CONTENTS COVER STORY
10
Finding more space Our guide to the best, most beneficial extensions to consider for your home
PROPERTY
16
Our latest instructions Take a look at a selection of our latest properties on the market
FOOD
8
Winter Warmer Soups Warm up this winter with some fresh and hearty homemade soups
LIFESTYLE
2
Preparing for Christmas Rekindling the atmosphere of those quaint mid-20th century yuletides
4
Unique advent calendars A variety of advent calendars to suit all the family
6
Treating your tree How to make everybody envious of your tree this year
12 14
The return of The Crown The multi-award-winning drama is back on our screens on the 15th of November
Black Friday fever Top tech tips for Black Friday bargains
SPORT
13
Snooker UK Championship One of snooker’s most prestigious Triple Crown events starts this month
WELCOME TO THE NOVEMBER ISSUE!
T
he property market is still thriving, and with the Stamp Duty Holiday ending in March, and the average house sale taking longer than usual, there is no time like the present to finally move and take advantage. The clocks have changed and the nights are drawing in, which can only mean we’re on the countdown to Christmas! Inside, with the uncertainty over what Christmas will be like this year, we have an article about how to make it extra special this year alongside our guide to the best advent calendars available for all the family. However, it’s not all about Christmas, we have an informative
2
PROPERTY NEWS
article about how best to extend your home as well as our top tech tips for Black Friday! Looking for cosy nights in? Check out pages 8 and 9 for our winter warmer soup recipes which you can relax with in front of The Crown when it returns check out our preview on page 12. And finally, we have a sports preview of the UK Snooker Championships on page 13. In these strange times, stay safe, enjoy your time with your family and look after yourselves. Jonathan Wheatley Editor
The country may still be in the grip of a pandemic, but there’s no reason we can’t avoid a bleak midwinter
M
ost people are thinking Christmas is likely to be a bit of a non-event this year. The continual struggle to combat the Covid-19 pandemic means an everchanging landscape of guidelines and restrictions, although the “rule of six” could be with us for some time. So, where does that leave the season of goodwill to all men in a facemask, the non-stop round of departmental parties which go on well past office hours, and those big family gatherings? Well, if you’re working from home the office party will be you, the cat, a mug of tea and slippers on before The One Show has started; the family get-together will be via Zoom; and social bubbles will be something more important than having the girls round for Prosecco. While Millennials may be tempted to shut up shop, do their best Scrooge impression and pretend Christmas has been cancelled, Baby Boomers and Generation X will be: “Hold our mince pies, we’ve got this”.