C ITY L IFE WINTER 2019
P R O U D
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Th e C i t y
of
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PRICELESS
I N D E P E N D E N T
C a r d i f f ’s P r e m i e r L i f e s t y l e M a g a z i n e
Face Time WE MEET DR SID GAUTAM AND THE DERMASKIN TEAM PLUS FOOD, TRAVEL, FASHION & MUCH MORE
Restaurant Reviews What’s On, Business, Shopping
T here ’s
more online
citylifecardiff . co . uk
A rt, Music, Style H ealth, Competitions and more plus
THE CITY OF CARDIFF’S PREMIER LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
CITY L IFE Editor Jennifer Hobbs-Roberts jennifer@goodlifepublishing.co.uk Creative Director Mark Roberts mark@goodlifepublishing.co.uk Editorial editorial@goodlifepublishing.co.uk
www.citylifecardiff.co.uk 0845 130 6452 Cardiff House Cardiff Road Barry CF63 2AW Passionate about the City of Cardiff We are a small independent publisher. We are not a large publishing group pretending to be home grown. City Life magazine is written, designed and produced in the City of Cardiff for the people of the City of Cardiff. Our philosophy We are committed to quality. This quote by William Foster pretty much sums up our thinking: “Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.” Caveat emptor Advertisers supply their own copy or artwork, and therefore City Life cannot accept any responsibility for disputes between advertisers and their customers. Caveat emptor - let the buyer beware. Important you read this We have made every effort to ensure that all information contained in City Life or on www.citylifecardiff.co.uk (or our social media streams) is correct and accurate. However, we accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions and can offer no compensation should we get it wrong. Please note that the opinions, thoughts, views or ideas expressed in articles contained in City Life are strictly those of the authors.
WELCOME
Welcome to the winter edition of City Life. We’re in a celebratory mood as I write this curled up in front of our cosy log fire. And this time of the year is certainly a time for reflection and contemplation. There have been some wonderful milestones at City Life this year and we’re so excited about next year. In the spring issue we’ll be sharing some of our aspirations (and you may notice a few subtle changes). We’ve called it our 20/20 vison. Something to look forward to. We’re fast approaching the magic 10,000 likes on Facebook and this, combined with our impressive Twitter following, means that now, more than ever, we’re spreading the message that the capital city of Wales is a truly amazing place to live, play and do business. We’ve celebrated our gorgeous old arcades this year along with our fabulous villages and we’ll continue to do so in 2020.
Subscriptions To guarantee your copy, please send a cheque for £20 (four issues) made payable to City Life. Visit www.citylifecardiff.co.uk for special subscriber discounts and special offers.
With our sister magazine Vale Life, we are proud to provide a quality source of information for our loyal readers and a creative and effective vehicle for our advertisers. We especially thank them. Without the businesses that promote with us there would be no City Life, so please give our independents your custom – they deserve your patronage.
Missed the last issue? We hold a small number of each issue in stock so if you do need a pristine copy, please telephone us or email jennifer@goodlifepublishing.co.uk. Hopefully we’ll have the issue you want (but we cannot guarantee it). Each back issue costs £5 including postage and packing.
Wishing you a lovely Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous new year. Wrap up warm. We’ll see you again in spring.
Intellectual property © Copyright City Life 2019. All rights reserved. Nothing in this magazine (including adverts) may be reproduced in any shape or form (in whole or part) without the express written permission of the publishers. We take breach of copyright and theft of intellectual property extremely seriously and will sue at the drop of a croissant. You have been warned (nicely); ignorance is no excuse.
Yes it’s free. Priceless actually! City Life is distributed free through a wide variety of outlets across the City of Cardiff and beyond and is given away free of charge on the understanding that we are happy for it to be lent, passed on, given to friends and generally read until it falls apart. At which point, you can recycle it and we’d be delighted if you did. Green is good The pulp used in the production of the paper City Life is printed on is sourced from sustainably managed Scandinavian tree farms and utilises an elementary chlorine-free bleaching process.
We’re very sociable! We’re on the web! www.citylifecardiff.co.uk Like on Facebook! www.facebook.com/citylifecardiff Follow on Twitter! @CityLifeCardiff #CityLifeCardiff
Hope you have a wonderful autumn. We’ll see you again in the winter. We’ll be setting out our plans for the coming year and it promises to be exciting. Jennifer Hobbs-Roberts Editor 07766 106 701 jennifer@goodlifepublishing.co.uk uk.linkedin.com/in/jenniferhobbsroberts
“If you would like to promote your business in City Life and Vale Life please call me.” Promote your business Butcher? Baker? Candlestick maker? Whatever business you’re in, reach our many thousands of aspirational readers right across the capital and beyond! For more information call 07766 106701.
Our cover stars Our cover stars this issue are Dermaskin, the aesthetic medical clinic based in Cardiff Bay. You can read all about Dr Sid Gautam and the talented team on pages 6 and 7.
CITY LIFE WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED US OVER RECENT MONTHS. OUR CONTRIBUTORS, OUR FAMILIES, OUR FRIENDS (INCLUDING ALL THE NEW ONES WE HAVE MADE) AND OUR ADVERTISERS - WITHOUT THEM CITY LIFE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. WE HOPE YOU LIKE WHAT WE’VE PRODUCED AND WE’LL TRY TO MAKE EACH ISSUE EVEN BETTER THAN THE LAST AND IF YOU HAVE A STORY THAT YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH. CITY LIFE IS REGISTERED AT THE BRITISH LIBRARY AS A MAGAZINE ISSN 1757-1723. FOR TERMS AND CONDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.CITYLIFECARDIFF.CO.UK
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This local, independent, family run business offers continuity of care from their team of fully qualified vets and nursing staff in either their Barry or Pontcanna practices.
VALE VETERINARY CENTRE This award-winning veterinary centre offers home visits, emergency service, a VIP scheme and specialist therapies including hydrotherapy, laser therapy and digital radiology. What makes Vale Vets special? “We believe we have a great team – that we are independent and deliver a highquality service that has been recognised by numerous awards annually since opening Barry and Pontcanna has followed on this tradition. We were proud to receive the recognition as Petplan Vet of the Year in 2016. Our team pride themselves on standards of care and a friendly approach,” says owner Richard Williams.
Vale Veterinary Centre Pontcanna 233 Cathedral Road, Pontcanna Cardiff CF11 9PP 029 2000 4007 Vale Veterinary Centre Barry 7-8 Ty Verlon Industrial Estate Barry CF63 2BE 01446 739739 www.valevetcentre.co.uk
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Wales’ Pre-Owned Luxury Watch & Jewellery Experts
We Buy | We Sell Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantine, IWC Watches of Wales is a family run business specialising in the buying and selling of exquisite Pre-Owned luxury watches and jewellery. We have over two decades of experience and pride ourselves on our outstanding customer service.
call: 029 2192 1552 visit: watchesofwales.co.uk 35 Morgan Arcade, Cardi CF10 1AF | customerservice@watchesofwales.co.uk
Dermaskin has been established for over ten years and has clinics in Cardiff and Bristol. It was established to improve the standard of aesthetic medical services in our capital city and the South West.
DERMASKIN Dermaskin specifically wanted to bring the personalised service back into the sector and allow patients to access high quality treatments without the need to travel to London. We caught up with one of the partners Dr Sid Gautam to find out more. Who are the partners in the business? Myself (Dr Sid Gautam), and Dr Helen Rimmer are the principal partners together with Jen Fitzpatrick who is a long-standing associate clinician. How many staff members do you have and what are their roles? We have two dental nurses - Jordan is head dental nurse and Loren is a senior dental nurse. We also have a number of administrators and receptionists Caren, Emily, Helly and Lizzie What services do you offer your clients? We offer a comprehensive medical service to our patients and clients including vaccination and travel vaccination services. We have high demand for our BHRT - Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy service where we can safely replace hormones that naturally drop as our bodies age. We offer Botox and Dermal Fillers for a variety of medical and cosmetic treatments. We also treat patients regularly in our laser suite, where we have invested in the latest CO2 laser technology to treat sun damaged and prematurely ageing skin. Ablation lasers of the type that we carry are the gold standard in rejuvenating and tightening lax, photo-damaged skin.
We also offer a full dental service including orthodontic treatments. We have seen great demand for orthodontics as people have become aware of the importance of an attractive smile with straight teeth. We also offer in-chair teeth whitening, which is extremely popular all year round as it shows immediate results and makes teeth look amazing. Does the clinic have any specialities? We specialise in medical botox treatments; for headaches and migraines, facial palsy and cosmetic botox treatments, facial contouring with dermal fillers, orthodontics, BHRT, wellness checks, dermal filler treatments and vaccinations. What are your most requested treatments? They would have to be our botox and dermal filler treatments, wellness checks, orthodontics and facial contouring. Do you have a payment plan option? Yes, we have a direct debit option for clients. Do you offer vouchers? Yes we do and they are available via our website in different denominations depending on budget and requirements. What do you think makes your clinic special? We offer a comprehensive line of treatments in-house and can therefore provide clients with an overall ‘makeover’ whilst maintaining the highest levels of clinical safety. 6
We have treated thousands of happy clients over the years and it is our rejection of fad and fly-by-night offerings that have gained us the reputation of the ‘no-bull’ clinic and the go-to place to receive sound and ethical advice. We never sell to our clients but merely provide information that can then be digested at home. We do not have flash sales or last-minute offers, and this has blessed us with an industry leading retention and loyalty rate. We are approachable and affable, and we want the experience to be like that of visiting a friend, albeit one who knows a lot about skin, health and keeping the ageing process at bay. We would love for your readers to join the thousands of happy clients, who we regard as friends, and look forward to welcoming them to Dermaskin.
Dermaskin Clinic Ground Floor, York Court Schooner Way Cardiff Bay CF10 4DY Monday to Friday 9.30am - 6.30pm Saturday 9.30am - 1.30pm 029 2009 0809 www.dermaskin.co.uk Also at Bristol, Chester and Manchester
Hawkes, in the beautiful Morgan Arcade, Cardiff, has an enviable reputation for fine clothing and tailored suits for men. However, with more and more women in senior roles in organisations, owner Russell Scott-Lawson says he has noticed a growing percentage of his clientele are professional women looking for a more tailored, stylish solution.
TAILORED TO SUIT
Vale Life was invited to Hawkes as Sofie Symonds, Director of Innovia Wealth Management, was being measured for her new tailored business suit. We chatted with Sofie to find out more. How do you know Russell? I know Russell through my husband Alex Symonds, Alex is an old customer of Hawkes, this is going back at least ten years ago when Alex used to play for Cardiff Devils, and the majority of the team uses Hawkes. Why do you choose Hawkes for your suits? As a financial adviser, investment is one of many areas that I deal with on daily basis. In my profession it’s important to look the part. High quality suits are simply an investment in myself and my business, and I do enjoy spending a little extra of my hard-earned money on quality, classic pieces that will last a lifetime and remain in style. After all, a perfectly tailored suit conveys gravitas, style and a sense of identity.
Why is tailoring important to you? I have enough challenges throughout the workday, and my wardrobe shouldn’t be one of them. The business case for making a great first impression always applies. Studies have found that first impressions are formed within seven to seventeen seconds of meeting you and 55% of their opinion is based on physical appearance. How important is good tailoring to you? It’s about quality and style. And tailoring is about more than clothes; it’s an attitude, a way of life. Today, women’s tailoring is more relevant than ever. With professional women in increasingly high-powered positions, the demand for luxury tailoring has increased dramatically. In today’s modern world, in certain sectors certainly, image is everything. With the economic status and lifestyle changes, now, more than ever, women are indulging their tastes for the finer things, and quality tailoring is one of them.
“Hawkes offers a tailored service for off-the-peg suits which are adjusted to suit the client.” 8
What do you enjoy about the process? When I go to Hawkes, it is a tailoring experience. I absolutely enjoy every second of it. We start by selecting the finest fabrics, then choosing the style and cut. I love discovering tailoring techniques that will result in a suit crafted exactly to my measurements and personalised details inside and out. There are so many aspects to consider; the cut, the cloth, colour, the lining, stitching etc.
What sets Russell apart? Russell is a professional tailor and a total perfectionist. He always pays close attention to the shape of the silhouette which is achieved through precise cut of fabric and tailoring nothing short of perfection. Russell and his team have an excellent reputation in Cardiff for gentlemen’s tailoring, but I don’t think many women realise that they can use Hawkes. For women, Hawkes is one of Cardiff’s best kept secrets you could say. Would you recommend Hawkes and why? Of course, and I already do. If you want a luxury, high quality tailored suit, Hawkes is the only place to go in Cardiff. Sophie is not the only female customer to be impressed with the tailored service that Hawkes offers. Russell asked Mandeep Sidhu after she had attended a recent leadership meeting if she was the best dressed lady in the room and she replied “No, I was the best dressed person!”
CUSTOMER PROFILE
Tried & Trusted... Sofie Symonds is Principal of Innovia Wealth Management, Associate Partner Practice of St. James’s Place, and is based in Penylan, Cardiff. Sofie says, “My life revolves around my family (husband and three children) and my company. My ultimate passion is to build and maintain a long-term relationship with clients to add value and make a positive difference to their finances. Like Russell, I create tailored solutions that shape their future. I strive to deliver the highest level of commitment, transparency and ethical conduct in all relations and dealings. In my spare time I love reading and go to the gym.” Sofie Symonds Innovia Wealth Management www.innoviawm.co.uk Hawkes Bespoke Outfitters 37-39 Morgan Arcade Cardiff CF10 1AF 029 2037 3780 www.hawkesbespokeoutfitters.co.uk The Partner Practice is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James's Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group's wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group's website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The titles 'Partner' and 'Partner Practice' are marketing terms used to describe St. James's Place representatives.
This was Beaujolais Day number five organised by Chris Macnamara of The Brogue Trader and Spiro Borg of Cornerstone (and Spiro’s, the catering company). This year’s proceeds will be donated to Cardiff based charity, City Hospice.
BROGUE GOES
BEAUJOLAIS V
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of attending, you’ll appreciate how lucky you were. The tickets are as rare as hen’s teeth and it has to be one of the must-attend events on Cardiff’s social calendar. Such is the popularity of Brogue Goes Beaujolais, it attracts many celebrities from the sporting community and huge support from the great and the good of the Cardiff and south Wales business communities. If you were fortunate to have purchased a ticket this year, you would have been rubbing shoulders with rugby players including Alix Popham, Rhys Williams, boxer Nicky Piper, and the ‘very, very charming’ Rupert Moon. “Our little Beaujolais celebration is becoming extremely popular in Cardiff and, being invitation only, one of the most sought after events on the capital’s social calendar,” says The Brogue Trader’s Managing Director Chris Macnamara.
Chris is always keen to acknowledge the assistance and support he receives to put on this brilliant event. “We are thrilled and very proud to announce that ‘The Brogue Goes Beaujolais V’, with the help of our dear friends Spiro and Lisa Borg from Spiros Fine Dining & Catering, our print partner Booie Sall of Harlequin Print along with match funding from the Hodge Foundation we raised a whopping £58,654.00!” Chris added, “In life we all have a window of opportunity and this is currently ours”. We are all endeavouring to take full advantage of it and do as much good as we can. So please spread some love and engage with your local communities, it feels amazing to give back in so many ways and these types of events show that the Macnamara family own and operate something that is truly much more than a shoe shop.” 10
The event was a fun-packed affair from the word go. “Beaujolais Day kicked off at midday with a champagne reception. Speeches and acknowledgments followed, and then four wonderful courses, with matching wine were served by our talented Cornerstone team,” says co-host Spiro Borg. And, from the reports we’ve received, the food was superb. This year over 170 attended the event which finished at 10pm. The Brogue Trader #morethanashoeshop 27A Morgan Arcade, Cardiff CF10 1AF 0843 658 1812 www.thebroguetrader.com
Chris and Spiro would especially like to thank Sony, WRU and FAW for donating various items to the auction, also Bryan Gunton for supporting us yet again with his magical skills and donating an evening in his Small Theatre, all contributing to a wonderful day.
Spiro’s Fine Dining & Catering www.spiros.com Cornerstone Charles St, Cardiff CF10 2SF 029 2049 4425 www.cornerstonecardiff.org
Finally, Chris would like to thank all the table hosts, and everyone who bid for the auction prizes. “All our guests should be very proud. They’ve made a massive contribution to the overall success of the event and we are eternally grateful,” said Chris.
Photography Sian Owen 11
Tequila Tins £12-£18 Paraben Free Hand poured Made in Wales available from www.candlewickcandle.co.uk
Powerful, lightweight, high shine drying hair dryer £69.99 www.untameduk.com
Favourite T HINGS... MY
Coming Home to Winter Island by Jo Thomas 99p on AmazonKindle
Here’s a roundup of some of the lovely things that have caught our eye this winter...
Kokkino, Electra Cascade Necklace in silver and 24ct gold plated silver £268 Scarlett Cohen French, Burnt clue and gold small circle earrings in sterling silver, copper, enamel and 24ct gold leaf £150 Available from www.annemorganjewellery.com
Underwear by Empreinte £138 Available from Bethan Jones, Cowbridge
Murdock London Beard Moisturiser 150ml £24 Available from @ASOS, @johnlewisandpartners @theofficialselfridges & @1847formen Jo Malone London Rose & Magnolia Cologne £104 per 100ml www.jomalone.co.uk Dirty Vegan Another Bite by Matt Pritchard published by Mitchell Beazley, £20
Tea Tonique Like a morning mist over a tea plantation, sparkling with citrus freshness and the coolness of green leaves.
Beth Slipper £32.50 available from www.prettyyoulondon.co.uk
50ml £75 100ml £105 www.millerharris.com
Limited Edition Aunt Lucy Paddington Bear £299 available from Wooden Tops Furniture, Bridgend
Scherzo A rush of colour and sweetness, like sugar flowers in a confection’s window floating above a garden. 50ml £95 100ml £140 hwww.millerharris.com
Velvet Sleeping Mask with Saffron Flowers £93 www.sisley-paris.co.uk
Knomo London Harewood Laptop Tote Backpack 15” £199 www.uk.knomo.com
PENCOED HOUSE ESTATE THE PERFECT FAIRYTALE WEDDING VENUE
Getting married at Pencoed House is magical at any time of the year but, as Gavin and Jennifer Owen tell us here, their recent wedding was more romantic and exciting than they could have ever wished for.
How did you meet? We met through a chance encounter in our place of employment eight years ago. We got engaged two years ago this Christmas in Edinburgh, where Gavin surprised me with an engagement ring hidden in a Christmas cracker at a stunning restaurant in a second-floor bay window overlooking Edinburgh Christmas markets and Castle. Why did you decide to choose Pencoed House as your wedding venue? We heard about Pencoed House through a colleague who, knowing our characters, thought this place would be perfect. We went to visit and fell completely in love with the venue, grounds its character and charm, and with Jamie, the owner. The feeling Pencoed House provides is incredible; the exclusivity, the history, the charm and romance of the place with its incredible grounds, stunning listed buildings and the ability to cater for our every wish really appealed to us.
With the architecture, the stonework and charm, Pencoed House offers the most gorgeous romance to a special day that it needs nothing more than the people to make an incredible wedding. We decorated the venue ourselves with the help of an incredible florist and candlelight. Did you look at other venues before choosing Pencoed House? We looked at many venues across the south Wales area, from Swansea to Brecon, spending many days travelling to hotels, country houses and castles. But on seeing Pencoed House and meeting with their team (it was actually the last place we visited), we fell in love with the venue and even now, after our wedding, the team have remained in contact. Their commitment to our incredible day will never be forgotten. Did you use their caterers? How was the food? We used Cresta Caterers for our food, and don’t think there are words to describe how incredible our food was. We chose our favourite food and Cresta delivered on an amazing level. The food was beautifully presented, incredible flavour and taste and was piping hot, there was also plenty of it.
This was really important to us when looking for food to ensure there was plenty. The team did not fail. Their service was amazing. We received so many complements about the food that even family members came over to us and said people they met for the first time spoke with them and complemented the incredible quality of the food. How did the day go? We know it is every couple’s dream to have a perfect day, an expectation that is often very hard to meet, but without any question our day was amazing from the day before meeting staff at the venue, to bringing all our decorations to the night before bridal party staying at Pencoed House. Then the day, wow! It was spectacular! The attention to detail, the quality of the service of every member of their staff including two incredibly good, and fun, bar staff. The grounds, the games, everything was seamless and allowed us to enjoy every second of the day with guests and with each other. What was the most special part of the day? This is so hard to answer. We feel so incredibly blessed and lucky to
have experienced such an amazing day and to single out one part of it is impossible. We smiled ever second of the day! Did you and your guests stay at Pencoed House? If so, what was that experience like? Yes, we stayed, along with our family and closest friends. We always wanted to make a weekend out of our special day to be able to share time and memories with everybody and this was made our reality with Pencoed House Estate. Everyone who stayed thoroughly enjoyed it and it allowed us to spend time the following morning sharing a cooked breakfast with our closest. This breakfast was also amazing in both quality and taste, and was brilliant. What was working with the people at Pencoed House like? Incredible. Jamie was our Master of Ceremonies, his character gelled so perfectly with ours and made our day incredibly personal and amazing. The team from email contact, text and visiting the venue to their staff working on the day with us was faultless, they showed an incredible commitment, effort and love to us and our day. 15
Even to wanting fireworks, which from numerous contacts with suppliers seemed to appear a challenge but Jamie gave us the details of a company called The Art of Sparks who put in an incredible display for us to match our dream of a firework send off - it was breath-taking. Would you recommend Pencoed House to friends and colleagues? A million times over! Where did you go on your honeymoon? We left Pencoed House the following day and travelled to Heathrow to start our honeymoon in America. San Francisco, Yosemite, Death Valley, Mexico and New York. This occasion was an experience we knew would be a once in a lifetime. Pencoed House Estate Llantrisant Road Capel Llanilltern Cardiff CF5 6JR www.pencoedhouseestate.co.uk 029 2167 8090 Images courtesy of Philip Warren
EMBRACING CHANGE During the last fifteen years the insurance broking industry has seen major changes. Across the country local independent brokers have, sadly, sold out to large corporate businesses. Gina Dixon reflects on the changing world of insurance.
These changes have altered the landscape of the insurance industry across the UK and South Wales has not been immune. As a result, the region has very few Independent Brokers left and this has left a real gap in many communities. Thankfully there are, as always, a few exceptions to the rule - one of these being Watkin Davies Insurance Consultants in Cardiff. We were eager to catch up with the Managing Director, Gina Dixon, to find out the reasons for remaining independent and the challenges they face when competing with the corporate world and online brokers.
Why do you want to stay independent when a lot of your competition have decided to merge and consolidate? Most of the independents that have sold their businesses have mainly done so for two reasons: succession planning is one and the opportunity to retire with generous cash deals. Secondly, regulation. This has been seen as a burden for many independents. Neither of these apply to Watkin Davies, we have a succession plan in place, seeing the next generation coming through, and regulation has been good for the broking world. It has made us far more professional and, in the main, most of it is good business practice. What are the advantages of being an independent broker? We believe that “big isn’t always beautiful�. By remaining independent we are able to make quick decisions 16
and implement changes within the business in order to respond rapidly to developments within the insurance industry market.
Our drivers are also very different to the big corporate brokers. The business is owned by Roger Watkins and not by corporate investors, at the moment corporate investment is coming in from the USA and, quite rightly, they want an immediate return on their investment. Roger Watkins strategy is long-term. For over forty-two years he has built this business on customer service. The simple ethos that if you look after customers with respect and integrity, they will look after us. Whilst of course we want to make a profit, this is not our primary focus. This long-term strategy is a proven one - our retention on new and existing clients is extremely high. We provide a great service and so clients reward us with their loyalty. What are your plans to grow? I love growing our business organically, this is an excellent measure of your business, it proves our capability. We will continue to grow propositions that our clients will benefit from and attract new clients. We cannot grow our business without good quality staff. We have a great team and are all committed to the cause. All employees of Watkin Davies have to be right for us and, equally important, we have to be right for them. Experience tells us when you get this right, the business develops itself.
We are very interested in acquiring small businesses, again the culture and the fit has to be right for us both. We opened an office in Newport city centre and recently acquired Quentin L Jones Insurance Services and now have a presence in Ystrad Mynach. Newport and the valleys have great communities so we feel they’re a good fit. Are your clients just in South Wales? Whilst our focus is in South Wales our clients are spread across the country. We can service clients anywhere in the UK. Can you really compete with the “big boys”? We can, and we do. It is a great time to be an independent insurance broker. Corporate businesses are constantly going through change, as a result they take their eye off the ball and staff and clients become disgruntled. We are able to offer staff and our clients security, the constant change in a business is not good for either. We have various links within insurance networks, coupled with long-standing relationships that provide us with the competitive contracts that we need. Our skill set allows us to compete at all levels. Our clients range from sole traders and small businesses to large corporate operations. We pride the same level of excellent service to every client regardless of size. Today’s sole trader can be tomorrows giant corporation. As we’ve seen, anything is possible.
Watkin Davies Insurance Consultants Commercial, personal, property 15 Penlline Road Whitchurch, Cardiff CF14 2AA 029 2062 6226 Watkin Davies Insurance (Newport) 1-5 High St, Newport NP20 1FQ 01633 250282 Also in Ystrad Mynach Quentin L Jones Insurance Services 22 Penallta Road, Ystrad Mynach, CF82 7AP 01443 816099
So how do you see the future? Consistency is important. Keep doing what we do best but constantly evaluate. Invest in our people, continue to build our team, attract new clients and look for the right opportunities they are out there, and it is exciting. Life is good in Watkin Davies but we take nothing for granted - especially clients.
www.watkindavies.com Watkin Davies Insurance Consultants are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
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“Private Client household insurance is essential if the cost to re-build your property is above £250,000 or if your contents are worth over £75,000.”
TOWERGATE INSURANCE BROKERS Wales based Insurance Broker Wayne Thomas of Towergate Insurance Brokers advises that generally household insurance policies have inner limits on the sums insured for valuable items; jewellery, wine collections, fine arts or antiques. “If you have any items that may be considered as high-value then they may not be fully insured under a standard insurance policy. Using an Insurance Broker to handle your insurance can provide you with the one to one attention you require when protecting your most valuable and precious belongings. The larger the building sum insured, the more complicated a claim can be to reinstate a property following a fire or other incident. In terms of your contents, we understand that you may need worldwide insurance cover for items and our bespoke policy allows us to incorporate this cover for you. Should you be the owner of a listed
building you will appreciate that establishing the value of your property is not as straightforward as with a standard build. We look to arrange ‘Unlimited Replacement Cost’ insurance coverage whenever possible, meaning that in the event of an insured loss, your home would be repaired/ reinstated as dictated by your Local Conservation Officer even if the cost were to exceed your sum insured. We will make sure you have the cover you need and provide you with a dedicated one to one service. If you would like to find out more about Private Client Household and Contents Insurance or High Value Motor Insurance, Enhanced Travel Insurance or Marine/Pleasure Craft Insurance please contact Wayne on 02920 441255.
Want to know more? To find out more about: n Private Client Household n Contents Insurance n High Value Motor Insurance n Enhanced Travel Insurance n Marine/Pleasure Craft Insurance Contact Wayne on 029 2044 1255 wayne.thomas@towergate.co.uk Towergate Insurance Brokers 029 2044 1255
Towergate Insurance Brokers is a trading name of Towergate Underwriting Group Limited. Registered in England No.4043759. Registered Address: 1 Minster Court, Mincing Lane, London, EC3R7AA. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Divorce and Dissolution C E R TA I N T Y, S TA B I L I T Y A N D C O N F I D E N C E F R O M B E R R Y S M I T H
Matrimonial & Family Services. Armed Forces | Children | Cohabitation | Domestic Violence | Separation Conciliation & Negotiation | Divorce & Civil Partnerships | Surrogacy & Parental Orders Farming Divorce | Finances & The Property | Pre & Post Nuptial Agreements
Cardiff | Bridgend www.berrysmith.com 029 2034 5511 | 01656 645 525 18
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You can judge a great restaurant by many things; the quality of its ingredients, the chefs, the ambience, its location and service. One that consistently ticks all the boxes for us is Keyif, the Turkish restaurant in Penarth. It’s consistently good and real value for money.
KONSISTENTLY KEYIF PENARTH
Owner, Mehmet Yidiz
The restaurant space feels just right with a very calming ambience. Tastefully decorated it is light and airy. Even if you’re in there with diners at just two or three other tables, it feels cosy. The atmosphere complements the food perfectly. If we’re talking restaurants we have to talk about “service” and this is one area where Keyif truly excels. The service team are lovely. It’s really hard not to describe them without gushing praise and filling the page with clichés. They’re friendly, knowledgeable, super polite and nothing is too much trouble. What’s more it feels genuine, and is delivered effortlessly and, quite simply, makes you feel truly welcome.
We’ve enjoyed several meals at Keyif in Penarth over as many months. Dinner, lunch - we’ve even popped in just for a snack and a glass of wine, and sometimes just a coffee – it’s that kind of restaurant. The one thing that has impressed us is its consistency. It’s always good. The food is excellent - we do love food from the griddle and Keyif does this exceptionally well. Their kebabs are simply scrumptious. We’ve ordered steak and lamb shanks and each time they’ve been perfectly cooked. We’ve yet to try the mixed grill but it’s on our Keyif bucket list.
Their rice is perfect each time and, on the odd occasion when we’ve ordered fries, they’ve been perfect too. One of the things I really love about Keyif is the salad. They do salads extremely well and everything is super fresh. I’m not really a salad person (I often refer to it as rabbit food), but here, the salads are something special. They do a pomegranate dressing which is really lovely - not too sweet, but sticky and sublime, and it seems to lift the taste to another level. Jennifer recently had fish and it was divine - perfectly cooked and moist and full of flavour. In short, the food here is excellent. 20
If you’ve dined at Keyif, you’ll know what we’re talking about. If you haven’t, you’ve missed out on a really lovely dining experience. The word keyif means pleasure and it’s the prefect name for this particular Turkish restaurant. Keyif 21 Glebe Street Penarth CF64 1EE 029 2070 2429 www.keyif.co.uk keyifpenarth
G IN O’ CLOCK
Craft spirit distillery and flagship visitor experience coming to historic Hensol Castle in South Wales Planning permission has been secured to create a craft spirit distillery, bonded warehouse, gin school, visitor experience and bottling plant in Hensol Castle at the Vale Resort, as part of a £7m scheme to bring the castle back into use. Up to 120 new jobs to be created over the next three years.
The basement of a 17th Century, Grade I-listed castle in south Wales will be converted into a craft spirit distillery, bonded warehouse, gin school and visitor experience as part of a £7 million scheme to bring the castle back into use.
The company, trading as Hensol Castle Distillery, is a joint venture between the Leeke family, who own The Vale Resort and Leekes, and the Mallows family from Cowbridge, who own Bottlers and Distillers Wales. Current Vale Resort directors, Stephen Leeke and Mike Fowler, are joined by father and son team, Andy and Rhys Mallows, to form the new board.
Hensol Castle Distillery will produce a range of entry-level, mid-level and premium-quality gins, vodkas and other spirits including an exciting low calorie, low sugar and low alcohol range. The ambition is for these to be available in local pubs and restaurants as well as major supermarkets, wholesalers and cash and carry outlets.
Visitors will be able to distil their own bespoke bottle of gin made to their own specific taste in our gin school. They will be able to look around the distillery operation, learn about the history of gin and Hensol Castle, discover the ingredients that go into the different gins and enjoy a gin tasting and cocktail bar. The distillery is part of a wider redevelopment at Hensol Castle, which has already included turning the once derelict castle into a first-class wedding and conference destination. The introduction of a top-end restaurant will follow. The visitor experience, gin school, and production facility will open later this year sign up to the gin club at www. hensolcastledistillery.com Extended photo caption: (l-r) Stephen Leeke, managing director at the Vale Resort, Rhys Mallows and Andy Mallows from Bottlers and Distillers Wales and Mike Fowler, group financial director of Leekes and the Vale Resort.
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Struggling to find that ultimate gift for the man in your life? You may still be, even after reading this. But hey, we can dream…
Tag Heuer Monaco 24 Steve McQueen CAL5111 FC6299-2014 Call for price 029 2023 3691 Watches Of Wales www.watchesofwales.co.uk
MAN CAVE If you’d like to promote your products or services in our Man Cave section, please contact Jennifer on 07766 106701.
MPower Boxing Equipment Excellent range Gloves from £35 bags from £135 www.mpoweruk.co.uk
Candlewick Man Flu Available in silver or rose gold tins £12 to £18 Hand-blended soy waxes Essential oils and fragrance oils Paraben free Hand poured and yes, they’re made in Wales www.gaucicandles.co.uk
Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Concorde Edition Available to purchase now £321,350 Is being manufactured and delivered in October 2020 by Aston Martin Q Division www.dicklovett.co.uk/aston-martin
If you’re looking for more gift ideas for the man in your life, check out the Happy Days feature on pages 28 and 29.
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The publisher or the retailer cannot be held responsible for any error or omissions. All offers are subject to availability and price changes.
It’s been an amazing year at Davies Motors. In the last year, the Cardiff company has repaired some truly amazing cars. By owner Sean Davies’s admission, the car park has looked a little like an episode of Top Gear on occasions.
THE PERFECT FINISH
We caught up with Sean to find out a little more about the company’s impressive performance over 2019 and his hopes and dreams for 2020. Sean, how are things at Davies Motors? Brilliant. We’ve had a really good couple of years. We’ve been constantly improving and streamlining our business and that, combined with our growing reputation, means we’re much more on the radar especially with the owners of the supercars and hyper-cars. Why do you think these owners are coming to you to repair and renovate their vehicles? We’ve developed, and earned I believe, an excellent reputation for quality and finish. Brands like Bentley and Aston Martin are incredibly choosy when it comes to who does their bodywork repairs. They have exceptionally high standards and there is absolutely no cutting corners ever. 26
This year we’ve seen some truly gorgeous cars come through and, I must confess, it can be hard to see many of them go once we’ve worked our magic. You say magic, but really it’s hard work and skill that produces such beautiful work… I agree. I have a fantastic team of really talented people working here. They’re as passionate as I am about producing beautiful work, and nothing gives all of us more pleasure than seeing cars leave the building in perfect condition and the owners’ beaming smiles.
You work on a lot of exotic cars but do you do work on what we’d call ‘normal’ cars? Absolutely. The vast majority of our work is the usual brands that we all drive every day. And it’s important to add that those customers receive exactly the same quality of service as a driver of a Rolls Royce or Lamborghini. Many people don’t realise that they don’t have to use their insurer’s nominated repairer. You can choose your own and it’s important you do. If you’ve had the misfortune of having a bump, you want to be confident that the car that returns will be as good as it was previously. That’s not always the case with the so called ‘bucket shop repairers’. What’s your car of the year? We’ve had the pleasure of restoring some beautiful vehicles this year. We’re very proud of those. Honestly, we’ve had so many through this year that it would be impossible to choose a favourite – they’re like your children. And for 2020? What are your plans? It’s brilliant being out in front when it comes to quality and service but I suppose it’s a little like gaining a Michelin star if you’re a restaurant. You have to maintain it. So if we end 2020 producing the same or better standards of work, that’ll be a win for us.
Davies Motor Company Hadfield Close (off Hadfield Road) Cardiff CF11 8BD 029 2039 4407
“Many people don’t realise that they don’t have to use their insurer’s nominated repairer.”
sean@daviesmotorcompany.co.uk www.daviesmotorcompany.co.uk
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Tucked away, just off Cowbridge’s High Street, just next to the church is, if you’re a gentleman, probably the only gift shop you’ll ever need. I can’t tell you how many times this brilliant place has saved my bacon over the years.
HAPPY DAYS VINTAGE THE COOLEST PLACE IN TOWN
Happy Days Vintage Homestore is a remarkable place. Not only is it a must visit if you love all things vintage but it’s packed with cool stuff for the chaps in your lives. There are guitars, cool furniture, retro phones, weird scientific stuff, old toys, memorabilia, religious icons - honestly, this great little warehouse of wonder has pretty much anything you need to deliver a gift that’ll bring joy to the ones you love. Basically it’s an artisan market with several dozen individual sellers - an Aladdin’s Cave if you will. It is one of the biggest and best stores in Cowbridge and simply oozes vintage and retro charm. Full to the brim of restored vintage furniture, antiques and garden ware, Happy Days Vintage Homestore is home to around thirty diverse, local small businesses, including a talented upholsterer, local artists, hand sewn items, and jewellery makers.
In addition to the stock from local businesses they also stock ceramics, collectable toys, vintage cameras, books, magazines, comics, artwork, posters, vinyl records, ladies’ fashion, Harris tweed jackets, waistcoats and flat caps. There are Welsh dressers and plenty of Welsh themed products and plenty of great upcycled and recycled ideas that would furnish any cool man cave.
“I love browsing in Happy Days. I’ve bought cool books here, a guitar, a 3D medical poster for my man cave. It never fails to deliver, and the prices are reasonable.”
Another great reason to visit Happy Days (not that it needed any more) is the cafe. The ladies are lovely. Every time I pop in I order a lovely piece of home-made Bara Brith with a cup of tea. Occasionally I’ll have lunch and the food is excellent. Great soups and stews in the winter months or a bacon sandwich. Honestly ladies love this place but gents, you’re missing a trick, this is definitely worth a wander through next time you’re in town. 28
“Great vinyl selection. I’ve picked up some real gems here.”
Happy Days Vintage Homestore Church Street, Cowbridge CF71 7BB 01446 771191 www.happydaysvintagehomestore.co.uk
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Winter has officially arrived, and whilst we may associate this with cosy nights and mulled wine, for some, it brings upon the dreaded cold and flu symptoms. However, this doesn’t need to be inevitable, you can avoid the dreaded waiting time in GP surgeries by taking a few simple steps, and enjoy everything winter has to offer. Angharad Evans, Natural Therapist tells us how.
FIVE WINTER BUSTERS! 1.What to eat? Let’s start by looking at our dinner plate. Is it colourful? Does it show all the colours of the rainbow? We need the antioxidants from our vegetables to boost our immunity. This means that we need Vitamins A, C, E, Bs Selenium, Zinc, Bioflavonoids and Cysteine.
What does this look like on our plate? Dark green leafy vegetables, red, yellow, orange and purple vegetables. Bioflavonoids are found in citrus fruit and grapes, buckwheat and cranberry are other sources of these essential antioxidants. asparagus, broccoli, sprouts, celery, cucumber, kale, red peppers, beetroot, tomatoes, carrots, orange peppers, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, swede, turmeric, ginger, yellow peppers, olives, purple sweet potatoes, aubergine, purple carrots, chick peas, shallots, seeds, onions, garlic, fennel, nuts, lentils and parsnips. If your plate features NATURALLY colourful foods, you’re on the right track, giving your body the nutrients it needs to ward off those pesky bugs. 2.Supplement your diet Vitamin D is immune boosting and is important over the winter due to the reduction in daylight hours. Oily fish is a natural source of this vitamin too. Vitamin C and Zinc are the most effective tools to protect us against viral infections. It is definitely a supplementmust this winter. Garlic is anti-viral, antibacterial and anti-fungal. Whether you take a capsule daily or eat a clove daily, either way, you’ll help fight infection. Do you suffer from a sore throat or upset stomach? Make your own tea of ginger and cinnamon or ginger lemon and honey. In addition, Echinacea is a wonderful remedy to fight infections and to keep your immunity strong.
3.Sleep well Our bodies heal when we sleep, therefore, we need good quality sleep! Ensure your last meal is 2-3 hours before bedtime, switch off your broadband overnight, keep any blue light technology out of the bedroom, avoid coffee after 2pm and no napping after 3pm. All of these will help you get a better night’s sleep. We need a good dose of sunlight per day! Make sure you get out to the daylight for at least 30 minutes per day. It will help the quality of sleep. 4.Healthy mind, healthy body What’s good for immunity? A positive mind. Whether you spend quality time with family and friends, listen to music, relax through walking or yoga, you support your immune system by looking after you. 5.Get your blood pumping Getting the right balance of exercise will keep your immune system in shape. Keep active and aim to do a form of exercise every other day. A determined walk for half an hour per day, swimming, cycling whatever you enjoy, will help boost your immune system. Angharad Evans Therapïau Naturiol Angharad Natural Therapies by Angharad 07739210291 www.angharadevans.cymru AngharadsNaturalTherapy
SEVEN HEAVEN Living in Wales is wonderful but wanderlust always sets us off travelling and because we love our weekends in the smoke, we took ourselves for a short break rail-blazing around Seven Dials. Seven Dials is a unique shopping and lifestyle destination in London’s West End positioned between Covent Garden and Soho. Seven atmospheric streets are filled with independent boutiques, international fashion labels, heritage brands, beauty boutiques, men’s grooming specialists, traditional pubs, cool cocktail bars, cafés, awardwinning restaurants, theatres and smart hotels. At the centre is a pillar bearing six sundials, a result of the column being commissioned before a late- stage alteration of the plans from the original six roads to seven. Seven Dials even warranted a mention in the operetta Iolanthe by W. S. Gilbert fame indeed!
It is compact and bijou, with great value and finish as well as value for money, and we love it. For breakfast they offer a complimentary bag (yoghurt, fruit etc) but we opt to purchase the full English with tea and it doesn’t disappoint. We have to compliment The Hoxton, Holborn on their service. The staff are awesome and some of our establishments could learn a lot about customer service from The Hoxton, Holborn. They really are lovely people.
First we needed a base, so The Hoxton, Holborn pops up on our radar and has excellent reviews; we aren’t disappointed. It’s a mix between a business club, restaurant, café, bar and hotel, and oozes cool from every pore.
“The Hoxton, Holborn delivered one of the best night’s sleep ever.” 34
“Any hotel that has an August 1990 copy of Elle for you to read is cool with us.” Yes, we loved The Hoxton, Holborn – perfectly positioned on High Holborn to explore the Seven Dials. So what does the area offer? Great access to Covent Garden, Soho and the West End. The seven streets are packed with cool independents so if shopping, rail-blazing and eating out is your forte, you’ll be satisfied indeed.
Our highlights… Any weekend away is about experiences. In this area, you’re coming for the vibe, the buzz, the sounds, the smells, the tastes and boy, does Seven Dials deliver. We pushed the boat out on day one with dinner at Marcus Wareing’s Tredwells restaurant and enjoyed one of the best starters to a meal ever - afterwards, we took a walk and even the rain added to the mood reflecting the beautiful lights of Carnaby Street onto the cobbles, a wonderfully atmospheric start to a great weekend.
On Saturday, we actually slept in - The Hoxton, Holborn is super quiet despite our room overlooking High Holborn. Great breakfast and we’re out, there’s so much to see. The Seven Dials Market is a must - lovely vibe about the place and some really excellent stalls. We wanted to try Redemption, a vegan restaurant nearby in Shorts Gardens (as we’d heard excellent things) but, sadly, it was fully booked (we should have made a reservation). We head for Covent Garden and, again, it delivered exactly what we’d hoped for - by now, we are completely chilled and embracing London life.
Lunchtime Saturday we find ourselves sharing afternoon tea at Monmouth Kitchen on Monmouth Street, an Italian and contemporary Peruvianinspired tapas restaurant. Super scrummy. A treat yes, but isn’t this what life is about? The other food at Monmouth Kitchen looked excellent so certainly one we would visit again next time we’re here. We head to Earlham Street and discover Knomo who design products to help get life organised. From backpacks to briefcases and handbags to luggage, every product is cleverly designed and caters for technology and modern life on the move. Impressive, and we’re now proud owners.
Back to Monmouth Street to Miller Harris for what we both agreed was a really lovely experience – a bespoke fragrance profiling by Store Manager who instantly became a friend. He was a gorgeous soul and we ended up promising to have dinner next time we’re in London. Having our own fragrance specially curated for us was definitely one of the highlights of our trip.
We spent the rest of the afternoon browsing the seven streets and decided that we’d like to try something out of our comfort zones for dinner. After a quick freshen up at The Hoxton, Holborn, we were off to Flesh & Buns on Earlham Street, a Japanese Izakaya restaurant and bar serving steamed hirata buns with sirloin steak and some cool cocktails. It was packed, noisy and wonderfully addictive. I imagine if we lived locally, it would be one of our favourite places.
Soho and Chinatown beckoned and we spent the next hour soaking up the sights, smells and sounds of this iconic area before heading back. Sunday morning arrives and despite our mantras that we’d go easy at breakfast, one of us caved and the full English won again. We head back into Seven Dials and find ourselves at Murdock London on Monmouth Street. We’d spotted it the day before and had booked in for a facial for Mark. Murdock London is a fine barber offering all the usual services but delivering in an exceptionally cool way. They have also created a range of signature products so even if you’re not in London, you can enjoy the experience at home. All products are made in England and offer a signature shaving collection along with colognes, skincare and accessories. Great facial - very relaxing and refreshing. Well worth a visit and a great gift for the chaps. In the afternoon we are unable to resist passing Hotel Chocolat (we love the one in Cardiff). They offer a Chocolate Tasting Adventure in their Cocoa Vaults on Monmouth Street but, again, we should have booked. We console ourselves with a variety of ‘train sweets’ in the form of Cherry Deluxe and Lemon Cheesecake.
We checked out and headed for Paddington in a black cab (no we don’t Uber – we’d rather support the cabbies). Both agreed we’d had a fantastic weekend in Seven Dials and, as we wait for our train, we’re already planning our return. We’re in seventh heaven.
Seven Dials www.sevendials.co.uk
Flesh & Buns www.fleshandbuns.com
The Hoxton www.thehoxton.com
Murdock London www.murdocklondon.com
Monmouth Kitchen www.monmouthkitchen.co.uk
Hotel Chocolat www.hotelchocolat.com
Tredwells www.tredwells.com
The Trainline www.thetrainline.com
Knomo uk.knomo.com
COMING SOON!
Miller Harris www.millerharris.com 37
Travel Life Travel Life is our new online guide to holiday destinations in the UK and beyond www.travellifemag.co.uk
Wales and the West’s premier loft conversion specialists Office and showroom: 107 Caerphilly Road, Birchgrove, Cardiff CF14 4QA
Recent Projects
The conversion of this property in the Cotswolds required careful consideration to it’s original features and the area as a whole. The owners had looked into moving but a loft conversion gave them everything they needed. Two bedrooms and a shower room have been added. Strict planning regulations made gaining permission was a challenge but the result blends perfectly with the surrounding area.
The star of the show here is the panoramic sliding doors with minimal frame and maximum glass. The property went through a big transformation with a hip to gable roof extension, front apex dormer and a large rear dormer. The client wanted a master bedroom, walk-in wardrobes, luxury shower room and a wow factor. Rhiwbina
www.loft-pro.co.uk T: 02920 628387
Romilly Associates was formed by David Stealey and has served the Vale of Glamorgan since 1995 with offices originally situated in High Street Barry. The firm moved to the Penarth office in 1999 and rebranded to Romilly Financial in 2012.
ROMILLY FINANCIAL
David has been a financial adviser for over thirty years having helped many clients from both Penarth and the Vale. We caught up with David to find out more. Can you introduce the team at Romilly Financial? We are a committed, friendly, professional and approachable team which includes myself as Managing Director and Senior Financial Planner, Marcus Rees, Director & Senior Financial Planner, Mandy Godfrey, Paraplanner and Office Manager, Tina Leonard, Marketing and Client Management, Katy O’Brien, Mortgage Processor and Lisa Fletcher, Mortgage Adviser. What is it like having your office based in the Vale? With both myself and Marcus living and working in Penarth, you couldn’t ask for a more stable work life balance. We have clients across the country, but the vast majority of relationships have been built up in and around the Vale. Although we offer home visits many of our clients are happy to travel to Penarth and combine a meeting with a visit to one of its beautiful array of local coffee shops and restaurants. We are strongly committed to being part of our local community and take pride in the support we offer to local charities, organisations, businesses & Sports clubs.
What services do you specialise in? Pensions, investments, mortgages, protection, tax efficient savings advice, long-term care, trusts & estate planning. What do you think makes Romilly Financial different? We offer an unparalleled service, sound advice and lower fees. Where does your business come from? We are very lucky in that most of our business comes from word of mouth. We really appreciate clients taking time to recommend our services; our recommend a friend scheme allows us to send them a small token of our thanks. We are also grateful to our professional connections who are happy to recommend us also for our service and expertise.
What customers say... n
Keep up the great work – especially the personal contact
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The service I received was great and I would fully recommend to friends and family
n
No one could or has explained things in a more clear and concise way – thank you so much.
n
By moving to better products, Romilly helped me to save £1000 per month which was a better outcome than I had expected. I was completely happy with the service!
TESTIMONIALS “I can’t recommend Marcus and David highly enough. I have no hesitation in recommended that my clients seek financial advice from Romilly Financial as I know that they will be extremely well looked after. They always dealt with my clients, some of whom are in particularly vulnerable positions, in a highly professional and empathetic manner.” Angus Fergusson Solicitor & Director, Mooneerams Solicitors, Cardiff 39
Romilly Financial 26 Hickman Road, Penarth CF64 2AL 029 2041 5100 www.romillyifa.com Romilly Financial is a trading style of Romilly Associates IFA Ltd which is authorised & regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority No. 450550
CALL 029 2066 7787
VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.ALEXANDERBULLOCK.CO.UK
CORIAN APPROVED FABRICATORS 61
Leading hospitality group Accor is opening a new Mercure hotel in Cardiff by the end of 2020. The hotel previously operated under the Park Inn brand but is currently being extensively redesigned and fully refurbished to align with Mercure standards.
NORTHERN LIGHT
NEW MERCURE HOTEL FOR CARDIFF
Mercure Cardiff North Hotel, located in Circle Way East, is owned by Danish real estate group Proark and managed by Mercure. Every Mercure hotel takes its inspiration from the features, traditions and history of its individual location while sharing the consistent quality of an international brand. Each hotel features locally inspired artwork, design, décor and even textures encompassing elements of its area’s cultural and historic past. Mercure Cardiff North Hotel takes its inspiration from the historic docklands district Tiger Bay and the key role it played in the export of coal, iron
and tin from South Wales during the industrial revolution. The design of the hotel features copper aesthetic lining inspired by the Millennium Centre façade in Cardiff Bay, while curated display items include Welsh love spoons, miners’ hats and welsh textiles. The hotel offers 132 guest rooms and provides a convivial eating and drinking experience with a 32-cover restaurant, a café and bar lounge area. Jean-Marc Vendioux, Senior Vice President Managed hotels UKI at Accor, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Proark on this new hotel in Cardiff and are proud to brand it as a Mercure. Guests can already expect an incredibly high 42
level of quality and personalised service, as they would receive in any Mercure, and this will be elevated by the look and feel of a hotel rooted in its local Cardiff community once the refurbishment is complete later this year.” Michael Brag, Chairman of Proark commented: “We have worked closely with Accor since signing this hotel and are extremely pleased with the ongoing work being done to redesign and refurbish it. The hotel has the Mercure service and features guests expect but it will also offer local touches specific to Cardiff, which we are confident will be well received by business and leisure travellers alike.”
Mercure Cardiff North Hotel Circle Way East Llanedeyrn Cardiff CF23 9XF 029 2058 9988 mercure.accorhotels.com
HIGHBULLEN Given that it’s only a leisurely two and a half hour’s drive from Cardiff, it’s no wonder city dwellers choose this beautiful hotel for a quick getaway. It’s History Highbullen Hotel combines an interesting history dating back to 1879 enhanced with contemporary touches and modern luxuries, set within a sprawling 127 acre estate with magnificent views across the Mole Valley and Exmoor National Park. This really is the hotel to explore North Devon. Accommodation At Highbullen Hotel, the main building, a Victorian arts and craft manor house, is home to twelve beautiful bedrooms, including the spectacular award-winning Loft Suite complete with its own steam room and infrared sauna, whilst a further thirty bedrooms can be found throughout the Estate in The Courtyard, Gardener’s Row, Golf View and Stable Cottage. Comfortable lounges to relax in can be found in the Manor House with stunning views across to Exmoor. Highbullen also offers four luxurious self-catering cottages.
The Food There are plenty of dining options at Highbullen. Formal dining takes place in the AA 2 Rosette Devon View Restaurant, under the careful watch of head chef Stephen Walker. The elegant dining room features floor to ceiling windows, granting spectacular panoramic views across the Devon countryside over to Exmoor. The menu showcases seasonal and local produce with a modern British theme across all dishes. An extensive wine list offers wines from the old and new worlds and staff can suggest wine pairings.
Highbullen recently opened Laura Ashley The Tea Room. Designed in the distinctive Laura Ashley style, the room accommodates 74 covers, providing guests with unrivalled views bringing together the quintessence of England: the timelessness of afternoon tea, elegant country living and one of the most iconic English brands. This space is converted into The Supper Room between 6pm and 10pm daily. The casual dining menu here includes a wide style of dining options that will entice everyone including ‘small plates and sharing platters’ priced from £4.50, ‘big eats’ priced from £12.50, ‘pizza and pasta’ priced from £11, ‘salads’ and ‘desserts’ priced from £6.50.
The Highbullen Hotel, north Devon, is best known for two things - walking and great food. It’s an ideal base for exploring Exmoor and beyond and is the perfect place for a weekend or mid-week break.
HOTEL
Things to do There is an intimate green charm to walks around Exmoor. The Moors also provide plenty of myth and legend to explore. But walking here is a joy and walkers will encounter subtle blends of prehistoric past and wilderness present. Highbullen can provide written and mapped walk details for six walks local to the hotel. The shortest is a half hour route around the hotel and village, the longest a walk on Exmoor, taking in the highest cliffs in England with views over the Bristol Channel to South Wales, as well as Exmoor’s famous wooded combes and heather covered moorland with its wealth of wildlife.
Time to explore Golden sandy beaches perfect for rock-pooling, swimming and surfing, dramatic coastlines, rugged moors and verdant valleys all demand to be explored. Saunton Sands, Woolacombe, Putsborough are all good for surfing or family days out and within quick driving distance from the hotel.
The leisure facilities For leisure fans, Highbullen Hotel is a dream, especially in the warmer months with plenty of outdoor possibilities. Facilities include seven all-weather tennis courts, an outdoor swimming pool and an eighteen hole USGA specification golf course set in wooded parkland.
We paid a visit to Minehead and were delighted to discover that it wasn’t just home to Butlins.
Indoors guests can make use of a twenty metre indoor swimming pool with sauna, steam-room and jacuzzi. Highbullen Hotel has partnered with leading skincare brand ELEMIS to provide a wide range of wonderful spa treatments; facials, massages and holistic therapies are available.
There were plenty of interesting independent businesses, restaurants and cafes to keep us busy for the whole afternoon. Well worth a visit.
What we loved… Sometimes country hotels can feel a little stuffy and uninviting. Not so at Highbullen. The staff are the jewel in Highbullen’s crown. Welcoming, attentive, but unobtrusive. From the receptionist to the maitre‘d’, it was clearly a labour of love and not just a job to them. The near future Not ones to rest on their laurels, the hotel owners have plans to add lodges to the grounds next year to make the hotel more family and friendly. Would we return? In a heartbeat.
Highbullen Hotel Chittlehamholt, Umberleigh North Devon EX37 9HD 01769 540561 welcome@highbullen.co.uk www.highbullen.co.uk B&B is priced from £110 per room per night
WORKING ON WORK
FIVE STARTING POINTS FROM
LEWIS BALLARD We all want to be better, even those on top of their game should aim to improve. Dan le Sac tells us, ‘If your only goal is always to improve on yourself, then the quest is never over no matter how big your wealth.’ This is true of business too! If you’re not working on bettering your business it isn’t going to improve.
We know you’re working hard, but are you working right? Make time to work on work. Doing daily tasks is important, but it won’t make your business improve. Getting better at doing your daily tasks only gets you better at staying where you are!
1. Change You have to make changes to see changes. Setting a target to be bringing in more high value clients is great, but if you stick to the same process you’ve been following, day-in day-out, you’re going to get exactly the same results you’ve been getting, day-in day-out. A great way to identify where you should be changing your tactics is to ask people who are already doing what you want to do. The worst they can do is not tell you!
2. Commit Change can be hard to enforce, but it can be the most important part. Frequently processes put in place to bring change fall by the wayside. People revert to what they know, but that only keeps everything the same. Nothing can progress if nothing changes. Let’s say your goal is to drive up garlic bread sales and you’ve told everyone to offer it every time.
If you don’t monitor it, things will quickly revert to the previous statusquo. Want to get stuck with a load of garlic bread, or increased sales? Make those changes stick!
3. Goals What are you aiming for? Bettering yourself is great, but you need more specific goals. To become ‘better’ is too broad. What’s the best route to ‘better’? If you decide to get better at workflow management you need to identify how much and by when. Before you know it, you won’t just be working towards ‘better’, you’ll know how much better you really are.
4. Time Want more time? Unfortunately, you can’t have it! There is no more to go around. Instead use what you have more wisely. Is it really only you who can do those routine daily tasks? Is that just vanity? Because to improve your business, you need to prioritise working on work, not just in it.
“You have to make changes to see changes.” 48
5. ‘Better’ So you’ve achieved your goal and now you’re ‘better’. You’ve reached good or even great, but don’t stop there. Super successful companies are always improving, which is why we see new innovation daily from the businesses we want to compete with and, eventually, exceed. They’re working on work right now. Are you? Give us a call and let Lewis Ballard help you identify what your goals should be, and how you can be working on work today.
“So you’ve achieved your goal and now you’re ‘better’. You’ve reached good or even great, but don’t stop there.”
Lewis Ballard Celtic House Caxton Place Pentwyn, Cardiff CF23 8HA 02920 735502 info@lewisballard.co.uk www.lewisballard.co.uk
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SOCIAL LIFE RADISSON BLU, CARDIFF
InMode launch for Cardiff Cosmetic Clinic The launch of InMode by the Cardiff Cosmetic Clinic, an aesthetic clinic that offers a whole range of procedures from Botox, lip enhancement, fillers to thread lifts and more was held at The Radisson Blu Hotel, Cardiff. The event was a chance to find out more about the latest technology in non-surgical facial tightening, treatment of facial scarring and laser hair removal.
For a free consultation on InMode or any other treatments available at the Cardiff Cosmetic Clinic please contact Karen on 0800 689 1111. Cardiff Cosmetic Clinic The City Surgery City Road, Cardiff CF24 3WD www.cardiffcosmeticclinic.com
The surgery is run by Dr Raj Aggarwal. Dr Raj qualified from University College London in 1994. He is a GP with a thriving city centre practice in the heart of Cardiff. He has always had an interest in facial aesthetics. After the demos Dr Raj thanked everyone for attending the event and he informed us all of the amazing offers on the treatments: On the evening guests enjoyed several offers including an InMode treatment at 25% off and 20% off after that. A refer a friend offer of 20% off an InMode treatment.
 
If you couldn’t make the event but wanted to, please ask about the offers when booking!
InMode is taking the world by storm with its technological advancements which began over two decades ago. Using state-of-the-art light, laser, and radio-frequency devices, people are amazed by the results. There were presentations by Neil, GM for InMode UK and Hannah who talked about the various revolutionary treatments including Lumecca, Morpheus 8, Fractora, Forma and Diolaze XL. Guests were also treated to demonstrations of the InMode equipment including Morpheus 8 and Forma, deftly undertaken by Karen of the Cosmetic Cosmetic Clinic. Guests enjoyed stunning canapes and fizz and were able to take advantage of the on the night special offers.
To book your free consultation with Karen, please call: 0800 689 1111 for more information about Cardiff Cosmetic Clinic please visit www.cardiffcosmeticclinic.com For more information about InMode, please visit: www.inmodemd.co.uk 50
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