Portfolio February 2016

February 2016

TAKE A SEAT

WIN! Eames-inspired rocking chair

James Martin INTERVIEW

On a visit to Brighton

Home crafting With ARCH angels Architects

&

Vogue Vintage

The region’s LARGEST property publication

Victorian homes on trend The best period refurbishments

FREE

INSIDE 5

6 12 15

Gabrielle Aplin, page 20

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COVER STORY : Crafting a home with ARCH angels Architects Property News See what’s trending

ARCH angels Architects, page 6

Calendar : Out and about in February

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Legal matters : Mud slinging

28

You can Do It Yourself NEW!

33

Photo: Jonty Tacon | Up my Street, page 33

Hill House & Home Truths

Up my Street : Hove’s Dom Mason, Founder of Mason Cycles

38 44

February Collection : Victorian homes on trend

50 67 69 75 76

Selling tips : Making your home eco-friendly

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Talk Money : Time to retire?

New Homes : Family homes from Mishon Mackay Gardens : The best places to visit in half term Career Ladder : Will Taylor, accountant Chalk Architecture : On your bike COVER STORY : WIN! An Eames-inspired rocking chair ... Continued over

For all advertising, editorial and general enquiries contact Lynne Edwards, Managing Director

07931 537588

lynne@portfoliopublications.co.uk www.portfoliopublications.co.uk

Subscribe to our newsletter Cover: Image courtesy of www.farrow-ball.com

Competition, page 80

Style, page 90

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Interiors : Take a seat

84

Shopping : Inspiration to Do It Yourself

86 90 89

Health Matters : Body beautiful Style : Power dressing

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Golf Guy : Hybrids to the rescue

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Local news from the region

96 99

Business lunch, page 96

Travel : A weekend in Montpellier

Business lunch : The Parsons Table, Arundel Beat the scammers : Tips from Nat West

100

National news

102

Motors : Discover the Discovery HSE

104

Travel, page 86

COVER STORY : James Martin Plates, mates and automobiles

James Martin, page 104

The PORTFOLIO team Managing Director: Lynne Edwards 07931 537588 • lynne@portfoliopublications.co.uk Chief Sub-Editor & Features Editor: Production Editor: Fiona McTernan Daniel Frickelton portfoliomagazineproduction@gmail.com For advertising and general enquiries contact portfoliomagazineeditorial@gmail.com Lynne Edwards: 07931 537588 lynne@portfoliopublications.co.uk Interiors Editor: Tara de la Motte Designer: Sally Wynn www.portfoliopublications.co.uk tara@sussex-homes.co.uk portfoliopublications@dollydesigns.co.uk Cover: Image courtesy of John Lewis www.johnlewis.com

Contributor: Kate Hill

Contributing Editor: Maarten Hoffmann 07966 244 046 maarten@platinumbusinessmagazine.com

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

EXPERT column

HOME TRUTHS

W

THE HILL HOUSE

e’ve survived January, with only one persistent and unexplained damp patch creeping through the new kitchen wall. This is progress: a few months ago we were deluged, chasing water around the kitchen as rain found new, creative ways to come inside.

I’m doing my best to ignore it. After all, it’s only damp plasterwork and bubbling paint – no actual puddles or rivers this time. The damp proofing companies I’ve been calling will get back to me eventually.

We can redecorate (again) when it’s fixed. In the meantime, we can get on with everything else – much of the remaining indoor work (outdoors having paused for the winter) is now down to my other half.

Busy as he’s been, I’d earmarked the Christmas break as a planned intervention: there’s nothing like spending time at home to remind you of all the things you haven’t done. With 18 due for lunch on Boxing Day, I even stood a fair chance of getting the downstairs WC finished.

“If flat-pack assembly whilst nursing a broken ankle isn’t a sign of true love, then I don’t know what is” The Christmas break intervention turned out to be something altogether different. Walking home from his work do in the pouring rain, Mr Hill House slipped on wet leaves and fell. We spent the small hours among the seasonal – and colourful - A&E throng, returning home with crutches, a black boot and an appointment at the Fracture Clinic.

So instead of building storage, fixing skirting boards and toilets, he spent the Christmas week experiencing my woeful nursing skills and a great deal of daytime TV. Happily, tramadol taken for pain has wiped whole days from his memory, so he’s unable to recall my attempts to help him up / down / to the toilet. And as new storage and chests of drawers were unlikely to materialise from his workshop over this period, I was (reluctantly) permitted an IKEA spending spree – the results of which the poor man has spent the last week trying to put together from his fixed spot on the sofa. After 16 years of marriage, if flat-pack assembly whilst nursing a broken ankle isn’t a sign of true love, then I don’t know what is. Happy Valentine’s Day, Mr Hill.

Kate Hill

I’m in the mood for love…

Have you been at the oysters again? Food, drink and even scents have been thought to have aphrodisiac qualities over the years. Don’t get your knickers in a twist, though – it’s probably all in your mind.

I THOUGHT OYSTERS HAD APHRODISIAC PROPERTIES? Oysters, chocolate, bananas (really), celery, nuts, avocados, the smell of lavender, vanilla and even pumpkin pie… all of these have been used to incite love and desire over the centuries. One school of thought is that if they work at all, it’s likely the placebo effect: if you believe something is making a difference, then it will.

I’ll cancel the reservation at English’s…

Well, not too fast – although these foods don’t have discreet aphrodisiac properties, there is good evidence for a more general link between diet, wellbeing and the physical aspects of love.

Chocolate, oysters and other shellfish are rich in an amino acid called L-arginine, which the body converts into nitric oxide – a chemical which helps blood vessels open wider and improves blood flow, useful to men and women. Some studies also suggest that it stimulates the release of growth hormone and insulin, reduces healing time, and supports immune function – all important things if you’re in the dating game!

However, there isn’t any research on its effects on true love.. you’re on your own there.

I could use a drink after all that science.

Its funny you should say that. A 2009 study carried out at the University of Florence and published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that women who drank a glass of red wine every day (rich in antioxidants called polyphenols) reported greater desire, as well as more physiological changes associated with desire, than those who didn’t. Good news for those who want to woo their intended with a glass of Chianti (the region where work for the study took place). All done with dry January? Perhaps one glass wouldn’t hurt.

PORTFOLIO 5

PROPERTY

CRAFTING A HOME We all have an idea of our Dream Home. ARCH angels Architects make dreams into reality.

Here they profile a project and explain the process

M

ost people dream of designing their own home. They usually have a concept in their minds already, and the client for this project was no different.

The process for building your own dream home begins with an idea. With the help of an architect’s experience, this idea can be put to paper as a sufficient way to explain it to a home builder, who can then transform the refined idea into something physical.

Architectural drawings make up the graphic language of building design and construction.

This stage is used to visualise possibilities, study alternatives and present design ideas about the form and spaces of a building.

The concept stage is where you must take the time to really decide on what it is you want from your home and what kind of lifestyle you want to create for yourself. When these questions are answered, it is through a relationship between yourselves and your architect that the design can be completed.

The owners of this property in the Surrey countryside wanted to improve their family life with a larger, more energy-efficient home. They originally looked at renovating the existing dwelling, an old 1950s bungalow. However, after a lot of research, it was decided that a new dwelling would be more sensible and economical. The old property was very poorly designed, with unsympathetic extensions.

6 PORTFOLIO

It was an eyesore and did not fit well in its surroundings, which are predominantly woodland.

Starting from scratch enabled the client to correct the mistakes of the old property as well as creating their dream home. One part of this dream was a large, open-plan living area, later to be known as the ‘Great Hall’, containing a high, vaulted ceiling and panelled glass walls, which created the building’s centre-piece.

“Starting from scratch enabled the client to correct the mistakes of the old property as well as creating their dream home” The planning stage for this house was a tricky one. After much negotiation, compromise and some alterations, the house was eventually designed to be built in a twostage process. Breaking the process into two satisfied all of the planning requirements and enabled the client to get his dream home. The time period for this stage with this project was roughly a year and a half, including the

passing of the planning stage. It was now that the physical building of the home could begin!

The first ground works on site began in December 2009. Unfortunately, nobody could have predicted that the winter of 2009/10 was to be later known as ‘The Big Freeze,’ and was the coldest on record for 30 years!

However, despite the months of rain and snow, the site preparations were completed and the specially designed foundations were laid. The ground consisted of a clay soil, which required the house to have up to 3m deep foundations, designed not only for the ground type but also the proximity of the trees. Along with digging trenches for the foundations, the drainage was laid and an existing drainage ditch was relocated.

The existing property remained during construction. The client was able to live in this house, and it was set to be demolished once the new house had been occupied.

Once the foundations were in place, construction of the timber frame of the building began, in February 2010.

The ‘Great Hall’ vaulted central area of the house was constructed of green oak. Green oak is a great material that was carefully chosen for the character it would bring to the large centre-piece of the house. This ‘character’ is inherent in the wood’s properties.

High in moisture content, the wood, with good

PROPERTY

Features include: •

• • • • • •

Use of locally sourced, natural, low-maintenance, durable materials Under-floor heating and high levels of natural insulation Natural ventilation Rainwater harvesting Wood burning stove Solar thermal panels Low flush toilets

selection, good detailing and the skill of the craftsmen, will dry and shrink over time, ‘cracking’ and forming a very unique feel for the room.

The beautiful hand-made clay roof tiles were fitted to the roof structure at the beginning of May 2010. Along with the timber windows and doors, the building had a hand-made brick plinth added (bottom left photograph).

Above this plinth, British sweet chestnut was carefully chosen and added to the façade. British sweet chestnut has a similar golden colour to oak, but will weather to a natural silver colouring if left untreated. Chosen not just for its aesthetics, sweet chestnut is hardwearing, strong and durable, and relatively light when compared to other hardwoods, making it ideal for cladding.

The plumbing, heating, and electrical systems were ‘first fixed’ in July 2010. The client wanted an interactive intelligent lighting system installed into the house, enabling him to remotely control the lighting throughout their home. The internal walls were also insulated during this time.

The internal walls were also insulated and sealed. Rolls of insulation were inserted between the studs in all exterior wall cavities. Any gaps between framing members and around windows were tightly sealed to eliminate potential air leaks.

The finishes to the floors and walls as well as the painting were completed

by December 2010. Also by this date, the second fix of services had been completed. The oak staircase, together with glass balustrading, was completed

by January 2011.

The clients were delighted to finally move into their new home in February 2011, and their original house was demolished shortly afterwards.

For help in creating your own dream home contact: ARCH angels Architects 3 Dorset Place, Brighton BN2 1ST 01273 267184 www.aaarchitects.co.uk

PORTFOLIO 7

Titian Road, Hove BN3 5QR Guide Price ÂŁ700,000 - ÂŁ725,000

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2

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A most attractive, charming and spacious semi-detached family home, together with a quite lovely, good sized, level rear garden, occupying a favoured residential location.

As you enter the house, you are immediately struck by a feeling of light and space, which begins with the reception hallway. The living room is west facing and the room is flooded with light, from large bay windows overlooking the front garden. The kitchen is well fitted with light wood units and granite like eco-glass work surfaces. The second reception room enjoys superb views of the garden and with doors that open out onto the terrace. On the first floor there are four bedrooms and a large, beautifully fitted bathroom. Externally there is a stunning large rear garden, beautifully established, with a summer house. The home also boasts south facing solar panels, an abundance of insulation and an eco-boiler.

Wilbury Avenue, Hove BN3 6HS Guide Price ÂŁ1,295,000

WHATEVER YOU ARE LOOKING FOR

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2

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A substantial and most imposing, detached period home of considerable character, together with a fine, large mature rear garden, occupying a prime central location.

The property provides lovely light and generously proportioned living accommodation, over three floors. Internally, there is a spacious reception hallway, with a fine staircase. The living room is flooded with light from the huge sash windows and there are a wealth of original features on show. The same themes are continued in the adjacent dining room. At the rear of the house, there is a simply stunning, kitchen/breakfast/family room with French doors opening onto the garden. There are 5 double bedrooms and three bath/shower rooms, one of which is en-suite to the main bedroom. The property enjoys the advantage of particularly good sized sunny gardens, which are attractively landscaped.

mishonwelton.com

01273 778 877 94 Church Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 3EB

Mallory Road, Hove BN3 6TD Guide Price ÂŁ1,200,000

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2

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A large, modern, individual detached family home, providing lovely light and generously proportioned living space, while offering enormous potential for expansion (STPC).

The internal living space is deceptively large and offers flexible and versatile accommodation, with ground floor bedroom options, in addition to the reception space, which will suit the demands of modern family living. The light and airy space is well maintained, with recently fitted quality modern bathrooms, although one of the most obvious benefits is the potential the property offers for improvement and modification, which will be realized with the employment of a good architect or planning consultant. Located in one of the Hove Park’s most favoured locations, and enjoys some fine elevated views over the surrounding area.

Woodland Avenue, Hove BN3 6BH Guide Price £725,000 - £750,000

WHATEVER YOU ARE LOOKING FOR

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2

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A particularly attractive detached Tudor style residence, together with a lovely, good sized and attractively landscaped rear garden, backing directly onto the wooded copse.

This is a lovely family home, which has been beautifully maintained by the present owners and offers lovely light and spacious living accommodation, making it a comfortable family home, with a traditional layout and modern theme. The house stands in very pleasant, large mature gardens with a fine “leafy” aspect on to the copse beyond and also offer considerable potential for enlargement of the living space (STPC). Woodland Avenue is a very pleasant and favoured residential location, ideally situated within close proximity of Hove Park and local amenities in Queen Victoria Avenue.

mishonwelton.com

01273 778 877 94 Church Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 3EB

PROPERTY news

PROPERTY NEWS BRIGHTON MARINA DEVELOPMENT Leaders estate agents have been appointed as sole agents of the exciting new development at Brighton Marina which brings a new meaning to waterside living with 11 stunning towers creating a total of 853 superb new homes. One of the biggest developments in the history of our vibrant city, it presents a rare opportunity to experience Marina life amidst all the advantages of Brighton’s rich heritage.

Greg Hall, manager of Leaders, Marina branch reports significant worldwide interest due to considerable exposure in the Middle East and Asia, whilst both London and local buyers are also snapping up the properties which start at £428,000.

For more information contact Greg on 01273 622007. www.leaders.co.uk

TOM CRUISE PUTS £4.95 MILLION WEST SUSSEX MANSION ON THE MARKET Tom Cruise is reportedly selling his £4.95 million estate in West Sussex which he bought in 2006. According to Variety, the 14.2 acre estate, six bedroom house belongs to the Top Gun actor, and was thought to have cost closer to the £3million mark when he first bought it. The website reports that the country estate - located near East Grinstead - has between five and six bedrooms in the main house alongside eight bathrooms with features such as a 900 square-foot living room and a 33 foot-long master bedroom with access to a balcony. Other features incude manicured lawns, a tennis court, a summer house and an outdoor swimming pool, the property also includes a ‘pavilion’ with two additional bedrooms, kitchen/living area and bathrooms.

Whichever way you slice it...

Searches UK have a more superior range of benefits for their clients compared to any other search company.

0800 043 1815

info@searchesuk.co.uk

PROPERTY news

CATE BLANCHETT BUYS £3MILLION PROPERTY IN CROWBOROUGH Crowborough, East Sussex, about to welcome an A-list resident in the form of Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett. Highwell House, is a sprawling red brick Victorian mansion with five reception rooms, seven bedrooms and a sweeping oak staircase. Cate Blanchett plans to live here with her husband, theatre director Andrew Upton, and their four children.

The impressive nineteenth-century house, has 13 acres of grounds and stunning views. Originally called Higher Steep, the property has had numerous owners since it was built in 1890, and was recently on the market for £3.75million through Knight Frank. The impressive 9,000sq ft space comprises of a games room, a family room, a greenhouse and a pantry. Described as ‘an exceptional country house occupying an elevated position in the much coveted East Sussex countryside’, the house is situated three miles outside Crowborough town centre. Other famous local residents include fellow actress Kate Winslet, who lives in West Wittering, Heather Mills in nearby Robertsbridge and Bryan Ferry in Fittleworth.

CHANGES TO SACKVILLE TOWER SCHEME A revised plan for a 17-storey tower at Sackville Gardens will be handed to Brighton & Hove City Council, after some changes were requested and re-considered by the architect and developers.

Hyde, the developer, said that the issues had been addressed, and the plan would be handed back to the council, with a number of changes. There is no change to the height of the buildings.

Andy Parsons, of architect firm Yelo, said: “We want a scheme that people like, and were asked to look at how we could improve this scheme, so we did.”

Tom Shaw, development director (south) for Hyde, said: “We have listened and acted on the feedback from local residents and councillors. Accordingly, following the recent consultation, a number of changes have been made to the proposed development at the former Sackville Hotel. “These include a reduction in the number of homes to 98, a redesigned ‘plinth’ building so it is now lower, and in line with the neighbouring homes, and an amended ground floor layout to relocate the proposed refuse store away from existing neighbours. “Hyde is committed to continuing to work closely with the local planning authority and other stakeholders to meet local housing need, help deliver local economic growth and to regenerate a prominent site on the Hove seafront which has sat derelict for a decade.”

TAX THREAT TO SMALL AGENCIES TO BE DEBATED BY MPS The prospect of quarterly tax returns being imposed on some businesses - including small estate agencies and other small firms servicing the industry - is to be debated by MPs following the success of an online petition.

It has been suggested that small businesses and the self-employed would be expected to file their tax returns online quarterly from 2020 using apps on smartphones or via the HMRC website. An online petition against the proposal quickly gained support, and this week went over the 100,000 signature threshold that triggers a parliamentary debate. Signatories were emailed by the government on Wednesday to be told that a debate will now be held at the end of January. Debates of this kind are not always held in the chamber of the Commons, and are instead often held in smaller committee rooms - but they do indicate that a large number of people have expressed their concern about the issue. A former residential chair of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Jeremy Leaf - who operates an agency in north London - was amongst those tweeting links to the petition when it was seeking supporters. Read more at www.estateagenttoday.co.uk

Unit 2, Gemini Business Centre 136-140 Old Shoreham Road, Hove, BN3 7BD

www.searchesuk.co.uk

Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

Bazehill Road £3,475 PCM An imposing 5 bed 3 bath Georgian style detached family house situated in its own grounds within walking distance of the coastal village of Rottingdean close to Brighton. EPC: 51 Brighton Lettings 01273 796159 brightonandhovelettings@hamptons-int.com

Marine Parade £2,950 PCM A stylish & unique three bedroom raised ground floor apartment with three en-suite’s, direct sea views & roof terrace. EPC 58 Brighton Lettings 01273 796159 brightonandhovelettings@hamptons-int.com

Brunswick Square £1,500 PCM First Floor 2 bed 2 bath apartment in prestigious regency seafront location with seaviews from the front and rear.

Brighton Lettings 01273 796159 brightonandhovelettings@hamptons-int.com

First Avenue £1,350 PCM A second floor apartment in period conversion with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, oblique sea views from the Living room. Sought after location & close to Sea. EPC 54 Brighton Lettings 01273 796159 brightonandhovelettings@hamptons-int.com

Hamptons International Estate Agents Hove Sales. 01273 796 061 | Lettings. 01273 796 159

NEWS

TRENDING FARROW AND BALL

ON THE COVER

Amime Wallpaper Living Room

Get that great vintage look from a great selection of paints and wallpapers at Farrow & Ball. Uniquely, they use traditional block and trough printing methods as well as their own richly pigmented paint to give each design a sumptuous and tactile texture. For more advice contact their local Hove branch.

Image courtesy of: Farrow & Ball. www.farrow-ball.com

LUTHER SWAPS CRIME FOR COMEDY Idris Elba will be donning his iconic Luther coat to uncover a serious case of hilarity in an special sketch for Sport Relief 2016. The super sleuth will be joined by Lenny Henry, Rio Ferdinand, and David Haye, amongst others. This special one off sketch will be shown as part of a star studded night of Sport Relief TV on the BBC, Friday 18th March. The nation is being encouraged to walk, run, swim or cycle themselves #proud at Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games events from 18th to 20th March – with hundreds of local events across the UK. Other TV treats include the return of The Great Sport Relief Bake Off which will see a fresh batch of 16 celebrities compete in the ultimate baking battle, all to raise as much dough as possible.

For more information about how to do yourself proud by entering the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games, go to www.sportrelief.com.

ELON MUSK INTL: TESLA, SPACEX, AND THE QUEST FOR A FANTASTIC FUTURE South African born Elon Musk is the entrepreneur and innovator behind PayPal, SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity. The reallife inspiration for the Iron Man series of films starring Robert Downey Junior, Musk was academically super bright and attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he paid his own way through school by turning his house into a club and throwing massive parties. He started a pair of huge dot-com successes, including PayPal, which eBay acquired for $1.5 billion in 2002. Musk was forced out as CEO and so began his lost years in which he decided to go it alone and baffled friends by investing his fortune in rockets and electric cars. For twelve months, he was shadowed by the book’s author, tech reporter, Ashlee Vance.

Published by: Ecco Press on 8th March 2016

LAURIE ANDERSON ANNOUNCED AS GUEST DIRECTOR FOR 50TH BRIGHTON FESTIVAL Guest Director for Brighton Festival 2016 is the pioneering artist and musician Laurie Anderson. Anderson takes the helm in a milestone year for Brighton Festival as it marks its 50th year.

Renowned for her inventive use of technology - from her 1981 hit O Superman to her appointment as NASA’s first artist-in-residence Laurie Anderson is one of America’s most daring creative pioneers.

Her eclectic, multidisciplinary career has spanned the worlds of art, theatre and experimental music and has seen her create works as a writer, director, visual artist and vocalist. Most recently Anderson has garnered acclaim for her first feature film in almost 30 years - Heart of a Dog - which reflects on the deaths of her husband Lou Reed, her mother, her beloved dog, and such diverse subjects as family memories, surveillance and Buddhist teachings.

Laurie Anderson says: “I’m so happy to be serving as Guest Director of Brighton Festival in its historic 50th year. Our theme of home and place is especially relevant with so many people in the world on the move now looking, like all of us, for a place we can belong. I’ve been part of the Festival several times and it was exciting to watch the city become the heart of so much art. I’m looking forward to being part of it this year.”

The 50th Brighton Festival will take place from 7-29 May 2016 www.brightonfestival.org

WE LOVE:

JUST SLATE HEART CHEESE BOARD A beautiful but practical Valentine gift. Take it from us, a way to a girl’s heart is definitely food. Why not cook her a fabulous meal and then serve a selection of fab cheeses on this beautifully handcrafted slate cheese board which keeps it just cool enough. Price: £17.00 www.adventino.co.uk

PORTFOLIO 15

Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

St. Catherines Terrace, Hove £275,000 Two bedroom ground floor apartment. EPC D

Dyke Road, Brighton £500,000 Eco-sensitive ground floor two bed apartment with secure parking. EPC B

Palmeira Avenue, Hove £590,000 Two to three bedroom second floor flat with parking. EPC B

Eaton Gate, Hove £625,000 Three bedroom apartment with balcony and two parking spaces. EPC D

Kings Road, Brighton £699,950 Three bedroom sea front apartment with parking. EPC C

Tidy Street, Brighton £835,000 Three bedroom four storey city centre house with garage. EPC E

Hamptons International Estate Agents Hove Sales. 01273 796 061 | Lettings. 01273 796 063

BEAUTIFUL homes

DREAM GARDEN

T

his beautifully presented detached family home offers spacious accommodation arranged over three floors, benefiting from off-road parking to the front. The ground floor benefits from a good size living room and spacious dining area, with bi-folding doors opening to the south-west facing rear garden. There also is a charming family room with cast iron wood burning stove. The kitchen is split-level, and has a gas-fired Rayburn cooker, together with contemporary hob and oven. On the first floor there are four bedrooms, an en-suite shower room and luxury family bathroom. The master bedroom is on the third floor, and benefits from an en-suite, together with lovely sea views. A particular feature of the property is the spacious paved terrace which leads down to the remainder of the garden, which is laid to lawn approximately 120ft in depth.

Dyke Road, Hove BN3 6PE Price: ÂŁ1,450,000 Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 3 Extras: Off road parking; Garage; Beautiful master bedroom with en-suite bathroom Best Bits: Stunning good sized garden; Distant sea views from top floor; Sought after location Hamptons International 82 Church Road Hove BN3 2EB 01273 230 230 www.hamptons.co.uk

PORTFOLIO  17

maslen.co.uk

Roundhill Crescent, Brighton

ÂŁ590,000

FREEHOLD

A superb 4 bedroom family home.

The property is located on a quiet residential road within a mile of Brighton station.

It boasts 1,346 square feet of accommodation arranged over 3 floors and also benefits from far reaching views across the town.

Energy Rating: E51.

Maslen Estate Agents 39 Lewes Road, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 3HQ t:01273 677001 e:lewesroad@maslen.co.uk

LEWES ROAD

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WOODINGDEAN

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HOVE

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FIVEWAYS

BEAUTIFUL homes

SPACIOUS VILLA

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stunning ground-floor, three-bedroom garden flat within an impressive doublefronted period villa, just off Hove seafront. The property enjoys sole use of the impressive entrance hall and has beautifully finished and spacious accommodation arranged over the entire ground floor. Original features and 11ft-high ceilings are features, along with attractive fireplaces and gardens to three sides, sea glimpses and a garage. The reception rooms have large bay windows and shutters and there is a modern bathroom and kitchen. EPC D58

Westbourne Villas, Hove, BN3 4GG Price: ÂŁ750,000 Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 1 shower room with WC and one separate WC Extras: Reception rooms with large bay windows, shutters and 11ft high ceilings; Just off Hove seafront - sea glimpes Best Bits: Impressive entrance; Period features and fireplaces; Gardens and garage Maslen Estate Agents 174 Church Road, Hove, BN3 2DJ 01273 321000 www.maslen.co.uk

PORTFOLIO  19

CALENDAR of events

February Our pick of February events. Comedy, ballet, opera, plus Brighton Science Festival

20 February Stewart Lee: A Room With A Stew Comedian Stewart Lee is presenting fresh material in preparation for his next BBC2 series of Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle. See it live now ahead of transmission…

‘What is exhilarating is how many surprises he still throws in and how deft his jumps are from one tone to another... invigorating’ The Times. ‘He is... the only comedian who can get away with deconstructing and critiquing his own routines as he goes along and not be repellent. He, and his material, are simply that good.’

The Independent. ‘Stewart Lee is not funny and has nothing to say’ The Daily Telegraph Chichester Festival Theatre. 8pm. cft.org.uk

15 February Gabrielle Aplin Gabrielle Aplin’s album, Light Up The Dark adds a new chapter to a career that has already delivered 80 million Spotify streams, 90 million YouTube views, 1.5 million sales of singles, and number 1 chart positions in the UK and Australia over the course of her debut album English Rain.

The new album was inspired by Joni Mitchell and the production on Feist’s The Reminder. “Her voice is just here, right at the front, and everything sits around it perfectly,” says Aplin. “I’ve also become much more comfortable writing songs about other people’s stories as well as my own, much of which is inspired by travelling and everything I’ve seen since my first album.” Support from Hudson Taylor & Hannah Grace.

Brighton Dome, 7pm. www.brightondome.org

2 - 28 February 26 February Martin Carthy & John Kirkpatrick National treasures Martin Carthy & John Kirkpatrick embark on a rare UK duo tour.

These two leading interpreters of English folk traditions – folk guitarist/singer Carthy and squeezebox virtuoso/singer Kirkpatrick – are long-time collaborators. Martin Carthy is one of folk music’s greatest innovators. Musical partnerships with, amongst others, Steeleye Span, Dave Swarbrick and his award-winning wife (Norma Waterson) and daughter Eliza Carthy have resulted in more than 40 albums. John Kirkpatrick has a reputation as an instrumental virtuoso (melodeon, Anglo concertina and button accordion), and as a leading interpreter of English folk music. He has been a member of the Albion Country Band, Magic Lantern, The Richard Thompson Band, Umps and Dumps, Steeleye Span, Brass Monkey, TransEurope Diatonique, and Band of Hope.

The Hawth, Crawley, 7.45pm. www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk

20 PORTFOLIO

Brighton Science Festival The popular festival will return to the city from February 2 – a successful crowdfunding bid having ensured the Festival’s presence. Among the highlights of the festivals’ packed calendar include a three-mile cycle ride along the city’s seafront on a 1: 1 billion scale representation of the solar system and former Maths teacher Matt Parker performing stand-up at the Ropetackle in Shoreham. Awardwinning ‘science festival veteran’ Robin Ince is expected to be a major draw. There will be events marking the 100th anniversary of the first use of gas in warfare and the 70th anniversary of the Hiroshima nuclear bomb will be marked with discussions on conscience in science.

Visit www.brightonscience.com for full details of events

CALENDAR of events

15 - 17 February The Russian State Ballet of Siberia The Snow Maiden, Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake, performed by The Russian State Ballet of Siberia, accompanied by a live orchestra,The Orchestra of the Russian State Ballet The Snow Maiden (15 February): Protected from the outside world by Father Frost, the exquisite Snow Maiden plays innocently amongst the dancing snowflakes in the enchanted Land of Frost. Based on a traditional folk tale.

Sleeping Beauty (16 February): Every child’s favourite fairy tale, this is the classic story of love and innocence, mystery and magic, set to Tchaikovsky’s sublime score.

Swan Lake (17 February): The greatest romantic ballet of all time is brought to life by Tchaikovsky’s haunting and unforgettable score. From the impressive splendour of the Palace ballroom to the moonlit lake where swans glide in perfect formation, this compelling tale of tragic romance has it all.

Theatre Royal, Brighton. For times and prices visit www.atgtickets.com/brighton

26 February Jenny Eclair: How To Be A Middle-Aged Woman Professional Grumpy Old Woman, Splash survivor, amateur soup maker, and novice knitter, Jenny Eclair is younger than Madonna but eats crisps and likes wine. Semi–bearded and suffering from outbreaks of gout and hysteria, Eclair puts middle age under the microscope and decides whether to laugh, cry or buy a dachshund! You are most welcome to join her; just button your cardi up properly and wipe that lipstick off your teeth.

De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill-on-Sea. 8pm. www.dlwp.com

4 February La Traviata La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi is shown in a live screening from The Royal Opera House. Verdi’s tragic opera of a Parisian courtesan who sacrifices all for love is vividly told in Richard Eyre’s production.

The Royal Opera House Live Cinema Season sees a total of 12 Royal Opera House productions relayed live to more than 1,500 cinemas in over 35 countries. The season’s screenings include six Royal Opera and six Royal Ballet productions.

This production is directed by Richard Eyre. Conducted by Yves Abel. Cast includes Venera Gimadieva and Saimir Pirgu.

The Hawth, Crawley, 6.45pm. www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk.

More details at www.roh.org.uk/cinemas

14 February Reeves & Mortimer ‘25 Years of Reeves and Mortimer: The Poignant Moments’ – their first tour since 1995 – will be a celebration of 25 years of their professional collaboration and will include sightings of some of their most popular characters: Man With the Stick, The Stotts, Mulligan and O’Hare, amongst others.

As always with Vic and Bob, there will be some uplifting moments, some musical moments, maybe some magic, several dancing styles, some show of physical strength, but always some poignant moments. Vic Reeves said: “Destiny has led us to this point in time. Now, finally, the diversion of Reeves & Mortimer can be revealed in its full extent through a cornucopia of preposterous doggerel etc.”

Bob Mortimer added: “Playing in front of a living audience is where it all began for us. I will ensure that Vic arrives at all dates smartly dressed and unarmed. I promise not to mention football, JLS or apricots during the performances. Should you choose to attend, be warned, I will be not be wearing a toupé.”

Brighton Centre, 8pm. www.brightoncentre.co.uk

PORTFOLIO 21

52 Church Road Hove, BN3 2FN • Tel 01273 778844 113 St. Georges Road, Brighton BN2 1EA • Tel 01273 685111 10 Station Road, Portslade BN41 1GA • Tel 01273 383830 HIGHDOWN ROAD, HOVE - £795,000

HOVE OFFICE: 01273 778844

Refurbished four bedroom period property in highly sought after location moments from Seven Dials. Highdown Road is very conveniently situated just off Dyke Road close to Seven Dials. There are excellent local shops, restaurants, coffee shops, bars etc literally just around the corner. From here the city centre, seafront, schools and Brighton mainline railway station are also very easily accessible. The layout of this property has been skilfully remodelled by architects to suit modern life .They have created a superb family house with a prefect mix of contemporary with and period features. The ground floor has 2 spacious reception rooms, both with beautiful original fireplaces, and a large kitchen, dining room, breakfast room with bi-fold doors opening to the rear garden. On the first floor the master suite has a large bedroom, dressing room and very generous bathroom. There is another bedroom and family bathroom on this level too. Up again to the top floor and you’ll find another large bedroom again with dressing room and bathroom en-suite. There is potential to extend further subject to the usual consents. Viewing is highly recommended. EPC rating E.

THE MARTLET, HOVE - £615,000

HOVE OFFICE: 01273 778844

Four bedroom Georgian Style House. Conveniently located in the quiet and sought after Martlet residential area, this beautifully spacious and light family-sized Hove home. Classic Georgian style features effortlessly combine with contemporary interior design and an abundance of natural light in this beautiful four bedroom house. Enjoying panoramic views that stretch over green playing fields and roof tops all the way down to the sea in the distance, it is ideally located for easy access to all that Brighton and Hove has to offer. EPC rating D.

www.sawyerandco.co.uk

UPPER ROCK GARDENS, BRIGHTON - ÂŁ1,750,000

BRIGHTON OFFICE: 01273 685111

This stunning, sympathetically refurbished, six bedroom Victorian terraced property is located in an historic, tree-lined road in popular Kemp Town. Favourably positioned in a conservation area, it is 500 yards from the seafront, minutes from the independent shops, restaurants and cafes of Kemp Town village and a mere quarter of a mile from the city centre. The streets notable residents have included the Duke and Duchess of Richmond and it is thought to have been on this street that Charles Dickens based the lodging house in his novel, Dombey and Son. Extending over five storeys, the four-bedroom family home is spectacular in its footprint and has the benefit of a sizeable, fully self- contained, two-bedroom apartment at the lower ground level, offering a wealth of possibilities for purpose. Lofty architecture, humbling proportions, breathtaking period features, stylish finishes, a pretty walled courtyard garden, two elevated terraces and double garage to the rear, make this property a covetable find in a privileged city location. EPC Rating D.

DOWNSVIEW ROAD, PORSTLADE - ÂŁ375,000

PORTSLADE OFFICE: 01273 383830

Three bedroom semi-detached house in quiet cul-de-sac. Conveniently situated in a popular location near to Portslade Village, this light and spacious family-sized home has a beautiful modern interior. Set in a quiet cul-de-sac with easy access to Brighton and Hove, contemporary interior design blends seamlessly with period features. Boasting a large secluded mature rear garden with views of pony fields, this attractive 1930s three bedroom home is ideally placed for both families and commuters. EPC rating D.

www.sawyerandco.co.uk

BEAUTIFUL homes

CONTEMPORARY LUXURY

L

ying discreetly, set back from the road in a highly sought-after area of Hove, rich wooden electric gates open to reveal this supremely elegant property. Sweeping, curved white walls, smoked oak floors and an abundance of floor-to-ceiling windows all combine to create a unique example of contemporary architecture at its very best.

Throughout this expansive house, modern technology features have been incorporated with imagination and the utmost attention to detail. From the wine cellar to the glass vestibule of the roof terrace, with its panoramic 360-degree views, every aspect of this home is finished to an incredibly high specification. A separate one-bedroom apartment is self-contained and offers the same superb standard of luxury as the main house.

Tongdean Area, Hove Price: POA Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 3 Extras: Four reception rooms; Selfcontained one-bedroom annexe Best Bits: Sought-after area; Gated; Panoramic views Fine and Country 46 Church Road Hove BN3 2FN 01273 739911 www.fineandcountry.com

24  PORTFOLIO

fineandcountry.comTM

Fine & Country 46 Church Road, Hove BN3 2FN

Upper Rock Gardens, Brighton

EPC: D

This stunning, sympathetically refurbished, Victorian terraced property is located in an historic, tree-lined road in popular Kemp Town. Favourably positioned in a conservation area, it is 500 yards from the seafront, minutes from the independent shops, restaurants and cafes of Kemp Town village and a mere quarter of a mile from the city centre.

Extending over five storeys, the four-bedroom family home is spectacular in its footprint and has the benefit of a sizeable, fully self- contained, two-bedroom apartment at the lower ground level, offering a wealth of possibilities for purpose. Lofty architecture, humbling proportions, breathtaking period features, stylish finishes, a pretty walled courtyard garden, two elevated terraces and double garage to the rear, make this property a covetable find in a privileged city location.

Tel: 01273 739911

Roedean Road, Brighton

ÂŁ1,750,000

EPC: C

Commanding beautiful sea views from the first floor of an award-winning ICF complex, this breath-taking duplex apartment has been designed with superb attention to detail and is both luxurious and eco- friendly. Throughout this stunning duplex apartment contemporary design features have been incorporated seamlessly with creativity and imagination. Climate controlled underfloor heating and an interconnected audiophile speaker system are just two of the many subtle additions that run throughout the property in a functional yet subtle manner.

Located in Roedean within easy reach of the marina and central Brighton this property is one of seven individual homes in a purpose built development created by Bold Architecture Design.

Access is gained via a short road which leads to a secure gated entrance. Further security features include a high tech biometric fingerprint entry system and CCTV fitted across all communal areas, viewable in each apartment.

Tel: 01273 739911

ÂŁ695,000

Tel: +44 (0)1273 739911

LEGAL matters

“It has been proposed that there should be the possibility of ‘divorce without blame’”

MUD SLINGING?

Howlett Clarke hope to see a change in divorce law to allow divorce without blame

T

he beginning of each year sees a peak in divorcing couples and January 2016 has been no different. In fact, as reported by the press, the number of people enquiring about the divorce procedure and seeking legal advice was set to rise by around 300% (The Guardian).

January is notorious amongst divorce lawyers as being the month they take on the most new clients. The festive period is still a very recent memory and all the time spent off work with a spouse (and the in-laws) is simply too much for some people to take. As well as this, many spouses decide, for the sake of the children and families, it’s best to wait until after Christmas before seeking a separation.

The procedure for obtaining a divorce has three steps: 1. Filing for the divorce (where the first application to the court is made) 2. Applying for a decree nisi (the document that confirms there is sufficient evidence for the divorce to proceed) 3. Applying for the decree absolute (which legally ends the marriage)

26 PORTFOLIO

To begin this process the petitioner would need to be prepared to state that the marriage has irretrievably broken down and would then need to prove one of the five grounds.

These are adultery, unreasonable behaviour, two years’ separation with consent, desertion or five years’ separation.

However, the courts have been noticing a spike in couples alleging unreasonable behaviour in order to obtain their divorces sooner; the alternative could involve spouses living for two years as a ‘separated couple’ before beginning proceedings. This is something most divorcing couples view as completely unreasonable, both financially as well as emotionally.

There is a momentum building amongst family lawyers up and down the country, led

by Resolution (the organisation of expert family lawyers) to see this out-dated law changed.

The ‘mud slinging’ that spouses feel the need to engage in, in order to divorce in a reasonable time, is unethical. It tarnishes any opportunity to resolve matters through mediation and, especially when children

are involved, does not help post-separation relationships.

It has been proposed that there should be the possibility of ‘divorce without blame’. This was provided for in the Family Law Act 1996 but never enacted. It would enable couples to decide early on to issue a no-fault divorce based on irreconcilable differences, creating less conflict between the parties, which has to be best for any children involved and for families in general.

Fiona Connah, is Associate Solicitor at QualitySolicitors Howlett Clarke 8-9 Ship Street, Brighton BN1 1AZ 01273 327 272 www.qualitysolicitors.com/howlettclarke

See more from Howlett Clarke at www.portfoliopublications.co.uk

A MOST MAGNIFICENT

WINTER

D O R S E T H O U S E , H I G H S T R E E T, H A N D C R O S S , N E A R H AY WA R D S H E AT H , R H 1 7 6 B J IN STORE | ONLINE ANDSOTOBED.CO.UK | CALL 01444 401 789

DO It Yourself

WHY NOT DO IT YOURSELF: painting furniture

Transform your furniture by upcycling and refreshing it with simple-but-impressive paint techniques and finishes.

How to paint furniture like a pro with these expert tips for a professional-looking finish When we think about decorating and adding colour to our homes, we tend to focus on the walls, leaving the interior trim and furniture as an afterthought. But when it comes to creating beautiful interiors, it pays to get creative with paint. By custom painting furniture pieces you will inject personality and interest to your décor.

Whether your style is bold and bright or soft and subtle, a freshly painted dresser, chair or table will revive your interiors and introduce a splash of your favourite hues to your home. There is something exciting and satisfying about finding an old piece of furniture for not much money, seeing its potential and renovating it to look lovely in your home...

So… pick up those paint brushes and let your imagination run wild. Find lots of inspiration at www.farrow-ball.com/find-it-paint-it-love-it For some innovative DIY shopping ideas go to page 84.

“Whether your style is bold and bright or soft and subtle, a freshly painted dresser, chair or table will revive your interiors and introduce a splash of your favourite hues to your home”

DO It Yourself

FOUR STEPS TO painting furniture What You Need: • Medium sandpaper • Fine-grit sandpaper • Primer • Appropriate paint • Finishing wax or polycrylic sealer • Paint brush or smooth-finish paint roller • Lint-free rag • Oil soap or all-purpose cleaner

1.

First, remove any knobs and handles and lightly sand the furniture with medium-coarse paper. This will help the paint grip. You’re just looking to rough it up a little so the primer has

photo paint pots: www.diy.com

something to adhere to; you’re not trying to strip the surface. Wipe with a damp cloth and leave to dry.

2.

Paint the bare furniture with a wood or multi-surface primer (use a multi-surface if you’re painting over old paint). Leave to dry and then lightly sand with a fine-grade paper. Wipe to remove dust. Tip: Want to save time?

Skip the priming step by choosing a primer and paint in one, which is specifically designed for painting furniture.

3.

On to the exciting part: choose your paint There are gloss and satin finishes available, as well as glitter and metallic for smaller, more detailed

projects. Remember, the glossier the finish, the easier it will be to keep clean. To prevent brush marks, use a good-quality brush (a three-inch brush will suit most jobs) or a small roller. Use a one-inch brush for the fiddly bits. You’ll need two to three coats to ensure an even coverage.

4.

Once the paint is dry, apply a lacquer or sealant to protect the paint from nicks and scratches. This will also add a slight gloss to the piece, a feature that works well in many decorating schemes. Make sure the sealant is dry before moving the piece into the area of the home where it will be used, then marvel at your handiwork.

PORTFOLIO 29

WOODMANCOTE | POA Extended and modernised throughout - Chic contemporary design - Elevated position with stunning countryside views - Open plan sitting/family/kitchen space - Boutique style master suite - 5 bedrooms - 4 reception rooms - 3 bathrooms

DITCHLING | Offers In The Region Of £1,750,000 Substantial ‘Sussex Style’ residence - Approximately 9,8500 sq ft (including outbuildings) - Gardens and grounds of approximately 2 acres - Luxury spa complex including swimming pool - Detached 1 bedroom cottage - Substantial barn - 6 bedrooms - 5 reception Rooms - 6 bathrooms

chattestates.co.uk | 01273 844500 34 HIGH STREET, DITCHLING, EAST SUSSEX BN6 8TA

BEAUTIFUL homes

CHARACTERFUL COTTAGE

T Henfield Road, Albourne, BN6 9DD

his delightful single storey period property is situated in a convenient, semi-rural location close to open countryside. Sitting in a corner plot the property benefits from a good sized and private, south facing garden. With three bedrooms, two of which have en-suite facilities and two reception rooms, the property offers versatile and flexible accommodation perfect for a multitude of different purchasers. The property benefits from a characterful vaulted ceiling, stone flooring throughout and the potential for extension.

Price: ÂŁ525,000 Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2 Extras: Great potential for extension Best Bits: Stone flooring throughout; Good sized corner plot; South facing garden Chatt Estates 34 High Street, Ditchling, East Sussex BN6 8TA 01273 844500 www.chattestates.co.uk

PORTFOLIO  31

We have a fresh new look for 2016 to match our well renowned service.

Thinking of selling?

Let’s talk.

01273 777123 goldinlemcke.com

UP MY STREET... ...THIS MONTH WE SPEAK TO DOM MASON ABOUT WHERE HE LIVES AND WHY HE LOVES IT DOM MASON IS FOUNDER AND DESIGNER AT MASON CYCLES WHAT DO YOU DO AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU DONE THIS? I design all the frames, forks and bikes for our bicycle brand, Mason Cycles, and I also do the graphic design for the bikes, website etc. I worked for another brand for 15 years, and the opportunity came up for me to start up on my own, so I ploughed all my inheritance into it and started Mason. We’ve been trading since March 2015, and things are going brilliantly.

AS YOU WORK FROM HOME AND HAVE A FAMILY, YOU MUST HAVE TO BE PRETTY DISCIPLINED ABOUT WORK/HOME LIFE BALANCE? Yes, it’s hard, especially during the school holidays, but at least I get to see a lot of the kids. I do have a desk at our warehouse, so I can get in there if I really need some time without being asked to play on the trampoline or help build Lego!

YOU LIVE IN HOVE, NEAR NEW CHURCH ROAD...

We have some good friends here now; all the neighbours are friendly; we have an annual street gathering every Christmas and know most people in the road by name. I love the fact that it’s very close to the seafront, and only 10 minutes from the Downs, so it’s great for getting out on the bike.

Between Portland Road, Richardson Road and George Street you can pretty much get everything without the need to go into town, although I love being so close to town, and thrive off the creative free-thinking vibe of Brighton.

ARE YOU AS PHYSICALLY ACTIVE, AS YOUR JOB WOULD SUGGEST? Certainly not as active as I’d I’d like to be. Since starting up Mason Cycles my wife Julie and I have been working on it all hours.

As things get more established with the business, I’m going to build riding into the business; it’s an essential part of test and development and core to what we do.

AS YOU HAVE TWO YOUNG BOYS, WHERE DO YOU TAKE THEM ON A TYPICAL DAY OFF? They like cycling off-road in Stanmer woods or along the base of the Downs towards Alfriston, riding through local lanes, stomping through surrounding forests, climbing, wake boarding at the Lagoon or driving along the coast in our 1972 camper to visit beaches..

solidly built, with nice interior features. ‘Mock Tudor’ isn’t really my thing, but we’ve modernised and styled it in a way that works for us and I’m pretty happy with it, really. We’ve lived here about 16 years now. When we first moved in, I designed and hand-built our kitchen, made our dining room table, gas cutting the legs from a steam engine boiler-plate. The house was pretty run down when we got here, so we altered it loads and added a loft extension. Julie’s an excellent painter, so she’s been round the house a few times over the years.

We designed the garden, too, with planters to contain the architectural plants, keeping everything low-maintenance, which has been great.

WHO LOOKS AFTER THE GARDEN, YOU OR YOUR WIFE? I’ve built all the structural stuff, front and back, but Julie is the one who chooses the plants and does most of the actual gardening.

DO YOU HAVE DREAMS OF LIVING IN A BIGGER HOUSE IN THE CITY OR ABROAD? Yes, I do dream of that. As the boys get bigger we are filling up this house pretty fast! I have always had my eye on a house at the base of the Downs, near Poynings.

My dream would be a gravel drive, double timber garage, so we could keep the VW camper dry all year, country views front and back, and plenty of outside space for the boys to ride, build jumps, explore and adventure!

DO YOU PREFER TO ENTERTAIN AT HOME, OR DO YOU LIKE EATING OUT LOCALLY? IF SO, WHERE DO YOU EAT/DRINK? Pizza Express is a regular of ours, as it’s the boys’ favourite but if we’re going out to eat without them’ our favourite place is Terre a Terre. Otherwise we might go to Cote. Also the Ginger Pig in ‘Hove’ is always good. I also like the Shepherd and Dog (you can walk up to the Downs directly out of the back garden) and The Royal Oak, at the base of the Downs. We went to Francos, along the Kingsway, for the first time before Christmas and had a great meal in there, but we’re not really pub people, so if we do go out, it would generally be for food.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN BRIGHTON/HOVE/ EAST SUSSEX? Nearly 25 years now. Before that I was in West Sussex, so haven’t moved far.

WHERE DO YOU ALWAYS TAKE VISITORS? We would take a walk along Hove seafront, stopping at Morocco’s for an ice-cream, then maybe we’d pop into Hove Museum, always interesting exhibits and a lovely cafe with great tea and cake! In town, we’d take them to the Pavilion, North Laines, Palace Pier, Bills…

DESCRIBE YOUR HOUSE BRIEFLY... HAVE YOU DONE ANY WORK TO IMPROVE IT OVER THE YEARS YOU HAVE OWNED IT? It’s a 1930s semi, really

WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU WILL BE LIVING IN 10 YEARS TIME? Hopefully, in my dream house in Poynings!

www.masoncycles.cc

Photo: Jonty Tacon

AN INCREDIBLE WATERSIDE DESTINATION Whether you are looking for a stunning home or an impressive investment, the iconic landmark Brighton Marina development should be at the top of your list. With marina and sea views, high quality finish and spacious well laid out accommodation the development offers a unique and desirable way of life from just ÂŁ428,000.

For full details of the development and the breath taking apartments available contact us on 01273 622007.

Brighton Marina 01273 622007

Brighton Central 01273 720714

Fiveways

01273 561534

Hove

01273 321721

North Laine 01273 675571

LEADERS

BUY-TO-LET BOOM A brand new online feature has been launched by Leaders to show investors what they could achieve in Brighton & Hove’s thriving buy-to-let market

L

eaders,

of

subject of the first Investor Insight infographic,

values and expected yields for a range of

the city’s leading

one

which illustrates exactly why it is the perfect

property types across the city. It also reveals

estate and letting

place to invest. We are sure it will prove to

the top-three reasons to buy-to-let, the top

agents, has revealed its first Investor Insight infographic – with the debut edition focusing

on Brighton & Hove.

Andrew Hovey, Branch Manager at Leaders in Western Road, says: “The buy-to-let market is booming across the city right now, with a huge number of investors keen to complete a

“We are delighted Brighton & Hove is the subject of the first Investor Insight infographic, which illustrates exactly why it is the perfect place to invest”

purchase in the first few months of 2016.

investment spot within Brighton & Hove and examples of great investment properties currently on the market.

Leaders has five branches across Brighton & Hove and can offer expert advice on all aspects of the buy-to-let market, as well as a full range of sales and lettings services.

Please contact your local branch for a copy of Investor Insight, or visit leaders.co.uk for more information.

“With so many reasons to live in Brighton &

be an invaluable tool for both inexperienced

Leaders can offer advice on all current

Hove, tenant demand will always be high, and

investors moving into property for the first

matters regarding sales and lettings.

this ensures rents remain strong, allowing

time and seasoned landlords aiming to grow

Please contact your local Leaders branch to

landlords to achieve a great return.

their portfolios.”

speak to a member of the team:

“We are delighted Brighton & Hove is the

Investor Insight details selling prices, rental

www.leaders.co.uk

VISIT OUR AWARD-WINNING HOVE SHOWROOM for a stunning range of kitchen displays, furniture, worktops and appliances.

The Kitchen Store offers a bespoke consultancy service to help you choose your dream kitchen.

For friendly advice and inspired kitchen ideas take a closer look or call us today.

Showroom: 130 Old Shoreham Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 7BD Tel: 01273 95 77 78 Or visit our Lancing showroom | www.thekitchenstore.co.uk

THE collection

THE FEBRUARY COLLECTION There are period features galore in our selection of Victorian properties for sale this month

Spacious accommodation Pembroke Crescent, Brighton This tree storey red brick late Victorian house offers spacious accommodation with plenty period features. The current owners have lived here for circa 31 years and have made this house into a beautiful home having improved and upgraded many parts including the kitchen. The front door opens into the hallway with feature fireplace and stairs leading to the first floor. The sunny living room to the front of the property offers a great space with fireplace and bay window. To the rear of the property is kitchen/breakfast room with a separate dining room with double doors opening to the patio garden.

On the first floor are four good sized bedrooms, a bathroom and shower room. Up a smaller staircase is a further bedroom. Throughout the property, the accommodation has a feeling of space and light and much of the original charm of buildings of this period have been retained, including cornicing, fireplaces and sash windows.

Price: OIEO ÂŁ900,000 Hamptons International 01273 230230 www.hamptons.co.uk

38  PORTFOLIO

THE collection

Gracious Victorian Florence Road This elegant Victorian family home was built in the 1880s to impress, and still does, as it has been sensitively restored and maintained to create a stunning house. On one of Brighton’s most favoured streets close to the Park, the shops, and within a two minute walk of a commuter station, this considerable Victorian house is in a prime location within a charming conservation area. The substantial four bedroom house would be perfect for a growing family, or those simply wishing to upsize to a property with more stature.

Price: £950,000 Brand Vaughan 01273 504441 | www.brandvaughan.co.uk

Period perfect Salisbury Road, Hove This flat occupies the entire ground floor of this attractive period building.

Salisbury Road is ideally situated for everything that central Hove has to offer.

The various shopping facilities, restaurants, cafes, bars etc are literally just around the corner in Church Road and Western Road. The seafront is also nearby. The flat has a superb open plan sitting room-kitchen, two double bedrooms and a useful additional bedroom/study. The is the added benefit of gas central heating, a share of freehold and no chain. Viewing recommended.

Price: OIEO £375,000 Sawyer & Co 01273 778844 | www. sawyerandco.co.uk

Great location Roundhill Crescent This superb four bedroom Victorian family home is located on a central but quiet residential road within a mile of Brighton station. The property boasts 1,346 square feet of accommodation arranged over three floors and also benefits from far reaching views across the town. Period features include a Victorian open fire with marble mantlepiece, in the lounge plus further fireplaces and stripped floors throughout. Bay windows to the front. and sash window to the rear bring in lots of light into this bright home. The low maintenance rear garden with raised deck & borders is a private and stunning outdoor space.

Price: £575,000 Maslen Estate Agents 01273 677001 | www.maslen.co.uk

PORTFOLIO 39

pictured: 2003 Rubgy world cup winner Matt Dawson MBE presenting 2015 best small agency in the south east award to David Vaughan and Jason Brand.

brandvaughan wins 5th gold. sunday times 2015 best small estate agency south east award.

Brand Vaughan was awarded as best small estate agency in the South East at The Estate Agency of the Year Awards 2015 in association with The Sunday Times and The Times and sponsored by Zoopla Property Group.

Award winners were decided following a rigorous and thorough judging process by a panel of 20 industry experts who assessed initial entry submissions before conducting an extensive review of the entrants, which included over 150 hours of telephone interviews and independent mystery shopping exercises. The whole of the judging process was overseen by The Property Ombudsman, Christopher Hamer, and Gerry Fitzjohn, VP of The Property Ombudsman acted as Arbiter.

With more entrants than ever before, over 6,000 offices were represented this year, but only the very best of the best were crowned as winners.

high five Brand Vaughan’s outstanding success continues as they scoop a 5th gold award in 4 years, in what is recognised as the ‘Oscars’ of the industry. Brand Vaughan director, Jason Brand commented; “We’re thrilled to have retained our gold award for best small estate agency in the South East for 2015. This recognises all the hard work by everyone at Brand Vaughan. As we enter our tenth year since opening, our company has grown year-onyear and we were really delighted that the judging panel acknowledged our commitment to raising standards and leading innovation in estate agency.”

The judging panel reported that; “Brand Vaughan continues to impress (...) they’ve built on this success by continuing with what works well and through seeking to innovate further (...) Brand Vaughan is a business to be admired”

cambridge grove, bn3

filmic inspiration

£750,000

beds: 3-4 double | living rooms: 1 open plan | location: central hove

Beautifully restored in 2002, this stunning four bedroom house is a architectural purist’s dream. The cobbled mews on which it stands once housed the stables which served the imposing houses of Cromwell Road in Hove, and this house in particular has been remodelled and brought back to life using original reclaimed materials from the late 19th Century. Set over three floors, light pours through a central stairwell from the open plan living space at the top, which also boasts a private roof garden, and contemporary design features which marry perfectly with the property’s unique character.

ocean heights, bn2

visionary glamour

£695,000

beds: 3 | living rooms: 1 | area: 1314 sq ft | location: roedean

With fabulous views of the sea from its south facing sun terrace, this three bedroom luxury duplex also has a private garden with a home office. Within an exclusive development combining ecologically sustainable principles with an unusually high degree of luxury, this glamorous home is ideal as a full time or part time base as it has rare, secure parking and is close to the beach, Marina, award winning schools and central Brighton.

hove office

call: simon lemcke 01273 22 11 02

florence road, bn1 gracious victorian

£950,000

beds: 4 | living rooms: 3 | area: 2010 sq ft | location: preston park CA

This elegant Victorian family home was built in the 1880’s to impress, and still does as it has been sensitively restored and maintained to create a stunning house. On one of Brighton’s most favoured streets close to the Park, the shops and with a two minute walk of a commuter station, this considerable Victorian house is in a prime location within this charming conservation area. It boasts four large bedrooms and three reception rooms, leading out to a picturesque south facing garden. This substantial house would be perfect for a growing family, or those simply wishing to upsize to a property with more stature.

kemp town office call: david vaughan

01273 683 111

preston park office call: jason brand

01273 504 441

Dyke Road, Brighton

£1,250,000

A truly magnificent three bedroom penthouse apartment forming part of a fantastic newly built, eco-friendly development in the centre of Brighton.

This luxury penthouse apartment boasts an enviable wrap around roof terrace that offers far reaching, panoramic sea and city views, and also has its own secure underground parking space.

3

2

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Buy & sell with the experts.

Four of our favourite properties this month . Visit our website at justinlloyd.co.uk to view all our properties.

Sussex Sqaure, Brighton

£350,000

Chichester Terrace, Brighton

An incredibly spacious one bedroom flat situated on the lower ground floor of a Grade I listed period house in one of the most sought after addresses in Brighton.

In addition the property benefits from a private patio courtyard to the rear of the property as well as the use of Kemp Town Enclosures - 6 acres of beautiful private manicured gardens.

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£450,000

A stunning two double bedroom apartment, with excellent natural light, situated on the lower ground floor of a converted Grade I listed building with its own private courtyard.This apartment also comes with access to the private Kemp Town Enclosures; 5-6 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens with an underground tunnel direct to the beach.

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“An extremely efficient service from start to finish. From initial valuation through to the sale, the team at Justin Lloyd were informative, available and honest. Would use them again” Vendor comment, November 2015

£447,500

A beautifully presented two double bedroom apartment with direct, uninterrupted sea views, high ceilings throughout and a fantastic south facing balcony. The property is situated on the first floor of a converted Grade II listed period building on Kemp Town seafront, moments from the beach and walking distance to the city centre and Brighton Train Station.

Highly Commended

The International Property Awards 2013-2014

Call us now 01273 692424 Email info@justinlloyd.co.uk Visit justinlloyd.co.uk

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Marine Parade, Brighton

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Real Estate Agency East Sussex

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Kemp Town 118 St James’s Street, Brighton BN2 1TH Hove 111 Western Road, Hove BN3 1DD

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BEAUTIFUL homes

CITY LUXURY

J

ustin Lloyd is proud to present this truly magnificent and wonderfully unique secondfloor 1163sq ft two-bedroom, two-bathroom premier apartment boasting luxury features.

The Park Vista Tower, at 21 Wapping Lane, is Wapping’s first new-build development for more than a decade. Exclusively for the benefit of the residence, the complex is equipped with an extensive selection of on-site facilities and amenities, coupled with access to a beautifully landscaped central Plaza that sits above the private underground car park. The 24-hour concierge and security are situated within a grand lobby. There is an exclusive residents’ health club with swimming pool, restaurant, 3,000-book library and private cinema.

The apartment includes a natural stone and glass bathroom with marble walls, a style continued in the en-suite shower room, and a luxury, custom-designed high-gloss kitchen.

The breath-taking, spacious, triple-aspect, open-plan living room with beautiful oak hard wood flooring leads onto a generous decked wrap-around terrace with floor-to-ceiling windows and a pleasant view towards Tobacco Dock, including the City.

Cobblestone Square, London, E1W 3AY Price: £1,200,000 Bedrooms: 2 Bathrooms: 2 (include en-suites) Extras: Concierge / Porterage and 24/7 Security; Secure underground car parking space; Breath-taking view of the historic Wapping canal and Tobacco dock pirate ships Best Bits: Excellent finish with wooden floors and underfloor heating; Landscaped gardens with water canals on both sides; Hydro therapy pool, gym and spa; Private cinema Justin Lloyd, Kemp Town Office 118 St James’s Street Brighton BN2 1TH 01273 692424 www.justinlloyd.co.uk PORTFOLIO 43

TALK money

TIME TO RETIRE? Claire Cook from Independent Financial Advisors Talk Money looks at pension options to make your retiring income work for you

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here are many ways of taking your pension income, and the whole thing can be quite bewildering, especially now that there are more flexible options available. The right choice depends totally on your circumstances and what is important to you in terms of your income. Some people want absolute guarantees, others require flexibility. Some are single and are not worried about providing an income to a spouse should they die; for others, a widow’s pension is essential. Also, what about the tax-free cash?

You may need this for a specific purpose upfront, or you may want to incorporate it into your future income. Choosing the wrong options could greatly affect what you may receive in your retirement.

Many people have different pension pots with various providers. When they reach retirement age, the providers generally write offering an annuity, some people just sign the form and obtain the income from their current provider. How do you know that is the right way of setting up your retirement income and how do you know that the company will provide you with the highest annuity in the 44 PORTFOLIO

marketplace? This is especially true if you have history of ill health, as you may be eligible for an enhanced annuity. This is due to your life expectancy being potentially less, so some providers are willing to pay a higher income from outset.

“Choosing the wrong options could greatly affect what you may receive in your retirement” All providers will offer different amounts of income for your capital; it is essential to shop around.

Here is a brief explanation of the two main options when taking retirement income: Lifetime annuity: A lifetime annuity is a guaranteed income paid to you for life from an insurance company. The annuity would be purchased using the money you have built up in your pension plans during your working life. The pension provider will assess how

long they think you will live and will provide a guaranteed income for the rest of your life in return for your pension fund.

Income Drawdown: Your pension money would remain invested and you can take income directly from the fund each year.

Income can be set at the required level, it can be changed during the term or stopped altogether. This method provides flexibility and often a higher level of death benefit for your beneficiaries.

For independent advice on any of the above, or if you are approaching retirement and looking at your options, please call me, Claire Cook, on 01273 224667. I would be very happy to assist.

Talk Money is a trading style Aspect 8, a member of Best Practice IFA Group Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

The value of investments can fall as well as rise and you may not get back the amount invested.

See more from Talk Money at www.portfoliopublications.co.uk

Citywide sales & lettings www.spencerandleigh.co.uk

BN1

In 2015 we sold more properties in BN1 than any other agent*

Call us today and let us show you how we achieved this

Trusted & Professional

108 Old London Road, Brighton. Tel: 01273 565566

www.spencerandleigh.co.uk

*data supplied by Rightmove Intel

NEW LOOK, SAME GREAT SERVICE!

Visit our new and improved website to view the wide variety of properties we have for sale in the Brighton & Hove area.

W W W. E L L I O T T S E S TAT E A G E N T S . C O. U K Hove: 01273 773399 | Hangleton: 01273 322766

BEAUTIFUL homes

PARK VIEW

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rare opportunity to acquire a quality detached residence, on the very doorstep of St Ann’s Well Gardens, being one of a small handful of quality houses of this kind in this particularly central location. Backing immediately onto the local Primary School, the house occupies a large plot, which includes a brick paved front courtyard and adjoining garage, providing plenty of off-road parking and a glorious, good-sized rear garden, which enjoys a favoured south aspect. Accommodation is larger than average and includes five first-floor bedrooms, with the main bathroom and en-suite, whilst on the ground floor the house boasts particularly spacious living space, including a big reception hallway, large through lounge, additional separate reception or dining room, together with a big eat-in kitchen/breakfast room. Whilst already sizeable, the house still offers enormous scope and potential, and also benefits from two separate cellars. Chain-free, early inspection is strongly recommended.

Somerhill Avenue, Hove BN3 1RJ Price: £1,250.00 Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 2 Extras: Eat-in kitchen/breakfast room; Two cellars; No ongoing chain Best Bits: Large south aspect rear garden; Lots of off-road parking; Walking distance Brighton/Hove city centres/stations Elliotts Estate Agents 2 Church Road, Hove BN3 2FL 01723 773399 www.elliottsestateagents.co.uk

PORTFOLIO 47

Estate Agents

See more properties: www.qsalesandlettings.co.uk

BEAUTIFUL homes

Ventnor Villas, Hove

Stylish, elegant and charming A simply stunning two bedroom apartment £335,000

Share of Freehold

THE SMARTER WAY TO SELL CALL FOR A FREE CONSULTATION

01273 622664 PORTFOLIO 49

GREEN home tips

GREEN HOME

A few simple changes can help save the planet and cut your energy bills too. George Clarke’s top 20 ways to make your home eco-friendly

“P

eople aren’t going to change their habits just to save the environment,” says architect George Clarke. “They need to see the benefits for themselves.” The presenter of Channel 4’s The Home Show and The Restoration Man believes that the best way to make properties more sustainable is to adopt a holistic approach, recognising that saving energy needs to benefit consumers and not impose heavy additional costs.

“There is a perception that eco-designed homes are new builds, with a lot of hi-tech modern features. But all homes need to become eco-homes if we are to reduce carbon emissions in line with the Kyoto Protocol. Just think how much energy – and money, when it comes to fuel bills – can be saved with roof insulation and double-glazing alone,” he says.

HERE ARE SOME OF CLARKE’S PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL. 1. Install underfloor heating. As an architect who likes using space efficiently, Clarke detests wall radiators. “They don’t just look ugly, they are energy-inefficient,” he says.

Underfloor heating can be installed to good effect in all properties and is particularly suited to bathrooms.

50 PORTFOLIO

2. Insulate your loft. Use natural or recycled materials where possible. “I’m amazed by how many people have still not insulated their lofts,” says Clarke. He says homeowners should recoup the cost of loft insulation, about £250£300 in a standard house, within two to three years.

“Many people have their water temperature set too high without thinking about it” 3. Use locally sourced or supplied building materials and local tradesmen where possible.

This is a good example of Clarke’s holistic approach to housing. Not only does this save on fuel consumption, it supports the local economy.

4. Buy furniture made from recycled materials.

In all areas of retail trade, including larger stores, more furniture made from recycled materials is coming on the market. Make sourcing these items your priority.

5. Use water-based paints with natural pigments. “It is a small point, but one which a

lot of people miss,” says Clarke. “Most paints used in homes are oil-based and therefore less energy-efficient.” Water-based paints using natural pigments are increasingly design-led and aesthetically attractive.

6. If renovating or building, insist that your builder reduces waste and recycles rather than sending material to landfill. Another example of consumer power in action. We should place expectations on tradespeople to follow good practice and veto those who throw everything into a skip.

7. Fill cavity walls with insulation. A vast amount of energy is wasted in homes that were built before energy-saving became a priority.

Uninsulated cavity walls can be almost as wasteful as uninsulated lofts.

8. Consider investing in solar panels. They can be expensive to install, but make long-term savings. You can use the energy you generate and sell the surplus, under a “tariff” system, on to the National Grid.

9. Replace single-glazed windows with doubleglazed ones. “It’s a shame double-glazing salesmen have given the industry such a bad reputation,” says Clarke. “When you look at the

potential energy savings, every house in the country ought to be double-glazed.” Double glazing can work for period properties too.

Clarke’s Edwardian house in Notting Hill Gate in London is double-glazed from top to bottom. Double-glazing can be ugly, but doesn’t have to be, he says.

10. Choose wood-framed windows rather than UPVC or metal. They are easier to repair, more insulating, last a lifetime and are less polluting than the cheaper uPVC which emits toxic compounds.

11. Keep your boiler serviced and upgrade it to a more efficient model when you can.

“Older boilers are incredibly inefficient compared with the latest models,” says Clarke. “You should think of renewing your boiler every 10 years or so.”

12. Replace old-style bulbs with energysaving ones. “Energy-saving bulbs used to have a reputation for looking cold and unattractive,” he adds. “But the newer ones have got around that. In terms of energy consumption, they are many times more efficient than filament bulbs.”

13. Add thick curtains at windows or doors.

Curtains can be elegant and stylish and are necessary in addition to, or in place of, blinds if you are serious about conserving energy at doors and windows.

14. Monitor your electricity consumption.

“If people could see with their own eyes how much electrical appliances cost them, they would be less wasteful,” says Clarke.

Digital displays that monitor your electricity consumption as easily available and a useful tool to see which appliances make the numbers fly.

15. Investigate sources of second-hand furniture and fittings such as eBay and charity shops. “People used to take it for

granted that their homes would contain a mixture of new and second-hand items,” Clarke says.

16. Lower your thermostat and check the temperature of your hot water. “Many people have their water temperature set too high without thinking about it,” says Clarke.

Familiar to anyone who has turned on their hot water and scalded themselves. Reducing the thermostat setting by a few degrees can lead to significant savings. Clarke suggests you can save about £60 a year by turning down your thermostat by one degree Celsius.

17. When buying or renting a new house, check its Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), which will give you information on the house’s energy use and CO2 emissions.

EPCs grade properties from A (most energyefficient) to G (least energy-efficient). The average score is currently D. 18. Block draughts around doors, chimneys and windows. If there is a draught coming down your chimney, then energy is being wasted. Ditto if your front door is badly fitted. Draught-excluders may not always be elegant but they are practical .

19. Buy an eco-kettle “Most kettles use a ridiculous amount of electricity,” says Clarke.

“People don’t stop to think. They will boil enough water to make six cups of tea when they only need one.” Eco-kettles are more energy-efficient and will beneficially impact on your electricity bills.

20. Fit a water-saving showerhead. We all assume that taking a shower is more eco-friendly than a bath. Well, not you spend ten minutes in a power shower. Save energy by opting for an aerated or low-flow showerhead. And a short shower!

Series 5 of George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces is currently showing on Channel 4.

INTERVIEW

THE NEXT GENERATION Knight & Knoxley is the first, and only, agency in the country to use next-generation, virtual-reality technology to showcase their properties

I

t all started with two Brighton estate agents who, after 40 years combined sales and lettings experience, decided to go it alone and create an agency with a difference, united by a simple mission: to help their clients realise the best price for their properties and to act with transparency, professionalism and honesty throughout.

After meeting the founder of StreetVisit, they realised they could match their own unrivalled services, with a superior, cutting-edge virtualreality marketing tool which would allow would-be purchasers of the finest properties on the south coast a unique property-viewing experience, without needing to leave home.

Through this innovative combination of nextgeneration technology and old-fashioned knowhow, Knight & Knoxley, “The Next Generation of Estate Agency”, was born. Soon after, the team behind Knight & Knoxley acquired a local landmark building in Preston Circus, into which – after 35 years – they breathed new life, further contributing to Brighton’s regeneration and resurgence as one of the number-one places to live in the UK. 52 PORTFOLIO

The team at Knight & Knoxley know the success of property marketing lies with superior presentation and merchandising. The virtual-reality technology features top-quality panoramic photography and virtual tours which are second-to-none, offering clients an

“The team at Knight & Knoxley know the success of property marketing lies with superior presentation and merchandising” unrivalled viewing experience, whether using their desktop, laptop, mobile device or virtualreality headsets. Not only that, the use of firstrate technologies extends to LED window displays, full-screen website capacity and highly efficient administrative capabilities.

Knight & Knoxley advertise on Rightmove, Primelocation, Smart New Homes and Zoopla, which have a combined 11 million-plus visitors every month. London and national markets are targeted through The Evening Standard Homes & Property, The Times, The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, The Daily Mail and The Independent.

Knight & Knoxley also have a presence in the local press in particular the prestigious PORTFOLIO magazine.

Knight & Knoxley are there to help you buy, sell or let your next property in the best way they can, to fit with your priorities and lifestyle. So, if you are selling or letting a property, requiring a property-management service or would like to experience their exceptional, ground-breaking virtual-reality technology, please contact Knight & Knoxley for a complimentary market appraisal.

KNIGHT & KNOXLEY Clyde Corner, 2 Clyde Road Preston Circus, Brighton BN1 4NP 01273 28 66 66 info@knightandknoxley.com www.knightandknoxley.com

Yardley Street, Brighton BN1

£515,000

Located in one of Brighton’s most desirable and sought after residential enclaves, this three bedroom period home has been lovingly restored by the present owners mixing contemporary finishes with traditional tones. To experience “The Next Generation” virtual reality tour of this property visit www.knightandknoxley.com

01273 28 66 66 CLYDE CORNER, PRESTON CIRCUS, BRIGHTON THE NEXT GENERATION OF ESTATE AGENCY

INFO@KNIGHTANDKNOXLEY.COM WWW.KNIGHTANDKNOXLEY.COM KNOWLEDGE & KNOWHOW

Up, Up & Away!

Awarded the best LETTING agent in BrIghton & Hove 3 years running.

We were also awarded the best letting branch in the south east.

NEW Landlords wanted To work with the best

best letting agent

best letting BrANCH

2015

2015

in brighton & hove

in the south east

lettings: 01273 321333 | 109 church road hove bn3 2af enquiries@propertymoves.co.uk | www.propertymoves.co.uk

BEAUTIFUL homes

CENTRAL GEM

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fantastic opportunity to rent this lovely two-bedroom, modern flat in a popular central Hove location. The property is spacious and benefits from your own street entrance, wooden floors and a lovely west-facing rear patio area. The property is furnished to a high standard, has gas-fired central heating and a modern, fitted kitchen.

The property has a very good-size lounge, with wooden floors, two double bedrooms and a modern bathroom suite with bath & shower. The flat is a very, very short walk from Hove mainline station, benefits from being close to all the local shops, and is also a short walk to the seafront and central Brighton.

Denmark Villas, Hove, BN3 3TD Price: £1,250 pcm Bedrooms: 2 Bathrooms: 1 Extras: Modern, fully-fitted kitchen; Wooden floors; Furnished Best Bits: West-facing patio; Near Hove Station; Spacious lounge Property Moves 109 Church Road, Hove BN3 2AF 01273 321333 www.propertymoves.co.uk PORTFOLIO  55

9 Offices Covering Brighton & Hove 27 Offices in Sussex 38 Offices in London

OSBORNE VILLAS, HOVE Fox and Sons are delighted to offer this fantastic two bedroom raised ground floor flat in one of Hove’s most desirable areas. The property itself is superb for anyone who is looking for a home to move straight into without having to do anything. The living room has a feature fireplace, bay window overlooking the front patio garden, and the kitchen has been well designed being recessed off of the living room.

PRICE: £300,000 HOVE OFFICE: 01273 820280

NEW CHURCH ROAD, HOVE A stunning 4 double bedroom, 2 bathroom family home situated in a superb position on New Church Road. This home has off street parking, garage and a lovely south facing rear garden. You are welcomed by a nice light entrance hall and tastefully decorated living room. The back of the house has the WOW factor with a large open plan kitchen/living space that is a must see for any potential buyers.

PRICE: £775,000 HOVE OFFICE: 01273 820280

PRESTON PARK AVENUE, BRIGHTON Forming part of this elegant Victorian red brick house situated along one of the area’s finest addresses, is this stylish ground floor apartment with westerly outlook/views across to Preston Park.

Beautifully arranged with a large 20 x 16 living and dining room, separate kitchen, two bedrooms, own entrance and patio space. Viewing highly recommended

PRICE: £350,000 PRESTON PARK OFFICE: 01273 508761

SUSSEX SQUARE, BRIGHTON Situated in the sought after Sussex Square is this beautiful ground floor apartment with a lovely patio garden and two garages. There are lots of original features as well as very high ceilings. There is of course access to the Kemp Town Enclosures providing six acres of landscaped communal gardens.

PRICE: £800,000 KEMP TOWN OFFICE: 01273 688148

www.rightmove.co.uk www.primelocation.co.uk www.fox-and-sons.co.uk

DITCHLING ROAD, BRIGHTON An imposing, mock Tudor style five bedroom detached house offering excellent accommodation with a lovely westerly rear garden and spectacular views to the front across Brighton towards the sea. Comprising five bedrooms, three reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, bathroom, shower room, cloakroom, garage with private driveway and a lovely well stocked rear garden. Retaining many character features as well as offering potential to update/ extend (subject to consent). Ideally placed for excellent local schools and transport links. Viewing essential, no onward chain.

PRICE: OFFER IN THE REGION OF ÂŁ890,000 PRESTON PARK OFFICE: 01273 508761

SOCIAL event

Neil Laughton (Laughton & Co). Lynne Edwards (Portfolio). Andrew Stenning (Searches UK). Ryan Heal (Rockinghorse Childrens Charity). PORTFOLIO magazine is delighted to report that these lunch

events have so far raised over £4,000 for the chosen Rockinghorse Children’s Charity.

Michael Pirrie (Yelo Architects).

Jo Deighton (Yelo Architects).

Stewart Payne (Handelsbanken).

PROPERTY PROFESSIONALS LUNCH The first Property Professionals lunch of 2016 was held in January at the Pub du Vin, Ship Street, Brighton, attracting over 70 local business people eager to network with others in the industry. The lunch was followed by inspirational speaker Charlotte Smith (Cityzen LLP). Holly Goacher (PDT Solicitors). Clare Osborn (PDT Solicitors). Amanda Fearon (Desbruslais Chartered Surveyors). Julie Frith (Mishon Mackay).

Neil Laughton, a former Royal Marine Commando and Special Forces Officer, who currently runs a management-training

Fiona McTernan (Portfolio). Amy Trevellick (Sherwood Solicitors). Anthony Singh (Sherwood Solicitors).

Sara Van Loock (Mishon Mackay New Homes).

company, Laughton & Co. Neil spoke about the importance of a work/life balance and explored the tools and strengths needed to run a successful business, as well as sharing his own business triumphs over the years. As usual, a special raffle was held in support of the Rockinghorse Children’s Charity, the winner receiving a VIP Luxury “goody bag” from the multi-award-winning Treatment Rooms and a Racetrack “Supercar” driving experience for two people.

Brian Quinton (Metro Bank). Rebecca Edwards (Metro Bank). Danny Ross (Baron Estates). Simon Conn (Overseas Property & Finance Specialist)

Craig vile (Angels Media).

Robert Desbruslais (Desbruslais Chartered Surveyors).

58 PORTFOLIO

Next event is 14th April, so make sure you book your space now with Melanie@searchesuk.co.uk

Bob Bastian (Stephen Rimmer Solicitors).

Lara Squires (Consortium Business Solutions).

Richard Zinzan (ZST Architects).

Sophie Law-Smith (ZST Architects).

Jason Bradshaw (Cunningtons Solicitors LLP).

Katie Lawley and Becca Kelly (McMillan Williams Solicitors).

Beechwood Avenue, Brighton ÂŁ485,000 A three bedroom detached bungalow in popular close in favoured Surrenden area. Offering further scope for extension (STNC), the property requires modernisation, shower, lounge, conservatory, kitchen, GCH, double-glazing, south garden and garage.

Donnington Road, Woodingdean, Brighton ÂŁ345,000 A modern detached chalet bungalow enjoying east/west aspect at Woodingdean. 3/4 bedrooms, bathroom with shower, lounge, dining room, kitchen, GCH, double-glazing, west rear garden, garage.

Graves Son & Pilcher, 51 Old Steyne, Brighton, BN1 1HU 01273 321123 | www.gravessonandpilcher.co.uk

BRUNSWICK TERRACE - RECENTLY SOLD

A truly unique lower ground floor dual aspect mansions apartment forming part of this Grade I listed seafront property.

Features include private street entrance, three separate patio garden areas and spiral staircase to decked terrace, internal arched study/dining cave, entrance lobby and entrance hall, grand reception room, separate kitchen, cloakroom, ensuite shower room and bathroom with integrated wall TV, two double bedrooms, conservatory, abundance of character.

A beautifully presented two bedroom lower

BRUNSWICK SQUARE, HOVE - RECENTLY SOLD

ground floor flat in a converted grade I listed building in Hove’s finest seafront square. The property comprises entrance lobby, entrance hall opening to dining area, spacious kitchen with range of integrated appliances, bright 16’10 x 16’4 west aspect lounge with patio doors opening to 21’10 rear patio garden with bespoke seating area, additional inner courtyard, two double bedrooms, bathroom, en suite shower room, gas fired central heating.

BRUNSWICK SQUARE, HOVE - RECENTLY SOLD

This unique two bedroom ground and lower ground floor maisonette forming part of a Grade I listed building is located in sought after Brunswick square, hove.

A “must see” property finished to a high specification benefiting from entrance hall, two double bedrooms, lounge, large patio garden, further courtyard, bathroom, ensuite shower room, separate kitchen, utility area and east aspect balcony.

brices sales & lettings

SALES & LETTINGS 01273 323000 30C WESTERN ROAD, HOVE BN3 1AF

BEAUTIFUL homes

PERIOD APARTMENT

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well-presented two-bedroom third-floor flat in a converted period building located in this sought-after location on Brighton seafront, with stunning direct views to the beach, sea and Brighton Pier. The accommodation comprises entrance lobby, hallway, lounge/dining room, modern kitchen, two double bedrooms, bathroom. The bright, south aspect lounge/dining room enjoys an incredible view of the sea from the in-keeping period sash windows, with oblique sea views eastward from both bedrooms and the kitchen.

Marine Parade, Brighton, BN2 1AZ Price: £325,000 Bedrooms: 2 Bathrooms: 1 Extras: Bright and spacious lounge; Two double bedrooms Best Bits: Stunning direct sea views; Stone’s throw from Brighton seafront; Located close to the historic centre of Brighton Brices Sales & Lettings 30c Western Road, Hove BN3 1AF 01273 323000 www.brices.co.uk PORTFOLIO 61

FOR SALE WILBURY ROAD TWO BEDROOM APARTMENT £260,000 Set inside The Carlton built circa 1972, the apartment has a living room, separate kitchen, two bedrooms and a bathroom. White walls, floorboards and an excellent choice of colours work in harmony with this 70s build which makes for a light, stylish living experience.

FOR SALE NORTON ROAD ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT £315,000 The apartment has a 17ft easterly facing living room, a separate kitchen with a balcony that leads to a communal garden, a bathroom and a westerly facing bedroom with built in wardrobes.

Decorated with verve, this apartment is sublime, understated and complete.

FROM HOUSE TO

SALES LETTINGS VALUATIONS

69A&B CHURCH ROAD HOVE 01273 733500 HOME@NASHWATSON.COM LETTINGS@NASHWATSON.COM

Nash Watson & Hamptons International present an exciting new development in central Brighton. For more information and to book a viewing contact either selling agent.

01273 733 500

01273 230 230

FROM HOUSE TO

CONNAUGHT FOR SALE ÂŁ500,000: EACH NEW HOME HAS FOUR BEDROOMS TWO BATHROOMS A ROOF TERRACE A PATIO AND PARKING Six brand newly built, four bedroom, two bathroom, terraced houses, all benefiting from a roof terrace, parking space and patio garden, available NOW in Brighton. These terrific new homes are tucked away in a quiet gated Mews in a popular location with all the amenities close at hand.

FEATURE home

HOME OF THE MONTH

...as selected by PORTFOLIO magazine

2-bedroom flat for sale York Villas, Brighton Price: £375,000

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his two-bedroom ground-floor garden flat is part of a charming, detached residence, built circa 1810. York Villas is adjacent to Prestonville Road and Old Shoreham Road, close to both Seven Dials and Brighton Station. Lovingly restored by the current owners in recent years, the property retains a wealth of character and charm, with high and ornate corniced and moulded ceilings, original shutters to a pair of bay windows which overlook the gardens, and a well-fitted kitchen. One of the property’s finest features is the private brick-block paved patio, which leads out onto a private lawned garden with further gated access to the communal garden. The flat is being sold with a share of the freehold.

123-125 Dyke Road, Hove BN3 1TJ 01273 232232 www.austingray.co.uk

Making Moving a Pleasure If you are buying or selling your property, Healys offers an unrivalled legal service.

In order that your matter proceeds smoothly we offer the following as standard to our clients: • • •

Direct dial to your Solicitor No hidden charges Competitive fees

We would be delighted to provide you with a free personal quotation. Please contact one of our team on: 01273 669139 or email: property@healys.com or visit www.healys.com and complete our online quotation form.

8/9 Old Steine Brighton BN1 1EJ

Residential Estate & Letting Agents • Land & New Homes Brighton & Hove City Office Residential Sales & Lettings 3-6 North Road, Brighton East Sussex BN1 1YA Sales 01273 688881 Lettings 01273 688884 E brighton@oakleyproperty.com

The Historic Lanes £725,000

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An attractive Grade II listed house offering versatile accommodation situated in the heart of the historic Lanes with several period features and a courtyard garden.

Montpelier/Clifton OIEO £900,000

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A stunning modern city centre three double bedroom town house benefitting from open plan living areas, a decked patio garden, roof terrace, private gated parking and NHBC warranty.

oakleyproperty.com

Lewes Town & Country Residential Sales & Lettings 14a High Street Lewes East Sussex BN7 2LN T 01273 487444 E lewes@oakleyproperty.com

London Office 40 St James’s Place London SW1A 1NS T 020 78390888 E enquiries@tlo.co.uk

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Hove Seafront £1,000,000

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A stunning raised ground floor mansion flat with a southerly elevation situated in central Hove with fabulous views across Hove Lawns and to the sea.

Kemptown £750,000

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A contemporary four bedroom house situated close to Kemptown Village. A spacious open plan living area with bi-folding doors creating amazing outside inside modern living. 10 year BLP premium guarantee.

NINE LUXURY APARTMENTS WITH PANORAMIC SEA VIEWS ON HOVE SEAFRONT READY FOR OCCUPATION SPRING 2016 – SELLING OFF-PLAN NOW!

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CHOICE OF 2 OR 3 BEDROOMS PLUS A SUMPTUOUS PENTHOUSE

ONL RRY! T WOY ONE APA BED REM RTMENT AINI NG

PRICES: TWO BED £535,000 • THREE BED FROM £700,000 TO £825,000 • PENTHOUSE – POA

Prepared to be impressed by these stunning sea view apartments each with south facing balcony and secure private parking. Located just a stroll from Hove’s famous promenade.

All of the apartments have been thoughtfully designed to create a light and airy living environment.

Luxury contemporary finishes include designer kitchens featuring quartz worktops, Quooker boiling tap and Neff integrated appliances.

CALL 01273 829300 • WWW.MISHONMACKAY.COM

NEW homes

STUNNING NEW family homes If you are looking for a new family home, a new build could be just right for you… Mishon Mackay New Homes have recently announced a number of new family housing developments

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ishon Mackay New Homes have announced several exciting new schemes of family houses coming to the market. “We are very excited about these new developments,” says New Homes Director Julie Frith. “From well-planned family homes through to grand-scale mansions, there is something for everyone!”

Chapel Row in Lyminster Avenue in Patcham is already attracting attention. Built to an ecofriendly agenda, with photo-voltaic solar panels and masses of insulation, these three attractive new family homes of 1400 sq ft have four bedrooms, off-street parking and great gardens.

Guide prices start at £435,000.

For buyers who are looking for the spectacular, Vizion – two grand houses in Withdean Road by Silver Homes – is ideal.

Offering approximately 3000 square feet of internal space and sweeping views across Tivoli Copse to the sea, these stylishly contemporary

homes will be ready in the summer of 2016 and have a guide price of £1,450,000. Withdean Road, with its leafy ambiance and woodland setting, is popular with developers, and Cielo, a superb, contemporary development of three

“From well-planned family homes through to grandscale mansions, there is something for everyone” detached homes by Baobab Developments, will be ready in the summer of 2016. Just one is still available, with sublime views, spectacular space and landscaped gardens. The guide price is £2,250,000.

Factory Mews in Kemptown is a stylish boutique development of three apartments and

three townhouses by Creative Developments.

The apartments start at £525,000, while the three spacious townhouses are shortly to be launched. With 1660 sq ft of internal space, integral garages, 3/4 bedrooms and sunny roof terraces, these delectable city townhouses are already attracting offers.

Homes ready for occupation include 38 Hove Street £899,950 – a superb city home, packed with eco-friendly features and ubercool technology. Carefully designed exteriors, using an attractive combination of warm brick and dove grey render, give a welcoming feel, and with four sumptuous double bedrooms, it offers fantastic flexibility. The last remaining townhouse at Holland Row in Holland Mews in Hove is also still available, with a guide price of £575,000, three bedrooms and a garage.

For full details of all of Mishon Mackay’s new homes, call the sales team on 01273 829300 or email newhomes@mishonmackay.com.

PORTFOLIO 67

solicitors Incorporating Johnson McCabe

local & independent

We are local, independent solicitors providing an expert legal service with a personal approach Property

Civil Litigation

• Buying and Selling Property • Re-Mortgages • Freehold Enfranchisement • Lease Extensions • Buying and Selling Investment Properties

• Employment • Debt Recovery • Property • Contentious Probate • Insurance Claims • Fraud Claims to include Defending NCA Claims • Consumer Law • Neighbour disputes • Dispute Resolution/ Mediation of Claims

Business • Landlord and Tenant and Commercial Property • Buying and Selling Businesses and Shares • Employment Law • Licensing

Wills and Trusts • Wills • Probate and Administration of Estates • Inheritance Tax Planning and Trusts • Lasting Powers of Attorney and Court of Protection • Elderly Client Care

For more information please contact us at Engleharts Solicitors:

Vallance Hall, Hove Street, Hove, East Sussex BN3 2DE

info@engleharts.co.uk • 01273 204411

www.engleharts.co.uk

Life and Family • Family and Matrimonial • Co Habitation Agreements/Disputes • Civil Partnerships • Pre-nuptial Agreements • Divorce

Commercial Litigation • Commercial contract/ Consumer Disputes • Director/Shareholders/ Partnership Disputes • Insurance Claims • Construction and Engineering • Commercial Property Disputes • Professional Negligence Claims • Intellectual Property Disputes

GARDENS

GO WILD

this half-term with the National Trust Half-term is fast approaching and there are lots of activities to get kids outdoors and having fun in National Trust houses and gardens throughout East and West Sussex

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f you’ve been stuck indoors this winter, then February half-term is the perfect opportunity for the whole family to enjoy some time together exploring the beautiful landscapes of Sussex as they gradually reveal signs of spring colour and wildlife after the colder winter months.

Take a walk on the wild side, enjoy fun craft sessions, or try exciting challenges and quiz-packed trails, indoors and out. Along the way you’ll be

able to tick off a few of the ‘50 Things To Do Before You’re 11 ¾’ challenges, from mud-pie making and kite flying to den building and tree climbing.

Take your pick from our top family places for a wild day out:

WEST SUSSEX Petworth House and Park Mini-masters Pop-Up Art Studio Daily from 13 to 21 February Arty fun at Petworth House this February half-term. Inspired by their colourful Bosch to Bellotto Renaissance exhibition, there is a popup art studio, where young artists can create their very own mini-masterpiece.

Normal admission plus donation

woodland restoration project and help create a natural and resilient wood for wildlife and people. Plus den-building sessions, nature trails, and more.

Free event, but book a space on 01243 814730.

EAST SUSSEX

Uppark House and Garden Baby Wildlife Springtime Trail Daily from 13 to 21 February Uppark’s wide expanses of lawn are perfect for running across, as little ones hunt for clues on Uppark’s half-term quiz trail. This year’s theme is baby wildlife.

Normal admission charge only Woolbeding Countryside, Woolbeding Pancakes Al Fresco Tuesday 9 February, 5pm to 6pm Tucked away in the tranquil Rother Valley lies the picturesque Woolbeding estate. Cook your own pancakes over an open camp fire in the woods as the sun sets. All ingredients supplied, just bring a healthy appetite! £3, booking essential on 01730 816638.

Slindon Estate Wild About The Woods Wednesday 17 February, 10am to 3pm Plant trees at the National Trust’s biggest-ever

Bateman’s Children’s Winter Garden Trail Daily from 12 to 21 February, 11am to 4.30pm Follow the winter spotter trail and learn more about what’s happening over winter in the Bateman’s garden. Behind the scenes, lots of animals and insects are busy preparing for the spring.. Pick up a trail sheet at visitor reception Normal admission charges apply, £1.50 per trail.

Birling Gap Spring Sheep Mobile Making Daily from 13 to 17 February, 10am to 3pm It’s spring and the lambs are being born. Come and turn wool into sheep mobiles.

You can also try carding, spinning and weaving (on Tuesday 16 February only) in the visitor centre. £2 per sheep mobile.

Bodiam Castle Half Term Shrovetide Fun Daily from 13 to 21 February, 11am to 4pm The castle is coming back to life after the winter period and the Bodiam household will be here to celebrate Shrovetide and Lent. Learn about the Lent menu and discover the dos and don’ts of medieval feasting and fasting.

Normal admission charges apply, £2.50 per trail.

Sheffield Park and Garden 50 Things Activities Week Daily from 15 to 19 February, 11am to 12.30pm Join one of the kite-making workshops to create your own kite to fly in the parkland. Or make a bug hotel to take home to your garden.

After you’ve finished your crafts, head out into the woodland to climb a tree, make a trail out of sticks or create some wild art.

Tickets £3 per child, including all materials.

Standen Little Embroiders’ Trail Daily from 13 to 21 February, 11am to 3pm The Plantation kids want to create a piece of art but they’ve lost some animals and flowers they want to include. Inside the house, have a go at the spotter trail. Don’t miss the artwork designed by the Embroiders’ Guild influenced by the garden at Standen.

Normal admission charges apply, £1 per garden trail. www.nationaltrust.org.uk

PORTFOLIO 69

PROPERT Y PLUS RELIABILIT Y EQUALS LET TINGS

PROPERT YPLUSLET TINGS.COM 01273 777010

OVERSEAS

ALPINE APARTMENTS Back from skiing and thinking of buying in the Alps? MGM French Properties have fullymanaged apartments with peak-week personal usage in the heart of the Alps

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GM French Properties have announced the launch of three new developments in a trio of the Alps’ most desirable resorts: La Plagne, Chamonix and Le Grand Bornand. Perfect for buyers looking for a hasslefree second-home, these turn-key apartments are fully managed by the MGM team, with access to a range of top-class facilities, including full spa and wellness amenities. All occupy absolutely prime positions within their respective resorts, within close proximity to the slopes.

LES BALCONS ETOILÉS, CHAMPAGNY LA PLAGNE Situated in the valley recognised for its breathtaking natural beauty, Champagny en Vanoise is one of 11 picturesque villages in the renowned La Plagne ski area. At an altitude of 1,250m, the traditional Savoyard enclave is built around a 17th-century church and retains much of its original charm. The new Les Balcons Etoilés is located in an enviable position at the heart of the village and features 6 chalets, comprising 47 one- three-bedroom apartments. Inspired by traditional Vanoise architecture, the development is built with local wood and stone and is expected to be in high demand yearround. All residences enjoy stunning views of the Vanoise National Park, often referred to as the ‘Great Garden of France’.

A skier’s paradise, the La Plagne ski area offers over 435kms of pistes and is linked to the Paradiski area via the ‘Vanoise Express,’ the largest cable car in the world.

1-bedroom apartments from £150,000 (€213,000) - NET of VAT via leaseback purchase

3-bed duplex apartments from £270,000 (€383,000) - NET of VAT via leaseback purchase Completion:: Christmas 2017

LES CHALETS ELÉNA, CHAMONIX The appeal of Chamonix as both a winter and summer sports mecca is known the world over, and the charming Les Houches is no exception to the valley’s charm. A particular favourite with families, properties here, in the international capital of skiing and mountaineering, are in high demand. Les Chalets Eléna is a premium development of 50 apartments, ranging from one to three bedrooms, blending contemporary styles with traditional mountain influences and stunning panoramic views across the Mont Blanc valley. A winter playground of epic proportions, the resort has become notorious for its limitless off-piste and back-country skiing and has over 900km of pistes. The year-round lift system gives access to high mountain areas around Mont Blanc, whether for skiing, climbing, hiking, mountain biking or horse riding.

1-bedroom apartments from £155,000 (€220,000) NET of VAT via leaseback purchase 3-bedroom duplex apartments from £293,000 (€416,000) NET of VAT via leaseback purchase Completion:: Christmas 2017 LE ROC DES TOURS, LE CHINAILLON, LE GRAND BORNAND Le Grand Bornand is a family, and epicure’s, ski resort, set in the stunning Aravis region of the Haute-Savoie. Bursting with Savoyard charm, the 300-year-old village retains all the magic of days gone by, yet offers the amenities of a

world-class resort. The new Le Roc des Tours development consists of 44 one- to threebedroom apartments, just a short distance from the village centre. Only an hour from Geneva, and 20 minutes from Lake Annecy and MontBlanc, Le Chinaillon is known as one of the prettiest villages in France. The birthplace of the famous Reblochon cheese, the destination has an exceptional fine-dining scene, whilst the cheese is sold by local farmers at a weekly market in the village centre. Other activities include horse-drawn sleighs, ice-skating, snowshoeing, paragliding and hot-air ballooning.

1-bedroom apartments from £138,000 (€196,000) NET of VAT via leaseback purchase 3-bedroom duplex apartments from £369,000 (€525,000) NET of VAT via leaseback purchase Completion:: 2016

All properties across the three projects are sold as leaseback, saving investors 20% VAT on the purchase price. Owners still gain 100% freehold ownership as well as a fully-managed property, guaranteed rental income and up to 10 weeks usage across high, medium and low seasons.

Setting MGM French Properties apart is the fact that they allow owners to maximise personal use at the most desired times of year, such as Christmas, Easter and February half term.

Example rental income of an MGM Property:: 3 to 4 weeks use in winter or summer can generate between £3,800 (€5,500) and £6,300 (€9,000) per annum for 1 – 4 bedroom apartments, respectively. Higher or lower usage packages are also available. www.mgmfrenchproperties.com PORTFOLIO 71

BUSINESS News

CHANGES AT SEARCHES UK Leading search provider Searches UK have been acquired by Fitzalan Partners

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nnovative Sussex-based business Searches UK have announced that they have been acquired by Fitzalan Partners, part of NAHL Group PLC. With their client’s best interests at the core of how they function, the new acquisition will strengthen the business, creating future growth opportunities and resources to enhance the client’s experience of their service.

Searches UK will operate as normal with the same highly experienced and friendly team, streamlined processes and fantastic service whilst seeking new ways to enhance and improve its service to its clients.

Their range of products and services will remain the same, and prospective and existing clients will still have the option to fully tailor the service they receive to meet the needs of their firm. This includes various ordering and payment methods, added-value service options, bespoke packs and flexible returns.

Andrew Stenning, Managing Director, at Searches UK commented: “It is a very exciting time for our clients, team and business; we are treading in new territory with the aim of making further improvements to the way our business is run to ultimately benefit our clients. The business will function in the same way, and I would like to take this opportunity to

reassure our clients that there are lots of great positives as a result of this change.”

Richard Rickwood, Managing Director, at Fitzalan Partners, said: “Having worked with Andrew and the team at Searches UK, Fitzalan Partners is looking forward to welcoming them to the Group. We are always looking for ways to help house-buyers, and by bringing our services together, we believe that the conveyancing process will be far smoother. I look forward to an exciting future for both companies.”

“Searches UK will operate as normal, with the same highly experienced and friendly team” Russell Atkinson, CEO, at NAHL added: Searches UK is a high-quality business and has an excellent reputation within the conveyancing industry. We are therefore delighted that Andrew and his team are joining the Group. As we have stated previously, the conveyancing sector remains highly fragmented, with significant opportunities to grow market share.”

Andrew Stenning

Fitzalan Partners is an online marketing specialist focused on the conveyancing and property sector through five internet brands: Fridaysmove, In-Deed, Homeward Legal, Best Value Conveyancing and Surveyor Local.

NAHL Group PLC is listed on AIM and is the parent company of National Accident Helpline, a leading UK consumer marketing business focused on the personal injury market, Bush & Company Rehabilitation, operating in the catastrophic injuries market, and Fitzalan Partners.

Searches UK was established in 2008

by Andrew Stenning and has grown from strength to strength since its inception. As a leading provider of conveyancing searches, Searches UK offer a comprehensive range of both residential and commercial searches, including local authority, drainage & water, flood, environmental, planning and chancel searches.

For more information about any of the products and services from Searches UK, visit their website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Google+. Alternatively, call them directly on 0800 043 1815 or email them at info@searchesuk.co.uk to speak to one of their dedicated team today. www.searchesuk.co.uk PORTFOLIO 73

Rostrum Lodge, Ditchling Road, Brighton www.cliveemson.co.uk Call: 01273 571853 sussex@cliveemson.co.uk

Lansdowne Place, Hove A substantial Grade II Listed mid-terrace property arranged as five selfcontained flats over five floors. Two of the flats are vacant at present while three of the flats are let and the building currently produces £25,500 per annum The property is situated in a sought after seafront location at the southern end of Lansdowne Place on the east side. There are local shopping facilities and amenities in the immediate vicinity with Hove mainline railway station a mile to the west. EPC:D/E/F/G Guide: £750,000 Plus - FREEHOLD

Brookpit Lane, Climping A unique opportunity to acquire this former stable yard with consent to convert the existing buildings into two residential dwelling. The site extends to 0.23 hectares (0.58 acres) and comprises single storey agricultural buildings with yard and grounds.

Guide: £500,000 Plus - FREEHOLD

Westhampnett, Chichester A semi-detached Grade II Listed Licensed House in Multiple Occupation arranged as five letting rooms over four floors, with ancillary accommodation.

The house is fully let and produces £25,200 per annum. EPC:F Guide: £300-325,000 - FREEHOLD

Guides are provided as an indication of each Seller’s minimum expectation. They are not necessarily figures which a property will sell for and may change at any time prior to Auction. Unless stated otherwise, each Lot will be offered subject to a reserve (a figure below which the Auctioneer cannot sell the Lot during the Auction). We expect the reserve will be set within the guide range or no more than 10% above a single figure guide.

Please check our website regularly at cliveemson.co.uk, or call 01273 571853, in order to stay fully informed.

Richard Payne, Emma Attrell, Sam Kinloch & James Emson

SUSSEX & SURREY AUCTION - FRIDAY 10TH FEBRUARY 2016 THE HILTON BRIGHTON METROPOLE - COMMENCING 11AM

CAREER LADDER This month we speak to Will Taylor about his new company, Will Taylor Chartered Accountants

WHAT MADE YOU START YOUR OWN COMPANY? I wanted to continue to grow my business, and the accountancy profession is in revolution (relatively speaking). I felt I needed to be more agile…

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE ACCOUNTANCY BUSINESS? I have been in accountancy for 17 years, with 10 years as a partner in my previous firm.

WAS THIS YOUR FIRST CHOICE OF CAREER? I previously worked in the film industry. I was a runner, working for Ridley Scott. The film industry was a little dull and accountancy was a bit more sexy. I switched when I was 23 – nothing to do with having kids, that was just coincidence.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST-EVER JOB? I worked for Gap as a retail assistant, genuinely the single biggest influence on how I run my business today. I still revere their customer service handbook. Mickey Drexler is my business role model.

DID YOU TAKE A TRADITIONAL ROUTE INTO YOUR CAREER? Not really. In despair, my father sent me on a career-development course when he knew I was about to be a father – and they said my suited vocations were accountancy or sculpture. As I said, I wanted something more left-field…

WHAT QUALIFICATIONS / TRAINING DID YOU TAKE? I have a BA in History, and an MA in English, both from Sussex University. Then I

became a Chartered Accountant (ACA). I use my degree and MA more than my accountancy qualifications in how I run my business, if I am honest.

WHAT MAKES UP A TYPICAL DAY FOR YOU? Wake at 5.30am and ride on my turbo in the kitchen for an hour whilst pretending to parent.

I am at work for 7.30am, either at my office

by Brighton station or in London, where the majority of my clients tend to be. Then, backto-back meetings with clients or mercilessly drilling my staff, and trying to keep my inbox down. I leave work around 7.30pm, usually – and get back on the turbo in the evening for another 90 minutes of quality time when the kids are asleep… Rock ‘n’ roll…

WHAT WOULD YOU BE IF YOU WEREN’T AN ACCOUNTANT? A sculptor, but then again, no…

WHAT DID YOU ALWAYS WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? Don Johnson WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME AS AN ANTIDOTE TO THE JOB? I cycle, in fact my job is almost an antidote to my cycling. I used to do ironman triathlons, but I was told recently you can only do two and a quarter things well in life.

HOW IMPORTANT IS NETWORKING FOR YOU? I believe in working, not networking.

FINALLY, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A YOUNG PERSON STARTING OUT TODAY WHO WANTED TO GET INTO YOUR PROFESSION? Accountancy is product retail: the best employees I have did not want to be accountants. They came from other business lives and that is why they add value to the businesses they advise. So, embrace customer service experience and build up business resilience. All the best companies hire by reference to your resilience above anything else… And watch Whiplash…

HAS SOCIAL MEDIA HAD AN IMPACT ON YOUR PROFESSION AT ALL? Accounting is still a business built on discretion, and as I specialise in clients in the public eye, this makes it even more important to be mindful of what information is publically shared. However, it is clearly the case that whatever an uncensored twelve year old is doing now, we ought to be preparing for: most of the successful businesses I work for currently live or die by their Instagram.

Will Taylor Chartered Accountants 4th Floor, International House Queens Road, Brighton East Sussex BN1 3XE 01273 311411 www.willtaylor.cc

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? Accountancy is voyeurism. I am fortunate to have clients far more interesting than me, and they pay me, and say thank-you.

PORTFOLIO 75

FUTURE BRIGHTON ON YOUR BIKE

Paul Nicholson at Chalk Architecture on the challenge of getting into – and around – the city

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n your bike! Seriously, it is probably your

forming the big picture of where we’re at, where

& students criss-crossing to their schools,

best option, given the way things are

we’re going and how we’re going to get there,

colleges and universities and shopping tourists

going in our increasingly busy city. One

there is a clear battle of vested interests at play.

descending on the city centre at the weekend.

of the most common conversation topics across

Bike vs car vs bus vs taxi vs train vs pedestrian.

is how much of a nightmare it is to get across the city. Each of us has been party to an ear bending from a taxi driver covering any or all of the following: 20mph zones, the Brighton station taxi rank, the Valley Gardens scheme, Park and Ride, or Monorail & Volks (a topical one of late).

Pedestrianisation of the Lanes and North Laine, bike routes, Lewes Road “improvements,” Seven Dials roundabout, Madeira Drive, more sea front works at the bottom of West Street, Boris Bikes

The vagaries of the anecdotal list, above, cloud the big picture that could actually end

morning coffee or the after-work pint in the pub

“The tourist coming to experience our stunning seafront explores on foot, or could do so by bike. It is, after all, a promenade”

up helping to solve them. Our future prosperity isn’t dependent on East/West; the wealth comes from the North, and we need to focus our energy on facilitating an additional, effective transport link into and out of Brighton, from the North. A super-fast and hyper-reliable park and ride that is integrated with the rail network and tallied with how the shopping experience is structured with it is the key. This provision would reduce tourist car traffic through the city, freeing up movement of buses, bikes and critical path

(not till 2017), the proposed sat-nav redirection of traffic into Brighton via Portslade… there are

We have local workers and day-to-day shoppers

journeys for locals who have to use their cars.

way too many to list out fully.

traversing town east to west, commuters

The tourist coming to experience our stunning

entering and exiting north and south, children

seafront explores on foot, or could do so by bike.

Looked at as a collective set of strands

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BUSINESS

It is, after all, a promenade. A shopper, at the end

wonderful artefact of engineering and offers a

of a day, laden down with bags, just wants to get

fabulous view en-route up and down the valley.

home.

One of my favourite images of someone’s transport vision for future Brighton was created in the 1960s and suggests a massive, great flyover descending on the centre of Brighton from the A27 and carving straight through the North Laine (see www.nlcaonline.org. uk ). It is preposterous and reveals the mind set of the post-war town planners. Viewed from our current perspective, it is a ridiculous proposition, but it is a design that identified that a radical singular solution was needed to get mass numbers into and out of Brighton efficiently. And one still is needed, but we just can’t go ploughing through neighbourhoods with elevated jugular monsters. Having said that, the Victorian viaduct serving the train to Lewes is a

“Viewed from our current perspective, it is a ridiculous proposition, but it is a design that identified that a radical singular solution was needed to get mass numbers into and out of Brighton efficiently”

With proposals for Black Rock and the Brighton Centre developments coming forward this year and a decision on whether Gatwick airport will get the 2nd runway forthcoming over the summer, it will be fascinating to see how the whole transport debate for Brighton starts to evolve. It needs to be at the forefront of the creative minds of the city’s designers, planners and developers.

Chalk Architecture, The Cycle Hub, 109 Stroudley Road, Brighton BN1 4DJ Tel: 01273 448700 Twitter: @chalkdesign & @chalkarch #FutureBrighton www.chalkarchitecture.com https://m.facebook.com/ChalkArchitecture

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COMPETITION

WIN!

This Eames-inspired rocking chair

B

ased in Brighton, Onske is an online retailer of contemporary, industrial and designer inspired furniture and accessories.

From bubble chairs to side tables and storage to sofas, they carry a wide range of classics and retro items in the style of Eames, Saarinen, Arne Jacobsen, Le Corbusier, Knoll, Van Der Rohe and other great 20th century designers together with contemporary furniture ranges and all come in a premium quality build in 100% leathers or fabric finish.

Portfolio have teamed up with Onske to offer one lucky reader the chance to WIN this Eames-style rocking chair…

This maplewood rocker is perfect for use in a nursery, bedroom, children’s room or anywhere else you might want to sit and relax. The moulded shell sits on a polished Eiffel stainless steel silhouette held by two solid maplewood rockers.

The chair wraps around you and the design is simple and aesthetically pleasing for any room in the home.

For more office and home furniture with a wow factor and fast local delivery visit www.onske.co.uk or call them on 01273 921522

For a chance to win this chair, just answer this question: How were Charles and Ray Eames related?

Email your entry to competitions.portfoliomagazine@gmail.com 80 PORTFOLIO

INTERIORS

SITTING COMFORTABLY Whether you favour a snug armchair or a squashy sofa, comfortable seating that you can sink into after a long day is a luxurious essential

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ur living rooms should be designed for comfort and relaxation, and whatever the size and style of your room, having smart, comfortable seating that you can sink into after a long day is essential. The biggest investments you will make for this all-important room will most likely be in the sofa, flooring and lighting.

INTERIORS

The sofa is the main feature of every living room, and today’s sofas give us seating that combines modern comfort with great design. Right now, the design and fabric of sofas seem to be highly influenced by the past.

Contemporary manufacturers continue to be inspired by traditional manufacturing techniques and styles, creating pieces suited to today’s homes. The current inclination towards retro and the opulence of the art deco era is clear to see in furniture design and fabrics.

We have moved away from the sleek, minimallooking furniture of recent years and are now seeing lots of bold colours and patterns, as well as rich, sumptuous fabrics emerging.

“The perfect accessories will add the finishing touch to your living room. Essential pieces such as side tables, consoles and coffee tables can provide colour or contrasting texture”

www.onske.com

There is a definite ‘retro revival’ going on at the moment, with geometric-patterned sofas in warm colours appearing, which complement the more curved shape of the current-look sofa. The new retrolook furniture is all about looking back to the past and bringing their features to today’s contemporary homes.

There are many classic designs that will appeal to everyone.

For those who are not brave enough to embrace a whole sofa in bright colour and bold print, a statement chair will bring a pop of colour to your living room. A stylish armchair will create a focal point in a room, so pick an unusual shape with bright or geometricpatterned fabric with contrasting buttons or piping.

These days the trend is for ’love seats and snugglers,’ which are halfway between an armchair and a small sofa. If space is short and you need extra seating, this type of chair is a great space-saver.

Another very popular trend in the emerging furniture design is the revival of the Art Deco style. The glamour of the Art Deco period is being brought to today’s homes by designers creating beautiful, luxurious furniture, fabrics and wallpapers in this style. From high-end furniture showrooms to high street shops, there is smart lounge furniture in luxurious velvets and even hand-finished natural leathers. Classic and timeless monochrome, reminiscent of the Art Deco period, is high fashion right now. Bold and stylish, this look has been translated to many of the furniture designs we see today. This type of seating would be perfect for adding a dash of sophistication and glamour to your living room.

82 PORTFOLIO

Photo: www.johnlewis.com

m

INTERIORS

CHOOSING THE RIGHT SOFA When choosing a sofa for your living room, carefully consider the space. A wide sofa can be good for stretching out and watching TV, but for social occasions a pair of two-seaters may be more appropriate.

A bespoke sofa will cost more, as you will be paying for the quality of the frame, springs and upholstery, which in return will last longer and be more comfortable. However, these days most sofas are well made, using durable materials for longevity.

A more expensive sofa will have featherfilled cushions that will need regular plumping to keep their shape. A foam and feather mix is best for both comfort and support. When shopping for a sofa, sit on it with someone else to check that you don’t roll together and that the cushions are comfortable for both back and legs.

Buttoned, high-back sofas with firm frames, curved arms and turned legs are on trend at the moment. All these details are borrowed from the past. The other popular style is sofas that are low and sleek, with fixed seats or single or large double-seat cushions.

For practicality, choose a corner sofa which is great for entertaining, and modular arrangements are the most flexible. These have movable corner sections that can be rearranged or used separately as chairs. For a dramatic effect, each section could be upholstered in a different colour or print, using many of the eyecatching fabrics available on the market today.

FINISHING TOUCHES The perfect accessories will add the finishing touch to your living room. Essential accessories such as side tables, consoles and coffee tables can provide colour or contrasting texture.

Marble-topped tables bring elegance to a room, while brightly coloured tables can lift a scheme, especially if you have opted for a more neutral upholstery. Glass tables with metal legs are very much on trend at the moment, and as glass is very light and airy, the living room will feel more spacious. Nests of tables are back in fashion for their versatility as they can be moved around when needed, then put back together after use.

Cabinets and shelving play an important part in the lounge as they provide good storage to house books and even the television. There are solid multi-purpose units available today that are sleek and smart with storage space for everything, to keep your room neat and tidy. Opt for shelving in stone lacquer finish with chrome in true vintage flavour. For extra storage, choose a retro-look Scandi ottoman in a choice of four understated colours, including duck egg blue, which will also double up as a footstool. A great multi-purpose piece at an affordable price.

Comfortable, smart and functional furniture is essential to create a warm living room that is both relaxing and inviting. Visit your local interiors stores and showrooms to view the latest trends and styles and update your living room beautifully.

See more interiors ideas at www.portfoliopublications.co.uk

PORTFOLIO  83

SHOPPING

DOING IT yourself www.farrow-ball.com

Update your home and sort out your storage with these DIY ideas for the home

ROOM WITH A VIEW This Black and White Woodland Clearing Wall Mural is a stunning woodland scene finished in a monochrome effect.

Available to fit any size wall, in a range of finishes from wallpaper to vinyl, from £39 per square metre. www.murawall.com/uk

EASY AS ABC A fantastic blackboard sticker for a child’d bedroom and a fun way to learn the alphabet. This chalkboard wall sticker is easy peasy to apply. From Tenstickers. www.tenstickers.co.uk

MARVIN CRATES

STORE IT AWAY A super-stylish way to store clothing and other items. Pack them, and stack them… £30 to £75 from Oliver Bonas. www.oliverbonas.com

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Based on old linen crates, used to transport fabric safely, these versatile boxes are made from sustainably sourced pine and look perfectly chic. £79.00. www.lillyloray.com

LOG IT Whether in a country cottage or contemporary studio these enamel kindling buckets with handle keep it neat. Kindling Bucket available in two sizes. £14.95 from Ludlow Stoves. www.ludlowstoves.co.uk

OLD SCHOOL For good looks and the ability to blend with either traditional or contemporary settings, a cast iron column radiator provides elegance with an unobtrusive profile. New Clasico from MHS Radiators. Priced according to size. www.mhsradiators.com

METAL EFFECT Tileworks’ Metallic Steel effect porcelain tiles add a touch of industrial chic with the look of aged metals. £49.95 per pack. From Original Style. www.originalstyle.com

UPDATE YOUR DOORS Give a fresh look to your kitchen cupboards without spending a fortune… Painting cupboard doors is an easy way to transform them and get a whole new look on a budget. www.farrow-ball.com

COME ON IN Every home needs a stylish doormat. This Black Star doormat from Rigby & Mac fits the bill perfectly. (W: 79cm x D: 40cm). £32.95 www.rigbyandmac.com

GOT YOUR NUMBER Add instant kerb appeal to your house with a custom made house number in etched glass effect or stained glass effect film. Design your own house number or name sticker, in a choice of materials, colours and fonts. From £45.00 per m2. Purlfrost Window Film from www.purlfrost.com

GARDEN TIDY Green wooden garden tidy with 8 internal compartments, perfect for holding the necessary tools and string for tidying the garden. £24.95. www.dotcomgiftshop.com

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COSMOPOLITAN COCKTAIL The third-largest French city on the Mediterranean coast after Marseille and Nice, Montpellier is the lively, cosmopolitan capital of the Languedoc-Roussillon region

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raceful and easy-going, Montpellier boasts a pleasant climate, a medieval old town and a strong tradition of arts. Thanks to its universities and strong North African influence, Montpellier is one of southern France’s most multicultural cities, and is an excellent base from which to explore the Mediterranean coast, the nearby mountains and some of France’s best wine regions.

With its elegant buildings, grand hotels particuliers (private mansions) and stately boulevards, Montpellier is a quietly stylish metropolis – with more than a hint of Barcelona about its old quarter and shady backstreets.

Founded in the 10th century by the counts of Toulouse, Montpellier later became a prosperous trading port and a centre for education. (Europe’s first medical school was founded here). Today, one third of the population is made up of students from the multiple universities in the city.

The main focus point of the city is the Place de la Comédie, with the Opera Comédie, built in 1888. The majority of the buildings in the historic centre – the Écusson – have medieval

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roots, though many were modified between the 16th and the 18th centuries.

The best way to get about in Montpellier is by using the (TaM) tram network. The four lines intersect in the city centre and offer a fast, efficient and cheap way to get around. The TaM also manages the large bike sharing scheme, Vélomagg’, comprising 1,200 bicycles and 50 stations.

“Graceful and easy-going, Montpellier boasts a pleasant climate, a medieval old town and a strong tradition of arts” We explored much of the centre of the city on foot. The Jardin des Plantes de Montpellier – the oldest botanical garden in France, founded in 1593 – is a must-see, with its tropical rain forest greenhouse, La Serre Amazonienne.

The Porte du Peyrou, Montpellier’s Arc de Triomphe, built at the end of the 17th century,

and the Place Royal du Peyrou, mark the highest point of the Écusson and offer breathtaking views of the city .

Montpellier is also an exceptional example of controlled urbanism: The Antigone District, designed by the architect Ricardo Bofill, in particular, is stylistically impressive.

Other sights worth seeing are: the Musée Fabre; the 14th-century Roman Catholic Saint Pierre Cathedral; the medieval Hebrew Mikve (ritual Jewish bath); the Tour des Pins, and the Tour de la Babotte, vestiges of the old ramparts, modified in the 18th century to include an observatory.

Montpellier is a city full of charm and energy, and the nightlife reflects this. Eating out is easy and varied, with lots of small, independent restaurants and cafes. Similarly, shopping is a pleasure in the small, medieval streets, where independent shops, old-fashioned stores and high-street names sit side by side.

The nearest beaches are at Palavas (tram direction “Odysseum” to Port Marianne, then bus 28), but the best are slightly to the west of the town.

TRAVEL

THE DETAILS WE STAYED: At The Vichy Spa Hotel in Juvinac, 15 minutes from the city centre.

A modern, spacious hotel set in lovely gardens, with spa facilities www.vichyspahotel.com WE ATE: The inventive set menu at intimate L’Alliance des Plaisirs , a welcoming restaurant run by a friendly and knowledgeable husband and wife team. www.lalliancedesplaisirs.fr Classic and regional specialities in the lovely surroundings of Place de la Chappelle at Le Grillardin. www.restaurantlegrillardin.com In the beautiful beautiful garden terrace, with the backdrop of St Peter’s Cathedral, at Le Petit Jardin.

Perfect for a special occassion... www.petit-jardin.com WE TRAVELLED: We flew to Montpellier with Easyjet, who offer two flights a day from Gatwick. www.easyjet.com We booked a car ahead with Hertz – which we picked up at Montpellier airport. www.hertz.co.uk WHEN TO GO: Montepellier’s Mediterranean climate makes the city perfect for a city break year round… We visited in October, when it was still pleasantly warm and sunny during the day, though getting chilly at night. The liveliest time to visit is during the academic year (Oct–May), when the city is full of students. Montpellier has a rich cultural life, and hosts a number of annual festivals, notably Montpellier Danse (late June to mid-July), and Le Festival de RadioFrance et de Montpellier – a classical music and jazz Festival (second half of July).

With thanks to: www.montpellier-france.com, www.lonelyplanet.com, www.roughguides.com Photos: by Wolfgang Staudt

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We design, create and install bespoke furniture to commercial, domestic and retail sectors.

Web site: www.redjoinery.com Twitter: @redjoinery Tel: 01273 463799 Mob: 07970274626

HEALTH

BODY BEAUTIFUL Changing how we look can make a real difference to physical and mental wellbeing; cosmetic procedures can improve the quality of our smile, our posture, reduce pain and even end distress. Dr Catherine Swann looks at the major benefits of some minor procedures

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round this time of year it’s easy to lose sight of those New Year goals we set ourselves, and get frustrated with the time it takes to make any difference. For some of us, though, self-transformation might mean more than a visit to the gym. This week, we’re looking at nips, tucks and needles as we review cosmetic procedures.

WHAT PROCEDURE, WHERE? Changing how we look can make a real difference to physical and mental well-being. Taking a few years off our appearance would likely cheer most of us up, but cosmetic procedures can also improve the quality of our smile, our posture, reduce pain and even end distress.

There are, quite literally, hundreds of different cosmetic procedures – surgical and non-surgical – for different issues and areas. A good rule of thumb is to consider less invasive treatments first, as they will carry less risk, and cost less.

Non-surgical procedures for the face include things like botox (botulinum toxin), injectable fillers, chemical peels (where surface layers of dead skin cells are removed), microdermabrasion (where fine crystals and a vaccuum are used to remove dead skin cells), non-surgical laser and intense light treatment.

Many of these technologies and procedures, along with other treatments such as sculpting techniques and non-surgical vein and varicose vein treatments, are also used in other body areas. There is an equally vast and everdeveloping array of surgical interventions to make permanent changes to the face and body.

PREPARE YOURSELF In these times of ever-reducing NHS resource, it’s important to be clear that unless there is a very, very strong clinical case, any cosmetic procedure is unlikely to be funded by the NHS. Despite this, it is a good idea to consult your GP if you’re considering a cosmetic procedure. They will be able to talk you through the basics of the process and procedure and make a referral to a local qualified practitioner – even if you are paying for the process yourself. A good GP should encourage you to explore alternatives and help you to work out the option that suits you best.

“There is a vast and ever-developing array of surgical interventions to make permanent changes to face and body” Any procedure – surgical or non-surgical – should be carried out by an appropriately qualified health professional. Providers of surgical treatments must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (www.cqc.org. uk ). Providers of non-surgical treatments don’t have to be CQC registered, but it is important that they are appropriately qualified; injectibles should only be administered by a doctor, nurse, pharmacist or dentist. NHS

choices have produced excellent fact sheets about surgical and non-surgical cosmetic treatments, along with a summary of ongoing clinical trials on surgical treatments http:// www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cosmetic-surgery/ Pages/Introduction.aspx You can also link to the relevant professional bodies from this site and check that a provider is registered.

HOME OR AWAY? Cheap foreign cosmetic treatment packages may seem tempting, but think very carefully before you sign up for one: regulations and qualifications required abroad may differ significantly from UK standards, and it is vital to consider what would happen – and how you could seek redress or further treatment – were anything to go wrong. The issues that arose with PIP breast implants in 2011 highlighted how important it is to be able to get swift treatment in the event of problems. We still have what’s probably the best healthcare system in the world, so why go anywhere else?

Dr Catherine Swann Senior partner at Evidence into Practice Associates, a research and delivery organisation specialising in health, care and community.

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STYLE

DRESS FOR SUCCESS Samantha Wilding on the key pieces a well-dressed man should invest in to take him through the year ahead and beyond

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he new year is undoubtedly a time of transformation, which for many people means starting (or restarting) a diet or exercise regime. But the new year is also a great time to take a look at your style – particularly guys. Does it need updating ? Does your professional image need sharpening ?

And what key pieces should a well-dressed man invest in to take him through the year ahead and beyond ?

Eddie Redmayne

Mark Hill

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SMALL CHANGES MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE Sharpening your image for the new year does not mean you have to throw out your wardrobe and start again. On the contrary, it can be done by simply focusing on the small things. For example, the three items that everyone notices are watches, shoes and coats. Updating these three can transform your overall look, but do make sure you buy the best you can afford.

Watches: it may not have occurred to you, but you may need more than one watch. Consider investing in a smart everyday timepiece for the office, and perhaps a sportier version for weekends and casual days.

Coats: arguably, the only three coats you need are a trench, a classic overcoat and a pea coat for off duty days. Invest wisely.

Shoes: every man should have a pair of leather brogues (dark brown or black) and a pair of black leather derby’s in his wardrobe for work and formal wear. For off-duty days, loafers, desert boots and leather trainers are all good options CREATE YOUR ‘SIGNATURE’ LOOK Many stylish men have a ‘signature’ look that makes their style individual and immediately recognisable (see the box). How do you do

this? It’s best to focus on one element that you feel comfortable with and that works for you.

This could be a small element – such as your ties (think Jon Snow’s vibrant neckwear on Channel 4 News) or your socks, or perhaps you have a fantastic watch or glasses collection that you can showcase.

“Sharpening your image for the new year does not mean you have to throw out your wardrobe and start again” CHECK YOUR GROOMING Is your grooming up to scrutiny? Changing your skincare routine , hairstyle products or even investing in a manicure are other relatively easy ways to ring the changes and introduce a ‘new you’. As I said a couple of issues ago, men’s grooming is now big business, and so it should be. There’s no excuse for men not taking care of their skin, hair, nails and brows. Sloppy grooming habits can instantly undermine the most pulled- together look.

Three of the best websites out there, for grooming advice and how-to’s are FashionBeans, Niven & Joshua and Mankind.

Each of these targets the modern, welldressed man, giving top tips and trends.

So many new year resolutions fizzle out by February, but making simple style and grooming changes will carry you through 2016 and beyond. Use your steely new year’s resolve to make some simple style and grooming changes to make 2016 your bestlooking year yet!

Beauty Box Get ready to flutter

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icture the scene. You are sitting opposite your beloved amid flickering candlelight, about to indulge in a delicious Valentine’s Day dinner.

Valentine’s Day seems to be one of the girliest occasions of the year, one where we are positively encouraged – even expected – to exploit our feminine wiles. So let’s start with your lashes…

You’ll want them to be at their lushest, thickest best – all the better for fluttering. I’m a great believer in having more than one mascara at your disposal, as different occasions call for different lash looks.

Sometimes you want length, sometimes volume, sometimes waterproof, sometimes all of the above.

Here are my top picks for your Valentine’s lashwear.

Idris Elba

SIGNATURE LOOKS TO INSPIRE YOU All of these guys use specific items to create their own ‘signature’ looks.

• Jon Hamm as Don Draper in ‘Mad Men’, always looking impeccable in sharp suit and tie combinations • Actor/musician Idris Elba is often seen in a ‘statement’ overcoat, worn over everything, from tailoring to T-shirts • Actor Eddie Redmayne uses colour, texture and sharp tailoring to nail the ‘modern dandy’ look • Antiques expert and television presenter Mark Hill epitomises ‘geek chic’ with his dark framed glasses, three-piece slim-cut suits and pocket squares LINKS: GROOMING • • •

www.fashionbeans.com www.nivenandjoshua.com www.mankind.co.uk

Liz Earle’s Lash Definition Smudgeproof Mascara has an amazing brush that really clings to your lashes; you can really feel it gripping to coat and define each one. It doesn’t flake or smudge, and delivers on both length and volume. Lash Definition is a great choice if you’re after moderate intensity, but it wasn’t quite dramatic enough for me. Also, be aware that it is ‘water resistant’; I found it took two good cleanses to remove all traces.

Lash Definition comes in black and brown, is available at uk.lizearle.com and retails for £14.50.

For evening, my first choice would be MAC’s Opulash Optimum Black Mascara. The brush is fat (MAC describes it as ‘bodacious’) but not unwieldy, delivering an intense black with length, no clumping, extra volume and even a bit of curl. I actually found this easier to remove than the Liz Earle mascara, despite it delivering a much sootier (in a good way) result. Opulash retails for £15 and is available at MAC stores and outlets, and online at www.maccosmetics.co.uk

Until next month….

www.styleandgrace.eu | @alwayschicUK

Samantha

GOLFGUY...

HYBRIDS TO THE RESCUE This month on the fairway: Learn to use your hybrids and save shots this winter

GolfGuy writes: There is an old Danish expression that says, freely translated, “A beloved child has many names.” That certainly seems to apply to one of the most prolific additions to many golfers’ bags in recent years. Variously called rescue clubs, utility clubs or hybrids – and sometimes mysteriously pronounced “highbreds” in the States – they are often characterised by pro shops and golf instructors as being easier to hit than, say, a three- or four-iron, and they are thought to be very useful when hitting out of short rough.

Personally, I was never very adept at hitting consistent shots with long irons under the best of conditions, so I needed little persuasion to exchange them for 19 degree and 23 degree hybrids several years ago. And every now and then I hit one of those whoarrrhhh! shots with one of them – but not very often.

Here’s the thing about hybrids: they look and feel like fairway clubs rather than the irons they are supposed to be replacing, and I’m never sure how to use them. Out of the rough, I often get too far under the ball and pop it up.

Alternatively, it goes low and left. Off the fairways, I tend to play hybrids more like a three-metal; that is, ball a bit further forward and a sense of “sweeping” the ball off the turf. Too often, the result is a miserable top or thin and consistency might as well be a small town in Remotistan. “Everbody’s got one, no one knows a thing about them” seems an apt description of these clubs. There must be a way to hit crisp, solid hybrid shots with a modicum of consistency. Can you rescue my hybrids?

GolfGuy

GOLF

The Golf Pro replies:

“Hybrids are definitely here to stay, and now that you know how to play them they will become great friends and very versatile for consistent hitting”

I think you have been playing them the wrong way around!

The hybrids were designed to replace Lee Andrews the long irons and are therefore do not demand the same set up as a fairway wood, nor do they create the same distance.

Your hybrid might look a lot like a fairway wood, but you need to play it the way you would an iron. The hybrid’s shaft is only slightly longer than the corresponding iron, so it’s easy to set up to the ball the same way. For the fairway shot, play the ball in the middle of your stance, and keep your weight central. Your hands should be in line with the ball, and your shoulders, hips and feet should be square to your target. As you take the club back and swing through to a full finish, make sure to hit the ball with a descending blow.

If you are playing from the rough and the ball ’pops up’, the ball may be sitting up, therefore requiring that the ball position should be moved forwards to enable you to sweep the ball as you would when sweeping the ball off a tee peg with the driver.

If you are unfortunate to get a poor lie in the rough and wish to try the hybrid, make sure you have enough loft; then go down the shaft and play the stroke the same way as the standard shot. Your followthrough might be restricted as the lie may curtail the finish.

Hybrids are definitely here to stay, and now that you know how to play them they will become great friends and very versatile for consistent hitting compared to long irons and fairway woods because of their design. Some of you may prefer to hit your hybrid from the fairway rather than your three- or five-wood. Although you may lose a little distance, that shorter shaft feels like you have much more control.

Lots of people feel they hit their hybrids longer than their iron counterparts. This is down to the fact that the carry distance with hybrids is generally further. Examples: Three-iron carry 165 - total distance 190 Hybrid carry carry 180 - total distance 190

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at: lee@midsussexgolfclub.co.uk

Good lie in rough

Bad lie in rough

With thanks to our golfing expert, Lee Andrews, PGA Golf Professional, Mid Sussex Golf Club www.midsussexgolfclub.co.uk

Bring this article with you to Mid Sussex Golf Club, and when you pay for a round, another player can go free.

LOCAL news

LOCAL NEWS KING ALFRED CENTRE’S FUTURE UNCERTAIN To date, Brighton and Hove City Council have remained tight-lipped over the preferred developer for the King Alfred Centre, though the decision is set to be revealed after the policy and resources meeting at the end of January.

The two developers battling it out for the job are Crest Nicholson Regeneration (working with The Starr Trust) and French builder Bouygues Development. But not even the developers will find out who has the successful bid until after the policy and resources – where the matter is being discussed behind closed doors.

Abraham Ghebre-Ghiorghis, head of legal and democratic services at the council, said: “The council is committed to openness and transparency and strives to make information public as soon as possible, unless there is some legal or other good reason not to do so. In the case of the King Alfred project, a large-scale major development, given the competitive dialogue process that was adopted, and the complex nature of the project, an assessment was made by the council’s inhouse legal team.

“The view taken was that publishing the detailed information ahead of the meeting would increase the risk of legal challenge. We are sorry if this comes as a disappointment, but cannot expose the council, the project and taxpayers’ money to the risk of legal challenge.”

BINGO HALL TO CLOSE Beacon Bingo in Moulsecoomb Way, Brighton, will close on February 28 after almost 20 years, following an “unsolicited offer” for the site from a third party. Up to 27 jobs are at risk from the closure at the venue, which has been calling out numbers since November 1996.

Management at Milton Keynes-based Praesepe, who own the Beacon Bingo brand, said a full consultation process has been entered into with staff and options were being explored to “avoid or minimise” redundancies, with possible redeployment opportunities elsewhere within the group, Larry Kehoe, Operations Director at Beacon Bingo, said: “As part of our continuing plan to ensure the future viability and profitability of the Praesepe Group, we regularly review our property and business portfolio.

It is with regret that we can confirm the impending closure of Brighton Beacon Bingo.

“The outstanding contribution of all staff and management at this club has enabled us to provide a great service to the local community. Unfortunately, despite these efforts, the club has continued to make a trading loss.”

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ARGUS ON THE MOVE The Argus has completed the sale of its Hollingbury home of 23 years.

Hanbury Properties, a property investment and development business based in Chichester, has signed contracts for the 4.5 acre site. Argus House in Crowhurst Road has been home to Sussex’s only daily newspaper since it vacated its North Laine offices in 1993. It is expected Hanbury will demolish the 16,989 sq m building and create a mixed development of retail and commercial space.

Then called The Evening Argus, the newspaper moved to the old KTM factory in the Hollingbury industrial estate in 1993.

By the late 1990s, Newsquest, the new owner of the Evening Argus, was acquired by US company Gannett, and two years later the paper was rebranded as The Argus.

The disposal of the building was handled by Flude Commercial while Graves Jenkins has led the search for new offices over the last year.

LOCAL news

FISHY FISHY CLOSES IN BRIGHTON Dermot O’Leary’s seafood restaurant Fishy Fishy in Brighton has shut its doors after seven years. The TV presenter opened the Brighton restaurant with friends James Ginzler and Paul Shovlin in 2009. It closed last month, following in the wake of its sister restaurant in Poole. Fishy Fishy’s shutdown comes three years after Dermot’s Poole restaurant of the same name also closed.

O’Leary said: “After seven years Fishy Fishy is moving on from our 36 East Street location.

We would like to thank all of our customers, staff and the good people of Brighton for their loyalty and support. Future plans are currently in discussion.”

SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTH EAST SHAPE UP FOR SPORT RELIEF 2016 Sport Relief is back and once again pupils and teachers from all over the South East will be making every Mile count this March.

Schools across the region are already planning to take part and raise vital cash to help change the lives of vulnerable people here in the UK and across the world’s poorest communities.

For Sport Relief 2014, schools across the South East raised an incredible £680,000 by running, hopping, skipping and jumping their way around a Mile. One school limbering up for Sport Relief 2016 is The Math School in Rochester. Dedicated pupils and teachers are hoping they can raise even more money this year by taking part in a whole range of fundraising activities.

P.E Teacher Angus Parker said, “We love taking part in Sport Relief, getting our pupils, teachers and even parents involved in the fun. It’s a great way to bring everyone together and we always come up with something different to raise as much money as we can. Everyone really gets stuck in!”

This year, Sport Relief is challenging schools in the South East to try a new twist on their Mile, from fancy dress to balancing bean bags on their heads.

Teachers can get started by signing up for a free school fundraising kit. Just head to sportrelief. com/schools There are lots of ways to get involved: at school, in the workplace and in the local area. From Friday 18th to Sunday 20th March 2016 the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games are back and the whole of the South East will walk, run, swim or cycle itself proud to raise vital cash to help people living incredibly tough lives.

Sign up now at sportrelief.com

GOODBYE STRADA, HELLO WAHACA Strada has also closed its Brighton reataurant after more than nine years in the grade II listed site in the Colonnades, on the corner of North Street and New Road.

Mexican street food restaurant Wahaca will open in Brighton on the site. The group, which has 16 restaurants in London, alongside venues in Liverpool, Cardiff, Bristol and Manchester, is set to open their 130-cover restaurant in April. The award-winning chain was founded in 2007 and was inspired by co-founder and Masterchef 2005 winner Thomasina Miers’ travels to Mexico. www.wahaca.co.uk

BRITISH AIRWAYS I360 VIEWING POD COMPLETED IN BRIGHTON The glass viewing pod for British Airways i360, conceived and designed by Marks Barfield Architects, was completed on Brighton beach in January, making way for the last phase of construction before the world’s tallest moving observation attraction opens this summer.

The construction team attached the final segment to the 162-metre tower, forming a breathtaking, futuristic glass viewing pod, which is ten times bigger than the capsules on the London Eye and can hold up to 200 people. Julia Barfield said, “This is an extremely important moment for us. The pod is completed and it looks stunning. The fluid form of the glass sits beautifully in its beachfront setting, and the mirrored underside will cast reflections of the naturally shifting shapes of the sea and sky.”

Eleanor Harris, CEO of British Airways i360 said, “It is a thrilling way to start the year. We are well on schedule and look forward to starting to test the pod movement in the spring and British Airways i360 opening this summer.” Among its other features, the British Airways i360 pod will be heated and air-conditioned, is fully accessible for wheelchair users, has bench seating for passengers and will also house the Sky Bar, the most unique bar in the UK. The next key project milestone will be when the team runs test flights for the pod in spring. www.britishairwaysi360.com

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THE PARSONS’ PLACE Just a few miles from Brighton, Arundel is well known as a town of special historical interest with lots to see and do, but now it has another reason for you to visit. Daniel Frickelton checks out the new kid on the block

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he Parsons Table is located in one of those cosy mews that adorn many of our Sussex old market towns. Tarrant Street, in which the mews is located, is a buzzling little road opening onto Arundel’s High Street. The first thing you notice as you make your way to The Parsons Table is that there is no scarcity of pubs and cafes within a couple of celery sticks of The Parsons. But opening a classy new restaurant (for local mullets, where Sage used

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to be) here in this popular market town in early December is a declaration of some sort.

Unless you have been unusually connected to the Danish food scene since 1963, you will never have heard of Danish chef Søren Gericke, who is considered one of the most important living Danish kitchen gurus. My Danish first wife and I staged our wedding repast at Søllerød Kro, the northern Copenhagen village inn where Gericke began his stellar career. It is one of my abiding

regrets that I was so nervous about having to deliver a short wedding speech in Danish that I have no memory of what we ate that day. I might as well have been munching on cardboard. The thing is, Lee Parsons looks spookily like the young Gericke, and the resemblance doesn’t stop there. The lad can cook, too, as we soon discovered.

Lee Parsons was Sous Chef at Claridge’s Hotel, London, around the time when this iconic establishment was being “adopted” by a raft of new-generation models, designers, musicians and artists. Gordon Ramsay, Mark Sargeant and Northern Ireland’s Michelin-starred chef Michael Deane have all graced the kitchens of Claridge’s. With eight years of experience tucked under his toque, Lee moved on to the world-famous Raymond Blanc establishment, Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, where he further refined his culinary skills before heading to North America. Here he set up and ran the kitchens at top hotels in the Niagara Peninsula and Vancouver, winning a slew of awards on the way, and becoming a regular on Canadian TV. Liz pursued a variety of roles in hotel management before moving into event planning. In Vancouver, she won international awards for her work with renowned Canadian caterers, Culinary Capers Catering, putting on hugely successful events, from intimate dinners and weddings to lavish parties for up to 600 guests. The Parsons duo tick all the boxes for the pedigree and confidence required to open a new eatery in an already busy catering environment.

Photos: www.emmagutteridge.com & Bethany Hobbs www.beehobbs.co.uk

BUSINESS lunch

THE PARSONS TABLE 2 & 8 CASTLE MEWS, TARRANT STREET, ARUNDEL, WEST SUSSEX BN18 9DG 01903 883477 www.theparsonstable.co.uk We were greeted by Liz Parsons, who somehow managed to make us feel, in the space of five minutes, as though we had known her forever. The warm, welcoming Liz interfaces so seamlessly with the smooth, professional Liz that the two are clearly inseparable.

We followed her happily to our table in this contemporary dining space which, despite the somewhat “Protestant” whitewashed walls and clean Scandi inspiration, made us feel all warm and cosy. Maybe it was the soft lighting, or the way the room was broken up into smaller, more intimate spaces. Or maybe it was just Liz.

“Lee Parsons looks spookily like the young Gericke, and the resemblance doesn’t stop there. The lad can cook, too, as we soon discovered” The menu at The Parsons Table is delightfully simple, clear and attractive. Besides the obligatory meat and fish offerings, the vegetarian options are truly mouth-watering (and gluten-free). My companion’s starter of tiny, roasted Pulborough beets with Golden Cross goat’s cheese, winter kale and walnut dressing (£6) was a thing of beauty on the plate and an explosion of flavours on the palate. This warm, welcoming winter salad reflects Lee’s dedication to local ingredients. My pan-seared scallops (£9), classically served with crispy bits of prosciutto and capers - and a cheeky slash of cauliflower cream sauce – were more local delights. There is actually a photo of this dish on the restaurant’s website, in the menu tab (dinner). Have a look, and if your mouth doesn’t start watering, you’re not hungry.

My dining partner beat me to the beef cheek (£16). We had heard about this dish from our two friends, Roger and Kathy, who raved

about it. This ingredient is making regular appearances on menus these days, possibly replacing other cheaper cuts of which diners have tired. I don’t see beef shin, osso buco or even pork belly as frequently as I did a couple of years ago. It is tempting to compare beef cheek to slow-cooked brisket because of the way they fall apart under the fork, but this comparison does not quite cut the mustard. Cheek has a finer texture and simply melts in the mouth, and Lee’s version was no exception. Braised in red wine and served – simply, classically – with potato puree and bourguignon sauce, this dish was at once hearty and elegant. We have since bought a piece of beef cheek to try at home in

the slow cooker with some beef broth, root veg and red wine.

The cod was off the menu, so I had to “make do” with a bit of halibut (£17). As this is one of my two favourite fish, I did my best not to look too disappointed. The crispy skin and buttery creaminess of the flesh were offset by the tangy sweetness of the saffron and soft herb risotto with cured tomatoes on which it floated.

Again, simple, classical cooking to bring out the best in fresh, local ingredients, which could also describe the apple crumble that followed.

That’s The Parsons’ secret (a good name for another restaurant). I’m betting it won’t be a secret for very long.

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CEO Impersonations

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JEFF BEZOS

The Billionaire’s Race For Space

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FINANCE

A WHALE OF A SCAM Don’t be defrauded by CEO impersonations. NatWest Regional Director Daryl Gayler talks us through the warning signs

F

raud techniques are continuing to evolve as criminals look for new ways to defraud their victims and everyone is a potential target. At NatWest, we’ve learned of a new form of scam, one that uses email to impersonate a senior executive to defraud businesses.

This type of scam is more commonly known as “CEO Fraud” or “Whaling Fraud” and is a method that fraudsters are using to facilitate payments from unsuspecting customers by sending emails that appear like they’re coming from a known contact in the “From” field.

WHAT IS CEO FRAUD AND HOW DOES IS WORK? A member of staff in the finance team receives an email which appears to have originated from a senior person within their own organisation e.g. the Finance Director or CEO. The email instructs the recipient to make an urgent payment to a specified beneficiary (this may be outside normal procedures). The email appears genuine as the details in the “From” box may reflect the genuine address of the individual. Believing the email to be genuine, the member of staff processes the payment, which arrives in the fraudster’s account. The monies are then usually quickly withdrawn.

HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN? There are two known methods being used: Email spoofing – this is where the fraudster constructs a fake email that appears to have come from a genuine source but is capable of hiding its true origination. The sender’s email address will have been slightly changed from the genuine address. For example it may be showing as .org instead of .com.

Email account hacking – is where the fraudster hacks a genuine email account and starts to issue fraudulent emails. These types of attacks are typically associated with email services e.g. Gmail, Hotmail and Yahoo. The details in the “From” box may reflect the genuine address of the sender.

WHAT ARE THE WARNING SIGNS? The email will usually have been sent from a mobile device such as an iPhone/iPad. The sender of the email will appear to be a senior person within your firm. The sender’s email address may be slightly different from the real address i.e. ending .org instead of .com. The first email request may ask what details are required to make a payment. There may be a number of emails in the conversation requesting the payment, with the sender usually saying they are unavailable at the moment. The payment request will usually be urgent.

The words used and style of communication may be different from that used normally by the named sender but on some occasions the fraudsters may seek to mimic it.

HOW TO MITIGATE THIS TYPE OF FRAUD As with most types of fraud, we recommend that you ask your staff to operate with high levels of vigilance, especially those entrusted with access to your online payment systems.

At NatWest, we’re committed to helping you safeguard your money. We use a wide range of fraud prevention and detection processes in the fight against financial crime. Our aim is to help our customers remain vigilant and to follow best practice in order to help you safeguard your business.

HERE ARE FIVE TOP TIPS FOR AVOIDING EXECUTIVE IMPERSONATION SCAMS: 1.

Be suspicious of any unexpected emails that ask for an urgent bank transfer – even if the message looks like it’s from someone in your organisation.

2.

Check any unusual payment requests directly with the apparent sender, ideally in person or by telephone, to confirm they’re genuine. But don’t use any telephone numbers or email addresses in the suspicious email as they will go directly back to the fraudster.

3.

Be alert to unusual wording that you wouldn’t expect the real senior executive to use. There may be odd expressions, or incorrect spelling or grammar. Ask yourself: does this sound like the turn of phrase or tone of voice you’d expect from the real person?

4.

Make sure that internal email passwords are strong – they should include a minimum of eight characters and a mixture of UPPERCASE, lower case, numeric and special characters.

5.

And if your company doesn’t already have a well-documented internal process for requesting and authorising payments, create one.

To find out about the latest developments in fighting fraud, we recommend that you regularly visit the Financial Action Fraud’s website: www.financialfraudaction.org.uk PORTFOLIO 99

NATIONAL news

NATIONAL NEWS STRUTT & PARKER REPORTS RECORD RESULTS FOR 2015 Strutt & Parker announced a record level of turnover and profit last year. Andy Martin, senior partner at Strutt & Parker said: “I am pleased to report that we have again made substantial progress in our business. These are the best set of results that the firm has ever reported. Our revenues have risen by 9%, leading to an increase in profit of 13%. Our performance was led by the Commercial group, where revenues increased 26% as a result of having completed a number of high-profile property transactions, not only in London’s City and West End markets, but also taking advantage of new investment activity outside the capital.

“Our Development and Planning group also delivered exceptional growth, reflecting the continued strong demand for new home development in the south east of England. This was combined with another year of steady growth in our Consultancy group, acting for large estate owners.

“Our Residential Agency business was impacted by the unexpected hike in Stamp Duty Land Tax rates last December aimed at the higher end of the market, where we operate, as well as uncertainty created by the independence referendum in Scotland and, latterly, the UK General Election. In the context of these headwinds, this section turned in a creditable performance overall. www.struttandparker.com

HOMEBASE BOUGHT BY AUSTRALIA’S WESFARMERS FOR £340M UK DIY chain Homebase has been sold by its owner Home Retail Group to Australian retail giant Wesfarmers for £340m. Wesfarmers already owns Bunnings one of Australia’s largest suppliers of outdoor living and DIY products. The 265 UK Homebase sites will be rebranded under the Bunnings banner over the next three to five years. The deal is expected to be wrapped up in the first three months of this year provided shareholders of Home Retail Group agree to the purchase.

Home Retail Group chairman John Coombe said: “We are very pleased to have reached agreement with Wesfarmers regarding the sale of Homebase. We believe that this is the best deal for shareholders and for the business.”

Bunnings managing director John Gillam said the acquisition represented a “compelling opportunity to enter the attractive UK home improvement and garden market”. We will combine essential local elements with the best of Bunnings to bring customers in the UK and Ireland an exciting new home improvement and garden offer.”

Homebase was founded in 1979 by Sainsbury’s and Belgium’s GBInno-BM. 100 PORTFOLIO

FRIENDS REUNITED WEBSITE TO CLOSE DOWN Friends Reunited - one of the UK’s first social networks - has announced it will soon close. One of its founders Steve Pankhurst said that the platform was still used by “a handful of members” but that it was “no longer used for the purpose it was built for”. Friends Reunited launched in 2000 and was bought by ITV for £175m in 2005. However, it failed to keep pace with other social networks and was sold to comic publisher DC Thompson for £25m in 2009, then offered back to Mr Pankhurst a couple of years ago.

Pankhurst and business partner Jason Porter took the site on for a trial period. However, “It became clear that most of the actual users coming to the site were using it purely as a messageboard,” said Mr Pankhurst, adding, “I also realised that of the more than 10 million users registered, a lot had done so over a decade ago and hence their contact details were out of date. But importantly - it hasn’t covered its costs. Therefore, whilst it’s sad, I believe it’s time to move on and put Friends Reunited to bed.”

NATIONAL news

WEAR IT. BEAT IT CAMPAIGN Half of people in South East fear loved ones could be struck down with heart disease. Figures released as BHF urges everyone to Wear It Beat It for life saving research – Over three quarters of people in the South East have someone in their family with risk factors that put them greater risk of heart disease, according to new statistics released ahead of the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) Wear it. Beat it. campaign to get the nation wearing red to fight heart disease on Friday 5th February. The BHF poll revealed almost half of people in the South East (47%) fear that a loved one could be struck down with a potentially life-threatening heart attack or stroke in the future.

Almost two fifths (37%) have already lost someone or know a loved one affected by heart disease.

Despite this, 41% of people in the South East said although they might worry about a loved one’s health they’re too afraid to talk to them about it.

Around 922,000 people are living with heart and circulatory disease in the South East.

The BHF’s Wear it. Beat it. campaign aims to raise £1million this February 5th to help fund new life saving research in the fight against heart disease.

The nation’s heart charity is calling on everyone to wear red and hold a fundraising event to help save more lives and protect more families from the devastation of heart disease.

Since 2009 the campaign has raised over £6million towards new cardiovascular science. Last year more than an incredible 23,000 people took part in Wear it. Beat it. and the BHF is calling for even more of you to get involved this year to help raise £1million for life saving research.

CLYDESDALE BANK PRICE SET AHEAD OF FLOTATION National Australia Bank (NAB) has valued the Clydesdale Bank at between £1.5bn and £2bn ahead of its flotation. NAB, which plans to demerge Clydesdale next month, set the price for shares in the Scottish bank at between 175p and 235p a share. The Australian bank is expected to demerge 75% of Clydesdale to its shareholders. The remaining shares will be sold in the Initial Public Offering (IPO) in February. Clydesdale, which also operates Yorkshire Bank, said last week that trading in the three months to December was in line with expectations.

Clydesdale shares are slated to be listed on the London stock exchange on 2 February after final pricing on the same day. The Australian lender also said it may choose not to proceed with IPO or proceed with a smaller offering, in which case it would retain some ownership in the bank.

FIRST TIME BUYER NUMBERS BUOYANT, SAY HALIFAX The number of first time buyers is estimated to have totalled 310,000 in 2015, virtually unchanged over the past year despite the average price of a first-time home having risen 10 per cent. The Halifax says the 310,000 figure for 2015 was a tiny 0.5 per cent below the 2014 level of 311,700 - it roughly retains the same dramatic growth from the 2011 figure of 193,700. The average price of a property purchased by first time buyers increased by 10 per cent in 2015 from £172,563 to £190,180. The average deposit paid by a first timer rose by 13 per cent.

The Halifax says that based on the average price paid by first time buyers, most regions have benefited from the stamp duty changes announced in December 2014. The largest saving is made by first-time buyers in London with someone buying at the average first time buyer price of £367,990 now paying £8,399 in stamp duty fees compared to £11,039 before the change – a difference of £2,640.

GOVERNMENT SUPERFAST BROADBAND ROLLOUT REACHES MORE THAN 3.5 MILLION UK HOMES AND BUSINESSES More than 3.5 million homes and businesses have now been reached by the Government’s nationwide rollout of superfast broadband with almost nine out of ten UK homes and businesses now having access to superfast speeds.

The rollout is delivering superfast access - Internet speeds greater than 24 Mbps - to those properties not covered by existing commercial networks and is on track to take superfast access to 95 per cent of the UK by December 2017.

Digital Economy Minister Ed Vaizey said: “Our rollout of superfast broadband is one of the biggest and most challenging infrastructure projects undertaken by Government in recent times. We need to keep the UK moving with the demands of the digital age, and our tremendous progress throughout 2015 has equipped businesses with the tools they need to grow, and homes with the technology to be part of our online global community.”

PORTFOLIO 101

MOTORING

DISCOVERY SPORT HSE Motoring Editor, Maarten Hoffmann takes a look at the smooth and refined Discovery Sport HSE

T

he Freelander had been with us for a long, long time, and personally, I hated it. It was gruff, hard and handled like a drunken pig. But Jaguar Land Rover have been busy, pumping out cracking new models across the range with great gusto, and it was only a matter of time before they turned their attention to the Freelander dinosaur.

And with the all-new Discovery Sport, and the subtle differences between the Disco, Evoque and Range Rover, this trio is beautifully

102 PORTFOLIO

designed to cover the demographic waterfront.

If you have a spare pile of cash and want the finest all-round FWD on the market, it’s the fullfat RR. If you have a little less, and don’t need all the bells and whistles, it’s the half-fat Evoque; and if you want an excellent SUV that will not decimate your pocket, there’s the non-fat Disco.

Although non-fat makes it seem less somehow, it really isn’t. This is a very capable car using the Evoque chassis and a brand-new rear suspension, to cope with the two extra

seats you get in the back, making this a full-fat seven-seater.

I was expecting a slightly turgid, utilitarian affair, but what a very pleasant surprise! Even with the manual, smaller-output engine I was sent, it was smooth, refined and really nippy around town. Originally only available with one engine option, the 2.2 litre Ford derived diesel, which was not the cleanest in terms of emissions, the Discovery now boasts the new ‘Ingenium’ power plant, available in 148bhp or

“Jaguar Land Rover have been busy pumping out cracking new models across the range with great gusto”

178bhp versions. It can really be thrown about with no awareness of its ride height, and parking is a simple affair with sensors all around. JLR have injected £500 million into their new Wolverhampton engine plant to reduce their reliance on other manufacturers’ engines.

The interior is very well laid out - and may perhaps be considered ‘modest’ when compared to the Evoque and RR - but it is user-friendly, robust and visually impressive. As with all JLR models, the SatNav incorporates touchscreen technology, and I do find that easier and faster to use. Using a dial to click through the menu to locate each individual letter when entering an address is made so much easier when you can just stab the screen. All rivals seem to favour the dial method, but I think they are all wrong.

The two jump seats in the back are reminiscent of the old Merc E-Class estate and are a godsend. They are a bugger to get into and are not great for adults on a long drive, but are absolutely perfect for the kids, who love the adventure of clambering in. The central seats can be adjusted for rake and will slide back and forth, which is really useful if you have a very

tall passenger, and of course, they can all be dropped flat for maximum load capacity.

I shall not bang on about its off-road capability; suffice it to say that it will do everything you need it to do, and then some.

Snow, ice, sand, gravel - there are settings for all. A computer manages the permanent four-wheel drive, shunting power between the front and rear wheels to keep you moving.

The Discovery will wade through 600mm of standing water. It should be a big seller in the Cumbrian area.

The flagship HSE comes with full leather, panoramic glass roof, heated seats, rear camera, xenon headlights and more besides.

It is a very handsome car, and there is no mistaking the family from which it hails. The distinct C-pillar gives it a very rakish look, and the nose is as pretty as you’ll find.

So JLR have completed the family, with the breathlessly awaited new Defender being the one you will want for driving up a mountain, and with the convertible Evoque on its way, you could equip the entire family from this one family. Bulk discount, anyone?

TECHNICAL STUFF Engine: 2.0 litre TD4 Turbo Diesel Power: 150 bhp Economy: 57.7 combined Performance: 0-62 - 11 seconds Top: speed 112 mph Base: £35,395.00 Price tested: 43,551.00

BEAUTIFUL homes

104 PORTFOLIO Photo credit: www.aptonline.org

THE interview

PLATES, MATES AND AUTOMOBILES Celebrity chef and TV personality James Martin is on his very first UK tour, visiting 25 venues across the UK – including The Brighton Centre on 22nd March – with his interactive live cooking show

T

he tour marks 20 years since James first graced our TV screens and his live show promises to be a fast-paced, interactive and high-tech extravaganza, packed with James’ signature cooking demonstrations, full of surprises and some very special guests.

James Martin said: “I’ve been cooking live on TV for 20 years now and I felt it was time to do something I’ve never done before that was truly special. I’m so excited to be heading out on my first ever tour, doing what I do best – but on the big stage. I can’t wait to get out there and visit so many great parts of the UK. This show is going to be super cool. I’m pulling out my favourite recipes and mixing in plenty of surprises and special guests in what I hope is going to be feast of a live show.”

Born in Malton, Yorkshire, James was brought up on the Castle Howard estate where his father worked as a catering manager. At 16 he began his formal training at Scarborough Technical College. After catering college James went to work for Antony Worrall Thompson in the kitchens of One Ninety Queen’s Gate in London, going on to work for many leading chefs in London including Marco Pierre White. In 1994, just a few weeks short of his 22nd birthday, James opened the Hotel and Bistro du Vin in Winchester as head chef, where he became famous for changing the menu every day.

James’s television career began in 1996 with The Big Breakfast and Ready, Steady, Cook. Over the next ten years he went on to film numerous shows and continues to be the presenter of popular BBC One show Saturday Kitchen, a Saturday morning staple for over a decade, regularly attracting viewers in excess of 3.5 million, and recently named Best Food Show at the TV Choice Awards 2015. Though he says that being a TV chef was never part of the plan, “That just kind of happened because being on TV was

PORTFOLIO 105

THE interview

“I’m so excited to be heading out on my first-ever tour, doing what I do best – but on the big stage”

never a thought, I just wanted to be a chef.”

In September 2011 James was tasked with revamping the menu and catering facilities at Scarborough General Hospital for the BBC’s Operation Hospital Food – hospital food remains one of James’s great passions. James was named TV Personality of the Year at the Fortnum and Mason Food & Drink Awards 2015. He is also the author of 15 best-selling and award-winning cookbooks, most recently Sweet, a contemporary desserts book.

James may have made his name as a chef, but his passion for motorbikes and racing cars is well-documented, and he has built up an impressive collection of classic cars, including a 1960s Ferrari. In 2012 he teamed up with racing legend Sir Jackie Stewart to drive through the Alps in a Pantera supercar and also drove Stewart’s Tyrell Formula One car around the famous Monza racing circuit.

James described it as “a dream come true!”

106 PORTFOLIO

As well as his hugely successful cookery career and his passion for fast cars, he holds a helicopter pilot’s licence. “I was having my house (in Hampshire) built and I was bored of choosing which skirting boards to have and where to put the plug sockets, and one day I drove to Goodwood and decided I was going to learn to fly,” he says – as you do. “Flying gives me the same buzz as driving racing cars.

There’s no distractions, you haven’t got people ringing you up or asking you questions.”

But back to the live show: no straightforward cookery demonstrations, Martin insists his show is going to be different. “It’s very important for me that we put on a show and a performance.

It’s not just going to be me standing at a stove baking a few scones,” he says. Although food will be at the heart of the show, Martin will also be joined by special guests, including an exFormula One racing driver, and has a few other surprises up his sleeve.

Martin has been thinking about doing a big show like this for quite a while. “I watched the Hairy Bikers do their tour and people like Paul Hollywood and Gino [TV chef Gino D’Acampo], and when my tour starts I will have been in the business 20 years, so it felt like the time was right.”

He is clearly driven to do things well. “If you’re going to do something, you should do it properly, otherwise what’s the point?” he says.

“I like to do things properly, and the only way you can do that is by learning from others and through practice. I think that’s the same in all walks of life. You’re constantly learning; there’s no way I could do Saturday Kitchen without all those years of knowledge and experience behind me,” he says.

James Martin’s Plates, Mates and Automobiles is at The Brighton Centre on Tuesday 22nd March, 7:30pm. All tickets £30. www.brightoncentre.co.uk

JASON DERULO Tue 2 Feb

REEVES & MORTIMER Sun 14 Feb

MODELWORLD Fri 19-Sun 21 Feb

THE X FACTOR Mon 22 & Tue 23 Feb

WET WET WET Tue 1 Mar

PETER ANDRE Fri 11 Mar

COLLABRO Sat 12 Mar

JAMES MARTIN Tue 22 Mar

JASON DONOVAN Wed 23 Mar

THE SESSIONS Wed 6 Apr

UB40 Tue 3 May

YES Sat 7 May

IL DIVO Sun 15 May

ADAM ANT Sat 28 May

THE AUSTRALIAN PINK FLOYD Fri 21 Oct

CHINESE STATE CIRCUS Sat 5 Nov

box office 0844 847 1515* www.brightoncentre.co.uk *calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge

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