SO Magazine October 2021

CULTURE

Artistic vision

We meet Trinity Theatre’s new Creative Director Sean Turner

TRAVEL

Coastal appeal

Why Folkestone is the perfect place to get away from it all

GARDENING

Green and pleasant

Victoria Truman looks back on an historic Chelsea Flower Show

MAKING THE GRADE CLAREMONT SCHOOL'S PRINCIPAL GILES PERRIN REVEALS HIS INSPIRING EDUCATIONAL ETHOS FOR ALL AGES

October 2021

HHHHH HHHHH HHHHH HHHHH EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS

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FRECKLE PRODUCTIONS PRESENT

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LIVE

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ON

rtwsymphonyorchestra

Great Orchestral Classics

CLASSICAL | SUN 3 OCT

COMEDY | TUE 5 OCT

Pied Piper Theatre Company Presents

STA

GE

DAILY MAIL

COMEDY | FRI 8 OCT

FAMILY | SAT 9–SUN 10 OCT

A new play for babies and young toddlers

BASED ON THE BOOK BY

Stick Man © 2008 Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Published by Alison Green Books, an imprint of Scholastic Children’s Books.

FRECKLEPRODUCTIONS.CO.UK

FAMILY | THU 14 OCT

COMEDY | TUE 19–SUN 24 OCT COMEDY | THU 4 NOV

MUSIC | FRI 5 NOV

AHT RESIDENCIES

Patron: Dame Julie Walters

AMADIGI COMEDY | SAT 6 NOV

MUSIC | SUN 7 NOV

OPERA | TUE 9 NOV

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CLASSICAL | SUN 14 NOV

COMEDY | WED 17–THU 18 NOV AHT RESIDENCIES

COMEDY | SAT 20 NOV

VARIETY | FRI 19 NOV

ICE SKATING | FRI 19 NOV–MON 03 JAN

COMEDY | SUN 5 DEC

PANTO | FRI 17 DEC–MON 03 JAN COMEDY | WED 19 JAN `22

COMEDY | SAT 4 DEC

COMEDY | SAT 29 JAN `22

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

WELCOME

Editor’s LETTER

W

elcome to the October edition of SO magazine.

At this time of year many parents turn their thoughts to school Open Days and where might be the best place for their children to attend. If you’re looking for a ‘through school’ which means an educational establishment that will take pupils from Early Years right up to Sixth Form then Claremont could well fit the bill.

We met its Principal Giles Perrin and his team at both sites in Bodiam and St Leonards to find out why they offer children such a comprehensive education – not just in terms of academia but life skills too. Turn to page 11 to read more….

October also means it’s time to rev up our recipe repertoire switching from salads and BBQs to hearty stews and soups. Thankfully we have plenty of ideas on how you can do this courtesy of our interview with home cook and now published author Kate Marshall who is based in Goudhurst and has just released Your Magical Kitchen (P29). Talking of which we also talk to some of our favourite chefs about what’s on their menu for the new seasonand in the lead up to – ssshhh – Christmas… (P32) And with half term also happening this month we have plenty of ideas. From visiting a pumpkin patch to stock up on squashes and gourds, to seeing the red and orange leaves tumble in the glorious grounds of Hever Castle, there are lots of things to

7 10 11

contents October 2021

Culture vulture: what’s on where this month

P47

Let the music play: Paul Dunton tunes up for more live music in

town

do – whatever your age. See our calendar (P4) for plenty of top tips on where to go when.

Elsewhere in this issue you’ll find interesting reads on Trinity Theatre’s new Artistic Director Sean Turner (P18) and Alexander and Olga Pushkin who have just launched their luxury antiques and interiors emporium on the High Street (P24).Victoria Truman’s take on Chelsea Flower Show which was staged in September instead of May is another must-read providing plenty of inspiration for the chillier months when you can’t get outside as much but the seeds of a garden revamp might just be sown…

Enjoy the issue,

Eileen Leahy Editor So magazine

School of thought: Claremont’s Principal Giles Perrin on what makes his school such a special place for pupils, parents and staff

17 18 22 24

Social scene: Dandara unveils its new water sculpture on The Pantiles The stage is set: We meet Trinity’s new Artistic Director Sean

Turner

Just for laughs: The Assembly Hall welcomes The Play That Goes Wrong comedy Invest in the best: Alexander and Olga Pushkin welcome you into their new antiques emporium

27

Square meal: Jess Gibson from the TN Card meets Rob Marshall the owner of the Square Peg

P29

29

Kitchen confidential: Clever cook Kate Marshall on publishing her first book of delicious recipes - with a twist

P22

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @somagazines

Issue 156 SALOMONS ESTATE Tunbridge Wells Kent TN3 0TG Tel: 01892 779650 www.timeslocalnews.co.uk

EDITOR Eileen Leahy

eileen.leahy@onemediauk.co.uk

HEAD OF DESIGN Lee Smith

lee.smith@onemediauk.co.uk

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR EDITORIAL Victoria Truman Richard Moore richard.moore@onemediauk.co.uk Karen Martin Naomi Murray

40

Pandemic pressures: Hypnotherapist Karen Martin on the issues surrounding coming out of Covid

SALES DIRECTOR Robin Singer

robin.Singer@onemediauk.co.uk

32

Food, glorious food: We speak to some of our favourite chefs about what’s on the menu this autumn

DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY David Sexton Marissa Cooper

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Menopause matters: Botanica’s Naomi Murray on how to get through this period

43

Best in show: Victoria Truman reveals her favourite show gardens at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show

47

Fabulous Folkestone: Why this coastal spot is making waves once again Cover shot photographs by Marissa Cooper SO Magazine | October 2021 | 3

Luxury Kitchens since 1892

Clear structures, sensible space. +SEGMENTO Y

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Calendar

Our edit of the most entertaining events happening this month With half term, Halloween, pumpkin patches and plenty of diverse events to enjoy this month here’s our pick of where to go this October…

BE MINDFUL

HEVER FEVER

West Kent Mind, the mental health charity, will be hosting a ten day online fundraising auction from Friday October 15 to Sunday October 24.

Having been unable to run the usual programme of fundraising events, the charity is running an online auction to raise vital funds to support people experiencing mental ill health in the community. A spokesperson says: “The support from local businesses and individuals who have donated prizes has been amazing.There is a whole host of exciting prizes on offer to bid on from family photoshoots, bespoke podcast production and recording studio time; to artwork, jewellery, fitness memberships, electric bike hire, memorabilia and much more! To find out more visit www.givergy.uk/westkentmind

If there’s one place to appreciate all the splendour of autumn it’s the grounds of Hever Castle which boasts the prettiest red, orange and copper tones on its Maple and Acer trees and trademark Boston Ivy climber on the castle. As the air turns crisp and a rich display of autumn colour envelops the countryside, this is the perfect place to go walking and enjoy all of nature’s rich seasonal joy with friends and family. During half term week (October 23-31) the popular historical visitor attraction will also be hosting lots of spooky Halloween fun including a pumpkin trail so make sure you and your children go along dressed in your best creepy costume! More details at www.hevercastle.co.uk

PUPPETRY IN MOTION The fourth Tunbridge Wells Puppetry Festival takes place over the weekend of October 15-17 in various venues over town. In addition to all the shows and workshops, one of which includes a series of free puppetry workshops for teenagers with local charity Mental Health Resources facilitated by Russell Dean from Strangeface, there will also be an art installation featuring Luke Jerram’s Museum of the Moon at Calverley Grounds for three days. For more info on what’s on see www.twpuppetryfestival.org

DID YOU KNOW? A FISHY MURDER MYSTERY The popular Murder Mystery evenings with the 368 Theatre Company return to the Spa Valley Railway on Saturday October 9. The evening starts at Tunbridge Wells West Station with a

briefing at 18:15 before everyone boards the train and the story starts to unfold. After departure, a fish and chip supper will be served and enjoyed as the train travels through the High Weald countryside to Groombridge. Upon arrival

more of the story will be revealed and passengers will be invited to stand on the platform to make sure they don’t miss out on the action. Intriguing! Head to www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk for more info.Tickets cos £40 per adult.

Mostly we think of ‘fall’ as an American reference to autumn but it actually originated in England in the 17th century from the phrase ‘fall of the leaf’.

SO Magazine | October 2021 | 5

Calendar

A SPOOKY SPRINT Aspens Charity are inviting keen runners and dedicated walkers to join their spooky 5K run. The event takes place at 11am on Saturday October 30 with the starting point at their Cornford Lane site.

Participants are encouraged to dress up in their most glamorously ghoulish costumes in order to raise funds to support Aspens’ work caring for people with learning disabilities and those on the autism spectrum. Entrance costs £10 per adult ticket. To find out more and book visit: www.aspens.org.uk

DID YOU KNOW? The name pumpkin comes from the Greek word ‘pepon’, meaning large melon. They vary in weight but an average sized pumpkin might weigh around 13 pounds (6 kilograms).

PUMPKIN POWER Halloween wouldn’t be the same without a trip to source a pumpkin or two would it? Nowadays there are plenty of places you can go to for gourds, squashes and the like.

Locally you can head to Aspens on Cornford Lane in Pembury where their patch will be open on Tuesday October 26 and Wednesday October 27. Two sessions are available: 10am-2pm and 1-3pm and cost £5 for adults and children aged 5-15, under 5s go free. There will also be scavenger trails and activities in addition to pumpkins for sale.

Find out more and book at: www. aspens.org.uk Pumpkin Moon near Maidstone is another great place to find pumpkins, squashes and gourds of all shapes and sizes. For more details visit www.pumpkinmoon.uk

NATIONAL TREASURES

AUTUMNAL DELIGHTS Hole Park Gardens near Rolvenden are renowned for their beauty all year round but especially during autumn when the rich colours on leaves and trees are simply spectacular. The stunning exotic border is also full of vibrant colours, especially in October when you can see bright cannas and dahlias and the late flowering agapanthus ‘Hole Park Blue’ which can be enjoyed in the formal gardens. Visitors can enjoy a circular walk which takes

walkers past a delightful carved wooden sculpture of a family of bears climbing a tree to reach a honey pot and also a renovated ‘Ice House’ which was built in around 1740 to store ice long before the days of refrigeration. Open on Wednesday and Thursdays until the end of October visitors can also enjoy additional Sunday openings all the way through this month too. For more information on Hole Park Gardens, please visit www.holepark. com

We have so many beautiful National Trust properties on our doorstep and many of them are hosting special Halloween and half term events. It’s a good idea to check each one’s website first to see what’s on when and of course to book tickets. Locally you can choose to visit magical properties such as Bodiam Castle, Igtham Mote and Emmetts Garden.

Scotney Castle and Sissinghurst are another couple of National Trust gems which boast a long and rich history and are the perfect places to escape to on a bright and crisp autumnal day.

SUPERHEROES DO WEAR CAPES On October 22 Mencap, the national charity supporting with a learning disability is asking its supporters and also anyone who would like to get involved in their Superhero Fundraising Challenge. All you need to do is get your family to dress up as a superhero of their choice in order to raise money and awareness. To find out more about this fun fundraiser visit community. fundraising@mencap.org.uk 6 | October 2021 | SO Magazine

TIME TO GO APE Go Ape at Bedgebury is always a safe bet for kids – and adults alike who enjoy indulging in some thrill-seeking activity. As it’s half term it’s also a great place to spend time, with its tree top walks, swings and zip wires it’s definitely fun for all the family.

Children must be aged at least ten years old to participate and be a minimum of 1.4m tall in this external adventure.

For tickets and timings, visit www.goape.co.uk

QUEEN’S INN CHRISTMAS DAY LUNCH 2021 £95 per person £35 children 12 & under (excludes, canapes & Lobster course)

CANAPÉS Smoked salmon cone, Tunworth & pear tart, Duck liver parfait, Marjoram STARTERS QUEEN’S INN FESTIVE MENU 2021

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English-reared roast turkey, confit leg, sausage meat, sage & cranberry ballotine wrapped in pancetta, bread sauce, gravy, slow roasted winter veg, thyme roasted potatoes & buttered Brussels sprouts (GF adapted)

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MAINS Turkey English-reared roast turkey, confit leg, sausage meat, sage & cranberry ballotine wrapped in pancetta, bread sauce, gravy, slow roasted winter veg, garlic & thyme roasted potatoes, Brussels sprouts (GF adapted) Seabass Fillet of seabass, spiced carrot mash, buttered sprout tops, warm tartare (GF) Pheasant Cooked in white wine, garlic & smoked paprika, pearl barley, spinach & chorizo risotto (GF adapted) Aubergine Roasted aubergine, butternut squash, crispy sage, Bocconcini, fruit & nut pilaf (V) (GF)

Fillet, braised beef cheek, fondant potato, red cabbage, red wine jus (GF) Jerusalem artichoke, leek & spinach pudding, roast onion puree, winter kale (V) DESSERTS Christmas pudding, brandy & vanilla bean Crème Anglaise (GF adapted) Chocolate cremeux, toasted hazelnut, pear (GF adapted) Clementine Meringue pie, Mascarpone sorbet Selection of English Cheeses: Baron Bigod, Kentish Blue, Old Winchester (GF adapted) COFFEE, TEA AND QUEEN’S INN MINCE PIES If you have a food allergy or special dietary requirements, including vegan options please speak to a member of staff. £20 non-refundable deposit per person is required upon booking * Pre orders required

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Selection of homemade ice creams (GF) Selection of English cheese & biscuits (+£4.00 supp) (GF adapted) If you have a food allergy or special dietary requirements, please speak to a member of staff & advise at time of booking. Please make sure that if the guest is vegetarian, vegan or gluten free that this is specified within your preorder. £10 non-refundable deposit per person is required upon booking

The Queen’s Inn, Rye Road, Hawkhurst, Kent, TN18 4EY 01580 754233 | www.thequeensinnhawkhurst.co.uk

Music

Tuning up live music...

FOR A RETURN TO

This month our resident music correspondent Paul Dunton welcomes the fact we can now enjoy more gigs on the local social scene

Paul Dunton Music Editor

Follow Paul @PaulDuntonmusic 8 | October 2021 | SO Magazine

F

ollowing July 19, when restrictions were lifted for events and performances across the UK, I‘m pleased to say our local music scene here in Tunbridge Wells has taken small but consistent steps in terms of getting back on its feet.

Music lovers have been denied many popular events over the past 18 months, including Unfest and Black Deer Festival, but it is wonderful to hear they will both return next year.

The Tunbridge Wells Mela, a diversity cultural celebration, was one of the first festivals to get the green light to go ahead this summer. Upon recently meeting up with organiser Gurvinder Sandher, he reflected on the event, telling me: "Despite it being one of the wettest days of the year the Tunbridge Wells, Mela Festival got some great support from the local community. It underlined to me the importance of cultural events like the Mela to Tunbridge Wells and how they bring all communities together as one."

Jazz on The Pantiles also made a triumphant return, running weekly

throughout the summer on its usual Thursday nights. The popular event had to adapt to enforced restrictions by adopting a 'seat only' policy but it has seen sizable audiences return to enjoy the alfresco vibes and atmosphere.

The Tunbridge Wells Forum has really been on a rollercoaster ride throughout the pandemic. There was a real danger that like many other venues across the UK it would be forced to close indefinitely but thankfully the iconic venue came through and is now fully up and running with a full programme of events for 2021 and 2022. Forum owner Jason Dormon told me that the local community had been very supportive and for that he was extremely grateful.

“They rallied around The Forum in such incredible and overwhelming togetherness and this enabled the venue to survive 15 months of closure. From generous donations, merch sales and a new Forum members club, the venue was able to continue to pay core staff, fixed costs and honour our commitments to contracted performances. The venue is eternally grateful for the local community whose bond with the

Music

enjoying great audiences. Earlier this summer I went to watch Newton Faulkner at The Assembly Hall and it was at a time where masks were compulsory and social distancing was fully in place, but it was a superb night which carried a wonderful atmosphere.

You could feel the energy in the room, the love and appreciation for live music was there for all to see and hear.

Long may it continue!

The Royal Oak Pub on Prospect Road and The Black Horse Pub on Camden Road are both putting on live music around once month. The Royal Oak successfully staged ‘behind closed doors’ live streams during the pandemic, offering vital performance opportunities for local musicians and following the end of lockdown have now established a regular monthly live music night which continues to go from strength to strength. The Black Horse became a fringe venue for the

Photograph © Nigel Martin – www.facebook.com/nigelmartinphotography

venue has only strengthened in the face of what could have been an extremely rocky road. Along with the addition of some local restriction and arts council grants we have also been able to make many improvements, including investment in a state of the art air purification system that aids clean air in the venue cutting down on airbourne pathogens."

Our two theatres have also endured incredibly tough times over the past two years but during 2021 Trinity Theatre made use of its beautiful gardens to stage a series of highly successful outdoor events involving local bands such as The Violet Jive, The Breretons, Sorrel Nation and others.

Looking ahead I am sure Trinity will look to resume its indoor live music programme particularly as we move into 2022. The Assembly Hall Theatre has now established a full programme of live music since July 19 and is

“Venues are eternally grateful to the local community whose bond has only strengthened in the face of what could have been an extremely rocky road”

first time at this year’s Local & Live Music Festival and made use of their stunning new covered outdoor area at the rear of the pub. The stylish stretch tent contains spacious seating and atmospheric lighting which all lends itself to creating a fantastic area for musicians and audiences alike.

Live music is fundamental to the survival of The Royal Oak. A vibrant music venue for over a decade. The lockdown, pub closures and restrictions meant the shows could not go on. We were able to do some highly successful livestreams during lockdown but now being able to put on shows with an audience means the world to us and our customers. We are very excited about and autumn schedule and the run up to the festive season.

Peter Taylor of The Royal Oak Pub

Cassidy's Bar in Castle Street also enjoyed a highly successful stint as a fringe venue at The Local & Live Festival in August running an outdoor stage over two days which attracted large crowds and carried a wonderful street party atmosphere.

Look out for more regular live music from all three pubs in 2021 and beyond...

And while we are still a long way off from seeing a fully-fledged music scene once again with many pubs and arts venues yet to return to the fold, my hope is they will in time. It is such a difficult time for everyone with more uncertainty regarding Covid still lingering, but for now the local scene is ticking along and providing entertainment for music lovers and musicians alike. Here's to a brighter and better 2022!

SO Magazine | October 2021 | 9

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10 | October 2021 | SO Magazine

Cover feature

“We’re very proud of what we do here...”

Claremont School prides itself on making a difference.

Welcoming children from three months to 18 years it goes beyond traditional educational expectations in order to prepare pupils for life as its Principal Giles Perrin explains to Eileen Leahy

Photographs: Marissa Cooper

A

n eco pop-up store, an ice house and a vast forest school are not traditional staples of your average educational establishment, but then Claremont Preparatory and Senior Schools are certainly far from average.

Situated on sites in St Leonards and Bodiam respectively, the independent co-educational schools, both set in picturesque East Sussex countryside, certainly like to do things differently.

“We’re very proud of what we do here,” says Giles Perrin, the Principal of both schools and founding head of the senior offering.

“We’re down to earth. We want children to really love coming to school and to make full use of our extensive grounds and facilities.”

And now that Claremont’s GCSE and A Level results are getting really strong Giles tells me that that’s ‘an added bonus.’

Claremont was originally just a prep school before it expanded into a ‘through’ school with a separate campus for seniors and sixth formers 10 years ago.

The prep, which also now includes a nursery welcoming babies as young as three months, a huge forest school, and a pop-up eco store, has been on its St Leonards site since 1945.

The senior school in Bodiam however was only set up in 2011 by

Claremont Principal Giles Perrin

Giles, a former Religious Studies and History teacher at nearby senior school Bedes, which coincidentally was founded by his father.

“I was brought over to set up Claremont Senior School by a local businessman called Mark Beaumont,” Giles explains as we take a seat in his office which is located in the Norman Shaw designed main manor house at the leafy St Leonards site.

“Mark took the prep school over in the early 1990s when it only had around 60 or so children left. The school has been here on this site since just after the second world war but it originally started life in Hove, Brighton. However during the war it was evacuated to Bradfield College in Reading which is funnily enough my old boarding school which is a very strange coincidence,” smiles Giles.

He goes on to say that the whole of Claremont prep ended up operating out of Giles’s old school for five years of the war. “Out of all the buildings in the whole country they could have moved to, they chose my school!”

So far, so serendipitous I remark to Giles, who studied Religious Studies and Philosophy at Edinburgh University before running a backpacker guest house in Southern India and then taking teaching posts at Bedes, near Eastbourne and Frome Community College state school in Somerset.

What we are about is attention to detail; it’s about really knowing children. That’s the very essence of the schools

“Well yes it does seem so! When the prep moved here to St Leonards it went through various hands and eventually went into rack and ruin.

But then Mark bought it and resurrected it. Like a lot of schools in the area it almost closed but Mark managed to turn it around. By 2009 he’d got it back to having around 300 odd pupils.”

Giles says that Mark then decided he wanted to invest in a senior school.

“There was a lack of them in the local area. You’d have to go to Eastbourne or head towards Tunbridge Wells to find a private mixed secondary offering.”

And then Giles reveals yet another couple of strange coincidences….

"My dad set up Bedes in 1978 at exactly the same age I was when Mark asked me to set up Claremont Senior School," Giles says. And in another slice of serendipity he adds that Claremont’s architect, the aforementioned Norman Shaw, also designed Bedes’ building. Clearly Giles was always meant for this role in life.

Once on board, the plan was to build Claremont Senior School on the existing prep school's 130 acre site but this quickly changed when another nearby school suddenly closed.

“The Bodiam Prep School building fell empty and so it made sense to take over that instead,” explains Giles.

SO Magazine | October 2021 | 11

Cover feature

SENIOR SCHOOL Head Teacher Ed Dickie with some Claremont Senior students

12 | October 2021 | SO Magazine

THE USP OF ISP: Claremont is a local school with a global outlook: It joined the International Schools Partnership (ISP) in 2018 which is a network of 53 schools and with over 45,000 students, 7,000 staff, operating in 15 different countries.

“Being able to prepare young people for Maths degrees at Harvard as effectively as for Fashion courses in London is something all our staff are deeply proud of.

“This year over 89% of our students are going to their University of choice. The outcomes for students at Claremont are outstanding and reflect a school that continues to grow and develop at a rapid pace”. - Ed Dickie

WHERE CONTEMPORARY MEETS TRADITIONAL: Claremont has a mix of state of the art and original buildings (above and right)

DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY

“There was a core of buildings already its ten-year history and has been rated Outstanding by Ofsted three times in there and also a swimming pool but a row. we knew we had to set about Going back to the early days Giles repurposing it for older students. admits that in order to keep getting “Starting the project in a recession school numbers up it was all about was quite risky so we rented the main hard salesmanship. building for two years and had the “We were putting together a good option to buy it after five. But actually educational programme but we didn’t we were able to purchase it after just have any marketing or admission two years.” teams. Word of mouth came a lot into Given Mark and Giles launched Claremont Senior School with only 40 play and to be honest Mark was our marketing man. odd pupils and had nearly doubled “I remember showing around that number by the following year, it parents saying ‘this is going to be the would appear success came fairly maths room’ and I’m sure some swiftly. What does Giles put that thought ‘hmm interesting but I’m down to? unlikely to send my children here!’

“I think it’s about relationships.

When you start off with 40 kids, half a But then on the other hand you had dozen staff, some part timers and only the risk-taking families who loved it and thought ‘actually we want our two classes you just concentrate on kids to come here …’ really simple things like “In the beginning we building relationships and took on 20 senior making sure all those children from these people really love kinds of visits and coming to school.

“We just want people then 20 who came up “We inherited to be as good as they from Claremont ramshackle old Prep. And then a few buildings so the first can at things and to years later we started year of Claremont represent us well” to gain a wider reach Senior School was fun thanks to our GCSE but then by the second results. People thought year when the next ‘OK they are here to stay’. cohort arrived, our roll “Yes, we were still a bit rough increased to over 70 students’. It around the edges but slowly and was amazing and we all had such a surely the Claremont programme good time. It was just like being part of a big family – all those kids coming improved. And that’s mainly thanks to the senior school’s head Ed Dickie. in and thinking ‘I love school’.

He is fantastic – I’ve known him since “The thing about children is they I was 18 as we went to university don’t really care that much about together. And we were both at Bedes buildings and facilities – that’s more as housemasters so I brought him the grown-ups who care about that across to set up the Sixth Form here. stuff. What teenagers care about is I’d say he’s really polished the school. friends, social lives and their He’s brought organisation and rigour relationships with their teachers and into it too.” the staff. Relationships between the Over at the Prep School the head is students, staff and parents are very Gavin Bunker and Giles is equally strong at Claremont.” impressed with all he has done.

Giles says that until the first Year 7 The layout, which sees the grand students made it to Year 11 when they traditional timber framed, wood took their GCSEs there were panelled manor house at its heart, is obviously no results to judge the school on but that didn’t really matter. currently being reconfigured following the opening of a smart, “Everything was going really well, state of the art Early Years and Preso when the first exam results were Prep building, and will include released and they were good, that was addditional classrooms, a new art an added bonus.” studio and new science lab. Then of This year the school reported its best set of A level and BTEC results in course there’s the forest school,

ARTISTIC APPROACH: Children study instruments and prepare for LAMDA examinations, and take part in regular performances. At the Senior School, the team works out of a professional standard studio theatre offering LAMDA qualifications to Gold Standard, fostering an unusually progressive approach to the performing arts: focusing on diversity.

Children are introduced to the language of art from Reception onwards and given opportunities to practise and hone their skills through cross-curricular activities.

AWARD WINNING: The Prep School holds Green Flag and BBC Reporter school status. The children write and publish their own magazine The Arrow and the school was shortlisted for a Green Award for Environmental Achievement at the Independent School Parent Awards 2021. It also has its own Eco Store - a student initiative to reduce single use plastic and actively address their concerns about climate change.

EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT: Its co-curricular programme plays a part in helping students prepare for UCAS interviews and the world of work, by focusing on the development of life skills to compliment students’ academic endeavours.

This is an accredited programme designed to help students develop the eight main skills highlighted nationally as useful for university, apprenticiship courses and future careers. Claremont’s Extended Project Qualifications also gives students the edge in the very competitive world of uni applications.

Cover feature

complete with an ice house, mud slides and cooking facilities which all children up to Year 6 can benefit from. Claremont certainly packs a lot in for its students.

“For us the idea is small is beautiful,” confirms Giles. “It’s about being a boutique independent school, a bit like going to a small boutique hotel if you like. It can still be five star but you don’t have to have thousands of acres, Astro turfs, Olympic size swimming pools. It’s about attention to detail, it’s about really knowing children because in schools of this size you can. That connection really exists and the relationships are very tight. That’s the very essence of Claremont. It’s a lovely ethos, and it’s very kind. I think both sites are very forward thinking environments.”

At the senior school there are now over 300 students but Giles says they’re not aiming for huge numbers.

“It’s a very successful area of the school. The quality of provision at the senior school in Bodiam is excellent and the children are really happy. And academic standards are high; results are getting better and better, and staff are happy to be there.”

The Senior School is also developing a strong reputation as a centre of excellence in the Performing Arts. The department, which is housed in a separate shiny new building, is a current finalist for the Independent School of the Year 2021 award, the winner of which will be announced this month.

The fact both sites have been able to invest in clusters of new buildings and improved facilities is thanks to Claremont now being part of the

Independent Schools Partnership (ISP) of 50 plus schools across 15 countries.

They joined the partnership after Mark Beaumont decided to sell the schools in 2018.

“We courted many organisations from private equity houses to individuals to schools groups but eventually opted for ISP. When we joined them they had 20 schools – in fact I think we might have been the 20th. They’ve now got over 50 schools all around the world but we are the only one in England, so we are their flagship English school.

“They are a really inspirational and interesting schools group as they are fixated with great learning. Yes there is a commercial element to them but their involvement has given us huge security.

“We’ve benefitted from a lot of financial support from them too. They have overhauled our administration.

Before they came on board we had no admissions teams, no marketing, no bursary, no maintenance and minimal HR function. But we’ve now been able to introduce 15 new administration positions and specialist teams for transport and catering to name but a few.

“This is not to play down Mark’s work - he would admit that he took the schools as far as he could and in order for them to go further Claremont needed a greater amount of investment and a new energy behind it.”

Giles explains that the schools are in the European ISP region with its fellow schools predominantly based in Spain, Italy and Switzerland.

A really important point I want to make is that Claremont is a very unstuffy school

“We work with and report into a central management team who consult on Teaching and Learning practices, as well as HR, facilities, health and safety, finance, admissions and marketing operations.

“So we’ve gone from being a proprietorial school to one that is now plugged into not only Europe but worldwide too thanks to the ISP network which stretches from South America, Central and North America across to the Middle East and Malaysia.”

ISP also offers plenty of opportunities for member schools and students which includes a Buddy Exchange Programme where children can go to any one of the 53 schools in the world for a month. There are also ISP competitions in maths and science, TEDx events, film festivals, leadership conferences and much more.

“ISP just wants to give schools the opportunity to be the best version of themselves,” states Giles. “There’s no template so you are totally in charge of all the hiring and every aspect of your educational programme. So if we want to develop or invest in a new building then we would put together a business plan and they would be there to help.”

Giles, a father of four (all of whom have been through the Claremont schools) reveals that the ISP was instrumental in getting them through the pandemic.

“When the first lockdown happened, I was on a call twice a week online for an hour with all the Heads in Spain and the central management team in Europe. Everyone asked ‘how can we support each other?’ We had a huge amount of support in terms of online learning and an amazing network of advice.

“We were able to offer generous fee discounts because we had the

financial support to do so which made it very reassuring for parents. We managed to continue building and site development work throughout the pandemic, and our pupil numbers held firm throughout; they even grew in some year groups.”

If you have a look at any of Claremont’s publicity it proudly says that it is a ‘through’ school. This means that the majority of children will continue onto the senior school instead of moving elsewhere which is testament to the success of Giles and his team’s educational ethos.

“I think the figure is around 95% of pupils and what is nice is having two sites gives pupils a sense of leaving one school and joining another. And because we offer a free bus link between the two schools twice a day we are still very much connected.

Senior school students come to the prep to play sports daily. We have 130 acres of land and extensive playing fields.”

Giles tells me that their sporting facilities are about to get even better thanks to the fact they have been awarded planning permission to develop a community sports hub for the town of Hastings.

“Claremont is preparing to welcome the recently displaced local Hastings Priory cricket and South Saxon hockey clubs who will now base themselves permanently here. This is great news for everyone and furthers our community links and sporting heritage. It is a project that will not only give a huge boost to sports provision across the schools, but also the local area. We’ve worked for two years with the local council, Sport England, various governing bodies, the English Cricket Board, England Hockey and the FA but we have finally got planning permission to go ahead.

If you’re sitting outside a town like Hastings and you have this kind of SO Magazine | October 2021 | 13

Cover feature

CLAREMONT’S EDUCATIONAL ETHOS “We say we are ‘proudly inclusive’ rather than ‘non selective’ which has resulted in a rich and diverse student body with a boarding community adding an all important international flavour. The varied leaver destinations and further education pathways are also testament to this diversity.”

CLAREMONT’S VISION To be a respectful learning community with an unwavering commitment to ‘get better’ at all we do, because learning is a journey that never ends.

14 | October 2021 | SO Magazine

site then ethically you should be allowing people in. And many of our own Claremont students already attend those clubs so it will be great for them too,” says Giles.

The majority of children who attend the schools at Claremont are day but there is also the option of boarding from Year 7.

“Those facilities came about six years ago,” explains Giles. “We took on one boarding house in Battle, a pretty listed building and have another house just down the road. Yes, it’s unusual that it’s offsite but the children like it. One of the advantages is everybody goes to school and then everyone leaves at 5.30pm and goes home. If you’re 15 years old do you want to be stuck in Bodiam for the weekend? No, you want to be able to get on a bus or train and see your friends.”

But just as they cater for the older tranche of students the youngest ones are very much on the radar too.

“One of the things I’m most proud about here is our Nursery,” states Giles. “It’s the biggest in the town (of Hastings) and has a huge forest school which is just amazing. We participate

in the government funding scheme which offers up to 30 hours a week of free childcare.

“Many of the children at our Nursery go into the state sector afterwards. So they benefit from the funding scheme and are able to enjoy all these wonderful facilities.

“That’s a really important point that I want to make. Claremont is a very unstuffy school. I was practically born into a boarding house and went to boarding school all my life so I can truthfully say we are not stuffy.

“We have a really diverse demographic; there are lots of parents working very hard to send their children here. Our fees are deliberately pitched in the middle of the market - they are nowhere the top end. We want to provide value for money. Yes, we now have great facilities but we want to be accessible to those entering the market – first time buyers if you like – because with that brings a broader demographic which we like to maintain.

“We offer a quarter of our fees’ worth of bursaries and scholarships and so we are supporting lots of

Both Claremont sites are very forward thinking environments

children like this. Our results are getting stronger but we’re not a selective school. We definitely celebrate people being good at things.

We celebrate being busy, having a really good attitude – that’s what is important to us. Also being kind and respectful: we celebrate that at all levels above anything else.

“We just want people to become the best version of themselves and to represent us well. You want to be able to communicate to as many people as possible in life and so this is instilled all the way through the schools.”

Giles says that with Prep School centenary celebrations on the horizon, work is in progress to build a new online community network for students and staff, past and present.

“We see past pupils a lot and they are just really nice people. There’s a softer nature about Claremont I think.

It’s certainly ambitious – we have pupils applying to Oxford and Cambridge – but modesty is key and important to us. Our strapline is Be Yourself at Claremont: Be the best you can be and I genuinely think our students are.”

Cover feature

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TUNBRIDGE WELLS

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LONDON

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SEVENOAKS

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MAIDSTONE

social scene

Reflecting on our spa town’s history A new water feature has been unveiled at the entrance to 1887 The Pantiles, a new development by independent housebuilder Dandara.

The event, which took place a couple of weeks ago, also marked the placement of the Wiesbaden Plaque on the stone base which holds the stainless steel sculpture.

The water feature was created to pay homage to the spa water heritage of Tunbridge Wells and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Twinning Charter between the two towns.

The unveiling was attended by the Mayor and Mayoress of Tunbridge Wells, William Benson (Chief Executive at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council), and representatives from Water in the Wells group, Tunbridge Wells Twinning and Friendship Association and Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society. The water feature’s sculptor Will Nash, and senior representatives from Dandara were also in attendance.

SO Magazine | October 2021 | 17

Culture

“The future of

Trinity

is steeped in the

amazing

of this

place”

Trinity Theatre has a new Artistic Director: Sean Turner. Here the successful director, who unearthed Arthur Miller’s first ever play and brought the global phenomenal The Play That Goes Wrong to the world’s theatre audiences, tells Eileen Leahy why he is so excited about taking on his new role on a local stage…

Photograph: Marissa Cooper

I

18 | October 2021 | SO Magazine

n the summer Trinity Theatre announced that it had appointed Sean Turner as its new Artistic Director.

According to a spokesperson for the cultural venue, Sean’s arrival will provide a ‘fresh focus on in-house productions’ and also develop the theatre’s ‘charitable and community goals’ through his artistic vision.

Sean is known for uncovering Arthur Miller’s first play, No Villain. He says he became interested in finding a copy of the text after reading about it in Miller’s autobiography. After an eighteen month search he found it in Michigan university’s library and then eventually went on to present its world premiere production and subsequent West End transfer.

In addition to this, Sean was the first director to bring Mischief Theatre Group’s The Play That Goes Wrong to the West End. Trinity’s spokesperson added that Sean will continue in his role as Associate Director on it having subsequently directed productions of it across the world. Sean will also continue to oversee its West End run at the Duchess Theatre and also its regional tour which, rather serendipitously, will be on at the

Assembly Hall from October 19-24.

Commenting on Sean’s appointment, Trinity CEO Alex Green said: “It was not only Sean’s artistic talent and theatrical experience that shone through, but his tenacity and innate ability to develop creative opportunities that resonated most strongly with Trinity’s new direction.

"We are thrilled to welcome him to the team, excited by his enthusiasm and focus on developing our charitable and community goals through his artistic vision.”

So Sean, now that we know a little bit about your background what attracted you to the role at Trinity?

More than anything it was the building itself. When you visit you immediately get this sense of it being something very special. Even when I was first coming here and it was closed due to lockdown it already felt like it was such a key part of the community. And then you walk into the auditorium and it’s just stunning. Also Tunbridge Wells is just a really lovely place. As soon as I visited I started making plans to make the big move here. I want to really turn this place into a super and thriving theatre….

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So what’s your artistic vision?

I definitely want to do more inhouse productions - that’s going to be a huge part of what we do straightaway – our Christmas show The Prince and the Pauper will be our first with more coming early next year so watch this space….

Why do you believe theatre can survive?

People need to come together and tell stories - it’s built into our very DNA. We need that experience of togetherness which brings us closer like nothing else can. So yes, it will be a challenge but not an insurmountable one.

And what about Trinity’s cultural programme?

I want to curate a season of work that feels cohesive - one where people can come and see a comedian they really like one night then come back to see a piece of dance the next. We’re hopefully going to expand the horizons of people who come here already but also introduce new visitors too. We want to turn it from 4 out of 10 people knowing what we do here to pretty much everyone in the town and surrounding areas knowing who we are and what we represent.

Will you ensure that there is still a cinema offering?

Oh yes the cinema element is very important to us at Trinity as it’s lacking elsewhere in Tunbridge Wells. Our cinema programmer here is fantastic and has such a great eye for what people should see. Event cinema like NT Live is also wonderful to show and another great opportunity for us to draw audiences in.

Are you braced for what lies ahead?

Theatres face a number of challenges right now. There’s obviously the impact of Covid and the fact entertainment is more and more readily available at home via streaming services. Yet despite all this I always say theatre has been around since the ancient Greeks and it will survive this next challenge.

What were you doing prior to your Trinity appointment?

I’ve been a freelance director for 15 years and I’ve done everything from Shakespeare to brand new writing and everything in between.

I have always had a particular passion for comedy and the American classics. Before I worked on The Play That Goes Wrong I discovered Arthur Miller’s first ever play No Villain. I spent a long time searching for that, found it and then it transferred to the West End. For the last five years I worked with the Mischief Theatre on The Play That Goes Wrong and that’s taken

Photograph: Marissa Cooper

Culture

“When you visit Trinity you immediately get this sense of it being something very special”

me all over the world. More recently I have been touring a production of Robin Hood…

What did you enjoy most about working on The Play That Goes Wrong?

I’ve directed productions of it in Russia, Korea, Australia, Hong Kong - all kinds of places. It’s taught me a lot about how to make theatre in many different theatre cultures and that at the end of the day people coming together to be entertained is the same no matter where you are. It’s built into us, it’s integral. No matter where I’ve been in the world someone getting hit in the face with a tray is funny! People love to be together– even if there is a language barrier.

Will you go and see The Play That Goes when it comes to Tunbridge Wells later this month?

Of course! I directed the production that’s coming to the Assembly Hall so I know the cast really well and will obviously go and see them! But I have an assistant who looks after the play for the most part, so my job is really to have an overview of how the shows are going in the West End, internationally and on tour.

Back to Trinity – will you be getting involved in the social side of the theatre?

I think all aspects of Trinity are part of my remit. It’s all about having that cohesion: everything from what’s on our calendar to our lunch offering tells a story about who we are. With our food offering for example we are completely changing what we do

and moving towards something quite different. Again it’s about retaining the people who are coming here but also saying to all of the people in the town who don’t know we are here ‘hey come and give us a shot’. We want to coax people out of the chains and provide an alternative ‘fast food’ offer. Once you have them here you have a captive audience and we want to build on that so they come back to see live theatres and performances.

I always say theatre has been around since the ancient Greeks and it will survive this next challenge Talking of performances, what can you tell us about The Prince and the Pauper – did you cast locally?

Not on this occasion as the casting is quite specific – you had to have two identical twins for a start and there are not too many of them around who are also actors! And the rest of the cast had to also play music but happily we have found some incredibly talented individuals who play a number of instruments. However our set and costume designers are local.

When do you start rehearsing?

At the beginning of November and I can’t wait! At the moment we’re having lots of discussions with our

composer who’s writing a brand new score just for us. We’re also chatting to our set designer about what it’s going to look like visually.

So there’s lots of stuff going on behind the scenes right now….

And how important will the new Trinity Clock Tower visitor attraction be for you?

Really important as it will hopefully bring more people into the building and it’s an astonishing view. On the way up we want to have galleries and exhibition spaces that celebrate the history of Trinity and Tunbridge Wells too. We are hiring someone as a Heritage Officer to come in and help us develop all of that. We want to find out about the people who are buried in our garden - what amazing stories are out there we don’t’ know about yet?! The future of Trinity is steeped in the history of this place and I don’t want to ignore that for a second.

And finally any steer on your plans for next year?

I can’t reveal a lot right now but what I can tell you is they will include some pretty exciting productions – more than we are used to at Trinity. You see what interests me is seeing people coming back on the train talking about what they have just seen in London. My challenge is how can I keep them here in Tunbridge Wells: to get them to stop thinking about the National Theatre as their local and start remembering Trinity.

There is clearly a real market for theatre in Tunbridge Wells and the good news is Trinity is right here, we’re on your doorstep…

SO Magazine | October 2021 | 21

Culture

H

ow would you describe the show to someone who hasn’t seen it?

It’s a comedy all about a drama university group who are putting on a play and everything that could possibly go wrong does! There's a big cast, there's lots of jokes and it pretty much does what it says on the tin.

Who are Mischief Theatre?

We started off in 2008 as a group who specialised in improvised comedy but now we create new comedy for theatre and television.

We began performing in Edinburgh and London and are now bringing our work to lots of different places all over the world!

Game for a laugh...

Mischief Theatre’s Olivier award-winning box office hit, The Play That Goes Wrong, has fast become a global phenomenon and is now the West End’s longest running comedy. It’s currently on its fourth major UK tour - and about to hit the stage at the Assembly Hall from October 19-24. Its co-writer Jonathan Sayer reveals more on the runaway success of this slapstick comedy

22 | October 2021 | SO Magazine

Where did you get the idea for The Play That Goes Wrong?

There are three writers so there are a few different answers. I suppose we have all worked in theatre and have experiences of things going awry in shows we have been in. Some of my favourite moments watching theatre has been where things have gone dreadfully wrong and the actors are forced to deal with the mistake and try to keep the show on track.

How did you create the script?

The three of us were living together at the time in a pretty run down flat in Gunnersbury. We were all working

in bars and call centres and restaurants and, in the evenings, we'd come home and we'd write until the early hours. The initial script I think took about a month to put together and we then workshopped the script with the rest of the Mischief team. Everyone's done a lot of improv so we try and take those principles into the writing room and into rehearsal where if someone has an idea you accept it and you build on it.

How do you define funny?

We all made a pact together a long time ago that if something isn’t funny we'd just say it isn’t funny. I think writing comedy is like plumbing – if a guy comes round to fix your taps and they're still leaking, you say it's still leaking. He won't be upset, it's just a practical thing and I think you've got to try and approach this work in the same way.

It's subjective and you've got to have personal distance. As long as you're always scrutinising in a positive way, that's only going to make the work better.

You can be honest: Are the unfortunate actors depicted based on anyone in real life?

Ha ha! Nobody is being directly spoofed! The characters were all found in rehearsal and through performing in front of an audience.

That said we’ve all been part of productions that have gone wrong

Culture

WHAT’S THE STORY WITH THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG? The Cornley Drama Society are putting on a 1920s murder mystery, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong… does! As the accident prone thesps battle on against all the odds to reach their final curtain call, hilarious results ensue! and we’ve all made mistakes on stage (although hopefully nothing as catastrophic as in this play!) There’s a lot of experience to draw on for finding who the characters are and how they respond to embarrassment.

Some of the events in the play seem like an actor’s worst nightmare! Have you had any feedback from actors themselves?

Lots of actors come up to us at the end of shows, be they professional or amateur, with some fantastic stories of things that have happened to them in different productions. I think the show has quite a cathartic effect for them. But it's not just actors, I think the idea of making a fool of yourself in front of a huge number of people is something that everyone can relate to. Everyone has felt that feeling where they want the ground to open up and BDD TW Press Ad 255X148.pdf swallow them, so they get on side

with the characters in the play and they really want them to get to the end of the show!

This show’s journey has been a rags to riches story. Has the success of the show surprised you?

Absolutely. I remember about 10 years ago performing in our improv show and there were more people on stage than there were in the audience so of course it's a surprise!

We've been totally blown away by the response. We're so thrilled that people enjoy the work and the characters and that we've been able to make so many different people laugh. The show began in such a small way performing in a 60-seater pub theatre so for it now to be being enjoyed in huge venues all around the world is very humbling and wonderful.

Any special memories from creating this piece of theatrical history?

Over 35 countries worldwide have performed a Mischief Production.

We went to Budapest and watched a replica of The Play That Goes Wrong where everything was exactly the same other than it was being performed in Hungarian. So many things have been borne out of this very tiny thing, and that's amazing.

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SO Magazine | October 2021 | 23

Business

Welcome to this wonderful world of interiors...

Alexander and Olga Pushkin have recently opened their eponymous antiques and interiors emporium on Tunbridge Wells High Street. Eileen Leahy met the couple to find out what makes their high-end retail offering so very special for both the curio collector and home lover

I

f you’re a regular on the High Street in Tunbridge Wells then you can’t have failed to notice the addition of Pushkin Antiques and Interiors. With its smart black and gold livery on its shop frontage and eye-catching array of vintage curios and collectables in the windows it has certainly caused quite the stir since it opened at the beginning of last month.

Located on the corner of Castle Street and the High Street, just a few doors down from the Queen’s jeweller G Collins & Sons, it occupies a prime spot on the town’s upmarket shopping area and it’s already proving to be a big hit thanks to its wealth of covetable and unique pieces, all expertly sourced by owner Alexander Pushkin.

After a vintage Louis Vuitton woven travel trunk

24 | October 2021 | SO Magazine

from the 18th century? No problem, Alexander has not just one but four in store, all in excellent condition retailing at around sixteen thousand pounds. Or how about giving your lighting scheme a lift courtesy of an oversized 20th century palm tree floor lamp

by Maison Jansen? Well, you’ve come to the right place - if you have a spare £15,995. But although there may well be some incredible high-end pieces chez Pushkin, Alexander says he also has more than enough to offer for those whose pockets aren’t so deep but still want something of value.

“We have plenty of investment pieces but we are also affordable too,” he tells me as we sit down to chat alongside his wife Olga in a stylish seating area of the double fronted shop. It’s made up of a vintage Chesterfield

sofa, two leather art deco chairs, a huge black and white animal skin rug and a gleaming gilt edged glass top table complete with an impressive collection of paperweights and enamel cigarette cases all prettily glimmering from inside it. So far, so wow!

“These are some of our most popular items,” says Alexander gesturing towards the table and also up to the vintage James Bond framed posters hanging on the wall.

“We’ve tried not to alienate people. We don’t want customers to make up their minds quickly about what we do here. There are things that will cost you £20,000 or £20.

We want people to come in and pay for something and feel they have got some value and that they love it.”

During our chat the shop’s front door buzzer goes on

Prices vary according to their rarity – I don’t just pull a price tag out of a hat

numerous occasions with many clients popping in to browse which instantly proves that trade is brisk – even on a dreary Wednesday in September.

Alexander and Olga, who are both Russian, tell me they like to think of Pushkin as an interiors emporium and antiques gallery. So how did they get here?

“I established Pushkin in 2012. The business was mainly at Gray’s in London where we deal in mostly silver items but I also trade in interiors online.

So until we opened this shop last month we had never had a customer facing business,” explains Alexander.

“We never planned anything really, it was all very spontaneous. We were living in Essex but had had enough and wanted a change. We came to Tunbridge Wells about ten years ago and we’d just had our daughter. I remember thinking it would be nice to live somewhere like this.”

Fast forward another nine years and the couple were back this time visiting the ice rink with some friends.

“Tunbridge Wells was so

beautiful at that time of year so we had more of a look around.

We visited The Pantiles, a few parks and the High Street and just fell in love with the place.

In two weeks we had moved here!”

The couple found somewhere to live and a school for their two young children. “It was very easy to settle here,” says Olga.

“We still had a good business in London and couldn’t complain but then lockdown happened and we ended up spending more time together. We realised we wanted to be together more as a family and that it would be a lot more beneficial to have a business here in Tunbridge Wells to run,” reveals Alexander.

So the search began for a premises in which he and Olga could style up and showcase their ever growing collection of antiques and interior finds that are so popular with customers all over the world thanks to their online shop. In it you’ll find items as diverse as antique maps, Italian marble and mosaic tables and vintage children’s Bentley toy cars –

Business

some of which have made it into the couple’s bricks and mortar store here in Tunbridge Wells.

“When we looked at the High Street we thought it looked a little sad and that we could help lift it up – give it some life and excitement,” Alexander smiles.

“We couldn’t find a lot of antique shops here in Tunbridge Wells,” adds Olga. “There was one around the corner but it was always closed.”

Alexander says that he visited TV presenter and antiques expert Eric Knowles’s new venture The Hoard in the Corn Exchange and liked what he saw but again felt there was still a gap in the market.

“The Hoard deal mostly in glass and art deco but my pieces are more interior focused, specialist silver and quirkier. I mainly cater for men’s taste.”

So is Alexander saying he wanted to offer a retail venture that had a more masculine appeal to it?

“Exactly! One thing I noticed in this town is that the majority of things are aimed at women and kids. There are a lot of jewellery and clothes shops. I saw the opportunity to offer something different…”

Alexander says his specialist retail vision has paid off: “A lot of men have been just blown away by what we offer here.

And this has translated very well into sales. We’ve had some very interesting people come to visit since we’ve been open.

It’s a bit of a boys’ club. Some customers told me they think of the Pushkin shop as their man cave to which I replied ‘what does that make me? The caveman?’ I said OK I can live with that – I can be the caveman of Tunbridge Wells!”

And what pieces does his newfound customer base seem to favour the most?

“I think people are mainly looking for statement pieces and gifts,” says Alexander.

“Yes, and a lot of James Bond vintage posters,” laughs Olga.

“I started buying the posters recently as I thought if I’m to open a gallery I need something to hang on the walls,” continues Alexander.

“I’ve never dealt in vintage posters before but now I have around 30 of them so in a matter of a year I’ve cornered the market.”

And after working in the trade for many years and establishing an amazing global network of contacts plus two large warehouses in Essex and

Buckinghamshire and a huge online presence which counts for around 90% of Pushkin’s business, it’s fair to say that Alexander knows exactly what he is doing.

“It’s my passion. When we started the company nearly ten years ago I had no background in the arts. I was studying graphic design and advertising. I never set out to do this but it has just grown organically by buying and selling. Our success is driven by pure hard work and my reputation which is second to none. Before the pandemic I would travel all across Europe, America, you name it I’ve gone there, I’ve bought it there.”

As we tour around the shop gliding by glittering decanters, gleaming silver decanters and a retro table football, I ask how Alexander values pieces.

“Prices vary according to their rarity – I don’t just pull a price tag out of a hat. I do my research and look at auction results. I try to keep the prices the market dictates. They are not inflated at Pushkin, they are all based on research and experience. I have sold these pieces many, many times so I know the value.”

What’s most popular with customers right now?

At Pushkin you’ll find items as diverse as antique maps, Italian marble and mosaic tables, retro table footballs and vintage children’s Bentley toy cars

“Anything bar related – especially on a Saturday!” chuckles Alexander. “We’re also selling a lot of soft furnishings, furniture and sculptures. We have a lot of stock online too so if it’s not here in the shop we will have it online or in one of our warehouses.”

Since opening Alexander and Olga say the feedback has been amazing.

“Lots of people locally have said you’ll do very well. It’s nice to hear as we didn’t really concentrate on retail until now. We worked with clients by appointment and with the trade.”

Did the couple do much research or go in feet first?

“The latter - that’s my way. I’m a bit like a wrecking ball! I go in and then think let’s see what happens,” laughs Alexander.

“He has done pretty much everything to his taste,” adds Olga. “It’s very welcoming: we wanted it to feel like home.”

Talking of which, Alexander reveals that the couple’s nine-year-old daughter has been working the door most Saturdays.

“She’s been greeting families saying let mummy and daddy look around while we play table football! It is such a great experience for her and she is learning something new every Saturday. She’s learning business acumen, communication skills and growing in confidence. If I can pass that onto my kids here then this place will have paid for itself a hundred times.”

Alexander says that he buys from everywhere: “from auctions, other dealers, across the board. The main thing is condition – reputation is everything to me.”

He admits that he has been duped on occasion but not very often. “Those purchases are the painful ones and the ones you remember but we all make mistakes. As time goes on you make less and less mistakes. I now can’t remember the last time I made a big error. That stems from pure knowledge and handling thousands of these objects all the time: you eventually know what is right and what’s wrong.”

Other Pushkin services include restoration, customisation and creating a bespoke item too.

“We can make things from scratch as we work with some of the world’s finest. So if you want a gold beaker with your child’s name on it then we can do this. Our silversmiths and restorers are some of the best which is a great unique selling point for us. We can also offer part-exchange on any item and we also give valuations. I’m interested in everything but I’m not here to trick someone. I’ll say this is what it’s worth and this is what I’m prepared to give you.”

And with that there’s another buzz at the door and more customers eager to step over the threshold into the wonderful world of Pushkin…

October 2021 | 25

“”

THE SALON HAS A GREAT ATMOSPHERE WITH A HIGH QUALITY SERVICE. EMMA

Since opening our doors in 1995, The Gallery has become one of the UK’s leading salons, where clients expect nothing but the very best in hairdressing. We are a multi award-winning, modern lifestyle salon and proud of our relaxing yet creative atmosphere.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

T. 01892 514900 E. info@thegallerytw.co.uk www.thegallerytw.co.uk

A Square Meal Community

Every month the TN Card founder Jess Gibson shines a spotlight on one of our local independent businesses who are members of her shopping loyalty reward scheme. This month Jess talks to Rob Marshall at relaxed fine-dining restaurant The Square Peg on Camden Road.

Rob opened during the pandemic and here he reveals how the restaurant has survived and thrived…

So Rob, have you always been a chef?

Not at all. I came to cooking as a career at the age of 29 having always loved food. I did a year at college and then really just carried on teaching myself. I’d been fascinated with what happens when you put something in a pan and apply heat from a young age. I can remember ‘helping’ to cook dinner for the family aged about 8 years old. Yet pursuing a career in food never occurred to me until much later on.

How would you describe your style of cooking?

I don’t think of myself as having a style, but there are certain things that interest me. Growing up in Zimbabwe we had a very Brit-centric diet for the most part. There were other strong influences including Dutch and Cape Malay and indigenous food traditions in everyday life, but British food has always been very familiar to me. Then living in the UK, and becoming a cook, meant my interest was primarily in British food.

Jess Gibson Founder of TN Card

ABOUT THE SQUARE PEG LOCATION: 46 Camden Road TN1 2QD VISIT FOR: A six-course fine dining menu rooted in British culinary traditions MEMBER REWARD: A glass of fizz with your meal

What led you to open your restaurant?

I’d been freelancing for three years prior to Covid, and when the pandemic struck, I wasn’t sure how the industry would be affected. Branching out on my own again was something I thought I might need to do, but also something I wanted to do.

My first employer in hospitality said, when things were quite bad economically in Zimbabwe, that ‘anyone can do it when it’s easy’. I always remember that and so it seemed a good a time because that’s where I was in my life.

what’s available. At the same time I do try to keep the menu balanced so each course hits a different note to the last in terms of savouriness, sweetness, acidity, temperature. I try to buy local, and I’m very particular in what I’m sourcing. So for example, I don’t just buy lamb from a local butcher but instead Romney organic, grass fed from a particular farm in Pevensey.

We also get superb micro greens from Zoe, a local lady who has set up her own thing under the name Micro Super Greens – herbs can wonderfully set off a dish and these don’t disappoint.

And what’s unique about it?

We only have one meat dish on at a time, which means I can really focus on that one dish and hopefully do the ingredients greater justice. I apply the same principal to the fish, fruit, vegetables and chocolate we serve too…

Why did you choose to open in Camden Road?

I had particular requirements for a site and this pretty much ticked all the boxes. Tunbridge Wells is a beautiful town, so I’d have been happy to set up in any number of locations - Camden Road being

one of them. It is full of great independent businesses run by great people - a lot of them being food and hospitality related. The vista of shop fronts is ever changing but in the ten-plus years I’ve lived in the area I can’t think when Camden Road has been better.

Why did you join the TN card?

The TN card is a great collective of independents of all kinds and appeals to customers who are mindful of, and committed to, supporting local. Understanding what matters to me both as a business owner and consumer, it’s no surprise that TN card members are my kind of people.

How are you thanking members for supporting local?

We thank members with a complimentary glass of Woodchurch Classic Cuvée when they dine with us. We are chuffed to have an association with Woodchurch. Graham and Donna are great people, and their wine is superb. To claim the reward, mention your TN membership when booking and this exceptional fizz will be waiting for you on arrival. www.thetncard.com

Why did you call your restaurant The Square Peg? During my time as a freelancer I had hoped to find a good kitchen to settle down in, but the right thing never came up for different reasons. I felt a bit like a ‘square peg’ so have embraced not fitting in and actually doing my own thing has worked out so far.

Tell us about your six-course menu…

Our food is very much led by

What drives your cooking?

Ingredients fascinate me – from particular varieties of nasturtium or apples to greengages and turnips! I also like the idea of forming bonds with producers, which you can only really do when they’re doing it on small scale. Not every business is able to do this, but I think it’s hugely beneficial on so many levels if and when you can.

SO Magazine | October 2021 | 27

Christmas 2021 at ONE WARWICK PARK ONE WARWICK PARK HOTEL HOTEL Christmas Day at ‘stEaK’ Christmas Day ‘stEaK’ From 2.30pm untilat 5.00pm

2.30pm until Just £85 From per person, £35 per5.00pm child under 12 Just £85 per person, £35 per 12 drink.

4 courses plus coffee and petit-fourschild and under welcome 4 courses plus coffee and petit-fours and welcome drink.

Early birD Christmas Day at ‘stEaK’ Early birD Christmas 12pm until 2pmDay at ‘stEaK’ 12pm£25 until £60 per person, per2pm child under 12 person, £25 per under 3 courses £60 plus per coffee and mince pieschild (served in 12 The Terrace) 3 courses plus coffee and mince pies (served in The Terrace)

brEaKfast with santa brEaKfast with santa 24th December

24th and December Enjoy a full English continental breakfast, full English andover continental whilstEnjoy Santaamakes his way to meetbreakfast, the little ones. whilst Santa– makes hismeeting way over to meet ones. child. £16 per person includes Santa and athe giftlittle for every £16 per person – includes meeting Santa and a gift for every child.

DinE with santa DinE santa 5th &with 18th December

18thatDecember Join Father Christmas5th for & lunch STEAK. Enjoy a delicious lunch, Joinwhilst FatherSanta Christmas at STEAK. a delicious lunch, makes for his lunch way round to tellEnjoy his magical stories.

Santa makes his way round to tellmeal his magical Just whilst 12.50 per child.

Includes a two-course and gift stories. from Santa.

Just 12.50 per Adults child. Includes a two-course mealmenu. and gift from Santa. dine from STEAK’s lunch Adults dine from STEAK’s lunch menu.

Christmas lunCh at ‘stEaK’ Christmas atSTEAK. ‘stEaK’ Looking for a Christmas meal in December?

Look nolunCh further than Our regular menu runs alongside some Looking for a Christmas December?

Look no further thanthe STEAK. Our regular menu runs alongside Christmas classics tomeal keepinevery guest happy.

We’ll provide decorations and crackers for your table!some Christmas classics to keep every guest happy. provide the decorations crackers your table!

Pre-order from selected menu which willWe’ll include Christmas classics forand groups of 7 for or more Pre-order from selected whichneeded will include Christmas for groups of 7 or more (nomenu pre-order for groups up toclassics 6 people) (no pre-order needed for groups up to 6 people)

ClassiC Christmas Party nights ClassiC Party Our Christmas Party Nights are perfect forChristmas your whole company or for nights smaller groups who simply want to party.

Our Christmas are perfect for of your whole company fortosmaller groups who simply WeParty can Nights accommodate groups 8 upwards and helpor you celebrate Christmas 2021.want to party.

We can From accommodate groups (includes of 8 upwards and help you celebrate Christmas £49 per person a three-course setto menu, DJ and disco). 2021.

From £49 per person (includes aFriday three-course set menu,2021 DJ and disco).

Friday 3rd December, 10th December Friday 3rd December, Friday 10th December 2021

visit www.onewarwickpark.co.uk or email reception@onewarwickpark.co.uk for more information visit www.onewarwickpark.co.uk or email reception@onewarwickpark.co.uk for more information

Food & Drink

“I REALLY BELIEVE THAT COOKING IS MAGICAL…” Keen foodie Kate Marshall has just published her debut book Your Magical Kitchen. Here she tells SO magazine all about the special ingredients that make it a musthave manual for those looking to rev up their recipe repertoire So Kate, let's start by you telling us how you got into cooking?

Cooking was a creative outlet for my mum. Dad was in the military and therefore away a lot. I was an only child, so mum and I spent a lot of time together in the kitchen.

She was main course and I was dessert!

Have you always enjoyed making food from scratch?

I grew up in a community where cooking from scratch was the default. It never occurred to us to buy a ready-meal or take-out.

Nowadays, I get the feeling that people think if you can cook from scratch, you are automatically a great cook.

But I don’t think that’s true. I think you have to learn how to cook in order to cook from scratch. I didn’t find it a totally joy-free endeavour at the beginning…

What inspires your cooking: People, places, flavours, seasonal ingredients - or a combination of all these?

Places! I have been lucky to travel across the world (mostly for work, but also fun) so I love trying different cuisines and the origins of them. I am also a big fan of fusion cuisine – where you smash two cuisines together – like Nikkei cuisine (Japanese-Peruvian) and Mod Oz (Mediterranean-Asian) – which is actually easier than it sounds!

Are you a full-time cook or do you have another career too?

I have always cooked most days with a view to what some people would call ‘restaurant-quality’ food. That means I am in a recurring cycle of buying fresh foods and foodstuffs, cooking ahead, prepping foods, making marinades etc. You have to be super-efficient when you are cooking like this (which was the seed for the nine steps in the book), especially if you are juggling this with a grown-up day job! My career has spanned media and government (with a short stint running a small business in-between) and now the book is out I am looking forward to my next adventure!

What made you want to publish your personal cooking philosophy to share with others?

The ethos (and later, the book) did not emerge in a studied, linear way. It was a response to my own frustrations and failings learning to cook and cook well. I had been the reader who is interested in food and cooking and can follow a generic recipe, but couldn’t make the dishes they want to make, nor expand their culinary horizons. I was also the reader whose kitchen was far from organised. I had essential ingredients missing, foods past their use-by date and too few foods that went together. I wrote the book for people like my younger self in my 20s and 30s, for whom all the pieces of cooking haven’t yet fallen into place.

SO Magazine | October 2021 | 29

n e n so eiv so er c ) er r p s re wo r p pe ng r t pe .95 oki fo 95 9 o ch 9. £3 y b lun £4 ffer earl ary t o ial s & en ec ay lim (sp ekd mp we a co

THE WARREN

CHRISTMAS PARTY MENU 2021 Bread & Butter Amuse bouche

STARTERS Warren game terrine, toasted sourdough, winter chutney Seared Rye Bay scallops, crispy black pudding & cauliflower purée Baked Dorset snails, homemade garlic or smoked paprika butter, toasted bread Butternut squash velouté, roasted pumpkin seeds (Vegetarian) King oyster mushrooms, almonds, Jerusalem artichoke purée, micro herbs (Vegan)

MAINS Norfolk Bronze turkey, all traditional Christmas trimmings Slow cooked ox cheeks, celeriac mashed potatoes, sautéed cabbage & red wine jus Sussex sirloin steak, served with roasted mushrooms & tomatoes, seasonal salad, homemade Kentish potato chips and choice of mushroom, peppercorn, béarnaise sauce, or garlic butter Roast Monkfish, shellfish chowder, Cavolo nero Warren Beetroot Wellington, mushroom duxelles (Vegan)

DESSERTS Warren Christmas pudding, bay leaf custard or bay leaf ice cream Chocolate and Kraken rum tart, vanilla ice cream & hazelnuts Piña colada rice pudding, pineapple sorbet, white rum jelly, coconut & pandan (Vegan) Half dozen egg box of homemade Warren macarons Three notable English cheeses, crackers, preserves & pickles Warren Mince pies & Petits fours

Farm to table 5a The High Street, Tunbridge Wells 01892 328191 contact@thewarren.restaurant www.thewarren.restaurant

Food & Drink

Why did you choose to call the book Your Magical Kitchen?

Two reasons. First, I really do think cooking is magical.

Second, I could have called it My Magical Kitchen or In My Kitchen, but neither of those would have been the book I wanted to write. What I wanted to write was a book that took the reader through a personalised journey hence, your, in the title.

What would you say is different about your book compared to the likes of Jamie Oliver et al?

It’s a very different type of book compared to our national culinary treasures! It is more like a guide to shopping, eating and cooking.

Think of it as a primer. Once you have the basics under your belt, you can roam all over the place. Because we live in a world based on images, included in the book are lots of visuals and graphics to make the journey easier

for you, including a bunch of recipes that connect to the nine steps.

What are you enjoying most about seeing your book published?

Many people helped me become a reasonably decent cook. From those first years working in professional kitchens, through uber-foodie friends, to weekend cookery classes, I got better, happier and more joyful in my kitchen. While the book has almost over taken my life I did want to pay it forward for the next generation of cooks who also may not feel that confident in their kitchen. If only one person discovers something new, that would be a great day.

Your Magical Kitchen is published by Meze and priced £20. For more information visit www.meze publishing. co.uk or visit @ yourmagical kitchen on Instagram

The foodies Kate admires in the wonderful world of food: Since my ethos for cooking – which is foods first, recipes second - I think it has to be Samin Nosrat (Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat), but fast on her heels are Nik Sharma (The Flavor Equation), Niki Segnit (The Flavour Thesaurus), James Briscione (The Flavor Matrix) and Sybil Kapoor (Sight, Smell, Touch, Taste, Sound). I have learnt more from this bunch of alchemists than I have from a lifetime of hits and misses in my kitchen.

Kate’s core favourite foods and ingredients that make up her culinary backbone: Lamb, chicken, shellfish, chorizo and dried hams, soy sauce, wet cheeses, citrus and stone fruits. Not surprisingly my favourite cuisines are Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Asian!

9

steps to creative cooking:

Your Magical Kitchen contains 35 delicious and inspiring recipes and uses nine key steps to make cooking fun, enriching and adventurous using your favourite foods…

“My thinking was to create some ‘short cuts’ for those people who are not steeped in the culinary world, but want to be a more confident and adventurous cook,” says Kate. They are divided into three categories: Foundations (Foods, Tastes, Flavours): this starts with your favourite foods, which you pair with supporting ingredients for balance and flavour.

Fixtures (Scents, Condiments, Potions): this is the foodstuffs that will sauce up your dishes (dressings, salsas, spices).

Finishes (Colours, Divas, Occassions): these would be tips and techniques for making your dishes look stunning and tips for cooking on special occasions (date nights, suppers, outdoor bashes).

At the heart of the book would be the unsung ‘magical’ kitchen that keeps the culinary show going.

SO Magazine | October 2021 | 31

Food & Drink

Despite it being only October our local restaurants are busy preparing for the festive period. SO magazine gets a flavour of what’s on their menu this winter…

Brian Whiting, MD of WH Pubs How would you describe your cuisine?

Hearty homemade British food, made with locally sourced seasonal ingredients that’s bursting with flavour and cooked lovingly by our chefs.

Andre Woodward, Head Chef One Warwick Park Winter means great gravy. How do you make yours?

The key is a good stock. We roast veal and chicken bones and a ‘mirepoix’ of veg including celery, carrots, onions and leeks. We then deglaze the pans with a good quality red wine and combine it all together, top with water and simmer for 24 hours then reduce with more red wine. It’s absolutely delicious.

32 | October 2021 | SO Magazine

With the seasons changing it brings plenty of delicious locally grown produce to the table. What ingredients are you excited to work with?

Celeriac season is coming up and it’s such a versatile vegetable. I like it roasted with some garlic and herbs, pureed or mashed or as a celeriac remoulade which is like a French coleslaw. Shredded celeriac combined with spring onions and Dijon mustard is a really delicious side.

What are your must-have components for the ultimate roast dinner?

I like all the accompaniments that go with the traditional roast: pigs in blankets, stuffing,Yorkshire puddings and bread sauce. Oh, and not forgetting the best crispy roast potatoes served with a rich red wine gravy and a good strong horseradish sauce.

2021 Christmas at Salomons Estate Tunbridge Wells OnE nighT in VEgaS

a VEry BuBlÉ ChriSTmaS

This December Salomons Estate is staging a number of Las Vegas themed party nights so you can celebrate in style with friends, family and colleagues.

make it a Holly Jolly Christmas with the show that has Everything in it and will definitely leave you Feeling Good.

‘One Night in Vegas’ Party Nights include: Glass of prosecco on arrival.

3 course choice festive menu.

Casino tables.

Disco and dancing until 1am.

Dress to impress / Vegas Vibes.

£45

One night only Thursday 9th December 2020

Available Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays throughout December

Glass of prosecco on arrival.

2 course choice festive menu (main and dessert).

Live singing from the ‘Bublé Experience’ tribute act.

Disco and dancing until 1am Dress to impress.

TimiNGS Arrival from 7pm, 1am finish.

Dinner service time will be confirmed nearer the time.

£49.50

per person Available for groups of 8 people or more.

TimiNGS Arrival from 7pm, dinner served 7.30pm, live entertainment 9.30pm-11pm disco and dancing until 1am finish.

per person

FESTiVE aFTErnOOn TEaS Afternoon Tea is a special treat, and what better time to treat yourself and your family and friends during the Christmas season.

Available 20th November-23rd December Traditional

£21.50 per person

Prosecco

£26.50 per person

Children’s

£11.50

(smaller portion, available for children aged 12 and under only)

24hr advance booking required, bookings cancelled on the day will be asked to pay 50%.

FESTiVE lunChES

DinE WiTh SanTa

Gather your friends, family, neighbours or colleagues and enjoy a festive lunch within our stunning country house, set within 36 acres of picturesque landscape, the perfect way to get into the festive spirit.

Sunday 12th December Enjoy a three course Sunday roast suitable for the whole family as Santa makes his way round to hear all your stories and Christmas wish lists.

Available 20th November-24th December Enjoy a two course or three course lunch from our festive lunch menu.

2 courses

£24.50 per person

3 courses

£29.50 per person

minimum numbers and venue hire charges apply for private dining.

Drawing room (minimum 45 people) Theatre (minimum 70 people) Conservatory (minimum 20 people) Gold and Leighton (minimum 20 people)

COUNTRY HOUSE

Adults

£29.50 per person

Children

£16.00 per person

includes a gift from Santa for every child.

Tables available between 12pm-4pm

To book please email reservations@salomons-estate.com or call 01892 515152

let’s celebrate!

This Christmas, come together with friends and family at the Bottle House – a beautiful 15th century inn nestled in a leafy corner of Penshurst. Whether you want to entertain in your own private dining room, gather round a table in our restaurant, cosy up on nook seating around log stoves or make merry beneath our heated pergola, there’s no better place to celebrate the season!

• Indoors: 60 covers, plus additional bar seating • Outdoors: Oak-beamed pergola – seats 24, heated and covered, plus other tables with blankets and lanterns • Captain’s Cabin - Nautically themed private room, seats 10 to 16 people • Copper-topped bar and cosy nook seating • Special Christmas menu (see online) • Special Christmas cocktails using our home-made infused spirits range • Local ales and excellent wine list For details or to make a reservation, visit thebottlehouseinnpenshurst.co.uk or call us on 01892 870306

Food & Drink

Davie Friend, Head Chef of The Warren Restaurant What local produce is at its best now and what are your top picks?

We have been busy preparing our autumnal menu which will be heavily influenced by our very own produce still and as local produce to maintain our sustainability quintessence! Peter Marley our fantastic game stalker will be adding the appearance of deer, rabbit, pheasant and pigeon. Also beech nuts, rosehip, sloes, wild raspberries and hawthorn berries will feature with the help of our wonderful forager Sarah Chapman.

Any other seasonal ingredients discerning diners can look out for on your menu?

We are very proud that a high amount of our eggs are from rescue chickens. We have to also mention we have plenty of fantastic local vineyards on our wine list such as Busi Jacobsohn, Downsview and Sedlescombe. So quality local produce is always at the forefront of our ethos.

If you were a guest at The Warren what dishes would you order as a three-course meal?

As a pre-star ter it would always the divine Colchester oysters, followed by seared Warren pigeon breast, pancetta & braised puy lentils. The main course would be a haunch of Warren venison, truffled creamed cabbage, Hasselback potato & thyme jus, finished by one of our vegan desser ts – perhaps poached pear flambé, with chocolate brownie, pear sorbet & Calvados?

Dan Yardley, Head Chef Salomons Estate Where do you draw inspiration from when creating a new dish?

In the past I’d look through cookbooks, my all-time favourite being Marco Pierre White’s

The team at The Bottle House Inn, Penshurst How would you describe your cuisine?

Fine Penshurst country cooking!

What local produce is at its best now and what are your top of the crops?

We’re truly spoilt for choice with all the local seasonal produce around Penshurst. We make full use of our kitchen garden at the back of the pub and often forage the local hedgerows and woodland too.

“We’re truly spoilt for choice with all the local seasonal produce around Penshurst”

White Heat as he was a bit of a chef idol for me.

Everything is online now so I do browse the web for inspiration as well as watching all the cooking shows like Great British Menu.

What are your must have components for the ultimate roast dinner?

Obviously, all the usual suspects but if the veg is done right, I could go without the meat.

I love to make a cauliflower, broccoli, leek and cheese bake.

It is such a comfort dish made with mustard and a good strong mature cheddar on top. And it tastes so good at this time of the year.

Now the nights are drawing in, what is your go-to autumnal drink?

A very local pint of the excellent Larkins traditional, which is brewed just down the road in Chiddingstone, would have to be up there on the list.

If you were a guest at The Bottle House Inn what would be your dream dinner?

We’d suggest our smoked haddock scotch egg with a curry mayonnaise and dressed leaves to start followed by a plate of rolled Sussex pork belly with dauphinoise potatoes, spring greens and an apple jus. To finish it would have to be a sticky apple toffee pudding with vanilla ice and a toffee drizzle.

SO Magazine | October 2021 | 35

R O Y IN A T AW EA KE TA Large Parties Catered For – Inside or Out Office Parties – Lunch or Evening Three Course Lunch Festive Menu - £24.95 Three Course Dinner Festive Menu - £29.95 A La Carte Also Available Book Early to Avoid Disappoint ment!

YOUR LOCAL RESTAURANT 4 Upper Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Wells TN1 2EN 01892 530051 | www.zorbamezegrill.com

WELL-BEING

Moving through the menopause This month Naomi Murray from health and wellbeing emporium Botanica in Rusthall discusses the issue of the menopause and how women can get through it with the help of natural remedies

T

he subject of the menopause is huge and complex, and every woman’s experience is different. Some will sail through, whilst others will need some support.

When we use the term ‘menopausal’ what we really mean is perimenopausal, because the true menopause phase is a year or so after a woman has her final menstrual period.

For some women it can be a really difficult time both emotionally and physically.

With it may come a sense of one’s youth disappearing and the onset of troublesome changes – some of which perhaps feel too taboo to talk about and share.

A sadness may arise because a chapter is closing and another beginning. But it’s important to remember that it can be embraced with the right help and understanding….

WHAT JUST HAPPENED TO ME? Popular medical opinion is that when women enter this transition they are facing a disease of ‘oestrogen insufficiency’ resulting in ovarian failure. But oestrogen doesn’t decrease appreciably until after a woman’s last period.

The symptoms mentioned above are due to hormone imbalance.

38 | October 2021 | SO Magazine

Commonly there is sufficient or too much oestrogen, but insufficient progesterone which can lead to thyroid insufficiency and associated symptoms.

The trouble is you can’t accurately measure oestrogen as it hides and accumulates in bodily tissue. In fact one PubMed study showed that tissue concentrations of oestrogen was often 50+ times higher than in the blood.

Many women enter in to the menopausal phase ‘oestrogen dominant’ and so care should be taken when considering oestrogen therapy.

Progesterone deficiency is a complex of stress disorders which include excess iron. But only supplement with iron under strict advice, don’t assume tiredness is low iron, high cortisol (stress hormone) and low thyroid.

Many women entering the perimenopause phase are already exhausted due to pressured lifestyles, nutritional deficiencies, poor sleep patterns and stress and so they are running on empty and lacking the raw materials to produce adequate hormones.

START BALANCING HORMONES WITH BREAKFAST Begin the day with a protein breakfast to nourish the liver so it can do its job properly, detoxifying any excess oestrogen.

Eggs are a superfood in their own right and combined with a carbohydrate (sourdough toast) and some good quality fat (butter or coconut oil) will set you up for the day. Choline, an ‘essential’ nutrient found in eggs is critical for a number of functions including metabolism, neurotransmitter synthesis, cell structure, brain function, methylation and maintaining healthy liver function. You can see how it is a perfect food, only lacking vitamin C. A Mediterranean type breakfast can also be very supportive. E.g. easy to digest fruits like melon or mango with cheese, dried figs and perhaps a few walnuts.

If you have sluggish bowels a breakfast of soaked seeds and nuts blended with fruit can be very effective. Flax (Linseed) appears to be particularly effective at reducing hot flushes and protective against breast cancer.

A CARROT A DAY...

Chronic constipation and stress which decreases blood circulation in the intestine can increase the liver’s exposure to endotoxins (bad bacteria) which in turn cause the oestrogen concentration in the blood to rise.

A daily raw grated carrot drizzled with olive or coconut oil helps to detox the bowel and so lower oestrogen. The raw carrot fibre helps lower the amount of bad bacteria in the gut.

READER OFFER Mention SO magazine Tunbridge Wells when in store to receive 15% off products to support your hormonal health during the month of October

Naomi Murray Co-founder of Botanica Health

Bad bacteria creates a chronic burden for the liver, keeping it from its regular job of processing and regulating hormones and should be addressed. Carrot salad improves the ratio of progesterone to oestrogen and cortisol.

LIVER FUNCTION IS VITAL FOR HORMONE BALANCE “Normally, the liver treats oestrogen like a poison, removing it immediately from the body. If the liver gets sluggish from malnutrition or too much oestrogen (or other damage), it can allow the hormone to build up to very high levels” – Ray Peat, PhD If you have any of the following your liver may need supporting – Stomach upset by greasy food Light or pale coloured stools Pain between the shoulder blades Gall bladder attacks Easily hungover Easily intoxicated when drinking alcohol Bitter taste in the mouth after eating Milk thistle, bitter salads, digestive bitters, kale, coffee and artichokes all support liver health.

NAOMI’S TOP RECOMMENDATIONS: Supportive herbs and supplements for menopausal symptoms include: Chaste tree Magnesium Vitamin B Complex Vitamin E Thyroid support Milk thistle Sage Aloe vera Shatavari For more information please seek advice from your healthcare provider.

Advertising Feature

Photographs © RTW Together Business Improvement District

Royal Tunbridge Wells Together charts a course with refreshed tourist map The RTW Together Business Improvement District is plotting its way across the town centre with the help of its newly revised tourist maps.

Originally created several years ago, the leaflet features a beautifully illustrated map by local artist Elaine Gill, commissioned by RTW. The brochure has now been updated to include fresh information, photographs of the town centre and reflect the BID’s refreshed branding. The map also generates work for BID member Minute Man Press of Camden Road, who undertake the printing.

The new map has been warmly been received by many town centre businesses, with a variety of eateries, retail stores and reception areas now displaying the tourist staple. A full list of stockists can be found at www. rtwtogether.com/map Kate Finch of the Tourist Information Centre located in the Pantiles has been providing the maps to eager visitors: ‘The Tourist Information

“The new map has been warmly been received by many town centre businesses”

Centre attracts visitors often looking for a useful map and an attractive souvenir, and the newly designed picture town centre map from Royal Tunbridge Wells Together is the perfect complement to the other local information that we stock. They are proving to be very popular with tourists and locals alike!”

Business stockist Charlie Thompson of the Massage Company in Monson Road agrees, explaining ‘With a significant number of our customers coming to Tunbridge Wells from outside the town, we’ve often been called upon to provide local guidance.

The new TW Together maps give a real focus to both the occasional town visitor, and also those seeking inspiration as our town goes through the post-Covid transition.’

If central businesses would like to receive a stock of maps and holder, they are asked to contact sarah-jane@ tunbridgewellstogether.co.uk

JOIN US FOR A FAMILY FUN EVENING OF CHRISTMAS CHEER ON THE PANTILES!

g i B e Th ! l a e v e R

SATURDAY 13TH NOVEMBER 2021 - 6PM Come and see the unveiling of The Pantiles Traders' Christmas windows and vote for your favourite!

Carol Singing Mulled Wine LOCAL FOOD STALLS PLUS A VISIT FROM SANTA! ORGANISED BY

THE ZERO WASTE COMPANY SO Magazine | October 2021 | 39

Hypnotherapy

“Covid has

mental health & wellbeing...” affected both

This month SO’s resident hypnotherapist discusses a new syndrome she is seeing more and more with clients: Covid Affective Disorder

I

’m not one for sticking labels on things but there’s a new condition I’m observing in my clinic that I’m going to call ‘Covid Affective Disorder’. It’s a cluster of symptoms related to the impact of the pandemic on mental health and wellbeing.

To say Covid has disrupted all our lives in an understatement. Sanity depends to a degree on structure, order and routine.

Without these certainties to anchor our emotions to, it’s easy to drift into a state of anxiety. Not having to turn up at work or school during lockdowns has created some interesting habits and unhealthy behaviours.

Karen Martin Hypnotherapist

BINGEING According to an NHS study, people asking for weight loss help are on average 5lbs heavier than those seeking advice in the previous three years. Prof Jonathan Valabhji, NHS national clinical director for diabetes, said: ‘The pandemic has changed every part of our lives and taken a toll on mind and body, with thousands of people paying a heavy price

40 | October 2021 | SO Magazine

and many gaining weight during lockdown.’

Working from home and home schooling have given us a free pass to tuck in and throw impulse control out of the window. Children have been piling on the pounds too. It’s not just the obesity epidemic which is causing worrying long term health issues.

After years of declining numbers of people seeking my help with stopping smoking, the numbers have surged since lockdown. It seems that the temptation to have sneaky cigarette breaks is greater at home than it is in the workplace.

And either the same heavy drinkers are bingeing on more booze than ever or more people are hitting the bottle.

Or both. Flexi-working and WFH during lockdowns have brought ‘wine-o’clock forward a couple of hours in many households.

The growth in online retail sales isn’t just because we haven’t been able to get out to the shops. There has been a surge in online shopping addiction as the bored and the lonely cheer themselves

There is no doubt that the pandemic has accelerated changes that may have otherwise taken decades

up with impulse buys at the press of a button. It’s difficult to find statistics for this and for online gambling, which could also be a hidden epidemic we may only find out about in hindsight. Too late to save the sufferers from debt and misery.

These bingeing behaviours aren’t necessarily problems if they’re temporary.

But, for some, they’ll be hard habits to break. Regaining motivation, discipline and impulse control is the only way to get back a healthy body and bank balance.

THE NIGHT SHIFT I think we’ve all been guilty of box set bingeing during lockdowns. Too much alcohol, later starts in the morning and lack of routine have made nocturnal creatures out of many of us. Gaming and social media keep the younger generation -immersed in alternative realities through the long dark hours of the night. Sleeping until mid-afternoon means insufficient exposure to daylight and staying up till the early hours messes with what’s described as the circadian rhythm which regulates our body clock.

This can lead to depression, fatigue and burnout. Insomnia is both a cause and effect of this disrupted cycle.

Concentration and memory are also compromised.

BEWARE OF FELLOW INMATES Being cooped up with loved ones doesn’t tend to make the heart grow fonder. If you’ve stopped fancying your nearest and dearest and their quirky little habits are driving you mad, maybe it’s time to get out and about to remind yourself to miss them when they’re not there. If your fuse has become shorter and shorter to the degree that you go off like a firework at the slightest spark of irritation, remember that your loved ones can go off you too.

WHAT WORK-LIFE BALANCE? Some people absolutely love being liberated from the daily grind of office life. Others miss the buzz of a busy workplace. Flexiworking is here to stay and generally regarded as a good thing.

It does, however, blur the lines between work and life and this will take some adjusting to.

I’ve met many people starting new jobs in the past year who have never met their new colleagues in person.

How strange is that? And working at the kitchen table is all well and good but it’s a kitchen table, a communal social hub of family life. Not everybody has the space to convert their homes into a place to comfortably work, rest and play.

TIME FOR A CHANGE There is no doubt that the pandemic has accelerated changes that may have otherwise taken decades. We are all swept along on this tide of uncertainty and have the choice of sinking, paddling a new course or drifting.. This is a good time to set sail for calmer water and take on board new ideas and opportunities created in this strange time. Chuck any of those old, unhealthy CAD habits overboard. It’s time to get back to the bridge and take the helm to a better life…

Trusted to care Award winning care homes Our highly trained care home teams are specialists in residential, nursing, dementia and respite care, so whatever your needs and personal preferences, we’re here to help you and your family at every step of the journey.

If you’re considering care for yourself or a loved one, call 01732 806484 or email amelia.moore2@careuk.com

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1

09/06/2021

PLOT OR NOT?

09:20

If you think your land or property has development potential. Why not give us a call without obligation and in confidence.

We are always on the lookout for land and property with development potential.

Commercial buildings for residential conversion, former public houses, redundant buildings for redevelopment, buildings for conversion or replacement, houses for improvement, large sites on the edge of town, barn conversions, large gardens in residential areas and major regeneration projects.

For more information contact Stephen Donnelly on: 07739 514350 01892 579937

sjd-projects.com steve@sjd-projects.com

Many of our clients retain our services and, in the majority of cases, pay our fees saving property owners significant costs.

Photograph © RHS Tim Sandall

SJD_PlotNot_Fullpage_Advert_Final_v1.pdf

Photograph © RHS Tim Sandall

Outside Edge

From May to September...

For the first time in its history Chelsea Flower Show took place in September instead of May due to the ongoing pandemic.

Victoria Truman took a tour around Main Avenue, where all the show gardens are, to assess the autumnal action…

A

s Chelsea Flower Show took place last month for the very first time in its history it was groundbreaking on so many levels. Chelsea is a horticultural stalwart – it’s been running since 1862 and it’s where everyone looks for gardening – and external design – inspiration.

So this year the event had its first chance to give people the opportunity to showcase and enjoy all flowers and plants have to offer post summer. Early autumn presents a unique opportunity to reflect a very different style of planting and the show gardens didn’t disappoint.

Colours were predominantly burnt ochres, coppery-red tones, oranges and rusts with slashes of purples and red which gave such a strong autumnal feel to the show. Seed heads and berries, which would not usually be a feature in early summer months, were used for the first time amongst the planting, embracing the changes in the season, there was lots of late summer interest including grasses, asters and dahlias.

Many of the ideas running through this year’s show gardens are influenced by the impact of Covid and reflect a reconnection to simpler times where we realised how important being outdoors and gardens are to our well-being. Alongside this was a strong theme of sustainability, resilient plants, naturalistic planting, up purposing and recycling.

strolling through. The garden hopes to highlight the enduring influence of Florence Nightingale on nursing today, and her recognition of the importance of restorative gardens.

She strongly believed in the benefits of fresh air and green spaces for wellbeing and recovery while in hospital. The plants used here were typical of those used in the 19th century with strong medicinal properties. Others were inspired by Florence Nightingale's personal pressed flower collection.

A FEW OF THE GARDENS THAT CAUGHT MY EYE INCLUDED: THE FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE GARDEN This is an imagined courtyard garden for a new hospital. This particular garden was planned to mark the bicentenary of the birth of Florence Nightingale at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2020 but it was obviously cancelled due to Covid. Thankfully it gets a rightful showing this year. It is a restorative garden, enclosed on three sides by a sculptural timber pergola, and is for viewing from inside the building, as well as for sitting in and

Victoria Truman Garden Designer

THE M&G GARDEN This embraced how vital outdoor spaces are in inner cities with a biodiverse, resilient planting that supports wildlife. A place however small-count for nature.

A spokesperson for M&G said Our garden offers a peaceful oasis and refuge for people and wildlife to share, giving respite from a hectic outside world while quietly reflecting how new life and purpose can be brought to a long neglected corner of a city.

SO Magazine | October 2021 | 43

Outside Edge

Photograph © RHS Tim Sandall

Photo © RHS Neil Hepworth

Photograph © RHS Tim Sandall

“It is a space that is beautiful and sustainable, reusing and repurposing materials, and echoing the industrial heritage of the urban environment; a junction of natural and created, inherited and new.”

THE SANCTUARY GARDEN: FINDING OUR WAY: AN NHS TRIBUTE GARDEN According to a spokesperson this is a space in which to reflect on the events of the pandemic. “Working with the NHS, UK Universities undertook a huge research effort to find new treatment and vaccines for COVID which will help end the pandemic; this garden is an opportunity to thank everyone for all their incredible efforts.”

Entering the garden, the sheer imposing verticals of the timber canopy represent the sharp descent into fear at the outset of the pandemic. The rills and pools of water throughout the garden represent the collective efforts

CHELSEA TREND WATCH: Balcony gardens is a new category which showcases how these compact spaces can be utilised to become lush green pocket gardens in the middle of cities where space is a premium. A place to de stress, connect with nature and breath.

Designed to be viewed from inside and within the garden. They also promote planting for pollinators and small trees for birds to rest in.

of those working together in the NHS and universities. The sounds of the water work in tandem with the warm palette and soft textures of the planting to create an immersive experience. The design reflects connectedness and collaboration, not just between NHS and research staff, but also the whole country as people are forced into isolation and yet are united by the common goal to find an end to the pandemic.

Photograph © RHS Tim Sandall

THE BOODLES SECRET GARDEN With its high, intricately carved, louvred oak wall, sustainably sourced within five miles of Chelsea, it entices you into an enchanted, secret garden brimming with jewel like plants, Acis autumnalis, Dahlia campanulata and Fuchsia magellanica var. molinae, introduce droplet structures and soft pink into the planting. www.victoriatruman.com

Photograph © RHS Tim Sandall

Colours at Chelsea were predominantly burnt ochres, coppery-red tones, oranges and rusts which gave a strong autumnal feel to the show

Photograph © RHS Tim Sandall

44 | October 2021 | SO Magazine

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After

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46 | October 2021 | SO Magazine

TRAVEL

To the lighthouse: why Folkestone is so fabulous With millions being invested into Folkestone’s regeneration it is fast becoming the cool coastal destination of choice. Judy Waters reveals what to do there

Words www.worldwidetravelideas.com

F

ollowing the birth of Folkestone’s railway during the Victorian era, this understated Kent coastal town’s tourism flourished. Grand hotels and smaller guest houses sprung up in order to accommodate the influx of visitors and local commerce thrived. Sadly though the impact from two World Wars and the advent of foreign holidays led to its decline in popularity and a jumble of neglected buildings was its legacy.

But thanks to the new High Speed Rail Link and key financial assistance from local businessman Roger de Haan, a multi-million pound regeneration is now underway which is set to put Folkestone, as both an appealing seaside destination and cultural hub, firmly back on the map again.

The idea of the regeneration is to bid farewell to Folkestone’s noisy amusement arcades and candy floss scented fairgrounds and instead embrace a trendier and more upmarket vibe. The current development of luxury sea view apartments and ongoing launches of swanky bars and

restaurants and cool indie shops certainly reflects that.

In addition to all this there is the exciting development of the world’s first multi-storey skate park, scheduled to open in Folkestone later this month.

Along the mile-long seaside promenade The Leas you’ll find a spectacular walking route which is currently showcasing the UK’s largest exhibition of contemporary art courtesy of this year’s Triennial.

This event has helped Folkestone curate a reputation for becoming a genuine hub of culture and arts. In addition to the Triennial the town now hosts other interesting celebrations including a Ska extravaganza, SALT: a festival of the sea and environment as well as the annual Folkestone Festival. The town’s music scene is also fledgling with various venues to see artists of all different musical genres. Only last month the likes of Billy Bragg and The Staves played to packed out audiences.

The pedestrianised Creative Quarter in Folkestone continues to exhibit the town’s independent spirit and is happily free from

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK: Rocksalt www.rocksalt folkestone.co.uk for high end seafood The Harbour Inn for hearty pub food www.theharbour innfolkestone.co.uk Pop up restaurants including Mexican, Greek, The Pilot Beach Bar and The Lighthouse Champagne Bar folkestoneharbour arm.co.uk/outlets

chain restaurants and greasy spoons which you’d usually find sprinkled around a seaside resort.

Instead, visitors can savour a plato de carne, a Spanish meat and cheese platter at El Cortador tapas bar. And just a few doors down there’s Folklore, a funky cocktail bar that hosts local musicians and movie nights. Other must-visit eateries in the town include top chef Mark Sergeant’s Rocksalt, Little Rock and The Radnor Arms as well as Pick Up Pintxos, which specialises in Basque cuisine, and Luberon, a perfect place for pizza.

If you’re looking to walk off all that delicious food then why not meander slalom-style through the Lower Leas Coastal Path. Here you can take in the views of the sparkling sea and also be entertained by a plethora of shows during summer months at its grassy amphitheatre or exhaust the kids at the adventurous children’s play park just nearby.

At the bottom of the coastal path, a curvilinear boardwalk leads to a 125 year old funicular railway and pebble beach sprinkled with tufts of sea kale.

Screaming seagulls compete with merry tunes blasting out from a converted shipping container, The Pilot Beach Bar. Pull up a deckchair or settle into one of the bar’s cool waltzer carriages for a creamy latte or ice cold beer. To the rear of the bar (which is also run by the aforementioned Mark Sergeant) is a bottle green platform of the Victorian railway

viaduct. Steeped in history and hardly changed over the past 100 years or so, passers-by should be donning bonnets and parasols instead of jeans and t-shirts when walking down here.

Follow the railtrack a bit further and you’ll soon be on the super cool Harbour Arm. At one time it was a railway terminal, but now it’s a popular location for amazing food, weekly artisan markets and the odd music festival. There’s also a host of funky bars here as well as a trucksized screen which shows sporting events. Choose delicious salads and wraps from The Big Greek Bus, the freshest fish from Sole Kitchen or tasty veggie food from Dr Legumes.

At the end of the Harbour Arm you’ll find The Lighthouse Champagne Bar which stands, Angel of the North like, watching over tourists and locals chatting and quaffing. Glance right if you want unparalleled views of the white cliffs of Dover – but make sure you keep an eye on the water for the occasional seal sighting.

Glance left and you can just see France which hopefully will be a lot more accessible soon.

You can round off your day trip or weekend with a special meal at any of the town’s impressive restaurants – or indulge in some street seafood at Chummy’s on the seafront.

But wherever you decide to go in this richly regenerated town you won’t be disappointed…

Marco Pierre-White Steak House Bar and Grill www.mpw restaurants.co.uk Folklore for unique cocktails www.folk lorect20.com El Cortador for Mexican food www.elcortador folkestone.com

SO Magazine | October 2021 | 47

Advertising Feature

capacity of our current members so we made the decision to relocate.

With an even greater demand for people investing in their health, it is our duty to provide a facility that has even more opportunities to deliver the best possible service. Our venue now has space 4 times the size of our last, top-quality equipment, and premium features including a welcome area, showers to die for, and of course industry-leading trainers.

EVOLUTION The coaching squad has evolved from a single trainer to a team of five. Each coach delivers exceptional coaching, bringing along their own experience and expertise to SweatIT Training Club. Combined, they’ve had over 18 years of coaching experience from all ranges of sports, exercise and education. Our coaches are one hundred percent committed to delivering the best training service.

Professional, genuine, knowledgeable and most importantly, fun.

S

weatIT is a training facility like no other. It is a hybrid model between group exercise and personal training. What makes it especially unique is that every session is led by a professional coach; this means that each member will get support and guidance consistently throughout their training.

Small-Group Personal Training has no more than 6 people per group; the programme is designed to target multiple areas of the body to ensure maximum efficiency in each workout.

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN Fields to farmhouse, farmhouse to a beautiful renovation in the heart of Sussex. SweatIT started out as a rather modest outside, circuit-based bootcamp. The man behind the magic, Tom Burgess - Founder of SweatIT - started the journey to help local friends and family take ownership of their health and fitness.

His passion for fitness inspired many to make changes to their lifestyles and attend regular sessions. It seemed that commercial gyms were exclusive and intimidating for many. It was clear that SweatIT had the potential to impact many more; that's exactly what he did. From humble beginnings in a school hall, SweatIT transitioned a wonderfully appealing farmhouse, 'the cow shed', into a facility that housed premium equipment and supported many in their pursuit of a better quality of life.

SweatIT evolved into a personal training gym with the intent to only strive for greatness. Hundreds of 48 | October 2021 | SO Magazine

people became a part of the SweatIT community - lifelong friendships blossomed and people were reaping the rewards of the quality of our personal training gym.

THE TOUR We have built for you a premium members-only gym to bridge the gap between commercial gyms and pricey one-to-one PTs. A space that is dedicated to helping you achieve results; whether that is fat loss, muscle gain or improving your cardio fitness.

Upon entry, you’ll find plenty of free parking in our beautiful rural setting.You’ll be welcomed by a member of staff to show you to our spacious reception area, given a full tour of the facility and taken through a friendly consultation. - This brief consultation will allow us to get to know you and configure the best plan of action to get you moving in the right direction.You’ll see our personal training sessions in action, get a feel of the environment and meet people of all abilities being trained by our elite coaching team.

Our time and exercise efficient programming is optimised for your busy lifestyle. Each session lasts no longer than 50 minutes. We maximise your potential in the time spent training, avoiding the unnecessary lull periods. The gym is limited to free weights, conditioning equipment and other accessories - this is to once again get more out of your training. Functional fitness relates to what you do outside of the gym. We help prepare you for

those everyday movements instead of isolating just one muscle group at a time. All of our programming can be bespoke to you, your capabilities, your wants and needs. Our gym is home to members of all levels of fitness, so you won’t feel out of place.You’ll receive independent coaching but train with people much like yourself, being part of a welcoming community. We understand that life has many moving parts, our flexible timetable offers over 75 sessions each week so you will never miss a session.

No need to make any long term commitments, we want you to be sure that we are the right fit for you.

We offer a 30 day trial period that includes everything you need: personal training, nutrition guidance, a resource centre, our support and leadership to get the full SweatIT Training Club experience.

OUR MISSION The mission has always remained the same: to make a difference. SweatIT does this by delivering professional health and fitness products & services to advocate a long term healthy lifestyle. Over the last year, it has become apparent that our health is the most imperative factor in our lives. Our members trusted in our ability to adapt and overcome the challenges of keeping motivated and sustaining their strength and fitness in times of hardship.Through adversity, we grew our membership and welcomed many more to our online and outdoor training. Our current venue was not able to hold the

WHY JOIN? To become a member at our gym, we don't ask for any existing fitness prerequisites as we tailor our sessions to each individual. Complete beginners get a comprehensive introduction to participating fundamental movements relative to improving strength, stability, mobility, and endurance.

WHY SWEAT-IT TRAINING? Why choose us to help you jumpstart your fitness journey over a traditional gym environment?

GUIDANCE, SUPPORT + STRUCTURE You’ll get everything you need: Personal Training, Nutrition Guidance, a Resources Centre and our support and leadership, to create a sustainable structure for you.

WE HOST OVER 75 SESSIONS PER WEEK We offer over 75 sessions over 6 days a week, meaning that there’s always an opportunity to fit us into your schedule, and to build a realistic and sustainable plan.

FIND CONFIDENCE IN COMMUNITY Our community is built on respect and a fostered sense of relatability. We all had to start somewhere. We feel that the road to fitness is better among friends.

WHY ARE THESE IMPORTANT? strength - To be able to carry out everyday tasks, such as lifting, pulling, pushing. This doesn't just apply to muscular strength but also bone and vital organ health, avoiding health risks such as heart disease and osteoporosis. stability - balance is a necessary action. To prevent accidents or injuries, muscles and connective tissues need to be responsive to unforeseen circumstances. mobility - the body should be exposed to its full range of motion.

Joints can become restrictive due to tightness in certain areas from being overused or being sedentary, causing discomfort/pain and inability to carry out daily tasks. endurance - in order for us to get the most out of each day, we need to sustain energy levels and efficient functional body systems.

Strength training is beneficial for everyone. It is a vital component of any fitness routine. Lifting weights regularly (and appropriately) will improve your heart health, keep your connective tissue healthy, boost your metabolism/caloric burn, encourage better posture, minimise overall injuries, increase your energy, regulate hormones and make you stronger.

IS IT RIGHT FOR YOU LONG TERM? All four priorities mentioned above are essential ingredients in sustaining

Advertising Feature

a happy, healthy lifestyle, however, what happens when you've got a good basis for all of these?

That's where it gets really exciting - the goalposts always move and there's no limit on how far you can reach.

Our industry-leading & expert coaches can provide a personalised approach to ensure you are progressing towards your desired goals. The coaches provide an objective perspective, all things that a mirror or iPhone cannot; whether that be identifying form faults, conducting strategy, or constructing a plan to ensure appropriate progressive overload.

Motivation to exercise is packed differently for everyone, however, one of the biggest motivators for people to regularly use the gym is improving their mental health.

Evidence shows that exercise contributes to releasing endorphins, as well as positively impacting confidence and feeling part of a community.

“I think the best thing about SweatIT is being able to come here whenever you like and you’re guaranteed a great workout and a good laugh at the same time.”

REASONS YOU’VE BEEN LET DOWN You might have thought, ‘I’ve tried everything’ or ‘the gym is not for me’ but what if we were to tell you there are reasons why you have been let down in the past: The training programme is not personal: as much as it is 'tailored to you’, the coach who writes a programme cannot provide a

Roger

screening to assess your capabilities/ restrictions.

A rigid plan is not flexible for real life: if you're sick, lacking energy, injured or on holiday - it doesn't take these into consideration or advice on returning.

Exercises can seem repetitive: the exercises can seem regimented & boring.

Easy to avoid training days: you have the opportunity to cherry-pick certain exercises, maybe avoiding the movements that are beneficial but are not appealing or 'easy' to perform.

No progression: you might be your own worse enemy. If the programme isn't specific or a little too focused on numbers, you might see a decline in results and motivation.

You are reliant on self-motivation.

Motivation comes in peaks and troughs, when you are committed, you rely less on motivation and act more on habits and discipline.

Any of these sound familiar? We have a different approach. Our group setting means that you will receive personal training at a fraction of the cost. One-to-one training can set you back for three sessions a week - this way our members are able to train more, with full support and be motivated by like-minded people within their session. We believe exercise should be enjoyable and you should train because you want to, not because you have to.

L IA TR T. AY AR -D ST 30 R TO U E YO AV H IT T H W US RT J A U ST YO

OUR MISSION:

TO HELP YOU BUILD A LONG TERM HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. NOW Our flexible approach to personal training at SweatIT will help you build strong habits for a healthy lifestyle in line with your fitness goals.

SweatIT is more than a gym, it’s a wicked support system. It’s the first gym I have actually stuck at consistently and actually look forward to attending, and now I can definitely see results that I never have before.

— CHARLIE D

TN6 1UU - Unit 1 Hole Farm, London Road, ss dre | Ad 811 315 92 018 - info@sweat-it.co | Phone Web - www.sweat-it.co | Email

SO Magazine | October 2021 | 49

Motors

HOW DOES IT LOOK?

The P400e looks – as you’d probably expect – just like a regular Defender.

Land Rover has resisted the urge to add loads of hybrid-only design touches, with just the rear badging and charging port showcasing this as anything but a ‘regular’ Defender. In 110 layout it has a real presence, while our solid white test car had a particularly utilitarian feel to it.

The Defender’s styling has, in our eyes, been a success. It brings enough of the original’s styling touches so as to not dismiss the past, but is up to date enough to be aware of the future.

This PHEV version feels particularly appropriate.

First Drive: Land Rover Defender P400e

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE?

The Defender’s cabin feels robust and well made. There are loads of big, chunky switches and dials which not only look good, but will no doubt prove easy to use when wearing gloves during colder months. There’s plenty of space too, with all manner of cubbies and storage areas ensuring that there’s a place for everything.

There’s the option of either five or six-seater layouts too, giving families a more flexible seating option should they need it. You’ve also got loads of charging ports dotted throughout the cabin, ensuring that everyone can charge their devices as and when they need to.

Land Rover has added a new plug-in hybrid setup to the new Defender, but has it helped the overall package along?

Jack Evans finds out WHAT IS IT?

Electrification is at the forefront of the motoring industry’s concerns right now, and nowhere is that more evident than in the Jaguar Land Rover line-up. Across its range, it has begun to introduce far more electrified powertrains than before, with plug-in hybrid setups applied to all manner of the firm’s cars. Now, it’s the turn of the go-anywhere Defender.

But the Defender brings with it a whole different set of requirements.

That plug-in powertrain needs to work alongside this Land Rover’s off-road tech, delivering plenty of performance and grunt, as well as those important efficiency benefits.

So, how does it get on…?

WHAT’S NEW?

Outside, the Defender PHEV looks much the same as a ‘regular’ version.

It’s only available in 110 layout – the batteries would’ve proved too much to pack into the smaller 90 – so there’s still plenty of space for all occasions.

Boot space, however, has taken a bit of a dive, down to 853-litres with the second row of seats in place and 2,127 with second row put flat from 1,057 and 2,300-litres respectively. That said, that’s still more than enough room for most activities.

Inside, you’ve got the same combination of rugged yet highquality materials, while the PHEV also benefits from additional readouts detailing the remaining charge left in the batteries, as well as how that electricity is being deployed in combination with the electric motor.

50 | October 2021 | SO Magazine

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET?

The new Defender plug-in hybrid – badged P400e in reference to the car’s power output measured in PS – hits the road as the most efficient version of the off-roader to date. Underneath the bonnet sits a 2.0-litre fourcylinder petrol engine, which combines with an electric motor and 19.2kWh battery. Together, you get a sizeable 398bhp and 460Nm of torque, equating to a 0-60mph time of 5.4 seconds and a top speed of 119mph.

In efficiency terms, the P400e should return a claimed 85.3mpg – providing the batteries are topped up, of course – while CO2 emissions stand at 74g/km. Capable of travelling up to 27 miles on electric power alone, the P400e’s batteries can be topped up from zero to 80% via a home wallbox in two hours, or seven hours with a three-pin plug. The Defender is also one of the only hybrids that can charge at speeds of up to 50kW, which would return an 80% charge in just 30 minutes.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?

The added quiet and refinement that the hybrid powertrain really plays to the Defender’s strengths. It’s a comfortable car regardless, but the way the P400e quietly wafts along on its standard-fit air suspension means that it’s a genuinely relaxing car to potter around in.

The switch between electric and petrol power is hard to notice too, while thanks to its ability to travel at

FACTS AT A GLANCE MODEL: Defender 110 P400e BASE PRICE: £65,915 ENGINE: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol with electric motor POWER: 398bhp TORQUE: 640Nm MAX SPEED: 119mph 0-60MPH: 5.4 seconds MPG: 85.3 EMISSIONS: 74g/km CO2 ELECTRIC-ONLY RANGE: 27 miles

speeds of up to 81mph on electric power alone, you can also use that zero-emissions capability on the motorway.

That said, if the majority of your miles are conducted on the highway and at greater speeds, you may still want to consider the diesel – once the battery power has been depleted, the P400e will struggle to match the oil burner for efficiency. However, if you’re travelling shorter journeys with longer ones peppered in between, you’ll really notice the added efficiency that this setup brings.

VERDICT

Given the performance it brings, as well as the added efficiency brought on through its hybrid setup, the P400e could be the most compelling version of the Defender on sale. Though high-mileage drivers – as well as those who more frequently find themselves towing – will no doubt lean towards the diesel versions, for everyone else this plug-in hybrid version could be a very good fit indeed.

It’s not often that a car allows you to have your cake and eat it, but the Defender P400e appears to be a rare example of this in action.

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