Cambridge Edition June 2019 by Bright Publishing

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YOUR MONTHLY FIX OF

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LOCAL LIFE

100 T H E TA S T Y

WE ROUND UP THE CITY’S 100 BEST EATS & DRINKS

GET SET FOR SUMMER

IN THE CITY

FROM THE BIG WEEKEND TO STRAWBERRY FAIR & CAMBRIDGE PRIDE FESTIVAL, WE’VE GOT THE LOW-DOWN ON THE CITY’S BEST SUMMER EVENTS, PLUS ARTS, GIGS, THEATRE & MORE! D E C E M B E R 2 018

S I G N U P TO O U R W E E K LY D I G I TA L N E W S L E T T E R

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Cambridge

EDI T

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EDITORIAL

Editor in chief Nicola Foley 01223 499459 nicolafoley@bright-publishing.com Chief sub editor Beth Fletcher Senior sub editor Siobhan Godwood Sub editor Felicity Evans Junior sub editor Elisha Young

ADVERTISING

Senior sales executive Lee Fifield 01223 492240 leefifield@bright-publishing.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Alex Rushmer, Angelina Villa-Clarke, Cathy Moore, Cyrus Pundole, Charlotte Griffiths, Siobhan Godwood, Charlotte Phillips, Daisy Dickinson, Jordan Worland, Ruthie Collins, Anna Taylor

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Senior designer & production manager Flo Thomas 01223 492242 flothomas@bright-publishing.com Ad production Man-Wai Wong 01223 499468 manwaiwong@bright-publishing.com

MANAGING DIRECTORS Andy Brogden & Matt Pluck 01223 499450

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK FIND US @CAMBSEDITION CAMBRIDGE EDITION MAGAZINE • Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire CB22 3HJ, 01223 499450, cambsedition.co.uk • All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of the publishers. • Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Cambridge Edition or Bright Publishing Ltd, which do not accept any liability for loss or damage. • Every effort has been made to ensure all information is correct. • Cambridge Edition is a free publication that is distributed in Cambridge and the surrounding area.

This month’s cover illustration was created by Flo Thomas, senior designer & production manager at Cambridge Edition

Author illustrations by Louisa Taylor louisataylorillustration.blogspot.co.uk

Welcome

here are two, very different, events that dominate the calendar each June in Cambridge: one town, one gown. On the gown side, May Week brings its usual fairy-tale twinkle – yielding the spectacle of a sea of immaculately attired students in ballgowns and black tie, but the exquisite fireworks displays over the river are the highlight. Grab some friends and a picnic and hire a punt for the best vantage point. The river on the night of the St John’s and Trinity balls is a brilliantly chaotic attraction in its own right: pack plenty of prosecco and ready yourself for punt gridlock. Our resident food historian Dr Sue Bailey takes a deep dive into the food served at the May balls over the centuries – if you’ve a particular fondness for swans, I’d recommend skipping past page 90…. Town, meanwhile, is represented in Strawberry Fair, which brings a free-spirited celebration of Cambridge’s lesser-seen bohemian side to Midsummer Common each year. Free to attend, entirely volunteer-run and attracting some 40,000 visitors each year, Strawberry Fair has music, food and community arts in abundance, as well as a special place in many locals’ hearts. Find out what’s in store on page 38. Also celebrated this June is the city’s LGBT+ community, at Cambridge’s first ever Pride festival. Taking place on Jesus Green, this inaugural event promises live music, a river parade, street food and all kinds of community fun and entertainment – get the low-down on page 61. Inside this issue we also catch up with current members of the Cambridge Footlights: the world-famous student comedy group which jump-started the careers of Stephen Fry, John Cleese, Olivia Colman and more. With their latest international tour show hitting the ADC this month, we find out what it’s like to be part of this revered troupe, and what we can expect from their latest production. Over on our gardens page (117), Anna looks forward to a period of slowing down in the garden, and a month of warm, light, long summer days outdoors where the fruits of spring’s labour can be savoured. And what could be a better complement to a beautiful evening in the garden than a glass of wine and a delicious plate of food? If you need some inspiration on that front I suggest you turn to page 66 immediately for the Tasty 100: a comprehensive list of hundred of the city’s best eats and drinks, past and present. From the sloppy joy of a One for Ella burger to the garlicky goodness of Limoncello’s homemade pesto – have a read and see if your favourite made the cut (or tweet @cambsedition to make your case for any world-beating foodstuffs omitted from the list!). We’ve also got news on top festivals including the Big Weekend and Wild Wood Disco, plus we pay a visit to the newly revamped Museum of Technology. Enjoy the issue and see you next month!

Nicola Foley EDITOR IN CHIEF

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CONTENTS 8 l STARTERS

Top things to do and see in the city, plus our favourite social media pics

13 l ARTS & CULTURE Exhibitions, concerts and theatre highlights to enjoy in June

27 l FOOTLIGHTS

Edition chats to our city’s worldfamous student comedy troupe

29 l ART INSIDER

Ruthie Collins, founder of Cambridge Art Salon, shares her arty picks of the month

45 l THE BIG WEEKEND

48 l WILD WOOD DISCO

Our at-a-glance guide to the top events and goings-on this month

30 l MUSEUM OF TECH We pay a visit to the refurbished and reopened Museum of Technology

35 l BOOK CLUB

Book recommendations, special offers and author interviews

38 l AFTER HOURS

Comedy, festivals, gigs and more nightlife fun to seek out this month Get ready for a huge, free party on Parker’s Piece – we’ve got all the details A magical woodland disco with DJs including Seb Fontaine and Artwork

52 l CAMBRIDGE CLUB Sister Sledge, great food and drink, plus a craft market

55 l LISTINGS

60 l COMMUNITY HUB Community events, charity news and more, from your local hub

63 l FATHER'S DAY

97 l EDUCATION

66 l THE TASTY 100

108 l INDIE OF THE MONTH

75 l FOOD NEWS

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92 l ON YOUR BIKE

Looking ahead to a summer of cycling, we round up our favourite bicycles and accessories Top tips on attending open days, plus a spotlight on Hills Road Sixth Form College

All the latest news and gossip from the Cambridge food and drink scene

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Food historian Dr Sue Bailey talks May balls, swans and gin

Dad-friendly dining and days out for maximum brownie points Local chef Alex Rushmer runs down the 100 tastiest eats and drinks in the city

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90 l CAMBS ON A PLATE

82 l SEEING DOPPLE

We meet the man behind DoppleGanger, the vegan burger restaurant on a mission

86 l RECIPES

Alex shares Vanderlyle’s lip-smacking roast broccoli with miso recipe

Up for June: we celebrate award-winning Chesterton cafe and bakery, Stir

111 l BEAUTY

Daisy Dickinson rounds up the beauty products on her radar this month

117 l GARDENS

Anna Taylor, owner of Anna’s Flower Farm, gets excited about the floral possibilities of summer

121 l INTERIORS

From stylish furniture to dining alfresco, we dig up the latest garden trends

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Starters @BOGDAN.VASILESSCU

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O U R FAVO U R I T E C A M B R I D G E I N S TAG R A M P I C S O F T H E M O N T H . H A S H TAG # I N S TAC A M B F O R A C H A N C E TO F E AT U R E ! FOLLOW @CAMBSEDITION ON INSTAGRAM FOR MORE GREAT PICS OF CAMBRIDGE

JUNE ESSENTIAL

A DIP IN THE LIDO Jesus Green’s open-air pool is now officially open for its 2019 summer season, so if you’ve been missing the lido over the cooler months, now’s your chance to jump back in! It took 2.4 million litres to fill the tank to ready the pool for opening day, getting off to a slightly chilly start on the first day with a rather perky pool temperature of 10°C. Don’t worry, though; as the weather warms so will the pool, which is one of the longest lidos in Europe at 91 metres. Come sunny days, this little corner of Cambridge feels like a secluded summertime paradise. Pack a book and your shades and pitch up by the side for a sunbathe, hopping in for an occasional dip to cool off (of course, it’s more than suitable for doing actual exercise in too, we hear). Follow @JesusGreenLido on Twitter for opening times, pool temperature and cafe updates.

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MARKET SQUARE CINEMA Enjoy the magic of the silver screen right in the heart of the city centre when the Cambridge BID outdoor cinema returns on 21 June. Grab a picnic, pull up a deckchair and join Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail on an adventure with Peter Rabbit, or sing your heart out with Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again: it’s free to attend and runs 6.30pm until 9.30pm. cambridgebid.co.uk

DON’T MISS

W I M P OL E HIS TORY F ES T I VA L A feast of history, heritage and hospitality awaits this month at Wimpole History Festival, which returns from 20 to 23 June. From archery workshops to sword school, there’s plenty of interactive fun to enjoy, plus a bustling line-up of highprofile historians, authors, journalists, broadcasters and more. Speakers include TV historian Lucy Worsley, author and former House of Lords peer Melvyn Bragg, and producer and director Sally Wainwright. It’s a great opportunity to explore the Wimpole Estate itself, too, which offers a grand old country mansion to explore, as well as rolling parkland and a library of more than 10,000 books, making it the perfect backdrop for the festival. If you need any more incentive to check it out, there’s also a street food market, featuring top local traders like Azahar, Jack’s Gelato, Brewboard and Rural Coffee Project. wimpolehistoryfestival.com

O N E TO T RY

OPEN FARM SUNDAY

Have fun in the great outdoors when the LEAF Open Farm Sunday returns on 9 June. A chance to learn more about farming, meet animals and enjoy tractor rides, walks and demonstrations, the event is ideal for families and is part of a national initiative that will see hundreds of farms up and down the country open their gates to the public. Locally, you can visit Manor Farm in Harlton, which is open 10am to 4pm for barrel rides, craft stalls, welly wanging, machinery demos and a hog roast. Over at Hope Farm in Knapwell, meet the goats, sheep, cows and ponies, tuck into barbecue food and ice cream made on the farm, plus have a go on a bouncy castle or get your face painted. farmsunday.org

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Culture Club ©CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS

FESTIVALS • THEATRE • BOOK CLUB • OPEN-AIR CONCERTS

BAT SAFARI Take to the Cam with Scudamore’s to find out more about these creatures of the night

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JAZZ & BRASS IN THE PARKS When it comes to making the most of a sunny day, we Brits are champions. At the first glimmer of sunshine, we’ve got our picnics and barbecues out, Pimm’s in hand, ready to kick back in the nearest park. Luckily for us, Cambridge has more than its fair share of green spaces, and the joy of spending a few hours on Jesus Green, Christ’s Pieces or Cherry Hinton Hall gets even better this month thanks to Jazz & Brass in CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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the Parks. Running on selected Sundays from June to September, the concerts will see a variety of local ensembles pitching up for afternoon concerts, which includes jazz and swing bands. It’s completely free – just turn up, grab a picnic and enjoy! This year’s programme sees Cambridge Groove Orchestra bring their eclectic sounds to Jesus Green on 16 June, and the Cambridgeshire Youth

Jazz Orchestra to the same spot on the 23rd. Up in July, catch Soham Comrades Band at Nightingale Rec on the 21st, then Caxton Swing will be blasting tunes at Jesus Green on 25 August. Rounding things off in September are the City of Cambridge Brass Band at Cherry Hinton Hall (8th) and the inimitable Brass Funkeys back on Jesus Green on the 15th. cambridgelive.org.uk J U N E 2 019

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Coming up at Cambridge Arts Theatre T

here’s an exciting mix of shows coming up at Cambridge Arts Theatre, with laughs, music, family fun and edge-ofyour-seat thrillers on offer. Admissions (3 to 8 June) stars Alex Kingston and Sarah Hadland and features a liberal head of admissions at a private school, who is forced to make a choice between her beliefs and what is right for her son. The grandfather of chat shows, Sir Michael Parkinson, holds court on 26 June, in conversation with his son Mike. They discuss his journey from a Yorkshire pit village to interviews with iconic figures, featuring archive from the shows. A tribute to comedy legends Morecambe and Wise comes to the Arts on 27 and 28 June. An Evening of Eric and Ern has been described as like seeing the real double act live, as the duo behind the West End hit Eric & Little Ern return. Reverend Richard Coles has gone from eighties Top of the Pops appearances with The Communards to presenting Saturday Live on Radio 4 and featuring on Strictly Come Dancing and QI. You can see him reflect on a life less ordinary on 9 July. Family favourite We’re Going on a Bear Hunt,

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from 12 to 14 July, brings the hugely popular Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury book to the stage. With songs and interactive scenes as a family tries to find a bear through swishyswashy grass and more, it’s a treat for children aged three and up. It’s followed by another fun-filled show, but definitely one for grown-ups, as The Rocky Horror Show runs from 15 to 20 July. Starring Strictly’s pro-dance champion Joanne Clifton as Janet and Kristian Lavercombe as Riff Raff, be sure to catch legendary tunes such as Sweet Transvestite and Time Warp, and dress up as your favourite character. Stephen Tompkinson stars in Educating Rita, one of Willy Russell’s best-loved plays, which became a hit film in the 80s. He plays Frank, a frustrated poet and academic whose zest for literature is reignited by his student Rita. It runs from 29 July to 3 August. Come autumn, don’t miss the The Girl on the Train, a gripping adaptation of Paula Hawkins’ bestselling thriller which will keep you guessing until the final moment. Catch it from 23 to 28 September. cambridgeartstheatre.com

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Echolocate nights CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS HEADS OUT ON THE CAM FOR A BAT SAFARI WITH SCUDAMORE’S AND THE WILDLIFE TRUST

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am sat in a punt, wearing multiple layers of clothing, holding a bat detector. I’ve been invited on 2019’s first outing for the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust’s hugely popular Bat Safari punting experience, and though the day’s weather has been more than a little inclement, a small but extremely excited band of bat enthusiasts have gathered for a late-night trip upriver under the guidance of the trust’s Iain Webb. Iain came up with the original concept to share expertise and bat appreciation with a wider audience, and as the punt pushes off from Scudamore’s upper dock, Iain realises that this outing is his hundredth; we break into a small round of appreciative applause. The mobile phone-sized bat detectors that we’re clutching pick up ultrasonic calls made by the bats and convert them into sounds that we can hear, filling the night with clicks, claps and beats, which Iain immediately makes sense of, introducing us to the bats flitting through the air above our heads. We share laminated cards that reveal more details of the shadowy flickers that blur across the evening sky. As the punt makes its way upstream toward Grantchester, expertly guided past low-hanging willow branches and half-submerged trees, we encounter several different species of bat, each making clearly distinct calls as they feast on flying insects. Occasionally, Iain shines bursts from a powerful torch in front of our punt’s path, freeze-framing swooping bats as they home in on their prey, or spotlighting surprised late-night waterbirds making their way across the river’s gentle current. The safari is afloat for around ninety minutes of fascinating after-dark bat action, sharing facts and figures, and learning how best to support our threatened bat populations. I learn two brand new words – ‘gaffing’ and ‘gleaning’ – which describe how bats pluck insects from the air – and after asking if there is anything we can do as individuals to help out these airborne mammals, Iain smilingly passed out an information-packed handout on how best to create a bat-friendly environment. Gliding silently on the river after dark while learning about the nocturnal residents of our city is a truly spellbinding evening that deserves its reputation as one of the most interesting experiences to be had in Cambridge – it will leave you with a newfound appreciation for bats and an immediate desire to go bat punting again as swiftly as possible. As punt operators Scudamore’s and the Trust split ticket sales 50:50 (which last year resulted in more than £10,000 being raised for the Trust), the more people who head to the river for this unique take on our city and its wildlife, the better... Bat Safari punts start on Friday 10 May and will be running every Friday evening through to 21 September, with extra punts on Saturdays during July and August. To book a space on the next Bat Safari punt, head to scudamores.com/bat-safari-punting

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BEGGARSTAFFS Groundbreaking work from two artists who rejected conventional training in the 1890s to create cuttingedge graphic posters is on display in Beggarstaffs, the latest exhibition at The Fitzwilliam Museum. Painters William Nicholson and his brotherin-law James Pryde began working together as the Beggarstaff Brothers during the decade, inventing a technique using collage and stencilling onto huge sheets of plain brown wrapping paper. They created some of the most memorable and innovative posters, including their celebrated Don Quixote poster for Henry Irving’s Lyceum Theatre production. The exhibition is free and continues until 4 August, illustrating how the Beggarstaffs’ shared love of striking subject matter worked on their different temperaments to inspire two remarkable careers. Both went on to be acclaimed as leading modern British painters in the early 20th century. fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

JU N E W I T H ENCH A N T ED CIN EM A

M A K E A F L OW ER CROW N AT K ET T L ES YA R D

Get creative with beautiful blooms at Kettle’s Yard, which is holding two flower crown workshops this June. You’ll be in safe hands with the host, Anna Taylor, owner of Anna’s Flower Farm and Edition’s resident gardening expert (find her column on page 117). Flowers have always been part of life at Kettle’s Yard, since the days when Jim Ede used to gather wild blooms and display them throughout the house to complement works of art like David Jones’ Flora in Calix Light and Winifred Nicholson’s Cyclamen and Primula. At the workshop, you’ll create a unique crown to take home with you, learning floristry techniques to create a headpiece decorated with seasonal flowers, foliage and other natural materials. You’ll also be treated to tea, cake, an out-of-hours visit to the house, top tips on keeping your flowers in tip-top condition and a glass of fizz to finish. The workshops take place on 8 June and 15 June and are priced at £65. kettlesyard.co.uk

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Critically acclaimed recent films mingle with classic movies on this month’s Enchanted Cinema programme, which is bringing open air screenings to the atmospheric walled garden at the Gonville Hotel. Don’t miss the chance to catch Oscar winner The Favourite, the off-the-wall Olivia Coleman/Rachel Weisz/Emma Stone royal drama that critics fawned over. It plays on the 14th. Two nights later at the same venue it’s time for a joyride in the DeLorean with Back to the Future, and then on the 20th, it’s over to Baz Luhrmann’s sumptuous reimagining of The Great Gatsby, which will feature a live swing band. Lady Gaga will be hitting the high notes in A Star is Born on the 28th, before Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury takes them even higher in the fantastic Bohemian Rhapsody on the 29th. enchantedcinema.co.uk

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New collection from Edelweiss

ulbourn-based piano maker Edelweiss continues to break the mould with its most dazzling collection to date – which includes the world’s first multicoloured Elmer the Elephant piano! Much like the cheerful patchwork character, who celebrates his 30th anniversary this year, the Elmer piano rejects the idea of blending in, and instead wears its rainbow of colours with pride. The Elmer is just one of a collection of five new customisable self-playing pianos that are available to buy in Harrods and made by a team of artisans, technicians and craftsmen here in Cambridgeshire. The company has got many fans in high places: celebrities including Sia, Lady Gaga and Claudia Schiffer have tinkled the ivories on these gorgeous creations. Unlike conventional uprights and grands, the pianos fuse music and magic in one individually customisable work of art thanks to a hidden iPod, which is preprogrammed with 400 songs and a bank of precision electronic solenoids.

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“Gone are the days of just black pianos – our new collection is the perfect way to find your true colours,” says Edelweiss head of design, Mark Norman. “When we were kids, we loved the story of Elmer, so we’ve brought some of the ideas in the book to life in our latest design. People want to break out of the traditional muted colours mould and find something different.” Times have been tough for the piano market of late – sales have dropped in the last 40 years from around 30,000 per year in the eighties to just 4,000 today, but we think this local company could herald a new era with its innovative approach. Harrods seems to agree, making the Edelweiss the first piano it’s chosen to sell since closing its piano department in 2013. “If you want a piano, you go to a piano shop; if you want to express yourself with furniture, you go to a furniture shop. Now you can get both in one unique piece,” says Norman. “It’s the perfect show-stopping centrepiece – even if you don’t play.” edelweisscollection.com

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C A M BR IDGE OPEN S T U DIOS Each weekend in July (6/7, 13/14, 20/21, 27/28) artists and craftspeople are opening parts of their homes, or studios, to the public, for a chance to see all kinds of work plus get an insight into the creative process. This year there are 95 new members taking part and, as well as Cambridge itself, you’ll be able to spot the distinctive yellow COS flags outside participating studios in villages around Royston, Saffron Walden, St Ives, Ely and Chatteris. It’s a great way to see the latest in fine art, photography, pottery, glassmaking, sculpture, textiles, jewellery, furniture making and much more. For more info, visit the website to pick up one of the yellow guides, found in libraries, galleries and selected shops, for a list of the artists and which weekends you can see their work. We’ll have a full preview next month. camopenstudios.co.uk

ART BATTLE

You might have seen a slam poetry battle, but have you ever seen a live art battle? Now’s your chance, as two contemporary artists will be sparring against one another in an edgy clash of creativity at the Art Hound Fight Club on 28 June. The event is the launch party of this year’s Art Hound Gallery Summer Open House, which will see the Secret Garden Marquee at Burwash Manor filled with over a thousand pieces of artwork to browse between 28 and 30 June. The pair juking it out for the crowd are urban artists Charlotte Cooper and Alan Rogerson (with the finished pieces then going up for sale), and there will be drinks and music to enjoy. Elsewhere in the marquee, there will be a huge variety of work to explore, dating from 1910 to the present day, featuring all 20th century genres and the big names of both modern and contemporary art, including Picasso, Banksy, Tracey Emin and Matisse. thearthoundgallery.com

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Motherworks

hemes related to maternal mental health and society’s relationship to motherhood feature in Motherworks, a day-long festival of performances and discussions at Cambridge Junction on 8 June. Highlighting first-hand accounts of IVF, postnatal psychosis and the impact of sociopolitical issues on mothering in the UK today, issues surrounding maternal mental health will be raised. Motherworks is also looking at how artists struggle to go back to their chosen art after having children, leading to the lack of artistic output. This lack of visibility is why the programme aims to stimulate debate on how to offer more support to audiences and artists, with one idea being residencies for artists wishing to explore their relationship with motherhood. Producer Ruth Dudman says: “The idea is that Motherworks creates a critical moment of reflection on motherhood. The programme not only features work from a range of artists directly inspired and affected by midwifery, study of maternal mental health, neurodiversity and IVF, but it also focuses on how new mothers working in the arts often struggle to continue their practice after having children. “That’s why there is a lack of work out there exploring this theme. Motherworks is full of brave artists whose honesty can serve as a permission card for the wider community to explore and unpack their own relevant experiences, in the hope that feeling less alone can be life-changing, or even life-saving.” The performances are bound to stimulate debate. Among them are To the Moon and Back, by Anna Furse and daughter Nina Klaff, which reflects on the experience of IVF from two vastly different perspectives. One as the fertility patient, the other born as a result of reproductive science. With unflinching honesty, they reveal some hard truths of their close and complex relationship. Dadders, by Frauke Requardt and Daniel Oliver, is another personal piece, revealing insight through interactive performance rooted in their experience. Daniel has dyspraxia and is too slow. Frauke has ADHD and is too quick. They are married and have childen. Edith Tankus’s Wild Country features an urban Canadian raising children in rural Kent, with declining parents back home. Part storytelling, stand-up and myth, how does she learn the codes of survival? Motherworks also features a free exhibition, discussion-based events and a community project for expectant mums. A day pass (with events from 10.30am to 4pm) is £12.50, £8 concessions. motherworks.org.uk | junction.co.uk

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A LO N G YO U R S T R E E T

Byard Art’s exhibition of local scenes, Along Your Street, returns this month from 30 May to 30 June, with a special event on 6 June in support of Alzheimer’s Research UK. The exhibition features, among other works, 19 ink and watercolour paintings by Rob Howard, who has lived most of his life in the city and was influenced by his training as an architect. Other artists include Diane Griffin, whose scroll vases are pictured right, and Rosemary Trestini’s romantic landscapes (above). There will be a guest speaker from the charity on the 6th at the King’s Parade gallery. byardart.co.uk

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Names in lights WITH THEIR NEW SHOW HITTING THE ADC THIS MONTH BEFORE AN INTERNATIONAL TOUR, NICOLA FOLEY CATCHES UP WITH CAMBRIDGE FOOTLIGHTS

he world’s most famous student comedy troupe, Cambridge Footlights has launched the careers of some of this country’s most revered stars. From John Cleese and fellow Python Eric Idle, to Olivia Colman, Stephen Fry and Peep Show stars David Mitchell and Robert Webb, the group has served as a finishing school for the very cream of British comedy. Little wonder, then, that it’s an intimidating prospect for a wet-behind-theears undergraduate with hopes of treading the boards. “The pressure of filling the shoes of previous alumni is something you have to kind of block out, otherwise I think it would be too much pressure,” laughs current writer and performer, Harriet Fisher. “Audiences come with a certain expectation given the history of Footlights, so I think using that nervous energy and pressure is great, but also remembering we’re doing our own show.” From writing to choreographing to casting, every element of Footlights productions is the work of students, toiled over in snatched hours between essays and exams. “Putting together a show, especially one that will tour so extensively, can be a rather daunting prospect,” comments tour manager, Hannah Lyall. “While we focus on the practical side of things, we have entrusted the production of the funny stuff to the wonderful people we’re working with! Over the course of our writing week in the Easter holiday, the cast worked hard

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“Putting together a show can be a daunting prospect” to produce lots and lots of sketch content. Since then, it has been a case of editing and finessing, casting and blocking, and most recently choreographing and rehearsing some exciting musical numbers. Things have really started falling into place and I am very excited to see it all come together.” You can see the fruits of their labour this month, when Footlights bring their trademark blend of skits, stand-up and songs at the ADC for their annual International Tour Show. Entitled Look Alive!, it features two hours of eclectic comedy performed by a talented cast, based around a museum of Earth itself. “You enter ‘The Earth Exhibit’ and join five human beings as they take you on a whirlwind tour of their bizarre little planet, seen from the outside for the very first time!” enthuses Amelia Hill, tour manager. “Forget everything you think you know and learn it all again in this spectacular, sketchshaped trip through the kinks and quirks of life on Earth. With musical numbers,

choreography and non-stop laughs, it’s a fantastic way to spend a summer evening.” After the ADC run, it’s traditional for the show to embark on a UK tour, which this time will visit Manchester, Chester, London and Dorset. From there, it’s up to the Edinburgh Fringe, followed by a hop over to New York, LA and Philadelphia, among others. The final flourish, once the cast have returned back to Cambridge, is a second home run in October. “This year, we’re running workshops with schools in every location we visit,” adds Amelia. “This is something that’s just been started in the last few years. It’s exciting to perform in members of the company’s hometowns and to bring comedy workshops to students who might not know about the range of opportunities comedy performance offers. So, we’ve got an busy and exhilarating time ahead of us!” l Look Alive! runs at the ADC Theatre from 11 to 22 June, with tickets available from £9. adctheatre.com

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The

Art Insider RUTHIE COLLINS, FOUNDER OF CAMBRIDGE ART SALON, GIVES HER ARTY PICKS OF THE MONTH

t’s June, the time of year many in the city barely sleep on account of the May Balls (whether partying, or being kept up by noise from the partying). Don’t miss Dale Farm – the Eviction, co-curated by Phien O’Reachtigan of Traveller-Art-Performance and Cambridge’s Beverley Carpenter, which appears at the Tate Modern between 5 and 9 June, in association with Associates 198 Contemporary Arts and Learning, a centre for visual arts, education and creative enterprise. Juxtaposed against a backdrop of negative media attacks in the press and on social media towards the Traveller community, this exhibition aims to be therapeutic for those impacted by the loss of their homes, plus Traveller artists, whose creative responses are also included in the show. Pieces include paintings inspired by previous evictions and a decorative round table, created by women, that invited dialogue rather than confrontation with the police. Many will remember these evictions of 2011, which impacted 80 Traveller families and sent shockwaves throughout the entire community. “I was an activist at Dale Farm in 2011 and Oblique Arts currently holds the archive of papers for the ten-year legal struggle prior to the eviction,” explains Beverley, whose Cambridge-based arts charity holds much of the material for the show. “It

was a huge human rights issue and brought people from all over the country and parts of Europe to stand alongside the 80 Traveller families who faced eviction from their own land. “The project allows us to show much unseen video footage and other Traveller artists’ material, alongside a large installation of the Dale Farm site,” she continues. “There was much artwork produced over the course of time that the Travellers resisted eviction. Much of this art was a way of interacting with the wider society.” Including artefacts from Dale Farm at the time of the eviction, visual art, music and video, you can also view unique footage from Grattan Puxon’s archive. This sounds like an unmissable exhibition – heartbreaking and cataclysmic in equal measure. This is where art can come into its own, giving voice to the marginalised, or helping us make sense of political upheaval or loss. Nothing does this quite like Oscar Murillo’s Violent Amnesia at Kettle’s Yard, which runs until 23 June. Exploring his own sense of displacement with visceral art ranging from largescale paintings to recycled church pews, Oscar presents his art more as social practice. It is rare that those in a city like Cambridge feel the face-to-face impact of the fallout from globalisation. In a world where the labour behind goods

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is often disconnected from those who use them, this is what art can do: bring the forgotten closer. But not without something positive... “Even within seriousness, I want the audience to take with them a pleasure of curiosity,” says Murillo, established as an art world hit in his 20s, and recently nominated for this year’s Turner Prize for his boundarypushing work. As John Ruskin once said, “There is no wealth but life”. This puts much into perspective, as closer and closer the reality of climate change begins to hit. Like Murillo’s devastated pews, institutions are under pressure to change – or break down. It’s been a bewildering time for millions across the world, with many of Cambridge’s artists, as ever, pushing for the radical change that is needed. Whether you agree with Extinction Rebellion’s techniques or not, the UK government have now officially declared a climate emergency – and art will continue to play a big part in raising awareness about the situation. Artist Hilary Cox and others have set up Extinction Rebellion Cambridge Art Rebellion – watch out for them at Arbury Carnival’s parade on 8 June, or find them on Facebook to connect. Cambridge illustrator Jo Clark is now partnered with the Eden Reforestation Project, too: every ten cards sold through her website will help plant a tree! Every mug, art print and coaster will also plant a tree. Her work, snapped up by fans from all over the country, is gorgeous. Finally, those heading to Strawberry Fair – check out Cambridge Art Salon’s community art café in the Eastern Bloco area, with food by Alex Collis raising money for Greenpeace and creative projects. The best place to start with any change, is yourself. Have a fantastic June. l J U N E 2 019

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A new chapter for the

MUSEUM OF TECHNOLOGY EDITION TAKES A LOOK AROUND CAMBRIDGE’S EXCITING AND RECENTLY REVAMPED RIVERSIDE ATTRACTION

monument to Cambridge’s industrial heritage, the Museum of Technology towers imperiously over Riverside; easily the tallest building for miles around. It sits at the Cheddars Lane site of what was the city’s Victorian pumping station, built in 1894 as an ingenious solution to Cambridge’s mounting problem of waste and sewage disposal. It took the city’s household rubbish and burnt it to generate steam, which, in turn, powered the engines to pump waste out to the Milton sewage farm. When there, it would then be used as a fertiliser to the grow the crops that fed the horses, who pulled the carts which collected the rubbish and brought it to the pumping station. Even the ash from the burnt rubbish could be used to make roads in this remarkably joined-up, ahead-of-itstime system. The legacy of the Pumping Station lives on through the museum, where visitors can today see the magnificent Hathorn Davey steam engines and a huge historic boiler, alongside a collection of other artefacts that chart the evolution of power technology through steam, internal combustion and, eventually, electricity. The museum reopens this month following a redevelopment project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which has transformed the space

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with new displays that tell the story of Cambridge’s industrial history through engines, telephone exchanges, printing presses and many more fascinating and functional contraptions. Brought alive with lighting, sounds and interactive exhibits, the museum celebrates the achievements of local industries and the people who worked in them. Morgan Bell, assistant curator, explains: “Displays show many of the forgotten industries of Cambridge, such as ironworking and brewing. These paint a different picture of Victorian Cambridge than the more familiar spires and gargoyles, colleges and cloisters. The stars include the first steam engine purchased by Chivers and Sons to provide mechanical power to their jammaking factory in Histon, and the lathe that Mackay’s used to make the radio telescope array that Jocelyn Bell and Antony Hewish used to discover rapidly rotating stars called pulsars.” There’s also an exhibition dedicated to Pye and Cambridge Instrument Company; two local companies with international reputations for innovation, which features communication devices dropped to the French Resistance during the second world war, early TVs and a medical instrument that revolutionised the study and treatment of heart disease. “We want to use our site and collections to inspire a new generation

of engineers and be at the heart of our local community,” continues Morgan. “There’s plenty to entertain families, from the hands-on exhibits to an interactive model of the Pumping Station (complete with sewage smells!), as well as dressing up, activity stations with colouring in and feely boxes, and toolkits to help kids explore and learn.” OTHERSYDE

As well as the overhaul at the museum itself, the surrounding site, known as Othersyde, has also had a makeover. In addition to serving as a visitors’ centre, it offers an exciting, community-led space complete with riverside bar, yurt, food shack and expansive gardens. A unique, multifaceted space that calls out to be explored and enjoyed, there are big plans for all kinds of arts events, plus an engineering shed housed in an old shipping container. “We’re a community hub,” enthuses Matt Taylor, owner of Othersyde, who tells us the venue is attracting a diverse crowd so far. “We’ve got woodcraft folk meeting here, Transition Cambridge meeting here, as well as a knitting group, Extinction Rebellion, steampunk people, local poets doing readings, cinema in the gardens, music events, comedy nights… We wanted to make it as open as possible – we’ve got all sorts of things going on!”

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An ideal stop-off for cyclists and a lovely spot for an afternoon pint overlooking the river and enjoying a bite to eat, Othersyde is providing the neighbourhood with a unique and much-needed facility. “Riverside, this area, is very active – it’s very up-and-coming” adds Michael Brown, the marketing manager. “CB4 has really changed over the last few years, and not everything is about the centre of Cambridge anymore. This is becoming a very active suburb, where arts and community is really happening. And we’re part of that.” There are especially exciting plans for the old Engineer’s House, which will make an atmospheric setting for a series of immersive, action-packed escape games. It’s something that Michael and Matt, having set up LockHouse Games in the city centre, have bags of experience with, and their enthusiasm is contagious. Matt explains: “The games are based on a story about the chief engineer who first lived here, and we’ve made that a kind of fantasy adventure, rooted in the history of the building, but at the same time, making it a bit Doctor Who-ish. It should be a lot of fun! The first game is currently being built and should be ready by the end of June.” Fancy trying your luck? Up to 28 people can play at one time, and the game transports players to a (not wholly fictional) time when the city was in crisis due to an overwhelming buildup of rubbish and sewage – with teams tasked with fixing the steam engines and rubbish burners to save the city and make it safe again. There’s an ‘escape the haunted house’ game, too, inspired by the strange and spooky stories that shroud the historic Engineer’s House. Othersyde is open for drinks, food and private event hire now, with the Museum of Technology due to open on 7 June. l

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BOOK CLUB CAMBRIDGE EDITION

Book Club BRINGING YOU TOP NEW FICTION PICKS, AUTHOR INTERVIEWS, DISCOUNTS AND LOTS MORE BOOK CHAT, THE EDITION BOOK CLUB IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH CAMBRIDGE LITERARY FESTIVAL AND HEFFERS INTERVIEW BY CHARLOT TE GRIFFITHS

ISL A N D SONG B Y M A DEL EI N E BUN T I NG AN INSIGHTFUL EXPLORATION OF THE NAZI OCCUPATION OF GUERNSEY

sland Song is the first novel by acclaimed author Madeleine Bunting, better known for her non-fiction work. Her meticulous research embroiders every page of this evocative tale of impossible choices made in the occupied Channel Islands – and the potentially devastating consequences that ripple through time. The novel follows London-based lawyer Roz as she returns to Guernsey to uncover the secrets of her late mother Helene’s life on the island during the second world war: but is the truth better left hidden? Published in 1995, Madeleine’s acclaimed earlier book The Model Occupation details the history of the Channel Islands between 1940 and 1945. As she was conducting the extensive research required for this non-fiction book, she found herself on a very long car journey – which is when the idea for Island Song first came to her. “There were stories that I was catching a glimpse of in the research, and I couldn’t quite get the people who could tell those stories – they had either died, or they didn’t want to talk, or were well hidden and didn’t want to make themselves public,” Madeleine says. “With non-fiction work you’re always grounding everything meticulously in your research and the evidence. That’s where the idea for the fiction came from: me imagining myself into a story, a composite that included lots of details from the research I was doing.” It’s not giving too much away to say that one of the secrets Roz uncovers is her mother’s apparent relationship with Heinrich, a German officer. Though this could easily have been told as a simple

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romance, a love affair across enemy lines, Madeleine was more interested in the power imbalance between the two characters. “I think there’s a lot of ambiguity about the relationship between Helene and Heinrich,” she says. “The power is such that I think it compromises the possibility of a relationship in all kinds of ways. I came across a story which I incorporated into my nonfiction – a very touching love story between a Guernsey girl and her German sweetheart, who married after the war... I interviewed them in Plymouth in the early 1990s, surrounded by grandchildren and great grandchildren, and still touchingly devoted to each other – they were a very sweet couple – but what interested me was something much more ambiguous and unclear.” Though Madeleine finished this novel well before #MeToo and Weinstein’s crimes coming to light, Island Song’s treatment and examination of the relationship between these pivotal characters does feel contemporary. “A lot of people are [nowadays] thinking very carefully about power and sexuality,

whereas in the past there was a kind of complacency,” Madeleine says. “With Helene I thought: what choice did she have? And with Heinrich: he’s really careless, there’s an arrogance with which he imposes himself, which I think is deeply sinister – he took advantage of his position in several different ways – and that doesn’t mean that he didn’t genuinely fall in love with her, but whether she loved him, I think, is open to question.” This ambiguity has been picked up by some readers of Island Song, whereas other accounts gloss over the power imbalance and take it as a great love affair – you’ll have to read the book to draw your own conclusions. Another hidden side of Island Song is the lengthy story of the novel’s construction, which Madeleine agrees could almost sit alongside the book itself. “It’s had such a long history, this novel,” she reveals. “In 1994, as I was working out the plot, I was pregnant with my first child – so inevitably I didn’t get down to writing any of it until after I’d had my second child – so 1997 or 1998. I found u

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BOOK CLUB that I loved working in the evenings. I know it sounds kind of crazy, and I was exhausted – but there was something escapist about coming back from a day at work, getting the kids into bed and then settling down with my novel. I was so sleep-deprived, I can’t think what I was doing,” she laughs. “But I loved doing it. When I finished it, I sent it off to my then-publishers at Harper Collins, and they said they liked it, but not quite enough. I lost heart, and put it away in the attic until 2002, when an agent looked at it and said ‘go on, give it another try’, and I wrote a very different version.” This second version of the novel was also confined to the attic for almost 15 years, before Madeleine decided to have another go in 2016. “I brought both versions down – neither of them were on computer so I had to scan them all in and convert them to Word – but I then looked at both versions and it was really fascinating. I was really rather unhappy at the time of the first version, and I could see that in the writing. When I wrote the second version, I was much, much happier, so there was quite a dramatic jump between the two, in terms of tone and approach. Fiction comes out of our imagination, but is really closely allied to our emotional life, and actually what I wrote is what happened, which was that my marriage fell apart. It was really unnerving to go back to that first version and think ‘actually you did see it coming: here it all is: it already is true in your imagination.’ It was really strange.” Madeleine wove the two versions together, chopping and changing plotlines as she worked. “I thought I was wasting my time, but I was prepared to take the risk: I have such a Protestant work ethic and the idea of wasting time – it’s a terrible sin!” she laughs. “It took me until my 50s to think: ‘I can waste time if I want to’ – but I was astonished when Granta said they wanted it. So yes, for me, this is the story alongside this novel: about being prepared to take a risk, about self-belief and the lack of it – all of those things.” Now with a completed draft of her next novel (the subject of which couldn’t be further away from Guernsey) and a clear idea for the third, Madeleine has wholeheartedly embraced fiction writing, putting her diligence down to many years working for The Guardian as a journalist and her background in non-fiction books. “I’m very disciplined, but I don’t know

whether this is down to the non-fiction or the journalism! I always start the day with yoga and meditation. It’s taken me a long time to get here, but now the day just doesn’t work if I haven’t done both of those – so I often don’t get down to writing until 9:30am or 10am. And then I usually stick at my desk until about six.” Although Madeleine had the ideas for Island Song such a long time ago, it’s in the process of writing that the true story reveals itself. “I never had a very clear blueprint,” she says: “I had a few ideas, but then in the writing of it, so much more comes to life as I write. It’s immensely hard work. There is a very craft-like side to writing, which isn’t about ideas: writers can have very different ideas and preoccupations, but the craft of it and dealing with the emotional side is the same.” Madeleine talks enthusiastically about a book’s ‘afterlife’, or what happens once a book is released into the world: encountering different interpretations and readers with differing viewpoints is a process she finds truly compelling. “One of the weird things about writing a book is that you’re not entirely sure what you’ve written,” she says. “Readers all have such different perspectives, and bring their own life experience to how they interpret the novel. This afterlife of a novel is just fascinating: it gives you

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LOOK OUT FOR THE CAMBRIDGE EDITION BOOK CLUB STICKERS IN HEFFERS & GET MONEY OFF OUR MONTHLY PICK

Heffers is located at 20 Trinity Street, Cambridge blackwells.co.uk

insight into how your writing is landing, what interests people, what moves them, what annoys them. I think this is important – the legacy, the time that comes after publishing – which enables you to have a better understanding of the work you’ve created – and I would hope to then take that on to a next novel.” As is unsurprising for someone who’s spent the best part of 25 years writing and talking about the occupied Channel Islands, the author has looked elsewhere for her next subject – but is still uncovering gripping stories every time she visits the islands. “By and large the German occupation [of the Channel Islands] was nothing like many of the occupations in Europe, but still – all it took was breaking a regulation, someone getting annoyed, and you end up in a prison in France – and that could just spiral. There are stories of quite trivial incidents that led to tragedy, just so many extraordinary stories of how people managed and didn’t… I feel like a novelist could carry on quarrying Guernsey for incredible novels for decades to come. Another novelist!” she laughs. l CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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C AT H Y MO OR E , DI R ECTOR OF C A MBR I DGE L I T ER A RY F EST I VA L ,ON ISL A N D SONG As Madeleine Bunting has always written nonfiction, I was intrigued to discover that she has turned her hand to fiction. Island Song returns to The Channel Islands, the subject of her first book, and draws on her detailed research. It’s a mature book which moves between 1994 and the Guernsey of the 1940s, and a fine piece of storytelling; you will care about the characters, who will draw you in and keep you there until the end. Madeleine Bunting talks about the process of turning historical fact into compelling fiction with historian Stella Tillyard on Friday 21 June, 2pm at Wimpole History Festival. wimpolehistoryfestival.com

NEW ON THE BOOKSHELF

L O C A L AU T HOR SCO OP S W I N More awards for Cambridge-based writers: this time it’s the turn of Cressida Downing, who scooped the inaugural Lindisfarne Prize for Debut Crime Fiction with The Roll Bearer’s Daughter, set on Holy Island at the turn of the 15th century. The prize was launched by fellow crime author LJ Ross, to celebrate the North East and encourage new talent. Cressida, who lives in Cambridge with husband John and two children, won £2,500 cash plus free editorial and mentoring from Cheshire Cat Books.

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T H E E V ER EST F I L ES If your house is home to young adventurers, keep a look-out for the audiobooks from Cambridge-based Everest summiter Matt Dickinson. His young-adult trilogy follows 18-year-old Ryan Hart’s adventures on the world’s highest peaks, and is based on Dickinson’s own expeditions to the mountain; in 1996 he summited Everest via its treacherous North Face, alongside actor Brian Blessed. Blessed said that these books “bring the mountain to life in a fresh and wonderful way. I urge all lovers of adventure to read it!”

W H ER E T H E HOR N BE A M GROWS Also out in hardback is the beautiful Where the Hornbeam Grows, by local author Beth Lynch, who has recently returned to Cambridge after spending seven years living in Switzerland. Beth’s book captures the process of making herself feel at home overseas by tending and growing a garden. Described as “subtle and moving” by acclaimed nature writer Robert Macfarlane, this is a beautifully told memoir about loss, love, and finding one’s place in the world.

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NIGHTLIFE

After Hours

NOW BOOKING

THE NIGHTLIFE EVENTS NOT TO MISS THIS MONTH

SK UN K A NA NSI E

28 AUG, CORN EXCHANGE, £30.50

Back on the road in support of their 25th anniversary live album 25LIVE@25.

JUNE

STRAWBERRY FAIR

Returning to its usual spot in the heart of Cambridge, Strawberry Fair is back on 1 June with a day of music, art and fun. A major fixture of the summer calendar in the city, the event is free to attend, and run and managed entirely by volunteers, offering a celebration of Cambridge’s lesser-seen bohemian side. It attracts some 40,000 visitors every year, beginning with a colourful parade that snakes its way through the city centre before alighting on Midsummer Common for the official opening at midday. Featuring costumes galore, stilt walkers, street performers and music from samba band Arco Iris, the parade is always an enjoyable spectacle, beginning the event in exuberant style before the party begins. As always, there’s a veritable of banquet of treats in store for music lovers, with a huge array of local talent on display. The Centre Stage and Rebel Arts Stage will be serving a busy line-up of acts, along with alfresco tunes at the WigWam, Pop Up and Flying Pig stages, plus you can seek out sounds at the Cambridge 105 stage and with the CamBuskers. The Portland Ballroom offers the largest indoor stage, while dance music fans should turn their feet to the Supertunes and Morphic Resonance stages. The Strawberry Arts Area will celebrate the work of the city’s radical and alternative artists, with interactive theatre, workshops and activities throughout the day. The Arts Area is also home to the Wild Strawberries poetry and spoken word stage, which will have poets, open mic sessions and Strawberry Slam, a live poetry competition. There’s plenty of fun for children over in the Kids Park, a dedicated area that’s open from 12pm to 6pm and features entertainers, performers, storytelling, face-painting and a messy play area. Scarecrow Corner, meanwhile, is also home to a range of community and social awareness stalls, offering anything from massage to storytelling, as well as Hatters Café serving tea, coffee and cakes throughout the day. When it comes to food, there’s always a huge choice of cuisines from around the world to tuck into, and you can do a bit of festival shopping too, with stalls selling everything from clothing to crafts. strawberry-fair.org.uk

After a few years off, Spoonfed is now once again a regular fixture on the local nightlife scene, serving up a monthly fix of drum and bass at Fez Club. The event is the brainchild of local producer and DJ, Logistics – aka Matt Gresham – and his older brother Dan (Nu:Tone), together with Saikon & In:Most, and offers a chance to see some of the biggest names in the game in an intimate setting. This month’s date for your diary is 6 June, when the guest of honour is Technimatic – get more details by searching Spoonfed Cambridge on Facebook.

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7 OCT, CORN EXCHANGE, £35.50

Electronic music pioneer returns with his (R)evolution tour, 40 years after his first UK tour.

THE DA R K N ESS

SP O ON F ED

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6 DEC, CORN EXCHANGE, £32.50

Catch the masters of over-the-top rock perfection on their Easter is Cancelled tour.

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Gig Guide JORDAN WORLAND FROM LOCAL MUSIC WEBSITE SLATE THE DISCO GIVES HIS TOP LIVE MUSIC PICKS FOR THE MONTH AHEAD

iant riffs, killer choruses and a formidable frontwoman; our first recommendation this month is Yonaka. Last month saw the hotly tipped Yonaka release their debut record, Don’t wait ’til tomorrow. The album has embodied their unbridled, raucous energy and deeply personal songwriting to produce an incredibly important release, brimming with life and chaos. Their show at The Portland on the 3rd is not to be missed. At the same venue, Fonda 500 return on the 14th. Expect pop hooks with a Super Furry Animals sense of the surreal. On the 25th, see William Crighton; an Australian singer-songwriter whose vivid prose and deep voice have crafted a reputation for intense live shows. It’s a busy month at Norfolk Street’s Blue Moon, however we’ve narrowed it down to a trio of shows for you. Firstly, there is the extremely loud, extremely psychedelic duo of Krausbauer/Suzuki (14th). The duo performs improvisational compositions with voices, amplified strings, electronics and bell percussion. On the 21st Brighton dream-pop outfit King Kuda headline an excellent four-band bill. They’re joined by fuzzy-pop outfit Mauve and emerging Cambridge talents Mehalah Ray and Skinny Rodgers. Cambridge’s best potty-mouthed pop-punk grrl band The Baby Seals headline another excellently packed bill on the 22nd. The show sees two of the most-fiercest and unpredictable DIY female punk bands join The Baby Seals on the line-up, as we welcome both Dream Nails and The Menstrual Cramps to Cambridge. Over at the Cambridge Junction, seminal alternative quartet Garbage play a stand-alone show on the 14th as they warm up for a summer of festival appearances. The band’s unique sonic sound and provocative visual aesthetic inspired massive worldwide attention and success, and last year saw the band celebrate the 20th anniversary of the iconic Version 2.0 LP. Another show of interest at the J1 is Fracture Patterns (18th), a collaboration between Semiconductor, who bring largescale multi-channel video pieces to a live soundtrack by musician and producer Eartheater. Other Junction highlights in June include acclaimed musician Steve Hillage (6th) Eddi Reader (23rd) and Cambridge’s rising stars of rock, Hollowstar. June is of course Strawberry Fair month. There’ll be an array of great live music over the various stages, but our pick is Cambridge outfit Grieving, who produce a sound full of discord and anthemic late 90s and early 00s indie-rock and punk.

SH A RON VA N E T T EN Coming our way at the start of next month, Brooklyn artist Sharon Van Etten brings a dose of her electro-infused sounds and sweet vocals to Cambridge Junction. She’s on tour in support of her latest album, Remind Me Tomorrow, which was released earlier this year. Her fifth album, it’s one of her most atmospheric and beguiling yet, touted by many critics as her finest work to date. Go and see her on 2 July for a showcase of this plus a visit to some of her older hits such as Our Love, Comeback Kid and Seventeen. Tickets are £25. junction.co.uk

EDDI R E A DER Folk star Eddie Reader returns to Cambridge this month for a gig at the Junction on 23 June. Known for songs such as The Patience of Angels, Eddi’s storied life has taken her from her hometown of Glasgow to travelling around Europe with a circus and on to London, where she settled in the 1980s and became a sought-after session vocalist. She famously toured with the Eurythmics and was part of punk outfit Gang of Four, but it’s her work with the warmly remembered band Fairground Attraction for which she’s perhaps best known, and which yielded much loved hits including the chart-topping Perfect. From there, she’s gone on to assimilate many musical styles and released a handful of successful solo albums, as well as nods to her heritage with albums like Songs Of Robert Burns, that was released to international acclaim in 2003. Tickets are available for £25. junction.co.uk

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NIGHTLIFE

STRAWBERRIES & CREEM Growing from strength to strength with every year that passes, Strawberries & Creem returns this month with a belting line-up of urban artists on 15 June. A day-long festival at Haggis Farm just outside Cambridge, S&C will be seeing in its sixth birthday at this year’s event, serving up the blend of big names and nostalgic crowd pleasers we’ve come to expect from their line-ups. Headlining is trailblazing MOBO award winner Stefflon Don: the rap/R&B powerhouse responsible for hits including Hurtin’ Me, Calypso and Cigarette, as well as guesting on the recent mega hit from Wiley, Sean Paul and Idris Elba, Boasty. She’s known for her exuberant live performances and stage presence, so festival-goers are sure to be in for a great show. Joining her on the bill is Ms. Dynamite, who emerged from the UK garage scene in the early noughties with hits like Booo! and Dy-Na-Mi-Tee, and went on to pick up the Mercury Prize, two Brit Awards and three MOBOs. Another throwback to the noughties, Kevin Lyttle stops by to relive hits like Turn Me On, while Sean Kingston promises to get the crowd dancing to the immortal Beautiful Girls. Elsewhere on the line-up, catch B Young, Mahalia, Artful Dodger and a glut of other top artists spanning hip-hop, UK rap, R&B, garage, house, grime, afrobeat and more. Tickets are available now for £52.50. strawberriesandcreem.com

JIMMY CARR

Jimmy Carr brings his razor-sharp one-liners to the Corn Exchange on 7 July as part of his latest tour: Terribly Funny. Known for his closeto-the-bone humour and deadpan delivery, his new show “contains jokes about all kinds of terrible things. But they’re just jokes - they are not the terrible things. Having political correctness at a comedy show is like having health and safety at a rodeo.” You’ve been warned! Grab yourself a ticket for £32.50 and join the fun. cambridgelive.org.uk

THE ROGUERY OPENS In the Downing Street spot formerly home to Irish pub Quinn’s, a unique new venue recently opened in the shape of The Roguery. A barbershop, bar, café and live music venue, it’s the second outpost in the city for the company, which also has a branch on Cherry Hinton Road. Expect a full suite of barbering services, all kinds of special events, speciality coffee from the Brew Project and a licensed bar serving boutique spirits and locally sourced craft beers. The space is also available for hire if you’re looking for a hip city centre venue for a private event – and if you take out a membership with The Roguery, this is free of charge. The decision to create this multi-faceted barbershop in Cambridge was inspired by owner Gareth Rivett’s desire to improve the

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customer experience and encourage people to stay and relax even when they’re not getting their hair cut. “It’s a collaboration of things that work together, which enables us to be in the city centre and run a business that is different,” he explains. The space is impressive, designed around steel, concrete and wood; an industrial style that Gareth calls ‘raw and rustic’. As a venue, it has already hosted unplugged music nights on Thursdays, DJs (until 10pm) on Saturdays, and various themed days on Sundays – and there are plans for plenty more to come. “The Roguery is different from every other shop in the area,” says Gareth. “It’s a place where people can spend time, it’s not just a barber shop: it’s a lifestyle.” theroguery.com

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BIG WEEKEND

Ready for the

WEEKEND THIS JULY, CAMBRIDGE BIG WEEKEND PROMISES A FESTIVAL OF LIVE MUSIC, DANCE, FOOD, CULTURE, ART AND SCIENCE. DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T MISS OUT!

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t wouldn’t be summer in Cambridge without the Big Weekend: a staple of the local calendar that brings the whole city together each and every July. The party begins on Friday evening, when thousands of Cantabrigians clock off work and swarm to Parker’s Piece for a night of live music and a huge fireworks display. From there, the fun continues throughout the weekend with all kinds of free entertainment, attractions and the popular Cambridge Mela. This year’s event runs from 5 to 7 July and, as ever, there’s a vast range of live music on offer, from funk and soul to reggae and rock. Here’s a taster of what’s in store!

F R IDAY 6PM-10PM

Get ready for a nostalgic eighties party on Friday night (we smell a fancy dress opportunity!), featuring glam rockers Doctor and the Medics, the eccentric band best known for their huge hit Spirit in the Sky. Number one in 23 countries, this 1986 track sold over 24 million copies worldwide, but they might be more famous for their ‘unique’ sartorial choices. Join them at 7.20pm. Taking to the decks for two DJ sets is BBC 6 Music presenter and TV star Craig Charles (6.20pm & 8.20pm), who’ll be delving into his expansive record collection to serve up a selection of stonecold classics from the eighties and nineties. Rounding off the musical entertainment on Friday are eighties disco legends Kid Creole and the Coconuts (9pm), who celebrate their 38th anniversary this year. This might be one of your last chances to catch the band, as Kid claims this is the farewell tour (even if he has been saying that for a decade…), so don’t pass up the opportunity for a good boogie to this melting pot of sunshiny, calypso-inspired, jazzy-funkydisco ‘mongrel music’. It’s sure to put a smile on the crowd’s face before all eyes turn to the sky

for a huge fireworks display at 10pm, rounding off the evening in an explosion of colour.

S AT U R DAY 12PM-10PM

Parker’s Piece will be bustling with activity on Saturday the 6th, with plenty of activities and entertainment to enjoy. The popular French Market is back with all kinds of mouth-watering Gallic treats, plus you can learn more about French language and culture with Alliance FranÇaise. Enjoy storytelling with The Big Read, get creative in the Art Tent, and dive into some sciencey fun in the University of Cambridge Fun Lab. For something a little more active, the Sports Zone is back with games and challenges, or you can try your hand at circus skills with Cambridge Community Circus. The everpopular BPM Live Silent Disco is returning on Friday and Saturday night – head down, tune in and dance like nobody’s watching!

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BIG WEEKEND

Live music is at the heart of the Big Weekend, and there are sounds to soak up at every turn. Saturday yields performances from top talent from the area at the Local Bands Stage, and this year you can pay a visit to the new Alley Club Marquee, which promises classic ska and reggae tunes. Over on the Main Stage, look out for headliners Legend (7.40pm), a seven-piece dedicated to the music of Bob Marley, and House Gospel Choir (8.50pm), festival favourites who bring an electrifying blend of house beats and gospel music, plus pioneering DJ SonnyJi (6.30pm), who’s renowned for his Bhangra Mixtape shows on BBC Asian Network. Cambridge ska institution Big 10 (4.30pm) are also performing, along with Cambridge Rock Choir and local jazz fusion outfit Will Pears Trio.

SU N DAY

N EED T O -K NOW

12PM-8PM

There’s no slowing down for Sunday, which offers food stalls, a bar and the French Market, plus a Dance Marquee that showcases regional dances from around the world, including Scottish country dancing, Polish folk dance, belly dance and Lindy Hop. The splendid Cambridge Mela, a celebration of Asian culture, music and dance, can be enjoyed in the Bangladesh Welfare and Cultural Association Marquee and the Mela Performance Marquee. This will host performances from acts including Natyanjali Dance School and Sanskruti School of Dance, along with stars of the Asian music scene performing on the Main Stage all afternoon.

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WHAT:

A weekend of live music, entertainment, food, drink and fun. WHEN:

5-7 July

WHERE:

Parker’s Piece, Cambridge HOW MUCH?

It’s free! cambridgelive.org.uk

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WILD AT HEART B

ringing glittery good times to the Cambridgeshire countryside this June, the wondrous Wild Wood Disco is back on 22 June. Anybody who was fortunate enough to be at this event last summer will know that the organisers have created something pretty special with this mini festival, which captures the hedonistic, creative spirit of trailblazing events like Secret Garden Party and then adds its own, appealingly intimate spin. Groove Armada, who headlined the 2018 event, said it best when they likened Wild Wood Disco to “a classic free party from the early 90s,” adding that it was “one of the finest settings for a party we’ve ever seen.” The sister event of family festival Rumpus, which takes place at the same site on 8 June, the event is hosted by quirky local party makers My Little Festival, who also put on local events including Sunday Papers Live. We agree with Groove Armada that the site

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(Horseheath Racecourse near Linton) works brilliantly well, formed of a woodland glade with a natural clearing which houses the Main Stage, while a second stage looks out across open fields and offers gorgeous views as the sun sets. Venture further into the woodland and you’ll find Paradise Lost, a ‘hidden homage to disco, divas and bad behaviour’ hosted by house music legend Seb Fontaine. With top DJs and a dancefloor encircled by trees and filled with disco lights, we expect this new stage to become an instant hit. “I fell in love with Wild Wood Disco last year and I completely got everything that they were trying to achieve – it became my favourite festival of the year very quickly!” says Seb. “For the stage I’m curating we’re recreating the early warehouse party vibe of New York and London that really fuelled the rise of dance music. We want to capture the quirkiness and wildness of that era – just this time, in the woods.”

Headlining over on the Main Stage this year are festival favourites Faithless, who’ll be performing a DJ set, along with Gerd Janson, one of the most respected house and techno DJs in the game. Secret Garden Party founder (aka the Head Gardener), will be spinning tunes too, while much-loved DJ Artwork is sure to draw a big crowd. On the Sundown Stage the entertainment is down to local DJs like Stuart Banks and Margaret Scratcher, plus a live performance from the latter’s ‘intergalactic funk band’ Kontroversi. From art installations to laser shows, fire pits to street food, there’ll be plenty to enjoy as you make your way around the lovingly crafted site, soaking up the sounds of fab live acts across three stages as you go. Whether chilling with friends on sofas around the fire or dancing under the lasers by the main stage, it’s hard not to fall head over heels in love with the Wild Wood’s charms – and that’s the most rewarding part of planning this very special party, say the organisers. “We’re incredibly proud of our very high production values and the level of care and creativity we put into the event,” explains Vicky. “We use the world’s best sound systems and equipment and put a lot of love and effort into everything we do. Plenty of our attendees compliment us on the magic of the event and the very special vibe we have created. Seeing people fall in love with the woods is what it’s all about.”

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F E ST I VA LS

N EED T O -K NOW WHAT:

Magical mini festival featuring a top line-up of house and disco. WHERE:

Horseheath Racecourse, Linton WHEN:

22 June HOW MUCH?

Currently on sale at £55. Camping available for an additional £15.

With all that merriment you’ll definitely be needing some fuel to keep you going, so head over to the Forest Feast to find all kinds of delicious food and drink offerings. Expect melty mac and cheese from the fantastic Mac Daddy, steaming, sticky bao from Guerrilla Kitchen, gourmet toasted sandwiches from Warm and Toastie and delicious, lip-smacking sweet and savoury treats from Mel’s Magical Crepes. There will also be a host of new bars at this year’s festival, including a Mezcaleria, and a gin and cocktail bar, with Big Hug brewery serving top notch craft beer on tap. We doubt you need any further tempting to join in the fun and games, so: mark 22 June in your diary, grab your sequins and dig out your dancing shoes – we’ll see you in the woods! l thewildwooddisco.com

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X XDV A X XEXRT X XI SX E M E N T F E AT U R E

WHAT IS LOVE CAMBRIDGE?

Love Cambridge is the brand developed by Cambridge BID to deliver events and projects designed to animate and entertain our city. These include the Love Cambridge gift card, open-air cinema nights, Wimbledon screening, magazines, maps and much more. Follow us on social media to be kept up to date with what’s going on in Cambridge this summer. LoveCambridge_ love-cambridge.com

Love Cambridge

lovecambridge_

INDEPENDENTS’ WEEK

A four-day showcase of independent businesses across the city, the Cambridge BID Independents’ Week returns from 4 to 7 July. The event is geared towards engaging local independent businesses, residents and visitors in celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit of the growing independent business community. For punters, it’s a chance to explore the city’s indie scene and discover new gems on their doorstep, while local independent businesses are encouraged to get involved with ideas, special offers and experiences, such as music and entertainment, workshops and street activity. Find out more at cambridgebid.co.uk.

PEAS HILL, BENE’T STREET & WHEELER STREET One of the most exciting corners of Cambridge, the Peas Hill, Bene’t Street and Wheeler Street area offers a feast of food, drink and culture. Perhaps the most concentrated collection of indie eateries anywhere in the city, visitors can feast on gourmet sandwiches at Bread & Meat (the porchetta is a must-try), exceptionally tasty burgers at Steak & Honour and Cambridge-famous ice cream at Jack’s Gelato. There’s also cocktails and barbecued deliciousness to be had at the new SmokeWorks Tap, which opened recently and joins SmokeWorks’ original branch around the corner on Free School Lane. For pubs, The Eagle is a long-standing favourite for its cosy atmosphere, pleasant beer garden and rich history (it’s famously the spot where Crick and Watson announced that they had discovered the ‘secret of life’, after coming up with their proposal for the structure M A Y 2 019

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of DNA). The Eagle is soon to be joined on Bene’t Street by a new pub from Scottish brewery BrewDog, which is currently renovating the building that used to house CAU, with plans to open it as a large bar in the next few months. Meander down the road a few steps and you’ll find another foodie hotspot: Pint Shop, a much-celebrated pub and restaurant with a great beer and gin selection. Aromi, with branches on both Peas Hill and Bene’t Street, is another must-visit for its tasty Sicilian fare, or for great indie shopping, check out Podarok and Ark, both of which sell quirky gifts and clothing. Once you’ve enjoyed dining and done some shopping, you’re perfectly placed to take advantage of the entertainment on offer at two of the city’s top venues, the Arts Theatre and Cambridge Corn Exchange. And for a post-show drink, nip into the Bath House pub. cambridgebid.co.uk

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A DV E RT I S E M E N T F E AT U R E

21 JU N E

OUTDOOR CINEMA

Popcorn at the ready, Cambridge BID’s alfresco cinema returns to the Market Square this June. Run in partnership with the City Council, these much-loved summer events animate a usually quiet, unused space at night and bring it to life with a family friendly evening of fun. The next date for your diary is Friday 21 June, when you can see Peter Rabbit, one of last year’s biggest family films, which is guaranteed to captivate a younger audience with rascally tales from the vegetable garden. Also screening is Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, the feel-good sequel that’s packed with upbeat tunes. A huge box office hit, this ABBA jukebox romcom has an all-star cast including Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Julie Walters, Meryl Streep and Cher. The event runs from 6.30pm to 10.30pm, alongside a night market selling artisan food, beverages, crafts and gifts. Approximately 100 seats are available on a first-come, firstserved basis for each screening, though families and film buffs are welcome to bring their own chairs and rugs. Becky Burrell, marketing and commercial manager at Cambridge BID, comments: “Our outdoor films and night markets are fast becoming a summer tradition for Cambridge residents, who enjoy the opportunity to see their favourite movies on the big screen, free of charge and with a variety of delicious refreshments close at hand.”

Cambridge BID is very pleased to be an official partner of the first ever Cambridge Pride festival, taking place on Jesus Green on 8 June. The Cambridge Pride festival will see the people of Cambridge come together to celebrate the LGBT+ community and will feature a pride parade, local charity and community group stalls and delicious street food, as well as a stage programme.

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F E ST I VA LS

Club Class WITH THE CAMBRIDGE CLUB FESTIVAL POISED TO RETURN THIS MONTH, WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT’S IN STORE

day of music, entertainment and tasty food and drink in the Cambridgeshire countryside, The Cambridge Club Festival returns for its latest instalment on 16 June. Taking place at Haggis Farm, this family-friendly one-day event is celebrating its third birthday in style with its most impressive musical line-up yet. While 2018 saw Gabrielle grace the stage as headliner, this year it’s over to none other than Sister Sledge, the disco icons responsible for classics including We Are Family, He’s The Greatest Dancer and Lost in Music. Craig Charles also makes a welcome return to the festival

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with his Funk & Soul Club show: an energetic blend of 70s grooves, vintage soul and brand-new beats. Michelle John, star of The Voice will be wowing the audience with her powerful vocals, with Uncle Funk & The Boogie Wonderband, Swagger and JJ Rossa also doing their thing on the main stage. The Den stage will be enjoying its inaugural year, serving up performances from bluesy Eddie Smith & The 507, country girl Katy Hurt and the jazzy, brassy Georgie & The Vintage Youth. Over on the second stage, meanwhile, guests will be treated to performances from up-and-coming bands and vocalists

from Cambridgeshire, East Anglia and beyond. With over 20 acts from across the musical spectrum playing over the two stages throughout the day, you’re sure to find your groove. Brand new for this year’s event is the Cambridge Made market, where you can browse a huge range of handmade and artisan products from local makers. Almost 30 craftspeople and designers will be showing their wares, which range from clothing and accessories to handmade cards, gifts, textiles, skincare treats and artworks. When it comes to food and drink, The Cambridge Club Festival is a cut above

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XXXXXXXX N EED -TO -K NOW WHAT:

One day family festival featuring great food and drink and music acts including Sister Sledge. WHEN:

12pm-9pm, 16 June. WHERE:

Haggis Farm (Cambridge Polo Club) HOW MUCH?

Adult tickets from £30, kids’ tickets £10. thecambridgeclub.co

“Taking place on Father’s Day, The Cambridge Club Festival is a perfect family day out” your usual festival fare, offering a feast of gourmet options. This year you can enjoy artisan pizzas from Fired Up, Vietnamese cuisine from Monami Eat, melty toasties from Cheesy Does It, churros and ice cream from Piccadilly Whip and coffees and sweet treats from local faves Rural Coffee Project, among many others. When it comes to tipples, you can expect great craft beer, prosecco and a selection of gins. Taking place on Father’s Day, it’s a perfect family day out, and kids will be well catered for with entertainment including storytelling, skateboarding, circus skills and arts and crafts available in the dedicated kids’ area. l

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W H AT ’ S O N

What’s On YOUR AT-A-GLANCE GUIDE TO EVENTS AROUND CAMBRIDGE THIS MONTH

1 JUNE

1, 14-16, 20, 28-30

3-8 JUNE

STRAWBERRY FAIR

ENCHANTED CINEMA

ADMISSIONS

The volunteer-led free festival that started in 1974 returns to Midsummer Common with stalls, crafts of all kinds, live music, fabulous food and more to keep the 30,000 visitors entertained. All day | Midsummer Common | free strawberry-fair.org.uk

This month’s screenings comprise La La Land on the 1st, Oscar-winning The Favourite on the 14th and 30th, The Grand Budapest Hotel (15th), Back to the Future (16th), The Great Gatsby (20th), A Star Is Born (28th) and Bohemian Rhapsody (29th) 7.15pm | Gonville Hotel | £14.50, The Great Gatsby £19.50 | cambridgelive.org.uk/tickets

Alex Kingston and Sarah Hadland star in a tale about a head of admissions at a private school. Fighting to diversify the student intake, she’s also a mother who wants the best for her son. 7.45pm, 2.30pm Thursday and Saturday Cambridge Arts Theatre | from £25 cambridgeartstheatre.com

2 JUNE

8 JUNE

SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR

WILD WOOD RUMPUS

Creator of six top-ten hits including Murder on the Dancefloor and Take Me Home, Sophie Ellis-Bextor comes to Cambridge with orchestral versions of her work. 7.30pm | Cambridge Corn Exchange | from £33 | cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

A festival for all the family, with music from a host of acts including Release The Chimps and The Alley Cats, plus readings, craft-making, circus and bush crafts, and much more. 11am | Horseheath Racecourse, Linton | £70 family ticket | mylittlefestival.uk

1 JUNE

MILKSHAKE LIVE Starring Fireman Sam, Noddy, Shimmer & Shine, Digby Dragon and Nella the Princess Knight, with two Milkshake presenters and Milkshake Monkey, this is a family show with laughs and audience interaction. 12pm, 3.30pm | Cambridge Corn Exchange from £6.50 | cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

8 JUNE

MOTHERWORKS A new, one-day festival running throughout Cambridge Junction that explores maternal mental health and our relationship to mothers and motherhood. 10.30am-4pm | Cambridge Junction | £12.50 junction.co.uk 8 JUNE

CAMBRIDGE VINTAGE FURNITURE FLEA Offering everything from furniture to record players, lighting to ceramics and barware to textiles, expect a celebration of style from the 1950s and beyond at this cult vintage sale. 10.30am | St Barnabus Church | £3 facebook.com/vintagefurnitureflea

20-23 JUNE

W I M P OL E HIS TORY F ES T I VA L From Lucy Worsley and Philip Ardagh (pictured above) to Melvyn Bragg and Ed Stourton, there’s a huge range of talks, readings and activities, plus great food and drink. Various times and prices | Wimpole Hall cambridgelive.org.uk/tickets

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10 JUNE

SHARON SHANNON & SECKOU KEITA Irish accordion maestro Sharon Shannon and her band are joined by Seckou Keita on kora and percussion. Seckou was one of the key collaborators with Sharon on her album Sacred Earth, released in 2017. 8pm | Cambridge Junction | £26.50 junction.co.uk

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W H AT ’ S O N

28-30 JUNE

FOODIES F ES T I VA L A food festival that takes place across various towns and cities comes to Cambridge, complete with live music. Scouting for Girls are confirmed for the 29th. 11am | Parker’s Piece £19 day tickets, £29 weekend foodiesfestival.com

11-22 JUNE

THE FOOTLIGHTS INTERNATIONAL TOUR SHOW

Don’t miss your chance to see the latest show of laughs from the troupe that launched Sue Perkins, John Cleese, Richard Ayoade, Olivia Colman and many, many more. 7.45pm, 2.30pm on Saturdays, no show 16th ADC Theatre | from £9 | adctheatre.com

14 JUNE

23 JUNE

CLAIRE MARTIN

EDDI READER

One of the UK’s finest jazz singers brings her trio to the Arts Theatre to perform songs from her new album, Believin’ It. 7.45pm | Cambridge Arts Theatre | from £20 cambridgeartstheatre.com

Known for Fairground Attraction’s hit Perfect, Reader also has a string of acclaimed solo albums to her name, including 2018’s Cavalier. 7pm | Cambridge Junction | £25 junction.co.uk

15 JUNE

24 JUNE

STRAWBERRIES AND CREEM

JULIETTE BURTON

More than 50 acts across three stages, featuring Stefflon Don, Ms Dynamite, Sean Kingston, Kevin Lyttle and Mahalia, plus many more of the best artists from the UK rap, garage, grime, house and hip-hop scenes. 12pm | Haggis Farm | £52.50 cambridgelive.org.uk/tickets 16 JUNE

THE CAMBRIDGE CLUB

14 -16 JUNE

Back for another day of dad dancing (and better dancing) on Father’s Day, the family and funk-fuelled fun features Sister Sledge and the Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club. 12pm | Haggis Farm | from £30 cambridgelive.org.uk/tickets

CAMBRIDGE IMPRONAUTS

22 JUNE

Cambridge Impronauts present Attack of the 50ft Improvisers! a thrilling improvised B-movie based entirely on your suggestions! Buckle in for crazy characters, terrifying plot twists and horrendously dramatic death scenes 11pm | ADC Theatre | from £5 adctheatre.com

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Juliette’s shows have all sold out at the Edinburgh Fringe in the last four years. She brings her latest to town, exploring contradictions after a year of change. 8pm | Cambridge Junction | £10 junction.co.uk 26 JUNE

SIR MICHAEL PARKINSON Celebrating the life and career of a man who has interviewed more than 2000 of the most important cultural figures this and last century. The chat show host is in conversation with his son, Mike. 7.45pm | Cambridge Arts Theatre | from £25 cambridgeartstheatre.com 27-28 JUNE

WILD WOOD DISCO

AN EVENING OF ERIC AND ERN

Recreating the party-in-a-field vibe from the 90s, this disco in a woodland glade features Seb Fontaine and a DJ set from Faithless. 2pm | Horseheath Racecourse, Linton | £55 thewildwooddisco.com

The Olivier-nominated duo behind the West End hit Eric & Little Ern serve up an homage to Morecambe and Wise’s most-loved routines. 7.45pm | Cambridge Arts Theatre | from £20 cambridgeartstheatre.com

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CO M M U N I T Y H U B

THE BEACH @ BURY LANE

new children’s adventure zone adds a sandy beach to all the fun, many miles from the coast. The Beach @ Bury Lane, near the A10 Melbourn bypass, features a large outdoor play area with diggers, trampolines, bungees, go karts and climbing boulder, as well as the beach. There’s a café and a farm-themed indoor fun barn too. For more details, search for The Beach @ Bury Lane on Facebook and Twitter.

Community

HUB

VOLUNTEER FOR WOOD GREEN

ood Green pet charity makes a huge difference to the lives of pets and people across the UK. They provide care for pets in need, but also help people be the best pet owners they can be through a pet advice and support service. Volunteering in their shops is a great way to help the charity’s amazing work. An opportunity for you to spend any spare time you might have with the friendly, committed and diverse Wood Green shop team, you can help to raise money through sales of donated items. This can boost your CV, give you fantastic experience, improve your existing skills, and get a potential employer’s attention. They have a range of roles available, from customer service to visual merchandising, administrative and stock management roles. All voluntary hours are negotiable and they have shifts that require talent every day of the week. For just a few hours of your time each week, you can make a difference and help pets in need. Visit woodgreen.org.uk to find out more and to apply.

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“The Beach @ Bury Lane features a large outdoor play area with diggers and sand” 60

ARBURY CARNIVAL

et ready for a day of community-spirited fun at Arbury Carnival, which this year has a bedtime stories theme. Taking place on 8 June, it’s the 42nd outing for the carnival, which runs from 11am to 5pm at Arbury Town Park. A procession begins at noon from Armitage Way, and there will be around 90 stalls to browse, plus fairground rides and a free kidzone play area. There will also be lots of live music too, including Fruity Clave Samba Band and King’s Hedges School Choir, as well as all sorts of tasty food and drink. arburycarnival.org

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RADIO GAGA CAMBRIDGE BREAKFAST PRESENTERS JULIAN CLOVER AND LUCY MILAZZO DESCRIBE HOW THEY MAKE IT TO THE CAMBRIDGE 105 RADIO STUDIOS EACH MORNING JULIAN: There’s something about the human body clock that means although I’m setting my alarm for 5.45am, I’m invariably awake 15 minutes earlier. A news junkie, I’ll start my day listening to Radio 4’s news briefing, before working my way around the dial to BBC Radio Cambridgeshire and, of course, Cambridge 105 Radio. We’re lucky that we have a news share agreement with the BBC, so we’ll always be on top of local stories, though we get our national updates from Sky. Add Ollie from our sports team and we have quite a combination. I live so close to the station that I don’t even need my bike, though if I used it I might shave a few moments off. When you’re on the radio at 7am, every second counts! Preparation is everything, and quite a bit of it takes place the previous day, such as organising the guests that come into the studio. One of the things I enjoy the most is the wide variety of people that come to see us. One day it’s a councillor talking about environmental policy, the next

day an organiser of a local event, such as Strawberry Fair. When I arrive on Gwydir Street, it’s a quick check with Brian O’Reilly, who has already been going since 6am with his Early Breakfast show, before heading into Studio A and checking all the knobs and buttons are where they should be. LUCY: I’ve never considered myself a morning person. And yet, when I was offered Cambridge Breakfast in August, knowing it would mean setting my alarm for 5.30am, I said YES! without any hesitation. Each morning, when the alarm goes off, I confess I hit snooze once, but the radio eventually gets switched on. At 5.45am, I find myself in the bathroom, transforming from a sleep-walker into a presentable radio host (thank you moisturiser and under-eye concealer). Thirty-five minutes later, I’m throwing my coat on after downing the first of many coffees, and at approximately 6.27am I’m cycling across a fairly deserted Mill Road, up Kingston St, down Gwydir St,

before taking a left into the Enterprise Centre. Time-wise, it takes 1.5 songs, door to door. Most mornings, Julian is there first; he literally lives round the corner. With 25 minutes to go, we’ll finish our final prep and talk through our news stories and wonder what the perfect song is to start today’s show with. Every morning we wonder this. There’s something so important about choosing the right song and it’s an instant feeling when we know we’ve got it right! At 6.53am (timing in live radio is everything!) we’re all set to start the show, I’ll pop the coffee on, and promise “Yes Julian, don’t worry, I won’t make the coffee too strong...” Then at 6.58am, we close the doors, take our seats, and position our mics as we wait for the words that cue the start of our show... “On your radio, mobile and smart speaker, this is Cambridge Breakfast, with Julian Clover and Lucy Milazzo...”

CAMBRIDGE PRIDE

he first-ever Cambridge Pride comes to Jesus Green on 8 June with a packed programme of entertainment. Events get underway at midday on the green, but there is a river parade starting half an hour earlier from Quayside. With a main stage, band stage, youth tent, community lounge, a well-being area, food stalls galore and a children’s area, not to mention Enchanted Cinema, there’s guaranteed to be lots going on wherever you look. Cambridge has a long history of LGBTQ+ events – with Cambridge Pride organisers, Pink Festival, a big part of that – so it might seem a bit surprising that Cambridge has never had an official Pride parade or festival. All that will change this month! The river parade is the first Pride parade anywhere on water and among the acts confirmed to play are Keltrix, Colonel Spanky’s Love Ensemble and singer-songwriter Craig Maddox. Entry is free, and you can get the details as they are announced by searching Cambridge Pride on Facebook and Twitter.

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FA M I LY

Father’s Day DADS DESERVE RECOGNITION, AND A FAB FAMILY DAY OUT IS A GREAT WAY TO CELEBRATE. HERE ARE CYRUS PUNDOLE’S TOP PICKS FOR FATHER’S DAY FUN FAT H ER’ S W EEK EN D FA MI LY R AV E THE MALTINGS, ELY

A family rave suitable for children, especially under-eights, is at The Maltings, Ely, on 15 June. DJ Nookie and DJ Trax will be spinning tunes throughout, with themed crafts, giant balloons, glitter cannons, bubble machines, face painting and more. Organisers Big Fish Little Fish have even come up with their own parachute dance. The fancy dress theme is the summer of love, so get searching charity shops for a bona fide old kaftan. Adults not admitted unless accompanied by a child, and no more than three children per adult. Tickets are £9 for adults, £7 for children from eventbrite.co.uk. Music levels are monitored to keep young ears safe.

FAT H ER’ S DAY DI N I NG BEDFORD LODGE, NEWMARKET

All dads who dine out at Bedford Lodge’s Squires restaurant on Father’s Day get the chance to win a driving day experience with Porsche Centre, Cambridge, worth £500. The menu is priced at £30 for three courses and includes a roast rib eye beef with Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes and thyme gravy, plus sticky toffee stilton with toffee sauce and tonka bean ice cream. The winning dad will attend a unique course with a Porsche driving consultant, and drive on the Porsche Experience Centre’s handling circuit, ice hill and low friction track. They also get to choose the car. It could be a 718 Boxster, the Roadster, or perhaps the all-terrain Cayenne. Perhaps the lucky dad will opt for the iconic 911 or the award-winning 718 Cayman S.

GI N & CH A RCU T ER I E TA ST I NG CAMBRIDGE DISTILLERY, GRANTCHESTER

Tempus Foods join forces with Cambridge Distillery for a sublime pairing. MasterChef 2010 winner Dhruv Baker is the founder of Tempus, and will be present on 15 June to talk through their unique approach to creating some of the finest charcuterie in the UK. Expect to be able to try their buttery, delicate, slightly spiced loin of black pig, Tempus achari salami with fennel seed, Talicherry black pepper and fenugreek, and perhaps their rillettes: spiced, braised and shredded pork hocks. Three gins from

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Head to Paus. near Bourn for some Father’s Day bushcraft adventures

Cambridge Distillery’s range will be specially chosen to match the food, with some of the secrets behind the distillation revealed. Tickets are £27.24 from eventbrite.co.uk

FAT H ER’ S DAY BUSHCR A F T PAUS., NEAR BOURN

Enjoy the peace and quiet of a hilltop retreat on 16 June, including sauna and red cedar hot tubs, while children learn bushcraft with Mel from Wildly Curious. There will be secret treats for the whole family on the day, including a fire to toast marshmallows on, and the grown-ups can enjoy a dip in the hot tubs before the whole family comes together for a fireside picnic. pauscambridge.com

FAT H ER’ S DAY B A R BECUE RED LION, WHIT TLESFORD

Soak up the extensive history at Whittlesford’s Red Lion, which is hosting a Father’s Day barbecue on 16 June from 12pm to 9pm. The Red Lion is a four-star award-winning 13th century coaching inn, which has been a haven of welcoming hospitality over its history. It boasts on-site parking, and is opposite Whittlesford Parkway station, just six minutes

from Cambridge station. No booking required, just turn up. There will be a gift for all the fathers who eat there on the day.

FAT H ER’ S DAY BRU NCH OLD BICYCLE SHOP

Known for making some of the best brunches in town, what better way to celebrate Father’s Day than a trip to the Old Bicycle Shop, on Regent Street, on 16 June? Some special dishes will be added to the already fab menu especially for Dad’s big day. There are craft beers on tap and bespoke brews from Cambridge Brew House. Spaces are limited, so book beforehand to ensure your place at the table. oldbicycleshop.com

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Food & Drink CA M B R I D G E O N A P L AT E • R E C I P E S • FO O D N E WS • T H E TAST Y 10 0

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THE TASTY

100 IN CELEBRATION OF EDITION’S 100TH ISSUE, ALEX RUSHMER ROUNDS UP HIS FAVOURITE CAMBRIDGE EATS AND DRINKS, PAST AND PRESENT

ast month marked the incredible achievement of this little magazine publishing its 100th issue. My own column failed to make reference to this fact for the simple reason that during the summer of 2015, I managed to miss my only deadline (although I am well aware that I’ve pushed others to the absolute limit – sorry Nicola) and consequently, my last column was my 99th. Which means that this is the 100th missive I’ve penned for this fine publication. It is often said that writers and journalists short of time or ideas famously resort to submitting list-based pieces in lieu of actually writing some real copy. With that in mind, I am delighted to present a list of 100 of the best things I’ve consumed in and around Cambridge over the eight and a half years I’ve been proudly featuring my writing on these pages. Let me assure you, it would have been far easier to write 600 words on barbecuing, picnics or whatever other subject I usually tackle at this time of year and this, while not comprehensive or exhaustive, required a significant amount of thought and memory recall. Finally, there are certainly great many foods and drinks that should have made this list that I simply couldn’t recall. To anyone who feels aggrieved at being left out of this exercise in onanistic subjectivity, I apologise. And I promise to include you in the 200th issue when that rolls around at some point in 2027. Without further ado, here are 100 of the best things I have eaten, drunk, experienced or otherwise consumed since 2008.

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Steaming pork and chinese chive dumplings in hot and sour soup at Zhonghua Traditional Snacks. (Perhaps with a char siu pork bun on the side. And a cucumber salad. And some fried dumplings. To share.)

Lemon and ricotta-filled cannoli from Signorelli’s Deli.

Half a pint of Calverley’s chenpi and sichuan flower pepper Sichuan Saison beer. And then a full pint of the same.

One for Ella burger, sweet potato fries and hot sauce from Steak & Honour (actually, might as well make that a double).

At just under £7, Franco Manca’s chewy, charred sourdough margherita is one of the city’s best food bargains.

One scoop of fior di latte and one scoop of salted balsamic caramel from Jack’s Gelato.

Aromi’s insanely good pistachio croissant.

Thick and rich Milanese-style hot chocolate from the lovely people at Savino’s.

A double Cambridge Dry Gin, tonic water, plenty of ice and a mint leaf. Anywhere.

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Maurizio’s deadly six-shot Negronis.

It may well be the Italian equivalent of Billy Bear ham but, my god, I love a mortadella sandwich. The fine people at Culinaris will be delighted to help (add artichokes to feel slightly less trashy).

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Guinness bread and whipped butter from Restaurant 22, if only because you know it will be followed by a whole tasting menu.

Vietnamese-style coffee, sweetened with condensed milk. A caffeine/sugar double whammy from Urban Larder sure to keep you pepped until lunchtime, at which point…

...they can make you an incredible cheese toastie.

Stir-fried chicken with chilli, ginger and spring onion from @72 China. Fiery and seriously tasty.

All of Guerrilla Kitchen’s bao are epic but the Fat Hen is the star of the show every time. Pillowy buns and wonderfully flavourful fillings = lunch of dreams.

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The super fresh and super delicious salad bar at The Garden Kitchen.

Batch brew filter coffee from Hot Numbers Coffee.

Midsummer House’s masterful tarte tatin (which remains the best dessert I’ve ever had).

The Wandering Yak’s mix and match mezze box. Awardwinning for at least seven delicious reasons.

Jalan Jalan may be taking an extended break from making epic street food, but their tofu banh mi still lives on in the memory.

A box of six pastéis de nata from Norfolk Street Bakery.

Kura Kura’s cashew nut curry and peerless onion bhajis transport me back to Sri Lanka every time I eat them.

A dish of smoked eel, pistachio and apple from the kitchen of Alimentum.

Once upon a time there was a noodle bar called Dojo. We would order No 6 and No 39a and it would always be great. We can no longer do that. My most missed restaurant in Cambridge.

(Now off-menu) naga ghost chilli curry at Prana. Rumour has it that they require you to sign a disclaimer nowadays. I don’t remember doing so.

SmokeWorks’ The Works. Go in hungry, leave very full indeed.

Truffle risotto at Parker’s Tavern, where they never say ‘I think you’ve got enough truffle on that already’.

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Xiao long bao soup dumplings at Noodles Plus. Proceed with extreme caution, and think about wearing a bib.

FO O D & D R I N K

Grilled ham and cheese sandwich with pickles and beetroot salad, Cafe Foy’s finest.

Sala Thong’s spicy, salty, sweet and sour som tam salad.

Eight pieces of nigiri, 12 pieces of hosomaki – Japas Sushi’s Jo set: a Sunday night staple for a very long time.

Afternoon Tease remains much missed for a great many reasons, for me the cheese scone is right at the top of that list…

...closely followed by the chocolate Guinness cake.

A Pavitt’s Pie (any flavour).

Several ridiculously cheap – and delicious – pints of locally brewed beer at the St Radegund.

A Gog’s scotch egg.

Half a Fitzbillies chelsea bun. Offer the other half to a loved one.

A flat white and an exercise in the art of conversation – from the brilliant Dom at Rubiaceae.

Leftover doughnuts and way too much salted caramel dipping sauce eaten after service in the kitchen at The Hole in the Wall.

Banana Leaf’s plate-sized dosa filled with potato masala.

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The Gardenia has, quite rightly, been an institution for decades. The chicken souvlaki explains why.

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A squidgy, ripe and runny goat’s cheese, a bowl of rillettes and a side of cornichons from The Cambridge Cheese Company.

Slices of Stir Bakery’s toasted sourdough and plenty of salted butter.

An americano from Cambridge’s original barista, the Caffè Mobile (to remind me of student days).

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FO O D & D R I N K

Bratwurst. Ketchup. Curry powder. Berlin’s finest available on Cambridge Market (if only sporadically).

Falafel wrap with everything – the ultimate lunch from Carlos BBQ.

Several of the beers in the fridges at Thirsty. Oddly, the more you try, the better they taste.

A rib of wagyu beef from the Mill Road Butchers – eaten with triple-cooked chips and the first sprouting broccoli of the season.

The finest jamón ibérico, marcona almonds and Spanish olives from the amazing Daniel at Pata Negra Spanish Food.

A selection of exquisite handmade chocolates from Dulcedo.

Fish and chips from The Sea Tree. With a side of halloumi fries (to share, obviously). You might need a pickle with that.

Very early morning pizza (or kebab – at that time I’m not particularly fussy) from the fine folks at Grill House.

Porchetta sandwich from Bread & Meat.

Cambridge is the sort of place where we are lucky enough to have a restaurant on a bus. It’s also brilliant. La Latina’s tostones and empanadas are superb.

Any one of several hundred Belgian beers at The Cambridge Blue pub.

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Bibimbap at Bibimbap House.

Any one of the five blends at 5 Blends Coffee House. And don’t forget a sfogliatella to go with that.

Nameless but delicious (and very cheap) handmade biscuits from Mill Road International Supermarket.

196’s cocktail list is lengthy and comprehensive. I am a man of simple pleasures. One old fashioned, please.

Seoul Plaza’s homemade kimchi, great with fried rice at any time of the day.

Steamed brioche bun. Beef hot dog. Far too many toppings to eat tidily. Road Dogs’ Dirty Dog is a thing of beauty.

It may well have taken several years of my life, but the Volcanic Cheesy Chicken at Ji’s Chicken Shop was well worth it.

Several (dozen?) samples of free fudge from Fudge Kitchen on King’s Parade.

Dripping on toast, pork scratchings and warm ale at The Queen’s Head, Newton makes me forget, for at least for an hour or so, that social media exists and goes some distance to instilling a sense of peace and tranquillity.

Cherry Box takeaway pizza. Eaten in bed with a glass of Chianti DOCG. A rare, but important, treat.

Taking advantage of Tradizioni’s BYO fee of just £1 and drinking an outrageous bottle of wine alongside a lovely pizza.

Weekly trips to the ‘spice den’ and stocking up on naan bread at Al-Amin. Favourite recent discovery? Realising how delicious asafoetida is, despite its truly challenging smell.

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FO O D & D R I N K

The friarielli and tuscan sausage pizza from Charlie’s Coffee Company & Pizzeria.

MeatLess’ jackfruit shawarma shows what modern vegan food is all about. It is a joy.

A little taste of Sweden thanks to Cambridge Cookery School & Cafe’s cardamom and cinnamon buns.

Buffalo Joe’s buttermilk fried chicken burger is both big and clever. And very, very delicious.

Vivid green and freshly made, Limoncello’s pesto is a far cry from the sludge that comes in jars and masquerades as the real deal. Try it and vow never to go back.

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A cracking bottle of Californian pinot noir picked up from The Old Bridge Wine Shop in Huntingdon.

A slab of thick, heavily topped Sicilian-style pizza from Aromi. And a San Pellegrino to wash it down.

Cream cheese bagel from Indigo.

There are few restaurants where I am happy to order the same thing every time I go. Tiffin Truck’s kale chaat is the exception that proves the rule. Fried kale, yoghurt and pomegranate seeds: together at last in happy harmony.

Sunday morning, June 2015. Newspapers, coffee and Bloody Marys at the Kingston Arms. My happy place.

An epic dim sum feast from Cafe Oriental on Burleigh Street.

A few years ago I took myself off to Midsummer House and dined solo for several glorious hours. Also glorious? A main course of grouse, girolles, cabbage and elderberries.

A deep bucket of salted popcorn from the kiosk at the Arts Picturehouse.

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The distinctive and enticing smell on King Street comes from one place and one place only: Efes.

Apple & cinnamon cake from Tom’s Cakes.

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FO O D & D R I N K

There are too many truly good small-batch chocolate bars to pick a single one, but I’m slowly making my way through the selection at Culinaris.

Hummus and other assorted mezze from Lagona.

A proper whisky sour, upstairs at Novi.

Coffee and a muffin from Bould Brothers Coffee.

Cold champagne from plastic cups on Jesus Green. A pizza from Charlie’s Coffee Company & Pizzeria on Burleigh Street, image by Charlotte Griffiths

Another Cambridge institution sadly no longer with us, but the lunch deal at Clowns included some of the best – and most comforting – pasta anywhere.

Smoked salmon from River Farm Smokery, sadly no longer smoking in an old RAF base in Bottisham. Thankfully, however, now called Chapel and Swan and just over the border in Exning.

Thai-style barbecued pork on rice from Thaikhun.

Hot Numbers’ bacon sandwich on toasted sourdough. Yes, please, I would like some HP Sauce.

Cobs Bakery cheese scones (via Darwin Nurseries & Farm Shop).

Experimental cocktails made, and tasted, at the Cambridge Gin Laboratory on Green Street.

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Hastily assembled punt picnic and emergency Pimm’s (assorted suppliers around the city).

The Tin Kitchen’s halloumi and roasted vegetable filled ciabatta.

The Al Chile food truck is something of a will-o’-the-wisp on the Cambridge scene, but the carnitas burrito I had from there a few years ago means I still keep a beady eye out for them when I’m in the mood for some top-notch Mexican food.

Fried dumplings from the Cambridge Market dim sum stall.

Cold beers from the fridge at Bacchanalia.

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And finally, a brand new one: it might be coffee and pastries, huevos rancheros, yoghurt or granola, but staff breakfast every Saturday at Vanderlyle is the food memory I look forward to making many more of over the next few years.

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Food News

ERIC’S OPENS IN ST IVES Cult chippie Eric’s has just opened its doors in St Ives – and we think it’s sure to be the new go-to plaice. The award-winning Norfolk-based restaurant and takeaway can be found on Harrison Way, and the first through the doors are able to enjoy 25% off food from 1 to 3 June. The menu puts freshness and simplicity to the fore, using locally-sourced ingredients alongside sustainably caught fish, complemented by a hip, Instagram-friendly decor. Eric’s signature fish and chips are seasonal catches lightly coated in house-made Green King IPA batter. There are also Japanese-style fish burgers and veggie options,

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including gruyère and spinach arancini. Sausages are sourced from Dingley Dell, a high-welfare farm in Suffolk, and all sauces and condiments are home-made for the ultimate flavour kick. Keep things classic with tartare sauce or mix it up with Eric’s black garlic mayo. Head to the ice cream station for seasonal ice creams and sorbets in collaboration with East Coast Gelato. Fancy a pint? Eric’s own Session pale ale is brewed by Brewboard, and can be taken home, too. Open daily from noon till 9pm, the 25% off food offer is valid on sit-down dining only. ericsfishandchips.com

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T HE OL D CROW N R EOPENS In a good piece of news for those in the Girton area, The Old Crown has now reopened, with a new management team at the helm and a new food offering to enjoy. Now operated by the group behind The Plough in Coton and Don Pasquale in the city centre, this pub and restaurant is hands down one of the best looking in the whole city, with a stylish copper-topped bar, jewel-coloured velvet furnishings and art deco touches throughout. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also got a large suntrap of a terrace and beer garden, while in cooler weather numerous fireplaces keep the venue cosy. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve already heard fantastic things about the Sunday roasts, and during the week you can expect elegant crowd-pleasers like rack of lamb with crisp lamb belly and hasselback potatoes, brioche bun burgers and beer-battered fish with hand-cut chips. There are lovely options for vegetarians, too, with lots more being added over the coming months. theoldcrowngirton.com

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SUMMER DAYS AT PUNT YARD

The Punt Yard has a tantalising mix of events this summer, with sport, tap takeovers, live music and more. A new garden (and not just any garden, but a gin garden!) has just been launched, and is in full swing on 8 June for World Gin Day. Celebrate there with amazing cocktails and gin tasting on the day. Sister pub The Petersfield has also welcomed back its gin garden if you fancy a G&T in splendid surroundings in the Mill Road area. Competition will be hot from 1 to 14 July on the Punt Yard’s own Murray Mound, with Wimbledon tennis screenings complete with strawberries and cream and table tennis. From 6 to 28 July, cheer on your favourite riders with Tour de France shown on the indoor screen, then on 2 August there’s a tap takeover for National Beer Day. There will be live music sessions every Friday from 8pm throughout the summer, while bottomless brunch is served up every Saturday and Sunday. Outdoor cinema, hog roasts and barbecues are also planned. puntyard.com

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FO O D N E WS R I V ER FOR D ’ S PER F ECT WA K E U P

A pop-up brunch that will wake you up in more ways than one comes to Coton Village Hall on 12 June. Riverford Organic Farmers aim to turn people on to organic food with their feasts all over the country, and this brunch, in partnership with Wake Up To Organic, has guests sitting together at large tables, with generous platters of food to pass around and share. Each £5 ticket (available via Eventbrite), includes three vegetarian sharing dishes, tea or coffee, plus a smoothie. You’ll hear a short introduction about Riverford, have a chance to chat to the team about their farms and, once you’ve enjoyed the food, take away recipe cards to cook it all up at home when you fancy it again. The brunch starts at 10am and you also get £5 credit to spend at Riverford.

YOG A A N D W IN E The perfect pairing to guarantee relaxation, yoga and wine are on offer on 13 June at the University Centre Wine Bar. Restore yourself with an uplifting all-levels yoga class taught by Tahnee Fournier, a senior teacher who has been holding classes for 16 years. The hour-long session starts at 7.30pm, then it’s time for a foray into the flavours and complexities of wine tasting, exploring summer white and rosé wines that would be a great addition to any garden party or picnic. Cambridge Wine Merchants – voted the UK’s number one merchant several times – have organised the tasting, which is led by expert Peter Dobos. Expect an informal, informative and fun treat for your tastebuds, with some light snacks also on offer. Tickets are £25 and must be booked in advance as places are limited. cambridgewine.com

eventbrite.co.uk

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CARLUCCIO’S ALFRESCO FEAST Make the most of Cambridge’s glorious green spaces this summer with a ready-to-go alfresco feast from Carluccio’s, which is offering a range of pre-prepared picnics. Both the Classic and new-this-year Plant Power picnics are filled to the brim with delicious, freshly-prepared Italian dishes, with minimum fuss but maximum flavour. From focaccia and antipasti, to seasonal salads and polpette di fagioli (a combo of vegan bean balls, chickpea and aubergine purée) both are £45 for two people, with sweet treats including almond macaroons and apricot tarts. There’s also an individual kids’ picnic, priced at £10. carluccios.com

COOKING ON FIRE

Wow friends and family this summer by learning barbecue skills and fantastic recipes at The Gog’s latest, back by popular demand, Cooking on Fire classes on 5 June and 3 July. They feature alfresco cookery demonstrations, a welcome drink and tasters throughout the class, a home-cooked meal to finish, plus a discount voucher to spend on the farm. Using Big Green Egg ovens, the chef will take you through many of the best ways to cook vegetables and meat over charcoal, including baking, low and slow, searing, grilling and roasting. Loved by many chefs, these barbecues can be found in the gardens of many foodies, as they are perfect for pizzas and even baking bread outdoors, as well as meat and veg. Tickets are £55 and both classes start at 6.30pm. eventbrite.co.uk

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FOODIES F ES T I VA L

Foodies Festival makes its Cambridge debut from 28 to 30 June on Parker’s Piece. Expect top chefs, workshops, masterclasses and street food – and the event features fab live music, too, with Scouting for Girls performing on the 29th. Local star chefs on the line-up include Midsummer House’s Daniel Clifford, Parker’s Tavern’s Tristan Welch and Vanderlyle’s Alex Rushmer. Plus, you can sample new wines, champagnes and cocktails. If you’re feeling brave, take part in a chilli eating competition and other food challenges. Weekend tickets are £29, day tickets £19, and family ticket options are £58 for the weekend and £38 for a day. foodiesfestival.com/cambridge

TUSCAN NIGHT The Rupert Brooke pub and restaurant is bringing the flavours of Italy to Grantchester on 20 June when it hosts a special Tuscan night. Head chef Daniele Vedovetto, born in Venice, is bringing his extensive knowledge and skills to produce an authentic Italian meal paired with some delicious Italian wines. It’s a great opportunity to pay a visit to this gorgeous gastropub, which boasts a light and airy conservatory dining room, stylish open-plan restaurant and striking rooftop terrace. There’s also a private dining room upstairs for up to 40 people if you’ve got a special occassion to celebrate. therupertbrooke.com CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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RIDING THE WAVE OF THE VEGAN REVOLUTION, CAMBRIDGEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PLANT-BASED BURGER RESTAURANT, DOPPLEGANGER, PLANS TO CHANGE THE WAY THE CITY EATS. CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS FINDS OUT MORE

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FO O D & D R I N K

lfy Fowler has only taken one day off since his vegan burger restaurant, DoppleGanger, first opened its doors on 18 January this year. I’m due to talk to him about his rise from pop-up to permanent eatery, but the mushrooms aren’t quite finished yet. I’m cheerily waved past the line of screens at the order station and bundled into the pocket-sized kitchen at the back of his candy-coloured burger bar. Alfy delivers a crash course in mushroom prep while I listen and try to stay out of the way of his fast-moving, plant-powered team, serving up lunches to a bustling room packed with burger fans. The mushrooms are soon judged to have reached a ‘leaveable’ stage, and we slope off to Parker’s Piece and sit on the dusty grass with iced coffees. It is early

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spring, but already hot – both under the chestnut trees and in DoppleGanger’s kitchen – but the endurance involved in running a restaurant isn’t new information to the young chef. “I worked in kitchens throughout studying as a graphic designer, and I worked with this one guy who was the manager of a pub that had a star. I used to do private dinner parties with him as his kitchen prep/waiter/kitchenhand, and that’s when I properly got into cooking,” Alfy explains. “I worked with him every weekend for a couple of years.” Having spent several years shuttling between London and Reading, and starting to see his friends take on full-time work, previously freelance Alfy then moved up to Cambridge and got a full-time design job. And then, just to see if he could, he tried going vegan for a month. “I only did it out of curiosity, for the cooking,” he says. “It was like learning how to cook again. It was less about ethical considerations – it was just

something interesting to do. I’d always cook every day after work, and I soon felt better for going vegan. And that’s why I stuck with it. I’m getting more hardcore now, but for the first couple of years I adopted the approach that if I made food for myself, it’d be vegan, but if I went home, then whatever my mum cooked, I’d eat it. I still sort of stand by that. I think that’s where it gets a bit lost, and some vegans can annoy people a bit by being a little evangelical. But that’s the difference – what DoppleGanger’s about: this is an option, and it’s tasty.” Faced with the prospect of relentless bean burgers, newly vegan Alfy soon started wondering what to do with the format of something-in-a-bun. “I wanted to make a decent burger, but the aim was never to make it taste like meat. We were never trying to replicate,” he explains. “My thing was that, texturally, a bean burger’s bad. It just turns to smush. If you have something between two bits of bread that has a bit of texture – because there’s u

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no meat in it – it frees you up to do more interesting things. With a burger, you’ve got the taste of beef, and beef should be what a burger tastes like – whereas with a vegan burger that’s not trying to be beef… what could you put in it?” Still working full-time as a designer, experimental Alfy ran a series of pop-ups on his office’s roof terrace on Hills Road in September 2017 – all of which sold out, proving that Cambridge was ready and waiting for his approach to vegan cuisine. An extremely popular residency at the subterranean bar 2648 followed, and investors got in touch. “At that point it was still something that I’d been playing around with, but it all changed after the pop-ups,” recalls Alfy. Rather than jumping on the increasingly popular bandwagon for ‘dirty vegan’ food, Alfy sought out a healthier way of creating crispiness. “I’d always wanted to use air fryers. People say that making a vegan burger to taste like meat is stupid – valid – but what’s just as stupid is, ‘Oh, I’m eating vegan, so I’ll put everything in the deep fat fryer’. You go vegan, go more plant-based, so you feel better – and then you end up eating out and everything tastes of dirty oil – you’ve gone back to square one.” He’s quick to defend DoppleGanger against accusations of unhealthiness. “Just because it’s a burger, and it looks a bit dirty... You’ve just seen the mushrooms being roasted. Nothing in

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what we make is ‘dirty’.” DoppleGanger’s bank of air fryers use a fraction of the amount of oil required to deep fry, surrounding food with a blast of hot air to crisp the surface and start those delicious Maillard reactions. He’s also lightning-fast to correct anyone who thinks that opting for vegetables instead of animal proteins has a positive effect on the business’s bottom line. “That’s a misconception,” he says. “Some people assume that my costs are really low, but the chefs I’ve got in now – in a normal kitchen they could get in at 9am, and prep for lunch, but our staff costs are higher, because you have to do a lot more to a vegetable to get it to taste decent. Time is the cost.” He explains: “Say that mushroom – say that was a bit of lamb: you’d just have to bone it out, and it’s a bit of lamb. With the mushroom, you have to peel ten cloves of garlic, make a paste, chop and roast them for an hour – it’s a lot more labour intensive. I’m not laughing to the bank here: I wish I were! I pay all my staff the living wage and above, too.” Along with investment, Alfy’s benefactors introduced him to a business coach, who’s been slowly adding to the young entrepreneur’s skill set. His approach to management has seen the vast majority of staff stick around, relishing the challenge of opening diners’ eyes to the possibilities offered by veganism. “I tell the chefs: your cooking

“You have to do a lot more to a vegetable to get it to taste decent”

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FO O D & D R I N K

now is your chance to impress someone with a plant-based diet. The diner could think, ‘Oh, this is bad, and so this whole diet is bad’, but my chefs care so much that they don’t screw it up. A lot of my team are very hardcore – some of them will only date other vegans. A cult, not a business – ‘cult classic, not bestseller’,” he laughs. Then he explains The Streets lyric that went sailing over my head. “Did you get that reference? It was in the early business plan as well. I don’t think they got it, either…” No matter how driven you are, going from working on your own as a designer to having to run a team of people is a challenge. “I do enjoy it. I’ve been really

lucky, I suppose. I try and choose the right people,” he says, “but letting people go is hard. I think that’s the other good thing about having been a designer. When I was at college, we were taught that you’ve got to disconnect yourself from this thing you’re working on. A lot of your heart goes into design – and the same with cooking as well – but if you take all the critiques personally, you’re not going to be very good at your job. You need to look at the thing as a product of what you made, and take critique on it. If it’s not good, you’ve got to say there and then: ‘It’s not right’. Ultimately, we’re putting a burger on a plate. If it’s not good, just redo it.” Alongside Alfy’s matter-of-fact approach to management, he’s also

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sincere about the possibility that his restaurant can make an actual, bona fide difference to individuals and to the planet. “There’s no rosy nonsense about it,” he says. “If someone eats twelve burgers a year, but they have three of ours, then I’ve actually made a difference. That’s what annoys me about design: we can make better equipment for disabled people, but it’s completely inaccessible because it costs ten of thousands of pounds. But with this, we can make a burger, and if Mr Meat chooses to come to us, then we’ve actually... done something.” But only one day off? Even on a plantpowered diet, there’s only so much a man can give. And although Alfy’s clear dedication to his business is reaping rave reviews and repeat custom, a balanced life is in sight for him. “It’s been seven days a week, 8am till 11pm. Maybe I get off early once a week… and I do feel pretty tired: it’s finally catching up to me,” he admits. “We’ve got some new chefs starting, so hopefully I’ll be able to take a bit of time off soon. People ask me, ‘Oh, are you scared to let go?’ And I’m like, ‘No way. Please have it!’,” Alfy laughs. “Some days you do ask yourself – is working every day worth it?” He waits for a beat, before his face cracks into a huge grin. “Yeaaahh – it is.” l J U N E 2 019

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SERVES 4

AS A STARTER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS

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Roast broccoli with miso bagna cauda & cashew labneh Bagna càuda is a northern Italian take on fondue, traditionally made with anchovies, garlic and olive oil. This vegan version uses miso and whole lemons in place of anchovies. I first read about it in Jeremy Fox’s masterful book On Vegetables, and have since made various versions, including one with sesame oil to really ramp up the Japanese flavours – particularly great when used to flavour aubergine. It’s a deeply flavoursome, umami-rich, bitter-sour condiment that enhances your food in countless ways. For this version, I’ve paired it with broccoli and a labneh made from cashew nuts to keep the dish completely vegan. INGREDIENTS

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

FOR THE CASHEW LABNEH

l T o make the cashew labneh, drain the cashew

l 1 25g cashew nuts, soaked overnight

in water

l 1 00ml water

l J uice of half a lemon

l 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

l S alt, to taste

FOR THE MISO BAGNA CAUDA

l 3 50ml olive oil

l 2 whole lemons, finely diced and deseeded l 1 50g white miso

l 3 heads garlic, peeled and grated

l 1 head of broccoli, broken into florets

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nuts and add to a blender along with the rest of the ingredients. Blend until smooth, then add salt to taste. Blend again and store in the fridge until needed. T o make the miso bagna càuda, place a pan half-filled with water over a medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. A dd the diced lemon, olive oil, garlic and miso to a bowl and cover tightly with cling film. P lace the bowl over the boiling water and steam for 60 minutes. Taste for seasoning and transfer to a container. Store in the fridge (almost indefinitely).

l H eat the oven to 200°C. Add a tablespoon of

cooking oil to a large oven-proof frying pan and place over a high heat. H eat until the oil begins to smoke and add the broccoli florets. Don’t move them for at least a couple of minutes to allow them to char and blacken slightly. T urn the broccoli pieces, then add two tablespoons of miso bagna càuda to the pan. Turn the broccoli through it to coat, then place the pan in the oven and roast for four minutes. The broccoli should retain a little bite. P lace a spoonful of cashew labneh onto a plate, top with the roasted broccoli and garnish with flaked almonds.

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FO O D & D R I N K

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CA M B R I D G E O N A P L AT E

Swans, gin & May balls AS MAY WEEK APPROACHES, DR SUE BAILEY INVESTIGATES THE FOOD HISTORY OF MAY BALLS – AND DID ST JOHN’S COLLEGE REALLY DINE ON ROAST SWAN?

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tudents this month are celebrating ‘May Week’. Only in Cambridge would this be two weeks at the end of June. The reason for this apparent calendar confusion dates back to 1882, when the college May boat races were moved to June, and it now marks the end of exams with garden parties, elegant May balls and other college events. These are either firework-dusted fairy tales or extravagant all-night parties, depending on the views of different residents in Cambridge. But what have swans and gin got to do with Cambridge’s May balls? Roast swan or ‘le cygne Saint Jean’ is a dish permitted by law to only a very limited number of institutions in the United Kingdom – and the Queen. St John’s College was one of the few places where swan was supposedly eaten at May balls up until the early nineties. I remember it described on their menu in the late seventies when my student husband-to-be was trying to impress me with his intellect. How times change, and thankfully custom-made gin is now the way that ball organisers hope to create a buzz instead of eating swans. The Cambridge Distillery is currently producing exclusive gins for numerous colleges, with the owner, Will Lowe, commenting: “Cambridge college balls are magical events. Yes, they are noisy and a bit exclusive – but it’s almost like Cambridge gets another Christmas.” At one college, the seasonal herbs of lemon thyme and lemon verbena, plus secret fragrant botanicals, will be ‘picked and gently distilled from the gardens where the students have passed through to and from lectures and exams, providing a unique memento.

Talking of booze, the historic excesses of 38 celebratory Trinity College men at their boat club dinner (an early forerunner to May balls) were impressive even by current student standards. This was when Queen Victoria had just ascended to the throne. Revellers drank two bottles a head of wine, champagne and sherry, plus consuming 12 pints of ale and a vast amount of punch. Sadly, the food served wasn’t recorded, so we’ll have to use our imaginations. Celebrations became more elegant by the time women were invited as guests. Trinity College had its first May ball in 1866, with guests enjoying a ‘handsome supper’. The St John’s College Lady Margaret Ball started in 1888, and Kings College had their first one twelve years later. By the twenties, local newspaper reports speak of college balls with artistic, lavish and tasteful decorations, refreshment marquees, supper tents, fairy lanterns and carpeted pathways. The First and Third Trinity May Ball (named after the two key college boat clubs) was held in the Corn Exchange with ‘dainty statues, garlanded pictures of the river and college and three suppers, each for over two hundred persons’, but no swans. In fact, it has never been established whether the St John’s College dinner swans on offer were real (evidence welcomed) or otherwise embellished fowl. The college archivist says that “there is proof of the consumption of cygnets through to 1896. A letter from 1950 records the use of wax swan wings and a thick white bechamel sauce to create the effect of swan down and, until 1986, swan was served (in some form or another) at the May ball.” But how would you cook a swan and what does it actually taste like? In the fifties, renowned food historian Dorothy Hartley gives a recipe for roasting to “prepare as a turkey if young, if old the same treatment as an antique fowl”, greased and covered with green herbs, using a flour and water crust to keep the swan moist.

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Swans were often originally served with a well-spiced medieval-style sauce to disguise the muddy taste if they were not fattened on oats. The birds were actually marketed in quantity until after the Second World War. By then, St Helen’s Hospital in Norwich was the last place in England to keep swans for food. The birds were prepared and sent out with an instructional poem starting: “Take three pounds of beef, beat fine in a mortar, put into the swan – that is when you’ve caught her.” Now, colleges such as Corpus Christi are conscious of their environmental impact, and their experimental dining menu is completely vegan. So, eating swans, boars’ heads and other exotic fare has given way to use of local suppliers such as Steak & Honour at Darwin’s May ball, plus sustainability awareness with Bread4Life serving wood-fired pizzas and supporting those in need. But if we cannot attend a May ball, at least we can celebrate World Gin Day on 8 June. So, enjoy a gin-based tipple at one of the great cocktail bars in Cambridge such as 196 on Mill Road, 1815 The Union Bar, 2648 on Trinity Street or Hidden Rooms down Jesus Lane – and then go and watch the sparkling fireworks. l J U N E 2 019

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BROMPTON 2019 M-TYPE 2 SPEED FOLDING ELECTRIC BIKE £2,594.99, RUTLAND CYCLING

The Brompton Electric is designed to change cities; it has smart features, a sleek design and is simple to use. Perfect if you want to arrive fresh to a meeting or tackle those steeper inclines with ease.

SAM NKD £675, BEG BICYCLES

A 1930s-inspired racer, Sam combines retro flair with urban good looks. Available from BEG Bicycles over in Hemingford Grey, it’s the perfect cycle for a stylish gent or gal about town.

Along for the Ride GET SET FOR A SUMMER OF CYCLING WITH OUR PICK OF THE BEST BIKES AND GEAR THE LIGHT BLUE ST JOHNS RETRO £1,299.99, TOWNSENDS LIGHT BLUE CYCLE CENTRE

Using retro styled components to give an authentically vintage feel, this high-gloss cycle is sure to inspire envy as you breeze along the Backs.

GAZELLE CABBY 2019 UTILITY BIKE £1,498.99, RUTLAND CYCLING

The Gazelle Cabby C7 combines the convenience of a cargo bike with contemporary design. The spacious box can carry two children effortlessly and folds down with ease: handy when parking.

NERO YELLOW £349, QUELLA

We can’t get enough of this striking cycle from Cambridge company Quella: a matt black frame with mustard yellow wheelset, it’s a total showstopper and an ideal city rider.

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S U M M E R CYC L I N G VARSITY COLLECTION – CAMBRIDGE £449, QUELLA

A bike created in honour of our city, the Quella Varsity is a fun, low maintenance and trackinspired speedster, with an added bit of Cambridge refinement and sophistication.

“A fun, low maintenance and trackinspired speedster”

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TOP TIPS CATHERINE THOMPSON, HEAD MECHANIC AND INSTRUCTOR AT OUTSPOKEN, SHARES HER TIPS FOR KEEPING YOUR BIKE RUNNING SMOOTHLY PUMP UP YOUR TYRES

Tyres are not airtight and need to be inflated regularly to maintain pressure. They always have their recommended pressure written on the side, so it’s easy to check how hard to pump them. Properly inflated tyres mean you’ll go faster, get fewer punctures and your tyres will last longer. Do it every other week, or once a month as a minimum. GIVE IT A CLEAN

PEL E TON S T Y L E Looking for some new cycling togs? Check out This is Cambridge (TIC CC), a super cool local brand which offers a range of jerseys, caps, jackets, bib shorts, socks and more. Created here in Cambridge for road athletes “looking to achieve extraordinary things”, the products marry style and function, using top technical fabrics in a range of bold colours with eye-catching designs. Prices start at £26.95 for caps and £96 for jerseys and can be ordered online at this-is-cambridge.com.

Big areas of wear and tear on a bike are the chain and sprockets – as you ride you pick up dirt and dust, which wears down the links and the teeth of the chain and sprockets, making them thin and sharp. Put a bit of chain degreaser on a rag and run the chain through a few times, giving it a good rub to get off as much dirt as possible. Clean the little cogs that the chain passes through on the derailleur as well as the sprockets front and back. Follow instructions on the degreaser and wash with water afterwards, if directed, leaving the bike to dry. LUBRICATION

After you’ve given the chain a clean, always re-apply lubricant. The key is little and often; you don’t need to cover the chain in oil, just use a drop per link. Let it sink in, then wipe off any excess with a rag. Use a proper liquid bike lubricant (not a spray like WD40). CHECK YOUR BRAKE PADS

Worn brake pads don’t just cause unsafe braking, they can also damage your wheels. Once all the rubber is worn the metal will show through and cut into the wheel rim. Check regularly whether your brakes are working and look to see there’s plenty of rubber on the pads. If you’re not sure, drop into your local shop – they’ll be happy to look for you. GET IT SERVICED

Servicing can sometimes seem like an expense but, just as with a car, it’s best to keep on top of the maintenance. A good bike shop will be able to fit the service to your needs. A little service at six months and a bigger one at 12 months each year will keep your bike running like new. Outspoken offers a range of courses to help you get to grips with your bike, including beginners, advanced and groups. outspokencycles.co.uk

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Education SIXTH FORM SOCIAL ACTION â&#x20AC;¢ OPEN DAYS SPECIAL

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E DE D UU CAT CAT I OI O NN

Open House ALMOST NOTHING AFFECTS PURCHASING DECISIONS MORE THAN THE WEATHER. COULD THE SUMMER SUNSHINE HELP YOU CHOOSE YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL?

ccording to the British Retail Consortium, nothing – apart from the economy – affects people’s purchasing decisions more than the weather. Being exposed to sunshine makes people buy more – and be prepared to spend more on their purchases, according to a 2010 study by Kyle B Murray. The more sunlight we’re exposed to, the better our mood (it’s down to higher levels of serotonin) and the more predisposed we are to buy things – indeed, some canny retailers replicate this feel-good approach with bright halogen lighting. It might be pushing it to suggest that the weather could affect the decision to send your child to a particular school. But given that sunshine can affect major purchases, such as cars and houses, it wouldn’t be wholly surprising if – all

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other factors like exam results and quality of teaching being equal – seeing a school with a top-notch swimming pool on a radiantly beautiful day gave it the edge. Swimming pools aside, there are other good reasons for visiting one of the schools in our area towards the end of the academic year. A major advantage is that by the time the summer term rolls round, pupils will

have three terms’ progress under their belts. Visit in May or June and – like the trees and plants outside – what you’ll get is the sense of a school in full bloom. This doesn’t just matter because it’s colourful and interesting, but because it can give families a real sense of what’s been achieved. “One of the nice things about coming in the summer term is, ultimately, u

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E D U CAT I O N

parents want to see that their children are improving, or getting better,” explains Victoria Robeson, head of admissions and marketing at Oaks International School. “Teachers can really demonstrate that, for example, this is the level students were writing at the beginning of the year and this is where they are now.” And, for a 360° perspective, you really can’t beat asking the children what they’ve gained during the year. The pupils themselves are increasingly involved in the learning process, so they start to understand not just what they’re learning, but the purpose behind it – and can be impressively articulate in communicating this to visiting families. “They’re encouraged to look at what they’ve done,

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reflect, look at how they can improve and recognise what they need to improve and work on – in terms of academic work and in other areas,” says Victoria. The summer months are also the time of year when all areas of the school are used – inside and out. Schools may vary in the amount of outdoor space they have at their disposal, but however big or small, visiting in warm weather provides a physical aide-memoire to see how it’s used. Woodland can be an all-year-round classroom, and grassed areas can be a venue for impromptu games. So, it’s useful to check that, however lush the acres that roll into the distance are, they’re also well used by children and scenes of life and laughter, which is an

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integral part of the learning experience and definitely not for display purposes only. Oaks International, for example, is set in the middle of a public park that is used extensively as a teaching resource. “Children are often out with clipboards, doing investigations, or collecting feathers or leaves for art and descriptive writing,” says Victoria. This time of year is also notable for a coming together of other elements of school life. Yes, there may be exams (and while they’re on, large chunks of the senior school may be missing in action – either on study leave or sweating it out over their papers). After that, however, there are the plays, concerts and CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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E D U CAT I O N exhibitions (DT and Art are often aweinspiringly good) – the culmination of months of rehearsals, creative endeavour and sheer, hard slog. The principal of Hills Road Sixth Form College, Jo Trump, says that at the college’s first-ever summer term open day, which will be held in June for Year 10 students and their families, “visitors will be able to see the college in daylight and hopefully during warm weather, too”. It also means that the college can make full use of its outdoor spaces to showcase a range of activities – from performances by the college’s chamber choir, orchestra and jazz band in the music recital room, to the chance to enjoy performing arts

students on stage at the Robinson Theatre throughout the evening. Our area’s schools and colleges stress that whatever the weather or time of year, families can pick up a huge understanding of what makes a school tick – as long as they keep a few essentials top of mind. Regardless what’s on offer – and that includes swimming pools, even on the hottest of summer days – it’s not about how extensive or impressive the facilities are, but how much they’ll matter. “The school may have all sorts of facilities that could impress parents, but it’s whether they will be useful to that individual child,” says Richard Settle, headmaster of Sancton Wood. “Parents should always u

“Parents want to see that their children are improving”

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be thinking not of what would work for them if they were going to the school (or what their friends are choosing), but what’s actually right for the person at the heart of this – their child. “For some of these parents, it could be their first time back in a school since they left. And it’s important to remember that it’s not what you would like, not what would impress you as a student, but what it is that your child needs. Does this particular school satisfy those needs?” he stresses, making a strong case for getting “under a school’s fingernails”. Ultimately, that should be something that can be achieved successfully at any time of year. It’s not possible for visitors to experience the full works in just a couple of hours – but they can pick up the creativity, energy and sheer enjoyment that radiates from staff and pupils. It’s also important for visiting families to ensure that they get a feeling for the other vital areas beyond marvelling at the sights and sounds on offer. At Hills Roads’ open days, for example, prospective students can get first-hand experience of some of the 30 A-level subjects on offer (a mind-boggling range that covers everything from Art and Design to Classical Civilisation and Geology) by talking not just to the tutors, but to current students, as well as finding

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“If you’ve got a year or two year’s lead up, 100% you should go more than once” out more about the college’s equally mind-boggling enrichment subjects, including mindfulness, creative writing and archery. Staff from student services, study skills and the careers teams will also give insights into college life, available support – and life after college. And if you don’t get a feel for how a school or college ticks, it’s worth – when possible – going back several times, advises Richard. “If you’ve got a year or two year’s lead up, 100% you should go more than once. You’ll see what the classroom looked like in September, what it looked like in summer and of course it should have grown with the class and with the year group – there should be all sorts of exciting things on the wall that reflect all the exciting things the

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children have been doing throughout that academic year,” he explains. While the weather can have an impact, it’s ultimately about the educational experience as a whole, he says. “It comes back to that idea of: is this school going to suit my child? It’s the feel and the people in the building that are going to impact and influence your children’s lives, not the weather.” And with that in mind, Richard agrees that parents could find dropping in at break time on a cold, miserable, autumn day and seeing if teachers – and pupils – are cheerful and engaged just as beneficial as a visit on a sunny June morning. “If you still get a good feeling from the wet day in November, then that’s definitely a good sign,” he concludes. l J U N E 2 019

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E D U CAT I O N E D U C AT I O N S P OT L I G H T

Social action success HILLS ROAD SIXTH FORM COLLEGE ON HOW SOCIAL ACTION DEVELOPS 21ST CENTURY EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS – AND BOOSTS STUDENTS’ RESILIENCE AND WELLBEING

esearch indicates that almost eight in ten young people aged between ten and 20 years old would take part in campaigning, fundraising or volunteering if they had the chance. Currently, four in ten (42%) young people take part in meaningful social action. Robust evidence confirms that young people who participate in social action have higher life satisfaction and enhanced levels of well-being. They also develop key skills such as teambuilding and problem-solving, as well as character strengths such as resilience and empathy. By measuring hormones and brain activity, researchers have discovered that being helpful to others delivers significant benefits. Evidence points to the release of dopamine in the brain in relation to acts of altruism, which has a positive effect on individuals’ wellbeing and mental attitude. To secure all these benefits, and just as importantly to make a positive difference to its local, national and global community, Hills Road Sixth Form College in Cambridge decided to set its Year 12 students a tough challenge in the summer of 2018 to raise £10,000 in just one week, for charities of their choice. At the beginning of the week, students were split into groups of between ten and 12, and were each given a brief to work on a project to identify and raise a minimum of £100 per group for their chosen charity. They then had three further days to go out and about in Cambridgeshire raising the minimum target of £100 per group, before coming together on the Friday to share success stories. One group of students formed a band called Ben’s Boys, and three of their members performed in the centre of Cambridge raising funds for their chosen charity. Other groups of students included the Deenadreamers, who walked their neighbours’ dogs, washed cars and did some gardening to raise funds for the Botswana Diabetes Partnership Project; a group called Walking for Water CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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completed a sponsored eight-kilometre walk (the distance the average person in Kenya has to walk to access water) to raise funds for WaterAid. Much innovation, creativity and enterprise was in evidence, and the Hills Road students had a fantastic week raising an amazing total of £19,585 for charities during their first ever ‘Social Action Week’. Principal Jo Trump said, “The purpose of the week was to connect our students with local, national and international charities that they are passionate about and give them an insight into social action. We have been delighted by the way in which they have risen to the challenge and really understood what it means to make a difference in this hands-on way.” Prizes were awarded at the end of the week, with one going to the team who raised the most for their nominated charity. This went to the enterprising ice cream sellers who raised £811 for

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Melanoma Focus. Equally innovative were the Bedsheet Boyz, who created community art on Parker’s Piece by inviting the public to co-create a piece of combined art painted on bedsheets in return for a donation to their nominated charity, Jimmy’s Night Shelter. The young Social Enterprise Company, Unloc, have been working in partnership with the college to help inspire, motivate and develop this enterprising, socially responsible mindset in its students. Unloc’s CEO, Hayden Taylor said, “We are delighted with how successful the Hills Road Social Action Week has been and how well students have responded. We are looking forward to making it even bigger and better next year.” Hills Road staff are looking forward to seeing how this year’s Year 12 students will rise to the challenge and are busy preparing them to take part in the second Social Action Week, which begins on Monday, 3 June 2019 – look out for them in and around Cambridge! l J U N E 2 019

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Stir

I N DEPEN DEN T OF T H E MON T H

SIOBHAN GODWOOD DISCOVERS WHY JUDITH AND MATT HARRISON DECIDED TO CREATE THEIR COMMUNITY-CENTRIC CAFE IN CHESTERTON

ots of people move to a new area and bemoan the lack of a decent coffee shop, but not everyone goes to the lengths of opening their own cafe to resolve the situation. However, this is exactly what Judith and Matt Harrison did when they established Chesterton Road’s Stir back in September 2015. “Before we opened there was really nothing here,” says Judith of the CB4 area where the cafe is situated. “The Mill Road part of Cambridge has that whole community vibe going on, and our side of town just had nothing, no focal point. We thought it would be so nice if there were some sort of community hub where people could get together for coffee and cake, and assumed that if we were thinking it, other people must be, too.” Despite having no experience of hospitality – Judith worked in HR and her husband worked in marketing – they decided to look for suitable premises. “A site nearby came up, but it was going to be a dentist, then it was going to be a tile shop… the owners weren’t prepared

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to take a chance on us as we were a new business and they didn’t think we would do very well. But we pushed and pushed and finally they relented. I thought, ‘How hard can it be?’,” Judith laughs. “Now when people say to me, ‘You’re so lucky, opening a cafe has always been my dream’, I just look at them and think: you have no idea!” To begin with, the focus of Stir was on the coffee, with a very simple food offering of toasties and soup. But Judith and Matt gradually realised that the market they were attracting wanted something a bit more than that, and under the advice of restaurant manager Emma, they gradually introduced a brunch menu. “She had lived in Australia and had seen brunch become really huge there,” Judith says. “She thought it could work in Cambridge, too, so we decided to test the waters with a fairly limited menu. From there, it just absolutely rocketed.” The big favourite on the Stir brunch menu is always the halloumi and ‘shrooms, which is served on Stir

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sourdough with a poached egg and spinach. The big brunch board and the Stir stacks – either the version with bacon or the veggie and vegan options – are also immensely popular. The coffee is still a huge part of the Stir ethos, however. “Our coffee is really important to us. We have an amazing supplier, Butterworth & Son, which is a specialist roastery based in Bury St Edmunds, and we make sure that every cup of coffee we serve is the best it can be. We grind all our beans on-site, and customers can also buy the beans as retail packs and we’ll do the grinding. But Stir has evolved now so that brunch is really central to what we do, and of course now that we’ve got the bakery, it’s also about the bread, cakes and pastries.” The bakery came about in early 2017, when the shop next to Stir became vacant, and the landlord offered Judith and Matt the opportunity to expand. “We’d been buying things in from other bakeries and cake makers, and found the quality really inconsistent. Setting up our own bakery just seemed to tick all our boxes; we could supply the cafe ourselves and make sure that everything was as good as we wanted it to be, rather than relying on someone else to do it for us. It also fitted in with our philosophy of being a local hub; we felt that delicious homemade bread and cakes would bring something new to our community that would be a real benefit.” Setting up a bakery has been much, much harder than Judith originally anticipated. “We had absolutely no idea about what equipment we needed, and it’s actually really technical – even more complicated than the kit needed to grind coffee. And even harder was finding really good bakers who can make great bread by hand, from scratch. So many bakeries make things with machines or using ready-made dough, so we got lots CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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of applicants who didn’t know how to do anything else.” Now, Stir has a brilliant head baker who can make a huge range of different types of bread and pastries. “The range and the quality that we offer now is second to none, and that comes from having someone who has years and years of experience. The sky’s the limit, really.” And it’s not just Judith who thinks so: Stir Bakery has just won a National Bakery Award for the best bakery in Cambridgeshire. “It sounds really cheesy,” says Judith, “but the award for the bakery, and the fact that we’ve won a Food & Drink award for the cafe every year since we started, is down to our amazing team. Yes, the coffee, the brunch, the bread and the pastries are all amazing quality, but there’s something else there, too.” Judith may not have had experience of running a cafe, but she had plenty of experience of being a customer, which meant she knew exactly what she wanted the cafe to be – and more importantly, what she didn’t want it to be. “You know those coffee shops where the coffee is a bit like a cult, and you feel like a fool because you don’t know what a flat white is? Or what all the different sizes mean? When I opened Stir, I knew it had to be friendly, not intimidating. I wanted it be a place that welcomed people in, and made them want to come back.” l Stir Cafe and Bakery | 253/255 Chesterton Road, Cambridge, CB4 1BG 01223 778530 | stircambridge.co.uk

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B E AU T Y

the

BEAUTY F

avourites. We’ve all got them, and for me my desert island product is absolutely mascara. Giving support and structure to many a tired eye, I believe it’s possible to brush a little of the black stuff through your lashes seconds before rushing out of the door, and head into the world looking – and more importantly feeling – ready for anything the day throws at you. I’m really fussy when it comes to coating my lashes, and it takes a lot from a tube to impress me. The one I always return to is Too Faced Better Than Sex (£16.15, Debenhams) and while I’m sure we can all agree it has an awful name, I encourage you to give it a chance as it has the most wonderfully uplifting formula for thick, dramatic lashes. If a more natural look is more your thing, however, then pick up Glossier Lash Slick (£14, glossier.com). It perfectly coats each individual lash, making them dark and separated without being too full-on. And what if your mascara could provide care and nourishment while also making your peepers pop? The Airbase Lash Extend mascara (£22, airbasemakeup.com) is designed with exactly that in mind. An ideal option for daily wear, it contains a growth-enhancing super-serum to help prevent loss of lashes as well as improving the strength of existing lashes. Lord & Berry Boost Treatment MasCare (£16, lookfantastic.com) is another two-in-one mascara that creates instant drama whilst nourishing your natural lashes with a blend

bible

of Panthenol and Biotinyl-Amino Acid for promoting growth. For swimmers, beach babes, or those simply partial to a few tears over the new series of Queer Eye (no judgement here!) you’ll want something a little more hardcore. Mavala Waterproof Mascara (£11, feelunique.com) is silk protein enriched and delivers a long-lasting formula on a curvy brush, perfect for lifting lashes. For a cheap and cheerful option, I’ve been using Essence False Lash Effect Princess from Wilko for years, and it costs just £3.30! Such a bargain and a seriously good formula. And for my favourite mascara for going all out and creating a dramatic look – and great if you shy away from falsies – is IT Cosmetics Superhero Mascara (£19, Boots). This tube lasts for ages and the formula is thick and super dark. If you struggle with a lack of curve to your lashes, or are not up for extensions, there is a treatment available called LVL (length, volume, lift) which uses a setting serum to straighten your natural lashes at the root, giving the appearance of added length and curl. You’ll also get a tint at the same time to add colour and depth. Most good beauty salons across Cambridge will offer this treatment. I had it at Lash & Glo on Newmarket road for £55, and it lasted about six weeks. l

“What if your mascara could provide care and nourishment?” CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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WORDS BY DAISY DICKINSON

THE ONE THAT I WANT

A brand I was once only able to get when travelling to the US, Pretty Vulgar is now available on Beautybay.com, and I encourage you to pick up The Feathers mascara (£14) for pure packaging appeal. This beautifully gilded tube looks like a birdcage, and while it’s just so pretty, it also packs a punch for volumised, clump-free lashes and is vegan and cruelty-free too.

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S U M M E R F LO W E R S • E D I T I O N LO V E S • F R E S H GA R D E N LO O KS

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GA R D E N S

How does your

GARDEN GROW?

ANNA TAYLOR, OWNER OF ANNA’S FLOWER FARM IN AUDLEY END, SHARES WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE GARDEN THIS MONTH

hile the first of June is the astronomical beginning of summer, the 21st is both the longest day and the shortest night, marking the meteorological start to summer. The hottest season only feels even shorter by having Midsummer’s Day on 24 June! It is the glorious month of warm, light, long summer days. The garden is bountiful and the grass is lush. On our plots, the fast work pace of the spring reduces, and the seed sowing slows once we have finished the biennial sowing. Biennials are sown in one year and flower the next, so these mark the end of the seed sowing for this season and the beginning of the flower planning for the following year. We are still pricking out, thinning and planting out new plants for late summer, but we turn to concentrating on weeding, staking, watering and harvesting our flowers at this time. Our biggest and most enjoyable task of the month is to plant out the dahlias. We try to do this in the first few days of June, just after the last possibility of frosts has passed. The dahlias are the pinnacle of the growing year and our biggest crop. Few fail to be wooed by at least one aspect of these flowers, be it the complexities of colours or petal formation. Once out of fashion and banished to the allotment, they are truly back and an easy-to-grow late summer flower. They are hungry growers, and we plant out into richly prepared beds using our favourite ‘double strength’ sheep’s wool soil conditioner, and lay the beer traps we described last month to prevent slugs feasting on new growth. Meanwhile, we cut the frothy June flowers – roses, larkspur, ammi majus and foxgloves – for weddings, parties and our classes. Other crowd-pleasers are sweet peas. They are loved by so many and, being highly scented, they are powerfully evocative. In fact, nothing makes a garden more sensually CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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pleasing than the scents of sun-warmed flowers. To make the most of the delicacy of scent, you need trees, shrubs and fences to trap scent, together with borders and walls in the sun planted to their fullest. The best plants for scent are herbs, lavender, rosemary and bay. Their scent will reach out to you, but others such as scented pelargoniums will release their scent if you brush past or pick a leaf. Roses, honeysuckle and jasmine are favourites, and there is always space in a garden for at least one of these, if not all. Sweet peas and tobacco flowers take a little effort to grow but, as with many of the blooms that we grow, the more flowers you cut, the more follow on, allowing you to enjoy heady, delicious scent and beauty in a jug on your tables throughout the summer. l

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THIS MONTH As well as a flower crown workshop at Kettle’s Yard this month (more details on page 19), you can join Anna for a midsummer flower arranging class focusing on roses and annuals on 22 June from 10.30am to 2pm. annasflowerfarm.com

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Room to grow

INTERIORS

WHETHER YOU HAVE AN IDYLLIC COUNTRY GARDEN OR A SMALL, URBAN TERRACE, TREAT YOUR OUTDOOR SPACE AS AN EXTENSION OF YOUR HOME AND IT WILL GROW WITH YOUR NEEDS. FROM STYLISH FURNITURE TO DINING ALFRESCO, ANGELINA VILLA-CLARKE DIGS UP THE LATEST GARDEN TRENDS THAT HAVE PERENNIAL APPEAL

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ow that summer is upon us, thoughts turn to making the most of the long days and warm nights ahead. Whether you want a chic entertaining space or simply a place to chill out in the sun, a few tweaks and some clever purchases can quickly transform your garden into a hip, outdoor living space. Bringing the indoors to the outdoors has been a budding theme for the past few years, with many styles of weatherproofed furniture and textiles available to translate into making the most of your garden’s cosy atmosphere. Terraces are ideal areas to segue seamlessly into the home. One designer trick is to use the same flooring for both the indoors and outdoors – especially effective if you have bifold doors or retractable glass windows. Stone & Ceramic Warehouse’s new porcelain deck tiles are wood-effect planks, which do away with the usual maintenance needed with real wood. The new Palma Collection porcelain tiles, meanwhile, emulate the beauty of natural stone, but without the costly upkeep of real stone, so they look good all year round and can be used in kitchens and on patios alike. With comfortable rattan daybeds and intricate wrought iron tables and chairs, Cambridge-based Neptune has an inspiring collection of chic furniture. Think of your terrace as a second living room, and seek out mirrors, side tables and plenty of plants in oversized containers to create an enchanting feel. Caroline Mann, outdoor furniture buyer at Wyevale Garden Centres, adds her advice: “As a nation, our outdoor spaces are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and teaming your furniture sets with complementary finishing touches, such as rugs, cushions and fire pits, can bring it to life. Create colour and atmosphere without losing floor space by introducing trellis plants and hanging lights, and choose potted plants and lanterns to add texture without overcrowding. Mirrors are also a great way to draw light into u J U N E 2 019

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Previous page Deckchairs, £40, Wyevale Garden Centres This picture Harrington chairs and sofa, from £595, Neptune Top right Brighton bistro set, £169, Wyevale Garden Centres Bottom right Sunbury bistro set, £399, Wyevale Garden Centres

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TRENDY TERRACES REBECCA MALYON, HEAD OF DESIGN AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AT NEPTUNE, GIVES HER TIPS Look out for metal garden furniture that’s been both galvanised and powder coated – great for all weathers. Emulate aspects of your living room, like side tables, coffee tables and armchairs. Take cushions and blankets outside with you to make it feel like a genuine room. To help your garden furniture live a long life, it’s always best to cover it in winter months or during spells of bad weather.

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INTERIORS

dark corners, as they create the illusion of space. Equally, a folding bistro set can be easily adapted to different occasions on the terrace.” Inspired by traditional English architectural features, Garden Requisites’ door canopies, arches, planters and window boxes also add a whimsical touch to garden spaces. “Window boxes are the perfect way to increase a home’s kerb appeal,” says a spokesperson for the brand. “Our wirework window boxes provide a vintage design for sash windows, while the ironwork window boxes are ideal for a town house or country cottage. For something more Georgian in design, the crescent window box is the best solution for period properties. Finally, the modern contemporary window box will suit any property with its clean, rectangular lines.” Targeting smaller spaces, Sainsbury’s seasonal Stockholm collection emulates Scandi styling, with weatherproof floor and seating cushions, colourful tableware and solar lighting. The Global Monochrome collection, meanwhile, is inspired by travels to Africa, with tribal printed crockery and Naive-style designs. u

Top Double gate, from £645, Garden Requisites Above Coastline outdoor dining range, prices vary, Sainsbury’s This picture Stockholm spring outdoor dining range, prices vary, Sainsbury’s

A L F R ESCO AT T R AC T ION HOLLIE BROOKS, COFOUNDER OF ONLINE SHOP AUDENZA, ON DINING OUTDOORS Throw an outdoor rug on the terrace in order to create a focal point and add some colour to hard landscaping. Hang or place lanterns around your space to create atmosphere for summer evenings. Colourful glassware is the perfect way to create an eye-catching and summery table display.

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Meanwhile, at Aria, a new outdoor furniture range includes bamboo and canvas deckchairs and vintage console tables. “Dining outdoors doesn’t mean you have to compromise on style or comfort,” says Morgan Meredith from Aria. “This summer we recommend neutral tones, rattan furniture and tables flooded with flowers.” When it comes to summer meals with family and friends, who can refuse the delights of a barbecue? Better still, elevate your outdoor entertaining into something special by creating a ‘dining room’ area to eat in. Christopher Ray, outdoor category manager at B&Q, shares his expert insight on how to perfectly ‘zone’ your outdoor space. He explains: “Zoning is an emerging trend that champions structure and allows you to carve out a space for everything, whether it’s an exciting play area for the kids, a barbecue-cum-dining station for the grown-ups or a chill-out zone for family and friends. Position your entertaining area within easy access of the barbecue or kitchen and create different levels in your garden as clever way of adding depth and an illusion of space. Plus, a raised decking area specifically for barbecue prep makes it easier to keep children away from the heat of the grill and the hustle and bustle of cooking. Finally, add ambience with statement outdoor lighting.” Meanwhile, borrowing from the French penchant for long get-togethers outdoors, Dibor’s Gallic-inspired tableware is ideal for breakfasting on the patio or enjoying late night drinks. “There’s no need to compromise on style with paper plates and plastic cutlery: the modern garden party is a stylish affair,” says Sarah Boardman, creative stylist at Dibor. “Adorn your outdoor dining table with brightly coloured glassware, or decorate J U N E 2 019

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your patio area with rustic lanterns for a beautifully natural summer feel.” To add a touch of luxury – LA style – factor in a firepit, chiminea or wood-burning stove (they are practical purchases, as well as on-trend additions to the garden). Dimitri Pappas, director at My Furniture, which offers a range of firepits, says: “Once the sun sets, and the temperature drops, evenings can be enjoyed for longer with the warmth of a firepit. They offer the perfect place to gather with friends, or even for a quiet moment alone.” For an upscale feel, pair an open fire with the crafted, customisable rattan and woven furniture from interior

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design service Juliettes Interiors. The new generation of artificial grass from Carpetright, meanwhile, means goodbye to weeding and mowing the lawn. Finally, Vicky Angell, outdoor living buyer at John Lewis & Partners, says that a big trend for this summer is ‘bohemian style’. “The key to achieving this is to move away from ‘matchy matchy’ furniture and towards bold, individual pieces that bring you joy,” she says. “Consider pairing a simple garden sofa or table with a bright statement chair in clashing colours. Build in layers of tactile accessories, with eye-catching prints and textures, and you can create an eclectic yet personalised space that you’ll love spending time in.” l CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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INTERIORS STO CK IST S Aria 020 7704 62226 ariashop.co.uk Audenza 01162 986 393 audenza.com B&Q 03330 143 098 diy.com Carpetright 0330 333 3444 carpetright.co.uk Dibor 0800 408 0660 dibor.co.uk Garden Requisites 01225 851577 garden-requisites.co.uk John Lewis Cambridge 01223 361292 johnlewis.com Juliettes Interiors 020 7870 7415 juliettesinteriors.co.uk My Furniture 0800 092 1636 my-furniture.com Neptune 01793 427 300 neptune.com Sainsbury’s 0800 636 262 sainsburys.co.uk Stone & Ceramic Warehouse 020 8993 5545 stoneandceramicwarehouse.co.uk Wyevale Garden Centres wyevalegardencentres.co.uk

Top left Ulla Rattan Bench, £425, and accessories, prices vary, Aria Left A selection of outdoor furniture and accessories, John Lewis, prices vary Right Windermere artificial grass, £17.99 per m², Carpetright Bottom right Small firepit, £59.99, My Furniture Below Helmsley outdoor dining range, from £4, Dibor

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INTERIORS LA HACIENDA LANGDALE CLAY CHIMINEA

£149, johnlewis.com GLOBAL ZEBRA CUSHION

£12.50, sainsburyshome.co.uk

RELAX BAMBOO DECKCHAIR

HELMSLEY BLUSH NAPKINS

£136, ariashop.co.uk

£4 for two, dibor.co.uk

EDI T ION

LOVES TERRACE GREY OUTDOOR/INDOOR RUG

£99, modern-rugs.co.uk

CEMENT STYLE WIDE PLANTER

£55, next.co.uk

GLOBAL CRUDITE BOWL

£10, sainsburyshome.co.uk

PINK MARTINI GLASSES

£38.95 for four, audenza.com

MORILLO METAL ARMCHAIR

£42, diy.com

HEXAGON CANDLE LANTERN

£24.95, dibor.co.uk

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