The Benfleet Magazine's May 2017 Edition

BENFLEET MAGAZINE May 2017 Edition • 20,000 Homes Monthly • 01268 330 271

THUNDERSLEY • HADLEIGH • DAWS HEATH

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Hi there, Welcome to our May edition Summer is on its way everyone!

We’ve already had a record temperature in April, it’s left me feeling optimistic for this upcoming Summer.

You’l probably hear me complaining about the heat in a couple of months time!

In the spirit of Summer we have an article this month touching upon booking holidays. Sadly I dont have nerves of steel so I stay well away from last minute booking but there are tips for both people who like to book in advance and leave it till the last.

We have donated our charity advert this month to a run and walk event in Hylands Park looking to raise awareness and funds for Parkinsons UK. For a beautiful day out or a work-out if you fancy it, have a read and pop along!

I couldn’t help myself with the movie preview this month. I don’t know about all of you but I can’t wait for the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie. I know its a bit late in the month but keep it in the back of your head and I’ll see you there!

I’m hoping it will finally fix the patches in mine, if not you’ll see a new article next month!

In this months kids quiz we have a Sing DVD up for grabs.

Remember you’ve got to be in it to win it! Last month’s quiz winners were Zoe Easter, from Woodside Avenue in Benfleet Congratulations, we hope you enjoy your movie!

If you would like to advertise with us, the last day to get your advert in is 18th May. We can design your ad for Free and a Month’s Advertising to 20,000 homes costs from as little as £60. You can contact us on 01268 330271 or email at sales@ essexbusinessandleisure.co.uk.

Fings Ain’t Wot they used to be page 8 Lawn Repairs page 14 Win a Party for 10 Kids Gardening Section page14-19 17 page Pirates of the Caribbean page 20 Fiddler on the Roof Tickets! page 26

We do not vet our advertisers and take no responsibility for anyone who advertises with us.

Walk / Run for Parkinsons UK page 28

Please stop by and like our Facebook page (Essex Business & Leisure)

Headscratchers of the Month page 30

Our gardening article this month is about lawn repairs,

Keeping it local

Sarah

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Avoid Running Injuries page 32 Holiday Booking Tips page 34

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Smokey Tomato Soup 2 Tbsp olive oil • 1 small yellow onion • 2 cloves garlic 2 Tbsp tomato paste • ½ Tbsp smoked paprika • ½ tsp cumin 2 15oz. cans fire roasted diced tomatoes • 1 cup vegetable broth ½ tsp brown sugar • Freshly cracked pepper to taste

Ingredients Method

Serves

4

Prep 10 min › Cook 20 mins › Ready in 30 mins

1

Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add them to a soup pot with the olive oil and cook over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent.

2

Add the tomato paste, smoked paprika, and cumin to the pot. Continue to stir and cook for about two minutes to slightly caramelize the tomato paste and toast the spices.

3

Add the cans of fire roasted tomatoes, vegetable broth, brown sugar, and some freshly cracked pepper. Stir to combine and heat through (about 10 minutes). Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed (salt may be needed depending on the brand of broth used).

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now, surviving on a depleted Pension, in Debt to Mortgage & Credit Cards – Will they be as stoic as their Parents, now in their 80’s & 90’s? Will they suffer the Cold Days of Winter, turning down the Bars on the Electric Fire terrified of the Bill (whilst 20,000 die per year from hypothermia!)?

Will they make do on Bread & Dripping, instead of Prawn Cocktail? I doubt it, unless forced to - they’re used to better Fings!!!!! Central Heating, Double Glazing, Bathrooms, Fitted Kitchens, Holidays Abroad, Cars, Eating Out – All the things that Baby Boomers worked for, & have come to expect as their right!

But if they are Home Owners there is a choice – They can access the Cash Locked Up in their Homes, with a suitable Equity Release Scheme - Using their property to maintain the Lifestyle they have become used to – And why not, we’re only here once!

FINGS AIN’T WOT THEY USED TO BE! Brought to you by Ron Radway from Essex Equity Release.

“We used to have fun, Our Dad & Our Mum Paddlin’ down Southend, But now it ain’t done, Look at us Chum, Paris is where we spend our Weekends” Ah, Max Bygraves taking us back to the Fifties! Even in those dark days of austerity we were still aspirational- Could feel the Wind of Change, Things could only get Better!

And indeed they were, for the Parents of the Baby Boomers, Children of The Depression - Compared with how they were brought up, before & during the Second World War. But it’s not how I remember it: Brown Sauce Sandwiches, Sugar Buppies, Camp Coffee, Welfare Orange Juice, Daily Spoonful of Malt, Freezing Cold Lino, Outside Lavs, Ice on the Inside of Windows, Coal Fires (when you could afford coal) that burnt your front & froze your back!! That’s what I remember!

The Good Old Days, when we had nothing – which so many hark back on with affection. When we could all leave our Front Doors unlocked & not worry about being burgled- That’s because we had nothing worth burgling!!!!!

Lionel Bart may well have caught the spirit of the times with his lyrics, but he didn’t actually quite see the future affluence.

Universal Education, Universal Medical Care, Haute Cuisine on the Dinner Table, Food aplenty & affordable, Designer Clothes for the Masses, 2 (& 3,4 or more) Car Families, Home Ownership for most - All achievable & attainable for a Generation that grasped the opportunity.

But what of those Baby Boomers now, those in their 60’s & 70’s

Equity Release Schemes don’t suit everybody, & you need Expert Independent Advice as to the best way forward, but if you need to raise money, for any reason, it’s worth finding out about.

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Cloudy2Clear Announce Trusted Trader Partnership Consumer champions Which? have now joined the thousands of customers who recognise that Cloudy2Clear Windows really are a business that you can TRUST. The company which specialises in repairing windows which are steamed up, broken or damaged by replacing the panes – not the frames has received the coveted ‘Which Trusted Trader’ status after going through a rigorous accreditation process entirely focussed on customer service.

Group Managing Director Marcus McGee believes that Which? have endorsed Cloudy2Clear’s long standing company

policy of delivering the highest standards possible at all times. ‘Our service is simple. If your double glazing has misted up we can replace the glass at a fraction of the cost of a new window, in any type of frame, and with a new 25 year guarantee.

But it’s not just about saving people money, although that obviously helps. Whilst a number of tradespeople perhaps don’t focus on customer care as much as they should do, we make sure we turn up when we say we will, do the job the customer requires and leave their house as clean as a whistle.

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LAWN REPAIRS. Re-seeding, or turfing bare patches will prevent weeds germinating in the patches, & looks much better.

Suitable for...

Lawns that have developed discrete areas of poor growth, perhaps from physical damage or wear and tear, should be repaired.

Lawns that are generally poor, weedy, or sparse will benefit from a programme of thorough lawn maintenance. If the lawn is really bad, then total re-laying or re-seeding may be necessary.

When to repair lawns Lawns are best repaired in spring or autumn, when the weather is damp and cool, as the lawn is most likely to recover well in these conditions.

Repairing lawns Using turf Cut out the damaged area of turf in a square, using a half moon edging iron to cut the square and a spade to lift it. Lightly fork over the soil in the base of the removed square.

Cut out an identical-sized square of healthy turf from another area of the garden where it will not be missed, or use new turf if you have it.Place the healthy turf over the damaged patch and brush a sandy lawn top-dressing into the crevices between the turves.

Compress the turf edges with the back of a rake.

Water in with a watering can fitted with a fine rose.

Using seed Cut out the damaged area of turf in a square, using a half moon edging iron to cut the square and a spade to lift it. Lightly fork over the soil in the base of the removed square.

Sprinkle some crumbly top soil or compost over the base of the removed square. Scatter the grass seed over the base at a rate of 15-25g per sqm if no sowing rate is given on the packet or by the supplier. Cover the seed with a light sprinkling of top soil or compost to hide it from the birds. Water in with a watering can fitted with a fine rose.

Better results may be achieved by pregerminating the seed before sowing it. Add the seed to some moist compost in a bucket and cover with clingfilm. Place somewhere warm – no higher than 15°C (60°F). After three days, check the seed for signs of germination. If none is seen, check daily thereafter. Once you see small white roots developing, sow the mixture as above.

Problems. Sometimes, repaired patches appear a different colour from the existing turf. Using turf from elsewhere in the garden (rather than new turf) to repair your lawn may avoid this problem.

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DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES

MOVIE PREVIEW Release Date: 26/05/17 Johnny Depp returns to the big screen as the iconic, swashbuckling anti-hero Jack Sparrow in the all-new “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.” The rip-roaring adventure finds down-on-his-luck Captain Jack feeling the winds of ill-fortune blowing strongly his way when deadly ghost sailors, led by the terrifying Captain Salazar, escape from the Devil’s Triangle bent on killing every pirate at sea - notably Jack. Jack’s only hope of survival lies in the legendary Trident of Poseidon, but to find it he must forge an uneasy alliance with Carina Smyth, a brilliant and beautiful astronomer, and Henry, a headstrong young sailor in the Royal Navy. At the helm of the Dying Gull, his pitifully small and shabby ship, Captain Jack seeks not only to reverse his recent spate of ill fortune, but to save his very life from the most formidable and malicious foe he has never faced.

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by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg from a script by Jeff Nathanson, with Jerry Bruckheimer serving again as producer. Johnny Depp, Kevin McNally, and Geoffrey Rush reprise their roles as Jack Sparrow, Joshamee Gibbs, and Hector Barbossa, respectively. The film also stars Javier Bardem as Armando Salazar.

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n Walkk//sRRPuuan WHyalland rrkk Hylands Pa

rkinson’s in Essex ards a cure for Pa Walk or Run tow asked to pick up ing be are in Essex this June People r at Walk/Run for yea s thi Parkinson’s the pace against 11 June. ay nd Su ds Park on Parkinson’s – Hylan opportunity for nson’s offers the a fun Walk/Run for Parki to get involved in ies ilit ab d an es r people of all ag the charity step eve ng lpi he ile wh t, and active day ou closer to a cure.

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for that one, trust me! Make sure you read this next one carefully.

If there are three apples and you take two away, how many apples do you have?

Right final riddle of the month and one thing to remember. Sometimes when it comes to riddles simplicity is key!

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2. INCLUDE STRENGTH TRAINING IN YOUR RUNNING PROGRAM Strength training improves a runner’s body strength and overall athleticism. This in turn reduces muscular fatigue that leads to poor performance and injuries.

Runners will benefit from a program of 2-3 strength training sessions per week.

Strength training exercises should focus on all muscle groups including the trunk and upper and lower body.

Weight lifting, plyometrics and hill running are all effective methods of increasing strength.

3. STAY HYDRATED AND EAT A WELL BALANCED DIET

AVOID RUNNING INJURIES

Avoid heat exhaustion and dehydration by prehydrating two hours prior to practice or competition with 16-20 ounces of fluids and another 8-10 ounces after warm-up.

Take in 6-8 ounces of fluids every 15-20 minutes of exercise.

Within two hours after exercise, re-hydrate with a pint (20-24 ounces) of fluid for every pound of weight lost during exercise.

The best fluids to take before, during, and after exercise are a cooled 4-8% carbohydrate solution.

After all this hardwork, avoid injuries like the plague.

4. WARM UP AND COOL DOWN BEFORE AND AFTER ALL RUNS

We’ve all been working hard since January to try and get fit or improve on last years hardwork. We push ourselves to the limit but need to remember to do our utmost to avoid injuries. Running is often surrounded by injuries, but in all sports your should consider these key tips.

1. IMPROVE AND MAINTAIN YOUR FLEXIBILITY Daily stretching is essential to improve and maintain flexibility, which in turn will help improve performance and prevent injuries.

Stretching should be done after you warm up your muscles – usually about 10 minutes of warm up should be enough.

Stretching should never be done in a hurry and should include all joints and extremities. Each stretch should be held in place for 30 seconds without bouncing.

It is helpful to include sports specific dynamic exercises like high knee drills, skipping, bounding, arm circles, and cross body arm swings.

Before practices and competitions it is important to warm up. The faster the workout or race, the longer the warm up needed. A warm up of 5-10 minutes helps to fl ush out lactic acid build-up in muscles and prevents delayed muscle soreness.

5. GRADUALLY INCREASE YOUR MILEAGE & TRAINING SCHEDULE Good aerobic activity is the foundation of your running performance. The principle of progression means gradually preparing the body to handle workout stress. You slowly build up the amount of training you do along with bumping up the intensity.

The progression should not be a steady increase in volume and intensity, but instead should be a staircase progression with periods of reduced volume and intensity at certain times during a training period, season, or year.

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HOLIDAY BOOKING TIPS www.moneysavingexpert.com Holiday season is coming up and now is the time to start considering your holiday gameplan. Even if you don’t want to book it just yet, taking certain things into consideration is key.

Package vs DIY holidays The first thing to decide is whether a package holiday’s right for you, or if you would get a better deal booking a DIY flight and hotel online.

A package holiday is an all-in-one, where the tour operator provides flights, connections and accommodation for one price. That means they’re off-the-peg and best suited for standard breaks of standard length. So...

As a rough rule of thumb, packages are usually cheapest for seven, 10 or 14 days away in traditional holiday destinations.

If you’re going away for a different trip length, to a less-visited spot, on a city break or multistop holiday, you’ll tend to be better off with a DIY break.

Book late for the best deals...

Booking late is the cheapest way to get a package. 'Late' means no more than 8-10 weeks before departure, when the bargains flood in.

The reason's simple. Tour operators have chartered the planes and reserved the rooms, and, if they don't shift 'em, they lose money.

The later you leave it, the more desperate they are to flog empty rooms, so the price drops further.

Yet the later you wait, the more you need to be flexible about dates and destinations. So if creche facilities or a specific hotel are musthaves, be careful.

If you just want anywhere hot and cheap, leave it very late, ie, the week before you go, and you may get elegant trips for dirt-cheap prices, however you may have to settle for something you don’t particularly want. ... or book early for special offers and discounts – great if you need particular facilities The other way to get discounts is to book early, as much as NINE MONTHS in advance, because many tour operators offer early booking discounts. These can include £100 per couple discounts or buy-one-get-one-free weeks.

Many places shout about special offers, but don’t be drawn in without checking the final cost – you might find a cheaper deal elsewhere, without a specific sale or code.

The last two weeks of summer are cheaper Take a holiday when others can't, such as travelling before the school holidays in May and June to family destinations such as Florida, and you'll get a better price.

If that's not an option, prices for package holidays drop rapidly towards the end of August – this is likely to be because most people want to go as soon as they can, according to ABTA Just please remember if you love summer holidays and you know exactly what you want book as soon as you can, if you just want some sun then the late booking method could be for you.

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THE SCALE IS NOT YOUR FRIEND The reason a scale is not a good measuring tool is because your weight might not be going down, but you can still be losing fat. This happens when you both lose fat and and gain muscle at the same time. In other words, it does not measure body composition, which is more important than weight.

For example, somebody who is 180lbs at 20% body fat carries 36lbs of fat. Let’s pretend that after months of working out he weighs himself again, but this time he’s still 180lbs. The scale would seem to suggest that he just wasted months of hard work because he didn’t lose any weight.

GET RID OF YOUR SCALES Keep your motivation & stop obsessing with weight Are you obsessed with your weight? Do you weigh yourself on a daily basis or close to it? If you do – STOP! Success is not measured solely by the numbers on a scale. Does the scale have any role in helping you reach your goals? Yes, but it is just one of many tools you can use to measure success.

Unfortunately, it is probably one of the least helpful tools.

If you think you have a weight obsessed personality, here are better ways to measure your progress:

LOOK IN THE MIRROR.

Do you look better? Sometimes it can be difficult to notice small changes in the mirror because we see ourselves so frequently. But it can be one of the easiest and most gratifying measurement tools.

USE A TAPE MEASURE.

Measure yourself with a MyoTape body tape measure. Measure the circumference of your waist, hips, arms, legs, and chest.

USE BODY FAT CALIPERS.

Take skin-fold measurements on your abs, obliques, triceps, back, legs, and chest. If these numbers are getting smaller on a weekly basis, you know you’re losing fat. All you need is a pair of body fat calipers to get the job done. Then read about how to take body fat measurements.

TAKE PROGRESS PICTURES.

Snapping some photos every couple of weeks under the same lighting is a great way to notice changes. Those small changes are much more noticeable when you have before and after pictures side by side on your computer.

What the scale doesn’t show you is that his body fat percentage dropped to 15%. So now he’s only carrying 30lbs of fat on him. That’s a loss of 6lbs of fat, and a gain of 6lbs of muscle!

Having that additional information is enough to take you from discouragement from seeing no weight change to encouragement now that you know your hard work is paying off.

Don’t become obsessed with weight. It is only one of many tools you can use to measure your progress with. Stay off the scale and give one or more of the alternate measuring techniques a try.

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SKIN CANCER Stuart Lawrence BSc(Hons) MSc(Chiro) DC Consultant Osteomyologist www.spinalcarecentre.co.uk Okay, that does sound a bit dramatic but what else would you call a type of cancer that kills 2,300 people in the UK every year? Let’s face it, us Brits tend to throw caution to the wind when we see a few rays of sunshine at home and we are often completely irresponsible in the sun when abroad.

Every day in the UK, 200 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed. This tragedy is sharpened by the fact that The British Skin Foundation reckons that as many as four out of five such cases are entirely preventable.

Small amounts of UV radiation from the sun are beneficial for people and essential in the production of vitamin D but most of us can get adequate amounts by spending some time outdoors in natural light. The amount of UV radiation we expose ourselves too whilst sun bathing can, cumulatively, be deadly and result in acute and chronic health effects on the skin, eye and immune system.

One mistake is believing that sunscreen is all you need to ward off the sun, and another is that the higher the SPF, the longer you can stay in the sun. I’m sceptical about sunscreens that advertise themselves as long-lasting or water-proof: SPF physically wears off with rubbing, sweating and water. The protection you get is more likely one hour to 80 minutes.

Always choose a sunscreen that has an SPF over more than 15 but don’t be fooled into thinking that a very high SPF will allow you to stay out in the sun for longer without consequences. An SPF 15 blocks 94 percent of UVB rays, while SPF 30 blocks 97 percent of UVB rays. Above SPF 30 you don’t get much additional protection from higher factors.

Look for sunscreens labelled ‘broad spectrum’ which aim to protect against UVA and UVB. Chuck out any old products that are past their use by dates or that have got hot in the sun: heat and time degrade the active ingredients.

Always consult with your GP if you notice any unusual changes in your skin or your moles. Any moles which become itchy or bleed, or change in colour, shape or size should be reported to your doctor.

Tanning Myths A sun tan is healthy. A tan results from your body defending itself against further damage from UV radiation.

A tan protects you from the sun.

A dark tan on white skin only offers an SPF of about 4.

You can’t get sunburnt on a cloudy day. Up to 80% of solar UV radiation can penetrate light cloud cover.

You can’t get sunburnt while in the water. Water offers only minimal protection from UV radiation,

and reflections from water can enhance your UV radiation exposure.

Sunscreens protect me so I can sunbathe much longer. Sunscreens are not intended to increase sun exposure time but to increase protection during unavoidable exposure. The protection they afford depends critically on their correct apapplication.

If you take regular breaks during sunbathing you won’t get sunburnt. UV radiation exposure is cumulative during the day.

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O A K W O O D PODIATRY

Crocketts Jewellers Are you suffering with STABLISHED for more than 40 years, Crocketts Jewellers can be found in High Road, Benfleet, foot-related problems? near the old police station.

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We offerWhether treatmentsyou to help with Athlete’ s Foot & foot areyou looking for a small giftulcers, for a friend or a special piece of jewellery forneurological a loved Diabetic foot assessment, biomechanical, vascular and one, you will find it all atnails Crocketts. assessments, Fungal nails, thickened and ingrown toenails, Diamond engagement rings ,and rings Insole and orthotic prescription and fitting Calluswedding and corn removal are all its speciality, and they can be specially Heel pain, Verruca diagnosis and treatment and much more. Just call designed and manufactured exactly how you want us to book take advantage of the 10% discount. themyour to appointment be. Existingand jewellery can be re-modelled and designed a modern Mobile calloutsinto available •style, Nailbringing Cuttingnew life to a worn or treasured family piece.

Registered Podiatrist withadvice BSc (Hons) Repairs,HCPC bespoke designs and can be obtained instore at Crocketts from Stephen and the team, who are only too happy to assist you in making your experience the best it can be. A high level of customer service and attention awaits you.

A large selection of giftware, frames, vases and W HEN Obe U found, Q U and O Tengraving E ‘ E B Land ’ perwatches can Y also sonalisation can also be added to most gifts.

Watch batteries and straps can be purchased in us on 01268 750 551 theCall shop and via its workshop.

The jewellers look forward to welcoming you or email soon: Make itmobilefeet@gmx.com special...make it Crocketts.

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LOCAL BUSINESS INDEX & ANSWERS ALL YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES BROKE DOWN INTO CATEGORIES WITH THEIR PAGE NUMBERS Accountants Nokes Accountants 39 Martin Green Accountants 35 Air Conditioning Bon Air 40 Airport Transfer Airports 2000 22 Tony Your Chauffeur 10 Barber The Barber Lounge 24 Blinds Specialist Made 2 Measure 36 Marts Blinds 34 Boiler Services First Call Boilers 37 Care & Nursing Services Brooks Care & Nursing 29 Chiropractors Spinal & Natural 33 Children’s Play Area Stay & Splash 12 Chimney Sweeping Taylor Chimney Sweeping 32 Cleaning Specialists MTL Cleaning Specialists 9 PJ Cleaning 31 Computer Specialist CBITS 36 Dog & Pet Services Lucky Paws 6 Driveway Sealing & Cleaning Clean My Driveway 32 Sealing Technique 35 Webbs Cleaning Services 37 MTL Cleaning Specialists 7 Education First Class Learning

40 Genie Tutors

39 Electrician Eco City Electrical 4 Pegasus Electrical 38 Estate Agents Amos Estate Agents Back Cover Ashley Bennett Front Cover Fencing Bradley’s Fencing 19 Canvey Island Fencing 16 Fitness Club Cherie Ford 24

Riddle Answers. 1. Stop Imagining

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Designed

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The

Foot Specialist Oakwood Podiatry 43 Foster Care Children First 2 Garden Centres Slatfords Garden Centre 18 General Builder Roothway Builders 3 Granite Worktop Granite Transformations 37 Guttering Repairs & Cleaning Guttering Doctor 31 Hairdressers Dawn Mobile Hairdresser 35 Jewellers Crocketts 43 Kitchen & Bedroom Specialist Regal Kitchens 23 Steve Murphy 9 Landscaping All Seasons Garden Services 17 DS Anderson 21 High Oaks Landscaping 17 M.K. Works 16 Sid’s Landscaping 18 Lawn Services Artificial Lawn Services 19 Green Thumb 19 Leather & Fabric The Leather & Fabric Workshop 28 Locksmith 24 Hour Locksmith 1 Castle Locks 27 Fast Keys 41 Opticians Karen Castle Opticians IF Oven Cleaning Oven Clean 41 Oven Sprite 4 Painters & Decorators M. Burton 41 Party Supplies Partyland 2 Paving & Landscaping D&S Anderson 12 Well Defined Paving 14 Plastering PJB Plastering 41

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