Skerritts Lifestyle magazine - produced by Title Media www.titlemedia.co.uk

Is su e O ne

Winter/Spring 16/17

SUPER STAR

we talk to Skerritts’ very own

Louise Hearn

SPLASH OUT DIVING IN THE MALDIVES

BRITISH BULLDOG

HESKETH MOTORCYCLES

All hail the new King of the road

L I V E

Y O U R

L I F E

T O

T H E

F U L L

ART DIR: FLAVIO ALBANESE PH. JOSEPH CARDO

Skerritts Lifestyle

MIALUCE COLLECTION

FOPE.COM 2-3 East Street, Chichester PO19 1HE Tel. 01243.782135 www.austenjewellers.co.uk

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Hello from Richard Skerritt I first had the idea to create a Skerritts Lifestyle magazine about a year ago. I felt that although we were working to communicate with our clients and represent our brand effectively with advertising and sponsorship, we weren’t having an opportunity to communicate directly with people.

Without our clients – and future clients – we are nothing, and this magazine I hope will give us an opportunity to speak to those people directly, and lots of others besides.

contents

4 News

10 Skerritts Star Louise Hearn 12 A Day in the Life of the Savoy Doorman 18 Louboutin’s Made to Measure service 21 Fashion

Skerritts isn’t all about work. In fact, just the opposite.

Our business and the work we do, we hope, enables many people to relax and enjoy life, so for me it was important to have a magazine that reflected that. At the end of the day, we work to live, not the other way round, so Skerritts Lifestyle has been created and designed to reflect just that. Celebrating the good things in life!

Through this magazine you’ll find plenty to read – there are bits and bobs about us and what we do, but lots of other articles to read, recipes to try and ideas to explore. We’re planning on producing this magazine twice a year and we would love to hear from you too, so please get in touch with your news. We’re opening new offices in Worthing and Chichester and we can only see the business – and our magazine – growing each time. So get involved!

I hope you enjoy Skerritts Lifestyle. Here at the business we do our best to do just that, and I hope our optimism and professionalism is clear throughout this magazine. Happy reading!

Richard Skerritt Get in touch skerritts@titlemedia.co.uk

28 Join our Wine Club!

32 Restaurant Gordon Ramsay reviewed 35 Food & Drink News 42 Travel 48 Paul Hayward the life of a sports journalist 52 Hesketh back on the road 58 Final Word Georgi Bennett her foodie life Skerritts Lifestyle is published by Title Media Publishing Ltd. www.titlemedia.co.uk

Skerritts Lifestyle

CHARI-TABLE Now your restaurant bookings can benefit charities, without costing you anything. Lord Fink and David Johnstone have launched restaurant booking platform ChariTable. When making a booking through the website or the iOS app, the user can choose from a growing list of over 4,500 restaurants across the UK. And for every diner in the party, £1 will be donated by the restaurant to a charity of the booker’s choice.

Great for corporate social responsibility programmes, and companies can raise substantial funds for their nominated charity by encouraging employees and clients to make restaurant reservations through the platform. www.charitablebookings.org BANK ON THE BEST We’re very excited to announce a new relationship with top bank Handelsbanken, exclusive to Skerritts. We feel that it’s a great fit between two great organisations that hold the same values – trust, service, and that little bit extra for our clients. Handelsbanken originated in Sweden in 1871 and now has more than 200 branches across the UK. Our two organisations share many values and Handelsbanken is known to be one of the world’s strongest banks, as well as having an emphasis on providing a first class service.

What this means is that Skerritts customers now have access to a range of concierge services not available anywhere else. This can include anything from VIP airport lounge access or age-unlimited travel

insurance, to more personal services like priority bookings at five star restaurants, exclusive tickets to the opera – one of our team has even had shoes flown in especially from Geneva! And as well as this, there are special rates of interest on current accounts, not available anywhere else, and everyone has access to their own 24 hour personal account manager.

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Skerritts Lifestyle

SKI INTO LONDON The Courthouse Hotel in Soho is transforming their rooftop space into a cosy ski-themed winter terrace. It’ll be decked out with plush fleece chairs and sumptuous cushions, with blankets to snuggle beneath, and warming heaters and ski lanterns will offer a true après ski experience in the heart of London.

Grey Goose has designed a warming cocktail menu, and the hotel will be running their food menu of warming treats alongside, including 'Smoky Chorizo cooked in Red Wine', and the signature ‘Piping Hot Sticky Toffee Pudding’. The terrace will run until February 2017.

PRIVATE SPRIVATE SPACE ON THE COTE D’AZUR We love Lou Casteou – the 112 year old hillside chateau built in 1904 by Lord Amherst of Hackney, the man who funded the Howard Carter excavations in Egypt and the discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb. The gorgeous South of France residence offers exquisite modern luxury, including a home cinema, heated outdoor pool, commercial kitchen and its own helipad. The chateau can accommodate 32 guests.

Lou Casteou is situated in the Esterel Mountains between Cannes and St. Tropez; five minutes from sandy beaches, boutiques and restaurants. Amongst other accolades, it’s been used by Simon Cowell as his ‘judge’s house’ on The X Factor! Hire costs from £30,000 per week for up to 30 guests staying in the chateau. www.loucasteou.com LEARNING ETIQUETTE Manners and etiquette are still important, and two venerable bastions of ‘Britishness’ have come together to launch a new ‘school’!

The Lanesborough has formed a partnership with Debrett’s, THE authority on etiquette, offering guests an expert guide to traditional British social occasions, covering etiquette, dress codes and dining. Hosted by a Debrett’s expert, a full-day guide to ‘The Season’, with an overnight stay at the hotel, is available for the ultimate etiquette lesson, while a 90-minute ‘Guide to Tea’ will be available for those looking for a taste of timeless tradition. www.lanesborough.com/etiqueee or call 020 7259 5599

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Skerritts Lifestyle

FIGHTING –––– FOR A ––––

CAUSE Skerritts’ Fight Night was

a knockout thanks to the huge support of local businesses

The great and good of Brighton’s business world turned up in force and dug deep to support Action Medical Research at a special fight night at The Grand Hotel in August this year, which raised over £81,000, contributing hugely to the whopping £100,000 that Richard and Heidi Skerritt have ultimately donated to this amazing charity.

The event was called ‘Fightin’ in Brighton’ and organised by Skerritts Chartered Financial Planners. The first fight saw Richard ‘The Beast from the East’ Skerritt take on Matt ‘The Gentleman’ Ryan from Title Media. The guests watched on in white-knuckled anticipation as both competitors battled it out for crowning glory until at last a winner emerged…

Matt put up a good fight, but it was 6ft 5ins Skerritt who took home the gold. Brighton’s Brighton’s infamous businessman Robbie Raggio entertained the crowd throughout the next five fights, helping to raise the grand figure. Celebrity guest and British middleweight champion Chris Eubank Junior also joined the fun and even donated a pair of boxing gloves to the auction.

Sponsored by DMH Stallard, UHY Hacker Young, Incorpore and Skerritts, Fight Night was a huge and memorable success, combining a thrilling show of boxing, top-notch entertainment and a wonderful venue, all made possible by Richard Skerritt and his dedicated team.

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The cheque was finally presented to Action Medical Research Chairman Mr Phil Hodkinson and is a combination of support Richard and Heidi have so generously given to a specific research project, but also to our general funds, most of which was raised by the boxing night in August – an incredible achievement!

A fantastic evening that lived up to the hype!

ACTION MEDICAL RESEARCH Action Medical Research is a UK-wide charity funding vital research to help sick and disabled babies, children and young people.

For over 60 years they have been changing lives and through their peer review system and Scientific Advisory Panel they are able to find and fund cutting-edge medical research in the UK, which helps tackle premature birth and treat sick and vulnerable babies, as well as helping children affected by disability, disabling conditions and infections and target rare diseases that together severely affect many children.

For more information visit www.action.org.uk

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Skerritts Lifestyle

Make your voice heard Brochures and magazines with bespoke content Web design and copy Corporate literature and marketing Social media campaigns Newsletters and blogs written

For all your publishing and marketing. We work with you to create exactly what your brand and company needs, in print or online Contact us for a free quote

Title Media Sussex Ltd | www.titlemedia.co.uk 8

Skerritts Lifestyle

INTO

The Palace

Those of you who know Richard

and his wife Heidi Skerritt will know how close to their heart the charity Action Medical Research is, and also what a stunning amount of money they’ve raised for it. This year the Skerritts got to celebrate in style at a fantastic champagne and canape event at Buckingham Palace...

The charity and its guests were invited by patron His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh for the event, held in The Picture Gallery. Around 100 guests met researchers representing six separate studies funded by Action from across the UK, and heard speeches from Professor David Edwards and His Royal Highness. Guests included major donors, corporate supporters, and celebrities including Dr Dawn Harper and Davina McCall.

The event also gave researchers funded by Action Medical Research the chance to showcase their ground-breaking work to Prince Philip and his guests. Professor David Edwards gave a speech explaining the importance of medical research and the charity’s impact on the lives of children and babies.

“There are hundreds of thousands of children in the UK whose lives are devastated by disease and disability. It’s too many.

Far too many. We need support to fund vital research to develop new treatments and cures.”

“We are delighted and honoured that His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh hosted this event to allow a few of the dozens of researchers we are currently funding to share details of their inspiring work,” said Phil Hodkinson, Action Medical Research’s chairman. “Medical research for children is underfunded in the UK. For every project the charity funds there’s another one we have to turn away – simply because of a lack of funds.

“There are hundreds of thousands of children in the UK whose lives are devastated by disease and disability. It’s too many. Far too many. We need support to fund vital research to develop new treatments and cures for sick babies and children which is why events like these are so important to show the vital work Action Medical Research is doing.”

Action Medical Research is currently funding research into premature birth, meningitis, Down Syndrome and epilepsy, as well as some rare and distressing conditions that severely affect children.

For more details on the UK-wide children’s charity, please visit action.org.uk 9

Skerritts Lifestyle

skerritts star

Louise earn H

Each issue we meet the Skerritts Stars who keep the business running like a well-oiled machine.

First up, head of operations Louise Hearn takes us for a stroll along her Walk of Fame…

Images: Matt Ryan

the 3 second quiz What’s the most important thing in life?

Happiness.

Thing you’re most proud of?

For this year 2016, it would be the Fight Night that I organised. My wedding was the only event I had arranged previously so to put on a 420 people event whilst doing my day job was a great achievement for me.

Next place on the bucket list to visit?

Formentera, it is a definite for next year.

Favourite Sunday afternoon?

When Monday is a day off, they are just the best aren’t they! They are rare so a roast and catching up with friends is a great alternative.

Anything you regret?

Life is too short for regrets.

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Skerritts Lifestyle

What exactly does your job entail? How do you fill your working days?

I think it would be easier to say what it doesn’t entail! It’s certainly a varied role (which I love), and no two days are the same. My role is to manage the operational side of the company; we have a great team here and I oversee this. I thrive on challenges and solving problems, in our industry there are plenty of these!

My role includes – to name but a few….

• Recruitment • Implementing and designing new procedures • Work distribution and allocation • Regulatory reporting and monitoring • Finances (the purse strings; I like to hold those tight ha ha!)

• Charity event organiser extraordinaire • Agony aunt • Bad cop/good cop (Richard usually gets good cop!)

How did you end up here?

Before Skerritts I worked in retail and business banking as an adviser; one of my good friends left to work at Skerritts, as did a few others. Richard was looking to expand and I was approached. I met with Richard one lunchtime and ten years later I am still here. The only regret I have is that I did not move sooner!

What have you learnt since you took on the job?

To appreciate that you never stop learning, and the day that changes is when the role is not perhaps right for

you. I joined as an adviser initially, and some would say the timing was bad as it was not long after that the financial crisis hit. For me it was an opportunity to show my strengths and skills in problem-solving and providing solutions to other areas of the business. When I joined Skerritts I knew it would give me opportunities and it continues to do so.

What are the most important things you’ve learned about being in business?

To embrace change and see it as an opportunity. Every business has competitors and if you do not stay ahead then you will get left behind.

You are never able to please everyone however if you treat people with respect and empathy you will gain their trust and this in turn will promote a team with good morale and feel valued.

Tell us about your daily routine, from getting out of bed to finishing the day.

The alarm goes off at 6.30 and the first thing I do is check my emails and appointments then make a coffee. Much to the annoyance of the household I then put a wash on. I say it helps wake them up but I am sure they would have something else to say. Then I shower and head off to work around 7.30/45. My journey into work is when my catch-ups are done, hands-free of course. Once in the office I check in with our support staff, make sure they are okay.. In a world where communication is predominantly done via email or text, it is paramount that you still have that

face to face connection with people.

I love a list and this will be the first thing I refer to. In any one day there will be on average 250 emails in to my inbox, calls, staff will come to me to ask advice on how we can do a myriad of things, and that’s before I tackle ‘the list’.

I tend to grab a bite to eat at my desk most days. We now have four offices in total, and each office feeds into Hove. Richard and I work closely together so we get together usually mid-morning when we are both in. Before leaving I will check the diary for the following day for both Richard and I and start another to do list!

It is a bit like wake, work, list, repeat.

What would happen if you left?

That is not on my agenda however, I would like to think that what I would leave behind is a slick, well run and happy ship. There is no doubt that my number would be on speed dial for most of the staff!

What do you do in your spare time?

My solace is the gym, I find it a great way to unwind. Getting away when possible even for a short break to re-charge the batteries, work life balance is so important.

Tell us a bit about your home life – married with kids or definitely single?!

I am married to Paul and we have two children, one who is now at college and one who has just started high school. So we have more spare time as they have a better social life than we do!

Where do you see your career in five years?

Definitely with Skerritts! I am fortunate to be able to say that I love my job and whilst I am still alive and kicking you will find me here.

Skerritts Star Louise Hearn louise@skerritts.co.uk 11

Skerritts Lifestyle

Tony Cortegaca

has been welcoming guests at The Savoy Hotel for three decades, meeting many of the world’s elite, and Daniel White got the chance to find out what it takes to be a head doorman at one of the world’s finest hotels.

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Skerritts Lifestyle

A day in the life of

SAVOY Doorman The

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Skerritts Lifestyle

British wines at their best Bolney Wine Estate is a family business and one of the UK’s oldest commercial vineyards.

An impressive range of both still and sparkling wines, as well as our famous Sussex red wine... We even produce a sparkling red!

Visit Bolney and nd out about why we are so passionate about our wines. Tours, tastings, Saturday wine masterclasses and event space for hire.

Brand new visitors centre with a new café and shop both featuring local produce.

www.bolneywinestate.com 14

Skerritts Lifestyle

When you arrive at The Savoy Hotel in London the first face you’ ll see is that of Tony Cortegaca.

“Every morning, I come and polish my shoes and make sure my uniform is nice and clean,” he says. “Appearance and looking elegant and smart is very important in our business. I’m the first person people see, so I have to make a good impression from the beginning. I like to give a nice warm welcome, treat people with respect and make them feel like they’re very important.”

An ever-present at The Savoy since his arrival in the front of house team, Tony knows the importance of being warm and friendly to guests and his surrounding team. It is easy to tell he is well liked by his colleagues and over the years has become a close friend and confidant to them, as well as those who make visits to the hotel, regular or not.

The head doorman has been working at the Strand-based hotel for 30 years, and has been a smiling, welcoming presence ever-since.

Beginning life as a kitchen porter, he was promoted to night porter within six months of joining the hotel, before taking up his current position – a role which, on average, has a retention record of 40 years.

His days are filled meeting and greeting everyone who enters the hotel, from A-list celebrities to the hotel’s behind-the-scenes team. Juggling a steady stream of taxi drivers and chauffeurs, excitable tourists eager to take selfies, a vast array of luggage to be transferred to the appropriate rooms and a wealth of visitors to be welcomed, he does it all in a and warm and sincere manner. It all begins from the moment he steps into the hotel, as he knows full well the importance of looking professional and providing a seamless entrance to the hotel.

“You have to be warm, friendly, happy and smiley and if you do all these things, they’ll remember you,” he tells me. “You’ve then got a chance to see them again, and you can have a rapport with them. Once you break that barrier and start talking to people, it becomes easier and you’d be surprised what they can tell you. People can talk to me because I break that barrier, so it’s very important when they first come that you’re approachable, accessible and there to help them.”

Brushing shoulders with the world’s mostfamous comes with the territory for Tony and during the years he’s shaken the hands of 15

Skerritts Lifestyle

anyone who’s anyone, from Frank Sinatra to Stephen Fry to Princess Diana and plenty more. Despite a life of mingling with the most influential celebrities around, he’s remained humble and modest throughout his tenure at the door.

“I’ve been very lucky in this job,” he explains. “I’ve been invited to things I never thought I’d be invited to, and dealt with, talked to and been recognised by people I never thought I’d meet. We’re in the position of seeing everyone coming in and going out, so we see and hear a lot of things.”

While Tony may be the face that welcomes you upon your arrival, there is a whole team at work behind the scenes and, in order for Tony to be able to focus entirely on the guests, he has to work in tandem with his colleagues to ensure that every part of the hotel runs to perfection.

“You need to work together in this business,” he continues. “You need to be friendly with everyone and respect your colleagues, because they’re your in-house guests. If you help them, they’ll help you as well, so it’s very important to have this rapport and help each other when you can.”

Hailing from Portugal, Tony had to train for six months before taking up the position on a full-time basis and his education in the etiquette of the job continues to this day.

He is proud to continue the traditions of doormen from years gone by, sporting a black top hat and a tuxedo, as well as offering the accommodating presence required for the role.

“Our position is quite important in a hotel like this,” he stresses. “It comes with tradition, because all the good hotels used 16

to have a doorman with a top hat, which has carried over and hasn’t finished. Even today, people come in and ask to take pictures with me because of that tradition. I didn’t build it, but we keep it going in that way.

“Attitude is very important. If someone’s approachable and friendly, and has a good attitude and a nice smile, all the rest is easy to deal with. We can see sometimes when people are in the wrong job or when they get tiered. You need to be organised in this job, but there’s no science to it.”

For Tony, 12 hour shifts are by no means an irregularity and despite three decades in this service-led career, he still gets satisfaction when the working day is over if he has done his job to the best of his abilities.

“I go home very happy if I’ve made people feel important,” he reflects. “It makes me think we’re doing something good, because when people come and spend their time here, they don’t need to talk to us, as there are so many things they can do. But they do come and talk to us, which makes my day, and I’m very pleased when people come and ask me questions and I’m able to help them.

“We’ve got everything here. There’s a unique charisma and something special that you don’t get in other hotels. It’s friendly and welcoming and everyone’s trying to help.

The passion is different, so I’m always ready to come to work and treat every day like it’s my first. If everyone does their job properly, it’s a perfect hotel.”

www.fairmont.com/savoy-london

Skerritts Lifestyle

S P O I L YO U R S E L F W I T H O U R O R G A N I C , E S TAT E - R E A R E D I N G R E D I E N T S I N T H E S T U N N I N G S U R RO U N D I N G S O F G O O D W O O D Enjoy a two-course meal and a glass of wine for £19.95 To book your table, please visit the website or telephone 01243 928220

goodwood.com 17

Skerritts Lifestyle

We all know those red soles

it’s unmistakeable, the Louboutin signature.

But did you know that you can have them made to measure? In fact, aficionados would say that there really isn’t any other way to wear them.

We investigate how the process works…

measuring

up

“If you can dream it, we can make it,” they say. In Christian Louboutin’s Atelier in Paris, elite artisans bring your footwear dreams to life with their Made to Measure service. One of the best-kept secrets in the fashion world, the service is unique, and totally luxurious.

One-of-a-kind shoes (and boots) are fashioned specifically just for you, using your personal measurements. It’s Eight Steps to perfect footwear and it goes like this…

Step One

Everyone’s perfectly sculpted pair of shoes begins with a trip to the Atelier in Paris, so make your appointment and prepare your twinkle toes! Start by contacting the Paris customear service team by email (it’s on the website, address below) and letting them know about your feet.

Then they’ll be in touch to book you in.

Step Two

Once you enter the Louboutin inner sanctum, your feet will be measured at over a dozen key points. Foam moulds will then create accurate threedimensional imprints of your feet, which will ensure a perfect fit.

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Skerritts Lifestyle

“the most exclusive shoes in the world only come in one size, yours!”

Step Seven

Next, the cut and sewn elements are brought together with the structural elements of your shoe. The upper part is given threedimensional form by stretching and positioning it on the ‘last’, which was sculpted from your foot earlier in the process. At this stage, the shoe is nearly finished, with the exception of special embellishments.

Step Eight

Once the design, development and finishing processes have concluded, your shoes, made to measure for you (and you alone), then go through bichonnage, or a final quality check by the Atelier. And no shoe leaves the Atelier without the approval of Christian Louboutin himself, or without the brand’s signature red-lacquered soles. Et voila! You are now the owner of the most unique pair of shoes in the world!

Prices for Made to Measure Christian Louboutin shoes start from £3,000

Step Three

Next, the fun bit! Choose your perfect profile, including height, toe shape, material and flourishes.

Each shoe, including Louboutin style classics like Pigalle, Fifi and So Kate, still require a custommade ‘last’, and all embellishments – whether bows, sequins or strass – are always applied by hand.

Step Four

After you make your selection, the Louboutin artisans begin the painstaking work of ‘Last Adjustment’ – the sculpting of a threedimensional cast of your foot (what a souvenir)!

Step Five

Say “À bientôt!” and the team takes over from here.

Once the mould is made, artisans create the first draft of your shoe by hand in leather, regardless of the final materials selected. All of the elements are hand-cut to your specifications, and then passed along to another specialist for sewing and assembly.

Step Six

When the first shoe is complete, it’s time to make your way back to beautiful Paris for a private fitting.

Your feedback is encouraged at every step of the process, which means you’re guaranteed to leave with a pair of custom shoes you absolutely love.

NO TIME TO TRAVEL TO PARIS? Don’t worry, there is a similar service available here in the UK, although the totally unique bespoke fitting service is only available in Paris. But you can visit Louboutin London stores where they offer a slightly lower-key tailored service.

Using your own shoe size, you can select your own choice of material and choose your own colour and have your own shoes made up. The in-store service allows you to choose from a wide range of different options, meaning you can really enjoy wearing your very own styled footwear! This option is perfect for making sure you have that unique touch.

Not all London stores offer this service so please check with your favourite store before calling in.

Prices for Louboutin selected bespoke shoes start around £600

www.christianlouboutin.com 19

Skerritts Lifestyle

DbDrive ARRIVE IN STYLE IN AN ASTON MARTIN DB9

NOW TAKING BOOKINGS FOR PROMS, WEDDINGS AND SPECIAL EVENTS

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Facebook: AstonMartinDbDrive

Telephone: 07702 651272

Skerritts Lifestyle

glamour girl

Whether you’re going for a job interview or attending a glamorous party, stay sophisticated with these chic picks...

La Redoute Teal Suede Jacket £175

Miss Selfridge Suva Leather Buckle Heel Sandal £90

House of Fraser Biba Brown Faux Fur Coat £229

Chupi Wrap Your Laurels Ring £81

Debenhams Butterfly by Matthew Williams Dress £250

Marks & Spencer Autograph Bag £99.99

Jigsaw Eloisa Block Heel Mule £249 21

Skerritts Lifestyle

Jigsaw Ivory Funnel Neck £179

Jigsaw Ivory Culotte £279

Jaeger Pinstripe Jumpsuit £225

Dress, River Island

Radley Elms Bag £199

Jigsaw Orange Belted Dress £249

Bottica Luna Vermeil Pyramid Earrings £137.00 22

Skerritts Lifestyle

Afternoon Tea at The Grand

To book call 01273 224300 THE GRAND BRIGHTON, 97-99 KING’S ROAD, BRIGHTON, EAST SUSSEX, BN1 2FW

www.grandbrighton.co.uk • eat@grandbrighton.co.uk

TheGrandHotelBrighton

@GrandBrighton

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SLICK WHISTLE AS A

From special occasions to office life, stay sharp with these AW16/17 slick picks...

Superdry Leather Jacket £450

Rotary Ocean Avenger Two-Tone Rose Watch £169

Dubarry Woodlawn Coat £449

Topman Wide Brimmed Fedora £22

Tommy Hilfiger Black Leather Holdall £340

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Dune Paco Triple Trim Sunglasses £30

Skerritts Lifestyle

Burton Skinny Fit Grey Suit Jacket £80 Trousers £40

Jeff Banks Long Sleeved Floral Shirt £42

Durbarry Donovan Quilted Jacket £249

Howick Tie Clips £46

House of Fraser Navy Floral Print Silk Tie £40

Ben Sherman Tan Leather Brogues £90

Burton New Season Coat £85 3 Piece Suit £190 Shirt £18 Tie £10

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Heaven Scent Les Exclusifs Boy Chanel 200ml £230 New this year. Traditionally blending lavender with geranium, coumarin and moss, this classic structure in perfumery conjuresup images of a clean shave and unequivocal virility.

Tom Ford Ombre Leather ‘16 EDP 50ml £148 This is an extremely ’textural’ scent that imprints you with a tactile sensuality. It’s warm and has the richness of leather and oakmoss balanced with the luxurious sensuality of jasmine and patchouli.

Ferrari Fragrance iPhone Case gift sets: 75ml Red or Black EDT £38 We just couldn’t resist these! Available exclusively from House of Fraser, Man in Red is a bold scent that celebrates all that is thrilling about Ferrari. A fruity ambery fougère, it is an intense and compelling scent. Fun case too!

Diptyque Kimonanthe EDP 100ml £130 This is technically a unisex fragrance, but we feel it’s quite masculine. A rich scent, steeped in camphor, clove, sandal wood, spices and leather.

Crabtree & Evelyn Black Absinthe Eau de Cologne 100ml £45 Absinthe began life as a herbal tincture before transforming into the muse of the French bohemian crowd. Paying homage to the rich history of absinthe, this contemporary cologne has lively, herbaceous notes with a lasting sensuality.

Very cool and edgy.

Malin+Goetz Petitgrain Perfume Oil 100ml £38 This intense and long-lasting Petitgrain oil blends notes of citrus and soft woods for a clean, refreshing yet warm scent. Top notes of bergamot and Petitgrain, middle notes of lavender, base notes of quaiacwood and tonka bean. Lovely.

Rituals Roi d’Orient 50ml £39.50 Roi d’Orient is elegant – a powerful and sophisticated fragrance that fuses smoky amber and opulent rich musk with a zing of white pepper.

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Liz Earle Botanical Essence No.9. Botanical Essence No.9 Eau de Parfum 50ml £49 A complex scent with top notes of blackcurrant bud, bergamot and red ginger; a heart of velvety rich osmanthus is offset by Damask rose and patchouli. Created around a base of woody oakmoss, Haitian vetiver and vanilla. This fragrance launched in September.

Elizabeth Arden Viva La Juicy Rosé Grande Edition 200ml £89 Loving this shimmering ombré effect bottle, containing one of our favourite scents for any Juicy ‘It’ girl! Irresistible bouquets of pink blossoms, which pop with fizzy citrus.

Ghost WhiteLight 50ml £34 A lovely new addition to the iconic moon fragrance collection. The ethereal WhiteLight is a stunning, unique fragrance, an addictive mix of fresh juicy pear and mandarin combined with jasmine, violet and patchouli and vanilla.

Gucci Bamboo Eau de Parfum 30ml £44 Boots are doing a lovely service with a personalised engraving for perfumes as gifts – perfect for Christmas or Valentine’s Day! We adore this scent from Gucci, soft but warm with sandal wood, vanilla and amber.

Yves Saint Laurant Mon Paris £47 Mon Paris is a subversive reinvention of the traditional chypre; the new floral perfume turns the traditional model upside down by introducing a brave, bold narcotic white chypre ‘fit for love today’ apparently. Ooh!

Joan Collins I Am Woman EDP £50 There’s a lot packed into this little bottle. Top notes of bergamot, lemon peel, orange zest and peach nectar, with heart notes of rose, orange flower, jasmine and moss, underpinned by vanilla, tonka, amber, cedar wood, sandal wood and patchouli.

Plenty of va-va-voom!

Angel Étoile des Rêves EDP for Night 100ml £110 Perfect for night time, a sensual blend of vanilla, praline and white musk that's lifted by fresh and woody notes of patchouli and bergamot. Apply it at night and revel in it.

KORRES Peonia/Amber/Vanilla/Pear 50ml £30 This exciting brand just creates amazing new things all the time and this warm, exciting, spicy scent isn’t just a gorgeous smell, it’s free of synthetics and non-biodegradables. We love.

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Ever thought you’d like a proper wine cellar but that you’ve got nowhere to put it?

Spiral Cellars has just the answer for you.

best

cellars

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Fine wine collections are seen as both a good investment but also a source of pride, meaning that cellars need to provide a space where it can be both stored and admired. Cellars and wine rooms add value to your property, but they also earn the investment back in 10-15 years, compared to warehousing. So what do you need to think about? We asked the experts.

What kind of space do you need for a wine cellar?

You don’t necessarily need much space because they can be designed to fit any space you have. We are seeing a lot of demand for smaller wine rooms, particularly in London properties where space is at a premium.

What should you consider before investing in a wine cellar?

Decide whether you are starting a wine collection to drink or as an investment. If you are buying it to drink, you need to find wine you love! If it is the latter, you need to research the market to find something unique or exclusive if you are to achieve price rises. It is also important to keep proper records of each bottle you have. There is a range of specialised software for this, including Spiral Cellars’ personalised

Does it need to be on the ground floor?

Our underground cellars do need to be on the ground floor and tend to be located in the kitchen/dining areas for obvious reasons. However, we also install many cellars in locations such as living spaces and hallways, where they will deliver maximum visual impact.

We recently installed a cellar at the bottom of a three storey spiral staircase, so when looking down from the top of the staircase, it appeared as if the cellar was a continuation of the staircase. Some clients prefer not to showcase their cellar, in which case, they opt for locations that are hidden away from prying eyes such as the garage or laundry room.

What are the different types of construction available?

A Spiral Cellar is a natural underground cellar built from limestone and fitted into the ground below a property, so there is no need to have an existing basement or cellar. It can be installed under any ground floor room and can either be fitted cleanly into a finished room, or form part of a new build house, extension or refurbishment project. The solid concrete construction, builtin natural ventilation and the correct position in the property creates the right temperature and humidity. There is a range of options available, with even things like stair treads and LED packages to make the cellar a stunning feature in the room.

online wine portfolio management platform, Spiral Library, which combines inventory and search tools with tasting notes, market data and other important information to give you a full spectrum wine management tool. Importantly, it will help you keep track of when the wine actually needs to be drunk!

What kind of maintenance do wine cellars need?

Wine cellars need very little maintenance although we do recommend that you have the climate control system installed in wine rooms regularly serviced.

Underground cellars do not need a climate control system, so they are pretty much maintenance free.

“The solid concrete construction, built-in natural ventilation and the correct position in the property creates the right temperature and humidity”

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“Decide whether you are starting a wine collection to drink or as an investment.

If you are buying it to drink, you need to find wine you love”

If money is no object, what kind of features can you include?

Recent commissions include wine rooms featuring stainless steel and glass, dramatic glass wall displays and even requests for hi-tech options such as locks with finger-print technology and glass which turns opaque at the flick of a switch.

What sort of price range are we looking at?

Because no two wine rooms are the same there is no ’typical price’. But as a guide, we recommend that people budget for a minimum of £30,000 (inc VAT) for a wine room, with wine wall prices starting from £20,000 (incl.

VAT) and wine wardrobes from £12,000 (incl. VAT). For the underground cellars; again these are priced according to the type of cellar chosen, its depth and the various door, lighting, fit and accessory packages selected.

These start from £19,140 (incl. VAT)

www.spiralcellars.co.uk 30

Skerritts Lifestyle

If looking at these lovely wine cellars has made you thirsty, we’ve got some more good news for you.

Introducing the Skerritts Wine Club, and a chance for you to experience some truly exclusive wines.

In association with The Butlers Wine Cellar, you now have a chance to sign up for a wine club that will bring you regular, carefully hand-selected cases of fantastic wines. Skerritts Wine Club is available exclusively to our clients, offering an opportunity to enjoy sharing exciting wines and trying new flavours. And we’re thrilled to be working with Henry Butler, whose tastings are legendary and whose knowledge of wine is unsurpassable!

join

the club THE MEMBERSHIPS

Each box offers a substantial discount on quality wines, where club members enjoy a special rate on their boxes. The Butlers Wine Cellar will create bespoke quality boxes, four times a year, selected exclusively for wine club members ONLY! Each box will include tasting notes, and all boxes are a case of 12 mixed wines.

The wines in the boxes are wines we think are interesting, tasty and offer good value.

There won’t be any big brands in the boxes. We like the opportunity of showing members a selection of wine they might not normally chose left to their own devices.

ABOUT BUTLERS

Members will receive mixed cases of wines not available to anybody else, changing every quarter and with new wines for each season. Choose from Gold, Silver and Bronze selection, and have the opportunity to be invited to special tastings and events as part of the membership. We love our wines here and we want to share that journey with our clients.

The Butlers Wine Cellar is a second generation family run independent wine shop. Butlers has been supplying wines to the Brighton community for over 35 years.

They have two shops, and pride themselves on having an unbeatable range of wines from around the world. This includes great value everyday drinkers, to rare and collectible vintages. They also specialise in English sparkling wines.

Butlers have happily worked with Skerrits on various charitable events, and are keen to share their expertise with Skerritts customers.

JOINING

For more details about joining, for Skerritts customers only (sorry!) please go to:

www.skerritts.co.uk/wineclub

Bronze £120 per box

This will be good quality everyday wines; wines we think would suit most occasions, whether it be a dinner party or an unexpected friend dropping in.

Silver £150 per box

The silver box explores some classic wines from around the world, producers who excel at what they do. This is a next step up and will offer an opportunity to try some really exciting producers’ wines.

Gold £200 per box

What a box of treats! Enjoy a selection of delicious, exclusive wines and vintages. Memorable wines, wines which will impress your dinner guests, wines to put a big smile on your face!

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Skerritts Lifestyle

Richard Skerritt knows what he likes, and one of the things he likes very much is a good lunch.

One of his favourite spots is Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, so we thought where else should we turn to for lunch advice? Richard and Heidi went along again, just to check that it still meets their high standards...

Gordon

bleu

“I always remember on our first visit being amazed that there was actually a waiter whose only job seems to be to grate truffles…”

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Turning up 25 minutes late with arms full of shopping bags made for a stressful dash to the restaurant and we rushed in, fearing the worst. What if they’d let our table go?! However, we entered the bar area and were greeted by friendly faces and ushered to our table. Maybe it was the relief of not being kicked out, or the calmness of the dining room, but the stress we’d had en route almost instantly dissipated, and within minutes of sitting down I was enjoying a G&T (Fever-Tree, naturally) and Heidi had her usual glass of fizz. Phew!

Having been here on several occasions already, I always worry that the next time we visit the setting will have lost some of its magic – but it never does. This is, without doubt, my favourite lunchtime restaurant.

It’s hard to narrow it down to just what it is

I think is extremely reasonable, for such a good wine in a top restaurant. Heidi continued with the house Champagne.

We opted for the Menu Prestige, which is the seven course set menu. We choose this because it helps to extend our lunch as long as possible; we never really want to leave, and seven courses gives us plenty of time to relax. Most set menus are pretty much ‘fixed’, but as neither me nor Heidi will eat Foie Gras for moral reasons, they were very happy to swap this for a starter on the a la carte. I went for the scallops and my wife went for the tomato tartare. I love seafood, but sometimes find the texture of scallops a little bit off-putting, but I needn’t have worried; they were cooked to perfection. Heidi was in heaven with her tomato starter, which provoked lots of “mmmmm”s!

The second course was a ravioli of lobster, langoustine, salmon, oxalis and wood sorrel – again, there was silence as we devoured this, apart from more mmmms and lots of head nodding to signify our approval.

Our next course, which is Heidi’s favourite, is the Isle of Gigha halibut with Atlantic king crab, finger lime and a ras el hanout broth, which contains a number of very colourful flowers, and probably the prettiest dish I have encountered.

“I think the only time I have seen a more impressive cheeseboard was at La Gavroche, where it was a two man job to wheel it between tables” that makes it so special – the setting, the service, the menu, the food, the ambience – I guess it’s a combination of all of these things. But we keep coming back and we keep on loving it. In terms of service, the staff cannot do enough for you. I always remember on our first visit being amazed that there was actually a waiter whose only job seems to be to grate truffles for those diners that want it on their pasta (he’s the one in the white gloves).

As we finished our aperitifs the Maître‘d Jean Claude (or JC to those that have met him before get to know him as) came over and greeted us like old friends; a skill that always makes us feel special and is, to my mind, the sign of a well-run house. As always, I opted for a bottle of 2011 Margaux to accompany my meal (I am a Bordeaux man through and through and this one is a particularly good one) which at £95

Taking a deep breath, we plunged into the next course, where Heidi ordered the lamb

and I had the pigeon, both of which were the perfect portion size for a seven course meal and again, cooked to perfection.

For the next course, we both opted for the cheese course – I think the only time I have seen a more impressive cheeseboard was at La Gavroche, where it was a two man job to wheel it between tables.

The Margaux was the perfect accompaniment to the stilton on the board, and I was now at the purring stage.

The final course was the Lemonade Parfait, with honey, bergamot and sheep’s milk yoghurt – it sounds like a strange combination, but it really does work, even after you have polished off six previous courses. A lovely sweet Sauterne was the perfect accompaniment.

The bill arriving is never the best part – not just because it is always a bit painful, but because it meant that the meal was over – until the next time…

We’ll be back Gordon, don’t you worry!

www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/restaurant-gordon-ramsay 68 Royal Hospital Road, London, SW3 4HP 0207 352 4441 33

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Food& D rink

Skerritts Lifestyle

trends

Every year sees crazy food and drink trends coming of age, some better than others. We’ve picked out a few new foodie fashions and flavours for you to check out…

NOT YOUR USUAL PINTA

Unusual and boutique drinks manufacturers are springing up all over the place, such as small distilleries and micro-breweries, but we are really interested in this new vodka, produced on the South coast, and made entirely from the milk of grass grazed cows. Yes milk.

RED WINE IN SUSSEX

The milk is separated into curds and whey. The curds are used to make cheese, the whey is fermented into a beer using a special yeast that converts the milk sugar into alcohol. This milk beer is then distilled and treated to a secret blending process. The vodka is then triple filtered and finished, before being hand bottled.

When one thinks of red wine, they no doubt envision the sunny vistas of France, Italy and Spain – but Sussex, not so much. However, this could all be about to change. ‘Red wine from Sussex?’ you might marvel, but this is seriously good vino.

Does it taste cheesy? No. Does it taste really good and clean and totally classy? Yes. We love this, and they’ve just released a special set which includes an exclusive gold Yukiwa cocktail shaker. Ideal for the perfect moo-tini?

We’ll get our coats…

Sussex-based Bolney Wine Estate has doubled its sales since 2014, and continues to flourish and grow.

This is, in part, due to an increased interest in wines originating from cool climate regions, of which Britain is one, for their unique tart fruity flavours.

What’s unique about this is that sales of red wine have overtaken sales of white for the first time; with red wines making up 60% of the vineyard’s production. Whatever the causes behind this surge of increase in both red and British wines, Bolney Wine Estate produces award-winning wines and is definitely enough to make Sussex proud.

www.blackcow.co.uk

www.bolneywineestate.com

A WINNING COCKTAIL

We couldn’t really look at drinks news in the South East without talking about the huge, award-winning success that is Brighton Gin.

The handmade, small batch gin is produced at Brighton’s first (legal) distillery by the UK’s only pair of female distillers, Kathy Caton and Helen Chesshire, using organic British grain. Its botanicals include juniper, the peel of fresh oranges and limes, locally-grown coriander seed and milk thistle, indigenous to the South Downs and well-known for its liver-cleansing properties. Each bottle is filled, wax-sealed and labelled by hand.

Skerritts were thrilled to work with Brighton Gin recently to create our own 25th anniversary Skerritts bottle, complete with real silver slivers floating in the bottle.

For a chance to win a bottle of this beautiful gin, email us on skerritts@titlemedia. co.uk with BRIGHTON GIN in the subject line and tell us your favourite gin cocktail!

Please remember to include your name and address. Entry closes on 30 April 2017.

www.brightongin.com 35

Skerritts Lifestyle

Food& D rink trends

BRING HOME THE BACON

A little bit like we’re seeing more independent drinks companies, so too are we seeing more home cooking and brewing going on. And we are totally LOVING this idea!

Who doesn’t love bacon? Apart from vegetarians (and we think there’s quite a few of those who smell bacon cooking and feel a bit wistful!). But now you can make your own bacon.

A really exciting new idea that means you can cure your own Sunday breakfast special right in your own home.

These guys have loads of products to choose from but we loved their bestselling Curing Kit that contains everything you need to cure your own original, sweet or smoky bacon at home.

www.rossandrossfood.co.uk

TIP TOP GREEN TEA

Matcha is the finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea. Traditional Chinese and Japanese tea ceremonies centre on the preparation, serving, and drinking of matcha as hot tea, and embody a contemplative, spiritual experience. Matcha is also used to flavour and dye foods, but the former is referred to as ‘ceremonialgrade’ matcha, meaning that it’s good enough for tea ceremony.

That’s the stuff you want.

OMGteas are based in Brighton and produce AAA grade matcha.

It’s not only high in antioxidants, their Organic Matcha Green Tea supports the immune system, boosts metabolism and regulates both cholesterol and blood sugar levels, as well as burning calories. And if you don’t like green tea, they’ve got capsules!

www.omgteas.co.uk

TURKISH DELIGHT

Our foodie spies tell us that Turkish is going to be a big trend for 2017 so we were excited to see this new coffee and Turkish Delight brand making headlines.

Turkish coffee was once part of the London real coffee revolution back in the 1600s – long before espressos, lattes and cappuccinos hit the high street.

Ozerlat are re-introducing the sophisticated art of Turkish coffee back to the UK with their new premium blends – Heritage and Moziak. Turkish coffee is served black and unfiltered, and brewed using a cezve (or small saucepan). And what better to go with it than Turkish Delight? Unlike the sickly western versions, Özerlat’s ‘lokoum’ is firmer and not as sweet, and is gluten free, available in mastika, pistachio, date, clove, and cinnamon flavours.

www.ozerlat.com 36

Skerritts Lifestyle

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Skerritts Lifestyle

As one of the most successful chefs and restaurateurs in Sussex, Ben McKellar is perhaps more famously known simply as the Gingerman. We found out a bit more about the man behind the red hair and even managed to persuade him to create a recipe for you.

a

taste of

ginger…

Images: Matt Ryan

Q. Did you always want to be a chef? If not, what were the alternative options for you?

A. I wanted to be a chef for as long as I can remember. I remember clearly going to the old supermarket on London Road and seeing all the chefs’ hats in the window of City College when I was about eight years old.

Q. Where did you train? Was there anything that really stands out in your mind about that in terms of inspiration, places you worked, people you worked with etc?

A. I spent two years full time at City College getting qualified in the old City and Guilds system and then I went to France to look for work. I worked in France for three years before working for John Burton Race at L’Ortolan restaurant in Berkshire. After that I spent time at One Paston Place in Brighton and Park Bistro in NYC. Each restaurant I worked in offered different challenges and opportunities to learn, I worked with young 38

chefs Martin Wishart and Yoann Conte both of whom went on to gain two Michelin stars.

Q. Do you have any food heroes or heroines?

Why are they important to you?

A. An early influence on my career and mentor was Mark Emmerson at One Paston Place who sadly died age 52 from a heart attack while still working in the kitchen, a sober lesson indeed. Modern influences would be Richard Corrigan and Nick Jones both of whom are still at the top of their game after many years at the top, a rare thing in this business.

Skerritts Lifestyle

“I think restaurants are like my children, you can’t really have favourites. All of them give me great pleasure and great frustration” Q. Any more on the horizon?

A. We are currently converting the upper floors of the Ginger Pig to guest accommodation, providing 11 en-suite bedrooms, due to open in April 2017. We are also hoping to finally open the Ginger Fish which is part of the Terraces development and much delayed for various reasons.

Q. Tell us how you decided to open your own restaurant.

A. It’s a natural progression for many chefs; I had spent years working for other people and absorbing their lessons like a sponge.

I was just back from NYC and looking for

“I particularly look forward to the game season; after long summer months it’s nice to cook with grouse, pheasant, partridge…” the next challenge when Mark Emmerson suggested I look to open my own place in Brighton. I looked into it and found a bankrupt site near Norfolk Square and after help from mine and my now wife’s parents we opened Gingerman in 1998.

Q. You have several places now, do you have a favourite?

A. I think restaurants are like my children, you can’t really have favourites. All of them give me great pleasure and great frustration, and like children we watch them grow and change.

The Gingerman will always be a little special perhaps because that’s where we started.

Q. Favourite things to cook?

A. I particularly look forward to the game season; after long summer months it’s nice to cook with grouse, pheasant, partridge as well as other autumn staples like wild mushrooms, turnips, celeriac etc.

Q. Do you do the cooking at home?

A. At home we are great fans of Asian food, which offers something very different from the restaurants. Stir fries, curries and sushi all feature heavily!

Q. Got any quirky regulars who come into the restaurants all the time?

A. I’d better not say!

Q. What’s your idea of food hell?

A. Probably the only thing I don’t really like is tripe. I’ve tried it English style poached in milk with onions, Italian style in a tomato sauce with chickpeas and Parmesan, and Chinese style with fermented black beans and chilli, and not really enjoyed any of them.

Q. Advice to budding young chefs out there?

A. Be patient and learn your craft. Resist the temptation to be promoted too quickly as often happens with the current industry skills shortage, and behave with integrity. If you want to leave a restaurant then work your notice properly and act professionally as that’s the only way bad industry practices will be eradicated.

The Gingerman Group www.gingermanrestaurants.com 39

Skerritts Lifestyle

The Gingerman’s

Shiraz Braised Short Rib with Parsley Dumplings serves 4 ingredients

preparation

For the short ribs 4 short ribs beef 1 onion 1 stick celery 3 cloves garlic 2 carrots Sprig thyme 1 bay leaf 200ml good quality Shiraz 250ml beef or chicken stock 1 tin chopped tomatoes 1 lrg tsp muscovado sugar

Dice the vegetables to about 2cm and set aside. In an oven proof casserole dish heat a little olive oil, add the short ribs and brown on all sides, remove from the pan.

For the dumplings 150g self-raising flour 75g butter Bunch Parsley 1tsp mustard powder

In the same pan add the vegetable dice and brown lightly adding the bay and thyme. Deglaze the pan with the Shiraz and reduce by half. Add the sugar, chopped tomatoes and stock to the pan and bring to the boil. Add the short ribs making sure they are covered by the liquid, if not add a little water. Place a lid on the pan and put in the oven at 140 degrees for four hours. Once cooked remove the ribs and pass the stock through a fine sieve, reduce the stock until a sauce like consistency has been achieved, place the ribs back in the sauce.

For the dumplings, blend the parsley with a little water until you have a puree and set aside. In a bowl rub in the butter, flour and mustard powder, season with salt and pepper, add the parsley puree to form a soft dough, you may have to add a little water if the mixture is too dry.

Rest for 20 mins and then roll into balls.

Place the dumplings in the pan with the reduced sauce and the ribs, return to the oven with the lid off for approx 10 mins or until the dumplings are cooked.

Serve with mashed potato.

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Skerritts Lifestyle

Goodwood is famous for a number of things –

not least the famous Festival of Speed and Revival events – but the sheer variety of options and activities available at this spectacular 12,000 acre estate is what makes this working family home extraordinary.

As well as the public events, Goodwood offers a chance to play golf, stay at the hotel, use the main house for events, drive on the track and even fly in Spitfires! Not to mention the working farm producing the most amazing meats and beers. At a time where many of the great houses of England have struggled to make their land and property

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survive, let alone thrive, Lord March has made Goodwood not just a desirable destination; it’s a booming business.

The latest addition to the Goodwood portfolio is the simply sublime Hound Lodge. The home of the world’s first major foxhunt and the actual reason the first Duke of Richmond bought a house at Goodwood in 1697, The Kennels and later Hound Lodge were widely feted as the most luxurious dog houses in the world. Typical of English aristocracy, the Duke spent far more time and money on his hounds and horses than on his friends and guests. He even famously installed central heating in the kennels 100 years before the human owners were able to enjoy it at Goodwood House.

Skerritts Lifestyle

View Halloo!

If you’re looking for a break in a country house that feels more like home from home, Goodwood’s latest space Hound Lodge has just the right balance of luxury and relaxation…

Words: Sam Harrington-Lowe Photos: Sam Harrington-Lowe and Mike Caldwell

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Hound Lodge has now been completely restored and stands as a beautiful ten-bedroom country house, offering total privacy and exclusivity (and central heating). The current Lord March has worked in minute detail on this extraordinary place; his aim has been very specifically that staying there should feel like you’re a guest of the family – and that’s exactly what it’s like. It’s an opportunity to immerse yourself in a Downton-like existence for a short period of time, and enjoy a beautiful home, complete with butler and your own chef, and even the hard-found pine essence in the bathroom which his lordship states is the kind one only finds in the best houses! And in case you were wondering, dogs are very much welcome at Hound Lodge too. They’re part of the heritage.

“Typical of English aristocracy, the Duke spent more time and money on his hounds and horses than on his friends and guests. He even famously installed central heating in the kennels 100 years before Goodwood House.”

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On arrival we were met with afternoon tea and a spot of cake, before James showed us to our rooms and explained how things worked. My room (pictured) included a butler bell in case I should need some help and the room came fully equipped with a small tray of whisky laid out for a warming tipple. Returning to the drawing room, James whipped up drinks for us before we adjourned to the dining room for a beautiful meal (much of the food served at Hound Lodge is reared on the estate itself, for those of you interested in food miles). The dining room walls boast a number of paintings, including a Stubbs. It’s very doggy and very horsey at Hound Lodge. I loved it.

Skerritts Lifestyle

“It’s an opportunity to immerse yourself in a Downton-like existence for a short period of time, and enjoy a beautiful home, complete with butler and your own chef.”

Everything about the experience is relaxed and special; from the comfy beds, with mattresses stuffed with wool from sheep grazing on the estate, to the food, which is all about country house service rather than the excessive formality of fine dining.

Breakfast is served in traditional tureens on the sideboard, offering a range of meats and eggs. Time and space are modern luxuries and, at Hound Lodge, there is chance to really enjoy them – it’s hard to leave. A sense of solitude and peace is found here, away from it all, deep in the Sussex countryside.

The house is perfect for small groups – with ten bedrooms there’s the opportunity to have up to 20 guests if couples are involved, but this is also an ideal place for small business events. On the estate

there’s opportunity to engage in plenty of activity, including 4x4 off-roading, shooting and even time spent in the spa at the hotel. It’s perfect for incentives and small high end team away-stays. Personally I just wished I’d been able to stay forever.

The antithesis of a hotel, Hound Lodge offers an experience that you simply can’t get anywhere else. This supremely comfortable place offers peace and respite from the world.

Beds that demand the deepest of sleeps, the reassuring warmth and crackle of an open fire and a sense of an old-fashioned world in the best possible way. It harks back to bygone days that most of us will never experience and it’s a thoroughly relaxing and enjoyable experience in every way.

Hound Lodge at Goodwood

Prices and activity details on application, hire starts from £10,000 per night for whole Lodge

www.goodwood.com

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Skerritts Lifestyle

Nothing makes us feel better than a bit of winter sun and the tropical climate of the Maldives is at its best from December through to March, which is the dry season. But for those of you who like to mix a bit of activity with your luxurious beach behaviour, we investigate the diving opportunities…

Baros Maldives has been

renowned as one of the best diving retreats in the Indian Ocean for over four decades, home to breathtaking coral reefs no more than 30 metres from the shore, surrounded by a gorgeous turquoise lagoon. This stunning island country is made up of more than 1,000 islands and is a cultural melting pot, with centuries-old influences from Africa, Asia and the Middle East having shaped a national identity and culture like no other.

The Maldives are home to the world’s largest fish – the Whale Shark, which along with about ten other different species of whales and dolphins can be seen anytime, even from the cosy shelter of the sandy Maldivian beaches. The Maldives have the most precious and endangered ecosystem on the planet, with numerous species of plants and animals unique to the islands.

If you’re a novice though, or you’ve had experience snorkelling and would like to make the next step, Baros offer dives for all different abilities. Guests are guided along the reef in a completely safe environment and the bio-fluorescent lighting will leave the divers mesmerized by the sheer perfection of the coral reef, making this experience truly one-of-a-kind. Fluo Night Dives are held in small groups guided by an experienced and well-qualified instructor. Baros Maldives don’t only invite all qualified divers to give it a go, but also offer specialty training courses for those seeking new adventures.

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DIVE

Heaven INTO

Skerritts Lifestyle

PADI PACKAGE FOR BEGINNERS The PADI Package includes a full diving course with an experienced instructor, and provides a PADI registered diver certification.

Use of diving equipment is included, with boat trips and delicious refreshments on-board.

Thanks to Baros Maldives Diver Valet Service and Diving by Design programmes the process has been simplified and given a luxurious twist.

If you wish, your underwater adventures include amazing sights such as manta, eagle ray, shark and turtle spotting, and even a visit of the nearby Maldives Victory shipwreck, and these can be documented with complimentary Go Pro cameras. This package also includes bed and breakfast accommodation in a private villa and speedboat transfers to and from the airport.

DIVING AND DINING FOR SEASONED PROS The Dining and Diving package promises to excite even the most seasoned divers. Guests that already have Open Water Diver certifications will get a week’s unlimited diving as well as Fluo Night Dive and even boat trips with on-board snacks.

This excellent package also includes airport transfers, and a one-week minimum stay on halfboard basis, providing guests with unlimited access to Baros Maldives’ exquisite bars and restaurants, including the critically acclaimed restaurant The Lighthouse, one of the best fine-dining restaurants in Maldives. Serving unparalleled French cuisine with a surprising Maldivian twist, meals are paired with fine wines recommended by the sommelier from the glass walled, walk-in cellar. This lovely restaurant is set on an over-water pavilion, with a white pinnacle roof, where diners can look at the resident rays and fish swimming underneath.

MARINE CARE Guests taking part in either programme are encouraged to visit the Baros Maldives in-house Marine Centre, managed by a resident Marine Biologist. Visitors can participate in professionally guided snorkelling excursions and the centre’s reef renewal programme, and participate in planting coral around the existing magnificent reef, in an effort to support the ecosystem and global marine diversity.

Only 25 minutes by speedboat from Maldives International Airport, Baros is home to over 75 beach and overwater villas, with three restaurants, two bars and a beautiful spa. Voted as one of the dreamiest and most romantic resorts in the Maldives. What are you waiting for? Dive in!

The Dining and Diving package starts from $1,247 per night The PADI Package starts from $859 per night Baros Maldives rates start from $675 per night in a Deluxe Villa on a B&B basis, excl taxes.

www.baros.com

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The Daily Telegraph’s Chief Sports Writer Paul Hayward has seen it all in the world of sport and has won everything there is to win throughout his distinguished career, so Daniel White sat down with the Brighton-based writer to learn more about the man behind the action…

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SPORT came to my

RESCUE Friday 11 November, England v Scotland. Ahead of one of the most anticipated World Cup Qualifiers in the UK in recent memory there’s a sense of uncertainty.

Following Sam Allardyce’s turbulent 67-day reign as the Three Lions manager, Gareth Southgate stepped in as interim manager to guide the England football team to a comfortable 2-0 win against Malta and a lucky 0-0 draw with Slovenia.

With memories of Euro 2016’s failures still prevalent among the players and fans, nerves are high as they get ready to face one of Group F’s tougher opponents, Scotland.

On the morning of the game The Daily Telegraph’s Chief Sports Writer Paul Hayward has been doing his homework ahead of the big match.

With plenty of experience covering matches and football as a whole, upon sitting down with him I’m happy to hear he’s still got butterflies in his stomach prior to the encounter.

“I get incredibly excited, my great passion is live sport,” he enthuses.

“Some people prefer to write interviews

and features but my main pleasure is going to a piece of live sport and not knowing what’s going to happen. It’s that unscripted element. When you walk into the stadium at night and the floodlights are glowing and the grass is green and no one knows what’s about to happen, that’s the real excitement I get from sport.”

Despite this excitement, Paul has learned to manage his enthusiasm for England games after consistent disappointments throughout his career.

“The worst aspect of my job for the last 30 years has been covering England because it’s the one area in British sport where there’s such a consistent pattern of failure,” he admits. “There’s been a cycle of disappointment since 1966 and in the last two tournaments it’s got worse. It makes you nostalgic for the days when England had quite a decent side. It’s been amazing to keep having to write this story over and over again of England blowing out in tournaments and I can’t see any reason why it would change soon.”

After a bumpy 90 minutes England managed to come out as 3-0 victors against the Scottish, with Paul’s analysis of the match stating it was almost certain

that Southgate would inherit “England’s shaky throne” after the match. In the world of social media and multimedia devices, Paul’s skills as a match reporter have been diminished. No longer do fans have to wait until the following morning to find out about the highlights of the match, instead they are readily available to them moments after they have happened, pushing Paul to find different ways to report the events.

“It’s a challenge to the modern media because everybody will either have seen the game or will follow the highlights, the goals, the controversies on social media,” Paul explains. “I like to say that we are now a nation of 60 million columnists because everybody is published, we are all published on social media. The one advantage we have in a rapidly declining industry, the newspaper industry, is that we can come along and analyse and interpret and discuss particular points about a game or an event.”

It is safe to say that Paul’s opinion is more knowledgeable than most. He has more than three decades in the business, working for the likes of The Guardian, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph, the Daily Mail and many more. His work 49

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takes him all over the world, reporting on events and interviewing the biggest names in sport. A dream for many passionate sports fans. He has even won the Sports Journalists’ Sports Writer of the Year award an incredible three times, most recently in 2015. So what stands out as the defining event he’s seen throughout his life watching sport?

“Sport came to my rescue,” he confesses. “My target for getting back to work was the Rugby World Cup in England last year. I thought if I can go and cover that tournament I’ll feel like I’m back in the game and I did and it made me understand the power of sport in people’s lives because it’s life enriching and life affirming. So I’d like to think that I have come through it, I won’t know for a few more years.”

League game. He pulled this thing out of a bag, it was a letter from Messi and a signed shirt saying ‘with much affection, Lionel Messi’. I was so moved by it I didn’t want to go and cover the Chelsea game, I just wanted to go home and look at this shirt and feel good about it.”

Back doing what he loves most, Paul now has eyes on witnessing more magical moments before he decides to exit the business he enjoys so much.

“I would nominate probably three or four things,” he says after sitting in thought for a brief moment. “One would be Andy During the darkest days in his treatment Murray winning his first Wimbledon Paul received another boost from one “I’d love to do a world series in title on Centre Court. Winning the men’s of world football’s most iconic stars. baseball and I still haven’t done a singles title as a British player Tour de France,” he lights up at was a glorious moment. Another the prospect. “I’ve also written would be the 2003 Rugby World three books for other people, I Cup final in Sydney when Jonny ghost wrote the autobiographies Wilkinson kicked that dropped of Michael Owen, Sir Bobby goal. To beat Australia in Sydney Robson and Sir Alex Ferguson in a Rugby World Cup final, in but now I would like to write my those circumstances, with a drop own book about sport and I will be goal in filthy weather, that was a very cross with myself if I don’t.” hell of a night. I’ve also enjoyed many great football moments; I With Paul eager to continue his particularly enjoyed the 1998 research ahead of the match and World Cup when France won in knowing the train troubles I may Paris in the final against Brazil. have to endure, it feels as though A million people flooded onto the the interview is at an end. However, streets of Paris that night, that I can’t let him leave without was amazing.” I push him to pick quizzing him on the latest news, Paul receives his third Sports Journalist of the Year award one highlight of them all. It is only the election of Donald Trump, and Photo: Sports Journalists Association then he remembers. “Covering where he sees business heading. the London Olympic Games,” Paul Watching on as Barcelona played reveals. “It was in this country and the Bayern Munich at the Nou Camp, “I can see that what we’re heading into atmosphere was so great and the warmth Lionel Messi produced a moment of is this period of uncertainty, in which and the positivity was there. There’s no magic. With a little flick of the boot he no one can claim to know what’s going country that I’ve ever been to that can sent Jerome Boateng tumbling onto his to happen. So it’s going to test the skill match the British sporting passion.” backside on the edge of the penalty area of financial analysts and financial before chipping an on-rushing Manuel advisors to an extent that they’ve never Yet, things haven’t always been so rosy Neuer to make it 2-0 to the hosts. been tested before. I’m pessimistic on for this master in his field. Last year quite a few fronts because I think it he was diagnosed with head and neck “I wrote a piece describing Messi’s goal in will do tremendous damage for the cancer, forcing him out of work for more a Champions League game - it was the economy and the society but I hope than six months. “I was in a terrible state most astonishing goal and I was in my to be wrong. But my money’s on Mr because the treatment was particularly worst condition from the treatment,” he Skerritt to give the best possible advice brutal, I was hopeful I would get through recalls. “It got me out of my chair and I because he’s like Nostradamus, he it but the damage it did to me was didn’t feel ill anymore watching him score seems to be able to see into the future, quite severe,” Paul admits. However, if that goal, it only lasted about 20 seconds so I think he’ll cope quite well.” there’s one thing he’s seen for his own but nonetheless it was like a miracle. eyes throughout his career, it is the So I wrote about this and a colleague of ability sport possesses to invigorate mine in Spain showed it to Messi’s father To keep up to date with all Paul’s and strengthen those at their lowest, and Messi’s father showed it to Messi. A latest analysis read his articles via and now he has his own story to tell. few months later a Spanish colleague The Daily Telegraph or follow him asked to meet me before a Champions on Twitter @_PaulHayward 50

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Skerritts Lifestyle

Back Bang. with a

Hesketh bikes

have overcome a bumpy start to become one of the country’s most treasured vehicles, as Daniel White finds out.

Photos: Boo Hunniset

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There’s something unique about a Hesketh bike. From its distinctively British design and riding capabilities right through to its troubled past and the current limited run, there is something out the ordinary when it comes to Hesketh.

So let’s go back first of all.

Hesketh Motorcycles first came to the public’s eye in 1982 when aristocrat Lord Hesketh launched the company, having gained fame through his Formula 1 team in the mid-70s.

Using the team’s skills and knowledge Lord Hesketh planned to revive the languishing British motorcycling industry. But, while they managed to produce a bike with charisma and allure – the Weslake V-twinpowered V1000 - it was also unreliable, experiencing consistent engine problems and technical issues to every one of the 139 made.

Lord Hesketh’s attentions then turned to The Vampire, a journeyman bike built to stand the test of time. Yet, the problems persisted and after just 40 vehicles the company folded as well.

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The business then fell into the hands of Mick Broom, the company’s original development engineer, who kept the name alive for three decade by repairing and servicing existing machines and, from time to time, even building a number of new bikes to spec.

Then, in 2010, Paul Sleeman went to buy a Hesketh of his own from Mick Brown and came home as the owner of a new bike and a £200,000 company – Hesketh Motorcycles.

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Featuring a 2100cc two-litre S&S X-Wedge air-cooled V-Twin engine, Ohlin suspension and Beringer brakes, the Sonnet not only overpowers the Hesketh 24 but also oozes style

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Today, despite the limited run and lack of fully-functioning bikes available, the brand has endured and in turn built a telling cache for itself. This has continued to build and since 2010 Paul and his team have been working away in a factory based in Redhill, Surrey where they are looking to redefine Hesketh bikes as reliable, powerful machines.

This culminated in 2014, when the company announced the first bike release in 33 years with the brand new Hesketh 24: a tribute to Hesketh’s famous driver James Hunt, who rode with the number on his 1975 F1 car.

Whether you’re a biker or not, you’re going to want one.

Combining the ambition of Lord Hesketh with the technical ability of today’s bikes, the Hesketh 24 was built to impress. Propelling the luxurious brute was a massive 1950cc S&S X-Wedge air-cooled V-Twin engine, offering torque in excess, while tributes to Hunt only increased its prestige.

Yet, with only 24 bikes built, it was never likely to be enjoyed by the majority of bike fans. This, however, may all change with the release of the Hesketh Sonnet, expected in summer 2017.

Featuring a 2100cc two-litre S&S X-Wedge air-cooled V-Twin engine, Ohlin suspension and Beringer brakes, the Sonnet not only overpowers the Hesketh 24 but also oozes style. With a red current leather seat and white bodywork, the Sonnet is to be admired.

Although production numbers are yet to be announced, hopes are that the new range will see an increase on the last. And, in anticipation of its release, the bike was driven to Gun Hill Studios in Hailsham where it was photographed for the first time ahead of its maiden voyage at the Isle of Man TT. As you can tell, the images look amazing and if the 24 was anything to go by, we can’t wait to see this bike at car shows across the country over the next year.

James Hunt in his famous1975 Hesketh F1 car.

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www.gunhillstudios.com www.heskethmotorcycles.co.uk

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A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO OWN A VANTAGE GT12 Aston Martin Chichester is delighted to offer for sale Number 34 of only 100 GT12 Coupes produced by Aston Martin for worldwide distribution. The model combines all of Aston Martin’s learning from years of sports car competition around the globe to produce the most performance focused, road going Vantage to date.

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ASTON MARTIN CHICHESTER TERMINUS ROAD, CHICHESTER, WEST SUSSEX PO19 8TX 01243 210 442 | CHICHESTER.ASTONMARTINDEALERS.COM Vehicles are shown for illustration purposes only. These offers supersede all previously advertised offers. Prices correct at time of going to press. Offers are subject to availability. E&OE. 17576

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