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SAM celebrities || food food || travel travel || fashion fashion || homes homes&&gardens gardens || theatre theatre celebrities ISSUE 61 2 0 5 2

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WELCOME TO our April issue and I hope you’re all feeling as spring-like as we are! Hasn’t the weather been great! The region seems to have really woken up these past few weeks with so many announcements about festivals and concerts over the next few months. We have substantial previews of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival, which lasts even longer than usual this year, and Latitude, which is celebrating its tenth birthday this year. I’m going for the first time so I’m looking forward to actually seeing everything and everyone! We love to champion our local success stories and Tanya Burr is a real phenomenon. At just 25 she has literally millions of followers online, who love her beauty and make up tutorials. From Tasburgh, near Norwich, she is taking the world by storm so well done to her! And what about Lowestoft’s Reece Ritchie? Now the star of a full scale Hollywood movie, Desert Dancer, he’s flying high, too! Can we claim Sam Smith from Cambridgeshire as our own? Why not! The multi-award winning soul singer comes to Thetford Forest’s summer series of concerts in July but the tickets went in just 40 minutes. I was there on my laptop trying to get some but without success. Food remains a real passion for us, with Andy Newman discovering a Norfolk lager and Simon Wainwright from the Imperial Hotel in Great Yarmouth offering spring lamb with a spicy twist. Our London correspondent, Benet Catty, reviews Beautiful, a new musical about the singer Carole King and James Spicer travels to the Caribbean for a very special treat. Don’t miss our Five Minutes With feature, tucked right at the back, where Norfolk author Henry Sutton talks about his 20 plus year career and did you know that it’s okay to wear denim again – just don’t go for that ‘double denim’ look. This month’s competition is the chance to win a dinner party for six at Andover House in Great Yarmouth and congratulations to Sheila Wade from Old Costessey, Norwich, who won our February competition, a luxury heater from Calor. Do keep in touch, we love to hear from you. Happy reading.

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| APRIL 2015

Emma Outten speaks to creator Melvin Benn as Latitude Festival celebrates its 10th edition this July

Celebrities

10 They were queuing round the block to meet Tanya Burr at Jarrold’s recently. We find out why 12 Lowestoft’s Reece Ritchie stars in Desert Dancer, the true story of Iranian dancer Afshin Ghaffarian who risked his life to start a secret dance company away from prying police eyes 15 Freida Pinto, from Slumdog Millionaire fame, on why she just had to be part of Desert Dancer which is released this month 20 Now a stunning ballet, The Great Gatsby arrives in Norwich. Sarah Hardy talks to one of its stars, Pippa Moore

Our French chef Franck Pontais turns his hand to a quail’s egg starter

Ditch those jeans for something a bit more exciting this spring as denim hits the High Street

Fashion & Beauty

29 Add a little zest to your life with one of our recommended beauty products 31 It’s gentlemen first for Lust List this month

What’s On

34 Want to know the best events in April? Our monthly round-up has the answers 41 Melanie Cook from VisitNorwich drools over the county’s bumper food hamper 42 Those achingly lovely Carole King songs are the subject of a new West End show, Beautiful, which is reviewed by Benet Catty

Simon Wainwright serves up classic spring lamb – with a twist!

Homes and Gardens

44 This month’s property is a waterside retreat in

Ludham, one of the prettiest villages in The Broads 48 Deck out your home for Easter, say our interior

experts 52 Our gardening writer Ellen May is dodging the showers as she digs in this April

Food & Drink

Sarah Hardy attends the launch of the Norfolk & Norwich Festival and finds much to look forward to

61 Sam Matthews, our resident wine expert, tells us

all about the tricky task of matching food and wine 64 Andy Newman raises his glass to Norfolk lager –

and cheers to that! 72 Mark Dixon continues to delight at the Kings Arms in Fleggburgh as our reviewer Paul Pitcher finds out

THIS MONTH’S

Editor’s Choice Editor Sarah Hardy picks out the best events and activities this month…

63 COMPETITION

Win a dinner party for six at Andover House in Great Yarmouth

Travel

74 James Spicer heads to the Caribbean for a spot of you and me time! 80 Mark Nicholls has a capital time in London with his family

BEST BOOK

Business

who always solves the most gruesome of murders. Expect plenty of twists

84 Emma Outten meets Paul McCarthy, the high

BEST FILM

flying new general manager at Intu Chapelfield, Norwich

Child 44 tells of a disgraced member of the Military Police who

Motoring

Union when such events were officially unrecognised. Starring Tom Hardy

92 It is a mighty all-rounder – the Land Rover

good old fashioned thriller.

Discovery Sport 96 The popular Vauxhall Adam takes on a rock look! 100 The Subaru Outback is just the vehicle for East Anglia’s countryside

BEST GIG

Regulars

www.jimmycarr.com for full listings.

24 Our columnist Richard Barr is in a pondering

The Virgin Money London Marathon takes place on April 26, with 30,000

mood this month and poses that most tricky of questions: so what is the meaning of life? 102 Our High Society pages kick off with a trip to an Almary Green celebration. 110 Spend five minutes with Henry Sutton, the award-winning crime novelist

people scheduled to take part. The 26.2 mile course takes in numerous key

Do you like a bit of dark Scandinavian fiction? Well, Jo Nesbo from Norway is one of the biggest selling novelists around at present – and has a new book out. Called Blood on Snow, it has Harry Holes as the detective and turns and lots of gore.

investigates a series of nasty child murders in the Stalin era of the Soviet and Gary Oldman, it was filmed in the Czech Republic, and sounds like a

Jimmy Carr performs his Funny Business show at the Eventim Apollo in London on April 24 and 25. He’s touring the length and breadth of the country with this show which perhaps isn’t for the faint hearted! Visit

BEST SPORTING EVENT

sights including the London Eye, the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace. Good luck to all those taking part.

BEST FAMILY EVENT The East Anglian Game and Country Fair takes place at the Norfolk Showground on April 25 and 26. With numerous displays, have a go sessions, stalls, foodie options and more, it is a real celebration of country living. Visit www.ukgamefair.co.uk for more.

Cover Story

BEST TV SHOW Game of Thrones is back for a fifth session from April 12 on Sky Atlantic. Most of us haven’t a clue what is happening but it is great fun. And the

16 Sam Smith comes home to East Anglia

Northern Ireland scenery looks just great!

for his sell-out Thetford Forest gig

BEST THEATRE Jonathan Pryce, one of the greatest character actors currently around, takes on the challenging role Shylock in The Merchant of Venice at The Globe Theatre in London. It starts on April 30 and is a terrific exploration of justice and mercy – and all things in-between. Visit www.shakespearesglobe.com

BEST EASTER EVENT There’s a new craft fair at St Andrew’s and Blackfriars’ Hall in Norwich on April 3 and 4. The standard of traders is really high so it is definitely worth a look for something a little bit different. Add in a brass band, Morris dancers and an Easter trail - and free entry - and what’s not to love?

REMEMBER It is St George’s Day on April 23 so celebrate England’s national day with all things typical English – roast beef and Yorkshire pud would be my choice!

| APRIL 2015

CELEBRITY INTERVIEW

TANYA BURR

NORFOLK’S FASHION AND BEAUTY EXPERT TANYA BURR IS ONE OF THIS GENERATION’S RISING DIGITAL STARS. MELANIE HICKS FINDS OUT MORE

ITH A STONKING 2.8M SUBSCRIBERS ON YOUTUBE, Tanya Burr’s make-up tutorials and lifestyle videos garner around 500,000 views each. But the 25-year-old from Tasburgh, near Norwich, never saw it coming. ‘I always dreamed big. I knew that I would do something interesting with my life. But I never knew it would be this!’ she says. Tanya, now engaged to fellow vlogger (video blogger to those not in the know) Jim Chapman, from Old Buckenham, near Attleborough, attended Long Stratton High School followed by Notre Dame sixth form. Her first job was at leading independent department store in Norwich, Jarrold’s, where beauty hall boss Suzie Abel recalls: ‘It is incredible to think that eight years has passed since Tanya started working for Laura Mercier in our beauty hall, and her talent as a make-up artist was apparent even then. How time has flown since then? And look how much she has achieved! Congratulations and well done to her.’ Tanya started making make-up video blogs after work in 2009, when those close to her gave her a nudge in the right direction. ‘My fiancé’s sisters, Nic and Sam Chapman, who produce the beauty blog Pixiwoo, taught me how to do makeup - they’re make-up teachers - and they said that YouTube would be a great outlet for me to try out the different make-up looks I was learning. So I started with my make-up tutorials and then I started to diversify my content and now I do anything from baking to ‘follow me around on my day’ videos with a handheld camera.’ She first realised that her YouTube career was something of note when she was stopped in the street on holiday. ‘I think it was when I got recognised in Sydney when I was travelling in 2010. It was the first time I had ever been recognised and I was on the other side of the world!’ Tanya has also just recently published her first book, a semi autobiographical guide which sold a massive 15,000 copies in just two days. Called Love, Tanya, she readily admits to having had help to write it and is also very candid about her anxiety disorder which was quite severe when she was a teenager. She attracted the biggest ever crowd to a Jarrold book signing when 800 tickets were sold at the end of February. Marketing manager Carole Slaughter laughs: ‘It was a great day – with the biggest queue I’ve ever seen. But there

was a fantastic atmosphere and we were really delighted to see Tanya again.’ Tanya’s hard-working family have been hugely encouraging and she credits a strong work ethic for the success of herself, her fiancé and his sisters. ‘My family supports me with everything I do. They’re always there at every launch I do at my make-up launches, and my book launch. They’ve always encouraged me to do whatever I want and believed in me.’ With such a pleasant presence, it’s no surprise that teenagers look up to her. ‘It’s an honour to be considered a role model,’ she says. ‘For example, I was in Norwich recently and I had a mum stop me in the street and say that her daughter was too shy to come up to me (her daughter was 15) but that she just wanted to say thank you for being such a good role model for her.’ With the book, her YouTube channel and now the Tanya Burr Cosmetics make-up line under her belt, Tanya is dreaming even bigger. ‘I would love to see Tanya Burr Cosmetics have enough products to have a whole make-up counter. I also really want to try acting and do a few things outside of YouTube. I am looking into the best acting classes in London at the moment.’ Although now based in London, and a regular at red carpet events, Tanya often returns home to mum and dad Melanie and Neil, sister Natasha and brother Oscar, loving a family roast dinner and walks on the beach. Indeed she posted great pictures of herself at Southwold the day after her Norwich book signing!

MORE INFORMATION Love, Tanya, by Tanya Burr is out now (published by Michael Joseph hardback, £12.99) Also visit www.tanyaburr.co.uk

| APRIL 2015

Reeceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Desert Dancer, released this month, follows the true, inspiring story of a brave Iranian dancer, Afshin Ghaffarian. And it stars Lowestoft lad Reece Ritchie alongside Freida Pinto! Emma Outten reports

Desert Dancer is released this month.

CELEBRITY INTERVIEW

ince he was plucked from drama school, Reece Ritchie has continuously demonstrated his varied talent both on stage and screen. The Lowestoft actor made his film debut in the role of Moha in fantasy drama 10,000 BC, and then appeared in The Lovely Bones directed by multiaward winning director Peter Jackson and based on the best-selling novel by Alice Sebold, in which he played the role of Ray Singh. And, if that wasn’t enough, he has also starred in the Disney feature Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, alongside a stellar cast including Gemma Arterton, Jake Gyllenhaal and Sir Ben Kingsley. Not bad for the former Benjamin Britten High School pupil! But then 28-year-old Reece does come from a very talented family. Twenty-seven year old sister Ria, a Places & Faces favourite and Sundown Festival regular, is a singer-songwriter and recording artist who featured on Disclosure’s single, Control in 2013. And their brother Ross runs alternative learning provision Education X. Reece’s mother, Jayne, is the founder of diet plan business BodyChef, and the fact that Reece has played roles as ethnically diverse as an Indian American and a Persian warrior is thanks, in part, to having a father, Russell, who is from South Africa. Now, in his latest film Desert Dancer, Reece stars as Afshin Ghaffarian, who along with a group of dancers, including Freida Pinto as Elaheh (more about her overleaf!), risk their lives to form an underground dance company. It’s set in Tehran during the volatile climate of the 2009 presidential election and the start of the Green Movement. With what little access to the Internet they had, the group discovers music and dance videos that were banned from viewing in their country, so the group learns various forms, techniques and styles of dance from timeless legends like Michael Jackson, Gene Kelly and Rudolf Nureyev. Inspired by these new found heroes, they stage their own performances and uncover a passion for dance and one another, but while the political and cultural backdrop of Desert Dancer is very unique to the time and place, the struggle to overcome oppression - whether from a government or from within - proves universal. When it came to finding a lead for Desert Dancer, director Richard Raymond had an idea. He had recently seen The Lovely Bones and been impressed with

I was absolutely fascinated by Afshin’s life — what he’d done knowing we were the same age.

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REECE RITCHIE

Reece in the small role. ‘I thought he was an absolutely wonderful actor,’ recalls Richard. And, beyond being a tremendous actor, Reece has significant martial arts training so the first-time director knew he could handle the strenuous dance sequences. Reece had additional qualities that did not go unnoticed: the physical likeness he had to Afshin was uncanny. ‘He also had the same energy, the same uplifting spirit and the same passion as Afshin,’ says Richard. ‘Richard was very passionate,’ recalls Reece. ‘He explained that he had these interview tapes that he’d taken of the real Afshin and that he would love for me to watch them.’ After screening the hours of tapes, Reece remarks: ‘I was absolutely fascinated by Afshin’s life - what he’d done knowing we were the same age. He had a completely polarized existence to me.’ The actor called his agent and said ‘I’m playing this part, come hell or high water.’ Reece got on the next plane to Jordan, and almost immediately found himself dancing in the desert. The dance sequences were not without their challenges, however. At one point, Freida and Reece were rehearsing one of the intricate dances and their heads collided! Pinto had a giant bruise; it was pretty serious - a minor concussion, and the make-up team had to cover it up for shooting the next day. Spending time at the National Youth Theatre as a teenager has clearly paid off for Reece. Most recently, he has been filming AD, a 12-part serialized drama of faith, fear, passion, and heroic struggle, which traces the story of the harrowing birth of Christianity. He played the role of Iolaus in the thrilling action/ adventure film Hercules: The Thracian Wars, and starred in the lead male role in All in Good Time, a comedy drama set in Bolton about a newly married couple that struggles to consummate their marriage . Other film credits include the drama Triage. Alongside his film roles, Reece has appeared in several parts on the small screen including Pete Versus Life; Atlantis, Silent Witness, The Bill and Saddam’s Tribe, although he was most recently seen on TV screens, starring in White Heat, an epic drama for the BBC charting the lives of seven friends from 1965 to present day. In this semi-autobiographical series, written by the award winning Paula Milne, he starred alongside Norwich’s very own Sam Chaflin. Finally, for theatre, Reece was featured in a run of Shakespeare’s popular romantic comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream directed by Sir Peter Hall at the Rose Theatre in Kingston, playing the mischievous role of Puck opposite an impressive cast including Dame Judi Dench. He has also performed for the National Youth Theatre in Cell Sell; The Master and Margarita; Dorothy Com and Murder in the Cathedral. Now, with Desert Dancers about to be released, those summers spent at the National Youth Theatre were well spent by the Suffolk actor.

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CELEBRITY INTERVIEW

FREIDA PINTO

NO NO BODY BODY DOUBLE DOUBLE NEEDED NEEDED Having found his desert dancer in Lowestoft’s Reece Ritchie, director Richard Raymond was sensitive to the challenge of casting the woman Afshin Ghaffarian loved. Step forward Slumdog Millionaire actress Freida Pinto

fter becoming a fixture on the big screen with the critically and commercially acclaimed Slumdog Millionaire, Freida Pinto quickly became an international film star and household name. The 30-year-old Indian actress and model had garnered international attention for her debut film role as Latika and was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for her role at the 2009 BAFTA Awards. The movie itself won eight Academy Awards including Best Motion Picture and had another 100 wins and 51 nominations! She had starred alongside Dev Patel, although it was reported last year that they had split after a six-year relationship. Following Slumdog’s success, Freida has been seen in Miral, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Black Gold, Immortals, and Trishna for British director (and Norfolk-based) Michael Winterbottom. Plus there’s been You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger from director Woody Allen. In 2013, Freida participated in the documentary Girl Rising which tells the stories of nine girls from different parts of the world who face various heartbreaking injustices, and she

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continues to support the rights of young women through the organization The Girl Effect. Before hitting the big screen, Pinto made her mark anchoring Full Circle, a travel show which was telecast on Zee International Asia Pacific, going on assignments to Afghanistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Fiji among other countries. The actress, who currently resides between Mumbai and London and is a spokesperson for L’Oreal Paris, has come a long way since then. In Desert Dancer, she plays Elaheh, a trained dancer who helped Afshin Ghaffarian and his friends refine their dance skills. She also happens to be the woman he loved and had to leave when he escaped Iran. After honing the script, director Richard Raymond sent it to Freida’s agent and the Slumdog Millionaire actress immediately responded to it. On first reading of the script, Freida recalls: ‘Elaheh’s character literally popped off the page. Not only was it a role I had never done before, I was also inspired to portray the voice of repressed youth who don’t have any hope.’ She found herself thinking. ‘How would I, who is ever so positive and hopeful, play this character that has lost all faith in herself?’ However, it was a story that she felt she could embrace - one that fit her personal crusade to help young women in the world. Freida is an ambassador for Plan USA’s Because I am a Girl campaign and recently spoke out in support of controversial documentary India’s Daughter. Richard says: ‘Freida felt Elaheh’s story was symbolic of other women and men in the world that were victims to drugs and/or circumstance. She’s a passionate philanthropist and advocate for women’s rights and education in countries where they’re trying to stifle it.’ There were no body doubles in Desert Dancer. Freida trained for a year, with Richard explaining: ‘A body double was actually in the room, waiting in the wings. But after seeing Freida, I let her go that day. Every frame you see on film is actually Freida dancing, which is a testament to her remarkable work ethic.’

| APRIL 2015

THE INCREDIBLE SAM SMITH HAS ANNOUNCED A VERY SPECIAL EAST ANGLIAN HOMECOMING SHOW AS PART OF FOREST LIVE, THE ANNUAL SUMMER MUSIC SERIES ORGANISED BY THE FORESTRY COMMISSION. PLACES&FACES速 CATCHES UP WITH HIM

Sam Smith Brings it Home

CELEBRITY INTERVIEW

AM SMITH REALLY NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION – HE IS THE SINGER OF THE MOMENT. And, with a clutch of Grammy awards and Brits under his belt, Sam is now working on his second album. But the 22-year-old from Cambridgeshire will find time to come to Thetford Forest on July 5 as one of the Forestry Commission summer gigs which also include Tom Odell and Paloma Faith. You can expect hits from his multi-platinum selling album In the Lonely Hour, which debuted at number one in the UK charts and number two on the US Billboard Top 200 last year. His album has sold over five million copies globally, as well as achieving the status of being the only artist in the world in 2014 to sell one million albums in both the UK and US. Number one singles include Money on My Mind and Stay With Me - the huge pop ballad which is still making waves around the world with over 4.8 million copies sold to date. And Sam’s huge commercial success has also been reflected on the red carpet crowning his breakthrough into music’s top ranks in 2015 by winning four Grammy Awards and two Brit Awards! Little wonder that the demand was exceptionally high and tickets sold out the same morning they went on sale last month! Places&Faces® caught up with him: WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR NEXT ALBUM. HOW IS THAT COMING ALONG? I’ve already started writing. I work in terms of concepts. With In the Lonely Hour I had the title before I wrote the music. Now I feel like I have a title and a concept to the record and I’ve already started writing. I’m living through it now. I’m writing some music that I’m very proud of and it’s more honest than anything I’ve ever done. WILL THE NEW ALBUM BE FILLED WITH COLLABORATORS? I don’t think I’ll have anyone on my next record. I want to save duets and collaborations for outside of the album. With the albums, I like it just being me. I also want to write with the same people. I’d love to work with Gaga, Chaka Khan and Ryan Tedder. SO MUCH OF TODAY’S MUSIC IS ABOUT AESTHETICS. HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR SOUND AND VISION FROM NOT HAVING ANY KIND OF DISCONNECT? I want to bring class into mainstream pop. I want that timelessness back. It just makes sense when you sing soul. When Frank Sinatra was 20 years old, he was in a suit. So I want to be in one, too. MANY CELEBRITIES ARE FRAUGHT WITH BODY ISSUES AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE. DOES BEING IN THE LIMELIGHT AMPLIFY THE PROBLEM? Totally - I’ve always had issues with my weight. When I’m going swimming and someone prints a photo of me with my top off, I get sick. I’m very proud that I don’t look like a pop star. I don’t want to. SO DOES THE TERM ROLE MODEL FRIGHTEN YOU? At first I was scared but now I’m actually starting to grow into it a little bit more. It makes me want to keep all my clothes on and stay in my suits. Do you know that there are little girls, aged about 13, coming to my concerts? It’s amazing that a 22-year-old gay man standing on stage in a black-and-white suit, singing about unrequited love, inspires them.

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SAM SMITH

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE COMPARISONS MADE BETWEEN YOU AND ADELE? To be compared to the biggest singer in the world is the most amazing thing. I think we’re very, very different. First of all I’m a guy, but the thing I’d like to take from it is that the similarities are our honesty in music and it’s a shame that there’s only a few people doing that in the industry but it’s amazing to be compared to her. YOU ARE KNOWN FOR YOUR VOCAL CALISTHENICS. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY HAS BEEN THE MOST DIFFICULT NOTE YOU’VE TRIED TO MASTER? Right now I do a cover of My Funny Valentine on stage and there is a really long note at the end of it that I take on. I just started a new diet that helps me sing better, which is helping a lot. No dairy. I make sure I steam my throat and go to bed early - it’s all very important stuff. I warm up my voice every day and have to exercise it. THE NEW YORK TIMES CALLED YOUR TRACK ‘NOT IN THAT WAY’ THE MOST SELF-LACERATING SONG YOU’VE MADE. DO YOU THINK THAT IS ACCURATE? I’m going to disagree. When I wrote that song, it was a happy moment for me. I thought, ‘Finally I wrote something that literally explains every single unrequited feeling I’ve ever had in my life.’ That lyric-‘I’d never ask you / Cause deep down I’m certain / I know what you’d say / You’d say I’m sorry / Believe me I love you / But not in that way’-is something I’d say all the time to my friends about guys I met who were not interested in me. The chance to put that into music was a joyous moment for me and it gave a whole new depth to In the Lonely Hour. FOR MANY GAY MEN, ARTISTS LIKE CHAKA KHAN AND WHITNEY HOUSTON WERE SURROGATE MOTHERS. THEY OFFERED DATING, SEX, LIFE AND CAREER ADVICE FOR CLUBGOERS. WAS THAT TRUE FOR YOU? Of course! As a young teenage man struggling with my sexuality or loads of pressures in school, they helped. Being a gay kid is pretty awful sometimes. When I heard Chaka Khan or Whitney Houston, it gave me the power I needed to get through the day. YOU RECENTLY MET ELTON JOHN. WHAT WAS THE MOST VALUABLE ADVICE HE GAVE YOU? The main thing he said to me was: concentrate on your live shows, as performing on stage is so important. He also said that if I’m ever feeling down, I should forgive myself, it’s human. We’ve been in contact a lot. MANY OF THE WOMEN IN YOUR LIFE WERE THE BREADWINNERS. THIS FACT HAS TURNED YOU INTO A FEMINIST. WHY? I am a feminist because I grew up in a really untraditional way. My mum worked in the City as a broker and my dad stayed at home - that alone made me see things in a different way. I saw my mother struggle. She was one of the only females in her line of work and I know it was hard and difficult for her.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Sam Smith plays Thetford Forest on July 3. It is a sell out. For more information on other gigs, visit forestry.gov.uk/music

| APRIL 2015

Latitude Festival is Flying High

lt-J, Portishead and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds will all be flying high as headliners at Latitude Festival this year. And that’s to say nothing of a comedy line-up which includes Jason Manford, Alan Davies and Jon Richardson! Ten years ago Latitude Festival creator Melvin Benn set out to rewrite the festival rulebook, by creating the UK’s first multi arts boutique festival to challenge the festival status quo. The inaugural festival, in 2006, featured Snow Patrol, Mogwai and Antony and the Johnsons headlining the Obelisk Arena. It’s evolved significantly from the intimate 4,000 attendees it started out with, and has won best line-up, best family festival, headline performance of the year (for Paolo Nutini) and best fan friendly award in the UK Festival Awards over the years, so did Melvin feel the pressure this year? ‘I guess there’s a little more pressure but there’s two ways of going with this thing: you can think ‘it’s the 10th edition, shall we try and book Bruce Springsteen?’ and you can go down that route, or you can think ‘shall we actually build for the future rather than just for this one edition?’ I chose to go for the future.’ First to headline Latitude’s Obelisk Arena on Friday night is a band close to Latitude’s heart; Mercury Prize-winning art-rockers Alt-J. Melvin says: ‘I’m very much one of those people who does all that I can to try and ensure that acts come through, to be headliners. Alt-J have paid their dues at Latitude. They started on the Lake Stage, then the 6 Music stage and now they’re headlining the main stage.’ Portishead will give a rare UK appearance as they top the bill on Saturday. Melvin again: ‘Portishead, for me, are one of the seminal bands that changed the face of what music was when they started to come through. I think that Saturday night will just have an awesomeness, a serenity, and a wonderfulness that’s deserving of that 10th edition.’ Closing Latitude this year is an outfit fronted by one of Britain’s most loved musical figures; Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds.

The 10th edition of Latitude Festival in Suffolk is going to be one worth celebrating in July. Emma Outten speaks to creator Melvin Benn ahead of the event at Henham Park

INTERVIEW

MELVIN BENN

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds

Jack Dee’s Help Desk

alt-J Photo: Gabriel Green

Melvin poses the question: ‘What can you say about Noel that hasn’t already been said? He is one of the gods of British music. Last year we had another one: Damon Albarn, and this year I was determined at some point in my life that Noel Gallagher – as opposed to Oasis - would headline Latitude Festival. I didn’t mind if he came with his band, the High Flying Birds, or if he just came with an acoustic guitar.’ Over the last 10 years Latitude’s comedy line-up has set the bar for summer festivals. Headlining this special 10th edition year will be national treasure Alan Davies, the longstanding QI panellist is well-known for his glorious insight into worldviews. Melvin says simply: ‘Alan Davies – he’s amazing, isn’t he?’ Festival organisers are also hugely excited to announce headliners Jason Manford and 2013 British Comedy Award Best Male Comic nominee Jon Richardson. Plus Jack Dee is on the line-up! As well as the music and comedy headliners, there are more than 100 other acts coming to Henham Park and plans for a new era of the festival include swimming in the lake for the first time in the festival’s history! Melvin says: ‘We’ll have free-form swimming, or wild swimming as it’s called, and escorted swimming for those that are less certain about swimming in a lake. ‘It’s something I’ve wanted to do for quite a while and last year (and the year before) I thought ‘you know what, I’m going to wait for the 10th edition.’ And he adds: ‘I’m interested in introducing a new area called Solas, which is an area of spa and massage and yoga and contemplation as well as intrigue and late night merriment I would say. It’s certainly an area I’m incredibly excited about.’ As Managing Director of Festival Republic, Melvin recently collected the Lifetime Achievement Award at the European Festival Awards. He says of his work: ‘It’s one of the joys of my life, principally because I remain so enthusiastic about it all.’ As well as heading up the team behind Latitude, Reading, Leeds and Electric Picnic festivals, Melvin is Chairman of the Board of Directors at Wembley Stadium and is considered one of the UK’s leading event promoters. Latitude has a special place in his life: ‘Latitude was the festival that I created to reflect my own personal life. People say it is much more about me than any of my other festivals – I don’t necessarily agree with that but what I do know is when Latitude was created there was no such festival in that form, and I wanted to break the mould. ‘Nobody had done it before and now everybody wants to do it - Latitude was the one that started it.’ So what did Melvin have to say about Henham Park itself? ‘I just fell in love with the site, as soon as I saw it,’ he says. Estate Manager is Hektor Rous, son of ‘Aussie Earl’ Keith. ‘I’ve become very close and very good friends with Hektor,’ says Melvin, who adds: ‘I think Suffolk is very, very lucky to have the Rous family.’ He concludes: ‘The main thing is the 10th edition will lead into the first of the next 10 years. I’m not sure I genuinely believed we’d get to 10 years but I can’t actually believe how quickly it’s gone.’

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Headliner Highlights OBELISK ARENA Alt-J Portishead Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds BBC RADIO 6 MUSIC STAGE Jon Hopkins The Vaccines SBTRKT COMEDY AT LATITUDE Jason Manford Alan Davies Jon Richardson

The 10th edition of Latitude Festival takes place from July 16 to 19 in Henham Park, Suffolk. Visit www.latitudefestival.co.uk

| APRIL 2015

ROARING

SUCCESS

CELEBRITY INTERVIEW

PIPPA MOORE

Northern Ballet brings The Great Gatsby to Norwich this month, promising a dramatic insight into the decadent Jazz Age. Sarah Hardy talks to one of its stars, Pippa Moore he F Scott Fitzgerald novel, The Great Gatsby, is a vivid account of the so-called Roaring Twenties, those pre Depression days of excess and indulgence in America when cash was king. It has proved to be a wonderful subject matter for a ballet and who better than Northern Ballet, one of Britain’s most exciting and challenging dance companies, to bring it to life on stage? It has been nominated for a UK Theatre Award for Achievement In Dance and the Best Classical Choreography prize in the National Dance Awards, and was really a labour of love for the company’s artistic director David Nixon, who loves the book. He says: ‘Re-imagining popular classic stories is Northern Ballet’s speciality and The Great Gatsby has everything for a great ballet: a love triangle, decadence, desperation and heartbreak.’ The show arrives at Norwich Theatre Royal on April 14 and simply oozes glamour and style – as well as revealing the destructive power of cash – or too much of it! It tells the tale of the millionaire Jay Gatsby, played by both Rob Redford and Leonardo DiCaprio to great acclaim in the movie versions, and his infatuation with the debutante Daisy Buchanan. Premier dancer Pippa Moore, who plays Daisy, says the show is hard work but great fun, saying: ‘It is a high energy show and really conveys the craziness of the 20s. It stays very true to the novel so nobody will be disappointed. And I love the costumes, they are gorgeous to wear!’ Pippa has been dancing since she was aged nine, starting in her home town of Liverpool. ‘Mum worked next to a dance school so on a Saturday, she would take my sister and me there while she worked! ‘I remember loving Fame on TV and Grease was a really popular film so I really preferred musical theatre. It was only when I was about 12 that I started to take ballet seriously. I won a scholarship to the Hammond School of Dance in Chester. It is a vocational school so it was all then geared to having a career in dance.’ She has been with Northern Ballet since 1996, saying: ‘I guess it is because they do pieces with a great narrative, we all have to help tell a story which is something I really enjoy.’ Subscribe online at www.placesandfaces.co.uk

Pippa, who lives in Leeds where Northern Ballet is based, says that she has remained with the company so long because of the quality and variety of work on offer and because the company is like a family. ‘We work together, travel together and have to look after each other, so we all become very close.’ Over the years she has danced in numerous shows, including Cinderella, Giselle, Peter Pan and Dracula, to name a few. She reckons: ‘It is impossible to choose a favourite – it is usually the one I am dancing at present; they are so allconsuming.’ And indeed, she has to keep several dances in her head at any one period. ‘For example, we ran through Wuthering Heights this afternoon, I’ll dance Romeo and Juliet tonight, and I’m chatting now about The Great Gatsby! ‘As our shows are such hard work, we all learn many parts and take it in turns to dance the lead, especially as we often do two shows a day when we are on tour.’ She is on tour until June when she then has a month off before starting rehearsals for the next Northern Ballet production – 1984. ‘We are all really excited about it; it has never been transformed into a ballet before so it will be interesting to see how it is done. And yes, I guess it will come to Norwich before too long. ‘We all love coming to Norwich as we know it so well, we come twice a year and get great audiences.’ Pippa has been a vegan for 15 years and loves the city’s wholefood shops, saying: ‘You have a great selection, like Rainbow, and I tend to stock up when I’m with you.’ Away from the work of dance and you’ll find Pippa enjoying the great outdoors. ‘I spend a lot of time inside, in the dark, so I love to go for long walks.’ Pippa is aware that her dancing days are perhaps limited, saying: ‘I want to finish while I am still dancing at my best. I haven’t any plans to retire but I realise it will be in the near future!’ She continues: ‘I would love to pass on my knowledge - all that I have learnt about my roles. When I was a young professional, I would have loved some tips and advice from someone who had actually been through it all.’

The Great Gatsby, Theatre Royal, Norwich, April 14 to 18, tel 01603 630000 or visit www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

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| APRIL 2015

COSMETIC THO U GHTS THIS MONTH OUR RICHARD GAZES UP AT THE STARS AND PONDERS HIS PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE

ES I DID GO TO THE GYM ONCE. IT WAS MANY YEARS AGO. MY DAUGHTER SOPHIE (about whom more in a moment) decided that I needed more exercise and she paid for membership of the local health club. I kitted myself out with the most fashionable gear and spent a fortune on trainers. I then had an assessment and was prescribed a ‘gentle’ regime of activity. After my first session I was – there is no other word for it even in a polite publication like this – knackered. All around me people with rippling muscles were lifting weights, stretching springs and running at close to the speed of sound on treadmills. I lasted three more sessions before I put my fancy kit in the bottom drawer and let the trainers gather dust. For a brief while I indulged in a little calm cycling in the quiet lanes in these parts, but I could not cope with Norfolk’s steep hills. My future, therefore, seemed destined as a couch potato. Enter, then, Nia our lovely rehomed guide dog. She has already featured in P&F (see P&F March 2014). No sooner had she found her way into our hearts than she was joined by another ex guide dog – a little collie/golden retriever cross called Daisy. The two dogs became best friends immediately but are still quite young and have boundless energy that needs regular release. Throughout the day they go for short runs, but last thing at night I take them for a long walk beneath the stars down a dark lane behind our house that leads nowhere. We (the dogs and I) stroll through the ruts and puddles. While the dogs play and race about in the fields I stare at the sky at familiar and unfamiliar groups of stars – Orion, the Plough, Cassiopeia, the Milky Way and our near neighbours Jupiter, Mars and Venus. It is a humbling and mind stretching exercise to contemplate the vastness of space. We think the earth is huge and that we are big shots on our planet but, viewed from the Voyager 1 spacecraft as it left the solar system, it was not even big enough to fill one pixel of the photograph and was described by the late Carl Sagan as a ‘mote of dust suspended on a sunbeam.’

RICHARD BARR

A LOOK AT LIFE

In cosmic terms we are not even a speck of dust or even an atom by comparison. We are part of a galaxy (the Milky Way) that has 400,000 million stars in it, and is one of several billion galaxies. The largest known star (VY Canis Majoris) is so big that if a passenger jet had set out simply to go round it (not to it) in 1066, by 2015 it would still have 200 years to go before it came back to where it started. As these thoughts were raining down on me from the sky, the dogs flushed out a rabbit and set off at high speed across a field of sugar beet. It took several blasts on the whistle to get them back. Guide dogs are not educated in doggy activities such as chasing wildlife, so it is all very new to them still. Several minutes later they returned with smiles on their faces – which set me off in another direction of thought. Our speck of dust is about 4 billion years old and the first signs of life appeared about a billion years later. We should not be alarmed by such large figures. Just turn them into Euros and think of them as Greece’s national debt. Those early life forms were your ancestors (and mine), because down through millions of years the beings that eventually emerged from the primordial soup slowly, imperceptibly, morphed into creatures that looked like us. In the last 0.001 per cent of earth’s history we emerged as recognisable human beings. But don’t feel too grand about that. As Bill Bryson (who now lives among us in Norfolk) pointed out in his Short History of Nearly Everything, all life is one and we are so closely related to fruit and vegetables that half the chemical functions that take place in a banana are fundamentally the same as take place in us. The dogs gave up on the rabbit. It is not their role in life to extinguish life. That unfortunately is the preserve of mankind. It is estimated that we are causing at least two extinctions a week, which brings me back to Carl Sagan and our world. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every ‘superstar,’ every ‘supreme leader,’ every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam. And soon there will be another. Sophie is due to turn me into a grandfather in July – and introduce onto this planet another human being to live the dreams and nightmares of the 21st century, so let me deliver to every grandchild a final warning from Sagan: ‘There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known.’ And the last word from me: beware of future articles they may be soggy with soppy tales of the gurgles and less pleasant outpourings of grandchild Barr. That may well provide the incentive you need to leave this planet and settle in a distant galaxy.

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| APRIL 2015

THE FA S H I O N I S TA S

THE POPULAR FASHION BOUTIQUE ANNETTE COLLINS IS CELEBRATING ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY IN THE BROADS. SARAH HARDY CATCHES UP WITH THE DYNAMIC OWNERS

WO GREAT FRIENDS, Annette Collins and Jenni Devereux, have been sharing their passion for fashion for almost 30 years! They have been in business together for 28 years and this year are celebrating 25 years in Hoveton, in Church Road.

Their stylish boutique offers a warm welcome

to both new and regular customers, with Annette explaining: ‘It is all about a service, helping people find exactly what they are after. We can help as much or as little as people want.’ Indeed, it is a real treat to step inside the store which is full of tempting goodies and always smells beautifuly – and the owners are so friendly, with a cup of tea or coffee on offer! The shop caters for women across the age group and all appreciate the wide selection of smart casual day wear, and the odd occasional wear piece, available. Popular labels include Betty Barclay, Gerry Weber, Marble, Signature, Lebek, Eugen Klein and Robell & Michéle Olsen

BARBARA LEBEK

ADVERTISING FEATURE

ANNETTE COLLINS JUST WHITE

TINA TAYLOR

The pair know the majority of their customers by their first names and often buy pieces with a

The pair are

particular customer in mind. ‘Oh yes, we do see items

planning several

that we know will suit a certain lady, and we buy for

celebrations for this

the lifestyles that people have here in The Broads,’ says Annette. The new spring collection includes lots of lovely day dresses and there’s a real accent on colour. ‘That is what we are known for. This season we have a lovely turquoise, a pretty pink, a lime green with silver, a very pale peachy pink with caramel - and we always have navy and white,’ says Annette. The shop also stocks a wide selection of costume

very special year, including a fashion show on June 16 at The Old Rectory, Crostwick. Tickets

jewellery plus accessories such as scarves, and

are available from

offering an alteration service which is very popular.

the shop and they

There is also plenty of free parking available. Both women are showing no sign of slowing up. ‘We still love it, we still love buying, serving our customers and seeing what new pieces we can find.

include a buffet lunch.

Jenni and I work so well together, we often know exactly what the other is thinking!’ They allow themselves a moment of reflection on their achievement, with Annette saying: ‘We are proud

FOR MORE INFORMATION

of ourselves, our families are very close, and we all

Annette Collins, Church Road, Wroxham, Norfolk,

support each other.’

tel 01603 784248, visit www.annettecollins.co.uk

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| APRIL 2015

HOP TO IT, LIKE THE EASTER BUNNY, AND GET OUT AND ABOUT THIS MONTH WITH THE HELP OF OUR MONTHLY ROUND-UP

EASTER Bring your family to Hoveton Hall Gardens from April 3 to 6 and enjoy exploring the gardens with the special Easter Treasure Hunt. The hunt is free with garden admission and all entries receive an Easter prize. Visit www.hovetonhall.co.uk.

FAIRHAVEN There is lots going on at Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden, as always, with an Easter egg hunt on Good Friday (April 3); a Forest Night Adventure with Jon Tyler of Wildforwoods on April 4; and a Dawn Chorus event on April 11. Call 01603 270449 or visit www.fairhavengarden.co.uk.

STEAM PUNK Bressingham Steam is staging Norfolk’s biggest Steam Punk Weekend on April 11 and 12, along with a special Vagabonds Ball on the Saturday evening, when Crooked Theatre presents Metropolis, Gladstone and Thy Last Drop. Call 01379 686900 or visit www.bressingham.co.uk.

POTTERS Britain’s Got Talent 2014 winners operatic boy band Collabro are making their debut in Norfolk when they appear at Potters Resort on April 12; then enjoy a mysterious night when heart-throb, singer, song writer, presenter, and all-round nice guy Peter Andre takes to the stage of the Atlas Theatre on April 19. Visit www.pottersholidays.com or call 0333 3207 497.

THEATRE James and Jack Fox will play Sunday Times racing correspondent Roger Mortimer and his son Charlie and gave an intimate and sharply observed view of their life via 25 years of letters in Dear Lupin at Norwich Theatre Royal from April 27 to May 2. Visit www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk or call 01603 630000.

WHAT’S ON

MONTHLY ROUND-UP

EXHIBITION A ground-breaking exhibition, Francis Bacon and the Masters, comes to Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts from April 18 to July 26. The exhibition will include works by Rembrandt, Velazquez, Rodin, Michelangelo, Picasso, Bernini, Cezanne, Titian, Matisse and Van Gogh as well as superb examples of antique Greek, Roman and Egyptian sculpture from the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg. Visit www.scva.ac.uk

HEALTH WALKS Enjoy at health walk at RSPB North Warren in Suffolk on April 8. Meet on the green beside Thorpeness Meare and finish with coffee at The Meare Café. The walk will be led by RSPB volunteers trained as Health Walk Leaders in partnership with Stepping Out in Suffolk Health Walks. Visit www.rspb.org.uk.

GARDENS The National Gardens Scheme in Norfolk has two gardens full of spring colours opening on both Easter Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday: Desert World Gardens at Santon Downham, packed with more than 70 varieties of magnolias thanks to owner Barry Gayton; and Wretham Lodge, East Wretham. Visit www.ngs.org.uk. LIVE MUSIC Norfolk’s very own ‘stampy’ English Folk band, Addison’s Uncle, visit Norwich Cathedral on April 24. Since finding out about becoming an uncle, singer-songwriter Philip Pearson has been writing his 21st century folk story. Call 01603 218321 or visit www.cathedral.org.uk.

LEGEND Don’t miss a rare opportunity to see showbusiness legend Des O’Connor live on stage for a wonderful evening of comedy, laughter and music at King’s Lynn Corn Exchange on April 12. Des is today established as one of the world’s most popular and best loved entertainers, after landing his first television series in the UK. Visit www.kingslynncornexchange.co.uk.

SHAKESPEARE Tara Arts brings Indian movement and live music to Shakespeare’s classic text, Macbeth, at the Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmonds from April 14 to 18. Starring Robert Mountford (Much Ado, RSC, Silent Witness) as Macbeth, with Shaheen Khan (Rafta Rafta, NT, Bend it Like Beckham) as Lady Macbeth. Visit www.theatreroyal.org.

EXHIBITIONS Four separate but simultaneous exhibitions, in four different Norwich locations, bring major sculptural work from Brazilian-born artist, Ana Maria Pacheco, to Norwich for the first time. Locations include Norwich University of the Arts (until April 25); Norwich Cathedral; Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery; and the Cathedral of St John the Baptist. Visit www.n-cas.org.uk.

BEACH There will be a Coast 2015 Beach Clean at Dunwich Heath and Beach on April 11. Help the National Trust look after our precious coast by collecting litter dropped or washed up on the beach. Litter pickers and bags will be provided, but please bring thick gloves! Visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk.

COMEDY One of the UK’s funniest females, Gina Yashere, returns to her home country from across the Pond with her highly-anticipated brand new show, taking in Norwich Arts Centre on April 7. Laugh Riot will explore it all, Gina-style; her recent move to New York and the ridiculous auditions which made her leave Los Angeles. Age guidance is 15 plus. Visit www.norwichartscentre.co.uk or call 01603 660352.

| APRIL 2015

Festival

Wolfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Child

something a little different, something a bit out of the ordinary 36

WHAT’S ON

NORFOLK AND NORWICH FESTIVAL

The region’s premier arts

he Norfolk and Norwich Festival, which runs from May 8-24, aims to bring something a little different, something a bit out of the ordinary, to the region. Under the custodianship of artistic director William Galinsky, the Festival prides itself on its diversity, with everything from jazz, to classical music, street theatre, dance, literature, film and comedy on offer. It is truly expansive. But what are the highlights? One must be a twilight production of the grown up fairytale of love and betrayal, Wolf’s Child, in the grounds of Felbrigg Hall, the National Trust’s 17th century stately home in north Norfolk. With a professional cast of 13, around 50 local volunteers are also taking part in something that sounds very exciting and possibly a bit scary! The Australian circus troupe, Circa, has been commissioned to create a new piece, What Will Have Been, while The Voice Project, Norfolk’s community choir, performs another new commission, The Observatory, in and around the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts. A stage adaptation of Norwich writer Eimear McBride’s hit novel, A Girl is a Half-formed Thing, by Dublin Company The Corn Exchange comes to Britain for the first time; the literary line-up includes Sarah Waters, Rose Tremain, Mark Cocker and Patrick Barkham and Norwich Castle Museum plays host to an exhibition of works by the American artist Jeff Koons. The Adnams spiegeltent returns again, to Chapelfield Gardens, in the second week, and this year offers a

festival, the Norfolk and Norwich Festival, bursts into life next month. Sarah Hardy previews the 17 day event

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Richard DeDomenici

A Girl is a

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Half Form

ed Thing ©

Richie Gillig

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WHAT’S ON

NORFOLK AND NORWICH FESTIVAL series of late night gigs curated by EFG London Jazz Festival and Belgian company X TNT will be popping up in various outdoor spaces doing all sorts of weird and wonderful things – hopefully most of which are legal. We can say no more. The classical music programme, performed in the area’s beautiful churches, chapels and concert halls, sees an emphasis on the work of Felix Mendelssohn, with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra linking up with the Festival Chorus, and a solid line-up of vocal talent, including the country’s leading bass Sir John Tomlinson, to perform Elijah. Jazz is another key part of the Festival and this year sees a concert by legendary South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim while The Hot Sardines from New York are sure to get you dancing in the aisles and Polar Bear, led by drummer Seb Rochford, offer their usual experimental mixture of sounds. Chapefield Gardens stages its two-day Garden Party with all sorts of free events and activities for the family and also look out for Radio 4 poet and UEA graduate Luke Wright The Festival comes to close with an outdoor 360 degree show called 451 which has been inspired by Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451. Expect plenty of pyrotechnics and general high jinx. William comments: ‘The Festival is about ground breaking new work and this year sees more originally commissioned work and premieres than ever before. We’re excited to have artists from different disciplines coming into the county who are exploring the dramatic Norfolk landscape and the medieval beauty of Norwich – one of the UK’s most creative cities – and creating spectacularly impressive work. ‘The county is becoming a major cultural destination; Norwich is the only UNESCO City of Literature in England and I am proud that Norfolk and Norwich Festival is playing a major part in drawing the attention of the world to the region.’ And as this Festival draws to a close, the Norfolk and Norwich Open Studios bursts into life, from May 23 to June 7, where the county’s artists throw open their studio doors to allow the public to visit and explore.

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

Flavia Coelho ©BernardBenant

The Festival is about ground breaking new work

For more details, visit www.nnfestival.org.uk and 88 - Tate r Bears 19 et al ns Winte land ot Sc Jeff Koo of Galleries National ns ©Jeff Koo

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WHAT’S ON

VISITNORWICH

TUCK IN EASTER COMES EARLY THIS YEAR SO LET’S START APRIL BY DEVOURING SOME FANTASTIC LOCAL FLAVOURS, SAYS MELANIE COOK

ASTER WEEKEND IS A PARTICULARLY GREAT TIME TO GET TOGETHER WITH GROUPS OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY. There’s no pressure like Christmas, no presents to buy other than chocolate treats, the weather is a little warmer, the days a little longer and in general it’s so much more relaxed. The same goes for what to eat at Easter, except perhaps the emphasis is more sweet than savoury: with chocolate, hot cross buns and Simnel cake for starters. If you plan to entertain at home there’s no end of fresh local produce available from the likes of specialist food markets and farm shops, after all Norfolk is bursting at the seams with some of the best food and drink providers in the land. The Forum in Norwich has a monthly market, The Norfolk Diet, and Norwich Market is a one-stop shop for delicious ingredients including cheese, veg, organic meat, ale, chocolate, and fish. Plus there are weekly markets in our county towns like Wymondham and Aylsham. For those who cannot get out shopping, yet still endeavour to eat local, there are numerous home delivery options such as Stones Throw at Elveden who champion local suppliers such as Mrs Temple’s Cheeses, Swannington Farm to Folk and Wolf Brewery. Many of Norwich’s restaurants, hotels and cafés serve fresh, seasonal dishes. The newly re-categorised Old Rectory in Thorpe St Andrew is an AA Gold four-star ‘Restaurant with Rooms’ with the restaurant boasting a 2AA rosette. Chris and Sally Entwhistle couldn’t be more hospitable, and they certainly know their food and wine! Roger Hickman’s Restaurant in Norwich (3AA rosette) has just been refurbished and offers the best value for money, fine dining lunch around. For £20 diners enjoy a delicious two-course lunch; for £24 a three-course lunch. There’s also the option of a five-course tasting menu for £35, dive into the blow-torched mackerel with beetroot and horseradish and you won’t regret it. Norwich is famed as a medieval city with splendid architecture, proud of its 1500 heritage buildings. It will

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therefore come as no surprise to learn many of the city’s great eateries are housed in fine buildings. The Last Wine Bar & Restaurant was converted from a Victorian shoe factory – hence its name. The Dining Rooms is located in Suckling House, a building dating back to the 16th century, The Library Restaurant Bar & Grill was once the Norfolk and Norwich Subscription Library, open between 1784-1976 and The Assembly House, a magnificent Georgian Grade I listed building whose eventful past includes the 1805 Grand Ball held to celebrate Nelson’s Glorious Victory off Cape Trafalgar. The house was decorated with flags and banners, and some of the original banner fixings are still visible today on the restaurant’s balcony. Whilst gifts are less important at Easter, they cannot be ignored, so head to Jarrold’s Deli for chocolate heaven, especially local delicacies! Booja-Booja is a firm Norfolk favourite, and luxury chocolates such as Rum Sozzled Sultana Truffles and Around Midnight Espresso Truffles will make you the most popular person around if you present a box of these naughty delights. And if you want to spice things up, head to The Mustard Shop in the Royal Arcade. Having produced mustard in the city for over 200 years why not give someone you love this year a bar of Mustard Chocolate? Made from 70 per cent cocoa solids, it’s dark chocolate at its best - if you dare be so adventurous of course! With all this wonderful food and drink to shout about don’t miss later in the year, The Norwich City of Ale Festival (May 21-31) celebrating its fifth birthday and recently endorsed by CAMRA as a role model for other cities to follow and the ever popular Norwich Beer Festival (October 26-31). FOR MORE INFORMATION Visit: www.visitnorwich.co.uk

| APRIL 2015

No Plain Jane Benet Catty enjoys the new songbook show, Beautiful, which pays tribute to the singer, Carole King

here has always been a trickle of cheap and cheerful ‘here’s a load of songs you already have on CD’ musicals running in London, whether it was Buddy (which ran 10 years) or Smokey Joe’s Cafe (based on Leiber and Stoller) or Five Guys Named Moe (using Louis Armstrong) - the latter remaining the most entertaining of them all. But the trickle became an avalanche after Mamma Mia! when it became clear that the quality of pop songs would outweigh any intellectual or dramatic limitations, and that people would forgive anything if the songs were ones they already knew and loved. Few exceptions - Jersey Boys foremost among them - stuck their neck out by getting a proper script or a top flight director. Most of the rest have made do. Joining the current crop of mix-tape musicals that includes Sunny Afternoon, The Commitments and Thriller Live! is Beautiful - a musical which places itself resolutely in the middle of the road and sets its sights no higher that the turn tables of the x-million greatest hits CDs that its subject, the great Carole King, has sold over her mighty 50 year career. Beautiful may not be as gorgeous as the songs but nor is it a plain Jane. The set shines like the Oscar set that the designer Derek McLane has previously created; the sound is better than for most musicals (it even won a Tony) and

WEST END REVIEW

BEAUTIFUL

Those who want to listen to a greatest hits gig in public are sumptuously served the characters are acted with more dimension than Douglas McGrath’s script might have allowed them. Those who want to listen to a greatest hits gig in public are sumptuously served with the brilliance - occasionally even dazzle - of the songs and the chutzpah with which they are delivered. Just as Jersey Boys has Walk Like a Man and We Will Rock You had Bohemian Rhapsody, Beautiful has The Locomotion. And boy oh boy, that’s a song worth hearing and seeing live. And so is You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling. And You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman. And Will You Love Me Tomorrow. If you’re interested in booking for Beautiful, the songs will be why. All of these copper-bottomed hits would count for nothing were it not for Katie Brayben. Previously unknown outside of theatre circles but now pushing herself into a major league, Brayben plays King truthfully, while also giving the songs the power and attack you’d expect at a gig. When the crowd rises to their feet at the curtain call, they are rising for her. The difficulty some may find with a show telling Carole King’s life story is that she has not had a life crowded with incident. Where the Four Seasons (the basis of Jersey Boys) had to deal with the mob, Carole King had to deal with playing strip poker with her best friends on a weekend away. Where Mamma Mia! sets itself on a Greek island, Beautiful moves back and forth between recording studios and living rooms.

The house lights go down at 7.30; at 7.35 a young King asks her mother to let her try and sell a song to a record company rather than pursuing a normal job; by 7.40 she’s made a sale. I wish I had her problems. Her husband leaves her conveniently in time for the interval so that she can do the ‘sing a famous song through tears of pain’ routine so beloved of these sorts of shows. But, other than that, King has few problems worthy of the theatrical time spent on them. Her producer, ‘The Man with the Golden Ear’ Don Kirshner, charismatically played by Gary Trainor, has the unenviable job of saying variations on: ‘It’s great, it’ll be a hit,’ for two and a half hours, which takes some beating. Whether you enjoy Beautiful depends on what you’re looking for. If you want to have a theatrical experience, I wouldn’t set your hopes too high. You’re going to a gig with a story. If you want to pulse to the beat of some of the greatest songs of the 60s and 70s - rather as you would if you had a greatest hits album playing at full blast on your stereo - then this songbook show is one of the better ways of spending an evening. And judging from the audience reaction and the clutch of Olivier nominations it recently received, this King musical may be remaining on the throne for a fair while yet.

Beautiful, Aldwych Theatre, 49 Aldwych, London, WC2B 4DF, visit www.beautifulmusical.com

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ESTATE AGENTS Fine & Country 7 Bank Plain, Norwich, Norfolk NR2 4SF Tel 01603 221888 www.fineandcountry.com

| APRIL 2015

GUIDE PRICE £1.8million

Waterside

Wonder

he current owner of Little Holland in Ludham may not have known the first thing about Norfolk before she made the move here but this very special house soon worked its magic. She says: ‘I didn’t know Norfolk and wasn’t sure about making the move but the house persuaded me – and it’s been wonderful. I’ve made so many friends in the village.’ The picturesque property, built in the early 1900s, sits in an unrivalled position down by the water in the heart of the Norfolk Broads. With generous grounds, a tennis court, garaging complex with games room, workshop and annexe, as well as the spacious home and fabulous waterside setting, it’s hard to imagine a more tempting package! The owner found Little Holland when looking for a home by the river and it’s far surpassed her expectations: ‘The beauty of it is that it’s not on the main stretch of river but tucked away down a series of little dykes, so you have all the benefits of being by the water but it’s very private when you’re out in the garden.’ Little Holland has been designed to make the most of the setting, with views across the garden to the water beyond from most of the principal rooms and a balcony from the master bedroom. But, really, the accommodation centres on a spectacular kitchen that’s simply beautiful and flooded with light. The owner enjoys cooking and has found this a wonderful place in which to work,

IF YOU’RE AFTER A PRIVATE RIVERSIDE RETREAT, THEN LITTLE HOLLAND IN LUDHAM IS THE PLACE TO BEAT. EMMA OUTTEN FALLS A LITTLE BIT IN LOVE

PROPERTY OF THE MONTH

LITTLE HOLLAND, LUDHAM

catering for a large number of guests over her time here. The kitchen is open to a spacious conservatory on one side and generous dining area on the other, both leading out onto the garden and offering a fabulous outlook. ‘I’ve had 90 here for drinks and canapés in the kitchen. It really is a very good size for entertaining but it’s also comfortable when it’s quiet.’ The previous owners had a self-contained annexe within the main house and the owner has converted that into a formal dining room - which can comfortably accommodate up to 10 people - with a pair of French doors which open up to a further conservatory to the side of the property. It also means that you have another two receptions that would make the perfect space for a playroom and television room or somewhere teenagers could call their own. This is a truly glorious setting. Two double electric gated entrances lead to ample parking for up to 20 cars (yes, you read that correctly!), whilst there is garaging for five cars. The gardens here are generous and wrap around the property, and feature herb and vegetable gardens as well as a greenhouse. The large lawn at the front could easily be enclosed to make it safe for dogs or young children, while the main gardens at the back are very special, with two slipways and a good amount of water frontage. It’s the ideal place from which to fish or to set off and explore the Broads by boat. As you’d expect there’s also plenty of bird and wildlife to enjoy – the owner has seen nesting swans, coots, grebes, moorhens, kingfishers, Chinese water deer and even an otter! The back of the house faces west so you can watch breathtaking sunsets too. ‘It’s a lovely place to relax, but if you’re feeling more energetic just grab your racquet for a game of tennis on the hard court or head over to the games room for a spot of snooker. It’s lovely when you have weekend guests and they

can head off and play, especially if you have a house party,’ the owner smiles. Indeed guests travelling from London can come on the train to Norwich then continue on to Wroxham, which is just a short drive from Ludham. ‘My grandchildren often come here on the train and it’s an easy journey,’ she explains. With a thriving village offering useful amenities and a wide selection of groups and events, regular buses to Norwich, places to sail and fish, many local nature reserves, a plethora of walks and fabulous quiet stretch of coastline, this is a brilliant place to live. ‘I’ll find it hard to match the location, let alone the house!’ Neil MacLennan, director of sales at Fine & Country Norfolk & North Suffolk, would agree: ‘We are fortunate to get instructed on some special properties here at Fine & Country; when I first visited Little Holland I was spell bound by its charm and unique setting.’ The last word goes to the owner: ‘I’ve made lots of memories here, hosting summer barbecues, Christmas drinks receptions and weekend house parties. It really is magical.’

FACTFILE A classical Edwardian detached home with private moorings situated within the Broadland Village of Ludham

Six bedrooms in main house including master with dressing room

Two-bedroom self-contained annexe

Guest suite above garaging

River lodge

Open plan kitchen through to sitting room and conservatory

Grounds of approximately 6.14 acres

Two private slipways to the Norfolk Broads

Stunning setting with beautiful river views

Tennis court

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Accommodation extends to 8,166sq ft including detached garage

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An exclusive development of five detached properties in this popular Broadland location. These 3 and 4 bedroom properties will be finished to a high standard of specification including oil fired central heating (underfloor on ground level), PV solar panels, fully fitted kitchens with NEFF appliances, Villeroy & Boch white sanitary ware, Porcelanosa tiling, flooring throughout and exterior cream finished UPVC windows. All the four bedroom properties offer double garages with electric roller doors.

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| APRIL 2015

EASTER AT H O M E

Series by Helena Springfield, Rise & Shine bedding sets. Single £25, double £40, king size £50, super king £65 No encouragement needed to rise and shine when waking up in this vibrant bedding! The colour palette is a mixture of muted background shades with zingy tangerine, poppy and chartreuse in the bold, oversized floral motifs. If you love a modern, slightly retro 60s look then this is the perfect statement piece to set the scene. Simply add brightly painted occasional chairs and window dressings, and the scene is set.

OUR HOMES WRITERS HAYLEY PHILPOT AND JENNIFER READ SUGGEST WAYS OF ADDING A BIT OF EASTER CHEER TO YOUR ROOMS

ecorating the house at Easter time has become increasingly popular over recent years. Of course, there is the statutory Easter egg hunt for the children inside and out, together with the chocolate eggs and Simnel cake. But twig trees bedecked with bunnies, chicks and eggs have become almost as important as the Christmas tree in some households, particularly those with little ones. Maybe this is a step too far for some, but nevertheless it’s a good excuse to have a bit of fun with some accessories around the house. So why not say Happy Easter by trying some of these ideas and brightening up your bedroom, kitchen or living space.

Emma Bridgewater, Chicken double mug gift set £39.95 Wake up to your coffee or tea in these delightful chicken mugs. Two packed safely in their own hen house and again, what a great gift idea.

Gisela Graham, Artificial Eggs £8 Unbelievably realistic, these beautiful eggs are all ready to hang on your twig tree. Or you may prefer to gather your own twigs and greenery from the garden and use these to create your own table centre.

Gisela Graham, Easter Wreaths from £12 Beautiful speckled eggs, plaited wicker and artificial moss combine to create these stunning everlasting wreaths to adorn a wall or door, or as a spectacular table centrepiece for the celebratory Easter meal.

INTERIORS

EASTER

Catherine Lansfield, Bunnies bedding sets. Single £18, double £26 Isn’t this fun? Kids will just love these adorable bunnies, keeping them company as they drift off to sleep. Forget counting sheep – count bunnies instead! A pretty mix of pastels and brights, cotton rich and fantastic value too.

HAYLEY & JENNIFER are homeware buyers at Jarrold’s Jarrold’s, 1-11 London Street, Norwich, NR2 1AL www.jarrold.co.uk The Granary, 5 Bedford Street, Norwich, NR2 1AL www.thegranary.co.uk

Matthew Rice, Chicken Landscape tea towel £10 Almost too good to use, this lovely tea towel depicts an idyllic farmyard scene. Spot the cute little babies in the water tank and the young black Lab wondering whether to take a chance and jump out of the truck or not. Matthew loves his chickens and has been inspired to draw them all. From the feathery pride of his Poland to the fluffy appeal of his Wyandotte. UK made and 100 per cent cotton.

Scion, towels from £10 Bring a touch of light hearted luxury into the bathroom with these bold and cheery towels. Shades of white and subtle silvers and greys form a background for the stunning citrus yellow patterns. Simple yet so effective. 100 per cent cotton.

Emma Bridgewater, Hen on Nest £54.95 Both Emma and her husband Matthew Rice love hens on nests. Emma remembers there always being one on her mother’s dresser and by the time she and Matthew met, they had already collected four between them. Traditionally for keeping eggs in, many have found a different use from a place to hide the door and car keys to hiding a secret stash of chocolate! Whatever you choose to do with them, they are simply delightful to look at. Select from four of her iconic designs – Polka Dot, Rose and Bee, Black Toast and Blue Hen. They’re gift boxed too, for that perfect Easter present. Gisela Graham, 70 cm Pussy Willow Tree £40 Looking gorgeous and just waiting to be decorated, this artificial tree is so realistic. Although it would look just as impressive as a statement piece in the right situation. The choice is yours. Subscribe online at www.placesandfaces.co.uk

Salhouse Garden Centre

Be sure to visit us for all your Perennials, shrubs, climbers, roses, alpines, ornamental and fruit trees, summer bedding, Geraniums, Fuchias, Basket and Patio Plants.

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The shop has an excellent stock of all your garden accessories, tools, bird care, house plants. A superb range of gifts to suit all tastes, plus a good selection of cards. Enjoy a visit to our teashop boasting inside and outside seating. We produce home made daily specials, cakes and pastries.

Salhouse Garden Centre, Honeycombe Road, Salhouse, Norwich, Norfolk NR13 6JP | Telephone 01603 722250

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We are a friendly family run business specialising in plants, shrubs, trees, roses, conifers, perennial and seasonal plants with a huge selection of well established mature trees and shrubs for that professional finished look. We grow everything on the premises.

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Ormesby St Michael, Gt Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR29 3LT 01493 732694 www.broadlandnurseries.co.uk

| APRIL 2015

D R I P, D R I P D R O P. . . Our gardening writer Ellen Mary dodges the showers and gets out in the garden

pril is the month to enjoy bright yellow daffodils and flowering trees coming into bloom. It’s a busy month with cleaning, sowing, weeding and planting. You will start to see more colour and will be eager to put your plans into action as we see more sunny days, but beware of late frosts and of course those expected April showers. This month is also a great time to get started on the lawn by weeding, feeding and sowing seed to ensure it’s a carpet of green by summer.

Garden and Flowers Why not try growing some summer annuals from seed? If you don’t have a greenhouse, all you will need is a propagator box or even a warm, light windowsill. Try sowing nasturtiums for a peppery flavour in salads and some pretty petunias for your hanging baskets. Tidy up your perennials by pruning your penstemons and lavender and dividing your hostas and agapanthus. This will give you more plants for your garden – for free! Now is a good time of year to keep your weeds under control. As they start to grow use your hoe to disturb them and break up the soil to ensure none of them get the chance to compete with your other plants for nutrients. By doing this now, you will save yourself a lot of time later.

Give it a go

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GARDENING

JOBS FOR THE MONTH

Fruit and Vegetables If you have an allotment or are just planning on making some space in your garden, dig in a good five cm of well rotted manure now. By preparing the soil and giving it time for the nutrients to be absorbed and the soil to settle, it will give you the perfect patch to start planting your vegetables. Always think ahead in gardening; now is the time to sow your squash seeds under cover. Courgette, pumpkin and butternut squash are some of the most rewarding vegetables to grow so give them a try. Sow them in fresh seed compost and keep them protected. For obvious reasons strawberries are a popular fruit to grow, both on allotments and in the garden in hanging baskets, but they aren’t just tasty to us! Birds and squirrels will enjoy a peck or two, so cover them over with netting to ensure they are all yours with a splash of cream.

Wildlife Gardening The nesting season is well underway and you will hear the birdsong building up. Whilst we are tidying up the garden, leave some areas untouched which will help them immensely. You may find a nest or two in your trees and shrubs so avoid cutting back until the summer to ensure you don’t disturb them. Hedgehogs will be waking up hungry and tired, and are looking to build up their strength again. Give them a helping hand with some specialist hedgehog food and some water. Alternatively, you can feed them with cat or dog food, but not milk as they are lactose intolerant. Queen bees who have survived the winter will be out and about seeking nectar and pollen from spring flowers. It’s so important to ensure our gardens have plants for pollinators throughout the year to provide just what they need. The RHS website has a super resource and list of plants categorised by season at www.rhs.org.uk to give you inspiration.

Ellen Mary Gardening provides no jargon, easy to follow gardening advice, along with a range of colourful gardening products at: www.ellenmarygardening.co.uk

It’s time to start potting-up your stored dahlias, protecting them from frost. Why not try these beautiful dahlias named Painted Girl, sent to you in a gift bag? These easy to grow plants will provide your garden with a splash of colour from June all the way to October: £7.99 for two tubers ready to plant. www.notonthehighstreet.com

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The Woodyard, Reedham Road, Acle, NR13 3DF

WWW.RHINOBDS.CO.UK 01493 751762

Located in the glorious North Norfolk countryside, Woodland Holiday Park is a haven of tranquillity and an ideal place to relax and unwind. Our luxurious timber built lodges (complete with hot tubs) offers unrivalled choice if you love to holiday surrounded by beautiful, unspoilt

• • • • •

woodland within a short distance of the fabulous beaches located on the North Norfolk coastline. Our luxury caravans offer you all the home comforts you would expect including - Freeview, CD player, microwave, bed linen and duvets, gas and electricity and free use of our swimming pool and sauna.

Indoor Pool & Sauna Fishing lake WiFi & SKY television (in clubhouse) On-site shop & laundry room Well behaved dogs welcome

• • • • •

Bar & restaurant open daily Take-away service (peak season) Tennis & table tennis Pool & snooker table Games room

Woodland Holiday Park Trimingham, Norfolk NR11 8QJ Tel: 01263 579208 Email: info@woodland-park.co.uk

www.woodlandholidaypark.co.uk

| APRIL 2015

Harissa Spiced Chump of Lamb SERVES 4

Ingredients

Spring Lamb SIMON WAINWRIGHT, EXECUTIVE HEAD CHEF OF THE IMPERIAL HOTEL IN GREAT YARMOUTH, LOOKS TO NORTH AFRICA FOR INSPIRATION FOR THIS MONTHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LAMB DISH 56

4 x 6-8oz lamb chumps 4tbsp of harissa paste 4tbsp of olive oil 2tbsp of sea salt 4 sprigs of fresh thyme 360ml of tomato juice 360ml of chicken stock 3tbsp of olive oil 2 courgettes, diced and pan fried 3tbsp of chopped fresh coriander 2tbsp of fresh lemon juice 500g couscous Mint yoghurt 4tbsp of Greek yoghurt 1tbsp of chopped fresh mint

RECIPE

IMPERIAL HOTEL, GREAT YARMOUTH

Method 1. Firstly marinate the lamb chumps (this is best done 24 hours in advance). Mix together the harissa paste, olive oil, sea salt and fresh chopped thyme, coat all the chumps then place in a bowl, cover with Clingfilm and refrigerate. The couscous can also be made in advance. To make this, heat both the tomato juice and stock in a pan, then pour over the couscous in a separate bowl, stir well and cover with Clingfilm. Stir occasionally, until all of the stock has been absorbed. Once cooled slightly, add the other ingredients listed, season with salt and pepper. Place in the refrigerator until needed but serve at room temperature. 2. To make the mint yoghurt, simply stir the fresh mint and yoghurt together. 3. Once the lamb chumps have marinated for 24 hours, remove from the bowl, pat dry with a cloth. Heat a medium sized frying pan up with a little olive oil, fry for 1-2 minutes, skin side down until lightly coloured, remove from the pan and place onto a lightly oiled tray, skin side up then cook at 170oC for 20 minutes, leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving. 4. To serve, place the couscous into a ring mould garnished with a few baby herbs. Slice the lamb and top with a tablespoon of mint yoghurt.

Wine Choice

2013 BARBERA, RIVA LEONE PIEMONTE, ITALY NICK MOBBS, DIRECTOR AND WINE EXPERT AT THE IMPERIAL HOTEL, SAYS: I HAVE CHOSEN A BARBERA FROM ITALY TO ACCOMPANY SIMON’S SPICED HARISSA LAMB. Whenever I see lamb on a menu, my first thoughts for a grape type to

accompany the dish is Cabernet Sauvignon. However, with the harissa spice on the lamb and the tannins in the Cabernet Sauvignon, this grape would simply make the palette feel too hot after just a mouthful or two. So I have opted for a wine that is softer and has less tannins from the Piemonte which is in Northern Italy. The Barbera is Italy’s third most widely planted grape. The wine is fermented in stainless steel and has seen part oak ageing. The wine has red fruits and light tannins but has enough structure to cut through the richness of the lamb flavour without compounding the effect of the spice, coupled with the classic Barbera acidity which makes it a great food wine and mouth cleanser. Delicious!

• A team of brilliant chefs • Superb wine list • Laid-back atmosphere The perfect restaurant for dinner or Sunday lunch. At the Imperial Hotel, North Drive, Gt Yarmouth, NR30 1EQ. To book call 01493 842000

www.cafecru.co.uk

Sunday 12.30 - 2pm Monday - Saturday 6.30 - 10pm The Terrace is open daily. For opening times & menu go to imperialhotel.co.uk

RECIPE

FRANCK PONTAIS

Diced pancetta with Boursin and poached quail eggs SERVES SIX

Ingredients LET OUR FRENCH CHEF cook for your private dinner parties, and for those who really enjoy cooking, he also offers master classes, for all abilities, in your own home. More information is available at www.franckpontais.com

Eggstremely Edible!

250ml of water 1g of saffron strands 18 quail eggs 2tbsp of wine vinegar 6 egg yolks 100g of Boursin cheese 80ml of double cream A sprinkle of cracked black pepper 1tsp of chives, finely chopped 60g of pancetta, diced Seasoning

Method 1. Bring 250ml of water to the boil with the saffron strands. 2. Crack open the quail eggs and drop into a small bowl with a splash of the vinegar at the bottom. 3. When the water is boiling, take a whisk and create a whirlpool, gently tip the quail eggs and vinegar into the water and poach for 1 minute, turn off the heat and leave the eggs in the water for a further 1 minute. Remove the eggs. Skim off all of the excess egg white from the saffron water and chill. Return the eggs to the water and they will take on more of the saffron colour, leave for an hour to infuse. 4. To build, crack an egg yolk (reserving the white) into the bottom of the glass. Melt the Boursin in the microwave for 1 minute with the double cream. 5. Whisk up half of the egg white until fluffy and add to this the melted Boursin, season to taste. Add the chopped chives. Pour this mixture over the egg yolk leaving a 1cm gap to the top of the glass. Cook in a bain-marie in the middle of the oven at 180째C, gas mark 4 for 15 minutes. 6. Dice the pancetta and fry until golden and crisp. Garnish the top of the verrine with the quail eggs, black pepper and pancetta and serve hot.

OUR FRENCH CHEF FRANCK PONTAIS WISHES US HAPPY EASTER WITH THIS EGGY NUMBER Photography by ANDREW FLORIDES, www.andrewflorides.co.uk

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EDP NORFOLK FOOD AND DRINK AWARDS 2013 CHEF OF THE YEAR

MARK DIXON AND NATASHA ROOKE WELCOME YOU TO THE

EDP NORFOLK FOOD AND DRINK AWARDS 2013 CHEF OF THE YEAR

EDP NORFOLK PUB OF THE YEAR FINALIST 2014

• Traditional country pub and comfortable restaurant • Bar meals and fine dining • Wide range of local real ales • Large outdoor eating area and gardens with children's play area • Events and functions catered for

The Kings Arms, Main Road, Fleggburgh, Great Yarmouth, NR29 3AG Tel 01493 368333 www.kingsarmsfleggburgh.com

/kingsarmsfleggburgh

@KingsArms_Flegg

WINE COLUMN

WINE PAIRING

A Match Made in Heaven

AST WEEK RICHARD HUGHES GAVE ME A LOVELY SURPRISE. A slapup meal for me and a friend, you’re thinking, or a pay-rise? No, simply the next four dates for our fine wine dinners at The Lavender House. We have no set plan when it comes to deciding on the theme, it’s usually whoever gets in the first phone call between me and him. The theme is usually based on a country for its food and wine and as soon as that is set, Richard will get to work on the food menu with his kitchen team, and my head will start spinning with wines that I already know from whatever part of the world we may be celebrating. I already have my favourites from pretty much each country in the winemaking world, either from my most loved winery, or grape variety. So I’ll already have an idea of what I want to feature on the menu from the off. However, I really still have to wait for the chefs to argue over the menu to make the perfect matches and that’s the fascinating challenge. Even more fascinating for me because I have to do a ‘turn’ in front of the expectant diners about the wines I’ve chosen. It wouldn’t be so bad except I have to follow Richard’s old one-liners with my old one-liners. Come to think of it, I now regard him as my warm-up man! We recently held an evening of Australian and New Zealand wines. One of my favourite reds from this part of the world is a cool climate New Zealand Pinot Noir. Richard, of course, went with a rich beef dish for the main course, which would have overpowered any Pinot Noir in the world, let alone this very light, cool climate version. As soon as the next special menu is in, it’s emailed over. First I have to get over a messy drooling session for a few minutes at the inevitable fantastic food offering and wishing I could be a punter for the night, then I get to work! In an ideal world Richard and I would sit down and try each course, with a narrowed down list of half a dozen wines for each part of the meal, then select the best match. However, with his schedule, and me only answering my phone on alternate Wednesday afternoons, we never get round to doing this, we’re just too busy with our full-on catering lives. Instead, a bit of background knowledge is called upon. I’ll start by considering those good wines I know from a particular country or region. Maybe it’ll be one of the thousands I’ve come across on the various wine lists I have worked with over the years, or it’s something I remember from a wine-tasting event, or maybe one I’ve had on a meal out. On three separate occasions I’ve started a little notebook adding the name of each wine I try with a couple of little tasting notes. Each time this admin role has ended quite quickly - what did I say about life being busy? Once, when I did discipline myself to add more tasting notes, I rather

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This month our wine writer Sam Matthews tells us about the tricky task of matching food and wine

overdid it in the name of my own wine education and I’m afraid my state of wine nirvana caused me to misplace my precious notebook – sorry! So calling upon a back catalogue of notes is not an option. For these upcoming Lavender House wine dinners we have a five course menu, partnered by five wines. We tend to try a welcoming fizz of some sort on arrival, followed by a white, red and rosé, (in no particular order), and finish with something sweet. There’ll always be a challenging dish to match somewhere in the mix, I’m sure half the time Richard does it to annoy me (he will say ‘challenge’). Once we had monkfish wrapped in confit duck, that was annoying, I mean ‘challenging,’ but, of course, quite delicious. Last month, at a London wine tasting, I had May’s South African themed wine dinner in mind and the menu on my phone for reference. South Africa has a great wine producing heritage started in the still well-known-today Constantia region in the late 1600s. There are also a couple of well known grape varieties associated with this beautiful country. The most widely grown white grape variety is Chenin Blanc, and the country produces fantastic Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage in the reds. I have a love-hate relationship with Chenin Blanc and while I admire the grape’s versatility in producing everything from a refreshing dry fizz to a sticky sweet dessert wine, I have never found a Chenin Blanc in the ‘house wine’ price bracket that I have enjoyed. Pinotage is a similar story for me I’m afraid, a bit wishy-washy on the palate, subtle tannins, subtle fruit, subtle flavours, and consistently boring unless you spend the big bucks. South Africa does benefit, from its new world wine making ethos: they grow lots of different grape varieties, some with great success. Western Cape Shiraz and Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blancs are a favourite at the moment. Maybe I won’t find a Chenin I like enough for the next fine wine dinner but I’ll have fun trying and you’ll have to book a table to find out!

SAM MATTHEWS is Food & Beverage Manager at The Assembly House, Norwich. www.assemblyhousenorwich.co.uk

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COMPETITION

ANDOVER HOUSE, GREAT YARMOUTH

New Faces THIS MONTH PLACES&FACES® TEAMS UP WITH A FAVOURITE RESTAURANT IN GREAT YARMOUTH TO OFFER ONE LUCKY READER THE CHANCE TO WIN A DELICIOUS DINNER PARTY FOR SIX SOUS CHEF WAYNE HARVEY

ITH A NEW TEAM IN THE KITCHEN, now is the time to visit the charming Andover House in Great Yarmouth. Set in one of the town’s most prestigious and atmospheric streets, leading to the seafront, the hotel has 20 bedrooms plus a great restaurant now under the watchful eye of new head chef, Dave Nash. Owner Victoria Newstead is delighted to introduce him, saying: ‘He was previously head chef at The Last Wine Bar in Norwich and is bringing us more than a splash of foodie pizzazz! His food is not about table theatrics; his dishes are classically based with innovative, fresh and modern techniques. ‘You only have to sit with Dave for two minutes to discover how important his customers’ reactions are to him. His deepest sense of joy comes from those enjoying his culinary work.’ Supporting Dave is another newcomer to Andover House, Wayne Harvey, a talented chef buzzing with ideas and crammed with charisma. Add in a very attractive bar, with a great selection of cocktails and wines, and a comfy lounge area with very desirable sofas for that post supper coffee, and an evening at Andover House is highly tempting!

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To enter our competition, simply answer the following question: Q: WHERE IS ANDOVER HOUSE SITUATED IN GREAT YARMOUTH? There are two ways of entering. You can answer this question and send to competitions@h2creativemedia. co.uk, remember to include your answer, name, address, email and a daytime telephone contact number. You can also enter by visiting our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/placesandfacesmagazine and simply like and share the competition. The prize is a three-course dinner for six and two bottles of house wine. It is only open to those aged 18 and over. Normal Places&Faces competition rules apply and the editor’s decision is final. The closing date is April 30 2015 when a winner will be selected at random. Andover House Hotel & Restaurant 28-30 Camperdown, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. NR30 3JB T. 01493 843490 • www.andoverhouse.co.uk

| APRIL 2015

RAISE YO U R GLASS ANDY NEWMAN SAYS ‘CHEERS’ TO A SMALL NORFOLK BREWERY WHICH BRINGS CRAFT LAGER TO THE COUNTY, AND TOP NORFOLK CHEF ROGER HICKMAN USES THE PRODUCT TO MAKE A MELT-IN-THE-MOUTH TEMPURA

OR MANY BEER DRINKERS, THE BATTLE

to find themselves struggling to grow later on; instead, they

TO PRESERVE ‘PROPER’ BEER HAS BEEN

waited and saved until they felt able to invest in a five-year

ONE BETWEEN REAL ALES from small

plan, buying the right equipment to be able to expand as the

independent breweries on the one hand,

enterprise took off.

and mass-produced brews from the big

farm at Hindringham provided a building; over £300,000 of

number one enemy has often been lager.

investment later, the barn was transformed into a modern,

It is an indication of just how much has changed since the

bright and efficient brewery. This was only really possible with

dark, mega-corporation dominated days of the 1980s, that the

the help of a DEFRA Rural Development grant, given because

term ‘Craft Lager’ is no longer an oxymoron. Now one small

the new business would bring a farm building back into use,

Norfolk brewery is making a name for itself with not one but

and create four new jobs in a rural village. Nevertheless, it was

two craft lagers – firmly rooted in Norfolk tradition.

a significant outlay for the couple.

That David and Rachel Holliday are determined to promote

That meant that the beers had to find an immediate market,

the geographical origin of their product is obvious from

and so they kept it simple. ‘Some local brewers make craft beer

the name they have chosen for their company: The Norfolk

with quite extreme flavours, but we knew we wanted to have a

Brewhouse. Based in a converted barn in Hindringham,

wider appeal than that,’ says David.

near Fakenham, the brewery has a core range of five beers,

In a crowded market (there are now more than 40 breweries

including golden, ruby and amber ales – but it is the lagers that

in the county), a strong brand was vital as well, and this is

I have come to taste.

where the couple’s marketing background helped. ‘We wanted

Like so many Norfolk food and drink producers, brewing

to create a brand with a strong Norfolk connection. The

is a second career for the couple. Rachel worked in the

Norfolk Brewhouse speaks for itself, and our other brands,

communications department at City Hall, whilst David was a

such as Moon Gazer Ale and StubbleStag, are inspired by the

freelance marketing consultant. His work frequently took him

wildlife around us.’ StubbleStag is an old Norfolk word for hare.

into brewing companies, where, in his words: ‘the brewers always seemed to be having more fun than I was.’ Gradually the idea of opening a brewery in Norfolk took shape, but the couple didn’t want to open on a shoestring, only

A redundant and near-derelict barn on David’s family

companies on the other. And in all this, the

Whilst most small-scale breweries concentrate on ales, lager was firmly in the couple’s sights, and in fact their second brew was StubbleStag, the premium 5 per cent ABV lager which is still part of the range.

NORFOLK PRODUCE

LAGER

RECIPE Roger Hickman’s Norfolk lager tempura, sprouting broccoli and French beans with garlic aioli SERVES FOUR

The whole concept of a craft lager is a world away from the insipid, tasteless brew which masquerades as lager in many pubs. Made with a stronger hop flavour, and in a brewing cycle lasting several weeks (the word ‘lager’ is German for ‘store’, giving a clue to how this type of beer should be made), the result is a refreshing but more flavoursome brew. The reaction from pubs was positive, but there was a clear need for a lighter, less alcoholic version to help educate the drinking public away from the commercial brews. As a result, DewHopper joined the range. This still has a hoppy finish, but is lighter, crisper and lower in alcohol at 3.8 per cent ABV. Whilst the brewery’s real ales use English hops, the lagers use the traditional varieties of Saaz (from the Czech Republic) and

INGREDIENTS 375ml of StubbleStag Norfolk lager, 1 tbsp of cornflour, 4 tbsp of strong white flour, salt, 350g of trimmed French beans, 350g of sprouting broccoli, 1 litre of rapeseed oil, 2 egg yolks, 2 cloves of garlic, a splash of white wine vinegar, 350ml of sunflower oil, smoked paprika - piccante

Hallertau (from Germany). But both brews are made using locallysourced maris otter malt, widely regarded in the brewing world as the Rolls Royce of beer malts. All of this requires considerable dedication. ‘More time, more love, more care and more attention goes into brewing lager than ale,’ explains Rachel. ‘Brewing craft lager is all about doing it because you can.’ David agrees, saying: ‘We were total lager virgins – ale was more my tipple. But we thought, why can’t a lager have the complexity of an ale?’ As you might imagine, starting such an enterprise has been a big learning curve for Rachel and David, who finally gave up the day job to work full-time in the brewery exactly a year ago. They brew two or three times a week, producing just over 6000 pints a week. That is roughly half the capacity of the equipment, and running at full capacity is the limit of their ambitions. ‘We don’t want to grow too big, because that would mean losing touch with our customers and letting go of the craft ethos,’ says David. The Norfolk Brewhouse’s website says that ‘we think beer should set out to do one simple thing – bring pleasure’. It would seem that they are succeeding in that aim, for themselves and for the drinkers of Norfolk.

To make the tempura batter, whisk together the lager, cornflour and flour, together with a pinch of salt. The batter needs to be quite thick, so add a little more flour if necessary. Heat the rapeseed oil in a deep fat fryer or deep saucepan to a temperature of 190°C. Dip the beans and broccoli spears a few at a time in the batter, and drop into the fat individually, otherwise they will stick together. Fry in small batches for about three minutes, until they are golden brown. Remove from the fat, drain on kitchen roll or a clean cloth, and then season with salt and smoked paprika. To make the aioli, roast the garlic cloves, unpeeled, in an oven at 180°C for about five minutes. Squeeze out the flesh of the garlic, and add to the egg yolks in a bowl. Put in a pinch of salt, and a splash of vinegar, and whisk together. Now start to add the oil, drip by drip at first, otherwise you will split the mixture. As it starts to emulsify, continue to add the oil, whisking all the time. Making mayonnaise requires patience, so don’t be tempted to add too much oil in one go. Serve the tempura vegetables with the aioli as a dipping sauce, seasoned with more smoked paprika.

Norfolk Brewhouse DewHopper and StubbleStag lagers are available in dozens of Norfolk pubs, including The Earlham Arms in Norwich, The King’s Head in Holt and The Crown Inn at Catfield. They are also available to buy in a range of shops, including Le Chateau in Norwich, Back to the Garden at Letheringsett and Cromer Farm and Health Shop. For a full list of stockists, visit www.norfolkbrewhouse.co.uk.

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Roger Hickman is chef-proprietor at Roger Hickman's Restaurant in Upper St Giles, Norwich. More details at www.rogerhickmansrestaurant.com

Visit Titchwell Manor Stunning boutique hotel Titchwell Manor on the North Norfolk coast offers 27 individually designed bedrooms and awardwinning dining. Choose from the informal Eating Rooms complete with sea view terrace, or the fine dining Conservatory. Available for private hire and bespoke weddings – please contact margaret@titchwellmanor.com to arrange a meeting. A L A C A RT E • TA S T I N G M E N U S • A F T E R N O O N T E A • T H R E E A A RO S E T T E S • S E A V I E W S

TITCHWELL MANOR, TITCHWELL, NR BRANCASTER, NORFOLK PE31 8BB W W W. T I TC H W E L L M A N O R . C O M · 0 1 4 8 5 2 1 0 2 2 1

menus

Relaxed fine dining in a 14th century coaching inn with luxury rooms and locally inspired menus, perfectly placed where North Norfolk meets the Broads... À LA CARTE

Carefully selected signature dishes

TASTING MENU*

Savour the whole dining experience with 7 courses

SUNDAY LUNCH*

Featuring our popular ‘Roast Fillet of Beef ’

LUNCH DU JOUR DINNER DU JOUR 2 courses for £16.50 3 courses for £20.95

2 courses £22.50 3 courses £28.00

*Booking is essential for these options due to popularity

The Ingham Swan, Sea Palling Road, Ingham, Norfolk, NR12 9AB

ALBATROS Café, Restaurant, Bar, Music Venue and speciality Bed & Breakfast

Newly refurbished and extended function room caters for 130 people for sit-down meals and 200 for a buffet function OPEN:

All types of functions catered for

12 noon until late

Weddings our speciality – a few dates still available for 2015

ADDRESS: Quayside, Wells-next-Sea, NR23 1AT

Book your Christmas function now

TELEPHONE: 07979 087228

19-20 NORTH DRIVE, GREAT YARMOUTH, NR30 4EN TEL: 01493 844138 · WWW.FURZEDOWNHOTEL.CO.UK

THE ALBATROS IS A TRADITIONAL Dutch cargo ship from 1899. Instead of sailing the high seas she is now permanently moored alongside The Quay in Wells and used as a Dutch style cafe, bar, restaurant, music venue and B&B, offering one of the most entertaining ways to spend a couple of hours (or a couple of nights) on the North Norfolk coast. The restaurant serves an extensive choice of sweet and savoury Dutch pancakes and other Dutch specialities for lunch and dinner. Guests can sit below deck in the cosy bar area or outside on the main deck with fantastic views over harbour and marshes. It’s a great place to experience something a bit different!

www.albatroswells.co.uk

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There’s something for everybody on our gaming floor… grab a drink from the bar or try your hand at Roulette, Blackjack or our Jackpot slot machines.

Our fine dining experience is one to savour, with beautiful views of our gardens. Whether it’s a meal for two or a large celebration, we can cater for all.

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“What a find! Exceeded all expectations” Trip Advisor

Restaurant open from 6pm, Monday to Saturday Book a table online!

ANNOUNCING A NEW CULINARY TRACK Bringing more than just a splash of foodie pizzazz… our new chefs, Dave Nash & Wayne Harvey, deliver a taste sensation with lasting impact. Come and try their noteworthy food mixed with outstanding service.

28-30 Camperdown, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR30 3JB www.andoverhouse.co.uk · 01493 843490 · bookings@andoverhouse.co.uk

CELLAR RESTAURANT AND BAR

Established 1977

For probably the finest selection of seafood and shellfish in the town We also specialise in top quality aged and matured steaks plus seasonal game dishes. Private function room available for up to 90 people, ideal for all parties, receptions or private functions complete with fully licensed bar. Come and try the fabulous food, intimate surroundings and friendly, warm welcome that has made The Executive a popular dining venue in town for over 35 years.

Why not try one of our fabulous cocktails or champagne by the glass?

Just a selection from our ever changing specials board The freshest, most succulent and tender king scallops with chorizo Freshly caught local lobster prepared to your individual taste The finest selection of mature steaks using only the best Scottish beef; fillet, sirloin or rib eye

Open daily 5.30pm to 10pm · Fully licensed bar 56 Marine Parade, Great Yarmouth NR30 2EJ Telephone: 01493 850800

| APRIL 2015

FROM SMALL ACORNS ACORN TEAROOMS IN PORINGLAND IS ONE OF THE NEWEST AROUND TO OFFER TEA FOR TWO (OR THREE OR FOUR!). EMMA OUTTEN MET PROPRIETOR DELIA PERRY TO TALK TEAPOTS AND MORE

OURING A NICE CUP OF TEA IN PORINGLAND, NEAR NORWICH, HAS A NICE RING TO IT, DOESN’T IT? Well, since last summer fans of taking tea have been able to do just that at Acorn Tearooms, in association with The Royal Oak village pub.

Proprietor Delia Perry is of the opinion that there’s always time

for tea and there’s always room for cake! She explains why they have diversified into a different form of drinking. Having run the Royal Oak with husband Nick for nearly 15 years, she had the idea for the tearooms at the start of last year, formulated with a friend who just so happens to love cooking! Style-wise they decided on a vintage theme to the tearooms, and Delia spent a pleasurable but productive day hunting down beautiful china in Lowestoft, and also sourced the tablecloths from Bungay. Acorn Tearooms opened on July 1 last year, with more than 100 attending on the open day, and in the months since opening Delia has been ably assisted by the lovely Alice Page, whose job it is to look after the tearoom during the day. Loose leaf teas include English Breakfast Tea, Assam, Darjeeling, Rooibos, and Lapsang Souchong, plus there’s a good range of Fruit Teas. I had the Gunpowder Green Tea, one of the healthiest teas out there, according to the helpful tea tasting notes!

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ACORN TEAROOMS Prices range from £1.95 for a pot of tea for one, large cups of Lavazza Coffees hot chocolate are £2.40 and Fentimans Sodas are £2. There’s an extensive list of sandwiches priced at £5.95 (anything from Scottish smoked salmon with cream cheese and dill, which comes with a £1 supplement, down to English Cheddar with your choice of chutney), although Delia’s particular favourite of late has been the French goats’ cheese with flaked almonds and chutney. Scones (£3.20) come in plain, fruit or cheese - with clotted cream and strawberry jam or just served with butter, but the main event is really The Mighty Oak Afternoon Tea, for £12.50. This really is the Full Monty, and includes sandwiches and scones, accompanied by a selection of Belgian fancies all served with a pot of tea. And, of course, you could always add a glass of chilled Prosecco for £3 a glass or maybe a bottle for £15.20! Otherwise you could simply have the Acorn cream tea, for £5.15, and there is even a children’s option: the Little Acorn Afternoon Tea costs £4.95. Cakes complement the seasons, so coming into summer you could expect a lemon layer cake or the tasty double chocolate and salted caramel. Importantly, in this day and age, gluten free breads and cakes are available and Acorn Tearooms are well-versed on allergen advice. Oh and there’s another good reason to visit - the food hygiene rating is five. Delia is keen to promote Acorn Tearooms as a different venue for an office lunch, a family get-together, or just a refreshing cuppa after a long walk. Or it could be the perfect Poringland venue for a get-together with the girls, or a birthday treat. Summer is on its way so there is the option of a marquee out in the garden, which would be an ideal place to plan an afternoon event. The garden is a beautiful spot for a springtime baby shower or a big afternoon tea party. And it is ideal for a corporate event, too. Acorn Tearooms proved surprisingly popular on a particularly romantic day in February (‘couples came on Valentine’s Day,’ says Alice, sounding surprised!) and both ladies are busy planning what cakes to provide at Easter time and how to style the room in keeping with the time of year. The vintage sounds you can hear in the background are also carefully thought out - Delia clearly enjoys ringing the changes in her new venture. She is particularly keen to attract the ‘ladies that lunch’ crowd, retirees and mothers with babes in arms. ‘We’ve a ladies’ networking group who come, a couple of ramblers’ groups, a couple of WI’s, and they, to be honest, are our bread and butter.’ All of her customers are ‘lovely’, she says, and the feedback since opening has been they have loved the personal service Acorn Tearooms can provide – the small but perfectly formed tearoom caters for 20, whereas the marquee in the summer could cater for around 50. ‘I’m really pleased with the essence of what we are doing here,’ says Delia. It’s well worth noting that there’s free WiFi, which makes that office lunch with a twist an even more tempting prospect. Whatever the reason for taking tea, the Acorn Tearooms is the perfect place near Norwich to do just that.

Acorn Tearooms, 44 The Street, Poringland, Norfolk NR14 7JT. Call 01508 493734 or visit www.acorntearooms.co.uk. It is also on Facebook or Twitter and has good disabled access.

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| APRIL 2015

FIT FOR A KING

RESTAURANT REVIEW

THE KINGS ARMS

PAUL PITCHER THOROUGHLY ENJOYS HIS SUPPER AT THE KINGS ARMS WHERE GREAT FOOD AND PERFECT SERVICE COME TOGETHER FOR A FABULOUS FOODIE EXPERIENCE

E DROVE FOR ALMOST AN HOUR ON

cheek, black pudding, lentils and rich cider jus; or pine nut

A CHILLY WEDNESDAY EVENING IN

crusted fillet of locally caught sea bass with roasted golden

MARCH TO DINE AT THE KINGS ARMS

girolle, parsnip puree, crispy sea-weed, shallot with red wine

with great expectations for a fantastic

reduction?

meal.... and we were not disappointed. Since winning Chef of the Year

After much deliberation we both opted for the sea bass and what a fabulous choice we both made. The combination of

title at the EDP Norfolk Food and Drink Awards in 2013, Mark

flavours with the delicate flakes of sea bass was a real treat. My

Dixon’s reputation for cooking and serving delicious food

mouth is still watering as I tap the keys on my laptop writing

has helped establish The Kings Arms, in the pretty village of

this review.

Fleggburgh, as a culinary must with many food lovers. Many of our readers will remember Mark as a former

The desserts coming out from the kitchen looked amazing and despite being full, I managed share a cheese board which

columnist in Places&Faces® during his spell as head chef at

was very well presented with Mrs Temple’s Binham Blue, Black

The Imperial Hotel in Great Yarmouth where he established a

Bomber and delightful French brie. How we managed not to be

loyal following for his imaginative dishes. In January 2014 Mark,

tempted by the salted caramel and peanut butter parfait or the

along with his partner Natasha Rooke, made the leap to run

warm marmalade sponge pudding remains a mystery to this

their own restaurant and they have not looked back.

day. Trust me: the deserts looked wonderful and the comments

The warm welcome and lovely ambience when we walked into the restaurant set the scene for a meal to remember. Mark has long had a reputation for superlative cooking and a first glance of the menu really got the taste buds tingling. Choosing from the starter menu, the pan seared scallops with

from the next table would seem to support this. Front of house, under the careful direction of Natasha, runs like clockwork and her polite and pleasant manner is a real breath of fresh air. As we were driving we had just one glass of wine, a nice crisp

cauliflower puree, pancetta, crispy capers, coriander, curried oil

Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region. Being a wine

and baby herbs were too much of a temptation to resist. The

lover, I did look over the wine list which I must say appeared

array of flavours that came through with each mouthful was

to be very reasonably priced with a fine selection which

simply divine. This was one dish I just didn’t want to come to an

compliments all of the dishes on the menu - just as you would

end. My partner Dee was tempted with the pan roasted Norfolk

expect with Mark’s attention to detail.

pigeon breast which was served with beetroot and Merlot risotto, smoked bacon, horseradish cream and toasted walnuts. Now for the main course....the choice was simply fabulous,

To sum up our evening, the service was quick, polite and pretty much perfect. We had an absolutely faultless dinner and will definitely go back in the future.

with so many of my favourite dishes all on one menu. What a dilemma I had in choosing this course. Do I opt for the haunch of Bunwell Estate red deer topped with a port and orange jus? Other options include: baked fillets of Lowestoft plaice served with parmesan cream, baby spinach, sautéed chestnut mushrooms and buttered new potatoes; belly of Dingley Dell pork with bubble and squeak, chantenay carrots, braised

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THE KINGS ARMS Fleggburgh, tel 01493 368333 www.kingsarmsfleggburgh.com

| APRIL 2015

A Romantic Cocktail

TRAVEL

CARIBBEAN

IS THE ROMANTIC HOLIDAY STILL ALIVE? CAN WE STILL ENJOY THAT SPECIAL ‘ONE TO ONE’ FEELING IN THESE HARD COMMERCIAL TIMES? JAMES SPICER TRAVELS TO THE CARIBBEAN TO FIND OUT

HEN YOU PLAN A SPECIAL BREAK WITH JUST YOUR PARTNER, WHAT IS IT YOU LOOK FOR? Beaches to die for? Palm trees waving in a soft breeze?

Every facility at hand to make it really special? This is just what Sandals, the couple’s holiday specialist, sets out to do; and in its operation on the island of Antigua, in the Caribbean, it achieves it. For starters, Sandals Grande Antigua resort is set on Dickenson Bay, surely one of the finest beaches not only in the Caribbean, but also in the world. Powder-soft, smooth white sand is lapped by sparkling blue seas; we’ve all been fooled by airbrushed brochure pictures, but this one delivers. Sandals holidays are not cheap: But, once in the resort, you don’t – unless you choose to do so – need to put your hand in your pocket at all. There’s nothing new about all-inclusive holidays, but Sandals, where the resorts are set in gloriously landscaped grounds, with plenty of space, and the staff to match, is special. At Sandals Grande Antigua, only 15 minutes transfer (included) from the V C Bird International Airport, you are quickly rid of both your UK winter clothing and any inhibitions about not enjoying yourself. Greeted with icy cool towels and a glass of Champagne as your luggage is whisked away to your room, the accent is immediately on hedonism: pure and simple. As well as that glorious beach there are several swimming pools, half a dozen bars (including two swim-up bars) and 11 restaurants, serving cuisine ranging from Tex-Mex to Teppanyaki and Italian to French. The plentiful and attentive staff, smiling and polite, make it all happen for you. We arrived to find our generous hosts had upgraded us to a butler room status - which means exactly what it says on the tin. A mobile is provided in your room on which you can summon your butlers – ours were David and Jeneva – and he/she will bring you food and drink, arrange your pool lounger, complete with drinks cooler, sort your dinner reservation and even escort you to your chosen restaurant! This is just one of 25 categories of accommodation available at Sandals Grande Antigua where there are 373 rooms of varying size and degrees of luxury (depending upon your category). This means there can be around 700 guests on site at any one time, but not once do you feel crowded or inhibited. Thus your days can be spent doing just what you want, with the one you want to be with. Although Sandals is truly all-inclusive, there are a number of special occasions available at extra cost. Our hosts offered us two of them - the candlelit evening dinner on the beach with personal waiter and Champagne; and we returned one evening to find our room had been given the ‘Romantic Escapade’ treatment, with the room decorated with rose petals, and fizz waiting. Various excursions are available via Island Routes Caribbean Adventure Tours (which has a desk in the reception lobby) and the on-site Red Lane Spa has a really varied range of treatments on offer.

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Dawn Chorus Saturday 11th April, 6.30am Booking essential please telephone

01603 270449 www.fairhavengarden.co.uk

Forest Night Adventure Saturday 4th April 8-10pm Booking essential please telephone 01603 270449 www.fairhavengarden.co.uk

LAST PLOTS FOR SALE SUFFOLK COAST HOLIDAY VILLAS • • • • • • • • •

Last development, choose your own interior Open all year round Guaranteed Finance Brick built construction & double glazed Close to the swimming pool and gym Earn an income through holiday lettings New AllSeasons managed letting scheme Great coastal retreat, south facing plots Part exchange your caravan

PRICES FROM ONLY £57,500 OR £20,000 DEPOSIT & £486.66 PER MONTH X 10% APR, 55 YEAR LEASE Contact or visit for a FREE information pack 01502 732282 www.tingdenewaterside.co.uk email: scott.smith@tingdenewaterside.co.uk

TRAVEL

CARIBBEAN We particularly wanted to go to the Sunday evening sunset party at Shirley Heights, an Antiguan beauty spot that overlooks the spectacular English Harbour on the southern tip of the island – special for Norfolk folk because of its strong Nelson connections. Here, many locals join tourists as the steel bands play and the rum punches flow to accompany one of the most spectacular sunsets any of us will ever witness. Later in the week we took a sunset catamaran cruise from the beach and were well entertained by the lively young crew as well as a few more of those rum punches! The island capital, St John’s, is only a short taxi ride from Sandals, and is worth visiting with some really good duty-free shopping available. But you won’t be tempted to leave the resort too many times, as you’ll be having such a great time. The joy of Sandals is that you can do as much (there is a wide range of entertainment provided every day) or as little as you like. We spent some hilarious after-dinner evenings in The Drunken Duck, an Americanised version of the English pub concept. Americans make up the vast majority of Sandals customers, and they certainly know how to enjoy themselves – we witnessed some rather special karaoke performances! Like most holidays the experience can be what you want it to be. But at Sandals, so little effort is required

NELSON Antigua has strong links with Norfolk-born Horatio Nelson. The great man, then aged 28, arrived there in 1784 as second in command of the Leeward Islands squadron, and captain of the 28 gun frigate Boreas, stationed in English Harbour (possibly the island’s premier tourist attraction now). And while it may now be an island paradise, Nelson didn’t find it so, calling it a ‘vile place’ and ‘this infernal hole’. Perhaps the tropical weather was responsible as he spent most of the daytime aboard his ship; or maybe it was the mosquitoes that were responsible for his black moods, for Nelson records he was ‘most woefully pinched’ in spite of his protective net. But things improved on the neighbouring island of Nevis where Nelson met and married his first wife, Frances (Fanny) Nisbet on March 11, 1787. Nevis has a Nelson Museum which, surprisingly for such a small island, has the distinction of housing the largest collection of Nelson memorabilia in the Americas. Antigua, however, certainly remembers Nelson. His legacy is there for all to see, notably at the fine restored Georgian dockyard in English Harbour that bears his name, and really is a ‘must-see’ attraction for visitors.

to make it really special. The ingredients are there to make the most romantic cocktail one can imagine.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Seven nights staying at Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa costs from £1740 per person, based on travel dates between August 27 - October 22 2015. Price includes all-inclusive accommodation, return flights and resort transfers For further information or to make a booking call Sandals Resorts on 0800 597 0002 or visit www.sandals.co.uk Shirley Heights Sunset Party Transfer and Lovers Rock Sunset Cruise are available from Island Routes Caribbean Adventure Tours. To book or for more information visit www.islandroutes.co.uk. The company has a desk in the reception area at Sandals Grande Antigua. We flew with British Airways from Gatwick North terminal - the UK flag carrier flies six days a week to Antigua. For current fares visit www.ba.com On the night before our departure we stayed at the Gatwick Sofitel, which has easy links to the North terminal. Call 01293 567070, or visit www.sofitel.com for bookings or further information

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Table D’Hote Menu

3 courses £15.50 | 2 courses £13.00

· Accommodation · Weddings · Parties · · Evening Meals · Sunday Luncheons · Bar Snacks ·

LARGE FREE CAR PARK

North Drive, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR30 1EG

01493 844568

www.burlington-hotel.co.uk For Accommodation, Functions, Weddings, Parties, Evening Meals, Sunday Luncheons and Bar Snacks.

STAY AND EAT Stay in one of our cosy Good rooms from £112.50 per couple and we will give you a £35 voucher to spend on food and drink whilst you are with us – easily enough for fish and chips and a pint for two! Available for stays Sunday to Thursday until 19th July 2015

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO BOOK St James Street, Dunwich, Near Southwold, Suffolk, IP17 3DT www.shipatdunwich.co.uk · info@shipatdunwich.co.uk · 01728 648219

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

Exclusive Wedding Gown Studio

e d’ote menu urses and coff ee Stocking a large range of NEW and once worn ish and Roasts served to wedding gowns by leading designers including: our table

STOCKING SIZES 6 TO 18

ailable - ask at reception

reat Yarmouth, NR30 1EG : enquiries@burlington-hotel.co.uk

Choose a stunning designer gown for your wedding day at a fraction of the recommended retail price

Call Donna today on

07766 733251

To book your appointment www.donnamartynebridalwear.co.uk

Our studio is ideally located 3 miles from Loddon and 9 miles from Norwich

ADVERTISING FEATURE

BARNHAM BROOM

CLUB RULES AT BARNHAM BROOM Barnham Broom is so much more than a luxury hotel. Within 300 acres of countryside, there are also two Championship golf courses to get round and a spa to luxuriate in, as Emma Outten reports f you’re looking for a relaxing short break in the peaceful Norfolk countryside, then you can’t go far wrong with luxury four star hotel Barnham Broom, near Norwich. Business Development Manager Greg Hacon would agree: ‘Barnham Broom is unique with its offering because we have something for everyone, whether you’re visiting us for business or pleasure, it is the ideal location for those living locally or travelling to Norwich and are looking for a luxury, peaceful, relaxing venue that everyone can enjoy.’ But it offers so much more than the sum of its 46 recently refurbished hotel rooms: it is home to two of Norfolk’s finest 18hole golf courses, The Hill and The Valley, and offers a fantastic experience for golfers of all levels. Plus, should you wish to treat yourself to a wonderful beauty treatment, the relaxing Spa is the perfect retreat. Barnham Broom strives to offer a club within a club experience, made up of members and regular visitors. There’s the Barnham Broom Golf Club, for example, The Edge Health & Fitness Club or you could visit the relaxing Spa. Greg says: ‘As a venue we offer two championship golf courses, one of the best health and fitness clubs in Norfolk with the Edge Health & Fitness Club, and a Spa offering a wonderful range of holistic massage and beauty treatments which will leave you feeling radiant and refreshed.’ For golfers, he comments: ‘The benefit of two courses means we can accommodate golfers of all abilities from those just beginning to learn the game, who will find the Hill course is more forgiving with its wider fairways, through to those who are searching for a more challenging test of golf on the Valley course with its tree lined fairways and extensive natural water hazards.

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‘The courses are complemented by superb practice facilities including three full length academy holes, a dedicated short game area and a five-acre open air grass range.’ Alternatively, just leave the world outside and enjoy some wonderful treatments in the luxury spa, as Greg says: ‘Our spa is open to everyone, so whether you live nearby to Barnham Broom, are a member to our Golf Club, Edge Health and Fitness Club, staying in the hotel or visiting the area, indulge yourself for a few hours of relaxation. ‘We offer an extensive range of facials, massages, body wraps, hand and nail treatments, tanning and make up applications, as well as some wonderful holistic treatments to soothe body and mind such as Reflexology, Reiki, Indian Head Massage and Hopi Ear Candles. ‘One unique selling point is that we offer and use Espa products which have a great brand following and reputation. ‘We receive fantastic feedback on how professional our Spa therapists are, and we provide programmes to our clients where we sit down with them after approximately six weeks and go through how they are feeling, the treatments they’ve had and how the products they’re using are all working for them.’ Plus, he points out: ‘Our most popular treatments would be Aromatherapy massages, Jessica Deluxe Manicures and Pedicures.’ So, whether you fancy being out on the golf course or in the spa, what are you waiting for? Barnham Broom has it all.

Barnham Broom, Honingham Road, Norwich, NR9 4DD. Call 01603 759393 or visit www.barnham-broom.co.uk

| APRIL 2015

SELFIE H E AV E N MARK NICHOLLS GETS (ALMOST) UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH SOME A-LISTERS AS HE VISITS A FAMOUS LONDON HOTEL FOR SOME FAMILY-FRIENDLY FIVE-STAR SERVICE

F EVER THERE WAS A ‘SELFIE HEAVEN,’ IT MUST BE AT MADAME TUSSAUDS. As one of the capital’s most popular and famous attractions, it’s an opportunity to mingle and mix with the rich and famous, amble along the red carpet with the stars and take souvenir snaps on the mobile. Next to Baker Street tube station, within is a waxwork world of creativity where the likeness of Posh and Becks nudges up to Benedict Cumberbatch, Johnny Depp and Daniel Craig. You can rub shoulders with the Royal Family, Winston Churchill, Barack Obama, Henry VIII, William Shakespeare; sit and pose with One Direction or sporting icons such as Usain Bolt, Muhammad Ali and Cristiano Ronaldo. If they’re famous, they’re immortalised in wax at Madame Tussauds. There’s also the Spirit of London black cab ride, the Chamber of Horrors and the Marvel Super Heroes 4D cinema experience as a magnificent finale. It’s a great way to spend a few hours among the stars and we did just that before retreating to our five-star hotel back in Kensington. We were staying at the Royal Garden Hotel which, as we soon discovered, makes families feel just as welcome and comfortable as the well-heeled business traveller. And the room rates even go down, rather than up, during the school holidays. It all sounded too good to be true, but the hotel manages to blend upmarket values with a family environment where the children feel relaxed and parents aren’t always worried about telling their off-spring how to behave. Much of that, it seems, is down to the culture of the hotel with senior managers knowing exactly what it’s like to have children with several having young families of their own. The 394-room Royal Garden Hotel is beautifully set, overlooking Kensington Palace and with views over the royal parks and the Royal Albert Hall as well as great access to the tube network with High Street Kensington station only five minutes away. With scenic views of London and the open green spaces of Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park next door, the hotel has a wealth of top London attractions on its doorstep; from Kensington Palace, the Science Museum, or the Natural History Museum to the Royal Albert Hall.

TRAVEL

LONDON It’s a great dining destination too. For mealtimes, the Park Terrace Restaurant offers a child-friendly menu and early dinnertime from 5:30pm, as well as modern British cuisine, and there’s also the renowned Chinese restaurant Min Jiang located on the hotel’s 10th floor. The hotel has really taken family values to heart. Children under 12 receive a fun backpack on arrival, filled with games, a selection of snacks, their own room key card and a teddy bear. The family-friendly package also includes the flexibility to accommodate two adults and two children in Executive Rooms or connecting rooms and there are toys in the room too, such as Buckaroo, Twister and Mega Blocks, plus microscooters (adult and children sizes available), footballs, rugby balls and skipping ropes to burn off some energy in the nearby park. For those looking for a more tailor-made experience, arrange a bespoke event through child entertainment experts Sharky and George, such as Cooking Masterclasses, Mary Poppins Tour and Hyde Park Treasure Hunt Quest. Exploring further on day two of our short break, we found the London Dungeon and the Sea Life London Aquarium must-sees for the family and conveniently close together on the South Bank near the London Eye with great views of the river and the Houses of Parliament. The London Dungeon isn’t for the faint-hearted and you never quite know what’ll leap out at you, but the children love it, while the Sea Life London Aquarium offers a mesmerising insight into life beneath the ocean surface. Of course, finding something interesting to eat is never hard in London but for a quirky meal, we tried Bunnychow on Wardour Street – a South African street-food concept of freshly-baked loaves, hollowed out, crammed with hot fillings (made with different meats, vegtables and garnishes, from traditional mutton and vegetables to chicken and pulled pork) and topped with a ‘bread lid’. It’s well worth a try for a quick bite. As you head back to the hotel, the role it played in British sporting history soon becomes apparent. It was on the first floor balcony of what was then a new hotel that the England team assembled after beating West Germany 4-2 to win the 1966 World Cup Final at Wembley. Today, it remains popular with visiting sports teams and pop acts such as Rihanna, Justin Bieber and Kelly Clarkson. Comfortable, stylish and a landmark destination, what really makes the Royal Garden Hotel so attractive is that you can eat, sleep and relax in five-star style…but with the kids in tow too.

It all sounded too good to be true, but the Royal Garden Hotel manages to blend upmarket values with a family environment

MORE INFORMATION Accommodation: Mark Nicholls and family stayed in an Executive Room which ranges in price from £330-£360 per night during school holidays, compared to £450-£500 outside of those periods. For more information call 0207 937 8000 or visit www.royalgardenhotel.co.uk/Families Eating: www.bunnychow.com Attractions: For Madame Tussauds, Sea Life London Aquarium and The London Dungeon, booking online and combination tickets to visit two or more attractions offers the best value, as well as avoids queuing for tickets. For more information visit www.madametussauds.com, www.thedungeons.com/london, and www.visitsealife.com/london Transport: Taking the train from Norwich down to London Liverpool Street takes the stress out of driving while an Oyster card for the London Underground is also good value and convenient. For more information on rail travel to London and buying tickets, visit www.abelliogreateranglia.co.uk

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The Wonderful Wedding Deal Room Hire for reception Use of our enclosed hotel gardens A glass of Bucks Fizz on arrival Three course sit down meal

Sheds, Summer Houses, Garages & Workshops

Standard Evening Buffet Menu Resident DJ to midnight Cake Stand and Knife Bridal Suite with Breakfast

www.candcsheds.co.uk 01493 857085 / 331677

Suffling Road, Great Yarmouth NR30 3QP 14 Albert Square, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR30 3JH, United Kingdom reception@comfortgreatyarmouth.co.uk, 01493 855070 *Terms & Condidtions apply

Entertaining Kitchens Leaving Others Behind.

01603 731551 www.longwaterliving.com William Frost Way, Longwater Business Park, Costessey, Norwich NR5 0JS Monday - Friday 7.30am - 5.00pm

Saturday 8.00am - 2.00pm

Open Mon - Fri 8.30am to 4.30pm, Sat 9am to 11am

The natural escape... closer than you think Enjoy a great short break or holiday at Kelling Heath, where you can choose from woodland lodges, luxury holiday homes and touring pitches. Bookings 01263 588181 or online www.kellingheath.co.uk Kelling Heath, Weybourne, Holt, Norfolk NR25 7HW

速

THE NATURAL ESCAPE

| APRIL 2015

Chapelfield’s High Flier Intu Chapelfield has a new general manager in the run-up to its 10th anniversary this year. Emma Outten meets Paul McCarthy

HE NEW GENERAL MANAGER of Intu Chapelfield in Norwich joined at the busiest time of the year – the run-up to Christmas. Not that it mattered – Paul McCarthy is used to hitting the ground running, as he worked at Heathrow Airport for nearly 20 years! Paul, who is originally from Surrey, had left school at 18 ‘with a couple of A Levels’, and had begun his career at Barclays Bank plc before his father, who was working at the airport at the time, told him about the management trainee scheme. From 1991 to 2009, Paul worked in a variety of commercial, operational and development roles; the last 10 years in senior management positions with the most recent five within the commercial arena. At one stage he was based at Terminal 3. It had its moments! ‘I was on duty when the Virgin aircraft crash-landed onto the northern runway – Virgin was one of our carriers in T3 so all the friends and family were waiting in my arrivals hall. That was an interesting emergency incident to manage.’ When the opportunity to take redundancy arose he made a big decision, along with wife Tracy and daughter Louise, now 16. ‘My daughter was just about to move from primary school to secondary school and my wife and I had always talked about doing that whole escape to the country thing,’ before adding: ‘Both my wife and I really love East Anglia, and Norfolk in particular.’ Prior to a move to Swanton Morley in 2010, he had holidayed here ‘a couple of times’ and comments: ‘I don’t take many risks in my life – that’s probably the biggest and probably the one that’s paid off the most.’ After a spell in consultancy he entered the world of shopping centre management. It was a departure for him and he was aware that potential employers may be thinking: ‘This chap might know about airports but what does he know about shopping centres?’ However, during his time at Heathrow, he was also head of planning and performance for retail. In 2011 he landed the role of leading the team at Freeport Braintree in Essex, one of the UK’s top five outlet centres. During his two-year stint, sales and footfall went up and costs and voids (empty shops) went down. As with Heathrow, it was a concession business model. Then the opportunity of working closer to home as General Manager of Castle Mall Shopping Centre in Norwich came up, soon after it was acquired by InfraRed Capital Partners. By contrast, ‘this was a very traditional business model.’

Paul’s key achievements included significantly reducing costs and reinvesting those savings into asset replacement. ‘We’ve invested £3m in new lifts and escalators,’ he says before remembering he doesn’t work there anymore. ‘I don’t know when I’ll stop saying that!’ He hadn’t planned to move within two years, but then the opportunity at Intu Chapelfield, which boasts 530,000 sq ft of retail space, arose. ‘I couldn’t say no,’ he says, simply. ‘If we think of Norwich being the top retail destination across Norfolk then Intu Chapelfield is the jewel in the crown.’ He left Castle Mall a couple of months after it marked its 21st anniversary, and says of the two centres: ‘The great thing about Intu Chapelfield and Castle Mall is we’re serving two slightly different parts of the market so we are not in direct competition with each other.’ He is still on the board of the Norwich Business Improvement District and asserts: ‘Norwich BID, led and executed by Stefan [Gurney] is, in my opinion, one of the best boards I have seen.’ Intu Chapelfield is East Anglia’s prime shopping destination, in a city which is 10th in the CACI Retail Rankings of Retail Footprint and Retail Expenditure. ‘Because we are where we are, we serve Norfolk and Suffolk and parts of east Cambridgeshire and south Lincolnshire as well – people from that far afield aren’t coming here once a week but they’re certainly coming here once a quarter.’ Intu Chapelfield, with nearly 100 stores, is the prime fashion quarter of Norwich and the key retailer is House of Fraser, a store Paul describes as ‘incredibly special.’ Plus there are major international brands such as Zara, Apple, and Hollister. So what’s the challenge for Paul? The clue could be on the sign behind his desk featuring the business buzz words ‘world class service.’ ‘We work really hard to make sure we deliver a world class service to our tenants and customers and ourselves,’ says Paul, who adds that he has already worked out how he can ‘consistently’ deliver that service. ‘As part of my induction I’ve been going round the other Intu centres,’ says Paul, who goes on to describe Chapelfield as ‘unique – it’s only 10 years old so by definition we are still very, very modern.’ It opened in September 2005. Anniversary plans are ‘ a work in progress,’ says Paul who adds: ‘We are exploring our options to recognise the fact we have been here for 10 years.’ Needless to say, his family are ‘regular visitors’ to Intu Chapelfield. But what sort of shopper was Paul? He sounds like a man who knows what he wants. ‘I tend not to prevaricate.’ New kids on the block at Intu Chapelfield include Simply Be and Jacamo, which opened just before he arrived. Paul credits the fitters in doing ‘an astonishing job in presenting that double-height space.’ And he hints: ‘We’ve got, next door to Simply Be & Jacamo, a nice sized unit and are in talks with somebody there and somebody on the Lower Level as well, but, as with all these things, until it’s done it’s not done. But he adds: ‘I’m excited. Those two brands, in particular, are really, really good.’ Watch this space!

BUSINESS PROFILE

PAUL MCCARTHY

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Pension Flexibility a brave new world

FROM APRIL 6, ALMOST ANYONE OVER THE MINIMUM PENSION AGE (CURRENTLY 55) WHO HASN’T ALREADY CONVERTED THEIR PENSION INTO AN ANNUITY CAN MAKE UNRESTRICTED WITHDRAWALS FROM THEIR PENSION FUND. CARL LAMB REPORTS

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ensions have changed: from April 2015, most retirees can make withdrawals direct from their funds at will, in an arrangement known as flexiaccess drawdown. However, an important point to remember is that although the first 25 per cent of the fund can be withdrawn free of tax, any subsequent withdrawals will be taxed as income – and large withdrawals in a given tax year could potentially push the recipient into a higher tax bracket resulting in a 40 or 45 per cent tax charge on some of the money withdrawn. Whilst this offers exciting new possibilities, annuities are still available and shouldn’t be automatically dismissed: they offer a guaranteed income for life and remain suitable in some cases, even though the income you can get for your money – the annuity rate – remains low. The new rules currently make little difference to those who are already in retirement and who opted to purchase a lifetime annuity, although the Chancellor announced in his March 2015 Budget that new opportunities for existing annuitants will be introduced next year. However, any existing retirees who chose to take a fixedterm annuity or who went into pension drawdown – and so still have pension savings that have yet to be accessed – will have the option to go down the flexi-access route. There may be good reasons why retirees would benefit from taking substantial withdrawals from their funds. These might include paying off a mortgage, helping a family member with a property purchase or simply buying a new car. However, depleting the pension fund should never be undertaken lightly. It’s important to remember that a pension fund is an investment fund: it can be managed in terms of growth and risk just like any other investment and retirement doesn’t have to trigger wholesale action. The old mindset of ‘I’m retiring so I need to spend my pension fund’ no longer holds true and the real benefit of pension flexibility is just that: the pension can now more easily be managed to provide varying income needs throughout retirement. It is vital that anyone who is considering making substantial withdrawals from their pension fund under the new flexible arrangements takes proper advice. The Government is making guidance available

There may be good reasons why retirees would benefit from taking substantial withdrawals from their funds but this will be generic: we strongly believe that individual advice will be critical in order to ensure that the implications of making withdrawals are clearly understood. Not only is there a risk that retirees will pay unnecessary tax if withdrawals are badly timed, there is also a very real danger that they will find themselves with an empty pension pot some years down the line. Pension flexibility is available to those in defined contribution schemes (based on contributions and investment growth) and from most private sector defined benefit schemes (based on length of service and salary). In the latter case, the pension fund entitlements must be transferred into a personal pension before the fund can be accessed. However, the majority of those with public sector defined benefit pensions will not be allowed to cash them in under the new rules, although there are a few exceptions. With us all living longer, retirement is now expected to last at least 20 years. Pension savers need to be realistic about what they can achieve from their fund in the longer term and should plan carefully to maintain an achievable income throughout retirement. The value of an investment and the income from it could go down as well as up. The return at the end of the investment period is not guaranteed and you may get back less than you originally invested.

The tax treatment of investments depends on individual circumstances and is subject to change.

For independent advice, contact Almary Green on 01603 706740 or email enquiries@almarygreen.com. Please remember that the advice here is generic and we recommend that you get individual personalised advice.

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y very first article for Places&Faces® was to on the subject of English Notaries Public. As part of the oldest legal profession in Europe, they trace their roots back to the Roman Republic. Like the rest of the legal profession, it has changed its role over time. Things done by notaries today differ markedly from their function even 30 years ago. Now, most of a notary’s work is to do with authenticating foreign documents. Almost all countries have a notarial profession, with it being particularly important in the so-called civil law countries, which base their legal systems on Roman law. This includes most of Europe, with the exception of the UK and Ireland and a couple of the Scandinavian countries. It means that for people wishing to sign a foreign legal document in England, they usually have to have their execution of the document authenticated by an English notary public, whose notarial act will then be recognised abroad.

Once the regulation comes into force, the rules applied to the administration of a deceased’s estate will be governed by his place of habitual residence at death. This is a change from the current position in, for example, Spain, where currently the rules governing the distribution of an estate are determined by the nationality of the deceased. This is going to be a big change. Many European and indeed other countries have a form of inheritance whereby only a certain part of the estate can be given away by will. For those with children, those children become what are termed ‘forced heirs’, meaning that they automatically inherit two thirds (in the case of Spain) of the deceased’s estate. Surprisingly, a surviving spouse is fairly far down the list of entitlement to any part of the estate. Many people owning foreign property have in the past been happy to rely upon English rules to govern the administration of that property. From August that will not work unless, as a minimum, their English will is amended to choose English law as the law of the administration. However, the

From August this year a new regulation comes into force governing the rules of succession where a person is resident in one country and dies owning property in another country This work gives notaries a unique insight into the workings of many different foreign legal systems and they acquire a knowledge of many different jurisdictions and their various requirements. Some notaries are able, through experience, to advise on foreign law matters or to even prepare documents in a foreign language. Being part of the EU means that there is a degree of harmonisation across Europe in certain areas of law. One such is inheritance or succession law. From August this year a new regulation comes into force governing the rules of succession where a person is resident in one country and dies owning property in another country. This is particularly important for those who own property in say France or Spain. Despite recent economic problems, the numbers owning a foreign property is still many thousands.

only safe way is to have a will made in the country where the assets are, dealing with those assets. Further complications will arise where any English will creates a trust in favour of minor children or the surviving spouse, such as a right given to a wife to occupy a property during her lifetime. Unfortunately, most civil law countries do not have the concept of a trust as part of their law. There is something called a usufruct, which is in some respects similar but again is something on which a testator needs advice from local lawyers. Notaries are in an almost unique position to understand the sorts of issues which can arise. Whilst few would try and advise on the detail, they at least recognise the potential problems and can steer you in the right direction to get the advice you need. The worst time for anyone to be sorting out problems with an inheritance is after the death.

| APRIL 2015

They are the ultimate driving machines. Land Rovers and Range Rovers are simply the vehicles we all want. Sarah Hardy visits the Marshall dealership in Halesworth to take a closer look

he mighty machines that are Land Rovers and Range Rovers ooze style and safety and, best of all, they are British! Surely, there’s nothing wrong in flying the flag when it comes to celebrating great engineering and good looks. The Marshall Motor Group, one of the country’s top 10 car dealerships, operates the Land Rover and Range Rover franchise in Halesworth, a very attractive town nine miles upstream from Southwold. It is a perfect spot for them, with many country dwellers relying on these impressive 4x4s to get around their farms or estates. They sell both new and used models, with a target of 500 new vehicles a year, and 300 used ones so this is a busy dealership with ambitious future plans. With the very chatty Stephen Lay as general manager since October, the company took over the Norwich Road site in July and have spent a lot of time and effort putting their own stamp on it. The showroom, for example, says Mr Lay, has had £50,000 spent on it to create a welcoming and stylish space where up to six models are on display. These might include the highly popular Range Rover Evoque and the classic Land Rover Defender. It is light and airy, with plenty of exposed walls and high ceilings. It is open plan which adds to the sense of space and has

Paul Goodwin (Service Manager), Stephen Lay (Head of Business), Tom Sayles (Sales Manager), Shaun Bardwell (Parts Manager)

ADVERTISING FEATURE

MARSHALL LAND ROVER

a mezzanine for added interest. It is painted a calming cream – with the brand’s trademark blue and green splashed around. Add in comfy sofas, a very expensive coffee machine (which does great cappuccino), a flat screen television, plenty of magazines and newspapers and it is a great place for us customers! There is also a little retail area where you can buy branded goodies such as umbrellas, caps, sweat shirts and more! There’s a dedicated hand over area for when you come to drive that much loved vehicle away, and Mr Lay explained that the service area has also been refurbished and, with a little MOT viewing area, you can see the experts at work! Indeed, Mr Lay was keen to stress the ongoing training that all members of staff receive. ‘Yes, we take it very seriously,’ he says. ‘There is always something new to learn and it is important that our staff are well informed.’ But at the heart of everything is customer service. ‘We give people time and really help get them the vehicle to suit their needs. Obviously, many of our customers have had our vehicles before so they are very knowledgeable, too. ‘We now have seven full time members of staff in sales, plus plenty of support so Marshall is certainly investing on all levels. ‘We also try to offer extras – we will collect and deliver cars in the local area and we offer a free lift into the town, with free coffee and cake at one of the leading hotels, The Angel, so people can pop into the town centre while we service their vehicle.’ And the vehicles? Well, they speak for themselves. Research is of the utmost importance and new developments are being made all the time. Did you know, for example, that many vehicles are now fitted with pedestrian airbags so they are protected in the event of a collision? It is all amazing stuff! Having the chance to climb inside one of the vehicles and really exploring all it offers will only help you confirm what you probably already knew: these vehicles really are cutting edge. Future events include attending the Suffolk Show in Ipswich on May 27 and 28 and also a celebration party at the site in July, to mark the first anniversary of the dealership in the town.

We give people time and really help get them the vehicle to suit their needs

The Marshall Motor Group has a long and noble history. It started in Cambridge when local businessman David Gregory Marshall set up a car hire and motor business in 1909. Based at Cambridge Airport, the company helped the military with motor repairs during both world wars and quickly became involved in aerospace, even helping to design part of Concorde! The company, which is still based at Cambridge Airport, now has Sir Michael Marshall, the grandson of David, as the third generation to run the company, with his son, Robert, also involved, so the future of this family-run company looks secure. It is the second largest privately owned dealer group in the UK. Since the beginning of 2009, Marshall Motor Group has added 36 branches to its portfolio and now operates about 75 franchised dealership businesses representing 25 different manufacturer brands, with a turnover of £1.2bn per annum and 2700 colleagues. The company currently sells around 55,000 new and used cars and services/ repairs over 450,000 vehicles in its workshops. Marshall also operates five accident repair centres and one filling station.

Marshall Land Rover Norwich Road, Halesworth Tel 01986 834700 visit www.marshall.halesworth.landrover.co.uk

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| APRIL 2015

MIGHTY ALL ROUNDER

hat’s new? If the words Land Rover Discovery make you leap for joy, grab your warmest coat and set course for adventure (or supermarket), you’re in luck. The Discovery Sport is the first step towards a new family of Discovery-badged family cars. It shares a lot of its undergarments with the Range Rover Evoque, but it’s longer, with a remarkably clever new rear suspension arrangement that allows you to fit seven people into an SUV measuring less than 4.6 metres long – about the same as the three-door BMW i8 electric sports car. Looks and image If it didn’t helpfully say Discovery on the bonnet, you’d have a hard time telling it apart from the Evoque from the front. Move to the side and you see the higher roof line, the bigger windows (thank the Lord) and the completely different rear end. It doesn’t look cheap, and the Discovery name adds some off-road prestige. In fact, the more you look at it the more sweetly it seems to balance the rugged Discovery looks with the modern, streetsavvy boldness of the baby Range Rover. The colour palette is, for the most part, about as exciting as an overdone sprout, but there’s a smashing orange shade too. Space and practicality There are seven seats. Seven! It’s not as cramped as you’d suppose in the back, either, thanks to expensive new rear

Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it? Not Land Rover, writes Matt Kimberley as he road tests the new Discovery Sport

MOTORING

LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT

FACTS AT A GLANCE Land Rover Discovery Sport 2.2 SD4 Auto, from £34,195 Engine: Turbocharged diesel producing 187bhp and 310lb/ft Transmission: Nine-speed automatic gearbox driving all four wheels Performance: Top speed 117m Prices correct at time of going to press

suspension technology that removes the top links and leaves much more space in the cabin. The middle row slides forward to create more legroom at the back, while leaving enough habitat for adults in the front five seats. The seven-seat car comes with a space-saver spare wheel, but the five-seat option Land Rover which is launching at the same time will hold a full-size spare beneath the boot. Twofeet-deep water is reduced to a mere inconvenience, the Terrain Response system helps manage everything from tarmac to mud, gravel, grass, snow, ruts and sand, and the new touchscreen works with gloves – although only the kind designed for touch-screens. Behind the wheel Driving it over Icelandic snow and ice perhaps isn’t the best representation of UK driving, but by Jove the Discovery Sport can handle it. Despite its advancing years the slightly agricultural 2.2-litre diesel engine still does a good job when paired with the nine-speed automatic gearbox. The ZF unit works seamlessly and flatters the rest of the car. Comfortable seats are important in this part of the market but the Sport ticks that box. Its driving dynamics seem handsomely neutral, although a UK test will deliver a more definitive opinion on that. The four-wheel drive system works

impeccably though. At one point the car had to pull itself out of a snow drift – and did. Value for money Value is relative. If you want a lifestyle-biased compact family SUV that can tow, can seat seven and can handle even the toughest off-roading that any normal person is likely to throw at it, this really is in a class of one. It’s more expensive than an Evoque, mind you, and some will find that badge hard to resist. Who would buy one? Families now have a fresh option. This is a tall car that can seat seven in comfort, with the latest technology for everyone and up to seven USB ports for charging devices. But it’s not a leviathan SUV, it won’t rub people up the wrong way (as much) and it offers more practicality and capability than anything else on the market for the same money. It’s a mighty all-rounder. This car summed up in a single word: Intelligent If this car was a…: fruit-filled pastry from a boutique baker it would pack a lot of flavour into a surprisingly low-calorie package.

DEALER DETAILS Marshall Land Rover Norwich Road Halesworth Suffolk IP19 8HX Tel 01986 834700 www.marshall.halesworth.landrover.co.uk Subscribe online at www.placesandfaces.co.uk

FORD CREDIT

Competitive low rate finance on 3 years Ford Options. With a £1,500 Deposit Allowance available on the FORD KUGA range.

4.3% APR representative Ludham Garage Ltd

High Street, Ludham, Norfolk, NR29 5QQ 01692 678215 Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (1/100km) for the Ford Kuga range: urban 30.4-52.3(9.3-5.4), extra urban 45.6-65.7(6.2-4.3), combined 38.2-60.1(7.4-4.7). Official CO2 emissions 122-171g/km. The mpg figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated test results (EU Directive and Regulation 692/2008), are provided for comparability purposes and may not reflect your actual driving experience. Retail only. Finance subject to status. Guarantees/indemnities may be required. Freepost Ford Credit. Subject to availability at a Ford Authorised Dealer for new vehicles contracted between 01.03.2015 – 31.03.2015 and registered between 01.03.2015 – 31.03.2015. Deposit Allowance only available when financed with Ford Credit. Ludham Garage - Ludham only offers finance products from Ford Credit. Ludham Garage Ltd acts as a credit broker in relation to finance products and not a lender.

£249 Our 3-cylinder petrol engines deliver the performance associated with bigger engines but with significantly improved fuel consumption. Contact us to find out more about the benefits of PureTech.

M R KING & SONS Horn Hill, LOWESTOFT, NR33 0PX 01502 573955 www.mrking.co.uk Official Fuel Consumption in MPG (1/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km) for the 308 range are: Urban 44.1 – 80.7 (6.4 – 3.5), Extra Urban 65.7 – 97.4 (4.3 – 2.9), Combined 55.4 – 91.1 (5.1 – 3.1) and CO2 117 – 82 (g/km). MPG figures are achieved under official EU test conditions, intended as a guide for comparative purposes only, and may not reflect actual on-the-road driving conditions. Terms and conditions apply, participating dealers only or visit www.peugeot.co.uk. To finance your lease we may introduce you to a limited number of lenders. #Passport Personal Lease: A guarantee may be required. Over 18s only. Written quotations available on request from Peugeot Financial Services, Quadrant House, Princess Way, Redhill RH1 1QA. M. R. King & Sons is acting as a credit broker and is not a lender. 308 Sportium 1.2 PureTech 110 including metallic paint, initial rental contribution £1,500, customer initial rental £500, optional final rental £6860. 35 monthly rentals payable. 6,000 miles per annum. Excess mileage charges may apply. If you choose to pay the optional final rental, you can pay an annual rental equivalent to one of your monthly rentals but will not own the car. Ownership is possible with Passport – ask us for details. Offer available on cars ordered by 30/04/15. Calls may be recorded for training purposes. Information correct at time of going to press. +When compared to a 308 1.6 THP 125.

www.citroen.co.uk

CITROËN C3 SELECTION

CITROËN C3 PICASSO SELECTION

CITROËN C4 SELECTION

DUFF MORGAN 01603 775477 WHIFFLER ROAD, NORWICH, NORFOLK, NR3 2AZ www.duffmorgan.citroen.co.uk

DUFF MORGAN KING’S LYNN 01553 770144

49 BERGEN WAY, KING’S LYNN, NORFOLK, PE30 2JG www.duffmorgankingslynn.citroen.co.uk

¹No VAT offer is a reduction in the OTR price equivalent to the 20% VAT. ◊Offers apply to retail sales of qualifying Citroën models ordered & delivered 01/01-31/03/15 & include VAT, delivery to dealer & number plates, Government Registration Fee & 12 months’ graduated vehicle excise duty. Black/metallic/pearlescent paint optional at extra cost. Finance offers apply to Citroën C3, C3 Picasso and C4 Selection models. Deposit varies by model & term. Finance subject to status. Written quotations available on request from Citroën Financial Services, Quadrant House, Princess Way, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1QA, UK. Over 18s only. A guarantee may be required. Duff Morgan & Vermont Ltd is acting as a credit broker and is not a lender. To finance your purchase/lease we may introduce you to a limited number of lenders. Offers, prices & specification correct at time of going to press from participating Dealers. Terms & conditions apply. Please ask us for details. Subject to stock availability. Finance offers apply to UK only.

Official Government fuel consumption figures (Range): Urban cycle, Extra urban, Combined (litres per 100km/mpg) & CO2 emissions (g/km); Highest: Citroën C4 VTi 120 automatic 10.0/28.2, 5.1/55.4, 6.9/40.9, 159. Lowest: Citroën C3 e-HDi 70 ETG 3.6/78.5, 3.2/88.3, 3.4/83.1, 87. MPG figures are achieved under official EU test conditions, intended as a guide for comparative purposes only, and may not reflect actual on-the-road driving conditions.

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DS 3

£87 - £259

FROM PER MONTH ON PERSONAL LEASE° WITH 3 YEARS’ SERVICING FOR £99†

With two World Rally Championship wins and awards from Top Gear magazine, Diesel Car and JD Power, DS 3 was hard to beat. But DS 3 Cabrio responded with a win of its own: ‘Best Open Top Car under £25,000’ from What Car? in 2014. Call us today on 01603 775477 to arrange a test drive.

DS 3 CABRIO

£120 - £249

FROM PER MONTH ON PERSONAL LEASE° WITH 3 YEARS’ SERVICING FOR £99†

DUFF MORGAN 01603 775477 WHIFFLER ROAD, NORWICH, NORFOLK, NR3 2AZ www.duffmorgan.citroen.co.uk

DUFF MORGAN KING’S LYNN 01553 770144 49 BERGEN WAY, KING’S LYNN, NORFOLK, PE30 2JG www.duffmorgankingslynn.citroen.co.uk

°Prices & offers apply to retail sales of qualifying Citroën models ordered & delivered 01/01-31/03/15 & include VAT, delivery to dealer & number plates, Government Registration Fee & 12 months’ graduated vehicle excise duty. Black/metallic/pearlescent/ Sport Yellow/Sport Red paint optional at extra cost. Elect 4 Personal Lease rentals shown apply to DS 3 PureTech 82 manual DSign - DS 3 BlueHDi 120 6-speed manual Ultra Prestige & DS 3 Cabrio PureTech 82 manual DSign - DS 3 Cabrio BlueHDi 120 6-speed manual DSport respectively. Model(s) shown DS 3 VTi 120 Manual DStyle Plus + Ruby Red (£495) + alloys (£225) from £209 & DS 3 Cabrio VTi 120 manual DStyle Plus from £225 per month. One significant advance rental will be required, which varies by model, followed by 34 monthly rentals at the rates shown & a significant optional final rental. Excess mileage charges may apply if the agreed annual mileage is exceeded. Payment of the optional final rental extends the rental term (this does not transfer title of the vehicle) & requires an annual rental equivalent to one months’ rental. Finance subject to status. Written quotations available on request from Citroën Financial Services, Quadrant House, Princess Way, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1QA, UK. Over 18s only. A guarantee may be required. Duff Morgan & Vermont Ltd is acting as a credit broker and is not a lender. To finance your purchase/lease we may introduce you to a limited number of lenders. †Applies to all DS 3, DS 3 Cabrio, DS 4 & DS 5 models on Elect 4 Personal Lease or purchased with Elect 3 finance. Includes: Scheduled servicing, annual service (for vehicles on 2 year cycle, where needed) & brake fluid. Expires at 36 months or 35,000 miles (whichever occurs sooner). Offers & specification correct at time of going to press from participating Dealers. Terms & conditions apply. Please ask us for details. Subject to stock availability.

Official Government fuel consumption figures (Range): Urban cycle, Extra urban, Combined (litres per 100km/mpg) & CO2 emissions (g/km); Highest: DS 3 Cabrio VTi 120 automatic DStyle 9.7/29.1, 4.9/57.6, 6.7/42.2, 154. Lowest: DS 3 BlueHDi 120 6-speed manual Ultra Prestige 4.4/64.2, 3.2/88.3, 3.6/78.5, 94. MPG figures are achieved under official EU test conditions, intended as a guide for comparative purposes only, and may not reflect actual on-the-road driving conditions.

| APRIL 2015

ROCK ON W

hat’s new? The Adam Rocks Air is understandably similar to the basic Adam at first glance but there are quite a few differences of note. Firstly the Rocks Air sits 15mm higher thanks to raised suspension that has also been retuned, and to complement this there are dark grey plastic panels added around the wheel arches and bumpers. The other key change is the adoption of a part-fabric roof. A section from the windscreen rail to behind the driver’s head can be folded back, and, because it’s only part way across, it can be folded at motorway speeds. Better still, the Adam Rocks Air can be fitted with the brand-new 1 litre three cylinder turbocharged power plant, as tested here. Looks and image The Adam in standard form is designed to be eye-catching and also offers up plenty of personalisation options, so the overall look is very much up to the buyer. However the Adam Rocks Air takes this a bit further thanks to the additional exterior panels. With the contrast of grey plastic and body paint it certainly stands out even more and, while shy, retiring types probably won’t like it, everyone else will appreciate the sharper looks.

Vauxhall has spun a crossover offering from the stylish Adam city car, adding chunkier looks as well as a part fabric roof. But it’s the new power plant that’s the really big news. Matt Joy reports

MOTORING

VAUXHALL ADAM ROCKS AIR

FACTS AT A GLANCE Vauxhall Adam Rocks Air, £16,695 Engine: 1.0-litre petrol unit producing 114bhp and 125lb/ft of torque Transmission: Six-speed gearbox driving the front wheels Performance: Top speed 121mph, 0-62mph in 9.9 seconds Economy: 55.4mpg combined Emissions: 119g/km of CO2 Prices correct at time of going to press

Space and practicality Of course the Adam is a small car, but it’s worth remembering that it’s designed to be more stylish and therefore a little less practical than its Corsa stablemate. Up front it is reasonably spacious and the full length roof doesn’t appear to rob you of any headroom. In the back it’s a bit more of a squeeze while the boot offers 170 litres. Storage space in the cabin is modest too, but there’s at least a good spot to stick your mobile phone. Behind the wheel With an eye-catching interior and a chunky three-spoke steering wheel the Adam Rocks Air does put you in the mood for a brisk drive, and happily it is a more pleasurable experience thanks to that new engine. It may be small in capacity at 1.0-litre but the turbocharger makes all the difference. It’s a keen engine, happy to rev and surprisingly brisk. Crucially it’s quite refined for one so small too. The increase in ride height doesn’t affect the Adam’s behaviour either; the slightly softer suspension means it deals with broken urban roads perfectly well and is fun to drive through the bends, although the electric power steering doesn’t offer as much feel as some rivals. Value for money Because it has more features than the standard Adam, the Rocks Air costs a little bit more than the regular car. You get smart alloy wheels, the plastic body add-ons, the increased ride height and the roll-back sunroof all as standard but with the ideal engine choice. It’s £16,695.

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Who would buy one? If you’re looking for a small car with style then you have plenty to choose from, but the Adam Rocks Air is unusual in that it offers both a slightly raised ride height and the folding fabric roof. You can have the feel of the convertible but without the penalties of increased weight or compromised boot space. Larger families will find it too small but you can fit two children in the back comfortably. This car summed up in a single word: Quirky If this car was a…: drink it would definitely be a cocktail – a collection of all sorts.

DEALER DETAILS Thurlow Nunn 591 Hall Road Norwich NR4 6AS Tel 01603 513225 www.thurlownunn.co.uk

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NEW FIESTA ZETEC-S BLACK EDITION

FORD FIESTA ZETEC S BLACK EDITION 3 DOOR £15,650 · Black 17” 8-spoke alloy wheels · Contrast Race Red roof, door mirror caps, upper and lower grille surround and front bumper aerofoil · Leather trimmed steering wheel, gearshift

Pertwee & Back Limited

Gapton Hall Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR31 0NJ 01493 664151 Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for Ford Fiesta Zetec S Black Edition: urban 50,4 (5,6), extra urban 72,4 (3,9), combined 62,8 (4,5). Official CO2 emission 104g/km. Retail only. Finance subject to status, Deposit Allowance only available with Ford Credit. Details correct at time of going to print. Subject to availability. Contact us for terms and conditions. Applies to new vehicles, contract and registered between 12/03/2015 and 30/04/2015.

www.pertwee-and-back.co.uk

| APRIL 2015

A C RAC K I N G CROSSOVER

A VEHICLE THAT COMBINES CROSS-COUNTRY CAPABILITY WITH IMPRESSIVE ON-ROAD PERFORMANCE WILL ALWAYS BE POPULAR IN A LARGELY RURAL COMMUNITY LIKE EAST ANGLIA AND THE NEW SUBARU OUTBACK IS WELL EQUIPPED FOR SUCH A ROLE, SAYS JAMES SPICER

PRICES FROM £27,995

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he Subaru marque has long been popular in this area, particularly with those involved in farming, or country pursuits. Its all-wheel drive gives it tremendous flexibility and it is at home on forest tracks as it is on the motorway. The latest Subaru Outback is the fifth generation of the brand’s pioneering ‘crossover’ car, and goes on sale in the UK on April 1. There will be six model variant, starting from £27,995 on the road; plus a choice of two engines, with either manual or Lineartronic transmissions. The Outback was first introduced in 1995 as the first ever crossover and has spawned a whole range of ‘copy cat’ models ever since; and it has continued to combine the virtues of a tourer with those of an SUV. The on-the-road price range of £27,995 to £32,995 means the new Outback stays in the same price bracket as the outgoing version despite having new exterior design, a more spacious and higher quality interior, and a range of advanced safety equipment and in-car technology. The new Outback also boasts a very generous standard specification. Extra safety measures have grown to be highly important in recent times as car makers progress, and new to the Outback is EyeSight - Subaru’s advanced collision avoidance technology which acts as a ‘second pair of eyes’ for drivers, employing stereo colour camera technology to monitor the road and traffic ahead for potential hazards.

MOTORING

All prices correct at time of going to press

SUBARU OUTBACK

This is the first time the technology has been made available in the UK and Europe. The system’s two colour cameras are located in front of the rear view mirror to detect the presence of vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and other potential hazards. EyeSight is fitted as standard to every Outback fitted with Lineartronic (CVT) transmission, and includes autonomous pre-collision braking control and pre-collision throttle management, adaptive cruise control and lane departure and sway warning. While clearly maintaining the distinctive Outback identity, Subaru’s designers strived to make the new model more dynamic while keeping true to its rugged cross-over roots. From the front, the bumper integrated hexagonal grille and hawk-eye headlights maintain consistency with other models in the Subaru family, while the profile is a subtle evolution of the existing Outback. Inside, a revamped interior uses a range of higher quality materials throughout, resulting in a much more premium cabin, complemented by a new range of factory-fit infotainment and sat nav systems. The interior is also more spacious.

THE OUTBACK WAS FIRST INTRODUCED IN 1995 AS THE FIRST EVER CROSSOVER AND HAS SPAWNED A WHOLE RANGE OF ‘COPY CAT’ MODELS EVER SINCE The two engines available in the UK models are a pair of horizontally - opposed four-cylinder Boxer engines familiar to Subaru devotees - fitted deep in the engine bay to ensure a low centre of gravity for improved handling, despite the car’s raised ground clearance.

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The engine choice is between a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel, producing 150 PS and 350 Nm torque; or a naturallyaspirated 2.5-litre petrol unit, with power and torque outputs of 165 PS and 235 Nm respectively. Diesels come with either a six-speed manual transmission or Lineartronic; the 2.5-litre petrol engine is sold exclusively with Lineartronic. The two trim levels in the UK – SE and SE Premium – both offer a generous level of standard equipment. SE models are equipped as standard with automatic LED headlamps and headlamp washers, cruise control, active torque vectoring, 17-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, electrically-adjustable driver’s seat and privacy glass, as well as a 7.0-inch touchscreen ‘infotainment’ system, incorporating satellite navigation, audio, smartphone connectivity and a rear view parking camera. Petrol SE models also feature an emissions-reducing start-stop system and Subaru Intelligent Drive, which allows drivers to select different engine modes depending on road conditions for improved economy and performance. SE Premium models add a sunroof, keyless entry and push-button start, 18-inch alloy wheels, leather seats and a powered rear tailgate for added functionality. But, despite all the impressive kit, the bottom line is that the Outback will still do the kind of workmanlike job that Subaru owners have come to expect.

DEALER DETAILS Constitution Motors 142 Constitution Hill Norwich NR3 4BB Tel 01603 788800 www.constitutionmotors.co.uk

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| APRIL 2015

5 MINUTES WITH

HENRY SUTTON Award-winning crime novelist Henry Sutton may live and work in Norwich but the pleasures of Great Yarmouth will draw him back every time!

Describe your job to us

What do you miss most when you leave the region?

I’m a senior lecturer in Creative Writing at UEA, and co-direct the landmark MA in Prose Fiction. I’m also director of the UEA Spring Literary Festival. When I have a moment I write novels!

My family, presuming they are not with me. Otherwise, frankly, I like travelling, I like getting away. What are you reading at the moment?

Where were you born, and what brought you to Norfolk?

Yes – I’m Norfolk through and through, as were both my parents. I was born at home, in Warren Lane, Gorleston-on-Sea. What’s your ideal day out in the area?

There are too many to mention. Obviously it depends a little on the weather; however I love Great Yarmouth in all seasons. I love taking my kids to the Hippodrome, and then fish and chips after, and a brisk walk on the North Denes dunes. Which iconic Norfolk characters do you most admire and why?

Well, Nelson has always intrigued me, though probably for the wrong reasons. His love-life was a disaster. Lucky man though he might have been with regards Lady Hamilton, he was not particularly honourable, when it came to matters of the heart – but all the more human for it.

I’m rereading Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon (concerned that the Americans still have the edge when it comes to prose style). Would you prefer a day on the Broads or a day at Yarmouth’s Pleasure Beach? Why?

Yarmouth, every time - I was practically brought up on that roller coaster. I know every dip and turn. My father once worked on the go-carts – when they had them (obviously health and safety has ruined much of the fun, but it still has a certain sort of edge). The Broads, on the other hand, are too still for my liking - all that murky water and dense foliage, and no candy-floss. Opera, musical, drama or movie – which would you prefer to watch? And what was the last production/show you saw?

What’s your favourite pub in Norfolk and what do you like to drink there?

I’ve never been very keen on the theatre, I really don’t like musicals, or opera, and I don’t have time to go to the cinema, though I go to many author events and readings - too many probably.

My favourite bar is Yellows, Carrow Road, before a match. Nothing beats the excitement, the anticipation...

Sum up Norfolk in three words

It’s getting better. Where do you like to eat out in Norfolk and why? And what do you order?

I love eating out. I just wish there were some better restaurants in Norwich. I admire The Reindeer for its vision, The Gunton Arms for the atmosphere, and Hickman’s for the actual food.

Sum up yourself in three words

I’m still trying.

HENRY SUTTON’S LATEST NOVEL, My Criminal World, is published by Vintage, £8.99. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Henry’s second novel, Gorleston, about retired widower, Percy, and flirtatious widow, Queenie. A new MA in crime fiction at UEA launches in September.

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What Car? Best convertible 2015. Another reason to raise the roof. With its striking silhouette and advanced features like Bluetooth and Audi Music Interface, the A3 Cabriolet is already one of our most popular open-top cars. And because it’s secured the What Car? Best convertible award for the second consecutive year, it’s now even more desirable. To arrange your test drive in time for spring, call your local Audi Centre.

Norwich Audi 17 Meridian Way Norwich Norfolk NR7 0TA 01603 709200 norwich.audi.co.uk Official fuel consumption figures for the A3 Cabriolet range in mpg (l/100km) from: Urban 31.4 (9.0) – 60.1 (4.7), Extra Urban 47.1 (6.0) – 80.7 (3.5), Combined 39.8 (7.1) – 72.4 (3.9). CO2 emissions: 165 – 104g/km. Standard EU Test figures for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results.

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26/02/2015 16:39