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LOCAL LIFE
FOOD & DRINK
RECIPES, REVIEWS, ROUND-UPS & GIVEAWAYS
OPEN CAMBRIDGE
DISCOVER THE CITY‘S HIDDEN GEMS
DRAGON BOAT FEST
TIME TO MESS ABOUT ON THE RIVER
STEP INTO
FROM THE NEW SEASON THEATRE NOT TO MISS TO THE HOTTEST FOOD AND DRINK OPENINGS AND THIS MONTH‘S TOP FESTIVALS, EXHIBITIONS AND GIGS – WE‘VE GOT YOUR SEPTEMBER COVERED
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EDITORIAL
Editor in chief Nicola Foley 01223 499459 nicolafoley@bright-publishing.com Senior sub editor Lisa Clatworthy Sub editors Siobhan Godwood, Felicity Evans
ADVERTISING
Senior sales executive Chris Jacobs 01223 499463 chrisjacobs@bright-publishing.com Sales executive Lee Fifield 01223 492240 leefifield@bright-publishing.com
CONTRIBUTORS
Alex Rushmer, Angelina Villa-Clarke, Cathy Moore, Charlotte Griffiths, Charlotte Phillips, Daisy Dickinson, Elodie Cameron, Jordan Worland, Ruthie Collins
DESIGN & PRODUCTION Editorial designer 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, depicting Downing College, was created by Flo Thomas. See more of Flo’s illustrations on Etsy at HeydayDesignsUK or at heydaydesigns.co.uk
Author illustrations by Louisa Taylor louisataylorillustration.blogspot.co.uk
Welcome
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know that lots of people welcome September, with its back-to-school buzz and promise of autumnal cosiness, but this year’s lingering summer, when the sun shone and shone, is going to be a tough one to say goodbye to. Our record-breaking heatwave – the longest in 40 years – saw the normally pristine college lawns parched-brown and Parker’s Piece looking more Kalahari than Cambridge: quite a sight, but it’s nice to see the green areas around the city gradually returning to their usual verdant selves. As we usher in the autumn, Cambridge theatreland has a profusion of first-rate productions to tempt, from classic thrillers to brand new comedy; we take a look at the new season highlights over on page 12. Also in our Arts section, we chat to Cambridge boy done good, Nick Mulvey, who returns to the city for a homecoming gig this month, plus scope out new exhibitions at Kettles Yard and Byard Art. We also select our top picks from this month’s Open Cambridge event: a chance to explore some of the city’s hidden treasures usually off-limits to the public. From a Cold War bunker to a Victorian theatre; a neo-classical astronomy observatory to a new eco-friendly neighbourhood, there’s a wealth of history, architecture, art and gardens to explore. Find out more on page 20. Another event bringing unseen treasures to the fore this month is Banned Books Week, which runs 23–29 September and encourages the public to rally against censorship in literature. Turn to page 23 for this month’s Edition Book Club, where we take a look at the history of banning books, discover Cambridge’s stash of illicit publications and highlight some recent novels that have fallen foul of the censors – and are well worth a read. Over on our food and drink pages, we’ve got exciting news of the huge new sake brewery taking shape just outside Fordham. The first of its kind in the UK, the owners hope to bring a corner of Osaka to the Cambridgeshire countryside – join Alex Rushmer for a look around on page 60. We also taste our way around some of the city’s best cold coffees, sampling creamy iced lattes, a Fitzbillies bun-inspired take on affogato, a Vietnamese offering with caramelly condensed milk, and a canned cold-brew nitro coffee: head to page 55 to broaden your caffeine-fix horizons. We’ve got our annual education special, recipes, interiors inspiration, gig picks and plenty more inside, too – enjoy the issue and see you next month!
Nicola Foley EDITOR IN CHIEF
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CONTENTS 6 l STARTERS
Miscellaneous musings on Cambridge, plus our favourite social media pics of the month
11 l ARTS & CULTURE Exhibitions, art shows and theatre highlights to enjoy this month
23 l BOOK CLUB
We shine a spotlight on Banned Books Week, a celebration of the freedom to read
28 l AFTER HOURS
Comedy, festivals, gigs and more nightlife fun to seek out this September
31 l INTERVIEW
We catch up with local boy Nick Mulvey in the run-up to his homecoming gig
33 l FAMILY FUN
What to do with your brood this September, from theatre to festivals
35 l LISTINGS
Our at-a-glance guide to the top events and goings-on this month
38 l DRAGON BOAT FEST
Cambridge’s most exuberant boating event returns and we’ve got the lowdown
41 l COMPETITION
We’ve teamed up with PizzaExpress to give away £200 worth of vouchers
12 44 l REVIEW
We get advice from the experts on finding the right school for your children
47 l FOOD NEWS
79 l CRACK THE CODE
The latest news from Cambridge’s buzzing food scene
55 l FIVE OF THE BEST
We sip our way around the finest cold coffees Cambridge’s cafes have to offer
58 l MAKE THE BEST...
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We meet the local groups making computer programming child’s play
81 l LIFE LESSONS
Fancy going back to school? We take a look at the adult learning opportunities available locally
88 l FASHION
Continuing the coffee fun, Alex Rushmer’s recipe for a biscotti that’s perfect for dunking
We round up the top trends of the month and show you how to recreate them
60 l HEAVEN’S SAKE
91 l WELLNESS & BEAUTY
63 l NATURE’S LARDER
98 l STORE OF THE MONTH
Alex pays a visit to Fordham’s new Sake brewery
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71 l A PERFECT FIT
We enjoy a feast of Vietnamese street food at Pho
The staff at The Gog take a look at the seasonal produce to seek out this month
64 l DRINKS TROLLEY
Wine tips, cocktail recipes and our favourite hidden drinking dens in the city
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Health and beauty chat, including news of a local cycling festival
We meet locally-based interiors company John Lewis of Hungerford
103 l INTERIORS
We reveal the latest bathroom trends and show you how to create your own blissful sanctuary
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READERS SURVEY 2018
HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF CAMBRIDGE EDITION! We’re constantly striving to bring you the best magazine we possibly can, which is why we want to hear from you personally this month. Head to our website at cambsedition.co.uk to find a link to our 2018 reader survey, where you’ll be able to give feedback on what you like about Edition, what you’d like to see more of, and any areas you think we could improve. It will only take a few moments and will help provide us with valuable insights into what our audience would like to see in the magazine. If you need an extra nudge, we’ll be entering all completed surveys into a prize draw to win a lovely bottle of champagne. If you’re subscribed to the Cambridge Edit, our weekly email newsletter, you’ll receive a link to the survey over the next couple of weeks, but if not, you can visit our website, where you’ll find a link to the survey on the homepage.
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STA X X RT X XEXRXSX X W I T H I N T H ESE WA L L S
C A M BR IDGE BU DDHIS T CEN T R E
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neat, white, terraced building, Cambridge Buddhist Centre is easy to miss as you scurry along Newmarket Road – but its unassuming exterior belies a fascinating history. The building is formed partly of a renovated Georgian house and partly of the Barnwell Festival Theatre, which dates back to 1814 and is regarded as being one of the most historically important buildings in Cambridge. It’s one of only a handful of pre-Victorian theatres outside London, and once formed part of the Norwich Circuit – a group of performance venues built for touring company the Norwich Players, who were regulars at local events including Stourbridge Fair. In 1849 the theatre was renamed as the Theatre Royal Barnwell, and for a period it thrived as one of the major provincial theatres, welcoming celebrities of the day including Charles Dickens, who gave readings there. Although initially very successful, the theatre’s fortunes changed, leading to financial struggles. It was auctioned in 1878 to a Mr Robert Sayle – the owner of the store which became John Lewis – and turned into a mission hall. A spell as a boys’ club for King’s College followed, and a period of dereliction, until the theatre was bought in 1926 by millionaire racehorse owner Terence Gray, also the proprietor of Gog Magog Hills. He turned it into a cutting-edge theatre, using abstract forms and lighting effects. Among the innovations he oversaw was a cyclorama, which stood at 40ft high and was constructed of two layers of hollow tiles surfaced with a special cement to resist indentation and preserve a smooth surface. The flat surface, flooded evenly with light, almost defied detection and gave an amazing effect of distance. It was a huge hit for seven or so years, attracting famous names including WB Yeats and Ninette de Valois, before being picked up by a commercial management company and gradually declining until it closed in 1939. It’s theatrical life wasn’t quite over though; it would be briefly resurrected during World War II as a place for The Cam Merrymakers to entertain troops. After the war it became a wardrobe workshop for the Arts Theatre, surviving almost untouched while a massive redevelopment went on around it to form the Grafton Centre. Its final performance was The Seagull in October 1997, before it was brought the following year by the Windhorse Trust to become the new Cambridge Buddhist Centre. Many original theatre features are fully intact today, which you can see for yourself at Open Cambridge this month – find out more on page 20.
SEPTEMBER ESSENTIAL
OPEN C A M BR IDGE
Explore the city’s hidden nooks and crannies this month at Open Cambridge, which takes place from 14-15 September. Part of a national scheme geared towards illuminating the history and heritage of cities to their inhabitants, the event serves up a fascinating series of talks, behind-the-scenes tours, exhibitions and other activities, most of which are free to attend. Turn to page 20 to see our highlights.
ONE TO TRY
Fancy a boozy, geeky journey into the world of molecular mixology? Turn your feet to Green Street to visit Cambridge Gin Lab for one of its interactive Experential Cocktail evenings. Make basil caviar, sip foaming Parma Violet cocktails and acquaint your nose and palate with the wonderful world of gin, all while enjoying plenty of delicious tasters. A must-try for adventurous cocktail lovers, the classes are priced at £60.
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Culture Club ART & ARCHITECTURE • EDITION BOOK CLUB • NEW SEASON THEATRE PREVIEW In Your Way, a free weekend of outdoor ‘arts interruption’, arrives in Cambridge this September
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BOLLYWOOD DREAMS Transport yourself to the kaleidoscopic world of Bollywood this month at the Corn Exchange when Taj Express sweeps into town on 26 September. A spectacular new musical featuring songs by Oscar winner A R Rahman – composer of the iconic soundtrack to Slumdog Millionaire – and with choreography by Vaibhavi and Shruti Merchant, this dazzling show has a pit stop in Cambridge following its sell-out London season. Blending explosive dance with exhilarating music and exquisite costumes, the show follows the story of a young composer and his troubles on the path to success. Tickets start at £23. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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NEW SEASON AT THE ARTS THEATRE Begin with the Bard, joining Shakespeare’s Globe on Tour for one of three performances between 29 August and 1 September. The Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night and The Taming of the Shrew all get an airing, performed by a company of just eight actors juggling a variety of roles. The Bard himself becomes the subject in Shakespeare in Love, which runs at the venue from 5-10 November. A bad case of writer’s block is banished by the arrival of the beguiling Viola de Lesseps in this sumptuous Elizabethan love story, based on the Oscar-winning film of the same name. Also transporting us to Tudor times are the Horrible Histories team, who dig up the grisliest bits of the past for your viewing pleasure from 23-28 October. The same week, handily the half-term holidays, they’ll also be romping into the land of Pharaohs, mummies and pyramids with their Awful Egyptians show. More history with Lucy Worsley, who’ll be shining a light on Queen Victoria on 23 September, challenging the received wisdom on this eccentric ruler. From 25-29 September, immerse yourself in JB Priestley’s classic thriller An Inspector Calls, a play which has been seen by more than four million people worldwide since its maiden outing in the 1940s. Interrupting a dinner party at the Birling family’s house, Inspector Goole has questions about the death of a young woman, prompting the guests to examine their own consciences – but all is not as it seems. There’s another death, and another inspector, in The Case of the Frightened Lady, from 4-8 September, while from the 10th to the 15th, Florian Zeller’s The Height of the Storm brings tempestuous family drama to the theatre. Starring Jonathan Pryce (Game of Thrones), and Dame Eileen Atkins (Cranford, Gosford Park), this compelling production explores love, family and the fragility of life. Gavin & Stacey’s Mathew Horne stars in Rain Man alongside Ed Speelers (Downton Abbey), at the venue from 8-13 October. An adaptation of the Tom Cruise/Dustin Hoffman classic film, this new stage show follows selfcentred salesman Charlie Babbitt and his brother – autistic savant Raymond – on a trip across America. Also bringing heartstring-tugging drama to the theatre is Still Alice, the story of clever, driven Alice Howland: a professional at the top of her game who’s diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s, aged 50. Starring Sharon Small in the lead role, the play runs 16-10 October. A little light relief is on offer courtesy of Vulcan 7, a new comedy written by and starring Adrian Edmondson and Nigel Planer of The Young Ones fame. Now somewhat less young, they’re reunited to play a pair of ageing actors working on the set of a fantasy film in an Icelandic wasteland. Volcanos, quarrels, catering truck woes and much sending-up of the acting profession ensues between 1 and 6 October. For more hilarity, snap up tickets to The Full Monty, the heart-warming story of six out-of-work steel workers baring all for a better future. One of Britain’s most successful stage shows, it’s got feel-good tunes aplenty and runs 17-22 September. There’s music, too, with award-winning jazz vocalist Clare Teal and her band, who’ll be treating audiences to classic tunes by the likes of Cole Porter and Dave Brubeck on 21 October. Then, from 12-17 November, see TV star Ruth Jones in The Nightingales, a play about a cappella group turned upside down by a new arrival to the village. Rounding off the year as always is the Arts Theatre panto, which runs 29 November to 6 January. Always a glittering affair, this year the cast will be taking on Aladdin, so expect genies, magic carpets, songs and plenty of gags.
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CAMBRIDGE ORIGINAL PRINTMAKERS BIENNALE After successful events in 2014 and 2016, Cambridge Original Printmakers Biennale is back this month to showcase the work of talented artists from the region. Taking place at the Pitt Building on 21 and 29 September, the event will bring together pieces by 43 printmakers, all of whom specialise in hand-pulled, original work. With a goal of celebrating the medium and the artists working in it, the show will also feature talks on various printmaking processes plus workshop sessions at which visitors can learn about different techniques. You’ll also be able to meet artists and discuss their work, as well as buy limited edition original prints and the Cambridge Original Printmakers Biennale 2018 exhibition book. cambridgeoriginalprintmakers.com CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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MU R DER M YS T ERY MUSIC A L Get ready for an evening of music, mystery and murder at the Holiday Inn in Impington, when the hotel welcomes a unique Rocky Horror tribute evening on 26 October. Promising the perfect Halloween warm up, this comedy-horror-murdermystery features a cast of supremely talented performers who sing, dance and act their way through a riotously funny story, set in a creepy house filled with equally creepy characters. Kicking off at 7pm, it’s priced at £55 per person. hicambridgehotel.co.uk
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LEE MADGWICK AT BYARD ART
Immerse yourself in the compelling art of Lee Madgwick at Byard Art this month, when the King Street gallery hosts an exhibition dedicated to his works from 6-30 September. Hailing from Ely, Madgwick exhibits his haunting pieces around the world and was recently bestowed the prestigious Michael Harding Award by the Royal Society of British Artists. Depicting moody, atmospheric scenes of dereliction in both urban and rural settings, street artist Banksy described his work as capturing “the sense of dark things happening behind closed doors, while presenting a perfectly chirpy looking, colourful landscape.” He was such a fan of Madgwick’s work that he invited him to be part of his seminal Dismaland project in 2015. At his Byard Art show, you can hope to see some new acrylic on canvas pieces, such as the highly detailed and familiar-looking Maelstrom Rock and a graffiti-covered railway bridge framing an idyllic country landscape. Expect to be caught in the mood. byardart.co.uk S E P T E M B E R 2 018
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SOME ENCH A N T ED E V EN I NG
Enchanted Cinema rounds off its season of outdoor film screenings this month with six great flicks in magical locations. On 1 September, everybody’s favourite marmalade sandwich-loving bear will be making an appearance at Burwash Manor when Paddington plays, then head to the stunning walled garden at the Gonville Hotel on 2 September for Christopher Nolan's war epic Dunkirk. Also showing this month at the Gonville are Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar-winning fantasy The Shape of Water (3 September), Japanese animation Spirited Away (14 September), sumptuous Hugh Jackman musical The Greatest Showman (15 September), and family classic Hook (16 September). All screenings feature light installations, live music, deckchairs to relax in, fresh popcorn and food and drinks. enchantedcinema.co.uk
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F IG-F U T U R ES Showcasing the work of seven acclaimed artists over the course of one month in a rapid-fire series of mini exhibitions, fig-futures looks sure to dazzle at Kettle’s Yard this September. The Castle Street gallery is the second venue in the UK tour of this innovative show, and will offer a chance to see pieces by Eva Rothschild and Joe Moran, Oreet Ashery, Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin, Patrick Coyle and Francesco Pedraglio. From 11-15 September, see ‘A Setup’, a collaboration between sculptor Eva Rothschild and choreographer Joe Moran. Rothschild’s sculptural structures will occupy the Sackler Gallery along with two dancers who will perform Moran’s Singular, exploring ‘the idea of a single consciousness embodied in more than one form’. The focus during week two (18-22 September), is on Oreet Ashery, who will be staging sonic performance Passing Through Metal for the first time in the UK, while for week three (25-29 September), it’s over to Broomberg & Chanarin for Bandage the knife not the wound, a series of ethereal overlaid photographic prints. Rounding off the fig-futures programme between 3 and 7 October are Patrick Coyle and Francesco Pedraglio, who have developed ambitious complementary projects through long-distance conversations from their current homes in New York and Mexico City. Coyle’s offering – depicting residential spaces, household objects and large-scale textile prints of domestic interiors – will be on display in the Sackler Gallery, while in Gallery 2 Pedraglio continues his ongoing series Spoken Sculpture, with a new installation that draws together objects and materials he has made alongside works from the Kettle’s Yard collection activated through spoken word. kettlesyard.co.uk
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COMMUNITY-BUILDING Bringing a programme of participatory outdoor arts to the city on 8 and 9 September, In Your Way is on a mission to bring people together, provoke conversation and leave a lasting impression on the residents of Cambridge. Presented by the Junction and produced by Other Ways (a new Cambridgebased collaboration between artistic director Daniel Pitt and executive director Sarah Crompton), this unique event centres around a ‘do it together’ building kit for a large-scale wooden theatre pavilion dreamed up by Theatre as Architecture, Architecture as Theatre (TAAT). Over the course of a day, volunteers from the local community will work together to build the structure, which can subsequently be used for performances, cultural activities, and as a platform to redesign their community. In Your Way will be asking participants how they might want to change their city, and how the arts might help. Find out more in Ruthie Collins’ Art Insider column on page 19. inyourway.org
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The Art Insider RUTHIE COLLINS, FOUNDER OF CAMBRIDGE ART SALON, GIVES HER ARTY PICKS OF THE MONTH
‘‘S
eptember – it was the most beautiful of words,” once wrote Alexander Theroux. It’s certainly a gorgeous time of year, and as summer fades into autumn, there’s plenty to keep us all busy on the city’s art circuit. A late summer weekend of playful disruption is heading to the city on 8 and 9 September. In Your Way, presented by Cambridge Junction and produced by Other Ways, features five projects, headlined by installation KHOR II, the UK premiere of the piece by Dutch-Belgian collective TAAT (Theatre as Architecture Architecture as Theatre). “All projects are quietly political, raising questions about the city’s development, who it belongs to, who lives here and who the city is for, and simply encouraging people to meet each other and interact with each other and their landscape in new ways,” says Daniel Pitt, who is one of the artistic directors of Other Ways, along with Sarah Crompton. “People can hunt the projects out across the city centre, and get involved in whatever way they fancy – from just passing and looking, adding or taking away some pennies, helping to carry something along the Cam, joining in to build a flatpack democratic pavilion, or to being part of a discussion or play with strangers on the Sunday with KHOR II's Play and Share aspects, once it is built.” KHOR II is not so much ‘Do It Yourself ’, but ‘Do It Together’ – a theatrical installation taking place on Christ’s Piece, which sees the public make a wooden pavilion, which can subsequently be used for performances, cultural activities, and as a platform to redesign their community – check taat-projects.com/khor-ii for more info. Watch out for the world premiere of a performancebased piece by Caroline Wright, the first offering from the Cambridge City Council-funded River Art Residency, which takes place along the River Cam – also part of the outdoor arts extravaganza. “We've set out to disrupt the status quo a little bit in Cambridge for the weekend, and to bring
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contemporary arts projects which encourage debate around the life, people and development of our city to the public – the people should be part of this conversation,” adds Daniel. Check @inyourwaycambs for more information and to get involved. Wysing’s annual music festival Polyphonic returns on 1 September, with a programme jointly curated by Camae Ayewa (Moor Mother) and Paul Purgas (Emptyset). This year, it’s shaped by a thread of ‘mysticism and spiritual energy’. Moor Mother, artist in residence at Wysing over the summer, is known for her distinctive sounds, seared with dark textures – punk in feel, a poet whose explosive work smashes disciplines (her album Fetish Bones was one of Rolling Stone’s best avant-garde albums in 2016). “When I started thinking about this year’s festival I kept coming back to Fetish Bones,” says Wysing director Donna Lynas. “I thought it would be interesting to speak to Camae Ayewa to see how her thinking might be made visible within a music festival format.” Co-curator Paul Purgas is also a familiar face at Wysing, where he’s been involved with the festival since he performed there in 2012. Also, watch out for the haunting work of Aisha Devi – Nepalese-Tibetan songstress, whose voice is stunning. The crossover between art and music has long been a fascination of mine, so it’s a real joy to see Cambridge-born sound artist Tom Richards release his first album, Pink Nothing, through label Nonclassical this summer – which has snared air time on the likes of BBC Radio 6 Music. Sound bleeds in disruptive harmonies: if Jackson Pollock had lived long enough to turn musician and invent a soundtrack to a 1980s video game, this would be it. Meanwhile, those seeking late-summer beach action close by to Cambridge, head to experimental electronica music festival Yarmonics Electronics. This appears on the 21 and 22 September in Great Yarmouth – a day trip from Cambridge, curated by art space Original Projects (with whom I’m writing over the next year, hurrah). Still the UK’s number one tourist destination, Yarmouth is home to a thriving, ambitious contemporary arts scene – expect to see more happening here over the next couple of years as artists increasingly seek out new hotspots. Finally, tattoo artists at Fidelio & Art at 190-192 Mill Road are happily celebrating their first year in business this year. Pop in to chat to award-winning Sorin Cacio, who took the leap into tattooing after a career in the Spanish army. Celebrated internationally for his work in realism and colour, he opened Fidelio & Art last year with coinvestor Nico Haupt. Fabulous makeup artist Sam Norman has recently joined as tattoo artist apprentice, and will no doubt add to their success. Check out fidelioart.ink to find out more about the studio and see some of their work. Have a fabulous September, all! l
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SEE THE CITY’S NEW NEIGHBOURHOOD
Explore the city’s new eco-friendly neighbourhood Eddington – the largest single capital project undertaken by Cambridge University in its 800-year history. Try your hand at archaeology, take afternoon tea by the lake, feast on street food from foodPark and join in all sorts of talks and tours, including a look at the Storey’s Field Centre – the development’s impressive performing arts hub.
EXPLORE A COLD WAR BUNKER
Did you know that there’s a nuclear bunker buried deep beneath the County Council’s office buildings? You do now, and you can take a look for yourself at Open Cambridge! Thankfully, it’s not been needed for its original purpose, and is now used to store significant items from the council’s archeological collections.
MEET THE CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY SPIES
Fancy a jaunt into the world of espionage? You’re in the right place: the relationship between Cambridge University and spies
10 things to do at Open Cambridge
WHAT NOT TO MISS DURING THE CITY’S CELEBRATION OF HISTORY, ARCHITECTURE, ART AND GARDENS, 14-15 SEPTEMBER
is famous, and goes far beyond the KGB’s so-called ‘Magnificent Five’. Join Cambridge Green Badge Guides on a walking tour of the Colleges associated with Cambridge’s contribution to the world of spies.
MEDITATE AT CAMBRIDGE BUDDHIST CENTRE
Pay a visit to Newmarket Road’s Buddhist Centre for a drop-in day of tasters in meditation, mindfulness-based stress reduction, talks on Buddhism and more. It’s also a chance to enjoy a tour of this remarkable building, including the 200-year-old pre-Victorian Festival Theatre (Grade II listed), and the renovated Georgian House.
CLIMB THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY TOWER
The tallest public building in the city, and definitely one of the most mysterious, the 157ft tall tower at the Cambridge University Library is home to an Aladdin’s cave of treasures for booklovers and historians. From first editions of Lord of the Rings and the Famous Five books to Victorian toys and games, there’s plenty to explore in the Tower Collection – see for yourself with the Open Cambridge tour, which will take you up to the highest floors of this intriguing building.
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HAVE A FEAST AT MADINGLEY HALL
Taking place on 14 September, the venue for this year’s Open Cambridge Dinner is Madingley Hall, a beautiful former stately home which dates back to Tudor times. Guests will enjoy a slap-up five-course meal by the venue’s award-winning chefs, plus an entertaining talk by the head gardener. You can also explore the Hall, gardens and parts of the Estate on 15 September at an open day which includes tours with local experts and a pop-up farmers’ market.
DISCOVER THE CITY’S LITERARY HISTORY
From John Milton to Joanne Harris, Cambridge is a city steeped in literary history. In this tour with Cambridge Green Badge Guide Peter Hains, you’ll head out on a two-hour walk around landmarks associated with the novelists, poets and playwrights connected with the city, and hear extracts from their work.
ENJOY SOME GLORIOUS GARDENS
There’s a chance to discover the manicured beauty of some of the university’s college gardens at Open Cambridge too – taking in the Victorian borders at Selwyn, the roses, topiary and mature trees at Wolfsen and the tropical garden at Clare, all of which will be opening their doors to the public over the course of the weekend.
MARVEL AT THE OPEN OBSERVATORY
Visit the The Observatory at the Institute of Astronomy on Madingley Road and you’ll be treated to the engineering marvel that is the great Northumberland Telescope, the fascinating technology of the Thorrowgood Telescope and the neo-classical Observatory building, which dates back to 1823 and houses a library – one of very few specialist astronomical libraries in the country.
Events tak course e place over t 14-15 S of the weeke he epte nd are fre mber and mo e t o a ttend b st bookin g is a ut full pro dvised. For th openca gramme, vis e mbridg it e.cam.a c.uk
QUIZ A CONSERVATOR
Visit the revamped Museum of Zoology and explore its collection, which features some two million objects, showcasing an awe-inspiring diversity of specimens from across the animal kingdom. As part of Open Cambridge, the museum is letting its conservators out of the lab for the afternoon to show you what they do and answer all of your burning questions about the natural world. 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
B A N N ED BOOK S W EEK SPECI A L | 2 3–2 9 SEP T EM BER
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BOOK CLUB INTERVIEW BY CHARLOT TE GRIFFITHS
SILENCED STORIES
TO CELEBRATE THIS MONTH’S BANNED BOOKS WEEK, WE SPEAK TO LIAM SIMS, RARE BOOKS SPECIALIST AT CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
B
anned Books Week is an annual celebration of the books and stories which, for one reason or another, have been suppressed. A week of global events, suggested reading lists and awareness campaigns aim to highlight the value of free and open access to information: and our city’s many libraries are no exception. Cambridge’s main University Library – the UL – is the largest open-access library in Europe, with an astonishing eight million items on its shelves and in its archive. As one of six legal deposit libraries in the UK, it receives about 1,000 new items of published material every single week – including books, pamphlets, magazines, newspapers, sheet music and maps – and among them are often items which require special treatment. To be blunt: where do all the banned books go? “Since the early 20th century, the University Library has maintained a collection known as ‘Arc’ – from the Latin ‘arcana’, meaning ‘secret things’ – where books of an erotic or otherwise offensive nature were kept,” rare books specialist Liam Sims explains, “This collection included books like the first edition of Joyce’s Ulysses, or private press books with risqué woodcuts, and obscene Italian poetry from the 17th century.” This wasn’t just about protecting readers from books: in some cases these titles were split out from the
main collections to protect the books from readers. “Erotic illustrated books sometimes lost plates,” Liam adds. Nowadays, it’s rare that books are banned for content, but the Arc is very much a living collection: titles are still regularly removed from circulation, suppressed by their publishers for legal reasons or, more mundanely, for reasons such as misprints in scientific textbooks. “The Library itself does not make decisions on adding books to the suppressed part of ‘Arc’,” says Liam. “In a sense, the whole of the University Library is an Ark; it is a place of preservation and access. It is not a place of censorship.” If a book does find itself on the wrong side of the law, it’s not the end of the road: many titles, banned in the past, are now firmly part of the literary canon. Is it merely a question of time passing for them to be viewed more sympathetically? “I think you’re right,” Liam said. “What one generation considers offensive or dangerous is soon found by succeeding generations to be viewed in a much more harmless and often intellectually exciting way. And certain books – Ulysses for example, once banned by the University authorities in Cambridge – go on to become classics, in many cases the legal or moral storm around them helping to fuel interest. The likelihood is that books now considered controversial will in centuries to come be valuable records of the periods in which they were written.”
Ulysses is one of the most famous of the ‘Banned Books’: after starting life being serialised in a Chicago-based journal – beginning its long history of stirring up outrage – it found a publisher in Paris, emerging as a book in February 1922. The UL acquired a copy of the second printing, which arrived in Cambridge in December of the same year – disappearing into the Library’s stacks just in the nick of time. “Copies were burned by UK Customs early in 1923, and in 1926 – when FR Leavis tried to acquire a copy for teaching – the University was threatened with criminal proceedings,” Liam blogs on the UL’s website. Mansfield Forbes, the famously eccentric Fellow at Clare College, actually threw his copy of Ulysses into the Cam ‘inexpertly parcelled in mackintosh’ under cover of darkness, in fear of being found with it. To mark Banned Books Week, the UL will share titles and suggest reading on its social media channels: its excellent exhibition Tall Tales, showcasing items of ephemera stored in the Library’s iconic brick tower, also continues until October 28. But if you’re keen to start exploring banned titles now, Liam has a few suggestions. “The list of books banned in Nazi Germany and the US is so lengthy, perhaps we could suggest some of those: Buddenbrooks, The Grapes of Wrath, Beloved, and All Quiet on the Western Front have all been banned at some point.” l
VISIT HEFFERS THIS MONTH FOR THREE-FORTWO DEALS ON PAPERBACKS PLUS SPECIAL BANNED BOOKS WEEK PROMOTIONS! Heffers is located at 20 Trinity Street, Cambridge. blackwells.co.uk
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CATHY MOORE, DIRECTOR OF CAMBRIDGE LITERARY FESTIVAL, ON A BANNED BOOK WORTH SEEKING OUT September 23-29 is Banned Books Week UK 2018, the annual celebration of the freedom to read and a reminder that everyone needs to speak out against the tide of censorship! This year, bookstores, libraries and schools across the UK will be getting involved and shining the spotlight on censorship. It therefore seems fitting that this month I focus on a writer who has faced prosecution for her writing. Elif Shafak is an award-winning British-Turkish novelist. Born in France to Turkish parents, she has quietly assumed the role of public intellectual, writing ten novels and advocating for women’s rights, LGBT rights and freedom of speech. Her second novel in English, The Bastard of Istanbul, was the best-selling book in Turkey in 2006. In it, she addresses the Armenian Genocide which is systematically denied by the Turkish government. Probably the first Turkish novel to deal with the massacres, atrocities and deportations that decimated the country’s Armenian population in the last years of Ottoman rule, her bravery resulted in her prosecution on charges of ‘insulting Turkishness’. Elif Shafak’s latest novel is The Three Daughters of Eve and she will be appearing at Cambridge Literary Festival’s winter outing in November. For full details visit cambridgeliteraryfestival.com. Find out more at bannedbooksweek.org.uk or follow @BannedWeekUK on Twitter.
UP NEXT MONTH
TA K E NOT HING W I T H YOU BY PAT R ICK G A L E
Next month’s book is by Patrick Gale, the bestselling author of A Place Called Winter and Notes From An Exhibition. Take Nothing With You – a poignant tale of survival and resilience – follows the story of 50-something Eustace, a gay Londoner who realises in the space of the same week that he has fallen hopelessly in love (with a man he has yet to meet in the flesh), and that he has cancer of the thyroid. While receiving treatment, he listens to endless hours of cello music recorded for him by his friend, Naomi. This sets his memories circling back to the 70s: his eccentric boyhood, adolescence in his parents’ old people’s home in Weston-Super-Mare and how his life was transfigured – and his family’s stability shattered – by the decision to attend a recital by the glamorous cellist, Carla Gold. TAKE NOTHING WITH YOU CAN BE PURCHASED FOR £12.99 IN HARDBACK. READ ALONG AND TWEET US YOUR THOUGHTS @CAMBSEDITION, WITH THE HASHTAG #EDITIONBOOKCLUB FOR A CHANCE TO FEATURE IN THE NEXT ISSUE.
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A DV E RT I S E M E N T F E AT U R E
LIFE LAB – EVERYONE’S LAB FOR THE DAY!
EVENTS IN CAMBRIDGE
Find out what researchers actually do when science takes to the streets this September
SHOPPING CENTRES AND TOURS
Science and shopping – We’re turning the Grand Arcade and Grafton Centre into adventure zones for the day! Come and explore pop-up labs and meet our science buskers. Fri 28 Sept, noon–6pm | all ages
Culture Crawl – A fascinating journey of discovery around some of Cambridge’s bestkept science secrets. Fri 28 Sept, multiple sessions, check website for times | Cambridge city centre Booking required | all ages CAMBRIDGE SCIENCE CENTRE (CLIFTON ROAD INDUSTRIAL ESTATE)
Bite-size Science: LifeLab Special – Meet scientists from across Europe over themed pizza and drinks. From cyber hacking to genetics, food security to vaccination, it’s not just the toppings that will be topical! Fri 28 Sept, 7–9:30pm | Booking required ages 12+ and adult
Quids In! – We’re celebrating science across Europe. Get in by showing us any of your loose change from anywhere in Europe, including the UK. Sat 29 Sept, 10.30am–5pm | all ages BARS AND CAFÉS
E
ver wondered what happens in Cambridge’s labs, or what researchers actually do? What makes them passionate about their work? Fancy having a go yourself? Friday 28 and Saturday 29 September are your chance to find out, when LifeLab will transform shopping centres, cafés, bars and public spaces around Cambridge and beyond into discovery zones for all ages. There will be activities to appeal to all tastes in some of your favourite places, and most of it’s free! Whether you like to get hands-on, listen to talks, take a walking tour or enjoy a comedy night, there’s bound to be something for you, your friends and family. Above all, there will be plenty of opportunities to chat to researchers in a fun and informal setting. LifeLab is part of European Researchers Night, which takes place once a year across Europe in 27 countries and 300 cities. Five Cambridge institutions won the bid to launch LifeLab in our region. Led by Wellcome Genome Campus Public Engagement, the events will be delivered by researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the EMBL European Bioinformatics Institute, the Babraham Institute, the University of Cambridge and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology. l For more details of all the LifeLab events across Cambridge and Peterborough, please visit www.camlifelab.co.uk and follow @camlifelab on Twitter for the latest updates.
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Café Sci Cambridge: LifeLab Special – We’ll be joined by local researchers who will share their favourite genes and try to convince the audience that theirs is the best! Fri 28 Sept, 7–8.15pm | The Locker Café | 16+ The Variables present LifeLab Special – Join our line-up of budding comedians for a humorous take on their life in the lab. Fri 28 Sept, 8.30–10.30pm | The Cambridge Brew House | booking required | ages 18+ BABBAGE LECTURE THEATRE, NEW MUSEUMS SITE
Kidology – Just what are these kids talking about?! Join our teams as they try to guess the science topic as described by a group of children and relive an 80s gameshow classic. Fri 28 Sept, 5–6pm | booking required | ages 12+ Genomics and Us: The future of genomic medicine – Join a panel of local scientists as they explore what will be different in society and medicine in the next ten years as a result of genomics, and have your say. Fri 28 Sept, 6.30–8pm | booking required | ages 16+
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After Hours
NOW BOOKING
THE NIGHTLIFE EVENTS NOT TO MISS THIS MONTH
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23 OCT, CORN EX, £31.50
The Monty Python star reflects on the meaning of his own life.
ALL SAINTS 29 NOV, CORN EX, £32.50
The much-loved 90s girl band are reunited and back on the road.
W YSING P OLY PHON IC A hotbed of artistic innovation, Wysing Arts Centre out in Bourn is set to make waves once more this autumn with its boundary-pushing annual music festival. Celebrating the intersection of art and music, the event is now entering its ninth year, and was named by Vogue as one of the best independent festivals in the UK. Taking place on 1 September from 1pm-1am, this year’s event will bring together some of the most exciting UK and international artists working today. Curated in collaboration with Camae Ayewa (Moor Mother) and Paul Purgas (Emptyset), the line-up features New York based vocalist and producer Lafawndah, the sonic odysseys of Aïsha Devi, electronic noise artist Ewa Justka and multiinstrumentalist Laraaji. The programme, say the organisers, has a thread of mysticism and spiritual energy running through it, “weaving through sonic and performative works of great emotional and political power. Wysing Polyphonic aims to reveal and celebrate the hidden energies and potentiality that flows through us all.” Join the experimental fun for £30, and you can camp overnight for an extra £10. wysingartscentre.org S E P T E M B E R 2 018
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OR BI TA L 19 DEC, CORN EX, £28
Electronic music titans Orbital bring their pioneering live show to Cambridge.
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Gig Guide JORDAN WORLAND FROM LOCAL MUSIC WEBSITE SLATE THE DISCO GIVES HIS TOP LIVE MUSIC PICKS FOR SEPTEMBER
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he end of the summer festival season sees normality restored to Cambridge’s live music scene with a bumper month of shows ahead. At The Blue Moon we’re backing Marisa Anderson (6 Sepember) and Abi Wade (11 September) as must-sees in your diary. Anderson brings incredible solo guitar instrumentalism to Cambridge from the States in support of her latest record and most diverse to date, Cloud Corner. The LP is another example of why Anderson is one of America's most interesting and talented guitar players and composers. Abi Wade released her debut album this year, filled with stark, glitchy electronics juxtaposed with warming acoustic cello and pop vocals. There’s a plethora of good shows at The Portland this month. Our top pick is American troubadour Willy Mason bringing his folk stylings to town on 12 September. Our next Portland pick is the distilled sounds of dream pop pioneer Simon Raymonde. Raymonde has spent more than 20 years pushing the careers of others via his label, Bella Union, but last year released the stunning album Ojala which was a collaboration with drummer Richie Thomas. Raymonde has previous form, most notably as a member of pioneering dream-poppers Cocteau Twins in the 80s and 90s. Other Portland shows of note include groovy psych rockers, Space (14 September) thrash punk outfit Pizzatramp (8 September) and folk singersongwriter Scott Matthews (20 September). Other folk offerings in Cambridge include The Willows (2 September) and Cara Dillon (29 September) both at the J2. In the Junction’s main gig space, Brooklyn’s legendary alt-rockers They Might Be Giants are back (22 September) and bring a brand new two-set ‘Evening with...’ show. Cambridge boy done good Nick Mulvey returns on 29 September to perform a solo, stripped-back acoustic set, his largest show ever in the city, at the Corn Exchange.
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Coming our way on 29 September is UNITED, a dazzling collaboration between Cambridge Cocktail Weekend, the Cambridge International Jazz Festival, the Cambridge Film Festival and Neon Moon Burlesque & Cabaret Club. These local event architects are bringing together their considerable skills and creativity to design an event quite unlike anything the city has seen before. Taking place in two hangars at IWM Duxford, guests will be treated to a fullyimmersive night of entertainment which centres around the UK premier of Magpie, an independent UK film shot in East Anglia which tells the story of the friendly invasion of American troops in World War II. As well as a chance to watch the film, you can expect 1940s cocktails, pin-ups, delicious food from The Grill Sergeant, two live bands (a big jazz band to get dancing shoes out for, plus a ‘Puppini Sisters’ style trio to charm the audience), reenactors, Prosecco, and even an international Master of Ceremonies as Wing Commander for the night. Get in the wartime spirit and don your finest 1940s garb, because a bottle of champagne is waiting for the best-dressed partygoer. Tickets are available at houseofcambridge.com/united and priced at £32.50 standard or £50 VIP, with a limited number of early bird tickets available at £28/£45 respectively. The event is spearheaded by House of Cambridge, a new arts and entertainment brand for the city, which will be unveiling all sorts of events with wow factor over the coming months, so be sure to keep an eye on the website for updates. CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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MUSIC I N T E RV I E W
Hometown Glory RUTHIE COLLINS CATCHES UP WITH THE MERCURY PRIZE-NOMINATED NICK MULVEY, WHO’S IN TOWN FOR A HOMECOMING GIG THIS MONTH
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t feels really lovely,” Nick Mulvey says of the prospect of playing Cambridge Corn Exchange this September, a hometown gig for the multi award-nominated singer, who grew up in the city with his family. “I feel really spoilt, blessed and lucky. It feels really sweet to play Cambridge and also to feel so recognised.” We know Nick as the Mercury Prize-nominated English singer-songwriter of soulful power ballads such as Fever to the Form (2013), or Mountain to Move (2017). Ballads peppered with poignant lyrics that sing to the soul, a joyous rallying cry to all to embrace a way of life away from the vices of modern day living – endless comparisons, overlooking the present. “Those ideas on Wake Up Now are really familiar to some, others not so. On an emotional level, it’s giving space to feel our feelings together, but also acknowledging the ideas I believe in – not in a cerebral way, but celebrating being alive, although not in a way that looks away from the struggle. “It’s very easy to always strive for something that’s about to come; you can overlook what you’ve already got,” says Nick. “The last year for me since Wake Up Now has been a real journey of letting go. I don’t want to say this is it now, I’ve found it, because I haven’t,” he adds. But he’s also a loving family man. “With two babies under two myself, fatherhood has made a massive change in my life. I’m happy to keep things simple right now,” he says. “The power in the change isn’t anything particularly ethereal. It’s the down to earthiness of it all. It forces you to get your life in order. You have to be super organised about everything.” You can see this family influence in songs like Unconditional, or in his love for his siblings – he had the entire crowd at his sold-out gig at London’s Royal Albert Hall earlier this year, singing to his brother Dom. “Yes, we’re close,” he laughs. Nick will head out solo in September on an initial 18-date run of shows in which touring with his second album, Wake Up Now, has evolved from fivepiece, to trio, and now back to just Nick and his guitar. The tour starts in Belfast CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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“I’m a product of this community. It’s good to connect to that” on 19 September, before heading to Dublin and Cork. Nick then crosses the Irish Sea to play at the Cambridge Corn Exchange on 24 September. He’ll be playing at many intimate spaces he’s not performed at before. “The tour is about keeping things really simple. It’s been an intentional decision to keep things to just me and my guitar. I was hearing it from my audience – they were telling me, this is what they wanted. I write all my songs with the guitar, so it centralises that process. This tour is about keeping things simple, getting back to a more intimate relationship with my audience.” Nick is passionate about this. “Before each gig I do a practice, a meditation. I think of everyone, their journeys. I feel grateful. I see my audience not as fans,
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but as friends. This has been a huge shift for me – these aren’t 2000 people out there to judge, they are 2000 friends.” Nick went to school at Chesterton Community College, before leaving the UK to study music in Havana, Cuba, then returning to study ethnomusicology at the School for Oriental and African Studies in London. Here he met his band members for what would become the Mercurynominated Portico Quartet, including band member Duncan Bellamy. “I’ve played Cambridge Corn Exchange once before, while supporting Laura Marling, and at Cambridge Junction too – that was an amazing gig. Plus a couple of Meet Me There gigs at Nomads,” he says. “I’m a product of this community. It’s good to connect to that. This all feels really right.” l
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FA M I LY DAYS O U T
TOP FAMILY DAYS OUT AUTUMN FESTIVAL
Celebrate the changing seasons at Milton Country Park’s annual autumn festival, which promises a bountiful crop of family fun, food and stalls to explore. Taking place on 23 September, the event, celebrating its fifth year, proudly supports local independent food businesses, crafters and creatives, bringing a real community feel. And all proceeds raised go to towards the upkeep of this treasured park, helping to keep it open and accessible for everyone to enjoy. There’s plenty of fun in the great outdoors which kids can get stuck into, including wild outdoor play, magical workshops, dressing up, a miniature steam train and crafting activities. Grown-ups, meanwhile, can taste their way around an abundance of real ales and ciders, enjoying live music from the likes of Big 10, Pretty Ace and Among the Citizens. Cambridge’s street food collective foodPark will be out in force in Remembrance Meadow, joined by Provenance Kitchen and The Allotment Co, plus Temper & Glaze, who’ll be serving tea and homemade cakes from a beautiful vintage caravan in the orchard. Fancy some messing about on the water? Activities include SUP (stand up paddleboarding), a canoe safari and hovercraft rides on the lake, plus a whole host of stalls to discover, selling crafts and gifts. The festival runs 10.30am-5pm and tickets are £6 for adults and free for children. miltoncountrypark.org CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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23 SEPT
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C H I L D R E N ' S F R E E M U S I C WO R K S H O P Millers Music is hosting a free musical workshop for kids aged 5+ on 9 September. Featuring local music group Shake, Rattle and Roll, little ones will get a chance to sing along, learn about and try different musical instruments and even learn some dance moves. There are limited spaces available so advance booking is recommended. Call 01223 354452 to secure your spot.
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W H AT ' S O N
What’s On A ROUND-UP OF EVENTS IN AND AROUND CAMBRIDGESHIRE THIS MONTH
2 SEPTEMBER
3 SEPTEMBER
5-8 SEPTEMBER
NEWMARKET WEDDING SHOW
THE WILLOWS
BLUE STOCKINGS
Cambridge-based band The Willows bring their critically acclaimed folk stylings to the Junction. 7pm | Junction, J2 | £15.50 | junction.co.uk
A group of women at Girton College fight for their right to graduate with a full degree rather than leaving Cambridge University with nothing but the stigma of being a ‘blue stocking’. Times vary | Corpus Playroom | £5-£8 adctheatre.com
Get inspired for your big day at this show, which features dresses, cake makers, florists, stationers and more. 11am | Newmarket Racecourse | Free thenewmarketweddingshow.co.uk 2 SEPTEMBER
LAZY CAR BOOT SALE Need an end of summer clear out? Pop to Burwash Manor’s car boot sale and help to raise funds for its new playground. 11am | Burwash Manor | £10 a pitch facebook.com
4-8 SEPTEMBER
THE CASE OF THE FRIGHTENED LADY Inspector Tanner arrives at the grand home of the Lebanon family to investigate a ruthless murder – but quickly discovers nothing is as it seems. The deeper he gets involved, the closer he gets to a shocking secret… Times vary | Cambridge Arts Theatre from £20 | cambridgeartstheatre.com
8 SEPTEMBER
COMEDY COLLISION The comedy night returns with a line-up of up-and-coming talent which includes President Obonjo, Joe Grant and Patrick Brusnahan. 8pm | Junction, J3 | £5 | junction.co.uk 8 SEPTEMBER
BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY Celebrate the music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, reliving hits like Sherry, December 1963 (Oh What a Night), Walk Like a Man and Big Girls Don’t Cry in this critically acclaimed show. 7.30pm | Corn Exchange | from £21 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk 13 SEPTEMBER
GLOBAL FOOD SAFARI Cookery class meets supper club as you enjoy a gastro tour of South East Asia, with the chance to taste and create delicious, authentic dishes. 7pm | Cambridge Cookery | £90 cambridgecookery.com 13 SEPTEMBER
LA BOHEME ON SYDNEY HARBOUR Experience the love, laughter and loss of Puccini’s bohemian classic streamed live from Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour. 6pm | Arts Picturehouse | £22 picturehouses.com
29 SEPTEMBER
15 SEPTEMBER
C A R A DIL LON The extraordinary Irish singer performs old favourites and new material from her latest album Wanderer. 8pm | Junction, J2 | £22.50 | junction.co.uk
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GREASE Star & Mouse Picture Show host a screening of Grease in the wilds of Wandlebury Park, with deck chairs, live music and food and drinks. 7.45pm | Wandlebury Park | £12 starandmouse.com
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W H AT ' S O N THE
10 SEPTEMBER
AN E V EN ING WITH BR I A N BL ESSED The beardy, boomingvoiced Brian Blessed pays a visit to Cambridge to regale us with stories of his life, from starring in Flash Gordon and The Black Adder to climbing Everest and Kilimanjaro. 7.30pm | Corn Exchange | £28 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk
15-16 SEPTEMBER
21 SEPTEMBER
25 SEPTEMBER
FOOD GARDEN & PRODUCE SHOW
HAL CRUTTENDEN
SEANN WALSH
Arts, crafts, food and drinks stalls plus cookery demos, produce shows and a licensed bar. 10am | Parker’s Piece | Free oakleighfairs.co.uk
The Live at the Apollo and Have I Got News For You regular performs his new comedy show Chubster, a title chosen by his daughters, to Cambridge. 8pm | Junction, J2 | £20 | junction.co.uk
The dishevelled comic brings his After This One, I’m Going Home, to Cambridge to share some more top-class observational comedy. 8pm | Junction, J2 | £17 | junction.co.uk
17-22 SEPTEMBER
22 SEPTEMBER
THE FULL MONTY
ECO LIVING FESTIVAL
Six out-of-work Sheffield steelworkers take the world by storm with their risqué show in this stage adaptation of the Oscar winning film. Times vary | Cambridge Arts Theatre From £23 | cambridgeartstheatre.com
Cambridge Eco Living Festival launches at the Museum of Zoology and brings us the UK’s first #GoPlasticFreeDay Campaign. 9am | Museum of Zoology | Free cambridgeecolivingfestival.uk
20 SEPTEMBER
22 SEPTEMBER
ULTIMATE EAGLES
NATHAN CARTER
World-class musicians recreate the classic hits of The Eagles, from Hotel California to Take It Easy and Life in The Fast Lane. 7.30pm | Corn Exchange | £28 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk
Described as a ‘breath of fresh air’, this affable young singer is reaching a whole new generation of country and Irish music fans. 7.30pm | Corn Exchange | from £21.50 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk
26 SEPTEMBER
TAJ EXPRESS This all-singing, all-dancing taste of Bollywood, features the songs of Slumdog Millionaire Oscar winning composer A R Rahman. 7.30pm | Corn Exchange | from £23 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk 28 SEPTEMBER
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RETRO VIDEO GAME NIGHT Street food, beer and a night of nostalgia on vintage consoles – the theme is ‘terrible games’, so expect possibly best-forgotten classics like Spice World on the Playstation. 7pm | Centre for Computing History | £10 computinghistory.org.uk
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Dragon Boat Festival 8 SEPT
CHARITY BOATING EVENT RETURNS FOR A DAY OF MESSING ABOUT ON THE RIVER AND FAMILY FUN ON THE BANKS
B
ack for another lively day of fun on the Cam, our city’s most colourful boating event returns on 8 September. The Dragon Boat Festival, supported by Cambridge Edition, offers a chance to see teams battling it out along a 200-metre stretch of river out in Fen Ditton, cheered
on by hundreds of spectators. It’s loud, fun – and slightly crazy, in the best possible way! Crews are made up of companies, clubs and groups of friends from around the region, with 11 people (including a drummer), racing in traditional, ornatelycarved Chinese dragon boats. Qualified helms and all racing equipment are provided by festival organisers, Gable Events, and each crew is guaranteed a minimum of three races. No previous experience is needed to take part, just plenty of team spirit and enthusiasm. If you fancy getting involved, good news: there’s still time to enter a team but get in quick as spots do tend to sell out. You’ll be pitted against other entrants for this year, which so far include local businesses Cambridge Commodities, Cantab, The A14 Integrated Delivery Team, AstraZeneca, Cambridge University Hospitals, CMR Surgical, Cooke Curtis & Co, and a crew from festival charity, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT).
W H AT:
Colourful river race where teams battle it out in traditional Chinese-style dragon boats, featuring bankside entertainment
W H EN:
Saturday 8 September
W H ER E:
Ditton Meadows, Fen Ditton
HOW MUCH ?
Entrance to the event is free to spectators and parking is available at the nearby Fen Ditton Recreation Ground. Standard entry for a team is £650 + VAT
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D RAG O N B OAT F E ST I VA L
W H AT IS DR AGON BOAT R ACI NG?
Dragon boat racing has its origins in ancient China, where the sport began more than 2,000 years ago. Traditionally, these paddled long boats were raced by contending villagers, and it remains a popular Chinese pastime to this day, celebrated each year with a huge festival in June. The sport is becoming increasingly popular in the UK – in fact, it’s Britain’s fastestgrowing corporate team-building activity. It requires no previous experience and doesn’t rely on brute strength – it’s something everyone can take part in. The key to success is teamwork, timing and the ability to listen to your helm’s instructions – failure to do so could result in an early bath!
“It’s loud, fun – and slightly crazy, in the best way” ACT is the only charity dedicated to making a difference for patients at Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie Hospitals. By taking part and raising money for ACT, the teams will be helping to raise muchneeded funds for cutting edge technology, additional specialist services, vital research and extra comforts for patients that make all the difference over and above what would be possible through NHS funding alone. Last year’s Dragon Boat Festival raised a magnificent total of over £20,000 for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, and Emily Willdigg, ACT’s Events Fundraiser,
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is looking forward to building on this success, “We are delighted that businesses are getting teams together to support our much-loved hospitals. With the help of many generous supporters, we can provide funds so that our local hospitals can offer the very best care day after day, year after year.” There’s plenty to see at the event, with a race every 10-15 minutes, plus bankside entertainment including children’s rides and inflatables, a Spitfire fly-past, food stalls and a bar. There will also be a colourful Chinese lion to meet, t’ai chi and traditional dancing displays from the
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Cambridge Chinese Community Centre. Additionally, visitors will be able to find out more about the Festival charity, ACT, and the fantastic work they do in making a difference for patients at Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie hospitals. Keeping the competitive spirit healthy, there are a series of awards up for grabs, with trophies for the top three crews, top mixed crew and the ‘best dressed’ crew. There’s a special incentive to top the fundraising leader board, as the crew raising the most money for Addenbrooke’s will receive a fabulous private group cookery evening event of sushi-making at Cambridge Cookery, the award-winning cookery school, bistro and cafe. l For further information and to book your place on the start line this month, visit dragonboatfestivals.co.uk/cambridge or call Gable Events on 01780 470718. For information about the services of Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust visit act4addenbrookes.org.uk
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CO M P E T I T I O N
Win PizzaExpress vouchers! R
ecently reopened with a swish new look, PizzaExpress on Jesus Lane is celebrating by giving away £200-worth of vouchers to readers of Cambridge Edition. With five £40 vouchers up for grabs in total, our winners will feast for free in style, enjoying the restaurant’s smart refurbishment and tucking into tasty Italian dishes. Choose between favourites like PizzaExpress garlic doughballs, Romana pizzas, colourful salads and indulgent desserts, washed down with a glass of wine or an ice-cold beer. There’s a range of lighter dishes of fewer than 600 calories, plus glutenfree, veggie and vegan options. Sound good? Head to the Cambridge Edition website at cambsedition.co.uk and click on the Competition tab to enter. l PizzaExpress, 7a Jesus Lane | pizzaexpress.com T&Cs: Physical giftcards will be posted to the winners. No cash alternative is available. The giftcard can only be used at PizzaExpress Jesus Lane, Cambridge.
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Food & Drink R E V I E WS • R E C I P E S •
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FO O D N E WS • W I N E T I PS • N E W O P E N I N G S
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Pho R E S TAU R A N T R E V I E W
WE PAY A VISIT TO WHEELER STREET FOR A FEAST OF VIETNAMESE FLAVOURS IN THE HEART OF THE CITY CENTRE
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ho’s first restaurant was opened in 2005 by owners Juliette and Stephen Wall, after they travelled in Vietnam, fell in love with the food and decided to open their own eatery back in the UK to bring the flavours and tastes they adored to a British audience. Named for a traditional Vietnamese soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, a few herbs and meat, Pho started out in St John Street in London’s Clerkenwell, and has now expanded to at least 27 sites across the UK – including ours in Cambridge, which opened back in 2016 in the heart of the city. Each branch of Pho makes everything from scratch, with an emphasis on fresh vegetables and flavour-infused, twelvehour brewed broth as a base for the restaurant’s namesake soup. A cluster of bottles are sat on each table: Pho-made chilli paste, garlic vinegar, sriracha and fish sauce, for adjusting the flavouring of dishes to suit our tastes. The restaurant’s menu is short but incredibly varied, and feels extremely flexible to suit modern dietary requirements – 25% of Pho’s offer is vegan – but there’s also plenty there to keep meat-lovers happy. The first courses arrived. Summer rolls! I’ve long fallen out of love with their older, crunchier siblings, the spring roll, due to unpredictable levels of greasiness and mysterious, gloop-laden interiors, but translucent summer rolls are a total delight. A cluster of super-fresh, vibrantly coloured veg-led ingredients are swaddled tightly in sticky rice paper and served alongside a classic peanut dipping sauce (any excuse to eat yet more peanut butter gets a thumbs up from me). S E P T E M B E R 2 018
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A second starter was quickly added to our order when my dining companion pointed at the menu, looked straight at me and uttered the word “SQUID”: Pho’s mu’c chiên giòn, tiny, crunchy morsels of cephalopodic goodness were served with salt, pepper and fresh lime in a dipping bowl – and our only gripe was that there weren’t more of them. But this was probably a good thing, considering the scale of the feasts making their way to our table. For our main courses we’d been encouraged to try Pho’s new vegan offerings: cà-ri tofu and mushroom, a rich Vietnamese curry with veggies and mushrooms served with broken rice and tofu; and com tam rang – aromatic, spicy wok-fried broken rice with shiitake mushrooms and Thai basil. These both turned out to be ideal comfort food: in the cà-ri’s case, a large bowl of fragrant, warming, vegetable-based curry was accompanied by a perfect mound of pure white rice, while the com tam rang’s spicy heap of veg-speckled rice would have cured almost any ailment. Ideal if you’re trying to cut down on meat, or are dining out with vegetarian friends – or just need soothing with a heap of nutritious, vegetable-packed food for the soul. The dishes also looked fantastic, multicoloured and -textured; we were sat in Pho’s window, which meant our colourful meal had the added effect of attracting the attention of passers-by. I clocked at
least two double-takes, and one young Cambridge resident shamelessly stood directly next to my main course and stared at it, mouth agape, before we and his parents all burst out laughing and he was ushered away. As well as the vegan dishes we also threw in a bowl of Pho’s pho, asking the waiter to help us pick, and ended up going for one of their specials: a bún riêu soup consisting of vermicelli noodles in a rich tomato and crab broth with steak and tofu, topped with fried shallots and accompanied by a heap of herbs, which you add as much or as little of to suit your own tastes. This soup was extremely delicate and fragrant, and would be perfect for anyone who prefers lighter dining: in a 2014 interview, Stephen Wall said: “Western palates don’t particularly love [a higher fat content]... so pieces of brisket or chicken in our noodle soups won’t have so much fat in it.” As well as helping us to pick a pho, our waiter gave excellent service throughout, and really added to the enjoyable experience: in fact, all of Pho’s young team were relentlessly cheery and polite, providing swift, prompt service and neatly explaining any dishes we queried. The buzzy atmosphere, pitch-black walls and pumping playlist make a dinner at Pho almost feel like a night out on the town. Except with sitting down, and excellent noodles. l phocafe.co.uk
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FO O D & D R I N K
W H AT:
Vietnamese street food, colourful salads and comforting curries, served in a buzzy setting.
W H ER E:
1 Wheeler St, Cambridge
HOW MUCH:
Starters from £4.75, mains from £6.95
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Food News A MONTHLY ROUND-UP OF GASTRO GOINGS-ON AROUND CAMBRIDGESHIRE
COMING SOON
BRUNCH CLUB Promising an epic brunch, live music and DJs, we’re loving the sound of the upcoming collaboration between My Little Festival and Afternoon Tease. Taking place on 7 October in the gorgeous setting of the Great Barn in Bourn, the event will feature a three-course feast, cake, craft cocktails, prosecco, plenty of lounging about and even some dancing – sounds like the perfect Sunday to us! Tickets are priced at £35 and will be available from afternoontease. co.uk/events
T H I R ST Y F UN
Pioneering local drinks shop Thirsty has revealed its latest venture – and it’s set to send you on a nostalgic gastronomical journey back to your schooldays. Skool Dinnerz, taking place 14-15 September at Sancton Wood on St Paul’s Road, will see top chefs reimagining classic canteen fare. The Thirsty bar will be well stocked too, serving up wines, craft beers, cocktails – and a carton of milk if you did well in your maths test. Keep an eye on Thirsty’s social media for announcements of chefs and ticket details. Later on in September, Thirsty will be transporting us to Munich with its Oktoberfest, running 27-30 September. A celebration of all things German, you can expect lederhosen, dirndls and Weissbier, plus hearty autumnal eats and no doubt a glug or two of Riesling to boot. The action will be happening at 46 Chesterton Road and at other venues around the city. Prost! Follow Thirsty on Twitter @ThirstyCamb
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O T HER S Y DE L AU NCHES If you were one of the many Cambridgeites that fell in love with Thirsty’s riverside biergarten at the Museum of Technology last summer, we’ve got some good news. The site, on Cheddars Lane, has welcomed a new bar in the shape of Othersyde, which comes our way from the team behind Enchanted Cinema. Now with a permanent bar and tiered seating overlooking the river, this pretty alfresco spot will host all kinds of events throughout the year, from live music to yoga sessions to comedy shows. The organisers also hope to use the space for outdoor film screenings and art exhibitions, providing an exciting new creative venue for the city. Behind the bar you’ll find craft beers and great wines, and there will also be an ever-changing array of top street food vendors whose wares you can try while you relax with a drink and enjoy the beautiful view. Follow Othersyde on Twitter @TheOtherSyde
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ELY VEGAN FAIR Fans of a plant-powered lifestyle, make a beeline for Ely on 29 September, when you’ll be greeted with a huge selection of great vegan traders from across the region. It’s the third outing for this event, which will run 9am-3pm along Ely’s High Street and feature 25 vegan-friendly stalls in total, including a few Ely Market regulars. Aimed at vegans and those who are simply curious, visitors will be able to discover an array of delicious food and drink, enjoy live music and browse stalls at the Craft & Vintage Market, which will be running alongside the event. elymarkets.co.uk
C A M BR IDGE FOOD, G A R DEN & PRODUCE SHOW Parker’s Piece will spring to life this September when Oakleigh Fairs pitch up with their huge annual Food, Garden & Produce Show. Running on 15 and 16 September, the show presents an abundance of stalls, demos, classes and contests across the course of the weekend, and always attracts an enthusiastic crowd. Stop by between 10am and 5pm and try your hand at baking, making jam or pickle or flower arranging, with experts on hand to guide you. Fancy yourself as a star baker and know your soggy bottom from the finished article? You’ll be able to line up your own tasty treats against others from the area, with Ian Cumming, Great British Bake Off finalist in 2015 and local baking expert, stepping up to judge four categories that will test fruit cake and Victoria sandwich skills, among others. If you grow your own fruit and veg, there’s a wide range of classes to try to win, from carrots, tomatoes and the usual fare, to heaviest pumpkin and “any funky vegetable”. There are also categories for flowers and ones just for children, including jam tarts, miniature garden, or the intriguing tallest cress hair in a decorated egg. But it’s not all about taking part: on both days there will be a diverse range of arts and crafts, food and drink, plus homewares to browse in marquees and outdoor trade stands. Entry to the event is free. oakleighfairs.co.uk
CAMBRIDGE OKTOBERFEST
Be quick and you can still don your lederhosen for Cambridge Oktoberfest, which runs from 30 August to 2 September on Jesus Green. Taking place in a huge, 2,000 capacity tent, the event will have all the components of an authentic Oktoberfest, with oversized tankards of Bavarian beer, traditional music, bratwurst, schnitzel and brezel. Expect a riotous good time complete with dancing on benches and tipsy singalongs with thousands of revellers. Opening hours and entry prices vary. cambridge-oktoberfest.co.uk
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REAL ALE, REAL ACTION The Cambridgeshire Meeting, one of the highlights of the Gold Season at Newmarket Racecourses, hosts some of the best juvenile racing in Europe, often serving as a key starting point for future equine champions who are successful across the global stage. It’s not just the high quality horseracing that makes this event so special – it coincides with Newmarket’s fantastic Real Ale Festival, which showcases some of the best brews from the local area and further afield. There will be dozens of real ales and ciders for racegoers to sample, plus live music, and new for this year there will also be a selection of budding comedians taking to the microphone after racing. If you want to go all out with an indulgent meal, book into the award-winning Champions Gallery Restaurant, which is the perfect base for soaking up all the excitement of a day's racing whilst enjoying unrivalled panoramic views of the course and exquisite fine dining. The racing action includes the famous Cambridgeshire Heritage Handicap – the first leg of the historic Autumn Double and an amazing spectacle to behold as 30 horses thunder up The Rowley Mile. The Friday will also see the return of the Shetland Grand National, which is always a popular race on the card, last year being won by Rocco Dettori, son of champion jockey, Frankie. Saturday’s great for families, with lots of free entertainment in the Garden Enclosure throughout the day including inflatables, face painters and Rowley’s Kids Club. Runs 27-29 September. newmarket.thejockeyclub.co.uk
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SHEPR E T H BEER & MUSIC F ES T I VA L Three days of autumn indulgence await at The Plough, Shepreth from 14-16 September, when this much-loved village pub welcomes back its annual Beer and Music Festival. With 16 cask ales, ten international craft beers and 16 ciders to taste your way around, plus food and music of different styles each day to enjoy, it’s shaping up to be a top event. Stop by on Friday for powerful blues paired with the Festival Chip Shop, or try Saturday’s All Day Feast Table, which will nestle up against modern folk and acoustic performers. Sunday, meanwhile, will be all about traditional roast dinners and a whole host of special musical guests performing in an eclectic range of styles. Entry is free and full details are available at theploughshepreth.co.uk
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OU T OF M Y T R EE , DA N IEL CL IF FOR D This summer saw the release of Out of My Tree by Daniel Clifford, two-starred Michelin chef at Cambridge restaurant Midsummer House. Part cook book, part autobiography, it documents with searing honesty his experience of the industry and his own life story, spliced with recipes for some of his most exquisite dishes. Dubbed “the new White Heat” for its similarities to the seminal book by Marco Pierre White (who Clifford worked with), fellow chefs have been heaping praise on Out Of My Tree, with Michel Roux Jr calling it “stunning” and Tom Kerridge describing it as a “heart opening insight into the greatest industry on earth”. (£45, hardback, Meze Publishing).
Cooking the Books ADD TO YOUR CULINARY LIBRARY WITH ONE OF THESE RECENT RELEASES
CAMBRIDGESHIRE COOKBOOK: SECOND HELPINGS
Released this summer, the second edition of the Cambridgeshire Cookbook serves up a feast of recipes from local independents. Beautifully designed, the pages burst with inspiration from restaurants, cafes, delis, pubs, farm shops, producers and suppliers, featuring dishes from all over the world. From a traditional Algerian Couscous Royale at Mill Road’s Al Casbah to a decadent Gianduja from Dulcedo Patisserie or a Tokyo Snapper cocktail from The Cambridge Distillery, there are recipes aplenty to try out, plus profiles, interviews and a directory – a real showcase of the region’s vibrant food and drink scene (£14.95, Meze Publishing).
T H E MODER N K I TCH EN, T IM H AY WA R D Best known locally as the saviour of beloved Cambridge institution Fitzbillies, Tim Hayward offers a fascinating foray into the history of cookery gadgets in The Modern Kitchen. Featuring 70 carefully selected pieces of kitchenware, it explores the social context, aesthetics and functionality of each, illustrated with beautiful graphic photography. What shady role did the Swiss Käseunion play in the popularity of the fondue set? What connects the Daleks and the Bialetti coffee pot? Find out in this treasure trove of anecdotes that brims with history and humour (£20, Quadrille).
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FO O D X&X XDXRXIXNX KX FIVE OF THE BEST
Cold Coffees
© CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS
THE LONG HOT SUMMER PRESENTED A REAL CHALLENGE FOR COFFEE FIENDS: HOW TO STAY COOL WITHOUT COMPROMISING ON CAFFEINE? CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS ROUNDS UP OF SOME OF THE BEST ICED COFFEES TO BE FOUND IN CAMBRIDGE...
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F I T Z BIL L IES BR IDGE S T R EE T The barista leaned forward, away from the roar of the coffee-maker, checking she’d heard me correctly. “I mean… technically you could have any of the ice creams with an espresso,” she replied, shrugging and smiling. “Let me know which you’d like…” I can’t be the first to combine Fitzbillies’ Londonroasted Climpson espresso with a single scoop of its Chelsea Bun ice-cream, but I hope I’m not the last: the combo would no doubt make coffee snobs clutch their neckerchiefs with horror, but, reader, it worked: the intensely dark roast was softened and lifted by the warming, sugared-and-spiced cream, and made for a much more interesting take on the drink than the on-menu classic vanilla affogato. I perched at the window bar of the busy Bridge Street branch, spooning up small scoops of be-creamed, cinnamoned coffee, wondering what terrible mash-up pun-based name I’d give this drink if I had indeed invented it. Other, less sacrilegious cold coffees are also available on Fitzbillies Bridge Street’s short menu: their iced latte makes a good accompaniment to people-watching on a warm afternoon, and they use paper straws as a matter of course, which earns them a very big tick. But it’s this off-menu take on an affogato which I’d earnestly point you at, and the beauty of that particular iced coffee is that it’d work at any time of year – whether the permanent snaking lines of tourists are in shorts and flipflops, or wrapped snugly beneath layers of college scarves.
URBAN LARDER
“Go on,” he grinned. “I’ve heard a rumour you make some sort of iced coffee…” I trailed off, hesitating. “...with… condensed milk… is - is that...” “Yes!” he replied, confusing me for a microsecond (Was it a rumour? Was it true?) “We do: with two shots of espresso. We’re surviving on them in the afternoons. I’ll bring it over.” The Vietnamese was delicately placed on the table in front of me: a short glass of ice, thick cream and intensely dark coffee, swirling like the surface of Jupiter where the layers met. A cheerily-striped paper straw, which matched Urban Larder’s cerulean paintwork, allowed me to slurp the beyond-sweet condensed milk before mixing the two layers for a treat straight from the streets of South-East Asia. I’d had this drink before when on holiday in Thailand, and spent the following few months obsessed with decadently pouring condensed milk into as many of my coffees as I could get away with. Keeping a tin of rich, sticky almost-caramel milk in the fridge is a dangerous game, especially when you work from home, with no co-workers to raise an eyebrow over their desks: knowing I can get one of these coffees at Urban Larder is a much safer route. While the warmer weather lasts, I suggest you head straight there, bag a table outside or at the enormous sash window which fronts the eatery, and treat yourself as soon as possible.
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HOT NUMBERS
Perma-packed Hot Numbers beats the heat with its traditional cold brew single-origin coffee, served mixed with a little honey and plenty of ice – but if you’re feeling adventurous, its 90+ Nitro iced coffee is the one to go for: infused with nitrogen using a tap and crash-chilled during the serving process, the resulting stout-like drink promises the velvety feel of a flat white, but without involving any dairy whatsoever. Rumours abound that there’s more caffeine in coffee served this way – or that it simply hits you faster – but whatever’s true, you do look a little as if you’re tucking into a Guinness at 10am, which is bound to earn you cred amongst the other freelancers. Call ahead to check the Nitro’s on if you’re making a special trip: or fail to do this and fall back on Hot Numbers’ classic but no less delicious iced cold brew coffee with milk, which is what I did.
BOULD BROS Double-filtered, re-mineralised water: 90+ scoring coffee beans, six months of milk frothing training to make thicker, creamier foam than other high-street coffee-purveyors – and quite possibly the cheeriest staff you’ll ever encounter – it’s clear the Bould Brothers are serious about their plans to provide the best speciality coffee experience in the centre of Cambridge. Their regular coffee offering (which is far from regular in terms of quality) keeps a steady stream of people lining up outside this pocket-sized, beautifully-appointed coffee bar to power their days with perfectly prepared caffeinated drinks, and the iced coffee served up is no exception. Presented in exquisitely delicate glassware, the iced coffee experience is a peculiarly restful one, despite the bustling nature of the store’s location opposite the Round Church – grab a seat on their cushioned bench and watch the world go by.
NOV I
WANT TO MAKE
Novi stock nitro cold brew coffee stored in cans – exactly like stout you’d buy off the shelves – which is made just a short hop away in Bury St Edmunds by roasters Frank & Earnest. They specialise in single origin, ethicallysourced coffee beans which are ground, mixed with local, filtered water, then brewed for 18 hours before trapping in a can with nitrogen goodness and transporting to Novi for your enjoyment. Apparently this canned nitro coffee also makes an excellent base for cocktails – espresso martini, anyone? Novi also serves up extremely tall, creamy iced lattes topped with coffee beans, pictured right, bathed in the bar’s spectacularly clear and beautiful sidelighting that turns any drink into an irresistible #InstaCam-worthy snapshot.
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YOUR OWN
PERFECT COFFEE PAL? TURN OVER FOR OUR CHOCOLATE & ALMOND BISCOTTI RECIPE
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H OW TO M A K E T H E B E S T
Chocolate almond biscotti CRISP AND CRUNCHY OR DIP AND DUNKY, BISCOTTI ARE THE PERFECT PARTNER FOR COFFEE, WHETHER ITS HOT AND FROTHY OR COOL AS ICE. MAKE, BAKE, ENJOY WORDS ALEX RUSHMER/PHOTO CHARLOT TE GRIFFITHS
“Where a cup of tea cries out for a Hobnob, there is no better partner for a cup of coffee than these crunchy delights. The flavour combinations are almost limitless but nuts, spices and chocolate are all excellent choices. And with coffee being such a versatile flavour in itself, you'll struggle to come up with a combination that doesn't work – as long as you keep the ratio of fat, sugar, flour and eggs the same – feel free to experiment to your heart's content.” S E P T E M B E R 2 018
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INGREDIENTS
180g caster sugar 60g unsalted butter ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 4 medium-sized eggs 8 0g cocoa powder 5 00g plain flour P inch salt 6 g baking powder 1 00g blanched almonds
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STEP-BY-STEP
Pre-heat the oven to 160°C. Cream together the sugar, butter and vanilla in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. Add the eggs, one at a time, allowing each to combine before adding the next. S ieve the flower, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt together then gradually add this to the wet ingredients. Mix for another 2-3 minutes until the mixture comes together into a workable dough. A dd the almonds and mix through. T ip the mix out onto a floured surface, divide into two pieces then roll into a sausage shape about 25cm in length with a diameter of about 5cm. P lace onto a lined baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to cool then cut into slices of about 1cm thickness. P ut these back onto the baking tray and cook for a further 15 minutes until the biscotti are crunchy. Allow to cool then store in an airtight container.
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FO O D X&X XDXRXIXNX KX
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HEAVEN’S
Sake ALEX RUSHMER VISITS FORDHAM’S NEW SAKE BREWERY, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE UK
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here was a noticeable yin and yang feeling to my two visits to Dojima Sake Brewery, just outside Fordham. My first trip occurred back in March; the tail end of the ‘Beast from the East’ had covered the Fens in snow. An aggressive wind whipped over the landscape and the unfinished grounds and house of Fordham Abbey appeared empty and barren. The brewery itself – the very first purpose-built sake brewery in the UK – was unfinished, and the impressive tanks in the fermenting room were covered in a thin layer of dust. After overseeing the project from inception, head brewer Tony Mitchell was keen to get on with the task of actually making sake, rather than helping to manage the build. Tony’s quiet enthusiasm for a product virtually unknown in this country is engaging. His knowledge is astounding – gleaned from stints working in Japan for generations of brewers that go back centuries. Walking me through the space, he explained the process: tiny variations in time, temperature, atmospheric pressure, PH levels, water quality and, of course, rice, have a profound impact on the final product. He clearly had serious ambitions for the eventual quality of the product he hoped to make. Fast-forward several months to my second visit and there are plenty of changes. The dark red modern brewery
building is complete, with a huge and stunning window that reads ‘sake’ in Japanese script. It is a wonderful contrast to the Georgian splendour of the 18th century house. And now, rather than being coated in blinding white snow, the lawns are parched, dry and yellowing from the intense sun of the heatwave that the country is experiencing. More importantly, Tony has finally been able to make a few small batches of a unique product: genuine British sake. Another test brew is slowly fermenting in a tank, jacketed in foam mats stuffed with ice to protect against the heat outside. “This stage is about experimentation. I’m aware that this is an ongoing process and I’m keen to get it right,” he says. “Ultimately, we want to bring a little corner of Osaka to the Cambridgeshire countryside.” Judging by the ambition, location and the relentless pursuit of perfecting the sake itself, the team at Dojima will have little trouble with that. This is a serious project. The ideas and investment have come from the Hashimoto family who have been brewing sake in Ishikawa Province, about 200km north of Kyoto, since the 1800s. They broke ground on the project in autumn 2016 and although there is now sake in the tanks, this is only the start. Space has been made for a shop, cafe and visitors’ centre to open within the next six months. Noriko Tomioka, the
SAKE S T Y L ES
Some sake is fortified with alcohol. Dojima is focusing on the Junmai style, with no extra alcohol. It is made with ‘polished’ rice, rice with the outer layers removed.
JUNMAI a pure rice wine, usually made with rice polished to 70%
JUNMAI-GINJO sake made with rice that has been polished to 60%
JUNMAI-DAIGINJO sake made with rice that has been polished to 50%
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NAMAZAKE an unfiltered, unpasteurised sake generally unavailable outside of Japan
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brewery’s general manager and estate manager, reveals more plans for the future. “We hope that this will be our restaurant space,” she tells me, pointing out a series of old barns, currently home to a kiln being used by a master Japanese craftsman who is handcrafting a series of unique ceramics to sell in the shop. Of course, the success of the project hinges on the quality of the product. It is, unsurprisingly, sensational. The rice is imported directly from Japan but the water (the second most important ingredient) comes straight out of the earth from a natural spring within the Abbey grounds and lends the sake a wonderful sense of place and purpose. Although I’ve drunk sake before, and used it as a food pairing for my menus, this was the first time I was able to taste one so fresh and unpasteurised, known as nama sake, which translates to ‘raw’. The flavour was clean, refreshing, complex and with a noticeable rice flavour on the finish. It was utterly delicious – and this merely a small test brew. This is an artisanal product. The plan is to produce about 10,000 bottles, in a range of styles, by the end of the year.
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H OW SAKE IS MADE
“It’s a physical process; very involved mentally and physically,’ says Tony. “When you’re making the koji (see right) you need to check on it every three or four hours, day and night. The process of mixing, stirring and pressing the sake is tiring. It’s a hard job.” But as we sit in his office, sipping sake from delicate cups, he smiles. It really is worth the effort. l Dojima Sake Brewery can be found on Instagram @dojimasake and is open for tours by appointment only. To book, please contact info@dojimabrewery.co.uk
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Sake, often called rice wine, is closer to beer in the way it is made. Polished rice grains are soaked, steamed and then inoculated with a culture to make koji (which breaks down carbohydrates into sugars), and then left to ferment. The process is used in Japanese cuisine, such as in soy sauce and tofu making. There are a number of fermentation stages, altogether taking several weeks, with repeated additions of koji, steamed rice and water. Once the fermentation is complete the mixture is pressed to separate the liquid and solids. The sake is bottled and, usually, pasteurised. It is best drunk within a year of being bottled and, once opened, keeps for about a week in a fridge.
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Nature’s Larder THE TEAM FROM THE GOG, OUR AWARD-WINNING LOCAL FARM SHOP, BUTCHERY, DELI AND CAFÉ, GIVE THE LOW-DOWN ON THE SEASONAL PRODUCE TO SEEK OUT THIS MONTH
e all know that eating British fruits and vegetables in season is good for you, as nature cleverly ensures seasonal food contains the nutrients, minerals and trace elements that our bodies need at certain times of the year. This month, we’ve selected two of the most versatile vegetables which can be deliciously prepared in all manner of ways. As a quick, simple snack served on its own, or as a tasty addition to a variety of meals, sweetcorn with its uniquely delicate, sweet flavour is always a welcome treat. At it’s best when on the cob, September is the prime month to enjoy it. Ours comes from Maldon, just over the Essex border. The best corn has shiny, plump kernels which are closely packed together and when they're very fresh, squeezing the kernels will cause them to secrete a milky liquid. Keep it in the fridge to maintain the freshness and, without removing the husk, wrap them in damp kitchen roll to keep the flavour for longer. Once you’re ready to eat it, you can either eat the corn directly from the cob, or 'shuck' the corn to remove it from the cob before serving. This is best done after cooking, as the corn will be easier to remove. To shuck the corn, cut one end off so that the base is flat and place the flat end on a chopping board. With a sharp knife, slice the corn away from the cob. Our other unsung hero is part of the squash, marrow and cucumber family: courgettes are available all year round but are at their best from June until October, and ours are fresh from the fields in Fenstanton. The name ‘courgette’ is the adopted French term, whereas in most other European countries and as far as Australia they’re known as ‘zucchini’, which comes from the Italian ‘zucchina’, meaning ‘small squash’. Steamed, grilled, baked, fried or even eaten raw, courgettes are a versatile summer squash that work just as well with barbecued chicken or fish, in stews or casseroles, grated into salads, or griddled and paired with fresh herbs and lemon. Go for courgettes that are firm, with bright, shiny and unblemished skin. If a courgette feels soft and looks dull, it usually means it’s no longer fresh. Low in calories and easy on your waistline, they only have about 2g of carbs per 100g and low glycaemic index (GI). So why not swap your standard pasta for some ‘courgetti’ to lower your carbohydrate intake? Courgettes can grow to nearly a metre long, but the ones with the most flavour are usually the smallest. For a quick and easy mid-week meal, we love serving sweetcorn and courgette fritters alongside our tasty Indian chicken kebabs, handmade by our in-house butchery team. l The Gog, Heath Farm, Shelford Bottom, Cambridge CB22 3AD 01223 248352 | thegog.com
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HOW TO EAT IT SPICY SWEETCORN FRITTERS MAKE A GREAT ACCOMPANIMENT TO CHICKEN KEBABS INGREDIENTS
150g plain flour ¼ tsp baking powder ½ tsp sea salt 1tsp ground coriander ½ tsp ground cumin 1tsp sweet paprika 1 egg, lightly beaten 1tsp lemon juice 350g corn kernels, cut from 3 large corn cobs 4 spring onions, thinly sliced 3tbsp chopped coriander 2tbsp olive oil METHOD
Place the flour, baking powder, salt, coriander, cumin and paprika in a bowl. Add the egg, lemon juice and 125ml of water and beat to a smooth batter. Add the corn, spring onion and chopped coriander and stir to combine. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and spoon in 2 heaped tablespoons of the mixture for each fritter. Flatten with a spatula and cook for 2 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining mixture. INDIAN KEBABS
Cook for 12-15 minutes on 180°C
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Drinks TROLLEY
I K NOW T HIS GR E AT LIT T LE PL ACE...
De Luca’s Cocktail Bar A Cambridge favourite for more than a decade, Italian restaurant De Luca added an inspired new addition to its offering in 2014 with the launch of its top-floor cocktail and piano bar. With a great atmosphere, killer cocktails and New York loft bar vibe, it quickly established itself as an in-the-know gem for those in search of something a little different from their night out in the city. “I think part of the success of the bar has been that it is hidden away,” says Robin from the De Luca team. “People discover it and then revel in introducing it to their friends and family, taking ownership of it as if it was their own.” And in a way, it does belong to the punters,
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offering a piano and vocal show which revolves entirely around audience requests, driven by the musical passions of whoever’s in the house that night. Stop by and you can expect to hear the ivories tinkling everything from Elvis to Kanye West to Ed Sheeran: a melting pot of genres and eras where anything goes and there’s something for everyone. Audience members are encouraged to throw their inhibitions out of the window (easily done after a couple of cocktails), and sing along, making for a cracking atmosphere. Drinks-wise, they do well on classics like espresso martinis and mojitos, but we recommend sampling something that has a De
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Luca spin, like the Strawberry and Elderflower Fizz with elderflower liquor, or the Hendricks mojito. With both the good cheer and the drinks flowing, Robin tells us that the Regent Street bar is a great meeting place. “A number of people have started relationships with a date at the bar,” he says. “We have even had engagements, and taken the piano show to perform at the weddings!” As of September, there will be piano entertainment on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. The bar is available for private hire Sunday to Wednesday. delucacucina.co.uk
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XDXRXIXNXKS XXX
TOFFEE APPLE THE TEAM AT GIRTON’S OLD CROWN SERVE UP AN AUTUMNAL TREAT OF A TIPPLE YOU WILL NEED
50ml Kahlua salted caramel liqueur 25ml Bottega apple liqueur 50ml Sour apple syrup 100ml Aspalls cyder HOW TO MAKE IT
Simply shake all the ingredients together carefully – hey presto!
“The perfect blend of sour and sweet, this cocktail is just like eating a toffee apple from the fair”
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F E E L I N G T H I RS T Y?
Beyond the bottle ELODIE CAMERON FROM DRINKS SHOP THIRSTY REVEALS THAT THE OLD-STYLE WINE-IN-A-BOX HAS UNDERGONE A REVOLUTION... Many of us remember the old bag-inbox wines of the past, how they adorned house parties alongside finger foods that didn’t get eaten. They retained a lowbrow image and were seen as cheap and cheerful, but we’ve come a long way since those days. It’s now over 50 years since winemaker Tom Angove patented his idea for flexible packaging down in South Australia, after being inspired by the old practice of using goatskins. Slowly but surely the image and technology have moved on, whilst the basic principle – that air is not able to replace the space the wine took up – still ensures the wine stays fresh; this is where the success of Tom’s idea lies. There has been a lot of development in the quality of bag and, in turn, this has allowed for better quality and variety of wines on tap (many kegs use the same principle). What’s the point, you may well ask? With financial and environmental pressures made evermore apparent, we begin to see the benefits for suppliers and consumers alike. There’s no glass for a start, a reduced carbon footprint, less waste (some kegs, holding 30 litres of wine, can be crushed down to the size of a couple of glass bottles and popped into the recycling bin)and less waste, as the wine can be kept on tap or in the box for much longer than a bottle, preventing oxidisation after opening. All this makes it more cost effective for all. Consistency and quality means some of the biggest names in winemaking are getting involved, and as it only takes two minutes to fill a 30-litre KeyKeg (a recyclable, top quality, lightweight keg)it allows for exciting new wines and blends to be easily accessible – which can only be good news for wine drinkers. So, out goes the old image and in comes the new – great, easy-drinking wines that are better value and... Yes, I will say it: cool. There are now wine bars made up of wines on tap, or tap walls, which include beer, wine and even cocktails (how fun is a party with Prosecco on tap?). You can have a great time, enjoy interesting new wines, feel positive about the environmental impact – and it’s good on the wallet, to boot. Join this drinking revolution; wines on tap are here to stay! A varied selection of wines on tap are available by the glass (or returnable bottle) at Thirsty, Chesterton Road.
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Education © MARKS & SPENCER
F I N D I N G T H E R I G H T S C H O O L • CO D I N G FO R K I D S • A D U LT L E A R N E R S
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A DV E RT I S E M E N T F E AT U R E
PICKING THE RIGHT SCHOOL Felsted offers Cambridge families a fantastic choice of boarding options, including three, five and seven nights – whatever suits your family’s lifestyle – including a weekly boarding bus pickup from Trumpington on Sunday evenings
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elsted provides a rounded, holistic education for children aged four to 18, and has been doing so for over 450 years. Located in an idyllic part of rural North Essex, just 50 minutes south of Cambridge, we offer a modern day and boarding education, with state-of-the-art teaching and facilities. Parents are beginning to see the benefits of sending their children outside the hustle and bustle of city life, giving them the opportunity to experience a modern boarding education. A variety of boarding options, from flexi and weekly to full, offers them the ability to take advantage of the huge range of co-curricular opportunities available. Without the hassle of commuting, children are able spend more time doing the things they love, being with their friends and completing their work with their peers in a supportive and nurturing environment. Based on a stunning 80-acre campus, Felsted offers plenty of space and security
“An early growth mindset has youngsters believe anything is possible… a school that brings the best out in everyone” The Good Schools Guide
for pupils. The unique village-based location allows pupils to mature and grow without the stresses of city living, so they can focus on their studies and extracurricular activities. At Felsted, every pupil is given the opportunity to unlock their potential in a caring, nurturing environment, with small class sizes that cater for individual development. A broad curriculum, which includes the choice of A levels or the International Baccalaureate Diploma in the Sixth Form, offers exciting learning opportunities alongside stimulating, dynamic and supportive teachers. A ROUNDED, HOLISTIC APPROACH
A Felsted education values emotional and social development as much as academic and intellectual development. From the moment that your son or daughter joins Felsted’s supportive and close knit community, they will be nurtured and challenged. Felsted staff take pride in knowing and valuing every child as an individual, stretching them, encouraging
“You won’t find many schools with a longer list of extracurricular options” The Good Schools Guide
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“Felsted produces self-starting, entrepreneurial and independent spirits – characteristics that are immediately evident among the ambitious, selfmotivated and self-aware pupils, who have some of the healthiest can-do attitudes we’ve seen” The Good Schools Guide
them and appreciating them for every contribution that they make to the community. Felsted is a family school, structured in such a way that your child will always be part of a school-within-a-school, in which academic stretch and pastoral support are always entirely personal and age appropriate. At the Prep School these take the form of Phases, at the Senior School it is within a House structure that your child will find nurture, support, camaraderie and friendship. The beauty of this approach is that Felsted grows with your child. As pupils move through the school they enjoy more of the available space and specialist
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facilities and benefit from an ever-greater range of opportunities in a gradually extending day. Each much-anticipated stage brings greater self-reliance and affords your child exciting new challenges, privileges and possibilities. ACADEMIC STRETCH
Whether your son or daughter becomes an Oxbridge candidate, or successfully achieves a much-strived-for C grade in end of year exams, you can be confident that he or she will have been stretched to achieve their personal potential at Felsted. Felsted’s tutor system ensures that your child’s individual needs are
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constantly being met and reviewed, whether that’s through our Very Able Pupils’ programme or personalised learning support. Mindful of the current pressures on young people, particularly in adolescence, academic challenge is accompanied by generous helpings of support, nurture and encouragement so that your child does not fall prey to the pitfalls of performance anxiety. l ARRANGE A VISIT
Felsted’s next Open Morning is on Saturday 29 September, but individual visits can be arranged at your convenience. Visit felsted.org/admissions or call 01371 822605.
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A perfect fit WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF CHOICE, CHOOSING THE RIGHT SCHOOL FOR YOUR CHILDREN CAN SEEM OVERWHELMING. CHARLOTTE PHILLIPS SEEKS ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS
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hen it comes to finding the best educational fit for a child, it’s vital to know what makes them tick. It sounds obvious but, says Richard Settle, headmaster at Sancton Wood, it’s all too easy to start a school search by thinking about what would suit you rather than your child. “Parents need to recognise that their child is different to them. They’re not picking a school for the things they might value but for something that’s going to allow their child to thrive.” Instead, put away your own preferences and prejudices and consider your child in the round. Look at what motivates them to do their very best and what – conversely – can have a devastating effect on their confidence and motivation. “Think about your child’s strengths and weaknesses and be honest about them when choosing schools to look at,” stresses Sophy Aitken, head of marketing at Felsted School.
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“Is the school able to offer the support that is required and the right environment where their child will thrive?” It’s crucial to be realistic, confirms Will Phelan, principal of Stamford Endowed Schools. “Begin by asking yourself to describe your child honestly, rather than the child that you, as a parent, would want them to be.” Parents should ask themselves about their child’s personality, levels of curiosity and engagement with those around them as much as characteristics such as empathy, kindness, leadership and initiative. You may have a child who thrives in a highly competitive atmosphere. “Some children just love testing, they’re excited by it, they respond to it, they want to be top, they want to be the best,” says Richard Settle. For others, he says, a gentler approach is more their style. They may be highly able yet find the cut and thrust of overt competition just too much u
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“Begin by asking yourself to describe your child honestly, rather than the child that you, as a parent, would want them to be” to bear. “You know if your child is going to be anxious and need a warmer environment.” In most cases, families won’t find it hard to spot a school’s warmth – or lack of it – well before they even reach the classrooms. “If you get a warm and welcome feeling in reception, the chances are you’re going to get that from everybody else you meet,” says Nigel Helliwell, headmaster at St Faith’s. “It’s going to be an atmosphere that pervades the school.” Cambridge International School prides itself on the in-depth knowledge that informs the relationships between staff and students. “We have such a multicultural student base,” says Victoria Robeson, head of marketing and admissions at Cambridge International School. “We recognise that every child is slightly different and that’s absolutely fine. It’s all about celebrating people’s differences as the norm.”
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In recent years, the importance of pastoral care has been increasingly emphasised. When all schools trumpet their differences and unique ways of being, it’s an area that tends to be described in almost identical terms. So how do you find out what lies behind the – let’s face it – distinctly samey language? Visiting schools will give families a strong sense of how they and the school can work together, says Nigel Helliwell. “Education is a partnership between the parents, the child and the teachers. The bottom line is that they need to be able to feel confident that they can work with the head and all the teachers they meet.” Dave Watkin, assistant head at Culford School is in no doubt about what to ask to get schools to spill the beans. For families looking for schools that are individually orientated, he says, the initial
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questions should be about whether it’s the school that adapts to the pupil – or vice versa. “The question I’d be asking as parents is that we’re looking for a school that’s going to wrap itself round the needs of my child, I don’t expect my child to meet the needs of the school.” When you get to the point of describing your child, ask what the school has done for similar pupils, he says. “I’d say, have you got any kids that fit that mould? Tell me the stories, about when your school has demonstrated the qualities that you say you produce.” The knockout punch, he says, is to ask to speak to other parents “who can endorse what you’re saying and who have had a really positive experience. Nothing shines through more than authenticity.” In the past, education was all about the child fitting into the school. Today, the best schools have a different mindset, believes Nigel Helliwell. “You take the premise that every child is uniquely
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talented, which they are. It’s our job to find those talents, to take a child and fit into them.” One element of this is the willingness of schools to listen to their pupils. “It’s important that pupils don’t feel intimidated, or that the head’s door is closed or that they are someone in an ivory tower,” says Richard Settle. “They need to be taken seriously and listened to.” Listening is something that comes naturally to staff at Cambridge International School, says Victoria Robeson, as does joining the dots. Because staff really know every child in depth, they’ll pick up on tiny changes in behaviour that can signal that something isn’t quite right, pull the child’s teachers together and look at what’s happened. “It’s all about understanding the needs of the child and the context in which the situation’s happened,” she says. At Felsted School pupil committees and pupil surveys on areas such as food, activities and social times help ensure that pupils feel listened u
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“We’re looking for a school that’s going to wrap itself round the needs of my child, I don’t expect my child to meet the needs of the school” to. In addition to a listening network that ranges from house parents to tutors and the school matron, there’s also a Wellbeing Centre. “It’s a drop-in centre at the heart of the school where pupils can go throughout the school day to get some time out and talk to the school counsellors if needed, in confidence,” says Sophy Aitken. Of course, children can and do change. Some shy retiring types just need a few years of TLC to spring from their shells as ultra-confident kids, so it’s as well to rethink their educational needs. The school that was a best fit at five may no longer be the right environment for a budding teenager. But don’t assume that a change of scene is essential, cautions Richard Settle. As head of an all-through school, he regularly sees the benefits that consistency can bring. “If your child is going to be worried about moving on to ‘big school,’
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picking a school that’s all through is a neat way of ensuring that never becomes a problem,” he says. Even in an area packed with good schools – as ours is – finding the one that’s the best possible fit for your child can feel far from straightforward. But as Will Phelan at Stamford Endowed Schools stresses, a realistic appreciation of your child’s personality can help. “If parents understand the fundamentals about their child’s motivation, certain factors such as single gender versus co-education, size of the school, quality of facilities, range of co-curricular activities, boarding versus weekly boarding versus day are all vital pieces of the puzzle that will help them to find the right school to suit a child’s personality. Siblings or even twins are a great example of illustrating why there is no one-school-fits-all solution. Nor should there be.” l
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Crack the Code WE MEET THE LOCAL COMPANIES AND CLUBS MAKING COMPUTER PROGRAMMING CHILD’S PLAY
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ive years ago, you’d never have heard of coding camps. Today, they’re a big thing in our area and getting bigger all the time. They’ve sprung up in response to the growing interest in what’s under the bonnet of today’s computers, helped along by a rethink of the IT curriculum in schools. This has resulted in even the tiniest of reception tots getting to grips with programming – often with highly impressive results. Given the success of our area’s high tech, highly successful businesses, it’s not hard to see just where coding can get you. But as the coding camp organisers stress, learning to programme is just the start. What children also get is the chance to create, project manage, work as a team and experience success, failure and all the associated highs and lows that come with it. “What we’re trying to do is not be some kind of boot camp but be something that really empowers kids with all the different kinds of technology to help them to communicate and collaborate and solve problems,” says Jill Hodges, a self-described serial entrepreneur who set up Fire Tech Camps when she couldn’t find a suitable course for her two tech-mad kids. The camps cover everything from learning programming languages to designing video games or becoming a YouTube creator, taking in communications and collaboration along the way. “It’s not just about learning programming, it’s really about getting all the soft skills as well,” she says. That’s not only highly empowering but provides a way of learning – in tiny classes – that schools sometimes just don’t have time for. What also helps is that the tutors are frequently young, bright and evangelical about coding – brilliant role models for their young pupils. At Cambridge Coding Academy, 13 to 18-year-olds are taught by researchers from top universities, Cambridge and Imperial among them, as well as computer science teachers. It doesn’t take long to see results. “From not knowing at all how to code, you can develop an online game after just one day,” says Dr. Chih-Chun Chen. “You then move on to create your own website, process images and code your own music.” CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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“If it’s in the context of a game, they’re going to listen” Many courses are aimed at complete beginners. Pete Neill, co-founder of Code Club, says that what makes the difference is the enthusiasm of Code Club learners (most aged seven to 12) coupled with the way that their enthusiastic teachers help them take quite complex mathematical concepts in their stride. “Anything you want to teach them, if it’s in the context of a game, they’re going to listen. If you just drew a graph on the board and starting talking about Cartesian coordinates, you would have lost them instantly. But if you say OK, if we want to propel our fire ball from here to here… do we need a positive number or a negative number to move this way, they’re all listening and guessing because they’re super invested in making that happen.” For parents with daughters the good news is that coding is in no danger of
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becoming a boys-only zone. Code Club says that, typically, its sessions have about 35 per cent of girls, with some achieving equal numbers of boys and girls (elsewhere between 15 and 40 per cent seems to be the norm). With Code Club working with girls’ schools to promote coding, expect the proportion of girls to keep growing. Currently, coding camps are mainly offered as holiday courses in our area. But with growing numbers of families recognising that learning to code isn’t just about becoming brilliant in binary but providing an all-round learning experience, more weekend and after school sessions are likely to become available in the near future. Somewhere, an under-18 whizz-kid coding course alumnus is probably already creating an app to let you know exactly when. l
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Life Lessons CHARLOTTE PHILLIPS TAKES A LOOK AT THE ADULT EDUCATION LANDSCAPE AND SEES WHAT’S ON OFFER LOCALLY
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ur area’s adult learners are a resilient lot. They’ve had to be, as funding for adult education has come under continued pressure. One telling figure, from a recent report from The Lord’s Economic Affairs Committee, highlights the decline in the numbers of part-time students in higher education, down by 200,000 between 2010 and 2016. If anything, the situation has got worse, thinks Shane Chowen, Midlands area director for the Association of Colleges. “College leaders are having to make very difficult decisions about subsidising courses that they want to deliver but know they won’t be able to break even on.” It's particularly troubling at a time when the pace of technological change is accelerating, threatening to make many jobs obsolete. In our
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area, technology already accounts for one in eight jobs, a figure that is set to rocket, with jobs in IT, energy and utilities industries on course to increase by 40 per cent, according to research from the STEM Foundation in partnership with the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership (LEP). It’s not as if the advantages of having a welltrained workforce are in any doubt. Among other benefits, boosting workforce skills can contribute to social mobility, in turn leading to increased productivity. Just a ‘modest increase’ according to the Department for Education, could increase the UK’s annual GDP by a stonking £39 billion. There are some positive developments. A government white paper on industrial strategy, published late last year, includes a multi-million pound investment in a national retraining u
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scheme designed to equip adults aged 18 and over with ‘the skills they need to maximise their earning potential’. As part of the scheme, pilot projects that fund up to 100% of courses are being monitored. The idea, says Shane Chowen, is to assess the impact of government loans for adult learners, widely touted as an affordable way to access adult education. “They’re trying to see whether removing that barrier will make a difference to participation.” Our area is doing its bit to support adult learners from all walks of life and backgrounds. For those seeking to brush up on their English, maths, IT and employability skills, Cambridgeshire County Council Adult Learning and Skills Service provides everything from
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employability activities to careers advice sessions for some 10,000 adults annually across the five districts of Cambridgeshire. At undergraduate level, the number of bursaries on offer for learners at Madingley Hall, Cambridge’s Institute for Continuing Education, has been increased. “We’ve always offered bursaries in some form,” says head of marketing Paul Ireland. “This time around we’re offering more than in previous years, designed particularly for people who have not studied at university level before.” Candidates don’t need any specialist knowledge or experience, he says, just an interest in their subject and an appropriate standard of English. The experience starts with the surroundings. While it’s easy to be lookist, given that
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A D U LT E D U CAT I O N
breathtaking surroundings come as standard in our beautiful city, 16th century Madingley Hall, complete with delightful landscaped gardens, has an ambience all its own. Its vast and ever-growing range of courses, some at undergraduate or post-grad level, are also big on versatility and available online or at weekends, dovetailing with the demands of busy 21st century lifestyles. Science, medical and healthcare-themed courses include science communication, advanced clinical practice, medical education and biocuration – the first formal educational qualification in its field. In addition to enhancing existing careers, courses can be highly effective in creating new opportunities, as Sarah Clerke at The Cambridge Flower School can testify. She runs a range of sessions, from a half-day workshop to an intensive week-long course that give students the skills they need to set up their own florists. You may leave with the confidence to decorate a wedding venue but you’ll also be under no illusions about just how much demanding work is entailed. “It’s about giving people a reality check so if they do go into the world of floristry, they really do understand what it’s all about. We don’t sugarcoat it,” she says. u
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“Learning as an adult can provide an immense creative buzz” So far, so grittily serious. But for plenty of learners the whole experience is also wholly, if not exclusively, all about fun. While some learners come to ABC Languages Cambridge with one goal in their sights – improving their English to the point where they can sail through a work promotion or important exam – others bring the family and enjoy a fabulous bespoke learning experience. Unlike many other language schools, ABC takes learners as young as five. It doesn’t offer residential courses – students are helped to find accommodation – but does specialise in offering experienced teachers who positively relish the challenge that reaching out to a range of ages and abilities brings. “We have a summer school for 5-15 year olds and our adult school runs parallel to that,” says operations manager Michael Wood. “It’s good fun.” Small drawbacks, for example teaching English to children who haven’t yet even learned to read or write in their own language, are easily overcome, courtesy of the power of music (apparently, singing ‘head, shoulders, knees and toes’ is a particularly potent weapon).
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While joining in with a stirring action song is admittedly less common as you go up the age range, learning as an adult can provide an immense creative buzz. It may come from assembling the perfect floral arrangement in a hat box (currently a big thing in floristry, says Sarah Clerke), admiring your first kiln-fired ceramic or completed painting – both popular adult courses at Hills Road – or indulging in a long-held passion for agricultural productivity in the Fen wetlands from 400 to 1300 (one of more esoteric subjects on offer at Madingley Hall). What matters is the realisation that learning shouldn’t, and many people would say mustn’t, finish at 16 or 18. As many adult learners will tell you, the joy of learning can begin long after schooldays come to an end. “Our classrooms are incredibly diverse because our courses are open to everyone,” says Paul Ireland. “You get the most wonderful mix of people that you just wouldn’t find in a mainstream undergraduate degree programme.” From going back and nailing the basics of maths, literacy or IT to developing completely new skills, there really is something out there for everyone, just waiting to be discovered. l CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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Check Mate
From Stella McCartney to Versace, the AW18 catwalks were awash with checks, whether 1990s Clueless vibes, paying homage to traditional tartan or, in the case of Simone Rocha, a punky aesthetic. Expect to see this uber-wearable trend filter down to the high street with a vengeance – on trousers, blazers, matching co-ords, and pretty much everything else
CHECKED TROUSERS WITH BELT
£39.99, Zara, St Andrew’s Street
CHECK TOP
£5.99, Zara, St Andrew’s Street
M&S COLLECTION JACKET
£69, M&S
MONOCHROME CHECK TROUSERS
£55, Linea at House of Fraser
DENIM GINGHAM JUMPSUIT
£48, Topshop, Grand Arcade
BLUE TARTAN SKIRT
£17.99, New Look, Lion Yard
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HOW TO WEAR IT
© PRIMARK
Plaid needn’t be staid: have fun doubling up with different prints, team checks with sequins for high fash glam, or opt for a zingy coloured tartan to make your autumn wardrobe really pop.
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HEALTH &WELLNESS
FESTIVAL OF CYCLING Often named Britain’s Cycling City, it seems only right that Cambridge’s love of our trusty pedal-powered twowheelers should be celebrated. Which is exactly what this month’s Festival of Cycling, organised by local charity Camcycle, is all about. Running throughout September, the festival includes many cycling-oriented events including a family-friendly picnic ride, cargo bike parade, cycling to work conference, family cycling day, film CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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night, women’s cycling event, and the chance to try Victorian cycle wear. Roxanne De Beaux, Executive Director of Camcycle said, “The Camcycle team of staff and volunteers have been working hard to bring to life our long-held dream of a cycling festival in Cambridge. Our events will embrace the everyday cycling culture in Cambridge and encourage even more people to experience the joy of cycling. As part of our celebration we’ll
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be showcasing the cargo bikes used by Cambridge families and businesses, celebrating our gender-equal rates of cycling and sharing the best practices used by local employers to support their staff who cycle to work.” Most of the events will be free; some will have a minimal charge to cover costs and help raise funds for Camcycle. Visit the website for the full programme. cambridgefestivalofcycling.org S E P T E M B E R 2 018
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MEDITATION WORKSHOP Take some time to relax, reflect and get centred at Cambridge Central Library’s meditation retreat workshop this month. A morning away from the stresses and strains of everyday life led by an experienced meditation teacher, the session is designed to encourage inner peace and wellbeing, and will offer a chance to ask any questions you might have about the practise of meditation. With benefits including stress reduction, improved concentration and memory, mood boosting and plenty more, there are lots of reasons to try meditation if you’re curious – see for yourself on 29 September. The session takes place from 10.30am to 1pm and costs £15, comprising two one-hour sessions with a coffee/tea break. The library is located upstairs at the Lion Yard. Further information and booking is at drolmacentre.org.uk/cambridge-2
GOG MAGOG GRAN FONDO
The Gog Magog Gran Fondo is back on Sunday 16 September, offering an unmissable day of cycling fun, food and beer. Starting and finishing at the Gog Farm Shop, riders can choose between a 40- and 80-mile route, with both taking in the glorious south Cambridgeshire countryside. Over the last couple of years the event has raised £10,000 for fantastic charities, and organisers are looking to continue the good work by supporting Teenage Cancer Trust and Tom’s Trust with this year’s event. Once you’re done, get stuck into awesome barbeque food and plenty of craft beer back at the farm shop. It’s £20 to enter, and to keep the family together, riders under 16 years old can ride free when accompanied by a paying adult. savillsgog18.eventbrite.co.uk
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TRIED & TESTED
LightFusion at Bedford Lodge DAISY DICKINSON TRIES OUT ONE OF THE NEWMARKET SPA’S NEW ADVANCED COSMETIC PROCEDURES
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f you’re in the market for a little R&R, and interested in a more vibrant, younger, brighter appearance (who isn’t?!) then stepping through the doors to The Spa at The Bedford Lodge Hotel could be just what the doctor ordered. Just a short jaunt out of Cambridge, in the energetic setting of Newmarket, I was surprised to find the Spa nestled so close to all of the shops and restaurants, making it easy to get to. The Spa is well known for luxurious weekend breaks, boasting a hydrotherapy pool, rooftop hot tub and more than ten treatment rooms – but you don’t have to book a whole weekend to benefit. The Spa has recently launched a discreet aesthetic clinic offering advanced drop-in cosmetic procedures and treatments including botox, dermal fillers, hair removal, and LightFusion phototherapy. Promising visible, lasting results, light therapy is being used more and more in facial treatments, and the skin’s ability to absorb light means that harmless LED light in specific colour wavelengths can be used to target various complaints; energising cells to produce collagen and
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improve blood circulation. LightFusion (from £59) is a facial treatment to tackle the signs of aging. Using phototherapy and a hydrogel mask, it can be enjoyed as a relaxing, hydrating and skinfirming experience, or as a combo with Microdermabrasion, peels or facials. I opted for a renewing Microdermabrasion session, followed by LightFusion. My therapist Emma welcomed me and went through the details of the treatment so I’d know what to expect – giving me the chance to ask plenty of questions, before slipping into a cosy bed and closing my eyes. The Microdermabrasion (from £60) is a popular treatment at the spa, thanks to its near-instant results. Using tiny crystals and a special suctiontool, the top layer of your skin is gently exfoliated away – it didn’t hurt at all, but was rather relaxing, with Emma keeping me informed of everything she was up to. The treatment lasted about 30 minutes, followed straight away by LightFusion, where a delightfully cooling gel mask was applied, instantly calming the effects of the Microdermabrasion, before the light mask went on top to deliver its magic.
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Amazingly, my eye make-up remained intact, as Emma had applied little eye protectors. So, this is a treatment you could just squeeze into your lunch break. Afterwards, I noticed my skin looked brighter, and felt more hydrated. I was given a sunscreen (which Emma applied) and some special moisturiser to sleep in, and I carried on my day with glowing skin, make-up free. When I did later apply foundation, I used half the amount, as it glided on so smoothly, covering pores and imperfections more easily than before. Treatments can be undertaken weekly, or every month or two to keep on top of your skin’s new glow. l bedfordlodgehotelspa.co.uk
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B E AU T Y
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BEAUTY W
e’ve had a scorcher of a summer and, while I’m certainly not complaining, what we need now is a little extra hydration to keep our skin healthy. As well as guzzling plenty of H2O, skin is crying out for some extra moisture to help it recover from dryness, flaking and overexposure to the sun, all of which can all be eased with some simple products and regimes. It’s pretty simple, but moisturising the skin every day will maintain supple, soft skin, help prevent the signs of aging, and prolong a tan. One of my faves for smothering on is Palmer’s Cocoa Butter, but for a summer scent I adore the Coconut Oil Formula, and new in the range you’ll find Firming Body Lotion and Body Firming Sheet Mask (£7.99 each, Superdrug). With seaweed extracts and guarana, the deliciously tropical products work well as a two-step process, promising to tighten and firm in as little as two weeks. For a super cool way to remove your make-up, e.l.f. Makeup Remover Balm (£5, elfcosmetics.co.uk) is a handy stick which slicks on and melts like butter onto skin, gently smoothing away all traces of muck and make-up. For an even squeakier clean, I’m currently obsessed with Face Halo (£18 for a three-pack, beautybay.com) – little fluffy discs of microfibre magic. You simply wet them and wipe away make-up, no product needed (but used in combination with the e.l.f. stick is total harmony). Each halo can be used a couple of times before chucking it in the washing machine with your clothes and it can be washed 200 times. It is absolutely time to put the cleansing wipes down and opt for this eco-friendly and gentle alternative.
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And for a pocket-friendly pop of hydration, Love Boo Magic Balm (£12.99 loveboo.bom) is a British-made balm, originally crafted for mums as a multi-tasker for everything from elbows, to cuticles, lips and nips. The dinky 30ml tube is great for chucking in your bag. There’s nothing better than a gel for smoothing over hot skin, and the latest launch from Goldfaden MD is quickly becoming my post-summer go to. When sweat, suncream, salt and chlorine have had the better of your skin, the Detox Hydrating Gel (£60, spacenk.com) is a beautifully clearing moisturiser which aims to help prevent breakouts while refining with salicylic acid and all sorts of other goodies. It’s super-soothing too, and leaves skin feeling hydrated but never greasy. Another wobbly-wonder is Arbonne Rescue & Renew Detox Gelee (£56, arbonne. com), for your whole bod; this cooling gel can be applied to tired muscles and is great post-workout. Juniper berry fruit oil helps replenish moisture and lavender and tangerine provide a relaxing aroma. Tip: pop it in the fridge for an extra cooling effect. I’m all for saving time with my skincare, and the Perricone MD Refreshing Shower Mask (£32, cultbeauty.co.uk) does just that. The cooling gel mask delivers a moreish cooling sensation as it works to soften and soothe skin. Designed to be used as you wash, ingredients are activated by the shower’s heat, and thanks to the gloriously thick texture it doesn’t slide straight off as soon as you step in. l
“It’s time to put cleansing wipes down and go eco-friendly” CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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WORDS BY DAISY DICKINSON
THE ONE THAT I WANT
Continuing my obsession with at-home nails, I’ve upped my game after discovering MoYou – THE place for nail stamping. Creating ultra-detailed and funky nail art just got easier. Nail stamping is the craft of creating mini prints by scraping nail polish over metal patterned plates (£5.99), and stamping to your nails. MoYou’s mega library of patterns has plenty of colours and accessories too. I really love the tropical range.
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Home Edition © MARKS & SPENCER
STO R E O F T H E M O N T H • B O L D B AT H RO O MS • E D I T I O N LO V E S
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S TO R E O F T H E M O N T H
John Lewis of Hungerford
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nown as ‘the original painted kitchen company’, John Lewis of Hungerford was launched in 1972 by founder John Lewis. For over 45 years, the company has been designing and creating handcrafted kitchens and bedrooms, kicked off by a passion for creating beautiful furniture from wood that is still at the heart of today’s company. “I have been making things out of wood since I was about five years old and made a country kitchen for my mother when I was just 12,” says founder John Lewis. “After that I was hooked! My interest grew until one cold, wet day I arrived in Hungerford to start my business. I was nervous but so excited to share my ideas for kitchen designs with
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prospective customers. The passion and enthusiasm I felt then is just as strong today and pervades throughout our team, from the skilled artisan craftsmen in our Oxfordshire workshop to knowledgeable designers across the country.” These days, the company has 14 showrooms across the UK, including one in Cambridge. “All our showrooms display a variety of kitchen styles and innovative features,” says Penelope Boswell, a designer at the Cambridge showroom. “We are on hand to talk you through each of our displays and give you advice to help create your dream kitchen. We offer complete project management, taking you from initial conception to completed installation.
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INTERIORS “We are excited to announce new displays on show at our Cambridge showrooms. It’s the perfect place to pop in for inspiration and to get a good grasp of what we do. You’ll find a kitchen display combining both lay-on and in-frame Shaker styles, finished in ‘Easy Graphite’ and ‘Flour’, with an eyecatching island finished in contrasting ‘Blossom’. This kitchen is completed with some cutting-edge appliances from Neff and a Quooker 3-in-1 hot tap. “A stunning in-frame Urban display on the lower floor demonstrates creativity with design for compact kitchens. This kitchen is finished in two hues from our 2018 palette: ‘Blue Thistle’ & ‘Heron Grey’, with stools finished in ‘Yellow Gold’. Completing this truly modern, versatile kitchen are some fantastic, must-have Miele appliances. Craig Eastwood, another designer in the Cambridge showroom, adds: “On the upper level you will find a display of our popular Pure range. Alongside a chic onepiece island finished in ‘Pearl’ and topped with a Quartz worktop is a classic take on our in-frame Shaker, finished in ‘Pantry White’ and ‘Midnight Green’. This kitchen showcases our handmade furniture including a bespoke table topped in Oak along with our Carver and Croft chairs. “If you’re looking for something more traditional our original, in-frame Artisan display is one to see. Finished in ‘Putty’ with pewter-finish handles and topped with a Flash Blue granite worktop, this country-style design is elegantly crafted, incorporating a raised field centre panel and beautiful drawer edge detailing.” With a range of styles on offer, it is the Shaker style kitchen that remains the most popular at the company. “Our Shaker range has an element of crafted detail which adds personality to a kitchen design, and instantly creates a comfortable and homely feel,” says Craig. “It’s a look that can be dressed up or down to make it more contemporary or give it a more traditional feel.” The company prides itself on keeping abreast of new trends when it comes to kitchens and bedrooms. “At the moment, deep blues with brass accents and marble worktops are very much in vogue,” says Penelope. “We are also seeing a move to softer blues with a hint of lavender and purple behind them. We think dark greens with brass or gold accents will also be
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“This love affair with colour is at the heart of all we do ” on trend. If you don’t want a totally bold kitchen, you can incorporate a dramatic colour in an island feature, or add the colour to the interior of a glazed cabinet – ideal to create a stylish two-tone kitchen. What’s more, we have brought out a range of yellows, from bright to muddy mustards, which will work beautifully with the deep greens, blues and smoky greys, to create a dramatic design.” When it comes to bedroom styles, the designers cite the coveted walk-in wardrobe as being key. “A lot of clients seem to be either converting box rooms or looking to make a dressing room, so a walk-in-wardrobe is the ideal style,” says Craig. “They are massively popular on Pinterest, so it’s definitely on trend.” Offering complete project management, the company not only installs new kitchens but also removes old models. It can take care of any plumbing, gas and electrics, plus undertake any building work required. “We are proud to be the first national kitchen retailer to have got membership of the government sanctioned British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom and Bathroom Installation (BiKBBI),” comments Penelope. “It sets us apart.” “Our founder was the trendsetter for painted kitchen furniture back in 1972
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and this love affair with colour remains at the heart of everything we do. We also offer a great colour matching service,” she continues. “Colour is a really big thing for us and it is perhaps what we are best known for. Both our Satin Eggshell and Gloss finishes have been awarded the highest rating available by SATRA Technology Centre, certifying the kitchens for severe usage. All painted cabinetry is also resistant to wet and dry heat and marking by liquids, oils and solvents. As specialists in painted kitchens, this is one of the highest accolades we can achieve.” Finally, Craig adds: “As a British company, our clients do not have to wait long for delivery. Shorter lead times and shorter delivery distances also mean that our working practices are good for the environment as we have a low carbon footprint. Over the last few years we’ve really improved our selection of colours, introducing 18 new ones at the beginning of 2018, and we are constantly making sure the standard of our paint is of top quality. We’ve refined our styles and are hugely proud of the look and quality of our product.” l To find out more about John Lewis of Hungerford and order one of its brochures, visit john-lewis.co.uk
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BOLD in the BATHROOM WHETHER IT’S A RAINFALL SHOWER OR EXTRAVAGANT MARBLE TILING – WE ALL DREAM OF DIFFERENT THINGS WHEN IT COMES TO THE IDEAL BATHROOM. ANGELINA VILLA-CLARKE REVEALS THE LATEST TRENDS TO HELP YOU CREATE YOUR OWN IDEA OF A BLISSFUL SANCTUARY
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W hether you want a sleek, minimalist look or a flamboyant ode to Victoriana, there are myriad styles to choose from when designing a bathroom. Mostly, this practical room in the house is a space for one – somewhere to start the day off with a song in the shower or to end it with a dreamy soak in the tub. New trends indicate a return to colour, and a move away from the all-white, clinical rooms that have been in vogue for a while. From statement flooring – think tiny geometric mosaics or colourful encaustic Moroccan tiles – to opulent black and gold walls, adding interest through dramatic hues, is suddenly all the rage. Neville Knott, Crown’s colour consultant, explains: “Often the smallest room in the home, the bathroom has for too long been the victim of the ‘all white makes it look bigger’ design philosophy. Thankfully, upcoming trends embrace a more creative and bold approach to what can be the most exciting space in the home. Using the bathroom as a place to experiment with bold shades can be the perfect way to trial daring ideas and dip your toes in the water of ‘out there’ trends.” Charlotte Cosby, head of creative at Farrow & Ball agrees: “Bathrooms are often the smallest rooms in the home and don’t offer much natural light. Neutral tones are typically people’s first choice to paint their bathrooms in the hope that it will create more space and light. We actually recommend painting your bathroom a bold colour as it will create the illusion of space whilst giving the room bundles of character. Our Calke Green shade brings perfect balance to stark white and chrome bathroom fixtures.” When it comes to underfoot and wall finishes, tiling, of course, is the most practical choice. At Tile Mountain, in-house design experts say that textured surfaces are the new must-have. “Split-face mosaics are popular as they provide interest and soften the overall look.” At The Stone and Ceramic Warehouse, director Jo Oliver adds: “We are seeing a huge demand for marbleeffect porcelain. Not only is real marble often unaffordable for most, it can also create issues due to its extreme weight. An affordable and practical alternative is marble-effect porcelain. The reproduction is so accurate that our porcelain often gets confused for the real thing. Porcelain requires virtually no maintenance against scratching or staining and doesn’t need to be polished or sealed. It can also have anti-slip finishes applied, making it ideal for bathrooms.” u
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Previous page The Noir Collection, from £199, from The Bathstore gives a dramatic look. Left Valspar’s Morning Song paint colour, from £27 for 2.5 litres, gives a sense of calm. Above Marble-effect place tiles, £32.99 per sq m, from Tile Mountain. Below The vibrant blue Splashing Around bathroom paint, £14.50 for 1 litre, from Crown paints
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Above Coliseum Statuario Venato, large porcelain slab tiles with a marble effect, from £144 per sq m, from Stone and Ceramic Warehouse. Below The Aegean Bath, £4,063, designed by Leanne Ford Interiors for The Albion Bath Company
COLOUR CRAZE KASIA WIKTOROWICZ, MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER AT VALSPAR PAINTS, GIVES HER TIPS
1. Aim for your bathroom to provide a sanctuary from the outside world and offer a spa-like experience at the end of a long day. 2. Bright hues and tonal colour schemes allow light to be bounced around the room, creating a sense of calm and openness. 3. Choose a dedicated bathroom paint that will endure the scuffs of daily living, keeping the walls and ceilings looking great for longer.
As well as walls and flooring, colour can also be reintroduced with fittings and accessories. While no one is recommending a return to the avocadogreen bathroom suites of the 1970s, a statement, standalone bath in a strong shade can make for a bold feature. Phil Etherden, managing director of The Albion Bath Company, gives his advice: “Dark bathrooms are very refined and decadent when carefully thought out. Colour plays a huge role in creating the look you want and, often, mixing darker tones with soft pastel hues works well. The result is moody and atmospheric while still being calming, a look that is particularly suited to bathrooms. A statement freestanding bath is the perfect choice for this theme. To complete the look, team with u
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Below Part of Laura Ashley’s bathroom collection, the Marlborough double basin unit, from £1795
MAKING A SPLASH THIS MONTH, LUXURY FRENCH BATHROOM BRAND THG PARIS LAUNCHES THREE NEW RANGES IN COLLABORATION WITH LEADING DESIGNERS
‘System’ by sculptor Arik Levy features marble and crystal taps. ‘Les Ondes’ by interior designers Gilles & Boissier includes sleek gold fixtures. The ‘Montaigne’ bathroom collection (pictured right), in collaboration with designer Stéphanie Coutas, uses marble
This image The Montaigne Collection by Stéphanie Coutas for THG Paris, POA. Below left The Bathstore’s Noir Collection bathroom fittings, from £199. Below right Sheridan Australia’s Luxury Retreat towels, from £4.50
elaborate mirrors, beautiful lighting and opulent accessories, resulting in an almost theatrical finish.” Meanwhile, the new Noir Collection at The Bath Store gives an edgy, architectural edge to bathrooms. Matte black fixtures – such as rainfall shower heads and taps – bring an element of drama to an otherwise neutral scheme, while the black-framed shower cubicles are a brilliant option for anyone after an industrial feel. For those opting to add character with wall colours and accessories, the wise choice is to go for all-white bathroom furniture. Britton Bathrooms’ sleek, modular sinks and vanity units give a modern feel, while Laura Ashley’s highperformance York and Clifton shower systems are the perfect combination of form and function. Helen Shaw, marketing manager for the Laura Ashley Bathroom Collection, says: “Traditionalstyle bathroom products provide a timeless look that will never go out of fashion. Classic, hand u
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“For those opting to add character with wall colours and accessories, the wise choice is to go for allwhite furniture” CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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INTERIORS
STO CK IST S Albion Bath Company 01255 831605 albionbathco.com
This image String’s versatile shelving system, from £65, from Skandium. Below Brissi’s New England mirror, £325
Argos 0345 640 2020 argos.co.uk Bathstore 03300 535 661 bathstore.com Brissi 01225 319 058 brissi.com Britton Bathrooms 01322 473 222 brittonbathrooms.com Crown crownpaints.co.uk Farrow & Ball 01223 367771 farrow-ball.com Industville 020 7971 7871 industville.co.uk Laura Ashley 03332 008 009 lauraashley.com Sheridan Australia 01925 453 410 sheridanaustralia.co.uk String Storage at Skandium 020 3876 2744 skandium.com THG Paris thg-paris.com/uk The Stone and Ceramic Warehouse 020 8993 5545 stoneandceramicwarehouse.co.uk Tile Mountain 01782 223822 tilemountain.co.uk Valspar Paints valsparpaint.co.uk Weaver Green 0844 414 2155 weavergreen.com
painted bathroom furniture has seen a resurgence in popularity and can be given a modern twist by painting it in an on-trend colour such as light or dark grey.” While the bathroom is often the smallest room in the house, it also needs to contain a lot of functional items for everyday use. Keep essentials tidy and in one place by using the iconic – and stylish – Scandiavian String Storage system, which you can adapt to build your own personal set-up; it’s deceptively simple, made up of wire panels, sliding doors, glass cabinets and hooks. Finally, from lighting to towels, the finishing touches are the easiest way to add some personality. Brissi’s New England-themed mirrors are a classic addition, while beach-inspired towels and accessories from Argos bring an affordable, coastal-chic feel. Luxe towels from Sheridan Australia and rugs from Weaver Green bring a sense of comfort, and Industville’s elegant, modern lighting will soften the edges from morning to night. l
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INTERIORS BRASS STORAGE BASKET
£30, hausofhyde.com BANYAN MIRROR
£245, loaf.com
BROOKLYN GLASS CONE BRASS PENDANT
£69, industville.co.uk
SHERIDAN TOWELS IN KINGFISHER
from £4.50, sheridanaustralia.co.uk
ZIG-ZAG STORAGE BASKET
£42, anewtribe.co.uk
EDI T ION
LOVES MARBLE SHELF WITH BRACKETS
£45, audenza.com
COLLECTION TWO-PIECE GOLD BATHROOM ACCESSORIES
£17.99, argos.co.uk
TRETTON SHELF UNIT
£189.99, my-furniture.co.uk
SAMODE RUG
£130, nisiliving.co.uk BRONZE DUCK FEET VANITY MIRROR
£32.95, audenza.com
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