PL Magazine April 2014

| F A S H I O N | H E A L T H & B E A U T Y | F A M I L Y | H O M E S & G A R D E N S | P R O P E R T Y |

P L

M a g a z i n e

Your lifestyle magazine for Plymouth & surrounding areas

APRIL 2014

free

Secret Garden THIS HIDDEN GEM HAS RIVERSIDE VIEWS

Antony Jinman THE EXPLORER IS DREAMING OF NEW ADVENTURES

Plymouth Art College FASHION STUDENTS CREATE BEAUTIFUL AND PRACTICAL CLOTHING

| MOTORING| TRAVEL | FOOD & DRINK | OUT & ABOUT | SOCIAL DIARY | COVER.indd 1

21/03/2014 13:25:31

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PL MAG | 2 | APRIL 2014

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CONTENTS

2

11 44

People

6

Homes & Gardens

Travel

The polar explorer on achieving his dream

Western Carpets and Pine is setting the standard

Sail away on a bespoke holiday

8 OCEAN STUDIOS

22 BEAUTIFUL BATHROOMS Create a room for relaxation

Food & Drink

24 INTERIORS COLOUR OF THE YEAR

James and Chris Tanner’s expansion into Looe

20 BUYING QUALITY FOR THE FUTURE

6 ANTONY JINMAN

Two women create new artist space

Fashion, Health & Beauty 11 PCA FASHION

Fashion students prepare their final collections

15 DESIGNER BEAUTY Get star quality from the high street

Be inspired by teal decor

27 DIY: TIME TO PAINT YOUR CEILING? Advice on approaching this task

28 ELEGANT GARDEN DESIGN Top garden designer shares his love of textures

Family

30 SEARCHING OUT SECRET GARDENS

Opening new doors for children

32 APRIL GARDENING TIPS

18 MUSIC TO GROW YOUR CHILDS IQ

Top tips for the month

Sound can be beneficial to a child’s development

Property

16 PLYMOUTH’S FIRST FREE SCHOOL

follow us

/PLMagPlymouth @PLMagPlymouth

PUBLISHER: Paul Burton 01752 293045 ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Fiona Stoddart THE HERALD: 01752 293000 For more contact details see page 58

This stunning riverside garden is a hidden wonder

42 CRUISE INTO A WONDERFUL CITY

44 TANNERS EXPANDING EMPIRE 46 EASTER TURKEY DELI ROAST This tasty recipe is sure to delight

48 MARY BERRY TALKS FAMILY, CRITICS AND FOOD The Queen of the kitchen shares her passion for cooking

50 WINE MYTHS DEBUNKED Dispelling some common misconceptions

Out & About

51 MURDER MOST FOUL IN DEVON HOTELS An evening of entertainment and

34 RENTAL MARKET

sleuthery

Quality matters for landlords and tenants

52 TOP 6 EVENTS NOT TO MISS THIS MONTH IN PLYMOUTH

38 A PERIOD HOME WITH CHARACTER This family home has a lot to be desired

PL Magazine’s top picks for April

Motoring

Social Diary

40 THE LOW DOWN ON THE NEW MAZDA 3 Discover this embodiment of fluid power

56 SOCIAL DIARY

Top social events around Plymouth

Coming up

COVER: Celebrating Spring this

58 NEXT MONTH IN PL MAGAZINE

month with your new PL magazine

Get a sneak peek of what’s in store for May’s issue PL MAG | 3 | APRIL 2014

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FOR SALE

48

TIC KE T

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Celebrating Plymouth

W

elcome to the first edition of PL – a new magazine for the Plymouth area that we hope reflects everything that we all know is wonderful about living in Britain’s Ocean City.

This magazine has been born out of our staunch belief that there has never been a better time to live in Plymouth. It’s a place bursting with so much to celebrate and enjoy – and we hope that lying in your hands is a collection of fabulously put-together pages that aspire to that Plymothian sense of fun and adventure.

We want PL to be a mix of fascinating local stories and features combined with the best in local fashion, food, culture and going out.

Combined with that, we’ve done our best to give you an essential lifestyle guide – with detailed features on interiors, gardens, property, travel and motoring.

Just to give you a little flavour of what’s coming up, this month’s highlights include how local foodie revolutionists the Tanner brothers have built on their years of success in the city to expand into a new venture by the seaside in Looe. Plus we talk critics and family with Mary Berry – with a couple of her baking tips and an Easter roast recipe to salivate over.

And to wash it all down, Plymouth’s sommelier extraordinaire Yannick Loué gives us his lowdown on what wine to buy, while dispelling a few myths of the vineyards along the way.

Over the page we catch up Antony Jinman, the inspiring Plymothian who stared the icy, treacherous swatches of the Antarctic bravely in the eye on his triumphant 730-mile march to the South Pole.

Closer to home, we look at the future fashion talents honing their skills at Plymouth College of Art, and the final collections, along with the current trends to expect this year.

For those eyeing the Easter DIY projects with a degree of trepidation, our expansive Homes & Gardens section covers everything from efficient bathrooms, carpets and ceiling remodelling, to elegant garden designs, hidden away gardens to copy, and green-fingered tips.

And that’s without mentioning our Property, Motoring, Out & About and Family sections – all pages we hope help paint a little corner of the glorious tapestry of living in a PL postcode.

Lastly, a thank you to all of our advertisers who supported our first edition of PL, there are some superb businesses in Plymouth that we know PL readers will love.

We hope to help paint a little corner of the glorious tapestry of living in a PL postcode - PAUL BURTON

Have a fantastic April, and see you next month.

HOMES & GARDENS

HOMES & GARDENS

April gardening tips Plant of the month:

Muscari (grape hyacinth)

into pots or in drifts of blue to spring, either crammed The grape hyacinth brings a burst armeniacum, which quickly the most common is Muscari between deciduous shrubs. Among ‘Dark Eyes’ bears stout spikes flowers, while M. armeniacum forms clumps of sapphire blue plenty of bulbs as grape edged in white. You need to plant of deep blue flowers, delicately of an effect you will have. I prefer the more you plant the more are hyacinths are small plants, so with anything else, but there pots, not competing for glory them on their own in terracotta Bulbs should be planted in in large pots above tulips or narcissi. other those who prefer to plant them planted almost touching if no below the surface and can be the autumn with the tips 5cm ‘Golden Fragrance’, whose For a change, try M. macrocarpum bulbs are below them in the pots. grass-like foliage. look lovely in pots above blue-green flowerbuds are soft yellow and

Grow them to

eat:

WITH THE RIGHT PLANTING YOUR GARDEN COULD BECOME A HAVEN FOR WILDLIFE

Eco-friendliness in the garden

Spring time gardening tips

Broad beans broad Now is a good time to start sowing are delicious beans, an underrated veg which then mixed boiled for about 10 minutes and or tuned with melted butter and fried bacon, into a summer soup or puree. rich, They are easy to grow but like waterlogged free-draining soil which is not space or too acid. Be aware of the vertical choose your you have available when you to around variety as standard types grow reach 1.2m (4ft) while dwarf varieties seeds in around 45cm (1.5ft). Sow the sowing a few shallow trenches 20cm apart, use to fill extra at the end of each row to the gaps when seedlings appear. are Hoe regularly when the seedlings varieties. young and support tall-growing form, When the first beans start to pinch off the top 10cm (4in) of stem to reap an earlier harvest. Begin picking them when the first pods are 5-8cm (2-3in). Never wait for the beans to become really large or they’ll be tough and leathery.

Harvest when the beans have started to show through the pod.

AS THE TREND TOWARDS WILDLIFE GARDENS CONTINUES, HANNAH STEPHENSON LOOKS AT 10 SIMPLE WAYS TO MAKE YOUR GARDEN MORE ECO-FRIENDLY

✔ Plant dormant rhubarb crowns. trees and ✔ Plant pot-grown roses, hardy plants. shrubs, climbers and hedging jasmine and ✔ Tidy up ivy, summer-flowering honeysuckles. rock garden ✔ Use a hand fork to weed the gravel or and then top it off with new pea rosettes to the chippings, tucked gently under stop the damp rotting them. new spring planting by ✔ Perk up your pots and bedding including pansies, polyanthus forget-me-nots. into the soil ✔ Plant onion sets, lowering them view and so that they just disappear from apart. spacing them around 10cm (4in) of blackberries ✔ Start tying in young shoots when you see new growth appearing. have outgrown ✔ Pot up plug plants which may their original modules. perennials when ✔ Take cuttings from border 5-8cm the first shoots appear and reach (2-3in) long. you see fish are ✔ If the weather is warm and wheatgerm active, begin feeding them with pond fish food. buds from ✔ Remove shoots with no live cut back latesummer-flowering clematis and flowering clematis hard. containers and ✔ Remove winter protection from or pot-bound top dress or replant overgrown fertiliser. plants, adding a slow-release

I 1

Consider ‘companion planting’ to ward off predators. Many plant combinations mask each other with scent. The smell of Tagetes (French marigolds) will deter whitefly, while garlic and other alliums have been used as companions to keep pests at bay. Trailing nasturtiums repel woolly aphids, while bugle extract repels cabbage white caterpillars. In a similar way, leeks repel carrot flies, okra shields peppers from wind, while tall crops provide a canopy for short ones, such as lettuce and spinach, which prefer partial shade in the heat.

Plant bright flowers such as candytuft, sunflowers and marigolds, to encourage beneficial insects like ladybirds and lacewings.

These will eat aphids such as blackfly, which can decimate your flowers and crops. Bluebells, cowslips, foxgloves and primroses are all wildflowers to add colour and beauty to any garden. Buy flowers that will bloom as late into the autumn as possible, to allow more beneficial bugs and bees plenty of time to pollinate.

5

2

Recycle everyday packaging to use in your garden. Plastic cartons which have held prepacked veg can be adapted as seed trays, yoghurt pots which have been thoroughly cleaned can be used to raise seedlings and larger plastic bottles with the bottoms cut off can work as makeshift cloches around young vulnerable plants. Large wooden crates can be used to store fruit and veg later on in the season.

Invest in a water butt. Even better, blend it in with your garden scheme by building a wooden casing around it and painting it, suggests DIY power tool experts Dremel (www.dremel. co.uk). Alternatively, buy an old wine barrel as an attractive alternative and customise it so you can fill a watering can. Wooden water butts need to stand above ground level, allowing the wood to breathe from beneath.

6

Set up a worm compost bin if you only have a small space, and make a home for some small, red tiger worms, which you can buy. Use a wooden box with holes and a lid for a worm compost bin, add a layer of moist, shredded newspaper and soil for their bedding, then feed them once a week with vegetable peelings wrapped in newspaper or paper towels. Every two or three months, the rich, fine compost will be ready to use.

3

Create your own makeshift mulch. If you have collected leaves to make leaf mould over the years, this will act as a great mulch in spring. Alternatively, use compost, bark or garden clippings which have been shredded.

PL MAG | 32 | APRIL 2014

FOOD &

7

Use solar power to light the path to your front door. Solar lights fixed into the ground store energy at low cost in the daytime and light the way to your front door in the dark.

Cut niches into your paving stones by using a compact saw or plant them either side of your path in the garden borders.

8

Make a compost bin if you don’t already have one. To make a simple wooden compost bin simply cut wooden slats to size and screw them together at right angles. Sand down any sharp edges or splintered wood, then prepare your compost by layering grass cuttings, leaves and natural waste from your kitchen (such as paper, cardboard and vegetable peelings) and turn regularly. Once the waste has rotted, it should be an ideal supply to mix with your garden top soil.

9

Charge battery-powered equipment the smart way. If your garden tools are batterypowered, bear in mind that the prices charged for electricity may vary at different times of the day and night. Once you have the details you can start saving money by charging batteries during off-peak hours. Additionally, lithium-ion batteries retain their charge even if they haven’t been used for some time.

10

Minimise your non-permeable hard landscaping, such as pavers set in concrete. Create boundaries with hedging rather than fencing if you can.

PL MAG | 33 | APRIL 2014

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In the third year of their BA in Fashion at Plymouth College of Art, Jessica Vincent, Alexandria Stacie Clark are gearing up to what is set to be a stunning Gabriel and final collection in their catwalk event on May 28. ners.indd

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CASE STUDY:

Jessica Vincent

CASE STUDY:

Jessica Vincent is 22 and from Woodfalls near Salisbury.

Showing an interest at an early age she became focussed on a career in fashion. After doing A levels she found PCA a supportive and creative environment.

Jessica said: “The fashion department is fantastic – they are here all the time.

If you need any help you can just go to any one and they will tell you what you need to know – we have so much contact time here.”

An ambitious and hardworking student, Jessica finds fulfilment and reward in her work: “I like the process - you’ve got all your sketch books, your research and design work and then finally the garments. It’s really rewarding.”

Jessica has her eye firmly on her fashion future: “I interned with designer J W Anderson over the summer and I have started looking at jobs already to see what’s out there. There’s a lot but it’s competitive.”

As the catwalk event approaches every student is feeling the pressure. Jessica said: “We will showcase a six piece graduate collection each. It’s getting a bit scary - you design it and you think to yourself ‘this looks really good’ - then it’s the practicalities of making all those garments. All the three years we’ve been here works up to this main event.”

Alexandria Gabriel Originally from Kent, 24 year old Alexandria Gabriel wasn’t sure about fashion at first, she said: “I did a Level 0 course here which when you pass you get straight onto the degree. The Level 0 is like a combined taster and access course and it got me into the mind-set and onto the degree.”

The realities of a BA fashion can be hard but satisfying, she said: “It’s very taxing and stressful but it’s rewarding seeing your designs go from one thing to another and then it goes down the catwalk. It’s quite surreal but very fulfilling.”

Alexandria has taken gothic fairy tales as the starting point of her work. She said: “I have 16 pieces for my collection. I went all over the country looking at cathedrals for my inspiration and took photos of vaulted ceilings that really inspired my work. I’ve got a cross between little red riding hood and beauty and the beast. I can’t wait to see them come down the catwalk” Alexandria’s primary interests lie in costumery. “I think I want to go into film and television costume design.

I’ve got a wide, broad knowledge now so can go in any direction I want.”

Alexandria urges other students to be realistic about university.

She said: “Save money and work hard. Even in your first and second year – it’s where you learn all your basic skills.

You need to focus on making it brilliant in your third year, not catching up.”

PL MAG | 12 | APRIL 2014 10_13_Fashion.indd 12

PL MAG | 13 | APRIL 2014 21/03/2014 08:52:54

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f your planting is attracting bees, butterflies and other wildlife, your shed is devoid of pesticides and your fruit and veg are strictly organic, then you are already heading along the right road to eco-friendliness.

But follow these 10 simple tips and you could get even further, even faster.

CASE STUDY:

Stacie Clark Stacie Clark, 23 lives in St Austell and took a different route to PCA. She said: “I did textiles graphics and photography in St Austell College but took a three year gap. After an evening class here I found I really enjoyed it and applied for the degree.”

Stacie has employed traditional methods for her final collection. She said: “I’m mainly doing crochet – all hand crafted and combined with leather. I absolutely love textures – big chunky crochets with sleek leather juxtaposing them. I’m not really nervous about the show, I’m getting very excited.”

Stacie knows that PCA support has been essential to moving forward with her work.

She said: “The best thing they do is constantly pushing you to better yourself. They give you criticism but it is always constructive – it makes you better.”

Stacie plans to stay locally on graduating and has big plans for her future. She said: “I’m going to launch my own knitwear brand that focusses on sustainability and uses local resources. I’m applying for a graduate business start-up programme just before I graduate – they’ll help me develop my business plan and to get some funding and investment. Fingers crossed everything will take off from there. I’m very passionate about keeping it local.”

Don’t miss the exciting Plymouth in Fashion event coming soon

10_13_Fashion.indd 13

21/03/2014 08:53:44

PL MAG | 4 | APRIL 2014

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Age or pigmented spots

PARK

CLINIC 21/03/2014 13:56:04

PEOPLE

ANTONY JINMAN’S BAFFIN ISLAND EXPEDITION LAST YEAR, MAKING THE FIRST BRITISH CROSSING OF THE PENNY ICE CAP. MOUNT THOR LOOMS OVER VIRGIN SNOW.

Exploring new horizons WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU HAVE REACHED THE GOAL THAT YOU HAVE SPENT MOST OF YOUR LIFE DREAMING ABOUT?

BY MARTIN FREEMAN

I

f you are explorer Antony Jinman, fresh back from trekking to the South Pole, you kick back and enjoy the first of the spring sunshine at home in Devon... and do some more dreaming.

He is warming to the idea of domestic bliss with his partner Natalie Darling at their home near South Brent in the South Hams, where she runs a stable rehabilitating horses.

No more melting snow on a tiny stove. He can click the button on an electric kettle and have a cuppa whenever he wants.

No more skiing into an Antarctic gale, dragging his 130kg sled laden with supplies as he did for 46 days. If he fancies some exercise he will nip out for a stroll with the dogs, beagle hound Eva and chocolate Labrador Lucy.

“I’m enjoying waking up in a beautiful barn conversion instead of a tent,” he says.

“I’m loving feeding the chickens, working on the vegetable patch – I planted some potatoes the other day.”

So what happened to his plans to scale Mount Everest and bag the third of the Three Poles (scaling the highest peak on Earth and reaching farthest points north and south?).

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about that,” he says, smiling.

There’s a pause. Has he got, um, cold feet? No. He’s got a sense of humour.

“Everest is still on,” he says, enjoying the tease.

“I’m looking at that for next year or 2016.

“But why not go to the lowest point on Earth as well?”

He says that reaching the Challenger Deep, at the bottom of the Mariana Trench – 10,916 metres (35,814 ft) down in the western Pacific – is in the category of a dream at the moment. “It is no more than an idea,” he says.

Some idea: three people have reached the bottom by submarine. But Antony’s career has been built on dreaming up unlikely projects and making them come true.

He completed the 730-mile solo, unsupported trek to the South Pole in January. Previously he trekked across the entire Arctic Ocean to the North Pole (2010), one of 15 expeditions to that region that included leading the first British team to cross the Penny Ice Cap, Baffin Island (2011).

He is the 12th Brit to have trekked to the extreme north and south and, if he scales Everest, will be the third Briton to have reached the Three Poles.

Wembury-born Antony’s dream began as a child when he read his father’s collection of books on two of the greatest names in Polar exploration: Plymouth-born Robert Falcon Scott, and Ernest Shackleton, who sailed from the city.

After a spell in the Royal Navy, Antony qualified as a mountain leader and became a professional explorer. He set up and runs Education Through Expeditions (ETE), a not-for-profit company on Plymouth University campus, where he is the official explorer in residence. About 8,000 schoolchildren from dozens of schools followed his progress in Antarctica online.

The company has a second base at the University of the West of England in Bristol and links with Oxford, Glasgow and Leeds universities as well as the two West Country institutions.

His next pioneering exploit is to take the company to a new frontier and expand its reach across all kinds of knowledge transfer. ETE will be renamed Live Learning from next September, reflecting a broader base that goes beyond links between university and professional expeditions and schools.

The key is the power of visual and highly stimulating practical learning, which Antony knows from personal experience. “I was not at all academic and it was only when I joined the Navy that I found out I was dyslexic,” he says.

“The work we have done, linking children live on expeditions and with people in endangered environments, shows how effective this kind of learning can be. The feedback we get from schools is fantastic.”

That means he will be spending much more time planning the next step forward for his business than he will on preparing for the next expedition.

“I do miss the physical challenge and the simplicity of life of being on an expedition: get up ski for 15 nautical miles, then do the blogging and emailing.

“In the Antarctic there is absolutely nothing in the interior. No sign of life at all.

“When you are there that is what you miss about here: the people; ETE and Natalie.

“You do a lot of thinking, a lot of reflecting on life,” says Antony who turns 33 on April 8.

“But I’m enjoying being back home and the routine of mucking out the stables and simple things like baking bread. I’m looking forward to the summer. Hopefully by then I’ll have some home-grown potatoes to enjoy.”

Plus there’ll be more time for dreaming about new highs – and new lows.

PL MAG | 6 | APRIL 2014

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PEOPLE

JEN JAYARAJAH, LEFT, AND LEIGH MASON, WHO ARE BEHIND THE MULTI-MILLIONPOUND OCEAN STUDIOS AT THE FACTORY COOPERAGE BUILDING

Ocean O Studios

BY MARTIN FREEMAN

FOUR YEARS AGO TWO STUDENTS BEMOANED THE LACK OF STUDIO SPACE IN PLYMOUTH – THIS MONTH THEIR £4MILLION SOLUTION TAKES SHAPE.

cean Studios is virtually an art work in itself, and not just because it will sit in the Factory Cooperage, one of the ‘big four’ in the beautiful set of listed buildings at the Royal William Yard.

The Concise Oxford English Dictionary defines art as, ‘the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination’, which neatly fits the description of the qualities that Jen Jayarah and Leigh Mason have used along the way.

Add in determination and a gift for inspiring others to think likewise, and you have a summary of the Ocean Studios story.

Fine artist Jen and jewellery designer Leigh met while doing a master’s degree in entrepreneurship for creative practice at Plymouth College of Art. They clicked as friends and in partnership to solve the problem of a lack of space for artists newly setting up. They knew there was a demand: roughly 250 artists are seeking room to work in the city and about twice that number graduate each year from the art college and Plymouth University. The city suffers an artistic ‘brain drain’: hundreds either give up or leave the city.

Ocean Studios will have space for 100 artists. There will be exhibitions and residencies by internationally

renowned artists and a community asset, with room for everything from art to knitting.

About half the £4m set-up money is from the European Regional Development Fund, roughly £800,000 each is from the city council and central government, and most of the rest from conservation body English Heritage.

Jen and Leigh’s vision was backed by Urban Splash, the regeneration company bringing the former naval supply yard into public use. When LEIGH MASON times got tough and cash flow dried up temporarily, architects Gillespie Yunnie and Ward Williams Associates, Ocean Studios’ quantity surveyors, and N9 Design stayed with the project.

“At times we had to encourage people to keep working for us without being paid,” says Leigh.

Jen and Leigh’s friendship survived, too. They reckon their contrasting personalities and different ways of working helped the project keep going.

“I am a shaper, coming up with ideas,” says Leigh, Ocean Studios’ business development director. “I get things going but I am not as good at finishing things off as Jen is.”

“We are complete opposites,” laughs Jen, director of operations. “I am a finisher-offer, good at keeping things going forward; a team player.”

At times we had to encourage people to keep working for us without being paid -

PL MAG | 8 | APRIL 2014

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10_13_Fashion.indd 10

21/03/2014 09:50:36

FASHION

BA (HONS) FASHION STUDENTS’ CREATIONS ON THE CATWALK

BA (HONS) FASHION STUDENTS’ CREATIONS ON THE CATWALK AMY GOWER

Dedicated followers of fashion STUDENTS AT PLYMOUTH COLLEGE OF ART ASPIRE TO BE AMONG THE TOP CREATIVE GENIUSES IN THE UK AND THEIR STUDIES INCLUDE FORM, FUNCTION AND HOW TO MAKE EVERYDAY OBJECTS BOTH BEAUTIFUL AND PRACTICAL.

BY LOUISE DANIEL

F

ar from being frivolous, fashion, art and design are interwoven into our everyday lives – from cars to clothes, houses to shopping malls, mugs to magazines, every day we touch hundreds of objects which have been created by artists.

Plymouth College of Art has invested more than £7.7m in a new art, craft and digital design block, making the college one of the leading centres of artistic excellence in the country. It wants the designers of the future to obtain the skills they need to compete in a growing but competitive market.

The investment in new facilities and the college’s dedication to new creative programmes is helping ambitious students hit their stride as third year students approach finals, catwalk collections and the big wide design world.

John Grayson, Course Leader of the Contemporary Crafts programme, is keen to support students in their understanding of the real-world application of their skills. He said: “Students are taught by highly experienced lecturers who are

practitioners within their own fields.

“All understand the importance for students to apply the theoretical design and making skills learnt in the lecture theatre, studio and workshop, to real life experiences.”

Supporting students is key and, given Britain’s long tradition of stunning and practical visual art and design, it’s also essential.

Even if you don’t know top designers names, you use something British designers have pioneered or are wearing items from high street brands which are derived from fashion designers catwalk looks every day.

Working with a combination of traditional craft skills and cutting edge digital technologies, college students immerse themselves in design culture.

College Principal Andrew Brewerton is a champion of the increased demand for higher quality education and training in today’s design-rich environment.

Prof Brewerton said: “With the resurgence of crafts within a digital age there is an emphasis on blending new technologies with making by hand.

The new building and equipment embraces all ar-

eas of contemporary crafts and it will be a fantastic addition to the extensive range of specialist facilities that the College already has. Coupled with the knowledge of our tutors and technicians, we are equipped to give outstanding contemporary crafts training to more students than ever before.”

Contemporary craft training means engaging in new technologies, understanding design origins and heritage whilst uncovering cutting edge ideas in individual and unique ways.

Students are encouraged to see themselves as professionals from day one and cross departmental working is embraced as a way of generating ideas and stimulating creativity – for example fashion students collaborate with photography, craft and design students in an environment that is motivational, productive and inspiring.

BA Glass Lecturer, Min Jeong Song agrees that collaboration is the key to creativity and longevity, Min said: “It’s a good option economically, and being part of a larger group helps makers get their name out there. They also develop their practice by working within a larger community.”

BA (HONS) FASHION STUDENTS’ CREATIONS ON THE CATWALK SAM VERRAN

ROMAINE WHITE

10_13_Fashion.indd 11

BA (HONS) FASHION

PL MAG | 11 | APRIL 2014

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CASE STUDY:

Jessica Vincent Jessica Vincent is 22 and from Woodfalls near Salisbury. Showing an interest at an early age she became focussed on a career in fashion. After doing A levels she found PCA a supportive and creative environment. Jessica said: “The fashion department is fantastic – they are here all the time.

If you need any help you can just go to any one and they will tell you what you need to know – we have so much contact time here.”

An ambitious and hardworking student, Jessica finds fulfilment and reward in her work: “I like the process - you’ve got all your sketch books, your research and design work and then finally the garments. It’s really rewarding.”

Jessica has her eye firmly on her fashion future: “I interned with designer J W Anderson over the summer and I have started looking at jobs already to see what’s out there. There’s a lot but it’s competitive.”

As the catwalk event approaches every student is feeling the pressure. Jessica said: “We will showcase a six piece graduate collection each. It’s getting a bit scary - you design it and you think to yourself ‘this looks really good’ - then it’s the practicalities of making all those garments. All the three years we’ve been here works up to this main event.”

PL MAG | 12 | APRIL 2014

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21/03/2014 08:52:54

FASHION

In the third year of their BA in Fashion at Plymouth College of Art, Jessica Vincent, Alexandria Gabriel and Stacie Clark are gearing up to what is set to be a stunning final collection in their catwalk event on May 28.

CASE STUDY:

Alexandria Gabriel

Stacie Clark

Originally from Kent, 24 year old Alexandria Gabriel wasn’t sure about fashion at first, she said: “I did a Level 0 course here which when you pass you get straight onto the degree. The Level 0 is like a combined taster and access course and it got me into the mind-set and onto the degree.”

The realities of a BA fashion can be hard but satisfying, she said: “It’s very taxing and stressful but it’s rewarding seeing your designs go from one thing to another and then it goes down the catwalk. It’s quite surreal but very fulfilling.”

Alexandria has taken gothic fairy tales as the starting point of her work. She said: “I have 16 pieces for my collection. I went all over the country looking at cathedrals for my inspiration and took photos of vaulted ceilings that really inspired my work. I’ve got a cross between little red riding hood and beauty and the beast. I can’t wait to see them come down the catwalk” Alexandria’s primary interests lie in costumery. “I think I want to go into film and television costume design. I’ve got a wide, broad knowledge now so can go in any direction I want.”

Alexandria urges other students to be realistic about university.

She said: “Save money and work hard. Even in your first and second year – it’s where you learn all your basic skills. You need to focus on making it brilliant in your third year, not catching up.”

Stacie Clark, 23 lives in St Austell and took a different route to PCA. She said: “I did textiles graphics and photography in St Austell College but took a three year gap. After an evening class here I found I really enjoyed it and applied for the degree.”

Stacie has employed traditional methods for her final collection. She said: “I’m mainly doing crochet – all hand crafted and combined with leather. I absolutely love textures – big chunky crochets with sleek leather juxtaposing them. I’m not really nervous about the show, I’m getting very excited.”

Stacie knows that PCA support has been essential to moving forward with her work. She said: “The best thing they do is constantly pushing you to better yourself. They give you criticism but it is always constructive – it makes you better.”

Stacie plans to stay locally on graduating and has big plans for her future. She said: “I’m going to launch my own knitwear brand that focusses on sustainability and uses local resources. I’m applying for a graduate business start-up programme just before I graduate – they’ll help me develop my business plan and to get some funding and investment. Fingers crossed everything will take off from there. I’m very passionate about keeping it local.”

PL MAG | 13 | APRIL 2014

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CASE STUDY:

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PL MAG | 14 | APRIL 2014

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FASHION Tick off three spring trends in one with Balenciaga’s Rosabotanica - statement print, bold blooms and monochrome stripes. This bottle has designer written all over it, from £53, Debenhams.

If you want to upgrade from designer, indulge in couturelike nails. YSL’s new La Laque Couture Spicy collection includes six exotic new shades, including a decadent gold fleck Feuille D’Or, £18.50 each.

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Tory Burch’s cosmetic packaging is as chic as her mainline clothes and accessories. The Tory Burch Lip Color in Pas du Tout pinky nude is worthy of your best clutch bag, £22 (www. harrods.com).

WORK A DESIGNER PIECE AT A FRACTION OF THE PRICE. LISA HAYNES REVELS IN FASHION MONTH SHOW-STOPPERS

Make an impression with a Fashion Week pout, literally. Dior Addict Lipstick comes in 44 shades but for topicality, plump for 881 Fashion Week pink, £24.

The style circus of Autumn/Winter 14 Fashion Month is officially in full swing, stopping off at New York, London, Milan and Paris.

But there are a couple of problems with the decadent designer pieces showcased on the catwalks... Firstly, you can’t snap them up until autumn, and secondly, you can’t buy them even then unless you have thousands of pounds to spare.

Luckily, the beauty world has equally covetable designer trinkets that won’t cause bankruptcy. And if anyone asks who it’s by, you can justifiably say: “It’s designer, darling...”

Add a designer muse to your dressing table with Jean Paul Gaultier’s accessorised limited edition. The Classique corset comes complete with reflective pendant attached to the bottle for The Mirror EDT Collector 100ml, £71, House of Fraser.

Ease the load in your handbag by carrying your scent around your neck in a pretty designer pendant. Marc Jacobs’ Honey Solid Perfume is hidden away in a statement gold flower necklace, £34, Debenhams.

Adorn your wrist with fragrance AND jewellery, with Thierry Mugler’s Angel Jewel Collection. The limited edition set includes Angel 25ml eau de parfum and an elegant cuff bearing the Thierry Mugler signature, £51.50 (www.muglerstore.co.uk).

PL MAG | 15 | APRIL 2014

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PL MAG | 16 | APRIL 2014

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20/03/2014 17:35:03

FAMILY

Plymouth’s first free school TEACHERS ARE WEARING DIFFERENT HATS AT THE CITY’S NEWEST PRIMARY SCHOOL. ARTISTS, CHEFS AND WRITERS ARE SHARING THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE IN THE CLASSROOM AT THE NEWLY-OPENED PLYMOUTH SCHOOL OF CREATIVE ARTS.

BY LOUISE DANIEL

P

lymouth’s first ‘free school’ is breaking new ground and providing a different kind of learning environment for the first 120 pupils who started in September.

The school has started its days in a temporary base but will move into a purpose-built centre rising from a disused site next to Stonehouse’s Phoenix Street. Set to open in September 2014, the building will have free flowing, multi-purpose rooms and a 240 seater performance area.

As one of Britain’s first 100 ‘free schools’, PSCA has freedoms other schools can only dream of. It sets its own curriculum, the length of the school day and uses learning techniques which are very different to the typical ‘top down’ approach seen in most state schools.

Head teacher Dave Strudwick is excited about the school and the new development, he said: “The opportunity to start something from scratch is really special. It’s exciting for the staff, to have the ability to really define the curriculum and the space we are working in and the sense of purpose through working with the children and working with their ideas and working with the parents.

There is always a different energy when you work with people – that real sense of ownership and making something together.”

Children meet experts doing jobs they are being taught about. They are mentored by artists, chefs and writers building an understanding of the ‘how’ and ‘why’ alongside the ‘what’ of learning. Teaching methods are inclusive - pupils, teachers, mentors and volunteers share learning experiences – whether that is a visiting calligraphy

artist, a recording artist or students from the university – afternoon lessons are free flowing and organic, with children leading their learning. This functional approach taps into children’s natural curiosity, reinforces confidence and builds on the connective learning that all children do from a very young age.

Dave said: “Some of the things I’ve been personality really delighted to see this term is how we have used artists to work alongside the children to inspire them. We had a calligrapher spend the day inspiring the children on Islamic art. During the day they made an amazing dragon on the wall – which wasn’t really planned, it evolved. He was totally inspired by being here with

the children and by the levels of their creativity.

The impact on the children and on the artist was amazing to see.”

School Staff have talents across the broad range of creative arts, embedding expertise as well as delivering excellence in the core subjects. The

curriculum offer is defined by strong partnerships with sponsor Plymouth College of Art and a broad range of external arts organisations and many individual practitioners.

As a free school PSCA still has the same accountabilities as any other school but as Dave said: “We are not trying for different outcomes, just employing different methods to get there.”

Zoe Wakeham’s daughter Romanie Jija-Wakeham has just started at the school. Zoe said her daughter was thriving in the creative setting. “Romanie absolutely loves it, she’s very creative anyway and the environment fits her personality perfectly.”

Zoe found the application process easy – parents apply through the usual Plymouth City Council channels – and the communication and support from the school has been excellent.

Zoe said: “It was really easy. There were open days and taster sessions before the school opened.

If ever there are questions or queries then it is never a problem, the school has been very supportive.”

The teaching style at PSCA doesn’t mean children’s’ learning is limited to creative arts. Dave said: “Children engage in subject seen in other schools – like maths and literacy, and are making good progress in those areas – but it’s not just what we are teaching it is the way we are teaching.”

Zoe added: “The school follows the standard curriculum, where it differs is that the children learn from creation. So if they are learning about maths they may go out into the garden and learn through all their senses, not just in the classroom.”

Long term the vision is to offer children the opportunity for an ‘all-through’, continuous education – from reception class through to university.

PL MAG | 17 | APRIL 2014

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20/03/2014 17:33:36

FAMILY

Musical magic to grow your childs IQ MUSIC ISN’T ONLY ENJOYMENT, IT CAN ALSO INCREASE A YOUNG CHILD’S IQ, SAYS MUSICIAN AND AUTHOR LIISA HENRIKSSON-MACAULEY. SHE TALKS TO LISA SALMON ABOUT HER NEW BOOK, THE MUSIC MIRACLE

F

rom the moment they’re born – in fact, prob- between both halves of the brain, doesn’t come from ably even before that – children love music. children simply listening to music. There needs to be It’s an intuitive love, with more than a thou- proper training to make children understand rhythm, sand research studies demonstrating how music train- melody and notation. ing can boost a child’s intelligence, emotional and so“Just listening to music and expecting to get an incial development, and self-esteem. telligence boost is like watching athletes on TV and This amazing power is highlighted in a new book, The expecting to get fitter,” she explains. “You have to do Music Miracle, by musician Liisa Henrikkson-Macau- some work – but children love learning music, as long ley, which stresses to parents of young children in par- as it’s in a fun way.” ticular how music training – even less than an hour a To help parents with this music training, Henrikkweek – can unlock a child’s full potential. son-Macauley has produced Moosicology – a pack “Through my containing CDs extensive collafeaturing edution of research, cational audio I discovered that tracks, a chilthe only activdren’s song book ity proven to and a parent’s increase your guide (available LIISA HENRIKSSON-MACAULEY child’s intellifrom www.moosigence is music cology.com, £47). training – started between babyhood and seven,” says However, parents can also try music training on Henrikkson-Macauley, pointing out that 96% of brain their own; playing babies songs with different time siggrowth occurs during this period. natures and bouncing babies to the beat of a song, both “I wanted to share this message so parents can find shown to improve their rhythm and social skills. a way to help their children that’s not only fun, but Henrikkson-Macauley says: “Babies will automatimakes a genuine difference.” cally bounce when they hear the beat of a rhythmic A mother of a six-year-old boy herself, Henriksson- song, but it does need some parental encouragement.”

Macauley studied 1,200 research papers into the efWhen babies start toddling, they can be encourfects of music training. aged to ‘investigate’ instruments like the piano, and “Some of the most recent highlights include the dis- within a year or two they can move to different beats covery that early music learning gives babies an advan- and clap to them. tage in mental age, communication and wellbeing, that The better a child becomes at discriminating beit develops the full-scale creativity of pre-schoolers, and tween notes, the better they become at reading, says that it directly boosts their language abilities.”

Henriksson-Macauley, who explains that reading is A University of Toronto study in 2004 was the first fundamentally linked to the skill of the ear, which is to find that music training boosts children’s IQ – six- why phonics is used to help children learn to read. year-olds given a year of voice or piano lessons saw Music is also beneficial for improving the memory a significantly larger increase in IQ than a control of adolescents and pensioners. group. Further studies suggest that the longer a child Henriksson-Macauley’s passion for music traintakes music lessons, the higher their IQ and the bet- ing stems from her own childhood in Finland, where ter their performance at school. children don’t go to school until they’re seven, but Henriksson-Macauley is keen to point out, how- parents are encouraged to send little ones to Musiikever, that this powerful effect, thought to come from kileikkikoulu – a weekly class lasting 45-60 minutes the music training helping to develop the connection which teaches music skills.

I discovered that the only activity proven to increase your child’s intelligence is music training

PL MAG | 18 | APRIL 2014

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Have the workers who made your furniture –or the forests from which the wood came – been exploited?

And do you have the option of buying on interest-free credit?

Christian, 39, says it’s a myth that the huge furniture chains must be cheaper than independent businesses like his, and that there is no such thing as free delivery – the cost is hidden in the purchase price.

They need big profit margins to run big stores and pay big bills,” he said. “We source our pine furniture from Devonshire Pine in Bideford and I go to countries like Vietnam myself to deal direct with the factories, where they really look after their workers.

“All our furniture complies with EU regulations and comes from provable sources.”

Despite the continuing popularity of IKEA, Christian says his customers don’t want flat-pack furniture – and won’t save money by buying it.

“We have a three-drawer pine bedside cabinet made with tongue-and-groove and proper dovetail joints in stock for £59 – and can offer interest-free credit too,” he said. “I could sell cheap-cheap, but the quality is not there and people want quality.

“We also have a showroom and a huge 10,000 sq ft

PL MAG | 20 | APRIL 2014

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HOMES & GARDENS

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warehouse three miles up the road and have 3,000 pieces of furniture in stock,” he said.

“Yesterday we delivered one order within an hour, and while most places expect you to wait three to four weeks, with us it’s three to four days tops.”

Christian says fashions in furniture do change, and it is important to respond to what customers ask for.

“For our first five or 10 years, all we sold was pine, but for the last 10 years oak has been more popular,” he said.

When it comes to carpets, there is more to consider than just prices, which can be deceptive.

Christian said: “A lot of the time, sales are not true sales; we keep prices down by buying direct from Belgium, and always have 50 rolls in stock.

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I could sell cheap-cheap, but the quality is not there and people want quality. - CHRISTIAN DEAKIN “People want a good job, and our man Rob estimates, surveys the floor and makes sure the product is right for the floor, while our six two-man teams of fitters are all very good.

“This is a price-driven market, but furniture is one of the bigger purchases people will make, and they also want value for money and honest pricing.”

Western Pine and Carpets do charge for delivery – but for a modest fee you get Bob and Ben. They deliver the item carefully, unpack and assemble if necessary and then take away all the cardboard and polystyrene packing, which they later recycle.

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PL MAG | 21 | APRIL 2014

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HOMES & GARDENS

ADD A HINT OF PERSONALITY TO A WHITE OR NEUTRALLY DECORATED BATHROOM DESIGN SCHEME WITH IRIDESCENT MOSAICS. AT TAYLOR’S ETC WWW. TAYLORSETC.CO.UK

SMALL SPACE, WHY NOT CONSIDER A LUXURY WETROOM FROM IMPEY SHOWERS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO A BATHTUB OR SHOWER ENCLOSURE? WWW.IMPEYSHOWERS.COM

Beautiful bathrooms INVEST YOUR TIME AND CREATE A RELAXING SPACE TO UNWIND IN THAT ALSO HAS THE ‘WOW’ FACTOR

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ith a bathroom now being recognised as a room in the home that has the potential to add value to a property and with many of us desiring to create a space in which to relax and unwind at the end of a long, stressful day, it’s no wonder we’re opting to invest time and money into renovating them.

Bathroom design has rapidly evolved over recent years and the boundaries of possibility have undoubtedly been challenged. If you are lucky enough to have a large bathroom, then a freestanding bath is one of the easiest ways to create a sense of grandeur and can work in both a modern and traditional scheme.

In a contemporary styled bathroom, select a smooth, sculptural design in a white finish to maintain a minimalist appearance, but if your bathroom design is going to adopt a high-end country house décor, then a traditional freestanding, roll-top bath, with beautifully chrome feet and brassware would certainly make an ideal centrepiece.

If your bathroom is restricted in terms of space, why not consider a wetroom or walk-through shower installation as an alternative to a bathtub? Many UK bathroom designs are now based around a hotel style of living with an open plan, continental edge and I’ve noticed in recent years that homeowners are becoming increasingly tempted to sacrifice the tub and focus

CONTEMPORARY BATHROOM, SELECT A SMOOTH, SCULPTURAL FREESTANDING BATH TUB IN A WHITE FINISH LIKE THE PALOMBA BATH BY LAUFEN TO MAINTAIN A MINIMALIST APPEARANCE. WWW.UK.LAUFEN.COM

Lesley Taylor is an Interior Designer, Author and full member of the BIID. www.lesleytaylor.co.uk. blog.lesleytaylor.co.uk

their attention on a ‘wow-factor’ showering experience.

It may seem simpler to have a bathtub installed but the process of installing a wetroom doesn’t need to be a daunting one! The wetroom market has progressed so rapidly in recent years that manufacturers have been encouraged to develop products and installation techniques that will ensure wetroom installation causes minimal upheaval and is an easy, quick and efficient process to undertake. If you choose to install a wetroom in your home, you will also find that your bathroom gains a feeling of spaciousness, resulting in a tranquil environment that can be enjoyed.

When it comes to sanitaryware, this may sound a little unimaginative, but I would always recommend a non-invasive, plain white suite. My reasoning for this is that although you may feel a plain white suite is ‘playing it safe’, choosing this colour will ensure that the bathroom remains on trend for years to come.

By keeping the sanitaryware plain, it’s then possible to bring excitement into the room via additional elements such as decorative tiles and brassware that will add a sense of personality and individuality.

ONE OF VOGUE (UK)’S TOWEL WARMER DESIGNS WILL ADD DETAIL AND PERSONALITY TO ANY BATHROOM. THE COMPANY ALSO OFFERS A BESPOKE DESIGN SERVICE. WWW.VOGUEUK.CO.UK

PL MAG | 22 | APRIL 2014

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HOMES & GARDENS

colour T

of the year

he intriguing colour combination of greeny-blue is Dulux’s colour of the year. Gabrielle Fagan goes on the trail of teal treats for the home.

If you’re still clinging to neutrals and nervous about dipping your toe into a technicolour world, help is at hand.

Greeny-blue teal is set to star in decor, and it’s a colour that could tempt even the most timid to break free from bland, and splash on a shade that’s a sure-fire winner.

It’s easy on the eye, and harmonises beautifully with the brown hues of natural materials, like wood and stone.

“This top trend colour for 2014, which hot-off-the-fashion-catwalk is already making a mark on Hollywood’s red carpets, perfectly combines the natural harmony of green with the tranquillity of blue to symbolise balance,” says Rebecca Thompson, Dulux’s senior colour and design manager.

“Deeper and more sophisticated than turquoise, teal has a subdued richness. This influential colour has a mysterious quality which captures the grandeur of vast lakes and undiscovered forests.”

CHELSEA LOVE SEAT IN TEAL, £395, ASDA

ABIGAIL AHERN VELVET BAROQUE WALL MIRROR, £120, DEBENHAMS

VELVET TUB CHAIR, £445, UPHOLSTERED IN OCEAN, OLIVER BONAS

FEARNE COTTON COLLECTION HUMMINGBIRD DUVET COVER SET, FROM £29 TO £49; TWO DRAWER BEDSIDE TABLE, £169; NARROW CHEST OF SIX DRAWERS, £299, VERY PL MAG | 24 | APRIL 2014

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PL MAG | 25 | APRIL 2014

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PL MAG | 26 | APRIL 2014

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HOMES & GARDENS

Time to paint your ceiling?

LOOKING AFTER YOUR HOME’S CEILINGS IS A JOB THAT CAN OFTEN BE IGNORED, BUT JULIA GRAY EXPLAINS WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO GET UP AND AT ‘EM

C

eilings may be at the top of a room, but updating them is rarely at the top of a DIYer’s to-do list.

Perhaps it’s because we notice them less than our eyelevel friendly walls, or perhaps it’s because clambering on a ladder to sort out any damage we do notice seems like too much hassle.

Either way though, it’s not an excuse. Cracked, stained or peeling ceilings can give a room an overall impression of being tired and unloved, and it’s essential you give them as much care as any other painted surface.

Scrubbing the stain and repainting sometimes works, but you often need to use a solvent-based stain-block paint first to prevent the stain from coming through again. A base-coat emulsion may work, as some are designed to block stains, but they’re not as reliable as stain blocks.

When using a solvent-based paint on a ceiling, it’s essential to wear protective glasses or goggles in case the paint gets in your eyes.

In fact, wearing goggles and a shower cap is always a good idea when painting a ceiling because the paint will splatter all over your face and hair. You can minimise this by attaching your paint roller to an extension pole, so you paint standing on the floor, rather than at the top of a ladder. This is easier, but it does make it harder to get a good finish because you can’t see the roller lines, the bits you’ve missed and the fluff that inevitably gets into the applied paint.

The easiest paints to use on ceilings, especially if you’re not decorating the rest of the room, are semi-solid ones, which splatter and drip less, but these come in a limited range of colours. If the ceiling is less than perfect – with bumps or cracks – make sure you use a matt paint because one with a sheen will highlight the imperfections.

Ceilings are prone to hairline cracks, especially if there are rooms above, and these can be hard to eradicate permanently.

While there are fillers designed for hairline cracks, and many base-coat emulsions cover hairline cracks, I’ve found these rarely work long term. One filler that does, is Polycell Flexible Gap Polyfilla (£2.89 for 330g, Amazon.co.uk), which, very unusually for a flexible filler, is gritty, not rubbery, and can be sanded. From my experience, this does keep hairline cracks from opening up again.

Another good long-term solution is to paper the ceiling with lining paper, or to have the ceiling replastered. The plasterer should tape over the hairline cracks to prevent them from coming through the new plaster, but if they miss any, the cracks will reappear. Lath and plaster ceilings are particularly prone to hairline cracks and if you want to eradicate them completely, you’ll have to pull down the ceiling – which is a very messy job – and start again.

In the past, textured wallpaper was often used to conceal ropey ceiling (and wall) plaster, but it’s not really a contemporary look.

If you want to remove it, use a steam wallpaper stripper and be prepared for the plaster underneath to be in a poor state.

You can also use a wallpaper stripper to steam off Artex from a ceiling, although, again, the plaster underneath may be damaged.

as white as snow You won’t realise until you buy one and are disappointed, but some ‘pure brilliant white’ emulsions are actually more cream than white. This isn’t a problem with Dulux Ultra White (from £24.99 for 2.5ltr, B&Q), because it’s a pure shade of white. Not only is Ultra White a good colour, it also contains particles that reflect light back into the room, making it ideal for dark spaces, and is up to 20 times tougher than standard emulsions, so it’s more likely to stay white. It has a nice, thick consistency too. So if you want a crisp white emulsion with added value, this is it.

PL MAG | 27 | APRIL 2014

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HOMES & GARDENS

Understanted & elegant garden design

ITALIAN GARDEN DESIGNER LUCIANO GIUBBILEI IS FAMOUS FOR HIS CREATIONS OF UNDERSTATED ELEGANCE, SIMPLE AND CLEAN SYMMETRICAL DESIGN COMPLIMENTED BY HIS USE OF NATURE, MATERIALS, LIGHT, SPACE AND ART.

n

uciano’s style is modern but uses formal approaches and clipped plants, while his designs are dominated by trees, hedges and grasses, with frequent repeat planting – and there is an all-important texture to all his gardens too.

Giubbilei explains: “Certain surfaces make you observe where you are going to be walking, for example. Smooth surfaces are easy to walk on, which will encourage you to look further afield to observe a space more in depth.”

Texture isn’t solely focused on the physical feel of something, he continues. “Texture is associated with emotion. The way we experience space isn’t just visual.”

He has used this vision to create the Laurent-Perrier show garden at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower show, comprising a simple geometric layout juxtaposed with detail which PL MAG | 28 | APRIL 2014

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HOMES & GARDENS

explores the contrasting concepts of stillness and movement, elegance and rawness.

The walls of concrete and metal combine lustres and materials; the stone surfaces are executed with contrasting finishes; the flow and reflection of the water gives light and animation to the space. The planting features delicate forms alongside bolder architectural leaves – providing a colour spectrum of yellows, creams and whites, punctuated by accents of blue, with a backdrop of deep green foliage.

A strong wooden sculpture designed by highly acclaimed American artist Ursula von Rydingsvard will also contribute to the garden’s exploration of texture.

Giubbilei insists texture can work in any garden, even the smallest space.

“If I just had a patio and I wanted to create texture, the only thing I need is one beautiful tree. That would create the texture. In a courtyard garden, if you bring in a beautiful tree the winter structure will be the bark, which will create the texture, followed by the leaves or flowers or berries, creating a play on light, shadowing the area in a different way.”

He favours amelanchiers, small deciduous trees or shrubs with showy white flowers in early spring, red to purple fruits and often good autumn colour. Ornamental cherries are also suitable.

Choose patio plants carefully to create different textures. Cluster groups of pots together combining clipped evergreens with more fluid plants such as ferns. He favours predominantly green schemes, but these could be enhanced with the inclusion of pots of bulbs such as Tulipa ‘Belle Epoch‘, with double flowers in shades of coffee mousse, flushed with pink.

In a wider space, placing clipped plants such as box or beech hedging next to wilder varieties such as

“People can create a mood in their garden using green, big-leaved plants such as hostas, ligularia and darmera (umbrella plant), which give you weight in a border. That weight also creates a certain feeling of calm.”

Add plants with a fine and feathery structure, such as asters or cosmos, which will play with the light.

“It’s more likely that you will want to touch and feel them. If you use more plants with fine texture elements which allow the light through, it will usually make your space feel larger.”

Ornamental grasses such as miscanthus and calamagrostis can also create a feeling of space.

“The big leaves of the darmera can be used with the feathery plants and will create different textures at different times of the day.

“Early morning, when the sunlight is low and the light is quite blue, the big leaves will be more predominant, whereas in the afternoon and evening the feathery structures will come into the light. You can create different moods depending on the time of day.” ferns, which are softer and less uniform, will create In the Laurent-Perrier garden, the hard an effective contrast of stillness and movement. materials include a concrete wall, a cedar wood If you include concrete in hard landscaping you sculpture with a backdrop of concrete. need to put another element close to it to create Giubbilei adds how he believes in the use of shadows on the surface. straight lines in his designs.

“You have to think about how the light can “I understand geometric. From the moment you start to make curves on the drawing board, either you are a natural talent or it’s very difficult to mimic something natural. For me, the straight line has an honesty about it LUCIANO GIUBBILEI but the curve is trying to mimic. move on the concrete rather than the concrete as “You never have to see a straight line. It can be a material. I would put a beautiful tree in front of perfectly hidden with planting on the very edge of a concrete wall, which will play on light within the the line, such as Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’.” surface of the concrete. Light and reflection are The RHS Chelsea Flower Show runs from very important elements in the way we feel.

May 20-24.

If you use more plants with fine texture elements, it will usually make your space feel larger -

good enough to eat

BERGAMOT

You may see this plant in bedding areas under the name monarda, but its fragrant mint-like leaves provide an orange flavour which can be used in desserts. Buy plants in pots from a garden centre and plant them 60cm (2ft) across and they will grow around 1m (3ft) high. Once this perennial is in flower, the flowerhead can be used to decorate desserts such as trifles. Cut back the plant to soil level in autumn and it should come up again next year.

PL MAG | 29 | APRIL 2014

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HOMES & GARDENS

PHOTOS BY JOHN ALLEN

Searching out Secret Gardens STUNNING VIEWS OF THE RIVER TAMAR CAN BE SEEN FROM A GARDEN HIDDEN AWAY UNDER THE ROYAL ALBERT BRIDGE.

BY NICOLA TAPP

D

ivided into sections, the Saltash plot belongs to Mo and Joe Mann, who have lived on the historic site for the past five and a half years.

Now extended, the cottage originally dates back to 1840, when parts of the garden belonged to other cottages in the area.

A dazzling display of daffodils were on show in February, says Joe, who tries to be as organic as possible, especially when it comes to his vegetables.

He added: “I’ve eaten all my pickled onions made from shallots from last year and have used the last of the potatoes from last year.”

Once full of brambles and ivy, the garden, when in bloom boasts an array of day lilies, iris, thistle, roses with well-formed buds and climbing roses in flower.

More recent additions include a weeping willow and an acer.

Both Mo and Joe are retired, and enjoy extensive views of the River Tamar right across to Mount Edgcumbe from various spots in the garden, which is sheltered apart from south-easterly winds and is full of colour even in winter.

Other flora to be found at various times in the year are peony, witch hazel, mahonia, phlox, betula snow queen, ceanothus zanzibar, heather and jasmine.

Not just content with gardening Joe is a volunteer and on the committee for the Saltash Blind and Partially Sighted Club, and carries out safety boat duties for Saltash Sailing Club.

He is also involved in Horizons Children’s Sailing Charity for people with physical disabilities and learning difficulties, skippering Hawk boats.

TO HAVE YOUR GARDEN FEATURED PLEASE CALL NICOLA ON 01752 293130.

PL MAG | 30 | APRIL 2014

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PL MAG | 31 | APRIL 2014

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HOMES & GARDENS

April gardening tips onth: Plant of the m

Muscari (grape hyacinth)

med into pots or in drifts st of blue to spring, either cram The grape hyacinth brings a bur armeniacum, which quickly cari Mus is ong the most common between deciduous shrubs. Am rk ‘Da Eyes’ bears stout spikes flowers, while M. armeniacum forms clumps of sapphire blue t plenty of bulbs as grape plan to d edged in white. You nee er of deep blue flowers, delicately of an effect you will have. I pref the more you plant the more there are but , else g thin hyacinths are small plants, so any with y glor ta pots, not competing for in them on their own in terracot issi. Bulbs should be planted in large pots above tulips or narc them t plan no other to if hing touc ost those who prefer alm ted plan below the surface and can be se the autumn with the tips 5cm rpum ‘Golden Fragrance’, who . For a change, try M. macroca pots the in ge. folia e s-lik bulbs are below them gras en -gre look lovely in pots above blue flowerbuds are soft yellow and

eat: Grow them to

Broad beans

Spring time gardening tips

ing broad Now is a good time to start sow are delicious ch whi veg beans, an underrated then mixed and utes min 10 ut abo boiled for n, or tuned baco with melted butter and fried e. pure or soup into a summer rich, They are easy to grow but like erlogged wat not is ch whi soil free-draining ical space vert the of re awa Be . acid too or choose your you have available when you to around grow s type dard stan as ety vari reach s etie vari rf 1.2m (4ft) while dwa s in seed the Sow ft).

(1.5 m 45c around a few ing sow rt, apa m shallow trenches 20c fill to use to row each of end extra at the ear. app the gaps when seedlings s are Hoe regularly when the seedling varieties. young and support tall-growing form, When the first beans start to of pinch off the top 10cm (4in) est. harv ier earl an reap to stem Begin picking them when the first pods are 5-8cm (2-3in).

Never wait for the beans to be become really large or they ’ll n whe vest Har . hery leat and h toug w sho to ted the beans have star through the pod.

ns. ✔ Plant dormant rhubarb crow trees and y ✔ Plant pot-grown roses, hard plants. ging hed and s ber clim shrubs, g jasmine and ✔ Tidy up ivy, summer-flowerin honeysuckles. rock garden ✔ Use a hand fork to weed the gravel or pea new with off it and then top rosettes to the er und tly gen chippings, tucked stop the damp rotting them. new spring ✔ P erk up your pots by planting anthus and poly , sies pan ding bedding inclu forget-me-nots. into the soil ✔ P lant onion sets, lowering them view and from ar ppe disa just they so that ) apart. spacing them around 10cm (4in kberries blac of ts ✔ S tart tying in young shoo earing. app th grow new see you n whe have outgrown ✔ P ot up plug plants whic h may . ules their original mod perennials when ✔ T ake cuttings from border reach 5-8cm and ear app ts shoo the first .

(2-3in) long you see fish are ✔ I f the weather is warm and wheatgerm active, begin feeding them with . food fish pond buds from ✔ R emove shoots with no live cut back latesummer-flowering clematis and . hard atis clem g erin flow containers and ✔ R emove winter protection from or pot-bound wn rgro ove lant top dress or rep fertiliser. plants, adding a slow-release

PL MAG | 32 | APRIL 2014

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HOMES & GARDENS

WITH THE RIGHT PLANTING YOUR GARDEN COULD BECOME A HAVEN FOR WILDLIFE

Eco-friendliness in the garden AS THE TREND TOWARDS WILDLIFE GARDENS CONTINUES, HANNAH STEPHENSON LOOKS AT 10 SIMPLE WAYS TO MAKE YOUR GARDEN MORE ECO-FRIENDLY

I

f your planting is attracting bees, butterflies and other wildlife, your shed is devoid of pesticides and your fruit and veg are strictly organic, then you are already heading along the right road to eco-friendliness.

But follow these 10 simple tips and you could get even further, even faster.

1

Plant bright flowers such as candytuft, sunflowers and marigolds, to encourage beneficial insects like ladybirds and lacewings.

These will eat aphids such as blackfly, which can decimate your flowers and crops. Bluebells, cowslips, foxgloves and primroses are all wildflowers to add colour and beauty to any garden. Buy flowers that will bloom as late into the autumn as possible, to allow more beneficial bugs and bees plenty of time to pollinate.

2

Invest in a water butt. Even better, blend it in with your garden scheme by building a wooden casing around it and painting it, suggests DIY power tool experts Dremel (www.dremel. co.uk). Alternatively, buy an old wine barrel as an attractive alternative and customise it so you can fill a watering can. Wooden water butts need to stand above ground level, allowing the wood to breathe from beneath.

3

Create your own makeshift mulch. If you have collected leaves to make leaf mould over the years, this will act as a great mulch in spring. Alternatively, use compost, bark or garden clippings which have been shredded.

4

Consider ‘companion planting’ to ward off predators. Many plant combinations mask each other with scent. The smell of Tagetes (French marigolds) will deter whitefly, while garlic and other alliums have been used as companions to keep pests at bay. Trailing nasturtiums repel woolly aphids, while bugle extract repels cabbage white caterpillars. In a similar way, leeks repel carrot flies, okra shields peppers from wind, while tall crops provide a canopy for short ones, such as lettuce and spinach, which prefer partial shade in the heat.

5

Recycle everyday packaging to use in your garden. Plastic cartons which have held prepacked veg can be adapted as seed trays, yoghurt pots which have been thoroughly cleaned can be used to raise seedlings and larger plastic bottles with the bottoms cut off can work as makeshift cloches around young vulnerable plants. Large wooden crates can be used to store fruit and veg later on in the season.

6

Set up a worm compost bin if you only have a small space, and make a home for some small, red tiger worms, which you can buy. Use a wooden box with holes and a lid for a worm compost bin, add a layer of moist, shredded newspaper and soil for their bedding, then feed them once a week with vegetable peelings wrapped in newspaper or paper towels. Every two or three months, the rich, fine compost will be ready to use.

7

Use solar power to light the path to your front door. Solar lights fixed into the ground store energy at low cost in the daytime and light the way to your front door in the dark.

Cut niches into your paving stones by using a compact saw or plant them either side of your path in the garden borders.

8

Make a compost bin if you don’t already have one. To make a simple wooden compost bin simply cut wooden slats to size and screw them together at right angles. Sand down any sharp edges or splintered wood, then prepare your compost by layering grass cuttings, leaves and natural waste from your kitchen (such as paper, cardboard and vegetable peelings) and turn regularly. Once the waste has rotted, it should be an ideal supply to mix with your garden top soil.

9

Charge battery-powered equipment the smart way. If your garden tools are batterypowered, bear in mind that the prices charged for electricity may vary at different times of the day and night. Once you have the details you can start saving money by charging batteries during off-peak hours. Additionally, lithium-ion batteries retain their charge even if they haven’t been used for some time.

10

Minimise your non-permeable hard landscaping, such as pavers set in concrete. Create boundaries with hedging rather than fencing if you can.

PL MAG | 33 | APRIL 2014

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FOR SALE

PROPERTY

Quality counts in rental market USING AN ACCREDITED LETTINGS AGENT WILL GIVE TENANTS PEACE OF MIND AND HELP TO IMPROVE STANDARDS ACROSS THE INDUSTRY

TYPICAL PROPERTY RENTALS IN PLYMOUTH

BY LOUISE DANIEL

B

ritain was once a country of renters, much like our European counterparts.

It is only in the last thirty years that owning your own home became a realistic aspiration for Brits. But with soaring deposits, owning your own home can be difficult. ‘Nation Rent’ - a report by Million Homes, Million Lives, 2014 - indicates that demand for housing has dramatically increased and this coupled with the economic situation and difficulty in obtaining a mortgage indicates that the number of people owning their own homes will continue to fall – from 71 percent ten years ago, 65 percent today to 50 percent by the year 2041. So if you want to have a home in the area you want to live in, what are the options?

Michelle Stacey owns M&B Residential Lettings and understands that a buoyant letting market is good for tenants, landlords and her business. She said: “We may well become more European as a nation. It is good for me, but it also gives people the opportunity to see if they like a particular area and afford to live in a place that they couldn’t necessarily afford with a mortgage.”

The perception may be that renting a property is fraught with a lack of fairness and transparency in letting agent’s charges and this to some degree

substantiated by the release in February 2014 of the Office of Fair Trading’s report into the letting market. The document highlights the need for more awareness and compliance with consumer protection law and the rights and obligations of both tenants and landlords in what can be a complex industry.

Michelle has ensured that her letting agency is fully accredited. “We are governed because we choose to be. The government is looking into licencing the industry and that is good news for everyone whether they are tenants, landlords or agents.”

Ultimately it will be the government that decides whether legislation needs to be put

me for years. Rental is a people industry, you really get to know people well.”

A country girl at heart, Michelle likes the full range of property that Plymouth has to offer. “I love the older style feature properties that are warm MICHELLE STACEY and cosy but the new flat developments are in place to protect landlords and tenants from great too and also give a good percentage yield for unscrupulous agents. Michelle said: “People are landlords. It was a slow start this year; I think people quick to judge – whether that’s looking down on were waiting for the selling market to pick up.” tenants, saying they are only tenants for example, As more people hit the rental market – some but with better standards comes a better quality of them trying an area before they buy – the drive of tenant and landlord.” for better standards will go further. Michelle Having been in the industry for over 16 years, said: “Quality property attracts quality tenants.

Michelle clearly loves her job. “I really do, I Presentation is still the key and with more people get paid to be nosy. We’ve got a great and loyal renting tenants demand more. It won’t rent if it’s customer base. It may sound cheesy but I have not up to standard. As for tenants, shop around both landlords and tenants who have been with and ask questions.”

Presentation is still the key and with more people renting tenants demand more. -

PL MAG | 34 | APRIL 2014

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Residential Lettings

plain speaking, professional service as standard

In an increasingly complex world, the choice of agent to look after one of your most valuable assets is an important one.

Our aim is to help landlords and investors minimise risk and maximise return by providing a professional, stress free approach to suit all your requirements.

• FULLY MANAGED SERVICE or LET ONLY SERVICE • RENTAL GUARANTEE • REFERENCING • QUALIFIED MEMBERS OF NAEA, ARLA, TDS & OMBUDSMAN • LOCAL AREA KNOWLEDGE • PLEASE CALL FOR A FREE RENTAL VALUATION t: 01752 759905 f: 01752 785027 e: lettings@mblettings.co.uk

77 Upland Drive, Derriford, Plymouth, PL6 6BE

Visit us on plymouthherald.co.uk PL MAG | 35 | APRIL 2014

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FOR SALE

PROPERTY

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PROPERTY

FOR SALE

PL MAG | 37 | APRIL 2014

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FOR SALE

D

PROPERTY ELEGANT FAMILY HOME

Period home has character THIS LARGE PROPERTY HAS PLENTY OF SPACE, INSIDE AND OUT, FOR A GROWING FAMILY AND ALSO BENEFITS FROM DRIVEWAY PARKING AND A GARAGE

T

his period five-bedroom home in Elburton has a master en suite, an office, plus a driveway and garage.

On the ground floor is formal sitting room with square bay window to the front incorporating double-glazed sash windows. There is also a marble fireplace with a cast inset and a tiled hearth.

The kitchen is fitted with a range of modern base and wall-mounted units with solid wood fascias and polished granite work surfaces. The room also incorporates a matching island with a circular, polished granite top.

On this level is also a music room and a dining room both with fireplace incorporating a cast and tiled inset with a slate hearth, as well as a conservatory, office and utility room.

There is a rear vestibule with cloakroom/wc.

On the first floor is the master bedroom with square bay window to the front, built-in wardrobes and an en-suite bathroom.

Bedrooms two and three have built-in cupboards and bedroom four has a cast fireplace with a tiled inset. Bedroom five overlooks the frony.

The principal family bathroom has a white bath and wash hand basin, plus partly-tiled walls.

There is also a separate wc.

Outside is a gravel driveway providing off-road parking and access to the garage. The front garden

is laid to lawn together with flower and shrub beds.

Preceding the front door is an area laid with mosaic quarry tiles, which is covered with a lantern-style outside light.

At the side of the property is an area laid to lawn together with a bordering flower bed plus

a block paved pathway/patio which leads to a timber deck adjacent to the conservatory.

At the rear the garden is laid to lawn and extends to approximately eight metres from the rear.

Available through Julian Marks (01752 401128) for ÂŁ475,000.

THE KITCHEN HAS SOLID WOOD FASCIAS

M

5

Te a M

PL MAG | 38 | APRIL 2014

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21/03/2014 16:28:03

Drive away the right van for the job

Transporter from just £239* per month Caddy from just £199 per month

Murray VW Commercial

56 Valley Road, Plympton, Plymouth PL7 1RF - 01752 349850

Commercial

Terms and Conditions apply. *Transporter T26 SWB Van 2.0 TDI 84PS Startline BMT finance lease example based on 3 years, 10,000 miles per annum: On the road retail cash price £22,259.00. Initial Rental Contribution £500.00. Customer initial rental £1,229.34. Total Initial Rental £1,729.34**.

Monthly payments of £239.00. Final rental £7,775.75.

PL MAG | 39 | APRIL 2014

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20/03/2014 17:06:43

MOTORING

The lowdown on the new Mazda 3

THE ENGINE DESIGN OF THE MAZDA 3 IS CENTRED ON BEING LIGHTER, STRONGER AND MORE EFFICIENT. PHOTOS BY GRW PHOTOGRAPHY

ACCORDING TO AUTOCAR ONE IN EVERY THREE MAZDAS SOLD ANYWHERE ON THE PLANET AT THE MOMENT IS A 3, AND 48 HOURS LATER I KNOW WHY.

BY KATHRYN CLARKE-MCLEOD

M

y yoga mat goes in first. The door on the new Mazda 3 closes noiselessly, and I slide into the driver’s seat and take in the sleek interior that cocoons me in athletic elegance. According to Autocar one in every three Mazdas sold anywhere on the planet at the moment is a 3, and 48 hours later I know why.

My mat travels with me wherever I go, as since the age of 15 I have been a student of yoga. It began to rehabilitate a sprinting injury (hamstring, three places, never ran as fast again), and became a useful tool for curbing my competitive drives. I’ve spent a fair while drifting in a neutral and placid state as a result. However, less than an hour after getting behind the wheel of the 2L petrol Sport Nav version of this car, this has changed.

I ease on to the M5, and am immediately treated to a driving experience that is as precise as it is powerful. It’s the same feeling you get when the gun goes off for a 100m race and in the first few metres you know the body and stride you have crafted with countless hours of training is about

to give the performance of a lifetime.

When I reach my destination, I stand for a second and stroke the car’s gunmetal flanks while I wait for my heart rate to normalise. Mazda’s ‘fun to drive’ reputation is certainly alive and kicking in the 3, and when coupled with the intuitive intelligence built into every model the combination is potent. The Active Driving Display ensures that essential driving information such as speed, turn by turn navigation, and safety warnings are on hand constantly. The ‘heads-up display’ crouches directly in the driver’s eyeline, so you can keep an eye on speed and even enable lane departure warnings.

Much like the average yoga class attendee or sprinter, the engine design of the Mazda 3 is centred on being lighter, stronger and more efficient.

SKYACTIV technology delivers the ultimate ‘body meets soul experience’.

The SKYACTIV petrol engine offers performance coupled with outstanding fuel consumption and class leading CO2 emissions and economy, and the chassis that cocoons it is lightweight and graceful, and provides the perfect balance of agility and stability.

The sense of a balanced design philosophy is inescapable, in both the interior and exterior of

the car. The lithe styling of the 3 is the product of the Kodo Soul of Motion design language, which focuses on capturing the instant in which energy becomes motion. Defined as a dense of dynamic poise, the streamlined body and sculpted edges of this Mazda embody a sense of fluid power. The interior is defined by seamless curves, space, and integrated intelligence such as the 7” colour touch screen that houses navigation, communication, and a whole new level of web based connectivity.

Within seconds my iPhone was paired, and all I had to do was issue a gentle request to allow the voice command feature to allow me to safely work my way through podcasts, social media accounts,

The engine design of the Mazda 3 is centred on being lighter, stronger and more efficient - KATHRYN CLARKE-MCLEOD

PL MAG | 40 | APRIL 2014

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20/03/2014 16:40:57

EXCEEDS YOUR EXPECTATIONS

NOT YOUR BUDGET

FROM £189 PER MONTH*

From £48^ per month BIK. From 104g/km CO2 . Up to 72.4mpg^^ combined.

Available to Business Users only.

ALL-NEW MAZDA3. DEFY CONVENTION.

All-new Mazda3 exceeds expectations. Award-winning SKYACTIV Technology delivers the no compromise combination of an exhilarating driving experience with outstanding fuel consumption and low CO2 emissions. The standard specification is extremely generous and the low monthly payments, running costs and BIK payments keep it well within your budget. Order yours today at Mazda. ALL-NEW MAZDA3. DEFY CONVENTION.

Vospers Marsh Mills

Marsh Mills Retail Park, Longbridge Road, Plymouth, PL6 8AY 01752 636363 www.vospers-mazda.co.uk

P40-41 Motors.indd 41

DEFY CONVENTION

*All monthly figures exclude VAT. Offer available to business users for orders received between 01.04.2014 and 30.06.2014. £189 (exc VAT) figure is based on an all-new Mazda3 150ps SE Diesel, without Metallic paint, on a non-maintenance contract hire package over 36 months, 10,000 contract miles per year. Advance payment equal to 6 monthly payments is payable followed by 35 monthly payments. Excess mileage charge applies if contract mileage is exceeded. For full terms and conditions and specification please refer to the Mazda Contract Hire Master Agreement and your local dealer. All quotations are subject to availability, status and agreement. Free Metallic paint is only available in conjunction with Mazda Contract Hire offer and applies to selected models only. Guarantees may be required. Terms are unavailable to existing customers under specific end-user terms with Mazda Motors UK Ltd. Details correct at time of print and may vary, e.g. if list price changes. Mazda Contract Hire Limited does not offer tax advice to individuals: company car drivers should consult their accountant on their tax position. Contract hire by ALD Automotive Ltd, trading as Mazda Contract Hire, Oakwood Park, Lodge Causeway, Fishponds, Bristol BS16 3JA. Models shown: all-new Mazda3 150ps SE Diesel. OTR £19,245. Models shown feature optional Soul Red Metallic paint (£660). ^BIK values are at 20% rates based on a car with non-metallic paint and are valid from 1 April 2013. ^^mpg figures shown are combined. On the road prices include 20% VAT, number plates and 3 years’ European Roadside Assistance. Test drives subject to applicant status and availability.

The MPG figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated test results obtained through laboratory testing. These are provided for comparability purposes only and may not reflect your actual driving results.

The official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the all-new Mazda3 range: Urban 37.7 (7.5) - 60.1 (4.7). Extra Urban 58.9 (4.8) - 80.7 (3.5). Combined 48.7 (5.8) - 72.4 (3.9). CO2 emissions (g/km) 135 - 104.

playlists and even send text messages.

The question then is, can the raw power of a performance-focused athlete co-exisit with the sense of harmonious balance found in the yoga devotee? Ask the Seattle Seahawks, crowned NFL (American football, arguably one of the most physically demanding sports on the planet) Superbowl Champions on February 2, and a team who integrated yoga into their winning training regime. It seems that when it comes to integrating force and finesse, the Mazda 3 keeps good company.

TEST DRIVE THE ALL-NEW MAZDA 3 TODAY AT: VOSPERS MARSH MILLS, PLYMOUTH 01752 636363

Stats box:

Car: All-new Mazda 3 Sport Nav Vital statistics: 120 brake horsepower,

2L petrol, 18” alloy wheels, adaptive front lighting system, Premium Bose Centrepoint surround-sound system with nine speakers Price: £22,150 (inc metallic paint, and optional extras such as leather seats and safety pack)

PL MAG | 41 | APRIL 2014

20/03/2014 16:41:17

TRAVEL

SHOP IN STYLE - DUBAI

IN ASSOCIATION WITH HAVE A NICE STAY TRAVEL

SEE THE SITES - ROME

Cruise into a wonderful city...

GOING ON A CRUISE CAN BE THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME. BUT SOME ITINERARIES ARE SO TIGHT TRAVELLERS DON’T GET TO SEE ALL THE GREAT PLACES THEY PASS ON ROUTE, SAYS LOCAL CELEBRITY IAN CALVERT, MD OF LOCAL TOUR OPERATOR ‘HAVE A NICE STAY’ TRAVEL

I

have never known a start of a year like it when people are in such need of a holiday in the sun. This past winter has truly knocked us for six in so many ways and there is no doubt an escape to the sun is what the doctor ordered.

Have A Nice Stay Travel have virtually led the way in cruise holidays for more than 25 years. We are a licensed tour operator with the CAA and have that all important ATOL (3273) that allows us to create an exciting and affordable itinerary to enhance your cruise or any other worldwide holiday experience.

Now some of the most exciting ports of call are where you embark and disembark the ship, but you don’t get the opportunity to experience these cities, as the cruise line will fly you straight in and out on the day your cruise starts and finishes. How can you start a cruise in Rome without exploring this enchanted city with so much to see and do, but the majority of cruises in that region simply start and finish here so you miss some unforgettable ports of call.

So don’t start or finish your cruise in Rome without seeing the famous sites of the Vatican or the Coliseum or

Why start a cruise in Rome without exploring this enchanted city

in Venice where you can explore the Island in a romantic gondola.

Have A Nice Stay does it differently, we look and discuss the itinerary with you and then create the whole journey to suit your needs, offering the maximum holiday experience for your hard-earned pound.

We always look for the best flight options, with quality airlines that also offer free stopovers en route.

Take an Australia & New Zealand cruise, it starts in Sydney and finishes in Auckland, two great cities but many guests fly all that way and never get the chance to experience them, so we suggest a two night pre-cruise stay and a one-night post, as well as exciting stopovers en route that are free with most airlines - you just pay for the hotel.

On that routing we add in Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok or Hong Kong, now you really have a one of a kind voyage. So if you are looking for a unique itinerary on any cruise, give us a call and we will make it happen and always at an competitive price and total financial protection.

If you’d like company on your cruise why

not join one of our renowned group departures, travelling with like minded guests from Plymouth to some of the world’s most exciting places.

We take the strain while you simply turn up at our local departure point with your cases and leave the rest to us.

We have escorted many hundreds of clients all over the world and are there to make sure all goes to plan.

So many of our clients have made great friends with others who have joined us, especially those travelling on their own who soon feel part of group and are totally at ease from start to finish.

We have two group trips available, Caribbean and Florida Cruise & Stay for 17 nights this November on the Equinox and our ‘Emirates to Empires’ trip from Dubai to Rome for 20 nights, on the Century in April 2015.

So why not join us for an unforgettable holiday with total peace of mind.

PL MAG | 42 | APRIL 2014

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Cruise the day away!

Exclusive Escorted Modern Luxury Group Departures

Shop, Drop & Flop. The Sequel The ultimate 17 night escorted fun cruise & stay experience. 19 November 2014 Sail the Caribbean with Celebrity Cruises 5* Equinox, covering the exciting cities of Miami, St Thomas, St Kitts, Barbados, Dominica, St Maarten, Orlando and Ft Lauderdale.

FEEL THE VIBE - SYDNEY

Interior from £2199 | Ocean view from £2299* Balcony From £2399*

With FREE Classic Drinks package worth over £1500 per stateroom and 5 days in Orlando*

Top three reasons to visit...

ROME

1 ART: Have your fill of masterpieces, architecture, sculpture or paintings of famous artists from Michelangelo to Maderno. Rome has great museums including the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Maxxi National Museum are some of the famous ones.

2 ARCHITECTURE: Of all the 45 UNESCO heritage sites in Italy, Rome houses 12. The Pantheon, Coloseum, St Peter’s Square, Navona Square, and the Spanish Steps are just some. This is a sightseer’s paradise so arm yourself with a good guide book and comfy shoes and absorb the culture.

3 EATING & DRINKING: Enjoy Roman wines in Enoteca (wine shops) and sip wine with roasted pig.

Other treats to indulge in are baccalà (dried salt-cured cod), carciofi (artichoke), and spaghetti alla carbonara (pasta with a dressing made of eggs, small pieces of bacon and Pecorino cheese).

DUBAI

1 THE WORLD’S TALLEST BUILDING: The Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, reaches 828 metres into the sky above downtown Dubai. The architecture is inspired by a desert flower and appears, in glass and steel, as three towers around a central core.

2 SHOPPING: Dubai has dozens of malls, with the most famous being the Dubai Mall, the world’s largest, covering 12 million square feet. If Bloomingdales, Armani or Chanel don’t pique your interest, it also boasts the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. 3 SOUKS: Dubai’s history is built on trade and the present day souks (markets) give a glimpse as to what might once have been. Selling food, spices, jewellery, gold, textiles, carpets and much more much more, you can wander unguided but be prepared to be bombarded with locals eager to peddle their wares.

SYDNEY

1 BEACHES: With so many excellent beaches your only problem will be deciding which one to enjoy the sun and sand on.

Known for its attraction to tourists and locals alike the iconic Bondi Beach with the warmth of its azure water draws crowds all summer long.

2 FOOD: Sydney is loaded with celebrity chefs and has had three restaurants in the S Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurant list for a few years. Tetsuya’s, Quay and Marque. For a unique dining experience a little more affordable try Billy Kwong in Surrey Hills with the famous and fabulous Kylie Kwong.

Pyramids, Canal, Emirates to Empires

20 night cruise & stay with 4 nights in Dazzling Dubai.’ 31 March 2015.

Celebrity Century Dubai to Rome Covering the beautiful sites from Dubai, Rome, Israel, Greece and Italy.

Interior from £1799 | Ocean view from £1999 Balcony From £2369

3 MARKETS: Eveleigh Markets in Redfern and Fox Studio Markets in the Entertainment quarter at Moore Park are a great source of fresh, local and organic produce, while Kirribilli, Paddington, Glebe and Roselle markets are a shopaholics paradise.

01752 481399

sales@haveanicestay.co.uk www.haveanicestay.co.uk ATOL 3273

PL MAG | 43 | APRIL 2014

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FOOD & DRINK

Tanners expanding empire CELEBRITY CHEF BROTHERS, CHRIS AND JAMES TANNER ARE EXPANDING THEIR FOOD BUSINESS BY OPENING THREE NEW BUSINESSES IN LOOE. BUT PLYMOUTH FOODIES NEEDN’T DESPAIR, TANNERS AND THE BARBICAN KITCHEN ARE HERE TO STAY.

AT TANNERS IN PLYMOUTH PHOTOS BY DAVID GRIFFEN

BY LOUISE DANIEL

I

t’s astonishing to think that celebrity chef brothers Chris and James Tanner opened their first restaurant, Tanners, in Plymouth 15 years ago and that it’s been eight years since The Barbican Kitchen opened. Chris and James Tanner burst onto the Plymouth restaurant scene, giving the local food industry a well needed shake up, in the process raising the bar for diners whilst championing fresh local produce.

Since then a raft of high profile restaurateurs have set up shop. In fact 12 restaurants have opened since the Tanner brothers arrival adding over 1000 extra seats for diners in the city. According to the Office of National Statistics, 2013 saw people in Plymouth spend around £2.9m on restaurant and café meals – a hefty amount proving that the local taste for eating out continues to go from strength to strength. Positive news, but as Chris said: “It’s been challenging in Plymouth, but we have some exceptionally loyal clients, you have to be positive.”

Being positive has meant branching out into Looe with three new exciting businesses to add to their mouth-watering stable. The brothers have invested £200,000 in a series of food outlets, in the process creating 40 new jobs for the town.

With a farm shop and butchery – known as Quayside Fresh - opened on March 6, a street food hut opening in April and a takeaway fish, chips and grill shop on the quay-side ready in June, the brothers have got their hands full. But Chris is thrilled with the location describing it as “stunning” adding that the fish and chip shop will be called “the Catch”. He said: “It will have a terrace in the back – we’ll get about 20 seats in it, but it’s not a restaurant like Tanners or Barbican Kitchen.”

Local residents, day trippers and holiday makers will be treated to an extension of the Tanner’s unique and delicious food brand – with the brother’s customary eye on local fresh produce at the forefront. Chris said: “We’ll use what we get from the quay, day boat stuff, you can’t get fresher.”

Dedication to the best ingredients, locally sourced are the bedrock of the Tanner’s gastronomic ethos – from local meats and vegetables to sustainable, line caught fish.

At a time when elsewhere in the country (and on television) people’s culinary expectations were being raised, Plymouth seemed to lag behind. Tanners shone

Our commitment to using local producers hasn’t wavered. The expansion into Looe doesn’t change that. We’re going to continue to deliver the best quality foods we know how. - JAMES TANNER a light on the wealth of excellent produce that our region has to offer and turned them into fine dining in their beautiful Grade II listed restaurant in Prestyn House, Finewell Street and funky food at Barbican Kitchen in Plymouth Gin’s Blackfriers Distillery.

The Tanner’s menus reflect their dedication to quality ingredients. How about whipped goat cheese, gingerbread crumb, forced rhubarb and watercress to start followed by Looe Pollack, creamed potato, turnip tops with langoustine bisque? Or a ‘with all the trimmings’ roast? Round off with chocolate mousse, hazelnut meringue with malt ice cream, if you’ve got room.

Every menu item is carefully selected and changed according to availability and what’s most fresh and seasonally sound. If the weathers particularly bad, it might mean that fish is off the menu, but then you know that when you do get to have fish, it’s at its peak.

Chris and James will keep Plymouth at the hub of the newly expanded food empire, Chris said: “Plymouth is where we started; if we were going to leave we’d have left years ago.”

FROM LEFT, CHRIS AND JAMES TANNER WITH DIRECTOR IAN BARRETT AND PROJECT MANAGER TONY SPREADBOROUGH IN LOOE. PHOTO BY LUCY BLAKE

PL MAG | 44 | APRIL 2014

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20/03/2014 17:14:55

Oreo cookies and cream baked blueberry cheesecake

A baked cheesecake with crushed Oreo cookies and blueberries

T A N N E R S RESTAURANT

SERVES: 8

Ingredients 70g butter, plus extra for greasing 200g Oreo cookies, roughly crushed 500g low fat cream cheese 397g tin of condensed milk Seeds from 1 vanilla pod 3 eggs 150g blueberries

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C/ 325°F/ gas mark 3.

Line and grease a 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, stir in the crushed cookies until they are coated and start to stick together. Spoon the mix into the tin and press evenly over the base. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Open Tuesday to Saturday for lunchtime and evening dining Reservations: 01752 252001

Beat the cream cheese in a mixing bowl until smooth, then add the condensed milk, seeds scraped from the vanilla pod and eggs. Beat well until evenly combined.

Pour the filling over the biscuit base and sprinkle the blueberries over the top. Bake for 1 hour or until set. Remove and set aside to cool, then chill in the fridge before serving.

Taken from “Old Favourites, New Twists” 100 classic recipes with a difference by

Prysten House, Finewell Street, Plymouth, PL1 2AE

www.tannersrestaurant.com

James Tanner, published by Kyle Books www.kylecathie.com PL MAG | 45 | APRIL 2014

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20/03/2014 17:15:10

FOOD & DRINK

Easter Turkey Deli Roast

SERVES: 6

Join us to celebrate in 2014

Ingredients

Method

12 rashers rindless streaky bacon

Preheat the oven to 160°C/Gas mark 4.

Lay a large piece of foil on your worktop and lightly brush with olive oil. Arrange the bacon side by side along the foil.

Decadent Afternoon Teas £14.95 or £21.95 per person with a glass of Champagne

500g British turkey escalopes, (about 8)

Planning Your Garden Day Sunday 13th April 11am to 4pm

50g pitted black olives

Easter Lunches Sunday 20th & Monday 21st April £22.95 per adult and £13.95 per child

REPARATION: 30 minutes P COOKING TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes

6 herby sausages

150g/ ball mozzarella, diced small handful fresh basil leaves 1 roasted red pepper, diced 1 tbsp runny honey

1

2

Bash each turkey escalopes between two pieces of clingfilm with a rolling pin to flatten slightly, then arrange down the centre of the bacon slightly overlapping them.

3

Remove the skin from the sausages and spread over the turkey to cover. Scatter over the olives, mozzarella, basil leaves and pepper. Tuck the bacon over along the short ends and then roll up tightly like a swiss roll.

Wrap tightly in the foil and twist the ends of the foil to seal completely.

4

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and tip any juices into a small dish. Add the honey to the meat juices and brush over the bacon.

Return the meat to the oven for 15 minutes until the bacon is crisp and golden.

Slice and serve with tagliatelle tossed with four cheese sauce, scattered with fresh basil leaves.

Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6DA

01822 852245

www.moorlandgardenhotel.co.uk

PER SERVING 389 kcals, 14g FAT |www.britishturkey.co.uk PL MAG | 46 | APRIL 2014

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Anton’s Masterclass dates: Mon 14 April and Mon 23rd June. All day Master Class with MasterChef the Professionals Winner 2012 Anton Piotrowski. Places limited.

3 course Set Lunch Menu - £20 Tue-Fri and £25 on Sundays A la carte and 6 Course Taster Menus available everyday for both lunch and dinner Sparkwell | Plymouth Devon | PL7 5DD

01752 837363

www.thetrebyarms.co.uk trebyarms@hotmail.co.uk

OPEN SEVEN DAYS FOR LUNCH AND DINNER Tel: 01752 60 44 48

THE CORINTHIAN RESTAURANT The Corinthian Restaurant has become a popular destination for those seeking mouth- watering cuisine at refreshingly reasonable prices. Come and enjoy spectacular views over Plymouth Sound whilst you dine.

Madeira Road | The Hoe | Plymouth | PL1 2NY 01752 664327 club@rpcyc.com | www.rpcyc.com

BARBICAN KITCHEN, PLYMOUTH GIN DISTILLERY, 60 SOUTHSIDE STREET, THE BARBICAN, PLYMOUTH, PL1 2LQ

PL MAG | 47 | APRIL 2014

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FOOD & DRINK

Mary Berry talks family, critics and food

WITH A SOLO TV SHOW AND NEW BOOK TO PROMOTE, HER SCHEDULE COULDN’T BE MORE JAM-PACKED. BUT THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF JUDGE MARY BERRY ALWAYS TRIES TO MAKE IT HOME TO COOK SUPPER, AS JEANANNE CRAIG FINDS OUT

A

s the nation’s favourite home cook, Mary Berry has a reputation to uphold. So before a dish can grace the pages of her books – which numbered 74 at the last count – she tries it out on her most discerning critics.

“I’m very lucky to have a family, because they’re rude,” says Berry, smiling. “Everything is tested until we think it’s right.”

The author and TV cook, known to millions as a judge on The Great British Bake Off, enlisted the help of her five grandchildren for her latest cookbook and BBC Two series, Mary Berry Cooks, in which she shares her favourite meals for family and friends.

In the show, the youngsters – who range in age from three to 11 – help their grandmother, who turns 79 this month, make treats for a tea party and enjoy a Sunday lunch she has prepared.

“They were like little television stars,” says a proud Berry, who regularly receives letters and pictures from fans whose grandchildren have replicated Bake Off cakes.

Family is clearly at the heart of Berry’s life. Despite her busy schedule, the Bath-born cook does her best to get home to Buckinghamshire in time to cook supper for husband Paul (the other Paul in her life being fellow Bake Off judge Mr Hollywood).

“I’m boringly traditional. It’s very important to me,” she admits. “Although tonight, we’re going to the village pub, because I’ve been out for two days.”

Traditional she may be, but Berry isn’t afraid to admit to the occasional kitchen time-saver, from stock cubes and shop-bought pesto to ready-made filo pastry.

“I don’t mind taking shortcuts, because everybody else does.”

Nor is Cordon Bleu-trained Berry precious about holding on to treasured recipes. “Life is all about sharing. If we’re good at something, let’s pass it on.

That’s the pleasure I get from teaching, whether it’s TV, books or radio. It’s sharing what I’ve learnt to do.”

Along with the delicious cakes with which her name has become synonymous in recent years, Mary Berry Cooks contains plenty of ideas for mouthwatering main meals, from Asian belly of pork to butternut squash and spinach lasagne.

Still, it comes as a surprise to hear the Bake Off doyenne reveal: “I really think I like doing the main course or first course best.”

That’s not to say that Berry doesn’t love a good Victoria sponge or moist chocolate cake – but only in moderation.

“I try to stay a reasonable size,” says the slight and slim cook, who confesses she was concerned about putting on weight when she signed up for Bake Off in 2010. “I hope I’ve shown people, have a small slice of cake, enjoy every bit, but don’t go back for another one.”

It’s hard to believe that Berry – who is sporting a trendy faux fur gilet, vintage pencil skirt and candy pink nail polish when we meet – is approaching octogenarian status. “I think I’m lucky with good genes,” she says, blue eyes sparkling.

As for her impeccable dress sense, Berry explains simply: “Mum always used to say you should be bright and cheerful.”

And with that, the eternally bright and cheerful Berry heads back to Buckinghamshire, for that date with her husband at the pub.

PL MAG | 48 | APRIL 2014

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Thai-spiced tomato soup

rd AwA ing n n i w rinA mA ion t LocA

Jolly Jacks

waterfront bar bistro

Kick Back & Relax

Great SERVES: 6

Ingredients 1tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 carrots, chopped 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped 1tbsp grated fresh ginger root 1tbsp red Thai curry paste 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes

• Food served all day from 9.00am - 9.00pm • Enjoy Al fresco drinks and dining on the sunny terrace or for cooler days, enjoy our cosy log burner • Regular live music & jazz • Delicious Sunday Lunches • free secure parking • Dog & child friendly

Method

Add all the remaining ingredients except the Thai basil and water. Bring up to the boil, cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes until the vegetables are soft.

Remove the lemongrass stalk, add the Thai basil then place the soup in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

Return the soup to the pan, add about 200ml of water to thin the soup down, and reheat to serve.

Decorate each bowl of soup with fresh Thai basil leaves.

www.jollyjacks.co.uk

Mayflower Marina • Richmond Walk • Plymouth • PL1 4LS

Kingfisher fish chips

&

Kingfisher are holders of the prestigious NFFF Fish & Chip Quality award.

Our aim is to satisfy your love for fish and chips.

We have made a commitment that all our fish comes from responsible and sustainable sources.

We believe all these little but important details make our food the highest quality and the best tasting around!

1 lemongrass stick, bashed with a rolling pin 1tbsp tomato puree

Tel: 01752 335567 www.kingfisherfishandchips.co.uk

1tbsp light muscovado sugar

200ml water

tel: 01752 500 008

Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots and red pepper and fry for three minutes. Add the ginger and Thai curry paste and fry for 30 seconds.

1 x 400g can coconut milk

2tbsp Thai basil leaves, chopped, plus extra leaves to decorate

Food, Company & Location !

Chaddlewood Shopping Centre | Glen Road Plympton | Plymouth | PL7 2XS Mary Berry Cooks on BBC Two is available on iPlayer. The accompanying book, Mary Berry Cooks by Mary Berry is published

by BBC Books, priced £20.

2 FOR 1 MEDIUM COD, MEDIUM CHIPS AND MUSHY PEAS To claim your 2 for 1 medium cod, medium chips and medium mushy peas simply cut out this coupon and present it at the Kingfisher Fish and Chip shop Chaddlewood shopping centre, Plympton, Plymouth, PL7 2XS. Valid Monday to Thursdays only until end of May 2014. Rules apply, see plymouthherald.co.uk/houserules.

PL MAG | 49 | APRIL 2014

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FOOD & DRINK IN ASSOCIATION WITH LE VIGNOBLE

Wine Myths Debunked YANNICK LOUÉ, OWNER OF BOUTIQUE WINE LOUNGE AND WINE RETAILER, LE VIGNOBLE, EXPOSES THE TRUTH BEHIND THE TOP 10 MOST COMMON WINE MYTHS.

T

oday wine is more popular than ever but certain preconceptions still linger. We’ve seen rare bottles go for thousands at auction and words like “full bodied”, “acidity”, “palate” thrown carelessly around. So it’s no wonder some of us are still mystified when it comes to wine.

It’s time to debunk some of those ‘truths’ we’ve longed believed about wine.

A good bottle of wine will be expensive Contrary to popular believe, you don’t have to spend an extortionate amount of money to get a decent bottle of wine. There are lots of great wines for around £7.50- £15.

All wines get better with age Not true. Only a small percentage of wines need to mature to be enjoyed fully and this depends on the winemaking process. Rather than saving wines, most should be drunk within the year it was bottled.

Screw caps are lesser quality than cork An old fashioned assumption: although cork is favoured for premium bottles, to help with the aging process, screw caps bottles can be just as good as their cork counterparts.

Serve red wine at room temperature This was once true.

Unfortunately that was around 100 years ago when room temperatures were significantly lower than the central-heated homes of today.

Ideally red wines should be served around 14 – 20 degrees.

The French invented sparkling wine Dom Pérignon: seventeenth century French monk and the inventor of sparkling wine. Or was he? Shocking as it may be, the English were producing sparkling wines some twenty years before Dom poured his first glass of Champers.

Mature wines cost more An older, or more ‘matured’ bottle of wine doesn’t necessarily up the price tag. A good wine with a limited production will have a better investment value than an old bottle of more commonly available wine.

Cheese and wine are the perfect pair On the whole this is true but not always. Cheese has a heavy texture and taste so can overpower certain wines. If you’re putting together a cheese board make sure to research which cheeses go well with the wines you’re serving.

Vintage means an old bottle of wine The term ‘vintage’ has a certain grandiose feel but in fact it just means the year the wine was produced. A 2014 vintage makes as much sense as a 1964 vintage.

Red Wine with Meat; White Wine with Fish An old rule of thumb but one which no longer resonates quite so well; today we have so many dishes to choose from, with influences from all around the world, that now it’s more about what you enjoy than just sticking to red for meat or white for fish.

You need to know a lot about wine to appreciate it You don’t need a culinary diploma to appreciate a good steak nor a degree in fashion to appreciate a well-tailored suit. So why should you need to know anything about wine to enjoy a bottle?

For more information, wine tips or to enjoy a bottle visit the team at Le Vignoble.

PL MAG | 50 | APRIL 2014

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OUT & ABOUT

PHOTO BY STEVEN HAYWOOD TAKEN AT KITLEY HOUSE

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Murder most foul in Devon hotels JEMIMA LAING FINDS A GROUP OF PERFECTLY ORDINARY PEOPLE RELISHING THE CHANCE TO TURN TO A LIFE OF CRIME

I

t’s not unusual, when Teresa Hood sits at her desk at the start of a working day, for a passing colleague to enquire whether she was murdered last night.

“Or sometimes they will want to know whether I was the murderer,” laughed Teresa.

Because, although by day Teresa is the business and finance manager at Architects Design Group in Plymouth, by night she is one of a merry band of actors who travel the South West enacting murderous scenarios as part of Candlelight Theatre Company’s murder mystery nights.

Created by Kate Haskell – perhaps more familiar to television viewers as an ITV Westcountry presenter – Candlelight is now approaching its 20th birthday “It started on a very small scale,” explained Kate.

“I was doing cabaret in hotels around Devon and someone suggested we should do a murder mystery night. So I had a go at writing a script and it took off from there.”

Word got round and, from doing three or four events a year, Candelight regularly clocks up about 160 performances annually at hotels across the South West.

Over the years it has become a real family concern with Kate’s mum, Pat Reeves, now overseeing the not insubstantial logistics of setting up as many as four murder nights a week anywhere in Devon, Cornwall and even Dorset on occasion.

Kate says they have rarely needed to advertise – instead the business has flourished largely thanks to word of mouth. So what does she put that success down to?

“I think the key is that it’s great fun – the beauty of it is that you can be as involved as you like, some people get really into it and ask loads of questions while others sit back and enjoy it that way – you can do as much or as little as you like.

“There’s nothing too gory, there’s never any blood involved.”

The action begins over pre-dinner drinks and concludes over coffee and, while guests tuck into a delicious meal, the actors begin the process of laying the clues.

With a back catalogue of about 40 storylines – all written by Kate – guests never know what’s

evidenced by the plethora of crime dramas cramming the TV listings pages on any given night, and TV is providing fresh inspiration too.

“We’re always adapting,” said Kate. “At the moment I’m working on creating a Downtontype evening.”

On a night when Teresa is working for Candlelight she begins the process of transforming into anyone from a female vicar to a character from the 1930s as soon as she gets in from the office, ready for the night ahead. Keeping in character is easy, she says, as long as you are prepared.

“You have to know your stuff because, of course, people are trying to catch you out and trip you up – you’ve got to be consistent and that’s a really nice challenge. Sometimes it’s great KATE HASKELL to get the part where you burst in and start screaming at the top of your voice and other nights it’s fun in store, even if they’ve been to a murder mystery to blend in as one of the guests to begin with and evening before. people don’t initially realise you’re part of it.”

“We have lots of people who come again and Kate says the success rate of the audience in again so we try to make sure they don’t see the guessing the perpetrator tends to be “about 50/50”. same thing twice. But even if it is the same “We did once perform a murder mystery for storyline the actors make it so different each time. 150 policemen and women and not all of them “I certainly don’t claim to be Agatha Christie got it right!” but I enjoy writing the scripts and coming up She finds it hard to pick a favourite evening with new ideas and I can also tailor a script to a from the 18 months she’s been part of client’s request.

Candlelight. “They are all memorable, really,” “But I have to say it’s our actors who make the she said. “Especially when you think about nights so fantastic. the lovely venues we get to go to such as Bovey “They are so good at what they do – they take Castle and Pentillie Castle or Kitley House and the scripts and run with them.” the Two Bridges.

Kate is clearly tapping into the nation’s For more information visit seemingly unquenchable thirst to play detective, www.murderbycandlelight.co.uk

I have to say it’s our actors who make the nights so fantastic -

PL MAG | 51 | APRIL 2014

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event

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A place to breathe, a unique city, coast and countryside experience.

This year, visit Plymouth’s stunning waterfront locations and enjoy the many Independent boutiques, galleries, cafes, restaurants and bustling events of Sutton Harbour, The Barbican, The Hoe and Royal William Yard

visitplymouth.co.uk WhatsOnPlymouth @whatsonplymouth

APRIL 4

Plymouth Live Music Night, Piazza in Plymouth City Centre The live music night, sponsored by C and G Catering is a new monthly event being held in the Piazza in the city centre until October. There will be three local bands taking part and each show will be a fantastic free night out. The April date will see Michael Collings, Supersonic and Rusty Angels take to the stage.

APRIL 12

Susan Boyle at Plymouth Pavilions After a sell out Scottish Tour in the summer of 2013, global singing sensation Susan Boyle is returning to the stage in her very first nationwide live tour, ‘Susan Boyle In Concert’. The show will comprise of songs including the now legendary ‘I Dreamed A Dream’, ‘Wild Horses’ and ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ as well as ‘River Deep, Mountain High’, one of her all time favourites, plus a host of spectacular surprises on the night.

APRIL 18-21

Easter Trails at Saltram House Join in the fun this Easter with the National Trust at Saltram House. Bring the family along and join in to hunt for clues among the daffodil displays. Find all the clues in the garden to win a prize at the end.

PL MAG | 52 | APRIL 2014

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PinF

A week long celebration of all things fashion to include instore offers and promotions and professionally produced fashion shows.

26 April - 4 May 2014 FRIDAY 2 MAY HIGH TEA FASHION SHOW

The Treasury 3-5pm

Tickets available from The Treasury 01752 672121

SATURDAY 3 MAY URBAN LOCK DOWN FASHION SHOW

Derry’s Department Store 12-2pm FREE

DIAMONDS & PEARLS FASHION SHOW

Derry’s Department Store 5-7pm FREE

Please contact Terri Reeves on 01752 293174 or terri.reeves@swmg.co.uk for more information

In partnership with

PinF page.indd 52_53- PL TopMag-full 6 events.indd 53 1

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APRIL 19

APRIL 21-26

APRIL 27

St George’s Day event, Piazza in Plymouth City Centre

Dreamboats & Petticoats at the Theatre Royal

Plymouth Half Marathon, The Hoe

For the ultimate family day out don’t miss this event. There will be live bands, performances, fancy dress, food stalls, freebies galore, wine, ale and special guests. Music from Saggy Bottom Boys, dubclass, Decibelle, Vicious Kitten, Music of the Night Foundation, Acoustic Academy, Devonport Dance Den, Poppy Mills and much more.

Inspired by the smash hit multi-million selling albums Dreamboats And Petticoats One, Two, Three and Four, the West End sell out sensation returns to Plymouth by public demand. The musical features classic tracks from Roy Orbison, The Shadows, Eddie Cochran, Billy Fury, and many more.

The race starts from the Hoe at 9am and takes a route through the city centre, passing the Barbican, Saltram Park and finishing in style on the Promenade. Stunning coastal views, a charming harbour and running through the beautiful National Trust grounds of Saltram Park. This is a half marathon designed for the joy of running.

PL MAG | 54 | APRIL 2014

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PL mags top

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We offer a full range of plumbing services as well as repairs, upgrades, servicing and maintenance of gas central heating systems, boilers and all gas appliances.

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07903 398094 or 01752 512495 PL MAG | 55 | APRIL 2014

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SOCIAL DIARY JACQUI AVERY AND JILL HEGGS FROM ROYAL WESTERN YACHT CLUB

KEEN, YOD, NIKKI A, NICOLA LLHOLDER RE CC M EX , AL STIFF, KEN NITA DODDRW AN, GINNIE SANDRA KI

Apprenticeship City College Plymouth hosted a dinner to celebrate seven years of National Apprenticeship Week – which celebrates all that is great about apprenticeships.

Employers and apprentices from across the city enjoyed a delicious five-course dinner, prepared and served by college hospitality students. Guest speaker Paul Burton, editor of The Herald, spoke of his experiences as an apprentice.

Black card MAKING COCKTAILS

STAFF GET READY FOR BUSINESS

Plymouth’s Refectory Bar held it’s second Corporate event, introducing its Black Membership card to 50 business people from Plymouth. There was a complimentary Plymouth Gin & tonic on arrival, canapés, live music and a Cocktail Demonstration with five unique Refectory serves.

FRAN ST AFF LOUIS ORD, CHRISTIN E PHILPO STELLA HE ORCHARD, SH TTS, A AJIYIAN NI AND RON ROBBIE, JO DI CA RLO PL MAG | 56 | APRIL 2014

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20/03/2014 15:40:17

THE CAR

ITSELF STEPHEN CURTIS SHOWS OFF THE NEW NISSAN QASHQAI

Vospers

N WN O G DO

VENT

THE E

IN LOOK

R LUCK

ROLLING FO

The new Nissan Qashqai was the big winner at a casino night held to celebrate its launch by Vospers.

More than 75 people came along to try their luck at the casino event which saw the dealership’s showroom at Marsh Mills motor park transformed into a mini Las Vegas.

Professional croupiers were on hand to man a craps table, roulette wheel and blackjack tables.

But despite the glamour and gaming, the real star of the show was the British-built all-new Qashqai – What Car? magazine’s Car of the Year 2014.

KEITH WHITE FROM MICHAEL SPIERS AND ROGER YOUNG

Roger Young SUNDAY TIMES MOTOR JOURNALIST JASON DAWE

A brand new luxury car has had its British debut in Saltash.

Roger Young, near Latchbrook, is the first Jaguar dealer in the country to show the new F-TYPE Coupe.

The event marks the opening of the new showroom.

PL MAG | 57 | APRIL 2014

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P L

M a g a z i n e

Next Month

people PL Magazine talks to Marti Pellow about his role in Evita at the Theatre Royal

fashion Your complete guide to Plymouth In Fashion – the city’s biggest style and beauty event

get the look Bronzed and beautiful – get ready for summer with our tanning tips

food Delicious recipes bursting with fresh flavours of the new season

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Fiona Stoddart SALES TEAM Run of Magazine Claire Chinn 07919 564790 claire.chinn@swmg.co.uk Dave Kendall 07920 455890 david.kendall@swmg.co.uk Edina Worthington 07785 518071 Edina.Worthington@swmg.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 Directory Call 01752 293070

EDITORIAL: Publisher: Paul Burton 01752 293045 pburton@plymouthherald.co.uk Editorial: Gillian Adams 01752 293137 gadams@dc-media.co.uk DESIGN: Editorial Designer: Sarah Rowntree Creative Designer: 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

PL MAG | 58 | APRIL 2014

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T R U R O

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