Stamford Pride March 2020

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STAMFORD

PRIDE STAMFORD’S FINEST MAGAZINE

£4.50

Rejoice! Spring has Sprung in Stamford!

Nature plus homes and fashion for Spring...

Exploring the Area’s Historic Castles Crenellated, elevated and fortified... exploring our local castles...

COVER IMAGE: PRIDE MAGAZINES’ ILLUSTRATOR JOCELYN LAWMAN

FREE ONLINE

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WELCOME

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f you’ve ever fancied a bit of ‘the good life’ this spring might just be the right time to talk to June Fox, the local woman who aspired to try to be self-sufficient and gradually took on her own menagerie of livestock!

We met June this month and though the biting cold winter hardly serves to make her lifestyle an appealing all-year-round prospect, we can see that as the days draw out, as spring reveals its gaudy palette of colour and as the leaves return to the trees, it must be a rather idyllic way to live.

We’re also enjoying exceptional local produce at Barnsdale Lodge, this month’s dining out recommendation, and we’ve another well-known name to champion this month in the form of Heidi Kjeldsen, who fascinates us with all things sparkly and reveals how she creates her bespoke jewellery.

In the interests of stretching our legs, we’re also enjoying a trip around the area’s castles to find out the history of each one. If you’re also inclined to cast off cabin fever and venture out in the fresh spring air, we can recommend a visit to each.

If you do enjoy a local trip this season, don’t forget we’d love to see your photographs of the area in all its new season glory. You can email them to the address shown here.

Best wishes for a wonderful month!

Executive Editor rob@pridemagazines.co.uk 3

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70 CONTENTS NEWS & EVENTS

HOMES & GARDENS

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WELCOME HOME Ancaster House, in Stamford modern appeal.

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HOMES Bespoke kitchens and the latest interiors trends.

NEWS The best ‘good news’ stories from across Rutland & Stamford throughout March.

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

HIGHLIGHTS 18

CASTLES Enjoy getting out and about this month exploring some of the area’s most impressive fortifications.

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ALL CREATURES GREAT Smallholder June Fox on her love of livestock.

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LADIES & GENTLEMEN 88

WEDDINGS Celebrating Tom and Laura’s big day at Orton Hall.

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FASHION Spring fashions

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HEIDI KJELDSEN Meet the

with Betty Barclay. jewellery designer based on Mill Street who produces beautiful commissions for her customers.

MORE CRUISE Why cruises are more accessible and popular than ever.

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AFTERNOON TEA Treat mum with

105 COSMETICS Makeup for spring.

a delicious tiered afternoon tea.

THE HIGH LIFE

FOOD & DRINK

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DINING OUT Enjoying spring dining at Exton’s Barnsdale Lodge.

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WINE Delicious spring tipples.

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HIGH LIFE Raising money for the NSPCC in Rutland.

120 MOTORS Enjoying la dolce vita in Ferrari’s new Roma sports car.

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115 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.

Chief Photographer: Dean Fisher.

Illustrator: Jocelyn Lawman.

Features: Laurin Dempsey, Carissa Smith.

Customer Care Manager: Mandy Bray.

Web Developer: Joe Proctor.

Office Managers: Sue Bannister and Melissa Trestrail.

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

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

David Starkey’s Burghley lecture TV HISTORIAN WILL THIS MONTH DELIVER A LECTURE ON WILLIAM CECIL STAMFORD TV historian David Starkey visits Stamford this month as part of celebrations for this year’s 500th anniversary of the birth of William Cecil.

Burghley, one of the largest and grandest houses of the first Elizabethan Age, was built and mostly designed by William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth I, between 1555 and 1587.

His life as the most powerful man in the court of Elizabeth I was both eventful and effective, and helped to shape the history of the British Isles.

His lasting legacy reaches far beyond the building of Burghley House to the magnificent collection of works of art gathered by his ancestors. The TV historian, constitutional expert and presenter of series including Monarchy and The Churchills will deliver a lecture entitled

Renaissance, Reformation and the Renewal of England, giving historical context to successive generations of the Cecil family. Accompanying

New Ranges for Sophie LOCAL DESIGNER SOPHIE ALLPORT HAS BUTTERFLIES OVER NEW SPRING RANGE...

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the first of seven lectures throughout 2020 will be the exhibition The Age of William Cecil: Builder of Burghley in the property’s

Treasure Gallery, plus a series of workshops, costume dramas and craft activities. n For a full programme of events see www.burghley.co.uk.

BOURNE Local designer Sophie Allport is pleased to announce the launch of her brand new Butterflies range, which is part of the firm’s Spring/Summer 2020 collections due to launch at the end of February.

Sophie’s latest design features a variety of beautiful butterflies which have spread their wings and are fluttering gracefully against a soft neutral background.

Inspired by the butterflies in Sophie’s country garden, these delicate insects showcase intricate distinctive colours.

From kitchenware and home furnishings to gift

inspiration and accessories, there is plenty to choose from for butterfly enthusiasts.

There are 48 products in the new collection with prices starting from £8 for a folding shopper bag to £49 for a knitted cushion. New products include plant pots, small notebooks and a rucksack.

Sophie was born in Potterhanworth and founded her company in 2004 alongside her brother Jem in the town of Bourne. n The collection will be available to purchase from sophieallport.com or by calling 01778 560256 from the end of February 2020.

TV’S JAMIE & JIMMY VISIT RAF WITTERING

WITTERING TV chefs Jamie Oliver and Jimmy Doherty joined the RAF’s No3 Mobile Catering Squadron in Wittering to film an episode of their Friday Night Feast show, broadcast last month.

“The two assisted during Exercise Summer Hearne, designed to challenge chefs in a field kitchen, so Jamie and Jimmy really got to see what we do!” says Squadron Leader

Daz Purchase. The chefs cooked at Patrol Base Centurion - a facsimile of a military checkpoint, used for training. The two celebrity chefs cooked for military personnel but worked from military ration packs!

“It was a bit surreal, having the cameras on us, but we had a great time and Jamie and Jimmy are both really talented chefs!” n

Garden Award for Nicola HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW? QUITE WELL IF YOU’VE SOUGHT THE HELP OF NICOLA

OAKHAM Oakham School has been given ‘top marks’ in its latest inspection report from the Independent Schools Inspectorate, with the quality of education at Oakham being rated ‘Excellent’ – the highest rating that can be given.

“I am delighted with the two headline judgements of ‘Excellent’ for pupils’ achievements and personal development,” says Head Henry Price.

The inspectors also acknowledged the ‘excellence’ in the quality of pupils’ personal development and praised the pupils’ high levels of selfconfidence and self-esteem. n See www.oakham.rutland.sch.uk.

RUTLAND Rutland-based garden designer, Nicola Oakey, 29, has won an award recognising her as one of the up-and-coming designers in the country under the age of 30.

A protegé of BBC Gardener’s World presenter Adam Frost who worked alongside Geoff Hamilton to found Barnsdale gardens, Nicola was presented with the award at a ceremony held in Surrey. The 30 Under 30 awards, founded by ProLandscaper magazine in 2015, aims to celebrate the future stars in the horticultural industry. Every year 30 young people are recognised for their work and future potential. n

£500 Donation

What’s Cooking?

Oakham School is ‘Excellent,’ say the ISI’s Inspectors...

UFFINGTON’S Colin Ward, owner of Truckfest, Live Promotions and a Welland Lodge spokesperson, was able to present a cheque for £500 to Carole Hughes recently for her charity, Anna’s Hope, the leading children’s brain tumour charity in the East of England. Carole founded the charity after losing her own daughter to a tumour. n

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LOCAL

NEWS In Brief STAMFORD

BURGHLEY HORSE TRIALS NOMINATES ALZHEIMER’S RESEARCH Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials has announced that its Charity of the Year for 2020 is Alzheimer’s Research UK. The charity’s mission is to make breakthroughs in the diagnosis, treatment and cure of such a prevalent condition; one in two people in the UK knows someone living with dementia.

“Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials feels privileged to be able to support such a ground-breaking charity in Alzheimer’s Research UK and we very much look forward to working with them this year,” says Land Rover Burghley Event Director, Elizabeth Inman.

The 2020 event takes place from 2nd to 6th September. n For information see burghleyhorse.co.uk.

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PRIORY COURT, GEDDINGTON OIEO £725,000

In the very heart of the attractive village of Geddington, just three miles from Kettering, stands a very handsome, Grade ll listed property in mellow yellow stone, originally part of the Priory next door. Dating back to 1618, the property has exceptionally high ceilings and large windows shedding a vast amount of light into all the rooms, which is very unusual for a building of such an age. The property offers comfortable accommodation with an entrance reception hall, drawing room with feature stone fireplace, bespoke kitchen / breakfast room and three double bedrooms, one with an en-suite. The enclosed garden is mainly laid to lawn and bordered with many evergreen shrubs and topiary. Passed the attached garage and store you will find the gravelled, walled garden – a perfect place for summer barbecue. The position of the property is fantastic for a family with young children as the little primary school with very good Ofsted reports is almost directly opposite. Many towns in the area are within very easy reach: Kettering and Corby are less than a ten minute drive, whilst Oundle with its public school is about a twenty minute drive.

Tel: +44(0)1780 750200 Email: stamford@fineandcounty.com

Tel: +44( 0)1572 335145 Email: rutland@fineandcounty.com

fineandcountry.com

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HUSKISSONS YARD, KINGS CLIFFE The Stables – Guide Price £695,000 The Granary – Guide Price £745,000 The Dairy – Guide Price £935,000 Huskissons View – Guide Price £1,350,000

225 offices across Great Britain Plus 75 offices globally

Although already restored the barns currently offer the potential buyer a rare opportunity to participate in the final stages of the renovation, allowing them to create a unique dream home bespoke to them. Situated just outside the popular village of Kings Cliffe in a picturesque valley with views onto open meadows and rolling countryside, Huskissons Yard is a prestigious development combining former agricultural buildings and 21st century luxury living. The Barns have recently undergone a total refurbishment which has painstakingly preserved the architectural structure and style of the original stone buildings with features including exposed original beams, cornerstones and lintels, vaulted ceilings and high barn-door windows. Thoughtful glazing throughout the living areas make the most of the wonderful views, increase the feeling of space and light and allow an easy flow between inside and out, whilst the semi-open plan design of the main living areas is well suited to contemporary life.

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Langham

£995,000

An executive contemporary 5 bedroom home set on a brand new, exclusive, gated development of only 3 dwellings set in a highly regarded village close to Oakham and enjoying open countryside views to the rear. The property is finished to a demanding specification and offers spacious, energy efficient family accommodation which benefits from air sourced heat pumps, underfloor heating to the ground floor and bathrooms and LED lighting throughout. Energy Rating: TBC.

Laxton

£575,000

Stunning stone-built detached character cottage occupying exceptionally large grounds and enjoying views over the adjacent Laxton parkland. The property has a valid Planning Permission for an extension to provide an additional bedroom and garage. 2 Rec. Rooms, Kitchen/Diner, Utility, 3 Dbl Bedrooms, Shower Room, Bathroom; delightful Gardens. Energy Rating: F.

NEW

Gretton

Prices from £525,000

Welland Heights is a new gated development of just five substantial detached dwellings sitting in an elevated position adjacent to the Gretton Conservation Area and enjoys views over the Welland Valley and surrounding countryside. The properties on the development have been thoughtfully designed to offer spacious family accommodation and are being constructed to a demanding specification by a long established local building firm. Energy Rating: TBC.

Wymondham

£475,000

Substantial stone-built terraced house offering spacious family accommodation appointed to a high standard throughout and extending to approx. 2,300 sq ft. over three storeys. 2 Reception Rooms, Dining Kitchen, Utility. Cloakroom/WC, 5 Double Bedrooms, 3 Bath/Shower Rooms; single Garage, Parking, private landscaped Garden. Energy Rating: C.

NEW

Cottesmore

£395,000

Stunning new-built detached stone cottage under thatched roof appointed to an exceptional standard and occupying an attractive plot enjoying views over open countryside to the front and village church to the rear. Sitting Room, Dining Kitchen, Utility, Clkrm/WC, 3 Bedrooms, En-suite Wet Room, Family Bathroom; 2 Parking Spaces, south-facing rear Garden. Energy Rating: B.

Uppingham

£390,000

Beautiful Victorian townhouse providing elegant, stylishly appointed accommodation arranged over three floors and retaining many original features. Open-plan Sitting Room and Dining Area, Breakfast Kitchen, Clkrm/Utility, 5 Bedrooms, Family Bathroom, separate small Shower Room; walled, hard-landscaped rear Garden with summerhouse. Energy Rating: F.

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PROPERTY FINDERS

PROPERTY MARKET SPRINGS INTO ACTION Local property expert Kate Vincent at Garrington Property Finders explores the changing market conditions and what this means for buyers.

After a more than a year of political and economic uncertainty, the property market in 2020 has sprung into life with a vengeance, showing earlier than usual spurts of activity. Most estate agents have reported a promising start to the year with more buyers and homeowners registering the wish to move than in the same period in past years.

Indeed, in January a typically sluggish month, one agent reported that he had had the highest number of New Year sign-ups for three years whereas another happily claimed that the total value of new properties he had listed in the first three weeks of the year amounted to 50% of his total sales for 2019.

What a difference a few months can make…

An active off-market At the top end of the market, there has been an interesting flurry of activity amongst homes valued over £1.5million with several large period properties being put up for sale having been held in the same hands for many years. Some are being marketed on the open-market, but many are being quietly offered to the best buyers – those that have already sold, cash buyers and professional buying agents such as myself. Such is the pent-up demand from buyers who have bided their time over the last year or so, many of these prime properties are currently changing hands away from the open market.

For the unrepresented however, care should be taken to negotiate wisely on these properties as many bullish sellers have gained confidence from the past lack of stock and are asking over-inflated prices – fine if you are willing to take a long-term view, but buyers need to do so with their eyes open.

Clients working with Garrington are given comprehensive price comparisons and detailed value assessments. Based on the market conditions and analysis of similar properties previously sold, clients can then be confident that the price they are paying is both realistic and wise in these better but still unpredictable times.

Looking beyond the headlines Despite sluggish price growth caused by volatility, locally, in the prime market three substantial properties sold for over £2.6 million despite the uncertainty. This included a gorgeous Stamford townhouse which went under offer within days of being launched and two 6-8 bedroom village properties.

A handful of others sold for just under £2 million pounds, all of which indicate that we live in an aspirational location with wealthy buyers who are willing to invest substantial amounts. Checking my notes, I see that most of these properties were bought between 7-16% less than the original asking price, which adds weight to the argument ‘Caveat Emptor’ – buyer beware.

Kate Vincent Garrington

Be prepared Whichever end of the property market you are looking to buy or sell, placing yourself in the optimum position to act decisively is the best way to achieve a smooth and relatively quick move. For sellers this means ensuring your property is free from obvious defects, a reputable solicitor has been engaged and if you are in a real rush, that you have already completed the property information paperwork.

Buyers need to have their finances in place, a clear plan of how quickly they can move out of their current home and a team of advisors at the ready. Those who buy well don’t do so out of luck; they are the ones that are fully prepared, well connected and deeply knowledgeable about the local area and property within. A professional property finder and buyer is all these things and can give a buyer a clear advantage over those who are not represented.

Garrington work for private and/or corporate clients who want to buy, rent or invest in property throughout the UK. They also provide a negotiation only and oversee of sales service.

Contact Kate Vincent on 01780 408377 to discuss your requirements and arrange a commitment free initial meeting.

Alternatively, email info@garrington.co.uk or visit www.garringtoneastmidlands.co.uk

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Bespoke Property. Bespoke Advice.

ER R D E UN FF

D L SO

O

A traditional grade II listed country Manor House with all the grace and elegance one would expect from such a fine country home, thoughtfully blended with stunning modern touches.

An individually designed and impressive modern family home with flexible living space and ample parking options within walking distance of Stamford town centre.

• Gated private approach on the edge of the village • Well proportioned formal reception rooms • Enviable capacious open-plan living kitchen • Study and cosy snug • Principal bedroom with ensuite & dressing room • Additional six double bedrooms, one with ensuite

• Reception Hall • Drawing Room • Family Room with further separate Study and Hobby Room • Kitchen / Breakfast Room with bi-folding doors to garden

• Two family bathrooms and games room • Breath-taking countryside vistas • Beautiful landscaped grounds with floodlit tennis court • Copious garaging/outbuildings with studio annex

• Games Room / Gym • Principal Bedroom with Ensuite and dressing area • 3 further Double Bedrooms and family bathroom • Private west facing rear garden • Private Driveway with Large Double Garage • No onward chain

WOTHORPE – GUIDE PRICE £1,250,000

COLLYWESTON – GUIDE PRICE £1,925,000

D L SO

D L SO

A rare opportunity within the heart of one of Rutland’s finest villages to acquire and update a substantial unlisted family home not previously marketed for over 60years.

An opportunity to purchase a large four bedroom home, situated in the ever popular Exeter Gardens close to the heart of Stamford.

• Attractive unlisted period home • Requiring general modernisation • Approaching 4000 sq ft of living accommodation • Private drive with parking • Large private Gardens to rear

• Built circa 1965, 2,000 sq ft of living accom • Close to the heart of Stamford & amenities • Four double bedrooms, ensuite, family bathroom • Large, mature garden with large patio and rear vehicular access from Tinwell Road Lane • Breakfast kitchen, pantry, boot room & utility

• Central Village plot of approximately 0.68ac (sts) • Scope to remodel and rework (stp) • Within same ownership for over 60 years • Picturesque rural location • Offered with no onward chain

BRAUNSTON-IN-RUTLAND – GUIDE PRICE £825,000

• Separate dining room and drawing room • Reception hall with cloakroom, WC and rear porch • Large single garage with off-road parking for 2-3 other vehicles • Scope to significantly expand property (STP)

STAMFORD – OIEO £750,000

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Our lead image shows Grimsthorpe Castle, home to Jane HeathcoteDrummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby.

The property was rebuilt with a Vanbrugh baroque faรงade in 1714.

Today it is set within 3,000 acres of country park and productive farmland.

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An Englishman’s Home is his

CASTLE Axiomatically, an Englishman’s home is his castle... and though we’re used to seeing rather smart properties each month in Pride, these country piles really are castles in the traditional sense.

Join us as we take a tour of the crenellated, elevated, fortified and latitudinous country estates...

Words: Laurin Dempsey. Lead Image Courtesy of Grimsthorpe Castle.

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CASTLES

GRIMSTHORPE CASTLE GRIMSTHORPE CASTLE has been the home of the de Eresby family since 1516 and the house is a fascinating mix of architectural periods and styles.

The oldest part is King John's Tower, which was built in the early 13th century

by Gilbert de Gant, Earl of Lincoln. Gant intended the tower as a lookout point for his castle at Folkingham. Grimsthorpe was owned by a succession of de Gant and de Meaumont families, and on several occasions was a crown possession.

The castle stands in 3,000 acres, about four miles from Bourne, and can easily be seen more than a mile from the road.

It is not a castle in the strictest sense of the word, much of the structure having been constructed in times when grandeur was more important than defensibility.

It has a magnificent chestnut avenue and is noteworthy for herds of red and fallow deer. Most of the original, quadrangular building, with central courtyard was erected by Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, who was close to Henry VIII, as vividly portrayed in TV’s The Tudors.

The castle also has a connection to Jane Austen, for Jane’s eldest brother, James, married the eldest daughter of General Edward Matthew – whose wife was Lady Jane Bertie, the daughter of the 2nd Duke and Duchess of Ancaster, of Grimsthorpe. The sole issue of this marriage would be Anna Austen, Jane Austen’s niece, who was born in 1793.

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Some of the treasures that adorn the castle are almost beyond description: the ‘dress’ worn by Charles I for a portrait by Van Dyck, which is also present; coronation chairs, including that used by George IV at his coronation banquet; robes worn by sovereigns since James II; the House of Lords clock which stopped at the moment George III died and the table on which Queen Victoria signed her accession.

The castle grounds were also utilised by the armed forces in both the First and Second World Wars; a company of the Parachute Regiment was based here in WW2, preparing for the assault on the bridge at Arnhem.

The spectacular house is not sold short by the gardens either, which surround the castle on three sides and were landscaped by Capability Brown.

Held in Trust

Both Grimsthorpe Castle and its sister residence Drummond Castle in Perthshire are now held in trust and managed by the Grimsthorpe & Drummond Castle Trust.

That lake was where composer Thomas Linley the younger (the ‘English Mozart’) met an untimely death whilst staying at Grimsthorpe in 1778, aged just twenty-two. The sailing boat in which Linley was enjoying the lake capsized and the young performer’s attempt to swim to shore ended in tragedy, his lifeless body not being recovered for forty minutes. Linley was buried in the church at Edenham among the monuments to his hosts. >>

Main: Grismthorpe Castle is home to the Willoughby de Eresby family. Image: Rob Davis.

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CASTLES

ROCKINGHAM CASTLE...

THIS HISTORIC CASTLE and stately home stands in a glorious position overlooking the Welland Valley, giving views over five counties. Rockingham was built by William the Conqueror, who must have realised the strategic importance of the location, for he raised a motte here, set between two baileys.

The castle was in royal hands for over 450 years and was essentially a very regal hunting lodge until the reign of Edward III. King John enjoyed the hunting at Rockingham so much that he visited almost every year of his reign.

Henry VIII leased the castle to Edward Watson in 1544, by which time it was in a very poor state. Watson restored the medieval residence and for the next 450 years, Rockingham has remained the Watson family home. During the Civil War Rockingham was held by a garrison of Roundhead soldiers. Royalist troops attacked the castle on several occasions, but the defences held. After the war, the castle's main defensive structures were destroyed by Parliament so that it could not be held against them. However, the residential quarters were allowed to remain.

Much of what we see today is Tudor, enclosed within the earlier Norman castle walls. William the Conqueror's castle motte has been levelled, and the southern bailey is almost gone; its location marked by a rose garden. >>

Image: Rockingham Castle has been the home of the Watson family since 1544. James and Elizabeth Saunders Watson are the present incumbents.

Image courtesy of Rockingham Castle.

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CASTLES

OAKHAM CASTLE...

THE GREAT HALL of Oakham Castle is the finest surviving example of Norman domestic architecture in Europe. It was built between 1180 and 1190. Oakham was an existing Anglo-Saxon settlement prior to the Norman invasion and was originally owned by Queen Edith, widow of Edward the Confessor.

It was to dominate this settlement that the first fortification was built around 1075 - an earth and timber motte-andbailey castle. At the time of the Domesday Book (1086) the manor was owned by King William but then passed to Henry de Beaumont, Earl of Warwick who exchanged it with Henry I for Sutton in Warwickshire.

At some point, most probably in the 1160s, the Manor of Oakham was granted to Walkelin de Ferrières by Henry II. He was a great nephew to Robert de Ferrières, Earl of Derby and also held lands in Gloucestershire (Lechlade).

It was he who built the Great Hall around 1180 although he had little time to enjoy his new construction for he would later spend several years in the custody of Duke Leopold V of Austria as one of the hostages held as surety to secure the release of Richard I. The surviving structure is the impressive Great Hall of the Castle, where banquets and courts would have been held. Rutland County Council bid for a

Heritage Lottery Fund Grant and in 2014 Oakham Castle was awarded £2.1m by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Following extensive refurbishment works, the Castle re-opened to the public on 30th May 2016, and is now open six days a week with improved facilities offering an interactive and comprehensive guide to its 800 year history. There is a varied programme of events for adults and children alike, as well as daily activities for children.

There is plenty for schools to do, too, from informal visits to full day sessions.

The Great Hall is now most famous for its unique collection of over 230 ornate ceremonial horseshoes donated by Peers of the Realm (Royalty and nobility such as Dukes, Marquis,’ Earls, Viscounts, Barons and Bishops).

Their oldest surviving horseshoe was given to the Castle by Edward IV in 1470.

Every one of the horseshoes has a story for you to discover. The Hall is also decorated with a range of 12th century sculptures both inside and out.

Above the six amazingly well preserved columns are six musicians, each one playing a different instrument. They are made of local stone from Clipsham and although damaged, are of superb quality.

Evidence suggests that they were carved by masons who had worked at Canterbury Cathedral. >>

UPPINGHAM CASTLE...

THE ORIGINS OF Uppingham Castle, also known as Beaumont Chase Castle, on Uppingham’s Castle Hill, are uncertain. Although the castle itself is certainly of Norman origin, the site may well have been in use prior to the Conquest - it was mentioned in a Saxon Charter dated 1046 where it was called Martin’s Hoe. Accordingly it could have been a moot, a location used for dispensing justice and other administrative functions.

The castle itself was an earth and timber motte-and-bailey fortification. It stands upon a triangular spur of high ground overlooking the Eye Brook with steep natural scarps. There is no evidence the castle was ever rebuilt in stone and accordingly its lifespan was probably relatively short. n 24

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CASTLES

BELVOIR CASTLE...

BELVOIR CASTLE’S history dates back to the eleventh century.

It is the ancestral home of the Duke of Rutland, where the family have lived in an unbroken line for almost a thousand years.

Four castles have stood on this spot since 1067; the land at Belvoir was a gift from William the Conqueror to the family’s first recorded ancestor Robert de Todeni.

Belvoir rose again some 60 years later with the construction of the second Castle to a medieval design for Sir Thomas Manners.

In 1649, the second Castle was destroyed

by Parliamentarians. A third Castle was completed in 1668 to a design by John Webb. James Wyatt, famous for his improvements at Windsor Castle, designed the fourth Castle, built between 1801-1832

Left: Belvoir dates back to 1067 and is the ancestral home of the Duke of Rutland.

Right: The state bedroom of Belvoir Castle.

VENTURING A LITTLE FURTHER? England’s 10 Best Castles...

10. DOVER CASTLE: The most iconic of all English fortresses, commanding the gateway to the realm for nine centuries, Dover Castle is your winner.

9. KENILWORTH CASTLE: From medieval fortress to Elizabethan palace, Kenilworth Castle has been at the centre of England's affairs for much of its 900 year history.

8. TINTAGEL CASTLE: For centuries, this dramatic castle and coastline has fired the imaginations of writers, artists and even the brother of a king.

7. BOLSOVER CASTLE: With spectacular views over Derbyshire, this Stuart mansion was designed to entertain. Its reputation for revelry lives on to this day.

6. PORTCHESTER CASTLE: The most impressive and best-preserved of the Roman ‘Saxon Shore’ forts, Portchester Castle was originally built in the late 3rd century.

Source: English Heritage, visitor survey.

5. WARKWORTH CASTLE: Crowning the hilltop over the River Coquet, this Northumbrian stronghold offers many rooms to explore and spectacular views.

4. DUNSTANBURGH CASTLE: Built on the most magnificent scale, Dunstanburgh Castle stands on a remote headland in Northumberland.

3. MIDDLEHAM CASTLE: Once the home of Richard III, extensive remains of the fortified palace still survive today, making Middleham a fascinating castle to explore.

2. CARISBROOKE CASTLE: Home to its own famous donkeys, the quintessential romantic castle of Carisbrooke is at the very heart of the Isle of Wight's history.

1. BEESTON CASTLE: Crowning a rocky crag and boasting spectacular views, Beeston is one of the most dramatically sited medieval castles in England. n

Find Out More: Grimsthorpe Castle, near Bourne 01778 591205, www.grimsthorpe.co.uk; Rockingham Castle 01536 770240, www.rockinghamcastle.com; Oakham Castle 01572 757578, 01572 757578; Belvoir Castle 01476 871001, www.belvoircastle.com. n

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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.

Call our friendly team on 0115 855 6010

hello@hardwickwindows.co.uk • www.hardwickwindows.co.uk VISIT OUR SHOWROOM BY APPOINTMENT FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE

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Proud to be hosting Design Talk: ‘Bernie de Le Cuona on natural fabrics and wellbeing’

EXPERT CARE FOR YOU AND YOUR BABY Antenatal preparation classes for groups and couples.

Hypnobirthing tuition.

Postnatal support in the home.

Maternity Nursing.

Baby Massage.

Breast-feeding support.

‘Surrogate Granny’ Service.

The first of a number of exclusive events fundraising for important causes throughout 2020 De Le Cuona design talk: Thursday 30 April at 5:30pm Bubbles and Canapés upon arrival Tickets £45

EASTER WREATH MAKING WORKSHOP AND TABLETOP INSPIRATION Wednesday 25 March 2020 at 10:00am £35 to include materials, tuition and bijoux brunch Beautiful prizes in the ES Interiors Easter raffle

CHILDREN’S EASTER CRAFT – DELICIOUSLY DECORATED DELIGHTS

Wednesday 8 April 2020 at 10:00am £25 to include materials, tuition and tasty treats Beautiful prizes for children in the ES Interiors Easter raffle All events take place at Elizabeth Stanhope, 17a and 27 Mill Street, Oakham, Rutland LE15 6EA To book: email showroom@elizabethstanhope.co.uk Telephone 01572 722345 or online www.elizabethstanhope.co.uk

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“Keeping your business purrrring along nicely...!”

YOU NEED AN ACCOUNTANT YOU CAN COUNT ON, RIGHT? One who can answer your questions and provide business-critical advice fast, and without jargon.

With our guaranteed 24hr query response time that’s exactly what we provide.

Our last appointments are 7.30pm weekdays, and we’re open Saturday mornings until 1pm too.

Payroll • Bookkeeping • Tax Accountancy • Business Advice Individuals • Sole Traders • Companies The Barnstone Promise: We’re the approachable accountants who make your life easier... so give us a call!

Barnstone House Greetham Rutland LE15 7NX

01572 811497 07775 840550 julieanne.charles@barnstoneaccountancy.co.uk www.barnstoneaccountancy.co.uk

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The Good Life For June Fox, The Good Life is the only life. From watching the eponymous self-suďŹƒciency sitcom, June decided that raising her own livestock and growing her own food was the only way to go...

Words: Laurin Dempsey. Images: Dean Fisher.

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THE RUTLAND SMALLHOLDER

“Having chickens was where it all began.

I was given three chickens plus a coop and a run.

I gave them plump worms when digging over my allotment and they repaid me with fresh eggs...!”

Above: June’s saddleback cross sow with her piglets.

THE GOOD LIFE is the only life for June Fox of Whitwell, and for the Rutland smallholder, the best time of day is bright and early in the morning. Not that the particular morning we met June was bright. In fact, it was baltic.

Doesn’t she feel in the least bit like pulling the duvet over her and going back to sleep?

“Not in the least. I love it,” she says as we walk down to the five acre farm that has become the culmination of a dream to live sufficiently ever since watching Felicity Kendal and Richard Briars getting tipsy on pea vine wine in 1975.

“I’m usually out and about by six o’clock but it does vary a bit according to daylight hours. Rain or shine it doesn’t bother me.”

June describes herself as a tofter, which was a new one on us. Apparently it’s the English version of a crofter which is Scottish in origin, unless a reader can correct me? Having moved to Stamford in her thirties, June lived in a town house near The George where she quite literally outgrew her north facing 32

garden and then her allotment too. Five years later she moved to Wothorpe and then to Whitwell, where she lives today, renting five and a half acres.

“Like many people, having chickens was where it all began. I was given three chickens plus a coop and a run. I gave them plump worms when digging over my allotment and they repaid me with fresh eggs.”

“I soon began to aspire to larger livestock and rented an acre field in Wothorpe. I quickly learned to keep my affection in check, avoiding naming my animals for fear that instead of livestock they’d become expensive pets!” “I managed to take on four abandoned lambs and three Shetland ewes with lambs at foot, plus a ram. I was pretty clueless but thankfully Shetland sheep are pretty hardy.”

In 2000 we moved to Whitwell, where we live today, initially renting five and a half acres. “The local sheep farmer really took me under his wing and taught me how to

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Main Image: Whitwell’s June Fox has a full house looking after her 18 piglets and a new litter of Labrador puppies!

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THE RUTLAND SMALLHOLDER

Above: June also has two Belted Galloway steers and three cows.

care properly for my sheep. I was soon living the dream and in 2004 we became the proud owners of our own fields.”

“We expanded our smallholding with a herd of Dexter cattle and then moved on to Belted Galloways. At about the same time we began to sell to the public and today we have a good reputation for selling meat boxes from £20-£40 comprising our own lamb, beef and pork.”

Today, June has a large black boar named Diesel, plus three saddle back cross sows and 18 piglets of varying ages. She also has two Belted Galloway steers and three cows, and as if life wasn’t chaotic enough, at the time of writing she’s the surrogate mummy to no fewer than nine Labrador puppies!

“Life with the animals is wonderful, and it has given me a real appreciation for good food,” says June. “We’re more or less selfsufficient and though I’m biased, I think what I grow tastes much better than food produced on an industrial scale.”

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“We need to retain our farming skills and it can sometimes feel like food no longer has any seasonality...”

“I can account for the ethics of the operation and be sure of my animals’ welfare, and I think there’s something reassuring that comes from knowing that as a smallholder I’ll retain the skills that are quickly being forgotten.”

“We need to retain our farming skills and it can sometimes feel like food is too available; there’s no seasonality. What I can’t grow I’m happy to go without, and that brings back a really wonderful element of seasonality to my diet.”

With more land came a bit of mechanisation, but despite the early start, June is still able to hold down her day job as the owner of an IT company, wrangling with hardware and software sales for companies as diverse those

in healthcare, manufacturing and services in between lambing and tending to the animals.

June is also a county councillor representing the Exton Ward, and so she’s especially keen to ensure she practices responsible farming and looks after the countryside as much as her animals.

It’s not an easy life, being a smallholder, but it’s certainly a rewarding one. With each accomplishment - the first piglets, the first time you notice the lovely sunrise over the field - there are rewards upon rewards that makes it all worthwhile. The latest is a queue of happy customers at the farm gate keen to enjoy June’s high-welfare, zero-food mile meat, and they’re returning again and again.

“At the time of my first steps into selfsufficiency, it might have been reasonable to describe me as Margo of The Good Life.

After a decade toiling, lambing and several herds later, I’m more like Barbara Good now!” n June’s Farm is based on Bull Brig Lane, in Whitwell. For information on her boxes of fresh meat, call 01780 461133 or see www.junesfarm.co.uk.

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What makes us different?

Experienced team of vets and nurses providing quality healthcare at a sensible price.

The practice is fully equipped with excellent facilities enabling us to offer in house blood results, microscopy, digital X-ray and ultrasound. We have a large modern operating theatre.

Our spacious separate dog and cat waiting areas and kennels also ensure your pets feel more relaxed whilst visiting us.

A team of animal lovers, we treat and care for your pets as though they were our own and make the time to get to know you too.

Guaranteed same day appointment for any pet if the owner thinks it is needed.

Owners can stay with their pets while sedated before routine operations. We offer and encourage open visiting for hospitalised patients during opening hours.

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Truly Independent Financial Planning • Efficient Portfolio’s Charlie Reading • Author of The Dream Retirement

Financial Planning for Business Owners Did you know that 80% of businesses fail in their first 5 years? Can recession, political turbulence, or even overseas influences be solely blamed? The answer is no, they cannot. Instead, this demise can be attributed to 7 financial risks that business owners neglect to address.

WOULD WAGER that the majority of people establish their own businesses to achieve freedom, pursue a passion or to receive the income they feel they deserve.

I

death. Unfortunately, you must think about it and make provision for your company and your family. If you do not, your business and loved ones could be left in the lurch.

When you consider these factors, it stands to reason that business owners desperately want, and in many cases need, their ventures to prevail, as their security and happiness depends upon their success. So, why do such a large percentage of business owners shirk away from their finances, when understanding and conquering these risks is fundamental to their future?

7. Don’t Over Pay Tax You must pay some tax as a business owner, but make sure that you and your business are running tax efficiently. Look at ways to extract profits tax efficiently to maximise your hard efforts, and ring- fence your money should the business ever fail.

As a business owner myself, I understand the fears about our future security and longevity of our businesses. To help overcome these feelings, I am running a free event designed specially for business owners at 0800 on Thursday 27th February 2020 and on Wednesday 16th September 2020. In this breakfast workshop, I’ll share my knowledge of financial planning, and help you to start devising a secure strategy for your future.

If this sounds like you, there is plenty that you can do.

1. Start with the End in Mind You need to understand when your business is at its most profitable and when you should walk away from it. Knowing what your financial future looks like, by using Lifetime CashFlow Forecasting, can help you to make better decisions today.

2. Get Your Money Working It’s makes good business sense to keep money in the business, but the interest rates the bank are paying mean that that money is falling in real terms, because inflation is eroding it.

Whilst it is sat in the business it can still be invested, so that it is working harder for the future.

3. If plan A fails, remember that you still have 25 letters left Make sure that you have a back-up plan.

Business owners who fail to have this safety net usually fail. Sound Financial Planning can help you devise a solution, for example making sure you have a diversified spread of wealth that could decrease your risk of financial failure.

4. Maximising your assets Pensions are a very tax efficient way of extracting profits, but there is that constant battle between funding them, and leaving enough money in the business. Why not consider

estate planning “ Sound can also mean that you are able to provide your loved ones with a legacy...

n To book your complimentary place, please visit www.efficientportfolio.co.uk/events , call 01572 898060 or email charlotte@ efficientportfolio.co.uk

”

I look forward to seeing you there

purchasing commercial property for your business to rent with your pension to maximise your assets and minimise tax?

5. Protect Who Is Important Your business would not be successful if it was not for the people who make it what it is.

Looking after your key team members is one thing, but what if something happens to them like long-term sickness of even death?

Protection strategies could ensure that if you lost a key person, you can still successfully operate as a business.

6. You Are Not Immortal Planning for the future is a must to business owners, even when it is thinking forward towards unsavoury subjects like your own

Charlie Reading created Efficient Portfolio to offer entirely independent financial advice and helping people clarify and realise their dreams and goals through financial planning.

Call 01572 898060, see www.efficientportfolio.co.uk or visit Portfolian House, 30 Melton Road, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6AY

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EVENTS

What’s On...

COTTESMORE

FRIDAY 13th MARCH

OAKHAM

LA BELLA AND THE LOST CHORD OF ULAANBAATA

THURSDAY 5th MARCH

DOWNTON ABBEY It wouldn’t be spring without paying a visit to see the Crawleys! This feature-length farewell for everyone’s favourite family from the roaring 20s sees old class barriers tumbling until a visit

by King George V and Queen Mary to Downton Abbey causes a stir among the Crawleys and servants alike.

Look out for the gloriously waspish Maggie Smith and the return of Jim Carter’s starched upper lipped Carson, as well as the permanently pompous Lord Grantham, Hugh Bonneville.

A special screening takes place at the county’s pop-up cinema, within Oakham County Museum.

Mimes, charades, shadow puppetry, close harmony singing and musical interludes by large men on small instruments. n Cottesmore Village Hall, 7.30pm, tickets £10.

STAMFORD

FRIDAY 20th MARCH

FRANCIS ROSSI: I TALK TOO MUCH Discover the (pony) tale of Francis Rossi, who along with co-founder Rick Parfit created Status Quo. The singer will share the extraordinary secrets of his 50-plus years in rock’n’roll when he takes to the stage for an intimate evening of chat and music.

n Oakham County Museum, doors 7pm, tickets £5.50. 01572 758440 or see rutlandcountymuseum.org.uk.

n Stamford Corn Exchange, doors 7.30pm, tickets £30-£75.

Broad Street, Stamford PE9 1PX. Call 01780 766455 or see www.stamfordcornexchange.co.uk.

OAKHAM

Good & New Clothes Sale

FRIDAY 6th MARCH

FOR RUTLAND IN RUTLAND’S FLAGSHIP CHARITY EVENT RETURNS TO BARNSDALE LODGE, FASHIONABLY ON TIME!

THE GOOD & NEW CLOTHES SALE

OAKHAM

Each year For Rutland In Rutland opens a pop-up shop at Barnsdale Lodge providing thousands upon thousands of good quality pre-enjoyed designer clothes, plus shoes, bags and accessories.

Donations welcome, VIP opening night tickets available including Champagne and canapé reception - and ‘first dibs’ on the fashions supported

by Hambleton Hall. n Barnsdale Lodge, Exton LE15 8AH. 01572 724400, forrutland.org.uk.

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SATURDAY 14th MARCH

SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES Rutland Sinfonia presents scores from Lord of the Rings, The Godfather, Star Wars and of course, more of James Bond’s 007 soundtracks than you can shake a Walther PPK at... n Oakham School Chapel, from 7.30pm, tickets £14, call 07761131180.

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

UPPINGHAM

PETERBOROUGH

WEDNESDAY 11th MARCH  SATURDAY 14th MARCH

THURSDAY 5th MARCH

LIONEL BART’S OLIVER!

Art and science combine in botanical illustration and painting, celebrated at Easton Walled Garden’s third annual Botanical Art exhibition, featuring the stunning work of three inspirational and well-respected artists.

Come and join Nick Hamilton for a very entertaining look at the first half of the Barnsdale Story, while raising money for this incredibly worthwhile and essential charity. Nick will take you on a journey, using stunning photographs and very personal and unknown stories, from Geoff ’s 17 years presenting Gardeners’ World. Nick is giving his time and expenses for free, so all the monies raised from this event will go to the Thorpe Hall Hospice. Your ticket also entitles you to a glass of wine on arrival.

n £7.95/adult, 11am-4pm Grantham, NG33 5AP. Call 01476 530063 or see www.visiteaston.co.uk.

n Thorpe Hall Hospice, P’Borough, PE3 6LW. Tickets £20, from 7pm.

Prebook on 01572 813200.

Consider yourself... invited!

Uppingham School Drama & Music is hosting Oliver!

See website for details. n Uppingham Theatre, LE15 6UD. Call 01572 820820 or see www.uppinghamtheatre.co.uk.

EASTON

LEICESTER

TUESDAY 31st MARCH  SATURDAY 4th APRIL

CINDERELLA BY NORTHERN BALLET Escape to an enchanting winter wonderland with Northern Ballet’s re-imagining of the classic Cinderella. Live every moment of Cinderella’s story from heartbreak to joy. In this sparkling adaptation, at Leicester’s Curve, Cinders is

whisked away from her wicked step-mother to the glistening lake of ice where she first meets her Prince. You won’t believe your eyes as Northern Ballet’s remarkable dancers bring their signature magic to the ultimate feel-good fairytale. The perfect entertainment for the whole family. Tickets £10-£38, from 2.30pm and 7.30pm. n Rutland Street, Leicester LE1 1SB. Call 0116 242 3595 or see www.curveonline.co.uk.

Comedy, where permitted. (...just keep of the grass...)

BARNSDALE GARDENS: THE TV YEARS

SUNDAY 1st MARCH  SUNDAY 15th MARCH

BOTANICAL ART EXHIBITION

STAMFORD

SATURDAY 28th MARCH

THE NATIONAL TRUST FAN CLUB Good old National Trust.

Protector of the heritage wallpaper, preserver of the Georgian footstool, erector of the ‘keep off the grass’ and ‘no dogs’ signs.

And now, join Helen Wood is on her one-woman quest to celebrate this national treasure by visiting every National Trust property and become the NT’s biggest superfan, employing along the way a combination of personal stories, historical anecdotes,

poetry, sketches, selfies and the odd overpriced scone.

Don’t miss this chance to see Helen’s new show direct from its world premiere at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, following hot on the heels of sell-out hit The OS Map Fan Club. Packed to the brim with Goretex, cream teas, and a loyal canine assistant (as and when NT rules allow).

Described as ‘charmingly eccentric,’ ‘warm and engaging,’ ‘daffy’ and perhaps most importantly of all, ‘funny.’ n Stamford Arts Centre, from 7.30pm, tickets £12. Call 01780 763203, stamfordartscentre.com.

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EVENTS

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

Dancing Those Magical Moves...

TUESDAY 3rd MARCH

ANTON & ERIN, THE NATION’S FAVOURITE BALLROOM STARS, ARE BACK WITH THEIR NEW SHOW FOR 2020: THOSE MAGICAL MOVES!

GUIDED WALK WITH JEFF DAVIES

LEICESTER

THURSDAY 12th MARCH

ANTON & ERIN: DANCE THOSE MOVES Anton Du Beke & Erin Boag are back with their most sensational tour to date for 2020, with ‘Dance Those Magical Movies’ delighting audiences with cinema classics live on the dancefloor!

Embarking on a major tour of the UK and Ireland for 2020, and featuring sensational choreography set to music that made it big on the silver screen, you can expect a Hollywood red carpet premiere performance from some of the UK’s leading dance stars.

Sublime live vocals from TV favourite Lance Ellington, a spectacular dance ensemble, and a stunning 23 piece orchestra led

by Richard Balcombe complete the showstopping line up for this fabulous 2020 Tour.

Featuring musical classics from: Breakfast At Tiffany’s, Singin’ In The Rain, Casablanca, The Wizard Of Oz, The Greatest Showman, Titanic, Moulin Rouge... and many more besides!

Professional partners since 1997, Anton Du Beke & Erin Boag are one of Britain’s most widely recognised, highly acclaimed, hard working and best loved ballroom dancing couples.

They have become household names, dance icons and national treasures. The couple encapsulate the glitz, glamour and elegance of a bygone era and truly are modern day stars of stage and screen, adding showbiz sparkle wherever they appear.

From regular television appearances, headlining high profile events, to taking their class act on tour – much to the delight of their loyal and devoted fans – there is no doubt that Anton & Erin really are the modern Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers. n Based at DeMontfort Hall, Leicester, LE1 7RU. Call 0116 233 3111 or see www.demontforthall.co.uk.

OAKHAM

Whatever your experience or motivation, Rutland Water’s Nature Reserve staff and the LRWT invite you to come along for a morning stroll to discover some amazing wildlife.

Your guide, Jeff Davies, has a wealth of wildlife experience and knowledge which will make your morning’s walk both enjoyable and informative. Wear suitable clothing and footwear. Binoculars are essential – if you don’t have your own they can be hired from £5/session. n Based at Anglian Water Nature Reserve, Egleton, LE15 8BT. Call 01572 770651 or see www.rutland water.org.uk.

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MORE TRAVEL

More Destinations, More Luxury

MORE CRUISE Embarking on a cruise means a journey that’s as enjoyable as the destination itself... and with more choice than ever before, award winning More Travel of Stamford have expanded their product offering and launched More Cruise...

Words: Rob Davis.

According to the saying, it’s better to travel than to arrive. Perhaps that’s why cruises are popular; they offer the best of both worlds.

“Since 2012, we’ve specialised in creative holiday itineraries, focusing on the unique and unusual as well as the luxurious and contemporary.”

Embarking on a luxury travel experience on one of the world’s newest and most luxurious state of the art cruise ships means that you can enjoy an incredible series of amazing destinations without the inconvenience of long road transfers and domestic travel.

“We’ve scooped national and local awards and done a pretty good job of becoming the go to source for the culturally curious and luxury loving clients in both Stamford and Rutland.”

“Over the last year we started to notice emerging luxury cruise lines featuring really interesting destinations and becoming really innovative in their itineraries and onboard experience. Recognising the opportunity this presented we asked Julie to join the team, exploring potential partnerships. Cruises have become increasingly popular and it’s easy to see why.”

Both journey and destination are a pleasure; new partners coming into the sector has meant the many common objections to cruising have been overcome. Think less cruise ship and more luxury boutique hotel that magically moves you and your belongings from one point of interest to the next.

With a wider choice of cruise operators than ever before, and more destinations to choose from, it’s more important than ever to seek the advice of an independent, experienced and enthusiastic expert like the team at More Travel.

We caught up with Helen Dooley, Owner of More Travel, and Julie Berry who is heading up their cruise plans to find out more.

Three Cruise Ideas from Julie Berry of More Cruise 1. Japan: The coastal nature of Japan’s five islands makes it ideal for cruises taking in bustling cities with vibrant energy plus natural wonders like volcanoes and national park, and historic sites amidst cherry blossom trees and other gorgeous scenery, alongside cultural rituals like a tea ceremony.

2. New Zealand: Whether you’re a culture vulture or an adventurer (or a little bit of both), Australia and New Zealand are packed full of experiences to delight and enchant. Warm golden sands, adrenaline-fuelled experiences and awe-inspiring landscapes await, including those featured in some of Hollywoods biggest films.

3. Caribbean: Whilst it’s often tricky to secure availability at sensible prices in the most sought after 5* hotels, small luxury cruise lines offer a great alternative in spring. Many Caribbean cruises offer a relaxed itinerary with casual dining, plenty of glorious beach time and the chance to visit smaller Caribbean islands.

On Celebrity Millennium, £3,873 per person based on Deluxe Balcony room, one night pre-stay in Tokyo followed by 14 night cruise from 27th Mar 2021.

On Seabourne Encore £8,500 per person with £500 on board credit per suite, based on 16 day cruise Australia and New Zealand from 21st Dec 2020.

On Virgin Voyage’s Scarlet Lady, £2,050 per person, five night Caribbean cruise including Miami Beach from 3rd July 2020.

NB: Because travel prices are subject to a number of factors, our prices should be considered a guide only.

For up to date prices and availability call More Travel and More Cruise. For full T&Cs, please contact More Travel.

“A greater demand for specialist advice has led More Travel to create a new team at More Cruise, ensuring that we’re more experienced, more familiar and better placed to offer expert advice.”

“More Cruise is a natural extension in the More Travel journey. We’ve worked really hard to ensure we are competitive price wise, negotiating additional opportunities for our clients.”

“Thanks to our specialist destination knowledge we can add value to travel plans, by being creative with flights, adding additional nights and making sure all the pre and post concierge is taken care of ! We can create the trip of a lifetime, designed for you, infused with once in a life time memories and luxury.” n

More Travel and More Cruise are based on St Mary’s Street, Stamford. Call 01780 433333 or see www.more-travel.co.uk for independent and expert advice.

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THE MORE TRAVEL TEAM SHARE THEIR TOP FIVE DREAM HOLIDAY IDEAS FOR 2020...

1. Bhutan: Getting to and from this small Himalayan country is easier than ever before, and you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking mountain views, and the serenity of Buddhist traditions 2 .Japan: As hosts of the Rugby World Cup, Japan has reignited our passion for this unique and fascinating destination. The neon lights and uber-technology of Tokyo are unique in the world, but Japan also has a very calm, traditional side.

3. Jamaica: Jamaica’s scenery is stunning and there is much to experience beyond the beach. This is one of the more culturally interesting islands of the Caribbean, so fall in love with its sights and sounds!

4. Experiential Travel: A huge trend in the travel industry today is the move towards ‘experiences’. Instead of focusing on a hotel and its facilities, this kind of holiday is focused on immersing you into the culture of a destination.

5. Next Generation Cruises: Cruise ships are working hard to attract a new generation of passengers.

The image of cruising as the realm of older passengers is changing fast, especially with Virgin entering the market.

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Pan fried fillet of Hake with Rosemary Gnocchi, Jerusalem Artichoke and Red Onion.

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FOOD & DRINK

Barnsdale

LODGE For the past three decades, Barnsdale Lodge has represented excellent dining and accommodation as well as offering its guests the warmest of welcomes.This month we affirm that 30 years on, Thomas Noel’s country house hotel is better than ever!

Words: Rob Davis. Images: Dean Fisher.

If I was to make a list of all of the cultural contributions from the past three decades, I think I could happily forgo many of them.

Snapgram, Instaface and Twitbook have contributed little to society, in my humble.

I could joyously consign to oblivion the phrase ‘unexpected item in bagging area.’ And now I’ve reached and breached the milestone of 40 years of age, the sartorial qualities of ripped jeans with buttock-exposing low hanging waistlines, so beloved by youth is particularly lost on me. Especially when they’re paired with hipster beards and a ‘manbun’ hairstyle.

Progress it seems is seldom mutatis mutandis, but one innovation - from 1990 - that I couldn’t live without is the presence of Barnsdale Lodge in the county. Standing the test of time, the place celebrates its 30th anniversary as Pride goes to press with a black tie ball on 29th February. It’s one of my favourite places to dine... indeed, one of my favourite places to be.

BARNSDALE LODGE WILL CELEBRATE ITS 30TH BIRTHDAY WITH A BLACK TIE BALL AS PRIDE GOES TO PRESS...

meet the CHEF DAVID BUKOWICKI

There’s something indomitable about the appeal of Barnsdale Lodge. It’s brilliant at fine dining, Sunday lunch, afternoon tea, a quick lunchtime bite... and that’s in addition to being a great events venue, comfortable hotel and a popular wedding venue.

There’s nothing Barnsdale Lodge can’t do, and nothing it doesn’t do brilliantly.

Purchased in May 1989 by Thomas Noel (who still owns the place) and Robert Reid (who has since moved on) the hotel opened in 1990 and has gone from strength to strength ever since, not least because of the dynamism of MD Ed ‘Mr Rutland’ Burrows and General Manager Warren Browning, alongside David Bukowicki and his brigade of chefs, who are all excellent. >>

Food Style: ”Everything’s local, nothing is complicated!

We keep the plates looking nice and clean, we’re not trying to be too over the top because we cook for a wide range of people.”

Food Heaven: “Sitting by the sea somewhere with some nice sea food, somewhere nice and hot.”

Food Hell: “Having to sit and watch the Bake Off!” n

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Above: Slow Roast Lamb.

Below: Smoked Rutland Water Trout Mousse with Pickled Cucumber and Melba Toast.

>> Whether you’re in muddy wellies and you’re flanked by man’s best friend or dressed up in your poshest clobber, you’ll fit in.

Dine in the conservatory, which is light and lovely, or in the Vettriano artwork-clad dining room. Request one of several private dining rooms, relax in the garden room or if the weather is playing ball this summer, enjoy the courtyard. It’s up to you.

You’ll enjoy great a setting and great service.

You’ll also be able to choose from a set lunch menu with one two or three courses for £19.95, £21.95 or £24.95.

OPEN FOR FOOD Afternoon Tea: Everyday from 2.30pm until 4.30pm.

Lunch: Mon – Saturday 12pm – 2.30pm.

Sunday Lunch: 12pm – 2pm.

Dinner: 6.30pm – 9pm.

NB: Open for drinks from 11am - 11pm.

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Lemon Verbena Posset with Toasted Meringue and Biscotti.

on the MENU FROM THE À LA CARTE DINNER MENU AT BARNSDALE LODGE Starters Seared king scallops with Yorkshire black pudding bon bon and slow cooked belly pork £10.95.

Carpaccio of Exton Estate venison with juniper crust, poached blackberry & ‘Ron’s blackberry vinegar £8.95.

Main Courses Gressingham duck breast with duck leg epigrams with poached cherries, cavolo nero and Kirsch £18.95.

Slow cooked beef cheeks with Colston Bassett mash potato, butternut squash purée and Romanesco broccoli £17.95.

Dine in the evening and there’s a spring dinner menu from 20th March. Other menus include an afternoon tea and sandwich menu and a Sunday lunch menu too.

Not only is its food great, it’s consistently great, and no matter what improvements are made the look and feel of the hotel, its spirit will, it seems, always remain intact.

Pan fried fillet of sea bass with smoked eel, surf clams and sea beet £18.95.

Ingredients are courtesy of a number of local suppliers from the Exton and Easton estates, Manton Farm and rather closer to home, Barnsdale Lodge’s own kitchen garden, tended by kitchen gardener Dan.

As Pride goes to press, final preparations are being made to Barnsdale Lodge’s 30th anniversary ball on 29th February, whilst the annual ‘For Rutland In Rutland’ Good & New Sale takes place on 6th and 7th March.

Dark chocolate espresso cake with minted chocolate ice cream and freeze dried raspberries £8.25.

Evening dining dazzles, with eight starters, and 10 main course options. There are six dessert options and if you’re lighter of appetite but still tempted, there’s a nice Café Gourmand options of homemade minidesserts with after dinner coffee. There’s even a little gift shop at reception where you can take a little bit of Rutland away with you to enjoy at home.

The hotel’s 46 bedrooms are already subject to a rolling programme of refurbishment and by the time its 30th anniversary comes around the hotel’s communal areas will also have enjoyed being spruced up. What’s nice about the place though, is the sense of confidence Barnsdale Lodge’s team inspires.

Mother’s Day dining will be prove busy on 22nd March and there’s a Wedding Fair planned on 15th March too. The hotel’s Rutland Retreats self-catering cottages also provide guests with the opportunity to enjoy a great escape in the county.

Over 30 years, dining - like so much in the world - has changed beyond recognition.

But though it has improved over and over again, Barnsdale Lodge has stayed faithful to its loyal local customers.

Inevitably, it’ll be just as highly regarded in 30 years time, in which case, we’ll still be paying a visit! n

Dessert

Gooseberry fool with elderflower meringue and lemon gel £7.95.

Blackberry panna cotta with damson jam, poached figs and honeycomb £7.25.

NB: Featured dishes are subject to change.

n Barnsdale Lodge Hotel is based at The Avenue, Exton, Oakham Rutland, LE15 8AH. Call 01572 724678 or see www.barnsdalelodge.co.uk.

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MARCH 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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TREAT MUM to

TEA Afternoon tea is always a pleasure, but it’s also a great way to treat mum and to enjoy a spring day out this month. We’ve rounded up our favourite afternoon tea venues...

Words: Rob Davis.

Treat mum to afternoon tea this month at one of our favourite restaurants or hotels.

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- AFTERNOON TEA -

THE CHUBBY CASTOR, NEAR PETERBOROUGH...

A SHORT DRIVE FROM RUTLAND is Peterborough’s Chubby Castor... and it’s well worth the trip.

This beautiful thatched country pub provides finger sandwiches on homemade artisan bread, scones and a selection of French pastries plus the Chubby Castor’s own blend of Newby tea.

Prosecco and Champagne variations are available, with prices from £24-£34.

The Chubby Castor is a beautiful historic building of stone and thatch with all the charm and character of the building’s 17th century style. Its Chef Patron is Adebola Adeshina who has earned a Michelin Plate and who has been praised by Harden and the AA. 01733 380801, www.thechubbycastor.com.

Barnsdale Lodge, Exton...

ONE OF THE MOST BELOVED hotels in Rutland, profiled in this edition, is Barnsdale Lodge, a 50-odd bedroom country house hotel which offers great dining during both lunchtime and evening service, plus an excellent provision of afternoon tea.

The latter certainly deserves a recommendation, with cream tea, full afternoon tea, plus Champagne,

Stapleford Park...

THE STUNNING MANSION of Stapleford Park is an assuredly elegant environment in which to enjoy afternoon tea. The country house hotel is privately owned and set in 500 acres of parkland.

Dining is excellent and afternoon tea is priced from £27.50 with optional fizz, gluten-free or vegetarian variants. There’s a spa in the former stableyard to really make an occasion of your visit, too.

01572 787000, www.staplefordpark.com.

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gluten-free and vegetarian versions available. The hotel also has a ‘gentleman’s afternoon tea’ with savouries and ‘slider’ style burgers available, whilst Barnsdale’s location close to Rutland Water provides ample opportunity to work up an appetite beforehand.

Exton, Oakham. 01572 724678, barnsdalelodge.co.uk.

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Kilworth House Hotel...

RUSHTON HALL HOTEL, KETTERING...

COMBINE LIVE ENTERTAINMENT WITH AFTERNOON TEA AT LEICESTERSHIRE’S KILWORTH HOUSE HOTEL

IT’S WORTH THE SHORT DRIVE away from Rutland and Stamford to enjoy the exceptional setting of Kilworth House Hotel.

This Grade II listed hotel set in 38 acres has a theatre within its grounds offering a wealth of live music and drama throughout the year.

Afternoon tea is the ideal precursor to a performance, with traditional tiered afternoon tea from £25/person and Prosecco, Champagne and children’s afternoon tea variations also available. Best of all, you can take afternoon tea anywhere

from the Orangery (above) to the library, each of which are beautifully presented.

Theatre highlights at Kilworth House this season include The Rat Pack on 1st March, 1960s spectacular Twist & Shout on 26th April and Rodgers & Hammerstein musical Carousel this summer from May to July.

01858 880058 www.kilworth house.co.uk.

RICH IN HISTORY and incredibly elegant, Rushton Hall is worth the short drive from Rutland or Stamford to Kettering in order to appreciate afternoon tea in the country house hotel’s elegant Great Hall. Traditional tiered afternoon tea from £28/person with Champagne, Prosecco and rosé Champagne variants, thanks to the hotel’s partnership with Laurent-Perrier.

Also on the menu is black tea from Dammann Frères, est 1692, and tisane from Eteaket. We’ll recommend the second flush darjeeling... and a visit to Rushton’s excellent Stableyard Spa beforehand for a treatment or two as well!

01536 713001, www.rushtonhall.com.

Is it Time

For Tea?

Afternoon Tea is traditionally served between 2pm and 5pm, whereas High Tea is served between 5pm and 7pm.

‘Low tea’ is posher than ‘high tea!’

Orton Hall Hotel...

BASED IN ORTON LONGUEVILLE, Ortion Hall Hotel is a 17th century former manor house set in over 20 acres of mature parkland.

So secluded and green is the setting you’d never think you were within close proximity of the city of Peterborough. Pretty architecture and four star luxury are just two points in the hotel’s favour, but there’s also the Imagine Spa, which

is well-equipped and serene, a great precusor to the hotel’s provision of afternoon tea.

Afternoon tea is £14.95/person and is presented on traditional tiers, taken in the elegant Huntly Restaurant with its wood panelling and stained glass windows.

Orton Longueville, Peterborough, 01733 391111, www.ortonhall.co.uk.

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THE FUEL TANK AT BELVOIR CASTLE’S ENGINE YARD...

BELVOIR CASTLE’S Engine Yard is a superb shopping destination and a great place to spend an ad hoc day out. At The Fuel Tank restaurant there’s a selection of pastries made in house, plus custom blends of tea. A traditional afternoon tea is also available at Belvoir Castle opposite the development. Manners’ Afternoon Tea is £24/person with an optional castle tour. Royal Afternoon Tea on Mothering, Sunday 22nd March, is inspired by Netflix series The Crown filmed at Belvoir - and is served in The State Dining Room with a harpist on hand to accompany your dining experience, £70/adult.

Belvoir Castle, Grantham 01476 871001, www.belvoircastle.com.

The Petwood Hotel...

BEST KNOWN for its Dambusters connections, it’s worth a trip to Woodhall Spa to enjoy afternoon tea and perhaps an overnight stay in the hotel’s Edwardian elegance.

Options begin with a standard Cream Tea at £6.95, whilst full afternoon tea is £18.25/head.

Options include a Champagne variation, Bucks Fizz version, one with Prosecco and an

afternoon tea option with gin.

Current treats include a raspberry éclair, basil and passion fruit pavlova, and lemon meringue pie. Patisserie is all made in house and of course, the hotel also boasts beautiful grounds which have recently been restored, surrounded by woodland for a great walk to work up an appetite.

Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire 01526 352411, www.petwood.co.uk.

The Finches Arms, Hambleton...

WHERE BETTER to enjoy afternoon tea than overlooking Rutland Water in the spring sunshine?

Fortunately The Finches Arms in Hambleton can provide an opportunity for just that. A full afternoon tea is served from Monday to Saturday from 3pm-5pm, and comprises cakes and scones.

Our recommendation is to enjoy tea on the terrace with its stunning views.

01572 756575, www.finchsarms.co.uk.

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Stay at The White Hart, Ufford call 01780 740250 Main Street, Ufford Stamford PE9 3BH lisa@whitehartufford.co.u www.whitehartufford.co.uk @WhiteHartUfford The White Hart, Ufford

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The White Hart has 12 beautifully appointed bedrooms, all offer complimentary WiFi, tea and coffee making facilities, television and hairdryer.

Dogs are welcome in two of our bedrooms

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Wine of the Month

Belvoir Launches a Bespoke Gin that’s fit for a Duchess

Veuve Clicquot Rosé.

Pinot noir; Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, France. £49.95 / 75cl / 13%

Small batch gin created for Belvoir by local distillery...

The Belvoir Estate has launched a small-batch handcrafted gin inspired by the rich history of the estate and created by the Duchess of Rutland.

Belvoir Gin marries juniper, coriander and angelica with fig, vanilla and chamomile. The gin has been distilled by local distillery Brentingby’s Tom Nichol and Bruce Midgley. Well balanced notes from the fig and pine from the juniper combine with subtle vanilla on the finish, and sweetness from liquorice and orange peel. The distinctive castle turrets are shown in silhouette through the bottle. n £39,99/ 70cl / 41% ABV

The Wine Cellar HEARD OF CRÉMANT YET? IT’S ‘THE NEW PROSECCO,’ SET TO BE POPULAR THIS SUMMER. WE PICK THREE EXAMPLES THIS MONTH ALONG WITH SOME NEW LOCAL SPIRITS...

CREMANT: Crémant is the new Prosecco! Here are our three favourite examples...

1. A blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, this Burgundy Crémant offers remarkable complexity. Well-structured with aromas of red and citrus fruits dominate,but the nose has hints of flowers and butter too; £21.99 / 75cl / 12% ABV. 2. Crémant is created using the same traditional method as Champagne. Alsatian grapes Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir - give it brioche and notes of pear and apple; £19.50 / 75cl / 12% ABV.

3. Flexible and full of fruity flavour, with intense notes of brioche. Pale gold in colour with light, shimmering bubbles and an assured, persistent finish; £13.50 / 75cl / 12%.

Well-made Champagne, beautifully presented. Notes of raspberry, wild strawberry and cherry predominate, followed by a touch of dried fruits and pastry. On the palate, Veuve Clicquot Rosé NV is powerful, leaving behind a harmony of fruit.

Elegant and sensual, the wine offers exceptional balance and surprising intensity.

Comes with bag perfect for carrying wine to picnics and other outdoor events. n

Local Distillery Bottomley Launches Lincolnshire Whisky Bottomley Distillers has released an uncasked Lincolnshire Grain Single Malt.

The whisky project has been the centre of the growth of the distillery and has been a personal project for the distillery with Amy Conyard, director of Bottomley Distillers designing the labels.

The personal touch is the culmination of this project coming to fruition!

The Lincolnshire Grain Whisky Spirit is available at the distillery and is hand-numbered in a batch of just 103 bottles... so buy yours quick! £45 / 70cl / 41%

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

THOROUGHLY

MODERN

It may be constructed of period materials, with the solidity of a home hundreds of years old, but Ancaster House is gloriously contemporary, stylish and packed with modern touches throughout... best of all, it’s also located in the heart of Stamford!

Words: Carissa Smith.

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Location, location, location! Ancaster House is a prestigious end of terrace modern townhouse in the centre of Stamford. Within walking distance to Stamford’s many shops, restaurant and excellent schools, if you’re looking for a property in Stamford you’ll not find a better location than this!

In 2017, family man and property developer Simon Smith built Ancaster House and seven other properties on the same site, with help from his two partners.

The role of Ancaster House was to be the family home of Simon, his wife and two boys, aged one and three. All eight houses within this gated development are stunning Top: The property is arranged over three floors and is situated within a gated community in the town of Stamford. Its kitchen was created by local cabinet maker Bakehouse.

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and built to a high spec in an architectural style that reflects the heritage and charming character of Stamford... however Ancaster House is a cut above the rest even for a Stamford property!

Standing rather majestically alongside its neighbours Ancaster House is built in local mellow yellow Stamford brick and Clipsham limestone under a blue slate roof studded with a row of four dormer windows, the façade is an impressive sight.

Beyond the Georgian style façade you will discover an exquisitely finished interior that offers the best of both worlds. The couple used architect Harris McCormack to design the handsome townhouse. Simon and his wife spent many hours researching other buildings in Stamford and choose their favourite designs to replicate in this property.

“Beyond the Georgian façade you will discover an exquisitely finished contemporary interior...”

Ancaster House is arranged over three floors, comprises four bedrooms, three bathrooms and three reception rooms.

The master bedroom is Simon’s favourite room in the house and occupies the entire top floor.

The bedroom area features a stunning contemporary pod bath perfect for relaxing and the room benefits from a large en suite shower room and an extensive range of fitted wardrobes. On the first floor there is a guest suite with a luxury en suite bathroom,

the children’s bedrooms and a Porcelanosasourced family bathroom.

Downstairs there’s a wonderful large lounge which is fantastic for family gatherings with a large wood burner for those cosy nights.

The kitchen and dining area also features a modern log burner with the kitchen breakfast room opening onto a landscape terrace through bi-folding doors. Meanwhile the living kitchen is Simon’s wife favourite spot in the house.

The kitchen has been created by Stamford company Bakehouse Kitchens and is almost twenty-six foot long with the folding-sliding doors onto the rear terrace making it the ideal spot for relaxing on a summer’s evening or for entertaining. The kitchen is fitted with modern kitchen cabinets and marble work surfaces.

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It also features a very substantial Wolf range cooker with teppanyaki plate.

The property has also been fitted with a Control 4 System. With just one touch you can dim the lights, play music, turn up the heat or lock all doors and arm the security system.

The house is accessible through a pair of metal gates, and you first pass the attractive, detached double garage which also provides further living space above. The annex comprises of an open plan living area with fully fitted bespoke kitchen and an en suite shower room.

Meanwhile, the gardens have been thoughtfully landscaped to make the absolute most of the outside areas with a tiered patio and raised

Above: The master bedroom features an en suite and a contemporary pod bath sourced from by Porcelanosa.

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lawn all enclosed by stone walling and fencing.

The family also choose artificial grass which they love and has the advantage of being very easy to maintain.

It’s fair to say that this end of terrace town house was built to be special and with over 4,000 sq ft of accommodation, its enviable town centre location and stunning modern Georgian splendor Simon has done just that.

As a property developer Simon is always looking for a new project and the family have now built a bigger family home just up the road which they are moving into imminently.

They’ll leave behind a thoroughly modern family home that’s smart and stylish! n

ANCASTER HOUSE, MARSHALL’S YARD, STAMFORD Location: Grantham 22.7 miles, Oakham 11 miles, London 126 miles, 2 1/2 hrs.

Style: Prestigious end of terrace stunning modern town house in a gated development.

Bedrooms: Four with two en suites and family bathroom.

Receptions: Two, currently arranged as reception room and living kitchen.

Other Features: Study, integrated Control 4 audio/HVAC system.

Guide Price: £1,500,000 Find Out More: Fine & Country, Seaton Grange Barn Offices, Grange Lane, Seaton, LE15 9HT. Call 01780 750200 or see www.fineandcountry.com. n

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Your local appointed Sheraton dealer and Neff Master Partner

• Contemporary, modern, traditional & handmade bespoke kitchens • Affordable, quality kitchens and the latest designs on display • Over 60 appliances on show • Review our recent jobs on our website www.qksstamford.co.uk or visit our Facebook page • 25 large room settings in our extensive showroom The best quality, best value and best service from a company fitting kitchens since 1981

THE AREA’S LARGEST INDEPENDENT KITCHEN SHOWROOM The Maltings, Barnack Road, Stamford PE9 2NA T: 01780 756514 or 755855

E: sales@qksstamford.co.uk

www.qksstamford.co.uk

Open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm. Sat, 9am-3pm, closed all day Sunday

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WILLOWBROOK KITCHENS

Where there’s Willowbrook

THERE’S A WAY If you’re seeking style and function from a kitchen, there’s a way... with Willowbrook. The Peterborough based firm has been family-owned since 1988 and is headed up by Paul Davanna!

Words: Rob Davis.

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An understanding of family life is essential for anyone working with you to design your kitchen, bedroom or home office. Having been family owned throughout its life and run by Paul Davanna since 1988, there are few handbuilt kitchen specialists anywhere in the country with as much experience at Willowbrook Kitchens, based in Barnwell, near Peterborough.

The firm works with budgets of anything from £5,000 to £50,000 and specialises in creating kitchens as well as bedrooms, studies and freestanding furniture in solid wood, typically tulip, walnut or oak, which can be handpainted in any Farrow & Ball shade a customer specifies.

With a real insight into how a kitchen should function for the family, Paul and his team

design with practicality as well as aesthetics in mind and the team works across Rutland and Stamford in both modern and period properties.

In addition to creating bespoke kitchens and working collaboratively with the customer to create a room that functions well and looks great, Paul can also help to project manage your space, liaising with building, electrical, gas, plumbing, tiling and decorating trades to ensure a stress-free turn-key experience for customers and a room that’s completely finished once the client signs it off.

From and quartz work surfaces, to Franke and Perrin & Rowe sinks, and with appliances via partnerships with Neff and Miele, the team ensures the latest technology can be thoughtfully and unobtrusively integrated.

“A kitchen is a significant investment in your home, and it has to work well, as well as looking great,” says Paul.

“Concept and design are important, but your kitchen is your project in your home and its design should reflect that.”

“Being a smaller business, family-run, we’ve few overheads and our showroom is our workshop and the success of our past commissions. That means we can remain competitive against other firms, working efficiently so that our prices can be lowered.”

“Our reputation is our guarantee, and that’s why our no-pressure-selling experience and our design skills as well as our project management all make Willowbrook a great company to work with.” n

n Willowbrook designs and installs completely hand-built bespoke kitchens, bedrooms and studies. For a free, no obligation, pressure selling-free discussion about your project visit Barnwell Workshops, Barnwell, Peterborough, PE8 5PL. Call 01832 275177 or visit www.willowbrookkitchens.co.uk.

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WELCOME HOME

Barn Owl

HOUSE What better location could there be for a Rutland property than right on the banks of the reservoir, in a spot that’s unspoilt and teeming with wildlife? Barn Owl House is a property in a great setting that will afford its next owners the best views in the county!

Words: Rob Davis.

Location, location location, as the saying goes. And if those three qualities are the signifiers of a truly remarkable property, there are few locations if any in Rutland as desirable as that enjoyed by Barn Owl House.

Right on the banks of the reservoir in Manton, Barn Owl House offers deliciously practical accommodation plus plenty of additional benefits too.

Kitchens and bathrooms are modern and in good order but could still be tweaked to its next owners tastes plus there’s plenty of practical storage. The kitchen features hand-built units finished in Old English White, granite surfaces, an Aga, Belfast sink and American style fridge freezer, whilst the sitting room has a feature fireplace and French doors that open onto that panoramic Rutland countryside.

It’s large enough to accommodate four bedrooms and three reception rooms, en suites to each bedroom and plenty of practical features like a utility room, boot room, triple garage and a generous six acres of land.

The first floor master suite features a dressing area and views across the reservoir, whilst mature gardens with year-round interest ensure plenty of bird and animal life as well as privacy from two-legged neighbours!

Yet it’s still a property that offers its next owners a manageable size, whilst providing space to extend the property itself or create a larger area of formal gardens.

Uniquely, Barn Owl House is a house you can purchase with your head as well as your heart... you could even say that for its next owners, life here will be a hoot! n

Find Out More: Barn Owl House is currently on the market with James Sellicks, Catmos Street, Oakham LE15 6HW. Call 01572 724437 or see www.jamessellicks.com.

Barn Owl House, Lyndon Road, Manton: Guide Price £1,500,000.

Location: located just outside the pretty village of Manton overlooking Rutland Water and close to the popular county towns of Stamford, Oakham and Uppingham.

Style: A modern stone, barn conversion with flexible living accommodation, sitting within approximately six-acres of its own land with phenomenal views over Rutland Water and beyond. With the property being a U-shaped barn

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conversion there is a central courtyard that is accessed off the majority of the ground floor accommodation.

Bedrooms: Master bedroom suite that comprises a large double bedroom, complemented by a dressing room with ensuite bathroom. Three further bedrooms with en suite.

Receptions: Large sitting room with a feature fireplace, windows looking back into the

courtyard and large glazed sliding doors out to the garden providing phenomenal views over Rutland Water. Beyond the sitting room is the breakfast kitchen and dining room.

Kitchen: Bespoke kitchen in Old English White with Aga, Belfast sink, American fridge/freezer. Separate utility.

Gardens: Predominantly laid to lawn with mature trees and large paddock. n

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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

Story of the

BLUES Each year Pantone provides its ‘colour of the year’ for designers of interiors, home furnishings and the media. This year, the colour management firm has declared 2020 the year of ‘Classic Blue,’ so expect to see it everywhere.

Here’s how to use it in your home...

Image: Cole & Son’s new Macchine Volanti wallpaper , £276/roll.

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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...

Left: Harlequin Momentum, wallpaper £60/roll.

Top: Lexi Fabric by Jane Churchill in blue colourway, £45/metre.

Above/Right: Colefax and Fowler Conway yarn mix fabric in aqua and natural, £62/metre.

Right: Prestigious Textiles Journey Beyond fabric in Twilight, £38/metre.

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Above: Cecily, Vertex, Pulsar and Gershwin from Jane Churchill £various.

Top/Right: GP & J Baker, Modern Country Trims for cushions and curtains; Fairfield braid, Fortrose and Munro £various.

Clarke and Clarke Electro Quantum in taupe and blue £40/metre.

Right: Avalon collection by Clarke and Clarke, sofa in Levante, curtains in Monterrey, £30/metre.

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Local Suppliers...

All Things House, 0333 210 7288, www.allthingshouse.co.uk.

Corner Farm, 01778 561333, www.cornerfarminteriors.co.uk.

Delcor Interiors, Stamford 01780 762579 www.delcor.co.uk.

Elizabeth Stanhope Interiors, Oakham 01572 722345 www.elizabethstanhope.co.uk.

Furleys, Rutland 01572 755539 www.furleys.co.uk.

H Works, Stamford 01780 754605 www.hworksdesign.co.uk.

Hunters Interiors, Uffington, Stamford PE9 4TD, 01780 757946 huntersinteriorsofstamford.co.uk.

Lumison Lighting, Oakham, 01572 724600 www.lumisonlighting.co.uk.

Sarah Harding Interiors, Uppingham, 01572 823389 www.sarahhardinginteriors.co.uk. n

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Danish Dreams Works from the Royal Copenhagen factory continue to be collected in great number, with buyers continuing to purchase figure groups from this European heavyweight in large number.

Looking at the Post Modern design and style associated with the pieces commonly seen at our three Lincolnshire salerooms, one would assume the history of the Royal Copenhagen factory was a recent one.

Nothing could be further from the truth as you have to go back to 1775 to find its starting date.

Production has remained in rude health since its inception. Bing and Grandahl added a collectable edge to the works with the introduction of their Christmas plates in 1895, with moulds being destroyed, so more could not be made. This led to a large collecting field which has continued along with the popularity of the more traditional figures, animals and birds we see today.

The large horse illustrated proves the skill of the factory. A rare, enormous piece which proves the ability of Royal Copenhagen; a work immensely difficult to fire at such size and an object which has been produced that classically illustrates the modernist pieces associated with the factory in recent times, it sold recently at our Grantham Rooms for £360.

The chemist Franz Heinrich Muller is credited for its creation and with his 50 year monopoly gave the factory a firm footing. By 1779 its finances were the responsibility of the Danish Royal Family when it was rebranded as the Royal Porcelain Factory.

It was indeed Royal links which assumed the more famous designs of the company with the most famous Floral Dancia pattern pieces being made as gifts for Catherine II of Russia.

With the familiarity of the green three wavy line mark and the post modern later pieces being made in association with the likes of Georg Jensen and the Holmegaard Glass works, it is somewhat a surprise that Royal Copenhagen has been in existence for the thick end of 260 years producing elegant tableware and high class and large pieces which would grace any sideboard throughout Europe from the Royal Family downwards.

Objects are now produced under the name Royal Copenhagen at sites in Thailand. What hasn’t been lost from this Far East move is the quality, craftsmanship and modern design associated with this magnificent factory, which continues to attract buyers in large number who collect nothing other than this most famous of names. 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.

Here for all your needs...

Free Auction Appraisals We offer free professional advice on items you wish to sell.

Sold For £25,000

Free Home Visits Our valuers will help with house clearance advice or large collection dispersal.

Sold For £2,100 Sold For £700

Advisory Days We have regular days at our Bourne, Grantham, Lincoln, Louth & Stamford offices.

Sold For £1,000

Do not hesitate & contact us now!

The hallmark of a professional auction house offering executor client advice & The Grantham Auction Rooms The Bourne Auction Rooms The Lincoln Auction Rooms & private services for valuation, auction sale &01522 property clearance 01476 565118 01778 422686 524984

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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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WEDDINGS

MEANT to BE High School sweethearts Laura & Tom first met in their teens, to later find each other again in a world full of common interests and rekindle an everlasting love affair...!

Photographer: Lee Daniels Photography, 07738 255683, www.leedanielsphotography.com

This month’s couple, Laura & Tom met at a mutual friends party at the age of 14 and 15 respectively. After growing apart for a few years they later found each other again whilst Laura was at university and have been together ever since.

WEDDING SUPPLIERS TOM & LAURA SMITH

“I have always been in the area but Tom’s father was in the RAF so he moved around a lot; in fact he was born in Dundee.”

“The funny thing is that even though we met locally, Tom’s father is from East Kilbride - which is where my mother’s family live - so it’s a small world!”

“Tom works as a chef and I’m a food buyer for a company that sells to the national supermarkets. My degree is in Biomedical Science so I have no idea how we both ended up in careers that revolve around food... but at least we always have something to talk about!”

“On Christmas Eve a few years ago, Tom and I were sitting on the sofa and he said ‘Do you want to open your stocking?’ – Tom never makes me a stocking so my instant response was ‘Why? What’s in there?’”

“He insisted, and to my surprise I reached in and found a ring box. I pulled it out and turned around to find Tom on one knee.

I love Christmas so it was the perfect time for him to ask me to marry him!”

Laura & Tom started planning their wedding almost straight away. “It was so important to me that we found a venue before we did anything else so that all the details would be in keeping with wherever we picked.”

“We loved our wedding venue and will be sure to go back many times over the next few years. It was a hidden gem for me.”

“I’d never heard of Orton Hall, though we only live 20 minutes away. As soon as I saw the orangery where we held the ceremony, I was sold. It made such a big impression and I knew our guests would love it - even more it was a deal maker knowing we could have the ceremony and reception in one place.”

“My parents bought my dream dress for me.

It was a LouLou Bridal dress from Shades of White. It was actually the dress I had my eye on when I walked past the window a few months before!”

Wedding Venue: Orton Hall, 01733 391111, bestwestern.co.uk Wedding Dress: Shades of White, 01480 464774, shades-of-white.co.uk.

Photographer: Lee Daniels Photography, 07738 255683, www.leedanielsphotography.com Venue Decoration & Lighting: Strobe Disco Roadshow, 01780 470 983, strobediscoroadshow.co.uk.

Wedding Cake: Two Little Cats, 07540 943143, twolittlecats.co.uk.

Bridal Hair: Studio 88, 0808 123 4088, studio-88.co.uk.

Venue Decor: Ambience Venue Styling, 0800 043 9163, www.ambiencevenuestyling.com. n

“It was an off the shoulder design with the neckline I wanted and an A-Line skirt in mikado material. It didn’t have a train, which would have been the deal breaker but luckily, the lovely ladies in the shop said it could be made with a train that had pearls down the back which was just amazing!”

“My sister served as my maid of honour and added the finishing touch; a beautiful pearl belt which added extra meaning and sentiment.

I also had a massive three tier, 12ft veil which gave the big statement I was looking for.”

Laura says her most memorable moment from the day was the moment they saw each other at the end of the aisle. “It will stay in my mind forever. After months of planning, it all felt worth it in that moment.”

“Our first dance was also a moment to treasure. The whole day was full of family and friends but those three minutes felt like it was just us.” >> 89

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- WEDDINGS -

“Our wedding catchphrase was me saying ‘my day, my way.’ If I was allowed whatever I wanted for the day, Tom would get whatever honeymoon he wanted...”

“Our wedding catchphrase throughout was ‘my day, my way’ which meant that if I could have whatever I wanted for the day, Tom would get whatever honeymoon he wanted... it seemed like a fair compromise.”

This meant the couple celebrated in Disney World, Florida. “Unconventionally, my mum, dad and my sister joined us on the second week (in a separate resort!),” says Laura.

“Although it may sound strange, it was such a lovely thing to share with them and we will have those memories forever.”

For both Laura and Tom, some advice to other couples getting married would be to take a deep breath and don’t let the little things bother you.

“Also, go away straight after the wedding whether it’s two weeks or a few days - there is nothing better than that little ‘bubble’ of just being husband and wife, soaking up each other’s company!”

“The run up to the wedding is so hectic and you have such little quality time just the two of you, it’s nice to relax and be with your favourite person.” n Images: Lee Daniels Photography, 07738 255683, www.leedanielsphotography.com.

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BARTON HALL HOTEL

Weddings at Barton Hall for a

HAPPILY EVER AFTER

CHOOSING WHERE TO SAY ‘I DO!’ IN THE COOLER MONTHS JUST BECAME EASIER THANKS TO BARTON HALL HOTEL IN BARTON SEAGRAVE, WITH ITS GRADE I LISTED ORANGERY AND PICTURE-PERFECT 16TH CENTURY COUNTRY MANSION SETTING...

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Finding the perfect wedding venue will be one of the biggest decisions of your Wedding Day. Fortunately, you won’t be disappointed if you choose the spectacular Grade II Listed Barton Hall as the venue to say ‘I Do...’ especially for a winter wedding, says the hotel’s Wedding Coordinator Becky Jackson.

“There are few places more idyllic than Barton Hall with its picture perfect Grade I listed Orangery, manicured lawns, trees and foliage and idyllic chandeliers in the beautiful Charles Suite giving a unique venue for you to create memories…”

“The AA four-star Country House Hotel was once the home of the legendary Charles Wicksteed, namesake of Wicksteed Park and now boasts 29 individually styled bespoke bedrooms including a stunning four poster Bridal Suite. The Vines Brasserie offers superb food and is open daily to the general public, as well as for exclusive Wedding Day hire. The Hotel and Restaurant is then closed to the public and will be exclusively yours for the whole day.”

“The hotel offers a variety of function spaces from the Beautiful Charles Suite with a capacity of 180. This room boasts magnificent Chandeliers and you can dazzle your guests under it for your first dance together as well as the Garden Room overlooking the lawns with a capacity of 50 for the smaller more intimate gathering.”

“You will enjoy the unique Orangery in the Grounds for your Civil Ceremony or your drinks reception if you are having a Church or Registry Office ceremony beforehand.

You will also be the only bride at Barton Hall as we ensure a ‘one bride policy’ so that we can ensure all the focus is on our couple’s wedding all day long.”

“With spacious and bespoke luxurious bedrooms that offer period features whilst being very well appointed, it gives any bridal party the ideal place to get ready before you say ‘I Do.’” “We are proud and feel very lucky to host over 80 weddings each year. Our Brides and Grooms say how wonderful the venue is and

we also understand here at Barton Hall how important a Wedding Day is and so have put together a wonderful Wedding Package for our couples, however, if you’re looking for something a little different and the package is not to your liking, we can look at a bespoke package so we can try and meet your every need!” n

Barton Hall Hotel is in Barton Seagrave, Kettering, Northamptonshire. It is a Grade II listed hotel and wedding venue. Call 01536 515505 or see bartonhall.com.

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Wedding Cake Trends

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Local cake artist Dawn Blunden offers her insight into 2020/2021 Wedding Cake trends...

1. Deckle-Edging: If you’re seeking a more contemporary twist on the traditional tiered cake, Deckle Edging refers to a rough or uncut finish.

2. Naked Cakes: Ideal for rustic weddings, especially when embellished with seasonal fruit and when you and you guests prefer sponge to fruit cakes.

3. Alternative Cakes: If you’re not a fan of traditional cake, alternatives include savoury cheese or if you still have a sweet tooth, cupcake towers.

4. Metallics, Marble and Stained Glass: This is one cake trend to look out for, with texture and designed surfaces set to prove popular this year. Choices include cakes with edible gold leaf, edible copper paint, marble, stained glass and polished ‘stone’ finishes.

5. Macarons: Towers of macarons as a multi-colour table centrepiece or to embellish your traditional wedding cake.

6. Edible Flowers: Still the preserve of traditional wedding cake artists, edible flowers are sustainable, and romantic.

They look great cascading down your wedding cake. n

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SPRING

IN YOUR STEP This month Betty Barclay suggests a few ways to step into spring with trouser suits and separates...

This Page: Pastel suit pink blazer £155; trousers £95; floral blouse £55.

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- FASHION -

Top/Left: Jacket £125; ticking stripe blouse £55, trousers £80 in white navy and pink. Top/Right: Snakeskin effect reversible jacket with sequins £215.

Bottom/Left: Grey knit blazer £105; ‘luxury’ motif top £45; jeans £105. Bottom/Right: Red pullover £80; blouse £55; houndstooth check trousers £90. n

For local stockists call 020 7580 3577 or see bettybarclay.com

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PLAN YOUR WEDDING PROPERLY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR 858,000 MEMBERS

- Over 858,000 members and 191,000 Facebook Fans - 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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DIAMONDS

are FOREVER According to the song, diamonds are forever. That longevity makes them worth investing in, and for bespoke jewellery that’s as uniquely individual as its recipient, we’ll direct you to Oakham jewellery designer Heidi Kjeldsen...

Words: Laurin Dempsey.

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HEIDI KJELDSEN

A JEWELLERY DESIGNER’S passion should be as deep rooted as the subterranean seams from which their precious stones are mined.

Heidi Kjeldsen’s enthusiasm for her craft certainly is. Half Danish and born in West Africa - which is where she developed her love of gem stones, observing the day to day work of the miners working just beyond her family’s garden to extract precious stones. Heidi arrived in Oakham’s Mill Street in 1998 and began to realise her dreams, designing beautiful jewellery for local ladies.

Over 20 years later the vibrant orange and silver signage outside her Mill Street showroom represents Heidi’s passion for both gemmology and a love of jewellery design, combined with a professional knowledge of everything from diamonds and gemstones to pearls. Having previously worked for several years as a gem dealer in London, Heidi can spot and source the best. But today there’s another demand on the industry, too; to ensure diamonds are ethically sourced.

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“My goal is to make sure that a gift is truly individual and enchants its recipients; to create beautiful jewellery that will be treasured forever, not just as a passing nod to current fashion.”

The designer’s collections contain many unusual pieces suitable for every birthday and anniversary, as well as statements of enduring love in stylish engagement, wedding and eternity rings. Gifts are also available to celebrate achievements, important milestones in life, or special friendships.

Most of Heidi’s jewellery is gold or platinum, silver is used mainly for hand forged bangles. She is a fine jeweller rather than a costume jeweller.

Half of Heidi’s orders are custom made using loose stones and although Christmas is Heidi’s busiest period however she is already sourcing ideas for her new Spring/Summer Collection and Mother’s Day. Normally Heidi will create handmade special ruby pieces for Valentines and pearl pendants for Mother’s Day. Engagement rings are also highly demanded this time of the year.

“Heidi has designed and created commissions, such as three Bishops’ rings, a piece for a gift for the late Princess of Wales and she also had a Hollywood actress in the shop, but as always, discretion is paramount so she won’t be drawn on who it was Above/Left: Heidi examines precious stones for a new commission.

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Heidi designs all the jewellery using CAD and she has a workshop as well as her studio where she has a goldsmith and a setter.

“Jewellery made to the highest standard is what I always aim to make. I also create Murano glass jewellery which allows me to introduce a drop of colour, which I love.

Working with it is fun and interesting!”

Heidi’s favourite piece of jewellery is either Sapphire or Tanzanite, however as Tanzanite is becoming more rare she sways more towards this. Heidi likes out of the ordinary and high quality.

Depending on the stone this then determines what piece of jewellery Heidi makes from it however rings are most desirable.

Though Heidi’s showroom contains a myriad of treasures ready to purchase, she is often commissioned to create bespoke jewellery for clients who are looking for something special.

The commission journey begins by discussing initial design ideas and gemstone

choice. The Gemstones and Diamonds are carefully sourced by Heidi and then the designs are presented to the client in 3D photo realistic form for approval, prior to the piece being lovingly hand-crafted.

“The most enjoyable part of my job is the reaction, joy and delight evident on the faces of my customers when they have purchased that special piece of jewellery piece, or have seen their dreams come to life in a bespoke commission.

Many of my clients have been repeatedly visiting my showroom since I first opened it in Mill Street over 20 years ago, so they have also become loyal friends.”

Since the showroom first opened Heidi has designed and created some eye catching commissions, such as three Bishops’ rings, a piece commissioned by a relative of the late Princess of Wales as a gift to her, and she even had a Hollywood actress seek advice and assistance whilst choosing a special piece of Heidi’s jewellery.

The designer’s brand is constantly evolving with each day bringing fresh new inspiration and design ideas along the way.

Heidi explains that having an open mind and a progressive attitude keeps her just as excited about jewellery now as she was right at the beginning of her journey.

“My most recent collection, Aurora, celebrates the shimmering beauty of natural gemstones, set in contemporary designs and capturing the magic of the Northern lights and lands.”

“I think there is something truly wonderful about bespoke jewellery, created especially for the client or their loved one – where the most beautiful diamonds and gemstones are shown off to their best in a gorgeous design.” n Heidi Kjeldsen is based at her showroom on Mill Street, Oakham.

Call 01572 722666.

Alternatively, see www.heidikjeldsen.co.uk.

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MY FAVOURITE PIECES SIX OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HEIDI KJELDSEN’S DESIGNS

For the discerning gentleman, Heidi has created this pair of stylish sterling silver cufflinks etched with a map of Rutland. Not so much a case as much in little as much on little, £180. Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by weight of silver and 7.5% by weight of other metals, usually copper.

Sterling is more resilient and durable than pure silver.

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Shown below is a natural pink sapphire and diamond bubble ring made in 18ct white gold. The piece is from Heidi’s Aurora collection, inspired by the designer’s trip to see the Northern Lights with their ethereal hues.

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Pictured below is Heidi’s shimmering natural diamond with a stone of around 0.50cts. The bow is made in 18ct yellow and white gold. £3,000.

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Shown right, Heidi Kjeldsen’s enhanced blue natural topaz, tourmaline and diamond drop earrings, £3,500. Topaz is allochromatic, which means that its colour is caused by impurities or defects.

Coating or enhancing it creates more vivid shades, and lighted shades of blue are used alongside other colours of darker shades of topaz for a ‘two tone’ effect.

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Shown left, precious brilliant cut natural diamond, cultured South Sea pearl and white gold drop earrings, £3,650. South Sea cultured pearls are exceptional quality pearls with a white, almost silver colour. Much larger than the average pearl, the smoothness and roundness of these pearls are notable, hence they are rarer and often command a premium in their price.

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Shown below, Heidi created this aquamarine and diamond 18ct white gold cluster ring.

The stone is found in granite rocks, was first used in 1598 signifying the month of March.

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Find Out More: Jewellery designer Heidi Kjeldsen is based at her studio on Mill Street, Oakham. Call 01572 722666. Alternatively, see www.heidikjeldsen.co.uk.

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SPRING BEAUTY

Spring Forward!

YOU CAN’T HELP BUT FEEL HAPPY WHEN YOU POP ON SOME PASTELS AND CLEANSE AWAY THE WINTER DARKNESS WITH THESE SOOTHING SHADES

1. Amouage’s Secret Garden Collection...

The first fragrance in Amouage’s The Secret Garden collection, the Lilac Love eau de parfum features powdery tones with a balance of jasmine and rose, while top notes of gardenia, peony and heliotrope result in a floral aroma.

Orris, cocoa bean and tonka bean met with the warm tone of sandalwood is rounded off with vanilla, giving it a musky veil, £300 / 100ml.

5. A Brush with Comfort...

One of our best-loved products has been supersized! Hairbrushes aren’t usually interesting, but they’re a dressing table staple, and Tangle Teezer’s Wet Detangler, offers superior detangling benefits now spread over a bigger brushing surface area, making it ideal for those with thick and curly hair. Perfect for use on wet hair, it has a non-slip grip for use the shower, £14, in Millennial Pink, Serenity Blue or Peach.

2. Day Wear by Estée Estée Lauder Day Wear is the most important thing you’ll put on today!

With the most effective anti-oxidant power ever, it defends against and diminishes the appearance of the first signs of premature ageing like dullness and fine lines, £45 / 50ml.

3. Call Me, Baby...

Join Jessica’s tea party with the popular spa brand’s Spring Collection and this shade, Call Me Baby. The vitamin-enriched, longlasting formula is cruelty and available in a variety of finishes, £11 / 14.8ml.

6. Illuminating Eyes with Iris Foreo...

Recreate a professional beauty treatment from the comfort of your own home with the Iris Illuminating Eye Massager, designed to combat dark circles, fine lines and puffiness around the delicate eye area. Delicate pulsations leave the eye contour smoother and brighter, £119.

4. Nurture Your Skin Dior’s lip balm beautifies and durably enhances your lips’ natural colour and provides a customised colour result. Lips seem revived from within, amazingly fresh, full and radiant.

Shade we’ve featured here is Pink 001, £26.

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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DENTAL HEALTH CENTRE

Committed to Creating CONFIDENT SMILES GRANTHAM’S DENTAL HEALTH AND IMPLANT CENTRE AIMS TO PROVIDE A PAINLESS, PRECISE AND PERFECT OUTCOME TO CREATE A MORE CONFIDENT HEALTHY SMILE...

A SMILE ISN’T JUST COSMETIC. A healthy, confident smile can go a long way to making you feel good. The trouble is, many of us have outdated and wholly incorrect ideas about modern dentistry.

Grantham’s Dental Health Centre, run by Colin Sutton with dentists Simon Reeves and Elisa Lago Garcia alongside their team is one of the best and most modern, well-equipped, user-friendly practices offering everything from general dentistry to the latest cosmetic treatments, all virtually pain-free in a contemporary, well-equipped practice.

With such a vast array of treatments on offer, it’s difficult to know which treatments would best suit your needs. That’s why Colin Sutton has enlisted the help of treatment

coordinator Paula Parkes to provide free, no obligation consultations so potential patients can discuss the options available to them.

Paula can assess the potential for improving the appearance of your smile, then talk through viable treatments so you can make an informed decision about the procedure, time scale, cost and benefits.

“There are really three aspects of the practice which we think benefit our patients most,” says Colin. “The first is adoption of technology like our Cerec® machine which makes creating crowns and veneers much faster and easier with 3D scans and computer controlled fabrications Above: The Dental Health & Implant Centre’s team’s can provide a range of treatments to improve both your smile and your confidence.

milled to sub-millimetre accuracy for the best fit.”

“The second aspect we’re proud of is an approach which puts the patient first, promoting a relationship between dentist and patient which inspires trust.”

“But above all, it’s our team which we’re most proud of. The whole team is committed to patient care and to creating a professional, stress-free experience. That’s the most meaningful feedback we receive and it’s the standard by which we judge our performance.” n Find Out More: For a free, no obligation introduction to treatments, visit The Dental Health and Implant Centre on Avenue Road, Grantham, NG31 6TA, call 01476 594480 or see dentalhealthcentre.co.uk.

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Massive rotator cuff tears in the over 70’s.

WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS? tendons cannot work normally again once the nerve has been surgically ablated but as the tendons are already torn and can’t be repaired there is no real functional downside to doing this.

Mr Alun Yewlett, consultant Orthopaedic surgeon explains “I’ve been told I’ve got a massive rotator cuff tear that’s been there for at least 6 months and can’t be fixed now.

The NHS tells me I can have a reverse shoulder replacement if physiotherapy hasn’t sorted me out, but I don’t feel ready for metalwork yet. Is there anything else that can be done?”

This is not an uncommon scenario that I see in many of my NHS shoulder clinics.

The combination of an active and aging population coupled with increasing waiting times on the NHS means that many patients will find themselves faced with the stark choice of living with a painful shoulder or being forced to undergo a major shoulder replacement operation by the time they see a specialist. This is not an unreasonable option and when done by abhigh volume consultant surgeon with specialist fellowship training yields excellent and predictable results, but many of my patients ask if there is anything else that can be done that is less invasive.

There are a number of cutting edge techniques available for massive rotator cuff tears at the Avicenna clinic which are not widely available on the NHS. One such technique is the Inspace balloon.

This is an operation I have been doing for many years. This has started since I trained under Mr Matt Ravenscroft, a world leading arthroscopic surgeon who had great results with this operation and I think it has a role in selected patients.

In simple terms, when the rotator cuff is torn the humeral head is pulled upwards by the deltoid muscle which is no longer being counteracted by the deficient rotator cuff.

This can cause pain when the humeral head rubs against the undersurface of the 108

There are also a number of biological treatments that can be considered. I work in an internationally recognized centre of excellence for cartilage regeneration and am delighted to be able to bring some ofthese cutting edge techniques to the Avicenna clinic. acromion. This can lead to the humeral head becoming “decentered” and the control of the shoulder is affected.

The balloon procedure is a straightforward day case procedure that can be done to try and help with a painful rotator cuff tear. A balloon is put into the subacromial space and inflated. It effectively acts like a “waterbed” to help stop the painful rubbing of the humeral head against the acromion. It also helps to keep the humeral head centred on the glenoid (the socket) of the arm bone which can allow patients to rehabilitate the shoulder and use the deltoid muscle more effectively. The balloon is biodegradable and will disappear within 6 months and does not burn any bridges to come back to an arthroplasty solution in the future.

In select cases, The balloon insertion can be done in conjunction with a suprascapular nerve ablation. Two of the rotator cuff tendons of the shoulder the supraspinatus and the infraspinatus are innervated by the suprascapular nerve. This nerve also supplies pain from the shoulder (glenohumeral) joint.

When both of these tendons are irreparably torn it is possible to ablate this nerve with the aim of taking away the pain stimulus from the shoulder. This means that these two

Lipogems is a technique whereby fat is harvested from the abdomen and then processed and injected into an arthritic joint and is an ongoing subject of research study as it appears to reduce arthritic pain significantly in many patients. It also doesn’t burn any bridges so arthroplasty solutions are always available if it doesn’t work.We have had exciting results with the use of lipogems for patients with arthritic changes in the knee and our early results at eighteen months with shoulders are very encouraging.

So, if you have a massive rotator cuff tear but aren’t wanting to have metalwork just yet, then I would be happy to discuss the best option that suite you.

Avicenna clinic has a range of specialist consultants and superior in-house imaging facilities including state-of-the-art MRI and ultrasound. We can assess and diagnose all cases of acute and chronic injuries quickly and deliver comprehensive treatment plans tailored to you. n 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.

For more information about the clinic please visit the clinic website www.avicennaclinic.com.

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COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE VERY BEST DENTAL HEALTH CARE...

“Before I joined the Dental Health Centre about two years ago my teeth weren’t in good shape.

I happened to pick up a copy of Lincolnshire Pride in my local restaurant and read a feature on the Dental Health Centre. I have since had two implants, one at the front and one at the side, which is a double one, as well as a bridge. The care I have received has been absolutely fantastic and the change my treatment has made to my life has been very dramatic...”

Steve Finn, Newark

Avenue Road, Grantham, NG31 6TA CALL 01476 594 480 WWW.DENTALHEALTHCENTRE.CO.UK • BRACES • DENTAL IMPLANTS • NERVOUS PATIENTS • HYGIENIST • FAMILY DENTISTRY • TOOTH WHITENING • WHITE FILLINGS • SAME DAY CROWNS • VENEERS •

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FITZWILLIAM HOSPITAL

Private GP Services PROMPT, PROFESSIONAL, PRIVATE Peterborough’s Fitzwilliam Hospital is expanding its Private GP Services, with additional GPs and appointment availability - a benefit for those with busy lives.

The service offers a choice of male or female GMC registered GPs, unhurried consultations of either 20, 40 or 60 minutes, the availability of private prescriptions, prompt access to diagnostic tests from X-ray to MRI or CT scans, cancer screening and blood tests.

The service has four experienced GPs; Dr Nigel Hume, Dr Ayyaz Kauser, Dr Aisha Bashir and Dr Helen Stellmacher. The GPs offer a range of special interests including diabetes and primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases, plus women’s health. The GPs can also offer advice on the side effects of medication and where possible lifestyle modification rather than prescribing if safe and feasible.

“There is no need to be registered with us,” says Dr Aisha Bashir, one of the four GPs providing the service. “And we’re supported by a professional nursing team including our RGN Sister Jan Hutchinson and HCA Vicky Fane.”

The aim is to provide a better healthcare experience and a broad availability of appointments with longer durations.

The hospital benefits from a convenient location close to the centre of Peterborough with free ample parking, and from being based at the Fitzwilliam Hospital, part of the Ramsay Healthcare Group.

The hospital has on-site CT and MRI scanner suites, an onsite physio department, five theatres and 55 en suite rooms for inpatients. It’s a modern, well-equipped facility and is one of over 30 hospitals in the Ramsay group.

The service isn’t intended as a replacement for an A&E department. It does however provide prompt appointments for urgent or long-term issues; ongoing treatment of chronic conditions like asthma, hypertension and diabetes.

“Having Private GP Services here at Fitzwilliam Hospital allows patients access to on site consultants across many specialisms from orthopaedics, spinal surgery, pain management, ENT, ophthalmology, cosmetic surgery, gynaecology and urology,” says Sister Jan Hutchinson.

It’s a useful service, too, for those providing employment screening and employment requiring assessment - for professional HGV drivers’ certificates, for example - or insurance reports and medicals for travel, such as those required for visa applications.

“We are delighted to expand the service. Finding out you have a health problem or an increased risk of a health problem can help people make better informed decisions about their health.

Screening can reduce the risk of developing a condition or its complication.” n

n Now offering Private GP services, The Fitzwilliam Hospital is one of 30 Ramsay Group owned UK hospitals. The Fitzwilliam Hospital was established in 1983 as a private facility now providing 55 en suite bedrooms, five operating theatres, dedicated MRI, CT and X-Ray suites and physiotherapy suites. Surgical disciplines include orthopaedic, ENT, ophthalmology, gynaecology, diagnostics, treatment and surgical procedures. Call 01733 261717 or see www.fitzwilliamhospital.co.uk.

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The Fitzwilliam Hospital’s Private GP services team.

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HENSON CRISP

Independent Financial Advice you can trust with Peterborough’s

HENSON CRISP Join Independent Financial Advisors Henson Crisp for afternoon tea at The George of Stamford and discover specialist advice for your ďŹ nancial security...

Henson Crisp Ltd are Independent Financial Advisers working with clients across Peterborough, Stamford, Oakham, Rutland and Oundle providing specialist advice on wealth management, investments, pensions, saving & asset protection, and tax mitigation.

Delivering specialist advice services in both the personal and corporate sectors, our clients range from individuals and trusts to large businesses and partnerships.

Our team of qualified independent advisers support and listen to clients to ensure that the right paths and objectives are identified to best manage their wealth. We pride ourselves in providing sound advice on investments, pensions, protection and tax mitigation.

As members of the Initiative of Financial Wellbeing (IFW), we place client care at the forefront of our approach. The IFW is a new initiative that encourages Independent Financial Advisers to help clients achieve greater levels of financial happiness, in addition to portfolio performance.

We take the time to ensure that we know and understand our clients, what they desire to achieve, understanding objectives, priorities and future plans. Our all-round approach enables our advisers to help you plan for your short, medium and long-term requirements.

Our people are critical to our long-term client relationships...

We have a number of leading employees within our business, who have worked with Henson Crisp over many years.

Georgina Key, our Operations Manager, based at the Peterborough office, is central to the overall management and operation of the Henson Crisp team. Georgina is also the lead towards our client focus and care.

Georgina has worked at Henson Crisp for over seven years, in that time she has grown her career and proven fundamental to the management of the team and advisers.

Georgina is also one of our key client contact liaison representatives.

Working along-side Jonathon Crisp, and our team of advisers, Georgina and her team are the first point of contact for all new clients.

We invite to you to meet our team...

At Henson Crisp, we are very conscious that as a prospective client you would wish to meet us, and get to know more about our advisers and services, before entrusting us with your complete wealth management and retirement financial planning.

For this reason, we have exclusively organised an afternoon tea seminar event, to be held at The George Hotel in Stamford.

This offers an opportunity to meet our team, ask questions and gain insight from a variety of talks on the subjects of: l Savings & Investment Markets l Wills & Enduring Power of Attorney l Tax & Inheritance Planning Call us now for a discussion of your needs, or join us at The George Hotel - see opposite for more details. n

Find Out More: Henson Crisp is based at Ground Bank House The Lawns, Thorpe Road, Peterborough PE3 6AB. Call 01733 355120 or see www.hensoncrisp.com for Independent Financial Advice in both the personal and corporate sectors.

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Main Image: Jonathon Crisp and Georgina Key.

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Your invitation to Afternoon Tea Join Henson Crisp at The George Hotel, Stamford, Wednesday 29th April 2020...

Our seminar invitation is ideal for anyone close to retirement and interested in making the most of their investment portfolios. The seminar can add real value to those who have in excess of £200,000 of assets, excluding their main home, or earn over £100,000 per year.

Limited guest list, to arrange your place contact Georgina Key, if you are interested and would like to attend, Georgina and her team will be happy to speak to you, answer your questions and advise further details about our April Seminar event.

Please be aware that spaces are limited, therefore to secure your place and to confidentially discuss your outline portfolio, please contact Georgina directly on 01733 355120.

Alternatively, please visit our web site to find out more and to complete the online contact form for our event, a member of the team will respond. www.hensoncrisp.com/events n 113

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THIS MONTH: PIPING IN THE HAGGIS AT BARNSDALE LODGE’S BURNS NIGHT SUPPER...

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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Piping in the Haggis at Barnsdale Lodge’s

Burns Night Supper IT’S THE MOST POPULAR Burns Night Supper event for miles around, and Warren Browning of Barnsdale Lodge reckons that next year, it’ll need to run over several evenings.

Too few restaurants for our liking celebrate the wit and wisdom of Scottish poet Robert Burns, but Exton’s Barnsdale Lodge does it brilliantly.

The haggis is a small furry creature native to the Highlands but has, in recent years, been introduced to Rutland, in breeding pairs, in much the same way as its ospreys. Barnsdale Lodge’s example was caught just adjacent to Rutland Water by a local gamekeeper with just a net and the lure of bagpipe music, the sound of which is similar to the female Haggis’s mating call.

Normally reclusive and grumpy if disturbed, it can be domesticated if offered neeps, tatties and a place by the fire.

Should its temper turn, it can be rendered drowsy with a decent Speyside single malt aged, say, ten years or so. n Photos: Jonathan Scrimshaw. Words: Rob Davis.

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CAR & LIGHT COMMERCIAL SERVICING SERVICING & MOT SUSPENSION TOW BARS SUPPLIED & FITTED

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AIR CONDITIONING ENGINE DIAGNOSTICS MOTORHOME SERVICE & REPAIRS WELDING TYRES LIGHT COMMERCIAL SERVICE & REPAIRS 4X4 SERVICE & REPAIRS

MAJOR

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1300cc - 2000cc

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Above 2000cc or Diesel

£109.95

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Commercial & Motorhome

£129.95

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BRAKES & CLUTCHES PAINT & BODY REPAIRS

FULL

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MOT only £25 with Major Service. All prices include labour, materials, consumable & VAT. 10% extra for 6 & 8 cylinder cars. † 20% extra for replacement of platinum plugs.

APPROVED DEALER LEVEL SERVICING We can service any make or model of car under manufacturers warranty, save money and keep your warrantly – ask us for a quote

LOYALTY CARD 10% Discount and FEE MOT for life of the vehicle for only £59.95 – ask for details

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Oakham All Saints Church

NSPCC Concert ALL IS CALM, ALL IS STILL, but silence proved as elusive as ever at this year’s NSPCC Christmas Carol Concert at Oakham’s All Saints Church.

That’s because roars of laughter, raucous carol singing and performances by Foresters Brass and the Harborough Singers once again signalled the beginning of Christmas.

Readers lending their wit to proceedings included Rev Richard Coles, barrister David Farrar, hotelier Tim Hart, the BBC’s Anne Davies and antiques expert Lars Tharp.

“The 13 concerts so far have raised over £280,000 and helped abused and neglected children.

This magical evening has become a prestigious county occasion, in the presence of the Lord Lieutenant and High Sheriff, and is always a sell-out.” n

Photos: Richard Adams.

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MOTORS

LA NUOVA DOLCE VITA Presenting the Ferrari Roma: the prettiest motor car the famous prancing horse badge has ever adorned. And with a plush interior and plenty of technology, its beauty isn’t just skin deep...

Words: Rob Davis.

IF THERE’S A MORE BEAUTIFUL car on sale today than the new Ferrari Roma, we’ve yet to behold such a mythical design.

Look at it. Just look. Sharp creases; flowing lines; muscular haunches... it’s just about as perfect as a car could possibly look, from that pointy nose to the exquisite detailing on the deep crease on the rear light cluster.

Good news, too, that beauty isn’t just skin deep. That’s because the Roma, which is based on the roofless Portofino convertible, features the latest Ferrari technology, and is rather more like a luxury GT than a stripped-out performance car, more so than any Ferrari before it.

But it’s certainly not the case that you’ll be left wanting for performance. With a 3.9 litre engine and eight cylinders plus forced induction, the Roma’s engine generates peak power at 7,500rpm. At that point the car will be generating an indecent 760nm of torque, channelled to the rear wheels via an

eight-speed F1 style dual clutch gearbox and 20” wheels to dispatch the 60mph sprint in 3.4 seconds. Top speed where legal is just a nip short of 200mph.

Whether you want to purr along in sedate GT comfort, or sharpen up the driving experience, the Roma’s Manettino switch is now standard on Ferraris. Inspired by the adjustable electronics of an F1 car, the ‘little lever’ - to apply a literal translation to its name - allows for the simple adjustment of the electronics governing suspension settings, traction control, electronic differential, and change speed of electronic gearbox.

Ferrari presents the car as a ‘2+’ GT, meaning customers have a choice of two tiny rear seats or a storage space behind the front seats. It’s really Hobson’s choice, as the rear seats are little more than ornamental, and if you’re enjoying Ferrari ownership, the last thing you’ll want to do is spoil your life by having children along for the ride... so let’s say it’s a two seater and have done. >>

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Super Models: The most beautiful cars on the market...

Aston Martin Vantage £120,900: The baby in the Aston Martin family has been updated with, paradoxically, a fussier interior and simpler, smoother lines on the exterior. Avoid those garish lime shades and opt for something like this Morning Frost White paint job and you won’t go far wrong style wise. Dipping its fingers into the Mercedes Benz biscuit tin of interior parts, you’ll find solidity and quality throughout the interior, whilst a 4.0V8 turbo engine, also borrowed from Benz, yields 60mph in 3.6 seconds. n

Bentley Continental GT £140,300: As British as bad footballing and as satisfying as even a poorly made cup of tea, the Bentley is a British champion that offers luxury and a huge specification, more comfortable and more spacious than the Ferrari, softer edged than a 911 or Vantage. Four wheel drive, automatic, with a 4.0V8 to sprint to 60mph in 4.8 seconds. Enjoy the widest choice of hides and dual-finish wood veneers, plus the added creature comforts of the Touring and City Packs, diamond knurling and swish rotating triple-faced dials. n

>> The other reason you’ll be reluctant to have the ankle-biters along for the ride is the plush interior, with its suede door trim and pleasant mushroom leather seats.

Hardly compatible with younger aficionados of the brand... frankly, we wonder why the company bothered with the two rear seats at all.

Porsche 911 Carrera S £77,891: Starting at under £80,000, Porsche’s iconic 911 looks like a comparative bargain against the Ferrari, but opt for an S, 4 or Turbo derivative, or for convertible or Targa version and the gap will close, especially given the myriad available optional extras. 911’s look is evolutionary, not revolutionary, compared to its 1963 ancestor, but it still offers arguably the sharpest drive of almost any car on the market today. A Boxster may be smaller, as sharp and better value but there’s still only one 911! n

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The interior, though, has been designed with an interesting concept in mind, namely the creation of two ‘cells,’ as the press blurb refers to them. Passengers have their own cluster of controls on that side of the car to control heating and audio. The driver, meanwhile, controls many of the car’s functions via the now ubiquitous portrait tablet-style display which, Ferrari says, uses

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“Despite its new-found civilisation, the Ferrari tips the scale at little over 1,470kg, and for context, that’s about the same as a Ford Focus, with its rather more modest performance...” haptic feedback to compensate for the lack of physical buttons to prevent the driver having to take their eyes off the road.

Other thoroughly modern creature comforts include the availability of adaptive cruise control for comfortable, safe and legal motorway driving, and keyless entry, as well as navigation.

Despite its new-found civilisation, the Ferrari tips the scale at little over 1,470kg, and for context, that’s about the same as

a Ford Focus, with its rather more modest performance.

As such, the power to weight ratio of the Roma, says Ferrari, is best-in-class. The ability to turn the Roma into more of a GT or hardedged sports car increases the car’s versatility.

Proverbially looks are only skin deep but in fact this Italian is one whose dark locks and olive skin bely hidden depths and true breadth of talent, performance and comfort. But... those looks! Mamma mia! n

FERRARI ROMA Price: £175,000 (available to order now, first deliveries summer).

Drivetrain: 612bhp, 3.9 V8 turbocharged petrol, eight speed automatic transmission, RWD. Performance: 0-62 mph: 3.4 seconds.

Top Speed: 199mph.

Economy: 26mpg (estimated).

Equipment: Leather, electric seats and windows, sat nav and Human Machine Interface. n 123

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MOTORS

Cleared for Takeoff ASTON MARTIN’S CONCORDE SPEC SUPERLEGGERA IS SUPERSONIC..

SLC bows out gracefully with Final Edition models...

The end is nigh for Mercedes’s previousgeneration C-Class based two-seater roadster the SLC. And to ensure the car goes out with a bang, Mercedes is launching Final Edition versions of the car with a few creature comforts thrown in. The SLC Final Edition spec is available on the 2.0 V4 SLC200, or the 3.0V6 AMG SLC43, and includes electrically adjustable seats, a Harmon Kardon hi-fi, Airscarf neck warmer and exclusive Sun Yellow paint finish. n MERCEDES

ASTON MARTIN Few aircraft of the jet age are more instantly recognisable, or more fondly remembered, than the worldrenowned Concorde.

Now, 50 years since its first flight, this supersonic passenger jet – created in a unique piece of Anglo-French co-operation – is the inspiration for the latest member of the highly desirable Aston Martin Wings Series.

Strictly limited to only ten examples and featuring lavish personalisation via Aston Martin’s bespoke service, Q by Aston Martin, the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Concorde proudly celebrates not only the half century since the iconic luxury passenger jet took to the skies, but also the centenary of one of Concorde’s two flag carrying airline operators: British Airways. n

BMW shows off electric i4 TESLA MODEL 3 COMPETITOR WILL SELL FOR £35,000 IN 2021...

BMW The future of motoring was revealed recently as BMW previewed its all-electric i4 model, aimed at the Tesla Model 3, and mooted to go on sale from 2021 with prices starting at £35,000.

With a weight of some 550 kilograms, it has an energy content of around 80 kWh. This gives the BMW i4 a range of approximately 600 kilometres. Expect similar proportions but more futuristic styling than the 3-Series and 4-Series mid-size models, which will still be available with conventional and plug-in hybrid variants for the forseeable future prior to the i4’s launch. n

MOTORING

NEWS In Brief FLOOD MOTORING

CATASTROPHIC AUTUMN FLOODING PROMPTS SEARCH FOR FLOODCAPABLE MOTORS...

Catastrophic floods in parts of Britain have prompted a surge of interest among motorists in cars that can tackle deep water. Online motor retailer buyacar.com’s editor, Christofer Lloyd, says: “As soon as the recent catastrophic floods in parts of the UK hit the headlines we saw website traffic to our articles about driving in flood water surge, along with searches for cars with off-road capabilities.”

The retailer has compiled a list of cars with the best ‘wading’ capabilities, just in time for the impact of ‘February Filldyke,’ in February and March, when snow melts and river levels rise!

1. Land Rover Defender: 900mm wading depth.

2. Ford Ranger: 800mm wading depth.

3. Toyota Land Cruise: 700mm wading depth.

4. Mitsubishi Shogun 700mm wading depth.

5. Toyota Hilux: 700mm wading depth.

6. Land Rover Discovery 600mm wading depth.

7. Ford EcoSport 550mm wading depth.

8. Jeep Cherokee 500mm wading depth.

9. Jeep Renegade 480mm wading depth.

10. Volvo XC40 450mm wading depth. n

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Stamford’s Oliver Smith.

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

BCM WEALTH MANAGEMENT

Finance for your Future SECURITY FOR YOUR FAMILY What’s in a name? For Stamford’s Oliver Smith, and his company, BCM Wealth Management Ltd, the name contains a clue to what motivates him. It alludes to Oliver’s three children, Bertie, Cecily & Maggie... and to the reason that sound financial advice is so important: your family’s future.

Oliver has been working in the financial services sector in the area for over 12 years. After five successful years as a Director at Smith Eliot Financial Management he made the decision to set up a company in his own right.

From January 2020, his company will be known as BCM Wealth Management Ltd, he will continue to trade from his premises on Stamford’s Ironmonger Street, supporting his existing client base, and with the support of recently appointed adviser Jamie Gibson will expand to offer bespoke financial advice to a wide range of clients.

“Financial planning doesn’t exist in your life in isolation,” says Oliver. “It’s integral to your present and your future. It helps to determine your working life and your retirement.”

“The correct advice and planning can have implications for where you live, how you live and what you can pass on to your children.”

“For that reason, it’s really important to seek holistic financial advice, advice which is tailored to you and which adapts to the different stages of your life and your changing priorities.

BCM Wealth Management offers advice on all areas for practically every circumstance of your life. This includes mortgage and protection advice, covering re-mortgages, purchases and buy to lets as well as Critical Illness and life cover, and Income Protection.

“We offer a full pension review service and can advise on all areas of retirement planning.”

“Every client is different, so advice should be tailored to reflect that. Financial planning isn’t about money, it’s about people, and about family. We think it’s because that fact is always foremost in our mind that our clients find us easy to deal with and trust us to give them the best possible advice.”

Your home or other property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. n

We offer a comprehensive range of first charge mortgages from across the market, which lenders make available to mortgage intermediaries. Some buy to let mortgages are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

BCM Wealth Management Ltd is an appointed representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and service, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The ‘St. James’s Place Partnership’ and the titles ‘Partner’ and ‘Partner Practice’ are marketing terms used to describe St. James’s Place representatives.

BCM Wealth Management is based on Ironmonger Street, Stamford PE9 1PL. Call 01780 437500.

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PRIDE MARKETING

A Fresh Perspective on Your Business...

Aerial photography using the drone services offered by Pride Magazines will offer a unique perspective on your business.

Still images and video footage can really help your marketing...

The scale of your business, the setting in which your country house hotel is located, your fleet of vehicles, or an overhead image of the different buildings which make up your estate.

Sometimes conventional photography just doesn’t do your business justice. That’s when you need aerial photography, instead.

Once the preserve of helicopter pilots, a new generation of small unmanned aircraft, or ‘drones’ makes capturing high quality photographs or video footage easy... but only if you’ve the equipment, the qualifications and the insurance to legally perform commercial operations.

The great news is that Pride Magazines does, so we’re making our drone pilots available to your business as part of our range of marketing services.

By hiring our Civil Aviation Authority registered, fully insured and qualified pilots you can achieve aerial still images and video footage of your business.

If you’ve a stunning premises, set in stunning grounds, show it off to potential clients.

If you’ve a vast estate, demonstrate the scale of your operation from the air... perhaps your property is on the market and you’d like aerial shots for your brochure?

Our pilots will complete a full safety assessment, complying with all legislation, and will retouch and post-process all material before supplying it to you. You can use images and footage on your website, on social media, in print advertising and anywhere else you need to present a professional image to potential clients.

Come fly with us, and you’ll enjoy achieving a new perspective on your business. n

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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Legally compliant and fully insured, our drone pilots are now available for your business.

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The Directory To advertise here call our friendly team on 01529 469977

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