SO Magazine August 2021

COMMUNITY

Your town needs you

TN Card's Jess Gibson reveals the benefits of her high street reward scheme

CULTURE

The stage is now set

Wicked Productions tell us why they're so happy to be doing panto again

FOOD & DRINK

Delighted of Tunbridge Wells

What makes Mount Edgcumbe Hotel the perfect place to get away from it all

PEOPLE ARE OUR BUSINESS PAM LOCH, FOUNDER OF LOCH ASSOCIATES, ON HER UNIQUE LAW AND HR FIRM

August 2021

COMEDY | SAT 31 JUL | 8.00pm

COMEDY | WED 22 SEP | 8.00pm

COMEDY | THU 04 NOV | 7.30pm

COMEDY | WED 17 + THU 18 NOV | 7.30pm

COMEDY | SAT 29 JAN 22 | 8.00pm

MUSIC | SAT 14 AUG | 7.30pm

assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk T U N B R I D G E W E LLS for full details and to book tickets visit our website

WELCOME

Editor’s LETTER

W

elcome to the August edition of SO magazine. In this issue we speak to the formidable Pam Loch of Loch Associates Group. The Scottish lawyer and business entrepreneur sure knows a thing or two about how to run a successful – and forward thinking – company. And as things start to slowly open back up again and people come off furlough schemes etc she and her team are certainly very useful to have in your contacts book.

Talking of entrepreneurs, we also talk to Jess Gibson of the TN card to find out how you can get involved with her high street shopping reward scheme. By shopping local you can really make a big difference all round.

Elsewhere we have lots of ideas on how to keep the family entertained over the summer holidays courtesy of our calendar and interview with Tom Swift from Wicked Productions who will be putting on Treasure Island later this month at the EM Forster theatre.

We also meet avid book blogger Hannah Kirsop. The mother of three and new Times of Tunbridge Wells literary reviewer tells us why she swapped working in the City for reading and writing about books instead. The bookcase in her lovely Horsmonden home is a thing of beauty!

In our food and drink section we pay a visit to Squerryes vineyard in Westerham which has just won yet another award for its outstanding sparkling wine. It really is the perfect place to spend a

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contents

Culture vulture: what’s on where this month

August 2021

P42

36 38 40 42

Love hurts: Botanica’s Naomi Murray on why over caring can lead to problems

Livewire: Paul Dunton on Local & Live returning to Tunbridge Wells this summer

Friends like these: Hypnotherapist Karen Martin tells you how to detox your contacts book

Law and Order: We meet Pam Loch of Employment Law & HR specialists Loch Associates Group

Look sharp: The best fashion for the stylish male this summer

Gourmet grub and good grooves: A look back at Tom Kerridge’s Pub in the Park summer’s afternoon sipping a chilled glass of bubbly amongst the vineyards. Another desirable location where you can while away long, hot summer days is the Mount Edgcumbe Hotel. Its charming history and unique hospitality offering make it a very special venue that you will want to return to time and time again.

We hope you enjoy the issue and wish you a lovely restful summer holiday.

Eileen Leahy Editor So magazine Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @somagazines

Issue 154 SALOMONS ESTATE Tunbridge Wells Kent TN3 0TG Tel: 01892 779650 www.timeslocalnews.co.uk

Floral affair: Singer Paloma Faith reveals her new homes collection

A good vintage: TV’s Eric Knowles on opening his new decorative arts emporium on The Pantiles

22 23 24 26 28

P32

Staging a comeback: Tom Swift tells us all about his new panto Treasure Island Lessons in support: Chris Munday from Crossways on how his charity has helped children Book club: Blogger Hannah Kirsop reveals her summer reading list

Support local: TN Card’s Jess Gibson tells us all about her loyalty shopping scheme

Georgian on our minds: We spend a night at the historic Mount Edgcumbe

32

Raising a glass: Squerryes vineyard invites us on a wonderful tasting tour of its award-winning wines

34

P24

Table talk: Local restaurants discuss what’s on their menu

for summer

P50

EDITOR Eileen Leahy

eileen.leahy@onemediauk.co.uk

HEAD OF DESIGN Lee Smith

lee.smith@onemediauk.co.uk

SALES DIRECTOR Robin Singer

robin.Singer@onemediauk.co.uk

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR EDITORIAL DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY Victoria Truman Richard Moore David Sexton richard.moore@onemediauk.co.uk Rose Bainbridge Karen Martin Naomi Murray

Waterworld: Victoria Truman on the rising trend of water features in gardens – big and small

PRINTED BY: Mortons Print PUBLISHED BY

All rights reserved. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions relating to advertising or editorial. The publisher reserves the right to change or amend any competitions or prizes offered. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent from the publisher. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited materials or the return of these materials whilst in transit.

45 46 50

Kitchen confidential: How to revamp the hub of your home

Cover shot photographs by Rose Bainbridge & Art Direction by Lee Smith

Drive of your life: We take the new Ferrari Portofino M

for a spin

SO Magazine | August 2021 | 5

OPEN HOUSE WEEK

Monday 27 Sept - Saturday 2 Oct

Nursery & Prep School St Leonards, East Sussex TN37 7PW 01424 751555

Senior School & Sixth Form Bodiam, East Sussex TN32 5UJ 01580 830396

admissions@claremontschool.co.uk . claremontschool.co.uk/events

Book online! m nts fro i o p p Pick u e Wells and dg Tunbri r towns te commu nt and Ke across sex. us East S

Calendar

Our edit of the most entertaining events happening this month We’ve compiled a calendar of things you can do in Tunbridge Wells and its surrounding areas this August, depending on restrictions. So, as always, it’s best to check online first before heading out…

BY LOTTIE BULMER

WATER WONDERFUL WORLD If you can’t get away this summer or fancy doing something just a little bit different at the weekend then why not pay a trip to the Bewl Water Aqua Park which is back for the 2021 season. Boasting several sessions a day water babies - and adults - can explore the giant course, beat all the obstacles, challenge friends and family and watch them wipe out! The 2400sq meters of inflatable fun consists of the ice tower, XXL action tower, springboard, the twist, balance bar, flip mattress, cliff, monkey bars, aqua slide, dome, roundabout, halfpipe, hurdles and lots more!

Suitable for individuals, groups, families, adults, and children. And it’s a lot more fun than your average summer holiday activities.

Children must be 8 years and older. £120 for groups up to 6.

Book now by visiting www. bewlwateraquapark.co.uk

DID YOU KNOW? Sir Arthur Conan Doyle felt that Groombridge Place was ‘the very essence of England’

PRIVATE EYE Does your child fancy itself as a sleuth? At Groombridge Place they can solve the mystery of The Stolen Gems from Peacock Valley by collecting clues while adventuring around the 150-acre estate – with a little help from infamous detectives Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson of course!

Successful clue collectors will receive a sweet treat to enjoy on their journey home.

Groombridge Place has historically been the setting for mystery for a long time.

Local author of the Sherlock Holmes books, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle frequented the estate and set the final Sherlock Holmes novel ‘The Valley of Fear’ on its site.

The mystery trail runs on selected dates throughout August.Tickets must be booked in advance by visiting groombridgeplace.com SO Magazine | August 2021 | 7

Calendar

© National Trust, Eva Nemeth

BLOOMING LOVELY A selection of gardens in the local area continue to open their gates to visitors throughout August in aid of Hospice in the Weald.

August’s open garden is Little Walkhurst, a timber framed 1740s cottage set in an acre and a half of a formal cottage style garden with an ornamental pond and a summer house.

The garden also includes a four and a half acre meadow with woodland walks, a wildlife pond, a waterfall and even an art studio in the grounds with artwork to buy!

Kathryn Cracknell, relationship fundraising coordinator for Hospice in the Weald, said: “We remain

8 | August 2021 | SO Magazine

so grateful to all of this year’s garden owners for their hard work and kindness sharing their gardens with us all.

“We look forward to welcoming visitors and are so grateful to everyone for the ongoing support which will help ensure that Hospice in the Weald can continue to deliver outstanding 24/7 hospice services throughout our local community.

“This time around the date has moved to later in the year, so visitors will discover different seasonal blooms and plants to previous events.”

Little Walkhurst,Walkhurst Road, Benenden.TN17 4DT – Saturday 7 and Sunday August 8 from 11am to 3pm For more information, visit hospiceintheweald.org.uk

DID YOU KNOW? Along with Susan Power, Amelia Scott was one of the first two women to be elected to the borough council of Tunbridge Wells

GET DOWN TO THE WOODS Over the weekend of August 27-29 the awardwinning Alfresco Festival takes place at Colebrook Lakes. This electronic music event takes place as its name suggests in the great outdoors and boasts a stellar line-up of DJs including Daniel Avery, Nancy Noise, Paranoid London and Dombrance.

The festival is family friendly and you can choose from a range of different ticket types including day or all weekend camping ones.

From small foundations, the Alfresco Festival has built a big reputation as a top-tier UK event but organisers say what makes it really unique is the crowd and the woodland setting. In addition to the great live music to get down and groove to there will be lots of additional enter tainment on site, most of which is included in the ticket price so what are you waiting for?

To book visit www.alfresco festival.co.uk

HERCULEAN TASK A staple of the Kent summer holidays, Sissinghurst Castle and Garden are back as usual with their manicured gardens including the newly opened Greek island inspired ‘Delos’ garden.

Children and adults alike can enjoy the historic house and gardens. Little ones can try their hand at being a junior gardener, follow the Sissinghurst dragonfly trail all while ticking off their Get, Set Go challenges.

If you’d prefer not to walk around, you can instead try building your own den, or playing summer bird bingo.

The Delos Garden opened last month and was inspired

by Vita and Harold Sackville’s own attempt at recreating the beauty of Delos after a trip to the island more than 85 years ago.

The garden harvests sunlight and makes the best of the difficult soil to pay homage to the Mediterranean landscape.

For opening times and admission prices, nationaltrust. org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden

CREATIVE JUICES Throughout August, organisers from the Amelia Scott Building will be hosting a variety of workshops and activities in Tunbridge Wells’ shopping centre.

The new building is currently under construction and named after the local campaigner for women’s suffrage, Amelia ‘Millie’ Scott.

It is scheduled to open in spring 2022.

It aims to create a place to continue her work and create a space where the community can come together through the building’s collections, services and activities.

Located in the Royal Victoria Shopping centre, the summer schedule has a free programme of artist-led, hands-on activities with workshops, walks and talks.

The programme is open to all ages and is supported

by The Amelia’s team.

The second week of the programme started off earlier this week (August 2) and includes a workshop from the artist Parveer Braich (also known as Eksait) who is hosting a series of macramé-making art pieces from knotted threads or cords. There will also be a pop-up exhibition showcasing lighting and optics, colour mixing and its impacts on our thoughts and emotions, hosted by James Tunnard, plus many more events to enjoy.

For more information, visit theamelia.co.uk

Calendar

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SO Magazine | August 2021 | 9

MUSIC

“LOCAL & LIVE IS AN ESSENTIAL HUB FOR UNITING MUSICIANS AND FANS OF ALL GENERATIONS AND GENRES”

The Local & Live Music Festival returns over the August Bank Holiday weekend across a number of venues. Here its organiser Paul Dunton reveals the line-up and why he’s so happy it’s finally back

Photos © Nigel Martin

A

10 | August 2021 | SO Magazine

fter a Covidenforced hiatus of two years, Local & Live returns to Tunbridge Wells later this month.

Now in its 16th year the free music festival, which is held over the Bank Holiday weekend is a regular annual fixture in the town’s cultural calendar, attracting thousands of music fans over the three day event.

With a line-up of talented local musicians playing all weekend, Local & Live gives music fans a great chance to enjoy all kinds of sounds. But it has also become a popular weekend for families too thanks to the food and drink and additional entertainment on offer.

In terms of the music, it features the cream of the region’s original musical talent. Artists already confirmed for

2021 include headliners The Orange Circus and Marie White who will play alongsideThe Steffan James Band, The Ackerleys, David Migden & The Twisted Roots, Cyrano, Sean de Burca, Harry Whitty, Zoe Nicol, Tom Wiliams, Mike Wilton, David Mumford, Alana Hazzard and many more. There really is something for everyone to enjoy on this year’s bill.

Local & Live 2021 begins on the evening of Friday August 27 at 5pm where the main action will take place in Calverley Grounds, the beautiful Decimus Burton-designed park in the town centre.

The live music continues in the park through Saturday from noon until 10pm and then on Sunday from midday to 9pm.

In addition to the live entertainment there will be two bars run by The Forum and The George

MUSIC

Pub. Foodies will be treated to a selection of treats served up by local food traders including Sankey’s, Raj Pavillion, Food Comes First, Alice’s Ices, Rascals Pizzas, Delaneys Crepes and Pancakes and Mother Bhumi Organic Vegan.

As well as running a bar, The Forum will be hosting afterparties at its iconic venue on The Common every night after the music finishes in Calverley Grounds. It will welcome an array of local bands until late each night and will be the main focus of the festival on Bank Holiday Monday – or Fringe Day as we are calling it.

Other satellite venues participating in this year’s festival include The Bedford Pub, Cassidy’s Bar, The Black Horse Pub, and more.

As Local & Live has grown in both reputation and size over the years, it also draws visitors from all over the UK and Europe, bringing together a collective audience in the region of 10,000-15,000.

Local resident and front man of The Bluetones, Mark Morriss recently gave his official take on the festival saying: “Local & Live has established itself as an essential hub for uniting musicians and fans of all

HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT LOCAL & LIVE Any individual or business can advertise on our giant screen positioned next to the stage in Calverley Grounds, it's a great way to support the festival with ads starting at just £50.

Our crowdfund page is available at www. justgiving.com/ localandlivemusic.

If you have any sponsorship enquiries or ideas, we would love to hear from you so please don't hesitate to get in touch by emailing fundraising@ localandlive.org Local & Live takes place over the Bank Holiday weekend of August 27-30 2021, at Calverley Grounds, The Forum and other venues across Tunbridge Wells. See www.localandlive.org for more info

Iconic Rock legend, Roger Daltrey of The Who is a long term supporter of the festival

generations and genres in the area of Tunbridge Wells. We are so lucky to have it.”

Iconic Rock legend, Roger Daltrey CBE of The Who is a long term supporter of the festival and commented: “Local & Live is a fantastic platform for independent, original music in Kent and Sussex, long may it continue!”

But as you can imagine Local & Live, is costly to put on, which is why funding for the festival is so vital. As a free event its intention is solely to cover its costs.

Myself and all the other trustees give our time to organise and run the event for free, and so for all of us, it truly is a labour of love.

There are substantial costs though which we

cannot avoid and just some the major ones include the festival main stage complete with full PA and all necessary sound equipment, lighting, generators, sound and lighting engineers amounts to around £25,000. One of the legal requirements includes having a specific number of professional security staff on duty during the set-up day and then for the entire run of the festival including overnight on each day and on site for the clear down day.

This security bill is likely to be close to £8000 while other incidentals such as insurance, rubbish collection and marquee hire run into thousands.

So if you can help us we’d really appreciate it…

Paul Dunton Music Editor

Follow Paul @PaulDuntonmusic

SO Magazine | August 2021 | 11

Cover feature

WE’RE ON YOUR DOORSTEP Having a local office means we’re accessible, whether you need to make changes to your policy or make a claim.

Our insurance products and financial services include: • Home • Car • Business

• Farm • Equine • Travel

• Income Protection • Financial Planning • Pensions

NFU Mutual Financial Advisers advise on NFU Mutual products and selected products from specialist providers. When you get in touch we’ll explain the advice services offered and the charges. Financial advice is provided by NFU Mutual Select Investments Limited.

For a real conversation about your insurance call us or pop in 55 High Street, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1XU Tel: 01892 884781

M J Webber, P G Bowring & S Joubert is an appointed representative of The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited (No. 111982). And an introducer to NFU Mutual Select Investments Limited, a member of the NFU Mutual group of companies.

12 | August 2021 | SO Magazine

Cover feature

“Our mission is to solve problems and offer services to enable businesses to be successful”

O

n entering Loch Associates Group’ smart open-plan offices located on Mount Ephraim Road in the heart of Tunbridge Wells I am greeted by a few friendly faces looking up from their computers - and then low and behold, a cute dog named Ellie who comes padding towards me wagging her tail, looking for cuddles.

I’ll be honest, this is not what I had expected from one of the area’s most successful law and HR experts but then as I soon discover Loch Associates Group like to do things just a little bit differently in order to get the best results possible.

The Group’s founder Pam Loch set up her first business Loch Employment Law in 2007 in Tunbridge Wells after moving down from London.

After initially establishing the business from her home, Pam who is Scottish and uniquely qualified in both her birth country’s legal system and England’s, took up office space at The Pantiles Chambers before moving to her current premises.

As a business, we have been clients' conscience, their business partners and above all their go-to people expert

Loch Associates Group was set up by Pam Loch (seated centre) in 2007 in order to make a difference. Here the successful solicitor and co-founder of enTWine networking group tells Eileen Leahy all about her innovative business which provides a unique perspective on employment law and HR solutions

“I wanted to set up an employment law business because I recognised quite a lot of clients would often make mistakes and get caught out in tribunals because they hadn’t followed the correct process,” she explains as we sit down to chat.

“And to me that really came back to day-to-day HR handling and ensuring things got done correctly.”

As a result, Pam then established HR Advise Me - a specialist HR consultancy to run alongside Loch Employment which focused on issues such as discrimination and bullying cases to unfair dismissals and redundancies.

After having set up these two businesses, Pam -who has practiced for the past two decades and written numerous specialist employment law articles and books - launched Loch Wellbeing then Loch Mediation.

She says she did so after spotting a gap in the market which wasn’t SO Magazine | August 2021 | 13

Cover feature

looking after the emotional needs of clients. This has become even more vital a service with Covid so Loch Associates Group have now also set up ‘HR Medi-Specialist Check In Services’ to help with managing employees’ return to work post coronavirus restrictions being lifted.

This all seems like very forwardthinking business acumen given how much mental health has come to the fore especially in recent times with the pandemic and the advent of home working and furlough. But then again Pam says she is always learning, always seeking out how she and her team can make what they offer the best.

“We want to find solutions to problems and achieve the most positive outcome for all involved.

People really are our business. We work in partnership with clients to help them deal with the ever-shifting landscape of looking after people at work. We are experts in developing solutions to help organisations manage and look after their people.”

The Group is now known as Loch Associates Group and its USP is that it provides a totally comprehensive service for businesses and individual clients – a one-stop shop if you like.

“We provide a pragmatic range of services from employment law advice,

We want to find solutions to problems and achieve the most positive outcome for all involved

HR consultancy, health and safety, employee wellbeing programmes and mediation services to ensure clients have access from a single trusted partner,” explains Pam. “We are also here to help our local and wider business communities keep up to date on key changes in employment law and HR through media, professional associations, and industry bodies.”

Since expanding Pam informs me the Group is about to launch Loch Business Solutions with the aim of providing Commercial Law services and Loch Dispute Resolution in order to assist clients involved in litigation.

She adds that this is possible because Loch Associates Group’ various specialist departments work both independently as well as in partnership with each other.

“This allows us to tailor services and develop bespoke solutions perfectly suited to the needs of clients and business culture.

“Our mission is to solve problems and offer services to enable businesses to be successful. To achieve this, it is critical to drive innovation across the businesses in the group, identifying the trends and issues facing clients and shaping expertise into effective solutions for them.”

The Group currently employs 20

Photographs: Rose Bainbridge Creative Direction: Lee Smith

PAW PATROL: Ellie, Loch Associates Group’s official Chief Officer of Morale

14 | August 2021 | SO Magazine

A LOOK AT LOCH ASSOCIATES GROUP’S WORK Expansion of business with people at its forefront – people are their business Development of innovative new solutions for clients They work independently as well as in partnership with each other allowing them to tailor services and

develop bespoke solutions Their mission is to solve problems and offer services to enable businesses to be successful.

To achieve this they believe it is critical to drive innovation across the different businesses in the group, identifying the

trends and issues facing clients and shaping expertise into effective solutions for them Their team come from a wide range of backgrounds which means they are able to adapt their approach to suit business’s needs and provide practical and realistic advice

Cover feature

people in their Tunbridge Wells office with five additional members running the Loch Associates Group branch in Brighton. The Group is also currently running a virtual London office with plans to set up a bricks and mortar location soon.

In terms of Loch Associates Group's clients they are certainly diverse; ranging from schools to high net worth individuals, to start-ups and smaller enterprises. Most are based in and around the South East but Loch Associates Group has some from as far afield as Birmingham, Newcastle and Melton Mowbray thanks to Pam’s longstanding career and impressive contacts book.

Having recently won a coveted BAHBAs business award as well as clutch of other top industry awards including a Times of Tunbridge Wells Business one in 2017 for their excellent expertise, Pam and her team are clearly on track when it comes to delivering legal advice, HR support and coaching for those individuals or employers who may find themselves in a difficult situation at work.

“As a business, we have been client’s conscience, their business partners and above all their go-to people expert.”

And this Pam says has certainly been proved even further because of the ongoing pandemic: “The team at Loch Associates Group has worked

unbelievably hard to support clients through unprecedented levels of instability and concern.”

Like so many others Loch Associates Group had to also seriously re-think the logistics of how it would continue to operate in order to ensure clients were looked after during such an unnerving period.

“Even though I sent everyone home to work remotely I still came into the building with my dog Ellie. I thought to myself we’re allowed to go out and walk our dogs so I thought I’ll walk her to the office,”. Ellie by the way is considered very much part of the Loch Associates Group team – she even has a job title: that of Chief Officer of Morale.

“The court system tried to develop during that time but there was a bit of a lag at the start so I wanted to make sure that we could still deliver and that our clients were represented.”

But it’s not just her clients that Pam has been focused on over the past turbulent 18 months. She tells me that when she was allowed to start welcoming a few members of staff back to the office a lot of the younger members came in first.

“Many were struggling being in a shared flat or whatever and so a few of them actually asked to come back.

Some also felt they worked better being monitored and supported.

“I’m an employment lawyer with a REFLECTING THE TIMES: Loch Associates Group won a Times Business award in 2017 for Best Small Business

LEGAL EAGLES: Pam and her team pictured on The Pantiles and in the office

An awardwinning business: Loch Associates won this year’s Professional Services Award at BAHBAs 2021 and in 2014 and in 2017 won a Times Business Award Commenting on their recent BAHBAs win earlier this year Pam says: “After such a difficult year, this recognition means the world to us. The team have worked incredibly hard in supporting our clients over the last year in developing solutions to help them manage their business and look after their people. I’m so proud to have such a fantastic team working with me and look forward to what we can achieve together in the future”

20-year career but some of my team are just starting out in their careers. I think some were finding it difficult doing things remotely and given the nature of our work it is often easier to talk about cases in person.”

Pam made certain adjustments so staff could operate safely, thus ensuring they still delivered to clients but were also able to support one another.

“We made the office completely open plan and totally refurbished it.

It’s really important that our staff don’t work long hours and take holiday so we as a Group work really hard at making sure our employees do that.

I’ve just got to crack it myself that’s all!” she laughs.

Now that they are operating on a semi-normal basis Pam explains how the office functions: “This has always been a dynamic fast-paced environment but with Covid we have had to operate differently by taking things online or doing Zooms or Microsoft Team meetings.

“Essentially though our HR team helps with day-to day-queries from businesses who might need additional support or expert advice. This could be regarding disciplinary action against a member of staff or stepping in to support bigger HR teams in larger companies.

“Our employment solicitors tend to deal with more strategic issues and the drafting of more complex legal documents. There is a real USP with us as we literally have HR staff members sitting alongside our solicitors. They’ve got direct access to one another and therefore can talk to each other about certain issues.”

Pam acknowledges that traditionally this would be done by different firms of solicitors and HR experts so to have them all under one roof not only cuts out tonnes of time and paperwork, it helps Loch

Associates Group’s clients obtain faster and more effective solutions.

“If we’re working with clients together then we often know their culture so it’s a seamless transition as we know how certain businesses like to operate. Having said that each client is different. Businesses grow, evolve and repurpose.”

Loch Associates Group also boasts specialist medical HR experts, and all of them have come from a medical background.

“My husband Bruce was a Major in the Army but he also has management experience from running A&E departments. So he has exposure to HR but also the necessary skill set that comes with being a nurse. He and his team can therefore empathise; they know how to engage with employees and that is certainly a big help with sickness or absence issues – which we see a lot of.

“What we try to do is add on additional services that we think the clients would benefit from to help them manage their people.

Constructive solutions are really what we’re about. And that’s what I really enjoy: finding a way out of a situation.

“There is no one else out there doing the range of services that we are offering and I think our clients quite like that. Having all these experts under one roof means we can deliver timely fast services to clients. One of the key things we’re renowned for is our prompt and speedy responses getting back to clients making sure we can help.

“You’ve obviously got to be careful you don’t become a counsellor but a lot of the time there are plenty of emotions involved in cases and situations. Sometimes people are very vulnerable especially if they’ve been accused of something like discrimination and bullying - and they have to run a business while this is all going on.

SO Magazine | August 2021 | 15

Cover feature

“We’re often involved in helping the client get through that situation, not only from the legal aspects but being able to help them focus on running their business while all this is going on without getting overly stressed about it – trying to get through the fog.”

And what are Pam’s own personal rewards of running a Group like hers?

“The development of our staff,” she immediately replies. “One member started as an admin apprentice but wanted to do a law degree. We continued to work with him while he was doing it and he got a first-class degree. Another was working with us as a secretary and we helped her get her paralegal qualification. Then there’s another staff member who started out as an intern after university. We trained her and she is now a qualified HR consultant. It’s really nice to see these people go on and develop. Our brand is dependent on doing great work and so we want people who work with us to be part of the journey.”

And despite not having as much face-to-face contact with Loch Associates Group’s clients as she would like Pam, a very prolific networker, says she has found a way around this.

“We have had a high level of engagement and communication with clients and the business community on Covid related topics, providing guidance for employers through articles, blogs, emails, social posts, podcasts and webinars.

16 | August 2021 | SO Magazine

“They have been fantastic as you can bring people from all different geographical locations together.”

But Pam reveals not being able to chat to people in the same way after an event is something she has definitely missed over the last 18 months.

Ever the proactive people person, Pam - who is a past President of the West Kent Chamber of Commerce and local Law Society – has now co-founded a local networking business group entitled enTWine.

“Two former female presidents of the West Kent Chamber of Commerce and myself got together over lunch last summer. We’d just found out the organisation had gone into administration and thought it was a real shame. So we decided we could do something similar but more as a business forum for people locally.

“We came up with the name “enTWine” and I thought of ‘we share, we listen, we benefit’ because I do think it’s important to listen to other people as you can learn so much from other businesses. When I arrived in Tunbridge Wells I didn’t know anyone so I joined the West Kent Chamber of Commerce and the president at the time introduced me to many people. I then managed to build up the Loch Associates Group by connecting and networking with people locally. So I really do recognise the benefits of it. I think it’s just about trying to support each

Pam Loch has written chapters in The Workplace Law Handbook and Business Development for a New Legal Ecosystem on her experiences to help with the career development and business development for women lawyers

other - particularly through a pandemic. That has been really important.”

Pam hopes the first in-person enTWine meeting will be next month but the date and venue have yet to be confirmed.

“A lot of the ‘enTWiners’ are keen for this to happen. We currently have around 60 members in the group.

Virtual networking will still be around as it fits in with so many people’s lives but I’m confident faceto-face meetings will come back.”

As I get up to leave Pam tells me that although she has set up Loch Associates and is its official spokesperson the Group is very much a ‘team effort’.

“People need people. This is a team effort – it’s not about me – I really need the team with me and that’s why it’s critical to get the right people because they are what makes it all happen. They really care about what they do and they want to be a part of the Group and that’s fantastic.

“I’ve got to be honest that’s why I set up the business in the first place because I want to work with people like that – who want to do a great job.

It’s about having some fun too! You have to as you spend so much time working with each other” As a Group's ethos that certainly gets my vote.

To find out more visit www.lochassociates.co.uk

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Social Scene

GOOD GROOVES & GOURMET FOOD Last month’s Pub in the Park saw thousands of food lovers descend on Dunorlan Park to see a smorgasbord of star chefs and top musicians perform . . .

After being postponed last year due to Covid, Tom Kerridge’s Pub in the Park event was able to go ahead thanks to the special social distance guidelines that were put in place over the weekend of July 9-11.

The sun shone brightly for most of the weekend as stars like James Blunt, Craig David and Beverley Knight took to the stage while talented chefs including the Tanner brothers and Atul Kochhar – who announced he is opening a new restaurant in Tunbridge Wells – cooked up a storm.

The successful event, which was smaller than normal due to the ongoing pandemic, was hosted by James Martin.

Local pubs and restaurants who took part, cooking a menu of special dishes priced £6 each, ranged from Sankey’s to The Small Holding and The Kentish Hare.

18 | August 2021 | SO Magazine

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Having an LPA provides peace of mind. If you lose the ability to make your own choices, an LPA allows you to appoint someone you trust to manage and make decisions on your behalf in respect of your property and finances and/or health and welfare. If your circumstances are straightforward, we can draft a simple LPA for a fixed fee.

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TUNBRIDGE WELLS

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LONDON

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SEVENOAKS

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TONBRIDGE

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MAIDSTONE

Business

“I am immensely proud of this very exciting adventure into the decorative arts”

T

he Pantiles Arcade is a new, indulgent shopping experience dedicated to showcasing decorative art and design from the 17th Century to the present day.

And since it opened last month it has proved to be very popular with both locals and those from further afield...

Stage one of the ongoing refurbishment to one of the most iconic buildings on The Pantiles is now complete and the one-time theatre and Corn Exchange has been reinvented as a retail space for highend decorative arts.

A curated collection of diverse objects d’art is already being presented in the most stunning of locations; historic English porcelain and glass, silver tableware, art deco furniture, sumptuous art glass and an evergrowing selection of Tunbridge Ware to ensure that the business properly

20 | August 2021 | SO Magazine

celebrates local craftsmanship and reflects its illustrious clientele.

Front and centre of the experience will be Eric Knowles – the much fêted and popular figure from television, renowned for his expertise in many avenues of antiquarian endeavour.

Eric has come on board as Chairman having embraced the idea of being able to translate an existing and successful on-line business – ScottishAntiques.com – into a bricks and mortar manifestation from where he can readily project his personality and share his enthusiasm and knowledge with anyone who is kind enough to pay a visit.

Eric says: “I am both pleased and immensely proud to have been asked to be the figurehead for this very exciting adventure into the decorative arts – it's an opportunity to both indulge my own enduring passion and share it with other people on a whole new level.”

“The whole enterprise is a paradigm shift away from the conventional idea of a quiet, dusty store tucked away in a back street”

Photos © David Bartholomew

Tunbridge Wells has an exciting new decorative arts and design emporium headed up by TV presenter and specialist Eric Knowles.

SO finds out more about this Aladdin’s Cave of aesthetic artefacts…

Business

With this firm basis in the fastpaced world of on-line commerce, the whole enterprise is a paradigm shift away from the conventional idea of a quiet, dusty store tucked away in a back street. There is a continual turnover of stock with new items available on a daily basis. However, in the unlikely event that there’s nothing which immediately catches your eye, Eric will be offering a service whereby we are able to use our network of contacts and confidantes to source any rare and unusual items that you may covet.

Neither is it just a case of trusting to luck with regard to desirable objects becoming available – ScottishAntiques.com work alongside some of the UK’s most popular contemporary designers and artists, commissioning brand new pieces.

The reanimated Pantiles Arcade opened its doors for the first time at the beginning of July, and the owners

“I will be hosting a series of lively and informative lectures at the venue”

have been enormously pleased with the interest and support being shown in the new venture. There seems to be a genuine pleasure being taken from the fact that the old building of somewhat ill-defined identity is being given the opportunity to carve out its own distinctive niche within what is already a thriving centre for commerce and tourism.

Eric is being aided and abetted in his enterprise by former colleagues and new collaborators alike; the Design Gallery have brought an exceptional range of Art Deco furniture along which complements the decorative glassware from the likes of Lalique, Daum and Gallé; horologist Richard Price is the latest initiate in to their happy band, and they are all overshadowed and illuminated in equal proportions by the stunning presence of the works of Wilkinsons – chandelier makers of Royal Warrant to Her Majesty the

Queen – and whose magnificent pieces hang resplendent from the vaulted ceiling of the atrium.

In the next few months, Eric will be hosting a series of lively and informative lectures at the venue to further engage with the public, and the potential remains to stage more of the ever-popular valuation days along the lines of the successful venture which marked the recent re-opening of the Pantiles Arcade.

In the Spring of 2022, the regeneration project will enter its second phase with additional retail space becoming

operational, and further luminaries of the trade coming on board; noted auctioneers, very significant names in historic and contemporary art glass – and more of Eric’s esteemed colleagues. There can be no better way of celebrating what will be the 220th anniversary of the first opening of the building in its role as a theatre back in 1802 than for it to be once again become a go-to destination for locals and visitors alike.

SO Magazine | August 2021 | 21

O H O YO H Culture

G N I O G ’S D N A L TREASURE IS !

N U F F O T O L E L TO BE A WHO AHOY ME HEARTIES !

Wicked Productions are renowned for their popular pantos but the Covid crisis put paid to any live shows – until now. Here its founder and funnyman Tom Swift (pictured right) explains why he’s so excited to be putting on Treasure Island later this month at the EM Forster theatre So Tom, how have you been over the past 17 months?

I can't say it's been easy BUT I’m very blessed to have a roof over my head and a beautiful family to support and help me through these difficult times for the events industry.

Did Wicked Productions receive any of the government funding?

Unfortunately we were unsuccessful in receiving cultural grants and failed to get funding from the council to help pay our rents on our scenic and costume stores. Thankfully though I had some savings put aside that helped the company survive during these times.

You managed to do a virtual panto at Christmas in association with EM Forster theatre so how does it feel to be finally preparing to go live again?

I can't wait to be able to get on stage in front of an audience and hear the laughter once again - you really can’t beat a live show! That said it was great we got the opportunity last Christmas to stream our pantos online and still bring some well needed chuckles to families in Kent. We got sent so many videos of families watching the pantos and I got very emotional watching those. I’m so pleased we were able to give some joy to our audiences during the pandemic.

What made you decide upon doing Treasure Island?

We love our version of it. We last performed it in Tunbridge Wells in 2013 and since then it's been re-written and made shorter and tighter to keep all the fun and interactive elements. And who doesn't love a story with Pirates? It works so well as a comedy show as the story of Treasure Island is easy to follow allowing us the time to add more silly routines and sketches.

22 | August 2021 | SO Magazine

How many are in the show and have you found it relatively straightforward to rehearse etc given the current situation?

There are six of us in total and I’m so lucky that all the cast are close friends including my wife. We really do have some Kent panto royalty on stage with Ant Payne (Sevenoaks panto) and Rob Cummings (Gravesend panto).

What do you enjoy most about working with them?

They are such a funny and talented bunch and we are sure to have a great time on stage together.

Rehearsal will be outdoors as much as possible and indoors we will continue to social distance and wear masks and keep testing so we can to keep our cast safe throughout.

What measures are in place to ensure your audiences feel safe when seeing your alfresco production of Treasure Island?

We will seat groups with a sensible distance between each of them. If you are coming to buy an ice cream from the bar or heading to the toilet you will be asked to wear a mask so we can continue to keep each other as safe as possible.

Is there a plan B if the rain shows up?

It is a risk you take with outdoor theatre and the show will go on unless there is any concern for anyone’s safety.

So pack your waterproofs, wellies and sun cream – just in case, it’s all part of the British Summer!

And finally what do you think the audiences will enjoy most about seeing your version of Treasure Island?

I think they will enjoy seeing live theatre in the open air in the beautiful surroundings of Tonbridge School. Our main priority is to make sure visitors feel relaxed and safe so they can just sit back, laugh, smile and get up and dance again.

And I’m sure a water gun might make an appearance again - even if it does rain!

Wicked Production’s tak e on Treasure Island: The show begins at the Benbow Inn that’s owned by our hero of the story Jim Hawkins and his silly brother Jolly Roger. One night they are awoken by a loud bang at the door wh en Billy Bones enters, cursed by the black spot. He shows a treasure map and before his curse comes to fruition he enlists the

help of Jim and Roger to find the buried treasure. But of course, Long John Silver finds out about the voyage and manages to fool the cre w and climb on board the great ship Hispaniola. Now wh at happens next is a secret as we wouldn’t want to giv e it all away now would we? You’ll have to come and see it…

To book tickets, priced £16, for Treasure Island which runs from August 18 - 22 at EM Forster Theatre visit www.emforster theatre.co.uk

Education

“We provide our young people with the support they need to enjoy good mental well-being”

C

Children’s education has suffered enormously due to the pandemic – but for many so has their mental health.

Here Chris Munday, CEO of Crossways Community explains why the charity’s new Reboot Project is helping many local to navigate life post lockdown…

rossways Community is a Christian mental health charity which is based and works entirely in Tunbridge Wells and Southborough.

Our mission is to deliver care and support to people with poor mental health, to combat exclusion and stigma often experienced by people with poor mental health and to promote improved mental health in the community.

As a charity we are particularly concerned at the state of the mental health of our young people. We see rising cases of poor mental health in our local schools.

We are acutely conscious that the current pandemic has damaged so many young people and that mental health statutory services are overwhelmed.

So our offering to our community is ‘Reboot’. This is our impactful and focused project that works in local secondary and primary schools to give our young people tools to improve their mental resilience. The project is headed up by one of our colleagues Sara Barker who has many years’ experience in youth work and mental wellbeing education among young people.

Our work in secondary schools is interactive and empowering. We share proven tips on how to spot poor mental health in yourself and your friends, how to look after one another, how to improve your own mental resilience

and we signpost to other resources and agencies who offer further advice and support.

For older children facing public exams and decisions about careers and universities we offer practical advice on how to deal with stress, anxiety and depression.

Reboot is our impactful and focused project in local secondary and primary schools which improves mental resilience

Normally we would deliver our Reboot training face-to-face but clearly during lockdown that was not possible. So, we provided a series of practical and accessible talks online that teachers, youth leaders and teenagers could use with their groups. A local youth worker worried at the effect of the pandemic on her young people said: "This is exactly the sort of thing I have been after! Thank you so much."

For younger children the move to secondary school can be a worrying time. So, we have been providing lessons for nine local primary schools teaching Year 6 children about mental

resilience and equipping them for their transition to secondary school.

Over the last few weeks of term last month, we spoke to over four hundred local children from primary schools including St Augustine’s, Brenchley and Matfield, St Matthew’s, Groombridge, Fordcombe, Southborough, Pembury, The Mead and Hilden Grange prep schools.

In addition to the work we do in schools we also provide high quality residential accommodation and support to over sixty local people through care homes, supported housing and independent living. We also have a number of strong and growing community projects. Our awardwinning café ‘The Kitchen Table’ in Camden Road is open to all but has a special focus on providing a supportive environment for those living with poor mental health. It is a cafe which is all about chat rather than coffee.

At Crossways we are committed to providing our young people with the support, resources and encouragement they need to enjoy good mental wellbeing.

If you would like us to come to your school to provide our Reboot programme or for further information on accessing any of our projects, please contact Chris Munday at info@crosswayscommunity. org.uk SO Magazine | August 2021 | 23

Culture

Turning over a new leaf to pursue a true passion Let’s start by you telling us a bit about yourself…

I live down a very bumpy track in Horsmonden, with my husband, Jonny, my three children - Harry (13), Rosalie (10) and Bill (8) – and our three dogs. We have lived here for five years but I grew up in Sevenoaks and went to school there. I always knew I would likely end up back in Kent, especially as my mother lives in Tonbridge and my sisters live in Plaxtol and Goudhurst. Although I met my Scottish husband at uni, his parents moved to Otford near Sevenoaks when he was 14 so really a life together in Kent was inevitable!

Have you always been an avid reader?

Yes! My mother loves reading and instilled the reading bug in me and my sisters from an early age. We always teased my father as he wasn’t a big reader and he would start a new book every holiday and never finish it.

When I was younger, holidays were always my most prolific reading time and I would have loads of library books filling up the boot of the car as I was always terrified I would run out! Now I read all year round and always have a book on the go.

What do you enjoy most about books?

I love escaping into different worlds – not that I don’t love my own world - but there is something very liberating about reading a book and immersing yourself into the world of another. I always have a ‘to do’ list buzzing round my head or thinking about something for the children so I find that reading is the one way I have of really switching off from real life.

Hannah Kirsop traded working in the City for running her own book club and blog.

Here the editor of Bainden Bookclub – and newly appointed literary critic for the Times of Tunbridge Wells - tells Eileen Leahy why reading can enrich us all in so many ways…

24 | August 2021 | SO Magazine

Is reading and writing reviews your full-time job now?

It’s not at the moment, but I’m really enjoying doing something for me again. I stopped working in the City a couple of years ago to spend some time focusing on my children and my father who was unwell. I really miss working but don’t want to go back to what I did before so that’s why I decided to start my book blog the Bainden Bookshelf.

Culture

How did the Bainden Bookshelf come about?

I have always loved discussing books with people and making recommendations, and soon after we moved to Kent, I set up a book club for local ladies. We try to meet once a month and take it in turns to suggest a book. After I stopped working one of them suggested I do something book related. This trigger, combined with some career coaching, led me to starting my blog under the name @baindenbookshelf and to start writing reviews for the Times of Tunbridge Wells. These are the first steps on my new journey and I’m so happy I took the plunge…

Hannah’s favourite books:

And what’s the relevance of your blog’s name?

I chose the name ‘Bainden’ as it’s part of the name of our house as well as the name of our book club.

We also have a huge bookshelf in our kitchen which I love so it seemed the perfect alliterative combination!

Wild: A Journey from Lost to Found by Cheryl Strayed. This provides pure escapism and inspiration when I need it

Why Didn’t They Ask Evans by Agatha Christie This introduced me to Agatha Christie and the crime book genre. I have read most of her books several times and she will always be my literary equivalent of a cup of tea and a blanket Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks. I love this for its multi-generational story involving a wartime setting but mainly for the love story which captured a 14-year-old girl’s heart Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. This is the best and most surprising plot twist that a book has ever offered

War Doctor by David Nott. This opened my eyes to life in a conflict zone and the selfless efforts of all aid workers

Which authors do you admire and why?

This is a really difficult question to answer! I have huge respect for all authors, whether I’ve enjoyed the book or not, for having the inspiration, confidence and tenacity to write a book for popular consumption.

If forced, I would have to say Agatha Christie as I have been reading her books on and off, again and again, since I was about 11.

The other author I admire is Raynor Winn – her book, The Salt Path, was an incredible story of mental and physical strength, determination and faith. For her to be able to do what she did, and write an inspirational, best-selling book about it, is pretty amazing.

If you wanted to convince a screen loving toddler into reading how would you do so?

With younger children, reading books to them or playing audio books can be brilliant ways of engaging them in stories. With little effort on their part, they are able to enjoy the books whilst still powering the imagination in their heads to picture the characters and the scenery etc.

And what’s your advice to get tweens and teens into books?

With older children and teenagers, it is all about channelling into what they like and pursuing that – there is so much varied reading material these days, touching on so many genres, with graphic novels and audio books for those who find pages of dense text less appealing, that there should be something for everyone!

Hannah’s top five summer reads Translated fiction: The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon Set in 1945 Barcelona, Daniel is taken by his father to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books where he chooses one book to keep – The Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax. Intrigued by the author, Daniel attempts to track down copies of his other works but someone is one step ahead of him, burning every copy. A ‘story within a story’ with murder, love and a touch of madness thrown in.

Fiction: Paradise City

by Elizabeth Day Set in modern London, the book profiles four strangers whose paths eventually cross in different ways.

With engaging and sympathetic characters, it is a wonderfully 'human' book, which highlights each character’s flaws and the mistakes they make but also demonstrates the power we all have as people to overcome challenges and do the right thing.

Non-fiction: Shoe Dog

by Phil Knight The story of Nike founder, Phil Knight’s, path to creating his now $30 billion company isn’t a staid, dry analysis of how the business grew and developed…it is written with real characters whose personalities, experiences & relationships drive the story from a $50 loan and some cheap Japanese running shoes to the Nike we see today. A surprising page-turner, it feels like a piece of fiction as the story is almost too incredible to be true…

Crime: The Puppet Show

by M.W. Craven Introducing Washington Poe, the detective investigating a serial killer in the Lake District. He is soon partnered with the socially awkward but wonderfully bright Tilly Bradshaw and together they track down the criminal following a set of clues only Poe could interpret.

Winner of the CWA Gold Dagger award 2019 for Best Crime Novel of the Year, this is a brilliant (if somewhat dark) detective story with an appealing & charismatic double act in Poe and Tilly.

“There is something very liberating about reading a book and immersing yourself into the world of another”

Page-turning classic: The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins Following the eerie encounter with a woman in white in London, the reader is hooked by this atmospheric and haunting novel which follows Walter Hartright as he guides us through the intricate plot. Told with multiple narrators, letters and diary entries, this is an oft forgotten gothic classic, which is as gripping as any modern thriller – an epic novel of love, betrayal, deception and revenge. www.baindenbookshelf.com @baindenbookshelf SO Magazine | August 2021 | 25

Community

“

Every small local purchase we make results in a big difference

collectively”

Jess Gibson founded high street membership scheme the TN Card last year. Here she explains what it’s all about and why she is so excited to be SO Magazine’s new high street champion 26 | August 2021 | SO Magazine

Community

HOW TO SUPPORT LOCAL WITH THE HELP OF THE TN CARD: Founder Jess Gibson cherry-picks some of her favourite independents that have opened in the past year

I

community. Members are kept began the TN card last informed of news through podcasts, year, a few weeks before the newsletters and our social media first lockdown, because I platforms plus we have regular wanted to encourage us all to member events to help build get out and support our High something special.

Street more.

Annual membership costs £20 Little did I know at that time how the world was about to change per year with £2 from each one going to West Kent Mind. Thanks due to the Covid crisis. But in many respects it couldn’t have been to our members and fundraisers we’ve raised nearly £6000 for the more timely, as it’s never been charity in our first 18 months, at a more vital to support and shop time when it has seen resources local than now. stretched to the limit.

The ongoing pandemic has It’s easy to lament the loss of our threatened a huge number of our high street - it’s certainly changing. independents, and to be in the But I don’t believe it’s the end of the position of being able to encourage story. We’re seeing a people to help bolster resurgence of small, businesses during this unique businesses each unpredictable period with their own stories has been a great to tell, and I’m privilege.

As a optimistic for the future If you’re not familiar community we of our town if we with the TN card, in short it rewards can all benefit change our shopping habits to embrace them. residents for if we change Our independents are supporting local our shopping the fabric of our town whilst celebrating the and what makes it so variety of diverse habits to special and unique; they businesses on our embrace our offer a product range, doorstep. It’s also independents level of knowledge and a about building a personal service you community that’s won’t find elsewhere. passionate about our SO Magazine has town and working championed Tunbridge together to make a Wells for many years so I’m delighted positive difference. to have been invited to highlight a There are currently 90 town few of our independents each month centre businesses in the TN card’s in the pages of this magazine. All the Tunbridge Wells directory and businesses I’ll be featuring are part of over 400 independents spanning the TN card scheme. from our town and villages to I am proud to be part of a fast Tonbridge and Sevenoaks - from growing and exciting movement local bars, coffee shops and supporting local in Tunbridge restaurants to retailers, leisure Wells. Thank you to each one of providers, salons, gyms, theatres our members who has joined us so and even local producers. Each far, and here’s to every small local one provides an exclusive offer or purchase we make as individuals discount to members who visit to that’s making a big difference thank them for supporting local. collectively.

We now have 1500 annual This August, SO readers can members and this number is rising enjoy an exclusive £5 off the annual every day. Tunbridge Wells membership of £20 to the TN card. employers such as Chilstone and Loch Associates are getting involved Simply use code SOTNAUG at www.thetncard.com before too, purchasing memberships for 31August. staff as a way to give back to the For more information on the TN card scheme, its participating local businesses and what they offer members, visit thetncard.com.

RICH PICKINGS On Grosvenor Road we now have an emporium filled with an eclectic mix of local gifts and homewares – as well as a secret courtyard and cave where you can meet friends over locally roasted coffee and cake. Matt Elesmore opened The Green Duck Emporium and Coffee House last summer and his theatre background is evident in this stylish store full of interesting things old and new.

CATCH OF THE DAY Head to 103 Camden Road and you’ll now find The Fish Works, a family run fishmonger and delicatessen opened by Lucy and Matthew Hoy in March to bring a new style of fishmonger to this part of town. It’s a great spot for a quick lunch and their fresh seafood platters go down a storm with those in the know.

THE BIG CHEESE Last December, The Cheese Shop arrived at 48b St John’s Road. It’s home to over fifty farmhouse and artisan cheeses (including many of our local Kent and Sussex producers) as well as wonderful artisan accompaniments. Visit owner Jonathan Cook and you’re guaranteed to leave laden with wonderful new produce to try.

MIDDLE EASTERN DELIGHTS Brothers Mehdi and Roy Alizadeh opened The Persian Lounge on Mount Pleasant Road in February and combine ancient Persian cuisine, great hospitality and a late night cocktail bar to create a sociable and welcoming space in the heart of town.

SO Magazine | August 2021 | 27

Food & Drink

Nestled on the edge of Tunbridge Wells Common, Mount Edgcumbe is the perfect spot to eat, sleep and explore the surrounding area of outstanding natural beauty, writes Richard Williams

28 | August 2021 | SO Magazine

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link and you can quite easily miss the entrance to Mount Edgcumbe on Mount Ephraim in Tunbridge Wells, which would be an incredible shame as it one of the town’s best kept secrets.

The Grade II listed family-run hotel, restaurant and bar that even boasts its own cave, sits nestled in Tunbridge Wells Common.

Surrounded by greenery and the distinctive sandstone rocks that make this area of the High Weald such a draw for visitors, you can easily forget you are just a five-minute walk away from Tunbridge Wells town centre and the vibrancy of places such as The Pantiles.

SLEEP

This charming bijou hotel – technically a bed & breakfast due to it not having 24-hour service – is an absolute Georgian gem.

The rooms match the standards of the town’s other top accommodation, being beautifully presented, clean, spacious, with every amenity the modern traveller expects, including air conditioning, TV, power shower— and in the room we stayed in—an ornamental bath that looks out over the idyllic scenery.

Yet, the distinctive touches, ranging from the quirky animal-themed objects d’art to the choice of décor, adds a character and charm that is all too often lacking in even the best

establishments, and is only made possible by it being a family-run affair.

You would also be hard-pressed to find a friendlier and warmer team.

Headed up by general manager Valentin Ostafi, the staff seem to take great efforts and pride in ensuring your stay is as relaxing as possible.

EAT AND DRINK

This warmth and uniqueness extend to the restaurant too.

Boasting its very own cave – the perfect place to relax with an aperitif before dinner – and outdoor area that has unrivalled views of the Common, the Mount Edgcumbe restaurant could be forgiven if it were pretentious, but nothing could be further from the truth – it is a wonderfully relaxed and welcoming dining experience.

When we dined there guests were as varied as the menu, with families, young couples and more mature guests all enjoying the friendly atmosphere.

While the bar is small, it is well stocked, and there’s a good selection of wines to accompany everything on the menu.

The food on offer includes some of the UK’s best ingredients that head chef Lukasz combines with European flavours to provide a distinctive twist, and there is something for everybody, including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, as well as a kids’ menu.

S IFT ER G H BLE UC ILA VO A AV

DISCOVER THE WORLD OF WINE Virtual & Live Wine Tastings & Courses WSET Level 1, 2 & 3 Wine Scholar Guild Courses www.kentwineschool.com

Food & Drink

It is not expensive either with favourites such as rib-eye steak [10 oz £23.95] and Harvey’s beer battered cod [£14.95] competitively priced with other restaurants in the area.

The Edgcumbe platters [£13.50£15.95] include seafood, charcuterie and vegetarian choices and are ideal to share with friends, and there’s plenty of nibbles on offer if you just want some light bites to accompany a few drinks.

For those wanting the full dining experience, the Shetland mussels [small £7.95, large £14.95] are highly recommended and come in a variety of sauces. They provide and a wonderfully light and fresh way to whet the appetite, but the stand-out starter of choice on the Mount Edgcumbe menu when we visited was the chilli salted squid [£8.50].

The coated pieces of fresh squid have a gentle heat and subtle crispness. The dish is a wonderfully unique and tasty way of presenting this seafood ingredient that can all too often be unimaginatively deep fired as calamari rings.

The mains are just as wide-ranging and well-presented. The Edgcumbe beef burger [£15.95] enjoyed by my dinner guest was a great towering feast that is sure to fill even the heartiest of appetites.

However, if you want an example of how fresh and local ingredients should be presented, try the lamp rump served with sautéed potatoes,

peas, edamame beans, courgettes and feta [£18.95]; it was an absolute delight. Neither the meat nor vegetables are cooked for a second more than they need to be, and the result is a very simple but incredibly fresh and vibrant plate of food that will have you savouring every mouthful.

If you still have room for pudding, there’s plenty of choice from vegan Eton mess [£6.95] to the belt busting rhubarb and apple crumble [£6.95] and banoffee pie [£6.50].

EXPLORE

Mount Edgcumbe’s strength really lies in its unique location. It manages to offer the best of both worlds, providing a quiet, tranquil retreat for those wanting to explore the Common and surrounding Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, yet is a just short stroll away from Tunbridge Wells’ iconic Pantiles and other bars, restaurants and visitor attractions of the town centre.

Whether you want a quick drink to get away from the hustle and bustle of the day, a romantic break, somewhere relaxed for Sunday lunch [£12.75£15.50], or need a base to explore the High Weald, Mount Edgcumbe offers it all.

With its friendly, warm and family atmosphere, this charming hotel and restaurant, hidden in its leafy surroundings, provides a wonderful break for locals and visitors alike.

[A night stay at Mount Edgcumbe varies from £90-£150 a night depending on room, dates and availability. www.themountedgcumbe.com. Menu items are subject to change depending on season.]

30 | August 2021 | SO Magazine

Before

After

Furniture and kitchen refurbishment, painted a colour of your choice!

Collection & delivery available.

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102 London Road Southborough, Kent TN4 0PW 01892 458021 www.chestsanddrawers.co.uk enquiries@chestsanddrawers.co.uk

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Food & Drink

Full of the joys...

S

querryes in the sunshine is quite possibly the closest thing to heaven you’ll find on earth. Just a quick trip up the A21 from Tunbridge Wells, you’ll find it located just a few minutes from historic Westerham in the picturesque North Downs.

The family-run vineyard is surrounded by lush Kentish farmland as far as the eye can see. Its smart HQ boasts a ‘rosé vineyard’ which can be wandered through or admired while savouring a tasting flight in the Bottle Store restaurant or private function area. At the heart of Squerryes is a fabulous terrace where you can tuck into the most delicious tapas style dishes. There is also a fancy Cork Room where formal group tastings can be booked.

So far, so impressive but then as I quickly discover when I meet Henry Warde, owner and eighth generation of the Squerryes clan, their family motto has always been quite literally 32 | August 2021 | SO Magazine

all about creating joy.

“Do you see the sign at the top of the main building?” he asks as we begin our walkabout of the estate which has been in the family for over 300 years. I gaze up, eyes squinting in the midday summer sunshine to see a logo which Henry says reads ‘Licet Esse Beatis’ which translates as ‘It is permitted to be joyful.’

“At Squerryes we are committed to the business of creating joy. And do you see that the door on the logo is ajar? That means our door is always open to you.”

This Henry says has always been ‘the spirit of the house’ since the first generation of his family lived at Squerryes.

“Treasured letters tell how Sir Patience Warde traded wool from the Estate with the French for red wine, which he then sold to the hardworking people of London bringing some pleasure to their days.”

Henry says the transition from traditional farming on the estate to

Phtotos © Squerryes

Squerryes wine estate is celebrating yet another prestigious win for its sensational wines. Eileen Leahy took a tour of its picturesque North Downs vineyard and impressive hospitality offering to find out what makes this family-run winery such a sparkling success growing grapes instead was prompted by a visit from a famous, but unnamed, French Champagne house when they paid a visit to Squerryes.

“It felt like the tides were changing when the Champagne house came to Squerryes looking to buy some of our land on which to grow their vines,” he explains. “My father, John, and I decided to walk away from those negotiations and instead set about planting 36 acres of vines ourselves back in 2006.”

It is a well-known fact that the land around here - known in French as ‘le terroir’ - has more in common with the Champagne region because the soil types and climates are so similar.

It also explains why English wines, especially sparkling varieties such as Squerryes produces, are enjoying such a boom time right now thanks to their excellent quality.

Once Henry and his father had planted the first vines in 2006 he says his dad referenced that particular period as the ‘long, thirsty wait’.

“My father, John, and I decided to plant 36 acres of vines ourselves back in 2006”

Well their thirst was certainly quenched as since then Squerryes has gone on to produce some exceptional sparkling wines, and also some great vintages, which have won a host of prestigious awards. These include winning gold in the 2020 World Championships and sweeping the board at the 2021 International Wine Challenge, where it received three trophies for its Blanc de Blanc 2014 and Brut 2011. They are also the only English wine estate to have won a gold medal for five consecutive vintages in the World Championships of Champagne and Sparkling Wine.

Most recently, Squerryes was awarded top marks and the Best in Show trophy at the 2021 Decanter World Wine Awards – no mean feat given it was the only English representative in the Top 50.

“This award is not only testament to our team’s hard work and expert winemaking skills, but it reinforces our place as one of the best Champagne and sparkling wine brands in the world,” Henry told me.

Before sampling Squerryes’ golden nectar, we go on a brief tour of the rosé vineyard which is in fact just a small fraction of the vines the family has been growing on its 2,500 acre estate since 2006.

“Joy has always been the spirit of the Squerryes estate, influencing all we do,” continues Henry as we meander up from the vines towards the Bottle Store restaurant for a tasting flight.

Located above the charming Medstyle Terrace Restaurant we take a seat at one of the space’s many antique

Food & Drink

tables to enjoy a trio of Squerryes hero bubbles: a Brut release, their exclusive 2018 vintage Rosé and their Blanc de Blancs. Henry explains the award-winning wines are made using the ‘Great British Classic Method’ blending only Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier grapes.

“We also like to bottle joy in the form of fine vintage sparkling wine,” adds Henry as he pops the cork and pours the sublime tasting sparklers.

Savouring each one it is instantly clear why an established French Champagne house came looking to buy land here. They truly are of a superior quality and could easily match their gallic counterparts – possibly outdoing them thanks to their complexity, depth and distinct fruity character.

The tasting flight comes as part of the 90-minute tour (£28) which runs Fridays-Sundays from the end of May ‘til October and covers the vineyard’s growing season.

You can of course leave it there and walk away – preferably having invested in a few bottles. But if you are going to Squerryes then I would highly recommend carving out some time to dine there too in order to further enhance your visit as the food is really superb. The seasonal menus which boast locally sourced produce from in and around the estate are curated by head chef Alexander Baillieu.

During the summer months you

Raise a glass to Squerryes’ awardwinning wines: In 2021 Squerryes was given top marks at the Decanter World Wine Awards for its late disgorged 2011 Brut, placing it on the top 50 wines of the world list.

An esteemed panel of judges awarded it a score of 97 and also the Best in Show trophy, describing its aromas as, ‘expressive, harmonious and refined after a decade of slow maturation’.

The 2011 is a classic Champagne style boasting a blend of 60% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir and 15% Pinot Meunier grapes.

It is the latest in a string of major awards for Squerryes this year, having already swept the board at the 2021 International Wine Challenge, receiving three trophies for the Blanc de Blanc 2014 and Brut 2011.

Squerryes has also won five gold medals for five consecutive vintages at the Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships.

To enquire about booking a tour, a table or membership at Squerryes visit Squerryes.co.uk.

can feast on the terrace, which also boasts sheltered areas if the weather doesn’t play ball. Here you’ll find a menu brimming with small plates such as stuffed courgette flower with spinach, ricotta and sage, potted Morecambe Bay shrimps and duck and orange terrine with toasted sourdough. Main dishes include epicurean delights such as roasted seabass with caramelised fennel, crushed new potatoes, citrus fruit and orange and basil jus as well as asparagus, mint and ricotta tart with Squerryes Estate watercress salad.

The characterful Bottle Store upstairs - which boasts stacks of vintage port boxes, row upon row of Squerryes bottles and plenty of vinous picture paraphernalia - also serves food and is open from next month (September 22) as the weather starts to turn.

As we wander around the rest of the estate which is also home to the Westerham Brewing Company and the Flint and Oak Deli, Henry tells me that the joy he constantly speaks of with his wines is just as important to be present in the food and additional services Squerryes offers.

“Joy really is at the heart of everything we do including in the spaces we have created for people to enjoy our wines and delicious food.”

After spending a few precious hours in Squerryes’ special company I would say that joy is most definitely the best way to describe this delightful experience.

SO Magazine | August 2021 | 33

Food & Drink

Restaurants COCO RETRO with a

for success

With dining restrictions lifted, our favourite eateries tell us what’s on the menu this summer

Available for Group Bookings Now… Enjoy the intense flavours of Parisian and Northern French cuisine. Function Rooms, Special Occasions, Business Meetings, Personalised Menu, Wine Tasting

01892 522773

www.cocoretro.com 7 Vale Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1BS

34 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

THE PERSIAN LOUNGE Mehdi Alizadeh tells us all about the delicious dishes on offer at his newly opened and popular restaurant Persian food is authentic as it uses blends of fresh herbs and subtle aromatic spices such as saffron with fruit and nuts to combine and compliment meat and fluffy Persian rice.

We have a great selection of wines and cocktails and operate till 1 am on Fridays and Saturdays. We invite customers to come in for drinks only and enjoy themselves till late.

The best way to explain what you can expect at Persian Lounge, located on Mount Pleasant Road, is our lovely customers reviews on

Google. Here are just a few of them: “A really fantastic experience. The restaurant is set up so that you aren’t on top of other diners, with lots of booths…”

“Amazing food and very friendly staff. It made me feel close to home. We had a lovely time.”

“I am so happy that Tunbridge Wells has a great Persian restaurant! Absolutely loved the food. Extra points for having delicious vegetarian options!”

“Delicious affordable food and incredibly friendly staff.

We are going back as soon as we can.” “…When you are in Tunbridge Wells, you have to try this place. Very delicious!”

“I came here for a family member’s birthday and impressed is an understatement. All of the food is so fresh and you can tell the quality of the food is to a good standard…” “…The food was extraordinary, the atmosphere is authentic and not overpowering and staff is word class. Highly recommended!” www.persianlounge.co.uk

Food & Drink

SOPRANO TAPAS AND WINE BAR Ivan and Maurizio Di Santo reveal why their Spanish inspired bar is still one of the hottest on the high street…

Brothers Ivan and Maurizio Di Santo are well known in the locality for bringing a genuine taste of the Med to Tunbridge Wells. And despite the fact they are Italian they have chosen not to specialise in the cuisine of their homeland.

Instead, they have opted for a predominantly Spanish flavour with their original restaurant Soprano Tapas and Wine Bar and then a dash of gallic gourmet flair with their French inspired Coco Retro eatery.

Both are located in the

High Street area of Tunbridge Wells and boast an excellent offering of delicious dishes that will please most palates.

“Even though Italian food does much more for business, I felt a tapas bar was missing in Tunbridge Wells,” explains Ivan.

“So we opened Soprano based where I like to go.” The result is a cosy yet cool bustling bar and restaurant that’s known as much for its traditional tapas as it is for its trendy cocktails and tasty vegetarian options.

“The thing we could never

take off the menu is the meatballs, or ‘albondigas’, which are very popular, our chorizo and the ‘flamequin’ which are Spanish fried pork rolls,” continues Ivan. “We change the menu every six to eight months and try to use a lot of local suppliers. Being Spanish, there are a lot of things that aren’t produced over here, so we try to source the meat, fruit and veg locally, but the rest comes from either Italy or Spain.” www.soprano tunbridgewells.co.uk

the

PERSIAN LOUNGE AUTHENTIC PERSIAN R E S TA U R A N T & B A R

THE BLUE ANCHOR Amy Glenie is the director of this popular Crowborough haunt which just won Pub of the Year…

We are quality and welcoming country pub near the Ashdown Forest in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Run be me and my dedicated team we were recently named ‘Pub of the Year’ by the Beautiful South Tourism Awards. Here at The Blue Anchor we pride ourselves on our exceptional food, high quality service and welcoming atmosphere.

Our menu changes daily and is all freshly prepared by our team of brilliant chefs. It includes a combination of outstanding pub

classics and locally sourced fine dining dishes.

The popular pizza and BBQ shack is open both Thursday and Friday evening, and all day on Saturday and Sundays.

On Sundays we also serve a fantastic selection of roasts - the Yorkshire Puddings are a clear customer favourite!

All our dishes are prepared in the pub kitchen and our chefs are happy to cater for most dietary needs.This includes a range of exiting new vegan, vegetarian and gluten free meals.

The Blue Anchor clientele represents a diverse range of people including local families, friends and couples looking a romantic evening out. All these people come in for our exceptional food, high quality service and welcoming atmosphere. The Blue Anchor team are happy to provide a relaxing environment in which customers can unwind, chat with our friendly staff and enjoy exceptional food.” www.blueanchorcrowborough.co.uk

Persian food is unique as it uses blends of fresh herbs and subtle aromatic spices such as saffron with fruit and nuts to complement meat, fish and fluffy Persian rice. We offer a delicious selection from Charcoal Grills, slow cooked stews and lots of tasty vegetarian options.

31 Mount Pleasant road, Tunbridge Wells TN1 1PN Contact us on: 01892 341054 Book your table: www.persianlounge.co.uk SO Magazine | May 2021 | 35

WELL-BEING

Sharing might result in overcaring This month Naomi Murray from Botanica Health apothecary examines the role of emotions on our immunity

C

Naomi Murray Co-founder of Botanica Health

ompassion and care are loving, healing emotions that provide a regenerative energy for both the sender and receiver.

Not only this, they improve our health.

A study conducted by The Centre for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education showed that when patients perceive their doctor as caring and compassionate, they have a stronger immune system and recover faster from a cold.

But unfortunately sometimes care can turn in to over-care. “I need to stop caring so much” might be something you have chided yourself over. Or perhaps you say ‘yes’ all the time, when really you should say no. You might be the kind of person that feels guilty if you don’t oblige or don’t give your all. But this type of care turns into worry, anxiety and stress and leaves you drained, fretful and depleted.

When you become over attached to something or someone you become out of balance. Care goes overboard and with it health and relationships are adversely affected. Interestingly

36 | August 2021 | SO Magazine

most dictionaries define care as ‘a concerned or troubled state of mind, as that arising from serious responsibility’.

Perhaps anxiety is reasonable care turned awry. Caring too much causes chronic stress and can be a perpetual cycle that is hard to stop. When you find yourself moving beyond love and care into overcare it is time to stop and take a step back. The fact is emotional resilience has a profound effect on our immune system.

How is this? Well surprisingly the answer lies in our saliva.

Saliva contains an immunoglobulin — a protein acting as an antibody against infections — Secretory IgA (S-IgA ) is the predominant antibody of the mucosal immune system — right at the forefront — in our saliva! Saliva is much more than a lubricant to our food and a carrier of digestive enzymes it is central to our first line of defence against pathogens. We call it mucosal immunity. There is convincing evidence that psychological stress increases susceptibility to infection and infectious diseases and S-IgA concentrations are

key. So let’s dig a little deeper to find the relationship between our emotions and immunity.

The release of S-IgA is under strong neuroendocrine control.

Simply stated, how we think and react directly effects our nervous system which in turn causes changes in our hormonal system.

Everything is connected.

Overcare is an emotional hallmark of this time. During these pivotal last months, emotional stress has been at an all-time high even comparable with siege and war. We are beset by chaos, threats, irrational fear, deprivation, and depersonalising masks. This translates into debilitating emotions: notably anger, frustration, anxiety, sadness, loneliness and depression. Unless unchecked, these emotions lower immunity.

Research at the Institute of HeartMath shows that just five minutes of anger whether engaged in or ruminated over, depresses S-IgA for up to 6 hours. Whilst anger is one of the worst emotions to depress immunity, it is good to note its bedfellows — slow simmering anger — frustration, injustice, loneliness, despair and the like.

“Caring too much causes chronic stress and can be a perpetual cycle that is hard to stop”

But also, and not generally recognised, is the emotion of sympathy. Sympathy is when we get caught in the web of another person’s life. Compassion strengthens immunity as it raises S-IgA but sympathy depresses immunity as it lowers S-IgA. The emotion of sympathy drags us into overcare when we lose control and become controlled.

Care is compassion in action but overcare is when compassion loses the ‘com’ prefix and passion goes wild and drains us.

Understanding the relationship between emotions and immunity is the start but we need to employ techniques to make sure we keep our hearts and minds untroubled. A daily walk works wonders, so does meeting with friends and loved ones to talk and share. Ensure you get refreshing sleep. Many herbal supplements have a calming influence such as Valerian, Rhodiola, Siberian Ginseng and Lemon Balm.

When the heart is troubled or even ‘broken through grief, nothing beats Hawthorn for it brings ‘peace to the heart’. Avoid the media, keep ‘news’ to a minimum, mix with people who build you up and avoid those who drain you or they will only add to the burden.

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Hypnotherapy

SO’s hypnotherapist Karen Martin examines the issue of friendships post lockdown and how we should know if someone really is a friend or foe…

I

t is well documented that social isolation is bad for our mental health and, for many, this has been the high price of lockdown.

Covid loves a party and those who love partying have been stuck at home for much of the pandemic as a result.

Social distancing has forced us all to take a step back from our friendships. Now though with restrictions being lifted, social anxiety has returned to being a significant mental health issue which affects even the most confident to some degree. For some, it’s a passing discomfort during an awkward conversation.

For others, it’s a debilitating condition which can be so overwhelming that any social interaction is terrifying.

Self consciousness is deeply embedded psychologically and starts when we first begin to notice the way others react to us.

Acceptance and approval are genetically hardwired necessities.

Anyone cast out from their community in primeval conditions would be killed by predators or starve.

As well as learning the three Rs, primary school children experience rapid development of behavioural skills which determine their position in the social hierarchy throughout their lives. Friendships formed at this stage are often transitory because of other developmental changes. Most children will have their feelings hurt by friends by the time they reach adolescence. This is an essential part of learning resilience and adaptability. The social landscape is rarely stable, influenced as it is by the multiple personalities in any friendship group.

Most children will also have encountered bullying behaviour.

This can be a nasty shock for those raised with the Christian values of ‘do as you would be done by’ and ‘turn the other cheek’. The idea that other people will be nice if you are kind and caring can be shattered by the casual cruelty of a bully who will only go for the softest targets.

38 | August 2021 | SO Magazine

“Social distancing has forced us to take a step back from our friendships…

For many, it’s been an opportunity to reflect on which are important and to focus on those”

Karen Martin Hypnotherapist

And bullying is learned behaviour. Someone with bigger, older siblings who pick on them will have been on the training course and will take out their classmates. Whilst smacking is no longer considered good parenting, children can still be bullied by overbearing parents who rule by fear. So bullies are victims too.

During adolescence, the need to belong and fit in is powerful. Peer approval and acceptance is far more influential at this stage than the guidance of parents, teachers or other authority figures. This is why it is so difficult for schools and parents to intervene in an effective way when a child is being bullied or has social anxiety because of exclusion or conflict with their peers. It’s also the reason why bullying doesn’t stop when we leave school. Look around any workplace and you’ll find examples of bullies getting their own way.

By adulthood, the harsh lessons of those early years are embedded in our beliefs about ourselves and continue to influence our reaction to the behaviour of others. This means that none of us have intact self esteem and friendships can be a minefield of insecurities. They are also essential to our wellbeing and mental health. A good bunch of mates is about the best therapy anyone could wish for.

Restricted human contact has created more dependency on social media which doesn’t nurture the same connection as hanging out with friends and fuels ‘FOMO’ or fear of missing out. For many, it has also been an opportunity to reflect on which friendships are important and to focus on those.

It’s wise to periodically audit friendships to weed out those which are toxic and be cautious around ‘frenemies’ who may not have your best interests at heart.

Given that absence makes the heart grow fonder, now is a good time to show appreciation to true friends. Investing time and effort in maintaining these friendships pays dividends in the joy of knowing you can trust someone who appreciates your friendship as much as you do theirs.

Hypnotherapy

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Men's Style

SUMMER

STYLE: Katie Wright rev the top styles, eals prints and pieces of the season

5

KEY MENSWEAR TRENDS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PASTELS On the menu colour-wise, ice-cream hues were a massive trend, with powder pink suits at Balmain and Gucci, baby blue denim at Isabel Marant and lavender trenches at Moschino.

The easiest way to nod to the look is with one pastel piece. But if you want to really embrace the catwalk vibe, go head to toe with a sugary shade.

Very Man Chest Slub T-Shirt, £8 (was £10) Fatface Mawes Slim Stretch Chino Shorts in Lavender, £40 Marks and Spencer Collection Baseball Cap, £12.50

40 | August 2021 | SO Magazine

S

ummer has finally arrived and it’s tim e to adjust your wardro be accordingly. Not on ly so you can handle the heat, but so you’re up the latest designer-a to date with pproved looks (even on a high-st reet budget).

What’s hot in the wo rld of menswear? These are the spring/ summer 2021 catw alk are set to dominate trends that this season…

Men's Style

SHORTS Your shorts shouldn’t be quite so short this season, if you want to be bang on trend. Baggy bermudas and longer cargo styles were big news on the catwalks at Dior, Etro, DSquared2 and Burberry.

UTILIT Y

Mango Thermoregulator Cottonblend Sweater Sky Blue, £35.99; Technical Fabric Cargo Bermuda Shorts, £49.99 (shoes, stylist’s own) The Kooples Flowing Khaki Shorts with Cargo Pockets, £93 (were £155)

Likely a reaction to the challenging times we’ve all faced over the last year-plus, designers have become obsessed with utilitarian clothing, intent on kitting consumers out for the urban jungle.

From safari jackets at Gucci and Ermenegildo Zegna, to military style multi-pocket trousers at JW Anderson and Balmain, the utility trend is here to stay.

STATEMENT SHIRTS The spring/summer shows often feature more adventurous colours and prints and this season was no exception, with brands like MSGM, Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana making the case for uber-bright shortsleeved shirts.

Fatface Utility Khaki Twill Shirt, £42; Feeder Stripe Henley T-Shirt, £25; Rust Red Breakyard Cargo Shorts, £45 River Island Green Short Sleeve Safari Shirt, £28 Dune London Neuton Black Nylon Utility Backpack, £85

NAUTICAL The sailing-inspired look never really goes out of style, but this time around, designers took nautical up a notch with luxe Breton tops and fisherman jumpers seen on the SS21 catwalks.

You can’t go wrong with the classic nautical combination of navy and white.

Team your sailor stripes with a pair of boat shoes and you’ll be looking shipshape in no time.

Crew Clothing Half Button Hoodie, £44.25 (was £59); Crew Classic Tee, from £11.25; Bermuda Shorts, £36.75 (were £49); Suede Trainers, £29 (were £59)

Not sure about neon or acid brights? Try a jazzy print but in a more muted palette, to ease yourself into the trend.

Matalan Short Sleeve Tropical Leaf Print Shirt, £12.50; Slim Fit Crew Neck T-Shirt, £4; Slim Fit Textured Shorts, £16 Marks and Spencer Collection Linen Hawaiian Shirt, £25

SO Magazine | August 2021 | 41

Interiors

1.

Paloma

At home with

as she launches her first interiors label

Faith

Sam Wylie-Harris chats to the singer about her style influences, and why she takes the same approach with decor as she does with her outfits 42 | August 2021 | SO Magazine

Interiors

‘I enjoy looking for old things, and I never go to a city without having a quick look through vintage homewares and clothes’

2.

3.

O

pulent glamour, vintage chinoiserie and romantic noirs influenced by the cinematic works of Wong Kar-wai, deserve to be showcased with a flourish.

And as someone who likes to feel “every minute of every day is beautiful”, Paloma Faith knows how to channel her love of retro bohemia and vintage style – whether that’s with her scene-stealing outfits on stage, or her home style.

In-between finishing albums and filming projects – she’s set to tour her

4.

fifth album, Infinite Things in September – the singer-songwriter has just launched Paloma Home (palomahome.com), a blueprint for the personal style reflected in her own London townhouse.

“It’s inspired by the way I decorated my own house,” says Faith, who turns 40 later in July. “Because I’m never at home and usually on tour pre-Covid, I tend to take pictures of a space and then imagine it in my mind and put everything together while I’m away,” she adds. “And when I get back, it’s all done and I just pray that it works – and it usually does.”

1. Vintage Chinoiserie JADE WALLPAPER, £35 PER ROLL 2. Oriental birds £35 PER METRE FROM PALOMA HOME 3. Tiger print cushions DESIGNS FROM £38 4. Oriental leaves £35 PER ROLL, LEOPARD PRINT SOFA, FROM £4,399

the fact I constantly buy and believe Her debut line features three more is more. collections – Spiced Up, Rock N’Roll “They arrived and he texted me: and Lady Muck – to help you create a ‘Two life-sized ceramic dogs just ‘beautifully bohemian set up’. With 10 arrived Paloma, what are you doing? house prints, including Pouncing Where are they going to go?’ I said, Tigers and Oriental Leaves & Birds, there’s eye-catching bedding, a parade ‘There’s plenty of room, I’ll sort it out when I get home’, and he was so of striking scatter cushions, annoyed with me!,” quips the furnishings and wallpapers – all with musician, who lives with her partner, a hint of luxe and prices starting from French artist Leyman Lahcine, and £21 for a ruffle cushion. their two children. “I was like, ‘Oh Faith says she’s applied the same sorry’, trying to keep it light, but he ethos as she takes with costumes and was so irritated. He was like, ‘This is clothing. ridiculous now!’”

“The way I do it is like putting an Fortunately, she’s found a place for outfit together, like every room is an them. “They’re outside my daughter’s outfit, and I’ve made this range to be bedroom, because I told her they that way. A collection with interwould guard the room for her.” changeable pieces,” she explains.

Along with her passion for music, “I would say it’s probably more of a her love of films and romantic noirs curation than a design, more about – by acclaimed director Wong Ka-wei curating prints that shouldn’t be – first influenced her when she was a friends, but for some reason are.” student. “I was doing a masters As well as being her favourite when I was 21 at Central eras, Faith sees the Fifties, Saint Martins and I Sixties and Seventies as became obsessed by the heyday of design.

‘I’m already him then.”

“When you look Film fans might back at the way trying to imagine be familiar with everything flowed, which piece of furniture Faith’s favourite the clothing, the from my home I can get film, the romantic interiors, there drama 2046, set in wasn’t really a rid of, so I can make China in the Sixties differentiation space for the tiger (the sequel to In The between the two print sofa’ Mood For Love). “It things.” was all very saturated Chatty, fun and a and romantic, with loads of self-confessed maximalist, vintage to fit in with the Faith says her love of thrift shops and shopping started when she was in Shanghai Sixties look. It stayed with me for years,” she recalls. her early-20s. “My mother and father “When I started to do up my own were very much into minimalism. house, the first one, I looked for that They were both young in the Sixties, wallpaper [from the movie] and when white walls and trying to make couldn’t find it,” Faith recalls. “I’m a house look as empty as possible was very good at sourcing things, so it the trend. wasn’t for lack of trying. I tried to “So it was all about the opposite of look again and still couldn’t find it.” maximalism. But my father’s mother, Determined to make this vision a who was Spanish and Catholic, just reality, she admits her Oriental Leaves loved tat, which I think is where it Red Wallpaper was one of the first might have come from.

Lots of Spanish Catholic prints in the new range to be brought to life. “I’m over the moon I’ll finally influence, hoarding be able to admire it in my own home.” ornaments and stuff.

And my mum and dad Lady Muck features more of a were always culling, ladylike palette. “I can just imagine throwing things out and someone sitting with a powder puff, saying this place is too that’s where the name comes from,” full up. notes Faith.

“Whereas I became Rock N’Roll, meanwhile, with its the opposite,” Faith leopard print seating, sparks thoughts states. “I really enjoy of sultry backstage sets and a cocktail looking for old things, of style statements – but you can and over the years, create your own story. travelling and “I feel like leopard and tiger, to me, everything, I never go to are a neutral colour. Very much a a city without having a staple, almost like a black T-shirt, so it quick look through plays around with that,” Faith vintage homewares and continues of the collection. “And also, clothes, to bring stuff with Rock N’Roll, it’s got that back.” uninhibited, leaning towards not As every maximallist really caring whether things go knows, there’s always together or not…” room for more stuff.

And if she had to pick just one “Like the other day, I piece? “It would be the tiger print sort of secretly bought sofa,” says Faith. “It’s with the same some life-sized ceramic fabric as the cushions and bedding. dogs for my house, two I’m already trying to imagine which of them. And I didn’t piece of furniture from my home I mention it to my can get rid of, so I can make space for boyfriend, who hates it.”

SO Magazine | August 2021 | 43

Luxury Kitchens since 1892

Clear structures, sensible space. +SEGMENTO Y

Poggenpohl Tunbridge Wells 39-41 The Pantiles | Tunbridge Wells | TN2 5TE phone 01892 240745 | tunbridgewells@poggenpohl.com www.tunbridgewells.poggenpohl.com

Interiors

Why a new kitchen design will give you plenty of food for thought Thinking about an overhaul of the hub of your home? Then read on...

Whether you’re thinking about selling your house or simply want to create a warm and welcoming feel to your existing dwelling then forget about fancy fixtures and finishing touches in a sitting room or a state-of-the-art bathroom. The one space that will sell your

house for you quicker than you can say ‘estate agent’ is your kitchen. Gone are the days when they were just a practical space used for cooking and storing food, now they are the most popular space to transform in the home.

Here two specialist kitchen

Before

companies Poggenpohl and Dream Doors tell SO readers about the services they can offer customers to ensure they have the recipe for success when it comes to creating a dream kitchen that will look stylish and last a lifetime...

Designing the kitchen as the centre of home life For Poggenpohl, today’s kitchens symbolise a life of enjoyment that is rich in character and full of energy. Kitchens are where people cook, celebrate, work and live – in abundance and with enthusiasm. Thus, people are at the centre of the planning when Poggenpohl’s architects develop custom solutions for their customers’ individual ideas and living spaces, whether these are being developed in the company’s own studios or at specialised dealers. During the creative planning process, the company’s specialists analyse the customers’ desires and ideas, supporting them with professional expertise in every decision along the way. Each kitchen is a contemporary original, distinctively playing upon the surrounding architecture.

Fascinating proportions, carefully selected quality materials and inspiring colours are combined in refreshing and consistently elegant interpretations.

Poggenpohl Tunbridge Wells has recently completed a kitchen project in Langton Green. The luxurious feel from the colour pallet of smoked ash and sand grey, the design details such as the brushed platinum handles, worktop framing the cabinetry and riverwashed Vintage elm Spekva breakfast bar set precedence for the rest of the property.

The Studio has recently welcomed a new design team Nicole Walsh, studio manager comments ‘our new team have years of design expertise and are really excited to be able to work with you to create a luxury bespoke kitchen that fits your lifestyle’ The kitchens are manufactured exclusively in Germany, ensuring their distinction and high standard of quality.

Production is carried out at the company’s headquarters in Herford, Germany, employing artisanal aesthetics and the utmost precision. Principles of sustainability play an important role for Poggenpohl during the entire development and manufacturing process and in view of each product’s use. The kitchens are sold in over 70 countries around the world.

After

Gone are the days when they were just a practical space used for cooking and storing food

Transforming your kitchen can be stress free…

This customer had an old fossil fuel aga and wanted to update it to a cleaner model. This then made them want to change their doors, worktops, flooring, reconfigure some of the units and add some new lighting.

After much deliberation on their style and colour they finally decided on a Pale cream door with Aries handles to brighten and modernise the space. The very clever Poggenpohl Tunbridge Wells, 39-41 The Pantiles, Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN2 5TE Poggenpohl.com

rearrangement of the fridge gave them more work surface, which is now well lit with the new under cabinet lights in a warm glow. They finished the room off by overlaying the floor with Karndean paliocore in Murlo, which helped to lift the light in the room even further. The couple were absolutely delighted with the transformation, and it is evident from the photographs why!

Dream Doors, 40 Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 2AS or call 01892 458039 SO Magazine | August 2021 | 45

Outside Edge

e m o c l e W

TO WATERWORLD

This month our gardening expert Victoria Truman discusses the merits of including a water feature in your garden design – no matter how big or small…

T

here are many accessories when it comes to gardening but I believe that a water feature can truly bring an outdoor space to life.

Why you may ask? Well firstly for its sense of movement and secondly – and in a way most importantly – for its wildlife attracting properties.

Water in small spaces is a great option as the gurgling from spouts will bring tranquillity and peacefulness to your garden. But remember that it

46 | August 2021 | SO Magazine

must be picked wisely as too much noise from the water could irritate rather than soothe!

In a more compact space a selfcontained water feature is a good option. In a modern space think about using a simple cube shaped water feature with water bubbling from a central spout which will flow back down the sides.

One I used for a client also has an LED spotlight in the centre of the fountain to bring the feature to life at night. Before you buy have a good look

at your garden to see what kind of water feature would best suit it.

In the Moroccan garden I designed for some clients recently they opted for a mosaic glazed North African fountain which was sitting on a terracotta raised wall and surrounded with lush planting to bring a sense of Marrakesh into their space.

The Cretan terracotta water features by Pots and Pithoi (www. potsandpithoi.com) suit myriad of garden styles. Used as a row of three in a border full of planting they make a

“Water will bring tranquillity and peacefulness to your garden”

statement in an understated way.

Corten steel is still a massive trend in the garden design world as its rusty tones work so well with perennials and grasses.

Landscape artist, garden designer and writer Tom Stuart-Smith often includes a Corten rectangular water tank amongst a plethora of perennials in his gardens.

But you don’t have to have the high-end bespoke budget to get the look as there are so many companies that now specialise in affordable water

Outside Edge

features. Remember it’s more about choosing the right one for your garden.

And if space isn’t a problem, well then the sky’s the limit!

If you’re not into the idea of a ‘water feature’ that takes the form of a ‘sculpture’, then how about an ornamental pond? If you decide upon one then it’s important to think of its position as you want the pond to reflect the sky, trees and whatever is planted around it. On a sloping site for example the pond would work best at the bottom of the slope.

Also pay careful attention to the edging of the pond as you won’t want to see the liner. For me, the ultimate pond is a natural swimming one that creates a haven for wildlife as well as a swimming area for humans.

Gartenart (gartenart.co.uk) and The Swimming Pond Company (theswimmingpondcompany.co.uk) can advise on the costs and practicalities of these types of installation. Always use a skilled contractor if purchasing a large water feature as problems may arise if it isn’t installed properly.

Tips for August 1. Divide perennial flowers: August is the best time to do this with hostas, Oriental poppies, lilies, ornamental grasses, and bearded iris 2. Add colour for autumn: Replace annual flowers with something more seasonal that will thrive through the chillier months such as cyclamen, helianthus and colchium 3. Get active: plant perennials and shrubs and harvest herbs that have gone past their sell-by date such as basil, thyme and mint 4. Snip, snip, snip: Prune wisteria and summer-flowering shrubs including lavender once they’ve finished flowering 5. Water, water, water: particularly containers, and new plants, preferably with grey recycled water or stored rainwater 6. Seed bank: collect seed from garden plants and share with friends, neighbours and family 7. Make sure you’re cutting it: continue cutting out old fruited canes on raspberries 8. Lawn and order: keep mowing once a week not too low on the blades as the grass will scorch and go brown www.victoriatruman.com

You don’t have to have the high-end bespoke budget to get the look as there are so many affordable water features

Victoria Truman Garden Designer

SO Magazine | August 2021 | 47

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48 | August 2021 | SO Magazine

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Motors

First Drive:

Ferrari

Portofino M

they want to build a comfortable car that’s still sharp and direct in corners.

However, Ferrari was keen to stress that it has also focused on comfort, again with a decent amount of success. There’s a little jiggle on the worst roads the Cotswolds threw at us, but with the mannettino switch pointed to comfort, there’s a subtlety to the ride that surprises given its ability in the corners.

Perhaps the only complaint in this regard is that the driving position didn’t offer as much adjustability as you’d hope from a car built with long-distance driving in mind, leaving us feeling a little cramped after a few hours behind the wheel.

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE?

.The dials are large and easy to read, while the 10.25-inch touchscreen is elegantly integrated into the centre of the dashboard. The menu design is simple, modern and easy to use, and though it’s a little slow to respond to inputs, overall it’s an excellent system.

There are a few minor irritations.

With minimal adjustability, we found the top of the dials were always blocked by the wheel unless it was pushed unnaturally high, while a few ergonomic oversights that frustrated would likely not be an issue for longterm owners.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?

Ferrari has updated the Portofino GT, promising sharper handling and improved comfort. Darren Cassey gets behind the wheel WHAT IS IT?

It’s funny how Italian words make everything sound better to us Brits, especially when it comes to cars. A classic example is the exoticsounding Maserati Quattroporte, which translates as ‘four doors’.

Today we’re testing the Ferrari Portofino M, with that final initial standing for ‘Modificata’, or simply ‘Modified’ in English.

The Portofino is a 2+2 hard top convertible from Ferrari’s GT family, first introduced in 2017. The M treatment now means there’s an extensive raft of upgrades and improvements.

WHAT’S NEW?

Firstly, and perhaps unsurprisingly for a Ferrari, there’s increased performance from the engine. The engineers then also worked on driving dynamics to make the most of the extra power, and adapted the styling to improve cooling through the air intakes. But with this being a GT, comfort has also been improved.

There’s also a redesigned exhaust system that allowed for the removal of the silencer and reduced the size and weight of the system, while the rear diffuser is totally new and separate from the bumper.

50 | August 2021 | SO Magazine

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET?

A 3.9-litre turbocharged V8 engine, which is a direct descendant of the unit that won Engine of the Year four times in a row between 2016 and 2019. It makes 602bhp (an increase of about 20bhp) and 720Nm of torque, and is mated to a totally new eightspeed automatic transmission.

To achieve this jump in power, Ferrari engineers worked on the engine’s internals, improving the filling of the combustion chamber, while some turbocharger trickery means it now spins faster than before.

The result of these upgrades is a 0-60mph time of about 3.2 seconds and a top speed in excess of 199mph.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?

Unsurprisingly for a car with over 600bhp, the Portofino M has utterly ballistic acceleration. Our test in damp, changeable conditions meant full throttle applications were a test of nerves (and, perhaps, stupidity). As such, in lower gears it was hilariously terrifying going beyond 80% throttle, with the angry engine note filling the cabin and the car lunging forward at a rapid pace.

Despite being a GT car, it’s still a Ferrari. The Italians don’t want to build a Bentley with a different badge,

FACTS AT A GLANCE MODEL AS TESTED: Ferrari Portofino M PRICE: £175,360 ENGINE: 3.9-litre turbocharged V8 POWER: 602bhp TORQUE: 720Nm MAX SPEED: 199mph 0-60MPH: 3.2 seconds

With an on the road price of £175,360, the Ferrari Portofino M naturally has an extensive standard equipment list. For your cash, you get full LED headlights and tail lights, 20-inch alloy wheels, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, air conditioning, and plenty of performance-enhancing technology.

This being a luxury model, the option list is extensive and eyewateringly expensive. A few examples include Magneride suspension (£3,168), carbon-fibre rear diffuser (£6,720), ‘historical’ paint job (£7,104) and 20-inch forged diamond wheel rims (£4,608).

Inside, you can pay almost £2,000 for a neck-warming stream of air, there’s a carbon-fibre driving zone and steering wheel for £4,320 and £2,400 for smartphone connection.

If you’re paying less than £200,000 for your Portofino M then you’ve shown quite a bit of restraint…

VERDICT

With the Portofino M, Ferrari is trying to find a sweet spot between out-and-out performance cars and luxury-focused GT models..

However, that’s not the case. In general driving, the ride quality is impressively comfortable. But the Modificata updates have given the Portofino a sharp edge that would give more focused machinery a run for its money.

The Ferrari Portofino M is a fantastic all-rounder, then, with two different characters that can be called on at the flick of a mannettino switch.

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