Wilmslow issue 4

issue four

WELCOME ...to the fourth issue of The Magazine A small tinge of grey has tainted the streets of Wilmslow over recent months as a couple of independent retailers have shut up shop and left town. It’s a common story across the country but, in Wilmslow at least, there are clear signs of regrowth. Famous Henrys have opened at 36 Green Lane, Barkers has been granted planning permission for the Blockbusters site and an application has been made to convert Simon Dunn’s old shop into an American Theme Bar. Furthermore, those that have already taken the plunge are prospering, with Trukitchen expanding their showroom on Alderley Road.

Any high street will undergo a certain amount of organic churn and, while the process might be occasionally alarming, there’s nothing to say you won’t come out of it better and stronger in the long run.

One new venture that we report on this issue is out in Handforth, a young and deeply committed man who has invested in a flotation tank. Give it a go, we’ve even got an offer for you - head to page 22.

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news

A successful Posh Purple Ribbon Party

6-7

women’s fashion

Big bags

8

men’s fashion

The complete look

12-13

interiors

Love your living room

16-17

attractions

We do the Robinsons Brewery Tour

18

homes

The house of the month

20-21

travel

Eating out. A long way out

22

lifestyle

A flotation tank lands in Handforth

24-25

motoring

Sydney Jackson - a local institution

29

what’s on

The best days out and about

30-31

music

Streaming comes of age

Stockport Office 0161 244 9896

Publishing Director Publishing Director Editor Marketing Director Photographer

Paul Taylor Chris Roberts Paul Day Heather Roberts Matt McNulty

07901 557788 07805 149850 07981 086684 07790 634011 07757 287285

paul@shoutmediauk.com chris.roberts@shoutmediauk.com paul.day@shoutmediauk.com heather.roberts@shoutmediauk.com signol1000@ntlworld.com

Alderley Magazine front cover photograph by Jonathan Barton@13art_Art All other Adlington Hall photogrpahs by Andy Wardle Photography

Wilmslow Office 01625 541106 www.alderleymagazine.com www.wilmslowmagazine.com @WilmslowMag Wilmslow Magazine

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POSH PURPLE RIBBON PARTY RAISES OVER £2,000

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ast month’s Posh Purple Ribbon Party, held at Revolution in Wilmslow raised a total of £2,170 for Boot Out Breast Cancer, the charity run by Debbie Dowie. Debbie was in attendance along with her husband Iain, the former West Ham, QPR and Southampton footballer and current Sky Sports pundit. Also present was maverick media personality Terry Christian who donated some signed material to be auctioned off at the charity’s next major function, the Bollywood Ball at Lancashire Cricket Club on 8th March. At the Posh Purple Ribbon Party auction however, it was the Chanel bag donated

by Heather Roberts that was the star of the show, fetching more than £1,000 thanks to some tenacious bidding by a generous chap who bought it for his partner.

After the event Debbie commented “A massive thank you to everyone that helped make the Posh Purple Ribbon Party happen. It was an amazing evening filled with fun, laughter and top quality entertainment based in the North West.”

The event couldn’t have taken place without the generosity of a few others, too. Mitch Gilbert of Rainbow Balloons in Alderley Edge supplied the decorations. David Burton of Carpet Warehouse, Handforth provided the essential ‘purple carpet’ and Lee Allmark of Barclays Bank, Wilmslow some very generous sponsorship. The performers were a great success so particular thanks to them, they gave up their Thursday night for the cause and absolutely shone. Namely: Ewan Sim, Roy Bennett, Be-Minor, Scarlett Quigley, Henry Gallagher, Alexander Stewart.

l l Waitrose Wilmslow l

TOTES AMAZING This month we’re all about practicality. We might not be quite ready to fill our favourite big bag with sun cream and beach towels, but down at the Artisan Market there’s nothing more sensible.

Lightweight orange fold-away shopper with leather handles from a-shu.co.uk £14.99

Caroline Charles Leather Shopper in Olive £65.00

Seedling Design Your Own Tote Bag Kit from John Lewis.

Includes a cotton tote bag, fabric paints, glitter glue, fabrics, ribbon, craft glue and basic instructions. £29.99

Blue ostrich strap tote from Matalan £20.00

Part of the new Corinna Collection from Radley. 15% of the price goes to the British Heart Foundation £209.00 6

fashion

Hobo Jute Bag from East £22.00

Chocolate Colourblock Tote from Country Casuals £59.90

Best Of British Brown Leather Tote from Marks & Spencer £350.00

Womens Leather Bag in French navy. From Joules £169.00

TU Tan Tote from Sainsbury £18.00

Simple Tote Bag from Cheap Monday via ASOS £35.00

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GET THE LOOK

style

If you sometimes struggle to match your shirt with your trousers, the Deck-Out feature on the Oi Polloi website is ideal. Hundreds of carefully clothed and accesoried blokes with adjacent links to the individual items. Perfect.

Clockwise from top left: Nanamica / 65 / 35 Club Jacket £290.00 Patagonia / Nano Puff Vest £110.00 Engineered Garments / Popover BD Shirt £139.00 Nudie Jeans Co / Thin Finn £89.00 Spring Court / G2 Low Canvas £55.00 Our Legacy / 50’s Great Sweat £104.00

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PERSONALISATION Intoto will personalise your scheme with a selection of their luxury worktops, designer appliances and accessories.

• AGREE TO PLAN & DESIGN After you are completely happy, you agree the final plan and design.

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DEPOSIT & GO AHEAD You give instructions to proceed and a deposit of 25% of the total purchase price.

PLAN INSTALLATION Intoto will determine the project duration and inform you of any preparations needed before work can start. A mutually convenient date for installation is agreed COMPLETION Intoto monitor progress of the work and liaise closely with you during installation to ensure a successful completion on schedule.

Opening Times: Monday - Saturday 09.00 - 17.30 Sunday & Evenings – By Appointment

Content by Conran Counterbalance Bookcase £599 from John Lewis (H180 x W70 x D30cm)

MASSIVE RANGE OF QUALITY FLOOR COVERINGS UNDER ONE ROOF

Contemporary Tapered Floor Lamp with navy shade.. £127.20 from Marks & Spencer (Height: 150.5cm)

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interiors

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Santa Clara Tahoe dining table, made from reclaimed pine. £749.00 from Arighi Bianchi (H78cm x W225cm x D100cm)

Silk-fronted Voyage Astrid Pewter Cushion from Hoopers £57.50

Aller Sideboard from Bridger & Buss , the new dedicated furniture wing of the well-established joinery company Tech-42. Available in solid oak naturally treated or spray painted solid pine.

From £1295 - £1895

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talking point

LISA STANSFIELD Lisa Stansfield’s star burned very brightly in the early 90s, winning awards hand over fist. Her debut album Affection went triple platinum and the girl from Rochdale could do wrong. After a period of semi-retirement, she’s back with a bang. Or rather, an album, a tour and film.

Who were your influences when you started your singing career?

There were the classic Motown stars like Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye and then there were artists like Chakka Khan and Prince... I could spend 15 minutes listing them all. But soul was the sound that moulded me. It was why I got in to music.

Your big break was originally in the Manchester Search For A Star competition wasnt it?

Ha! Yes. It was at some place in Eccles. It’s probably not even there anymore.

You originally got into TV through Johnny Hamp at Granada?

Yes, I was only 14. At the time. Johnny was one of the judges on the talent show and he just asked if I wanted to do some TV and of course I did.

What was that programme called?

I think it was called Video Entertainers. It was very, very modern at the time. Honestly.

The next step was the group Blue Zone which you formed in 1984. The album “Big Thing” was well received but when On Fire was released as a single, it came at the wrong time...

Ah, it’s a lovely song and it had just entered the charts when the King’s Cross fire disaster happened. The record company withdrew it straight away.

Not long after Blue Zone released the Big Thing album, you went solo?

Yeah, that really scared me. It came about when we did a track with Coldcut which was a hit single and because it was my name on the track - People Hold On (Featuring. Lisa Stansfield) - everyone said we

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should do it as a solo thing and not a band. I absolutely pooed my pants, I did, I burst into tears saying “I can’t do it all on my own” But I’m still here aren’t I? This wasn’t an acrimonious split, more a renaming of the original team. The huge hit, “All Around The World” followed soon after and then came Affection, the album that absolutely everyone had in 80s and which was co-written by the same Stansfield/Devaney/Morris team that were Blue Zone. In fact, Lisa is still working with Ian Devaney, not to mention married to him.

All Around The World was the big hit and the video got huge coverage at the time, but there’s a story behind that iconic red coat you wore in it..

Oh, yes, it was Boy George’s coat. The stylist was friends with George, and George had left this coat at his house, He thought it would look good on me so brought it to the shoot. Unfortunately the video needed rain in it, and because normal rain doesn’t show up well on film, they had to absolutely soak us. And I was wearing Boy George’s beautiful, red cashmere coat, and it shrank. I’m still not sure he knows but he lives down the road from me now, so he’ll probably get to hear about it..

Do you ever listen to your old tracks?

No, never. We had to for the Greatest Hits and we actually quite enjoyed it because it was like listening to someone else’s album. Once we finish an album, we never listen to it really.

So you’re touring at the moment, what tracks do you most enjoy singing?

I never have a favourite track because they’re all written for a reason and bring up different emotions, so it’s hard to pick one over another.

Main pic: Lisa as seen on the cover of her new single, Carry On Below: Lisa’s portrayal of ‘ mum’ in the forthcoming film ‘Northern Soul’

What would the 18 year old Lisa make of you?

Well the me now would be trying to give the 18 year-old me advice and the 18 year-old me would be telling the me now to “F-off, it’s none of your business” So the 18 year-old had a very firm idea of what she was going to do and how she was going to do it?

Yes, and I think at that age you’re very belligerent aren’t you?

You got into acting some time ago, in fact your first movie was Swing in 1999, was that something you’d always wanted to do?

Yes, from a very early age. At school I’d always done anything that involved singing or acting.

After that you did quite a bit more - Miss Marple, The Edge of Love and of course we have the big new film coming out, ‘Northern Soul’ Well I’ve known the director Elaine Constantine for a long time and she’s been wanting to make this film since she was about 14 and she said “do you want to play the mum?” and I said “yeah, I don’t mind playing a mum.” So I play this woman who’s worried about her son because he’s always sitting in with his grandad making Airfix models of aeroplanes and she tries to get him to go to the youth club so he can mix with people of his own age. So reluctantly he goes along and ends up getting into Northern Soul and he gets into a lot more than Northern Soul. He gets into all sorts of trouble.

When’s it out?

It should be April but it’s hard to say. It’s in post-production now.

Would she be amazed at what you’ve done?

I think she’d be surprised, but she’d pretend she wasn’t.

The new album is called Seven and it’s out at the end of this month.. this is your first studio album for quite a long time, why’s that?

Just because I really did think I could fit in anywhere. I’ve been writing and recording but I just thought what’s the point in putting out an album when no-one at time could really get their heads around it. So it’s like you spend a long time creating something and if you don’t employ it properly or put it out and the right time, you might as well just push it down the toilet.

So what made now the right time?

I think the musical climate’s right for me now. Everything’s come back round to more of a soul-feeling and what have you. We’ve never work to a schedule and we’ve never let anyone tell us what to do. I don’t want someone insisting I target a certain demographic or trying to interfere.

Lisa Stansfield’s new album ‘SEVEN’ is out now

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attractions

ROBINSONS BREWERY T

W

Cheers Barry!

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hen it came to celebrating their 175th birthday last year, the people at Robinsons Brewery - people bearing the name Robinson - decided that they would look to the future while simultaneously celebrating the past. To this end an investment of around £10m saw the Stockport-based brewery refurbished to an eye-watering standard, while a visitors’ centre was created and brewery tours organised.

more than eight can book for other times. Your writer was among a party of six who turned up for the 1.30pm departure on a Tuesday. Robinsons limit the number of online bookings to 15 per tour and these often sell out, so for the busier times you want to make sure your name’s on the door. And its not the front door: the tours start from the Visitor Centre, which has it’s own entrance at the back of the site, towards the market.

Referred to by locals as Robbies, the building is properly known as the Unicorn Brewery, a name it takes from the Unicorn Inn which originally stood on this site. William Robinson bought the pub in 1838 and the rest is history. A history very vividly played out here.

The Visitor Centre is a superbly presented room which is unquestionably the focal point of the brewery’s development as far as the public are concerned. Shown in the main picture above, the generously proportioned room serves as a reception, a museum and a shop, all three functions seamlessly intertwined. And while we’re here, the large copper tank in the above photograph may be a display item now but it was an operational piece of equipment just a couple of years ago, the battered surface being the result of regular and powerful collisions with blocks of sugar that were

Launched less than a year ago, the tours have proved hugely successful, with 49 of the 52 current Trip Advisor reviews rating it as ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’ . The tours run three times a day from Tuesday to Saturday and once on a Sunday, although private parties of

Y TOUR thrown into the vigorously boiling mix, back in the day when blocks of sugar were an actual ingredient.

It was our tour guide, Barry, who told us all this after an initial introduction to the Robinsons back-story.

Then it was literally upwards and onwards as we climbed 50-odd stairs into the brewery itself. The brewing process has a cosy relationship with gravity, so starting on the top floor is logical. Fascinatingly, the modernisation of the brewery has not killed its heritage. On almost every level the gleaming new equipment has been installed alongside the old copper and wooden contraptions, providing a fascinating contrast between the then and the now.

The previous brewery tours I’ve experienced were at multinationals in Canada and Spain and both were big on the stainless steel and small on the character.

Robinsons have balanced the two perfectly.

Before we set off Barry had explained to me that he liked the larger tour groups because people seemed

willing to ask questions but our group was quite fiesty and I myself challenged his assertion that the brewing smell which used to hang over Hillgate was in someway pleasant.

You certainly don’t need to be an enthusiastic home-brewer or a beer nerd to get something out of the tour. As well as explaining the processes, the tour provides an insight into social change, a slice of local history and some intriguing details. I won’t rattle through them here because that’s Barry’s job, but keep an ear out for the origins of the term “barm cake.” And the bore hole - there’s a thing.

The tour takes just over an hour but you’ll want to spend some time in the Cask Ale and Food Bar. The three bottle tops you were given at the start of the tour are exchanged for a third of a pint each, the idea being that you select three small glasses of the beers that interest you, or exchange the lot for a pint. Just don’t have the lager, that wouldn’t be right.

For people who live and work in the centre of Stockport this area is perhaps the most surprising. It’s not part of the tour, it’s a living, breathing commercial operation in its own right, albeit one that’s hidden away through the back of the Visitor Centre.

A by-product of Robinsons’ huge investment is their ability to brew beers in short runs. This enabled them to create their own short-run brews such as those in the recently launched seasonal beer range.

On March 1st Hoptimum Prime replaced Hannibal’s Nectar and will be available until Brazilian takes over in time for the World Cup. Add these to the extensive range of draught beers as well as speciality bottled beers such as those conceived with Simon Rimmer to go with specific foods, there’s plenty to sup on. There’s ample parking nearby but really, go on the bus.

Book your brewery tour online or call 0161 612 4100 for more information. www.robinsonsvisitorscentre.co.uk

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homes

58 KINGS ROAD, WILMSLOW

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his bespoke built contemporary property has an unexpectedly high specification including an intelligent home system with Audio Visual and lighting systems, Neff and Miele integrated appliances and top notch Duravit sanitary ware in the well appointed bathrooms. The ambiance of the house is modern and stylish with oak doors and floors, Travertine marble floors and integrated speakers to ceilings in many rooms. Complete with a cinema room, gym, steam room and extensive accommodation arranged over four floors.

The main reception room opens to the gardens with bi-fold doors, and the living kitchen, the heart of the house, has a sunny west facing balcony for al-fresco dining whilst enjoying the rural views to the rear. There are concrete floors for good sound insulation and under floor heating to the ground and lower ground floors as well as the bathrooms. The garage door and gates to the driveway are automated. Outside lighting and heated terrace areas are further features which will make life in this house a pleasure.

The oak front door opens to a light reception hall with a well appointed study or home office to the right and a cloakroom with a w.c. and a boot room to the left. Double doors open to the full width living kitchen with French doors to a Juliet balcony and

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the entertaining deck with heating and a spiral staircase leading down to the gardens. The Silestone surfaces, walnut trimmed contemporary units, quality integrated appliances and under floor heating combine to make this the heart of the house. There are two staircases leading to the lower ground floor, one from the kitchen leading into the full width living room with a corner contemporary fireplace and bi-fold doors to the rear gardens & heated terrace. Double doors lead through to the cinema room with its projector and 110” fitted screen and this leads to the second staircase from the hall. The gym, utility room and steam/ shower room with a w.c. complete the lower ground floor. On the first floor there is a huge master bedroom suite with a well appointed en-suite bathroom and a fitted dressing room which, with a door from the hall too, would easily convert to a fifth bedroom if required. The guest bedroom has an en-suite shower room and a house bathroom serves the other bedroom on this floor. The second floor has a further double bedroom and its own shower room with a useful box/storage room off the landing.

The integral garage has an automatic door and an internal door from the kitchen. The gardens are lawned and fully enclosed, have a terrace and steps down from the kitchen as well as a spiral staircase from the decked balcony. Westerly facing, they enjoy afternoon and evening sun in the summer months.

Guide Price £940,000

Contact: Jean Pilkington at Savills Wilmslow 01625 417454

Open EARLY until LATE SEVEN days a week

NOW OPEN

Famous Henrys, Grove Chambers, 36 Green Lane,Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 1LD 01625 522505 | info@famoushenrys.co.uk | www.famoushenrys.co.uk

SIDNEY JACKSON & SON

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he Sidney Jackson & Son Ford Retail Dealership is situated on Wilmslow Road in Butley, down the road from Adlington Hall. Or perhaps we should say It’s still on Wilmslow Road, given that it has occupied this position since 1920. It was not a Ford dealership back then but it was the seed from which this remarkable family enterprise has grown.

Sidney himself was born into a farming family in 1892 but showed little enthusiasm for working on the land. During the First World War he served as a tank tester and on leaving the army set up a repair shop to service cars and the many tractors in the area. Before long a charabanc was added to the list of services. However, it was to be Sidney’s son, Jimmy, who would push the business in the direction that sees it selling cars rather than simply fixing them and doing so to some repute all these years later.

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Jimmy is now 85 and although he’s no longer a regular presence at the showroom, he lives close enough that his presence is felt. He also has a son there - Timothy - who is the Service Director. But it was with General Manager Liam Riley that we visited Jimmy at his home, to find out more about this most steadfast of families.

When did you start working for your father?

When I left school I worked for my father as a mechanic and I ran the repair side of the business. In 1956 I said to my father “there must be easier ways to make money” and he asked me what I was thinking of and I said “we could sell motor cars”. He was very easy going and never stood in my way but he said “well Jim, I don’t know why you’re bothering, we’ve always made a comfortable living’ but he never said ‘no, you can’t do it.’

He said “it’s your life get on with it.”

So I wrote to the Ford Motor Company and told them I wanted to sell their cars. It was so easy, they said ‘we’ll

send a chap up to see you’ and the chap came up and said ‘yes, you’re in a good position’ and I asked him what we needed and he told us we had to have a showroom. We didn’t have a lot of money so I asked him how big it had to be and he said ‘big enough for two cars.’

Did you speak to any other manufacturers?

No, I was only interested in Ford. 75% to 80% of cars in the area were Ford and I’d been looking after them for years and years.

Was the showroom expensive?

It was for me. In fact I didn’t have the money to do it. The only way I could get the money to do it was through the petrol companies.

How did that work?

During the war they had what was called Pooled Petrol.

There was no Shell or BP. The when the war finished all these companies came back with all sorts of deals.

Motoring

Left: Jimmy and Sidney Jackson outside their original two-car showroom Top left, the charabanc, complete with ʻSJʼ livery on the side Right: The original showroom is still there, but it is just an annex these days Above: Sidney outside the original workshop, which opened in 1920

Sidney Jackson & Son Ltd Wilmslow Road Garage Wilmslow Road Butley Macclesfield SK10 4LG 01625 829248 / 01625 828692 www.sidneyjackson.co.uk info@sidneyjackson.co.uk

I’d always been an Esso man so I went with them.

They asked me if I wanted any money and I asked them what for and they said ‘to improve your premises.’ I told them that I quite fancied having a showroom and they asked what that would cost I told them it would be about £600. They didn’t actually give me the money. They paid for the building and worked out how much petrol I would sell over ten years and the cost of the showroom was written off against profit I would have made on the petrol.

So the business took off right away?

Yes, I was quite amazed really although I wasn’t completely new to selling cars. For seven or eight years I’d been selling cars for what they called an introductory commission. If one of my regular repair customers wanted a new car, a Ford or an Austin, Morris or Standard, all the other makes, I’d take them to the agent and I’d get one or two percent out of the profit on the car. I’d never had any con-

nection with the manufacturers before, but it didn’t seem to be any kind of problem.

The first two cars Jimmy put in the showroom were a Ford Popular and a Zephyr. Thousands of cars have been and gone since then, and while the business has expanded its showroom considerably, the old, original, two-car space is still there, with ‘retail Ford dealers’ still proudly proclaimed above the windows and a flag still flying from the roof.

Independent, family-run businesses do not enjoy the financial clout of the major corporations but they have something very much in their favour.

They offer a friendly face to the public, literally and figuratively. The Jacksons have carried family values into their business and that is precisely the reason it will be celebrating a very impressive centenary in six years time.

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LOOKERS RENAULT STOCKPORT

ST MARYS WAY, STOCKPORT, CHESHIRE SK1 4AW TEL: 0161 333 3366

WWW.LOOKERS.CO.UK/RENAULT

FREELANDER 2 • New exterior design features give a sportier and purposeful look • Range Rover Evoque equipment now available in Freelander 2 • Fresh interior equipment and colourways includes new centre console • New 7-inch colour touch-screen • 825W Meridian surround sound system with 17-speakers • Say What You See prompted voice commands • 7-Day Timed Climate system • Rear View Camera with ‘Hitch Assist’