menu

46 Christmas Food Around

the World Six of the Club’s chefs share their favourite festive food from their home nations 54 On Our Game Executive Chef Matthew Marshall reveals his tips for cooking game this Christmas 58 Fine Food: Our Forte Sardinian resort Forte Village brings a taste of the Mediterranean to the Club 60 Special Operations

Club COO Daniel Pereira

details the Club’s new services 64

Going the Extra Mile The new housekeeping safety measures in place at both clubhouses

66 We Will Remember Them Discover the story of the Unknown Warrior, 100 years since he was laid to rest at Westminster Abbey

82 A Lot to be Desired RM Sotheby’s Executive Vice President Maarten ten Holder on the most memorable auctions of his career 86 Against All Odds The challenges behind this year’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run 90 Woodcote Junior Classes 93 Club Events 94 Club Events: November 96 Club Events: December 98 Club Events: 2021 100 Activity Group Events 102 Classifieds

Property and services for

sale and for rent 104 Club Curiosity A treasure from the Club archive 106 RAC Foundation How do we keep traffic moving, even in cold weather?

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CLUB LETTERS

YOUR LETTERS Letters can cover any aspect of Club life which you think would be of interest to other members. As a thank you, a bottle of champagne will be awarded to the writer of each letter published. Please send your letters to pellmell@royalautomobileclub.co.uk.

The deadline for the next edition is 2 December.

2021 Subscription Discount I write to congratulate the Board, Committees and staff for coping with the exceptional circumstances this year so effectively. It must have been very hard work and worrying for all concerned.

I am heading towards retirement and look forward to having more time to use and enjoy the facilities at both clubhouses in the future.

My daughter (age 23) joined last year and tells me that she is treated like a princess when she visits with her friends as guests.

There is no doubt that the Royal Automobile Club is among the top clubs in the world and I feel privileged to be a member.

I will certainly be renewing my membership and I liked your suggestion that if any member wishes to hand back part or all of the 10% discount, consideration might be given to contributing to the staff fund.

Be assured, the huge amount of work going on behind the scenes is much appreciated.

Chris Pexton Thank you for your letter, which is one of many messages of support we have received. This has, of course, been a very challenging period for everyone and the support the Club has received from our members has been a testament to the character, fortitude and loyalty of our membership.

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Arrangements for this year’s Staff Fund appeal will be announced very shortly and I hope members will also consider your suggestion.

Miles Wade CBE, Club Secretary

Algerian Wine Your article about Pall Mall’s war was fascinating and poignant but I feel duty bound to leap to the defence of a certain North African country’s viticulture! The author suggests that in 1942, one of the war’s great hardships was being reduced to drinking Algerian at the Club. As an honorary Algerian (my wife hails from Algiers) I can vouch for the country’s wine and would be very happy to see it make an appearance on the Club’s wine list, so the next time I visit, I will make sure to bring a bottle for our sommelier as I’m sure he would agree...

Paul Austin I recognise that Algeria has a long history of wine production and I am sure that the quality of the wine available in London in 1942 is no reflection of what is available today! I would be delighted to sample a glass with you on one of your future visits to the Club.

Daniel Pereira Chief Operating Officer

Pall Mall Dress Code Congratulations to the Pall Mall Committee for the sensible extension of the relaxed dress code through the autumn. We have had several years’ experience of the more casual code and it works well. Members who don’t need to wear a jacket don’t have to bring one to the Club and those that do want to retain the element of formality are of course free to do so. The world has changed now completely because of COVID and the changed working patterns in our work places, so it is exactly the right time to make these changes permanent throughout the year.

Peter Hartley In the current circumstances, where fewer people are working in London and some of those are dressing more casually than usual, the Pall Mall Committee decided to extend the summer dress code into the autumn.

In all areas of the clubhouse, men may wear a collared shirt or polo shirt, tucked in, with tailored trousers, corduroys, chinos or moleskins. Neither a jacket nor a tie is required. Women are asked to dress with equivalent formality.

Of course, members are very welcome to dress more formally if they wish.

The position is being kept under review by the House Committee and any changes will be published on the Club website and in The Wire.

Daniel Pereira, Chief Operating Officer

CLUB LETTERS

Woodcote Park from the Air

Pall Mall Welcome

I am a private pilot and recently flew over Woodcote Park at 1,500ft, providing the opportunity to see the estate from a new perspective.

I was reminded how lucky we are to have this available and struck by the size of the Walled Garden (bottom right in the picture), which is being developed for families to use.

My wife and I recently spent two nights in Pall Mall and I’m writing, partly to say how much we enjoyed our stay, but mainly to thank all the staff who looked after us and made us feel both welcome and safe. We hadn’t visited the Club for many months – a combination of distance from London and having to shield from COVID19 – but it was lovely to be warmly greeted by so many familiar staff faces who effortlessly remembered us.

The Club, like central London as a whole, felt rather surreal at times; very familiar but very different at the same time.

Whilst we can’t know how long these conditions will prevail, my wife and I were delighted to have visited Pall Mall and were impressed with the efforts

David Thomas That is a wonderful view of Woodcote Park – thank you for sending it to us.

We have been delighted to welcome so many members to Woodcote Park over recent months, including some who have visited for the first time, and greatly look forward to the opening of the new family facilities in the Walled Garden in March.

Miles Wade CBE, Club Secretary

to introduce effective infection control measures and yet retain the ambience and standards that make The Royal Automobile Club such an impressive club to be a member of.

We are already looking forward to our next visit.

Barrie Fischer Thank you for your letter and I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed your stay. As you will be able to read elsewhere in this edition of Pell-Mell & Woodcote magazine, a great deal of effort has gone into ensuring that the clubhouses are as safe as possible and that we continue to deliver a positive and meaningful experience for our members and their guests.

Daniel Pereira Chief Operating Officer PELL- MELL & WOODCOTE

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CLUB MOTORING

IN THE ROTUNDA In September the Rotunda played host to a Lamborghini 400 GT 2+2, with an interesting history, including an appearance in a Beatles’ music video.

Words by Jesse Crosse Photography by Martyn Goddard

DESIGNED BY Ferruccio Lamborghini and Carlo Andeloni, the first Lamborghini was launched at the Geneva Motor Show in 1964.

This 400GT 2+2 was manufactured in 1967 in Alfa Red with a black interior. Bearing the chassis number 1150, it was one of five cars converted to RHD by Lamborghini for the UK importer of the day and registered in the UK in January 1968.

The 400GT is powered by a 3929cc, all-alloy V12 engine driving through a five-speed manual gearbox which has a long, but satisfyingly accurate shift quality.

With 320bhp and 262lb ft torque, 10 PELL - MELL & WOODCOTE

CLUB MOTORING

the Lamborghini can reach a top speed of 155mph and accelerates to 60mph in 7.5 seconds.

The first owner was the Star Group of Companies, said to have been owned by EMI, The Beatles’ record label. The Lamborghini is thought to be the same car that appears in The Beatles Anthology video outside a building in London on which The Beatles were giving a rooftop performance.

In conversation with Sir Paul McCartney for a feature in the November 2020 issue of Octane magazine, Mark Dixon discovered that it is possible the ex-Beatle

The car’s first owner was a company owned

by The Beatles’ record label; it is thought to have been used by Paul McCartney. actually owned the car, although absolute confirmation is lost in the mists of time.

The car has been restored twice,

by XK engineering via Tom Hartley Jnr, at which point the colour change was made to silver grey.

Although restorations usually retain the original colour, on this occasion it was considered red didn’t flatter the car’s lines so the change was

made. The restoration was updated in 2014 by Ferrari specialist, Bob Houghton, under the guidance of legendary test driver, Valentino Balboni and in 2019 the car was certified by Lamborghini’s heritage centre, Lamborghini Polo Storico.

The Lamborghini was on display courtesy of Peter Read, 1-14 September 2020.

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CLUB MOTORING

PICTURE PERFECT In September the Chairman was struck by this heart-warming photograph of what has arguably become the most famous Land Rover ever made.

O C C A S I O N : Concours of Elegance D A T E T A K E N : September 2020 L O C A T I O N : Hampton Court Palace S U B J E C T : JUE 477, the first production Land Rover P H O T O G R A P H E R : The JUE team 12 PELL - MELL & WOODCOTE

THIS YEAR’S CONCOURS OF ELEGANCE at Hampton Court Palace was, as usual, a splendid concoction of polished paintwork and gleaming chrome, but amongst the glamour was something completely different. A weathered Land Rover stood incongruously next to a line of shining Le Mans veterans, looking for all the world as if it had been driven straight from a farmer’s field.

JUE 477 did, of course, have every right to take pride of place as the first ever production Land Rover, found rotting in a dilapidated Northumberland barn and brought

back to life. Rather than return it to a pristine factory finish, a sympathetic restoration has retained an authentic patina that comes only with the ravages of time. JUE 477 is no stranger to the Club, having been on display in the Rotunda prior to its restoration, so it was a real pleasure to see it returned to its former glory.

If there is an image, picture or painting in which you think the Chairman and readers of Pell-Mell & Woodcote would be particularly interested, please email pellmell@royalautomobileclub.co.uk with your suggestions.

CLUB NEWS

Club News 2021 Subscription Fee Discount All members who renew their membership for 2021 will receive a 10% discount on their 2021 annual fee.

The Chairman, Ben Cussons, said in an email to members: “Throughout the crisis, I have been heartened by the messages of support I have received from many members, including some generously offering an additional financial contribution. As a Club and a mutual organisation, we are in a stronger position than commercial organisations, in that you have shown true understanding of what is required to support our Club through thick and thin.

“I have always held the view that this is one of the most compelling features of the Club; that we are a members’ club, owned by and managed by members for members, rather than for the benefit

of external shareholders. In good times, members reap the rewards of membership with the Club’s outstanding range of facilities and quality of services, improving year-on-year with surpluses being reinvested in the Club. In lean times, members have always taken shared responsibility to help the Club recover.

“As I was pleased to announce at the AGM, the Board has decided that, as a result of swift and decisive actions and prudent cost control, we are now in a position to provide all members with a 10% discount off next year’s subscription fees in order to encourage you to renew your membership. To put this into perspective, this measure could reduce our membership revenue by up to £3m in 2021, but our judgement is that, having taken account of the future financial risks, this is affordable and the right thing to do – to thank you for your fortitude and loyalty in these challenging times.”

Membership Renewal This winter, you will once again be able to renew your membership online.

By the end of November all members for whom we have an email address will receive their invitation to renew in an email and the pro forma invoice will be attached.

Further reminders to look out for your renewal email will be provided nearer the time, but for now please go to the ‘My Account’ area of the Club website and check that we have an up-to-date email address for you and that your Direct Debit details are correct.

Members who have asked for paper monthly statements or who have not registered an email address with the Club will receive their renewal notice by post.

The Club Sale

Tuesday 5 January Save the date now for the next Club Sale, offering members the chance to book overnight stays at discounted rates. Further details to follow.

VAT Reduction Members can continue to enjoy lower prices in the Club’s restaurants thanks to the reduction of certain VAT rates from 20 per cent to 5 per cent. This saving is being reflected in full in the Club’s prices. The Government has announced that the temporary reduction will last until at least 31 March 2021.

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CLUB NEWS

AGM For the first time, the Club’s Annual General Meeting was conducted online, with the Board on camera in Pall Mall and more than 250 members logging in. Members were also able to vote by proxy online or by post.

Held on Thursday 17 September, the AGM approved the 2019 Annual Report and Accounts and the reappointment of Gordon Ballard, Elizabeth Bishop and Ben Cussons to the Board.

The Chairmen of the Pall Mall, Woodcote Park, and Motoring Committees each reported on their areas of responsibility and their speeches can be seen in full on the Club website.

The Chairman, Ben Cussons, reported that in 2019 the Club had achieved a good financial performance despite the political instability and economic uncertainty as the country wrestled with Brexit, with

Club Social Media The Club’s social media channels are attracting a growing following, showcasing highlights of life at the Club for current and potential members and staff.

Look out for regular posts about events and activities taking place around the clubhouses, interesting facts about our heritage and behind-thescenes views of the team hard at work. Whether we’re posting about the latest guest chef in a Club restaurant or showcasing a new treatment or cocktail creation, following our social media is a great way to keep up-todate with what’s happening at the Club.

You can find us using the links on the homepage of the Club website or on Twitter @RoyalAutomobile and on Facebook and Instagram @royalautomobileclub.

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revenues of £49.4m (an 1.6% increase on 2018) and an EBITDA of £8.3m. The membership renewal rate at the start of 2020 was 95.7% and the waiting list was strong.

Moving on to the events of 2020, the Chairman stated that the Club’s current financial position is stable due to early and decisive actions taken to manage the crisis and, in part, to government assistance. The clubhouses were shut down by the government on 20 March and measures were immediately put in place to protect our staff, preserve our facilities, and conserve cash by freezing recruitment and cancelling all uncommitted non-essential capital projects. During lockdown, online activities, classes and coaching were provided and then the Club’s physical facilities were reopened as soon as possible.

The Chairman concluded by saying: “Whilst the current financial situation is not without its perils, we believe that we are well placed to ride out the storm.

We remain cautious, particularly as there is no obvious end date for the situation that we find ourselves in.

For the time being, we continue to focus on containing costs, conserving funds and providing a wide range of excellent facilities in a safe environment. I encourage you to come and visit your Club, where you can enjoy high quality service and a warm welcome from our friendly staff.”

The questions from members covered a broad range of topics, including membership fees, capital projects, Pall Mall sports facilities and the plans for motoring events.

CLUB NEWS

Benjafield’s Racing Club hold first Double Twelve since 1931 The 1920s and 1930s were a halcyon period for endurance racing.

In 1923 the ACO (Automobile Club de l’Ouest) inaugurated the Le Mans 24 hour race, now the most famous motor race of all time.

The British embraced the idea and the JCC (Junior Car Club) paid homage to it by creating The Double Twelve Hour Race. It was so-called because night time noise restrictions forbade 24 hour racing at Brooklands, so the event was divided into two daylight sessions with the cars being locked up overnight.

Last held in 1931, the Double Twelve was won by Freddie March and C S Staniland in an MG Midget and the trophy they were awarded resides in the Pall Mall clubhouse.

On the weekend of 18-20 September, Benjafield’s Racing Club created history when 25 vintage Bentleys took to the historic Goodwood circuit to recreate the drama and excitement of the Double Twelve for the first time in 89 years. Racing for eight hours a day with the cars locked in parc ferme overnight, the enthusiastic racers, including Club members Martin Overington, Gregor Fisken, Jim Clark, Nigel Batchelor, Bert Dagenaar, Bill Cleyndert, William Medcalf and Christian Hore, battled for the glory of receiving the famous trophy from the grandson of the last winner and Club Vice-President His Grace, The Duke of Richmond.

The winner on handicap was a Bentley 4.5 litre driven by Simon Arscott and Graham Dodridge, whilst the award for the greatest distance driven went to William Medcalf and Nick Swift.

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CLUB NEWS

Concours of Elegance On Saturday 5 September, the Royal Automobile Club presented the Club Trophy to the exquisite 1962 Messerschmitt KR200 at the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace.

Owner Dave Watson from Bedfordshire was awarded the Trophy by Club President HRH Prince Michael of Kent, despite stiff competition.

The humble Messerschmitt KR200 might not have been an obvious choice for many. The three-wheeled bubble car was designed by the aircraft engineer Fritz Fend and produced in the factory of the German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt from 1955 to 1964. This particular example was first registered in 1962 in Brighton. Its current owner purchased the vehicle as a non-running wreck in 2005 and underwent an eleven-year fastidious bare metal restoration.

Peter Read, Chairman of the Club’s Motoring Committee and Chairman of the judging panel explained: “The Messerschmitt is one of the finest examples the judges have ever seen. We were particularly impressed with the meticulous attention to detail in

the restoration. The owner has managed to restore and retain as many of the original components as possible. Where parts were unobtainable, he researched and accurately handmade them himself to complete perfection. It really is a world class restoration.”

In Memoriam

Mr Ian Taylor

Mr Anthony Watkinson

Mrs Ann Rooks

Mr John David Howell-Jones

Mr David Harris

Mr Antony Cowling

Mr Christopher Neville

Mr David Bowler

Mr William Muddyman

Sir John Perring

Mrs Barbara Williams

Mr Peter Gallant

Mr Peter Warner

Sir Harold Evans

09/05/27–03/03/20 02/01/36–14/03/20 27/12/37–06/05/20

01/06/44-25/05/20 16 PELL - MELL & WOODCOTE

07/02/56–08/06/20 01/06/36–10/06/20

20/02/40–15/06/20 07/07/31–21/06/20 15/11/63–22/06/20

Messerschmitt KR200 owner Dave Watson with Peter Read, Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club’s Motoring Committee, photography by Philmitt Photography

14/11/39–29/06/20 20/09/42–07/07/20 15/01/45–20/07/20

29/05/48–20/07/20

28/06/28-23/09/20

CLUB NEWS

Christmas & New Year Opening Times The clubhouses will be open as usual except as follows.

PALL MALL

WOODCOTE PARK

Closed from 4.00pm on Wednesday 23 December until:

Please note that some facilities will be open in addition to the following but only for residents.

Sports Facilities and the Club Room

Fountain Brasserie and 19th Hole

Open on Monday 28 to Wednesday 30 December, 10.00am until 6.00pm

Christmas Day – Only open for lunch (reservations only)

Open on New Year’s Eve, 10.00am until 4.00pm Open on Saturday 2 January, 10.00am until 8:00pm Open as usual from Sunday 3 January

Restaurants and Bars The Brooklands Room: open at 12noon from Saturday 2 January The Long Bar, Great Gallery and Cocktail Bar: open as usual from Monday 4 January

New Year’s Eve – Open as usual until 4.00pm, then only for members who have booked the New Year’s Eve Dinner

Stirling’s Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and Sunday 27 December – Open for lunch Monday 28 December to Tuesday 5 January - Closed

Lounge Christmas Eve – Closed 5.30-7.30pm Christmas Day – Open as usual except drinks only from 6.00pm New Year’s Eve – Open as usual until 4.00pm, then only for members who have booked the New Year’s Eve Dinner

Cedars Sports Christmas Eve – Open 8.00am until 4.00pm Christmas Day - Closed all day Boxing Day – Open 9.00am until 5.00pm Sunday 27 and Monday 28 December – Open 8.00am-8.00pm New Year’s Eve – Open 8.00am until 4.00pm New Year’s Day – Open 9.00am until 5.00pm

Golf Courses – Closed all day on Christmas Day Reception – Closed all day on Christmas Day and from 1.00pm on Christmas Eve, 26 to 28 December, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day

Club Shop Closed all day on Christmas Day New Year’s Day – Open 8:00am until 2:00pm

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CLUB NEWS

Activity Group News

Activity Round-Up With the pandemic continuing to affect all walks of life, the Activity Groups are using their imagination to adapt and find new ways of operating.

Bridge, Chess and Backgammon are all now being played successfully online, with great uptake from the members. In the literary world, the Book Clubs have also taken to meeting online via Zoom, again with great success.

The Photography Group is holding weekly Zoom events, with expert speakers from all over the world on subjects ranging from ‘Astro photography’ to ‘Wildlife on your doorstep’.

For a nominal sum of £3.00, these Wednesday meetings are enormously popular and well worth an evening of your time. Similarly, after a busy programme of tours of the gardens at Woodcote Park, the Gardening Committee is now starting online talks by gardening professionals.

Outdoor groups including Running and Cycling are continuing to meet up in appropriate

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socially-distanced groups and enjoying the Surrey countryside and fresh air as well as that allimportant human interaction.

The Young Members Committee have decided to trial a new format for their monthly drinks, with several committee members each hosting a table for up to six people in the Long Bar, to make introductions and keep the conversation flowing.

The Tennis and Squash courts and the Billiards tables are available to book, although there are some special arrangements in place. If you are looking for a new playing partner why not try our Member Connect service on the website, which will help you to find and contact members with similar interests?

Looking forward to next year, Skiing have already booked and filled two trips to the slopes, to those firm favourites Val d’Isère and Les Arcs, and are planning a third to Champoluc in the heart of the Italian Alps.

For the latest information about the Activity Groups, and on how you can join in, please visit the Activities section of the Club website.

CLUB NEWS

Congratulations to Lloyd Peters and his guest Fraser McGuinness for winning the day with the hugely impressive score of 50!

FIRST PLACE: Lloyd Peters and Fraser McGuinness (50 Points)

SECOND PLACE: William Brewin and Max Wainwright (47 Points)

THIRD PLACE: Chris Ryan and Blake Webster (44 Points on count back) LONGEST DRIVE: Sam Sutton NEAREST TO THE PIN: Chris Dowty For the full results please visit the Young Members section of the Club’s website.

Young Members’ Golf On the hottest day of the summer, 68 Young Members and their guests took to the Old Course to play in the highly-coveted Young Members’ Millennial Trophy Golf Tournament.

Despite the heat and the obvious lack of practice during the lockdown, the standard of golf was excellent. With a betterball stableford score in the high 30s only securing middle of the pack, to win you needed Fortuna, the Roman goddess of luck, on your side.

Bridge Almost without pausing for a careful, masked breath — and overcoming the panic of not having a green baize to sit at, a partner to glare at, evocatively coloured packs of cards to fondle and fights to win – the bridge playing fraternity and sorority have reinvented themselves.

The transition to the internet went (almost) smoothly. Now, Group members can sit at home, alone or ignoring anyone in their family, just as if they were at a bridge table at the Club.

Running simultaneously, for those who were not quite golf course ready, were the Young Members’ Golf Workshops. Under the guidance of our outstanding Club pros, three groups spent the afternoon learning basic golfing techniques, hopefully setting them on the way for next year’s tournament.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped organise and host our first post-lockdown Young Members’ event – in particular, thanks to Jacqui Ballard and Andy Wolstenholme, our two Club captains, for presenting the prizes.

We hope to run a full summer of golf in 2021 with the Millennial Trophy taking place on Sunday 8 August 2021.

If you make a mistake, your partner will barely have time to send you a message berating you before the hand appears magically on the screen — each one of us seeing only our own cards — with a written demand for each player to make their bid.

No time to explain how much better you would have played the previous hand, because you are feeling the pressure of considering the next one. It’s not like at the table where you refrain from looking at your hand until you have got your complaint, rather than your

bidding, off your chest. The cards are staring at you, calling out to be utilised and played with. Even at the end of the competition, recriminations must wait as the results, the table, every hand, are all instantly available within a decimal point of a second.

We are reluctant to mention any drawbacks for fear our screens might choose to freeze in retribution, but we will say — quietly — that neither the app nor the machine makes a cup of tea or coffee, nor a sandwich nor even a biscuit. Roll on the return to Pall Mall and Woodcote Park.

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CLUB NEWS

Garden Walks at Woodcote Park For several years the Gardening Group has arranged walks around the grounds at Woodcote Park so that members can appreciate the new planting and understand the plans for the future. Once lockdown had been relaxed we were able to reintroduce these walks with smaller groups and, unfortunately, no gathering for a glass of wine afterwards!

Sixty-eight members were taken around the grounds and gardens over the summer. We had sunny days and some very wet ones but all the members were delighted to be able to attend an event outdoors after the weeks of lockdown.

We walked through the newly-cleared woodland and saw the lovely wood sculptures and seats. We admired the wildflower banks, fields and borders and the impressive new Members’ Arboretum with 23 new trees

Photography The pandemic led to the cancellation of our planned 2020 programme, but the Photography Group moved quickly to create an extensive new series of weekly events on Zoom. This has provided the opportunity to reach out to speakers in far flung places as well as those in the UK. Recent events have included presentations by many leading photographers, including a wildlife photographer based in South Africa. Coming events include photos of Vermont taken by our speaker

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funded by member contributions.

The herbaceous borders around the Fountain looked fabulous and the sundial garden, heather bank and Japanese Garden were looking stunning with a mass of exuberant planting.

Thanks to the enthusiasm of all those who attended we are committed to having more walks, so that even more members can appreciate the amazing transformation to the grounds and gardens at Woodcote Park.

who is based there, as well as everything from flowers to astrophotography.

The use of Zoom opens up these events to all members, wherever they live, and to those who are wary of venturing out during these difficult times. If you are interested, please go to ‘My Account’ and tick ‘Photography’ on the ‘Activities and Interests’ page and you will receive notification of all future events.

The Photography Group’s section of the Club website also has information on forthcoming events. Everyone is welcome, irrespective of your photographic skills, and we look forward to seeing you.

CLUB NEWS

Cricket The Club’s cricket team saw the start of its 2020 season and invitation to participate in the Philadelphia Cricket Festival in May scuppered by COVID-19. It wasn’t until 22 July, and then only by following strict ECB social distancing guidelines, that the ‘Aristocrats’ were able to take to the field at Battersea Park for the season’s first action.

In a close-run contest, we were defeated by 13 runs by the Carlton Club. Three further mid-week

losses (against Marlborough Blues, The Ivy and HAC) were suffered before the Club gained its first win of the campaign, beating the Oriental Club at Merchant Taylor’s School by 110 runs.

The Aristocrats then won two more on the trot against Tadworth CC (by 15 runs) and the Savile Club (by 138 runs); victories that positioned the Club with a real chance of securing a winning season.

The latest results and match reports can be viewed in the cricket section of the Club website.

Running The Woodcote Park Running Group resumed its activities in June, as soon as government rules allowed up to six people to congregate outside.

Since then, it has been keeping to its regular schedule of running on the first Sunday and third Saturday of each month. The COVID-19 situation has not dampened the enthusiasm of the Group, which has added new routes as well as more runners. In fact, in these stay-at-home times, there is no better way to stay in shape and increase one’s resistance to viruses than to engage in aerobic activities.

Please visit the Running Group section of the Club website for more information.

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CLUB PROMOTIONS

Club Promotions To book, please contact the Central Reservations team on 020 7930 2345 Forte Village Wednesday 11 November to Saturday 14 November Transport yourself to the warmth and rugged landscape of Sardinia with this special menu prepared

by Forte Village’s Executive Chef, Paolo Simioni. An à la carte menu will be available Thursday to Saturday during lunch and dinner.

Alternatively, join the Stirling’s Dining Club on Wednesday 11 November for the complete Forte Village experience.

Woodcote Park, Stirling’s

FOOD & BEVERAGE PROMOTIONS Take advantage of the temporary reduction in VAT, from 20 per cent to 5 per cent, which is being passed on to members with lower prices in our restaurants. This will remain in place until at least 31 March 2021.

an event in itself. Sit down with all the family and tuck into succulent roast beef and all the trimmings from our delicious three-course menu.

Woodcote Park, Cedar Room 12.30–2.00pm, children of all ages are permitted.

Three-course lunch menu with tea and coffee, £26.50.

Children’s menu, £17.50.

Brooklands Prix Fixe Menu

The Idle Rocks

Until Wednesday 25 November The Brooklands chefs have drawn together a selection of member favourites to create a delicious new Prix Fixe Menu for you to enjoy this autumn.

Pall Mall, Brooklands Room Two Courses, £20.00.

Three Courses, £24.00.

Available Monday to Friday for lunch and dinner.

Thursday 5 to Saturday 7 November Dorian Janmaat, award-winning Head Chef at The Idle Rocks in St Mawes, is taking over the kitchens at Pall Mall for three days this November with dishes featuring the finest Cornish ingredients.

Pall Mall, The Great Gallery Four course lunch tasting menu, £55.00 (Thursday and Friday) or £95.00 with wine pairings; five course dinner tasting menu, £70.00 (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday); five course dinner tasting menu with wine pairings, £110.00 (Thursday, Friday and Saturday).

VAT Reduction

Sunday Lunch in The Cedar Room The Club’s popular Sunday lunch at Woodcote Park is 22 PELL - MELL & WOODCOTE

Brooklands Brunch With Perrier-Jouët Weekends throughout October and November Start your weekend with a leisurely brunch and enjoy a range of enticing dishes alongside either a half-bottle or full bottle of Perrier -Jouët champagne.

Pall Mall, Brooklands Room Three-course brunch with a half-bottle per person, £46.25.

Three–course brunch with a full bottle per person, £65.00.

CLUB PROMOTIONS

OTHER PROMOTIONS Weekend Break In The City Treat yourself to a night or two in the heart of St James’s with a stay at the Pall Mall clubhouse. Find a complimentary half bottle of champagne in your room on arrival and enjoy a delicious three-course meal in the Brooklands Room.

Your stay will include a full English breakfast and late check out at 1.00pm.

Throughout 2020 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

Double Room from £255.00 per room per night, single room from £149.00 per room per night.

Upgrade and treat yourself to a fivecourse tasting menu in the Great Gallery.

Package starts from £279.00 per room per night for a double room.

For more information or to book, please contact the Central Reservations team on 020 7930 2345 or email reserve@ royalautomobileclub.co.uk

Winter Getaway Package October, November, and December Enjoy a perfect countryside escape at Woodcote Park with the Club’s Winter Getaway package.

Stays include a three-course dinner and a bottle of Club wine in the Fountain Brasserie, accommodation in one of our beautifully-appointed bedrooms or suites, and a delicious full English breakfast the following morning.

In Full Swing Available all year Perfect your swing on the virtual course in the Club’s high-tech Golf Simulator.

Double Room from £192.00 per room per night. Single room from £132.00 room per night.

Prices based on the member rate for a single occupancy room.

Woodcote Park, Herbert Fowler Studio £100.00 for a group of four (members and guests), including two hours in the Golf Simulator, one beer and a one-course meal per person.

For more information or to book, please contact the Central Reservations team: 020 7930 2345 or email reserve@ royalautomobileclub.co.uk

For more information or to book, please telephone: 01372 229248 or email: proshop@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

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CLUB MEMBERS

Christmas at the Club From delicious dinners to delightful gifts, we’ve got all you need to eat, drink and be merry this Christmas

FESTIVE FOOD Thursday 26 November – Wednesday 23 December Celebrate with a special Christmas menu in the Club’s restaurants or enjoy a restaurant experience in one of our banqueting rooms.

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PALL MALL Great Gallery Lunch Menu 2 Courses, £41.00 3 Courses, £50.00 Great Gallery Five Course Dinner Tasting Menu, £80.00, or £120.00 with wine pairing

Brooklands Lunch and Dinner Menu 2 Courses, £35.00 3 Courses, £42.00

Children’s Menu (under 12s) 2 Courses, £11.50 3 Courses, £14.50

CLUB MEMBERS

Photography by Jamie Lau, styling by Sarah Birks

WOODCOTE PARK Stirling’s Lunch and Dinner Menu 2 Courses, £32.00 3 Courses, £39.00

The Fountain Lunch and Dinner Menu 2 Courses, £26.00 3 Courses, £34.00

19th Hole Lunch and Dinner Menu 2 Courses, £27.00 3 Courses, £32.00

A children’s menu will also be available in The Fountain Brasserie.

All prices include VAT at the current rate of 5%. For more information or to book, please visit the Club website or telephone the Central Reservations Team on 020 7930 2345.

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CLUB MEMBERS

FESTIVE COCKTAILS Throughout December Pall Mall, Cocktail Bar Woodcote Park, Stirling’s

FESTIVE AFTERNOON TEA Throughout December Pall Mall, The Club Room Woodcote Park, The Lounge Festive afternoon tea menu, including traditional sandwiches, homemade cakes, scones and mince pies accompanied by a choice of teas, infusions or coffee, £26.00 per person, or £36.00 with a glass of Veuve Clicquot champagne.

For more information or to book, please visit the Club website or telephone the Central Reservations Team on 020 7930 2345.

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CLUB PROMOTIONS

CHRISTMAS PACKAGE AT WOODCOTE PARK Accommodation and dining from Christmas Eve until 27 December Available to book now

CHRISTMAS DAY LUNCH AT WOODCOTE PARK Christmas Day Dining Available to book from Monday 2 November Stirling’s Restaurant Glass of champagne and a four-course menu, £108.00 per person

Cedar Room Glass of champagne and a four-course menu, £108.00 per person

Fountain Brasserie Glass of champagne and a four-course menu, £95.00 per person Children’s three-course menu, £45.00 per person

Woodcote Park’s Christmas Package starts with champagne, canapés and a three-course dinner in the Cedar Room on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day, follow breakfast with some fresh air in Woodcote Park’s beautiful grounds to build up an appetite for Christmas Lunch in the Cedar Room or Stirling’s Restaurant and an evening meal.

Meals are also included on Boxing Day as well as breakfast before you check-out on 27 December.

Member package rates start from £541.00 per person, based upon two adults sharing a Club Double room. A 30-minute spa treatment per person is also available for residents on Christmas Eve or Sunday 27 December.

19th Hole Glass of champagne and three course menu, £66.00 per person Children’s three-course menu, £34.00 per person For more information or to book, please email christmas.day@ royalautomobileclub.co.uk PELL- MELL & WOODCOTE

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CLUB PROMOTIONS

CLUB PANTRY & CELLAR

Club Wines

Prepare a festive feast with food selected

by Executive Chef Matthew Marshall.

Club Champagne, Forget-Brimont 1er Cru Brut NV, £25.00

Club Turkeys, price dependent on weight

Club Sauvignon Blanc, Côtes de Gascogne, France, £9.75

Club Smoked Salmon, price dependent on weight Club Vegetable Box (feeds four), £70.00 Club Christmas Pudding, £30.00

Club Claret, Château Reynier, Marc Lurton, France, £10.45 Club Port, Graham’s ‘Six Grapes’ Reserve, £15.45 To view the full range of Club Pantry and Cellar stock, please visit the Click & Collect page on the Club website.

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CLUB MEMBERS

Club Gifts Spread the festive cheer with the Club’s selection of stocking fillers and luxury presents

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CLUB PROMOTIONS

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS Royal Automobile Club Christmas Crackers, box of six, £35.00 Royal Automobile Club Christmas Bauble, £9.00 Royal Automobile Club Christmas Wreath, available medium and large, £40.00/£60.00

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CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR THE LITTLE ONES Club Teddy Bear, £28.00 Lindt Advent Calendar, £7.50 Lego Ferrari, £18.00 Christmas Monopoly, £30.00

CLUB PROMOTIONS

LUXURY GIFTS

YOUR CLUB AT HOME

Segrave Tweed Luggage Holdall, £495.00 Ettinger Club Luggage Tag, £35.00

Choose from a range of beautiful Club-branded goods.

Club Travel Wallet, £320.00

Corkscrew Set, £45.00

Luxury Cashmere Silk Scarf, £99.00

Ettinger Tray Purse, £110.00

Luxury Cashmere and Leather Gloves, £135.00

Ettinger Coin Purse with Card Pocket, £125.00

To view the full range of Club merchandise and Christmas gifts, please visit the Post Office at Pall Mall, Club Shop at Woodcote Park or the Click & Collect page on the Club website.

Candle, £23.50 King’s Fine Food Caviar Gift Box with 3 Tins, £235.00 Chutney, Jam and Marmalade, £4.75 each or £12.00 for all three Graham’s Port Gift Selection, £12.50

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CLUB MEMBERS

A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS The Club’s members are passionate about the myriad facilities and activities available, from the fine food and drink on offer to the remarkable range of sports, wellbeing services and like-minded groups.

Now that almost all of the Club’s facilities are open again, we asked six Committee members to reflect on what makes their perfect visit to the clubhouses.

Words by Annabel Harrison Photography by Martin Burton

IT’S QUITE REMARKABLE how different we all are, when it comes to our interests and habits, and lockdown demonstrated these dissimilarities more than ever. Some of us packed our days with working and reading, cooking and spring-cleaning, while others enjoyed welcome respite from the formerly fast pace of life, allowing the days to meander, rather than race, along.

It has been wonderful to see so many members back in the clubhouses, once again doing what they most enjoy, whether that involves enjoying a delicious meal with family or friends, playing an energetic game of squash, or having a cocktail, a swim or a massage.

“Nicholas loves the carved animals, and there’s so much scope for imaginative play, as well as plenty of opportunities to be adventurous.”

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CLUB MEMBERS

LAURENCE MUTKIN Chairman of the Pall Mall Committee and member of the Board THE GREAT GALLERY AND THE COCKTAIL BAR

“The Great Gallery is the best restaurant in London. It has the best food, the best service, the terrace with its gazebos, the Minstrels’ Gallery and, of course, the fantastic room itself, which we all know and love. In a club or out of it, there’s no better restaurant.

“While I love hosting business lunches there – at lunchtime the dress code is very relaxed, so everyone feels comfortable – like many members, I think of it as the ideal place for a special occasion or a big dinner.

Matthew, the Club’s Executive Chef, has created great menus, from which we all choose different things, whether it’s soup or smoked salmon, Hereford beef, sea bass or sole. He and his team do a great job. We recently had a wonderful birthday lunch en famille out on the

terrace, welcomed and looked after so well, as ever, by Restaurant Manager Andrew and his team.

“Visiting the Cocktail Bar beforehand really sets the scene, whether we’re having a G&T, champagne cocktails – always a joy – or something suggested

by Christophe and co, like the new Absolut Fabulous.”

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CLUB MEMBERS

JOHN VENESS Member of the Pall Mall Committee A GAME OF SNOOKER AND A DRINK AT PALL MALL

“Tuesday nights are Club nights for me and they have been for decades – I joined in 1997. After a long day of work, I walk through St James’s Park to the Club, which is an oasis of calm.

I go for a swim first then enjoy a pint of London Pride, a game in the snooker room and something to eat. To me,

“By the time I go home at eleven o’clock after a game of snooker and some food, my mind is clear and I’m relaxed.”

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a game of snooker is about more than being social; by the time I go home at eleven o’clock, my mind is completely clear of any stresses, and I’m relaxed.

“I’m on the Billiards Committee, and we welcome people of all abilities.

I never know who’s going to be around, but I do know I’ll find a bunch of like-minded people. At the moment we have to book a table for a 1½ hour slot, to play with a specific person, but I am sure the Club’s rules will relax as soon as the national guidelines do.

“I used to come regularly on Wednesdays with my dad, who died 11 years ago – his own father was a member too – and whenever I come on a Wednesday evening, I always think of him.”

CLUB MEMBERS

ALICE MURPHY Member of the Young Members’ Committee AFTERNOON TEA ON THE CLUB TERRACE

“Having afternoon tea at the Club is something I’ve enjoyed since I joined in 2011. At first, I came mostly with my mum and sister, often for special events like Mother’s Day, and I have lots of aunties who live in Canada and love to join us when they’re here. Since I’ve made more friends at the Club we often celebrate birthdays or other special occasions with a trip to the spa for a massage or facial before afternoon tea, and the evening festivities.

“The scones and mini cakes are my favourite part of the meal. I almost always have a glass of Champagne, and there’s a white peach tea that I really like. It takes me 20 minutes to walk here from work, through the traffic and noise outside, but once I’m settled on the Club Room Terrace, I can’t hear any of it. It’s so calm, with its water fountain and lovely atmosphere – a little oasis in the heart of London.”

Afternoon tea is available in the Club Room and Brooklands Room at Pall Mall, and in the Lounge and Stirling’s at Woodcote Park.

HENRY AWIN Member of the Young Members’ Committee A GAME OF SQUASH WITH FRIENDS

“I tend to cover a lot of ground during a day at Woodcote Park! But one of my favourite ways to spend that time is playing squash. The courts for squash, and tennis, are open to everyone and anyone, whether you’re great at it or just want to go with a couple of friends in the afternoon – which I love.

I don’t do squash nights and I’m not a member of the League – I just enjoy playing, mostly with guests and sometimes other members.

“I’ve made lots of friends through the Young Members’ Committee and everything they organise.

Most of the time I play squash at Woodcote Park but the rest of the time it’s at Pall Mall, often before Young Members’ drinks on the first Thursday of the month.

“For the rest of the day, I might go for a swim, or for something to eat – my favourite spot is on the terrace next to the Cedar Lawn. A pint of Gunner’s and afternoon tea, and I’m in heaven!”

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CLUB MEMBERS

GRAHAM WHITE Chair of the Woodcote Park Committee and member of the Board GOLF AT WOODCOTE PARK

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“I didn’t start playing golf until I stopped working full-time so I now play year-round at the Club, plugging on even during the grimmer weather; if I stop for six months it will never come back! The courses are full of character – uphill and downhill, very well maintained and equally well organised. I love the 18th hole on the Old Course with the majestic sweep down to the clubhouse.

That’s outstanding.

“I like playing with friends and family. I’m not an early bird so nine times out of 10, we don’t finish until three o’clock; then we have a beer

and sandwiches at the Spike Bar or the 19th Hole. And there’s fruitcake to die for. Sometimes I play with my son and sons-in-law on a Sunday, and we finish by seven o’clock then have dinner in the Fountain.

“I must confess to being a very regular customer at the Club Shop – I have a congenital weakness for buying bits of kit and golf clothes from there.

When I play with former colleagues, I get teased mercilessly for the quantity of Club branding on my clothing!”

CLUB MEMBERS

PIPPA CRONK Member of the Board WOODCOTE PARK’S WOODLAND AREA

“My son Nicholas is three and our favourite thing to do together at the Club is to explore the woodland area.

I love how safe it is – Nicholas can run independently, or scoot, or cycle, but it’s always easy to keep him in sight. When he was younger, it was easy to push the pram along the path there too. Nicholas absolutely loves the carved animals and there’s so much scope for imaginative play, as well as plenty of opportunities to be adventurous.

“Typically we go for a swim afterwards and we both love the pool. Sometimes my husband Mark and I go together and take it in turns to swim while the other

plays with Nicholas in the family lane.

Then it’s off to the Fountain – they have a great kids’ menu, and we can all eat at the same time. The staff there really understand children, and if we ever have a special request, nothing is too much trouble for them. And I am so excited about the Family Facility in the Walled Garden opening in March – especially the splash pad area and the playgrounds!”

“My son and I love exploring the woodland area, and I am so excited about the Family Facility opening in March!”

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A CLUB FOR ALL AGES Words by Annabel Harrison

Photography by Mike Hulme and Martin Burton

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The construction of the Club’s dedicated family facilities is nearly complete and they will be ready for members to enjoy from March 2021. Pell-Mell & Woodcote’s Editor visited Woodcote Park with Board Member Pippa Cronk to find out what members can expect.

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CLUB DEVELOPMENT

WHEN WE ARE shown around the site of the new family facilities on a sunny September day, Pippa Cronk’s smile says it all. She is imagining, she explains, her energetic

son

Nicholas

racing

around,

climbing and jumping and splashing and swimming: “I can see us spending hours and hours here, and how happy we would all be. I’m sure many members are familiar with that feeling, especially after nursery or school and at the weekends, when you have an expanse of time stretching ahead of Board Member Pippa Cronk with son Nicholas

you but no plans. You need to get out of the house and go somewhere that the children will enjoy – and feeding them is always on your mind as well.” As mothers of young children, we both agree that if you have children in your lives, this new facility is the answer, and it’s going to make your time with them extra special.

Kier

Clockwise, from below: The new building; main pool; play equipment in paddling pool; main pool

Construction

has

now

almost

completed its part of the project and the Club is starting the fit out. We can see the evidence of all the progress made so far when we visit and the undulating, expansive 12,000 square metre site is a hive of activity.

We make our way through the main entrance to the new building, past where reception will be located, and Pippa is excited to discover the large space that will become a soft play area – sorely missed by

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Walled Garden Manager Chris Futtit

parents during lockdown, and invaluable for keeping small children active and safe at the same time. On the same floor, the Junior Lounge with its adjacent outdoor space, will be perfect for pre-teens and teens who love air hockey, chilling on bean bags, TV, boulder-climbing, table tennis or all of the above. Feeding these hungry children is essential, so there’s the new Garden Café on this floor too, which has an outdoor terrace as well as tables inside.

“The indoor swimming pool, indoor paddling pool and outdoor splash pad are all fully built and now we need to finish installing all the different play elements – the sprays and fountains and so on – which will make them so much fun,” explains the Walled Garden Manager, Chris Futtit. “The whole of the wall at the back of the swimming pool will be covered with some wonderful

CLUB DEVELOPMENT

“It is so important that children learn to swim in a pool which is suitable for their age and ability; now the Club will have just that.”

graphics, which we will be announcing in the new year.” Also on the lower level of the building we find the finishing touches being put to the changing rooms, perfectly designed for family use. Not surprisingly for a former member of Pall Mall’s Swimming Committee, Pippa is passionate about the benefits of the new pool. “It is so important that children learn to swim in a pool which is suitable for their age and ability, and now the Club will have just that.”

As we leave the building – brand new and built to the highest specifications – Chris tells us about the history of the Walled Garden, which is about 200 years old and once used for growing plants and vegetables before it fell into disuse. “It is a very secure space, so perfect for families to relax in.” He explains that as well as the walled perimeter there will also be a card-swipe system at the gate to ensure that children won’t be able to enter or leave unattended. He also shows us the Gardener’s Cottage, which has been restored to provide a crèche downstairs and event space upstairs, and still retains its charming brick-fronted facade.

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CLUB DEVELOPMENT

The two Multi-Use Games Areas and Garden Café are finished, and work on the paths, grass and planted areas is in the final stages.

This page, clockwise from above left: Wildflower meadow; Garden Café; MUGA; Gardener’s Cottage Opposite: Playground areas for older and younger children

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CLUB MEMBERS

deep earth excavations, on-site soil conditions and one of the wettest winters on record have all provided challenges – and then the pandemic forced many of the sub-contractors to leave the site and suppliers to cease production. However, progress is clearly back on track. We admire the almost-complete outdoor play areas, one for little ones – near the café terrace so parents can watch close by, Pippa notes approvingly – and another for older children keen to climb, swing, bounce and slide. The two sizeable MUGAs – MultiUse Games Areas – are finished too and work on the paths, grass and planted areas is in the final stages.

There are so many other thoughtful elements to the project: Pippa is particularly taken by the expanses around the edge of the site which will bloom with wildflowers; the pool graphic featuring 12 trees found around Woodcote Park; the elegant and modern gabion seating; and the dedicated parent and child parking spaces just 150m away. “I can easily imagine sitting out here, perhaps with a picnic, while Nicholas is busy playing,” she says.

“We are planning lots of classes and other activities,” Chris confirms at the end of our visit, “including some which will already be familiar to Woodcote Juniors – such as swimming lessons, EzeeSport and football – and new ones which will be announced nearer opening”. The Walled Garden will

also be the venue for the popular Woodcote Junior holiday camps and special birthday party packages will be available.

With the COVID-19 restrictions continuing and time needed to complete the fit out, the Walled Garden will be opening in March 2021, in time for the school Easter holidays. In the meantime, keep a close eye on the Club’s website and social media as well as future editions of this magazine for progress reports and further news on the classes and activities which will be available.

If you are wondering what to buy any of your children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews for Christmas, Pippa has a suggestion. “Woodcote Junior membership could be the best present they’ll receive – and one you will enjoy as well as you settle down for a coffee in the Garden Café while they burn off all their energy!”

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CLUB MEMBERS

Taking time for tea Executive Chef Matthew Marshall is an award-winning afternoon tea connoisseur. You can now sample his latest creations at the Club.

Words by Jenny Linford Photography by Martin Burton

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CLUB FOOD & DRINK

EVER SINCE THE Duchess of Bedford popularised the custom of afternoon tea in the 1840s, this leisurely meal has enjoyed a special place in our national affections.

And it’s something of a speciality for Matthew Marshall, the Club’s Executive Chef, whose new afternoon tea menus are enjoying an excellent reception at both Pall Mall and Woodcote Park.

While working at the Sanderson Hotel in London, Matthew created an innovative Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea Party.

Inspired by Lewis Carroll’s beloved Alice in Wonderland books, this culinary creation won the highly sought-after Best Themed Afternoon Tea in London award. “I do have a little bit of experience in creating afternoon teas,” Matthew acknowledges, with a smile.

“It was great to be in the company of hotels like Claridge’s and The Ritz. We went from serving 50 to 500 afternoon teas a day.”

Unsurprisingly, Matthew has clear ideas on what an afternoon tea should offer.

For the Club, he has created one which is “traditional, but with some fresh touches”.

The starting point must be “good tea” so the menu offers a carefully-chosen range of tea styles and staff have been sent to the Tea Academy to be trained “so they can talk knowledgeably about the teas we offer”.

The scones are freshly baked daily, with the addition of sultanas soaked in Earl Grey tea. “We’re serving them with an orange gin curd which we make in-house. Gin is very English and it’s nice to serve something unique.” While the freshly-made sandwiches offer a classic range of fillings, warm savoury options include a double cheese and ham croque monsieur and a quail Scotch egg made using a smoked salmon casing. “It’s egg and smoked salmon, but presented in a different form.”

The pastries reflect Matthew’s knowledge and expertise, including a dainty rose and grapefruit macaron and an orangeglazed éclair filled with a passion fruit crème patissier. “For me, in an afternoon tea you have to have a cake element and

a chocolate element – they’re both crowd pleasers.” His elegant twist on a Victoria sponge sees layers of sponge soaked in strawberry gin and topped with raspberry jelly. The rich chocolate delice pot is enriched with raspberry purée and salted caramel – “quite indulgent really”.

A proper afternoon tea, made with care and attention, offers a delightful pause in a busy world – something that Matthew and his team understand well.

Afternoon Tea

by Matthew Marshall

PALL MALL

Club Room: Daily, 2.00-6.00pm Brooklands Room: Daily, 3.00-6.00pm Full Afternoon Tea: £23.00 per person Add a 150ml glass of Club Champagne for £8.25 Children’s Afternoon Tea: £10.00 per child

WOODCOTE PARK

The Lounge: Daily, 12 noon-5.00pm Stirling’s: Wednesday to Sunday, 12 noon-5.00pm Full Afternoon Tea: £22.00 per person Add a 125ml glass of Club Champagne for £6.95 Children’s Bento Box Afternoon Tea: £10.00 per child PELL- MELL & WOODCOTE

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CLUB FOOD & DRINK

Christmas food around the world Words by Annabel Harrison Photography by Sam Barker

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CLUB FOOD & DRINK

Six of the Club’s chefs present the dishes they most enjoy preparing and eating in their home countries during the festive season, hoping to inspire us all to try something new this Christmas.

THE CLUB IS fortunate to have chefs working at both clubhouses from countries all over the world. “There’s nothing better,” says Executive Chef Matthew Marshall. “Our staff, hailing from many different countries, bring completely different backgrounds and culinary influences to the table, as well as their talent, of course. This helps us, as a team, to develop ever more innovative and exciting dishes for members, and that in itself is creatively rewarding.”

When it comes to traditional food in their home countries, it’s the meals they eat with their families at Christmas that make the Club’s chefs most enthusiastic, and nostalgic – often those early experiences of cooking with their families during the festive season set them on the career path that led them to the Club.

A diverse range of dishes make up their favourite festive meals, from fish soup to coffee-soaked sponge fingers. Turn the page to find out what six of the Club’s chefs love to eat, and drink, when home at Christmas.

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CLUB FOOD & DRINK

ALEX, ROMANIA Cabbage rolls stuffed with pork mince, rice and onion

In Alex’s hometown, just south of Bucharest, mid-winter celebrations begin on St. Ignatius Day. “Every year, on 20 December, we kill a pig and the meat is made into homemade sausages and mince,” Alex explains. This is then used as part of the recipe for sarmale, sour cabbage rolls stuffed with mince, rice and onion, and cooked in tomato sauce for at least three hours.

“It’s a very nice dish! We eat it on Christmas Day as a main course.

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then we enjoy the meal together.

Am I the best cook in my family?

Let’s say… yes!” Sarmale are served hot with sour cream, polenta and hot pepper. Most important is the cabbage preparation. “We put 10 to 15 fresh cabbages into a big pot and they have to be pickled, just right.” With the sarmale, Alex and her family drink the Romanian spirit tuică, and wine. Sweets are also enjoyed at Christmas: “There’s a rich fruit bread with walnuts that I love; we call it cozonac.” Crăciun Fericit!

CLUB FOOD & DRINK

FRANCESCO, SICILY Stuffed sardines with fennel and orange salad

“Traditionally rich people used to eat a bird called the beccafico” Francesco says, explaining his choice of dish, “but the poor people couldn’t afford it. At the market the cheapest fish was sardines. So they used to arrange them tail up so they looked like the beccafico!” In Sicily, Francesco and his family enjoy sarde a becca fico with a shaved fennel and orange salad on Christmas Eve. “We eat this as a one-bite canapé.

Then on Christmas Day we sit down together for lunch and dinner.

Of course it has to be lasagna for

lunch!” Also on the menu are plenty of fish dishes, including octopus salad, more sardines and clam linguine. “We’re Italian – we like to eat!” When it comes to dessert, “we have to have cassata cake, which is made with ricotta, sponge, marzipan and candied fruit. Nice and sweet!”

Francesco’s passion for food is as strong as ever: “I started cooking school at 14,” says Francesco. “And I’ve now been at the Club 11 years.

I love it here.” Buone Feste!

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CLUB FOOD & DRINK

HERVÉ, FRANCE Pigeon with offal-stuffed cherries, beetroot and carrot jus

For Hervé, the very best meat to cook and enjoy at Christmas in Luberon in the South of France is game. “In November, a lot of game shooting happens around this area of France,” he explains, “and we eat the dish I have chosen to prepare every year.” This, his family’s favourite, is oven-roasted pigeon – which can be substituted with guinea fowl, Hervé points out. It is served with offal-stuffed cherries, beetroot and roasted carrot jus.

“I always helped with the Christmas meal, even when I was young,” 50 PELL - MELL & WOODCOTE

Hervé reminisces. “Setting the table, clearing the plates, making sure everyone was having a nice time.

My mother and grandmother were the best at making family meals.

They taught me to cook.” Before the main course of pigeon, truffles are often served as a starter; with it, Hervé would drink Bourgogne (Burgundy) red wine; and after it, sweets in the form of nougat and candied fruits. Joyeux Noël!

CLUB FOOD & DRINK

LEOPOLDO, SPAIN Christmas fish soup

Andalucia in the South of Spain is famed for its fantastic fresh seafood – five of its eight provinces have stretches of coastline – so it’s no surprise that Leopoldo starts his main meal on Christmas Eve with la sopa de pescado de la Navidad – festive fish soup. Sourcing the monkfish, clams and seabass that go into it is a family affair. “We live near the sea and we all go to the seaside to get the fish,” Leopoldo recounts.

“We go out in boats together – it’s nice!” Most important, when it comes to his recipe, is the thorough

gutting and cleaning of the fish: “You must take out all the red parts otherwise it changes the colour of the soup,” Leo explains. He has replaced the anchovy bread, which he’d usually have at Christmas, with anchovy tuile to give the dish more of a ‘fine dining’ feel. After the soup comes, of course, more seafood – “always seafood!” Leo smiles.

“Prawns, scallops, and some Iberican ham too. For dessert, we enjoy cream tarts.” Feliz Navidad!

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CLUB FOOD & DRINK

SOPHIA, PORTUGAL Octopus, confit cod, red onion and cherry tomato purée

“We open our presents at midnight on Christmas Eve,” Sophia explains, with a smile, “because we can’t wait for the next day!” By then she and her family, from Vila Real in the north of Portugal, have already eaten her favourite festive dish as part of their Christmas Eve meal; cod and octopus with red onion and cherry tomato purée, crispy broa de milho (corn bread) with black olives and new potatoes. “It’s simple but very tasty. And the cod needs to be salted,” Sophia adds. “That’s our signature fish dish in Portugal. The 52 PELL - MELL & WOODCOTE

salt adds flavour and makes the cod much more tender after it has been cooked. It needs to be cooked very fast, in about 7 to 10 minutes.”

Drinks at Christmas for Sophia’s family include wine from the local Douro region, famed for its port, and Ginjinha, a Portuguese liqueur made using ginja berries. Sophia’s favourite festive dessert is rabanada – a tempting-sounding sweet treat of bread soaked in milk, seasoned with cinnamon and sugar, dipped in egg then fried. Feliz Natal!

CLUB FOOD & DRINK

MATTEO, SICILY Tiramisu

“Everyone else has chosen savoury dishes but I work in pastry so I wanted to do something sweet,” Matteo explains, enthusiastically.

“I’m from Sicily in the deep south of Italy and we always make tiramisu for parties at Easter and Christmas – it’s a classic dessert.” The most challenging parts to cook are the sponge biscuits, known as savoiardi to Matteo, and as Ladyfingers in the UK. “These are very difficult, and it’s very important to get the right density, because they then need to be soaked in coffee. And

the mascarpone cream has to be just right as well; sweet, but not too sweet.” Tiramisu is eaten, for the first time, by Matteo and his family on Christmas Eve. “Then there’s usually some left over so we eat it again the next day after Christmas lunch! And of course we are drinking wine, like every Italian. With the tiramisu, we will drink something sweet – port wine or the herbal liquer amaro.”

Buone Feste!

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CLUB FOOD

On our game From succulent grouse, pheasant and partridge to the finest English venison, the Club has always excelled in its delivery of delicious game. Matthew Marshall tells us more about why this meat is so good for us, and offers advice on how to choose and cook it at home over the festive season.

Words by Jenny Linford Photography by Jamie Lau

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ONE OF THE PLEASURES of eating in the Club’s restaurants is that their menus change with the seasons, always, however, showcasing prime ingredients at their best.

“For me as a chef, autumn is my favourite time of year,” says Executive Chef Matthew Marshall. “It’s such a great time of year for British ingredients. You have wonderful venison, pheasant and partridge and, of course, it’s the season for wild mushrooms like ceps and chanterelles. Then you have root vegetables – swedes, parsnips, turnips – and dark leafy greens like kale or sprout tops which we grow so well in this country.

The wonderful thing is that these seasonal ingredients all go together brilliantly.” Game is also very low in fat – venison has only 1% fat compared to lamb’s 10% or beef’s 11%, while birds such as pheasants and partridges have 50% less fat content than chickens do – and it is high in iron and beneficial nutrients such as vitamin E and selenium.

There is an established tradition of serving game at both clubhouses and this is something which Matthew is proud to continue. From his time working at the Club 19 years ago under Philip Corrick, he remembers members dining at the Club bringing in their own game knives – “family heirlooms, passed down the generations” – which they used to eat with and then had washed and returned by the kitchen. Among the traditional dishes offered in the Great Gallery are roast grouse, served with a sprout purée, gaufre potatoes, braised cabbage, bread sauce and a pâté-topped crouton. “You will always have members who want this classic dish with all its trimmings.”

Matthew’s new dishes at the Club’s restaurants reflect the scope that game cookery offers such a highly accomplished kitchen team. For the Brooklands Room, he has come up with a crowd-pleasing pheasant schnitzel – a brined breast, battered out to make it tender, coated in panko crumbs and fried – served with charred hispi cabbage, mash and a Café de Paris sauce made with herbs and cream. “It’s giving a twist to a classic dish,” explains Matthew.

CLUB FOOD

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In the Great Gallery members are treated to a trio of truly splendid dishes. An autumnal creation of mushroom-stuffed pheasant breast, with pheasant leg agnoletti and a forest mushroom red wine jus, demonstrates Matthew’s skill at creating dishes. “Mushrooms are the perfect seasonal accompaniment and filling the breast with a cream-enriched mushroom mousse ensures that it stays moist.” Making the most of the bird, the legs are cooked separately, slow-braised until the meat is falling off the bone. This tender meat is used to make a savoury filling for the agnoletti (pasta parcel) while a pheasant stock jus forms the base of an umami-rich wild mushroom and red wine sauce.

Another option is a stylish dish of spiced venison loin, served with sweet potato gnocchi, fried until crispy, with sunflower seeds and spring onion – “lovely rich flavours all brought together with a venison jus”. The final dish consists of confit partridge breast served with spelt risotto, roasted onion and puffed grains. “Confiting partridge breasts is a very good way of cooking them. We cover them in fat and cook them very gently at just 80 degrees, then pan-fry them to order.”

The rich, moist partridge breast contrasts nicely with the textures of the creamy risotto and the crunchy puffed grains.

When it comes to cooking game at home, Matthew advises looking for a good butcher who stocks it regularly when it’s in season.

“They do the preparation and you can buy a haunch or saddle of venison or an oven56 PELL - MELL & WOODCOTE

ready pheasant, so it makes it all very simple.

If you live in the countryside, the butchers will generally work with a local shoot and so there is traceability.” When it comes to venison, be sure to ask whether it’s wild or farmed. “Wild venison has much more flavour,” recommends Matthew.

With Christmas and New Year entertaining in mind, serving a tasty game

CLUB FOOD

In the Great Gallery members can enjoy mushroom-stuffed pheasant breast, with pheasant leg agnoletti and red wine jus

Top picture, clockwise from left: spiced venison loin; mushroom stuffed pheasant breast; pheasant schnitzel; partridge breast with spelt risotto

dish is an excellent way to impress guests.

Matthew suggests buying a saddle of venison and asking your butcher to cut it into steaks, around 150g each. To cook the venison steaks “simply panfry them until they get a good colour on each side, reduce the heat and fry them for a further 5-7 minutes turning often, then let them rest for 10 minutes.”

For a seasonal accompaniment, Matthew recommends pan-fried brussels sprouts – sliced and fried with a little garlic and pancetta until they just take on a little colour; “cooking them this way keeps their sweetness”. Root vegetables also work well with game. “Flavour-wise they’re fantastic.”

Recommendations for side dishes include whole roast parsnips in honey, baked root parcels made from chopped swede, turnip, parsnip and thyme wrapped in parchment and sweet potato or celeriac mash, seasoned with a touch of celery salt “to intensify that flavour.”

Because game meat is so lean, it’s very easy for it to be dry, so when pan-frying or roasting, be careful not to overcook it. For really succulent results, Matthew has a great, simple tip; namely, brine your pheasant first before cooking it. “It’s the best thing to do as it makes for a really nice, moist bird.” Make a brine by dissolving one part salt in five parts water, allow it to cool, add in aromatic herbs and spices such as rosemary sprigs or bay leaves and juniper berries, immerse the pheasant in it and leave it in the fridge for six to eight hours or overnight. Brining the bird in this way helps keep it tender and prevents it from drying out. Because game “has got so much flavour”, points out Matthew, the bones from venison, pheasants or partridges can be used as the basis of an excellent stock. This tasty stock which then can be used to make a sauce – classically flavoured with shallot, red wine and redcurrant jelly – or for soup or in risotto.

One of the dishes Matthew enjoys cooking at home when entertaining his friends is a terrine, which he makes from pheasant, rabbit, pigeon and partridge trimmings minced together and used to fill a terrine mould lined with smoky bacon; “the smokiness of the bacon works really well in this.” In summer he recommends marinating venison steaks with a mixture of honey and soy sauce before grilling or barbecuing them. It is a food he enjoys experimenting with, cooking pheasant satay for friends or fried partridge nuggets for his son, but also, more classically, pâté en croute and pheasant tartlets.

A visit to one of the Club’s restaurants at this time of year will allow you a chance to sample this traditional, seasonal, local ingredient cooked by an expert team of chefs keen to showcase it at its very best.

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CLUB FOOD

Fine food: our forte Members can enjoy a taste of the Mediterranean from the comfort of Woodcote Park this autumn, thanks to a menu curated by the Executive Chef from Sardinian resort Forte Village Words by Jenny Linford

AS THE DAYS draw in and the weather turns colder, in a piece of welcome news, the Club is bringing a taste of sunny Sardinia to Surrey – a cheering thought for those who missed out on a summer holiday in the Mediterranean this year.

A partnership with the award-winning Forte Village, the family-friendly Sardinian resort, will see authentic Italian dishes appearing on the menu at Stirling’s in Woodcote Park, both à la carte and with the popular Dining Club.

Forte Village’s Executive Chef, Paolo Simioni, has had a globe-trotting career, working at prestigious hotels and restaurants in Venice, Saint Moritz and London, among others, and cooking for well-known celebrities including Madonna, Roger Moore and Ringo Starr. “My style of cooking is often described as tradition meets innovation,” he explains enthusiastically. “Travelling and living in different parts of the world has certainly helped form my style.”

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Food has an evocative power and the menu that Chef Simioni has created for the Club is designed to transport members to the warmth and wilderness, the crystalclear blue waves and rugged landscape of Sardinia. In the nine years he has been at the Forte Village Resort Chef Simioni has come to appreciate the culinary riches which this beautiful, sun-soaked island offers. “Sardinia offers unique and unmissable products. In all my travels as a chef, these are some of the best raw ingredients I’ve ever encountered.

One of my favourite activities is going out fishing with the local fishermen to search for local spiny lobsters or sea urchins.”

By cooking with the very best delicacies that the bountiful island produces, Chef Simioni aims to give members a true taste of the Forte Village Resort, using local specialities such as bottarga, known as

“I absolutely adore both clubhouse locations, filled with heritage and history. I am so honoured to be showcasing my cuisine at the Club.”

Left from top: Forte Village dishes; Paolo Simioni

‘Sardinian gold’ – salted, cured mullet roe – or fregola, a typical and historic pasta, thought by some to have originated with the Phoenicians. “The dishes on this menu include the best that Sardinia can offer, of both land and sea.”

Having lived in London for more than 25 years, to have his food appear on menus at the Club is particularly meaningful for Chef Simioni. “I’ve been invited to the clubhouses in the last couple of years and I absolutely adore both locations, filled with heritage and history. I am so honoured to be showcasing my cuisine at the Club.”

Forte Village STIRLING’S, WOODCOTE PARK

Wednesday 11 November – Saturday 14 November An à la carte menu will be available Thursday to Saturday during lunch and dinner. Alternatively, join the Stirling’s Dining Club for the complete Forte Village experience.

Stirling’s Dining Club: Wednesday 11 November Members: £80.00 Guests: £95.00 Price includes matching wines For more information or to book, please visit the Club website or contact the Central Reservations team on 020 7930 2345

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CLUB OPERATIONS

Special Operations The Club has responded to the pandemic with innovative new services. COO Daniel Pereira and the clubhouses’ Resident Managers tell us more.

Words by Chris Anderson Photography by Sam Barker, Martin Burton and Jamie Lau

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THE CLUB’S Chief Operating Officer, Daniel Pereira, is in familiar surroundings.

Pall Mall is well and truly open once again, with the Great Gallery and the rest of the clubhouse offering members the warm, friendly service they are used to. “These are exceptional times we are living in,” admits Daniel. “For more than 120 years we have been redefining and reshaping the private member club experience – and the challenge of today’s pandemic will not stop us from continuing to develop what we offer members at this very special Club. If anything, it will encourage us to go further and evolve faster.”

CLUB MEMBERS

From left Daniel Pereira, members enjoying lunch, Margaret Kavanagh, Pall Mall Resident Manager

“Every element of the member experience has been carefully considered and reviewed to ensure that our members can feel at ease when visiting the Club”

As Daniel speaks, the waiting staff – wearing face masks – hurry back and forth between tables, which are at least two metres apart. “As always, we remain uncompromising in our approach to health and safety. Every element of the member experience has been carefully considered and reviewed to ensure that our members can feel at ease when visiting the Club.”

Margaret Kavanagh, Pall Mall’s Resident Manager, agrees. “All of our staff receive continuous and comprehensive training on hygiene and cleanliness standards to ensure that our even-higher standards of cleanliness are upheld at all times. My team and I are ready to host members PELL- MELL & WOODCOTE

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“The Pall Mall Committee has also extended the summer dress code, to reflect the fact that many members are working from home or dressing more casually in the office” and their guests, be it in the Great Gallery, Brooklands Room or Cocktail Bar, in the sports facilities or overnight – and you can rest assured that every visit will be underpinned by exceptional service. The Pall Mall Committee has also extended the summer dress code, to reflect the fact that many members are working from home or dressing more casually in the office at the moment.”

Daniel is particularly proud of the signage and one-way system the Club has put in place to help members and staff when moving around the hallways and corridors.

“The designs are based on road signs, such as one-way, no entry and no overtaking,” he says. “The motoring link is an obvious 62 PELL - MELL & WOODCOTE

one, and I think it is a nice, humorous touch, a much needed ‘tonic’ in these extraordinary times.”

“At Woodcote Park we have the same safety measures in place as Pall Mall,” confirms Moses Solomon, Woodcote Park’s Resident Manager. “The Fountain Brasserie, the 19th Hole and Stirling’s are now open, as are the golf courses, pool, gym and squash courts – and the dress code has been relaxed to make it easier for members to enjoy time with family and friends.”

“The Long Bar is open for drinks, but with limited food at present, as buffets are not allowed,” continues Daniel. “We have also opened the Long Bar in the mornings for members to use for business discussions or to work on their laptops, with a refreshing coffee to hand. This is the type of relaxed working facility members have been asking for and now is the time to try it.”

Other areas of the Club have also seen changes. “For the summer we transformed the Terrace Room terrace into an al fresco seasonal restaurant, serving seafood and steak, and expanded significantly our

CLUB OPERATIONS

“We are trying to operate as normally as possible whilst putting safety at the forefront”

From left Members at Pall Mall, Moses Soloman, Woodcote Park Resident Manager

terrace operations at Woodcote Park and Pall Mall to make the most of the British Summer. We are now in the process of adapting our outdoor spaces to continue to offer eating and drinking experiences over the winter months; for example, we’ve added a marquee to the Spike Bar terrace, we are planning heated dining pods for the Fountain Lawn at Woodcote Park and the Club Room and Great Gallery terraces at Pall Mall. We have also extended our

main restaurant menus into the banqueting rooms, allowing members to enjoy socially distanced entertainment for groups of up to six people in the comfort of our beautiful banqueting rooms.” adds Daniel.

There are exciting special offers in place too. “The government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme was a great success, but even before that we were offering picnic hampers at Woodcote Park, a click and collect food and beverage service with our trusted suppliers, and a takeaway service from the Fountain Brasserie and Brooklands restaurants. So, if you’re still cautious about venturing into a public space, you can place an order with our team and enjoy the Club at home.” Similarly, those staying at Pall Mall overnight can enjoy some added perks.

“In our bedrooms, we’ve extended our room service menu, with a selection of dishes from the Brooklands Room – and there are lots more initiatives in the pipeline,” smiles Daniel.

“We are doing well, relatively speaking,” he continues, “and I am excited by all the new services we are developing. Events are another big part of Club life and we are evolving the programme to include immersive online events. We have just held an online cheese tasting, for example, which was a great success. These will provide members with a more engaging experience to enjoy from the comfort of their homes, whilst social restrictions continue to impact upon our ability to hold events at the Club.”

“We are trying to operate as normally as possible, whilst putting safety at the forefront.

Our promise to our members is that they can return to the clubhouses and feel welcomed into a warm and comfortable environment, and be able to enjoy exceptional hospitality provided by our dedicated and friendly team. In this respect, a big part of my role is to support my team and equally I feel very fortunate to have been supported so well by the team around me, with everyone pulling together to see us through.

We have evolved our offering, and everyone can experience it knowing they are as safe as they can be.”

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CLUB OPERATIONS

Going the extra mile Never before have the Club’s housekeeping teams been more vital, with their processes overhauled and workloads increased. The clubhouses’ Head Housekeepers explain.

Words by Annabel Harrison Photography by Martin Burton and Jamie Lau

Maria Constantin at Pall Mall

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“AS A MINIMUM, frequently touched surfaces should be wiped down twice a day,” says the government guidance. Throughout the clubhouses, they are cleaned far more frequently – every 30 to 60 minutes – just one example of the many ways in which the highest possible standards are being set.

“Pall Mall and Woodcote Park are cleaner than ever. The cleaning regime has increased massively but we’ve embraced the changes,” declares Maria Constantin, Executive Housekeeper at Pall Mall, who joined the Club in 2018. “Of course, it has been a difficult time for us but we need to take everything in our stride, professionally.”

Jennifer Kennedy, Executive Head Housekeeper at Woodcote Park, has been with the Club for nearly six years. She echoes Maria’s words when we meet. “A lot has changed. The team used to clean eight or nine rooms a day but now they can only do five, maximum.”

With member service ever at the front of the team’s minds, a new bespoke room cleaning service has been introduced at both clubhouses, so members can decide exactly what level of service they want the Housekeeping Team to provide each day when they clean their bedroom, from a range of options. “Steamers are used for every room clean because the steam will kill any virus. In the firing line, so to speak, are bed valances, headboards, chairs, curtains and sofas.” Maria says. “We also put every duvet and pillow in a dryer for the same reason.”

The Reception Teams also play their part. With items such as spare pillows and magazines currently removed from the rooms, they contact every member or guest shortly after they have checked in to ensure they have everything they need.

It’s clear from our conversations that Maria and Jennifer have put a great deal of time and effort into ensuring their teams are well trained and using the best products available. “We’ve changed cleaning products where necessary to those that are proven to kill COVID”, Maria confirms. “They are effective, but not harmful.” Jennifer adds.

“We are doing and using everything that we possibly can to make sure both members and staff are safe.”

CLUB OPERATIONS

These staff are dedicated and, in many instances, long-serving. Both Mary George and Antonia Bicho have worked at Woodcote Park for 13 years. At Pall Mall, “our Valet Attendant Stuart has been here for about 20 years!” says Maria. “German, who looks after the public areas, has been here 16 years, and Janet in the Linen Room has been here for 12 years.”

At Woodcote Park, the doctors and nurses from Epsom Hospital, unable to stay in their own homes during the height of the pandemic, are long gone, but the manner in which they were looked after during their stay is indicative of the commitment of Jennifer and her team. “They became very familiar with our staff and they were so appreciative, as well as impressed by how the team carried themselves. I love working with my colleagues. It’s a great team.”

There’s no doubt that Maria and Jennifer pay attention to the smallest details – and it is this attitude that will keep us all safe. “We are busy now,” Jennifer ends, with a smile. “It keeps us motivated. And happy!”

Jennifer Kennedy at Woodcote Park (above) and the Woodcote Park Housekeeping Team in action

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WE WILL REMEMBER THEM In November the Club will host a walking tour to mark 100 years since the Unknown Warrior was laid to rest in Westminster Abbey; we find out more about its huge significance, and why one of our members is qualified to deem it “the most important memorial in the Abbey�.

Words by Timothy Barber

CLUB EVENTS

IT IS THE QUIET simplicity of the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, perhaps, that gives it such power. At Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, which was inspired by the British memorial, a huge marble sarcophagus looks out over the landscape. In Paris, a permanent flame burns under the arch of Europe’s grandest monument.

But in Westminster Abbey, a rectangle of black marble lies flush with the floor at the West End of the nave. If it wasn’t permanently fringed in poppies, it might be one more slab in a cathedral replete with them.

The inscription, however, carries its own intrinsic power. It records the presence beneath of “… a British warrior, unknown by name or rank, brought from France to lie among the most illustrious of the land…

They buried him among the kings because he had done good toward God and toward his house”.

The Unknown Warrior was laid to rest in Westminster Abbey on 11 November 1920, the second anniversary of the World War One armistice. It’s hard to fathom now quite what a moment of national unity and catharsis this was: the cortege’s passage through London, and the huge ceremonial funeral that followed, brought to a standstill a nation still deeply traumatised.

“It was a moment of incredible national poignancy,” says Kim Dewdney, who will be leading a walking tour on the subject for members on 4 November, a century on from the event. “The newspapers published details of the route and people stood alongside and witnessed it in their thousands. Edward VII’s funeral in 1911 would have been comparable in scale, but for ordinary people this probably had even more pull. It was personal.”

It was an army chaplain serving on the Western Front, Reverend David Railton MC, who first dreamed up such a memorial when, in 1916, he saw a grave marked by a wooden cross with a pencil-scrawled inscription: ‘An Unknown British Soldier’. Railton wrote to the commander of British forces, Lord Douglas Haig, but received no reply. In 1920 he put his idea to Herbert Ryle, the Dean of Westminster Abbey. Ryle immediately took it to the Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, who gave it his enthusiastic support.

The King, George V, took more convincing – the country, after all, was officially on a victory footing, and wounds needed to be healed rather than reopened.

However, the outpouring of sentiment around the Cenotaph, initially erected in 1919 as a temporary monument to celebrate victory, revealed a deep-set need to commemorate and grieve: unprompted, the public had begun laying wreathes at the structure, turning the victory monument into a memorial.

A permanent stone Cenotaph was duly commissioned to fulfil that role, while Railton’s idea was put into action.

In early November 1920, teams were dispatched to former battlefields to unearth the decomposed – and therefore unidentifiable – remains of four soldiers killed early in the war, from which one was selected at random

by Brigadier L J Wyatt, commander of British forces in Flanders at the time. Placed in a coffin made of oak from the trees of Hampton Court Palace, the body was transported with solemn ceremony to Britain aboard the destroyer HMS Verdun, and by train to Victoria Station. From there, the funeral cortege made its way past vast, silent crowds to the Cenotaph, where the

“The Grave of the Unknown Warrior is the most important memorial in the Abbey, and part of what defines the Abbey.”

This page: the Grave of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey Far right; HRH The Prince of Wales with Sir Stephen Lamport

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Princess Beatrice was the latest royal bride to follow the tradition of having their wedding bouquet placed on the tomb

King and dignitaries laid wreaths – a tradition that continues to this day. At the Abbey, the congregation mostly comprised the widows and mothers of fallen servicemen, with a guard of honour from 100 recipients of the Victoria Cross.

In subsequent days, more than a million people would visit to pay their respects. “The government didn’t anticipate that people would take it so much to heart,” says Dewdney. “But at that time, you held on to the fact that this could be your father, husband, son.

There’s no question that that’s how people saw it.”

And today? While the Great War has faded from living memory, the memorial’s potency has only broadened and endured, says Sir Stephen Lamport, a Club member who served at Westminster Abbey as Receiver General (the cathedral’s senior lay position and de facto chief executive) from 2008-2018. “It is the most important memorial in the Abbey, and part of what defines it. Over the years it has become a universal symbol of suffering and of sacrifice in all conflicts. Each Remembrancetide, the quantity of poppies that people throw onto the grave is extraordinary. It has that power still, and you see it resonating with people in a very personal way.

“The story of the soldier’s journey to the Abbey,” Sir Stephen adds, “is made even more poignant by the fact that the Lutyens Cenotaph was actually unveiled on that day, with the gun carriage standing beneath it.”

It is a tradition that visiting heads of state pay their respects by laying a wreath at the grave – Sir Stephen witnessed such ceremonies with Presidents Trump and Obama, and France’s Emmanuel Macron, among others.

“It conveys the message, and does so very powerfully, that peace is not something you can take for granted. It has to be striven for all the time, and while conflict will always be with us, the price is extremely high.”

When Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon married the future George VI in 1923, she laid her bouquet on the grave in memory of her brother Fergus, killed at Loos in 1915, whose body was never found. Since then, the bouquets of all Royal brides have been placed there. Moreover, of all the graves and memorials in the Abbey, that of the Unknown Warrior is the only one which is never walked upon – not even by the monarch at coronation.

“It is doing huge national honour to the humblest of individuals, because of what he stands for and what that sacrifice means,” says Sir Stephen, whose tenure included the centennial commemorations for the start and end of World War One, and for the Battle of the Somme, for which an all-night vigil was held; members of the public filed through the Abbey as the hours to the moment troops went over the top were counted down.

For the Armistice centenary, the poppies around the grave were for once replaced with spring flowers – a symbol of renewal. “That was incredibly powerful in itself,” says Sir Stephen. “It helps to realise the power that symbols can have, and it’s key that this one is permanent.

It’s not just history.”

For further information about the walking tour on 4 November, and to book, please visit the Events section of the Club website.

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DRIVING CHANGE

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Joerg Hofmann, right, with the TX Taxi outside Pall Mall. Below: TX Taxis on the line in LEVC’s state-ofthe-art production facility at Ansty near Coventry.

As CEO of the world’s oldest black cab manufacturer, Club member Joerg Hofmann is steering the London Electric Vehicle Company towards a green future. He tells us more.

Words by John Evans Photography by Martin Burton

JOERG HOFMANN is no stranger to change.

As a young man he was a captain in the German army, commanding 130 soldiers in an armoured unit. In 1996 he exchanged the military for the automotive world, working first for General Motors in Asia and then, from 2000 and for the next 17 years, at Audi where he rose through the ranks to become CEO of the company’s Brazil operations.

Hofmann left Audi for a spell at an automotive consultancy before, in February 2019, assuming his present position as CEO of the London Electric Vehicle Company, PELL- MELL & WOODCOTE

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formerly the London Taxi Company (LTC) – since the early 1900s, assembler and later manufacturer of the capital’s world-famous black cabs.

In this new role he finds himself spearheading the transformation of this iconic British brand from a low-volume supplier of old-school, diesel-engined, inner-city transport primarily serving the UK to what he calls a green mobility solutions provider, with big export ambitions. It sounds like business-school speak but Hofmann is serious and, what’s more, he has the factory, the people, the technology, the investment and above all, the vision, to pull it off.

“Speed, trust and performance: these are my guiding words and what I implemented on my arrival at LEVC,” he says. “I found a company still concentrating on its niche market. I thought this was not sustainable.

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We had to change by expanding, broadening our model range and becoming genuinely international.” Fortunately, he has the means to achieve it. Geely, the Chinese car manufacturer which also owns Lotus and Volvo, acquired LTC in 2013 and set about implementing its vision for the company as a maker of electric vehicles – renaming it LEVC in 2017. Among the first things to be signed off was a new 37,000 square metre, purpose-built factory on the outskirts of Coventry which includes an engineering and development centre.

“Geely’s investment was a hugely visionary one,” says Hofmann. “We are living in a time of great disruption in our industry; the most disruptive time since the invention of the car, I believe. Electrification, autonomous technology, car sharing – it’s all happening but our strategy and our new factory give us the means to meet it head on.”

A production line worker, below, installs wiring.

Opposite from top: cutaway of the TX showing the driveline, with range extender; the VN5 van goes to work.

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First to leave the new factory’s production line in late 2017 was the TX taxi: a plug-in, range-extending electric vehicle. Not to be confused with a pure electric vehicle; when depleted, the batteries that power the TX’s electric motor are recharged on the move by an on-board turbocharged, 1.5-litre, threecylinder petrol engine sourced from Volvo.

Typically, the vehicle runs in pure, emissions-free electric mode (which it can do for up to 80 miles on a full charge) with the range-extender cutting in to boost battery charge as required, giving the vehicle a total range of almost 380 miles.

The environmental and economic benefits are impressive. In one year, 4,500 TX’s have taken to the roads averaging 4,500 miles each. That’s equivalent to 113 million miles or 4,518 times around the earth. The total amount of fuel saved by the TX’s is 21 million litres, with CO2 emissions reduced by 36,000 tonnes and harmful NOx emissions cut by 99.5 per cent compared to conventional taxis. Drivers benefit directly too, saving around £120 a week in fuel.

Inevitably at first there were some teething problems – production was sluggish and there were supply chain issues – but, says Hofmann, these were all quickly resolved. However, despite the new vehicle’s growing popularity, when the new CEO arrived in 2019 he was struck by how underutilised the new LEVC factory was. “Although we had a state-of-the-art plant capable of producing 20,000 vehicles a year, we were actually making only around 2,000 TXs for a niche market, with 90 per cent of our production going to London. I realised the answer to utilising all that spare capacity lay in the van market.” Hofmann had observed the huge rise in home delivery services but at the same time, how operators’ reliance on diesel-powered vehicles was undermining efforts to reduce urban pollution. “Around 600,000 one-ton vans are sold in Europe each year, a number that’s set to rise to a million in the next few years. Over 65,000 vans enter London every day and 99 per cent of these new and existing vans are diesel powered.

Hofmann speaks of becoming a green mobility solutions provider, with big export ambitions... and he has the factory, the people, the technology, the investment and above all, the vision, to pull it off.

This is crazy and conflicts with government efforts to create cleaner cities.”

The solution, says Hofmann, is LEVC’s new electric van. Called the VN5, it is based on the TX taxi, so offers the promise of zeroemissions driving. It has an 830kg payload and a load capacity of 5.5 cubic metres.

It’s Hofmann’s key to unlocking LEVC’s potential. “The company’s future lies in green logistics. The VN5 launches in the UK later this year and in Europe early next.

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“I’m at home in the UK. It’s one of the easiest and most comfortable places to work. The differences between German and British people are not that great. I like British people and I like their attitude.”

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companies including BT and Royal Mail and the feedback is very positive. “In five years’ time the model will account for 70 per cent of the factory’s output compared with 30 per cent combined for the taxi and the Shuttle (LEVC’s recently launched TX-based people mover that looks less like a taxi and which is targeted at European markets). The taxi is our heritage but the van leads our vision.”

Crucially for the company’s survival, that vision sees LEVC exports increase from 10 per cent of total production to 60 per cent over the next three years. To help achieve this huge upswing, the company has already opened a European sales office in Frankfurt. All of which raises the spectre of the B-word… but “Brexit holds no fears for us as long as the politicians negotiate a clear free-trade agreement,” states Hofmann, bullishly. “We have to assume they will be rational. After all, more than 60 per cent of the UK’s automotive production is exported to Europe. Slap a 10 per cent duty on that and you will kill the sector.”

The impression is that it would be more than just a tragedy for UK business; Hofmann would find it a deeply personal one, too. “I’m at home in the UK. It’s one of the easiest and most comfortable places to work. The differences between German

The TX Shuttle, left, is an ideal people-mover.

Above: a front plug-in point allows for easy charging.

and British people are not that great. I like British people and I like their attitude.” He’s a big fan of his staff. His top management team, all handpicked he says, are Brits, while on the factory floor he finds people to be skilled and hard working. That skill and effort has led the Coventry plant to become a centre of excellence within the Geely Group for lightweight aluminium (the factory presses and bonds the 400 pieces of aluminium required to construct each vehicle) and electric engineering.

Prior to the pandemic there were plans to recruit 100 new staff and, assuming the recovery happens and exports kick in, that plan is likely to be revived. It certainly won’t be for lack of government support, which Hofmann describes as essential. “The government understands the importance of battery manufacturing and development, as well as the value of business support and promotion. Combined with a motivated workforce and a good free trade agreement, our future as a green mobility solutions provider will be assured.”

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MOTORING BOOK OF

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THE YEAR AWARDS

2020 Some truly great books have been the recipients of the awards over the years and this year two more worthy recipients will soon be added to the roll of honour. Here’s a glimpse of just a few from the shortlist.

Words by Simon Taylor

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IN THIS AGE of instant electronic gratification, we can rejoice that books continue to thrive. Nowhere is this truer than in the motoring segment. Every year, more books, of ever higher quality and merit, are published on cars, their history, their design, their creators and their motor sporting prowess. The Royal Automobile Club’s library in Pall Mall houses some 6,000 books, and each year it celebrates published excellence in the Club’s prestigious Motoring Book Awards.

“The Awards have become synonymous with celebrating the best automotive books, authors and publishers,” says Jeremy Vaughan, Head of Motoring. “The quality of entries this year has been quite remarkable,

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which is a reassuring sign that the industry is in good shape and the appetite for motoring books continue to be healthy.”

This year’s judging panel, drawn from top writers and dedicated retailers, had the almost impossible task of selecting a Motoring Book of the Year and a Specialist Motoring Book of the Year from a record number of nearly 40 nominations. First they had to decide on their short-list of six in both categories, and here’s a glimpse of some of them.

In price the short-listed titles start at £20 for A Race with Love and Death, Richard Williams’ moving biography of the prewar British Grand Prix star Dick Seaman.

Beautifully written and prodigiously researched, it is a fitting tribute to this great racer who was killed in 1939 driving for Mercedes, a few months before the outbreak of war.

Below left: Image courtesy of Simon & Schuster UK

CLUB MEMBERS

Images courtesy of Motoring Past Vintage Publishing (above) and Unicorn Publishing Group (below)

The Club library in Pall Mall houses some 6,000 books, and each year we celebrate published excellence in the Club’s prestigious Motoring Book Awards.

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Images courtesy of Merrell Publishers (above) and Syllabe Editions (right) Maserati in the World Sports Car & Manufacturers Championships 1953

MASERATI

In the World Sports Car & Manufacturers Championships from 1953 to 1966

Michel Bollée & Jean-François Blachette

Nürburgring 1000 km, August 30 1953 – Last preparations for the three A6GCS entered by Officine Maserati in the 2-litre class. The American Jack McAfee teamed up with young German Hans Herrmann on the single Vignale bodied A6GCS (#21 - chassis 2049) loaned by its owner the ItalianAmerican businessman Tony Parravano. Behind the car, in

sky blue overalls, stands Guerino Bertocchi the Maserati chief mechanic. The other two A6GCS were driven by Emilio Giletti /Onofre Marimon (#20 - chassis 2040) and Gianni Bertoni / Herrmann Lang (#22 - chassis 2050). As seen on the other cars entered in the 1501 to 2000 cc class, there is a blue stripe on the Maserati bonnet. (Jack Mc Afee Collection)

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At the other end of the scale is the £450 needed to buy Serge Vanbockryk’s massive two-volume tome, Ultimate Works Porsche 956. Weighing in at 7kg, it devotes 800 pages to tracing the entire history of just one type of racing Porsche. Barely a dozen 956s were built, but their histories and their drivers are covered in bewildering detail, supported by superb photography.

As always, the entries showed great variety.

In Design Between the Lines, visionary car designer Patrick Le Quément has written a delightful book, which is not an autobiography but a series of 50 outspoken, amusing and highly perceptive essays that throw new light on the art and philosophy of how cars are created. There have been many books on Land Rover, which qualifies now more than ever as a cult car, but none have covered the type as comprehensively as James Taylor’s The Complete Catalogue of the Land Rover. And in Richie Ginther, Motor Racing’s Free Thinker Richard Jenkins has produced a fine biography of a man who has been ignored by most Formula 1 historians. He was not only a top racing driver in his day but also a free spirit, and in philosophy and lifestyle very different from most of his fellows on the grid.

The man behind the Shadow racing team, Don Nichols, has always been something of a hidden figure. In The Magnificent Machines of a Man of Mystery the American writer Pete Lyons not only covers the cars and the races but has also persuaded Nichols to reveal fascinating and previously unpublished stories of battles and dramas in the team’s life.

The great F1 World Champion Niki Lauda has, not surprisingly, been the subject of many books, but Jon Saltinstall has taken a different approach in Niki Lauda, His Competition History. Every single one of his 316 races is treated separately, from his first hillclimb as a teenager in a Mini to the end of his brilliant F1 career, and there are photographs of virtually all of them.

These and the other titles in the Top 12 all have their own unique claim to glory. But in the end the judges managed to select their two winners, revealed at an event at Pall Mall on 28 October. They will join the roster of great books that have achieved fame through the Royal Automobile Club Motoring Book of the Year Awards.

MOTORING BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD SHORTLIST 2020 Richie Ginther, Motor Racing’s Free Thinker

by Richard Jenkins (Performance Publishing) Louis Coatalen: Engineering Impresario of Humber, Sunbeam, Talbot and Darracq

by Oliver Heal (Unicorn Publishing Group) A Race with Love and Death: The Story of Richard Seaman

by Richard Williams (Simon & Schuster UK) The Complete Catalogue of the Land Rover

by James Taylor (Herridge & Sons) Niki Lauda, His Competition History

by John Saltinstall (Evro Publishing) Design Between the Lines

by Patrick le Quément (Merrell Publishers)

SPECIALIST MOTORING BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD SHORTLIST 2020 Claude Deane: Western Australia’s Motor Dealer Extraordinaire by Graeme Cocks (Motoring Past Vintage Publishing) Shadow: The Magnificent Machines of a Man of Mystery by Pete Lyons (Evro Publishing) Ultimate Works Porsche 956 – The Definitive History by Serge Vanbokcryk (Porter Press International) Sharknose V6 – Ferrari 156, Ferrari 246SP & Ferrari 196SP by Jorg-Thomas Foedisch & Rainer Rossbach (McKlein Publishing) Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe: The autobiography of CSX2300

by Rinsey Mills (Porter Press International) Maserati, In the World Sports Car and Manufacturers Championships from 1953 to 1966

by Michel Bollée and Jean-François Blachette (Syllabe Editions)

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A LOT TO BE DESIRED

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Maarten ten Holder, now Executive Vice President, Head of Europe and Chief Auctioneer of RM Sotheby’s, tells us about the most memorable auctions of his career, his own cars and why he’s excited about the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, of which RM Sotheby’s is the new long-term sponsor.

Words by Giles Chapman Photography by Mark Lewis & courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

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MAARTEN TEN HOLDER has raised more money for a single car than anyone else on earth.

The electric atmosphere in his RM Sotheby’s saleroom enjoyed a high-voltage power surge in Monterey, California in August 2018 when – gavel in hand – the Chief Auctioneer calmly tickled the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO to a world record-setting $48.4m. That’s £37.68m. The sale happened in full public gaze, rather than via a shadowy behind-the-scenes deal relayed by ‘reports’, so it’s verifiably the most ever paid at auction for a car.

How did he do it? Ten Holder is so cheerfully matter-of-fact it’s almost disarming. “Well, we knew it wasn’t going to be super buoyant, with lots of people just putting their hands up on a whim. At that kind of level, that just doesn’t happen. Really, you’re looking from here…” He glances slightly to the left, “…to there…” And back again. “But there’s still that final push. Of course, it was an epic figure – very exciting.”

Ten Holder admits to a love of the drama of auctions – the unpredictability of what can happen on any day when incredible cars and determined people come together. There might just be a smidge of that in the impetus that’s drawn RM Sotheby’s to the Club to become

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Maarten ten Holder is welcomed to the Club by Chairman, Ben Cussons.

the long-term, 10-year sponsor of its London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, from this November.

“It’s a first for me personally, and I’m looking forward to being part of it,” he says eagerly.

“Being involved with everything around it, London Motor Week and the Regent Street Motor Show, is very good for us – even though this first year will be quieter than usual because of COVID. We are holding our Veteran Car sale on Saturday 31 October, the day before the London to Brighton run. It’s one part of the market we’ve never really been involved in, something that’s been missing. It’s important and a lot of our clients like the fact we’re dipping our foot in that part of the water.”

For anyone who doubts they could rise to the top in a famous organisation such as Sotheby’s, take heart. At the outset of his nearly 30 years with the company, ten Holder wore a porter’s apron and pushed a trolley. “After university I needed a job and somebody said go and work at Sotheby’s in Amsterdam because it seems like you can carry two or three chairs at the same time! I did exhibitions and swept the floors and all that. The great thing was you saw the business from all different facets, and even today I like it when I see some of the guys pushing cars around and setting up; then the next time I see them they’re actually advising clients.”

An intuitive feel for rarity and specialism remains essential, though. He admits to a deep interest in 16th and 17th century topographical prints and he hailed from an environment steeped in the art of curation; his father ran a small contemporary art museum in the Netherlands. “At first I was in the Clocks Department, and I think it’s unfair to say that was a real passion, but it was an interesting learning curve. It’s the complete thing that grips me. Everybody has a specific job – finance, legal, consignment, inspection, cataloguing. Whatever you do in the office, once the curtain goes up then you’re trying to make the best possible sales for you and your clients.”

RM Sotheby’s (an amalgam of Rob Myers’ specialist RM Auctions with London’s venerable fine art establishment) has gained a phenomenal track record in the six years since the two organisations joined forces. In a league table compiled by Auto Express magazine, it accounts for six of the highest-ever auction prices achieved for collectors’ cars. Five are Ferraris, with a lone $22.5m (£17.5m) Aston

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Martin interloper. That might lead you to wonder: what’s the matter with other marques?

“Well, Ferrari sells well worldwide, now even in Asia. It gets more recognition than most other brands. That Aston Martin, it was a very special car, the first DBR1, and it went to a collection in the US. It all points to the fact there’s still lots of under-valuation and under-appreciation amongst other cars.”

In this unprecedented year, when live events have been suddenly diverted into online auctions, the company has set new benchmarks.

Its top price for 2020 so far is for a 2001 car, yet another Ferrari – a Ferrari 550 GT1 Prodrive. It fetched $4.29m (3.28m) and blazes the trail for newer, limited-edition supercars that resonate with younger buyers.

“We were having a dip in values towards the end of 2019”, ten Holder explains, “and since then, of course, everybody has been adjusting and readjusting the way they look at the world!

However, we’ve been pleasantly surprised to see a lot of business happening. Five days before our Palm Beach sale in March, for example, we had to take it online; four out of five consigners agreed and we then sold 70 per cent – a great result. We’ve done some new sales like Essen, and had new partnerships with, for example, Formula 1 in Abu Dhabi – new geographic places to be, and new clients. We are looking forward to our London auction and I feel people are just going to be excited to be participating.”

Ten Holder grew up in Zwolle in the northeast of the Netherlands, and keeps a place in

RM Sotheby’s has gained a phenomenal track record in the six years since RM Auctions and Sotheby’s joined forces

Maarten (top, left of picture) in action at the RM Sothebys sale, Paris, 2018.

Utrecht, but since 2006 has been based with his family in New York. “We live between two worlds and pre-COVID almost every weekend I was on the plane either to the Netherlands or to the United States. The longer we’re here in the US, the more we realise that home is in Europe, and it’s hard when there’s no travel allowed.”

However, after a stint in London, 2015-17, he was able to take his beloved Land Rover Defender with him to North America. “I had someone in Huddersfield get it ready so it would be road legal here. I’d say it starts every other time, and so the local towing company loves me, but it’s by far my favourite car.” Meanwhile, in the garage back in Holland another classic yearns for his return; a rare 1975 Datsun 280Z. “I love to work on it when I’m there. I got it from one of our own auctions, actually, and I was very excited to win it.”

Something else awaits him on this side of the Pond: the Royal Automobile Club itself.

“Yes, I’m in the process of joining. The Club is spectacular when it comes to traditions and quality. I’ve been around Pall Mall several times, and you can feel the sense of history all over the place. I can stand for hours and look at the trophies and paintings you have everywhere.”

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123 1903 M.M.C.

Planning was well underway for the 2020 Veteran Car Run until March, then everything changed when it became clear that holding the Run at all was by no means certain.

The Club, however, was determined to hold this cherished international event, and commemorate the freedom of the motorcar 124 years ago. “There’s nothing like a challenge,” explains Jeremy Vaughan, the Club’s Head of Motoring, “so we worked closely with all the authorities along the route to create an event that works within the guidelines, ensuring the safety of the participants and all the people involved with staging the event.”

It was especially good news when the Run was confirmed because this will be RM Sotheby’s first year as title sponsor.

The company’s car auction will also go ahead across Friday 30 and Saturday 31

AGAINST ALL ODDS Planning the RM Sotheby’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run this year has posed challenges the like of which have never been seen before.

Words by Jesse Crosse

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Although entries have been limited to 250 cars this year, many magnificent machines will still be taking part

Above 1903 Oldsmobile Right 1904 Wolseley

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October. For the Run to take place, route changes were needed, especially at the start. Normally there would be 450 cars and around 1,500 participants, plus spectators and marshals, assembling along Serpentine Road in Hyde Park. Instead, beginning at sunrise and overseen by marshals and timekeepers, the cars will make their way to Hyde Park Corner and down Constitution Hill, before crossing a start line in The Mall at an allocated time.

The usual rest stops at Honda Gatwick and Crawley High Street have been dropped from the route this year to avoid large congregations. However, the cars will still drive through a checkpoint at the Boulevard, Crawley, and participants will be given details of alternative places to stop for refreshments before continuing on to Brighton. Despite the complexities posed by the pandemic, the organisers have also found the time to improve many of the hotspots on the route to give the participants a smoother run to Brighton.

Although entries have been limited to 250 cars this year, many magnificent machines will still be taking part. Examples include the 1898 LĂŠon BollĂŠe Tricar driven

by Kate and Emily Baldock. Powered by a 650cc, 3hp, air-cooled engine with a top speed of 25mph, an unusual feature of the

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Left 1896c Salvesen Below The 1898 Leon Bollee at the finish last year

tricycle design is that the passenger seat is forward facing. The 1903 Oldsmobile Curved Dash Runabout is another, driven

by George Hudson. The ‘Olds’ preceded the Ford Model T in being the world’s first mass-produced vehicle and is powered by a 95cu in (1,557cc), 4hp, horizontal single cylinder engine.

Also of note is the two-seater 1904 Wolseley powered by a single cylinder, 6hp engine and entered by Daniel Ward. The Wolseley, registration Y 394, took part in the 1930 Run, the first year it was owned and professionally organised by the Club. Last but not least is the 1896 Salvesen (steam), literally puffing its way to Brighton. Built in 1896, Duncan Pittaway’s spectacular steam-powered machine has two cylinders, produces 10hp and is based on a typical horse-drawn cart of the period.

Given that it is both the 90th year since the Club took responsibility for the Run and the 90th anniversary of the Veteran Car Club, it’s heart-warming to know that gems like this will still be doing what they do best for everyone to enjoy.

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CLUB JUNIORS

Woodcote Juniors Woodcote Junior membership – for children aged up to twelve – is open to the children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews of full members.

As well as the classes and activities listed below, Woodcote Juniors enjoy free of charge use of Cedars Sports. They will also have free of charge use of the new family facilities in the Walled Garden once they are open.

COURSES AND CLASSES EZEESPORT SATURDAY CLUB 2½-4½ years: 9.00–9.40am Ezeesport is a sports programme for children, introducing them to the base skills needed to play most ball sports.

The main objectives of the programme are to generate a love for sport in children from a young age and to build their confidence so that they reach a level of competence in the sports skills we coach, and so they can go on to play any preferred sport as they progress.

WJs: 6-week periods, £15.00 per session To book, please contact Cedars Sports Reception at cedarsreception@ royalautomobileclub.co.uk or on 01372 229266.

CHRISTMAS WOODCOTE JUNIOR ACTIVITIES From 16 to 18 December, we will be running multi-activity courses which include sports skills and drills, invasion games and lots of Christmas-themed activities to keep the Juniors in the festive spirit.

TENNIS

Please watch out for more details in the Woodcote Junior e-newsletter.

Tactics, skills and fun with our tennis professionals for players aged 5-16.

BALLET Classes follow the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) syllabus.

Wednesdays Year 3: 4.30–5.00pm Year 5: 5.00–5.30pm Year 4: 5.30–6.00pm Year 6: 6.00–6.30pm Grade 5: 6.30–7.00pm WJs: £77.00 per term For more information, please email jenni@jhballet.co.uk or call on 07773 393473.

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Saturdays 5-7 years: 9.00–9.45am 8-10 years: 9.45–10.30am WJs: £6.50 per session Tuesdays 12-16 years: 5.30–6.30pm Union Club Tennis Free of charge Sunday 10 January for 8 weeks to Sunday 28 February.

Junior Tennis Academy To book tennis, please contact Cedars Sports Reception at cedarsreception@ royalautomobileclub.co.uk or on 01372 229266.

CLUB JUNIORS

Junior Squash – Intermediate & Advanced Open to any junior who can consistently hit a good squash shot, is starting to understand the game of squash and is willing to improve both technical and tactical aspects of their game.

Saturdays 10.45-11.30am WJs: £8.25

SQUASH Junior Squash will resume with the following programme once England Squash adapts the rules in line with COVID-19 guidance to allow more than two on a court at any given time.

Mini Squash – Beginners For juniors aged five to ten to take their first steps on a squash court and learn basic hand-eye coordination skills and the basics of holding and swinging a racket in a fun environment.

Saturdays 9.15–10.00am WJs: £8.25 Junior Squash – Beginners & Improvers This class is aimed at juniors who have the ability to hit a squash ball consistently and already have the basic skill set to start to have three or more shot rallies.

Saturdays 10.00–10.45am WJs: £8.25 Junior Squash – Improvers to Advanced Open Session Open to all juniors who attend the Beginners & Improvers or Intermediate & Advanced sessions, who are keen to play matches with any juniors.

Tuesdays 4.30–5.30pm WJs: £8.25

To book squash, please contact Cedars Sports Reception at cedarsreception@ royalautomobileclub.co.uk or on 01372 229266.

GOLF Junior Golf Clinics Sundays 2.00–3.00pm For further information and to book please email proshop@ royalautomobileclub.co.uk

SWIMMING With Caroline Legge, certified aquatics teacher.

All sessions are subject to change based on maximum capacity restrictions.

Tiny Tadpoles None at present due to pool restrictions but we are hoping to start these again the New Year.

Group Sessions Saturdays 10.15am–12.55pm (half hour sessions, times dependent on ability) WJs: £10.50 per session One-to-One Lessons Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays 3.15–5.30pm Saturdays 1.00–5.45pm WJs: £25.00 per 30-minute lesson or £150.00 for a six-week course.

Block booking is advised to guarantee places as availability is very limited.

Junior Swim Training A 30-minute coaching session for more advanced swimmers (stage 5+).

Wednesdays 6.45–7.15pm WJs: £5.50 per session Please email caroline.legge@ btinternet.com to book swimming or for more information.

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Handcrafted Bespoke Suits only £799 £1200 Exclusive 10% discount on full price items for Royal Automobile Club members Now located near Savile Row. Visiting Tailor Service Available 0207 925 2238 www.apsleytailors.com 2 Mill Street, Mayfair W1S 2AT

CLUB CLUB MEMBERS EVENTS

Events We are busy planning an exciting season of events, from festive celebrations to walking tours and fascinating talks from experts.

Some of these events may be a little different from normal, to keep everyone safe, and some will be online.

The programme on the following pages is subject to change and more will be added, so keep an eye on the Club Wire for announcements and the Events section of the Club website for the latest information.

Although it is our hope that we will be able to run all on-site events as normal, they will, of course, only go ahead if government guidance at the time allows.

HOW TO BOOK BOOKING ONLINE

CANCELLING A BOOKING

The easiest and quickest way to book an event is via the Club website. Alternatively you can email events@royalautomobileclub.co.uk. Your email booking request will be acknowledged within five working days.

Bookings must be made in writing, we cannot accept bookings via the telephone.

Please check the Club website for when each event will be open for bookings. Bookings will open as events are added and confirmed. Please also keep an eye on the weekly Club Wire, where new events will be advertised.

To ensure as many members and guests as possible have the opportunity to enjoy the events programme, please make any cancellations as soon as possible.

We will always endeavour to resell cancelled places.

If we are unable to sell your place(s), your account will be charged the full amount unless you have cancelled at least 14 days in advance. A small number of events warrant a longer cancellation deadline and this will be clearly stated on the event cancellation terms. Events may sometimes be cancelled or postponed due to circumstances beyond our control. The Events Team will give members as much notice as possible.

GUESTS AND CHILDREN

PALL MALL ACCOMMODATION OFFER

All guests must be accompanied by a Full Member. If a guest price is not shown, this indicates that the event is for members only.

If a child price (WJ/Non-WJ) is not shown, then the event is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18.

You can receive 10% off the price of an overnight stay at Pall Mall with selected events.

Please note: offers subject to availability and T&Cs

BOOKING TIMES

BOOKING ON BEHALF OF OTHER MEMBERS If we do not receive written instructions for charging another member, all places at the event will be charged to your account.

WOODCOTE PARK ACCOMMODATION OFFER You can receive ÂŁ40.00 off the price of an overnight stay at Woodcote Park with certain events. Please note: offers subject to availability and T&Cs

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CLUB EVENTS

November

The Journey of the Unknown Warrior: Walking Tour Starting at Victoria Station Wednesday 4 November, 1.00-3.30pm The Unknown Warrior was laid to rest on 11 November 1920, the second anniversary of the WWI armistice. The body of the British soldier, who died on the Western Front, was drawn through the streets of London past the newly unveiled Cenotaph to Westminster Abbey. Join us to walk the route the cortege took and learn how Remembrance became part of British life.

For more details please visit the Events section of the Club website.

The Cold War’s Most Notorious Spies Online Tuesday 10 November, evening talk The Portland Spy Ring was one of the most dangerous KGB espionage rings to operate during the Cold War. November 2020 marks the 60th anniversary of the breakthrough which enabled MI5 to identify the final two spies in the Ring. The remarkable full story is told in a new book, Dead Doubles by Cambridge University historian and former BBC reporter, Trevor Barnes, who will be in conversation with Professor Rory Cormac.

For more details please visit the Events section of the Club website.

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Caviar Talk & Tasting with the Queen of Caviar, Laura King Online Monday 16 November, 7.00-7.45pm

Piano Concert by Candlelight with Nicholas McCarthy Woodcote Park Friday 27 November, 7.30-10.30pm

King’s Fine Food has been sourcing the finest caviar for more than two decades. Founder Laura King is the UK’s leading caviar expert and nicknamed the Queen of Caviar. Sample five varieties of exquisite caviar at this virtual event, which guarantees to be both a mouthwatering and an educational experience.

M&G: £70.00 Includes: Talk, tasting of five varieties of caviar and a complimentary mother of pearl spoon.

Members will need access to Zoom to take part.

Join award-winning concert pianist Nicholas McCarthy for an evening of classical piano music. Fresh from presenting his recent BBC Radio 3 programme, he will perform an array of classical piano music with pieces chosen to represent two centuries of music for left hand alone.

M: £72.00 G: £83.00 Includes: Welcome glass of champagne, three-course dinner with wine, piano recital Dress code: Jacket and tie

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CLUB EVENTS

In Conversation With Hamish De Bretton-Gordon OBE, Author of ‘Chemical Warrior’ Pall Mall or Zoom, depending on circumstances Wednesday 18 November, 7.00-8.00pm A former Commanding Officer of the UK Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Regiment

and NATO’s Rapid Reaction CBRN Battalion, Hamish De Bretton-Gordon has been at the forefront of the charge against these devastating weapons.

Discovering that he has a heart condition called Sudden Death Syndrome, his new awareness for the fragility of life encouraged him to fight even harder to make his count. “The book is dedicated to the Syrian people and the Iraqi Kurds who were instrumental in the defeat of ISIS; I was their chemical weapons advisor,” Hamish explains. “The aim is to galvanise the world into the abolition of chemical and biological weapons.”

He will share his remarkable life story and discuss lessons that can be learnt from past events that are relevant now, against the current pandemic backdrop.

For more details please visit the Events section of the Club website.

For more details on the following events, please visit the Events section of the Club website.

Virtual Wine Tasting: The Marriage of Food and Wine Online Tuesday 3 November, 6.00-7.30pm Festive Fizz: Fine Grower Champagne Tasting Online Monday 30 November, 7.00-8.30pm Join Maud Fierobe, founder of French Bubbles and Champagne+Fromage, as she takes you on a journey around the Champagne region. You will taste and compare four champagnes from carefully selected growers. These Champagne houses are all family producers who work hard year on year to ensure they safeguard the knowledge handed down from previous generations and produce the best cuvées possible from their vineyards.

Includes: Talk and tasting. For more details please visit the Events section of the Club website.

The Comedy Store at the Country Club Woodcote Park Sunday 8 November, 7.15-10.30pm An Evening with Nyetimber: Sparkling Wine Tasting and Dinner Woodcote Park Wednesday 18 November, 7.00-10.00pm

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Christmas Opera in the Great Gallery Pall Mall Sunday 29 November, 6:00pm-10:00pm

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CLUB EVENTS

December The Spirit of Christmas Through the Ages Pall Mall Wednesday 2 December, evening During this evening of festive food history, you will discover the origins and recipes of our most-loved Christmas dishes, as well as those now consigned to the history books. Sample the delights of a Medieval Christmas feast and a Tudor banquet and taste dishes of Christmases past, while learning the origins of our ‘traditional’ festive foods.

For more details please visit the Events section of the Club website.

Best of British Cheese with Paxton & Whitfield Online Friday 4 December, 7.00-8.00pm Join an expert cheesemonger from Paxton & Whitfield in this fun and informative cheese tasting.

You will be tasting four delicious cheeses (delivered to you in advance), while learning all about their special and unique qualities.

This tasting will be led by Annie Meakin, manager of Paxton & Whitfield’s London shops, a cheese professional of more than 13 years standing and tutor for The Academy of Cheese.

For more details please visit the Events section of the Club website.

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CLUB EVENTS

Members Virtual Christmas Quiz Night Online Tuesday 8 December, 8.00-9.30pm Following the success of the Club’s last online quiz night, we’re back again, but this time with a festive twist. Get ready for some friendly member rivalry and test your general knowledge at this light-hearted, interactive quiz night. Battle your way to the top of our leader board with live scores revealed throughout. There won’t be traditional prizes this time, just the glory of being the champion.

M&G: Complimentary Includes: Interactive online quiz. Members will need access to Zoom to take part. Two devices are required to play the interactive quiz, full instructions for how to play will be sent to all booked members.

Christmas at Kew Woodcote Park Tuesday 15 December, 3.45-9.30pm Returning for its eighth year, the enchanting winter trail at Kew Gardens takes a new route, leading you for the first time through the illuminated Rose Garden. Old favourites and brand-new light installations will sparkle and glow around you. Discover a glittering tunnel of bells, giant illuminated seed heads and majestic trees wrapped in light on your way to the dazzling treetop waterfall.

M: £80.00 G: £92.00 Includes: Coach transfers, entrance to Christmas at Kew, two-course dinner with Club wine Dress code: Casual

Festive Floristry Workshop: Long and Low Table Display Woodcote Park Thursday 17 December, 3.30-5.30pm Christmas brings the perfect excuse to spruce up your home with enchanting festive decorations. Join local florist Rebeca Kemble of Green Cabin Flowers as she teaches you how to create a wonderfully wintery table display to impress all your house guests over the festive season.

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CLUB EVENTS

Save the Date Full details of the following will be published on the Club website as soon as they are confirmed. Please note, some of these events will only be able to go ahead if COVID-19 restrictions are amended.

Members’ Festive Dinner Woodcote Park Saturday 5 December, evening Woodcote Juniors Winter Wonderland Trail Woodcote Park Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December, daytime Christmas Carols at Pall Mall Pall Mall Wednesday 9 December, evening Family Christmas Carols Woodcote Park Thursday 10 December, evening Drive-In Cinema: Elf Woodcote Park Saturday 12 December, late afternoon New Year’s Eve Woodcote Park Thursday 31 December, evening

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CLUB EVENTS

2021 Family Tree Workshop: Bring Your Family History to Life Woodcote Park Thursday 21 January, 2.00pm-4.30pm Have you ever thought of where you came from and who your ancestors are? Join Kinnections’ Joanne Peers for a morning of discovery at this interactive workshop.

During the session, learn how to access ancestry websites and the tricks of the trade required to formulate your own family tree going back eight generations. This is a beginner’s course. Members are invited to bring along their laptop so the course instructor can give a more personalised session, however this is not compulsory.

M: £65.00 G: £75.00 Includes: Refreshments upon arrival, interactive family tree workshop, refreshments during the break, family tree starter kit to take home.

Dress code: Casual

Burns Night Supper Pall Mall Friday 22 January, evening One of the biggest nights in the Scottish calendar comes to Pall Mall — tuck into some haggis, neeps, tatties and other traditional Scottish fare as the Club celebrates the life of Scotland’s best-loved bard, Robert Burns.

For more details please visit the Events section of the Club website.

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CLUB EVENTS

Activity Group Events PHOTOGRAPHY Please visit the Club website to book either of the following events.

The Art and Techniques of Close-Up Photography with Adrian Davies Zoom Wednesday 11 November, 7.30pm Adrian Davies is a wildlife and natural history photographer with more than 30 years’ experience. Following his previous successful presentations on photographing the natural world, he returns to give a more detailed talk on macro photography. His presentation will show how to produce visually interesting, creative and informative close-up images of natural history subjects. He will cover the equipment required, lighting tips and advanced techniques such as focus stacking.

M & G: £3.00

Astrophotography Masterclass with David Clapp Zoom Wednesday 25 November, 7.30pm David Clapp is giving an astrophotography masterclass to push your imagery towards the heavens. With practical advice on how to shoot the camera gear you have, to images from across the globe to inspire you to get out under the night sky, this is a talk not to be missed!

M & G: £3.00

SKIING

BACKGAMMON

Rather than the normal four ski trips to the slopes, because of the COVID situation the Club has currently only planned two trips for the 2021 season. These are sold out but there could be a further trip if there is enough demand.

If you would like to register your interest in an additional trip or join the waiting list for any cancellations please email skiing-organiser@ royalautomobileclub.co.uk.

We have obviously not been able to meet regularly in the clubhouses for our tournaments but backgammon is still being played weekly each Tuesday evening via Zoom and Backgammon Galaxy – so do join us for a great evening’s entertainment.

Full details are available on the Club website or write to our Chairman Peter Hartley at backgammon-committee@royalautomobileclub.co.uk for more information.

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CLUB EVENTS

RUNNING The Running Group at Woodcote Park welcomes runners of all abilities every first Sunday and third Saturday of the month for a 7 to 9km run, taking in Epsom Downs or Epsom Common. Join us at Cedars Sports reception at 8.45am on Sunday (for a 9.00am start) and at 9.45am on Saturday (10.00am start). The monthly runs provide a perfect way to exercise and socialise out in the open!

Sunday 1 November Saturday 21 November Sunday 6 December Saturday 19 December Sunday 3 January Saturday 16 January Sunday 7 February Saturday 20 February There’s no need to book, just turn up, or email running-organiser@ royalautomobileclub.co.uk if you have any questions.

GARDENING Please visit the Club website to book either of the following events.

‘The Secrets and Science of Scented Plants’ by Emma Desmier Woodcote Park Thursday 27 January, 7.15pm for 7.30pm Emma Desmier is a respected Fragrance and Sensory Research Scientist. She worked in the beauty and fragrance industry from 1990 where she specialised in fragrance and olfactory research and development. This has included isolating new fragrance materials from plants, through to understanding how fragrances influence the human senses and emotions.

Emma retired from full-time research in 2018 so that she can spend more time working in the botanical world. Currently she lectures at The Plant School where she established the Plant Scent and Taste Course, which aims to teach students about the array of scented and aromatic plants they can grow and use. As a keen gardener and cook, Emma loves spending time in her garden. Her talk will look into the world of scented plants and uncover why and how they produce an amazing array of scents.

M & G: £10.00

Arts & Crafts Gardens in the South East Woodcote Park Thursday 7 January 2021, 7.15pm for 7.30pm Cherill will be returning to Woodcote Park to talk to us about several local Arts and Crafts gardens and the gardeners who developed them. We will learn about William Morris and the Red House, William Robinson and Gravetye, Gertrude Jekyll and Munstead Wood, and Vann and the Manor House, Upton Grey. If the talk inspires you to visit any of these gardens, we can arrange this for members later in the summer.

M & G: £10.00

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CLUB CLASSIFIEDS

CLASSIFIEDS The Club’s free online classified advertisements can be seen on the Club website: just look for ‘Classifieds & Retail’ in the main menu after you have signed in.

Advertisements for Pell-Mell & Woodcote (which are charged at £50.00 per edition) can be submitted through the same section of the website.

PROPERTY FOR RENT

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Townhouse with Breathtaking Views, Tuscany – 18/9 hole golf course

Oast House and Barn

Situated on a hilltop in the heart of Tuscany between Florence, Pisa and Sienna, Castelfalfi is a medieval hamlet covering more than 2,700 acres of vineyards, olive groves, woods and lakes.

Recently restored, the borgo (village) has a boutique hotel, four swimming pools, five-star spa and wellness hotel, two restaurants and an 18 and 9 hole golf course. Located in the medieval borgo of Castelfalfi is a beautifully-restored three-storey townhouse (sleeps six) which has glorious unspoilt views. The accommodation is well-equipped and presented to a high standard.

Email: c.quill@icloud.com Tel: 07767 840859 www.homeaway.co.uk/p6468501

Waterside Self-Catering Holiday Cottage – Mylor, Cornwall Creekside Cottage is a well-appointed fourbedroom family home on the banks of Mylor Creek with stunning views across the water and open Cornish countryside beyond. An easy walk (or paddle) to Mylor Sailing School with slipway access and private foreshore for kayak, SUP or dinghy. Heaven for walkers and wildlife lovers, or just relaxing beside the water, Creekside Cottage offers an idyllic setting for families, friends and their dogs to enjoy all year round.

Email: nigelcwheeler@gmail.com Tel: 07775 676435 www.mylorcreekside.com 102 PELL - MELL & WOODCOTE

Delightful and well-maintained oast house and barn set in half an acre in rural Kent. Four bedrooms, two bathrooms, study, and double garage.

Located 15 minutes from Ashford International or 40 minutes from St Pancras. Mature gardens and pond, extremely quiet location, and an ideal family/ second home.

Email: nicholaswyldeconsulting@gmail.com Tel: 07831 305595

CAR WANTED Convertible 2+2 Wanted A usable modern or older classic car that can keep pace on modern roads. Open to offers from fellow members. Price between £20-70k for a genuine good car.

Email: harry@rousepropertyservices.co.uk Tel: 07786 136896

The view above Mylor Creek

CLUB CLASSIFIEDS

MISCELLANEOUS Caiger Art: Perfect Art for Your Home and Garden Have you just moved house or finished decorating?

Are you looking for that perfect piece of artwork to tie everything together? That’s where we can help! We would love to help you find artwork, any style, colour or size, whatever your space, budget or taste. We work closely with a wide network of artists, allowing us to source a fantastic selection of artworks. Artwork is available to buy online, viewed ‘by appointment’ in Ewell or brought to your home.

Please email us now for a free advice call.

Email: info@caigerart.com Tel: 07828 513885 www.caigerart.com

Luxury Interior Design by Dr Maximilian Buston I gained my design training as Studio Director for a leading light of the design world, Anouska Hempel. I shall never forget her mastery of architecture and drama, alongside a non-stop energy to accomplish the most ambitious of designs. Now running my own studio, I am working on residential and commercial projects. I am also happy to hear from Club members sharing a passion for design.

Please see my new website for more information.

Maximilian Buston.

Email: max@maxbuston.com Tel: 0207 971 1313 www.maxbuston.com

MEMBER-TO-MEMBER ADVERTISING The Club now offers three simplified options for members to advertise to other members, whether for business or personal purposes.

PELL-MELL & WOODCOTE DISPLAY ADVERTISING Pell-Mell & Woodcote is published quarterly and distributed to every member, providing an excellent means of promoting your business to fellow members.

For further information about display adverts email advertising@royalautomobileclub.co.uk or call 020 7531 7147.

PELL-MELL & WOODCOTE CLASSIFIEDS Classified advertisements are ideal for selling items such as cars and boats as well as advertising property for sale or rent. A fee of £50.00 per advert per edition is charged.

CLUB WEBSITE CLASSIFIEDS Classified adverts may now be placed on the Club website free of charge by any member.

For more information about classified adverts or to submit an advert email classifieds@royalautomobileclub.co.uk or visit the ‘Classifieds & Retail’ area of the website.

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CLUB HERITAGE

CLUB CURIOSITY Club Librarian Trevor Dunmore unearths a treasure from the Club’s archive. In this issue, it is a very special pressure gauge.

Tucked away in Pall Mall is a pressure gauge, an evocative memento of Bluebird’s great endeavour in 1964.

ENGRAVED ON MY EARLY childhood memory is an illustrative wall-chart of record-breaking achievements across land, sea and air. It included the new world land speed record of 403.1 mph, set by Donald Campbell in Bluebird, at Lake Eyre on 17 July 1964.

This particular feat was unique in many ways. Bluebird was the last record-breaking wheel-driven car that this country produced.

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it added fewer than 10 mph to Cobb’s record.

Nevertheless, it was widely recognised, both at the time and since, that Bluebird’s revolutionary design made it capable of a much higher speed in better conditions: it was decades ahead in its sophistication. With its Proteus 425 engine, 450 to 500 mph should have been well within its grasp had not Campbell’s tragic death in 1967 precluded another attempt.

Tucked away in the Segrave Room, fittingly enough, in Pall Mall is an evocative memento of that great endeavour in 1964: the pressure gauge from Bluebird, stripped from the car’s aircraft-styled cockpit and now residing in a handsome mahogany case. Made by Smiths Instruments Ltd – the company which was responsible for the design, development and supply of all instrument systems on Bluebird – it was presented to the Club by Campbell himself.

Apart from one or two references to its location around the clubhouse in the following decades and the addition of an identifying plaque in 1985, the Club has no further information about its provenance. That’s a pity. One question that comes to mind would be why that piece of instrumentation, from a wide panoply available, was chosen as a fitting donation.

Club Shops

Pall Mall

Woodcote Park

The Club Shop and Post Office at Pall Mall stocks newspapers, magazines and high quality Club gifts.

The Club Shop at Woodcote Park stocks a wide range of sportswear and equipment for the gym, golf, tennis and squash, as well as a variety of special gifts, Club food and wine.

Staff are available to help select the ideal gift for all occasions including, umbrellas, ties, cufflinks and Segrave luggage, each featuring the Club logo.

There are also seasonal ranges available, including for Christmas, Easter and Valentine’s Day.

The knowledgeable shop staff are on hand to assist, whether you need fitting for a new set of golf clubs, help selecting a bottle of wine for a dinner party, or a gift for a special occasion.

Pall Mall opening hours: Monday to Friday: 9.00am-5.00pm Saturdays: 9.00am-4.00pm

Woodcote Park opening hours: April to October: 8.00am to 6.00pm November to March: 8.00am to 5.00pm

cspo@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

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CLUB MOTORING

RAC FOUNDATION How do we keep traffic moving, even in extreme weather?

@ Jarek Kilian Shutterstock.com

IT SEEMS OUR changing climate is throwing up more extremes of weather, more regularly. With these come particular problems for our transport networks, whose stark vulnerability is frequently exposed.

Take the Stonehaven train derailment on 12 August this year in which three people died, the result of landslip caused by heavy rain. The official response was, rightly, swift. At least five organisations started investigations – Network Rail, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, the Office of Rail and Road, British Transport Police and Police Scotland – while two independent inquiries have been launched to look at the wider impact of severe conditions on the railways.

It is not just train tracks that are susceptible to the worst the weather can throw at us; roads too are in the eye of the storm. A day after the tragedy in Scotland, a section of the M25 was closed in both directions after a torrential downpour left it swamped. There were no deaths but one of the busiest roads in Europe was brought

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to a standstill, with all the economic and personal disruption which resulted.

These scenarios are not a wholly recent phenomenon – indeed, a decade ago David Quarmby, then chair of the RAC Foundation, led a governmentcommissioned study into what could have been done better to keep the country moving after the chaos caused by snow and ice during the winter of 2009-10 – but the challenges appear to be multiplying and the weather increasingly unseasonal.

That’s why the Foundation has written to the Office of Rail and Road – as the regulator – asking that it probes whether those in charge of keeping our most important routes open to traffic are doing enough in the face of the growing meteorological onslaught and if they have acted fully on the recommendations made in the Quarmby report, and others.

Whilst it is important that we adopt the best design and construction practice for any new routes, the reality is that our road system is mature, and most resources need to be focused on looking after the 247,000 miles of road already in place in Great Britain.

Part of the answer lies in the mundane: cleaning drainage ditches for example. Yet the scale of the task is immense. Highways England – which is responsible for the country’s motorways and major A roads – points out that it alone has a network of 24,000 miles of pipes and ditches, and 1.4 million chambers and gullies to keep maintained.

If nothing else, this is another reminder that for all the welcome investment in shiny new transport schemes, we mustn’t stop spending on what we’ve already got: from filling potholes to painting the lines to clearing gullies to cutting the verges.

Planning for the future

Providing a real financial plan to give you confidence, clarity and peace of mind. We pride ourselves on breaking down complex matters and keeping things simple.

Financial Planning Retirement Planning Estate Planning Investment Planning Cash Flow Modelling

Felicity McSheehy Adviser and Director Marlborough Office

Eleanor Armson Financial Planner London Office

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