KL Magazine September/October 2021 by KL Magazine

ISSN 2044–7965

ISSUE 124 SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2021 PRICELESS

magazine

WEST NORFOLK | NORTH NORFOLK | COASTAL

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welcome

t’s hard to believe that we’re already in September, and even harder to believe it’s now 16 years since King’s Lynn became the first English member of the new Hanseatic League - renewing a close relationship with Europe that dates back some 800 years. Hanse Day on September 11th is the perfect opportunity to explore the town’s architectural and cultural heritage, and after listening to the guest speakers at the History and Archeology Symposium at Marriott’s Warehouse you can take a trip along the River Great Ouse on board the totally-unique and beautifully-restored Baden Powell fishing smack. In fact, you’ll find exploration is

COVER IMAGE

something of a key word in this issue of your magazine. Lovers of natural wonders will find plenty to enjoy at Burnham Overy Staithe and the beautiful freshes at Blakeney, while people of a more historical leaning will find plenty to discover at St Andrew’s in West Dereham and the wonderful buildings of old South Lynn. And let’s not forget Oxburgh Hall, which is finally emerging from the extraordinary cover of scaffolding it’s been under for the last five years as part of an equally-amazing restoration project. Even the museum in King’s Lynn has got into the spirit of things with a special exhibition on the life and times of artist and adventurer Thomas Baines - who was an apprentice to a local coach painter at 16 before boldly going

where no Englishman had gone before, becoming one of the first Europeans to see Victoria Falls. But it’s not all about the past. Over the following pages you’ll find artists who’ve used the experiences of lockdown to take their work in a new direction, redundant RAF bases being put to new uses, and painters and writers using their work to address the current climate crisis. It’s clear that we have a past to be proud of and a very promising future. Enjoy your magazine and enjoy everything the area has to offer.

Eric Secker EDITOR KL magazine

Old Lifeboat House, Blakeney by Ian Ward

KLmagazine September 2021

contents

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18 24 32 38 46

132 KLmagazine September 2021

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

PEACE AND QUIET AND BEAUTY A visit to Burnham Overy Staithe A NEW DAWN AT OXBURGH HALL Focus on an extraordinary project A GENUINE LOCAL TREASURE St Andrew’s at West Dereham HERITAGE ALL DOWN THE LINE... The rail station at Downham Market BLAKENEY FRESHES Caring for one of our natural wonders NEW LOOK, PROUD TRADITION The changing face of RAF West Raynham SEPTEMBER IN THE GARDEN Expert advice with Wendy Warner APPLES LOCAL TO THE CORE A look at Norfolk’s apple heritage ENJOYING A SLICE OF SUCCESS The story of the Simply Cake Co FLYING THE FLAG... Iconic brands and amazing innovations

76 82 90 104 125 126 132 138 142 146

CREATING A JOYFUL LIFE... Fabulous interiors with Paula Sutton FASHION Inspiration from our local boutiques THE GIFT THAT MEANS SO MUCH How to help The Norfolk Hospice LOCAL HISTORY COMES TO LIFE Putting the spotlight on South Lynn YOU AND YOUR PETS With London Road Veterinary Centre ALIVE CORN EXCHANGE 25 years of live entertainment ALISON DUNHILL New art, new poems and a new view THE ART OF EXTRACTION How art can help save the planet THE KL MAGAZINE QUIZ Putting Norfolk on the silver screen MICHAEL MIDDLETON Village games and Olympic oddities

The ever changing face of Burnham Overy Staithe It’s now one of the most beautiful and peaceful spots in north Norfolk, but 20,000 years ago the River Burn was surrounded by ice sheets and was once a thriving commercial fishing port...

troll along the harbour at Burnham Overy Staithe and you’ll see a collection of small sailing boats and yachts dotted about on the water, gently swaying in the breeze. The low-lying river means large boats can’t pass through for fear of getting stuck, so the waters of the River Burn are generally rather peaceful. Sit on the bank and watch members of the sailing club drift by on their yachts, or walk alongside the river to where it meets the sea on a coastal footpath - where you’ll also find the secluded and oftenoverlooked Burnham Overy Beach. There are many ways to enjoy the

serene river views, but this luxury hasn’t always been available to locals. Centuries ago, the river would have been inundated with trading vessels and fishermen. Over in King’s Lynn the town’s links to the influential Hanseatic League transformed it into England’s most important port. Initially a small European merchant guild set up to protect its towns against piracy and banditry, the Hanseatic League grew to comprise some 200 northern European settlements across seven modern-day countries. In its heyday during the 15th century, members hailed from the Netherlands,

Estonia, Poland and Sweden, with its commercial reach extending to Portugal, England, Russia and Italy. Due to its strategic position, King’s Lynn saw plenty of Baltic merchants stop at its port, and they’d often continue along the north Norfolk coast and dock at other ports such as Burnham Overy Staithe. While the Hanseatic League began losing its dominance over the North Sea in the mid-16th century England was rapidly growing into an international trader and colonial colossus. The navy’s prowess was expanding and in the quiet village of Burnham Thorpe the birth of a baby boy in 1758 would guarantee

“Nelson was already well acquainted with sailing, having grown up in the bustling port of Burnham Overy Staithe and learning to sail among the ships...”

England’s future victories in the battles to come. Horatio Nelson’s naval career officially began when he was 12 years old after his uncle enlisted him on HMS Raisonnable. He was already well acquainted with sailing, having grown up in the bustling port of Burnham Overy Staithe and learning to sail among the ships on the River Burn. In the early 1800s, while Nelson was manning warships and losing limbs, the River Burn was accommodating schooners carrying up to 80 tons, which were commonly used in coastal trading. There was considerable trade in corn and coal, with merchants stopping at ports all along the north Norfolk coast including Blakeney and Wellsnext-the-Sea. With the introduction of the railway however, there was less demand for marine trading as it was easier and faster to transport goods via rail. International trips to countries like Lithuania and Germany grew more infrequent, but it was the silting of the River Burn that finally stopped these

larger ships from accessing Burnham Overy Staithe. The gradual accumulation of sediment along the riverbed caused the river to become shallower, which led to an increasing reliance on trade via railway and road. Nowadays, the River Burn is classified as a ‘Highly Modified Waterbody’ by the Environmental Agency as a result of the numerous modifications made to it over the centuries. Traders diverted parts of the river into straight sections to allow for easier access along trading routes, and there are several impoundments along the river (such as sluice gates) that have been used to alter the water levels at certain points. What was perhaps overlooked by our seafaring ancestors was the longterm effects we’re seeing today. River impoundments are known to affect fish migration, and the reduced depth of the river has restricted access to Burnham Overy Staithe via the water. Thankfully, efforts are being made to protect the river from any further changes. Burnham Overy Harbour Trust is a charity that was established almost 40 years ago with the aim of closely managing the harbour and surrounding creek for the benefit of the environment and the public. As an attractive riverside village, visitors from all over the country come to Burnham Overy, and the Trust works tirelessly to protect visitors and locals alike from the rapidly-changing tide - while ensuring the harbour itself is protected from littering and overcrowding. Sailing is a beloved pastime for many on the River Burn, and with a landscape as beautiful as Burnham Overy, it’s easy to see why. Whether you enjoy being out on the water or simply prefer to spectate, take a moment to appreciate the fascinating history the river holds and the natural wonder that brings us such peace and tranquility today. KLmagazine September 2021

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e all understand the importance of generating energy from sustainable sources such as solar power, and we’re all aware of our move towards electric vehicles. With the advent of domestic batteries it’s now possible to imagine combining them into a totally self-sufficient energy solution - enabling you to generate your own electricity, store it, use it, and even get paid for it. “If you already have solar panels and you’re under the original feed-in tariff you’re being paid for the energy you’re generating - but you’re effectively giving it away and then buying it back,” says director Stuart Olley of the 4 Way

Group in King’s Lynn. “With a fullyintegrated system you can store the electricity you’re generating while you’re at work, you can charge your car when you get home, and you’ll still be paid for the energy you’ve generated.” The 4 Way Group has been leading the way in the design and installation of the latest energy-saving technologies for over 15 years now, and can develop the most cost-effective solution for you, your family and your lifestyle which can ultimately enable you to run your home on zero fuel costs. “We’ve been seeing a huge increase recently in the number of people wanting solar panels, electric vehicle chargers and storage batteries,” says

Stuart. “Because of climate change and the government’s long-term plans this is the inevitable future of electricity usage, and we have the experience to get you there today.” If you already have a solar panel array the 4 Way Group can help you store your energy in domestic batteries and only use it when you need it - and ensure you still get paid for it. If you have an electric or hybrid vehicle, the 4 Way Group can install the world’s first solar-compatible EV charger for you. Or Stuart and his team can design a complete system incorporating all three for you, allowing you to generate your own energy, store it, use it, and get paid for it. What’s not to love?

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KLmagazine September 2021

© NICHOLAS FARKA ABOVE: A unique view of Oxburgh Hall, with its beautiful exterior hidden behind an equally-impressive shield of scaffolding, which took six months to erect as part of a major restoration project and has started to be removed as the house shows its new face to the world

A new dawn rises over Oxburgh Hall... It’s taken five years and is one of the biggest projects ever undertaken by the National Trust, but the newly-restored Oxburgh Hall is finally seeing the light of day - and is embarking on a new chapter in its story

n the summer of 2016 a dormer window at Oxburgh Hall collapsed, sending a few tons of masonry crashing to the ground, setting off the fire alarms, and causing one of the National Trust’s most beautiful properties to be temporarily closed for safety reasons. Initially it seemed like a relatively simple case of repair and restoration, a project you might expect when dealing 12

with a building that’s some 500 years old. But the closer the specialists and experts looked, the more complex the situation became - a situation which eventually led to a £6 million project involving major repairs to the remaining 13 dormers, the entire roof, all 27 chimneys, and the façade of the famous medieval gatehouse. “That’s the nature of the beast when you’re working with historic properties,”

says Project Manager David White. “The more you investigate, the more things you tend to find that need attention. At Oxburgh Hall, what started out as an emergency project to replace a single dormer window grew into one of the biggest projects the National Trust has ever undertaken in this area.” The (in)famous dormer windows were later and rather hastily-installed Victorian additions to the 15th KLmagazine September 2021

century building and hadn’t been fully integrated into the existing roofscape - work that placed undue demands on the original structure. “Once we had access to the roof, our investigation of the windows revealed that due to centuries of ingressive damp and deathwatch beetles the entire roof was in need of repair,” says David. “We also found that every one of the individual 27 decorative chimneys was in poor condition and unstable.” If David thought that was the end of his problems, his team were presented with yet another challenge in 2018 when pieces of later-date masonry started dropping off the original gatehouse due to the natural changes of the ground conditions over the course of several hundred years. From a technical point of view, perhaps the most incredible part of the project has been the total covering of Oxburgh Hall under a gargantuan amount

of scaffolding - which resembles a work of modern art and took some six months to erect. “Oxburgh Hall is surrounded by a moat so it was an extraordinary feat of engineering and to our knowledge nothing like it has ever been done before,” says David. “Because of the moat’s fragile clay lining we couldn’t use traditional supports, so the scaffolding actually sits on an ingenious bed of around 800 sandbags.” But the technical achievement of the project is now competing with its archaeological value, as the work has revealed (and literally uncovered) an incredible treasure trove of hidden wonders. “We always suspected we’d uncover lots of interesting information about the history of the building and the people who’ve lived here,” says Cultural Heritage Curator Anna Forrest. “But I don’t think anyone thought we’d find such a wonderful hoard of fascinating artefacts.” The removal of skirting boards revealed some fragments of wallpaper dating to the early 18th century, and a

ABOVE: A unique view of the roof of Oxburgh Hall during the restoration work, as workers from Messenger found themselves replacing all 27 individual chimneys and 14 dormer windows (right). It was the collapse of one window back in 2016 that led to the enormous project

large rats’ nest was found to contain around 200 pieces of late Tudor and Elizabethan textiles in addition to parts of printed books from the 1590s. “Thanks to the rats they’d spent hundreds of years hidden away protected from light and moisture,” says Anna. “They were very dirty but they were in an incredible state of preservation. Although many of them were only fingernail-sized they’ve given us a fabulous insight into the clothes people were wearing and the 13

© MIKE HODGSON ABOVE: All 27 elaborate chimneys towering over the top of Oxburgh Hall are individual, and all received painstaking attention from contractors Messenger - with those in need of repair having specially handmade bricks precisely detailed to match the originals and ensure they appear to have been in place for hundreds of years (below)

books they were reading, and it’s really captured everybody’s imagination.” The team even found an entire book of Psalms with a beautifullyornamented leather cover in a roof space void - a book that’s since been dated to 1569. “The first few pages were a little bit nibbled, but the book was in a remarkable condition,” says Anna. “This isn’t fine art or gold, but it’s just as exciting. We recently found a fragment from a magazine published in 1737,

and it’s that kind of social history that people can really identify with.” And it’s a history that will form an integral part of Oxburgh Hall’s forthcoming Endurance exhibition, which traces the changing fortunes of the house of the Bedingfeld family who built the property in 1482 and live there to this day. “Although the name of the exhibition was chosen some time ago, it’s become even more appropriate over the last few years,” says Property Curator Lynsey Coombs. “This beautiful building has a quite extraordinary history, and we want to bring that to life and make it much more immersive. It’s well known that the house has a ‘priest’s hole’ but few people realise what that actually means - and what it must have been like to be persecuted for your faith.” As the mammoth project comes to a conclusion and the scaffolding finally starts to be removed, it will be something of a revelation for Lynsey. “I started working at Oxburgh in 2017 so I’ve never actually seen the hall in ‘real life’ without being surrounded by scaffolding,” she says. “Now the work

is nearing completion we can already see what a tangible difference it’s made to the house - and it’s really exciting. Especially for our visitors, who’ll be experiencing the start of the next chapter in the long story of Oxburgh Hall.” For the latest information on the project and details on opening arrangements, please visit the website at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/oxburghhall The project was made possible thanks to funding from National Trust supporters in addition to generous grants from the Heritage Stimulus Fund (part of the Culture Recovery Fund), the Wolfson Foundation and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

KLmagazine September 2021

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KLmagazine September 2021

Castle Rising

Hunstanton lighthouse

Reaching new heights with 30 years of quality From small-scale domestic projects to major commercial works, West Norfolk Scaffolding offers a service that’s second to none...

hen Mike Smith established West Norfolk Scaffolding he started by storing his equipment on his front lawn and made the most of a tumbledown barn in West Winch his accountant let him use for free. From these humble beginnings he’s about to celebrate the company’s 30th anniversary and is preparing to hand the reins over the next generation. From its home in the centre of King’s Lynn, West Norfolk Scaffolding is now one of the most highly-respected and trusted scaffolding firms in East Anglia - and it’s certainly one of the most experienced. “Despite the challenges of the last couple of years I don’t think we’ve ever been busier,” says Mike, whose

team works on everything from small domestic projects to largescale industrial and commercial works. “We’re very professional, we’re extremely reliable, and all our scaffolders are trained to NVQ Levels 2 and 3, are SG4-15 compliant and have all the appropriate health and safety accreditations. There’s no real secret here - we simply approach every single project as though it’s the most important job we’ve ever done.” And in an industry renowned for its rapid staff turnover, it’s worth noting that several members of Mike’s team have been with the company for the best part of two decades. With Mike starting to look forward to retiring, West Norfolk Scaffolding will be in the safe hands of his son Trevor,

who started working with his father clearing up sites as a young child and is now the company’s Construction Director. “I actually studied music and never imagined I’d become a scaffolder, but since joining the company I’ve never looked back,” he says. “We have a very well-established family-run firm and when dad finally does retire I won’t be making any drastic changes. We’ll just keep building - literally - on what we’ve done successfully for the last 30 years.” Whether you’re looking for a simple extension, a new-build property, a major retail project or the renovation of a heritage building, West Norfolk Scaffolding has all the experience and all the expertise you’re looking for.

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The many wonders of West Dereham’s church With its imposing Norman round tower, its magnificent medieval architecture and its impressive memorials, the church of St Andrew’s in West Dereham is a truly extraordinary building

est Dereham is a pretty parish situated on the edge of the Fens, a mere four miles east of Downham Market, and it has what is widely considered to be one of the finest churches in the whole country. The extraordinary Grade I listed church of St Andrew stands on raised ground at the north end of the village with a striking round tower stretching into the sky. It’s both remarkable and rare, since most round tower churches were built during the early Norman period and there are only around 185 surviving examples in England, 70% of which are in Norfolk.

The tower of St Andrew’s is constructed of large blocks of ferricrete, a locally-formed conglomerate that may be up to 70 million years old. With an internal diameter of just over 17ft it’s the widest round tower in Norfolk and one of the largest in East Anglia, second only to the 20ft of Wortham in Suffolk. The tower is crowned by an impressive octagonal Tudor belfry, which it acquired in the 16th century during the Reformation. Built of brick, flint and ferricrete, its design is unique. Each facet of the octagon is slightly recessed, with brick piers at each angle and extravagant ‘machicolation’ arches above them. Five of the eight

faces have Tudor-arched openings housing the church’s five bells, one of which has been dated to 1785. The current church building is thought to have been built in Norman times and

probably on Anglo Saxon foundations. It’s estimated the nave is 11th century (built between 1060 and 1140) although it underwent a complete restoration in 1901 when the contemporary thatched roof fell in. St Andrews experienced a further metamorphosis in the 15th century when its wide arched perpendicular windows were fitted, and these contain some stunning and historic pieces of stained glass. In the tracery lights of the nave’s east window there are the remains of a sequence of the Orders of Angels, a hierarchy that illustrates nine levels of spiritual beings. The window features an angel’s feathered wings, a prince’s crown and a warrior’s armour - and is thought to depict the Archangel Michael, the ‘leader of angels’ and the ‘protector of mankind’. These fascinating fragments of glass date from the 15th century and are thought to have come from West Dereham abbey, which was demolished in 1539. As well as stunning Norman architecture and medieval glass, St Andrew’s contains a number of unique memorials in its chancel. The most striking of these is a decorative panel made for Sir Thomas Dereham, 4th Baronet, who was born on the site of West Dereham abbey in 1678 and spent most of his life in Italy acting as an informal representative of the English crown. Made in Rome, his extravagant memorial features a coat of arms surrounded by exuberant mantling, a Latin inscription and small bronze stags’ heads in each corner. Even though it was erected in 1722, the

colours have stayed remarkably true. Opposite this is a magnificent lifesized statue of Colonel Edmund Soame, who was an accomplished and wellregarded soldier and MP for Thetford from 1701 to 1705. Soame’s statue stands in armour striking a proud, martial pose with a long tribute to his life below. It’s considered one of the very best standing monuments in Norfolk and is a truly spectacular sight to behold. Another distinctive element of St Andrews is its charming south porch, which was constructed in the 15th century and gained a fashionable Dutch gable in the 17th century. The porch has recently undergone a complete restoration and the church itself has been extensively

PICTURES: The Dereham family memorials in St Andrews’ chancel (above). The impressive marble monument commemorating Colonel Edmund Soame, located against the south chancel wall (middle)

renovated, particularly during the Victorian period. “It’s a wonderful building with something from almost every century,” says Michael Poole, lay minister and church secretary at St Andrews. “I love every single part of it.” And St Andrews is equally loved by the people of West Dereham, who cherish their beautiful, historic church. “If you’re seeking some peace and quiet you can come and sit in one of the pews,” says Michael. “Many villagers, who don’t attend the church for services, like to come and sit here because it’s so tranquil.” For regular visitors, St Andrews has a weekly prayer group which has been running every Tuesday for almost a decade - even during lockdown via Zoom. “Lockdown enabled us to hold an online church, which helped people from different villages to get to know each other,” says Michael. “It was brilliant. People gave it their all during hymns because they were in the comfort of their own homes. Even though the church has since reopened, we’ve kept the online service going as everyone really enjoys it, and even people from out of the county are attending.” With its strong community feel and incredible architecture, St Andrews in West Dereham is well worth a visit. It’s open daily from 10-4 and everyone is welcome - so why not come and admire its wonders for yourself?

KLmagazine September 2021

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ABOVE: One of the recently-completed properties in Holme on the north Norfolk coast designed, built and fully furnished by Norfolk Living

Different by design. Defined by quality. From the finest interiors to hand-crafted kitchens and custom-built properties in some of the county’s most desirable locations, Norfolk Living is taking aspirational lifestyles to another level...

ecent research by the online property company Rightmove revealed that three of the five most desirable places to live in the whole country are in Norfolk - and a few months ago The Times newspaper judged it one of the best counties to live in the whole of the UK. Whether it’s the spectacular landscapes, the wealth of historic 22

buildings, the abundance of wildlife or the thriving cultural scene (which includes England’s only UNESCO City of Literature) there’s no doubt that living in Norfolk is a genuine pleasure. Which brings us rather nicely to Norfolk Living, which has been creating beautiful homes, kitchens and interiors along the north Norfolk coast (and further afield) for almost ten years. It all started with Norfolk Living

Interiors in the centre of Burnham Market, a three-floor showcase of prestigious homewares, soft furnishings and furniture, accessories and jewellery, gifts and glassware. From the very start, the accent was on high quality and individuality. Nothing was mass-produced and everything was handmade. With a manufacturing facility in the centre of King’s Lynn, the company KLmagazine September 2021

then took the very same approach to crafting and installing totally bespoke and exquisitely-detailed kitchens, utility rooms, gun rooms and wine rooms with a talented in-house team of experienced designers, joiners and fitters. From superbly-finished cabinetry and show-stopping worktops to stateof-the-art appliances and unique paint finishes, Norfolk Living Kitchens continues to offer the very best of British - inspired by the customer, designed for a specific space, and manufactured to the very highest standards. And from there it was something of a natural progression to the founding of

Norfolk Living Homes, which specialises in developing and furnishing complete properties from start to finish. These aren’t generic homes by any means. They’re design-led, distinguished by clever internal layouts, perfectly-proportioned spaces, stunning open plan rooms and an ingenious mix of complementary materials. In a word Norfolk Living Homes offers an aspirational lifestyle - and continues to build (quite literally) on its background of exceptional craftsmanship and attention to detail. Moreover, you can play as large or as little part in the project as you prefer. If you have specific ideas and tastes

you’re welcome to work alongside the team to bring your vision to life, or you can leave the entire build and interior design to Norfolk Living Homes - the perfect and totally hassle-free solution for second and holiday homeowners. All you need to do is pick up the keys and enjoy your new living space. The images featured (on this page) show a newly-finished project at Burnham Market, mixing metals and wood to create a contemporary, townhouse feel – we will be covering other forthcoming Norfolk Living projects in more detail in future editions. Norfolk Living is a company as unique as your lifestyle, combining contemporary aesthetics with an extraordinary level of quality - whether you’re looking for a single key piece of furniture, a magnificent new kitchen or a complete new home. Has living in Norfolk ever been so desirable?

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KLmagazine September 2021

Celebrating 175 years of first-class service Unique, historic and bursting with colour and pride, the railway station at Downham Market is widely considered to be one of the most attractive and well-preserved stations in East Anglia...

1966

ith its bright red benches and fabulous flower displays, Downham Market station is a pleasure to travel through – and even better to spend some time at. Commuters can’t help smiling as they enter the cheerful ticket office, catch sight of the friendly welcome signs and smell the sweet floral fragrance wafting from the platform’s wooden planters - though few travellers are aware of the history of this stunning Norfolk stop. Built for the Great Eastern Railway after plans were approved for a line connecting King’s Lynn to Ely and London, the station was opened on October 27th, 1846 when passenger services began on the Lynn to Denver section of the line – and the Grade II listed main building has experienced little change since then. Built of local carrstone with pale brick dressings, Jacobean-style gables and diagonallyset chimney shafts, it’s a striking and distinctive element of the station. Downham Market’s charming green and yellow signal box was Grade II listed in 2013. Built in 1881 its notched

KLmagazine September 2021

bargeboards and window sashes without horizontal glazing bars indicate that it’s of the GER type 2 design. The box has survived largely intact, with its original 1881 Saxby and Farmer rocker frame and almost all the original decoration to the operating floor. Still staffed 24/7 and fully working with old fashioned levers, it stands today as proudly as it did 140 years ago. Though its buildings have experienced little change, the station looks very different to the way it did almost two centuries ago. The original platforms were much shorter than today, barely longer than the main building itself, although platform 2 (towards Lynn) was extended in 1911. The majority of the space in the station complex was taken up by numerous goods sidings situated at both approaches and in the Goods Yard and Office, now the site of the car park. There was also a turntable in the northeast yard which was used by horse-drawn wagons to transport freight offloaded from trains, and until the 1960s platform 1 was dominated by a large square water tower. As well as its impressive buildings the station at Downham Market has had some moments in the spotlight. In April 1979 it was visited by Sir John

ABOVE: The well-preserved signal box reflects the official change of the station name to Downham Market that occurred in the early 1980’s as requested by the local council

Mills for the filming of an episode of Anglia TV’s ‘Tales of the Unexpected’ which dramatized many of Roald Dahl’s short stories. In addition, in 2011 journalist and broadcaster Michael Portillo featured Downham Market in an episode of his popular documentary series ‘Great British Railway Journeys’, describing it as “a charming station” and “a very special stop.” And the station has become even more “charming” since, with a £64,000 heritage makeover in 2017 giving it the bright colours we see today. The station shines in its patriotic red, white and blue paintwork which was chosen to commemorate Network Southeast - the former British Rail division that 25

operated across southeast England 30 years previously. Andy Savage of the Railway Heritage Trust helped plan and fund the redecoration. “There were proposals to re-use the colour scheme from the King’s Lynn station, which had a 1950s inspired makeover in 2014,” he says, “but we opposed that because there was no historic precedent to it. After much local discussion, the compromise everyone agreed to was the former Network Southeast livery. I have to say

I like the effect, and there’s no doubt that Great Northern went the extra mile in doing a really good job.” Soon after the refurbishment in February 2018, the Platform 1 café opened at the station, offering a large selection of food and drinks in addition to free WiFi, a large-screen television and comfortable seating. It makes waiting for your train a real pleasure, and it’s a fabulous welcome for everyone who arrives. With its cheerful new colours and delightful floral displays (created and cared for by volunteers from the local Women’s Institute) Downham Market is without a doubt one of Norfolk’s prettiest stations - and its beauty hasn’t gone unnoticed. In the 2020 National Rail Awards (dubbed the ‘Railway Oscars’) Downham Market was one of only two highly-commended

1911 26

PICTURES: One of the many floral displays at the station in Downham Market, which are maintained by the local WI. Below are booking office clerks Joe Chapman and Darrell Gardiner. At right is a wagon turntable in the northeast yard and a picture of the station in November 1911 (bottom)

stations in the ‘Small Station of the Year’ category. “What makes our station stand out is its unique character and charm,” says Darrell Gardiner, who’s worked on the railway for 30 years and is Great Northern’s full-time booking office clerk at Downham. “The WI does a wonderful job maintaining the gardens and flower beds, which make the place look very welcoming and colourful.” But Darrell claims his favourite thing about the station is the passengers that pass through. “We get on really well,” he says. “There are a couple of older ladies who’ve been quite lonely through lockdown, so I tell them to come and have a chat at any time.’’ His feelings are shared by part-time booking office clerk Joe Chapman, who’s worked at Downham Market station for the last 20 years. “Being a smaller station allows us to offer a personal touch,” she says. “You feel more appreciated. Most of our regulars are really friendly, and I’ve always enjoyed helping them.” Unique, charming and welcoming, Downham Market is a small station with a big heart and a bright future – and it’s still standing proudly after 175 years of service. For more information about the station at Downham Market and the surrounding area, please visit Discover Downham Heritage Centre online at www.discoverdownham.org.uk

KLmagazine September 2021

QUAINT & COSY! Get ready for your train journey or enjoy a rest in the comfortable air-conditioned waiting area, and take advantage of the free WiFi, T.V, and mobile phone charging points.

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KLmagazine September 2021

Treat your carpets to a new lease of life... With the most advanced cleaning system currently available Xtraclean can make your carpets look better, smell better and be much safer

t’s incredible to learn that your carpets can hold as much as four times their weight in dirt, dust, tiny sand grains and pollutants - but the good news is that professional carpet cleaning can successfully remove about 98% of it, leaving you with carpets almost as fresh as the day they were laid. “We operate a state-of-the-art truck-mounted carpet cleaning system which uses its own water and power supply,” says Martin King of the expert Swaffham-based team at XtraClean. “It’s the best and safest cleaning solution on the market, and it works equally well on domestic and commercial carpets.” Moreover, XtraClean can treat your carpets to a professional deodorising treatment that eliminates the odours of

smoke, pets and residue - a speciallydeveloped sanitizer to help eliminate any bacteria, pollen and allergens. “Having brought them back to their best, this is the perfect time to also protect your carpets from future spills and stains,” says Martin. “We can protect them by applying a specialised product that means spills can be blotted away more easily and soiling is kept at bay for longer. It also controls the growth of harmful the bacteria and germs that has a nasty tendency to live and breed in your carpets.” With over 25 years experience, the professional carpet cleaning technicians at XtraClean are fullyinsured and trained to the highest standards to take on any kind of carpet in any kind of location. “Cleaning commercial carpets can

often worry companies because the last thing you want is the interruption and inconvenience that carpet cleaning can involve,” says Martin. “That’s why we offer a dedicated out-of-hours service to meet your needs. We clean the carpets and all you have to do is get on with your business.” XtraClean prides itself on providing a prompt, reliable and trustworthy service throughout the region - from Norfolk and Suffolk to Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire. A simple vacuum is good at removing surface dirt and debris, but a regular and professional clean by XtraClean is the best way of keeping your carpets looking better, smelling better, and lasting for longer. Contact us today for a free quotation about bringing the carpets in your home or business safely back to life.

Unit 3, Jack Boddy Way, Swaffham PE37 7HJ Tel: 01760 337762 Web: www.xtraclean.co.uk E-mail: sales@xtraclean.co.uk KLmagazine September 2021

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KLmagazine September 2021

Our recent projects

If you’re looking for a plumber, look no further Whether you’ve got a dripping tap or a burst water tank, A.T Norfolk Plumbing & Heating is only a phone call away...

ll the water in the Anglian Water region is classed as ‘hard’ to ‘very hard’ because of its high chalk content. Although it’s perfectly safe (there’s plenty of evidence to suggest it’s actually good for you) it can play havoc with your plumbing system with an increased build-up of scale and mineral deposits on fixtures and appliances leading to costly leaks and cracked pipes. In fact, water is the number one cause of damage in the home and according to the Association of British I would highly recommend A.T Norfolk Plumbing. They’re reliable, they’re hardworking and they’re honest - and even took on work they wouldn’t normally do for my 93-year-old mother. If you need a trustworthy plumber, you don’t need to go any further.” - SARAH HARDAKER

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KLmagazine September 2021

Insurers accounts for over 25% of domestic property claims - at an average cost of £3,600. Which isn’t (if you’ll excuse the pun) a drop in the ocean. Thankfully Docking-based A.T Norfolk Plumbing & Heating are just a phone call away, offering a traditional and exceptionally-reliable service for everything from dripping taps and leaking toilets to replacement radiators and water tanks across west Norfolk and all along the north Norfolk coast. “We never promise anything that we can’t deliver,” says Michaela Taverna, who established the company with her husband Adrian just over 20 years ago, “and within a few years of moving to Norfolk from Cambridgeshire we’ve already managed to build a very loyal and strong customer base.” Much of that success is undoubtedly due to Adrian’s professional approach. City & Guilds qualified, WaterSafe registered, and with over 20 years’

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Due to some poor DIY on my part, we had a punctured pipe in our downstairs cloakroom - and as always, it happened at the weekend. We telephoned Adrian, and he arrived in less than 60 minutes repairing the pipe within two hours. Super professional, very friendly and a genuine pleasure to deal with.” - GREG FROST

experience he’s the perfect example of a traditional plumber - calling on a trusted team of subcontractors for any work that requires tiling or carpentry and dealing with the company’s increasing amount of enquiries for complete bathroom replacements. From emergency repairs and small works to complete shower room and en-suite installations, contact A.T Norfolk Plumbing & Heating today - for quick, reliable and professional results.

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Looking after Blakeney’s enduring natural beauty With thousands of visitors, animals and birds flocking to Blakeney every year a dedicated team is needed to look after the wildlife and the much-loved landscape. Happily, it’s a very rewarding job...

n the unlikely event you find yourself on the north Norfolk coast with no itinerary, a visit to Blakeney’s National Nature Reserve is guaranteed to make your day. Whether you’re interested in bird watching, enjoy taking walks across stunning landscapes, or want to see England’s largest grey seal colony, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to finding something to do. But our freedom to wander up to Blakeney Point or take the Norfolk Coast Path through Blakeney Freshes (around 160 hectares of freshwater grazing marsh) is only possible thanks to the work of the volunteers and rangers of the National Trust. Hanne Siebers is one of these volunteers, and when she moved to

north Norfolk from Norway five years ago, she was inspired to help the National Trust. “On my first visit to Blakeney I walked to the Point from the beach at Cley and I found it absolutely beautiful,” she says. “One day I entered the lookout shelter in Morston Quay to see the view, and I noticed a brochure asking for volunteers - so I jumped at the chance.” Her journey as a volunteer began in 2018 when she was enlisted to take part in the Trust’s annual seal monitoring. However, when the extraordinary number of 4,000 grey seal pups were born last winter, the rangers and volunteers had to change the way they counted the pups. The larger volume of seals made it too dangerous to walk through and

individually count them, and nobody wanted to disturb the seals. Instead, the number of newborns were recorded in one specific area, and the year-onyear change in the number of pups will give the National Trust an indication of what’s happening across the whole colony. “When winter comes to an end I’m always thankful to Blakeney and to the National Trust,” says Hanne, “for putting me in that moment where I can watch the seals and enjoy the beautiful scenery.” Her affection for Blakeney is clear from the photographs she takes of the area, which you can see in this feature, and as a Property Photographer for the National Trust, Hanne is able to combine her camera skills with her love

IMAGES: © Hanne Siebers / National Trust

ABOVE: A group of starlings taking flight. They are one of the many species of bird found in Blakeney, and it is up to Hanne and Carl to make sure the habitats are right for them

Hanne Siebers of nature. “I always take my camera and there’s always something new to see and something new to hear,” she says. “It’s like a beautiful concert. I get to share the beauty of Blakeney and celebrate the work the rangers are doing to look after the Reserve.” The photographs Hanne takes are used across the National Trust website, capturing the charming seals, flocks of birds and sweeping vistas that make Blakeney so unique. The abundance of wildlife found on the Reserve means that in addition to volunteers, rangers are also employed to look after the area. Carl Brooker is one of these rangers, and having worked in conservation for many years, he was keen to join the National Trust. “I’ve been a naturalist pretty much since I learned to walk,” he says, “so working for the National Trust was a natural next step for me. Even now, after four years here, I’m still learning things every day.” Though Carl has worked along the Norfolk coast for 12 years, his role as a ranger is always varied and interesting. “I often say a ranger’s job should be written on a roll of toilet paper because it’s quite long,” he laughs. “Generally, though, I’m responsible for looking after Blakeney, Morston, and Stiffkey.” 34

Every season brings new wildlife to Blakeney, and autumn is when swathes of pink-footed geese descend onto the Freshes. “We do our best to prepare the marshes for when the birds arrive,” says Carl. “During the summer, we have cattle out there grazing and they cut the grass nice and short, which is exactly what our winter wildfowl like.” Similarly, along the Freshes, 70 sheep were introduced this summer with the hope of cultivating the perfect habitat for nesting birds. “There’s an area by the Norfolk Coast Path where flooding has brought up lots of shingle,” Carl says, “and this is actually exactly what nesting birds such as ringed plovers are looking for. The sheep graze the grass that grows among the shingle and keep it short and that’s what the birds want.” If you find yourself on Blakeney Freshes this autumn, be sure to have a pair of binoculars with you as this is the time when thousands of migratory birds visit to feed and nest. Pink-Footed and Brent Geese, Marsh Harriers, Egrets, and Redshanks are just a few of the species you can spot, but if you’re craving more and happen to have a lot of spare time, why not think about volunteering yourself? “As a volunteer you’re part of a

great supportive community,” Hanne Siebers says. “It really helps being in a place where you love to do things with like-minded people.” Carl Brooker couldn’t agree more. “To be honest I struggle to decide what’s the best part of the job,” he says. “Every season brings along something new and exciting, and you’re never left feeling bored. It’s just wonderful here.” If you’d like become a volunteer with the National Trust, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/find-anopportunity

Carl Brooker KLmagazine September 2021

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Living

For buyers and sellers the property market in west & north Norfolk has never been more vibrant,

Spencer Cushing of Sowerbys explains how to make the most of it...

The great outdoors is now even greater

or a great deal of time over the last 18 months or so, what us estate agents often refer to as ‘entertaining space’ hasn’t really had much of an opportunity to live up to its name - as there hasn’t been an awful lot of entertaining we’ve been able (or allowed) to do. In many instances those rooms that were only used for high days and holidays, special occasions and Christmas took on new roles as home offices - or more often than not found new life as a pop-up school room. As things have slowly started to revert to normal (we hope) such rooms are returning to their original purpose and with our pent-up demand for socialising they’ve become an important part of buyers’ requirements. However, it’s not just our inside entertaining spaces that are essential

anymore. As autumn rapidly approaches, thoughts and talk of outside space usually drifts away along with the leaves, but who can forget those images from last winter of friends and family members shivering inside plastic pagodas, tucking into their turkey and favouring the comfort of physically being with some of their relatives over the comforts of being inside? With the shadow of the pandemic still hovering over us, proper outside entertaining space that can be used all year round is very much in the forefront of our national psyche in a way it’s never been before. That’s nowhere more apparent than in the

changing evolution of priorities in our developer and new-build properties. Before the arrival of Covid it was quite common practice for developers to lay a patio off the reception room and possibly turf the remainder of the garden - with trees and shrubs being considered an extra. Skip forward a year and we’re now seeing properties where the outside entertaining space has quite simply become the property’s principal selling feature. They now feature open-sided cart sheds with drop-down plastic sides, elevated central fire pits or fitted electric down heaters - together with fully-functional outdoor kitchens with pizza ovens. And everything’s linked by covered walkways. The attitude seems to be that no matter what the next Covid variant or English weather system throws at us, we’ll always want somewhere to entertain friends and family - and we’re not prepared to let viruses or bad weather spoil it. With that in mind, if you are considering making improvements to your house with a view to selling it, or if you want a (relatively) inexpensive way to increase the value of your home, don’t go for a new bathroom or redecoration. Spend the money creating an outdoor space that the weather and the winter cannot spoil. You’ll love it - and so will your guests.

KLmagazine September 2021

Norfolk is a wonderful place to live, and few people have more experience in styling our homes than Aldiss, as managing director

Darryl Simpson explains...

Norfolk Oak Collection

Lazzaro Collection

Time to entertain and dine in style...

the modern home, and is important as a way of taking a break from the constant rush of our busy lives. Dining furniture is also a great way to make a statement. At Aldiss we’ve noticed that lighter woods and colours continue to be on trend, and a large proportion of our latest collections are lighter and paler in tone. But light colours don’t automatically mean light weight. There’s a distinctly robust look to Skylar Dining Set much of our modern furniture. Take the Norfolk Oak Collection for instance. The extending table and four chairs is a really impressive piece of furniture. It’s chunky, solid and has the heft and hue of quality oak. Although modern it has a nod to a rural tradition - and it works really well with modern decor. There are some nice extra pieces in the collection too - the sideboard

ew things beat sitting down to a meal with your family or a group of friends. It’s convivial, it’s sociable, and it’s why good dining furniture is such an important part of a home. You may have heard people say that “families don’t eat like that anymore,” but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The dining table is rapidly reestablishing itself as a central focus of

comes in two sizes and is well worth considering in a dining room design. The Georgia Collection is similarly coloured, but this stylish furniture is slightly lighter (in weight) and the more compact design makes it ideal when space is at a premium. Although if you do have the space, the matching lamps, coffee tables, bookcases and sideboards can help create a totally co-ordinated dining space. For something completely different, the Lazzaro Collection uses light grey tones and contemporary styling to create a modern look that works brilliantly with conservatories and rooms with modern bifold doors, bringing light in from the garden. And while we’re on the subject of outdoor space, it’s worth noting that our extensive range of garden furniture works well through the shorter days and early into the evenings, when firepits, blankets and hot chocolate help extend the al-fresco mood. These are just a few ideas from our latest ranges - so please visit our showrooms at Fakenham and Norwich, or go online to explore the possibilities for yourself. That will also give you the chance to choose from hundreds of carefully-chosen cutlery and tableware options so you can really entertain in style. As they say, your table’s waiting...

Fakenham: Oxborough Lane NR21 8AF | 01328 86238 Norwich: Hall Road Retail Park NR4 6DH | 01603 272100 www.aldiss.com KLmagazine September 2021

- Jon & Shelly Booty, owners

“

When we got here we didn’t realise how important it is to so many people...

PICTURES: The restoration of this important control tower is fully underway, including an open exhibition on the ground-floor that remembers those who served here. Jon and Shelly Booty (opposite) have embraced their new roles as memory-keepers

The memory-keepers of RAF West Raynham

For over 25 years the old control tower at RAF West Raynham has been left derelict and uncared for, but the new owners’ home is starting to reveal a proud and long-overlooked history

any of us are guilty of an impulse purchase or two, but you’d be hard pressed to find people buying something quite as unique and unusual as Jon and Shelly Booty. For the couple, the urge to buy a disused control tower came after an episode of Grand Designs. “We’d had a couple glasses of wine,” Jon admits, “but once the programme had finished I turned to Shelly and said that if we were to renovate something, I’d love to do an old control tower, and things just took off from there.” Jon was somewhat familiar with West Raynham’s control tower, having lived on the base in the 1970s when his father was in the RAF. “Shelly and I made an offer for the tower in 2016,” he says, “and it’s funny remembering that we used to live in a cottage in East Winch, and now our home is here.” Long before Jon and Shelly bought KLmagazine September 2021

the tower, the RAF base was home to many personnel during its years of operation between 1938 and 1994. During the Second World War, RAF West Raynham was one of eight airfields that the No. 100 Group for Bomber Support operated from. Aircraft such as Mosquito Night Fighters conducted top secret missions to protect RAF bombers over Occupied Europe. They did this using new radar systems that intercepted the Luftwaffe night fighters. Once the war ended, West Raynham was the Central Fighter Establishment (CFE) of the RAF until 1962, specialising in the development

of fighter aircraft tactics and testing new aircraft and equipment. It was also where squadrons and flight commanders trained. The Very Heavy Bomber tower was built as a requirement of the CFE, although West Raynham was never intended to be a VHB station. Shortly after the CFE departed the airfield, it became an operational fighter station, and it was during this time that Bloodhound Surface to Air Missiles were sited there. With so many past occupants of the station, it seemed inevitable that Jon and Shelly would choose to open it to the public. “Although it was almost totally derelict it’s a lovely place,” says Shelly. “When we got here we didn’t realise how important it is to so many people. They often

After

PICTURES: The old observation deck has been transformed into a homely rooftop conservatory, where visitors can see for miles across the airfield. Occasionally, the Fakenham Air Cadets visit the tower to practice their signalling

Before come back to visit the station and bring their photographs and their memories with them.” It almost didn’t come into Jon and Shelly’s possession, in which case it’s likely the control tower would never have been open to the public. “It’s a Grade II listed building,” says Jon, “and it was in such a bad state because of years of neglect that the tower was on the verge of having an enforcement notice put on it by the council.” Thankfully Jon and Shelly stepped in and were willing to throw their lives into upheaval for the sake of restoring the historic tower - and making it their home. “We made an offer in March 2016 and even though it was accepted, we had to wait eight months to actually have access to the tower,” says Jon. “We were technically homeless during that period because we’d sold our cottage soon after the offer for the tower was accepted. We were living in our motorhome until the following March, when we bought a static caravan to stay in while we renovated the tower.” The couple doesn’t regret anything, 40

though, and they’re keen to open to the public as part of the upcoming Heritage Open Days throughout September. “It’s lovely when people visit us with their memories of when they were here,” says Shelly. “We wanted to repair the place so visitors can come and have a proper look.” Though their home on the first and second floors will understandably be off-limits (not least because it’s still an active construction site at the moment) Jon and Shelly plan to open the ground floor to visitors, as well as the top observation deck for those who book a tour. Private collections will be on display, donated to Jon and Shelly by ex-servicemen and women, along with other local museums. Visitors to the tower can expect

to see deeply personal items and photographs that have been donated in the hopes it will preserve the heritage of the place. “We’re living in a time capsule,” says Jon. “You receive all these memories, all this knowledge, and you can envisage what used to be going on in the rooms and who would be in there.” His wife is equally convinced that they are the custodians rather than the owners of this unique part of local history. “I think that’s what our job is here,” says Shelly. “We’re collecting these memories, passing them on to others, and preserving them for the future.” To book a visit to this fascinating tower, visit the Heritage Open Days website. Open days are September 11th, 12th, 18th, and 19th.

KLmagazine September 2021

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KLmagazine September 2021

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

Keeping your caravan safe

ith low confidence in foreign travel continuing because of the pandemic, more people than ever are planning staycations in caravans and campervans for summer 2021, and the holiday season looks like it will be extending long into the autumn. However, thefts of caravans and motorhomes have risen 50% in the previous five years, meaning it’s more important than ever to keep your van secure, whether on the road, parked on your drive, in storage or at a campsite Here the team at Adrian Flux offer some tips to help keep your caravan or motorhome safe for your 2021 staycation and beyond.

INVEST IN GOOD SECURITY Ensure your caravan or motorhome has the best security you can afford. Alarms, immobilisers and CCTV deters thieves, and if your van does disappear, a tracking device will make it easier to recover. Clutch claws which lock the brake and clutch pedals in place, steering locks and gearbox locks are deterrents worth investing in. Fit after-market security deadlocks and lock your van every time you leave

it. Never leave the keys in the ignition when you’re not in the camper or the vehicle you use to tow your caravan, even when filling the tank. Don’t leave valuables on view and don’t leave paperwork relating to your car, caravan or motorhome inside the vehicle as this will make it easier to sell on.

BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT WHERE YOUR VAN IS STORED If you store your caravan or camper at home, fit a pull-up security post to prevent it being towed or driven away If it’s to be kept externally, look for a CaSSOA (Caravan Storage Site Owners’ Association) site. They are statistically proven to keep caravans and motorhomes safer than those stored on driveways or at farms.

BEWARE OF KEYLESS MOTORHOME THEFT Keyless motorhome theft or “relay attack” is quick and simple for thieves using electronic signal relay devices. One thief stands close to the house to enable the device to pick up the signal from the vehicle key fob and the signal is transferred to the second box

held up to the motorhome, fooling it that the key is present. With the doors unlocked, the thieves can start the motorhome with the press of a button. It could be gone in 60 seconds. Storing your keys inside a metal container or a signal blocking wallet will safeguard your vehicle. Thieves can also target your camper’s OBD port which is the On Board Diagnostic computer which measures emissions, mileage, speed and faults. The port can be manipulated by thieves to override vehicle security so they can steal it without a key. Fit a lock which covers the OBD port or a blocker which prevents thieves connecting to it.

INSURING YOUR CARAVAN OR MOTORHOME Your caravan or campervan is precious so invest in peace of mind insurance to protect it. Adrian Flux provides competitive quotes for all makes and models of caravan and motorhome. Call 01553 400399 for a caravan or motorhome insurance quote — 79.5% of customers receiving an online quote in July 2020 could have obtained a cheaper quote over the phone, based on the information they provided.

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

KLmagazine September 2021

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DMG T mber Makers of fine quality timber products, for your home, garden or new build FENCING & GATES

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• Family-run timber suppliers • Catering to both the general public and the building trade • Excellent quality materials • Expert advice given on installation considerations • Timber buildings are made to your specifications by experienced craftsmen TEL: 01553 692634 | FIND US: A47 Pullover Road, King’s Lynn PE34 3LS WEBSITE: www.dmgtimber.co.uk | EMAIL: sales@dmgtimber.co.uk

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Because a kitchen is the heart of your home, it deserves just as much thought as the rest of your house. Visit Bexwell Kitchens for a kitchen individually designed around your needs • A family friendly company • Neff specialists for 47 years • Full measuring and CAD design service • All kitchens supplied rigid • 23 displays • Full installation service available

Bexwell Kitchens

Bexwell Aerodrome, Downham Market PE38 9LT Tel: 01366 382064 Open: Mon-Sat 9-5 Sun 2-4 Email: bexwellkitchens@aol.com

www.bexwellkitchens.co.uk

KLmagazine September 2021

Why the best quality is always worth waiting for With more choice, better performance and strong green credentials, Rudd Joinery is leading the way in superior home improvements

his year an estimated three million households in the UK will be investing in ‘green’ home improvements, and the majority of those will involve new or replacement windows, doors and conservatories. But it’s important to resist the temptation to take the ‘order today, delivery tomorrow ‘ route. “We recently worked with a project manager on a local development who’d ordered products online because he needed them quickly, but when they arrived he was very disapppointed with the quality,” says Jamie Rudd of Rudd Joinery. “That’s just one the reasons that makes us different. We’ll never put anything into production until we’re completely happy with it.” Just outside Fakenham, Jamie and his team are producing a superior range of high quality handcrafted timber products expertly designed and produced at the

KLmagazine September 2021

company’s very own manufacturing facility. “We’d always rather produce our products to a standard rather than a price,” says Jamie. “It may mean you have slightly longer to wait, but they’re worth waiting for - and can even save you time and money in the long run.” Even better, whereas UPVC products are generally mass-produced, Rudd Joinery’s performance windows, doors and conservatories are all completely bespoke from responsibly-sourced timber. And a wide range of styles, colours, and ironmongery can be custom-designed to suit your particular property. “Our farmed timber is endorsed by Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund as the greenest choice for windows, doors and conservatories,” says Jamie. “It’s a fully recyclable material and it’s better for the atmosphere too - because UPVC creates around 200,000 tonnes of waste a year and contains almost 50%

of the 15 most hazardous chemicals listed by European standards.” Part of the British Woodworking Federation (BWF), Rudd Joinery works to the very highest standards - combining the beauty of the past with technology of the present and exceptional craftsmanship skills to create outstanding high-performance products. For a totally new view of windows, doors and conservatories, visit Rudd Joinery’s showroom near Fakenham today and chat to a member of Jamie’s team about your next project.

The most attractive onions in the garden There are over 500 species of allium, but you only need a few to bring a burst of colour and some striking shapes into your garden, as Wendy Warner of Thaxters Garden Centre explains...

ho would have thought that one of the most attractive and architectural flowers of early spring and summer is actually an onion? Ornamental onions or alliums can create an amazing display with their bold rounded flower heads mainly in shades of purple, pink or white followed by attractive seed heads. They’re also very versatile. As well as looking spectacular in the border, they’re attractive to bees, butterflies and other pollinators, and make good cut flowers too. KLmagazine September 2021

Alliums are grown from dry bulbs and should be planted in early to midautumn with most flowering in May or June depending on weather conditions - although Allium sphaerocephalon, known as ‘drumsticks’ with attractive small, deep maroon heads and a green base on 50cm long stems is actually in flower in my garden as I write this in late July. If you’re growing taller varieties, choose a sheltered site to protect the flower spikes from getting blown over and damaged in the wind. All alliums like full sun and well-drained soil and are relatively drought tolerant.

It’s recommended to avoid growing alliums on heavy soil, but I have heavy clay soil and I adore alliums. With a little experimentation I’ve overcome this by initially planting my bulbs in plastic pots in a well-drained mix of John Innes No. 3, multi-purpose compost and horticultural grit - and covering the top of the pot with another layer of grit to discourage inquisitive vermin or birds. I then either transfer them into the ground as they shoot through in the Spring or let them flower in the pots when I can move them to a prime position and then plant them out into borders after flowering, always adding 47

another layer of grit into the bottom of the planting hole to increase drainage. This way they establish themselves during the autumn and winter in the pots and start growing without the risk of rotting in waterlogged ground. Position the pots in a coldframe, greenhouse or beside a wall to protect them from winter wet. This method can be used for growing alliums more permanently in decorative pots too - just ensure that after flowering the bulbs are kept well watered and given a liquid feed so they build up their energy for the following year. In the garden, avoid over-fertilising and making the soil too rich before planting. Another good tip is to avoid planting alliums in areas which are regularly cultivated so as not to damage bulbs when digging. They should be planted at a depth of approximately four times the height of the bulb and the distance apart 48

is usually dependent on the overall height of the plant or for some, on the diameter of the flower. When you buy them, full instructions will be detailed on the packet. Although similar in form, there are a huge variety of different sizes of flower and height. Allium Gladiator, Mount Everest and Giganteum are the tallest varieties with stems up to 120cm. Globemaster has 15cm flower heads on 80cm stems, and Allium christophii has huge 20cm diameter heads in pale lilac - and the individual star-shaped flowers are much larger than most and create particularly attractive seed heads. Unless it’s very windy, most stems will dry upright and can either be left in the border for their architectural form or removed and used indoors as a dried flower - either naturally or sprayed gold or silver for Christmas! A classic and still one of the most popular varieties (it’s ideal as a cut

flower) is Purple Sensation. My personal favourites, both quite recent introductions and shorter varieties which are perfect for my windy garden, are Graceful Beauty which has sparkling white flowers with purple stamens and the mid-pink Rosy Dream. New for this year, I’m intending to try Allium Ostara which is a deep purple, plum colour. Alliums are especially adaptable and work well in various styles of garden. Let them stand alone in a contemporary courtyard garden and be the star of the show, combine them with other shapes and colours of flowers in a mixed border, or grow them through feathery grasses for a prairie planting design. They work equally well with contrasting colours such as oranges and yellows for a vibrant display or similar tones of blues, pinks, purples and whites for a more subtle show. The leaves of alliums die down at flowering time so they can look messy. By planting them amongst other plants you can disguise this as the others will grow to cover the yellowing leaves and these can then be removed once they’ve died back completely. If you haven’t grown alliums before, give them a try, or if you are already a fan there are bound to be some new varieties available for you to introduce into your garden. They can be purchased from garden centres or by mail order from September onwards as dry bulbs.

YOU AND YOUR GARDEN Wendy Warner is the Manager of Thaxters Garden Centre in Dersingham. See the website at www.thaxters.co.uk or telephone 01485 541514.

KLmagazine September 2021

Providing expert, affordable tree care Crown Lifting | Crown Reduction | Crown Thinning Crown Cleaning | Pollarding Deadwooding Section Felling | Dismantling Call or email for a FREE, no obligation quote: 01553 670438 | 07535 760827 bigbrowntree@gmail.com www.bigbrowntree.com BROWNS hold £5,000,000.00 liability insurance

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• Shrubs – 2 litre pots upwards • Herbaceous and Perennials • Larger Specimen Stock from 10 litre pots upwards • Great range of Topiary • Container Grown Trees • Olive & Palm Trees • Compost We’re ideal for Garden Designers, Landscapers, Local Authorities, Architects, Nurseries & the General Public Senior Citizen Day Every Thursday 10% Discount

SHRUBS • HERBACEOUS/PERENNIALS • CLIMBERS • TREES • TOPIARY • SUNDRIES FIND US AT: School Road, West Walton, Wisbech PE14 7DS | Tel: 01945 664520 | www.rachaelsplantoutlet.co.uk KLmagazine September 2021

NEW SEASON PANSIES & VIOLAS

PLUS! COFFEE SHOP Open daily 9am - 4.30pm

Great range of wild bird food and feeders Dog treats, toys and accessories Gift & homeware department

Great Choice of Loose & Pre-Packed Spring Flowering Bulbs

Tulips, Daffodils, Snowdrops, Crocus, Alliums, Hyacinths and much, much more!

Autumn Lawn Care and Tools for tidying up the garden

Autumn and Winter Clothing

Christma s departme nt open soo n!

49 Hunstanton Road, Dersingham, King’s Lynn PE31 6NA Tel: 01485 541514 | Web: thaxters.co.uk | Open: Daily 9am-5pm 50

Garden Centre & Coffee Shop KLmagazine September 2021

18 years of outstanding service from root to tip With autumn fast approaching it’s the perfect time to call on the professional treecare services of Heritage Tree Specialists

xactly 18 years ago this month Dan Ashton started Heritage Tree Specialists with the help of an old Ford Escort and a secondhand chainsaw, and the company is now one of the most highly-regarded and experienced tree care and maintenance businesses in the area. “Even though the owners may have changed and moved on we’re still working at properties where the trees have become very familiar to us,” says Dan. “We’ve always insisted on the highest standards and excellent levels of safety and professionalism, and I think that’s why we’ve continued to grow from strength to strength.” It also helps explain why Heritage Tree Specialists

were admitted to the Guild of Master Craftsmen after only three years - an industry-standard accreditation that’s based on genuine customer references and demonstrable results. It also helps that Dan and his team have a wealth of local knowledge and are committed to restoring native species to help promote the biodiversity of Norfolk. “‘We’ve built a reputation for honest advice and reliability whether our task is a simple stump removal or precisely dismantling a complex tree in a confined area,” says Dan, “and from the very beginning we always pride ourselves on professional service and courtesy.” And since we’re now out of the nesting season, this is the perfect time to contact Heritage Tree Specialists for

everything from crown reductions and deadwood removals to pruning and stump grinding - and getting any work done in readiness for the winter. “There’s a reason why the saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure has been around for almost 300 years,” says Dan. “If your trees are old, if they’re diseased or if they’re overgrown they can become a real danger to you and your home - so it’s best to have a professional assessment as soon as you can to save yourself a lot of time and money. And that’s what we’re here for.” For a comprehensive free survey of your trees and hedges and for a service of the very highest standards, contact Dan and his team at Heritage Tree Specialists today.

Heritage Tree Specialists

T: 01553 617008 | W: www.heritagetreespecialists.co.uk E: info@heritagetreespecialists.co.uk | Willow Farm Industrial Units, Saddlebow, King’s Lynn PE34 3AR

KLmagazine September 2021

ABOVE: Since opening earlier this year The Warehouse Taproom Bar & Restaurant has been attracting plenty of visitors, many of whom are keen to also wander the widely popular Beers, Bears and Antiques for the first time

Come for the food and drink - stay for the day... You’ll always be spoilt for choice at The Warehouse Taproom Bar & Restaurant with delicious food and a wide range of drinks, but there’s a lot more to tempt you at this fabulous destination than the menu

f you’re planning a day out in Setchey, a visit to the acclaimed Beers of Europe is almost obilgatory. With 1,700 beers and 1,000 malt whiskeys, spirits and liquors to choose from, you’re bound to find something you enjoy. But the recent opening of the Warehouse Taproom Bar & Restaurant is now attracting more people than ever to the site - which offers six different experiences in one location. Take a seat in the warm and inviting interior or carry on outside, where you can relax in the sun in the spacious beer garden. With an exciting children’s play area and a Dog Rehydration Station for thirsty pups, there’s something here for every member of the family. Amanda Waterfield is the Marketing Manager for The Warehouse, and she 52

is keen to welcome visitors to the restaurant. “Our lovely beer garden opened at the start of June,” she says, “and we’ve recently bought more outdoor seating to accommodate everyone, including dogs.” And people holding a Blue Light Card - everyone working in the NHS, social care sector, emergency services or the Armed Forces - receive a 15% discount on all food and drink. You’ll be happy

to know that you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to ordering. The coffee shop, restaurant, and bar combined in one space lets you choose from cakes, breakfasts, freshly sourced meals, cocktails and mocktails, as well

KLmagazine September 2021

as numerous beers that can also be purchased from Beers of Europe. “On Friday and Saturday nights there’ll be live bands,” says Amanda, “And there are lots of events coming up, too. We’ll be hosting regular quiz nights, afternoon teas, and we’re going to hold a James Bond-themed night.” She is also excited to be running a Breakfast Club Deal for when owners of classic cars, bikes and VW campervans stop by for club meetings in the area

outside the Warehouse. It’s becoming increasingly popular, so any motor groups planning on cruising along the coastal road towards Hunstanton are well advised to book ahead to reserve their spaces. If you’re looking for a jovial atmosphere, The Warehouse Taproom will also be holding their own Oktoberfest later this autumn. The ticketed event is one not to be missed by those wishing they could be in Germany for the real thing. “Beers of Europe is the first beer shop in the UK to get the Oktoberfest beer delivery,” Amanda adds, “and we can’t wait to hold a celebration event in the restaurant. We’re all looking forward to it.” Once you’re suitably refreshed, why not take a wander through the other businesses at Beers of Europe? Right next door sits The Warehouse Antiques & Collectibles, where over 100 dealers set up their vast selection of collectibles for you to peruse. You can spend hours wandering the aisles and rifling through antique books, vintage art, handcrafted jewellery, impressive militaria, and so much more. And after you’ve found something worthy of an appearance on Bargain Hunt, you’ll find the Steiff shop tucked

away near the entrance. It offers an incredible selection of Steiff bears and animals, Brio’s luxurious wooden toys, and Ravensburger’s famous jigsaw puzzles. “It’s very popular, and it’s no wonder,” Amanda says. “Children are discovering these classics for the first time, whilst adults are transported back to their childhood when they see what we have for sale.” Whether you’re reliving childhood memories or creating new ones at The Warehouse Taproom Bar & Restaurant, you’re guaranteed a special day out in Setchey.

Beers, Bears & Antiques Garage Lane, Setchey King’s Lynn PE33 0BE 01553 812000 www.beersofeurope.co.uk

KLmagazine September 2021

If we use any of the supplied images, please credit The East of England Apples and Orchards Project

A taste of Norfolk’s proud apple heritage It’s the time of year when apples are at their very best and ready for picking, so before we start making our crumbles or enjoying them ‘au natural’ let’s take a look at the fruit’s local history

here’s nothing better than hearing that delightful crunch as you bite into a juicy, crisp apple - particularly during the harvest months. With Apple Day on 21st October fast approaching, it’s time to celebrate the history and variety of what’s consistently been one of the nation’s favourite fruits. Historians believe that humans have been munching apples since prehistoric 54

times because ancient seeds have been discovered at Neolithic sites throughout Asia and Europe, although these were from tiny, wild crab apples which have little in common with the large, rich fruits we know today. It’s believed the ancestor of the modern apple, the Malus sieversii, originated in the Tian Shan mountains in Kazakhstan up to 10,000 years ago and eventually travelled along the Silk

Road trade route into Europe. As centuries passed and apples spread around the world, different varieties emerged to cope with their new environments. Their selection was broadened further by the Romans, who recognised the value and versatility of the fruits and began deliberately breeding them for size and taste.The Romans ate apples as refreshments after arduous KLmagazine September 2021

area has declined by more than 50%, mainly due to housing development and neglect. It’s important to recognise the value and significance of orchards, which is why we have an annual ‘Apple Day’ in the middle of October. It was made an official event in 1990 in Covent Garden by the charity Common Ground in an attempt to raise awareness of the threats to UK orchards and their diverse fruits. Apple Day began with a handful of small-scale fruit stalls and garden parties, but soon escalated to full-blown fairs in villages all over the country, with people gathering to sample different varieties and share recipes and planting advice. It has grown from a simple celebration of apples to a recognition of the richness and diversity of the landscape - and a demonstration of the unique varieties we’re in very real

In fact, the earliest written account of a named apple variety in England comes from a 13th century Norfolk document describing how a farmer paid his annual rent with ‘200 Pearmains and hogsheds of Pearmain cider.’ Similarly, the first recorded mention of English cider making is also from Norfolk and dates from 1205. Apples have been a valuable resource in Norfolk for centuries, and many unique varieties have been developed locally including ‘Golden Noble’, ‘Hunter’s Majestic’ and the oddly shaped ‘Norfolk Dumpling.’ It’s a proud (and very tasty) heritage, but our fruits are now under threat in the last 50 years Norfolk’s orchard

work in the summer and dried them for use in the winter. Their armies carried them across Europe for sustenance, planting pips wherever they settled and spreading them across the continent. That’s how apples arrived in France, where expert fruit growing and cider making skills were developed in monasteries - a knowledge base that was brought to Britain in 1066 with the Norman Conquest, which also gave us new varieties of dessert apples and cider. Ever since the Norman Conquest, trees brimming with vibrant and plump apples have characterised the Norfolk landscape, and our county has a strong connection with the fruit and its history.

KLmagazine September 2021

PICTURES: Apple trees at the East of England Fruits collection and a selection of their exclusive Norfolk varieties 55

danger of losing forever. In 1994, a group of local enthusiasts established the Norfolk Orchards Project to raise awareness of the county’s rich fruit heritage by taking part in Apple Days every autumn and researching lost varieties. In 2003, responding to increasing public interest, it became a registered charity. The East of England Apples and Orchards Project is still based in Norfolk but works in seven counties in the East of England. Largely run by volunteers, the charity works to rediscover lost varieties, promote the planting and protection of orchards and ensure the skills to manage them are passed on.

Since 2003, they’ve supplied more than 30,000 local variety fruit trees to over 300 community projects, 500 schools and hundreds of individuals. In 2012 the charity established the East of England Fruits Collection as its headquarters. Located on West Raynham Business Park near Fakenham, this unique and impressive orchard will, when complete, contain all the region’s apples, cherries, pears and plums - around 270 different varieties in total. The five-acre collection is recognised as nationally and internationally important and around 30 varieties grown there aren’t represented in any other public UK fruit collection. The charity sells all of these varieties on its website, ensuring everyone can appreciate the county’s unique fruit heritage. There’s a very rich (and very local) history at the core of the simple apple, a fruit we often take for granted. Show your

RIGHT: The attractive Norfolk Royal Russet, a sweet and aromatic dessert apple first discovered in Burnham Overy Staithe

appreciation for one of our county’s most precious natural resources this Apple Day with a homemade crumble or pie - or why not treat yourself to an exclusive new variety from the East of England Fruits Collection? For more details and information about the East of England Apples and Orchards Project, please visit www.applesandorchards.org.uk

KLmagazine September 2021

fruit & veg

Farms Shop

5 for £20 on all meat packs & frozen ready meals! Our mix and match offer on our butchery packs are full of locally sourced meat such as burgers, sausages, steaks, chicken breast fillets, whole chickens, steak mince, diced beef and much more. All prepared by our very own butchers.

butchery

We also have a fantastic mix and match offer on our deli made ready meals that are great time savers packed full of local goodness and flavour!

Walsingham

Guild Street NR22 6BU t: 01328 821877

deli

Norwich Market

Row F, 124/125, Norwich NR2 1ND t: 01603 621966

www.walsingham.co

CURRENT OPENING TIMES: Tuesday-Friday 7am-4pm & Saturday 7am-2pm

Our quality is... “off the scales!” FRESH FISH, SHELLFISH & SO MUCH MORE DELI COUNTER with local cheeses, ham & olives

NEW SEASON

Brancaster mussels - coming soon

SHELLFISH Prawns, cockles, local shrimps, oysters & whelks

TIME SAVING TEAS

freshly prepared on site

LUNCHES Freshly prepared salads & sandwiches

both locally sourc & furt ed h afield er

SEAFOOD PLATTERS Celebrate your special occasions or treat family and friends Fresh seasonal veg & locally baked bread to accompany your fish

Fresh & frozen cockles

AWARD WINNING SMOKED HADDOCK

Selection of fresh fish

DONALDSONS A fresh taste of the sea

Austin Fields, King’s Lynn | Tel: 01553 772241 | Follow us on Facebook for weekly specials KLmagazine September 2021

ABOVE: The team at Massingham Stores & Post Office and the adjoining Cartshed tearoom, which was opened by Mark Eldridge (background, far right) less than three years ago but is already on the national stage for a major award for the best independent store in the country

The local store in the national spotlight Massingham Stores & Post Office has already become a vital part of the local community, but in a few weeks’ time Mark Eldridge is hoping to see it officially recognised as one of the best stores in the UK

ow in their 26th year, the Retail Industry Awards (RIA) are widely regarded as the Oscar event for the nation’s retailers, celebrating everything that’s great about the UK’s industry - from the largest supermarket chains to the smallest independent stores. Mark Eldridge became the owner of Great Massingham’s village shop and post office in 2018, and since then has worked tirelessly to build a village hub within the community. “We’ve been so warmly received by 58

locals and non-locals alike,” he says, “and without their support we couldn’t have innovated like we have. They’ve helped us change and grow.” And grown they certainly have. In July Mark and his team won the Prestige Award for Local Store of the Year within the London and Southeast region, and they’re about to be judged alongside the very best stores in the country. Having been shortlisted as Store Manager of the Year by the RIA some 15 years ago, Mark entered Massingham

Stores for the Independent Retailer of the Year Award at this year’s RIA - and was amazed to find his store shortlisted. “That in itself was fantastic, because the awards cover the whole of the UK and I never imagined we could compete on that level,” he says. “To ensure we were a credible entrant we had to demonstrate how we’d grown, what we’d done to achieve that growth - and how we were serving the community. It was quite a rigorous process.” That was nothing compared with KLmagazine September 2021

what was to follow. Mark and his team had to produce a five-minute video showcasing the store (they were only given 30 minutes’ notice) and were interviewed by a panel of retail experts, who grilled Mark on the past, present and future of the business. Massingham Stores & Post Office then had to win the approval of a panel of retail experts in order to make it to the final, where their only competition is a store at the other end of the

country - the Premier Linktown Local in Kirkcaldy, Fife. “Most of the team will be going to the awards ceremony in London on the 21st of September,” says Mark,” and we’re really looking forward to it. I still can’t quite believe it, to be honest - but a lot of credit has to go to my team, our customers, the local community and our suppliers they’ve all played a major part in our journey.” To the locals of Great Massingham, it won’t be a surprise to find Massingham Stores on the national stage. Everyone at the shop and the popular Cartshed Tearooms has worked exceptionally hard to provide a vital service for the community. The Cartshed tearoom was created by converting two derelict garages behind the shop – and was named after the buildings’ original use. Since their opening in August last year, the stylish cafe and restaurant has delivered a warm welcome to visitors eager for homemade breakfast, a light lunch, or a delicious afternoon tea. It’s managed by the recentlypromoted and incredibly hardworking

Jemma Whitmore, who also oversees a full takeaway service of everything on the menu. If you thought that was all Massingham Stores has to offer, you’d be mistaken, as their mobile post office has been crucial for connecting many isolated communities. “You could describe it as a post office on wheels, but it’s a lot more than that,” says Mark. “For many people it’s their only access to banking and postal services, and the need is certainly out there - we’re now visiting almost twice the number of villages we were when we started two years ago.” Travelling to 16 villages and towns in west and north Norfolk every weekday, the mobile post office is just another reason why this communitybased enterprise is so deserving to be recognised on the national stage. Massingham Stores has every chance of becoming the UK’s Independent Retailer of the Year for 2021, but as far as its customers are concerned it’s already a winner. And we can’t wait to see what happens next.

Massingham Stores & Post Office

ABOVE: A selection of the tasty treats available from the Cartshed tearoom and restaurant, which sits directly behind Massingham Stores & Post Office and deserves an award of its own KLmagazine September 2021

14 Station Road, Great Massingham King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE32 2HY 01485 520272 www.massinghamstores.co.uk www.thecartshedtearoom.co.uk

Gluten free

Pan fried fillet of Sea Bass with roasted new potatoes, roasted vine cherry tomatoes, tenderstem broccoli & black olive tapenade INGREDIENTS (Serves 2) 2 Sea Bass fillets 1 stem of vine cherry tomatoes 1 bunch of tenderstem broccoli 4 medium-sized new potatoes BLACK OLIVE TAPENADE ½ cup pitted black olives 1 tbsp capers (optional) 2 garlic cloves 1 tbsp fresh parsley 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 250ml olive oil Salt & pepper to taste

1. Add ingredients for the black olive tapenade to a food processor and blend into a paste and then refrigerate. 2. Pre-heat your oven to 180°c.

6. Remove the new potatoes, tenderstem broccoli and cherry tomatoes from the oven and divide between two plates with a fillet of sea bass on top, followed by the black olive tapenade.

3. Par boil the new potatoes and tenderstem broccoli until tender and drain. 4. Transfer the new potatoes and tenderstem broccoli to baking tray with the cherry tomatoes and roast for 5-10 minutes. 5. Meanwhile season sea bass fillets and then sear skin side down in a preheated frying pan with a splash of olive oil. Once the skin is crispy turn the sea bass fillets, remove from the heat and set aside.

Recipe by Gemma Rust Senior Sous Chef at The Mulberry Restaurant, Heacham Manor Heacham Manor Hotel, Hunstanton Road, Heacham PE31 7JX | 01485 536030 | www.heacham-manor.co.uk 60

KLmagazine September 2021

Captured by Roxy

Magical Weddings at Heacham Manor Hotel The most perfect setting for the most perfect day, Heacham Manor is the ultimate new venue for an enchanting wedding with its stunning banqueting suites hosting from 40 - 120 people.

ENJOY A DELICIOUS TREAT ON US Book a viewing and enjoy a cream tea with our Event Manager, Annie Cardone. email: acardone@heacham-manor.co.uk phone: 07384 248848

HEACHAM MANOR HOTEL, HUNSTANTON ROAD, HEACHAM, NORFOLK PE31 7JX www.heacham-manor.co.uk

ABOVE: A mouthwatering combination box from the Simply Cake Co including Triple Chocolate Chunk brownie, Salted Caramel brownie, Chocolate Orange brownie, Raspberry and White Chocolate Chunk Blondie, Millionaire’s Shortbread and Rocky Road - a delicious and freshlybaked feast that can be personalised and sent to any address in the UK

Enjoy a slice of success - wherever you are Within four years Simply Cake Co in King’s Lynn has become a national sensation, with a delicious range of freshly-baked brownies and cookies delivered direct to any address in the UK...

‘ve always enjoyed baking birthday cakes for my friends and I’m bit of a chocaholic at heart,” says Susie Lemon, who single-handedly founded the Simply Cake Co back in 2017, “so it’s probably not surprising that I ended up in this industry.” What’s perhaps more surprising is that Susie’s business has risen faster than her fabulous brownies and cookies. In recent months she’s been featured in the Sunday Times, The Independent, Vegetarian Magazine and Good Housekeeping - and within the last two years has seen her team grow to a team of 20. There’s obviously a secret here, and it KLmagazine September 2021

turns out it’s an extremely tasty one. “I’d been baking cakes from a very early age and initially thought I’d simply take them to local shows and farmers’ markets,” says Susie. “When I studied product design at university I saw a way to turn that passion into a business, from designing the logo to coming up with new recipes.” Susie’s idea was a remarkably simple one, sending freshly-made goodies to any part of the UK together with a personalised message to celebrate a special occasion or treat loved ones and friends to a delicious homedelivered delight - all despatched within 24 hours of placing the order.

“Brownies and cookies are ideal for an online service,” says Susie. “They have a long shelf life, they’re not particularly fragile, they’re very ontrend, and it’s easy to pack them to fit through a letterbox.” Susie started by using the commercial bakery of her friends at the Krusty Loaf in Fakenham, but as her business grew it became increasingly clear that the Simply Cake Co needed a home of its own. “I was really grateful for the amazing facilities at the Krusty Loaf, but as both businesses were growing at the same time it became difficult to juggle timetables,” says Susie. “Perhaps more 63

importantly, I eventually wanted to have a bakery of my own closer to King’s Lynn, so the time was right to make the move.” In May 2019 the Simply Cake Co moved into an industrial unit in King’s Lynn, and soon after transforming it into a five-star hygiene facility Susie started holding ‘open kitchens’ for members of the public to buy her mouthwatering creations directly. With her online business going from strength to strength Susie soon realised she was going to need some help in the kitchen. “I started looking for a part-time baker in January last year, but I was a little worried about the rumours of a mysterious virus that was going around,” she says. “The orders kept coming in from all over the country however, and I really needed some help in fulfilling them.” Within a few months Susie had employed no less than eight people and had to expand into an adjacent unit to increase capacity. By the end of 2020 the Simply Cake Co had taken over yet another unit, upgraded the ovens, invested in new mixers and facilities, and employed a further four staff. And the orders continued to pour in from across the UK. Whether it was the Chocolate Orange Brownie, the Oreo-style Rocky Road, the Raspberry and White Chocolate Cookies or the extraordinary Millionaire’s Shortbread, customers just couldn’t get enough of Susie’s affordable and pandemic-safe way of treating themselves and their friends. Maybe it’s because of the free-range eggs from Fakenham and the locallyproduced butter. Maybe it’s because of the finest Belgian chocolate. Maybe it’s because of Susie’s inventive recipes. Or maybe it’s because of her company’s dietary approach. “I’m really quite proud of the fact that everything we make is gluten-free,”

ABOVE: Individually wrapped for freshness, the Simply Cake Co’s cookies are sent to all corners of the country only just baked, so they’re best enjoyed after spending 10 minutes at 180° for an oven-fresh taste. Susie Lemon (below) started the company by herself four years ago and has seen it rapidly grow into a nationwide sensation

says Susie. “Lots of people think that that gluten-free cakes are dry and can be unpleasant, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. All you need to do is understand your ingredients.” In addition to sending hundreds of brownies and cookies to everywhere from Cornwall to Scotland, Susie and her team have also found time to open a pop-up retail shop on Thursdays (3-7pm), Friday (10am-4pm) and Saturdays (10am-4pm) - but since the opening times are subject to change, it’s always best to check the website first for the latest details. It’s a great way to meet the team at the Simply Cake Co and discover the latest tastes and recipes, although it’s always best to arrive as soon as possible since the shop’s products inevitably sell out very quickly. It’s also one of the best ways of enjoying the cookies and brownies at their very freshest because they’re often still warm from the oven. “It’s extremely rewarding to be able to meet our customers in person at the shop, and it’s lovely to hear how much they’ve enjoy our products,” says Susie. “Lots of people have their own ideas for new recipes we could offer and we’re always happy to receive a little inspiration from our customers.” Given the Simply Cake Co’s increasingly national presence it’s probably not the bestkept secret in King’s Lynn any longer - but

it’s almost certainly the tastiest. Pop in as soon as you can and treat your friends or loved ones to a taste of luxury - or simply indulge yourself. But despite the extraordinarily rapid growth of her business, Susie’s feet are still firmly on the ground when she thinks about the future. “Hopefully we’ll have a slightly less stressful year than the last one,” she laughs, “but I don’t want to make any fundamental changes to what we’re already doing. We love tweaking recipes and coming up with new ideas, so I think the future is looking really good for us.” It’s certainly going to be delicious.

Simply Cake Co Hereford Way, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 4JD 01553 773699 www.simplycakeco.com

KLmagazine September 2021

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from 1st October. Order early to avoid disappointment!

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KLmagazine September 2021

We’ve made our restaurant a safe place to sit in by following government guidelines

Crawfish Inn Authentic Thai Restaurant Keep up to date with us by liking us on Facebook

• Finest ingredients from Thailand

• Local cask ales to a popular range of draughts beers & extensive wine list • Takeaway service available

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TAKE AWAY & DELIVERY SERVICE AVAILABLE 204 Main Road, West Winch, King’s Lynn, PE33 0NP Tel: 01553 842255 | www.orientalpalacewestwinch.co.uk or Facebook page for up-to-date news

KLmagazine September 2021

Chocolate orange brownie INGREDIENTS 170g salted butter, cubed 2 free-range eggs, medium 40g cocoa 100g Doves Farm glutenfree plain flour (or 100g regular plain flour) 1/4 tsp xantham gum (only if using gluten-free flour) 260g caster sugar 1tsp orange oil or natural flavouring 300g chocolate of your choice - chocolate orange works really well, or choose milk or dark chocolate if you prefer 50g white chocolate

1. Preheat the oven to 180°/160° fan and line a 9-inch square tin with non-stick greaseproof paper. 2. Melt the butter gently in the microwave and leave to cool slightly. 3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa and xantham gum (if using) to remove lumps, then add the sugar. 4. Crack the eggs into the cooled butter and whisk them together.

7. Spread the mixture evenly into your lined brownie tin. 8. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until cooked at the edges but retains a slight wobble in the middle. Ensure it’s still wobbling slightly to avoid the risk of overbaking. 9. Once cooled, gently melt the white chocolate in the microwave in 10-20 second bursts and drizzle over the brownie. 10. Cut as required and enjoy

5. Tip the dry ingredients into the melted butter and eggs and combine thoroughly. 6. Break the chocolate into large chunks and fold into the batter.

Recipe by Susanna Lemon at Simply Cake Co. Hereford Way, Hardwick Narrows, King’s Lynn PE30 4JD 01553 773699 www.simplycakeco.com KLmagazine September 2021

ABOVE: The bar at Tutankhamen’s has one of the largest selection in gins in the area, and is clearly inspired by the life, times and discoveries of owner Sue Allen’s great-uncle Howard Carter (below) - who discovered the extraordinary tomb of the boy-king almost exactly 100 years ago

Planning a celebration fit for a Pharaoh... Next year it will be 100 years since the Swaffham-raised Howard Carter made one the most amazing discoveries in history. Now his great-neice is planning a fitting celebration with a taste of Egypt

n the morning of Sunday 26th November 1922, the 48-year-old archaeologist Howard Carter stood at the entrance of an ancient Egyptian tomb in the Valley of the Kings he’d only discovered a few weeks earlier. With his patron Lord Carnarvon, the Lady Evelyn Beaucham and engineer Arthur Callender standing behind him, Carter used a chisel his grandmother had given him for his 17th birthday and made a small hole in the wall. “Can you see anything?” asked Carnarvon, who’d been on the verge of giving up exploring Egypt previously that year because it seemed as though everything worth discovering had 68

already been found. Holding a candle to the small opening, Carter made one of the most famous quotes of all time. “Yes,” he said, “wonderful things.” Discovering the virtually intact tomb of Tutankhamen was one of the greatest finds in archaeological history, the culmination of 30 years’ painstaking work, and the crowning glory of a career that had started in Swaffham when the young Howard Carter made frequent visits with his father to the (now demolished) Didlington

Hall on the outskirts of the town. “As we approach the 100th anniversary of the discovery I think it’s more important than ever that we celebrate the work of Howard Carter and what he managed to reveal to the world,” says his great-niece Sue Allen, who recently opened Tutankhamen’s Emporium in the centre of Swaffham with her artist husband Steve. “In Norfolk we have statues of Thomas Paine, Horatio Nelson, Duleep Singh, Henry Le Strange, Fred Savage and even Captain Mainwaring from Dad’s Army - but KLmagazine September 2021

we haven’t even got a blue plaque to commemorate Howard Carter. It’s something we really need to address.” The tomb of Tutankhamen contained around 5,000 priceless objects, over a ton of gold, and even though it was one of the smallest tombs in the Valley of the Kings it would take Carter some 10 years to clear. Sue and Steve are determined to ensure next year’s anniversary is as glittering as the contents of the tomb itself. “We’ve got a fabulous new menu and we’ve probably the best the biggest selection of gins in the area,” says Sue. “We’ve already had to take on extra staff to cope with demand, and as we approach the anniversary of my great-uncle’s achievement and we’re only going to get busier as interest in Howard Carter and Tutankhamen increases.”

Dominated by a enormous sphinx replica and exquisitely-detailed copies of royal thrones, the restaurant and adjacent shop is packed with Egyptianrelated books and memorabilia - much of it kindly donated by customers - and is a gallery of Steve Allen’s paintings. Fittingly, it’s a genuine treasure trove of fascinating things to discover and it’s a joy to visit - even before you’ve ordered your food and drinks. While that’s fascinating, the food offering is delicious thanks to Sue’s largely self-taught approach to social dining. There’s a huge choice of tapas, Mediterranean seafood, vegetarian and vegan dishes on offer at Tutankhamen’s, and Sue’s prawn linguine is fabulous - but it comes as no surprise to learn that the most popular dish on the menu is her Egyptian tagine. The traditional Egyptian boiled cream egg dessert is also an authentic treat that shouldn’t be missed. This is the perfect place to meet and socialise with friends and family, and there’s always something new to experience. Over the new few weeks, for example, Tutankhamen’s will be hosting a special ghost hunt with the group from MSI Paranormal, and an evening of clairvoyance with spiritual

mediums Linda Rae, John Julian and Tina Hitch. Naturally, Sue and Steve have a host of even more exciting plans for the next 12 months in the build-up to the 100th anniversary, and one of the first is a talk about Egypt by awardwinning local historian and author Neil Storey in October. Every time you visit Tutankham’s you enter a world of magic, mystery and magnificent food. To coin a phrase, it’s a wonderful venue full of wonderful things. To book a table or reserve your tickets to any forthcoming event, please call 01760 724396.

Tutankhamen’s Emporium 46 Market Place, Swaffham Norfolk PE37 7QH 01760 724396 Open: 10am-5pm Tuesday to Friday, 6-10pm on Fridays for Cocktail Nights, 9.30am-11pm on Saturday and 11am-3pm on Sunday.

KLmagazine September 2021

ABOVE: The ambulance of the future, which could revolutionise emergency healthcare and was designed by Phil Bevan (opposite, top) and his team at Bevan Davidson International alongside a host of other extraordinary but distinctly British vehicles

Made in Swaffham: the very best of British From unique cars and groundbreaking motorcycles to game-changing innovations in construction and the fight against climate change, Bevan Davidson International is continuing to fly the flag...

owards the end of this month around 10,000 professionals from around the world will be descending on the NEC in Birmingham for the Emergency Services Show 2021, which will showcase the latest developments in medical and firefighting equipment, search and rescue technology and protective clothing and uniforms. While there, visitors will be treated to 70

a look at a totally new, totally unique and totally revolutionary ambulance. It uses one of the most energy-efficient engines in the world (a forwardthinking electric version has also just been developed) and features a safer and more spacious interior. It’s a vehicle estimated by Lord Carter (generally considered one of the most influential people in the NHS) to be capable of saving the health service

£200 million a year and 2,000 lives. Its design also eliminates the traditional leaf spring suspension - an innovation born out of the personal experience of its inventor. “Ambulances are probably the most important vehicle you’re ever likely to need in your life,” says Phil Bevan of Bevan Davidson International. “I’ve been in one twice, and nothing seems to have changed in the last 40 years. KLmagazine September 2021

I was in a lot of pain and the ambulance ride almost made it worse. It wasn’t because of the paramedics, who were brilliant - it was only the construction of the vehicle itself.” Two years in development, the world-beating new design was created, refined and improved to become the only bespoke ambulance in the world And all built in Swaffham by Phil and his team of experienced engineers and technicians. It’s an extraordinary project, but then where Phil Bevan is concerned, revolutionary ideas are part of everyday life. “I question everything and I’m always thinking outside the box and looking for ways to do things better,” he says. “I’ll often wake up with an idea and by 9am we’ll be making the thing and seeing if it works - and to date we’ve never had a project that didn’t work.” It’s almost impossible to avoid using superlatives when talking to Phil Bevan. An agronomist by profession, he’s now the only person in the world holding an A-licence for working with methyl bromide (the deadliest gas known to man) and his innovative idea for a new way of applying weedkiller was just one of the first of the 97

KLmagazine September 2021

international patents he now has to his name. He was building his own motorbikes from scratch at the age of 11, had his own car at 14 (an Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite), and it’s probably no coincidence that he attended Bedminster Down School in Bristol - which had been constructed using melted-down parts of the Bristol Brabazon, the largest aircraft Britain ever built. And therein lies the twin driving forces behind Bevan Davidson International - an insatiable appetite for groundbreaking ideas and a passion for traditional British brands. The company now owns such famous names as Connaught, Sopwith Aviation, Trident, Levis Motorcycle Company, Supermarine Spitfire, ABC Motorcycles, Villiers, and Boulton & Paul - and is taking them all to another level with a range of simply jawdropping concept vehicles. When Phil and his team became the first people in the world to put a V6 engine into a production motorbike in 2016 they had over 100 enquiries in a

few days and made the front page of the industry-leading Motorcycle News, which described it as “stunning and very clever - an all-British motorcycle like no other that’s come before.” “We’re not all that interested in theory - we prefer the physical and the unusual,” says Phil. “We recently built a V6 654bhp rear-wheel drive hypercar with two electric motors on the front wheels. Not because we wanted to create a whole new market or change the motor industry - we just fancied doing something totally and utterly unique. And there’s a lot of fun in doing that.” It’s hard to escape the feeling that this 3-acre site is the home of a brave new world - but it’s also one very local to its local roots. “Around 99% of our vehicles use stainless steel, and we source that from Optima Metal Services in King’s Lynn,” says Phil. “They’re completely reliable and the quality of their work is outstanding.” There are well over 30 projects in progress at the moment, and that doesn’t include the imminent rebuild of the workshop. Just when you’ve grasped the implications of a bulletproof 6-wheel drive operating theatre to attend natural disasters and terrorist attacks, you’re confronted with a revolutionary wind turbine design that produces electricity in a 1km/h wind - whereas every other propeller in the world needs at least 8km/h to even start turning. And before you think you’ve seen it all, Phil will point out the company’s extraordinary new building block, which is a combination of recycled glass and fire-retardant resin. “It doesn’t need wood, it doesn’t 71

ABOVE: In addition to creating concept cars, motorcycles and innovative designs in every field from construction to motor racing, Bevan Davidson International is also breathing new life into the most famous and prestigious names in British engineering history

need pipes, it’s capable of reaching 11 floors and it’s already being approved by Building Regulations,” says Phil. “By using these blocks you can easily build a 14,000ft² five-bedroom detached home in six days. It’s a totally new approach to construction.” The fact it’s also guaranteed for a million years almost goes without saying. But if you can’t afford one of Bevan Davidson International’s astonishing concept vehicles (people preferring off-the-shelf cars can always settle for a Ferrari for twice the price) you’ll be pleased to learn the company’s ethos - and all those traditional homegrown names - are now available through an exclusive range of quality clothing. Under the umbrella of British Vintage

Brands, this prestige collection of bespoke flying jackets, trench coats, bags and holdalls, leather crash helmets, gloves and t-shirts is totally handmade in the UK and pays tribute to some of the country’s best-loved traditions. “Bevan Davidson International has revived some of the most famous brands from Britain’s automotive heritage and given them a new lease of life, and our clothing reflects that,” says Roz Martin, Director of Business Development & Marketing. “It’s stylish, it’s innovative, it’s dedicated to quality and it’s entirely made in Britain.” But the last word has to come from Phil, who’s somewhat inevitably had a number of amazing ideas in the short time we’ve been talking.

“I couldn’t possibly tell you what we’ll be working on next week because the very nature of our business is that it’s unpredictable,” he says. “What I can tell you is that it will look fantastic, be totally unique, celebrate the best of British, and change people’s perceptions of just what’s possible. And if I’ve learned anything over the last 50 years it’s that everything is possible.”

Bevan Davidson International The Complex, Norwich Road, Swaffham, Norfolk PE37 8DD 01760 724833 www.bevandavidson.com www.britishvintagebrands.com

KLmagazine September 2021

CLOTHING HANDMADE EXCLUSIVELY FOR YOU in the heart of Norfolk..

Combine fine tailoring and cuttingedge designs with some of the most famous British brands in automotive and aviation history and you’ve got a look that’s both stylish and patriotic. At British Vintage Brands we’re putting the ‘great’ back into Great Britain with a collection of bespoke flying jackets, trench coats, bags and holdalls - all totally handmade in the UK and all paying tribute to some

of the most famous brands in the country. Best of all, these distinctive products are made exclusively for you. You choose the style, you choose the colour, you choose the brand (or have your own name professionally embroidered) and we do all the rest. As Winston Churchill said exactly 80 years ago - give us the tools, and we’ll finish the job.

For your very own personalised and proudly-patriotic look, call 07392 704986 or e-mail roz@britishvintagebrands.com

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KLmagazine September 2021

Sue Atkinson, Fincham

“Amazing - I haven’t felt this good in 15 years...” At Free Your Body Therapy Jane Cole and Terry Connolly are using revolutionary treatments to free people from years of chronic pain

here’s never been a better time or a more effective way of freeing yourself from those aches and pains that have been holding you back for far too long - just ask Sue Atkinson of Fincham. “My back problems started many years ago when I lived in South Africa and had a treatment for encephalitis,” she says. “It only made matters worse and at times the pain has been excruciating. And that had been going on for over 30 years until I came here.” At Free Your Body Therapy in the centre of King’s Lynn, Terry Connolly and Jane Cole are using amazing new (and equally effective) techniques from acupuncture and sports massage to medical grade shockwave therapy, P-DTR and ‘Anatomy in Motion’ gait therapy to help people with pain management and encourage the healing process. Together they revolutionise the way you’ll think about pain - and certainly change the way you experience it.

“Over the years I’ve seen doctors, chiropractors, osteopaths and homeopaths and nothing has worked,” says Sue. “I was even given some medical advice that the best thing I could do would be to start walking with a stick. I’m not looking for a cure anymore - I just want to be comfortable - so finding Terry and Jane was fantastic.” In Sue’s case a combination of Terry’s revolutionary therapies and Jane’s electro-acupuncture has worked wonders for Sue, and it’s fair to say that Free Your Body Therapy has changed her life. “The day after my first treatment I felt a thousand times better and I haven’t felt this good in 15 years,” she says. “I’d almost got to the point of accepting there was nothing anyone could do, but Terry and Jane have changed all that.” This isn’t about miracle cures and magic powders - it’s a totally different and proven approach to pain management. It works, and it works

almost immediately. “Our bodies are incredibly good at coping with injuries and hiding pain,” says Terry, “but at some point you’re going to need some kind of intervention - and that’s what we’re here for. We simply find the real cause of the problem and treat it.” There’s no need to suffer from chronic aches and pains any more contact Free Your Body Therapy and book your appointment with Jane or Terry today. “I wish I’d found Free Your Body Therapy many years ago,” says Sue. “Having suffered with so much pain for so long, it’s made a huge difference to my life.”

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

KLmagazine September 2021

Jane & Terry 75

The fashion icon who’s inspired by Norfolk... The glamorous photos of Paula Sutton’s life at Hill House in Norfolk make the best of us envious, but it’s taken years of honing her creativity to get to where she is today

imagine that I used to run for the tube in heels! KL magazine: What would you tell someone wanting to brighten their wardrobe? Paula Sutton: Trust your instincts and go with what you’re drawn to. There are no strict rules. How you dress should make you feel happy and confident. If you love bright yellow and want to wear it, do it. There’s nothing more attractive than someone feeling comfortable in their own skin. KL magazine: How long have you been interested in interior design? Paula Sutton: Since I was a teenager. I used to wait until my mother was finished with her copy of Country Life magazine so I could study the beautiful rooms and imagine what I’d do with them. When I went to university I would have studied interior design, but my family didn’t see it as a safe career. KL magazine: What are the benefits of your large social media following? Paula Sutton: The thing that brings me the most pleasure is being in a position to help publicise smaller brands. It’s hard to be seen in creative industries with so much competition, so I like to bring attention to them.

orn and raised in London, Paula Sutton’s career has stretched from head of press for modelling agencies to photoshoot producer for fashion magazines. Fast-paced and highly demanding, Paula swapped the fashion industry 11 years ago for the rather quieter environment of Norfolk. Keeping her unique style whilst showcasing classic countryside interior design, her positive Instagram posts have earned her a following of nearly 500,000 to date. Paula talks to KL magazine about life in the spotlight and what to expect in her fabulous new book: Hill House Living - The Art of Creating A Joyful Life.

and had fond memories of the beautiful villages. It was the logical place to go.

KL magazine: What brought you to Norfolk? Paula Sutton: I’d had an extremely fulfilling and successful career in the fashion industry, but I reached a stage where, with three young children, I was feeling exhausted and burned out. My husband and I were married in Norfolk

KL magazine: How easy is it to decide what to wear in the mornings? Paula Sutton: I love a bright, retro flare dress, but I prefer cosier clothing in autumn, like corduroy trousers, knitted sweaters and tweed jackets. I pair brogues or Oxfords with everything, too; they’re so practical. It’s hard to

KLmagazine September 2021

KL magazine: What have you learned from being on social media? Paula Sutton: The majority of people are kind-hearted, and that far outweighs any negativity. I’ve also learned that it’s important to make a habit of looking at accounts that inspire positivity. Life’s too short for selfimposed misery.

KL magazine: Where is your favourite spot to visit in Norfolk? Paula Sutton: I love Strattons Hotel in Swaffham. Holkham Beach is so beautiful and one of my happy places, as is the lovely kitchen garden at Oxburgh Hall. KL magazine: What do you miss about the fashion industry? Paula Sutton: I miss the camaraderie within such vibrant workplaces. Oh – and the perks were good too. There’s nothing like being invited to fashion shows in New York and Paris.

PICTURES: Paula loves to make her spaces warm and comforting, which is essential for the English countryside spirit 77

KL magazine: Are there any disadvantages? Paula Sutton: Unfortunately, you need a thick skin to deal with negative comments. There’s a certain amount of criticism you get that some people will argue comes with showing your life on social media, but I don’t agree; kindness should always be at the forefront of everything we do, particularly with strangers whose personal situations are unknown. KL magazine: What’s your new book about? Paula Sutton: It’s about finding pockets of happiness within seasonal projects to do around the home and garden, regardless of the size of home you have. There’s an emphasis on finding joy in simple ways that are easy to achieve. It’s what I wish I could have read when I moved to Norfolk. KL magazine: How did you find the process of writing? Paula Sutton: It was a cathartic experience for me at the end of a tumultuous year. Focusing on small changes that can enhance our lives was quite a timely topic to explore in a year where I lost my mother and faced the challenges of Covid-19, so it was an absolute joy to write. KL magazine: If you weren’t passionate about interior design, what do you think you’d be pursuing? Paula Sutton: It was always a dream to have a small online shop selling interior items and a clothing collection.

PICTURES: The gorgeous Georgian Hill House has been made even more charming by Paula’s cheerful wardrobe. Her beautiful range of outfits can be seen on her Instagram

KL magazine: For anyone interested in a career in interior design, what advice would you give them? Paula Sutton: Have passion, be committed and keep learning. Create an Instagram account and start posting about things that you love. When you have a decent number of posts, contact people and ask for their advice on entering the industry. Above all, don’t give up.

Paula’s book Hill House Living: The art of creating a joyful life will be published on October 14th. You can also catch up with Paula on Instagram @hillhousevintage KLmagazine September 2021

bringing together unique style + sustainability in a magical space ~

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Ele and Me, 1 Bolts Close, Wells-next-the-Sea NR23 1JP OPEN Mon-Sat 10am-5pm & Sunday 10am-4pm WEBSITE www.eleandme.com KLmagazine September 2021

Poppyfields is open for business - with style... With quality fashions for both men and women McAllisters Boutique is just one of the businesses welcoming more customers to the new Poppyfields Retail Park at Snettisham and looking to the future

hen Steve McAllister opened McAllisters Boutique at Poppyfields Retail Park in Snettisham less than four months ago, it wasn’t hard to guess what approach he’d be taking to mens and women’s clothing. “I’ve always loved business and I’ve always loved clothes,” he says. “If I’m simply popping out for a few drinks with some friends I’ll wear a pair of jeans, a shirt and some shoes - but they’ll be quality jeans, a quality shirt, and a quality pair of shoes. That’s always been very important to me.” Whether you’re looking for stylish and eye-catching designs to make a statement along the coast, bringing a refined and well-tailored impression to a business meeting, or enjoying 80

traditional country pursuits in suitably time-honoured fashion, McAllisters Boutique has the look for you. “There are very few people offering such a high standard of clothing locally, and even fewer who concentrate on British brands,” says Steve. “There was a genuine gap in the market here, and the feedback we’ve received in our first few weeks has only confirmed that.” Indeed. Steve saw his sales double every week for the first month or so, and with the holiday season still in full flow and the

shooting season about to start, things are only likely to get busier. “I’m already thinking of opening another store so we can have one dedicated to men and one exclusively for women’s clothing,” says Steve. “We’ve already got several more brands interested in joining the boutique, and they’ll be in very good company.” In addition to the Marc Darcy range of tailored suits and exquisitely-detailed shoes, McAllisters Boutique is also the local area’s exclusive

Steve McAllister

KLmagazine September 2021

supplier of Seasalt - the hugely-popular Cornwall-based designer of women’s fashions. They sit alongside prestigious brands such as Hatley, Harrington, Fable (whose handcrafted enamelled jewellery and handbags are inspired by the English countryside and its wildlife) and Oxford Blue - whose country clothing is now recognised as one of Europe’s leading leisure brands. McAllisters Boutique is just one of the businesses you’ll find at Poppyfields Retail Park, which continues to attract new businesses, and one of the newest arrivals is Maldon Chocolates, who’ll be bringing a delicious range of artisan chocolates, fudge, honeycomb, liquorice, nougat, Turkish Delight and a wide selection of old-fashioned sweets

to Poppyfields at the start of September. Luxurious hair salon Le Kiera has just celebrated its successful first anniversary at Poppyfields, and GEM Software (an active member of Microsoft’s Development and Design Network) has seen a significant increase in demand for their software services since they moved to the site 12 months ago. It’s a similar story at Christyana Fabrics & Blinds, who relocated to Poppyfields last August. The attractive new premises and ample free parking has enabled the company to expand its product lines and offer its customers a whole new experience. The award-winning practice ACS Architectural has seen business exceed expectations since moving to Poppyfields (they’ve even had to recruit extra staff) - a sentiment endorsed by Bradley Howe of Norfolk Automotive. “This is a fantastic site and we’re already getting customer referrals from people looking for our prestige and performance cars,” he says. “It’s been a great start to the year and we’re really looking forward to the future.” As remote and home working become more popular, the virtual offices within the Poppyfields Hub are already proving a huge success with tenants, offering the presence and the facilities of a much larger business with the convenience of a local base. And the recent opening of the Poppylicious cafe has given the entire retail park a welcoming focus in which resident companies and their customers can relax and socialise. Serving the popular 200 Degrees Coffee, freshly-prepared breakfasts, home-cooked lunches and afternoon treats, it’s perfect for taking a break from your shopping and it’s ideal for a business meeting. “When I was looking for a home

for McAllisters Boutique I wanted somewhere that echoed my passion for high quality and my commitment to customer care,” says Steve McAllister. “Poppyfields is exactly right and it’s in exactly the right location. This isn’t just a collection of separate businesses in the same spot - it’s a complete shopping experience.” Poppyfields Retail Park is excited for some upcoming events being planned, including its first Christmas Artisan Crafts Fair and Farmer’s Market, to be held nearer the end of the year. We welcome local artisan craftspeople and local food producers to please get in touch with us if they wish to participate.

Poppyfields Drive, Snettisham, King’s Lynn PE31 7FR www.poppyfieldsretailpark.co.uk

KLmagazine September 2021

With autumn just around the corner, we must say goodbye to summer dresses and shorts. Instead, we’re getting ready to slip into cosy jumpers and don elegant accessories. Our favourite local boutiques are welcoming the new season with tasteful must-haves to keep you warm and stylish whatever the weather...

Jumper by Saint Tropez

ALLEZ CHIC Castle Rising

Stafford bobble hat by Joules £24.95

THE HAYLOFT at BEARTS Stowbridge

KLmagazine September 2021

Outfit by Milano

SHEILA TILLER Long Sutton

KLmagazine September 2021

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KLmagazine September 2021

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KLmagazine September 2021

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KLmagazine September 2021

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Largest stock selection in West Norfolk with new stock arriving most weeks. Two floors of everything for your next sewing project. We look forward to your visit. Our opening hours are: 9 . 15 am to 5 . 0 0 pm M ond ay to Satur d ay. Please follow our Facebook page for the latest updates @TheFentShop

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KLmagazine September 2021

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ast month, Sutha Bausbacher celebrated the second anniversary Sutha Aesthetics, which opened in August 2019 and takes a refreshingly different look at beauty treatments. From cellulite reduction to skin resurfacing, and from anti-aging to hair growth, Sutha Aesthetics offers a wide range of high quality treatments for men and women of all ages. “Lots of people think that aesthetics is all about injections and fillers but it goes a lot deeper than that,” she says. “If you want a genuinely natural, healthy and subtle look it has to start from within - I just help you become the best version of yourself!” And people concerned about needles and surgical procedures will be glad to learn that one of Sutha’s most popular treatments is the revolutionary Venus Freeze - which has been taking the world by

storm and has also been described as “the facial without the knife.” Using radio frequencies and magnetic fields, it smooths fine lines, tightens the skin, and delivers an instant and healthy glow. “At the moment there really is nothing like it,” says Sutha, who has over 25 years’ nursing experience - both locally and in Harley Street. “There are no after-effects such as redness and skin irritation, it’s totally painless, and the results are amazing. It’s actually quite relaxing. It’s very quick as well - so you can easily fit it into your lunch break!” At Sutha’s comfortable and warmly welcoming

Sutha Aesthetics KLmagazine September 2021

clinic in the centre of King’s Lynn you’ll find a large choice of beauty treatments including dermal fillers, micro-needling, Dermalux Flex light therapy - together with a wide range of high-quality skincare products from prestigious brands such as AlumierMD and Skinade. The results are incredible, but Sutha is equally passionate about combining beauty, self-confidence and empowerment. “I’m very proud of raising my children and building a successful business on my own,” she says. “I want to engage with the local community and help men and women of all ages to discover just how beautiful they really are.”

St Ann’s House, St Ann’s Street, King’s Lynn Norfolk PE30 1LT Telephone: 07506 133091 • E-mail: admin@suthaaesthetics.co.uk Website: www.suthaaesthetics.co.uk

How your gift can make a world of difference The Norfolk Hospice helps thousands of local people of all ages every day of the year, but it can only do it with the support of the local community. Discover how a gift in your Will can help their work...

or over 35 years, The Norfolk Hospice Tapping House has been providing outstanding compassionate care for adults living with life-shortening illnesses in north and west Norfolk. It costs the registered charity, which is based in the village of Hillington, over £2.7million to run its many services every year and the majority of that is funded by the generosity of local individuals, businesses and a number of local retail shops. Over 1,100 families a year are supported by The Norfolk Hospice (that’s an average of three families every day) and the need for the charity’s vital services continues to grow. 90

“A crucial element of our fundraising activity are legacies, otherwise known as gifts in Wills,” says Senior Fundraising Manager Tammy Green. “They currently support around 10% of our patients and service users so they make a huge difference to us, although few people understand how easy it is to set one up.” WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO MAKE A WILL? Making a Will is extremely important because it means you can be sure your estate will be divided as you wish after your death. It will also save your family from worrying about what you might have liked to have happened to your

treasured possessions at a time when they’re already mourning your loss. WHAT KIND OF GIFTS CAN I LEAVE IN MY WILL? Generally, gifts in Wills fall into three categories. The first is known as pecuniary, which is a specific sum of money or a percentage of your estate. A gift can also be ‘residuary’ - which includes the remainder of your estate following bequests to your family and friends. Finally, your Will can include a ‘specific’ gift which is self-explanatory, consisting of a property, a piece of jewellery, an antique or even stocks and shares – something The Norfolk Hospice can sell and then benefit from KLmagazine September 2021

the proceeds. HOW DOES INHERITANCE TAX AFFECT GIFTS IN WILLS? In general, gifts made in Wills are free of inheritance tax. In fact, few people realise that leaving money to The Norfolk Hospice can reduce the amount their estate pays in tax, and can even remove it entirely. Your solicitor or financial advisor will have more information regarding the rules on inheritance tax and will be able to give you the best advice to suit your individual circumstances. CAN GIFTS BE ADDED TO AN EXISTING WILL? If you have already made a Will and wish to leave a gift this can be done easily by way of a ‘codicil’ which is a legal amendment to your Will. You can even download a codicil form from The Norfolk Hospice website at www. norfolkhospice.org.uk/leave-a-gift-inyour-will HOW WILL MY GIFT SUPPORT THE NORFOLK HOSPICE? As we look toward the future, gifts in Wills are likely to become ever-more crucial to securing care for local people as demand for end of life services, bereavement care and day therapies continues to grow. “Gifts in Wills are a lasting legacy

KLmagazine September 2021

ABOVE: Chief Executive Lyndsay Carter at the official opening of The Norfolk Hospice’s site in Hillington in 2016 - today there are over 300 dedicated volunteers working tirelessly to make a difference to the lives of local people

and a fantastic way of supporting us,” says Tammy. “After providing for your family and loved ones even a gift of 1% can make a huge difference. Even small amounts have a big impact and help ensure we can continue providing care for future generations who’ll need our local hospice.” A perfect illustration of how a gift in your Will could help a service user at The Norfolk Hospice, Yvonne’s story is truly inspirational.

Yvonne is in her 50s and lives with Ian (her husband of 36 years) and their two dogs in Stoke Ferry. In December 2019 she noticed that her latest bout of seasonal asthma wasn’t shifting and found she couldn’t breathe properly. Soon afterwards she was diagnosed with Asthma-COPD Overlap Syndrome. Yvonne was referred to The Norfolk Hospice’s Day Therapy services just as the first lockdown began in 2020. She completed a programme of

Yvonne

ABOVE: An exercise class in progress at The Norfolk Hospice – an activity that can make a huge difference to the lives of people such as Yvonne (above right)

breathlessness management and then went on to the exercise classes. For Yvonne, the classes changed her life. “It genuinely used to take me all day to change a bed,” she says. “The classes taught me how to breathe properly, to exhale as deeply as I could and then inhale as much as possible, and it was revolutionary. I can now change the bed in 30 minutes, which is a massive difference from what I was capable of two years ago.” Before her diagnosis Yvonne typically walked 15,000 steps a day, but after it she struggled to manage 1,000. Today, following treatment with medication and the classes, she’s up to 7,000 steps every day. “My main aim was to be able to take the dogs for a walk,” she says. “I can’t do it when it’s windy or too hot and I

can’t go too far, but it’s amazing to be able to do it again, and that’s all down to The Norfolk Hospice. Without them I wouldn’t be in the position I am today.” Yvonne was discharged from

the Hospice after 12 months as her condition had improved so much. “I always thought hospices were just for end of life, even following my mum’s experience in one,” she says. “I was happy to try anything, and The Norfolk Hospice has really helped. They’ve made such a big difference to my life.” For more information on end of life planning and legacy giving, or to request a gifts in Wills pack, please visit www.norfolkhospice.org.uk/ leave-a-gift-in-your-Will, call 01485 601701 or e-mail The Norfolk Hospice at fundraisingteam@norfolkhospice. org.uk

KLmagazine September 2021

the perfect bed to suit every room in your house Visit any of our two local showrooms and you’ll be sure to find the bed you’re looking for. Whether you’re looking for a luxurious super king, a new mattress or something smaller for the spare room we can help you find exactly what you’re looking for. We also offer children’s beds, sofa beds, storage divans plus bedroom furniture and accessories. Our large variety of exceptional brands means we can cater to whatever your style, budget or space. Visit us for our traditional family-run and friendly service - from your local independent bed specialists.

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KLmagazine September 2021

What to do when ‘next of kin’ is not enough... When you need support help is at hand, as Hayes + Storr explains

hilst you may anticipate that your spouse, children, or other close relatives can access your finances or have a say in your medical care should you become mentally and/or physically incapacitated, this is not necessarily the case.

NEXT OF KIN Many services will ask for details of your next of kin. There are no clear legal rules as to who you can name as your next of kin, and they do not necessarily have to be a blood relative. Naming a person as your next of kin does not grant them any legal rights or responsibilities. Rather, organisations ask for their details, so they know who to keep informed about your care.

LEGAL POSITION All of your affairs, financial and medical, must be kept confidential and may only be released to certain persons, in certain circumstances. The law is designed to help everyone retain their independence for as long as possible. However, later in life, you might need additional help. For example, during the early stages of dementia when the decline of mental

capacity happens gradually but you can still understand and make your own choices.

HOW TO ENSURE YOUR NEXT OF KIN DO HAVE LEGAL RIGHTS One way to give a person legal rights and empower them to deal with your affairs during your lifetime is by appointing them under a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). You can arrange LPAs at any time, so long as you have mental capacity. LPAs should therefore be created in advance rather than leaving it until your health deteriorates. There are two types of LPA: • Health and welfare, which authorises your attorneys to make decisions about your medical treatment and health care • Property and financial affairs, which authorises your attorneys to make decisions about your property and finances.

There are several reasons why LPAs are a better option than a deputyship: • An LPA allows a person to choose who they want to make decisions for them, but a person has no control over who is appointed as their deputy. • A deputyship is more expensive. • Deputyships for health and welfare are rarely ordered by the court, whereas an attorney can be appointed under an LPA to make decisions with respect to a person’s health and welfare. • It can take a long time to apply for a deputyship in comparison to making an LPA. Without valid documents in place, no person, including your next of kin, can make these decisions for you during your lifetime. For further information, please call Jennifer Taylor on 01553 778900 or email: Jennifer.taylor@hayes-storr.com

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON’T HAVE AN LPA AND LOSE MENTAL CAPACITY? If you lose mental capacity, and you have not made an LPA, then someone will need to apply to the Court of Protection to become your deputy.

JENNIFER TAYLOR Solicitor

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Please note that the law may have changed since this article was published.

KLmagazine September 2021

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KLmagazine September 2021

Discover award-winning levels of care at home Taking service to a new level, Home Instead Senior Care in Norfolk is helping people remain independent and happy in their own home

eceiving three awards in the Best Companies to Work For 2021, Home Instead UK was actually judged third in the entire country in the Health & Social Care category. It’s a huge testament to the hard-working and dedicated staff, but it also reflects the company’s oustanding levels of companionship and home care services. For the last 12 years Home Instead Senior Care in Norfolk has been leading the way helping people remain independent and stay connected

to their family, friends and local community with an inspirational and award-winning team of CAREGivers. With the majority of people naturally preferring to stay in their own homes rather than move to a carehome, it’s an invaluable and enriching experience. Especially as their extended family (who may live many miles away or even abroad) can ensure they’re safe and well on a daily basis thanks to a comprehensive and totally secure online service. And the demand for home care is increasing at a considerable rate. Over the last year Home Instead Senior Care in Norfolk has significantly increased staffing levels to maintain its exceptional standards of service and its truly individual and personal attention. “Building relationships has always been at the very heart of our business and we’re building on that this year,” says director Tom McEwan of Home

Instead Senior Care in Norfolk. “Our staff have been fantastic throughout the challenges of the last 18 months, and we’ve continued to develop very strong relationships with our clients and their relatives.” Family has always been at the very heart of Home Instead Senior Care in Norfolk and Tom has ensured the company’s ethos of individual, personal and customer-focused attention is shared by everyone. “We’re very proud that 100% of our clients say they’d recommend Home Instead Senior Care in Norfolk to a friend,” he says. “And every single member of the team has worked incredibly hard to achieve that.” If you’d like more information and details on the many homecare services Home Instead Senior Care in Norfolk can offer, please contact your nearest office using the details below.

HOLT DERSINGHAM HINGHAM 01263 650983 01553 387967 01362 357974 www.homeinstead.co.uk/west-norfolk KLmagazine September 2021

ABOVE: Project Coordinator Canon Robert Fayers with the new interpretation board detailing the history of South Lynn - including the town’s iconic South Gate (below) and various locations that played significant roles in the story of the town

Highlighting the history of South Lynn... Few people know that South Lynn was once a separate part of King’s Lynn, but thanks to the efforts of the local community, the history of this fascinating medieval parish is being brought to light

t’s hardly surprising that Canon Robert Fayers is so passionate about promoting parts of King’s Lynn that are little known and often overlooked. His great grandfather founded RH Fayers & Son Funeral Directors, he served as a choirboy and altar server at St Nicholas’ Chapel, and now lives in its shadow on Pilot Street, which used to be part of the town’s historic North End quarter - home to at least seven strands of his father’s family. “We have the largest parochial chapel in England, we have a unique threestoried wayside chapel for Walsingham, and we have the Custom House, which has been described as the most architecturally-perfect building ever

built in England,” he says. “But we also have many buildings that are rather unappreciated and deserve to be brought to more people’s attention.” At the start of June, Robert joined King’s Lynn Town Guides chairman Doreen Leventhall, local historian Dr Paul Richards and deputy mayor Lesley Bambridge at the unveiling ceremony of a new interpretation board focusing on the heritage of South Lynn. “This is probably the oldest settlement in what would become known as King’s Lynn, and for many years it was a distinct community in itself,” says Robert, who took the role of Project Coordinator for the production of the board. “It has some truly remarkable buildings and deserves KLmagazine September 2021

to be promoted to locals and visitors alike.” It was a genuine team effort, with research and writing by Dr Paul Richards, support from local residents, the Rector of All Saints church Canon Adrian Ling, and Cllr Elizabeth Nockolds - together with the help of the King’s Lynn Town Guides, King’s Lynn Civic Society, St Margaret’s with St Nicholas Ward Forum, the Audrey Stratford Charitable Trust, and the local council’s Open Spaces Fund. Even the King’s Lynn Preservation Trust gave permission for the board to be placed on the car park wall of the Greenland Fishery facing the Millfleet, a particularly appropriate site. “It’s a great position for the board because it actually marks the beginning of old South Lynn,” says Robert. “The initial feedback has been really encouraging, and it’s really exciting to see local people owning the interpretation board and feeling it’s celebrating their community rather than having it imposed on them. In many ways I think we’ve given South Lynn its identity back.” After a lot of hard work, the board was unveiled at the start of June, and is now teaching locals and tourists alike about the history of South Lynn. Until 1555, South Lynn was separate from King’s Lynn itself and stretched from the Millfleet to Saddlebow. As an important trading port, it made sense for South Lynn to eventually

Today

1935 KLmagazine September 2021

ABOVE: The magnificent Greenland Fishery house, which was built in 1605. Below left is Whitefriars Gate, the last reminder of a Carmelite Friary that existed in South Lynn from at least 1250, and bottom right is the church of All Saints - parts of which are the oldest stone constructions in the whole of King’s Lynn.

amalgamate with the town, where business was booming. During the 17th century, the major merchant family was the Atkins. John Atkins was twice Mayor of King’s Lynn and in 1605 his mansion was built, which was later named the Greenland Fishery. It got its name after it became a tavern that housed local crews of whaling vessels sailing for Greenland. The population of South Lynn grew by 4,000 between 1801 and 1851 as a result of London Road being constructed at the South Gate, which allowed for easier access. Unfortunately, South Lynn lost many of its lovely Victorian buildings during the 1950s and several medieval houses were also lost in Friar Street. When the Hillington Square housing estate was constructed between 1967-71 a lot of 19th century streets were demolished, but the designation of a town conservation area in 1969 prevented further redevelopment from removing the historic aspects of South Lynn. The work of Canon Robert Fayers and his team in assembling the new interpretation board means these lost buildings and streets won’t be forgotten, and it showcases areas of historic interest within South Lynn. The South Gate is iconic to all who pass through King’s Lynn and it was equally impressive back in 1438 when it was constructed. It used to be part of the town’s defence but is now a symbol of pride for locals - and a grand entrance to the town. Near Friars Walk you can see the remains of the northern entrance of Whitefriars Gate that marks the

site of the medieval Carmelite Friary, which was built in the 15th century. The astronomer Friar Nicholas of Lynn and Friar Alan, a supporter of Margery Kempe (Lynn’s famed mystic and pilgrim) were both members of this community. Also featured on the board is information about All Saints Church, which is the oldest building in King’s Lynn and dates back to around 1090. At the chancel there used to be outbuildings and a 14th century chapel that were believed to have been the home of an anchorite hermit. There’s a wealth of history to be discovered around South Lynn, and thanks to the information gathered by Canon Robert Fayers and the local community, you’re guaranteed to learn something new about the town you thought you knew so well.

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KLmagazine September 2021

Landlords: are you ready for Making Tax Digital? It forms a major part of the simplification of the UK’s tax administration, and as Stephenson Smart explains, it’s best to plan for the future today...

aking Tax Digital is a new way of working that sees the government calling upon taxpayers to report their income and expenses via digital software. At present it only applies to VAT registered businesses with a taxable turnover above the £85,000 VAT registration. However, self-employed businesses and landlords with annual business or property income above £10,000 will need to follow the rules for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax from their next accounting period starting on or after 6th April 2023. This means that any type of landlord with an annual turnover above £10,000 (including buy-to-let and furnished holiday lets) will be required to keep income and expense records digitally and submit their tax return directly to HMRC

using compatible software. There are many affordable cloudbased accounting software options available to individuals and small businesses such as Xero, QuickBooks, Sage Accounting or FreeAgent. Thankfully, these cloud accounting software solutions are user-friendly. They streamline the recording and reporting process and synch with your business bank account – all via an app on your phone or tablet. Cloud accounting solutions use bank feeds to import live data, which reduces the time needed to undertake manual data entries. They’re easy to use on the go and can improve the cashflow of your business - which can in turn help in making crucial business decisions as you’ll have a better picture of your finances with real-time information. It’s understandable that you may be unsure of these big changes, but businesses

must ensure their data is accurate and compliant with the new legislation. There will be a penalty regime introduced by the government for late submissions and late payment of tax. The deadline for landlords may seem a long way off, but it’s highly recommended to plan forward now which may mean you get a better deal from the cloud accounting software provider you choose to use. We have specialist knowledge and accreditations to support our clients with all their Making Tax Digital obligations, and can help you and your business every step of the way. Contact us now if you’d like to discuss how to prepare for the digital future.

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KLmagazine September 2021

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- Lindsey Bavin, curator at True’s Yard

“

The temperature in the room suddenly dropped to the point where you could actually see your breath...

PICTURES: Theodorus Van Pelt and Sam Southgate in True’s Yard around 1935 (left) and Harriet ‘Lol’ Benefer (above) who provided two folk songs to Vaughan Williams on his visits in 1905-06 - her ghost is said to haunt the area. Below is the only known image of pipemaker Joseph Flanders, who founded The Naval Reserve public house in the 1850s - which now forms part of True’s Yard Fisherfolk Museum

Lynn’s most haunted: the ghosts of True’s Yard King’s Lynn has a rich heritage of eerie stories of witchcraft, murder, devilish apparitions and ghostly sightings, but one place in particular has more than its fair share of hauntings...

rue’s Yard Fisherfolk Museum is a heritage site in the heart of King’s Lynn celebrating the fishing community which once dominated the town’s North End - but there are other things besides history hidden in the museum’s lovingly-restored 18th century cottages. True’s Yard is thought to be one of the most haunted buildings in the whole of Norfolk, and curator Lindsey Bavin reports that a group of experts recently estimated the site has at least 37 resident ghosts. From spine-chilling sightings to unexplainable occurrences, there never seems to be a dull moment at True’s Yard. Visitors have reported seeing spectral children, mysterious shadows, and a dark figure looking out of an empty cottage window. “On one Heritage Open Day we had KLmagazine September 2021

two separate visitors report seeing the same figure sitting in a chair in one of the bedrooms,” says Lindsey. “They described it as a young woman with bulging red eyes and red marks on her throat.” These ghostly glimpses are particularly intriguing as they support rumours that the museum is haunted by the spirit of a woman who was strangled by her father for loving the ‘wrong’ man. Lindsey remembers experiencing something unnatural herself (while sitting in the very same

chair no less) on a Halloween open evening. “I was sitting in the bedroom in my costume and a man came in and asked if he could take my picture,’’ she recalls. “I agreed, and seconds later the temperature in the room suddenly dropped to the point where you could actually see your breath. It was extremely strange, especially as I was sitting next to a heater! I don’t know if the gentleman experienced it as well, but he certainly left the room quite quickly.” As well as chills and spooky figures, True’s Yard is home to mischievous spirits with an appetite for causing chaos. A troublesome 105

PICTURES: Today True’s Yard Fisherfolk Museum celebrates the traditional fishing community of the North End in King’s Lynn - but it seems that some of the residents have never left their homes and haunt them to this day

poltergeist affectionately known as Henry resides in a room where fisherfolk used to live and is thought to be responsible for paintings getting knocked off walls, bulbs regularly blowing and staplers flying across the room. “You should never bring a stapler into the education room,” says Lindsey, “because there’s every likelihood you might have it thrown back at you.” Staff have also reported a ghostly boy in the museum’s kitchen who enjoys moving things about. “There was a time one of our volunteers was alone in the kitchen making a drink for a customer, when the pile of trays on top of the freezer at the other end of the room suddenly came crashing to the floor,” Lindsey remembers. “The trays were fairly solid and stacked on a flat surface so they really shouldn’t have simply slid off.” True’s Yard has fascinated many paranormal experts over the years, and many groups have visited to investigate the museum, including “Ghost Hunt East Anglia”, “Chasing the Spirits” and “Ghouls Aloud.” In 2005 Nottingham’s Bassetlaw Ghost Research Group arrived with five mediums and 10 technicians and found evidence the museum was a supernatural hotspot. The group encountered ghosts in every room they investigated, at one point documenting up to three every hour. More recently, the crew from the popular television series “Help! My House Is Haunted” filmed on location at True’s Yard earlier this year and experienced more than they’d bargained for. The cast of paranormal experts saw strange mists, felt sudden chills and recorded ghostly voices whilst exploring the museum. An EMF 106

detector was even knocked out of presenter Barry Ghai’s hand when he tried communicating with a poltergeist, and the investigators recorded extremely high levels of paranormal activity - higher than any they’d seen in a long time. In spite of these rather unsettling findings, Lindsey and the staff seem unperturbed by the ghostly goings-on at True’s Yard. “I’m honestly not surprised it’s so haunted,” says Lindsey. “In the North End community there was an extremely high mortality rate because fishing was a dangerous profession and diseases such as cholera and typhoid were rampant. Overcrowding made this worse, as some families had as many as 17 children and there was only one pump and one toilet between entire yards.” The area’s history also has its darker side. “In 1882 James Stannard was beaten to death by his neighbours the Bailey family, who lived around the corner in Whitening Yard,” says Lindsey, “and don’t forget that we’re just a stone’s throw from the Tuesday Market Place, which was the site of public executions for alleged witches during the 16th century.” Despite everything, Lindsey and her team have come to accept their supernatural companions. “The way I see it,” says Lindsey, “is that the ghosts are an important part of True’s Yard and its history.” And it’s a fascinating history that’s told in an interesting and engaging way. It’s a unique and must-visit local museum, but just remember that even if you visit by yourself, you probably won’t be alone.

KLmagazine September 2021

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Get it right from the start with Metric Carpets... With over 40 years’ experience, 30 different brands and 1,000s of different options, Metric Carpets has the floor you’re looking for

s you might expect from a company that’s been literally covering the area for over 40 years, Metric Carpets have seen it all - and this much-loved local company has some words of advice when it comes to looking for your new carpet. “We’ve seen plenty of examples of bad fitting and carpets that are totally unsuitable for the floors they’re sitting on,” says Alistair Allen, who’s been the guiding force behind Metric Carpets for the last three decades since his father retired. “We’re firm believers in the idea that if you’re going to do something then you need to do it right.” It can save you a lot of time, a lot of trouble and a lot of money. Dedicated to the very highest standards, Alistair and his team have access to an

industry-standard database of floors and ensure that every carpet is perfectly suited to the material it’s sitting on. “The floors in many new homes are built with a gypsum-based screed, but that’s unsuitable for products such as luxury vinyl tiles which are becoming a really popular choice for floor coverings,” he says. “There’s very little that we can’t do, but it’s always best to contact us as soon as possible. The worst thing you can do is assume your carpets and flooring are the final finishing touches.” And if you are looking for a stunning new floor, you couldn’t ask for much more. With over 30 different prestigious manufacturers (most of them British) and thousands of colours, patterns and materials to choose from, Metric Carpets have the carpet or luxury vinyl

36 Norfolk Street, King’s Lynn PE30 1AH | Tel: 01553 775203 Email: info@metriccarpets.co.uk | Web: www.metriccarpets.co.uk KLmagazine September 2021

tiles you’ve always wanted - together with the quality you want and the service you expect. “We have our own in-house team of fully-trained and experienced fitters and we offer a complete 12-month guarantee on our work,” says Alistair. “If you every need any help or advice on carpet or flooring-related issues we’re always here for you at the end of the phone - and we always have been.” They arrive when they say we will. They do exactly what they’ve promised. And they do it properly. From the most traditional styles to the lastest contemporary trends, Metric Carpets has everything you and your floor is lookng for.

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KLmagazine September 2021

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s w approach the end of summer, it’s that time of when our floors start crying out for some attention. Over the past few months we’ve been leaving our doors open and bringing the outside in - literally. You (and your pets) have returned from the beach, come back home from woodland hikes and taken breaks from the gardening - so your floors have ‘enjoyed’ several weeks of coping with unwelcome dirt, mud, sand, allergens and other contaminants. Which means it’s time to call on the professional cleaning services of Martin King and his Swaffham-based team at Xtraclean. Using the latest technology and high-quality anti-bacterial cleaning agents, Xtraclean can bring your floors back to their best and give them an ‘as good as new’ look. Usually in less than a day.

“If your stone or tiled floors were expertly fitted they deserve an equally professional approach to cleaning,” says Martin. “For over 25 years we’ve been restoring floors all over Norfolk using the most advanced and powerful system currently available in the UK.” Xtraclean’s highly experienced technicians offer a fully-insured and friendly service (they’ll even move your furniture for you) and following an initial test and survey will get to work breaking down all the ingrained dirt and loosening surface soiling. “Our powerful turbo ‘clean and capture’ system pressure cleans the floor using its own water supply,” says Martin, “and it even captures all the waste in the process – so you have no mess, no fuss, and no worries. And fantastic looking floors.” Xtraclean never uses harmful chemicals or damaging procedures

such as grinding and resurfacing and the results are truly spectacular. “Stone and tiled floors aren’t the easiest surfaces to clean,” says Martin, “but our powerful system and highgrade products can bring even the dirtiest floors back to their very best.” Xtraclean can also help you preserve those good looks for longer with a range of specialist sealing products specially developed for stone floors. “To be honest you really have to see the results to believe them,” says Martin. “Just ask our customers – they’re always amazed at the finish, and they can hardly believe it’s the same floor.” To give your floors a bright new look and bring them back to life, contact Martin and his team at Xtraclean using the details below for extra-professional cleaning, extra-personal customer service, and sparkling results that really are second to none.

Unit 3, Jack Boddy Way, Swaffham PE37 7HJ Tel: 01760 337762 Web: www.xtraclean.co.uk E-mail: sales@xtraclean.co.uk KLmagazine September 2021

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“

ABOVE: The church of St. Mary at Docking, which plays a central part in the story of the village’s long-vanished priory - a complicated tale that’s recently been investigated by local writer Vikki Bilbey (opposite, below)

The enduring mystery of Docking Priory... Docking is a pretty village typical of the tranquil beauty of west Norfolk and can trace its origins back to Roman times. It has one of the highest points in Norfolk, and once even had a priory. Or did it?

t was during a visit with my grandmother to Docking’s Wednesday market that I popped in to visit Docking Heritage Group. They told me they’d recently inherited the Royal Patents: Grant of Manors from Eton college and it had revealed that the alien priory of Docking was gifted to the head of Eton College in 1462. Sadly, with no physical remains of the priory and no other text to indicate its whereabouts, nobody had any idea on where to start looking. Having just gained a degree in history as a mature student I couldn’t wait to get on the case. For those of you who don’t know, the village of Docking has been inhabited 112

since the Roman period, but it doesn’t appear in records until 1038 in the Last Will and Testament of Aelfric, the Bishop of Elmham. Docking’s oldest building is St. Mary’s church which can be dated back to the 14th century. But what was an ‘alien’ priory? Having never heard the term before, I discovered the word alien in medieval England was given to any religious establishment in England which was governed by monastic institutions or motherhouses in France. With that in mind, I then learned that from the 12th century the priory of Docking was attached to the Minster Lovell priory in Oxfordshire - which in

turn formed part of the Benedictine abbey of St Mary of Ivry in France. In searching for more information, I came across the historian Sir William Dugdale, who published Monasticon Anglicanum (or the history of the ancient abbeys, and other monasteries, hospitals, cathedral and collegiate churches in England and Wales) in 1665. As the earliest known list of monastic houses, you could assume his list was accurate. However, in 1916 PhD student Chester New unearthed considerable errors in the Monasticon, which he attributed to editor Thomas Tanner. He actually found that out of the 153 religious houses listed as ‘alien’ priories, KLmagazine September 2021

there was no evidence that 53 of them had ever existed. Interestingly, I then discovered that in Tanner’s own 1695 work Notitia Monastica (a short account of all the religious houses in England and Wales) he mentioned Docking priory and the endowment of Eton College. “If there were ever any foreign monks residing here,” he wrote, “in all probability they were of the abby De Ibreio in Normandy, to which the parish church of this place was appropriated.” Tanner was once again mistaken, but this time as to which abbey Docking priory belonged. Perhaps more importantly, he references Docking priory and the parish church as the same religious house. I got another helping hand from the work of Chester New in his reference to the Annales Monastici, which is a compilation of texts collected from medieval English monasteries and (sadly for me) written in Latin. New’s translation revealed that in 1341 John Darcy had “the custody of the priory of Minster Lovell for the administration of all the fruits and issues of the churches of Docking and Esthall.” To corroborate this he also uncovered in the Archaeologia (now

KLmagazine September 2021

called the Antiquaries Journal), the Queen Joan grant of 1413, which declared “the church of Docking parcel of the priory of Minster Lovell.” The picture was becoming clearer. Late in my research, I stumbled across historian Alan Taylor. He wrote in the Oxoniensia (the annual journal of the Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society) about the priory of Minster Lovell and claimed that the Royal Exchequer referred to “the church of Dockyng, parcel of the priory of Munstre Lovell,” - also explaining that after the suppression of the ‘alien’ houses in 1378 it became common to call any church previously connected to a french motherhouse a priory. “Thus the foundation charter of Eton College includes the grant of the alien priory of Docking,” wrote Alan Taylor, “a use of the term which has given rise to more than one misleading account of Docking church.” Bringing my findings together has built up quite a solid case against the existence of Docking priory at any point in time. The idea that Docking once had a priory of its own is an exciting one, but this seems to be a case of mistaken identity. The only conclusion here is that Docking priory and Docking church are in fact, exactly the same thing.

However, all is not lost. As we know, St Mary’s church can be physically dated back to the 14th century but research published in 1975 by Alison McHardy and by Alan Taylor in 1937 reveals documentation which references Docking’s religious house from as early as the 12th century. In conjunction with the conclusion that Docking church and priory are the same religious house, this makes St Mary’s church possibly 200 years older than previously thought. Or it might prove that something else once stood in its place. I feel some more research coming on. Researched and written by Vikki Bilbey, who works as a freelance copy and content writer. You can visit her website at www.victoriawrites.co.uk for more details.

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KLmagazine September 2021

5 reasons to keep your boiler service up to date For over 26 years Heacham-based Foreman & Son has offered a heating, plumbing and boiler care service that’s second to none

aving your boiler serviced on an annual basis may not be top of your list of priorities, but a recent survey revealed that around 66% of boilers treated to yearly servicing have never needed a repair. But there are even more good reasons to contact the Heacham-based team at Foreman & Son to arrange an annual boiler service - whether it runs on gas, oil or LPG. 1. KEEP YOU & YOUR FAMILY SAFE If your boiler isn’t operating correctly it can release carbon monoxide which has no smell or taste but can make you very unwell and can even be fatal at high levels. Servicing your boiler annually will give you peace of mind that it’s working as safely as possible. 2. KEEP YOUR WARRANTY VALID Even though your boiler may still be under warranty, many manufacturers will refuse to cover repair costs if your annual service hasn’t been completed on a regular basis - which can leave

01485 570578 32 High Street, Heacham PE31 7EP KLmagazine September 2021

you with a costly, unexpected and unnecessary bill. 3. KEEP FAULTS AT BAY An annual service enables our qualified engineers to pick up on any faults at an early stage - before they have time to develop and cause further damage. 4. KEEP YOUR BOILER WITHIN ITS EXPECTED LIFESPAN Typically your boiler will operate perfectly well for about 10 years - as long as it’s well maintained and serviced annually.

alongside your annual boiler service. The team also offers general plumbing and heating maintenance, underfloor heating and professional site work for multi-property developments. And in addition to being available 24 hours a day, G3 regulated and Gas Safe and OFTEC registered, the company is also an approved installer of the market-leading Baxi and Ideal ranges of boilers. As we approach the autumn there’s no better way to keep warm, keep safe and keep your boiler in perfect working order.

5. KEEP YOUR HEATING COSTS DOWN Having an annual service ensures your boiler (regardless of age or model) is running efficiently, which will require less energy - resulting in long-term savings on your heating bills. It’s also worth noting that landlords are legally required to have gas safety checks carried out on their properties every year. The BoilerCare team at Foreman & Son can also help you with this - which can be scheduled

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KLmagazine September 2021

Your dream kitchen made easy with MKM... Whether you’re looking to landscape your garden or replace your kitchen or bathroom, MKM has everything you’re looking for

visit to MKM King’s Lynn is like stepping into the future - the future of your garden, the future of your kitchen and the future of your bathroom. The stunning new showroom is packed with inspirational ideas, although if you do need any help or advice an experienced team of in-house designers and specialists will guide you step-by-step through every stage of the process - from initial concept to delivery. And when it comes to fitting, they can even recommend reputable local installers. “Over the last 12 months we’ve doubled the size of our kitchen and bathroom showrooms, we’ve completely refurbished the offices, and we’ve employed experienced staff in virtually every department,” says branch

KLmagazine September 2021

director Damian Roach. “We still offer a complete service to the building trade, but the retail-friendly side of the business has been really well received and continues to be a huge success.” In addition to collections from leading British manufacturers (including some MKM exclusives) you’ll also find state-of-the-art appliances from famous names such as Neff and AEG - and a vast selection of different tiles, colours, innovative storage solutions, taps and sanitaryware. Whether you’re looking for a

traditional Shaker-style kitchen or an ultra-modern bathroom MKM has everything you need to bring your dreams to life - suiting any taste and meeting every budget. “Having everything your project needs under one roof has always been one of our greatest strengths,” says Damian. “MKM is now the UK’s largest independent builders’ merchant, and our success has been built on local knowledge, high quality products, efficient deliveries and a friendly service.” From stunning new kitchens and amazing new bathrooms to outdoor paving and decking and garden furniture, there’s never been a better time to discover the MKM difference for yourself.

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The life of Lynn’s most famous adventurer During his lifetime Thomas Baines provided a unique insight into colonial life in 19th century Africa and Australia, and a new exhibition at Lynn Museum is now putting his life and times into perspective...

ABOVE: A new exhibition in King’s Lynn documents the life and adventures of Thomas Baines (opposite), who often included himself in his work, such as in this pen and watercolour picture from 1870 depicting King Lobengula, where he drew himself sitting just behind the king

he Baines brothers are well known for their paintings of King’s Lynn’s past, but unlike Henry - who was content to find inspiration at his home in King’s Lynn his older brother Thomas travelled extensively through Africa and Australia, painting landscapes previously unexplored by Europeans. His intricately detailed maps and journal entries made expeditions to the newly discovered countries easier for future explorers, and you can see extracts from his journals along with his extraordinary artwork on display in Lynn Museum in a special exhibition planned to celebrate the bicentenary of his birth. “Thomas was born towards the end of 1820, but the exhibition had to be delayed because of Covid-19,” says Assistant Curator Dayna Woolbright at Lynn Museum. “We did open for a

KLmagazine September 2021

brief period last year, but to give people a chance to see it we have decided to extend the exhibition until October - so I won’t be the only one who sees it.” With large information panels arranged chronologically, there’s a path through Baines’ life for you to follow, taking in the extraordinary sketches, notes, paintings, and memorabilia he accumulated over the years spent in places no Englishman had gone before. When he was born in King’s Lynn at the end of November in 1820, Thomas’ father was eager to teach the young boy the ways of a mariner. Thomas grew up around sailors and mariners, listening to stories of faraway lands and the famous naval wars led by Nelson and Collingwood. To his father’s dismay, however, Thomas wanted to travel and paint landscapes of unexplored

countries. His uncle had emigrated to South Africa and inspired by his anecdotes, Thomas filled his sketchbooks with imagined drawings of epic sea battles and foreign wildlife, hoping to experience them for himself one day. “His early sketchbook is probably my personal favourite item of everything we have,” says Dayna. “Before he sets out on his world travels, he draws exotic animals he’s seen in travelling menageries and takes inspiration from the ships in the port of his home, and within a few years he’d actually be sailing on the ships he liked to draw.” Thomas Baines would have to wait until he was 22 for that to happen. On board the schooner Olivia he set 119

PICTURES: A painting by Thomas Baines depicting Abyssinians hunting an elephant. Although he never actually visited the country, museum curator Dayna Woolbright (left) believes it’s time his artistic talents and adventures were brought to wider attention. Pictured below is his idyllic oil painting of the Red Mount Chapel in the centre of his home town

sail for Cape Town and lived there as an artist on low funds for three years. He painted scenery, local indigenous communities and wildlife, and eventually became so well-known that he was accepted onto small exploration teams venturing into the relatively unknown northern regions of South Africa. Happily, Thomas never stopped sketching. He painted and recorded anything and everything that interested him, gathering valuable information about the unknown territories. His fastgrowing reputation saw him accepted onto many prestigious expeditions as artist and cartographer, and in 1855 he sailed to northern Australia alongside

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Augustus Gregory as part of an expedition sponsored by the Royal Geographical Society. “He was interested in everything from plants and animals to people and landscapes,” says Dayna. “Nothing escaped his attention. From Australia he brought back samples of tea tree and bark, and we’ve now got them on display at the museum, still wrapped up in the paper he carefully put them in.” In 1857 Thomas was back in Africa, accompanying David Livingstone as he journeyed along the Zambezi River. He’s credited as being the first European to paint the Mosi-oa-Tunya (‘The Smoke that Thunders’) which Livingstone would later re-name Victoria Falls, and his depiction of the impressive waterfalls is one of his more recognisable works of art. Returning home to King’s Lynn in 1858, Thomas was awarded the Freedom of the Borough, and in an address by the mayor, he was praised for his ability to “overcome a complication of hardships, dangers, and difficulties to which any without a brave English heart may have succumbed” in the pursuit of science and art. An ever-restless spirit, Thomas didn’t remain in England for long. Yearning to go back

to South Africa, he found employment working for the Southern African Gold Fields Exploration Company and went in search of gold. He worked for four years with little success until the company folded but remained in South Africa where he lived for some years until his death in 1875. “His kindness and deep concern for his fellow travellers was a consistent characteristic,” writes Helen Luckett of the Royal Geographical Society. “He wrote well, and his paintings represented a particularly fresh and vital approach to new continents.” Dayna is also keen for people to learn more about Thomas’ story. “He was one of the few Europeans actually interested in the indigenous people.” she says. “He’s recorded their lives and painted himself sitting among them, and I think that’s very interesting and very timely. He definitely had his own agenda, and I don’t think that always matched the colonial attitudes of the British Empire.” To see the legacy Thomas Baines left behind for yourself, visit Lynn Museum before October to see the exhibition. Advanced booking is required, and tickets can be purchased online.

Thomas Baines: Art, Exploration and Empire Lynn Museum, Market Street, King’s Lynn PE30 1NL 01553 775001 www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/ lynn-museum

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Tailor-made safaris: made exclusively for you With over 30 years in the travel industry specialising in luxurious African experiences, Jayne Smith can create your trip of a lifetime...

here are two kinds of travellers in this world. Those who want to see the world and those who want to connect with it. Jayne Smith is definitely one of the latter, and is now using over 30 years’ experience in the African travel business to create authentic, exclusive and hand-crafted safari experiences that are unrivalled and unforgettable. The tranquil setting of Titchwell may seem a world away from the plains of the Serengeti and the stunning beauty of the Okavango Delta, but it’s from here that Jayne deals with guests from all around the world, giving them a totally different and totally tailor-made idea of what a safari is all about - quite literally. “It’s all very well to see a leopard in the wild, but not if the animal is surrounded by 20 minibuses and a large crowd of tourists,” she says. “We’re more interested in creating unique adventures - and we

never send our guests anywhere that we haven’t visited and experienced for ourselves.” Having visited at least 30 different countries and spent 20 years with the luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent, Jayne is now a dedicated travel specialist for &Beyond, which has over 30 extraordinary lodges and camps in iconic safari, scenic and island destinations - and specialises in fully customised and luxurious intineraries throughout Africa, Asia and South America. “For many people this is a oncein-a-lifetime experience so it’s really important to get it exactly right,” she says. “Meeting your expectations will depend on choosing the right country to visit, picking the right time of year to travel, and finding the right accommodation - and that’s what I’m here for.” But Jayne does a lot more than plan the ultimate safari experience. In addition to keeping abreast of the latest

WEB: www.andBeyond.com E-MAIL: jayne.smith@andBeyond.com

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guidance and ever-changing rules regarding international travel, she’ll be with you every step of the way. “I once had some guests in the middle of Tanzania whose vehicle had two punctures and only one spare wheel - and their radio was out of range of the lodge,” she remembers. “They called me on my mobile and even though I was a few thousand miles away on the north Norfolk coast I was able to get help out to them within a couple of hours.” This award-winning and sustainable approach to travel will open your eyes to a whole new world of adventure. Luxurious accommodation, incredible locations, unique experiences and a lifetime of inside knowledge and expertise contact Jayne today and discover what a truly wonderful world this is.

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Animalmatters Our monthly look at the issues concerning you and your pets with the experienced team at London Road & Hollies Vets...

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he practice at London Road in King’s Lynn was established in the 1920s and was one of the first custom built veterinary centres in the whole of the UK. And some 100 years later it’s now one of the most trusted, with a highly-trained and experienced team of vets, registered veterinary nurses and patient care assistants. “We’re a very well-established family practice and we have a fantastic and extremely dedicated local team,” says Clinical Director Sarah Colegrave, who’s been a vet for over 30 years. “Several members of staff have been with us for many years, and the loyalty they’ve developed with our patients and their owners never ceases to amaze me.” A case in point is senior veterinary surgeon Sara Hickling, who joined London Road as a student shortly after her family moved to Norfolk in the

late 1980s, and qualified with the help of the practice in 1994 - and is still treating patients 27 years later. “I actually grew up on a sheep and cattle farm in southwest Scotland surrounded by horses, dogs and cats so it was probably inevitable that I’d become a vet,” she says. “Initially I was more interested in working with farm animals, but over the years I’ve developed a special interest in domestic pet cardiology and now have a professional certificate in the field. I love doing consultations, so I’ll probably be the first person you see when you come to visit us.” Sara is a true ambassador for the practice. In fact, in recent months she’s had to book special clinics at London Road outside her normal working hours because her clients (and their pets) have built such a special and trusting relationship with her.

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KLmagazine September 2021

“Working in a veterinary practice is extremely rewarding, but it can obviously be quite sad sometimes,” she says. “That’s why it’s so important to have such a fantastic group of people to work with. These aren’t just my colleagues - they’re also my friends.” This is a practice that understands that your pet is a much-loved member of the family and deserves the very best personalised care supported by the latest technology. From general health treatments and welfare advice to emergency medical procedures, London Road (and its sister practice The Hollies in Downham Market) offers a comprehensive range of veterinary services - and a personal service that’s simply second to none.

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ABOVE: The new cinema at the Alive Corn Exchange in King’s Lynn as the team (opposite) prepares to celebrate 25 years of live entertainment - including Managing Director Neil Gromett and Head of Arts and Entertainment Philip Bayfield (front) and new Front of House Manager Tom Cundy (centre, back row)

Celebrating 25 years of live entertainment From heritage to Hollywood, Alive Corn Exchange in the centre of King’s Lynn is one of the area’s most dynamic venues - and it’s about to start writing an exciting new chapter in its star-studded history

he Tuesday Market Place in the centre of King’s Lynn is one of the grandest public spaces in the whole country, and overlooking it for the last 167 years has been the grandiose façade of the town’s Corn Exchange. Playing a central role in the commercial life of King’s Lynn for over a century, it’s a Victorian interpretation of Roman triumphal arches complete with suitably giant Ionic columns - although you’re left in little doubt of its original function. In addition to the carved

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sheaves of corn and arms of King’s Lynn it’s topped by a statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture and grain crops. Behind this imposing façade however, was a rather mundane brickbuilt rectangle that was in dire need of renovation by the end of the 1980s. The work eventually took six years and cost almost £5 million, but the much-loved building was gradually transformed into a multi-purpose cultural venue, staging everything from comedy and music to opera and ballet.

The revitalised Corn Exchange reopened in September 1996, and it was clear the Grade II listed building was starting a new chapter in its story. Two sets of semi-abstract textile hangings were specially-commissioned to celebrate the local area, and a striking balustrade by Brighton-based artist and metalworker Jon Mills featured no less than 400 clapping hands - reflecting the venue’s new purpose. More recently, a £1.6 million project funded by the Borough Council of 127

ABOVE: At the start of the 20th century, the Corn Exchange in King’s Lynn was turned into a roller skating rink, with customers being entertained by the electrically-driven “Great Orchestraphone.” Once the hugely-popular pastime had gone out of fashion, the building was (left) in a multi-purpose venue for live entertainment - and Rachel Bush (above right) has been working there since the day it opened.

King’s Lynn & West Norfolk who own the building has seen the upstairs foyer converted to a state-of-the-art twoscreen cinema, with luxurious seats by Paris-based specialists Quinette Gallay, industry-leading projectors for astounding picture clarity. They have also repaired the roof, and refurbished the toilets and foyer. As the 25th anniversary of the venue’s opening approaches it’s little wonder that the entire team is excited about the next few months, not least Head of Arts and Entertainment Philip Bayfield - who’s no stranger to the silver screen himself as he was hand-splicing 35mm film at the Princess Theatre in Hunstanton as a teenager. “It’s obviously been a difficult time for us over the last 18 months, but it’s great to be welcoming audiences back and getting ready for live performances,” he says. “We’ve got a really varied programme scheduled for the autumn and winter, and that will culminate in our pantomime which is always one of the most popular events in our calendar.” Indeed. Tickets for Beauty and the Beast (which runs from December 8th to December 31st) have seen an extraordinary demand, with people

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eager to enjoy the traditional end-ofyear event that was missed so much last year. The forthcoming anniversary of the Corn Exchange may have one eye on its long-established role in the cultural heritage of King’s Lynn, but it’s also looking to the future with the arrival of new Front of House Manager Tom Cundy - although it’s more like a return than an arrival, since he worked at the venue as a youngster before going on to manage the town’s famous Majestic Cinema for a decade. “I’ve always been a massive film fan but I’m really excited at the prospect of branching out and getting involved with live theatre and musical productions,” he says. “This is a fantastic venue and we’re currently working on some amazing ideas - both on the screen and on the stage.” The cinema already presents autismand baby-friendly screenings and has proved popular for private hire events (especially with the local video gaming community) - but Tom is planning to introduce more independent and arthouse productions and to host classic film festivals. A celebratory event on Friday 20th September will include a VIP launch for the pantomime and a fun celebration for staff to mark the 25th anniversary in style. The new cinema will also be open for free (on a first come, first served basis) appropriately screening films from 1996

- a year which gave us such cinematic gems as Braveheart, Trainspotting, Matilda and Sense and Sensibility. “We were unable to have a suitably star-studded event when the cinema opened last year, but our 25th anniversary gives us the perfect opportunity to celebrate this beautiful venue and what a central part it plays in the cultural life of King’s Lynn,” says Marketing and Branding Manager Charlotte Wright. “People who’ve been entertained here for many years will be really impressed with the changes we’ve made - and if you’ve never been to the Corn Exchange before you’re in for a real treat.” So as the curtain rises and the opening credits roll there’s never been a better time to discover one of the area’s most popular live venues. For current and forthcoming shows and film screenings, more information, the latest news and online booking details, please visit the website at kingslynncornexchange.co.uk

KLmagazine September 2021

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Bigger, brighter and even better than ever... Core Technology Projects showroom has been transformed and is the perfect showcase for the future of home technology and automation

ollowing a recent major refurbishment, the Core Technology Projects’ showroom is now almost four times bigger than before, offering the very best home entertainment experience in the area - with a dedicated cinema room, specially-designed furniture, and live demonstrations of everything from the very latest ideas in home security to next-generation gaming. There’s no better way to discover the latest innovations in a very real sense - you can watch them, listen to them, play with them and see how easy it is to control all of them at the touch of a button. And there’s no better time to do it either - because we spent a record £9 billion on home entertainment last year as streaming services boomed, sales

of digital and physical media rocketed, and next-generation consoles saw a huge increase in video games software. In fact, overall spending on home entertainment soared by 17% in 2020 – the fastest annual rate since records began 25 years ago. “People aren’t just demanding better pictures and better sound,” says Core Technology Projects managing director Jim Garrett. “They’re also looking for more comfort and more flexibility, and they’re looking for an expert local service to make sense of all the technical wizardry. And that’s where we come in.” For several years Jim and his team have been designing and installing state-of-the-art technology systems into people’s homes, and have become the area’s leaders in bespoke cinema rooms. With full 4K UHD resolution,

crystal-clear screens up to 13ft wide, full Dolby ATMOS surround sound, completely automated and easy-touse controls, and luxurious bespoke seating, it’s everything you expect from the magic of the movies, but it’s all in the comfort of your own home. “Don’t worry if you don’t have space for your own cinema,” says Jim, “because we can connect your existing television to a discreet and wireless sound system. The options are virtually endless and we’ll always design a system to meet a customer’s individual requirements.“ Contact Core Technology Projects today and start bringing the future into your home.

Tel: 01553 776413 | Web: www.coretp.uk | E-mail: enquiries@coretp.uk 1 APS House, Oldmedow Road, Hardwick Industrial Estate, King’s Lynn PE30 4JJ KLmagazine September 2021

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A new exhibition and a new view of King’s Lynn As artist and poet Alison Dunhill prepares to open a new exhibition of work in the centre of King’s Lynn, she reflects on a lifetime of art and how life in lockdown took her in a new direction

PICTURES: Cordoba Landscape (oil on canvas), River Great Ouse at Sunset (acrylic on linen, opposite) and Houghton Evening (oil on canvas, below) are just three of the paintings featured in Alison Dunhill’s new Lockdown Landscape exhibition

lison Dunhill is one of our most accomplished local artists and she’s also one of our most interesting, having divided her time between exquisite paintings and evocative award-winnning poetry over the course of some four decades - which included a residency in Brazil and several years in Italy on the fringes of an influential group of avant-garde artists, intellectuals, and political theorists. As she opens a new exhibition of work painted during and in response to the impact of Covid-19 (and launches

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her latest collection of poetry) it seems an appropriate time to reflect on a quite remarkable career. “I think I was always destined to be an artist of some kind,” she says from her home and studio in the centre of King’s Lynn. “I clearly remember painting some daffodils at my grandmother’s house in Suffolk when I was about six, I did modern ballet at school, and I started writing my own poetry when I was 13. I knew I wanted to be an artist, and I loved all three disciplines equally - but then maybe art shouldn’t be categorised. Why can’t a painter be a poet as well?” Having left Reading University (where she graduated with a degree in Fine Art) Alison travelled by herself to Italy, establishing her own studio and studying the old masters. “I loved Renaissance painters such as Masaccio and Giotto and wanted to see their work in situ,” she says. “It was quite a contrast to the political situation outside the fabulous galleries and

ornate churches because most of Europe seemed to be on the brink of revolutionary change.” It was during this time that Alison associated with members of the Situationist International movement, a collection of innovative artists and radical thinkers who were looking to change the world. “It was a very cerebral affair based

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Alison will be donating 15% of all proceeds from the exhibition to the Purfleet Trust, the local charity established in 1993 to provide help for single homeless people in King’s Lynn and West Norfolk.

PICTURES: Three new works by Alsion Dunhill painted during lockdown, showing the River Great Ouse at Saddlebow at various times of the day

on theories and social criticism rather than activism and protest,” says Alison. “What appealed to me was that they believed everybody from all classes and backgrounds should be artists if they wanted to be. It sounds very romantic today, but they worked really hard to try and achieve that - and it was a very valuable lesson.” Returning to England Alison moved to West Rudham in west Norfolk, bringing up a family, continuing to develop her art, and writing (and publishing) her poetry - and it was her painting that prompted her move to King’s Lynn. “We were living in a lovely cottage but the low ceilings made it difficult for me to get my easel up,” she says. “I didn’t know King’s Lynn that well at the time, but I’ve always loved Georgian architecture and when I found a house for sale in the shadow of the town’s iconic South Gate I immediately knew it was the place for me and my work.” And it was in King’s Lynn that Alison’s work took an entirely new direction, moving away from vibrant landscapes with intense colours to experimental and abstract art. “I think it was the legacy of my art residency in Brazil,” she says. “In a complete contrast to my usual style I started producing 3D sculptural pieces exploring shapes and textures and using found objects. It formed the centre of my last exhibition at the Fermoy 134

Gallery in 2018 and in many ways it was the shock of the new.” And then Covid-19 arrived on the scene. “Lockdown forced me to re-evaluate my work and re-think the way I saw the world,” says Alison. “I’d always loved working outdoors and painting in situ, and those difficult months were a revelation. The solitude, the sense of being with nature, the clearer light and the peace and quiet - and the captivating daily changes on the River Great Ouse.” Alison described her experiences

in an essay for Now This: Reflections on our Arts and Cultures, a recentlypublished collection of monographs by several visual artists from around the country discussing the impact of Covid-19 on their lives, ways of working, and their approach to art. And her new-found love for openair painting and the local environment is captured in Lockdown Landscape, an exhibition of almost 20 new works (and some older works that have never been exhibited in King’s Lynn before) that will open on 1st October. Happily, the exhibition coincides with the publication of Alison’s latest collection of poetry As Pure as Coal Dust, which won a James Tate Poetry Prize in 2020. She’ll be launching the book and reading a selection of the new poems at a special event on Friday 8th October. “As we enter a world full of new challenges and new opportunites I think it’s very important for us to look at what’s around us all the time,” says Alison. “I don’t think art needs to have an overt political message - it simply needs to make us consider our lives and our place in the world and where we’re all going. My work isn’t intended to change the world - it invites you to take a step back and think about the things we take for granted too often.”

Lockdown Landscape 1st-15th October 2021 Open every day 11am-4pm | Free entry Fermoy Gallery, St. George’s Courtyard, King’s Lynn PE30 1EU

KLmagazine September 2021

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Choose air conditioning for a better night’s sleep Why the latest air conditioning systems by Fujitsu from the 4 Way Group are better for you and kinder to the environment

or almost 20 years the 4 Way Group has been designing and installing domestic and commercial air conditioning systems throughout the area, but although people understand the yearround versatility of the technology, few realise the health benefits of air conditioning - which are likely to become even more important as temperatures continue to rise. “We all know that air conditioning can help you keep cool during the summer, but it also helps you sleep in the optimum temperature of 1520°C”, says director Steve Simpson. “If you’ve ever woken up in the middle of the night to pull an extra blanket over yourself for warmth or to shake them off because you’re uncomfortably warm you’ll know exactly what I mean.” Try to sleep in a room that’s too hot or too cold and you’ll stay awake trying

to adjust yourself to the less-than-ideal conditions. Many years of research have proved that a good night’s sleep results in a longer and sharper attention span - and makes you more attentive and ready to focus on the day ahead. Sleeping at 15-20°C even encourages the body to release melatonin, a hormone that fights against the symptoms of aging. “Our air conditioning systems feature filters that remove pollen and other allergens from the air,” says Steve, “and they also use a new refrigerant which contains around 20% less harmful elements, which results in a better performance, super-low emissions and much lower energy costs.” Based in the centre of King’s Lynn but covering the whole of the east of England, the 4 Way Group offers some of the very best air conditioning systems on the market today from one of the world’s most respected and

innovative manufacturers. “We’ve been an approved Fujitsu installer for several years now,” says Steve. “We’ve always preferred to use their high quality air conditioning systems because their performance and energy-efficiency is outstanding. We also offer a complete seven-year parts warranty, but the units are so reliable that you’ll almost certainly never need to use it.” These are just a few of the reasons why the 4 Way Group is the area’s leading supplier and installer of air conditioning - which can usually be fitted in a single day. And don’t forget that the 4 Way Group is always available for help, advice, maintenance support and emergency servicing. Contact Steve and his team at the 4 Way Group today for high quality air conditioning that isn’t just better for you and your family. It’s better for your home, it’s better for the planet, and it’s better for your bank balance.

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How art is helping to save the world... Currently taking part in a global arts project to highlight the extent and implications of extraction, GroundWork Gallery in King’s Lynn is raising issues and provoking thoughts about our future

he last few years have seen an unprecedented growth of eco-awareness and activism throughout the arts, with painters, musicians, actors, sculptors and film makers addressing the planet’s inexorable drift towards disaster. Can the arts really save the world? In the short term, probably not. That’s what politicians are supposed to be for.

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But the arts are an incredibly powerful way of reminding us that it’s possible to save the world. Art can shock us, inspire us, and spur us into action. Although the arts could hardly be described as a major polluter compared with the petrochemical industry, there is an ever-growing array of cultural green initiatives, from fashion designers using sustainable and recycled fabrics to theatres recycling sets - and the

Royal National Theatre in London recently replaced all the tungsten lights in its Olivier foyer with LEDs, cutting energy use by 88%. One of the most extraordinary art projects addressing the issue is Extraction: Art on the Edge of the Abyss, a multimedia, multi-venue, cross-border initiative involving hundreds of artists and all forms of art working across the entire world at the

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same time with a single purpose: to highlight our suicidal consumption of the planet’s natural resources, which may well be even more important than climate change. And to date the only exhibition venue in the UK to be taking part in this (literally) groundbreaking project is GroundWork Gallery in King’s Lynn. “We’re really excited about participating in the Extraction programme, especially as its aims are in line with our own ethos,” says GroundWork Gallery Director Veronica Sekules. “We’ve long believed that art and artists must play a part in increasing our care for the environment. The impact of art starts with a deeper insight and understanding - and

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that hopefully will lead to inspiration and influence.” Together with a projects grant from the Norfolk Coast Partnership, the gallery is also working with the Norfolk Geodiversity Partnership and the Restoration Trust to raise awareness, encourage debate and educate people about the issues involved through thought-provoking works of art. Take Karen Frances Eng, for example, who lives in King’s Lynn at the mouth of the River Great Ouse and is working on a long-term photographic project documenting the changing demands of the town’s population. “Humans have drastically re-shaped this part of the river for centuries,” she says. “It’s been excavated, moved, contained and dredged in the name of agriculture and urban development, and climate change means that rising sea levels are making us look at the possibility

of creating a barrage to protect King’s Lynn. Of course, that conflicts with our desire to preserve the landscape and its ecosystem - it’s a perfect example of the position we’ve put ourselves in when it comes to how we relate to nature.” Another artist who’ll be working with GroundWork Gallery is Norwich-based Kaitlin Ferguson, who works directly with geologic materials to investigate the ‘deep history’ of the planet - and ask questions about what the ‘deep future’ may be. Her work includes a 2014 installation on Happisburgh beach highlighting the dramatic effects climate change has wreaked on the landscape, and a wind 139

installation at Cley-next-the-Sea in 2018 she produced as a selected artist for Cley Contemporary Art. “Human agency is so often the central voice in the planetary narrative, but listening to an alternative voice is now more important than ever,” she says. “Approaching the timescale of our species from the perspective of planetary time emphasises our relative insignificance - but also reframes the scale and impact of our destruction to the earth.” It’s an issue that really hits home when you consider the humble

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ballpoint pen contains tungsten and that your mobile phone contains up to 10 minerals that have been extracted from the earth. And it’s an issue that’s genuinely on our doorstep. “Since the early 20th century large quarries have developed in the sandrocks of the King’s Lynn area at places such as Bawsey, Leziate and Middleton,” says Tim Holt Wilson of the Norfolk Geodiversity Partnership. “They serve national and international markets, but even though their environmental impact is carefully controlled by our planning system, they still have a large visual impact and can even be seen from space. These are finite natural landforms that have taken over 400,000 years to develop, and that’s what we have to address - we need to start taking the long-term view.”

And over the next two years that’s what the GroundWork Gallery will be doing - although the Extraction project is intended to do a lot more than introduce you to striking works from some of the most exciting artists currently working in the UK. “Whether they use film, photography, sculpture, found materials or paint the primary purpose is for these works of art to be thought-provoking,” says Veronica Sekules, “but it goes deeper than that. We want to take that further and explore what we can do with those provoked thoughts.” For details of the current artist in residence and exhibition times, please visit www.groundworkgallery.com. The final exhibition runs from 20th September to 2nd October and will feature all the work of the residency projects, the gallery being open every day from 11am-4pm for those two weeks.

EXTRACTION: Art on the Edge of the Abyss GroundWork Gallery 17 Purfleet Street, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1ER KLmagazine September 2021

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Lights, cameras, action: and test your knowledge Given Norfolk’s fabulous setting it’s not surprising the local area has made several appearances on the silver screen over the years. Here are 26 questions to test how well you know the county’s cinematic heritage 1 When Armando Iannucci filmed The Personal History of David Copperfield in King’s Lynn in 2018, the area around the Custom House represented which other town in Norfolk? a. Hunstanton b. Great Yarmouth c. Wells-next-the-Sea d. Cromer 2 It starred Margaret Lockwood and James Mason, was filmed on location at Blickling Hall, and was one of the most popular films of its time. What was it? a. The Bad Sister b. The Kind Mother c. The Other Woman d. The Wicked Lady

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3 The 2002 James Bond film Die Another Day turned part of north Norfolk into a North Korean paddy field - but which part? a. Burnham Deepdale b. Blakeney harbour c. Cromer pier d. Thornham 4 Which 1985 film was shot in King’s Lynn and was received so poorly by critics and audiences that star Al Pacino refused to make another film for four years? a. Dissolution b. Revolution c. Revelation d. Lamentation

5 Out of Africa (1985) with Robert Redford and Meryl Streep won seven Oscars - which location in west Norfolk was transformed into Denmark for the film? a. Old Hunstanton b. Snettisham c. Castle Rising d. Dersingham 6 Starring Sir Alec Guinness as a retired sea captain, which comedy film was shot in Hunstanton in 1957? a. Barnacle Bill b. Red Rackham c. Captain Pugwash d. Sammy the Sailor

KLmagazine September 2021

9 Which of the following films does NOT feature Holkham Hall? a. The Duchess (2008) b. Hearts in Atlantis (2001) c. All the King’s Men (1999) d. Dean Spanley (2008) 7 The beach at Holkham became world famous thanks to Gwyneth Paltrow and the 1998 film Shakespeare in Love - but which actor played Shakespeare? a. Daniel Craig b. Michael Fassbender c. Joseph Fiennes d. David Tennant 8 Which atmospheric location in Norfolk was used for the 1964 horror film The Tomb of Ligeia starring Vincent Price? a. Binham Priory b. Bawsey Ruins c. Oxburgh Hall d. Castle Acre Priory

10 Which 1987 Stanley Kubrick film turned the Norfolk Broads into the Vietnamese countryside for a helicopter attack? a. A Clockwork Orange b. The Shining c. 2001: A Space Odyssey d. Full Metal Jacket 11 In the 1960s a soap opera was filmed on location in the beautiful cul-de-sac village of Heydon - but what was it called? a. Norfolkenders b. Triangle c. Weavers Green d. Heydonoaks

12 Dad’s Army is well known for being partly filmed in Thetford, but who was NOT a member of the platoon? a. Captain George Mainwaring b. Private Joe Walker c. Private James Frazer d. Lance Corporal Billy Bluelight 13 The popular television series ‘Allo ‘Allo! was filmed at various places in Norfolk such as Denver Windmill and the church at Beeston, but which hall provided the set for René Artois’ café in Nouvion? a. Lynford Hall b. Holkham Hall c. Blickling Hall d. Oxburgh Hall 14 Filmed in Norfolk in 1999, the atrocious Norfolk accents in All the King’s Men led to the formation of what? a. The Norfolk Accent Society b. The Normal for Norfolk Association c. The Friends of Norfolk Dialect d. The Keep it Local Club

ANSWERS

The only way to receive the answers to this quiz is by joining Friends of KL magazine. If you haven’t already registered (it’s completely free) please visit www.klmagazine.co.uk - all you need is an e-mail address and we’ll send you the answers in a few weeks. KLmagazine September 2021

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Giving young people a kick-start to their career KL magazine is a proud partner of the Kickstart Scheme, and trainee writer Charlie Lock explains how your business can benefit

ursuing a career in the creative industry within Norfolk was always going to be an uncertain endeavour, but I hadn’t thought searching for a job during a global pandemic would be a challenge I’d face. Like so many people, however, that was my grim reality. Having completed a Master’s in Creative Writing, I spent weeks checking job listings and applied for numerous roles in journalism, publishing, and freelance. I even extended my search to opportunities in London – all to no avail. At a time when 5% of the UK population was unemployed, my degree couldn’t help 144

me stand out when I didn’t have the relevant work experience. Soon after, I sought help from my local Jobcentre, and it was my work coach who first informed me of the Kickstart Scheme: a program for businesses to offer 6-month placements which the government would fully fund. And shining like a light at the end of the tunnel was the chance to work for KL magazine. I submitted my application, attended the interview,

and a couple of weeks later started my first day as a trainee writer. Three months on, I’m still pinching myself. Kickstart came at exactly the right time for me, and this has been true for many young people across the country. The scheme began in September 2020, with £2 billion set aside to create thousands of high-quality placements. The government covers 100% of the employee’s wage including contributions to National Insurance and minimum automatic pension enrolment. The scheme is open to 16-24-yearolds to give them the experience necessary to enhance their job prospects. Once you’ve submitted your business to work with Kickstart, your application is sent to your local Jobcentre where a work coach selects several suitable young people. You’ll interview the applicants and choose the right candidate for the role and soon you’ll be gaining a new, keen employee whilst giving them a vital start to their career. “With everyone going through a difficult time recently, we really wanted to assist local young people in finding work,” says Eric Secker, editor of KL magazine, who believes Kickstart has been a great opportunity for the magazine too. “Journalism can be a very tricky industry to enter, so being able to help talented young people such as Charlie is very rewarding - and benefits the both of us.” KL magazine also has a graphic design position currently available – which is another brilliant opening for someone looking to apply their creative skills to a working environment. Without the Kickstart Scheme, the fantastic opportunity to work at KL magazine wouldn’t have been available to me. A local job in exactly the role I’ve been searching for is a dream come true; and at the very least it’s saving me money on a commute to London If you‘re interested in associating your business with Kickstart, please visit www.gov.uk/government/ collections/kickstart-scheme for information. The scheme ends on 31st December, with all opportunities closing on that date.

GRAPHIC DESIGN ROLE AVAILABLE Young people (16-24) interested in joining the Kickstart scheme should visit their nearest Job Centre for details of the many local opportunities available - which currently include a position for a graphic designer at KL magazine.

KLmagazine September 2021

Michael Middleton’s

WildWestNorfolk

hile watching the Tokyo 2020 Olympics last month, the rather delayed start to the whole event reminded me of the wonderful Eric Moussambani, who became an international sensation thanks to his performance at the Sydney games 20 years ago. Despite never have seen an Olympicsized pool before, having started swimming only six months previously, and only being able to train in a local hotel’s small pool for an hour a day at 5am he went to Australia in 2000 and represented Equatorial Guinea in the 100m Freestyle. Although admitting that “the last 15 metres were very difficult” he managed to set no less than three records - a personal best, his country’s best-ever performance in the sport, and an Olympic record for the slowest-ever time for the event. While the eventual gold medal winner Pieter van den Hoogenband took just under 50 seconds to swim up and down the pool, it took the determined Eric Moussambani the best part of two minutes. Incredibly, he actually managed to win his heat because his two fellow competitors were disqualified due to false starts. I started thinking about Eric and his swimming exploits a few weeks ago when Mrs Middleton took me to a local croquet match in the village. Now, if you thought the offside rule was hard to understand, you haven’t experienced the complexities and competitiveness in the world of village croquet. There are balls of different colours all over the place, there are several little hoop-like things stuck in the ground, everyone’s armed with an 146

oversized hammer of some sort and the players tend to come out with odd phrases such as “chance for a triple peel here” or “now for the rover hoop” - which I can only assume make some sense to someone at some point. As for yours truly (who was a somewhat reluctant and totally clueless spectator) I took the opportunity to avail myself of the refreshments, which showed that whatever Snettisham lacks in sporting prowess it more than makes up for in the cake-making abilities of its residents. While I was tucking into three generous slices of various delicious cakes (I avoided Mrs Middleton’s double-layered cranberry and ginger upside-down cake as I’ve been there, done that and regretted it ever since) I suddenly remembered that croquet used to be an Olympic sport. Well, for a couple of days at least. At the 1900 Paris Olympics there were three croquet gold medals up for grabs, and even women were allowed to take part. The excitement could hardly be contained, which can’t be said of the crowd - which appears to have consisted of a single person. The ‘competition’ was rather lacklustre as well. Only 10 players took part and they were all from France, so no prizes for guessing who took the gold medals. Or the silver and bronze ones. Ducking out of the way after a panicked shout of “fore!” by a player who’d taken the Tiger Woods approach to croquet, I managed to hold on to my Victoria Sponge and reflected more on strange Olympic sports for which people have ‘won’ medals. Rope Climbing appeared at four Olympic Games before 1932; tug-ofwar stopped in 1920 (sadly, since it

was one of the few sports the British excelled at); shooting live pigeons only took place in Paris in 1900, and it took three Olympic Games (1984-92) before the organisers realised that solo synchronized swimming was a rather daft contradiction in terms. But considering my rather sedentary lifestyle I think my favourite Olympic event was the one that appeared at the four games between 1928-48. You didn’t have to climb a rope, jump through a barrel, pull on a piece of rope or kill a load of pigeons. Yes, for 20 years you could actually win an Olympic gold medal for town planning. Even more remarkably Great Britain actually won the event in 1932, with a design by John Hughes for “a Sports and Recreation Centre with Stadium for the City of Liverpool” - narrowly beating Jens Hovmoller Klemmensen’s design for a public park in Denmark. As another red ball came hurtling past my head and left me questioning croquet’s claims to elegance and serenity, I left the players to their game and headed once more to the refreshments tent. “No, no, no,” I heard the woman from the post office shout at an elderly gentleman who seemed totally nonplussed with the whole affair. “That’s the backward ball - that one over there is the forward ball.” This game is actually probably still going on if you’re anywhere near Snettisham in the next few weeks and are remotely interested. Just remember to keep your head down. And meanwhile please congratulate Mrs Edith Simmons for winning my hastily-drawn gold medal thanks to her wonderful coffee and walnut cake. KLmagazine September 2021

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