Stamford Living June 2011

H E L P I N G Y O U T O G E T T H E M O S T O U T O F L I V I N G L O C A L LY

STAMFORD Living

Fashion insider Maxi dresses

Motoring Soft Tops

Stamford cafés Great Local Spots

£1.50 June 2011

@LocalLivingUK

www.bestlocalliving.co.uk 06

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Casewick Lane, Uffington

£425,000

Deceptively large 4 bedroom, 3 Bathroom house in the much sought after village of Uffington. The property was individually designed and built by a local architect and has been finished to an exceptionally high standard. Large kitchen/Diner, and conservatory. 2 ensuites and a main bathroom.

Detached garage and pleasant garden surrounded by open views.

Empingham Road,

An established 4 bed semi detached house large refurbished Kitchen/ Family Room, situated on one of Stamford’s premier roads. In excellent condition and offering highly versatile accommodation. Outside there is a lovely rear garden and a good sized self contained insulated studio/office with power.

St Leonards Street, Stamford

£1,395 pcm

Queens Walk, Stamford

Pr

£895 pcm Pr

op Let er – S tie im s R ila eq r ui re d

A Grade II listed property in the heart of Stamford providing a stylish interior whilst retaining many original features. Briefly comprising: Entrance hall, Dining Area, Sitting Room, Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Utility Room, Drawing Room, Three Bedrooms, Bathroom, converted 2 storey barn. Stunning private walled Garden and Cellar Storage.

Stamford £350,000

op Let er – S tie im s R ila eq r ui re d

Lovely detached family house situated on a premier road in Stamford within easy access to the town centre, schools and supermarket. The property has been refurbished and comprises: Modern Kitchen, Sitting Room and Dining Room. Newly fitted Bathroom. Three Double Bedrooms. Beautiful mature Garden. Garage and Carport.

2/3 St Johns Street Stamford PE9 2DA

Sales: 01780 750000 Lettings: 01780 750001 2

Email: info@goodwinpropertyservices.co.uk www.goodwinpropertyservices.co.uk

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STAMFORD LIVING Hello

W W W . BE S T L O C A L L I V I N G . C O . U K

This issue

Cover shot:

UPFRONT, SHOPPING

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6

8 12

Maxi dresses Preparing for summer

HOME, GARDEN & MOTORING

28 Through the Keyhole: The Lighthouse, Stamford 33 Motoring: Soft tops 35 Motoring: Jaguar Day 12 PREPARING FOR SUMMER FOOD & DRINK

16 22 24

27

Stamford cafés: Great lunch spots Cob Pizza Oven Courses Dameon Clarke @ Assiette recipe: Blood Orange Cured Salmon with Orange, Radish and Pea Pannacotta Sean’s Kitchen Confidential: English strawberries

ACTIVITIES, LEARNING & BUSINESS

19 GOOD LIFE WORKSHOPS

24 ASSIETTE RECIPE

Subscribe to Stamford Living

Gardens open; Bjorn Again at Burghley; Rutland Cycling opens at Fineshade Fit Feet Fish Spa; Healthy Hearing Open Day; Cleaning Company; Two Little Birds

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

Nicholas Rudd-Jones Editor Editor Nicholas Rudd-Jones 01780 765571 nicholas@bestlocalliving.co.uk Write to Stamford Living, PO Box 208, Stamford, PE9 9FY www.bestlocallivingliving.co.uk Advertisement Manager Claudia Bayley 01780 480409 claudia@stamfordliving.fsnet.co.uk Advertisement Director Helen Walton 01780 754801 helen.stamford@btopenworld.com Advertising Copy Rachel Beecroft 01780 765320 rachel@locallivingdesign.co.uk Head of Design Steven Handley steve@locallivingdesign.co.uk Assistant Designer Nik Ellis nik@locallivingdesign.co.uk Publisher Nicholas Rudd-Jones 01780 765571 nicholas@bestlocalliving.co.uk Published by Local Living Ltd, PO Box 208, Stamford, Lincs. PE9 9FY nicholas@bestlocalliving.co.uk Printed by Warner’s of Bourne

The Fine Food Store team in the Secret Garden behind the café.

Picture by Elli Dean www.ellideanphotography.co.uk Mob: 07932 055548. See the full article and photos on Page 8.

June

Saving our past and our future There is so much that is good about Stamford, but two of our significant cultural achievements, the Museum and the Riverside Festival, remain under great threat.

Councillor Harrish Bisnausthing is supporting the Stamford Heritage Trust bid to try and save the museum, and we wish them all the very best. It is a vital part of Stamford’s history.

But I am totally aghast at the attitude of the council towards the Riverside Festival. They appear to be using the issue of a damaged bench as reason enough to destroy an arts event that has built itself up over the last decade to be the envy of the region. The wanton vandalism of a great event is a thousand times greater than the original damage. If it really is just the matter of a damaged bench, then Stamford Living Magazine personally offers to sort out the cost. If it’s something more acrimonious, please get it sorted and put to one side any personal animosities – thousands of people of all ages but especially the young have got so much out of the festival over so many years.

@LocalLivingUK

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36

43 45

31 47

Good Life Workshops Local Business: The Little Dog House, JMS Carpentry, Spotlight on South Africa Arts news: Stamford stars, Burghley photographic exhibition, Browne’s Hospital exhibition Countryfile: Churchyards Local matters: Local council elections, Mediation, Ark Nursery opens a second nursery; Fitzwilliam physio qualifies Local walk: Southwick Wood and Short Wood What’s On

PERSPECTIVES

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51 54

Perspectives: The impact of the Enclosure Movement upon Stamford Ask Leo Special: More memories of the Essendine Line Stamford People: Celia Hall, Walker’s Manager

28 THROUGH THE KEYHOLE

35 MOTORING: JAGUAR DAY

22 COB PIZZA OVEN COURSES

For only £20 (£30 for overseas surface mail) you can subscribe to Stamford Living for a year (12 issues).

Please send your name, address and a cheque made out to Local Living Ltd to: SL Subscriptions, PO Box 208, Stamford, PE9 9FY Or you can subscribe via the website at www.bestlocalliving.co.uk

STAMFORD LIVING June 2011

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LOCAL NEWS

Upfront What’s new this month

Björn Again returns to Burghley Sat June 11 As a result of last year’s great success, Live Promotions are bringing back the highly acclaimed Björn Again show to appear at Burghley on June 11th. Björn Again were created in Melbourne, Australia by Director and musician Rod Leissle in 1988. Since then the show rapidly achieved worldwide status, and in the past 21 years the show has appeared in 50 countries across the Northern Hemisphere.

Described by Robert Plant as “Absolutely Brilliant” and by Tom Jones as “Fantastic”, Björn Again is not to be missed.

Bring a picnic, bring the family and get into the atmosphere by singing along to Abba’s Greatest Hits... from Dancing Queen and Waterloo to Thank You for the Music.

And if this wasn’t enough the promoters have now added the spectacular KING OF POP show to the evening with performers and Dancers celebrating the King of Pop himself Michael Jackson.

• Tickets are available from Burghley House on 01780 752 451, Stamford Arts Centre 01780 763 203 and the 24 hour hotline 0844 209 7364. Anna’s Hope Charity will be fund raising on the evening, and there will also be a spectacular firework display.

Gardens to visit Open Garden and Happy Child International Hall Garden, Greatford, PE9 4QA Tuesday, June 21 from 2pm – 6pm Admission £4, children free A rare treasure set in the heart of South Lincolnshire in the village of Greatford and on the River Glen is this privately owned garden overlooking St Thomas’ Church. The owners Derek and Francie Lygo have spent the last seventeen years designing and planting the garden at The Hall Cottage and have recently restored the Greatford Waterwheel.

Money raised from the Open Garden afternoon will go towards funding for a much needed home for street girls in Recife, NorthEast Brazil, many of whom have become victims of a booming sex tourism trade.

Thurlby Open Gardens 18th and 19th June 1pm - 4.30pm Admission £3.00, Children free Further information from Maureen 01778 394672 Start (and buy your tickets and maps) at The Methodist Church on the High Street.

Delicious homemade refreshments available. Cakes and Plants for sale on both days

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Rutland Cycling celebrates 30 years and a new opening at Fineshade Rutland Cycling is celebrating its 30th birthday this month with the opening of a fourth retail and hire centre “Fineshade Cycling” in Fineshade Woods and a new off road trail in Wakerley Woods, just off the A43 in Northamptonshire. Rutland Cycling has been working closely with The Forestry Commission over the last 12 months to create these new facilities, which are now open.

Paul Archer, Director at Rutland Cycling and son of David and Ann Archer who founded the successful business all the way back in 1981, comments “I cannot think of a better way to mark our 30th year than to open a fourth centre. We have had the most amazing 30 years. No one could have foreseen exactly how well Rutland Cycling’s retail and hire business would be received since its launch. My Father knew there was a growing market out there but it exceeded even his expectations. We started hiring bikes from a log cabin on the side of Rutland Water on a soggy May Bank Holiday and with enquiries for retail soon following it all continued on from there.”

Since its conception all those years ago Rutland Cycling followed up with a second site on the opposite shore at Normanton, closely followed by a third on Grafham Water in Cambridgeshire (also celebrating 20 years this year). Last year saw a rebranding of its Normanton Store and a joint partnership with global brand Giant, resulting in one of just a handful of their slick concept stores. The last 5 years has also seen continual growth of their on line store rutlandcycling.com. So with so much growth for this local business what was the next step?

Tim Harris, Managing Director explains: “We are always looking for new locations and expansion opportunities at Rutland Cycling but the current tough economic climate means that any suitable location had to offer us so much more than ever before. We believe we’ve found the perfect site at Fineshade and have thoroughly enjoyed working with The Forestry Commission to get this site up and running.”

The new site at Top Lodge in Fineshade Woods offers everything cyclists could wish for, both for rentals and purchase There is a lovely woodland family route and a brand new mountain bike trail open in Wakerley Woods to challenge the off road enthusiast. Stocking a wide range of well known brands for bikes, clothing, parts and accessories, there really is something for everyone, regardless of age and ability.

• The Fineshade Store Tel: 01780 440899 for more information

NENE VALLEY STAMFORD LIVING LIVING June July 2011 2008

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Be Inspired!

Buy online in June & get

10% off

Code: Jun11

Visit us Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, 8 St Mary’s Hill Stamford Lincs PE9 2DP 10% off also available in store in June if you mention this advert

Tel: 01780 767878 www.siriusjewellery.co.uk

Cavells South Street • South St • Oakham • Rutland • LE15 6BG

www.cavellscountry.co.uk

THE GIFT New Luxury Gift Shop stocking Jewellery, Giftware, Perfume & Skincare, Leatherware & Pure Cashmere ORTIGIA

INDIA JANE

SICILIA

Ashiana LONDON

ILEX

PARLANE I N T E R N AT I O N A L

1 The George Hotel Mews Stamford, PE9 2LB

Clothing, Shoes & Accessories LOL A CRUZ

bobi RINASCIMENTO M A D E I N I T A LY

QUEENE & COUNTRY VANILLA MOON

JUST BALLERINAS

Telephone: 01780 754413 2-4 The George Hotel Mews Stamford, PE9 2LB

Opening Hours

4 St Mary’s Street, Stamford Opening Hours Monday - Saturday 10am - 5pm Monday - Saturday 10am & Bank Holidays 11am 01780 755378 Mon – Sat 9-5 - 5pm Sundays Sundays & Bank Holidays 11am- 4pm - 4pm After Hours Shopping by Appointment After Hours Shopping by Appointment www.countrylifestyleonline.co.uk 5

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LOCAL NEWS

Upfront The Cleaning Company

The Cleaning Company is the latest addition to Stamford and Rutland’s domestic and commercial cleaning market. The company is headed by Emma O’Driscoll who is certified by the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICS).

Emma told SL: “We are delighted to be bringing our new and innovative cleaning service to the region. We are very proud of our brand which we hope will elevate the perception of the cleaning industry.”

The Cleaning Company say their biggest differentiator is the company’s commitment to delivering the highest cleaning standards in the area by ensuring all staff are trained to BICS standards. Emma continued: “One of our core values is our commitment to complete customer satisfaction. We ensure this through a fully trained and hardworking team who strive to deliver a bespoke service to each of our customers.”

The Cleaning Company believes their dedicated team remain their biggest asset.

Emma explained: “Our team will bring a different level of professionalism to the industry; they all wear smart company uniforms and each team member is trained to the highest standards.”

Services Include: All Domestic, Offices, Letting Agents, Light Commercial, Landlord & Tenant, Pre/End of Tenancy, Move In/Out, Party/After Party, After Builder Cleaning and much more...

• Free Phone: 0800 171 2191 E-mail: contact@thecleaningcompanylimited.co.uk Website: www.thecleaningcompanylimited.co.uk

Stamford Bootcamp – a correction We wish to point out that the phrase ‘Stamford Bootcamp is a trading name used by Mr Rob Dulieu of Stamford Personal Fitness. We used it erroneously in connection with the fitness2health training business, for which we apologise • To find out more about the Stamford Bootcamp and Stamford Personal Fitness visit www.stamfordpersonalfitness.co.uk or call Rob on 07846 457959

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Fit Feet Fish Spa A foot spa with a big difference has just opened above Marcia May Shoes in St Mary’s St. Fish do all the work!

Lisa Miles, who started the business with Sandra Hesketh, experienced a fish foot bath several months ago and was hooked. “It is such a relaxing experience,” she told SL, “and the fish nibble away at the dead skin on your feet and at the same time promote an enzyme which encourages new skin growth. So your feet get sorted and it’s a soothing, enjoyable experience all in one.”

Lisa has fitted out the spa to the highest standards, with 50 Garra Rufa fish per tank, six tanks in all in a purpose built unit. Jim from Jim’s Pets will manage the health of the fish who have a life of up to 8 years. Overall hygiene standards will be rigorously maintained via a foot check prior to treatment and state of the art filtration systems that clean the water.

There will also be a varnish and file service available, and all bookings for this and the foot spa will be available on a walk-in basis. Foot treatments start from £10 for 15 minutes, and hand treatments are also available, especially popular with men who use their hands for manual tasks.

• Fit Feet Fish Spa, 41 St Mary’s St, Stamford Tel: 01780 480313 www.fishpedicurestamford.co.uk

Open the door to a world of sound!

If you’re over 60 years old there’s a 25% chance you have a hearing loss; if you’re over 75 years there’s a 44% chance. Amazingly only a quarter of people with a hearing loss have ever done anything about it.

Visit Healthy Hearing at their Open Day on Friday 17th June and take advantage of a free hearing assessment and demonstration of the new ‘Audeo SMART’ from Swiss hearing aid designers Phonak.

The ‘Audeo SMART’ uses the latest in wireless technology and intelligent computing to allow people to enjoy life to the full with the hearing they have.

• Simply call 01780 759133 to book an appointment or call in on the day at Healthy Hearing Ltd, No 1 the Old Police House, Cliff Road, Stamford, PE9 1AB. Alternatively a free home visit can be arranged at a convenient time to suit you.

Two Little Birds Following the success of their sewing courses, Two Little Birds, who are based in Stamford are launching an exciting new venture with their “Make it Friday!” sessions. Every Friday from 9.3012.30 starting on June 10th, there will be sewing machines, equipment and expert help on hand for people wishing to start or complete a sewing project, along with tea, coffee and delicious homemade cakes. Their aim is to encourage people to start sewing again by providing a relaxed and friendly atmosphere in which to enjoy making and creating, with a chance to meet new people or gather with friends. If you’re stuck with a project, anything from a skirt to a cushion or just need the incentive to start sewing again, give them a call to reserve a place.

The cost is £20 per session and you can book for one or as many as you need to complete your project. Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment. Check out their website, www. twolittlebirds.biz for details of this and all their other sewing workshops and courses.

• The Two Little Birds can be contacted on 07733 216743 or by email: enquiries@twolittlebirds.biz

STAMFORD LIVING June 2011

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Learn new skills in an enjoyable and friendly atmosphere, creating something beautiful from fabric and thread.

NEW Make it Friday! Workshop Come along and get sewing.

Sewing machines and expert help on hand Other workshops and courses available

07733 216743

Domestic & Commercial Cleaning covering Stamford, Rutland & the surrounding area

9A St. George’s Square Ltd

Our professional team deliver bespoke services at competitive prices and we guarantee our work to your satisfaction

www.twolittlebirds.biz

(formally Esme Collections) m Un an de ag r n em ew en t

Browse our summer collections of French and Italian clothing, accessories, costume jewellery and handbags in our newly refurbished shop.

Our services include: All Domestic, Office & Commercial, Letting Agent, Landlord & Tenant, After Builder and much more...

Free Phone: 0800 171 2191 contact@thecleaningcompanylimited.co.uk www.thecleaningcompanylimited.co.uk

Open Monday 11 – 4 and Tuesday – Saturday 10 – 5 9A St Georges Square, Stamford, Lincs PE9 2BN

Telephone 01780 757660

We don’t cut corners, we clean them!

Call in for a friendly and fun spa experience.

All ages are welcome.

From little nippers to oldies in slippers.

Hand treatments start from £5.00 for 5 minutes.

Foot treatments start from £10.00 for 15 minutes.

Why not follow with a fast fix file and polish from £7.50 Our specialist tanks are fitted with state of the art filtration systems that clean the water

20 times per hour.

Coming soon our walk-in foot clinic.

Ask about our specials: • group/club booking discounts • Hen & stag packages available • Teenage toes party • Sports team foot therapy

DROP IN AND TRY IT- SEE THE RESULTS!

Fit Feet Fish Spa IS OPEN Fit Feet Fish Spa above Marcia Mays Shoe Shop at 41 St Mary’s Street tel: 01780 480313 or 07879 254811 email: fitfeetfishspa@gmail.com web: fishpedicurestamford.co.uk

NIBBLING NOW! 7

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FASHION INSIDER

Dress to the Max

Ginny Forrest, guest fashion editor, has searched Stamford’s shops for the best maxi dresses out there; and owner of The Fine Food Store, Jenny Fitzpatrick, and her team of waitresses have modelled them to show you how to work this look!

2011

is definitely the year for the maxi dress. With the catwalk sporting the more daring trend of the sheer maxi, there is definitely a style that will suit you. It’s a must have Spring/Summer wardrobe staple, cool in the heat and warm on chilly summer evenings.

Everyone can work the maxi dress, so don’t be scared to try!

Seventies chic being very prominent, daring front slits, bold patterns and floral prints. Try Energy for their bold print maxis. To complete the retro ‘70s vibe try adding a bold oversized necklace or a pendant from Green Circle to be on trend.

Following the ‘70s vibe are vibrant colours.

Try pink, orange or blue, perfect with a nice summer glow for your holidays. Baubles and Bangles offer a vast range of bold coloured maxis, from leopard to African print. A very prominent maxi dress trend for this season is feminine and floaty. This look is very summery, chiffons and satins are perfect, try Attic or Ruby Loves.

The maxi dress is flattering on all figures, clinging to the bits you want it to but hanging loose on the bits you don’t. Dressed up or down for all occasions. For a casual day look, team with flip flops and denim jacket or for evening glam up with a pair of wedges and big jewellery.

Take your inspiration from the photos of our afternoon tea in the secret garden. Whether you’re at an English tea party like this one or glamming up for an evening meal out, the maxi

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STAMFORD LIVING June 2011

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Above: Models wear: from left to right.

Megan: People Tree dress £45 and belt both from Green Circle Hannah: Baubles and Bangles Tie Die dress £31 Katie: Baubles and Bangles leopard print dress £34 Claudia: Attic green Traffic People dress £125 Eva: Namaste purple dress Green Circle £31.99 Jenny: Great Plains navy dress Attic Weekend £60 Jovita: Pepe Dress and denim jacket Energy both £95 Lynne: Attic pink Almost Famous dress £150 Niki: Ruby Loves Saint Tropez grey dress £59.99 and pink shrug Attic £40 Emma: So print dress £95

Contacts Attic – 43 St Mary’s Street, Stamford Tel: 01780 766667 Energy – Ironmonger Street, Stamford Tel: 01780 765633 Green Circle – 15 St. Mary’s Hill, Stamford Tel: 01780 757496 Baubles and Bangles – 10 St Mary’s Hill, Stamford Tel: 01780 763633 Ruby Loves – 3 & 4 Stamford Walk, Stamford Tel: 01780 764626 So – 7 Ironmonger Street, Stamford Tel: 01780 480777 Photographer Elli Dean Tel: 07932 055548 With thanks to: - Black Orchid for supplying cake stands and Lambs for supplying the china.

Special thanks to Claire from Alter Ego for doing the hair. To showcase the latest trend for softness and volume Claire created the models’ looks by using ghd’s and the curling wand with L’Oreal and KMS California products to help show texture and movement.

STAMFORD LIVING June 2011

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at

hair & beauty

Visit Gerards and enjoy Aveda’s up to 99% naturally derived * hair colour Aveda hair colour answers all your needs naturally—from full grey coverage to vibrant colour—while leaving hair essentially damage-free, silky and touchable. Our customized hair colouring system offers precisely matched permanent and long lasting deposit-only shades. With up to 99% naturally derived ingredients * such as patented green tea extract—we allow you to create bespoke and unique hair colour. *

from plants and non-petrochemical minerals

For a free hair consultation, book an appointment today 01780 753002 | George Hotel Mews | Stamford | PE9 2LB

Full range available at www.cavells.co.uk and in store Cavells • 16 Mill Street • Oakham • Rutland • LE15 6EA

www.activecamping.com

Come and see our range of festival and family camping equipment

Marcia May

Love shoes...

Ladies and Mens

Children’s shoes including Ricosta and Lellikelly

Visit our shop in Barnack Active Camping at Barnack Country Clothes & Wellieboots.com Barnack, Stamford. PE9 3DY

tel: 01780 740115

2 miles from Burghley House

41 Expertly fitted by our fully trained staff

MARCIA MAY

St Mary’s Street, Stamford, PE9 2DS 41 St Mary’s Street, Stamford PE9 2DS Tel: 01780 766608 Telephone 01780 766608

Gabor • Josef Seibel • Reiker • Fly London • Hush Puppies • Camel Active

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Health and Beauty

Get set for summer Summer’s almost upon us and now is the right time to step up your beauty regime. Genevieve Potter looks at the best summer products and treatments available right now

The right preparation Great summer skin starts with a proper exfoliation and Sarah of Stamford Beauty offers a full, hour long, body treatment (£35), which stimulates circulation and sloughs of any dead skin cells to eliminate any dryness and give you the perfect canvas for tanning.

Using Dermalogica products, the treatment is followed by a highly hydrating body cream which leaves the skin revitalised and properly hydrated.

• Stamford Beauty, 1 Silver Lane, Stamford.

PE9 2BT. TEL 01780 757108

The best tanning products The safest tan is a fake tan and my particular favourite is the Xen Tan range, available from Body Care. The products are an authentic olive tone (so you’ll never look bright orange) and the Mousse Intense (£21.95) dries almost immediately and lasts for five to seven days.

• Body Care, 7 Ironmonger Street, Stamford PE9 1PL Tel: 01780 480777

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For those less confident about applying self-tan products, the St Tropez “Airport” spray tan at Maples, (£25), is highly recommended and gives an even, natural finish in around 15 minutes, but allow time afterwards to dry and don’t forget your baggy clothing! It’s also vital that you exfoliate beforehand and don’t use deodorant or body creams prior to your appointment.

• Maples, 25 St Mary’s Street, Stamford PE9 2DJ Tel: 01780 752725

start with Caudalie Vino Perfect serum (£44) under your sun cream, which prevents the formation of melanin and helps to fade existing spots.

• Chameleon, 5 St Mary’s Hill, Stamford PE9 2DP Tel: 01780 755405 www.chameleonboutique.co.uk

If you are going to enjoy the great outdoors, always use the best protective tanning products that you can afford, like Caudalie from Chameleon. I’m a big fan of the Caudalie Anti-ageing for face sun care cream, which provides broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection and is packed with antioxidants. It comes in two versions, SPF 30 (£23.50) and SPF 50 (£26.50), promotes even tanning and ensures your face looks hydrated and luminous. For even better protection for those prone to facial hyperpigmentation (freckles and age spots),

STAMFORD LIVING June 2011

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Tone up Problem Areas Fast Emma Cannings now offers the high tech Crystal Clear Cellulite Therapy. It’s an effective solution for poor skin tone and cellulite on the legs, hips, buttocks and arms and can even be used to tone and tighten the chin area of the face. In order to achieve the best and most noticeable results it’s important to realise that these type of treatments need to be combined with a healthy diet with pure, unprocessed food, lashings of water and some targeted exercise. A course of ten treatments is recommended.

I tried a session of Crystal Clear with therapist Katrina at Emma Cannings; who focused on the backs of my legs and used the Crystal Clear machine to combine a vacuum with a pulsed programme. A body firming complex is applied first and then your own personal roller glides over the area. The action is like a really deep tissue massage and the denser your cellulite the deeper the massaging action. There was very little discomfort involved and afterwards a revitalising tonic was sprayed over the entire area. A course of ten treatments for one area (like the back of the legs) costs £270.

• Emma Cannings, Stamford Garden Centre, Great Casterton, PE9 4BB Tel: 01780 766583 www.emmacannings.co.uk

The right work out

If time is of the essence and it’s a really quick fix you’re looking for, head to Equilibrium for The Universal Contour wrap (£60), which guarantees you will lose at least six inches in two hours.

Whilst you’re wrapped up you can also enjoy a mini facial and scalp massage, which is included in the treatment. A course of three weekly treatments (£165) is recommended and could even help you drop a bikini size.

For the ultimate beach body, Equilibrium are offering a special “Beach Ready” promotion for Stamford Living readers, where you will receive a Universal Contour Wrap, full body exfoliation and spray tan, fish pedicure and file and paint on your feet worth £115, all for £85 (to be taken as a package over two appointments).

• Equilibrium 7 St Paul’s Street, Stamford PE9 2BE Tel: 01780 757579 www.equilibriumstamford.co.uk www.facebook.com/equilibriumstamford

Hitting the gym often feels like a chore, so why not join a class that focuses on creating flat abs, killer legs and toned arms.

Combining cardiovascular exercise with strength training to achieve a toned and defined look, Judith Ewing has launched a Beach Preparation class at Barnsdale Hall ready for the summer season. Combined with uplifting summer music, it runs at 8 pm every Tuesday, costs £4 and you don’t have to be a member of Barnsdale to join in.

• Judith Ewing Tel: 07771 866123 www.judithewingfitness.com

The perfect beach blonde

©Aveda

Gerards of Stamford are an acclaimed Aveda salon. Aveda’s philosophy is to deliver natural beauty that also respects and cares for the environment and this is reflected in their hair colours which are up to 99% naturally derived formulas from plants and non-petrochemical minerals.

Owner Jayne is a renowned colourist and recently did some perfect beach blonde highlights for me, which look perfectly natural but have also given my hair the shine and lustre that it’s been missing. I’m also hooked on the Color Conserve Aveda products, which protect and preserve colour treated hair and smell almost good enough to eat!

Full highlights cost around £60.

• Gerards, The George Hotel Mews, Stamford PE9 2LB Tel 01780 753002

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Healthcare choices Healthcare services for the whole community at Fitzwilliam Hospital Did you know you can have your healthcare at Fitzwilliam Hospital?

The hospital provide services for the whole community through Premium Care for private and insured patients and through Patient Choice for NHS patients.

Fitzwilliam Hospital offers all patients:

• • •

Consultant-delivered care

• • • •

Very low infection rates

State-of-the-art equipment Small, friendly hospital in peaceful surroundings High quality care Good nurse-patient ratios Free parking and easy to find

Insured patients

OPTION

1

NHS patients

OPTION

2

If you have medical insurance, please use it to enjoy the benefits of private treatment at the Fitzwilliam Hospital which include:

If you are being referred by your GP for NHS treatment you have a right to choose the hospital you are referred to under the Patient Choice charter.

• Your choice of consultant

Fitzwilliam offer a wide range of services to NHS patients at no charge to patient or GP.

• Early and flexible appointments with the Premium Care fast track card • Hotel comforts on admission Ask your GP to refer you for private treatment at the Fitzwilliam.

Ask your GP if you can be referred to the Fitzwilliam for your treatment under Patient Choice.

Self-pay patients

OPTION

3

Premium Care benefits are available to paying patients on our full range of services.

Many patients are now choosing to pay for early treatment of NHS low priority health problems such as varicose veins, sterilisation reversals, lumps and bumps and carpal tunnel treatments.

A full range of cosmetic surgical and non-surgical treatments is also available under the Vive brand.

Call today for a quote for your healthcare.

If you would like to chat through the options or for general enquiries about Fitzwilliam Hospital and the services offered please contact us today.

Email: enquiries@fitzwilliam-hospital.co.uk or visit: www.fitzwilliam-hospital.co.uk

Call us today and find out more 01733 261717 14

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FOOD & DRINK

Exploring Stamford’s Cafés Time for Lunch

In the March issue Charlotte Newby investigated Stamford’s coffee bars and tearooms. This month she’s out for a casual café lunch and looking to see what Stamford has to offer baguettes. Puddings include sticky toffee pudding and butterscotch sauce at £3.75, and there are fresh cakes and scones.

Best for: extensive menu, welcoming staff.

The Arts Centre Café With plenty of tables, and superefficient, unflappable staff, the Arts Centre Café is well equipped to serve even large surges of hungry customers. The menu is uncomplicated and executed well: jacket potatoes, sandwiches (£1.95 £4.50), toasted sandwiches, bagels from £3.75, soup with French bread or cheese scone (£3.25 - £3.95). The Arts Centre club (£4.50) - a large sandwich stuffed with cheese, egg, ham, turkey, salad and mayo and served with crisps would fill even the hungriest customer.

As an added bonus, it’s one of the few places within Stamford where children can freely roam (the staff are very patient), so it’s the perfect place if you travel with a pushchair or need to feed the children after school.

For a casual and inexpensive daytime meal, the Arts Centre Café is hard to beat.

Best for: casual atmosphere, willing staff.

If you’re passing Central Restaurant on Red Lion Square, it’s hard not to be drawn in by the tempting array of freshly baked cakes in the window or the irresistible aroma of baking that wafts out of the door. Once inside, there is plenty more on offer. Venturing up the higgledy stairs, you will find a typically characterful Stamford interior with wooden beams, crooked ceilings and views of the square. It’s clearly a popular lunchtime destination.

If you fancy a substantial lunch, try the roast of the day with fresh vegetables £7.75, breaded scampi with chips and tartare sauce (£7.45), or choose from a range of salads from £6.70.

There’s a wide variety of sandwiches on freshly baked bread from £4.90. Plus freshly baked quiche with chips, salad and chutney £6.10 or soup with bread £4.00. The café is licensed.

If you have a sweet tooth, you’re spoilt for choice. And if you can’t make up your mind, then have something with your lunch - and take another home for later!

Best for: freshly baked bread and cakes.

The Garden Kitchen, Stamford Garden Centre This is a ‘gastro’ café that buzzes at lunchtime.

Sunshine streams through large windows creating a warm and bright atmosphere. The staff are ready to greet quickly and the creative menu is tempting, with an emphasis on local,

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Named after the 1936 film starring Bing Crosby, Pennies From Heaven, with its lovingly worn interior, has a way of taking you back to the same era. Soft lighting, embroidered tablecloths, china teacups and mellow background music all contribute to a homely and relaxed ambience. Enjoy their all day breakfast – from crumpets to scrambled egg and bacon on toast (£3.40), or choose from their tasty looking sandwiches, jacket potatoes with a wide range of fillings including vegetable curry or chilli (£3-£4.50), soup with cheese scone (£4.00), plus cakes and puddings. There’s a limited children’s menu. This is a little place to escape from the hustle and bustle.

Best for: quiet, mellow atmosphere.

seasonal ingredients including meat from their own butcher. Leek, Stilton and mushroom crumble and salad (£6.99) - delicious, quiche or tart of the day with chips or salad (£6.95) - tasty and generous, homemade Lincolnshire sausages with mustard mash and onion gravy, game pie, soups, panini and children’s meals are all on offer. There are wines, soft drinks and juices, plus quality coffee and wicked puddings: sticky ginger parkin, fruit pavlova, vanilla cheesecake and more. I had not been here for a while, but I shall certainly be going back again soon.

Best for: local, homegrown and professionally cooked food.

Warm, bright and lively all day long, Gooch’s has plenty of spacious seating, inside and out (overlooking the meadows), and a friendly team of young, attentive staff. The menu is extensive and fairly priced. Main meals, which come with potatoes, chips or rice, and vegetables or salad, include lasagne (£7.95), steak and kidney pudding (£7.95) and chilli con carne (£6.25). There are also omelettes from £6.25, grilled panini specials (£6.50), sandwiches and

Tucked away in Stamford Walk, Truly Scrumptious is an informal, unpretentious and laid-back café. The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang memorabilia may not be to everyone’s taste, but it’s been lovingly assembled, none-the-less. On the menu there’s all day breakfast (£3.25 - £4.75), roast of the day (£5.50), gammon, chips, eggs and pineapple (£4.99), liver, bacon and onions (£5.50) or giant Yorkshire pudding with steak and mushrooms (£4.99). Puddings include caramel apple pie and custard at £2.50.

Best for: a proper fry up to cure a Sunday morning hangover.

Contact Details Stamford Arts Centre Coffee Shop, 27 St Mary’s Street, PE9 2DL, 01780 753458 The Central Restaurant, 7 Red Lion Square, PE9 2AJ, 01780 763217 The Garden Kitchen, Stamford Garden Centre, Casterton Road, PE9 4BB, 01780 765656 Gooch’s Coffee Shop, 3 Castle Street, PE9 2RA, 01780 482819 Pennies From Heaven, 17 Maiden Lane, PE9 2AZ, 01780 481634 Truly Scrumptious, 8-9 Stamford Walk, PE9 2JE, 07736 948052

STAMFORD LIVING June 2011

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ALISON HUTCHINSON

This month in our ‘Living the Good Life’ spot, local home designer, Alison Hutchinson catches up with wicked stepmother Victoria Merrick

LIVING THE GOOD LIFE

‘Learning the good life’ workshops

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ictoria originally came to the UK from Sydney, Australia, in her 20s and when she returned at 40 she found London to be a very different place.

With a background in restaurants she was originally asked to set up an espresso school to train the catering and restaurant industry how to use espresso machines and become baristas. This was before the rise in coffee shops in the UK and she was at the beginning of the coffee revolution. At 42 she found her now husband and inherited 4 children when she married him (hence the wicked stepmother title – although anything could be further from the truth). She moved to Lincolnshire and as she puts it ‘surrendered everything that identified me’. Being the sort of person who throws herself into everything wholeheartedly she embraced family life and decided that she would devote the next 10 years to raising a family.

It’s a familiar story, but once the children were old enough for Victoria to start thinking of something else she knew that it couldn’t be running another restaurant. Her learning the good life workshops, which started with 6 in the Spring and 6 in Autumn and now run to 70 a year, came about quite by chance.

“The business of learning the good life at Wicked Stepmother’s World evolved organically,” says Victoria. “I was interested in gardening but not very knowledgeable so I thought I’d get someone really good to come and teach me and they could teach others at the same time. That was our first course,” she said.

Victoria is passionate about what she does and all the courses are to do with things that she’s interested in which is why so many of the latest courses have moved towards more sustainable living – keeping hens, bread making (2 June), make do and mend (8 June), the healing garden (11 June), as well as keeping bees, making rustic chairs and willow weaving. Being so busy organising the behind the scenes catering (using seasonal vegetables) and pulling the courses together means she never gets to sit in on a whole course but she does rave about the bread making day she did with Linda Hewitt and now makes all her own break and joked “I really should be able to wrap a parcel by now, I’ve seen Jane Means do it so many times.”

With so many courses running throughout the year you might think Victoria was too busy to think of what comes next but she already has it mapped out. She’d like to be able to offer students accommodation as well as the great hospitality they get during her courses.“I’d like to renovate one of the farm buildings into a carbon neutral building and run courses from here. We have a vineyard on the farm so it would be good to run wine making and appreciation classes too,” she explained.

Here, here to that I say, so look out for more innovative classes and start learning the good life for yourself.

• For more information on courses on offer contact Victoria on 01652 628560 or www.learningthegoodlife.co.uk. Home Farm House, Somerby, Lincolnshire, DN38 6EX • If you are ‘living the good life’ and are interested in being included in the magazine please get in touch. Alison Hutchinson Tel: 01572 747318/ 07973843020.

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STAMFORD LIVING June 2011

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kitchens for life

Probably the best kitchens in the world

Finest quality bespoke kitchens, doors, windows and custom made furniture designed to meet your needs.

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Open: Tues-Fri 10am - 5.00pm Sat 10am - 4pm www.fordhamkitchenltd.co.uk

t: 01780 721058 m: 07976 403955 www.jmscarpentryandjoinery.co.uk

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LOCAL BUSINESS

JMS Carpentry When Chris and Nikki Young embarked on a complete overhaul of their kitchen earlier this year, they immediately knew who they wanted to entrust their project to. Having used JMS Carpentry and Joinery for a number of other alterations to their barn conversion home from a partition wall and bespoke wardrobes, through to a custom-made bathroom - they knew that JMS had the skill and expertise to pull off the vision they had for their latest and biggest project yet.

Jonathan, who lives in Ketton with his wife and three daughters, provides the highest levels of skilled carpentry and joinery work combined with an excellent personal service plus full project management skills including coordination of electrics and plumbing. He operates his business, which he has run for 15 years, from a purpose built workshop and covers all areas of woodwork and project builds in both traditional and contemporary styles, ranging from domestic to commercial projects.

So whilst the Youngs decamped to the left wing of their barn, Jonathan led the implementation of their kitchen design.

This included a range of project skills including the installation of new kitchen units, all new appliances, fittings, lighting and a beautiful combination of oak and gloss black laminate work surfaces and new oak flooring throughout.

A major success of this stunning kitchen is the ingenious inclusion of a bespoke dining area. Skillfully created by JMS to fit perfectly into what otherwise would have been an awkward space, is now an oak table with a custom-made, built-in seating area for six adults or many more children.

The end result is a beautifully finished kitchen and living space which lends itself equally well to family life and entertaining. As Nikki Young says: “Not only has Jonathan created a beautiful-looking kitchen, he has helped give our home a heart. The quality of his work and the attention to detail - not to mention JMS’s friendly and professional staff - really have made a daunting project appear seamless.”

• JMS Carpentry and Joinery, Tel: 01780 721058, office@jmscarpentryandjoinery. co.uk, www.jmscarpentryandjoinery.co.uk

The Little Dog House The home from home little dog hotel

Spotlight on South Africa South Africa should feature at the top of every traveller’s wish list and for those who enjoy outstanding hospitality combined with spectacular scenery; there isn’t a more civilised holiday destination. So if you can’t get away during the summer months, why not start to plan your next winter holiday?

Overall, South Africa is perfect for those who seek warm winter sunshine and is the perfect destination and is a particular favourite amongst those who wish to celebrate in style. Paula Cockcroft from Oundle Travel also recommends this style of holiday for families who would like to introduce children to African wildlife as part of a relaxed tailor-made itinerary. Paula and her team have many years of experience, creating itineraries with just the right balance of boutique hotels in Cape Town combined with a recommended property in the Winelands and then perhaps a few nights on the Garden Route followed by a game reserve to experience some of Africa’s wildlife from the comfort of a luxurious game lodge.

Oundle Travel have a fabulous 12 night itinerary which will allow you to enjoy the delights of the Western Cape, experience the spectacular beaches of the Garden Route and then view the ‘Big 5’ in their natural surroundings. You will spend the first six nights in the Western Cape, dividing your time in Capetown and Franschoek and then drive East to The Garden Route, with overnights at Knysna and Plettenburg before a stunning two nights at Blaauwbosch, with game drives and all meals and drinks included - From £2,845 per person.

• If you would like to discuss a South African itinerary in detail then please contact Oundle Travel on 01832 273600 where they will happy to share their experience and knowledge and help you to plan your holiday.

As a small, family run business The Little Dog House is dedicated to making your dog’s stay as enjoyable as possible, with luxury home boarding exclusively for small dogs that is a stress-free alternative to normal dog kennels. A small dog that spends its day on your lap or sofa might find traditional kenneling intimidating, noisy and stressful, lacking the comforts and human companionship of home.

Located in Bourne, all canine guests enjoy comfortable home surroundings with supervised playtime in a large enclosed garden, safe country walks each day and cuddles on the sofa each night followed by a peaceful night’s sleep in a warm bed. For first time guests you are invited to come and meet owners Angelina and Kevin on a pre-visit, see where your dog will be staying and ask any important questions. Owners who then board their dogs at The Little Dog House will go away relaxed in the knowledge that their pet is going to be safe, happy and well cared for and most of all have lovely time!

• Tel: 01778 425947, www.thelittledoghouse.co.uk, Fully insured & licensed with the local authority STAMFORD LIVING June 2011

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FOOD & DRINK

Sculpting a Cob Pizza Oven There are ancient Cob houses scattered throughout Norfolk that are still standing strong. For thousands of years it has been used as a strong, enduring eco-friendly building material. Edwards Eco Building is continuing this sustainable, traditional and most beautiful method of construction while incorporating a contemporary twist. Sarah Lyon reports

“It’s easy to create your own oven with the earth beneath your feet,” says Kate Edwards

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t’s a two hour drive along the A47, from Stamford to Norwich before I reach Pound Lane near Burgh St Margaret (Fleggburgh).

At the end of Pound Lane there is a small T junction with a hummock of grass in the centre.

Turning left and then immediately right I park up at the end of this dirt track. I put on my wellies, grab my basket and begin the 3/4 of a mile walk to White Cottage, the cob course site.

The walk is a glorious start to the day and offers the opportunity to unwind and take in this beautiful setting. The long dirt track winds and twists along the edge of marshland and through woods. This is an area of outstanding natural beauty situated on the edge of a nature reserve where barn owls, Swallowtail butterflies, roe deer and wild flowers live virtually undisturbed.

The cob course is held at the last thatched cottage along the track. White Cottage with pizza ovens in the garden, is a 400 year old Cob House that overlooks Filby Broad. I have truly arrived!

“I am a trained art therapist who has a passion for sculpting,” says the energetic and engaging Kate Edwards. “A cob building course in Ireland with professional cob builders Ianto Evans and Linda Smiley changed my life.

Cobbing ticked all the boxes for me. I wanted the art to be functional and wholesome. When I found that I could use mud, I said to myself, ‘this is it, this is my life’. Finding White Cottage was a fluke and the land was a bonus. I arrived four years ago and now we are building a cob extension. Course participants are helping us to build the extension and now we have developed and are running a variety of cob based courses throughout the year.” Kate Edwards – sculptor,

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eco-warrior and phenomenal group facilitator “Kate is extremely resourceful,” says Charlotte Eve, assistant course leader. Charlotte is a qualified teacher and has a degree in psychology with a particular interest in group dynamics. “Kate is a pioneering force in the world of earth building who is teaching and inspiring courses all over the world. She advises architects, designers, local government and schools.” The building of the pizza oven is linked to the National Curriculum and is tailored to support teachers and other education providers. Charlotte explains, “The schools project is called ‘Earthlings’. The kids just love the dancing and twisting of the straw into the cob mixture.”

twisting straw into the clay mixture to create the material we will need to build a long-lasting pizza oven.

If dancing, moulding and sculpting with mud isn’t your thing or you just do not have the time Kate can build one for you. The cost of a 1 metre diameter complete oven is usually £1,500 and includes labour and materials. But the real beauty of building your own is that it really costs very little more than the cost of the course.

Learn as you work Cob is a mixture of clay, sand, straw and water. “I love that the materials are free and recyclable; strong but flexible and easily mendable. It is hard to find fault with this,” says Kate. Kate shows us how to dig away the topsoil to reach a layer of gritty, gravelly sand. The clay was dug out the night before and it has been soaking in water ever since. “Notice the plasticity in the clay, it is luscious when soaked,” says Kate, and advises, “It is better to dig out your clay in the winter months when it is wetter; you will need a pick axe in the drier summer months.”

The cob needs constant turning. We mix the sand and clay (75% sand, 25% clay) together on a sheet of tarpaulin. Kate shows us the cob dance. I feel as though there is something earthy, primal and ritualistic as we proceed to stamp and stomp in pairs. We continue by

Learn to build own cob house or studio – 4 day course Friday, August 12 -15

Learn to build an earthen pizza oven – 1 day course June 25, July 23, August 6 and 20, September 3, October 1

School Workshops To book a cob oven, sculpture or den building workshop contact Charlotte at sheepie32@hotmail.com Edwards Eco Buildings, White Cottage, The Common, Fleggburgh, Norfolk NR29 3DF Tel: 01493 369952, mob: 07949 241815, www.edwardscobbuilding.com email: sheepie32@hotmail.com Editorial and Commercial Photography Andrew Perkins, Fleggburgh, Norfolk, www.aperkins.co.uk email: andy@aperkins.co.uk

STAMFORD LIVING June 2011

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QKS, bringing kitchens to life...

Bespoke Kitchens, Bedrooms and Bathrooms

Cookery Demonstrations To introduce Our New Design Centre we invite you to see our large display of Range cookers and Neff appliances

Saturday 11th June 10am - 2pm with Nicks at Home

Visit our Rangemaster Design Centre and view a wide selection of products in one place, including the very latest models, and gain expert advice from our Rangemaster trained advisors

www.rangemaster.co.uk

Saturday 25th June 10am-2pm with a Neff Home Economist

VISIT OUR SHOWROOM WITH 30 KITCHEN ROOM SETTINGS - OPEN MON - FRI 8AM - 5PM, SAT 8AM - 3PM QKS Kitchens, The Maltings, Barnack Road, Stamford, PE9 2NA

T: 01780 756514 or 755855 E: sales@qksstamford.co.uk

www.qksstamford.co.uk

INTERIORS

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FOOD & DRINK

Local recipes This month, we invited Dameon Clarke, chef and proprietor of the recently owned Assiette restaurant, to share a favourite recipe

Blood Orange Cured Salmon with Orange, Radish and Pea Pannacotta ke an ideal starter his dish would ma es little time or light lunch; it tak a wonderful dish to prepare, but is ily or friends when to present to fam the forthcoming er ov entertaining summer months.

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Ingredients: Radish 100g salt 100g sugar ents ge juice and segm 200ml Blood Oran 2 star anise ate Juice 200ml pomegran ueur (Cointreau or 100ml Orange Liq Grand Marnier) baby micro herbs skinned salmon 12oz piece s ed se pumpkin : e pea pannacotta Ingredients for th 200g frozen peas 1 litre chicken stock am 250ml double cre in lat ge of fs 4 lea taste salt and pepper to g 30 minutes Curin Preparation time: time: 4 hours

Method: 1 Take the 12 oz piece of Salmon and place on 2 pieces of clingfilm 2 Blitz the sugar, salt, star anise, orange juice, pomegranate juice and orange liqueur together until a smooth paste 3 When the salt and sugar mix is smooth, spread over the salmon and wrap up and put into the fridge for 4 hours 4 Whilst the salmon is in the fridge, start making the pea pannacotta, bring the chicken stock and the cream to boil and reduce by half; when reduced, add the frozen peas and bring back to boil 5 Take off the heat and blitz until smooth and pass through a sieve to remove pea skins 6 Add 4 leaves of gelatin and mix until dissolved, then put into fridge until set (it should take about 2 hours to set ) and cut into cubes 7 When salmon is cured wash all the salt mixture off and pat dry 8 Cut the radish thinly into small strips preferably with a mandolin slicer 9 To assemble the dish cut salmon into thin slices and assemble the orange segments, micro herbs, pumpkin seeds, radish and pea pannacotta around the salmon as shown in the photograph

Dameon Clarke Originally from Leicestershire, Dameon began his culinary career by working in the kitchens of Le Gavroche under Michel Roux Jnr. Following successful stages in France, he moved to Jersey and worked in the highly regarded kitchens of The Village Bistro and The Seacrest Hotel.

After working with Conroy Gallacher in Dublin, and Gary Rhodes in Edinburgh, Dameon set out to travel and broaden his culinary palate, spending time exploring Asian cuisine in Thailand and Malaysia. He then worked in a number of Australia’s great restaurants including Tetsuya’s in Sydney..

Coming home to England, Dameon accepted his first Head Chef post at Nick’s Restaurant in Oakham receiving two AA rosettes, before moving onto The Collyweston Slater where he retained two AA rosettes. In February 2011, Dameon and his team moved to the centre of Stamford to open Assiette.

Assiette, 8-9 St Paul’s St, Stamford, PE9 2BE Tel: 01780 489071 www.assietterestaurant.co.uk Twitter: @AssietteRstrant Tuesday - Saturday Lunch: 12.00pm - 3.00pm Tuesday - Saturday Dinner: 5.30pm - 9.30pm Sunday Lunch: 12.00pm - 3.00pm

8 NENE 24 STAMFORD VALLEYLIVING LIVINGJune July2011 2008

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Al fresco Summer

The perfect setting on a glorious summer’s day.

Our 1950’s Citroën Courtyard Bar returns to The Crown.

A light bites menu is available in The Courtyard, however our restaurant lunch and dinner menu is also available if requested. Members of our team are based outside during the summer months offering table service for drinks and dining. The Courtyard will continue to screen a selection of sporting events during the summer along with easy listening music for your enjoyment.

All Saint's Place, Stamford, PE9 2AG t. 01780 763136 reservations@thecrownhotelstamford.co.uk www.thecrownhotelstamford.co.uk

The Exeter Arms has three outside areas where the sunshine can be enjoyed.

The Terrace has Lloyd Loom furniture so that diners can spill out from The Orangery. For informal drinks and casual dining pub benches are available in both the patio to the rear of the pub and in the garden to the front, both of which is a must for the sun lovers.

21 Stamford Road, Easton on the Hill, PE9 3NS t. 01780 756321 reservations@theexeterarms.net www.theexeterarms.net

The patio at The White Hart is a sunny haven for Al fresco dining with a grassed area for snacks and drinks.

Benches are also available to the side of the pub so that you can enjoy the idyllic view of the village church. Nowhere better to enjoy a pint than the home of Ufford Ales. Swings and a slide are also available to keep our younger guests entertained.

Main Street, Ufford, Stamford, PE9 3BH t. 01780 740 250 reservations@whitehartufford.co.uk www.whitehartufford.co.uk

All Saint’s Hotels Ltd. All Saint's Place, Stamford, PE9 2AG t. 01780 763136 25

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The Taste of the Orient

Summer is fast approaching Enjoy a meal from our bar and garden menu Prices start from only £4.95

Every Tuesday, enjoy two courses from our special menu for ONLY £10 inclusive of rice and vegetables.

Call us on: 01733 315 702

www.east-restaurant.co.uk Lunch 12-2.30pm Mon-Sat 12-3.30pm Sun (Buffet) Dinner 5.30-11pm Fri & Sat 5.30-10.30pm Sun-Thurs Upper Deck, Charters, Town Bridge, Peterborough, PE1 1FP

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SEAN’S KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL

English strawberries Nothing says summer like strawberries. And they go with some unexpected flavours, says Sean Hope

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iting into a sweet, freshly picked strawberry while basking in the sun next to a gently smouldering barbecue is a summer experience I wait for all year long. Along with the thwack of tennis balls on strings, chilled jugs of Pimm’s and lemonade and unexpected rain showers, fresh English strawberries are one of the best indicators that summer has finally arrived.

Happily, this year looks to be one of the best ever for the country’s strawberry growers. The amazingly warm spring has created a bumper crop, with the season starting earlier than ever. The extra warmth Sean’s quickfire recipe has helped to boost sugar levels within the fruits, and the local strawberries I’ve tasted so far have been sweeter and more delicious Serves 6-8 than normal.

For this wonderful desser t, which is great There are no better strawberries hot or cold, you will nee d a pre-lined eightthan ones you’ve grown yourself inch tart ring with sweet pastry rolled 2-3mm or, next best, those you’ve picked thick (use a 370g pack). yourself at a local PYO. One of the nearest is Rutland Water – Fruit • 750 g golden syrup Farm at Lodge Farm, Edith Weston.

• 250 g black treacle Slightly further afield is Seldon • 250 g breadcrumbs Seen Farm PYO at Billesdon, • 1 grated dessert apple Leicestershire.

• 7 ripe strawberries Apart from their association • Zest of 2 lemons with summer fun, I’m passionate • Clotted cream or ice cre am to serve about strawberries because they go with so many flavours. And in my • 1. Crush the strawberr ies with your hands experience, the English strawberry in a large mixing bowl to break them up. is the only strawberry that smells • 2. Gently heat the golden syrup and treacle, exactly like it tastes. It contains a then add to the strawberr ies and mix well. combination of fresh fruity flavours, • 3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix. along with caramel, spice and green • 4. Place the mixture into your lined tart notes; it harmonises beautifully ring and bake in an ove n preheated to 140C with other fruits and warm spices, (fan-assisted) for 25-30 minutes. which really come to life when • 5. Remove from the ove n and allow to cool accompanied with sugar, cream or a little before serving wit h a good dollop of yoghurt. clotted cream or ice cre am.

Strawberry treacle ta rt

Sean’s kitchen/garden essentials Now that summer is truly here, my kitchen essential (or should I say my kitchen/ garden essential) is the mobile BBQ! For around £15, you can fire up a feast for the family with the minimum of fuss. The one pictured is available from John Lewis.

Try placing a variety of shellfish like mussels, clams and prawns on the BBQ and cover with heat-proof dish for several minutes to get a fantastic, smoky finish – serve simply with olive oil, fine herbs and a squeeze of citrus juice. Fantastic!

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Here are some interesting flavour combinations to try with strawberries at home…

• With avocado • With almonds (Ammaretto) • With chocolate (white is my preference) • With cinnamon (try strawberry jam in a toasted sandwich sprinkled with cinnamon sugar as an alternative to doughnuts!)

• With cucumber (jazz up your Pimm’s by adding borage flower, which has a cucumber taste) • With hazelnuts or pistachios (for the perfect pavlova) • With melon (as a chilled soup) • With mint (one of Heston’s favourite combinations) • With peach (makes a great Melba) • With soft cheese (strawberry cheesecake) • With vanilla (a truly magic marriage) • With tomato (apparently, this is scientifically interchangeable as the two share many flavour compounds, try it in a salad with mozzarella, basil, olive oil and balsamic)

Sean’s seasonal must-buys for June What Sean will be cooking with at the Olive Branch and Red Lion VEG Peas, Asparagus, Cauliflower FRUIT Strawberries, Gooseberries, Alphonso mangos MEAT Hake, Lobsters, Wild salmon, Herrings FISH Lamb (sweetbreads), Rose veal, Poultry STAMFORD LIVING June 2011

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19/5/11 15:29:30

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

THROUGH THE KEYHOLE

The Lighthouse Interiors Editor and freelance writer, Harjit Gammon salivates over the over-scaled pieces in the modestly proportioned turn of the century (1901) workman’s cottage of local antiques dealer Matthew Cox. A very happy instance of taking your work home with you

I

stumbled across the Lighthouse around four years ago, walking my dog. Situated in a quiet backwater on the edge of town, in a street with a pleasingly lyrical name, and views across allotments, it became a beacon to which I was irresistibly drawn. I’m ashamed to say I peered in, whenever I was passing to ogle the mirror, clam shell and shell-adorned lampshades on stone bases, and to sate my curiosity about the just visible kitchen and the source of the light streaming in at the back. Several years on and a little digging revealed the owner. Then finally a few months later it all came together, I saw Matthew loading his van. Seizing the opportunity I approached him.

The Lighthouse, so called, by the couple who lived there before Matthew, and who serially christened their properties, caught Matthew’s eye as he searched for somewhere to rent.

Attracted by the name (he has a passion for the sea) and the in-blossom wisteria, the would be renter was, within days, the prospective purchaser of The Lighthouse, which fortuitously happened to be on the market.

The interior of this small unassuming house is a study in ‘unpolished’ refinement. To the untrained eye the contents might appear in

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need of a lick of fresh paint. But for appreciators of patina, like Cox, it is the remaining fragments of aged paint, faded to deliciously soft colour, and the fact that the items he cherishes cannot be reproduced, that is their unique appeal. Over-scaled mirrors and individual lighting are his stock in trade, both at home and at work.

Armed with a degree in the History of Art & Design, and a grounding gained from growing up in an antiques family, (his father, Robin, is also a dealer, while his grandmother, Olive Cox, was a well known antique jeweller in Stamford, with premises on the Town Bridge), Cox embarked on his own venture, as a shopkeeper in the Lillie Road in London. Returning to his “lovely home town”, thanks to the advent of digital cameras, to pursue his thriving business in a location of his choice. “I feel quite lucky to have been born here,” he reveals. “I love

walking through St George’s Square early on a Sunday morning. The stone looks fabulous with the sun shining on it.”

In his own personal space Cox favours Classicism, injected with a liberal dose of industrial influences. The look is unashamedly bold and timeless. The decorative pieces lend the whole a sense of probity and gravitas. This is not a house of ephemera.

In the seven years Cox has lived at The Lighthouse, he has made extensive repairs and changes to the fabric of the building, much of them himself. He recounts the decision to remove the ground floor bathroom to a bedroom on the first floor, thereby reducing the house to two bedrooms but making it more suitable for contemporary living. The space

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“The look is unashamedly bold and timeless. The decorative pieces lend the whole a sense of probity and gravitas.

This is not a house of ephemera" freed by re-organisation was used to create a dining area off the kitchen, lit by a glazed sloping roof. The roof, installed by Cox, had to be taken down twice to achieve the desired self-cleaning, algae free finish to the glass.

The courtyard was also reclaimed by curtailing the kitchen, which had been extended by the previous owners to take in all of the outside space. The result is an ingenious manipulation of space. Cox is now able to wallow in the claw foot tub on the first floor, or to shower in the reclaimed, gym floor, wood clad shower. A huge and rather stunning convex mirror presides over the whole, casting not entirely flattering reflections of the bather, I’m told.

The dining space, adorned with a sturdy table and Cox’s prized 1930s crossed back Tolix chairs, now opens directly onto the garden, where a fountain bubbles gently. Though not overly sunny, it does allow soft summer breezes to reach diners. Creating says Cox, “an almost continental feel on summer evenings.”

In the adjoining kitchen a large glazed cupboard holds the bulk of Cox’s provisions, while a slab of Carrera marble reclaimed from a factory is now the work surface and sink surround.

In the sitting room, alcove cupboards and shelves have been added for storage, and the stable front door replaced by a more attractive but now defunct one. Cox enters the house by the garden gate. The room is also home to his favourite piece of furniture, an Arras chair, bought from a dealer who’d fallen on hard times. “I do like nice wrought iron work and, I’m drawn to big proportions and Georgian pieces,” he muses.

His latest project has been to put his stamp on the spare room. “I wanted to make it a bit more masculine, to make it more butch and dark, because mostly the people who’ll stay in it are my male friends.” And naturally he had the perfect piece of furniture - a leather Club chair. Lucky guests. www.matthewcoxantiques.co.uk STAMFORD LIVING June 2011

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The

Shuckburgh Arms at Southwick “A proper country pub”

t 07970 557 992 f 01858 445 401 w www.natural-structures.co.uk

Walk this Way...

F

or more than 400 years, the Shuckburgh Arms at Southwick has been serving weary travellers with good food and honest real ales. Situated in the heart of the area’s best hiking country, we’re open 10am-11pm Monday to Friday, 9am-11pm Saturdays and 9am-10pm Sundays, serving everything from full English breakfasts to full evening meals, plus hearty home-made soups and tasty bar snacks.

Walkers are welcome to use our car park as their base for exploring the lovely woods and open countryside.

Tel: 01832 272044

• garages • garden rooms • • orangeries • home offices • • conservatories • barns • • stables • houses •

HUNTERS INTERIORS Another successful project completed by Hunters!

Monday - Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm Saturday by appointment The Dairy, Copthill Farm Enterprises, Deeping Road, Uffington, Stamford, Lincs. PE9 4TD. Tel 01780 757946 Fax 01780 753351 E info@huntersinteriorsofstamford.co.uk W www.huntersinteriorsofstamford.co.uk

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ACTIVITIES

W O O D L A N D WA L KS N o . 4

Short and Southwick Woods Just south of the village of Southwick are two small and delightful woods which are now connected by a piece of land which will also become a wood, providing a delightful circular tour up from the village

3 4

Cross the road, enter into Southwick Wood, and proceed for about half a mile along the forest track Where there is a path to the right, take this and follow the edge of the wood around to the right, then head north until the second turning left, take that up a slight incline and starting to head south west back towards the exit Veer left as you approach the wood edge, then take the next right heading back towards the exit; at the next fork take the right and you will soon be back at the exit of the wood. Turn left a couple of hundred metres up the road past the water tower and take the footpath shortly after which takes off on the right back towards Short Wood Enter Short Wood by the main entrance, taking a good look at the map on display to orient yourself and determine your route; there is a shorter red and longer yellow trailed route, but although a circuit makes sense avoid going all the way around the edge as some of the most wildlife-rich rides bisect the wood

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Distance: Typical time: OS map:

Start & finish: Terrain: Stiles:

4.5 miles 2 hours Explorer (1:25 000) 224 or Landranger (1: 50 000) 141 Shuckburgh Arms, Southwick Straightforward, good tracks all the way A stile on the path up to the wood, otherwise straightforward Yes 3 miles NE of Oundle

Dog friendly: Getting there: Refreshments: The Shuckburgh Arms, Southwick, PE8 5BL. Tel: 01832 272044 serves great beer, great pub food and has a huge garden looking up towards the woods. What more could you wish for?

Open from 10am for breakfast/coffee DIRECTIONS Park in the Shuckburgh Arms car park, and take the path heading south, over a stile across the playing field, and follow it up the side of the hill to the eastern edge of Short Wood, At the entrance to Short Wood, turn left along a track across recently acquired conservation land, to a metal gate which exits onto the road just to the left of the water tower

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7

Dodhaws Between Short Wood and Southwick Wood the Wildlife Trust has purchased an area of former arable land, now called Dodhaws Wood. This area will be allowed to regenerate naturally to woodland with tree and other seed brought there by birds and wind.

Southwick Wood Much of this ancient woodland site was replanted to replace elm trees felled in the late 1960s due to Dutch elm disease. It now contains a mix of oak, ash, field maple and hazel. The developing woodland provides cover for a range of visiting bird species including willow warbler, woodcock and tawny owl.

An audio trail of a walk through this wood is available from www.wildlifebcnp.org/ podcasts.htm along with a more detailed map.

Short Wood is one of the remaining fragments of the ancient Rockingham Forest – a Medieval hunting forest – the site features areas of elm coppice and mixed coppice with large oak and ash trees. In spring a carpet of bluebells and dog’s mercury covers much of the wood.

Primrose, wood speedwell and wood melick are also abundant.

SOUTHWICK

1

5 4

1

2

(Primrose way, for example) Eventually you will come out at the east end of the wood (Point 2), turn left and re-trace your steps back down to Southwick.

7

SOUTHWICK WOOD

3

2 Water Tower

SHORT WOOD

6

STAMFORD LIVING June 2011

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19/5/11 15:33:35

C-bASH at Casterton Business & Enterprise College

Wednesday 8th June

6pm – 9.30pm Casterton’s Got Talent Grand Finale

Garra rufa fish

pedicure The Garra Rufa Fish, fondly know as the’Doctor Fish’, were discovered in the early 1800′s in coastal rivers in southern Turkey. Their medicinal benefits were discovered by chance by a shepherd with an injured foot who stumbled upon a hot spring and proceeded to bathe his foot. The little fishes surrounded his foot and nibbled at his wound. Later, when he discovered his wound had healed word began to spread about the wondrous tale and flocks of people began visiting the hot springs of Garra Rufas to seek treatment for their skin disorders.

Plus …Stalls & Games

Tug of War Competition, Taekwondo Jem’s Hip Hop, Wildcats, Grand Raffle Cream Teas & Ice Creams, BBQ & Refreshments Music from Centre Excuse, Ellie & James and much more…

In Association with the PTFA

ONL FORY £10 MIN 15 UTE S

Have no fear….the doctor fish do not have any teeth. During a treatment these clever little fish gently nibble away and their painless sucking removes the dead skin off your feet with their delicate mouths, leaving them soft, smooth and amazingly refreshed; once you experience the doctor fish pedicure, your feet will never be the same. These experts can also stimulate acupuncture points helping to regulate the nervous system, relax the body and release fatigue. Repeated Garra Take Rufa fish therapy Loya advantag has proven sess lty Card. e of our ions After benefits to we Six one fr ’ll give yo eczema and u e e !

Ever y why one’s ta psoriasis lking not tr y it fo a sufferers. r yo bout it V

7 St Pauls St, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 2BE. www.equilibriumstamford.co.uk Tel: 01780 757579

so isit u urse lf no s to w. by yo day and g ur ne w be et pampe st frie re nd! d

Elli Dean

PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO www.ellideanphotography.co.uk

Beautiful, timeless fine art portraits, in a small and friendly studio in Oakham.

To book your session or for more information go to the website, call Elli on 07932 055548 or email yael.dean@gmail.com

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MOTORING

Soft Tops

Summer is here and in the world of motoring that means it is time for soft tops, roadsters and cabriolets. Ashley Martin take a look at what’s on offer

Y

ears ago the choice was limited to so-called ‘rag tops’ perhaps best exemplified by the likes of the MG (still available today) and the Mazda MX-5 (from almost £18,000), which has now achieved iconic status and continues to win plaudits from the critical army of motoring journalists.

However, those models are joined by a surfeit of cars from numerous motor manufacturers meaning that buyers have never had it so good when seeking out wind in the hair motoring.

From pure sports car the Lotus Elise (£29,050 on-the-road) or at the opposite end of the price spectrum the Ferrari California (almost £147,000) - to the cheap, but decidedly cheerful Fiat 500C (prices start at £12,665 for the 1.2 Pop), there is a model to suit all tastes and budgets whether requiring two seats or four.

From Aston Martin - the Vantage Roadster or DB9 Volante are available if you have around £100,000 to spend - to the Volvo C70 coupe cabriolet (from around £29,335), the A-Z of open top motoring is as competitive as any other model sector when it comes to selecting your vehicle of choice.

Despite the British climate, the UK can be described as the home of the soft top with motorists buying more here than in any other country in Europe.

Perhaps the most significant change in soft top technology over the years is that the roofs on many models can now be lowered or raised in a few seconds at the press of a button.

No longer does the driver have to get out of the car and fiddle with tiny clips and roll the cloth-roof into a stowage compartment on the boot of the car.

Instead, steel roofs that fold down into the boot are very much the order of the day. However, as with any new technology there are a couple of problems to be wary of: the boot needs to be pretty empty to accommodate the roof and if the roof is wet after a downpour or a dewy morning then it will deposit moisture in the boot.

If feeling a little chilly then today’s sophisticated soft tops come complete with creature comforts such as heated seats and in many cases ‘neck and head warmers’ as exemplified by the Mercedes-Benz Airscraf on the likes of the SLK (from around £30,000).

Mercedes-Benz, which also has the likes of the more expensive E-Class Cabriolet and SL - the latter perhaps more likely to be found in St Tropez than on the streets of Peterborough or Stamford - is not the only luxury car manufacturer to offer the thrill of open-top motoring.

Jaguar, a resurgent UKbrand under the ownership of Indian conglomerate Tata, can mount a powerful challenge with the XK Convertible (from around £70,000) which What Car?’s experts describe as ‘cheap compared with many a drophead supercar - and out-drives most of them’.

There are also an array of Audis - the TT is perhaps the best known but there are also cabriolet versions of other models starting with the A3 - while BMW offers a plentiful choice starting with the 1-Series Convertible (from £23,300) and also including the two-seater Z4. There is also the recently launched Lexus

IS250C and Porsche mounts its soft-top sector challenge with the relatively cheap Boxster (from around £36,500) - the Nissan 370Z is a slightly cheaper price rival - but also offers the option of the wallet-draining but legendary 911.

But, in making your soft-top selection don’t just look at premium small volume players as the ‘big boys’ all have convertibles within their ranges.

Britain’s second best-selling car is the Ford Focus (the Ford Fiesta occupies the number one spot) and within its range is the Coupé Cabriolet, complete with folding hard-top from around £22,000. Elsewhere, Peugeot offers open-top versions of both the 207 and 308, Renault stakes its claim with the new Wind, Vauxhall with the Astra and Volkswagen with both the Beetle and the more expensive Eos. Mini has gained a fresh lease of life under the ownership of the BMW Group and its convertible offering (from £16,000) is supported by some of the best residual values in the sector with some models retaining almost 50% of their list price at the benchmark three-years/60,000 miles.

If it is a used soft top that you are after then, according to vehicle auction giant BCA - the company has a centre in Peterborough - prices for convertibles are currently surprisingly cool for the time of year.

For less than £5,000, buyers have recently been able to drive away soft tops such as the Ford StreetKa Luxury, BMW Z3, Alfa Romeo Spider, Mazda MX5, Volvo C70 and Mini Cooper.

Stretch to £10,000 and Porsche Boxster, Audi TT, Lotus Elise, Volkswagen Beetle and Mercedes SLK models become affordable for many.

STAMFORD LIVING June 2011

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19/5/11 15:30:12

MARSHALL VOLVO OUTSTANDING SERVICE AS STANDARD. Our highly trained and skilled team looks forward to welcoming you to our state of the art dealership, where we will be on hand to look after your every need.

All our cars are handled with the utmost care and attention as we pride ourselves on offering the best deals on the latest range of New Volvo and piece of mind on quality approved used vehicles.

From the new Volvo range, to Approved used vehicles right through to service and repairs, visit Marshall Volvo and expect nothing less than a first class service as standard.

Volvo. For life.

MARSHALL VOLVO PETERBOROUGH 7 MALLORY ROAD, BOONGATE, PETERBOROUGH PE1 5AU. TEL: 0844 411 9751 www.marshallweb.co.uk/volvo MARSHALL MOTOR GROUP LTD. REGISTERED OFFICE:- AIRPORT HOUSE, THE AIRPORT, CAMBRIDGE CB5 8RY. ALL CALLS MAY BE RECORDED FOR TRAINING AND QUALITY PURPOSES.

THIS IS MARSHALL JAGUAR

Situated in Peterborough, our dealership is equipped to deal with all your Jaguar needs.

From the exciting new Jaguar range featuring groundbreaking technology and industry firsts, to Approved used vehicles maintained to the standards set by the engineers who built them.

Enjoy all the expertise and knowledge of our Jaguar Academy trained technicians and with a range of exhilarating accessories to enhance the feeling of owning a Jaguar, make sure that you visit Marshall Jaguar Peterborough.

MARSHALL JAGUAR PETERBOROUGH 7 Mallory Road, Boongate, Peterborough PE1 5AU 0844 334 0635 www.marshall.peterborough.jaguar.co.uk

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MOTORING

More claw, less paw…

An invitation from Marshalls of Peterborough to sample the hi-performance Jaguar range leaves David Corfield slightly breathless…

“R

ight, I want you to accelerate from a standing start and gently apply the brakes at around 170mph…”

I’ll be honest; this is not the kind of instruction I’m used to being given on a Monday morning…

So here I am, at the Aston Martin test facility at Gaydon in Warwickshire, for an introduction to the latest Jaguar models. I’m in an XKR, with 500bhp driven to the rear wheels. Tyre manufacturers love these kinds of cars. And right now, so do I. My instructor and I launch off the line and catapult up the back straight, leaving my breath and my sanity somewhere far behind in a cloud of exhaust and tyre smoke. The car feels secure, planted squarely on the black stuff and accelerates effortlessly to the magic 170 on the dial. I gently touch the brake pedal and the Jag squirms slightly as the nose dips and the back rises. No fuss though, no drama. Just a slightly elated journalist and a somewhat relieved passenger… If this is the kind of car that Jaguar hopes will dash its reputation of producing comfortable but slightly anodyne machines, I’m in.

We return to the hospitality tent, which is flapping wildly in the wind, and are shown a short film about Jaguar’s heritage. Period clips of Jackie Stewart and Tony Curtis hooning about in early E-Types are interspersed with shots of Le Mans winners Mike Hawthorn in a D-Type in 1955 and Martin Brundle in the Silk Cut-sponsored XJR9 from ‘88. And slap bang in the middle of all the shiny melee is ‘4 BXV’, a recently restored E-Type that is fetching as much – if not more – attention than the XKRS sitting next to it.

The company is going to great lengths to promote its sense of Britishness, despite being owned by the Indian manufacturer Tata Motors who bought the both the Jag and Land Rover marques from Ford for an estimated £1.7 billion in 2008. Although lacking the huge budgets of Audi and BMW, Jaguar are up for the fight, and are squaring up to the German brands quite nicely.

The company’s brand director, Adrian Hallmark, has gone on record stating that he’s up for challenging the big players. According to Hallmark, the British luxury name suffers from a limited range and its locality to the

UK meaning it has never truly become an international brand. He aims to put that straight, and days like today are helping that brand ambition.

“Over the next two years we will make the XF, XJ and XK the best line-up we have had for decades. We will work harder in current and new markets – in Europe 50 per cent of the XF market is for diesels which is why we have introduced a new V6 diesel engine,” he states.

The new V6 has a whopping 600Nm – that’s 443lb ft – of torque from just 2000rpm. Jag says 369lb ft of that is on tap within 500 milliseconds of idle. Impressive stuff. The new V6 employs parallel sequential twin turbocharging. Sounds techy? Put simply, most of the time one turbo does all the work, leaving the secondary blower dormant. But when the revs hit 2800rpm, this smaller unit kicks in to provide additional surge.

Jaguar claims its method, which isolates the smaller turbo from exhaust gases until needed, reduces fuel consumption and CO2.

Back out on the test track and this time to sample the XF’s winter safety features. The anti-slip function is mightily impressive and allows greater control in a slide. Snow and ice, on this occasion, are provided by a novel mat, rather like a dry ski slope, which is rolled out onto a section of tarmac. With the anti-slip enabled, you can plant your right foot as far into the carpet as you like – but the ECU will only deliver as much power and as much braking as is needed to control the car enough to allow you to steer it out of trouble. It works a treat, too.

To wrap the day up, I’m treated to a blast around the track this time as a passenger, in the company’s limousine model, the £100,000 XJ that, I have to say, is hugely impressive. Like a drinks trolley on grippy rubber, it displays remarkable poise even when driven by a lunatic. As I hang on in the back, slipping about in the leather seats, I catch sight of myself in the rear view mirror. A huge grin on my face tells me – and assures Jaguar I’m sure – that they’re back on form.

Contact: Marshall Jaguar Jaguar House Peterborough PE1 5AU Tel: 0844 334 9127 STAMFORD LIVING June 2011

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LOCAL ART

A Conjunction of Stamford Stars If you haven’t yet visited Robert and Diane Fogell’s new gallery this is an ideal time to do so. Last year the gallery moved from St Leonard’s Street to a better location at 23 High Street, St Martin’s – a gallery with more space and better natural light. Fogell is widely regarded as Stamford’s star sculptor and as you would expect there are a number of his works on exhibition. But the larger space permits him to display others’ artworks as well as his own sculpture. And it gives him the high quality space needed to curate exhibitions of the works of single artists of exceptional talent.

From 25 May until 19 June, the Robert Fogell Gallery is exhibiting paintings by Eva Aldbrook. After studying costume design at St Martin’s School of Art, Aldbrook worked for stage and screen and later as a fashion artist for newspapers and magazines. She lived in London before moving to the farm in Tuscany where her husband cultivated olive groves.

Aldbrook’s work is characterised by a sense of joyous immediacy when painting, drawing

or sketching in oils, pastels and charcoal.

Portraiture, flowers and people at work are the subjects that inspire her especially.

Aldbrook has shown her work in solo exhibitions at Hamilton Gallery, Campbell & Frank and the Camden Art Centre in London, in Stuttgart and in Castellina and Florence in Italy.

Represented in private collections in Europe, North America and the Middle East, this is her first exhibition in Stamford since moving here in 2007.

The relationship between a gallery owner and an exhibitor is a subtle one. As so often in life, you are known by the company you keep.

The gallery owner has to be confident that the artist’s work he is displaying will add to his reputation as a connoisseur and good judge of lasting value. For the artist it is vital that he or she only exhibits in galleries that are going to maintain or enhance her reputation.

Happily, this delicate minuet has been danced to perfection, giving us Aldbook’s art in Fogell’s Gallery.

Browne’s Hospital

A Burghley Season Have you ever wondered what happens during a year at Burghley House? Well, Anthony Carr may be able to provide some insights through his photographic exhibition A Burghley Season. During the 2009 season, the artist placed a series of home made pinhole cameras throughout the house and its grounds. These rudimentary devices captured blurred traces of human activity, against a backdrop of the regal furniture and fittings of the state rooms and other locations, such as the Orangery restaurant. Thus, the movements of regularly shifting furniture, cleaning routines or table laying gradually accumulated on the negatives.

In contrast to the grainy black and white shots we widely recognise from CCTV cameras, which explicitly document events, Carr’s photographs evoke an atmospheric sense of movement.

According to the artist, because the cameras were left open for the 28 week duration of the season, they “formed a network of eyes, continually watching, never blinking. However, whilst everything was recorded, much evidence of activity is actually absent. Consequently, months mirror moments.”

As the artist himself notes “in our digitally instant age, where images are continuously taken, seen and deleted in a matter of moments, I’m inspired by the unexpected.” Aspects of life at Burghley that you might not anticipate, may therefore be visible at Carr’s resulting exhibition of photographs. These will go on display in the Goody Rudkin Room, located above the gift shop at Burghley House from the 29th of May until the 26th of June. Open daily (except Fridays), 11am5pm. Preview Sat 28th May 5-8pm. Admission is free.

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Browne’s Hospital is now open on summer weekends and Bank Holidays to see the mediaeval buildings and the beautiful cloister garden. You can visit the Common Room in which the men lived until 1870 and the Chantry Chapel with its famous stained-glass of 1475. Upstairs is the Audit Room and the Victorian Confrater’s Sitting Room with more mediaeval glass and this year’s Special Exhibition, “The World In Miniature”.

This features hand-made scenes of bygone days such as “The Wartime Garden” with its dug-out Anderson shelter and its flower-beds converted to vegetable growing in the “Dig for Victory” effort. There is also a grocery shop, as it might have appeared in the High Street here, with the ground floor laid out for business and the upper floors furnished for the proprietor’s family home. This part of the Exhibition was crafted by Lana Wells of Stamford.

For the railway enthusiast there is a transport section, also hand-crafted, by Vic Millington.

• Open until the 25th September from 11am until 4pm on Saturdays and Bank Holidays (except for the Saturday of the Stamford Festival) and on Sundays from 2pm until 4.30pm admission costs £2.50 (£2)

STAMFORD LIVING June 2011

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Richardson Stamford Living Advert June 2011

6/5/11

10:56

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• SL June ADS.indd 37

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PERSPECTIVES

Inclosure: ‘thou’rt curse upon the land’ S Al Tutt looks at the history and impact of the Enclosure Movement on Stamford “They hang the man and flog the woman, that steals the goose from off the common; but let the greater villain loose, that steals the common from the goose.”

North of Stamford

40

STAMFORD LIVING June 2011

o went an anonymous lay from the c17th, expressing anti-enclosure sentiments. In Stamford’s case who could be said to be that ‘greater villain’, if indeed there was one at all?

To understand the process of Stamford’s inclosure - incidentally, just the old spelling of enclosure - one needs to look at the broader picture of socio-economic development in England during what was a controversial period of agrarian reform.

In medieval times, towns and villages were encircled by farming land that each local community depended on for food. Although largely owned by the lord of the manor, it was occupied and used by the local inhabitants.

Land varied in quality so was divided into long thin strips that also corresponded to the needs of the ploughman and meant no one person solely got the worst or best land. This communal system worked for centuries but was becoming outdated due to new farming practices and fresh notions about the concept of private ownership. Inefficient, subsistence farming was also failing to keep up with the needs of an increasingly city-dwelling industrialised populace. Collecting together all these disparate strips of land would mean more efficient farming and increased private ownership. Enclosure involved the enforced

cessation of certain traditional rights such as mowing meadows to create hay for livestock and the grazing of livestock on common land, or land owned wholly (or partly) by other people.

The beginnings of enclosure in Stamford By the early c19th, enclosure was far advanced in most counties due to pressure applied by large landowners and agrarian reformers. The ancient agricultural system of farming open, (unenclosed) fields was coming to an end. In the case of Stamford, manorial rights had been acquired by the 8th earl of Exeter from the earl of Stamford in 1747. With enclosure, land was fenced (or hedged) and deeded (or entitled) to what were, in effect, new titled owners, who could largely do what they wanted with it. New building would be permitted outside the town walls and a modern gridded field system would emerge – this can be seen clearly in a recent aerial photograph taken of fields north of Stamford (left).

Unfortunately, enclosure’s common bedfellows were force, resistance and bloodshed. It can be argued that rich landowners used their control of due processes to appropriate public land for private gain.

Indeed the historian EP Thompson baldy states that the early c19th contained ‘the years of wholesale enclosure, in which, in village after village, common rights are lost.” And, moreover, “this was a plain enough case of class robbery.”

Advancing this premise further, those forced from the land would comprise the labour to power the new industries of the metropolises.

The counter argument is that many farmers participated willingly in the process, foreseeing an end to the yoke of poverty that came with subsistence farming.

Enclosures in this period were implemented by local Acts of Parliament. Stamford’s title is seen here. The key problem for Stamford was the town’s lack of scope for expansion. The common fields around the town supported local farming but also dictated there was little or no building outside the town walls.

In the St Martin’s area, the Cecils, enjoying overwhelming parliamentary control, had pushed through enclosure of the southern fields (including Wothorpe) as early as 1796.

They already owned a lot of land in the south and it enabled them to enlarge Burghley Park and build the Bottle Lodges (for £9,000 - an astonishing sum in 1801) allowing direct access to the house from the Great North Road.

Enclosure of the fields to the north Why then did the enclosure of the northern fields, stretching east and west, not occur till 1871, 75 years later? There are several schools of thought on this thorny subject. Firstly, the process was taking place during a period of intense electoral reform. A Reform Act of 1867 had expanded the electorate and just five years later the secret ballot was introduced.

Prior to this, Stamford had two MPs and was a so-called pocket borough solely controlled by the Exeters. They were now fighting for their political lives and the system was loosening up. This process was quickened by the death of the 2nd Marquess in 1867. Simultaneously, the Cecils were buying up more land in the

north of Stamford, literally Northfields. Was this land grabbing in order to reap the gains of imminent enclosure as they had earlier done in the south? Or could it be said that, as enlightened landowners, they wanted to address the following problems: unauthorised building outside the northern town walls; the growth of slum properties in the overcrowded courts and yards of the town; unhealthy and insanitary conditions within the town walls: the unsatisfactory mix of industry and residential property in the historic core; and the limits on the expansion of industry that when released would allow the likes of Martin and Blackstone to develop.

Thus it was in 1869 Mr Wetherall, Assistant Commissioner with the Inclosure Commissions for England, attended the Town Hall to hear any objections to proposed enclosure of Stamford’s open fields. The Stamford Inclosure Act came into being in 1871, receiving royal assent on May 25th. 1,621 acres were enclosed.

The beneficiaries Four years on in 1875, Charles Muriel Bidwell, surveyor and land agent of Ely, listed the

main interested parties (beneficiaries?) at the start of his Valuer’s Award ‘in the matter of the inclosure of the open fields, meadows & waste lands ... in the Parishes of All Saints, St George, & St Michael’. They were: Robert Newcomb (Mercury proprietor); Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge; John Torkington; Stamford Borough; Joseph & Charles Phillips (brewers); the Parish of Casterton Magna (Great); and, lastly, William Alleyne Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Exeter. The latter described by Victoria Leatham in ‘Burghley; the Life of a Great House’ as ‘justly famous for his ability to squander money’.

The freemen of Stamford (of whom 57 had attended a meeting on enclosure in November 1870) were allotted Bull Meadow, Horse Common and Breadcroft Meadow in lieu of rights of depasturing (meaning grazing) cattle, sheep, horses and swine in the open fields.

Other interested parties who were allotted lesser amounts of land included Browne’s Hospital; the Rector & Church Wardens of St George; Thomas Rees; Fisher’s Charity; the Rector & Church Wardens of St John’s; Magdalene College, Oxford; the Rector of St Michael’s; Elizabeth Pywell; Radcliffe’s Grammar School; William Robbs; Octavius Simpson; Snowden’s Hospital; Richard Thompson; Thomas Truesdale’s Charity; the Vicar of All Saints; Wells School and the Commander of the 5th Lincolnshire Rifle Volunteer Corps!

New roads and allotments Allowances for new roads included Roman Bank, Cemetery Rd (later Radcliffe Rd), Recreation Ground Rd, Conduit Rd, New Cross Rd & Tinwell (& Easton Meadow) Rd. Total cost £2,069.

A Recreation Ground would be created for ‘the labouring poor’ Cost £2,455. A Burial Ground, which would relieve the pressure on the existing church cemeteries which were well nigh full. This had already been created in 1855 – ‘an island of enclosure in the open fields’ according to Alan Rogers. Solicitors and valuers costs came to £1,822.

It is noteworthy that of 97 allotted parcels of land, 52 were awarded to the 3rd Marquess of Exeter. Returning to the cry of protest against villainous enclosure at the start of this article, one can draw one’s own conclusions.

STAMFORD LIVING June 2011

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KEN RAWSON

GARDEN DESIGNS BACK TO BASICS Today’s garden design can be too much of everything

Sometimes the simplest is best Ring 01780 481624 to see why www.kenrawsongardendesigns.co.uk

ENJOY THE RED CARPET TREATMENT AT ST. MARTINS ANTIQUES

Easton-on-the-Hill, Stamford. Established 1986

Now with more than sixty exhibitors, the centre has a variety of antiques unmatched in the surrounding area. Items range from £5 to £5,000 and regular turnover of stock frequently brings customers back for more.

Proprietor Peter Light and his experienced team are always on hand, happy to proffer advice, purchase fine quality antiques, or offer your items for sale on commission.

An email search enquiry facility is also available.To find out more check out our web site: www.st-martins-antiques.co.uk, email peter@st-martins-antiques.co.uk or call him on (01780) 481158.

23a High Street, St. Martins, Stamford,

Lincolnshire, PE9 2LF.

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COUNTRYFILE

God’s Acre

Cherishing Churchyard’s Week runs from Friday 10th June to Sunday 19th June 2011. Sue Lee and Jean Orpin describe two local examples of churchyards that have been cherished

C

hurchyards in our country are a great resource. They tell us about our history, they provide a home for a rich diversity of plants, animals and birds and they can be havens of peace in a busy world. Parochial Church Councils (PCCs), congregations, communities and local authorities care for them in many different ways. These examples, one from town and one from the country, illustrate two very different approaches; one has been planned and planted, the other has let nature take her course.

St Mary’s Churchyard, Stamford The entrance to the town from the south, over the bridge and up St Mary’s Hill, is one of the best known views of Stamford. Part of St Mary’s churchyard runs alongside the upper part of the hill and one of the first initiatives of the Urban Group was a scheme to enhance it. The proposal was put forward in 2006, a planting plan drawn up and sponsorship offered by Nigel Gibson Interiors then just over the road. A year later approval for the plan had been obtained from the Parish Priest, the PCC and SKDC, who had responsibility for maintaining the churchyard.

The original muscle power needed to prepare the ground and put the plants in was provided by the Urban Group. As in churchyards all over the country, the crucial factor then was to ensure that there was support for maintenance of the area. Fortunately further planting, watering and weeding has been undertaken by a member of the congregation.

The planting was designed carefully to have a succession of flowers, tulips, alliums then geraniums, with a shiny-leafed dwarf laurel (that flowers twice a year) providing a backdrop.

Four years on and everyone involved must get satisfaction from the way that their efforts now augment the beauty of St Mary’s tower and the entry to the town.

St Mary’s Churchyard, Bainton Travel to Peterborough on the top of a doubledecker bus (particularly in springtime) and you can’t miss the profusion of flowers in Bainton Churchyard. This is a churchyard that has been cherished for twenty years and has become a major feature in the centre of the village.

Primroses came first – no-one really knows where from – and they were allowed to go to seed as they have done ever since. The clay soil and semi-shade provided by several old trees,

proved ideal for other wild flowers. As well as buttercups, daisies and celandines; nowadays there are cowslips, bluebells, violets and, in some years, even pyramid orchids to be seen.

The PCC, with some help from the Parish Council, follow a management scheme that requires the churchyard to be left to its own devices for much of the time. A few daffodils and roses have been planted along the path but otherwise propagation happens naturally. The time of the first cutting varies from year to year depending on the growing conditions and is done carefully so as not to damage plants.

With an enormous yew tree arch over the path to the church and some old holly trees, the whole area is a wildlife haven with the sound of birdsong adding to its attraction.

Caring for God’s Acre Cherishing Churchyards Week has been spearheaded by Caring for God’s Acre, a charity that originated in the Diocese of Hereford but now offers advice countrywide. It aims to help local communities discover, celebrate and manage the treasures they have in churchyards and to promote churchyards as places of both activity and quiet reflection. They work in partnership with tourist, wildlife and cultural groups to offer advice sheets, DVDs, surveys and training events. If you are interested in starting a project to improve or manage a churchyard or burial ground, it’s certainly worth contacting them at 6 West Street, Leominster, Herefordshire, HR6 8ES or on www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk.

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Harriet’s

Harriets Beauty Room Advert:Layout 1

11/2/10

12:19

Page 1

BEAUTY ROOM

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•

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LOCAL MATTERS

Don’t you just love local elections!

Richard Barry crunches the numbers On 5th May, 63 candidates from 6 political parties competed for 21 seats on the Town Council and 9 seats on the District Council. As I waited to cast my votes I glanced at a copy of the Mail – odd to read that people in Damascus had been machine-gunned the previous day for wanting an election.

What made this election interesting was the grudge fight element left over from 2007 when the Conservative party received a drubbing at the hands of the Stamford electorate – widely believed to have been punishment for the unpopular Gateway Project. So what happened this time? The Conservatives bounced back, the Independents held their own and the LibDems went down the tube.

SEATS 2011

2007

Party

Town

District

Town

District

Conservative

8

6

6

1

Independent

9

2

7

3

LibDem

4

1

7

5

Lab

0

0

1

0

Other

0

0

0

0

Total

21

9

21

9

Gateway may not have been forgiven but these results show that it’s now irrelevant. The Town Council remains without any clear mandate so will, one fears, continue in its usual way. What’s much more interesting is the change in the District figures. Stamford sends 9 councillors to Grantham to represent us on the 58 strong District Council. In 2007 our nine representatives had an absolute majority of LibDems. This was unfortunate because the District Council had (and has) an absolute majority of Conservative members, against which our small LibDem bloc could achieve little. This year it’s quite different – our nine-person team now has an absolute majority of Conservatives so they should be able to work with the Conservative bloc in Grantham to achieve things for Stamford.

Mediation, Mediation…

Anyone starting an application concerning children, such as contact or residence, or financial orders in divorce now has to follow the “PreApplication Protocol for Mediation, Information and Assessment”.

Sounds very daunting and designed to make the courts even scarier than ever. That is the whole point: let’s knock heads together and see if people can be kept out of court. It is a money saving measure (like most reforms in the legal world) but there are real opportunities for resolving disputes early, reducing costs and blood pressure.

Mediation is not compulsory but you now need to attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) to learn about mediation and other forms of ADR, including collaborative law. MIAMs are provided by qualified mediators, visit www. resolution.org.uk . If you don’t qualify for legal aid, expect to pay £75 - £130 per meeting.

Despite what you may have read, no great change. Most likely beneficiaries from the mediation process are those who are least likely to litigate.

Let’s see how it works out in a year or so… * For more information or any questions about family law please contact Belinda Smith on 01733 267414 or visit www.bscosolicitors.co.uk

The Ark Nursery opening at St George’s School From September 2011 Jo O’Bryan-Tear and Claire Kenyon will be starting their second nursery at St George’s. Jo and Claire are the owners of The Ark Day Nursery at St Gilbert’s School, which opened in March 2007.

Jo and Claire have many years’ experience in child care and are delighted to have recently been awarded an outstanding grade during an OFSTED inspection. Initially the nursery will operate from the same building as Meadow View and they will endeavour to maintain as much continuity as possible. The nursery will open for the same hours as Meadow View and operate during school term times only. The nursery is now registering for free places for three and four year olds. * For more information or to register your child please call 01780 482113 The Ark Nursery, St George’s School, Open 9.15 – 3.15 Term time only

Local physiotherapist gains national paratriathlon accreditation Emma Cranfield, a Senior Physiotherapist at Fitzwilliam Hospital, has become one of only four physiotherapists in the world to be accredited to assess disabled athletes for racing in triathlons.

The growth of paratriathlon is expected to take off over the next four years now that the first Olympic appearance of paratriathlon has been approved for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.

Emma, who is a successful triathlon competitor herself, commented: “I have really enjoyed the opportunity to be involved with disability sport. The standard and determination of the athletes is truly inspirational and it will be amazing to help contribute to getting more athletes into triathlon. Our work over the next 4 years will help to ensure that we have a fantastic British team at the 2016 Olympics.”

If you’re interested in finding out more about competing in Triathlon or Paratriathlon, further information can be found on www.triathlon. org, the website of the International Triathlon Union. Fitzwilliam Hospital physiotherapists can help you to ensure you are fit to participate in sport and will work with you to resolve any resulting injuries. To find out more visit www. fitzwilliamhospital.co.uk

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WHAT’S ON

Wednesday 1 June, 10am to 3pm EVENT: Play in a Day A day of performance, script making and lots of games suitable for young people aged between 7 and 12.

Packed lunch required.

• Clare Cottage, Helpston, Peterborough Places are £6 Tel: 01733 253330

Diary dates

Wednesday 8 June, 7.30pm

Amander Meade selects some of the best entertainment around the region this month.

EVENT: Stamford Town Hall’s Hidden Mysteries A fascinating talk from Stamford Town Council’s Mace Bearer, Ian Hall.

• Ancaster Studio, Stamford High School Tickets £5 from Helen Gibbons Tel: 01780 480267

June

Saturday 18 June 6pm to 8pm EVENT: Midsummer Garden Party This beautiful mill garden is opening up for the evening in support of Marie Curie Cancer Care. Pimms and canapés will be served.

• Lolham Mill. Tickets £7.50 Tel: 01476 585789

Tuesday 21 to Saturday 25 June, 7.45pm THEATRE: Alan Bennett’s ‘Single Spies’ The famous spy ring recruited at Cambridge University in the 30s passed on intelligence to the Soviets during World War Two and the Cold War and the scandal of their treachery and subsequent unmasking cast a long shadow across the 1960s and 1970s. Guy Burgess and Anthony Blunt are brought vividly to life in typically witty and perceptive Bennett style. ‘An Englishman Abroad’ re-creates the real-life meeting in Moscow between the feisty actress Coral Browne and dissolute, alcoholic spy-in-exile Guy Burgess. ‘A Question of Attribution’ imagines a battle of wits between Sir Anthony Blunt, pillar of the Establishment and Surveyor of the Queen’s Pictures, and the Queen herself.

• Stamford Arts Centre

2

THURSDAY

3

FRIDAY

4

SATURDAY

5

SUNDAY

6

MONDAY

7

TUESDAY

8

WEDNESDAY

9

THURSDAY

10

FRIDAY

11

SATURDAY

12

SUNDAY

13

MONDAY

14

TUESDAY

15

WEDNESDAY

16

THURSDAY

17

FRIDAY

18

SATURDAY

19

SUNDAY

20

MONDAY

21

TUESDAY

22

WEDNESDAY

23

THURSDAY

24

FRIDAY

25

SATURDAY

26

SUNDAY

27

MONDAY

28

TUESDAY

29

WEDNESDAY

30

THURSDAY



EVENT: West Deeping Midsummer Open Gardens Popular biennial event in aid of village funds. Visitors can enjoy a variety of gardens as well as local art, cake and plant stalls and homemade teas.

• Admission £5, children free plus free off street parking.

WEDNESDAY



Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 June 1pm to 6pm

1

Sunday 19 June, 2pm to 5pm EVENT: The Scent of Summer A wonderful opportunity for families to enjoy the glorious gardens of Deene Park and ask the Head Gardener any questions about their own gardens, picking up useful tips and advice. Houseplant sale as well as strawberries and cream in the Old Kitchen.

• Deene Park Gardens, off A43 between Corby and Stamford Admission £5.50/£2.50

Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 June, from 12pm EVENT: Four Winds Festival The Four Winds Festival is a free event on the shores of Rutland Water with daily cultural and participatory activities designed for the whole family. The Way the Winds Blow is a ticketed performance (both evenings at 6.30pm) telling the story of the people, places and wildlife of the area. A unique event including a choir of more than 300 singers accompanied by a brass band, a concert orchestra and an African percussion band. Four professional singers and a narrator will lead this ambitious piece of storytelling directed by award winning director, Chris Baldwin with music commissioned by BAFTA nominated composer Nick Bicat. • Tickets £10/£5 Family ticket £25 from Music and More in Oakham, Freeway Travel in Uppingham or visit www.wegottickets.com

STAMFORD LIVING June 2011

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WHAT’S ON

Looking Ahead...

Saturday 16 July

Killer Queen at the Picnic in the Park

Saturday 9 July

The unique spectacle of the Battle Proms Concert

A superb evening of entertainment begins at 4.30pm with a traditional fairground, Napoleonic re-enactors and a jazz band to warm up the crowds. The mounted cavalry demonstrate battlefield skill-at-arms with lances, rifles and superb horsemanship. The gunners of the English Field Artillery Company herald the commencement of the evening’s musical programme with a volley of shots from an authentic vintage field gun, answered by infantry musket fire. The New English Concert Orchestra and much loved soprano Denise Leigh perform a wealth of soul-stirring favourites and there’s never a dry eye in the house as the historic and unmistakable sound of the Spitfire engine rumbles overhead in a meticulously choreographed aerial display to Holst’s Jupiter. The unrivalled Battle Proms finale sweeps you along with the infectious enthusiasm of the crowd for the traditional sing-along, flag-waving proms finale, including favourites Jerusalem, Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory, culminating in a dazzling firework spectacular. • For ticket prices, booking and full details visit www.burghley.co.uk

Revelers are set for a fantastic night as Killer Queen return to Oundle to set the stage alight.

Supporting will be singer and keyboard player Alan Price best known for tracks such as House of the Rising Sun and I’m Crying, the former keyboard player for British rock group The Animals will delight audiences with his inimitable style and classic Sixties tracks. A big dance floor in front of the stage will ensure that party goers can dance the night away and the evening will be rounded off with a stunning fireworks display by King’s Cliffe’s 1605 Fireworks. Bring your own picnic and drinks or enjoy the catering and bar options on site which will include a hog roast, crepes, paella, real ales and Pimm’s plus circus entertainers for the children.

Easy access to free car parks adjacent to the site. Heron Rogers Field, Oundle • Tickets £20 with children under 5 years free at www.oundlefestival.org.uk or Tel: 01832 274734.

Uppingham Feast Day Uppingham Market Place Sunday 19 June from 12noon to 10pm

Bourne Classic Car & Bike Show The Well Head Field in Bourne Sunday June 12 Free entry

Visitors and residents will be able to enjoy a range of activities including; live music, an Italian market, street entertainers, a craft and gift fayre and much more. Local shops and businesses have also supported the event, with many opening throughout the afternoon.

As well as hundreds of classic cars and bikes, there will be plenty of craft stalls, a 9 piece Big Band, playing 40s and 50s style music, Punch & Judy for the youngsters and a wide range of refreshments.

Bourne’s Heritage Museum will be open throughout the day, and the show will close with the judging of vehicles, and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flypast, which in the past has proved to be a most popular part of the afternoon.

Anyone requiring more information, or wishing to enter either a classic vehicle (car or motorcycle) or race car should call 07885 152478 (evenings) or visit www. bourneclassiccarshow.co.uk to get an entry form.

Green Festival Willow Brook Farm Sun 12 June 10am-4pm Stamford Rd, helpston heath, Peterborough, PE6 7EL For more info contact 01780 749483 Discover life on Britain’s farms: • Look round a real working farm • Do a mini-beast safari in Swaddywell Pit • Learn how yu can help bees in yur garden • Meet real live animals • Bring your own picnic or enjoy local food at The Granary café and BBQ

56 48

STAMFORD LIVING June October 2011 2010

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MULTI-ACTIVITY HOLIDAYS FOR CHILDREN AGED FROM 4 - 14 Our OFSTED registered Camps, which have been running in the area for over 20 years, provide a wide range of over 30 activities to keep your child entertained in the school holidays.

All staff are CRB checked and have the necessary experience and training to deliver the wide range of activities we offer.

SUMMER BASED AT THE PETERBOROUGH SCHOOL 11 – 15 JULY 18 – 22 JULY 25 – 29 JULY 1 – 5 AUGUST BASED AT STAMFORD JUNIOR SCHOOL 1 – 5 AUGUST

8 – 12 AUGUST

15 – 19 AUGUST 22 – 26 AUGUST 9.30 am – 4.30 pm EARLY and LATE CARE AVAILABLE FROM 8am – 6pm

For further information or to make a booking Telephone: 01780 753461 Email:info@churchillsummercamps.co.uk www.churchillsummercamps.co.uk

Brownlow Street – Stamford- PE9 2EL

01780 752 172 info@stamfordcookeryschool.co.uk

www.stamfordcookeryschool.co.uk

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Great Offers only available this month* 25% discount for Wills, Care Home Fees Planning and Lasting Powers of Attorney.

Free initial advice on any Personal Injury accident.

Contact Martin Herson on 01733 888906

Contact Sarah Westwood on 01780 484530 A one-hour Family and Matrimonial consultation for £100+ VAT. Contact Donna Sandall on 01780 484534

Buckles Solicitors LLP 3 St. Mary’s Hill Stamford PE9 2DW Office also at Peterborough

*Please quote ref: BUCSTAM111 at the time of making an appointment, failure to do so invalidates this offer.

01780 484570 www.buckles-law.co.uk stamford@buckles-law.co.uk Buckles Solicitors LLP is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority

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ASK LEO SPECIAL

The Essendine Line Ask Leo’s article about Stamford East Station generated a great deal of interest amongst our readers. We are pleased to share some of these personal reminiscences

Leaving Stamford

Travelling the Line - from C.W

The War Effort - from JS

“As a Stamfordian born in the early 1940s I have vivid and nostalgic memories of the station, which we called ‘The Northern’ since it had been run by the Great Northern Railway Company ... . The Great Northern Hotel opposite the station on Water Street was named after the railway.

As a young lad in the 1940s and 1950s I enjoyed travelling on the Stamford-Essendine line from the station, sometimes out of necessity (to catch a connection on the East Coast main line at Essendine) and sometimes for the sheer pleasure of it. I particularly enjoyed going into the station with its typical (and to me pleasing) railway smells of smoke, steam, oil, paraffin etc - traces of which seemed to linger in the covered in train hall even when no train was present. I also recall a very unpleasant smell experienced when walking to the station via Albert Street – the smell of the gasworks!

The train was usually a tank engine plus two vintage 3rd class non-corridor coaches, which when I first saw them in 1949 still had their pre-nationalisation livery of varnished teak, Ryhall Station which is still my favourite railway coach livery, One of the highlights of the journey for me was the rumbling noise as the train headed north over the bridge across the Welland near St Leonard’s Priory. After passing under the Uffington road bridge, agricultural implements could be seen on the sidings at the back of Blackstone’s and Martin Markham’s engineering works.

There was a nice little station at Ryhall and Belmesthorpe, the platform of which still remains with a garden and a corrugated iron shed (probably a lamp store). There was no signal box, the signals being operated from inside the station building. There was a goods yard on the Essendine side of the level crossing but no goods shed. Coal used to be dumped by one of the sidings awaiting collection by one of the local coal merchants.

One of the drivers was Mr Jack Day and the engine was nicknamed ‘the coffee pot’ and the train nicknamed ‘the Essendine Flyer’. I am pleased that the Stamford East station booking hall waiting rooms etc still survive and the stone built goods shed.”

“I too travelled on the last train when the driver of the engine was Jack Day. I would like to mention the large part that the East Station Goods Department played in the War effort. This department was very busy, efficiently run by Charlie Swann assisted by a gang of men and some women. Those days most of the traffic went by rail not road and the local firms were busy producing high class machinery.

I have very many happy memories of Stamford East station and travelling on the train to catch a direct train to Edinburgh or London. They did not earn a lot working on the railway but were happy.

They used to stop the train on the way to Essendine to see if there were any rabbits in the traps they had set.

Opposite the station there was a two room public house by the grand name of ‘The Great Northern’ which the Stamford railway staff used to visit frequently. When a presentation was to be made to one of the railway employees, someone suggested it should be made at this hotel. When the boss arrived he was not at all impressed by the venue.”

Another Perspective - from SN “When I was growing up in the early fifties at Borderville Farm on Ryhall Road, the Stamford to Essendine train went through our fields. We often used to wave to the passengers. One day on a school trip I was on the train and it seemed strange to see father milking the house cow from a different perspective!”

STAMFORD LIVING June 2011

51 TRAINS_DC.indd 1

51

19/5/11 15:46:02

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• SL June Directory.indd 53

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STAMFORD PEOPLE

Celia Hall

Celia Hall, manageress of Walkers Books, talks to Harjit Gammon about her pet passions, Collies and North Norfolk, and reminiscences about her Stamford

I

met Celia in ‘her’ shop. As we chat on the comfortable sofas amongst the books on the first floor, with Mandy Musgrove, who runs the book department busy pottering about in the background, her pride in Walkers and her staff is apparent. A team of 11 in all, all of a similar age (with the exception of Sarah, the youngest) they are all long timers, having been with the local family firm for between 15 and 22 years.

Celia herself joined 15 years ago as a part-time shop assistant, became manager ten years later and the rest as they say is history. She is not too grand though to still sweep the front of the shop before opening, as I have often see her do.

The impression is of a contented and committed bunch, unstintingly loyal to Tim Walker (founder Philip Walker’s son, who took over the reins when his father retired), and area manager Jenny, another home grown talent, who has been with the firm since she was 16 and is now the book buyer together with Tim. “We see each other more than we see our families”, says Celia, “but it’s nice to come to work. We’re all a similar age. I love my shop. It’s got a really good feel to it”.

The shop is a familiar landmark in the High Street, and has branches in Oakham, Bourne, Sleaford, March and Market Harborough.

The Oakham shop opened in 1972, followed shortly after by the Stamford branch in 1978.

Once a post office, some of the history and an original window are preserved on the staircase of the shop. And in a nice touch of symmetry the building was also once home to Parrish’s Department Store, where Celia’s mother was manageress and buyer, in the dress shop.

I ask Celia what she thinks the future holds for Walkers, given the popularity of on-line bookstores like Amazon. She concedes that while cheap best sellers might be a draw for buying from Amazon, nonetheless, she is firm in her conviction, that shops like Walkers still have a role. “People want to hold a book, look at it, browse before they buy, particularly when they are looking at new authors. Here they can do that, and get help, encouragement and good service from people with a brilliant knowledge of literature”.

From Walkers we move onto her other great passion, dogs, and specifically collies. A former breeder, her hobby showing collies had the additional bonus of allowing her to travel all around the country, she tells me. Her first collie was Tass, a tri-colour bitch. When she saw another advertised in a newspaper, in need of a home, she took it in too. Then, in 1980 a litter followed, culminating in her very own champion collie, Clore Wood Arrival. She has also served on the British Collie Committee. Her only collie these days however is Clarice, a somewhat elderly thirteen year old.

Hailing from a Lancashire family who came to Stamford in the 1920s, she was born and grew up in the town, living most of her young life

54

in Barnack Road, (where she learnt to walk in Burghley Park), and Exeter Gardens, where her parents lived for over 40 years.

Since 1976 her home, together with husband, Michael has been in the village of Ryhall. She attended St George’s School (when it was on the site of the new houses, School Court, opposite TC Harrison) and the Exeter School.

Rooted in her childhood, she recollects trips to Hunstanton, another abiding love, taken from

the old railway station in Barnack Road.

“I never walk back to my car without saying hello to someone I know,” she says. “The town is glorious. I’m reminded of it whenever I see the sun shining on Bath Row. We’re very lucky to live here”.

The young girl who started work in Miss Tesh’s hairdressers in Cheyne Lane, mixing shampoos in the back shop (where the Cheese shop is now) has come a long way.

STAMFORD LIVING June 2011

54 PEOPLE_DC.indd 1

20/5/11 11:04:03

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• SL June ADS.indd 55

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RENT? LET? We actively seek the best homes to rent for waiting professionals. From studio apartments to large country residences, Knight Partnership understands that landlords need both good rent and a caring tenant.

the best possible price in the shortest possible time If you are thinking of selling or letting, now or in the future, or just want to know how much your home is worth, why not take advantage of our experience, knowledge and reputation by contacting our office for a free, no-obligation market appraisal.

3 Red Lion Street, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 1PA

tel: 01780 765060 email: mailroom@knightpartnership.com

www.knightpartnership.com

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SUCCESSFULLY SERVING YOUR COMMUNITY FOR ALMOST THREE DECADES

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