SO MAGAZINE JANUARY 2023

FOOD & DRINK Green party

Balfour Winery reveals its delicious vegan menu for this year’s Veganuary

CULTURE In fine tune

Why the Royal Tunbridge Wells Symphony Orchestra is such a musical gem

TRAVEL Get set, & jet

Beat the January blues by planning your next trip away somewhere special

elcome to the first edition of SO magazine in 2023.

We start by looking ahead to some of the fun things you can do this month courtesy of our calendar picks (p6). We’re so lucky to have so many fantastic events to participate in which will be the perfect tonic for those January blues…

Our cover star interview is with the father and daughter team who run Welham Jones Funerals & Memorials. Simon Welham and his daughter Rebecca tell us all about the history of the firm which was established in 1992 and last year celebrated its 30th anniversary. Since it opened its first site in Sevenoaks, the company now boasts seven different premises including one in Tunbridge Wells on Crescent Road. Interestingly they are only one of two family-run establishments left in the town which they feel gives them a unique edge when it comes to supporting grieving family members through such an emotional time of their lives. Turn to page 11 to find out more…

If you have vowed to get into shape for 2023 then we have good news as we introduce our brilliant new fitness expert Sarah Gorman (p54) who kicks off her new monthly

column with a refreshing piece on how exercise can be fun and not a drag.

We also chat to Jaime Cooke, who founded the unisex fitness studio SPN on the Camden Road and recently opened a sister site in Sevenoaks, about her journey to opening her successful business. Turn to page 37 to find out how a combination of Pilates, House Music and DJing changed her life…

Also in the edition we have some great food and drink content including a special Veganuary event happening at Balfour winery (p38) and a trip to a cosy award-winning country pub (40) which is the perfect place to escape these grey, chilly days.

Talking of the weather, if you’re seeking sunshine then have a look at our travel feature on Gibraltar (p64) or if you’re after something that boasts awe-inspiring nature then check out our piece on Iceland (p62).

Talking of beautiful locations, this month we focus on a couple of the area’s best loved wedding venues: Salomons Estate and One Warwick Park Hotel (p44) who reveal why winter weddings are becoming so popular. So if you got engaged over new year then what are you waiting for?

Wishing you all a very healthy and happy 2023.

Noteworthy: Paul Dunton celebrates MusicStation’s 10th anniversary

Emotional ties: We meet the father and daughter team at Welham Jones Funerals & Memorials

Designer goods: Beau Property hosts a fun evening for clients

Fashion followers: bod & ted invite loyal customers to shop and socialise

Seasonal soirée: The TN card community is thanked for all their support

Happy Birthday: Pickering Cancer Drop In Centre

Good food ahoy: Victoria Roberts shores up at The Blue Anchor

Dive in: We sample a taste of The Mermaid Inn’s menu

Say I do: The wedding experts at Salomons Estate reveal their top tips for a dream day

time: Jess Gibson of The TN Card talks to the owners of even flow coffee and record shop

Summer loving: Charlotte Newman from Kitch on what she’ll be wearing in 2023

Make-up masterclass: Natalie Piacun from TAW on the history of cosmetics

year, new you: Hypnotherapist Karen Martin on how to make the most of life

Don’t survive – thrive: Naomi Murray from Botanica guides us to a better way of being

Feel fab: Our new fitness guru Sarah Gorman on how to get in shape and have fun

Dream home: Interior design company Ven Morgan share their style secrets

Nice and tidy: Kate Edmonds from Homed Edited advises you how to declutter and stay streamlined in your house

Small is beautiful: Tim Sykes from Garden Proud on making the most of a tiny external space

Ice, ice baby: Vikki Rimmer keeps her cool in Iceland

Rock star: Karen Martin is impressed by all Gibraltar has to offer

Drive time: We test drive the new Peugeot 408

ISSUE 171

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.

in style: One Warwick Park Hotel launches The Apartment

Spinning around: Jaime Cooke on the secret of her SPN studio’s success

Viva the vegans: Balfour Winery tell us about their special Veganuary event later this month

Photo © Key & Quill

Lilly Croucher’s edit of the month’s most entertaining events happening in January

THE MAIN EVENT

Historical Beauty Spot

The weather might be cold and damp but that shouldn’t put you off doing some fun things in January. The good news is there’s plenty to see and do this month including wonderful walks out in nature, fun comedy to catch and great films to enjoy. January may be a long and dark month to get through but we think this selection of events will definitely brighten your days and nights...

TTunbridge Wells’ slice of local history can be found at Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, located along the River Bewl, just off the A21.

For a bright relaxing walk this winter, Scotney castle offers stunning views of the 12thcentury castle, the picturesque gardens, and the rolling meadows of the Kent countryside.

Owned by the National Trust, the Scotney Estate is the perfect

place to take loved ones, family and four-legged friends to enjoy the grounds and woodland overlooking the Victorian country mansion.

There is also a tearoom full of locally sourced food with hot and cold drinks available.

There are also many walks and trails to discover the exquisite beauty to be found in the 780 acres of natural parkland.

Visit, nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/ kent/scotney-castle

Photos

Photos © David Sellman

Scotney Castle estate in winter

The chimneypiece in the library at Scotney Castle

LET’S DANCE!

DON’T MISS THE FOLLOWING:

COMEDY GOLD

Trinity Theatre

JANUARY 14

This January, Trinity Theatre will be hosting The Good Ship Comedy Club with two brilliant comedians who will surely have you bellylaughing all night long.

Award-winning musical comedian Kate Lucas is known for her original melodies and witty lyrics which saw her win critical acclaim at the Edinburgh fringe, The Comedy Store, Up the Creek, and The Stand. Kate will be joined by seasoned comedian, Marcus Birdman whose energetic and thought-provoking comedy has seen him perform around the world and headline multiple shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, The Comedy Store, The Komedia and Soho Theatre.

Trinity Theatre on January 14 at 8pm.Tickets cost £13

DID YOU KNOW?

Margaret Thatcher rented a flat on the grounds of Scotney Castle and used it as a place to get away from the business of Westminster.

The threebedroom flat was an ideal property for the Prime Minister chosen by the security service as the best place to keep her and her husband, Denis, safe whilst in Kent.

THE HEART OF TOWN The Pantiles

THROUGHOUT JANUARY

For an afternoon of shopping for clothes, crafts, and local produce there is no better than The Pantiles market as it returns once again for the New Year.

Experience the hustle and bustle of the market as you stroll through the 400-year-old history of the historic walkway located in the heart of Tunbridge Wells. With over 70 independent stores and a variety of stalls, traders and boutiques, The Pantiles market is the perfect place to spend your weekend in and amongst the crowds.

The market has something for everyone whether you want to spend a Saturday afternoon trying tasty treats and local produce or a sunny Sunday relaxing at one of the many cafes.

Assembly Hall Theatre JANUARY 20

Get ready to dance All Night Long at the biggest 80s party show this month at the Assembly Hall Theatre. Don’t Stop Believing as you head onto the dance floor and pump up the Jam.

Prepare for 80s pop classics such as Jitterbug, Girls just wanna have fun, Edge of Heaven, Tainted Love, Love shack, Living on a prayer, The Final Countdown, Don’t you want me baby, Relax and It’s Raining Men.

The show will kick off at 7.30pm on January 20. Tickets cost £35.25 and can be booked at assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

LICK OF PAINT

The Hare, Langton Green

JANUARY 16

After the busy rush of Christmas why not relax and let your creative side out at the next Tunbridge Wells Paint Night at The Hare pub in Langton Green.

Led by professional artist, Raymond Warren, you will learn all the tips and tricks needed to paint a ‘Glowing Jellyfish’ at a cosy intimate paint night on January 16 starting at 7.30pm. No experience is necessary as Raymond will guide you through the whole process, a great starting place for beginners and those more experienced wanting to try something new. Enjoy this relaxed evening out with loved ones, calming music and a selection of drinks and nibbles that are available at the bar.

DID YOU KNOW?

Jellyfish have been around for millions of years, even before dinosaurs. Scientists believe there might be as many as 300,000 species of them with one, the Immortal JellyFish (Turritopsis dohrnii) being able to live forever.

FIND YOUR DANCING SHOES

Even Flow JANUARY 14

Fancy a night of good music and drinks? Even Flow has you covered with their first event of the New Year taking place at their café on January 14 at 7.30pm.

Join Matt, Fabs and the team for a night of funky beats, tasty food, and bubbly drinks at their fabulous music café on St John’s Road. Expect complimentary fizz on arrival and a DJ keeping the tunes going all night long.

The café and licenced bar will be open all night for those over 18 who are ready to dance the night away.

Tickets are free for TN card members and £10 for nonmembers. All tickets proceed after Eventbrite fees will be donated to West Kent Mind.

Get your dancing shoes on and get your ticket at eventbrite.co.uk/e/ member-night-at-even-flow-tickets462511583597?aff=ebdssbdests earch

the Hitting

high notes

James Sedge and Julie Parker are the directors of MusicStation in Tonbridge.

MusicStation is the biggest contemporary music school in Kent. They both play in bands that have appeared at the Local & Live festival and at the Tunbridge Wells Forum, and also on world wide tours. James Sedge is also the drummer for the actor, writer and musician Matt Berry…

So James what inspired you to start MusicStation?

My co-director Julie Parker and myself had written a BMus Hons degree, ‘Popular Music Performance’, for the University of Kent and we’d been running it very successfully for many years. We felt it was time to move on and use our skills and expertise to create a way of teaching rock and pop music that was thorough, rigorous and properly designed, as well as being fun, enjoyable and creative.

Why does music motivate you so much?

Julie and I have dedicated our whole lives to improving contemporary music education. We have both worked in schools, colleges and universities for the past 30 years, we’re very familiar with all the music qualifications available, and all the ways music is currently taught. We wanted to bring together the best of everything we’ve experienced and been involved with over the years, so we

could design the most successful tuition method for learning rock and pop music.

When and how did you open your first MusicStation site?

We were inspired to start our own music school and to write a new syllabus fit for the 21st century.

With help from local businessman Rod Clark, whose son did our BMus Degree, we opened MusicStation in Tonbridge in 2013. We started with just one student and we now have over 500 per week - we have now taught over 150,000 lessons!

Tell us more about the lesson structure and types of tuition available…

Students can learn guitar, ukulele, bass, drums, keyboards/ piano, vocals, songwriting, music theory and music technology, after school and at weekends. We have developed a successful small group tuition method over the last 10 years. And with up to four students per group, it brings down the cost of the lessons to only £14.75 as well as providing many benefits such as improved confidence, collaboration, new friends, and a fun atmosphere. Students are carefully streamed by age and ability.

Does the school run alongside the academic year?

Yes we run weekly lessons aligned to school terms, but we offer extra events during the holidays. We have 17 specialist teachers and two full-time administrators to keep things running smoothly. We also provide online lessons for students who might live too far away to get to our teaching studios. Some of them live in rural areas, we also have students in Cyprus, Africa and Spain.

We also provide lessons in many local

CONTACT INFO: www.musicstation.pro Telephone: 01732 350629

Address: 3 Bank Street, Tonbridge, TN9 1BL

schools across Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells.

What do students learn with you?

If you follow the MusicStation method and the Trinity Rock & Pop syllabus you could go on to play professionally, or, just as important, to have a life-long association with music through playing for fun and listening to music on a much deeper level. Our tuition promotes all-round musicianship, ear-training, improvisation and creativity, as well as knowledge of popular music styles. Lessons are designed to make fast progress in small steps - and our supporting lesson materials include online resources, apps and video playalongs, to help you progress at home. We like to work closely with parents, and we provide every student with a free practice diary with reward stickers, so they can track work set and progress. We also run a Parents Week every half-term where they can sit in on the lesson and have a chat with the teachers. We can also give expert advice on instruments/ equipment, and we can get special deals for our students.

Can your students study for graded exams?

Fairly early on, we developed a relationship with Trinity College London and we became the lead consultants for their newest Rock & Pop graded exam

syllabus. This syllabus now provides the foundation for much of our teaching. We’re also a Trinity Exam Centre. We have a 100% success rate for the Trinity Rock & Pop exams with a very high proportion of distinctions.

Can you tell us about your teachers?

We only use highly trained rock and pop specialist teachers. Their music industry knowledge and experience is an invaluable resource. They are friendly, knowledgeable and committed to the students’ success. Many parents have commented that they are excellent role models for their children.

Are

there courses for adults?

Adults are always welcome to have any lessons we offer, and some parents are now having lessons with their children. We also run ‘Play it Again’ evening sessions that are designed especially for adults who have previously played an instrument and want to start again and play in a band.

Congratulations on your 10th anniversary. How does it feel?

We are absolutely delighted to be still teaching and growing as a business after 10 years. We have met so many wonderful students and their parents along the way, and we feel so proud to have helped so many people to learn and enjoy popular music.

MusicStation is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. SO’s music guru Paul Dunton talks to co-founders James Sedge & Julie Parker about its history and why it’s such a valuable organisation for budding young musicians to get involved with

Paul Dunton Music Editor Follow Paul @PaulDuntonmusic

“Students can learn guitar, ukulele, bass, drums, keyboards/ piano, vocals, songwriting, music theory and music technology, after school and at weekends”

Father and daughter, Simon and Rebecca Welham, co-run their family funeral business Welham Jones Funerals & Memorials which has just celebrated its 30th anniversary has a number of sites in the South East – including one in Tunbridge Wells since 2014. Here they tell Eileen Leahy why they believe they have such a unique approach when it comes to ensuring clients have the perfect send off

“L

osing a family member or close friend can be one of the most devastating times of life but we’re here to ease that very difficult period,” says Simon Welham as he and his daughter Rebecca tell me about their funeral director business Welham Jones Funerals & Memorials.

It’s a freezing December day when we meet at their Tunbridge

Wells premises on Crescent Road and the previous night’s snowfall is still thick on the ground but the Welham Jones welcome is incredibly warm.

“We like to think that our point of difference is that we are a genuine family-run firm which makes a big difference. With one exception we are the only other funeral directors in Tunbridge Wells which carries the family name and is also run by the family,” explains Simon who has been at the Welham Jones helm for the past 30 years.

“The other funeral director businesses in the town are run by companies and we feel that we do have the edge when it comes to providing that personal touch.”

Welham Jones was established in 1992 when Simon’s then fatherin-law and he went into business together.

“I had been working in the city for thirty years and was suddenly asked by my company to ‘reconsider my future’,” he explains with a wry smile.

“That’s when I decided to go into business with my father in law Mac Jones, who had at that stage many decades of experience in the funeral business.”

They found the ‘ideal building’ in Sevenoaks, on the corner of St Botolph’s Road and Tubbs Hill near the station and set about establishing Welham Jones Funerals & Memorials.

Simon says that it was a ‘proud moment’ when he and his former father in law saw their name

above the door. Thirty years on the firm now has seven offices in different parts of Kent including Chislehurst, Orpington, Swanley, and Tonbridge - with a main ‘hub’ to service them all in Dunton Green.

“Just because we have a number of different sites doesn’t deter from the fact that we are very personable,” states Simon.

“I always say that we’re big enough to rely on but small enough to care.”

The Welham Jones Tunbridge Wells branch opened in 2014 and since then Simon and his daughter, who came on board 12 years ago and is now Senior Funeral Director and also Business Development Manager, have serviced many hundreds of funerals for the people of Tunbridge Wells and beyond.

“Word of mouth is 90% of our business,” says Simon who is an active member of the local BNI networking group and has also been President, Treasurer and

“We can give clients the ability to say goodbye in a dignified and respectful manner and in a way that is personal to them”

“We’re here for you at your most vulnerable time”

Photos © David Bartholomew

Chair of Fundraising for his local Rotary Club in Sevenoaks Amherst since 1992.

“Community is very important to me. I think this is especially vital if you are based in a town. You need to be seen. I am out and about here in Tunbridge Wells and a lot of people know who I am. The fact that we are a family running our business means that we really do care.

“We’re here to look after other families at one of the most vulnerable times of their life. And that’s not just applicable to myself and Rebecca as we are father and daughter. It extends to the staff we have too. I go to quite extraordinary lengths to choose

team members who will reflect our values of respect, kindness and openness.”

Simon who worked as a banker for HSBC before he became a funeral director in 1992, says that despite his line of work being an emotionally charged one, he and his team will always be led by their clients.

“If they come in and it’s been a sudden death and people are distraught, we know how to behave. But similarly, if a death has been expected and the deceased has passed away peacefully then if their family want to celebrate their loved one then we can do that too.”

The many thank you cards

on display in the Welham Jones reception area are clearly testament to the quality of their service too. “If I were to be asked what makes the job for me it would be those thank you notes,” Simon reveals.

“Knowing you’ve managed to help a family through that difficult time of their lives when they need a trusted partner is priceless. So many of them come back to thank us.”

Apart from the pastoral side of things, which is clearly hugely valued by clients, what else would Simon cite as being key to Welham Jones’s ongoing success?

“There’s a number of things but I think it’s important to note that we are not greedy. I am not saying other family-run firms are as they are not but some of the bigger groups have been so over the years and this eventually came to the attention of the authorities and they were subsequently investigated.”

The firm’s ability to move with the times and embrace emerging technology advancements is also proving to be a useful USP adds Rebecca.

“We’re seeing a lot more web casting of funeral services so elderly family members can still be a part of it. We are also on all social media platforms and have our own You Tube channel which are gaining followers all the time. We want to be part of the changes in new tech otherwise you have got to go a long way to catch up!

“I think it’s important to see what the competition is doing so we can match it - or even better it! Locally I think we are the only

“I’d say around 40% of our customers will now go for an alternative to the traditional coffin and it’s gradually increasing”

Photos © David Bartholomew

funeral directors on Instagram for example.”

Simon adds that with more crematoria being built by companies who are independent from traditional councils this is quite literally changing the landscape of funerals.

“We’re starting to see new private money coming into the industry. Companies are building new crematorium chapels which are modern – cool in the summer and warm in the winter – with lovely views of the surrounding countryside or a garden. Generally they are less like a conveyor belt and boast a nicer general ambience. It’s interesting as they are starting to take a lot of the share from local councils like the one in Tunbridge Wells.”

Rebecca, who worked in marketing in London before coming joining Welham Jones Funerals & Memorials, adds that she has seen far more personalisation over the past few years.

“You can now customise a coffin for example. We had someone whose family put vinyl pictures of their life all over it. That was quite moving.”

One of the first things I noticed when I arrived at Welham Jones TW HQ was a picture of a coffin with a Union Jack on it - alongside other images of what looked like seagrass coffins.

“Oh there’s a huge variety nowadays,” smiles Simon. “You can order them not just in seagrass but in willow, wool, wicker, bamboo and cardboard too.”

More seismic difference is

evident in the rising popularity of secular funerals.

“That’s definitely changing,” Simon tells me. “We’re seeing a dip in religious ceremonies. I imagine people want more of a celebration of someone’s life than of any religion.”

Rebecca adds that a lot of people now take their lead from how the wedding market has opened up so much and some want to do the same for a loved one’s funeral.

“A lot of people will say ‘well if I can be married in a woodland then why can’t I have a service for my funeral in one’? So yes, things are definitely changing. The majority of our clients now go for celebrants as opposed to a priest or a vicar. But they will still have the ceremony done at the crematorium as there is no alternative venue available.”

“The need to use a chapel isn’t going to change any time soon,” Simon says.

Welham Jones Funerals & Memorials can also offer a range of different themes. In addition to the traditional hearse, clients can also opt for horse drawn carriages, flat bed lorries, VW Camper vans and even motor bikes to carry the coffin of a loved one.

And the father and daughter team reveal that nowadays you can have someone’s ashes scattered by drone, shot into space or even made into diamonds.

And when it comes to opting for an eco-friendly funeral are more and more people doing this?

“I’d say around 40% of our clients will now go for an alternative to the traditional coffin and it’s gradually increasing,” reveals Simon.

“It all started to change around the time I joined 12 years ago,” says Rebecca. “Funerals can be very different nowadays. I came to the family firm as a stop-gap to see what I wanted to do next. But I never left so I am obviously doing what I love!”

Did she find it easy to adapt from her marketing background given that bereavement and grief are the industry’s underlying hallmarks?

“Well in a sense I grew up

around it all. I was seven when dad started in Sevenoaks so it’s kind of normal for me in a sense. But when I look back it was the best decision I ever made.

“What I love about my job is that I get to help families at a very difficult time. I can give them the ability to say goodbye in a dignified and respectful manner and in a way that is personal to them.”

Simon says that at the Tunbridge Wells branch of Welham Jones Funerals & Memorials they have all the necessary facilities apart from being able to store their cars there.

“It’s a deceptive building as it looks small from the outside but it actually goes right back. People can be laid out in our private chapel of rest and their loved ones can choose to spend as much time here as they need to.”

The pair reveal that children’s funerals are the worst as it’s just so sad for everyone involved. What, I wonder, are their coping mechanisms?

“I always say that you never become inured to it, you become accepting of it,” states Simon.

“You have to learn how to compartmentalise your life. It’s essential to do that otherwise you

“I always say that you never become inured to death, you become accepting of it,”

would be consumed by it and wouldn’t be able to do your job.”

“It’s not your grief; it’s not your loss,” says Rebecca. “Of course you can offer empathy but it’s important to keep that boundary in place.”

Simon tells me that he employs approximately 20 people in a combination of full-time and casual staff across all the Welham Jones sites and that he is fully involved in every aspect of the business – apart from the embalming.

“I am very hands on but I have no interest in embalming,” he smiles as our time together comes to an end.

After spending an hour in Simon and Rebecca’s company it’s clear why their business is going from strength to strength: they genuinely care and are passionate about ensuring that someone’s final farewell is as perfectly tailored to their wishes – and that of their family and friends – as possible. What could be a more loving and eternal tribute than that?

Welham Jones Funerals & Memorials: A HISTORY

Welham Jones Funerals & Memorials has been serving the communities of Kent and South East London for 30 years and has extensive knowledge of local customs and traditions.

Managed by the individuals and family members who own it, familial values carry through to customers. These values underpin the business and everything the company does making the relationship between the Welham Jones family and the families they serve extremely important.

Offering all the resources of a large company, whilst maintaining that small company feel, they are not members of a larger corporate group trading under a family name long gone.

At Welham Jones Funerals & Memorials, the team are genuinely committed to the community they serve. Responsive to you and your needs they take pride in the service they provide, putting

customers first at all times.

Local funeral homes

There are sevne funeral homes branches covering areas from Chislehurst and Bromley to Orpington, Swanley to Borough Green, Sevenoaks to Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells.

Support when you need it

• Welham Jones provide 24/7 support and for as long as you need it. Their specially trained staff members are always on hand with any emotional support you require.

Experienced team members

• Their fully trained and experienced team respect and uphold the family values that underpin everything the company stands for.

• They feel it is an honour to care for your loved one and want to do our very best to ensure they receive the service they deserve.

• They always strive to go

OF

beyond what is required of, whilst keeping a respectful distance, where necessary.

Value for money

• Welham Jones offer value for money at competitive prices, with full transparency.

• With no hidden costs and no jargon, you can expect clear communication at all times.

• They can tailor their bespoke service to meet your needs and requests.

• Their pre-paid plans help to ease the worry and stress of organising a funeral

Providing a memorable funeral service

Welham Jones Funerals & Memorials will work with you, encouraging your thoughts and input, in order to get to know the deceased as much as possible. The team want the service to truly reflect a departed loved one and for the experience to be fulfilling and uplifting for everyone involved.

Photos © David Bartholomew

Building on success

Beau Property’s Home Staging team marked a successful year of design projects by hosting a fun social at the Secret Cellar in Tunbridge Wells. The residential property developer, which specialises in design & build and interior design as well as home staging, invited clients, partners, and its staging team to celebrate. While part of the Beau Property business, the Home Staging team is a separate entity and works with a number of developers to style units and show homes so they can sell quicker and ultimately achieve higher prices.

Beau Property’s newest development, Nevill Row, in Tunbridge Wells, which was home staged by the team, features eight modern designed Victorian-style houses in the heart of the town and sold out in just a few weeks. The luxury development saw the Home Staging team at Beau Property shortlisted as finalists at the Housebuilder Awards 2022. Guests in attendance at the party included interior designer Joss Miller, Scott Watkins of local developer Calibre, Beth King from Fernham Homes, Melissa Bandtock from lumière lighting emporium and local property PR and marketing firm Calvermont.

Style queens

Last month the team at bod & ted fashion boutique on the High Street invited some of its loyal customers to enjoy an evening of cocktails and shopping.

Sophie Bland, who owns the successful designer clothing and accessories emporium, served guests delicious canapés and seasonal Poinsettia cocktails while they browsed the shop’s cool collections.

The shop, which was established by Sophie and her late mother in 2010, sells a number of established and emerging labels such as Birkenstock, Paige and Beaumont Amsterdam alongside cult beauty brands like Ortigia.

The popular boutique won a coveted Drapers award earlier this year when it was named Womenswear Independent of the Year. She told SO magazine last year: “There are so many different factors as to why we won itobviously key is our wonderful team and our suppliers. I also think we offer something that cannot be found anywhere else in Tunbridge Wells.”

Community spirit

Founder of the TN card Jess Gibson invited her shopping reward scheme’s partners and friends, to a seasonal drinks party at the Hotel Du Vin last month. “It was a way of saying thank you to businesses for their support this year,” Jess told SO magazine.

TN partner Hotel du Vin sponsored the room and canapés while Folc rosé and Pig and Porter Brewery – also TN partners - provided the welcome drinks.

The enjoyable evening was attended by William Benson of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, West Kent Mind and many High Street independents including Brittens, Cove, Dodomi, Hardman & Hemming, James|Munro, Kent Cricket Direct, The Knot Works, Glass, Renaissance, rtwskin, Stampede, Trinity, TN1 and Whirligig.

KNOWING THE VALUE OF LOCAL PERSONAL SERVICE

As our world shifts increasingly online, many things have become easier. But often, online speed means less ability to make things truly personal to you and your lifestyle. And for products such as your home insurance, a ‘one size fits all’ approach can feel less thorough, impersonal and leave a sense of unease on whether your requirements have really been met.

And, if you have a large home with high-value items that require more careful consideration, it’s all the more important that you feel confident and have the opportunity to have a thorough conversation about your needs and expectations.

At NFU Mutual, it’s this commitment to local personal service that sets us apart, and has allowed us to look after what matters most to our customers for over 100 years. With over 295 agency offices located in towns and villages throughout the UK, we’re part of the fabric of our communities.

More than ever, we’ve seen the power of communities, and how important local

knowledge and simply understanding people can be. There’s just something about dealing with a real person, being able to pick up the phone to someone who knows you and your situation.

We live where you live, and when you speak to our colleagues, you’re talking to someone who genuinely knows and cares for the area. That means we’re uniquely positioned

to understand the nuances and features of your property, a level of understanding you’re unlikely to find through an online provider.

We know the value of having real conversations with our customers – it’s how we can be sure we’re providing the cover that’s right for you. And that means that should the worst happen, we’ll be there for you to help put things right.

But this local focus doesn’t mean we can’t handle complex or large properties. On the contrary, our national outlook means we can draw on experience across the country, and our local teams are backed by underwriters,

claims handlers and specialist suppliers. And whilst our heritage lies in farming and rural insurance, with over 850,000 customers including home, motor and business insurances, you might be surprised at what we can offer.

To find out more about NFU Mutual and our Bespoke home insurance for high-value homes and contents, contact Shaun Joubert, Patrick Bowring and Martin Webber at NFU Mutual Tunbridge Wells on 01892 337488 or email Tunbridge_Wells@nfumutual.co.uk

Alternatively, you can reach us at our Flimwell office on 01580 878105

M J Webber, P G Bowring & S Joubert is an appointed representative of The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited (No. 111982). Registered in England. Registered Office: Tiddington Road, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire CV37 7BJ. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. A Member of the Association of British Insurers.

SweetCharity

Pickering Cancer Drop-in Centre celebrated its eighteenth anniversary late last year with a black-tie dinner and charity gala at the Spa Hotel on Mount Ephraim. Two hundred people, including some of the charity’s volunteers and members were invited along to champion Pickering, which helps support those who have been touched by cancer and whose drop-in centre is located at 27 Monsoon Road in Tunbridge Wells. On the night, the charity’s cofounder Polly Taylor was appointed as its first official president and was honoured with a ‘hugs and kisses’ plaque by Olympic Gold medallist and patron, Dame Kelly Holmes. The sporting star said: “I have met millions of people during my life and during my career but have not met anyone with such a heart of gold as Polly.”

Further details at 0189251180 or at PickeringCancerCentre.org.uk

TUNE IN TO THIS extraordinary orchestra

So Frances could you give us a brief history of the Royal Tunbridge Wells Symphony Orchestra (RTWSO) and what the group looks like today?

The RTWSO was originally called the Tunbridge Wells Orchestral Society with its first concert taking place 101 years ago on the 4th February 1922 in the King Charles the Martyr Hall. Back then it was a small group of around 25 amateur string players under the baton of Guthrie Foote. Over the years the orchestra grew and developed in both size and professionalism and is now a modern spirited and ambitious symphony orchestra with around 80 performers taking part in each concert.

Is there a mix of both professional and amateur musicians in the RTWSO?

Today we are evenly split between the two and our aim is to have as many local players in the orchestra as possible. We currently have 45 regular musicians who attend our Friday rehearsals at Holmewood House School. They come from a wide range of professions including Teaching, Nursing, Law, Upholstery, Veterinary, Journalism, Psychology, and Finance to name a few, but what we have in common is our love of music. Enjoying the thrill of shared

performance is something, once experienced, is very hard to live without.

What is the principal aim of the orchestra?

It has always been to produce musical performances of the highest standard, both for the pleasure of the audience and the enjoyment and development of the players. That is why the educational aspect of our work has become increasingly important to us. We are painfully aware that funding for the arts has been cut time and time again meaning the opportunities for young people to develop musical skills are being dangerously diminished. In response to this, we created the Education Outreach programme in 2015, which is funded purely by donations and is fantastically run by Yvonne Smith. To date, the programme has reached more than 3,600 local school children who we hope to have gained a passion and enthusiasm for music as well as becoming future audience members.

Where can we expect to see the orchestra play?

For us, the Assembly Hall is the only venue locally that can accommodate our full orchestra on stage. We would love to expand our season and perform elsewhere but it is simply not possible unless we venture out of Tunbridge Wells. However, a lot of our members perform with other groups across the town so whichever classical

As the Royal Tunbridge Wells Symphony Orchestra prepares for its first concert of 2023 next month, its Chair Frances Armstrong tells Lilly Croucher about the orchestra’s history and what to expect in 2023…

“I am surprised when people say, ‘I’ve lived in Tunbridge Wells for years and never knew it had an orchestra’, we’ve been here for 100 years!”

Frances Armstrong

concert you choose to attend, there is a good chance you’ll find a member of the RTWSO involved in some way!

How did the pandemic affect the orchestra?

We were performing six concerts per season before the pandemic and were regularly filling the Assembly Hall audience with more than 800 attendees each show. During Covid, we were forced to cancel eight of our concerts. We tried to keep in contact with our regular supporters, but it has been challenging trying to encourage people to come back to the theatre. Then, just as people were returning to live performances, the country plummeted into a costof-living crisis. So far, we have sold half of our tickets for the first three concerts of this season. After every concert, we receive loads of positive feedback, mostly from people who are delighted to have found the town’s ‘hidden gem’. Tunbridge Wells is renowned for having one of the finest regional orchestras in the country and more people should be aware of it!

Many talented musicians have played with the orchestra – any standout moments for you? Looking back on one hundred years’ worth of programmes, for the orchestra’s website, has given an interesting insight into the variety of performers we have welcomed over the years. The orchestra has always championed young artists and has proudly supported the winners of the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition. This hall of fame includes Nicholas Daniel (oboe), Emma Johnson (clarinet), David Pyatt (horn), Freddie Kempf (piano),

Natalie Clein (cello), Jennifer Pike (violin), Peter Moore (trombone), Lara Melda (piano), Laura van der Heijden (cello), Martin James Bartlett (piano) and of course, the worldrenowned violinist Nicola Benedetti who has performed with us on several occasions and is Honorary President of the RTWSO.

Personally speaking my biggest ‘stand out’ moment was in April 2018 when we ended the season with Ein Heldenleben by Richard Strauss. It was an amazing performance to be a part of and was a turning point for me in my involvement with the orchestra; it made me realise just what a special thing we have here in Tunbridge Wells, and how important it is to treasure the orchestra and keep it alive for future generations.

What are the RTWSO’s plans for 2023?

This year we have three remaining concerts of the current season which take place in February, March and April. In February we welcome guest conductor and long-term friend of the orchestra Neil Thomson, alongside the pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason. In March we see the return of Music Director and Principle Conductor Roderick Dunk. He will conduct a programme that includes Copland’s Clarinet Concerto performed by Katherine Lacy, and Symphony No. 7 by Sibelius.This concert is linked to our Education Outreach project, so the local school children can expect plenty of clarinet action and jazz rhythms in their workshops! The

The RTWSO’s 2022/23 Season continues on February 5 at the Assembly Hall Theatre. There is a half-season ticket available offering a 20 per cent discount to anyone who wants to attend all three concerts. For more information on how to book visit, rtwso.org

final show of the season in April will close with a performance of the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, performed by Callum Smart. Once again under the baton of Roderick Dunk, we end the season in style with Rachmaninoff’s great orchestral showpiece, Symphonic Dances.

When do you announce your new programme of events? Our 2023/24 programme will be announced in the summer and we are very excited by what we have in store! I can’t say much about it at the moment but it will be great! The first RTWSO show of the new season will be in October 2023.

What are you looking for in a musician to join the orchestra?

We are particularly keen to recruit violinists to replace those who are retiring from the orchestra or have moved away. Players should ideally be of a standard equal to at least a grade eight and have some significant orchestral experience like youth, student, or community orchestras. We also want to hear from potential volunteers who want to help with marketing and other aspects of running the orchestra.

If you think this sounds like you and you want to join the orchestra, contact us at chairman@rtwso.org

“The orchestra has always championed young artists and has proudly supported the winners of the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition”

Best in the business

The Times Business Awards are back for 2023 with esteemed broadcast journalist Nick Ferrari as the event’s guest host. Lilly Croucher takes a look at what’s to come and reveals more about the categories and how you can be part of one of the best nights of our borough’s social calendar on March 30

The Times Business Awards returns for its sixth year this spring with a popular LBC radio presenter now confirmed as the guest host.

Media personality, Nick Ferrari will be presenting the prestigious awards which are put on by SO’s sister publication the Times of Tunbridge Wells in order to celebrate our brilliant business and entrepreneurial community. The event is taking place on March 30 in the Victoria Theatre at Salomon’s Estate in Tunbridge Wells and promises to be another amazing night.

Since they began in 2016 the Times Business Awards shine a spotlight on those businesses – both big and small, new and established – who are really making a difference in our borough and beyond.

Over the years the winners’ gala evening has been hosted by a slew of famous names including former MPs Michael Portillo and Edwina Currie, Radio 2’s Ken Bruce and Strictly Come Dancing’s Anton du Beke.

And although they were unable

to take place during 2020 and 2021 due to lockdown measures the awards certainly made a dramatic return in March 2022 with over 200 attendees eager for the opportunity to network again. Last year’s event was hosted by TV personality and journalist Eamonn Holmes who went down a storm with guests chatting and agreeing to selfies!

The awards are open to everyone from multimillionpound businesses to independent entrepreneurs and small start-ups. And if any of them are lucky to be shortlisted then companies can buy tickets to the finalists’ black tie gala night to celebrate their achievements and that of the wider business community.

With ten categories to choose from, the winners of each one will be recognised on stage as the best in what they do. Entries are open now and include Creative Business of the Year, Best Company under 25 employees and Best in Food & Drink.

For 2023 awards there will be two brand new categories. They are for Green Business, which will recognise companies who

“For 2023 there will be two brand new Times Business Awards categories. They are for Green Business and Charity of the Year”

are environmentally conscious by using eco-friendly initiatives such as localising supply chains or reducing energy usage.

And the second will be for Charity of the Year award where charities and not-for-profit organisations will be honoured for the positive and vital role they play in the local area. Judges will be looking for impact, sustainability and imagination.

Entrepreneurs will also be recognised with Start-up Business of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year. While other awards will celebrate the diversity of local businesses including sectors such as hospitality, creativity and tech.

Applications are now open and are free to enter. The closing date however is February 20 so with just a month or so left you don’t have long to get your entry in to be in with a chance of winning one of these coveted awards.

Good luck!

Entry forms will be available at TimesBusinessAwards.co.uk

Times Business Awards Categories:

Start-Up business of the Year Award

Companies which were founded in the past two years that are going from strength

to strength

Creative Business of the Year

This is a strong sector for Tunbridge Wells, covering the creative, design, marketing and PR firms that have made our town their home.

Entrepreneur of the Year

An entrepreneur is more than just a business person. Entrepreneurs turn their idea into opportunities and may run more than one company.

Green Business of the Year

This new award category will recognise companies for their commitment to the environment, whether through reducing energy usage, ‘localising’ their supply chains or any other green initiatives.

Charity of the Year

In this new award

category, judges will assess the charities and not-forprofit organisations which play such a positive role in the life of our area, looking for impact, sustainability, and imagination.

Best in Food and Drink

This award is for the local companies producing or serving truly remarkable food and drink. Entries are welcome from fine dining restaurants, gastropubs, simple cafes and food and drink producers.

The category is open to any company which can demonstrate how it puts Tunbridge Wells or its local area on the map courtesy of its gastronomic excellence.

Best Family Business of the Year

The judges will be looking for the businesses that best demonstrate how running a family firm has added significantly to its competitive advantage. The winner will need to show how being a family business has had a positive impact on its achievements.

Best Business 1-25 employees

This award category is for the companies with a workforce of up to 25 which have maintained consistent growth and strong financial performance, both in meeting customers’ expectations and supporting its employees’ welfare and growth.

Best business 26+ employees

Consistent growth, financial performance and an engaged, positive workforce are just some of the criteria that set these companies apart from other medium to large businesses in the area.

Outstanding Business of the Year

This award will reveal which company demonstrates the best combination of growth, ambition and quality of management in the area. The ‘outstanding’ company will have delivered on a compelling business strategy, while developing its employees’ skills and looking after staff.

The beginning of a new year can be rather daunting, wondering what lays ahead, but in other ways it can also be quite liberating, a clean slate, a time to renew, a time to refocus, which is why so many people decide to sort out their fitness in January but perhaps we should also look to become financially fit too. Once all the festivities are over, it is a quieter time to sit and think about your long term financial goals, what do we want to achieve in life? For many the ultimate goal is Financial Freedom, giving you sufficient money to allow you to enjoy life and this will be different for everyone. Always high on the lists are paying off the mortgage, a comfortable retirement, or passing on wealth to the next generation, time with children and grandchildren, more trips abroad, visiting friends and family as well as many other amazing things along the way, but to do all of these effectively and tax efficiently requires some planning.

So ask yourself the question; what do you want to achieve, this is always my starting point with clients and part of my job is to help you to make a plan in order to get there. From these initial discussions you start to focus and establish what’s really important to you and what will the milestones be along the way, we also use these as review points to evaluate your ‘financial journey’ and redefine if necessary. Not only does this keep you on track to achieve your long term goals but it also provides motivation and focus when things aren’t always on the up.

As part of our planning journey, we also discuss with our clients, the importance of investing for decades and not days. SJP’s investment approach looks at the end goal and not about the short term. Short term fluctuations can be a distraction when you are looking at a 20 year investment and the earlier you start planning the better, minimising the effects in turbulent times, such as at the moment.

Selecting the investment products that are right for your circumstances, we just don’t recommend the same products to all clients. We will look at your situation and optimize any tax wrappers available to you that will improve your outcome, such as pension contributions.

And thirdly it’s important to talk to your Financial Adviser about where you’re going to invest, diversifying your portfolio to spread the risk and to minimise any short sightedness. At St. James’s Place the fund managers take a much longer term view and produce diversified portfolios that do just that with the aim of delivering results in the long term, whilst also making your money be a force for good by investing responsibly.

So if you’re looking to get financially fit in 2023, like everything, good results come with good long term planning. My advice to you this New Year is to speak to us and start your Financial Planning Journey today, banish those fears and start feeling better about your finances and your future. Wishing you a happy and healthy 2023.

Lynne Gadsden FPFS Grovewood Wealth Management Ltd

The value of an investment with St. James’s Place will be directly linked to the performance of the funds you select and the value can therefore go down as well as up. You may get back less than you invested.

The levels and bases of taxation, and reliefs from taxation, can change at any time. The value of any tax relief is dependent on individual circumstances.

Our online Insights hub hosts latest articles and much more, from market updates to investment views and financial advice visit; www.grovewoodwealth. co.uk/insights

Grovewood Wealth Management Ltd is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The ‘St. James’s Place Partnership’ and the titles ‘Partner’ and ‘Partner Practice’ are marketing terms used to describe St. James’s Place representatives.

SJP Approved xx/xx/xxxx

Inspiring

THE NEXT GENERATION OF FRUIT GROWERS AND HORTICULTURISTS

Since September, as part of their studies, Hadlow College students have been cultivating and managing a 3-hectare sustainable ‘concept’ orchard and vineyard using cutting-edge technologies and automated systems.

We are the first UK college to give our students the opportunity to be at the forefront of exciting changes in the farming sector by gaining practical, hands-on experience of sustainable fruit growing.

Developed in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce and local industry specialists, this innovative project focuses on decarbonisation and addressing skills shortages in the food production industry.

The aim is to develop concepts for a more efficient, economic, healthy, and sustainable farming industry, with the help of the latest technologies in automation and AI.

Why is the project so important?

It’s predicted that by 2050, the world will need approximately 70% more food than is currently being produced to sustain the growing world population. Meanwhile, UK growers are battling with severe shortages in available labour.

Sustainable farming techniques revolve around optimally using natural resources while not harming the environment in any way. Technology and automation can help make certain tasks faster, more efficient, and more economical compared to traditional methods.

What will students be involved in?

Hadlow College students will be instrumental in meeting the needs of a changing world in terms of increased food production, sustainable use of natural resources, waste reduction and recycling and using less energy.

Alongside more traditional horticultural methods, students will gain valuable employable skills in using drones, robotic fruit pickers, weather sensors and simulations to assist in food production.

A section of the orchard has been devoted to viticulture where students will be trained in how to set up and manage a vineyard. The rest of the orchard will be used to train students in sustainable orchard management with crops including apples, pears, cherries, apricots and other prunus.

What

technology will be used in the orchard?

The orchard will be as automated as possible using a range of robotic equipment and sensors to remove many labour-intensive aspects, while teaching students important skills in modern orchard management.

Drones will monitor bud set, predict yields and monitor the growth of the crop allowing precise applications of nutrition, pest and disease control methods to be used.

Sensors will be installed throughout the orchard to monitor amongst other things moisture, relative humidity, PAR and rainfall, plus other exciting sensors which are currently being developed.

The orchard and vineyard will also feature AI management systems, innovative crop diversity, cleaner storage, robotic fruit picking and post-harvest technology.

You can find out more here www.hadlow.ac.uk/future

Place stately are the views nothing be figure-ofat the

music“Good perfect coffee & combo”

So Matt and Fabs, why a music cafe?

Music is for everyone and bringing tasty coffee and awesome music together is the perfect combo. We love collecting records as well as going to gigs and festivals.

Music is at the core of what we do, whether it’s the chats with customers about bands, the new release records we have on offer or the next open mic session we’re looking forward to.

Where are you both from and what brought you to Tunbridge Wells?

Fabs is from Brazil and Matt grew up in South Africa, but we met in Brixton Academy and lived in London and other countries together, before being drawn to this lovely town… its space, character and handy location!

WHO: even flow, St John’s

WHAT: Independent, family run record store and coffee shop

WHERE: 79 St Johns Road, Tunbridge Wells TN4 9TU

thetncard.com /even-flow

When did you open and how’s the journey been so far? We opened in March 2020, a couple of weeks before the dreaded lockdown, which has definitely made us stronger. We are thankful every single day that we are still here considering the poor timing of opening – before we took the plunge, we thought: “What’s the worst thing that could happen?”

Our customers and especially the wonderful folk of St John’s have supported us since day one and have made the last two and a half years an unbelievable journey.

Matt, what kind of music do you stock?

We stock every genre, new and second hand, from death metal to blues, folk rock to electronic. I do have

a love for grunge and rock music, so there may be a few more of those bad boys in stock! Fridays are new release record days so this is when we’ll see brand new album releases or special reissue albums.

Have you always had a love for music? I was influenced by my older brothers and can’t remember my life without music. We used to watch local bands in South Africa and we’d dream about seeing our favourites live one day. I was blown away when I arrived in the UK and, flipping through the NME, I always had a choice of concerts to go to over a weekend.

Fabs, you’re the talent behind the café. What’s on your menu this January?

We’ve been offering seasonal treats over the past month and Ali has been creating a range of delicious cupcakes for 2023, which are especially exciting for our younger customers. I enjoy baking our gluten-free burnt Basque cheesecake. My Brazilian heritage and Ali being Italian Brazilian means that we’re constantly trying new recipes. We especially enjoy cooking and baking for events, where we offer finger food, tapas and sweet treats.

Events are now on at even flow so what’s coming up this year?

We have our Open Mic sessions on the last Thursday of every month which are very popular. We have so much talent in Tunbridge Wells and we’re seeing young musicians taking part too. It’s a great night of food, drink and social vibes. We have lots of live music and a quiz night planned. There are also Games Nights, Bring Your Own Record events and even a Singles Night

are in the planning too. Record Store Day is a big one for us – it takes place on Saturday April 22 when we’ll have a day of live music and fun!

I’m looking forward to our TN card evening on January 14. What can members expect from the event?

You can get a taste of our community focus. We offer a space for people to feel comfortable and have a good time. Some tasty tapas, great local beers, as well as local legends

Why did you join the TN community and how do you thank members for supporting local?

We absolutely believe in community and supporting local - it’s what we have always done.You launched the TN card just before we opened even flow and lockdown magnified the importance of community and local, so it was a no-brainer to join. We offer members a discount and our reward changes, from 10% off food and drink to 10% off albums with a complimentary coffee.

And lastly, what makes even flow so special?

Ah, you’d have to ask our customers that one!

The TN card is the loyalty scheme that rewards shoppers for supporting local at 750 independents across Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and Sevenoaks. This month its founder Jess Gibson chats to Matt and Fabs, owners of independent music café even flow on St John’s Road, Tunbridge Wells

Jess Gibson

Founder the TN Card

“Our customers and especially the wonderful folk of St John’s have supported us since day one and have made the last two and a half years an unbelievable journey”

DJ Dave & DJ Chris playing some cool tunes all surrounded by records!

are a

The Green Duck’s Sneak Peek of early 2023 Events GREEN DUCK SPOTLIGHT ON

Now that the festive bubble has burst, it’s time to look towards the fun that 2023 brings. At The Green Duck Events Space & Bar we have a jam-packed schedule. Here is just a selection of our upcoming events. Pre-booking is necessary to avoid disappointment.

Tom Carradine’s Cockney Sing-a-long

Live at the Green Duck The Last Friday of Each month

These are the times we shall dream about ... and we’ll call them the Good Old Days. Join Mr. Tom Carradine on the ol’ Joanna as he presents an evening of timeless songs with audience participation.

Let your host lead you in a traditional cockney sing-a-long, with songs from the music hall era, WWI and II, the West End stage and traditional popular songs from

across the decades.

Tickets £20 Only Per person - This includes an Antipasti board per person

The Green Duck is the only place to see Tom Carradine in Royal Tunbridge Wells

Only 28 Tickets per event – New for 2023 – You can now select your seats on our new Online booking system

Full Licenced bar - Doors 7.00pm - Main Event starts at 8pm A good old-fashioned knees-up!

Disco Duck

Last Saturday of Each Month

Disco Duck featuring Vintage Vinyl & Guests! Join us for a brand new discotastic soulful event playing the greats from Motown, Disco & Northern Soul with a hint of old skool house & hip hop!

This is Tunbridge Wells’ New Funky Night Out!

Ticketed event only. £6 secures you access to this fabulous event!

PRE SALE ONLY - Please do not turn up as you will be turned away.

Full Bar, Bar Snacks, Dance the night away until Midnight

Line up......

Trevor feelgood @Trevorfeelgood Jason Simmons @hypnojay Dickie Richards @dickierichards AMJ @amjcomic

Doors from 7.00pm Show Starts at 8pm £8.00 Per person, Pre book Only

If there is an event you are interested in but can’t see it listed on www.thegreenduckemporium.com please get in touch and we will see if we can cater to your event of choice, after all this is how the Nothing On, Naked Cockney Sing-a-long was born. We are always open to new and exciting ideas.

What the Duck!

Comedy Duck-Tacular – Friday 17th February

This is Tunbridge Wells’ New comedy night out n a small, intimate setting.

Join MC AMJ - “He has a kind of scream if you go faster energy that really pulls you in” @amjcomic

For a Night of Comedy at the Green Duck Event Space & Bar

The Green Duck Events Space & Bar,Tunbridge Wells is a unique space available for private for any kind of event you would like to throw. We aim to be as flexible as possible to tailor your quote to match the specific needs of your event.

An event could be a special birthday party, christening, bookclub, engagement or even a work event with colleagues. We have indoor and outdoor seating and even our very own cave in our garden, yes you read that right a cave.....a truly unique space.

All these products and many more are available in store and online at www.thegreen duckemporium.com

The Events Space & Bar can be hired with or without catering, with a minimum booking of 4 hours.

Gymtonic&

With its pumping party tunes and Calichic vibes, SPN is the popular and very trendy boutique fitness studio on Camden Road, which prides itself on its unique holistic approach to health and wellbeing.

SPN, standing for Soul Power Nutrition, was founded by fitness entrepreneur, Jaime Cooke whose own wellness journey inspired her to start her own business.

Jaime moved to London from Calgary, Canada in 1999 and got into the wonderful world of fashion selling the indigenous Mukluk boots to high-end department stores and celebrities like Kate Moss.

After taking a break from fashion in order to decide what to do next, Jaime took a family holiday to Ibiza. Sadly she was involved in a car accident that saw her herniate three

discs in her lower spine.

Through rehab and physiotherapy, Jaime found Pilates which she attributed to her remarkable recovery.

“I was seeing osteopaths and physios and constantly doing Pilates two to three times a week.

“After six months I went back to my neurosurgeon who was astonished by my recovery. I one hundred per cent believe it was the Pilates.”

Following her recovery, Jaime studied Pilates for two years in London and started teaching clients one to one to help other people who have suffered from lower back and spine problems.

“I always knew the benefits of Pilates but seeing it and experiencing it after going through my injuries makes me believe it was the right path for me, for sure.”

To further support her clients,

Jaime became a Back4Good practitioner, specialising in using Pilates for those with back problems like disc pain and sciatica.

“As my clients were getting stronger, I was getting stronger so I was able to do the sports and activities I couldn’t do for a long time because of the accident.”

This strength is what led her to discover spin and house music which led her to create a spin studio with just four bikes with a large sound system in the cellar of her home.

With only a few clients at the start, word of mouth travelled fast, and the spin sessions grew from a just couple of classes a week to multiple a day.

Eventually, after two years, Jaime had over 400 clients coming to her home for spin classes and she knew the next step was to start her own studio.

In May 2018, Jaime opened SPN, on Camden Road. The boutique fitness studio boasts an indoor cycling studio with DJ lighting and a sound system, a floor studio, and a

smoothie bar. It’s popular with men too who love the TRX and Spin classes.

“From the moment you walk in, to the moment you leave we try to create this beautiful community where everybody is welcome all ages, all demographics to this open space.”

The studio’s success has attracted celebrities like Davina McCall and Dame Kelly Holmes. It expanded to a second site in Sevenoaks in 2021.

SPN runs over 50 classes a week offering everything from spin, yoga, boxing, bar, TRX and, its newest edition, house hot yoga.

“This is a 60-minute class that uses infrared panels to heat the room to 38 degrees whilst you stretch, and hold poses.

“We use salt lamps, aromatherapy and house music so clients get all the benefits from the class,” says Jaime.

SPN prides itself on being different from your standard gym. For a start, the studio has a flexible payment method which allows its users to purchase ‘credits’ applicable to all classes on a pay-as-you-go system, plus there is no joining fee.

The boutique studio’s main USP is its focus on the client’s experience with front-of-house services, highly trained instructors, aromatherapy,

refreshments, and, most prominently, its music.

Jaime is a trained house DJ, having played at Ministry of Sound, EGG and three clubs in Ibiza.

She now incorporates her DJing into her live spin and yoga classes, as well as specially curating house music playlists for all her classes.

“I believe we can get more out of our clients when they’re inspired through the movement and the music.

“The music creates energy and a really beautiful positive space.”

This year SPN’s annual summer retreat is in Ibiza in partnership with the London Sound Academy.

Participants will learn to DJ during a five-day beginners’ course along with yoga classes, beaches, and parties.

New clients can try SPN with the Weekly Unlimited Introductory offer for just £25 for seven classes over seven days.

For more information and to book a class, visit spn.fit

SPN Director,

Jaime Cooke tells SO Magazine’s Lilly

Croucher all about her journey to founding SPN, how pilates changed her life and what makes her studio so different…

“From the moment you walk in to the moment you leave we try to create this beautiful community where everybody is welcome”

Home comforts

Molly Miller discovers a stylish new pied à terre in town that’s already proving to be very popular with visitors thanks to its laid back luxe appeal

Tunbridge Wells’ newest aparthotel has opened its doors, but reservations are already booking up fast thanks to its elegant, design-led aesthetic, luxury amenities and privileged location on Cumberland Walk in the thick of The Pantiles’ boutique shops, vibrant bars, and foodie scene…

The latest opening from One Warwick Park (part of Elite Leisure Collection), the new self-catering apartment is the boutique hotel’s second aparthotel venture since the staycation travel trend boomed in the UK post-COVID—19.

After launching the hotel in 2016 and opening its first self-catering property, The House last year, One Warwick Park has invested in another short stay option to ensure it stays at the heart of the local staycation scene. And it’s easy to see why it has so quickly become the talk of the town…

With its lavish, contemporary interiors and host of excellent dining options and facilities, it’s the perfect hideaway for a relaxing stay in the heart of Tunbridge Wells. A stone’s throw from the well

that gave the town its name — and the fine Georgian colonnade known as The Pantiles, the new double-bedroom apartment has been exquisitely renovated to give its guests a luxury home away from home experience.

Named ‘The Apartment’, the one-bedroom property is just steps away from the main hotel and has been designed to suit both business and leisure travel. A night’s stay will cost you from £225 per night costing an extra £25 if you’d like to bring your pet pooch.

Once the basement of The House, One Warwick Park has completely reimagined the empty space which now boasts a freeflowing floor plan.

This highly sought-after property certainly has a lot to offer its guests, and features a super comfortable double bed fit for two which seamlessly flows into the main living space.

Here you can expect to find a plush seating area (which has a pullout bed making The Apartment fit for small families), a large flatscreen TV and high-speed Wi-Fi throughout, and whilst the entire floor is open-plan, the clever design

using ‘invisible walls’ gives guests a snug and homey feel.

Whether you’re staying just for the night, a long weekend or even a month, there’s everything you could need for a relaxing, self-catered stay as the spacious marble kitchen and dining space are fully equipped making cooking at your new home

a breeze.

There’s also a charming yet luxurious bathroom and your very own private courtyard, beautifully decorated with hanging baskets, garden mirrors and a picnic bench.

The interiors throughout The Apartment mirror One Warwick Park’s concept of ‘contemporary elegance’ – a luxury the hotel has become renowned for.

‘Whilst The Apartment has everything you need for a relaxing self-catered stay, guests can still enjoy the benefits of the main hotel,’ Operations Director Nick Moore told SO magazine.

Only a short walk away, those staying at The Apartment can take advantage of One Warwick Park’s chic breakfast restaurant and opulent bar.

The restaurant, named The Brasserie, opened towards the end of last year and has quickly become a much-loved meeting place for locals and guests seeking morning coffee and delicious breakfast eats.

The Brasserie features a stunning atrium and contemporary décor, and its menu is packed full of favourites including tasty American pancakes, eggs royale and veggie and vegan options too.

On weekends The Brasserie also offers bottomless brunch which is available from 11 am – 2 pm.

Whether you’re a hotel guest, staying at The Apartment or are visiting The Pantiles to sample its famous food scene, you can enjoy brunch at The Brasserie for just £34 per person. It includes bottomless prosecco, Bellinis, Bloody Marys and mimosas plus one hearty dish from the menu.

If you’re after something a little lighter, afternoon tea is also available and costs from £25 per person where you can indulge in a delicious selection of classic sweet and savoury

Salomons Estate & One Warwick Park Hotel are owned by the Elite Leisure Collection who also own SO Magazine

“Elegant, design-led aesthetic and with luxury amenities, The Apartment boasts something for everybody to enjoy”

treats plus hot tea or a glass of bubbles.

Afternoon tea at The Brasserie is served in the restaurant’s stunning atrium or the art deco-inspired bar – another popular destination in Royal Tunbridge Wells which can be enjoyed by guests.

Providing the perfect setting for pre-dinner cocktails or after-work drinks, The Bar serves the best in British spirits, liqueurs, brews, and wines.

As well as eating and drinking at One Warwick Park Hotel, guests staying in The Apartment have 24-hour access to the front desk and can choose to use or not to use housekeeping – ideal for those looking for flexible long-term options.

Described as the ‘future’ of hospitality, aparthotels are a trend the industry has seen explode since the pandemic, and One Warwick Park says it has evolved quickly.

Nick Moore added: “People are staying in one place longer –perhaps to work first and then relax on holiday. Guests are therefore choosing accommodation they can live in, not just stay.”

The travel trend became apparent following COVID-19 which crippled the hospitality industry and whilst hotels worldwide suffered, Airbnb remained profitable generating billions in commissions.

The company even increased the number of active listings to 7.9 million during the height of the pandemic – a statistic that accelerated the growth in extendedstay and serviced-apartment accommodation.

“The demand is there and rising,” Nick said. “Both business and leisure travelers are looking for apartments with hotel-like experiences: premium amenities, complimentary

toiletries, in-room entertainment, and facilities like bars and restaurants.

“The Apartment at One Warwick Park appeals to both groups for this reason – the property gives people the flexibility to cherry-pick between the benefits of both hotels and selfcatering accommodation.”

The new aparthotel will predominantly be a quiet, ‘homefrom-home’ space for professionals relocating for short to medium periods in town, and at weekends will provide a relaxing space for families, friends and couples wanting to soak up the growing number of activities Tunbridge Wells has to offer.

Home to a pleasing variety of specialist independent shops, art galleries and restaurants and bars, the location of The Apartment boasts something for everybody to enjoy, and with a mainline train station only a short walk away, guests are truly at the heart of it all.

Enjoy 20% off your first staycation of 2023

For those wanting to stay at the luxury four-star hotel, One Warwick Park is offering up to 20% off hotel bedrooms, The Apartment and The House when booking direct in January, February, and March 2023.

The offer includes priority check-in and free bedroom upgrades (subject to availability). Reservations should be made by booking online (OneWarwickPark. co.uk) or by calling reception on 01892 520 587. To redeem, quote ‘BOOK20’.

Salomons Estate & One Warwick Park Hotel are owned by the Elite Leisure Collection who also own SO Magazine

“Whether you’re staying just for the night, a long weekend or even a month, there’s everything you could need for a relaxing, selfcatered stay”

Be who you’ve always been... a champion

Plant-based drinking and eating are becoming more and more popular – so much so that there is now the annual Veganuary event which runs during January and aims to get people trying a plant-based diet.

Did you know that according to recent research The Vegan Society guesses that, since the beginning of the pandemic, one in four of us has slashed the proportion of animal products we have in our diet?

A key reason many more of us are adopting a plant-based diet is thanks to its wealth of health benefits but an increasing number are also going vegan due to scientists’ stern warnings about the environmental cost of meat.

Two years ago Jospeh Poore, a scientist at Oxford University, revealed the most comprehensive analysis to date regarding the damage farming does to the planet. He went on to outline

how giving up eating meat and dairy was the ‘single biggest’ thing an individual could do to help protect the environment. “A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth,” he said.

“Not just greenhouse gases but global acidification, eutrophication, land use and water use. It is far bigger than cutting down on your flights or buying an electric car.”

According to the supermarket chain Waitrose, one in eight Britons is now vegetarian or vegan, and a further 20 plus% say they are ‘flexitarian’ – which basically means they will now and again include a small amount of meat or fish in a predominantly vegetablebased diet. Over the past few years the vegan movement in general has seen a colossal rise of 260% according to The Vegan Society.

The society says that ‘veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of

greenparty the

exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose’.

In other words there’s no meat, dairy or indeed any other animal by-products such as honey included in a vegan diet and items originally sourced from animals – think leather, fur or wool – or

that have been tested on them like certain health and beauty products are also excluded.

Yet although some might not be able to imagine how they could go through life without another roast dinner or wearing a woolly jumper, converting to veganism is actually now more popular than ever. Over the past decade The Vegan Society notes that there has been a huge 260% increase in the number of vegans in Britain.

And this month, on January 14 to be precise, one of our favourite wineries Balfour in Staplehurst is putting on a vegan dinner event.

“To celebrate Veganuary, we are hosting a special vegan six-course dinner in our tasting room, The View, from 7.30pm to 10.30pm,” a spokesperson tells SO magazine.

“The evening starts with a pre-dinner glass of Balfour Wine followed by an inventive vegan six-course set meal. The full range of vegan Balfour Wines and Jake’s Drinks will be available for purchase on the evening from our Cellar Door bar in addition to alcohol-free sparkling wine, Wild Idol.”

They add that places must be reserved in advance as there is a limited number of tickets available.

“Many people question how can wine not be vegan given that grapes are at their heart but the

On Saturday January 14, Balfour Winery in Staplehurst will be hosting a special vegan dinner to celebrate Veganuary. SO magazine finds out what’s on the menu…

fact is many producers use animalbased products for fining (clarifying and stabilising) their products,” adds SO’s wine editor James Viner for those wondering why wine isn’t accepted as a vegan product.

“Many producers are now moving away from including animal-derived substances such as isinglass (a protein taken from fish bladders) and casein (the principal milk protein) in their wine-making process with makers and brewers either using alternative plant-based products to fine their products – or they don’t fine at all.”

He also counsels the following advice: “Vegans should be on the lookout for the words ‘unfiltered’ and ‘unfined’ on the label. Barnivore.com is a great US directory where you can easily establish the vegan credentials of thousands of wines, beers and other products. It’s particularly useful since producers are not everywhere required to list ingredients and detail brewing and winemaking practices on their

labels, thereby making it tricky to establish whether a product is essentially vegan-friendly or otherwise. Furthermore, accredited certification can be costly so one is often left in the dark.”

At the time of going to press Balfour couldn’t confirm their menu as every ingredient is sourced so locally and according to supply but their head chef did tell us that following on from last year’s sellout vegan dinner they were keen to hold another one this year to meet demand – and they are ready for it!

“As a creative team we are excited to challenge diners’ preconceptions about alternatives to meat and dairy. Taking inspiration from familiar restaurant dish concepts, we add unusual ingredients and use innovative techniques to produce an unusual vegan menu for everyone to enjoy. Whilst a technical challenge, our vegan dinner is an event we look forward to every year.”

Viva the vegans

Veganuary is a movement which inspires people all over the world to try a vegan diet for a month. It was started in 2013 by Matthew Glover and Jane Land, a couple from Yorkshire who wanted to reduce animal suffering ‘as effectively as possible’.

The aim is to follow a meat and dairy-free plant-based diet in order to achieve a healthier and more sustainable eating regime – and environment. And the movement is getting bigger and bigger every year.

“As a creative team we are excited to challenge diners’ preconceptions about alternatives to meat and dairy”

Cold comfort…

There are two ways into the Blue Anchor pub in Crowborough. You can come in past the beer garden and sheltered outdoor table area – ideal for rainy days in the summertime. But the front door is the proper entrance into the oldest and warmest part of the pub, when at this time of year you are, quite literally, coming in from the cold…

With its low ceiling, brick floor and glass-fronted stove, you immediately know after a busy week this is exactly where you want to be as it’s such a perfect pub to unwind in.

When my dining companion and I stepped over the threshold of the Blue Anchor everyone else was doing just that. The pub was celebrating ‘Cinco de Maya’ – or the Day of the Dead – and all the staff were dressed up ‘al estilo mexicano’, serving a special fiesta menu. Yet all of the traditional hospitality was still available, so there were plenty of dishes to choose from.

We started with a couple of pints from the bar, a Whitstable Bay Pale Ale and an Orchard View cider

from the pub’s landlord brewery Shepherd Neame. I’m no beer drinker, but it was a pleasure to find a cider with a good bite.

We then headed into the dining room to a table, which kept us cosy for a couple of hours thanks to its close proximity to the nearby stove, and we set about perusing the extensive menu. Guests came and went, piling onto the generoussized tables, some just drinking, some enjoying a three-course meal. The atmosphere was buzzing – it’s been a long time since we had been somewhere so free-and-easy.

With the normal bill of fare and the ‘Cinco de Maya’ treats to choose from, my guest and I enjoyed mixing-and-matching both menus. Despite the refined flavours and varied ingredients on the menu, I’m pleased to report the portions were absurdly, superbly and very nicely generous. Perhaps we ought not to have had starters, but then we would have missed the scallops and mackerel!

The scallops, which were served with celeriac purée, Granny Smith apple, raisin gel and black pudding crumb (£12.95) slipped down neatly. And the celeriac purée had

a pleasant yet unexpected savoury tang to it.

My choice was the mackerel, whose umami Marmite glaze was nicely offset by the cucumber – both fresh and slightly bitter from being ‘torched’. The dish also came with beetroot ketchup, crispy leeks and baby leaves (£9.50)

Yet when our main courses of 12-hour pork belly and beef fajitas arrived, we were too tempted to leave them on the plate such was their presentational perfection.

The 12-hour pork belly came with pomme anna, creamed leek & savoy cabbage, caramelised apple purée and a red wine jus (£16.95). Every bite of it was a pure delight.

The sizzling beef fajitas, from the evening’s specially themed menu, were served up with a hearty combo of rice, refried beans, salsa, guacamole and soured cream (£19.50 for one or £38 to share).

Our delicious food was accompanied by musicians Joyride Duo, who played numbers from the likes of The Beatles and George Michael to Oasis in the corner of the dining room.

When you’re in the Blue Anchor’s company it’s very easy to see why it’s been the recipient of the prestigious Beautiful South’s Pub of the Year award for the past two years.

During dinner, other diners and

drinkers were still coming and going, and unlike a lot of places, there seemed no pressure to ‘move on’ for another sitting or an impatient group at the Blue Anchor.

There seems to be no particular age for the clientèle either. The pub appears to be as popular with the twenty-something crowd having a few drinks and a bite to eat together after the working week – as with, ahem, older people, who are eating at their leisure.

Unfortunately, even this relaxed approach to our dining could not help me make it to dessert. My dining companion however smugly polished off a serving – again, a generous one – of dark and white chocolate feuillettine torte which was enhanced by mango gel and passionfruit sorbet (£8.95). While he savoured every last spoonful, I had a coffee – and sighed over the lack of sticky date pudding which comes with toffee sauce and honeycomb ice cream (£7.95).

Finally, as with the best sort of pub where it’s so pleasant to spend time in, we knew we had to go. There is a good-sized car park, and decent pavements for anyone lucky enough to be able to arrive – and depart – on foot. Perhaps it’s time for you to make your own way there, too?

blueanchorcrowborough.co.uk

There’s nothing like a cosy pub to hunker down in during the winter – especially when it serves delicious, crowd-pleasing and award-winning food, as Victoria Roberts discovered when she shored up at the Blue Anchor in Crowborough...

“The 12-hour pork belly came with pomme anna, creamed leek & savoy cabbage, caramelised apple purée and a red wine jus. Every bite of it was a pure delight.”

DRINK

“Us ghosts been here longer than you!” have

The Mermaid Inn, in Rye is so much more than just an historic hotel as

discovered on a recent visit…

The last time I was at The Mermaid Inn in Rye was around five years ago, when four of us who’d formed a small drama group asked if we could perform our re-enactment of the story of The Hawkhurst Gang there. If you’re not familiar with them then in brief they were a band of infamous 18th century smugglers. We performed their fascinating story in front of a small audience in the historic hotel’s café style theatre by candlelight. The synergy between the Mermaid Inn and The Hawkhurst Gang is well documented. The gang were famous for displaying their weapons on the tables in the bar, often meeting there to plot the next contraband lift from the nearby coastline. They were audacious, ruthless and lawless. The bar with its huge iconic inglenook fireplace almost echoes their conversations.

We didn’t appreciate the energy that we were stirring up at the time of our performance

until a flute that had been placed on a music stand spookily flew off and hit the floor without any human assistance. We then realised that messing with The Hawkhurst Gang could have its consequences…

But that was then, and so on my most recent visit to this hostelry I was determined to discover what makes this quirky place tick. I also wanted to discover why it continues to be so popular as a hotel and dining experience – and yes, if I’m honest I wanted to see if I could re-awaken a ghost into action again!

nervous way. My four poster room was next to a room called ‘Fairall’. Now I know from my research that William Fairall was one of the nastiest of the smugglers, is it his spirit that spooked us those years ago and features in guest reports of hauntings?

The Mermaid Inn’s dinning

room is what you would hope for. Its low, ambient lighting, impressive beams and roaring fire, promises an enjoyable dining experience. It isn’t chattery and clattery but there is certainly a buzz of anticipation and the acoustics allow for flirtatious exchanges before the main event of eating, without the nearby table catching your drift!

The china is Villeroy & Boch and there’s Chateau d’Angludet Cru on the wine list – another couple of fine dining hallmarks. I would suggest you opt for the 3-course dinner menu for around £45.00 as it allows you to enjoy the range of culinary delights on offer. The table service is impeccable and our waiting staff were very well informed about each dish.

I enjoyed smoked ham hock with huss and duck liver terrine and caramelised apple to start followed by English rose veal loin with a lovely sauce that disguised a slightly too rare piece of veal that was back in the pan without a fuss. The vegetarian option of Kohlrabi Tagine with coconut rice and Kohlrabi ravioli was a delight.

I must accentuate the positive here and admit that I might have to search around to beat this dish. Well done chef.

The cheeseboard was also excellent boasting generous slices of English and French cheese with pickled walnuts. When did you last have that with cheese? It was delightful.

After dinner my guest and I retired to the lounge for coffee and petit fours and it became clear to me as to why this hotel has such a high occupancy most of the time and constant demand for the restaurant especially at weekends. There is something delightfully quirky about this place that calls on you to return for more fun and good value food experience.

As for another sighting of a ghost there well that eluded me this time round so I guess I’ll just have to return soon!

themermaidinn.com

The Mermaid Inn is a quintessential historic building, boasting thousands of beams and sloping creaky floors with corridors that leave you baffled and confused when trying to find your room after the bar has closed. On a midnight stalk around the place I discovered quirky things, especially a sign that stopped me in my tracks and forced me to focus on the words –‘Us ghosts have been here longer than you!’ I chuckled, in a slightly

John Greenwood

“I enjoyed smoked ham hock with huss and duck liver terrine and caramelised apple to start followed by English rose veal loin”

All in the detail…

January is a beautiful month to tie the knot and is actually a very busy time in the world of weddings given the number of people who pop the question over the festive period.

According to UK Weddings, there are approximately 278,599 nuptials that take place every year in Britain – with 41,273 happening in the South East including at popular wedding destinations Salomons Estate and One Warwick Park Hotel, both part of Elite Leisure Collection in Tunbridge Wells.

Each year, an average of 110 wedding ceremonies take place across the chic four-star hotel, and grand 36-acre country estate where the wedding team is headed up by Fiona Owens.

Fiona told SO magazine: “Whilst summer and spring remain the most popular, we’ve seen a big increase in weddings being held in winter.”

“We are starting to plan more weddings between January and March than in previous years,” she continued.

Fiona adds that although both venues can provide the most lavish

and luxurious of ceremonies thanks to their opulent surroundings, fantastic function spaces and excellent array of quality suppliers, Salomons Estate and One Warwick Park Hotel are also very flexible too, offering smaller, more intimate affairs if desired.

She points out they can also provide a more unique and often quirky day if that’s what any happy couple wants.

“We can offer lots of bespoke packages and also accommodate the quirkier requests too such as one couple wanting their dog to accompany them down the aisle. We also get lots of requests for dogs to be the ring bearer! Then of course we’re asked for added extras to a couple’s big day such as fireworks displays and once, we even had a petting zoo for a drinks reception at Salomons!”

The flexibility is great news for couples poised to tie the knot during the most wonderful time of year as Fiona explains that winter weddings in 2023 are all about re-inventing tradition.

“We are seeing the biggest shift ever in typical UK weddings,” Fiona told us.

“From details like wedding menus and photography style to a greater emphasis on individuality, there’s a lot going on in the world of weddings,” she explained.

If you’re recently engaged and are looking to tie the knot then let the expert wedding planners at Salomons Estate and One Warwick Park be your guide to organising your dream day says Molly Miller…

“We are starting to plan more weddings between January and March than in previous years”

Salomons Estate & One Warwick Park Hotel are owned by the Elite Leisure Collection who also own SO Magazine

Whether you choose to embrace the season or indulge in unconventional dishes, winter weddings at the two venues are executed with style and sophistication as Fiona explains the planning process bucks the norm, avoiding rigid packages that leave no room for freedom.

“Our wedding plans are created element by element, so we can build a bespoke celebration for each couple based on their unique requests.”

Fiona adds: “We get lots of lovely feedback about this approach. We are so lucky to have such a creative team including our chefs so we can offer so much more than your average venues such as pizza ovens, paella stations and gourmet burger bars! We can even provide guests with a Pimp Your Prosecco station and a Pop-Up Gin Bar.”

Salomons

Estate mainly works with Bows Hire, a specialist wedding and events decorating company based in Robertsbridge. They will come in and transform the function rooms at the estate into the space of a couple’s dreams courtesy of festooning fairy lights, candles and incredible floral embellishments and divine drapery.

Elite Leisure Collection also works with several other recommended suppliers and will let potential clients know how they can assist you with everything from hair and makeup artists to photographers and DJs too.

Top trends for winter weddings at Salomons Estate and One Warwick Park Hotel

Black tie weddings

Winter weddings boast elegance and sophistication, so what better trend to incorporate into your special day than black tie? Known as one of the most formal types of celebrations, black-tie weddings are a sure way to stand out and impress. Whilst the phrase refers to traditional dinner jackets, bow ties and evening gowns, that’s not all it indicates about the big day. Recently we’ve been seeing a surge in weddings that incorporate elaborate décor, a stylised menu, and entertainment to match.

Hot chocolate

Hot chocolate is a must at any event this time of year, so there’s no surprise this warming treat has made its way into our couples’ top wedding requests! The crowd-pleasing favourite is a fantastic, budget-friendly menu addition that can be served before the ceremony or as a late-night dessert and can even be switched up for cocktail hour.

Comfort food

Whilst dainty wedding canapes of sweet tartlets and tomato bruschetta are traditional, all-round favourites, winter nuptials call for comfort food. From tender meats and seasonal veggies to warming spices and homely desserts, comfort foods are a great way to make

your guests feel nostalgic, warm, and ready to have a good time. A few of our guests’ seasonal favourites include roasted tomato soup, rump of lamb and warm dark chocolate brownie!

Bridal suiting

No gown? No problem. Whether you’re not partial to the traditional wedding dress or you want to channel your inner modern-day bride, wedding suits are a versatile and stylish alternative taking over winter weddings. Not only are they stylish, figure-flattering and totally of the moment, but they are a warmer alternative for those embracing the colder months. Bonus? They’re super comfortable making them a favourite amongst our brides looking for a second outfit for their reception!

Sparkler send-offs

With shorter days and longer nights, winter weddings call for a touch of magic, and what better way to do so than with sparklers? The perfect way to light up the night sky and create a glimmering exit for newlyweds, sparklers act as both a form of entertainment for guests and the perfect photo opportunity to add to your wedding album.

Email leisuresales@salomons-estate.com or sales@onewarwickpark.co.uk to book a viewing

And finally, during January, February, and March they are offering an amazing discount of 23% off venue hire for all 2023 weddings. So, whether you want to say “I do” surrounded by 36 acres of breath-taking grounds or tie the knot in a luxurious Grade II listed hotel, Elite Leisure Collection’s award-winning events team is nothing short of exceptional, promising magical memories to last

a lifetime.

To enquire, you can contact the team by calling Salomons Estate on 01892 515152 or 01892 520587 for One Warwick Park Hotel. Wedding brochures can also be downloaded by visiting their websites.

www.salomons-estate.com/ weddings/ www.onewarwickpark.co.uk/ weddings/

Salomons Estate & One Warwick Park Hotel are owned by the Elite Leisure Collection who also own SO Magazine

summer... Dreaming of

Summer wouldn’t be summer without the perfect dresses to brighten your day. ‘Under the sun’ is the SS23 collection for Paris-based brand Miss June, who have been specialising in resortwear for the past 20 years. With a resolutely bohemian DNA, their latest collection is full of floaty and effortless styles for those warm weather days. A true signature of the brand, each collection is a journey that explores new dream destinations full of warmth and sunshine.

Bali, Palm Springs, Marrakech, Ibiza and many more, Miss June’s collections travel the world. Their collections begin as an idea in Paris and are then brought to life in India. Each garment is unique and handmade by artisans who work with different materials, colours, prints and techniques. This season they have encapsulated summer’s tropical feel, with shimmering prints, bright colours and classic silhouettes. Miss June is a timeless investment brand with their elevated and beautifully finished designs. Whether you are travelling abroad this year or off to a summer wedding in style, the SS23 ‘Under

the sun’ collection has you sorted.

The ultimate blend of sophistication and elegance, the Icy maxi dress is as easy to wear for the daytime as it is for an evening night out. A bohemian style dress, embellished with a shimmering lurex print and features ruffles along the entire length of the dress. Style it with gold sandals, a wide-brimmed hat and a basket bag and you’re ready for the sun.

A breezy shirt dress is another classic summer staple. One of Miss June’s signature designs, the Cordelia dress is covered in a floral print that captures the romance of its shimmering lurex fabric. An elevated and timeless design that you can turn to no matter what the day holds. Style with strappy flat sandals and a clutch bag for the ultimate vacation look.

Crafted from Miss June’s signature soft and silky fabrics, the Falone dress is the epitome of laidback luxury. The dress features

long balloon sleeves that are secured with a functional tie at the wrists. The palette of soft purples is a great choice for the new season and will compliment any skin tone. Complete the look with a pair of gold sandals for an effortless daytime look or style with heels for elevated evening attire.

For day-to-evening dressing, an off-shoulder maxi dress is an easy-to-wear wardrobe staple that combines classic and contemporary styles. The Euphoria dress is a

shimmering maxi dress finished with sequin embroidery. With its floral print and all details adorned with sequins, the Euphoria dress is a must-have for any AM-PM occasion. Complete the look with gladiator sandals and a chunky gold necklace for a holiday daytime look, then switch it up in the evening with a pair of heels and clutch bag.

www.kitchclothing.co.uk @kitch_clothing

It may only be January but Charlotte Newman, founder of Kitch fashion boutique on Tunbridge Wells High Street, has her sights set on her summer wardrobe…

“With its floral print and all details adorned with sequins, the Euphoria dress is a musthave for any occasion”

New Year Skin Heroes

If your complexion is looking lacklustre at this time of year then let these two wonder products soothe, refresh and revitalise says Eileen Leahy

So spa, so good Olverum is a cult, spa-standard luxury well-being brand that is the beauty world’s insider secret. Its gorgeous aromatic body and bath oils are already on every beauty editor’s bathroom shelf but now there are some other treats to pamper yourself with.

One of our favourites is the Olverum Body Cleanser (£25 250ml) as it is soap and sulphate free and can therefore be used on all skin types. Like all the Olverum products it is made with an aromatic blend of essential oils which beautifully scent the skin and ease stress. What’s not to love?

Beauty spot

skin type you are, to knowing your perfect shade, and how on earth do you know which lipstick or even hair colour works best for your skin type?

www.uk.olverum.com

Good enough to eat

Former Masterchef finalist Angela Langford launched her own skincare range a few years ago when she couldn’t find anything suitable for her own sensitive skin.

The organic, vegan, cruelty free, mood-boosting skincare products are made by hand in Angela’s home county of Pembrokeshire and harness the finest ingredients from nature’s bountiful larder to feed your skin - with no chemical nasties.

Abrief history of make-up:

Throughout history, man has painted his face and by the fourth century BC the use of make-up was well established. Early glimpses of cosmetics from across the globe served different purposes. Primitive Tribal make-up suggests that the first ‘make-up’ may have been protective and a mark of status, with early tattooing associated with puberty rights and a magical significance.

In Ancient Egypt, make-up served as a marker of wealth believed to appeal to the Gods and the period’s iconic eyeliner was a characteristic of Egyptian Art that appeared on both men and women.

By the early Renaissance a pale complexion ‘bright as moonlight’ was fashionable and symbolised a gentrified or aristocratic person versus more tanned skin which was often associated with the poor labouring in fields daily. Products used to whiten the face often included ingredients such as lead and copper for more than 2000 years destroying women’s complexions, even resulting in premature death - a compound of arsenic often an ingredient!

For the Egyptian’s Kohl and sometimes soot was used in eye make-up. Cleopatra using lipstick made from ground carmine beetles, while other women mixed clay with water for lip colour. Men and women

of all classes would decorate their eyes with coloured kohl, usually in dark green, blue or black - to ward off the evil eye.

The Japanese Geishas used lipstick made from crushed safflower petals to paint their eyebrows and lips, with rice powder to colour the face. And before the invention of mascara, boot polish was often used to darken eyelashes. Early twenties brought the dramatic make-up looks for silent film and 1935 saw the invention of pancake make-up, giving rise to the creation of the iconic Hollywood Glamour for the film industry. Make-up has been a significant part of society for centuries across all continents, serving different purposes, creating trends and making history.

Make-up as we know it today: Make-up has evolved considerably over the ages – thankfully. With the advancement of science, new approaches to make-up are largely safe and effective, more nourishing to the skin with an array of colour pigments and palettes to choose from.

What with better ingredients, applicators, application techniques and product formulation – we are spoilt for choice in today’s market in all areas of the beauty industry. Often finding there is too much choice and quite frankly it can be overwhelming. From learning what

Then comes the multiple brands to choose from, product trends, seasonal colour palettes, new releases – the mind boggles.

My solution to you: A Complimentary Membership

Each month during 2023 I am going to take you on a journey, a detailed step-by-step guided lesson in all things make-up. Teaching you the process I use for professional makeup application, my go to favourites, latest releases I consider worth a mention, complimentary access to my eagerly awaited beauty website where questions and answers can be shared and discussed within an open forum. Supported by online masterclasses from industry insiders plus seasonal competitions and give aways. Let the big beauty conversation begin…

Her gorgeous Bloom and Glow facial oil (£20.50) is an awardwinning product which nourishes the skin and leaves it looking luminescent courtesy of its chia seed and buckthorn ingredients. These potent natural elements help deliver high levels of acids, vitamins and antioxidants to calm any redness, plump and radiate. And ultimately leave you looking beautiful!

www.angelalangford.com

This month our resident make-up expert Natalie Piacun from TAW salon on The Pantiles takes a retrospective look at the history of make-up and the how it has ingrained through society over the years to current day…

Natalie Piacun TAW salon www.thomastaw.com

“Make-up has been a significant part of society for centuries across all continents”

The of the

year Phoenix

This month Karen Martin, a Hypnotherapist based at Salomons Estate, reveals why there will always be something to look forward to after hard times . Here she advises you how to welcome positive and dynamic change into your life for good...

he good news this New Year is that innovation and dynamic change inevitably follow the bad news of recession and economic catastrophe. Rising from the ashes of financial hardship, amongst the entrepreneurs of the future are those driven to never to experience poverty again.

There’s nothing like hunger or the threat of deprivation to stimulate growth and motivation for success.

Comfortable complacency is the enemy of creativity and visionary business growth. The phoenixes of the future will be those forced by circumstance to create new opportunities to rise above soaring interest rates and crashing money markets.

WHAT TYPE ARE YOU?

Polling and consulting firm Gallup identifies three key types of successful entrepreneurs: Rainmaker

Sales orientated and aggressively confident, rainmakers are the fast-talking peddlers of snake oil or their own grandmothers whose focus is on making money by whatever means. Expert

The smartest person in the room, the expert is constantly learning and coming up with new ideas. This quick-thinking clever clog sets high standards for themselves and others. Conductor

A maestro of organisation and delegation, the conductor is hard working and focuses on operational efficiency.

KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS

Whenever I’m giving anyone career advice or business coaching, I do a ‘SWOT’ analysis of them. This is a business development strategy to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that can be applied to individuals too. Psychometric tests like ‘16 Personalities’, a free online test, are also a useful guide for those who are unsure which career path to take. Those who are between jobs or unhappily employed often lack the confidence to take the leap into setting up on their own. If they do, they’re the most likely to benefit from taking control of their fortunes by becoming selfemployed or starting a business. In our heads, we’re prone to fantasise about transforming our lives and living the dream. But the reality is that about a third of new business ventures are doomed to fail.

TAKE RISKS BUT DON’T GAMBLE

Successful entrepreneurs understand themselves well enough to know their strengths, surround themselves with good people with

complementary skills, do enough research to take calculated risks and are determined, tenacious and resilient. It also helps if they have a passion for their product or service.

Gamblers don’t make good business decisions. What characterises an entrepreneur is a willingness to bet on themselves rather than taking reckless chances on things that are out of their control. Studies show that those who are successful in business are loss averse and driven to avoid failure. Strategic risk, hard work, optimism and luck are all indicators of potential.

It doesn’t pay to be over-confident. Researchers discovered that start-ups are more likely to fail if the boss is too big for their boots. But the majority of small business owners were found to struggle with ‘imposter syndrome’, a misguided belief that they are unworthy of success. That doesn’t help either as it limits the lengths they will go to to prove themselves wrong.

MASTER OR SERVANT?

Being on a payroll is a safer bet for those who don’t want all the responsibility of running a business. Founders and owners of SMEs (Small to Medium Enterprises) stand or fall by their own effort and ability.

During a recession, SMEs need strong leadership and high quality, competitively priced products or services to survive. Many fall by the wayside if they have debt, cashflow or supply chain problems or fail to adapt to the changing marketplace. Budding entrepreneurs sitting on the side-lines or those who have lost jobs during the recession are well placed to step in and step up where other businesses may have failed or new opportunities arise as the economy picks up.

The key to new business success is to know yourself and know your market. A new venture based on expertise and a relevant skill set has the potential to succeed whether you’re a rainmaker, expert or conductor. No-one can be good at all three so successful entrepreneurs don’t generally fly solo.

RAGS TO RICHES

High flyers have to start small. Richard Branson started a magazine when he was still a student and was a millionaire by the time he was 23. Lord Alan Sugar started his empire selling car aerials at 16. These titans of industry share a resilience that enabled them to learn from failures and adapt new business models when necessary. These phoenixes had the ability to rise from the ashes of failure.

Many of the very successful or wealthy didn’t do well at school and came from humble beginnings. Being a bit different can be a disadvantage for children but an advantage in adulthood when standing out can lead to outstanding success. Sometimes, the misfits in the playground turn out to be winners in later life.

There’s nothing like a recession to clear out the old and make space for the new and innovative. Hardship is fertile ground for the seeds of new business ventures. Added to that, many of us evaluated our lives during lockdowns and have been incubating ideas and making plans for pastures new. 2023 could be the year of the phoenix and a new beginning for a multitude of creative and innovative start-up entrepreneurs. If not now, then when?

Karen Martin Hypnotherapist hypnotherapykent.co.uk

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Looking back, I think it is fair to say that the last few years have been character refining and revealing. Never as a collective have we experienced anything quite like it.

Life as we knew it changed and most of society changed with it. Everything we thought of as safe and secure became shaky and uncertain.

The pandemic changed our habits, the way we think and our outlook.

So perhaps now is the time to build back resilience and

Naomi Murray Co-founder of Botanica Health botanicahealth.co.uk

Why life isa lesson in growth

In her first column of 2023 Naomi Murray of Botanica Health in Rusthall reflects on how seismic events like the Covid pandemic have changed so much - but it’s never too late to thrive in life…

Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.”

Here are some meaningful ways to thrive this year:

1. Seek out that which enriches your spirit - people, places, experiences and ideas. Draw close to the things that leave you in awe. There is nothing more wonderful than being around someone who brings you to attention.

don’t know.” Or to be brave and feel the liberation of having an option that is yours and yours alone.

4. Observe more - Observation breeds patience and resilience. It develops curiosity and a questioning mind. Perhaps through observation we become wiser and less inclined to make knee jerk reactions. Some wonderful insights can be revealed through observation.

emotional strength through some simple habits we can all adopt.

Nearly 20% of people give up a New Year’s Resolution in one week. Perhaps they just aren’t attainable and the pressure feels too much. But this shouldn’t discourage you. A sense of purpose is good for us but maybe it doesn’t have to be tough.

Every day we awake to the possibility that this day we can do things differently, we can make new choices, change our minds, reflect and grow in character. A fresh start greets us as the sun rises. Too much time is wasted on the things we should or shouldn’t have said or done.

I love the sense of relief we can feel in the wise words of Ralph Waldo Emerson who said: “Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can.

2. Be still - in a world of striving, perfectionism and addiction to success we can lose the very essence of life. We live in a culture that measures our worth according to earnings, accolades and achievements. Of course a sense of purpose is important but if we aren’t careful we can lose the capacity for joy and wonder that makes life so beautiful.

“Sometimes I need only to stand wherever I am to be blessed.”

― Mary Oliver

3. Be okay with changing your mind - We live in a culture where we are expected to have an opinion. And yet this is often not our own. We cling to the ideas of others, such is the sense that we only belong when we agree with the majority. It is liberating to sometimes just say “I

5. Choose joy - Joy can be found in the smallest things; the rising of the sun, a roaring fire, the hug from a friend, a smile on the street. It is impossible to be ungrateful and feel joy. All behaviours can become habitual. We can choose joy, appreciation and gratitude in the simplest things. And we feel better for it.

“A sense of purpose is good for us but maybe it doesn’t have to be tough.”

“My fitness philosophy exercise should be is fun”

I‘d like to begin by introducing myself and to also say a huge hello to all the readers. I’m thrilled I am to have been asked to write for this publication and I hope you will enjoy it.

I am a 46-year-old business owner, single mum of three (plus my dog!) and I am a fitness professional. I believe that I have a good understanding of how difficult finding time to focus on yourself can be. Like many other people my age I am feeling and seeing changes in my body as well as in my mindset and I want to be able to help relieve some of those symptoms and issues and help to build strength and positivity from the inside out.

My personal fitness philosophy is that exercise should be fun. Yes, you need to work hard to get results, but for me, it has to come with an element of joy. I have created the BlendFit Method over the past 15 years to provide an eclectic approach to training; blending disciplines to create energetic and fun classes to get people strong, mobile, fit and healthy.

By blending various disciplines together into one class you can effectively train your entire body, and mind, enabling you to feel you have given focus to your whole self. My BlendFit App has recently launched – and yes, I know there are a tonne of fitness apps out there, but I believe that mine has a personal feel to it by asking you to become a part of the BlendFit Family that we’ve created.

There are five live classes a week - every week! Which means you are never without a class! And if you can’t make the live sessions, they all go into the bank so you can do them in your own time. There are challenges and programmes on there as well as a nutrition section called BlendKitchen.

When I hear people talk about their fitness at this time of year I tend to hear they say ‘in the New Year it will all be different and that’s when I’ll get back on it!’ By giving yourself this ultimatum, you are setting yourself up for a possible fall. What if you don’t

“January is a time to reset and reframe yourself and your goals.

I’m a huge fan of being kind and making small, consistent steps towards glowing good health”

Sarah Gorman is a well-known and highly experienced fitness professional and entrepreneur who wants to change the thinking around exercise. In this her first column for SO magazine she explains a bit more about her unique approach to feeling good

Move of the month:

Each month I will give you a different move to try out. This month’s is to walk more and up your steps. It could be leaving the car just outside of town and walking the rest of the way - or not taking the car at all. If you don’t have a dog, pretend you do so you have to go out each morning and each afternoon to walk - even if it’s just round the block or to your local park. While you are outside, take some really good deep breaths and look around you. Take in the environment and hopefully get yourself into nature. Maybe this can become a new habit that you form - it really does do you the world of good.

get back on it? Have you therefore failed?

January is a very difficult period in the calendar of fitness and nutrition. We have made ourselves tonnes of promises that aren’t always achievable. My suggestion is that next year, in the lead up to Christmas and New Year, you try to continue with what makes you feel good. It could be moving your body in whatever ways you can, even if that means not

making your usual quota of classes or gym visits, but that you’ve simply walked more.

Then make some realistic and achievable goals for January.

January is a time to reset and reframe yourself and your goals. I’m a huge fan of being kind and gentle with ourselves, particularly at this time of year, and making small, consistent steps towards glowing good health. That’s why I don’t go in for the big detox/diet/radical

overhaul thing. I’ve found from my years of coaching clients in fitness and nutrition that those dramatic all-or-nothing plans rarely last for long – and it’s the cumulative effect of small, consistent steps that add up to lasting changes. The main thing is laying the foundations. Think of it as a clean sweep before you start building new dietary and exercise habits.

Try to build up these healthy habits week by week so they become part of your routine, rather than trying to do everything at once. To begin with find a sport or exercise that you want do and that makes you happy as you’ll have more chance of sticking with it instead of finding excuses as to why you can’t!

“Originality key” is

Vanessa, when and why did you get into the wonderful world of interior design?

I have always had a passion for interiors and the way these can shape a lifestyle, or even the other way around. I knew I wanted to provide a service for people who wanted to make their home work perfectly for their style of living, but didn’t have the time or inclination to make this themselves.

What would you say your company’s USP is?

I saw a gap in the market for an

You trained at the KLC School of Design in Chelsea. How did you find this experience?

KLC provided the structure and formal training I needed but there is a lot more to interior design than simply picking colours and fabrics! I really wanted to focus on making sure I was technically able as well as delivering on the more creative side of the profession. It also opened the doors to a wonderful network of supportive partners, clients and friends.

You say that your designs try primarily to reflect the personality of each client. How do you do this?

Originality is key as is understanding the needs of the family and the way they live. I like to really get under the skin of my client before I provide any insight or design concept. If you are an extrovert and love to entertain, then your needs will be very different to someone who hates to cook, the needs of a young family are very different to those with teenage children and so on. Many companies produce a standardised product with a onesize-fits-all approach, but I thrive on projects which go against the curve.

Do you actively involve your clients in their projects?

I encourage them to embrace their own needs and wants, both now and with an eye to the future, and suggest design and interiors which underpin this and steer away from current trends. This means my clients end up with a home that is right for them and one that is designed for the long-term too.

interior design company which offered a complete turnkey solution to the often tricky reality of employing multiple individual contractors and craftsman.

What were you doing beforehand?

I worked in finance in the City for a few years prior to having my son and also enjoyed a brief stint living in Bermuda, so quite varied! These experiences have enabled me to make some strong connections and I am still in touch with many friends from those days – I’ve even worked on some of their houses!

With the start of a new year many of us will be looking at our homes and dreaming of a stylish revamp. Well if that’s you then be inspired by Vanessa Morgan from local interior design company VEN MORGAN and her unique aesthetic vision...

“Many companies produce a standardised product with a one-size-fitsall approach, but I thrive on projects which go against the curve.”

“We have worked on some wonderful projects: from grade II listed country manors, to contemporary London apartments and boutique holiday homes across the globe”

Your projects range from country cottages to super yachts and everything in between. Do you have any particular favourite style of interior?

I have a real thing for working with people who have open minds, who I can build a rapport and sense of trust with. I look for people who are happy to share their lifestyles with me, as that’s how the best projects are concocted. Ideally I enjoy working with people who haven’t already got everything mapped out to a tee. I love to get involved in the original vision and to work collaboratively with a client and architect to achieve brilliant results.

In terms of your work, do you just execute the soft furnishings side of interior design or do you also get involved in the structural side of things if needed with the service you provide?

Our team is home to interior designers, project managers and tradespeople, working collaboratively together to simplify processes, reduce costs and minimise delays often experienced with numerous providers. We have decades of experience on site building extensions and creating interiors, whilst also producing the best craftsmanship and joinery, accredited by the Fedaration of Master Builders. Whether we work on your interior design only, or deliver your whole build for you, we are committed to a flawless end result.

What companies do you like working with on your projects and are any of them local to Tunbridge Wells?

We love incorporating design details that support local businesses when we can and also bouncing ideas off other local designers. We use local photographers, local marketing & PR, and on the procurement side. We also love collaborating and sharing knowledge. For example, a few companies I know in Kent that touch the home build space and share our values have been chatting about setting up a network so people moving to the area can immediately find the right experts for them.

How many are in your design team and is it deliberate that it’s an all-female one?

I am proud to be breaking the mould of the male dominated building industry. My femaleled team has a core team of eight designers, developers and craftsmen, but we are also privileged to have an extensive network we can call upon for our larger projects too. Our craftsmen and tradesmen are happy to work for women and it makes for a much more respectful environment that overturns stereotypes!

Your studio is based in Speldhurst which must be very inspiring, what other areas in life do you draw inspiration from?

My son is sports mad and I am finding myself more frequently on the side of a cricket pitch,

CONTACT INFO: www.venmorgan.com Instagram: @venmorganinteriors

all over the country!! Just as I am intrigued by how a person can shape a home, I am intrigued by how a culture can shape a person. My designs readily embrace local culture and influences.

Are there any particular designers you are inspired by?

I have always admired the work that comes out of the Helen Green Design Studio. The designs are always elegant and use colour and texture brilliantly. I am also a huge fan of Staffan Tollgard for more contemporary design and their fabulous use of art.

Most of your work takes place in the local area. Are they all private projects or have you done some commercial ones you could tell us about?

We have worked on some wonderful projects both near and far, From grade II listed country manors, to contemporary London apartments and boutique holiday homes across the globe. We design exclusively to the style and vision of our clients, whether they are private or commercial. We don’t look for one type of project - we really enjoy complex and interesting challenges and, if we can build it in house too then better for all parties as the client saves money and we can ensure our designs are delivered how they are meant to be.

And finally what would you say your interior design USP is? Originality and people-powered lifestyle design.

Acluttered home can have an impact on our levels of stress and anxiety, as well as our productivity, so why not let 2023 be the year you take control of your home and the spaces around you?

But before tackling any organisation project, it’s vital to detox the space or items first. This process allows you to have a full understanding of what you have and what storage is required. This will lead to a more efficient project and ultimately save you time and money.

Spending time browsing websites and researching storage solutions can be time intensive and expensive if you end up purchasing something that doesn’t work well for you. Knowing what you need to store prior to organising is paramount. It’s also worth noting that placing items in containers will only hide them. Remember it does not address the real issue of the amount

cleanTimeup youract to

only look great, but will allow items be contained and organised, at the same time as elevating any space and enabling you to clearly see what you have. As I always say, a place for everything and everything in its place. Finally, by labelling storage, it allows

other household members to take responsibility for keeping the areas organised too. Be sure to check out Home Edited’s favourite local online business, Not a Boring Box, which offer stylish home storage and organisation products.

ZONE IN AND OUT

Bring like items together, allowing anything that comes into the home to be placed in their rightful spot. Creating zones and defined spaces makes for an easier reset on a regular basis. Declutter one space at a time to make it achievable. This will empower you to tackle the next space.

of ‘stuff’ we have.

Sometimes it’s worth having a full clear out and an exit plan for items we no longer want or need, whether that’s donating to a charity shop or booking a recycling slot. It is all in the organisation.

At Home Edited we are all about creating systems and structures that allow for the long-term organisation. Everything will have a logical place, so you’re left with a perfectly organised space and systems that are maintainable for the future. Here are our some key pointers for you:

STYLISH STORAGE

Prior to purchasing any storage, be sure to measure the areas where the items will be homed. There are plenty of lovely options available now, whether using storage jars for a pantry, shelf risers for kitchen or bathroom cupboards, drawer dividers in the bedroom, turntables or stylish baskets. These will not

Always be sure to have an exit plan for things that you no longer need. Where are you going to donate, recycle items? Create this handy habit and then keep it up. Little and often makes a big impact. Always ask yourself do I consider this item useful or see it as

BEFORE

Kate Edmondson is founder of the local specialist organisation and decluttering service Home

Edited. Here she reveals her top tips on how you can detox your home and improve your well-being at the same time…

Photos © Marissa Cooper

beautiful? If neither applies, does it need to stay? Remember your home is YOUR home. You do not need to keep items for others. Just because you have created space by decluttering, it does not mean you need to fill it.

HIT RESET

Lastly and very importantly, make the time to reset on a regular basis. Always remember the WHY behind the decluttering and organisation process. The WHY behind the simplifying. Is it for more time, more calm, more tranquility, more space and ultimately less chaos? Then what are you waiting for?

If you would like further advice on how to tackle a specific space, get in contact with Kate at Home Edited. She and her team can help take the stress out of a declutter and organisation, but also save you time, provide advice, recommend storage and furniture options. They can also plan spaces so you get best and most out of them, and most importantly leave you with a refreshed home that will bring a sense of order and calm.

“At Home Edited we are all about creating systems and structures that allow for the long-term organisation”

Brilliant small spaces for ideas

When space is at a premium it is understandable that homeowners want to enjoy every square metre of their gardens.

The town gardens and courtyards of Tunbridge Wells reflect the needs of these residents.

Historically they have tried to recreate the essence of a much larger plot or ignored the challenge and put up with a rather uninspiring small terrace and lawned space.

With the pressure on housing and initiatives of central and local government the density of housing has been increasing and with this the size of the average garden reducing. In our experience we’ve found that the average sized plot on new builds is rarely larger than 120 sqm and often more akin to a courtyard. The overall average for London has reduced to c 163sqm. So this puts greater pressure on homeowners and garden designers to be more thoughtful and creative in the solutions they strive for.

Small wonders: It is a global challenge. Homeowners in cities like Sydney have perfected the art of utilising every square inch of space to create dramatic gardens that tick all the boxes. Talking to George, our Head of Landscaping (just returned from Australia) Sydney residents cherish their little piece of green, but here it also has to provide all the accoutrements of a hard working outdoor room.

Not unlike the UK, commuters in Sydney also have little time to maintain their plots so features like water irrigation are designed into the garden from the start. Dense semi-

mature planting and heavy mulching also helps minimise the weeds.

Look at your lifestyle: For us a starting point is always understanding the lifestyle of the customer, how they have set up or refurbished their home, what’s important to them and the must

of town living. On his wish list were such things as a nice table and chairs, garden lighting, a water feature and a bench. He also wanted a low maintenance planting solution.

bench was sourced by the team and painted in a dramatic turquoise finish.

To help give the garden a greater sense of seclusion and also unify the space a white trellising was fitted along three boundaries. We also planned in ground lighting at key positions, plus wall lights and down lights under the arbour.

haves and wish list for their outdoor space. An important consideration is always the budget. Designer Andy Steadman makes the point that in smaller gardens the cost is usually disproportionately higher than in larger spaces. Well that’s because you are trying to build more features into a confined space, and the proportion of hard versus soft landscaping is higher.

Seek inspiration: We have just recently been working on a project in the centre of Tunbridge Wells where the space is just under 100sqm. It’s a nice terraced house with a part walled garden that was mainly laid to lawn and a terrace you’d find it hard to fit a table and chairs on. The customer wanted a nice view from the kitchen/living space on his lower ground floor, he appreciates art and nice things and has an eclectic appreciation of things, whether they are modern, or classical. He and his family also wanted to be able to sit in the garden, both to entertain and escape from the hustle and bustle

So we set about redesigning the plot. The finished design incorporated a new limestone paved terrace with contrasting sett borders in black limestone. This leads onto a gravelled courtyard bordered by metal edging, with a central water feature created for us by Capital Garden Products www.capitalgarden.com finished in a distressed copper. Facing this is an arbour with a bespoke curved mirror designed by us and beautifully created by Aldgate Home www.aldgatehome.com also finished in distressed copper. Apart from being rather attractive the mirror also bounces back light into the garden and creates new perspectives. A very individual

Completing the picture we sourced a beautiful set of garden furniture from the Heveningham Collection www.heveningham.co.uk in black powder coated iron with contrasting cushions and a granite top.

Do your research: In John Brookes 2006 book he talks about the importance of enjoying the garden from both the inside and outside of your house. He suggests the principles of design in the small garden are very similar to those of interior designers.

So when space is at a premium, there needs to be a greater appreciation and synergy between the house and the garden, as this is after all an extra room that needs to blend seemlessly.

What’s going on in the garden this January:

Check out the websites and plan your summer flowering bulbs

Have a good look through the seed catalogues and order your seeds for the vegetable garden

If we get a mild spell plant new fruit bushes

Preparation of the vegetable garden, dig over the soil, remove weeds and leave for the weather

to break down the soil prior to sowing

There’s still time to plant bare root hedging

Prune your fruit trees before the sap starts to rise

If you haven’t already tackled it this is the time to prune roses

Dig in well rotted compost or add fertiliser to beds

Just because you have a tiny garden doesn’t mean you can’t dream big. Quite the opposite in fact big says Tim Sykes of Gardenproud...

“Decide what you want in your space and keep the design bold and simple”

Tim Sykes Garden Proud reallygardenproud.com

Iceland is such a cool holiday Why

MMy husband, daughter and I had always wanted to visit Iceland but we knew how expensive it was to do so. That’s when we decided to tailor our trip in order to ensure that everything we had to pay for was sourced for the best possible price. From budget airline tickets to holiday accommodation – we found the most affordable options which resulted in us being able to go on this long awaited trip for just over £1100 in total!

On discovering British Airways wanted £1200 for three return flights to Iceland we set about sourcing alternative airlines. We came across Jet 2 who offered the same journey for a fraction of the

airline ticket price.

When we arrived in Keflavik (about an hour from Reykjavik) we picked up our car from the Hertz desk and headed for the supermarket where we completed a sweep that Dale Winton would have been proud of!

First on our tourist tick list was a trip to the incredible Thingvellir National Park to see where the powerful Eurasian and North American tectonic plates drift away from each other. Standing in ‘America’ we could see Europa in the distance as they continue to separate at 2cms a year.

The first Icelandic parliament was formed here where the plates divided, and close by lies the stunning Oxararfoss waterfall which

we had exclusively to ourselves. Standing beneath the spray in my pyjamas (it turned out that two pairs of leggings wasn’t enough to keep me warm), I was reminded of why we travel to other lands - the spirit of nature and adventure is the most revitalising experience we can enjoy.

We moved further south to our accommodation situated just outside the town of Selfoss. Our cabin was literally off the beaten track where a pack of small horses, and two friendly dogs welcomed us, quickly followed by our host who promised to fill the hot tub for us.

It’s always a little unnerving at first when you arrive somewhere you’ve found on the internet and the semi-erotic paintings on the walls of our cabin did make me wonder if we’d stumbled upon the geothermal centre of Iceland’s swinging scene but as I slipped into the hot tub in my bobble hat all worries melted away; we’d in fact discovered Nirvana at a very

Vikki Rimmer and her family had always dreamed of going to Iceland but were put off by the cost – until they decided to budget for it. Here’s how they made their dream of visiting this magical country into a reality…

“Icelandic weather is an action movie in real-time - on day four we saw three full rainbows and multiple shafts of colour falling across the mountains”

reasonable price!

On the second day of our trip, geysers and hot springs awaited us on the Golden Circle, as well as a man who continues the 200 year tradition of baking bread in the geothermal black sand at Fontana in Laugarvatn.

Siggi, our baker, took us to the lake where the sandy shore bubbled with 100 degree water. Every day at 11am Siggi and friends go to the shore and bury their bread in the bubbling sand, thank nature for her beauty and then dig up the bread from the day before.

Siggi asked us to put away our phones and to see the landscape, hear the sounds and then taste the bread. He explained how for Icelanders, being in the moment, being grateful, experiencing adversity and building resilience was key to life - they have some harsh winters and darkness to get through but gratitude for nature means that spring will always come.

We ate Siggi’s bread with smoked trout and local Selfoss butter and it felt like Christmas.

With a newfound sense of ease we travelled onwards to the popular tourist highlights of Strokkur - a fountain-type geyser located beside the Hvítá Riverthe, then on to Gullfoss - a mind-blowing waterfall and the more beautiful but lesser known waterfall Faxi.

In need of a soak in a hot pool we found the free Marteinslaug near Haukadalsskogur close to Geysir.

Day three

found us travelling east from Selfoss to the town of Vik (a 200 mile round trip) but despite the lengthy journey it enabled us to see the magnificent south coast, the glacier and more incredible waterfalls.

If you are a Game Of Thrones fan, you may already be familiar with Iceland’s black sand beaches which form the backdrop to the Netflix hit. Reynisfjara beach, voted one of the world’s top ten best ‘nontropical’ beaches definitely wasn’t tropical - a Thrones fur throw is a MUST over your bikini.

We made it to Vik on diesel fumes. Note to all, never pass a gas station in Iceland, or a Vinbudin for that matter. Alcohol is carefully licensed here and you can’t purchase it in stores or supermarkets, you have to visit the state run Vinbudins to pick up your alcohol and they have strict and slim opening hours.

The glacier produced some incredible waterfalls for us including one we could clamber behind called Seljalandsfoss and the ‘most beautiful’ - Skógafoss. While we defined our top five waterfalls we decided to blow the budget just once and found the Krisp Viking in Selfoss (close to the much cheaper and excellent Food Hall).

The Icelandic respect and revere their brutal landscape and the produce they derive from it, ensuring it’s always prepared with thanks. The Icelandic beef, local Ling fish and Icelandic lamb were the kind of thing the fur clad warriors of Thrones would demolish with verve after a day on the beach. You definitely need your protein to thrive in Iceland.

Icelandic weather is an action movie in real-time; and on day four we saw three full rainbows and multiple shafts of colour falling across the mountains and lava fields of the stunning Rekyanes peninsula in the south east of the island.

Stumbling through steamy and bubbling lava fields and finding our way to the bridge across the two plates of America and Europa

was a fitting end to the trip we thought… but then something spectacular happened…the sky turned black, then white, then green as the Northern Lights made an appearance.

As the sun fell beyond the horizon we filled the hot tub and pulled on our wet costumes. I needed my tripod for the Northern Lights shot and underestimated how cold I’d get outside in minus 2 degrees in a wet swimsuit. I faffed with the tripod and failed, ran towards the heat of the hot tub, misjudged my entry and belly flopped face down in the pool. It was the very best (and free) holiday memory. So while the famed Icelandic Lagoon may be considered one of the 25 wonders, there’s nothing better than falling face first into a hot tub while trying to get a picture of nature’s ultimate wonder…

Here’s how Vikki Rimmer spent 4 nights/5 days with her family for £400 a head.

1. Flights: after an internet search we swapped BA flights (£1200) for Jet2 - £388 return for 3

2. Accommodation: opted for self catering with Booking. com over AirBnB - bypassing a hefty service charge and winning loyalty discounts after first trip - £380 in total

3. Used Iceland’s Firefly car hire booked through Booking. com (extra 10% discount) and rented a Dacia Duster 4x4 for £250 - over £200 cheaper than Hertz. There are cheaper cars but 4X4’s are sensible in winter because there’s often ice in the mornings on the road.

4. Food: Kronan supermarket Keflavik, purchasing all meals there - breakfast, lunches and dinners - £70 for five days 5. Activities - almost everything on the Golden Circle is free including the geysers, waterfalls, tectonic plates and volcanic landscape

6. Diesel: a tank and a quarter cost £70

7. Extras: packed flasks and made teas/coffees and picnics first thing for the day ahead. Our bread experience at Fontana was £15 each - free to under 12s.

Vikki stayed at Country Dream in Langholt near Selfoss. Find them here on Booking.com And visited fontana.is for the bread experience and spa.

TOTAL: £1188

“If you are a Game Of Thrones fan, you may already be familiar with Iceland’s black sand beaches which form the backdrop to the Netflix hit”

The first thing people think when you say ‘Iceland’ is “I’d love to go but it’s really expensive!”

Rock star

There’s nowhere in the world quite like the rock that is Gibraltar. At the southern tip of the Iberian peninsular, it is a sunny tax haven and gaming mecca with grand ideas to make its mark as an up-market tourist destination.

At 6.8 square kilometres, it’s just three times the size of the tiny principality of Monaco and you don’t need billions to play at the roulette wheel. The currency is sterling so you can leave your euros, dollars and yen at home. And there’s no need to get the Ferrari out of the garage because the top speed limit in the tight narrow roads is 50kph.

This playground of the not so rich and famous is more Mark & Sparks and Next than Gucci and Prada and provides a warm welcome whatever your bank balance. Monaco has a Formula One Grand Prix, Gibraltar hosts an international darts festival.

There are plans to attract upmarket hotel chains and, ingeniously, Sunborn Gibraltar offers a five-star solution to the shortage of development land. This floating yacht hotel has nearly 200 rooms starting at £225, a casino, two restaurants and a spa. It sits between marinas, buzzy cafes and bars barely a wingspan away from the airport runway.

Military History

Heavily defended for millennia, Gibraltar is a strategic outpost at the gateway between the Atlantic and Mediterranean. One of the last remnants of the British Empire, there’s evidence of its military history in the fortress architecture and street names of the densely

populated city.

Many decommissioned buildings have been adapted for commercial and residential use. Packed into these historical buildings and modern high-rise apartments are 30,000 English speaking Gibraltarians. Religious buildings and traditional Spanish, Portuguese and Moorish architecture are also scattered across the lower reaches of the rock. The higher terrain belongs to the famous protected barbary macaques and is watched over by an ancient Moorish fortress and unseen eyes concealed within the remaining military lookouts.

This rockiest of rocks conceals an extraordinary landscape. Hidden below the surface, is a network of tunnels built during hundreds of years of conflict to provide shelter and create an impenetrable fortress defended by cannon and gun. These are now museums to the brave and the besieged.

007 Connections

James Bond author Ian Fleming learned how to deploy secret tunnels and ingenious gadgets for the defence of the realm when he was posted here as a young officer.

During World War II, he worked on ‘Operation Tracer’, creating a ‘Stay Behind Cave’ where spies would remain concealed in the event of German occupation. This recently discovered bunker was never needed but inventions to make it possible included self-heating soup and a bicycle with a leather chain to silently charge up a radio to communicate intelligence to British forces.

Fleming returned to Gibraltar later in the war for Operation

Craving some winter sun, Karen Martin jetted off to Gibraltar to discover what this British outpost in Spanish terriority has to offer visitors…

“Across the deep waters of the Gibraltar Strait is North Africa and the Moroccan mountains can be seen on a clear day.  Spain is just a short drive over the airport runway to the border”

Goldeneye, a mission to keep the Spanish out of the war and Hitler from invading. His wartime adventures provided rich material for his iconic fiction and he named his Jamaican home and one of his books after this covert exercise.

Casino Royale could as easily have been set in Gibraltar as Monte Carlo and, much later, the Rock played a central role in the opening credits of Bond movie ‘The Living Daylights’.

Another Bond connection is a romantic one. 007 star Sean Connery married both his wives in Gibraltar and Roger Moore spent his honeymoon there. Weddings can be arranged without fuss within a day at Gibraltar City Hall or other venues around the city. The City Hall also houses the National Art Gallery and portraits of the city’s mayors including a

visitgibraltar.gi sunborngibraltar.com/en awcp.gi spiritoftherock.gi mamalotties.com/about

striking example of Gibraltar’s own Grace Kelly. Former Miss World beauty queen Kaiane Aldorino Lopez may not be a princess but she was Mayor from 2017 to 2019.

Multicultural Hub

Across the deep waters of the Gibraltar Strait is North Africa and the Moroccan mountains can be seen on a clear day. Spain is just a short drive over the airport runway to the border. The city is home to a harmonious diversity of cultures and religions. Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Jewish communities thrive there, many blown in on the winds of centuries of seafaring trade.

Varied British, African, Asian and European influenced cuisine is on offer in a wide variety of restaurants. Gibraltar’s own celebrity TV cook Justin Bautista shares a unique fusion of spicy food in books of traditional recipes

from his grandmother Lottie’s kitchen. Owner of Spirit of the Rock craft gin distillery Peter Millhouse provides a fascinating history of ‘mother’s ruin’ in an entertaining tasting experience. His aromatic gin is pretty good too and a bargain at duty free prices.

Irish pubs, fish and chip takeaways, chic tapas bars and restaurants from everywhere ethnic crowd the streets and squares. Standouts are The Chimney Tapas Bar where fresh seafood and superb seasoning make delicious dishes and The Queen’s Picturehouse, a converted cinema where history and cuisine entertain and delight.

In this little Britain there are the red telephone boxes on street corners and bobbies on the beat wearing traditional domed ‘custodian’ helmets. Tourists flock to snap selfies with these quaint colonial throwbacks.

World Heritage Site

The natural wonders of Gibraltar are truly remarkable. Gorham’s Cave Complex is a Unesco World Heritage site where evidence of Neanderthal and early modern human colonies spanning 120,000 years has been discovered. Greek mythology describes Gibraltar as one of the pillars of Hercules which divided Europe from Africa and there is new evidence emerging in the tunnels deep within the cliffs of ceremonial rituals from this period. Archaeological artefacts are on display at the City Museum. There is a clifftop viewing platform above the caves and a waiting list for the descent down 300 steps for a scramble across the rocks to visit this historic site.

High above the shoreline and deep within the rock is St Michael’s Cave, regarded in Greek mythology as the gate to Hades underworld. Today it’s illuminated for more

than a million annual visitors with a spectacular light show highlighting the cathedral-like rock formations. This natural wonder is also a theatre with an auditorium seating 600. Recent performers include comedians Sarah Millican and Michael McIntyre. Another natural amphitheatre is in the Alameda Botanic Gardens where carefully tended terraces are a scenic setting for open air events and weddings.

Above the gardens is a sanctuary for monkeys, snakes, parrots and other rescued, injured or displaced creatures lovingly cared for at the Alameda Wildlife Conservation Park. Here, visitors can get up close to rescued exotic pets and threatened species being bred as part of a global conservation programme. This is a charming and fun place to observe wild and domesticated animals thriving in a safe environment where important conservation work is taking place.

Beneath the clean deep waters of the Strait, dolphin and tuna flourish without fear of industrial net fishing. Great pods of dolphin frolic like kittens around the hulls of tourist boats and whales can also be spotted hunting in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.

Gibraltar may be tiny but its past significance as a neolithic haven, mythical gateway to the underworld and embattled military fortress makes it a remarkable rock of ages. The entire civilian population was evacuated during the Second World War and they returned to build a peaceful, welcoming and very British cultural melting pot where high and low rollers can enjoy a flutter at the tables and a cool beer or glass of fizz in the Mediterranean sunshine. It may not have the glitz and glamour of Monaco but it has a bigger place in history and plenty to explore above and below ground, on land and at sea.

“Gibraltar may be tiny but its past significance as a neolithic haven, mythical gateway to the underworld and embattled military fortress makes it a remarkable rock of ages”

DISCOVER MORE ABOUT GIBRALTAR HERE:

FIRST DRIVE:

the corners, and feeling more secure if you put your foot down a bit. It’s no sporting model, but it sticks to the road well, while the hybrid setup delivers a decent amount of punch when the ‘Sport’ driving mode is selected.

At the same time, it rides well with comfortable leather and Alcantara seats helping out with this, while the refinement on motorways was particularly impressive. The hybrid system isn’t the smoothest, however, and the petrol engine and gearbox aren’t the quietest or most responsive when the battery range is depleted.

HOW DOES IT LOOK?

The 408’s design could really divide opinion. It’s Peugeot’s boldest model in some time – and that’s coming from a brand that has been pushing the boundaries anyway.

If you like a clean, fuss-free look, it might not be the car for you – as there’s an awful lot going on. There are lines, creases and angles all over the place, but combined, it’s a really smart package and one that gives off a look of a car more expensive than it

Peugeot 408

Peugeot is expanding its line-up with the new 408 fastback. Ted Welford heads to Barcelona to put it to the test

WHAT IS IT?

Against the vast swathes of SUVs, manufacturers are increasingly having to think outside the box when it comes to designs – which equates to increasingly bolder options for customers. The latest example of this comes from Peugeot, with its new 408.

Designed to sit between the conventional 308 hatchback and 508 saloon in the line–up, Peugeot’s calling it a ‘fastback’ and is targeting buyers looking to escape an SUV, yet want something more exciting than a traditional hatchback. But is it more than just a niche-filling exercise?

WHAT’S NEW?

The 408 is a new addition to Peugeot’s range and arrives with a striking new look. We’ll explain more on this later, but a few highlights are its fantastic colour-coded, frameless grille along with the popular SUV cladding for a more rugged appearance.

Electrification is core to the 408 too, with hybrid versions predicted to account for the bulk of sales, while there’s the new version of Peugeot’s i-Cockpit system, bringing the latest in-car technology that the firm has to offer.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET?

There are three powertrains on offer with the 408 – a 128bhp 1.2-litre

turbocharged petrol engine that serves as the only non-electrified version, and a choice of two plug-in hybrids.

Both these hybrids use a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine, and are paired to the same electric motor and a 12.4kWh battery. An eight-speed automatic gearbox is also used, with power delivered to the front wheels.

There are two combined power outputs – 178bhp or 222bhp, with our top-spec test car using the latter. The sprint to 60mph takes 7.6 seconds (only three-tenths quicker than the 178bhp car), with a top speed of 145mph possible.

Peugeot claims up to 40 miles of electric range is possible (though based on our testing, we reckon 30 miles is more likely), with Peugeot saying more than 200mpg and CO2 emissions of 26g/km. Speaking of charging, it will take three hours and 25 minutes to charge the 408, though you can reduce this time to an hour and 40 minutes with a faster 7.4kW onboard charger.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?

Peugeot won’t admit it, but the 408 is essentially a sibling model to the Citroen C5 X – a model with a particular focus on comfort with its softer suspension.

But here, Peugeot has managed to liven up the experience a touch, with the 408 feeling flatter through

FACTS AT A GLANCE

MODEL: Peugeot 408

STARTING PRICE: £31,050

MODEL AS TESTED: Peugeot 408 GT Hybrid 225 e-EAT

PRICE AS TESTED: £43,200

ENGINE: 1.6-litre plug-in hybrid

POWER: 222bhp TORQUE: 360Nm 0-60MPH: 7.6 seconds

TOP SPEED: 145mph ECONOMY: 211.3269.5mpg

CO2 EMISSIONS: 24-30g/km ELECTRIC RANGE: 39-40 miles

is. The number of people that stared at the 408 on our test route only emphasised this. That frameless front grille is stunning, as are Peugeot’s trademark ‘claw’ headlights.

Bits we don’t like? All personal of course, but we think there’s too much plastic cladding going on at the rear, while the 20-inch alloy wheels (thankfully optional) are challenging. That’s being kind.

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE?

Inside, the 408 really delivers on the promise of feeling larger than a regular hatchback. The 471-litre boot (536 litres on non-plug-in models), is a great size, while there’s a decent amount of room in the rear seats. Headroom is slightly impeded by a combination of a sloping roofline and panoramic sunroof, but 6ft adults will still be able to sit comfortably.

The quality throughout the cabin is excellent, with green stitching and Alcantara and leather seats (fitted to GT models) only adding to the ambience.

The i-Cockpit system is a touch hit-and miss, however. The digital dial display offers 3D graphics, making it slightly harder to read than a standard 2D effect. The small steering wheel (a feature Peugeot has used for some years) also remains a point of contention – with the top of it often restricting the vision of the dials themselves.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?

Standard equipment on the entrylevel Allure trim includes Peugeot’s latest 10-inch touchscreen, which is fantastic to use and offers quick and easy widgets that make it far less fiddly to use on the move, along with a 10-inch digital instrument cluster, 17-inch alloy wheels and a reversing camera.

Mid-spec Allure Premium brings much more visually-pleasing 19inch alloy wheels, along with keyless entry and adaptive cruise control. If you want all the bells and whistles, the GT packs full Matrix LED headlights, a heated steering wheel and electric boot, along with the aforementioned colour-coded grille we’ve already mentioned.

In terms of price, the 408 starts from £31,050, but the cheapest hybrid version comes in at £38,400. The only trouble for Peugeot is that a like-for-like Citroen C5 X undercuts it by several thousand pounds.

VERDICT

Bringing a cool new design, it will likely appeal to both hatchback and SUV buyers that want to combine the two models without losing out on too much of one or the other.

Also packing a high-quality interior, good on-road manners and a generous amount of space, the 408 is a really welcome addition to the Peugeot line-up. The only real sticking point comes from fellow French brand Citroen with its C5X. The 408 might offer a sharper design and slightly better interior, but it doesn’t quite justify its price.