December 2016 Issue 5
The Royal Pavilion A Quick Trip Through History
See inside for details...
Your Local Multi-Award Winning Property Experts
01273 685111 www.sawyerandco.co.uk
Russell Kane – ‘Right Man, Wrong Age’
Minimag CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
Inside: An Interview with Father Christmas Our Round-Up of the Year Our Favourite Festive Recipes
A Sawyer & Co. Publication
Merry Christmas from Sawyer & Co!
December 2016 Issue 5
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Christmas Special
December 2016 Issue 5
Christmas Special
Happy Christmas! I’m sure I’m not the first to wish you good tidings for the season but I hope that this special edition of our magazine covering the whole of Brighton, Hove and Portslade area will add a little fun to your festivities. We’ve got some great interviews with comedian Russell Kane who is visiting Brighton Dome this month and also an exclusive chat with that other special man of the moment, Father Christmas himself. While we all love to spend time with our family and friends over Christmas, it’s also a time for thinking about others who are less fortunate. At Sawyer & Co. we are big supporters of local charity The Clock Tower Sanctuary, so in this issue we highlight the fantastic work it does for young homeless people in our city.
Contents An Interview with Father Christmas.........05 Property for Sale and Rent............................... 06 A Quick Trip Through History..........................07 This Month We’re…...........................................08-09 Property Market Update......................................10 In the community....................................................... 11 Q&A with Russell Kane....................................12-13
This year has certainly been a year to remember and so also in this issue we will give you our expert overview of what’s happened in the world of property and what we think the picture will look like for the New Year. For a free valuation of your property pop into any one of our three high street offices in Kemp Town, Hove or Portslade and say hello, call us on 01273 77 88 44 or go to http://valuation.sawyerandco.co.uk/ and use our free online valuation tool. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Chris Sawyer Director and 2016 President of the Brighton & Hove Estate Agents Association
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Available in Your Area
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We’re always keen to discuss any future ideas for features, reviews or advertising as well as hearing about new charity events or community projects. Pop into the office and say hello or contact us now on 01273 685 111 or email jenny@sawyerandco.co.uk No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission from the publishers. The opinions expressed within are not necessarily those of the publishers.
December 2016 Issue 5
Christmas Special
We pride ourselves on giving you a knowledgeable, transparent and caring service so it’s nice for that to be recognised. This year has been a great one for us in that respect, as we have won many high profile awards from both inside and outside our industry. At the industry leading Negotiator Awards 2016 held at the Park Lane Hilton last month we were Silver winners in the South East Agency of the Year and Bronze winners in the Small Lettings Agency of the Year categories, whilst also being shortlisted finalists for the national Community Champion of the Year award. In November our Associate Director, Nick Daley was crowned the National Employee of the Year at the prestigious Relocation Agency Network Awards for consistently going above and beyond the call of duty for both our clients and his colleagues. We were announced as the Gold winners for the Best Estate Agent in Brighton & Hove 2016 by the UK’s largest customer review website for the property industry AllAgents https://www.allagents.co.uk/sawyer-and-co/ and also shortlisted as a finalist for Fastest Growing Business at the recent BAHBAs. That’s not all, earlier this year at The Times Lettings Agency of the Year Awards 2016 our very own Kerry-Anne Holland was announced as a shortlisted Finalist for Best Lettings Negotiator in the country and at the upcoming The Times Estate Agency of the Year Awards 2016 we have two shortlisted finalists with Nick Daley in the running for the national Manager of the Year award and Dominique Scott for the national Negotiator of the Year award. I’m sure you’ll join with us in wishing them success and we hope that it all goes to show that here at multi-award winning Sawyer & Co. we’re always looking out for you, whether you want to buy or sell, rent or let.
BEST ESTATE AGENT in Brighton-and-hove
2016 for
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE 04|
December 2016 Issue 5
Christmas Special
Colour me in
This month we have an exclusive chat with everyone’s favourite Christmas house guest, Father Christmas himself!
So ho ho, how are you Santa?
How do you find you way Brighton? I used to
I’m rested and can’t wait to visit all my friends
look out for the two piers being all lit up, but
in Brighton, Hove and Portslade soon - as
that was a few years ago now. This year I’m
long as they’ve been good this year of course!
going to be aiming for the i360 and hoping Rudolph doesn’t try to land on it while it’s at
Why do you like our city? Because I start my
the top of its own pole!
journey from the North Pole, by the time I get to the south coast of England I’ve done
Lastly, what can we give you for Christmas?
a lot of work and I’m ready for a pick-me-
A mince pie and a drink is always welcome
up before I go over to the continent. So I
if I have the time, but I would be happiest if
always have a couple of mince pies and some
everyone just got along with everyone else.
mulled wine in Brighton before I cross
So whether you believe in me or not just join
the channel.
in with the festive fun and be nice to one another at this wonderful time of year!
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December 2016 Issue 5
Christmas Special
For Sale £425,000 Available NOW
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Contact us now on 01273 77 88 44 for more details.
December 2016 Issue 5
Christmas Special
The Royal Pavilion
a quick trip through history
As a former royal residence, Brighton’s Pavilion has been an all year round focal point in the city for more than 200 years.
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Originally a hedonistic pleasure palace by the sea built for King George IV and linked to The Dome by a secret underground passage, it not only helped put Brighton and the surrounding area on the map as a destination of choice but during its colourful history it has also had many other interesting uses.
Today the Pavilion is one of the most recognisable images for the city, with special lighting displays and various events during the winter making it even more appealing. During December visitors will be able to see the spectacular Banqueting Room laid out as if ready for a royal feast. However, perhaps the most seasonal of all is the outdoor ice rink, which according to The Independent newspaper “must win hands down for atmosphere.�
The iconic structure, which features various design and architectural themes from around the world, served time as a hospital in the First World War and later as a civic building serving the wider needs of the community.
Open to the public this season all through December and up to Jan 15th in the New Year, the stunning spectacle has something for all the family and with a great bar and restaurant on-site it makes for a perfect romantic rendezvous too.
December 2016 Issue 5
Christmas Special
this month
...we love
Loder Road FOR SALE http://ow.ly/NQlf306IhMC Stylish Four Bedroom Bay Fronted House with South-Facing Rear Garden. Contact us now on 01237 685 111 and find out more about this property
last month...
...we enjoyed
Laughing at Josh Widdicombe’s ‘What Do I Do Now’ show at The Dome and listening to him deftly react to the sold out crowd interrupting his final joke! His well-crafted show tackled everything from contact-less debit cards to sleeper trains and even attempted to match an audience member who’d been made redundant earlier that day with a new job.
this month...
...we’re enjoying Baked – our local independent cafe Conveniently located just over the road from our Hove branch, the team at Baked not only kept us going with take-away coffees when our office machine broke down but also very kindly and very generously donated one of their delicious handmade cakes for our Children In Need coffee morning. http://www.baked-hove.co.uk/ 08|
Thank you Baked!
December 2016 Issue 5
this month
Christmas Special
...we’ll be enjoying a glass or two of mulled wine
In the lead up to Christmas nothing beats a glass of hot mulled wine to get you into the festive spirit. Everyone likes to add their own twists to this traditional beverage including our own Property Manager Harriet who recommends putting the following ingredients in a pot over a medium heat and giving it the occasional stir over the next couple of hours. 1 bottle red wine, preferably Merlot 1/2 vanilla bean, slit down the centre Approx. ¼ teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg Add honey or brown sugar to your own taste Squeeze 1 orange or 2 Clementines into the pot and then add the juice and the actual fruit 5 whole cloves 4 green cardamom pods 2 cinnamon sticks 2 whole star anise Keep it in a slow cooker and 4 tablespoons of brandy reheat it whenever you fancy a glass.
….we’ll be spicing up our sprouts!
…we’re listening to It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas – Michael Buble Fairytale of New York –The Pogues feat Kirsty MacColl Think you don’t like Brussels sprouts? Think again. Our shortlisted finalist for The Times Negotiator of the Year Award 2016, Dominque Scott, makes Chilli Sprouts that’ll change your mind and add a twist to your Christmas Dinner. Slowly stir fry your sprouts from raw for 10 mins in olive oil with chilli flakes, chopped garlic & Ketsup Manis (Indonesian soy sauce) until cooked through and serve immediately.
Frosty the Snowman – The Ronettes Run Run Rudolph – The Shining Stars I Believe in Father Christmas – Emerson, Lake & Palmer Last Christmas – Manic Street Preachers All I Want for Christmas is You – Mariah Carey Blue Christmas – Elvis Presley Merry Jingle Bells – Ravales Merry Christmas Everybody - Slade Our favourite Christmas tunes on our Spotify playlist http:// ow.ly/Kbkj306rXqr
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December 2016 Issue 5
Christmas Special
Property Market Update - Brighton leads the way As with many other things in life, Brighton, Hove and the surrounding area seem to buck the trends and do things our own way. When 2016 began with the Daily Mail reporting that Brighton and Hove featured prominently in the Top 30 property market performers outside London it didn’t surprise us, but some people might not have realised this included areas such as Goldsmid, Elm Grove and Portslade, which have all seen some of the highest rises in values in the whole country. In the summer, The Argus reported that Brighton and Hove remained in the top four areas for the highest house price increases even though rises across the UK in general were at their slowest for two years. As holders of the prestigious 2016 AllAgents Gold Award for Best Estate Agent in Brighton & Hove, we pride ourselves on delivering the very best customer service, and a big part of that is giving accurate and transparent information about the state of the local property market. On average, in the last 12 months we have achieved 99.24% of our
clients’ asking prices and made fewer price reductions than any of our main competitors. With demand the driving force behind our area’s continued buoyant property prices, next year shows no signs of changing direction, even in light of the wider economic uncertainties that are always in the headlines. So if you’re thinking about selling a property or entering the rental market in 2017, call us now on 01273 77 88 44 to find out exactly how we can help you get the best deal and make the most of our local market.
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December 2016 Issue 5
Christmas Special
In the community Here at Sawyer & Co. we believe it’s important to take an active role in our local community and that’s why we like to get involved in a wide range of charity and fundraising events. Some of our hardier team members recently took part in the UK’s toughest obstacle course, The Warrior Run, we’ve taken part in an annual beach volleyball tournament, competed in the corporate relay race at the Brighton Marathon, teed off at the BHEAA’s golf day and taken part in fundraising days for local parks. In October our efforts saw us become one of the top 3% of fundraisers on JustGiving.com, whilst after being bitten by the Bake Off bug,
November saw our team put their baking talents to the test for coffee morning in aid of Children in Need. Perhaps our biggest ongoing involvement is raising both funds and awareness for the vital work of The Clock Tower Sanctuary, especially as our day to day work revolves around helping people find their ideal home. We think that the work this particular local charity does with young people in Brighton with no address to call their own is something very special and deserving of our attention. You can find out more about them at http://www.thects.org.uk/ and perhaps even take this time of year to reflect on how every young person deserves a safe place to spend it in.
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December 2016 Issue 5
Christmas Special
For Sale £575,000
Barrowfield Lodge Available NOW
2 Bedroom Garden Apartment in Beautiful Edwardian Lodge.
Situated on a quiet tree-lined cul-de-sac in a central and highly sought after Tongdean location, this elegant ground floor property seamlessly blends contemporary interior design with a wealth of period details. http://ow.ly/CJoZ306nV9X
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Sawyer & Co. catches up with Russell Kane ahead of his show at The Brighton Dome… Russell Kane is a changed man. For his Right Man, Wrong Age tour, you may encounter someone with a new look, fresh perspectives and a different approach to his comedy. “In the last year I’ve been married and had a baby. I’ve changed my hair, I’ve changed my look, I’ve thrown all my eyeliner in the bin. I literally went to my wardrobe one day and got all my ridiculous clothes and took them to the Sue Ryder shop for some other man having a midlife crisis then bought the four exact same suits in different colours from Topman. Then I got my hair as flat as it can go and I thought, ‘that’s it: this is me now’.”
ridiculous in a way that is compelling. I was in the middle of spray-tanning myself upstairs in these tiny pants when the doorbell went. I went downstairs in my dressing gown and this window cleaner was touting for work. He leaned in and said, ‘I’m really sorry to disturb you: is your mum or dad in at all?’ Initially you might have thought this was a compliment, but it’s really not. He could be talking about how I’m putting myself across so I thought: ‘clothes in the bin’. And at that moment, there was Right Man, Wrong Age.”
In fact, Russell can pinpoint the exact moment when he needed to alter his outlook and write a new show. It started with somebody at the door . . . “I’m always looking for the moment that can make me look
In the world of stand-up, acts are continually expected to evolve and grow and turn over a significant amount of material every one or two years. For some this burden might
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www.sawyerandco.co.uk
December 2016 Issue 5
Christmas Special
prove too much, but for Russell Kane this is a challenge he relishes. “I’ll keep changing, and I don’t really ever want to stand still. I don’t care if it confuses people about where I’m coming from. I’m protean; I don’t want to be recognisable in five years’ time; that’s what keeps my writing going. One day I’m learning Spanish, the next I’m learning survivalism. I might do my maths GCSE next week: who knows?” For now, though, Russell is focused on making Right Man, Wrong Age the best show it can possibly be. His topic this time around is how we never quite feel the life-stage that we’re in and the age that we’re at, whether we’re 80 or 18. “When you’re 18, you look in the mirror and think ‘I know what I want to do, so why am I trapped in this 18-year-old body?’ while the 80-year-old is still waltzing and dancing around in her head. That’s going to be my jumping off point and from there I’ll do lots of accessible observations as well as the odd thinky bit. But I don’t want to disappear up my own bum with this show, I just want to go on in my suit, like Michael McIntyre or Peter Kay, and just be funny and have lots of big laughs. My only job in life is to be funny.” Inevitably, his new fatherhood status will have to be addressed in his show. As ever with Russell, he’ll work hard to avoid easy clichés and tired stereotypes as he tackles a subject that has been raised on many a stage by several generations of comedians. “It’s so hack to talk about having babies that
I need to find another way in. It’s like walking into Pret at 5pm and there’s one boiled egg left: that’s what’s left to say about childbirth. But when you’re coming at it from a male point of view, you need to find a way in. I’ve never heard a man talk about caesarean section, so that might be the way to go.” If you’ve seen Russell on stage, you’ll know there is a physicality to his act which matches the blizzard of ideas and words. So, how does he wind down after a show? “Nothing exotic, just a glass of red wine. I would like to get to bed earlier, but I need a good movie or, if I’m feeling particularly tired, something like Towie or Take Me Out; something that lobotomises me. I’m always reading good stuff, but now and again you need a burger because you can’t live on quinoa all the time. So I need something mega mainstream to bring me down.” Kane also has ambitions to tap into the online market with his stand-up. “I’ve not really seen other stand-ups doing it; I’ve seen some using their social media and doing bits of sketches but I haven’t seen many take the risk of doing stand-up down the barrel of a camera, posting it and seeing what happens. I did a thing recently, which I called The Kaneing, where I looked at a celebrity news story and put it on my Facebook wall. I was worried it might seem a bit embarrassing and desperate, but it got 64,000 views overnight.” The popularity of Russell Kane is in little doubt, but he’s keen to make the most of his time at the top of the British stand-up tree. His sense of gratitude for the job he’s doing is palpable and he confesses that touring the country and making people laugh is something he will never tire of. “I love it. If I ever have a bad day and feel miserable, I think about the things my family have done for a living. The fact that I can walk into a hotel, lie on the bed, watch a sci-fi movie, go and do an hour’s work on stage is incredible.”
“My only job in life is to be funny” 13|
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