KL Magazine October 2019

ISSN 2044–7965

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ISSUE 109 OCTOBER 2019 PRICELESS

magazine

WEST NORFOLK | NORTH NORFOLK | COASTAL

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welcome

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argument eventually came together and strengthened the village’s community spirit is a fascinating one.

You can read the story of Ken Hill Footpath on page 92.

Of course October means it’s time for Halloween, and while most of us are content with a single carved pumpkin on the doorstep, some people take the festival rather more seriously. On page 8 you can discover how (and why) local farming couple Henry and Victoria Cushing built an entire house with the squash in question on their farm in Thursford. It’s a great way of putting some fun back into an event that often verges on the macabre, and if you are looking for a pumpkin (or seven) then there’s probably no more enjoyable way of getting one.

You can’t mention Thursford without thinking of the Thursford Christmas Spectacular, which opens on 6th November this year. With a cast of some

t doesn’t matter what month it is, there are always so many things to do in Norfolk at any time of year.

Miles of coastline, stunning countryside, internationallyimportant nature reserves, picturesque villages and churches, historic towns, the magical waterland of The Broads and plenty of heritage and culture.

Enjoying and exploring this wonderful place is the aim of the 5th Norfolk Walking and Cycling Festival, which takes place this month and offers a very varied programme of events for all members of the family, all designed to help you make the most of these lovely autumnal days. You’ll find more details on page 20 of this month’s magazine.

While we’re on the subject, walking actually became the matter of a rather unhappy dispute in Snettisham at the start of the 20th century which led to a court case in London – and the story of how the supporters on both sides of the

120 performers, it’s now the biggest Christmas show of its kind in Europe, and you can read about the year-long planning behind this incredible local event on page 26.

You’d have thought Norfolk had no more ‘hidden gems’ to discover, but in Hunstanton you’ll find one of the most significant buildings in the history of modern architecture – one that draws visitors from around the world to the coastal town. But it’s not a church or a townhouse. It isn’t a hotel or stately home either. It is, in fact, Smithdon High School, and you can read about its fascinating past (and the very bright future for its students) on page 42.

Enjoy the magazine!

Eric Secker EDITOR KL magazine

COVER IMAGE

meet the team

Sandringham Walled Garden Gate by Ian Ward

MANAGING DIRECTOR Laura Dunn

WRITER

Stephanie Lewis

EDITOR

ADVERTISING

Eric Secker

Jessica Smith

GRAPHIC DESIGN

DISTRIBUTION

CONTRIBUTORS

ADMINISTRATOR

Clare Bee Alison Gifford Diane Smith Sarah Woonton

Amy Phillips Lisa Barrett

Pete Tonroe

Sophie Allen

PHOTOGRAPHY Ian Ward

contact

18 Tuesday Market Place King’s Lynn PE30 1JW 01553 601201 info@klmagazine.co.uk

KL magazine is published monthly by KL Publications Ltd. The magazine cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and KL magazine takes no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved.

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contents

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14 20 26 32 38

42 47 48 52 KLmagazine October 2019

DIARY DATES This month’s forthcoming events THE HOME OF HALLOWEEN Visting a house made of pumpkins OUR MOST ROMANTIC RUINS The story of Snettisham Pier NORFOLK ON TWO FEET AND WHEELS The 5th Walking and Cycling Festival THE BEST CHRISTMAS SHOW EVER It’s the Thursford Christmas Spectacular FIGHTING AGAINST THE FLOODS The work of the local Environment Agency A NATURAL TRIBUTE AT CLEY Simon Aspinall Wildlife Education Centre LESSONS IN ARCHITECTURE...

The secrets of Smithdon High School YOU AND YOUR PETS With London Road Veterinary Centre OCTOBER IN THE GARDEN Expert advice with Wendy Warner THEN AND NOW How the local area has changed

OCTOBER 2019

54 58 68

74 79 86 92 98 104 110 114

NORFOLK PETAL CONFETTI Charming ideas for your big day FASHION A look at the latest wedding styles NORFOLK TO THE CORE...

A tasty heritage at Drove Orchards MEET THE CHEF Caroline Lepoidevin at The Berney FLAVOUR OF THE MONTH The Kitchen at English Whisky NORFOLK RESTAURANT WEEK Special deals on special meals WINNING THE RIGHT TO WALK The story of Ken Hill Footpath A LEGACY OF BRICKMAKING The history of Peterston Brickyard A STITCH IN TIME...

The sewing tradition of King’s Lynn FENLAND MYSTERIES With local author Diane Smith MICHAEL MIDDLETON Counting the pennies...

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Leading from the front: the all-new BMW 1 Series

Don’t miss your opportunity to discover one of the most exciting BMWs ever released at Listers King’s Lynn – book your test drive now!

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hen BMW released the 1 Series back in 2003 onto the premium family car market, it was hailed as the best rear-wheel drive hatchback in the world. And one of the biggest surprises with the unveiling of the all-new BMW 1 Series at Listers King's Lynn is that the third generation of this stunning car has switched to front-wheel drive. It's actually enhanced the way it drives, feeling much like the larger 3 Series in

day-to-day running.

But that's not all. The all-new BMW 1 Series offers strong performance, attractive fuel economy and low emissions. It's more spacious (there's an extra 20l in the boot), it's better equipped, and contains an outstanding infotainment package.

"This is one of the most exciting launches of a new BMW we've had this year," says Laurence Bennett, Head of Business at Listers King's Lynn. "The new BMW 1 Series is full of luxurious visuals, and the new engines are fantastic. And drivers who prefer automatics will really enjoy discovering BMW's eight-speed Steptronic gearbox."

All model versions feature LED headlights, alloy wheels and adaptive drive modes, but it's on the inside that the new BMW 1 Series sets a number of

new standards.

The overall look and feel is one of a superbly-designed premium sporting car, with the new dashboard heavily oriented toward the driver - where you get treated to BMW's extraordinary Live Cockpit Plus. In addition to an 8.8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, an iDrive controller with touch operation and cruise control, BMW's Connected Package Plus allows you to interact with the car's digital systems via voice recognition.

“The new BMW 1 Series is a real joy to look at,” says Laurence Bennett, “but it’s only when you’re behind the wheel that you realise that this is a very special car indeed.”

To be among the first to test drive the all-new BMW 1 Series, contact Listers King’s Lynn today on 01553 692000 – and book your experience.

FIND US: Hardwick Road, King's Lynn PE30 4NA TEL: 01553 692000 | WEB: listerskingslynnbmw.co.uk

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Diarydates

LOCAL EVENTS IN OCTOBER & NOVEMBER

KING’S LYNN FESTIVAL

This young, dynamic a cappella octet, fresh from their highly acclaimed Prom Debut this summer, will join King’s Lynn Festival Chorus in a concert with a programme of choral music spanning 500 years. From Allegri’s mighty Miserere and Tippett’s Five Spirituals to modern arrangements of songs by Billy Joel and Duke Ellington, and many more in between. A concert not to be missed!

Tickets are £17 - £24 in zoned areas (FREE for under 18s), book online at www.kingslynncornexchange.co.uk or call the box office on 01553 764864.

This legendary festival, now in its 68th year, is an exciting mix of classical music, jazz, theatre, exhibitions, workshops and films.

Ronnie Scott's All Stars will be making a welcome return to King's Lynn for their 60th anniversary tour and there will be a screening of Manchester Royal Exchange's critically-acclaimed production of Hamlet featuring Maxine Peake (above).

Find out more about all the events and book tickets at www.kingslynnfestival.org.uk, or call the box office on 01553 764864.

WHEN: Sunday 6th October, 7pm WHERE: St Nicholas’ Chapel, St Ann’s St, King’s Lynn PE30 1LT

WHEN: Friday 25th to Sunday 27th October WHERE: St George’s Guildhall, King St,

VOCES8 IN CONCERT

King’s Lynn, PE30 1EU, and other venues

RAF BIRCHAM NEWTON HERITAGE MUSEUM OPEN DAY The Heritage Centre at Bircham Newton has a unique collection of memorabilia from the former Royal Air Force station’s past service, which spanned more than 44 years, including two world wars and the Cold War. On display are photographs and personal memories of servicemen who served there and other related items from its fascinating history. Entry is free, find out more at www.rafbnmp.org.uk.

WHEN: Sunday 27 October, 10am to 4pm WHERE: The National Construction College, Bircham Newton,

THE STYLE SHOW A fashion show with a difference! Be the first to shop autumn/winter collections with expert advice from the Style Show styling team. Enjoy dinner during the show and help raise funds for Festival Too. Discover how to build looks and make every shopping trip a success. Tickets are £28 including a two-course meal, and a style consultation worth £90. To book contact Bridget Nurse on 07795 236616 or bridgetnurse@btconnect.com

WHEN: Tuesday 29th October, 7pm for a 7:30pm start WHERE: Dukes Head Hotel, Tuesday Market Place, King’s Lynn, PE30 1YY

Norfolk PE31 6RB KLmagazine October 2019

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Why a Norfolk couple are building a home for Halloween

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Last year, local couple Henry and Victoria Cushing put their Thursford farm on the map with a remarkable pumpkin house – and they’ve got big ideas for this year

armers nowadays have got used to diversifying. With unpredictable weather, fluctuating prices for their crops and whatever else the future may bring, many of them have had to find interesting and unusual ways to keep doing the job they love.

For young farming couple Henry and Victoria Cushing, the answer may well lie with pumpkins!

Their mixed farm near Thursford in north Norfolk includes combinable crops, sugar beet, 2,500 pigs, and they’ve added several holiday cottages to boost their income stream, but last year they built their first Pumpkin House.

“We were racking our brains about what else we could do,” says Victoria, “and our accountant suggested we try and take advantage of the main road running past the farm. My birthday is on

October 28th and I’ve always been obsessed with Halloween, having had Halloween parties all my life. I used to live in America, where of course it’s very big, and I saw a pumpkin house on Instagram.”

Realising the popularity of Halloween continues to grow in the UK, they decided to give the idea a go, and with October being a relatively quiet time on the farm thought it could be a feasible project. They also had a lot of old farm machinery and tractors around the farm, which children love discovering and exploring.

By chance they also had an original shepherd’s hut, which had belonged to Henry’s grandfather as he travelled about the countryside working.

“So although it’s all about the pumpkins, we also had the ‘shop’ we could use as an office,” says Victoria, “and it even has a little log burner in it,

so it all adds to the authenticity.”

They started by constructing a 4x4m2 house made from wooden shelves, where they could display the pumpkins.

With the capacity to hold about 1,000 pumpkins, it proved to be quite a sight, and was visible to passing traffic.

“Being seen from the main road was really our main advertisement,” says Victoria, “and it was so orange – especially as the sun caught it! It looked really fabulous and people would actually honk their horns as they drove by!”

They also made and sold small wooden broomsticks, floral wreaths and table decorations.

They didn’t want it to be too ghoulish and spooky, however, and tried to give it more of the fun farm element.

“We want to excite the children, not scare them!” she says, “and the children loved choosing their own pumpkins

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from the house. Last year, we bought in most of our pumpkins from Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, but this year we’ve grown about 2.5 acres. We‘ve tried to grow a variety of colours and shapes, of which some are pumpkins and some are gourds.”

As well as the standard Jack o’ Lantern orange pumpkins, this year the couple are growing other varieties with such exotic names as Queensland Blue, Crown Prince and Goosebump.

Victoria is keen to stress that the pop-up shop and growing tourist attraction are completely free for visitors to come and have a walk round and enjoy the atmosphere, hopefully buying a pumpkin as well of course.

Building on their success of last year, the pumpkin house will be joined by a hay bale maze this month, where they’re planning to put a monster pumpkin in the middle for the children to find, a couple of pumpkin totem poles, and will also be offering tea and hot chocolate. They even have a wonderful fairground organ which belongs to Henry’s father, and will be playing in the field.

With visitors parking in the farmyard, they’ll be able to walk through a wooded trail to take them out into the field where the house will be built. They also put pumpkins along the driveway to add to the whole experience.

After their first year, when they didn’t really expect to make any profit, they hope it will be a bit more profitable this year. Luckily they won’t need to pay out for shelving for the house, or the logo and printing of flyers, or even the pumpkins, as they have grown their own. And as they did last year, they will be giving 50p from every sale to the Benjamin Foundation, a charity which helps disadvantaged families in Norfolk and Suffolk.

After last year’s positive feedback, the couple have many plans to add extra attractions for the future. They hope to grow maize next year so visitors can come and pick their own sweetcorn.

They also have plans for family days, maybe a band or even a professional pumpkin carver.

But for this year, Henry and Victoria have high hopes that they’ll be able to build on their success for their second year.

“As most people nowadays do buy a pumpkin,” says Victoria, “we hope they’ll want to come and buy from us!”

The Pumpkin House is open this year from Saturday 19 October from 10am to 4pm and every day until Thursday 31 October. For more information, please visit Henry and Victoria’s website at www.pumpkinhouse.co.uk

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PICTURES: This month, Victoria and Henry Cushing’s farm at Thursford becomes a fun-filled celebration of pumpkins – and includes a hay bale maze and the famous Pumpkin House

KLmagazine October 2019

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OCTOBER What’s On Show times all at 7:30pm unless stated Tue 1st Fri 4th Sun 6th

Plácido Domingo: 50th Anniversary Gala Evening •7pm Returning to the breath-taking Arena Di Verona amphitheatre

Mark Summers as Young Elvis

One of the world’s top selling international Elvis Tributes

Swinging with the Stars with Jeff Hooper

Featuring songs from the likes of Frank Sinatra and Shirley Bassey

Thu 10th Billy Connolly – The Sex Life of Bandages • 7pm

The legendary comedian is coming to cinemas from his final stand-up tour

Fri 11th

The Bohemians

A Comprehensive re-enactment of Queens Greatest Hits

- The MET Opera LIVE BROADCAST • 5.55pm Sat 12th Turandot Franco Zeffirelli’s golden production starring soprano Nina Stemme

Three Degrees – 50th Anniversary Tour Sun 13th The From the USA with original members Helen Scott & Valerie Holiday Tue 15th Thu 17th Fri 18th

A

Wishbone Ash – 50th Anniversary Tour

Celebrating the occasion with a specially extended show

The Affair

A hilarious and thoroughly uplifting new play about relationships

Simply reRed

An award-winning tribute to Mick Hucknall and Simply Red

Rubettes Feat Alan Williams – 45th Anniversary Tour Sat 19th The A Tribute to the Rubettes featuring original lead vocalist Alan Williams

Everly Brothers Dream Sun 20th The Join us for an evening of popular and up-temp Everly hits live

Simon & Garfunkel Story Tue 22nd The Direct from its success in London’s West End and a sold out UK tour

Wed 23rd Spirit of the Blitz • 2pm

Celebrating the best of British wartime entertainment

Thu 24th

Albert Lee

Sat 26th

The Ultimate Commitments and Blues Brothers Experience

Undoubtedly one of the finest guitarists the world has ever seen

A Tribute to Leonard Cohen Fri 25th Hallelujah: Respectfully recreating the sound of Leonard Cohen live

Sun 27th Wed 30th Thu 31st

A memorable evening capturing the essence of both the music and films

Isla Grant

international country music singer/songwriter from Scotland

Manon – The MET Opera DELAYED SCREENING • 7pm

Exhilarating soprano Lisette Oropesa stars as the irresistible title character

Dracula: Northern Ballet LIVE BROADCAST • 7pm

Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire lives on in this extraordinary production

For ticket prices, more info & to book visit the website:

www.princesshunstanton.co.uk

or call the Box Office: 01485

532252

The Princess Theatre, 13 The Green, Hunstanton PE36 5AH KLmagazine October 2019

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The most original musical baby, toddler & pre-school classes on the planet!

Award winning multi- sensory classes, parties & more. With 100's of original songs, remixed nursery rhymes, musical stories, BIG fun characters & colourful themes.

Contact Brandi at Hartbeeps Norfolk: brandi@hartbeeps.com 07703 006 048

Facebook “Hartbeeps Norfolk� www.hartbeeps.com

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Diarydates

EVENTS IN OCTOBER & NOVEMBER

HAUNTED HOUSE AT TRUE’S YARD FISHERFOLK MUSEUM For one night only True’s Yard Fisherfolk Museum is going to be transformed into a Spooktacular Haunted House. Follow the trail but watch out for the ghosts, witches and skeletons! Test your bravery with mystery boxes, sample some potions in the terrifying tearoom and try a slime-making workshop.

Entry: Adults £1. Free for children but they must be accompanied by an adult. For more information call 01553 770479 or email info@truesyard.co.uk

WHEN: Saturday 31st October, 5:30-8pm WHERE: True's Yard Fisherfolk Museum, North Street, King's Lynn PE30 1QW

LOOKING AFTER ARCHIVES Aimed at anyone collecting archives, including digital files, this one-day course will introduce the key basic actions to ensure those documents can be used to their full potential, now and in the future.

Tickets are free, to book your place please email norfrec@norfolk.gov.uk and mark FAO Education and Outreach Team.

WHEN: Wednesday 16th October,

ROCK FOR HEROES This incredible new live music experience is fundraising in support of Help for Heroes. Performed by a full live rock band and superb singers, complete with brilliant personalities and comedy value this really is a night out unlike any other. With music from artists such as Queen, Dire Straits, David Bowie, Toto, Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi, AC/DC, Whitesnake and so many more. Tickets are £16.50, and can be booked online at www.kingslynncornexchange.co.uk or by calling the box office on 01553 764864.

WHEN: Saturday 21st November, 7:30pm WHERE: King’s Lynn Corn Exchange, Tuesday Market Place

FRIDA KAHLO AND THE SURREAL PORTRAIT Frida Kahlo made herself into an icon; her instantly recognisable face and her life story, filled with passion and suffering, are now more famous than her paintings. In this day school tutor Kajsa Berg will consider her paintings, concentrating on the complex inter-play of national, political and gender identity to explore how she became a central protagonist in 20th-century art history Participants are invited to bring a contribution to a communal meal giving a chance to share and talk to follow students. Tickets are £20, book on-line at swea.org.uk or enrol by phone 0300 303 3464. Further information from Pam Kirby, 01553 776632.

10am to 3:30pm

WHERE: King's Lynn Borough Archives, King's Lynn Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King's Lynn, PE30 5DQ KLmagazine October 2019

WHEN: Saturday 19th October, 10am to 4pm WHERE: Friends Meeting House, Bridge St, King’s Lynn PE30 5AB

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Celebrating the most photographed location in Norfolk

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On the beach at Snettisham sit the ruins of a pier whose origins are shrouded in mystery but which contributes to the most picturesque sunsets you’ll ever see...

t's one of the most iconic and frequently photographed locations on the entire Norfolk coastline, but very little is known about it - and people can't even decide on what to call it. For some it's a pier while for others it's a jetty, although technically it's the former because its open structure doesn't obstruct or disturb the tides.

But stand on the beach at Snettisham beside the crumbling wooden ruins as

the sun sets behind the sea, and you'd be hard pressed to find a more atmospheric or romantic place to be.

It’s all the more extraordinary given that the structure itself is so unprepossessing. Aligned roughly east to west, all that now remains of the pier are nine pairs of upright timber posts (none more than 5½ feet tall) embedded in the mudflats with a few crosspieces - all of which will one day inevitably be lost to the sea.

Much the same can be said of the pier's history, of which there is virtually none.

It's possible that it started life as far back as the 1570s, when smugglers frequently used the beach at Snettisham to unload cargo as a way of avoiding paying duty, a tax-dodge that continued well into the 19th century. In February 1822, for example, 80 barrels of gin and brandy were brought ashore at Snettisham before waiting excise

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ABOVE: A magnificent aerial display by thousands of birds from the nearby nature reserve at Snettisham provides a stunning backdrop to the atmospheric ruins of the village’s pier

“It’s one of the most iconic and frequently photographed locations on the entire Norfolk coastline...” men seized it all. Their efforts didn't please everyone, however. Within days, around 100 villages banded together,

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liberated the goods and (excuse the pun) spirited them away.

If the pier didn't exist then (if only in a rudimentary form) then it certainly did by the 1920s, when the Etna Stone & Shingle Company started extracting stone, shingle and sand from Snettisham beach, using the pier to load the material onto boats to be transported across the Wash.

Interestingly, after the gravel pits filled with sea water during the floods of 1949 and 1953 they were never reclaimed - providing the ideal environment for what would become a world-famous bird reserve.

During the Second World War, Snettisham became home to an RAF gunnery school that was later taken over by the American Army and Air Force, and aerial photographs taken by

the RAF in 1946 reveal the pier (which was still in use) to have been around 100 feet in length at the time. However, further aerial photographs taken by the RAF in 1953 show it to be in a similar condition to its current state, so it was almost certainly another casualty of that year's devastating floods.

Since then, the remains of the pier at Snettisham have only ever been of aesthetic value. Smugglers have been replaced by photographers, and you're more likely to see sightseers watching the tide come in than customs officers.

If the events of the 20th century are anything to go by, this striking feature on the coast of west Norfolk will have disappeared within a few generations.

In the meantime, it continues to play a part in some of the most spectacular sunsets you're ever likely to see.

KLmagazine October 2019

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Lettingbetter

Our monthly round up of the latest news and legislation concerning landlords and tenants in the private rented sector with Edmonton Estates Director

Damien Simone

Quickfact Calculations by Times Money suggest that landlords could lose almost £50 billion if the Shadow Chancellor’s proposal was to be passed.

Political Property

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t’s going to be a month of tense division in the country as our proposed exit from the EU on the 31st October draws closer. In keeping with that theme and because those that are in charge of breaking the housing market have been on a run of bad ideas lately I thought I’d highlight a couple of them in this month’s article.

The Housing Minister Heather Wheeler recently confirmed her support for the government proposal to scrap landlords’ rights under Section 21 and instead require all applications for the termination of shorthold tenancies to be made via the Section 8 route.

For those who are uncertain of the implications it basically means that as a landlord you will not be able to reclaim vacant possession of your rental property by serving 2 months’ notice.

Instead you would require the tenants to have breached one of the tenancy terms specified in Section 8 of the Housing Act and not all of these are considered severe enough to guarantee the return of your property at a court

possession hearing.

I am really questioning what the big drive is to abolish the most fundamentally important right which was granted to landlords 30 years ago.

A piece of legislation that was made to actively encourage private investment in rental property because there was a shortage of housing which couldn’t be met by the resources of the local authorities - sound familiar?

From the other side of the room (politically speaking) the next bad idea is the one proposed by Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell who states that under a Labour government tenants in the private rented sector would be given the opportunity to purchase their rented home below market value on an increasing percentage linked to their length of occupation.

Put another way if you are the type of landlord that ensures your property is consistently well-maintained and your tenant is comfortable so that they stay for a long period your reward is a

Edmonton Estates Ltd, Nelson House, Bergen Way, King's Lynn PE30 2DE 01553 660615 www.edmontonestates.co.uk info@edmontonestates.co.uk

KLmagazine October 2019

financial penalty for your efforts.

Conversely, those that care the least and do the least would lose the least as their tenants are less likely to stay or want to purchase a property which is in a poor standard of repair.

The two ideas combined form an unpleasant trap for landlords, but in particular the proposal that tenants should be permitted to purchase another individual’s asset from them at a discount is ludicrous. I can’t go into Tesco’s and say I’ve been choosing to shop here every week for the past 5 years so now you owe me a 10% discount every time I come in. The result would be less choice and higher prices, which is exactly what will happen in the rental market if these plans aren’t reconsidered more carefully.

Independent Lettings & Property Management Specialists

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© Sam Holden

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ABOVE: This month, the fifth Norfolk Walking and Cycling Festival presents a wide variety of ways to enjoy some of Norfolk’s most beautiful locations – from Sheringham (top) to Burnham Overy Staithe (bottom) 20

KLmagazine October 2019

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Exploring Norfolk on two feet and two wheels

With cooler evenings, fabulous sunsets and the countryside alight with autumnal colours, it’s the perfect time to take part in the fifth Norfolk Walking and Cycling Festival and enjoy the county’s heritage

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his month sees the fifth Norfolk Walking and Cycling Festival, an event designed to encourage visitors and locals to get out and about to enjoy the county’s beautiful landscapes.

Throughout the month, there’ll be a host of events all over the county, from short family-centred walks and longer rambles to wheelchair-friendly routes.

And October is one of the best months to enjoy the outdoors. No longer too hot, and before the clocks change, the autumn scenery of Norfolk is stunning and varied.

This year’s festival is hosted by Coastal Treasures, a project which promotes sustainable tourism and new KLmagazine October 2019

ways of accessing the wealth of heritage features in west Norfolk and in particular the coastal area between King’s Lynn and Burnham Overy. When Norfolk County Council was awarded funding in July 2017 from the Government’s Coastal Communities Fund, Norfolk Trails (as the main organiser) was able to start planning this year’s festival.

Samantha Holden was taken on as a trainee last year to be part of the planning team for the festival.

“I’m employed by Norfolk Trails,” she says, “and as such I’m part of the trails team working in collaboration with King’s Lynn Museum to create 15 new circular walking and biking routes in north west Norfolk with strong heritage 21

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“We want the walks to have a social element as well as focusing on the local history...” and historical elements to them.”

Using existing routes and public rights of way, 11 new walks have been created by Norfolk Trails, from 2.5 to 7 miles, with four longer cycling routes.

Each route has been created around some kind of heritage or historical interest, from the Snettisham Torc to Thornham’s SeaHenge.

With planning starting early in the year, 2019 is proving to be the biggest festival so far. The routes have been designed to make use of the transport links in the county and are aimed at those who might not normally walk or bike, with the heritage links included to add that extra interest to the events.

“My role has been reaching out to people,” continues Samantha, “either through social media or to businesses and also to Norfolk Coast Partnership, who have been very involved. I’ve also been out and walked every route myself!”

The 15 routes are varied in length and interest, and accommodate all tastes.

From the Helen Terry Routes for Little Boots, which offers access for pushchairs and cafes for nappy changing to the non-competitive social run around Redwell Brewery, everyone is catered for.

But the most interesting are those which are centred round the rich heritage and history of the area. The circular walk at Holme-next-the Sea, home of the structure known as SeaHenge (part of which is displayed in Lynn’s Museum) is particularly interesting and contrasts with Weird Norfolk, who have created a single selfled ‘weird’ walk around King’s Lynn for the festival.

There are also walks just for women, including Wild Women, a circular walk round Ken Hill in Snettisham which focuses on bushcraft, the Whirling Waders walk at the RSPB in Snettisham and the Deepdale Backpackers - which is hosting a mixture of guided walking events including a guided dog walk, a Deepdale-Holme cycle ride and a series

of guided walks around the area.

In addition, there are walks organised for schoolchildren, as half term falls within the month, including a short walk which includes rock pooling near Sheringham and West Runton, where the Norfolk Mammoth was found.

“The majority of events are free apart from some organised by independent businesses and organisations,” says Samantha, “and everyone needs to register for tickets, so the walks leaders know how many people are going to turn up. We want the walks to have a social element as well as focusing on the local history.” You can visit www.visitnorfolk.co.uk/wcf to find walking festival events and register for tickets All the walks will be clearly signed as well, with the majority following routes already in use. The Acorn is the symbol for National Trails and is visible all along the Norfolk Coast Path and Peddars Way. Norfolk Trails website has all the routes available, including PDF route maps to download, and offers all types of information about what type of terrain to expect, accessibility (especially for wheelchairs) and what to wear.

There is also a book to accompany the Norfolk Walking and Cycling Festival – West Norfolk Coastal Treasures, published by Norfolk Trails, which outlines all the walks and gives plenty of information. The books will be available in selected locations during the walking festival (there is a limited supply available and they always go really quickly!) As well as the new routes, the book also covers much of the area close to Peddars Way and the Norfolk Coastal Path.

So lace up your walking boots, pump up your tyres and get out into the beautiful west Norfolk landscape and take time to explore the amazing countryside just on your doorstep.

For more information about these walks and routes, check out the website: www.norfolktrails.co.uk

ABOVE: From West Runton (left) to Felbrigg, the Norfolk Walking and Cycling Festival celebrates the history and heritage of the county – with a touch of exercise and plenty of opportunites to make new friends 22

KLmagazine October 2019

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An exciting new era after 10 years of success Griff Transport Solutions are marking ten years at the top of their game by expanding the range of services they offer...

S

imon Griffiths, the owner of Griff Transport Solutions, founded his business in 2009 with the intention of bringing exceptional customer service to the world of patient transport. Ten years later, his dedication to putting the customer first has made his company a leader in the field.

“I always say we are more than a taxi firm, we also provide specialised transportation to hospitals,” says Simon.

“Our customers meet us at what can be a stressful time for them, and they need more than an ordinary standard of care from us. We excel at providing that care, and that’s why we are a partner of this area’s contract holder for patient transport services and have been for some years.”

Griff Transport Solutions offer a

tailored patient transport service to people across Norfolk, taking them on non-emergency visits to hospitals in this area and beyond.

“We take people to hospitals in Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, even Great Ormond Street Hospital in London,” says Simon. “I know people are placing a lot of trust in my firm: that’s why all the drivers who work for me are carefully selected.”

This principle of exceptional customer care also underpins Griff Transport Solutions’ work in the areas of airport and train transfers, and corporate travel. From their base in King’s Lynn, Simon and his team of DBS checked and licensed drivers can plan a bespoke and cost-efficient package to meet all your travel needs. Whether it’s a simple same-day journey, or an advance booking of multiple vehicles and multiple destinations, Griff Transport Solutions has the flexibility, the experience, and the large fleet of

luxury vehicles to handle it all.

And now, to celebrate their tenth anniversary, Griff Transport Solutions have launched a courier service.

“Courier work is the perfect area for my company to expand into, and I’m working with my new business development manager Stuart Towler identifying clients’ needs,” says Simon.

“We’re local so we can get to you quickly, and we’re agile enough to respond to urgent requests. Whatever you need delivered, it will be taken from door-to-door by the same driver: you get continuity and no delays in a distribution centre. We’ve added a specially-adapted vehicle to our fleet that can transport up to 250kg: whether you need an important document delivered or a load of engineering parts sent to a site, we’re ready!”

Contact Griff Transport Solutions to discuss your needs using the details below.

01553 970 004

info@griffnorfolkltd.co.uk www.griffnorfolkltd.co.uk KLmagazine October 2019

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The Christmas show that’s planned all year The Thursford Christmas Spectacular is the biggest Christmas show in the country – but what’s it like to be a part of producing it?

We talk to two of the people who help make it such a success...

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T

he Thursford Christmas Spectacular began in 1977 as a small carol concert in an old farm shed. Today it’s still overseen by its creator John Cushing and it’s located in the same tiny Norfolk village, but it’s grown to become a three-hour-long extravaganza of singing, dancing, music, humour, and variety.

The show is different every year and with a production budget of £2million and the installation of a brand-new lighting experience, the highly anticipated family-run show is set to have its biggest and best season to date.

The exact details of 2019’s production are still a closely-guarded secret, but two people who are in on it are Tracey Iliffe the choreographer and Stephen Adnitt the costume designer.

Tracey has worked on the Thursford Christmas Spectacular for eight years, and has seen it evolve over that time.

“We do more of what I’d call fullensemble numbers now,” she says, “real West End-level musical theatre pieces that take a lot of planning.”

Tracey starts devising the choreography after the show’s annual content meeting in April. “It’s around 28 days of me at home, planning routines, filming myself dancing around the garden like a lunatic!” she says. Final decisions about the show’s content are made around the end of May, and then Tracey starts casting dancers.

“It’s a wonderful process and we’re very lucky that so many people want to be involved: this year we saw 250 dancers and only needed 23.”

At the end of September, Tracey and two assistants begin teaching the routines to all the dancers.

“Rehearsals last around five or six weeks, and it’s a very intense process,” Tracey says, “we start at 10am with a company warm-up – all singers and dancers together for about 20 minutes.

Then the singers go off to do vocal calls while the dancers do training and boot camp. The training varies from year to year depending on the show’s content: the dancers might be learning Irish dancing from scratch, or strengthening pointe exercises. Then from midday we rehearse specific musical numbers, two or three a day: this goes on until 7:30pm.”

Tracey brings to the show her experience of working at the traditional home of the can-can, the Moulin Rouge in Paris.

“We train the dancers to a standard KLmagazine October 2019

ABOVE: From ballet to can-can and everything in between, the show’s choreography is incredibly varied.

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112,000 visitors from across the country and the globe who are expected to attend this year’s shows.

ABOVE: The orchestra play live in every performance BELOW: The show girls strut their stuff in Stephen Adnitt’s designs

not often seen in this country: how to stand, how to walk too – it’s not a case of throw on the feathers and go! I think learning these unusual skills is what makes the dancers want to come back each year – we’re a close-knit bunch and they love the show, and I think the audience see that.”

Stephen Adnitt has designed all the show’s stunning costumes for seven years, and starts his planning in February.

“John Cushing gives me an idea of what direction the show will take, so I start ‘thinking with a pencil’ to get some ideas on paper. I have conversations with the costume makers I’ve worked with for over 30 years early on too. By June or July, I’m ready to present my final ideas.”

The cast are all fitted for their costumes in early September, and then the wardrobe team start immediately on the alterations and changes Stephen needs, before he arrives on site in the middle of October for the final

adjustments.

Stephen trained at the Royal College of Art and worked in fashion, before moving into live entertainment on television.

“I’ve been lucky enough to work with some of the greats, like Dame Edna Everage and Torvill and Dean. I always wanted to work in showbusiness, where there are no restrictions on your imagination, and that’s what I bring to Thursford. The show is so varied, and always changing, that I get to design all sorts of things: elaborate showgirl costumes, traditional Christmas costumes, and fun things like costumes for dancing snowmen!

“It’s such a big show it has to run like clockwork, but the atmosphere is lovely. I love Christmas and where else do you walk through a fairy glen to work and see elves and bears? It’s very satisfying to see everyone come out at the finale in my designs – like a Christmas card brought to life.”

5.7 million visitors to the Thursford Christmas Spectacular since it began.

50 coaches arriving each day to the afternoon and evening performances.

1.5 million rhinestones, 100 metres of feathers, 2000 pom-poms – decoration on the cast’s lavish costumes.

1339 pipes The Mighty Wurlitzer has. The organ is one of the largest remaining Wurlitzers in Europe, a spectacle in its own right and will entertain visitors throughout the evening at the hands of Phil Kelsall MBE – who has performed at Thursford for 40 years.

35,000 mince pies, almost 19,000 mulled wines, and 24,000 tubs of ice cream – refreshments that will be served up during the spectacular.

65 musical numbers performed during each show by 120 dancers, singers and musicians; from show-tunes, chart toppers and rock ‘n’ roll favourites to Irish-dancing, the can-can and classic Christmas carols.

2 times Thursford Christmas Spectacular has won the nationwide Group Travel Award for ‘Best Event for Groups’.

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KLmagazine October 2019

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KLmagazine October 2019

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Sophisticated security systems by local experts Protect what you hold dear with a professional security system designed and installed by Core Technology Projects

A

s the nights start to draw in and we’re spending more time in the cosy surroundings of home, it’s natural to start thinking about how we can protect ourselves and our family. They say ‘an Englishman’s home is his castle’, but nowadays we want a lot more than just a drawbridge to raise. If you’re in search of a sophisticated and easy-to-use security system to protect your property and loved ones, Core Technology Projects have the answer.

Core Technology Projects are specialists in the design, consultancy, installation, and maintenance of technology and security-based systems. They’re a Norfolk firm with headquarters in King’s Lynn and a second showroom in Holt, but they work with clients both locally and across the whole country.

“We can design and install a security

system that is tailored specifically to your home, giving you peace of mind at a price that’s right,” says Jim Garrett, the company’s founder and managing director. “We can provide CCTV systems, intruder alarms, even access controls that recognise your fingerprints: the technology is as advanced as you need it to be.”

The Core Technology Projects signature is installing highly sophisticated systems but making them as simple for you to use as possible. Jim and his team can design all your technology systems to be operated through one portable control panel – meaning monitoring your CCTV cameras and switching your alarms on and off can be done with the press of a finger.

“We can also integrate other

technology in your home into your security system in ways you might not expect,” says Jim. “We provide lots of our clients with blinds that open and close automatically, and with lighting that switches on and off automatically.

So if you’re away for a fortnight’s holiday, you can, at the touch of a button, program your home to repeat all your routines.

Your blinds will open in the morning and your lights will turn on exactly as if you were at home. It’s a great deterrent to any would-be intruders.”

Core Technology Projects can design security systems that protect not just your home but your business premises too. Visit Core Technology Projects’ showroom in King’s Lynn to find out how their years of experience in providing security systems can benefit you.

1 APS House, Oldmedow Road, Hardwick Industrial Estate, King’s Lynn PE30 4JJ Tel: 01553 776413 Web: www.coretechnologyprojects.co.uk E-mail: enquiries@coretechnologyprojects.co.uk

KLmagazine October 2019

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ABOVE: Wisbech Road in King’s Lynn shortly after the devastating floods of 1953. Although massive investment since then has improved defences along the river, the current flood warning area for the town (below) covers 1,259 properties

Leading the local fight against the floods

Four years ago, research suggested that by 2100 King’s Lynn could be submerged and Downham Market could become a seaside resort. Not if Alan Daniels and his team have anything to do with it, however...

T

he afternoon of 31st January 1953 was pretty normal around the Norfolk coast.

Fishing boats went out as usual, and buses still ran their routes along the seafront. The official weather forecast was for a slight drizzle and strong winds. In other words, nothing out of the ordinary for a Saturday in late January.

Within a few hours, however, the area was devastated by the country’s worst floods of modern times. Sea defences were swept aside by a wall of water which swept into King’s Lynn at 6.30pm, reached Hunstanton 30 minutes later and was powering into Great Yarmouth by 9pm. That night, 100 people in Norfolk were drowned.

32

Thankfully, the tragedy has never been repeated, due in no small part to the work of the Environment Agency – which works around the clock monitoring flood risk and keeping us safe. With growing concerns about extreme weather and rising sea levels, it seems an opportune time to talk to Alan Daniels, Field Team Leader at the Environment Agency for the King’s Lynn part of the East Anglia Area.

KL magazine: What is your role within the Environment Agency and what you are responsible for?

Alan Daniels: I'm the Field Team Leader for King’s Lynn and the surrounding area. One of my primary

KLmagazine October 2019

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roles is protecting people and property from flooding. I have a team of experienced and highly-trained people with pumps and equipment, and King’s Lynn is now a heavily-protected town.

It actually has more flood defences within its historic structure than anywhere else along the east coast.

KL magazine: King’s Lynn flooded badly in 1953 and 1978. Is more protection in place to prevent this from happening again?

Alan Daniels: Absolutely. In 1953, flood defences weren’t looked after very well and there were no warning systems in place. Although people knew flooding was likely to occur, they didn’t necessarily know where – and they weren’t able to inform anybody.

Following 1953, there was massive investment in flood defences all along the east coast. When King’s Lynn flooded again in 1978, the tide was actually higher than it had been in 1953, but the effects weren’t as severe thanks to improved flood defences and warning services.

Throughout the 1980s, new flood defences were installed around King’s Lynn and they're still providing a fantastic level of protection today.

KL magazine: Which was put to the test six years ago...

Alan Daniels: AoD is the point (usually mean sea level) above which everything else is measured, and that was 5.85mAodD in 1953. The tidal surge of 2013 reached 6.17mAoD, but because of the flood defences and a team keeping people informed and updated there was no loss of life and damage was minimal.

It was a Thursday evening in December and people were Christmas shopping in King’s Lynn, unaware that water was at the very top of the town’s flood defences – which stand at 6.3mAoD. It was pretty close!

KL magazine: Can you explain some of the activity that went on to keep everyone safe that day?

Alan Daniels: We have a flood warning service that operates 24/7 365 days a year. The Environment Agency works closely with the Met Office, who operate a flood forecasting service based on weather patterns and surge data on tides. On the Monday of that week, they were able to see a weather pattern building that was going to give a substantial surge three days later.

Combined with high tide and wind pressure, we knew it was going to be a real problem.

KLmagazine October 2019

ABOVE: Alan Daniels is Field Team Leader for the King’s Lynn part of the East Anglia Area at the Environment Agency, and his team is responsible for protecting the town from rising tides

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ABOVE: The popular ‘benches’ on King’s Staithe Square facing the Custom House in King’s Lynn (left) are actually part of the town’s flood defences – which include the recently-installed flood gate at Ferry Lane (right)

KL magazine: So, you knew flooding was highly likely. What did you do next?

Alan Daniels: We did an awful lot of preparatory work that week. Our flood defences and equipment were thoroughly checked, all our people (and wider resources) were put on notice for the tides, and our communications team got to work informing members of the public what was happening. We have a new flood warning system in place that has no sirens, but tells you what to do and where to go. We can inform tens of thousands of people all at once.

Also, for these kinds of emergencies, we have a strategic coordinating group (SCG) which is chaired by the police and includes the NHS, the ambulance service, the fire service and the borough council's emergency team.

We all came together in a room to understand what the issues were and how best to manage them. So, for example, there were cars parked along the south quay and they had to be moved because we couldn’t risk the cars floating and damaging the flood defences or putting people in danger.

The police got the cars moved immediately.

KL magazine: How often do you come across really big tides where you have to put all these procedures in place?

Alan Daniels: It is quite rare, but there are more occasions than people would expect. Astronomical high tides tend to go in a cycle, which is all to do with planetary forces like the moon, the sun, the earth and its alignment. The Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory is able to predict tides around the

34

whole of the country years in advance, which is amazing and means we can be well prepared. There’s quite a lot of tides that reach our trigger level (4.7mAoD) and we're always ready to take action.

“Since 2013 we’ve spent over £1.1 million on refurbishing the defences in King’s Lynn...”

KL magazine: Are people aware of the flood risk to the area they live in?

Alan Daniels: People who live close to flood defences will be very aware, but people who aren’t in an immediate risk area may be oblivious. It’s something people should be aware of, and they can go to www.gov.uk/government/ organisations/environment-agency and type in their postcode to discover the risk. You can also sign up free to our 24/7 warning service FLOODLINE by calling 03459 881188

protected. The 2013 event reinforced what was vulnerable, and we obtained lots of information to decide where we should be investing our money next.

Since 2013 we’ve spent over £1.1 million on refurbishing the defences in King’s Lynn - every single gate came off and the walls were checked, and then everything was replaced. Some water came under the gate on King’s Staithe Square, so we had to investigate why. It was sealed up and that won’t occur in the future. In fact, all seals were replaced with modern products that have a 25-year life span. Our defences are also regularly checked and maintained.

KL magazine: It’s fascinating to think so much work goes on that many of us are unaware of. Is it frustrating that people don’t realise how much you and your team do for us as a community?

Alan Daniels: We're the unknown emergency service! All we're concerned about is protecting King’s Lynn and the surrounding area. We were praised by the townspeople after the 2013 event because I think people appreciated the flooding could have been so much worse. The most important thing for us is to continue working hard to keep our town and our people safe.

KL magazine: Are you able to reassure people who may be concerned about flooding?

Alan Daniels: King’s Lynn is very well KLmagazine October 2019

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Insuranceinsights

Our monthly look at insurance issues for you and your family with the experts at Adrian Flux...

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Call 01553 400399 to gain more information about Flux’s special types of cover Once your self-build or renovation is complete Adrian Flux can look at a suitable policy to meet your requirements Call Flux. Almost 80% of customers who got an online quote could have had a cheaper one on the phone

Time to home in on the right type of insurance cover

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It doesn’t matter what type of property you live in, or what you are doing to it, Adrian Flux will have a policy to suit you.

he biggest investment most people will ever make involves the roof above their head.

Which is why it’s so important to protect the place that becomes home for you and your family. It’s where memories are made, vast amounts of time is spent and considerable sums of money are invested.

And while Adrian Flux are proud to shout about their knowledge, passion and excellent value-for-money insurance deals when it comes to cars, they provide exactly the same qualities for household cover too.

Once again, to help save money, they take the customer’s exact needs into consideration therefore tailoring a policy to fit specific requirements. So it doesn’t matter whether you’re looking to cover buildings or contents, a standard semi or listed building, Flux can find the right insurance for your

situation as well as offering free advice on matters like how to deter burglars.

Sourcing quotes from 30 different insurers and schemes, the Norfolkbased broker provide a simple, easy and fast way to find the best deal possible rather than having to shop around yourself. Some of the special types of insurance cover available include: bed and breakfast, buy-to-let, flat roof, flood risk properties, high value homes, holiday or second home, home business, house, landlord, listed building, park home, subsidence risk, tenants, thatched roof, underpinned properties, wood-built homes and unoccupied homes.

A growing trend in the property market is the increasing number of homeowners who decide to renovate, or self-build. And if that’s not a daunting enough prospect as it is, many insurers will steer clear of insuring those who are attempting even the

smallest DIY project.

But because Flux tailor their policies and realise that there's no point in having one-size-fits-all cover, they welcome the challenge. So they assess the best deals on offer and once the work is complete, they can look at a policy to cover you on your current scenario and offer one of their bespoke household insurance policies.

Building your own home from scratch or renovating may be hugely rewarding but it is incredibly expensive too - as is owning or renting any homes - so you need to be confident that you have the right level of insurance and that’s where Flux can help.

Adrian Flux Insurance Services, which has more than 40 years’ experience, is based in King’s Lynn.

Their best deals are available over the telephone. Call them now for a free, no-obligation quote.

TEL: 01553 400399 | EMAIL: contact-us@adrianflux.co.uk WEB: www.adrianflux.co.uk

KLmagazine October 2019

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Justine Walker

GRADUATE LEGAL EXECUTIVE

Commercial Property

Going... going... gone!

Property auctions may be more popular than ever, but the buyer needs to beware, as Justine Walker of Fraser Dawbarns LLP explains...

P

roperty auctions have increased in popularity over the last few years, with dozens taking place every month. Many people are now choosing to buy property this way as it’s fast – sales typically complete within 21-28 days of the auction.

There’s also the chance that you can land a great deal.

It’s very easy to get carried away at auction, but remember that following a successful bid, you’ve entered into a legally binding contract and you won’t be able to withdraw without financial repercussions.

For peace of mind, we recommend having a solicitor review the legal pack beforehand, as such a review may highlight potential problems which can be addressed or avoided before committing to the purchase. The pack will be available on the auctioneer’s website and includes title information, either in the form of a title register and

plan (for registered land), or copy deeds (for unregistered land). The pack also includes any searches the seller has undertaken, such as local authority and environmental searches.

For example, John is a director of a company that is expanding and has found the perfect property to renovate and use as the company’s new office.

After opening, John is approached by a third party who has the benefit of a restrictive covenant on John’s title that says the property is not to be used for business purposes – and that if John doesn’t close his office, they’ll take enforcement action. John has now incurred significant expense in renovating the property for his business only to find out that he’s not permitted to use the property in such a way. This could have been avoided with a professional review.

Having the auction pack reviewed is extremely important if you’re reliant on a mortgage or finance to purchase the property. Any funding arrangements need to be agreed before the auction. If you don’t have a review, finance could be withdrawn if it later transpires there’s

a defect with the property, leaving you to try and fund the purchase through other means.

It is important to note that, following a successful bid, the property must be registered in the name given on the auction memorandum of sale. You can’t register the property into joint names if only one name is given on the memorandum. The purchase would need to be completed in the sole name first and then later transferred into joint names. This could cause issues if you’re obtaining a mortgage, as those named on the mortgage offer and deed will need to be named as the registered owners of the property.

At Fraser Dawbarns, we strive to help our clients find the right deal for their needs. We understand that sometimes there’s not much time between a buyer finding an auction lot they’re interested in and the auction itself. Therefore, we are always happy to review auction packs at short notice.

21 Tuesday Market Place, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1JW Tel: 01553 666600 Fax: 01553 767221 DX: 57800 KINGS LYNN Web: www.fraserdawbarns.com E-mail: info@fraserdawbarns.com

KLmagazine October 2019

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“

ABOVE & BELOW: In addition to being respected around the world for his ornithological work, Simon Aspinall also authored or co-authored over 100 papers and books before his untimely death in 2011

A fitting tribute to a remarkable ornithologist During his tragically short life, Simon Aspinall made major contributions to ornithology and nature conservation – and is remembered at one of north Norfolk’s most beautiful locations...

38

It’s named after the popular ornithologist and writer, who spent much of his life in the United Arab Emirates documenting the birds of the area, but who returned time and time again to north Norfolk – where he’d planned to retire. Sadly, however, he lost his life to motor neurone disease in 2011 at the age of 53, but his life and work are remembered in the inspirational shape of the education centre at Cley Marshes.

Simon had a passionate interest in wildlife and conservation, and his parents, Jack and Sylvia (who moved to nearby Holt to care for him after his diagnosis) wanted to celebrate his life and work with the building of a lasting and fitting tribute.

Norfolk Wildlife Trust fundraised at this time for its Living Coast project: to purchase a further stretch of marshland on the coast, linking Cley with another

of the Trust’s reserves, Salthouse Marshes, and creating an unbroken eight kilometre stretch of land under conservation care; and to build the new

© SHARIF JBOUR

T

he wide, flat beaches and wide marshes of north Norfolk make it the ideal place to watch birds, butterflies and marine creatures, and the Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s Cley Marshes Reserve is perfectly located to make the most of this stunning landscape.

On a clear day, the view from the visitor centre, situated on a slight rise opposite the reserve, affords nearly a 180° view of the lakes, reed beds and coast beyond and is the perfect antidote to today’s hectic, troublesome world.

Alongside the Trust’s visitor centre, which features a well-stocked shop and large comfortable cafe where you can sit at the window in all weathers watching the wildlife, is the fairly recently-built Simon Aspinall Wildlife Education Centre.

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education centre in which it could run events, workshops and family activities to help visitors connect with wildlife.

By the time the first turf was cut by Simon’s parents in May 2013, £2.6 million had been raised, with donations ranging from members of the public to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The centre was opened in June 2015

by Sir David Attenborough “in recognition of Simon’s contribution to ornithology and nature conservation in the UK and UAE.” The generous donations also allowed the Trust to purchase a further stretch of marshland on the coast, linking Cley with another of the Trust’s reserves, and there’s now an eight-kilometre stretch of land under conservation care.

Cley Marshes is Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s oldest and best known nature reserve, and it’s where the Trust was formed.

It was bought in 1926 by a group of 12 gentlemen naturalists, led by Dr Sydney Long, to be protected as a nature reserve and to create a Trust to look after it. For more than 90 years, it was cared for by the Bishop family. ”Originally,” explains Visitor Centre Manager Ewan Carr, “access to the reserve was via the warden from a small shed!”

The first dedicated visitor centre was an attractive thatched building (it now houses the art gallery) built in the 1980s, with the current visitor centre

KLmagazine October 2019

PICTURES: The Simon Aspinall Wildlife Education Centre (top ©Richard Osbourne) was opened by Sir David Attenborough (centre, ©Andi Sapey). Pictured above left are Martin Shaw, Simon’s father Jack and Phillip Venning turf cutting in May 2014 (©Andy Crouch), while above right is Sir David Attenborough reading details of Simon Aspinall’s life and work (©Andy Sapey)

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PICTURES: The Simon Aspinall Wildlife Education Centre (left and right ©Richard Osbourne) hosts a range of events throughout the year, from art workshops (above left ©NWT), talks from local authors such as Elly Griffiths (above right ©NWT), and children’s activities (below ©NWT)

replacing it about 12 years ago.

“The Trust has always held educational activities and organised events, and the centre was built as somewhere where people could get information and access the reserve,” says Ewan. “But it soon became clear that the potential to run events for the public outstripped the facilities available to do it. So the education centre was conceived with the idea was that it would be a completely multipurpose space.”

The reserve itself contains a variety of habitats, including saltwater and freshwater marshes, saline lagoons, large areas of reedbeds and grazing marsh. The shallow pools, known as scrapes (so called because the pools are literally scraped regularly to remove recent organic matter) offer an outstanding area for both breeding, roosting and migratory birds, and the coastal shingle ridge is home to important plant species.

The reserve is run by a separate team within the Trust.

“People have the impression that the 40

reserve runs itself,” says Ewan, “but there’s a lot of management involved in maintaining the habitats for the wide variety of wildlife. For example, there are no pumps on the reserve, but there are a series of ditches and water controls so we can move water and keep pools topped up if necessary.

We’re always thinking about what we need to do to enrich the reserve.”

“Obviously, birds are what we’re most known for,” continues Ewan, “but a large number of them are migratory, so we can only protect them while they’re here. Despite our efforts, many birds are really struggling to maintain their population as they’re travelling large distances and fall victim to hunting and climate change.”

Many of the events held at the reserve are planned to educate visitors as to the work of the reserve – for example, what birds are doing at various times of the year, and where they are when they’re not at the reserve. A full programme of talks, walks and educational events is held throughout the year (many of them free

to attend) and the extra facilities now available help enhance these events.

“The reason the Simon Aspinall centre is here is to engage people and encourage them to learn about nature, and increasingly to come and start taking action for nature,” says Ewan. “As a conservation charity this is one of our primary functions.”

For more information on the Norfolk Wildlife Trust and its work, and for details of events at the Simon Aspinall Wildlife Education Centre, please visit www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk

KLmagazine October 2019

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Seeing a greener future through your windows...

Why Rudd Joinery’s bespoke handcrafted windows, doors and conservatories are good for your home and good for the planet

W

ith concerns over our use of plastic now reaching the highest levels of government, it's always good to hear of practical ways we can contribute to a healthier environment although few of us would imagine that could include our choice of window frames.

It is, however, something close to the heart of Jamie and Martin Rudd of Rudd Joinery, based just outside Fakenham - whose handcrafted British-made windows, doors, staircases and conservatories are as good for the planet as they are for your home.

By using high quality, responsibly sourced and FSC-certified timber (some of which has a negative carbon footprint) Rudd Joinery offers a complete design, manufacturing and installation service and could well change

RUDD

your view in a very literal sense.

"The production of PVC-u involves six of the 15 most hazardous chemicals listed by EU governments for priority elimination, and its disposal can be harmful to both the planet and our health," says Jamie. "Our modern and high-performance timber frames need minimal maintenance and can actually have a significantly longer life than PVC-u alternatives."

And the idea that handcrafted timber is an expensive choice is a thing of the past. The National Housing Federation and a number of local authorities have found PVC-u frames to actually be more expensive in terms of initial costs - and in the long-term.

"Today's design and production techniques mean that today's timber windows perform just as highly as PVCu, and we're one of the only companies in the area offering frames that have passed the new PAS24 standard for

JOINERY

BESPOKE WINDOWS & DOORS

KLmagazine October 2019

enhanced security," says Jamie. "The truth is that against PVC-u, timber frames can last up to 10 years longer and can be up to 35% cheaper."

Over the last 30 years, Rudd Joinery has worked across Norfolk on countless refurbishment and new build projects, commercial buildings and heritage properties - supplying a range of exquisitely-crafted bespoke joinery from its on-site workshop and manufacturing facility.

"It's also worth noting that the use of PVC-u is often restricted in conservation areas and on listed buildings," says Jamie. "The good news is that we can offer a fully sustainable and high-performing alternative that looks fantastic - and doesn’t have an impact on the environment."

For a new view of windows, doors and conservatories, visit the Rudd Joinery showroom today to view the choice of styles and finishes currently available - or call Jamie and the team today to discuss your project in more detail.

Sculthorpe Boulevard, Tattersett Business Park, Fakenham NR21 7RL 01485 529136

ruddjoinery.co.uk

enquiries@ruddjoinery.co.uk

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Inspired education and a unique architectural gem It’s one of the most important wonders of 20th century architecture, but it’s also a superb example of 21st century education. Discover the remarkable heritage and bright future of Smithdon High School...

I

t sounds like a question on University Challenge – apart from Ely Cathedral, what’s the architecturally most significant building in the East of England?

While your attention may be attracted to King’s Lynn or Norwich, you’d be taken aback to learn that the answer is actually in Hunstanton. You’d be even more surprised to learn that it’s Smithdon High School.

As hidden gems go, this one is very well hidden. But it’s a true gem in every department.

The story started when Peter Smithson and Alison Gill met while studying architecture at Durham University, and after graduating in 1949 42

(and marrying two months later) they started working together in the schools division of London County Council’s Architects Department – and after a few months, decided to enter a competition to design a new secondary modern school in Hunstanton.

It was a time when architects weren’t expected to get their big break and make a name for themselves until they reached middle age, but to everyone’s amazement – Peter was only 26 at the time and Alison had just turned 21 – the couple’s extraordinarily bold design for the new school won.

The Smithsons’ proposal was essentially a single oblong with three internal courtyards, the middle of which

would be roofed (providing the school with a hall) and 10 open staircases rising to the classrooms on the first floor. It was a groundbreaking idea, and the building’s striking silhouette was enhanced by a distinctive Braithwaite water tank raised on an open metal frame – perhaps an acknowledgement of the pit-head machinery the Smithsons would have remembered from their childhoods in Sheffield and Stockton-on-Tees.

The phrase ‘New Brutalism’ had been coined by Alison herself to describe the couple’s plans for their house in Soho, and the school in Hunstanton became the epitome of that stripped-back and functional approach – which was KLmagazine October 2019

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designed to connect the architecture with both the location and the users.

Despite the simplicity of the construction and the lack of elaborate finishes, the new school took a long time to complete. There was a severe shortage of building materials in postwar Britain – amazingly, the design would eventually use Norfolk County Council’s entire steel allocation until the end of rationing in May 1953.

Happily, the Smithsons were blessed with local contractor F.W. Shanks, who didn’t put profit at the top of his list of priorities – possibly because of the austere times, but probably because the Hunstanton-based company was actually building the school for the children of its workmen.

Smithdon High School was completed in 1954 (though it was originally known simply as Hunstanton School), and was such an iconic building that it was soon appearing alongside the beach, the cliffs and the pier on Hunstanton’s “wish you were here” postcards.

Today, the school (which is now Grade II* listed) enjoys a unique place in architectural history, and a significant place in the area’s educational opportunities. For this cutting-edge 20th design is now home to inspirational 21st century education.

“For students and parents alike, this is a real hidden gem on the Norfolk coast,” says Headteacher John Hirst.

“We’ve got easy transport links from King’s Lynn, high quality teaching staff, innovative leadership from the West Norfolk Academies Trust, and a rich calendar of fantastic sporting and cultural activities. And we’re based in a globally-important building!”

In fact, Smithdon High School has so much to offer that its now attracting aspirational young people from outside the immediate area surrounding Hunstanton.

“We actually have Year 7 students who’ve chosen to make their way to school from South Wootton every day,” says Head of School Amanda Gibbins. “I think that speaks volumes for the facilities we have at Smithdon and the very real opportunities we give our students.”

Although justifiably proud of the school’s heritage (which inspired the recent introduction of a new uniform based on the original 1954 styling), John is even more excited about the future – especially as Smithdon has managed to attract several outstanding teaching talents to the school over the last few months.

From elsewhere in the West Norfolk Academies Trust comes new senior KLmagazine October 2019

PICTURES: Designed by husband and wife team Alison and Peter Smithson at the start of the 1950s, Smithdon High School in Hunstanton is one of the most architecturally important buildings in the East of England. Today, it’s also one of the area’s most inspirational schools, thanks to staff such as Headteacher John Hirst (centre) and Head of English Amanda Wright (above right), both pictured here with year 7 students

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ABOVE: Chair of Governors Andy Gee with year 7 students at Smithdon High School in Hunstanton – whose cutting-edge design has even found its way onto postcards (below). Today, the school is also home to cutting-edge education

leader appointment Matthew Knott, Kevin Towle from Marshland (who’ll be supporting Maths) and both Matt Garrod and Nicole Henderson from Springwood – who’ll be helping to lead Science. From outside the trust, the school has recently welcomed a former member of the RAF to teach Maths, and an amazing English teacher in Sam Mackay.

“These new members of staff will help us sustain our improved academic achievements and achieve even more in 2020,” says John Hirst. “They’re complementing the established high quality and experienced staff that have built Smithdon into the school it is today – people such as Head of Maths Sheena Evans and senior leader Steve Chapman, who’s one of our longest serving members of staff.”

Today, parents (and students) look for a more rewarding experience than simply academic excellence when choosing a school, and Smithdon may well be one of the most dynamic schools in the area when it comes to extra-curricular activities.

Earlier this year, over 300 local primary school students attended a community-based Sports Festival organised by Head of PE Dan Ward – and attended Smithdon again two weeks later to enjoy a performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

That was followed by a hugelysuccessful evening of songs by The

44

Beatles (celebrating the 50th anniversary of the band’s last live performance) presented by a 120strong choir assembled from Smithdon’s feeder schools.

“We’ve completely re-launched our ambitious arts and extra-curricular provision,” says Hayley Roberts, Director of Engagement at the West Norfolk Academies Trust. “The new school year is bringing with it a fantastic programme of music, drama, sport and community-based service that will truly enrich school life.”

The range of experiences on offer is genuinely extraordinary, ranging from the nationally-recognised Magistrates Mock Trial Competition to a school production of Legally Blonde, and from a tailor-made debating programme to bronze and silver Duke of Edindburgh Award schemes.

“This is totally in line with the trust’s overall ethos to create wellrounded, happy, aspirational and socially responsible young people,” says John Hirst. “When our students leave Smithdon they take with them an expansive network of friends, a solid academic grounding, and a broad range of

positive experiences.”

But you don’t have to take the headteacher’s word for it. Smithdon is holding a Year 6 Open Evening on Thursday 26th September, where parents and prospective students can discover one of the most exciting schools in west Norfolk – at one of the most important buildings in the story of modern architecture.

It may well be the area’s best-kept secret, and we’d like to keep it that way.

SMITHDON HIGH SCHOOL Downs Road, Hunstanton Norfolk PE36 5HY Tel: 01485 534541 E-mail: office@smithdonhigh.org.uk Web: www.smithdon.norfolk.sch.uk

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KLmagazine October 2019

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Animalmatters

Our monthly look at the issues concerning you and your pets with our Clinical at London Road & Hollies Vets...

Director

Jennifer Sinclair

Smallbites VACCINATION OFFER

Starting in October we are launching a promotional vaccination campaign!

This will run until the end of December, so book in now to make the most of this fantastic offer: • Booster vaccinations for just £15

Overcoming the fear of fireworks

T

here’s a phrase we vets use a lot in the veterinary profession: prevention is better than cure...

With most aspects of your pet’s health and welfare, the actions necessary to prevent incidents are far less costly (in terms of time and effort as well as money) than having to cure or treat them.

Prevention is great, even for a pet’s fear of fireworks and the awful noises they make. This is a perfectly rational fear. Remember that pets don’t understand what Bonfire Night is or what fireworks are. To them, the noises are just loud, random and unexplained.

If you follow this guide, you can desensitise your dog to firework noises so that they aren’t troubled by them.

This method works better for younger dogs, or dogs who don’t have a pre-established fear of fireworks or loud noises but can also be very successful with dogs of any age. If your dog’s firework phobia is severe, we recommend seeking the help of our behaviour counsellor Simonne.

Sound therapy works using a process

known as ‘habituation’. This is where the dog gradually comes to think of loud noises as a normal aspect of their environment – and nothing to be scared of. This can take a while, so it’s best to start as soon as you can. Simply play firework noises at home, on a volume loud enough for your dog to hear without startling them. Do this while you are doing something else and not interacting with the dog or reacting to them.

If your dog twitches their ears, their eyes go wider or they look to you for reassurance – but they pretty quickly return to what they were doing before, this is a good sign: you can then increase the volume the following day.

Repeat this process every day or so, going slightly louder and for slightly longer each time, until the noises are loud enough to replicate actual fireworks. The idea is that the change will have happened so gradually, your dog won’t notice. They’ll think of it as a natural part of their environment and won’t be frightened of it.

However, don’t let your dog suffer! If

LONDON ROAD Hospital Walk, King’s Lynn • 01553 773168 HOLLIES Paradise Road, Downham Market • 01366 386655

KLmagazine October 2019

• Full core vaccination courses for £30 *Please note, kennel cough vaccinations are not part of a dog’s core vaccinations, so will be charged separately.

you see any of these signs – licking the nose, scratching, yawning or moving to another room this could mean that they are frightened by the noises. In this case, stop the noises for that night and begin again the following night on a lower volume. If the volume is already low, try playing the sounds from another room.

If this doesn’t work, your dog’s fear of noise or fireworks may be very severe.

In these cases, or in any case where a dog’s firework phobia is preestablished, the technique mentioned above may not be effective and you’ll need the help of Simonne. We stock a range of treatments designed to help with your pet’s anxiety, available over the counter.

To find out more about getting your dog ready for Bonfire Night, give us a call or come in for a chat.

info@londonroadvets.co.uk www.londonroadvets.co.uk

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

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Celebrating the rich colours of autumn...

You may think that the end of summer means that your garden is now starting to look rather dull and bare, but as Wendy Warner explains, this season can be one of the most colourful of the whole year

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A

utumn is the time of year for some of the richest colours in the garden, and much of this is due to the abundance of berries, hips and fruit, as well as the changing colours of leaves before they sadly drop. As you drive through the countryside you’ll see the hedgerows are dripping with the berries of hawthorn, hips from dog roses and the remaining sloes and blackberries.

These are a great appetiser for birds and other wildlife, and by next month our winter-visiting birds such as fieldfare and redwing will also be enjoying them.

It is possible to create the same interest in your garden for the birds and wildlife by using these native hedgerow species, and much of this will be available as bare-root plants in early November, which is the ideal time for planting whilst the plant is dormant and it can then concentrate on establishing a strong root growth before the spring when it comes into growth.

For screening, this can be much more natural than with a fence or wall and will give you seasonal changes to appreciate. Hawthorn, spindleberry or blackthorn (which produces sloes) are all fast-growing hedging plants.

Berries aren’t confined to hedges, though. There are many other plants that produce berries or fruit in autumn that can be used in other positions around the garden. If you want an autumn focal point, trees such as mountain ash will produce red, white, yellow or pink berries dependent on the variety. Flowering crab apples such as Malus “Red Jade” with jewel red fruits on pendulous branches or Malus “Golden Hornet” with larger yellow fruits can create quite an autumn spectacular as well as having spring interest with an abundance of blossom.

Shrubs can be planted in borders to add autumn interest. There are numerous varieties of cotoneaster with differing habits including trees, shrubs, groundcover and those that would grow against a wall or fence. Most have green leaves with red berries although do check – because some are evergreen, whereas others are semievergreen or deciduous. Pyracanthas come into their own in the autumn and winter with a choice of red, orange or yellow berries – and the blackbirds will love them!

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One of the most traditional winter shrubs with berries is, of course, the holly, so often pictured alongside a robin on Christmas cards. Again, there are many differing leaf colours through from very dark green to striking gold or silver variegations, all producing red berries.

And now for something completely different...

When berries are mentioned we usually think red, orange or yellow, but there are more unusual colours too. Look out for Callicarpa “Profusion” with clusters of small violet berries, or Pernettya with its larger pink berries and lastly the often overlooked Cornus alba “Sibirica Variegata”, a dogwood with white-edged leaves turning pinkish-red in autumn against the red stems and white-blue fruits – it ticks all the boxes!

In autumn the leaves of many plants will just shrivel and go brown before falling. But look out for deciduous trees and shrubs such as acers, prunus and 50

cotinus which will now turn from their fresh summer foliage to spectacular autumnal colour tones before dropping to leave the structural form of their bare stems.

Some varieties of acer have brightly coloured stems, as do dogwoods.

Cornus (dogwoods) can be quite an insignificant shrub in full foliage in the border during the summer, but will become quite a focal point once they lose their leaves and reveals upright colourful stems.

Different varieties produce different stem colours, through from lime green, orange and red to nearly black. Cornus “Midwinter Fire” is particularly striking as the stems appear yellow at the base, merging to orange through to red at the tips.

For wall coverage there are two particular families of climbers that come into their own in the autumn.

Parthenocissus, different varieties being known commonly as Boston Ivy or Virginia Creeper, are fast-growing and can be used to cover walls or fences and the three or five-lobed leaves turn

to rich oranges and reds before falling.

They will hold onto their leaves for longer if they are planted in a sheltered position as strong autumn winds can soon strip them.

Vines, particularly the ornamental Vitis coignetiae, have much larger leaves that will turn to the deepest scarlet and crimson.

The plants above lose their coloured leaves, but a tapestry of colour can be created throughout the whole year using heucheras with their amazing variety of leaf colour from lime green to caramel through to deepest burgundy.

They are easy to grow and ideal for borders or pots and containers.

So now we’re into October, don’t just sit inside and wait for winter – get out and enjoy the warm colours of autumn!

YOU AND YOUR GARDEN Wendy Warner is the Manager of Thaxters Garden Centre in Dersingham.

You can visit the website at www.thaxters.co.uk or telephone 01485 541514. If you’d like some inspiration for your garden or have a particular issue or variety of plant you’d like Wendy to look at, please contact us at info@klmagazine.co.uk.

KLmagazine October 2019

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KLmagazine October 2019

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West Norfolk: Then & Now

FROM THEATRE TO CINEMA TO BINGO HALL...

The photograph of the Theatre Royal in King’s Lynn at the top of the page can be accurately dated to 1935 thanks to the

promotion of Shipmates Forever (right), a littleknown musical starring the then-popular double act of Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler. The following year the charming building (which had stood for 121 years) burned down when

the gas-fuelled footlights ignited during a performance of Nicholas Nickleby – which includes a theatrical element itself. The rebuilt theatre opened in 1938, but closed 24 years later and was converted to the bingo hall which remains to this day.

If you’re interested in seeing more of how our area has changed visit www.truesyard.co.uk 52

KLmagazine October 2019

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Safely bringing the light into our local churches...

T

Specialised services for heritage buildings from Bircham Electrical

he events at Notre Dame earlier this year were a timely reminder of the devastation that fire can cause to historic buildings.

In fact, it’s estimated that around 50 churches in the UK suffer some form of fire damage every year – and most of that is caused by old wiring or faulty heating equipment. And it can happen a lot closer to home than Paris. Just a few weeks ago, for example, fire destroyed the roof of St Mary the Virgin church in Wimbotsham.

“Although the electrical systems in churches should be tested and inspected every five years, some of

them still have their original wiring from as far back as the 1930s,” says Darren Goldsby, General Manager of Bircham Electrical. “It’s a very specialised field, but we have a lot of experience in it.”

For many years, Bircham Electrical has been ensuring our local churches (and historic buildings such as Houghton Hall) are safe, well-lit and well-heated – and are fully compliant with current regulations.

“Churches and heritage buildings require a completely different set of skills when it comes to electrical work,” says Darren. “They’re not simply just larger versions of domestic properties!”

For example, Darren and his team wire these buildings with MICC mineral-insulated copper-clad cable, which needs to be professionally installed, can carry more current relative to its size, and has a lifespan

around three times as long as the wiring you’ll find at home. It's also significantly less of a fire risk.

Bircham Electrical takes a similarly expert approach when it comes to heating.

“We prefer to install infra-red heating in churches that heat people and objects rather than the air, although under pew heating is also a common request,” says Darren. “These buildings tend to contain a lot of wooden roofs , and heating the air will only make it rise – where it may eventually damage the wooden structures.”

For a totally reliable, completely safe, and fully guaranteed electrical service for your heritage building, contact Bircham Electrical today for more information and a free quotation.

4 Wymans Way, Industrial Estate, Fakenham NR21 8NT Tel: 01328 851824 Web: www.bircham-electrical.co.uk E-mail: admin@birchamelectrical.com KLmagazine October 2019

BIRCHAM ELECTRICAL

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Bespoke confetti to make the big day unforgettable It’s been an essential part of weddings for generations, and a local mother and daughter team is now creating beautiful petal confetti, grown, hand-picked, and dried right here in Norfolk

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hat we think is a musthave for a wedding is constantly changing, but one tradition that it seems we’ll never abandon is throwing confetti over a newly-married couple. This joyous instant allows all the guests to celebrate, and be a part of, the very beginning of what will hopefully be another long and happy marriage.

Whether we showed our children a printed photo of us laughing and smiling under a shower of petals on our special day, or we’ll see our grandchildren do the same on a digital format we can’t even imagine yet, it’s a memory we all love to share.

“It’s about creating the perfect moment,” says Angela Canning, who together with her daughter Tara Canning, runs Norfolk Petal Confetti.

“When we make a bespoke confetti blend for a couple, we know it’ll be an important part of their day and their memories,” adds Tara, “and we want it to be as special and individual as they do.”

Angela had the idea to start a confetti business at her plant nursery at Mitre Farm in Blackborough End about ten years ago, but never had the time to get it started until Tara came on board.

“The idea was always brewing in the back of my mind,” says Angela, “so I started to lean towards planting flowers I thought would dry well.”

As people started to want to use less plastic in their weddings, the time seemed right to start making completely natural, completely biodegradable petal confetti. Now Angela also runs the nursery and Tara combines taking the lead on the confetti business with studying for an Open University degree.

The process of creating a confetti blend begins months in advance of the big day, so Norfolk Petal Confetti can include the wide range of Norfolkgrown flowers that makes their product unique.

“We ask customers to get in touch with us at least three or four months before their wedding,” says Tara, “although we do get a lot of people getting in touch a year before. It’s great when they do that, because it means we have a full growing cycle and we can include flowers that might not be in season around their wedding date. A lot of people have sentimental associations with certain flowers, like maybe they remember their grandfather growing dahlias, and we love to include their special flowers if we can.”

All the flowers used in Tara and

KLmagazine October 2019

PICTURES: (Top) Tara picks some of the flowers grown at Mitre Farm (Below) The vibrant colours of the dried flowers combine to make the perfect bespoke blend 55

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“We get a lot of couples who make the visit part of the build-up to their wedding” Angela’s confetti are grown on their forty-acre farm – well, nearly all.

“We get offered flowers by people who’ve asked Mum to redesign their gardens, and by people who’ve ordered confetti,” says Tara. “Often they’ve come to us for confetti because they love flowers and are keen gardeners themselves, so afterwards they stay in contact and invite us to come and pick in their garden. It gives a lovely continuity to the process.”

Picking the flowers can only be done under certain conditions, but Angela and Tara both feel it’s worth it.

“The last thing I wanted to do was buy in flowers,” says Angela. “Our plant nursery is family-run so we can keep everything local and at the high quality we want, and our confetti is the same.”

Picking has to be done at least 24 hours after any rainfall unless there is a very strong constant wind: even a heavy dew can damage the flowers.

Too hot a day, and the petals can get bruised: 20oC is ideal.

The drying process that Norfolk Petal Confetti uses means they can include not just the usual roses and hydrangeas, but also tulips, hollyhocks, clematis, even eucalyptus.

“We try and use whole flower heads whenever we can, and a mix of petal sizes,” Tara explains. “We feel that looks better – to be scientific, it’s about the drop rate. A mixture made up of different sizes of petals falls in a way that looks best to your wedding guests.

People are often surprised that our confetti has only a very subtle scent, but you have to compromise on colour or smell – we’ve chosen to preserve the vibrant colours that will make your photos look amazing.”

And how many flowers are in a litre of confetti?

“We have no idea!” laughs Tara. “If you use mechanised processes or uniform petals it’s easy to tell, but we do everything by hand and every order

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is bespoke and unique.”

An average order of confetti is 7-10 litres, which can be supplied by Norfolk Petal Confetti in large bulk boxes, or in individually-made packaging. These come in a variety of shapes and colours and are perfect to hand to guests on your wedding day, or even keep as a memento afterwards.

“We didn’t expect it when we started the business, but people bring us their own great ideas and we always love to help make them happen,” says Tara.

“One bride ordered her confetti early so she could include a small amount in her ‘save the dates’.”

If you’re not able to visit Mitre Farm Tara can send you samples, and work

with you to create your blend remotely, but a visit to Norfolk Petal Confetti’s charming consultation room can be an occasion in itself.

“We get a lot of couples who make the visit part of the build-up to their wedding,” says Tara, “but also brides who bring their mums, prospective mothers-in-law, bridesmaids, or friends. Just let me know when you make your appointment how many people you want to bring!”

Norfolk Petal Confetti is at Mitre Farm, Setch Road, Blackborough End, Norfolk, PE32 1SL. Get in touch on enquiries@mitre-farm.co.uk or telephone 07775 803908.

KLmagazine October 2019

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Bridal Gown by Mori Lee

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This elegant tea length dress with sleeves and embelishment around the waist is perfect for an Autumn/Winter wedding in this beauitful, deep aubergine colour.

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KLmagazine October 2019

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Wedding guest or Mother of the Bride outfit by Personal Choice

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KLmagazine October 2019

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Cheeks before

Cheeks after

A subtle treatment for a fresher face

Dermal fillers that leave you looking like you, administered by the experts at The Rejuvenation Room in King’s Lynn

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mid-lower face, so when they drop it yaluronic acid is one of the can have an ageing effect - this is an most talked-about easy way to lift them, creating volume ingredients in skin care because it’s one of the most and definition which can make a big effective. It occurs naturally in our skin, difference. And it’s not just about the effects of ageing; we have clients of all but levels drop as we age, and our skin ages who want fillers to address facial loses its youthful glow and firmness. asymmetry, or create One way to treat this is with JUVÉDERM® definition to their facial Vycross facial fillers. structure.”

The fillers are injected JUVÉDERM® Vycross under the skin using an fillers can replenish the ultra-fine needle, and the hyaluronic acid deep Marionette lines (lips to chin) smooth gel formulation within the skin, and are tailored for the different fills lines and wrinkles and adds subtle volume. areas of the face.

“The reason I use these “The tear troughs fillers is because they’re under your eyes, the undetectable; they’re the nasolabial folds around best I’ve seen,” says your nose and mouth, and your cheeks: these are all areas that Tracey, who works at Rejuvenation Room in King’s Lynn alongside her benefit enormously from a small daughter Maddy Gaskins. “You get a treatment of dermal fillers,” says Tracey result on day one, and then six to eight Travis, owner of Rejuvenation Room. weeks later it looks even better as the “Your cheeks hyaluronic acid in the fillers attracts and support your holds moisture within your skin, and

gives you a collagen and elastin boost. I call it the gift that keeps on giving: we expect the results to last around 12-18 months, but I have clients who are seeing the effects for two years.”

Tracey is an advanced nurse practitioner and prescriber with over 28 year’s nursing experience, so you couldn’t be in safer hands.

“It’s important that you know exactly what you’re doing when you use fillers,” says Tracey, “so that clients get both a safe treatment and the incredibly natural look they want.”

Visit Tracey and Maddy for a consultation, where they’ll discuss the issues you want to address and plan treatment that can get you the results you want – it’s the first step to a refreshed and renewed you.

No.4 Hair and Beauty, 4 High Street, King’s Lynn | Tel: 07774799936 Email: info@therejuvenationroom.co.uk | Facebook: @rejuvenatekingslynn KLmagazine October 2019

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KLmagazine October 2019

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Feetfirst Tips and advice with local expert

Elizabeth Dutton from The Foot Care Centre

De-stress your feet!

KNEE PAIN: by re-aligning the lower limb and preventing the feet from rolling over an orthotic reduces rotation of the leg and weakening of the muscle structures, and takes away this common cause of pain.

FOOT PAIN: ball of the foot pain (metatarsalgia) commonly occurs when the foot pronates and the bones in the forefoot (metatarsals) collapse. Often there is a burning sensation under the ball of the foot. An orthotic re-aligns the foot, supports the forefoot area and evenly distributes the weight over the 5 metatarsal bones. This helps remove excess weight and friction, thereby relieving the pain.

HEEL PAIN: commonly caused by the rolling of the foot. As the foot pronates, the arch collapses and the ligaments in the arch are forced to stretch and elongate. In turn the heel bone responds by developing a bony growth right in the center of the heel the heel spur. An orthotic re-aligns the foot, reducing the traction forces on the ligaments and taking away the common cause of heel pain.

Untreated foot pain can lead to long-term problems, and wearing an orthotic can be a simple and effective solution, as Elizabeth Dutton of The Foot Care Centre explains…

O

ur feet cope with 2½ times our body weight passing through them approximately 9,000 times a day.

Misalignment - a faulty relationship between the bones and the muscles of the foot – can cause us pain and result in problems like flat feet, overpronation, persistent ankle sprains, bunions, corns, callouses, and stress and pain in the back, hips and knees.

Wearing an orthotic is one of the ways to combat these problems.

Orthotics are special footwear inserts that are individually designed and made to ease your pain and discomfort.

The Foot Care Centre

KLmagazine October 2019

An orthotic will help reposition the foot structure to achieve ideal skeletal balance, reducing the stress on the joints. As your foot sits comfortably on the orthotic it is gently and consistently directed into the optimum position, allowing the foot to function correctly when walking, running or standing. An orthotic won’t cure your foot problem but it will correct it for as long as you wear it – the same way wearing prescription glasses corrects your vision.

BACK PAIN: orthotics help align the body posture by controlling rolling over of the feet, reducing internal rotation of the legs and forward pelvic tilt, thereby easing lower back pain.

Step into the programme!

At The Foot Care Centre, we’ve just launched our Level 5 training programme for Foot Health Professionals, and we’re now inviting people to take part. For more information and to receive your discount code, please call 01553 768661 or e-mail your details to the email address below.

01553 768661 | Email: enquiries@thefootcarecentrekingslynn.co.uk 4b Tower Street, King's Lynn PE30 1EJ | www.thefootcarecentrekingslynn.co.uk

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ABOVE: Some 60 years after the first apple trees were planted by war hero David Jamieson VC, Drove Orchards now covers 40 acres and is home to around 160 different apple varieties

Top of the crops at Drove Orchards

People have been enjoying apples in Norfolk for almost 1,000 years, and it is now home to around 40 native varieties. Andrew Jamieson of Drove Orchards explains why it’s important to maintain that heritage

D

rove Orchards at Thornham is part of a family business that’s been in operation for over a century – although some of its apple varieties have been enjoyed by people in Norfolk for over 300 years.

The orchards were first planted by the late Major David Jamieson VC, who returned to his family home after the Second World War - during which he’d been awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery during the 36-hour defence of a bridgehead over the River Orne. He was 23 at the time.

David’s son Andrew (who was born four years after the first apples were planted in 1952) remembers his father’s boundless enthusiasm for the natural world: “When asked what he was going to do after the war, my father replied ‘I’m going to go back to Norfolk and work with local wildlife’,” he says. “He had a KLmagazine October 2019

huge love of this coastline, and when he returned, he felt he wanted something he could build up and create – he chose to grow apples.”

And he started with a number of Cox’s Orange Pippin trees.

“I grew up with those first orchards as they matured,” says Andrew, “and I can remember the first apples going off to Covent Garden.”

Andrew took over when his father retired, amidst changing times. With supermarkets demanding year-round produce, apples needed to be picked before they were ripe and stored in carbon dioxide.

“I was really dissatisfied with the produce I was required to create for supermarkets, and I didn’t think the low quality and

price were the way forward,” he says. “I began to take an interest in older apple varieties and realised that some we grew had become heritage varieties. I did some research and began planting a series of rarer apples, initially a whole lot of russets. Then I developed the

Andrew Jamieson in the orchards at Thornham started his father shortly after the Second World War by 69

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ABOVE: Drove Orchards is leading the way in championing local apple varieties, including the Norfolk Royal Russet, the personal favourite of Andrew Jamieson (below)

idea of trying to find as many East Anglian varieties as I could.”

Drove Orchards now covers some 40 acres of the 350-acre farm, growing over 160 varieties of apple – around 75% of which are East Anglian heritage

70

varieties. The East Anglian Heritage Orchard is divided up into blocks by county – including Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.

Norfolk has a proud tradition of native apples that dates back all the way to 1089, when orchards are recorded in the foundation charter of the priory at Castle Acre. In fact, the very first mention in England of an apple variety by name comes from Norfolk – when a tenant farmer in Runham paid his annual rent with the help of 200 Pearmains in the 13th century.

At Drove Orchards, keep your eyes peeled (excuse the pun) for Robert Blatchford, a variety raised at Hunstanton by nurseryman Fred Chilvers, who crossed the varieties Rev. W. Wilkes with Blenheim Orange to produce a large pale yellow apple that

keeps its shape when cooked and has a delightful and slightly acidic flavour.

Perhaps the most famous variety at Drove Orchards is the Norfolk Beefing, which was first mentioned in 1698 and makes an appearance in both A Christmas Carol and Dombey and Son

by Charles Dickens. A very longkeeping and tough-skinned apple, it’s excellent for making dried apple rings and for baking slowly in a moderate oven to make ‘Biffin Cakes’ – which were a hugely popular Victorian delicacy around Christmas.

But all those quaint and unusual names (Norfolk is also home the varieties Jordan's Weeping, Herbert Eastoe, Captain Palmer and Hanworth Codlin) actually serve a very real purpose.

“Before 1910, when people came to understand the genetics of producing apples,” says Andrew, “most apple trees were ‘chance seedlings’ and were often named after the village they came from, an employer, or even the discoverer themselves, which is how we can pinpoint where a variety comes from and how it has developed over the years.”

With such a vast selection to choose from, asking Andrew for his personal favourite apple is irresistible – and it’s naturally a local one. Very local in fact, as the Norfolk Royal Russet was first discovered growing in a garden at nearby Burnham Overy Staithe in 1983.

“It has the classic English russet flavours, sweet and pear-like, with soft, chewy, slightly dry flesh,” he says. “It’s very moreish. We need to look out for older varieties before they’re lost, and the rise in people’s interest in provenance and local food is really helping that.”

DROVE ORCHARDS APPLE DAY Sunday 6th October

Drove Orchards will be holding their annual Apple Day at Thornham Village Hall on Sunday 6th October. There’ll be plenty going on for all the family to enjoy, including a dog show, a bar, light lunches, and refreshments supplied by Thornham Village Hall. A wide variety of apples will be on display and available to buy, in addition to Drove apple juices and ciders.

There’ll also be a collection of stalls from local artisans and creatives. For more details, please see droveorchards.com

KLmagazine October 2019

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the scone Avoid kneading lieve be e mixture. W stage is th t ou g in miss ure ixt m keeps the very light!

Polipi affogati INGREDIENTS Serves: 4

1kg baby octopus (already cleaned) 800g peeled tomatoes 1 garlic clove 1 tuft parsley Pinch of dried chilli to taste 50ml white wine 40ml extra virgin olive oil Salt & black pepper to taste

1

5

To prepare the Polipi Aogati, start with the baby octopus. If you have clean octopus already available, simply rinse them well under running water.

Sprinkle with white wine and, always with tongs, turn the octopus letting them cook for another couple of minutes.

2

Add the peeled tomatoes and the parsley sprigs, then add salt and pepper. Cover the pot with a lid and cook over low heat for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the octopus. Test if they are cooked by sticking them with a fork: if they are tender it means that they are cooked to perfection. Remove the garlic, again using kitchen tongs; the octopus is now ready to serve.

Once the baby octopus is ready to be cooked, place the peeled garlic in a large pan, together with the oil and the dried chilli.

3

Heat well for 1-2 minutes, tilting the pan too so that the oil can be well avoured with garlic and chilli, but being careful not to burn them.

4

At this point pour the octopus in and let them boil for 2-3 minutes over high heat, turning them from time to time with the help of tongs.

6

Recipe by Angelo Bruno

OWNER & HEAD CHEF OF GIARDINI DI NAXOS 45 High Street, Downham Market PE38 9HF 01366 858283 www.giardinidinaxos.co.uk E KLmagazine October 2019

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The Berney This charming country pub set in the beautiful village of Barton Bendish is going from strength-to-strength after its recent rebrand...

B

arton Bendish is what I call the quintessential English village,” says Phil Lance (below), the newlyappointed general manager of The Berney. “You expect to see Miss Marple solving crimes on the village green!” And while The Berney is every bit the picturesque village pub you’d

74

expect, its food and the thinking behind it is as fresh and up-to-date as can be.

Phil, along with head chef Caroline Lepoidevin, has overseen The Berney’s transformation into a fine dining establishment serving unpretentious but sophisticated food with an emphasis on fresh local ingredients.

“We want this to be somewhere our customers can come back to again and again,” says Phil. “Our atmosphere is friendly and welcoming; somewhere you can enjoy an outstanding meal from our regularly updated menu but also come and feel at home.”

“Our links with the Barton estate mean we serve vegetables grown within walking distance, we’re very lucky,” says Caroline. “The estate is also the supplier of our game: our pigeon,

venison, and the grey partridge our restaurant is named for.” And it’s a twoway street: Caroline supplies the estate’s shoots with her delicious handmade Scotch eggs. Served with a mustard and tarragon sauce, the eggs are the most popular item on The Berney’s extensive list of bar snacks.

As well as bar snacks, the lunch menu of upscale pub classics and the à la carte evening menu, The Berney offers a children’s menu. “We’re very familyfriendly,” says Phil. “Our enclosed garden is perfect for kids to run around in, and we even have a play area with a replica of the village church!”

The Berney’s garden was the setting for their wood-fired pizza oven: a special offering for the summer months which proved very popular.

KLmagazine October 2019

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And there’s lots more to come in The Berney’s future: keep an eye on their newly-redesigned website for details of their events. They’ll be taking part in Norfolk Restaurant Week for the second year: a chance to try The Berney’s food for a very special price.

“We’d love to do something community-focused, like a quiz night,” says Phil. “I’ve also been talking to an expert at our wine merchant about a wine and cheese evening – I think that would be a great fit as our clientele are so knowledgeable about food.”

And if you’d like to make your visit to The Berney even more of an occasion, why not stay the night in one of their beautifully-decorated rooms? The rooms have been sympathetically created from the pub’s original outbuildings, as names like The Old Forge and the Carriage House would suggest.

On the MENU STARTERS

Norfolk Wild Mushroom Croûte Served with a truffled quail eggand sourdough bread

Estate Pigeon Breast With an apple and black pudding bonbon, blackberry and gin purée, smoked bacon crumb

MAINS

Swanningtons Lamb Rump With walnut pesto, truffle potato croquette, ratatouille, charred sprouting broccoli, jus

Roast Hake Fillet With a parsley and garlic crust, roast garlic baby potatoes, charred grelot onions, white wine velouté

DESSERTS

Sticky Toffee Pudding Served with homemade clotted cream ice cream and toffee sauce

TO BOOK Please visit www.theberneyarms.co.uk or call 01366 347995

KLmagazine October 2019

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MEET the Chef Talking with Caroline Lepoidevin, head chef at The Berney KL magazine: How did you become a chef?

Caroline Lepoidevin: I’m classically

French-trained – I took a Le Cordon Bleu course you usually have to be over 25 to do but I was determined! Then I worked for the Michelin-starred chef Adam Byatt. I told him I’d sit outside his restaurant until he gave me a week’s trial! I moved on to work in amazing London restaurants such as Le Gavroche and The Bluebird in Chelsea – it was incredibly busy, but I had so much fun. I came to Norfolk looking for somewhere I could focus on quality rather than volume.

Somewhere I could achieve my culinary dreams and be surrounded by people who’d help me do that.

KL magazine: How would you describe the food you cook?

Caroline Lepoidevin: Classic English with a little bit of a twist, great ingredients done really, really well.

Awards are nice, but what we really want is for people to keep coming back and for them to tell us they enjoyed their meal every time.

KL magazine: Where would you eat if you couldn’t eat in your own restaurant?

Caroline Lepoidevin: I’m torn

between two places! The Old Bank in Snettisham is a beautiful place, a real hidden gem that I’ve been going to for ages. But somewhere I’ve been going more recently is Socius in Burnham Market – their tapas-style food has been going down a storm. Every week I have to choose between them, it’s so hard!

KL magazine: Where does your culinary inspiration come from?

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Caroline Lepoidevin: I try to pick out specialisms from across the industry – I worked at a traditional Nordic restaurant and I really liked their natural way of cooking. Seeing how a steak restaurant gets in a whole side of beef and uses every part of it inspired me to break down ingredients in the same way.

KL magazine: Do you have any chef’s tips for our readers?

Caroline Lepoidevin: Understand your recipe before you start – and read everything. Even the most difficult recipe is just a series of steps. Just take one at a time and don’t overwhelm yourself. It’s exactly the same for chefs – we just practise every day! Oh, and season everything, that’s very important.

KL magazine: Is there anything you love or hate to cook?

Caroline Lepoidevin Caroline Lepoidevin: I love to cook with venison, it’s so versatile. Making venison Wellington with a fillet cut is my absolute favourite, and it’s unusual because it’s usually a dish made with beef. There’s nothing I hate to cook with, but the only food I don’t like is blue cheese – I don’t like the touch or the smell of it!

KL magazine: What couldn’t you live without in your kitchen?

Caroline Lepoidevin: Sharp knives! I don’t like to see anyone trying to cook with blunt, low-quality knives – you might as well use a spoon!

KLmagazine October 2019

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A TRADITIONAL COUNTRY PUB S E R V I N G F R E S H , L O C A L LY S O U R C E F O O D w w w. j o l ly b r e w e r s p u b . c o . u k 01366 348134

ENJOY A TASTE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN Y OWN D COME AND TRY OUR VER

ELICIOUS

BRANDED COFFEE!

Coffees from around the world | T Teeas | Homemade cakes

31 High Stree et, Hunstanton 01485 535559 Find us on Facebook

KLmagazine October 2019

in Downham Market

• Fresh traditional dishes • Daily changing specials NEW THEMED NIGHTS!

From tapas menus to live music evenings, visit our Facebook page for more details on upcoming events Naxos restaurant

TEL: 01366 858283 45 high street, downham market www.giardinidinaxos.co.uk

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ORIENT TA AL PA P ALACE

CHINESE REST TA AURANT Pe

Cuisine

Choose as many dishes as you want from the à la carte menu and they'll be freshly cooked to order - all for one set price!

2255 nn, PE33 0NP 5pm-10:30pm co.uk

C O A C H I N G

A wonderful and unusual venue.

Relaxed and friendly, for chilled out drinks.

Private venue or room hire available. Perfect for: Wedding reception Wake Fancy hen doo or other celebrations

•

•

•

For reservations please call: 01760 723244

c ret Our se d n e k e e w il b a r is co c k ta & S a t ri open F pm! fr o m 6

www.kingsarmscoachinginn.co.uk 21 Market Place, Swaffham PE37 7LA

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Authentic Mexican food

Open Tuesday to Saturday 12 noon -10pm Book a table via our social media or give us a call

1 Railway Road, King’s Lynn | 01553 762277

KLmagazine October 2019

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Flavour of the month

How The Kitchen at English Whisky is starting a tasty tradtion of its own

W

hen you establish the first whisky distillery in England for over 120 years in the heart of south Norfolk and attract over 80,000 people a year from all over the world, it’s essential to keep them well fed and watered while they enjoy your guided tours or take a delightful riverside walk around the grounds.

Two years ago The Kitchen restaurant and coffee house replaced The English Whisky Company’s previous café with a purpose-built addition to the distillery that allowed for a major expansion of the shop (which has always been another huge draw for visitors).

The 68-seater restaurant is a truly stylish open space, flooded with natural light from a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows. The exposed structural elements and heating ducts provide a fittingly industrial look given the distillery next door, which an enormous Union Jack print by Vivienne Westwood on the far wall reminds you of the

KLmagazine October 2019

operation’s proud pedigree. It’s very comfortable and relaxed, and the staff do a wonderful job of maintaining a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Open seven days a week, The Kitchen serves breakfast until 11.30am, a wonderful range of light bites and main meals for lunch, and hugely popular afternoon teas – which are essential to book in advance. You can pop in for a coffee and a cake, or treat yourself to a traditional Sunday roast, although booking in advance is strongly recommended for the latter as well.

The menus and daily specials are essentially rooted in British cuisine, but there’s a great deal of inventiveness on offer and a healthy number of vegan and gluten-free options – there’s even a delicious vegetarian nut roast on Sundays. On any given day The Kitchen can be serving American, European and Australian tourists (in addition to local diners who simply come for the food) and that international customer base has no doubt influenced the talented team of chefs behind the scenes.

All the food is freshly prepared on site (the cakes alone are worth a visit!) and it’s good to see a number of local ingredients and producers making an appearance – soft drinks from Breckland Orchard, meat from Tony Perkins’ famous butchers in Attleborough, and even a whisky beer made in

partnership with Bungay’s awardwinning St. Peter’s Brewery. Naturally, English Whisky also appears on most of the menus (apart from the children’s) and you’ll find its flavour in the red onion chutney, the raspberry jam, in the crème brûlée, the glaze on the ham and in the smoky BBQ sauce.

Two of the most popular lunches are the St. George’s Classic Burger and the Fish & Chips with beer-battered catch of the day and beef dripping fries, but the Halloumi and Avocado on Sourdough (sprinkled with fresh pomegranate) is incredible. For the perfect 2-course lunch, try the Norfolk Ploughman’s (with its super strength mature cheddar) and follow it with the simply divine and beautifully tasty Eton Mess Panna Cotta.

And check your diaries for December, as The Kitchen has just released its Christmas menus. Available from 1st December, the 2- or 3-course lunches are ideal for parties – and The Kitchen will also be opening in the evening for 3-course dinners on the Thursdays and Fridays in December leading up to Christmas.

While the English Whisky Company may have revived the country’s whisky production, The Kitchen is now starting a local tradition of its own – for superb food in a wonderful location.

THE KITCHEN St. George’s Distillery, Harling Road Roudham, Norfolk NR16 2QW Tel: 01953 717939 info@englishwhisky.co.uk E

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It’ss no too early to book for

Christmas!

Celebrat C l b ate Seafo S food d week k with our delic cious local fish S e a fo o d We e k 4 t h- 1 1 t h O c t o b e r

Brancaster Mussels - coming soon!

Cockles Brancaster oysters y A Award-winning local honey Plus!

Deli coun ntter w wiith Range of fr fresh & smo oked fish h qualitty y local cheeses

D NA ALDS NS A fres resh taste of the sea

Lynn R Ly Rd d, Castle Rising, King's L Ly ynn PE31 6AG m 01553 631333 E /TheBlackHor rs seInnCastleRising

Austin Fields, King’s Lynn | Tel: 01553 772241

OPEN: Tues/Wed/Thurs 7am-4pm, Fri 7am-5pm, Sat 7am-3pm

Halloween alloween!

THURSDAY 31ST OCTOBER Dine with us and the kids and enjoy our Halloween fun!

ACTIVITY PARTY 4pm-6pm Children under 12 eat free with a full paying adult. Pumpkin carving and games, fancy dress competition, and a trick or treat loot bag. £7 a child. Booking is essential.

PLUS! Karaoke at 7pm

Tracey & Stuart welcome you to their newly refurbished pub beautifully set between two rivers • TRADITIONAL HOME-COOKED FOOD • GIN SHELF • AFTERNOON TEAS • B& B • T O U R I N G C A R AVA N PA R K

01366 384040 | www.theheronstowbridge.com The Heron Stowbridge, The Causeway, Stowbridge PE34 3PP

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It’ss no too early to book for

Christmas!

Celebrat C l b ate Seafo S food d week k with our delic cious local fish S e a fo o d We e k 4 t h- 1 1 t h O c t o b e r

Brancaster Mussels - coming soon!

Cockles Brancaster oysters y A Award-winning local honey Plus!

Deli coun ntter w wiith Range of fr fresh & smo oked fish h qualitty y local cheeses

D NA ALDS NS A fres resh taste of the sea

Lynn R Ly Rd d, Castle Rising, King's L Ly ynn PE31 6AG m 01553 631333 E /TheBlackHor rs seInnCastleRising

Austin Fields, King’s Lynn | Tel: 01553 772241

OPEN: Tues/Wed/Thurs 7am-4pm, Fri 7am-5pm, Sat 7am-3pm

Halloween alloween!

THURSDAY 31ST OCTOBER Dine with us and the kids and enjoy our Halloween fun!

ACTIVITY PART TY 2 - 4pm Children under 12 eat free with a full paying adult. Pumpkin carving and games, fancy dress competition, and a trick or treat loot bag. £7 a child. Booking is essential.

PLUS! Karaoke at 7pm

Tracey & Stuart welcome you to their newly refurbished pub beautifully set between two rivers • TRADITIONAL HOME-COOKED FOOD • GIN SHELF • AFTERNOON TEAS • B& B • T O U R I N G C A R AVA N PA R K

01366 384040 | www.theheronstowbridge.com The Heron Stowbridge, The Causeway, Stowbridge PE34 3PP

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Pan-fried cod fillet with yeasted cauliflower, smoked potato dauphine, crispy capers & raisin purée

INGREDIENTS Serves: 2

2 cod fillets 80g kale 10g butter Splash of lemon juice 4 sea beet Potato Dauphine 100g plain flour 2 eggs 50g water 50g butter 200g potatoes Salt Smoked powder Crispy Capers 10g lilliput capers Salt Yeasted Cauliflower Purée 1 cauliflower 5g fresh yeast 100ml milk 50g butter Salt Lemon juice Cauliflower Fondants 1 cauliflower 80g butter Raisin Purée 50g raisins 10g dark chocolate 10g brown sugar KLmagazine October 2019

Yeasted Cauliflower Cut florets off the cauliflower and cut the stalks into small pieces, then fry in the vegetable oil. When they start to colour add the butter. When the cauliflower has browned, turn down the heat and remove any excess butter. Add the yeast and cook for 2-3 minutes, add milk and reduce. Let the mixture cool then blitz in a blender until smooth, season with salt and lemon.

Potato Dauphine Peel and boil potatoes until soft, then drain, and put through the masher. Boil water then add flour and butter and cook out. In a mixer put 1 egg in at a time until mixed all together then add the mash mix with the salt and smoked powder and blitz one final time.

Finally 'rouche' into deep fat oil in a pan at 180°C until golden. Make three rouche of the mix per portion.

Crispy Capers Drain and pat dry capers, reuse your hot oil to fry until crispy, drain on kitchen paper and season.

Cauliflower Fondants Cut florets of cauliflower in half. Brown off the cauliflower in a frying pan, when coloured add butter and cook out the cauliflower and season.

Raisin Purée In a pan cover the raisins with water and add dark brown sugar, bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, then place into a blender until smooth.

Cod Heat a frying pan (with a little oil) and a small pan of water. Cook cod skin side down, when skin is crispy add butter and lemon, turn fish and cook through. Blanch kale in the water, then finish in the pan with the fish and season.

Recipe by

THE DABBLING DUCK 11 Abbey Road, Great Massingham PE32 2HN 01485 520827 www.thedabblingduck.co.uk E 81

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ABOVE: As more people discover the many benefits of rapeseed oil, the team at Yare Valley Oils (opposite) are developing a range of local tastes made to the very highest ethical and sustainable standards

A world-class oil made right here in Norfolk

Rapeseed oil is the only widely-used culinary oil which is both grown and bottled here in the UK, and Yare Valley Oils have made it a key ingredient in their new range of traditional sauces – with a twist

T

he Mack family farm has been producing crops from the fertile soil of the Yare Valley for over 100 years, and rapeseed oil has become a cornerstone of the business, which is now run by father-and-son team Tim and Will.

So why is rapeseed oil so popular? It’s good for you, containing 50% less saturated fat than extra virgin olive oil, and it’s also high in Vitamin E and beneficial omegas.

It’s good for cooking too - delicate enough for marinating, dressing and finishing a dish, and robust enough for roasting, frying and barbecuing. With a high smoke point of approximately

KLmagazine October 2019

230°C, rapeseed oil retains its nutritional benefits when heated, and holds its flavour. The oil isn’t bitter or greasy either, so it’s ideal for using in baking.

It’s even good for the environment.

Yare Valley Rapeseed Oil has a lower carbon footprint than imported oils.

And in 2017 Yare Valley Oils teamed up with Friends of the Earth, committing not to use bee-harming neonicotinoid pesticides and ensuring their farming techniques are bee-friendly.

The team at Yare Valley Oils saw the farm’s proximity to the Ted Ellis Nature Reserve and the Wherryman’s Way as a great opportunity to diversify. By renovating a woodshed on the farm

site, they created a self-serve farm shop where the Yare Valley Oils range and farm-produced products are available to purchase, as well as goodies from fellow local producers the team have met at markets and events over the years.

You’ll also find a timeshare swimming pool which the public can book in 30minute slots, along with ‘Teles Patisserie’ - a Portuguese-style patisserie offering delicious breakfasts, sweet treats and afternoon teas.

Yare Valley Oils grow, harvest, press and bottle their award-winning extra virgin cold-pressed rapeseed oil on the farm, which gives them full control over the finished product and full traceability

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from field to bottle.

The oil is made by pressing seeds found in the pods of the plant once the flower has died. Once harvested in August, the seed is pressed with a mechanical screw then filtered twice, which results in a very pure oil. Not only is this process of cold pressing more ecological, it preserves the seeds’ naturally occurring vitamins and antioxidants which are destroyed in a heat-processed oil where heat, chemicals and solvents are added to extract as much from the seed as possible.

The cold pressing technique extracts approximately 70% of the oil from the seed, whereas the refining process extracts approximately 98% of the oil. Yare Valley Oils produce around 700 of their 500ml Original Oil bottles for every tonne of rapeseed they grow.

The finished product has a subtle, nutty taste and aroma along with a light, yellow hue. It is the foundation for their range of award-winning products of eight oil infusions, three dressings and two lip balms, as well as their newly launched sauces (see opposite) which combine speciallyselected ingredients with some carefully-developed recipes.

The brand new sauces, as well as the rest of the Yare Valley Oils range, are available to purchase from their online shop and the farm shop in Surlingham, as well as various retailers across East Anglia and beyond. You’ll find them at several regional and local food shows and markets.

TOPtips WITH YARE VALLEY HORSERADISH...

For more information and details, please see www.yarevalley.com

WITH YARE VALLEY PESTO...

ABOVE: The Mack family has been farming in the Yare Valley for over 100 years (top) and the family business is currently run by father-and-son team Tim and will Mack (bottom)

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SHOP

|

DISTILLERY |

TOURS

|

THE KITCHEN

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The English Whisky Bauble £19.99 (200ml 43% vol) Buy at: www.englishwhisky.co.uk

S T G E O R G E ’ S D I S T I L L E R Y TO U R S TA S T I N G S , S H O P & R E S TAU R A N T Open 7 days a week Over 250 world whiskies, gins and wine on offer including a huge selection of gifts.

www.englishwhisky.co.uk | 01953 717939 St George’s Distillery y,, Harling Road, Roudham, Norfolk NR16 2QW OPENING TIMES | Distillery: 9am-5.30pm | Tours: 10am-4pm | The Kitchen: 9am-5pm

KLmagazine October 2019

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IMAGE SUPPLIED BY STRATTONS

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Celebrate Norfolk’s very best dining destinations Norfolk Restaurant Week returns for a seventh year from 28th October to 8th November – this culinary event is a chance to try a new restaurant or return to a favourite, for a special price...

F

rom a relatively small beginning in 2013, Norfolk Restaurant Week has grown to become one of the biggest events on our county’s gastronomic calendar. This year 83 restaurants right across the county will take part, with the North Norfolk coast being particularly well-represented.

After a successful debut last year, sister event Norwich Restaurant Week also returns this year.

If you have yet to become a Norfolk Restaurant Week convert, the concept is simple: discerning diners get to choose from fixed-price special lunch or dinner menus in some of the county’s finest restaurants, pubs, café’s and hotels. Every restaurant that takes part offers their usual high standard of food, but at an incredibly tempting price.

“The event isn’t just about participating restaurants having the 86

chance to showcase their skills to a wider audience,” says Martin Billing, the founder of Norfolk Restaurant Week, “or indeed about diners enjoying outstanding food at wallet-friendly prices, but the fact that good food brings people together: it’s a big social occasion and a reason for people to get together.”

Restaurants will offer either two courses for £12 and three for £17, or two courses for £18 and three for £23.

As in previous years, organisers recommend that interested diners book ahead to avoid disappointment. The special menu from each participating restaurant is released on the same date in mid-September, and tables start to be booked very quickly.

Last year’s event saw around 36,000 hungry diners making the most of these ‘unmissably-priced menus’: a big increase on the year before.

And Norfolk Restaurant Week isn’t

just a local success story: 16% of diners had travelled here from out of the county. Of those diners, nearly a fifth had planned their trip specifically to coincide with the event.

If you’re thinking this sounds like the perfect chance to try somewhere new, you’re not alone: 89% of restaurants saw an increase in first time customers.

Over the next two pages, we’ll focus on some of the restaurants in our area which are participating in Norfolk Restaurant Week. Whether you want to revisit a favourite haunt or discover a new dining experience, you’re sure to find something to tempt you in this celebration of all that culinary Norfolk has to offer.

For a full list of participating restaurants, please visit the website at www.norfolkrestaurantweek.co.uk.

Bon appetit!

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Some of KL magazine’s highlights...

WELLS CRAB HOUSE A small and informal restaurant centred around beautifullyprepared local and seasonal seafood dishes, in a quaint fishing town.

LUNCH MENU: 2 courses for £18 or 3 for £23 DINNER MENU: 2 courses for £18 or 3 for £23 BOOK: 01328 710456 (quote Norfolk Restaurant Week) 38-40 Freeman Street, Wells-next-the-Sea, NR23 1BA

THE VICTORIA INN Situated a stone’s throw from the beautiful beach, the inn serves seafood from the coast and meat and game from the Holkham estate.

LUNCH MENU: 2 courses for £18 or 3 for £23 DINNER MENU: 2 courses for £18 or 3 for £23 BOOK: 01328 711008 (quote Norfolk Restaurant Week) Park Road, Holkham, NR23 1RG

CALEY HALL A dining experience that blends intimacy and elegance, in a picturesque seaside resort.

LUNCH MENU: 2 courses for £18 or 3 for £23 DINNER MENU: 2 courses for £18 or 3 for £23 BOOK: 01485 533486 (quote Norfolk Restaurant Week) Old Hunstanton Road, Old Hunstanton, PE36 6HH KLmagazine October 2019

KING’S HEAD COUNTRY HOTEL This Edwardian hotel combines the warmth and comfort of a long-established country house hotel with sleek contemporary facilities.

LUNCH MENU: 2 courses for £12 or 3 for £17 DINNER MENU: 2 courses for £18 or 3 for £23 BOOK: 01485 578265 (quote Norfolk Restaurant Week) Lynn Road, Great Bircham, PE31 6RJ

THE BLACK HORSE INN A charming pub offering classic meals and tantalising specials, a stone’s throw from one of Norfolk’s most famous attractions.

LUNCH MENU: 2 courses for £12 or 3 for £17 DINNER MENU: 2 courses for £18 or 3 for £23 BOOK: 01553 631333 (quote Norfolk Restaurant Week) School Road, Castle Rising, PE31 6AG

STRATTONS HOTEL This family-run luxury boutique hotel is home to an awardwinning restaurant serving innovative modern English food.

DINNER MENU: 2 courses for £18 or 3 for £23 BOOK: 01760 723845 (quote Norfolk Restaurant Week) 4 Ash Close, Swaffham, PE37 7NH

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THE BERNEY This delightful village pub offers sophisticated classic English food in a family-friendly atmosphere.

LUNCH MENU: 2 courses for £12 or 3 for £17 DINNER MENU: 2 courses for £18 or 3 for £23 BOOK: 01366 347995 (quote Norfolk Restaurant Week) Church Road, Barton Bendish, PE33 9GF

JOLLY BREWERS A beautiful coaching inn set in rural surroundings offering a newly refreshed menu.

LUNCH MENU: 2 courses for £12 or 3 for £17 DINNER MENU: 2 courses for £18 or 3 for £23 BOOK: 01366 348134 (quote Norfolk Restaurant Week) Lynn Road, Shouldham Thorpe, PE33 0EB

RIVERSIDE RESTAURANT A traditional English restaurant serving homecooked freshlyprepared meals, located in a 15th-century warehouse with its own terrace and garden.

LUNCH MENU: 2 courses for £12 or 3 for £17 DINNER MENU: 2 courses for £12 or 3 for £17 BOOK: 01553 773134 (quote Norfolk Restaurant Week) King Street, King’s Lynn, PE30 1ET

BANK HOUSE A unique Grade II* Georgian town house hotel in the heart of historic King’s Lynn, offering modern brasserie food.

LUNCH MENU: 2 courses for £12 or 3 for £17 DINNER MENU: 2 courses for £18 or 3 for £23 BOOK: 01553 660492 (quote Norfolk Restaurant Week) King’s Staithe Square, King’s Lynn, PE30 1RD

TIMBERS COUNTRY LODGE Enjoy delicious homemade food made with locally-sourced seasonal ingredients, in a Grade II* listed barn complex.

LUNCH MENU: 2 courses for £12 or 3 for £17 DINNER MENU: 2 courses for £18 or 3 for £23 BOOK: 01366 347747 (quote Norfolk Restaurant Week) Lynn Road, Fincham, PE33 9HE

THE ROSE & CROWN This traditional Norfolk village pub focuses on local produce and a relaxed informal atmosphere.

LUNCH MENU: 2 courses for £12 or 3 for £17 DINNER MENU: 2 courses for £18 or 3 for £23 BOOK: 01485 541382 (quote Norfolk Restaurant Week) Old Church Road, Snettisham, PE31 7LX

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B ook now ffoor

Norfolk Restaurant Week OCTOBER 28TH TO 8TH NOVEMBER LUNCH

Two courses £12 Tw Three course £17 DINNER

Two courses £18 Tw Three courses £23 Great Bircham, King’s Lynn PE31 6RJ | T Te el: 01485 578 265

www.thekingsheadcountryhotel.co.uk

KLmagazine October 2019

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DMG T mber

Makers of fine quality timber products for your home & garden

SHEDS TIMBER BUILDINGS DECKING FENCING GATES BESPOKE • KITCHENS • BEDROOMS • OFFICES

At Cecil & Bo Interiorss, we are passionate about creating beautiful spaces for you to live in, with our besspoke, luxury, hand-craftted kitchens and bedrrooms. Frrom your initial ide deas, to deesign n, fitting and completion, we know that the finishing touches are importtant, down to the last detaill.

08009 875446 / 07719 186273 Norffo olk | ww ww w.cecilbointeriors.co.uk 90

• Excellent quality materials Expert advice given on installation • • Built to your specifications by expert craftsmen We cater to both the general public & the building trade To find out more

call us on...

01553 692634

A47 Pullover Road, King’s Lynn PE34 3LS Email: sales@dmgtimber.co.uk

www.dmgtimber.co.uk KLmagazine October 2019

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“Amazing results and a really brilliant service...”

It may be getting darker, but there’s no reason for your stone and tile floors to follow suit – thanks to the professional services of Xtraclean

I

t’s that time of year when the weather is about to wreak havoc on your stone and tile floors, with rain and mud only adding to the ingrained dirt, dust and debris that naturally builds up over time.

Despite your best efforts, all that will inevitably work its way into natural crevices and grout lines – to the point where it takes a lot more than a bucket of water, a mop and some off-the-shelf cleaning products to bring your floors back to their very best.

Happily, the perfect solution is only a phone call away – putting you in touch with the expert services of Martin King and his Swaffham-based team at Xtraclean, who can give your floors a bright and clean ‘as new’ look – in less than a day!

“Stone, tiled and wooden floors look fantastic when they’re first laid, but it's virtually impossible to keep those

pristine looks forever,” says Martin. “If your floors have been professionally fitted they deserve an equally expert approach to cleaning – and that’s where we comes in.”

For over 25 years now, Martin and his Xtraclean team have been treating floors across Norfolk to the most advanced and powerful cleaning system currently available in the UK. “These aren’t the easiest surfaces in the world to clean,” says Martin, “but our powerful system and professionalgrade products can bring even heavily-soiled floors back to their very best. And we can usually do it all in a single visit!”

Xtraclean's highly skilled, trained and experienced technicians offer a reliable, fully-insured and friendly service (they'll even move your furniture for you!) and following an initial survey and test, they'll get to work – breaking down ingrained dirt and loosening

surface soiling.

"Our state-of-the-art turbo ‘clean and capture’ system then pressure cleans the floor using its own water supply – and it captures all the waste in the process with no mess and no fuss," says Martin. "And we don’t have to use invasive procedures such as grinding and resurfacing, which can actually damage your floor – the results are truly spectacular."

And Xtraclean can even help you 'lock in' those good looks and keep them for even longer, thanks to a professional range of specialist sealing products.

“To be honest, you have to see the results to really believe them,” says Martin. “Just ask our customers – they can hardly believe it's the same floor!”

Get your floors back to their best today by contacting Xtraclean for extraprofessional cleaning and an extra-special service.

Unit 3, Jack Boddy Way, Swaffham PE37 7HJ Tel: 01760 337762 Web: www.xtraclean.co.uk E-mail: sales@xtraclean.co.uk

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A natural victory for a Norfolk village...

I

Today it’s a much-loved and beautiful footpath that leads from Snettisham to the sea, but it was once the subject of an unhappy dispute and a court case in London, as Russell Lyon explains

came to live in Snettisham about 20 years ago. As a keen walker, I quickly found a path from the village to the beach which provided a regular and delightful hour-long walk.

Now signposted by the council, it starts at the stile at Common Road and leads over a field to Frog Pits Wood which still floods a little after a lot of rain. It then crosses the bypass to Ken Hill Wood, and a steep uphill path to the Knoll leads to a descent past the Lodge Hill farmhouse and onwards over the salt marshes to the sea.

The woodland is full of mature broad-leaved trees such as beech, oak, chestnut and birch. The variety of trees, carefully managed by the Ken Hill Estate, is matched by the birds and animals that live there - from grey

KLmagazine October 2019

squirrels and jays to the occasional buzzard. If you're quiet and walking into the wind, you can also see Muntjac and Roe deer. I nearly got trodden underfoot on an extremely windy afternoon by a very large white fallow deer which may have escaped from nearby Houghton Hall!

This beautiful right of way path has been in use for many centuries, probably since Snettisham was first established as a village - and certainly well before the Romans arrived.

Providing a clear route to the sea, it was used by local fishermen and I've no doubt was often used by smugglers avoiding the government's tax collectors in King's Lynn.

However, this bucolic scene was once the subject of an unhappy dispute between the villagers and the Ken Hill

Estate - bought from the estate of Henry L’Estrange in 1862 by Edward Green of Wakefield for his son Lycett Green.

The issue was a simple one, namely the stopping up of a footpath contained in the Bidwell Award of 1857 which was still effective 30 years later.

Or had there been since then sufficient acts of user by the public to create the assumption that a fresh Right of Way had been dedicated?

It was unfortunate that this issue could not have been decided amicably, but each side was so confident in the justice of their cause that the dispute became inflamed.

The first sign of trouble was when a large notice was erected by the Ken Hill Estate to declare the path through the woods “Private.”

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ABOVE: The footpath from Snettisham to the beach has been in use for many centuries and is still enjoyed today, thanks to villagers who fought for it at the beginning of the 20th century.

“This beautiful path has been in use for many centuries, probably since Snettisham was first established as a village...”

Snettisham Village Council reacted quickly, and a rival board was erected to indicate the path was in fact a public footpath. Following an angry exchange of letters, it's fair to say there was no meeting of minds - and the dispute escalated when the estate erected around five huge barriers to stop the villagers entering the woods – and 94

which were promptly dismantled by around 100 villagers over the course of two days.

Events were heading in one direction, and the dispute was scheduled to be heard in the Chancery Court in London in June 1901. Named as defendants were Snettisham villagers Charles Ellis and William French, a retired coastguard and the village butcher. The 62-year-old proved a formidable witness.

Witnesses were called by both sides, but the villagers made the strong case that the path had been in constant use by coastguards, fishermen and other walkers for hundreds of years without obstruction.

When Mr Justice Buckley gave his verdict in favour of the villagers (with costs awarded) the court erupted in jubilation. When William French returned from London by train he was met by a hero’s welcome - and a wagonette dragged by many willing hands transported him to the centre of the village, preceded by the King's Lynn Town Band.

Many speeches of thanks and congratulation were made under the

canopy of the village's celebrated chestnut tree.

Coming 30 years before the famous mass trespass of Kinder Scout is supposed to have marked the beginning of the 'right-to-roam' movement, it was a huge victory for a small Norfolk village against all the odds (and at considerable financial risk to the defendants) but it's a great example that 'right' really can be better than 'might.' Together with thousands of other people, I have much cause to be very grateful to William French and the doughty villagers of Snettisham.

In closing, it’s worth noting that good relations were soon restored between the village and the estate following the court case. Sir Edward Green actually built the almshouses in the market place as a memorial to his wife the following year, espressing his family’s gratitude for the kindness and sympathy expressed by the villagers at that sad time.

Russell Lyon acknowledges A Salute to a Village by John Bingham for much of the information contained in this feature.

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“The pain’s now gone from my hip and my knee and almost completely disappeared from my thigh...”

- Rob Thompson, Shouldham

“Months of pain gone in under two minutes...”

Discover how Terry Connolly and a revolutionary new form of therapy can help free you from a life of chronic aches and pains

A

t Free Your Body Therapy in the centre of King’s Lynn, Terry Connolly continues to use amazing new treatment techniques to free people from a life of aches and pains; people like Rob Thompson of Shouldham, for example.

“I originally thought I’d picked up a little injury to my right thigh through cycling,” he says, “but over the course of a few months the pain went up to my hip and down to my knee – and I developed a shooting pain right down to my ankle.”

Unable to cycle, walking with a limp and finding it difficult to crouch, Rob decided it was time to get some professional help – and as a regular reader of KL magazine was already familiar with Free Your Body Therapy.

“I knew my problem was basically muscular,” he says, "and from what I’d read about Free Your Body Therapy I was confident of a good outcome.”

Terry Connolly is one of the very few

people in the entire world currently offering P-DTR (Proprioceptive Deep Tendon Reflex) as a form of treatment.

Moreover, he combines that with Anatomy in Motion gait therapy – a cutting-edge method of correcting postural problems that helps with the repair and rehabilitation of past injuries and the relief of pain. For Rob, the effects were exactly what he’d been looking for.

“My leg was pretty inflamed and the pain was quite acute by that stage,” he says, “but Terry identified the underlying problem within the first two minutes of my first session and I noticed a significant improvement virtually immediately.”

There’s no great secret and no hidden magic to Terry’s treatment – he simply looks at the body and the causes of chronic pain in a completely different way.

“Rob’s problem was actually caused by a very old injury in his opposite ankle,” he says. “The

body has an amazing ability to ‘hold on’ to underlying issues for years, and in Rob’s case his body was making his right leg literally take the strain, overloading and weakening his knee.”

If you’re interested in freeing yourself from a life of chronic aches and pain, contact Terry today and book an appointment with Free Your Body Therapy. Like Rob, you’ll find the results hard to believe.

“The pain’s now gone from my hip and my knee, and almost completely disappeared from my thigh,” he says.

“And best of all I’m now enjoying my cycling again!”

Old Dairy Units, Austin Fields, King’s Lynn | Tel: 01553 277520 www.freeyourbodytherapy.co.uk

KLmagazine October 2019

Terry Connolly 95

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KLmagazine October 2019

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“Air source heat pumps are capable of outputting more than three times as much heat energy as the electricity they take to run.”

The future of heating for the homes of tomorrow...

Why air source heating from 4 Way Group is the perfect solution for new and self-build properties – and for the future of the world

W

hen the Committee on Climate Change published its report UK Housing: Fit for the Future? back in February, it gave the government five important recommendations, and among them was the advice that “homes should make use of lowcarbon sources of heating such as air source heat pumps...” because the technology is so good and the financial benefits are so significant.

If you’re currently planning a new property or self-build project, air source heating from the 4 Way Group ticks all the boxes – for both builder and homeowner. Not least because a professionally designed and expertly installed air source heating system can be up to 50% more cost-effective than traditional heating alternatives – and a lot friendlier to the environment.

“Air source heat pumps are capable of

outputting more than three times as much heat energy as the electricity they take to run,” says director Steve Simpson of the 4 Way Group. “That results in a significant reduction in heating costs – and because it’s a renewable alternative, air source heating offers you the opportunity to future-proof your project.”

It’s a year-round solution as well – in addition to providing all your hot water and heating needs, air source heating can work in reverse – providing your home with cool air during the summer months.

This really is the energy of the future.

Whereas fuels such as gas and oil provide heating in ‘blasts’ as and when required, air source heating provides high-grade heat over a longer period of time by using the ‘heat’ in the outside air – even in the depths of winter.

Easily installed with no disruption to

the overall project and no delays, air source heating is remarkably easy to run, with minimal interaction required from the end user. It’s also very easy to maintain, with the 4 Way Group offering a full range of ongoing service and maintenance packages to ensure the system’s optimum performance.

The benefits are clear, which is why more and more people are choosing it for their new and self-build projects.

“Air source heating is the perfect solution for larger properties,” says Steve, “and we’ll give you all the help and advice you need – from initial design to installation, commissioning, and ongoing servicing.”

Contact the 4 Way Group today for more details and a free quotation on how to treat your property to the benefits of air source heating.

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KLmagazine October 2019

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When Holkham produced the country’s best bricks When work started on Holkham Hall in 1734, only the very best materials would do for the Earl of Leicester’s new home – which meant the creation of the now-vanished Peterstone brickyard...

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W

hen the famous architect and painter William Kent contemplated his proposed designs for Holkham Hall at the start of the 18th century, one of his main concerns for the imposing new house centred on the raw materials for its construction.

"There haven't been any decent bricks made in England since the Romans left," he's alleged to have said.

"If we're going to build the house from brick I want them to be the best bricks, with strength and durability – so the house will be standing in 300 years' time."

Kent helped establish the Peterstone brickyard sometime before 1734, locating it just outside the estate's park to the west.

In charge of operations was a certain John Parker, whose family eventually had five kilns in production, and over the course of the next 34 years produced most of the 2.7 million bricks used in the construction of Holkham Hall.

William Kent would certainly have been pleased to see Peterstone remaining true to his vision of superior quality. When the economist and agricultural writer Arthur Young English visited the site in 1792, he described the brickyard as "the first, or at least to rank very high among the first, in the entire Kingdom."

It was a huge undertaking. At its height, the kiln at Peterstone could hold roughly 30,000 bricks at a time, which were supplied by a team of around 100 men. It took one man and two apprentices three whole days to stack the wet bricks, two days to bring the kiln up to heat, and another two days for it to cool down enough for the safe removal of the cooked bricks out.

Although most of the bricks produced at Peterstone were used on the Holkham estate, some were sold it's likely, for example, that the architect Samuel Wyatt (of Tatton Hall and Trinity House fame) bought 'Holkham bricks' in exchange for slates from the Penrhyn Quarry in north Wales.

Interestingly enough, Wyatt worked as architect on the Holkham estate for 20 years at the end of the 18th century, designing several farms and a new kitchen garden.

The brickyard at Peterstone continued working after the completion of Holkham Hall. Shortly after the First World War, the ten-yearold Fred Ives arrived at Holkham when his father was appointed foreman at Peterstone - and within five years he was working there.

The bricks were still being made by

KLmagazine October 2019

PICTURES: A map of Peterstone Brickyard dating from 1886 (top) and views of the surviving structures of the business. At bottom right is an advertisement for the brickyard’s chimneys 99

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ABOVE: Little survives of Peterstone Brickyard today – and the site has become a popular wild camping location called The Norfolk Brickyard

“The small team of brickmakers could produce 1,000 bricks a day - being paid 1 shilling per 100 bricks”

hand using zinc-lined moulds, and the small team of brickmakers could produce 1,000 bricks a day - being paid 1 shilling per 100 bricks. It still took three days to fill the kiln, and a staggering 13 tons of coal was used to fire it up, the furnace being attended every 30 minutes night and day.

The men (who worked from 7am4pm with two 30-minute breaks for breakfast and dinner) were provided with bunks and a fire to heat food and drink, and usually required two baths to clean up.

By 1938 the kiln at Peterstone was only being fired three times every two years, the declining demand for bricks meaning that production was now starting to focus on pantiles, corrugated tiles, ridge and valley tiles – several of them featuring the ostrich crest of the Coke family.

The operation underwent something of a transformation during the Second World War. With so many workers sent to fight for their country, prisoners of war were used to fill the shortage of labour, and several German POWs arrived at Holkham to continue the tradition of brickmaking.

One of them had been a potter before the outbreak of war, and he said the clay employed at Peterstone was probably good enough to make pots.

He duly proved his point, teaching the foreman's two teenage sons how to

throw pots – which led them to ask the Earl of Leicester whether they could start a pottery at Holkham.

The Earl agreed, supplying them with a property for a studio – and in the 1960s Lady Elizabeth Yorke (wife of the 5th Earl) helped turn the studio into what became Holkham Pottery, which would eventually employ lots of people and sell beautiful pots and ceramics across the world.

Little remains of the Peterstone brickyard today apart from some machinery for cutting bricks and making field drains, and two 'pug mills' that were used for mixing clay – and the site is now the location for a wild camping location run by Tim and Catherine Zoll, appropriately named The Norfolk Brickyard.

Although the Peterstone brickyard itself closed in 1961, a layer of that famous clay remains underground to this day – so it's possible we may see the return of the 'Holkham brick' at some point in the future.

LEFT: Six designs for Tudor style chimneys, still in production in the early 20th century.

All six designs were erected in the 1880s on the Ancient House in Holkham Village, where they can be still be seen RIGHT: Countess of Leicester watching Wilton Elston decorating at Holkham Pottery

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BEFORE

AFTER

Improving your home has never looked better...

Whatever your next project, RGR Developments can manage every aspect from start to finish with a totally professional approach

T

he charming two-bedroom bungalow in Magdalen pictured above has seen a lot of changes in its 80 years, but it’s never undergone such a significant transformation as that now being undertaken by RGR Developments.

For starters, the team removed the entire external brickwork, installing cavity insulation and incorporating some attractive farmhouse-style facing bricks – enhancing the building’s appearance and introducing some modern energy-saving features.

“We then turned our attention to the attic, which had been converted in the past but wasn’t compliant with current building regulations,” says director Ryan Rix. “Realistically, the only way to improve it was to completely remove and re-fit the roof with purpose-built

structural timbers.”

RGR Developments have created two larger dormer windows to the front facade and added three Velux windows to flood the revitalised roof space with light – and are building a 2.5m wide gabled extension to provide the property with an extra two bedrooms, one of which will be a master bedroom with en-suite bathroom.

“Once we’ve finished that work, we’re totally renovating the rest of the bungalow,” says Ryan's fellow director Gary New. “We’re moving the kitchen and taking out the back wall of the rear extension, which will be replaced by a 5m set of bi-folding doors to open the property out to the rear garden.”

Although RGR Developments is handling all the design elements, planning approvals and building control, perhaps the most remarkable thing about the whole project is that all

the work is being carried out while the client remains in the property – testament to the outstanding care and minimal disruption that RGR Developments brings to every site.

For an initial consultation and a free, no-obligation quotation, please contact RGR Developments today – and discover a professional and totally reliable approach to building.

8 Mill Road, Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalen King’s Lynn PE34 3BZ | Tel: 07921 910651 /

07817 941897 | Web: www.rgrdevelopments.co.uk | Email: info@rgrdevelopments.co.uk

KLmagazine October 2019

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Your ideal bathroom awaits you

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You’ll be spoiled for choice when you take a look around Bathco’s extensive showrooms...

hether you know exactly what you want your new bathroom to look like, or you’re in need of inspiration, Bathco’s showrooms in King’s Lynn, Thetford and Dereham are sure to have the solution.

Bathco have over 100 real room displays at their three locations featuring their own high-quality product ranges, including Carino, Modello, e:thos and Hydrowall. The displays have been comprehensively updated in the past few months, in line with the release of Bathco’s latest product collection.

“Browsing our product collection online will show you how extensive our range is,” says General Manager Stuart Marsden, “but we know that for our discerning customers, there’s no substitute for seeing it in real life. Trying out how the taps move, feeling the finish on a tile: creating the perfect bathroom really is about attention to

detail. Our real room displays show you how our full range of products work together, right down to the splashbacks and the flooring.”

Customers are welcome to visit the showrooms any time and browse the room displays in the relaxed, nopressure atmosphere. When you’re ready, you can talk through your ideas with one of Bathco’s expert design staff.

“Our design service really is unique,” says Stuart. “We offer a no-obligation home design survey where one of our team will visit your home, or you can bring your room measurements along to our showroom and we can get started straight away. Our software can produce a design in minutes that you can view on the big screens we’ve installed. We’re always looking at how new technology can help us visualise your ideas: we plan very soon to install VR technology in our showrooms.

Using these VR headsets during a design consultation, you can ‘walk

around’ the bathroom you’re planning and see exactly how the space feels – we’re excited about this innovative service.”

Bathco was established in 2002 by Managing Director Stuart Gardner with the intention of providing superblydesigned bathrooms to retail and trade customers, along with exceptional customer service. As part of this, Bathco provide comprehensive product warranties (ranging from five years to a lifetime) and a special one-year guarantee on all workmanship. They offer outstanding value for money, and optional competitive finance plans.

To start making the bathroom of your dreams a reality, visit one of Bathco’s showrooms, or make an appointment with a member of the design team using the contact details below.

Tel: 0330 1239 334 | Web: www.bathcoeu.com | E-mail: enquiries@bathcoeu.com

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ABOVE: Before it was demolished, the terraced row of South Clough Lane in King’s Lynn was home to several families of tailors, shoemakers and dressmakers. The Majestic Cinema now marks the end of this lane

A revolutionary stitch in the tapestry of time

In 1851, a large proportion of King’s Lynn was earning a living by sewing virtually every article of clothing and cloth products by hand.

But thanks to an American, things were about to change completely

W

ith its environmental and social impact, ‘fast fashion’ is a hot topic of current debate, yet for hundreds of years nothing was fast. Not fashion, and certainly not everyday clothes. Whether you were making a dress, a blanket or a pair of boots, everything was sewn by hand – and a large percentage of the female population were doing the sewing.

Then things got a bit lopsided in the 1770s, when the industrialisation of making cloth rapidly exceeded the time-consuming task of hand sewing it.

From the cotton gins of America to the water-powered cotton mills of

KLmagazine October 2019

Derbyshire, the production of textiles was revolutionised. At a time when a man’s plain shirt took 14 hours to stich, fabric was being produced faster than it could be sewn. Machines could cut cloth into pattern pieces, but every part still had to be sewn together by hand.

In King’s Lynn, cutting was done to order by many High Street shops while the sewing was jobbed out to seamstresses. London and other big cities employed thousands of seamstresses, whose expendability and low cost to their employers was effectively guaranteed by the sheer number of available women able to use a needle – but even they couldn’t keep up with demand.

In 1851, Isaac Singer changed all that.

The father of 24 children (10 of them with one mistress) had invented a rockdrilling machine, had a career as an

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ABOVE: Historic advertisements show how much of the population of King’s Lynn was involved in the production of clothing before the invention of the sewing machine

actor, developed a wood-carving machine that blew up the workshop, and finally turned his attention to perfecting a machine that could sew as well as a woman.

His prototype machine could sew 900 stitches a minute - whereas an accomplished seamstress could expect to complete 40.

The times, they certainly were a changing, for it was to have an enormous impact on towns such as King’s Lynn. Take a typical street in the town in the same year Singer unveiled his new sewing machine, for example.

In South Clough Lane (the Majestic Cinema marks the end of this longdemolished row of terrace housing) Mrs Elizabeth Dickenson made straw bonnets, and one of her three sons was an upholsterer. Her daughter was a dressmaker. She lived next door to shoemaker John Hall, whose wife and daughter were both dressmakers.

Mrs Dickenson’s other neighbour was Jasper Daisley (a tailor of course) who lived next door to the Ashton family – whose 19-year-old daughter was a dressmaker.

Ten years later Jasper was still a tailor (his daughter was now classed as a ‘furrier’) and a house a few doors down was occupied by two young women still both dressmakers – but for this street everything was changing.

Improved communication and mechanisation, Singer’s famous invention was part of this revolution,

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saw men moving into jobs in the printing trade or on the railways, or in the newly-formed police force or newfangled service called the ‘post office.’

But women’s roles would be largely confined to the domestic arena for another hundred years or so, and home-made clothes were still the mainstay of a family’s wardrobe, but they were finding it increasingly hard to hang on to their money making needles.

On the High Street of King’s Lynn, linen draper Henry Johnson and his wife ran a shop that was so successful in 1862 they could afford to have two domestic servants and two apprentices.

They also had an important announcement to make in the Lynn News and Advertiser: “H.J. informs his friends that he has constantly at work a first-class SEWING MACHINE for the mantle department which enables him to execute all orders with skill and promptitude.”

Ready-made and factory-made clothes were now becoming a possibility for the wealthier citizens of the town, and within a year Henry’s neighbours, Dennes & Co, in the High Street extended their drapery shop, proudly announcing ‘Ready Made Clothing’ – off-the-shelf items such as boys’, men’s and baby clothes remained the main lines.

The Dennes brothers, William and James, were obviously as quick at thinking as they were good at business - shortly before Christmas 1867 they

moved into selling sewing machines, including The Little Wanzer for four guineas, the machine advertised as bring “used by HRH The Crown Princess of Prussia.”

It was a fateful year on the sewing front – the Singer Company decided the UK demand for Isaac’s sewing machines was sufficiently high to open a factory in Glasgow, which became the largest sewing machine factory in the world, employing 2000 men and women and making 13,000 machines a week.

With the company offering ‘credit purchases’ and ‘rent-to-own’ arrangements, even that needlewielding community in South Clough Lane could afford the world’s first labour-saving domestic machine. And life would never be the same

KLmagazine October 2019

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KLmagazine October 2019

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The expert approach to your accounts and tax Dan Jastrzebski ACA CTA of Stephenson Smart explains how the company’s team of specialists can help you and your business

D

an Jastrzebski is a perfect example of how every single member of the team at Stephenson Smart takes a professional, experienced and approachable look at your tax planning and accounting needs. Joining the company just over a year ago, Dan qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2014, and also became a Chartered Tax Adviser last year – a level of expertise that’s very rare in the local area.

Whilst managing a team of eight accountants and trainees, Dan’s daily workload includes audits, corporate accounts, owner-managed businesses, personal taxation, CGT and IHT planning – and his specialist CTA tax qualification means he has in-depth knowledge in all of these areas. Dan particularly enjoys working on personal taxation, IHT, trusts and estates.

“Client interaction and ensuring people are satisfied are probably my main drivers,” he says. “It’s so rewarding when people with previous experience of accountants tell us they find Stephenson Smart so easy to work with – and easy to understand.”

In fact, tailoring advice to suit the needs and knowledge level of the client is one of the company’s main strengths – helping you make sense of what can be highly complex matters.

“One of our clients recently told me that they had learned more in 10 minutes with Stephenson Smart than they had in the previous 10 years!” says Dan. With in-depth experience of Xero (currently the most popular cloudbased accounting software), Dan recently organised a series of successful seminars and 1-2-1 sessions

for clients and for staff at Stephenson Smart explaining the introduction of Making Tax Digital – and supporting them thereafter.

“We’re about four months into the new system now, and it’s been really successful,” says Dan. “Even people who were initially terrified at the thought are now happily preparing their VAT returns digitally.”

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KLmagazine October 2019

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- Diane Smith, author

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From the stillness of summer to the bone-biting frost of winter or the unrelenting winds of autumn, it’s the atmosphere that strikes me.

ABOVE: Local author Diane Smith in the place she feels most at home – and which has inspired her many books on the history of Fenland 110

KLmagazine October 2019

IMAGE: ANDREW BARTRAM

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The enduring appeal of the mysterious Fens...

From monks and kings to plague and floods, local author Diane Smith has explored the more unusual avenues of Fenland’s rich history, and explains why it continues to fascinate her and inspire her books

T

he wide open Fens, with their countless layers of history and their everchanging moods, have always fascinated me. Just to stand beneath the great expanse of sky in practically any weather, is an inspiration. From the stillness of summer to the bone-biting frost of winter or the unrelenting winds of autumn, it’s the atmosphere that strikes me.

It’s the feeling of land so often changed but one which has never lost its rebellious spirit, always challenging man’s attempts to control it.

The Fens have a kind of nobility about

KLmagazine October 2019

them and they’ve always made me want to write about them.

But it was an exhibition which prompted the start of serious writing. In 2014, as a volunteer for the National Trust’s Peckover House in Wisbech, I set up an exhibition on Georgian Wisbech.

This included a lot of research exploring everything from Peckover’s earliest owners to life in Georgian Wisbech and the Fens.

These written pieces were displayed around the exhibition room, and on opening day a visitor asked if he could buy the notes because he found the subject so interesting. It became my wake-up call – if I wanted to write in

earnest, what better way to begin than with something like this?

Within eight months, those first notes had developed into a book called A Georgian House on the Brink and things rapidly grew from there.

Since then, I’ve had two more history books published, which together with the first, follow the fate of Wisbech and Fenland folk from the Bronze Age to the end of the Georgian period.

My latest Fenland history Plague, Flood and Gewgaws concentrates on life in Tudor and Stuart times, and like the others, involved huge amounts of research. There’s just so much to discover – I find that as soon as I’ve

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PICTURES: The atmospheric setting of Fenland provides the backdrop for Daine Smith’s books (below) on the more unusual events in the area’s history – such as how the residents of Wisbech (below right) fought off the bubonic plague in 1586

finally tracked down one answer, another question presents itself.

Mysteries have a way of breeding mysteries!

All this research has taught me some interesting things about our ancestors, such as their stoicism in withstanding centuries of floods that destroyed homes, crops and livestock. There’s even a tale of a sailing ship being swept inland during a gale of 1575 and ending up on the roof of a house. Its crew are said to have lowered themselves into the house and saved the life of a woman about to give birth.

Then there’s the admirably practical way in which the people of Wisbech fought the bubonic plague when it struck the town in 1586. Their common sense and organisation (which saved many lives) is surprising to us now, in an age when we think we have all the answers.

There are some questions, though, which will probably never be answered.

In the distant past there were few written records, and most of them have long since been lost. We are left wondering about so much, which adds to its fascination for me.

One example of this involves a question I was asked at a talk I was giving for a local ladies’ group. Two members told me about the wording of their house deeds which included the obligation to allow monks access to 112

wells on their land! The ladies asked me when this was likely to date from.

Such a strange legal clause must have been attached to the land on which their houses were built since ancient times. During the 14th century there were two hospitals in Wisbech, both run by monks. The closest to the modern houses was the leper hospital between Wisbech and neighbouring Elm, so that seems the likeliest location for the monks in question.

However, the land would have been separated from the hospital by the Well Stream, the main river flowing through the town at that time. Even if the land had been gifted to the hospital, would the brothers have needed to cross the river to use the wells there?

I’ve yet to find out!

It was riddles like these, together with my love for the atmospheric, often moody Fens, which inspired the Fenland Mysteries books. These are the novels I’ve always wanted to write, all of them set in the Wisbech, Downham Market and King’s Lynn area, some in the present, some in the past, but all with a central theme of mystery.

My current fascination is with King John’s visit to this

area in 1216 and all the unanswered questions that surround the fate of his baggage train.

I’m really enjoying creating a new Fenland Mystery based on this intriguing part of our local history, and it’s the perfect example of a mystery which may never be solved.

All Diana Smith’s Fenland Histories and Fenland Mysteries are available from Amazon and from Waterstones online.

In Wisbech, they can also be found in Etcetera, Wisbech, the Fenland Museum and Peckover House.

KLmagazine October 2019

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Michael Middleton’s

WildWestNorfolk

E

xactly 50 years ago this month we said hello to the 50p coin, which replaced the 10-shilling note, paved the way for decimalisation, taught us what an equilateral-curve heptagon looked like, and prepared us for the global abolition of the shilling as a unit of currency.

Three years before it rolled its way into our pockets (and it rolled rather clumsily, it must be said) the Royal Mint had approached the Decimal Currency Board for advice on introducing a new coin. The 10-shilling notes in circulation were only lasting five months at best, and it was thought that a coin (with a typical lifespan of 50 years) would be far more economical.

However, planning the new coin was a lot more complicated than you might think.

Making it in proportion to the silver coins already in use would have made it ridiculously heavy and uneconomic to produce. That meant it had to look different, but the Royal Mint couldn't find a metal that was sufficiently ‘new’ in colour and wouldn’t tarnish.

Moreover, the thing had to be fairly impressive, because it was going to be the most valuable coin in general use anywhere in the whole world – about £9 in today’s values.

So they decided on giving it a unique shape.

Putting a hole in the middle didn’t really work because of the obvious effect that had on the Queen’s portrait, and a square coin would involve the wholesale replacement of every single

114

machine that accepted coins – which rolled through the devices under gravity.

The seven-sided design eventually chosen was the work of Hugh Conway, who was the only engineer on the Decimal Currency Board – and when none of the other members on the board could come up with any practical suggestions his design was swiftly accepted and the 50p piece was officially released on 14th October 1969.

It’s estimated that there are 950 million of them in circulation today, and they’re becoming a source of endless fascination thanks to the ever-changing designs on their reverse.

There are about 54 different 50p designs out there, ranging from the characters of Beatrix Potter to anniversaries commemorating the Battle of Hastings, the foundation of the NHS and the D-Day landings.

I've even seen one explaining the offside rule, although when I showed it to the landlord of our village pub he pointed out that the offending triangular symbol would only be offside if was deemed to be interfering with play. At which point I used it as partpayment on a bag of crisps.

I didn’t tell Mrs Middleton about this cavalier loss of the coin, because she’s got into the habit of carefully studying her spare change ever since she read a newspaper report three years ago that someone had sold a ‘Peter Rabbit’ 50p on ebay for £840.

In fact, if you find yourself at a loose end this weekend, put ‘50p’ into ebay’s

search bar and chances are that you’ll still be able to see the listing for a pair of ‘Battle of Hastings’ 50p coins priced at £2 million. With free postage if you’re interested.

Actually if you really are interested, there are plenty of the coins in question available for £5 – which should leave you more than enough change to add a few Beatrix Potter characters to your collection. Including Peter Rabbit.

Since Mrs Middleton started on her quest to track down this elusive mammal, she’s also told me to check my pockets regularly for the 50p celebrating the 250th anniversary of the foundation of Kew Gardens.

It was released in 2009, has the famous pagoda on the back, and is widely reported as being the rarest 50p in existence since only 210,000 of them were made.

Strictly speaking, however, that’s not entirely true. The rarest 50p ever produced is a 1992 edition of the oldsize and considerably heavier coin which celebrated the UK’s Presidency of the Council of Ministers and the completion of the Single European Market – only 109,000 of them were minted, so they’re very rare indeed.

Which brings us rather neatly to a very interesting coincidence.

Given that the 50th anniversary of the 50p is taking place this month, it’s more than ironic that the very first ‘special’ version of the coin appeared in 1973 – to celebrate the UK’s accession to the European Economic Community. And we all know how that is/isn't/maybe about to turn out.

KLmagazine October 2019

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