Spotlight on West Bridgford by david clark

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Spotlight on West Bridgford Contents Editor’s letter A warm welcome to the first issue of Spotlight on West Bridgford, the new monthly magazine aimed at the West Bridgford, Lady Bay and Edwalton areas. The concept of the magazine is to provide a magazine with a local flavour, one that will be a useful resource for the reader, and an inexpensive way for local business to advertise their services in these difficult times. This month in the Food and Drink section, we review the excellent meal we enjoyed at Dibley’s Bistro in West Bridgford, and we also have a prize puzzle page, where you can win a free meal for two at the fabulous Amici’s Restaurant. We learn how to give your kitchen a makeover on a budget from Dream Doors, and also hear from Lauren McCarthy, deputy shop manager at West Bridgford Books and Music, about her trip to Sierra Leone for Oxfam. As a regular feature we would like to include Community Pages. Please e-mail us at info@ spotlightlocal.co.uk with any information you would like us to print, regarding local clubs, groups, classes and events.

Food and Drink Restaurant Review Puzzle Page Recipe

6 9 10

Motoring 5-Minute Car Wash Used Car Bargains

12 14

Business & Professional Back up your computer

Health & Wellbeing Hair Removal

Lifestyle and Leisure Oxfam

Home & Garden Gardening Property Dream Doors

24 28 29

Index of Advertisers

Contact Information

We hope you find this magazine useful, informative and enjoyable. Contact us and let us know your thoughts and suggestions. The magazine is also available online at: www.spotlightlocal.co.uk.

Published by Spotlight Local Ltd Company No. 6841257 Tel: 07595 510190 7 Wimbledon Road, Nottingham NG5 1GT e-mail: info@spotlightlocal.co.uk www.spotlightlocal.co.uk

If you would like to advertise please give us a call, rates start at £35.

Editor: David Clark

Best Wishes,

Dave Clark

Graphic Design and Layout: Smart Page Design Additional Graphic Design: Andrew Clark Printed by: Warwick Printing Contributors: Howard Clemmow, Penny Clemmow, Sandra Hutchinson, Tracey Ward, Graham Iek, Lauren McCarthy, Craig Brown, Roy Wood, Rachel Edwards, Kit Johnson, George Leslie, Jonathan Wild. Distribution: Spotlight on West Bridgford is delivered to 5100 homes in West Bridgford, Edwalton and Lady Bay.

Restaurant Review Dibleys Bistro

ibleys Bistro, located in Compton Acres turned out to be a “great find”. The premises are located in the local shopping area, not where you would normally look or expect to find a quality restaurant. Our first impression of Dibley’s was the ample free parking. The unassuming exterior however, gave us little hint of what we were to experience on the inside. Dibleys is owned and operated by Paul Wells, a church minister of 35 years, who runs his restaurant as a hobby. The name Dibleys of course derived from the TV series “The Vicar of Dibley”. It’s an interesting story, but it hardly seems like a hobby judging from the quality of the food. By day, it is almost a meeting place for the locals, with good affordable food on offer, excellent parking and easy access.

Paul says that he set out to create a fun place in the community, where people could eat good food in friendly and pleasant surroundings. His many regular customers seem to be happy with the result, as lunchtimes are often full, and bookings are now recommended. Evenings, however, are totally different! The atmosphere, setting and menu are transformed to provide you with a delightful evening out. We arrived on a chilly evening, and found ourselves in a warm and inviting atmosphere. The whole place had a welcoming feel, with candles on the table, and attentive and friendly staff. We got the meal under way with a variety of starters, including stuffed bell pepper with wild mushrooms and ricotta cheese, a wonderful home made cream of leek soup, and limed queen scallops, flambed in tequila, served in their shells with celery and apple mash.

Food & Drink

For the main course, we decided on a very tasty haggis â&#x20AC;&#x201C; stuffed chicken supreme, on a bed of roast root vegetables; Venison with Joseph sauce, and fish of the day, which was a splendid whole sea bass, stuffed with garlic, rosemary. and a selection of vegetables, roast potatoes, creamed cabbage and ratatouille. A sweet was of course obligatory, and we enjoyed a chocolate and pear sponge, sticky toffee pudding traditionally served with just a toffee sauce, however custard was offered and taken , American baked cheesecake, and a lovely lemon possett . To help the meal along, we also took advantage of a couple of bottles of a very nice Australian chardonnay, with a bottle or two of Old Speckled Hen and Bishops finger for good measure. The wine list has a good range and is reasonably priced.

My final thought? If this is a hobby Paul, what could you achieve if you got serious? Our thanks to all the staff at Dibleys Bistro for an excellent evening and we will definitely be making a return visit. Dibleys Restaurant can be found in the main shopping centre of the Compton Acres estate. They are also available for outside catering for weddings, business and customers parties at home. The telephone number is 0115 9819819, or book online at: www. dibleys-bistro.co.uk

We were all in agreement that the meal had been a delight. And represented excellent value for a quality meal

Food & Drink

Puzzle Page Sudoku Shack :: Print Sudoku to fill later

Page 1 of 1

SUDOKU SudokuShack.com Medium Sudoku Number 2000000558

3 5

4 4

7 2

1 8

2 8 6

How to play Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through to 9, with no repetition! That’s all there is to it. You solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic - there’s no maths involved and no adding up. It’s fun! It’s Challenging! It’s addictive!

Win a Meal for Two at Amici’s Wine Bar & Restaurant! Just complete the Sudoku on this page, and send in the whole page or a photocopy to us at the following address: May Puzzle Competition Spotlight on West Bridgford, 7 Wimbledon Road, Nottingham NG5 1GT Good Luck! Entries must be received by May 31st. The winner will be picked at random from correct entries, and will receive a dinner for 2 at Amici’s Wine Bar & Restaurant, 19 Radcliffe Road, http://www.soduko.org/sudoku-print.php?id=2000000558 25/03/2009 West Bridgford

Name..................................................................................……………………………………. Address.................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................Telephone………………………………...

Food & Drink

Recipe

Asparagus, Potato & Parmesan Salad

sparagus season is upon us from late April to mid June and that’s when these classic vegetables are at their very British best. You should be able to pick up a locally grown bunch for a couple of pounds. To prepare, simply wash the stems then hold the asparagus at each end, bend and it’ll snap at the point the woody stem meets the edible tip. Don’t discard the stems; they make a great base for light spring soups. Serves 4 Preparation 30 minutes Ingredients 500g/1lb asparagus spears 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar Freshly ground black pepper 225g/8oz new potatoes, boiled and sliced 2 plum tomatoes, sliced 2 shallots finely chopped

Juice of ½ a lemon. 1 small bunch basil, roughly chopped 100g/4oz Parmesan cheese grated Method 1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, drop in the asparagus and blanch for 2 minutes. 2. Drain and then refresh in cold water. 3. Mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice together in a large bowl. 4. Add all the other ingredients to the bowl and mix well. 5. Serve on rocket salad with warm crusty bread. Roy Wood Restaurateur

Food & Drink

Business as usual for Local Car Wash Fortunately no one was badly injured, including the driver of the car. The police and fire service were fantastic, and we were very impressed by their professionalism”

The car wash stayed closed for 2 weeks while repairs were made. There is still some re-furbishment to complete in the near future, but the owners of the car wash would like to tell everyone that they are open for business as usual, and to say many thanks for the support they have received from their many customers.

arch 4th wasn’t a good day for the 5 Minute Car Wash on Pavillion Road in West Bridgford. The business that has now been established for 50 years had a day like no other. It is still not entirely clear what caused the accident, but a Mercedes 4x4 waiting in the queue for the car wash suddenly lurched forward, hit the car in front, and then veered to the side. It continued on, crashed through a dividing wall, ripped off the main electric panel, crushed the gas pipe, and also a parked motorbike. Ruth Hudson, the co-owner of the car wash said, “Chaos ensued, with most of the emergency services involved. They had to disconnect the gas and electric supply.

Motoring

Get out of the car! A supposedly true police account from Sarasota, Florida. An elderly Florida lady did her shopping, and upon returning to her car, found four males in the act of leaving with her vehicle. She dropped her shopping bags and drew her handgun, proceeding to scream at the top of her lungs, “I have a gun, and I know how to use it! Get out of the car! The four men didn’t wait for a second threat. They got out and ran like mad. The lady, somewhat shaken, then proceeded to load her shopping bags into the back of the car and got into the driver’s seat. She was so shaken that she could not get her key into the ignition. She tried and tried, and then she realized why. It was for the same reason she had wondered why there was a football, a Frisbee and two packs of beer in the front seat. A few minutes later, she found her own car parked four of five spaces farther down. She loaded her bags into the car and drove to the police station to report her mistake. The sergeant to whom she told the story couldn’t stop laughing. He pointed to the other end of the counter, where four pale men were reporting a car jacking by a mad, elderly woman, described a white, less than five feet tall, glasses, curly white hair, and carrying a large handgun. No charges were filed. The moral of the story? If you’re going to have a senior moment…… make it memorable.

Motoring

Used Car Feature

Luxury Limos for £15k

uxury saloons are designed with a few specific purposes in mind. They must be capable of carrying four people and their luggage over vast distances in utter luxury. They should also be handsome and imposing, have an unassailable air of quality and be swift and refined. Until recently you would usually expect to find a large V8 petrol engine under the bonnet but diesels have advanced so quickly that they are now almost always the better bet. Prices have plummeted and you can easily pick up a pristine one for £15k. Here are my pick of the bunch. Audi A8 3.0TDi Brutally handsome and with a menacing air of class, the Audi is hard to fault. Every last inch of it is beautifully crafted, it is immensely well built and, with standard 4 wheel drive, it corners like it’s on rails. You can actually afford the awesome 4.0 V8 TDi engine but the 3.0TDi is plenty fast enough for most of us and a bit more economical. Expect a four year old car with 60k on the clock. For: Classy looks, excellent handling, build quality, great engines. Against: Overly firm ride. BMW 730d

of the S Class was described as the best car in the world and featured almost as many technical innovations as the space shuttle. It’s easy to forget that the current model has been around for a couple of years now. This car is a consummate all rounder, good looking, hugely luxurious, thoroughly refined and with the ride quality of a magic carpet. Surprisingly, the reliability might not be all that you expect. For this money you can get a bi-turbo 6.0 V12 Uberwagen but the 3.2 diesel makes a lot more sense and £15k will buy you a 5 year old that has covered 50,000 miles. For: Oozes class, supremely comfortable, a technological masterpiece. Against: Last year’s model, diesel engine doesn’t cut the mustard any more. Lexus LS 4.3 V8

The 7 Series was the first BMW to get the Chris Bangle styling treatment and is a bit disjointed looking to my eye. Dynamically it is immensely capable but the performance is a tad disappointing. This is an immensely comfortable and well equipped car but it seems overly complicated. The 3.0 diesel is first rate but, if you don’t do a lot of mileage, either of the V8 petrol engines are well worth considering. You’re looking at a 5 year old example with 40,000 miles under its belt.

For some reason the big Lexus always feels like a facsimile of what the Japanese believe a luxury saloon should be. Even so, there’s no denying that it is staggeringly well built, immensely luxurious and the most refined car in the world bar none. Lexus really build their cars for the American market so there is no diesel option although there’s nothing remotely wrong with the big V8. Nor is there an option list because everything you could feasibly want is fitted as standard. This modest budget gets you a 4 year old with 40k mileage.

For: Ride, handling, space, comfort, build quality.

For: Staggering build quality, equipment levels, quiet as the grave.

Against: Controversial looks, stupid iDrive system, you need to read the manual for 2 days before you can work it.

Against: Bland looks, bland driving experience, no diesel option.

Mercedes S Class 320CDi

massive

Kit Johnson

When it was launched the W220 version

Motoring

Consumer Labels In case you needed further proof that the human race is doomed by stupidity, here are some actual label instructions found on consumer goods: On a Sears hairdryer: Do not use while sleeping. On a bag of Fritos: You could be a winner! No purchase necessary. Details inside. (The shoplifter special.) On a bar of Dial soap: Directions: Use like regular soap. On a Swann frozen dinners: Serving suggestion: Defrost. (But it’s just a suggestion.) On Tesco’s tiramisu dessert (printed on the bottom of box): Do not turn upside-down. On Marks & Spencer bread pudding: Product will be hot after heating. On packaging for a Rowenta iron: Do not iron clothes on body. On Boot’s children’s cough medicine: “Do not drive a car or operate machinery after taking this medication.” On Nytol sleep aid: Warning: May cause drowsiness. On most brands of Christmas lights: “For indoor or outdoor use only.” (As opposed to what?) On a Japanese food processor: Not to be used for the other use. (I gotta admit, I’m curious.) On Sainsbury’s peanuts: “Warning: contains nuts.” On an American Airlines packet of peanuts: “Instructions: Open packet, eat nuts.”

Perks of reaching 50 or being over 60 and 11. You no longer think of speed limits as a heading towards 70! challenge. 1. Kidnappers are not very interested in you. 2. In a hostage situation you are likely to be released first. 3. No one expects you to run--anywhere. 4. People call at 9 PM and ask, did I wake you? 5. People no longer view you as a hypochondriac. 6. There is nothing left to learn the hard way. 7. Things you buy now won’t wear out. 8. You can eat supper at 4 PM. 9. You can live without sex but not your glasses. 10. You get into heated arguments about pension plans.

12. You quit trying to hold your stomach in no matter who walks into theroom. 13. You sing along with elevator music. 14. Your eyes won’t get much worse. 15. Your investment in health insurance is finally beginning to pay off. 16. Your joints are more accurate meteorologists than the national weather service. 17. Your secrets are safe with your friends, because they can’t remember them either. 18. Your supply of brain cells is finally down to manageable size. 19. You can’t remember who sent you this list.

Computer Advice

Don’t worry – it’s all backed up

acking up data used to be the domain of the IT managers of sizeable companies. They would transfer huge amounts of data from the mainframe onto a complex and expensive tape drive and then lock it in a fireproof safe for the night. The reason they did this was that, if any company was to have all its data lost or destroyed, it would be a disaster from which it might never recover. Of course, if you as an individual were to lose all the data off your computer it would hardly be a total disaster but, think about it, if you lost all your photos, every song you have ever downloaded, your address book and all your correspondence with your family, friends, bank and insurance company, you might be rather upset. All this upset can easily be avoided simply by backing up your data on a regular basis. Consider, first of all, in what ways your data could be lost. Your computer could be stolen or destroyed in a fire though, actually, the most common cause of lost data is a computer being infected by a virus. This often necessitates the operating system having to be reloaded, which wipes off everything previously stored on the hard disc. The solution therefore is to transfer everything you wish to keep onto another hard disk and put it somewhere safe. Now you need to think about what it is that you actually wish to keep. Most of the space on your hard disc is taken up by software. The stuff you want to keep, photos, music, databases, documents and emails is very unlikely to take up more than a few gigabytes. If you occasionally transfer your photos onto a disc and just back up everything else, you are talking about less than a gigabyte. In an age when a 6GB pen drive can be bought for a few pounds and safely stored in your sock draw, it’s hard to think of a reason not to back up your data. Back up drives in general

have plummeted in price, you can get a 500GB one for £70 now. In order to make backing up as simple and speedy as possible you need to get organised. Put all the files you wish to back up into one folder on your computer, you can create sub folders if you need to keep things organised. Make sure that anything you want to keep, whether it be a document, image, music file or database, is saved into this folder. Then backing up your data is extremely easy, you simply copy the folder onto whatever remote storage device you are using. You should do this on a regular basis. If you are particularly forgetful you can set up an automatic backup routine, there is a facility to do this within Windows or, if you are using a back up drive, appropriate software is provided with the drive. One thing to remember, if you leave the remote storage device connected to the computer after you have backed up your data, you are rather defeating the object, the remote storage device will probably be burnt, stolen or infected by a virus along with your computer. You can get round this problem by storing your data in any of the multitude of online storage servers that are springing up. Just remember, they charge for their services and if you don’t pay your bill you will no longer be able to access your data. Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express have their own back up routines, they are relatively easy to use and you should back them up into your main folder which will then be copied to a remote storage device. As ever, if any of these tasks are beyond your IT capabilities, call in your friendly neighbourhood IT consultant to do it for you. Graham Iek IT Consultant

Business & Professional

A Hair Free Summer ?

ith summer on its way most of us start to think about holidays and for most women that means the nightmarish decision; how do I get rid of unwanted body and facial hair? Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve all seen pictures in the glossy magazines of beautiful tanned women with silky, smooth, hair free legs and most of us have probably yearned for that look but have no idea how to achieve it. Shaving is not a long term remedy for removing hair especially if the hairs are dark and course and for a lot of women this would have to be done every day. Waxing lasts longer and is recommended every four to six weeks but it does have its pitfalls. The hairs have to be long enough for the wax to adhere to so for a while legs look unsightly. Hair removal creams are quite effective but for sensitive skins they can be an irritant so a test patch is recommended and again the effect does not last long. Electrolysis is a permanent method of hair removal and is effective especially for smaller areas such as the face but for larger areas such as the arms and legs it is lengthy and expensive. Thank goodness there is now a solution for removing most unwanted hair that is virtually pain free, has very little or no reaction. ELLIPSE intense pulsed light is a fast effective and safe way of reducing dark hair. How does it work? The visible light from a flash lamp is guided via a glass prism to the treated area. The hairs contain pigment (melanin) that absorbs the light and converts it into heat. The heat is led through the hair into the follicle which is then destroyed and rendered unable to produce a new hair. The treatment for body hair removal is recommended every six weeks and every four weeks for facial hair. It is advisable to have a consultation with a reputable beauty salon or clinic as the effectiveness of the treatment depends on the stage of the hair growth cycle. Unfortunately fair, white or grey hairs

cannot be treated by this method. A patch test is also required and salons should be registered with the Quality Care Commission (formerly the Health Care Commission). Heres to a happy hair free summer and many more in the years to come.

ELLIPSE IPL treatments are available at Mansfield Electrolysis and Laser Clinic Ltd Market Street Mansfield. Quality Care Commission Registered

Health & Wellbeing

Health The Silent Killer

he sad death of Jade Goody from cervical cancer has resulted in thousands of women flocking to their local GP’s surgery for a smear test. This is no bad thing; regular screening is the best way of preventing this dreadful disease. But coming up on the inside of cervical cancer is Ovarian cancer, the 5th commonest type of cancer in women. It is known as the ‘silent killer’ because women are often not diagnosed until the disease is in its late stages. The reason is that the symptoms can be vague and often dismissed as part of the Menopause. I wanted to highlight here the most common signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer because most women have no idea what to be aware of. • Bloating, abdominal fullness, a feeling of pressure in the abdomen. • Changes in bladder habits such as a frequent need to urinate. • Pelvic discomfort or pain. • A loss of energy.

Health & Wellbeing

• Unexplained changes in digestion such as changes in bowel habits, nausea, loss of appetite and sudden weight loss. Before every woman over 45 rushes out the door to see their GP, remember that the key indicator is that, in women with ovarian cancer, the symptoms are persistent and gradually worsen over time. Many women suffer with these types of symptoms, especially during the menopause, as a natural part of the process of hormonal change. You are at higher risk of getting ovarian cancer if you have a family member that has been diagnosed with it and if you have had fertility problems. Risk is lower for those women who have had at least one baby and breast-fed that child. Having said that, if you feel something is wrong go to your GP to be checked out. If diagnosed in the early stages, this is a very treatable cancer.

Tracy Ward Therapist

A Visit to Susan’s Bay in Sierra Leone.

his January I was lucky enough to visit Sierra Leone in West Africa. I work at the Oxfam Books and Music shop in West Bridgford, and wanted to see how the money we make from your donations helps others around the world. One of the most shocking, and inspiring projects we saw was in one of the capital’s slumsSusan’s Bay. The population of Susan’s Bay is around 15,000 and growing. The slum existed before the civil war, but numbers were swelled due to displaced peoples fleeing from the ruined villages outside the capital. Until Oxfam moved into the area, people were washing, drinking, cooking and cleaning with the filthy water that runs in rivulets through the shanty town. In the past, open defecation was the only option. Disease is rife. Oxfam have rejuvenated existing facilities, fixed water pipes and provided toilets, showers and clean laundry areas. At first it seemed to me to be a fairly cut and dry charity project. The difference is, however, that Oxfam encourages communities to own their own development. They encourage the people themselves to put a tender out for local plumbers and builders to help them with their project. They decide where the toilets and washing facilities should go. Hassan Kamara joined us for a tour of the facilities. A guard by profession, father to one daughter and a life long inhabitant of the slum, he explained that since the improvements the environment was cleaner, smelt better and had less disease: “If we have to stay in this slum, I want to have facilities. That is my basic human right. Even us in the slum, it is our basic right.” Hassan explained. Susan’s Bay is no idyllic bay. The houses are made of material found wherever- bits of cardboard, cloth. Dirt and debris pile everywhere, falling into the Atlantic Ocean at the bottom of the hill. Susan was apparently a British woman who came long ago, probably back when Sierra Leone was colonised by the British.

Susan’s Bay. Phot

o: Benny Littlejohn

could live like this. But it is not an option, but a necessity. I spoke to one young woman, Aminata Kamara, who is the same age as me (22) and explained that she had had to move into the slum when she couldn’t make the payments on her rented house in the main city. There is no fall-back plan for people in Sierra Leone. If I can’t pay the rent on my house in Nottingham, I’d receive help from the state. I certainly wouldn’t be forced into living in a shanty town and drinking water from the floor. But this is no reason to shut our eyes to the rest of the world. Because as Hassan said, it is a basic human right to live with dignity. It is a view upheld and expressed by Oxfam. The urban poverty in Freetown is overwhelming, but the effects of something as simple as a water point, and a place to wash your clothes, can have such an impact on people’s lives. Citizens can take responsibility for improvements and feel empowered to make a difference. Spokesmen like Hassan are demanding an answer from their government, from the world. The improvements are ‘small, small’, but worth every penny, and will gather momentum as Sierra Leone emerges from its post-conflict years. None of Oxfam’s work in countries like Sierra Leone is possible without your continued support. Thank you to our donors, our volunteers and customers in West Bridgford. Your support really does make a difference.

“We want people to care about us. This place has a historical background.” said Hassan, “We did all the work ourselves. We want to teach other communities all over the world.” Seeing the water that sits in fetid pools around these people’s houses, it’s hard to believe anyone

Lauren McCarthy, Deputy Shop Manager, West Bridgford Books and Music.

Lifestyle & Leisure

The Joys of Home Ownership The dream of the older generation was to pay off a mortgage. The dream of today’s young families is to get one. If you think no one cares you’re alive, miss a couple of house payments. At my bankers advice, I went through debt consolidation. Now I have only one bill I can’t pay. If you want to know exactly where the property line is, just watch the neighbour cut the grass. This country is great. It’s the only place where you can borrow money for a down payment, get a 1st and 2nd mortgage and call yourself a homeowner. The trouble with owning a home is that no matter where you sit, you’re looking at something you should be doing.

Home & Garden

Gardening Go On - Splash Out!

f all the predictions are true, fresh water will soon become the world’s most sought after commodity. At the moment we’re lucky in the UK so shouldn’t have to invade any other water rich nations for some time (!), but with ever warmer summers the construction of your own water feature has to be a top priority! You would have to be the lucky owner of a few acres to warrant planting an orchard or installing a tennis court; but the beauty of a water feature is that there is one to suit all budgets and situations. From a simple bucket sunk in the ground with a few aquatic plants to a Koi pond with all its expensive gadgetry; ANY water feature will add an extra dimension to your garden ‘experience’. Personally I prefer ‘natural’ features that look as if they belong to the environment, and if they can provide tangible ecological benefits then so much the better. If you’ve got a spare £20k then you could invest in the latest hot (or rather, cold and wet!) trend of the natural swimming pond - effectively a large semi-natural pond which you can swim in. Not only can these look great but they also provide an essential refuge for our beleaguered wildlife, providing a new ’des res’ to our rapidly declining stocks of amphibians who now depend on kind hearted gardeners to provide their watery homes. With natural ponds being drained or polluted, frogs, toads and newts have few options but to seek out refuge in garden ponds - much to the delight of millions of children (and yours truly) who can observe at close hand the fascinating life cycles of these beautiful creatures. Only last week I was showing my own children freshly laid frogspawn in their Grandpa’s garden. The sad fact is that I don’t know where in the ‘wild’ I could take them to see this fantastic spring event!

Why not save your swimming for the beach (as well as a few pounds in your pocket) and make a beautiful ‘natural’ garden pond that will not only give you a great deal of pleasure but also a lifeline for our gardening friends? All you need is a sunny spot, preferably not overhung by trees, and, if you’ve got small children, that can either be fenced off or easily supervised. Excavate your hole which needs to be longer and wider than it is deep, (bowl shaped) in order to provide slowly shelved sides to provide easy access and egress - particularly for those unfortunate non-pond dwelling critters such as Hedgehogs and Tortoises (RIP Torty!) who may inadvertently take a dive. Next, line the hole with a suitable pond liner. The absolute key when making a pond is to ensure that ALL the liner is hidden beneath the water line or under aquatic planting. The best way to achieve this is to lay a ‘ledge’ of cement which is leveled all around the upper lip. This allows you to either lay a ‘flap’ of turf into the water or some overhanging paving slabs. If this all sounds a bit tricky then please ask for advice - it’s a relatively easy procedure - but equally it’s easy to make a complete Horlicks of it! Once the liner’s in and the surround is finished then you can have fun making it into a real watery paradise with plants and decorations. If you’re going to provide the ideal froggy habitat then please avoid introducing fish! There’s nothing fish like better than a tadpole or two for breakfast so if you can avoid the temptation of Orfes and Shubunkins then Kermit and his pals will be croaking your praises!! Have fun! Jonathan Wild Garden Consultant and Pond Dipper!

Home & Garden

Property

Have house prices hit the bottom yet?

his is a question that the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading economists seem unable to answer so far be it from me to try and answer it for them. The simple truth is that it will not be a case of someone flicking a switch and then the price of every house on every street in the country will stop falling and start rising again. In fact, price changes vary widely among different types of property and between different areas. For instance, the average price of detached houses rose by 4.9% in January whereas the average price of flats and apartments fell slightly. The territory I cover as an estate agent encompasses both the poorest ward and the most affluent town in the county. The poorest ward, unsurprisingly, is still in the doldrums but the most affluent town is a different story altogether. Sales volumes there dropped dramatically in 2008 but prices didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, speaking anecdotally the total fall was about

7 or 8% compared to 17% nationwide. Still speaking anecdotally, sales volumes there have more than doubled in the first two months of the year and prices are pulling up again. Interestingly, this town has a high proportion of detached houses and a low proportion of flats and apartments. It also has a good school, a low crime rate, plenty of shops and restaurants and all the other things that make people want to live in a town. So, in answer to my own question, overall prices may still have a bit to fall but, in certain sheltered pockets of the country, the first green shoots of recovery can already be seen. Against the pervading backdrop of doom and despair we see in the media, isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t that a good thing to hear. Craig Brown Lifestyle Estate Agents

Home & Garden

Kitchen Makeovers

Dream Doors

n their West Bridgford showroom, Trevor and Anne Conduit of Dream Doors Ltd, have a photo screen showing before and after photographs of numerous kitchens that Dream Doors have worked on, and a wall of Thank You letters and cards from many, very satisfied customers. If you are thinking of improving your kitchen, you should pop in, and ask them to show you it. You will see many dowdy, tired and oldfashioned kitchens before Dream Doors arrived on the scene transformed into something fresh, attractive and contemporary when they have finished. Swapping the doors and drawers for good quality, made to measure ones gives your kitchen an immediate, good-as-new facelift, saving time, money, and hassle. “Obviously the bigger the job the bigger the saving, but we would expect to save our customers around 40% off the price of a similar quality new kitchen”, said Trevor. Dream Doors is a franchised company founded 10 years ago and has 30 outlets around the country, but Trevor and Anne who have lived in West Bridgford for 30 years, see their business very much as a local family business. Dream Doors caters for every section of the market. Having doors and drawers replaced in, say, a flat may cost only £1500, whereas the installation of a large new kitchen, with integrated appliances, plumbing, tiling, and complete with granite worktops can cost around £20,000. Anne said “Personal service is very important to us. A great deal of our work comes from word of mouth and we are very proud of that.” There are many styles and colours of doors and worktops to be seen in the

Home & Garden

showroom, so most people who are thinking about improving their kitchen, call in for a chat first. That gives Anne the chance to answer any questions and give them a brochure and DVD to take home. When an appointment has been arranged Trevor visits the potential clients in their own home, taking all the samples of doors and worktops with him, so that they can choose what looks best for them. “I can then measure up and work out a price for the work. We don’t go in for high pressure selling, it’s not our way and, anyway, it’s not necessary; the quality of the products, value for money, and service we offer sell themselves.” Dream Doors Nottingham is open Monday to Friday 9.30am – 5pm and Saturday 9.30 - 5pm. For more information call 0115 9818410 or go to www.dreamdoorsltd.co.uk

Before

After

Index of Advertisers Beauty Salons Mansfield Electrolysis and Laser Clinic

Blinds Blinds for Living

Building Services I.R.S. Plastering Childrens Entertainers Shaw Time Cleaning Services Klynhome

26 11 22

Computer Fresh Start PC’s

Drain Cleaning Blitz Drainage

Electrical Services White Eletrical Contractors

Fascia’s R G Fascia’s

Flooring Andy Worsell

Florists Flower Bay

Garage Services Smart Repair 5 Minute Car Wash

13 13

Garden Services Jonathan Wild Grass and Power Creative Landscapes T&A Fencing The Lawn Ranger Green Thumb

23 23 25 26 28 32

Handyman Services Homefix Handyman

Kitchens Dream Doors

Letting Agencies Sanctuary Property Services Belvoir Lettings

11 27

Organic Foods Red Earth Organics

Pets Dial a Dog Wash

Photographers Muse

Pubs and Restaurants Yamas Bombay Brasserie Dibleys Bistro Amici’s

3 8 6 10

Soft Furnishings Homecraft Interiors

Video Services VHS 2 DVD

Windows, Doors and Conservatories East Midland Glass 2