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SEPTEMBER 2014
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Catch of the day WHY PLYMOUTH IS LEADING THE WAY IN SERVING SUSTAINABLE FISH
Smart and understated LET YOUR JEWELLERY SET YOU APART
Mollie’s Saturdays can’t wait for Plymouth GIRL GROUP EAGER FOR CITY DATE
| M O T O R I N G | T R AV E L | F O O D & D R I N K | O U T & A B O U T | S O C I A L D I A R Y | SEPTEMBER COVER.indd 1
22/08/2014 11:47:03
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CONTENTS
PEOPLE
FAMILY
TRAVEL
6 CHARLOTTE HOLMES
36 PACKED WITH GOODNESS
56 LUXURY CRUISING
Model in motion
10 AMANDA PROWSE
Keeping lunchboxes healthy
Author and military wife
38 DOWN AT THE PARK
12 ANNIE MEAKIN
Kids learn new skills
Artist’s view of Plymouth
40 SLEEPING WITH SHARKS
14 BRIAN POLLARD Visit his wonderful world
A night at the aquarium
18 JODIE PRENGER
42 TRAINING TIPS
Queen of the musicals
20 THE SATURDAYS Girl group who love Plymouth
How to run your first 10k
HOMES & GARDENS 43 GET YOUR BAKE ON
FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY
Essential kitchenware
44 GREEN GREEN GRASS Fuss-free lawns
22 KILLER KIMONOS This season’s must-have look
24 SURF’S UP Looking stylish on the waves
58 HOLIDAY HAVEN A hidden gem
60 TWICE IN A LIFETIME Places you must return to
FOOD & DRINK 62 FISH TO FORK Plymouth’s devotion to conservation
66 TIME FOR TEA Cosy up with cake
68 AUTUMN’S BOUNTY Make the most of seasonal fruit
45 TOPIARY Sculpting shrubs
46 SEPTEMBER GARDENING TIPS
OUT & ABOUT
27 MAINTAIN THE GLOW
What to do this month
70 OCEAN CITY FESTIVAL
How to keep your summer tan
48 WATTS THE FLORIST
September’s main event
Beautiful blooms
72 CAUGHT ON CAMERA
28 STYLE THAT SHINES Jewellery that’s a class apart
32 JOHN MOORE DENTAL John Moore Dental
follow us
Ian Calvert’s tips
33 PLYMOUTH COLLEGE OF ART Designs on ambition
/PLMagPlymouth
34 JULIA HUBBARD
@PLMagPlymouth
Athlete with the edge
50 ARMADA KITCHENS Stylish designs
A film-maker’s paradise
52 HAPPY BIRTHDAY
75 DRIVE-IN MOVIES
UK designers celebrate
Cinema al fresco
54 SEEKING SANCTUARY
76 TAMAR FILM FESTIVAL
Make your bathroom beautiful
77 LOOE FESTIVAL
Movies by the river A musical treat
78 SOCIAL DIARY 80 TOP 6 EVENTS
PUBLISHER: Paul Burton 01752 293045 ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Fiona Stoddart THE HERALD: 01752 293000 For more contact details see page 82
What to do this month
COVER: Mollie King from The Saturdays PL MAGAZINE | 3 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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perfect time to try something new
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always feel that September, like January, is a chance for new beginnings. Returning from summer holidays and seeing children go back to school always prompts the feeling that it is time for a new start. Whether that means a new job, a new resolution or simply a new haircut or outfit, September is a great time to look at things afresh. And there are plenty of ideas in this month’s edition of PL to help us do just that. We’ve got an inspiring interview with model Charlotte Holmes about how she combines her career with a love of fitness. As well as modelling for sports brands, the former Face of Plymouth also works hard as a personal trainer. Meanwhile writer Emily Smith has resolved to run this year’s Plymouth 10k in November and shares the training tips and advice she’s been given. And as Plymouth prepares to host the Blue Mile event you might also be inspired by our article on the ways you can take the plunge and help the environmental charity. This month’s issue also has a maritime theme to coincide with the Ocean City Festival celebrations. We’ve been looking at how Plymouth makes the most of its ready supply of fresh fish and given you some ideas of how to cook and where to enjoy it. The Big Screen also takes centre stage in this edition with a preview of the fantastically quirky Tamar Film Festival and the outdoor cinema being hosted at the Royal William Yard. Rachael Dodd has also been visiting some of the locations around Plymouth which have starred in blockbuster movies. While summer is coming to a close there’s still plenty to see and do around Plymouth and we’ve packed as much as possible into this edition. We hope you enjoy it!
Clare Jardine Clare Jardine – PL Magazine
PL MAGAZINE | 4 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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PEOPLE
PHOTOGRAPHY: JOHN ALLEN HAIR: MELANIE EMMETT AT EXPERIENCE UTOPIA MAKE UP: BECCA SEARLE
s s e c c u s y a A run-aw PL MAGAZINE | 6 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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PEOPLE
CHARLOTTE HOLMES TALKS TO EMILY SMITH ABOUT COMBINING A LOVE OF FITNESS WITH HER MODELLING CAREER
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porty model Charlotte Holmes was preparing for a casting with Asics when I caught up with her at her home in London. Wearing full running gear, she’d been told she would need to run on a treadmill to assess her suitability to promote the sports brand. Charlotte started modelling when she was 18, taking part in the Face of Plymouth in 2007. She is currently based in London and sometimes attends up to five model castings a day. After finishing her A-Levels at Devonport High School, Charlotte was accepted on an undergraduate course at Cardiff University to studying physiotherapy. It was the same year the model won Miss Cornwall and took fourth place in the Miss England competition. It wasn’t long before Charlotte’s modelling career took off and she had to turn down her place at Cardiff to move to London, where she signed with a modelling agency. Charlotte went on to win Miss Guildford and come fifth at the Miss England competition in 2010. Things got even better for the Plymouth-born girl when she competed in Britain’s Next Top Model, on her third attempt to be selected for the programme. Charlotte finished fourth in the competition when she was 21 years old, and walked the catwalk at London Fashion Week for the first time in the same year. Charlotte said: “Taking part in Britain’s Next Top Model is one of those things you don’t realise what you’re doing while you’re doing it. It had to be kept a secret until it was on TV so I couldn’t even talk to anyone about it. “It was scary but it all happened so quickly. I’m pretty laid back so I didn’t get involved with any of the arguments that took place. I just kept myself to myself. “It was really strange seeing myself on the TV. It’s weird really – you take part in it, then you have to wait for ages for it to go on TV. All my friends and family were really excited and supportive once it was aired though.” Since then, the model’s career has gone from strength to strength and Charlotte has modelled for brands such as Marks & Spencer and Abercrombie and Fitch. It was at this time that Charlotte wanted to broaden her horizons and took up television presenting, working at first with Plymouth-based Silverstream TV.
England meant I did some charity work but I wanted to combine my love of fitness and charity – it was a crazy decision. “Most people do half marathons first – I went straight into a full one. Now I am a personal trainer I CHARLOTTE HOLMES manage to see my clients alongside all my modelling Charlotte presented the behind-the-scenes work. I suppose it does keep me grounded but it’s coverage live for the online section of the Miss never been a conscious decision for me to stay fit England finals in Birmingham. – I just love doing it.” Keeping fit plays a big part in Charlotte’s dayIn April, Charlotte ran her third London to-day life and in June this year she became a Marathon, in aid of The Rooprai Spinal Trust, and fully-qualified personal trainer. She ran her first says she has “promised [her] poor knees it would London Marathon in April 2011 and has run be [her] last”. three more since. During Britain’s Next Top Model, Charlotte’s Charlotte said: “I decided to do the London sporty physique wasn’t considered skinny enough Marathon for the first time because I wanted to do by some of the judges, but her toned shape makes something for charity. Being involved with Miss her the ideal model for sportswear brands.
‘I decided to do the London Marathon for the first time because I wanted to do something for charity – it was a crazy decision’ -
PL MAGAZINE | 7 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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PEOPLE
CHARLOTTE POSES IN ONE OF HER EARLY SHOOTS FOR THE FACE OF PLYMOUTH
CHARLOTTE RUNNING THE RACE FOR LIFE IN PLYMOUTH WITH HER MUM, VONNY
She continues to model for names like Selfridges, ASOS and Nike and has appeared in national magazines including Women’s Fitness, Zest, Cosmopolitan and Women’s Running. It was in 2012 that Charlotte decided to give Miss England one last go and won. She then competed at Miss World in China over a six-week period and finished in eighth place. After winning the Miss England title, Charlotte presented the finals held in Devon. Her work also took her around the world to Istanbul and further afield to California.
‘Taking part in Britain’s Next Top Model is one of those things you don’t realise what you’re doing while you’re doing it’ - CHARLOTTE HOLMES Charlotte said: “Later in the year my presenting work took me to Egypt where I learnt to dive and became a qualified PADI open-water diver. I was made an ambassador for the Genesis Research Trust, which as an IVF baby was a huge honour for me. “In September I flew to Sri Lanka with 30 other women and the Genesis Research Trust charity to complete a bike ride around the island to raise money for various projects Genesis were working on at the time. “I then moved to Dubai and signed with an agency and worked and lived in the United Arab Emirates until January of this year.” Charlotte’s career has seen her travelling
all over the world from Mauritius to Bulgaria, Greece and Portugal. Winning Miss England has also allowed the model to visit Thailand, Paris, Barcelona, Dubai and Gibraltar. While in Paris, Charlotte ran the half marathon alongside an idol, supermodel Natalia Vodianova. Charlotte was in London when I spoke to her but is already thinking about travel next year. She said: “I was quite lucky growing up because we went on holidays as a family a lot, but being able to travel with my job is amazing. It’s hard to choose a favourite place but I love Mauritius.” Charlotte’s parents still live in Torpoint and the model is keen to grace Plymouth shores as much as she can. “I come back as often as I can but with my work everything is quite last minute so it’s hard to plan a trip. I couldn’t do my job anywhere else though,” she said. It never stops for the young model and she is currently training to run the Great North Run half marathon this month and will be continuing to present and personal train as and when her job allows her to.
CHARLOTTE WINS MISS ENGLAND
PL MAGAZINE | 8 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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Charlotte has modelled for brands such as Marks & Spencer and Abercrombie and Fitch
SEPTEMBER
James Taylor SOLD OUT Friday 5 September
Summer’s End Cider Festival Saturday 6 September
Bryan Adams SOLD OUT The Bare Bones Acoustic Show Monday 8 September
London Grammar SOLD OUT Thursday 18 September
The Definitive Rat Pack Saturday 20 September
The Saturdays Greatest Hits Live!
Tuesday 23 September
The Osmonds Up Close & Personal
Wednesday 24 September
Peter Andre Big Night Tour
Tuesday 30 September
OCTOBER Horrible Histories Barmy Britain 2 October - 5 October
coming soon
Lee Mack Hit the Road Mack! 8 - 9 October
An Evening with Caro Emerald SOLD OUT Tuesday 14 October Jim Davidson No Further Action
NOVEMBER
Festival of Remembrance Friday 7 November
Paloma Faith Only Love Can Hurt Like This SOLD OUT Saturday 8 November UB40
Thursday 16 October
Monday 10 November
Alan Davies Little Victories
An Evening with Noel Fielding
John Bishop Supersonic
Thursday 13 November
Wednesday 12 November
Saturday 18 October
Passenger
Jon Richardson Nidiot
22 - 24 October
Saturday 15 November
John Newman
Bellowhead
Monday 27 October
Sunday 18 November
Paul Potts Live in Concert
Lily Allen
Wednesday 29 October
Example
DECEMBER
Bombay Bicycle Club
Thursday 30 October
Vampires Rock The Final Countdown Friday 31 October
Saturday 29 November
The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Plymouth Christmas Spectacular Saturday 6 December
Madness M.A.D.H.E.A.D.
Monday 8 December
Basement Jaxx
Tuesday 9 December
Machine Head
Thursday 11 December
Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues
Orchestra with special guest Joss Stone Friday 12 December
Magic of Motown The Baby Love Tour
Saturday 13 December
The Human League The A.U. Tour Sunday 14 December
Status Quo
Monday 15 December
Thursday 4 December
Jake and Elwood’s Christmas Party
One Night of Queen Gary Mullen and The Works
Abba Mania
Friday 5 December
Friday 19 December
Saturday 20 December
Head to our website or give us a call to book your tickets now www.plymouthpavilions.com | 0845 146 1460 PL MAGAZINE | 9 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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PEOPLE
Devon’s beauty inspires Amanda’s love story BEST-SELLING AUTHOR AMANDA PROWSE SPEAKS TO RACHAEL DODD ABOUT HER LATEST BOOK, HER LOVE OF DEVON, AND HER LIFE AS A MILITARY WIFE
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hen I caught up with Amanda Prowse she had just returned from a trip to South Africa. After such high-flying adventures Amanda had her feet firmly on the ground and, when I called, was in the midst of the rather more mundane job of assembling a flat-pack wardrobe. As a military wife, Amanda is rarely settled. She often travels with her two teenage boys, Josh and Ben, to be with her husband, Major Simeon Prowse MBE. It’s not an easy life and it was Amanda’s emotional experiences that inspired her first novel Poppy Day. All proceeds from the best-seller went to the British Legion. “Being a military wife is a very odd life,” Amanda says. “It’s not something you can really prepare for. I’ve had six addresses in eight years and spent a lot of time effectively as a single mum. “There’s always that element of danger and you feel sometimes that the only people you can talk to are people who know what you’re going through. My husband had training when he joined the military, but I didn’t. If I have to write about loneliness or separation or even just imagining the loss or death then my experiences help me. In saying that the Army has been very good to both of us and my husband has been trained and qualified through them.” Amanda’s latest book, A Little Love, is the story of Pru Plum, owner of a famous Mayfair bakery. Pru wears Chanel and her hair is expensively cut. Few would believe that this elegant woman turned 66 last year. But Pru has done shameful things to get to where she is today and will do anything to protect the secrets of her past – especially when, for the first time in her life, she has finally fallen in love. The story is partly set in Salcombe and Amanda says she and her husband have always loved the area: “I’ve got such fond memories and it’s special to so many people that I’ve spoken to. People go to Thailand for their gap years now but I actually went to Salcombe! I had various jobs there, from working in a bistro to a pop-up gallery. “Devon is where my husband and I want to settle eventually – we love the Westcountry. It’s a
popular hobby for us to search the web for Devon houses we can’t afford – about a mile from the sea, perhaps on a hill, that would suit me fine. There’s something about the air there. I think there’s a clear association from my childhood when we came to Devon and all the inner-city worry was just gone.” Amanda was born and raised in London but has always kept strong links with Devon and she says the county has the perfect settings for romantic storylines. “Places like Hope Cove and Kingsbridge are so romantic, with the waves crashing against the rocks. Forget marriage counselling – just go there and see if you don’t fall in love all over again! “Devon has this really unique combination where you’re never far from the city with all sights and sounds, but you’re also never far from some of the most incredible coastline in Britain. There’s something special about the air and the landscape is exceptional, the food is exceptional.
‘You feel welcomed in Devon, people remember you and they’re so sincere. The accent is very comforting like a warm blanket!’
we’ve had. On a boat you have to pull together as a team and we really bonded sailing. We would head to a greasy spoon near Millbay afterwards and talk – it was great.” Amanda’s family have played quite a large part in her writing style and her use of humour to lighten the sadder moments in her books: “I have a huge East End family and humour really binds us together. Even though some of the topics I cover are quite dark, it’s always lightened by humour. I use children in my stories for that reason. There’s nothing as funny as the things your children say.” Amanda’s writing methods must be the envy of some authors. Plots and characters ‘whoosh’ into her head and she writes the book out in full. “The first time I read the finished book is when I’ve printed it all out. I might make a few changes then but not many. I’m always thinking and always working on the next story. I can only write about ordinary women who have extraordinary things happen to them. It has to be relatable and it’s the little details that make it, I think. “Even though I’ve had success, which I’m very grateful for, I still feel very embarrassed about what I do – like it’s not worthy. Some people are nurses or ambulance drivers while I get paid to write stories!”
- AMANDA PROWSE
“You feel welcomed in Devon, people remember you and they’re so sincere. The Devon accent is very comforting – like a warm blanket! “My dad was a keen sailor and he kept a boat at Millbay docks. When I first visited Plymouth I didn’t want to come. I had London and things like Camden Market and I didn’t want to leave it. When I arrived I found this whole other world only a few hours away from where I lived. Sailing with my dad around Plymouth were some of the most precious days. I’ll never forget the time we spent together – they were some of the best times PL MAGAZINE | 10 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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EXTRACT FROM A LITTLE LOVE BY AMANDA PROWSE “Pru fastened the apron around her waist, then laid out her ingredients and tools in a row on the counter top. She got the familiar jolt of happiness, knowing she had everything she needed to execute her plan. It felt exactly the same now as it had all those years ago. She cast her eye over the white flour, the bowl of sugar and the greasy lump of margarine splayed on the saucer next to the shiny clean bowl, awaiting her attention. She hummed to herself as she tipped the margarine and sugar together and began creaming them into a thick paste. She savoured the gritty crunch on the back of the spoon as it smashed the crystals against the crackleglazed side of the china bowl, pushing and churning until the mixture billowed with tiny bubbles of air and her fingers ached. Next came the spoonfuls of plain flour, a drop of essence, baking powder, the egg and gradually more flour. Pru couldn’t fully describe the lift to her spirits or the bounce to her step as she watched the dry ingredients transform themselves into a pale golden batter. There was no great science to knowing when the mixture was ready; instead she used the tried and tested dropping method, lifting the spoon and watching to see how the cake mix fell. Too quickly meant it was too thin, calling for more flour and more mixing. Whereas a blob that refused to shift from the back of the spoon required more liquid and a light mix. When the batter acquired the perfect consistency, it dropped into the bowl with jaw-clenching slowness. As the fairy cakes baked, the anticipation filled her stomach with butterflies. While they cooled, she made a strong cup of coffee to go with them. Then she decorated them, exactly as her nan had instructed: sparsely, sprinkling hundreds and thousands on to a tiny misshapen pond of white icing. Both of which had been a luxury in her nan’s house. Finally, she popped the soft, vanillascented sponges into her mouth, allowing the sugar to spread its warm, satisfying sweetness across her tongue and the icing to stick to the roof of her mouth...”
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PEOPLE
ANNIE MEAKIN’S PICTURE OF PLYMOUTH IN THE EARLY 1900S
A real brush with history RACHAEL DODD SPEAKS TO LOCAL ARTIST ANNIE MEAKIN WHO HAS BREATHED NEW LIFE INTO THE MEMORY OF PRE-WAR PLYMOUTH WITH HER LATEST PAINTING
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erry’s Clock is a Plymouth landmark and a nostalgic and romantic link to the city that once was. Young men and women often began their dates at the foot of the tower and many stories tell of happy marriages springing from meetings at Derry’s Clock. So great was its reputation that it was said that ‘marriages may be made in heaven, but in Plymouth they are arranged under Derry’s Clock’. Artist Annie Meakin has captured the splendour of Plymouth in the early 1900s – with the clock as the pivotal point of her painting. The work depicts Plymouth at a time of great change – less than 20 years before the start of the First World War. Annie said: “This painting is really an amalgamation of photographs taken from local books and history of the early years of the 1900s. It’s a time of transition from the horse-drawn carriages to the 1910 hardwheeled Renault bus, the horse-drawn carriage and the electric tram. It was a really interesting time, a bustling time.”
Derry’s Clock was a gift to Plymouth, commemorating the wedding of the Prince of Wales, from the then Mayor William Derry in 1862. Although quite obviously a clock, it’s officially a fountain. Red tape surrounding regulations meant a clock was not allowed to be built, but with some added drinking fountains and a change to its listed purpose the tower was allowed. However, the clock was never linked to the water supply and still isn’t to this day which is how it earned the affectionate nickname ‘The Four Faced Deceiver’. Annie was drawn to paint the clock as she researched more of Plymouth’s history: “Derry’s Clock was such a central, focal point of Plymouth and as I was painting it I discovered it was also the centenary of the three towns coming together to become one town in 1914. As it started to build it took on a life of its own, really.” The painting was created over three months and paint was layered to create depth. Annie wanted to create a picture that would come to life: “I just wanted to create something that when you look at it you feel PL MAGAZINE | 12 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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Shabby Chic comes to Ivybridge...
ANNIE MEAKIN AT WORK
as if you can step into it and hear the sounds of it all and smell the pasties from the Warren’s handcart. “This bustling town centre isn’t something a younger generation would remember now. I’ve met some people who can remember Genoni’s and I also met a lady whose husband salvaged the railings when they were all being demolished and has those very railings in her garden. “It’s very local and very nostalgic and shows Plymouth as it once was. It’s bringing it back to life, I hope.” The painting titled Early 1900s is being used to raise money for Annie’s three chosen charities: the Theatre Royal Plymouth, Plymouth Drake Foundation and the Dame Hannah Rogers Trust. Prints of the painting are available to order and the proceeds will be divided between the charities. “I felt because it was of Plymouth it needed to be for the people of Plymouth. With the centenary of the three towns and raising money for three charities, we’ve made it a limited edition of 300. I’ve got Celtic blood in me so everything is in threes!” From the reaction the painting has had so far it’s clear that the old Plymouth may have been torn apart by the war but the memory of it is very much alive.
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PL MAGAZINE | 13 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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PEOPLE
Brian’s wonderful world PLYMOUTH HAS NEVER LOOKED BETTER THAN THROUGH THE EYES OF PAINTER BRIAN POLLARD, AS MARTIN FREEMAN REPORTS
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zure skies glow above tranquil, sapphire-hued seas. Multi-colour hot-air balloons float between cottonwool clouds. When the sun doesn’t shine it’s night and fireworks are bursting above the Hoe. Or a gentle snow is falling and matchstick people wearing cheery jumpers are skiing. Even the cats smile. Imagine LS Lowry, minus smoke and chimneys, plus sea and colour – lots of colour. Brian Pollard’s scenes practically sing of happy times. You think to yourself, “What a wonderful world.” Looking at one of his pictures is just the tonic to raise low spirits. They have done much the same for Brian for 37 years since the family doctor and psychiatrist moved to Plymouth. “I started painting as a form of relaxation,” he says of why he picked up a paintbrush for the first time since school. “It was therapy. That was why I chose the bright colours.”
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PEOPLE
Brian hung some in the waiting room of his surgery that came under the critical gaze of patient Bill Hodges, who owned the Barbican Gallery. “He offered me an exhibition, which went well and we had some more. He had a contact in London and organised an exhibition there. “Dan Farson, the art critic for the Mail on Sunday, went along and did a favourable review. “The response was amazing when the show opened. Within half an hour all 40 paintings were sold.” Brian, of Mannamead, was on his way to becoming one of the most popular naive painters in the South West. His fame – and that of the scenes he painted – went international as Brian’s images were snapped up by publishers.
City landmarks such as Smeaton’s Tower and the Dolphin pub in the Barbican have appeared on cards, calendars and jigsaw puzzles as far away as Japan. He retired from medicine in 2005, but at 68 remains busy satisfying demand for his multi-layered acrylics that sell for up to £5,000. The Italian landscape and London are among the other scenes that have been captured in cheerful splendour. But Plymouth and seaside views of the South West are his more regular subjects and appreciated far from the UK by art lovers who are curious to know more. “It is fantastic to be contacted by people from as far as China who enjoy my work,” he says. It’s a wondering world.
‘I started painting as a form of relaxation. It was therapy. That was why I chose the bright colours’ - BRIAN POLLARD
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BRIAN POLLARD AT WORK IN HIS STUDIO. HE USES BRIGHT ACRYLICS FOR HIS DISTINCTIVE IMAGES OF PLYMOUTH
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PEOPLE
JODIE APPEARING AS NANCY IN OLIVER!
JODIE PRENGER AS CALAMITY JANE PHOTOGRAPHY: MANUEL HARLAN
No calamity as Jodie rides into new musical role JODIE PRENGER SHOT TO FAME WHEN SHE WON THE BIGGEST LOSER IN 2006 AND STARRED AS NANCY AFTER WINNING THE BBC TELEVISION SERIES I’D DO ANYTHING IN 2008. NOW SHE’S HEADING TO PLYMOUTH. EMILY SMITH CAUGHT UP WITH THE BUBBLY STAR
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odie Prenger became an instant hit with TV audiences when she won I’d Do Anything – a TV show searching for an unknown lead to play Nancy in the musical Oliver! Her bubbly character and talent have since landed her many musical theatre roles. But it is Calamity Jane, riding into Plymouth this month, that the star has been most excited by yet. Jodie said: “Calamity Jane is brilliant. I nearly missed my cue in rehearsals in the opening scene because I was so in awe of it all. “I have never been part of something where the performers play instruments on stage. Playing the triangle is going to the top of my CV now!” Jodie has always reached for fame and was brought up in a family surrounded by theatre, music and film. The star had struggled with her weight since a young age and winning The Biggest Loser in 2006 gave her confidence to pursue her dreams. The actor talks openly about her weight loss and the motivation behind it. “I was 22 stone – I mean, what more motivation does one person need?” As well as playing lead roles in theatre, Jodie has released a fitness DVD, Fitness Blasts, that encourages people to take part in short bursts of exercise. She explained: “I think the most important
thing about getting fit is to get your friends to join in. Losing weight can be one of the loneliest things ever. Just go out walking – if you have a lizard then take that for a walk. “The regime of short bursts of exercise are working really well for me. I have been out doing
‘As long as you’re happy in yourself then that’s all that matters. People who suck on a lettuce leaf need to go out and eat a roast dinner’
- JODIE PRENGER
workouts on the lawn as I rehearse. “As long as you’re happy in yourself then that’s all that matters. People who suck on a lettuce leaf need to go out and eat a roast dinner.” I’d Do Anything was a huge breakthrough for the star but it was Jodie’s mother who told her
about the TV show. She explained: “My mum heard about I’d Do Anything on the radio and I decided to go for it. I thought I was past it and had tried so hard to get there already. “It sounds a bit cheesy but when I won it, it was a dream come true. I’m not good at most things so theatre was just something I went into after not being able to do much else!” Calamity Jane started touring in July and continues until June 2015. The show comes to the Theatre Royal Plymouth this month. “We are rehearsing every day at the minute – it’s the hardest part of being in a theatre performance. “I have performed in Plymouth once before, in Spamalot – I remember there was a great crowd. The audiences in Plymouth are going to love Calamity Jane. “Although it’s hard work, I do love being on tour. I take my dogs with me and I am the happiest girl ever. I’m not very rock and roll. “I need to chuck a TV out of the theatre window to become a bit more of a rock and roll chick, I think.” Although theatre is something Jodie grew up with, she sort of just fell into being on stage. I get
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JODIE PRENGER
a real sense of pride talking to Jodie as she rehearses for her biggest part yet. Jodie said: “The director for Calamity Jane is brilliant – I give him a mini applause as we rehearse. I think the audience will be sat slapping their thighs. “I never decided to go into TV for fame – I do it because I love it.” Jodie’s biggest highlight to date was when she met Liza Minnelli while taking part in I’d Do Anything. “I’m a huge fan of Liza Minnelli, she gave me a singing lesson during I’d Do Anything. “Then she came and watched me in Nancy and remembered me – I cried for about half an hour after she spoke to me. She is my queen.” Jodie is keen to say that she just fell into TV and no-one should have their eyes set entirely on fame. Her advice to people wanting to go into theatre is to “never strive for fake fame”. She said: “The theatre is so lush, it really is lights, camera and action. “Go and find out what it is you really want to do and don’t just set your eyes on stardom.” WHEN AND WHERE: THEATRE ROYAL, PLYMOUTH, SEPTEMBER 17- 20
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FASHION
I just can’t wait for Saturday GIRL GROUP THE SATURDAYS ARE ABOUT TO HIT PLYMOUTH AS PART OF THEIR GREATEST HITS TOUR. EMILY SMITH CAUGHT UP WITH MOLLIE KING TO TALK FANS, RUMOURS AND PYJAMA PARTIES
T
he Saturdays were an instant hit with teen audiences across the globe when they released their first album in 2008. Since then they have enjoyed 13 Top Ten singles but haven’t gone on tour for almost five years. Their Greatest Hit tour will see them travelling across the UK, including a night at Wembley arena. Many rumours have been surrounding the tour including that the girls may be splitting up, but Mollie says otherwise. “We are going to head back into the studio after our tour finishes and work on a new album. Naturally people are going to think we’re stopping but it just seemed like a good time to reflect on everything so far. “We have released 17 singles so far, so it felt like the right time to celebrate. Now we have had a number one we thought it was time to put all our singles on one massive album. It seemed like perfect timing. “We do nothing half measure – this tour we are going to do it big, even down to all the hair and makeup and costumes. It’s going to be the best thing we have ever done.” The Greatest Hits album was released last month, while the main single What Are You Waiting For? has already been released and has proved to be a huge success with the fans. Mollie can’t wait to get out on the road again. She said: “I am so excited to start touring again – it’s my most favourite thing. To sing in front of fans is every performer’s dream.” PL MAGAZINE | 20 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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FASHION
Plymouth Pavilions always proves to be a hit with bands that come down to the South West to perform and it’s no different for the five girls. “I am really looking forward to coming to Plymouth again. We chose to have Plymouth as the last stop on the tour because we know the crowd is great. Plymouth is a great night out,” Mollie said. With five girls being in the band, one can expect plenty of giggles, lots of pyjama parties and a pair or two of shoes. “When we’re on tour we have such a giggle – it’s so much fun. We all have separate rooms but I normally
‘We chose to have Plymouth as the last stop on the tour because we know the crowd is great. Plymouth is a great night out’ - MOLLIE KING
knock on Frankie’s door at 11 o’clock at night and order loads of room service. It’s just one big pyjama party. We’re best friends. “I hate to say it but I probably take the longest getting ready – I love being in the make-up chair. I only take so long because I am such a faffer.” Una, Rochelle, Frankie, Vanessa and Mollie have been in The Saturdays since they were teenagers and many of their fans have been following them since a similar age. Mollie said: “The fans have grown up with us, and our music has grown up – we perform in front of a wide range of ages. “You have seven-year-old children, then you have parents and then there are just some older couples who want a good night out.” Mollie joined the band after being spotted on TV show The X Factor and although the talent show has many critics, Mollie believes it can only be a good thing for the music industry. “I think the X Factor is an incredible show – that’s
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: UNA, VANESSA, ROCHELLE, FRANKIE, MOLLIE
where I got spotted. Someone from our label saw me auditioning. I think it’s a brilliant show and a really nice mix of people on the judging panel.” Frankie, Rochelle and Una are now all pop-star mums while all the girls are busy working on both music and other projects. Although the Greatest Hits tour and album isn’t the end for the girls, it is certainly giving them more time to work on other things. Mollie said: “I plan to do lots more fashion stuff after the tour but at the moment there is no time for a break for The Saturdays. I love both so I feel I have the best of both worlds.” For anyone who is a fan of great pop music then The Saturdays Greatest Hits tour is one not to be missed. Expect high energy, brilliant costume changes and plenty of number one hits. SEE THEM ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 AT PLYMOUTH PAVILIONS. PL MAGAZINE | 21 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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FASHION FEMININE If you don’t want a straight silhouette, add interest with a waterfall design where the back drapes longer than the front. Next’s kimono comes in a soft, watercolour floral print, £28 (www.next.co.uk).
killer Kimonos THEY BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN BARE SHOULDERS AND TOO-COSY COATS, AND THERE’S A STYLE TO SUIT EVERY TASTE. LISA HAYNES ROAMS THE ROBE RACKS
F
or days when it’s too hot for coats and too cool for bare arms, reach for a kimono. These cover-up marvels are the perfect antidote for those in-betweeny summer days. The versatility of kimonos makes them this season’s most sought-after piece for a relaxed silhouette. Wear them on the beach thrown over a swimsuit (goodbye kaftan), or even in the office to pare down tailoring. From waist to ankle length, prints to block colour and plain to embellished, there’s a kimono to coordinate with every wardrobe. We’ve picked some of the high street’s hottest to suit your individual style.
GLAM
TROPICAL
For a kimono you can shrug on for Indian summer or even Christmas season, look for a heavier fabric in a darker palette. The embellishment on White Stuff’s North Wind Kimono Jacket will see you right through to party season, £65, available August (www.whitestuff.com).
Extend your holiday feeling with a subtle tropical print that works on or off the beach. Therapy at House of Fraser’s Palm Print Kimono has bold black borders to restrain the print, £35 (www.houseoffraser.co.uk). PL MAGAZINE | 22 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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PRAIRIE Get a vacation vibe with Aztec-inspired embroidery. Layer M&Co’s lightweight Embroidered Kimono over a tee and shorts in high summer and blue jeans once temperatures start to cool, £20 (www.mandco.com).
ORIENTAL Take your kimono back to its Japanese roots with an Oriental print. East’s Nobu Combo Kimono has traditional wide sleeves and belt, so you can keep the silhouette loose or cinched at the waist, £25 (www.east.co.uk).
CONTEMPORARY Who needs buttons anyway? Stay smart during the 9-5 shifts with sharper kimono cuts in graphic prints, like Twiggy for M&S Collection’s Metallic Effect Kimono Wrap, £69 (www.marksandspencer.com).
BOHEMIAN Embrace your inner hippy with fringing that swings as you walk. Miss Selfridge’s Orange Fringed Kimono will brighten up plain bikinis on the beach or strapless dresses for sundowner cocktails, £65 (www.missselfridge.com).
PL loves!
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HEALTH & BEAUTY
Livin’ the surfing dream DAN KINSMAN IS ‘LIVIN’ THE DREAM’, HIS OFFICE IS THE BEACH AND HIS JOB IS BEING IN THE OCEAN. EMILY SMITH MET THE SURF INSTRUCTOR BEFORE TAKING TO THE WAVES HERSELF
DAN KINSMAN
D
an Kinsman has been surfing the same beach since he was ten years old. He now runs the Adventure Bay Surf School at Tregonhawke beach in Whitsand Bay, the same beach where he learnt to surf as a child. Adventure Bay Surf operates all year round from a rented boat shed down on the beach.
‘People never forget the first wave they stand up on, I still remember my first wave’ - DAN KINSMAN
Dan grew up in the small, coastal village of Portwrinkle and went to Torpoint Community College. After school he joined the Army where he stayed, without surfing, for five years. It was straight back to the water once he returned to civilian life. Dan then worked at Tavistock College as a learning mentor and set up a surf academy with another colleague. Through the academy they ran sponsored board paddles and took children abroad surfing. After Dan was made redundant he took the opportunity to fulfil his lifelong dream and set up Adventure Bay. “It has been really tough getting started. I didn’t know anything about running a business, but I’ve learnt so much. I set up the business with
redundancy money and I had some savings. I now employ five people. “There is a great surf scene here now, people don’t give it enough credit down here. We take what we can, when we can and we go and get the waves,” he explains. Dan can’t take his eyes off the ocean as he talks to me. “I have been surfing since I was ten years old when I got a single fin board off my old man,” he said. “I used to take my board and my suit to school and catch a bus down to the beach when school kicked out. I would swim till it was dark.
I used to hitch a lift back home if my parents wouldn’t come and pick me up. “Any spare time I had, I was in the water. My dad used to surf in the 60s and 70s. I think it was in my genes.” Adventure Bay runs surf lessons, a surf hire service and coasteering adventures. Dan has worked hard to build his business and enjoys being fully booked over the summer months. His business slogan is ‘livin’ the dream’ and this certainly seems the case. He explains: “I try and get down here early before the first lesson and go for a surf.
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EMILY TAKES TO HEALTH & BEAUTY
THE WAVES AND EVENTUALLY MASTERS STANDING ON THE BOARD
When you are coaching, you can see the waves dangling in front of your face and you just stand there pushing people on to the board. “That can be tough but this is what I love doing. People never forget the first wave they stand up on, I still remember my first wave. I’m never going to get rich from this job but I don’t care about the money, I love it.” Surfing looks graceful and steady from the beach but Dan explains that getting thrown off your board is all part of the fun. Continued on page 28 PL MAGAZINE | 25 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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HEALTH & BEAUTY
I learnt to surf in two hours BY EMILY SMITH
Continued from Page 27
“In the water you are challenged with the elements. It’s all about knowing your limits and unfortunately some people don’t know them. I have had some fun wipe outs. I remember one in Ireland in 2011, it was a double overhead and there was real fear. There is excitement too though and everyone has to enjoy a wipe- out. “People think surfers look graceful and serene when they are out in the water but really they are struggling constantly.” Dan’s blond locks, laid-back attitude and love of the sea make him appear a typical surfer but he believes that with the sport also comes a lot of misrepresentations. “There is a lot of drivel that comes with surfing; you don’t need to have a camper van and beers every night to be a surfer.” Dan has surfed on the west coast of Ireland, France and India but believes the south east coast of Cornwall is just as good.
‘In the water you are challenged with the elements. It’s all about knowing your limits’DAN KINSMAN
“I never get fed up with the ocean,” he said. “The sea has some kind of magnetic force for me and I am drawn to it. I can’t be near the ocean without staring at it. I dream about being in the sea every night. I just want to get in it all the time. “Surfing cures everything I know, hangovers, depression there is no activity that makes you feel so good afterwards. I love the salt in my hair and the algae on my skin. “I think after a surf you feel more grounded and content – being out in the ocean gives you time to think.”
I’ve lived an hour from the coast for most of my life, and I’ve always wanted to master standing up on a surfboard and looking elegant at the same. I achieved the standing up part, but maybe not the latter, when I took a lesson with Dan Kinsman of Adventure Bay Surf School. As I headed to Tregonhawke Beach, near Whitsand Bay, along a coastal path that seemed to last forever, I was slightly scared about getting in the water. My worries were blown out of the water when Dan approached and assured me we will be fine. Along with another student, I got suited up and waited on the tiny stretch of sand where Dan told us we would need to get around the tower of rocks in our tracks. We make it to the main beach where Dan talked us through the board, techniques and how to be safe in the water. We practised jumping up on our board a few times, it’s safe to say I was pretty good while we were on the sand. After doing this a couple of times, there was no hanging about as Dan got us into the water. I realised quite quickly that being in the water, attached to an eight foot board, with waves crashing on your head is a quite different experience to lying on the sand. There was no need to worry though as Dan was on hand to push us into the waves. After trying severalattempts and failing, I was beginning to lose hope and had drunk enough sea water to fill a fish tank. Dan took us back to the beach and taught us a few tricks of the trade. He showed me how to slide my knees along the board, jump up with my foot at a right angle and always keep looking forward. I was keen to get back in the water and try again. With lots of encouragement from Dan, I was back up on my board and riding a wave. I was doing it, I really was standing up. Oh no, too much celebrating - I went head over heels and back into the water. I was determined to try again. Try, try and try again I did. Dan’s expertise and encouragement were fantastic throughout the two 90-minute lessons and his encouragement spurred both myself and my companion along. Ducking in and out of the waves, it was obvious that Dan feels truly at home in the ocean. Before I gave up I was determined to crack this surfing game. I managed to catch the wave, concentrate, slide my knees up the board, concentrate, stand up, front foot at a right angle, look forward, high five Dan on the way past, and elegantly jump off. That’s enough for me, best to quit while I was ahead. By the end of my 90 minute session I had learnt the skills to make sure I can at least stand up the next time I hit the water. It’s amazing how much energy your body musters up when you think you have none left. All I need to do now is learn the lingo and I am a bona fide surfer.
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GUIDE TO
Maintaining that glowing summer look WANT TO REPAIR SUN-RAVAGED HAIR AND SKIN WITH SOME END OF SEASON TONICS. PL REVEALS HOW TO MAINTAIN THAT JUST-BACK-FROM-HOLIDAY GLOW
Souvenirs and postcards may not be the only reminder of your summer holidays. All that sun, sea and sand can wreak havoc on your appearance once you’re home. Your tan is fading fast, and your complexion feels as dry as your flip-flop-weathered feet. The opportunities for prolonged sun damage have been heightened this year after an uncharacteristically hot British summer, so make time for some restorative beauty SOS. Get a glow that transcends the seasons with our post-sun repair guide.
FADING TAN When you’re a self-confessed human sundial, there’s nothing worse than seeing your vacation tan peel, flake or fade away in a week. Keep your glow going for longer with a little fakery from a bottle. “Use a gradual tan body moisturiser on alternate days to keep your rich golden hue going for longer,” advises Jules Heptonstall, St.Tropez tanning and skin finishing expert. “On the days you’re not using a gradual tan, lock in moisture with a rich body butter to maintain your glow – I like aloe vera-based body butters, as they cool the skin and reduce the chances of peeling.” The skin cell renewal cycle on the face is more rapid than the body, so Heptonstall warns that fading is quicker. “Use a light mist of self tan spray on your face each night after your holiday for a subtle, natural looking tan and to ensure your face and body are the same tone,” he advises.
FRAZZLED ENDS
FLIP-FLOP FEET
Beachy hair doesn’t quite cut it back in the city. If your ends are looking split and damaged, use an intensive leave-in conditioner one or two nights a week to nourish severely dehydrated hair. Prevent further breakage by booking in for a post-holiday trim. “A good hairdresser will know the difference between a nice, ratty end and the kind that’s dry and overworked from too much sun,” says Luke Herseshon, creative director of Hershesons salons. “You don’t have to go for a blunt cut in order to tidy it up. Instead, ask for a maintenance cut that will take away the dryness, yet leave soft, fluid, slightly undone ends that don’t look ruler-straight.”
A summer spent padding around in flip-flops sounds pretty dreamy, but your soles will be anything but. The lack of heel cushioning or shock absorption can lead to a build-up of calluses and hard skin. “If too much time passes between a pedicure, hard skin can build up and more intense work is needed to get them back to being beautiful,” says celebrity pedicurist Glenis Baptiste. “Get into the habit of moisturising feet daily, and try and incorporate a foot-care routine into your weekly beauty schedule to repair post-summer damage. A product like Scholl’s Velvet Smooth Express Pedi is brilliant for removing unsightly hard skin quickly.”
SUN-PARCHED SKIN If you’ve done a little too much sun worshipping, dehydrated skin may not be your only facial woe. Fine lines, irregular pigmentation and age spots are all signs of sun damage. “After exposing your skin to the sun for prolonged periods of time, skin becomes fragile and damaged, which is not always visible to the human eye,” warns cosmetic doctor Dr Rakus. “Invest in a repairing treatment like HydraFacial, which combines gentle but deep exfoliation with hydrating and antioxidant-rich serums that provide an immediate glow. It also removes dead skin cells, and can improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, caused by sun damage.”
DULL TRESSES Lots of sun may give your skin a healthy colour, but it can have the opposite effect on hair. This is less pronounced on sun-kissed blondes than rich, dark tones, though. “The sun is notorious for fading reds and brunettes and there’s no real way of regaining the vibrancy without undergoing a recolour,” says Jennie Roberts, Ojon treatment technician. “Once that’s done, protect your colour with a colour sustain shampoo and conditioner, which will help to seal in your colour. A product like Ojon’s Color Sustain Pro Fade Fighter Glossing Cream can also be used as a styling aid to seal the cuticle.”
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This picture: Demi wears Reeva Sleeveless Maxi Dress, £95, Coast; Platinum Diamond 5 Stone Ring, £3150;White Gold Line Bracelet,£4950; White Gold Diamond Pendant & chain £1450 Connie wears Mona Jersey Maxi Dress, Coast, £95; White Gold Diamond Teardrop Pendant & Venetian Chain, £1250; White Gold Giamond Teardrop Earrings, £1945; White Gold Diamond Line Bracelet, £3,500; Ladies Steel Gucci Horsebit Watch, £575 PL MAGAZINE | 28 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER: JOHN ALLEN MODELS: DEMI ALGATE, LAWRENCE BARNES AND CONNIE VEALE HAIR: LAYLA SMITH, MELANIE EMMETT AND DAN CRADDOCK AT EXPERIENCE UTOPIA, MAYFLOWER STREET MAKE UP: BECCA SEARLE JEWELLERY: MICHAEL SPIERS, CORNWALL STREET, PLYMOUTH FASHION: BERWIN & BERWIN AND COAST AT HOUSE OF FRASER
Cocktails and card tricks PL MAGAZINE | 29 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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Demi wears platinum diamond five-stone ring, £3150; white gold line bracelet, £4950
Demi wears spot dress, Coast, £125; white gold ruby & diamond cluster stud earrings, £1750; Ladies’ steel & rose gold Omega Constellation watch, £2500; platinum ruby & diamond threestone ring, £3250; white gold ruby & diamond pendant & filed curb chain, pendant £1550, chain £170
Lawrence wears suit from Berwin and Berwin at House of Fraser, Steel TagHeuer F1 Watch on rubber strap, £1675; Mont Blanc Steel Heritage Cufflinks, £190
Connie wears shell top, £35 and cannizaro skirt, £75, both Coast. White gold pearl & diamond ring, £2350; white gold pearl & diamond two-row necklace (worn as a bracelet) £1150
S
tyle is getting serious. As Summer turns to Autumn, what better way to look classy than to dress up elegant eveningwear with classic designer jewellery? Here we showcase some of the favourite pieces from Michael Spiers jewellers in Cornwall Street – from statement watches to diamonds and pearls and understated white gold pendants and chains. So if you’re looking for inspiration for this autumn’s season of balls and black-tie events, here’s some ways to help you look a million dollars.
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Connie wears white gold pearl & diamond ring, £2350 Demi wears white gold pearl & diamond ring, £2350; white gold pearl & diamond tassel necklace, £3995
Demi wears white gold ruby & diamond cluster stud earrings, £1750; ruby & diamond 3 stone ring, £3250; steel & rose gold Omega Constellation watch, £2500
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FASHION
Plymouth College of Art
Making the Makers PL EXPLORES THE CAREERS OF THREE YOUNG DESIGNERS
I
ts very easy to forget how almost everything we see and use in our day-today lives has been made by someone. And not just made but also carefully thought-out, planned, and specially designed to solve a problem – and look beautiful too. From the pillow sitting comfortably on your sofa to the case protecting the smart-phone in your pocket, the colourful designs decorating the cards in your purse to the crystal glass you sip your wine from – and even the shiny photograph standing proudly on the cover of this magazine. They all share the same thing: someone, somewhere, has planned, designed and made it. Plymouth College of Art knows this and – through its wide range of experttaught, creative programmes across art, design, and digital media – has created the perfect environment to help the UK’s top artists, designers and makers of the future to hit the ground running once they graduate.
Photography student Andy Ford worked as a professional chef before deciding to study photography with Plymouth College of Art. Within two years of enrolling, Andy – who is a keen surfer and passionate fan of the city’s punk scene – was already shooting some of the biggest artists for world-famous music magazine NME. Travelling around the world to capture the energy of top festivals and shooting stunning, intimate portraits, his portfolio now boasts work with Beyoncé, Iron Maiden, Manic Street Preachers, Biffy Clyro and many more. “Studying has really changed the way I think about my work,” Andy says. “In the last two or three years, my expectations of what I hoped I might achieve have been blown away, so each year is a kind of an element of seeing where things take me and rolling with it. When I stop and think about it all it’s all very surreal.” Andy graduates with a first class BA (Hons) degree in Photography this October.
BA (Hons) Graphic Design graduate Ash Henderson also looks set to launch a colourful career in the design industry. His final year project, ‘Now You See Us Now You Don’t’, is an interactive educational tool that uses heat-sensitive materials to reveal a hidden message to teach children about endangered species – winning Ash the much-coveted Sky Award at London graduate show New Designers 2014. “What I love about Plymouth College of Art is that you can be as creative as you like,” Ash says. “You can experiment with lots of different materials and use so many facilities – screen-printing, laser cutting, 3D printing and loads more. You truly get more out of it than you could ever expect.” So, if you want to try your hand at designing dresses for pop stars, taking photographs for the world’s most famous music magazine or perhaps directing your own film, creating video games, or blowing beautiful glassware, one of the college’s many degrees, a short course, or a masterclass this autumn is the perfect place to start.
Fashionista Alice Vandy has had her fair share of mingling with the stars. Since graduating from the college’s BA (Hons) Fashion programme in 2008, Alice’s bright and colourful clothing designs have been worn by the likes of Jessie J, Little Mix, Cher Lloyd, and Rita Ora – and she’s also worked with My Little Pony for collections. “Being ambitious and determined helped me to get my foot in the door,” Alice says, “and the college is amazing – there are so many different characters there. It’s a very creative place.” PL MAGAZINE | 32 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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HEALTH & BEAUTY
51 Houndiscombe Road, Mutley, Plymouth, PL4 6EX
Transforming your smile Smile Make-overs:
How long do you think this smile makeover took to complete? Before Treatment
One Week Later
Changing a smile needs careful planning and discussion. When there are lots of old or broken fillings we sometimes make careful preparation over weeks or months to make sure the foundations are right for a great and long lasting smile improvement. Other times a smile improvement like this may be completed in only a week, using our amazing Cerec Technology ! Your wishes and your smile improvement are unique to you, and the key to success is good discussion, preparation and planning. Our experienced team are dedicated to helping you achieve the best results.
CALL now for a FREE CONSULTATION, or book a 1 hour exam for £112 to fast track your treatment planning
www.johnmooredental.co.uk T: 01752 222625 E: info@mooredental.com
John Moore Dental is a small friendly practice situated on the outskirts of Plymouth city centre. They deliver high quality dentistry in a relaxed and caring environment using the latest in dental techniques available. Dr John Moore lives on the edges of Dartmoor with his wife Zoe, their two children Francesca, 13, and Esmay, 7, and Reba the dog. He has been practicing dentistry for 30 years having trained in Sheffield. His first job was driven by his love for the sea and he moved to Devon to follow his passion for surfing. John and Zoe run the small but friendly dental practice, employing a dedicated team of 6 professional staff members. Working alongside John are two Dental Hygienists, Jo and Jill, who’s role in the practice is to help patients maintain optimum oral health. Always welcoming you to the practice is Jane Thompson the Admin Manager who has been with the practice since it was first established providing many years of experience. Chrissie Edwards is the Clinical Manager who is involved in many different aspects of the practice and Marie and Denise are highly experienced Dental Nurses - providing excellent support in the surgery and very important aftercare for patients. John has a wealth of knowledge that only comes with experience. John said: “Having a highly experienced dental team enables me to enjoy what I do best - transforming patients smiles.” “Experience has taught me over the years to really listen to patients concerns and not rush into treatments before exploring the different options. Many people that I
‘Experience has taught me over the years to really listen to patients’ - JOHN MOORE see have very clear ideas of what they might like to achieve. My role is to provide patients with the information they need to help guide them to making the right choice for them’ John Moore Dental offer a wide range of treatments including general and cosmetic dentistry, hygiene therapy, teeth whitening, lumineers, veneers, crowns, bridges and Cerec 3D technology - a single restorations completed in just one visit. The practice often provide patients with a ‘mock up appointment’ where they can show patients what they might look like with certain cosmetic procedures by using a wax type material straight on to their teeth. This is done before actual treatments are carried out, and helps the team to discuss the design element of the process. Your smile is one of the most important features and at John Moore Dental the treatments and care will improve your entire appearance and overall confidence. Dr John Moore is also one of the few registered CEREC dental trainers in Cerec Technology. He has travelled and trained internationally, teaching and lecturing other dentists to enable them to understand and use the Cerec technology equipment. It is very sophisticated state of the art equipment and enables patients to receive single appointment restorations in one visit. John Moore Dental offer a range of appointments from a totally FREE consultation to their unique new patient experience which takes up to an hour and is probably the most comprehensive dental examination you will ever receive. Patients are amazed at what they learn from this appointment. This type of thorough hour long appointment including full mouth x-rays can cost around £112 and helps patients make the right choice for them. The practice is easy to find, situated at 51 Houndiscombe Rd, Mutley, Plymouth, PL4 6EX and has easy street parking.
PL MAGAZINE | 33 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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It’s never too late to get in shape
JULIA HUBBARD OVERCAME ILLNESS AND INJURY TO BECOME A CHAMPION BODYBUILDER AND ATHLETE. RACHAEL DODD REPORTS
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t 31, Julia had a strong background in athletics, a job as a personal trainer and was looking for a new challenge. She set her sights on bobsleighing after watching the Turin Olympics. Within a year she had not only achieved that goal but was a member of the national team. But, in 2008, she suffered a serious injury to her back while competing. Her rehabilitation led to the discovery of a heart condition: “A few weeks after my recovery my heart started racing out of control when I was training and I went to the doctor. He told me it was stress but I knew it wasn’t. I called my team doctor from bobsleigh and he realised instantly that it was more than that. “He knew how much pain I’d tolerated with my back injuries and that if I was complaining it must
‘If I felt I was chained to training and never allowed any nice food then I wouldn’t enjoy it. What’s the point in having a hobby if you’re not happy doing it?’- JULIA HUBBARD be pretty bad. I went for fitness tests and they had to stop during the warm-up because my ECG (electrocardiogram) was bizarre. They started the test again and the same thing happened.” Doctors suspected that Julia had Sudden Death Syndrome and, fearing the tests had triggered a heart attack, rushed her to the hospital for further tests: “It took a week to get all the other tests to
diagnose it properly. They discovered the condition was a type of tachycardia – the sister illness to Sudden Death which, thankfully, isn’t fatal.” Julia was put on medication similar to beta blockers to ease the condition but it came at a price: “It pretty much ended my bobsleighing. The pills suppress your heart rate and it ruined my athletic ability while I was on this medication. I actually went back and did a whole season but all my scores for speed, power and strength were just getting worse and worse. All my reflexes had been numbed. I still managed to be the fourth fastest brakeman and the second brakeman for the second team. I don’t really know how I managed that on all this medication. I did try to get selected the following year, but my fitness had declined so much I just couldn’t get back on the team – unfortunately that was an Olympic year.” “I haven’t had any symptoms for about three years now – hopefully I’ll never get them again. But it could come back at any time. I could wake up tomorrow and be ill or I could go the rest of my life and never have the symptoms again. It’s one of those things. It’s a rare condition but apparently quite common in women in their 30s who do sport.” Julia moved to Plymouth after losing her place on the bobsleigh team and found new success in bodybuilding. In 2013 Julia won supreme champion in both the summer and winter shows of the Miss Galaxy Universe competition, then returned as a judge for the 2014 event: “Obviously it’s a competition and there needs to be a winner ,but the organiser, Sarah Donahue, actually wanted it to be more about building women up with their confidence, self-esteem, body image and fitness and she would hate for people to be put off competing
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because the same people win every time. “Seeing the competition from another side has been really interesting. I help coach at the camp and the girls turn up at different fitness and confidence levels. I’ve seen it change quite a lot of girls’ lives because they realise once they’ve done it that they can do anything.” Julia doesn’t believe in ultra-strict dieting and fitness regimes and refuses to let her training stop her enjoying herself: “I still get tempted by junk food, I’m only human! I think the minute you become too strict you become obsessive about it. If you’re being good 80% of the time then the other 20% you can have a few treats. I don’t do these crazy on-off season routines because it’s forcing your body into yo-yo dieting. If you do anything too extreme, your body just learns what you’re doing and fights it. “You have to make it fit around your normal life – if I felt I was chained to training and never allowed any nice food then I wouldn’t enjoy it. What’s the point in having a hobby if you’re not happy doing it?” Now co-owner of The Engine Room Gym in Plymouth and competing in bodybuilding competitions at 38, Julia doesn’t think age should get in the way of fitness: “I didn’t really start getting into doing stuff like this until I was well into my 30s. I thought I’d probably be too old. I was 37 when I got on the front cover of Ultrafit magazine. I’m proud that a girl not far off 40 can get on the cover of a fitness magazine. A lot of competitions are bringing in over 40s and over 50s categories. It’s important for there to be role models for women so they don’t think that because they’re a certain age or they’ve had children that they can’t get in shape – it’s never too late.” PL MAGAZINE | 35 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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FAMILY
Healthy packed lunches your children will love LUNCHBOX DOCTOR JENNY TSCHIESCHE GIVES ADVICE ON HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY PACKED MEALS KIDS ACTUALLY WANT TO EAT
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s September dawns, parents will be turning their minds to feeding their children during the new school year – and many of them will be opting for packed lunches. Research shows around 57 per cent of children don’t eat school lunches, meaning many parents are facing the daily chore of buying and preparing packed lunches for their kids. Indeed, a new survey has found that more than half of mothers would rather their child has a packed lunch, and six out of 10 mums think a lunchbox is a healthier alternative to school food. However, 61 per cent of the mothers questioned for the Organix No Junk Challenge Lunchbox Campaign said they found it difficult to make their child’s lunchbox varied and interesting, and 57% said they needed more advice on what should go in a child’s lunchbox. And that’s where The Lunchbox Doctor can help. Jenny Tschiesche runs The Lunchbox
Doctor website to provide recipes, lunchbox ideas and nutrition advice, and is supporting the No Junk Challenge, which aims to encourage parents to cook with fresh natural ingredients and to challenge the food industry to remove the ‘junk’ from children’s food. She says: “We don’t have to put things in lunchboxes when they’re not ideal for our children. Parents can produce something for the same price, or less, than a school meal, using ‘real’ food, and it can be better nutritionally.” The Organix survey found that sandwiches are the lunchbox staple for 81 per cent of children, and Tschiesche says the typical school lunchbox consists of a white bread sandwich, often with a sweet filling like jam, rather than a protein filling. “It’s a common mistake to use white bread, and also to not use a protein filling,” she says. “A lot of parents will use jam or chocolate spread because they know their child will eat it. But there’s no fibre in the white bread, and no
a much healthier prospect, but often the bars have more sugar in them than the sugary cereals,” she says. “Even though they might have some seeds in them, at best, all the sugar just fuels this burst of energy followed by a lull in the middle of the afternoon.” Tschiesche, a mother-of-two, points out that many children’s lunchboxes also contain yoghurts, but says these often contain ingredients parents might not want their kids to have, such as sugar or artificial sweeteners, colourings and flavourings. “All of it’s targeted at convenience. If you’re a parent, you’re busy by definition, and many products say ‘ideal for lunchboxes’. That can mean it’s attractive and colourful for the child, and simple to pack, but it doesn’t mean it’s ideal for the child’s health, wellbeing and sustenance.” Indeed, the survey found that nearly all mums want more healthy options for lunchboxes for their children, and 87 per cent think the food industry needs to do more to provide healthy, nutritious food for children. Instead of processed
‘Make it really easy for kids, with little individual pieces of veg, or fruit that’s chopped up into a fruit salad’ - THE LUNCHBOX DOCTOR
protein in the filling, and that combined lack of sustenance means kids are likely to have a burst of energy which might last while they’re running round the playground at lunchtime, but they’ll be suffering an hour or two after that.” She says that as well as the white bread sandwich, children are often given crisps and a sweet bar, sometimes covered in chocolate, or a dried fruit and cereal bar. “We’ve been led to believe these cereal bars are
‘ideal for lunchbox’ products, Tschiesche suggests parents use “real food” like carrot batons, baby sweetcorn, cucumber sticks or cherry tomatoes, with cream cheese or houmous, as children are much more likely to eat vegetables if they’ve got something to dip them in to. Crackers or oatcakes are also healthy, easy-todip alternatives to bread. And if it has to be a sandwich, go for a protein filling such as egg, cheese, ham, tuna or houmous, with a
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Limited Clearing places available for Sept 2014
IT’S YOUR
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Creative degree study in Art, Design and Digital vegetable like tomato or cucumber. Use wholemeal bread if possible, or try pitta bread or wraps. “Make it really easy for kids, with little individual pieces of veg, or fruit that’s chopped up into a fruit salad. Or chop the top off a kiwi fruit and give them a little spoon to scoop out the fruit with,” she says. Another suggestion is chopping an apple into segments so it’s easier for children to eat, and then putting it back together in its original shape with an elastic band round it, which will help stop the inside going brown. A further idea is to make a warm meal like pasta with pesto, baked beans with cheese, or soup with bread, and put it in a wide-necked flask. And instead of sugary, flavoured yoghurts, try buying natural yoghurt and adding fruit puree. As for the chocolate biscuit bars and crisps that children often nag for, Tschiesche advises: “Let them have the odd bar occasionally, but give them a smaller version of it, and explain why. Or make your own sweet foods, because you know what you’ve put in it.” She suggests parents can make putting packed lunches together more fun for kids through lunchbox bingo, where children design their own nutritionally-balanced lunches, ticking off the important food groups – protein, carbohydrate, calcium, fruit, vegetable and a drink – on a home-made food ‘bingo card’.
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FAMILY
Growing demand for fun in the park BEING IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS HAS MANY BENEFITS FOR ALL THE FAMILY. DEVONPORT PARK ACTIVITY CENTRE OFFERS PLENTY OF FUN FOR ALL. EMILY SMITH VISITED THE PARK TO FIND OUT MORE
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earning new skills while enjoying the great outdoors – what better way is there to occupy your family’s time? Devonport Park Activity Centre organises a plethora of activities throughout the year from gardening to making pizza in an outdoor oven. Over the summer, the centre has been running Summer Mix sessions, a scheme funded by Plymouth City Council. The sessions allow young people to enjoy the great outdoors while making new friends and having fun. But the Devonport-based centre offers year-round activities, funded by the Plymouth community charity Routeways, encouraging families to learn and enjoy growing and preparing food. The activities include a family gardening club on Saturdays and the centre’s Monday Rooted Club, which encourages the community to get involved with growing vegetables on a community allotment. Club members get to choose what they want to grow and are then watch it come to fruition – it’s a chance to try something they wouldn’t normally be able to do at home. Project manager, Anna said: “Gardening provides a great offer. At the moment the families are planning what to do with a patch of grass we have. “They are thinking they would like a sensory garden. They are really keen to have their say on what the plot gets turned into, and are busy fundraising at the moment. “Families feel safe and comfortable here and lots of parents who come to the Saturday Club want to volunteer more in the week. “We provide a whole package and it’s good fun.” The club operates on 50 weeks of the year year and sees an average of six families attending each week. It costs £2 per child with a disability for three
CHILDREN ENJOY COOKING OUTSIDE
‘Families feel safe and comfortable here and lots of parents who come to the Saturday Club want to volunteer more in the week’
hours, and £4 for other children. During the summer children have been learning not only how to grow food but also how to prepare and cook it. Mark Collings, Routeways business manager, said: “We offer plough to plate activities. If you find anything that someone is interested in, then people will engage with it. “It’s more than just being outdoors. There is a whole host of intellectual skills as well. If the children count the ingredients, they are learning to count. They can learn the names of the ingredients from the garden and spell them.” He adds: “Making things like bread sparks the young people’s imagination. At our site in Penlee, we have started a wheat patch. This means the
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PAUL LOVELL HELPS SOPHIE,13, AND SASHA,11, PUT THEIR BREAD INTO THE PIZZA OVEN
MARK COLLINGS & ANNA ANDREWS
people involved with that project can make bread straight from seed to bread.” Routeways are keen to work more with single dads who are in the Armed Forces. Mark said: “Many dads who are in the forces, come out for leave and don’t know what to do with their children or where to go. “Routeways are keen to offer them a place to go and learn new skills with each other.” There is also a classroom on the site where lessons take place on outdoor education before the children head outside to take part in activities. Mark explains: “It can be emotional at times. One moment that really stands out for me is when a young boy learnt how to plant potatoes and what a potato plant looked like. When his parents came to pick him up, he went straight over to them and showed them what he had learnt.”
LIGHTING THE FIRE
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CHILDREN ENJOY THE MARINE LIFE AT THE AQUARIUM
Sleeping with the sharks NEIL SHAW AND HIS FAMILY PAY A NIGHT-TIME VISIT TO THE NATIONAL MARINE AQUARIUM
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ntertaining adults is a difficult business often involving a team of writers and a multi-million pound budget. Entertaining children is as simple as revealing that boy sharks have two willies and lobsters communicate by weeing in each other’s faces. This is Sleeping with Sharks at the National Marine Aquarium, although given the thread of sex and toilet talk that runs through it, it should perhaps be called NMA: After Dark. Not to say that the event, held every few months at the Sutton Harbour attraction, isn’t suitable for kids – it is specifically for children. In fact, the three tour guides on the night we were there knew their audience of three to 10 year olds through and through, and tailored their material accordingly. The events see members of the public allowed into the aquarium after it has closed to the general public. There are guided tours through the facility across three hours that include detailed talks about all the star attractions. This means the children, and adults alike, get an in-depth knowledge of marine biology you just don’t get anywhere else. Even visiting during the day it just isn’t possible to get the personal attention necessary for all this vital information – and there is no doubt the information is
vital. As we sit in front of the tank with guide Hannah enlightening us all on the habits of tiger sand sharks one five-year-old hand shoots up to ask: “Do the sharks eat all the other fish in the tank?” Hannah takes a quick straw poll, all but one agree that of course, the sharks don’t eat the other fish. Hannah reveals – they do. But only the sick and old ones. “So why don’t the sharks get sick if they eat sick fish?” comes the follow up. “Good question,” Hannah comes back “That’s because sharks aren’t like other fish, they just don’t get the same diseases. In fact they really don’t get sick very much at all.” Another follow up asks what happens when the sharks DO get sick. Hannah reveals that because sharks can’t vomit, they turn their stomachs inside out and push them out through their mouths, contents and all – unless the contents are too far down, then the inside-out stomach comes out the other end. The groans and gasps leave enough break in the questioning for us to move on. Over three hours there are many more groans of delight and disgust as we learn that an octupus has a syphon that EVERYTHING comes out of, as well as a brain shaped like a donut that all its food passes through. The biggest groan is for octopus poo (thin like goldfish poo, but a couple of metres long and generally tangled into a ball). Poo and wee are recurring subjects as the
children generally want to know how each creature does it – they seem happy with the fact many of them do it through their mouths. They seem even happier to find that sharks wee constantly, even while they are drinking, to maintain internal balance. The collected young audience finds this more fascinating than the fact sharks can sense electricity and grow new teeth every two weeks. Back at the jellyfish tanks we learn that all jellyfish, no matter how big, are plankton, because they can’t swim against the tide – except when they first start to develop and they can. The whole group is involved in making a series of complicated hand gestures to mimic the jellyfish life cycle from spawning to crawling to cloning to breaking free and back to spawning. The teaching style is interactive and entertaining, some of the children may even find they remember what sharks use ampullae of lorenzini for as well as why their poo looks like bird poo (pro-tip, it’s the dried urea). After a break for some outdoor play it’s back to the giant Eddystone Reef tank at the heart of the aquarium to settle down. By 1am the lights are all out, leaving everyone to lie back and fall gently asleep to the sounds of the tank, while the fish inside go about their nightly rounds seemingly undisturbed by their guests.
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EMILY SMITH BEGINS HER TRAINING FOR THE 10K
One step at a time... ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, GO! EMILY SMITH PULLS ON HER RUNNING SHOES TO START TRAINING FOR THE PLYMOUTH 10K
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lymouth 10k returns to the city in November providing the perfect challenge for those who are new to running. But what is involved with training for a six-mile run? I am ready and raring to find out before taking on the race myself. I started running last year when I downloaded the Couch to 5k app and have been running ever since, although the furthest I have recorded has been 7k. My first bit of advice for anyone wanting to start running is don’t rush into it. Phone apps like the Couch to 5k ease you in and within eight weeks you will feel great running a distance you could only previously dream of completing.
would suggest trying to go out at least three times a week. It’s important to rest as well as train. Mark in your diary when you are going to go out for a run and make sure to drink plenty of water leading up to the moment you head out. You may even want to carry water with you but I know this isn’t for everyone. Make sure you have eaten enough throughout the day to provide you with enough energy, but not too soon before you run, or you will get a stitch. Having the right equipment is also important. It’s not good going out to run a 10k in a pair
s to maintain te u ro t n re fe if d h aried wit SONAL TRAINER Keep your runs v GAVIN SEYMOUR, PER ss e c ro p g ghout the trainin motivation throu The Plymouth 10k is the largest 10k road race in Devon and Cornwall and is a fast, relatively flat, traffic-free road race that weaves in and of the city centre. It’s a brilliant challenge to work towards and a perfect stepping stone for the Plymouth half marathon next year. The best way to tackle a 10k race is to break it down and work towards set distances each time you go for a run. Start with a 3k, work towards a 5k, ease into a 7k and boom – you’re running 10k. If you attempt a 10k for the first time without building up to it, you could damage muscles. Start by running 15 minutes at a time, with a short walk inbetween. Next time you head out try running for 25 minutes and build it up each time. I
of plimsolls or sandals. Investing in a proper pair of running trainers will help prevent injury. A good pair of running shorts, or leggings, and a lightweight top will also make running long distances a lot easier. Gavin Seymour is a personal trainer based at the University of St Mark and St John Sports Centre and has advice for anyone training for a 10k. Gavin said: “When preparing for a 10k, injury prevention is a priority, always ensure you do dynamic stretches before any training runs and static stretching afterwards. Additionally allow suitable recovery time between runs. There are different options to improve recovery, with many people finding sports massage beneficial. Also
keep the runs varied with different routes, which is great at maintaining motivation throughout the training process. I would also recommend integrating interval training and resistance training into your programme, as they can develop cardiovascular and muscular endurance.” The trickiest things with running is finding the motivated to go out and run in the first place – once you are up and out you will be asking yourself why you were so reluctant in the first place. I find the best time to run is as soon as I get in from work. I’m into my house and changed into my running gear before I have time to think about it. If you stop for just a minute, you could be persuaded not to go out. PLYMOUTH 10K TAKES PLACE ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2 AT 8AM
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HOMES & GARDENS
ARTIFICIAL GRASS = PERFECT LAWN!
COMPOSITE DECKING: LOOKS LIKE WOOD BUT WITH NONE OF THE MAINTENANCE HEADACHES.
Gardens can be stress-free Before
PL ASKS WHETHER IT’S REALLY POSSIBLE TO HAVE IT ALL IN THE GARDEN
G
ardens offer a natural escape. A haven from the pressures of life – they are a precious outdoor space where people relax and enjoy themselves. However, “I love my garden, but not the work!” is a common complaint. For some people life is just too busy to fit those precious gardening hours into a hectic weekly schedule. Despite the work, most people are clear about one thing, they do not want to give up their patch of green. So what are the options for a beautiful but low maintenance outdoor space? Some people opt for a quick and easy fix – paving over their gardens and disguising the concrete surface with pots and planters. This is not ideal, as pots require regular watering and many people regret turning their space into something that resembles a car park. Decking is an attractive option as there are some fantastic natural-looking decking boards which are anti-slip and eco-friendly being made from recycled materials. These decks look like wood, but come without the maintenance headaches. The new generation of composite decking planks is the best on the market, but is more expensive than the wood alternatives. But for some people it is well worth the investment as it will outlast wood by many years. One affordable and increasingly popular option is artificial grass. Artificial turf provides the perfect lawn without the mowing, mud and maintenance hassle of natural grass. Importantly, most of the artificial grasses are pet and child-friendly. The grass is particularly popular for smaller, unusual shaped lawns or tricky-to-access areas. Latest technologies mean modern fake grasses are very realistic with brown thatch woven into the root zone to resemble real biomass. Colours have changed from bright greens to more natural-looking olive shades. The best grasses use ‘shaped fibres’ - the individual blades of grass are stronger by design which means that the lawns look great for longer. There are many different types of artificial grasses available, from luxuriously soft, 30mm pile heights for an immaculate looking garden, to more affordable and hard wearing grasses with shorter pile heights. If a low-maintenance, beautiful garden sounds appealing, local company Green Scheme Solutions Ltd specialises in artificial grasses and composite decking systems. For a free site visit and expert advice contact 01822 855427.
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PL MAGAZINE | 44 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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Topiary - not just for stately homes FANCY HAVING A GO AT A BIT OF TOPIARY? IT’S NOT TOO HARD AS LONG AS YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT HEDGING PLANT TO WORK WITH. PL HAS SOME ADVICE ON HOW TO USE BOX TO SATISFY YOUR NEED TO SCULPT
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ox (Buxus) has always been popular with gardeners. It’s green all year round, is always attractive and can be pruned into almost any shape or size your imagination dreams of or your space allows. Do you have a small garden or balcony? That’s great too! Because it grows slowly, it’s perfect as a patio plant and ideal for small gardens and balconies. European Buxus sempervirens (that means evergreen) is ideal for pruning and shaping – also known as topiary. The closely related Buxus sempervirens ‘Elegantissima’ also responds well to pruning, plus it has variegated leaves. For high hedges, choose fast growing Buxus ‘Rotundifolia’. For a slow growing, compact bush reaching about 1 metre at maturity, choose Buxus microphylla, the leaves of which can turn bronze in winter. Can you achieve professional results pruning a potgrown box shrub? Yes, if you follow some simple steps (and practice). Place the pot at a good working height. Take your shears and start working at the bottom. Turn the shears over so that you can follow the spherical shape more easily. Follow the shape, cutting as you go. Finally, trim the top. The result should be a tight spherical shape. You can let your box plant grow into a larger bush. The plant is versatile and will be attractive however you choose to maintain it. If you do choose to prune, box benefits from clipping at least twice a year. Pruning does encourage strength. Do it regularly and you’ll have a green body builder in your garden!
GOOD TO KNOW • Don’t allow box to dry out for long periods. Make sure you continue to watery even in winter (especially container grown plants) and feed with a water-soluble fertilizer monthly. They prefer neutral to alkaline conditions so apply a little lime if your soil tends towards acidic. • Box thrives in the sun, but also does well in shade, where the leaves will develop a deep green colour. • Tip: pot-grown box plants receive very little rainwater because the plant has such dense foliage. Check daily that the soil isn’t too dry and give plants a drink if they need it.
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HOMES & GARDENS
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usely when they Peonies only start to flower prof the same spot. in s year four to have spent three t nutrition, they If they have access to sufficien many years, for e ther will then flower lavishly flowering the n whe e tim a e com will e but ther diminishes.
Prune Now!
ed pods
Decorative se
some Keep attractive seed pods from as Iris sibirica, perennials after flowering such ntale in order to I. foetidissima and Papaver orië enjoy in the winter.
Maintenance
Tips:
Herbs
No more feeding
e now. They Do not feed your plants any mor need to prepare for winter.
Overwinter fuchsias:
n-poor Give the plants lime-rich/nitroge th. mon this e tim e mor one r fertilise ks before wee two er Give the plants less wat n prune The . tion loca ter win r thei they go to etres on tim cen nty twe vigorously. Leave some ge. folia the all ove rem also and s the branche (a cool tion loca ter win They can then go to their rox app be to ds nee ture pera tem room where the t. ligh the in 5 °C). Foliage will form again larly for pests Water as required and check regu and diseases.
PL MAGAZINE 46 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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PL MAGAZINE | 47 | AUGUST 2014
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HOMES & GARDENS
THE Romance OF FLOWERs never goes out of style FLORIST SALLY EDGCUMBE FINDS THE ROMANCE IN FLOWERS EVEN AFTER THIRTY YEARS, SAYS LOUISE DANIEL
F
lorist Sally Edgcumbe has been guiding brides to the best blooms for more than 30 years. Now owner of H Watts Florist in Oreston, her hardworking team of eight ensure beautiful bouquets and stunning centrepieces are the bride’s dreams realised. As one of the longest-established florists in the city, Sally was proud to keep the H Watts name when she took over the business in November 2013. “Generations of families have used this business over the years – it has been around since 1952. We have members of staff who have worked here for over 30 years and our experience combined is probably near 100 years,” she said. Fashions may come and go but romance never goes out of style. Sally recalls one occasion when a groom’s romantic gesture was particularly short notice. “We got a call from a groom who said his bride-tobe didn’t have flowers and he thought she should. He stopped off to see us on his way to the church – so romantic.” Each wedding takes around seven hours to complete, with bouquets occupying an hour of that time depending on how complex they are. Each design is unique, with an individualised consultation service and the opportunity to hire one of the team for a full day. “We can be booked out for the full day – and transport the flowers to a different location. There is an additional charge, but it works out if you factor in doubling up on flowers for the church and then the reception.” PL MAGAZINE | 48 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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How to preserve your beautiful bouquet The traditional bouquet toss shouldn’t be the end of your beautiful blooms. “If you plan on throwing your bouquet, task the florist with making a ‘dummy’ from less expensive flowers and preserve the real thing.” Nearly a quarter of a million romantic Britons still opt to take the leap and wed each year, with the South West the most loved up region in the UK according to the Office of National Statistics. Vintage, shabby chic, traditional, contemporary – whatever your style on the big day, glorious garlands and fabulous flower arrangements bring a burst of colour and vibrancy to any venue. The customary bridal bouquet is centuries old – with herbs like rosemary, garlic and chives originally used to bring luck and fresh fragrances to ceremonies. In Tudor times, brides dipped marigolds in rose water and ate them to stir up a lusty appetite. The less lusty Victorians popularised blooms with meaning, in particular the wedding rose symbolising true love and the bouquet toss provided a talisman protecting the lucky recipient from evil spirits favouring them with the possibility of being next in line for nuptials. Fresh flowers put a hefty dent in every budget and unlike the dress or sparklers, have a very short shelf life - so what can you do with your leftover blooms?
Tel:- 01752 403617 H. Wa�s Florist is a family run business, which has been built up over 60 years. We specialise in gorgeous gi� designs, individual funeral tributes, imagina�ve wedding work, and corporate work to suit your requirements. We have a large stock of beau�ful fresh flowers on a daily basis, sourced locally whenever possible. Please contact us, we will be only too happy to help.
159 Plymstock Road, Oreston, Plymouth, Devon. PL9 7LJ Email: - hwa�lorist@btconnect.com Web Site: - www.hwa�sflorist.co.uk
made to measure
curtains, blinds & soft furnishings
After divvying up amongt family, brighten someone’s day with your lovely lilies. Throwing out what’s left seems a shame – check out local hospices and nursing homes or drop off a bunch off to elderly people in your area. Preserve your floral flourish – make preserving your bouquet part of the wedding plans and if you are off to the marvellous Maldives put a trusted guest in charge of starting the preservation process. Preserve the full bunch – string up in a cool dry place (a cupboard or wardrobe is ideal) upside down. Press – blooms don’t hold their shape this way but are easier to store. Layer in tissue or newspaper individually then place between the heaviest books you can find. Once dry, mount in your wedding album or frame them – you could even laminate. Dry sand – fill a box with dry sand and place the flowers on top, gently pour sand over until completely covered. Seal the container and leave in a dry place for around a week. Remember, as the sand dries the blooms will be weighted so don’t forget about them.
The Window Dresser
40 Molesworth Rd, Millbridge PL1 5NA | 01752 567354 PL MAGAZINE | 49 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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Cooking up the perfect kitchen DOES YOUR KITCHEN NEED A MAKEOVER? TAKE SOME INSPIRATION FROM THE EXPERTS AT ARMADA KITCHENS
F
or something a little bit different in the world of Kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms why not pop in to see Jon and James at Armada Kitchens? Their Plymouth showroom is now open at the bottom of Molesworth Road, Millbridge. Jon, who has lived in Plymouth for most of his life, has spent the last 10 years designing and installing bespoke interiors all over the South West. James has a wealth of experience in building construction, specialising in the planning and surveying of all types of interiors. Now open in Plymouth, at 36-38 Molesworth Road, alongside another local business C & R Lampshades. The cleverly-designed shop floor features a selection of kitchens, bathrooms and bedroom doors and displays. Armada Kitchens also have an exclusive range of colour co-ordinated rigid cabinets in nearly 90 different finishes, as well as doors, accessories and appliances. Co-owner Jon says: “We’ve handpicked kitchens, work surfaces, bathrooms, built-in furniture and all those important finishing touches to share with our customers. All the cabinets are bespoke rigid units and made to our specific requirements; we also deal direct with kitchen door manufacturers and importers, cutting out the cost of distributors. We have a number of appliances available and can supply products from most popular brands such as AEG, CDA, NEFF and Franke.” Armada can cater for every requirement,
offering excellent service and advice from start to finish - from a simple worktop replacement or door refurbishment through to a brand new luxury kitchen. Jon adds: “With a friendly and laid-back approach we don’t like to put people under pressure, we want to make customers feel at ease when taking on any project in the home. We oversee the work from beginning to end and offer interiors to suit every budget and taste.” Customer service is quite obviously paramount to Armada - if your tap is dripping or you have a chip in your bath and want some advice, then they are more than happy to help. Jjust give them a call, or if you’re in the area, why not pop in for a coffee? Armada provide detailed estimates, itemised plans and full colour 3D pictures free of charge to anyone arranging a home visit. A small deposit is all that is required to confirm any order. All of Armada’s installations are fully project
managed, supported by an experienced team of traders including carpenters, electricians, plumbers, tilers and builders with whom they have worked over the years. Jon said: “We don’t have huge overheads and believe there is plenty of room in the market for us in the city, a business which is small enough to offer personal customer care, but big enough to handle major installations. We’re always on hand to help make your design experience something you’ll enjoy. We’ll be as passionate about your project as you are.” Customers Mr and Mrs Gallagher are delighted with their new kitchen. They said: “The installation started right on time and despite an incredible amount of work, finished on schedule too. We are absolutely blown away by our stunning new kitchen.” FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT ARMADA KITCHENS, 36- 38 MOLESWORTH ROAD, MILLBRIDGE, PLYMOUTH TEL 01752 500953 WWW.ARMADAKITCHENS.COM
PL MAGAZINE | 50 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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HOMES & GARDENS
PL MAGAZINE | 51 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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HOMES & GARDENS
NATALIE SOFA, HABITAT, £,1,200
CUSHIONS FROM £20; CLAYTON THROW £110; SEDGEWICK SOFA, £1,200, HABITAT
Happy birthday to our great interior designers
J
ust like old friends who are perfectly in tune with us, some home stores seem to know exactly how we want to live, and become favourite destinations for browsing or buying. The enduring success of four of them is reflected in their ages - John Lewis is 150, while Lakeland and Habitat both celebrate 50th birthdays this year, and relative new kid on the block, Oliver Bonas, has come of age and turned 21. Instead of celebrating with cake and candles, they’ve treated fans to new pieces and ranges. Join the party and gift your home some ‘birthday’ presents.
JOHN LEWIS www.johnlewis.com Offering everything for the stylish home, the store has won a place in our hearts over the past century and a half. The formula is simple - an insistence on top quality at the right price, summed up in its company motto, ‘Never knowingly undersold’, and ranges that appeal to a diversity of tastes. HOW IT BEGAN: A humble draper’s shop in the cobbled streets of London’s Victoria, where John Spedan Lewis had the revolutionary idea that all workers should be co-owners and share in the success of the company.
TWO-TONE TEALIGHT HOLDER, OLIVER BONAS , £5
A HOST OF BRITAIN’S FAVOURITE HOMEWARE STORES – INCLUDING JOHN LEWIS, HABITAT, LAKELAND AND OLIVER BONAS – ARE MARKING BIG BIRTHDAYS THIS YEAR. PL JOINS THE PARTY AND RAISES A TOAST TO THESE INTERIORS STARS
ERCOL STUDIO COUCH, JOHN LEWIS, £2,750
PL MAGAZINE | 52 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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HABITAT www.habitat.co.uk Fifty years ago, Habitat helped changed the face of Britain’s homes, and although it was nearly sunk by the recession in 2011, it’s been successfully revitalised. The store’s now wooing and winning a new generation of fans – the grown-up children of the Sixties’ generation, its original devotees. HOW IT BEGAN: Designer Terence Conran’s winning formula, launched in 1964, was selling an easy-living but stylish, colourful lifestyle, characterised by affordable modern design.
BOUTIQUE LIGHT PENDANT, HABITAT, £70
Boringdon Park Golf Club Sunday 21st September
EDGAR WOOD CHEST, OLIVER BONAS, £365
{ 10am - 4pm { exhibiTors include: drakes . focus bridal alexander PhoTograPhY debenhams . amica bridal bouTiQue image diarY . reTro chic wesTcounTrY limos h waTTs florisT . TrulY scrumPTious PlYmouTh ciTYbus . Picshore morTgages4PlYmouTh momenT in Time . lawsons evenT angels . PeTer goord Travel seasPraY . Te amo brides ash Tree farm . gez Thomas kasan mobile bouTiQue . seasPraY PhoTograPhY bY marion francis celebraTion balloons Prudence gowns The momenT bridal bouTiQue
VELVET TUB CHAIR, OLIVER BONAS, £445 OLIVER BONAS www.oliverbonas.com This brand comes of age, turning 21, in the Autumn, and despite its tender years compared to its competitors, it’s already a favourite for those who seek highly individual furniture and accessories for homes which boast character. HOW IT BEGAN: Founder, Olly Tress, was just 25 when he opened his first store on London’s Fulham Road, with a second hand till and a shoestring budget. As a student, he travelled abroad and discovered he had a keen eye for design and talent for spotting unusual pieces, which he sold to his friends.
DECORATIVE STORAGE SUITCASES, OLIVER BONAS, FROM £30.
To exhibiT or for more deTails conTacT: Terri reeves 01752 293174 or 07879 604 346 Terri.reeves@swmg.co.uk enTrY Price £2
PL MAGAZINE | 53 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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Make your bathroom the place to seek sanctuary UPDATING A BATHROOM CAN BE FUN, BUT DON’T GET CARRIED AWAY WITH STYLE OVER SUBSTANCE, WRITES JULIA GRAY
a look or style, but also the pipework, available space, water usage and water pressure, which can all impact on how successful the resulting room is. “Unfortunately, many homeowners don’t realise this until they have a new shower that isn’t powerful ecently, I had to gut my (very Seventies enough, or taps that look great but are difficult to turn avocado) bathroom sooner than expected off with wet hands.” – when the airing cupboard had to be It can be hard to think through all the implications enlarged, the whole bathroom layout had to change. of purchases for a new bathroom though, especially I’d bought a bath that, I thought, could be squeezed if you’re making big changes. But remember a good into the new space, but it didn’t take account of plumber will come to your home and advise you. plastering and tiling. Generally speaking, keeping the bathroom layout as My builder said the bath would have to be cut into it is should make replacing the suite straightforward, the wall, but then decided the wall was too unstable but changing the layout can complicate things. and would have to come Unless you have solid down – or the bath would floors, getting water where have to go. you want in the room ‘It’s not just about Whatever your views shouldn’t be hard, but on avocado bathrooms, altering the waste pipes can choosing a look or this episode just goes to be more of a problem, with style, but also the show the problems that changes to the toilet waste pipework, available not thinking through often the most difficult. purchases can cause. Sometimes wastes have space, water usage And, it seems, I’m to be surface mounted, and water pressure’ not alone in this. A new but re-jigging the layout survey for bathroom may avoid this (again, a brand iflo (visit www. good plumber will talk iflopromotion.co.uk for a chance to win a bathroom) you through the different options to get the right has revealed that style is the most important factor balance of style and practicality). for homeowners planning a new bathroom, with more Different layouts and products may have cost practical considerations often overlooked. implications in terms of labour and materials, which In fact, more than 60% of respondents in the south is another reason to consult a plumber. of England said they wouldn’t ask a plumber for You may not realise it, but the type of boiler your advice when selecting bathroom products. home has can also affect what you buy for your new “Bathrooms are the most complicated room in any bathroom, particularly the shower. Seek advice home,” says iflo’s Jo Axtell. “It’s not just about choosing before you start to plan your new fittings.
R
LIGHT IT UP Your bathroom should be a sanctuary, but it’s also a highly practical room so it’s vital to get the lighting - and everything else electrical spot on. The bright light required for shaving or applying make-up is not the soft, relaxing light you need to enjoy a soak in the tub, and as such, the key to good bathroom lighting is flexibility. Recessed spotlights on a dimmer switch are one of the best solutions (as long as they’re bathroom compatible), because you can adjust the brightness to the task in-hand. Wall lights can also be bright, task lighting, especially around the basin, or soft lighting when you don’t want the ceiling light/s on. Bathroom lights must be suitable for the particular ‘zone’ they’re in; zones which are worked out according to their proximity to the taps and shower, with zone 0 being inside the bath and shower. All good manufacturers and retailers should say which zone/s their bathroom lights are suitable for, some even have a diagram of the zones on the box or you can easily find this online too. Lights designed for inner bathroom zones have encased bulbs for safety, but even in outside zones, it’s a good idea to have this type of light fitting because steam can corrode ‘open’ fittings over time. If you don’t have an extractor fan in your bathroom, get an electrician to fit one. Extractors reduce the damage caused by steam and moisture, and help prevent mould and mildew. In bathrooms without a window, common in flats, an extractor is even more important and should be switched on every time you shower or bath. Extractors are often wired to come on with the ceiling light, although they can be switched off independently.
PL MAGAZINE | 54 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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crowncarpets &flooring We can uplift & dispose of old flooring
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CALL US NOW FOR THIS MONTH’S SPECIAL OFFERS! PL MAGAZINE | 55 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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INSPORATION CLASS EXTERIOR
JEWEL CLASS EXTERIOR
Cruising doesn’t come classier than this IAN CALVERT, OF HAVE A NICE STAY TRAVEL, INVITES READERS TO TRY AN AWARD-WINNING RIVER CRUISE
A TASTE OF TAUCK
Y
ou might not be familiar with the name Tauck, but if you want an experience and holiday that goes the extra mile, then look nowhere else. Tauck began in 1925 and has set the highest standards in the industry. This American family brand just keeps growing, but unlike many others who try to expand to please shareholders and cut costs and corners, Tauck expands slowly while maintaining a unique style and level of service it is renowned for worldwide. But quality does come at a cost and you won’t see late offers for this brand. So in this issue of PL, you will not see any offers or discounts, there are a few super itineraries that might interest you, but all I intend to do is make you aware of this very special product and brand. With river cruising now so popular you will find a choice of ships and quality, but no other comes close to the Tauck River Cruise experience. The company holds the accolade of “World’s Best River Cruise” – “Best in Class Vessels” and “The Most Exclusive Experiences”. Take it from me, you have to be very special and different to be given these awards, so their river cruises really are the best. Tauck’s cruises are truly all-inclusive. Their magic lies not just in the destinations, but in the experiences their guests could never get on their own. The company offers more exclusive experiences, included in the package, than any other river cruise company in Europe. These range from in-depth, behind-thescenes sightseeing to included dining ashore in memorable venues.
*An Imperial Evening at Palais Pallavicini, a private Baroque palace in Vienna, with Champagne on arrival, a magnificent dinner and orchestra. *A private reception and dinner with musical entertainment at a chateau near Rouen with greeting from the count himself. Try some fine wine with him in his grand kitchen. A cowboy demonstration, with prized black bulls, at a family-owned ranch in La Camargue, France.
LOBKOWITZ PALACE DINNER INVITATON FROM THE COUNT
THE EXCLUSIVE BELLE EPOCH CRUISE FROM LONDON TO MONTE CARLO INCLUDES: * Presentation by Celia Sandys - author, TV personality and granddaughter of Sir Winston Churchill. * A game of petanque with the locals. * Visit and tasting at a 700-year-old familyowned vineyard. * Private dressage demonstration at a renowned equestrian centre. *Choice of art museum visits in Paris. * Visit Monet’s home and gardens in Giverny. * Exclusive visit to an absinthe museum with a tasting. * Tour of Normandy’s D-Day sites with local guides and experts. * Private reception and dinner with music at a chateau near Rouen.
PL MAGAZINE | 56 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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Rivers of Dreams Come True with Tauck
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for only £15.50 pp (Mon - Thurs)
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8th Apr 2015 lead in fare £2903pp based on cat 1 onboard Savor
or why not make a night of it with our
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CHRISTMAS MID-WEEK LUNCHEON AND DINNER MENU STARTERS Minestrone Soup Prawn Salad served on a Bed of Little Gem Lettuce with Marie Rose Sauce Farmhouse Terrine; Salad Garnish Houmous and Greek Salad
The Blue Danube - Eastbound
MAIN Roast Turkey with Traditional Accompaniments; Roast Potatoes and Fresh Vegetables
6th Apr 15 lead in fare £2418pp based on cat 1 onboard Espirit.
Grilled Fillet of Organic Salmon; Fresh Vegetables, New Potatoes, Lemon Butter Roast Breast of Chicken in Red Wine; Sautéed Mushrooms, Onions, Smoked Bacon, Mashed Potato and Fresh Vegetables
FOr yOur cOmpLimenTAry DVD On TAuck riVer cruises, pLeAse emAiL sALes@hAVeAnicesTAy.cO.uk
Thai Stir Fry; Vegetables, Egg Noodles Sweet Chilli Sauce
DESSERT Chocolate Torte; Clotted Cream Traditional Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce Lemon Tart with Fruit Sorbet Vanilla Panacotta with Berries Compote A selection of Local Ice Creams and Sorbets
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sales@haveanicestay.co.uk www.haveanicestay.co.uk ATOL 3273
Tel: (01503) 230276 E-mail: whitsandbayhotel@btconnect.com www.whitsandbayhotel.co.uk
PL MAGAZINE | 57 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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Are we there yet? HOLIDAY PARKS CAN BE A HAVEN, AS AWARD WINNING BOVISAND LODGE BEACHSIDE HOLIDAY PARK PROVES, SAYS LOUISE DANIEL
I
AM probably biased – I grew up camping and caravanning and love it. Hazy summer days filled with fun,even the British drizzle couldn’t dampen the temporary friendships cultivated over swing sets and rock pools. At that age, the quality of the accommodation was the last thing on my young mind. These days I’m inclined towards a little more luxury in my holiday park experiences. There are options for people who want civilised caravanning culture and Bovisand Lodge Beachside Holiday Park is an excellent example. If you aren’t a fan of organised fun, and don’t want to travel long distances with cranky kids, then it’s the perfect bolthole – especially if your family prefers calm to chaos and coastlines to clubhouses. Bovisand Lodge Park recently won Visit England’s gold award recognising the exceptional quality of their accommodation and customer service. To put this in perspective, of the thousands of holiday parks in the UK, Bovisand Lodge Park was one of only 16 to win a prestigious award. It’s easy to see why; all 24 acres are simply stunning – situated virtually on Bovisand Beach with clear views to the iconic Plymouth Breakwater and set in rolling green pastures, it’s
a real rural retreat. The site has all the facilities a family needs (launderette, children’s play park and plenty of open space) plus a heated indoor swimming pool. Even though it’s only 20 minutes from Plymouth, holiday makers and caravan owners couldn’t feel further from the workday week and day to day stresses.
‘There are options for people who want civilised caravanning culture with added comfort’ It’s clear this isn’t camping, glamping or caravanning – this is luxury. From the kitchen and bathrooms to the living and sleeping areas, it’s a comfortable beachside hideaway with all the perks that a traditional outdoors holiday brings, right on your doorstep. The Hart family has owned the Bovisand Lodge Holiday Park since 1958 and consistently
pushes forward and improve the facilities, something that has brought them plaudits in the holiday home industry and glowing reviews from return visitors who understand the appeal of quality holidays at home. Candice said: “We have 12 mobile holiday homes, three luxury heritage apartments in the Grade II listed ‘Country House’ and just recently added two luxury three bedroomed lodges. The other holiday homes are privately owned and used as weekend holiday cottages.” The Hart family has gradually developed the Park over the years to meet the needs of modern holiday makers but their ethos has remained strong. Candice said: “We have developed sensitively to enhance the beautiful natural environment surrounding us and were recognised with a Gold David Bellamy Award as well as a special recognition award from David Bellamy for burying overhead electric cables and reinstating the original unobstructed sea view of the breakwater.” Foreign holidays can be fantastic, but getting away from it all can mean a holiday retreat closer to home. Forget about months of planning, lost passports, dubious food and travelling long distances – with your own holiday home you can escape as and whenever you want during Bovisand Lodge Park’s nine month season.
PL MAGAZINE | 58 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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EGYPT
THE MALDIVES
Paradise should be revisited ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME HOLIDAYS ARE A THING OF THE PAST AS PEOPLE RETURN TO DREAM LOCATIONS TIME AND TIME AGAIN
O
nce-in-a-lifetime holidays are becoming while the same amount wanted time to experience twice-in-a-lifetime breaks – with a large things they had missed on their original visit. percentage of British travellers returning to A third of those polled were so amazed by worldwide destinations they fell in love with everything they saw first time round they wanted first time round. to see it all a second time, while 63 per cent fell in Researchers for Kuoni who carried out a detailed love with the culture, which was so different from study among 2,000 adults who holiday regularly anything else they had come across before. found 75 per cent have revisited a city, country or Six in 10 people felt they’d never be able to match resort at least once. the fantastic accommodation anywhere else in the And 31 per cent have already chosen to go back to world, and 59 per cent simply loved the local cuisine. a long-haul destination which they initially deemed Over two thirds of people decided to go back to a to be ‘once in a lifetime’ – long-haul destination after finding and more than half said they the local people so welcoming and plan to return at some point friendly, while a further 37 per cent in their lifetime. made some really good friends they The study found that were keen to see again. America, Australia, Italy, And when it comes to socialising Barbados and Canada are with people who live abroad, a fifth the five places which top the were lucky enough to enjoy a bit ‘twice-in-a-lifetime’ holiday list. of romance and wanted to go back The report also identified to meet the same person again or DEREK JONES, KUONI a trend of saving over a long recreate the experience. period of time to return to a Other reasons why people stunning location which holds fond memories. decided to save up and revisit a tropical destination Derek Jones, managing director of Kuoni, which include wanting to take a new partner or additional carried out the report, said: “We’re seeing a generation member of the family, and marking a special occasion of adventurers who set off to see the world with a such as a honeymoon, milestone birthday or backpack in their twenties to places like Thailand, anniversary. Malaysia, India and Australia return to those places Two thirds of people claim their ‘twice in a lifetime’ they love at a later stage in life.” holiday is the only place they have really managed to “Worldwide travel is more affordable and relax, and is also the destination where they’ve been accessible than it has ever been before. The choice of able to switch off from work completely. destinations, hotels and flights now is vast and brings Four in 10 holidaymakers said they simply many stunning countries and cruises – viewed in the didn’t believe another trip could top the one past as ‘once in a lifetime’ – within the reach of many they’d had previously. more people.” For those people who had returned to an exotic Almost three-quarters of people were likely to holiday location, a fifth went at exactly the same return to a ‘once in a lifetime’ destination because they time of year, while one in 10 used the same itinerary were so overwhelmed by the scenery and landscapes, a second time.
VENICE
Worldwide travel is more affordable and accessible than it has ever has been before -
PAGODA
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TRAVEL
TOP 10 TWICE IN A LIFETIME DESTINATIONS 1. USA 2. Australia 3. Italy 4. Barbados 5. Canada 6. Egypt 7. Thailand 8. Maldives 9. Mexico 10. A Cruise NEW YORK
TOP 20 REASONS FOR ‘TWICE IN A LIFETIME’ HOLIDAYS 1. You have such fond memories of the first visit 2. Fell in love with the scenery and landscape 3. The locals were so welcoming and friendly 4. You didn’t see or experience enough first time round 5. Good value for money 6. Wanted to see different parts of the country 7. Fell in love with the culture 8. You forgot about work completely 9. The accommodation was amazing 10. You loved the food 11. Something for all the family to do 12. Haven’t been so relaxed anywhere else in the world 13. Wanted to take a new partner, or return with the family 14. To mark an anniversary or special occasion 15. You simply want to recreate the first special holiday 16. You met some / made some good friends 17. You don’t think any other holiday could top it 18. You had such a romantic time on your last visit 19. You befriended the staff 20. You met someone / enjoyed a holiday romance PL MAGAZINE | 61 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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FOOD & DRINK
CATCH OF THE DAY PLYMOUTH SHORES ARE HOME TO AN ABUNDANCE OF FISH WITH MANY RESTAURANTS SERVING FISH THE SAME DAY IT WAS CAUGHT. EMILY SMITH TOOK TO THE WATERS TO TRACK HER DINNER FROM SEA TO PLATE
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lymouth restaurants have been recognised for their dedication to sourcing the very best fish – and doing it in a way that doesn’t harm the environment. The city is the first in the UK to achieve the Blue City sustainable seafood award, in recognition of the number of restaurants which meet the conservation-friendly criteria. Ben Squires has run Plymouth Boat Trips for 18 years, running two fishing boats as well as The Boathouse Cafe at Commercial Wharf on The Barbican. Ben has been catching fish since he was just three years old and moved to Plymouth from Wales when he was 20 to set up a business running fishing trips. He started renting one of the old boat houses at Commercial Wharf which he kitted out with a hammock, a television and a fridge full of beers. Ben now owns six of the old boat houses, including one which houses his office. Plymouth Boat Trips runs several fishing trips every day and even allows people the chance to have their catch cooked for them afterwards. I hopped onto one of the boats at the Barbican and was welcomed by Ben himself, although he doesn’t get out on the boats now as often as he would like, and his dad John. Fifteen others, of all ages and abilities, joined us on the trip. Many of us had never fished before. As Ben took the boat out to the Channel, John showed us the fishing equipment and talked us through the process. Once we hit waters 150 feet deep we were all set to go. Pick up the rod, chuck the line in and catch fish – great, let’s go! Well it wasn’t quite as simple as that but with the expertise of Ben and John it wasn’t long before people on the boat were bringing in fish. Cornish sardines, whiting, pollock and mackerel were among the delights we were catching. It wasn’t long before I had a fish on the end of my line
and braced myself for the hard task of reeling it in. I was surprised by the size of some of the catch we were bringing in. With every fish pulled on board there was excitement around the boat. Plymouth Boat Trips runs a Cook Your Catch (CYC) session which gives people the opportunity to have their fish cooked by Boathouse head chef Jack Noades, once they return to dry land. Jack is keen to keep the fish as simple as possible and serve with just a little butter, salt and pepper and a slice of lemon. Fish doesn’t get much fresher than when it was caught just an hour before you’re eating it. Ben has plans to expand and would love to own a fishmongers to sell his catch direct to customers. The Southern Star is the commercial boat which goes out daily to catch fish for the restaurant. The importance of sourcing sustainable fish has developed massively over the years and Plymouth is proud there are so many advocates in the city, proving that it can be cost-effective and delicious.
Plymouth Boat Trips has come a long way since Ben touched base on the Barbican. He explains: “When I bought my first boat, I rushed to the harbour master and said ‘I’m ready to take people fishing’. He stepped on the boat and it just wobbled from side to side. He said: ‘Not, quite yet Ben.’” “That night I was walking home and I saw a 21-foot boat for sale. “I bought it for £15,000 with a loan from the Prince’s Trust. I returned to the harbour master and said: ‘Okay, now I’m ready.” “On my first day I was so nervous, I walked down to the boat and was worried no-one would be there but there was a whole queue of people. “I did three trips on that first day. “Up until eight years ago I was running all the trips myself. I was going out on the boat all the time. “Now I have more skippers and managers running the cafe side of things.”
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EMILY SMITH WITH SOME OF HER CATCH
THE BOATHOUSE WILL COOK YOUR CATCH
SIX OF THE BEST PLACES TO EAT FISH IN PLYMOUTH PLYMOUTH CANTEEN AND DELI
KINGFISHER FISH AND CHIPS
River Cottage is one of the top restaurants in the city that has a strong ethos for providing customers with local and sustainable produce.
Kingfisher Fish and Chips is one of the many award winning fish restaurants serving a host of delights to fish lovers across the city.
The canteen is part of the historic Royal William Yard and all the food is lovingly cooked by head chef Joe Draper.
All the potatoes used are sourced from local farmers and all the fish is responsibly sourced.
All the fish served at the canteen is provided by Rex Down Wholesale Fish Merchants. The restaurant has recently been awarded a high 4.5 ‘blue fish’ rating after Plymouth became the first city in the world to secure the Blue City sustainable seafood award. The canteen provides a brilliant atmosphere and the views across the harbour provide the perfect evening setting to enjoy a glass of wine and a plate of local fish. RIVER COTTAGE CANTEEN AND DELI PLYMOUTH, ROYAL WILLIAM YARD, PLYMOUTH
Kingfisher was in the top three in the UK for two awards in the National Fish and Chip awards 2014. It takes pride in serving the very best produce and offering a host of fishy delights, including cod, haddock, hake and plaice. CHADDLEWOOD SHOPPING CENTRE, GLEN ROAD, PLYMPTON
HARBOURSIDE FISH AND CHIPS
All the fish is cooked to a secret recipe and the takeaway has the approval of the Marine Stewardship Council, confirming all its fish as sustainable. Cod is a firm favourite among customers. HARBOURSIDE FISH AND CHIPS, 35 SOUTHSIDE STREET, BARBICAN, PLYMOUTH
Rockfish is proud to provide sustainable dishes which are caught daily. The restaurant is next door to Plymouth fish markets and gets daily catches of crab, lobster and oysters from the River Yealm. Rockfish serves seafood for everyone and provide a perfect environment for all the family. SUTTON HARBOUR, 3 ROPE WALK, PLYMOUTH
THE BOATHOUSE CAFÉ The Boathouse Cafe is situated on the water’s edge at Commercial Wharf on the Barbican and its own boat,The Southern Star, catches a haul of fish every morning from Plymouth waters. Owner Ben Squire is so passionate about fresh fish that he moved to Plymouth when he was just 18 years old to start a career fishing.
Harbourside first opened its doors in 1970 and has since won many awards recognising its delicious fish and chips.
ROCKFISH, THE BARBICAN Rockfish is situated right on the water’s edge next to the National Marine Aquarium – the perfect location for any seafood fan. The restaurant provides outdoor seating and a take away fish and chip service.
The Boathouse Cafe looks right at home on the Barbican, once being used as an old fisherman’s store. You can guarantee that the majority of the fish you eat would have been caught that morning – you can’t get much fresher than that. You can even head out on a boat yourself and have your catch cooked for you by head chef Jack Noades. 2-4 COMMERCIAL WHARF, THE BARBICAN, PLYMOUTH
PLATTERS For more than 30 years Platters has sourced the fish it serves from Plymouth’s own fish markets. Situated on the Barbican, diners travel from all over the UK to get a taste of some of the freshest fish the city has to offer. Platters serves wholesome dishes like fisherman’s pie. Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber declared Platters’ Scallops Provencal his favourite dish after visiting the restaurant. Platters also runs a fish and chip takeaway if you fancy grabbing a portion and sitting on a bench overlooking the harbour. 12 THE BARBICAN, PLYMOUTH
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Nicoise Salad with Red Gurnard Poached Pollock in Summer Vegetable Broth Ingredients
Method
2 heads of spring greens
Peel and dice the onions, garlic, potatoes and slice the leeks
2 large leeks 300g Jersey Royal potatoes 2 white onions 300g purple sprouting broccoli 2 cups of fresh sorrel leaves 3 cloves garlic Olive oil 4 de-scaled 6oz pollock fillets with skin on 1.5l quality fish stock
Using a heavy based saucepan, sauté the vegetables on a low heat to soften and just colour for approximately 10 minutes.
Ingredients
Method
8 red gurnard fillets skin on, bones removed
For the perfect soft boiled egg:
Seasoned plain flour 4 medium free range eggs 4 baby gem lettuce 200g fine green beans trimmed - cooked and cooled 12 new potatoes - boiled, cooled and quartered 12 cherry plum tomatoes, halved
Remove centre stems from the spring greens and discard, coarsely chop and add to the pan along with the purple sprouting broccoli, season with salt and pepper and sauté for a further three to four minutes.
1 small red onion, finely sliced
Add enough stock to cover and simmer for approximately 15 minutes until soft.
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Add the sorrel. Add more stock as desired, place the fresh pollock fillets on top, cover with a lid and simmer for approximately 10 minutes until fish is cooked.
2 tbsp. chopped chives
Serve pollock in large soup bowls and spoon over the broth.
SERVES 4 |Recipe from The Boathouse Café
For the dressing: 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp. chopped parsley Teaspoon sea salt For the topping: 1 tbsp crème fraiche
Add room temperature eggs to cold water and bring to the boil. When they boil drop to a simmer and time for 5 minutes. Preparing the salad:
Tear the lettuce into bite-size pieces in the bowl and scatter the potatoes, beans, tomatoes, onions. Slice the boiled eggs in half and arrange around the dish. Preparing the fish:
Heat a splash of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan, pat dry and press the Gurnard fillets into flour on both sides. Pan fry the fillets for approximately two to three minutes on a medium heat, skin side down until golden before turning for another two minutes, depending on thickness and rest for one minute. Mix together the tarragon and crème fraiche, then whisk together the dressing ingredients with several good twists from a pepper mill to season and drizzle over the salad. Place the gurnard fillets on top of the salad with a dollop of tarragon.
½ tsp chopped tarragon
SERVES 4 |Recipe from The Boathouse Café PL MAGAZINE | 64 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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Kingfisher Fish & Chips Chaddlewood Shopping Centre, Plympton PL7 2XS
Tel: 335567 ly Offer on h it w valid r... e h c u this vo
2 £7.50 eat for
Medium Cod & Chips
Only one voucher per customer. Not for use with any other offer. Valid until end Sept 2014. Offer is 2 x Medium Cod & Chips for £7.50 Peas and Curry for 40p limited to this offer only.
WINNER at the 2014
Plymouth Food Awards
SUSTAINABLE FISH AND CHIPS
V
Adjacent to Co-operative food store, Glen Road B3416, just off A38.
Chaddlewood The Co-operative Food Store Langage Science Park
Glen Rd B3416
Plympton
Devon Expressway A38 East - Cornwall bound
kingfisherfishandchipsplymouth
Sandy Rd B3416
isitors to Kingfisher Fish & Chips in Plympton will be no stranger to award-winning fish and chips. But they can also be confident they are helping to protect the world’s oceans. Kingfisher was recently a winner in the Plymouth Food Awards for Sustainability and Provenance and has also been awarded Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, an international certificate of sustainability and traceability. It gives customers assurance that the fish labelled with the MSC blue tick is sustainably caught. The MSC’s sustainability standard is considered to be the highest in the world, and Kingfisher is one of a handful of fish and chip shops in the UK to have the certification to allow use of the eco-label on the menu. Kingfisher was nominated top three in the UK for two awards; one is the Good Catch National Fish And Chip Award, which recognises the most fish and chip establishments. The other is the Quality Award Champion. Fish2fork (the campaigning restaurant guide for people who want to eat fish – sustainably) have also awarded Kingfisher their highest Blue Fish accolade in the world. This helped Plymouth secure Fish2fork’s first Blue City award. Kingfisher Fish & Chips are also holders of the NFFF Quality Award; an award for excellence in food quality, hygiene and operational standards and only 250 fish and chip shops in the UK out of 10,500 hold this award. So the next time you want fish and chips, and want to help protect the health of the world’s oceans, head to Kingfisher Fish & Chips, Chaddlewood Shopping Centre, Plympton, Plymouth PL7 2XS Tel: 01752 335567.
HOW TO FIND US
Devon Expressway A38 East - Exeter bound
KingfisherDevon
www.kingfisherfishandchips.co.uk
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FOOD & DRINK
BLAKE CHRISTISON AT RUMPUS COSY
The joy of cake AS THE BBC’S GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF RETURNS TO TV SCREENS, THE NATION IS ONCE AGAIN GOING BAKING CRAZY. EMILY SMITH WENT ON A HUNT TO FIND THE BEST CAKE IN PLYMOUTH
A
s Henry James once said: “There are than a supermarket one but you can buy quality few hours in life more agreeable than ingredients. The producers we use love what they the hour dedicated to the ceremony do and that shows in the products they make.” known as afternoon tea.” British people have Tea consumption increased dramatically during embraced James’s vision and afternoon tea is now the early nineteenth century and now thousands a much loved pastime. of British people enjoy a pot of tea and a slice of Plymouth is a city extremely proud to call itself cake to celebrate any occasion. home to an abundance of bakeries and cafes serving Blake tells me what he thinks makes a perfect delightful cakes, and one of the newest to open its cake. “You need a light sponge and to make sure doors is Rumpus Cosy on Derry’s Cross roundabout. it tastes like what it says it is. If you buy a slice of The name comes from a Stephen Fry book titled coffee and walnut cake, then make sure it tastes Paperweight in which he refers to a room in his like coffee and walnut. house as Rumpus Cosy. The cafe’s name and all the “Simplicity is often underrated. A cake doesn’t delights it serves are certainly causing quite a stir need to be complex or obscure. The bakers who with cake eaters across Plymouth. supply us use traditional methods and really good Blake Christison ingredients and we’re runs the cafe and is proud to sell their cakes.” keen to offer the very Whether you’re thinking best produce to his of trying a chocolate customers. All their sponge, coconut cake or cakes are supplied banana loaf, Blake believes by local producers Jo that if ‘you weigh the Jo’s Home Bakery and ingredients correctly and Take a Slice based in set the oven at the right Ivybridge. Rumpus temperature then you can’t Cosy has only been go wrong.’ Well there is HENRY JAMES open for nine weeks, hope left for me yet then! but already their extensive and inventive menu is The great thing about cake is you can put almost proving to be a talking point. anything in it. If you have fruit close to going off Cake delights include a rose sponge which then put it in a cake, make a puree or a compote. is made by Take a Slice and the only cake they Have some faith and maybe next year you will be a make just for the cafe, a Jaffa cake, lemon curd contestant on The Great British Bake Off. sponge and a selection of fruit cakes and flapjacks. The charm of Rumpus Cosy is accentuated by All the cakes are served on beautiful mismatched mismatched furniture, worn leather armchairs crockery or slate cake stands. and a whole host of loose leaf teas. Although the Blake believes it’s important to use local doors haven’t been open for long, this is one cafe supplies, when we live in ‘one of the best places that will continue to wow its customers. in the country for food.’ Blake said: “We don’t serve run of the mill food, He said: “The thing with cake is people don’t we serve simple dishes that work well. If you have understand the difference between a good and good products and put them together with other bad cake. When you make a homemade cake, good products, then you will have a final outcome you pay for the whole product. It may cost more that is going to be excellent.”
TREATS UNDER THE CAKE DOME AT RUMPUS COSY
‘There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea’ -
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Jam and coconut sponge served with iced fruit tea Ingredients
Method - Ice fruit tea
Red berry tea
Choose a red berry tea with a stunning colour
strawberries & raspberries
Steep the tea bag in a little hot water with a pinch of sugar for about 3 mins
......................
Top it up with cold water and ice serve with fresh raspberries and sliced strawberries for fruity punch
225g unsalted butter, softened
Jam and coconut sponge
225g caster sugar
Preheat the oven to 180 C / 170 C Fan / Gas 4. Grease and line a roasting tin with greaseproof paper.
4 large eggs 225g selfraising flour
Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time beating well with each addition. Fold in the flour and the baking powder.
½ tsp baking powder
Pour the mixture into the roasting tin and level the surface.
75g desiccated coconut
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until well-risen and golden.
Your choice of jam
Turn the cake out of the tin and allow to cool on a wire rack. Spread your jam of choice (I like apricot personally which is against tradition) over the top of the cake and sprinkle with desiccated coconut.
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Make the most of nature’s larder IT’S THE SEASON OF MISTS AND MELLOW FRUITFULNESS. WHAT BETTER TIME TO MAKE THE MOST OF NATURE’S BOUNTY? CLARE JARDINE REPORTS There’s something about the last days of summer which prompts our natural urge to start gathering food for the winter. It’s now that nature’s bounty is at its best with autumn fruit ready for the plucking. So why not let the garden be your larder – with juicy extra pickings from parks and hedgerows. Fill up before birds, insects and the first frost of winter destroy the fruit, then pickle, jelly and freeze these autumnal bounties to keep you supplied all winter.
ORCHARD FRUITS Bullace are small green or purple wild plums found in hedgerows throughout the southern half of the country. The green ones are wild greengages and the purple wild plums, and their flavour varies. Make jams and pickles and bottle them in gin for winter. Quinces are delicious pickled with spices, jellied and cheesed or just baked in the oven with brown sugar and raisins. Grated in brandy with a cinnamon stick, if kept for a year or so, they make one of the best after-dinner drinks for Christmas. Medlars are bullet-hard, rusty-coloured hip-like fruits that grow on native trees with large sandpaper leaves. I like to bake them in a dish until soft and then take off their tops like a soft-boiled egg, spoon out the flesh and mix with brown sugar and cream. Harvest sloes, damsons and red and yellow crab apples can be found in hedgerows in town and country alike.
BERRIES Old wives tell us to eat the first blackberry raw from the tip of the cluster, pick the seconds for jam and cook the last ones with apples. With more than 200 species of bramble, you can find berries ripening from August to the end of September. Folklore warns us not to eat them after Michaelmas (October 10), when the Devil apparently spits on every bush. Everyone’s autumn favourite has to be blackberry and apple pie, crumble or tart. It’s the perfect marriage of two of September’s sweetest fruits. But blackberries also stand in their own right. They make the perfect tart companion to duck and game dishes and can be used in a plethora of puddings. Elderberries were grown in orchards for wine making and are ready for picking when the berries hang down in tassels. Mixed with apples and blackberries, they make a wonderful jelly and used to be added to wine to improve flavour and colour. The nice fat hips of rugosa, the common dog and field rose, are particularly abundant this time of year. Collect while still firm, and make sure you use a very fine jelly bag or muslin to remove the tiny hairs that cover the seeds. Hawthorn, guelder rose and rowan berries all make lovely jellies.
WAYS TO PRESERVE FRUIT Jellies are pretty and jewel-like, delicious with meat or on hot buttered toast. Wash and cut up your fruit. Simmer with water and then mash and put into a jelly bag, allowing the purée to drip overnight. Never be tempted to squeeze or your jelly will cloud. Measure the juice and return to the pan, adding the required amount of sugar for each fruit - a pound to a pint (450g to 600ml). Dissolve sugar, and then boil rapidly until setting point is reached. Skim off any scum and pot. Cheeses are thick, dense jellies that turn into a sweetmeat or paste to be eaten with cheese, ham or game. After the fruit has reached setting point, continue to stir briskly until the mixture thickens and comes away from the sides of the pot. Pot in straight sided jars and keep for at least six months or cut into cubes to eat. Gins, vodkas and brandies can all be made from fruit and berries. Experiment regularly, especially after tasting, and you’ll become bold in your combinations. Pop your washed fruit halfway up a wide-mouthed jar, add a quarter of sugar and top up with alcohol. Add a vanilla pod to bramble brandy, a cinnamon stick to sloe gin, a few cloves to crab apple vodka and leave for as long as you possibly can. Chutneys and relishes offer endless permutations of vegetables, fruit and spices mixed with good-quality vinegar and seasonings, cooked in an enamel or stainless steel pan and stirred with a wooden spoon. They should be left for some time in jam jars to mature and mellow before eating. Pickled fruit needs to be carefully simmered in a mixture of good vinegar, sugar and mixed spices until tender, then removed with a slotted spoon and packed into jars. The residual liquor is then reduced and poured over the fruit.
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PLUM CHARLOTTE Ingredients
Method
Usually made with apple, it is equally as good made with plums, particularly Victorias.
Lightly grease a 1 pint (600ml) pie dish. Butter the bread, and then cut off the crusts, and cover the base and sides of the dish with the buttered bread slices, reserving sufficient to make a pie top.
10 slices white bread
Halve and stone the plums, and with the remaining sugar layer the plums and sugar into the dish.
3 oz (75g) butter 6 oz (150g) soft brown sugar 1 lb (450g) Victoria plums
Bengal Nights
Sprinkle a little of the sugar over the bread.
Top the last layer with the remaining buttered bread slices, and sprinkle a little more sugar on top, if it is liked, and then bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C 350F Gas mark 4 for 30-40 minutes or until top is golden brown. Serve hot with custard or clotted cream.
CHOICE OF 6 SET BENGALI PLATTERS 5 COURSES ON A PLATTER VEGETARIAN OPTION AVAILABLE
SLOE OR DAMSON GIN
(Call for more information)
Ingredients
Method
450g/1lb sloes or damsons
Prick the tough skin of the sloes all over with a clean needle and put in a large sterilised jar.
225g/8oz caster sugar
Pour in the sugar and the gin, seal tightly and shake well.
1 litre/1¾ pint gin
King Prawn Dishes add £2.95
20% Off Takeaways over £15
Store in a cool, dark cupboard and shake every other day for a week. Then shake once a week for at least two months. Strain the sloe gin through muslin into a sterilised bottle.
USEFUL BOOKS: ‘HEDGEROW’ BY JOHN WRIGHT, ‘WILD FOOD’ BY ROGER PHILLIPS, ‘JAMS, JELLY AND RELISH’ BY GHILLIE JAMES AND ‘FOOD FOR FREE’ BY RICHARD MABEY
Sunday- Thursdays Only
Nibana
2014 Winner
Indian Restaurant & Takeaway
9 Morshead Road, Crownhill 01752 787001 | www.nibana.co.uk
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A big blue challenge
SWIMMERS TAKE TO THE WATER FOR THE BLUE MILE CHALLENGE
CELEBRATING OCEAN CITY
ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S BIGGEST ENVIRONMENTAL FUNDRAISERS IS SET TO RETURN TO PLYMOUTH SOUND. RACHAEL DODD DISCOVERS THE CHALLENGE OF THE ECOVER BLUE MILE IS TOUGH ON SWIMMERS – BUT KIND ON THE ENVIRONMENT
T
he wide, blue expanse of Plymouth Sound is the jewel of the city - water glittering in the sun and a fresh sea breeze blowing on most days. You might admire the view from a distance, but the Ecover Blue Mile participants will be part of it. Now in its fourth year, the mass-participation event will see hundreds of people diving into Plymouth’s waters near the Mayflower Steps for a one-mile swim or kayak. The challenging course will take swimmers along a picturesque route from the waterfront towards Tinside Lido, where it makes a u-turn to finish back at the Barbican. Trying not to get distracted by the beautiful view may be more of a challenge than the swim. But don’t let the Sound’s charm fool you swimmers will need strength and determination to complete the one-mile lap, fighting tides, currents and cold temperatures. Kayakers might be travelling on the water, not in it, but they’ll need arm strength and power to be the first
Something fishy’s going on in Plymouth.The Ocean City Festival is set to dominate the September calendar. The programme of events is packed to the rafters with family fun, exhibitions and lectures. For 20 days Plymouth will be revelling in its maritime heritage and showing just why it earns the title of Ocean City.
around the course. Participants won’t just be making a personal achievement by chucking themselves into the Sound. They’ll also be raising money to protect our oceans through the Marine Conservation Society (MCS). MCS, a UK charity dedicated to protecting our seas, shores and wildlife, is the official charity partner of the Ecover Blue Mile. The Ecover Blue Mile is one of the major events marking the 20 day Ocean City Festival - celebrating all things oceanic in Plymouth. New to this year’s Blue Mile will be SUP and kayak taster sessions to get more people enthused by water sports and enjoying the fabulous seas and coasts that the South West is blessed with. The event village will be running activities for all ages throughout the two-day event, which are designed to get people actively involved in caring for the seas, shores and wildlife. Since its creation in 2010, the Ecover Blue Mile has grown from one event to a nationwide programme involving schools and learning events, with more than 200 organisations taking part.
‘Trying not to get distracted by the beautiful view may be more of a challenge than the swim’
Here’s just a small selection of the festival events taking place: Japan400 Plymouth is a four-day spectacular celebrating 400 years of Anglo-Japanese relations. On September 27 a tall ship will sail into Sutton Harbour re-enacting the return of The Clove from the first UK trade mission to Japan under Captain John Saris. It is the centrepiece of a weekend of events from September 27 to October1 at Sutton Harbour and the Barbican. The weekend will also feature live Japanese entertainment, including musical and theatrical performances, and a food fair, with stalls featuring Japanese food and cooking demonstrations from celebrity restaurateur Peter Gorton and award-winning chef Yoshinori Ishii. Japan400 Plymouth is being organised by the History department at Plymouth University. Lecturer Dr Jonathan Mackintosh said: “The journey of John Saris 400 years ago is a littleknown tale, but an epic one. It exemplifies a vintage age of globalisation, when tall ships set sail from and returned to Plymouth, Britain’s gateway to the world. Japan400 Plymouth reaffirms our historical links to the country and opens new opportunities for exchange, collaboration and discovery. It also aims to show that while Japan might be geographically distant, its
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Wednesday 24th December Christmas Eve Festive Afternoon Tea Start the celebrations with a glass of Prosecco, followed by Christmas Cream Tea, Delicious Scones with Clotted Cream & Jam, Festive Sandwiches, Warm Mince Pies and a slice of our chef ’s very own Christmas Cake. Music by The Swing Kings This includes a seasonal gift from Father Christmas, who will be making a special stop at Kitley House Festive Afternoon Tea starts from 1.00pm
£24.95 per person
Christmas Lunches Enjoy a 4 course Lunch Menu Available from Monday 1st December 2014
influences are all around us.”
4 Course Seasonal Menu with Coffee
The weekend of September 2728 sees the return of the Plymouth Seafood Festival, two days of fishy fun celebrating Plymouth’s rich waters.
£17.95 per person
Events take place from 10am until 4.30pm on both days,. A cookery theatre on the Barbican will play host to some of Plymouth’s best seafood chefs, serving up delicacies before your eyes. There will be family-friendly activities; shanty singers, face painting and a chance to get up close and personal with some lobsters, plus crafts and an ocean awareness area. Another event is the Batten Bay Bioblitz, hosted by the Mount Batten Centre, a 24-hour race to record as much wildlife as possible in Batten Bay. From bug hunts to bat walks, the weekend is packed with activities taking place from September 12 - 13. The survey will start at 11am on the Friday and finish at 3pm on Saturday. Last year’s survey in Looe recorded over 1,100 species, so there’s a lot to live up to. The Bioblitz is running in conjunction with the Ecover Blue Mile, which supports the conservation of marine life supported by the Marine Conservation society. Ship Ahoy! Children will love the activities on offer at Super Saturday: Here Comes the Armada on September 27. Hosted by Plymouth Museum, children will be creating their own armada of ships using old maps, atlases and the ‘royal game’ sculpture for their inspiration. The sculpture depicts Queen Elizabeth I and King Philip II of Spain playing chess with pieces resembling Spanish Armada ships. The event runs two sessions from 10.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 3.30pm. Advance booking
Kitley Party Nights & Disco Friday 5th December, Friday 12th December & Friday 19th December 4 course Seasonal Menu with Coffee and Disco Arrive 7.00pm Dinner served at 7.30pm Disco from 10.00pm - Midnight
£29.95 per person including Cocktail on arrival
for this event is recommended. Open air cinema is also part of the Ocean City Festival from September 11-13 at the Royal William Yard. Appreciate the magic of the silver screen in the great outdoors in one of Plymouth’s most heritage-rich areas.
Accommodation available from £35.00 pps
The September 11 showing will be Roman Holiday; September 12 is a sing-a-long Grease special, which has already sold out, and September 13 is a showing of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. On September 15 the Plymouth and West Devon Records Office is offering a rare opportunity to take a tour of the archive. The Maritime Heritage Archive Tours will reveal some of Plymouth’s fascinating maritime history and enlighten visitors about the city’s rich heritage. The event is free but booking is recommended.
KITLEY
HOUSE PA X
FOR A FULL LIST OF ALL THE OCEAN CITY FESTIVAL EVENTS VISIT: WWW.VISITPLYMOUTH.CO.UK/ OCEANCITYFESTIVAL
POTIOR
BELLO
There’s so much that makes us special Kitley Estate Yealmpton, Plymouth, PL8 2NW Telephone: 01752 881555
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Paradise for film-makers
Sherlock
THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTIES OF DEVON AND CORNWALL HAVE A BIGGER FILMOGRAPHY THAN SOME ACTORS. FROM FANTASY TO PERIOD DRAMA, THE REGION CAN PLAY THEM ALL. RACHAEL DODD DISCOVERS SOME OF THE COUNTY’S BIGGEST ROLES TO DATE
Deductive detective Sherlock Holmes was brought to a whole new audience when Benedict Cumberbatch stepped into his shoes for the BBC series Sherlock. In series two episode two, The Hounds of Baskerville, Dartmoor made its dramatic entrance in one of the most watched programmes of 2012. In their quest to discover the infamous hound, the pair rest at the Cross Keys Inn – a cosy nook full of crackling fires and squishy sofas supposedly in the middle of Dartmoor. Devonians were disappointed to discover this charming pub was nowhere near Dartmoor – it’s actually the Bush Inn in the Vale of Glamorgan – where most of the mock-Dartmoor footage was filmed. However, Haytor and Hound Tor do feature in brief sequences as Sherlock and Watson go gallivanting across the landscape. Dartmoor has become synonymous with Sherlock’s most famous tale and adds to a whole host of legends and myths surrounding the moor. Coincidentally this wasn’t Hound Tor’s first movie role...
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Sense and Sensibility Devon featured heavily in this classic film adaptation of Austen’s cherished novel. Not one, but four of the county’s locations were used for filming in 1995. Next time you’re weeping over the Dashwood sisters’ exploits, keep your eyes peeled for the following: Interiors and exteriors of Plymouth’s much celebrated Saltram House became Norland Park - the home that Mrs Dashwood and her girls are cruelly evicted from after the death of Mr Dashwood. And so, the Dashwood’s find themselves at the considerably smaller Barton Cottage in Devonshire. “Oh, a cottage! How charming. A little cottage is always very snug.” This is actually Efford House on the Flete estate near Holbeton in Devon and you can rent it as a holiday
cottage. In reality this “snug” cottage sleeps 12 - not such a downsize after all! It’s size may be deceptive but the views of the estuary are all real - director Ang Lee even asked for the resident swans to be moved out of shot occasionally because they made the view “too romantic”. There’s just no pleasing some people! Other locations include: Compton Castle, a mediaeval fortress at Marldon near Paignton which became Coombe Magna home of heartbreaker Willoughby. And, of course, there’s the church where Marianne wed Colonel Brandon; if you weren’t crying before this scene you will be now. The church is actually St Mary’s at Berry Pomeroy and it received a wave of wedding bookings after the movie’s release.
War Horse When War Horse was released in 2011 the beauty of Dartmoor was revealed to the world. People across the globe fell in love with the moor that Plymothians have on their doorstep, and suddenly they all wanted a piece of it. Under the expert visual eye of no less than Steven Spielberg, Dartmoor became another cast member in this critically-acclaimed movie; its lush, green hills, emerald forests and clear streams were brought into HD splendour. The grade II listed Ditsworthy Warren on the edge of Ringmoor Down became the Narracott family farmhouse. Abandoned in 1947 the house is mainly used for military training exercises these days. But with a few window shutters and lean tos added the building was briefly brought back to life. A word of warning though, everything was dismantled when filming stopped so don’t expect the Narracott house to be stood in all its glory. It’s also on private property so you’ll sadly have to resist the urge to wander in. Also on the location list for War Horse was Cadover Bridge, Meavy, Bonehill and Combestone Tor. It seems Spielberg was quite taken with Dartmoor; “I have never before, in my long and eclectic career, been gifted with such an abundance of natural beauty as I experienced filming War Horse on Dartmoor.” Coming from a man who’s directed extraterrestrials and dinosaurs - that’s really saying something! PL MAGAZINE | 73 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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Alice in Wonderland The dark fantasy of Tim Burton’s imagination collided with Lewis Carroll’s beloved, warped Wonderland in 2010 for the motion picture Alice in Wonderland. Garden party guests assembled at the Ascot Estate as, much to Alice’s horror, a snivelling Hamish Ascot attempted to propose. Admittedly it was very difficult to focus on all this with the silvery image of Antony House, playing the role of the Ascot home, stealing the show. Antony House is the ancestral home of the Carew family and dates back to the early 18th century. It’s easy to see what drew Burton and his location scouts to Antony. With grounds bordering the Lynher Estuary in Cornwall, full of topiaries and sculptures, it’s more than worthy of Carroll’s classic.
Doctor Who Back in 1975, Tom Baker had only just begun his iconic run as Doctor Who and his mile-long scarf was yet to become a part of the British furniture. The beautiful Hound Tor starred in the cult sci-fi series’ episode The Sontaran Experiment; watched by 11 million people on its original broadcast. Presumably the idea was to dazzle the Sontarans (a note to the uninitiated; a Sontaran is a baked potato on legs) with Dartmoor’s spectacular landscape and take them by surprise. Poor Tom Baker slipped on a patch of wet grass and broke his collarbone while filming. He was forced to conceal a neck brace under his coat and scarf for many of the Dartmoor scenes.
Other appearances Devon has made in film and TV •The Circus came to town in 1974 when Monty Python filmed the fourth series of the iconic TV show in Exeter. •The last ever episode of Poirot brought murder and intrigue to the county for the filming of Dead Man’s Folly at Agatha Christie’s holiday retreat; Greenway House in Brixham, Devon, in 2013. •Only a few years after his trip to Antony House, Tim Burton returned to the South West to film scenes for the quirky comedy Dark Shadows. Johnny Depp walked the beaches at Start Point near Kingsbridge as the eccentric vampire Barnabas Collins. •Satirical yarn Churchill: The Hollywood Years starring Christian Slater and Miranda Richardson featured scenes shot at the Royal William Yard in Plymouth. • Scenes from Conspiracy of Silence – an Irish film starring Brenda Fricker and Hugh Bonneville – were shot in 2002 just across the Devon border in Callington when the Cornish town was transformed into a part of rural Ireland for a day. PL MAGAZINE | 74 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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FANCY POPPING OUT TO SEE A MOVIE? MOVIE LOVERS CAN SOAK UP THE LATE-SUMMER ATMOSPHERE WITH A SERIES OF OPEN-AIR SCREENINGS AT PLYMOUTH’S ROYAL WILLIAM YARD THIS MONTH, EMILY SMITH REPORTS
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estled among beautiful old buildings, boats bobbing up and down on the water, hundreds of people can enjoy big screen films at the Royal William Yard. As the sun sets across the water, people will be heading to the Royal William Yard to sit on the grass to enjoy outdoor cinema for the third year running. Anna Navas, film programmer at Plymouth Arts Centre, said: “There are loads of great things about outdoor screenings for people who have never been to one. The first thing is that it’s amazing how different a film looks when you are sitting under the stars in a fantastic location. There’s a real holiday atmosphere with people picnicking, having a glass of wine or a delicious hot chocolate.
History of outdoor cinema Although people may believe that outdoor cinema is a new thing, in fact the oldest and longest running open-air cinema was founded in Australia in 1916. Since then ‘Sun Pictures’ have been
“Outdoor cinema makes you see film in a totally different light and brings the fun back to cinema, even if it’s something you have seen before. “The outdoor cinema gang at Plymouth Arts Centre are so excited to have the chance to do this again in such a beautiful place - we are lucky in Plymouth to have such a perfect setting as the Royal William Yard.” On Thursday, September 11 at 8pm, 1950s classic Roman Holiday will be showing. On Friday September 12 at 8pm, crowds will be singing along to Grease. The screenings will end in style on Saturday September 13 at 8pm when Dawn of the Planet of the Apes will be shown. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE IN ADVANCE FROM PLYMOUTH ARTS CENTRE ON 01752 206114
organising open-air cinema events and cinema evenings.
the drive-in became stronger and larger and became the hottest ticket in town.
The craze then landed in the USA and even now drive-in cinemas are a hugely popular site. The world’s first ever drivein cinema was born in 1933.
The thrill of watching movie blockbusters outdoors have never died and at the end of the 1980s the new wave of openair cinemas opened their doors.
However it wasn’t until the 1950s that the craze really began to boom in America. The 50s brought a wave of cinema closures and cinema chains shutting shop, however
The people of Plymouth can enjoy the craze right on their doorstep this summer as the cinema is brought to the Royal William Yard.
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It’s all about the River MARTIN FREEMAN GRABS HIS POPCORN FOR A PREVIEW OF A PIONEERING FILM FESTIVAL
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ove over Cannes and Berlin. The debut Tamar film festival looks set to notch a world first. This celluloid celebration doesn’t boast A-list stars or blockbuster premieres. As the title makes clear, It’s All About The River. This is believed to be the first arts festival in the world to be themed on rivers and to go with the flow of the water. The screenings will begin at Gunnislake and move downstream to Plymouth from September 12 to October 12. “I don’t think anything like the Tamar project has been done anywhere else in the world,” says artistic director Paula Orrell. The mix runs from classic British comedies to acclaimed Hollywood blockbusters, premieres and arty offerings, some shown outdoors. Francis Ford Coppola’s epic Vietnam movie Apocalypse Now (1979) will be screened on a Torpoint Ferry. Among the oldies are Steamboat Bill Jr, the 1928 Buster Keaton silent funny; 1949 Ealing comedy Whisky Galore!, thriller Night Of The Hunter (1955) starring Robert Mitchum; and Hammer Horror’s Plague Of Zombies (1966). Coming-of-age comedy-drama Stand By Me (1986) and children’s favourite Muppet Treasure Island (1996) feature, too. BAFTA-nominated director John Akomfrah will premiere Tropikos. The film was shot around the Tamar and explores some of the first British encounters with peoples from Africa. Venues include the Royal Albert Bridge, stately homes Pentillie Castle and Cotehele House, Devonport Guildhall, a pub, village halls, an old chapel and a boat in Royal William Yard. Film was chosen because of the range and the medium’s popularity.
NIGHT OF THE HUNTER WILL BE SHOWN AT PENTILLIE CASTLE
STAND BY ME WILL BE SHOWN ON SALTASH WATERFRONT
“Film is probably the most accessibly art form,” says Paula. “But not all of the films are popular ones. We have a lot of cult classics, some that people will not have experienced.” The festival has come from the Tamar Project, involving Peninsula Arts at Plymouth University. Arts Council England, the British Film Institute, the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site, the Lottery and Cornwall’s FEAST community arts programme have given £220,000 for the event. Paula says the festival will help “develop new thinking around the Tamar’s future”, enable national and international artists and local communities to make art and raise the river’s profile. “We are looking to grow this into a bigger biennial festival,” she adds. WWW.TAMARPROJECT.ORG.UK/PROJECTS/ITS-ALLABOUT-THE-RIVER PL MAGAZINE | 76 | SEPTEMBER 2014
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CROWDS GATHER AT LAST YEAR’S FESTIVAL
Summer closes in style at Looe festival LOOE FESTIVAL HAS A FANTASTIC SEASIDE LOCATION
ONE OF CORNWALL’S MOST POPULAR MUSIC FESTIVALS, SET IN A MAGICAL LOCATION, IS SET TO WOW CROWDS AGAIN THIS MONTH. EMILY SMITH REPORTS
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he massive party that is the Looe Music Festival comes to the Cornish coast this month. The festival pops up in Looe to give locals and visitors alike three nights of big-name acts, plenty of local music and a dance stage that will leave your feet sandy. Headlining this year are acid jazz and funk pioneers The Brand New Heavies, Squeeze and award-winning hardcore funk artist Frank Turner and his band The Sleeping Souls. Plus 90 more bands from local shores and further afield to give music lovers a whole host of acts to get their teeth into. Also on the bill are Cosmo Jarvis, 3 Daft Monkeys, Plymouth’s Land of the Giants, comedian Kernow King and Kezia. All the acts will play on the main stages situated on Looe beach or in town locations. Wherever you are, you’re bound to have an amazing view and feel at home in the bustling harbourside town. Looe Music Festival event director Tanya Brittain said: “If you asked me how I felt about securing Frank Turner as the Sunday headliner I would say four simple words: ‘I want to dance!’ “We’re ridiculously excited about having Frank in the line-up this year and think he will complement the other acts brilliantly, bringing
another dimension to our already eclectic festival roster. “Looe Music Festival is not one to be pigeonholed into different genres or fall into the trap of being repetitive. “It’s about listening to inspiring artists, whilst having a really good time in a unique and magical location. “From the main stage set, right on the beach, to the tiny acoustic gatherings within the town’s pubs and on the streets, the buzz is tremendous. I can’t think of a better way to chill out and celebrate the end of summer.”
If you are keen for a lazy Sunday afternoon session, then Looe music festival is probably not for you. People should expect an eclectic mix of high energy ‘keep you on the move’ music. There will be acts on every street corner and in every bar and restaurant around the town. Looe Music Festival mixes the cultural extravaganza of Glastonbury with the community spirit of a village fete. LOOE FESTIVAL TAKES PLACE FROM FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 TO SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21.
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SOCIAL DIARY r by John Allen Smeaton’s Towe Fireworks over
Jim Winship, Event Director, judge Barnaby Ferrera and Maria Winship
British Fireworks Championships the Royal Corinthian Guests, officials and judges gathered at of the British nights two the for Hoe the on Yacht Club l event saw six Fireworks Championships. The 18th annua r displays on teams once again compete with spectacula red on the Hoe both evenings. Thousands of people gathe front to see the and other vantage points around the water n. Batte t Moun from expert displays fired
Cllr Tudor Evans with Cllr
John and Jane Kingdom, Deputy Lord Mayo r Cllr Pauline Murray, Cllr Brian Vincent with Steve Slattery and Trish Slattery
Ian Tuffin and Clare Tuffin
Nick Copson, Louise Uncles,
the and Stan Cinnamond from Emma Hewitt, Karen Cook lth Games wea mon Com with n Joh University of St Mark & St thew Dixon divers Sarah Barrow and Mat
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Pugh Martyn Starnes and Alan
Sue Vallins, Margaret
Pugh and Fiona Sto
ddart
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Flavour Fest
A breakfast launch was held for the sta rt of this year’s delicious Flavour Fest event. Chefs Chris and Jam es Tanner joined the City Centre Company in welcoming guests to the event. Thousands flocked to the city to enjoy the delicious array of loc al food on offer at the three-day food festival.
Chris and James Tan
ner
Edmund Davari
Ray Robins and Pauline
Chris Kemp, Claire Edgecombe and Vicky
Murphy
Gunston Chris Robinson, Clare Robinson and Liz
Jacques Marchal, Sally Everton and Brian
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Vincent
Krause and Luis Santiago, Stafan
Lawson
Anna Wernergold
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EVENTS NOT TO MISS THIS MONTH IN PLYMOUTH
SEPTEMBER 12 – OCTOBER 12
River Tamar Project: It’s All About the River International Film Festival
SEPTEMBER 12
Ocean City Family Quiz
SEPTEMBER 13 – 14
Grab the family for a quiz that’s a little different to the ordinary village hall/ pub affair. You’ll be quizzing with the fishes as the National Marine Aquarium host the event as part of the Ocean City Festival. There’ll be six bamboozling rounds designed to test your trivia knowledge. Do you know your stuff when it comes to Plymouth history? Are you a watersports whizz kid or a nature nerd?
Ecover Blue Mile
SEPTEMBER 17 – 20
SEPTEMBER 23
SEPTEMBER 27 – 28
Calamity Jane
The Saturdays
Plymouth Seafood Festival
The wild west comes to the Theatre Royal with an intimate new production of the classic musical Calamity Jane, starring Jodie Prenger. Sharp-shooting Calamity Jane boasts she can bring a star to Deadwood. Desperate to impress she travels to Chicago to fetch Adelaide Adams.
One of the UK’s most successful girl bands, The Saturdays, are returning to Plymouth. The girls are embarking on their Greatest Hits tour with seven years worth of infectious pop tunes to perform. Since 2007 the band have scored 11 Top 10 singles, three Top 10 albums and three nationwide headline tours.
The Plymouth Seafood Festival celebrates the delicious sea cuisine which Plymouth restaurants specialise in. Walk among the stalls taking in the sights, smells and tastes of the British seas. There’s even a sea themed crafts to try and an awareness area. The Cookery Theatre is a mustsee located on The Parade area of the Barbican. Local and regional chefs will be showing their skills in a series of demonstrations.
A major film festival graces the banks of the River Tamar. It’s All About the River features epic cinema, archive footage, documentaries and premiers of specially commissioned films by international artists. Each film has a river theme and the festival is a celebration of the River Tamar.
A spectacle of athletic achievement and a mainstay in the Plymouth calendar – the Ecover Blue Mile takes place this September. Hundreds of professional and amateur participants will be diving into Plymouth’s ocean waters in a bid to win in their category. From kayaking and standup paddle boarding to aquatriathlons and simply swimming it. But the Blue Mile isn’t all about the
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James Foulkes
Plumbing & Heating
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Recommend to a friend... Find a copy at : PLYMOUTH AQUARIUM ROYAL WILLIAM YARD (shops and restaurants)
TOURIST INFORMATION PLYMOUTH GIN DISTILLARY SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND MANY MORE LOCATIONS (can’t squeeze them all in here!)
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P L
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Next Month
People
TOMMY VILES: City boy is the new face of fashion
Food
GHOULISHLY GOOD: Hallowe’en recipes for children and adults PLUS: Barbecues aren’t just for summer ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Fiona Stoddart
Art
EYE FOR A PICTURE: Meg Johnson’s calendar 48
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Out & About
GATHERING THE GARLAND: Behind-the-scenes as Cotehele prepares its unique Christmas decoration
SALES TEAM: Run of Magazine Jane Resoli 07793 165669 jresoli@dc-media.co.uk Joe Reeves 01752 293080 Joe.reeves@dc-media.co.uk Jenny Short 07711537464 jshort@swmg.co.uk Property Mike Wainwright 07879 604387 mike.wainwright@swmg.co.uk Motors Adele Taylor 07730019004 ataylor@swmg.co.uk Eating Out, Out & About Jane Resoli 07793 165669 jresoli@swmg.co.uk
01752 293070
EDITORIAL: Publisher: Paul Burton 01752 293045 pburton@plymouthherald.co.uk Editorial: Clare Jardine 01752 293138 cjardine@plymouthherald.co.uk DESIGN: Design: Jessica Daykin Copyright © 2014 The Herald Views expressed by writers herein do not necessarily represent those of PL Magazine or The Herald. Availability and price of items have been checked at time of going to press, but we accept no responsibility for any rejected items or unfulfilled orders. Printed by Precision Colour Printing Ltd. PL Magazine is part of The Herald, Studio 5-11, Millbay Road, Plymouth PL1 3LF
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COME AND SEE WHATS COOKING...
MEET THE STARS
Friday John Torode
Sunday The Hairy Bikers
Saturday Gino D’Acampo
and so much more Tasting and trying Restaurant stage Classroom demonstrations Local chefs and producers Shopping The BIG Cake Show Baking Area Kid’s Kitchen Competitions
Westpoint, Exeter • 24th - 26th October buy your tickets at
Proud supporters of
thebigfoodshow.com
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M S
MICHAEL SPIERS T R U R O
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P L Y M O U T H
E X E T E R
T A U N T O N
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