So Magazine March 2022

CULTURE

Just for laughs

Mash Report comedian Nish Kumar is coming to Tunbridge Wells

BUSINESS

A night to remember

We look ahead to the Times Business Awards glittering gala this month

FOOD & DRINK

Plate Expectations Discover what's new on the menu at some of our favourite restaurants

ON THE MONEY

HOW GILLIAN PALMER FROM THE FINANCE HUB IS CHANGING THE WORLD OF FINANCE FOR THE BETTER

March 2022

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To register for the Open House Week or book a tour, . admissions@claremontschool.co.uk Nursery & Prep School, Leonards TN37 7PN visit the events page claremontschool.co.uk/events 01580St 830396 To register for the Open House Week or book a tour, visit the events page claremontschool.co.uk/events 01580 830396 . admissions@claremontschool.co.uk To register for the Open House Week or book a tour, visit the events page claremontschool.co.uk/events 01580 830396 . admissions@claremontschool.co.uk So FP Super sat senior 0122 .indd 1

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Welcome

Editor’s Letter 4 6 8 13 15 16 17 19 21

Culture vulture: what’s on where this month

W

elcome to your March issue of SO magazine. With spring just around the corner, many of us start thinking about doing a big spring clean of our homes – but what if you were to expand that energy into an overhaul of your finances too?

Now, the words ‘tax’, ‘wills’ and ‘pensions’ might fill many of us with fear but what if you could sort out all your affairs simply and effectively with no complicated jargon? Step forward Gillian Palmer and her team at the newly launched The Finance Hub. Dublin born Gillian is an entrepreneur and had the clever idea during lockdown to set up a company which could offer all sorts of financial advice and assistance without the hard sell –whether you’re an individual or an established company. Read her inspiring idea and interesting story of how she made a success of her life on page 8.

Elsewhere we have a foodie special celebrating some of our favourite local restaurants. With a new season comes a whole host of delicious new produce to cook with so we’ve asked chefs and restaurateurs from the TW culinary scene to tell us what they’re putting on the menu for spring (starting page 27).

We also meet comedian Nish Kumar (p13) who is coming to the Assembly Hall next month and talk to Trinity’s Artistic Director Sean Turner (p19) about

A summer of music: Paul Dunton celebrates the live music scene returning

team

contents March 2022

35

Financial services: We meet Gillian Palmer, founder of The Finance Hub and her talented

51

Comedy value: Controversial comedian Nish Kumar is coming to Tunbridge Wells

the plans he has for the popular theatre and cultural centre’s upcoming 40th birthday.

In our travel section we take a look at the beautiful accommodation that’s now available to hire in the grounds of Salomons Estate (p51) and also tune up for a trip to Nashville (p48).

As March is also Mother’s Day we have also handpicked some wonderful gifting ideas to show your mum how much you care (p47) from some of our wonderful local businesses.

Enjoy the edition!

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

Social Scene: We take a sneak peek of the new VGS styling suite at One Warwick Park Hotel

Great Scots! Members of the Entwine business community celebrate Burns Night in style Family affair: We profile some of the family-run firms shortlisted for a Times Business Award Life begins at 40: Trinity’s Sean Turner tells us what’s in store for the theatre’s big birthday

Love where you live: Lime Tree London cofounder Natalie Joliffe tells us where she loves to spend his spare time

23

Art of glass: Jess Gibson of the TN Card discovers the incredible talent of Claudia Wiegand who runs Glass by Claudia

27

Food & Drink special: Some of our leading restaurants reveal the secret ingredients to their success and what’s on their menu for spring

35

Simply child’s play: Adam Shaw of At Dad’s Table tells us all about his new pregnancy, weaning and kids’ cookbook How to Grow Your Family

39

Live happy: Naomi Murray from Botanica Health emporium delivers more words of wisdom for improved well-being

45 47

Wild Planet: We profile this local ecofriendly and ethical beauty business Gorgeous gifts: With Mother’s Day just around the corner we cherry pick some present ideas from local companies

54

41

Social network: Local hypnotherapist Karen Martin on how to manage your virtual life for the better

47 Issue 161 SALOMONS ESTATE Tunbridge Wells Kent TN3 0TG Tel: 01892 779650 www.timeslocalnews.co.uk

EDITOR Eileen Leahy

eileen.leahy@onemediauk.co.uk

EDITORIAL Karen Martin Naomi Murray Tim Sykes Victoria Roberts PUBLISHED BY

DESIGN David Sexton

PHOTOGRAPHY David Bartholomew SALES advertising@onemediauk.co.uk

PRINTED BY: Mortons Print

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

48 51

A little bit country: Take a trip to Nashville Tennessee with us…

Get away from it all: We profile the stunning new accommodation available to rent in the beautiful grounds of Salomons

54 56 58

Pastel power: All you need to know about this season’s must-have trend for your home The great outdoors: Tim Sykes of Garden Proud on the power of yellow planting Drive of your life: Test drive the new MercedesAMG GLE63 S

SO Magazine | March 2022 | 3

Calendar

Our edit of the most entertaining events happening this month TAKE THE LEAD Bewl Water’s Big Dog Day Out is back and this year takes place on Saturday March 26. According to organisers visitors can enjoy a wonderful day out for the whole family - and of course our furry friends too! Entry is free and the event runs from 10am - 4pm. In addition to the special canine events such as hourly dog shows and agility courses, there will also be children’s treasure trails and face painting sessions too. The dog shows will run every hour from 11am until 3pm and will feature a different category for each slot. More information can be found at www.bewlwater.co.uk

DID YOU KNOW? Between 1973 and 1975, a 900-metre dam was built across the Bewl valley, cutting off the headwaters. This formed Bewl Water, a 30-metre-deep storage reservoir with a surface area of 308 hectares.

4 | March 2022 | SO Magazine

WOO HOO IT’S THE TWIRLYWOOS Join Great BigHoo, Toodloo, Chickedy, Chick and their friends as they discover the wonderful world around us!

Rolling up at the EM Forster theatre on March 5 and 6, audiences can expect mischief, music and plenty of surprises as the popular TV characters set sail in their big red boat. “The funny, loveable Twirlywoos are brought to life on stage with beautifully inventive puppetry promising an hour of colourful fun and laughter,” explains an EM Forster spokesperson.

Tickets cost £13.50 and are suitable for those age 1 and over. Running time is approximately 55 minutes.

More details at www. emftheatre.com

DID YOU KNOW? Anne Boleyn’s sister Mary Boleyn, was Henry VIII’s mistress from around 1520. There were even rumours that her mother, Elizabeth Howard, had enjoyed a romantic liaison with King Henry too!

A ROYAL CELEBRATION A new exhibition on Anne Boleyn launches at her childhood home, Hever Castle, on March 4 - 500 years to the day of her first recorded appearance at English cour t in 1522. Visitors will have the chance to find out more about Anne’s youth and what made her into the woman who so caught Henry VIII’s

eye on her return to England.

Becoming Anne: Connections, Culture, Cour t runs until November 2022 and will explore the factors that moulded Anne’s character and also the rise of the Boleyn family.

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

GHOSTLY GOINGS ON On March 9 Conn Artists Theatre Company perform their adaptation of JM Barrie’s Mary Rose at the EM Forster theatre. Directed by Nick Young, it’s described as “a spellbindingly beautiful ghost story about time, love and hope from the creator of Peter Pan.” In this hauntingly beautiful and witty play, from the creator of Peter Pan, comes an exploration of time, love and loss. These timeless themes are given a thrilling revival with a fresh treatment in the trademark style of Conn Artists.

Featuring Barrie’s own stage directions as interwoven pieces of narrative, original music and traditional folk songs, it shows what live, modern theatre can do best.

Tickets cost £17 and £16 for students. See www.emftheatre. com for more info

Calendar

TIME TO BOOGIE

DID YOU KNOW? Agatha Christie wrote over 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections. There are over two billion copies of her books in print worldwide – and amazingly she did not learn to read until the age of 8.

BARD-BASED BEDLAM! Trinity theatre hosts theatrical troupe Shake It Up on March 17 who bring their entertaining Improvised Shakespeare Show to life. In a nutshell they say the plot goes like this…. “The great bard hasn’t written anything new for an age, so we thought we would give him a hand…Using his language, your audience suggestions and our overactive imaginations, we create a brand-new Shakespeare play live on stage, complete with live music, songs and plenty of laughs.”

Sounds like an inspiring evening of improv! The fun starts at 8pm and tickets cost £18. See www.trinitytheatre. net for more info

AN AIR OF MYSTERY

On March 5 The Forum hosts its popular Boogie Nights event. Hosted by DJs Holler & Scanty, who’ll be spinning Classic House, Disco & Dance Anthems on vinyl, this long running fun night sells out every month and is full of friendly, enthusiastic and music-savvy clubbers of all ages. Also on at the iconic music venue this month are musical acts as diverse as Lady Bird (March 25) Artful Dodger (March 26) and Gong (March 27). For more details visit www.twforum.co.uk

OUTSTANDING OPERA Madame Butterfly flutters onto the stage at the Assembly Hall on the evening of March 17.

Performed by the Russian State Opera this is one not to be missed if you’re a fan of Puccini’s dramatically tragic tale of doomed love.

The tale of an American naval lieutenant and his young Japanese bride inspired the Italian composer to write some of his most sublime and beautiful music. With fantastic colourful costumes, exquisite singing and so many wonderful tunes this is a must-see. For more details visit www. assembly hall.co.uk

Middle Ground Theatre Company Ltd presents its acclaimed production of the classic Miss Marple mystery A Murder is Announced.

Running from March 29 until April 2, it starts a stellar cast which includes Sarah Thomas (Last Of The Summer Wine), Barbara Wilshere (The Lakes/ The Paradise Club), Tom Butcher (The Bill/Doctors) and Karen Drury (Brookside).

It charts the story of a group of residents from the fictitious Chipping Cleghorn who read an ad in their local paper that a murder will take place. Intrigued? Then go along . . . tickets cost £22.05 and are available from www. assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

BROUGHT TO BOOK Authors Laura Marshal and C.J. Tudor discuss their shared love of literature at a special talk entitled The Open Page With….at Trinity Theatre on March 5. This is the first in a new series where authors come together and talk about their oeuvre – as well as inspiration and life in general. To find out more about this event and ticket prices visit www.trinitytheatre. net

SO Magazine | March 2022 | 5

Music

F O R E M A SUM

musiic Photo © Ania Shrimpton

This month our resident music guru Paul Dunton reveals an exciting summer of special gigs for the Local & Live Music charity …

N

ow that Covid restrictions have been lifted and we can all look forward to a sociable summer as all our favourite festivals make a return after, for some, a two-year hiatus.

Luckily the festival I founded, Local & Live, was able to be put on over the last two summers albeit in a much smaller capacity - but this year we are back over the August Bank Holiday weekend - and excitingly also for a few pop-ups during the summer too at some of the local areas biggest events.

Here’s where you can see a Local & Live pop-up show or two near you soon:

Paul Dunton

Music Editor Follow Paul @PaulDuntonmusic 6 | March 2022 | SO Magazine

Local & Live and Unfest unite to celebrate The Queen’s Jubilee Friday June 3 - Sunday June 5 www.twforum.co.uk Tunbridge Wells music & arts community festivals ‘Unfest’ and ‘Local & Live’ will mark the Queen’s Jubilee by joining together to put on a free to attend three-day celebration of live music and spoken word. The Forum will be hosting an array of superb local bands offering a mix of full electric bands and acoustic style acts. In keeping with Unfest traditions there will also be an exciting programme of spoken word performances. The Sussex Mews will be the setting for the acoustic stage where live music will run from 2pm to 9pm on the Friday and Saturday and 2pm till 7pm on the Sunday.

The Forum’s owner Jason Dormon commented: “We are delighted that The Forum’s annual Unfest festival is back to celebrate local music, art and local independent business. Starting on Thursday June 2 with a Queen tribute act at The Forum, the Unfest Jubilation will run until Sunday June 5 with stages curated by The Forum, Local &Live,Tunbridge Wells Pride, Word Up and Applause to name but a few. Like the previous years, it’s a free event for all ages during the day, celebrating the wealth of talent and diversity in our town.”

Local & Live trustee Nigel Bent told SO magazine: “After such a difficult time it is just brilliant to be able to announce that Local & Live and UnFest are getting together to put on a festival of live music over the Spring & Queen’s Jubilee Bank Holidays. There will be a series of events for local musicians and audiences to really enjoy, covering a huge range of music styles with performances both indoors and outdoors, I can’t wait!”

It’s time to get back to the Black Deer Music Festival Friday June 17 - Sunday June 19 www.blackdeerfestival.com Local & Live will once again be strongly represented at this year’s Black Deer Festival (June 17-19). Local & Live sound engineer Al Drake Brockman will be working alongside myself and fellow Local & Live trustees Peter Taylor and Nigel Bent to assist Supajam in running their stage all weekend.

Supajam Education has two specialist colleges where the Local & Live Charity helps disadvantaged and vulnerable young adults get into the music business. The colleges have had an amazing history with Black Deer since it was established in 2018 and this year is thrilled to be joining forces with Local & Live to run the Supajam Stage. Throughout the year the students have had workshops with some of the top industry professionals and during the festival the students will be split into small groups to gain invaluable work experience at the festival carrying out such jobs as Artist Liaison , Stage Management, Sound & Lighting, Photography and Journalism.

Black Deer’s ethos of showcasing new music acts every year certainly gives many emerging artists from the UK and beyond an incredible opportunity to perform at what is undoubtedly the UK’s premier Americana festival. Given the strength and depth of the local scene and the relationship between Black Deer and Local & Live, there will definitely be a few local names in action when the forthcoming announcements are made.

Music

Head on over to the Pub in the Park

Photo © Nigel Martin Photography

Friday July 8 - Sunday July 10 www.pubintheparkuk.com A selection of acts from the Local and Live roster are to be invited to perform at this year’s Pub In The Park which is once again to be held in the event field section of Dunorlan Park.

This is an incredible opportunity for the chosen acts to perform in front of thousands of people in their home town.

The actual line-up for the Local & Live acts is still yet to be announced but they will be performing ahead of an array of global pop icons including Mel C, The Feeling, Faithless, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Supergrass, Professor Green, Aswad and more.

This year’s event will see lots of your favourite chefs cooking up a storm while the music gets people into the party spirit. In addition to Pub in the Park founder Tom Kerridge, they include Atul Kochhar, Simon Rimmer, Melissa Thompson, The Tanner Brothers from The Kentish Hare and The Small Holding’s Will Devlin.

Get ready for a summer time special Local & Live Music Festival August Bank Holiday weekend 26-29 www.localandlive.org The annual Local & Live Festival is set to return to Calverley Grounds once again over the August Bank Holiday weekend (26-29). Fundraising is well underway to ensure the event can go ahead and the festival’s fringe element looks set to be its strongest yet with new venues getting involved. Calverley Grounds and The Forum will be the main two venues from Friday to Sunday with The Festival Fringe taking place across the town at various pubs and cafes on the bank holiday weekend. It is estimated that over 170 acts will take part in this year’s event.

Enjoy the great outdoors at The Lake Garden Music Festival Thursday September 9 - Sunday September 11 www.lakegardenmusicfestival.co.uk A brand new festival is set to make its mark in Tunbridge Wells this year. The Lake Garden Music Festival (formally known as The Walled Garden Festival) will take place at Eridge Park from September 9-11. The festival will feature an array of internationally renowned acts including Feeder, The Feeling, Levellers, Nik Kershaw, Mostly Autumn and more.

I’m excited to announce that ten acts are to be chosen from this year’s Local & Live Festival and they will then perform at The Lake Garden Music Festival on the Local & Live Acoustic stage - positioned next to the main stage.

The top three performances on the acoustic stage will then be invited to perform on the mainstage at Lake Garden Festival the following year in 2023.

SO Magazine | March 2022 | 7

Photos © David Bartholomew

Cover feature

W “The aim is to do things differently here…”

Entrepreneur and founder of The Finance Hub, Gillian Palmer, explains how she and her team of handpicked experts can now offer the best and most straightforward monetary advice for both individuals and businesses 8 | March 2022 | SO Magazine

alking into the spacious and very cool and contemporary premises The Finance Hub occupies on Linden Park Road, just at the end of The Pantiles, you’d think you’d arrived at a trendy architect firm or design agency’s HQ – not an office specialising in everything from personal mortgages and wills, to equity release, commercial loans and corporate foreign currency advice.

But that’s exactly what Gillian Palmer who founded and recently launched The Finance Hub, wants you to think - and feel - as soon as you walk through its welcoming glass doors.

“The aim is to do things very differently here,” says Gillian, who is originally from Dublin as she shows me around the stylish open plan office which boasts groovy furniture and lime green decorative accents and is part of the stunning new Dandara 1887 The Pantiles development.

“As soon as I saw this space I knew it was the right one,” she explains as we sit down to chat with a coffee in one of The Finance Hub’s smart private meeting rooms.

“The decision for us to take it over had to go to the Dandara board as originally this particular unit was supposed to be for a restaurant but

luckily they agreed we could take it," explains Gillian.

“It’s funny because when the estate agent was showing us around he wanted us to see an alternative premises down the side of the 1887 building. He said: ‘Oh I thought being in finance you’d like to be hidden away’. I said ‘You haven’t met me before!’”

The very mention of the words tax, pension and loans can have most of us running for the hills but what’s different about The Finance Hub is that its principal aim is to demystify and simplify the world of money, mortgages and fiscal advice so what better than a public-facing premises to trade from?

“It’s funny, since we launched The Finance Hub last month we’ve had so many people stopping to peer in through the windows or take photos.

They’re intrigued to know what’s in here and we’ve had quite a few people through the doors as a result,” continues Gillian.

“My thing is ‘let’s talk!’ So I’m happy for people who are wandering by to pop in. It’s an inviting space and we want people to feel at ease here.

We deliberately wanted to be in a visible spot in town with an open door policy.”

This, says Gillian - who also runs Lending Made Simple, another finance business - is also a reflection of The Finance Hub wanting to make

money matters simpler, honest and accessible for its clients.

She goes on to say that The Finance Hub has pretty much all of the financial spectrum covered, for both personal and business needs.

Whether you’re after advice on investments or sourcing the best first time buyer mortgage you'll find it here - all without the hard sell.

“We have everything you need to help you achieve your business or personal goals under one roof and there’s no jargon’ spoken here, it’s all straight talk,” smiles Gillian.

“We want to make financial matters accessible. We're doing things in a very different way to help both individuals and businesses find out what's right for them in order to grow further."

Before getting down to the nitty gritty about how the newly launched business works, I ask Gillian if she’s always worked in finance.

Rather surprisingly she tells me that she’s only been in the industry for five years.

“It’s quite unusual isn’t it? But I did have 20 years in photocopiers,” she reveals.

Now this may sound fairly unremarkable but I quickly discover that Gillian is quite the formidable entrepreneur having established a successful multi-million Xerox franchise business in her native Ireland.

Cover feature

“I spent five years working my way up the ladder in Xerox in London but in 2000 the company asked me and my brother who was also working there if we’d consider moving back to Ireland to set up a Xerox Concessionaire there.

“At that point I hadn’t a clue how to run a business. But we set up in my brother’s dining room and worked hard.

“By year four we were turning over around €3.5million. Then Xerox approached us again saying there was a company in Belfast who weren’t really moving with all the new tech. They asked us if we'd be interested in buying the Belfast business. So we did - and we went to €7million overnight.”

Gillian discloses that a key reason for her company’s success was it witnessed first-hand the change from analogue to digital during the early noughties and adapted its sales approach accordingly.

“We were going from selling straightforward photocopiers to providing businesses with a machine which scanned and printed documents too. We were helping to change how they communicated and operated. We directly helped Ireland change over to digital.”

Gillian points out that this ability to see the bigger picture was very similar to when she decided to go into finance a decade or so later.

“I just look at things in different ways. Instead of just selling a product I look at what it will do for my clients and how it will change the way they work and ultimately improve their company.”

Gillian sold the Xerox business in 2010 and by then her team had mushroomed from two to 42 and had offices in both Dublin and Belfast.

She says the ‘size and the stress’ led her to reconsider things and so she

make a difference and I did. I had found herself moving back to that place packed and even put a England.

B&B in there.”

“I really like living in the UK. I Gillian says that after three years of moved to the local area and took running it her family ended up some time off to be with my son. I moving into the pub. became a member of his “You have to really school’s PTA but after a when you’re the year I was bored! When publican but it just you’re an entrepreneur “There are now ends up taking over it’s just in your blood: approximately eight your life. My son was you have to be doing different affiliates involved 12 at the time and I something.” with The Finance Hub thought this isn’t the Interestingly and Gillian picked them right environment for Gillian didn’t return all herself” him growing up, so we to the corporate got out.” world but instead Gillian did some decided to go a little left consultancy work within the field and bought her local pub photocopiers industry again but it was The Old Vine at Cousley Wood. a chance meeting at a local Muesli “It went up for sale and I bought it!

Mafia networking event that put her I’d never pulled a pint in my life but on course for a future in finance. again it’s just business – I saw I could “I met someone who was working for MacIntyre Hudson (MHA) - one of the biggest accountancy firms in the UK and they asked whether I’d be interested in the role of sales director for the company’s finance broker.

“I said ‘I don’t know anything about finance!’ And they responded saying ‘Well we’re accountants and we know nothing about sales! And you’ve probably had the best training in the world courtesy of Xerox…’”

It was while Gillian was carrying out research into the sales market for her new MHA role that she had an epiphany that would sow the seed for not only her own personal new business venture, Lending Made Simple, but for that of The Finance Hub too.

“I realised that in ten years’ time high street banks probably wouldn’t be lending anymore - and actually with the pandemic that time has probably shortened even further.

“I saw there was a real opportunity to do something different. I’ve been in business for over two decades but I recognised I could bring something SO Magazine | March 2022 | 9

TUE 12 — SAT 16 APR TUE TUE12 12 — — SAT SAT 16 16 APR APR assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk Assembly Hall Theatre | Tunbridge Wells Assembly AssemblyHall HallTheatre Theatre| Tunbridge | TunbridgeWells Wells

Cover feature

Photo © Scott Jones

Financial Broker is an ‘introducer’ in else to the table and that’s a more the industry.” rounded, personal and holistic Gillian says the reason she chose customer experience that's also very the name Lending Made Simple for transparent. her new company was an obvious “When I talk to people I don’t just one. ask them how much they want to “That feeling of sheer overwhelm borrow: I say ‘tell me about the because of too many documents business, where did you come when you’re trying to from and where are you borrow money is just looking to go? What’s horrible so my thinking your end goal?' I call it “I just look at things was if I made it a consulting in different ways. simple people would approach.”

Instead of just selling a come to me - and it Gillian stayed with product I look at what it will worked!

MHA for around six “I only gathered months but admits do and how it will the information I she was keen to see ultimately improve really needed and beyond just racking up things for my clients” made application forms sales. “I just didn’t want really simple. If I talk to to be all about the hard someone I can then usually sell.” judge the type of product they will So she decided to launch her own need and therefore know the type of business: Lending Made Simple after doing further research into alternative documentation required.”

Gillian counts her 10 years running finance. a multi-million photocopying business “I called the Financial Conduct as crucial experience when it comes Authority (FCA) and said: ‘Look I’ve to sourcing financial options and only been in this industry for six cashflow issues for others. months but I want to open up a “I understand the flexible, finance brokerage. I wanted to be affordable solutions, support and confident that I could set up without expertise that business owners and any specific finance diploma or entrepreneurs need to fulfil their training. And they told me that it was visions for success. possible to do so as technically a

“When I was sourcing the team I wanted to build one that was full of collaborative people who were forward thinking and that would go that extra mile”

WEST KENT MIND ‘We are delighted to be partnering with The Finance Hub, to help raise vital funds and awareness for West Kent Mind’s mental health support services in the local community.

We are grateful to Gillian and her team for recognising that the positive mental health

and wellbeing of everyone in our community is more important than ever.

Funds raised by our corporate partners help us to continue to meet increasing demand for our services, providing quality support to local people experiencing mental ill health, helping them to get well, stay well and thrive. Financial insecurity can enhance emotional and psychological stress, increasing the risk of

being diagnosed with a mental health condition. That is why we value the ethos of The Finance Hub – bringing many services under one roof, helping businesses and individuals to plan and meet their financial goals, whilst providing honest and accessible advice. We look forward to working with The Finance Hub and supporting their exciting fundraising plans over the next year.’

"We do business loans and cash flow facilities. Growing businesses will always need more cash to grow - every organisation in the world, no matter what their size, will need it at some stage. And that’s my passion. I like to talk to people really early saying 'you might not need it now but next year you will so let me tell you about this alternative funding world...'. We can offer different products to fit at different levels of growth."

At Lending Made Simple Gillian works alongside Mary Reed who is the company's Commercial Finance Broker, and they share a Virtual Assistant who is based in South Africa.

Her experience with Lending Made Simple is what led Gillian to establish The Finance Hub just over a year ago. Once again she recognised the need for a ‘one-stop shop’ as she calls it where time-poor businesses, creatives and entrepreneurs could get advice from handpicked experts all under one roof.

"Clients return to me again and again for a number of different reasons and that’s what gave me the idea for The Finance Hub. I thought if they are asking my advice about mortgage brokers or pension experts then what about if they could source them all in the same place?"

Key services offered at The Finance Hub: Business loans and cash flow Mortgages - commercial and residential Insurance - business and personal Pensions Investments Foreign exchange business and personal Will writing Equity release R&D tax credits

SO Magazine | March 2022 | 11

Cover feature

A prime example of this is when Gillian's good friend and long standing client Liam Hopper - who owns Leicht Kitchens on the High Street - came to her with an exciting piece of news.

“Liam said ‘I’ve just won a deal to put in kitchens in the Dandara 1887 building.’ I thought to myself now that’s a very different business to his high street operation where individuals come in, choose a style and pay for it up front.

“The 1887 project is totally different, much bigger and requires substantial funding. The good news is we were able to source that. But then I started thinking about the bigger picture and realised that actually a lot of people who I sort finance out for often enquire if we also do mortgages – or whether we can recommend anyone good in another financial area.

“I remember sitting in the sunshine last March on The Pantiles with Liam explaining to him that I had this idea

“I want everyone who walks through this door to be treated the same – whether it’s a 25 year old setting up their first pension or a high net worth individual with a more complex family structure”

12 | March 2022 | SO Magazine

about creating a space where people could come into a relaxed environment and just talk about everything financial – either personally or for a business.

“If you think about today’s entrepreneurs they don’t dress in suits, they’re more relaxed. They probably have a couple of buy-to-let properties as well as their own, they have kids in school, cars to insure etc. They’re extremely busy people so how do they go about managing all these things and sourcing the best financial products for their life?”

Once the idea started to germinate, Gillian started to think about sourcing the best location and team of affiliates who would be of a similar mindset.

“The most important thing for me was I didn’t want pushy sales people. I didn’t want people to be hounded by calls or pressurised into making decisions. It’s all about seeing what we can do for a client. And if we can’t do

something then we will tell them and try to source the best alternative solution.”

There are now approximately eight different affiliates involved with The Finance Hub. Gillian picked them all herself and tells me she has also done her own personal business with them in order to ensure they can deliver what she wants for her clients.

“When I was sourcing the team I wanted to build one that was full of collaborative people who were forward thinking and that would go that extra mile.

“I believe we now have that in place and it’s absolutely key.

“If you come in to talk about business lending but also have a pension fund to sort out or want to source a good mortgage deal then our experts can help

you with all of these matters.

“Peter Amor from Amor Finance is great at dealing with everyone from entrepreneurs and first-time buyers to business owners. Oliver Burt from Acer Insurance has over 25 years’ experience in both commercial and personal insurance and can do basic to bespoke packages for clients.

“Katy O’Neill at The Rift Group is a specialist in R&D (Research & Development) tax credits – an area not many businesses know about. But she and her colleague Sarah Collins can inform people if they’re eligible for a claim in R&D from the government.”

Gillian stresses that clients are never charged anything up front and that any fees will be discussed openly before proceeding. “It’s so important to be clear on that,” she says.

Each of The Finance Hub's expert affiliates pays a fee to have a presence in the office and it's up to them how much or little they are there when they are not seeing clients.

Gillian says they are also able to see clients via Zoom if so desired.

Welcoming both the affiliates and clients on The Finance Hub reception is Sophie Mower who Gillian describes as ‘amazing.’

“Sophie does everything from discussing initial conversations to booking appointments. She is the first face customers see.

“I want everyone who walks through this door to be treated the same – whether it’s a 25 year old setting up their first pension or a high net worth individual with a more complex family structure. Everyone will be dealt with as an equal.”

And if The Finance Hub concept proves to be a success Gillian says she is hoping to roll it out elsewhere but the criteria will always be the same: to engage like minded experts, put the customer first and be a visible part of the community.

"Community really matters to me," concludes Gillian. "In the 1887 Dandara building we are right at the heart of things here in Tunbridge Wells and I want people to feel a part of that. That's why we have decided to host social evenings so if people want to find out a bit more about us over a glass of fizz and some nibbles they can."

During the summer The Finance Hub will be hosting events before the Jazz on the Pantiles concerts and Gillian also would like to do more themed events with experts from other fields such as the legal or property domains.

"In addition to giving clear, uncomplicated financial advice it's about collaboration too: we want to show there is a genuine benefit to sharing, interacting and learning from each other."

WHO’S WHO AT B THE FINANCE HU PETER AMOR Amor Finance Commercial and residential mortgages

MARY REED Operations manager Lending Made Simple Business loans and cashflow

KATY O’NEILL The Rift Group R&D Tax Credits

DAVID GREGORY Off Piste Wealth Pensions and investments

OLIVER BURT Acer Insurance Commercial and domestic insurance.

KATIE KEITH Currency UK Foreign exchange

DANIEL CARR White Deer Wills Will writing and estate planning

SOPHIE MOWER The Finance Hub Office manager

Culture

As the host of a show that was cancelled by the BBC, Nish Kumar has become part of the news - as well as satirising it. Victoria Roberts chats to him about his creative process and what people can expect from his Assembly Hall show when it comes to town in April...

N

ish Kumar, who is on his way to Tunbridge Wells for a one-night appearance at the Assembly Hall in April, is well known for his political comedy and commentary.

Last year he made headlines himself when his BBC show The Mash Report was axed by the broadcaster amid accusations it was ‘too woke’.

He is now on BBC spin-off channel Dave, with The Daily Mash and is coming to Tunbridge Wells with his latest touring show, ‘Your Power, Your Control’ where he spans the spectrum of the political and the personal.

As he says in his introduction: “It has been a period of upheaval and uncertainty with Covid and the political situation.

You will be amazed by my capacity to somehow take all these things personally.”

The current show has its genesis at the Edinburgh Fringe

– a testing-ground for many comedy acts before the touring circuit – but last year’s festival was different than normal.

“Normally, you do the Edinburgh Fringe and then you tour straight after. Last year, there wasn’t a full Fringe,” he told the Times.

He said that the start of this stand-up show was inspired after one memorable show.

“It was a particularly bad gig when I had a bread roll thrown at me, at a charity event. So I start with that then I expand into wider politics,” he said, explaining that it is a particularly good time to find new material with the number of scandals occurring in government over lockdown gatherings.

“I’m exhausted hearing about the number of parties. I have no idea how they managed to do all of it,” he quipped.

“I’m constantly keeping an eye on what’s going on. I try to keep on top of what’s going on with it all.

He said audiences usually get about ten to fifteen minutes of fresh, topical material, along with the core of the show – lasting about 70 minutes – which were first seen at the Edinburgh Fringe.

However, no matter how much experience Nish brings to the tour, or how much topical material he throws in, audiences also introduce something to each gig, he acknowledges.

“It’s absolutely been a hectic couple of years. It definitely feels like more people are engaged by events. Every show ends up being slightly different.

“They’re more involved in the bigger venues… maybe they actually feel like they’re less on display? But generally, when people come to see you on tour, they’re invested.”

He doesn’t wear a mask while performing, but Covid-19-era audiences have turned from the classic ‘sea of faces’ into a ‘sea of masks’.

“There has been a fluctuation of regulations. The first show that I did, in August, was broadly masked. Then it relaxed into September and October and with Omicron, [back to] masking up – maybe surreptitiously taking a sip of their beer, but broadly masked.

“Initially, audiences were warier. They’ve been a bit weird and self-conscious, but then they’ve just become accustomed.”

Nish says no matter how busy his schedule, he always takes a couple of days off a week.

“On Monday and Tuesday, I’m in a vegetative state in front of the TV, recuperating. It’s important to get your rest where you can,” he insisted.

Nish’s performance in Tunbridge Wells is in April, but it isn’t his first time in the town, having opened here for comic Milton Jones in 2015 and he said he hopes his audience in April will not be throwing anything.

“Fingers crossed, they’ll be on side,” he said.

Nish Kumar’s show, ‘Your Power, Your Control’ is on at the Assembly Hall on Sunday, April 24.

Photo © Matt Stronge

“It’s been a hectic couple of years”

SO Magazine | March 2022 | 13

social scene

The Big Dog Day out returns to Bewl Water!

The countdown has officially commenced for the Bewl Water ‘Big Dog Day Out’, which will take place on Saturday 26th March, the event promises visitors a day out for the whole family, and of course your furry friends! There is plenty of things to see and do with your pooches.

FREE ENTRY 10am - 4pm Dog Show - see a different category each hour. Running at 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm.

Dog agility.

Face painting for the little ones!

Children’s treasure trails

www.bewlwater.co.uk info@bewlwater.co.uk Bewl Water, Bewlbridge Lane, Lamberhurst, Kent, TN3 8JH

Birchwood Restaurant

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14 | March 2022 | SO Magazine

Ten lodges available for overnight stays

social scene

Celebrating the launch of the new Victoria Genevieve personal styling suite at One Warwick Park Hotel

She’s in

Last month some of the town’s fervent fashion fans gathered together at One Warwick Park for an exclusive event: the launch of local stylist Victoria Genevieve’s new VGS personal shopping suite which has just opened at the four-star hotel located near Chapel Place.

To mark the occasion, Victoria hosted a private dinner in order to tell her guests all about the new styling suite which is now taking bookings for appointments.

Explaining the concept Victoria said: “Clients can shop for their perfect capsule wardrobe or for a special event.

There is no minimum spend, no pressure and all budgets will be catered for.”

The hotel’s fabulous atrium was the setting for the special soirée. Its tables were beautifully transformed by

luxury tablescaping company Set Hosting and the space was further enhanced by floral displays courtesy of The Bloom Foundry. Jo Malone London provided the glimmering candles and room scent for the party.

Over the course of the evening guests had the opportunity of visiting the new VGS styling suite before feasting on a delicious celebratory dinner of chargrilled free-range chicken, vegan burgers and chocolate brownies and ice cream. Victoria thanked everyone present for their support and said she couldn’t wait to meet her new clients…

For more information visit www. victoriagenevievestyling.com or www.onewarwickpark.co.uk or visit @victoriagenevievestyling on Instagram

fashion…

SO Magazine | March 2022 | 15

social scene

enTWine, the business forum for Tunbridge Wells, held a Burns Night event at The Wine Rooms on The Pantiles, which was attended by 40 local business owners and professionals. enTWine was created in October 2020 by three Tunbridge Wells-based business owners and past presidents of West Kent Chamber of Commerce and Industry: Lynne Gadsden from Grovewood Wealth Management, Pam Loch from Loch Associates Group and Victoria Sampson from CooperBurnett.

Along with Scottish-inspired canapes, The Wine Rooms prepared a traditional haggis, which was addressed in style by CooperBurnett Partner Tom Lumsden. There was also a bagpiper in the shape of Alex Burt, while local singer Jennifer Maslin sang a Scottish folk song.

16 | March 2022 | SO Magazine

Great Scots!

Business

“We feel it is important to THIS YEAR’S AWARDS champion local business” SPONSORS

TRIO CREATE SUCCESSFUL FASHION EMPIRE

A family that began selling clothing from the loft of their Tunbridge Wells home before turning into a million-pound online fashion business is hoping to see their success rewarded at this year’s Times Business Awards.

The Meek Boutique was set up by Lynne Meek and husband Russell back in 2018, selling women’s clothing over the internet worldwide.

The business soon began to grow as the brand’s reliance on quality and a very high level of customer service saw them become a go to clothing shop for ‘tens of thousands of women who need quick, easy solutions for their wardrobes’.

The company has since grown out of the family’s loft and the

business is trading from a large facility in Linden Park in Tunbridge Wells.

The number of employees has grown too.

Lynne and Russell have now been joined by both sons Tom and Dan who are both involved in the family-run concern that saw some of its largest growth during the pandemic.

“We had to adapt quickly to a very new set of demands, difficulties and frustrations,” said Lynne Meek.

“During this difficult time we felt incredibly blessed to have such huge loyalty from our customers.

“And indeed the business grew rapidly as more women relied on buying their clothes online, often for the first time.

“Covid saw a large part of our growth, which makes us very lucky for being in the right place at the right time.”

Lynne added that while their customer base is global, they feel very much part of the Tunbridge Wells business community.

“We live and work in Tunbridge Wells and really love it.

“We feel very passionately about Tunbridge Wells and feel very much a part of the community so want to be part of the awards as we feel it is important to champion local business.”

There are ten different categories at this year’s awards, ranging from Creative Business of the year award to Best Family Business:

Start-Up Business of the Year Award – This award recognises new start-ups under two years old at the closing date for entries.

Creating a design for life A designer who appeared on a hit Channel Four show to show off the Malaysian-style home he built for his aunt, is among the first entrants to the Times Business Awards 2022.

Carlos Gris who runs his design studio in Tunbridge Wells appeared on Grand Designs in September last year to show of the property he designed in Ely, Cambridgshire.

Since then, the architect and designer from Carlos Gris Studios has moved on to converting a cottage in Clarence Road in Tunbridge Wells to turn it into a threestory building into a homage to the town’s most prominent architect’s work, Decimus Burton.

Mr Gris says he is entering this year’s Times Business Awards to raise his profile locally after moving here two years ago.

He said: “A lot of my work is in the Middle East, around 80 per cent, but I would like to make more of an impact here.

“I’ve lived in Tunbridge Wells for more than two years and fell in love with the place and I would like to make more of an impact over here as I see some of the buildings that go up I don’t feel they do the town justice.

“That’s one of the reasons I’m turning the Clarence Road property into a homage to Decimus Burton as he had the largest influence on Tunbridge Wells.”

Why this company has the outside edge An outdoor living and landscape supplies company is entering the Times Business Awards for the second time thanks to ‘incredible’ growth over the last couple of years.

Corker Outdoor, based in Paddock Wood, runs a specialist merchant site, catering for landscapers and garden designers, as well a series of garden outdoor showrooms popular with Tunbridge Wells residents.

In 2019, the company entered their first Times Business Awards hoping to snatch the best Creative Business accolade but narrowly missed out. Now the team, bolstered by strong growth over the last two years that has seen their size increase from a small family run firm to a business that now employs 25 members.

Oliver Corkery, co-owner, told the Times they are better prepared to take home an award on the gala night at the night the night of

Thursday, March 24.

He said: “When we applied three years we perhaps rushed the entry a little but we took a lot more time over it this time around as we had a lot more to shout about this time.”

The company has now applied for five Times Business Awards categories, including Creative Business of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year and Outstanding Business of the Year.

“The last couple of years have of course been testing but it has been incredible for us with the business growing and we now have a team of real experts to help take us to the next level.

“Tunbridge Wells is our main area of delivery and as a local business it would be so satisfying to win a local award for our business.

“And I know the team really deserve a good night out and it would be great for them all to come and celebrate our success together.”

Creative Business of the Year – To recognise those businesses based on innovation and creative thinking.

Entrepreneur of the Year – The award for the most dynamic individuals who and are able to demonstrate significant success in growing their company.

Young Business Person of the Year – Entrants for this award must be aged 30 or under and need to show they have a clear vision / strategy for their business.

Resilient Business – The winner of this category will have risen to the recent challenges of the pandemic and diversified or come up with a new business strategy to adopt to the ‘new normal’.

Best in Food and Drink – For those local business that provide truly remarkable food and/or drink in the area.

Best Family Business of the Year – This category recognises those businesses that not only have the passion and commitment that comes with a company run by a family concern.

Best Business 25+ employees – For larger firms that have consistent growth and strong financial performance alongside an engaged workforce and a business plan.

Best Business 1-25 employees – Here we recognise owner-managers and SMEs employing up to 25 people that have maintained consistent growth and strong financial performance.

Headline Sponsor Lexus Tunbridge Wells Pre-dinner drinks courtesy of Elysian Residences

Outstanding Business of the Year – The ultimate award of all the categories will go to the business that can show outstanding initiative, boldness and imagination in the enterprise, as well as sound management practices.

SO Magazine | March 2022 | 17

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Culture

Photo © Cam Harle

“For Trinity Theatre life really does begin at 40”

This year one of our much-loved culture and arts centres celebrates its 40th anniversary. Here its Artistic Director Sean Turner tells SO magazine about what the venue has planned for its big birthday and reveals more about the exciting new cultural programme he’s curating…

2022 is a big one for us at Trinity Theatre as it’s our fortieth. It is fitting really, that such an important milestone should follow such a period of darkness.

Trinity has always been phoenixlike; a building created by public consultation to serve the growing Christian populace. Then, centuries later, saved from demolition by a group of passionate cultured Tunbridge Wellians and transformed into a theatre whose work thumps like a heartbeat throughout the community it serves.

Now though, our beloved Trinity stands on another precipice. This pandemic has caused an existence level epidemic in the entertainment industry and yet, day after day, artists of all kind continue to find

ways, through films, books, television, music, dance and theatre to make our lives just a little more enjoyable and meaningful. And therein lies great hope.

This year we will burst into life with new in-house productions, like the brilliant and hilarious Miraculous Misadventures of Robin Hood which took place in the February half-term. There will also be plenty of open-air classics this summer and - if you’ll forgive me mentioning Christmas already - tickets are on sale now for our newly commissioned festive family comedy Not the Three Musketeers.

We’ll carry on connecting with the community too through our support of The Repair Café - an

incredible local initiative helping to combat waste by restoring your worn out things. There will also be exclusive shopping evenings with independent retailers in partnership with the TN Card, monthly Arts Society lectures and so much more.

We’ll also present a host of new recurring events to suit every appetite. These will include The Breathing Room, a series of meditative Sunday evening gigs with the likes of Fiona Bevan and Seth Lakeman. The Open Page which will be frank literary interviews with big names like Claire Fuller, Joanne Harris and Ben Aaronovitch. And then there’s our new and improved Comedy Club, The Good Ship Comedy with our regular host Ben Van der Velde which will

“There’ll be lots more in-house productions at Trinity and also our Heritage Clocktower Project will open to the public”

feature some of the hottest acts on the circuit. Our comedy offering will also see big name solo acts like Mark Watson and Sharparak Khorsandi take to the stage at Trinity.

When the sun is shining, we’ll be making the most of our beautiful grounds with summer garden parties, fetes, and outdoor performances. This is also when one of our major on-going projects will reach its thrilling completion as our Heritage Lottery Funded Clocktower Project will finally open to the public. We have undergone hefty restoration of a significant part of our building and will redesign it as a heritage attraction celebrating our incredible shared history and leading the visitor to a breath-taking viewing platform with panoramas as wide as this newspaper’s circulation, probably!

Of course, Trinity is more than just a theatre, we are a charity that truly serves the people of Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding areas.

Whether it’s through our incredible creative engagement team who deliver a programme that reaches over four hundred children a week as well as our senior choir and cinema mornings that bring isolated adults together. Amazingly they still find time to rehearse our spectacular youth theatre productions (the much under- rated musical Legally Blonde is coming up in February). Then there’s our offering of the best in independent cinema (in comfy seats, with good wine!), world class theatre, talks, dance and music. Simply by just being open and offering a home-from-home for the many community groups that use our building daily Trinity aims to reach every corner of our community.

We have tremendous plans for our big birthday year, but what use is a party with no guests!

Audiences have been understandably slow to return, but I am here to say - when you’re ready, we’re open. We need you, all of you, to embrace us again. Come and have a coffee, see a show, hell, just park in our car park! Every little helps us do all the great things that we do. Let’s make sure that the old adage proves true and, for a beloved local institution like Trinity, life really does begin at forty.

Who’s with us?

See www.trinitytheatre.net for more info

SO Magazine | March 2022 | 19

ADVERTISING FEATURE

ARE YOU FIGHTING FIT OR FIGHTING TO BE FIT?

M

ost people who have Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) recover completely within a few weeks. But some people — even those who had mild versions of the disease — continue to experience symptoms after their initial recovery. The severity of symptoms can greatly vary from person to person.

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SWEAT-IT TRAINING CLUB COMMITMENT - CONSISTENCY - INCLUSIVITY - POSITIVE INFLUENCE 20 | March 2022 | SO Magazine

Community

Do you have any nice views near to where you live?

The views from Hargate Forest are the best! I only recently spotted Crowborough Beacon from there the other day. I had no idea about how beacons were used in the past. I clearly wasn’t listening in my history classes!

“Tunbridge Wells is a small town but has so much to offer, we are blessed to have our family nearby, the kids in a wonderful primary school, a friendly church and so much to do on our doorstep”

SO magazine chats to Natalie Joliffe, co-founder of luxury gifting company Lime Tree London, about where she likes to spend time in and around Tunbridge Wells when she’s not running her successful brand which was established by her business partner and fellow local Hayley Adams in 2012….

How long have you lived here and what made you decide to move here?

Many years ago I went to sixth form in Pembury and after being at university in London, I moved back to Tunbridge Wells to live with my now husband for the better quality of life Tunbridge wells has to offer. We knew this is where we wanted to live long term and raise children and yet still be able to commute to London.

What’s your favourite shop locally?

The fashion boutique Bod and Ted on Tunbridge Wells High Street. Sophie, who owns it, and her team there are just so lovely!

Where’s the best place to go for a Sunday stroll?

Eridge Rocks- it’s only a short drive from our house. It’s easy to park there and the kids absolutely love climbing on the rocks! We can spend hours walking up to the nature reserve and over to the pond to go frog spotting!

The best place to get a cup of coffee?

It has to be Fine Grind on the High Street in Tunbridge Wells. It’s on my doorstep and a great hang out for my school mum friends!

Where do you take people when they come to visit you here?

We usually go to Bedgebury as we

have an annual membership and it’s a place that suits all ages. It’s just so beautiful to visit especially with a picnic on a summer’s day.

Where’s the best place to meet friends and socialise?

Oh that’s a tough one… My local pub, the aforementioned Compasses is a good place for a casual meet up but I also like Frampton’s - and they make the best espresso martinis!

What do you do when you spend a weekend or day off in the local area?

With two young adventurous kids, walks around Tunbridge Wells’ various woods are such a lovely thing to do at weekends. If we are feeling a little more energetic, then a cycle around Bedgebury is always popular too! If it’s hot then we head to the beach.

Greatstones near Romney Marsh is our favourite as its much quieter than Camber yet it’s just as beautiful.

Why do you love where you live?

Tunbridge Wells is a small town but has so much to offer. We are blessed to have our family nearby, kids in a wonderful primary school, a friendly church and so many things to do on our doorstop. My husband and I often discuss moving out to have more space but the pull of the town, our friends and everything here always outweigh a move for us! www.limetreelondon.com

What’s the night life like where you live?

Night life? What’s that?! The latest I have been out in the past two years is drinks at The Compasses with my netball team. We applaud ourselves if we make last orders!

Where’s your favourite place to eat locally?

My family and I love Turkish food so I’d probably have to say Havet in the centre of town.

SO Magazine | March 2022 | 21

Community

Antiques collecting a modern perspective

I do hope you are able to pop in and visit us in due course. We’re in the Corn Exchange at 49 Lower Walk on The Pantiles, and can be contacted on 01892 322777 or by way of hello@pantilesarcade.com

22 | March 2022 | SO Magazine

One of Eric Knowles’s new partners at The Pantiles Arcade, David Hickmet, shares his thoughts on being mindfully acquisitive…

Collecting antiques is very much alive and well. Many people remain very aware of the benefits of obtaining something of historical relevance or sentimental value which contributes more to their homes than a mere investment, although the latter can still be a very shrewd option, if pursued with an open mind.

Thankfully, we’re now lesstightly bound by the strictures of what determines artistic merit – there should be more facets to the perceived value of an item than just the technical merits of its physical form, or its age !

Antiques can, for example, help to enhance a sense of place, particularly if you are able to find something relevant to the area in which you live. This could be something made from locally sourced materials, or produced by craftsmen who lived and worked near to your home. There’s a definite sense of achievement

from restoring an artefact to its birthplace.

Our colleagues here at The Pantiles Arcade - ScottishAntiques. com and the inestimable Eric Knowles - are always beaming, for instance, when they manage to ‘repatriate’ an example of Tunbridge Ware. They’ve recently been able to place a Victorian book-slide depicting Eridge Castle in the hands of the Marquis of Abergavenny, for instance.

Their hunt continues for an original red and white candystriped Georgian ‘dipping flask’ once used to dispense waters from the Chalybeate Spring on The Pantiles. There’s an example in the town’s museum, and the excitement will be palpable if one were to come to market !

Obviously there are entirely pragmatic reasons to obtain antiques – we make no bones about the fact that many pieces now on sale at The Pantiles Arcade should be deemed ‘investment grade’, in that their value will increase with the passage of time. It is surely better, though – even if your aim

is just to make money – to acquire pieces which are not only a sound investment but which look good and have an interesting provenance or back-story, too.

This is the area where Art Deco works can excel. They were made with an innate sense of ‘user friendliness’ as opposed to being rather staid creations, bound by enduring preconceptions of what should be considered ‘high art’.

The old cliches were swept away by a new broom of vigorous almost effervescent creativity, and we find that traditional techniques such as bronze-casting and glassmaking were used to generate striking, liberated items which exemplified the optimism and joi de vivre of the 1920’s and early 30’s.

Community

Art of glass…

This month Jess Gibson of the TN card speaks to Claudia Wiegand of GLASS on Monson Road. GLASS is a gallery and shop offering beautiful contemporary fused glass art and gifts, created on site by Claudia

SO CLAUDIA, HOW DID YOU GET INTO GLASS ART? I have always loved art but worked in the telecoms industry for years. When my daughter started pre-school I became a mosaicist which I loved, but it was time consuming and I could only do a couple of projects a year.

When I turned forty I attended a glass-fusing workshop. I fell in love with this art form and never looked back. I started making jewellery and was selected by the National Trust to supply jewellery to their shops for a year, which allowed me to open a small studio. It has steadily grown from there.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT GLASS? There is something magical about it - its translucency, the myriad of colours and reflections, and of course its unique amorphous composition which allows it to turn from solid to liquid then back to solid.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR DESIGNS? They are predominantly abstract and inspired by nature or simple shapes. I love bold colours but also subtle hues and monochromes, and like to explore different combinations, influenced by the design itself, the seasons or a customer’s request.

I have a thing for trees - I paint intricate skeleton trees on a lot of my work and often personalise them for special occasions.

WHAT LED TO YOU OPENING YOUR MONSON ROAD GALLERY? We moved to Tunbridge Wells five years ago. Finding a space was a challenge and my kilns were in storage for six months. I opened GLASS in September 2020, and despite the lockdowns, its success has exceeded every expectation. Being able to create work and sell on the same premises is fantastic.

WHAT CAN GALLERY VISITORS EXPECT TO SEE? I want to offer something for people of all walks of life, ages and budgets, so I make small and large decorative and functional pieces. This ranges from small gifts to tableware, home accessories, wall artwork, 3D

ABOUT GLASS

“There is something magical about glass - its translucency, the myriad of colours and reflections…”

LOCATION: 3a Monson Road, Tunbridge Wells TN1 1LS VISIT FOR: Contemporary glass glass art hand crafted on site MEMBER REWARD: 10% off purchases plus free personalisation of tree commissions

The TN card is the loyalty reward scheme for Tunbridge Wells, rewarding shoppers for supporting local at over 500 independents in the TN postcodes. Find out more and join at thetncard.com

statement pieces, splash backs and even door panels.

WHAT’S YOUR USP? Visitors can also see me working, get an insight into what glass fusing is about and enjoy a unique shopping experience!

WHY DID YOU WANT TO JOIN THE TN CARD? The TN card is a fantastic way to support and promote local businesses

whilst giving back to the community and to West Kent Mind. I love all the brilliant initiatives and it is great to see the TN card grow and go from strength to strength.

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON CURRENTLY? I am making a sample splash back to display at the gallery. I am also working on a commission to make a semiarched room divider, and as always, I’m planning lots of new designs.

Jess Gibson

Founder the TN Card SO Magazine | March 2022 | 23

Why retirement could cost less than you think

If your pension has fallen in value, or your predicted income is less than you had hoped for, you might assume you can’t afford to retire.

But you could be pleasantly surprised to find you need substantially less than you thought to fund retirement.

Outgoings may change more than anticipated and, with financial advice, there are plenty of tax-efficient allowances to make use of when building your income.

Here are some considerations for working out how much you will really need.

Your spending could change As a starting point, review your current outgoings by checking bank statements, and consider which of these you will no longer be paying for when you stop working, and which may rise.

Mortgages and loans are often paid off by the time you reach retirement but, conversely, your energy bills and food costs could rise as you spend more time at home.

Think about what your outgoings in retirement are likely to be, and how you might cut any unnecessary costs.

There are plenty of online budgeting tools that can help.

You will have access to tax-free cash From age 55 (57 from April 2028) you can draw your retirement income as you wish from your pension – including taking 25% from your pot as a tax-free lump sum. If you have any outstanding liabilities, such as a mortgage or other debts, this could be used to clear these and enable you to retire debt-free.

However, beware of the money purchase annual allowance (MPPA) if you take an income from any of your personal pensions, beyond the tax-free cash. This reduces the amount you can still save tax efficiently into a pension to only £4,000 per tax year, instead of £40,000. If you are unsure about how to manage pension withdrawals, an adviser can help you decide.

You will likely pay less tax Bear in mind that if you are no longer working, you won’t be paying income tax or National Insurance.

On a £60,000 salary, for example, this amounts to just over £11,400 in income tax, and £5,078.84 in National Insurance, per year1.

You might also stop contributing to your pension in retirement, although rules enable you to carry on doing so, and receive tax relief, until age 75.

1

Source: HMRC

You could minimise tax liabilities Your income is taxed as usual in retirement, at your marginal rate, but with careful management and advice from an adviser you could minimise this.

You have plenty of tax-free allowances, including the £12,570 personal allowance, £2,000 dividend allowance, and £1,000 personal savings allowance (PSA) for

basic-rate taxpayers – falling to £500 for higher-rate taxpayers. You might also benefit from your £12,300 capital gains tax (CGT) exemption on any profits you make when you sell assets. By planning how to maximise these allowances in retirement, you could potentially receive a higher retirement income than anticipated.

You can maximise income sources There are several potential income sources for retirement, including company and personal pensions, the state pension, ISAs, other investments, savings and assets.

By taking advice in the run up to retirement, you can work out how to turn your various assets into an income, using your tax allowances.

You have flexibility You have many options and can do as you wish with your retirement pot since the introduction of pension freedoms in April 2015.

You might want some core, guaranteed income for essentials such as gas, electricity and food costs.

Your essential income could be met in various ways: A final salary (or defined benefit) pension from an old employer; Your state pension; Purchasing an annuity, which is a financial product that guarantees an income for life.

The remainder of your income could come from the rest of your savings and investments. Ultimately, however, doing the sums to decide how much you need and how this can be produced may prove difficult.

Seeking financial advice can give you an idea of how much money you need to cover your essential outgoings, alongside maximising additional income from various assets to meet your personal retirement aspirations.

Louise Shaw

Divisional Director Tunbridge Wells: 16 Lonsdale Gardens, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1NU E: louise.shaw@brewin.co.uk T: 01892 739580 www.brewin.co.uk

The value of investments, and any income from them, can fall and you may get back less than you invested. Tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in the future.

Neither simulated nor actual past performance are reliable indicators of future performance. Information is provided only as an example and is not a recommendation to pursue a particular strategy. Information contained in this document is believed to be reliable and accurate, but without further investigation cannot be warranted as to accuracy or completeness.

Brewin Dolphin Limited is a member of the London Stock Exchange, and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Financial Services Register reference number: 124444). Registered office: 12 Smithfield Street, London, EC1A 9BD. Registered in England and Wales – company number: 2135876. VAT number: GB 690 8994 69

Day Boarding at Benenden Now welcoming day boarders in Year 7

Details at www.benenden.school/day

Food& Drink Special

Table talk

WITH SO MAGAZINE We pull up a chair and talk to some of our favourite restaurants about the secret ingredients of their success - and what you’ll find new on their menu for spring…

SO Magazine | March 2022 | 27

Food& Drink Special

The George and Dragon at Speldhurst

By George!

A FEAST AWAITS YOU HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TRADING AT THE GEORGE AND DRAGON? We’ve been trading since 28th April 2021 in our beautiful 13th century building CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE EPICUREAN ESSENCE OF YOUR MENU? At the heart of our menu is incredible and seasonal British pub food. We use as many local products as we possibly can so it’s important to keep it seasonal. All the food we serve is sourced from independent suppliers within 12 miles of the pub. This freshness and availability means that dishes are changed during the course of the week depending on the quality and availability of produce 28 | March 2022 | SO Magazine

WHAT'S YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL WHEN CUSTOMERS COME TO DINE WITH YOU? We want our guests to be so impressed with the beautiful surroundings, the friendly atmosphere and the freshest local food cooked with true passion that not only do they tell their friends, but they re-book before they’ve even left! The true measure of a hospitality business is that it is successful through word of mouth WHAT MAKES YOU STAND APART FROM YOUR COMPETITORS? Every member of our team is aligned with our vision of serving the freshest local food paired with the friendliest service while remembering we are a village pub at heart.

All our talented chefs have an input into the design of every dish and that shows in the choices on offer. There really is nothing better than sticking your head into the kitchen in the middle of the day to be greeted by a plate of food and one of the chefs saying, “try this, what do you think?

We’ve been working on it for a few days. Ready for tomorrow’s menu?”

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT ANY LOCAL PRODUCERS/ SUPPLIERS YOU USE AND WHY...

It’s vital to us that we support local.

Part of the reason we reopened the George & Dragon is that it’s a big piece of village life in Speldhurst and that means helping and supporting those in the village and local area. Our suppliers and ingredients range from the succulent lamb from Simon and Ruth at Four Winds Farm and meat from Richard at Mill Meats and Southborough Butchers, the freshest fish from Matt of Sankey’s Fish, delectable cheese from the Cheese Shop in St John’s Rd and artisan bread from Rusbridge Bakery and the Breadsmith WHAT THREE WORDS BEST DESCRIBE YOUR RESTAURANT Modern British Food

Food& Drink Special

Grand designs on great food…

Salomons Food & Beverage manager Šime Ercegović tells SO magazine what makes this country pile such a special place to visit for a relaxed lunch or the occasional afternoon tea with all the traditional trimmings...

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TRADING IN TUNBRIDGE WELLS? 6 years in total! 2.5 years at One Warwick Park Hotel, and 3.5 years in Salomons Estate.

WHAT MAKES YOU STAND APART FROM YOUR COMPETITORS? Our experienced, flexible and proactive team of chefs and waiting team that are happy to accommodate guests’ requirements and needs. The relaxing environment of the mansion house and our beautiful grounds look stunning in every season. You can enjoy this view whether you’re sitting on our Terrace in summer or in our Conservatory all year round.

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT ANY LOCAL PRODUCERS/SUPPLIERS YOU USE AND WHY....

Most of our food comes from suppliers that are within a 5-mile radius of Salomons Estate. I think this is a very important approach because all businesses and the local

“Most of our food comes from suppliers that are within a 5-mile radius of Salomons Estate”

community grow together and share the success.

Some of our wines come from local estates in Surrey and Sussex (Denbies, Bolney), as well as some of our beer that comes from Kent (Curious brewery).

English still and sparkling wine is becoming more competitive on the market in recent years, as growers have a better understanding of which varieties have better potential in this specific climate. I think the best is yet to come, especially in the sparkling wine range.

IF YOU WERE TO SUM UP YOUR RESTAURANT IN THREE WORDS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE? Atmospheric, Quintessential, Relaxing

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE EPICUREAN ESSENCE OF YOUR MENU? Our delicious menu is locally sourced and beautifully mirrors the Kentish seasons. Created with an artisan flair, our selection of starters, mains and desserts truly is an indulgent experience.

WHAT'S YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL WHEN CUSTOMERS COME TO DINE WITH YOU? My ultimate goal is that our guests feel relaxed and well looked after. My knowledgeable team are happy to recommend dishes from the menu and specials of the day. We can also assist with selecting the suitable wine depending on guests’ food choices and preferences.

Most of our guests are happy for us to guide them through the whole experience, so they can dedicate their time to family and friends at the table.

SO Magazine | March 2022 | 29

Turkish and Mediterranean Restaurant in Tunbridge Wells tel: 01892 512758

www.turkuaztunbridge.co.uk

88 High Street, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1UX

Food& Drink Special

From farm to fork

Along with the personal touches are the special dishes which are presented from time to time: delicacies, probably unique to the restaurant, rhea egg, goose egg, English snail caviar along with Warren Estate game and a superb and extensive English wine list, all giving the diner the opportunity to extend their repertoire of experience.

And most importantly: that our guests enjoy the food and service and want to return to enjoy the seasonality of our menu and our unique versions of traditional cuisine.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TRADING IN TUNBRIDGE WELLS? Our sixth anniversary is this month and we will be celebrating with lucky draw invitations: via sealed invitation envelopes to those who have eaten with us already. Come in soon and join the hundreds who will be given the chance to take advantage of our birthday tombola – you really can’t lose !

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE EPICUREAN ESSENCE OF YOUR MENU? Our cuisine has its foundations in English, French and European traditional food and our English and international staff put their unique spin on the normal to serve exceptional dishes which we are all very proud of.

WHAT’S YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL WHEN CUSTOMERS COME TO DINE WITH YOU? Our customers are too good for only one goal!

We hope they enjoy the relaxed environment, where they feel at home, reminded by taxidermy, extravagant flower arrangements and personal treasures of the origins of the restaurant.

“The Warren has a forager for those items which can’t be bought”

WHAT MAKES YOU STAND APART FROM YOUR COMPETITORS? Team work ! 100% retention of staff over the Covid period.

But, in the same way as a good bouillabaisse is not just a glorified fish stew, the success of a restaurant relies on the staff it uses in its recipes. Their personal knowledge and diverse cultural backgrounds, driven by their enthusiasm for food, all contribute to the diner’s experience. And the whole team is there with its input, tasting and testing and creating all the flavours which you, the diner enjoys.

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT ANY LOCAL PRODUCERS/SUPPLIERS YOU USE AND WHY….

The Warren Restaurant is local: locally sourced as far as possible. It has a forager for those items which can not otherwise be bought. The chickens on the Estate are rescue chickens and run freely in their compound. The rheas roam over twenty or so acres. The ducks and geese have their own areas.

The deer and rabbits run wild over the Estate; the restaurant has its own game keeper. The restaurant was created with the aim of supplying as much from the Estate as possible.

IF YOU WERE TO SUM UP YOUR RESTAURANT IN THREE WORDS WHAT WOULD THEY BE? Farm to Table As sustainable as possible Successfully again featured in the Michelin Guide 2022!

SO Magazine | March 2022 | 31

Food& Drink Special

Buy delicious grass fed meat. Reared to the highest welfare and nutritional standards.

From our Farm to your Plate, Truly Natural Living. Free local deliveries.

Shop online or in-store at the farm. Paley Farm, Cranbrook TN17 2LX | www.paleyfarm.co.uk | 01580 891046

Easter

at Salomons Estate

Easter Sunday Roast & egg hunt Enjoy a delicious roast lunch and Easter egg hunt on Sunday 17th April 2022. Two courses just £24.50 or three courses for £29.50

To book please call 01892 515152 or email reception@salomons-estate.com Salomons Estate, Broomhill Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 0TG

32 | March 2022 | SO Magazine

ESTABLISHED

Food& Drink Special

Your mums deserve to be treated and spoilt everyday, but even more so on Mother's Day! Treat your mums to an early Mother's Day gift of afternoon tea! Enjoy all sweet and savoury treats, whilst your mum will recieve a complimentry glass of fizz on us.

Classic Afternoon Tea £25 per person.

Prosecco Afternoon Tea £28.50, includes a glass of Amori NV Prosecco Champagne Afternoon Tea £33.50, includes a glass of Louis Roederer brut Premier champagne Children’s Afternoon Tea £12.50 Book Mother's Day afternoon tea by emailing reception@onewarwickpark.co.uk

Cutting edge Dan Yardley has just taken over the role of Executive Chef for the Elite Leisure Company which means he’s now in charge of the menu at STEAK, the restaurant at its flagship hotel One Warwick Park…

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TRADING IN TUNBRIDGE WELLS? I have worked for Salomons Estate since 2004, which will be 18 years in March! Recently, I’ve taken the role of Executive Head Chef of The Elite Leisure Collection Group, which includes STEAK, One Warwick Park Hotel and Salomons Estate.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE EPICUREAN ESSENCE OF YOUR MENU? Our mouth-watering, carefully thought-out menu at STEAK is a fusion of different cuisines, which my talented team of chefs look to bring, fresh, new ideas on a seasonal basis.

WHAT'S YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL WHEN CUSTOMERS COME TO DINE WITH YOU? I want our guests to enjoy the experience, from start to

finish. When they leave, I want them to share their experiences with their friends and family and ultimately return!

WHAT MAKES YOU STAND APART FROM YOUR COMPETITORS? STEAK is so unique! The building and the décor are completely different to anything around in Tunbridge Wells, and obviously, we have the best steaks around too!

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT ANY LOCAL PRODUCERS/ SUPPLIERS YOU USE AND WHY....

I personally have a great relationship with Stuart at Southborough Butchers.

We work closely together to always find the best local produce.

IF YOU WERE TO SUM UP YOUR RESTAURANT IN THREE WORDS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE? BEAUTIFULLY, COOKED, STEAKS SO Magazine | March 2022 | 33

- COUNTRY PUB INN - c.1515

Nestled in the small hamlet of Cousley Wood located on the edge of Bewl Water, 5 miles from The Pantiles. The Old Vine provides a warm welcome to one and all. Established in c. 1515, the pub oozes charm and character, with open fireplaces and original low wooden beams.

Lobster, Lemon Sole, Crab, Chowder, Spider Crab Claws, All Delivered Fresh Daily.

We Also Cater for The Meat Lover with Tomahawk Steaks, Lamb Cutlets, Roast Chicken Etc. Ideal for a Sunday roast after a walk to Bewl !

Whether you're looking for a quick drink, a tasty meal or need a party venue, we have something for all.

• • • • • •

Food served all day Afternoon tea served with a complimentary glass of fizz - 2.30-5.30pm - £19.00 Large rear garden Warm welcome for all the family Well-behaved dogs welcome & dog meals available Local beers including Harveys from Lewes and Curious Brew from Chapel Down

Tel - 01892 784 467 - 01892 783 666 The Old Vine Cousley Wood Road, Wadhurst East Sussex,TN5 6ER

Monday: Closed Tuesday - Sunday: 12 noon - 11 pm

Food & Drink

s i h p u s e h s i d Adam s e t i r u o v a f y l i m a f

Adam Shaw is a specialist local food blogger and writer. His At Dad’s Table account has 45K plus followers who he inspires every day courtesy of delicious recipes and top tips on eating well – from pregnancy to weaning and beyond. This month the father of two – with another on the way – publishes his first book How To Grow Your Family.

SO magazine caught up with Adam to find out all about it…

SO ADAM, FOR THOSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH YOUR INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT CAN YOU BRIEFLY SUM IT UP FOR US PLEASE? Sure, I run @At_Dads_Table where I share food-positive, fun and easy to make pregnancy, weaning and family recipes with my 45k+ followers. My debut cookbook How to Grow your Family is based on my page and published this month on March 8.

WHEN AND WHY DID YOU GET INTO RUNNING AT DAD'S TABLE? When my wife first became pregnant we were both surprised at how official food advice focused so much on what you can’t have, not what you can. We both felt like we’d failed as parents before we’d even started!

So instead I started designing foodpositive recipes for each trimester to make my wife and baby feel good and it grew from there….

Photos © Emily Butters Photography

YOU HAVE TWO TODDLERS NOW; WOULD YOU SAY GETTING THEM TO EAT THE GOOD STUFF IS GETTING EASIER - OR IS IT STILL A CHALLENGE? And we have a third on the way next month too! Like all aspects of parenting, it’s still a challenge and we have our ups and downs…However as my eldest (4) is getting older he’s able to tell me more about what he wants to eat and I think it’s important to give him that independence (within reason).

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP TIPS FOR GETTING KIDS TO EAT MORE FRUIT AND VEG - AND DO YOU BELIEVE IN 'HIDING' THEM IN OTHER FOODS OR ARE YOU MORE TRANSPARENT? I try to be transparent with my kids when it comes to food. I’ll chop and blend veg into sauces to improve SO Magazine | March 2022 | 35

Snap up a stunning new home at Nevill Row, Tunbridge Wells

Boutique developer Beau Property is launching eight beautifully designed two bedroom homes on Saturday 12 March.

Located in the heart of Royal Tunbridge Wells, Nevill Row is the epitome of finely crafted Victorian-style homes.

Prices start at £450,000 25% reserved off plan Book your appointment to see the stunning new home now to avoid disappointment. www.nevillrow.com

01892 515035

Food & Drink

taste and texture but I’ll never lie to them about what they’re eating. I’m not really a fan of carving fruit into animal shapes or hiding strong tasting food in something sweeter, I don’t see the point!

WHAT’S YOUR USP AS A KIDS’ FOOD BLOGGER AND AUTHOR? I firmly believe in giving your children the confidence to try new foods and that comes from involving them in all aspects, be it going around a supermarket together, prepping food, talking about what you’re eating and making the dinner table a safe, enjoyable place to be.

HOW DID THE BOOK DEAL FOR HOW TO GROW YOUR FAMILY COME ABOUT? It’s with Nourish Books who are an imprint of Watkins Publishing. I’d always wanted to publish a book - and with Covid wreaking havoc on the conference and events industry which I had worked in for over a decade, I decided to put all of my effort in the first lockdown into making At Dad’s Table a success with the goal of securing a book deal.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT READERS “I firmly believe in CAN EXPECT TO giving children the FIND IN IT? confidence to try new I like to call it a photograph the ‘cookery bible’ foods and that comes food too as it all taking you from from involving them in took place over pregnancy through all aspects of it” lockdown, which was to new parents one quite a challenge! I dish at a time. There are could write the recipes in six chapters, 20 recipes in the evening when the kids each covering the first three were in bed, but obviously you need trimesters of pregnancy, the fog of natural light for the best food pictures new parenthood, weaning and finger food and finally family meals. As well as so I’d have to make and photograph the food with a then 1 and 3-year-old the recipes there’s information on the around, which was quite testing! My best foods to eat at different times, wife helped me enormously in trying in-depth food hacks, a guide to the to keep them out of the way - but nutritional make up of the best foods there are some funny outtakes on my to eat and lots more!

Instagram feed!

DID YOU FIND IT EASY TO WHERE DID YOU GET WRITE OR WAS IT MORE OF A INSPIRATION FROM FOR THE CHALLENGE GIVEN YOU HAVE RECIPES? YOUR HANDS FULL WITH I’m not much of a meal planner. I tend TODDLERS? to make sure my fridge is full of fresh Well my publishers asked me to also fruit and vegetables and then go from there, always thinking about what extra twists I can add to a dish to get more nutrients in.

WHAT DO YOU THINK PARENTS (AND THEIR CHILDREN) WILL ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR NEW BOOK? I hope they’ll appreciate the positive nature of it. I can’t stand how during these first few years of parenting we are expected to totally change our view of food. Be it strict, unnecessarily boring diets in pregnancy or labelling a baby as a ‘fussy eater’ when they’re not even a year old, it’s all wrong in my opinion. Food is a pleasure, it’s fun and should be enjoyed. I hope people will see this book as a gateway to making them feel good (and reassured!).

I’ve dialled down the spice and increased the vegetables for this homemade Thai green curry. There’s no need to buy a curry paste, as you can make this fresh one in minutes. This dish is a real family favourite and works with chicken, prawns/shrimp, tofu or just loads of veg.

ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO PUBLISH A SECOND BOOK AT ANY POINT? I’d love to. My publishers will be looking at early sales before making any kind of decision, so please spread the word!

WILL YOU BE DOING ANY LOCAL PROMOTION FOR IT SUCH AS BOOK SIGNINGS PEOPLE CAN COME ALONG TO? As we get closer to summer I’ll be doing a few local appearances around town so keep an eye on my @At_ Dads_Table on Instagram account for details.

AND FINALLY, WHICH COOKS INSPIRE YOU AND WHY? From a food mentality perspective, it has always been Jamie Oliver. I love how he makes delicious dishes with simple ingredients and I think my food-positive outlook as probably kickstarted by him when I was a teenager. Closer to home I love the food prepared by the Tanner Brothers at The Kentish Hare and Will Devlin at The Small Holding and I’m really looking forward to Atul Kochhar opening up on The Pantiles.

How To Grow Your Family

by Adam Shaw is published on March 8 by Nourish Books priced £18.99. It is available from all good bookshops and Amazon

SERVES 2 Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

250g/9oz/11/4 cups brown basmati rice A bunch of coriander/ cilantro 1 green chilli, deseeded and diced 2 lemongrass stalks, chopped 5cm/2in piece of fresh root ginger, peeled 1 shallot 1 teaspoon fish sauce 1 teaspoon brown sugar Juice of 1 lime 1 x 400ml/14fl oz can of coconut milk 2 chicken breasts, sliced 75g/2½oz/1/3 cup frozen peas 1 aubergine/eggplant, diced 4 baby corn, chopped (or 75g/2½oz/1/3 cup frozen sweetcorn) 4 baby courgettes/zucchini (or 1 large courgette), sliced 1 red pepper, cored, deseeded and diced

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook the rice as per the packet instructions.

2. Meanwhile, place the coriander/cilantro, chilli, lemongrass, ginger, shallot, fish sauce, brown sugar and lime juice in a blender and blitz until it’s a chunky paste.

3. Put 2 tablespoons of the paste into a large pan over a medium heat, along with a third of the coconut milk. Stir well. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Add the remaining paste and coconut milk to the pan, along with the vegetables.

Cook for a further 8–10 minutes before serving alongside the rice.

How to Grow Your Family by Adam Shaw Published by Nourish, in hardback, on 8th March 2022 RRP: £18.99 Available at all good bookshops, Bookshop.org and Amazon

SO Magazine | March 2022 | 37

WELL-BEING Calendar

Supporting local has never been so rewarding Join our fast growing community supporting local and enjoy rewards at 500 + independents in Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks.

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Buy a virtual membership for only £2.99 a month or £24.99 a year

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IT’S GREAT OUTDOORS

PERFECTION IN PENSHURST

Whilst Knole’s historic interior closes The glorious grounds around Penshurst Place during the winter months, its 1,000 Joinare just perfect for a brand winter stroll. today via our newThe stately acre parkland is open for business. In home’s Parkland and Riverside Walks are or at with thetncard.com fact this is probably the best time to apppopular walkers of all ages and the views membership sales is donated to West Kent catch sight of the @thetncard 350-strong resident 10% ofacross the Wealden countryside areMind nothing wild deer herd who call this wonderful short of spectacular. Both walks can be place home. There are plenty of routes completed within a day, creating a figure-ofyou can take in order to enjoy your eight loop route starting and finishing at the time here and if it snows this month Penshurst Place visitors’ car park. then why not take along your sledge as the hillier parts of Knole are brilliant for tobogganing down!

38 | March 2022 | SO Magazine

SO Magazine | January 2021 | 5

WELL-BEING

Here’s to your good health…

This month Naomi Murray from Botanica Health emporium in Rusthall discusses how you can write your own prescription for a happier, healthier life…

I

n Dr Lissa Rankin’s book, Mind Over Medicine, she asks readers a simple, but profound question - What do you need in order to heal?

It might be something you have never considered or perhaps you know what you need to be well but it’s a challenge that is just too difficult or painful to address.

When I worked for my father (a Medical Herbalist still working full time in his 85th year) in his practice in Scotland he would, if he thought it could be helpful, pose this question to his patients: “Why do you think you got this illness?” They always knew.

Health is complex and as I have mentioned previously if we consider the science of epigenetics, how our genes express themselves according to our environment, we know health isn’t just about nutrition and exercise.

It is impacted by thoughts, our work life, relationships, spirituality, emotions, thinking.

It is vital that we are in tune, that we have an inner pilot light, to really listen to the small voice that perhaps is trying to tell us something.

The following are 10 questions that perhaps might help you discover a new and healthier way of living: 1. Am I living an authentic life, being the real me?

2. How are my energy levels? Does anything make me emotionally exhausted?

3. Do past traumas still cause me suffering?

4. What is keeping me awake at night?

5. How are my food and exercise habits?

6. Are my relationships healthy?

7. How do I really feel when I am at work?

8. How healthy is my environment?

9. What are my natural gifts?

10. Am I worthy of happiness?

American dancer and choreographer Martha Graham said, “The body says what words cannot.” I so often meet people who are brought physically low by emotional turmoil, societal pressure, family stress and high expectations brought on by themselves or those around them.

They will invariably say yes, when they mean no, so as not to rock the boat or let someone down or appear selfish or weak. And yet in the end who suffers?

Dr Rankin was working all the hours she could trying to fix her patients whilst her emotional and physical health was rapidly failing.

Until she stopped. She knew she couldn’t go on as she was. She concluded that there was something missing from her traditional doctor/ patient methods; the recognition that the body has an innate ability for self-repair, under the right circumstances. In the end she fixed herself, coming off all prescription drugs apart from her thyroid medication.

Imbalances in life can lead to poor health outcomes. But the reverse is also true, and when you find out what they are you are in a better position to tread a whole new path. It is crucial you find a health-care provider who is supportive and empathetic, that you listen to the wisdom of your body and know that you deserve the best care. Most importantly, intuition is a superpower, and one that should never be underestimated. www.botanicahealth.co.uk

Naomi Murray

Co-founder of Botanica Health SO Magazine | March 2022 | 39

Secure your financial future with Charles Stanley Tunbridge Wells Whatever life stage you are in, be that building your business or career, thinking about retirement, or planning how best to support a growing family, now is the time to ensure you have the right plans in place to secure your financial future.

With over 270 years of combined experience, our team of highly qualified investment managers are ready to build you a tailored investment portfolio that continues to work hard as your priorities change.

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Charles Stanley & Co. Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Hypnotherapy

The social network ARE YOU READY TO PLUG IN AGAIN? having to hang out with people we don’t like that much in places we don’t want to be. It also stifled a fundamental human need for social contact. The lonely got lonelier, the anxious anticipated being anxious about going out again and die-hard party animals were like caged tigers.

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL

There’s nothing like a good night out and a few beers in a crisis. But coronavirus was a crisis with no escape during lockdowns. In previous times of national disaster, the ‘blitz spirit’ pulled communities together.

Whilst Boris and his cronies are held to account for breaking their own rules, the rest of us are wondering how to get the party started again and whether we can be bothered.

It’s very British to be self-conscious and socially inept.

We’re raised not to show off, be conceited or big-headed.

As a nation of negative thinkers, we’re generally critical of ourselves and judgemental of others.

This month our resident hypnotherapist, Karen Martin who is based at Salomons, looks at the issue of going out post pandemic and offers her advice – whether you’re a party animal or a home bird…

W

Karen Martin

Hypnotherapist

alking into a crowded room is daunting for all but the most confident. For the socially anxious, it’s an excruciating ordeal. When the partying stopped at the beginning of the pandemic, many were delighted to have an excuse to stay at home with Netflix.

The relentless pressure to turn up and be seen to be having fun is not always fun for the 80 percent or so of the population who suffer from social anxiety. As the bars, clubs and entertainment industry turn on the lights and pump up the music, will it be business as usual for this beleaguered sector of the economy? I wonder how many former party-goers will opt out of putting the glad rags and the game face back on?

Restricted social contact liberated introverts from having to perform like extroverts and all of us from

DUTCH COURAGE

Bingeing on booze, cocaine and other recreational drugs is one way of self-medicating against the fear of being seen as unattractive or boring. In clubs and bars in every town on a Friday or Saturday night, Dutch courage, beer goggles and euphoric chemical highs are the escapism of choice for party animals on the prowl and a way of coping with being checked out while checking others out.

For some, more sedate pleasures like dining out, going to events with friends or going ‘out out’ in public can be challenging. Our need for approval and acceptance is primaeval. We are tribal creatures who thrive in stable communities.

FOMO

This fate is played out on social media now. Seeing others partying on Instagram creates ‘FOMO’ (fear of missing out). Those who lack confidence or are insecure are crushed by the rejection of exclusion.

No invitation is a damning indictment of being unpopular and unloved. This represents failure, especially for the young.

We are validated by friendship and social acceptance. www.hypnotherapykent.co.uk

WHY IT’S GOOD TO TALK - AND WALK Here are a few tips to make it easier to get back out there with confidence:

TURN UP

The temptation to make last minute excuses to stay at home can be overwhelming.

Keep doing that and you’ll lose friends because it’s rude and they’ll eventually take offence.

SAY HELLO

Starting a conversation can be impossible when you’re paralysed with fear and your mouth is as parched as a desert. Hello starts with eye contact so, instead of ducking into the darkest corner and hiding, look around until you catch someone’s eye. You’ll both automatically smile and, without even trying, you’ve found a potential friend.

DON’T GET DRUNK

A glass or two helps conversation flow. You might think you’ve found your new best friends but, if you hit the booze hard, you’ll soon find they go off you pretty quickly.

TAKE A FRIEND

If you party with someone you know well, you can turn up and leave together, you won’t feel so self-conscious and there’s always someone to talk to if you’re feeling nervous.

HAVE AN EXIT PLAN

If a party is truly awful and you wish you weren’t there, leave.

Have a script in advance to apologise for leaving early or say goodbye without causing offence.

HAVE FUN

Reasons to accept party invitations include having fun doing things you love to do, hanging out with people you like and looking forward to meeting new, interesting people.

It’s okay to say no if you know you wouldn’t enjoy yourself…

SO Magazine | March 2022 | 41

Advertising Feature

Retreat Aesthetics

REGENERATE YOUR LOOK Retreat Aesthetics – offering the latest innovative and regenerative, science-driven, aesthetic and cosmeceutical treatments and technologies – is now open at One Warwick Park Hotel in Tunbridge Wells

I

f you would like to improve your look with smoother, fresher, glowing and naturally younger looking skin, or have skin or hair-growth issues, Retreat Aesthetic’s range of regenerative skin, body and hair and scalp care treatments offer excellent and instant results with minimal downtime. Treatments include:

THE VIVACE EXPERIENCE

Retreat Aesthetics brings The VIVACE Experience exclusively to clients in Tunbridge Wells and surrounding areas. The VIVACE Experience is a multi-award-winning contouring and tightening nonsurgical skin rejuvenation and

tightening treatment that combines the benefits of microneedling with the skin-tightening effects of radio frequency. 36 ultra-fine gold-plated needles penetrate the dermis, delivering the highest RF power available to stimulate collagen production.

VIVACE has won over eight awards in the past three years and is trusted and used by some of the most renowned international dermatologists and plastic surgeons.

It has won ‘best skincare device’, ‘best Microneedling RF device’, ‘most innovative device’ and the VIVACE Experience has won the ‘best clinical experience with minimal downtime and pain’.

VIVACE – clinically proven to improve the appearance of: Fine lines and wrinkles Scars, acne and skin lesions Skin texture and pore size Redness, skin irritation/ inflammation and pigmentation Overall skin brightness and hydration VIVACE benefits: Fast and precise treatment Smooth needle movements Safe with minimised side-effects Virtually pain-free > little downtime Combined with exosomesextracellular vesicles therapy, it is one of the most innovative therapies for skin-tightening and collagen induction. The results are immediate and improve over time with repeat sessions.

VIVACE treatments take

42 | March 2022 | SO Magazine

approximately 1.5-2 hours, including a pre-treatment consultation, and with no downtime you may continue with your day straight after your appointment.

The VIVACE Experience is also ideal for skin maintenance post facelift and other facial aesthetic plastic surgery procedures. Retreat Aesthetics will be working in partnership with Darryl Coombes, Consultant Facial Plastic Surgeon in Harley Street and Nuffield Health Tunbridge Wells Hospital and creator of The APEX Facelift®, to offer regenerative aftercare treatments for patients.

EXOSOMEEXTRACELLULAR VESICLES THERAPY

Exosome-extracellular vesicles therapy offers enhanced facial rejuvenation by stimulating the skin

cells to produce up to 600% more collagen in treated areas and boosting elastin levels by up to 300% – thereby increasing the thickness of the dermis.

Exosomes are the signalling messengers from stem cells and carry important messages to your cells to facilitate self-repair and stimulate skin regeneration and rejuvenation. Each exosome facial treatment delivers 5 billion stem cell derived lyophilized exosomes, high concentrate hyaluronic acid, potent growth factors, peptides, coenzymes, minerals, amino acids and vitamins to provide intense hydration along with the antiageing benefits.

In addition, exosomes have the ability to downregulate the melanocytes (pigment cells in the skin) to correct pigmentation and create a more radiant and flawless

skin, reduce any skin inflammation and redness. Treatment time is approximately 30 minutes and is followed by a cooling, hydrating face mask.

EXOSOME treatment delivers: Visible reduction of fine lines, wrinkles and age spots Improved skin brightness and hydration Reduced scarring and acne Reduced rosacea and inflammations

THERADERM FACE PEELS

This medical-grade peeling system also has minimal downtime and offers excellent results for antiageing, skin depigmentation and acne. Theraderm face peel products contain the most advanced organic dermatological actives such as

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peptides and plant stem cells, plus vitamins, enzymes and salicylic acid.

These peel treatments exfoliate and refresh, nurture and renew, leaving your skin instantly and visibly clear and regenerated. A range of Theraderm peel treatments are available to suit all skin types and desired results, including:

ANTI-AGEING INJECTABLES

Anti-ageing: Astrogn Lifting Peel Depigmentation: De Mela O2 Peel Acne: Black Peel Clear & Black Peel Resurfacing

Upper face rejuvenation Radiant look – skin brightening and skin lightening Temple area filler Lip rejuvenation and lip fillers

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Anti-ageing injectables are a quick and convenient way to smooth wrinkles and lines on the face and help define the lip area. Several injectable treatments are available, including:

Exclusive to SO Magazine readers.

20% off treatments booked in March 2022 1 session Vivace only: £550 Vivace & Exosome Therapy: £950

The beauty rooms at One Warwick Park Hotel

3 sessions Vivace only: £1,350 (£300 saving) Vivace & Exosome Therapy: £2,300 (£600 saving) 5 sessions Vivace only: £2,150 (£600 saving) Vivace & Exosome Therapy: £3,650 (£1,100 saving) To book your free initial consultation please email clinic@retreataesthetics.com or call Maryna on 07946 081410 and mention SO Magazine to claim this exclusive offer.

Maryna Cole, Head Aesthetician Maryna Cole, Head Aesthetician and founder of Retreat Aesthetics, has worked in the leisure, spa and beauty industry for over 20 years, internationally and in the UK and has been performing micro-needling, laser and face peel procedures for over 10 years.

Maryna was responsible for launching and managing Champneys City and Day Spa in Tunbridge Wells before opening her own salon and skin clinic on Grosvenor Road, which went on to become a Salon of the Year finalist and runner up in the skincare/makeup category in 2015. In 2016 she took on a bigger project – the Royale Retreat Spa and Health Club in the Old Post Office building near Tunbridge Wells railway station, with seven beauty treatment rooms, heated pool,

yoga studio and gym.

Throughout her career, Maryna has developed a passion for scientific research and innovations in the field of regenerative aesthetics, cosmeceuticals and medical technologies which offer advanced skin rejuvenation results but most importantly, a natural look. Launching Retreat Aesthetics is the culmination of many hours of research and training, and partnerships with leading pioneers in the field of regenerative aesthetics.

Maryna says “I am incredibly excited and proud to launch Retreat Aesthetics at One Warwick Park Hotel in Royal Tunbridge Wells and will have great pleasure in offering the latest, cutting-edge beauty and skincare treatments to our clients.”

Before and after the Vivace treatment

BODY TREATMENTS

Advanced massage treatment with the SOMA fat melting device promotes cellulite reduction, body sculpting and a slimmer silhouette. It also offers maintenance after surgical liposuction. The synergistic effects of radio frequency, red LED light and cupping gives excellent and immediate results.

Body contouring areas include: Abdomen Hips Thighs Knees Upper Arms Bra Roll

HAIR & SCALP TREATMENTS

Exosome Regenerative Complex Therapy combines mesotherapy products for hair and red LED light to increase the number of new hair follicles and promote a healthy scalp. This 90-minute treatment is ideal for hair regrowth and dermatological scalp conditions.

Retreat Aesthetics One Warwick Park Hotel 1 Warwick Park Tunbridge Wells TN2 5TA @retreataesthetics retreataesthetics.com SO Magazine | March 2022 | 43

Beauty

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Can hand or wrist surgery be performed under local anaesthetic?

Historically for more major hand and wrist surgery patients would have a general anaesthetic, but over the last few years, anaesthetists have become increasingly skilled at doing regional blocks. Mr James Nicholl, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Nuffield Health Tunbridge Wells Hospital explains: “For many years a number of hand operations have been done under local anaesthetic, where the surgeon injects the local anaesthetic into the area being operated on to numb it. Carpal tunnel and trigger finger releases and most surgery on the fingers is done this way. This involves injecting long acting local anaesthetic around the nerves in the top of the arm under ultrasound guidance, so that the whole arm goes numb for a few hours. This allows the surgeon to perform the surgery without the patient feeling anything, the patient can remain awake avoiding a general anaesthetic. This has the advantages of patients not feeling groggy or sick for a while, which can occur after a general anaesthetic. They can eat and drink immediately after their operation, can leave the hospital almost straight after their surgery and the block provides very good post-

operative pain relief for several hours.

We did a small survey of patients who had had their surgery under an awake regional block recently, and of 21 patients we asked, 100% were satisfied with the experience although one would have liked some sedation during the procedure.

The mean time to needing post-operative analgesia was 12 hours, and none of the patients needed strong opiate analgesics.

Most patients are a bit apprehensive beforehand which is understandable, but once the procedure starts they are usually completely happy, and if they are feeling a bit anxious the anaesthetist can give some sedation. Patients can’t see what I’m doing, but if anyone wants to look they can. This is most often the case when I am doing keyhole surgery on the wrist, where I am working from images on a screen which the patient can also watch if they are interested.”

If you have a problem with your hand or wrist which you are putting off having treated because of concerns about having a general anaesthetic, then it’s usually possible to have the surgery done under an awake regional block.

For further information about Mr James Nicholl please visit : nuffieldhealth.com/consultants/mr-james-nicholl

44 | March 2022 | SO Magazine

Beauty

You’re committed to making the purest products - why do you think it is so important to do this?

Our business is rooted in aromatherapy wellness and natural ingredients are very important to us. Our soy wax and pure essential oils are all fully traceable. I have to say natural plant essences smell so much better than the synthetic versions - and can also enhance your wellbeing. We have many customers that have been buying their home fragrances from us for years, choosing us over larger, more well-known brands.

What are the key products in your range and are you consistently growing your offering over time?

Our reed diffusers and pillow mist are our bestsellers, but our candles are also popular. We try and introduce new products that we think our customers will love and the best part of what I do is creating a new fragrance from scratch.

SO magazine meets Eileen Holford, founder of local ethical beauty company Wild Planet

W

ild Planet is a sustainable and organic home fragrance range created by Eileen Holford over 11 years ago.

Based in Brasted near Sevenoaks, Eileen, along with help from her partner David and their three children, have collectively created a beautiful brand that’s both eco-friendly and aesthetically pleasing which comprises candles, fragrances and reed diffusers.

The range, which boasts vegan friendly feel-good fragrances as well as some great names including Soft Embers, Warm Hug, Forest Bathing and Vintage Rose - just perfect for Valentine’s – aims to work in harmony with your mood. Whether you need to lift your spirits or instil some peace into your day-to-day existence you will find it courtesy of these beautiful products that will scent your home with pure goodness and the most divine scents.

Can you tell us what gives Wild Planet its USP? We pride ourselves on being a small, family run business making home fragrance that’s as clean and chemical-free as can be. Our “Our business scents work in harmony is rooted in with your mood, lift the spirits and instil your aromatherapy wellness and natural personal surroundings with pure aromatherapy. smell was amazing. This ingredients are very Quality married with spurred me on to become a ethical and sustainable self-taught soap maker, important to us” production is key and all of progressing onto home fragrance. our blends take inspiration from I’d had a varied career to that our own family travels around the though, everything from Recruitment world, ancient rituals, spiritual practices and Consultant in the City, to becoming a mature Mother Nature. student and gaining a Masters degree in Criminology, then working as a Paralegal for Where and how are your products the Crown Prosecution service. During this produced? time, I had my three children and also worked We make our them in small batches, so as a part time florist. But I think my love of nothing is mass produced and everything is natural fragrance was always there…. cruelty-free and vegan. We are also members of 1% FOR THE PLANET which What first ignited your passion for means that every time someone shops fragrance? with us, 1% of the total order value, not My first job as a Saturday shop assistant was just profit, will be donated to non-profit when I was a school girl and I worked for a organisations (locally and globally) helping herbs and spices shop called Culpepers, after to protect the planet. Whether it's helping the famous herbalist, Nicholas Culpeper. I to clean up the beaches in Kent, planting always remember the scent of that gorgeous more trees in the UK or protecting an shop and think my sensitive nose led me to ecosystem in Honduras. do what I’m doing now. I’ve always thought how important and wonderful our sense of To find out more visit smell is and how it can transport us back to www.wildplanetaromatherapy.co.uk certain times in our life.

So Eileen, let's start with you telling us when and why you established Wild Planet Aromatherapy?

I started it in 2010 as I wanted to create a natural home fragrance range with scents that were authentic from actual plants, grown and harvested on our planet, and not mass produced in a lab. I’d had the idea to start the business a little before that but 2010 was when we registered the company and got the workshop up and running.

What gave you the idea to start a beauty brand – and did you have previous experience?

It all started when I bought a handmade soap bar from a National Trust gift shop and the SO Magazine | March 2022 | 45

Digitally enhanced photography

Computer generated image

Computer generated image

3 BEDROOM SEMI-DETACHED AND DETACHED HOMES FROM £485,000 A beautifully landscaped development in the picturesque village of Matfield.

With thoughtful layouts and generous accommodation, each home is finished to the highest standards.

Exceptional road and rail links via the A21 and the Paddock Wood or Tunbridge Wells stations.

C O M PLE TI O N S FRO M S PRI N G 20 22 Book your viewing, show home and site visits available, by appointment only.

Call 01892 570225 or email rosewood.place@fernham-homes.co.uk

gifting

Flaming gorgeous

Light up your life

The delicious scent of this Mama freesia and violet candle, in a reusable hammered metal pot, makes the perfect Mother’s Day gift. With a 66 hour burn time this candle it’s also great value for money at £16.50. Available from Luxe Vida on the High Street www.luxevida.co

The Wells Candle Company has just launched a gorgeous new gift box in time for Mother’s Day. It features its limited edition Peony and Blush Suede scent and also includes a 100ml diffuser and a small votive candle. £22.00 but SO readers can benefit from a 10% discount by quoting SOMAG10.

See www.thewellscandleco.uk for more details

Amazing arm candy As any fashion fan knows already an accessory or two can really lift an outfit - or your mood. And the new bracelet collection from the queen of earrings Catherine De Crevecoeur is certainly going to do both those things! We love the plain metallic ones and also the funky print and coloured leather versions she currently has on her website. Prices start from £26 and are available from http://www.catherinedc.com

Smooth operator These silk PJs are the ultimate in luxury and will definitely make your mother’s day a very special one. Petal-Dot Silk Pyjama Set, £229, available from the White Company on the High Street

Life is sweet Indulge your mum with some gourmet gifts on March 27. We particularly love this Chocolate and Love Sea Salt Tin which contains an assortment of flavoured small dark chocolates and is available to buy from Hoopers’ department store priced £14.50

Because she’s worth it

Mother’s Day falls on March 27 so if you need some inspiration for yours look no further than this selection of treats that will make her day…

Get your sparkle on

Scent of a woman

Nothing quite says I love you like a gorgeous new fragrance and we have to say that Jo Malone’s incredible range of perfumes, candles and diffusers always fits the bill. We particularly love the new Blossoms Collection which includes Sea Daffodil Cologne and Bitter Mandarin Cologne (both priced 50ml RRP £76, 100ml £112) and a Nectarine Blossom & Honey Diffuser (RRP £68) All available from Fenwick in Tunbridge Wells

A beautiful piece of jewellery is always a winner and we think that this Mum bracelet makes the ideal gift. Made by local jeweller Annabel Davies, it can be worn on its own or stacked up with some of her other gorgeous creations which come in a variety of gold, silver and rose gold. Mum Bracelet £42, www.bellajanejewellery.co.uk

Say it with flowers There’s nothing like a floral tribute to make your mother’s special day. We love the bouquets that Mrs Florist has on offer. Choose from either one of their hand-tied creations or why not get them to create a bespoke bunch for you instead? Prices start from £45 for Aqua pack (pictured) Visit their shop on London Road or call 01892 731267

TRAVEL

Take a trip to Music City...

With a new direct flight from Heathrow, visitors can experience everything Music City has to offer in under nine hours.

Here’s Jonjo Maudsley’s take

A

s a Brit, I feel like no other country welcomes me as warmly as the USA. It must be my accent.

But touching down in Nashville, Tennessee, after the first direct flight from London Heathrow to BNA Nashville Airport with British Airways takes warm welcomes to a new level.

Here, I’m greeted with a truly epic fanfare. As a guitarist serenades me through the terminal, I’m handed a goodie bag containing local produce, fresh socks, and even a country music mixtape.

Music is the theme of this article, and rightly so, for everywhere one goes in ‘Music City’ (that’s the name Queen Victoria is said to have given to Nashville), one is bound to encounter

48 | March 2022 | SO Magazine

it in some form or another. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the ‘honky-tonk’ bars along Broadway, the central strip running through downtown Nashville.

Take Tootsie’s (tootsies.net), for example. Its three floors each point toward a grand stage, upon which a different band or musician plays each night. Nashville has always been a magnet for singer-songwriters, from Elvis to Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton to Taylor Swift. Many of them still take to the stage at Tootsie’s to play an impromptu set now and then.

Along Broadway, the true legends of Nashville are immortalised in the city’s endless list of museums.

The Johnny Cash Museum (johnnycashmuseum.com; admission $22.95/£17 + tax) is a worthwhile

visit, as is the Patsy Cline Museum next door (patsymuseum.com; $19.95/£15 + tax). These are not just museums about the people, but about the place that made them. As I peruse the incredible displays, I start to understand the uniqueness of Nashville.

The true magnitude of the city’s relationship with music is revealed in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum (countrymusichalloffame.org; admission from $27.95/£21 + tax) – not only in its extensive collection, but in the building itself, which benefitted from a $100 million extension in 2014.

Viewed from the front, it looks like a set of piano keys, while from above it forms the shape of a bass clef.

If, like me, you’re not entirely au fait with the story of country music, this a

great place to start your tour of Nashville. Look out for Elvis Presley’s gold Cadillac limousine and the Rotunda, modelled after the WSM radio tower, which contains the hardearned plaques of Hall of Fame inductees.

A new museum is never more than a stone’s throw away in Nashville, and on the other side of Broadway is one of exceptional quality.

Newly opened in 2021, the National Museum of African American Music (nmaam.org; admission from $24.95/£19 + tax) is an interactive journey like no other. Touchscreen visualisations help visitors build connections between black musicians through the ages, learning who influenced who, and how genres from jazz to hip-hop evolved as a result.

TRAVEL

Apart from being a crucial history lesson, this is without doubt the most fun I have ever had in a museum, with the chance to participate in a rap battle being my personal highlight.

All these locations orbit the monumental Ryman Auditorium, the so-called ‘Soul of Nashville’ and original home of the Grand Ole Opry radio show, which is credited with popularising the sound of country music across the USA (ryman.com; admission from $26/£19 + tax).

A visually astounding presentation welcomes my tour group to this church-turned-theatre, regaling me with tales of how the Grand Ole Opry came and went, and how the auditorium itself was saved from the brink by the musicians who owed their careers to this building.

Nowadays, the show is broadcast from its own home on the outskirts of Nashville, the purpose-built Grand Ole Opry House. Taking place before a live studio audience of 4,400 people, visitors are invited to watch this breathtaking show on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays (opry.com; tickets from $39/£30 + tax, depending on availability). You never know who might take to the stage just a few feet in front of you – I am lucky enough to catch country legends Don Schlitz and Randy Travis.

If the Grand Ole Opry is Nashville’s most bombastic tribute to country music, the Bluebird Cafe is surely its most humble (bluebirdcafe. com). Approaching its 40th anniversary in 2022, the intimate but hallowed stage within this otherwise unremarkable building has played host to some of the most important singer-songwriters in music history – not least Taylor Swift, who caught the attention of Big Machine CEO Scott Borchetta in this very room.

I arrive to watch a session played

by Nashville legends Marv Green,

Leslie Satcher and Tony Arata. What, I ask them, makes the Bluebird Cafe so special to singer-songwriters like them?

“For us, it’s that one touchstone you can always go to,” explains Arata.

“And it’s the spirit that’s in this room,” Satcher continues. “A million stories have happened in this teeny, little room – things you just can’t explain.”

“You can actually take yourself back in time when you come here,” adds Green.

I have to agree. Forty years of musical energy seems to bounce off these four walls, which are decorated with the signed portraits of musicians who have played here before. No wonder the Bluebird Cafe has become a pilgrimage for music lovers around the world.

Beyond music, Nashville has plenty to offer in terms of food and drink, too. An emerging culinary scene has seen the likes of Henrietta Red (henriettared. com; mains from $12/£9) and Roze Pony (rozepony.com; mains from $19/£14) spring up in recent years.

The cool and quirky Henrietta Red, brainchild of Julia Sullivan, serves up delicious, avant-garde seafood – a special mention must go to the red snapper crudo. Roze Pony, meanwhile, offers brunch and dinner in a light and spacious cafe where the air is rich with inspiration – I think I even spot someone penning the lyrics to their next hit song.

Across town, beer lovers will delight

HOW TO PLAN YOUR TRIP British Airways (britishairways.com/ nashville) flies direct from London Heathrow to Nashville. Prices start from £447 return.

W Nashville (marriott. co.uk/hotels/travel/ bnawn-w-nashville)offers rooms from $365/£275 and Grand Hyatt Nashville (hyatt.com/ en-US/hotel/tennessee/ grand-hyatt-nashville/ bnarn) offers rooms from $240/£179.

in Tennessee Brew Works (tnbrew. com; beers from $6.25/£5). This is home brewing writ large – their industrial-style taproom inside an old printing press is the perfect place for an off-Broadway knees-up.

Prefer cider? Then Diskin Cider, Nashville’s first craft cider brewery, is the place to be (diskincider.com; four-taster flight from $15/£11). As well as an eclectic and lovingly-made array of ciders on tap, this space acts as a linchpin for the community, hosting everything from writers’ nights to drag queen brunches.

Perhaps these queens are kitted out by Andrew Clancey at Any Old Iron (anyoldiron.us). This British designer’s sequin-rich aesthetic is so ostentatious, it’s made his store on Music Row a Nashville destination in its own right. Keep an eye peeled for his fabulous facemasks (from $30/£22 + tax).

So how to sum up a city like Nashville? Let’s try this: picture a place where the hot-to-trot unironically strut from dive bars to fancy restaurants in cowboy boots and Stetson hats; where acoustic guitar melodies waft out of every doorway; and where the roar of the local football stadium sends the city into a frenzy every weekend.

If you can imagine that, all that’s left is to get yourself to Nashville and discover this swingin’ city for yourself.

Go to visitmusiccity.com SO Magazine | March 2022 | 49

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09/06/2021

PLOT OR NOT?

09:20

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

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

Travel

Escape to the

Situated just a two minute walk away from the main manor house at Salomons, this former 17th century former Estate Keepers cottage has bundles of charm after being retained after a thorough recent renovation.

Photos © John Knight

country

Did you know Salomons Estate has two beautiful properties that are available to exclusively rent? Whether you’re looking to host a special weekend with family members or fancy a romantic getaway – without having to travel too far - then read on to discover more about these perfect pads

S

alomons Estate is wellknown for being one of the most beautiful places to tie the knot, enjoy a delicious afternoon tea or take a glorious walk around its 36 acres of gardens and beautiful woodlands. But did you know that it now also boasts two stunning rental properties too?

THE COTTAGE

A BIJOU SPOT TO GET AWAY FROM IT ALL

Nestled in the glorious grounds of Salomons Victorian Manor House, which was designed by architect Decimus Burton, The Cottage provides the perfect place for a couple or small family looking for a get-away in the countryside in luxury surroundings.

Photo © Swoop Media

ALL IN THE DETAIL:

“The Cottage is ideal for smaller families, a group of friends or for a couple’s getaway”

Downstairs: There is a cosy sitting room and open plan kitchen with breakfast bar – ideal for hosting social gatherings. For those guests looking for something even more special, the reception team at Salomons can arrange for a chef to come and cook for you in the fully equipped kitchen…

Upstairs: Boasting three spacious double bedrooms with smart televisions, and Netflix available in each one, this property is ideal for a small family or group of friends. The master bedroom has a stunning ensuite with a roll-top bath and there is also a bath and shower in the shared bathroom.

Outside: The Cottage hosts a beautiful, enclosed patio and courtyard, with stylish garden furniture, creating the perfect place to relax on warm summer nights. Even more, the property is dog friendly.

There are also two private parking spaces at The Cottage.

The Cottage is ideal for smaller families, a group of friends or for a couple’s getaway.

Salomons Estate also has 47 wellappointed bedrooms which are available to rent. Whatever accommodation you decide to go for SO Magazine | March 2022 | 51

Travel

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52 | March 2022 | SO Magazine

Travel

at the stunning impressive Victorian estate, you are guaranteed an unforgettable stay and won’t be short of things to do. With plenty of activities such as walking, visiting the museum, afternoon tea and a short drive into the centre of Tunbridge Wells, there is an extensive list of what you can do during your stay.

THE OLD GATEHOUSE The old Gatehouse can be found at the entrance to the Victorian estate and is the ideal place if you are looking to hire somewhere for a special family occasion or if you have friends and family visiting but not enough room at home to accommodate them.

It has recently been lovingly restored and now boasts a luxurious interior. It can sleep up to twelve guests and consists of five bedrooms, three bathrooms, a beautiful lounge and snug, a kitchen, a stunning dining room to host your guests, and private parking for up to four cars.

There is also a beautiful garden overlooking the estate which provides the perfect an early morning coffee, alfresco lunch or BBQ on warmer days.

Photos © John Knight

PERFECT FOR LARGER GATHERINGS

ALL IN THE DETAIL:

Downstairs: There is a living room, which hosts a Freeview television, a double sofa bed and doors which lead onto Salomons Estate’s beautiful gardens and grounds. The kitchen and dining room has all the essentials you need, with a free-range cooker plus microwave, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, and a washing machine.

Finally, there is an ensuite bedroom on the ground floor with a king-sized extremely comfortable double bed.

“The Old Gatehouse property, gardens and woodlands are dog friendly too!”

Upstairs: There are two more double bedrooms, both of which boast exquisite views and an allaround, relaxing, cosy feel.

Here you’ll find two more bedrooms: one with a double bed and one with twin beds. There is also a bathroom on the floor with a bath and shower.

Outside: You can enjoy your own private, large, lawned, garden with outdoor furniture and barbeque facilities. Set in an area of natural outstanding beauty, the property provides the ideal spot to enjoy the estate’s famous breathtaking sunsets and beautiful bucolic views.

The Old Gatehouse property, gardens and woodlands are dog friendly too! So, there is no need to leave your four-legged friends at home. They are more than welcome to join in on the adventure and your woodland walks!

The Old Gatehouse is perfect for large groups, hen parties and families.

For more information contact: www.salomons-estate.com 01892 515152 reception@salomons-estate.com SO Magazine | March 2022 | 53

Interiors

Power Pastel décor is a light relief from neutral tones and monochrome, says Sam Wylie-Harris.

Who doesn’t love a little bit of Scandi style?

S

eeing the beauty in simplicity, with its calming and inviting clean lines to champion craftsmanship is nothing new. But this season’s fresh take is to add a pop of colour and channel a little happiness in the home, with pastels to imbibe the Denmark pastels trend.

A gentle mix of soft, soothing colours, Dayna Isom Johnson, Etsy trend expert, says using pastels at home provides both a relaxing effect and a rosy optimism that’s well-suited for fresh starts and recharging – what we all need a bit of right now.

“Whether you choose to fill your home with sky blues, seafoam greens, or peachy pinks, these muted tones can help create tranquillity,” says Johnson.

“The Scandinavian aesthetic of Denmark pastels, in particular, is turning heads in interior design right now. It soothes the senses and strikes a nice balance between minimalism and maximalism, depending on how you use it. Plus, it pairs perfectly with abstract shapes.”

Easy to slot into your scheme, by introducing Denmark pastels to pale woods and natural finishes, everything looks beautifully fresh and new – the secret is to just go with the flow.

“There’s no wrong way to apply this calming colour scheme,” suggests Johnson. “For example, you could

54 | March 2022 | SO Magazine

Interiors

construct a cool, calming corner with a mint-green wall hanging, or go all out and transform your whole home into a dreamy, rainbow sorbet-coloured escape.

“Whichever you choose, we guarantee these happy hues will bring you some much-needed warmth and whimsy, as the cold winter months trudge along,” she adds.

A collection of candles, such as two-tone twists in a solid wash of pastel hues or a beautiful bubble shape, is a good way to experiment with colour – paired with a contemporary candlestick or placed on a stoneware plate – it’s a nod to Nordic, but with a modern take. And it’s fun.

If you have the budget, a prize piece of furniture in a sorbet shade is the perfect way to break with tradition and shake up those monochrome black and white lines, to reimagine your neutral palette.

As Molly Pusey, vice president of supply, Fy! puts it: “Soft and comforting, the pastel trend allows us to introduce a subtle pop of colour to neutral spaces.

“From cotton candy pinks to lemon

“The Scandinavian aesthetic of Denmark pastels, in particular, is turning heads in interior design right now”

yellow, mix and match these nostalgic hues to create a soothing feel. Play with texture to add further interest, opting for luxe velvets and ceramic pieces, for the finishing touch to your romantic interior.”

Stylish and multifunctional, M&S has just released their new LOFT collection, which includes a neat and compact Dylan fold out sofa bed, to help you introduce new editions to modern spaces, no matter how small. It’s an easy way to mix and match with existing pieces, or a building block for new colourways.

Likewise, their stunning velvet dusty pink accent chair makes a stylish addition, with its luxurious cushioning, padded seat and gold-toned metal feet.

To kick it up a notch, style with a simple cocktail trolley, bottle of Aquavit and some crystal shot glasses, to bring a drop of Scandinavia spirit to the pastel party!

Elsewhere, Crown Paints have a Breatheasy Matt Emulsion range which features peaceful pastels, in shades such as Mellow Sage. It works brilliantly

against pale wood tones, muted textiles or a carefully mixed edit of eclectic pieces.

Not only will it add an airy feel and complement existing white walls, but sage green is trending big time, and is one of the easiest shades to live with, no matter your style – while also being inspired by nature.

And when you’ve stashed away the roller brush and it’s time to tablescape, the clitter-clatter of pastel cutlery and clink of coloured glassware to toast this pretty palette will taste that much sweeter.

To set it off perfectly, dried bouquets are enjoying a ravishing revival, and look beautiful displayed in ceramic torsos, geometric vessels or modish vase bookend sets. And even if you don’t normally think pink, pale pastel grasses work like a dream against terracotta or glazed green vases.

Last but not least, chances are, you’ll want to shine a light on your delightful dalliance with Denmark pastels – and what better way than with a pastel linen lampshade? Etsy has a great range, including Tropikala’s selection of linen shades, which are suitable for table lamps or ceiling lights.

SO Magazine | March 2022 | 55

Outside Edge

March is a great time to prep the garden It’s going to be a busy month, both in preparation, but also maintenance: Prune back climbers.

Cut back and shape salix and dogwood Continue with your pruning of the roses Repair broken fences If you have any patches of lawn that are looking sad, now’s the time to repair the turf and apply any fresh seed a lawn dressing

This month Tim Sykes from Garden Proud suggests some choice species to spring you into action in the garden this month…

M

arch is upon us and the unusually mild climate we experienced earlier this January could lead to an early Spring show.

As 2022 has unfolded, I have been monitoring how all the bulbs are shooting up. Hopefully we won't get hit with some sharp frosts and we might enjoy those mood lifters ‘The Daffs’ spurting into colour.

We live in Matfield and one of the delights every year is the welcoming display of daffodils along the banks of the pond on the village green.

Other amazing vistas can be enjoyed locally at Sissinghurst and Hever Castle.

Last Autumn, we planted our terrace pots with Hyacinths, Crocus, and Narcissus Tete-a-Tete.

To follow we under planted tulip bulbs, going overboard with the latter using a colour focus, so I can't wait to see this come to life later….

If you haven't already, you might consider some daffodil bulbs for 2023. You’ll need to plant them out in early Autumn. They look amazing clustered together in pots, or you can plant swathes around the boundaries of your lawns to dramatic effect.

If you decide to do this, then plan out a shape that the bulbs might be grouped in, ideally to form an attractive view, or guide the eye to another focal point.

There’s a whole myriad of

56 | March 2022 | SO Magazine

Daffodil species from the tiny rather exquisite Tete-a-Tete to the Gentle Giant, the choice is yours.

Check out The Daffodil Society for a list of excellent specialist bulb suppliers, or call into any one of our local nurseries, whom I'm sure will be happy to give you plenty of advice.

OTHER PLANTS TO LOOK OUT FOR THIS SPRING:

“One of the delights every year is the welcoming display of daffodils on the village green”

Snowdrops - Some varieties will run through into early spring, so keep an eye out for them on your woodland walks, or visit places like Scotney Castle to enjoy the displays Primrose - One of my favourites is the Primula Vialii (Orchard Primrose) with its tall spires of pinkish-purple and red tips it really is eye-catching. Another primula to look out for is the Drumstick Primrose Hellebores - A wide range of pigments and varieties from this beautiful species treat us from as early as January through to end of May Calendula Officinalis - Lovely aromas from this wallflower with bright orange and red flowers display from March every year Erigeron Karvinskianus - April Flowering, perfect for softening low wall and step features For further information, or help with your garden design then contact Tim Sykes on 07725 173820, or visit www.reallygardenproud.com

Top dress containers, raised beds and planters with fresh compost Prepare your borders, weed and hoe them, clip those lawn edges, and spread mulch if you haven’t already Start planting out your summer bulbs Plant out new perennials and reinvigorate tired beds.

Lift and divide overgrown clumps of established perennials Sow seeds for your herb and vegetable garden in the greenhouse In your kitchen garden plant out shallots and early potatoes. In fruit garden raspberry and strawberry plants If you have pond, or water feature, start feeding any fish and turn on the pump

Tim Sykes

Garden Proud

Outside Edge

Join us for...

Sorry, NO Dogs Allowed.

LAMBING WEEKEND at Hadlow College Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th March 2022

FOOD & DRINK VENDORS, ARTS & CRAFT STALLS, FUN FAIR RIDES & MUCH MORE! Pre-registration now live. Please visit hadlow.ac.uk/events for more information.

MOTHER’S DAY LUNCH AT

Join us at STEAK for a roast dinner on 27th March 2022,

MUMS EAT FREE!*

17-19 Chapel Place, TN1 1YQ www.steaktunbridgewells.co.uk 01892 552592 *Terms & conditions apply, when dining with another full paying adult. Only main-course free, one per table.

SO Magazine | March 2022 | 57

Motors

regular GLE. On the motorway, it sits at a cruise in an effortless manner, with the V8 barely ticking over ahead of you. The air suspension, when put in its comfiest setting, soaks up the worst of the road imperfections well. Road and wind noise are well isolated from entering the cabin too, so you’re free to kick back and relax.

But if you want performance, then there’s more than enough to keep things interesting. There’s an impressive urgency to the GLE’s acceleration, which is accompanied by a consistent burble from the sports exhaust. You can also beef up the support from the suspension, which means that the GLE doesn’t fall apart when it comes to bends either.

HOW DOES IT LOOK?

You don’t tend to be looking for a performance SUV if you’re after undercover styling, so in this sense, the design of the GLE63 S is a real success. It’s an imposing-looking thing, this, with a dinner-plate-size Mercedes badge dominating the centre of the ‘Panamericana’ grille.

The huge front air intakes give the

car an even wider stance, while the flared out arches only add to this further.

You can, of course, opt for the GLE Coupe version should you want a slightly sleeker roofline, but that does come with a slight penalty on rear-seat headroom.

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE?

Mercedes is once again a force to be reckoned with when it comes to cabin quality and nowhere is this more evident than with the interior of the GLE63 S. Of course, this model benefits from all the added trimmings, which come from a car with an AMG badge on the boot but the general fit and finish is excellent in the regular GLE – so it’s excellent here too.

There’s space aplenty and, though you do without the added bonus of seven seats in this performance model, the five-seater layout gives you a great compromise between legroom and boot space. In fact, there’s a huge 630 litre boot to play with and you can increase this to 2055 litres by folding down the rear seats.

First MERCEDES-AMG GLE63 S drive: The GLE63 S packs a powerful V8 engine, but is that enough to put it to the top of the performance SUV pile? Jack Evans finds out

WHAT IT IS?

It’s quite surprising just how quickly the performance SUV segment has expanded – you’re awfully well catered for if you’re after a go-faster fourwheel-drive now, with options coming thick and fast from manufacturers like BMW, Bentley and even Alfa Romeo.

Mercedes-AMG has been at this lark for a little while and includes several performance SUVs within its own stable. The GLE63 S, which we’re looking at today, acts as the midway point in the line-up, sitting between the smaller GLC63 and the larger GLS63. The question is, does it deliver an all-encompassing experience?

WHAT’S NEW?

Some of the fundamentals of the GLE63 remain unchanged for this latest version. We’ve still got a bruising V8 engine, an opulent cabin brimmed with features and plenty of interior space. However, Mercedes has included a little extra electrification for good measure, equipping the GLE63 with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system – called EQ Boost – which is designed to not only make the car more efficient but also give it a decent slug more power.

We’ve also got some neat performance-led touches for the interior, as well as a high level of 58 | March 2022 | SO Magazine

material quality that you might expect from a Mercedes costing well over £100,000. Unlike the rest of the GLE range however, this 63 version can’t be equipped with seven seats – just five.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET?

MODEL: MercedesAMG GLE63 S

Under the bonnet of the GLE63 S is a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine. Thanks to that integrated EQ Boost system – which sees a starter motor and alternator combined into a single electric motor, nestled between the engine and transmission – you get a healthy 604bhp alongside 850Nm of torque, driven to the wheels through a nine-speed automatic gearbox.

Performance stats are remarkable given the size of the GLE; 0-60mph comes in just 3.6 seconds, while flat-out it’ll do 174mph. Despite the fitment of that electric motor, economy figures for the GLE63 aren’t what you’d call sparkling, with Mercedes claiming 22.8mpg combined and CO2 emissions of 281g/km.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?

For much of the time the GLE63 S fools you into thinking it’s, well, a

BASE PRICE: £111,598 MODEL AS TESTED: GLE63 S PRICE: £112,494 ENGINE: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 POWER: 604bhp TORQUE: 850Nm MAX SPEED: 175mph 0-60MPH: 3.6 seconds MPG: 22.8 EMISSIONS: 281g/km

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?

As the flagship of the GLE range, this 63 model benefits from all of the bells and whistles you could possibly want. You’ve got electrically adjustable front seats with heating, ventilation and massage functions, while the MBUX multimedia system with a 12.3-inch touchscreen display both dominates the cabin but gives a technologically-advanced feel.

There’s also a three-spoke multifunction with new touchsensitive controls for the various driver modes and stability controls, while a 64-colour ambient lighting pack allows you to switch the cabin from calming green to racing red in an instant. A little gimmicky?

Perhaps. But you can’t help but crack a grin when the GLE’s interior goes all nightclub-esque.

VERDICT

As mentioned, the MercedesAMG GLE63 S has all manner of rivals from competing companies, but it still manages to come out as one of the best. This is down to its well-rounded nature, which manages to deliver both a comfortable ride and an exciting, performance-orientated driving experience.

It’ll cost a lot to run, for sure, but for those looking for something that’ll outrun most sports cars yet bring enough room for the family and the dog, that’ll be an acceptable trade-off.

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H En g i n e e ri n g Ltd , L i ttl e Ca cketts Fa rm, H ayma ns H ill, H ors m on d en , Kent , T N12 8BX H En g i n e e ri n g Ltd , L i ttl e Ca cketts Fa549042 rm, H ayma ns H ill, H ors m on d en , Kent , T N12 8BX info@h-engineering.com 01892 H En g i n e e ri n g Ltd , L i ttl e Ca |cketts Fa rm, H ayma ns H ill, H ors m on d en , Kent , T N12 8BX

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