Portfolio July 2015

HEATHER MILLS INTERVIEW

ON LIVING VEGAN AND LOVING BRIGHTON

Health Matters

JULY 2015

A PLACE IN THE SUN 6 PAGE SPECIAL ON BUYING OVERSEAS PROPERTY

Our new regular column

Buying to Let Your essential guide

&

Town Country LIVING

The region’s largest property publication

FREE

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

INSIDE Calendar, page 20

5 12

NEW! Hill House & Home Truths

15

What’s Trending Interiors, page 63

20

Calendar : Out and about in July

24

Talk Money : Transferring NISAs

26

July Collection : Our pick of the best apartments and penthouses

32

Selling your home : Ready, Set, Stage

34

Social Media : Secure those leads

38

Up my Street: Pandora George M.D. of Bullet P R

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Howlett Clarke : Planning ahead

44 52 67 49

63

Buying Overseasr, page 52

Property News

Cover story : Our essential guide for new landlords Gardening : Adding colour and texture to your garden Cover story : Buying overseas property – SPECIAL 6 page guide Interiors : Inspirational bathrooms The BIG interview : Heather Mills Business woman and celebrity ... Continued over For all advertising, editorial and general enquiries contact Managing Director Lynne Edwards: 07931 537588 lynne@portfoliopublications.co.uk

www.portfoliopublications.co.uk Cover: Image courtesy of Hamptons-Int. Horsham. See page 12

Heather Mills, page 67

70 Local News, page 76

Travel, page 72

NEW! Health matters

72

Travel: Sizzling Spain

74

Golf Guy: The dreaded shank!

76 82 78

Local news from our city National news Business lunch: La Fourchette, Hove

84

Style: Get ready for a summer wedding

90

Motoring review : Mercedes SL65 AMG

92

Greg Dyke, page 92

The BIG feature : Greg Dyke profile

Want to know more about the City’s FAVOURITE monthly glossy magazine?

• Visit the website www.portfoliopublications.co.uk • See our video • Subscribe to our newsletter

The PORTFOLIO team Business Editor: Maarten Hoffmann Production Editor: Fiona McTernan 07966 244 046 portfoliomagazineproduction@gmail.com maarten@platinumbusinessmagazine.com For advertising and general enquiries contact Lynne Edwards: 07931 537588 lynne@portfoliopublications.co.uk Designer: Sally Wynn Interiors Editor: Tara de la Motte www.portfoliopublications.co.uk portfoliopublications@dollydesigns.co.uk tara@sussex-homes.co.uk Cover: Image courtesy of John Lewis www.johnlewis.com

Chief Sub-Editor and Feature writer: Danny Lenovo portfoliomagazineeditorial@gmail.com

Managing Director: Lynne Edwards 07931 537588 • lynne@portfoliopublications.co.uk

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

THE HILL HOUSE

D

id you know that there’s a waiting list for scaffolding?

I ask because it seems that every other house I pass these days is scaffolded to the hilt, each crisscrossed with steel bars and boarding. Brighton is in the middle of (another) development boom. Try to book a builder and you’ll find – if you’re lucky – that they are busy through to next April. And as for the decorators… they won’t even answer their phones until after the August rush.

I had some time to contemplate this last Saturday, which turned out to be a Very Long Day. Woken shortly after my partner’s 5am start (work? On a Saturday? Ah... he’s a joiner/furniture maker, you see. Busy through to September) by torrential rain, I found water pouring through the roof of our half-finished extension.

Naturally, I texted the builder immediately. And at 5am he answered straight away (he’s a builder. He’s busy Saturdays too). Ten minutes later both he and I – he looking rather dishevelled, I in my glasses, pyjamas and wellies – stood damply contemplating the un-capped and un-covered roof. A well-placed tarpaulin turned my kitchen wall back from water feature to sullen-looking breeze blocks, we grunted thanks to each other and got on with the day.

HOME TRUTHS Your home is crawling with insects... ...Microscopic ones, which feed on dead skin cells: dust mites. The average dust mite is just 0.2mm long, and your house probably contains around 10 million of the blighters. The mites’ guts contain an irritating enzyme that passes through their digestive system: it’s not dust you’re allergic too, it’s their poo. And the average mite will do about 200 poos in its lifetime.

It takes just 0.000001g of allergen to trigger an allergic reaction Your home may look clean, but microscopic dust and mites are hidden in the cracks, corners, carpets and in your bed.

Allergy UK estimate that at least 12 million Britons suffer from dust mite allergy. But you don’t have to suffer the consequences. Media GP Dr Rob Hicks advises:

“A well-placed tarpaulin turned my kitchen wall back from water feature to sullen-looking breeze blocks” For me, this consisted of clearing dust and rubble, domestic duties, thinking uncharitable thoughts about the planning department, and sorting kids and dogs. It passed in a blur until, at 10pm, I tried to run a bath - which turned out to be both cold and accompanied by a smell of gas. Our CO alarm screamed into life, and once more I texted the builder, AND the plumber. Then I called Transco.

When Transco finally arrived it took them moments to discover the source of the problem: the morning’s tarpaulin had slipped and covered the new boiler flue, blocking all exits and leaving carbon monoxide to circulate back into the room. I rolled into bed at 1am, safe in the knowledge that we’d all live to see another day – albeit one without hot water until the plumber arrived to fire it all up again.

We are mid-way through a huge repair-and-extend project. It seemed a great idea back when we could sit in our cosy then-kitchen, drinking tea and planning. Now, with half a floor, half a roof, no cooker and one picnic table, it’s less enchanting. I know it will be worth it in the end. The kids are really very good about the rubble in their cereal, and the dogs adore the builder – who in turn is very good about being called out at 5am.

But when I see new scaffolding going up, and shiny-eyed householders clutching plans, I think - be careful what you wish for. And keep your fingers crossed for a dry spell.

Kate Hill

Reducing the allergens in your home is the best way to keep your allergies under control

KEEP IT CLEAN Bedding, soft furnishings and carpets are a mite’s favourite haunts, as they provide (yuk) a steady food supply. You’ll never get rid of them altogether, but you can reduce their numbers – and your exposure to them – with: 4 Regular dusting – first with a damp cloth, then with a dry one 4 Vacuuming carpets, mattresses and soft furnishings - Dyson produce a range of vacuums that are asthmaand allergy-friendly, proven to remove mites 4 Fitting allergy-friendly barrier covers to bedding 4 Airing your mattress and bedding regularly (this helps keep it cool – mites breed in warm conditions) 4 Washing bedding at 60 degrees – this will kill the mites.

Pass me the duster…

BEAUTIFUL homes

PRIME LOCATION

T

his magnificent and substantial, bay-fronted, detached period residence of considerable character is one of a pair of homes situated in this tree-lined avenue; the property is set back from the road, within its own gardens, and has a long private driveway.

The house retains a wealth of original features. The large, oak-panelled reception hallway opens to the three reception rooms on the ground floor, which include a large sitting room at the front and an impressive dining room overlooking the garden, both with ceiling mouldings and period detail. A well-fitted office/library or family room complements the two main rooms, offering added flexibility to the living space, and a large, well-fitted kitchen/ breakfast room also opens directly onto the garden. The staircase, with oak panelling and original stained-glass window, leads to the four double bedrooms, including a superb master bedroom with a spacious and well-fitted en-suite bathroom. There is potential to expand into the roof space. The landscaped rear garden takes full advantage of the sunny westerly aspect.

Fourth Avenue Hove BN3 2PJ Guide Price: £1,800,000 Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 2 Extras: Private driveway and garage; Sunny, west-facing garden; No chain Best Bits: Favoured prime location; Beautifully proportioned living space; Light and superbly presented Mishon Welton 94 Church Road Hove BN3 3EB Tel: 01273 778 877 www.mishonwelton.com 6  PORTFOLIO

H i gh dow n H ouse

BRIGH TON ROAD | H A SSOC KS Computer generated images are for illustrative purposes only.

STUNNING NEW HOME WITH TRIPLE GARAGE & ANNEXE/OFFICE SPACE IMMACULATE CONTEMPORARY FINISH INSIDE & OUT •

• •

• • •

Individual detached house with 3,689 sq ft of living space set in a secluded location unseen from the road

•

Five bedrooms, three with en-suite bathrooms and a further generous family bathroom all fitted with Villeroy & Boch sanitaryware

•

Detached triple garage with additional 411sq ft home office or extra living space above

Master Bedroom suite with dressing room and thoughtfully designed en-suite Bespoke made-to-order German Kitchen fitted with integrated Miele appliances

Open plan Kitchen/Family Room with folding doors onto generous garden with secluded sunken Sun Terrace

•

•

Built-in outdoor Kitchen by Fire Magic surrounded by a spacious patio area for easy outdoor entertaining 7 minute walk to Hassocks Town Centre and mainline station 41 minutes to London Victoria by rail

Close to both superb state and private educational facilities including the prestigious Hurstpierpoint College and Burgess Hill School for Girls and a little further afield, Brighton College, all offering excellent bus links.

Offers in the region of £1,475,000

For more information, please contact Mansell McTaggart:

01273 843377

www.mansellmctaggart.co.uk

T: 01403 214900 www.green-plan.co.uk

Third Avenue, Hove BN3Villas, 2PD Wilbury Hove BN3 Guide Price6SE ÂŁ499,995 ÂŁ775,000 45

12

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www.mishonwelton.com

St. Catherines Terrace 2RR WilburyBN3 Villas,

Hove BN3 Guide Price6SE ÂŁ499,995 - ÂŁ495,000 ÂŁ475,000 52

21

12

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94 Church Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 3EB

Tel: 01273 778 877

Victoria Road Brighton BN1 3FS Wilbury Villas, Hove BN3 Guide Price6SE ÂŁ499,995 - ÂŁ800,000 ÂŁ750,000 35

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ilities are in good working order. 3. All Measurements are approximate.

www.mishonwelton.com

South Street, Brighton BN41 2LE Wilbury Villas,

Hove BN3 6SEbetween Guide Price’s £499,995 - £375,000 £250,000 5 2

2 1

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94 Church Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 3EB

Tel: 01273 778 877

PROPERTY news

PROPERTY NEWS ON THE COVER

PERCHING BARN, FULKING, WEST SUSSEX Our front cover image features a magnificent Grade II listed historic barn conversion situated in the South Downs National Park with beautiful landscaped gardens and stunning views of the South Downs. The property boasts five bedrooms and four bathrooms, in all over 7,300 square feet set in beautiful landscaped gardens with pond and water feature.

For more information Contact Hamptons International Horsham Office on 01403 211766

ConveyancingFOCUS By

ISSUE 3 | SUMMER 2015

360 LEGAL GROUP Focus On The Outcome

QUALITY SOLICITORS

Trends And Predictions

VEYO

LANDMARK FLOOD RE

Protection For At-Risk Properties

It’s Here!

SEARCHES UK CONVEYANCING FOCUS SUMMER ISSUE

GROUNDSURE

Location Intelligence: Understand Your Area

Searches UK have published the SUMMER edition of Conveyancing Focus. Launched at the beginning of 2015, this quarterly magazine for the searches industry features BUILDING BRITAIN interviews, news, articles www.searchesuk.co.uk and more about trends in the market, new products and commentary from industry experts, plus an interview with TV presenter and architect Kevin McCloud.

Existing clients will be sent the magazine and copies may be requested by emailing info@searchesuk.co.uk or via Searches UK’s website to download a digital version. www.searchesuk.co.uk.

CILEX Build Your Career

Interview With Kevin McCloud

searches-uk-ISSUE3-V3.indd 1

12/06/2015 13:38

A better

perspective 12 PORTFOLIO

PROPERTY PROFESSIONALS LUNCH The next Property Professionals’ Lunch will be on Thursday, 16th July, 2015, at Pub du Vin, Brighton. Organised by Portfolio Magazine and Searches UK, the event is a great way of networking with others in the property industry in an informal environment while enjoying a three-course lunch with wine. The whole event is in support of the Rockinghorse children’s charity.

The Property Professionals Lunch provides the perfect opportunity to mingle with your peers and like-minded professionals in a warm, friendly and relaxed atmosphere to discuss new ideas and create fresh business opportunities. July’s Guest Speaker is Chris Manseld, Managing Director of Davenport Property Investment. After investing in property in 2007, Chris founded Davenport Property Investment with the objective of bringing transparency and honesty to the non-regulated property investment sector.

To book your place on the event on July 16th, please email Melanie@ searchesuk.co.uk as soon as possible.

With a breath-taking choice, offices countrywide and an eye for what matters to you, we make moving home more exciting.

01273 772175 | winkworth.co.uk/brighton-hove

PROPERTY news

PROPERTY TV CHANNEL LAUNCHED The UK’s first TV channel dedicated to the world of property was launched last month on Sky Channel 238. The channel has been two years in the making, with founder Michael Hammond and co-director Nicky Davis using a mix of industry and non-industry figures and shows.

The channel’s first phase of broadcasting will transmit content which falls clearly into the entertainment genre, including UK programmes such as Sarah Beeny’s Restoration Nightmare, Dream Homes and Mad About The House, as well as some original programming.

Davis has been involved in the launch of several TV channels in Europe over two decades and says the Property TV “meets a recognised gap in the market for a channel focussed on what is, for most, our most valuable asset - our homes.”

STAMP DUTY REVENUE SOARS DESPITE REFORMS Stamp duty revenue raised in England and Wales increased by an estimated £1.5 billion to £7.7 billion in the year to March easily outstripping the £6.2 billion in the year to March 2008 at the peak of the last housing boom.

Research by Lloyds Bank shows that a higher number of residential transactions and increased prices are estimated to have led to a significant rise in stamp duty revenues in the past year, with the average homeowner now spending £9,600 on it as they move up the housing ladder.

Homeowners stay in their homes for 7.8 years on average and take three steps up the ladder in their lifetimes.The proportion of existing owners who move who pay stamp duty has risen from 68 per cent in 1999 to 85 per cent in 2015. In the southern regions of England more than nine out of ten homemovers in this category now pay stamp duty on their purchases. The highest overall stamp duty costs are faced by buyers in London and the South East.

NEW ITV DATING SHOW WANTS ESTATE AGENTS! A new dating show to be broadcast on ITVBe is looking for single estate and letting agents to take part. When Do You Get Off?, a ten-episode series from production company Keshet UK, will see one single Estate Agent date four potential suitors at their workplace. The show is due to be broadcast later this year and its producers are looking for agents to carry out dates at their offices.

“The reason we’d like to feature an estate agent is because their job reflects a lot of modern-day young professionals. Our target audience is the 18-30 year bracket, and with a large percentage of workers in sales jobs, particularly in property. We’d love to feature this in the series,” says Davinia Richardson, one of the show’s casting producers.

“We don’t want to disrupt the normal running of the business, nor do we want to distract any of the staff or workers, so we’re very flexible and can have detailed discussions with the company directors to ensure our filming is managed to their criteria,” she adds.

If you’re looking to take yourself ‘off the market’, you can request an application form by contacting Keshet UK on: ukcasting@keshet-tv.com or 0203 771 0055.

Read more about this story and more at www.estateageenttoday.co.uk

Hove £475,000

Brighton £665,000

PORTFOLIO 13

Hove £450,000

Hove £745,000

BEAUTIFUL homes

WINKWORTH’S ‘A’ LISTER

U

nique location, exceptional design and the ultimate specification.

This contemporary house occupies an imposing location directly on the front in Roedean Way, with breath-taking views of the sea and Brighton Marina, offering almost 8,000 sq ft of ultra-modern styling in a premier seafront position.

Striking expanses of floor-to-ceiling glazing encompass the exceptional views from all floor levels. This five-bedroom property is arranged over three floors , all served by a bespoke staircase, with only the highestquality materials being utilised, both internally and externally, to create the ultimate in luxurious seafront living. The sunken ‘retro’-styled sitting room with feature fire is complemented by a cinema/playroom. The kitchen/ breakfast room features state-of-the-art appliances and feature flooring.

An entire floor is dedicated to the master suite, with two guest suites, two further bedrooms and a family bathroom. There is parking for numerous cars at the front of the property and terracing stretches to both sides from which to enjoy the outstanding sea views. The rear gardens are mainly laid to lawn with various mature trees and shrubs.

Meadows, Roedean Way Brighton BN1 5RJ Price: £2,700,000 Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 4

Why you chose Winkworth; “This home is all about the outside; the veranda pulls you outside to BBQ, eat and socialise; the children spend time in the pod; you gravitate to the views and outside! We feel comfortable with Winkworth; Sarah understands our needs and focus and she is always very straightforward. We trust Winkworth to bring the right people round.” (Vendor)

Sarah Turck Winkworth

14 PORTFOLIO

32 Church Road, Hove 01273 772175 www.winkworth.co.uk

NEWS

TRENDING LITTER BUGS Kirstie Allsop was in the news last month for naming and shaming litter bugs. Kirstie makes no secret of her anti-litter stance and is an Ambassador for Keep Britain Tidy. The Guardian took umbrage and accused Kirstie of ‘smug middle-class morality’ and (oddly) of promoting “a set of highly specific middle-class values, that assume anyone who doesn’t agree is deviant and needs to be penalised”. Well, sorry, but we are definitely with Kirstie on this one!

As she says: “How can anyone possibly think litter is a middle-class issue? It’s an appalling form of inverted snobbery to say that being clean and tidy is a middle-class thing.” Kirstie continues: “I have seen first-hand how litter affects people. For the past 15 years, my job has involved travelling around the country looking for houses and flats for people. During this time, I’ve learned so much about how people feel about their immediate environment. If it’s clean and litter-free, it gives them an enormous sense of satisfaction and peace of mind.

“Conversely, if it’s full of litter, they feel disempowered and out of control. Litter begets litter and it impacts on everything. It creates more crime. It affects house prices. A recent report by Keep Britain Tidy showed that a litter-strewn road can reduce a house price by as much as 12 per cent.”

ART FAIR Parallax Art Fair, Europe’s largest artists art fair is being held at Chelsea Town Hall, King’s Road, London 25-26th July.

Over 200 makers from around the world will be exhibiting work including painting, drawing, and sculpture, all at wholesale studio prices. Artist Golnar Malek says ‘I’m thrilled to be part of this fabulous fair and drawing inspiration from artists from all over the globe’.

For more information and to book tickets go to http:// www.parallaxaf.co Picture credit: ‘A Time to Tear’ Studio Gol-e-Ros.com

by Golnar Malek MA MSt(cantab)

WE LOVE:

BISON BEER BOTTLEBOX DELIVERY Brighton’s first specialist beer shop, Bison Beer Crafthouse, have started a bespoke bottlebox delivery service to businesses in Brighton and surrounding areas for late meetings, Friday afternoons, staff birthdays and those companies who just like to work hard and play hard. The new service, will include a selection from the over 365 different craft beers that are sourced from around the world - including favourites from Beavertown, Yeastie Boys and Bison’s very own See Side. With free delivery in Brighton & Hove, it’s the perfect way to bring on a summer weekend after a long week in the office. Bison Beer Crafthouse was opened in March 2015 by Nick Vardy and Jack Cregan to enable Brighton beer drinkers to sample the fruit of the recent craft beer revolution. Bison Beer Crafthouse is the first shop to bring draught ‘growlers’ to Brighton. Originating from the US, ‘growlers’ contain 64oz of beer (roughly three and a half pints in the UK), and keep beer fresh for up to six weeks.

Prices start from £36 for a box of 12 craft beers. Order online www.bisonbeer.co.uk or call 01273 809027. The Bison Beer Crafthouse, 7 East Street, Brighton.

Courtesy of Bison Beer we have a box of 12 craft beer to be delivered to one lucky office! Send an email to competitions.portfoliomagazine@gmail.com for a chance to win: just tell us: Where is Bison Beer Crafthouse based?

The office has to be within Brighton & Hove for free delivery.

INDIAN SUMMER Brighton’s award-winning Indian Summer restaurant has opened at larger adjacent premises at 70 East Street. Following an £95,000 reinvestment and the creation of at least three new jobs for kitchen, bar and front of house staff, the new, larger venue seats around 90 diners, half as many again as its previous site. Indian Summer is a prime mover in backing Brighton & Hove’s efforts to become the Curry Capital of the Year 2015, and was instrumental in helping achieve the Runners Up spot in 2014 – up 13 places from 2013. Indian food lovers can nominate their city by emailing “Brighton” to vote@ fedrest.com. Details at www.currycapitalofbritain.org.uk Indian Summer, 70 East Street, Brighton BN1 1HQ. 01273 711001. www.indian-summer.org.uk

PORTFOLIO 15

Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

Albourne Road, West Sussex £1,250,000 A stunning four bedroom family home with swimming pool. EPC F

Old Fort Road, Shoreham-by-sea £1,750,000 Impressive five bedroom beach front house with coastal views. EPC D

Roedean Heights, Roedean OIEO £1,400,000 Five bedroom detached family home in sought-after location. EPC E

Shirley Drive, Hove £1,500,000 Spacious six bedroom detached family home. EPC D

Goldstone Crescent, Hove £1,395,000 Detached four bedroom house overlooking Hove Park. EPC E

Dean Court Road, Rottingdean £1,195,000 Five bedroom mock Tudor styled house with swimming pool. EPC D

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

BEAUTIFUL homes

GRAND STYLE

Q

uite simply, one of Brighton and Hove’s prettiest properties. This property has been well maintained to an exceptionally high standard, both internally and externally, with a number of rooms offering great versatility as a family home.

The carriage driveway is gated, offering privacy and seclusion. The ground floor rooms host an abundance of oak, with polished floors, doors and wall panelling alongside period decorative ceiling features. The lovely private garden to the rear is a very good size, with trees providing seclusion, a lovely lawn and a secluded swimming pool complex, within which is a kidney-shaped pool, changing room and bar, complete with an entertainment centre having Bose outdoor speakers.

Dyke Road Avenue, Brighton, BN1 5LE Price: £2,950,000 Bedrooms: 7 Bathrooms: 4 Extras: Established front and rear gardens; Beautiful mock Tudor property; One of the City’s premier locations Best Bits: Enclosed swimming pool complex; Beautifully presented; Versatile accommodation Hamptons International 82 Church Road Hove BN3 2EB 01273 230 230 www.hamptons.co.uk PORTFOLIO 17

LEGAL

QUALITY ADVICE Crosby & Woods are proud to announce membership of the Law Society Conveyancing Quality Scheme

T

he Law Society Conveyancing Quality

• The firm’s adherence to good practice

to every customer, requires a commitment of

Scheme

management standards and conveyancing work

excellence from absolutely everyone at the firm,

practices at all times;

and this achievement both publiclyrecognises

and benchmark for solicitors’ firms who do

• The firm’s commitment to the highest

and rewards all of the hard work by the team

residential

CQS

standards of client care & service being given

to not just set the highest standards, but to also

accreditation establishes a level of credibility for

to all customers and other parties to a property

maintain them every single day and for every

its member solicitor firms with vital stakeholders

matter.

single client.

in the property world, such as mortgage lenders,

David Crosby, Managing Partner & SRO says, “It is

Crosby & Woods would be delighted to receive

insurers, estate agents and, ultimately, for the

the best recognition possible of both the hugely

enquiries in relation to any sale, purchase or

reassurance of best legal practice it give, to the

talented and dedicated people in our property

remortgage and in all cases we will provide a

public generally and to our existing and much

team, and also of the excellence of their work and

no-obligation and fully itemised, fixed quotation

valued customers. CQS is built around the

the service given by them to every single client

upon request for your consideration.

following principles:

that the firm has achieved reaccreditation of this

Crosby & Woods Solicitors

• The integrity at all times of the firm through

prestigious benchmark of quality granted by the

Sussex House, 75 Church Road, Hove.

its Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) and all other

Law Society. Residential conveyancing, done very

01273 734 600

key residential conveyancing team members;

well and done at a fair and proportionate cost

www.crosbywoods.co.uk

(CQS)

was

established

to

provide a recognised quality standard conveyancing.

18 PORTFOLIO

Achieving

maslen.co.uk

Port Hall Street, Brighton

ÂŁ650,000 FREEHOLD

A beautiful 3/4 bedroom 3 storey double fronted Victorian home Located in the sought after Port Hall district, close to Brighton Station and Seven Dials.

Energy Rating E53

Maslen Estate Agents 174 Church Road Hove BN3 2DJ t:01273 321000 e:churchroad@maslen.co.uk

LEWES ROAD

.

WOODINGDEAN

.

HOVE

.

FIVEWAYS

CALENDAR of events

JULY Our pick of July events features dance and theatre legends, outdoor events and festivals!

9 - 11 July

7 - 11 July

Carlos Acosta: On Before

The Songbook of Judy Garland

On Before is created and danced by Cuban-born Carlos Acosta and Royal Ballet Principal Dancer Zenaida Yanowsky. The show combines existing and new choreography by some of the world’s leading dance makers, Russell Maliphant, Kim Brandstrup, Will Tuckett, Edwaard Liang, Yuri Yanowsky and Miguel Altunaga, in a framework created by Carlos which tells the story of a doomed relationship between a man and a woman.

The show has a wide-ranging score from Handel to a commission from Cuban composer Omar Puente and culminates in a moving finale featuring the live choral work of Morte Lauridsen’s O Magnum Mysterium.

Dome Concert Hall, Brighton, 7.30pm. www.brightondome.org

The UK premiere of this show highlighting the legendary life and career of Judy Garland. This show is created in arrangement with the Judy Garland Estate, and is the only officially recognised Judy Garland show.

Judy’s dazzling songbook is brought to life on stage with the award-winning cast, including the cream of London’s West End plus Judy’s daughter Lorna Luft. The magical musical journey through the songs that made Judy a legend in show business history includes never-before-seen film highlights and interviews.

Starring Lorna Luft and special guests Ray Quinn, Louise Dearman, and Judy’s dancers, The Boyfriends. Creative director is Arlene Phillips.

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

10 July

13 July - 5 September

Punta del Boquerón

Mack & Mabel

Direct from the flamenco heartland of Cádiz, Spain, Punta del Boquerón bring the fiery musical heart of Andalusia directly to our shores.

Punta del Boquerón features the winner of Madrid’s world-famous Beca de Oro, dancer Patricia Hernández, along with six other of Spain’s prominent flamenco artists.

Comprising authentic dance, song, guitar, cajon, palmas and violin, expect a thrilling and spectacular evening bringing the fiery musical heart of Andalusia directly to our shores.

With a famously upfront and gregarious populace, Cádiz is where the upbeat and heart-warming flamenco songs known as Alegrías and Tanguillos originate, along with the passionate Fandangos de Huelva and much more.

The Old Market, 8pm. www.theoldmarket.com

20 PORTFOLIO

Not long ago, and without saying a word, a group of pioneering film-makers changed the world.

But, for writer, director, producer and owner of Keystone Motion Picture Studios Mack Sennett, forging a film is the easy part - compared to working, and falling in love with a stunning one-off like Mabel.

This dazzling musical comedy is both a poignant love story and a riveting tribute to the grit and glamour of the era of silent movies. Based on the true romance between Hollywood legends Mack Sennett and Mabel Normand, Mack & Mabel received eight Tony Award nominations when it opened on Broadway in 1974. Olivier Award-winner Michael Ball returns to Chichester to play Mack Sennett, following his celebrated performance in Sweeney Todd (2011).

Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester. For times and prices visit cft.org.uk

4 - 5 July Paddle Round The Pier The world’s biggest free beach and watersports festival takes place on Hove Lawns and between the piers and features water, street & urban sports, live music, kids’ entertainment and ‘have a go’ opportunities. Paddle round the Pier also includes the gruelling Maritime Marathon Plus surfers, swimmers and all manner of vessels being paddled around and between the piers. Highlights are The Paddle, Paddle Something Unusual and the Pier2Pier Race. Plus a Mexican-themed Fiesta Party at Paddle Patron Norman Cook’s Big Beach Cafe. For the full timetable visit www.paddleroundthepier.com

CALENDAR of events

23 July Mary Chapin Carpenter Carpenter was playing her songs in clubs before she was out of her teens. Word of Carpenter’s talents eventually reached Nashville, winning her a deal with Columbia Records, which released her 1987 debut album, Hometown Girl.

After the massive commercial breakthrough of 1992’s Come On Come On, more success followed with such albums as the platinum Stones in the Road, A Place in the World, Time* Sex* Love* and Between Here and Gone.

Carpenter has won five Grammy Awards, was named the Country Music Association’s Female Vocalist of the Year in 1992 and 1993, and in 2012 was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill-on-Sea, 7pm www.dlwp.com Photographer: Mike Caldwell

28 July - 1 August Glorious Goodwood

More than 100,000 people flock to this iconic 5 day Festival every July to enjoy the chic, relaxed and stylish atmosphere. Glorious Goodwood is international horseracing with champagne, strawberries, fashion and glamour in abundance. Includes Ladies Day on 30 July, the most glamorous day of the meeting, and the place to see and be seen. A feast of top-quality racing attracts the best equine athletes in the world, accompanied by the biggest names in the sport. This year sees the start of a new association with Qatar, whose sponsorship of the meeting makes prize money for the week total £4.5 million. www.goodwood.co.uk

Festivals continue with literature, jazz, opera and more Until Sun 12 July Festival of Chichester A month-long extravaganza of arts, crafts, music, spoken word and community events that also includes Chichester Cycling Festival, a beer festival, walks, an Artworks Exhibition, dramatic readings and world premieres. For full programme visit: www.festivalofchichester.co.uk 3 - 5 July Love Supreme Jazz Festival Jazz FM presents The Love Supreme Festival at Glynde Place, featuring international acts and outstanding emerging talent from the worlds of jazz, soul, R&B, pop and beyond, with Chaka Khan and Neneh Cherry on the Saturday, Van Morrison and Hugh Masekela on the Sunday, plus many more acts, including Candi Staton, Submotion Orchestra, The Bad Plus Joshua Redman, GoGo Penguin and Ginger Baker. For full details and prices visit: www.lovesupremefestival.com.

15 July - 1 August Petworth Festival A two-week mix of classical and chamber music, jazz, comedy, young musicians and outdoor theatre, plus family entertainment at venues, including St Mary’s Church, Bignor Park and Leaconfield Hall. For full programme visit: www.petworthfestival.org. uk

Summer holidays with the National Trust This summer the National Trust offers visitors of all ages perfect places to play, whether you’re looking for family fun or a relaxing day out, with natural play areas, picnic spots and quiz trails, and activities and events unique to National Trust locations.

Try the phenomenally successful children’s challenge, 50 things to do before you’re 11¾ - simple pleasures such as climbing a tree, creating a den and making a daisy chain. Pick up a scrapbook at your local property or download a planner to help you decide where to go: - www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/london-and-south-east. You can also sign up for 50 things tips and rewards at www.50things.org.uk.

The beautiful gardens, parkland and countryside offer plenty of fun for grown-ups, too.

Many National Trust gardens are at their colourful best in summer, with enticing lawns, deckchairs and ice cream kiosks - perfect for picnics and chilling out.

21 - 26 July Alfriston Summer Festival Alfriston Summer Music Festival brings some of the finest international artists to perform and share a great repertoire of old and new classical music in the South Downs.

For full programme visit: www.alfristonsummermusic.co.uk Until 20th August Glyndebourne Festival Glyndebourne Festival 2015 continues with Donizetti’s Poliuto (until 15th July), Bizet’s Carmen (until 11th July), and Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail (through until August). Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia opens on 5th July. For full details and prices visit: www.glyndebourne.com

www.nationaltrust.org

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

Dyke Road, Brighton - £700,000

Hove Office 01273 778844

A stunning five story Victorian bay fronted town house located in central Brighton. Situated between Seven Dials and the city centre, this is the ideal location to access all that Brighton has to offer. The spacious and bright accommodation offers plenty of flexibility and is arranged over five floors. No onward chain. Viewing highly recommended. EPC rating D

Brighton Office 01273 685111

Marine Parade, Brighton - £325,000

As part of an impressive Grade II listed detached property, this lower ground floor flat is particularly well balanced in terms of its room size and layout. A high quality finish of Farrow & Ball neutral décor with contrasting black walnut engineered flooring throughout creates a contemporary and relaxed ambience and overall cohesion of style. Towards the eastern end of Brighton’s seafront with the bustle of Kemp Town village just behind, this south-facing flat is perfectly placed for sunny coastal living. EPC Rating D

22 PORTFOLIO

www.sawyerandco.co.uk

St Aubyns Road, Portslade - ÂŁ450,000

Portslade Office 01273 383830

A spacious four bedroom Victorian home on a quiet road in south Portslade. With a warm cream brick and red brick detail front, this solid mid-terrace home sits over three floors with an advantageous south facing garden. On a grid of mainly Victorian homes just east of Vale Park, original features remaining include fireplaces and stripped pine doors. This is a spacious family home which will realise its full potential after some minor interior updating. In an upcoming and increasingly sought after neighbourhood of Portslade, this property will not be on the market for long. EPC rating D

Your Local Multi-Award Winning Estate Agent Bronze Sawyer & Co South East Agency of the Year

BEST

BEST

LETTING AGENT in Brighton And Hove

ESTATE AGENT in Brighton And Hove

2014

2014

Winner 2015 GOLD WINNER SOUTH REGION

for

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

sawyerandco.co.uk

for

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

www.sawyerandco.co.uk

SAWYER & CO

TALK money

CAN I LEAVE MY NISA TO MY SPOUSE? Claire Cook from Independent Financial Advisors Talk Money on inheriting NISA funds and allowances

I

n the current world of low interest rates, people are very keen to ensure they utilise all of their tax free allowances. With rates being low, any extra return is normally very welcome, however small. Many savers trawl the high street and internet to find the best deals. Some have transferred to the stocks and shares version of the NISA trying to achieve a better return.

This tax year you can invest up to £15,240 into a NISA, this can be a cash NISA, or a stocks and shares NISA or a combination of the two. Over the years some have built up quite a substantial sum, so what happens if that person dies?

A less well known fact about NISAs is that if your spouse or civil partner dies, you can actually inherit an allowance up to the value of their NISAs at the time they died. For example, if a husband died and had £30,000 in an NISA, the wife could invest £30,000 in an inheritance NISA. This is called the “Additional Permitted Subscription” allowance. The person can also continue to use their own allowance, which is not affected.

24 PORTFOLIO

The extra allowance passes to the spouse/ civil partner even if the funds were not left to them. They can even use their own money to open an inheritance NISA. It is the allowance that is inherited, rather than necessarily the funds.

“These new rules will benefit a lot of people, but only if they know about it” The new rules ensure that if someone has spent years building up their tax free investments, the allowance can be passed on, so their spouse can continue to invest and receive tax free growth. When you consider that if someone had invested their maximum PEP/ NISA subscription each year since they were introduced in 1987 this would total £242,320, not inclusive of any growth; there are a lot of people who have built up quite a

sum. These new rules will benefit a lot of people, but only if they know about it!

Is there a time limit?

The rules came into effect on 6th April, 2015 and apply to anyone who died after 3rd December, 2014. You have three years to take up the allowance, or 180 days from the date the estate is settled, whichever is later.

If you need advice on the above or any other financial matters, please call me, Claire Cook, on 01273 224667. I offer independent advice and a free initial consultation. www.talkmoney.co.uk Talk Money is a trading style of Aspect 8 Ltd, an appointed representative 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.

in association with Sawyer & Co

Fine & Country 52 Church Road, Hove BN3 2FN

St Aubyns Mansions, Hove A uniquely positioned 3-bedroom mansion flat in this friendly building from where there are wonderful sea views and glorious sunsets. The rich yellow facade of this period building catches the eye while walking along Hove promenade. Built in 1899 the Mansions shaped gables,Venetian style windows and corner turret also attracted leading musicians and performers of the day as can be seen from its two proudly displayed blue plaques. As well as its enviable seafront location this ground floor apartment also has beautiful period features of high ceilings, plaster cornicing, large panelled doors and well-proportioned rooms. The light touch interior palette of soft greys and neutrals embodies a stunning classic elegance. This is seaside living with style in abundance.

Tel: 01273 739911

Langdale Road, Hove

ÂŁ985,000

EPC: D

A beautiful 5-bedroom family home in Hove embodying an understated simplicity of style. On a tree-lined road in West Hove, this 1920s detached home has been meticulously renovated to stunning effect. With a half red brick, half white render frontage the home encompasses an effortless fusion of period and modern. Spacious rooms over three levels feature original cast iron fireplaces, solid wood doors and beautifully restored period window frames. Set against a palette of soft greys and whites from Farrow & Ball, its combination of wood and natural Hessian flooring together impart a calming ambience. With the seafront in sight at the end of the road, this singular home is ideally placed for relaxed coastal living.

Tel: 01273 739911

ÂŁ1,100,000

Tel: +44 (0)1273 739911

THE collection

THE JULY COLLECTION We love a luxe apartment… From lofty duplexes to mansion flats, we have sought out apartments with a touch of glamour...

Sea views Eastern Terrace, Brighton This is the pinnacle of seafront living, superbly positioned on the ground floor with stunning sea views from a south facing living area. The flat itself is split over two generous floors and the accommodation is comprised of three bedrooms two with en-suites, with the master benefiting from a walk in wardrobe. The living room is at the front of the building and is steeped in period charm including oak panelling and an open fire place. The private terrace is accessed via the kitchen; this large tiled city garden is a rare find for its location and a lovely spot for alfresco dinning or relaxing in the sun. Access to the private Eastern Terrace gardens is included.

Price: OIEO £925,000 Winkworth 01273 772175 www.winkworth.co.uk

26 PORTFOLIO

THE collection

Duplex living Richmond Terrace, Brighton This loft-style Duplex apartment has an on-site concierge and well maintained communal gardens.The apartment itself is located at the very front of the main building with its stunning redbrick façade, sweeping front steps and double doors, and benefits from gorgeous west facing light. The tree tops can be seen from the three large double height stunning windows which flood the main entertaining room with natural sunlight.

The main room provides a perfect entertaining space, with an open plan kitchen/dining and living room. The oak wooden floor extends throughout the entire living room and hallway, providing a seamless link between the kitchen/dining space and living room.

Price: £475,000 Mishon Mackay 01273 821800 | www.mishonmackay.com

Avenue style Fourth Avenue, Hove This stunning first floor period mansion apartment is located in the everpopular Fourth Avenue, Hove. Occupying the entire first floor, this spacious and well proportioned property features two double bedrooms, a separate kitchen, and a bathroom plus an en-suite. The large and bright lounge has bay windows and is west-facing, making the most of the evening sun… Period features include coved ceilings, picture rails and high skirting boards. There is also a south west facing balcony with an iron balustrade, which offers space to lounge and dine on summer evenings.

Price: £595,000 Fox & Sons 01273 820280 | www.fox-and-sons.co.uk

Mansion flat St Aubyns Mansions, Hove A uniquely positioned three bedroom mansion flat in this friendly building with wonderful sea views and glorious sunsets. As well as its enviable seafront location this ground floor apartment has beautiful period features of high ceilings, plaster cornicing, large panelled doors and well-proportioned rooms. The interior palette of soft greys and neutrals embodies a classic elegance. This is seaside living with style in abundance. The two main reception rooms face south giving wonderful sea views.

A Wide Venetian style three part window comprising a large central arch distinguishes the lounge and allows the sunshine to flood in. The monochrome kitchen/diner overlooks the pretty central courtyard. There is an allocated parking space for each property.

Price: £985,000 Fine & Country 01273 739911 | www.fineandcountry.com

PORTFOLIO 27

Citywide sales & lettings www.spencerandleigh.co.uk

WESTDENE - £750,000

A stunning newly modernised four bedroom detached bungalow with two bathrooms and an amazing views over downland to the front and the sea to the rear.

SURRENDEN – OIEO £775,000

This hidden gem occupies a secluded position in the sought after Surrenden district having a versatile arrangement of rooms resulting in a flexible living area.

108 Old London Road, Brighton. Tel: 01273 565566 10 South Street Portslade. Tel: 01273 421777

www.spencerandleigh.co.uk

BEAUTIFUL homes

UNIQUE STYLE

N

ew to the market is this unique four-bedroom detached house, the epitome of modern contemporary living, designed by well-known local architect John Turner. The property is constructed of smooth rendered elevations beneath a zinc roof, with powder coated aluminium rain water goods, feature zinc bay and large lights to the front elevation. Particular attention has been paid to lifestyle, light and space. On the ground floor the accommodation features a large lounge dining room with two pairs of bi-fold doors and opens into a smart fitted kitchen with quality appliances and further space for a table and chairs.

There is a ground floor cloakroom and plenty of useful storage space. At the first floor there are four bedrooms, a family bathroom and en-suite which can be accessed from either bedroom one or bedroom two. The bedrooms feature vaulted ceilings, giving that extra feel of space.

Internal viewing recommended.

Bankside, Westdene, Brighton, BN1 5GN Guide Price: £650,000 – £675,000 Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 2 Extras: Block paved private driveway with off-road parking for several cars: Wrap-around lawn garden; Ready to simply move in Best Bits: New fitted kitchen with quality appliances; Ground floor cloakroom; Four firstfloor bedrooms Spencer & Leigh Citywide Sales & Lettings 108 Old London Road, Patcham, Brighton, BN1 8YA 01273 565566 www.spencerandleigh.co.uk

PORTFOLIO 29

BEAUTIFUL homes

Sussex’s original wooden flooring centre For friendly advice contact 01273 423600 30 PORTFOLIO

99 Trafalgar Road, Portslade, BN41 1GU www.woodenflooringcentre.com FREE PARKING AT BACK OF SHOWROOM

SOLD 2015

SOLD 2014

SOLD 2014

SOLD 2015

H I G H VA L U E S A L E S We are delighted to report that in 2014/2015 we sold more superb, high value homes (£1m-£4m) in the Hove Park area than any other estate agent in the city.* Our reputation of achieving excellent prices for our clients is demonstrated by our success over the last 28 years and in 2014 included the highest price to have been achieved on a house sale in Brighton & Hove to date.

In the first instance if you would like some bespoke advice please contact: Steve Neocleous, Branch Director, on: 01273 829 301 *18 homes sold in this price bracket across the period 09.04.14 - 09.04.15, according to Rightmove’s figures.

M I S H O N M A C K AY. C O M

PROPERTY feature

READY, SET, STAGE! Showing your home to prospective buyers can be nerve-wracking, but follow some simple rules and you’ll ace it

I

n America house viewings are taken very seriously indeed and ‘staging’ homes is an entire industry. We can all learn from the idea of staging homes to sell (or let). Cleaning and organising your home will probably come naturally, but do make sure you really stage it to fully show it off. Frontdoor.com recommends listening to professionals’ advice and walking through each room, criticising the home from a buyer’s perspective. Staging tips include: Cleaning, decluttering and de-personalising; maximising kerb appeal; paying attention to kitchens and bathrooms, including hanging fresh towels and appealing to the senses with welcoming scents.

Once the house is ready for viewings and you are showing potential buyers round, Houseweb.com offer six points to consider: GET OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT It is important to remember that the prospective viewer may be the person who will buy your house. You will end up spending months in contact with that person, so it is best to create a good working relationship from the outset. Offer them a drink, but try not to be over-friendly. The last thing you want the visitor to think is you are desperate to sell the house.

KNOW WHO IS COMING Make sure you have the prospective buyer’s details, and remember their names.

32 PORTFOLIO

A LITTLE WORK MAKES A LOT OF DIFFERENCE Cleanliness is the key (especially in the bathroom and kitchen). A faint aroma of brewed coffee or pot-pourri can get rid of most house smells. Don’t go overboard, though, as the visitor will think you are trying to hide something.

A splash of paint can make an immeasurable difference. If you do not have much time or money on your hands, concentrate on the front of the house. If you have a garden, make the most of it. Clear away clutter, especially from the kitchen, bathroom and entrance. Leave out only what you will need on a daily basis.

GIVE THE PROSPECTIVE BUYERS SPACE Give the viewers the chance to look around themselves. They may as well see the visible defects now, as the surveyor’s report will detail them anyway.

If there are obvious defects point them out.

People will appreciate your honesty, and will feel at ease that you are not trying to hide anything. However, make sure that you have listed the major positives of the house to counter any negatives…

EXPLAIN WHAT IS INCLUDED WITH THE HOUSE State from the outset what you are including with the house. If you are leaving the appliances in a fully-fitted kitchen, tell them.

Likewise, if you are going to take every carpet, set of curtains and plant, let them know.

IDENTIFY YOUR SELLING TECHNIQUE Everyone is experienced in selling, having been on the receiving end of it for most of our lives. There are three main approaches: •

•

•

Hard Sell: try slipping into the conversation how many other people have recently viewed the house. Feel free to mention whether anyone is thinking of putting in an offer. If the house is in demand let them know remember, demand = desirability.

Soft Sell: avoid putting any pressure on the buyer. Leave them to their own devices. If they are really interested, they will be back. Use this approach if the house sells itself.

No Sell: reverse psychology is the key here. By pointing out defects and giving a generally honest approach, the buyer may view the house’s potential and consider what they could turn it into.

Finally, do try to make viewers of your home feel comfortable. Offer them a coffee and ask them if they need any further information about the house, the area, or local amenities.

Houseweb.com also recommends that you keep bills handy for any related questions viewers may have. These could be council tax bands or when the boiler was last serviced…

Thanks to www.houseweb.co.uk | www.frontdoor.com | www.which.co.uk

The last word on showing a property goes to property expert Phil Spencer. He says, “You’ll probably be paying an agent to do this; they know their job, so I always recommend that property owners go out during viewings. If you must show your property yourself, then decide beforehand what order you will show the rooms, and guide viewers around the property once, showing the best rooms first or last. Don’t overload them with detail, such as the size of your boiler or the trouble with the neighbour’s cat. Be business-like during the first viewing; if someone is interested, you can always get to know them a little more on the second viewing. Never point out problems or issues, but do feel free to highlight the odd positive point, like a southfacing garden, or very convenient parking. Finally, invite viewers to take another tour round the property on their own…but be somewhere nearby, on hand to answer queries.”

123-125 Dyke Road, Hove, BN3 1TJ

01273 232 232 property@austingray.co.uk www.austingray.co.uk

SELLING A HOUSE - EIGHT ESSENTIAL TIPS FROM WHICH? 1. GET YOUR HOME READY Make sure your property is clean, tidy and clutter-free and looks good from the outside.

Consider getting a survey done on your property - so you can either fix any problems or use it to attract buyers by demonstrating how good the condition of your house is. If you are selling privately, create an information pack with property details, plus facts and leaflets about local amenities - including leisure facilities, transport and schools. Also take highquality photos of your house that capture all its best features.

2. DECIDE ON YOUR HOUSE PRICE Set a realistic asking price by researching similar properties for sale.

3. PICK A GOOD BUYER If several prospective buyers are interested in your home, pick the one who’s most likely to see the process through, not necessarily the one who makes the highest offer. In order, the safest buyers to choose are buyers who’ve already sold their house, first-time buyers, buyers who have sold their home subject to contract and buyers who have not yet sold their home.

“For advice with the sale of YOUR property contact Graham Farthing”

4. BE CLEAR WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE PRICE After you’ve attracted a buyer, make sure they understand exactly what’s included in the price. This means things such as fixtures and fittings. Be clear about exactly what they are getting for their purchase price.

5. AGREE A COMPLETION DATE Establish a likely completion date that suits both parties. This will avoid arguments further down the line. While this doesn’t need to be set in stone, it will give both parties something to work towards.

6. GET IT IN WRITING Although not legally binding, it’s a good idea to draw up an agreed note of the arrangement with the buyer. This will record your intentions on matters such as finance and date of completion.

7. CHOOSE A CONVEYANCER Conveyancing is the legal paperwork to transfer the home to or from your name. Use a recommended solicitor or licensed conveyancer. If you’re using a solicitor, make sure they’re a specialist conveyancer and have a good reputation for moving quickly.

8. KEEP IN TOUCH Keep communication going. Don’t disappear on holiday for two weeks without informing all interested parties, such as your estate agent. Don’t ignore aspects of the purchase that you don’t understand.

Addison Road, Hove £599,950

SECURE THOSE LEADS Craig Vile from Angels Media on the three steps required to secure your agency more vendor and landlord leads

A

s I have discussed tirelessly in these pages over the past four months, while the UK housing market’s supply/ demand imbalance persists, finding new vendors and landlords will remain one of the biggest challenges facing estate agents and letting agents.

From my perspective, there are three simple but vital steps that every agency should be undertaking in order to generate more leads ripe for conversion…

Lead generation through instant valuation A lot of agents’ sites are not designed to attract vendors and landlords; instead, they are aimed at the property-buying public, and this is where many businesses may be missing out on new instructions.

When it comes to capturing vendor and landlord contact details, I’m afraid the days of valuation request forms are long gone. These days, the most common way to get your vendor and landlord traffic to engage with your agency is through an instant online valuation.

Prospective clients will be keen to know how much their property is worth, and, if sign posted correctly, they are likely to request an instant valuation. Capturing their details gives you the opportunity to do what you do best – offer them a market appraisal and hopefully take on the instruction.

No matter how many landlords and vendors are visiting your site, if it has no call to action, lots of this potential business could unfortunately be lost to your competitors.

Why not try the tool for yourself at www.valuemyproperty.co.uk?

Drive traffic from social media In every aspect of your business, but especially considering the above, increasing and maintaining your website traffic is a must.

These days, almost all agencies have a social media presence, but it is how they use this presence which will affect traffic figures.

Posting interesting content on a daily basis, as well as giving visitors a look into the ‘human’ side of your business, is likely to boost your social media figures. Managing your social media channels properly gives you the opportunity to consistently drive people back to your website and capture those allimportant contact details.

The power of social media is twofold: firstly, it gives you the platform to convey an overall feeling of your business, and secondly, you can use these channels to interact with new potential clients, driving them to your data capture facilities.

A variety of social media packages are available for agents; for more information please visit www.angelsmedia.co.uk/social-media

Improve your ranking and generate traffic with a content strategy As we all now know, Google holds the aces when it comes to who is seeing our business and where. However, as I discussed last month, the days of SEO in its purest form are most certainly behind us.

The key to upping your rankings – and subsequently generating more traffic and therefore leads – is now a clearly defined and regularly executed content strategy.

You need to be writing, publishing and sharing relevant content on a monthly basis.

Agreeing on a keyword strategy and running this through all of your content, advertising and so on is vital. Blogs that include one-way inbound links to your website as well as a call to action – to an instant online valuation, for example – are likely to perform well.

As well as all these clear SEO and potential lead-generation benefits, creating content like this will also help to establish your agency as an authority in its field, another weapon in your armoury when it comes to taking on new vendors and landlords.

That’s it for July. For further advice on how to generate more leads for your agency and enhance your digital marketing strategy, please get in touch on: 0208 663 4963 or craig.vile@angelsmedia.co.uk.

2 Church Road, Hove BN3 2FL hove@elliottsestateagents.co.uk 01273 773399 2 Queens Parade, Hangleton BN3 8JG hangleton@elliottsestateagents.co.uk 01273 322766 www.elliottsestateagents.co.uk

HILL BROW, HOVE Occupying one of the largest plots in one of Hove’s most prestigious roads, enjoying a fabulous outlook and views to the rear, with a quite stunning rear garden including separate swimming pool/leisure area. This already sizeable house still offers enormous scope and potential, has both a double and separate single garage each with their own driveways together with an additional external garden room.

• • • • • • • •

Four bedrooms Three bathrooms/shower rooms 3 - 4 interconnecting reception rooms Big kitchen/family room plus separate utility room Large lawn area plus two separate sun terraces Mature boundaries providing good privacy Large swimming pool with adjoining summer house Double and separate single garage

OFFERS IN THE REGION OF £1,400,000 FREEHOLD Please respond to Elliotts in Hove 01273 773399

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

Central Brighton £499,950

2

1

2

Hove Park £429,950

A third floor aparment with lift access presented in a modern contemporary style with a secure underground parking space.

North Laine £650,000

2

2

2

2

A four storey property forming part of a gated cobbled mews with a rear patio and southerly roof terrace. Ideal home/income or home office opportunity.

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

2

1

2

A well proportioned first floor aparment offering direct views across Hove Park with parking for two vehicles.

Kemptownn £420,000

3

1

3

A deceptively spacious three bedroom town house benefiting from a gated allocated parking space and the remainder of an 10 year NHBS warrenty.

BEAUTIFUL homes

CROWN JEWEL

A

rare opportunity to purchase a stunning modern central Brighton contemporary town house that has been finished to exacting standards with particular attention to detail & styling.

Positioned in the heart of the city and just a short stroll from Brighton mainline railway station, the house comprises a spacious lounge with doors opening onto a private courtyard and a striking Linear Quattro Italian kitchen/dining room with a high gloss white finish, natural stone worktops & integrated appliances.

Arranged over three storeys, there are three bedrooms with the master having an en-suite shower room and a further contemporary white family bathroom suite both from Bathstore. The house boasts a private courtyard and a superb rooftop sun terrace/entertaining space offering views across Brighton towards the Royal Pavilion.

Crown Gardens Brighton BN1 3LD Guide Price: £550,000 Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2 Extras: Solar hot water system; Built in wardrobes & storage, Stone tiled floors & walls to bathrooms Best Bits: Superb rooftop sun terrace; Atrium style entrance hall; Walking distance to Brighton Station & seafront Oakley Residential Brighton & Hove City Office 3 North Place, Brighton BN1 1YA 01273 688881 www.oakleyproperty.com PORTFOLIO  37

UP MY STREET... ...THIS MONTH WE SPEAK TO PANDORA GEORGE ABOUT WHERE SHE LIVES AND WHY SHE LOVES IT PANDORA GEORGE IS FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF BULLET PR WHERE DO YOU LIVE? I live in Hampstead Road, just off Dyke Road near Seven Dials in Brighton. I moved to the area primarily for access to good schools, but it’s got a real community feel, lots of families live here, and it’s still easy to get into town.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN BRIGHTON? I moved to Brighton ten years ago after living in London for many years and a short spell in Wales.

DESCRIBE YOUR HOUSE BRIEFLY I live in a terraced house with my husband, two children and miniature schnauzer.

WHERE DO YOU SHOP IN YOUR LOCALE? The Bullet PR office is in the North Laines, so during the week we are spoilt for choice for places to eat. I like Marwoods for coffee and Namul, who do delicious Korean Bimbap takeaway lunches.

ARE THERE ANY HISTORICAL OR CULTURAL POINTS OF INTEREST, OR GREAT OPEN SPACES IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD? The Booth Museum of Natural History is just down the road on Dyke Road. It was founded by Edward Booth, an eccentric Victorian naturalist and originally housed his private collection of British birds. It’s a really quirky little museum, very atmospheric. A good place to while away a rainy afternoon. Hove Park, Preston Park and Dyke Road parks are just minutes away from the house.

ARE YOU A SPORT FAN? My family are obsessed with sport and my son plays rugby for Hove under-15s and American football for Sussex Thunder. But, I am afraid to say, I have absolutely no interest in sport and avoid it all costs!

ARE YOU A MEMBER OF ANY LEISURE OR FITNESS CLUBS? I am a member of Withdean gym, which is just up the road. It had an overhaul a few years ago and it’s fantastic now - great facilities and never too busy.

DO YOU COMMUTE TO WORK OR REGULARLY TRAVEL FOR WORK AT ALL? I am lucky enough to be based in Brighton so don’t have a regular commute, though the majority of my clients are London-based, so I do travel quite a bit.

I also have some clients in Ibiza, so try to get out there a couple of times a year.

DO YOU HAVE A GARDEN? Yes I have a small garden. I actually love gardening; I find it really relaxing. My garden is quite cottagey, though I also dream of a minimalist Moroccan-style garden with lots of seating and lovely lighting.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY YOU WOULD LIKE TO LIVE IN? I would love to live in one of the big Hove squares, overlooking the sea.

DO YOU PREFER TO ENTERTAIN AT HOME, OR DO YOU LIKE EATING OUT LOCALLY? IF SO, WHERE DO YOU EAT/DRINK? I am an absolutely rubbish cook, so I find entertaining at home quite stressful. I much prefer eating out. Locally, I like the Japanese restaurant Murasaki at Seven Dials. I love seafood, so other favourites include Urchin in Hove, Riddle and Fins, and 64 Degrees is great. For drinks it’s The Cocktail Shack or The Plotting Parlour.

WHERE DO YOU ALWAYS TAKE VISITORS? It’s got to be a stroll along the seafront, then an afternoon exploring the North Laines and all the quirky shops Brighton has to offer. The city is a great place to visit in May for the festivals; my guests always love visiting the Artists’ Open Houses; they are a great way to tour the city.

DO YOU EVER HANKER TO LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD? I would love to live in Ibiza. It reminds me of Brighton. It has an ‘anything goes’ attitude, the sun (not that bit!) beaches, great restaurants… I’m just working on the plan!

www.bulletpr.co.uk

PORTFOLIO 38

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 SOCA 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

Commercial Litigation

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

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

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

Life and Family

Personal Injury

info@engleharts.co.uk • 01273 204411

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

• Road Traffic Accidents • Medical Negligence • Accident at Work and on Construction Site • Fatal Accidents • Structured Settlements

Wills and Trusts

For more information please contact us at Engleharts Solicitors:

www.engleharts.co.uk

9 Offices Covering Brighton & Hove 27 Offices in Sussex 37 Offices in London

GARDEN FLAT, 9 PALMEIRA SQUARE, HOVE An impressive Grade II listed apartment with share of freehold and delightful garden in this beautiful Regency terrace. Two very large double bedrooms with two en-suites, spacious hallways and lots of storage, high ceilings in the lounge with period fireplace and access through to patio garden, separate fitted kitchen – MUST BE SEEN TO APPRECIATE THE SIZE

PRICE £600,000 EPC exempt

Jonathan Lloyd Western Road Office 01273 777000

ASHDOWN AVENUE, SALTDEAN This stunning 1930’s art deco detached house is situated on Ashdown Avenue in Saltdean. The property is developed over 3 stories comprising four bedrooms with two en suites and a separate shower room. In addition, this house offers a private driveway in contrast to a generous rear garden with views over Saltdean and the sea. Internally, the property is in fantastic condition throughout with a beautiful bespoke fitted kitchen. This property is being sold chain free, Ashdown Avenue is not to be missed and viewings are highly recommended!

PRICE: OIEO £600,000 EPC TBC

Nick Pashby Rottingdean Office 01273 309968

DITCHLING ROAD, BRIGHTON Lovely Tudor style five bedroom detached house with three reception rooms, original panelling, kitchen/breakfast room, bathroom, shower room, private driveway to garage and a fabulous westerly rear garden. The house is now in need of some updating having been a family house for many years. Situated close to Hollingbury golf course, local schools and easy access to A27/A23.

Open House Saturday July 4th

PRICE £975,000 EPC TBC

Robert Harding Preston Park Office 01273 508761

MARINE GATE, KEMPTOWN SEAFRONT SEAFRONT LIVING? VIEWS? PARKING? 3 DOUBLE BEDROOMS? HUGE LOUNGE? A beautiful flat in a well know Art Deco style building on Brighton Seafront. The large dual aspect lounge has both open and enclosed balconies making the most of the direct sea views. Being so close to Brighton Marina this apartment is in a great location. There is 24 hour security, well tended gardens and a secure underground parking comes with the apartment.

PRICE: £450,000 EPC C

Edward Middle Kemptown Office 01273 688148

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

LANSDOWNE PLACE, HOVE Stunning Grade II listed Regency townhouse of significant proportions in the Brunswick Town Conservation Area. This beautifully presented property represents a rare opportunity to acquire a potential home and income or large family residence; comprising a 6 bedroom house and garden with self-contained basement flat with private patio.

This is an ideal base for holiday letting or those seeking a central position being located on the southern section of Lansdowne Place, just off the main shopping and transport along Western Road and within a few hundred yards of Hove Lawns and seafront.

PRICE: OIXO ÂŁ1,350,000 EPC TBC Jonathan Lloyd Western Road Office 01273 777000

LEGAL matters

LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY A Lasting Power of Attorney isn’t only about caring for elderly relatives.

Howlett Clarke on planning ahead

W

hat is a Lasting Power of Attorney and why should I have one?

People often use the phrase a ‘Power of Attorney’ when discussing a much-loved elderly relative and making sure their personal and professional affairs are properly looked after. But what is a ‘Lasting Power of Attorney’ and is it just something that applies to the elderly?

A Lasting Power of Attorney or LPA ensures that someone you choose can step into your shoes and look after your financial, health and welfare needs if you should no longer be capable of making those decisions for yourself.

It is important to think about who you would wish to help you if the situation arose. How would you pay your bills? How would your business continue? What if you needed to sell your home?

This is not just about what happens if you were to develop dementia in the future. What if you became physically incapacitated and were unable to communicate your wishes?

Creating a ‘Lasting Power of Attorney’ gives you the opportunity to safeguard your decisions and

42 PORTFOLIO

put them in the hands of someone you trust, who can carry them out for you.

There are two different types of LPA. One deals with health and welfare and includes issues such as consent or refusal of life-saving treatment, while the other deals with property and financial affairs, such as allowing your attorney to write cheques for you and pay bills on your behalf. Once an LPA is created and registered, your attorney can make all those decisions for you.

You can give guidance to the people that you choose to be your attorney before any capacity issue arises. The people you appoint are also under a legal duty to assist you in making your own decision and also have to act in your best interests. It can be reassuring to know that a family member or close personal friend could be making decisions for you and with guidance that you have given to them previously.

The biggest drawback of not appointing an attorney to look after your affairs when you are no longer able to is that your friends or family will need to apply to the Court to be appointed to make decisions on your behalf. Applying to the

Court is a time-consuming and costly process and can prevent or significantly delay important decisions, such as selling a property or running your business.

Preparing an LPA now is a bit of an insurance policy. Hopefully, it won’t be needed in the future, but if it is, it can save a lot of heartache for you and the people who care about you, ensuring that any practicalities can be dealt with as soon as they arise.

Louise McKay is a Partner at QualitySolicitors Howlett Clarke 8-9 Ship Street, Brighton BN1 1AZ 01273 327272 www.qualitysolicitors.com/ howlettclarke See more from Howlett Clarke at www.portfoliopublications.co.uk

LET US TAKE CARE OF YOUR INVESTMENT

Awarded the best LETTING agent in Brighton & Hove 2 years running.

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

NEW Landlords wanted to work with the best

LET IT BE… Thinking of becoming a landlord? Do your homework, and choose the right agent…

W

ith an estimated 45% of landlords owning only one property, the profile of the typical landlord has changed dramatically in the last decade, but make sure you understand your costs and obligations before you change your day job…

There are many different ways to become a landlord. Perhaps you have inherited a property that you want to keep but not to live in, or maybe you have your eyes on a property you wish to acquire with a view to renting out.

In most cases, the likelihood is that you’ll probably need a buy-to-let mortgage. However, if you have decided that you’re buying outright, you won’t need a mortgage to finance the purchase – unless you decide to use your investment to buy several properties. Likewise, if you decide to rent out your existing home and move elsewhere, you may not need a buy-tolet mortgage. But you must tell your mortgage provider and request a ‘consent to let’.

In all cases, if you have a mortgage you’ll need to contact your mortgage provider to check what their policy is regarding renting, whether to a tenant or a lodger.

CALCULATING THE RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT The property you buy and the tenants you aim to attract will be driven by your underlying reason for entering into buy-to-let. There are two ways

44 PORTFOLIO

in which you can seek to make a return on your investment: capital growth and rental income.

Most people are looking for a combination of these, but it’s likely that your underlying reasons for investing mean you will place more focus on one or the other.

Your rental income depends on factors like the size, condition and location of your property. The quickest way to get an idea of your property’s potential income is to contact a local estate agent for an estimate, just as you would if you were selling a house. As for capital growth, the term is commonly used to describe the change in property value over time.

Remember that whatever you earn in income will have to cover maintenance, repairs, management fees, any mortgage payments on the property and empty periods in between tenants.

Do make sure you speak to your financial adviser about the tax implications of the rental income.

PROPERTY TAX You are obliged by law to advise the HMRC of any properties that are let. Property tax is applied individually, and what you owe depends on your overall income and assets, not just earnings from property. Deductions can be made from the rental income to cover such things as the interest element of any mortgage payment

on the property, agents’ fees, maintenance costs, repairs, insurance, ground rents and so on. Always seek the advice of a property tax specialist - even if you are just letting your own home.

PROPERTY TIPS FOR LANDLORDS Property expert Phil Spencer and the Telegraph’s Christopher Middleton offer some top tips for investing in the buy-to-let market.

“The business of getting a buy-to-let mortgage can take time and needs thorough research. You also need to factor in the safety checks that must be passed before you can legally start taking in tenants. Once the preparation is done, though, there is no doubt that it will pay off,” says Channel 4’s, Phil Spencer. “The key thing is to work out who is your most likely customer, and present your property accordingly,” advises Spencer, a landlord in his own right. “Students need a blank canvas, so that they can add their own character. They need furniture, too, whereas families are going to bring their own. They will, however, expect it to be more than just basic.

It should be well presented, in good decorative order and clean. “Young professionals might not expect the garden. But they will want the basics in terms of furniture, which should be, if not trendy, at least not unfashionable.”

With thanks to: www.nationwide.co.uk, www.arla.co.uk, www.telegraph.co.uk

Before diving into the buy-to-let market, it’s important to get into the rental mentality. Here are some tips from Christopher Middleton from The Telegraph Property Club to help you on your way: LEARN TO LISTEN Meet lettings agents and other landlords and hear what they have to say. Consider joining the National Landlords Association.

TAKE AIM Decide (with advice from lettings agents) what size property to go for and what kind of tenants you will be targeting (students, families, young professionals, company lets).

ARLA’s TOP TIPS FOR BUY-TO-LET LANDLORDS Buying a property to let isn’t always straightforward. But follow ARLA’s advice and it will be a whole lot easier 1.

2.

3.

SHOP AROUND For a buy-to-let mortgage offering a reasonable rate of interest, plus equally reasonable arrangement fee. Also for reliable lettings agents, to manage the property (do they belong to a professional body, such as the Association of Residential Letting Agents?)

4.

DECORATE ACCORDINGLY Not how you like, but how your tenants will like. Don’t alienate men by making everything pink, or put off women by opting for wall-towall grey.

6.

BE REASONABLE Say you get £500 rent per month and your lettings management firm takes 10 percent.

Isn’t it worth £50 for them to get “the-boilersbroken” calls from your tenants at midnight?

RESIST GREED If you’ve got reliable tenants. go easy on the rent increases. Driving them away could cost you a lot more money in the long run.

Join the Telegraph Property Club at: www.telegraph.co.uk

WARREN KNIGHT FROM PROPERTY MOVES LETTINGS SAYS:

“Once you have bought your ideal investment, it needs to present well, as first impressions are always very important.

You will need to make sure it’s well carpeted and decorated, with a modern kitchen and bathroom, which will help you attract the ideal tenant. We can always give new landlords advice on this.”

Property Moves, 109 Church Road, Hove BN3 2AF. 01273 321333. www.propertymoves.co.uk

5.

7.

8.

9.

Do some research - Buy-to-let can be a legal, practical and financial minefield, and you will need to do your homework. Research the market with the help of your local NAEA or ARLA estate and lettings agents, who will be able to advise on demand and any other issues in the area you are considering.

Know the demand - Buying where there is no rental demand can be fatal to the buy-to-let investor, yet it is a surprisingly common mistake. Make sure you are not investing in a market which is already saturated with the sort of property you have to offer, and do not be misled by stories of fast profits.

Understand your finances - Keep in mind whether you are in the market for capital gain when you sell or simply monthly rental income. This will help you decide what to buy and where, and what kind of mortgage you need.

Buy carefully - Make sure you buy a property which allows for sufficient profit margin. Do not go for a ‘bargain’ property which may turn into a money pit very quickly. Major repairs require much time and effort and paying more for a property which is in better condition can be a wise move.

Decorate to demand - Don’t make the mistake of decorating and furnishing the property to your own tastes; keep it simple, with clean lines, and do not fall into self-indulgence. You are there to make money out of the property, so keep your market in mind, but do not treat it like a doll’s house.

Be aware of new and updated regulations as and when they arise. Failure to comply with the law can result in serious consequences. The best way to make sure you are kept up to date is to use an NAEA agent who can make you aware of them while also ensuring you comply.

Know your responsibilities - You, your letting agent and your tenant have different responsibilities, and it is important to know where these lie. As the landlord you will be expected to pay buildings insurance, ground rent and service charges and insure any items you leave in the property. Your letting agent will be able to advise on others’ responsibilities as part of your contract.

Prepare for voids - Your property may be empty and not generate any income for periods of time, and you need to be ready for this. Advertising for new tenants, painting walls and replacing carpets can take months off your lettings calendar and you should have a plan in place for when this happens.

Move with the market - Know that if the market softens you will have to lower your rent in order to stay competitive, no matter how desirable your property. If you are in it for the long term this should not matter, as the important thing is that your property continues to generate a fee for you.

FEATURE PROPERTIES AVAILABLE AT PROPERTY MOVES:

Tivoli Road, Brighton - £1500 Modern two double bedroom unfurnished maisonette in popular location. Newly decorated & carpeted. Newly fitted kitchen, new en-suite & family bathroom. Spacious lounge with high ceilings & double glazed windows. Roof terrace with stunning views across Brighton.

Harrington Road, Brighton - £1150 Recently refurbished, split level unfurnished second floor two bedroom flat. Spacious triple aspect lounge with wooden floors and modern fitted open plan kitchen. Very modern wet room style bathroom. Two balconies. Short walk to Preston Park station.

H ME of the MONTH www.onthemarket.com

...as selected by PORTFOLIO magazine

2 bedroom flat to rent Tisbury Road, Hove

Price: £1,400 pcm

Key features: • • • • • • • •

Newly Refurbished Modern Fitted Open Plan Kitchen Two En Suite Shower Rooms Two Double Bedrooms Spacious Lounge Wooden Floors Patio Short walk to seafront, shops & station

CONTACT AGENT Property Moves 109 Church Road, Hove, BN3 2AF

Tel: 01273 321333 FREE VALUATION

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

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Our brand new collection of stylish sliding wardrobes and room dividers made to measure

Sliding Wardrobes | Room Dividers | Walk in Wardrobes | Headboards | Built in docking stations

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BEAUTIFUL homes

nTheMarket.com 48 PORTFOLIO

INTERIORS

INTO THE GARDEN Summer is fully here and your garden should be blooming…

Portfolio Interiors Editor Tara de la Motte on adding colour and texture to your July garden

For a garden using whites, pinks, blues, mauves and greens, here is a great selection of plants that you will simply desire to have in your garden…

N

ow we have reached mid summer and the garden is shimmering with jewellike colour. This is often one of the hottest months of the year, so take advantage of this hot period and sit outdoors, indulge in alfresco dining or simply absorb the peace and tranquility of your beautiful July garden.

One of the many joys of gardening is blending together the colours you love most to create atmosphere and impact. For me, cool whites, gentle pinks, subtle blues, delicate mauves and sophisticated greens make my ideal garden.

This year at the great Chelsea flower show these colours played a huge part in many of the garden designs. All the plants used were ones that can be found in most gardens and which are readily available in your local garden centres. The trick is to weave these colours together so they sit next to each other in perfect harmony. With careful planning, we can all achieve the Chelsea wow factor in our own gardens, no matter how small.

The traditional borders with a mixture of shrubs, trees, perennials and annuals in mixed colours still remain very popular. However, sometimes a change is called for. Gardens with colours that are restricted to four or possibly five can have a greater appeal with strong

intent. It is good to experiment with colour, even if you restrict it to a small area of your garden.

Finally, for architectural and year-round interest, invest in some topiary, either standard bay trees or clipped box balls. Let the topiary take centre stage throughout the garden and place the other plants around the topiary.

Always remember to plant in multiples and odd numbers and this will make a huge difference to your garden.

Using architectural plants in the garden will act as focal points and give structure through the winter too. Using standard bays will introduce height to break up the garden at eye level.

A wonderful planting palette with limited colours and sophisticated greens will provide you with a refined, elegant garden to enjoy all through the summer and beyond.

FOR BLUES, MAUVES AND PINKS n Nepta ‘six hills giant’ — with delicate purple flowers and aromatic silver and green foliage n Eryngium (sea holly) — has spiny leaves and thistle-like pale blue flowers n Agapanthus (African lily ) — strap-like leaves and tall, stemmed blue flowers n Lavandula (lavender) Hidcote - with violet-blue flowers, highly fragrant, will also attract bees n Allium aflatuneuse — with majestic purple-pink flowers, wonderful showy plant n Salvia sylvestris ‘may night’ — slightly hairy leaves and has indigo blue flowers n Astransia involucrata — with greenand-white-flushed pink flowers, can be used as a dried flower WHITES n Phlox paniculata ‘white admiral’ — a cool, scented phlox with a long flowering period n Nicotina alata (tobacco plant ) — widely grown as an annual, with scented flowers n Crambe cordifolia — a beautiful plant that has imposing foliage and wonderfully scented flowers PORTFOLIO 49

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A PLACE IN THE SUN A record number of Brits are buying properties abroad. Portfolio look into how to buy abroad successfully

E

ven before we arrive back from our annual foreign holiday, many of us are dreaming of owning our very own property in the sun. Too much Sangria, sun, and laying by a pool, perhaps, making us believe that we can indeed live the dream. The lure of having a gorgeous property abroad for the family to escape to whenever you wish, avoiding the endless searching for expensive holidays, perhaps only to be disappointed by the over-hyped descriptions of poor quality accommodation, is surely tempting. With the often low prices abroad, it may also prove to be a good investment and an ideal place to retire to.

A record number of Brits are buying properties abroad to escape the winter months and enjoying a ready-made holiday home in that familiar location that they can also lend out to friends and family.

If you are seriously thinking of buying abroad, then do a lot of research. To start you off, the

www.ritz-g5.com. 9772

internet is a fabulous resource, but you can’t beat on-the-spot talking to both the locals and the region’s experts.

“Choosing suitable properties to view abroad purely from web listings works for some people,” said Elaine Ferguson, Head of the Resource Centre at OverseasGuidesCompany. com. “However, in reality, for most people this type of research is a starting point and is a good way of finding an estate agent.

“Typically, we see clients head off on a trip to view properties that they think tick all the boxes, only to be shown somewhere different by an attentive agent who usually has a better understanding of what suits their needs than them. Today’s market conditions make working with an astute estate agent even more important in 2015.

Elaine adds, “As a foreigner, your agent should not only help you find a property, but also assist with getting set up as a homeowner,

which includes opening a bank account, getting a tax identification number, finding a lawyer, getting connected to utilities and dealing with any other household issues.”

Many estate agents in the UK also have offices abroad and can liaise to find you the best properties to view, plus, there is no awkward language barrier.

One such company is John D Wood & Co. Nicholas Taylor, Operations Director, comments: “We are able to help clients buy abroad, whether selling in the UK to relocate or purchasing an additional property. Many of our sellers tell us they aim to live abroad for part of the year and downsize from their main property in the UK, keeping a base here to maintain a foothold in the UK, usually close to family or for easy flexi-commuting. Whatever lifestyle you are seeking, we can now help you buy in Europe, the Caribbean and America, as well as further afield, and have a vast selection of properties.”

OVERSEAS

TIPS ON WHAT TO BE AWARE OF WHEN PURCHASING A PROPERTY OVERSEAS: DECIDE WHY YOU’RE BUYING If you are buying your property for investment, don’t imagine that you will have a full season booked out. Take into consideration that there will inevitably be dry periods during the year which you will need to build into your costings. Look in detail at its rental potential.

If you intend using the property regularly, work out how often you will visit and whether you are able to maintain it effectively.

RESEARCH THE AREA It sounds obvious, but find out what the property and the area are like in the winter, and whether the facilities are even open in the off-season. Beaches, restaurants and bars may close, and public transport may be affected. Ensure there are shopping and other amenities within a reasonable distance.

INSTRUCT AN INDEPENDENT LAWYER You would always use an independent lawyer when buying a property in the UK, so why do anything different when buying abroad?

FIND OUT ABOUT COSTS AND FINANCE The costs of buying and renovating abroad can be significantly higher than in the UK. It is therefore vital that you do some calculations regarding the final cost of buying when looking at your budget and build this into your total spend. Finding out about the total cost of buying ensures that you can afford the property and makes sure that you stick to your budget.

www.property-venture.com

UNDERSTAND HOW THE PROCESS WORKS Whilst the process of buying in some countries may appear to be similar to that in the UK, it can be very different in others.

SURVEYS Just because you are buying a property abroad doesn’t mean that you need not worry about the structure of the property. Hot climates can have equally as damaging an effect on properties and surveys are therefore still highly advisable.

VALUATIONS AND DUE DILIGENCE Carry out your own due diligence. When a property is for sale at a cheap price, it doesn’t mean it is a bargain. It makes sense to get an independent valuation to ensure that you are not paying too much.

CURRENCY There can be large savings to be made by getting the right exchange rate on your purchase. Even small fluctuations in the rate of exchange can have a major impact on the amount that you actually pay for the property.

UNDERSTAND THE TAX IMPLICATIONS AND THE OBLIGATIONS OF OWNERSHIP The tax systems abroad can be very different to those familiar to you. They may also have an impact on your tax affairs back home. Buying the property is only the start of your ownership.

You need to understand how a whole range of different things work, such as taxes, insurance, communal areas, inheritance rules and so on.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK. If you’re planning to live permanently at the property, research your pension and healthcare requirements as early as possible. If you are below retirement age, carefully consider your healthcare insurance cover.

Some information provided by Peter Esders Judicare Group, which is a legal services company specialising in property investment recovery. In this role, it works solely on behalf of buyers (not developers or agents), helping them to seek compensation in the event of problems with the purchase of a property overseas. For more information on buying abroad visit www.judicaregroup.com.

www.fineandcountry.com

PORTFOLIO 53

OVERSEAS

‘The World’ www.fineandcountry-marbella.com

OVERSEAS MORTGAGES Simon Conn, overseas property and finance specialist, on buying or re-financing overseas property

S

imon Conn has over 30 years’ experience in the overseas property market and has worked for a number of major financial services companies. He is especially well known within the overseas mortgage industry and is a regular media commentator on matters relating to the purchase or refinancing of overseas property.

depending on the state and type of property being purchased.

The majority of lenders we deal with for foreign nationals offer 3, 5 or 7 year fixed rates starting from approximately 4.875%. Normally these fixed rate schemes have no early redemption penalties. Adjustable rates start from approximately 3.50%.

LONGER TERM FIXED RATES ARE MORE POPULAR IN COUNTRIES OUTSIDE OF THE UK. The tradition in the UK has been to move more frequently, so there hasn’t been the demand for longer-term products as people have been concerned about early redemption penalties.

There are more long-term rates available now because people haven’t moved as much in the economic crisis, tending to re-mortgage instead.

In some countries, such as South Africa, there are no fixed rates currently available.

An example of both variable and fixed rate products are listed below.

Please note that all lending terms depend on a client’s personal financial status, valuation of the property, location and type of property, plus loan required.

ITALY Italy is still flourishing, with Umbria and Tuscany becoming more popular again. Interest rates are low and loan to values are still between 60% and 70%.

There is a variable fixed-rate market from approximately 2.49%. Fixed rates are available occasionally, but these are only offered on approval, due to the volatility of the market and can be expensive, starting from 6.00% over 1 year.

USA Interest continues to be high in the most popular states/areas, such as Florida, California and New York, with interest growing Colorado, Texas and South Carolina, but with the cheaper properties you have to be careful what you are purchasing and the future saleability. Interest rates are also quite low and maximum loan to value rates vary between 70% and 75% 54 PORTFOLIO

TURKEY Still offers value for money, with lower-priced properties when compared to other parts of Southern Europe. Interest rates continue to be high compared to others and mortgages are available between 50% and 75%, depending on an applicant’s location and financial status.

The cheapest fixed rate is from 6.40% over 1 year with a 2% redemption penalty. Variable rates start from approximately 6.15%.

FRANCE More properties have been built recently and interest rates have dropped even further due to European Central Bank rates being reduced.

Mortgages are still available up to 80% to 85% loan to value.

The longest term for fixed-rate products in France is 20 years, with rates starting from 2.40%. The penalty is six months’ interest or a maximum of 3% of the mortgage. The best variable rate is from approximately 1.85% and with no early repayment charges.

SPAIN Spain remains popular and there are signs of possible new developments being built and unsold projects being resurrected/renovated, but in the latter case you should ensure all the relevant planning permissions and building and habitation licences are in place.

The fixed interest rate for 5, 10, 15 or 20 years starts from 3.50%. The early redemption fee is 0.50% at any time.

PORTUGAL Portugal continues to show an increase in sales, not just in the Algarve, but also Lisbon and the Silver Coast areas. Mortgages are now available up to 80% on a case-by-case basis, and it also benefits from the current low Euro interest rates, although these are high when compared to France and Spain.

Fixed rates over 5 years are available from approximately 3.85%. Variable rates start from approximately 2.00%.

For advice on financing your overseas property, contact Simon on 07739 033 266 or simon@simonconn.com or visit www.simonconn.com Twitter: @simonlconn

OVERSEAS

MONEY MATTERS When buying abroad, always use a currency specialist to make sure you protect yourself from the risks posed by the currency market, say moneycorp MANAGING THE EXCHANGE RATE When buying a property overseas you will have a set budget in mind. The difficulty when it comes to buying a property abroad, in a different currency, is that the movements in the foreign exchange market can affect your set budget.

Exchange rates move rapidly and frequently, while it can take many months to buy a property. Exchange rates are sensitive to a range of economic factors such as productivity, unemployment levels and the housing market.

Political developments, wars and natural disasters will also cause rates to move up or down.

These movements in the FX market could make the difference between you going ahead with your property purchase or having to abandon your dream.

For example, at the end of January a pound would buy €1.346, but just a week later sterling had fallen to €1.321. That may not sound much, but it means a €300,000 property would cost you £4,000 more in a matter of a few days. So, depending on when you actually pay for your property, it could cost you much more – or less – than you originally planned.

That’s why having access to a currency specialist such as moneycorp is invaluable.

When you open an account with moneycorp, you will be given a personal account manager to discuss your needs and give you guidance on

the currency market. Your UK-based manager is an expert in the field and can explain the tools available to help protect you and your budget from negative rate movements.

Having this peace of mind means you can focus on the other details of your property purchase, safe in the knowledge that your dream will not be knocked off course by the currency markets.

Since the foreign exchange market could make or break your property purchase, it makes sense to speak to the experts.

“Exchange rates move rapidly and frequently, while it can take many months to buy a property” SAVE MONEY ON YOUR OVERSEAS PROPERTY PURCHASE Whether you are realising a dream to own a place in the sun or you are selling up abroad to move back to the UK, you will need to move large sums of money between different countries and currencies.

While you may grab a bargain and get a good sale price, you may not have given much thought to what kind of deal you’ll get when you actually transfer money to pay for the property.

It is essential to get a great exchange rate when you send your money overseas. Most people go to their high street bank but banks seldom offer competitive exchange rates or a personal service.

Fortunately, there is an alternative that could save you money. Currency specialists moneycorp offer exchange rates that are typically 3/4pc better than those offered by the high street banks. If you are moving a large amount of money, this could make an enormous difference. The saving might be enough to pay for renovations or cover your legal fees.

The bespoke service and typical bankbeating exchange rates offered by moneycorp do not mean clients pay high transfer fees.

While a bank may charge £20-40 every time you make a transfer, moneycorp’s fees start at £5 for an online deal, rising to a maximum of £15 over the phone.

If you want to sleep easy knowing your money is in safe hands and are looking for a great deal, put yourself in the expert hands of moneycorp.

To find out more call 0203 7402888 today or email PortfolioMagazine@moneycorp.com

PORTFOLIO 55

YOUR LOCAL SUSSEX AGENT FOR PROPERTY IN MOST REGIONS OF FRANCE

RESIDENTIAL AND BUSINESS | CHATEAUX | APARTMENTS VILLAGE AND COUNTRY HOUSES | VINEYARDS | HOTELS SPORTING ESTATES AND LAKES | GITE COMPLEXES

www.primefrenchproperties.com | +44 (0)1323 896812

St Leon Sur Vezere, The Dordorgne, France For sale through John D Wood & Co; Guide price £572,000; www.Johndwood.co.uk; 020 7908 1108

HOT PROPERTY

A

ccording to research by Rightmove Overseas, the most popular destinations for Britons purchasing abroad are Spain, France, Italy, the United States and Portugal, with those interviewed citing their motivations as wanting to enjoy a better quality of life, to live in a warmer climate with easy access to a beach and to experience a new culture, as well as to live amongst beautiful scenery. Alpine homes have also been a big focus for overseas property hunters this winter, especially those in resorts, which are as popular in the summer with cyclists and walkers as they are for winter sports.

It’s unsurprising, perhaps, that our love affair with French properties continues and is the most popular destination due to ease of access to all parts of the country. Italy, too, has seen a huge uplift in demand, with Savills reporting a doubling of enquires from 2014/2015.

Having exited a six-year downturn, Spain is going through a particularly purple patch and is on course to become the largest economy in the Eurozone – overtaking the UK and the United States in growth. The nation has posted seven consecutive quarters of growth and its property market is mirroring this optimistic outlook.

The latest quarterly bulletin issued by the Spanish Council of Registrars showed a massive uptick for Q1 with just over 9% more residential properties changing hands over the same period in 2014. 12.22% of these homes were bought by foreigners – again, up 9% on Q1 2014. UK nationals top the non-Spanish buyer chart, unsurprising given their longterm affection for Spain. Spanish property portal Idealista concurs, citing the Balearics amongst the top three Spanish regions for sharp price rises in April.

“More sales at higher prices, this is exactly the news we want to hear in the Spanish property market,” says Alejandra Vanoli, Managing Director of Mallorca Sotheby’s International Realty. “The Balearic Islands reported some of the lowest house price falls

in Spain during the six-year crisis and are now posting the fastest and highest rises. We expected this as the Islands are supported by huge numbers of tourists, a multi-national house-buying population – Calvia alone has 19,000 non-Spanish residents from 100 different countries - and a strong appeal to the high-end with luxury hotels, restaurants, beach clubs, golf courses and marinas supporting a growing super-yacht industry. This year we are selling more houses than ever, and for us in Mallorca the future is very bright.”

However, it is not just Europe that is attracting UK buyers. The USA is also looking very attractive lately, and the Caribbean, too, for those with the cash to splash. Thanks to regular flights with BA and Virgin and its warm climate, Barbados has established itself as a long-time favourite for British buyers and holiday makers alike. Royal Westmoreland is reporting the best sales period in more than ten years, with $60million of its villa sales coming largely from Brits.

The sales upturn shows that the appetite for overseas property is returning. That’s backed up by the latest findings of Moneycorp. In a recent interview Moneycorp Chief Executive Mark Horgan said: “Britons are starting to buy foreign homes again, thanks to the strength of the pound and low prices. The Brits are back.”

Royal Westmoreland’s Director of Sales Kim Goddard says: “Most of the sales are to British buyers, who are feeling more confident about the economy back home and in the product that is Barbados. They want a sure bet when it comes to making their lifestyle choice for a second home. This means built amenities, an established, vibrant community and lower risk on protecting resale values.”

TIP: to help with all your travel arrangements to visit your search destination visit travel counsellor Mark Gibson. www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/mark.gibson

Quinta do Lago, Algarve, Portugal For sale through John D Wood & Co; Guide price €2,895,000; www.johndwood.co.uk; 020 7908 1108

Terre Gialle Residence & Resort, Tuscany, Italy: For more information about Terre Gialle Residence & Resort, visit www.terregialle.com

Royal Westmoreland Barbados For more information phone+44 (0)1524 889341, rwsales@royal-westmoreland.com www.royalwestmoreland.com

Photo Credits: Aylesford International www.aylesford.com; 0207 7349 9772 www.property-venture.com info@property-venture.com; 01932 849536

SHOPPING

BATH TIME

Bathrooms play such an important part in the look of our homes. Update yours with these stylish and practical bathroom accessories

MIRROR MIRROR The timeless design, simple shapes and clean lines of these Robert Welch Burford bathroom accessories will complement any bathroom. From £20.00. www.johnlewis.com

Bathroom ideas and accessories from Marks & Spencer. www.marksandspencer.com

BRIGHT TIME Make weighing yourself a bright spot in your day with Terraillon Pop Digital Bathroom Scale. £30.00. www.johnlewis.com

ON A ROLL Heals specialise in stylish bathroom storage and essentials like this Wireworks Dark Oak Mezza Toilet Roll Holder Box. £30.00. www.heals.co.uk

SOFT BLUES

HOUSE ROOM Turn your bathroom into your very own village with this La Ville ceramic bathroom set from The Gift Oasis. £19.99. www.thegiftoasis.com

60 PORTFOLIO

Matching towels give a luxe feel to any bathroom. John Lewis Egyptian cotton towels come in a multitude of shades. From £5.00. www.johnlewis.com

YELLOW SUBMARINE You may never live in one but you can listen to it.

Yellow submarine bath and shower FM radio. £19.99. www.thegiftoasis.com

HEAVEN SCENT Everyday luxuries are the essence of a perfect bathroom. Jo Malone’s signature Lime Basil & Mandarin bath oils and soaps are a modern classic. Bath oil from £17.00 for 30ml. Soaps £14.00 for 100g. www.jomalone.co.uk

SILVER LINING Silver in a bathroom is on trend and this silver-plated basket with rope handles is great for storing laundry or towels.

From Zara Home. £29.99 www.zarahome.com

LAUNDRY TIME

FISH DISH

With an oversized icon manual printed on its reverse, laundry was never simpler. One Load at a Time Laundry Bag from The Contemporary Home, £15.00. www.tch.net

Influenced by Brighton’s own Royal Pavilion? We think so.

Quirky fish-shaped bathroom set from Zara Home. Soap dish, tumbler and soap dispenser. From £9.99 to £17.99 www.zarahome.com

SWEET SMELL The ultimate bathroom accessory: scented candles are a must for a luxurious bathing experience. Oliver Bonas Scented Candles £16.50-£22.50.

BOLD AND BRIGHT Orla Kiely Stem Jacquard Towel Collection. In vibrant clementine and white this collection of towels adds a vibrant pop of colour. From £4.00. www.houseology.com

PORTFOLIO 61

NEW homes

GET SUSSEX BUILDING Profits from new homes in Sussex are going out of Sussex, says Sussex Home Hub MD Julia Arnold

M

ost of the planning applications for

There are two reasons for this bias against

Julia continues: “Those who get it right

individual new homes by Sussex

Sussex self-builders. The first is the huge

are making a lot of money building their own

residents are still being turned down,

increase in individual (and often unprofessional)

new homes or converting their barns; it’s just

whilst councils across Sussex are granting

planning applications from self-builders, which

that most people don’t know how to do it the

permission for tens of thousands of ‘standard

may have created too much administration for

right way. If you have the right experts around

house type’ new homes to be built on greenfield

councils.

you and you have land which is eligible for

sites. Most of these are by volume house-

It is much easier for councils to meet their

development, the opportunity to make money

housing number targets by allowing fewer large

and create your own new home is very real and

Julia Arnold, MD of Sussex Home Hub and

sites by wealthy volume builders, who can also

often relatively easy.”

founder of the ‘Campaign to Get Sussex Building’

make social contributions, such as building a

comments: “The volume house-builders are

school or doctor’s surgery.

builders from outside Sussex.

Well-designed self-build homes are good for Sussex. They help the councils meet their local

generally from other counties. Therefore the

The second reason local self-builders are

housing quotas while at the same time reducing

work is being given to architects, planning

often turned down for planning permission

the necessary number of volume-builder new-

consultants, builders and other workers from

is because they have failed to make adequate

home developments on greenfield land.

outside Sussex, in priority over Sussex workers,

planning applications which comply with the

For free advice and more information visit:

and the profits from the new homes are being

complicated regulations that surround the

www.sussexhomehub.org, call 01403 711 639

taken out of Sussex.”

planning system.

or email: julia.arnold@sussexhomehub.org

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 62 PORTFOLIO

INTERIORS

BATHROOM COUTURE

Your bathroom can be a private sanctuary, a home spa and a luxurious escape from the world, says Portfolio Interiors Editor Tara de la Motte

T

he bathroom is increasingly one of the most important rooms in a home and it is one of the most used rooms in the house too. Today this room is more than a place to bath and wash.

If you wish to create a polished, elegant bathroom with maximum functional space, then planning ahead is the key to achieving the desired look.

For inspiration visit your local bathroom showroom. Magazines, brochures and websites will provide lots of inspiration towards helping you create the perfect bathroom, but nothing beats seeing and touching. Finally, create a mood board with all the information you have gathered and this will help you visualise the bathroom you will create.

These days, many homeowners are looking to create bathrooms that are sleek and chic. In such bathrooms clutter-free design is hugely important, but it is vital that this space does not become too clinical. To avoid this, mixing old and new styles within a bathroom is a good design trick. By cleverly mixing the two styles it is possible to have a bathroom that is sophisticated and timeless.

Many of todays ‘boutique’ hotels have been using this method and this look has been filtering into residential properties too.

PORTFOLIO 63

BATHS The way to achieve this look is to combine traditional bath and sanitary-ware with contemporary taps and showers. Many bathroom manufacturers specialise in such accessories. A traditional roll top or bateau bath can look very elegant matched with simple, almost minimal tap styles.

The bath plays an important role in our busy lives, it has become reserved for indulgent relaxation. So choosing a bath that is more than a feature is important; comfort is the key,

so the size and shape have to be just right.

Most baths are built to last, so invest in the best you can afford. Free-standing baths are popular for instant impact but can be costly, and the free-standing taps will push the price even higher. Inset baths are easier and more cost-effective to install and can be made to feel luxurious if clad in stone, mirror or contemporary panels of teak. Where space is tight and there is no space for a full-size tub, then there are some very stylish compact tubs available on the market.

Baths come in various materials; acrylic

is popular as it is lightweight and affordable, while enamelled steel, although cold to the touch, has a hard surface that is impossible to stain. Traditional free-standing baths are generally made from cast iron, which is highly durable, and the interior will be enamelled while the exterior can be painted or buffed to order. Free-standing baths made from stone can be extremely elegant, but they are heavy and floors may need to be reinforced to take the weight of this type of bath. However, powdered stone mixed with resin is less heavy and offers a good alternative.

SHOWER ENCLOSURES AND WET ROOMS

EN-SUITES

Showers come in all shapes and sizes and can also be made bespoke. The current trend is for minimalist glass panels that can give the look of a wet room. The latest developments in glass bending bring curves to the shower enclosure.

There is smoked glass for privacy and antiplaque finishes for easy cleaning. Modern shower trays tend to be very low-profile, sitting almost flush to the floor. These imitate the seamless lines of a walk-in-wet room.

With the latest advantages in digital technology, the shower can be switched on without getting wet. These showers have flow rate controls and systems which can report how much water has been used and thus help to regulate the overall usage of water in the home. Today’s shower can be personalised to individual needs with temperature control facilities, provide music, LED lighting and wonderful scents. Multi-functional shower heads will have a choice of sprays, from a fine mist to a strong jet. Some will even offer an eco-friendly setting that adds air to provide a more powerful flow but using less water.

Walk-in showers and wet rooms are set to become an even more popular trend this year. These are both stylish, modern and very practical. A wet room has seamless floors and walls and can make even the smallest bathroom feel elegant and sophisticated. A wet room can be fitted anywhere in the home, and, provided that it is fitted by an expert using sound material, this will be a place that will invigorate in the morning and soothe come night time.

En-suites are convenient and stylish additions to master and guest bedrooms. An ensuite will provide you with a relaxed private bathing area, and if space allows, it is good to include all the fixtures of a normal bathroom, especially an indulging bath.

If you have enough bedrooms then converting one adjoining room will ensure a good space for an en-suite. Mirror the colour and other features within the bedroom in your en-suite for a seamless transition between bathroom and boudoir. By doing this you will create a space that is restful and harmonious.

Alternatively, get the chic ‘boutique hotel’ look by having an open-plan layout with a freestanding bath in the bedroom. Before locating a bath in a bedroom, ensure the floor joists will hold the weight of the filled tub.

For those short on space it is worthwhile opting for a compact en-suite wet room. By erecting a glass screen and keeping sanitary ware far away from the shower area to reduce spraying, space can be efficiently utilised.

Under-floor heating will be beneficial for this type of wet room as it will save wall space and also dry the room rapidly after use.

Finally, for all your bathing needs choose quality fittings and plenty of luxury touches to transform your bathroom into a haven.

“Mirror the colour and features from the bedroom in your en-suite for a seamless transition between bathroom and boudoir”

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

PORTFOLIO 65

Your Chartered Accountants www.lucrafts.co.uk

BEAUTIFUL homes

HEATHER’S VEGAN VISION Heather Mills, Paralympic skier, environmentalist, vegan entrepreneur and one-time Mrs McCartney, entered the fast-growing vegan market in Brighton & Hove five years ago with her VBites flagship restaurant

B

righton is a city renowned for its vibrant and eclectic mix of restaurants, cafes and eateries. With noted eateries such as The Chilli Pickle, 64 Degrees and The Coal Shed for gorgeous steaks, as well as hundreds of pubs serving local ales, Heather Mills added her own culinary flair to the cultural cooking pot in 2009, launching VBites, a vegan restaurant café/restaurant which boasts a range of vegan meat-free substitutes, in Hove Lagoon. Heather has since relocated VBites from Hove Lagoon to East Street, Brighton, and finds the vibrant city the perfect setting for her vegan venture. It was, she explains, a project nurtured through a long chain of events.

PORTFOLIO 67

CELEBRITY interview

“You can’t just take a kid from burger to broccoli overnight, it’s just not possible”

After losing her leg in an accident involving a police motorbike in 1993, Mills first revitalised her dietary habits for her own health. “My leg just wouldn’t heal after five months in hospital and they kept chopping more and more of it off and I thought, you know what? I’ll try anything.

My friend had cured herself of breast cancer through going vegan and she introduced me to this health clinic in America. They put wheatgrass and all sorts of disgusting-tasting things in my mouth but it healed me and it opened my mind to it.

“Lots of people were following my progress at the time and asking, how did you heal that? So I wrote a little book about it, which raised funds for our convoy to then warn-torn Yugoslavia to do prosthetics and land mine removals. I ended up researching, studying more, eventually doing a degree in nutrition, and in the end researching alternative meats and fishes and cheeses because I really missed the taste of it but didn’t want the bad side it was doing to my body.” A determined Mills found a small factory through which to tailor her meat-free foods, working on consistency, texture and, of course, taste. “I’d always planned to franchise VBites around the world, but I’d wanted to perfect every single recipe,” Mills says. “It’s very easy to do vegetarian meats, but [they can] have a load of rubbish in them still. The vegan ones are much cleaner and much harder to make and they taste like the real thing, so now they’re all tested and perfected.”

Mills is confident that eating a vegan diet benefits not only the animals but the consumer.

Since opening a charity-run VBites Café in 2009 in Hunts Point, The Bronx, an area with alarming child obesity levels, Mills says the area has seen dietary improvements. “I’ve got 4,000 kids in the Bronx who now eat the vegan food, we’ve taught them how to grow veg, obesity has gone down, type 2 diabetes has been reversed after three months, type one insulin injections have been reduced… acne gone from giving up dairy, asthma reduced.”

With her ethos for converting carnivores over

to the vegan side by replacing like for like, Mills would love to establish vegan McDonald equivalents around the world “so that people can get access to really good, yummy-tasting good food for the transitional carnivore. You can’t just take a kid from burger to broccoli overnight, it’s just not possible. We did tests and realised that if we replicated burger for burger, nugget for nugget, milkshake for non-cow’s milk milkshake, it worked; their taste buds changed and they got to eat more vegetables… that’s how the VBites concept evolved, and now we’re in 24 countries and we have 74 products.”

Happily, Mills’ Brighton branch feeds the

“I’ve got 4,000 kids in the Bronx who now eat the vegan food, we’ve taught them how to grow veg, obesity has gone down, type 2 diabetes has been reversed after three months” Bronx movement in America. “I opened a café in Brighton five years ago as a test café to see what people liked, didn’t like, what worked, what didn’t work. I’ve also been with Holland and Barrett products for over a decade and am their biggest fridge seller. They said they’d like one of my cafes in store and that’s how the new Chester café came about.”

After starting off with a beachside Hove location, Mills relocated V Bites to central Brighton, still only a minute’s walk to the pebbly coast. “We started it on the beach and that was just absolutely mobbed in summer,

but of course the whole beach closes down in winter. We had so many people say, ‘Please open in the centre because we can’t go down [to the lagoon] in the winter… so we were under pressure from big vegan fans, so we said OK, we moved to East Street and it’s really been fantastic. We’ve been there for a year and a half now, and five years in total since we opened in Brighton.”

Resident Brighton celebrity Fat Boy Slim took over the Hove premises, opening the popular Big Beach Café in its place. She also sold the DJ and his wife Zoe Ball her beachfront home in 2012. Former Hove-ite Mills has now moved out of the city: “I had to make sure my daughter was based nearer her father”. But she returns often for both business and leisure. “I’m here all the time because of my café. When I’m not in the ski resort training, or running the factory in Corby, Northamptonshire, or doing my charity work, I’m a bit of a nomad, always on the move.”

When Mills is in the neighbourhood, she finds plenty to fill her time: “My friend owns the Japanese restaurant Moshimo, formerly Moshi Moshi. Carl’s a really good friend of mine and he uses a lot of our vegan cheeses and vegan duck amongst his eclectic mix of more ethical fishing, and so we go in there and have a lot of vegan maki and tofu rolls.” Dining aside, for a girl who grew up in the city, Mills is never short of things to do. “I love walking around The Laines, going for juices, I love going down the beach and taking my sister’s chocolate brown Labrador for a walk. My grandma was from Kemptown, so we were brought up there doing the penny slot machines as kids, rolling a penny trying not to let it touch the black lines.” Mills, who VegNews named 2009’s Most Successful Vegan Businesswoman, has a deep affection for the city: “I’ve got a big part of my heart in Brighton and Hove.”

Heather Mills is launching her VBites range of vegan food across the UK with Holland & Barrett. Try the range in over 500 high street stores today.

www.vbites.com

PORTFOLIO 69

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HEALTH

HEALTH MATTERS Catherine Swann on how to make sure you expect – and get – the best when it comes to health

W

e all want the best quality care, for ourselves and the people we care about. Whether it is for health, dental care, support for mental health or even care for older relatives when they need it, why would we want anything less?

Yet finding out what’s best for us is no small or simple task. Recent data from the Office for National Statistics shows that of the 73% of the UK population who use the internet daily, 43% of adults (including 59% of 25-34 year olds) use it to access health information. That’s an awful lot of people online. Ask Dr Google a simple question about cholesterol or eye care and you’ll get millions of answers.

In this new monthly column, we’re going to be looking at some of the key health issues in Sussex, finding out what quality care looks like, and giving our local providers and services the chance to show just how excellent they are.

GREAT HEALTHCARE IS ALL ABOUT CHOICE In the UK we’re fortunate to have the NHS which, despite financial pressures and cuts, remains one of the best and most respected healthcare systems in the world. But we don’t have to use it if it’s not right for us; before we walk into the GP surgery, we have a choice about whether we choose the NHS or a private service. And once we’ve opened the door, there are yet more choices, even in the NHS, where choice and engagement are now central to patient care. In order to make those choices

about treatment, location or service, we need to ask the right questions.

Use these questions to guide your conversations with your doctor and any background research you do.

WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU? EXCELLENCE ON YOUR DOORSTEP Modern health and care services are all about the evidence, basing what they offer on information about ‘what works’ from research and from national bodies like NICE (National Institute For Health And Care Excellence) and the Care Quality Commission. Of course, this information is important to us all as service users, but there are other things that are vital to help to inform our choices, too. All of us have preferences, worries, and responsibilities that mean the research evidence alone won’t always hold the answer.

If you’re thinking about a health or care service, treatment or provider, you need to know about: • Evidence - What does the evidence from research say about what works for your problem or condition?

• Context - What does it say about what works best for people like you?

• Services - What is available locally?

• Benefits - What are the pros and cons of each?

• Experience - How experienced are these services at working with people like you?

• Practice – what does your doctor or carer think is best, based on their expert knowledge and their knowledge of you?

Choosing the right treatment or service is a win-win situation: it means you will get the support you need for your health or care. This, in turn, means you will have less need of other services, which are freed up for others to use. We are all consumers of health and care services, and as consumers we can vote with our feet; don’t be afraid to ask for the best!

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

www.eipa.co.uk PORTFOLIO 71

CITY OF CHARM Since the 1960s Marbella has enjoyed a reputation as the smartest resort on the Costa del Sol. Situated on the Mediterranean Sea between Málaga and the Gibraltar Strait in the foothills of the Sierra Blanca, cosmopolitan Marbella is the perfect destination for a summer break

M

arbella, the elegant city and resort on Spain’s Costa del Sol, where the Sierra Blanca mountains are the backdrop to 27 km of sandy Mediterranean beaches, villas, hotels and golf courses. West of Marbella town the ‘Golden Mile’ of prestigious nightclubs and coastal estates leads to Puerto Banús marina, filled with luxury yachts and characterised by upmarket boutiques and bars.

Large areas of the city were renovated and improved during the 1990s, including many of the streets and beaches. With a stunning coastline stretching for more than 25 km, the sandy beaches are without doubt the resort’s main tourist attraction, with many being lined by the Paseo Maritimo, a scenic boardwalk.

Further tourist attractions include Basilica Vega del Mar, the ancient ruins of a 4th century church and Murallas del Castillo, the Castle Walls, a vivid reminder of the area’s past, in the city’s Old Quarter; Las Bóveda, the Marbella Vaults, historic remains of Roman baths with guided tours and well-preserved features, and Villa Romana de Rio Verde, significant remains situated on the

outskirts, with many archaeological treasures.

Plus, the Plaza de Toros, Marbella’s bullfighting ring…

“With a stunning coastline stretching for more than 25 km, the sandy beaches are without doubt the resort’s main tourist attraction” Marbella is also home to a number of gardens and parks, such as the Parque Arroyo de la Represa, the Parque de la Alameda and the Auditorio de la Constitución, which is situated alongside the seafront.

The pretty historic centre of Marbella is a hub of activity. Start your evening at the Parque de la Alameda with its pleasant seating areas,

fountains, Salvador Dali sculptures, mature trees and typical Mediterranean plants…

The Old Town, with its narrow cobbled streets and flower-filled plazas, is packed with shops and art galleries. The orange, tree-filled Plaza de los Naranjos (Orange Square) is located just off the main street and is home to the 16th-century Town Hall and the Tourist Office.

Partially surrounded by the ruins of an old Arab wall with narrow white-washed streets, old churches and squares, this area attracts lots of visitors.

Located just west of Marbella, Puerto Banús (officially, Puerto Jose Banús, named after the architect who designed the town) is known as the Costa del Sol’s playground for the rich and wealthy and is famous for its beaches, beach clubs and nightlife. The shops and restaurants reflect this lifestyle, with designer names and luxury brands. The ultimate venue for peoplewatching, Puerto Banús is the ideal place to enjoy a backdrop of luxury yachts and cars while enjoying the open-air restaurants and bars.

TRAVEL THE DETAILS:

Marbella’s gastronomic scene is varied and lively, with everything from beachfront chiringuitos (bars), to Michelin-starred restaurants, including that of Spanish cooking star Dani Garcia.

Of course, most visitors come to Marbella to enjoy the sun, sea and sand, which has been drawing visitors since the 1950s when jet-set founder Prince Alfonso de Hohenlohe fell in love with the place and built a beachfront house (The Marbella Club Hotel, still a destination beach resort), drawing Hollywood stars and celebrities to the city.

As with the rest of Spain, summer is Fiesta time! Festivals include the lively and popular Fiesta of San Bernabe Festival in June, Feast of the Virgen del Carmen in July and the grand Feria de Malaga in August.

WE STAYED: At The Alanda Hotel, Marbella. Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and the Sierra Blanca Mountain, in Marbella’s Golden Mile, just three kilometres from the vibrant Puerto Banús Marina and from Marbella´s Old Town Centre.

A spacious hotel in lovely gardens, with a perfect outdoor pool for lounging. www.alandahotelmarbella.com WE ATE: Indian-Mediterranean fusion seafood, with the best view of the Med at the stylish Sea Grill, located in the beautiful grounds of Puente Romano Beach Resort. The impressive interior of this exclusive bar and restaurant was designed by Andrew Martin. www.puenteromano.com Simply cooked seafood and regional specialities in the pretty courtyard at Restaurante Buenaventura opposite Iglesia de Santa Maria de la Encarnacion in Marbella Old Town. www.restaurantebuenaventura.es A table with a view. Stunning Mediterranean food on the balcony overlooking Orange Square at Paco Jiminez. Situated in a quieter corner above an art gallery, this restaurant is perfect for people-watching while the sun sets… www.pacojiminezmarbella.com WE TRAVELLED: We flew to Malaga with Easyjet, who offer up to six flights a day from Gatwick. www.easyjet.com We booked a car ahead with Firefly – part of Hertz – which we picked up at Malaga airport. uk.fireflycarrental.com WHEN TO GO: Summer is hot and busy, but that’s what the beach is for. Just book everything to avoid queues. In Spring and late Autumn the weather is still warm, but the city is less crowded. Also an ideal winter destination: it is generally still warm enough to eat outside even in December.

With thanks to: www.andalucia.com www.marbellaexclusive.com www.whatmarbella.com

PORTFOLIO 73

GOLFGUY...

SHANKER OF THE YEAR Continuing our page of golf tips…

This month: Get a grip on those shanks

GolfGuy writes: I am one of a dozen intrepid souls who play golf regularly together around Sussex. We also organise a yearly expedition to a lovely golf course in Northern France, play a proper 72-hole tournament and award daily cash prizes for longest drive and nearest the pin on designated par 5s and par 3s. The overall best performers in these categories win individual trophies or the shield for most Stableford points. It’s all good fun.

One member of our group, let’s call him Boom Boom, is a very steady 12-handicapper on home soil, and is by a country mile the longest hitter in our group. However, when

we go to France each year, a remarkable transformation takes place in our Boom Boom.

It begins already on the ferry as we expectantly cross the Channel towards our tournament destination. Boom Boom’s face looks wan and drawn from lack of sleep. He chatters nervously and endlessly about his game and worries that he will once again acquire the dreaded sh**ks.

Once on the course, Boom Boom takes a flurry of practice strokes, growing tenser with each one, and if he is hitting a short or mid iron, he very likely shanks it miserably. The shorter the club, the more likely he is to shank it. The

more shanks he hits, the more likely he is to hit another. We call it the French Effect. He calls it something else...unprintable. After the first couple of rounds Boom Boom is inconsolable and his demeanour implores his mates to lend a helping hand. Alas, if we knew what to tell him, we wouldn’t be amateur golfers. We would be professionals. Is there any cure for the shanks, or should we just hope that next year we will have a prize for Shanker Of The Year?

GolfGuy

GOLF

The Golf Pro replies: What is it about the shank that makes golfers panic? Three things: Firstly, it looks such an awful shot! Second, they don’t know what causes it; lastly, where there’s one shank, there tends to be another.

Position of a shank

Tee peg practice drill.jpg

This is why: Because the ball darts right, most golfers think an open clubface causes the shank. But shanks usually come from an excessively closed face. The player swings out-to-in with the face closing hard – both actions push the hosel closer to the ball (top). If the hosel catches the ball, it’s shank, shank, shank.

Solution: Put a tee peg just outside and behind the ball (Approx 2x2 inches) to learn to swing down from the inside.

What do most golfers do to prevent the shank? They try to close the face with the right hand through impact and swing on an even more left path. This only makes the path more out-to-in and the face more closed - increasing the chances of another shank.

Poor path causing possible shank

Correct path (missing tee peg)

Try this drill: Place a tee peg just outside the ball, and practice hitting wedges. If you’re making a shank swing (out-to-in, face closed), you’ll hit the tee peg. To miss it, you’ll swing from the inside with the face more square to the target line. That’s the main way to beat the shanks.

It is worth noting that shanks can also happen from an excessive inside angle of attack with the face open or by being ahead of the ball with your body before impact.

Therefore, my main suggestion would be to see a PGA professional and ask to have your swing go on camera, and then you can see for yourself the area you need to work on.

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

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

PORTFOLIO 75

CITY news

CITY NEWS WINNING WINES Recently we had the announcement of the International Wine and Spirit Competition’s (IWSC) first Northern Hemisphere results of the year at the London Wine Fair, Olympia. English wine entries have increased by 70% year on year and medals for home-grown wines are up an impressive 63% from 2014, smashing records in the competition’s 46 year history. This success is a tribute to the wines, which have all undergone the IWSC’s rigorous judging process, which includes a double blind tasting.

In total, a record-breaking 80 medals were awarded to English wines. This year, three English wineries achieved coveted Gold medals, including the very first IWSC medal for an English still wine.

Sussex success came from Nutbourne Vineyards in Pulborough, who achieved the Gold award with their Nutbourne Sussex Reserve 2013 - White Still.

Julia Trustram Eve, Marketing Director for English Wine Producers, comments on the announcement: “It’s great to see that English wines are continuing to prove their international status through these fantastic competition successes. It’s the consistency that is really showing just what world-class wines are produced in England.”

SUPERFAST BROADBAND NATWEST ACCELERATOR HUB NatWest is surging forward with their Accelerator Hub in Brighton, following hot on the heels of huge success in other cities. The ‘hatchery,’ based at their Preston Road building, is a part of Entrepreneurial Spark and is the world’s largest free business accelerator for start-ups. The first tranche of lucky applicants will begin their new lives in August with full business and mentoring support and free offices for up to 18 months, with a further tranche being accepted for February 2016.

Bank CEO Ross McEwan will launch the hatchery on September 9th, with a boot camp taking place on July 30/31st before the opening on August 10th. Any company/ entrepreneur looking to take advantage of this unique hub should apply to www.entrepreneurial-spark.com or SM @ESparkUK or @NatWestBusiness

76 PORTFOLIO

Businesses in Brighton are taking advantage of a Government voucher scheme that enables them to install superfast broadband. Brighton is one of 50 cities around the UK to be eligible for the vouchers aimed at helping companies to grow and develop.

In addition to SMEs, registered charities, social enterprises and sole traders can all qualify for the Connection Vouchers scheme which offers up to £3000 per customer to install dedicated superfast circuits to their business.

Fraser Watson, Managing Director of Pescado, one of the scheme’s approved suppliers, said: “The Connection Vouchers scheme is a fantastic opportunity for businesses to upgrade their broadband and gain real business benefits.

“A better broadband connection enables businesses to improve their services, enhance their customer experience and reduce software and hardware costs.

“We have already helped a number of businesses across the UK take advantage of the vouchers, which can be worth up to £3000 to businesses.The impact of upgrading to superfast broadband can be transformational for a business.”

In December Chancellor George Osborne announced that the Government was making £40million available from April 2015 to March 2016 to help more cities roll out the Connection Vouchers scheme.

CITY news

CHESTNUT TREE LAUNCH NEW SHOP With a new manager at the helm, Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice re-launched its Brighton charity shop in June.

The newly appointed shop Manager, Lynn Hancox, said: “The shop is a treasure trove of unusual items, and to help with the shop’s success, some fabulous flamboyant costumes have been donated from the opening and closing ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Lynn is appealing for donations to help stock the shop: “All donations can be brought into the store or collection can be arranged. We’re especially interested in good quality funky fashion and quirky items. All the money we raise from the sale of items in our shops ensures that we can continue to deliver care and support to life - limited children and their families across Sussex.”

Lynn is also keen to recruit volunteers to help in the shop. Working hours are flexible and full training is given. Pop into the shop or phone Lynn on 01273 686040.

BEST OF BRITISH CHARITY LUNCH RAISES THOUSANDS The annual Best of British event welcomed over 500 guests from businesses across Sussex to The Grand Hotel for a Rugby World Cup 2015 special. Guests were entertained by after-dinner speaker, 1990 Rugby World Player of the Year, Brian Moore.

The event, in aid of Rockinghorse Children’s Charity, raised £30,000 through a charity auction and raffle. As the official fundraising arm of the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital (the Alex), the charity raises money for life-saving and cuttingedge medical equipment, while ensuring that children are treated in an environment better suited to their needs.

Speaking at the lunch, the charity’s Chief Executive and Best of British event organiser, Ryan Heal, said: “At last year’s Best of British, you raised enough money to fund life-saving ventilators for the High Dependency Unit at the Alex. As you all prove year after year at this event, your contribution makes a direct and life-changing impact on the sick children of Sussex, and for that we are incredibly grateful.”

To find out more about Rockinghorse and the work they do to support sick children and their families in Sussex, visit rockinghorse.org.uk.

Next year’s Best of British charity sporting lunch will take place at The Grand Hotel in Brighton on Friday, 3rd June, 2016 and will welcome 1966 World Cup winning goalkeeper, Gordon Banks OBE.

PORTFOLIO 77

CITY news

INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE TO EXPAND An international college looking to open a new £20 million boarding house is aiming to expand to have 1,100 pupils in the next five years. Plans for a nine-storey student accommodation block and offices in Brighton, as reported in The Argus, are part of wider expansion plans revealed by Bellerbys College.

Principal Simon Mower has said the college is looking to create closer links with Brighton & Hove as part of a change in direction after it started accepting local pupils last September. Mr Mower described the college as a “hidden gem”. It is the fourth-biggest private employer in the city, he says, but is tucked away from view behind Brighton Railway Station in Billington Way. The college, which currently has 900 students from 60 countries, took a major step last September by taking on a handful of Sussex-based students. Bellerbys has developed new links for the next academic year to use university sports facilities in addition to existing link-ups with local schools.

Mr Mower said: “Now that we have local pupils coming to the college, I’m very keen to strengthen our links with the city.”

RECORD-BREAKING YEAR FOR BRIGHTON FRINGE Record-breaking audience numbers, ticket sales and number of shows have led to Brighton Fringe 2015 being the charity’s strongest yet. Attendances were up by 25% from 2014, with audience figures for Brighton Fringe’s opening weekend up by 50%. This included a record number of people at Fringe City and the Brighton Fringe Family Picnics, estimated to be 75,000. Of the nearly 780 events this year, 175 were free and 552 were under £10. There were 233 world premieres. There were also 57 shows from 22 countries. Overall, more than 400,000 people attended Brighton Fringe events this year. www.brightonfringe.org

78 PORTFOLIO

BRIGHTON SEAFRONT STUDY WINS NATIONAL PRAISE An official report into the state of Brighton’s crumbling seafront infrastructure has been recognised at a national awards ceremony. The Centre for Public Scrutiny highly commended the report of a Brighton and Hove City Council scrutiny panel last year.

The report detailed the need for investment of an estimated £100 million to revive one of the defining elements of Brighton as a tourist resort and conference trade destination. Some of the money will also need to be spent ensuring the Victorian arches that support the A259 seafront road are restored or rebuilt to prevent further highway collapses.

The cross-party scrutiny panel held public meetings, drop-ins and on-site visits. It also brought together businesses, community groups and other interested parties with council officers and politicians. Councillor Gill Mitchell, who chaired the Seafront Scrutiny Panel, said: “It is absolutely vital to maintain and improve our seafront, which plays a central role in the success of Brighton and Hove. Many of our seafront structures are in urgent need of repair or replacement.”

The seafront is the most popular attraction in Brighton and Hove, with visitors and residents alike. It contributes significantly to the local tourism economy, which is valued at £800 million a year.

AGE UK BRIGHTON & HOVE CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY Local charity Age UK Brighton & Hove recently celebrated 50 years of supporting older people in the city with the launch of its History Display at the Mayor’s Parlour.

The History Display charts the evolution of the charity and will be touring local community centres and public places throughout the year.

The charity is also organising a 50th anniversary raffle to raise funds for its future. It is keen to hear from any local businesses that may be able to help.

Age UK Brighton & Hove, 29 – 31 Prestonville Road, Brighton BN1 3TJ. Tel: 01273 720603. www.ageuk-bh.org.uk

CITY news

HARPER STONE WINS MANAGEMENT OF ICONIC EMBASSY COURT IN BRIGHTON

THE I360: GOING UP! Barges arrived at Brighton Beach from Holland from first light on June 11, delivering the giant steel cans which will form the slim and elegant tower of the world’s first vertical cable car.

Said David Marks, Chairman of Brighton i360 Ltd, “This marks a major milestone in the construction project, with the completion of the foundations and the start of an exciting new phase, when the i360 starts to come out of the ground and reaches for the sky.” Said Eleanor Harris, CEO of Brighton i360 Ltd, “We have been preparing the ground for this arrival since last July and now the project will be going up, up, up!”

A 100-metre-high crane unloaded the 17 specially fitted out steel cans, each measuring between six and 12 metres, directly onto the beach and, using a giant jacking tower, are joining them together to build the shaft of the futuristic viewing pod.

Seven thousand tonnes of gravel, shingle and chalk have been moved to create a platform for the delivery, and a 4,000-tonne concrete foundation has been built under the ground to balance out the towering feat of engineering.

The tower will be completed this summer and will open in summer 2016. www.brightoni360.co.uk Pictured: Cllr Lynda Hyde and Eleanor Harris

The property management contract for the iconic, modernist Embassy Court on Brighton Seafront was awarded to Harper Stone in a defining win for the young Brighton-based company, founded by Chris Brotherton in 2013.

Chris Brotherton, who started his career with a small local managing agent and has subsequently worked in London for big names including Cluttons LLP and Farrar Property Management, refers to Harper Stone as delivering a London quality product with a Brighton fronted approach.

Embassy Court has undergone a major journey in the past ten years, from a dilapidated neglected property to a beautifully restored example of modernist architecture, thanks to the perseverance of the Bluestorm freehold company and the vision of Conran & Partners. www,harper-stone.co.uk

TOP SINGERS IN BRITISH OPERA UNITE FOR GRAND OPERA TO RAISE FUNDS FOR MENCAP IN BRIGHTON Acclaimed bass-baritone, Henry Waddington, leads a cast of some of the top singers in British Opera in an evening of Grand Opera with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra conducted

by Stuart Stratford on Saturday, 19th December, 2015. Expect some of opera’s most loved arias, duets, and set pieces, including a few festive surprises along the way. Every ticket sold for this special event will help Mencap continue their work supporting people with a learning disability, their families and carers.

Tickets are now on sale, priced from £35.

Further details of the evening will be announced in the coming months and stay up to date via #MencapOpera.The event is directed and programmed by acclaimed bass-baritone Henry Waddington. The event has been organised by an events committee that includes opera lover Neil Pollington, who has a learning disability and is supported by Mencap. www.brightoncentre.co.uk

PORTFOLIO 79

NATIONAL news

NATIONAL NEWS CHANCELLOR TO SELL RBS… AT A LOSS! The Government is to sell its majority stake in RBS, which was rescued during the financial meltdown with £45.5bn of public money. Chancellor George Osborne said sales of the taxpayers’ 79% stake in the bank will begin in the coming months, and may take “some years” because of the size of the holding.

“It’s the right thing to do for British businesses and taxpayers,” he said at his annual Mansion House speech to business leaders in London. “Yes, we may get a lower price than Labour paid for it. But the longer we wait, the higher the price the whole economy will pay. And when you take the banks in total, we’re making sure taxpayers get back billions more than they were forced to put in.” Selling the Government’s stake in RBS would result in a total loss of between £13bn and £26bn, according to research by independent think-tank New Economics Foundation. Mr Osborne faces fierce criticism if the shares are sold at a discount.

MURDOCH STEPPING DOWN The 84-year old CEO of Twenty- First Century Fox and News International will hand the title to his son James. Murdoch is tipped to continue in his role as the Executive Chairman of the company, while his son Lachlan will become Executive Co-Chairman. The Fox restructuring is rumoured to involve the stepping down of its Chief Operating Officer, Chase Carey, who has been in his role since 2009. CNBC notes that this will leave the company without a senior manager outside the family. Murdoch founded News Corporation in 1979 as a holding company and used the name to buy up 20th Century Fox and launch the Fox television channel in the eighties.

Murdoch has been described as ‘the last media mogul’ by the Economist. He counts the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post and Sky Television among his brands. Murdoch is not expected to sit back from the running of Fox, despite today’s announcement. No one doubts that the elder Murdoch will still have the final say on whatever goes on at Fox.

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TWEET-TWO Twitter Chief Executive Dick Costolo has announced he is stepping down - with the site’s co-founder and previous Chief Executive, Jack Dorsey, replacing him. The social media network has struggled to boost its numbers of users and develop new advertising methods, despite a high-profile public offering on the stock exchange two years ago. “Shareholders have been really concerned about the lack of growth. User growth has slowed, especially when you compare it to a behemoth like Facebook,” Tom Cheshire, Sky technology correspondent said. “There has also been shareholder concern that the departing CEO didn’t have ‘the vision’ needed to take the tech giant forward. Shares in Twitter rose by more than 7% in after-hours trading on the New York Stock Exchange following the announcement. Mr Costolo, who has been with the company for six years, said: “I am tremendously proud of the Twitter team and all that the team has accomplished. There is no one better than Jack Dorsey to lead Twitter during this transition. He has a profound understanding of the product and Twitter’s mission in the world.”

NATIONAL news

CREST NICHOLSON TO BUILD MORE HOMES British housebuilder Crest Nicholson have reported that they will increase the number of homes they have planned to build over the coming years after posting a 52 percent rise in pre-tax profit in the first half of their reporting year.

The company, which built over 2,530 homes in its 2014 financial year in London, south Wales and southern and eastern England, said housing completions rose 3 percent in the six months to the end of April.

The builder said it would now build more homes than it previously expected, due to the improving economic climate in Britain and an unexpectedly clear result in May’s national election, which saw Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservatives secure an overall majority.

The firm said it would now aim to build up to 4,000 homes by 2019, up from its previously stated target of 3,500. www.crestnicholson.com

‘CORPSE FLOWER’ MAY BE ABOUT TO BLOOM

EUROSTAR LAUNCHES SERVICE TO MARSEILLE Direct from London to the Mediterranean: Eurostar launches six-hour train service to Marseille.

Eurostar has announced plans to launch direct services from London to the southern French port city of Marseille from May 1st next year.

The year-round service will make stops at Lyon in eastern France and Avignon before heading on to the oldest city in France.

The journey will take four and a half hours to Lyon, six hours to Avignon and about six hours and 15 minutes to Marseille. Ahead of its year as Capital of Culture, the Old Port was spruced up and several museums were added to the Mediterranean city’s offering.

En-route stop-off Lyon is widely regarded as France’s gastronomic capital while Avignon hosts the country’s best known theatre festival in July.The return journey to London will take an hour longer due to immigration and customs formalities that will take place in the northern city of Lille.

Tickets for the new service to Marseille will go on sale from December. www.eurostar.com

One of the biggest - and smelliest - flowers in the world may be about to bloom in Scotland.

The Titan Arum - also called the “Corpse Flower” because of its odour - has produced a huge bud which is growing by several centimetres a day. If it is a flower, it will be the first one ever in Scotland.

Sadie Barber, senior horticulturist at the garden, said: “Every time it grows a new bud from its underground tuber it will form either a new flower or a leaf”. But she said it is still too early to tell which it will be this time.

And she insisted that either will be spectacular. “The leaves are amazing. They can grow up to five meters tall. “But we’ve never had (it) flowering in Scotland before. So if we were the first to get it flowering, we’d be extremely happy.” If it is a flower, visiting the glasshouse that is its home could be challenging as it produces a pungent smell, like a decaying corpse. “It smells that way to attract carrion beetles and other insects that are attracted to rotting flesh”, Ms Barber explained.

The Botanic Garden said it may be several days before they know if the latest bud will produce a leaf, or a flower.

PORTFOLIO 81

BUSINESS lunch

LA FOURCHETTE Danny Lenovo has an authentic French Bistro dining experience at La Fourchette in Hove

I

f asked to have a guess at who had originally invented the fork as a dining utensil, you would probably suggest “the French”, naturellement.

After all, they generously provided us with ‘civilised’ words for some of our favourite food items – veal, pork, beef, among many others – and introduced us, historically, to the efficiency and management benefits of the Civil Service.

And considering their unfettered penchant for claiming to have invented everything from motor cars to the potato, you would be forgiven for thinking they had devised the fork. But you would be wrong, mes amies.

La fourchette was in common use at Byzantine dining tables at least as early as the 11th Century, at which time it arrived in Italy as part of the dowry baggage of a Byzantine 82 PORTFOLIO

princess. Her use of the fork got her into a bit of a bother with the Church, who considered the use of anything but the fingers for eating an affront to God, who, in His infinite wisdom, had already provided us with all the equipment we would ever need for chucking food into our mouths.

The fork arrived in England in the early 17th Century as the result of cultural contact between English travellers to Italy and France, where its use was beginning to gain acceptance as a more hygienic and civilised way to transport food to the mouth. Americans were slower to adopt the use of anything other than the fingers and the knife at table, and some would say that nothing has changed much “over there” since Byzantine times. To this day

it is against the law to eat chicken with a fork in Gainesville, Georgia, the ‘Chicken Capital of the World.’

I first visited La Fourchette in the late 90s, when it was located in Western Road. It was a pleasant, modest dining room with a nice, relaxed French ambience, and the fact that I can still vividly recall the succulence and flavour of the rack of lamb I ate on that occasion is a testament to the quality of the kitchen. La Fourchette subsequently morphed into Pascal’s and has now re-emerged just off Church Road, Hove, flying its original flag.

There is something very reassuring about a restaurant that actually is what it claims to be. English pubs and ‘Italian’ restaurants staffed by Eastern Europeans may serve very

“There is something very reassuring about a restaurant that actually is what it claims to be” pleasant, decently prepared food in a friendly, efficient manner, but it can be difficult to get the feeling that you are having an authentic dining experience. At La Fourchette we were shown to our table by the very capable Frédéric, from the village of Bonnieux in Luberon, Southern France, where many of us have enjoyed memorable al fresco meals and washed them down with the very drinkable wines from that region, and, incidentally, where the film A Good Year was shot. The La Fourchette ambience is very evocative of a traditional French bistro, married with the clean, fresh feel of contemporary décor. The bar is warm and inviting and has a buzz that would make it very hard to resist popping in for a bit of liquid refreshment at lunchtime or after work for anyone working locally, and there is a charming outdoor dining area street-side, facing Church Road.

You always meet nice people in nice bistros, and no sooner had we settled down with Frédéric to the serious business of ordering our lunch than Simon Kay from Just Lets lettings popped in. Judging by the enthusiasm with which he was greeted, Simon is clearly a regular at La Fourchette. He is also a fan, and he happily shared his positive experience of La Fourchette.

Frédéric talked us through the lunch menu, which changes every day, and, true to its bistro heritage, is also fabulous value for money, offering a special three course lunch menu. If you can’t find something to eat here, or on the a la carte menu, you’re either not hungry or you have a pathological relationship with food.

We started with seasonal vegetable soup accompanied by the de rigueur bits of crusty bread and seared queen scallops with asparagus, wilted spinach, bacon and cauliflower. Scallops must be of a respectable size, seared (not fried) and served piping hot.

These were gorgeous, with the added bonus that the orange roe sacs were still attached.

The soup was a creamy vegetable garden in a bowl, full of deep, rich flavours. For mains, we plumped for lightly battered calamari and sea bass fillets, garnished with vegetables, salad and home made sauce tartare and grilled chicken in a rich, spicy salsa, accompanied by chorizo, couscous, courgettes and carrots. The seafood was crispy on the outside, moist, soft and piping hot on the inside. Parfait. The robust, hearty chicken dish transported us instantly to the French countryside, where simple, wellprepared meals abound.

Between bites we enjoyed glasses of Picpoul de Pinet, a citrussy southern French white that also works very well with oysters, and a classic Rosé de Provence, balanced, dry and with a refreshing hint of strawberry notes.

Hot apple tart – an individual tart, not a slice – with ice cream was very French, and the only authentic way to finish off an authentic lunch experience. We can see why local bon viveur Simon Kay hangs out here. Simple, authentic fare constructed from fresh, seasonal ingredients, a truly representative French wine list, with Frédéric and Amelie discreetly at your beck and call. Vive la France! Vive La Fourchette!

La Fourchette, 6 Queens Place, Second Avenue, Hove BN3 2LT 01273 729990 | www.lafourchette.co.uk PORTFOLIO 83

STYLE

BE THE BEST DRESSED GUEST Samantha Wilding on how to make sure your style is on point for a summer wedding

Explaining why she started her wedding gown business, designer Vera Wang said ‘when I decided to get married at 40, I couldn’t find a dress with the modernity or sophistication I wanted.’ Her words got me thinking; dressing for weddings throws so many guests into a tailspin, and rarely (in my opinion) do they look modern or sophisticated either.

You may have guessed that I am not a fan of the traditional wedding look. Women tend to look frumpy or overdone, and men seem to wear badly-fitting morning dress or the same old boring office suits.

Dressing for a wedding can be really stressful. Many people leave it to the very last minute. They end up panicbuying on the high street and the result is an outfit they are unhappy with and uncomfortable wearing. Or (horrors of horrors) they arrive only to find someone else has turned up in the same outfit. It’s a sartorial minefield.

Let’s turn this around. In this article I’m going to give you some tips and ideas to help you be the best dressed guest this summer, without, of course, upstaging the bride and groom.

First, let’s look at the options for men.

DON’T DRESS FOR THE OFFICE Guys, I’m sure you don’t want to show up to a good friend’s big day looking like you’re going to the office. He won’t appreciate it, and you won’t feel quite up-to-scratch. You will also want to stay cool as the mercury rises, and (hopefully) you feel comfortable enough to dance.

Dressing for a formal wedding is fairly straightforward. There are a number of places on the high street to hire or buy morning suits and formal highland dress. But do get organised and plan in advance to ensure your size is available and any necessary alterations can be made.

For black tie weddings choose a dinner suit in black or midnight blue (the Duke of Windsor’s favourite) in wool. Single-breasted is the most popular option, although double-breasted is making a comeback. For a modern look, go for a slim leg trouser, and don’t worry about a cummerbund – these are rarely worn nowadays.

“Keep it simple and refined, and you’ll be sure to be the best dressed guest this summer” 84 PORTFOLIO

For weddings that call for lounge suits or more informal dress, there are a variety of ways to look stylish and up to date: • Think three: the three-piece suit (in classic or slim fit) is back and is a clean and sharp take on the lounge suit; • Add some colour: suits in bright blue, pale grey, stone or pale grey check are great alternatives to dark grey and navy. For more casual weddings, be bold and go for a navy jacket for example, with a pale blue shirt and bright-coloured chino. A pink, lavender or grey shirt is another way to add a pop of colour; • Beat the heat: keep things cool with lightweight wool, wool-mohair blends or cotton. Or choose linen, but beware the crumpled effect; • Show some ankle: slim-cropped trousers (no more than an inch above the ankle) worn with loafers and no socks is a contemporary informal look; • Lose the tie: this depends on the formality of the occasion. A beige or soft grey suit worn with a white shirt, pocket square and no tie looks fantastic while keeping you cool; • Add pattern and texture: inject these into the details – ties, pocket squares, socks – a great way to breathe new life into an office suit if you can’t stretch to a whole new outfit.

STYLE

YOU DON’T HAVE TO WEAR A DRESS Ladies, you don’t have to wear a hat. It’s not obligatory. Or a dress, for that matter. There are a number of cooler alternatives out there: Trousers: consider wide-leg trousers in vibrant colours (or a small print) with a silk top, heels and a clutch. Or go ‘matchy-matchy’ in a floral print top and trousers (very 2015); Slim trouser suits: in powder pink, sand or ice blue are a great way to work pastel shades without looking too girly. This look can also be worn as slim trousers with a matching duster coat; Go ‘midi’: a midi-length skirt, dress or culottes worn with block heels is a cool modern option; The jumpsuit: this is fast becoming a classic.

A good look for women going to a black tie wedding who don’t want to wear the ubiquitous LBD. Another quick word on black tie weddings.

Debretts states that a ‘smart dress’ is appropriate, and can be long or short (but not too short – no more than an inch above the knee). And it needn’t be black. But do not wear white, cream or ivory – the bride will not appreciate it.

Don’t wear a hat with a long dress as it will completely unbalance the look. Fascinators can work but keep them small – I think your best bet is adding sparkle and texture with a hair clip or slide. If your dress (or trousers or jumpsuit) is plain, you can wear more elaborate accessories. Likewise, if you choose

a bold print, then keep your accessories clean and simple. And no platform shoes, please – they instantly make an outfit look cheap.

Modern weddings vary in type and venue, so make sure you understand and adhere to the dress code as stated on the invitation. If you’re in doubt, ask. Consider your outfit as a whole, while paying attention to the details; this will help you retain elements of your individual style and ensure that everything works together. Finally, keep it simple and refined, and you’ll be sure to be the best dressed guest this summer…

“Consider your outfit as a whole, while paying attention to the details; this will help you retain elements of your individual style”

www.styleandgrace.eu | @alwayschicUK

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SUSSEX EDITION . ISSUE 13 . 2015

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VIVA VITICULTURE News from businesses who are part of the Chambers of Commerce in East Sussex. This month we put the spotlight on local wine-makers and related businesses ACES: WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO The Alliance of Chambers in East Sussex (ACES) links together the Chambers of Commerce, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Institute of Directors in East Sussex, representing over 4,000 local businesses with over 15,000 members of staff.

ACES offer major networking events and support to each local Chamber of Commerce.

They also work closely with policy makers, including Central Government and County, District and Borough Councils.

If you belong to one of the Chambers of Commerce listed below, you are automatically a member of ACES. For more details of how to join and what ACES can do for your business, visit www. acesalliance.org Save The Date: The ACES 2015 BEST4Biz Conference takes place on Thursday, 15th October. The emphasis will be on innovation and skills, to include networking, a B2B exhibition, an expert panel, valuable breakouts and excellent speakers, so keep the date free.

FIZZ ON FOOT Marketing guru Ian Shearer has joined forces with health and fitness specialist Lucy-Ann Prideaux to turn their hobbies into a new business. With a love of fine wine and rambling through the stunning Sussex countryside, Ian and Lucy have put the two together to develop Fizz on Foot. Fizz on Foot tours take in stunning walking routes across the South Downs National Park and Cuckmere Valley, along with visits to local award-winning vineyards in East and West Sussex with tutored wine tastings and a delicious lunch.

Your vineyard hosts will explain all about the wine, the grapes and the methods of production so you can make an informed decision about the wines available to purchase.

Tours commence in Alfriston, where you can stay overnight at the beautifully refurbished Star Inn before or after your Fizz on Foot tour.

For more details visit www.fizzonfoot.com VISIT A VINEYARD ACES and Wealden District Council are delighted to support SEVA, the South East Viticulture Association, and the South East Wine Route as it meanders through some of the most beautiful countryside of Sussex.

To help you find these hidden treasures SEVA has produced a map of the South East Wine Route including almost all the vineyards in Kent, Sussex and Surrey, with information on their events, opening hours and contact details.

If you would like a copy of the map, contact your local Chamber of Commerce (listed below) to collect a free map while stocks last. Alternatively, download the South East Vineyards app for just £2.99 so you can visit all the Sussex vineyards and support your local viticulture industry.

Visit multi-award-winning estates like Ridgeview in Ditchling. Established in 1995 by Mike and Chris Roberts, the status of the wine is reflected by the number of international medals they have won. They also have a stunning new tasting room and spoke at the 2014 ACES Best4Biz Conference, Buxted Park about the way social media has helped them grow.

For more information email southeastvineyards@gmail.com

SECRET VALLEY We are now lucky enough to live in a county which often beats Champagne in blind tastings and is applying for a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) for its Sussex Sparkling. This will mean that only sparkling wines produced in Sussex by the méthode traditionnelle will be able to call themselves Sussex Sparkling.

Sussex is home to about 20 successful vineyards making sparkling and still wines of excellent quality, and in the next couple of years will see the first sparkling wines from Rathfinny, which will be the largest vineyard in the country.

By 2020 Rathfinny expects to develop 400 acres of the South Downs in an area known as the “Secret Valley” near Alfriston. The owners, Mark and Sarah Driver took 18 months after Mark quit the City as a global hedge fund manager to find the perfect location, with the perfect climate and the perfect soil to which they then added the perfect vines and the very best expertise from France and New Zealand.

The team at Rathfinny will be producing their first still wines this year and are running a series of excellent events throughout the year to encourage people to visit the estate.

Having embarked on this amazing journey to create world-class wine on the South Downs, Mark Driver spoke at the 2014 Best4Biz Conference about risk management and planning to succeed – something he knows inside-out.

For more details of Rathfinny events, including fine dining, classical music and regular festivals, check www.rathfinnyestate.com

PORTFOLIO 87

smart of Ashford Monument Way, Orbital Park, Ashford, Kent TN24 0HB 0844 659 6072 smart of Brighton Victoria Road, Portslade, Brighton, East Sussex BN41 1DY 0844 659 6072 smart of Eastbourne Eastbourne Road, Westham, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN24 5NH 0844 659 6072 smart of Gatwick 78 Gatwick Road, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 9AW 0844 659 6072 smart of Maidstone Bircholt Road, Parkwood, Maidstone, Kent ME15 9YN 0844 659 6072 smart of Tonbridge Vale Rise, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1TB 0844 659 6072 www.lookers.co.uk/smart Official government fuel consumption figures in mpg (litres per 100km) for the new smart range: urban: 55.4(5.1)-58.9(4.8), extra-urban: 72.4(3.9)-76.4(3.7), combined: 65.7(4.3)-68.9(4.1). CO2 emissions: 99-93g/km. Official EUregulated test data are provided for camparison purposes and actual performance will depend on driving style, road conditions and other non-technical factors. Model featured the new smart forfour passion at £149 per month on contract hire. Business users only. Mercedes-Benz UK Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 2248457 and has its registered address at Tongwell, Milton Keynes, MK15 8BA. 58127

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A high level but informal business networking forum for CEO’s and MD’s of companies within the Gatwick Diamond and London.

For membership information please contact info@theplatinumclubbrighton.co.uk

Call: 07966 244046 • e-mail: maarten@platinumbusinessmagazine.com • web: www.theplatinumclubbrighton.co.uk

MOTORING review

THUNDER ROAD Business Editor, Maarten Hoffmann, investigates the quality and style of the Mercedes SL65 AMG

M

ercedes Benz is a word synonymous with quality, style and performance and having owned many of them in my time, I approve of Stuttgart’s efforts. I had a glorious 250SE and an SL500 from the 70’s of which I have fond memories – not quite so of the hugely collectable 540K that I once parked in a Paris underground car park that flooded – that car now would be worth £8 million – I think I feel a little faint!

Then, be still my beating heart, Mercedes call and ask if I would like to join them at Mercedes Benz World and try out their new jet fighter – the SL65 AMG. I thought about this for 1.2 seconds and then made my way out of the door like a scalded cat and left considerable rubber on the driveway.

I arrive in Weybridge to the home of the old Brooklands Track, now replaced with Mercs own much smaller track, and after the customary effuse greeting from their professional staff along with endless tables of food and drink, before I know it Charles has tossed me the keys and casually mentioned that when I got tired of the roads I could take to the track! I think I might of have died and gone to heaven.

The SL has always been a beautiful car right from its birth in 1954 and derives from the German Sport Leicht or Sport Lightweight and the moniker was first applied to the gorgeous 300SL Gullwing.

AMG is Mercedes tuning division and it’s always a good sign when you see that badge - but in this instance they have excelled. It looks beautiful, smells beautiful and you just know that this twin turbo 6.0 litre V12 is about to try and rip your face off. Pulling out onto the A3, I am enamoured by the superb leather seats, the air scarf that wafts warm air on my neck and the quiet threat that emanates from the burbling hunk of metal under the bonnet.

To be honest, the A3 went past in a blur, as all 621bhp was unleashed by my right foot and the smooth rapidity of the 7-speed auto is astonishing.

60mph came in less than 4 seconds, 125mph in 11 seconds and warp speed a second or two later. This is a very dangerous car as the speed comes on so fast and so smoothly that by the time you’ve noticed, you’re in front of the beak and facing 6 months! I think I’m in love.

It purrs along at traffic speed in total silence and with the manners of an 18th Courtesan, ensuring

90 PORTFOLIO

that you are lured into a false sense of security. But one irreverent blip of the pedal and your world turns upside down. The traction control dashboard light can easily be made to introduce itself at 80mph. In the dry! With little effort! And an insane smirk.

The profile and huge rubber at each corner means that there is zero roll in corners and just to ensure you feel tip top to push on, the seat bolsters electronically squeeze you into the seat as you put the power on. Not sure I like that, as it is very disconcerting but it certainly works to fix you to the seat back. It seems churlish to mention fuel economy but you will struggle to better 20mpg in real world driving but honestly, if you have just forked out £168,285 in cold blood, I doubt you give a monkeys about the cost of the fuel but at full Autobahn chat, the number of refuelling stops would get old quite quickly.

The folding roof is a piece of engineering art in itself and there is very little wind noise and although the stowed roof limits the luggage space, it’ll do an overnight for two quite comfortably. I sat there for a few minutes pressing the roof up and down and watched in awe at what is an engineering ballet performance like no other.

Enough said, now back through the gates and into the track control area awaiting my clearance to wring the neck out of it. The waved hand appears and I let it rip and I have to say that to a petrol head, this is about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on.

Doesn’t matter what speed you arrive at the corner, it refuses to over steer and has such incredible grip that it seems to defy physics. The balance and sheer devastating brute force is a thing to behold and just goes to prove that decade after decade, the Germans are the finest automobile manufacturers on the planet and by this example, they will remain aloft for many years to come.

Now becalmed with the behemoth powered down in the car park, I must say that as awesome as this thing is, it would be difficult to justify an increase of £84,000 over the ‘standard’ excellent 4.7 V8 SL500 that offers almost everything you get in the 65, bar the top end acceleration and a bit of grunt – that’s 50% more and it will be a rare breed that parts with that wad, but whichever one you choose, sell the kids, rent out the wife, flog a kidney or mortgage your granny, but BUY one of these or at the very least, drive one of these before you die. You’ll thank me!

MOTORING review

“It looks beautiful, smells beautiful and you just know that this twin turbo 6.0 litre V12 is about to try and rip your face off”

TECHNICAL STUFF: Price: £169,670.000 Speed: 0-60 4.0 secs Top: 155mph (limited) Power: 630bhp Economy: 24.4mpg

GREG DYKE G

reg Dyke certainly gets around. In the 1960s he started life in the media and early on decided to shake things up a bit and brought tabloid television to the masses.

In 1983, he was drafted into the ailing TVAM show to revitalise the ratings and this he certainly did by adding bingo, horoscopes and celebrity gossip, which generally began the dumbing down of the nation’s television output.

His lifelong love of football led him to become Chairman of Brentford F.C and then finally into his present role of Chairman of The Football Association, and his

Maarten Hoffmann profiles journalist, broadcaster and former BBC Director General, Greg Dyke

endless TV and press appearance recently, connected with the FIFA corruption scandal.

Greg Dyke’s life began in Hayes, Middlesex in 1947, the youngest of three sons born into a lower middle class family. His father was an insurance salesman and Dyke attended Hayes Grammer School, leaving with one grade ‘E’ at A-level mathematics before going on to become a lowly manager at Marks and Spencer. He felt a strong urge to join the media and left M&S to become a trainee reporter for the Hillingdon Mirror, where his talents were quickly recognised as he rose to become the

chief reporter within eight months. Having had a taste of the media, he realised that to be taken seriously he would need a degree and attended the University of York as a mature student, graduating in 1974 with a BA in politics.

During his time at York, he became active in student politics and was part of a collective that produced the psychedelic underground magazine called Nouse. He also met and married his first wife at York and his university contemporaries were future journalists Peter Hitchens and Linda Grant. Dyke was awarded an honorary doctorate degree by the university

BUSINESS interview

in 1999 and has been Chancellor since 2004.

Having become disillusioned with the press, his first foray into television began when he joined London Weekend Television under bosses John Birt and Peter Jay and ruffled a few feathers by insisting that to gain a good audience share, programmes needed a populist edge, and this led to him being given control of The Six O’Clock Show, fronted by Michael Aspel, with co-hosts Janet Street Porter and Danny Baker. After a spell at TVAM he joined the consortium that successfully bid for the Channel 5 licence in 1995 and become the first Chairman of the new channel.

In 2000, he took over the helm of the BBC from John Birt. At the beginning of his tenure, he famously promised to “cut the crap” at the Corporation. The “crap” he referred to was the complex internal market Birt had introduced at the BBC which, it is claimed, turned employees away from making programmes and into managers. Dyke reversed this trend; he reduced administration costs from 24% of total income to 15%. Unusually for a recent DirectorGeneral, he had a good rapport with his employees and was popular with the majority of BBC staff, his management style being seen as more open and risk-taking than Birt’s.

Apart from restoring staff morale, Greg Dyke laid claim to two major achievements during his office. In 2002, he introduced the Freeview terrestrial digital transmission platform with six additional BBC channels,

and persuaded Sky TV to join the consortium.

Previously this was an ITV subscription service that had closed with major losses, but by mid-2007 it could be seen by more than half the population. After leaving the BBC, he said that he always realised

“For those of us who have been warning about the tactics used by the Murdoch operation for many years – Mr Murdoch once described me as ‘an enemy’ – the events of the past week have been sweet” that the introduction of Freeview helped to prevent a subscription funding model for the BBC gaining traction, because it is impossible for broadcasters to switch off the signal to individual Freeview boxes.

Dyke controversially described the

Corporation in early 2001 as “hideously white”, based on statistics that showed the organisation’s management structure was 98% white. Dyke said that “The figures we have at the moment suggest that quite a lot of people from different ethnic backgrounds that we do attract to the BBC leave. Maybe they don’t feel at home, maybe they don’t feel welcome.”

Dyke set a target that by 2003, 10% of the BBC’s UK workforce and 4% of management would be from ethnic minority backgrounds.

In September 2004, Dyke received an award for his remarks from Glasgowbased organisation Empower Scotland, which fights against workplace racism.

Dyke attracted criticism when he ‘forgot’ to sell an equity stake in Granada Television, which presented a conflict of interest in his new position. He also caused controversy when he lost the rights to Premier League football to ITV, then accused the league of fixing the auction.

Others were worried that the openness and high risk strategies of his management style could backfire on the corporation. An ITV executive was quoted as saying, “By being too radical and playing fast and loose with the public service remit, the BBC is inviting external regulation – and it deserves it.”

Inevitably, it was not long before Dyke’s interest in politics would surface and his departure from the BBC top job, along with Andrew Gilligan and Gavyn Davies, was caused by the publication of the Hutton Report.

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Hutton described Dyke’s approach to checking news stories as “defective”; when Alastair Campbell complained about the story, Dyke immediately defended it without investigating whether there was any merit to the complaint.

In an email sent to all BBC staff just prior to his resignation, Dyke wrote: “I accept that the BBC made errors of judgement and I’ve sadly come to the conclusion that it will be hard to draw a line under this whole affair while I am still here.

We need closure. We need closure to protect the future of the BBC, not for you or me but for the benefit of everyone out there. It might sound pompous, but I believe the BBC really matters.”

It was subsequently established that Dyke had offered his resignation to the BBC’s Board of Governors in the hope that they would reject it. However, he was only able to secure the support of about one-third of the Governors.

Some BBC staff felt that in the Hutton Report too much blame had been placed on their organisation in the wake of the David Kelly affair, and that the government was interfering in the BBC. Tim Gospill, spokesman for the National Union of Journalists, said, “Being independent doesn’t just mean not having the government telling you what to do. It means you can criticise the government as well. I’m not at all sure the government understands that.”

Groups of staff staged walk-outs from Broadcasting House and other BBC offices in Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Glasgow, Cardiff and Londonderry, in protest at Dyke’s resignation. In addition, on 31st January, 2004, BBC staff paid for a full-page advert in the Daily Telegraph to express their dismay over Dyke’s departure. The statement in the advertisement read: ‘Greg Dyke stood for brave, independent and rigorous BBC journalism that was fearless in its search for the truth.

We are resolute that the BBC should not step back from its determination to investigate the facts in pursuit of the truth. Through his passion and integrity Greg inspired us to make programmes of the highest quality and creativity.

We are dismayed by Greg’s departure, but we are determined to maintain his achievements and his vision for an independent organisation that serves the public above all else.’

“The fact that Dyke also got involved in the ‘sexed up’ Iraqi dossier, just added grist to the mill as Blair and Campbell managed to wipe out two unpleasant stories in one fell swoop” Dyke’s departure came 20 hours after BBC Chairman Gavyn Davies resigned following the Hutton Report and after the governors had spent all day in crisis talks in London.

An emotional Mr Dyke told BBC staff at their central London headquarters: “I don’t want to go. But if in the end you screw up, you have to go.” The BBC had made certain mistakes, he said, adding: “I do not necessarily accept the findings of Lord Hutton.”

The pair quit after parts of Andrew Gilligan’s BBC report of claims that Downing Street had “sexed up” a dossier on Iraq’s illegal weapons

were branded “unfounded” by Lord Hutton.

Lord Ryder said: “The BBC must now move forward in the wake of Lord Hutton’s report, which highlighted serious defects in the Corporation’s processes and procedures. On behalf of the BBC I have no hesitation in apologising unreservedly for our errors and to the individuals whose reputations were affected by them.”

Then Prime Minister Tony Blair quickly welcomed the statement, saying it meant both the BBC and the government could move on.

He said: “This for me has always been a very simple matter of an accusation that was a very serious one that was made. It has now been withdrawn; that is all I ever wanted.”

The apology was also welcomed by exNumber 10 media chief Alastair Campbell, who told BBC News 24: “It was right that Gavyn Davies has resigned; it’s right that Greg Dyke resigned.”

Lord Hutton’s report cleared the government of “sexing up” its Iraq weapons dossier with unreliable intelligence and Hutton stated that he believed Dr Kelly had killed himself after being named as the suspected source of the BBC’s controversial weapons dossier story.

So there we have the neat package of government ensuring its own backside is safe by destroying a man who was genuinely trying to raise the editorial standards of the state broadcaster but had the temerity to question what they were doing. With some questioning how much they knew about Kelly’s death, Alistair Campbell and his Labour attack dogs went to work and the fact that Dyke also got involved in the ‘sexed up’ dossier, just added grist to the mill. Blair and Campbell managed to wipe out two unpleasant stories in one fell swoop.

On 28th November, 2003 Greg Dyke was formally appointed by the University of York as its new Chancellor, replacing Dame Janet Baker, PORTFOLIO 95

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In this role, he is the honorary and ceremonial head of the University, as well as heading the University Development Board. He has also made a personal grant to the new Department of Theatre, Film and Television, to found the Greg Dyke Chair in Film and Television. On 6th February, 2004 Dyke announced that he had signed a sixfigure book contract with HarperCollins. The book “Inside Story”, subsequently published in September 2004, goes into detail about Dyke’s opinion on the relationship between the BBC and the British government, and on the Dr. David Kelly affair and Hutton Inquiry. In July 2004 Dyke was awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Sunderland, Middlesex University and in 2006 from The University of Bedfordshire. He was appointed Chair of the British Film Institute on 15th February, 2008, succeeding Anthony Minghella and

on 10th March, 2010, it was reported that he had been approached by Alexander Lebedev and his son Evgeny Lebedev to edit The Independent and The Independent on Sunday newspapers. In the wake of the News of The World hacking affair, Dyke frequently appeared in the media to comment on events.

In April 2011 he said, “I don’t think the News of the World is a great contribution to British journalism. They have obviously been playing fast and loose for a long time and are now getting their just deserts.”

Dyke appeared on BBC2’s Newsnight programme on 8th July, 2011 alongside comedian Steve Coogan, where he confronted former News of the World deputy features editor Paul McMullen over his attitude to the events of the phone hacking scandal. Dyke told McMullen “Your tabloid’s nothing to do with a free press, or a decent democracy”. Distancing himself from McMullen, he said, “I’ve spent most of my life being a journalist, and I’m nothing to do with him, and neither are most other journalists.

You could see there are occasionally, very

occasionally, public interest cases but most of the time it wouldn’t make it less morally reprehensible. These tabloid journalists just tapped anyone they could think of”.

“So there we have the neat package of government ensuring its own backside is safe by destroying a man who was genuinely trying to raise the editorial standards of the state broadcaster” He was also of the opinion that stronger independent regulation of the press was needed, claiming that broadcast media had always been more strictly regulated. On 11th July, 2011, Dyke wrote in the Financial Times that “from the moment it was revealed that the News of the World had hacked into Milly Dowler’s phone, Rupert Murdoch’s bid to buy the 60.9 per cent of British Sky Broadcasting that News Corp does not already own was all but over.” He admitted, “for those of us who have been warning about the tactics used by the Murdoch operation for many years – Mr Murdoch once described me as ‘an enemy’ – the events of the past week have been sweet.”

Such outspoken words all but secured his permanent departure from the media as there were few people he had not upset. As is often the case, it is not the words that are so much the problem as the method of delivery. Never one to wrap those words in cotton wool, as all long-serving politicians and BBC managers do by default, Dyke spoke as he found and, sadly, that will never do in the British establishment.

Casting around for a new berth, Dyke did what so many do. He considered what he loves and decided to apply his not inconsiderable talent to his love of football, but the past always has a habit of revisiting, and Dyke was once again involved in a TV row when the subject of football rights popped up. Dyke served on the board at Manchester United as a Non-executive Director, and was the sole board member to oppose a takeover bid from BSkyB, which was subsequently rejected by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

Dyke replaced David Bernstein as chairman of The Football Association in July 2013 after

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relinquishing his role as Brentford Chairman and receiving approval from the FA council.

Now the head of UK football, Dyke reacted to the recent FIFA corruption scandal in his usual blunt fashion, and after hearing that FIFA chairman Sepp Blatter had resigned for ‘honourable reasons’, he said: “I don’t believe a word of this. If he believes that, why not step down last week when we asked him to? He was cocka-hoop when he won the election and terribly arrogant. Clearly, there is a smoking gun. This is nothing to do with Mr Blatter being honourable; he hasn’t been honourable for years” Dyke has always been one of FIFA’s most vocal critics and, to his credit, has been banging on about corruption in the game for many years.

Many regard Dyke as Blatter’s mortal enemy: “People keep coming up to me and saying, ‘Well done, you got rid of him!’” he hoots, roaring with laughter. “To which I say, ‘I think the FBI had more to do with it than me.’” But the impression of a gladiatorial clash between two titans is unmistakable – as is the surprising degree of similarity between football’s deadly foes.

Although still stunned by the FIFA president’s resignation, Dyke thinks he can explain it, starting with the allegations of a bribe to erstwhile FIFA official Jack Warner. “I think it was a combination of three things. The $10m payment must have been authorised by him.

Nobody else could authorise $10m. Not $10m.

Also, I don’t know this for certain, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Jérôme Valcke (FIFA’s Secretary General, who faces strong evidence that he knew of the alleged bribe) did say to Blatter, ‘I’m not taking the rap for this, you agreed.’ That’s one. Two, I think the FBI is getting close. And three, I suspect the big sponsors said, ‘You can’t do this, it’s got to change.’”

Decca Aitkenhead of the Guardian newspaper, asked if Dyke expects Blatter to be arrested, and he fell uncharacteristically silent, so he put the question a different way. If he had

to put £50 on it, which way would he bet? “Yeah.”

Either way, says Dyke, Blatter hasn’t a hope of remaining in post until his successor is appointed this winter. “No!” he snorts scornfully, perhaps thinking of the speed of his own departure from the BBC. “He’ll be gone. He won’t last. He can’t last more than a couple of months. The one thing you discover if you run an organisation is that the moment you say you’re going, you’ve gone.

He’s dead. It’s over. If you resign, you resign.”

The two men first met shortly after Dyke was appointed to the FA in 2013. “He was very personable, very likable. In his way. He’s got charisma, there’s no doubt. But I never trusted him, no. He reminded me of Nixon, what I call Nixonian politics. In other words, ‘You’re either on our side or you’re the enemy, and anyone who criticises is the enemy. Everything I do is by definition right.’ Blatter’s argument at the end, when he said this is a politically motivated conspiracy – I mean, what world does he live in?

These are a bunch of crooks. Or it appears,” he corrects himself, “they are a bunch of crooks.”

When the pair attended a meeting in February, Dyke had been teetotal since New Year’s Day. “And then I got sat next to Blatter at this bloody thing, and I thought, ‘I can’t do this, I can’t sit here without a drink.’ So it put me back on the bottle!”

Relations had by then more or less broken down, perhaps predictably. “Blatter hates the English. He hates the FA. And he hates the British media. Blames them for everything.”

An FA Chairman who made his name and fortune at London Weekend Television, “my spiritual home”, before becoming Director General of the BBC, would have been bad enough. What must have made matters worse is the absence of any discernible indication that Dyke has forsaken his former profession.

“Once you’ve been a journalist, to some extent you’re always a journalist,” he agrees.

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“Last week on Wednesday, which bits of my brain jumped up? It was the journalistic bits.”

The animosity was mutual. Dyke has “always assumed FIFA is corrupt. It’s always been corrupt.” Blatter cast himself as a global football missionary, and won praise even from his critics for exporting the game into developing countries. But when asked if Blatter’s chief interest in Africa and Asia was weak governance susceptible to bribery and corruption, Dyke says without hesitation, “Yes. That’s my view. Someone very senior in FIFA – I won’t name who – said to me: ‘Football will always be corrupt. Basically because it’s run by men. If you walk into a room and there’s a million pounds on the table and a naked woman in the corner, most men will take the million pounds and then fuck the woman.’

Now, I happen to believe that’s not what life is like, and I think it’s a very depressing view of the world. But that was someone quite senior in FIFA, and his account of what life is like. It’s quite sad, isn’t it? It’s a pretty sordid world, FIFA.” Blatter, he was told, boasted to a pretty female journalist: “‘What’s interesting about my job is, whichever country I go to, I’m more important than the President.’ Now, if that’s true, then it tells you a lot about him. Massive ego. I think he believed he was not answerable to anybody.”

Dyke’s analysis of his nemesis’ attitudes sounds broadly reliable. The more he talks, however, the more it sounds like an uncannily accurate description of Dyke as well. With the obvious exception of starkly different attitudes to corruption, the two men’s leadership styles do not appear to be dissimilar.

When asked if his public attacks on Blatter and FIFA might have been rashly intemperate,

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his tone is nonchalantly defiant. “See, I work on the basis that we have nothing to lose, the English FA. We don’t need FIFA’s money. We don’t want to bid for another event, not while Blatter’s there. We can say what we like.

Also, I’m 68. This is the end of my career.”

Will the FA be his last big public job? “Yeah.

Yeah. You know, I was 68 last week. The only advantage of being old – well, of being old and

“This is nothing to do with Mr Blatter being honourable; he hasn’t been honourable for years. I wouldn’t want to be Qatar. They’ll sleep even less well tonight” having made money – is you don’t give a f***.”

There are large parts of the world where the FA is perceived as an arrogant, neo-colonial elite and there Dyke’s comments might enjoy less approval, and do little to dispel that reputation. “No, I think it’s good for the FA’s reputation. We stood up. The FA hasn’t always stood up. The history is not that good. We stood up to be counted. We stood up to him.”

If Blatter was oblivious to Fifa’s international reputation, Dyke appears similarly unaware of any animosity towards the FA. “Well, I think

it’s true that it’s perceived like that politically in some quarters, but not by the football-watching public. ’Cos they all love the Premier League. No, I think this is a bit of a myth. That somehow it’s colonialism. It’s not colonialism at all. But there is no doubt that there is a set of values which you find in Western Europe, and in America and Australia, that don’t apply everywhere.” Such as? “Well, my experience in Africa is that when people go into politics in Africa, it’s incumbent upon you as part of that to look after your family.

That’s just cultural, it’s a cultural difference.”

But he has no intention of heeding Qatar’s public warning this week to stop querying its right to host in 2022. “I thought it was funny,” he laughs. “I’m an adult and I’ve been around too long. I once had Blair after me, I’ve been there before. Of course, you can’t convict people on journalism, so we will have to wait for the Swiss investigation to do its job. But if you read the Sunday Times and the recent book, it’s all in there. If you read all of that, it’s hard to believe that it wasn’t corrupt.” His phone rings, and when he hangs up he is beaming.

“We’ve just discovered that the FBI investigation does include scrutiny of the two World Cup awards. That’s good. I wouldn’t want to be Qatar. They’ll sleep even less well tonight.”

Most of us hope to feel our lives have been well lived, but seldom will you meet anyone more convinced of it, and his contentment makes him hugely likable. If Dyke has any regret, it was his departure from the BBC. “I hadn’t finished. There was more to be done there. I wouldn’t have done more than a couple of years anyway, but I would have liked to have finished off all the stuff we were doing. But then,” he starts to laugh, “that’s what Blatter said!”

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