Oracle on-Sea December 2019 by Oracle Publications

February 2018 December 2019

Your all-seeing local

OR CLE ORACLE

Leigh, Chalkwell, Thorpe Bay, Southchurch, Westcliff & the Garrison Southend Conservation & Shoeburyness Area

COMPETITION! WIN an Elemis Life Elixir candle & perfume worth £60, plus an Eden beauty gift voucher worth £30! NEW SERVICE FOR SOUTHEND! www.SouthendOracle.co.uk LOCAL ISSUES! Continuing demise of the High Street COUNCIL! 100 years of Council Housing

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December 2019

ORACLE

WELCOME

During the festive time, everybody is bombarded with so many different messages from the media; magazines, newspapers, online advertising, direct mail etc all promising that their products or services advertised are the best. This bombardment can be confusing and I wanted to take this opportunity to remind you that the local businesses very much need your continued support during this busy period. Internet shopping is damaging their custom and if local support is not given, the choice of shops and services will decline in Southend! This month’s competition has been kindly donated by Eden Beauty and Aesthetics based at 76/78 The Ridgeway, Chalkwell SS0 9NU. Win an Elemis Life Elixir candle and perfume worth £60 plus an Eden gift voucher worth £30. Eden Beauty has just undergone a refurbishment of its premises plus its renowned reputation of superior treatments, you are sure to have an enjoyable experience. For more information on the salon, please visit : www.edenbeautyandaesthetics.co.uk

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F TIM REE AT ES !

CONTENTS The continuing demise of Southend (dire) High Street 9/10

EXPERT ROOFING SERVICES With years of experience, we offer:

Local Issues by Philip Miller

SLATING / TILING

Celebrating 100 years of Council housing

ALL ASPECTS OF FLAT ROOFING

16/24

WE ARE FULLY INSURED & ALL WORK IS FULLY GUARANTEED

Recipe by Judy Barden

Christmas beauty tips

CHIMNEY REPOINTING UPVC PLASTIC CLADDING, FACIAS, SOFFITS & GUTTERING

Council article by Cllr Ron Woodley

Light Christmas pudding with Butterscotch sauce

LEAD WORK

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Hair & Beauty by Craig Smith

Brainbox 34 What's on

Useful Numbers

Advertiser Index

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VitB12 18 The Angel Inn

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22/23

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All All rights rights reserved. reserved. No No part part of of Oracle Oracle Publications Publications UK UK Ltd Ltd may may be be reproduced reproduced or or used used in in any any form form or or by by any any means means either either wholly wholly or or in in part without prior permission of the publisher. Oracle Publications part without prior permission of the publisher. Oracle Publications UK UK Ltd Ltd is is editorially editorially autonomous autonomous and and the the opinions opinions expressed expressed are are not not those those of of the the publisher publisher unless unless expressly expressly stated. stated.

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December 2019

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Fancy a festive Afternoon Tea? La Petite Petanque is set within the grounds of Alexandra Bowling Green in the charming conservation area of Southend-on-Sea. We are proud to serve superbly cooked modern British cuisine in the heart of Southend (open daily). The elegantly styled Art Deco property that houses the restaurant sits on the edge of the bowling green, an ideal setting to enjoy breakfast, lunch or a delightful afternoon tea. The bowls club often have matches in play and this adds to the tranquillity and quintessential essence of the place.

Our breakfast menu The breakfast menu offers a wide choice with the classic Full English Breakfast and eggs benedict sitting alongside weekend specials such as American style pancakes and a bucks fizz brunch. Throughout December there is evening dining every Friday from 6pm offering our wonderful Christmas set menu and live music. This menu is also available for lunchtime dining throughout the month with advance bookings. (Please see our website for menu.)

Festive afternoon tea To celebrate the magic of Christmas why not try our Festive Afternoon Tea, a luxurious Afternoon Tea with a Christmas twist. Adding to the magic of this special time of year we will be serving Mulled wine daily with home made mince pies. December 2019

La Petite Petanque specialises in the traditional afternoon tea, the head chef being a renowned pastry chef â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all the delicious cakes and scones are homemade freshly baked on the premises. We strive to deliver first class personal customer service, taking care to cater to any particular dietary requirements. La Petite Petanque is a very popular venue for private functions and available to hire for your baby shower, birthday or wedding celebration. We aim to be as flexible as possible to accommodate individual requests, making it the perfect venue for your special event.

Sunday roasts Sundays are always popular, with roasts being a firm favourite. There are three meats to choose from, accompanied by the all usual trimmings, all home made and freshly prepared using local suppliers. Sittings run from 12.30 and last orders are at 5pm. The wine list offers a good selection of whites and reds all hand-picked by the owners together with the wine supplier. For all bookings and enquires please refer to our website www.lapetitepetanque.co.uk Clare, Oliver and the team look forward to seeing you here soon! Clare Finch, owner 01702 353208 info@lapetitepetanque.co.uk www.lapetitepetanque.co.uk The Bowling Green Pavilion, Cambridge Road, Southend SS1 1EY

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December 2019

LOCAL ISSUES

The continuing demise of Southend (dire) High Street

It’s been over a year since I wrote my 'Save Southend Dire Street' article. (See October 2018's Oracle issue via their website on p17)

and make them into extra free parking. • Open certain segments of the High Street again to cars.

The article at the time caused quite a stir of

All three suggestions were well received

the right kind. Many readers made contact

and nobody spoke out against the proposed

with letters of support, agreement and

suggestions.

suggested further good ideas. So much

Road to recovery

so I arranged a public seminar where two highly regarded local/national architects presented their own visions for Southends future prosperity.

If taken forward by the council, these easy to do quick wins would have sent a positive message to customers and given a strong message to the retailers. My suggestions

Positive vibes

alone will not win the battle long term,

I invited the 'Oraclers' who had made

but would start the road to recovery, a real

contact, leaders of the political groups, the

confidence booster and an encourager for

press and other interested parties. We held

new businesses to the High Street.

the meeting at Sands on the seafront and it

However, here we are a year or so later and

was well attended with a very positive vibe

where are we on that road to recovery you

in the room.

may ask?

My three suggestions from the article were:

What has been done? Zilch!

• Make all side roads from Royal Terrace to

What is new? Nothing!

Queens’s road free two hour parking. • Remove all unnecessary double yellow

Any short, medium, long term plans or strategies at all? None at all!

lines in particular the ones outside M&S December 2019

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Did they listen? No!

the High Street from the railway bridge

Has the decline worsened? Yes.

to the Victoria shopping centre, starting

On the positive side the rough sleepers have now been displaced, although the aggressive beggars are still in abundance. They even have their own pitches nowadays and we still have to run the gauntlet with 'yobbo' cyclists intimidating us with their agressive cycling, and it’s not just the kids!

More cops on the beat Although promises of more to come, we have a few more cops on the beat but hardly enough. We also have a team of local security guards that are reassuring to see, but like Coca-Cola you can’t beat the real thing! Not that many years ago, before the cuts in Police budgets, Southend had a permanent squad of twenty four PCs, two sergeants and an inspector just for the High Street, plus two PCs for the seafront, shameful really, in comparison to today.

Petition for 2 hours free parking

with forcing the Odeon out of business by opening a bright new shiny cinema on the Seaway Car Park. Are cinemas not toast anyway with all the ways of watching film and affordable big TVs at home? I’m not sure those businesses in the doomed zone have been told as yet? What can you say or do? Last time out, we had a Conservative council who wouldn’t listen and lost the election, they listen now! The coalition who came into power promising to play an open and fair game are not doing so. Maybe time for a complete change of tack? To this end we could lose the cabinet system and return to the committee structure as Basildon have done, or go for an elected mayor who has “carte blanche” over everything. The first is safe, the second could be a wild ride, you might even get somebody like me! The latter I wouldn’t

From the meeting, one of the attendees

recommend, my idea of running anything

Josie Hewitt took the 'bull by the horns' and

is with a committee of one, just me! That’s

gathered a two thousand plus signature

it for now, let’s hope somebody at SBC gets

petition supporting the two hour 'free'

motivated in the meantime!

parking initiative. Please sit down when

Philip Miller M.B.E Executive Chairman Stockvale Group Of Companies

you hear the current adminstrations reason for refusal. “If you give free parking, it will cause congestion making it too busy!" What I do hear though is they have a plan to eliminate the northern end of 10

Oracle welcomes thoughts from all sides as balance is very important. Write your letter in the comment section located under the relevant article on our website. oraclepublications.co.uk #SaveSouthend

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December 2019

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antonanderinlive.co.uk

COUNCIL

Celebrating 100 years of Council Housing The need to overhaul the housing sector

being called social rents. But is the term

whether to rent or to buy is now more

social the correct word to use? Should they

drastically required than ever before. There is widely said to be a ‘housing crisis’ which affordable housing might help to solve. The arguments in favour of more affordable housing include: that it is simply a necessity for many families; that it could reduce poverty; that it would significantly reduce the housing

be called just “Council homes” and the rents associated with housing called something different and be based upon a clear measure of affordability, linked to earnings, and applied transparently be it a single person or that of a family.

benefit bill; and that it is essential to retain

Morally wrong

key workers.

The stigma that seems to be associated with

Affordable?

the term social housing and social rents is

But what is “affordable” to the average person or family who want to purchase a home, clearly the price of houses have constantly over the years outpaced the earnings of many ordinary working people to a point where the young and not so young have no other choice but to venture into the private rented sector for somewhere to live, or as many do, stay at home and hope their savings can fund a home in the future. Over the years council housing has been transformed into social housing with rents 16

unnecessary, demeaning and morally wrong. We need to stop labelling people because of the type of housing they live in, we need to stop this continuing rise in the cost of somewhere to live which is forcing a single parent or both parents into working to fund somewhere to live or child care and more than likely the cost of living. The above is easily said, but how can we (the Government) continually not support the supply of decent quality homes for a population that need housing as a necessity Contiuned on page 24

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December 2019

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Big changes at The Angel Inn Back in April 2018, operations at The Angel

without a great team. The Angel put new

Inn were taken over by Great Wakering local

teams in place, with a new kitchen brigade

Paul & his fiancé and long-time publican

and front of house staff – along with a duty

Fiona, who moved here when she was 17

manager always available to ensure quality

from Kerry, Ireland. One of the first things they did was take an inventory of all the

and customer satisfaction.

shortcomings and things that needed

Food & Drink

changing as well as what was working well.

The biggest change made at The Angel was

“A big part of the initial process was listening to what the customers were saying.” Admittedly, negative comments about the food, service, wine selection, high prices and even the dingy restaurant lighting, were all too common. Paul & Fiona saw how they could improve both The Angel and the overall customer experience, so made a plan and set it in motion.

increase the quality and lower the pricing across all of our menus.” With guidance from their new head chef and all new kitchen team, The Angel sources much of its fresh produce from local suppliers. They have also launched 14 new menus in the past year, including a Restaurant Set Lunchtime Menu and their most recent offering, the Christmas Set Menu

Roll Up Your Sleeves “When we started at the Angel, we saw the incredible potential, and knew that we had a lot of work ahead of us to get the reputation back to where it once was. Eighteen months later, we are seeing things turning around - happy faces, satisfied guests, repeat customers, and a much better reputation for our food, drink and customer service.” Of course, none of this would be possible 20

the food and drink menus. “The goal was to

(available 1st-24th December). Working with a new local wine supplier, Wine De Vine (www.winedevine.co) they have completely changed what the customer can expect in terms of quality and selection of wines. Along with superior quality wines, The Angel also offers a new range of Gins and Draught Lagers, while maintaining their traditional selection of Guest Ales.

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December 2019

Events & Special Nights

See For Yourself

The Angel hosts several events throughout the

The best way to understand everything that’s

year, as well as weekly themed evenings. Their

going on at the Angel is to see it with your

classic Pie & Pint Tuesdays and Sunday Roast

own eyes… and more importantly, taste it for

are joined by a new Wine Down Wednesday

yourself! Whether you drop into the bar for

(buy 2 large glasses of wine and get the rest

a pub classic or visit the restaurant and try

of the bottle FREE). The annual Bank Holiday

something from their new restaurant menu,

Weekend GinFest and Bank Holiday Weekend

there is much for you to taste and enjoy at

Ale Festival are always a success, and this

this perfect little piece of English history -

year were better than ever with fantastic

where tradition meets modern and all the

weather and fun had by all.

sights, sounds, smells and flavours that go

For The Kids & Pets

along with it. We’re sure you’ll be pleasantly

In the past, the Angel wasn’t particularly well

surprised. Cheers!

known for its child friendly environment. Along with a totally new kid’s menu, they now offer baby changing facilities, more highchairs, crayons and toys for the kids. “We wanted families with children to be able to come for lunch or dinner and feel relaxed and comfortable - and make it enjoyable for the little ones too!” The Angel continues to be dog friendly with water bowls and treats for your four-legged companions.

Success In The Details The Angel has undergone a slight facelift with conditional lighting added to brighten the restaurant addressing another customer complaint in the past. They have also revamped their website - now offering online table booking and added all of their food and

been increased, and their TripAdvisor Reviews

Paul & Fiona The Angel Inn 01702 589600 info@angelinnpub.co.uk www.angelinnpub.co.uk

are growing in number and quality.

Parsons Corner, Shoeburyness, Essex SS3 8UD

drink menus (updated regularly). Social media presence on Facebook and Instagram has also

December 2019

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December 2019

beautiful apartment in Tuscany, Italy, as well as an opportunity for an overnight stay for two in a superior room at the Holiday Inn, Southend, with breakfast and a three course evening meal on their rooftop restaurant included. More competitions like these are being announced regularly, so please visit SouthendOracle.co.uk for more details.

Publicise your events for FREE!

Add events FREE! It’s been two months since the launch of Oracle’s latest service; the brand-new Southend Oracle Directory! We’ve added more great features since the launch in October and businesses and residents alike are enthusiastically creating accounts as a result. Having supported the initial launch of the directory with a 60,000-door drop, with additional support in both Oracle magazines over the last few months, plus the extra activity on social media, it’s no surprise that the directory has been a massive success. To add to this, we’ve had fantastic support from some of the larger businesses in the town, like BMW, London Southend Airport, Kenbro, Gainsborough, Bright’s Locksmiths and many more, which have helped make a huge difference to the directory’s overall impact. This has given all of the businesses who have already signed up a huge online boost. I can’t thank you all enough for this great gesture which has helped the directory hit the ground running.

Newest features

For all new and existing businesses who have become Southend Oracle Directory (SOD) members with a full listing, you should now be able to add up to six images to your page, including any promotions/events you might have planned. For ease, each business listing can now be shared direct to social media by members of the public wishing to make recommendations to their friends or family. To help local residents engage with the directory, the site has been promoting various unique and exciting competitions. Visit the site for your chance to win a week for two at a December 2019

Get involved - members of the public are now able to add events to the directory free of charge, giving residents even more reason to visit the site. All you have to do is create an account, which takes just a couple of minutes. Each event can easily be shared with friends and family through social media. More features like this will be added to the directory in the future as it constantly evolves to meet your demands. The feedback from all users, whether from a business or a resident, has been positive so far. They have found the experience of using the directory very easy and consistent on all forms and devices. If you have mislaid your copy of the Oracle, or wish to see a larger selection of alternative businesses, then visit the Southend Oracle Directory where you can find digital copies of the magazine and ultimately a larger selection of traders offering a variety of services so that you can continue to support your local businesses. If you are looking to promote an event locally then look no further than Southend Oracle Directory and add your event free. Or perhaps you are looking for a local Christmas fair or perhaps you are getting married next year and would like some inspiration by visiting the many wedding fairs Essex has? The new directory features a lot of information and is very easy to use. Lastly, I would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and thank you all for your continued support.

Emma Wynne-Morgan Managing Director Oracle Publications UK Ltd. 01702 393 838 info@oraclepublications.co.uk www.oraclepublications.co.uk

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Continuing from page 16

at a price that is truly affordable, (and I dislike

• Any landlord who no longer wishes to rent

that word immensely) through rent or to

in the private rented sector, should enable

purchase, to the majority of normal working

council’s to take ownership at market price

people and families.

and bring into council owned stock.

More affordable housing

• Allow councils to build homes through a rent

Yes, we as a country do need more homes,

to buy system of their existing housing stock

but should we keep flooding the market with

up to 90% of the home’s value and allow all

more and more homes that are unaffordable,

the receipts and capital/maintenance costs to

enabling the house builders to make high

fund the building of new homes.

profits and for the buy to let landlords to take

• All new homes built through this method to

away the initial rung of the property ladder

be allowed into the rent to buy scheme after a

from people, to allow these same landlords

10 year period of renting.

to charge extortionate rents that ordinary

• Stop the influence of developers and private

working people can ill-afford to pay and for

sector landlords in government policies.

the government to ill-afford to pay in benefits up to the Local Housing Allowance.

• Allow councils to charge council tax on properties that have approval after a 2 year

There is no doubt that we need more homes

period if there has been no substantive

and yes we need councils to build them, but

progress on the development.

stop calling them social housing, just call them homes for the hundreds of thousands of families waiting desperately to have somewhere decent to live at an affordable rent, linked to earnings that will enable citizens to afford to pay all the other costs associated with living a decent life in decent

• Therefore the Government should over the next 5 years allow all rents to be slowly aligned and be based upon a living rent that takes into consideration the income of the family/person living in the property, being

purchase orders buy all empty homes and refurbish to sell or rent. • Allow senior citizens to downsize into smaller properties without incurring stamp duty. Unless action is taken now to stop the ever

neighbourhoods.

private or council owned.

• Councils should through compulsory

increasing cost of somewhere to live, future governments will be paying billions pounds more in additional benefits than what is necessary. Cllr. Ron Woodley Deputy Leader of Southend Borough Council Independent Councillor for Thorpe Ward

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December 2019

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growth. The membrane has a unique anti-slip finish allowing the roof to be walked on and is aesthetically pleasing. As it is a vapour permeable product it will never blister or become brittle and crack. High-Tech will create a 100% storm resistant watertight roof, maintenance free and guaranteed for life never to leak.

Are you one of 70% of home owners in the UK incorporating a mineral felt flat roof? Mineral felt generally has a slow breakdown often allowing water ingress to cause unnecessary damage before anything can be visibly detected within the home. A failing roof & the warning signslook for signs of cracking around the roof edge, pipes, upstands and roof lights etc. Beware of blisters on the roof surface, during colder months they can become brittle and crack. THE HOME-OWNER SHOULD ALSO BE MADE AWARE that insurance companies will no longer accept any liability for any external or internal damage caused by a leaking flat roof which is over 10 years old. FURTHER VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION: - ALL PROPERTY OWNERS PLEASE BE AWARE when a flat roof is replaced there are Building Regulations that the homeowner and the contractor must comply with. Failure to comply can leave the homeowner open to major problems when selling the property.

PLEASE CALL FOR FREE INFORMATION REGARDING THE REGULATIONS. In 1999, High-Tech Roofing first introduced the most advanced flat roof technology to the homeowner. Protan, based in Norway, has a pedigree in the design and manufacture of water- proofing materials dating back to 1939, and producing the first roofing membrane in 1971. Protan is our preferred PVC single-ply flat roofing system and will cope with all climates, millions of square metres are installed here and abroad with a proven track record stretching over four decades. Protan is predominantly an architectspecified roofing system, winning many awards serving the very competitive commercial sector. A High-Tech roof is dimensionally stable and solar reflective, the material is unaffected by climate change and 100% resistant to moss & algae

We will be delighted to welcome you at our brand-new showroom located in Leigh-on-sea. This gives us the opportunity to show you first hand our superb Lifetime Guaranteed flat roofing systems. We have a variety of displays showing the glass skylights and roof lanterns offering the opportunity to view everything before you buy. We welcome you come and visit us at 850 London road, Leighon-Sea, Essex SS9 3NQ. Our opening hours are Monday to Friday 9:30am till 4:30pm and Saturday 10am till 2pm. However, we do offer a service whereby we will open upon request outside of opening hours. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CHRISTMAS AND EARLY NEW YEAR DISCOUNTS. For a limited period only - All Roofing products will be discounted to a maximum of 15%. The discount structure will depend on timing and work specification. There is INTEREST FREE funding available subject to available funds. There is never any obligation to buy.

The Problem The Solution Always 100% committed to customer care and satisfaction December 2019

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advertorial

Has Your Double Glazing Steamed Up? Established for over a decade Cloudy2Clear windows have become a leading company for glass replacement. Issues with double glazing can often be gradual and may only be noticed during a clear sunny day or during the winter. A failed glass unit may no longer provide you with the protection you need or be energy efficient. Why not spend a few minutes checking your home to see if you have any failed double glazing? If you act now you can avoid these problems.

Now, you may think you need to replace the whole window including the frames and all the hardware, however Cloudy2Clear have come up with a simple and cost saving solutionâ&#x20AC;Ś Just replace the glass!! If you see condensation in your windows just visit our website or give us a call on 0800 61 21 118. We will send out our highly experienced engineers for a free no obligation quote. A Cloudy2Clear quote takes on average no longer than 20 minutes. Once the quote is completed, we will sit down with you and

explain the problem and tell you how we can fix it. With years of experience Cloudy2Clear have a wealth of knowledge and are recognised as a Which Trusted Trader, plus our work is backed by an industry leading 25 year guarantee. Cloudy2Clear also replace faulty locks handles and hinges on all windows and doors. Your friendly local Cloudy2Clear specialist is Chris Miller and he services the Thorpe Bay & Southend area. So, if your windows are steamed up, broken or damaged give Chris a call for a free quotation on 0800 61 21 118.

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December 2019

Remember!

Revised Collection Days Normal collection day

Revised collection day

Wednesday 25th December

Friday 27th December

Thursday 26th December

Saturday 28th December

Friday 27th December

Monday 30th December

Tuesday 31st December

Normal collections

Wednesday 1st January

Thursday 2nd January

Friday 3rd January

Saturday 4th January

Please put the right thing in the right bag, box or bin!

Your recycling and waste collection day will change over Christmas and New Year. For more information please visit www.southend.gov.uk/recycling

Please put everything out by 7am. Collections continue until 6pm.

for Southend

December 2019

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Light Christmas pudding with Butterscotch sauce

FOOD

This is a great recipe from Sue Lawrence (Masterchef winner). No Weighing required just use a coffee mug with a 300ml capacity and make sure you fill it to the top. My family love butterscotch sauce and serve it with cream, custard, ice cream or all 3. Enjoy! (Serves 8-10)

Pudding Ingredients 1 cup raisins 1 cup sultanas 1 cup self-raising flour 1 cup finely grated butter about 115g/4oz 1 cup fresh brown breadcrumbs (from around 4 thick slices of bread) 1 cup light muscovado sugar 1 cup mixed nuts, chopped plus extra to decorate 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground mixed spice 1 cup milk 1 large egg Butter, for greasing

Pudding Ingredients 85g butter 100g light muscovado sugar 200ml double cream 1 tsp vanilla extract

Put the butter in the freezer for 30 minutes so it is really hard whilst you get the rest of the ingredients together and then hold it with a piece of kitchen paper and grate it. For the pudding, empty the first six cups and the nuts, if using, into a mixing bowl with the spices, then stir in the milk and egg. Once well combined, tip into a buttered 1.5 litre pudding bowl. Cover with a double layer of buttered foil, making a pleat in the centre to allow the pudding to rise. Tie the foil securely with string, then place in a steamer or large pan containing enough gently simmering water to come halfway up the sides of the bowl. Steam, covered with a lid, for 2 Â˝ hours. Check the water level during cooking, topping up if necessary. If you are preparing this pudding ahead, remove the foil, let it cool slightly, then wrap in cling film and then fresh foil. If you are serving it immediately, unwrap and invert onto a deep plate. For the sauce, put everything in a pan and bring slowly to the boil, stirring. Allow to bubble away for 2-3 minutes, still stirring, until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce is pale caramel in colour and slightly thickened. Remove from the heat. Pour the sauce over the pudding and decorate with the whole mixed nuts. by Judy Barden Next month: Classic Minestrone

Have you written a WILL? Call Clive for a FREE Will review today on 01702 393838 e: crowe@countrywide-se.com www.countrywide-se.co.uk

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ORACLE Estate Planning

December 2019

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December 2019

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HAIR & BEAUTY

Christmas beauty tips

Whether you’re driving home for Christmas, seeing old friends for a swanky dinner or wriggling into something sparkly before the office party, you’ll want to look fabulous when you arrive. So, with these Christmas beauty tips you’ll be looking hotter than a fresh-out-of-the-oven mince pie. If you put your eye shadow on first, then apply your foundation and any other make-up you want to wear, this solves that perennial problem of loose eye shadow working its way into the places you really don’t want it to go.

Show-stopping hair

While many women ideally want show-stopping hair for a big, glitzy party, the reality – especially during the frantic festive season – is that simple is best. If you want to put your hair up, try twisting one section from the front of your hair and once you’ve done that, simply pin it into place at the back of your head. Repeat this process with the other side. Finally take the remainder of your hair and tie a messy bun. Et voila, timeless elegance achieved in mere moments. Now, let’s look at your lips. For me, Christmas is all about the glitter - but why should kids and tree baubles have all the fun?! Pimp your pout by lining your lips with a light-coloured lip pencil and add a dab of foundation to the corners of your mouth. Then apply a creamy lipstick using a lip brush before using a flat brush to add on some glitter. Add extra glam with some clear lip gloss.

Caring for your skin

Unless you’re teetotal, booze will almost inevitably play a big part in your celebrations. Unfortunately, alcohol dehydrates you and can leave your skin dry, grey and dull. To counteract this, buy a cleansing milk containing hyaluronic acid and consider applying a face mask containing alpha-hydroxy acid, as this compound helps to destroy dead skin cells, moisturise and firm up skin. As Christmas is all about dressing up, this can be fraught with frustration. That LBD you haven’t worn since last year, or the skinny jeans you couldn’t resist in a sale and now desperately want to wear, can be heartbreakers if you’ve got an uncomfortable stomach from an excess of wine and rich food. Peppermint tea and aloe vera juice are amazing for your digestive system and prevent bloating. Also, try to cut back on products containing refined sugar, cheese and, I’m afraid to say, alcohol itself. Of course, the best tip of all, is to enjoy yourself. Spend this wonderful, magical time of the year with friends, family and your pets. Why? Because laughter and having a great time releases endorphins; and those little chemicals in your brain help to make your skin glow, your eyes brighten and give your mental and physical health a boost. The perfect gift to yourself.

by Craig Smith Director of Grateful Heads Hair Salon

Providing Providing expert expert hair care hair care to Essex to Essex for 30 foryears. 30 years. Isn’t Isn’t it time it time you made you made your your headhead grateful? grateful?

01702 01702 340965 340965 32 Alexandra 32 Alexandra Street, Street, Southend Southend SS1SS1 1BU1BU 32

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December 2019

Fed up with drafty and unsightly windows? We give

We specialise in windows, doors & conservatories. We repair and replace the following:

free of charge, no obligation quotes!

Window handles Locks

Adjussng windows or doors Replacing leeerboxes

Hinges

Door knockers

Misted or broken glass

Panels

Specialist installers and service engineers in all forms of double glazing, triple glazing, UPVC, aluminium and hardwood windows, doors, conservatory's and roof line. All new installations are fully guaranteed, FENSA registered and also come with an independent security guarantee against break ins. We repair all types of windows, doors and conservatory's. We offer a full range of security upgrades and service packages. We also provide break in assistance. A family run business proudly serving the local community for over 25 years!

01268 527112 www.thewindowmanessex.net window.man@btconnect.com December 2019

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Transforming your kitchen is easy as...

BRAINBOX 3

7 2

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r customers Wishing all ou hristmas! a very merry C

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Clue: Hang these on the Christmas tree to make it look Christmassy.

Last month’s solutions: WORD LADDER –

ROSESORESORTTORTTART CONUNDRUM – SPARKLERS

01702 256 018 www.granitetransformations.co.uk/southend e: southend@granitetransformations.co.uk

See us in action at Altons Garden Centre on Arterial Road (A127) www.checkatrade.com/granitetransformationsromford

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December 2019

interest FREE

Our carpet department has a huge selection of colours and designs from Axminster, Brintons, Associated Weavers, Abingdon, Crucial Trading, Westex, Ulsters and many more. Our stores have a fantastic selection of engineered woods and laminate flooring from a variety of suppliers including Ted Todd, Parador and many others. We have an extensive collection of design flooring from Karndean and Moduleo. Add to this our superb collection of rugs, you can see we have every floor covered. So why not come and visit our showroom today!

December 2019

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WHAT’S ON SANTA AT BELFAIRS DATE 15th December 2019 TIME 9:30 - 16:30 VENUE Belfairs Woodland Centre, Vardon Drive, Leigh SS9 4LR Come and meet Santa at Belfairs Park! A Gap has arisen in Santa's busy Christmas schedule and he's kindly agreed to visit Belfairs for seven days in December! Booking is by phone or in person only.

REMEMBRANCE SERVICE DATE 7th December 2019 TIME 15:00 VENUE Southend Crematorium, Sutton Road, Southend SS2 5PX Join us for a free remembrance service and light a candle in memory of your loved one.

SANTA ON THE PIER TIME 10:30 - 17:00 DATE 7th/8th December 2019 VENUE The Royal Pavilion, Southend Pier Take the train down to the end of the Pier where you will head to the Royal Pavilion, there you will discover Santa and his elves. When you’ve said goodbye to Santa, you’ll be taken to his toy shop to pick your own present. Tickets are priced at £14.00 per child. This includes a train ride for the child and one accompanying adult (extra adults, pay on the day) a visit with Santa and a present of the child’s choice. Tickets need to be pre-booked, either in person at the Visitor Information Centre at the Pier or over the phone on 01702 215620.

CHRISTMAS MARKET TIME 09:00 - 17:00

DATE 7th December 2019 VENUE Southend High Street

Come down to the Christmas Farmers and Craft market and pick up some festive foodie treats! You’ll be able to get your hands on some locally grown produce, classic hot chestnuts, a wealth of unique crafts and gifts, and sample mouth-watering authentic German bratwurst cooked over charcoal on a traditional swing grill! Other dates include 14th, 16th-24th December.

SOUTHEND CHRISTMAS VEGAN FAIR 2019 DATE 8th December 2019

TIME 10:00 - 16:00

VENUE Project 49, 49 Alexandra Street, Southend SS1 1BW Southend Vegan Fair's annual Christmas event will be returning for the 3rd year in a row. We will be holding it at Project 49 down Alexandra Street near Southend high street. Entry £3 on the door under 16's go free.

SOUTHCHURCH VILLAGE AND FRIENDS WI TIME 19:30 DATE 11th December 2019 VENUE Thorpe Bay Methodist Church Hall, SS1 3HQ Designer Christmas Arrangements. Florist Tracy Cullender creates stunning Festive arrangements.

LEIGH-ON-SEA TOWN COUNCIL OVER 60'S SOCIAL CLUB TIME 10:00 - 12:00 DATE 11th December 2019 VENUE Leigh Community Centre, Elm Road, SS9 1SP Christmas party. Music, games and more.

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December 2019

HAS SANTA CLIMATEC GOT YOUR CHRISTMAS LIST YET? AD ARE YOU CONSIDERING NEW DOORS AND WINDOWS FOR 2020?

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DIRECT FROM OUR FACTORY= UPVC AND ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS = WIDE RANGE OF COLOURS/ FINISHES = COMPOSITE, FRENCH, PATIO & BI-FOLD DOORS = TIMBER ALTERNATIVE WINDOWS & PERIOD STYLED DOORS = THERMALLY EFFICIENT FRAMES = REHAU APPROVED PARTNER = SECURITY LOCKING Installsure logos, colours and typeface = SECURED BY DESIGN PRODUCTS = 10 YEAR PRODUCT GUARANTEE Find us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter

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December 2019

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CAN YOU DELIVER? THEN ORACLE WANTS YOU! Distributors required for monthly delivery

CALL 01702 393838

The Crystal Tree 69 Broadway West Leigh-on-Sea SS9 2BX (opp Leigh Library)

Christmas Gift Ideas Angelic Reiki and Crystal Sound Healing Crystals, Minerals, Gemstones Crystal Jewellery Angel Gifts Incense & Space Clearing Items Candles Salt Lamps Books, Cards & CDs Meditation Groups & Workshops www.the-crystal-tree.co.uk Healing for Mind Body and Soul

Apple Computer Repairs & Sales Apple Mac Networks Apple Mac IT Tech Support 01702 680005

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December 2019

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