Dispatch Magazine Bury St Edmunds March - April 2012

OPIED C N E T OF TTERED E B R E NEV

MOTORING REVIEWS FOR BURY ST EDMUNDS

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Issue 011 March / April 2013 Deadline for all submissions for the next issue is: April 12th 2013 Š Dispatch Magazine Disclaimer: No part of this magazine may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, either wholly or in part, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Publisher.

Every effort is taken to ensure that the contents of this magazine are accurate, but the Publisher can not assume any responsibility for errors or omissions. Whilst reasonable care is taken when accepting advertisements the Publisher will not accept any resulting unsatisfactory transactions. They will, however, immediately investigate any written complaints. The Publishers reserve the right to amend such submissions and cannot accept responsibility for any loss.

March / April 2013

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Statement Of Persons Nominated

Students Create New Tourism And Hospitality Businesses

St Edmundsbury Election of a Town Councillor The following is a statement of the persons nominated for election as a Town Councillor for Risbygate.

Name of Candidate

Home Address

Description (if any)

POPHAM Nicola

7 Albert Crescent, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3DY

The Labour Party Candidate ���������

Rehahn Eleanor

204 Raedwald Drive, The Conservative Bury St Edmunds, Party Candidate Suffolk, IP32 7DW

Frost A

WARBY Frank

Name of Reason why no Proposer longer nominated*

*Decision of the Returning Officer that the nomination is invalid or other reason why a person nominated no longer stands nominated.

The persons above against whose name no entry is made in the last column have been and stand validly nominated.

A POLL WILL BE TAKEN on Thursday 14th March 2013 between the hours of 7:00 am and 10:00 pm.

Bury St Edmunds Town Council 7 Angel Hill, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 1UZ ( 01284 725111 * info@burystedmunds.suffolk.gov.uk 8 www.burystedmunds.suffolk.gov.uk

The Members Of Staff Are: Town Clerk: Julia Dyball Tel: 01284 757139 Email: julia.dyball@burystedmunds.suffolk.gov.uk

A 150 students from St Benedicts grabbed the Tourism enterprise challenge with both hands in designing a new tourism and hospitality businesses to attract visitors to the region.

Working in small groups, the students were tasked with creating the winning concept to impress the judges, with ideas ranged from an express train visiting tourism hot spots to an app to finding local tourist attractions. Other ideas included a Love themed hotel and a waterpark based on Suffolk tourism. The students were supported by business mentors from an array of local employers including the event sponsors Arc Shopping centre, Center Parcs and Go Ape. The best project, sponsored by Center Parcs, was won by Charlie Newcombe, Ruben, Lizzie Fildes and Lulu Stanford with their Aqua Adventure concept. Brad Purnell, the outdoor pursuit’s manager at Elvedon Forest, was impressed by the students on the day. “It was great to see so many budding young business minds and the future potential that was demonstrated during the day. I wish that such a programme had existed when I was at school.”

The day also celebrated individual achievement of the student who showed leadership and creativity throughout the day. The award was won by Summer Kelly.

In presenting the award, Stewart Belcher

from The Arc Shopping Centre commented on a rewarding day; “It is great to see the potential that will be joining the work force is the very near future”.

The students gave feedback on the impact the day had on them with 97% enjoying the day and 86% saying they had gained new skills and 98% valued the input of the mentors,. Sam Hardy, Corporate Events Manager from Go Ape, summed up the experience for the mentors. “The students were very receptive to all the mentors that took part on the day and we would recommend anyone that is approached for future events to get involved; very rewarding! Definitely a great way to help local students gain an insight to the world of work, and get their ideas off the ground.”

The Inspired Youth project was founded 2 years ago to create better engagement between local employers and local schools, and is currently visiting 10 schools across the region. More details on how to get involved in the Inspired Youth project, and the schools participating this year, can be found on the projects website. www.inspired-youth.co.uk

Assistant Town Clerk and Responsible Finance Officer: Sue Hindry Tel: 01284 757157, Email: susan.hindry@burystedmunds.suffolk.gov.uk

Allotments & Administration Assitant Gill Cook Tel: 01284 757158, Email: gill.cook@burystedmunds.suffolk.gov.uk

How To Make Contact All Town Councillors can be contacted via the telephone numbers below (all numbers have 01284 as their dialling code unless specified otherwise), or by e-mail. Some have mobile or business telephone numbers as shown on www.burystedmunds.suffolk.gov.uk 1

Patrick Chung

2

Bob Cockle

3

Quentin Cornish

750264

12 Paul Simner

768202

4

Robert Everitt

769000

13 Clive Springett

753120

5

Paul Farmer

6

Jonathan Hartley

762467

14 Peter Thompson

07810 868986

7

Cliff Hind

706542

15 Alan Turner

498171

8

Kevin Hind

706542

16 Patricia Warby

704138

9

Richard O’Driscoll

706572

761120 756249

768777

March / April 2013

10 Stefan Oliver

706172

11 Nicola Ridgeway

723948

Brad Purnell, Center Parcs outdoor pursuit’s manager, working with a year 10 student on their marketing poster.

Cathryn Brooker from Lovewell Blake supporting a student with her sales forecasts.

Stewart Belcher, The Arc shopping centre, explaining to students what a business card is and how it is used.

The 150 St Benedict’s Catholic School Year 10 students busy designing a new tourism and hospitality concept.

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Events At The Apex 1 Charter Square, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3FD, Tel: 01284 758000, Visit: www.theapex.co.uk.

Friday 1st March, 8pm Fairport Convention Hailed as the inventors of folkrock, Fairport Convention remains one of the most entertaining bands on the concert circuit and their sell-out gigs continue to attract critical acclaim and delight audiences. £22 (£20conc) Saturday 2nd March, 7.30pm Bury Bach Choir: The Glorious Signor Vivaldi With the Suffolk Baroque Players for a wonderful evening of Vivaldi’s music, including the much loved Gloria. £21-£9 Sunday 3rd March, 3pm Voice Squad: Vocalantics The Voice Squad bring you bright new interpretations in their unique and polished style. With an array of songs from folk songs and classical pieces to showstoppers from Miss Saigon and Sweeney Todd and contemporary musical theatre. £7.50 (£5.50conc) Thursday 7th March, 7.30pm Noriko Ogawa Her ‘ravishingly poetic playing’ (Telegraph)

sets her apart from her contemporaries and her programme for this concert includes Takemitsu’s beautiful Rain Tree Sketch II, Liszt’s B minor Sonata, Mozart’s Sonata K331 ‘Alla Turca’ & Beethoven’s ‘Tempest’ Sonata. £16, £12 (£14, £10 conc) £5 U25s Friday 8th March, 7.30pm Dennis Locorriere The voice of Dr Hook, with hits including Sylvia’s Mother, When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman and A Little Bit More. £20 (£18conc) Saturday 9th March, 7.30pm Johnny Cash Roadshow Perform material from throughout Cash’s career from ‘Walk the Line’ and ‘Folsom Prison Blues’, recorded in the 1950’s, through ‘Man in Black’, ‘Boy named Sue’ and ‘The Ring of Fire’ to ‘Hurt’ in 2002. £19/£17 Sunday 10th March, 8pm Fat Cat Comedy Club Bury’s great monthly comedy night.

The Holocaust Memorial garden in Abbey Gardens is to receive a make-over.

The site was originally dedicated for this purpose in January 2001.

It is hoped that the garden will be completed in time for next year’s commemoration service.

The project is being led by a forum of local residents and supported by the Cathedral and St Edmundsbury Borough Council, which manages the Abbey Gardens.

Rob Lock, Chairman of the Holocaust Memorial Garden Forum said, “The aim of the Forum is to create a garden to commemorate all victims of genocide, atrocities and crimes against humanity.

Saturday 23rd March, 7.30pm Suffolk Sinfonia Verdi: Overture ‘La Forza del destino’ Dvorak: Cello concerto (soloist David Lale) Sibelius: Symphony no 1 £10 (£8-£4 conc) Wednesday 27th March, 7.30pm, Manchester Camerata Mendelssohn String Symphony No. 10 in B minor Mozart Symphony No. 29 in A major Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in D minor Haydn Symphony No. 49 in F minor (La passione) £21/£18.50/£5 U25s

Check out www.fatcatcomedyclub.com for more details. £10

New Memorial Garden The garden area, located just inside the main Abbey Gate, is where the annual Holocaust Memorial Day service is held.

Saturday 16th March, 7.30pm East Anglia Chamber Orchestra Mozart: Don Giovanni Overture Mozart: Piano Concerto No 17 in G K453 Copland: Appalachian Spring 1944 Chamber Suite Schoenberg: Chamber Symphony No 2 Piano Maurice Hodges, conductor Jacques Cohen £16/£13/£5 U 18s

The concept design includes a stunning sculpture and also a path of 57 steps, representing 57 Jews who were massacred close to the site in 1190AD. The intention is to create a place of quiet contemplation and to acknowledge this local event more publicly than in the past while remembering also the terrible events of the 20th and 21st centuries.”

The Forum, which includes Jewish residents, is hoping to raise £10,000 to see the garden built.

If you would like to know more, become involved, or make a donation, please contact Rob Lock on 01284 701947.

Friday 29th March Judie Tzuke Since the early 1970s, Judie Tzuke has become well known for her incredible writing talents with hits including ‘Stay With Me Till Dawn’.

She returns with a collection of cleverly constructed melodies - new and old - sung with an ethereal voice which stuns with its power.

Saturday 30th March, 8pm Home Service Formed from the creative nucleus of the Albion Band, the reunion of this classic band is due to the recent discovery of some previously unheard (let alone unreleased) live recordings at the 1986 Cambridge Folk Festival.

Their new live album outsold all other titles on sale at the 2011 Cropredy Festival and they won the Best Live Act at the BBC Folk Awards 2012. £16 (£14conc) Visit: www.theapex.co.uk

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Come and join our team Here at Dispatch Magazine we're expanding our team in readiness for the launch of our 4th Magazine into Norwich.

We're on the look out for dynamic people who want to join us and who want to make a difference. You need to be self motivated, hungry for success, a go getter who enjoys hard work, who can work alone as well as part of our existing team.

Sales We currently cover Attleborough, Bury St Edmunds, Dereham, Diss, Watton, Wymondham and we are about to launch into Norwich.

So if you live in any of these areas, and you're looking for a Full Time sales role, a Part Time position or a commission only, hours to suit opportunity, we'd love to hear from you.

Web Developer Due to a massive increase in business and in readiness for our further expansion plans into several new areas, we're also keen to meet with Web Producers who are looking for potential opportunities over the next few months.

We're dynamic, we're growing and we're looking for great people!

Send C.V to Jonathan@SpiderSolutions.co.uk indicating which position you are interested in.

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Stacey And Partners Businesses in East Anglia face dangers and challenges in the year ahead, due to the biggest changes in the PAYE system since it was introduced in 1944.

Whether you employ one person, or employ a large work force, the changes in the PAYE system that will take place in April 2013 will affect you. Are you ready?

Under the new system, called Real Time Information (RTI), employers must send HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) monthly details of how much each employee has been paid and how much tax has been deducted under the PAYE system.

Details have previously been sent just once a year.

These details will have to be sent to HMRC in electronic format, and the first challenge that many small businesses will have is to operate a computerised payroll system, in order that the submissions are made correctly.

The implications of the new system are that employee information must be accurate and submissions must be completed on time so that HMRC will

know how much PAYE and national insurance contributions are due at each pay date.

Details of payments will need to be submitted on a timely basis.

This will be a real challenge to some businesses, as this will mean that they will need to report payments to employees as soon as they are paid, rather than one a monthly basis as many have been doing in the past.

As an example, a typical restaurant may pay its waiters at the end of a shift, and report this when doing a monthly payroll.

In future, details of these payments will have to be sent to HMRC within seven days of payment, in electronic form.

These changes will also enable HMRC to identify companies which are falling in arrears with the payment of PAYE and National Insurance leading to financial difficulties.

Many small businesses may delay making payments to HMRC in times of financial difficulty, to assist with cash flow.

most employers. Payroll alignment attempts to match up information HMRC holds with employers’ payroll records.

Now, they will have to “come clean” and negotiate if they are falling in arrears, as RTI will give HMRC the transparency it needs to more quickly tackle companies that are building up arrears.

All those who employ others will be required to make their first Full Payment Submission under the new guidelines on or after April 6th.

If coupled with a more aggressive approach from the taxman, it may see more firms going to the wall.

Companies will also have to be a lot more careful as to the accuracy of the data they maintain and supply, as there will be large fines, not only for late submission and payment of PAYE tax and reports, but also for inaccurate reports.

There are many issues employers must address before the system goes live. One is payroll alignment, which will probably be the biggest hurdle for

As such, there is not much time left to ensure the right payroll software and systems are in place.

Mark Wallace is a Charted Accountant and a member of the Federation of tax Advisors partner in the accountancy firm Stacey and Partners, with offices in Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket and Thetford, and can be contacted on 01284 773400 or by email: mwallace@staceys.co.uk.

Lots of useful business advice is on the website www.staceys.co.uk.

Could You Spare Your Time To Help Horses?

World Horse Welfare Hall Farm, at Snetterton.

March / April 2013

Are looking for people who would be willing to give a few hours regularly.

help out in the Visitor Centre, give yard tours or maybe help with the flower beds.

You don’t need to be a horse expert - we just need some friendly faces who could

Contact Justina on 01953 499104 for more information.

Take A Leap In The Right Direction!

Leap is unique to Suffolk and provides access to free and impartial, high-quality information, advice and guidance to everyone seeking education or training opportunities and careers advice.

Leap also works with businesses hoping to improve the skills of their workforce.

There are 14 Leap Centres situated across the county, all equipped with teaching rooms, state-of-the-art facilities and a safe, welcoming and supportive environment. Knowledgeable and friendly advisors can provide information on all aspects of adult learning and by booking an appointment with a National Careers Advisor you can receive assistance with CV writing, interview and presentation skills and careers advice.

Whether you are looking to enhance your skills in English, Maths or IT, improve your career prospects or learn for fun, it is never too late to get back into learning.

As well as gaining qualifications, taking an adult education course can help to give people direction, motivation and goals to

aim for as well as improved confidence and communication skills. Classes tend to be informal and fairly small in size allowing tutors to offer plenty of attention and assistance to learners.

If you are interested in gaining a qualification, learning for leisure or compiling and updating your CV, Leap is the place for you to find out more about your options.

Contact or pop in to your local Leap Centre today or visit the Leap website to see how Leap can help you invest in your future today.

Visit: www.leap.ac.uk.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates on courses, news and events: www.facebook/LeapCentres, www.twitter.com/leapproject

March / April 2013

www.SpiderSolutions.co.uk

Spider Solutions is a specialist Web production company, specialising in effective online marketing for businesses and organisations of all sizes.

Our philosophy is simple; We aim to provide the highest levels of quality & service, at a given cost and within an agreed time. Achieving this balance is our single, most important objective.

We combine our design, coding and production skills to deliver an outstanding and very personalised service, as we are aware of how important it is for you to look great and come across with a clear and effective message. Our focus is on making sure your website is viewable across all platforms, including desktops, laptops, tablets and smart phones.

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6 months free web hosting NO CATCH! Includes:

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be just £9.99 per month.

Telephone:

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Real Time Information (RTI) HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) have initiated the biggest change in payroll since the introduction of PAYE in 1944.

Moving to a real time reporting system will bring PAYE and your business into the 21st century.

Credit to link with earnings and allow HMRC to conduct real time reviews of personal data.

It will make operating payroll less straightforward for employers but makes the PAYE system easier for HMRC to administer. It will make PAYE more accurate for individuals, and ease the process of employees joining or leaving your business. In addition, RTI removes the need for an end of year return.

Lovewell Blake offers a dedicated Payroll Bureau and we are ready for these changes.

From April 2013 HMRC will begin switching employers to RTI.

Dealing with hundreds of payrolls means we have the knowledge and confidence to handle the smallest or largest payroll.

In addition to payroll processing we have a BACS licence to administer payment of salaries, PAYE, pensions, etc. on your behalf.

Employers will submit payroll information to HMRC each time they pay their employees.

However, payment to the employee will not be actioned until the submission has taken place and been agreed. In addition, this change will permit the new Universal

March / April 2013

Now may be the time to consider outsourcing your payroll to our experienced team so the stress of RTI is removed.

By using our service you can reduce the time spent on payroll and focus on core issues in your business.

Revive!

The Smart Way To Repair Minor Bodywork Damage.

Fed up with a scuff or scrape on your car bodywork or alloy wheels but don’t want to claim on your insurance or be without it while it is at the garage?

to suit you. Your no claims bonus will be unaffected and the job can be done without the hassle and inconvenience of having to take the vehicle to the garage.

Then why not call out local technician David Dunn from Revive! to fix it quickly and cost effectively at your home or place of work?

If the area of damage is the size of an A4 sheet of paper or smaller, then smart repair is the most appropriate way to tackle the job. For more extensive damage David will always recommend that owners take their vehicle to a reputable bodyshop as SMART repair is only intended for those minor yet annoying scuffs and scrapes.

David’s company is based in Suffolk and he is a fully Institute of Motoring (IMI) qualified SMART technician. ‘SMART” is a term used in the car bodywork profession.

It stands for Small to Medium Area Repair Technique. What’s more, all work is fully guaranteed.

Since setting up his business, David has built up an excellent reputation for quality and delivering tip top service to a growing list of satisfied customers.

Using the same techniques and professional paint as bodyshops, David can repair small area paintwork and wheel damage for far less that the cost of most insurance policy excesses at a location

He’s happy to come out to give you a noobligation consultation and quote before carrying out any work.

Revive! is the preferred supplier of SMART repairs to major car dealerships and fleet operators in addition to private owners who want to keep their cars looking pristine. Current customers include Alfa Romeo Fiat, Lex Autolease and Mercedes.

David Dunn can be contacted on 01787 372058 or on 07815 692233 or email: david.dunn@revive-uk.com.

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We Are Macmillan...And We Need You Cancer is the toughest fight most of us will ever face.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed, you need a team of people in your corner supporting you every step of the way.

That’s who we are.

We are the nurses and therapists helping you through treatment.

The experts on the end of the phone. The advisers telling you which benefits you’re entitled to. The volunteers giving you a hand with the everyday things.

The campaigners improving cancer care.

The community supporting you online, any time. The fundraisers who make it all possible.

When the time is right, you can do something to help. We can all be part of the team. We are Macmillan Cancer Support.

Opportunity title - Fundraising group member - Bury St Edmunds Why do you need me?

Our fundraising groups and committees are the local face of Macmillan, raising vital funds totalling more than £8.1 million annually and raising the profile of the charity so that we can reach more people affected by cancer.

We want to make Macmillan the best-known local charity in the West Norfolk and West Suffolk area and that’s why we’re looking for special volunteers in the Bury St Edmunds area to help boost our fundraising network.

Whether you join an existing group or help us set up a new one, you’ll be making a massive difference to Macmillan and, ultimately, to the lives of people affected by cancer.

When would you need me?

In return, as one of Macmillan’s fantastic volunteers you’ll benefit from:

This is a flexible volunteer role. Events and meetings can be organised to suit group members’ availability.

• the full support of a member of the fundraising team and senior volunteers in your area

What activities will I be involved in?

• public speaking training and guidance on media and PR work if requested

Activities include:

complete the role including fundraising, finance and health and safety training.

Skills / Qualifications required • good communication and interpersonal skills • good influencing and networking skills

• planning, organising and promoting your group’s fundraising events with other group and committee members • collecting funds on behalf of the charity and looking after the collection tins

• the opportunity to develop your leadership, communications, fundraising, PR and organisational skills

• strong organisational skills • numeracy and book keeping skills

• the opportunity to boost your CV.

• honesty and reliability

• meeting new people

• an ability to be a team player

• making a difference to your local community

• passion and enthusiasm

• attending group meetings • acting as an ambassador for Macmillan through building strong community networks • giving enthusiastic presentations to community organisations and schools • complying with legal requirements such as health and safety legislation for fundraising events

• reasonable out-of-pocket expenses will be reimbursed according to guidelines.

You will receive an induction when you start and the training needed to

• an interest in cancer care and the services that Macmillan provides.

Contact Please contact Georgina Daniels on 07968731703 or gdaniels@macmillan.org.uk if you would like to find out more about this role.

• liaising with your Macmillan contact to keep up-to-date with Macmillan’s activities and future direction • keeping records of the group’s financial activities, arranging submission of funds and overseeing the year end accounts in line with Macmillan’s guidelines.

• actively recruiting new members to your group to ensure a strong pool of people to enable future succession planning

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March / April 2013

12 MOTORING review

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Peugeot 208 Feline 1.6 THP 3dr

By Tim Barnes-Clay, Motoring Journalist.

“APART FROM track days where do you get as much fun”? That’s kind of what my brain kept repeating each time I got behind the wheel of this fun supermini.

Everything about the new Peugeot 208 is so exciting - right from the tiny, sporty steering wheel to the grip the car has around corners. I really feel Peugeot is back on track with its contribution to the hot-hatch market. Way back in the 205 GTI days the French car maker had that particular market sewn up – and the 205 was, and still is, an icon in the motoring world.

The 208 will become a legend too; no doubt about it. It has the looks, feel and performance of a true supermini as well as all the safety gadgetry you need for modern day motoring.

My test car looked superb cloaked in a Spirit Grey paintjob combined with a black and grey leather effect interior trim. Its 17 inch alloys looked fat against its diminutive but muscular body and its rear spoiler and double chrome tailpipes looked ‘the dog’s’.

On starting the engine, the 1598 cc engine sounds promising, and once you engage first gear and take off, you know this car is not your usual little motor. For a start,

March / April 2013

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the gearshifts feel precise and sporty and the car is eager - it’s like a dog straining at its leash until it can find an open stretch. Then, when you do find a suitable uncluttered bit of road, you can set the 208 free. That’s when it sits back on its haunches for a moment before launching into a blistering attack on the asphalt. The 156 bhp is certainly apparent and the 0-62 mph comes in 8.1 seconds, climbing where legal, (German autobahns calling?) to 134 mph.

Available in both three and five door body style variants, the 208 is certainly the embodiment of an exciting new direction for Peugeot. No surprise then that there has been an incredible and positive response to the new 208, illustrated by over 7,500 orders so far. It really has been a tremendous start for the car, as it was also named ‘Best Supermini’ at the Auto Express Awards during the first week of launch.

The 208 also obtained five stars from Euro NCAP, certifying its safety credentials, and was the first car in its segment to achieve this following the introduction of more demanding review criteria.

So, if you still want hatchback practicality but you are also after a uniquely intuitive and pleasurable driving experience, stop off at your local Peugeot dealer and take a test drive. You won’t be disappointed.

Visit: www.carwriteups.co.uk

PROS

FAST FACTS

• Rapid

• Max speed: 134 mph

• Good looking

• 0-62 mph: 8.1 secs

• Fun • Safe CONS • The UK has a 70 mph limit

• Combined mpg: 48.7 • Engine: 1598cc 4 cylinder 16 valve petrol • Max. power (bhp): 156 at 6000 rpm • Max. torque (lb/ft): 192 at 1750-4000 rpm • CO2: 135 g/km • Price: £16,895 on the road

14 MOTORING review

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Vauxhall Astra VXR 2.0i Turbo (280PS)

By Tim Barnes-Clay, Motoring Journalist.

THE LATEST Astra VXR from Vauxhall is exciting to look at and delivers supercar performance.

The muscular stance, the crazily big 20 inch alloy wheels and the leather hip-hugging sports seats aren’t exactly subtle. And, if for some reason you’ve had a ‘senile moment’ and need reminding further that you’re not in any ‘normal’ Astra, don’t fret because ‘VXR’ is emblazoned on the steering wheel.

So, in terms of looks, the Astra has done a good job of puffing itself up before even going anywhere - but does it deliver on the move?

The answer to that is a slightly schizophrenic one: yes, and no.

March / April 2013

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You see, whilst the VXR benefits from chassis modifications to cater for the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, which produces a whopping 276bhp and 295lb ft of torque, the front wheels sometimes find it hard to command the clout. This means when you hit the gas hard there’s a lot of torque-steer and the steering wheel can almost yank itself free from your grip. But this makes the Astra fun – in a challenging sort of way.

After all, it is a thoroughbred from Vauxhall’s sizzling hot-hatch stable and excitable beasts need to be kept in check.

On the straights, the viciously quick Vauxhall certainly attracts looks from fellow motorists and the deep rumble, building up to a turbo whistle, probably hurts their eardrums too.

But through the bends is where you’ll grin like a Cheshire cat.

This is because, compared with the 1.6-litre turbocharged GTC model, the Astra VXR’s springs have been stiffened by 30 per cent and the car lowered by 10mm, to

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allow more driver connection on road and track. The result is exceptional traction when the way ahead starts going all twisty on you.

And when it comes to scrubbing off speed - the almighty Astra has it covered. The vast cross-drilled, ventilated front discs and four-piston callipers demonstrate that Vauxhall and Brembo have worked hard to develop a braking system which will bring a car capable of 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds and 155mph to a swift stop.

To make life behind the wheel of the mighty motor even more interesting you have the choice of three chassis settings which can be selected at the push of a button. ‘Standard’ delivers all-round performance for a range of road driving, with ‘Sport’ stiffening the dampers for reduced roll and tighter body control. ‘VXR’ is the most extreme mode. Not only does it enhance throttle responsiveness, and change the instrument backlighting from white to red, but the dampers are stiffened even more and tilt is further reduced during cornering.

There’s no doubt about it, this is an exhilarating car to drive, and one that will get you lots of attention.

Perhaps too much, judging from the amount of teen racers determined to take you on every time you want to

nip to Tesco. Great; but if you wanted the attention of spotty 18 year olds wearing baseball caps backwards then you’d have bought an old Nova GTE with a fake turbo whistler shoved up the tailpipe. No, in some ways the Astra VXR isn’t quite classy enough – but at nearly £27,000 on the road, you’ll need to have a fairly respectable occupation to afford one.

PROS • Exciting • Powerful • Great Brakes CONS • Torque-steer • Image FAST FACTS • Max speed: 155 mph • 0-62 mph: 5.9 secs • Combined mpg: 34.9 • Engine: 1998 cc 16 valve 4 cylinder turbo petrol • Max. power (bhp): 276 at 5500 rpm • Max. torque (lb/ft): 295 at 25004500 rpm • CO2: 189 g/km • Price: £26,995 on the road