GL Magazine - May 2015 by LocalWorldGlos

M AY 2 0 1 5 £3 WHERE SOLD

COOL IDRIS ELBA: HAS SUPERDRY BAGGED THE NEW BOND?

BEACH CHIC

JUST THE TONIC

TIME TRAVEL

WHERE THE SUPER R I C H G E T AWAY FROM IT ALL

WHY WE’RE ALL HAVING A FLING WITH GIN THIS SUMMER

SADDLE UP: OUR G U I D E TO T H E B E ST RETRO RIDES

Speed redefined as time to think.

The new Mulsanne Speed.

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our guest contributor

WELCOME

Phil Vickery MBE played rugby for Gloucester for 11 years and was a long-standing member of the England squad, playing his part in its World Cup victory of 2003 and serving as its captain. After retiring, the son of a Cornish farmer won the 2011 series of Celebrity Masterchef.

OF course it’s sickening really. Revolting. Disgusting in fact. You see some people dream about having it all, some people think they have it all and then others – namely our cover star Idris Elba – have it all with a spoonful of beluga caviar on top because, well they just can, can’t they? You can’t even despise his chiselled jawline and salt and pepper beard because it would be pure jealously and plus you quite fancy sharing a pint and talking through the trials and tribulations of a Hollywood actor should the time ever come. The next Bond? Who knows. Either way he’ll remain the epitome of cool and as mere mortals we will be sick with envy. Enjoy the issue.

In this month’s edition, Phil has The Final Word “I don’t judge anybody. If you care about what you do and you’re passionate, I am with you. I remember doing some work with McDonalds; a lot of people gave me stick about it but I was happy to get involved and look at the supply chain using British farmers. A lot of people assume people who work in McDonalds are going nowhere in life. I was at a restaurant at Stockport. There was a guy there cooking burgers who had a friend who worked in another section. It turned out that they were a year away from becoming doctors and were working at McDonalds to help pay their living costs. They were working hard to be able to fund the careers that they ultimately wanted.”

Jonathan Whiley Editor e: jonathan.whiley@localworld.co.uk

get in touch Jenny Eastwood | Editor-in-chief 01242 278 075 jenny.eastwood@localworld.co.uk Jonathan Whiley | Editor 01242 278 072 jonathan.whiley@localworld.co.uk

t: 01242 278 072 @jonnywhiley

CONTENTS 10

WEAR IT: IDRIS ELBA The Luther star is fast becoming a style icon. As he teams up with Gloucestershire fashion house Superdry, we chart the rise and rise of the man known as ‘Big Driis’.

FEMALE STYLE ICONS Who were the style icons down the decades and how can you get their look? From Grace Kelly to Debbie Harry, we pick out the statement pieces that defined a generation.

BIG INTERVIEW: KENTON COOL What does it feel like to stand on top of the world 11 times? We chat to Cirencester’s record-breaking mountaineer.

WHY IS EVERYONE DRINKING GIN? Find out why mother’s ruin is the must-have tipple this year.

104

FIGHT OR FLIGHT? Is the thought of flying holding you back this summer? Conquer your fear with these simple steps.

108

EXPLORE IT: THE BEST BEACH ESCAPES Where the A-list head for a summer getaway.

120

THE ULTIMATE FESTIVAL GUIDE From Wychwood to The Big Feastival, we check out the hottest tickets on the festival circuit.

@GLmagazine | GLmagazine.co.uk Design: Debbie Pike, Joyce Matthews, Chris McGine Contributing writers: Helen Blow, Corrie Bond-French, Adam Hurrell, Sue Bradley, Anna Saunders, Kate Parker and Alex Callaghan

online at glmagazine.co.uk SHAKEN NOT STIRRED

Seven of the best cocktail bars in Gloucestershire

UNFORGETTABLE ESCAPES

23 once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences

VAN THE MAN

The legendary singer opens up ahead of Cheltenham Jazz Festival Front cover image of Idris Elba supplied by Rex Features. © GL Magazine is a registered publication of Local World.

PLUS: THE SOCIAL NETWORKS Been to a VIP event this month? See if you have been snapped at the GL Magazine launch party on page 8, or at the Swallow Bakery grazing menu lunch – turn to page 35. Did you go to the opening of new restaurant and bar Turtle Bay? Try and spot yourself on page 42. Guests attended the launch of the Gloucestershire Business Awards on page 97 and Carers Gloucestershire held an art launch. See page 101. @GLmagazine | 5

DESTINATION : Visit Lapstone for inspiring shopping & Meg Rivers Cafe for delicious cakes, coffee and lunches. Idyllically set on a hill just outside Chipping Campden, Lapstone is a contemporary conversion of an 18th century barn offering a tremendous feeling of space with a calm relaxing atmosphere in which to enjoy shopping. Lapstone provides a great range of products from men & womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wear, accessories, jewellery, shoes to interior items, indoor furniture, outdoor furniture, gifts, stationery & cards there is something for everyone. And as part of the Lapstone experience our Meg Rivers Cafe makes wonderful coffee and truly delicious cakes as well as serving delicious lunches. Come and find us...itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well worth a visit. Free Parking.

Westington Hill l Chipping Campden l GL56 6EG 01386 841611 l www.lapstone.net Monday to Saturday 9.30am - 5:00pm Sunday 11:00am - 5:00pm Bank Holiday 11:00am - 5:00pm

DATES FOR THE DIARY ultimate jazz house party One of the hottest tickets in town. Find music in every room of No 131 in The Promenade, Cheltenham, with Gregory Porter, Cerys Matthews and Trevor Nelson all set to feature. Tickets are available to Jazz Festival members only for £100 each including a threecourse supper.

A two-course dinner with sports stars including champion jockey AP McCoy, Welsh rugby legend Shane Williams, former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan and footballer Matt Le Tissier. For a sports fan, it doesn’t get much better.

APRIL

MAY

ULTIMATE JAZZ HOUSE PARTY

MAY

Shakespeare’s starcrossed lovers head to Cheltenham with a production staged by the renowned Tobacco Factory. May 13-16, from £13-£23

roaring twenties ball

HOLIDAY

MAY

May 6, 11.30am, £15 per person. Call 01242 527788

A fleet of ships will sail into Gloucester Quays for the three-day festival over the Bank Holiday weekend. There will be live entertainment and plenty of food stalls.

romeo & juliet, the everyman

May 20, 7pm-11.30pm. £90 per person. Visit cheltenham. thejockeyclub.co.uk

montpellier chapter cooks 4 MAY club BANK

gloucester tall ships festival

S E E W H AT ’ S O N T H I S M O N T H I N G LO U C E ST E R S H I R E A N D WHERE TO BE SEEN

sporting icons dinner, cheltenham racecourse

May 2, 10.30pm

Learn to cook from the chefs at Montpellier Chapter and then enjoy a two-course lunch of tapas.

SOCIAL CALENDAR

MAY

GIFFORDS CIRCUS TOUR STARTS

Roaring Twenties Ball, National Star

MAY

Enjoy a Great Gatsby-esque evening of fine dining, dancing and entertainment at the National Star College in Ullenwood.

Lily Gins FASHION sHOW

May 16, 7pm. Tickets from £90 per person, call 01242 524478.

wychwood festival

MAY

BANK HOLIDAY

May 23-25

fashion show at lily gins Cocktail bar Lily Gins, in Regent Street, Cheltenham, will play host to a fashion show with a difference on May 19. The event is the second of its kind put together by organiser SteveTaylor in aid of the Gloucester based charity The Hollie Gazzard Trust which was set up to honour the memory of the 20-yearold hairdresser. Tickets are £12.95 and are available online. Visit holliegazzard.org/event/unique-fashion-cultureshow-lily-gins or uniquemediagroup.co.uk

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next issue

MAY

madness at Kingsholm

MAY

Headliners at this year’s event include The Proclaimers, UB40 and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. As ever there’s an eclectic mix of music, comedy and workshops which will bring Cheltenham Racecourse alive. May 29-31. An adult weekend ticket is £129. Day and children’s tickets also available. Visit wychwoodfestival. com @GLmagazine | 7

Chantelle and Cheranne Hack and Sali Green

THE SOCIAL NETWORK VIP guests gathered to celebrate the launch of GL magazine at boutique hotel No 38 The Park in Cheltenham. ÂŠRosemary Watts

Debbie Pike, Cheranne Hack and Jonathan Whiley

To m H e r b e r t

Mark McClymont and Jonathan Smith

Jamie Dalrymple Hamilton and Alex Callaghan

Laura Jayne Roberts, Kerry Willcocks and Lisa Von Hallw y l

Michael Mella and David Owen

Richard Currie, Michelle RodriguezWise and Dustin Wise

J u l i e a n d I a n H e a t h e r, B e n Fa l c o n e r and Charlotte Lewis

Jono Rooke, James Gabrielle, Bob Parkinson and Nicholas Granger

M a r k H a w t h o r n e , PJ C r o o k a n d J e n n y E a s t w o o d

Joyce Matthews and Kate Parker

Charlie Beldam, Mandy and Matt Holmes and Jason Gunifas

Abbie Parkhouse and Louise Worthington

WEAR IT

big driis W H E N C H E LT E N H A M - B A S E D F A S H I O N H O U S E S U P E R D R Y S E C U R E D I D R I S E L B A T O F R O N T T H E I R L A T E S T C A M P A I G N W E R E T H E Y R E A L LY S I G N I N G U P T H E N E X T 0 0 7 ? H E L E N B L O W P R O F I L E S T H E H O L LY W O O D A C T O R W H O H A S T H E W O R L D A T H I S F E E T

DRIS Elba is officially one of the coolest guys on the planet. Women want to be with him, men want to be him. Surely it’s only a matter of time before he takes over the world? Hollywood star, award-winning actor, rapper, DJ and hip-hop musician, there seems to be no end to his performing talents. Whatever he touches seems to turn to gold.

Recently, he has sought to dispel rumours that he is being considered as the next James Bond, but if you stop and think about it, he would make a cracking 007. And his latest incarnation is as the face of a premium clothing line he will help design for Cheltenham-based Superdry. The actor, known for his work on TV dramas The Wire and Luther and portraying Nelson Mandela on film, as well as blockbuster Hollywood movies, will collaborate with the company’s founder and design director James Holder on the range. The strategy behind bringing Idris on board is to create a global lifestyle brand to broaden and strengthen Superdry’s customer appeal. Whatever the official line, it’s fairly safe to say that, with Idris modelling your clothes, they are pretty much assured to be leaping off the shelves. He’s been variously named Sexiest Man of the Year, one of the world’s most beautiful people and, this year, named as one of GQ’s 50 best dressed British men. Born in east London 42 years ago, the son of a Ford factory worker from Sierra Leone and a Ghanian mother, Idris was first introduced to the world of acting at school in Canning Town, as well as helping out his uncle with his wedding DJ business. Within a year he’d started his own DJ company with friends and, after leaving school in 1988, won a place at the National Youth Music Theatre, combining both his passions in one course. At the age of 19, to supplement his college costs, he DJ’d in nightclubs under the nickname Big Driis, a name which he still uses when he goes back to the clubs in between his acting work. His first role was in the British TV series Bramwell, a medical drama set in the 1890s and more minor parts in other prominent UK series followed, including Absolutely Fabulous, The Bill and Family Affairs. But it was when he decided to up sticks and move

10 | GLmagazine.co.uk

to New York that his star started to rise, and in 2002 Idris landed a starring role in the HBO award-winning drama The Wire as drug lord Russell ‘Stringer’ Bell. It was his ‘big break’ and firmly established him as an acting force to be reckoned with, alongside his fellow Wire actor Dominic West. After that, roles in prominent Hollywood films started to flood in, including Prometheus, Pacific Rim,Thor: The Dark World and then, in 2012, his acclaimed role as Nelson Mandela in The Long Walk to Freedom. He also returned to the UK in 2012 after winning the titular role in the crime drama Luther, which he is perhaps best known for, particularly among his British fans. Serious Crime Unit DCI John Luther was a dedicated, obsessive police officer, who had deep flaws and has never been able to prevent himself from being consumed by the darkness of the crimes with which he deals. Describing the character of Luther at the start of the third, and final, series, Idris says: “He’s a dedicated policeman who’s been through a lot... essentially at his core he is a man with a good heart who goes for it.” It almost sounds as if he could be describing James Bond, although he is adamant he is not currently in line for this most covetable of roles. During a recent appearance at London’s British Film Institute, the actor told the audience his chances of landing the role had gone. He later claimed the rumour had started after current 007 actor Daniel Craig said that Idris would make a great James Bond. Meanwhile, his role as Superdry model and designer is very much on. The new range is expected to be on the shelves for this year’s autumn/winter season. In a recent interview, company chief executive Euan Sutherland, told The Guardian he hoped Idris’s profile would help relaunch the Superdry brand in the US, where it had a difficult start. “He epitomises what we are: British, grounded and cool,” he said. That could so easily be a perfect description of Idris Elba or James Bond.

WEAR IT

why idris elba would make a perfect james bond

superdry’s

summer collection REAL HERO BIKER JACKET

He’s super cool, drop-dead gorgeous and we could really see him behind the wheel of Bond’s iconic Aston Martin DB5.

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He’s a great actor who can turn his hand to pretty much any role. Gritty drama? Zombie apocalypse? Marvel deity? Shakespeare? You name it, he’s done it. What’s the world’s most famous spy going to throw at him that he hasn’t already done many times before? He’s British. James Bond should be British, dammit. He’s a big bloke – 6ft 3ins and muscle-bound into the bargain – Bond villains would find him a force to be reckoned with, even if they do have the world’s most deadly weapons and a bunch of heavies to hand.

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@GLmagazine | 13

WEAR IT

WHO WERE THE STYLE ICONS DOWN THE DECADES AND HOW CAN YOU GET T H E I R LO O K ? P E R S O N A L

icons

S H O P P E R K AT E PA R K E R GOES IN SEARCH OF S O M E T R U LY I C O N I C A N D WEARABLE PIECES

the fifties

ELEGANCE was the watchword of the feminine Fifties and Grace Kelly’s star quality captured the era perfectly. Retiring from films at the tender age of 26 to marry Prince Ranier of Monaco, the demure and delicate princess is often cited as inspiration for many current day designers including Zac Posen.

ofstyle

the sixties

Judging from Oscar De La Renta’s SS15 collection, I think he too has been inspired by Kelly and the golden era of Hollywood. You can imagine this fabulous dress of applicqued flowers, mytheresa.com (£3,450) on the film set of High Society. This frock should stake its place now at the V&A. For a more modest take on the Fifties silhouette choose this floral skirt from Ted Baker (£139). Kelly also famously had a Hermes handbag named after her, for which there is still a waiting list to this day. Jump the queue with this homage from Russell & Bromley in ice blue (£245). Pearls were always her thing and these earrings from Georg Jensen at Beards Cheltenham (£175) offer a contemporary version.

CONSIDERED to be one of the world’s first supermodels, English-born Jean Shrimpton took the Swinging Sixties by storm, with her then boyfriend photographer David Bailey. This wide-eyed gamine beauty is famed for popularising the mini skirt. Sixties fashion is having a moment, like the Seventies. Retro colour palettes and block heels are looking fab once again. This drop-waisted Wonder dress is by Goat (£520) from matchesfashion.com. Goat also does a great selection of ‘event ready’ coats and separates on their own website, goatfashion.com.

14 | GLmagazine.co.uk

Their Redgrave coat (£580), shown here in teal, also comes in a selection of other colourways. Step straight out of the Sixties in these Gucci silver T-bar sandals (£395)at neta-porter.com and add a dash of flower power with this B Flower crystal ring from baccarat.com (£245).

the seventies CHARLIE’S Angels epitomised glamour in the Seventies with their bouncy flicked hair and equally glossy lips. None more so than actress Farah Fawcett-Majors, one of the original line-up who also went on to become an iconic poster girl. One famous image featured Majors balancing on a skateboard wearing high-waisted flared indigo jeans like these from Frame at Donna Ida (£200). Revisiting the Seventies in its purest form, Saint Laurent designer Hedi Slimane, perfectly captured the era in his SS15 collection. Midi-length hemlines, A-line skirts, patchwork, star prints, fringed suede accessories, clogs and platforms all looked fresh again. Available from ysl.com are this sheer blouse (£865), lipstick red fringed mini bucket bag (£1,265) and suede sandals (£530).

the eighties EIGHTIES fashion is often derided for its ridiculous extremes, but every decade offers up some classics. Edgy rock chic was born in the late Seventies and grew up in the early Eighties. Out of the punk era came strong women like Chrissy Hynde and native New Yorker Debbie Harry. With cheekbones as edgy as her styling, Harry brought with her a shift in attitude that meant girl power had arrived long before the Nineties. Capture her style with the skinniest of leather jeans to hug the silhouette. JBrand do the stretchiest, sleekest version of all at mytheresa.com (£899). Make a statement with a slogan tee from rottenroach.com (£60), borrow Tom Cruise’s Rayban Aviator sunnies straight from Top Gun, JCrew (£145). And hit a high note with striking perspex and fringed cuff heels by Valentino at net-a-porter.com (£680). You’ll be channelling Kate Moss’s go-to look.

STYLE IT

grooming just got serious I F Y O U F O L LO W O N E ST Y L E T R E N D T H I S S E A S O N , M A K E S U R E I T ’ S T H E O N E T H A T ’ S C U R R E N T LY R E V O L U T I O N I S I N G M E N ’ S G R O O M I N G . L E T I T P A S S Y O U B Y AT Y O U R P E R I L S A Y S A D A M H U R R E L L

ANSCAPING, or body grooming, is the practise of grooming body hair that is usually below the neck. Popular opinion is that it’s a new metrosexual phase and a tragedy of the modern man. It is none of those things. Masculinity has been experiencing a renaissance of late and now pressure is on the twenty-first century man to keep things neat, tidy and hygienic. Those who don’t are severely out of touch. The idea of removing hair, especially below the belt, was loved by the ancient Greeks who adored the smooth athletic male body. As lovers of muscles and definition, the Greeks removed any hair that got in the way of showing off that muscle tone. It also made sense

16 | GLmagazine.co.uk

for hygiene reasons as hair can harbour bacteria and sweat. These benefits are still just as relevant today as they were several thousand years ago. Post ancient times, the male body was either hidden away, or hair was perceived as a sign of virility. The Stuarts had their fabulous wigs and the Victorians loved a good beard, WG Grace and Charles Darwin being obvious examples. In more recent history, the late 20th century was a heyday for chest hair – as any episode of Magnum Pi, Knight Rider and Starksy and Hutch will prove. These were the years where men were ‘real men’, with flared denim and polyester technicolour shirts. Male preening and grooming was for sissys. All

STYLE IT

you needed was a bottle of Brut 33 and a shirt from MAN at C&A. Thankfully, times and attitudes have changed. Fashions have moved on and with the continual influence of pornography, advertising and non-hairy male role models, attitudes towards body grooming have been steadily evolving and the chest-rug look is most definitely not in vogue anymore. The prejudice has been erased and now manscaping, as it has come colloquially known, is seen as essential and not effete. Modern male society is packed with role models, spending time and increasing amounts of cash on keeping hair in check. Celebrity style role-models and sport stars have been leading the way in male grooming since the turn the century and it is an aesthetic that is being adopted with ever-increasing popularity. Tom Daley, David Beckham, Lewis Hamilton and Daniel Craig who have shed the body hair. For some, it is driven by sport, but for most, the look is purely aesthetic. Some of the benefits of keeping your torso hair in check are more clear than others. The hygiene reason is obvious, but perhaps less so is the visual concept, in that no hair – chest hair in particular – can make you look slimmer and add visual definition to your body. When considering the trimming exercise, it’s important to think about below the belt. While going bald is not a recommended look, keeping things short and tidy can have a visual effect of making other things, ahem, look bigger. As a result of this new trend, male grooming is now an exponentially growing market and professional salons are popping up in most urban areas. Nichola Hookam, director of McCaffreys in Cheltenham, explained that the trade is getting busier and busier. “My day used to be primarily haircuts,” she said. “It is now much more split up with wet shaves and facials, as well as haircuts.” McCaffreys has been in Cheltenham for five years and I have been here for two-and-a-half years and the grooming element of the business has really grown. With summer approaching, men’s waxes are being booked with increasing frequency and our wedding packages are proving to be very popular as well. As I said, the salon is just becoming more and more busy.” When venturing down the smooth route, there are a number of options open to you. Shaving is the obvious one and possibly one of the easiest. If you can shave your chin you can shave your chest, but with potentially short-lived results and prickly regrowth – within days of shaving you’ll get chest stubble. Depilatory creams, can be a good option as they are easy to use and, so long as your skin doesn’t react to the chemicals, painless. Veet Hair Removal Cream for Men is a market favourite. Waxing is certainly for the brave, and recommended to be attempted only by the professionals. The results can be long lasting but as the saying goes – no pain, no gain. Sugaring is an option that is not as well-known as the others. The method works in a similar way to waxing, as a sugar and water-based paste is applied to the skin before being pulled off. Because it is not as common, finding a professional who knows how to do it can be more difficult. Finally, you have the

option of laser hair removal. Expensive, and can only be done in professional salons, it does have the benefit of being regarded as the longest-lasting method as it targets the cells that create body hair. It is especially good for thinning body hair as well as removing it completely. Manscaping is a trend that is here to stay and those who ignore it do so at their peril. Ben Moseley, a barber at the award-winning men’s salon, Ashley Paul in Gloucester, explained that male grooming is a lifestyle choice that many men are taking increasingly seriously. “The majority of our clients range from 15-35 years old, and visit us on average every two to three weeks,” he says. “There has been a huge increase in male grooming products because of demand – hair pomades, beard balms and moustache waxes for the ever growing style conscious gent. Men are taking more pride in their appearance these days so who knows what heights manscaping will reach.” Men not investing in their grooming routines are a thing of the past. Times have changed and for now anyway, the groomed look is most definitely in.

the dos and don’ts of male grooming DO Work on your body hair after a long bath or shower. The warm water will open up the pores, and soften the hair making it easier to work with. Whether it’s a case of keeping short or removing all together, use a dedicated body-hair trimmer before you do anything else to it. Totally smooth legs are for cyclists and children, keep that in mind. Get the right tools for the job. Invest in a really good body-hair trimmer and a good moisturiser. Use the moisturiser liberally after grooming.

DON’T If you want the smooth back look don’t forget about going lower. A hairy bottom and a silky smooth back will look odd. Avoid defined lines. Hair needs to start and stop naturally, clear lines where it starts and stops look bizarre. A DIY effort can save money and for certain areas it can work, but don’t be too ambitious. Going pro and getting someone who knows what they are doing to do the job is often the best course of action. Take your time. Whether your are simply trimming at home or going to a salon allow plenty of time. A rushed job will ultimately be a botched job.

products for grooming THE TRIMMER The Phillips Body-Groom Pro is an excellent groomer that can be used wet and dry and offers a close smooth shave all over. THE CREAM Hair removal cream can be a scary area but Veet for men is designed specifically for men’s hair removal and genuinely works. Ideal for the legs, chest and back areas, but keep well away from more sensitive parts. THE MOISTURISER Clinique for men post shave soother: This lovely post-shave balm cools and calms the skin after shaving, helping to reduce shaving burn and sensitivity. Formulated with aloe vera it also helps to heal little nicks and cuts.

@GLmagazine | 17

STYLE IT

suits you, sir

W H A T E V E R T H E H I G H S O C I E T Y O C C A S I O N , Y O U ’ L L N E E D A S M A R T S U I T. B E S P O K E C I R E N C E ST E R TA I LO R T O M W H A R T O N H A S B E E N D R E S S I N G H I G H P R O F I L E C L I E N T S FOR YEARS AND TWEED, HE TELLS HELEN BLOW, IS STILL VERY MUCH IN VOGUE

AKE a trip to any high society event this year and chances are the prevailing fashion for men will be tweed. At the Cheltenham Festival last month tweed was seen around every corner and you can bet your bottom dollar that will be the case whether you’re at Henley, Goodwood, Wimbledon or any number of other dates on the British social calendar. It’s a trend that Cirencester tailor Tom Wharton has been at the forefront of and has a passion for, for many years. Indeed his company Barrington Ayre is currently supplying the Gloucester rugby team with their post-match wear and the style is white shirts and tweed jackets. “Tweed is huge at the moment; it can be bright or subdued, can be worn up or down and it wears incredibly well,” said Tom. “We get our tweed from Scotland and have 1,300 different designs to choose from, all made in little mills in the glens. “We chose tweed for the rugby boys for two reasons; one, because when they’ve finished a match they will be hot and probably don’t want to get into a heavy suit, and two, they do a lot of charity events and we felt it was less intimidating for them to turn up in jackets and trousers rather than a very formal suit.” Tom, 37, started off in the world of tailoring seven years ago making shirts for people as a visiting tailor. “Then my shirt clients started asking me if I could make them suits as well and since then we have expanded into everything else.” Now, with showrooms in Cirencester Market Place and Savile Row in London, Barrington Ayre make everything from trousers and polo shirts to dressing gowns and even jeans. And of course, their shirts, suits and tweed jackets are still as popular as ever and worn by all the best-dressed men around. “I always had a passion for clothes from quite a young age and I’ve always had a dress sense with a bit of flair, I suppose you could say,” said Tom, who lives near Cirencester with wife, Kate, and threeyear-old twin daughter, Florence and Maya. “I used to buy clothes from charity shops and adapt them with bright material. “These days I like wearing suits with colourful materials on the inside of collars and cuffs, anything that gives a flash of colour. “I like something that is a bit different, I like to stand out with my clothes, bright colours, bright tweeds, the kind of fabrics used a long time ago.” His latest project is providing clothes for the Turner twins Hugo and Ross, explorer brothers who go on expeditions, one dressed in modern gear and one in gear used 100 years ago, to see how they measure up against each other. “This year they are going on an expedition to Mount Elbrus in Russia and we are making the clothes from the past that one of the brothers will wear.

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“They have doctors with them who do tests to see how they cope with the different types of clothing and equipment.” Tom has also made his mark on the clothes for Gloucester Rugby, designing the white shirts with red stitching around the buttonholes. “You get a flash of red every so often,” he said. “It goes with their nickname of Cherry and Whites.” Tom designs all the clothes and they are then sent to Yorkshire where they are cut out and stitched up. “We have built up the business through word of mouth, clients’ referrals and through our celebrity clients and every item is unique and bespoke.” Well known clients include football pundit Robbie Savage, Strictly star Anton du Beke, former member of boyband Westlife Brian McFadden and cricketers Darren Gough and Michael Vaughan. Barrington Ayre sell their clothes all around the world and, interestingly, have a big following in Norway and Sweden. “We get our material almost exclusively from the UK, with tweed from Scotland and suit fabric from Huddersfield,” said Tom. “Men are much more fashion-conscious these days; we even do tailormade jeans so they can be made to fit. “First impressions are very important, particularly in the business world, and clothes that fit well and are made from quality materials not only look and feel good but they are made to last. “Buying cheap clothes is often a false economy because they start to fall apart much sooner. There’s a huge difference between a cheap and expensive suit. “The material we use is top quality and they are made to measure so the fit is perfect.” Tom said they also leave a three-inch seam so garments can be let out if the client gets bigger. “It allows for up to three stone and that should be enough for most people!” Tom said the current style for men’s clothes is reminiscent of Michael Caine in stylish 1960s film Get Carter – sharp, fitted and waisted. “Shirts are kept simple in white, pink and blue,” he said. “Classic colours are still very popular. I consider myself a flamboyant dresser but I use white shirts as a base.” Tom has a passion for finding the most beautiful fabrics from across the UK and believes his attention to detail means the clothes are so much more than just something to be worn. “They are more than just a piece of clothing, they are a part of your personality.”

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11-17 MARKET PLACE, CIRENCESTER, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, GL7 2PB 0 1 2 8 5 6 8 9 4 3 1 • B A R R I N GTO N AY R E . C O . U K

STYLE IT

Photographs: Kevin Fern Photography

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STYLE IT

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STYLE IT

trichology technology H A I R LO S S C A N H A P P E N AT A N Y A G E T O B O T H M E N A N D W O M E N B U T L U C K I LY S P E C I A L I S T S A R E A R O U N D T O H E L P. H E L E N B L O W C H A T S T O SPECIALIST MARK BLAKE ABOUT HOW TO DEAL WITH THINNING HAIR

INCE opening his clinic 16 months ago, trichologist Mark Blake has never been so busy helping patients manage hair thinning and loss. From launching his business in Cheltenham, Mark has now expanded with new premises in Harley Street, London, and Liverpool, as well as working with other clinics in the USA and Dubai. And plans are now in hand to open a dedicated men’s hair loss clinic in Montpellier in the next couple of months. He is also the hair expert for many top British hair salons , who refer patients with hair disorders to him for an answer to their problems. Mark has direct access to the world’s top hair transplant surgeons and regularly travels with his patients around the world as a consultant for their operations. Indeed, his patient list reads like a who’s who of celebrities, with patients including pop stars, TV personalities, soap stars, fashion models and footballers’ wives. And Mark’s background as an award-winning hairdresser also means he can advise clients on how best to style or colour their hair to disguise any problems. “I frequently test new products for L’Oreal and other hair product manufacturers and worked closely on various pioneering projects in the market,” said Mark, who lives in Gloucestershire. After Mark completed his trichology qualifications, he began seeing patients in his Montpellier clinic, advising them on a range of issues including hair transplants, male and female pattern baldness, hair thinning, hair loss and scalp conditions. He’s an associate of the Institute of Trichologists and bound by their strict code of ethics and has appeared in numerous newspapers and magazine articles, as well as being a guest speaker on radio. His passion for his work is obvious to see and he works very long hours so he is always available for his patients. “I’ve been involved in hundreds of hair transplant cases already and, with hair transplant surgery starting from £6,000, it’s something that is more accessible than people imagine,” he said. “I have a growing list of females patients having hair transplants; it can change a woman’s life within six months.

candidates so they no longer have to suffer the embarrassment of thin hair on the top of the head.” Male pattern baldness is the most common cause of hair loss in men but Mark believes, in many cases, hair loss can be significantly slowed down if treatment is started early enough. In some cases this might mean starting in your twenties, as prevention is better than cure. “There are products on the market that you can buy that, if used early enough, can slow hair thinning down,” he said. “Minoxidil was first used by doctors to treat high blood pressure but they noticed people using it started growing more hair.” But he stressed patients have to start using it before or soon after they start losing their hair to get proper benefit from it. A consultation with Mark includes reading blood tests, hair microscopy, diet, lifestyle and looking at hormonal levels His hair rejuvenation programme now includes measuring the density of your hair so you can actually monitor the improvement over time and takes into account the best treatment to suit your needs and lifestyle. Cheltenham patients now have access to the latest microscopic computer software that calculates the level of hair loss or gain. As Mark says: “If you can’t measure it you can’t manage it.” His patients also have access to private prescriptions for some of the strongest hair loss and thinning hair treatments on the market. Now one of the busiest trichologists in the country, Mark finds himself working non-stop to fit in all his consultations and treatment sessions, and is constantly pushing the boundaries forward in the way we look at hair. “I am available seven days a week and 19 hours a day by email,” he said. It doesn’t get much more dedicated than that.

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K I NG

kenton Yo u d o n ’ t c l i m b for medals, you climb because it’s a way of life KENTON COOL

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on top of the world H E ’ S C O N Q U E R E D E V E R E ST 1 1 T I M E S , E VA D E D G U N - TOT I N G M A O I ST T E R R O R I ST S I N T H E H I M A L AYA S A N D B R O K E N B OT H A N K L E S A F T E R A R O C K- C L I M B I N G FA L L I N WALES. BUT DESPITE IT ALL, RECORD-BREAKER KENTON COOL CONTINUES TO WRITE

H I S T O R Y. C O R R I E B O N D - F R E N C H M E E T S A R E A L - L I F E A C T I O N M A N

T’S a blustery, bitter day when I go to meet Kenton Cool. The wind is whipping around, trees are arching in its thrall and I’ve hit traffic. But somehow, luckily, I manage to refrain from mentioning the weather conditions when he greets me at the door of his Cotswold cottage near Cirencester and I give myself a pat on the back as I sip a coffee and gaze at the gorgeous interior of his home.

Because it would be an almost inexcusably feeble faux pas to moan about a few negative ions to a man who has so much vim and vigour. He has reached the summit of Everest no fewer than 11 times, achieved the Everest triple crown, been nominated for a Piolet D’Or, been the first British man to ski down an 8,000m descent and taken that other stalwart of snowy endeavour, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, across the north face of the Eiger raising millions for charity in the process. Twice. And Ran, as he is known, suffers from extreme vertigo. And that’s still barely the half of it. Kenton, let’s face it, has already probably forgotten more about grit, determination and endurance than the rest will ever know. That he can climb or even walk unaided is a miracle – he broke both of his heels in a rock-climbing fall in Wales, and he is always in continual pain from this. He started climbing at university, where he read geology. His dad was a scout leader and he grew up in a house with no central heating or running water – and there is no TV now in the cottage. But I do chuckle to myself as he pops his mug in the microwave – Kenton, it transpires, loathes cold coffee.

by his mentor, mountaineer Russell Brice, and why he is so grateful to him for teaching him a lesson. “I was really lucky,” said Kenton.“He was my mentor, an amazing man. He was trying to get me to work for him on Everest, but he was on the north side, and I did the south side. They’re both wonderful, but I didn’t want to go the north (way), so I said ‘I don’t want to, I’ve got the south wired.’ “When a climber says ‘wired’, he’s saying he fully understands it, that it’s a matter of course. Silence fell upon the room. Russ slammed his beer down and shouted ‘Don’t you EVER say that’. He’s a very blunt, black and white Kiwi, and he’s a hero of mine. “I had three or four ascents to my name at that stage, I wasn’t arrogant but I had a self-confidence about myself. What he was saying was, the moment you become complacent, that’s when the mountain will show you what she can do. She will knock you for six, so it was a very embarrassing way, a very public way, of being told.

EVERY TIME I GO TO THE M O U N TA I N I G O T H E R E AS IF IT’S THE FIRST T I M E , I TA K E N O T H I N G

“Every time I go to the mountain I go there as if it’s the first time. I take nothing for granted, I have that caution as much today as when I first went there and it’s because of Russ, because he almost shamed me that day.”

So how does he feel about Everest now, after his years of experience and success? Hillary and Norgay may have famously declined to reveal who reached the KENTON COOL ON EVEREST summit first, but these days is it really a case of glory climbers elbowing each other out of the way en route to the peak? So it’s a bit like being in the company of a real-life action man, with a dash of the Black Magic man thrown in for good measure; it turns “Everest is a very different beast from everywhere else. It’s arguably out he is quite the romantic where his wife is concerned, bless him. the most-commercialised mountain in the world, for better or for worse. There’s a line of rope at the top and there’s a whole In the flesh, Kenton is wiry, solid and utterly charming. He is all infrastructure put in place by the likes of people like me to help etch-a-sketch chiselled cheekbones and strong jawline. So dashing make it achievable. and poised he could have just walked off a catwalk; his face so ruggedly angular it’s as if his bone structure is paying homage to “So the feelings on top of Everest are quite different from other the Himalayan slopes and crevasses he masters so regularly. But the mountains. This is taking nothing away from people who may smile lines soften him, and we both keep guffawing loudly. Truth be have climbed Everest. What they’ve done is an amazing feat of achievement, but 3,500 people have now climbed Everest – it is a told, Kenton Cool is a laugh. honey-pot mountain. But you don’t have to step far away, to Nupste And he is so down-to-earth too. I want to get to the bottom of what for instance, which I climbed as part of the triple crown, it’s probably makes him tick, and what it feels like for him when he is, literally, on only had 30 or 40 summits in the past 60 years, because it’s not one top of the world. But as eloquent as Kenton is, he struggles to shake of the 14 highest mountain peaks. off his intrinsic humility. “So the sense of achievement and sense of wonder on Nuptse when It turns out that he approaches every expedition with this humble you’ve had to fight that much harder to get up there is far more mindset, but it wasn’t always that way, and it is a mark of the man overwhelming, for me at least, than getting to the top of Everest. that he is happy to tell me the story of when he was publicly shamed

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“Working on Everest, when you get to the top you’re still 100 per cent clued in. There’s no momentary lapse of concentration because you’ve still got to get down. You’re only halfway there – it’s a total cliché, but getting to the top is optional, getting back down is mandatory. And with a client, what will often happen is that getting to the top is a culmination of 10 years of planning and dreams. “Then, suddenly it’s fulfilled, they’re on top of the world, and mentally and physically they just crumble, and that’s where I and my Sherpa team have to really step up to the plate and have to get that person back down. It’s on the way down that I start to earn my money. So on the top of Everest, I don’t really have the opportunity to have that sense of wonderment that you’d think I should have. But that said, my first summit back in 2004 was amazing. It was the first summit of the year. My Sherpa at the time, they kindly hung back 20 yards and let me have a few minutes on my own, so that was truly amazing for me.” Interestingly, although Kenton is incredibly proud of having taken a treasured 1924 Gold Olympic medal to Everest’s summit to kickstart the 2012 Olympics, his proudest climbing moment came when he reached the pinnacle of Anapurna 3 in 2003. But the climb was arduous, miraculous, and after the euphoria of getting to the summit, Kenton and his fellow climbers John Varco and Ian Parnell fell into an emotional abyss, not helped by the fact that they were dodging insurgent Maoist guerrillas on the way down. The resulting emotions are still raw for Kenton. “Anapurna was a very difficult climb, it’s still unrepeated. We went super-lightweight, no Sherpas, no support, we were nominated for a Piolet D’Or for it, but you don’t climb for medals, you climb because it’s a way of life. “That felt really amazing, but we had no idea we could actually do it. Returning from that expedition certainly wasn’t guaranteed. In fact, returning at all certainly wasn’t guaranteed. We were all climbing to a new altitude for us. We thought John was going to die on day six or seven from a pulmonary oedema. He survived the night, and to this day I don’t know how, and we continued. Everything was nuts. We climbed it, we got back down, and then it was interesting because the team became so fragmented. “The whole failure thing in climbing is really strange. We had no idea that we could actually do it. You don’t expect not to get to the top, or you wouldn’t leave the house. When you finally crack it, when it finally does fall into place, it can be the tiniest thing. Something will happen on the day that you do it, but you’re so used to failure, it’s not necessarily about getting to the top anymore, it’s about the process. You get to the top and clink the chain and you think what was all the fuss about, that was easy. All of a sudden you just cruise it. You’ve almost got to take a step back. “On the big mountains though, you don’t go there with that mindset. They require a whole different approach because there are so many reasons that can stop you getting to the top: weather, illness, endurance, conditions. It’s easy to pick something and cling on to that, but you have to change your approach. These things happen, so if you lose your kit, you make do. You bodge something together or maybe you change your objective to something a bit easier. Kenton and his fellow climbers managed to achieve the summit at a time when the Nepalese civil war was raging, and communist Maoist guerrillas were attempting to control the checkpoints in the mountains. Kenton is typically sanguine about overcoming yet further complications.

“On the way back down from Anapurna, it just went nuts. It was partly because of the Maoists who were powerful at the time. We were walking out utterly exhausted. I had miscalculated the money by a factor of 10, so we had no money to pay the porters – it was really important that we get to town before them so we could pay them. And we were walking towards this checkpoint where there was this Maoist guarding with an AK47. “What they do is they charge you 1,000 rupees, or 10 bucks, then they give you a certificate and they call it tourist tax. But we didn’t have 10 bucks. So we stopped at the checkpoint, had a cup of tea and discussed what we were going to do. And then John said, ‘I tell you what, we walk up to the checkpoint, we push him over and we run!’ We were like ****ing hell, he’s got an AK47! But what are we gonna do, I mean we’ve got to get out. “So we went up to this checkpoint where there was this 15-year-old, or maybe 12, I don’t know how old he was, and John just pushed him over, so we went running around the corner. We were ahead of Ian, we went right and he went left on the path and we didn’t see him for three days. He went the right way and we went the wrong way. He got back to Pokhara and arranged a flight to Kathmandu, and by the time we got there we only saw him for 15 minutes, we didn’t see him again properly for another two weeks. “But meanwhile John and I managed to fall out without actually falling out. “It was beautiful on the moraine, but we were in our own little world of hell. You could hear our yelps and screams as we all fell down, and I fell down this huge moraine wall. I tumbled down. I just burst into tears. Not because I’m hurt, but because I’m just so over the whole thing and in my private hell. I was lying there sobbing my heart out. Then I looked up, and I saw John watching me, then he just gets up and walks away. “I think looking back on it, we were so strung out, so past what was, I don’t know, teamwork. I think you get to a stage when you fragment and go into total survival mode. I’ve thought about that a lot. To this day I don’t think he knows that I know he was there. It was very shadowy – maybe it was the Yeti! Maybe it wasn’t John – it definitely wasn’t Ian. But there was nothing he could do for me. He’s not gonna carry my load and he can’t give me any support really. We didn’t fall out we just stopped talking – it was really weird. “I’m very proud of the summit itself, but I’m really disappointed with the way we conducted ourselves afterwards, but the summit itself ? I was really, really proud of that climb.” It must seem almost other-wordly for Kenton, as if he leads a remarkable double-life, but it transpires that his wife Jazz is an accomplished sailor who has herself circumnavigated the globe – something that she often reminds Kenton that fewer people have done than climb Everest. And he takes it on the chin. When he is back he makes the most of spending time with his young family, but new clients keep calling, and he is drawn to new mountains and new challenges. “I don’t leave the house thinking here we go again. I leave with a skip in my step because I look forward to being there and seeing friends, but now it’s tinged with sadness because I’m leaving the family, but... it’s my job. It’s impossible not to warm to the aptly named Mr Cool. A warm hug as I leave three and a half hours later and I feel as if I’ve touched the nation’s talisman. @GLmagazine | 27

EARL’S & CO. IS THE BARBERSHOP & WHISKY BAR THAT OFFERS A GLASS OF WHISKY & A SHOESHINE WITH EVERY HAIRCUT & SHAVE…IF YOU HAVEN’T HEARD ABOUT IT, YOU PROBABLY KNOW SOMEONE THAT HAS. Earl’s opened their doors in 2012 and boasts the Gloucester Rugby Team, Richard Branson and over 8000 Cheltonians as loyal customers and followers.

For the bearded patron? Enjoy the beard trim, wet shave taper and spruce. Nothing beats it; Blackbeard himself would be queuing up the red carpet on Regent Street.

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Granted, Earl’s & Co has a knack for haircuts and shaves but what really gets us excited is their drink selection!

We’re referring to the ‘Earl’s & Co. Hot Towel Wet Shave & Facial’, the treatment that put Earl’s on the map and that transports you to a time where life was simpler and beards didn’t count for bohopoints. With a blend of hot towels and oils the barbers at Earl’s ensure the closest shave by using a straight razor and bespoke Earl’s & Co products; made with no harsh chemicals, parabens or sulfates, so even the most sensitive of skin types can get in on the action.

The poem in their entrance hall reads ‘Have a Whisky & Shoeshine with your Haircut or Shave, or a Peroni instead if that’s what you crave’…music to our ears! They’re keeping something from us in that poem though; Nespresso. Goodbye to the chipped cup of instant muddy water, hello to the creamy coffee and almond biscotti! Not a detail forgotten, Earl’s & Co. has given us so much to look forward to every four weeks, we only hope that when the ladies are upstairs in the Champagne Nail Bar, they don’t forget to pick us up a voucher!

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body scanning W I T H LO N G E R H O U R S A N D F R A N T I C L I V E S T O L E A D , M A N Y O F U S R E S O R T T O V I TA M I N S A N D S U P P L E M E N T S T O G E T U S T H R O U G H T H E D A Y . B U T D O W E R E A L LY N E E D T H E M A N D W H A T E X A C T LY A R E T H E Y D O I N G T O O U R B O D Y ? N E W B O D Y S C A N N I N G E Q U I P M E N T C O U L D PROVIDE THE ANSWERS. HELEN BLOW REPORTS

OPPING pills is never a good idea if you’re not sure exactly what you’re taking – even when they’re just nutritional supplements. So-called experts often urge us to take this vitamin and that mineral but how do we really know whether they are doing us any good or are just a waste of money? You may be lacking energy and feeling low, but are you really sure you need an Evening Primrose tablet or could you just benefit from going out in the fresh air a bit more and eating more veg? But now there is an easy way of finding out what your body is lacking and which supplements would work best for you. Using the very latest technology, Cheltenham nutritionist Daniela Hancova can scan clients to discover a range of health data, including vitamin levels, amount of toxins, allergies and intestinal function. She has just introduced the Health Scan at her Montpellier-based Forever Clinic, using state-of-theart magnetic resonance scanning equipment.

“It’s a bit like an MRI scan of your nutritional health.” The health scan is the latest service offered by Daniela at her health and beauty clinic. She is well qualified to advise people about their nutritional health, having a first class degree in life science and human nutrition. Before opening Forever Clinic, Daniela worked as a nutritionist at weight loss boot camps and sport centres where she constructed various diet plans for groups and individuals.

It’s a bit like an MRI scan of your nutritional health

It works by reading the electrical activity within your cells and converting it into readable data to spot weaknesses or deficiencies. It takes just a few minutes for the scan to work and then Daniela analyses the date provided to come up with a comprehensive report.

At a second appointment, Daniela goes through the results with the client, highlighting any problem areas and offering nutritional and health advice on how to tackle them. The scan can include up to 30 different bodily functions, but a basic scan covers areas like vitamins and minerals, glucose and insulin levels, collagen and heavy metals. “The scan provides tailor-made nutritional information so the client knows exactly which areas are deficient and need addressing rather than them just guessing,” said Daniela. “I am then able to recommend any nutritional supplements they can take or areas of their diet they can change to improve their overall health. 30 | GLmagazine.co.uk

“It’s not a medical scan but it’s good as an alarm call to improve areas that might need improvement.

She also acted as a consultant for patients with gastric band surgery and gastric bypass surgery in both NHS and private hospitals. “Although I do many treatments at my clinic, my real interest lies in nutritional health and I want to grow that side of my business,” she said. “People are much more aware and interested in their bodies and what they are eating but I don’t think there is enough proper professional advice out there for them.

“A lot of people claim to know what they are talking about but it can be very dangerous to take some supplements without knowing exactly what they do.

“This scan identifies areas of deficiency and then I am able to advise people on what to take, rather than it just being guesswork. “A lot of my clients who want to lose weight have the scan done to help them figure out the best way to go about it. Others just want to be more aware of their health and how to improve it.” A H E A LT H S C A N A T F O R E V E R C L I N I C I S O N O F F E R AT T H E S P E C I A L I N T R O D U C T O R Y O F F E R O F £ 3 8 A T T H E M O M E N T. I T W I L L I N C R E A S E T O £ 4 5 A T A L AT E R D AT E . V I S I T F O R E V E R C L I N I C . C O . U K O R R I N G 0 1 2 4 2 8 9 8 9 8 5 F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N

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the result

I’VE always considered myself reasonably healthy and, apart from a particular penchant for good chocolate, my diet is pretty good. I don’t take supplements very often, apart from a bit of vitamin C and zinc in the winter to ward off colds.

suggest I could eat more non-stimulating and digestible foods. She also made me laugh when she suggested I should relax more while I’m eating, as I’ve always bolted my food down and finish well before anyone else at the table. Not sure why.

So when I went for the Health Scan with Daniela, I didn’t really know what to expect and was a little bit apprehensive. Thankfully, when my results came back they were mostly pretty normal, confirming my belief that I have got a good lifestyle and diet balance.

My thyroid secretions, which regulate the metabolic rate of all cells, were on the low side, making losing weight more difficult, but we agreed this could be due to my age.

I eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, drink loads of water and get regular exercise every week from swimming and walking. There is, however, always room for improvement and when my results came back certain areas showed they could do with a bit of tweaking. Overall I was happy to hear my gastrointestinal functions were mostly OK, confirming what I’d always thought, but Daniela did

She suggested eating more iodine-rich foods, found particularly in seaweed and fish, and to try to avoid chemicals found in things like plastic drinks bottles, food containers and toiletry bottles. Similarly my adrenal glands needed a bit of TLC to help balance the hormones and help with oestrogen production, particularly after the menopause. Daniela also suggested I increase my intake of vitamins B12 and D3, as well as taking a daily probiotic to help with digestion and calcium to strengthen bones and teeth.

@GLmagazine | 31

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mood-boosting foods T H I N K S W E E T T R E AT S M A K E Y O U F E E L B E T T E R ? ‘ C O M F O R T F O O D S ’ C O U L D BE ADDING TO YOUR MISERY AS WE’RE PROGRAMMED TO REACH FOR C E R T A I N F O O D S W H E N W E ’ R E F E E L I N G L O W , A N D U S U A L LY T H E S E F O O D S ARE BASED ON SUGAR OR CARBS. GL FINDS OUT MORE

RECENT survey by Tilda rice found that seven out of 10 women indulge in cakes, sweets and chocolates when they’re stressed or looking for a mood boost. And even when you’re not looking for it, you’ll probably still get it – 12 per cent of women said they buy their friends or colleagues sugary foods when it seems like they’re a bit down. The trouble is, these sugary delights will not bring your mood up. Quite the opposite, in fact, and experts say our reliance on sweet treats as a pick-me-up actually means we’re “eating our way to sadness”. Basically, this is all because of spiking blood sugar levels. “After eating sugary foods or refined carbohydrates, your blood sugar levels can rise rapidly which may cause feelings of stress and anxiety,” explains clinical dietitian Dr Sarah Schenker, “only to crash soon after, which can then leave you feeling lethargic or in low spirits. “We need to replace the shortlived highs we get from refined sugar and processed fat with healthier options and new longterm shopping and eating habits,” she adds. ‘’It’s shocking to see wholesome eating habits go out the window when we face a challenge in the day, or a lull in a routine. This is when healthy eating is most important.” With this in mind, Schenker is working with Tilda and food psychologist Dr Christy Fergusson to launch a new ‘Eat Your Way to Happiness’ campaign, to help more of us make better food choices when we’re looking for a boost during a bad day. So if biscuits and ice cream are out, what should we be reaching for?

top three comfort foods

BRAZIL NUTS “Your thyroid plays a key role in your mood,” explains Fergusson. “However, to work properly it relies on selenium.” Dr Schenker adds: “Brazil nuts are the richest source of the mineral selenium, containing 10 times more than the next richest source. Selenium-rich food helps to combat depression, and studies have shown that eating a small handful of Brazil nuts everyday can help to improve mood.”

RICE “Wholegrain basmati is a great addition to the diet,” says Dr Schenker. “It’s a low-GI food so it contains the type of carbohydrate that releases energy slowly, keeping your blood sugar levels steady and maintaining a more balanced, calm mood.” “Stacked up against other types of rice, wholegrain basmati is top of the list,” adds Fergusson, who advises upping your intake by serving wholegrain basmati rice with curries, stews, casseroles, tagines and using it in pilafs and kedgerees. BROCCOLI Frequently lauded as a superfood, it’s no real wonder broccoli makes you happy as well as healthy. Dr Schenker explains why: “To make the feelgood chemical serotonin, your body needs a healthy supply of B vitamins, including fabulous folate. When our B vitamins are in short supply, we can’t properly metabolise our neurotransmitters, leaving us low in our moodboosters serotonin and dopamine, which controls pleasure.” Luckily, “half a cup of broccoli is all you need for 52mg of folate”, notes Fergusson. “These green leafy vegetables are also amongst the richest sources of B vitamin available, which is also great news for your skin as Vitamin B promotes healthy hair, skin and nails.” They recommend steaming your broccoli, then adding it to omelettes and risottos. THINGS THAT BRING BACK GOOD MEMORIES This ‘food’ might be a bit harder to pinpoint, and will depend on each individual, but nutritionist Juliette Kellow believes that when you’re feeling blue, you should eat food that brings back “lovely memories of warm sunny days on holiday as this is a great link to your brain to boost your mood. “Florida grapefruits are one of my favourite choices – they’re super sweet and juicy because they’re grown in a subtropical climate, and you can make a delicious dessert, sprinkling the cut side of half a grapefruit with a little mixed spice, then brush it with honey and grill until the top is caramelised and golden.” @GLmagazine | 33

Andrew and Deborah Thomson, Caroline Overstone, Alex McHattie

THE SOCIAL NETWORK The Swallow Bakery in Cheltenham held an exclusive pre-launch evening to celebrate their new ‘grazing menu’. ©Daniel Day Photography

J o n H u t t e r, M a r k Redwood-Thomson, A n n a Ta r b e t w i t h Chester the dog

Debbie McNally and Richard Carter

Clair Huth, Nicola Goldsmith and Ian James

Jim and Marie Pascoe-Watson

M i k e a n d S u e D u r k i n , L i n d s a y Ty n d a l l

is the selfie killing our offline lives? A R E Y O U I N A D V E R T E N T LY L I V I N G Y O U R L I F E T H R O U G H S O C I A L MEDIA AND FEEDING AN ADDICTION WHICH YOU HAVE LITTLE C O N T R O L O V E R ? J O N AT H A N W H I L E Y TA K E S A C LO S E R LO O K AT T H E D A M A G E I T M AY B E D O I N G TO O U R O W N W E L L B E I N G

HEN was the last time you checked Twitter or Facebook or Instagram or any other social media channel that has infiltrated our lives like a thief in the night? A survey carried out by OnePoll for online bank, First Direct, found that we Britons spend a staggering 62 millions hours on social media every day. Women are the worst offenders with more than a quarter checking their Facebook at least 10 times a day. In short, we’re addicted. Products of an age in which there’s 24-hour news, bloggers at every turn and people working longer hours than ever before. We’re plugged in – constantly answering emails in the office, in the car, in the bath, you name it. Social media was once considered an outlet but has since become our drug of choice – without which we feel lost. Many become anxious should they find themselves without the means to get ‘a fix’. We’re terrified of what we might be missing out on, craving attention to boost our own fragile egos which rests upon people sitting up and taking notice of our endless stream of status updates and holiday snaps with the subtext of ‘don’t you wish you were here’. Above all, social media is a popularity contest. Whether you shout about your career success to your legion of friends – hundreds of people undoubtedly – or type out a pithy comment or witty observation, you inevitably want someone to massage your ego. But it comes, it turns out, at a cost.

36 | GLmagazine.co.uk

A study has revealed that social media is having a detrimental effect on our offline lives. You know the ones where we have to try and act ourselves rather than create a version of ourselves to try and get one over on others. Authors Joseph Grenny and David Maxfield surveyed 1,623 people and found that 58 per cent said “posting the perfect picture has prevented them from enjoying life experiences”, while 14 per cent admitted they’d risked their own safety for the sake of securing a post that would garner lots of ‘likes’. They believe that if you are posting a status update more than once a day, then you have a problem. There are other signs you’re addicted of course – if you wake up in the morning and immediately reach for your phone, if you ‘check-in’ every time you eat anything anywhere at any time and if you start to use ‘lol’ as a way of expressing the fact you found something funny. What the study really found is that alarmingly, our obsession with social media trophy hunting isn’t just distracting – it’s dictating our lives. “Our key finding is that we enjoy important life moments less when we’re focused on capturing them rather than experiencing them,” said Joseph, co-author of the study. “Likes are a low-effort way to produce a counterfeit of social wellbeing that takes more effort to achieve in the real world. This study is a warning that we are beginning to value virtual pleasure hits more than authentic happiness.”

M s L

Man using a selfie stick in London

Record-breaking mountaineer Kenton Cool, who lives near Cirencester, told an audience at Cheltenham Literature Festival that when he reached the summit of Everest he immediately reached for his phone to update his Facebook status. Then, catching himself in the moment, he laughed at how ridiculous that was and put it back in his pocket. He wanted to appreciate the moment rather than bask in the glory. “If our attention is on an invisible audience rather than the present moment, we are disconnected,” says David Maxfield. “Our devices are beginning to control our attention and motivations in ways we may not even realise.” They also arouse suspicion. I know of family friends who have nearly split up over their partner’s use of social media. One failed to grasp the other’s constant need for updates and social interaction and ultimately, despite its innocence, felt pushed out. Ignorance in their case, wasn’t bliss at all – it was potentially life-changing.

joseph grenny and david maxfield’s tips on breaking a social media addiction: LOOK AT YOURSELF Before going to great effort to take a picture, stop and ask ‘what would a reasonable third party think of me if they saw what I was doing?’. Reflecting from an outsider’s perspective can help you stay morally centred.

LIMIT YOUR POSTINGS The best way to stop social media unconsciously intruding in your life is to become conscious of it. Keep track of and limit how many things you post. Most people appreciate your postings more if they are limited to once or twice a week. Cut off the demand and you will naturally reduce the supply you create.

SNAP, LOOK AND LISTEN Far too often, once we snap a picture in an inspiring place, we turn and leave. Fight the impulse to call it ‘’good’ and move on. Slow down and enjoy the experience and not just the trophy.

TAKE A VACATION FROM YOUR DEVICE Spend a day, evening or even an hour with some physical distance from your smartphone or Ipad. Once you fight through the initial discomfort, you’ll learn to be present and connected in your immediate environment. @GLmagazine | 37

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38 | GLmagazine.co.uk

E AT I T

eat it YOUR GUIDE TO THE TOP PLACES T O I N D U L G E Y O U R TA S T E B U D S I N GLOUCESTERSHIRE

@GLmagazine | 39

E AT I T

which type of food are you most excited about this year?

fling with

gin

DAVID EVERITTMATTHIAS Le Champignon Sauvage “That’s tricky as I have a long list! But if I had to narrow it down to a country it would have to be Japan. I‘m fascinated by their different techniques and seasoning. Currently I’m experimenting with dashis to lighten stocks and sauces.”

MARTIN ADAMS Tudor Farmhouse

GIN HAS UNDERGONE SOMETHING OF A R E V O LU T I O N I N R EC E N T Y E A R S , P A R T I C U L A R LY I N G LO U C E ST E R S H I R E , A S S U E BRADLEY REPORTS

“Korean. Korean fusion (such as burritos and hot dogs) is sweeping across the USA. David Chang has brought it to fine dining.”

EW life has been breathed into an old drink to make it the spirit of choice for the 21st century. Gin is shaking off its association with the G&T brigade and men in dinner jackets who want it mixed with vermouth and shaken, not stirred.

GARETH FULFORD Purslane

In recent years new generations of craft distillers have been rejuvenating the classic drink by infusing it with different ingredients - known as ‘botanicals’ - to create a spirit that’s great on its own or delicious in cocktails.

“I’m really excited for the arrival of the British soft fruit season. Primrose Vale have such a fantastic range of produce and some of it does get eaten on the way back to the restaurant. Last year we made a beautiful but simple summer fruit salad with elderflower sabayon and wholemeal shortbread. I wish I could put it on all year round.”

circus sauce

Throughout the summer the restaurant of Giffords Circus, Circus Sauce, will once again treat diners to a gastronomic experience like no other. Each evening, circus-goers will enjoy a three-course alfresco feast of hearty, nostalgic classics in the post big top buzz, occasionally rubbing shoulders with stars of the show. A typical menu may include freshly baked bread and butter, lamb hotpots, crispy pork, hearty Stargazey fish pies, mounds of Eton mess, treacle puddings and much more, all served up on platters and dishes to stick your spoon into. This year will also see the return of perfect pizza from the Chadwick pizza ovens, which prove the ideal interval treat. To book call 08454 597469 or visit giffordscircus.com/resto

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At the forefront of Gloucestershire’s gin revolution are two distilleries, Sibling and Brennen and Brown, who have applied very different interpretations to the drink once known as ‘mother’s ruin’, while just over the border are Herefordbased Williams Chase with a drink made in part from apples

scandinavian coffee

TIRED of the same old coffee shop experience and sick of waiting in endless lines in bland high street chains? Step forward The Scandinavian Coffee Pod which arrived in Cheltenham at the end of last year when a crane lifted the glass box on to its new home in St George’s Street. In a matter of months, it has established a cult following. GL popped in for Cortado, a type of coffee that is hugely popular in the Norweigian capital Oslo.

and Warwickshire’s Cotswolds Distillery. Cheltenham-based Sibling is run by Felix, Clarice, Cecily and Digby Elliott-Berry, whose parents own the town’s Battledown Brewery. Their approach to making gin involves infusing their own double-filtered vodka made from local spring water with the obligatory juniper, along with Madagascan vanilla, blueberry, orange and lemon to create a contemporary smooth spirit that can be enjoyed on its own or used in cocktails. The process is carried out within a Carter Head still, which uses vapour infusion to ensure delicate flavours. “We have worked

“We were really inspired by the coffee culture in Norway,” says barista Zoey Rausch. “The owner lived there and wanted to bring the simplicity of Norwegian coffee culture to Cheltenham.” The Scandinavian theme is apparent in the tiny building. Finished with wooden panels, it blends modern design with traditional Nordic architecture. The Olso theme is also mirrored in the drinks they serve with Norwegian chocolate used in their Mocha. The Pod is designed to fit into unused urban space with a low environmental

Brennen and Brown, which also makes a Colonial-style gin, uses Wenlock spring water from Shropshire in its distilling process. This year the company is running a ‘Gin Experience’ at Cheltenham’s Lily Gins cocktail bar every second Wednesday, during which participants can go on a gin journey, tasting spirits ranging from the old Dutch jenevers to modern day products, along with tips and advice on how to drink gin and how mixers and different garnishes can make a big difference. Gin from both Sibling and Brennen and Brown have proved to be runaway successes in the year or so since they were launched. Sibling’s Cecily believes this is due in part to the enthusiasm shown towards new and unusual gins by local bars, many of which have developed reputations for serving delicious cocktails in recent years, along with the desire among many young professionals to spend their money on quality food and drink rather than cheap products, even when this involves saving up beforehand. “I think gin has come back as a fashionable drink: it’s no longer seen as an older person’s tipple,” says Cecily. with top cocktail makers to create a botanical mix which is memorable for all the right reasons,” explains Cecily, who is currently celebrating the news that Sibling has won an international award. “Our characteristic smoothness is achieved with softening tones of vanilla and blueberry, with subtle hints of orange and lemon ensuring a clean fresh twist.” Brennen and Brown, also based in Cheltenham, has revived a spirit that was last tasted 100 or so years ago with its gin with a hint of ginger. Founder Rich Bamber hunted high and low to find a similar drink to one made by Gordon’s during the 1800s and, when he failed to find one, started working on his own version. The result is a gin that tastes of juniper with citrus notes of lemon and orange and a warming hint of ginger to finish.

impact. “We just use a small tank under the counter,” says Zoe. “The idea is to have the freshest coffee. We have two types of beans grown in Bolivia and Rwanda and we aim to use them as fast as possible to make the best cup of coffee we can.” THE SCANDINAVIAN COFFEE POD I S O P E N W E E K D AY S F R O M 8.30AM TO 3PM. FOLLOW THEM ON TWITTER @PODCOFFEE

“There are now so many varieties that didn’t exist five years ago and it would seem that people care so much more about what they’re eating and drinking. Brennen and Brown’s Ciaran Smyth agrees: “Younger people are definitely embracing the new gins and enjoying the different flavours,” he says.

cheers

WHERE TO TRY GLOUCESTERSHIRE GINS

Late Night Coco Regent Street, Cheltenham

The Retreat Suffolk Parade, Cheltenham

Crazy Eights and Number 131 The Promenade, Cheltenham

Oeno shop, The Corn Hall Cirencester

The Convent Club South Woodchester near Stroud

Lily Gins Cocktail Bar

E AT I T

#hungryformore FIFTY SHADES OF GAME – Jamie Dornan popped in for a spot of lunch today Eat Wild, Cirencester @Eat_Wild

Jamie Dornan

Delicious #veganforlent breakfast @HobbsHouse #Nailsworth. Now to the bakery, we’ve a shed load of #HotCrossBuns to make. Tom Herbert @Tom_Herbert So that is the end, the time has come, merci for your support for #KewOnAPlate Raymond Blanc @raymond_blanc New pud on the menu, Yocotta with Granola, simple & lip smackingly good #theluckyonion #perfectpuds The Tavern @taverncheltenham One of those desserts that say, “you need to run more”: cheesecake with caramelized pear... Sooo yummy! @ PREGObroadway Kurt Dusterhoff @CotswoldRunning H A V E Y O U E AT E N A N Y W H E R E SUPER DELICIOUS THIS MONTH? LET US KNOW BY TWEETING US @GLMAGAZINE W I T H T H E H A S H TA G #HUNGRYFORMORE

Ormond Terrace, Cheltenham

book now OOH la la! Made By Bob in Cirencester continues to run a series of themed evenings on the last Friday of the month. Next up is a French night on May 29 which is hot on the heels of Italian and Spanish evenings. Bookings are now being taken. Call 01285 641818. Can’t make it? Don’t worry, they are open for breakfast and lunch from Monday to Saturday.

@GLmagazine | 41

Mandy Hall

Lisa Von Hallwyl

R i c h a r d G o w l i n g , Fe l i c i t y G o w l i n g and Amy Gates

THE SOCIAL NETWORK VIP guests gathered at the opening night o f C a r i b b e a n r e s t a u r a n t a n d b a r Tu r t l e Bay in Cheltenham

Sam Scarsbrook and Tim Warne

Tita from Laid Blak

Jack Kerr and Lucy Thomas

Gemma Allen and Mandy Allen and Delroy Ellis

Sam Rossiter

Olivia Kennaway and Shannon Matthews

E AT I T

sage advice

THE HONEST OPINION

IT’S a clash of culinary titans this month as we pit old world against new. In the blue corner, Gennaro Contaldo and Antonio Carluccio are ready for battle with an unusual pork and ginger dish and in the red, Theo Randall of River Cafe fame is out to show he belongs with the heavyweights with a pizza recipe from his new book. Will either dish be a knockout or will the results be distinctly ropey? Jonny enters the kitchen ring, oven gloves in hand, ready for a food fight like no other.

THE CLASSIC PIZZA

PORK FILLET WITH

My Simple Italian, Theo Randall. Published by Ebury Press, and priced £25

HONEY AND GINGER

I FEEL like a bit of a traitor – a food maverick if you will – embarking on a pizza recipe that doesn’t come from a Jamie Oliver book. But, at 25, the time had come to use my loaf (sorry) and spread my gluten wings further afield. Plus it’s not exactly any old pizza recipe – Theo Randall is a world authority on Italian food even if he hasn’t got a Venetian bone in his body. The first stage is to mix a little of the flour – tipo 00 which you can find in Waitrose or delis – with the yeast and a little water. Now let it be – leave it to do its thing for an episode of Coronation Street – and when you return add the remaining wet ingredients which, bizarrely, include milk. Next I’m on kneading duty; 15 minutes of mind-numbing necessity to make everything stretchy and pliable. Now leave for an hour or more – consider the Coronation Street omnibus – and when you come back start rolling out thinly with a dusting of semolina.

Two Greedy Italians, Antonio Carluccio and Gennaro Contaldo. Published by Quadrille and priced £14.99

YOU have to be careful with ginger. Too much and a dish can taste like the inside of Holland and Barrett. But too little and you don’t get that nice fiery warmth. I would never associate ginger with Italian food so this recipe took me by surprise but since it was from two of the godfathers of Italian food it was a recipe that I just couldn’t refuse. Well I could technically but we all love a bit of artistic licence. Right then, pancetta, a good glug of olive oil and we’re off. Once crisp it’s out of the pan and in with the fillet of pork for a little sealing before the ginger and garlic and honey caramelise everything with a lovely aromatic sweet glaze. It smells amazing. Next the vegetables are roughly chopped and clatter into the pan with the rosemary, black pepper and stock. And that’s it; I cook the vegetables for half an hour and then remove and continue cooking the pork for an hour. By that time it’s falling apart with the mere prod of a fork; akin to Madonna at the Brits. I’m left with a steaming bowl of hearty fare that I can’t wait to dig into.

This is crucial as it turns out; adding even further texture. Other top tips include keeping the oven as hot as it will go, using a pizza stone or baking sheet and applying a small amount of toppings. Less, as it turns out, is definitely more.

J O N N Y ’ S P R E PA R AT I O N T I M E : 2 0 M I N S

J O N N Y ’ S P R E PA R AT I O N T I M E : 5 0 M I N S + R I S I N G

JONNY’S COOKING TIME: 1 HOUR, 30 MINS

JONNY’S COOKING TIME: 6-8 MINS

key ingredients

For the dough stage 1 30g tipo 00 flour 2 tsp dried yeast 60ml lukewarm water

For the dough stage 2 200g tipo 00 flour + extra for dusting 1/2 tsp salt 120ml lukewarm water 1 tbsp milk 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus

what i thought

MAKES 1 PIZZA extra for greasing Semolina, for the baking sheet For the topping 200ml tomato passata 3 slices prosciutto de Parma, torn 2 x 150g balls of buffalo mozzarella 150g cherry tomatoes 1 tbsp oregano leaves 75g pitted black olives 50ml extra virgin olive oil

MAMMA Mia! This is the daddy of pizza recipes. It’s easy to follow and produces a lovely, light, crispy base which only takes seven minutes to cook. Just belissimo!

key ingredients SERVES 4-6 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 100g pancetta or bacon, roughly chopped 800g pork fillet 2 garlic cloves, left whole 4 tbsp honey 12g ginger, peeled and finely sliced 2 carrots, roughly chopped

4 baby parsnips, peeled and cut in half, or 500g pumpkin, peeled and sliced 4 shallots, halved or quartered, depending on size 2 sprigs of rosemary 300ml vegetable stock Freshly ground pepper

what i thought

A no-nonsense one-pot dish with just a handful of ingredients transformed into something that’s perfect for any season. I’ll be back for plenty more. @GLmagazine | 43

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S i m o n We a v e r, w h o runs his organic dairy from Kirkham Fa r m 44 | GLmagazine.co.uk

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smart’s cheese

SAY CHEESE

I F T H E R E ’ S O N E T H I N G T H E C OT S W O L D S I S K N O W N FOR, IT’S HIGH QUALITY DAIRY PRODUCE. SUE B R A D L E Y C H AT S T O C H E E S E M A K E R A N D D A I R Y F A R M E R S I M O N W E A V E R A B O U T H I S L AT E S T C H U R N

SK for cheese in Gloucestershire and the inevitable question has to be ‘which one’. The county made famous by its Double Gloucester now boasts one of the most diverse ranges of cheeses in the UK.

More than 10 years have gone by since Simon began producing his Cotswold brie, although becoming a cheesemaker hadn’t actually been part of his plan when he converted his dairy herd to organic production.

Hard or soft, flavoursome or gentle on the tastebuds, there’s one to suit almost every palate. Traditionalists are well-catered for with a wide range of familiar British cheeses, including Cheddar, Cheshire and Dunlop styles alongside Double Gloucester and Single Gloucester, which has Protected Designation of Origin status.

“At the time we couldn’t find anybody who wanted to buy our organic milk, and we realised that if we wanted to continue with organic production we would need to find some way to add value to the milk,” explains Simon, whose family has been farming in Gloucestershire for three generations and in the South West since the 1600s.

People looking for a more continental taste can buy local versions of brie, valancay and mozzarella and there are blue and smoked cheeses and a variety of rind-washed specialities, the most famous of which is Stinking Bishop, which was brought to the world’s attention by Wallace and Gromit.

Simon opted to make a brie-type cheese because most of the other dairies in the county were producing harder varieties. Softer cheeses also have the advantage of being quicker to mature, even though they can be more difficult to make.

With local cheeses now available through some supermarkets and even the new M5 Gloucester Services, alongside a host of farmers’ markets, farm shops, delicatessens and specialist stores, it’s never been easier to buy a tasty selection. The only dilemma comes from deciding which ones to choose. The secret behind the buttery flavour and melt-in-the-mouth texture of Simon Weaver’s award-winning Cotswold Brie starts with the Friesian cows that graze the clover-rich meadows bordering the River Dikler. These black and white cattle are very much part of the scenery around the villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter. And Simon firmly believes that their laid-back lives and natural forage-based diet produced on land that has never been intensively farmed are key to the quality of milk that goes into his cheese. “Their milk production is not forced,” says Simon, who runs his organic dairy from Kirkham Farm. “We know that if our girls are happy, our cheese will taste great too. “Our cows graze fields alongside the River Dikler, which is quite a good grass-growing area.The cows mainly eat forage, whether it’s grass or conserved grass such as silage and hay. We give them very little concentrate.”

“We hit the ground running really,” says Simon, who honed his cheesemaking skills after visiting artisan producers in Germany and The Netherlands. “There was a bit of trial and error involved but we were greatly encouraged after winning an award from Taste of the West within our first 18 months.

The spectacle of scores of people chasing a wheel of cheese down Cooper’s Hill never fails to attract the crowds each May. Yet it’s not essential to risk life and limb to taste the Double Gloucester used during Gloucestershire’s famous cheeserolling event. In fact it’s far easier just to buy Smart’s Farm cheese from one of the farmers’ markets or shops at which it’s sold. Diana Smart started cheese at her farm in Churcham some 30 years ago, a tradition now carried on by her son Roderick and his wife Joanna. The family uses unpasteurised cow’s milk to produce their award-winning Double and Single Gloucester cheeses. smartsgloucestercheese.com

jonathan crump

Cheesemaker Jonathan Crump holds the distinction of producing Double and Single Gloucester solely from the milk of Old Gloucester cattle. The farmer keeps 80 of the rare breed cows at Standish Park Farm and uses the milk from 15 animals for his cheese, which he has been making for around 17 years. His products are also in demand from local restaurants, including The Daffodil in Cheltenham that uses his Double Gloucester in its twice-baked soufflé.

charles martell

Cheesemaking in Gloucestershire had become a thing of the past when Charles Martell moved to the county in the early 1970s. In fact his decision to make his own Double Gloucester was enough to bring television cameras on to his Dymock farm. He subsequently revived the long-forgotten Single Gloucester, which has a softer texture to most other English soft cheeses.

“We set out to make a creamy cheese with a buttery flavour, something that people can eat every day rather than a more pungent variety that would come out at dinner parties.” Simon has since added blue veined and herb bries to his range, along with a mozzarella and a Single Gloucester, the latter made from the milk of cows that graze The Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust’s Greystones Nature Reserve on the outskirts of Bourtonon-the-Water. “Eating our cheese means eating the landscape; it shows the value of looking after the fields that the cows graze and being kind to our animals,” says Simon, who was honoured for work at the 2014 Taste of Gloucestershire Food and Farming Awards. “I think the secret of retaining artisan cheese makers is to buy their products regularly and not just for dinner parties.” s i m o n w e a v e r. n e t

woefuldane

Melissa Ravenhill (pictured) began making her name as a cheesemaker in Birdwood on the outskirts of the Forest of Dean before crossing the river to Minchinhampton a decade ago. Over the past 20 years she’s developed an enviable reputation for her range of artisan cheeses made from organic milk produced by her family’s herd of Shorthorn Cattle. These include a variety of blue cheeses, along with Double Gloucester, the Cheddartype Forrester and Melissa’s own version of the Scottish Dunlop, which she enriches with extra cream. woefuldanedairy.co.uk

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PLOUGHING AHEAD COUNTRY PUBS CAN BE CHARMING BUT SOMETIMES T H E Y C A N B E A L L F U R C O AT A N D N O K N I C K E R S . T H E K I N G H A M P LO U G H , H O W E V E R , I S I N S A F E H A N D S W I T H F O R M E R F A T D U C K C H E F E M I LY W A T K I N S A T THE HELM. CORRIE BOND-FRENCH SETTLES DOWN FOR A MEMORABLE MEAL

HERE are, in fairness, many pubs of a similar bucolic ilk to The Kingham Plough in our neck of the woods. It’s quintessential – but thankfully untwee – Cotswold charm is immediately evident in the dusk as we drive into the village.

There she sits, the village hive nestled amongst the honeyed hues of neighbouring cottages. And what’s that Toto? Why, it’s a parking space smack bang outside the front door. Result.

Sometimes, the problem with such pubs is that they do indeed look the part, but the kitchen’s offerings fall short. Not quite fur coat and no knickers, but definitely all front and no substance. It’s part of the reason why ‘gastropub’ became such a shunned misnomer, relinquished en-masse by all of the now pointedly un-monikered ‘pubs that do food’. And it can work conversely too. We still regularly frequent a battered old pub in West Bromwich which serves the best charcoal charred tandoori chicken, but where the service is non-existent and your arms stick to the tables. Some things are worth it. But The Plough has got form. Chef owner Emily Watkins took it on just eight years ago after seeking pastures new from her role as souschef at Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck. Since then The Plough has carved a niche as the des-res local of the Chipping Norton set (although it was another Plough in Buckinghamshire where the Camerons infamously managed to leave their daughter behind). The décor manages to strike just the right tone: Unpretentious, country farmhouse kitchen style; mismatched chairs and tables; French linen and ticking, with still-life food pictures on every wall. It’s definitely not horse brasses around the inglenook, nor is it overcontrived, pared-down Cotswoldy concept décor. It is perfect pitch, natural simplicity. And the tables aren’t crammed in either – my absolute seething, monstrous pet hate. There’s a cheerful vibe, and thus far, everything looks great. The staff are relaxed, charming and attentive. And then there’s the menu; it’s as perfectly balanced as my Bloody Mary. In that moment, I know that Emily is a totally committed local food hero-chef: Because there are just four choices per course on the menu card. Four choices that tell me everything I need to know. Too much choice would mean that food is brought in and that things are

spread too thinly. Emily’s whittling down of the a la carte proves that she sticks to her ideal of sourcing ingredients from within a 10mile radius of the pub, where possible, for it to be as fresh, seasonal and local as possible. It means that this is a genuine endeavour, and that, above all else, Emily has unswerving, committed focus. We are served some cereal bread, and a little amuse bouche of homemade venison saucisson. We’re hooked. For starters we opt for soused herrings and the twice-baked Jersualem artichoke soufflé. I confess to being intrigued by these. All I have ever managed to cook with them is dauphinoise and soup. My French friend once snorted derisively that “In France, we only feed them to zee ‘orses.” I’m not convinced by this. Firstly, he’s Parisian, and also because if it were true, zee ‘orses would have garnered opprobrium when the impact of animal gas on the ozone layer was discovered. But I digress. And here is my soufflé. Not as light as air, but earthy and substantial, but still subtle too; it’s a quivering mass of contradictions, a delicious puff of gutsy depth. And the Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect velvety companion. Then there are the herrings.These are simply exquisite. Firm-fleshed and flavoursome, packing a punch with the delicate combinations of a Bloody Mary jelly. And our mains don’t disappoint. The Wild Rabbit Wellington is a delight. All of the sweet gamey flavour of wild rabbit, with none of the pernickety bones. The loin is centrepiece, the other meat used in the surrounding duxelle. And the shortcrust pastry has been eschewed for a lighter suet pastry, in turn flash deep-fried for crispness. It is delicious, utterly satisfying. Anyone who can pull this type of rabbit out of the hat to ensure that local rural fare stays prevalent on the menu is a culinary conjuror indeed. I take my hat off to Emily – it’s clever stuff. And the breast and hand-raised pie of Creedy Carver duck is a revelation. The breast, cooked sous-vide then finished off in the pan, is rosy pink perfection. The pie was like unwrapping a gift. Puddings are pear soufflé with gingerbread and custard, and milk @GLmagazine | 47

chocolate and cornflakes – basically a chocolate mousse and almond crunch. Nothing is overly sweet, the flavours are full-blown natural and real, enhanced by their accompanying ingredients. The result is superlative. Emily’s food is cleverly combined flavours matched with a resourceful approach. It’s worth the drive, and it’s one heck of a local if you’re nearby – you can even cadge a pig’s ear for the dogs. God speed the plough! Pictures: Anna Lythgoe

find us

The Green, Kingham, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, OX7 6YD thekinghamplough.co.uk 01608 658327 WHERE IS YOUR TOP TABLE IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE? TWEET US @GLMAGAZINE

Chef, Emily Watkins

48 | GLmagazine.co.uk

So Thai is set in a 300 year old wine cellar under bearlands house with a modern conservatory bar and outside seating areas that gives it a fabulous atmosphere. The food is all freshly cooked by Thai chef Jo Martin cooked to central Thailand taste. The restaurant has only been open since feb 2014 and has already risen to number 1 Thai restaurant in the Cotswold and number 2 in Gloucester with a great lunch deal 2 courses for ÂŁ8.95 .

Opening times Sunday 12.00am-3.00pm | 6.00pm-10.00pm Tuesday-Saturday 11.00am-3.00pm | 6.00pm-11.00pm Monday closed Bearlands, Longsmith Street, Gloucester GL1 2HJ

01452 535 185

www.so-thai.co.uk

Photographs: Kevin Fern Photography

E AT I T

MEET THE CHEF: Made By Bob F R O M T R A I N I N G I N O N E O F LO N D O N ’ S B E ST R E STA U R A N T S T O STA R T I N G UP HIS OWN BUSINESS AND DELI, CHEF BOB PARKINSON IS NOW BACK IN G LO U C E S T E R S H I R E A N D I S H A P P I E R T H A N E V E R . J O N AT H A N W H I L E Y M E E T S T H E M A N O N C E R E F E R R E D TO A S ‘ T H E A D O N I S O F P OT S A N D PA N S ’

ROM the queen of pop to the Princess of Wales, Chelsea’s Bibendum restaurant has long been established as celebrity catnip in the capital. While there may not be as many A-list stars flocking to its high-ceiling dining room these days – Chiltern Firehouse is now THE celebrity hotspot – it says a lot that Marco Pierre White is still very much a regular. Anyone who is anyone in the culinary world knows about Bibendum and chef Bob Parkinson, who runs Made by Bob in Cirencester, knows more than most. The 39-year-old started his career at the prestigious Fulham Road establishment, honing his craft under the tutelage of legendary chef and food writer Simon Hopkinson. At the age of 17 – following catering college – his mother took him to the restaurant and he was given a tour of the kitchen. His passion and enthusiasm reaped instant rewards as Simon offered him a job. It would be a baptism of fire. “I was terrified,” says Bob as we chat over lunch at The Retreat bar and restaurant in Montpellier. “Every time I could I would go home (to his parents’ house in Cheltenham). “I was earning £80 a week and my parents paid my rent. It was daunting. For the first six months I hated it – I just wanted to go home and I had a girlfriend so there was a bit of extra appeal. “Simon was very strict. Anal really. It was a nightmare. If you were an hour late, that was all right, if you were two minutes late you were lazy. If you did something wrong he made you really think about it.” Bob – born as James before his nickname stuck – worked as a chef de tournant which meant that no one week was ever the same. One day he’d be on the oyster bar, the next prepping vegetables, the next on the pastry section. All the while a great stream of celebrity clientele would be taking their seats in the restaurant. “Every day at Bibendum there was someone,” he says nonchantly. “You’d look out at the porthole and you’d see Madonna or Princess Di.” While the work was tough and the hours were long, Bob – once referred to as ‘the adonis of pots and pans’ – admits that he also embraced the London lifestyle.

“You don’t do anything, you just spend your money and I wanted to move on from that and have kids. “I had 12 years of doing that in London and it was time to leave.” His time in London also included a spell at a gastropub in Notting Hill – “probably my wildest time” – and another restaurant in Fulham Road which he remembers vividly for all the wrong reasons. “I think I left there with shingles,” he says. “It was so hard. The chef was a nightmare. “He used to spit at people, hit people, all the fridges were kicked in. “One guy used to get sacked every service, it was ridiculous.” We order lunch. He chooses the moules marinière and asparagus after chatting to the chef who used to work at his restaurant in Cirencester. I’m curious to see whether he thinks chefs live up to their rock star reputation? Do they need to be so aggressive? “You have to have a bit of a nasty streak in you,” he says. “Generally a lot of them are a*******.” What about Gordon Ramsay who Bob tells me would come into Bibendum and tell him “to get your f****** hair cut” every day. He laughs. “I think Gordon is pretty much like that. Chefs are a bit wild.” Today he’s relaxed, engaging and placid, a quality he carries into his restaurant in Cirencester. “You don’t need to be nasty, we have fun at work and sometimes I wish I was tougher but screaming and shouting doesn’t get you anywhere,” he says. “I’m basically like a dad to all of them all of the time. I’m a father at home and a father at work and that’s the draining bit. It’s a lot to take on.” Today he’s off – he’s just come back from a week skiing in the Alps – but he’s still had staff contacting him at 7.30am. He has never spent any less than 70 hours a week in the restaurant. “For outside catering that goes up to 110, maybe 120,” he says. “It’s really hard to switch off. It doesn’t happen. It’s relentless.

“As much as it was hard work you would get every other weekend off and it was very social,” he says.

“Some of the wedding days you get up at 6am and don’t get home until four or five in the morning.

“When you’re working in the best places you don’t queue to get into a club because you know everyone.” How wild did it get? He laughs. “It got pretty wild. You can’t print stuff like that.

“We’ve got about 15 weddings booked in this year. We get a bit of royalty at some of the weddings we go to. The last one we did Harry and William were there. @GLmagazine | 51

“You say hello.We’ve done stuff for Zara and Princess Anne. Princess Anne will come to the bar and have a little espresso, she’s great.” It turns out Zara is quite the regular, often popping in for lunch at Made By Bob. “I know Zara quite well,” he says. “My sister sort of dresses her as well as she has a clothes shop next door. We’ve known her for years. “She’s so relaxed and low key. Very last minute, she’ll say ‘can you do this for tomorrow?’ and I think ‘come on Zara, bit of notice.’ But I’d bend over backwards. She’s very blasé and very normal.” Bob set up his own business in 2008, borrowing half a million and realising a dream. It has proved more successful than he could ever have imagined. He now employs 21 people and has a lunch menu that changes daily – six starters, six mains with a distinctly Italian flavour – and a never-ending stream of diners. “We hit the ground running really,” he says. “Thank god.” He previously worked at The Swan in Southrup – he was offered the job at 28 – where he would meet his future wife Ali. “She used to live in the village round the corner and she used to come with her little boy to the pub and they would call me Jesus because of my long hair,” he says. “We started playing tennis, I didn’t think she found me attractive. It took two years.” They married in a field next to their cottage in Quenington with a big marquee in the garden. Bob, naturally, did the catering.

52 | GLmagazine.co.uk

They have two young boys – Ali’s third son, 17-year-old Henry, is from a previous relationship with former England rugby star Will Carling – and Bob says they are all real foodies. “Archie (eight) has a serious palette,” he says.. “He loves pasta with truffles, he eats oysters, olives, everything. You wouldn’t put chicken nuggets in front of my boys.” While his children eat well, Bob admits that he doesn’t always practice what he preaches. “I quite often, or I used to, pick up a sandwich at the garage and a packet of Nice ‘n’ Spicy NikNaks,” he says. Today he’s just finished off the steaming bowl of mussels and is outlining his future ambitions. He’s thinking of moving his deli to another premise – creating space for a bar area next to the smart open plan kitchen – and he also harbours ambitions to set something up in his hometown. “There are no plans at the minute, but I’d love to have a restaurant in Cheltenham,” he says. “There’s a lot of competition but I’d like to think we’d give them a good run for their money.”

find us The Corn Hall, 26 Market Place, Cirencester, GL7 2NY foodmadebybob.com • 01285 641818

E AT I T

restaurant guide L O O K I N G F O R S O M E W H E R E T O E AT O U T ? C H E C K O U T O U R G U I D E T O R E S TA U R A N T S I N G L O U C E S T E R S H I R E ECKINGTON MANOR

T H E R OYA L

THE GREEN DRAGON INN,

HAMMOCK ROAD, ECKINGTON,

5 4 H O R S E F A I R S T R E E T,

C O C K L E F O R D , N R C O W L E Y,

WORCESTERSHIRE, WR10 3BJ

C H A R LT O N K I N G S , C H E LT E N H A M

C H E LT E N H A M , G L 5 3 9 N W

ECKINGTONMANOR.CO.UK

R OYA L P U B . C O . U K

GREEN-DRAGON-INN.CO.UK

01386 751600

01242 228937

01242 870171

Eckington Manor, nestled in the Avon valleys on the border of the picturesque Cotswolds, is where you will discover something different and very special. A small and very friendly group of people who are passionate about food and appreciate the journey of food and are lucky enough to own an award winning farm, orchard and vegetable and herb gardens to illustrate the importance of using good seasonal ingredients. All the food is fully traceable and honestly prepared so all natural flavours are enhanced. With a combination of British and European cuisine, with the odd dish from further afield to create diverse and imaginative menus that incorporate locally grown produce.

The Royal’s philosophy is all about simple fresh food expertly prepared and many of their dishes are cooked on the chargrill with steaks, meat and fish a speciality. Whatever the occasion, whether it’s for lunch or dinner, a quick pint of ale or simply for a coffee, you will always find a warm and friendly welcome when you visit. Set in the heart of Charlton Kings, they pride themselves on good simple fresh food. The menus change frequently which allows them to take advantage of seasonal produce and The Royal endeavours to use local suppliers wherever possible, like their butcher, Pete Jefferies, who is situated just around the corner. It’s also a perfect spot to soak up the sun on a spring day.

Situated in the heart of the Cotswolds, the hamlet of Cockleford provides a tranquil setting for rest and relaxation. For visitors seeking an alternative to the bland uniformity of many a modern town centre hotel or restaurant, The Green Dragon Inn offers an appealing individuality – roaring log fires, beamed ceilings and stoneflagged floors set the scene for a relaxing experience. The food is freshly prepared daily by the resident chefs, who take great care to ensure that the quality of the food served is of the highest standard and that our menus are able to provide something for the most discerning palate or for the most difficult child.

SAMPLE MENU

S TA R T E R Birlingham asparagus, cured pork, truffle mayonnaise and hazelnuts

S TA R T E R Grilled goats’ cheese on pesto toast with pine nuts and honey

S TA R T E R Roasted Mediterranean vegetables in a puff pastry tartlet case with roquito pepper sauce

MAIN Pork loin and cheek, prunes with sweet potato puree and pork sauce

MAIN Braised ox cheek with mustard mash, red wine gravy and red cabbage

DESSERT Poached local rhubarb, ginger mousse with vanilla parfait

DESSERT The Royal Waffle with Fraser’s Crumbly Butter Fudj ice cream, cream and toffee sauce

MAIN Oven roasted Barbary duck breast with a red wine plum sauce DESSERT Milk chocolate bavarois with malt

@GLmagazine | 53

E AT I T

restaurant guide L O O K I N G F O R S O M E W H E R E T O E AT O U T ? C H E C K O U T O U R G U I D E T O R E S TA U R A N T S I N G L O U C E S T E R S H I R E THE NEW INN

THE BELL INN

THE SWAN

1 6 N O R T H G A T E S T R E E T,

SHURDINGTON ROAD,

S O U T H R O P, G L 7 3 N U

GLOUCESTER GL1 1SF

C H E LT E N H A M G L 5 1 4 X Q

01367 850205

NEWINN-HOTEL.CO.UK

01242 862245

T H E S W A N A T S O U T H R O P. C O . U K

01452 522177

THEBELLSHURDINGTON.CO.UK

The 15th-century New Inn features a medieval courtyard, real ale pub and free Wi-Fi. The Grill Restaurant serves a carvery and British menu in charming surroundings. The New Inn has four bars, including the award-winning Real Ale Bar, offering up to 10 cask ales. There is also a coffee shop with homemade cake and speciality teas. The Regency Suite can accommodate up to 80 people available for weddings or other events. The ancient courtyard has galleries on all sides, and the historic building was used by pilgrims visiting Gloucester Cathedral, which is just 985 feet away. Eastgate Shopping Centre is just a twominute walk away, and Gloucester train station is a five-minute walk.

These days The Bell at Shurdington is well and truly back on the map, and definitely worth a special journey. With something for everyone you can enjoy well-kept cask ales and local ciders in the bar, dine in the attractive conservatory overlooking the cricket ground and pavilion, or relax in the beer garden. The menu is made up of sensibly priced, delicious home-cooked dishes, and offers plenty of choice from quick lunchtime snacks to full three-course meals. With such recommendations, why risk going anywhere else? There’s plenty of parking, and if you’ve got the kids with you, you can let them run off some steam in the playground adjacent to the pub, before settling down to lunch.

The Swan at Southrop is a quintessential 17th century Cotswold village pub. With highly acclaimed modern British and European cuisine, the menus are created with flair and imagination, maximising the use of the freshest produce from the kitchen, gardens, and their own hens and quails for eggs, combined with the excellent local suppliers. There is a comfortable, relaxed and informal ambiance, with experienced staff providing efficient and friendly service. Two new pub gardens have opened, designed by Bunny Guinness. One is for public use and the other is more formal and can be booked exclusively.

SAMPLE MENU

S TA R T E R Olives marinated in garlic and chilli on bruschetta

S TA R T E R Grilled goats’ cheese on toast, with red onion marmalade served on a balsamic-glazed salad

S TA R T E R Pappardelle – white Bianchetto truffle, hand-cut pappardelle, reggiano

MAIN 8oz sirloin steak, hand beer-battered onion rings, grilled tomato, garlic mushrooms served with chips and creamy Stilton sauce

MAIN Fish and chips – beer-battered haddock, hand cut chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce

MAIN Pilgrims Feast: 8oz sirloin steak, homemade burger and Gloucester Old Spot sausage, served with chips, tomato, filled mushrooms and garden peas DESSERT Selection of ice cream sundaes

54 | GLmagazine.co.uk

DESSERT White chocolate Eton mess cheesecake, topped with raspberries, meringue and chocolate chunks

DESSERT Tarte Tatin – pear tarte tatin for two to share, with vanilla ice cream.

E AT I T

restaurant guide L O O K I N G F O R S O M E W H E R E T O E AT O U T ? C H E C K O U T O U R G U I D E T O R E S TA U R A N T S I N G L O U C E S T E R S H I R E THE VININGS

BUCKLAND MANOR

THE SLAUGHTERS COUNTRY INN

GLOUCESTER DOCKS, GL1 2EG

B U C K L A N D , N R B R O A D W AY,

LOWER SLAUGHTER,

V I N I N G S R E S T A U R A N T. C O . U K

W O R C E S T E R S H I R E W R 1 2 7 LY

GLOUCESTERSHIRE GL54 2HS

01452 384455

BUCKLANDMANOR.CO.UK

THESLAUGHTERSINN.CO.UK

01386 852626

01451 822143

One of the most elegant country house hotels in the Cotswolds, Buckland Manor is tucked away in a tranquil corner of the village of Buckland, next to the old village church. Set in 10 acres of grounds which blend seamlessly into the village, the beautiful manor house is unmarked by the passing of time. It is an idyllic setting from which to enjoy an exceptionally warm welcome, tantalising menus crafted from the ‘market garden of England’ and breathtaking Cotswold scenery. All 15 bedrooms are individual; original features include leaded windows and beamed ceilings, combined with luxurious fabrics and spectacular views.

Set in the heart of one of the most picturesque Cotswold villages, The Slaughters Country Inn offers the authentic charm of a traditional village inn; exceptional food made with the best local produce, a fine selection of local ales, roaring log fires to warm the winter months and a stunning terrace for when the sun shines. The Slaughters Country Inn is perfect for a country break where wellies, walks and unwinding are the order of the day. The inn’s 25 guestrooms and six charming cottages each blend the traditional features of the oldest part of the house with contemporary design.

Vinings Restaurant at Gloucester Docks, is aptly named as it occupies the ground floor of Vinings Warehouse with an addition of a contemporary steel and glass structure. These two dining areas have their own distinct characters. The original Vinings ground floor has low ceilings which help to create an intimate and cosy atmosphere and the new space is open and airy with wonderful views. Both dining areas serve a buffet-style range of Indian and Thai dishes. For lunch and dinner enjoy the freedom to choose from a wide variety of starters, main courses and desserts at a set price. You will be spoilt for choice.

SAMPLE MENU

S TA R T E R 18 Thai and Indian starters including a variety of assorted salads

S TA R T E R Seared scallops with grilled sardine, hazelnut pesto, celery jelly and winter truffle

S TA R T E R Cured Loch Duart salmon with capers, horseradish and cucumber dressing

MAIN 18 Thai and Indian main courses with a selection of rices and noodles DESSERT Ice creams and a variety of other puddings

MAIN Breast of partridge with red onion and port purée, creamed leek, confit leg sausage and baby beets DESSERT Praline parfait with milk chocolate aero, toasted hazelnuts, dark chocolate sorbet

MAIN Chargrilled pork cutlet with mesclun leaves and house fries DESSERT Steamed sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream

@GLmagazine | 55

Country Dining Our chefs are passionate about the food they serve and know that when it comes to quality, it is the little things that count. That is why we only use the ﬁnest seasonal ingredients and source the best local produce available. Our breakfasts, lunch and dinner menus will only ever be made using the ﬁnest wholesome ingredients, turning every bite into a mouth watering delight. Breakfast: 07.00am - 09.30am Monday - Friday, 07.30am - 10.00am Saturday and Sundays only Lunch: 12.00 noon - 3.00pm Monday - Friday

“This charming restaurant offers an array of tasteful food”

Sunday Lunch is served between 12.00 noon - 2.00pm Dinner: 7.00pm - 9.30pm Monday - Sunday

Down Hatherley Lane, Gloucester, GL2 9QA

www.hatherleymanor.com

01452 733261

“This hotel restaurant… shows an outpost can be a success.” Jay Rayner, The Observer

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Showhomes showcase life in idyllic Minchinhampton The opening of two new show homes makes Spring the perfect time to visit The Paddocks, the popular new development by Lovell in the idyllic Cotswold town of Minchinhampton. The four-bedroom showpiece properties exemplify the Style, Quality and Value of Lovell’s brand-new homes in this picturesque hilltop town and are proving a major hit with visitors. “We’ve been bowled over by the positive response to our new show homes,” says Julie Bowen, Lovell field sales manager. “From the start, the developments - The Paddocks and Old Common Mews - have attracted a large amount of interest and our impressive four-bedroom Ilford and Chelford show homes have boosted this even further by providing a fantastic showcase. Visitors at the launch weekend - when three homes were reserved - were particularly impressed by the show homes’ modern, luxurious styling and high standard of specification and finishing. They love the way our designers have dressed them in a way which is classic but with a contemporary twist, so they feel modern and fresh.”

Inspirational style The properties have been given highly distinctive treatments by the professional design team from Bristol-based Jane Clayton Associates. The Chelford house style has a warmer feel and is dressed in glowing taupes and golds with red and pink accents, complemented by furniture in natural wood. In contrast, the Ilford house type has a cooler palette of ivory, cream and grey lifted with turquoise, mauve and blue accents and elegant painted cream furniture. Both properties are full of inspirational ideas including fabulous feature walls using luxe designer wall papers, imaginative bedrooms for both children and teenagers and stunning centrepiece light ﬁttings. Lovell has a range of two-, three- and four-bedroom homes currently available

at the development. For buyers looking for an impressive detached family home with an abundance of flexible, well-designed accommodation, the four-bedroom Chelmsford house style, available at £429,995 (£343,996 price after Help to Buy Equity Loan*) would be an ideal choice. Its ground floor features the open plan kitchen, utility room and dining room, a stunning space for cooking and entertaining, while the kitchen itself has a super-stylish SMEG range cooker and Bosch integrated fridge freezer and dishwasher. There is a separate living room with French doors leading to the garden while the ground-floor layout is completed by the hall and cloakroom. Upstairs is the master bedroom with Hammonds fitted wardrobe and en-suite facilities, plus three other bedrooms and the family bathroom. For buyers looking for a three-bedroom property, Lovell has just one of the popular Holmeswood house styles - a detached home with single garage - still available at £345,995 (£276,796 price after Help to Buy Equity Loan*). The semi-detached three-bedroom Northwood house type - with single garage is also available at £309,995 (£247,996 price after Help to Buy Equity Loan*). In addition, Lovell has a selection of twobedroom semi-detached homes - Lovell’s Garston house style - all with dedicated parking, available from £237,995 (£190,396 price after Help to Buy Equity Loan*). Ideal for a family, this carefully-designed two-bedroom property features a generous living / dining

room with French doors to the garden, kitchen, hall and cloakroom on the ground floor. The first floor accommodation features two good-sized bedrooms - including the master bedroom with Hammonds fitted wardrobe - and the family bathroom.

Location, location, location Situated in the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Minchinhampton is just over three miles from Stroud and nine-and-a-half miles from Cirencester. Located between two valleys and surrounded by glorious countryside and common land, this attractive market town is full of character, with many buildings dating from the 17th and 18th century. It was recently seen in the television adaptation of J K Rowling’s novel The Casual Vacancy which was ﬁlmed locally. The town has its own shops and amenities but it’s also easy to get to other nearby Cotswold centres such as Stroud, Cirencester or Nailsworth while the railway stations in Stroud and Stonehouse provide direct access to London in a little over 90 minutes. To ﬁnd out more, contact the sales team on 01453 557 259 or visit the marketing suite and showhomes, open 7 days a week at The Paddocks, Minchinhampton, Nr Stroud GL6 9EW. You can also download the Lovell Homes app - now available on iPad and Android devices - by searching for Lovell Homes in the App Store or visit

lovellnewhomes.co.uk

Now pay

less on Stamp Duty! Ask for details.

Images show the Ilford showhome interiors featuring optional extras up to an additional £3,665

Chelford and Ilford showhome exteriors

The Paddocks, Minchinhampton Beautiful homes inside and out If you’re a homeowner looking to move up, downsize, or even step sideways, you can use our Helping Hands Plus Scheme together with a Government-backed Help to Buy Equity Loan*, to get you moving into your brand new Lovell home sooner than you think. Visit us today at this stunning development of 2, 3 & 4 bedroom homes in the picturesque market town of Minchinhampton to ﬁnd out more.

Tel: 01453 557 259 @lovell_uk

/lovellhomes

lovellnewhomes.co.uk

Search ‘Lovell homes’ Available on the iPad

Helping Hands Plus

Help to Buy Equity Loan *Move in with just a 5% deposit and 75% mortgage. Those looking to buy with Help to Buy require a 5% deposit as the government will provide up to 20% of the value of the property in an equity loan, allowing buyers to access mortgages of up to the remaining 75%. The equity loan is interest free for the ﬁrst ﬁve years, and can be repaid at any time or when you sell your home. Scheme available on selected properties in England, on homes up to £600,000. Helping Hands Plus Scheme is available on selected properties and subject to qualifying criteria, terms and conditions, valuation and contract. Lovell cannot advise you on a mortgage. YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE OR ANY DEBT SECURED ON IT. Subject to terms and conditions. Please ask for further details. Information correct at time of going to print, 7th April 2015.

Lettings & Property Management Established 1965

morgan associates

1965 - 2015

Celebrating 50 years of letting In Cheltenham - Locally managed properties - Fully licensed & regulated - Comprehensive range of services - Qualified, experienced staff - High impact marketing - Corporate letting specialists - New web site, live in May 2015 For more information about our services, pop in or call us on 01242 514285

F L

R M C G

T E

Let Agreed

Six Bedrooms Five Bathrooms Cinema Landscaped Garden Gated Parking ÂŁ5000 pcm

Shurdington GL51 4XA

Five Bedrooms Four Bathrooms Cinema Extensive Gardens Available July 2015 ÂŁ4500 pcm

www.morgan-associates.co.uk

Montpellier GL50 3AH

For help finding your next property, contact our lettings team today on 01242 514285 or email Lettings@morgan-associates.co.uk

Rotunda Buildings Montpellier Exchange Cheltenham GL50 1SJ

T: 01242 514285 E: Info@morgan-associates.co.uk

morgan associates

Bourton-on-the-Water A beautifully presented detached house with stone barn with ancillary accommodation set in a superb elevated position with extensive views. 2 Reception rooms, Kitchen/Breakfast room, Study, Cloakroom, 4 Bedrooms (1 en-suite), Bathroom. Outbuilding with garaging, workshop, studio, playroom and storage. Landscaped Gardens. EPC rating C.

Guide Price £725,000

Bourton-on-the-Water ofﬁce 01451 820913

Stow-on-the-Wold A charming Cotswold stone house beautifully presented and with an excellent garden located on the edge of Stow-on-the-Wold. Hall, Sitting room, Kitchen/Dining room, Cloakroom, Conservatory, 3 Bedrooms, Bathroom, Large Garden, Garage, Parking. EPC rating F.

Guide Price £500,000

Stow-on-the-Wold ofﬁce 01451 830383

STOW ON THE WOLD 01451 830383

BOURTON ON THE WATER 01451 820913

STOW ON THE WOLD 01451 830383

BOURTON ON THE WATER 01451 820913

Tayler & Fletcher

Chipping Campden A versatile detached chalet bungalow with self contained ﬂat/granny annexe, offering potential to redevelop subject to the necessary permissions. Adjoining 0.97 acre paddock. 2 Reception rooms, Kitchen with Breakfast room, 3/5 Bedrooms, Bathroom, Shower room, 2 Cloakrooms, Gardens, Nissen hut, Extensive Parking, Paddock. EPC rating D.

Guide Price £750,000

Chipping Norton ofﬁce 01608 644344

Northleach A spacious and well planned detached house dating from the 1930’s set on the edge of Northleach with lovely views towards Hampnett. Hall, Sitting room, Dining room, Kitchen, Cloakroom, 3 Bedrooms, Bathroom, Garden, Garage, Parking. EPC rating E.

Guide Price £420,000

Bourton-on-the-Water ofﬁce 01451 820913

FINE ART SALES 01451 821666

CHIPPING NORTON 01608 644344

Stow-on-the-Wold T 01451 820913 FINE ART SALES CHIPPING NORTON T 01451 830383 Bourton-on-the-Water Chipping Norton T 01608 644344 01451 821666 01608 644344 www.taylerandﬂetcher.co.uk

Wellington Square, Cheltenham A Grade II listed villa in one of Cheltenham's most impressive town squares

KnightFrank.co.uk/cheltenham nick.chivers@knightfrank.com 01242 246959

Entrance hall, double drawing room, sitting room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, boot room/larder store. On the lower ground: t.v room, games room, study/office, cloakroom, shower room and 2 double bedrooms. Master bedroom suite with dressing room and en-suite bathroom, 2 further large double bedrooms and large family bathroom. Well-manicured gardens, single garage and ample parking.

Guide price: ÂŁ1,600,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/cheltenham

@KFCheltenham KnightFrank.co.uk

Tibberton, Gloucestershire An impressive Grade II listed Victorian estate on the edge of a popular village

KnightFrank.co.uk/cheltenham tom.banwell@knightfrank.com 01242 246959

Occupying a wonderfully private and slightly elevated position. Reception hall, drawing room, sitting room, dining room, orangery, study, music room and kitchen/breakfast room. Master bedroom suite, guest suite, 8 further bedrooms, laundry room and 2 playrooms. Detached 3 bedroom cottage, self-contained flat and coach house. Traditional outbuildings, stables, mature gardens and grounds. In all about 14.9 acres.

Guide price: ÂŁ1,950,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/cheltenham

@KFCheltenham KnightFrank.co.uk

PRIME RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY SALES To find out how we can help you please contact us KnightFrank.co.uk/cheltenham cheltenham@knightfrank.com 01242 246959

Guide price: ÂŁ795,000

Old Bath Road, Cheltenham An elegant Regency town house. Reception hall, drawing room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room. Master en-suite bedroom, 3 further bedrooms and bathroom. Self-contained 2 bedroom apartment. Garden, garage and off road parking. EPC Rating E. harry.bethell@knightfrank.com Office: 01242 246959

Guide price: ÂŁ935,000

Leckhampton Road, Cheltenham A beautiful triple fronted family home with character and charm. Reception hall, drawing room, dining room. kitchen/breakfast room, study, play room/bedroom, pantry, utility room and shower room, cellar. Master bedroom with en-suite, 3 further bedrooms. Walled gardens, terrace and off road parking. EPC Rating E. harry.bethell@knightfrank.com Office: 01242 246959

@KFCheltenham KnightFrank.co.uk

PRIME RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY SALES To find out how we can help you please contact us KnightFrank.co.uk/cheltenham cheltenham@knightfrank.com 01242 246959

Guide price: ÂŁ595,000

Kensington Avenue, Cheltenham A stylish semi-detached refurbished Edwardian family home. Entrance hall, drawing room, open plan sitting/dining/kitchen, pantry, utility and cloakroom. Master bedroom en-suite, 3 further bedrooms, family bathroom and shower room. Pretty garden and terrace. Permit parking. EPC Raiting C. harry.bethell@knightfrank.com Office: 01242 246959

Guide price: ÂŁ795,000

Priory Street, Cheltenham A very attractive Georgian style Grade II listed town house. Reception hall, drawing room, open plan kitchen/dining room, cloakroom. Master bedroom, 3 further bedrooms, w.c and 2 bathrooms. Self-contained lower ground 1 bedroom studio apartment. Walled garden and residents permit parking. nick.chivers@knightfrank.com Office: 01242 246959

@KFCheltenham KnightFrank.co.uk

facebook.com/struttandparker twitter.com/struttandparker

struttandparker.com Poulton | Gloucestershire

A light spacious period family house overlooking its own land, in a quiet setting just outside the village About 2.66 acres

Guide Price ÂŁ1,650,000

Ashton Keynes | Wiltshire

A beautiful Listed village house with light and spacious accommodation with delightful gardens About 1 acre

Cirencester 01285 653101

sam.trounson@struttandparker.com

Guide Price ÂŁ1,295,000

50 offices across England and Scotland, including 10 offices in Central London

Cirencester 01285 653101 | Moreton-in-Marsh 01608 650502 | Oxford 01865 366660

Cirencester 01285 653101

sam.trounson@struttandparker.com

Nr Tetbury | Gloucestershire

A charming and well presented Cotswold stone house overlooking its own land

About 9 acres

Guide Price ÂŁ1,500,000

Holwell | Oxfordshire

A beautifully presented attached barn conversion in a quiet edge of village setting

Cirencester 01285 653101

sam.trounson@struttandparker.com

Guide Price ÂŁ895,000

Cirencester 01285 653101

harry.sheppard@struttandparker.com

Bake bread. Open up.

Show the Leungs around.

Brew fresh coffee.

Stoke the ﬁre.

Small talk with the Greens.

Sold.

Celebrate an offer.

National Open House Day. Open the house. Close the sale. On Saturday 13th June, we’re bringing motivated house hunters to your doorstep. As a seller, you’ll beneﬁt from one handy day of viewings – without the hassle of appointments. With no obligation, put your house on the radar and register today. Simply go online or stop by your local ofﬁce.

15 Dyer Street, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 2PP 01285 653101 | struttandparker.com/openhouse

OWN IT

contemporary homes in gloucestershire h

OUSE hunters in Gloucestershire will be thrilled to know that Woodland View in Mitcheldean has released a new phase of contemporary homes into the scheme. Local property developer, Freeman Homes are developing the site to provide 47 fabulous new homes for the area. They were keen to build a variety of homes in different styles to give purchasers a choice of design. With 10 different styles of home, two of which being more contemporary, this development will appeal to families looking for large living accommodation, retirees wanting an easy-to-manage home as well as professional couples looking for something more contemporary in a semirural but accessible location. The ‘Longford’ style of contemporary home offers a generous 2,400 square feet and features accommodation arranged over four floors including open-plan living areas, four double bedrooms and four bathrooms. The design also incorporates large south-

facing terraces to enjoy the fantastic views over the Forest. For those seeking modern, stylish homes look no further. Knowing the importance of storage, bedrooms incorporate dressing rooms or built-in wardrobes, with additional storage built into every space possible giving these properties an advantage over others in the area. The houses also come with a garage and double driveway, as well as a private garden. Woodland View is situated at the gateway to the Forest of Dean, perfectly placed for anyone who loves the outdoors with miles of wonderful walks, some of the best bike trails nationwide and exhilarating activities including rock climbing on the doorstep. The best thing is that being only 20 minutes from Gloucester and 35 minutes from Cheltenham, these modern homes are attracting people from the surrounding towns who can enjoy a short commute to work while enjoying stylish living in a semirural location. “It’s not surprising that we have had a great

deal of interest in these homes,” says Hayley Coombs, sales and marketing manager for Freeman Homes, “They are built to a high standard and include a high specification. The Longford houses offer a rare alternative to the local market. Often contemporary homes are built in towns like Cheltenham and come with a huge price tag. We want to offer people the option of city-style living at an affordable price and in a great location.”

find out more

The sales office is open seven days a week 10am-4.30pm. Prices for the Longford homes start from £350,000 and are due for completion early autumn. To find out more about this development, visit woodlandview.info or call 01594 544271 to speak to our sales coordinators.

We can search 1,000s of mortgages for you

It could take just 15 minutes with one of our advisers. Call: 01242 505888 Visit: The Office, 26 Bath Street, Cheltenham GL50 1YA Web: www.mortgageadvicebureau.com/cheltenham Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. There will be a fee for mortgage advice. The actual amount you pay will depend upon your circumstances. The fee is up to 1% but a typical fee is 0.3% of the amount borrowed.

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82 | GLmagazine.co.uk

spendit ON YOUR BIKE: OUR GUIDE TO THE COOLEST RIDES ON THE MARKET

@GLmagazine | 83

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sit up and beg A S T H E S U N S H I N E S T H I S S U M M E R , T H E R E I S N O D O U B T T H AT B I C Y C L E S W I L L D O M I N AT E T H E R O A D S . C O R R I E B O N D - F R E N C H D I S C O V E R S M O R E A B O U T H O W C Y C L I N G I S B E C O M I N G M O R E O F A L E A D I N G F A S H I O N S TAT E M E N T

HERE are those amongst us who opt to spend Sundays squeezed into spandex astride a carbon fibre bicycle with nary a thought for the aesthetics of their steed or garb. And we’ve all seen the committed peloton devotees and winced in sympathy; the garish neon Lycra-clad cyclist, struggling to hold his place in the traffic, getting sluiced in the slipstream of rush hour commuters. But a pelo-revolution is happening across the streets of Britain. A revolution that is belting its way through highways and valleys, freewheelin’ down B roads and mud tracks, and rocking up full-pelt on the pages of, would you believe it, fashion magazines. We were a tad slow to catch on in Blighty, which is odd given our proximity to our effortlessly chic continental counterparts. You know, the ones you see gliding serenely around in non-Lycra beautifully stylish clothes in Amsterdam, Bruges, Delft and Paris. But it is now official: cycling is a fashion statement all of its own. For the ladies, this supposition became an indisputable fact in the very second that Chanel launched their quilted black vintage style bicycle. And that was hot on the heels of the surge in vintage style bikes and accessories that seemed to grow out of a return to two wheels as a means of transport with Boris’ bikes and the Olympics. But for the gents, this return to the glory days of cycling is somehow an even more sartorial affair. Bradley Wiggins had it nailed in his tweed and beard. Add a vintage-style bike, a Brooks leather saddle, a pannier bag and a vintage thermos flask and you nearly have perfection. But the pinnacle of the uber-cool on any bike is a stalwart of Brummie engineering; the vintage Miller Dynamo lamp. These beauties are a sure sign that your cyclist knows his stuff. They are the embodiment of trusted British design and industry, and a harking back to the good old days all rolled into one gorgeous polished chrome beam of sunlight. You’ll have to trawl through auction sites to get them, but they pop up regularly because dealers travel to the continent as well to source them and bring them back home. As with most things bike in this country, if the stamp states ‘Made in Birmingham’, then you know it’s a winner. It seems this was equally well understood across Europe. And similar can be said of Brooks Saddles, another Birminghambased Victorian company that has re-embraced its past, slogan and all, and is still turning out the same leather saddles and accessories as it was over 100 years ago. What a difference a few years can make. There is now no shortage of

84 | GLmagazine.co.uk

bicycle accessories available for your trusty new steed. A whole new industry has been spawned in the muddy puddles of rediscovered two-wheel freedom and bike lust. From baskets and baker’s crates up front, to leather-bound lunch boxes, saddle bags and picnic blanket holders. There are even sheepskin saddle covers for those chillier rides. There are leather wine-bottle carriers for those trips to the vineyard (or, let’s be honest here, Oddbins) and there are bespoke bike picnic hampers from niche haute luggage designers There is now even a Tweed Run, a Birmingham-born, London-based day of stylish cycling, set up in 2009 by a Brooks employee, in which all participants dress in tweed of one variation or another. There is no such thing as over-dressing for this event, and cycling enthusiasts such as Ewan McGregor turn up to cycle through the capital’s streets as stylishly en masse as it is possible to imagine. There’s a deerstalker here, some plusfours on a Penny Farthing there, and perhaps even the odd slick of moustache wax as Poirot’s spiritual children take pride in all of their handlebars for the day. They stop off for tea and picnics, help each other out with punctures and end the day with a jolly knees up. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it? So, decisions have to be made. Do you: a) Opt for the vintage butcher’s bike like the one you coveted at Goodwood, and indulge in a new hobby in vintage restoration? Or b) Get a bespoke vintage-style bike made by Bristol-based Turner Bikes? Or c) Opt for a handmade vintage-style work of art from companies such as Beg Bicyles? Summer is coming and cycling really is one of life’s simplest pleasures; a slice of childhood and freedom, and there’s nothing that you can’t now get for your new pride and joy. If Jack Kerouac could have his time again, ‘On the Road’ would be on a bicycle. If Bob Dylan was Freewheelin’ again, it would be on a bicycle. If Donna Summer had written ‘Ring my Bell’ now, it would be on a bicycle. You get the gist. Now get the bike of your dreams.

SPEND IT

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objects of

desire T H E C OT S W O L D AUCTION COMPANY AUCTIONEER AND DIRECTOR LIZ POOLE EXPLAINS WHY SPECIALIST AUCTIONS AND LIVE INTERNET BIDDING TO

The last few years have seen vintage and designer costumes increasingly attracting buyers from around the world with top prices achieved here in the Cotswolds. This rare Alexander McQueen ‘Runway’ black cashmere coat and embroidered and beaded skirt, 1998, from the Joan of Arc collection, was recently auctioned with an estimated value of £7,000-£10,000.

The Chinese market continues to draw intense competition in the salerooms – for ivory, jade, porcelain, silver, bronzes, lacquer, watercolours and this gorgeous Chinese embroidered silk altarcloth, which made a top price of £11,500.

WORLDWIDE BUYERS AT T R A C T T O P P R I C E S FOR A WIDE RANGE O F C O L L E CTA B L E , UNUSUAL AND S O U G H T- A F T E R I T E M S

Modern works of art by well-known artists are a buoyant market. School Prints were produced in 1937-8 to hang in the classrooms of less privileged children, giving them access to the greatest art of the day. A single-owner collection of these prints recently auctioned, included a colour lithograph by Julian Trevelyan (1910-1988) entitled “Harbour”, estimated at £150-£250.

“This 17th-century English Delft mug was found by my co-director Lindsey Braune, on a local probate valuation, tucked at the back of a china display cabinet,’’ explains Liz. Research established that the mug, which carried the arms of the Worshipful Company of Salters, was a very rare 1674 piece by the Southwark factory in London. After spirited competition from phone bidders, online bids and specialist buyers in a hushed room, the mug realised an amazing £82,000, believed to be a record for an English Delft mug.

SPEND IT

These are the sort of items a family could easily overlook, hidden away in the drawer of a desk. A collection of fountain pens, some still with original labels, sold in total for more than £1,200. “Small collectable items which can travel the world and not take up too much room in today’s homes are increasingly popular with buyers at the moment,’’ says Liz.

In a special silver sale, this handsome 18th century Indo-Portuguese filigree silver casket brought many interested bidders from across the world. It made its owners very happy by racing above the £1,000-£2,000 estimate and selling for a final figure of £6,000 in the Cheltenham Chapel Walk saleroom.

Stamps – and particularly top end stamp collections – are seen as an excellent investment these days. With investors looking elsewhere than the banks, enthusiasts seek out the finest collections and this Stanley Gibbons New Imperial two-volume collection was bought by a thrilled collector for £42,000. “This will be my pension,” he told the auctioneers.

The lady who owned this diamondencrusted Patek Philippe watch was extremely happy with a result of £5,800. Liz said “I remember her bringing the watch to show me at one of our regular Thursday free valuation mornings in Cheltenham. She made me and my colleagues laugh by showing us her current, easy-to-wear watch, which she loved and had cost less than £50!’’

RICS qualified directors Liz Poole and Lindsey Braune hold regular free valuation mornings at both Cheltenham and Cirencester and are happy to visit clients in their own home for valuations of furniture, fine arts and collectables. C O N TA C T T H E O F F I C E S O N 0 1 2 8 5 642420 OR 01242 256363 OR E-MAIL THE AUCTIONEERS ON INFO@COTSWOLDAUCTION.CO.UK

@GLmagazine | 89

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driveit I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H

Williams Morgan @GLmagazine | 91

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the modern

classic

PETROLHEAD ALEX CALLAGHAN GRABBED THE O P P O R T U N I T Y T O T E S T- D R I V E T H E

N E W M O R G A N P LU S 4 I N T H E G LO R I O U S C OT S W O L D C O U N T R Y S I D E

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DRIVE IT

LORIOUS spring sunshine - is there any other way to drive an iconic sports tourer? The conditions were perfect to test drive a beautiful Morgan Plus 4 and I had a smile like a Chesire cat when I arrived at Williams Automobiles in Chipping Sodbury. Much like Morgan, Williams Automobiles are a long-standing family-run business, selling and maintaining Morgan’s for more than 100 years. I was shown the controls, given the keys and told to go and enjoy myself. I didn’t need telling twice. Now, if you have never seen or heard of Morgan, firstly I would ask how has the weather been on Mars for the last century? Secondly I would probably talk you through the aspects of hiring a Morgan for a few days. Morgan have been hand-building sports cars from their Malvern base since 1914. Their cars are as iconic and British as high tea and The Royal Family. The cars themselves are stripped back to the bare essentials.No power steering, no ABS, no radio. Just four wheels or even sometimes three, some seats and a steering wheel. Luckily for me the Plus 4 I drove had a heater. If you are looking for satellite navigation and an air scarf, you are probably fishing in the wrong pond.

However, what you do get is a car that is eye-wateringly beautiful from any angle, a heart-warming feeling of heritage and one of the most rewarding driving cars you will ever step foot in. You will get a hand-built chassis that makes this car as agile as a Spitfire and handcrafted ash frame which will have taken a highly skilled craftsman hours to get every single tenon joint and curve in the right place. You also get a coach-built aluminium body which is sleek and seamless, including a bonnet with hand-stamped louvers, which, when sat in the driver’s seat, seems to go on for ever. Plus there’s an interior that takes no less than four leather hides and more than 30 hours to complete. Last but not least, there’s an extremely simple vinyl roof that even I can put up and down single-handedly within a couple of minutes. Morgan really have hit the nail on the head combining traditional grass root skills with the latest in production technology to put the cars together. All of this is what makes this car so special and is enough to take my eyes away from any Teutonic sports cabriolet. Getting in and out of the Morgan is a procedure that needs to be met head on, a step-by-step procedure that allows you to remain graceful and stylish without landing on the floor. Once you have @GLmagazine | 93

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mastered this it becomes second nature even for me, the most unathletic pub dweller. The Plus 4 is one of the most rewarding cars I have ever driven. The controls take a little getting used to but these are the little nuances that make the overall experience so special. All the pedal controls are light and thanks to the lack of electronic interferences you really feel connected to the car and the road. The floor mounted pedal box is the biggest difference, different to most day-to-day cars but a staple for anything a little sportier. You have to be on your A-game when driving, the controls are so responsive that a slightly fluffed gear change will be seen and heard by all. And, with a car like this, there will be plenty watching. There isn’t a great deal of storage space but a frugal packer will be able to make the most of what is there. A small shelf behind the seats is probably enough for a couple of overnight bags and failing that there is a large rack over the spare wheel that you could strap larger luggage to. The Plus 4 is powered by a 2.0 16V Ford unit that produces 154 BHP and 148 Ft lb of torque which in a car that weighs less than my wallet after a good night out is more than enough. In fact it’s an absolute hoot. The mix of induction noise and the raspy exhaust note is a lovely sound track to take in. I especially like the pops and bangs on over run. It is quintessentially Morgan and confirms there is no need for a radio. There is a Mazda 5 speed gearbox paired to this which is a perfect match and there always seems to be enough torque in any gear. The interior is as pretty as the outside; sumptuous leather seats of any colour can be specified as well as the combination of carpet and wood dashboard. The chrome wrapped Smiths dials give you as much information as you need, although the speedometer is a little redundant. As you sit lower to the ground than an Olympic luge medallist you feel like you are doing 100mph everywhere. To finish the interior there is a wood wrapped Mota-Lita steering wheel with a Morgan embellished chrome boss, small inputs will make the Morgan dart from apex to apex. The lack of any driver aids does make this car a bit of a handful around town, you really need to grab the car by the scruff of its neck on the worst of the roads. But I’ll let it off – when you stretch its legs on the open road it’s an altogether different beast. When parking you must remember that you are sitting at the very back of the car so you have the entire length of the bonnet to get in before you do. Fortunately visibility is unhindered and after driving the car for a

while you will get a feel for the size and the way it turns into spaces. The Morgan is as happy cruising along the motorway as it is darting through the twists and turns of country lanes. Surprisingly for a soft top there isn’t a lot of buffeting even at 70mph. The only thing I would say is make sure you apply some suncream. After driving the Morgan for a couple of days I have changed colour. But that says more about me than the car to be fair. Buying a Morgan is more than just buying another car. You become part of the extended Morgan family. There are countless Morgan owners clubs up and down the country that would be more than happy to have new members for meets and rallies. There are events throughout the year set up by Morgan and dealers alike that bring fans and owners together. Furthermore, this is a car that breeds happiness. I can’t remember driving a car where so many people wave, say hello or ask about it. It’s definitely not a car for shrinking violets. Prices start from just £31,750 + VAT but expect that to go up when configuring a new one. Tours of the Malvern-based factories are encouraged and if you are buying a car or just fancy a look around the last family-owned British car manufacture and birthplace of every Morgan, these can be arranged. You can, should you wish, watch your own car being built. Williams Automobiles have a selection of quality used Morgans available so if you don’t want to wait for a bespoke new car you can be motoring a lot quicker than you think. Or if you just want to dip your toes into the wonderful world of Morgan there is the option to rent a Plus 4 from as little as £179 for a day. Williams are offering you, the discerning GL reader, an inviting 10 per cent off any rental throughout May whether that be for a day or a week. I guarantee that it will give you more smiles per mile than anything you have driven before.

find us Williams Morgan WILLIAMS AUTOMOBILES TOT T E R O A K C O U R T YA R D , H O R TO N , C H I P P I N G S O D B U R Y, B R I S T O L B S 3 7 6 Q G 01454 315112 • WILLIAMSAUTOMOBILES.COM

The Morgan Plus 4

94 | GLmagazine.co.uk

DRIVE IT

top marks LO N G F O R T H E O P E N R O A D W I T H S P E CTA C U L A R S C E N E R Y AT E V E R Y T U R N ? TA K E A S P I N ON SOME OF THE MOST MOST E X H I L A R AT I N G D R I V I N G R O A D S IN EUROPE

va-va-voom B R I N G A L I T T L E B I T O F I TA L I A N C H I C T O Y O U R U R B A N COMMUTE WITH THESE PRETTY LITTLE VESPAS

vespa gts touring abs 300 This fizzy little number is sure to speed up your inner-city motoring. Thoroughly modern but with more than a hint of classic Vespa design this scooter is kitted with LED running lights and ABS and ASR. This bike is sure to be safe and stylish on the mean streets of the urban jungle. From £4,792.

Top Marques Events Ltd – a team of motoring experts based near Cheltenham – have launched a series of bepoke escorted car tours. They research and plan an exclusive selection of unique driving journeys for classic, prestige and supercar owners. Not only are the routes among the best touring roads in the UK and Europe, but you’ll also stay in some of the most luxurious hotels as part of the package. Covering the most beautiful landscapes in the UK and Europe, the tours can vary in length from three to eight days and are exclusive, with no more than 20 cars on each trip. Upcoming trips include a journey through the Swiss Alps in July – taking in the famous Simplon and Gotthard Passes – and a tour of Irish castles in late September. There are also future plans to run tours around the Thames Valley, Cotswolds, Lake District and Scotland with owners of vintage, classic or more modern supercars all welcomed. Prices range from £5,000 to £6,500 and include a crew of two. Visit topmarquesevents.com or call 07722 596112.

vespa gts 300 abs If ever there was a little scamp of a scooter this has to be it. Sleek, stylish, sporty and effortlessly charming, this scooter is perfect for zipping in and out traffic while adding a bit of Mediterranean colour to your urban route. It is available with either a 125cc or a 300cc engine. From £4,692.

vespa px150 Possibly the cutest thing on two wheels. The Vespa PX150, also available as a 125, oozes classic Italian design and is loved wherever it goes. Looking almost identical to the original Vespa launched back in 1974, the PX150 is the epitome of scooter cool. From £3,371.

@GLmagazine | 95

Shaun Pegler and Stephen Corner

George Workman and Roseanne McEwan

THE SOCIAL NETWORK Guests gathered at the launch of the Gloucestershire Business Awards 2015 at Cheltenham Racecourse

ÂŠ Ke v i n Fe r n P h o t o g ra p h y

Catherine Anderson and Mark Owen

Ta n i t h H a r d i n g a n d Naomi Howells

Sarah Bryars

Matt Holmes

Nicola Goldsmith and Emma Cutler

Tr u l a B r u n s d o n

earn it F A M I LY T I E S : H O W J A M E S BOND AUTHOR IAN FLEMING WAS WRAPPED UP WITH A G LO U C E ST E R S H I R E B U S I N E S S

@GLmagazine | 97

EARN IT

what’s on in business

building bridges with bond

Alan Titchmarsh, Caroline Tatham amd James Alexander-Sinclair visiting the RHS Malvern Show Garden last year ANDREW MERRELL GIVES AN INSIGHT I N T O T H E U P C O M I N G B I G B R E A K FA S T NETWORKING EVENTS

ATENDEES at this month’s Three Counties Big Breakfast will get access to the popular RHS Malvern Spring Festival on Thursday, May 7, for just £18 per person – £21 off the price at the gate. The 2015 programme of the breakfasts at the Three Counties Showground was launched with guest speaker Jonathan Wells, head of design at Morgan Motors.

SOFTWARE BUSINESS

The breakfasts, staged by Cheltenhambased Harrison Clark Rickerbys Solicitors and Gloucester-headquartered Bruton Knowles, provide a stage for successful business leaders and entrepreneurs to share the challenges and celebrate the successes of living and working in the Three Counties. The events showcase leading businesses who will share their insight into what makes their organisation the success it is today and allows attendees to get up close and experience their products and services. At May 7’s event, James Alexander-Sinclair, garden designer and TV presenter, will talk about the business of garden design and garden shows for modern audiences. He has designed show gardens at RHS Chelsea Flower as well as for clients around the world and in his spare times has written for national newspapers. On Thursday, September 10, Jane Furze, director of Cheltenham Literature Festival, will give a behind-the-scenes glimpse into what it is like to host 500 events and more than 600 speakers each year. She enjoyed a corporate, international marketing career for 25 years before deciding to switch to the charitable sector. Cheltenham Literature Festival was founded in 1949 and is the oldest in the world. The Big Breakfasts are aimed at chief executives, managing directors and senior management. The cost is £18 per person per event.

diary date

Is your business located in Waterwells or Olympus Business Park, Quedgeley? Could you talk to students to help them gain an understanding of the world of work on June 4 or 5, in a 30-minute visit, as part of our Workplace Visits for schools? GFirst LEP would love to hear from you; contact the business group at ebp@gfirst.co.uk for more details. 98 | GLmagazine.co.uk

KALLIDUS REVEAL THEIR LINKS TO 007. ANDREW MERRELL FINDS OUT MORE

OLLOW the clues correctly and you will discover an intriguing connection between fast-growing Cirencesterbased training software business Kallidus and the world-famous British spy James Bond. Okay, it’s not an easy trail to follow, but it is just one of the facets of a deal struck by the Gloucestershire business recently that makes the firm worthy of attention. Ensuing investment from the deal – a partnership with FF&P Private Equity – is expected to continue to drive double-digit annual growth and create potentially 200plus jobs over the next few years. FF&P, a London finance house with an exclusive Mayfair address, bought into the Gloucestershire business after a 34 per cent stake was released by Westbridge SME Fund. FF&P’s expertise will help drive the promised future growth. Here lies the connection to secret agent 007. FF&P – Fleming Family & Partners – can count the former financier, late author and James Bond creator Ian Fleming as a family member. The Observer newspaper described FF&P as “like James Bond himself, ultra-discreet,

highly discriminating – and more than a little bit dashing.” As for Kallidus, formerly e2train, one of its founding fathers, Rob Caul, remains postdeal as chief executive officer. An engineer by training, his career path led him on an unplanned but perfect curve through finance and sales, so that by 2002 he felt he had the skills to help shape a potentially bright future for the then fledgling outfit that would become Kallidus. “When I look back there were just three of us 10 years ago and today we are already on our fourth set of offices. It is sometimes a case of ‘blimey!’,”said Rob, 42, a father of two and fan of Gloucester Rugby who lives in South Gloucestershire. “I remember when we were 25 people. Now we are 80 people. Our plans will hopefully take us to 200 to 300 people. That is a result of the new investment with FF&P.That is in the next three to four years.” He added: “We have been growing at 20 to 25 per cent year-on-year and going forward that is at least what we will look to do.” “We are constantly looking forward.” Business, he said, was helped by Kallidus

Rob Caul

be inspired A N D R E W M E R R E L L TA K E S A RIDE WITH STROUDBASED BUSINESSMAN P H I L TAY LO R ANYONE who is into the apparently fast evolving world of hand-made bicycles would have had all eyes on Bristol at the tail end of last month. The considerable and growing interest in Bespoked – The UK Handmade Bicycle Show 2015 – can be put down in no small part to a Gloucestershire couple. The show, which has grown steadily over the last five years – moving from its Bristol base only once, to become the first post-London Olympics 2012 event in the Lee Valley VeloPark – now attracts thousands. It is the brainchild of Stroud-based Phil Taylor and wife and business partner Tessa. Together the couple run not just the now annual event, but also their day-to-day bread and butter business – the handmade bicycle company Libertine.

being a market leader in a fastdeveloping sector where competition came mainly from the United States. The sector growth, he said, had been driven in no small part by a realisation from companies of the potential of online or digital-based training. Not least in cost-savings. On the shopping list will be a range of expertise as the company expects to look to fill positions including multimedia developers, project managers and software designers. “We are in a position of constant recruitment,” said Rob. Valerie Kendall,a partner with outgoing WestBridge Capital, was full of praise for Rob and his management team.

“I think people are looking for something alternative. I think people are realising that for general day-to-day riding carbonframed bikes are not always the best option,” said Phil, explaining the growing cult of the hand-made bicycle. “I often liken what we do to being measured for a bespoke suit. The tailor does not just cut the cloth to fit, you choose the cloth as well – or in this case which Reynolds tubing you want. “I will take measurements and we will talk about what they want the bike for. Cycling is such a diverse pastime from racers to club tourers to hipsters to parents whose kids are interested in cycling. “I have just had an order come in from a Swiss businessman,” said Mr Taylor, who then sprays the frames to suit. Libertine’s workshop is the former home of the factory which made the Baughan motorcycle and sidecars in Stroud in the 1920s.

“They have transformed Kallidus in recent years, such that it now has a market leading SaaS product, robust internal systems and a comprehensive management structure,” said Valerie.

EARN IT

bite-size business

THE SCIENCE OF THE HANDSHAKE

FIRST impressions count. It has been said that we judge to what extent we like someone within the first three seconds of meeting them. We can see what they are wearing and what they look like and before we have even said a word we have made an opinion – tip, look at their shoes. You can tell a lot about someone by their shoes. But the handshake, this is when it gets personal and when relationships, especially in business, are at a make-orbreak point. Shaking hands is a real skill, and it is something that can take years to get right. There is no real how-to guide on best practice but there are a few essentials that you need to be aware of, especially when meeting clients. Follow these tips to be within a chance of getting it right… Grip. Keep it firm, smile and maintain eye contact. A feeble handshake makes you look weak, insincere and pathetic. Although too firm and you can come across as a domineering bully. Sweaty palms. No, just no. Unless you want people to think you’ve got a medical problem. The elbow grab. Again no. It’s a bit too keen and to be honest a tad weird. Length of shake. Too short and you might as well not have bothered. Too long and you scare people. Keep it long enough to make a positive impression – a few seconds is about right. Motion. A quick up and down is ideal. Lots of movement makes people think you are pulling them around.

READ IT / DOWNLOAD IT Are You Fully Charged? The 3 Keys to Energizing Your Work and Life Tom Rath Missionday released May 21

Seducing Strangers – How to Get People to Buy What You’re Selling John Kounios and Mark Jung-Beeman Joshua Weltman Workman Publishing Company

APP OF THE MONTH Adobe eSign Manager DC Free to download iTunes App Store

Turnover, profitability and employee numbers all trebled during WestBridge’s holding period. P h i l Ta y l o r

Available to download for free through the Apple iTunes App Store, eSign Manager enables you to e-sign documents and forms and send them to others for signatures, track responses in real time and get e-signatures instantly with in-person signing. It even lets you work offline and syncs automatically when you’re back online.

@GLmagazine | 99

EARN IT

know your roots W H AT G O E S I N T O S E T T I N G U P A N E W C O F F E E B U S I N E S S ? A N D R E W M E R R E L L C H AT S T O A N ENTREPRENEUR

Ian Meredith

OMETHING is brewing in Kingsholm. Roots Coffee & Community opened at the tail-end of last year and excitement continues to bubble around the venture.

“We talked about what our vision is what are the tangible ways of measuring this? So we are not working on four or five ways of measuring this that we can run alongside profitability.

It is a difficult project to define – a business run by a group for the benefit of the community – a social enterprise seeking to support itself and plough any profits back into the neighbourhood and beyond.

“We want to be able to look at things like the success of the activities we are staging for the community and what demographic we are reaching.”

The venture opened last October after months of hard work by a team of volunteers who put their own money into launching the project. Key was purchasing the former Co-op building in Alvin Street, Gloucester, left empty since the 1950s and renovating and refitting it as a café, kitchen with an upstairs hall for community and business use. “There is a brilliant team of about 20 of us who have put thousands of hours into making this happen. That has saved a huge amount of money as well,” said businessman Ian Meredith, who together with his wife Alyson has been at the forefront of the project. He runs the city-based coffee business Ethical Addictions. At the core of the Roots project is a team headed by a committee of five. On the eve of six months since opening it was time to take a good look at itself. “One of the supporters of the project paid for a consultant to come in. With business, it is all about the bottom line. With Roots our measurement of success is our impact on the community. But at the same time, we can’t achieve that without a profit,” said Ian.

Events include everything from board game evenings, family events and active dads groups to full-on election debates featuring all the prospective parliamentary candidates for Gloucester, yoga, keep fit healthy living course. Supported by some small grants early on to help with start-up costs the team is determined the business stands on its own two feet and any future funds it applies for will be to help expand the list of activities being provided for the community through its premises. “On the business side you have to tweak things. You set off with a business plan which writes up what you think something will cost and it will end up costing more or less. Sometimes you will generate more income, sometimes less. “We are not making a profit yet, but we are making more than we were, say two months ago. We aim to be sustainable within two years – so we aim to be profitable by then and to then aim to grow that profitability.” Nevertheless, enough excitement has surrounded the venture for others to have already begun approaching them to learn just how they are bringing their vision of community transformation to life.

L a d y M a v i s , PJ C r o o k , S i m o n Probert, mayor of Cheltenham Simon Wheeler and Sandra Wheeler

THE SOCIAL NETWORK The Art for Carers 2015 exhibition opened at Gloucester Cathedral

ÂŠ To m W r e n - T h o u s a n d W o r d M e d i a

Ros Middlecote

Simon and Becky Parish

Andrew and To n y R e v e l l

Mandy and Simon Message, Christabel Shaw and chairman of Carers Gloucestershire Simon Probert

Roger Matthews, Lyn Amos and Richard Crook

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fight flight OR

WITH RECENT TRAGEDIES IT’S NO

WONDER SO MANY PEOPLE SUFFER F R O M A F E A R O F F LY I N G . O N E

E X P E R T I N C H E LT E N H A M I S T R Y I N G T O C H A N G E T H A T. A D A M H U R R E L L FINDS OUT MORE

COME fl fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away, if you could use some exotic booze, there’s a bar in far Bombay, come fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away…” Frank Sinatra first sang those unforgettable lyrics in 1958, when commercial flights were a relatively new phenomena surrounded by glamour and adventure. Nowadays, flying is taken for granted and an everyday mode of transport. With the holiday season approaching and more and more of us looking to take advantage of affordable breaks abroad with sandy beaches and guaranteed sunshine, the need to fly has never been so imperative. For many people though, flying is far from fun and, although they probably could use some exotic booze in a bar in far Bombay, the thought of getting on a plane is such an intimidating prospect they are staying well and truly on the ground, where the air is not so rarefied and where there certainly won’t be any floating down to Peru. An estimated one in three people suffer from aerophobia, otherwise known as a fear of flying. Help is at hand though in the form of Linda Gillatt of Welcome Coaching. Based in the Isbourne Holistic Centre in Cheltenham, Linda, who has been practising for nine years, is a qualified neurolinguistic programming master practitioner and an Ericksonian hypnotherapist. She offers treatments to help people overcome their fear of flying, enabling them to, if not enjoy flying, cope with it at the very least. As Linda explains, “There is always a cause (to aerophobia). The cause may be something so insignificant that the person can’t remember it. “Aerophobia provokes the ‘flight or fight’ reflex. Anticipation flips the adrenal glands into action to flood our bodies with an excess of adrenaline that has nowhere to go, thus keeps racing around and 104 | GLmagazine.co.uk

amplifying in quantity. This – in most cases brings on a panic attack and reduces a person to a state of great angst. There are varying degrees of aerophobia and each individual is different. Some people believe that it’s their distaste at having someone (else) in complete control of their lives, others may suffer from claustrophobia, but for each belief – there is a reason which has added attachments to it. They then become more focused on news stories of crashes etc, which adds to their fear.” Linda also described how it is possible to be totally phobia free one minute and then wracked with fear the next. “Many years ago I was doing a lot of flying. I was about to walk onto a plane when I couldn’t put my foot over the step to enter it. I turned around and I walked back up the ramp into the lounge. I missed that flight. Flights although they were a necessity to my life, became nightmares which I had to battle through – even taking a doctor with me on a flight to Singapore. I had this fear of panicking and making a fool of myself.” Luckily for Linda she overcame her fear and now works with a huge range of people to help them do the same. People visit Linda for a variety of reasons but she believes that being able to fly confidently is key to modern life. “With flying – it’s a necessity. As overseas jobs become more common and holidays abroad more affordable - the world has become increasingly available through planes and flights. Flying is now factored into our lives.” Treatments start with a good chat so that Linda can learn to understand her client and how she can best help them. “First and foremost I must build a rapport with my client so they know they can trust me. Having a phobia or fear is a very personal, almost shaming factor and a person would often rather hide it than admit it. Once that is quickly established I let my client talk. By watching their faces, breathing and posture (an NLP construct) and listening, I can tell what really is going on in their minds. It’s thorough, very effective and allows me to build up a direction to take. Depending on the person and their degree of fear, I use

a combination of NLP and Ericksonian hypnosis. (Ericksonian hypnosis works on the unconscious mind). The process is like peeling an onion – layer by layer – until the centre is all that’s left – and that’s what we work on.” The length of course that clients take depends on their needs, explains Linda, but aerophobia is something that can be treated as a quick-fix, perhaps before a holiday; “As a quick and temporary fix, I teach clients self-hypnosis with the benefit of a background music CD which was created for deep relaxation, healing and enhanced meditation – which they take with them to practice with and to use while in the air. I also teach EFT – Emotional Freedom Technique – which gives them something to do physically and gives them something to focus on. And diaphragmatic breathing exercises – all of which gives my clients effective tools with which to calm their nerves and thoughts.”

linda’s top 5 tips for travellers with aerophobia

Fundamentally, Linda’s work enables her clients to park their fears and just get on with their lives, “For all my clients, whoever they may be, they just want to be in control without obsolete behaviour patterns getting in the way.”

Always keep in mind that if you have a fear or discomfort with flying – you are one of three people on your flight feeling it too! Look around and try and pick the other ones.

find us ISBOURNE HOLISTIC CENTRE, ISBOURNE HOUSE, 3 WOLSELEY TERRACE,

Learn and use diaphragmatic breathing. It’s our natural form of breathing which allows more oxygen into our blood streams and a greater feeling of calm. Take a copy of my Five Steps to Control Panic Attacks – or at least know that panic attacks last on average a few minutes, so get through those minutes with calming diaphragmatic breathing. Knowledge is power!

GLOUCESTERSHIRE GL50 1TH

Please consider seeing a professional who can help you discover the cause so that you can deal with the effect.

CALL: 07852654174

Never think you are being irrational – you’re not!

C H E LT E N H A M ,

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MAGAZINE

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watch out

looking good

When it comes to wearable technology, smart watches are the current trendy thing, yet quite a few still look clunky and sporty – except this Moto 360. Visit the Moto Maker site and you can choose from 11 watch faces, three case finishes and you can adjust the width of the strap, allowing you to create an comfortable smart watch. In terms of the technology, it’s powered by Android Wear, responds to your voice so you can send texts on the go and comes with an activity tracker.

Offering a first-person view of what your drone is up to, the Hubsan beams imagery directly on to the handheld controller and displays it on the 4.3-inch screen. This is a superb machine for beginners to take flight, is ideal for indoor and outdoor flight (equipped with lights) and gives seven minutes of airtime from a half-hour charge. Hubsan H107D FPV X4 RC Quadcopter with Camera, £159.99, from maplin.co.uk

Moto 360 Smart Watch, from £199, motorola.co.uk/motomaker

fully mobile Fresh from the outfit largely responsible for kick-starting the entire quadcopter craze, this latest model is equipped with a camera offering a wide 180-degree view (the angle of the camera can be controlled independently from the drone itself, offering superb coverage). It can also record HD video and high-resolution still imagery and you can view your flight path on the controller via your smartphone (iOS and Android compatible). What’s more, hit the ‘rerun home’ function and the Bebop goes back to its starting point on autopilot. Pricey, but brilliant. Parrot Bebop Drone with SkyController, £749.99, from currys.co.uk

boys’ TOYS

W E ’ V E P I C K E D O U T T H E M U S T- H A V E GADGETS AND BIG-BOY TOYS TO S AT I S F Y Y O U R I N N E R C H I L D

still the best Want the best possible aerial footage? Then you want this machine, with its combination of stable flying, hovering abilities and midflight tillable camera. All the action is viewed in high-resolution via the display screen on your precision control unit. This is a serious piece of kit, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fun and easy to use too – mastering the art of in-flight filmmaking has never been more delightful. DJI Phantom 2 Vision+, £799, from heliguy.com

first class One of the finest compact cameras your money will buy, this is the leader of the pocketable snapper campaign that puts smartphones most definitely back in their place. A 20MP sensor gives enough scope to operate decently in low level light situations, the build is premium and feels solid. It’s not cheap but the results from this fine specimen speak for themselves. Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III, £639, from jessops.com

@GLmagazine | 107

E X P LO R E I T

paradise

found THE BEST BEACH FRONT ESCAPES AROUND THE WORLD

108 | GLmagazine.co.uk

E X P LO R E I T

@GLmagazine | 109

E X P LO R E I T

koh phangan

Where is it? The five-star Anantara Rasananda Koh Phangan Resort and Spa is situated in the heart of Thailand. Why go? Elegant and romantic hideaway with luscious gardens and a floating bar by the seafront. Guests are encouraged to explore the premises barefoot – pure relaxation. Price: Nightly rates from £175 per room on a B&B basis To book: anantara.com

dubrovnik

Where is it? Villa Orsula is a rustically beautiful boutique hotel in Dubrovnik.

Why go? The villa boasts breathtaking views of the Adriatic Sea, Lokrum Island and Dubrovnik Old Town. Villa Orsula also has two impressive bars – one is situated inside and includes unique features from the original building, with beautiful cloisters surrounding the bar area; the other is outside with a beautiful terrace, perfect for cocktails. Following on from the outdoor bar area are beautiful staggered gardens, which lead down to the sea and create a truly relaxed atmosphere, providing the ultimate privacy for guests. Price: Rooms start at £390 per night, which includes buffet breakfast To book: alh.hr/villa-orsula

miami

Where is it? A tropical hideout amidst the sizzling South Beach scene, The Setai, Miami Beach has become a favourite respite for high profile jetsetters. Why go? As the luxury hotel prepares to usher in its 10th anniversary, it unveils a series of special events and promotions to mark the occasion. A special Sentai $10,000 eight-course dinner will be held for a party of 10 in the hotel’s wine cellar with courses that include foie gras, lobster, Kobe beef and chocolate caviar. Price: rooms start at £392 per suite per night To book: thesetaihotel.com 110 | GLmagazine.co.uk

the maldives

Where is it? Perched in the branches of a lone tree situated on Viceroy Maldives’ pristine beach is the Treehouse bar & restaurant. Located at the island’s southernmost tip with views of the Indian Ocean, guests can relax on loungers and cushions and feast on hot or cold mezzes from the region at lunch or dinner time.

Why go? In the evening before sundown, it is the perfect spot for an intimate aperitif and after dark becomes a livelier bar serving an array of spirits, wines and cocktails including the Arabian inspired Cardamom Rum Shake to the African themed Tropical Dream. Price: £959 per night To book: viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/maldives

the algarve

Where is it? VILA VITA Parc, the Algarve’s leading luxury resort, is situated just 35 minutes by car from Faro, boasting a prime cliff top location with endless ocean views, as well as direct access to a secluded beach. Why go? The hotel provides a variety of accommodation options, from rooms and suites to private villas with pools. A true culinary experience is offered with its wide choice of cuisine, authentic Portuguese food and service, two Michelin star restaurant, an impressive wine cellar and top beach seafood restaurant as well as the Herdade dos Grous organic wine farm in the Alentejo. Price: Rooms start at £184 per night To book: vilavitaparc.com

marbella

Where is it? Puente Romano Beach Resort, member of The Leading Hotels of the World, is situated on the southern coast of Spain in the Costa del Sol within the magnificent “Golden Mile”.

Why go? Resembling an Andalusian village, the 264 luxurious Mediterranean-style guest rooms are spread in 27 three–storey villas, among 55,000 square metres of sub-tropical gardens cascading down to the Mediterranean Sea. The jewel in its chic Spanish crown is a new oceanfront Six Senses Spa which is set to open in June. Price: Rooms start at £254 per double room per night To book? puenteromano.com or call +34 952 820 900 @GLmagazine | 111

E X P LO R E I T

festival favourites HEADING TO WYCHWOOD FESTIVAL OR GLASTONBURY THIS YEAR? BE SURE TO PACK A L L T H E S E L AT E S T G A D G E T M U S T- H A V E S F R O M E N E R P L E X WITH YOU TO ENSURE YOU N E V E R LO S E P O W E R O U T I N THE FIELDS

glamping WITH FESTIVAL SEASON JUST AROUND THE CORNER, G L A M P I N G H OT S P OT S A R E M O R E P O P U L A R T H A N EVER. GL PICKS OUT SOME OF THE QUIRKIEST ESCAPES ON THE MARKET

cwmduad A peaceful woodland luxury glamping hideaway in the tranquil heart of the Teifi Valley, Carmarthenshire. Ideal for couples or families looking to get away from it all. Larkhill has different nomadic ‘glamping’ experiences (including a Mongolian Ger and a Bentwood Yurt) where visitors can explore the lush countryside then relax next to a campfire, Prices start from £240 for a three-night stay in a Native American Tipi based on four sharing. Visit larkhilltipisandyurts. co.uk or call 01559 371581.

swiss alps Adventurers after something totally different will adore Whitepod – a remote eco-camp offering stunning views and a real back-to-nature vibe. It comprises 15 igloo-shaped pods (tents) with wood burners and super-kingsize or twin beds, all clustered around a central Pod House In the summer, the pods form the ideal glamping base from which to hike, mountain bike or even dog kart around the spectacular surrounding terrain. This isn’t about noisy bars, busy streets and adrenalin junkies. Prices start from £236 per pod per night, based on two-sharing. To book, visit i-escape.com.

lanzarote

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Try glamping with a twist in this stylish eco resort in rural Lanzarote. Visit nearby volcanic caves, try water sports or take a 10-minute stroll to nearby restaurants. English owners Tila and Michelle are so eco-friendly that the entire finca is ‘off the grid’, making use of wind turbines and, solar panels. Prices start from £483 for a seven-night stay based on two sharing. Visit i-escape.com.

Travel Offers

Sri Lanka tour

12 Flying direct from London Heathrow £1499.00 Departing 15 Oct, 5 Nov 2015, 28 Jan, 3 Mar, 21 Apr, 5 days from

per person

May, 13 Oct, 10 & 17 Nov 2016 Discover and explore one of the world’s most enthralling island paradises on this wonderful escorted tour. Our price includes • Return flights from London Heathrow • Seven-night escorted tour of Sri Lanka’s major historic sights and attractions • Hill Country train journey • Yala National Park safari • Three-night resort stay • Ten nights’ half-board accommodation • Air-conditioned coach travel • Fully escorted by a tour manager

Highlights of China & Yangtze Cruise 16 Flying from London Heathrow £2099.00 Departing Jun, Sept, Oct, Nov 2015, Jan, Mar, Apr, May, per person days from

Jun, Sept, Oct & Nov 2016 Lifting the veil on one of the world’s most enthralling countries, this exciting itinerary offers a heady mix of spellbinding man-made sights both ancient and ultra-modern and some astounding natural wonders. Our price includes • Return flights to Shanghai from London Heathrow and internal flights • Tours in Shanghai, Beijing and Xi’an • Four-night, five-star Yangtze cruise on a full-board • Excursions to Great Wall & Terracotta Warriors • See the Pandas in Chengdu • Ten nights’ with breakfast, lunch plus eight dinners • Air-conditioned coach travel • Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager in China

0330 160 7791

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the sport of kings THE NEW SEASON IS ABOUT TO BEGIN AND AS ADAM HURRELL E X P L A I N S , P O LO I S G R E AT F U N , E A S Y T O U N D E R S TA N D A N D I N C R E A S I N G LY A C C E S S I B L E

HE sounds of hooves pounding on grass, deep snorting, heaving breaths, cries from the players and spectators and a ball being thwacked from the end of a grass field to another. Welcome to the game of polo. Watching a game as a novice is great because it’s fast, exciting and very easy to gain a rough idea of what’s going on. The team who score the most goals wins. Simple. Best of all, it is played over the summer, in beautiful grounds and is much more exciting than most other summer sports…like cricket. Leather on willow is all very well, but hooves and sticks seem so much more exciting. More affectionately called the ‘sport of kings’, polo was not in its entirety invented by the British. Roughly 600BC a chap in Persia thought it would be a great idea to ride around on a horse and have a bash at knocking a ball about. Turned out this brainwave was a good one and the idea caught on. The Byzantines also thought this game was jolly good fun and their ruler, Theodosius II, loved the game so much he built a dedicated stadium to the sport in the Great Palace of Constantinople. Over the next few thousand years, polo quickly spread to other parts of the central and sub-Asian continent and on to India, which was where the British picked it up. The British formalised and modernised the sport into the form that we recognise today, from the local game, Sagol Kangjei, otherwise known as Pulu. The world’s first polo club, the Calcutta Polo Club, was founded in 1862 by two British officers: Captain Robert Stewart and (later Major General) Joe Sherer. These clever chaps then brought the game home to the UK to share with their peers and in almost no time at all, polo clubs were springing up all over England and Europe. The first game of polo was played in England in Aldershot by the 10th Hussars, but it wasn’t until 1874 when the Hurlingham Polo Committee, later renamed the Hurlingham Polo Association, drew up the first set of established rules. And many years later, most of these of these rules are still in place. Polo is played on a field 300 yards long and 160 yards wide and the idea is to score goals – similar to football – only on ponies. The goals are eight yards wide and centred at each end and the main aim of the game is to score more goals than the opposition. The playing surface takes vast amounts of maintenance to keep it smooth and fast. During the course of the game the turf gets churned up and an activity known as divot stamping takes place at half time, where spectators are encouraged to go for a walk about the playing field and stamp the churned up bits of earth back down. It’s also an excellent opportunity for spectators to mingle and chat with one another. Each match is divided up into parts – called chukkas – and there are between four and eight chukkas per game that are each seven minutes long. There are different versions of polo – outdoor, indoor and county. They are all slightly different but the core elements of the game remain the same. There are two teams that play, each with four players, that are numbered one to four. Sounds obvious but your number determines

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your job on the field – just like rugby union. Player number one is the most offensive-driven player on the team, and they are supported by number two. Number three is the tactical leader on the team and has to be a powerful hitter so that they can punt the ball forward to the offensive players at the front. Finally, number four’s primary role is one of defence and they can move anywhere on the field to try and stop the opposition from scoring, while at the same time covering any loose balls from play. Think of them as the fall-back. Of course, none of this would be possible if it wasn’t for the ponies themselves. They vary in size but on average a polo pony stands at roughly 15 hands. Ponies are thoroughly trained before being let loose on the field as they need to be familiar with close-riding with other ponies and also to not be intimidated by sticks or balls flying across the ground. This process can take up to two years and the peak for playing is often when the pony is around five years old, but ponies have been known to play on until they are 18. Polo ponies are prized for being fast and agile and able to turn on a sixpence. If a polo pony was a car it would be something like a Caterham R500 – think small, light, quick and with immense handling. Polo has always had a public image of being a rather elitist sport that only the well-at-heel could play or watch. In recent decades, that reputation has been changing. Clubs aim to make themselves more appealing to both new players and spectators alike by keeping ticket prices down and offering affordable lessons as well as pony hire options. Kim Croutear, assistant polo manager at Cirencester Park Polo Club explains: “Polo is much more accessible than people think, even for beginner riders. Polo experience days introduce you to the magical sport of polo, decrypting the rules, introducing you to riding, teach you the basic shots and get you into a practice chukka, all in one day. It’s a fantastic way to spend a day and works very well as a birthday or hen/stag party or a corporate entertainment or team building day.” Perfectly timed, the polo season begins just as the rugby season draws to a close so whatever the time of year, there is still a brilliant ball game to be watched somewhere in Gloucestershire.

find us C I R E N C E ST E R PA R K P O LO C LU B GLOUCESTERSHIRE, GL7 1UR 01285 653225 CIRENCESTERPOLO.CO.UK

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the equipment

HELMET A good lid when playing polo is essential. These equestrian helmets come with a faceguard, and is often a bright colour enabling team members and spectators alike to spot who’s who on the field at long distances. Most clubs also insist on the use of kneepads and some use gloves as well. BALL The polo ball is nowadays made of plastic but in the past it was made of bamboo or willow root. At 8.3cms across and weighing in at 113.4gs the polo ball is knocked about the playing field by the polo stick. The polo stick is made of two parts. The shaft is usually constructed out of manau cane, although composite materials have been used in recent years and the head of the stick, the bit that strikes the ball, is made out of a hardwood called, tipa and is

roughly 24cms long. The size of the stick and its weight is usually determined by the size of the polo pony and the experience level of the player. Men’s sticks sometimes weigh more than those used by female players and the weight of the head often varies, with more experienced players looking for a heavier head that can give a harder hit of the ball. SHIRT Polo has its own dress code, the same as any sport. The numbers on the shirt determine the player’s role on the field. SADDLE The saddles used for polo are not dissimilar to those used in jump racing and the use of a blanket under the saddle is optional. One of the key differences for polo tack is that the stirrup irons and leathers are often more sturdy than for other types of equestrian use so as to withstand the stress of the player standing or leaning forward in the saddle for prolonged periods.

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a summer of segways S E GWAY I N G H A S B E E N A R O U N D F O R Y E A R S , B U T Y O U M I G H T N OT H AV E H A D T H E C H A N C E T O T R Y I T F O R Y O U R S E L F. H E L E N B L O W H O P P E D O N T O T H E T W O - W H E E L E D M A C H I N E T O S E E H O W E A S Y I T R E A L LY W A S

F YOU’RE after something different and fun to do this summer, why not have a go on a Segway?

These chunky-wheeled babies are perfect for zipping around on any terrain and, because they’re electrically-powered, they are also a clean, green way to get about.

Although banned from highways and pavements, they are perfect off-road vehicles and are becoming a popular part of a visit to Go Ape in the Forest of Dean. Forest Segway takes young and old on a thrill-a-minute tour of the woodland tracks, with the chance of spotting wildlife thrown into the mix. The last time I took my children along to the site at Mallards Pike Lake, we spied deer, birds and a mother boar with a couple of her babies on the track right in front of us. Come rain or shine, Segway can be enjoyed by anyone aged 10 or over, as long as they come within the weight limit – above seven stone and under 19.5 stone. Experienced riders take participants on a brief introductory session around an enclosed area, where you learn to steer your machine, start and stop and realise that it’s actually unlikely you will fall off. And even if you do take a tumble, helmets prevent any real damage and your machine is self-balancing, so will stay upright when you get on and off. Segways are actually ridiculously easy to ride and, after 10 minutes, most people are ready to take to the forest tracks for a 50-minute

segway polo TRIED Segwaying and enjoyed it? Buying your own machine is usually out of reach for most people but there is another way of getting your fix. Established in the UK last year, Segway Polo has been catapulted into the forefront of the new and alternative sports sector. And since no specific level of fitness is needed to play, few age restrictions and with all equipment provided, it makes the sport accessible to all. Similar to horse polo, hockey and bicycle polo, the game is rapidly growing in popularity, particularly in its home county of Warwickshire. Not surprisingly, the sport originated in the USA in 2003 and began to gain popularity over the next few years.

adventure. Once on board, you push the handlebars forward to go ahead, back to reverse and to either side to turn right or left – it’s as simple as that. Their all-terrain wheels make navigating bumpier parts of the track a breeze, although you have to watch out across some muddy puddles to make sure you don’t skid and come a cropper. As you head out towards the tracks through the forest, you have to negotiate some narrow paths and a few steep inclines, but this makes the experience more challenging and it doesn’t take long to get the hang of this. Launched just three years ago, Forest Segway has proved hugely popular with visitors to Go Ape, often done together with the Tree Top high ropes adventure, for those with a head for heights. As you’re tootling around the forest on your green machine, it’s hard not to imagine the benefits of having one tucked away in your garage for short commutes to work or the shops. But as they are currently only allowed to be ridden on private land and the models used at Forest Segway cost a cool £5,000 each, one of the few ways to experience them are at places like Go Ape. At £40 a time, Segwaying doesn’t come cheap but, for a one-off experience, it’s hard to beat and your children will love you for it. TO FIND OUT MORE OR TO BOOK, VISIT GOAPE.CO.UK OR CALL 08437 703677 #DISCOVERADVENTURE

Now there are teams from all over the world, including Germany, Sweden, New Zealand, Lebanon and Barbados. The UK joined the sport with its own team last year and will host its first ever international tournament this month. Players have to be 14 or over to play and the age range is up to 65, although at the moment the average age is around the late 40s. Practice sessions cost £25 for an individual or £20 each for teams, and consist of a first half of drills and exercises, followed by a match of four eight-minute chukkas. Regular practices are held in several venues around Warwickshire and new players are always welcomed to take on this unusual new sport. Current players come from as far afield as Oxford and Devon and, as the sport grows, chances are clubs will start up in other areas. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE SPORT OR TO FIND OUT ABOUT PRACTICE SESSIONS, VISIT WWW.SPOLO.CO.UK OR RING UK COACH, MARK WELLER, ON 01926 493246

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A series of one-day lifestyle courses, running on the first Saturday of every month at Cheltenham Campus! Each course costs £60 and includes a coffee and Danish pastry on arrival and lunch

Saturday 9th May BBQ Cooking for Beginners Asian Cooking ( Malaysian and Thai ) Sewing ‘B’ for Beginners Introduction to Fashion Design and Embellishment Astronomy for Beginners Interior Design Workshop 9.00am - 3.30pm

Everyone loves the weekend right?! Two whole days to do as you please, do more of what you love, and do it all in good company. Well Gloucestershire College have taken all of that on board and created The Weekend Club: The best club going if you ask me! Roseann Boyce Foodie Blogger @HoneybourneLine

To book your place call Student Services on 0845 155 2020

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film

MAN UP

Brockworth-born Shaun of the Dead actor Simon Pegg teams up with Lake Bell in this chaotic romantic comedy. The pair fall into a relationship after Pegg’s character believes Bell is the 24-year-old he is meeting for a blind date. OUT ON MAY 29

W H E R E T O G O A N D W H AT T O S E E I N G LO U C E ST E R S H I R E T H I S M O N T H

music

YOUNG KATO

Highly praised Cheltenham sextet Young Kato is embarking on a massive headline tour which will come to an explosive end in a huge homecoming concert in Gloucester. Tickets cost £8, visit gloucester.gov.uk MAY 2, GLOUCESTER GUILDHALL

JAMES ATKIN

Samuel L Jackson plays the president of the United States on the run from terrorists. This action adventure film is set in secluded Finland. The president soon makes an alliance with a 13-year-old boy after Air Force One is grounded.

Forest of Dean band EMF found worldwide fame 25 years ago with their anthem Unbelievable. Singer-songwriter James Atkin is now a teacher but is returning to his home county with a gig alongside Miles Hunt and Eric Nockalls of The Wonderstuff. It’s set to be a cracker. Tickets at gloucester.gov.uk

OUT ON MAY 8

MAY 1, GLOUCESTER GUILDHALL

BIG GAME

stage

ROMEO AND JULIET

Shakespeare’s tragic love story is one of The Bard’s most performed plays. The story follows the boy meets girl love story which sparks war between two families. Tickets £13-23, visit everymantheatre.org.uk MAY 13-16, EVERYMAN THEATRE

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL OF PERFORMING ARTS

Music, drama, dance and art are all combined in the 89th festival. The event is holding more than 300 different classes from the recorder to Shakespearean scenes. Tickets cost £3 per day, visit cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk. MAY 5-17, CHELTENHAM TOWN HALL

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festival fever YOU DON’T NEED TO TRAVEL TO FOREIGN CLIMES TO GET GOOD FOOD AND A FEEL-GOOD V I B E , T H E R E ’ S P L E N T Y O F F U N I N T H E S U N R I G H T H E R E I N G LO U C E ST E R S H I R E W I T H A P L E T H O R A O F E V E N T S R U N N I N G R I G H T T H R O U G H T O A U T U M N . W H E T H E R Y O U R TA ST E I S FOR MUNCHING OR MOSHING, FOR CHILL-AXING OR CHILLI, THERE’S SOMETHING TO SUIT A L L TA ST E S . H E R E A N N A S A U N D E R S P I C K S O U T ‘ T H E B E ST O F T H E F E ST S ’

barn on the farm

lechdale festival

When: July 3-5

When: May 22-24

Where: The beautiful Cotswolds market town of Lechlade-onThames. Why go: A feisty but family- friendly festival with a deliciously diverse line-up which includes rock, reggae, pop punk, jazz folk, funk indie, world music, hip-hopera, poetry and more. In between watching the 60 bands on stage, you can also learn how to street dance, play the harp and even hula-hoop. What’s new: It’s time to dig out your denim when iconic rockers Status Quo headline. And there’s even more to tempt your tastebuds – foodies can now enjoy Indian street food, pulled pork and lobsters as well as more traditional fare. Who will be there: Families, foodies and rock fans. Tickets: Weekend tickets start from £57, lechladefestival.co.uk

Where: Over Farm, Gloucestershire Why: Barn on the Farm fuses a chilled, Arcadian setting with the umph and energy of the Glasto Pyramid Stage. The organisers are passionate about new music and their line-up includes Brit Award-winning artists and up-and-coming new names. Catch the next big thing whilst enjoying the rural charms of the site and feasting on locally-sourced food and drink. What’s new: James Bay, the winner of the 2015 BRIT’s Critics’ Choice award will be returning to the farm. The Hitchin-born singer-songwriter has taken both the UK and global music scene by force, becoming runner-up on the BBC Sound Of 2015 list and winning a BRIT Award even before releasing his first album. Who will be there: Serious music fans, folk fans, families and real ale enthusiasts. Tickets: Weekend tickets are £100

cheltenham food festival When: June 12-14

Where: Montpellier Gardens, Cheltenham Why go: A celebration of the finest cuisine cooked up and produced locally, Cheltenham Food Festival is a feast for mind, body and soul with more than 200 exhibitors, the chance to taste speciality real ale, fine wines, and Champagne, inspiring talks in the Real Food & Drink Theatre plus cooking demonstrations by celeb chefs. Once you’ve finished quaffing you can relax in the sun and listen to live music. What’s new: With lashings of charisma and oozing with charm, the Cake Ladies are a saucy roaming tea party dishing up sweet treats and adding a touch of glamour to the festival this year. Highlights of the music stage include the exhilarating and energetic fiddle driven threepiece Folk Law. And if that isn’t enough, celebrity chefs Jean-Christophe Novelli, Stefan Gates and Mark Lloyd will be dropping in. Who will be there: Foodies, families, music-lovers. Tickets: Day tickets start from £4, cheltenham-foodfestival.garden-events.com Jean-Christophe Novelli

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cheltenham science festival When: June 2-7

Where: Imperial Garden, Cheltenham Why: Enjoy lively debate, thought-provoking discussions, exciting interactive ‘Discover Zone’ exhibitions and even comedy and cabaret in this cerebrally-stimulating festival where serious subjects are explored in innovative and exciting ways. What’s new: Highlights this year includes talks on the science of happiness, how hackers hack, cyberbullying, why we love gossip and how to freeze a human. Who will be there: Families, children, academics, students – all ages. Tickets: cheltenhamfestivals.com/science

Brian Cox is at the Cheltenham Science Fe s t i va l

2000 trees

larmer tree

When: July 9-11

When: July 15-19

Where: Upcote Farm, Withington

Where: Larmer Tree Gardens, near Salisbury

Why: 2000 Trees’ anti-mainstream ethos means this awardwinning independent festival offers a boho atmosphere and enough new and underground acts to please even the most hardened hipster. Established acts are also on offer and this friendly festival has been home to the likes of Frank Turner, Band of Skulls, The Bronx, Wolf Alice, Public Service Broadcasting, and electrifying dance act Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip. There’s also plenty of locally-sourced food and ciders on offer.

Why: Quirky, eclectic, friendly and free-spirited; Larmer Tree offers the quintessential festival experience for the young, and young-at-heart within a Xandau-esque setting. This independent festival is loved by everyone from tots to pensioners and offers storytelling, street theatre, circus, comedy, poetry and much more. There’s a rich diversity of music too; with funk, reggae, indie and rock.

What’s new: This year’s line-up is guaranteed to get the moshing started with bands including Pulled Apart by Horses, Idlewild, Young Guns plus Alkaline Trio are flying all the way from the States to smash the stage on Saturday. Who will be there: Hipsters, serious music fans, rockers. Tickets: From £32, twothousandtreesfestival.co.uk

cheltenham music festival

What’s new: Cornish folk legends, Show of Hans hit the stage, plus reggae star Jimmy Clifford, indie icons Bellowhead, Welsh crooner Tom Jones and the awesome Femi Kuti. There is also comedy from Bill Bailey. Who will be there: Families, party animals and picnic-lovers, silver surfers and crowd surfers. Tickets: From £45, larmertreefestival.co.uk

big feastival

When: August 28-31

When: June 30-July 11

Where: Alex James’ Farm, Kingham

Where: Cheltenham

Why go: The love-child of Jamie Oliver and Blur’s Alex James The Big Feastival is a bundle of joy fusing music, food and fun for all the family, set on Alex’s idyllic Cotswolds farm. Foodies can tuck into the cream of the UK’s food crop, watch masterclasses with top chefs and browse the exhibitors stands which showcase the finest local produce. If that’s not enough there are Q & A sessions with top chefs, vintage funfairs and plenty to do for childre, including the legendry Little Dudes Den. Music-lovers have plenty to feast upon with a line-up to contend with Glasto; there’s enough funk to burn off your lunch with Grandmaster Flash, Groove Armada and rapper, Example. Paloma Faith takes to the stage on Sunday.

Why: One of the oldest music festivals in the country, Cheltenham Music Festival offers a rich mix of contemporary music alongside traditional fare. The 71st Cheltenham Music Festival celebrates live classical music in all its manifestations with performances, workshops and young artists’ projects. On offer this year are 60 events, 650 performers and excursions into dance, world music, jazz, and theatre. What’s new: 70 years on from the end of the Second World War, the festival focuses on iconic works written in and around 1945, featuring music by Richard Strauss, Britten, Poulenc, Howells, Tippett. There are also a total of 22 premieres which include a deconstruction of 1970s disco by Graham Fitkin.

What’s new: The Main Stage is set to go bonkers when UK grime star, music producer and best-selling artist Dizzee Rascal takes to the stage.

Who will be there: Serious music lovers, culture vultures, families, young people and children. Tickets: From £5, cheltenhamfestivals. com/music

Dizzie Rascal

Who will be there: Families, young mums, trendy shoppers, party animals, hipsters, celebrities. Tickets: Camping starts from £154, jamieoliver. com/thebigfeastival

To m J o n e s

Alex James and Jamie Oliver

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just another job. She talks in detail about the support she got from her record label when she wanted to release a small, artistic project for her second album, Boys Don’t Cry. She had envisaged an album of covers of torch songs made famous by male singers, and wanted to quietly release it without much promotion. Her label had other ideas, but they got behind her and made the album far more of a commercial success than she’d hoped. “I have a very good team at the label,” she says. “And I’m deeply grateful that they pushed me, because it opened the door to so many things.”

RUMER HAS IT

FULFILLING HER DREAM OF BECOMING A SINGER HASN’T BEEN A N E N T I R E LY S M O O T H R I D E F O R R U M E R . B U T, E V E R Y C H A L L E N G E HAS ITS REWARDS – AND, AS THE SINGER-SONGWRITER TELLS GL, SHE’S HAD PLENTY

ORMERLY musical director to Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick, Rob Shirakbari is now Rumer’s key collaborator, arranger and producer, as well as a mainstay of her live band. He’s also the 35-year-old’s partner. “It can feel like we’re colleagues, so it’s good to go away together away from music,” she says. When Rumer released her almost-millionselling debut album Seasons Of My Soul in 2010, her touring schedule was booked up two years, so her recent two-month tour has been a jaunt. “And in the old days, before I was signed, I couldn’t even deal with, ‘Can you come round for dinner on Friday?’” she recalls. “I never knew where I was going to be, and I was very how-the-wind-blows about planning, never scheduled. Then I got a twoyear calendar slapped in front of me, and suddenly there was no room for spontaneity or magic.” Lack of spontaneity wasn’t the only thing she had to contend with – the pressures of touring and promoting Seasons Of My Soul actually left her extremely anxious, and Rumer has spoken of her experiences of bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and post-traumatic stress, too. Much of her most recent album, Into

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Colour, deals with these issues.The result is a confessional, emotionally candid collection, although it never sounds morose or morbid. Performing these songs on a nightly basis is not without its challenges, but Rumer, born Sarah Joyce in Islamabad, Pakistan in 1979, manages to rise to the occasion. “I live the emotion in the song each time. The material does take me to that place, but there are songs that counteract it, like Thankful, which was written in a state of balance. “But On My Way Home, I find very hard to perform,” she says, referring to a track from her debut which details her grief after her mother died from breast cancer in 2003. She says she’s much happier these days, and having Rob on tour with her means she’s not lonely, as she was previously when her band was populated by session musicians on

By this point, Rumer had been rejected by just about every other record label in the country, and was getting tired of performing at showcase after showcase, only to be met with another limp handshake and another, ‘No thank you’. “I did see someone from a label at a gig one night, someone who had rejected me previously, and they said, ‘We’ve got to hand it to you Rumer, you’re still here’, but that was me all over. ” “I had an interesting and varied career before being signed, too; I was a teacher, a community music developer, live music promoter, I did a lot of stuff, as well as a load of rubbish jobs, so this is a natural thing for me to want to do, to bring people through and to use any influence I might have.” As someone whose name is never mentioned without her age also cropping up (she wasn’t signed until she was 30), Rumer is very aware of age discrimination in the industry, and will not succumb to it. “What do you know when you’re young?” she says. “You can feel things, of course, and you can have talent at any age, but wisdom comes with experience.” RUMER PERFORMS IN THE BIG TOP IN MONTPELLIER GARDENS O N S U N D AY, M AY 3 A S PA R T O F T H I S Y E A R ’ S C H E LT E N H A M J A Z Z FESTIVAL. FOR TICKETS, CALL 08448 808094.

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THERAPY? Disquiet Singer Andy Cairns has released two acoustic solo albums in the interim and though none of those new songs appear here, Helpless Still Lost shares the WB Yeats-influenced lyric “toil has left its mark” with 2013’s outstanding Bootstraps. Longtime fans will not be disappointed.

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THE DIRECTORY

BUSINESS A-Z

Armada Exports 54 Suffolk Road, Cheltenham, GL50 2AQ antiquecrystalchandeliers.co.uk

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124 | GLmagazine.co.uk

THE DIRECTORY

BUSINESS A-Z

Laura Leigh Hairdressing 105 Promenade, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 1NW 01242 530598 • lauraleighhairdressing.co.uk

No50.uk Vintage Interiors Antiques Boutique 50 Winchcombe Street, Cheltenham, GL52 2ND No50.uk • 01242 228595

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@GLmagazine | 125

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THE FINAL WORD

phil vickery RUGBY LEGEND PHIL VICKERY MBE LIVES IN G LO U C E S T E R S H I R E W I T H H I S W I F E , K AT E , A N D CHILDREN MEGAN, NINE, AND SEVEN-YEAR-OLD H A R R I S O N . H E P L AY E D F O R G LO U C E ST E R F O R 1 1 Y E A R S A N D W A S A LO N G - STA N D I N G M E M B E R O F T H E E N G L A N D S Q U A D , P L AY I N G H I S PA RT I N I T S WORLD CUP VICTORY OF 2003 AND SERVING AS C A P TA I N . N O W 3 9 , P H I L R U N S T H E R A G I N G B U L L SPORT AND LEISUREWEAR COMPANY AND IS IN D E M A N D A S A S P O R T S C O M M E N TAT O R A N D A F T E R DINNER SPEAKER

IF I hadn’t become a rugby player I would have been a farmer: in my early teens it was my ambition to have the best dairy herd in Cornwall. I fell in love with rugby at Budehaven School, although our sports teacher was quite old-fashioned and made us try all sports, not just the ones we were good at. I also loved cricket, it’s just that I was not good at it. What I enjoyed about rugby was being able to get stuck in and wrestle and be with friends. I loved the discipline. Rugby Union was still an amateur game when I first came to Gloucester Rugby Club. When I moved here they got me a job milking cows for Ben Pullen in Churchdown and we trained on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I don’t mean this to sound as if I don’t care, but rugby just happened for me. It involved a lot of sacrifice and hard work, and I suppose I got on the treadmill quite early in the sense of understanding what rugby was about. I am single-minded and driven to be my best and I’ve met some good people along the way. I am a huge believer in the value of sport. I know I am lucky to have played at the highest level but I think it’s important for all children to be participating in sports and being the best they can be, rather than the next big star. It’s about taking part and being involved, having fun and exercising. It’s good for the body and the mind, and good for friendships. Unfortunately I have seen teachers, coaches and parents who are obsessed with trying to make kids the next Wayne Rooney or Nick Faldo. Sports are so serious at a young age; there is so much pressure and it puts people off, which is a travesty. Leaving school at 16 worked for me. I believe that education is extremely important but I feel that a lot of youngsters are staying on at school or going to college and learning a load of stuff that’s no use to them in the real world. There’s a lot of value in getting work placements and real life experience. 130 | GLmagazine.co.uk

Cooking is something I’ve always enjoyed but I hadn’t planned to go on MasterChef. I went on the show with the sole ambition of not being knocked out first. I have never been so nervous in my life. Being in kitchens reminded me a bit of being back in the changing room. People say I dealt with the pressure well but I think I was quite focused and ready for it. Coming from sport, it was the same as having to deliver on big occasions. I think what people liked about me was that they started with this perception of me as the Raging Bull and suddenly there’s this big bear of a bloke who talks quite quietly and is a bit of an old softy really. Being on MasterChef was a wonderful experience and has led to lots of other things: we’ve raised more than £100,000 through auctions of promises offering people the chance to have me go around their home and cook for them. Sometimes I go over to Ellenborough Park to work with David Kelman to try new things and for the feeling of being back in the kitchen. Life has changed so much for men. I wouldn’t claim to be the husband or dad of the year but nowadays men get more involved around the home and helping to look after children, changing nappies and that sort of thing. Things are changing so quickly and I don’t think we realise the impact of some of these changes. As a dad I’m concerned about the expectations on our children and the things that they’re exposed to. My attitude is that we have to move forward with change but it’s important to put all the values and things that are important into your backpack and take them with you. Things such as sitting around the table at mealtimes and thinking about where our food comes from. I have been very lucky and privileged and I have to say that coming to Gloucester was a great thing for me. I’m proud of Cornwall – it’s where I come from – but I’m a Gloucester boy now and still live close to the city. Gloucestershire is full of people who are passionate about what they do and I try and promote the county whenever possible.

SHADES OF SPRING TRENDS

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