SO Magazine June 2109

FITNESS

Shaping up nicely SPN fitness studio celebrates its first birthday

CULTURE

Arresting drama

Trinity brings ‘Terror’ to a secret location in Tunbridge Wells

FOOD & DRINK

Recipes for success

Discover new eaterie Estro and the people behind Pipehouse gin

THE WANDERING HEARTS WE MEET THIS TALENTED MUSICAL TRIO AHEAD OF THEIR BLACK DEER CONCERT AT ERIDGE PARK

JUNE 2019

G LA ST TO 2 REREM SE A RV IN E IN

AN EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION OF THREE 5 BEDROOM DETACHED HOMES 5 STAR AWARD WINNING HOME BUILDER

FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST PLEASE CONTACT PARKGATE@CROUDACEPORTLAND.CO.UK BECKENHAM PLACE PARK, BECKENHAM, KENT BR3 5BP

Welcome

Editor’s LETTER

T

here’s lots to look forward to this month, especially if you’re into good music. Who needs Glastonbury when we have two of the music calendar’s biggest events happening right on our doorstep this month?

The first is Forest Live, held in the glorious surroundings of Bedgebury Pinetum from June 14-16. Paul Weller plays the Sunday evening (now sold out) but you can still catch tickets to see indie favourites Foals headline Friday night or Haçienda Classical perform a rave with a difference on Saturday. We spoke exclusively to its curator and legendary Haçienda DJ Graeme Park on p23.

The second must-visit music event is the Black Deer festival at Eridge Park on June 21-23. This celebration of Americana and country music and culture proved to be so successful last year with the likes of Kiefer Sutherland, Sam Palladio, Ashley Campbell and Passenger all performing, it’s happening all over again. And this year’s bill is even bigger and better.

One of the most anticipated bands who’ll be taking to the stage in 2019 alongside Band of Horses, Billy Bragg, Alabama 3 and The Staves are London-based trio The Wandering Hearts. And we had the pleasure of meeting them to talk about their meteoric rise to fame which has seen them support Ward Thomas and perform with The Byrds and Robert Plant. Turn to p14 to find out why they’re enjoying huge success and make sure you read our interview with Black Deer’s founders on p19.

4 11 12 14 19 23

contents

Rob Beckett and the Tiger Who Came to Tea are two highlights of June’s listings

Music aside, we have an interview with successful entrepreneur Jaime Cooke, founder of SPN fitness studio which is celebrating its first anniversary this month – and winning a coveted Times Business award (p25). We also talk to the duo behind the TW7 fashion range (p29) and discover the fascinating story about the people behind another local brand, Pipehouse Gin (p45). Good timing given that The Pantiles’ Gin and Jazz festival is happening on June 22-23.

Finally there’s our special wedding supplement (p61) which is packed full of ideas for any happy couple who want to see their hopes for a dream day come true.

There’s plenty of expert advice, venue info and even DIY decorating inspiration to be found in its pages.

Enjoy the issue!

June 2019

33 41 43 55 76

High spirits: Pipehouse Gin bring new cheer to the on-trend tipple p45

The town’s expert in men’s clothing – and music!

You decide! New courtroom drama live – at a secret location

How to catch the running bug and where to go

The Wealden Literary Festival is about much more than just books

This new Italian restaurant is causing quite a stir

The Wandering Hearts are creating a sensation on country music scene

Cut out all that lawn care and try the meadow look

If you go down in the woods… Great music at Bedgebury Pinetum

Meet the promoters behind hugely popular Black Deer Festival

Wine and fine dining in stunning château surroundings in South of France

78

At long last Jaguar unveils its hot version of SUV

Well-being revolution: Award-winning SPN fitness studio is the place to be seen in town p25

PS if you’re not already following us on Instagram then where have you been? Come and check out our page @somagazines

82

Arthur Smith brings his unique repertoire of wit and wisdom to EM Forster – and reveals why he had to change his name

Issue 135 SALOMONS ESTATE Tunbridge Wells Kent TN3 0TG

EDITOR Eileen Leahy info@somagazines.co.uk

HEAD OF DESIGN Lee Smith lsmith8@markerstudy.com

SALES DIRECTOR Gemma Hak ghak@markerstudy.com

EDITORIAL Victoria Truman Andy Tong Charlie Bond

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Richard Moore rmoore@markerstudy.com

DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY Emily Hammond Emily Wood Craig Matthews

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.

Cover Art Direction: Lee Smith Photography: Craig Matthews

Tel: 01892 779650 www.timeslocalnews.co.uk

61 29

Bride’s pride: All you need to know for a brilliant big day

Top of the range: The TW7 duo who make the town’s favourite T-shirts for summer SO Magazine | JUNE 2019 | 3

CALENDAR

CULTURE HUB Our edit of the most entertaining events happening this month...

Hever Castle on Father’s Day

BECAUSE HE’S WORTH IT Calling all fathers: Over the weekend of June 15 and 16 Hever Castle will be hosting a special event for you to celebrate your special day. On Saturday there will be over 100 Alfa Romeos on display within the grounds of the historic castle and then on the Sunday there will be 50 Ferraris to admire. While dads have a browse at the classic cars, their kids can opt to make a special decoration to hang on his rear view mirror. If you’re a fan of Formula One then you can have your picture taken in a special F1 kit car. Little ones will also have the opportunity to explore Hever’s Tudor Towers adventure playground or the thrilling water maze. To finish Father’s Day in style, stop off for some BBQ food.

Usual entry to Hever Castle applies.

For tickets and timings visit www.hevercastle.co.uk

DID YOU KNOW? It’s well documented that Hever Castle was Anne Boleyn’s childhood home but it was also owned years later by another of Henry VIII’s wives, Anne of Cleves.

JUST FOR LAUGHS Comedian, writer and all-round British institution Arthur Smith comes to the EM Forster theatre on Friday June 7 at 7.30pm. Audiences can expect jokes, anecdotes, short stories, poems, songs and readings from the Radio 4 host’s recent critically acclaimed memoir My Name is Daphne Fairfax. Tickets cost £15. And on Sunday June 9 you can catch multi-award winning fellow comedian Jay Foreman with his Disgusting Songs for Revolting Children at 2pm. It’s fun for all the family. Tickets cost £10 each at www.emftheatre.com

Rob Beckett

4 | June 2019 | SO Magazine

DID YOU KNOW? The final scene of the film Billy Elliot (2000) shows Billy as an adult about to perform as the lead swan in Sir Matthew Bourne’s all-male production of Swan Lake. The adult Billy is played by Bourne’s real life lead swan Adam Cooper.

Hot on the heels of Ricky Gervais another very popular comedian, Rob Beckett, will be trying out his new material on the audience at Trinity theatre on June 7 in a show appropriately titled Work in Progress. Tickets cost £20 from www.trinitytheatre.net

ALL THE RIGHT MOVES Choreographer extraordinaire Sir Matthew Bourne’s all-male production of Swan Lake has become something of a conventionshattering cult classic since its sensational debut in 1996 at the Piccadilly Theatre in London. Over the years this Tony and Olivier award-winning ballet has been revived many times around the

globe thanks to its huge popularity and it recently enjoyed another successful run at the Sadler’s Wells theatre. If you didn’t get the chance to see it, now’s your chance as Trinity theatre are screening a recording of it on June 15 and 16.

Critics have variously described it as thrilling, audacious, witty and emotional. So what are you waiting for? Tickets cost from £19. For timings and bookings visit www.trinitytheatre.net

MIDSUMMER MAGIC If you’re into vintage trinkets, unique jewellery, stylish buys for the home and gourmet goodies then a visit to the annual Wealden Times Midsummer Fair is a must. The

event is being held at glorious Hole Park in Rolvenden over three days from June 6-8 between 9am and 4.30pm and it’s become a firm favourite on the local social calendar. As well as boasting over 260 exhibitors, 14 caterers and free entry to the location’s dreamy gardens there will also be free expert talks in the Home & Garden Hub and a number of guest speakers including Davina McCall.

Ticket prices start from £9 per adult. For more details go to www.wealdentimes.co.uk

TIME FOR TEA Timeless children’s classic The Tiger Who Came to Tea, written by Judith Kerr who sadly passed away last Wealden Times Midsummer Fair

CALENDAR

DID YOU KNOW? Since 2001 over 1.75million people have attended a Forest Live gig. Everyone from Elbow to Jools Holland, Blondie to The Cure have performed at these outdoor events.

PARTY IN THE PINETUM Forest Live is a major outdoor live music series held every summer by Forestry Commission England. It takes place in seven beautiful woodland arenas across the country including Bedgebury Pinetum. Money raised from ticket sales helps to look after the nation’s forests sustainably, for people to enjoy and wildlife to thrive. The gigs take place over the weekend of June 14-16 with Foals and Yak playing on Friday night, Hacienda Classical and K-Klass on Saturday and the mighty Paul Weller closing the festival on Sunday. Turn to page 19 for more information on the line-up or visit www.forestryengland.uk/music

BRANCH OUT FOR CHARITY

Swan Lake

month, is brought beautifully to life in the West End stage show of the same name. Now in its tenth year, it’s touring the UK and coming to the Assembly Hall later this month. Running from Thursday June 27 to Saturday June 29, audiences will love the story of little Sophie who hears the door bell ring just as she and her mummy are sitting down to tea. She goes to see find out who’s at the door and hey presto it’s a big, stripy, tea-drinking tiger who enjoys causing all sorts of teatime mayhem. Tickets cost from £15.25 with a special offer for a family of four costing £56. For more details visit www. assemblyhalltheatre. co.uk

On June 20 the Tonbridge based charity Tree of Hope is hosting The Ultimate Pop Up at Hush Heath Winery in Staplehurst in order to raise vital funds. Local chefs Will Devlin from The Small Holding in Kilndown and Scott Goss from Tonbridge’s Verdigris will be helping to cook up a fabulous five-course tasting menu in the stunning surroundings of this popular vineyard.

Other chefs taking part include Bobby Brown, formerly of the Kentish Hare, and Fabio Vinciguerra, Executive chef at Hush Heath.

This one-off event is sponsored by CCLA and will help to raise funds for treatment, therapies and equipment for disabled and seriously ill children in the UK. Tickets cost £85 per person. Visit www. treeofhope.org.uk Hush Heath Winery

2141-HEV-Father's-Day-2019-SO-125x148mm-AW.indd 1

26/03/2019 16:23

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 5

RETAIL THERAPY

LIFE’S LITTLE Light up your life

An instant way to update a space is with statement lighting. It will guarantee good glow to your room and also add some extra aesthetic interest. We particular like this divine luminary offering from Christopher Wray, which you can build up to become something very dramatic or just have two or three pendants. Keep everything else fairly simple in your scheme to let this light do all the hard work.

Christopher Wray Decanter from £495 per pendant www.christopherwray.com

LUXURIES Here’s our edit of this month’s covetable collectables to enhance your life

Eternal flame

Part of his Eclectic line, Tom Dixon’s Orientalist candle is not only stunning to look at, it smells pretty damn good too. Perfumed with cassis, magnolia and patchouli, its olfactory aim is to recall the scents of an Indian wedding. After lighting it and letting it infuse your space you’ll picture rose petal garlands, beach stalls and spice markets – or so Tom’s expert scent-makers hope.

Housed in a hand-spun brass vessel with a marble lid it’s far too good to dispose of once it’s burned down so why not use it to tidy odds and ends on your desk? Tom Dixon Orientalist Scented Candle, 540g, £100 www.tomdixon.net

Aqua appeal

As any interiors fan will know, it’s the little details that enhance an overall scheme. When you’ve got your soft furnishings and tonal character sorted it’s time to think about accessories to tie everything together. This Jonathan Adler anvil bowl has a pleasing shape and mesmerising colour – and it’s versatile, sitting well on a low level coffee table or on a set of shelves in a bathroom or bedroom. Jonathan Adler Anvil Bowl, aqua, large, £168 www.amara.com

Mirror image

Cast in brass this exquisite Cay mirror will embellish any plain wall or bare corner. It’s a functional piece and at the same time very striking to look at – it easily doubles up as a piece of artwork to admire. Boasting an organic finish, which its designers have said aims to mimic ‘lava flowing after a volcano eruption’, it’s certainly an investment piece worth a glance. Cay mirror, POA, Brabbu, www.brabbu.com

Stylish side order

This gorgeous piece of furniture will enhance any bedroom or dressing area thanks to its elegant design and luxurious appearance. Part of Sofa & Chair’s Boudoir collection, it includes a dressing table and tallboy. It has been designed with versatility in mind and is available in this light colour or a darker tone. With its faux shagreen draw fronts and classic metal accents it’s a rich addition to your snoozing space. The Sofa & Chair Company Boudoir Check of Drawers £3,220 www.thesofaandchair.co.uk

6 | June 2019 | SO Magazine

Social Scene

TIMES BUSINESS AWARDS 2019

Businesses from around West Kent gathered at the Salomons Estate on May 30 to find out who had been crowned a 2019 Times Business Awards winner.

The sell-out gala dinner was attended by more than 200 business representatives along with the great and the good of Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge & Malling, as well as Sevenoaks.

Special guest Anton du Beke handed out the awards to the ten category winners in what has become the area’s networking event of the year.

Following the awards, the champagne corks popped as the winners celebrated, and the sell-out crowd danced the night away to Olly Murs’ former band, Funk2k.

For a full list of all the 2019 Times Business Awards winners, read this week’s Times of Tunbridge Wells or visit the website: www.timesbusinessawards.co.uk Pictures by David Bartholomew

8 | JUNE 2019 | SO Magazine

CULTURE

ABOUT TERROR:

HOLDING

t r u o c

John Martin and the team at Trinity are staging Terror, a piece of interactive theatre set in a ‘courtroom’ where the audience are the jury and therefore determine the outcome. We crossexamine John to find out why he decided to bring this experimental type of drama to the area Tell us a little bit about Terror without giving too much away?

The only thing that we can’t give away is where the courtroom is!

The play takes place like a real trial where the audience is asked to consider the evidence that is put before them. It has been performed all over the world in many different languages and is set in Germany. It is the story of a pilot who is on trial for murder having shot down a passenger plane with 164 people on it, against orders, to save 70,000 people in a football stadium in Berlin.

Why did you decide to take on this particular piece – what was its key appeal?

I initially read a review of the Lyric Hammersmith production, which piqued my interest. I love legal dramas and this seemed to me to be a superb piece of interactive theatre where the audience determines the outcome. I then had the idea of placing it in a real courtroom, much in the way that a witness for the prosecution does.

What are the challenges involved in putting on this kind of spontaneous theatre?

I have been working on this project since August 2017. It has been a long and arduous process of

negotiating both the rights for the play and to secure the location.

This is a venture into the unknown for me, the actors and the production team! The wonderful volunteers at Trinity are going to be court ushers, who will be guiding the audience from the initial ‘meet’ location to the courtroom and then through to their deliberations. This is going to be as close to being on jury service as we can make it.

What is your chief aim with Terror?

To immerse the audience in a real trial and give them as close an experience as possible to what it is like to be on jury service. In a world where we seem to be instantly jumping to conclusions on the basis of what is on social media, I think this play is particularly pertinent in asking an audience to reflect and consider the evidence – and only the evidence. We have been exceptionally lucky to have the advice of Major Warren Mahoney, who is also military advisor to Warhorse, to give two members of the cast who are high-ranking Air Force pilots the right advice. We have also been lucky enough to receive legal advice as well from a leading barrister.

What has the reception to Terror coming to Tunbridge Wells been like?

So far audiences seem to be really excited, particularly with the idea that they will be having an experience of jury service!

may have been because we said that we were open to any gender/ethnicity on the casting notice. I am thrilled that we have a diverse cast and have been “gender blind”. We have cast what I believe to be the very strongest team that we could find.

How are ticket sales going, and is there an appetite for this type of theatre locally?

So far ticket sales have been extremely good with many shows sold out, which has taken me a bit by surprise! I am holding back a few tickets which may be released nearer the time but other than that there are only a few performances where people can secure tickets. It is possible that we might extend the run but there are considerable logistics involved in doing this, so it is by no means guaranteed!

Have you been inspired by the likes of fellow immersive theatre troupes such as Punch Drunk when putting Terror together?

Absolutely! I have been lucky enough to see The Drowned Man in London and Sleep No More – which have been two of the best experiences that I have had. What particularly inspires me about them is how they balance reality with theatricality. I will also be playing with introducing music and sound.

When did you start rehearsals?

We have been in rehearsal since the end of May in the actual court room, which has been absolutely fantastic.

This has enabled us to start working on the challenges of working in this wonderful (but still secret) location.

We are still experimenting with balancing between the reality of where we are and the fact that we are, after all, putting on a play which needs to be engrossing drama.

Was it easy to pick your cast, and have any of them done this type of theatre before?

We had an amazing 2,198 actors apply to be in the production. This is by far the largest number for anything I have ever done! Partly this

What will people get from seeing your production of Terror?

If we manage to get this right, they will have a thrilling courtroom drama that will stimulate them and give them an exciting evening in the theatre and also an insight into the judicial process. I have been saying to the cast that I do not wish us to have a point of view and to present both arguments so as to place the outcome entirely in the hands of the audience.

Terror touches on many issues both philosophical and legal, and consists entirely of evidence.

Ferdinand von Schirach, the playwright, is also a renowned lawyer, which is completely evident in the script in the detail of the arguments. What I think is brilliant about it is that no matter what your views when you go into it – namely is the man guilty or not guilty – you will find those assumptions challenged.

HOW TERROR WILL WORK:

The outcome of the play is entirely in the hands of the audience. There are four juries at every performance, and each will elect a foreman and deliver its verdict in court. We also have a plan if it is a tie, namely two guilty and two not guilty. I am really excited to find out what the audience thinks and how the play changes at each performance.

ON THE CASTING PROCESS:

It was a very, very difficult decision to make. I ultimately held four recall auditions where I called four separate casts and told them to consider the audition as more of a workshop.

I could have cast this play four times over and it was heartbreaking to say no to some of the actors. This is my least favourite part of the casting process but I know that the final cast that we have assembled represents the very best to bring this particular play to life.

Interestingly in these ‘workshops’ I asked our judge to reach a verdict and we had two ‘not guilty’ and two ’guilty’ verdicts. I hope that this is an indication of the variety of outcomes that we can expect from the run itself.

Terror is on daily until June 16.

Evening performances are at 7pm and matinees are at 2pm on Saturdays and 2.30pm on Sundays. Tickets cost from £32 per person – to book , visit www.trinitytheatre.net

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 11

CULTURE

Turn over a new leaf at the

.. l. a v ti s e F y r a r e it L n e ld Wea The Wealden Literary Festival returns to Woodchurch on the final weekend of June. And as regular visitors to it will know, the event is so much more than just about books as you can also try bushcraft and foraging, watch local artists demonstrating their skills and also sample amazing local produce . . .

T

he Wealden Literary Festival returns to Boldshaves Garden in Woodchurch, near Tenterden on the weekend of June 29-30 with a line-up featuring awardwinning nature writers, authors and conservationists.

If you’re not familiar with this annual festival then in short it’s a celebration of literature, art, crafts and produce inspired by the natural world. And amongst the authors appearing this year are Raynor Winn, Adam Nicolson and Lucy Strange.

As well as authors talking about their work and what inspires them, another highlight of the festival will be a panel debate centred around the relationship between people and the land. The discussion will involve leading figures from the world of nature, conservation and agriculture.

These include Isabella Tree from Knepp Estate in West Sussex, whose book Wilding tells the story of the pioneering rewilding project she and her husband undertook to banish intensive farming and let nature take over their land. Also on the panel will be celebrated nature writer Mark Cocker, author of Our Place;

Jake Fiennes, conservation manager at Holkham Estate in Norfolk; and Andrew Clark, Director of Policy for the National Farmers’ Union.

Alongside inspiring talks and debates, the Wealden festival also celebrates creativity and the best of local produce with displays and workshops from local craftspeople including the ceramicist Jane Sarre, spoon carver Jill Swan, and willow weaver Julie Gurr, as well as fabric designers, illustrators, foragers and wine-makers.

This year’s artist-in-residence has been announced as Faversham’s

The festival is about bringing together some of the things we love – from thoughtprovoking books about the natural world and beautiful art to delicious food and traditional crafts

Hope Fitzgerald. She will lead bookbinding and design workshops across the weekend, while writerin-residence Tanya Shadrick, from Lewes, will explore festival-goers’ childhood memories of place in her creative writing workshops.

The children’s programme is packed with hands-on activities as well as readings and talks from authors and illustrators Katharine McEwan (Tigerbear and Bear Hug,) and Frann Preston-Gannon (In the Swamp by the Light of the Moon).

The Wealden Literary Festival was founded by husband and wife team Andrew and Laura Willan as a way for people to escape the pace of modern life and embrace the simplicity of the natural world.

Andrew says: “Spending time outdoors has always been an inspiration to us. The festival is about bringing together some of the things we love – from thoughtprovoking books about the natural world and beautiful art to delicious food and traditional crafts – and creating a magical weekend where we can all pause and take time to appreciate what is around us.”

BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES ON SOME OF THE AUTHORS TAKING PART: Raynor Winn

Described by The Times as ‘the most inspirational book of this year’, The Salt Path is a true story. Just days after its author, Raynor Winn, learned that her husband Moth was terminally ill, they lost everything and impulsively embarked on an epic and life-affirming journey along the South West Coast Path.

Adam Nicolson

This local writer grew up at Sissinghurst Castle in Kent. He won the 2018 Wainwright Prize for his book The Seabird’s Cry, an exploration of seabirds and the threats they face. His new book The Making of Poetry explores the lives of the young William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge while they lived together in the Quantock Hills.

Naoko Abe

The author of ‘Cherry’ Ingram: The Englishman Who Saved Japan’s Blossoms. Ingram was a British plant collector and gardener who became one of the world’s leading cherry tree experts after dedicating many years to the cultivation and preservation of two trees he found in the garden of his home in Benenden, Kent in 1919.

Lucy Strange

Based in Canterbury, Lucy has penned two notable tomes: The Secret of Nightingale Wood and Our Castle by the Sea. Lucy will talk about her love of writing and describe her fascinating journey from being an actress to becoming a school teacher and published author.

The Wealden Literary Festival is held at Boldshaves Garden in Woodchurch near Tenterden. Tickets are on sale now so to check out the festival programme and book your place visit www.wealdenliteraryfestival.co.uk

12 | June 2019 | SO Magazine

COVER FEATURE

Ahead of their appearance at the Black Deer festival The Wandering Hearts AKA Francessca Whiffin, Tara Wilcox and AJ Dean speak to Eileen Leahy about how they got together and why they’re putting a 21st century spin on classic country music

Fall in love with

THE WANDERING HEARTS...

O

getting into contemporary country acts like Carrie ne of the must-see acts at this year’s Underwood and Shania Twain,” Chess explains.

Black Deer festival, held at Eridge Park “I have Scottish roots and Chess has Irish ones so over the weekend of June 21-23, there was a lot of folk influence in the mix too,” is The Wandering Hearts, a adds Tara. talented trio from London We started “We got together through mutual friends,” who are currently enjoying huge success says Chess, who was born and brought up in on the Americana and country music singing and Cranbrook. “We’d heard about each other in scene, both here and in the US. playing together passing and we somehow all ended up in a The band, which got together four years room together. It was just the weirdest ago, is made up of singer Tara Wilcox, and it was like moment because we started singing and Francessca ‘Chess’ Whiffin and AJ Dean. All we’d been doing playing together and it was like we’d been three sing lead vocals and Chess and AJ also doing it for years. We were immediately in play the mandolin and guitar respectively. it for years each other’s heads and we’ve never really lost Each of them grew up on a fairly varied sonic that feeling. We had an immediate connection.” diet but they admit that their collective love of Such a serendipitous start was further gilded by the country and folk is what united them. fact Americana and country-inspired music is enjoying a “We all loved The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, Van huge renaissance right now, as the success of last year’s Morrison, James Taylor and Fleetwood Mac and then started 14 | June 2019 | SO Magazine

inaugural Black Deer festival, where they also played, testifies.

Why do they think that this genre is so popular right now?

“I think there’s a real thirst for music and storytelling right now,” continues Tara. “Pop music has got very good at talking about struggles that really impact people like depression and anxiety thanks to singers like Billie Eilish and Julia Michaels, but musically it’s still on one level.

“We grew up listening to singers like Bonnie Raitt, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion and Dolly Parton who had all amazing stories and voices and they experimented with their vocal range. If you don’t hear that as a child you won’t emulate it.

There’s something really freeing about hearing music and getting lost in it and that’s probably why Americana is such a big thing right now.”

Their signature laid-back contemporary country sound has led to The Wandering Hearts releasing their first album Wild Silence to critical acclaim in 2018. On the back of that they then bagged a UK tour supporting fellow Americana musicians

COVER FEATURE

“We’ve been doing the Ward Thomas tour and an indie Ward Thomas earlier this year and also have a number of record store tour at the same time and we’ve been in the festival dates both here and in the States this summer.

States for a month working with different producers to see The DJ and hugely influential country music aficionado Bob where we want to go to with our new songs. We have about Harris is also a big fan of theirs, which has seen the band being 70 written so need to whittle them down! played on heavy rotation on Radio 2 and snapping up gigs at “We did our first tour last June and were lucky enough to the Shepherd’s Bush Empire and also supporting Jack Savoretti play the Late Night Jam event at Ryman auditorium in on his Forest Live tour.

Nashville. It’s known as the ‘mother church’ in So what do The Wandering Hearts think makes country music and we ended up there thanks them stand out in a pretty crowded to the support we’ve had from [American contemporary country music market?

We all loved country singer] Marty Stuart. He really “When people hear our harmonies they The Beatles, Simon took us under his wing.” say it sounds like we’re family. The three “We got to play alongside legends of us have got this sibling-like and Garfunkel, Van like The Byrds, John Pryne and connection. It was as weird for us as it Morrison, James Taylor Margot Price, it was just so was for everyone else when we bonkers!” laughs Tara. “Then the started singing together. To have that and Fleetwood Mac and next day we played the Grand Old connection was kind of amazing. then started getting into Opry [also in Nashville] then “Our music really lends itself to Gracleand.

It was just amazing! I lots of instrumentation but it doesn’t contemporary country mean that was our first ever follow the same linear pattern all the acts like Carrie international show out of the UK!” time, which is quite nice as it keeps Yet despite all the amazing things fresh and brings a different Underwood and Shania opportunities and experiences The perspective to things.”

Twain Wandering Hearts have had so far, they still The ability to make a traditional genre like seem to be pretty level-headed about things: country sound relevant to today’s listening “We try to appreciate and celebrate every little audience is clearly a key element of The Wandering thing as it comes, every little milestone because the next Hearts’ success to date, but so are the lyrics they write too. one’s not guaranteed,” says Chess.

“People often ask us what’s our formula for writing and we “Our manager summed it up years ago when he told us to don’t really have one,” Chess smiles. “The way we write doesn’t make a lot of sense, the way we got together doesn’t either, but ‘clock everything and every moment’. He said, ‘if I’d have told you two years ago you’re going to have played all these we just don’t question it.” amazing venues in America and release an album, you “The only thing I can liken it to is when you fall in love,” Tara wouldn’t believe it’.” states. “You can’t explain why out of all the people in the world “But it’s also important to note that the three of us are you are drawn to that one person. So you think let’s not look such great mates and are so lucky to have one another,” Tara for a problem, let’s not question anything. I’d say that being in a adds. “AJ’s one of the girls and I guess we’re like one of the band is the nearest thing to being in love.” boys too. You just feel so good on stage together, like you’re in And it’s clear that all three of them are simply loving their a gang –the best gang.” time in the spotlight right now.

Art Direction: Lee Smith | Photography: Craig Matthews | Hair & make-up Louise Large @louise.muahair | Location: Salomons Estate

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 15

COVER FEATURE

Facing the music...

On dealing with the pressures of fame: Try not to question it, that’s our mantra. If you start to think about the gravitas of a situation like playing the Ryman Auditorium with all those legends you’d freak yourself out. It’s best not to over think things. We opened BBC Proms in the Park in front of 40,000 people last summer and weirdly we were more excited than nervous.

On why Americana and country’s so popular right now: There’s a real familiarity to it and the next generation is saying ‘oh my mum and dad listened to that back in the day’. It’s a bit like fashion in a way, everything comes back round. People want to connect with music that really means something.

SO WHO DO THE

On their look: Chess: We’re very much in control of our look of what we want to wear. AJ is very unique in his style! I think it’s important as a band to have this uniform identity but in that to have an individual look too because we’re all quite different characters so!

Tara: We’ve worked with some lovely people but ultimately we know what works best on us. Often Chess will wear a tight flared trouser and top and I’ll wear a dress…

On being at Black Deer: We met Gill and Debs three years ago when we were at [the late] Tom Petty concert at British Summertime in Hyde Park. They were really early days for us and Black Deer was just a small idea in Gill and Debs’ heads at the time, so to see them do it and to then be part of it by playing last year was just so wonderful.

They are just amazing women.

SEE? ARTS WANT TO WANDERING HE

to him : we grew up listening Kris Kristofferson lly blues and rootsy rea t bu y nky, a bit rock their music Larkin Poe: a bit pu can’t stop listening to we ls, gir ing pir ins ch The Staves: su lly cool y are going to be rea her film Wild Rose Band of Horses: the doing the songs from r he ar he to it wa n’t ca we : Jessie Buckley

The Staves

Larkin Poe

Band of Horses For tickets visit: www.blackdeerfestival.com/tickets/

16 | June 2019 | SO Magazine

MUSIC

CLASSIC CUTS

PUT DOWN SOME NEW

musical roots

If you’re looking for a fantastic weekend of excellent eclectic live music then head on down to the woods at Bedgebury Pinetum says Eileen Leahy

O

exclusively to SO Magazine he said: “I’m not ver the years Bedgebury Pinetum has thinking about it too much. I try to have as little info welcomed the likes of The Cure, Elbow ahead of a gig as possible. I always enjoy playing but and Jools Holland to its glorious I try to keep an element of surprise, otherwise it Goudhurst location as part of the annual series of would be boring.”

Forest Live gigs held every summer by Forestry The group have just released their second album Commission England.

Pursuit of Momentary Happiness, to much critical This year the bill is just as impressive with artists acclaim, and Oli admits that playing live is now including Paul Weller, Hacienda Classical and Foals easier with more songs under their belts. “It’s all playing over the weekend of June 14-16. nice to be able to go out and perform our Forest Live has been running for the new record. It’s good to have a tangible past 18 years in seven woodland response from the crowd – it is so arenas dotted around the country. different to being streamed on the So as well as Bedgebury Pinetum internet, which is just likes or hits. You you can also catch acts at alfresco can’t tell much from numbers but venues like Thetford Forest in now as the record’s out we get Suffolk, Westonbirt National people like our postman saying he’s Arboretum in Gloucestershire and listening to our songs!

Delamere Forest in Cheshire.

Paul Weller “We’re enjoying having new material But it’s the Bedgebury gigs which kick to play. It means we can take our live shows off this year’s 19th summer season with in loads of different directions now. We’ve had indie favourites Foals headlining on Friday night with the same sound guy, Phil, since we started, he’s special guests Yak. been part sound engineer, part rock shepherd Yak is an alt-rock trio from Wolverhampton, looking out for us. He’ll testify that we’re now New Zealand and London who have just playing much better.” supported Jack White’s band The Raconteurs and recently played at Brighton’s Great Escape and also Oli, who says his influences include The the All Points East festival at London’s Victoria Park, Stooges, the Velvet Underground and Jason with plenty more festivals lined up this summer.

Pierce from Spiritualized, says that the irony of The gig at Bedgebury will be another big deal for having ‘Yak’ and ‘Foals’ on the same bill has not Yak as they’ll be playing in front of 5,000 people but been lost on him. “Yeah we had a laugh about lead singer Oli Burslem isn’t phased about this that in the pub one night,” he chuckles before daunting prospect in the slightest. Speaking heading off to soundcheck.

WHO’S ON WHEN AT BEDGEBURY’S FOREST LIVE: Yak

FRIDAY: Foals with special guests Yak and opening support from Kiev SATURDAY: DJ Graeme Park’s Haçienda Classical with executive producer Peter Hook and special guests Manchester Camerata Orchestra. Support is from K-Klass SUNDAY: Paul Weller with support from Stone Foundation For further info/tickets: www.forestryengland.uk/music and tel 03000 680400.

OVER 1.75MILLION PEOPLE HAVE ATTENDED A FOREST GIG IN THE LAST 18 YEARS

MONEY RAISED FROM TICKET SALES HELPS TO LOOK AFTER THE NATION’S FORESTS SUSTAINABLY, FOR PEOPLE TO ENJOY AND WILDLIFE TO THRIVE

BEDGEBURY CAN HOST OVER 5,000 FANS FOR GIGS. THE CAPACITIES VARY AROUND THE COUNTRY FOR THE FOREST LIVE VENUES Foals

DJ legend Graeme Park on why putting a classical spin on some Haçienda anthems is music to his audience’s ears: THIS IS THE FOURTH YEAR of Haçienda Classical and it’s been an amazing journey and lasted far longer than anyone ever expected. When we found out that Forest Live was an option we were so excited. I mean how could you say no playing in such a beautiful setting in the countryside?

We enjoy playing in different places but playing outside events is always best. And over the past four years we’ve been so fortunate with the weather too. I think there was one gig where it rained but everyone was still really into it.

THE SET COMPRISES 20 SONGS some people will know and love and a few they might have forgotten about. But when they hear them they’ll be like ‘oh yes! I remember this!’ It’s all about getting the balance right between the ones everyone loves and the ones that have been forgotten about slightly but are still great. As we’re now in our fourth year we can’t just do the same thing all the time so we change things around. For this year there will be a few big club tunes from this century which will really work well with the orchestra, and a few we’ve done before but they will be sounding even better this time as we have had the time to enhance them.

WITHOUT GIVING TOO MUCH AWAY we have Peter Hook performing with us and we will be playing Blue Monday! That will be absolutely epic to hear with full orchestra and Hook’s seminal bassline played live. We always play Black Box’s Ride on Time which is usually the last song before the encore – but not this year. We’ve found something that will blow people’s minds – there’s also going to be an amazing intro number too . . .

IT’S FAIRLY SIMPLE TO TRANSLATE A HOUSE HIT TO CLASSIC as a lot of original tracks were made on raw equipment but hearing them differently you suddenly realise how amazing the original records were. But orchestras can’t do electronic drums or pounding electronic basslines, which are the heart of those records so that’s the bit I do; all the live stuff like scratching as you can’t fake that.

Once I’ve created the score and vocals you can only change minor things.

And that’s the total opposite to when I am DJing by myself as I’m in total control. In this situation I’m following the conductor but there’s still a bit of spontaneity, which is how I like it!

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 19

ADVERTORIAL

Unlock the secret to a better you

Bella Vou is pleased to announce their Well Woman Clinic, nestled in the heart of Royal Tunbridge Wells on The Pantiles, led

by Dr Gail Ball (pictured), a GP with over 18 years’ experience and expertise.

Dr Gail Ball MBBS, MRCGP, DRCOG specialises in women’s health treatments and screenings, one of them being well woman health screening which consists of a variety of checks designed to catch early signs of health disorders. It’ll also produce a general overview of your current health status and wellbeing.

As a major concern for a lot of women in the UK, these examinations help to provide peace of mind by targeting health issues such as breast cancer, cervical cancer and other pelvic disorders. The checks can be life-saving because they can spot health problems before you’ve experienced any symptoms.

There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ age to have a well woman health screening. You also don’t have to have noticed anything such as a lump or unusual bleeding to book an appointment.

We all think about what’s going on under our skin every now and again, so don’t feel that you’re ‘unsuitable’ to go for a check!

The NHS offers free screenings to women aged 60 and above with an invitation to come back every few years. Private clinics like Bella Vou are open to women

20 | JUNE 2019 | SO Magazine

of all ages, with many women attending an assessment once a year.

The team at Bella Vou understand the complexities of women’s health and are dedicated to providing individually tailored testing, treatment and advice for women of all ages, in a discreet, friendly and supported environment.

To book your consultation with Dr Gail Ball call 01892 257357 or email hello@bellavou.co.uk For more information on Bella Vou’s Women’s Health programmes and Well Woman Screening visit www.bellavou.co.uk SPECIAL OFFER: Complimentary Retinol Facial Peel with Nurse Lesley when you book a well woman medical or sexual health screen during the month of June/July.

Bella Vou, Pantiles Clinic, Market House, 45-47 The Pantiles, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 5TE

ADVERTISING

22 | JUNE 2019 | SO Magazine

MUSIC

DEB & GILL’S TOP PICKS FOR BLACK DEER 2019

AMERICAN Despite being just a year old Black Deer has already established itself as one of the leading music events in the UK. Paul Dunton speaks to its founders Gill Tee and Deb Shilling about the successful Americana and Country festival held at Eridge Park over June 21 -23 What inspired you to create the Black Deer festival?

Co-founder Gill Tee and I are incredibly passionate about Americana, there’s just something very real about it. We have a lifelong love of great country, blues and folk and grew up listening to the sounds of Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Cat Stevens and Glen Campbell. It’s just great music that speaks from the heart, whether it’s foot-stomping bluegrass, rockabilly, heavy blues, gospel, folk rock or heart-breaking country, we just love it.

Have you done anything similar to this before?

Gill and I have produced events on every type of scale, for a diverse mix of clients and brands, including the likes of Bob Dylan, Neil Young and many other great artists. So we felt the time was right to launch a great Americana and Country festival in a beautiful setting. Using our knowledge and experience, we were able to bring Black Deer to reality and create an incredible experience enjoyed by everyone in the stunning surroundings of Eridge Park.

What can people expect at Black Deer this year?

The music takes centre stage and we work hard to ensure a great line-up but there’s also a massive emphasis on bringing the Americana way of life to Eridge Park. Black Deer offers Americana culture at its most visceral and stays true to the communities and cultures that inhabit this indefinable world. It’s about authenticity, craft, storytellers and kindness. We know it’s only going to grow, but we’re mindful to keep the same feel and atmosphere that was so important and well-loved last year. We’ve moved a few things around and added new elements, but our original ethos is still there.

This year’s music line-up looks incredible – who are some of the amazing acts festival-goers should be looking out for?

Thank you. We’re proud to be able to showcase such

classic

Black Deer is a festival with values which we hope is taken into the hearts of the local area and beyond

talent. With over 70 artists across seven stages, there’ll be plenty to see including legendary Americana names like Kris Kristofferson, country music heroes The Mavericks and cerebral alt-country rockers Band of Horses. There’s lots of emerging talent too, such as Yola, The Wandering Hearts and Roseanne Reid, and this will be the place to see those stars of the future. We’ve created a line-up where each artist is 100 per cent worth seeing or we wouldn’t have booked them!

Black Deer attracts renowned artists from all over the globe but you also have many emerging local acts involved. Why do you feel that’s important?

It helps us to cultivate the spirit of community. Black Deer is a festival with values which we hope is taken into the hearts of the local area and beyond. It’s incredibly important to us to be able to work with the likes of Jason Dormon from The Forum, obviously yourself Paul, and also Peter Taylor and Nigel Bent.You’ve all dedicated your time to establishing and building a thriving music scene here and we’re excited to help champion lots of regional emerging artists. They’ll be appearing on the dedicated stage in The Yard campsite area. So if you’re in possession of a weekend camping ticket, you’re in for a real treat to be able to see this.

The Eridge Park Estate is such a beautiful location, why is it the perfect fit for Black Deer?

We have been able to work with its stunning natural landscape and therefore offer an experience that’s startlingly original. We’ve had the full support of The Marquess of Abergavenny to be able to make this exciting event happen and he has said he hopes it can continue for many more years to come.

Neko Case: is often compared to Joni Mitchell but the American artist is much more than an acoustic guitar-playing troubadour. She is a stunning songwriter and performer lauded by the likes of KD Lang and Elvis Costello and plays to devoted audiences across the world.

Jerron Blind Boy Paxton: is a startlingly original musician whose sound harks back to legendary Americana names such as Fats Waller and ‘Blind’ Lemon Jefferson.

Irish Mythen: has won audiences across the world and a singer/songwriter very much in the Americana tradition, the Irishborn, Canada-dwelling strummer makes a big noise and has the melodies and lyrics to match it.

Larkin Poe: if you like First Aid Kit, make sure you catch this duo. Sisters who sing together have been a constant throughout the history of country and Americana music and this pair rock out with guitars, lap steel, mandolin and banjo to create a real southern swamp sound.

Ryan Bingham: if there’s a definition of Americana to be found anywhere, New Mexico-born, Texas-raised troubadour Bingham will have it in his welltravelled guitar case. If you like Bob Dylan go and see him.

Fantastic Negrito: the Grammy Award-winning contemporary blues hero is another must-see.

His most recent albums Please Don’t Be Dead and The Last Days of Oakland are incredible but it’s on stage that this wonderful artist comes to life.

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 23

Art Direction: Lee Smith | Photography: Craig Matthews

FITNESS

PUTTING A POSITIVE SPIN ON FITNESS & WELL-BEING

p.

Times Business Award for Best Start-u a n wo and – y sar iver ann t firs its just celebrated The SPN studio on Camden Road has er and Nutrition’ to Tunbridge Wells Pow ul ‘So of n atio bin com g irin insp she brought her Founder Jaime Cooke tells us why Jaime, please can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I grew up in a small town called Cochrane outside Calgary in Canada and came to London in 1999 after backpacking around Europe and falling in love with the creative scene in London. I landed a fabulous job in advertising and met my husband, so I never left the UK! We now have three lovely children and live just outside Tunbridge Wells near Lamberhurst.

Has your background always been in the world of fitness and wellbeing?

I have always loved sports: I grew up in the Rockies in Canada ice skating, skiing and spending all my time in the great outdoors. Previous to SPN, I ran a successful fashion company called Muks making the indiginous Mukluk boots from Canada and selling to high end department stores as well as the likes of Kate Moss. After 10 years, just as I was thinking about my SO Magazine | June 2019 | 25

FITNESS

Fashion and design is a big part of who I am and I think this will always be reflected in the design of our studios and SPN branded merchandise

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

SPN stands for Soul Power Nutrition: exactly everything we embrace in our studio. Our clients usually come to us for the physical transformation, but what they receive is so much more. It is rewarding to experience the full journey and receive support from a community of likeminded people. We offer nutrition programmes and packages with our in-house nutritional therapist Abir, as we understand optimum health has to come from within.

A HEALTHY APPROACH GIVE US YOUR TOP TIPS FOR STICKING TO A HEALTHY EATING AND EXERCISE REGIME START LIGHT: Begin by doing one to two classes a week, go with a friend so you are accountable and can encourage each other. Find a space where community is key as we find that our clients are more likely to stick with it if they feel a sense of camaraderie

next steps, I was involved in a terrible car accident in Ibiza and herniated three discs in my lower spine. Through my rehab to recovery, I discovered Pilates and wanted to dedicate my time to learning the method and helping others with injury.

And after a year of being based on Camden Road how are you finding it?

It’s an eclectic mix of independent businesses and we all support each other. We love the community feel around there. It is central enough for some of our clients to walk to, and there are enough car parks for those travelling in.

How did you make the transition from fashion to fitness?

Do you have any celebrity clients?

After two years of training at Body Control Pilates Davina McCall and Dame Kelly Holmes often in London, I decided to start private sessions at Exercise gives work out with us. They both have such my home in Tunbridge Wells. This was mainly working with clients who were you so many amazing great positive energy and it’s always a delight to see them in the studio. It’s looking to build general core strength or benefits. A strong body such a great family atmosphere here at coming back after injury. During this SPN and we hope that everyone who time, I was also becoming stronger and and an even stronger comes here picks up on that. able to do more physically. I was on a mind. You create trip to LA and NYC one summer and discovered spin classes and was www.spn.fit @spn.fit @StudioSpn endorphins and studies immediately hooked. I came back and show that regular decided to start my own indoor cycling exercise makes you classes called Popcycle in my cellar at Bayham Hall. happy. Movement is

TREAT YOUR TASTEBUDS: For healthy eating, give yourself variety and try cooking recipes that are both tasty and nourishing. There are so many phenomenal chefs doing exciting things with food these days – explore it DO A JUICE CLEANSE TWICE A YEAR: You’ll feel energised, revitalised and ready to take on the world. We offer a three-day cleanse featuring six amazing juices, all bursting with carefully selected plant nutrients designed to re-mineralise your body and support its natural daily cleansing processes

medicine How did your private classes at Bayham evolve to running the SPN studio?

We started with three bikes and a few friends attending the weekly classes. Before I knew it we had 18 bikes and were running classes six days a week. During this time I met Sarah Gorman, a superstar trainer and now SPN’s creative director.

She had just returned from the USA and we decided to collaborate, introducing boxing, barre and Pilates to our clients. From the popularity of the classes, we knew we had something special and decided to take it to the next level by opening SPN on Camden Road, Tunbridge Wells.

What will people discover on visiting SPN? SPN is a boutique fitness studio spread over three floors.

We have an underground indoor cycling studio with coloured DJ lighting and a booming sound system. The ground floor is our reception area featuring a smoothie bar and premium retail brands, then upstairs is our beautiful floor studio where we hold boxing, barre, Pilates, TRX, aerial and yoga classes.

You also run SPN foreign retreats – can you tell us about these?

We run two types in Mallorca: our POWER Retreat takes our clients out road cycling, hiking and powerful workout classes for four days in the Tramuntana Mountains. We also have a SOUL retreat, which is much more grounding and zen-like with yoga, walking, meditation, paddle board yoga, sound bath and a one-day juice cleanse. This September, for the first time, we are combining the two retreats for a five-day POWER + SOUL, and we still have a few spaces available.

26 | June 2019 | SO Magazine

DID YOU KNOW?

Jaime was responsible for the Mukluk boots trend in the 2000s which saw the likes of Kate Moss wearing them: “I have been wearing Mukluk Boots since I was three years old, and shortly after moving to London my mom bought me a pair as a nostalgic reminder of my childhood roots. Wearing them around London and New York City, I was constantly stopped in the streets so I thought there’s something in this. My mom sent me four pairs from a moccasin shop near my home town and I put them in a friend’s boutique in Notting Hill – within a week Kate Moss had purchased two of the four pairs and Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez were wearing them! We even made a customised pair for Paris Hilton.”

ADVERTISING

28 | JUNE 2019 | SO Magazine

STYLE

TIME TEES for

In 2017 friends Nicky Tebay and Elizabeth Webb decided to pool their professional expertise and love of fashion into the T-shirt brand TWseven.

Eileen Leahy finds out more about the creative duo’s stylish enterprise

N

icky Tebay and Elizabeth Webb are the perfect example of friends who put their money where their mouth is by turning their joint passion for fashion into a successful business.

The pair launched their luxury T-shirt business TWseven in 2017 after they saw a gap in the market for producing a range of stylish and uniquely designed tees.

“The idea for TWseven started in November 2016 when we were discussing our daily uniform of jeans and a jacket. We both are great believers that a T-shirt is a wardrobe essential as they are easy to wear, look fresh and clean, and are perfect for layering or rocking with jeans.”

Both Nicky and Elizabeth drew on their previous professional experience in retail and finance respectively in order to write their business plan and eventually launch their brand but they admit they didn’t have any real experience of setting up a small business.

“Although we’ve both worked for large organisations we had very limited experience of setting up a small business. So it has been a real learning curve with us both having to learn new skills like setting up a website and understanding new technology and being disciplined with our time management.”

After graduating from Newcastle University with a fashion marketing degree, Nicky worked in the retail industry for 15 years, buying for the likes of Wallis and Marks & Spencer, where she worked in departments as diverse as footwear, swimwear and ladies’ tailoring. She also worked for a boutique in Cape Town designing ladies’ resort wear so it’s fair to say Nicky has strong sartorial credentials.

Elizabeth meanwhile brings business acumen to the table having worked in the financial services industry both here and in Asia for the past 20 years.

HOW DID THE BRAND’S NAME TWSEVEN COME ABOUT? “We both live in Tunbridge Wells, hence the reference to TW but coincidentally Nicky’s surname is Tebay and Elizabeth’s is Webb so that also fits nicely”

BY DESIGN

TWseven founders Elizabeth Webb (left) and Nicky Tebay

The duo’s debut Sunrise collection came about after the women worked with a graphic designer on a number of circular designs. “We launched our first three designs in the summer of 2017 and as our collection has evolved, we have added placement prints in addition to our more identifiable circular designs.” The TWseven range now includes metallic coral motifs, coloured animal prints and monochrome text designs but the original circular ones remain a constant theme with every new collection.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 31

Art Direction: Lee Smith | Photography: Craig Matthews

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 29

ADVERTISING

30 | JUNE 2019 | SO Magazine

STYLE

All of TWseven’s designs are 100 per cent cotton, printed in the UK and most importantly are limited edition, which the pair says helps them to ‘constantly refresh’ their offering.

“We have both got a very keen eye for fashion and although we follow all the latest fashion trends, we hopefully translate them into design and colourways that we feel are suitable for our target market. The design of our T-shirt is the focal point of the outfit.

The one-colour design allows our customer to easily coordinate with her wardrobe. TWseven designs elevate a basic white T-shirt into a stylish, eyecatching outfit.”

LOCAL SUPPORT

Although TWseven attracts orders from the USA, Australia, Hong Kong and a number of European countries, Nicky and Elizabeth say that being based in Tunbridge Wells not only allows them to work around their family commitments, they also like it because they can interact with their local customer base.

“We have shown at three Wealden Times fairs and also at the One Warwick Park Support Local pop-up events and it gives us a real buzz when customers return to purchase new designs and often comment on how much they enjoy wearing them and the outstanding quality of the T-shirt.”

They say they have also found the local entrepreneurial mums’ community to be very supportive and have recently

TWSEVEN’S THREE TOP TIPS FOR THE PERFECT T-SHIRT

1

The fit should be comfortable, offer a relaxed look and must compliment your body shape

2

Larger chested ladies often feel more comfortable in a V-neck style. Ladies with a thicker waist aren’t comfortable with a short boxy fit so we have made sure our T-shirts fit below the waist

3

A slight tuck on one side at the waist gives the impression of length and defines the waist. This is called the French Tuck done a collaboration with West Kent Mind, donating £10 from each sale of a limited design T-shirt to the charity.

The pair say they have also relied heavily on social media, specifically Instagram, using a number of local fashion influencers to help promote their brand.

“We started posting on Instagram in June 2017. It is a fantastic marketing tool, though putting parameters around how seriously we take it is important. We have worked with the likes of Bricks and Stitches and The House Build alongside stylists including Victoria Genevieve, Sue Mee and Jane Dumas. Other influencers who have helped support us through Instagram are Wellies and Champagne, My fashionable 40s and Back of the Wardrobe 70.”

ABOUT NICKY:

She is originally from Yorkshire She lived in South Africa for four years She’s run five London Marathons in aid of Action for Children charity

WHO IS THE TWseven CUSTOMER? “We envisage she is a lady who wants to look effortlessly stylish without spending a lot of time thinking about what to wear as our T-shirts make an eyecatching statement.”

ABOUT ELIZABETH: She grew up in Canada

She spent eight years living in Asia She left city life to retrain as a Pilates instructor

Nicky and Elizabeth will be showcasing their latest range at this month’s Wealden Times Midsummer Fair at Hole Park (June 6-8)

WHY WE LOVE TUNBRIDGE WELLS Nicky and Elizabeth

BEST PLACE TO SHOP: Bod and Ted, Kitch and Anna Poulsen TO EAT OUT: The Ivy or Seventeen at One Warwick Park FOR COCKTAILS: Chapel Place or Framptons on The Pantiles TO GET AWAY FROM IT ALL: Kingdom in Penshurst or a leisurely dog walk in Dunorlan Park

www.twseven.co.uk SO Magazine | June 2019 | 31

ADVERTISING

32 | JUNE 2019 | SO Magazine

MEN’S STYLE

“I love the ability to transform how a person looks & feels” Stephen Gray runs Gray & Co. on Chapel Place and was responsible for opening the first Ilse Jacobsen store in the UK on Tunbridge Wells High Street. Here he tells us all about his life-long love affair with fashion and style...

Have you always been in the fashion business, Steve?

Originally from the North-east of England, I’m a fashion pro through and through. Since the age of 25 I’ve been involved in fashion – both retail and wholesale. I’ve worked for iconic Great British heritage brands like Alfred Dunhill and Crombie, and I’ve enjoyed successful retail ventures of my own, such as my previous women’s boutique in Altrincham, Cheshire and launching the first Ilse Jacobsen shop in the UK, here on Tunbridge Wells High Street five years ago. With a “I’d describe the Gray & passion for beautiful clothes and cool music, I Co. shopping experience love the ability to transform how a person looks and feels.

as relaxed, rewarding and addictive, and I like to think of every customer as a VIP”

How long has the Gray & Co. boutique been established?

Gray & Co. is actually only 18 months old.

Before moving to our current location in the pretty and historic Chapel Place area of Tunbridge Wells, I previously sold menswear as ‘The Basement’, downstairs in my Ilse Jacobsen womenswear shop, in which I’m still a 50 per cent shareholder.

Did you find the market very competitive when you arrived in Tunbridge Wells?

My Ilse Jacobsen customers were constantly saying, “we really love your womenswear but why can’t we buy menswear like it?” So that’s how customer demand inspired me to launch ‘The Basement Menswear’. l quickly realised that the men of Tunbridge Wells had far fewer places to shop locally, and I saw an opportunity for a specialist, standalone, independent menswear shop and just waited for the perfect premises to become available.

What are the key factors that set you apart in the fashion business?

My Gray & Co. slogan is simply ‘Beautiful Clothes, Cool Music and Great Conversation!’ Retail is undergoing a revolution, and I strongly believe small, passionate, expert independents are perfectly positioned to provide that superior shopping experience. I like to meet my customers face to face, to exchange stories and hear what they’re up to in life and what they’re looking for out shopping. Music is also a huge part of my life.

Can you tell us about the music angle to Gray & Co.?

I’m an avid concert-goer and enjoyed being a DJ for many years. I regularly compile playlists for the shop, which often prompt compliments and conversation.

Music can instantly transform a space, you never quite know which way I’m going to take it.

And how about the sartorial choice on offer there?

I really like to offer something just that little bit different from the big brands you find everywhere else. I actively choose to work with smaller, mainly British and European brands, which include many Scandinavian collections that lead the way in sustainable fashion. My brands are often lesser known companies but they have integrity and provenance. I want to support producers that prioritise brilliant design, ethical sourcing and manufacturing, good value and great customer service. They all have a great story and many remain family run.

What do you think of the overall sartorial offering for men in Tunbridge Wells?

Men tend to shop very differently to women. We’d rarely call it a ‘hobby’ but I’d say we do like to look good, but won’t sacrifice comfort. And once we find something we really like and trust, we’re happy to return time and time again. Good style never goes out of fashion.

How would you describe the shopping service you provide?

We will always go the extra mile to ensure we get the perfect style and size for every customer. For example, our wide range of MAC premium denim offers four fits of jeans to cater for every body type; from fashionable skinny fits, modern tapered and regular ones, right through to athletic body shapes.

What plans do you have for the future?

I love meeting and chatting with my customers, seeing how my buying decisions excite and satisfy curious shoppers. So, whilst I’m often busy with my wholesale clients during the early part of any week, every Friday and Saturday I can be found in the shop, with the door open and my new, favourite playlist providing the tunes. Having consciously invested in a ‘bricks and mortar’ shop I plan to build on this success and expand the lifestyle offer, whilst always seeking to provide the ultimate customer shopping experience.

GIVE US THREE TOP TIPS ABOUT BEING EFFORTLESSLY STYLISH

1

Buy the best quality you can – it will reward you: not only will well-made clothes make you look and feel great, but we all need to be more considerate about buying less, buying better. Looking good doesn’t have to cost the earth Stephen Gray

2

Learn what suits you – recognise your personal style: don’t be embarrassed to get help from those in the know. We offer a free Gray & Co. personal styling service to help clients try new things

3

Invest in a capsule wardrobe of high quality, key items: and then you can update each season with a few well-chosen new styles to refresh. www.grayandco.shop @grayandco @grayandco.shop

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 33

fashion

s e k a t s e l sty R U O UP Y

I

June heralds the start of ‘The Season’. So with events such as The Derby, Royal Ascot, Henley Regatta, Wimbledon and Goodwood – not to mention numerous weddings – to dress for it’s time to invest in some key occasion pieces says Charlie Bond MARKS AND SPENCER Pure linen jumpsuit, £69 www.marksandspencer.com

ACCESSORIZE Sinamay swirl pill box fascinator, £35 www.uk.accessorize.com

HOBBS Polly dress, £329 www.hobbs.co.uk MONSOON Callie Crane Embroidered Midi Dress, £140 www.monsoon.co.uk

love this time of year – partly because it’s (generally) sunnier and warmer, which means people are (generally) in better moods, but also because celebration season has finally arrived.

Every year it sneaks up on us and suddenly every weekend is taken up with a wedding, christening, day at the races or a fancy garden party.

And every year the ‘what am I going to wear?’ panic sets in, while we frantically scour every online retailer looking for ten different outfits to achieve the wow factor.

In the past I’ve definitely been guilty of doing just that; in one year I had eight – yes eight – weddings to attend, and the fear of being spotted in the same outfit multiple times meant I spent several pretty pennies on a whole load of dresses I’d never wear again.

But, don’t be fooled into thinking you need to do the same – you don’t. One of my most worn outfits is a black jumpsuit, which I’ve managed to recycle multiple times, just by accessorising it differently. It’s amazing how different something can look just by adding a piece of statement jewellery, a bold jacket or an unusual clutch bag.

As for patterned or brightly coloured items, it’s not as easy to sneak these under the multiple wears radar, so I have two tips:

1

Embrace it – bold and bright is brilliant and who cares how many times you wear something? I guarantee you’ll get compliments every time you’re spotted in it, so go with it!

2

LAURA ASHLEY Hot pink V-back dress, £95 www.lauraashley.com

TOPSHOP Cannes boxy grab bag, £27 www.topshop.com

OFFICE Melodramatic heels, £79 www.office.co.uk

Consider how you can dress it down, so that you can work it into your everyday wardrobe. Even items you’d consider to be ‘formal’ can be made casual with the addition of a leather jacket, some white chunky trainers and a straw bag.

Most of all, dressing for occasions is half the fun of the celebration itself, so embrace it – who doesn’t love an excuse to look and feel fabulous for a day after all?!

Charlie Bond Fashion Contributer Follow Charlie @Girlaboutkent SO Magazine | JUNE 2019 | 35

BEAUTY

BEAUTY SPOT As it’s the start of wedding season we wanted to bring two products to your attention that we’re currently loving here at SO Magazine:

BOLIN WEBB R1 Prestige Mach3 24ct Gold Razor & Stand, £300 This razor is one of the finest in the country – it’s made in England too. It is crafted from 24ct gold…which is sure to win you some serious brownie points this Father’s Day. What’s more, it comes presented in a luxury wooden black-lacquered box, so you don’t even have to struggle with gift-wrapping it! www.bolinwebb.com

BECAUSE

AMLY City screen face serum, £62 This unisex protective face serum boosts the skin’s resilience to pollution with detoxifying echinacea, which prolongs the youth of skin cells. Not only is it great for your skin, the fact that it’s unisex means even if you give it as a gift, you can probably ‘borrow’ it from time to time too… www.amlybotanicals.co.uk

he’s worth it

A RECIPE FOR GREAT SKINCARE: No beauty regime should be without Bloom and Glow facial oil by Angela Langford. A MasterChef finalist in 2014, now Angela is creating recipes to guarantee fantastic-looking skin. We’re particularly taken with this very well-priced, complexion enhancer that instantly peps up the complexion. Like the rest of Angela’s collection, which is handmade in Somerset, it’s organic and vegan and has just been voted No 1 in Good Housekeeping’s Nourishing Facial Oil category. £20.50 www.angelalangford.com

Father’s Day is Sunday June 16 so if you’re stuck for a gift then let Charlie Bond suggest a few luxurious grooming gifts to make dad’s day JO MALONE LONDON X HUNTSMAN Whisky & Cedarwood Cologne, £120 This Father’s Day, Jo Malone has teamed up with Huntsman Savile Row to bring a collaboration of scent and style. This whisky and cedarwood cologne is one of four in the collection, and therefore makes the perfect gift for any whisky lover looking for something a little different. www.jomalone.co.uk

AMOUAGE Portrayal Man fragrance, £245 If a luxurious fragrance is what you fancy treating dad to this Father’s Day, then Amouage’s newest offering could be the perfect scent. With top notes of violet leaves and a heart note of vetiver, it smells of wood and leather and is apparently designed to be an olfactive portrayal of the 1920s bohemian culture. We love it. Oh, and the bottle’s pretty cool too. www.amouage.com

FOREO Luna 2 for men facial-cleansing brush, £169 Dads everywhere can retain their youthful glow with this handy facial brush. Use morning and night for just two minutes to prep skin for shaving, remove impurities and enhance the complexion. This is one stylish and effective gadget he won’t want to be without. www.selfridges.com

Charlie Bond Beauty Contributer Follow Charlie @Girlaboutkent

A SOFT TOUCH: With the finer weather here, to ensure your legs and arms are in perfect condition for putting on display – and tanning – you’ll need to a regular moisturising routine. Body creams can feel heavy in the summer so a great alternative is the body oil. We have discovered two gorgeous offerings by Olverum, a wellbeing brand established in 1931 that’s most famous for its decadent bath oils beloved of Hollywood movie stars and the royal family. Olverum’s new aromatherapy oils are available either as a rich nourishing one (£40) which you slather on after showering or a dry oil (£36) which can be spritzed on whenever you need a moisture boost. www.olverum.com

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 37

ADVERTORIAL

TUMMY STRESS IN CHILDREN

I

’m Dr.Rohit Gowda, Consultant Paediatrician at Nuffield Hospital Tunbridge Wells. I wanted to share some thoughts on the rise of tummy symptoms which are related to stress and other factors in children.

It may come as a surprise to some, but stress has been known as a cause of abdominal symptoms for centuries.

There is however a definite increase in these since the turn of the millennium and the internet era. This has been well documented in a number of studies and I can certainly say that as a Paediatrician with interest in Gastroenterology, nearly half the patients in my clinic can have symptoms due to underlying non- disease causes.

There are a number of stressors in a modern day life not just for parents but also for children. One of the most significant factors is the presence of social media, whose presence in the last 15 years has made interaction easier but also added a layer of complexity to our psychological well-being. And add this complexity to an already complex teenage life; it is not surprising that we are seeing more of these presentations in clinic.

As a Paediatrician my role is to understand whether there is a disease process involved in these symptoms. The symptoms can be varied. The most common presentations include tummy pains and nausea. Children can also present with persistent reflux type symptoms, altered bowel habits and symptoms associated with meals.

These symptoms could be part of a disease process or could be related to a group of conditions called functional gastro-intestinal disorders (FGIDS). Usually in my first consultation an understanding of the symptoms and any associated red flag symptoms would give me an indication of which of the above causes are to be explored.

Often these children I see have had symptoms for a long time and have had multiple visits to their GP with recurrent problems. There is also a degree of anxiety in both child and parent about potential serious causes for these symptoms which is noted when they visit me in hospital.

A number of times a clear explanation of the findings and reassurance that a serious disease in unlikely puts both parents and children at ease. But to arrive at that stage sometimes a few investigations may be necessary.

Parents often struggle to understand how tummy symptoms can be caused by stress. This is a discussion I normally have with families after all the necessary investigations have come back reassuringly normal. The first thing to understand is that there is a link between the brain and bowel through a complex network of nerves which pass

from the brain to the gut through the spine. This is called the gut-brain axis. There are some factors (called biopsychosocial factors such as one’s personality, underlying anxiety, and low mood, social factors like bullying, death or divorce in family among the common ones) which do have an impact on certain regions in the brain, which in turn affects the gut-brain axis. These result in increased sensitivity of the child’s gut related nerves. This increased sensitivity leads to multiple kinds of symptoms including abdominal pain, nausea and others. I often explain to parents that this is very similar to experiencing headaches, which is a common symptom most children and adults can relate to. The headaches can come and go but if you were to try to find something wrong with the brain through scans you often draw a blank. These are all what clinicians group as functional disorders.

Now when we know what the condition is, the challenging aspect is for parent and child to accept this and try to understand what could be that underlying biopsychosocial factor that is behind it. This is difficult as normally most people can’t recognise as adults what they are suffering with psychologically or socially, let alone a child or an adolescent.

To help with this we ask families to set themselves some tasks to identify the problem and in this process sometimes there comes the need for a psychologist to tease out

the issues. The solution also lies in tackling those issues and also trying to deal with symptoms in a more nonpharmacological way. My role here is to offer direction to these children and families, reassure them emphatically that they are not suffering with a disease and to give them generally a positive prognosis to take away.

I think society (schools, social media etc.) as a whole has a huge responsibility in helping vulnerable young minds through the challenging journey of teenage years. Understanding the importance of mental health and how it can affect the physical well-being is the key message from this article. I have included a couple of useful links for further reading about what young children face in terms of mental health challenges and how they can be tackled.

Resources https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/parents-and-youngpeople/information-for-parents-and-carers/worries-and-anxieties---helping-children-to-cope-for-parents-and-carers https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/feelings-and-symptoms If you have found this article of interest and would like to know more, Dr Gowda is holding a FREE event on Tummy Stress on 20th June, which consists of mini consultations where you can talk to him in privacy about your child. For further details visit www.nuffieldhealth.com/book or call Nuffield Health Customer Services Advisors on 01892 883231. Dr Gowda holds fortnightly outpatient clinics on Tuesdays from 15.00 – 17.30

www.nuffieldhealth.com/book SO Magazine | June 2019 | 39

ADVERTISING

40 | JUNE 2019 | SO Magazine

LIFE & STYLE

‘THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A RUN FOR GIVING YOU A SURGE OF

positive energy’ Local journalist Dawn Gibson reveals how she went from being a school sports failure to running fan and shares her favourite routes around Tunbridge Wells

W

hen you’ve had a hard day and are feeling frazzled trying to keep all the plates of your life spinning, there is nothing like a run for giving you a surge of positive energy.

It’s the hit of sunlight as you head out on the open road, it’s noticing the beauty of nature being confined within four walls; it’s the flush that spreads across your cheeks as you find your rhythm.

Of course, for many people, the thought of running has all the appeal of a stale left-over sandwich and conjures up school day memories of miserable crosscountry slogs in the rain. As the kid who used to be picked last for ball teams – and managed to be possibly the only teenager in her sports-mad high school to ever be awarded a D in physical education – I commiserate. It took years before I hit my stride, so to speak, and I’m still a slow plodder compared to my running friends. But the benefits are so significant, I plan to still be going when I’m 80, providing my knees and ankles agree.

TOP TIPS

Taking up running, or coming back after a break? Read this first: DON’T START TOO GUNG-HO Start with one 20-minute run a week, build up to two, and then add a longer run of around 30-45 minutes when you’re ready.

HAVE A GOAL IN MIND You will find it easier to stay on track if you are working towards something e.g. a 5km fun run.

TAKE INJURY SERIOUSLY The quickest way to ensure you won’t be able to run for months?

Ignoring that niggling pain. Get medical advice and take the time off you need to recover.

Dawn Gibson is a freelance journalist who writes for UK and international magazines. Read more of her articles at www.dawncreativemedia.com

Beyond the physical The benefits of running regularly are welldocumented: it’s one of the most effective forms of weight control and heart health, it improves muscle strength and helps keep joints healthy. It also releases feel-good chemicals that reduce stress and the risk of depression.

However, it wasn’t until I started working as a journalist for a big city daily newspaper, with its manic deadlines and constant pressure, that I really appreciated the mental health benefits. I had been running on and off since my early twenties, more off than on to be honest, but when writing for a newspaper in my home city of Perth, Western Australia, I started going for 30-minute runs through wetlands in the mornings before work two or three times a week. I never knew what to expect on each run: once a deadly tiger snake gave me the fright of my life by rearing up from the dirt path (I kept running, heart pounding – that morning I am sure I hit a personal best).

It didn’t take long to notice that the work day went more smoothly. I felt calmer and more in control; better able to deal with anything that came my way as a news reporter. I also slept better (okay, maybe not after I met the snake).

Since then, I have moved around the world due to work and I kept on running;

in the tiny Middle Eastern country of Qatar, where I first started entering 5km and 10km races; and in England, where I have run everywhere from picturesque Yorkshire villages to the surrounds of the Epsom race track, the streets of London to the parks of Liverpool.

Running Tunbridge Wells So, when we moved to Tunbridge Wells last summer, one of the first things I unpacked was my trainers. Running is a great way to explore a new place – you notice a lot more than you can through car windows, and it really helps you to get your bearings.

I swiftly discovered that Tunbridge Wells is an absolute delight for any runner, even a slow plodder like myself.

Minutes from my front door on Mount Ephraim, I am on the Common, where I can watch dog walkers socialising their four-footed pals on the cricket ground and jog under a canopy of stately trees, seeing the seasons turn through the lens of their leaves. Five minutes more and I am past the grandeur of the Spa Hotel and heading to Rusthall, a popular route with a steady uphill climb that leaves you a little out of breath but not absolutely gasping.

For a longer run, my favourite route is to beautiful High Rocks and then to continue on to Groombridge on the curving country roads. The tranquillity is palpable – 15 minutes from Tunbridge Wells, you leave all sense of hectic busy-ness behind and are immersed in a slower, peaceful world of earth and sky. It is a perfect tonic to the 24/7 modern world.

As I became more comfortable running longer routes, I decided to do something I wasn’t sure I had in me – I completed the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon in February. Even though I was concerned that I might not be able to make the distance – at 13.1 miles, it was the longest I have ever run – the cheers of bystanders and a course through some of the most stunning countryside in Kent kept me going, even up the notoriously hard 300ft Spring Hill in Fordcombe.

I couldn’t believe I had done it; the runner’s high was unbelievable, and even the ache the next day didn’t detract from the feeling. I really wish I could go back in time and show my ninth-grade Physical Education teacher my half-marathon medal. Never mind your ‘D’, Miss – I’ve got a race to run.

Pictures of Dawn by Craig Matthews

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 41

Food & Drink

DINING OUT

FLAVOUR Estro is one of Tunbridge Wells’ newest restaurants. SO Magazine paid it a visit to find out why it’s proving to be such a big hit with foodies THE LOWDOWN Estro occupies the former Strada restaurant site at the top of Mount Pleasant road in Tunbridge Wells. It’s the new venture of Ado Medjedovic, the restaurateur behind the very successful Firezza pizzeria on Mount Ephraim which he founded in 2001 and ran for 15 years. Ado says his passion has always been Italian so when the old Strada building came onto the market he was quick to put in an offer on what he describes as a ‘fantastic location’.

Estro opened in February after seeing a gap in the market for offering foodies the best authentic Neapolitan pizzas and quality burgers in downtown TW. Its slogan is ‘Estro: pizza and more’ and Ado says he doesn’t want food to be categorised, just good quality.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS Visiting early one Thursday evening we were surprised at how busy the place was. But one look around the bustling ground floor restaurant identified the majority of customers as young families having a dinner or commuters fresh off the train. The restaurant layout is similar to Strada’s, accommodating 40-plus covers, and the exposed kitchen area is still there. But the décor is funkier, airier and more considered with large pendant filament lighting, exposed brick

saviour

walls and a large iron-style bike fashioned into the word ‘food’ hanging in pride of place. It feels very relaxed and immediately like somewhere you’d happily want to sit and chat for a few hours over some good food and booze.

Upstairs caters for 66 covers but it’s mainly used for private parties.

UNDER STARTERS ORDERS Despite being busy the staff were very friendly and attentive to us on arrival and swiftly handed us menus and requested our drinks order: heaven if you’ve just alighted from a busy train from London and are in need of instant liquid refreshment.

Birrificio’s Angelo Poretti Bock Chiara 5 was the waiter’s recommendation and so we ordered a couple.

Perfectly chilled, golden in colour and refreshingly aromatic and hoppy, this craft beer was a perfect drink to check out the menu with. Starters are classic Italian fare: buffalo caprese (£6.80), rucola salad (£5.20) and calamari (£6.80) – apart from a token rogue offering of hot and spicy chicken wings (£5.80). We enjoyed the veggie homemade arancini deep fried rice balls stuffed with gooey cheese and served with caramelised onions and salad (£5.80). The portion proved to be very generous and could easily suffice as a lunchtime meal.

THE MAIN EVENT We’d been told that Estro’s culinary thrust was all about offering the best handmade pizzas this side of Naples with an additional selection of great burgers. So it’s no surprise to learn that the mains menu is pretty much split 50:50 between the two, with the odd traditional Italian classic thrown in. If you don’t fancy a traditional tomato based pizza then there’s the Bianca range, which contains no cheese or tomato. Or you can choose creamy gnocchi, linguine pomodoro or a rich ragu.

But it’s the choice of burgers here that’s pretty tempting. There’s everything from an 8oz offering (£12.80), which can be supercharged with Gorgonzola (£13.80), to a streaky bacon beefburger (£13.40) and a chicken pepperonata burger with goats’ cheese (£12.80). Each one comes served in a toasted brioche bun with homemade sauces and fries.

After sampling the gorgeous Gorgonzola variety, any chance of continuing on to a serving of tiramisu (this is pretty much the extent of the dessert choice apart from a chocolate and raspberry vegan slice) was thwarted. We were stuffed!

ESTRO’S EXTRA SPECIAL USP As well as experiencing Estro in its eponymous restaurant you can also have it delivered if you live in TN1 or TN2.

Yes, they use nationwide apps like Deliveroo and Just Eat but they also have their own apps, Estro Pizza (iOS) or Estro Preoday (Google Play), which can be downloaded. That way you get the guys behind Estro cooking AND delivering your food. Quite a unique idea from a place that’s set to get even more popular once the cinema site opposite it has new life breathed into it. A shrewd move, but then you’d expect nothing less from Mr Medjedovic.

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 43

good taste FOOD & DRINK

ALL IN

Eileen Leahy tries the Hotel du Vin’s new seasonal menu which is inspired by the fantastic produce of Kent

T

he Hotel du Vin in Tunbridge Wells has long been a reliable dining destination thanks to its traditional Gallic epicurean offering, excellent wine list and pleasantly authentic bistro surroundings.

During the 20 years it’s been in town it has been the place to enjoy a robust cassoulet or indulgent chateaubriand this side of the Channel, but now its head chef James Sherwin has decided to up its gourmet game a little further and shine a spotlight on some of Kent’s sensational produce too.

James has pushed hard for, and succeeded in creating, a special regional menu that differs from those you’ll find in other Hotel du Vin locations such as Brighton or Cheltenham.

Two courses cost £19.95, or £24.95 for three on the prix fixe (or set) menu, but each dish on it has its culinary roots firmly entwined in Kent.

Some of the tempting treats James and his team have dreamt up for foodies to savour this summer at the four-star hotel include smoked ham

44 | June 2019 | SO Magazine

hock croquettes using meat from Pembury Porkoo and a crispy polenta and ratatouille confection which showcases Staplehurst’s Kentish Blue cheese as its star ingredient.

In addition to finding a slew of locally produced goodies plucked from the Garden of England, guests can also savour the many drinks made here too – either in some of the dishes or as a perfect liquid accompaniment to lunch or dinner.

Drinks from Tenterden’s Chapel Down feature strongly on both the bar and prix fixe menus. When I visited recently to sample the new menu I particularly enjoyed the Bacchus gin-cured salmon dish served with a cucumber and dill salad.

To follow I had a deliciously plump poached haddock fillet and fragrant samphire risotto which was further enhanced by the addition of a Curious Brew cider velouté. But the slow roasted Kent pork belly with confit fennel and Spitfire ale black pudding sounded equally as good.

ON THE MENU

I finished my tastebuds’ tour of Kent with a decadent serving of Chapel Down and rhubarb jelly, which sees one of Kent’s finest sparkling wines infused into layers of pretty, poached rhubarb shards. Now if that isn’t a taste of Kent – and of summer – I don’t know what is…

Hotel du Vin Tunbridge Wells will be hosting weekly Sundowner Sessions from Friday June 28 between 5 and 7pm. As well as live music being played on the terrace, guests can enjoy a range of Chapel Down sparkling wines and gin cocktails at special prices. www.hotelduvin.com

Various tweaks have been ma de to Hotel du Vin’s à la carte menu too.

Now you’ll find a bigger selectio n of British, Mediterreanean and vegetarian dishes such as breade d Gloucester Old Spot escalope served with a hen’s egg and aubergine and halloumi parmigiana bake alon gside the usual French staples of gar lic prawns with Pastis and aioli, sole meunière and Roquefort, pea r and walnut salad.

The inclusion of some local info on the à la carte menus – think a brief history of famed architect Dec imus Burton and the Chalybeate Spr ing in The Pantiles – is a nice touch for any visitors to Tunbridge Wells. An d, like the new regional prix fixe me nu, it helps the Hotel du Vin in Tun bridge Wells feel far from being just another link in a chain of UK-wide hot els.

FOOD & DRINK

s t i r i p s D E R KIND Meet the team behind Pipehouse Gin, a spirit company based in Tunbridge Wells. As well as celebrating its first birthday this month Pipehouse will also be taking part in The Pantiles Gin and Jazz festival running from June 22-23

T

here are four of us behind Pipehouse Gin: We’re two sets of couples; Ben and Katherine Larcombe and Sam and Emma Priestley.

We’re all passionate about good gin and wanted to have a go at creating our own recipe. Lots of our friends and family thought we were a bit mad as none of us had any previous experience in the industry but, after tasting our gin, they were definitely won over!

We launched in June of last year but we first started working on the recipe for our Earl Grey & Cucumber Gin and the brand’s design about nine months before we launched, towards the end of 2017.

Art Direction: Lee Smith | Photography: Craig Matthews

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 45

FOOD & DRINK

The main reason we began Pipehouse is because we all love gin! The more gins we tried, the more we realised there was something missing from the gin market – i.e. flavoured gins that are also London Drys (the strictest, highest quality category of gin). In other words, flavoured gin that is traditional, juniper-led, and isn’t sickly sweet. We started experimenting and playing around with recipes and eventually realised we were on to something special.

It’s been challenging, but worth it!

We’ve learnt so much through starting Pipehouse. Almost every aspect was new to us.

Pipehouse Gin: intriguing flavours for the gin lover who desires something traditional yet innovative

Gin is currently the drink du jour in the UK but there are so many things that make our gin unique and different. I think one of the main things is our focus on creating interesting flavour We are all equal partners and combinations. What we call have invested the start-up ‘perfect pairings’. There’s no money ourselves. Unlike more other gin on the market that traditional companies, we has the same flavour don’t have positions that are combinations as us. set in stone. Everyone pitches in, sharing the logistics and management tasks.

We currently have two flavours: Earl Grey & Cucumber, a lovely fresh gin with floral notes, and Pink Grapefruit & Thyme, with zesty and sharp flavours accentuated by hints of aromatic thyme. We thought one might end up becoming more popular than the other but at the moment people seem to be split as to which is their favourite. We’re currently producing one batch per month.

And we’re a small-batch gin so that’s about 250 bottles at a time.

We supply lots of lovely local bars, restaurants and retailers. We love seeing the creative ways they use our gin.

Thackeray’s have just created a gorgeous cocktail with our new gin (the ‘Pipehouse Bennett’) and The Beacon have created a summery cocktail (‘Tea Garden Lane’) made with our original gin and served in a teacup! We also supply the Vale Vault, where we did this exclusive photoshoot for SO magazine too. www.pipehousegin.com @pipehousegin

Here’s a couple of favourite recipes to enjoy a perfect Pipehouse drink…

PIPEHOUSE FRENCH 75 We love this twist on the classic French 75. It’s both impressive and delicious yet so easy to make!

Pour 50ml Pipehouse Pink Grapefruit & Thyme Gin, 1 tbsp of fresh grapefruit juice, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp sugar syrup into a cocktail shaker then fill up with ice. Shake well then strain into a champagne flute. Top with champagne and garnish with a twist of grapefruit zest

OR...

PIPEHOUSE SUMMER CUP One of our favourite recipes is the Pipehouse Summer Cup. It’s perfect for this time of year!

Ingredients: • 50ml Pipehouse Earl Grey & Cucumber Gin • 25ml Pimm’s • Lemonade • 25ml lemon juice • 50g raspberries • 1/2 cucumber Method: 1. Muddle the raspberries and cucumber 2. Add the gin, Pimm’s and lemon, and shake in a cocktail shaker 3. Strain over ice in a large wine glass 4. Top with lemonade and garnish

With thanks to the team at the Vale Vault for allowing SO magazine to shoot the Pipehouse Gin team

46 | June 2019 | SO Magazine

Pretty in PINK LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE Amelie table lamp, £149, Furniture Village, www.furniturevillage.co.uk

LOOKING GOOD Gold star mirror, £49, Homesense, available from selected Homesense stores nationwide

T

here was a time when pink was reserved solely for decorating little girls’ bedrooms but now it’s enjoying an altogether more grown-up look thanks to the plethora of pink statement seating, rugs, paints and printed fabrics that are cropping up in numerous interiors collections.

Whether you go for a hot pink sofa or a selection

Image courtesy of John Lewis S/S19 www.johnlewis.com

INTERIORS

A selection of palest pink soft furnishings and key accessories in metallic gold gives any space a fresh and suitably stylish feel of more subtle dusky shades, one thing is for sure: this tonal hue is bound to give a room more visual interest. Our favourite has to be the more subtle approach to the pink palette as seen in this beautifully styled room by John Lewis. The powdery shades are further enhanced by touches of metallic gold and the odd grey hit here and there. It’s safe to say we’re tickled pink by this particular trend . . .

GROOVY GEOMETRIC Medium wire rose coloured basket with smoked oak lid, £134, Ferm Living available from Amara, www.amara.com

ING 0, 3 RM HA shion, £ o.uk C S t cu c .

T n o N PRI af velve .monso le www k n i , P soon Mon

GOLDEN WONDER New Works Aura table mirror, £60, Nest, www.nest.co.uk

WELL ROUNDED Set of Aruba nesting tables, £199, Very, www.very.co.uk

SITTING PRETTY Titus armchair, £325, Michael Murphy Home Furnishing, www.michaelmurphy.ie

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 49

ADVERTISING

We’ve got designs on your garden

Tradi'onal or contemporary, large or small, the team at Gardenproud can help you create a garden you’ll be proud of. Established 2007, we design, build and maintain gardens throughout Kent and East Sussex.

See our Show Garden at Corker’s, Paddock Wood.

If you are planning a new garden for 2019 then contact Tim Sykes on 07725 173820, see us on Instagram, or google Gardenproud

50 | JUNE 2019 | SO Magazine

ADVERTORIAL

Home Renovation

OPEN DAY

SATURDAY 15TH JUNE 10-4PM MEET THE EXPERTS

Schmidt Kitchens Schmidt Wimbledon offer one of the largest range of products on the market with something to suit almost every taste and budget. The designers can help you get the best from your project and their kitchens, bathrooms and home living furniture is made-to-measure ensuring you get the most out of your space.

Meet an array of experts including builders, interior designers, kitchen designers and more at this special event hosted by Schmidt Kitchens in Tunbridge Wells.

Gain one to one advice, visit the creative zone where you can touch, compare and contrast hundreds of colours and textures, experience live cooking demo’s and enjoy tastings. Whether you have plans or a blank canvas there is much inspiration to be had - have your kitchen designed, see gadgets and appliances in action and find out how to avoid the most common pitfalls when creating your dream home.

KIDS STATION Children are always welcome and to help keep the littles ones entertained there will be biscuit decorating and colouring-in stations.

We will also have some of our partners with us: Paul Carter A great Architect to give you amazing technical advice and inspire a potential new extension, refurb or new build. We work with architects to ensure your kitchen is designed in sync with your project.

Wayne Varney A Building Contractor to help turn that project in to a reality. You will be able to understand how builders can provide a team to do everything you need and have a project manager to keep everything under control, giving you more time to do things you love.

Diego Correa An experienced Interior Designer to help you with everything outside your kitchen. They will bring colours, wall/floor coverages and furnishings together to create a perfect home to suit your lifestyle. “

BOOK YOUR FREE MINI CONSULTATION Feel free to pop in at any time on Saturday 15th June, to arrange a dedicated 30 minute consultation with any of the experts to discuss your project, simply email james@schmidt-tunbridgewells.com or call 01892 547132 to arrange.

HALF PRICE APPLIANCES For June only we are offering all appliances at half price when purchased with your kitchen.

Choose from top brands such as BOSCH, NEFF, SIEMENS AND AEG. Terms & Conditions apply – see in store for details

Schmidt Kitchens Wimbledon Schmidt Kitchen Tunbridge Wells, 20 Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 2AR | 01892 547132

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 51

Advertorial

Room to grow T Mary Mary Creates explain their approach to creating gardens perfect for all the family

he weather is warming up and I have an excuse to always be outside with my littles ones.While I enjoy the explosions of colour in the garden in early summer, watching my kids discover nature is something…more. Hunting for spiders, digging up worms, feeding the birds, planting and growing strawberries and veggies together – it never gets old.

A garden continuously changes; watching it change through the seasons is just like watching your own child develop.When they are tiny, seeing the world for the first time, a butterfly fluttering past will enchant them. As they grow, hours of joy can be

had in their own imagined worlds, playing in a mud kitchen or a wigwam den.

We Marys always say that we don’t design gardens for children, we design gardens for the whole family. Whether you have a tiny courtyard or acres of land, turning it into something everyone can share is the key to a great outdoor space. Every family garden we design is unique, whether a mini golf course, a gigantic seesaw, or making a pond safe for little explorers, what we create is as individual to your household as all your own personalities are.

Above all, we make spaces that take all the family outside, helping little minds embrace nature; discover nature, nurture nature and most importantly of all, enjoy nature.

“If children lose contact with nature, they won’t fight for it” – George Monbiot.

www.marymarycreatesgardens.co.uk

52 | June 2019 | SO Magazine

Gardening

OUTSIDE EDGE

WildTIMES

Traditional lawns are all very well but they take an awful lot of upkeep so how about mixing things up in your garden by sowing a wild meadow instead says Victoria Truman

I

f you are bored of looking at a flat, green piece of lawn and would like something that will flower most of the summer whilst also providing a haven for insects and pollinators look no further than sowing or installing a wildflower seed mix or wildflower turf.

There are varying mixes of wildflower seeds which come back year after year.

Normally the first year after sowing they don’t produce many flowers but by the second year of growth and thereafter they will be prolific.

If you chose a mix that has successional flowering you will be rewarded every month with a high impact floral display providing drama and colour from early spring to late autumn. A meadow mix only requires one annual cut and clear once established.

Wildflower turf is a simpler and easier way to have an instant lawn. It consists of 100 per cent meadow plantlets growing in a special substrate which ensure complete consistency. No grass is used in

the mixes as this can quickly out-compete the perennial floral species. The turf is sent freshly harvested from the field in flat sections. The wildflower turf will arrive on a pallet and can be easily lifted off it and laid by two people.

Some of the seed mixes on Pictorial Meadows’ website have names that evoke the colours of the flowers once they are established.

An example is Golden Summer which is an exuberant, warm and visually stunning colour-themed meadow for normal fertility soils. This mix establishes a really ecologically stable carpet of flowers showing continuous waves of colour and form from late spring right through to late autumn.

As the name suggests, yellows and golds predominate but they are softened by whites and cream with hints of orange and purple later to give a lovely subtle contrast. This meadow turf is not fussy about soil types but grows particularly well in free-draining, sunny locations.

HORTICULTURAL HOTSPOT: PICTORIAL MEADOWS Pictorial Meadows was born 20 years ago out of an intensive research programme undertaken by Professor Nigel Dunnett of the University of Sheffield, the world’s leading centre for naturalistic planting.

The initial project was to develop beautiful meadows that would thrive on average garden soils. These would not need the ‘starvation’ regime normally associated with traditional wildflower meadows. A radically different approach to meadow landscapes emerged which combined ecology with design. Experimental plots established in Sheffield provided a way to continually improve designs. The beds also enabled research into the care and establishment of meadows, which has made them accessible to everyone. To find out more visit www.pictorialmeadows.co.uk

Victoria Truman Garden Designer

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 55

OUTSIDE EDGE

JUNE’S JOBS FOR THE GARDEN

1

6

2

7 8

Start planning your spring and summer garden by ordering a selection of beautiful bedding plants, including begonias, busy Lizzies and petunias which will give you instant colour

Look out for slugs and snails hiding in nooks and crannies. They’ll be out in force coming after all those tender young shoots coming up this month. Hunts are best done in early morning and evening when cool damp air brings them into the open.

Depending on how much of a problem they are in the garden you can try various control methods. Nematodes (microscopic organisms that predate on slugs and snails) are organic and safe with pets and children but require careful application.

Sow seeds of annual flowers to fill gaps.

Mix the seeds into sand or cover seeds with a mix of potting compost and sand so you can easily spot which areas you have sown and don’t enthusiastically hoe or pull up seedlings by mistake. Remember to keep the soil moist until they have germinated and the seedlings have grown into their space.

3

Keep pulling weeds. Little and often works best – five minutes here and there, aiming to pull them before they flower and set seed.

Sow spinach and kale. Both are useful crops that are easy to grow and good to eat. Sow F1 varieties for reliable performance. Use thinnings for salads.

Keep mowing the grass weekly

Trim herbs to help the plants keep their shape and grow better. Dry trimmings using the fan only setting (i.e. no heat) in your oven. Or freeze them in small quantities - little plastic snack bags are perfect for this.

9

Keep deadheading flowers and give weekly feeds of liquid seaweed or similar.

4

Divide bearded irises a couple of weeks after they have finished flowering. Lift plants, break off the older parts of the rhizome and keep the firm plump pieces.

Trim the leaves to just above the fan as this reduces stress, and replant facing the sun, with the top of the rhizome just visible as they need to soak up the sun.

5

Keep sowing salad leaves and lettuces.

If you find them too fiddly try using seed tape – seeds set into paper tape. A very clever way of ensuring you don’t sow too thickly. Plus it ensures straight rows. They are a bit more expensive but satisfying.

56 | June 2019 | SO Magazine

www.victoriatruman.com

Wedding special FINISHING TOUCHES

n

HAIR & MAKE-UP

n

VENUES

If you’re planning your big day and are getting into a bit of a panic, relax – we have everything covered. Whether it’s finding the perfect photographer, sourcing a dreamy venue or looking for beauty tips you’ll find all the inspiration you need in this special directory...

n

PHOTOGRAPHY

n

DRESSES

n

CEREMONIES

GRAND DESIGNS Ensure your day is unique by crafting stunning table decorations p71 ESCAPE TO THE COUNTRY Why St Julians is a dream wedding venue p69

MAKE A BIG IMPRESSION Discover the grandeur of Eastwell Manor for your special day p69

CONTEMPORARY CLASSIC One Warwick Park Hotel offers a stylish civil ceremony p69 PICTURE PERFECT How your day could be magical at the romantic Salomons Estate p67

SNAP IT UP How to get fabulous foodie shots p46

THE LOOK OF LOVE Louise Large on making the bride look beautiful p63

CAPTURE THE MAGIC It’s the little moments as well as the main events @Florence Berry Photography p69 SO Magazine | JUNE 2019 | 61

Travel

Together and away This month we asked Steph Witchell about her top tips for your dream honeymoon...

Top honeymoon destination to explore?

We always recommend travelling to a destination when the weather conditions are at their best, so your decision does depend on the time of year. Places such as South Africa, Canada and Vietnam all offer fantastic opportunities to be adventurous and explore. We can arrange safaris, cultural journeys, road trips and activity-based trips, as well as the traditional beach stays.

Top honeymoon destination for the ultimate relaxation?

Depending on the time of year, the Maldives, Caribbean or Bali all offer the perfect idyllic beach destination. We can even arrange stays on a private island for ultimate relaxation and privacy.

Top pick for a luxurious honeymoon?

The Islands of the Seychelles or those in the South Pacific such as Bora Bora and Fiji offer some of the most luxurious hotels in the World.

62 | June 2019 | SO Magazine

Best honeymoon destination on a budget?

Travelling longhaul to places such as Mauritius and Thailand can often offer better value than European destinations, so it’s worth considering looking further afield – and it will make you feel that extra bit special too.

Have you seen a rise in minimoons before a honeymoon?

Yes, there has been an increase but sometimes it’s a couple of months before, other times it’s more than a year. Some of our favourite minimoon destinations include Lake Como, Rome and Venice in Italy, as they offer a romantic escape not too far from home.

Some couples want to allow plenty of time to save for their dream honeymoon so they might take a mini-moon post wedding and then have their honeymoon at a later date. Our gift service is an ideal way to do this as friends and family can make contributions towards a honeymoon fund at any of our branches.

What are the five essentials to pack for your honeymoon?

Passport, camera, suncream, swimwear and a toothbrush.

How far in advance would you advise couples to book their honeymoon?

The earlier, the better as this can enable us to offer benefits such as ‘Bride Stays Free’ and room upgrades. But we can arrange last-minute honeymoons too so don’t fret!

Our advice to brides and grooms when it comes to planning your honeymoon is to talk to one of our experts. The wide choice of destinations we offer means we can help you tailor-make the perfect honeymoon for you and we can even suggest a destination you had not previously thought of. We can arrange appointments at any of our branches to ensure that each couple has plenty of time to sit and chat – over a glass of bubbles of course - about what’s important to them so that we deliver the trip of a lifetime.

To start planning your perfect wedding abroad and dream honeymoon, contact our Weddings and Honeymoons Coordinator Steph Witchell on 01732 225522 or email weddings @baldwinstravel.co.uk

Bridal Special

I’ve worked with a few celebrities and on film sets over the years including X-Men: First Class and more recently Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard starring Samuel L Jackson, Ryan Reynolds, Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas

L

ouise Large

graduated from Getting your the London make-up right for your College of Fashion with an HND in Design wedding day is as vital Fashion Styling for Hair as choosing the right and Make-up in 2000.

She says she always dress. Talented makeknew she wanted to be a up artist Louise Large make-up artist and work in TV, media and fashion – who also created the but at the time of starting out in her career she had look for our cover stars a young baby, Matthew – The Wandering Hearts now 21 – to look after so initially she found the industry – reveals her trade pretty hard to earn a living from. secrets “I knew I needed to find a career where I could work nine to five, so after working for Bobbi Brown for a while, I ended up working in sales and recruitment for five years.”

But Louise, who is based in Crowborough and is also mother to 10 year old twins Erin and Harrison, never gave up on her dream to work in the hair and make-up arena and so kept her hand in doing the odd freelance jobs whenever she could. Eventually she decided to follow her passion and so she set up Louise Make-up and Hair in 2006. She says she hasn’t looked back since. So in our bridal special section we thought it was a good time to hear the rest of her story:

When I was planning my own wedding I struggled to find anyone to help with hair and make-up so I decided to do some wedding fairs and market to the brides who wanted someone to come to their house or venue and help get them and their bridal party ready for the big day. I began to get inundated with bookings and enquiries and at one stage I was doing over 60 weddings a year! I have met some great talents in the industry and always pass work on to them and vice versa. We all support each other, which is great.

Beauty

QUEEN

I feel so privileged to be part of a bride’s special day, helping to transform herself into the best version of who she can be. I also love to see the final results especially when I have pushed someone out of their make-up comfort zone and see their reaction when they look and feel amazing and full of confidence. That’s exactly how we should all feel every day.

My brides all have ideas and themes for their special day so when they come to see me for trials we spend some time talking through ideas and then together find a look and hair style to suit them and compliment the overall look and feel of the wedding. I have seen some amazing themed weddings over the years, and there are always new ideas and trends. I recently worked with a bride to achieve a Game of Thrones inspired look – her photos were incredible!

CONTINUED ON PAGE 65

Art Direction: Lee Smith | Photography: Craig Matthews

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 63

ADVERTISING

64 | JUNE 2019 | SO Magazine

Bridal Special

I am a mother of three children: Matthew, 21, and my soon-to-be 11 year old twins Erin and Harrison.

I also have a beautiful nine month old grandaughter Bleu, who we all absolutely adore QUICK FIX TRICKS:

FOR A FLAWLESS BASE: moisturise well then use a primer and foundation followed by a soft cream blush and highlighters for a really fresh feel FOR EYES WIDE OPEN: kohl eyeliner is your friend – even if it’s a tiny amount worked into the lash root. It just adds the definition needed to really make your eyes pop for the camera

I have been really lucky to do lots of diverse work such as various editorial and commercial shoots, TV and big films, but I would love to do more music and creative make-up jobs. Now my children are older I can be more flexible so I hope to do more film work. I am always updating and enhancing my skills and learning by attending masterclasses, brand training and working with other hair and make-up artists.

ON WORKING WITH THE WANDERING HEARTS

I have been a brand ambassador for Arbonne for many years now and am really conscious of using safe, natural and Vegan products, things that are free from mineral oil, parabens and synthetic preservatives

What lovely people The Wandering Hearts are! We really had a nice time getting them ready for the shoot.

AJ was playing his guitar in the background and it was a lovely atmosphere and great to hear about their upcoming tours and festivals. They seem to have a great friendship and lots of banter, it was really nice to be part of it. The girls told me the kind of make-up looks they like to go with and the different outfits they had chosen for the shoot. They both loved the finish of the airbrush foundation I used on them!

I have a consultation room at my home and welcome people for make-up and hair for special occasions, express hair styling, bridal/prom trials, or consultations or lessons

LOUISE’S TOP KIT PICKS: •M Y AIRBRUSH: This gives high definition, camera ready, flawless, durable and long-lasting coverage, which allows the skin to breathe. It’s perfect for heat, oily T-zones, blemishes and rosacea • CLUSTER LASHES: These make a huge difference to the finished look simply by adding a little extra definition on the eyes, yet they are still natural-looking, gentle, durable and comfortable to wear •G EL LINER: Long-wearing, smudge-proof eyeliner that frames the eyes and makes them pop •B RONZER/CONTOUR: They enhance the face’s structure and definition, warm the skin tone and draw attention to the eyes •B ROW POWDER/GEL: This adds definition and shape to the eyebrows and really frames the face. It’s a subtle difference that has a huge effect

www.louisemakeup.co.uk

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 65

WEDDING DIRECTORY

Making your day special

This month we’ve compiled a guide to some of the best venues, businesses and people to help create the best day of your life

Bewl Water

reception on the water in the Bewl Belle, Bewl Water promises a unique experience for your wedding.

For summer weddings you can now choose to have your ceremony outside at Bewl Water, with the new, stunning Wedding Waterside Gazebo, a truly picturesque feature which promises to impress you and your guests. bewlwater.co.uk Info@bewlwater.co.uk Bewl Water, Bewlbridge Lane, Lamberhurst, Kent 01892 890000

The Bell

We would also be delighted to be the venue for your reception, even if you’re getting married somewhere else.

So if you desire something unique, contact Tessa to begin the exciting journey towards your big day.

The Bell is the regional winner of The Wedding Industry Awards Best Events Team 2019 and winner of Guides for Brides Customer Service Award 2019 thebellinticehurst.com The Bell, High Street, Ticehurst, Wadhurst, East Sussex TN5 7AS 01580 200300

The Spa Hotel

special day as well as beautiful backdrops for your important wedding photos.

The hotel also has 70 individually designed bedrooms, spa and leisure facilities, an award-winning kitchen and extensive catering facilities.

Our Wedding Team are on hand to help to create the perfect special day. spahotel.co.uk The Spa Hotel, Langton Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 8XJ 01892 520331

Salomons Estate

our spaces maintain the stunning, romantic, and characteristic features of Salomons Estate and allow you to enjoy the breathtaking views of the grounds.

Getting married at Salomons Estate ensures a wonderful occasion that you will always remember. salomons-estate.com reservations@salomons-estate.com Salomons Estate, Broomhill Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN3 0TG 01892 515152

The rustic woodland and stunning reservoir provide the perfect backdrop for your special day, which is why Bewl Water makes the perfect wedding location. An area of outstanding natural beauty, nestled in the heart of the High Weald, Bewl truly comes alive at this time of year.

Our picturesque wedding venue sits perched on the water’s edge and you and your guests can take in the panoramic views of the lake from the romantic setting of our Boat House Bistro.

With the option to hold your drinks

The Spa Hotel is a unique and sought-after luxury wedding venue, perfect for celebrating your nuptials with sophistication and style. Licensed for civil wedding ceremonies, the venue has a range of beautiful ceremony and reception rooms, plus there’s the option to be married outside in The Spa Temple set within 14 acres of gorgeous landscaped gardens.

With such spectacular surroundings, The Spa provides the perfect setting for your

Come and celebrate life, love and happiness with us. The Bell in Ticehurst pulls out all the stops for a wedding day to remember.

Whether you are looking for rustic charm or some Alice in Wonderland whimsy, we are here to help make your dreams come true. The Bell is the perfect setting for a quirky wedding that will delight you and your guests.

We have a maximum capacity of 80 guests for the wedding ceremony and formal reception, and up to 120 guests for the evening reception.

Celebrate your wedding at a venue that retains all the magic and romance of a bygone era. With its elegant Grade II listed Victorian mansion, 36 acres of beautiful gardens, woods, parkland and a tranquil lake, the estate is a picture perfect setting for your special day, and is sure to impress and delight your guests.

There are three fabulous function rooms to choose from, which can cater for both intimate and larger wedding parties. All of

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 67

ADVERTISING

68 | JUNE 2019 | SO Magazine

WEDDING DIRECTORY

Eastwell Manor

Located in the heart of the Kent countryside, Eastwell Manor is an exceptional setting for your big day. Set in 3,000 acres of manicured grounds, this idyllic spot is unrivalled, and the 11thcentury country house provides the perfect backdrop for you to say “I do”.

Eastwell Manor’s team of dedicated wedding planners are on hand to make sure your every need is met and that your day runs perfectly to plan. The historic Manor House comprises 60 individually styled elegant bedrooms and suites, overlooking the picturesque grounds.

With its period charm, award-winning cuisine, regal surroundings, warming log

St Julians

St Julians is an elegant Georgian country house just outside Sevenoaks, which has been a private members’ club since the 1950s. It is an elegant venue with an oldworld charm, unique history and bohemian atmosphere that you will love. We offer: • Civil ceremonies of up to 110 guests.

• Social membership of the club for both the bride and groom for one year • Use of the grounds and gardens for your reception drinks and photographs • Bespoke menus planned with the team of experienced chefs • Private use of the three main function rooms, The Gallery, Lounge and Conservatory, as well as the privacy of the

fires and some of the finest spa and leisure facilities in England, Eastwell Manor is a highly esteemed country house hotel with a quality of service hard to equal.

The wedding facilities include three beautiful oak-panelled reception rooms and an Italian gazebo situated in a tranquil garden, all of which make for perfect summer weddings.

Wedding packages are also available throughout the year, designed to take the stress out of planning your wedding amd leaving you and your guests to enjoy your special day. eastwellmanor.co.uk Eastwell Court, Ashford, Kent TN25 4HR 01233 213000

Florence Berry Photography

flagstone and grass terraces across the front of the house.

• Complimentary menu tasting for the bride and groom and wine tasting from the venue’s list of house wines We believe that every wedding should be designed around the couple, so there are no hidden costs or set wedding packages. We deliver the wedding you have always dreamed of.

We understand that your wedding day is uniquely special and we are proud to make it unforgettable for you and your guests. stjulians.co.uk St Julians, Underriver, Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 0RX 01732 458261

One Warwick Park Hotel

Your wedding day is full of gorgeous moments, most of them planned years in advance. Your photographer will capture them all beautifully, but the inbetween moments should never be over looked.

Florence Berry is constantly looking for parts of the day that will help tell your wedding day story through your images. Some of them are obvious – sunsets, first looks and

sparklers – but some of them are those small details that make up a wedding day – handmade favours, surprise gifts, tearful guests.

These moments really help to show the energy and happiness in yourselves and your guests.

The whole day goes so quickly and it’s Florence’s job to document everything – from the key parts like the ceremony to the thoughtful finishing touches. visions@florenceberry.com 07772 891062

One Warwick Park Hotel, which has been voted as Kent Brides Boutique Venue of The Year, is nestled in the heart of Royal Tunbridge Wells.

The former school house at One Warwick Park Hotel makes the perfect blank canvas to host your special day. Whether you are considering an extravagant celebration or an intimate reception for your nearest and dearest, One Warwick Park Hotel promises to offer a unique and versatile space.

Just a stone’s throw from the famous Pantiles district and on the doorstep of the scenic and rustic Cumberland Walk, there are plenty of unique photo opportunities, alongside the impressive glass atrium,

underground gallery and twilight trees inside One Warwick Park Hotel.

Being at the forefront of the latest wedding trends, holding close relationships with Tunbridge Wells’ most prestigious bridal suppliers and our dedicated team means we can recommend the names to suit your requirements.

You can be certain all aspects of your wedding will be arranged and supported by our wedding and events host so you can relax and enjoy every minute of your special day. onewarwickpark.co.uk info@onewarwickpark.co.uk One Warwick Park Hotel, 1 Warwick Park, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 5TA 01892 520587 SO Magazine | June 2019 | 69

ADVERTISING

70 | JUNE 2019 | SO Magazine

WEDDINGS

China teacup table centrepiece...

Make a beautiful table display using vintage china. The cups don’t have to match, in fact it can make a greater impact if they don’t. However, try to tie them together with a theme (birds or flowers, for example) or with complementary colours.

1

Paint the cake stand fixing with white paint.

You can leave this gold but the white makes it look more like a whole unit with the china.

2

Make sure the saucer and teacups are clean and dry. Measure the diameter of each one and mark the center with a pen. This will act as your drill guide.

3

Time to put on the safety goggles! Find somewhere to drill the

Materials:

• Three-tier cake stand fixing • White enamel paint • Small paintbrush saucer and teacups where they won’t slip and you won’t drill into • Three teacups and on e saucer something precious underneath—a workbench is ideal.

• Tape measure • Pen Put a small amount of water in • Fully charged cordless the saucer and the teacups to with a tile drill bit – thidrill important, as a normal s is keep the drill bit and china cold. bit will break the china drill Slowly drill each piece through the • Safety goggles centre marking you made in step 2.

• Screws and washers Assemble the cake stand, starting • Screwdriver with the saucer. Put a washer on • Flowe rs the base and then push the bottom screw into the saucer. Put a washer on the topside of the saucer and then fix the cake-stand fitting. Add a washer and attach the first cup, then continue until all three fixings and teacups have been attached.

4 5

6

Fill each cup with small-budded flowers. The size of the cups means you can create lovely floral displays without using an awful lot of flowers—thrifty as well as beautiful.

s e h c u o t finishing

FABULOUS

e better unique a wedding th Nowadays the more making more personal than it e ak m d ul co t ha w and ting... ? Prepare to get craf your own decorations

Decorated table planner...

A seating plan is vital to help your guests find their table. This stylish idea of cards featuring guests’ names printed in a classic italic script with flashes of gold in the hand-lettered table numbers and in the decorations of vintage buttons and earrings, is easily adapted to suit either a formal or more relaxed setting..

1

This planner has room for nine tables so increase or reduce the dimensions if you need to accommodate a different number. With pencil, ruler, craft knife and cutting board, cut the polyboard 23½ x 15in (60 x 38cm).

Then cut the gold synthetic material or wrapping paper to 30 x 21in (76 x 53cm). Glue the reverse side of the gold paper using spray adhesive, position the polyboard in the middle of the paper and press together to adhere. Turn the edges over the polyboard, folding the corners as if

wrapping a parcel. Add extra adhesive if necessary. Smooth out any creases that may appear on the front.

2

Cut a length of gold braid the width of the board plus approximately 1½in (4cm) each side for turning. Back this with doublesided tape. With the right side of the table planner facing you, position the trim along the bottom edge, turning the excess around to the back at each end. With pencil and ruler, measure out the position where each tag will hang and mark this by gluing on a button with multipurpose adhesive.

3

Using the pencil, ruler, craft knife, and cutting board, cut out nine tags 4¾ x 2¼in (12 x 6cm) from the white card. On a computer, type out a list of six guests for each tag and print onto ivory paper using a classic italic font. Cut these into 4¾ x 2¼in (12 x 6cm) rectangles, with the names

Y A D IG B R U O Y E K A THAT’LL M Materials:

• Gold polyethylene syn centred horizontally, leaving material or gold wrappthetic ing paper enough space at the bottom for the table number. Spray the • ¼in (5mm) thick polyb oard reverse side of the paper with • Thin white card adhesive and glue each one • Ivory “laid” paper sui tab onto a tag. At the bottom write for computer printing le the relevant table number with • Vintage go ld thread a gold marker pen.

• Gold and glass butto ns • Vintage braid To hang each tag, cut a • Vintage gold earrings piece of gold thread • Vintage gold ribbon approximately 4in (10cm) • Cutting board long. Double this over and • Craft knife glue at the back of the tag, at the top edge, with adhesive • Metal safety ruler tape. Decorate each tag with a • Pencil gold earring simply clipped • Scissors over the top edge.

• Double-sided tape • Adhesive tape To hang the table • Spray adhesive planner, or for • Multi-purpose adhesi decoration, cut a length of ve • Gold marker pen (ex gold ribbon and attach it to trafine point) the top edge, on the reverse side. Glue in position with double-sided tape and reinforce with a strip of gold paper if necessary.

Extracts taken from The Handmade Wedding Now, hang a tag to each button published by CICO Books (£12.99) starting with table number 1.

4

5

Photography © CICO Books

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 71

Education

EDUCATION

Emma Neville, Head Teacher Rose Hill School This month we debate the concept of forest schools and find out what some of our local educational establishments think of them

DOES

outside learning HAVE THE EDGE?

Kate Rignall, Year 4 MiSP Qualified Teacher of Mindfulness Holmewood House School

Rebecca Reid, Head of Forest School Marlborough House School

A common misconception is that outdoor learning is simply about children getting fresh air and exercise in between lessons. However, the invigorating woodland setting of forest school provides the perfect stimulus for creative and self-motivated learning with the children developing confidence in their ability to overcome natural obstacles and tinker towards solutions.

Learning opportunities are all around us and should not be confined to the classroom. Geographers can experiment with pebbles and water to understand riverbed formations and Archimedes principles of displacement can be seen first-hand by young scientists. Den builders in forest school learn that the forces of nature and gravity must be overcome if you are to succeed in creating a safe, sturdy structure.

There are many forms of outdoor learning but our forest school at Marlborough House School has a distinct approach based on collaborative work between pupils and teachers.

Children are passionately encouraged to explore and discover, experience appropriate risk and challenge and choose, initiate and drive individual learning and development. Nature ignites passion, inspiration, curiosity and purpose and it plays a crucial role in the cognitive, emotional and physical development of children. Our forest school has become a truly valuable compliment to the traditional school curriculum and we firmly believe that the holistic approach of forest school results in our children being independent, creative and resilient learners.

Our children learn about the natural environment, how to handle risks and, most importantly, how to use their own initiative to solve problems while cooperating with others

There are myriad positive reasons why forest schools can enhance the education of children and their learning potential, not to mention mental health. Research backs up what the Scandinavians began to implement in the 1950s.

Young people are stimulated by the outdoors and over time can exhibit an increase in self-belief, confidence, learning capacity, enthusiasm, communication and problem-solving skills – not forgetting emotional well-being.

Studies have also shown that children who have the opportunities to explore outside learning become more independent and self-aware and gain confidence in their own abilities, thus improving self- esteem.

All these factors can only positively enhance learning within the classroom environment as they are building up a toolbox of valuable skills that can be implemented into all aspects of their education.

There is also an incredible opportunity for crosscurricular links in an outdoor classroom environment; creative writing, science and maths for example – who wouldn’t love to learn how to add using pine cones? In this situation it enables children who may initially find it challenging within a classroom situation to explore other avenues of learning styles and gain such a sense of achievement and also providing a connection between the theory and ‘the real world’.

The health benefit of being in the open air speaks for itself. It has been researched that regular times spent in the outdoors have a definite effect on the amount of sick days the children take from school. Time outside, away from the lure of screen time, and experiencing the world on the outside can only be a good thing. I believe that the main benefit to children learning outside is the positive effect that it has on their mental health, which is ultimately the most important aspect.

Rose Hill was established in 1832; looking back at the school photographic archives, lessons predominately took place in the beautiful school gardens. The school moved to its present site in 1966 with an already matured woodland which we have continued to make use of. At Rose Hill School pupils from Kindergarten to Year 8 spend time with our specialist gardening teacher, woodland activity and grounds staff so that they can meet wildlife and name plants and trees.

Pupils also spend time applying specific scientific skills to identify species and carry out a range of environmental measures.

Across the 15-acre site there is lots for our pupils to explore: they have access to fun activities and outdoor learning opportunities in our forest. On Friday evenings the beautiful smell of toasting marshmallows over a campfire wafts across the campus.

Using our woodland help, our children learn about the natural environment, how to handle risks and, most importantly, how to use their own initiative to solve problems while co-operating with others. Along with increasing each child’s appreciation and knowledge of the natural world, the outdoor learning supports our character education programme, helping pupils to develop leadership skills, resilience and taking risks, exploring, and working together.

The Creative Curriculum is an integral part of our curriculum, and we seize every opportunity to take the learning outdoors. Being flexible in our approach to learning is one of the great joys of the independent sector as we have freedom from the constraints of the National Curriculum, and the opportunities this affords us are immeasurable.

The Creative Curriculum allows us to develop children’s imaginations by providing exciting stimuli and then allowing children to explore themselves. It is so exciting for the adults to share and celebrate the children’s ideas and enthusiasm, and with guidance they are able to make tremendous progress.

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 73

EDUCATION

Testing times?

Kent College Pembury Head Julie Lodrick discusses whether the new GCSE grading system has impacted learning

T

of students the self-belief that they had the ability he intention to reform GCSEs was to to take a subject at A-level. Now among our high provide greater rigour which, overall, I achievers we have to work hard to make them view as a positive and much-needed development. A new grading system was believe in themselves if they don’t secure the highly challenging 9. We possibly saw this play introduced at the same time in order to make a out nationally in 2017 when, after the real distinction between the old and new first round of the new grading exams and the grade 9 was designed system, the number of 16 year olds to demonstrate ability beyond an choosing A-level maths fell by A* grade. around 10 per cent. I am sure The new system also brought that with time, the meaning of with it greater distinction grades will even itself out for between the ability of students and employers alike students, for example in the but in the meantime, we need grades 4, 5 and 6 span that to work hard to alter was previously just the two B perceptions. and C grades. It could be Julie Lodrick, I am proud of the way that argued, however, that the pass Head Teacher girls at Kent College are taking grades now are perceived as Kent College Pembury these changes in their stride. As having less value; perhaps the final exams approach, they are employers might look more very focused on their revision and are favourably on a C than a 4. performing to the best of their ability in each Having the grade 9 gives students something to subject. Good luck to all students taking GCSEs really strive for, although the flipside is that previously an A* at GCSE would give a wide range this summer.

74 | June 2019 | SO Magazine

WELL-BEING

Helping you work towards a more

fulfilling

career

Every month we invite a guest expert from Wellness HQ’s specialist directory to talk about their particular field. For June we speak to Katie Redfern of Meaningful Recruitment about how to get the most out of your job so you can thrive both professionally and personally Please tell us what makes your recruitment company so different to all the others out there?

I set up Meaningful Recruitment almost three years ago. I work with clients all over the UK and have created a name for myself as the ‘go to’ person if you are going through career changes in your life and you want to work for an organisation that makes a difference in the world we live in today.

What do you mean by this?

I work with a large number of meaningful organisations around the UK by running recruitment campaigns for them or providing consultancy services. All of my clients are making a positive impact in the workplace such as Raleigh International, UNICEF, Action for Medical Research, Moving Worlds, SUDC UK, CoolStays and the National Youth Ballet.

Can you give us a bit of background on your professional career so far?

I have developed my professional experience over the past 20 years and am a career coach, adviser and recruitment expert. I’m passionate about empowering people to get the mojo back in their careers and have helped thousands of clients transform through courses and one-to-one consultations. These focus on areas such as building interview confidence, mentoring through a career change, advising on CVs and running LinkedIn Power Hours plus so much more.

Why did you feel the need to set up your own recruitment agency?

I felt I needed to create a business to help

people overcome barriers in their work life that were becoming more and more obvious with the economic climate and challenges around today. My clients’ needs weren’t being met at work and they were highly stressed and overwhelmed by similar frustrations like being over-performance managed, required to deliver unachievable targets and feeling like a number rather than a person. Many people also needed help reconnecting to who they are ‘now’ after a career break such as having children or looking after dependants.

How did you galvanise yourself into action?

While I was starting to think about creating this business, two big events happened in close succession which spurred me on. Two dear friends sadly passed away in the same year while in their 30s and I realised that life can be too short. It needs to be lived, doing things we love and jobs we love. So, Meaningful Recruitment was born and my mission is to help people move to a work life with purpose and financial rewards in the right working environment which suits their personal needs.

Why do you love what you do?

I love my job largely because I’ve personally witnessed thousands of clients transform from feeling washed out and fearful to feeling excited and motivated about their present and future. Consulting with organisations who want to make a positive social impact is very exciting too and creates lots of positive energy within the workplace and in communities.

What my clients say they’re looking for help with: • t o feel happy and content in their work life • t o feel confident about themselves and their career direction • t o feel fulfilled in their work and have meaning in what they are contributing to

Top tips on how to maintain your sanity at work: DON’T TRY TO CHANGE YOUR CO-WORKERS

Remember that you can’t change anyone – you can only change the way you react to them. So try not to let other people’s actions affect you. Instead try to work out a way to avert uncomfortable situations or figure out a way to resolve conflicts when you have a calm head on you.

Block out petty irritations and chatter We all experience them and everyone deals with them differently. So, if office politics start gnawing at your nerves, you can use this option: shut them out. Seek solace by going outside for some fresh air, closing your door if you have one, leaving your desk for a break, or plugging in your headphones. Don’t get sucked into negativity – get away from it.

REWARD YOURSELF

Identify a reward outside of your job and indulge yourself during the day or at the end of the day. It could be dinner with friends, watching a movie, exercise or a pampering session. Just as stress from home can interfere with work, the positive aspects of your life can influence mood at work as well – it works both ways!

Areas that can impact on work life include the following: • Stress • Low career confidence • Lack of job satisfaction and purpose • Mental health and self-belief When my clients go through phases of experiencing these over a long period of time it can lead to a difficult work life – and home life too. I support clients in oneto-one sessions through a variety of packages that help meet their needs and boost them so they feel energised, powered up and ready for their journey ahead.

For more information and top tips go to www.meaningfulrecruitment.co.uk and for more information on how Wellness HQ’s directory can help you in life visit www.wellnesshq.co.uk

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 75

Travel

dream destinations

FORGET SNOOTY CHÂTEAUX IN BURGUNDY AND BORDEAUX…

This wine resort is a real corker Once a collection of abandoned buildings in the south of France, Village Castigno is now a thriving gourmet getaway.

Jonjo Maudsley visits

76 | June 2019 | SO Magazine

S

itting on the terrace of my lodge at Village Castigno, a wine resort in the foothills of the Haut Languedoc Regional Nature Park in the South of France, I’m sipping a glass of Château Castigno Merlot. It was made in La Cave, a purpose-built wine cellar not far from here, with grapes grown on these very hills – and I have the distinct sense that I have arrived in some sort of fairy-tale town.

The story of Village Castigno is a fairy-tale in itself. When Belgian husband-and-wife team Marc and Tine Verstraete decided to purchase 150 hectares of the Saint-Chinian vineyards in the Assignan (at the heart of the

Languedoc-Roussillon region), they ended up creating much more than their Châteaux Castigno wine label.

Finding themselves in need of accommodation for seasonal workers who would descend every summer to hand-pick organic grapes, they decided to purchase a few properties in the half-abandoned town down the road.

This decision proved popular and, over the years, they’ve bought 12 buildings along with various tracts of land for construction. By 2016, they had breathed so much life back into the village that they decided to turn it into a tourism enterprise.

Today, Village Castigno has 118 permanent inhabitants, many of whom

are employed full-time by either the hotel, La Cave, or by one of the three restaurants: Le Thai, La Petite Table and the Michelin-starred La Table.

Fifteen different types of grapes are grown on the vineyards surrounding the hotel, and these combine to create a range of wines which all evoke the love and attention that has gone into picking and squeezing each individual berry.

On my first night, I have the opportunity to sample a few of these at Le Thai. The peppery merlot matches perfectly with my veal tongue with celery sauce, while the dash of elderflower in the Grace des Anges Rose Blanc brings to life my gingery fried chicken.

dream destinations

the building evokes an appreciation of Village Castigno is proudly WiFi-free, wine. The exterior is clad entirely with forcing guests to rely on that age-old tradition of conversation and storytelling Portuguese cork bark, the main gallery is suspended on concrete vines – and with each of the restaurant staff punching out of the ground, while the living in the village full-time, there are building itself, viewed from above, is in plenty of stories about Village Castigno the shape of a wine bottle. to go around.

Grapes grown without pesticides are The next day, I wake bright and early plucked from their stems to meet Sahirah, Village by hand and transported Castigno’s yogi-in-residence, I have the to the winery on who helps me recover from the night before with an distinct sense horseback, and nothing goes to waste. (The excess hour of light stretching. Her that I have wine residue even finds its office, so to speak, is the 350-year-old rural house, Le arrived in some way to a brewery in Belgium, where it is Petit Peche, which has been sort of fairy- fermented and turned into converted into an intimate beer.) and other-worldly massage tale town This part of France studio, spread over three switches dramatically from floors. The decor, sourced softly undulating hills to vast, craggy from Tibet, looks ethereal and mountains, and a Vespa ride is the best mysterious in this pocket of France.

A 10-minute walk away, La Cave is the way to explore. The ancient roads may centre of life in the village. Purpose-built not have been built with motorised scooters in mind, but they deliver by maverick Belgian architect Lionel nonetheless – although I do take extra Jadot (best known for regenerating the care, working my way down the hairpin JAM hotel in Brussels), every feature of

turns, not to look over the steep edges.

Returning to the village, it’s time for the final stop on my journey: a fivecourse tasting menu with wine pairings at Michelin-starred restaurant La Table.

The brainchild of Belgian brothers Ruben and Peiter De Maesschalck, this immaculate and enticing farm building on the edge of town brims with energy.

We begin with a langoustine tartare, which hums alongside the Château Castigno Grand Vin. White asparagus with bergamot foam and ginger is followed by lamb shanks that practically drip from the bone, their fiery flavour harmonised by a Château Castigno Merlot. To finish, there’s a charcoal meringue, a brutalist masterpiece of a dessert, paired with the Muscat de St Jean de Minervois.

Yes, this resort revolves around food and wine, but it punches far beyond its culinary credentials. Yoga, massage and long country walks create the perfect blend for a weekend in the south of France, making Village Castigno so much more than fairy-tale fiction.

How to get there Rooms at Village Castigno Wine Hotel and Resort (villagecastigno.com/ en; + 33 (0) 467 24 26 41) start from €130 (around £112) on a roomonly basis.

The nearest airport is Béziers with Ryanair (ryanair.com), who fly from London Stansted, London Luton, Bristol, Edinburgh and Manchester. Flights from London Stansted start from £20.39.

SO Magazine | June 2019 | 77

FIRST DRIVE: JAGUAR F-PACE SVR

WHAT IS IT?

When it comes to SUVs, Jaguar doesn’t exactly have much heritage – it’s built three, all in the last three years. But the F-Pace, the largest of the bunch, has proven to be a hit, and it seems sister company Land Rover’s expertise in building high-riding 4x4s has rubbed off.

What does a small British car manufacturer do when it sees German brands having great success with SUVs such as Mercedes GLC 63 or the Audi SQ5? Do the same, but in a uniquely Jaguar way. But can the F-Pace SVR conjure up the same magic that fast Jaguar saloons have always done?

WHAT’S NEW? You can’t miss the F-Pace SVR’s brutal styling details. It bristles with vents, aerodynamic additions and meanlooking trim – all of which is functional.

Marking it out under the hood is a Jaguar Land Rover staple, the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine. All that power needs taming if the car is to handle as well as its lower-riding siblings, so Jag’s fettled the suspension and chassis to cope with the huge 542bhp output.

Sadly, this model doesn’t come along as a mid-life facelift to the F-Pace, made especially plain by the newly updated XE it was launched alongside.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? The 5.0-litre supercharged V8 has seen service across the Jaguar Land Rover 78 | June 2019 | SO Magazine

model line-up for several years now, and it’s a fantastically evocative piece of kit.

The numbers certainly make for good reading. The V8’s 542bhp and 680Nm of torque will push this SUV from 0-60mph in just 4.1 seconds and on to a blistering top speed of 176mph.

It’s a fantastic engine, smoother than turbocharged rivals and with an appetite for revs. It’ll settle down to a refined cruise, but press the loud pedal (and the ‘loud’ button for the adaptive exhaust) and you’ll struggle to hold in a gleeful cackle at the cacophony that erupts.

It’s paired to an eight-speed automatic gearbox, which is smooth and quickshifting, and four-wheel drive – though it’s a system that heavily favours the rear axle. Running costs will, of course, be high but the claimed 22.6mpg fuel economy figure is at least achievable.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? This isn’t a lightweight car, but Jaguar hasn’t tried to make it feel that way.

Instead, all the controls have a pleasing heft and the steering is very neutral, balanced and intuitive. It’s very easy to judge your inputs, making smooth, fluid cornering an absolute breeze.

A comparable fast estate or saloon will behave better in the corners but might not be as comfortable. Even on the vast 22-inch wheels of our test model, this car rides beautifully. For a car which can flit from family bus to backroad blaster that’s important.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

Road Test

MOTORS

Model: Jaguar F-Pace SVR Price: £74,835 Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8 Power (bhp): 542 Torque (Nm): 680 Max speed (mph): 176 0-60mph: 4.1 seconds MPG: 22.6 Emissions (g/km): 272g/km

After a delayed beginning, Jaguar has finally launched its first hot SUV. Tom Wiltshire heads to the south of France to see what it’s like...

HOW DOES IT LOOK? The F-Pace is a handsome car, but it’s definitely wearing a tracksuit in SVR guise, albeit a designer one. The snarling bonnet vents give it instant presence but look more closely and it’s riddled with aerodynamic additions. They all have a practical purpose, though.

Plenty of ‘regular’ F-Paces are specified with huge alloy wheels, which is perhaps why these 22-inch examples look so well at home in the SVR’s arches. Elsewhere, it’s business as usual; this is a nicely proportioned, handsome SUV with plenty of Jaguar’s nowsignature design detailing.

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE? Unfortunately, the F-Pace SVR does feel its age on the inside, and is not helped by the new-look XE saloon. We’ll start with the good: it’s decently spacious for four adults, material quality is generally high and, of course, the great ride makes for comfortable progress for all occupants.

Jaguar’s infotainment has improved, and while it’s not as slick as the very latest Mercedes system it’s on a par with BMW’s iDrive. The same can’t be said of the digital dials, which feel basic alongside Audi’s brilliant virtual cockpit. Again, it’s a shame that the excellent Touch Pro Duo system hasn’t migrated from the XE. The climate control panel feels cheap and is difficult to use, and the heated seat controls are buried in a menu. Taller drivers will also find the single-piece

headrests of the front sports seats tend to jab them in the neck.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE? £74,000-plus isn’t a small amount to spend on a car, but Jaguar offers a generous kit list to help ease the blow.

All F-Pace SVRs come with perforated Windsor leather upholstery inside and a beefy SVR bodykit outside. The front seats are heated, cooled and electrically adjustable, and adaptive LED headlights improve night driving as well as looks.

The options list makes for happy reading, too. Jaguar won’t charge for different paint finishes or interior colour options, so you don’t pay to personalise.

We’d suggest ticking the box for the Driver Assist Pack, which brings adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and high-speed emergency braking as well as park assist and a 360-degree camera.

The upgraded Meridian surroundsound system may also be tough to resist, though the standard stereo, also by Meridian, does sound great.

VERDICT Jaguar’s first performance SUV is a fine effort. It’s packed with character, drives beautifully and looks brilliant. Though it may trail the likes of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio on sheer focus, slight compromises in the name of usability are well worth it. If you can afford the running costs, this is a hot SUV you will want to use every single day.

ADVERTORIAL

Remain at home with Consultus

When care is needed, there are other options besides a nursing home. In-home care and nursing can be an appealing alternative for the client and their family...

We offer a fully-managed care service – Care at Home Plus For almost 60 years, our family-led company has been providing truly remarkable live-in carers and nurses to families across the UK. The core duty of our carers and nurses is to support and enable each of our clients to live as independently as possible in their own home.

The longevity of our business and our clients’ testimony are proof that live-in care is often the best solution for many people and their families.

Live-in care: Introductory and fullymanaged Our successful introductory care service (Care at Home) has been the right solution

80 | JUNE 2019 | SO Magazine

for many since Consultus first began, offering a cost-effective service for clients whose families or friends are able to oversee the care delivered.

We match our clients with a rota of suitably qualified, trained and vigorously screened self-employed carers to ensure continuity of care.

In response to the increasing needs of our clients, and the reality that many people in need of care do not have family or friends living nearby, we now offer a fully-managed care service (Care at Home Plus).

With this, a dedicated Care Consultant will coordinate and oversee every aspect of your, or your loved one’s care, including creating and maintaining a care plan as well as risk assessments, reviews, diary management

and liaising with external healthcare professionals on your behalf.

We closely monitor the care delivery and make regular visits to the clients’ homes to ensure the highest standard of service is being provided Care at Home Plus carers are employed directly by Consultus and, as with all our carers, have undertaken and passed our in-house training programme, which is among the highest-rated in the UK by independent certifying and qualification bodies. Our Care at Home Plus service is regulated and inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Live-in nursing For clients with more complex needs, we also offer a private live-in nursing service.

Our qualified and experienced Registered Nurses can provide support in a variety of areas, including palliative, end of life, postsurgical/rehabilitation, cancer, coronary, dementia, degenerative (Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease) and respite. Our nursing service is also regulated and inspected by the CQC. Training Centre Rare for any care agency, our Training Centre is endorsed by the UK statutory body,

Skills for Care as a ‘Centre of Excellence’.

Our award-winning Training Centre can now offer courses to the wider community, as well as our carers. Subject areas include Parkinson’s disease, dementia, stroke, diabetes, end of life training and first aid.

We can help you Researching and organising the right service for you or your loved one can be overwhelming.

Our friendly and experienced New Client Consultants will listen to you very carefully, assess your needs and transfer you to the appropriate Consultus department for further detailed information.

The range of care services and our experience gained over nearly 60 years sets Consultus apart from other care agencies in the UK, and enables us to offer you exactly the right service for you or your family member.

For a confidential, no-obligation consultation, please call Consultus on 01732 355231.

Alternatively, visit their website to find out more: www.consultuscare.com

“After my father passed away in 2005, Consultus cared for my mother for nine years. My parents had been utterly devoted to each other for 57 years, and that care, companionship and support was transformative for my mother.

It is my mission to ensure that all of our clients have the same positive experience with Consultus Care & Nursing.”

Peter Seldon, Consultus CEO

ADVERTISING

SO Magazine | JUNE 2019 | 81

THE LAST WORD

Arthur Smith brings his show Laughs, Stories, A Song and A Poem to the EM Forster Theatre on Friday June 7. Here he tells Eileen Leahy about its content, why his real name is Brian and how he once ended up busking outside Tonbridge Castle

Talk

of

the

town

“Mostly I reflect on the absurd business of being alive”

I chose Arthur because that is my middle name and also the name of three old comedians

Why did you decide that now was the time to do this type of retrospective performance?

There is contemporary stuff – a Trump thing, a nod to Brexit and an experiment with Artificial Intelligence – but mostly I reflect on the absurd business of being alive. I have also got a small selection from my forthcoming show about my father called ‘Syd’, who I describe as ‘an ordinary man who lived through some extraordinary times’. In the Second World War he fought at El Alamein, became a POW and ended the war in the notorious Colditz Castle in Germany. In the 1950s PC Syd patrolled London’s South Bank and met a gallery of characters, whom he tried his best not to arrest.

Fans will know your real name is Brian so why do you also go by the moniker Arthur?

I became Arthur when I joined Equity, the performers’ union. They don’t permit two members with the same name and there already was a Brian Smith. I looked at the space on the form reserved for my new name – the name by which the world would know me: I wrote down ‘Captain W****r’.

82 | JUNE 2019 | SO Magazine

Equity, thank God, vetoed this. Perhaps because there was one already! I chose Arthur because that is my middle name and also the name of three old comedians. (Can you guess? I’ll give you one – Arthur Askey.)

You’re a prolific broadcaster, presenter and writer – which area of your work do you like best and why?

They all have their own unique attractions but I guess I like the purity of doing live shows.

Radio is great because it is just words and I can wear odd socks without getting in trouble. Writing is undoubtedly the hardest. Staring at a blank screen trying to make things up and give them a shape is endlessly tough.

Have you performed in Tonbridge before?

I think I first performed there about 100 years ago when I was in a comedy team called The National Revue Company.

I may have been back since but I have a terrible memory for these things. I have definitely appeared somewhere in Tonbridge and once, as a joke, busked outside the castle with my young nephews.

Do you enjoy being out on the road touring or do you prefer the company of a cosy radio studio?

Being on the road can be a bit lonely – endless hours on trains or in the back of vans, solitary nights in hotels and meals eaten alone – but I like to think of myself as a roaming troubadour going from one settlement to the next. I like a radio studio too, waiting for words to fill the air in interesting shapes.

What will the audience enjoy most about Laughs, Stories, A Song and A Poem?

They will, I hope, laugh, snigger, remember, be surprised at one point, join in if they wish and be appalled at the bit near the end when I will dance briefly. They will also get the chance to tell me what makes them grumpy and if they are so inclined, heckle.

Can you tell us three interesting things about your memoir My Name is Daphne Fairfax which would get people into reading it?

1. You’ll learn about

what it was like to grow up in south London after the war when there were bombsites everywhere and no one had ever seen an avocado let alone quinoa.

2. You can find out how I ended up in Cuba with Arthur Scargill, in Calabria with Germaine Greer and in Wales with Bill Clinton

3. My tales of the Edinburgh Festival and how I ended up getting arrested there one night

4.Oh and as a bonus: how I fell in love Arthur Smith is at the EM Forster Theatre on Friday June 7. Laughs, Stories, A Song and A Poem starts at 7.30pm and tickets cost £15. See www.emtheatre.com for more details

Photos by Dean Chalkley

So Arthur, please can you tell us a bit about your new show?

It is, as the title suggests, a collection of different components. Some ancient jokes, some strange things that have happened to me, a small tribute to Leonard Cohen, some funny poems (and a sad one). I’ll have a chat with the audience and talk about Tonbridge, a place I know well since my brother lives there – watch out for his sons invading the stage!