Carlisle Guide Magazine, Issue 8

ISSUE 8 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013

the

Carlisle Guide

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THE CARLISLE GUIDE MAGAZINE

ALICE ROBERTS

Makes Science COOL for TV fans

CARLISLE MUSIC CITY

WWW.THEGUIDEMEDIAGROUP.COM

You Aint’t Seen Nothin’ Yet

Guide to that perfect day

Including 2013 Wedding Trends

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW With

ELLIE GOULDING EVENTS l GIGS l FESTIVALS l FOOD l LIFESTYLE l & MORE

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Cash Solutions l Katies Kitchen l Nobles Amusement l The Works l Shoe Zone l Stephen Rowe Opticians Taylors Carpets l X-Catalogue l Oasis Dental Surgery l Sinclairs Jewellers l Mobile Booth l Jane Street Barbers

Spoil someone special this at Washington Square Workington

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NO

Valentines Day

EN OP

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www.workingtonretail.co.uk

the

Carlisle Guide

The Team

A word from THE EDITOR

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appy New Year … and this time for once, why not make yourself a New Year’s Resolution that you can probably keep.

Managing Director Stephen Murphy T:01946 816 716 stephen@theguidemediagroup.com

From bitter experience I know that too many of us try to make unrealistic demands or place restrictions on ourselves and our limited time… resolutions which are pretty much doomed to failure from the outset. They can be expensive errors too if they involve regular payments with frequent commitment!

It’s often best to just keep things straightforward …and achievable.

Office Admin Manager Steffany Clarke T: 01946 816 719 steffany@theguidemediagroup.com

Graphic Designer Gary Hunter T: 01946 816 727 gary@theguidemediagroup.com

Photographer Brian Sherwen T: 01946 63891 www.briansherwen.co.uk

Subscribe to the Guide Media Group Newsletter Editorial T: 01946 816 715 Published by EOL Publications, The Guide Media Group, Phoenix Enterprise Centre, Jacktrees Road, Cleator Moor, Cumbria, CA25 5BD. All feature articles and advertising is copyright of EOL Publishing.

Printed by The Magazine Printing Company.

Photography Brian Sherwen www.briansherwen.co.uk Jim Davis www.jimdavisphotography.com

The Carlisle Guide Jan/Feb 2013

The simplest one I’ve heard, so far this year, is so straightforward that I can’t believe that it’s never occurred to me before; it’s make a conscious effort to listen to more live music or go to see live theatre.

It doesn’t mean taking yourself off at great expense to big city gig or music festival because there’s lots going on locally; masses if you consider our huge county as a whole.

It might just mean going down to your local pub to catch a regular session and there’re gigs galore in Carlisle venues, covering most genres of music and more and more live music venues are cropping up.

This year promises great strides in the local music scene as Music City organiser Stephen Dunn points out: “It’s potentially huge.”

Stephen wants to do more than just put on an incredible week of music (see story inside). He’s seeking ideas and help. So…it’s over to you! Email Stephen at: carlislemusiccity@gmail.com

Editor Chris Breen T: 01946 816 715 chrisbreen@theguidemediagroup.com

ADVERTISE WITH US TODAY! T. 01946 816 719 www.theguidemediagroup.com info@theguidemediagroup.com

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Backing Local Business... Produced in West Cumbria

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Contents: The Carlisle Guide Magazine

January/February 2013

EXCLUSIVE

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Ellie Goulding With her latest album Halcyon

Making science cool

16-17 Alice Roberts

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LOCAL Features

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Carlisle Music City You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet

Market Days

12-13 Buying into History 20-21

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The Big Wig Ball Hallmark Hotel, March 2

BEAUTY

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Guide to that Perfect Day 2013 Wedding Trends

30-31 Bridget Foster

Clean Out and Clean Up

FOOD

34-35 Alan Spedding Recipe

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Special Forces at Work Tayay Kitchen Fantastic Thai-Talian Food

MOTORING & SPORT

40-41 Superfast Insignia

A nod to Vauxhalls Sporting Heritage

British league could suit Carlisle

42-43 Carlisle Untited

WHAT’S On

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Five and Dangerous They’re thin busy 5

Photography courtesy of Chuff Media

Ellie Goulding 6

I keep getting calls and texts, people “saying they have heard my song. I ask which one and they say the one from Twilight

�

Exclusive

incredible Ellie is one of British TpopheGoulding music’s most talented and versatile stars.

The ethereal pop of debut album Lights was followed by a beautiful cover of Elton John’s Your Song, last Christmas.

few weeks. But I am still promoting the album too, I still haven’t finished. I just got back from Australia and New Zealand, went straight to Europe and now just back, kind of everywhere really. It’s been busy. So much so that at half four I have just managed to find time for my first food of the day!

What do you have in mind for the tour?

But now the singer has surprised fans yet again with latest album Halcyon, which won rave reviews both here and in the US thanks to its darker, dancier feel -­­­it even sees the star try her hand at dubstep and pull it off in style.

I want something ridiculous, i just don’t know what yet, I am still thinking about it. The main thing is i want it to sound incredible, i want it to sound out of this world.

With new single Figure 8 and a UK tour imminent, as well as a hand in the Twilight hysteria thanks to her song Bittersweet being chosen for the final film’s soundtrack, it’s a wonder Ellie had time to talk to us... but she did.

I never know what is going to happen so I play everything by ear. Figure 8 comes out then hopefully people like it.

So the album has gone down pretty well then...

I am so pleased with the reaction to the album. Obviously I was nervous in the weeks running up to the release as it is a huge deal releasing the second album, espeically the second, but I have had the most incredible reaction to the point where it makes me really emotional. I put a lot in to this record, a lot of personal stuff, and it makes me so excited to share it with everyone, and it has had the most amazing reviews so I am really pleased.

You surprised people yet again by going much deeper into dance music this time, with the dubstep experiment. That must have been fun?

I have always had a real affinity with electronic music and dance music. It’s something i have never been able to shake off. I just love it so much. I knew this was going to have a certain feel - it wasn’t going to be a folk record! I wasn’t really thinking about whether I wanted or needed to do a certain kind of sound. People keep saying they don’t know where i will go next, which is amazing.

What’s on the horizon apart from touring?

You landed a pretty big spot - Bittersweet is on the soundtrack for the final Twilight film. Did you go to the premiere?

Twiilight has gone huge for that song. I haven’t even released it but people are going mad for it. I keep getting calls and texts, people saying they have heard my song. i ask which one and they say the one from Twilight. I didn’t go to the premiere or anything but only because I was away - I probably would have gone along if i’d been here, to show my support for the film.

Are you a fan?

I am not like a diehard fan but i totally get why they are so ridiculously popular.

The soundtracks have always been pretty strong - was it nice to be asked?

Yes I was really happy for the song to be on the soundtrack just because the past ones have been so incredible, so amazing.

How do you go about physically writing music if you don’t plan direction and so on?

I follow my instinct. I literally get into the studio, we start something on piano or guitar and it gradually builds into a song over however many days or a week or whatever. That for me is instinct and i go with that on everything.

The tour is obviously the next big thing on the horizon, are you focussing fully on that now?

We are gearing up for touring, we have rehearsals for a 7

You ain’t seen nothin’ yet!

By Sarah Briggs

Dunn has exciting Stephen aspirations for music in Carlisle.

He says we shouldn’t always be looking outside the City for entertainment: “Let’s grow our own main stage. Carlisle Music Week should be like a big musical-bring-and-share: everyone brings something to the picnic and it becomes a banquet. 2012 was big but 2013 is potentially huge”.

When you meet Stephen his energy and enthusiasm burst out, and his love for the city which he chose to stay in at the age of 18, when the rest of his family moved south to Manchester. He worked in a coal yard but spent more time at the Stars and Stripes Club in an era when Punk, New Romantic, Ska and other musical genres blended in a rich melting pot. “It felt as if the City had a real ‘scene’, with the Stars and Stripes at the centre of it, helped by the fact that it also had a recording studio”.

By the late 1980s Stephen was playing in bands which were regularly supporting big names at the newly-opened Sands Centre: Rip It Up was the first group to test the new sound system and 8

was promoted on Radio Cumbria by then relative newcomer presenter, Kevin Fernihough and The Daisy Chain Connection supported well-known groups such as Run Rig and The Beautiful South.

The group had six record labels wanting to sign them until, sadly and unexpectedly, the bass player died in a house fire. “The band carried on but the bottom had fallen out of our world: it was a huge shock to us all. While the world changed, we stopped moving forward”.

Eventually Stephen formed a duo with Ian Kirton, the lead guitarist from Daisy Chain, and they earned a living playing several gigs each week.

His song-writing continued – he estimates he has written over 300 songs – and he became involved in singing and song-making with community groups and schools. This led on to a job with the Youth Service in Carlisle: and the formation of another group Giant Loop of Sound, which included a brass section.

Stephen loves song writing. “I feel something inside which becomes a melody… sometimes I forget it and then a few days later ‘hear’ it again and then

Carlisle Music City 2013 realise it’s one of mine… the melody comes first and then I write the words”. He also loves performing. “It’s a way of getting the creative energy out… and I’m always encouraged when people are pleasantly surprised. Frustrations, channelled, can lead to creativity”.

Stephen has also worked as a part-time lecturer at Carlisle College, teaching songs in Maketon (sign language) to adults with learning disabilities; and in a residential care home for abused children, which was “a huge learning experience”. It’s perhaps not surprising with his experience of music and of working with people from all backgrounds, that he now has a role in Community Development at the City Council. But where did the idea for Carlisle Music City week come from?

“It grew out of Radio One’s Big Weekend: it created an aspiration. Now is such a fantastic time: we’ve got to stop making excuses for why we can’t do anything”.

Stephen wants to do more than just put on an incredible week of music. There are plans for an opening parade, perhaps with choirs at various locations around the City centre, and for ‘Fusion’

performances combining classical, rock, folk, blues, jazz and pop (you name it) music in one event.

He also hopes to forge links to the Carlisle Classical Music Festival.

In August a historic pageant is planned, with a proclamation of the City’s Charter at the Old Town Hall: potentially the same weekend as a Stephen Dunn playing military Tattoo. Stephen at the Lane Bar has formed links with Chester, which has several similar events each year, and Carlisle has been invited to join one of Chester’s parades: a fantastic opportunity for Carlisle to promote itself and to encourage tourists to travel further north.

What Stephen would love, in order to make this a real community event, is ideas and help. So if you would like to get involved, then email: carlislemusiccity@gmail.com; or, if you would like to be involved in the pageant, stephend@carlisle.gov.uk.

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Giving confidence to

youngsters for their roles in life

IMPRESSARIO David McNeil, of StagedRight Productions, Carlisle, believes that performing helps prepare young people for life’s real dramas; instills discipline and confidence and can ultimately help save society from the consequences and costs of anti-social and criminal behavior. SARAH BRIGGS talks to him and finds how that can be achieved.

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LOVE interviewing people: particularly interesting, chatty people who lead varied lives and are enthusiastic about what they do; people like David McNeill, joint owner and managing director – with his wife Sallie – of StagedRight Productions.

Having started a youth theatre school because their own sons wanted to perform and opportunities in school were limited, the company has blossomed in its eight years of life into four different areas:Youth Theatre (ages 11-18), StagedRight Productions, the recently formed StagedRight Junior (for ages 6-11) and the new charitable arm StagedRight Education.

The latter arose from the sudden and grievous accidental death of David and Sallie’s youngest son, Tom, at age 17.

They could have closed entirely but instead chose to channel their grief in a particularly constructive way, by taking

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drama into primary schools and giving all children the opportunity to experience the thrill and confidence boosting which comes from being able to perform. Businesses can sponsor either StagedRight or schools directly and StagedRight is flexible about what it can offer. One 10-

Feature week course, proposed for west Cumbria, is projected to save £35,000 by keeping youngsters away from criminal activity.

but the ideas don’t stop coming and there is clearly more to look forward to.

Yet David is clearly no softy do-gooder. High standards are expected of all the children and for those who attend the Youth Theatre in Carlisle, regular attendance is required, including mandatory attendance at the last rehearsal before any performance. As he says, discipline and tradition form the basis from which students can move on to greater things, as well as teaching them about taking responsibility for themselves.

You get the impression that he loves what he does and gains a huge sense of satisfaction from seeing children develop in confidence.

Panel auditions are held for each part and however talented a child, if he or she has not prepared properly, they simply will not get it; the implication being that unless you are properly prepared you are potentially going to let ‘the team’ down in performance. David makes the point that if the public is paying money to come to see you perform, it deserves the very highest standard you can give. Nor does StagedRight constantly use the same students for the lead parts; the actor has to be right for the part.

With StagedRight being the only youth theatre company in Cumbria which puts on such lavish musical theatre productions - each can cost around £25,000 to stage - it is not surprising that besides expecting excellence, David is now being sought as a director outside the county. He has spent the last couple of summers working in some of the top theatres in the North West such as the Palace Theatre, Manchester and the Liverpool Empire, and he also comperes events.

Up and coming productions include Curtain Up at Theatre by the Lake, Keswick in February; Smike and Guys and Dolls in Carlisle, in June.

David McNeil

For more information visit the StagedRight website: www.stagedright.co.uk. While there is a waiting list to join StagedRight Junior and StagedRight Youth Theatre, it is worth joining it because when, for example, a 14-year old leaves, he or she will be replaced by someone of similar age wherever possible.

In September the company moved into new premises in Shaddongate, generously donated on a five-year rent-free lease by Carlisle building magnate, Fred Story. As you walk in you are greeted by bright colours off-setting the ‘warehouse’ type space; energetic silhouettes on the toilet doors and a panel of dedication to the 17-year old Tom McNeill.

The three generously-sized rehearsal rooms, two meeting rooms, and a recording studio, are all available to hire as well as for use by StagedRight. A further new development is a move into children’s themed parties, which can include dressing up, singing and dancing.

For someone who started work on a YTS scheme in the City Council Highways department, moved into the family jewellery business and from there into shop window design (at one point David was responsible for the entire portfolio of Edinburgh Woollen Mill shop windows, even going out into the hills to collect bags full of heather for one season’s displays), David has already had a full life 11

Buying in to history

by Sarah Briggs

Walk into the centre of Carlisle or Brampton on market day and reverberations of the past can be sensed.

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arlisle Market received its Royal Charter from Henry II – he who famously quarreled with Thomas à Becket – in 1158.

revolution times and it is clear that market day was important in the local calendar when people travelled into town from miles around to sell or to buy.

This permitted the city to hold a Great Fair, each August, and a weekly market. As markets were one of the main ways for local producers to trade, most villages and towns were vying to hold markets but legislation was passed (still valid today) meaning that markets could not be held within a day’s journey of a market which had been licensed

by Royal Charter: any others were illegal.

Whether the economic benefits are really as great as the report argues when we’re in one of the worst recessions of modern times and supermarkets can offer one-stopshopping at competitive prices, I’m not so sure, but there is certainly something appealing about wandering around browsing the stalls, especially if the weather is good. In Cumbria, Farmers’ Markets are an excellent way for local producers to sell and promote their produce without the overheads of shops and associated staff: and being such a rural and productive county the truly local range is high and there are several regular markets.

Since 1997 however Farmers’ Markets have proliferated and in 2000 the campaign group Friends of the Earth produced a report highlighting this growth and the benefits accruing from them, arguing that there can be economic benefits for the local area as markets bring people into town centres: people who will then spend their money in the local shops as well as at the market. ‘”Twas ever thus”, I think: read any novel set in a rural area or pre-industrial 12

Two in the north of the county are Carlisle - run by Made in Cumbria - and Brampton, originally run by Made in Cumbria but now by Sustainable Brampton. The stripy awnings bring a splash of colour to the urban centres

on even the dullest of days and there seems something timelessly appropriate about using pedestrianised areas for market stalls. In both places market day brings an extra buzz to the town or city and it’s easy to be tempted by the attractive products on view. Farmers sell locally-reared meat ranging from the standard chicken, beef, pork and lamb through game, including venison, to more unusual tastes such as alpaca – which apparently tastes like veal and has a similarly low fat content to venison. Fish, fruit and vegetables are on offer; homemade relishes, preserves and mustards; sweets; bread and cakes and other local products – for example a potter sells his wares in Brampton.

In Cumbria, Farmers’ Markets are an excellent way for local producers to sell and promote their produce without the overheads of shops and associated staff Nor should the market at Rosehill be forgotten, though this is a largely indoor market and livestock are also for sale: in a sense it is slightly less of a ‘shoppers’’ market and more for the farmers themselves, but is perhaps more akin to the markets of historic times when sheep and cattle were brought into the centre of Carlisle.

It’s not always easy to find out when and where Farmers’ Markets are going to be held, although most have a regular day of the month, but the following websites list various markets throughout the county. The first is probably the most comprehensive:

www.cumbriaonaplate.wordpress.com/ farmer%E2%80%99s-markets-and-food-events-incumbria/ www.madeincumbria.co.uk/events.asp?id=2 www.local-farmers-markets.co.uk/cumbria.html www.localfoods.org.uk/local-food-directory?catid=16 www.farmers-markets.co.uk/cumbria-farmersmarkets-c124.html 13

Holme. A convinced fascist she used to preach fascism to the crowds around Carlisle’s market cross. She married Joyce in 1936, after a whirlwind romance, and the 28-yearold, fled to Germany in 1939 just before the outbreak of war, with her husband, who had been Sir Oswald Mosley’s bodyguard and right-hand man in the British Union of Fascists.

Joyce, became nicknamed Lord Haw Haw because of the sneering manner of his speech in the “Germany Calling” broadcasts, and was a hated broadcaster of English language programmes for the Nazi propaganda ministry. Margaret also broadcast over the airwaves in her distinctive accent and when recognised was named Lady Haw Haw

Carlisle woman was

Nazi broadcaster

They were both captured a few days after the end of the war, near Flensberg,(now Carlisle’s twin town) Germany, close to the Danish border, with a large sum of money, Joyce having given his last broadcast just before the Fall or Berlin. His voice was recognised by a soldier, Geoffrey Perry, as they met gathering firewood. As Joyce reached for his passport Perry thought he was going for a gun and shot him in the buttocks.

by Chris Breen

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CARLISLE typist was married to one of the most controversial figures of the Second World War – William Joyce, alias Lord Haw Haw. And documents released only 50 years later by the Public Record Office apparently show that, out of pity, she was spared execution. Her husband, although actually an Irishman, was controversially hanged at Wandsworth Prison in 1946, for treason by broadcasting Nazi propaganda during the war.

The disclosure laid to rest a historical controversy about why she escaped prosecution.

Margaret Joyce was born Margaret Cairns White, in Carlisle. She was brought up in Nelson Street, Denton 14

Joyce was aged 39, when he was hanged by the British for treason despite being the holder of an American passport and having been raised in Ireland born of Irish Parents.

He obtained a British passport in 1934, then in 1940 took German citizenship. But he had lied about his place of birth to get that British passport and the trial judge took it upon himself to decide that, whatever nationality he was, being a British passport holder Joyce must have had an allegiance to Britain in the period he held it, before becoming officially German. Joyce was quickly found guilty and hanged. Historian AJP Taylor pointed out that normally making a false statement to obtain a passport resulted in a £2 fine.

Bizarrely Geoffrey Perry had been born into a German jewish family as Hourst Pinschewer and had fled to England… so a German Jew, who had become English had arrested an Irish/American who pretended to be English but had become German.

Feature But, there was no doubting Margaret’s nationality when she began broadcasting. So why did didn’t she hang with her husband?

Evidence now seems to point to Joyce having done a deal with the secret intelligence services: his wife’s life and freedom in exchange for his neck.

That meant avoiding a national scandal if it had been revealed that one of the most hated figures in Nazi Germany had actually been a good friend of a high-ranking member of MI5 and that he had secretly been feeding back information on fascists in Britain. So Margaret never faced any charge.

Capt. W Skardon, her legendary MI5 interrogator, dropped proceedings against the traitor, who “submitted meekly to treatment meted out to her during her detention”.

He wrote in a top secret memo: “There is no lack of evidence implicating her in the treasonable activities of her late husband, but the authorities do not think that she need be punished further.”

Skardon officially accepted that she had followed her husband to Germany out of loyalty and wrote: “In her political beliefs she merely echoes the views of her husband. Her case is less serious because she is less well-known and not so frequently heard as her husband”.

The authorities accepted her claim that, like her husband, she had adopted German citizenship before making broadcasts. She died in London in 1972, reputedly having drunk herself to death.

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Exclusive

Alice Makes Science Cool For TV Fans

SHE’S making science and anatomy look cool to millions of TV fans who are getting switched on to our distant past. And on 16th November Alice Roberts will be giving Cumbrians a sneak preview of her next television series when she spoke recently about Survivors of the Ice Age at Keswick’s Theatre by the Lake. The Guide’s Ross Brewster grabbed an exclusive interview with the star of the BBC’s Incredible Human Journey, Coast and Don’t Die Young.

RB: Neither of your parents were doctors, so where did your interest come from?

AR: My dad is an aeronautical engineer, and my mum an English and Art teacher, so I grew up with a love of science and art. I was fascinated by the human body from a very young age, enjoyed science but wanted to work with people, which is why I chose to study medicine - and had every intention of becoming a surgeon. I did a six-month month teaching job after my junior doctor training, and ended up getting de-railed into academia (in a nice way), following my passion for anatomy, and discovering a new passion for teaching. I feel that my work in the media is quite a natural extension of my academic job.

RB: Were you encouraged at school, or was science seen as not particularly “cool?”

AR: I went to an all-girls school, so there was no question that science wasn’t feminine or uncool (although there 16

were only five of us in my A level Physics class!). So I suppose I was encouraged, and I hate to think that anyone is put off doing science at school. It’s such an exciting sphere of human endeavour.

RB: Your first TV work came in 2001 on Time Team. How enjoyable has it been to be part of that team?

AR: Time Team was great fun. I was an expert contributor - there to help excavate and analyse human remains.

I made some good friends and studied some fascinating skeletons over the few years I worked on the series.

RB: Did you ever expect to have such an impact with your television and writing work?

AR: Back when I was a junior doctor, or as a fresh new university academic, I didn’t anticipate that I’d have a career as a science communicator on television. But it’s something I’m very glad to have had the opportunity to

Exclusive do - I love being able to bring subjects and research I’m fascinated by to a wider audience.

RB: When not digging up history what do you do with your time?

AR: I used to run a pub quiz in Bristol! On the other side of the table, though, I think I’d be good at sciencey questions, perhaps on art and history as well. But pretty useless when it comes to recognising celebrities or questions of sport. When I’m not working, I spend most of my time looking after my two-and-half-year-old daughter. She’s already very outdoorsy, and loves going for walks and even coming mountain-biking with me (in a front-mounted bike seat!).

“

My dad is an aeronautical engineer, and my mum an English and Art teacher, so I grew up with a love of science and art.

”

realisation that researchers should discuss their work with the public at large, but also that the public should be more involved in determining the direction that research goes in. It’s a bit of a culture change, and part of my job is to help bridge the gap that has existed in the past, and work out how to break down remaining barriers. Science and technology are the most powerful tools for understanding who we are and where we come from, and for improving and saving lives - that’s inspirational in itself.

RB: Do you think kids are being asked to choose between the arts the science too early?

AR: I’d love to see more young people doing arts and science subjects right to the end of their secondary education - and on into university degrees as well. There’s a real danger in polarising our society between artists and scientists.

RB: Finally Alice, you’ve done a wide range of TV work.

When can we see you on our screens again?

AR: Well - Ice Age will be coming to a small screen near you (on BBC2) in 2013.

RB: I see you are a wild swimmer, any plans to dip into Derwentwater?

AR: I might just have to bring my wetsuit along!

RB: What was the talk about?

AR: The talk was about the megafauna of the Ice Age and what happened to them. Most of them went extinct at the end of the Ice Age, but one species of megafauna - us - survived to become very successful and colonise the globe. It’s a great story, and I’m currently making a series with the NHU about the giant mammals of the Ice Age, so expect a sneak preview!

RB: Is there one thing in your work that has given, or gives you, that special “wow” factor?

AR: The deep similarities between humans all over the world. We can imagine ourselves to be very different, and there are differences, of course - it’s stupid to deny that.

But the things we have in common are much deeper.

RB: Earlier this year you became the first Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham. How important is it to use that role to inspire people about the sciences?

AR: It’s a very exciting time in universities at the moment.

We’re becoming a lot more outward-facing. There’s a 17

Calling all employers...

Give your staff a change for the better

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UMBRIA firm Staff Travel Money is fast become a firm Euro-favourite with holidaymakers and travellers.

That’s because it offers an exclusive advantageous exchange rate to its members… but you can only qualify for it if your company has joined the scheme. It is not available to the general public.

Staff Travel Money is a service offered to companies as a staff benefit for their employees.

It’s not just currency exchange that’s on offer, travel guides and travel accessories can be ordered with your foreign currency, and will be ready for collection or delivery with your money. The website also offers travel insurance; airport parking, airport hotels, a flight and ferry search facility, and a great car hire price comparison search engine with over 30 of the top car hire companies in the world.You can also book your holiday through their partnership with Icelolly.com – in short it’s the only place you need to go for your travel necessities before you go on holiday.

So why not give your employees the chance to buy their Foreign Currency for their well-earned holidays at great exchange rates, stafftravelmoney.co.uk is THE alternative way for your employees to arrange their foreign currency.

Here’s a comparison: On December 28 Staff Travel Money offered 1.1942 euros to the £ while the Post Office, the UK’s No1 foreign currency provider, offered just 1.1100 over the counter on 500 Euros.

Schools, Doctor’s Surgeries, Council employees, Solicitors, and Industry leaders such as BNFL Sellafield, SASRA members and Iggesund Paperboard are among the businesses that have already signed up to this service. Registration is free and your company will be issued with a username and password which they can advertise to their staff as they choose. For example staff room posters, business cards, electronic posters for staff intranet sites can all be provided free of charge.

Despite being a service offered to businesses delivery of currency or accessories will be sent to the employee’s home addresses rather than to the business, or can be collected from Egremont Travel, Main Street, Egremont.

Interested?

Then email info@stafftravelmoney.co.uk or call on 01946 825376, for more details.

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AGAs for all … and there’s even an app!

“Gone are the days of Aga’s only being found in rustic old farmhouses” explained Claire Bonfield, manager of the Carlisle branch of Aga, a sentiment which is reflected by the stores recent refurbishment.

Carlisle branch Manager: Claire Bonfield

The store which has been positioned on the corner of Lowther Street for 17 years has finally been bought up-todate; new floors and lights have been fitted, new fittings have been installed and the shop front has experienced a makeover which has not only cheered up this end of the street but demonstrates how easily an Aga fits in with modern décor as well as its more traditional placement; something Aga has worked hard to do.

Agas have become more controllable and therefore more practical, there’s even “an app for that” – yes, it is now possible to control an Aga via i-phone and Agas have, in recent years, become en Vogue; so much so that the Carlisle branch of the store has already surpassed its annual sales target.

something you rush into, the demonstrations allow potential buyers to see how versatile Agas are, says Claire.”

The next available demonstration is on Tuesday February 12 and your place can be booked by calling the store on 01228 590031.

The team offers expert advice on all models and cookware and the cookware sale began on December 27 while the autumn promotion, which sees certain models heavily discounted, is ongoing.

“It’s really good that in this economic climate, Aga decided to invest in its Carlisle store.” said Claire. Key to this refurbishment was the installation of new kitchen cabinets supplied

by Hiddleston Joiners, along with a new demonstration Aga, earlier this year, which is put to use every month.

Freelance home economists demonstrate making breakfast, lunch and dinner, which is called “A Beginners Guide to Your Aga. “We understand that the decision to buy an Aga isn’t

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Boost the Carlisle ball

for children’s cancer charity

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AISING money for local children with cancer is the aim of The Big Wig Ball at the Hallmark Hotel, Carlisle, on March 2.

Cancer touches us all in some way, either directly or indirectly and Brampton hairdresser Janice Grieves, of Hairport, Brampton, was deeply moved when the teenage grandson of a client was dying of the disease.

Stephen Huggon continued to joke about things to the end, and Janice tells how his grandmother had a

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by Sarah Briggs

funny story to tell about him each week. Janice was so impressed and touched by the support which children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent gave to Stephen’s mother that she decided to help the charity.

For several years she has collected hair for wigs; gently shaving the hair of children who are losing it due to chemotherapy in order to fit their wigs (which also have to be trimmed to a style); dealing sensitively with distressed relatives; and raising funds for the charity. She has learned a lot about herself: about how not to let her own

emotions about the children interfere with the job she has to do, or to intrude on relatives’ own grief. Her reputation has spread far and wide, so she now has children suffering from cancer coming to her from all over the North West.

Last year Janice raised £2,000 with an event in Brampton.

The charity has promised that proceeds will be spent in this area, to help more children suffering from cancer and their families.

This March Janice’s team is staging The Big Wig Ball, the biggest event yet that she has organised for CLIC Sargent.

She emphasises the help of fellow organisers, including Jodie Armstrong from Belle Wedding Supplies.

Tables of 10 are being sold for £500: the table price includes a menu specially formulated for the event by the Hallmark Hotel (which is also helping sponsor the event) and the evening’s entertainment will include an auction of ‘experiences’; a raffle; and music from The 45s, one of Carlisle’s foremost up-and-coming bands.

Janice hopes that people will dress appropriately outrageously, perhaps in wigs: think Amadeus, The Draughtsman’s Contract or Dangerous Liaisons and you probably won’t be far wrong…. And Belle Wedding Supplies is offering a 10% discount on dresses for anybody going to the ball.

Donations of prizes in support of this great cause are warmly welcomed. If you wish to donate a prize, or to purchase a table, please contact Janice, at Hairport, Brampton (07889 817549; 01697 73866), Jodie Armstrong at Belle Wedding Supplies, Carlisle (01228 812058) or the Hallmark Hotel, Carlisle.

Stephen Huggon

The 45s are an up and coming RnB band from Carlisle, influenced by Chess Records and Oil City’s finest – Dr Feelgood. They are now playing all over Cumbria and the North with recent gigs in Newcastle and Liverpool – a mix of classic songs in their own energetic style, together with their own compositions.

The line-up is Tom Hamilton-Hughes (lead guitar and vocals), Joe Wyatt (bass and vocals) James Green (sax, harp & vocals) and Bailey Claringbold (drums and vocals).

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BookLook The book illustrates locations no longer open to public viewing, such as gardens and overgrown areas.

Using photos to draw comparisons from the past to the present day, Perkins and MacIntosh include some beautiful restorations of platforms and stations in modern day form.

You get a glimpse into gardens that the railway tracks once ran through and see how people have restored these to present day use including one signal box which has been transformed into a very grand garden shed and summer house.

Through their carefully positioned photographs, the reader can see how railways are a part of history in various towns en route; they can also see what now stands in place of tracks and lines and how railway architecture has lent itself to retain the Waverley route’s heritage.

•

•

The Waverley Route Through Time

Waverley Route Through Time, by Roy G. Perkins with Iain MacIntosh, is available now from book shops or online. It is published by Amberley Publishing, Stroud, Gloucestershire. Price £14.99.

Tel: 01453 847800. Email: orders@amberley-books. com

Melissa Foster

By Roy Perkins with Ian MacIntosh:

A VICTIM of the infamous Dr Beeching railway cuts of the 1960s, the Waverley Line ran from Carlisle through the Borders and Midlothian to Edinburgh.

It was built by the North British Railway Company, opening from Edinburgh to Hawick in 1849, and to Carlisle in 1862 and was named the Waverley route after the novel “Waverley,” by Sir Walter Scott. Its 1969 closure caused a huge outcry. In some quarters demand for its reinstatement never abated and now reconstruction work is under way on part of it, the Edinburgh-Galashiels-Tweedbank section. Following three years of contractual problems, the new line is anticipated to open in 2014.

T

HE Waverley Line is seen in great detail in this new book.

It is an incredibly interesting account for railway and local history enthusiasts and shows the preservation of the track and station platforms in a series of fascinating “then and now” photographs. Messrs Perkins and MacIntosh reveal the effect that time has wrought on the line and its infrastructure since the closure in 1969 22

Above: former signal box at Harker, nr Carlisle and Below: as it stands today

A fine mess...…

ARLISLE Council ha s warned people C that they could face fines if they put their rubbish bags out too early or put out too many bags.

It follows instances of bags being burst open and their contents strewn about. Some householders are unaware that putting out their waste out in the wrong way could result in a fine of £80. This includes:

• * Putting bins out * Putting waste and recycling in the wrong container * Leaving bins out after collection day * Putting out too many purple sacks * Or putting extra sacks out with the bin • For more information about waste and recycling, visit www.carlisle.gov.uk/refuseandrecycling or telephone 01228 817200.

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The Guide to that Perfect Day

January/February 2013

The Guide to That Perfect Day

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You could be a guest at virtually any wedding EXTRAVAGANT and detailed wedding trends of 2012 may be mellowing. Here we look into what may be looming in 2013, with some of the latest expert predictions.

I

F 2013 is to be the year you marry then there’re endless options to consider…but isn’t there always?

As ever cost is the only limiting factor…so nothing new there then.

However, as full on retro/vintage frenzy is seen by some as the way to wed in 2013 there are according to website Bride Tide 100’s top wedding blogs at least 20 new emerging trends for this year. Among the more realistic ones are:

High Tech Guests: Technology is expected to play a huge role in how couples will share their most precious moments with friends and family around the world. Live-stream weddings will continue to gain popularity and 2013 will make it more popular. If a loved one cannot attend a wedding, couples can opt to “broadcast” their event and allow front row access to anyone, anywhere.

It’s real-time streaming of a real life event; great idea for couples who want to include more and more people and yet many couples don’t know is an option.

The Rise of The Food Waggon: Companies heads this Top 20. Appar-

ently kitchens-on-wheels are going to come to the fore in weddings this year.

Not only is it cool and different but convenient! You can get gourmet hot dog or grilled cheese trucks to provide your guests with good eats at your laid-back park wedding, or an ice cream truck serving up delicious home-made ice cream sandwiches as a late night snack. There are food waggons for every type of food you can imagine; you could even hire a few different ones for your guests to have their pick! It’s sure to be a fun way to feed your guests that they will be talking about for years to come. But give Mr Softee a miss and bear in mind the weather!

Less is more: 2012 being the year of the detail-heavy wedding, there is a

prediction that “couples will start to rebel and that we will see a lot more lowkey weddings; elopements; small family gatherings; less pressure and less ‘stuff’.”

Weddings taking inspiration from nature and the natural elements around their chosen venue will dominate rather than adding lots and lots of extra ‘things’.

On The Do-It-Yourself Front:

It is suggested that couples will choose projects that are more advanced skill-wise and require bigger budget and/ 25

26

or time commitments than they have in recent years. On the top of the list, it’s predicted that we’ll see a lot of DIY attire: hand-made bridal gowns and accessories, custom ties and pocket squares for the groomsmen, revamped and up-cycled clothing. For the DIY bride, let’s not forget all the vibrant colour summer blooms at the farmer’s market.

To tie the look all together, lots of pretty ribbons and lace around the bouquet handle.

Going to The Birds:

Not too sure about this one but… 2013 going to the birds means bird-themed weddings growing in popularity. Expect to see an increase in bird-themed everything Examples include tossing bird seed, bird cages as card holders, bird themed invitations, and bird’s nest favours (complete with blue Jordan almond ‘eggs’). Look for bird necklaces, particularly ones with a minimalist look (like single feather pendants or tiny sparrows), both of which are popular and make great gifts for bridesmaids and flower girls.

Rationalisation:

The trade-off of super-trendy, bling-drenched, wed-to-impress affairs for more intimate uncomplicated celebrations which are personal to families, lives, values and pocketbook.

Fabulous florals: Soft shades of yellows mixed with

greys and lots of pastels for the romantic look and feel.

Come summer, over-sized and brightly coloured blooms.

Lush coral or hot pink peonies tied together with lots of pretty ribbons. Also, the “just picked from the garden” look and feel hand-tied bouquet and lush centre-pieces will always be a favourite. The reception “lounge” is a growing American wedding trend that could reach here in 2013. It offers an away-from-the-dance floor area for guests to eat, drink and mingle in a relaxed setting.

But at the end of the day the true value of the event lies in sharing a special moment in your life with your closet family and friends. Guests don’t or shouldn’t care if there are no favours on the table or the tie backs are not a perfect match with the bridesmaids’ dresses.

By all means add the special touches if you want to but don’t let it overtake your enjoyment of this special time.

They will be taking home memories and pictures of a happy occasion where people that they care about have the most fantastic day.

Hopefully it’s time for the happy couple and their immediate family and friends without the stress and worry of co-ordinating every last detail and having to spend a small fortune in the process.

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Hot new Prom range for cool customers HERE are few things more exciting for a young woman T than her prom; the hair, the jewellery, the shoes and most importantly the dress!

This year Cumbrian prom dress shopping becomes even more exciting with the introduction of the Sherri Hill range to Belle Wedding Boutique, in Carlisle. Sherri Hill is the store’s first range of prom and evening wear and it’s easy to see why owner Jodie Irving is so excited about stocking it.

The exclusive brand was launched in 2008 and has been made famous by the competitors in the Miss World and Miss Universe pageants, and 28

by its models Kendall and Kylie Jenner (half-sisters to Kim Kardashian). The design has been worn to countless red carpet event as well as performances by well-known artists; Selena Gomez is a huge fan, Leona Lewis and Paris Hilton have also been spotted in Sherri Hill dresses. Some of the dresses have even been worn by Dianna Argon and Jenna Ushkowitz in episodes of Glee.

The high status of Sherri Hill dresses isn’t necessarily reflected in the prices, dresses range from a rather modest £300 to a more extravagant £2,000 pounds.

Although the range sells strongly in 30 countries across the world Jodie, at Belle Wedding Boutique is one of just 12 stockists in the UK. She is incredibly enthusiastic about the range and it is easy to see why. The dresses are beautiful; available in a rainbow of vivid colours and in a vast variety of styles; long, short, long at the back and short at the front, sweetheart necklines, strapless, poufy skirts, sleek skirts, fishtailed, side slit – the list goes on. And if there’s a particular dress you’ve got your eye on, which isn’t in store, it can be ordered.

After spending so much time and money on your perfect prom dress the last thing you want is for someone else to turn up in the same dress, but Jodie has already thought of this and taking details of customers and their events to ensure that no two dresses at the event will be the same.

The dresses are imported from America so the sooner you start looking for yours the better (sneak at peak on the Sherri Hill website when you’re having a break from revision instead of going on Facebook). Appointments aren’t necessary but are preferred so that Jodie can offer you her undivided attention and guidance.

Appointments can be booked on 01228 812058.

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bridget foster

Make Up & Hair Artist

Clean Out and Clean Up

By Bridget Foster, make-up and hair artist

W

Balm or oil cleansers rebalance any skin type and are fantastic to remove any dirt from your skin. They also don’t strip your skin of its natural oils. The rest of your skin care will work much better once applied to a well cleansed skin.

ell it’s the perfect time of year to start looking at your make up bag and seeing what you need to re jig.

Prepare yourself for the party season and also making sure you’re looking your best... with or without your hangover.

A primer is also a good item to protect your skin from absorbing make up and drying out with central heating.

Finally, during the cold, opt for a cream blusher and illuminating products which keep the skin looking fresh and glowing.

Now do yourself a favour and invest in a good cleanser.

Even if you fall asleep with your make up on if you have a good cleanser to cleanse your party make-up in the morning you may save your skin!

Bold colours on the eyes are on trend this year, so don’t be shy to apply that colour. Keep it simple and push the pigment onto the eyelid bending outwards. Next line the eye to create a smoky look and remember to highlight the brow bone and shape those eyebrows. Lipsticks are now

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Lifestyle

overtaking lip glosses this year. I’ve always been a fan of a complimentary lipstick colour to go with a winter woolly, whatever the trend may be. If you’re not a fan of lip colour just use a flash of colour on the eyes.

The majority of the cosmetic counters now have Christmas gift sets, so now is the perfect time to replace anything you need to invest in for your own make-up bag.

I always keep an eye out for brush sets as we all know how expensive good brushes can be. Bare Mineral have a Mini Brush set for £29 which is great for travelling.You don’t have to use these brushes just for Bare Mineral make up.

A lot of my clients often ask how to look after their brushes. Wash them with baby shampoo and lie them with the hairs in the correct shape as they dry and avoid getting the handles wet.

Lancome have their popular mascaras in a Christmas set along with a eye make-up remover and Khol eye liner. www.bridgetfoster.co.uk

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There’s just 51 weeks in a woman’s year A RECENT study of 2,000 women has apparent ly revealed that for every year of our lives, one week is spent in front of our mirror at home getting ourselves ready for… whatever.

On the face of it (joke) it looks like a lot but when you consider that, according to the study, women typically spend 18 minutes each day on grooming – which equates to four and a half days a year – and then factor in the extra time spent on getting ready for a party or special occasion, the time involved soon mounts up.

Women spend just over 40 minutes getting ready for a night out with friends (slightly less time if going out with a partner!) and up to an hour preparing for a special occasion.

On average, that extra preparation for parties pushes preening time up to 168 hours a year, or seven days, spent on beautifying even before getting out of the door.

Nor does that week spent on beauty each include time spent on nails, waxing, tanning or hair at salons or spas, which is likely to add considerably to the grand total of time In 2010 the QVC Beauty channel conducted the same survey with 1,000 women which showed that average 32

British women spent five days gazing into the mirror, so in the last two years an extra hour every week has been added to grooming rituals. So, bizarrely, as a nation, we’re sleeping less but looking better.

Fashion

Women want to shape up

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ATWALK thin models and straight up and down, boyish figures have been overtaken by the desire for an hourglass shape accentuated by a nipped-in waistline.

A study for high street department store Debenhams found that 72% of women questioned would prefer to have a figure with a small waist, balanced by larger breasts and hips, than any other shape.

Most were less concerned with becoming a model size eight or ten and more concerned about having a figure that “goes in and out”.

Women like Kelly Brook, Holly Willoughby, Beyonce and Kate Winslet, were seen as having the ideal shape to aspire to, while 19% of respondents wanted a body with defined muscles, like Olympian Jess Ennis, or Victoria Pendleton.

Just 6% felt that a typical catwalk model’s tall and thin size eight or below silhouette, with a smaller difference between waist, chest and hip measurements, was the one for them.

The findings are backed by a 93% rise in control garments that specifically target the waist and tummy, compared to this time last year, such as the stores’ high waist shapewear pants, shapewear half-slips, body shapers and waist cinchers.

Only a tiny percentage of women, 3% of those questioned, wanted an “out

of proportion” figure with bigger breast measurement like glamour model Katie Price, or larger hips and bottom, like singer Nicki Minaj.

The relentless rise in sales of shapewear could be explained by the fact that the average measurements of a UK woman today are: chest 38.5ins, waist 34ins and hips 40.5ins. In 1951 - the height of the hourglass figure - the average woman’s measurements much less: chest 37ins, waist 27.5ins, and hips 39ins, with the biggest difference around the waist.

In the last five years Debenhams have seen a 200% increase in sales of shapewear.

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They’’ re Special forces at work...

I

Words & Photography

by Alan Spedding

have got a totally crazy friend named Terry who lives among the sheep in the valleys of Wales. He is a bit of a ‘roughy toughy’ mountain man and in his own little world he’s a “special forces” killing machine who can survive on tree bark, roadkill and fresh berries out there in the Welsh wilderness for weeks on end. In reality he’s nothing but a big softie and I like to put his “Ramboesque” confusion simply down to severe mid-life crisis… Ssssssshhhhh… best say nothing in case I end up in a shallow grave on the Welsh moors.

Terry is always poking at my stomach and barking on at me about shedding a little of my well earned middle age spread - “Hey, I love my food man” I think he’s gently trying to ease me into some sort of healthy eating regime and because I have actually put on over two stones in the last couple of years then now is probably a good time to start some sort of wise eating plan in time for the summer.

Being a bit of a health freak Terry has always gone on to me about one of his favourite diet meals, Raw Cauliflower, Raw Broccoli, topped with a chilli and some cottage cheese.

Now this is Terry’s wonder meal and shows his Michelin-starred culinary skills off to a tee... Not.

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He swears it’s a truly low cal meal and eats it seven days a week for months on end to get toned up and into great shape. He also tells me his teeth aren’t developing into rabbit like gnashers with all the raw vegetables he scoffs. It would be enough to send me up the wall eating this every day but with a few variations then I’m sure I can make it little more appetising to kick off my 2013 diet with.

Food

So here is Terry’s salad and his “fat burning secret”. I have actually perked it up a little in an attempt to make it more enjoyable. It literally is a look through the fridge to see what’s available. This is what I found in mine thus creating the following healthy delight.

get some cottage cheese and a pink grapefruit to try and brighten it all up a little A fennel bulb, a couple of broccoli florets, a stalk of cauliflower, a piece of peppered mackerel, half a chilli, a few orange segments, cherry tomatoes, radishes and some fresh dill. I then popped to the shop to get some cottage cheese and a pink grapefruit to try and brighten it all up a little.

Simply get a few pieces of cauliflower, broccoli and fennel.

Shave the stalks of these and thinly slice them (why throw them away?) segment the orange, slice the chilli, de-skin the mackerel then slice, put everything together on the plate and top with cottage cheese and a nice sprinkle of dill.... Absolutely no cooking skills required on this one folks.

I won’t say anything to Terry but I actually enjoyed it - and had it again for lunch today. A really nice, healthy and very low calorie meal. Combined with a sensible eating plan it’s perfect. A couple of sliced new potatoes would add a few carbs to balance it all up. Protein source is in the cheese and the fish and lots of vitamins in the fresh raw veg.

Salmon and sliced grilled chicken breast would also suit this salad well... there is simply no limits... Enjoy “El Tels salad”

Follow Alan at: www.alanspedding.co.uk 35 www.cumbriafoodie.wordpress.com www.theguidemediagroup.co.uk

Halloumi cheese

with roasted sweet potatoes, squash and lime Recipe from Peter Sidwell - Who demonstrated this recipe at this year’s Taste Cumbria Food Festival

Peter says: “This dish is the perfect combination of sweet roasted seasonal vegetables, salty cheese and fresh limes and herbs”.

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash from the garden 3 medium-sized sweet potatoes 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra, to drizzle 2 garlic cloves, crushed salt and black pepper 3 red onions 1 red chilli 1 block of halloumi cheese weighing 250g (8oz) 2 limes, cut into wedges small handful of coriander small handful of mint

The method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Peel the squash and sweet potatoes and chop to approximately the same size. Throw them in a bowl with the olive oil, crushed garlic cloves and some salt and pepper.

Carefully peel the red onions, making sure you don’t cut 36

the roots off, then cut them into quarters – if the roots are intact they won’t fall apart while roasting. They should be about the same size as the potatoes and squash.

Spread the vegetables on a large roasting tray and roast for 25–30 minutes. When the vegetables are cooked, turn the oven off and leave them to keep warm while you do the last bit of cooking.

Remove the seeds and slice the red chilli into thin matchsticks. Chop the coriander. Cut the halloumi into 1cm (1⁄2in) slices and drizzle with a little oil. Heat a non-stick frying pan and cook the cheese on each side until golden and crisp. Remove the vegetables from the oven and tip on to a large family-sized plate. Top them with the chilli sticks, slices of cheese and the wedges of lime, then scatter with the coriander and mint leaves. Make sure everyone helps themselves to a wedge of lime along with the veg – that citrus burst really makes the dish sing!

Tip Get the dish to the table quickly once you have cooked the cheese – it has a habit of turning chewy if you leave it too long.

Food

It makes a latte sense Debenhams has vowed to end “coffee confusion” by replacing words such as latte and cappuccino with plain English on its menus.

More than 70% of its customers struggle with foreign names of hot drinks, so it decided to get back to basics.

In its Oxford Street, London, store a caffe latte is now called a “really, really milky coffee”, while a cappuccino has become Black coffee has been replaced with “simple coffee, with or without milk”, while an espresso is labelled “a shot of strong coffee”.

But Debenhams hasn’t just stopped at its types of coffees.

Instead of the tall, grande or venti sizes favoured by bigname shops such as Starbucks customers in Debenhams can now simply ask for a cup or mug.

John Baker, director of food services at Debenhams told us: “We’re trialling a redesign of our coffee menu in Oxford Street so shoppers spend less time playing coffee Cluedo and more time enjoying their favourite drink.”

A spokesman for the firm told The Guide: “We hope to get a lot of customer feedback over the festive period and we will probably roll out the changes to our store cafes such as Carlisle and Workington sometime in the first quarter of the new year.”

Debenhams sells more than 100,000 coffees each week in its 160 cafes and restaurants across the UK and Ireland, which is double the amount of tea sales.

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Fantastic Thai-talian food

by Ali Hipkin

usion cooking has made its way to Carlisle; the exotic cuisine of F Thailand meets rustic Italian food

at Tayay, on Lowther Street.

What may at first seem like an odd combination is in fact a brave and innovative fusion that works.

The method behind the madness of this fusion of cuisines is explained by the life that Vanvisa Sridorkboub, owner, has lead. Born in Bangkok, Thailand into a family in the restaurant business she later moved to Florence with her aunt when she was 13, with her knowledge of both Thai and Italian cookery and the help of her Italian partner, Antonio Perrone from Napoli (where the real pizzas come from), Vanvisa has created a unique menu full of flavours which (pardon the cliché) explode in the mouth.

From the moment you walk through the door it is clear how much time, effort and care goes into every aspect of Tayay; from the stunning and striking interior décor to the welcoming staff to the preparation of the food.

Each and every meal is made from scratch when ordered, although this may mean that your meal takes a little while longer to be prepared the advantage is that your chosen dish can be adapted to your personal taste or dietary requirements. Nothing is too much trouble – if you prefer a dish a little more traditional it can and will be done.

The small restaurant, which also offers takeaway’s, opened in October and has already received positive feedback from dinners and the team have taken suggestions for improvement on board to ensure they provide the best dining experience possible.

Vanvisa said: “With the help of my mum’s traditional Thai food and my Florence dishes I try to create simple and healthy fusion’. The majority of the ingredients used are sourced locally although the herbs and teas are imported from Thailand. All the food is low in fat, is MSG free and Gluten free.

Vanvisa already has plans to expand the menu in January, with more Italian and Thai traditional foods, more fish dishes and Panini’s for lunchtime takeaways. Tayay hosted a buffet in December 2012 which sold out and Vanvisa plans to make this a regular affair in 2013; hosting one a month.

A restaurant as unique as Tayay is a must for anyone seeking a change from standard Italian pastas or Thai dishes and looking for something more exciting.

Try it! You may be surprised – I was!

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great guide to eating out

India Gate

Buffet style restaurant offering a sophisticated dinning experience with charming staff makes sure that customers come back for more. The building has been transformed to a sophisticated restaurant to offer a pleasant experience whatever the occasion.

Indiagate dishes are derived from traditional Moghul cuisine cooked in the authentic tandoor oven style of North West India. Executive Chefs regulary devise new and seasonal dishes to keep updated menus innovative and modern. Open Monday - Sunday: 11.30am - 10pm

Offering a sophisticated dining experience...

30/34 Bochergate, Carlisle, CA1 1QS T. 01228 819409 www.indiagate-carlisle.co.uk E. reservations@indiagate-carlisle.co.uk

The Prior’s Kitchen Restaurant at Carlisle Cathedral A warm welcome awaits you at the Prior’s Kitchen Restaurant where you will find finest hand made food served in the beautiful medieval surroundings of the Cathedral’s Fratry Undercroft.

Gluten free meals/locally sourced produce/Organic/Fair-trade/Daily Specials.

Open Monday to Saturday 9.45 am to 3.30 pm For enquiries please telephone the Prior’s Kitchen on 01228 543251 or visit our website: www.carlislecathedral.org.uk

La Mezzaluna

Restaurant and Bar

Roberto and staff welcome you to a truly authentic slice of family life at the friendly La Mezzaluna Restaurant and Bar. Happy Hour takes place from Noon till 7pm, when you can take advantage of our Happy Hour Menu for just £5 Desserts, coffees, wines, cocktails, spirits and beers are available to accompany your meal.

Booking advisable

Can’t get a table? Dont worry.. Takeaway and delivery available Open Monday - Saturday Noon - 10pm, Closed Tuesdays, Sunday 11am - 9pm

T. 01228 534 472 www.lamezzalunacarlisle.co.uk 6 The Crescent, Carlisle, CA1 1QW

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Superfast Insignia

is a nod to Vauxhall’s sporting heritage

V

AUXHALL has released a highperformance replacement for the 325PS Insignia VXR that achieves 170mph – 15mph more than its predecessor yet costs £3,760 less than the outgoing car at £29,995.

The Insignia VXR SuperSport, produces more power and achieves a higher top speed than any other UK production car costing less than £30,000, including market newcomers like the BMW 135i M Sport.

With no speed-limiter, the SuperSport realises the Insignia VXR’s true performance potential, while visual identifiers like blue ‘Brembo’ lettering on its front brake callipers and additional increments on its speedometer offer subtle hints about the car’s giant-slaying intent.

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But the SuperSport isn’t the first Vauxhall to set speed benchmarks. More than a century ago, Vauxhall launched Britain’s first sports car, the C10 ‘Prince Henry’, quickly followed by the UK’s first 100mph production car, the iconic 30-98. Vauxhall’s engineers even provided customers with a certificate to guarantee that the car had been tested at the ‘ton’ on the fearsome Brooklands circuit in Weybridge.

The tradition continued post-war, with the legendary Lotus Carlton becoming the world’s fastest production saloon car in 1989, with a top speed of 176mph.

And even in the current line-up, the VXR Maloo is the country’s fastest, officially-imported light commercial vehicle, with a 0-60mph time of 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 155mph.

Motoring At the heart of the VXR SuperSport is Vauxhall’s 2.8-litre V6 Turbo ECOTEC engine, with a micro-alloy forged steel crank, classic 60-degree cylinder angle and die-cast alloy sump – all features found in many a race engine. Producing 325PS, the engine uses a single, twin-scroll turbocharger and variable valve control for quick throttle response, and accelerates from 0-60mph in 5.6 seconds.

In the mid-1920s, when the average speed for a family car was 40mph, the 100mph set by the Vauxhall – the first production car in the UK to achieve this speed – was exceptional. The 30-98, which celebrates its centenary next year, quickly became a legend and defined the word ‘vintage’ more than any other car of its time. Robert Beaver, a 30-98 owner who had lapped Brooklands at 113mph and hit 122mph along the Railway Straight, wrote: ‘I’ve had about 30 cars from GNs to an 8-litre Bentley, and nothing gave me the kick I had from my 30-98.

They are marvellous old cars and will run hundreds of thousands of miles without trouble.’

Vauxhall Motors will be joining the 30-98 Register next year to promote the model at a variety of different venues. Of the 500+ cars built, more than half still survive, many of which will be taking part in the centenary celebrations.

Tyre labels tighter NEW tyres now have to show more information to give drivers about fuel efficiency, wet grip and noise performance.

Last year saw the new EU legislation to ensure that all new tyres are labelled with clear ratings. It aims to provide users of vehicles with clear and relevant information about the quality of tyre, and to guide them towards choosing a product which is more fuel efficient, has better wet braking and is less noisy. The EU directive known as ‘tyre labelling’ is the biggest change to the industry and the way tyres are sold for more than 50 years.

The labelling will be similar to that required for household appliances and potential buyers will be able to compare tyre characteristics before making a purchase. Like the European energy label, the tyre label (pictured here) will use classes ranging from best-performance (green ‘A’ class) to worst (red ‘G’ class).

Besides indicating how much the tyre affects the vehicle’s fuel efficiency, it will also give information about its performance in wet conditions and its external rolling noise in decibels.

41

‘British’ League could suit Carlisle Words: Ross Brewster

F

ANCY an annual visit to Brunton Park – or even the mystical, Kingmoor Park of Blue Yonder project fame – by Celtic, Rangers, Hibernian and other Scottish Premier League sides?

It’s part of a re-structuring of the English and Scottish leagues suggested by the Daily Mirror’s chief sports writer, Oliver Holt, in the light of Celtic’s European Champions League adventure.

It’s an interesting concept, although in reality there’s little prospect of it coming to fruition while you have potential long distance match ups between the likes of Bournemouth and Inverness Caley Thistle with gates of no more than four or five thousand.

Holt’s argument is that Celtic and Rangers 42

“

With the Scottish game fairly moribund, Celtic and Rangers will inevitably look south, knocking on the door of our leagues

”

Sport

The immediate problem for teams in Carlisle’s position is that, within a couple of seasons, the well supported sides would be promoted and we would be left with the likes of Ross County and St Mirren, clubs at the bottom end of the attendance scale.

On Boxing Day, traditionally a day when the fans come out in force, the Brunton Park FIXTURES gate was about a third of what Sun Jan 13 Carlisle v Coventry we would have Sat Jan 19 Crawley v Carlisle expected at Sat Jan 26 Carlisle v Scunthorpe one time. For Carlisle, out Sat Feb 2 Tranmere v Carlisle of all the cups, there only Sat Feb 9 Carlisle v Stevenage remains league Sat Feb 16 Portsmouth v Carlisle position to Sat Feb 23 Carlisle v MK Dons fight for in the Tue Feb 26 Carlisle v Walsall second half of the season and, with injured players back and firing, there’s no reason to fear a long relegation struggle.

Geographically Holt’s system would actually suit Carlisle. Many visiting fans already mistakenly think we’re in Scotland now. With the Scottish game fairly moribund, Celtic and Rangers will inevitably look south, knocking on the door of our leagues, but lower down the order I’m not so sure I follow Holt’s argument for a merger with the same enthusiasm.

United need to explore every avenue to bring the absentee fans back in to the fold. For people like me, with over 50 years’ experience of following the Blues, it’s in your heart and soul, no matter how bad it sometimes gets. But the modern young fan doesn’t have those same loyalties and they just want to follow the big time Charlies when the going gets tough for the local team.

Whichever way you look at it, football is a money game.

The big get bigger and the poor get ever poorer. I’m surprised that there hasn’t been a financial collapse in the lower leagues where clubs survive on pitiful crowds; managers have to operate with meagre resources; and costs continue rising.

But ultimately the players have to start producing. Some have not been up to scratch this season, I think that’s been evident. “Too good to go down” they always say.

In Carlisle’s case that’s true, but until they turn round their home form then it really is going to be a labour of love for those hard core fans who make their way down Warwick Road every other Saturday afternoon.

and a handful of other sides from north of the Border would be a stimulus for our game and at same time provide the top Scottish clubs with a pathway into the Championship and Premiership.

Holt took the trouble to map out his proposal for three divisions below the Championship, putting the likes of Carlisle United in league one and bringing half the Blue Square Premier division into the new structure in the third section.

Celtic are part of a 12 team Scottish Premier League that brings in just £13 million a year from TV deals, small change compared to the English Premier League. Holt sees the merger as a radical solution bringing competitive benefits to Celtic and Rangers and increasing television interest and funding south of the Border.

It’s an unpalatable, but unanswerable fact that unless clubs like Carlisle can produce talent to sell then they won’t be able to carry on. This season gates have plummeted, largely because home form has been so poor. You hear the complaints about the price of tickets, a perceived lack of PR and other factors. But the one reality in football is that fans will only come through the turnstiles to watch a winning team.

Until Carlisle start performing consistently well at home the fans will stay away, which is itself counter-productive because the club needs the income to survive day to day and attract the players who will help improve those results.

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Barnard’s hat-trick hopes grow

W

EST CUMBRIAN rally driver, Richard Barnard, has moved a stage nearer a remarkable hat-trick of titles.

He’s now two thirds of the way there, having recently captured the Association of North West Car Club’ s stage rally title for the second year in succession.

The final round of the Association of North West Car Clubs (ANWCC) Stage Rally Championship took place recently at the Blyton Circuit, in Lincolnshire.

This in itself created yet another first for Richard who becomes the first junior driver to win the ANWCC title two years in succession. He also became the first non-islander to win the Manx Junior Stage Rally Championship.

Richard took a big gamble when he ploughed all his remaining resources along with valuable sponsorship from Britain’s Energy Coast to compete on the final round of the Isle of Man championship, during November.

And the waiting game went on as Richard had to see if he’s secured a hat trick of titles when his own motor club, the West Cumbria Motorsports Club, announce their Rally Drivers Championship scores later this month. Going to press he is leading the race for this trophy too.

Planning is gathering pace now for 2013 and Richard plans contest the Group N category of the REIS Get Connected MSA British Asphalt Rally Championship.

The search is on for a newer car with the 2012 car being for sale having done its job well this year. As well as a new car some new sponsors are being sought with a number of the 2012 sponsors already pledging their continued backing for the Cockermouth man in 2013. This is really encouraging news as Richard will be moving up to the senior ranks next year having passed the under 25 junior limit by the time the championship starts in March on the Epynt Range roads in South Wales.

For while it enabled Richard, to become the first non-resident of the island to win the Manx championship it also meant that he would have to sit out the remaining rounds of other rally championships in which he was in contention – a nail-biting time for Richard and his team.

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Photography by Martyn Parnell

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Kids

46

Kids

Word search

Dinosaur Wordsearch!

Bones Carnivore Dinosaur Eggs Extinct

Fossils Herbivore Jurassic Paleontologist Raptor

47

Kids

Time to storm The Magic Cast le a magic offer this January at THERE’S Magic Castle soft play at Denton Holme.

To launch you into 2013 there’s a two-for-the price-of-one offer running the whole of the January at Magic Castle soft play which includes the school holidays, If you pay for one child a second child is admitted without charge and, even better… you won’t have to “borrow” to benefit if you only have one child, or an odd number of children. That’s because if you turn up with one, three, seven or nine children you’ll qualify for a free play voucher for one child, which will remain valid until the end of February 2013.

There’s great home-made snacks, such as tray-bakes, biscuits and cakes, to be indulged in with or without the assistance of the children! As Magic Castle provide snacks it’s quite alright to take your own food along although it is hoped to extend the kitchen area in the future to offer sandwiches, home-made soups and baked potatoes.

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Kids

Kid’s Sudoku

49

Pets

A new type of dog food

by Wayne Southwell from Wayne’s World of Pets, Whitehaven

O

ur shop is based on a core belief of offering the best food for your pet regardless of cost, however last year some of these costs were getting higher than they should be so we decided to do something about it. What we decided to do was bring out our own range of pet food.

Own brand dog food has been about for many years but always tends to be a low quality product made as cheap as possible (normally classed as a working dog diet to escape VAT) We wanted to make sure that the food we developed was as good if not better than the top quality brands on the market. After much searching we found a great manufacturer, in Lancashire, that was on the same wavelength as us with regard to making a quality product but at a sensible price. This manufacturer is also very environmentally aware having invested heavily to keep food production as green as possible.

We worked together with this manufacturer to launch a puppy food and three different adult dog foods, last Easter. All the foods are hypo-allergenic so are suitable for most sensitive dogs. They all have a good meat content with on average 26% of the named meat used (compared to some brands that only have 4% of a thing called “meat and animal derivatives”). All our dog foods also have added fish oils to help their skin and coat.

We also developed a range of dog treat to complement the range from general training treats to our very own

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edible dental sticks which have also been very well received by our canine friends.

The food has really taken off for us thanks to its quality and the fact that it is almost £20 a sack cheaper than its well-loved rivals and we have now extended the range to two different puppy foods, four adult variants including one that is cereal-free and a senior food. We also now do some working dog foods, a full range of cat food and even pond food.

With customers including vet nurses, groomers and dog trainers singing its praise you know the quality really is there.

The food and treats are available to buy from our website at www.waynesworldofpets.com Use coupon code GUIDE to receive 20% OFF your first order.

Record sell-out for Kendal Calling 2013 ENDAL CALLING festival’s Early K Bird tickets for next July sold out in a remarkable eight minutes on the day they became available In mid-November.

It was a record for the multi award-winning festival, which takes place at Lowther Deer Park, Penrith.

Last year and the 2012 festival also sold out seven weeks in advance.

The promoters are keeping the event at the same capacity as the 2012 show but will add further attractions for festival-goers which will be announced early in the New Year.

Kendal Calling 2012 was headlined by Dizzee Rascal who delivered one of his best ever performances, and was nominated for the ‘Headline Performance Of The Year’ title at last year’s Festival Awards.

Kendal Calling was also nominated for Best Medium Sized Festival at the prestigious awards in recognition of another outstanding year Kendal Calling tickets and artists announcements will happen in early in the New Year and the festivals takes place on July 26-28 at Hackthorpe, Penrith. There will be 14 stages and three days and nights of fun. www.kendalcalling.co.uk

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Puzzles

Take a Break ACROSS 1. Panache (5) 6. Weapons (4) 10. Anagram of “Salt” (4) 14. French for “Sister” (5) 15. Nameless (4) 16. Flutter (4) 17. A kind of macaw (5) 18. Magma (4) 19. Not genuine (4) 20. Unacquainted (10) 22. Portent (4) 23. Implored (4) 24. A task requiring a trip (6) 26. Cease (4) 30. Fury (3) 31. Accomplished (3) 32. Adhesive strip (4) 33. Helps (4) 35. Javelin (5) 39. Squeeze out (7) 41. A pike with an ax head (7) 43. Cheapskate (5) 44. Fraud (4) 46. Its symbol is Pb (4) 47. Missing In Action (3) 49. French for “Friend” (3) 50. Jittery (4) 51. Skillet (6) 54. Wagers (4) 56. Plunder (4) 57. Deductive (10) 63. Cocoyam (4) 64. Old stories (4) 65. Heart artery (5) 66. Clairvoyant (4) 67. 1 1 1 1 (4) 68. Got up (5) 69. Sacred (4) 70. Obtains (4) 71. Cheerful (5)

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DOWN 1. Brother of Jacob (4) 2. Maize (4) 3. Foliage (4) 4. Emanation (4) 5.Vagabond (5) 6. Mine passageways (9) 7. Unassisted (7) 8. Exploded star (4) 9. Caught (6) 10. Inexpensive (10) 11. Andean animal (5) 12. Captured (5) 13. Go on a buying spree (5) 21. Homeric epic (5) 25. Small brook (4) 26. Flower stalk (4) 27. Cab (4) 28. Chooses (4) 29. Autocratic (10) 34. Without disgrace (9) 36. Require (4) 37. Outcropping (4) 38. Countercurrent (4) 40. Murres (4) 42. Friendliness (5) 45. Nightclub (7) 48. Not digital (6) 51. Animal tissue (5) 52. Cowboy sport (5) 53. Alpine call (5) 55. Hiding place (5) 58. Not a single one (4) 59. Greek letter (4) 60. Prune (4) 61. At the peak of (4) 62. Gentlewoman (4)

Crossword

Sudoku

Whats On

TheWHAT’S OnGuide

Five&Dangerous

They’re thin busy!

F

IVE AND DANGEROUS are five local musicians who initially came together to perform the classic live Thin Lizzy album, Live and Dangerous. The name stuck and so did they.

The project was supposed to have a limited time span, but due to the success and popularity of the band it has continued with an ever-expanding set of Thin Lizzy classics.

Marco suggested that everyone should meet up after the shows and an exchange of emails between Allan and Marco made it possible.

Five and Dangerous comprise: Steve ‘Pecker’ Woods – lead vocals; Paul Nichol – lead guitar; and vocals; Bob Cullen – lead guitar and vocals; Mark McCarten – bass guitar and Allan Hall – drums

Over the summer they played at nearly all the local festivals, to acclaim from many ardent Thin Lizzy fans.

This November they embarked on a mini tour centred on Dusseldorf, in Germany Coincidentally, Thin Lizzy themselves were performing in Cologne, at the same time.

A few weeks ago Allan and Steve met up with Thin Lizzy’s bass player, Marco Mendoza, when he performed at the Vine Bar, in Workington.

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Your guide to all that’s best in Carlisle, West Cumbria and Keswick, from

MusicTheatreFilmComedyOther

Music l Theatre l Film l Comedy l Other

Whats On

What’s On January/February MusicTheatreFilmComedyOther

Music Sat Jan 12 Limehouse Lizzy - 8pm The Brickyard, Carlisle Sat Jan 19 Motown and SOUL Night 10pm - 3am The Brickyard, Carlisle Fri Jan 25 Northern Soul Night Dance The Night Away till Late, FREE ENTRY Soul In The City, Lowther Street, Carlisle

Sat Feb 16 Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra 7:30pm - 10:00pm The Sands Centre, Carlisle Mon Feb 18 Jim Lockey and The Solemn Sun - I am Spartacus andBen Singh (Kontiki Suite) 8pm The Brickyard, Carlisle Tue Feb 19 Sonic Boom Six, The Lafontaines & Under the Influence 8pm The Brickyard, Carlisle Fri Feb 22 Northern Soul Night Dance The Night Away till Late, FREE ENTRY Soul In The City, Lowther Street, Carlisle

Mon Feb 11 Kaiser Chiefs Sat Jan 26 Rock n Roll and Rockabilly Night with The Wanderers 8.00pm The Cranemakers, Carlisle Indie Night 10pm - 3am The Brickyard, Carlisle Fri Feb 1 The Drifters 8:00pm - 11:00pm The Sands Centre, Carlisle Mon Feb 11 Kaiser Chiefs 7.30pm - 11:00pm The Sands Centre, Carlisle

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Sat Mar 2 Indie Night 10pm - 3am The Brickyard, Carlisle The Bigwig Ball: The 45s The 45s play at the Big Wig Ball - A childrens charity event 9.30pm 11.30pm The Hallmark Hotel, Carlisle Fri Mar 8 Public Service Broadcasting The Brickyard, Carlisle Sun Mar 17 The Bootleg Beatles The Sands Centre, Carlisle Fri Mar 22 Halle The concert will provide a rare chance to hear Mahler’s Symphony No.4 and Sir Mark Elder’s interpretation with the Hallé will be a truly memorable musical occasion.

The Sands Centre, Carlisle

Sat Mar 23 Sensational 60s Experience Starring The Tremeloes, Hermans Hermits, The Union Gapuk and The Ivy League. 7:30pm - 10:00pm The Sands Centre, Carlisle Thur Mar 28 The Stranglers 7:00pm - 10:00pm The Sands Centre, Carlisle Fri Mar 29 Simple Minds Simple Minds will be performing their ‘Greatest Hits Live’ next year on a huge 28 date tour, stopping off at The Sands Centre 7:00pm - 10:00pm The Sands Centre, Carlisle Sat Mar 30 Jake Bugg Simple Minds will be performing their ‘Greatest Hits Live’ next year on a huge 28 date tour, stopping off at The Sands Centre 7:00pm - 10:30pm The Sands Centre, Carlisle

Theatre Mon Feb 4 - 9 It Could Be Any One of Us written by Alan Ayckbourn Three siblings live in conflict in a remote country house. During a row the eldest.... reveals that he intends leaving the house to a former student, Wendy. When she visits the house, her life is threatened. Who is the culprit?

West Walls Theatre, Carlisle Wed Feb 13 Family Theatre: Stuck Rheged Centre, Penrith

Whats On

Mon Feb 18 - 23 Blood Brothers The captivating and moving tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with tragic consequences. 7:30pm - 10:00pm The Sands Centre, Carlisle Sat Mar 16 La Boheme Large, Live Orchestra Sung in Italian with English surtitles 7:30pm - 10:00pm The Sands Centre, Carlisle

Wed Feb 6 Independents Day Film: Beasts of the Southern Wild Plaza Cinema, Workington Fri Feb 8 Parental Guidance Vue Cinema, Carlisle Mon Feb 11 - 15 Puss In Boots (U) Rheged Centre, Penrith Wed Feb 20 Independents Day Film: End of Watch Plaza Cinema, Workington Sat Feb 23 The Best of Keswick Film Festival Rheged will be showing two of the films on their giant screen.

2.15pm - Chasing Ice 3.45pm - Nostalgia For The Light Rheged Centre, Penrith

Mon Feb 18 - 23 Blood Brothers Mon Mar 18 - 23 The Real Thing - written by Tom Stoppard This comedy starts when Max is distraught to discover that his wife Charlotte has been unfaithful. Yet next evening he has apparently acquired a replacement partner while Charlotte ..... has another husband, playwright Henry.

West Walls Theatre, Carlisle

Film Wed Jan 16 Independents Day Film: Smashed Plaza Cinema, Workington Wed Jan 23 Independents Day Film: Ruby Sparks Plaza Cinema, Workington Wed Jan 30 Independents Day Film: Mental Plaza Cinema, Workington

Wed Feb 27 Independents Day Film: Man with the Iron Fists Plaza Cinema, Workington

Fri Mar 1 Jimmy Carr - Gagging Order Fri Mar 1 Jimmy Carr - Gagging Order Brand new show, brand new jokes, same old Jimmy. ‘Gagging Order’ promises to be an hilarious night out. 8pm - 10pm The Sands Centre, Carlisle

Other Sun Jan 13 Colin Caygill Antiques Fair Rheged Centre, Penrith

Wed Mar 6 Independents Day Film: The Oranges Plaza Cinema, Workington

Sun Jan 20 Wedding Fayre at The Crown & Mitre Hotel 11am to 4pm Crown & Mitre Hotel, Carlisle

Wed Mar 13 Independents Day Film: The Sessions Plaza Cinema, Workington

Indoor-style Car Boot Sale Raising funds for local charity The Calvert Trust. From 10am - 3pm Rheged Centre, Penrith

Wed Mar 20 Independents Day Film: The Master Plaza Cinema, Workington

Fri Jan 25 Burns Supper 7.30pm - 10.30pm Tullie House, Carlisle

Comedy Sat Jan 5 Roy Chubby Brown Roy Chubby Brown returns with his bluest show yet!

The Sands Centre, Carlisle

Sat Jan 26 Brampton Farmers Market 9am to 1.30pm Brampton Market Place, Brampton Thur Jan 31 Outdoor Lecture: The South Face of Denali and the North Dace of Chamlang Rheged Centre, Penrith 55

Whats On

What’s On January/February MusicTheatreFilmComedyOther

Fri Feb 1 Made in Cumbria Farmers Market 9.30am to 3.30pm Carlisle City Centre Sat Feb 2 - 3 Hoverfly identification weekend workshop 10am - 4pm Tullie House, Carlisle Sun Feb 3 Brendan Cole - Licence to Thrill Join him and his cast of 20 musicians and dancers as they take you on a journey of music and dance in this spectacular night of theatre entertainment. 7:30pm - 10:00pm The Sands Centre, Carlisle

Mon Feb 11 Clay Modelling Class Rheged Centre, Penrith Tue Feb 12 The Great Inventors Show Rheged Centre, Penrith Thur Feb 14 Animal Encounters Rheged Centre, Penrith Fri Feb 15 Childrens Kitchen with Peter Sidwell Rheged Centre, Penrith

Spotlight on... mystery and intrigue 10am - 4pm Tullie House, Carlisle Tue Feb 5 A journey of Lesbian and Gay History 1pm - 1.30pm Lecture Theatre, Tullie House, Carlisle Wed Feb 6 Afternoon Jumps Racing Carlisle Racecourse Thur Feb 7 Contemporary Vision: 20X20 6pm - 9pm Tullie House, Carlisle Sun Feb 10 Dancing Dragons Celebrate Chinese New Year with Tullie House by creating colourful dancing dragons and slithering snakes!. 10am - 4pm Tullie House, Carlisle

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Mon Feb 18 Afternoon Jumps Racing Sat Feb 16 Fell Side Auto Club’s Northern Classic Trial Vehicles of 2, 3 and 4 wheels tour N and NW Cumbria to tackle 12 competitive sections and special tests in gravel, greasiness and gravity.

Whinlatter Forest, Wythop and Sandale Mon Feb 18 Afternoon Jumps Racing Carlisle Racecourse Sat Feb 23 Brampton Farmers Market 9am to 1.30pm Brampton Market Place, Brampton

Outdoor Lecture: Leo Houlding from The Amazon to Antarctica - Extreme Vertical Adventure Rheged Centre, Penrith Sun Feb 24 Colin Caygill Antiques Fair Rheged Centre, Penrith Fri Mar 1 Made in Cumbria Farmers Market 9.30am to 3.30pm Carlisle City Centre Sat Mar 2 Malcolm Wilson Rally Competition takes place on tracks in Greystoke, Grizedale and Whinlatter Forest.

Start and finish line on Cockermouth Main Street Sat Mar 2 - 3 Historia Originata A multi-period market place for re-enactors, museums and historical enthusiasts Rheged Centre, Penrith Sat Mar 2 - 3 World’s Original Marmalade Awards & Festival Dalemain Mansion and Historic Gardens, nr Penrith Sun Mar 3 Cumbria’s Bridal and Prom Once Upon a New Collection 11am to 3pm Beacon Hill, Aspatria Tue Mar 5 Dorothy Wordsworth: The Wonders of the Everyday 1pm - 1.30pm Lecture Theatre, Tullie House, Carlisle

A litt le bit of Cumbrian sunshine…

By Adam Glover

HE LANDSCAPES and traditions of T Cumbria don’t particularly end themselves to fostering quality underground dance music.

The rolling hills, the sheep, you know what I mean; they don’t really sit comfortably with strange metropolitan words like “techno” or “progressive house”. Despite this, hidden away in home studios across the county you will find talented computer producers like Dean Whitehead and Andrew Dale, or, as they are known by during the midnight hours, Obyvate and Soulmelt.

I caught up with the Workington-based pair to talk about their latest project - their newly founded record label: Sesque Music.

“I set up a label years ago, but I failed, to be honest”, said Andy. “I’ve learnt from making mistakes, and we’ve been able to create a global record label releasing tracks by artists from all over the world - from Romania to Columbia to Australia.”

Of course, the beauty of today’s music industry is that you don’t need a massive local following, thanks to the internet, and the pair have had their tracks played on radio stations and by DJs internationally. And though they are a digital-only label at the minute, Dean reassured me that they have plans to release some records in vinyl format in the future.

The pair founded Sesque Music only six months ago, and have acted quickly by releasing tracks by some 20 different artists. Andy added “A lot of the other labels don’t promote or distribute well enough, so we wanted to set one up, so we could have total control over where the music is going”. Their label’s sound is a relaxed, smooth strain of deep house - one that retains the positivity of more funkier styles, but with an added bit of style and soul.

Dean Whitehead and Andrew Dale A lot of the tracks are reminiscent of the Balearic Islands, but Andy pointed out that their label and their own productions are two very different beasts. Dean’s own sound in particular, is a more swaggering, darker kind of tech house. Which is funny, considering their early influences include old synthesizer bands like Soft Cell and 1980s funk trumpeter, Quincy Jones.

Dance music has always had its stereotypes and its prejudices. I personally don’t like the phrase “Dance music”, because of the connotations it conjures in one’s mind. I’m sure many readers will see adverts on TV, with shouting narrators, with sweaty neon dancers and scantily clad women; for things like “Now That’s What I Call Clubland 49”.

This has got nothing to do with what Andy and Dave are about, and hopefully, if it sounds of interest, you might feel like you want to find out exactly what this strange and space-y music is all about. I think it’s great to know that there are two experienced and passionate people doing some great work in the ever expanding dance music world.

And isn’t it great knowing, that even in the clouded landscape that is the Cumbrian dance music “scene”, you can find a little bit of Ibizan sun, shining through.

To find out more on Andy and Dean, and Sesque Music visit: www.sesque-music.com http://soundcloud.com/sesque-music http://soundcloud.com/djdeanwhitehead http://soundcloud.com/soulmelt 57

Wildlife of The Solway Firth

Alien Invasion In Progress

By Mark Vollers

W

e often hear about introduced plants that become a pest (Himalayan Balsam, Japanese Knotweed, etc) but what about our marine environment?

The oceans of the world are all interconnected so what is ‘unnatural’ about plants and animals migrating to find new homes in other places, either by using ocean currents or by hitching a ride in a ship’s ballast water tanks?

Well in some cases these new arrivals can be potentially very destructive indeed, and if man has been responsible for the introduction we must certainly do what we can to eliminate or reduce the impact. A prime example now is The Chinese Mitten Crab (so called because of the furry appearance of its pincers) which arrived in the UK in about 1935, but until recently was restricted to the South and East coasts. It has now been recorded in the Duddon Estuary, so the Solway is under threat.

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This crab spends most of its life up rivers in fresh water, establishing itself in colonies that excavate tunnels into the banks, causing collapse and erosion, leading to extensive loss of habitat. It is in the list of top 100 worst alien species (world listing). It returns to the sea to breed in Autumn, and when the eggs hatch in Spring the larvae and adults travel up river again, even crossing land, so no water body is safe.

If you like beachcombing and rockpooling watch out for this crab and report any findings to www.mittencrabs.org.uk or www.nonnativespecies.org, a comprehensive website that covers all known marine and terrestrial invasive species. www.coastaquarium.co.uk

Silloth Tide Tables

Solution to Crossword

Solution to Sudoku

Solution to Kids Sudoku

59

The

Carlisle Handy Map

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City Map Attractions 1 2 3 4 5 6

Carlisle Castle and Border Regiment Museum Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery Guild Hall Museum The Pools LaserQuest VUE Cinema Points of Interest

1 Central Library 2 Market Hall 3 Skate Park Local Ameneties Tourist Information Public Toilets Police Station Citadel Station Parking 24hr Petrol Station The Lanes Shopping Centre Places Of Worship 1 Our Lady and St Joseph’s Catholic Church 2 St Cuthbert’s Church 3 Carlisle Cathedral Colleges/University 1 Carlisle College Parks 1 Bitts Park Sports Grounds 1 Swifts Golf Course and Driving Range

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Your Guide to Local Services

To Advertise here email: info@theguidemediagroup.com Electrical Services

Double Glazing Services

62

Builders

Home and Garden

Advertise HERE Call Today. T: 01946 816 719 Joinery Services

Plumbing and Drainage

Scaffolding Services

Skip Hire

-

63

Handy Nos

The Cursing Stone, near Tulie House Museum, Carlisle

The Sands Centre

01228 625222

Name

Phone

Emergency Police/Fire/Ambulance

999

Police non-emergency

101

Fire & Rescue General Enquiries

01228 593350

Domestic Violence Support

07712 117 986

Samaritans

08457 90 90 90

Council & Other Services Carlisle City Council

01228 817000

Cumbria County Council out-of-hours service

01228 526690

Cumbria County Council

0800 1218 800

Carlisle Tourism

01228 817166

Carlisle Post Office (Scotch Street)

01228 525017

Carlisle Library (Globe Lane)

01228 227310

Theatres & Cinema

Carlisle Castle 01228 591922

Lake District Weather 0844 846 2444 64

The Sands Centre

01228 625222

The Green Room

01228 533233

Vue Entertainment

0871 224 0240

Museums, Attractions & Music Venues Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery

01228 618718

Walby Farm Park

01228 573056

The Source

01228 595535

The Brickyard

01228 512220

Guildhall Museum

01228 618718

Carlisle Indoor Market Hall

01228 513991

Carlisle Cathedral

01228 548151

LaserQuest

01228 511155

Name

Phone

AMF Bowling

0844 826 3013

Brunton Park

01228 526237

Carlisle Castle

01228 591922

Cumbria’s Military Museum

01228 532774

The Lanes Shopping Centre, Carlisle

01228 529356

Gretna Gateway Outlet Village

01461 339028

Carlisle Racecourse

01228 554700

Tullie House Museum

01228 618718

Sports Indoor & Outdoor Carlisle Driving Range

01228 545665

The Pools Swimming & Health Centre

01228 625777

Sheepmount Athletics Stadium

01228 625599

Stoneyholme Golf Club

01228 625511

Tourist Information Carlisle

01228 625600

VisitScotland Gretna

01461 337834

Brampton

016977 3433

Southwaite

016974 73445

Carlisle Racecourse

01228 554700

Travel & Weather 0871 200 22 33

Stagecoach North West

01228 597 222

Train Timetables

08457 48 49 50

Lake District Weather Service

0844 846 2444

Medical Cumberland Infirmary

01228 523444

Accident and Emergency

01228 814411

NHS Direct

0845 46 47

West Cumberland Hospital

01946 693 181

National Blood Service

0845 7711711

Dental Emergency

01228 603900

CueDoc

01228 401999

Brunton Park 01228 526237

If you would like your service listed here, please call: 01946 816 716

Bus Timetables

Vets Eden Veterinary Centre

01228 541999

Ashlea Veterinary Centre

01228 549177

RSPCA

01228 512893

Carlisle Driving Range 01228 545665

Schools Trinity School

01228 516051

Austin Friars St Monica’s School

01228 528042

Newman Catholic School

01228 404942

St Cuthbert’s Catholic Community School

01228 607505

Richard Rose Morton Academy

01228 607545

Carlisle College

01228 822700

University of Cumbria

01228 616234

Carlisle TIC 01228 625600 65

Northern Rail Train Times between 9 December 2012 - 18 May 2013

For train times and fares information visit www.northernrail.org or call National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50

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you possibly 20 Things didn’t know about 1 @Home PC are an Independent Family

Company and have been successfully trading since 2004.

2 @Home PC is the largest independent Computer Retailer in Carlisle.

3 @Home PC are Asus Gold Partners,

Samsung and Acer Experience Authorized Dealers and Repair Drop off Points.

4 We have a dedicated Service Department called Repair Central handling over 3000 Units per year.

14 We also sell, install Epos software and

hardware from £1500 installed & set up, we have 6 happy & satisfied EPOS customers in just over 3 months.

15 We also have the cheapest compatible Ink in town for most Epson, Canon and Brother Printers from £3.00!

5 We also repair Xbox’s PS3, Wii, IPhone, in fact most consumer electronics.

6 We do not charge by the hour we give you a set price before we start, we don’t charge for diagnostics.

7 All of our repairs carry a guarantee.

8 We fix most laptop screens while you wait, 90% are £99 for the job.

9 We have fully insured premises which means

your repairs are safe with us, can this be said of “Home Call Companies” who take your goods away and only have a mobile number?

10 We also look after small to medium businesses, give us a try you might be surprised..

11 We also sell service and install full server systems for businesses; the latest we have installed is for Northern Vacuums a well-loved local and established independent company.

12 Fiona ,one of the co-owners is a qualified

Accounts Technician to AAT standard NVQ level 4, a qualified book-keeper and @Home PC are QuickBooks Professional Advisors, we can set up and advise start-up companies and provide QuickBooks software from £150

13 We also deal, configure and fix Macs.

16 We are a Coolermaster Centre stocking a large range of Cases, PSU’s and Cooling Systems 17 We also supply Education sites, Primary Schools & nurseries

18 We normally have at least 30 systems in

stock be it PC, Laptop, Tablet or All In One.*

19 We have a comfy sofa while you wait for your repair or advise on your purchase.

20 We are friendly, professional, personal and we care about our customers.

Please join us on facebook.com/athomepc for offers, news and free advice.

T. 01228 514444 www.athomepc.co.uk 67

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