ESP February 2019 by ESP Magazine

FEBRUARY 2019

Issue 234

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PLACES EDITORIAL

Editor Sharon McAllister sharon.mcallister@espmag.co.uk

ADVERTISING Head of Sales & Marketing Sean McAllister sean.mcallister@espmag.co.uk Sales Manager Charlotte Lewis charlotte.lewis@espmag.co.uk

DESIGN Tony Mayer tony.mayer@espmag.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPHY Andy Vernum, Emma Bothamley, Mike Harris, Chris Brudenell, Andrew James

COLuMNISTS Pep Cipriano pep.cipriano@espmag.co.uk Darren Grigas darren.grigas@espmag.co.uk Keith Dalton keith.dalton@espmag.co.uk Phil Adlam phil.adlam@espmag.co.uk Karen Devine karen.devine@espmag.co.uk

REPORTERS Mikey Clarke mikey.clarke@espmag.co.uk Sarah Tempest sarah.tempest@espmag.co.uk Sarah Slack sarah.slack@espmag.co.uk

CONTRIBuTORS Gavin Miller gavin.miller@espmag.co.uk Marc Hernandez marc.hernandez@espmag.co.uk Rachael Church rachael.church@espmag.co.uk

ESP MAGAZINE LTD Directors Sharon McAllister sharon.mcallister@espmag.co.uk Sean McAllister sean.mcallister@espmag.co.uk

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ESP is a totally independent publication, not linked in any way to any other Peterborough publications. ESP is written, researched, designed and published by ESP Magazine Ltd. The views expressed in this magazine are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. All design and artwork is the copyright of its respective owner. Reproduction of any part of this publication is strictly prohibited unless prior written consent is given by the publishers.

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PETERBOROUGH CELEBRATES CONTINUES The Peterborough Celebrates campaign is set to be carried on to promote the city. During 2018 the campaign was launched to celebrate the 900th anniversary of Peterborough Cathedral and dozens of special events were held to mark it. Now the campaign is being continued with Vivacity taking up the branding for ‘Peterborough Celebrates Reading’ – a celebration of books and literature which will begin with a big launch event in Cathedral Square in June. This new focus for Peterborough Celebrates will last until July 2020, and plans already include a digital storytelling project and a three month exhibition of the work of Nick Sharratt (Dame Jacqueline Wilson’s illustrator). The Peterborough Celebrates Endowment Fund has also been launched. The fund, which already has £300,000 in pledges, has been set up to fund and give grants to a variety of projects in Peterborough. The aim is eventually to raise £1 million in order to create a lasting legacy for the city.

ESP FRONTS TOURISM GROUP The team from ESP Magazine are now proud to be hosting Peterborough Tourism Foucs Group meetings, taking over from Hannah Thompson (Peterborough Greyhounds) and Tracy Snooks (Visitor Information Centre) who’ve done a brilliant job getting the group up and running. It was their idea that every few weeks venue managers, event organisers, media outlets and anyone who can

beneﬁt from, or boost tourism in and around Peterborough, should get together. Since it launched in 2016 the group’s grown immensely and achieved some fantastic results. Now ESP will be hosting the regular meet ups and hope to connect even more people and get them working together. It’s free to join and a great way to promote your ideas, so if you’d like to join in and make Peterborough even more vibrant just email Sharon.mcallister@ espmag.co.uk for details of the next meeting.

VODAFONE ROLLS OUT GIGAFAST BROADBAND IN THE CITY Vodafone Gigafast Broadband is here and it’s set to give you download and upload speeds 20 times and 150 times faster than the average fixed broadband connection in the UK. With Gigafast Broadband, Vodafone is helping to bring full fibre to Peterborough households that currently don’t have gigabit-capable connections! The Vodafone team will be out an about this month visiting homes and various locations, so if you see them you can find out more and register your interest. They start off the month in Central Avenue in Dogsthorpe and are also at Serpentine Green Shopping Centre on February 2. They’ll be in the city centre from February 4 – 10 in Cathedral Square, and Hill Close from February 11 – 13. They’ll be back in Central Avenue from February 14 – 23. The roll out of Vodafone Gigafast Broadband in Peterborough is live now in various parts of the city and

the next areas due to go in to preorder during February/March are south Dogsthorpe off Garton End Rd and Newark Avenue, Boongate between the Parkway and Eastﬁeld Road, Parnwell east of the Parkway near Parnwell Local Centre and the Paston Lane area between Brotherhood Centre and Fulbridge Road. If that’s you and you’d like to know more go to www.vodafone.co.uk/ gigafast.

COMMUNITY GROUPS INVITED TO BID FOR CASH If you’re part of a city organisations which bring communities together you now have the chance to bid for extra cash through a new fund. The Peterborough Communities Fund is an exciting opportunity for people to make a real difference in their community. It is looking to fund projects that get people involved with their local areas, and bring communities together. It’s been launched by the Peterborough Together Partnership, along with the council. Grants of up to £20,000 are now available to apply for, there is no lower limit and smaller bids are welcome too. Applications are invited from the voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors to deliver activity to beneﬁt people living, working or studying in Peterborough. There is no deadline for applications, just visit www.peterborough.gov.uk/ communitiesfund to ﬁnd out more.

FROTHBLOWERS IS PUB OF THE YEAR It might be small but it’s deﬁnitely mighty! The Frothblowers micro pub in Werrington has been crowned Pub of the Year by the local branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA)

Pop down and celebrate with the team when CAMRA ofﬁcially present them with their shiny award on Thursday February 28 at 8.30pm.

BODEN ARRIVES AT JOHN LEWIS Top fashion brand Boden launches at the John Lewis store in Qeensgate on Tuesday February 5. It joins a new exclusive collection from French Connection which is also available featuring some great key pieces, tailored dresses, and a number of lovely prints.

NIGHTS OUT FOR MACMILLAN If you’d like a night out and would also like to help Macmillan Cancer Support there are a couple of nights coming up next month in Yaxley. First off is a Sixties Night with dancing to Rusty on Friday March 1 from 7pm at Yaxley British Legion. Tickets are £15 including a buffet supper. Then at the same venue on Friday March 29 also from 7pm there’s a Race Night. Tickets for this one are £10 including a buffet supper. Both events are raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support. If you’d like to go along just call Dale Asplin on 07711 198391.

COLLEGE OPEN DAY Peterborough Regional College is holding an Open Day on Tuesday February 5 between 6pm and 8pm. For students in Year 11 who are starting to make their choices about where and what to study after GCSE’s, or even for students in Year 10 who are looking ahead to next year, it’s the perfect opportunity to ﬁnd out exactly what options are available for Post 16 education.

Offering a range of BTEC vocational qualiﬁcations as an alternative to A Levels, in subjects such as Hair & Beauty, Hospitality & Catering, Business and Computer Science, the College will be open for visitors to view the campus facilities and speak to their industry experienced teaching staff. Preregister online at www.peterborough.ac.uk, or call 0345 872 8722 for more information.

NEW MARATHON COMING TO THE CITY An exciting new Marathon is to be staged in Peterborough this year. Sublime Racing will be bringing the Peterborough Marathon to the city on Sunday April 14. It’s 26.2 miles will be run on a 95% traffic-free beautiful course, starting and finishing within yards of the fantastic Race HQ and event venue, the Marriott Hotel. Initially the race aims to attract runners who would like the chance to try a new race that’s both scenic and relatively flat, so providing the opportunity for a Personal Best over the distance. If you’d like to register visit www.sublime racing.com.

ÉNERGIE FITNESS NOW OPEN One of the biggest fitness franchises in the UK, énergie Fitness, has opened in Queensgate Shopping Centre. The locally owned and managed club features stateof-the-art Precor fitness equipment, resistance and free weight equipment, innovative training zones, featuring énergie’s exclusive ‘the YARD’ indoor group fitness classes offering 30+ classes a week! Personal trainers will be available for private sessions and will be able to offer advice on how to achieve goals and the best programme to suit the individual. For more info visit www.energiefitness.com/ peterborough.

LocalEntertainment

Black Magic: The Little Mix Show

Giovanni Pernice Dance Is Life You know we’re big Strictly fans here at ESP so you’ll no doubt see a few of the team in the audience at the Cresset for this one. The smash hit dance spectacular Dance Is Life, directed and choreographed by Jason Gilkison, Strictly Come Dancing’s creative director, returns on Friday March 29 with Strictly pro Giovanni ready to raise the temperature just a little bit more! The show also features Strictly’s newest pro, Luba Mushtuk as his leading lady and seven other world class professional dancers. Expect a showcase of dances like the Paso Doble, the Waltz, the Rumba, and the Jive, to name just a few, with a beautiful Italian theme running throughout the show. We can’t wait! There are only a few tickets left on 01733 265705.

Let Me Entertain You Robbie Tribute If you like a bit of Robbie Williams, Dan Budd is the next best thing! He’s the star of BBC's Let it Shine Show and has even received praise from Pete Conway (Robbie Williams’ Dad) who says – “Dan’s tribute to Rob is spot on! I couldn’t tell the difference.” His energy and commitment levels are boundless and his resemblance to Robbie is striking so let him entertain you with the latest, the greatest and the swing hits too! He’s a great performer so expect all the cheeky fun and showmanship of the man himself at the Stamford Corn Exchange Theatre on Friday February 15. Tickets are £16 from the box ofﬁce on 01780 766455. 6

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There’s no stopping the award-winning girl band Little Mix but if you can’t get tickets for the real thing you can deﬁnitely enjoy the nearest thing with this great tribute show. The Little Mix Show was a sell out at the Cresset last year with an energetic tribute to the girls that’s ideal for kids, tweens, teens and adults alike. This iconic 5-star rated show has live vocals and is full of commercial pop-video choreography, bringing you the full pop concert experience! Dance and scream to a packed out playlist of hit songs that includes Black Magic, Hair, Love Me Like You, How Ya Doin, Wings, Shoutout To My Ex and latest hit Woman Like Me. Catch the girls in action on Sunday February 17. Tickets are £16.50, concessions £14.50 from the box ofﬁce on 01733 265705.

Peterborough Big Band If you like big band tunes head to The Tap Room at the Brewery Tap on Westgate for another night of great tunes. This concert by the Peterborough Big Band features a wide variety of music aided by singers Maria and Tony. They’ll be live on Thursday February 7 and it’s £5 on the doors from 8pm.

An audience with Mark 'Billy' Billingham Come and watch this show if you think you’re hard enough! The star of Channel 4’s SAS Who Dares Wins, Mark 'Billy' Billingham, will take you behind the lines to chat about his adventures, and tell some motivational stories followed by a Q&A session. He’s TV's most experienced, highest ranking and most decorated SAS leader and sniper, a former SAS Sergeant Major Class 1 and bodyguard to stars including Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Russell Crowe, Sir Michael Caine, Tom Cruise and many others. Catch this ‘evening with’ enlightening show at Stamford Corn Exchange Theatre on Saturday February 23. Tickets are £22 from the box ofﬁce on 01780 766455.

Jack The Ripper The Real Truth If you’ve been fascinated by the mystery of Jack the Ripper, love a little history, and have a strong stomach here’s a night with a difference. Are you ready to hear the truth about who Jack the Ripper really was? Trevor Marriott is a retired British Police murder squad detective, and leading Ripper expert, who’s been conducting a cold case investigation since 2002 into The Whitechapel Murders of 1888. In this 2 hour audio/visiual show he’ll ﬁnally reveal the answer and shatter the myth that has surrounded these murders for 130 years. This show contains some images of a graphic and disturbing nature. No one under 16 will be admitted without a parent or appropriate adult. See it if you dare on Friday March 1. Tickets are £13 from the box ofﬁce on 01780 766455.

Peterborough Arts Cinema If you love ﬁlm and like to see something more than the usual blockbusters, keep an eye on Peterborough Arts Cinema’s regular Thursday night screenings at the John Clare Theatre inside the Central Library. They screen a diverse range of ﬁlms and this month is no exception.

Beyond the Barricade If you love the musicals this great show brings you the very best of your favourite shows so it’s no surprise this is the 19th year Beyond the Barricade has toured. Now the UK’s longest running Musical Theatre Concert Tour it brings you the best of Broadway and the West End featuring past principal performers from Les Miserables. There are two opportunities to catch this fantastic show locally – either at the Cresset in Bretton on Saturday March 2 (call 01733 265705) or at the Stamford Corn Exchange on Saturday March 9 (call 01780 766455).

Chinese New Year Extravaganza It’s time to celebrate 2019 in spectacular Chinese style at the Key Theatre on Wednesday February 20. Expect an exciting show of cultural spectacle featuring a team of performers showcasing amazing Chinese performing arts. Witness the daring stunts of Chinese acrobatics alongside energetic kung fu, the magniﬁcent 15-metre long Dragon Dance and more. It’s colourful and actionpacked! Tickets are £23.50 or a family ticket is £70. Get yours from the box ofﬁce on 01733 207239.

Sherlock Holmes: The Sign Of Four

The King is Back In August 2012, Ben Portsmouth made history when he became the only artist from outside the USA to be crowned ‘The Worldwide Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist’. Since winning this prestigious title, people across the world have called Ben the closest they have ever seen to Elvis Presley. Ben brings his 10-piece band to the Cresset to show audiences why he is regarded as the best Elvis in the business on Friday February 22. Tickets are £29 from the box ofﬁce on 01733 265705.

Whether it’s Benedict Cumberbatch or Robert Downey Jnr we all love a Sherlock Homes mystery! Crammed full of adventure, romance, comedy and of course one or two rather brilliant deductions, The Sign of Four is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s epic second Sherlock Holmes tale, brought to life in this spectacular new stage adaptation. You can catch it at the Key Theatre next month when Blackeyed Theatre bring us this world premiere featuring original live music, stylish theatricality and magical story-telling in an unforgettable experience. The game’s afoot! See it on Monday March 4 or Tuesday March 5. Tickets are £17.50 with concessions available on 01733 207239.

On Thursday February 7 it’s The Heiresses (Paraguay) followed by a Valentine’s night showing on Thursday February 14 of Let the Sunshine In,

starring Juliette Binoche as a divorced Parisian painter searching for another shot at love, but refusing to settle for the parade of all-too-ﬂawed men who drift in and out of her life.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post on Thursday February 21 stars Chloë Grace Moretz as Cameron Post who looks the part of a perfect high school girl. But after she's caught with another girl in the back seat of a car on prom night, Cameron is quickly shipped off to a conversion therapy centre that treats teens ‘struggling with same-sex attraction’.

Twelfth Night brings Comedy to Cathedral For a bit of an alternative Valentine’s night out, how about this fab retelling of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night as you’ve never seen it before – featuring love and marriage, laughter, mischief and cross-dressing! Gearbox Theatre Company bring us their colourful production combining comedy, a sixties skifﬂe band and Shakespeare’s poetic language all in the beautiful setting of Peterborough Cathedral. This version is set in the swinging sixties in Illyria where music really is ‘the Food of Love’. Cesario loves Orsino, Orsino loves Olivia, Olivia loves Cesario … but Cesario is really Viola, Sebastian’s twin sister … and is Sebastian really drowned? And then there’s Malvolio … cruelly deceived into yellow stockings and crossed-garters by the riotous ‘rogues’ of this enchanting tale. It’s being performed from February 13-15 and you can book online http://www.peterboroughcathedral.org.uk or call Peterborough Information Centre on 01733 452336.

Thursday February 28 it’s Nae Pasaran. In a Scottish town in 1974, factory workers refuse to carry out repairs on warplane engines in an act of solidarity against the violent military coup in Chile. Four years pass before the engines, left to rust in a factory yard, mysteriously disappear in the middle of the night. www.espmag.co.uk

PODS set to produce another hit

Photo: Charlie Haynes

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Along the way you’ll meet Franz Liebkind, the deranged writer of the play Springtime For Hitler, who, from his coup of beloved pigeons, has penned the ultimate love letter to his favourite Fuhrer. Then there’s ﬂamboyant Roger De Bris, the worst director in New York and his ‘common-law assistant’ Carmen Ghia who, with their camp, allsinging, all dancing team, add their unique take on the show so they can always ‘Keep It Gay’. And last of all, is Ulla, the Swedish beauty with the longest legs and the biggest ambition to be a star, who brings the complication of love into the heady mix of double-blufﬁng and scheming. Get set for the impish, scallywag humour we’ve come to expect from a Mel Brooks’ masterpiece alongside a generous serving of stylish and sophisticated Broadway musical magic with glittering dance numbers from I Wanna Be A Producer to King of Broadway.

Photos: Ylana Hunt

f you’re fed up with the glum weather and the endless talk of politics on the telly, Peterborough Operatic and Dramatic Society have got just the tonic. The no-holes barred, totally mischievous musical comedy The Producers is packed with all the belly laughs you need to well and truly shake those winter cobwebs away. And with not a whiff of political correctness throughout a single section of the show, it’s bound to drag you out of the winter slump – and all that Brexit talk – to put a bit of much-needed springtime in your step. Following their triumphant and now award-nominated shows Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and The Vicar of Dibley last year, PODS have been getting together twice a week for the last six months to bring to life the razzmatazz musical created by The Young Frankenstein writer, director and composer, Mel Brooks. Here the society, that’s made up of everyone from policemen to nurses, students to teachers, have spent their evenings taking a break from normal life to become little old

ladies dancing with zimmer frames, Tillergirl style showgirls and even lederhosen-clad Nazis. And now they’re almost ready to show you what’s bound to be the most mischievous show in Peterborough. It all starts when a down-on-his-luck Broadway producer Max Bialystock and his mild-mannered accountant Leo Bloom come up with a scheme to produce the most notorious flop in history. Their idea is all about cheating their ‘little old lady’ backers out of millions of dollars to put on the worst show in town. Only one thing goes wrong: the show is a smash hit! Follow Max and Leo as they manoeuvre their way fecklessly through finding a show, hiring a director, raising the money and finally taking to the stage with what’s meant to be the show to end all rotten shows.

INFO

Photo: Charlie Haynes

Say goodbye to the winter blues as PODS presents a brilliant night of hilarious – and completely un-PC – fun as they take on Mel Brooks’ The Producers…

The Producers is at The Key Theatre, March 12-16, 7.30pm (plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee). For tickets, please call in to The Key Theatre box ofﬁce, call 01733 207239 or visit www.vivacity.org/whatson. You can also keep up to date on all things PODS by visiting www.peterboroughoperatic.co.uk or follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PODS1901.

Home cooked food live music and much more 6 The Green, Werrington, PE4 6RU /bluebellpe4

LocalEvents

Half Term Fun for the Kids They’re the two words that strike fear into the hearts of parents… half term! If you’re fretting about how you’re going to keep the kids entertained and keep your sanity, let Vivacity ease your worries. They’ve organised plenty of family stuff from Monday February 18 - Saturday February 23. From sports and active adventure days at Vivacity sports venues to science experiments, crafts and trails across the Museum, Archives and Libraries, Vivacity has it sorted for you. Vivacity’s Sports Holiday Club is perfect for working parents and guardians who need somewhere to drop their young ones off while they head to work. Running from 8.30am - 5.30pm each day, from February 18 - 22 there are different themes ranging from Disney and Marvel to carnivals. Join in with Mardi Gras crafts and superhero quests as well as a wide range of sports and games. Prices start from just £20 per day or £80 for a full week, with 10% discount when you book online. For families looking to share some time together, Vivacity’s Shocking Science week at Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery is the perfect option. What makes ﬁdget spinners spin? Why do we get rainbows? Get hands on and ﬁnd out. Explore the stories of long-suffering scientists who made breakthroughs in Peterborough and discover frightful medicines of the past – (some of which were sure to make you feel worse). Tickets are just £3 for children, £4 for adults and £12 families (2 adults, up to 3 children). Turn up and pay on the day or book a queue jump online to make sure you don’t miss out. Short on time? There are also great ways to enjoy just an hour or two with the family at great value.

Marvellous Medicine on Thursday February 21, 10am - 1.30pm is a drop in craft and learning morning at Peterborough Archives in Central Library. This half term, learn about Peterborough Pharmacist, Sturton and Sons, where mixtures and potions were created to help cure all kinds of ailments – learn some recipes and make your own herbal remedy pouch. Tickets are £2 per child. Also, Vivacity Libraries celebrate the work of acclaimed children’s illustrator Nick Sharratt with Shark! Fishy Fun in the Library for ages 5+. Join in with a storytime, build a telescope and then go round the library hunting for sharks you might ﬁnd. For an hour of excellent theatre, the Key Theatre also plays host to former children’s laureate Michael Rosen’s We’re Going On A Bear Hunt! on Saturday February 23 at 1.30pm and 4.30pm and on Sunday February 24 at 10.30am and 1.30pm. All of this plus Vivacity’s regular programme of roller skating, inclusive sports and swimming lessons too means there are plenty of ways to keep the kids happy across February Half Term. To book for any of the events above, or for full times, dates and prices, head to www.vivacity.org/february.

Sporting Saturday is Back! This month sees the biggest disability sporting event Peterborough has ever seen as Sporting Saturday takes over the Cresset. The free event is all inclusive and is designed to showcase the wealth of inclusive and disability sport Peterborough has to offer. It’ll feature a huge range of activities including football, darts, cricket, golf, wheelchair basketball, rowing, gym equipment, special Olympics, Boccia, seated exercise, race runners (stand up bikes), dance, Zumba, boxing, judo, Tai Chi, para ice hockey and much, much more! It’s all happening on Saturday February 9 when Inspire Peterborough, Disability Peterborough, The Mobility Aids Centre, Amilly Fitness, Oak Activities and friends are taking over the Cresset for the biggest disability sporting event yet! Whether you’re go along to meet the Mayor, get disability advice, the chance to win Olympic-style medals or try out many different sports activities you’ll be in awe at what’s on offer. There’ll be special guests as well as a market place of local health and wellbeing information and community groups. 10 www.espmag.co.uk

It’s open to anyone of any ability so head down between 11am and 4pm. Book for free at https://bookwhen.com/sportingsaturday19 Keep an eye on the Inspire Peterborough Facebook page for more.

LocalEvents

X Factor Auditions If you’re a singer, performer, songwriter or vocal group here’s your chance to show if you’ve got the X Factor in Peterborough SAMM’s bar is hosting an X Factor audition showcase in the Bridge Street venue on Wednesday March 13 at 7pm. This is your chance to perform in front of cameras for the producers of the country's most famous talent show!

Think you've got what it takes to be the next Leona Lewis, James Arthur or Dalton Harris? Drop them an email with your name, DOB, audition song and a little paragraph about why you've got the X Factor and they’ll get back to you with an audition slot. The email address is: xfactor@sammspeterborough.co.uk.

St. Valentine’s Day Massacre Gig

Mad Hatters Ladies Lunch Listen up ladies, if you’d love a day of shopping, delicious food and entertainment all in aid of a good cause, here’s one we can recommend. ESP joined in the fun at the Anna’s Hope Mad Hatter’s Ladies Lunch at the Haycock hotel in Wansford and it was such a success we’re pleased to hear it’s back again this year. Perfectly organised for ‘Wear a Hat Day’ you can get in the spirit on Friday March 22 and don your best head gear to win a prize if you fancy it. The delicious day out from 11.30am – 3pm includes a drinks reception, 2 course lunch, pop-up boutique shopping, fabulous entertainment including classical guitarist, Steve Bean and International singer, Lisa Hammond. Plus our very own ESP columnist and adventurer Darren Grigas will be a guest speaker! Everyone will receive a goody bag to take home too. It’s all in support of children with brain tumours and tickets are £45 per person. To book yours visit http://bit.ly/MadHattersLunch.

Cupids Wedding Show If you’re getting hitched you can take the stress out of planning your big day by checking out over a hundred different exhibitors at Cupids Wedding Show this month. Head to the East of England Arena and Events Centre on Sunday February 10 and you’ll find everything you need all under one roof. From cakes to cars, flowers to formalwear and venues to videography, whatever you need to make it all just perfect there’ll be plenty of suggestions here. There’s a free goody bag for the first 250 guests and a free glass of fizz. It’s on from 10.30am – 3pm and admission’s £4.

12 www.espmag.co.uk

If you were a fan of the great local band, The League of Mentalmen, you’ll be pleased to hear that they’re back in the new guise of Cap’n Rasty’s Big Time Charlies… and they’re just as crazy but this time have a distinctly pirate vibe going on! They’ve already sold out a couple of gigs since launching on the scene so catch them in their new formation live at The Ploughman pub in Werrington on Saturday February 16 for the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre night. Keith Dalton will be introducing the guys properly in next month’s Live Music pages, but see them for yourself at this Valentine’s night mash up with a difference! Eye patches, bandanas and other pirate attire is strongly encouraged.

Best Selling Author Heads Home To City A local lass and Sunday Times best selling author is visiting Peterborough libraries to talk about her latest hit. Kate Moore grew up and went to school in Peterborough before becoming a hit author, selected for Emma Watson’s book club and a New York Times bestseller. Kate’s book, The Radium Girls has become ‘the book America can’t stop talking about’. It’s received such accolades as: the No. 1 choice for Reading Groups as voted for by US booksellers, the No. 1 favourite non-ﬁction book of US librarians in 2017, and winner of the Good Reads Choice Award for Best History/Biography 2017.

The Radium Girls is the incredible true story of the young women exposed to the ‘wonder’ substance of radium and their brave struggle for justice. Drawing on previously unpublished diaries, letters and interviews, the book showcases the spirit and tenacity of a group of women who refused to stay silent, and in so doing changed the world. Kate visits Vivacity Central Library, on Saturday February 9 at 1pm. She’ll be reading from the book, speaking about the women and her research, with a book signing at the end. Tickets cost £5 and can be booked at any Vivacity Library.

ManTown about

ano Pep Cipri pep.cipriano@espmag.co.uk

Mix Pleasure with Business A study by Oregon State University claims maintaining an active sex life maximises your ofﬁce productivity. This is true. Last week I was being productive when I bought sugar to accompany the team’s tea and coffee supplies.

Valentine’s on a Budget in the ’boro Here we go again. My favourite (not really) time of the year, when we feel the pressure and succumb to consumerism by spending a month’s salary on impressing the other half for Valentine’s Day.

ebruary 14 was better (and cheaper) when you were a kid. It was simple. You’d spend some of your pocket money on a card from your local shop and write a poem in it. Then you’d sign it ‘Guess who?’ and let your mum have it, who’d give it to the mum of the boy or girl you fancied at school. But as adults we feel the annual day of lurve should be really acknowledged in some way that invariably means spending money and not just on a card. Like

everyone else I might as well blame Brexit for curbing our current spending habits, which means this year’s Valentine’s needs to be done on a budget. The ﬁrst thing to consider is keep it local. This means making the most of what Peterborough has to offer and spending your money and time in the city. So, with this in mind, here are my recommendations for Valentine’s Day gifts and experiences you can both enjoy for under £50. Happy lovin’ people!

CIAOS OUT

Budget options... £5: Your local garage sells bunches of flowers that’ll probably last 24 hours if they’re not placed near a radiator. And if you’re lucky they may still have some Christmas chocolates with a March sell by date on the ‘Reduced’ shelf next to the counter. £15: A meal for two needn’t be a stretch with this budget. The Jinja Express cafe on Fletton High Street does a mean all day breakfast for around a fiver or more if you’re a little piggy and want extras. And if your other half is always complaining there’s no variety in your love life, they’ll be impressed with all the different breakfast options to pick from. Choose well and you’ll have enough money left to buy a couple of chocolate flapjacks from the counter when you go to pay the bill. £25: Have you ever made up a Pound Shop hamper? No, I didn’t think so, but why wouldn’t you?! Just think how much excitement 25 items could bring to your loved one’s heart. You can mix it up all you like with DVDs, chocolates, books, frilly underwear, DIY gadgets, make-up, hairspray, perfume – the list goes on and the world’s your oyster. £50: This is at the top end of your budget and my recommendation is a day out in the city centre. You can start the morning sitting

outside Greggs and devouring two of their lattes and sausage rolls. To walk off your breakfast of champions, take a stroll and explore our excellent charity shops where you can buy one another a Valentine’s gift to the pre-agreed value of £5. Next, wander into Queensgate and pour over the holiday brochures you dream of booking a romantic getaway from. But of course you’re brainwashed like the rest of the country and won’t make a big ﬁnancial commitment because of Brexit. It’s lunchtime and there’s no better treat that personiﬁes love than a Big Mac and fries for two with a strawberry milkshake. Be sure to spoil yourselves and order a McFlurry each too. As the afternoon draws in take a look at some of the Valentine’s menus being offered by our restaurants. Some are £50 a head and with wine specials at just £10 a bottle. Yes, that Big Mac may be regurgitating up your windpipe and back into your mouth but at least your pocket is a happier place than your stomach. It’s early evening and there’s nothing better than two swift half-lager shandys in the College Arms. And now it’s time to go home and you’ve got a few quid left. So, show your love on Valentine’s Day by giving it to those who need it the most and make a contactless donation in the Argo Lounge window in St Peter’s Arcade to the Safer Off The Streets homelessness campaign.

Tone - belated compleanno Becca - Paparazzi return? Neil - any Chopper interest? Emma - I need eye thingmebobs Dave S - how’s the foot? Ravsi - you up for boom mic duties again?

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Is it dead? Do blokes still do this stuff? Hold the door open for her, say “Pardon me” after belching, buy roses on a first date, give her your last Rolo, walk her to her door on that first date, kiss her hand instead of hoover her face at the end of the aforementioned date, ask her dad for his daughter’s hand in marriage, wear Brut 33, pull her chair out in a restaurant, momentarily stand up when she excuses herself to go to the restaurant toilet, spend three month’s salary on an engagement ring, make love (not have sex) to Marvin Gaye’s Sexual Healing.

OF THE MONTH

ROMANCE

Separated at Birth? One is a Spaniard managing Manchester City Football Club and the other is a Peterborian working in Australia. Can it be possible they’re long-lost identical twins?

Whitby Chips can Kick the Bucket A survey of 2,000 adults commissioned by Sykes Holiday Cottages has revealed our Top 20 British Bucket List Experiences. Number one is to visit Giant's Causeway, which I’m sorry, is just a bunch of rocks shaped like scale model skyscrapers. Second is to go whale watching in the Scottish Highlands - I’m already freezing just thinking about it. They get better. Number 13 is eat ﬁsh and chips in Whitby. Really? Nevermind visiting the majestic Whitby Abbey then! Unless Whitby’s ﬁsh and chips are deep fried in liquid gold, there’s no better feeling than munching on a vinegar-soaked bag of chips from Parrotts in Hereward Cross while strolling through the grounds of our beautiful cathedral. Bucket list that folks!

Ageing like a Good Wine? There’s probably a new trend on Facebook by now, but last month I rose to the #10yearchallenge conﬁdent that I haven’t aged one bit.

Boxer and Creed Star at Solstice Better to be Bikesafe than Sorry The Cambridgeshire Police-run Bikesafe course returns in April after a successful 2018 where 75 motorcyclists took part. Aimed at making motorcyclists safer, 88% of the riders said their conﬁdence in the police had increased since taking the course and 96% are considering accredited training following Bikesafe. Bikesafe is a national police-led motorcycle project, which is aimed at reducing the number of motorcyclists killed or seriously injured on our roads. The courses, which offer a mix of theory and observed rides, explore the hazards that riders face and provide them with training to improve their riding skills. As a motorcyclist I can vouch for knowing what it’s like to be a vulnerable road user, which is why courses like these are so important. Bikesafe is a great way to refresh what you already know and to learn new skills to keep you safe and sharp when riding. To book a place on the April course, visit www.bikesafe.co.uk.

There are just a handful of tickets left to see one of the most popular men in boxing Tony ‘The Bomber’ Bellew - when he comes to Peterborough on Sunday February 17. The former cruiserweight champion of the world (and Creed star) will be at The Solstice at 12 noon where he’ll be joining boxing fans for lunch before discussing his career and taking questions. Bellew is the latest big boxing name brought to our city by promoter Kevin Sanders whose gym - Kevin Sanders Boxing and Fitness Academy - has been shortlisted for the Peterborough Telegraph Gym of the Year 2019.

The gym is one of very few in the city that coaches young people boxing skills in a bid to keep them out of trouble. To show your appreciation for Kev’s gym you can vote by completing a coupon in the newspaper. Closing date is February 1. And for tickets to see Bellew, call Kevin on: 07872 601467.

Photo: John Baker

Bid Peterborough to Improve our City Centre

There’s great news for our city centre as Peterborough has been approved to have its own Business Improvement District (BID). ESP’s Pep Cipriano has always been a strong advocate of a lively city centre, so here’s why he thinks it’s something to get excited about…

his is the most exciting news for our city since the formation of the Peterborough Development Corporation back in the late 1960s. It’s an excellent opportunity to really make the most of what the city centre has to offer and improve it by how businesses see ﬁt. If I had a business in the city centre I’d be all over this. Read on and if you trade from within the city centre, then what are you waiting for?! It might all sound a bit formal, but basically a Business Improvement District means our city centre can remain competitive in attracting more visitors, which in turn helps to increase footfall and encourages investment. There are more than 300 BIDs including ones in nearby Cambridge, Lincoln, Loughborough, Derby and Nottingham. Plus there are 50 in London. I love my city so I’m really pleased Peterborough gets the chance to shine! A BID is an arrangement whereby our business and the private sector work together and agree and manage projects and improvements that will be delivered in our city centre. It’s a business plan written for and by local businesses. Benefits of having a BID include:

• The creation of a strong collective business voice in the city with a new brand and identity for Peterborough city centre • Marketing Peterborough to a regional and national audience through high proﬁle marketing campaigns, year-round high-proﬁle events, festivals and markets • Capitalising on the heritage of our city centre • Increasing awareness of businesses and city centre events by marketing directly to residents and employees • Supplying businesses with useful data on city centre performance e.g. footfall, car park data and dwell time

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Our BID development phase is being supported and funded by the city council, but it will be 100% business managed and business led. To progress the development of a BID in our city a Peterborough BID Steering Group will be made up of local business owners, managers and key stakeholders from across the city centre. This group will meet monthly and make key decisions such as eligibility, the boundary of the area to be covered, projects and new initiatives. To be part of this group that’ll shape a ﬁve-year business plan for our city centre, email BID Development Manager, Michelle Baker Michelle@regenmanagement.co.uk or call: 07527 016338.

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Food Glori us Food

WE § FOOD It’s the month of love and we all love dining out, so whether you have someone to romance or just love your food here’s our ESP round up of where to enjoy the dishes you desire…

If you § Fish

Loch Fyne, Elton. Tel: 01832 280298

A great à la carte menu is packed full of fresh and seasonal seafood dishes which are delicious for all occasions. They source much of their seafood fresh from Loch Fyne in the Scottish Highlands. Breakfast also available. 18 www.espmag.co.uk

If you § Pizza The Pizza Parlour, Cowgate. Tel: 01733 902233 A unique combination of traditionally cooked Italian pasta and pizzas with feel-good music from the 60s. Italian owned, local and independent, it’s the only restaurant in the area cooking with a wood-ﬁred oven for thin-based, crunch-perfect pizza including their famous Bada-Bing 20” pizza perfect for sharing.

If you § Vegan dining When Polly Met Fergie, Westgate Arcade. Tel: 01733 942400 A plant based café/restaurant and cocktail bar, serving a range of tasty vegan delights plus fresh pasta made each day. Breakfast, great coffee, cocktails and regular jazz nights.

If you § Pan-Asian cuisine EAST, Upper Deck Charters, Town Bridge. Tel: 01733 315702 A fusion of Oriental styles of cuisine all prepared with the ﬁnest and freshest ingredients. Dishes have been chosen from the exciting and diverse cultures of South-East Asia. All served on the upper deck of Charters boat on the River Nene.

If you § Fish and Chips Posh Fish and Chips, Albert Place. Tel: 01733 310600 Eat in at their modern 30 seater restaurant or take your food to go from their ﬁsh and chip shop takeaway. Featuring delicious daily specials, kids meals & desserts, it’s part of The Beehive pub. All their ﬁsh is specially selected, grade A and sustainably caught.

If you § Thai

If you § Caribbean Turtle Bay, Queensgate Shopping Centre. Tel: 01733 344818 Laid back Caribbean eating and drinking, with beach shack vibes. From strict vegans to the most carnivorous of meat lovers, from the adventurous food explorer to those who would like something small to enjoy with a cocktail they have a diverse menu… and plenty of rum!

The Brewery Tap, Westgate. Tel: 01733 358500 The à la carte menu offers freshly prepared Thai cuisine, cooked by experienced Thai chefs who you can watch preparing your food through a high level window into the kitchen, before being served to your table. Buffet dining also available.

If you § Afternoon Tea

If you § local Farm Produce

Harvest Barn Farmshop, Near Farcet. Tel: 01733 219888

Local and homegrown produce served in their coffee shop and available to buy. For Valentine’s they’ve put together a heart shaped cheese in a hamper of delicious goodies. They will also be offering a special Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea on Saturday March 30 and Sunday March 31 or you can treat mum to a fully cooked Sunday roast on the day at Harvest Barn.

Orton Hall Hotel, Orton Longueville. Tel: 01733 391111 A tasty selection of ﬁnger sandwiches, warm fruit scone with cream and jam, assorted cakes and tea or coffee served from 12 noon – 6pm daily in the beautiful setting of the hall and orangery overlooking beautiful parkland.

If you § Steak

Middletons Steakhouse & Grill, Bridge Street. Tel: 01733 512386 Middletons focuses on serving high quality meat prepared at the restaurant’s own butchery in Norfolk. The menu includes a range of prime steaks, a signature mixed grill, seafood and vegetarian options, along with freshly-made classic desserts.

If you § Japanese Wagamama, Long Causeway. Tel: 01733 889851 wagamama’s famed ramen; bowls of fragrant soup ﬁlled with noodles plus meat or vegetables, plus, a range of curries, noodle dishes, sides, salads and fresh juices, all made fresh to order.

www.espmag.co.uk

LOCAL COUPLE ON COME DINE WITH ME Mikey Clarke

We all love spotting someone we know on the tele! ESP’s Mikey Clarke catches up with a Peterborough couple about their experience on Come Dine With Me…

always get a little giddy whenever I see someone local on the tele. Whenever I hear a host say, “…from Peterborough” I’ll give a little squeal. That happened recently whilst watching Couples Come Dine with Me. Gareth Rogers and his partner Paul were contestants on the show that sees couples having strangers over for dinner – before being given a score based on how the evening went. The couple with the highest score get a whopping £1000 prize! Their competition were also fairly local – coming from Ely and Cambridge. Gareth and Paul had me laughing out loud on numerous occasions with their charmingly outspoken personalities and bickering. I grabbed a few words with Gareth after watching the show to ﬁnd out what the experience was like. “It was amazing,” he told me. “It really was good fun but I had totally underestimated how hard it would be to cook

under pressure. We entertain a lot but when you have a whole TV crew in your kitchen, everything goes to pot.” If you’ve ever been curious as to how things work behind-the-scenes, he told me – “On our hosting day the crew arrived at 8am and cameras were on right through until the early hours when the party ﬁnished. It was quite awkward having the microphones recording the whole time – with the sound guy hearing everything... even when we’re on the toilet! We particularly loved being picked up in taxis and treated like real stars – with the ﬁrst night having us being bundled into a blacked out van on arrival so that we couldn’t see the other couples before going into night one.” I’ve seen the show numerous times and quite often you’ll see arguments between contestants. Other than the odd little comment here and there, everyone seemed to genuinely get along. I wondered if that was for the cameras. “Not on this occasion.

The other couples were fab. We were all very different people but the experience brought us together. Once the drink starts ﬂowing, everyone is the same at the end of the day. We all gave honest opinions and nobody took offence – well, at least I think they didn’t. If you don’t have an opinion then you shouldn’t do that kind of show.” Gareth continued, “It was really great to get to know the other couples and we have been messaging since the show and immediately after it aired on the TV. We’re planning to meet up in Cambridge for a meal, cooked by someone else and without cameras so that we can discuss things that wouldn’t be suitable for TV.” I won’t tell you whether the local couple won as I don’t want to spoil things. With the episode remaining on Channel 4’s catch-up for a month after being screened, I highly recommend you go check it out for yourself (series 6, episode 11).

Blue Bell Inn DO GS THORPE One of Peterborough oldest Pubs we offer a warm welcome in lovely surroundings.

FEBRUARY GIGS 2nd

Grand Slam Glitz 9th The True 90's Tribute Band 16th Circa 73 23rd Lost and Sound 2nd Mar Out Law Eagles

Sunday Lunch from 12-4pm Adults £6.95 Children £4.95 Desserts from £2.95

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Tel 01733 313700

Real ales • Live music Function/meeting room hire • Open to all ENTERTAINMENT DJ Wayne Betty Swallocks Please check our website for details The Houndogs (Upstairs Tickets £10) and Frankly My Dear (Downstairs free event) Friday 15th Dizzy Miss Lizzys Saturday 16th Cosmic Rodney Friday 22nd Citizen Smith Saturday 23rd Paul Lake Friday 1st Mar Nicole Lawrence Saturday 2nd Mar The Zephyrs and The Nuggets, Free event for both bands. Friday 1st Saturday 2nd Friday 8th Saturday 9th

(All bands start at 9pm)

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Beef, pork, turkey and local veg The Burghley is pleased to announce they have been awarded 5* for their facility

Last Tuesday of every month for senior citizens we offer a 3 course lunch for just £5.00

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The stars shine bright over Peterborough! ESP Magazine has been supporting local talent for years (20 to be precise) and 2019 will be no exception. Mikey Clarke

As a lover of all things ﬁlm related, I’m thrilled to be reporting on not one, but two ﬁlm projects taking place across the city...

mention the social media marketing campaign that comes along with any new project we work on and the editing process which is one of the most time consuming tasks of filmmaking.” Lewis continued, “We are so thankful and proud of our cast; their commitment and development throughout their time with us working on both films. They trusted our vision and direction and approached the film with such passion and commitment.” The film stars Lewis, Bartek Pilinski and Joanna Kortas – and can be seen online from January 30.

A DARKER SECRET (PART 2)

he first sees the release of the highly anticipated A Darker Secret (Part 2) – a powerful short film that will be released on Take 2 The Screen’s social media platforms. The local film company released: A Dark Secret (Part 1) a year ago and their YouTube subscribers loved it and asked them to make a sequel. The first film is about how in a split second, your life can change forever. The story follows Jack, who accidentally hits a teenage boy with his car as he appears in the middle of the road. After quickly realising the boy is dead, knowing his life will be destroyed; Jack panics and puts the body in his car boot. He drives to a deserted woods and buries the body. This leads to serious life changing events as he suffers the consequences of his actions. The second film picks up exactly where the first film left off and continues to follow Jack as his life falls apart around him, leading to a heart breaking climax that will leave the audience shocked and moved.

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Local filmmaker Lewis Saunderson told me – “Both films have a powerful message and we are so excited for everyone to see it! It’s been incredibly challenging and rewarding working on A Darker Secret over the past months, from writing the sequel, casting, rehearsing, organising props, set and locations and communicating filming schedules and costumes/make-up requirements on a weekly basis with the cast an crew. Not to

CHANCE TO SUPPORT ‘Psychotastic’ New Film

s you can probably tell from Lewis Saunderson’s comments, so much work goes on behind the scenes when making a short film – and often a production company will need all the help they can get. Peterborough based Psychotastic Productions are looking for funding for a short film starring three named actors, and we are right behind them! Psychotastic was founded by Steven Arnold (AKA Ashley Peacock in Coronation Street) and his partner Zoe Crowson – Founder of registered charity The Phoebe Research Fund (1163875). Both Steven and Zoe live locally and have decided to pledge 25% of all profits to go directly into The Phoebe Research Fund to help a cause close to their hearts. Zoe's daughter Phoebe was born with a rare genetic disorder called recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. This devastating condition causes the skin to blister and shear at the slightest touch. You can visit www.phoeberesearch.org.uk to find out more. Their first production (a stage adaptation in Stamford of the classic Ken Loach Film, KES) was a huge success – which Psychotastic Productions say simply wouldn’t have happened without the overwhelming level of support (mainly from local businesses), which they are extremely grateful for. Of course, 25% of the profits from KES went to The Phoebe Research Fund and a great deal of awareness was raised. So, what next? Written by Peter Kane and Carly Street, Annual Review is a short film that will star three named actors – Steven Arnold (best known for playing Ashley Peacock in Coronation Street), Julia Haworth (best known for playing Claire Peacock in Coronation Street) and Robert Haythorne (who’s best known for Tyrannosaur, The Selfish Giant and Waterloo Road). It will also star Peter Kane, who’ll direct it alongside Steven Arnold, with Zoe Crowson producing. The story focuses on office worker Terry, during the day of his annual review. He takes matters into his own hands when a meeting with his female manager doesn’t go quite as planned. This dark psychological thriller follows Terry seeking vengeance as this gripping story unfolds. On a one man power trip, nothing will get in Terry’s way. Once the film’s been made, they will be entering Annual Review into various national and international film festivals. As a production company, Psychotastic pride themselves on bringing quality British productions to the industry whilst raising awareness of the little known skin disorder, epidermolysis bullosa. No matter how big or small from £5 to £500 every penny makes Psychotastic Productions’ goal more achievable. You can contribute by visiting https://igg.me/at/AnnualR/x/20049026 or any of the social media channels for Psychotastic Productions or The Phoebe Research Fund. Mikey Clarke

PETERBOROUGH Amanda and her team would like to welcome old and new guests back to The Peacock Pub

Entertainment during February

Sky Sports and BT Sports showing all games of football

Family friendly pub open at 12 midday everyday apart from Posh match days when we open at 10 am.

Saturday 9th Mistabeat Saturday 16th Velocity Saturday 23rd True 90’s

26 London Road, Peterborough PE2 8AR /ThePeacockPeterborough

Steven Arnold

Julia Haworth

Robert Haythorne www.espmag.co.uk

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POSH PAGE

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ESP’s columnist Phil Adlam brings us the exclusives on all things Peterborough United…

I have to say, what a busy time it’s been at Peterborough United. I am exhausted and we are only in February and that’s not down to the January transfer window. I’ve worked in football for over 17 years now (I know I only look in my 20s, but believe it, I am approaching the midlife crisis time) and nothing amazes me anymore.

owever, there have been so many changes down the years. Back when I started, social media was covered by a website called MySpace. There was no such thing as Twitter. Or Facebook come to think of it. Newspapers were daily, ClubCall was a phone line you called for exclusive club news and our weekly press conference included four radio stations. Times have moved on. I think it is a mixed bag when it comes to the positives of the above. You have to learn and adapt. Certainly from a supporter point of view there is more access than ever before. We are open and honest. From the chairman down to the players. Every football club is interactive. It has to be that way. But moving with the times is not just related to social media.

We have dabbled with other sports (Peterborough Lions spent a season at the club), we’ve held sponsor events in the centre circle and in the last few years, we would describe our venue as ‘multi-purpose’. Sir Elton John was a huge success and it has given us confidence that the Peterborough public would support big acts entertaining them on an annual basis. Steps and Blue were a nod to the 90s and proved successful and as readers of ESP Magazine will know, this summer we’re welcoming BRIT Award nominee Craig David (and friends) to the ABAX Stadium (get your tickets now at www.theposhtickets.com). When we announced Craig David, a family member said, “Who be that then?” Apart from the lack of vocabulary, I understand where she was coming from because

although he transcends my lifetime, he doesn’t hers. So what did we decide to do? Find another act. Not just any act either. A multi-award winner, singer of some of the most iconic songs of a generation and if the millennials are baffled by his name, they may know him as one of The Voice’s judges. And no it isn’t will.i.am or as I like to call him, William. Yes, Sir Tom Jones will be performing at the ABAX Stadium. That is two Sirs who have took to the stage in our wonderful city. What a voice. What a talent. The concert at The ABAX Stadium on Thursday July 11 will feature a collection of Tom’s most popular hits across the decades, including his latest albums. To find out how you can obtain your tickets, head over to www.theposh.com. It’s not unusual for him to sell-out quickly so don’t delay! One pun, happy with that.

Phil Adlam

Photos: www.theposh.com

When I started at the ABAX Stadium (or London Road as it was known back then), the thought of anything other than football taking place on the pitch was troubling. In fact, our groundsman threatened anyone who dare step foot on the hallowed turf.

Don’t get me wrong, they are still as inquisitive, but the threat level is a little less severe.

Commercial, food and product photography, business portraits, press and PR

5 Station Road, Ailsworth, Peterborough, PE5 7AH

paparazzi Caught in the act? BAND NIGHTS AND BEERS It was good to see so many folks out an about last month enjoying a beer and some live tunes. ESP’s photographer Mike Harris headed over to one of the city’s leading supporters of live music – The Crown on Lincoln Road – to catch local guys The Broadcasters in action. They feature talented local musician Tom Wright on upright double bass and the excellent Peter Ravenhill on lead guitar. Tom’s dad even joined them on stage to sing a few songs! Then it was time to drop by The Blue Bell in Werrington where the Sound Injectors were playing to a packed room. There’s regular weekly live music at the pub so keep an eye on our Gig Guide. You can see all of our Paparazzi photos on our Facebook page.

26 www.espmag.co.uk

www.espmag.co.uk

ESP COVER STAR RITA ORA... She’s a record breaker, has two nominations in the BRIT Awards this month, has a second hugely successful album out and is about to head out on tour in March. Rita Ora is ready to take on the world.

t’s BRIT Awards month and it’s no surprise to see Rita Ora in the line-up, perhaps only that she’s not actually been nominated for more. Having recently made chart history becoming the most successful UK female artist of all time on the UK Ofﬁcial Singles Chart we’re sure she won’t be complaining whether she clinches a BRIT or not! The last few years have seen Rita Ora’s career go through the roof but as well as being photographed for her fashion style she’s also famed for making some real gaffs – if you’ve ever listened to her with her bestie Nick Grimshaw on Radio One you will no doubt have heard a few corkers – but she takes it all in her stride and maybe that’s another reason she’s so popular. She’s certainly a talented singer even if she does put her foot in it at times, and Rita has the catalogue of hits to prove it.

This month she’s up twice in the British Artist Video of the Year category at The BRITS for her song Let You Love Me and her Fifty Shades Freed collab with Liam Payne, For You. You can catch the show live on ITV on February 20 but if you fancy supporting Rita cast your vote online between February 4 and 15. Next month Rita heads out on the start of her 2019 global tour with British fans getting to see her from May. Rita says, “I’m so happy to be on tour again! Nothing makes me happier than performing and travelling to see all my fans. It will be the first time performing news songs from ‘Phoenix’ and I can’t wait for you to hear them! I’m looking forward to this tour so much.” Having performed on some of the world’s biggest shows, including Jimmy Kimmel and Ellen and most prestigious stages, from Glastonbury to The White House and even The Vatican, Rita will be performing at London’s iconic The O2 and travelling to Japan, Thailand, the Philippines and Europe as well as completing her first ever string of national Australian dates on the tour. The tour will be starting in Melbourne, Australia on March 1 and finishes in Glasgow on May 29. Rita recently entered the Official Chart history books, breaking a record held for 30 years. The singer’s track, Let You Love Me, became her 13th Top 10 on the Official Singles Chart. It means Rita set a new UK chart record for the most Top 10 singles by a British female artist. The star overtook music icons Shirley Bassey and Petula Clark, who each lay claim to 12 Top 10 hits. Amazingly, Phoenix, released in November last year via Atlantic Records is only her second studio album, and came after her departure from Roc Nation. Rita says of new album Phoenix, “One of the most liberating feelings for me is performing and creating music. This album is a true labour of love, and it was important for me to do it my way. “I’m so appreciative of the love and support from those who worked with me on the record and allowed me to create something I’m really proud of. They gave me the space and freedom to create something from my heart. “Both challenging and euphoric at times. I am really proud of and grateful for the journey that the making of Phoenix has taken me on. To my fans, thank you for your patience and thank you always for listening.” Rita has already cemented herself as one of the UK’s most successful pop acts of the decade and performed around the world to critical acclaim - don’t miss your chance to see her live.

UK ARENA TOUR DATES: May 21 Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff May 22 BIC, Bournemouth May 24 The O2, London May 25 Arena Birmingham, Birmingham May 27 Liverpool Echo Arena, Liverpool May 28 First Direct Arena, Leeds May 29 The SSE Hydro, Glasgow

28 www.espmag.co.uk

ESP’s Mikey Clarke is now on YouTube! Mikey’s been writing for us for a dozen or so years now. We’ve enjoyed watching him get creative with numerous articles during that time – often ﬁnding a unique twist on a story. It came as no surprise to us when Mikey told us he was setting up a YouTube channel – allowing him to express himself more visually. Alongside his mate (Roe), the pair mostly upload videos based around Movies, Games and Comedy under the nickname MicRoe. Subscribe at youtube.com/microe. We’ll often give a few of their videos a watch in the ofﬁce and highly recommend you check them out. The fact they’ve been good friends since school really comes across in their warm, engaging and often humorous content.

If you’re yet to check out their channel, we have chosen our Top 5 MicRoe Videos:

5 3

The Ultimate Try Not To Laugh Challenge (Helium Edition) We’ve seen a few ‘try not to laugh challenges’ pop up on their YouTube channel. It would seem that if you add helium into the mix, the challenge becomes much more difﬁcult. We particularly like how the guys will often have forfeits thrown into the mix.

Crazy S**t You Can Buy on Amazon! The internet is a vast and crazy place – where just about anything can be purchased. Mikey took to Amazon to purchase the most unusual things he could ﬁnd – whilst setting Roe the challenge of working out what the items were. Does he succeed? Check it out to ﬁnd out and why not give it a go yourself.

4 2

Kelly Chambers (Short Film) Mikey’s ﬁrst ever upload to the channel was a short ﬁlm that he wrote and directed. Kelly Chambers tells the story of a councillor who returns to work after being off due to her own depression. When she discovers that one of her own patients is responsible for the events that led to her condition, she has a moral battle with herself on how to handle the situation.

These ﬁve videos are available to watch right now on our website www.espmag.co.uk. Check out other content by visiting www.youtube.com/microe and click the bell button to be notiﬁed as soon as they’ve uploaded. 30 www.espmag.co.uk

Watching ‘The Blair Witch Project’ in the Woods = Terrifying! Speaking of forfeits, after Mikey lost a challenge, Roe came up with the brilliantly cruel punishment of watching The Blair Witch Project in the woods. For those unfamiliar with the horror movie, it is set in the woods – making this forfeit particularly brutal. Check it out for the surprise ending.

The Best Insults Ever! Mikey and Roe took to the internet to ﬁnd some of the best insults and come-backs ever. The humorous results (including the likes of Gordon Ramsey and Bryan Cranston) is worth checking out and makes for a great way to kill time when you’re on a break.

Happy Mothers Day

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Movie Previews

ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL Cast: Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali Director: Robert Rodriguez There’s no doubting that James Cameron’s pet project will ooze tremendous production values – especially when you throw in Sin City director Robert Rodriguez and a well-respected cast – but whether this translates to ticket sales will be interesting to see. These types of fantasy movies – see Scarlett Johansson’s Ghost in the Shell from two years ago as an example – usually struggle to find a major audience, but Cameron notched stellar box office business with Avatar, so this mainly live action – with computer-generated lead character (Rosa Salazar’s Alita) – may still surprise. When Dr Ido (Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained) finds abandoned cyborg

Alita, he soon realises she is a lethal and dangerous being that could just break the cycle of death around them. But with no recollection of who she is, what is Alita’s true signiﬁcance in this world? Is she an angel from heaven… or an angel of death? Waltz’s fellow Oscar winners Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind) and Mahershala Ali (Moonlight) – and even Starship Troopers’ Casper Van Dien – are all part of an eclectically stellar cast in this sci-ﬁ adventure with a touch of romance. It will be intriguing to see if this turns out to be a technical marvel, or if it short circuits on arrival…

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: HIDDEN WORLD

THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART

The reportedly final part in the How to Train Your Dragon series looks to colourfully wrap up an enjoyable animated trilogy after the well-received first two parts – and subsequent Netflix TV series. When Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) discovers Toothless isn’t the only Night Fury breed, he must seek The Hidden World – a secret firebreathing dragon utopia – before hired tyrant Grimmel (F Murray Abraham) finds it first. Gerard

It’s been ﬁve years since everything was ‘awesome’ when Chris Pratt’s Emmet and Elizabeth Banks’ Wyldstyle saved the Lego universe – but now citizens are facing a huge new threat in the form of Duplo space invaders from the cosmos. With these new adversaries wrecking everything faster than it can be rebuilt, it’s up to ‘everyday guy’ Emmet to come through again, especially when Wyldstyle and the DC Super

32 www.espmag.co.uk

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Butler, Kristen Wiig, Jonah Hill and Cate Blanchett all return for voice duties.

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Heroes – including Will Arnett’s Batman – get kidnapped into outer space.

GREEN BOOK

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The current front-runner for Best Picture Oscar glory is this moving biographical comedy-tinted drama inspired by a true story of friendship. A working-class Italian-American bouncer (Oscarnominated Viggo Mortensen) becomes the driver of an African-American classical pianist (Oscar-nominated and Golden Globe-winning Mahershala Ali) on a tour of venues through the racial tensions of the 1960's American South.

IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK Another film that’s received noteworthy awards-time buzz – and has notched three Academy Award noms – is this romantic drama from the filmmaker behind Oscar-winning Moonlight. It follows the exploits of Tish (Kiki Layne), a newly-engaged Harlem woman who races against the clock to prove her lover’s (Stephan James) innocence – accused of a rape he didn’t commit – while carrying their first born child.

HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U This sequel to the fairly well-received horror original adds more comedic elements as Jessica Rothe’s Tree Gelbman returns two years after the events of the first film. She re-enters the murderous time loop to determine why she was entered into it in the first place – and has to tackle a revenge-seeking Lori (Ruby Modine) who’s been resurrected by the power of the loop. And try and save the lives of some of her pals in the process.

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13 y or Birds of Prenter Experiences ugh u Owl enco all Hotel, Peterboro at Orton H riences, tional expeh these a c u d E r u al wit A 2 ho g nd person up close a irds of prey, handlin b c ti s je ma session. and flying

THE KID WHO WOULD BE KING Old school magic meets the modern world in the latest teen-inspired epic adventure to hit the big screen. Alex (Louis Ashbourne Serkis) thinks he’s just another ‘nobody’ – until he stumbles across the mythical sword in the stone Excalibur. He must then unite a band of knights to team up with Patrick Stewart’s legendary wizard Merlin to take on the wicked enchantress Morgana (M:I-Fallout’s Rebecca Ferguson) to save the future.

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Price only £17pp for 2 hours. Quote CJS19 when enquiring

FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY This Dwayne Johnson-produced pet project is a biographical sports-comedy drama inspired by the career of WWE wrestler Paige. Extras star Stephen Merchant directs the likes of Johnson, Nick Frost, Vince Vaughn and Game of Thrones’ Lena Headey in his ﬁrst mainstream movie – which sees a former wrestler and his family make a living performing at small venues around the UK while his kids dream of joining WWE.

Personalised Gift Vouchers for Mother’s Day, Birthdays, Anniversaries Orton Hall Hotel, Orton Longueville, Peterborough PE2 7DN Released

BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL call 07922093056 or email events@cjsbirdsofprey.co.uk for more information.

FEB

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www.cjsbirdsofprey.co.uk 33

LETS GET PHYSICAL! NEW FITNESS CLASSES at TRILOGY Trilogy Peterborough has revamped its fitness class timetable to bring you some fresh and exciting classes. If you like to train hard then Drum and Bass boxing and FUNK functional HIIT training are for you. If dancing is your thing then why not give Fit Steps a go – a fitness take on Strictly Come Dancing! The gym in Bretton also has a brand new Pilates instructor delivering classes with all of the core Pilates principles. If you prefer to sweat it out in the gym then their brand new kit is a must! The SkillMill provides a full body workout and the Ski Erg will get you ready for that upcoming ski holiday. The Air Dyne Bike provides high intensity cross training and see how many sets of stairs you can climb on the PowerMill. You’ll find the newly refurbished gym in Bretton directly opposite the ice rink and membership prices start at just £19.99 with no contract. Find out more at www.Trilogy-pb.co.uk.

New Slimming World Nights If you’re looking to shed some pounds, Slimming World Consultant Aimée Norton is set to share her slimming secrets with even more members on her 2 year anniversary of becoming a member!

imée joined Slimming World herself 2 years ago, losing a phenomenal 7 stone in 14 months. In May 2018 Aimée opened her doors to her own Slimming World group in Peterborough on a Wednesday at 7.30pm. Growing as a consultant has come with a whole host of opportunities and now 8 months after opening her group she’s taking on extra sessions on Tuesdays at 5.30pm and 7.30pm at the Queen Katharine Academy in Walton. Aimée says – “Two years ago I was that new member so I know how daunting it can feel. I walked through the doors of my local Slimming World group, I had a huge warm welcome, heaps of support, inspiration, praise, motivation and I found a whole new group of friends. I was truly home.” Aimée’s goal in 2019 is to continue to help change as many lives as possible. In the short few months she’s been a Slimming World consultant she’s helped diabetic members be able to reduce, or in some cases,

completely come off their medication and members struggling with fertility issues have fallen pregnant. At the same time slimmers from across the generations have beneﬁted by attending Aimée’s group from 11-15 yearold Free to Go members along with octogenarians, all changing their lives and losing weight. Aimée says: “Support is really the most important thing. It all starts with feeling that you’re not alone. I couldn’t have lost 7 stone without the weekly help, encouragement and understanding of my own Consultant and group. “As someone who has lost weight myself I know the challenges people can face, which is why, along with the group, I will be there to support every one of my members all the way to their chosen target weight. Setting targets, sharing recipes and other ideas, and working together as a group to overcome challenges and celebrate success is so important to a successful journey.”

Aimée’s Slimming World groups are held at the Queen Katharine Academy in Walton every Tuesday at 5.30pm and 7.30pm and every Wednesday at 7.30pm. For more information or to join Aimée’s group either pop along on the day or call her on 07904 881472.

Let’s hear it for the boys… The guys can now sign up for Race For Life! For years it’s been one for ladies only but now Race For Life in Peterborough and Stamford will see guys able to enter for the ﬁrst time. This year, Cancer Research UK is inviting everyone in the area – women, men and children – to join the Race for Life. There are events for people of all ages and abilities taking place at Ferry Meadows, Peterborough on Sunday June 30, while Pretty Muddy & Pretty Muddy Kids and Race for Life 5K & 10K take place at Burghley House in Stamford earlier in the month on Saturday June 1 and Sunday June 2. 34 www.espmag.co.uk

Emily Rowling, Cancer Research UK’s Peterborough Event Manager, told ESP – “Our Race for Life events have been women-only since they started, over 25 years ago. But we now feel the time is right to open them up so that everyone – women, men and children – has the chance to participate together. “To make a signiﬁcant difference in the ﬁght against cancer we need to harness as much energy and commitment as possible – so what better way than involving everyone in the community in our events.” Emily continued – “Our Race for

Life events are fun, colourful, emotional and uplifting. They help people with cancer by raising money for research, including clinical trials which give patients in Peterborough access to the latest treatments. “You don’t have to be sporty to take part. You don’t need to train or compete against anyone else. All you need to do is go to the Race for Life website, pick an event, sign up and then have fun raising money in whatever way you like.” To enter Race for Life today visit www.raceforlife.org or call 0300 123 0770.

MONDAY (inc Bank Holidays)

The Herlington Centre

Matley Community Centre

The Herlington Centre

Orton Malbourne @5.30pm & 7.30pm Call Debbi on 07904 128094

Matley, Orton Brimbles @ 9.30am, 5.30pm & 7.30pm Call Helen on 07720 773782

Orton Malbourne @ 5.30pm Call Debbi on 07904 128094

The Leeds Hall High St, Eye @ 5.30pm & 7.30pm Call Alison on 07851 426886

The Werrington Community Centre

The Fletton Centre

Church Street @ 9.30am Call Charlotte on 07809 569694

The Queens Park Sports Hall

Fletton Ave. @ 5.30pm & 7.30pm Call Helen on 07720 773782

Belsize Community Centre

Daimler Ave, Yaxley @ 5.30pm & 7.30pm Call Emma on 07480 497955

The Queen Katharine Academy

The Millennium Centre Dickens Street, Peterborough @ 5.30pm & 7.30pm Call Yasmin on 07817 955308

The Assembly Hall, Ken Stimpson Staniland Way, Werrington. (bank holidays subject to change) @ 5.30pm & 7.30pm Call Charlotte on 07809 569694

Mountsteven Ave, Walton @ 5.30pm & 7.30pm *New consultant from Jan 22nd Call Aimee on 07904 881472

WEDNESDAY

TUESDAY

Sawtry Junior School

The Fleet

Middlefield Road @ 5.30pm & 7.30pm Call Sarah on 07888 819005

Fleet Way, Fletton @ 9.30am Call Yasmin on 07817 955308 Nene Valley Community Centre

The Queens Park Sports Hall

Sugar Way @ 9.30am Call Clair on 07734 859470

Daimler Ave, Yaxley @ 4pm, 5.30pm & 7pm Call Yasmin on 07817 955308

Childers

Dogsthorpe Community Centre

1A Station Road, Whittlesey @ 9.30 am & 11.30am Call Gemma on 07955 211027

Poplar Ave, @ 9.30am, 5.30pm & 7.30pm Call Lesley on 07718 369723

Dogsthorpe Community Centre

Glinton Village Hall

Poplar Ave @ 5.30pm & 7.30pm Call Lesley on 07718 369723

High Street @ 5.30pm & 7.30pm Call Verity on 07738 476770

Paston & Gunthorpe Community Centre Hallfields Lane @ 9.30am, 3.30pm, 5.30pm & 7.30pm Call Alison on 07851 426886 The Old School Hall 37 Green End Road, Sawtry @ 7.30pm Call Emma on 07840 497955 Thorney Ex Servicemans Club

Celta Rd, Woodston @ 5.30pm & 7.30pm Call Clair on 07734 859470

Station Road, Thorney @ 7.30pm Call Wendy on 07974 235295

FRIDAY CSK Church

Copeland Community Centre Copeland, Bretton @ 9.30am & 5.30pm & 7.30pm Call Mike on 07774 868859

Silver Hill, Hampton Fridays @9.30am & 11.30am Call Scott on 07734 364138

SATURDAY

The Queen Katharine Academy

Hampton Vale Community Centre

Mountsteven Ave, Walton @ 7.30pm Call Aimee on 07904 881472

Westlake Ave @ 8.30am, 10.30am & 12.30pm Call Scott on 07734 364138

THURSDAY

Werrington Sports Centre

Hampton Vale Community Centre

Staniland Way @8.30 am & 10.30am Call Wendy on 07974 2352953

Westlake Ave @ 3.30pm, 5.30pm & 7.30pm Call Scott on 07734 364138

The Focus Community Centre

Nene Park Academy Oundle Road, Orton Longueville @ 5.30pm & 7.30pm Call Gary on 07908 196312

Chestnut Ave, Dogsthorpe @ 8.30am Call Lou on 07853 793636

HEALTH and beauty ESP’s Rachael Church has all the latest health and beauty news…

rachael.church@espmag.co.uk

ebruary is a funny month. Still cold and dark outside, and those New Year’s resolutions are a distant memory! Spring seems like a long way away, and a summer holiday a lifetime! But February is the month where we celebrate those we love (literally), eat pancakes, partake in random acts of kindness, and the art of loving to reading as we dream of spring approaching. So this month’s column is devoted to celebrating all things February, and keeping us all motivated for a few more months.

FEEL gOOD wITH AN ACT OF KINDNEss THIs FEbRuARY

If your life, like mine, is ﬁlled by a constant buzzing of technology, with phones constantly switched on, ﬁtness watches telling us to move, working at screens all day, there’s nothing better than sometimes curling up with a good book. And as February is ‘Love your Library Month’, celebrating the importance of books in our lives, here are a few of my favourite reads to give you some health and beauty style inspiration for the next few months.

We all know, sometimes the best way to help our own health and wellbeing, can be to give a little something back to others. So join me on February 17, National Random Acts of Kindness Day, and think of something you can do for others. Why not tweet ESP what you’re up to, and spread some cheer in the lives of others, which is bound to make you have a great day as well.

The Skincare Bible: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Great Skin From £8.95 What’s the drill: Dr Anjali Mahto is one of the country’s best dermatologists. Equipped with years of expertise and the most up-to-date evidence, she sorts out the facts from the fiction when it comes to our skin. Why I like it: This is THE skincare guide. Clear, concise and packed full of tips on the best products and routines, it will help you discover what works for you and find confidence in your own skin.

The New Fashion Rules From £8.99 What’s the drill: Well known blogger Victoria Magrath looks back at fashion through the ages, and shares insider secrets and practical tips for navigating the everchanging world of fashion! Why I like it: You’ll be inspired to look at your wardrobe in a whole different light!

The Little Book Of Sloth From £1.99 What’s the drill: Take a look at mindfulness in a new way, and contemplate new ways to relax in a high paced world. Why I like it: Great book, literally taking wisdom inspired by sloths; including advice on sleep (more restorative than a 6am run), eating, exercise and work (did you know that lazy people have higher IQs?), family life, and love. A must have bargain for your bookshelf! 36 www.espmag.co.uk

FLIP TO A HEALTHIER PANCAKE DAY Anyone else can’t wait for Pancake Day? Another reason February is totally awesome. But if you want to stay on the healthy side, here’s a great tasty recipe for you to over indulge with:

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes Sugar-free, oil-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free pancakes. Ingredients • 1/2 cup Almond Milk unsweetened • 2 Eggs • 1 Egg White • 1 Banana • 2 Tablespoons 100% Real Maple Syrup • 1 1/2 cups Rolled Oats (I use Gluten-Free) • 2 teaspoons Baking Powder • 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon Salt • 1 teaspoon Vanilla optional Topping Ideas (even though I’m sure you’ve already decided): • Red berries • Maple Syrup (my personal favourite) • White chocolate chunks • Fresh Banana Slices • Sliced nuts

New Look

gIFTs TO LOvE THIs

LOvE LINgERIE... NEW LOOK Black Multi Strapping Longline Bra, £14.99

vALENTINE’s DAY Need some last-minute ideas for Valentine ’s Day. Here at ESP, we’ve picked out our favourite ‘love’ inspired gifts you can pick up locally.

PRIMARK Red Flare Sleeve Lace Body, £15 GEORGE Red Long Line Valentine’s Balcony Bra, £9

Winky Lux Steal My Heart Lip Pill £13 From Boots

NEW LOOK Red Lace Thong, £5.99

Wear your heart on your lips – quite literally! This cut lipstick is a lovely gift and gives a just-beenkissed ﬂush. Available in 3 shades: Be Mine (pink), Call Me (orange-red), Kiss Me (true red).

I Heart Bathing Gift Set

GEORGE Brazilian Knickers, £4.50

£25.95 From Lush NEW LOOK Black Chain Detail Plunge Bra, £12.99

Loving this matchstick style box reminiscent of the ‘90s. If you know someone who likes to lie back and relax in colourful waters, this gift will be the one for them. Five bath products to ﬁzz and foam and enjoy!

NEW LOOK Multi Strapping Mesh Thong, £5.99

Jo Malone London - Red Roses Cologne - 100ml A pricey £94 – but Jo Malone fans will say totally worth the tag. From John Lewis

GEORGE Glam Body, £12

NEW LOOK Red PU Bra, £12.99

Is there a better way to say I love you than with rose perfume! With crushed violet leaves and a hint of lemon, it unfolds like a bouquet of freshly cut ﬂowers. You can also add an engraving for a personal touch.

www.espmag.co.uk

Well Being Karen Devine’s

karen.devine@espmag.co.uk

Love yourself this February and give yourself a little TLC… We need no reminder that here in the northern hemisphere it’s winter, February being the last of our winter months. Many dread this season, but if you can tune in to nature’s pattern and rhythms it can help you through the colder, darker days. ost people would like to hibernate during the winter, whilst most of us can’t do that we can take things a little slower. It’s not a time for pushing and pulling ourselves in all directions - it is a time of rest, restoration and inner reflection.

I personally love this time of year, not because I jump onto the ‘new year new me’ bandwagon (yawn), or put myself through a new training regime or sign up for any type of detox. I feel ready to do what comes naturally which is to be gentle with myself and pull back. Working on the goals you may have already set or maybe setting new intentions are still a good focus during the winter, they will naturally emerge like the new shoots of spring in March/April.

“

Spring time naturally gives us the new energy to want to detoxify, cleanse, start new projects...

”

December naturally holds the same energy of January and February but with Christmas we find ourselves out in the world trying to keep afloat when all we want to do is retreat.

The few pounds gained over the Christmas period will naturally start to shed as we become more fruit and vegetable centric, less starchy carbs, healthy fats etc as well as a return to better hydration with water and less alcohol. We may also naturally gravitate back to our fitness routine whether that’s walking more, heading back to the gym or a dance class. The body needs moving during all the seasons so don’t be lazy!

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We find ourselves needing more sleep in the winter. If we go with the natural flow and get to bed earlier you may find this naturally improves bowel habits, skin tone, energy levels, weight loss, and more. So, before parting with your hard-earned cash on a few pots of supplements, diet programmes or detox fads, make those natural changes and you will find your body will reset quite nicely. Spring time naturally gives us the new energy to want to detoxify, cleanse, start new projects and the like, so be patient. Here are some ideas that may help you… A good massage – to help move the lymphatic system and calm the nervous system, as well as releasing all that built up tension. Walking in nature – even if you can only manage this on a weekend day. Colonics – not only a tool to help clear unnatural waste from the body but is naturally hydrating and can give that boost needed. Winter can really suck good hydration from us as we gravitate to more cooked foods, central heating and staying indoors. Try to have some fresh water, veggie broths and herbal teas.

Meditation – to help calm the nervous system and allow us to develop a stronger sense of intuition it also strengthens our inner compass. Yoga/Stretching – you are as old as your spine so if you are stiff then your body is not in flow. Book a starter Yoga/Pilates class or find an app that can show an easy 10min flow practice you can start. Or just start to stretch your body each morning/evening. Weight lifting – can improve mood, increase muscle mass/strength, lessen the risk of osteoporosis, lose weight, burn calories and more. You don’t need to aim for the big guns, just grab anything you have in the house that will build up muscle, squat with small hand weights, or if you belong to a gym ask for a small starter routine to get you going or join in on a body pump class. There are many good personal trainers around so you could have a chat with them. Goals – when you have been eating a diet high in starchy carbs, sugars, dehydrating foods, late nights, stress and worry, you can’t really think straight so save the big goal setting for later towards spring, instead pick up the ones you were working on and nurture them.

Calming music – sound therapy has a powerful link to our emotions, it can soothe and calm so helping us to release those locked up emotions of frustration, anger, sadness, and get us into a more peaceful state. Books – I am a bookworm and this time of year gives us the time to tuck in with a book or two, especially those that teach, inspire or uplift you. Green juice /smoothie – adding in 1 a day if you have the tools can bring much needed enzymes and alkalinity for health. Buying a juicer/smoothie maker is not only a great health investment but also good for the planet as buying them in shops comes with the plastic trash! You don’t need to add in protein powders just build up with some greens like spinach, kale, lettuce, bok choy (start with a little of one of them so it makes it green but not unpalatable), then add in berries, mangoes, bananas etc, keep it simple and blend up with water. Eat less meat – Veganaury (vegan January) is now technically over, but it is a movement that’s growing as people now see that a plant based diet has enormous benefits. We don’t need to eat the huge amount of animal protein to benefit our health, in fact too much is acidic, hard on the digestion and kidneys, makes us more prone to inflammation and other health issues. Why not try a few meals a week that contain food just from plants. Every bit helps your body, the environment and of course less cruelty to animals. Self love – by doing any of the above you are practising the art of Self Love. Looking after your mind, body and spirit is loving the self. Enjoy the natural energies of winter, pull back a little and be more gentle with yourself.

In health, Karen www.karendevine.co.uk www.espmag.co.uk

darren.grigas@espmag.co.uk

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Find a personal trainer near you.

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Yesterday (as I write this) an article appeared on MSN News and national tabloids, about some socalled ‘Superfit Brit athletes who try out world's toughest races before anyone else’. I’d question the ‘superfit’ part, but it was definitely me and my amazing team. I hope this little tale of adventure might inspire you to dream big and believe in chasing your own crazy ideas (jungles and deserts are optional).

was recruited as a ‘Test Pilot’ for Rat Race Adventure Sports, who run the awesome Dirty Weekend around Burghley in Stamford each year. Rat Race are creating a ‘Bucket List’ series of endurance challenges around the world. As these are unknown territories, someone needs to ﬁrst see if it’s possible to make such crossings, what works, what hurts, what wants to kill/eat you, can you run faster than a leopard if necessary, the usual stuff. That’s where I ﬁt in…

Photos: Darren Grigas / James Appleton

Namibia – 130 miles of desert

Our team headed to Namibia to run across its vast Namib desert, over an area never crossed before on foot, and for good reason (IT’S A MASSIVE 55-MILLION-YEAR-OLD DESERT!). Over four-and-a-bit days, we ran 130 miles across some of the biggest sand dunes in the world. I raced a herd of zebra (and lost), chased a sidewinder snake for a photo (don’t try this), saw bones of many animals as we crossed cheetah and leopard hunting grounds, met a very poisonous scorpion and we had a visit from a Brown Hyena which our guide had only witnessed three times in 26 years, so we were very lucky indeed! The sun was relentless, the dunes were immense and enormous. I could feel my pulse throbbing through my neck as I climbed one dune after another, day after day until we reached the Skeleton coast and an old shipwreck, grounded since 1909. Usually after such an epic challenge, I’d sleep for a week, only waking to eat. Not this time, we jumped on a plane and headed to Cape Town…

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Cape Town – Three Peaks After a few hours sleep, two of us set off in sweltering heat, climbing Signal Hill, then Lion’s Head, a 669m peak with a rigid rock face at the summit, overlooking Cape Town and out to sea. After a week in the desert it was great to have some solid terrain underfoot. The ﬁnal climb was to the summit of Table Mountain at 1,085m, it was truly awesome. 12 miles, 5,500ft, 3 peaks, done… next stop, Panama.

Panama – Jungle, Crocs and Machetes After around 40 hours of flights and airports we stretched our legs traversing the length of the Panama Canal, something we believe has never been done before. A 5 mile run, 9 mile Kayak, 18 mile jungle-hike, 14 mile run, done! A total of 18 hours of sweat, suffering and swearing. As we left the kayaks to step into jungle, a big croc slapped its tail into the water a few feet away, once we realised it was swimming away from us, we could breathe again. In the jungle everything can hurt you; it was the wet season so everywhere was deep sloppy mud. Trees are covered in long needles, vines want to trip and slice you, massive ants are everywhere. It’s hot, very hot. This was only the first day, the teaser. With the Canal done we flew to the other end of Panama to attempt another world-first crossing coast-to-coast. Over two days we ran 55 road-miles, ascending up the side of an old volcano to 2,000m. Then what followed was a three-day jungle hike that ran into five days because the terrain was so brutal, trails were overgrown it was simply way tougher than we expected. Over the week, we climbed and descended 29,000ft! That’s the height of Everest from sea level, and down again. Only it was wet slippery mud, the kind of mud that sucks the boot off your foot. It was hot, humid and remote, it literally took blood, sweat and tears from us all and I’ve never been so relieved to reach an extraction point and for something to finally end. On reflection it was an amazing experience with so much good to come from it. Amazing supporters helped raise vital funds for Anna’s Hope via my page www.justgiving.com/fundraising/darrengrigas, and I have some amazing tales and life lessons to tell as I speak at schools and businesses around the country. Whilst my trip was fairly extreme, it’s important to look after your physical and mental strength even if your goals are more reserved than mine. There are many personal trainers and classes available in our area, so I created a handy site for finding your fitness at PT-me.net. Search for PTs and classes easily, read their profiles and get in touch with one who suits you best, it’s free and simple and I hope it helps you and your own journey. Follow @darrengrigas for more adventure stories or to invite him to speak at your event.

MAKE A SPLASH AND ENTER THE 2019

PETERBOROUGH DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL

It’s time for us to bang the drum again and challenge teams to take us on in the Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival.

ESP is celebrating 20 years and as the print media partner for the event for the third year running our ESP Motley Crew – and yes they are pretty motley – will be hoping to paddle their way to glory. Entries are now ofﬁcially open for the event which will take place at Peterborough Rowing Club on Saturday June 8 – so come and have a go if you think you’re fun enough!

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You don’t need previous experience – just plenty of enthusiasm, energy and ﬁghting spirit!

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families, businesses and groups to come together as a team and do something completely different. You don’t need previous experience – just plenty of enthusiasm, energy and ﬁghting spirit! All funds raised will ensure that we can carry on providing specialist care and being there when it matters for local families.” The Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival is also supported by Connect FM and this year it’s sponsored by IKEA. Jakob Bertilsson, CDC Manager at IKEA, said: “We enjoyed taking part in last year’s event and working alongside the charity to fundraise for such a worthwhile cause. I am sure that this year’s event will surpass last year’s, and that is a credit to all those involved that put such hard work into ensuring this success. Here at IKEA, we are proud to support our local communities and charities, we believe in people and truly live our vision to create a better everyday life for the many people. We look forward to seeing you all there.” For more information and an entry form call Festival organisers Gable Events on 01780 470718 or visit www.dragonboatfestivals.co.uk/ peterborough. For information about the vital work of Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, visit www.sueryder.org/thorpehall or email thorpe.fundraising@sueryder.org.

Photo: Mike Harris

You don’t need any experience or equipment – just a team of mates who are up for a great day out on the water. It can be a company team, club, sports team or even family or friends just wanting to mark an occasion or have a laugh. Organisers Gable Events are hoping to top last year’s record-breaking festival, which saw 48 teams take part and raise more

than £35,000 for charity Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice. This is the 21st festival and it’ll see teams of up to 11 people take to the water to battle it out in 30 foot dragon boats. Each boat has its own drummer at the front beating out time… and basically yelling at the crew to crack on a bit! It’s great fun on the water but also plenty of fun bankside where you can get together for a BBQ at your tent with your team while spectators can enjoy the race action and make the most of the family entertainment and stalls. The festival will once again raise funds for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, which is the only specialist palliative care inpatient unit in Peterborough. The hospice provides expert care and support for people living with life-limiting conditions, as well as supporting their families. There’s a great incentive for teams to raise as much sponsorship as possible - the top fundraisers will win the prize of a group experience day at Orton Hall Hotel and Spa to include Buck’s Fizz on arrival, morning use of Imagine Spa’s facilities, lunch and an afternoon with locally based CJ’s Birds of Prey. Thorpe Hall Hospice’s Community Fundraiser, Nilesh Patel, said: “We would love to top last year’s fundraising ﬁgure. The festival is the perfect opportunity for friends,

42 www.espmag.co.uk

The ESP Comedy Guide

sarah.slack@espmag.co.uk

Sarah Slack brings us the ESP guide to where the laughs are at this month…

A Beginner’s Guide to Leicester Comedy Festival Located an hour away on the A47, whilst Leicester Comedy Festival isn’t exactly local it’s a mini-Fringe festival right on your doorstep which offers an outstanding line-up of comedy shows for all ages. Running from February 6-24, this will be my ﬁfth year at the festival but if 2019 is your ﬁrst, here’s a brief overview of the best things to see and do whilst visiting this month:

Best Venues

Ben Elton coming to the Cresset Critically acclaimed comedian and writer Ben Elton has announced he’ll be touring the UK for the first time in 15 years, including a date at the Cresset later this year. Ben Elton exploded onto the British comedy scene in the 1980s as the host of the hugely successful Channel 4 show Saturday Live, which featured standup performances and sketches from an array of Britain’s best-loved comedians including Harry Enfield, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. He’ll perform here on November 22. Alongside his standup career, he’s had huge success as an author, playwright, actor and director. The comic has written for television shows such as The Young Ones, Blackadder and Mr Bean, as well as publishing fifteen novels, six of which were UK No.1 bestsellers. Ben Elton’s new tour promises to be a belly laughterfilled night as he tries to make sense of the current state of the world. To book tickets contact the Cresset on 01773 265705.

One of the most popular comedy spots during the festival is The Cookie, an independent bar which boasts a brilliant set up for comedy – the only problem is the venue is so small, during peak times you’ll rarely get a seat or even a ledge to lean on! For a more ‘student union’ vibe (and a much larger seating area) however there’s Firebug, which offers weekly cocktails, comfy sofas, and a range of cheap and cheerful meal deals. My personal favourite however is The Criterion, a proper pub which provides artisan pizzas and a fantastic selection of beers, ciders and craft ales, in addition to hosting a large majority of the alternative comedy gigs at the festival.

Best Food My first trip to Leicester Comedy Festival was also my first experience at Five Guys, a burger chain which thankfully for my waistline has not arrived at Peterborough yet. Whilst it’s a tad expensive, their calorific cheeseburger is the best burger I’ve ever tasted. Vegetarians needn’t be put off however because the city also has Shivalli, an Indian buffet restaurant with vegan options that offers great value for money. If you have a sweet tooth there’s also Bru, a late night hotspot for desserts and all things sugary where you can enjoy coffee and cake anytime of the day.

Best Shows One up and coming comedian who I’d personally recommend is Sara Barron, whose debut show For Worse (February 16 at Brewdog) was nominated for Best Newcomer at last year’s Edinburgh comedy awards. For alternative comedy aﬁcionados I’d also thoroughly recommend the Club Smashing Festival Special (February 13 at the Criterion) which is a local showcase of the most weird and wonderful acts at the festival, with this month’s headliner being the extremely silly and inventive Olaf Falafel. Along the same theme, Paul Currie is a guaranteed crowd pleaser who’ll be bringing both a work in progress show (February 16 at Firebug) plus his Edinburgh Fringe show Hot Donkey (February 15 at Firebug) for an evening of solid gold silliness!

! 44 www.espmag.co.uk

Read my guide to the Key Comedy Festival in the March issue.

S ’ Y O B L E D Gig Guide DIARY Comedy FEB

FEB

ED GAMBLE

After a sell-out national tour in 2017, Ed Gamble is back with another bracing flurry of idiocy with his show Blizzard at Stamford Corn Exchange. Described by Chortle as ‘a super show from a comic who may be about to become more of a force in the game’, Ed Gamble is best known for his appearances on Mock the Week, The Russell Howard Hour, and Comedy Central at the Comedy Store. Tickets available on 01780 766455.

A PINT OF COMEDY Join Stamford Arts Centre for their monthly comedy night and you’ll receive a £1 drink voucher for each ticket purchased. Performing on this month’s bill will be Kate McCabe, a New York storyteller and improviser with strong material and a great stage presence. She’ll be joined by former Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year Matt Hollins, a local comic and master of deadpan. Tickets available on 01780 763203.

CRESSET COMEDY CLUB 21 years on and still going strong, Peterborough’s longest running Comedy Club returns in 2019 – this year The Cresset is working with Off The Kerb to bring audiences another great night out. Line up TBC, tickets available on 01733 265705.

BARBARA NICE Join the Edinburgh Fringe’s favourite housewife Barbara Nice for an evening of proper good fun. With her enviable track record of garnering five star reviews and sell-out shows, Barbara Nice was allconquering in her four-part BBC Radio 2 sitcom broadcast in March 2017, so this is a great chance to experience this critically acclaimed character comedy live at the South Holland Centre in Spalding. Tickets available on 01775 764777.

TEZ ILYAS Performing at this month's comedy club at the Lightbox Café is BBC New Comedy Award finallist Tez Ilyas, who’s perhaps best known for his own BBC Radio 4 series and his debut stand-up hour TEZ Talks. Joining him will be entertainer and impersonator Sol Bernstein, observational comic Craig Deeley, plus Stevie Gray as compere. Tickets available by visiting www.funhousecomedy.co.uk.

ESP’s Marc Hernandez recently found a Filofax left behind on the bar in his favourite Peterborough pub – The Palmerston Arms. He assures us that when he opened it to see who it belonged to, he found the 2019 diary of a certain Derek Trotter! Here’s a few of the entries he made a note of before Del-Boy came back for it. Makes for an interesting read we think… we wonder if Del will leave it there next month as well?

31 Dec Quick trip over to France with Rodney and Denzil in his lorry to stock up on a large amount of duty-free alcohol. I’m gonna out it to the new landlord at the Nag’s Head for the pub’s New Year’s Eve party tonight.

1 Jan Chateauneuf du pape – what a blinding night at the Nag’s Head. All the regulars were down there and it was a very proud family moment for me and Raquel to see our son, Damian as the new landlord. He gave us drinks on the house all night, and showed all the business acumen I’ve taught him by overcharging Boycie every time he bought a cognac.

2 Jan I did a spot of stock-taking today with my Financial Advisor in the executive boardroom, and Rodney tells me we’ve now only got one of those drone toys left. We’ve had a right result with them over Christmas. Made a right load of bunce when we went up to the market near Gatwick Airport.

3 Jan Saw reports on the news tonight about the on-going crisis of migrants crossing the channel into Kent. Police are looking to question three men from ‘The Gary Gang’ who for some reason looked exactly like me, Rodders and Denzil.

4 Jan That dipstick Rodney still hasn’t taken those Batman & Robin outﬁts back to the fancy dress shop on the High Street. We’ve had them since 1996 so lord knows how much we owe them! Raquel knocked me up a health-conscious fry-up for brunch before I popped down Sid’s Old Café for a bacon sarnie.

5 Jan Took the van out for a spin this morning and noticed they’re building a pukka new housing estate behind the posh ones on Kings Avenue. I shall have to have a look through the garage over the weekend as I’m sure I’ve got some Slovakian log-effect gas ﬁres boxed up. They’d do those houses up a treat.

6 Jan Well what can’t speak can’t like, and just as I thought I found not one, not two, but 20 Slovakian log-effect gas ﬁres in the garage behind some old Russian VCRs. Also found my old Filofax from 1989. Looking through it brought back a few memories – Cor blimey we had some right laughs that year. Exploding blow-up dolls,

that Megaﬂakes holiday to Majorca I won, and of course the Jolly Boy’s outing to Margate. That was when me and Raquel got together properly after I saved her from The Great Raymondo.

7 Jan Had a lie-in with Raquel this morning. Heh-hey. Fabrique Belique as they say in the Dordogne. I then took her up west to where we first met, underneath the clock at Waterloo station, bought her the biggest bouquet of flowers I could find and then we went for a steak meal at the Hilton. Making sure that I booked the table in the name of ‘Duval… Derek Duval’. Then went back to the flat and watched the episode of Doctor Who Raquel was in from 1977/78. She was a lizard person, but I said to her “Forget that new bird they’ve got as Doctor Who, Maria Whittaker or whatever she’s called because YOU Raquel will always be my most favourite actress in that show”.

8 Jan Rodney was giving a talk at the Adult Education centre today so I gave him a lift. He was back as a past student to give a talk to the Class of 2019 – all about how his diploma in computerisation changed his life! After I stopped laughing I waited for him in the trendy wine bar opposite as according to my Filofax from 1989, today is exactly 30 years ago since I fell through the bar ﬂap! 30 years! Only seems like yesterday since I was catching the eye of a couple of yuppy sorts and saying to Trigger, “Could be on a winner here, Trig. Alright, play it nice and cool, son, nice and cool. You know what I mean?” For old time’s sake I had a white wine spritzer and a pork pie.

9 Jan Went to quacks this morning, as I’ve been having a bit of Cynthia in the old delhi. Doctor Shaheed took one look at me, and said I need to lose some weight – the saucy old mare! She reckons I’ve piled on the pounds over Christmas and need to do a bit of exercise. I started by going home and seeing if Raquel would stamp my card again, but she’d gone out shopping with Marlene up the precinct.

10 Jan Started my regime to get ﬁt by going for a run with Rodney. We put on some running gear we’ve had since 1996, and went on our usual route late at night – through the back streets and along the back of the town hall. Rodney was going ‘Da da, da da, Batman’ and all that, but we didn’t see Councillor Murray. Think she must’ve been in a meeting about Brexit.

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NIGHTlife

ABRA CADABRA @ THE SOLSTICE There’s an exclusive collaboration between Turnt and Urban Classics in a Valentine’s special at The Solstice on Friday February 15. Abra Cadabra will be performing live with support from DJ Firestarr, DJ Kiesh, T Rex, Supa T and Mr Lion. It’ll be a night packed with the best dancehall, UK rap, RnB, hip hop and afrobeats from 10pm – late. Tickets are set to ﬂy so book now on fatsoma.com/ofﬁcialturnt or call 07751 215631. VIP booths available.

CLOUD9 SUMMER FEST IS COMING! We’ve heard from the guys at CLOUD9 that they have a belter to look forward to this summer! The news comes hot off the back off their sold out house night at Quinns in Whittlesey on February 16 with Dan Wallace. After bringing outstanding nights like this to the scene they’re taking it up a notch by putting on Whittlesey's ﬁrst ever all day dance music festival! They’ve booked some of the industry’s biggest names including local legends Shades of Rhythm, Slipmatt and Steve ‘E’ Wonder and promise a full laser/scanner/strobe lighting rig, food stalls, glitter body art station, outside beer tent and much more. Tickets are £10 each, everyone’s welcome. E-Ticket Purchases: https://app.etickets.to/buy/?e=17320 Paper Tickets: Billy Ogden – 07879 240220 or Emma Robinett – 07742 920446.

46 www.espmag.co.uk

Your guide to the nighttime scene

L'ARISTO'S REVIVAL AT THE TAP It was arguably the best nightclub our city has ever seen and those of us who were lucky enough to frequent L'Aristo's can't wait for this one. The L'Aristo's Revival will most definitely bring back memories of what it was like to go to a proper nightclub. It was a venue designed around a huge dancefloor and it oozed sophistication. It was the first time I can remember a night spot having private booths and insisting on a collar and trousers door policy. The club was stuck out in Fengate (a contribution to its eventual downfall) and owner Frank laid on shuttle buses to take us there from town. Sunday nights were packed. We'd start off at The Granary and practically the entire crowd would then migrate to Fengate. L'Aristo's made you feel special and it was the last of the traditional super clubs before the likes of Liquid came to play along with other venues like The Bar and Toho that were merely trendy bars with no dedicated dance space. Certain songs always remind me of clubs back in the day and with L'Aristo's it's Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You. It must have been played every Sunday while it was at number one and in a way the lyrics are so fitting to a club that I will always love. The Reunion is at The Brewery Tap on Saturday February 16. On the decks are Eddie Nash, Otis Roberts and Steve Walsh. It's a fiver to get in and all proceeds go to Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice. Pep Cipriano

DENNIS CRUZ HEADLINES MIXOLOGY After the incredible Michael Bibi sell-out event last year, Mixology are bringing another groover to Red Room on Friday March 1… the incredible Dennis Cruz! A DJ and producer of exceptional talent, the Spaniard has released on the likes of Hot Creations, Crosstown Rebels, Snatch!, Solid Grooves and Moon Harbour. Since 2015 he’s been a mainstay at the top of the Beatport and Resident Advisor charts, serving up danceﬂoor dynamite to captivated, rapturous crowds all over the globe! Joining Dennis on the night will be their trio of residents: Tom Skinner, James Chan & Dan Clare. They'll also be joined by Mixo regular Roobinz. Dan's 'Gospel Man' release under his alias Maur with Roobinz on MXO Records label has been receiving some heavyweight support from the likes of Detlef, Latmun, Richy Ahmed, Andrea Olivia, David Guetta & Roger Sanchez and has reached the Beatport Tech House Top 50. An incredible feat for a debut release on an independent label. This is set to be another memorable night in Peterborough. Grab your tickets fast for this one, they will go fast!

NIGHTS OUT @ THE BREWERY TAP Get your weekend started early at the Brewery Tap on February 1 with Thank Funk It’s Friday. Resident DJ Eddie Nash takes to the decks to get you on the danceﬂoor from 9pm – late, free entry. Belt out your favourite tunes on the ﬁrst Thursday of the month, February 7 karaoke with Resident DJ Rick Allen from 9pm – late, free entry. On Saturday February 2 and 9, Rick Allen brings us Saturday Night Groove playing out a great selection of danceable tunes, accompanied by videos on the large screen from 9pm – late, free entry. Round off the month on Saturday February 23 with The Get Down, from 9pm – late, free entry.

12hr DJ MARATHON Here’s the heads up on a brilliant night heading our way courtesy of local legend, DJ Mr Nash. He’s the main man behind a new event coming to the Brewery Tap next month in aid of Cancer Research. It’s a charity close to his heart and he’s pulled together a massive 12 hour DJ marathon to raise funds. The event will start at 2pm on Saturday March 30 running through until 2am with resident DJ Mr Nash taking to the decks in what’s hoped will become an annual event. We’ll have all the details next month when ESP chats to Mr Nash in person so watch this space.

keith.dalton@espmag.co.uk

Keith Dalton has the ESP guide to the best news and views from the local live music scene…

Get Ready for some Motown and Rock ‘N’ Roll...

Samm’s adds to Live Scene In the last 12 months we have seen a growing number of venues that take the brave step of including live music. Just before Christmas I went to the new city centre venue, SAMM’S, opened in Bridge Street by Puzzles owner Matt Murphy. Matt wanted a bigger venue following the success of Puzzles, so took over the former Costa Coffee (Bistro/Wayward Frog back in the day!) premises with a decent ﬂoor area both at street level and in the basement where there is regular music at weekends. I went on a Friday evening with work colleagues and saw a great performance from Bon and Justin. Two great guitars combining, to produce a really solid sound behind the voice of Bon Rogers. Songs ranged from rock classics to Pokerface. SAMM’S had a relaxed atmosphere and as they’re open until late, it’s a good place to end up at after a meal out in the city centre.

Two shows of real nostalgia visit the Cresset in Bretton in February. They both centre on the deep strands of American inﬂuence on pop culture in the Sixties, but come from very different genres of music. Firstly there’s Get Ready, featuring 40 No1’s from the Motown era on Thursday February 7. The show takes a trip back to 1960’s Detroit with the brand-new, celebrated stage show featuring the music of The Temptations, Four Tops, Supremes, Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. Velvet vocals from a stellar cast of critically-acclaimed performers combine with a live band of musicians to authentically recreate the sound and the performance and astounding dance moves that was all part of the Motown scene. Then on Thursday February 21, the West End smash hit, Be Bop A Lula, comes to the Cresset starring the music of ﬁve giants of rock ’n’ roll – Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Billy Fury, Buddy Holly and Roy

Orbison…Yes I know Billy is British not American but in 1960 he joined American rockers Eddie and Gene who flew in from the States for the UK’s very first multi-artist rock ’n’ roll tour. It was revolutionary at the time and reviewers were appalled by the on-stage antics. So of course audiences screamed their approval. British youth culture was born. You get a chance to relive these seminal concerts in the company of incredible singers and a band that’s allegedly tighter than a pair of your tightest drainpipe trousers. From Cochran’s legendary guitar riffs, Vincent’s menacingly moody stage presence, Fury’s smouldering looks and the soaring vocals of Orbison’s perfect, lilting tones together with Holly’s goodtime rock ’n’ roll anthems, Be Bop A Lula is a real trip down Memory Lane. Tickets for both shows are available from the box office at the Cresset on 01733 265705.

Tributes to Dire Straits x2

Back to the 70s with The Zoots The Zoots are a band that just love performing and receive audience acclaim wherever they go including their previous visit to Stamford Corn Exchange. Now, the 5 piece band are bringing their Sounds of the Seventies show to Stamford, with a live stage show that captures the music and appearance of the classic 70’s culture. This amazing Seventies tribute has it all! Glam Rock, Reggae, Prog Rock, Punk, Funk, Motown and Disco! You can join The Zoots as they explore the monster sounds of T.Rex, Queen, Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Bob Marley, Led Zeppelin and other amazing Seventies bands! The Zoots tour extensively and it’s great to see that local music fans have a chance to enjoy the atmosphere on Friday February 22 at Stamford Corn Exchange. The box ofﬁce is 01780 766455. 48 www.espmag.co.uk

Only a few guitarists have a totally unique sound. Mark Knopfler is a perfect example of that and so I’m intrigued to discover how close to his style of playing we will see at two tribute gigs in the area this month. In what you can only describe as a booking nightmare there are TWO shows appearing on the same weekend, both offering to recreate the distinct Dire Straits sounds. Money for Nothing is at the Cresset on Friday February 8 and The Straits UK with the Lartey Sisters are at the Key Theatre on Saturday February 9. Both shows promise to faithfully recreate the distinctive Dire Straits sound. It must be difficult for the venues to check each other’s schedules before booking events but the result will inevitably be that both will suffer ticket sale losses. If you’re a massive Dire Straits fan who’s been waiting for a tour featuring your idols’ music to arrive in Peterborough – fill your boots! Like waiting for a bus… Nothing and then two arrive at the same time!

(left to right) Matty, Jonny, and Krispy

Presenting…

Newborough Open Mic Night I’m pleased to see that The Bull in Newborough has joined the ever growing ranks of pubs putting on live music in the area. They’re starting new powered open mic sessions on Thursday February 14 from 8pm. The gig is the latest of a number of open mic sessions hosted by Graham Cleaver and the plan is that the sessions will be held on the second Thursday of each month. Each performer will receive one free drink. Graham has been involved with the open mic scene for just over 3 years and currently hosts the acoustic session at The Millstone in Barnack (ﬁrst Tuesday of the month) and The Blue Boar in Eye, Peterborough (the last Thursday of the month from February). Graham told ESP – “I ﬁrst became interested in open mics by a chance meeting with one of my wife’s friends who hosted the Voodoo Lounge acoustic session in Stamford, I then managed to pluck up the courage and the rest is history. “This has led to performances at the Glasshouse at the Key Theatre amongst others. Like most budding musicians I used to practice singing and playing at home until my wife Tracy happened to say it didn’t sound that bad and there you go.” So who should come along? Graham told me – “The object of the open mic is to showcase local talent of all abilities in a non-competitive, non-judgmental basis, all in a friendly pub atmosphere. Another attraction of the evenings is that very often the open mic sessions have ended up with a general free for all jamming session. This certainly brings people together as music very often does.” The expanding open mic circuit which is held at various venues across Peterborough and, very importantly, its outskirts has become part of the social calendar for many people, so I wish Graham luck with the latest venture at The Bull in Newborough.

Fairport Convention After more than fifty years on the road Fairport Convention’s passion for live performance has never wavered. Following many previous successes in Peterborough, they visit the Key Theatre on Tuesday February 5. This concert will showcase the band’s musical sophistication and instrumental virtuosity during a fascinating journey through their inspiring and extensive repertoire, which increases every year! Renowned as the founding fathers of British folk-rock music, Fairport Convention has maintained consistently high standards for over five decades and remains as entertaining as ever. The current Fairport line-up features Simon Nicol on guitar and vocals, Dave Pegg on bass guitar and vocals, Chris Leslie on fiddle, mandolin and vocals, Ric Sanders on violin and Gerry Conway on drums and percussion. A big bonus at this year’s concert is an opening performance by special guests The 4 of Us. Hailed as one of the most acclaimed duos in Ireland, brothers Brendan and Declan Murphy are accomplished singers, instrumentalists and song-writers. Tickets are available from the Key Theatre box office on 01733 207239.

Punk Promoters, The Scary Clown I always applaud local promoters working hard to keep the local live music scene alive and kicking and if you like punk rock then the guys from The Scary Clown Presents are here to keep you entertained. They are a small threeperson collective putting on what they call ‘DIY punk gigs’. DIY because the bands and the promoters and fans put on the shows and create their own records and scene without input from the traditional music scene. Kristian ‘Krispy’ Brown told ESP – “Punk is a very broad brush these days too - recent bands who’ve played in gigs like ours such as Slaves and the Idles have broken every big venue in the last few years. We’ve been putting on gigs and shows for the last 5 years, many of which are benefit gigs for a number of different charities, including the local Exotic Pet Refuge and the soup kitchen (Christmas gig chocolate collections).” You can find out more about The Scary Clown Presents on their website https://thescaryclownpresents.co.uk/about-scaryclown-presents/ Krispy says they’re also about to release a double vinyl compilation album), featuring 33 of the bands who’ve played their shows (from well over 110) - all the bands having donated their tracks for them to put this together. “We hope that any profits (if any) from its sales will let us help local bands release their own albums through our new record label. It's all part of being a not-for-profit promotion team – bringing exciting bands from across the UK and the rest of the world, and also supporting the local venues and bands.” The guys recently brought us Airstream Futures from Chicago at Mama Liz’s and next on the list is the return of Gizz Butt’s band Janus Stark which I featured last month. Catch the Peterborough music legend and the band at Mama Liz’s in Stamford on Saturday February 2. Support comes from their good friends Ana from Germany, Laserchrist from South Africa (via London), and Nottingham's Spring Park. Tickets are £8 in advance, more on the door. The guys have laods of great gigs lined up this year and looking ahead to next month get Saturday March 23 down as they’ve booked Blind Man Death Stare from Australia to play Mama Liz’s! They’ll be supported by Mean Caesar from London, Sinful Maggie and I Got Spiders. Tickets for this one are £7 in advance. As Krispy says – “Putting on good nights for people is why we do it all, and to show Peterborough and the area can support a vibrant alternative original music scene.” Exactly – so please show your support. www.espmag.co.uk

GIGGUIDE THU JAN 31 606 PRESENTS: NEIL ANGILLEY TRIO (TICKETED EVENT) When Polly Met Fergie, Westgate Arcade

OPEN MIC WITH THE INTERIM ROOM SAMM'S, Bridge Street

BILLY G & THE HEARTBEATS The Parkway Club, Maskew Avenue

ASHBORN+ EXPETYA WOVENLUNG + REAPER X The Met Lounge, Bridge Street

BROTHERHOODS ROUNDABOUT The Crown, Lincoln Road

ENZO The London Inn, Stamford

JANUS STARK + MARCH TO THE GRAVE + ANA

The London Inn, Stamford

FILTHY CONTACT

GLAM SLAM GLITZ The Blue Bell, Dogsthorpe

JANUS STARK + ANA + LASERCHRIST + SPRING PARK Mama Liz's, Stamford

LEFTOVAS The Black Bull, Kirton

THE BROADCASTERS The Yard of Ale, Oundle Road

THE MIGHTY AND THE HIGH

DIVISION DUO The Pizza Parlour & Music Cafe, Cowgate

HUSH

BEACHY HEAD DIVING CLUB The Cross Keys, Oundle Road

BETTY SWALLOCKS The Burghley, Burghley Road 50 www.espmag.co.uk

ACOUSTIC NIGHT WITH GRAHAM CLEAVER The Millstone, Barnack

LAZY OYSTER JAZZ BAND OPEN MIC WITH ANNA RADFORD The Pizza Parlour & Music Cafe, Cowgate

THU FEB 7 ACOUSTIC SESSIONS WITH DAVE B Mama Liz's, Stamford

OPEN MIC WITH THE INTERIM ROOM SAMM'S, Bridge Street

SUN FEB 3

The Met Lounge, Bridge Street

TUE FEB 5

The Angel Inn, Yarwell

The Blue Bell, Werrington

BASEMENT STRIPPERS + PONCHO PILOTS + SAGES OF THE SUBWAY

ROB BULL (3PM)

The Blue Bell, Werrington

SAMM'S, Bridge Street

The Ploughman, Werrington

ZLUTZ + YOUR SAD DEVOTION

DONUT

The Ploughman, Werrington

ANOTHER GIRL ANOTHER PLANET

JIMMY DOHERTY

OPEN MIC

THIRD STONE FROM THE SUN

SAT FEB 2

The Pizza Parlour & Music Cafe, Cowgate

The Crown, Lincoln Road

LOOSE ROCKET

The Yard of Ale, Oundle Road

MARIA MARR

The London Inn, Stamford

COSMIC RODNEY

Charters, Town Bridge

PORKY PIG

THE ZEPHYRS

The Pizza Parlour & Music Cafe, Cowgate

Charters, Town Bridge

FRI FEB 1

MON FEB 4

The Seven Wives, St. Ives

JIMMY DOHERTY (3PM) Charters, Town Bridge

LIVE ACOUSTIC MUSIC The Frothblowers, Werrington

NICHOLAS MARTIN The Parkway Club, Maskew Avenue

OAKHAM MIC NIGHT The Brewery Tap, Westgate

PENNYLESS (4PM) Mama Liz's, Stamford

SARAH COLLINS The Pizza Parlour & Music Cafe, Cowgate

CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION

Mama Liz's, Stamford

Charters, Town Bridge

The Yard of Ale, Oundle Road

SAT FEB 9

MON FEB 11

DIZZY MISS LIZZYS

CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION

GEMMA MCDOWELL

The London Inn, Stamford

The Pizza Parlour & Music Cafe, Cowgate

The Cross Keys, Oundle Road

SONGWRITERS EVENING WITH STEVE GIBBS

FRANKLY MY DEAR

DAN FORSHAW & RACHAEL JOHNSON When Polly Met Fergie, Westgate Arcade

MISTABEAT The Peacock, London Road

NEAL DUROSE

The Boat Inn, Whittlesey

TUE FEB 12

SAMM'S, Bridge Street

RACING THE WORLD Charters, Town Bridge The Royal Oak, St Ives

TALLAWAH The Crown, Lincoln Road

THE HOUNDOGS (TICKETED UPSTAIRS) + FRANKLY MY DEAR (DOWNSTAIRS FREE) The Burghley, Burghley Road

THE ZEPHYRS

CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION

THRILLBILLIES

The Yard of Ale, Oundle Road The Parkway Club, Maskew Avenue

DIRTY RUMOUR

TRUE 90s

The Golden Fleece, Stamford

The Blue Bell, Dogsthorpe

The Burghley, Burghley Road

FILTHY CONTACT

The Blue Bell, Werrington

GEOFF TOOLEY TRIO When Polly Met Fergie, Westgate Arcade

HAYLEY DI RITO

OPEN MIC WITH ANNA RADFORD

The Lightbox Cafe, Bridge Street

The Pizza Parlour & Music Cafe, Cowgate

PENNYLESS (TICKETED) Clare Cottage, Helpston

STEALER

FRI FEB 8 The Blue Bell, Werrington

FRI FEB 15

WED FEB 13 BACKROOM ACOUSTIC WITH THE BOATMEN The Angel Inn, Ramsey

LATIN JAZZ DUO The Pizza Parlour & Music Cafe, Cowgate

THU FEB 14 CAPTAIN BACKWASH The Hand & Heart, Highbury Street

DANIEL MCCLELLAND & GEORGIA EVANS

THE GUARDS The Crown, Lincoln Road

SAT FEB 16 CAP'N RASTY'S BIG TIME CHARLIES The Ploughman, Werrington

CIRCA 73 The Blue Bell, Dogsthorpe

CJ HATT The Yard of Ale, Oundle Road

COSMIC RODNEY

When Polly Met Fergie, Westgate Arcade

The Burghley, Burghley Road

The Ploughman, Werrington

OPEN MIC WITH GRAHAM CLEAVER

DIRTY RUMOUR

The Crown, Lincoln Road

SUN FEB 10

The Bull, Newborough

FILTHY CONTACT SAMM'S, Bridge Street

LOOSE ROCKET

HAZEYJANE

OPEN MIC WITH THE INTERIM ROOM

FOLK NIGHT The Falcon Hotel, Whittlesey

VELOCITY

LAST MINUTE BRIGADE

The Masons Arms, Bourne

Mama Liz's, Stamford

The London Inn, Stamford

HARMONY

SAMM's, Bridge Street

The Parkway Club, Maskew Avenue

SUBWAY 77

JAZZANOVA (AFTERNOON)

SARAH COLLINS

JUNK PUPPETS

The Yard of Ale, Oundle Road

When Polly Met Fergie, Westgate Arcade

The Pizza Parlour & Music Cafe, Cowgate

The Crown, Lincoln Road

If you want to get your gigs in ESP for free, e-mail:

GIGS@ESPMAG.CO.UK RETROLUX The Granary, Long Sutton

THE CONTACTS (TICKETED) Ebeneezers, Woodston

TRUE BRITISH MAYHEM

WED FEB 20 PAGAN The Pizza Parlour & Music Cafe, Cowgate

THU FEB 21

PCRFM OPEN MIC NIGHT The Parkway Club, Maskew Avenue

SOUNDS OF THE SUBURBS Charters, Town Bridge

THE FEDZ

PAUL LAKE The Burghley, Burghley Road

STEALER The Black Bull, Whittlesey

THE MIDAS TOUCH

The Brewery Tap, Westgate

Charters, Town Bridge

OPEN MIC WITH THE INTERIM ROOM

THE SABOTEURS + FAKE SWANS + BEAR MAKES NINJA

The London Inn, Stamford

SUN FEB 17

SAMM's, Bridge Street

Mama Liz's, Stamford

SARAH COLLINS

JAMES EDMONDS + SHEBEAT + CRYBB + RESONATE

TIM EYLES QUARTET

The Ploughman, Werrington

The Pizza Parlour & Music Cafe, Cowgate

Charters, Town Bridge

VELOCITY The Peacock, London Road

The Glasshouse, Key Theatre

MEG MCPARTLIN (3PM) Charters, Town Bridge

When Polly Met Fergie, Westgate Arcade

THE VELTONES

TIGER CLUB

TRUE 90s The Peacock, London Road

TO ENHANCE YOUR GIGS PLEASE CONTACT US ON 01733 381266 FOR MORE DETAILS

MIZMERIZE The Pizza Parlour & Music Cafe, Cowgate

STUART BURR (7PM) The Parkway Club, Maskew Avenue

TOMMY LOOSE (4PM) Mama Liz's, Stamford

MARK BISHOP The Pizza Parlour & Music Cafe, Cowgate

TUE FEB 19 OPEN MIC The Boat Inn, Whittlesey

OPEN MIC WITH BON The Pizza Parlour & Music Cafe, Cowgate

THE RAINMEN

FRI FEB 22 ACOUSTIC SESSIONS WITH THE BOATMEN

TUE FEB 26

TIGER CLUB

The Boat Inn, Whittlesey

VELOCITY The Blue Bell, Werrington

OPEN MIC WITH GRAHAM CLEAVER The Blue Boar, Eye

WED FEB 27 BACKROOM ACOUSTIC WITH THE BOATMEN The Angel Inn, Ramsey

The Burghley, Burghley Road

DANIEL WATT

THU FEB 28

The Crown, Lincoln Road

Charters, Town Bridge

HERBIE LAMB QUARTET

LIVE ACOUSTIC MUSIC

When Polly Met Fergie, Westgate Arcade

The Frothblowers, Werrington

HIT 4 SIX

LAST MINUTE BRIGADE

The Yard of Ale, Oundle Road

MILLSTONE GRIT (4PM)

DIRTY RUMOUR The Crown, Lincoln Road

Mama Liz's, Stamford

SUMMER BREEZE LEFTOVAS The Masons Arms, Bourne

LOST AND SOUND The Blue Bell, Dogsthorpe

The Pizza Parlour & Music Cafe, Cowgate

OUSE VALLEY SINGLES CLUB

PARK ROYLE

THE CHRIS WATSON SOUND (TICKETED)

The Blue Bell, Werrington

The Parkway Club, Maskew Avenue

SAT MAR 2 BAKLASH

DIRTY RUMOUR

IT COMES IN WAVES (3PM)

The Crown, Lincoln Road

The Pizza Parlour & Music Cafe, Cowgate

SAT FEB 23

FAT CHANTZ

The Ploughman, Werrington

OPEN MIC WITH ANNA RADFORD

The Pizza Parlour & Music Cafe, Cowgate

The Parkway Club, Maskew Avenue

The Burghley, Burghley Road

THE GUARDS

SUN FEB 24

The Whistlestop, Tallington

NICOLE LAWRENCE

The Pizza Parlour & Music Cafe, Cowgate

COUNTRY

CITIZEN SMITH

MON FEB 18

MON FEB 25

The Crown, Lincoln Road

BEERBELLY Ebeneezers, Woodston

FRANKLY MY DEAR The Yard of Ale, Oundle Road

OUTLAW EAGLES The Blue Bell, Dogsthorpe

OPEN MIC WITH THE INTERIM ROOM

PENTAGON

SAMM's, Bridge Street

The Parkway Club, Maskew Avenue

SARAH COLLINS

ROCK N ROLL ANDY

The Pizza Parlour & Music Cafe, Cowgate

FRI MAR 1 BIG BOY BLOATER & THE LIMITS + THE WILBUR PROJECT

SAMM's, Bridge Street

THE ZEPHYRS + THE NUGGETS The Burghley, Burghley Road

Mama Liz's, Stamford

SUN MAR 3

LET'S FUNK

ROBERT DAVIS

The Parkway Club, Maskew Avenue

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 9

THE HOUNDOGS GIG of the MONTH

The Burghley, Burghley Road, Peterborough. Tel: 01733 896989. It’s a double gig night at The Burghley with Frankly My Dear giving a fantastic free performance downstairs, while the amazing rock n roll and rockabilly boys the Houndogs perform upstairs. You’ll need tickets (£10) for this one as you don’t often get to see these talented guys in the city as they’re so in demand.