Lincolnshire Pride April 2020

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LINCOLNSHIRE

PRIDE LINCOLNSHIRE’S FINEST MAGAZINE

Spring in the Fields of Lincolnshire Golden daffodils and fresh asparagus... Spring is here!

Creating Beautiful Silk Scarves Clare Haggas shows off her new Spring collection...

Naturally Beautiful Lincolnshire The stunning landscapes of the East Coast...

£4.50

FREE ONLINE

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WELCOME

here are many joyous things about life as the Editor of a county magazine. Anyone who has met me over the past 20 years I’ve headed up the county’s finest magazine will know that I adore this job from the very bottom of my pencil case, from writing features to seeing our Pride (and joy) coming back from our printer each month.

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But easily the best thing about this job, is the way it brings the beauty of each season into sharp focus, and keeps one in mind of how a diverse county such as ours reinvents itself month by month. This is of course a spring edition, so we’re picking daffodils, enjoying a walk along Lincolnshire’s East Coast and smothering Hollandaise all over some local asparagus.

Another profound joy is being able to introduce you to the talent that the county produces, from wildlife artist Clare Haggas and her beautiful silk scarves to Sanyukta Shrestha and her bespoke wedding dresses. It’s safe to say we’ve an impressive breadth of features this month, plenty of suggestions for how to enjoy the county in April and some great people to introduce you to as well.

Naturally we’re always looking for more of the same, so if you’ve an idea for a feature, or a forthcoming event, do email me... after all, yet another pleasure of the job is hearing from our readers!

Best wishes for a wonderful month!

Executive Editor rob@pridemagazines.co.uk 3

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65 CONTENTS NEWS & EVENTS

FOOD & DRINK

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NEWS The best ‘good news’ stories from across Lincolnshire.

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120 87

WHAT’S ON The best April events from live music to theatre.

HIGHLIGHTS 16

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SOUTHWELL WORKHOUSE A trip to the poor house near Newark this month to discover bygone days.

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LINCOLNSHIRE’S EAST COAST From vast panoramas of sand dunes to long walks along breezy coastlines.

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HOMES & GARDENS 78

WELCOME HOME Nuddock Wood Lakes, set in 16 acres with an eight acre fishing lake at its heart.

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SPRING FRESH Refresh your home

CLARE HAGGAS Creates beautiful silk products taking the countryside around Louth as her inspiration.

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THEN & NOW How Grantham’s Market Place has changed over the past 100 years.

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ASPARAGUS St George’s Day means the beginning of local asparagus season, and an especially busy time for local farmer Tim Casey.

DINING OUT This month we visit Belvoir Castles Engine Yard and The Black Horse at Gosberton Risegate.

and take nature or floral prints as your inspiration.

LADIES & GENTLEMEN 120 WEDDINGS Alex and Molly marry at The Brackenborough Hotel.

131 FASHION Beautiful Mother of the Bride outfits from John Charles.

THE HIGH LIFE 147 HIGH LIFE The Burton Hunt Ball.

152 MOTORS Porsche’s flagship Macan Turbo.

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32 THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE IN THE AREA READ PRIDE MAGAZINE

READ

FREE ONLINE

Pride Magazine is delivered free of charge, via Royal Mail, to high value homes in the county.

Our circulation is to properties in the top three council tax bands - homes which are predominantly worth over £300,000. This guarantees the magazine has an affluent readership commensurate with our content. In addition the magazine is also sold in supermarkets and newsagents including Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, WHSmith, Tesco, Asda, Co-Op and Morrisons.

Our in-house distribution team also works hard to hand-deliver the magazine to selected hotels and restaurants, doctors, dentists, executive motor dealerships and golf clubs.

This helps to ensure we have a continued presence, right across our catchment area.

Our magazines also have more social media fans than any other local magazine, and we are available to read free of charge, online on your tablet, computer, laptop or mobile phone via our website and via the Readly and Issuu platforms.

If your business would benefit from being showcased to the wealthiest people in the area, please call our friendly sales team on 01529 469977.

To read the latest edition and all of our back editions online, free of charge, visit www.pridemagazines.co.uk.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER

THE PRIDE TEAM

By supplying editorial or advertising copy to Pride you accept in full the terms and conditions which can be found online at www.pridemagazines.co.uk.

In the event of an advert or editorial being published incorrectly, where Pride Magazines Ltd admits fault, we will include an advert of equivalent size, or equivalent sized editorial, free of charge to be used in a future edition, at our discretion.

This gesture is accepted as full compensation for the error(s) with no refunds available.

Selected images in our content may be sourced from www.shutterstock.com.

Managing Director: Julian Wilkinson.

Production Director: Ian Bagley.

Sales Director: Zoie Wilkinson.

Sales Manager: Charlotte Daubney.

Sales Supervisor: Cydney Dyson.

Executive Editor: Rob Davis.

Photographers: Dean Fisher, Jonathan Scrimshaw.

Illustrator: Jocelyn Lawman.

Features: Laurin Dempsey.

Customer Care Manager: Mandy Bray.

Web Developer: Joe Proctor.

Office Managers: Sue Bannister and Sinead Holland.

Sales Executives: Cassy Ayton, Emily Brown, Ruth Vinter, Grace Mumford, Sami Millard.

Pride Magazines Ltd., Elm Grange Studios, East Heckington, Boston, Lincs PE20 3QF

Tel: 01529 469977 Fax: 01529 469978 www.pridemagazines.co.uk | enquiries@pridemagazines.co.uk

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NEWS & EVENTS

Lincolnshire Cathedral Blooms TICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR ST HUGH’S FESTIVAL OF FLOWERS IN LINCOLN LINCOLN Lincoln Cathedral will be holding a spectacular Flower Festival this summer to commemorate the 800th anniversary of St Hugh and celebrate some of Lincolnshire’s notable figures who have made a significant impact on the region and beyond.

“The festival is being organised by our voluntary flower team who are working with specially invited guests, local designers and flower clubs to transform the Cathedral with more than 130 elaborate floral arrangements,” said a spokesperson.

“Each of the displays will tie in with the festival’s theme of ‘Vision’ which pays tribute to one of the most important people in Lincoln Cathedral’s history, St Hugh, who organised its rebuild following an earthquake in 1185 and was later canonised as a saint in 1220, 800 years ago this year.”

2020 is also The Association of English Cathedrals’ ‘Year of Cathedrals, Year of Pilgrimage’, with major celebrations taking place at cathedrals across the country.

The event will also recognise many more visionary individuals who have influenced and changed poetry, the arts, theatre, film and fashion.

The festival will be held in July with a special preview evening with drinks and canapés before the event open to the public.

As well as the flower arrangements, the festival will include plants, crafts and food stalls in and around the Cathedral for visitors to enjoy Lincoln Cathedral, is one of the most important landmarks in the UK, has stood over the City of Lincoln for more than 900 years, with building works commencing in 1072. n

On The Right Track REPORT CONFIRMS POPULARITY OF RAIL CONNECTIONS IN LINCOLNSHIRE...

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LINCOLN It’s better by rail, said one historic advertising campaign for the railways.

And though motor cars are by far the most common form of transport these days, Lincolnshire’s rail network is still thriving, according to a new report.

Figures by the Office of Rail & Road - the ORR confirmed that last year over 5.6m people used Lincolnshire’s rail network, including 2,000,000 people using Lincoln’s Central Station - a year on year increase of 5.3%.

Lincoln Central Station is the 305th most used station out of 2,566 across Great Britain. There are 23 railway stations in the county, with 16 of these seeing an increase in passenger numbers last year.

Grantham and Stamford with their proximity to London and strong commuter community are the second and third most commonly used stations with 1.4m and 390,000 passengers respectively. Lincolnshire’s least used stations are Thorpe Culvert and Havenhouse which are used by just 258 and 158 passengers a year. n

APPEAL FOR HELP AT BURGH LE MARSH

LINCOLNSHIRE

Image: The Windmill Restaurant.

BURGH LE MARSH Volunteers at Burgh le Marsh windmill are devastated at the prospect of a £500,000 repair bill after the windmill lost its sails during Storm Ciara.

Dobson’s Mill in Burgh le Marsh is Grade I listed and was built in 1844. It operated commercially until the 1960s when it was purchased by the county council, run by a team of volunteers with a heritage remit.

The windmill’s five sails were spinning perilously fast before they were ripped off destroying not only the sails themselves but heritage centre too. “The whole cap will need replacing, the five sails will need rebuilding - we are talking about £500,000,” said Malcolm Ringsell, the windmill’s treasurer. n If you’re able to help the charity, email

There were celebrations recently across Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire as ten trainees at Duncan & Toplis have qualified as professional accountants.

“We’re very proud of the support we give to people setting out to begin rewarding careers in accountancy. Being one of the oldest, largest and most respected accountancy groups in the region, many of the most senior people at Duncan & Toplis started their careers in exactly the same way.” n See www.duntop.co.uk.

enquiries@burghlemarshwindmill.co.uk.

Spalding Takes Charge...

NEW ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING POINTS ARE BEING INSTALLED ACROSS RURAL LINCOLNSHIRE

SPALDING South Holland District Council’s new electric vehicle charging points in Spalding have gone live.

The points are available in Vine Street and Victoria Street allowing motorists to join the green revolution and have also been installed in the visitor section of the Council’s Priory Road car park.

Charging will cost 30p/kWh and all charging points are fast charging of between 7kW and 22kW, as well as being dual socket units allowing two cars to be charged at one charging station.

The council will be installing further charing points in towns and villages across the District. n

£1,600,000 Pavilion

Windmill Rescue

Ten newly qualified accountants at Duncan & Toplis

SKEGNESS will welcome locals and tourists into its new £1.6m pavilion in Tower Gardens for the first time since 2007 when the pervious structure was deemed unsafe and closed.

The new building will serve as a mixed-use community space with café. n

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LOCAL

NEWS In Brief LINCOLN

NEW EXO CENTRE DUE TO BE CREATED AT THE COUNTY GROUND...

Lincolnshire Showground has announced an investment of over £800,000 in the creation of a new exhibition hall in renovated space on the showground opposite the current Epic Centre.

It’ll be known as the EXO Centre, and will create a contemporary and inclusive education and events facility for all.

Lincolnshire Showground, owned by the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, is committed to delivering diverse events and services that are accessible for all to enjoy.

The EXO centre will enable the site to host more events for more people, no matter what their needs and is due to be finished in May 2020. n See lincolnshire showground.co.uk.

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NEWS & EVENTS

New Home for next RAF staff...

NEW NURSERY COULD BE HOME FOR NEXT GENERATION OF RAF SERVICE PERSONNEL! CRANWELL Last month saw the official opening of RAFA Kidz Cranwell, the official station of the station, near Sleaford.

The nursery, has been officially opened by Mrs Kate Wigston, the wife of the Chief of the Air Staff. Speaking at the event, Mrs Wigston said: “Having been part of the RAF family for many years, I am aware how important a facility such as RAFA Kidz is and will be for years to come.”

“It has been an absolute pleasure to officially open the RAFA Kidz nursery at RAF College Cranwell and to see the impact a facility such as this has on the military community.” The nursery RAFA Kidz is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Royal Air Forces Association, the charity that supports the RAF family It delivers fun, affordable and nurturing early years childcare in a welcoming

LOCAL NEWS In Brief

WHALE MEET AGAIN DON’T KNOW WHERE, DON’T KNOW WHEN...

The first stranded Orca in England and Wales since 2001 was found last month in the Wash just off the coastline of Lincolnshire.

London’s Zoological Society said of the 4.5 metre creature: “As this is such a rare case, its analysis will inform UK marine mammal research for years to come. n

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environment, on RAF stations.

When serving parents send their children to a RAFA Kidz nursery, they will also be supporting their RAF colleagues.

Any additional income will be invested back into the nursery and into RAF welfare activities delivered by the RAF Association.

Lincoln Imps Transformed LOCAL ARTISTS PAINT 30 SCULPTURES WHICH WILL BE FEATURED IN THE LINCOLN IMP TRAIL THIS SUMMER...

Popular projects such as free station wi-fi, Storybook Wings and childminder training will all benefit. n See www.rafakidz.org.uk.

LINCOLN As Pride goes to press, local artists will be painting the Ruddockssponsored Lincoln Imps at various shops around Lincoln in preparation for Lincoln BIG’s trail this summer.

The trail will follow in the wake of the Barons and create a trail around the city that locals and visitors to the city can follow. They’ve been produced in association with education trail partner Wild In Art, The EBP and their charity partner St Barnabas. If like us you cannot wait to discover what they are going to look like, ensure you keep your eyes peeled! n

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ORCHARD HOUSE, BEACON HILL ROAD, NEWARK £1,000,000

DRAYTON HOUSE, SWINESHEAD, BOSTON

Orchard House is a wonderful five bedroom executive home with leisure facilities, located in a superb gated position just a couple of miles from the pretty market town of Newark. The accommodation, in excess of 5650 sq ft, offers an impressive family kitchen, formal lounge, garden room, sitting room, home office, stunning master suite and a self-contained guest suite to the second floor. The impressive leisure facilities include a 12m swimming pool, steam room sauna and spa area.

This magnificent Victorian country residence occupies a wonder ful setting with exceptional panoramic views. The spacious accommodation, extends to some 5000 sq. ft and includes an interior located over three floors, steeped with character and exposed features. Externally the property enjoys formal lawns, paddock land nearing seven acres (STS), ménage and stable block. The property is further complemented by a two-bedroom Victorian Coach House with Stabling and detached Bakehouse.

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EPC Rating: D

LODGE FARM, NORTON DISNEY, LINCOLN

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£875,000

Lodge Farm is a beautiful Grade II Listed, six-bedroom period home, which enjoys a very picturesque rural location and is located just six miles from the market town of Newark. The accommodation and outbuildings, in excess of 10,500 sq. ft, have been upgraded by the current owners to reveal a quality interior with a wealth of original features. Externally the property is surrounded by idyllic grounds nearing 7.5 acres (STS) which include formal lawns, land suitable for equine purposes and woodland.

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EPC Rating: NA

MAIN ROAD, LEADENHAM, LINCOLN

£525,000

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4

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EPC Rating: E

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EPC Rating: E

THE DIAL HOUSE, NAVENBY, LINCOLN

£675,000

The Dial House is a wonderful four-bedroom Grade II Listed residence located in an enviable corner position, in this highly regarded Lincolnshire Cliff village. The accommodation, in excess of 3400 sq. ft reveals an interior steeped with character and charm and boasts a grand reception room, stunning garden room, family room, kitchen / breakfast room with Aga and walk in pantry, utility room, study and four double bedrooms. Externally the spectacular walled gardens are a tranquil haven.

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A newly converted stone family home with a wealth of original features. Offering in excess of 2,150 sq. ft, the spacious and versatile accommodation is located over two floors and finished to a high standard throughout. Externally the property is surrounded by beautiful gardens and complimented by an enclosed sun terrace, outbuilding, and a generous driveway provides off street parking for several vehicles.

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£925,000

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3

EPC Rating: E

GEORGIAN LODGE, BOSTON

£435,000

Georgian Lodge is a wonderful three bedroom executive style home with leisure facilities and located in a superb gated position. The accommodation reveals an impressive interior infused with a high standard of quality and craftsmanship. The leisure facilities include a detached games room/annex and a detached swim spa complex. Externally the property enjoys a private setting with part walled garden, electric gated access, formal lawn gardens and detached double garage.

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3

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EPC Rating: TBC

Fine & Country Lincolnshire and Grantham,

55 High Street, Navenby, Lincs LN5 0DZ Telephone: 01522 287008 or 01476 247070 Email: lincoln@fineandcountry.com www.fineandcountry.com

With offices in over 300 locations worldwide Fine and Country combine the widespread exposure of the international marketplace with national marketing campaigns and local expertise

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HOTCHKIN Plot 3 | Petwood Oaks | Woodhall Spa | Lincolnshire | LN10 6AH

• A Magnificent Five Bedroomed Detached House of Architectural Merit • Large Kitchen Family Area with Dining Room, Separate Lounge and Study • Three En-Suite Bedrooms, Two Further Bedrooms and FOR SALE FREEHOLD WITH Family Bathroom • Nestled on the Edge of Parkland in a Select Gated Development VACANT POSSESSION • Located in One of the East Midlands most Desirable Villages Subject To Contract • Triple Garage and Private Gardens

£895,000

CARLTON HOUSE 42 Wragby Road | Bardney | Lincoln | LN3 5XL

• Five Bedroomed Detached Period Residence plus 2 bedroomed annexe set in 0.43 Acres of Private Gardens

FOR SALE FREEHOLD WITH VACANT POSSESSION • 5 Bedrooms with 3 En-Suites and Spacious Hallways, EPC F37 • 3 Large Reception Rooms, Modern Fitted Kitchen and Utility

£595,000

• Modernised Annexe with 2 Bedrooms, En-Suite and Shower Room Subject To Contract

RECTORY FARM Mere Booth Road | Langrick | Boston | Lincolnshire | PE22 7AD

• Superb Barn Conversion Set in Just Over 1 Acre • Over 10,000sqft of Commercial Buildings in a Secure Setting • Comprising Offices, Storage, Workshops and Overnight Accommodation • Unique Opportunity to Purchase Newly Refurbished and Extended Buildings

FOR SALE FREEHOLD WITH VACANT POSSESSION

£795,000 Subject To Contract

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Mulberry House, Hundleby, Spilsby £650,000

Wainfleet Road, Boston

This fabulous five bedroom country home is located between the market towns of Spilsby and Horncastle at the foot of the Lincolnshire Wolds and has been fitted to an impeccably high standard throughout. With three beautifully appointed reception rooms in addition to a superb bespoke kitchen with dining and sitting areas off, the property enjoys two en-suite bathrooms, solid oak floors and three Clearview wood burning stoves.

This spacious four bedroom period property has three reception rooms and has undergone a total refurbishment in the last couple of years and now enjoys a wonderful mixture of character features alongside more contemporary fixtures and fittings. The superb new kitchen runs across the back of the property and has two sets of bi-fold doors that fully open out onto a split level patio area. There is extensive parking for many vehicles and access at the side down to a detached triple garage. The property is offered with NO CHAIN.

£475,000

Catchwater Bank, Stickford Offers over £400,000

Witham Bank West, Boston

Situated in a private position at the end of a bridleway, enjoying open views to all aspects, this five bedroom detached cottage also has five reception rooms, four bathrooms and annexe potential too, making it ideal for larger families, or for a buyer working from home. With a plot size of approximately one acre subject to survey, it has no immediate neighbours, many charming features and its own lake. The perfect country cottage.

This beautiful four bedroom Georgian property enjoys an established plot of just over half an acre subject to survey and an attractive riverside aspect.

It offers versatile accommodation arranged over three storeys, with a layout which can also include a self-contained annexe to the ground floor. The property has two kitchens, bathroom or shower room facilities to each floor and 4-5 reception rooms depending on personal preference. It has a long, private driveway and a detached double garage.

£315,000

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SMOOTH as

SILK The feel of silk is smooth and luxurious at any time of the year but this month is the ideal time to acquaint oneself with the new spring and summer designs of Clare Haggas. Marrying ďŹ ne art and fashion, Clare creates beautiful silk scarves, ties, artwork and products for your home taking the countryside around Louth as her inspiration...

Words: Laurin Dempsey.

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“Living on the outskirts of Louth, surrounded by the beauty of our much-loved Lincolnshire countryside, Clare had the perfect opportunity to paint the wildlife that surrounded their home...”

THE VISUAL NARRATIVE of a countryside which unfolds throughout the year is an inspiration to all artists, but for Louth’s Clare Haggas, the ever-changing view from the window of her studio is especially relevant.

rebranded as Clare Haggas. She has been in the world of painting since 2015, a born and bred Cheltenham girl who moved to Lincolnshire in 2014 to be with her now husband.

Keeping an eye on the bird life and the ebullient palette of greens and flecks of colour which reveal themselves in spring provides a rich source of inspiration which Clare can use in her work. She creates huge original illustrations of animals, flora and fauna which then find themselves transferred onto giclée prints and onto silk scarves, pocket squares and ties.

Her leap of faith invoked a period of uncertainty. Clare was unsure what to do after the move; continue working in Sales and Marketing or embark on a new adventure.

This month Clare is excited to be launching a range of products for homes, too, and finds herself in the finals of a national competition to reward rural enterprises.

Clare’s business was known as Clare Shaw Fine Art and Design, before she married the love of her life Will, a local farmer, and 18

In the meantime, whilst mulling over her decision she undertook painting as a hobby but what she didn’t know was that her life was about to take a very unexpected turn.

Living on the outskirts of Louth, surrounded by the beauty of our much-loved Lincolnshire countryside, Clare had the perfect opportunity to paint the local wildlife that surrounded their home. The artist uploaded her images to social media and soon found herself accepting orders for commissioned artwork. >>

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Opposite Page: Clare pictured in her garden with husband Will and daughter Daisy.

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Clare models Catch and Release in Sage, £175, 100cm x 100cm.

>> Clare became well known, very quickly.

But it was when her artwork was accepted at luxury countryside retailer The House of Bruar in Scotland that orders soon exploded.

brilliant is that it all happens from home, I can create my designs in my ‘happy place’ and send them off to be printed – everything is created in this country.”

“My main income by that point was private commission work for original artwork, which was great, but I felt like something was missing.

I kept asking myself ‘what more could I do?’”

“Another motivation for developing my paintings to prints suitable for silk scarves and pocket squares was because as a typical country girl I couldn’t find anything to wear to set off an outfit… I found the available country motifs all very boring.”

It was in December 2016 that a chance meeting changed Clare’s life. The artist went to a meeting in Cheltenham where she began speaking to a gentleman in a waiting room, who had expressed an interest in her paintings.

Clare was telling him how she through her work would suit silk, and later when he revealed that he owned a silk printing company in Evesham, a four-minute discussion and ‘let’s do it’ leap of faith brought Clare’s ideas to life.

“We work together really well and what makes the association with each other so 20

Clare wanted to create something vibrant to ‘bring life’ to women’s outfits and soon filled a gap in the market. After her success as a designer of accessories for ladies, Clare went on to launch a men’s range last year which consists of ties, pocket squares and scarves.

This summer she will be launching a very exciting homeware selection.

In April she will launch a range of colourful, high end luxury velvet cushions with wallpapers, coasters, place mats, napkins and napkin rings to follow.

“I’m a typical country girl but I couldn’t find anything to wear to set off an outfit.

I found the available country motifs all very boring...”

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The beauty of Clare’s product ranges, especially in the respect of her accessories, is that her ideas don’t need to be created in specific sizes, which would necessitate expansion and make life difficult for a homebased business.

“I am an artist, not a fashion designer,” she says. “The joy is in creating the artwork and I’ve just expanded the number of ranges I produce with new designs like Peacock, Hare and an upcoming Flower range.”

“I never reprint once all of my editions have sold out, which helps to create a sense of exclusivity for my customers,” says Clare.

“I like them to feel special and if they have a limited-edition print, of which I have lower batches available of, it is unfair of me to continue making these for other customers.”

“I have gone from selling 10 products a week, to 500-750 a week with 43 stores now selling my stock… some of the most luxurious stores in the world. It is crazy!”

Clare’s husband Will, her daughter Daisy and her dogs are all very supportive and help Clare to create the great work/life balance that she maintains.

“Daisy, is my chief stylist and at the age of 15 she does not hold back to tell me if she does not like a design! She is very businessminded however.”

“Though I can’t see her following in my footsteps as she is very sporty and wants to study child psychology. I have always been around dogs and we have now four in the house, with the newest edition being Molly, a Cocker Spaniel puppy.”

“No day is the same with a Terrier, two Labs and a Cocker running around… I am just really lucky!”

Clare is very independent when it comes to her business and though she does have a colleague on hand to help with her packages, plus another to help with wholesale and someone who manages her website, she describes herself as being totally hand’s on, and the main focus is to keep other local Lincolnshire businesses going.

“It is important I support other businesses close to me, and why I use the Post Office for example rather than a courier.” Clare’s skills from her university days, studying 21

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Top Left: Pastures New in mint, 153 x 43cm £99.

Top Right: Odd One Out in mustard, 8cm x 150cm £89.

“One of my personal favourite paintings I have created is Odd One Out. Therefore I didn’t waste any time getting these playful, and characteristic birds on to this years Limited Edition piece!” say Clare.

Bottom Left: Pluming Marvellous, 100cm x 100cm, £99.

Bottom Right: Just Haring Around, 100cm x 100cm, £175.

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THE INTERVIEW: CLARE HAGGAS

business and marketing, afforded insight into the potential of online commerce, as well we being faithful to her local audience.

“I’m proud of my achievements but even more proud that I can celebrate, reflect and above all enjoy the countryside which surrounds us!”

“Up until a year ago Clare described her target audience as being 40-75year old females, however it’s becoming increasingly diverse, and now comprises male and females from just seven years of age upwards!

Top: Clare with George & Friends large square scarf 100cm x 100cm, £175.

“That feels great,” says Clare. “I love the versatility in my range of customers, knowing that all ages are ‘wearing Clare Haggas.’

My ultimate dream, though, is to see the Queen or The Duchess of Cambridge wearing one of my scarves!”

“I wanted to ensure my business was as userfriendly as possible and met all of my target audiences,” she says. “But I also still send out brochures and accept written orders and cheques rather than just online orders and payments.”

Last year Clare entered herself into the Rural Business Awards into three different categories; Best Rural Start Up, Best Rural Retailer and Best Rural Arts, crafts and artisan business.

She was delighted to win the Midlands’ Best Rural Start Up and Best Rural Retailer category and to be awarded runner up as Best Rural Arts, crafts and artisan. The UK finals will be held, as Pride goes to press, in Manchester. “It is so nice to be recognised and even considered for these awards!”

“I’m proud of my achievements but even more proud that I can celebrate, reflect and above all enjoy the countryside which surrounds us!” n Clare Haggas creates is an English countryside artist based near Louth. She created limited edition silk scarves, ties and pocket squares. See her work at clarehaggas.com or call 07943 502756.

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Newark’s Southwell Workhouse is a National Trust-owned property aimed at demonstrating what life was like in a Victorian poor house!

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SOUTHWELL WORKHOUSE

SENT TO THE

POOR HOUSE Newark-based Southwell Workhouse’s architecture and design was a typical example of a building designed to give the poor just enough help to survive... brutal by today’s standards, we this month investigate whether they were cruel, or kind places to live...

Words: Laurin Dempsey. Images: www.nationaltrust.org.uk.

BEFORE 1834, poor people were looked after by buying food and clothing from money collected from landowners and other wealthy people. The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 ensured that no able-bodied person could get poor relief unless they went to live in special workhouses.

The idea was that the poor were helped to support themselves. They had to work for their food and accommodation. Also in the workhouses were orphaned and abandoned children, the physically and mentally sick, the disabled, the elderly and unmarried mothers.

A workhouse provided a place to live, a place to work and earn money, free medical care, food, clothes and free education for children and training for a job. As the government was terrified of encouraging ‘idlers’, they ensured that people feared the workhouse and would do anything to keep out of it.

The use of time between 7-8pm was unspecified and was no doubt often used as an informal recreation period. From the 1860s, most workhouses received donations of books and magazines for the inmates’ use. Workhouses also started to host occasional talks and musical entertainments, often performed by visiting groups.

The women mostly did domestic jobs such as cleaning or helping in the kitchen or laundry.

Some workhouses also had workshops for sewing, spinning and weaving or other local trades. Others had their own vegetable gardens where the inmates worked to provide food for the workhouse. Men in the workhouse who were able-bodied had to

work at hard manual labour. These jobs had to be done and there were no machines to do them. One of the jobs was to tease out the strands of worn-out rope from ships, so that the fibres could be used for other purposes.

Another job would be stone breaking; breaking up lumps of granite into knobs, about 1.5 inches across, which were used in making macadam roads. Macadam was these knobs set in sand and compacted by rolling.

By the end of the nineteenth century a few unions however were attempting to provide ‘useful’ work for their inmates such as shoemaking, tailoring, bricklaying, painting, or plumbing.

Built in 1824 and just a few miles from Newark, Southwell Workhouse is the best-preserved example of the hundreds of workhouses built across the country.

The system implemented here was developed by the Reverend John T. Becher and George Nicholls whose ideas shaped the way in which the poor were treated during the 19th century. >> 27

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SOUTHWELL WORKHOUSE

Above: Children from local schools experience life in a rather more austere environment than their modern school!

Main: Children received a very basic education whilst capable adults were set to work on rope or rocks!

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>> The Workhouse - originally called the Thurgarton Hundred Incorporated Workhouse and later the Southwell Union Workhouse was home to 158 inhabitants, drawn from 62 nearby parishes. The inmates used the Workhouse as a place of last resort.

Becher’s view was that workhouses should be a 'deterrent' to ensure that only the truly destitute would submit themselves to such a harsh regime.

It was also intended to achieve a ‘moral’ improvement, with the poor providing for themselves if at all possible. However, children and the 'old and infirm' would be treated tenderly.

Men, women, and children had separate quarters, which meant that families were split up and not allowed to meet.

The children received rudimentary education, and some were made to work. Adults were divided into categories - those unable to work (called ‘blameless’) and those capable of work but unemployed (considered ‘idle and profligate able bodied’).

Becher and Nicholls’s ideas were based on the social welfare schemes that evolved after the Old Poor Law of 1601.

Their revolutionary but strict system attracted much attention. The Poor Law Commission used their model to inform the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, known as the New Poor Law. Hundreds of workhouses were set up across the country as part of a national government system, run from London offices. Workhouses were often referred to as Union Workhouses to reflect the union of the local parishes.

For most of the 20th century, Becher’s Workhouse was known as: ‘Greet House.’

In 1929 the New Poor Law system was disbanded, and workhouses were handed over to local authorities. Most continued either as hospitals or, like The Workhouse, as institutions for the poor, homeless and elderly.

In 1997 Southwell Workhouse was in danger of being converted into flats when the National Trust stepped in to buy it.

It remains the least altered poorhouse in the country, and a symbol of a way of life for thousands of our ancestors. An audio guide gives modern visitors a chance to ‘meet’ workhouse inhabitants and learn about their lives.

The deceased from a Workhouse or Infirmary may be buried back in the home parish or in the one local to the institution.

Many paupers were taken away after death by friends (this often means relatives) to be buried at a place of their choice.

It was decided, shortly after setting up the Poor Law Unions, that the pauper’s place of settlement (parish) paid for the funeral wherever it took place.

It should be possible to find mention of a pauper's burial in the parish Overseers’ Accounts or the Vestry Minutes if they were recorded and if those records still exist. n Southwell Workhouse near Newark is open 10.30-5pm seven days a week. See www.nationaltrust.org.uk or call 01636 817260.

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THE BUSINESS OF PLANNING

FOR THE FUTURE

By Imogen Holmes, Partner in the Wills, Estates,Tax & Trusts team at Wilkin Chapman solicitors.

AS people journey through the years, there are some key life-changing decisions that are made - their career, marriage, children and then hopefully onto a long and happy retirement.

These are exciting times, which will see life taking a different path and with that change must come planning, in order to move forward in the knowledge that the future is as stable and certain as possible.

Retirement presents a watershed for many. Take someone, or a couple, who have built up their own successful business – they will have worked hard to build a future that has provided well for them and their children.

Wanting to wind down their involvement, they may be considering provision or succession for their children – one who has followed them into the family business, with the others pursuing other career goals.

How does the original partnership make plans, is it enough to simply change existing Wills to reflect what they wish on a personal and business level, or is something more required?

Such a couple, wanting to enjoy retirement while keeping a watchful

eye on their business for a short time at least, is strongly advised to seek professional help in order to put personal and business matters in order.

“This is the beginning of a new decade and perhaps a time when some are looking at succession planning” As business owners and parents, they must work with their advisers to understand the best way to approach handing over the business reins and the partnership or shareholder/ management arrangements that are necessary. They may need to decide on the way they can pass their business onto the interested child while ensuring other children benefit in both the medium and long term.

More often such arrangements start with an initial meeting, before engaging with the family. Taking account of all assets and circumstances, including planning to support changes on death, incapacity or from family

break-ups, as well as provision for grandchildren and the way in which everyone will benefit fairly, is something that takes time to work through with specialists.

This is the beginning of a new decade and perhaps a time when some are looking at succession planning – our advice is to ensure that your future is secure by taking the time now to prepare. Your business and your family will thank you for that.

For further information, please contact Imogen Holmes on 01522 515978 email imogen.holmes@wilkinchapman.co.uk or visit wilkinchapman.co.uk

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THE EAST COAST

LINCOLNSHIRE’S

EAST COAST From vast panoramas of sand dunes from which to spot a variety of birds, to long walks along breezy coastlines, to the hustle and bustle of Skegness, The East Coast has a charm all of its own...

Words: Laurin Dempsey. Images: Dean Fisher

The North Sea Observatory at Chapel St Leonards is a purpose-built marine observatory.

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LINCOLNSHIRE’S EAST COAST

COME RAIN OR SHINE, Lincolnshire’s coastline offers the traditional seaside experience, especially with ‘staycations’ - holidays in this country - proving more popular than in recent years, thanks to inflated overseas holiday prices in school holidays and the stress of negotiating an airport departure lounge, each increasing the appeal of holidays in the UK. Skegness is the coastline’s main town and although the largest, there are other areas that are just as beautiful to explore; Ingoldmells, Chapel St Leonards, Mablethorpe and Sutton-on-Sea. Skegness was one of the country’s first seaside resorts to welcome visitors and is still one of the most popular today. Whether you’re visiting for the day, staying for the

weekend or longer, you’ll find your days packed with things to do, places to visit and experiences you’ll never forget.

The resort’s beach has also once again been awarded the prestigious Blue Flag award, giving you peace of mind that it is amongst the cleanest in the world.

One of the newest editions to the East Coast is The North Sea Observatory, adding further appeal to the beautiful beach at Chapel St Leonards. The North Sea Observatory is the UK’s only purpose-built Marine Observatory and can be found at Chapel Point on the northern edge of Chapel St Leonards a few miles north of Skegness.

Tourism Economy

Though Skegness is home to just 25,000 people, it’s visited by over 8,000,000 each year and its tourism economy is worth £526m annually!

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Coastal Walk

THE ROUTE LINCOLNSHIRE’S 16 MILE COASTAL WALK TAKES IN THE BEST OF THE EAST COAST 2019 saw a new 16-mile coastal walk shows off the magnificent Lincolnshire coast from Skegness to Mablethorpe.

It’s a relatively easy walk and as long as you keep the sea on the right or left you cant get lost! The route takes into account the area’s important coastal habitats, including the seascapes and unique habitats of Anderby Marsh, Chapel Pit and Wolla Bank Reedbed.

The walk starts along the seafront promenade at Skegness. This is an easy stroll along the beachfront where you can join all of the Easter holiday makers and take in the salty sea air.

The path turns into a firm footpath through the dunes up to the North Shore Golf Club. Continue to walk along the promenade until your reach Ingoldmells and then on to Vickers Point and Chapel St Leonards.

Top/Left: The Cloud Bar at Anderby Creek is the world's first official Cloudspotting Area.

The dramatic structure was completed in 2018 and is now open all year round for families and those enjoying a nice quiet walk along the beach on the search for more information about the coastline.

Inside you will find plenty of information and various exhibitions on the rich natural history of the local area and the Lincolnshire coast. There’s also a beautiful art space, a café called Seascape. The site also serves as a fantastic facility and an impressive gateway to the Coast Country Park.

Above: Lincolnshire’s Gibraltar Point nature reserve and North Sea Observatory (top) are great vantage point for spotting birds like terns, skylarks and waders.

Outside you will see great views along the beach from North Sea Observatory but also out to sea. Chapel Point is a great spot for bird watching; in winter you will see any species of duck as well as grebes, divers and wild swans and in summer breeding species >>

The section from Chapel Point to Sutton on Sea is a glorious five-mile beach walk and, weather permitting, a chance for some bare foot walking in the sand.

You will walk along Wolla Bank beach or you can visit the adjacent Anderby Marsh followed by Moggs Eye beach and Sandilands Beach.

From Sutton on Sea you walk along the Bohemia Promenade to Trusthorpe and then on to the final stretch of Mablethorpe’s promenade to listen to the sounds of the waves gently breaking. n

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>> such as reed and sedge warblers, lesser whitethroat, great crested and little grebes. In August and September thousands of swallows and house martins roost in the reedbeds.

Stretching along the coast from Sandilands to Chapel St Leonards and inland to Hogsthorpe, Mumby, Anderby and Huttoft, the Lincolnshire Coastal Country Park has beaches, nature reserves, public footpaths and more to explore.

In 2009 the Lincolnshire village of Anderby Creek became the world’s first location to get an official cloud-spotting bar, and it’s barely 36

glanced down since. The seaside destination’s Cloud Bar is a place to lie back, relax and check out some cumulonimbi or cirruses in style. The bar is equipped with various ‘cloud menus’ providing help to correctly identify a floating beauty.

Gibraltar Point is a dynamic stretch of unspoilt coastline running southwards from the edge of Skegness to the mouth of the Wash.

Known for its impressive views and sheer scale and diversity of wildlife, Gibraltar Point is worth visiting in different seasons to fully appreciate its landscape.

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SKEGNESS: IT’S NOT JUST F O R T H E H O L I D AY M A K E R S !

Think Skegness and you immediately picture fast rides, amusement arcades with garish games, and sugary treats. For Lincolnshire folk though, there’s more to Skegness than just the usual seaside fun.

Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve was created on land once designated for a housing development. The site was the LWT’s first nature reserve, originally intended as a site for 400 bungalows but now forming part of a 1,000 acre site.

You don’t need to be a serious birder to enjoy sitting with a coffee and enjoying the East Coast views, but first and foremost, it’s a site of stunning scientific interest and biodiversity.

Main Image: Skegness from 120 metres... our drone photograph shows the newest additions to the town’s skyline including a new hotel, high-wire attraction and refurbished Tower Gardens.

Located between the coastal strip and the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty you’ll find the Lincolnshire Coastal Grazing Marshes. This nationally threatened habitat supports a diverse variety of wildlife and the distinctive wetland landscape is steeped in a rich cultural history.

A little further up the coast, Donna Nook Reserve covers more than 10 kilometres of coastline. The reserve is rich in bird life and is renowned as the site where a colony of grey seals return to give birth... winter 2019 saw the birth of 1,999 seal pups! n

Elsewhere, The Village is an open air museum exploring Lincolnshire’s farming heritage, May 2020 sees the attraction putting a special emphasis on remembering life in Skegness during the war.

Skegness’s Tower Gardens is being treated to a £1.5m makeover aimed not just at refreshing the look and feel of the gardens but also turning them into a venue

for live theatre and open air music events during the summer months.

Speaking of live events, the So Festival will return in late August as a weekend long festival of performing arts and live music.

The festival has been running since 2009 and its programme is usually revealed in April.

The town’s Embassy Centre is also a cultural hub with April 2020 bringing Motown hits, May providing a performance of Agatha Christie’s Mousetrap and June welcoming Strictly Come Dancing’s Giovanni Pernice... keep an eye on Pride’s What’s on Pages for dates and ticket details.

Skegness is also popular with those seeking to get a little closer to nature. As well as Natureland, Skegness has had a state of the art aquarium for over five years now.

And finally, Gunby Estate, its hall and gardens are located ten minutes outside Skegness.

Gunby Hall is a Grade I listed country house built around 1700. Both the hall and its spacious grounds are run by the National Trust. n

Above: Gibraltar Point is a 1,000 acre nature reserve owned and managed by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, created in 1948.

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EVENTS

What’s On...

LOUTH

WEDNESDAY 15th APRIL

SCUNTHORPE

LOUTH PIE DAY

MONDAY 6th APRIL

Louth Pie Day gets local producers and the whole town involved, meaning it’s a real day for those who want to explore what this beautiful Lincolnshire market town has to offer. The event is guaranteed to serve up another mouth-watering range of hot and cold, savoury and sweet pies from the town’s artisan bakers and pie-makers. Pie lovers can sample them along the extended Louth Pie Trail through the town’s picturesque streets.

STRICTLY’S GIOVANNI PERNICE: THIS IS ME! Strictly Come Dancing favourite, Giovanni Pernice, is back with a brand new show for 2020, Giovanni Pernice: This Is Me! The showman is set to light up the stage, along with his cast of professional dancers, for his fourth year of touring. With the Italian’s natural charm, combined with beautiful choreography perfectly complemented by a fabulous soundtrack, This is Me pays homage to the music and dances that have inspired Giovanni’s career, from a competition dancer to one of the biggest names on the hit BBC show.

n Call 07526 810553 or see www.louthpieday.com. Tickets £6, in advance or on the day.

SPALDING

SATURDAY 18th APRIL  SUNDAY 19th APRIL

n Baths Hall, Scunthorpe.

Tickets, £33-£74, from 7.30pm.

Call 0844 8542776 or see www.scunthorpetheatres.co.uk.

Countryside Lincs...

VISIT THE LINCOLNSHIRE SHOWGROUND FOR 2020’S COUNTRYSIDE LINCS EVENT. IT’S A FUN PACKED FAMILY DAY OUT ABOUT FOOD, FARMING AND THE COUNTRYSIDE

LINCOLNSHIRE DAFFODIL SOCIETY SHOW

LINCOLN

SUNDAY 5th APRIL

COUNTRYSIDE LINCS

Back for its sixth year, Countryside Lincs returns to the Lincolnshire Showground with a fun-filled and interactive day all about food, farming and the countryside. Meet producers, crafters, farmers and lots of animals all in one place to inspire young minds all about Lincolnshire’s heritage.

Eight different zones for children to explore including learning how to make and bake tasty local foods, getting hands-on with creative activities. n For more information see www.lincolnshireshowground.co.uk or call 01522 522900.

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Held at Springfields Event Centre Lincolnshire Daffodil Society in conjunction with Springfields Horticultural Society presents the Spring Flower & Gardening Show, with competitions and garden and plant stalls. n Call 01526 888229 or see www.springfieldsevents.co.uk.

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Send your press releases and events to: the Features Editor via editor@pridemagazines.co.uk.

LINCOLN

NEWARK

FRIDAY 24th APRIL  SUNDAY 26th APRIL

SATURDAY 2nd MAY

CIRQUE BERSERK IN LINCOLN

LINCOLN

THURSDAY 9th APRIL

BBC BIG BAND: THE MUSIC OF JAMES BOND… AND BEYOND! The BBC Big Band is probably best known for their special performances on BBC Radio 2, as well as appearances on BBC Radio 3’s Jazz Line Up and Friday Night is Music Night, and now, to coincide the with

the release of new Bond film, No Time To Die – the band takes to the road to celebrate the music of the iconic movie franchise, from Diamonds Are Forever to We Have All The Time In The World, to Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice plus, of course, John Barry’s iconic James Bond theme. n Lincoln Drill Hall, £35/person.

Call 01522 873894 or see www.lincolndrillhall.com.

Mamma Mia! Outdoor cinema comes to Boston!

ENJOY ABBA’S GREATEST HITS WITH A FEEL-GOOD FILM SCREENED IN BOSTON’S CENTRAL PARK...

Britain’s biggest theatre circus spectacular is back by popular demand at Lincoln’s New Theatre Royal Cirque Berserk returns with all your favourite acts, and some thrilling new ones, all created especially for the theatre.

Combining contemporary cirque style artistry with adrenaline fuelled stunt action, this astoundingly talented international troupe includes over thirty jugglers, acrobats, aerialists, dancers, drummers and daredevil stuntmen showcasing the finest in traditional circus thrills and skills.

No animal acts policy ensures cruelty-free performances. n Tickets £16-£26, from 2pm, 3pm and 7.30pm. Call 01522 519999 newtheatreroyallincoln.ticketsolve.com.

BOSTON

SATURDAY 25th APRIL

MAMMA MIA OUTDOOR CINEMA SCREENING

Enjoy two films back to back in Boston’s Central Park this month. The gates of the park will open at 5pm, with the first film, Mamma Mia! from 6pm, there will then be a short break and Mamma Mia! Here we go Again will close the evening.

S&J Bars will be in attendance and wood fired pizzas will be available from Mio Pizzas. Under 12 years must be accompanied by an adult. There is no set seating,

OPEN MORNING AT HIGHFIELDS SCHOOL

Highfields School is a co-educational, independent preparatory school and day nursery for children aged 2-11 near Newark. In May the school will host and Open Morning from 10am-12 noon with year six prefects giving tours of school (Reception to year six) and Kindergarten (from two years old). n Call 01636 704103 or see www.highfieldsschool.co.uk.

MARKET RASEN

SUNDAY 12th APRIL

MARKET RASEN RACECOURSE

Enjoy real ale and barbecue at Market Rasen Racecourse’s April fixture. The perfect way to enjoy spring racing! n Call 01673 843434 or see www.thejockeyclub.co.uk.

so you need to bring a blanket or chairs if you do not wish to sit on the grass.

The audience is, of course, free to bring a picnic, snacks, food, etc; snacks, sweets and popcorn but no alcohol can be brought into this event.

The films follow Donna, an independent hotelier in the Greek islands, preparing for daughter Sophie’s wedding with the help of two old friends. Sophie invites three men from her mother’s past in hope of meeting her real father so he can escort her down the aisle on her big day. n For tickets see eventbrite.co.uk.

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EVENTS

Send your press releases and events to: the Features Editor via editor@pridemagazines.co.uk.

40 Years of Ballet in Louth...

VIENNA FESTIVAL BALLET CELEBRATES 40 YEAR OF WONDERFUL PRODUCTIONS WITH A BALLET CLASSIC, SWAN LAKE, IN LOUTH LOUTH

WEDNESDAY 15th APRIL

SWAN LAKE AT LOUTH’S RIVERHEAD THEATRE Join Vienna Festival Ballet as the company celebrates its Anniversary with a glorious revival of one of the best known and loved classical ballets of all time.

Lavish costumes, stunning scenery, international stars, and the magnificent music from Tchaikovsky make this a night not to be missed.

It is Prince Siegfried’s birthday and his mother presents him with a bow, as a gift.

She is anxious that he should seek a wife and marry, but he refuses. He sees a flock of swans and decides to go hunting, alone.

On arrival in the forest, he is surprised to find out that the swan at whiche he was aiming is in fact, a woman, transformed into a swan-like form by the evil Baron Rothbart.

She explains to Siegfried that she is the Queen of the Swans, Odette, and can only fully become a woman again when a man swears undying love for her to break the spell. Swan Lake is the most popular ballet in the

world. It is the ballet that captures like no other the full range of human emotions from hope to despair, terror to tenderness, melancholy to ecstasy.

Vienna Festival Ballet gave its first performance in Brighton, England in May 1980. This was followed by a European tour. The company’s repertoire has grown steadily over the years, each of the ballets are full length, and exclusively choreographed. n Tickets from £18.50-£22.50 with performances from 2.30pm and 7pm.

Based at Riverhead Theatre, Louth, call 01507 600350 or see www.louthriverheadtheatre.com.

SKEGNESS

SATURDAY 25th APRIL

A NIGHT IN NASHVILLE Say howdy to A Country Night In Nashville as this live at Skegness’s Embassy Centre recreates the scene of a buzzing Honky Tonk in downtown Nashville, perfectly capturing the energy and atmosphere of an evening in the home of country music. Hits from Johnny Cash to Alan Jackson, Dolly to the Dixie Chicks, Willie Nelson to Little Big Town, are showcased including Ring Of Fire, Crazy, Five O’Clock Somewhere, 9-5, and The Gambler.

This incredible celebration of country music is a night not to be missed. n Skegness Embassy Centre, from 7.30pm.

Tickets £15-£24.50.

01754 474100, embassytheatre.co.uk.

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AYSCOUGHFEE HALL

The Heart of

SPALDING Reopening for the spring and summer season this month, Ayscoughfee Hall is the heart of Spalding and the key to discovering more about the town’s history within the wool industry...

Words: Laurin Dempsey. Images: Dean Fisher.

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AYSCOUGHFEE HALL

“Ayscoughfee Hall dates from the mid-15th century and is Grade I listed, built by wool merchant Richard Ailwyn. What makes is particularly unique is that it was primarily a family home from 1451 right up until 1902...”

Ayscoughfee Hall was built by a wool merchant in 15th Century.

>> IT’S THE HEART OF SPALDING and a unique survivor as a family house, its history is intrinsically linked to the prosperity of Spalding and its wool industry. Ayscoughfee Hall dates from the mid-15th century and is a Grade I listed building. Only 2.5% of listed buildings in England hold this status, which reflects the significance and importance of Ayscoughfee Hall to British history.

What makes Ayscoughfee Hall particularly unique is that it was primarily a family home from 1451 to 1902. Throughout the centuries Ayscoughfee has changed, with each owner adapting the building to accommodate their needs and to reflect the fashions of the time.

This is seen by the Gothic inspired Victorian frontage, the Georgian Adam style ceiling in the galleried Entrance Hall, and the many exposed Medieval features throughout the building.

The prominent Johnson family were the longest owners, resident from 1658 to 1864. Afterwards the hall was home for a succession of tenant families, before being purchased by the people of 46

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At the end of which sits the Spalding War Memorial (opened in 1922) which was designed by Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens and became Grade I listed in 2015.

Spalding in the early 20th Century. Since then, it has housed Belgian WWI refugees, been a library, a school and council offices.

When the last occupant left in 1896, the hall and gardens were bought on behalf of the people of Spalding as a memorial of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, and was handed over to the town free of debt on 9th August 1902 in celebration of the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

Now a museum and civic amenity, the house was also used as a primary school for a number of years during the 20th century.

The five acres of Ayscoughfee Gardens beautifully complement the building and its museum and also feature a Yew Tree walk dating back to the 1720s.

Other features include a bowling green, tennis courts, aviary and a café. A rustic bandstand built to commemorate the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth was built in 1937 but was destroyed by arson in the early 1970s.

The Ornamental Lake is headed by a Grade I listed War Memorial designed by the architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, while hidden to the rear of the gardens is the Ice House which originally served the hall’s kitchens.

The gardens include many fine features, including tall yew hedges, an early Ice House, and a fine ornamental lake.

The Friends of Ayscoughfee group still arrange summer concerts on the south lawn during the summer months.

In 2003 Ayscoughfee Hall closed for renovation and refurbishment, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, South Holland District Council, Lincolnshire Tourism and the Friends of Ayscoughfee. >> 47

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AYSCOUGHFEE HALL

>> The hall was officially re-opened to the public as a museum and community facility on Friday 30 June 2006, by Dr Jonathan Clark, of the University of York.

Ayscoughfee has recently started to develop events, including theatrical performances, craft fairs and is also licensed for civil wedding ceremonies.

In 2008, Ayscoughfee took part in an exciting project with NAU Archaeology, which uncovered some interesting finds, including a boundary wall that was present before the hall, and the remains of a hot house where one owner used to grow exotic plants!

The Peace Garden offers a more contemporary theme, featuring plaques commemorating recent conflicts and the regiments who served in them. Tickets for these are available from the Pavilion.

The Gardens also contain a children’s playground and Ayscoughfee Cafe, providing welcome refreshments to our visitors all year round! n Left: Visitors to Ayscoughfee Hall can discover Spalding’s heritage... thanks to staff like Julia Knight, Museum Manager and Curator.

EXPLORING SOUTH HOLLAND: The District’s Best Attractions...

SPALDING is a peaceful market town and centre of the flower and bulb industry.

Characterised by grand Georgian terraces and buildings beside the River Welland, which runs through the centre of the town. The beautiful riverside walks link the Museum Arts and Sports centres forming the district's Leisure Zone. Spalding has busy markets, a traditional shopping centre around the Market Place and Sheep Market, and the new Holland Markets development…

Springfields Outlet Shopping: Home to around 40 outlet stores offering regular and seasonal discounts of up to 75% of the standard high street prices for fashion, accessories and homeware goods, as well as Antler luggage, Hallmark cards and gifts, Body Shop treats and a range of top brand perfumes at The Fragrance Shop.

South Holland Centre: Versatile venue staging live theatre and music shows, cinema, clubs and workshops.

Baytree Garden Centre: A wonderful world of endless discovery, where both the specialist and beginner can explore every aspect of gardening in a breathtaking display of over 16 acres of retail area. Also incorporates its Owl Centre with 100 birds of prey, British wildlife, plus falconry displays.

Gordon Boswell Romany Museum: A family run museum, started in 1995 by the late Gordon and Margaret Boswell. The museum has a large collection of gypsy wagons (Vardos), carts, harness, along with a collection of cooking pots and related items to the Romany way of life.

Unique Cottage Studios: An arts & crafts facility and cafe, set in beautifully converted farm buildings just outside Spalding. Textiles, willow craft, upholstery and meditation are among the regular crafts at the studios.

St Mary & St Nicolas Church: The historic parish church of Spalding built in 1284. It is open every day for visitors. There are four Sunday services. n

Find Out More: Ayscoughfee Hall Museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday, 1.030am-4pm, the café and gardens are open seven days from 10am. Call 01775 764555 or see www.sholland.gov.uk for more information.

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THEN & NOW

Grantham’s Market Place If you’re keen to embark on a little retail therapy this month, there’s a familiar retailer in Grantham, even if you don’t recognise the name!

Words & Image: Rob Davis.

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Since 1920, Grantham’s Market Place has changed rather significantly... as has the way we dress. Back in the once again on trend era of the Peaky Blinder, dapper gentlemen wore tailored suits and cloth caps, purchased from shops like J Hepworth & Sons.

Joseph Hepworth was not, in fact, a local tailor but was based in Leeds along with his brother in law... rather successfully as it happens. In 1864 they founded their company, and by 20 years later had over 500 employees.

1920

By the time this photo was taken shortly after Joseph Hepworth’s death, the business had 2,000 employees and 107 shops including their branch in Grantham’s Market Place.

In 1981 Hepworth’s menswear was purchased by Kendall & Son, which would offer womenswear as an equivalent brand.

Hepworth chairman George Davies merged the two brands and rebranded the chains as Next in 1982. There’s still a Next in the town of Grantham, but these days it’s on Augustin Way... and its fashions are rather different!

Visible in the shot but moved slightly to accommodate the new Conduit Lane thoroughfare is the town’s Market Cross.

There has been a cross in the market place since 1280, but having been demolished in 1779 and 1884, this is the third and most recent example, installed by Lord Brownlow in 1911 with a C18th cap. It was given a Grade II listing in 1950. The gas light was installed in 1832, and despite that Grantham received mains electricity in the early 1900s,

it was replaced by electric lighting just after the war.

Just out of shot is The Old Conduit. In 1314 the Franciscan monks - the Greyfriars - of Grantham installed a lead pipe to bring water to the town. The town’s Corporation took over responsibility for Grantham’s water supply in 1597 and created what we now know as The Old Conduit to ensure that in 1597 water finally reached the Market Place.

The Market Place consists primarily of three storey buildings dating from the 17th20th centuries, the buildings differ in scale as some occupy large plots and have wide frontages whilst others are relatively modest in scale, which contributes to the visual interest of the square.

There are common architectural details despite the differences in style; sash windows are a prominent feature of the square, particularly on the upper storeys, and a number of buildings also have stone window lintels.

The varied use of materials such as brick, stone, stucco and terracotta contributes to the visual interest of the square, which is enhanced by an attractive skyline of pitched, gabled and parapet roofs covered with slate and clay pantiles.

Grantham manufactured armaments for the second world war which made it a target for German bombing. Around 70 people were killed in the town as a result and the Market Place was subject to a fair bit of post-war repair. n 2020

Above: Grantham Market Place - 100 years on!

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Set in 88 acres of breathtakingly beautiful parkland, the award-winning Branston Hall provides a truly magical setting for your wedding day and incredible photo opportunities to capture those special moments.

The hotel offers unparalleled service and a luxury ambience with bespoke wedding packages to suit all budgets.

WEDDINGS • SPA • RESTAURANT • BAR • NON RESIDENTS • EVENTS • FUNCTIONS • INDOOR POOL • CONFERENCES • GARDENS • PICTURESQUE LAKE • AFTERNOON TEA • 50 BEDROOMS

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DINING OUT AT THE FUEL TANK

Dining Fit for

THE DUKE Words: Rob Davis.

Images: Jonathan Scrimshaw.

If it’s good enough for the Duke, it’s good enough for the Editor!

This month Rob Davis enjoys the fine hospitality of The Engine Yard’s Fuel Tank at Belvoir Castle...

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DINING OUT - THE ENGINE YARD

Ladies and gentlemen; the sun. A sphere of hot plasma 15 million kilometres away, 330,000 times heavier than earth and four and a half billion years old. It’s burning away at a balmy 5,600°c on the surface and some 15,000,000°c in the middle.

But what’s even more remarkable than mere numbers can convey is that, right now, it’s actually out. It’s shining on us. I’m almost getting a tan merely thinking about its warm radiant loveliness caressing my pale and interesting, winter-shrivelled form.

So neither delay nor pontificate, nor filibuster or procrastinate. Spring is here and for now at least the sun is shining. Quick smart, get out and enjoy it… and your first place to visit this season by Editorial proclamation is Belvoir Castle’s Engine Yard development, and its restaurant, The Fuel Tank.

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The Engine Yard opened in late 2018 on land which previously housed 20-tonnes of beam engine previously used to pump water to Belvoir Castle, the 450ft Grade I ancestral home of the Duke and Duchess of Rutland.

In 2014 the site was cleared and over the next few years, the Duchess’s plans to create an artisan shopping village were realised.

The investment cost £2.5m and now it comprises around 25 retailers. There’s a small but brilliant garden centre, The Idle Mole; gunsmith Roland Watson, interiors store Margo & Plum; plus health and beauty centre Belvoir Casa, jewellers, luxury goods for ladies, jewellery, a chocolatier, loose tea and coffee merchant Cherizena, and probably the best deli in the area in the form of the sublime Country Victualler.

Open seven days, it’s the perfect place to lay waste to a Saturday or a Sunday when you want to go somewhere and do something but have no specific ideas. So, if the sun’s out and you don’t want to waste the day doing nothing, visit The Engine Yard.

The Fuel Tank is at the heart of the whole site. On the ground floor there’s The Balloon Bar with its quirky hot air balloon-inspired decor, poser tables and velvet banquette seating for those enjoying artisan gins, cocktails and live music on selected evenings from bands like Moonshine; think hipsters, doing folk and jazz.

The upper two floors are dedicated to The Fuel Tank, which is exactly where we met Chris Ansell, who, having prorogued evening dining during February has now re-

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“Happily the Belvoir Estate is very good at providing game in particular, but a wealth of other ingredients too...” designed the menus of the place for an evening relaunch on 13th March, as Pride is published.

Chris has a really diverse remit at Belvoir, involved in overseeing The Fuel Tank as well as catering for Belvoir Castle’s shooting parties and weddings.

“The Fuel Tank has been trading for just over a year now and that has given us the ability to evaluate what people want from us,” says Chris. “We’ve been delighted by the feedback that we’ve received from our diners and we can now take that on board

and change the menu to ensure we’re reflecting our audience.”

“From this month The Balloon Bar will offer small plates and grazing options, sociable menu options for people to enjoy with our artisan gins, craft ales and our list of carefully chosen wines.”

“That leaves the Fuel Tank to provide really good lunchtime dining like sandwiches, platters and salads during the daytime service and upmarket bistro food in the evening.”

“We’re launching a new menu towards the end of March which will provide dishes like

MEET THE CHEF CHRIS ANSELL Chris Ansell has worked for a number of the area’s Michelin-starred restaurants, from Hambleton Hall to The Olive Branch and Langar Hall. He joined Belvoir Castle because his ‘food heaven’ is game... well, he’s certainly in the right place! n

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DINING OUT - THE ENGINE YARD

on the MENU FROM THE EVENING MENU AT THE ENGINE YARD’S FUEL TANK Starters Homemade Pate served with mixed leaves, chutney and toasted Bloomsbury bread £7.95.

Fillet of Sea Trout with a lemon & dill dressing £5.95.

Main Courses Baked Fillet of Hake with Cod Casserole of mixed beans & chorizo £13.95.

Dukes Beer Battered Fish & Chips, homemade tartare sauce, minted mushy peas £12.95.

Spring Lamb, Vegetable & Pearl Barley Broth £12.95.

confit duck leg, moules marinieres and our herb gnocchi dish. We’re aiming for around eight key dishes and want to offer these in a format that can be served in smaller portions for grazing or lighter dining, or in more main course sized portions.”

“It’s important to us that we make our dishes available during both daytime and evening service, and that we ensure the quality and provenance of dishes are just as high throughout our menus, day or night.”

“One of the nicest aspects of working on the Belvoir Estate is the huge number of locally

OPEN FOR FOOD Monday - Thursday: 9.30am - 5pm Friday - Saturday: 9.30am - 9pm Sunday: 9.30am - 4pm.

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sourced ingredients we can work with.

The obvious example is game from the estate from September to January, but farms on estate also provide some really delicious beef and lamb.”

“We’re using these alongside pork pies from Dickinson & Morris pork pies and Melton Mowbray Charcuterie. In addition we’re working with Grasmere Farm who supply our pork and Melton Cheeseboard.”

“We’re currently designing the menus and want to incorporate a map on the front page showing where our ingredients are sourced from to really champion local ingredients.

Even our selection of drinks include Belvoir cordials and presses and Belvoir branded ales and ciders.”

The Fuel Tank is truly unique and we love its ability to offer a daytime and evening dining experience that’s absolutely exceptional. The fact that it can also offer a great day out as part of the overall Engine Yard experience means we’re confident that the whole place will shine brighter than ever year after year. n

Pan Fried Supreme of Churchill Farm Chicken, crushed new potatoes, asparagus, lemon crème fraiche £12.50.

Herb Gnocchi, wilted spinach, roast butternut squash, mascarpone & Parmesan £12.95.

Desserts Strawberry tart served with clotted cream ice cream £5.95.

Apple & Cinnamon Crumble with clotted cream ice cream £5.95.

NB: Featured dishes are subject to change.

n The Fuel Tank is based at Engine Yard at Belvoir Castle NG32 1PA. Call 01476 247059 or see www.engineyardfueltank.co.uk.

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r Visit ou p ru fo e websit ing and com S EVENT

IN OU R

14TH YEAR

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Friday 22nd May

Fish & Australian Wine Tasting Evening

Friday 21st August

Australian Wine and Food to Match 15 The Strait, Lincoln LN2 1JD • 01522 524851 info@jewshouserestaurant.co.uk • www.jewshouserestaurant.co.uk

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Sea Bass with warm crushed new potatoes, Hollandaise sauce, kale and peas.

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FOOD & DRINK

The Black Horse at GOSBERTON RISEGATE When it comes to Gosberton Risegate’s Black Horse, there’s rather a sense of déjà vu.

Perhaps it’s because we’ve met the chef before, or because the place reminds us of that much-missed staple of countryside life, the village pub...

Words: Rob Davis. Images: Dean Fisher.

I must apologise. For that glazed expression.

For the polite nodding. For that overall sense that I’m not quite with it. You see, I’ve a decent memory for faces, but I’m absolutely terrible at matching those faces to places.

This summer’s county shows will see people visiting the Pride marquee and greeting me warmly, on first name terms. Meanwhile I’ll vacantly look through them, certain that I know them from somewhere, whilst being absolutely clueless as to their identity.

I’m used to seeing readers, clients and the various people I’ve met over the 18-odd years I’ve been the Editor of Pride, but in their specific contexts and places. When they’re out of their usual situations I don’t have a clue, despite that nagging feeling that I know them... but... ‘who are they?!?’

The American writer Maya Angelou pointed out that people will forget what you said and what you did, but they’ll always remember how you made them feel.

AS SOON AS I REALISED THAT ‘BEANY’ WAS HEADING UP THE KITCHEN I KNEW THE FOOD WOULD BE BRILLIANT...

meet the CHEF MARK HINES

And that’s so very true. Arriving at Gosberton Risegate’s Black Horse I met owners Crystal and Sandra but I also saw familiar face... I just didn’t know where he was familiar from. But I knew I liked him and I knew he was good.

I racked my brains right up to the moment he confirmed his surname. Hines. Mark Hines. Ah! Of course! ‘Beany!’

I’d met Mark before when he worked at a previous restaurant, just as he was taking a batch of freshly baked bread out of the oven. He’s quite the accomplished baker and freshly baked bread, its smell and taste is like catnip to me.

As soon as I realised that ‘Beany’ was heading up the kitchen of The Black Horse, I knew the place was highly recommendable and that its food would be brilliant. >>

Food History: ”I have over 40 years experience, starting at the age of 17. Originally I was a pastry chef in London and then I progressed my skills into a more mainstream style of cooking leading me to where I am now.

Cooking is a vast area of expertise and you never stop learning!”

Food Heaven: “Anything savoury is favourite of mine. I do like a slow roast on a Sunday though.”

Food Hell: “I find tripe difficult to work with!”

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Sticky Toffee Pudding.

>> There was a sense of déjà vu, too surrounding the pub itself. It’s been a while since we’ve encountered a pub which is happy to be a pub... not a gastropub, not a fine dining restaurant with deconstructed foam or molecular gastronomy and dry ice.

No. The Black Horse is just a nice pub with bloody lovely food. It’s been a while, but it’s good to once again remember the genuine warmth and happiness that comes from being in a village pub that makes you feel welcome and provides good food.

Sure, Mark’s dishes are presented nicely, and prepared with technical skill and flair, but all

OPEN FOR FOOD Wednesday: 5.30pm-9pm Grill Night.

Thursday & Friday: 6.30pm-9pm.

Saturday: 12noon -2pm; 6.30pm-9pm.

Sunday: 12noon -3pm.

NB: Lunch and afternoon tea available seven days by prior arrangement.

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Vanilla Crème Brulée

on the MENU FROM THE SPRING MENUS AT THE BLACK HORSE, GOSBERTON RISEGATE Starters Pan Fried, Scallops, Bacon Crisps, Sweetcorn Custard £7.95.

Roast Field Mushrooms and Sautéed Wild Mushrooms, Polenta and Mushroom Tea £5.95.

Chicken Liver Pâté, Red Onion Compote £5.95.

Main Courses Chicken Breast with Sage, Onion and Goat’s Cheese Stuffing, Lyonnaise Potatoes, Wild Mushrooms £15.50.

of the dishes are familiar as well as being well executed.

It’s as though Crystal, Sandra and Mark are keen simply to provide a warm welcome and decent quality... not to reinvent the wheel.

There’s the odd flourish, like our créme brûlée served in a pretty little teacup, but otherwise there’s a single menu with six starters, four pub-inspired classics and four more à la carte-style options. Desserts are homemade and include crowd-pleasers like sticky toffee pudding and lemon meringue pie; all very familiar, but all well done.

There’s a specials board, too, so Mark can provide supplier-led dishes in addition to the main menus. Wednesday is grill night, and there’s a ‘lunch for less’ promotion for daytime diners from Wednesday to Saturday.

Sunday lunch is £15.95 or £19.95 for two or three courses respectively and the team offers the availability of a traditional tiered afternoon tea... but otherwise, your choices are simple and the place is better for it.

Sandra, Crystal and Mark also respect the importance of locally sourced ingredients, and being in the heart of South Holland, there’s no shortage of local farms and butchers with which to create their seasonally changing menus.

Elsewhere at The Black Horse there’s a nice garden and marquee outside if the weather’s kind to spring diners, and open fires if it’s less kind. I’m commercially obliged to point out that the very same marquee is also available for functions and weddings.

Pretty much everything about The Black Horse makes us happy. The place represents the return of the Great British Pub with warmth and character but with food that’s of sufficient quality and skilfully prepared to ensure a really satisfying experience.

The pub is definitely one to remember, so hopefully I’ll see you there. But if you say hello to me and I respond with little more than a glazed expression, please don’t take offence... I’ll just be wrestling with a sense of déjà vu. n

Warm Crushed Salmon Fillet, New Potatoes, Hollandaise Sauce, Kale and Peas £14.50.

Rib-Eye Pan Fried Steak, Cooked to Your Liking, Roasted Tomato, Mushroom, Onion Rings, Chunky Chips £20.50.

Dessert Vanilla Crème Brulée £6.50.

Chocolate and Marmalade Bread and Butter Pudding £6.50.

Sticky Toffee Pudding £6.50.

NB: Featured dishes are subject to change.

n The Black Horse is located at Gosberton Risegate, Spalding PE11 4ET. Call 01775 840995 or see www.theblackhorse-gr.co.uk.

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THE BLACK HORSE GOSBERTON RISEGATE

HOMEMADE, BEAUTIFUL, CLASSICAL DISHES

LUNCH FOR LESS

2 Courses for Two Including Tea/Coffee £30 (Restrictions apply please see website)

Pub Classics & À La Carte Dishes Grill Night Wednesday • Sunday Lunch • Sparkling Afternoon Tea Available • Mother’s Day Bookings Now Being Taken

01775 840 995 www.theblackhorse-gr.co.uk See our website for opening and food service hours

CARAVAN PARK OPENING SHORTLY

THE THATCHED COTTAGE RESTAURANT & BAR • Beautiful unique thatched cottage • Stunning 40 seater A La Carte restaurant • Function room catering for birthdays, wakes, christenings, conference, small wedding receptions • OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

POOLS LANE, SUTTERTON, BOSTON, LINCS PE20 2EZ

Tel: 01205 461006 enquiries@thethatchedcottagerestaurant.co.uk www.thethatchedcottagerestaurant.co.uk

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Cheers for

SPEARS St George’s Day means the beginning of local asparagus season, and an especially busy time for local farmer Tim Casey...

Words: Rob Davis. Images: Dean Fisher.

Tim Casey with his Bomber County asparagus and leeks.

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LOCAL ASPARAGUS

“Asparagus is planted from crowns and takes at least three years to grow into a crop that’s just about harvestable...”

UNIFORM, WISPY AND DELICATE LOOKING, the fluffy little ferns of asparagus dance about in the breeze in Tim Casey’s fields.

a station commander at Coningsby with two tours under his belt flying Spitfires and Hurricanes for the heritage flight.”

It’s advantaged by the relatively flat surroundings of the family’s farm, and by the kind of deep, free-draining sandy soils that suits an asparagus crop rather better than the claggy alluvial soils of the fens; rather better for spuds and brassica.

“Every so often the BBMF flies over the farm and all it seems very appropriate!”

It’s also an ideal location because despite being about 20 miles as the crow flies from the coast, the open flat nature of the fields means fewer frosts and therefore the ability to get an early start harvesting their crop.

This year is a particularly special anniversary for the Casey family. It’s ten years since they first planted asparagus on the farm, and in that time they’ve increased their output to its current volume of around 40 acres.

Tim’s family farm, J & V Casey and Son, grows leeks and asparagus. Leeks are known in France as ‘the poor man’s asparagus’ so perhaps there was a sence of moving up in the world when the family moved into asparagus growing... or perhaps the move was more to do with the fact that the two crops fit around each other well to provide year-round production.

“We sell our leeks and asparagus under the name Bomber County Produce,” says Tim. “That’s because in 1943, a miner’s son from Durham named John Casey was stationed at RAF Coningsby and caught the eye of farmer’s daughter, Vera Haines, soon falling in love and marrying her.”

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Asparagus is planted from crowns and takes at least three years to grow into a crop that’s just about harvestable.

“When he was finished with 83 Squadron, John and Vera worked with Vera’s father Sam Haines and purchased a smallholding of their own in 1955. The family moved to Willow Farm with their son, my father Mervyn, who married my mother Marilyn.”

“My mother and father expanded the farm growing cereals, potatoes, sugar beet and a dairy operation, winding down the mixed operation to concentrate on crops.”

“My sister Nicola and I joined the business and today it supports four generations of the family, including my son, who I hope will soon join us on the farm too!”

“Because we’re acutely aware of the role that Bomber County and the RAF played in the war, while the county is still a prominent location for the RAF with 4 major bases, the Red Arrows and the BBMF right next door to the farm.”

“I married my wife Alison, and my father in law is a former BBMF pilot who was himself Top: The farm has around 40 acres of asparagus crop, comprising Gijnlim and Millennium varieties.

Tim doesn’t ‘force’ his asparagus, and so its crop is entirely at the mercy of the Great British climate, though one crown should yield a crop for about 10 years. Green asparagus is most common, but purple asparagus has a slightly stronger flavour.

All asparagus is rich in vitamins and great for the disestive system... and by reputation, a potent aphrodisiac!

White asparagus is grown underground, deprived of the ability to colour up with chlorophyll hence the lack of green hue.

It requires peeling before consumption and is generally much thinner.

“We have two main varieties of asparagus,” says Tim. “Gijnlim is a Dutch variety that produces juicy thick spears very early in the spring to give us an early start, and Guelph Millennium from Ontario in Canada.”

“Millennium produces very upright, uniform spears with lovely tight heads to give outstanding quality and we use this as our main season variety.”

“We hand pick our asparagus in the field then bring it back to our packhouse where it is hydrocooled (chilled with water near freezing point) just an hour after harvest.” >>

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Tim (left) is pictured with his grandfather, father and nephew at the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which inspires the business’s name.

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Growing & Enjoying

ASPARAGUS LOCAL ASPARAGUS REMAINS A FINE EXAMPLE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL PLEASURES OF SEASONAL FOOD PRODUCTION n St George’s Day is the official start of the British asparagus season.

At other times in the year imports are from as far away as China, which produces 7.35m tonnes; Peru, which produces 375,000 tonnes and Mexico which produces 120,000 tonnes.

The UK isn’t even in the top ten for worldwide production! n The UK currently produces 5,300 tonnes of production, with a wholesale value of around £30m. UK asparagus farming employs around 4,362 harvesters and packers. n A week of hot weather in May can result in 5% of the UK crop (265 tonnes; £1.5m) being ruined due to temporary oversupply. n The local asparagus season lasts just seven or eight weeks. n Asparagus is native to western Asia, and dates back to 3000BC. The earliest asparagus recipe appears in third-century AD Apicius’s De re Coquinaria, Book III.

>> “This keeps our asparagus fresh and juicy and ensures the many nutritious vitamins and minerals are not lost before they get to your dinner plate, though I’m afraid we can’t be sure if the same goes for its fabled aphrodisiacal qualities!”

As active members of the Asparagus Growers’ Association - based in Louth - and the NFU, Tim and his family are steadfast champions of local farming, keen to host education days for schools and take part in ‘Gleaning;’ donating unsold crop to local food charities.

It’s because Tim has allowed the asparagus operation on the farm to develop naturally with sales that has meant the crop has not been stressed and the quality and flavour maintained. Accordingly he has curated a list of customers which include many of the county’s best restaurants and those further afield, in London.

As well as being the 10th anniversary of the family’s asparagus crop, 2020 is also of significance because many Lincolnshire Co-op stores will be stocking Tim’s asparagus as part of their ongoing commitment to support local suppliers.

Above: Tim farms around 40 acres of asparagus on the Lincolnshire Coast. It’s available in Co-op stores as Pride goes to press or fresh from the farm gate. See bombercountyproduce.co.uk for more information.

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Happily, that means Lincolnshire folk can purchase field-fresh local asparagus, directly from the farmer and enjoy a spring treat that St George, who coincidentally is also the patron saint of farmers, would himself be proud to enjoy! n

n By 1469 asparagus was cultivated in French monasteries, and came to the UK around a hundred years later. n Asparagus can be blanched, boiled, steamed, grilled barbecued or roasted. It’s best enjoyed with lemon and hollandaise and free range eggs.

Co-op Stores selling Tim’s Asparagus: Metheringham; Saxilby; Nettleham; Coningsby; Branston; Heckington; Long Sutton; Woodhall Spa; Collingham; and Tattershall.

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In the KITCHEN This month Lincolnshire egg producer Fairburns suggests a wonderful way to take advantage of their high-welfare free-range eggs to create a delicious treat for Easter!

MELTING CREME EGG CHOCOLATE PUDDINGS Preparation time: 15 minutes. Baking time: 15-20 minutes. Serves Four.

Ingredients: 100g butter, plus extra for greasing • 2 tsp cocoa powder, plus extra to dust 100g good quality dark chocolate • 2 Fairburn’s British Blue eggs • 100g caster sugar 2 tbsp plain flour • 4 Cadbury crème eggs • fresh berries, to serve • cream, to serve Preheat the oven to 180°C/355°F/Gas mark 4.

Grease 4 ramekins with a little butter. Tip a little cocoa powder into each ramekin, turning to coat the inside completely, and then tap and tip out the excess powder.

In a bowl, melt the butter with the chocolate in a microwave, taking care not to let it overheat.

Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and the sugar together until pale, thick and nearly doubled in volume (if you lift the whisk out of the bowl, the mixture should

form a faint ribbon trail). Fold in the cooled chocolate mixture, followed by the sieved flour and the remaining 2 tsp of sieved cocoa powder. Spoon a heaped spoonful of the mixture into the prepared ramekins.

Place a creme egg on top of the mixture in each ramekin, lying them on their side and top with the remaining mixture. Bake the puddings in the oven for about 15-20 minutes until just set. Turn out and serve immediately with fresh berries and cream. n

Text: Rachel Green for Fairburns Eggs, www.fairburnseggs.co.uk.

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LOCAL NEW POTATO, BRIE & ASPARAGUS FRITTATA Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus cooling. Cooking time: 30 minutes.

Ingredients: 300g Local New Potatoes • 5 tsp olive oil 230g pack asparagus, trimmed and halved widthways 6 Fairburns Free Range eggs 1 onion, sliced • ½ x 230g pack brie, sliced In a large pan, cover the potatoes with cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 12 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Fry the asparagus for 5 minutes, tossing regularly until charred; set aside. In a large bowl, season the eggs and beat together with a fork.

Heat another 2 tsp oil in the frying pan and fry the onion for 2-3 minutes. Drain the potatoes and rinse under cold water; cut into 0.3cm slices. Add to the pan with the onions; season and fry for 2-3 minutes until golden. Set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tsp oil in a 20cm non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Stir the veg into the eggs; tip ½ of the mixture into the pan, swirling so it sets on the base. Lay the brie on top, pour over the remaining egg mix, cover with a baking sheet and cook over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes.

Remove the sheet and place a plate over the pan. Carefully invert the pan so the frittata turns out onto the plate, then slide it back into the pan so the uncooked side is on the base.

Cook for 5-6 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, then serve. n

PUY LENTILS & ASPARAGUS IN A SOFT-BOILED EGG SALAD Preparation time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 20 minutes.

Ingredients: 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle 1 ½ tbsp red wine vinegar • 1½ tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp finely chopped shallot • 1 tsp clear honey 375g cooked puy lentils (175g raw weight) 4 - 6 Fairburns Free Range Eggs • 400g local asparagus Small handful flat leaf parsley, chopped • 1 tbsp chopped tarragon In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, shallot and honey; season. Toss the lentils into the dressing.

Meanwhile, lower the eggs into a pan of boiling water. Simmer for 6½ minutes, then drain and cool in a bowl of cold water. Rinse out the pan, then fill with water and bring to the boil.

Add the asparagus and simmer for 2 minutes (thicker spears may need longer while thinner spears less), then drain.

Toss the asparagus and herbs through the lentils, then arrange on a large serving plate. Peel and halve the eggs and place on top, adding a grinding of black pepper and a drizzle more oil, if liked. n Recipes: www.waitrose.com/recipes.

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HOT CROSS BUNS FOR EASTER

ONE A PENNY, TWO A PENNY

HOT CROSS BUNS The Hot Cross Bun isn’t just a sweet treat, because according to superstition it is also the bringer of good luck...

Words: Laurin Dempsey.

IS THERE ANYTHING more satisfying than butter melting on a warmly toasted Hot Cross Bun? Seen as a symbol of Easter along with chocolate eggs, chicks and daffodils, this spiced sweet bun made with currants or raisins, is marked with a cross on the top, and traditionally eaten on Good Friday. However, they are now sold and enjoyed throughout the year.

Remarkably, just one supermarket, Tesco, sell over 70,000,000 hot cross buns during Easter weekend alone and Waitrose last year reported sales increase of 40% compared to 2018.

Different parts of the Hot Cross Bun have a certain meaning, the cross represents the crucifixion of Jesus, and the spices inside signify the spices used to embalm him at his burial.

Rich with history, there seems to be several stories about the origin of Hot Cross Buns.

These may go back as far as the 12th century.

According to the story, an Anglican monk baked the buns and marked them with a cross in honour of Good Friday. Over time they gained popularity, and eventually became a symbol of

Easter weekend. Traditionally eaten on Good Friday to commemorate the Crucifixion, Hot Cross Buns found an enemy in Elizabeth I, who, in 1592, finding too much Popery in their popularity, banned their consumption except on specific holidays.

The embargo was eventually lifted and, by the 1700s, sweet, spicy, fruity buns were sold on the streets of towns and cities with the familiar cry of ‘one a penny, two a penny’ (a penny bought you a large bun or two small ones).

The supermarket has 13 different varieties from lemon and lovage to elderflower versions and the more traditional version. More locally artisan bakeries in the county will also enjoy a healthy surge in business this month, hopefully a trend which will continue beyond easter.

There are also more than a few stories that indicate Hot Cross Buns were baked on Good Friday for superstitious reasons. One tale states that buns baked on this day and hung from the rafters of a home would ward off evil spirits in the coming year.

The eating of Hot Cross Buns marks the end of Lent, this year 26th February - 9th April, as they are made with dairy products which are forbidden during this period. Traditional buns are most commonly eaten hot or toasted.

Another talks of these buns protecting sailors from shipwreck, while off at sea. Yet another version mentions that sharing the bun with a loved one guarantees friendship in the coming year.

Vines Bakery Vines Bakery makes a wide range of pastries and specialise in sourdough and slow fermentation bread... and this month, they’ll produce Hot Cross Buns!

It is often found that bakeries stay clear of the buns as they are labour intensive, it requires hand weighing, hand shaping and hand decorating.

Vines Bakery owner, Emma Vines, says: “We don’t make classics with a twist - they are classics for a reason!”

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“When my Grandfather owned the bakery, he only made them on Good Friday.

This would have been 90% of our production and we sold thousands.”

“We are strong believers that seasonal foods should remain seasonal, this then makes that time of the year more special and you look forward to foods that bring back good memories.”

You can expect to find Hot Cross Buns at Vines Bakery

the weekend of Mothering Sunday and up to four weeks after. “We make your traditional Hot Cross Buns and also a Hot Cross Loaf which is very popular as the inside stays even softer,” says Emma.

Last year Vines Bakery sold around one hundred buns and between fifty-sixty loaves.

This year however they are aiming for 500 buns and 150 hot cross bun loaves.

Vines Bakery makes and sells Hot Cross Buns on Steep Hill, Lincoln. £1.25/bun, £4.50/loaf, call 07703 159052 or see vinesbakery.co.uk.

Whatever the truth of it, we know for certain that crossed buns were eaten by the Saxons to honour Eostre, celebrated in April, whose name, according to the Venerable Bede, is the origin of the word Easter.

Supermarkets now are getting more and more inventive in terms of flavours, shapes and sizes, with varieties like chocolate, cheese, brioche and sourdough hitting the shelves, but a straw poll in the Pride office leads us to believe that many prefer their hot cross bun as god (or their Pagan gods) intended.

Smother yours in real butter, brew a very large pot of tea and enjoy the zesty, citrus and spice taste that makes this Easter staple a really satisfying experience! n

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MARCH/APRIL MENU STARTERS Our chef’s soup of the day with Griffin bread £6 Seared scallops, with a hint of apple & ginger butterscotch £8.50 Smoked duck salad, truffle, rocket & fig £7.50 Chargrilled halloumi, sun blush tomatoes, olives & raspberry balsamic £6.50 Breast of wood pigeon, risotto fritter, pancetta & truffle £8

MAINS 8oz sirloin steak, pub chips, grill garnish & watercress £19.95 Rack of lamb, minted croquette, salt bake parsnip with red wine & rosemary £17.95 Loin of Irnham Estate venison, baby vegetables, roasted beetroot & a blackberry and port jus £16.95 Breast of chicken, smokey bacon risotto, spring greens, Madeira & truffle £15.95

Chef's catch of the day (please ask for availability) Linguini with broccoli, pine nuts & rocket, finished with crème fraîche & basil £15.95 Sweet potato and lentil curry, steamed rice, mint raita & a popadom £14.95

DESSERTS Citrus cheesecake, Passionfruit and raspberry £6.50 Pear and almond tart, butterscotch ice cream and praline crumb £6.50 Vanilla and tonka bean panacotta, cherry soup and apple crisp £6.50 Chocolate ganache, pistachio, honeycomb and blood orange sorbet £6.50 Chefs homemade ice creams and sorbets £6.50 Griffin cheeseboard, a selection of chutney and crackers £8 Please ask for other dietary requirements.

15 BULBY ROAD, IRNHAM, NR GRANTHAM NG33 4JG 01476 550201 | griffininn@irnhamhall.co.uk | www.thegriffinirnham.co.uk

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This delicious chocolate liqueur is ideal for Easter...!

Wine of the Month

Our friends at Hotel Chocolat have crafted this cocoa treat for Easter

Auvigue Le Clos, Pouilly-Fuissé, Burgundy, France, 75cl / 13.5% / £26.99

Move over Easter Eggs and bring on the chocolate liqueur. Stamford’s Hotel Chocolat is our go-to chocolatier for delicious premium cocoa deliciousness, and they’ve excelled themselves with this blend of vodka spirit, cream and 70% cocoa chocolate. This delicious drink is clean, contemporary and ideal in front of the fire if April proves a little chilly. We’ll also throw in a recommendation for the company’s Everything Sleekster, which, at £22.95, provides 27 different truffles across the company’s range of milk, dark and white flavours. n £25/ 50cl / 15% ABV

The Wine Cellar THERE ARE NO APRIL FOOLS THIS MONTH... JUST THREE LIGHT, EASY DRINKING REDS, A CHOCOLATE TREAT AND A WINE TO ENJOY WITH YOUR SPRING PUDDING. DELICIOUS! ALL THINGS LIGHT & BEAUTIFUL: A trio of easy drinking Pinot Noir wines...

1. St Romain Vieilles Vignes Rouge, Girardin Pere et Fils is a Pinot Noir wine from Burgundy that’s as well-rounded with black fruit with a hint of spice. £23.49 / 75cl / 13% ABV.

2. This oddity is a Pinot Noir from...

Norfolk! Enjoy it ahead of British Wine Week next month. Full of strawberry and red berry, with a hint of vanilla. Perfect for both a roast lunch and your dessert course afterwards too. £18 / 75cl / 12%.

3.Clos Tavannes is a premium burgundy that’s brilliant red in colour, with a rich spicy and complex nose with wild berries and a real elegance on the palate. Pinot Noir at its best. £49 /75cl / 13% ABV.

The grapes used for this beautiful white burgundy come from 45-year-old vines.

This south-facing plot produces a wine of extraordinary intensity, which is aged for one year in oak to give it a creamy texture and complexity.

A beautifully balanced Chardonnay, it’s available exclusively at Waitrose and pairs beautifully with a Sunday lunch of pork or spring lamb, as well as seafood. n

An April Treat that’s Perfect for Puddings...!

If you’re rounding off Sunday lunch with a lovely crumble, a fruit pie or even something that’s chocolatey and in deliciously keeping with easter, we’ve the perfect dessert wine for you. Pricey, but worth the premium, Château Nairac Barsac is a Grand Cru Classé pudding wine with marzipan, buttered toast and marmalade flavours complemented by a dash of orange rind, this is utter decadence.

The perfect way to round off a meal before the warmer weather arrives. £45 / 75cl / 13%

n Our featured wines are available from

the best local independent wine merchants, supermarkets and online, prices are RRP and may vary from those stated.

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HOMES & INTERIORS

WHAT A

CATCH This month’s property is certainly a catch! Set in a total of 16 acres with an eight acre fishing lake at its heart, it offers plenty of space, a viable business plus the ability to enjoy the very best North Linolnshire countryside...

Words: Carissa Smith.

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This month’s welcome home is a real showstopper; a five bedroom detached house with 16 and a half acres of land and a eight acre lake. The lake is renowned for its fantastic stock of specimen fish and the grounds are home to three wild deer, foxes and swans. If you love the British great outdoors Nuddock Wood Lake is your dream home.

In 2013 Richard Anderson and his wife purchased the plot of land to create this scenic property. The couple were drawn to the land by the eight acre lake and its secluded location, the nearest neighbour is over a mile away. Richard as a keen fisherman knew this was the place to build his dream house and business.

Top: The entrance hall of the property is ooded with natural light and has an impressive chandelier.

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The couple first built Anglers Lodge, a bungalow detached from the main property which provides facilities for the visiting fishermen and in 2016 Richard began the main residence.

A year later the waterside property was complete and just in time as five minutes after finishing, as Richard sat down to finally relax and enjoy his work of art his wife went into labour. He and his wife now live in the property with two children and a sausage dog.

The crest facing brick property is approached via an electronic gated entrance and is situated over three floors, with five bedroom and four bathrooms.

The couple designed the property to create a family home with a distinctive air of elegance and grandeur.

“The hallway’s beautiful chandelier weighs a quarter of a tonne and took Richard over ten hours to install...”

Once inside the property you are greeted with a magnificent imperial staircase leading you to the grand galleried landing, where a fabulous chandelier creates an impressive feature adding to the air of grandeur.

The beautiful chandelier weighs a quarter of a tonne and took Richard 10 hours to install. The reception hall has high ceilings and windows arranged to three aspects which provides an abundance of natural light all day long.

High gloss quality tiled flooring flows through most of the ground floor- injecting a contemporary style around the grand staircase. This mix of modern with a classic twist is recurring theme throughout the property.

Richard and his’s wife favourite room is the living room, the heart of this remarkable home. The comfortable sitting room has wood flooring and a feature exposed brickwork fireplace with stone mantle and hearth which has a wood burning stove perfect for a cosy evening and the windows are also arranged to three aspects providing spectacular views over the lake. The living room has two chesterfield sofas, two armchairs, wall mounted television and a built in dog house.

Opposite the living room lies the kitchen diner, a place the family come together.

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The kitchen is fitted with a range of highquality shaker style kitchen cabinets painted in a soft cream colour incorporating a bank of glazed display cabinets with wine cooler inset to the base cabinets finished with granite working surfaces.

The first floor brings the luxurious master suite which overlooks the lake, imagine watching the sunset every night over the peaceful lake. The master suites feature a dressing room with joiner fitted bespoke cabinets and an adjacent en-suite with free-standing bath and gold fitments as well as a spacious shower.

The second bedroom is located to the opposite side of the galleried landing whilst a third bedroom which also features a fitted dressing room and en-suite shower room.

Top: The large living kitchen incorporates both seating and dining areas. Left: The master bedroom suite.

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The grounds in total measure an impressive sixteen and a half acres and situated to the front of the property is the eight acre fishing lake with thirteen well-spaced pegs.

There is also a second, 1 ½ acre lake which is currently used as a stock pond. Nuddock Wood Lakes is a popular yet select fishing venue open to syndicate members only.

Anglers Lodge comes complete with café, seating area, office and a small shop.

The property and grounds offer huge potential for further development of the business is required and there is already planning permission in place for a superb garage block, gym and indoor swimming pool. n

NUDDOCK WOOD LAKES, SCUNTHORPE Location: Louth one mile; Lincoln 27 miles; Grimsby 17 miles.

Style: New build fishing lodge set within 16 acres.

Bedrooms: Five with two en suites and family bathroom.

Receptions: Two, curently arranged as living kitchen and sitting room.

Other Features: Eight acre lakes, fishing business and Anglers Lodge with café.

Guide Price: £1,800,000.

Find Out More: Fine & Country Grimsby, DN31 1EY. Call 01472 467877 or see fineandcountry.com. n

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YOUR FOREVER HOME SHOULDN’T TAKE AN ETERNITY BUILDING YOUR OWN HOME SHOULD BE EXCITING, BUT WITHOUT PROFESSIONAL INPUT IT CAN TURN INTO A NIGHTMARE, AS STUDIO 11 ARCHITECTURE EXPLAINS

The popularity of television shows such as Grand Designs, Other People’s Houses and George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces may be inspirational, but they tend to overlook a crucial point – that building your forever home can actually take forever without the experience and expertise of professional project management.

“If your self-build project is working to a tight budget and timescale, it can be really tempting to take on some of that work yourself,” says managing director Kris Baxter of Studio 11 Architecture. “However, the problem is that

building your dream home isn’t something you can rely on Google and a few friends for.”

You may have planning permission and plenty of ideas, but research and resourcing is a lot more complex than many people think, and issues relating to health and safety, building regulations, insurance, manufacturing delays and supplier contracts can not only slow the whole project down - it can stop it getting off the ground in the first place.

“Handing those responsibilities over to a specialist architectural design company may mean you have to compromise on that luxurious

marble worktop for your kitchen,” says associate Johnathon Gower, “but it can actually be the difference between you getting a kitchen at all.”

Studio 11 Architecture offers a complete design and management service that includes everything from initial conceptual drawings and realistic costings to land surveys, structural engineering, and contract administration.

“Building your own home can be one of the most exciting experiences of your life,” says Kris Baxter, “but without some professional input and some experience in how to avoid problems before they arrive, it can quite easily turn into a nightmare.”

With a proven track record of successful selfbuild projects across Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, Studio 11 Architecture can maximise your budget to truly stunning effect (and deliver it on time), ensuring all work is fully compliant with all planning permissions, building regulations, all legal requirements, and any site restrictions related to conservation areas.

For more details and a free consultation about how Studio 11 Architecture can project manage your forever home, contact us today using the details below. n

Lincoln Studio: The Sparkhouse, Enterprise @ Lincoln Building, Brayford Pool, Lincoln LN6 7TS. Call 01522 275039.

Email design@studio11architecture.co.uk or see www.studio11architecture.co.uk.

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Interiors . Garden . Gorgeous Gifts at

Looking for inspiration for your garden?

Look no further - visit our “Bricks ‘n’ Mortar” store at Markham Moor . We have a huge showroom full of wonderful products for the home, garden and gifting.

The Showrooms, Great North Road, Markham Moor, Nr Retford DN22 0QU 01636 822000 www.elizabethandstevens.com Open from Mon-Fri 9am-5pm & Sat 10am-4pm. 24/7 online.

Please call ahead if you are making a special journey.

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HOME FURNISHINGS

Spring

FRESH Refresh your home with these brand new fabric collections for spring 2020. Each takes nature or oral prints as its inspiration...

Image: Morris & Co., Honeysuckle & Tulip Velvet fabric, in forest/chestnut colourway.

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Each of our wallcovering and fabrics brands are stocked by local interior designers who can create bespoke furnishings for your home...

This Spread: Morris & Co Melsetter collection.

Left: Curtians in Season by May, paint Zoffany Prussian, sofa in Pure Laxa Weave.

Above: Curtains in Theodora, paint Sanderson Ethereal Blue, cushion in Acorn.

Top Right: Melsetter Wallpaper. Right: Curtains in Theodora, wallpaper Middlemore, chairs in Hoy. Suhions Ruskin and Hoy.

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Above: Morris Seasons wallpaper. chair in Ruskin Wine.

Local Suppliers...

Top/Right: Sanderson Caspian Madurai wallpaper.

Chair in Particle.

Anelise Home: 01522 530400, www.anelisehome.co.uk.

Above/Right: Curtains in Andhara, wallpaper in Solo Plain.

Right: Curtains in Cantaloupe, blind in Parity, Trellis wallpaper, headbord in Darter.

Delcor: 01780 762579, www.delcor.co.uk.

Elizabeth & Stevens: 01636 822000, www.elizabethandstevens.com.

Lees Furnishers: 01472 353251 www.leesfurnishers.co.uk.

Richard Sutton Interiors: 01472 268377, richardsuttondesigninteriors.com.

Roger Davis Interiors: 01522 531371, rogerdavisinteriors.com.

Sack Store: 01205 310101, www.sackstore.co.uk.

Stevensons: 01472 233111, www.stevensonsgroup.co.uk. n

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KITCHENS • BEDROOMS • BOOT ROOMS • STUDIES INDIVIDUALLY MADE FREE STANDING FURNITURE

Call 07534 808903 richwood-cabinetmakers@hotmail.com BRING RICHWOOD INTO THE HEART OF YOUR HOME

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UNSURPASSED QUALITY, AFFORDABLE CRAFTSMANSHIP Bespoke Kitchens, Bedrooms and Bathrooms - full project management and free quotations

Peter Jackson Cabinet Makers Ltd Devereux Way, Horncastle LN9 6AU

Tel: 01507 527113 W: www.peterjacksoncabinets.co.uk E: info@peterjacksoncabinets.co.uk

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GARDENING

A FERN

FAVOURITE One of the oldest plants is a ‘fern’ favourite of Binbrook’s Neil Timm.

This month the academic, author and plantsman opens his garden to those keen to know a little more about ferns...

Words: Laurin Dempsey.

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Neil Timm’s Fern Nursery

FERNS... VERY SPECIAL PLANTS. Why? Well partly because of their age. There are over Neil will open his garden adjacent 20,000 species of fern, which together have to The Fern Nursery on 6th made up a large part of the earth’s flora since May and 27th May. He is also at least the Carboniferous era... indeed, plants exhibiting at Doddington to experiment with plants.

Hall’s Plant Fair very much like ferns may well have existed even If they do not work where on May 3rd. in the late Devonian era over three hundred you put them or work too well, and fifty million years ago. they are easily removed, and it is One Lincolnshire man who literally wrote the book on ferns is just a chance to try something else.”

Neil Timm. He has owned The Fern Nursery in the Wolds since Neil, over the years mainly spent in the county 1992, showing off and selling ferns; he’s the author of the Hardy has had experience working on a number of Plan Society’s book Ferns and he was inducted into the British different soils and microclimate types. This Pteridological Society in the 1980s. includes heavy alluvial clay and his present “I come from a family with a history of working in horticulture garden which is on chalk high in the Lincolnshire and have a lifelong interest in the natural world,” says Neil.

Wolds, and which could only be described “This developed rapidly to include a passion for gardening and as a ‘challenging’ place to grow ferns. design in my early youth, the enthusiasm stuck, and after leaving Despite tricky soil, in the last twelve years school I spent a year at horticultural college in East Anglia. After the Fern Nursery has exhibited ferns at a creating a number of gardens of my own and for family and friends, number of shows, gaining several gold medals I started a garden design and landscaping business in 1987.” and silver gilt, plus two Best in Show.

Fern Favourites...

This month is the perfect time to make friends with ferns. After all, they tessellate well in terms of the time of year they grow with spring planting.

“If you have dry shade under trees, which is often considered a problem, try planting woodland ferns with spring bulbs. The bulbs season runs from January to May and most ferns grow from May to October and into the new year. Therefore, they fit around other plants throughout the year , and you get twelve months of interest from two groups of plants which require minimum care in what is often thought of as a difficult site,” says Neil. “Don’t be afraid 96

“Growing ferns began mainly as a personal interest. Until a few decades ago, ferns were very much neglected as garden plants, and I felt that it was time for a revival of interest in their growing since they are such useful easy and trouble free garden plants, and my interest in natural history and wildlife meant that I was bound to fall in love with any group of plants which are so evocative of wilderness, and so good at bringing the mood of the wilderness into the garden.”

Above: Neil’s Fern Nursery is adjacent to his own garden with its natural streams, water features, ponds, woodland, rock features, flower borders, and raised beds.

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“As time went on, fern growing soon became a major part of my business as well as an enthusiasm, and in 1992 a move to new premises enabled it to become the main occupation. I’ve created a fern nursery with natural streams, water features, ponds, rock features and woodland as well as more formal flower borders and raised beds.”

“Gardeners have long admired ferns for their fine foliage, and for the gentle way that they unfurl their fronds at the start of Spring.”

A Natural-Looking Garden

“People always seem to love the romance of what is basically a wild natural type of garden and are usually surprised to find such a large garden, a nursery and the village bowling green, behind a modest bungalow with a small street frontage. So much so that we are often told that we should change the name to the ‘secret garden.’”

There are more than 20,000 known species of ferns grown around the world and for

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“It’s hard to name just one favourite fern, since things like the Royal Fern Osmunda Regails have to be a joy because they are our biggest natives, two metres high or more.

However, they do need moist soil to do well.”

Open Gardens...

Neil’s expertise in the field of ferns is vast, and to appreciate the vast range of ferns among some 20,000 varieties we’ll recommend a visit to his nursery near Binbrook.

“It is a tough fern to grow in a British native, environment as it thrives in even very dry woodland and with a very long season, May to March at least in most years.”

Advice on gardening techniques and tips are always willingly given, and it’s open from April to September on Saturdays... as well as providing a great afternoon out, the knowledge that the gardener, author and green-fingered polymath can impart is sure to make Neil a ‘fern’ favourite with keen gardeners!

“Despite that, it has very fine delicate looking foliage as well as a compact habit, and a good size (80cm) several good forms.”

n The Fern Nursery is based on Grimsby Road, Binbrook L8 6DH. Call 01472 398092, or see www.fernnursery.co.uk.

Neil his favourite is the Polystichum setiferum which is a soft shield fern.

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HERITAGE WINDOW SPECIALISTS ENHANCE THE STYLE, VALUE AND APPEARANCE OF YOUR HOME WITH THE VERY LATEST ALUMINIUM, WOOD OR UPVC FLUSH CASEMENT BESPOKE WINDOWS & DOORS. UNRIVALLED QUALITY & SPECIFICATION, MANUFACTURED IN THE UK BY CRAFTSMEN.

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NATURE

Wakey Wakey

April brings with it warmer weather and blossoming flowers. For some native animals it’s also the time to wake up from a lovely, long period of deep sleep!

Words: Carissa Smith.

We’ve All Experienced that feeling of waking up slightly groggy from a long deep sleep.

Spare a thought, then, for the native animal species which hibernate over the winter months when food becomes become scarce. Many will be waking up this month from their torpor ready to enjoy spring almost as much as us.

Periods of hibernation for some animals can begin as early as October and run right through until April. Once they’re ready to hibernate, the creatures instinctively start slowing their metabolism down to use as little energy as possible, their heart rate drops, as does their breathing and they enter a state of deep hibernation.

Hibernation is a voluntary state and is different to just sleeping because the brain cycles that these animals goes through are dramatically different from sleep patterns and it is more of an extreme slowing down. If you find an animal hibernating do not disturb them… after all, nobody likes being woken up in the middle of a good sleep.

The Prickly Issue of Hedgehogs Hedgehogs are just one animal which will be waking up from their long snooze this spring.

Hedgehogs regularly make it to ‘Britain’s favourite mammal’ in the polls and we understand why with their unique, charismatic appearance and harmless perception. However, hedgehogs are in trouble and this furry mammal population has declined by a third since the millennium.

Whilst hedgehogs are hibernating they cease being a warm blooded animal and instead become cold to touch. To wake up from this deep sleep the hedgehog needs to metabolise fat which warms the body and gets the blood flowing again. The hedgehog may help itself along by shivering. This can take from half to one hour to complete. Only then does the hedgehog have a normal body temperature and can again venture out into the world.

The exact time hedgehogs awake depend upon the temperature and this can be as early as March or as late as May. They will emerge very hungry and you can help our hedgehogs by putting out a hearty breakfast for when they emerge. >> 102

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Estimates from concerned wildlife groups put the hedgehog population in the UK down to about one million, compared with 30 million in the 1950s.

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You can purchase hedgehog food from wildlife food suppliers. Alternatively, these prickly animals also enjoy tinned dog or cat food (not fish-based) and crushed dog or cat biscuits.

Hedgehogs will also be thirsty so provide them with plain, fresh water but not milk as it can cause upset tummies.

If you really want to help these prickly animals put out a hedgehog feeder. A hedgehog needs to weigh at least 600g in order for it to survive hibernation so these little mammals have a lot of eating to do over the coming months.

By providing food, water and a safe garden for hedgehogs to live wildlife professionals are hopeful they can reverse the decline and save the British Mrs Tiggy-winkle and all her family and friends.

Bats The Spirit

Bats are the only flying mammal in the UK and their specialist form of movement uses a lot of energy. To cope with this bats hibernate during the winter when food is scare and they have a very low birth rate.

By April many bats will have gone almost six months without food; this results in them being very active and out feeding on every suitable night. Despite being desperately hungry bats will not emerge from the roost in high winds or heavy rainfall, on such nights they may become torpid.

Being torpid means the bats become cool and inactive but is just for a short period of time rather than fully hibernating.

Bats may move between several roost sites, simply feeding all night and returning to the nearest suitable place at dawn.

The Dormouse

The dormouse is another UK hibernation animal and this is not surprising when its name is derived from the French word dormir meaning ‘to sleep.’ 104

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HIBERNATING SPECIES

“All nature is being impacted by climate change, including hibernating animals. 2019 saw record temperatures of 21 degrees, and this unexpected warm weather is confusing our hibernating animals to wake up too early...”

The dormouse’s hibernation normally starts in November and lasts until April or even May depending on the weather.

To survive hibernation the dormouse forages to build up fat reserves in their body, during the summer and autumn, while they are still active.

During these active months these small, furry tailed rodents will increase their body weight by around 40% and use up to 30% of their fat reserves during hibernation.

However, even though these furry animals can survive hibernation through the storing of their fat stocks a considerable amount of the population still do not survive the winter months. During hibernation they are mostly inactive making them more vulnerable to disturbance and predation.

However even those who do survive their hibernation, are not out of the woods just yet and are still remain particular vulnerable once awake.

The weight loss after months without food requires the dormouse to spend a large amount of time foraging. Ecologists are studying the species but remarkably, nobody actually knows where these little creatures hibernate, whether they have a preference as to where to build a safe nest and whether there is more we can do to improve the chances of survival.

Climate Change?

All nature is being impacted by climate change including hibernating animals. February 2019 saw record temperatures of 21 degrees, the warmest winter day since records began.

This unexpected warm weather is confusing our hibernating animals to awake early.

Hibernating animals do so for a reason and being awake two months early means these species with their establish routine lack the energy or the food stores to survive.

It’s becoming increasingly apparent that as a county, we need to look after our wildlife to ensure their existence. n

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Two farmhands from Taylors in the 1950s preparing to send a consignment of tulips to Covent Garden Market. Their names have been lost to history, so if you can shed some light on their identity, contact us at the usual address and we’ll let the company know!

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TULIPS AND DAFFODILS

HISTORY IN FULL

BLOOM HIstorically the South Holland region of Lincolnshire has been a carpet of glorious yellow, red and purple at this time of year.

Though globalisation has stymied Spalding’s tulip trade, companies like Lincolnshire’s Taylor’s still contribute a great deal to the UK’s overall production of daffodils...

KNOWN AS THE HEART OF THE FENS, Lincolnshire’s Spalding has long been famous as a centre of the bulb industry helping to produce the bright blooms of daffodils and tulips that we see as being a wonderful sign of Spring.

Spalding was known as a market gardening area in the 1880s and it was J T White of Little London, Dick Wellband and Oscar D’Alcorn who pioneered the bulb industry, growing tulips, daffodils, crocus, snowdrops and iris.

Other early growers were Elizabeth Quincey of Fulney, George Dickinson of Whaplode and Henry Knipe of Bourne. Darwin tulips were first introduced in 1905 and Sam grew three: Clara Butt, William Copland and Rose Copland, which are still popular varieties today. The Culpin family carried on bulb growing over many years.

Another important family were the Taylor’s when in 1919 Otto Augustus Taylor applied for one of the new holdings that the Government had set up for returned servicemen of the First World War. Otto was unable to return to his occupation in London as a result of being gassed in the war and made a successful bid to to the government relocate to a smallholding in Holbeach.

Spalding has traditionally been known for the growing of tulips, but their flower varieties have expanded considerably since the early 20th century and are not limited to the tulip today. Depending on the time of the year you can expect to see daffodils, sunflowers and gladioli as well as roses growing, to name just a few. Beautiful dahlias are another flower variety you may see on your adventures around Spalding. >> Words: Laurin Dempsey.

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TULIPS AND DAFFODILS

The annual Tulip Parade took place on the first Saturday in May, from 1959 and was a major tourist attraction. Its procession of floats on various themes, was each decorated with tulip petals, a by-product of the bulb industry. In years where the tulips were late, daffodils or hyacinths were sometimes used in their place. Unfortunately, the flower industry has become less important since the early 21st century seeing a parade that attracted more than 100,000 visitors reduce to 40,000 by 2012. That year, the Lincolnshire County Council and South Holland District Council announced they would not fund the parade beyond 2013.

There are in total over 13,000 varieties of daffodils, but around 100 are grown commercially for flowers in the UK. Cornwall grows 75% of the Country’s daffodils and harvests 90% of worldwide production.

Daffodils can’t all be harvested at once, instead each field will have to be picked many times to ensure all the flowers are harvested at the right time. In 2017 it was recorded that £600m was spent on household horticultural goods within the East Midlands.

Taylors Bulbs are the UK’s leading supplier of flower bulbs supplying pre-packed and loose bulbs to garden centres, nurseries and landscapers throughout the UK.

Spalding’s Flower Parade

Spalding’s Flower Parade was historically held in May each year using the by-product of the area’s flower industry.

The last Spalding parade was held in 2013.

As a fourth-generation family business, Taylors Bulbs have been growing for over 100 years and now farm over 750 hectares of which over 150 ha are daffodils (over 500 varieties).

Taylors Bulbs are one of the largest bulb companies in the country, sourcing all types of bulbs from around the world to be packed on site in Holbeach. Each summer there will be in excess of 3,000 bulbs pass through the yard and speedy order processing and delivery make it possible for Taylors Bulbs to deliver bulbs somewhere in the UK every three minutes of the working day.

Taylors Bulbs force over 80 tonnes of daffodil bulbs each year for flower production under glass from early November to February.

Taylors Bulbs are also proud to have received the Royal Warrant in 1985 as Bulb Growers to Her Majesty The Queen.

Spring flowering bulbs are those that require planting in the autumn in order to prepare your garden for a very much welcomed burst of beautiful, cheerfulness after a long, dark winter.

Daffodils once bloomed have typically yellow or white flowers rising above long slender leaves. The distinctive flowers have six petal-like tepals, surrounding a central trumpet or corona. Mainly originating in southern Europe and North Africa, we do have a native British specie; narcissus pseudonarcissus.

Daffodils are very quick and easy to plant and are ideal for any garden no matter what the size. They are versatile and will grow in a wide range of soil types, but ideally, they prefer a sunny spot in fertile, well-drained soil. Daffodils are usually best planted in bold groups, rather than individually, for the greatest impact. Once settled after watering well, daffodils are low maintenance and need little attention.

“Flower bulbs have always been such an important part of South Lincolnshire’s landscape and we are proud to promote the narcissus that we grow here as the best bulbs in the country for gardeners,” say Adam Taylor of Taylors Bulbs. “And where tulips were so often seen in carpets of colour in our fenland landscape but are now only grown in glasshouses in this area for cut flowers, we are still a major focus for the tulip, importing millions of bulbs for distribution to garden centres across the UK and Ireland.”

Tulips are popular for their brilliant flower colours and shapes. By planting varieties with different bloom times, you can have tulips blooming from early to late spring. Some types are good for forcing into bloom indoors and most are excellent for cut flowers, too. Tulip flowers are usually cup-shaped with three petals and three sepals.

There’s a tulip for every setting, from small “species” tulips in naturalised woodland areas to larger tulips that fit formal garden plantings from beds to borders. One tulip grows on each stem, with two to six broad leaves per plant. It is easy to plant tulips in the garden.

Pick a sunny site that has good drainage. Tulips won’t grow well in shade and will rot in wet soil. Soil preparation is important when taking care of tulips. With tulips, care and attention to detail will reward you and your garden with a glorious spring display. n

Right: Adam Taylor, his dad John, Roger Taylor and son Sam today. John is no longer involved in the running of the business.

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Making the most of your garden by creating new “living rooms� for your relaxation & pleasure.

We offer a full design across your entire garden, through to upgrading a bed or part of your outdoor space.

You get the garden you want, an investment in your property and improved well-being through the pleasure of your enhanced outdoor living areas and plants.

Call Soo on 07545 007323 for an initial chat.

Email soo@soospectorgardens.co.uk See our portfolio of work and client testimonials at www.soospectorgardens.co.uk

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ELECTRIC & MANUAL GATES, AND BESPOKE METALWORK FABRICATION SPECIALISTS 30 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE, FREE, NO OBLIGATION QUOTES

01522 688285 • 07748 187801 www.mjbmetalwork.co.uk

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MJB METALWORK

Our Solutions to Your SECURITY PROBLEMS What if you could make your property look better, make it more secure, improve safety in your work premises and enjoy the convenience of powered gates? MJB Metalwork has the solutions to your problems, both indoors and outside...

Bespoke. Totally bespoke. Designed for your property whether it’s a commercial premises or a private home, whether better access, security, convenience or improved appearance is your aim.

With 25 years experience in bespoke metal fabrication, Louth-born Matthew Butler can create gates, railings, metal walkways, staircases or security systems to ensure that your property is better protected.

“I was an apprentice in Lincoln and have experience in bespoke fabrication, sheet metal work, precision engineering and agricultural engineering,” says Matthew.

“I noticed there was a gap in the market for a business that had the expertise, but not the overheads, one that was able to provide cost-effective bespoke metal fabrication for private customers, farms and businesses.”

“Because everything I do is completely bespoke, every solution is tailored to a client’s exact requirements with millimetre accuracy.”

“I can incorporate locks or bolts, automated security systems that operate by remote control or sliding or swing gates with timber panels to ensure your installation looks as good as it works, and provides complete peace of mind, protecting your home, or your business premises and it assets.”

“My work is designed to last decades - not years - and the steel I use is thicker and stronger than off-the-shelf security products.

My work is usually shotblasted and powder coated to make it corrosion proof, and I can work on commissions like spiral or helical staircases and mezzanines, too.”

“No matter what you need, I can design, fabricate and install it, with craftsmanship and quality guaranteed.” n

Find Out More: Matthew offers a free, no obligation consultation for your interior or exterior metalwork project. Call 07748 187801 or see www.mjbmetalwork.co.uk.

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Sparks fly between Louth based bespoke metalworker Matthew Butler and his clients.

Image by Dean Fisher.

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FOLD HILL FOODS

It’s a Dog’s Life If your canine companion is man’s best friend, shouldn’t that be reflected in his diet? We believe so and so do local farmers Tom & Rachel Grant who have launched a new, local and super-high quality pet food under their Laughing Dog label…

“IT’S A BUSY TIME ON THE FARM,” says Tom Grant. Luckily he has some help from Gus, his black lab, who bounds up and into the cab of Tom’s Fendt tractor to personally assist in the job of planting spring barley and oats. Gus, in fairness, has a vested interest in the quality of the 5,000 acre farm’s barley and oats, because some of them will be making their way into his tummy via a bowl full of the company’s brand new range, Laughing Dog Naturally Five.

“I wish I had Gus’s energy… what’s his secret?” Good nutrition, according to Tom who, along with sister Rachel and her springer spaniel Layla, together with their dad, Andrew Grant, and uncle, James Grant, all work hard to create the very best pet food it’s possible to make.

The farm was established by Tom and Rachel’s grandfather Ted Grant OBE in 1979. From grass drying for animal feed, Ted moved towards producing cereal crops to use in pet food, a legacy which has endured for 40 years and three generations.

“We’re not pet owners. We’re pet parents,” points out Rachel, and she’s quite right... and as a parent I care deeply about the quality of food I give to my son, so why should I care any less than the food I give to a fourlegged member of my family?

“We’ve taken two years to develop the new Naturally Five range,” says Rachel. “That long period of product development would probably be unthinkable for massive pet food manufacturers, but we have that capability, and as far as we were concerned it had to be right and we do have an additional advantage over larger manufacturers. We can farm many of our own ingredients, which means we can use the best ingredients guaranteed by adhering to the best farming methods. Growing quality crops means we’re not dependent on a larger number of ingredients for nutrition and flavour. Some pet food contains up to 30 different ingredients. We’re able to create what we think is a better-quality food from just five.”

“Our new range is all about quality. We’ve named it Naturally Five because there are just five ingredients in it. There are no GM ingredients, no added sugars or salts, no added wheat gluten or soya, no added artificial colours or flavours and no mixed meat meals or fillers - our chicken, lamb and beef complete dog foods are all single species in nature. That means no pork derived oils in chicken food, or fish products in a beef flavour, for example.”

Laughing Since 1936

“Our factory is subject to exactly the same hygiene standards and has to use and adhere to human-grade products and processes... and just like human food The problem as I see it - as a consumer at least - is The Laughing Dog brand was factories, we are regularly audited; the British Retail that unless you’re one of the few people who make founded in 1936 and has been Consortium's audit (BRC), for example, is in the Grant family for three a purpose journey to a vet or to one of the few reunannounced. But being a smaller company enables generations. maining pet shops on the High Street, you’ll Its Traditional Mixer Meal the company to be nimbler, more agile in their probably be purchasing pet food from a supermarket. is still based on the manufacturing processes and to produce a premium pet 1936 recipe!

Thus your pet food choice is Hobson’s choice; though food. We can also ensure that we make our products in there are - ostensibly - different brands, there are too few the most sustainable way, too, from minimising the multinational companies behind them. Most are produced in the distances our ingredients travel, to ensuring that over a quarter of same factories, and in such enormous quantities, in operations that the power our factory uses comes from our solar panels.” for commercial purposes must acquiesce both to industrial production “We’re more consumer friendly, too. Purchasing directly from methods and to the satisfaction of a particular price point.

Laughing Dog's website, using our flexible subscription service is The Laughing Dog brand is different. Despite having 140 employees very popular. But we're also passionate about supporting our local and a turnover of £34m, parent company Fold Hill Foods is still a pet shops. You can find our products in any good pet shop in relatively small producer of artisanal pet food. Which is handy.

Lincolnshire, and also the Lincolnshire Co-op too! Naturally 5 has Because the firm is still family-owned, Laughing Dog is able to keep an accessible price point - its RRP is on par with mass-market pet a close eye on the quality of their food and to create their own food, but it certainly doesn't compromise on quality.” recipes with quality, not the price of the finished product in mind.

Teasing Rachel and Tom, I point out that as a cat owner I feel a bit The company produces three varieties of wet food under the brand, discriminated against; shouldn’t I be able to treat my moggy to plus treats, baked mixers and the Naturally Five range of dry foods, better quality food, too. They reply with a wink that I should ‘watch which are wheat gluten free and available in beef, lamb and chicken this space.’ Happily, it looks like that might be the next project for flavour. In addition, Laughing Dog has an entire grain free range the team. In which case, we’ll all be laughing…! n of oven-baked foods in chicken, white fish and duck varieties.

For more information on local stockists of Fold Hill Foods’ Laughing Dog pet food, made in Old Leake, call 0800 098 8057 or see laughingdogfood.com.

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Crystal Clear Things could not last as economic disaster struck in the 2000s; the fortunes of this great factory were again hit. An insolvency and wind up order occurred in 2009 of the owners Waterford Wedgwood closed and although a site relocated to The Mall in Waterford, much of what has recently been produced was done so in Europe from the Czech Republic, to Hungary and Germany.

The company has encompassed a great tradition and a number of star designers From John Hill himself to Jasper Conran. Any number of buildings from Windsor Castle to the Kennedy Center can boast Waterford commissions and umpteen sporting trophies from the Ashes cricket crystal vase to the former World Hurdle at Cheltenham showcase the work of this great factory in their awards. The second hand market remains very strong at auction proving quality and a good name will always lead the way. This can be summed up by our buyers who want Waterford crystal rather than just crystal. n

Find Out More: Craig Bewick is an antiques specialist with Golding, Young & Mawer: The Bourne Auction Rooms, Spalding Road, Bourne PE10 9LE, 01778 422686; The Grantham Auction Rooms, Old Wharf Road, Grantham NG31 7AA, 01476 565118; The Stamford Valuation Office, The George Mews, Station Road, Stamford PE9 2LB, 01780 751666 or The Lincoln Auction Rooms, Thos Mawer House Station Road, North Hykeham, Lincoln, LN6 3QY, 01522 524984. Alternatively, see www.goldingyoung.com.

Japanese Bronze Koro

Sold For £25,000

The name Waterford Crystal is synonymous with style and quality and highlights the old collectable adage that a name certainly sells an item.

The glassware market is perhaps not as buoyant as it once was, certainly for modern crystal; ornaments are not displayed as much as they once were and buyers turn their noses up at drinking glasses which ‘won’t go into the dishwasher’. This has hit auction sales of almost every British and Irish manufacturer of fine crystal, except the mighty Waterford, a hallmark for class, quality and the finest craftsmanship.

The history of Irish glass on any commercial level begins in County Tyrone, with the opening of their first glassworks in around 1771. This in turn would not be possible were it not for the prowess of George Ravenscroft who in around 1676 developed early lead crystal.

George and William Penrose were the co founders of the original Waterford Crystal works in 1783 and their master craftsman John Hill through supreme ability to polish and cut glass to the highest level had them firmly on the map by around 1785.

The history of the firm has been a rollercoaster of fame or famine and its fortunes acts a barometer of the financial situation of the times.

By 1851 the company ceased and for 100 years the great name became dormant. After the depression years of the 1930s and post World War II the Czech immigrant Charles Bacik rekindled the factory and with the help of Miroslav Havel brought skilled glass makers from Europe in to produce yet again crystal of the highest order.

The factory was taken over by The Irish Glass Bottle Company and went from strength to strength with its undoubted heyday being the 1960s where they provided the many new department stores directly across the world.

Regulated by RICS The hallmark of a professional auction house offering executor & private client advice & services for valuation, auction sale & property clearance.

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goldingyoung.com 119 119

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WEDDINGS

A Sunset Proposal From exotic Bognor Regis to a dusk proposal in Gran Canaria and a honeymoon cruise around the Mediterranean, Alex and Molly say the sun will never set on their love…

Photographer: Gary Anderson, GJA Photography, 01507 351639, www.gjaphotography.com.

Lincolnshire’s Alex and Molly first met in 2015 when Molly moved to Bognor Regis to work as Redcoat at Butlins, where Alex was working as a security manager. After dating for three months they made the decision to move to Lincolnshire due to a bereavement in Molly’s family.

Molly was born and raised in Lincolnshire and Alex on the South Coast. “Alex made the first move and used to bring me chocolate when I was on a shift,” says Molly.

WEDDING SUPPLIERS ALEX & MOLLY WELLS

“We supplied a lot of the decorations and we had a family friend and florist do the centrepieces and bouquets. We also had Lady B’s Cupcakery create our three tier wedding cake which was fantastic.”

Marrying in August 2019, and now being together for over four years, Alex proposed to Molly whilst on a family holiday in Gran Canaria. “It was on the balcony of our room at sunset, very romantic,” she says.

“He left me getting ready one night in the hotel room before we went out for a meal, however he had actually gone to get the ring from my sister who had it in her suitcase.

He came back with a bottle of bubbly and we celebrated later that evening with food and drinks and my family. We started planning the wedding as soon as we returned from holiday in early November 2016.”

“My wedding dress was bought from a shop in Woodhall Spa called the Ivory Room.

It was absolutely beautiful and everything I wanted it to be and more. It was slightly off the shoulder, tight around the torso and floaty from the waist down. Covered in lace, tiny pearls and sequins.”

“Louth’s Brackenborough Hotel was perfect.

We had our Reception in the Tennyson Suite at the hotel. The staff did a fantastic job setting up, and serving our guests throughout the day the whole team couldn’t have been more accommodating!”

“He asked me out on a date and took me to Brighton for the day, we had lunch and took a walk by the beach. We’ve been very fortunate and not had many mishaps since, we’ve had a few bumps like everybody else but we like to consider ourselves as incredibly lucky to have one another.”

“The proposal was a complete surprise.

Alex took my mum ring shopping and they picked one together. The proposal actually happened four days earlier than Alex had planned because he was so nervous.”

“The first thing we planned was the venue which was the Brackenborough Hotel in Louth and the church in Burgh le Marsh.”

Wedding Photographer: Gary Anderson, GJA Photography, 01507 351639, www.gjaphotography.com.

Reception Venue: Brackenborough Hotel, 01507 609169, www.oakridgehotels.co.uk.

Wedding Dress: Ivory Room, 01526 268030, theivoryroombridal.co.uk Wedding Cakes: Lady B’s Cupcakery, 01507 473931, www.ladybs.co.uk.

Entertainment: Funkified, www.funkified.co.uk. n

“Our band was called Funkified which is a eight to 10 piece band singing a mixture of chart songs, soul and funk. A really good party band that would be highly recommended!”

“The most memorable parts of the day for us was seeing each other at the church for the first time. We also loved the speeches done by my father and Alex’s father too, who was also his Best Man. Alex’s speech was great too and we also had a surprise firework show set to music - Take That’s Greatest Day which was organised by my parents.”

Alex and Molly love going on holiday and want to explore the world as much as possible, so what better way to celebrate becoming Mr and Mrs than embarking on a cruise?>> 121

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- WEDDINGS -

“Our advice to other couples getting married would be to not worry about anything, take in every moment. Smile, breathe, enjoy... remember it is your day!”

“We went on our first cruise with Marella, an adults only all inclusive cruise for two weeks around the Mediterranean.”

“This visited the Naples, Crete, Mykonos, Athens, Sicily, Barcelona, Toulon, Florence, Pisa, Rome and Sardinia. We thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it! The perfect relaxation after a busy and stressful planning period.”

“Our advice to other couples getting married would be to not worry about anything, to just take in every moment. Smile, breathe and enjoy – remember it is your day!”

Don’t stress about things you cannot control... as long as you have the people you love around you, the day will be perfect.” n 122

Images: Gary Anderson, GJA Photography, 01507 351639, www.gjaphotography.com.

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Sanyukta Shrestha put the finishing touch to one of her designs.

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THE WEDDING DRESS DESIGNER

HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT

WEDDING DRESS Finding the perfect wedding dress is tricky... so it should come as no surprise that many brides prefer to work with couturiers like Lincolnshire’s Sanyukta Shrestha instead. With her longstanding passion and a eye for bridal detail, you’re in very safe hands with this ethical wedding dress designer...

Words: Laurin Dempsey. Model Images: Kev Elkins Wedding Photography. Sanyukta’s Images: Piers Cunliffe Photography

THE BIG WEDDING DRESS SEARCH! It’s equal parts exciting and daunting. For most of us, this is the first and only time we’ll be shopping for a wedding dress, and as you can imagine it’s not quite the same as picking out an outfit for work. Finding the perfect wedding dress can be quite a long process and isn’t always easy. To help make the process as fun and easy as possible we have gathered some trusted tips and advice from local Bridal Designer Sanyukta Shrestha.

Sanyukta Shrestha is a pioneer in ethical, eco-friendly and sustainable high-end bridal fashion. Specialising in bridal and evening wear, Sanyukta aims to carry beauty from beginning to end of her design process.

Sourcing eco-friendly materials sustainably, providing Fairtrade work for marginalised communities in her home country of Nepal, and hand-finishing the finest details tailored to each bride.

The designer has lived and breathed the Lincolnshire Wolds for the past two years, has been in the design industry for 20 years, having starting her career at the age of 17.

This was however after her younger days when she did not even know what a designer was or ever thought she would become one!

Possessing an artistic flare since the age of four though led her towards this creative field and after winning an award for the first dress that she ever designed she’s not looked back since!

“I missed out on my typical teen years of going out with friends as I was not only attending two colleges, one of which was Fashion School, my father wanted me to

“By narrowing down your choices, this will help you from becoming ‘tired and disheartened’ from going to shop to shop and not knowing any idea of what you want.”

“Brides-to-be however need to understand that most of the time, the dream dress they have seen on another bride or model would not necessarily flatter them as everyone is different and most commonly so are our body shapes and personalities. Commercial photos are also stylised and retouched. That is why I advise all brides-to-be to go into a bridal consultation with an open mind and try different styles in order to find the perfect shape to flatter her body.

maintain other subjects alongside this. I was also then designing in the evenings until early hours... I found my own fun though!

This became my passion and it was worth it.

I knew in my heart what I wanted to achieve.”

Continuing with her consistent award success Sanyukta has also be named ‘Best Wedding Boutique of the year 2020’ of which was announced in February.

On speaking with Sanyukta she advises that before you start wedding dress shopping you should think about your day and what kind of dress is most appropriate. Then, do your research! “We are very lucky to have as much access to the internet as we do, to have all these wonderful ideas at our fingertips.”

“A wedding dress should combine beauty with comfort, so a bride should follow her heart and not the trends. The perfect wedding dress is the one that reflects a bride’s personality, compliments her figure and most importantly, it’s the one she will feel most comfortable in.

Brides should stay true to themselves and stick to the shapes they know work. They should feel beautiful and happy while wearing it,” says Sanyukta.

You should also be realistic and set a budget for your wedding dress to also help you within your search. Giving yourself enough time to find the right dress is also very important. Sanyukta advises that you leave yourself six months minimum, however the sooner the better is always favoured especially by bridal shops who often have to order your dress from somewhere else.

Before you book a bridal boutique appointment, check what bridal dresses they 125

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“A wedding dress should combine beauty with comfort, so a bride should follow her heart and not the trends!�

Right: Sanyukta has worked hard for the past 20 years to be in the lucky position that she sees herself in now

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stock – see if they meet the look and style you are after. If you have a certain dress in mind, call ahead to ensure they have a sample of that particular design.

seamless underwear that matches their skin tones are often favoured over contrast colour that may show through and give the wrong impression of the dress.

“Always take a few trusted people with you not an entourage. Don’t make it confusing by having numerous conflicting opinions!”

Wear light makeup and no fake tan as you will be trying on sample wedding dresses from designers and this helps to prevent any staining or marking of the dress when taking it on and off.

If you opt to have a dress designed, Sanyukta explained to us her process. Firstly Sanyukta would chat with the bride to gain their vision, their personality traits, insecurities and the best features of their body. “A designer should understand you and create something that magnifies the best of your body.”

In that first appointment Sanyukta sketches a design for the bride so that they can see physically she has understood their style providing confidence and assuredness.

Next comes the ‘toile service’ where Sanyukta can produce a mock up with calico fabric to create a feel and fit the bride is happy with before transforming this onto their chosen material ready for their first fitting.

When trying on your wedding dress it is advised by most bridal shops and designers that you wear the right underwear. You will be helped in and out of dresses and nude

Also, spare a thought for the shoes and hairstyle that you would ideally like to have on your wedding day.

Don’t get too caught up with designer labels.

Choose a dress not a label, then stick to your price range that’s realistic for you and your budget.

Whilst in the bridal boutique be open minded to trying on a range of styles, even dresses you may not necessarily like on the hanger. Listen to the boutique assistant’s recommendations as they know their stuff !

Before your final fitting, make sure you have your chosen shoes, underwear and accessories, and bring them along to make sure it all works together If you have found or designed your dream dress, stop looking!

Same as when it arrives, put it away and do not keep looking at it. We are our own worst enemies when it comes to picking further ‘faults’ or changing our minds... remember, you chose the one for a reason! n

Find Out More: Sanyukta Shrestha is a couturier specialising in eco-friendly wedding dresses, designing unique gowns perfect for your special day.

Sanyukta has bridal studios in both Lincolnshire and Fulham, London.

Call 020 73859927 or see www.sanyuktashrestha.com. n

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WEDDINGS

FLOWER POWER Use blooms to best effect at your wedding.

We’ve 10 blooming brilliant tips to show you how!

Images: Interflora, to find a local florist see www.interflora.co.uk 1. Flower Arch: There’s nothing quite like a floral arch to make your wedding feel extra special; whether you have it placed over the aisle, adorning the entrance to the church or in pride of place at your reception.

2. Your Cake: Incorporating flowers into your cake is a great way of bringing colour into a traditionally white cake.

3. Unique Foliage: It’s a nice idea to incorporate unusual foliage from thistles in winter or succulent or gently scented herbs into your wedding flowers.

4. Buttonholes: A staple for the groomsmen, boutonniere to give them their proper name should carry through the colour scheme from the rest of your wedding.

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5. Strong Colours: Wedding flowers needn’t be pastels - strong colours can work brilliantly!

6. Hand-Tied Posy: Tight or loose, a hand-tied posy is more convenient than a trailing bouquet.

7. Pomander: Pomanders are arranged around a core of flower foam. Ideal, too, for flower girls.

8. Table Runner: A beautiful way to decorate your top table with your chosen wedding colour.

9. Flower Wall: A luxurious wall installation made entirely of flowers is a gorgeous backdrop for your cake table, or any other place you’d like to draw attention to.

10. Centrepieces: Tight spheres of flowers in a single colour can look neat and unobtrusive. n

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Floral Tips for Your Wedding... n Don’t leave it too late to book. Good florists get booked way in advance. Sometimes two years... so you can never be too early!

n Do send your florist lots of inspiration photos; it’s one of the best ways of making sure we all share the same idea.

n Do try and leave some of the creative decisions to your florist.

They know what works well together and what’s in season so you can end up getting much better value and much fuller arrangements if you allow them some flexibility.

n Don’t overstretch yourself on the day of the wedding. Florists can deliver everything to you so you don’t have the worry of forgetting to collect your flowers.

n Don’t set your heart on particular blooms until you find out if they’re in season or not!

If flowers are not available during a month in the UK, they may prove expensive.

n Do go and visit a local florist during the season you’ll be getting married in so you can see in real life which blooms are available (It’s much better than looking at photos!)

Tips courtesy of Stamford Flowers, 01780 757225, stamfordflowers.co.uk.

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SINCE 1856 34-38 WIDE BARGATE BOSTON, LINCS PE21 6RX

TAILORING FOR 2020...

BY ORDER OF CONEYS WEDDING PARTY DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE

Shop all your favourite designers that you know and love at Coneys Lincoln and Boston. We offer a large selection of premium branded clothing, shoes and accessories together with an unbeatable service.

www.coneysdesignerwear.co.uk Facebook.com/coneyslincoln 225 High Street, Lincoln LN2 1HW T. 01522 511 187 Open: Mon to Sat 9am – 5:30pm, Sun 11am – 4pm

Facebook.com/coneysboston 34/36 Wide Bargate, Boston PE21 6RX T. 01205 311 355 Open: Mon to Sat 10am – 5:30pm, Sun 11am – 4pm

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HERE COMES THE

MOTHER

of the BRIDE This month we team up with John Charles in helping to provide you with flattering and luxurious outfits to help you feel even happier and prouder to be Mother of the Bride...

This Page: Blush stretch crépe & lace dress with peplum,£560

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With a sophisticated Bardot neckline and asymmetric hem, this gown features elegant beaded detailing that perfectly enhances the lurex jacquard fabric.

Pictures here in Indigo.

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A stunning dress with 3-D sculptural jacquard flowers across the neckline, complementing the bell sleeves, this style is perfectly elegant.

Shown here in Vanilla.

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This page: Fuchsia cowl back dress in luxe stretch crepe, £840

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- FASHION -

Top/Left: Monochrome Dress and Jacket made in Jacquard & Taffeta, £725 Top/Right: Summer Rose Jacquard dress with bell sleeves and bow detail, £500.

Bottom/Left: Fushia Top & Trouser set in soft crepe, £670; Bottom/Right: Blush embroidered lace & luxe crepe dress with collar detail £630. n Matching hats and fascinators are available, for local stockists see www.johncharles.co.uk

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Purveyors of Luxury Eyewear Since 1979

LINDBERG eyewear in stock now.

43/44 Wrawby Street, Brigg, North Lincolnshire DN20 8BS Tel: 01652 653595. Web: www.obriensopticians.co.uk Call for an appointment or pop in to view our latest designer eyewear.

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SPRING BEAUTY

April in Neutrals THIS MONTH WE’VE ALL THINGS LIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL WITH SOME PASTEL SHADES THAT ARE JUST PERFECT FOR SPRING

1. A Fresh & Floral Scent from Dior, Perfect for Spring...

Fresh and floral, Dior’s In Joy eau de parfum bursts with a charming blend of fragrances.

Offset with a touch of saltiness, juicy peach and jasmine sambac notes reveal a ripe, brightening quality.

Let the refreshingly unique scent take you away with its compelling amalgamation of accords, from ylang ylang to peaches and fleur de sel to put one in mind of a trip to the seaside. £90 / 100ml.

5. Here Comes the Sunshine...

Sisley Phyto-Touche sun glow powder is a creamy powder that provides a unique sensory experience, for a tailor-made tan.

Its ‘wave’ design comprises two golden beige shades to tailor your tan however you like and a blush shade to add freshness and radiance.

Natural, golden shades to sculpt the face. Easy to apply, extremely soft and light texture. Blends with no overloading or streaking. £79 / 11g.

2. Skin Perfect by Dior...

Dior’s Forever Undercover foundation is an ultra-fluid, 24-hour, water-based foundation offers full coverage that combines maximum complexion control with a natural matte finish that is kiss-proof, touch-proof and life-proof, Perfect for all-day wear, £34 / 40ml.

3. Perfect Pigments...

Tom Ford’s Bare Peach lip colour utilises soja seed extract, Brazilian murumuru butter and camomilla flower oil create an ultra-creamy texture with an incredibly smooth application, £40 / 13ml.

6. A Duo of Nail Colour from Be Your...

Double Up on your peach powers and meet Be Your’s two juicy scented shades mixed in a cream, long wear formulation to flatter and sweeten your nails.

‘Hot Fuzz’ is a perky and bright, ‘Peach Tease’ a warm and velvety nude. Both have a long wear promise. £15 / 2 x 14ml

4. A Brush with Style...

Guerlain’s Foundation Brush offers easy, quick foundation application and a beautiful, natural finish thanks to its unique 360° brush head. Simply dab a few drops of foundation onto the face and blend outwards, for a streak-free, even complexion, £36.

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n All our beauty products are available from local independent stockists unless otherwise stated, please note that prices stated are RRP and may vary according to retailer.

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BESPOKE CARE PACKAGE FOR BOTH WOMEN AND MEN: • LJM Homecare hold their standards high • Personalised service, no two care packages are the same • Respect, dignity and promoting independence

• Services include: Palliative Care, Day/Night Sitting, Rehabilitation Support, General Domestic Help and Escorted Trips out • Both short and long term care available • All supports workers are DBS checked

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LASER DISC DECOMPRESSION What should I expect before and after the procedure?

A TOP spine surgeon is performing pioneering new treatment at Avicenna Clinic, Peterborough.

Mr Andrzej Wojcik, a Consultant Orthopaedic/ Spinal Surgeon at Avicenna clinic in Peterborough is now performing decompression surgery for lumbar disc bulge using a patented laser technology specifically developed for this purpose.

This is a minimally invasive surgery and the patient can go home the same day generally within a couple of hours of surgery.

Hundreds of these procedures have been successfully performed in cities like London and Birmingham.

Disc bulge is a common condition and usually presents with severe leg pain. Part of the inner softer part of the disc (the nucleus pulposus) bulges out through a weakness in the outer part of the disc. The bulging disc may press on nearby structures such as a nerve coming from the spinal cord. Some inflammation also develops around the prolapsed part of the disc. Inflammation may irritate a nerve and cause swelling, which may put pressure on a nerve.

In such cases, it’s important to visit a doctor.

In the first instance, doctors may prescribe conventional treatments and the condition may improve but in cases where the problem persists, surgical intervention may be the only option. Historically this is performed with a surgical microscope by a spinal surgeon. This does however require an ‘open’ incision with all the related risks including that of infection and more worryingly in a small number of cases nerve injuries which if severe can result in incontinence of the bowel and/or bladder. Additionally, surgery usually requires a stay in hospital for a couple of days and can take many weeks to get over, even after the wound has healed.

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PLDD is considered to be a minimally invasive procedure which does not require open conventional surgery.

The latest technology allows the disc surgery (discectomy) to be performed minimally invasively using X-ray guidance by inserting a laser filament down a needle into the disc.

Performed as a day case procedure the surgical risks are almost eliminated and the patient can return to full activity within days rather than weeks owing to minimal tissue trauma compared to an open surgical procedure QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: What is Percutaneous Laser Disc Decompression (PLDD)?

PLDD is the introduction of a fine optical fibre through the skin into the inter vertebral disc of the spine.

Through a measured and controlled application of laser energy, a small amount of the disc is evaporated, causing the bulge to recede (decompression) away from the nerve.

Why might I be considered for PLDD? PLDD can be offered if considered appropriate for conditions resulting from compression of the disc in the neck or lower back. You may have already had treatments such as painkillers or physiotherapy, but your symptoms have not resolved.

Your medical professional may advise PLDD if it’s not necessary to opt for more open surgery.

You will be asked not to eat or drink from midnight the night before your procedure.

On the day of your treatment you will arrive at the clinic, usually in the morning. You will be asked to change into a gown and have a pre-treatment assessment.

You may be given sedation or general anaesthesia for the duration of your treatment.

After my Procedure?

Results and recovery time can vary from patient to patient however the majority of the patients are able to return home on the same day of their procedure.

As you are having a procedure that may require sedation or general anaesthesia, it is advised that you have someone to escort you home.

Your medical professional may advise that you do not drive or operate machinery for 12-24 hours following your procedure. You should avoid strenuous activities until you have been assessed and cleared to do so by a medical professional. In some cases, a course of physiotherapy may be recommended to help with recovery.

It is important to understand that all medical procedures carry an element of risk and symptomatic relief and recovery outcomes can vary from patient to patient. n Avicenna clinic specialises in pain management and minimal invasive intervention. To book a consultation or for more information on treating your pain and explore the other available services to help you, contact The Avicenna Clinic in Peterborough please call 0330 202 0597.

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WILKIN CHAPMAN

A New Future for WILKIN CHAPMAN There’s a new future in store for clients of Wilkin Chapman in the Wolds as 2020 brings even greater expertise and support…

Words: Michelle Lalor.

A WILKIN CHAPMAN celebration event was enjoyed by staff and business representatives from across the Lincolnshire Wolds as the region’s largest law firm marked a development of its services.

Guests from across the estate and land agency, banking, accountancy and wealth management sectors gathered at Louth’s Masons Arms Hotel to enjoy an informal business lunch hosted by Wilkin Chapman Partner Claire Parker and her colleagues.

The start of 2020 represented an evolution of the firm’s Wolds business with an expanded team in the Louth office – bolstering the expertise for the benefit of private and corporate clients.

Head of the Wolds offices, which employ 50 staff at 17 Cornmarket, Louth and in the Bull Ring, Horncastle, Claire explained how the business had moved on in recent years and there was now more demand for a range of services under one roof.

Wilkin Chapman is now achieving this in the Wolds with its two offices and an extensive outreach service – both of which were supported by colleagues at the Lincoln office and the firm’s Grimsby headquarters, added Claire.

She said: “The team and I are extremely pleased to be moving forward in a way that allows us to provide a much stronger service to clients right across the Wolds.”

“Our combined expertise is second to none and we aim to offer our clients the very best service in all aspects of private and commercial law.”

Guests enjoying the hospitality over lunch commented on the business picture across East Lindsey as we progress into 2020, with optimism in the area of domestic property sales and building highlighted. Recent predictions from the UK’s housing market seem to mirror that optimism – in December 2019 national house price growth hit 1.4 per cent and it is predicted that there will be

increased activity in the Lincolnshire, Humber and Yorkshire regions in the year ahead.

Claire was equally as positive and highlighted how the Wolds Wilkin Chapman teams were equipped to support people through all elements of property purchase and sale, be it developments and building, or domestic.

Furthermore, with property moves often prompting people to think about other elements of their future, she pointed out the firm’s strength in areas of succession planning, and the making of Wills and preparation of Trusts.

“Any period of change often serves as a reminder to people to ensure other areas of life planning are organised, and as a highly experienced and knowledgeable team in the Wolds, we have all the advice individuals need both in Louth and Horncastle,” added Claire.

As an organisation that sits at number 106 in the Lawyer’s Top 200 UK law firms, Wilkin Chapman is the region’s largest law firm with offices also in Grimsby, Lincoln and Beverley.

Together the firm, which also includes Wilkin Chapman Business Solutions in Doncaster, employs almost 500 people. n

n Wilkin Chapman LLP is the largest law firm in Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire offering a wide range of legal services for both businesses and individuals.

The firm has offices in Grimsby, Lincoln, Beverley, Louth, Horncastle and Doncaster, see www.wilkinchapman.co.uk or call 01507 606161.

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Wilkin Chapman Partner Claire Parker.

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PRIDE MARKETING

Legally compliant and fully insured, our drone pilots are now available for your business.

HIRE OUR PROFESSIONAL

PHOTOGRAPHERS

In the era of digital marketing, having a selection of high quality photographs at your fingertips is the way to ensure you can show off your business at its best...

A picture tells a thousand words. It’s a cliché, but one that has never been more applicable. In a media-rich age, you can only create good advertising material, brochures, websites and social media posts if you have high quality images.

Whether you need shots of your products, your people or your premises, having the use of one of our photographers will allow you to show off your business with a selection of full-resolution pictures instantly available to you when you need them.

The quality of Pride Magazines is also dependent on great photography and therefore great photographers. That’s why we’re always asked by clients if our images are available for purchase and why, as a natural consequence, we’re now making our photographers available for hire.

Our photographers can also create video too, ideal for your website and social media, with voiceover and editing techniques to create professional 4k video footage.

There’s no substitute for the technical expertise, creative flair and professional equipment that our photographers have, and for that reason, having the use of our photographers for a half day or full day photo shoot at your business will provide a totally bespoke service aimed at providing you with high quality, copyright free images.

We’ve a range of packages available starting at less than £500 including shooting and editing time. It’s never been more important to have good quality images of your business, and that’s why we’re making sure it’s never been easier to get access to great photography.

Call us now for a no obligation discussion of your needs and we’ll help to ensure your business is presented in the best light... both literally and metaphorically too!

Find Out More: Pride Magazines is now offering ground or aerial photography & videography, 3D Virtual Tours, bespoke websites plus design and print for businesses like yours. To discuss your requirements call 01529 469977 and don’t forget to take a Virtual Tour of our offices at www.pridemagazines.co.uk. n

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PLAN YOUR WEDDING PROPERLY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR 863,863 MEMBERS

We are the Number One wedding website in the UK -

Win a £25,000 dream wedding Browse through 20,000 wedding dresses Free wedding planning tools like our table planner Claim a free engagement photoshoot Win monthly wedding related prizes Talk to like-minded brides in your area for support

Join now for free at www.ukbride.co.uk To advertise your wedding business to 43% of brides-to-be in your area, call us on 0800 112 3 112.

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THIS MONTH: BACK TO THE ROARING 20s AT THE BURTON HUNT BALL IN LINCOLN...

To feature your event call 01529 469977. Our magazines are free to read online, so you can share the magazine with your friends. Visit www.pridemagazines.co.uk.

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Back to the Roaring ‘20s at the

Burton Hunt Ball THE ROARING ‘20S was celebrated last month with the 2020 Burton Hunt Ball held for over 500 people at The Lincolnshire Showground’s Epic Centre.

The event featured a Champagne reception, three course supper of ham hock rillette, lamb rump and glazed lemon tart. Following the meal, guests enjoyed then dancing to live band My Mate Kate.

There was a casino and a silent auction with casino prizes alone including a tasting menu cooked by Darren Rogan, magnums of Ambary Gin, an Audi car for the weekend from Just Audi & VW and meat hamper from Lancaster & Sons of Market Rasen.

The Burton Hunt is one of the oldest packs in the UK established by John Monson in 1672 and divided into the Burton and Blankney in 1871.

Its territory covers north of Lincoln 22 miles east to west and 16 miles north to south. n Photos: Rob Davis.

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MOTORS

SEE RED IN A TRUE

SPORTS SUV It’s the sensible sports car for our county. Porsche’s flagship Macan Turbo has performance and luxury in abundence, whilst offering a very sensible five seats, decent boot and good ground clearance for negotiating our broken road surfaces...

Words: Rob Davis.

IF RECENT COLD WEATHER has given way to spring, you can be sure that potholes aren’t far behind the thaw. Water seeping into cracked road surfaces, freezing, then expanding is the leading cause of nefarious wheel ravaging pot holes all over the UK. And in our part of the world, the need to pull onto grass verges to let other drivers pass on narrow country lanes, plus all those lumpy bumpy roads means a bit of extra ground clearance is a welcome feature of 4x4s, as well as a good reason to avoid sports cars.

But if you’re a keen driver, rejoice at the thought of a car which blends a decent practical ride height with engaging handling.

Porsche has created the practically perfect sports car for our county; the Macan.

And now, there’s a Turbo flagship which provides all of the performance and feel of a sports car plus five seats, a good-sized boot, good ground clearance and all wheel drive for dispatching the odd off-road challenge.

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What’s even better than its 2.9 litre V6 petrol engine and its 440ps of power, or its 550nm torque, though, is the availability of the Macan Turbo in this absolutely beautiful shade of Porsche Carmine red... very nice.

You can also specify a pea green Mamba Green Metallic shade or wheels painted to match the colour of your chosen paint shade... should you wish to look like a teenage driver who has embarked on dubious aftermarket modifications to their car.

With the 60mph dash over and done with in 4.3 seconds - less than that if you specify the Sport Plus package - and a top speed of 167mph, it’s as rapid as a Porsche 911 Carerra. And despite being a bit longer, wider and being equipped with four wheel drive too, the Macan offers identical fuel economy and it’s £14,000 cheaper.

OK, so the 911 is a pure sports car, and it’s Porsche’s halo model, but still, the Macan offers spectacular value for money. >>

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Four by Roar: All Wheel Drive performance cars...

Aston Martin DBX £158,000: If the thought of Porsche creating an off-road vehicle surprised you, the news that Aston Martin has deviated from its usual GT models to create its own four door, four wheel drive vehicle will most probably leave you feeling faint. But here it is, all 4.0V8 twin turbo of it. 60mph is reached in 4.5 seconds, top speed is 181mph and it has 542bhp of power. Fuel economy is a weak point at just 19mpg, and despite its seemingly small dimension it’s wider and 20cm longer than a Range Rover Sport! n

Maserati Levante Trofeo £124,900: An exotic brand, and a bit of a left-field choice among a sea of AMG and Range Rover Sports. Lots of natural leathers and shimmering veneers to choose from but only one engine choice in the Trofeo flagship; it’s a 3.8 litre V8 that’s good for 572bhp, 60mph in 3.9 seconds and 188mph flat out on a track. Traction is excellent, and the Levante will appeal to keen drivers but arguably more modest models in the range have just as much appeal as an exotic sports SUV. n

>> The newer version of the Macan flagship offers 40ps more power than its predecessor, better dynamics thanks to an extensively revamped chassis and better connectivity with an all new Porsche Communication Management setup.

At £68,530 the Macan may still be a heck of a lot of money for what is roughly the size of a Discovery Sport, but at the price of a Range Rover Sport, but offering that 911-rivalling performance as well as Porsche handling, in a package that easier to park in town gives the Macan a value all of its own.

Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition £86,685: The larger Range Rover Sport is looking a little older and more conservative next its smaller style-oriented sibling, the Velar. Despite the fact that its design cues - like flush door handles - are halo-ing down other models in company’s lineup, the Velar is still the loveliest looking Range Rover, hence our recommendation here over the larger Sport model.

Despite a long and silly name, this flagship offers ludicrous performance from its lovely 5.0V8 engine. n

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Standard equipment is decent, too, with 18way electrically adjustable seats, leather, a Bose stereo and navigation all fitted. You’ll need to find extra, though, for adaptive

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“With amazing pace, handling finesse and a decent ride, Macan is the practical sports car that’s a pleasure to drive and own...” cruise control, a heated steering wheel, wireless phone charging and a heated front windscreen... even heated seats and a rear view camera are optional, which seems a little grubby for a car flirting with a £70,000 asking price.

Still, above all the reason for spending money on a Porsche is for its ability to deliver an engaging drive. And in the case of the Macan and its larger Cayenne sibling, to do so in a practical form too... and in that respect the Macan is a real superstar.

The steering is as good as you could ever expect from an electric setup, and though optional ceramic brakes are available, the standard ones are just great. Optional air suspension is worth the money on our patchy roads, but the flat and composed way the car deals with A-road speeds is nothing short of revolutionary.

Speed, finesse, luxury and character, with a healthy dose of practicality thrown in, Macan is the sports car you’ll be happy to live with and to drive every single day. n

PORSCHE MACAN TURBO Price: £68,530 (available now).

Drivetrain: 2.9 litre V6 petrol engine, seven speed automatic with all wheel drive transmission.

Performance: 0-62 mph: 4.3 seconds.

Top Speed: 167mph.

Economy: 23.5mpg (combined).

Equipment: Bose hi-fi, 18-way electric seats, navigation. n 155

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PRIDE MAGAZINES HIGH END MARKETING For almost 18 years the Pride Team have worked solely on producing the finest magazines in their areas.

We now feel that the time is right, having a proven track record for qualityy,, that our clients should receive the benefits of our professional marketing team too.

If you require any of the following services for your business please get in touch.

We are reasonably priced and of course you already know the quality of our work by the magazine you are holding in your hands!

3D VIRTU UA AL REALIT Y TOURS HIGH QU UA ALIT Y PHOTOGR RA AP HY WEBSITE DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT BEAU TIF UL BROCHURES COOL COMMERCIAL VIDEOS LEGALL LY Y LICENSED DRONE VIDEOS H A N D D RA AW WN & P PA AINTED ILLUSTRA AT T IONS

FOR MORE INFORMA ATTION ON MARKETING SERVICES CALL OUR FRIENDLLY Y TEAM ON 01529 469977 OR EMAIL SALES@PRIDEMAGAZINES.CO.UK

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MOTORS

A Vision of the Future MERCEDES BENZ’S VISION OF THE FUTURE EXPRESSED IN ITS AVTR CONCEPT CAR...

MERCEDES BENZ It’s a vision of the future from Mercedes Benz! What you’ve looking at is Vision Avtr - Advanced Vehicle Transformation.

“Instead of a conventional steering wheel, the multifunctional control element in the center console allows human and machine to merge,” says the German firm. “By placing the hand on the control unit, the interior comes to life and

the vehicle recognises the driver by his or her heartbeat and breathing.”

The car is designed to resemble an animal with 33 ‘bionic flaps’ on the rear deck which ‘ripple’ to give feedback for the driver.

It’s powered by an organic recycled battery, and is upholstered in vegan leather with a floor made from Karuun (rattan) wood. n

New Venue for UK Show BRITISH MOTOR SHOW LIVE RETURNS TO UK FOR 2020...

The 1969 Motor Show at Earl’s Court. Morris; Austin; Rambler; remember them?

Firm favourite as Merc E-Class looks to favour company car drivers...

MERCEDES BENZ With more company car drivers than ever before, Mercedes is preparing to release its facelifted 2020 E-Class saloon and estate and is determined to provide the perfect executive express for discerning company buyers.

The fifth generation of Mercedes’s mid-sized executive has greater autonomous driving capabilities, plus 2.0 48v mild hybrid models and plug-in versions to provide low company car tax. n

MOTOR SHOW It’s a sad indictment of our failure to look after the British motor industry, but the British International Motor Show returns for 2020 after a period of absence. The show had been held between 1903 and 2008 initially at the NEC then London’s ExCel, but ceased following 2010’s financial crisis. The London Motor Show filled the gap in 2018, but this year for the first time since 2008 the UK will once again have a national motor show, to be held at the Farnborough International Expo Center from Thursday 20th – Sunday 23rd August.

Over 50,000 motoring enthusiasts are expected to attend the event. n

MOTORING

NEWS In Brief CAR COLOURS

50 SHADES OF GREY AS TOP 10 CAR COLOURS IN 2019 ARE REVEALED...

The results are in and once again the UK motoring colour of choice is... grey.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has revealed that throughout 2019, grey and black were the favourite shades of customers choosing their new car.

A grey shade was specified by 22.6% of car buyers, accounting for a total of 521,273 registrations.

Following in second place was black, with a 20.2% market share and 466,756 registrations.

Here’s the list of the top 10 car colour in full: 1. Grey: 22.6% 521,273 registrations.

2. Black: 20.2% 466,756 registrations.

3. White: 17.9% 414,403 registrations.

4. Blue: 16.2 373,728 registrations.

5. Red: 9.8% 226,501 registrations.

6. Silver: 8.7% 201,008 registrations.

7. Orange: 1.1% 27,723 registrations.

8. Green: 0.7% 16,718 registrations.

9. Bronze: 0.3% 6,595 registrations.

10. Yellow: 0.3% 6,566 registrations. n 157

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MOTORS

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SUMMER A sports car that looks as wonderful as it drives? What a splendid prospect for the summer months! Aston Martin has chopped the top off its Vantage and the result is sublime...

Words: Rob Davis.

SUMMER is nearly here, so don’t waste a single ray of sunshine when you’re out and about. Britain is the biggest market for convertible cars in Europe, despite our frequently underwhelming climate, and the fact that air conditioning is these days more convenient and more ubiquitous.

Impending sunshine makes the timing of Aston Martin’s release of its new Vantage Roadster very timely indeed. Whilst a roofless Aston Martin DB11 or its firebreathing Vanquish weigh in at £160,000 or £211,000 respectively, the Vantage Roadster’s ticket price of under £130,000, is marginally more accessible, and the premium of £6,000 over the coupé version is easy enough to swallow given the Roadster’s beautiful lines.

The Roadster’s chassis has been fettled to accommodate the 60kg weight increase, and the Z-fold roof is completely automatic, operating in less than seven seconds and providing snug accommodation when it’s in place. Interestingly, Aston Martin claims that the mechanism is the fastest operating roof of any convertible on the market today.

And despite storing its roof away, the car’s boot will also accommodate a bag of golf clubs or a couple of weekend bags.

Hardly practical, then, but as a convertible with a convertible’s remit, the Vantage performs its role brilliantly.

Inside, the cabin is beautifully clad in a choice of hides, offers snug accommodation for two people and comes with AMG-Mercedes sourced infotainment. Standard specification is generous too, with climate control, front and rear parking sensors, a 360° camera, automatic bay and parallel parking.

Naturally a range of black packs, different designs of the 20” wheels and carbon ceramic brakes are all available but we’d stick with a more understated look.

If you’re seeking fun in the sun with a bona fide sports car that’s easy to live with a drive each day, the Vantage Roadster is best in class. It’s very pretty and best of all, it’s open for business all summer long! n

ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE ROADSTER Price: £126,950, deliveries April.

Engine: 4.0 litre V8, twin turbo, 510ps, 685Nm. Drivetrain: Eight speed auto gearbox, rear wheel drive.

Performance: 0-60mph 3.7 seconds (est); 190mph top speed.

Economy: 25mpg combined.

Equipment: Power operated roof, leather, navigation. n

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AND FINALLY

Spring in Lincolnshire Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–1892) Dip down upon the northern shore, O sweet new-year, delaying long: Thou dost expectant Nature wrong; Delaying long, delay no more.

What stays thee from the clouded noons.

Thy sweetness from its proper place?

Can trouble live with April days, Or sadness in the summer moons?

Bring orchids, bring the foxglove spire, The little speedwell’s darling blue, Deep tulips dashed with fiery dew, Laburnums, dropping-wells of fire.

O thou, new-year, delaying long, Delayest the sorrow in my blood, That longs to burst a frozen bud, And flood a fresher throat with song.

Now fades the last long streak of snow; Now bourgeons every maze of quick About the flowering squares, and thick By ashen roots the violets blow.

Now rings the woodland loud and long, The distance takes a lovelier hue, And drowned in yonder living blue The lark becomes a sightless song.

Now dance the lights on lawn and lea, The flocks are whiter down the vale, And milkier every milky sail On winding stream or distant sea; Where now the sea-mew pipes, or dives In yonder greening gleam, and fly The happy birds, that change their sky To build and brood, that live their lives From land to land; and in my breast Spring wakens too; and my regret Becomes an April violet, And buds and blossoms like the rest. n

Photo: Rainbow near Holbeach, taken April 2019.

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