FineCity Magazine - August 2016 by Spider Creative Media

Issue 57 August 2016

It’s Happening in Hingham We take a look around at the historical village of Hingham

FINEplaces

Assume Images

FineCity Front Cover photographer Daniel Tink show cases some of his amazing images

FINEFood FINEEvents

What’s On

Fine out in the FineEvents section

FINEarts

PLUS

FINELIVING

A-Z of Norfolk Food

NORWICH

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04 | August 2016

www.finecity.co.uk

Issue 57 August 2016

It’s Happening in Hingham We take a look around at the historical village of Hingham

FINEPLACES ASSUME IMAG

ES FineCity Front Cover photographer Daniel Tink show cases some of his amazing images

FINEFOOD FINEEVENTS

WHAT’S ON

FINEARTS

Fine out in the FineEven

ts section

FINELIVING

PLUS

A-Z of Norfolk Food

FINE places

FINE arts

NOR WIC H

Issue 57

Your community magazine FineCity Magazine would like to thank all those who have contributed to this issue. This includes but is not limited to: Pete Goodrum, Stephen Browning, Michael Chandler, Tony Cooper, Alice Instone-Brewer and Tim Barnes-Clay Cover Image courtesy of: Daniel TInk www.scenicnorfolk.co.uk Photography: Daniel TInk www.scenicnorfolk.co.uk

Editor Jonathan Horswell @JonathanHorswel

FINE Living

Sales

FINE Food

Arron Self

Sales & Features

Collect your free copy of FineCity Magazine from any of our partner locations:

Lucy Ohsten

Sale Brenda Pepper

Administration Luke Keable Facebook “f ” Logo

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FineCityMag @FineCityMag Tel 01953 456789 Web www.FineCity.co.uk Address Queens House, Queens Square, Attleborough, Norfolk, NR17 2AE.

© FineCity 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.

www.finecity.co.uk

2016 August | 05

Win A ÂŁ50 Supermarket Voucher

Every month* in FineCity Competition With the funds in all our wallets and purses running dangerously low, a little extra help can go a long way! We are running a monthly competition across all our magazines where you could be in with a chance to win a ÂŁ50 voucher at a selection of major supermarkets. To enter, simply visit www.FineCity.co.uk and complete the entry form. The winner will be chosen at random on the 30th of each month and will be notified via email. Arrangements will be made for the posting or collection of the vouchers. 06 | August 2016 www.finecity.co.uk Spider Creative Media, publishers of FineCity Magazine, reserve the right to cancel or change the competition at any time without prior notice. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose other than via FineCity Magazine. *Entry is for one months draw only. A separate entry would be required to enter each of the following months draws.

Elspeth Rushbrook Pete Goodrum meets the multi talented writer, Elspeth Rushbrook to learn about her story, within a story!

arrive at the coffee counter at the same time as Elspeth Rushbrook and, as the queue moves along, I realise that just ahead of us in none other than our editor Jonathan Horswell. The Fine City is a small world it seems, and we stop to chat briefly before Elspeth and I find a table and start to talk. She has, she says, brought various layers of clothing, because it’s England, and July, and she wants to be prepared for whatever the day brings. I’m to learn that Elspeth Rushbrook is good at being prepared, and planning, in a much wider sense. Elspeth calls East Anglia ‘home’ because firstly she was born here, in Suffolk, and secondly because she’s ‘returned here and spent as much time here as anywhere’. She went to Lancaster where she obtained her first degree, in Religious Studies. After a year or so she went to the UEA and completed her second degree course with an MA in Film Studies. After that, she did a third research degree. This time it was in Womens’ Studies at Edinburgh. Whilst there she also worked in libraries, and did some work with the Edinburgh Festival. It was she says, ‘an interdisciplinary degree that brought together many of my interests’. Now this is interesting. With three degrees to her name it’s safe to call Elspeth Rushbrook a highly qualified woman. And yet, she sees the ‘university of life’ as more important in having shaped feature by:

Pete Goodrum Writer, broadcaster @petegoodrum

www.finecity.co.uk

2016 August | 07

FINEPeople who she is. ‘My cv ethos is literally ‘life studies’ she says. But, as I will discover, the various strands of her academic life are in themselves inextricably woven into the fabric of who she is. Religion, film, publishing, books and women’s lives all play a part in not only what she does, but also in the work she is about to release, after a long process of writing editing and planning. After a spell in Bristol she returned to Norwich with a growing conviction that she wanted to work for herself, and that creativity, and books would play a big part in that life. ‘My first plan was to set up a community bookshop. But, by then I was getting pieces of writing published, and getting some favourable reviews from critics’. A novel was the big ambition. In fact she had submitted a ‘teen novel’ to a publisher when she was in her twenties and it had been accepted. But it had been something of a turning point in her thinking; something that’s hard wired into where she is today. "I decided that if the teen novel was accepted much as it was, I would go ahead with publication, but if they wanted a big rewrite, I had new stories about where I was now and wanted to channel my energies into them." None of this is to say that Elspeth doesn’t accept that writing is much to do with rewriting. She had a novel ‘in a drawer’ and she would revisit it regularly. Making her living from freelance proofreading, writing and script reading she carried on, the novel always growing and evolving. ‘I always knew that I’d know when it was ready’, she says. Elspeth Rushbrook is an animated talker. She uses her hands a lot, and she uses them more as she warms to a subject. They’re like literary ‘jazz hands’ and right now, she’s in full swing. Because we’ve reached a very important point in her story. She is articulate about the perils of professional writing. The tiny percentage of books that get accepted. The lack of feedback from publishers. The balance between who creates the work and who makes the most profit concerns her. And all of those points fuelled the fire in her to take control. ‘I figured that nobody was going to work harder at marketing my book than me’. I need to dwell on this point, and this crucial 08 | August 2016

stage in her story. There’s something about which you need to be very clear. The novel is ready. And Elspeth Rushbrook is going to publish it herself. Here’s the thing. There is, in the literary world, to be frank, a certain view about ‘self publishing’ and real disdain at the thought of ‘vanity publishing’. But that’s not what we’re talking about here. This was not a choice made out of the desperation that comes with a stack of rejection slips. This was a conscious decision to take publishing back into her own hands. This was about control. And if you want evidence to back up my earlier point about how her various experiences and studies all channel into who she is, it’s here. Think about it. This was now a book she’d written and she was going to oversee its printing, paper, typography, cover design, editing and promotion. This project is immense. It will see the book promoted by Elspeth, at talks and online. It will see her promote it at an art show, where prints of the book’s cover art will be for sale. She has written music to accompany the book. It’s so filmic it has a theme tune! Ask her how she sees herself and she will say ‘writer’. Artist, composer, musician, poet, publisher and public speaker - well they’re all part of the package. The point is, this woman is doing all of this for her book, herself. She’s chosen to, because she believes writers should have control. What’s interesting is that when you look at the mixture of print, online activity, art for sale and music linked into it, this project emerges as a sophisticated piece of multi media, integrated marketing that many a big brand would be happy with. Even the launch timing is linked to the East Anglian Book Awards. I’m guessing that you’re now asking the inevitable question; ‘so what’s the book about?’ Well, I’m not going to release any spoilers. I want people to buy this book because it deserves to be bought and read. What I will tell you is this. It’s called ‘Parallel Spirals’. It’s set in Norwich. The narrative is a ‘coming of age’ story, and a romantic drama. The title is a clever indication of the book’s ‘story within a story within a story’ construction. In fact there are three interlinked narratives, set in the 16th century, 19th century and the early 21st century respectively. There is history, a woman’s story, film and religion in this book, (ringing any bells?) and there’s a key character called Elspeth. So it’s autobiographical then?

It occurs to me that I’ve not noticed how busy the place we’re in has become. It’s hectic, with all sorts of people, including some big groups of students, and there’s some form of dance display going on outside. I’ve not noticed because the last hour or so has been engrossing. It’s been a series of stories within stories. Elspeth’s story. The story of her book; which is a book constructed of stories within stories. And soon there will be a next chapter. ‘Parallel Spirals’ will be out. More than ten years in the making, and realising a lifetime’s ambition for Elspeth Rushbrook, the book will be on sale. ‘Ultimately’, she says, ‘it’s a book about celebrating love - wherever it’s found’. And she adds that ‘it has a message about having the courage to be yourself, and accept others’. Well, it may not be autobiographical but it’s been created, published, produced and promoted by a woman who certainly has the courage to be herself. She has taken publishing back into her own hands. And you have to celebrate the love that she’s poured in to this project. A love and enthusiasm that she constantly exudes as she talks about it. I want this book to be a success. I want this multi talented and wholly dedicated woman to gain the success she deserves. I want this story, within a story, within a story to become a big success story. We’re done. The time has flown and we say our goodbyes, making arrangements about pictures for this article. On my way back to the car I realise that actually we didn’t talk too much about Elspeth Rushbrook the person. But then it occurs to me that everything we have talked about does tell her story. Within a story.

‘No’ she says, ‘it’s not’. I have used my name, but she’s not me. I quite like the idea that a reader might think they know who they’re reading about, but they don’t’. www.finecity.co.uk

FINEPeople

The Sad Story Of John Henry Abigail

uring the horrific period of World War I there were over 12,000 Norfolk servicemen who were killed in action. All these men were brave and respect must be given to these brave men who gave their lives to a war that was labelled the war to end all wars. This story is about Private 9694 John Henry Abigail who was a member of the Service Battalions and even sadder he became the only member of the 8th Battalion to be executed by his own side that being the Norfolk Regiment. St Augustine’s Church in Norwich commemorates John and he is buried in Esquelbecq Communal Cemetery, Nord, France. John Henry Abigail was born to Susannah Maria Abigail in Thorpe Hamlet on the 29th of April 1897. His father was John James Abigail. The man and wife had eight children in all with John being the fourth child and second son. A few years before the start of the Great War, the family moved to Distillery Yard just off Oak Street. Through records, it was shown that Mr and Mrs Abigail failed in their duty as parents and from the early 1900s, The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children had been keeping a mindful eye on them and when a visit was made on the family home the children were seen to be of ill health and in a poor state from bites that were probably caused by mice or rats.

workhouse and the parents were yet again arrested for child cruelty with Mrs Abigail receiving one month’s prison and Mr Abigail receiving six months. In January 1917 John went AWOL before giving himself up to Britannia Barrack near to where he was brought up. For this he was punished by being dressed in his shirt and breeches an tied to a wheel on a wagon for many hours, being left to the elements. It was not long before John was sent back to the Western Front for the battle of Arras and this became far too much for John, whom once again deserted. Free for eight days, John was captured at an army camp at Etaples. Found guilty at his court martial he was sentenced to ten years which was suspended pending a review. July 1917 as the 8th Norfolks were waiting for the start of the Battle of Passchendaele. John deserted again. It is so difficult to work out or to understand what was going through his brain at the time as execution would certainly

follow him. Soon arrested in a village called Staple in France, John’s court martial took place on the 24th August and during the case he did not speak or ask anyone speak for him. Within two days death by firing squad against Private 9694 Abigail .J H was announced. For the men of the same company this would have caused some great anxiety as Company ‘B’ would have had to have drawn lots to see who would be part of the firing squad. As dawn came to view on Wednesday the 12th of September 1917, Private 9694 Abigail J H was executed, he was twenty years of age. I am pleased to announce that in November 2006, John, along with 306 executed British Servicemen of the Great War received a pardon by the British Government.

feature by:

Michael Chandler

Author, Historian & Broadcaster @EastAngliaMedia

Mr and Mrs Abigail were taken to court where it was shown that Mr Abigail earnt a wage that was deemed to be enough to keep his family in a more hygienic condition. Mrs Abigail was found not guilty, but Mr Abigail was sent to Norwich Prison for one month. Just after Mr Abigail was released from prison, John was conscripted and sent to the Western Front after a short period of training. John was soon wounded in what was a horrific situation. After recuperating, John found himself back in England towards the end of 1916 situated in Suffolk, and it was from the army base that John deserted and headed back to Norwich, where he was arrested and given many hours of detention. The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children continued to view Mr and Mrs Abigail and the children and were not always happy with their findings. Some of the children were removed and placed in the www.finecity.co.uk

2016 August | 09

It’s Happening

Christmas “Fayre” early in December and further exciting events in 2017. Local businesses generously donated towards the cost of the Medieval Fair and grants were secured from South Norfolk Council, this along with the funds raised at each event has ensured further events can take place.

ingham, a small town situated on the B1108 south of Norwich, last year celebrated the 750th Anniversary of the granting of the town’s Market Charter by holding a (very loosely themed) 2 day Mediaeval Fair, complete with Fire Eater, Father Christmas, Birds of Prey, Bell Ringers, and a Town Crier. There were many stalls adorning the market place, held by businesses selling their wares and local 10 | August 2016

organisations raising awareness for their causes and much needed funds. Facilitated by the Town Council, Hingham has an “Events Working Party” and determined to keep the momentum going, more events have been organised so far this year, including an Easter Market, the Queens 90th Birthday celebrations and in July, “Market in the Market Place”. Plans are now afoot to hold a pre-

Of course - a huge thank you must go to everyone who has participated and supported these events, and to the tireless efforts of the volunteers who help to organise them. Giving businesses and organisations opportunities to promote themselves to both residents and visitors is helping to create a “buzz” about town - so, next time you are “passing though” Hingham - why not stop off and explore what this little town has to offer… www.finecity.co.uk

FINEPLACES

www.finecity.co.uk

2016 August | 11

FINEPLACES

St Andrew’s Church, Hingham A view from the Rector

y name is Colin Reed and I have been Rector of Hingham (and a number of other churches) for the last five years. It is by all accounts an extraordinary church, bigger than some cathedrals with one of the tallest towers in Norfolk and yet retaining all the character of a small town parish church. The church was built over a 40 year period beginning in 1320; marks of its construction are still visible in the ‘put-log-holes’, the word means exactly what it says embedded in the flints of the tower. It houses numerous monuments, including the Morley tomb and an impressive East window brought back from flanders in the aftermath of the Napoleonoic wars. The very stones are marked and discoloured from a fire that ravaged the church.

12 | August 2016

www.finecity.co.uk

FINEPLACES The most famous event in its history occurred in the 1630’s when the then Rector quarrelled with the Bishop of Norwich over the imposition of altar rails. Robert Peck a puritan found himself on the wrong side of the religious divides of the time and with many of his congregation followed a path to the new world, the settlers founding the town of Hingham Massachusetts.

The church is open every day during the day and visitors are always welcome. I often wonder what Remigius of Hethersett who was responsible for its construction, would make of it should he come back to life and pay us a visit. He should be warned that I will have a few things to say to him about how big the church is,

and if he really considered what the heating and maintenance bills for future generations would be like. He’d probably struggle to understand much of what we do and that would be true for society as a whole, but perhaps he’d just be pleased that the church he built is still being used as a place of worship 700 years on.

For our American visitors there are books that detail those who left; among their number was one Samuel Lincoln. Baptised in Hingham in 1622 he joined those who left in 1637 to be able to pursue their religion and a new life. He was the ancestor of that greatest of American Presidents, Abraham Lincoln. Time goes by and the wounds of old conflicts heal even as new ones are born.Today we have a bust of Abraham Lincoln in the church, presented by the American ambassador in 1919. We fly the American flag three times a year (Lincoln’s birthday, Independence day and Thanksgiving) and host numerous American visitors including those whose parents and grandparents served on the nearby US aerodrome of Deopham during the second world war. Meanwhile the life of the church carries on as always. As Rector it is my privilege along with my colleagues to baptise the young (and not so young), to marry and to conduct funerals. There is still a functioning and growing congregation of many different ages and we have a variety to services on Sundays and midweek.

www.finecity.co.uk

2016 August | 13

HINGHAM HAND-MADE FURNITURE Transform your home with local, hand crafted furniture

ingham Furniture is a local company that offers a wide range of furniture from leather and fabric sofas, to a collection of locally crafted unique lamps and beautiful mirrors, which we hope will enhance any room set. All of our sofas are bespoke and handcrafted in Norwich to fit your individual specification, exclusive to Hingham Furniture, and are all backed by a ten year construction guarantee for your peace of mind. Our Loire range of cabinets and dining tables are made from solid oak, to be enjoyed and to stand the test of time. The Loire range was previously sold by Mark Elliot Furniture

14 | August 2016

branded as the Provence range that enables their customers to match their existing furniture through us. We pride ourselves on our quality, designs and the level of service you will receive, from the minute you visit our showroom to the finished product delivered to your door. Therefore, if you want to create a new look for your home this summer, come and visit our stylish showroom based in the pretty and historic town of Hingham in Norfolk. You can visit the stylish showroom at 36/37 Market Place in Hingham (free parking outside) or visit www.hinghamfurniture.co.uk

www.finecity.co.uk

■ Paving and Pathways ■ Ponds and Water Features ■ Lawn Laying ■ Walls and Brickwork ■ Timber and Decking ■ Driveways, Fencing and Screening ■ Garden Design by Georgina Read

T: 01953 852139 E: info@lifestylelandscaping.co.uk W: www.lifestylelandscaping.co.uk www.finecity.co.uk

2016 August | 15

FINEPLACES

Romba Wallace

WIDTH FITTINGS FRO B – 6E. REMOVABLE INSOL FOR AWKWARD FE AND ORTHOTICS a large selection of beautiful silk and cotton IN HOUSE scarves and other small gift items. WIDTH FITTINGS FROM CHIROPODIST

Footwear Limited

fabulous summer range on display, with lots of new styles arriving daily. Within these ranges omba Footwear, established since we have chosen shoes that will cater for B – 6E. customer 1983, is celebrating 30 years in at Hingham At Romba, service to you the widths up to 6E, and have removable insoles WIDTH(only FITTINGS FROM by REMOVABLE the footwear trade, and has a long is paramount and we have INSOLES our very own to allow for orthotic inserts. Or If you suffer appointment) B – 6E. SPECIALISING COMFORT FORwhere AWKWARD FEETyour feet and enduring reputation as East IN WIDE Comfort zone, you can have from FIT arthritis, Diabetes, Plantar fasciitis or REMOVABLE INSOLES Anglia’s largest and finest branded footwear ORTHOTICS. professionallyAND measured andFOR fitted,AWKWARD and if you FEET sensitive feet, we can help, with a large range outlet. With a spacious 300 square metres of INanHOUSE wish you can book appointment with our on of superbly comfortable and accommodating AND ORTHOTICS. shop, displaying over 5000 pairs of ladies and site Chiropodist for the ultimate in foot care. shoes, with style. In addition to this, if we can’t CHIROPODIST IN HOUSE OPENING TIMES ALSO IN mens high grade leather shoes at any one time. find what you need we will endeavour to get (only at Hingham by CHIROPODIST Monday - Saturday: 5pm | Sunday: 10am 4pm In addition to this we have opened another 9am Situated in the heart of rural Norfolk, this it for you. appointment) (only at Hingham by IN WIDE FIT COMFORT shop. ThisSPECIALISING is located4inIronside the Bawdeswell makes for a relaxing and stress free shopping Way,garden Hingham Industrial Estate, appointment) centre, on the A1067 NorwichSPECIALISING to Fakenham experience with easy access and plenty of include Gabor, Rieker, Josef INBrands WIDEstocked FIT COMFORT Hingham, Norfolk NR9 4LF road at the junction to Aylsham, making it ideal free doorstep parking. We are easy to find on Seibel, Loake, Padders, Sketchers, Moshulu, for people living in the North Norfolk area. the B1108 Norwich to Watton road, on the Jana, Rohde, Hush Puppies, Anatomic Gel, H OPENING TIMES ALSO IN THE · Hingham Industrial Estate, or at the Bawdeswell B shoes Sandpiper, Equity, Waldlaufer, Riva, LADIES COMFORT WIDTH FITTINGS FROM Monday Saturday: 9am 5pm | Sunday: 10am 4pm OPENING TIMES WIDTH FITTINGS FROM ALSO IN THE Our range covers a vast selection of styles, – 6E. Garden Centre, so why not take aBrelaxing Marco Tozzi, Earth Spirit, our own brand and · B – 6E. REMOVABLE INSOLES LADIES FORMAL Monday Saturday: 9am 5pm | Sunday: 10am 4pm Ironside Hingham Estate, from 4 men’s formal Way, and casual wear to Industrial ladies drive to the historic village of Hingham, many more. FOR AWKWARD or FEET REMOVABLE INSOLES AND ORTHOTICS. WIDTH FITTINGS FROM ·shoes FOR AWKWARD FEET LADIES SALE walking boots, court evening wear. Hingham Industrial stop for a coffee at Bawdeswell and visit us at IN HOUSE 4and Ironside Way, Estate, Hingham, Norfolk NR9 4LF B – 6E. FREECHIROPODIST DOORSTEP PARKING OPEN 7 DA AND ORTHOTICS. Wellington Boots, Slippers and Sandals are sold NR9 Romba to see our fantastic collection ofbythis To compliment our range of footwear, we also (only at Hingham REMOVABLE INSOLES · MENS MONDAY-SATURDAY 10am5pm SUNDAY 10.30 COMFORT Hingham, Norfolk 4LF IN HOUSE appointment) HINGHAM AWKWARD FEET a IN WIDE FIT COMFORT YOU CAN FIND US MIDWA seasonsIN must haves. have some CHIROPODIST fabulous leather bagsSPECIALISING and purses, all year moment we have ·round, and at the FOR

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FINEPLACES

Bond Street Shop

he Bond Street Shop, Hingham opened in August 2013 as a retail outlet to promote and support the work of Norfolk artists and artisans. The Bond Street Shop’s motto of ‘Buy Something Special’ underpins an ethos of quality and diversity. Work regularly featured ranges from art, bespoke ladies and menswear, jewellery, ceramics and pottery, children’s gifts and toys, home accessories, forging, rope and woodwork, plants & garden artifacts, eco friendly toiletries and much more ! We also hope to encourage a ‘Buy Local’ policy but are also happy if you just view to appreciate the incredible talent of the makers but come back when you need a present!

Historically The Bond Street Shop was started in February 2011 in the garden room of Lizzy Whitman with a core of about eight creative friends opening once a month under the banner of Bond Street Studios. Due to the success and enthusiasm for this Lizzy and her husband Gary renovated their Old Dairy and Courtyard Garden with a view of taking this a stage further by opening The Bond Street Shop recognising a need for a gift / artisan outlet in the Hingham area. Currently The Bond Street Shop is supporting around 40 exhibitors on a low commission basis so the maker achieves more for their work but are also free to trade time in the shop for a further reduction. Running the shop along co-operative lines the maker / artist

is able to interact with the customer and also work with them on commissions.

If you are an artist or small producer the door is always open for exhibiting as long as the piece is fairly unique and of a quality standard as we like to keep the shop fresh with new work being displayed on a regular basis Although Bond Street is just off the main road we have now built up quite a following both locally and as a place to visit with people often commenting “we’ve heard about you”. Whether ‘ just looking’ or buying you’ll always receive a warm welcome at THE BOND STREET SHOP !.

COME IN & BUY SOMETHING SPECIAL SUPPORTING NORFOLK DESIGNERS AND MAKERS 3 BOND STREET HINGHAM NR9 4HA TELEPHONE: 01953 851814 OPEN TUESDAY - SATURDAY - 10AM - 4PM LOCALLY MADE - WIDELY APPRECIATED

ACCESSORIES • ART • BASKETWARE • BESPOKE CLOTHING • BOW TIE • BUNTING • CARDS CERAMICS

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FORGING /IRONWORK • GARDEN ACCESSORIES HANDBAGS • JEWELLERY • PLANTS • QUILTS ROPEWORK • WOODCRAFT • & LOTS MORE

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2016 August | 17

Cley Next the Sea and Rupert Brooke Modern photography by Daniel Tink We have many times in these pages highlighted the effect of Norfolk and its coast on our most illustrious writers. Recently we featured how possibly the greatest of the Sherlock Holmes stories, ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’, was inspired by events at Cromer; how Charles Dickens took to the area, enthusiastically featuring it in ‘David Copperfield’; and last month took a look at Black Beauty by Anna Sewell which was written in Norwich and has since sold over 50 million copies. Here we take a look at Rupert Brooke and his relationship with Cley Next the Sea. He was a minor celebrity before he died and a monstrous one afterward, holding on, to this day, to his fame and a rather tattered glory. The New Yorker, in an article dated April 23 2015, the hundredth anniversary of his death The poet Rupert Chawner Brooke was staying at Cley on the Norfolk coast when he heard of the outbreak of war. Frances Cornford, granddaughter of Charles Darwin, was with him at the time and wrote: 18 | August 2016

‘A young Apollo, golden-haired, Stands dreaming on the verge of strife, Magnificently unprepared For the long littleness of life’. He reputedly did not speak for a day until Frances Cornford asked: ‘But Rupert, you won’t have to fight?’ to which he replied ‘We shall all have to fight’. W.B. Yeats called him ‘the handsomest young man in England’ and he had an illustrious group

of friends. He joined the navy and, following his death on April 23 1915 when his unit was sailing to Gallipoli, Winston Churchill wrote that he ‘was all that one would wish England’s noblest sons to be in the days when no sacrifice but the most precious is acceptable’. He died on 23 April on board a hospital ship moored off the Greek island of Skyros and was buried in an olive grove there later the same day as his unit was in a hurry to leave. He had been bitten by a mosquito and passed away from blood poisoning, although in his obituary Churchill claimed that he had died of sunstroke – an image to suit the times, one of a young English literary lion, dying in Greece like Byron. The well-known description by his friend, William Denis Browne, who sat with him to the last, of his end embellished the myth: Brooke passed away ‘with the sun shining all round his cabin, and the cool sea-breeze blowing through the door’. Unlike his famous contemporaries Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon, Rupert Brooke saw no fighting and he epitomized for many the youthful idealism and devotion to country www.finecity.co.uk

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felt during the first year of the war. In 1912 he had written The Old Vicarage, Granchester. He was in Berlin and longing for home and the poem presents a fervent, enchanted view of English rural life which caught the imagination of the period. It ends like this: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Oh, is the water sweet and cool, Gentle and brown, above the pool? And laughs the immortal river still Under the mill, under the mill? Say, is there Beauty yet to find? And Certainty? And Quiet kind? Deep meadows feature by:

Steve Browning Writer @returningperson

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2016 August | 19

FINEPLACES

yet, for to forget The lies, and truths, and pain? . . . oh! yet Stands the Church clock at ten to three? And is there honey still for tea?’ His patriotic sonnet The Soldier was read from the pulpit of St Paul’s Cathedral in April 1915. ‘If I should die, think only this of me: That there’s some corner of a foreign field That is for ever England. There shall be In that rich earth a richer dust concealed; A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware, Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam, A body of England’s, breathing English air, Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home. And think, this heart, all evil shed away, A pulse in the eternal mind, no less Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given; Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day; And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness, In hearts at peace, under an English heaven’.

Legacy divided Few poets have polarized thought so much. George Woodbury, in his introduction to Brooke’s Collected Poems (1916) wrote: ‘There is a grave in Scyros, amid the white and pinkish marble of the isle, the wild thyme and the poppies, near the green and blue waters. There Rupert Brooke was buried. Thither have gone the thoughts of his countrymen, and the hearts of the young especially. It will long be so. For a new star shines in the English heavens’. Woodbury’s contemporary, poet Charles Sorley who was killed im1915, had a rather more cynical view of all war poetry: ‘The voice of our poets and men of letters is finely trained and sweet to hear; it teems with sharp saws and rich sentiment: it is a marvel of delicate technique: it pleases, it flatters, it charms, it soothes: it is a living lie’.

Recently a bundle of papers has been opened by the British Library that details his love affair with the poet Phyllis Gardner and other loves. There is a Rupert Brooke society based in Norwich at www. rupertbrooke.com Cley today Cley today earns its living from tourism. Apart from the famous windmill and church, it is a bird watching site of international importance, all the year round. Here you can see Grey Plovers, Black-tailed Godwits, Spoonbills and several types of waders. It is also well known for smoked fish and meats. These go particularly well with the designer ales you can find in the pubs around here. Of particular fame is the ‘red herring’. If you are wondering what this is, it is a kipper that has been smoked for at least three weeks giving it a very, very strong taste which is not for the faint-hearted. However, sliced very thinly it can be perfect to have with a pint of fine ale. Last century, Victorian villains hit upon the idea of throwing a few ‘red herrings’ onto the trail of pursuing police dogs as this completely covered up their own scent. Hence the saying in detective stories of a red herring being a wrong path to go down.

20 | August 2016

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FINEPLACES

EACH E

EACH challenges Norfolk businesses ast Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) is challenging local businesses and organisations to make as much money as they can from an initial stake of just £50. The challenge is sponsored by local company ML Financial Associates, who have offices in both Wymondham and Northampton, and who won the scheme in 2015 by raising the most money. Businesses and community groups across Norfolk are being encouraged to sign up to the £50 Challenge which will see them handed a www.finecity.co.uk

£50 note by the charity. Participants will then be given a 12 week period to invest the money in fundraising initiatives to generate the highest possible amount for EACH. ML Financial Associates raised an impressive £2362.29 for the charity in 2015, decided to back this year’s event by sponsoring the challenge and encouraging other businesses, organisations and community groups across the county to take part and try to break their record. EACH cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across East Anglia and supports their families. For both families accessing care, and those who have been bereaved, EACH is a lifeline at an unimaginably difficult time. Carol Plunkett, EACH Norfolk fundraising Manager, said: “We’re really excited about the

launch of our £50 Challenge and would like to say a big thank you to ML Financial Associates for supporting the event. “We’re looking forward to hearing about the many weird and wonderful ways participants will use their £50 and hope it inspires healthy competition between local businesses and colleagues to raise as much money as possible.” The £50 can be invested in any legal and safe fundraising initiatives and is a great way to have fun, challenge yourself, inspire creativity and a great opportunity to build up team spirit. As part of the initiative, a minimum of £50 has to be raised within the agreed time or the initial £50 returned to the charity. For more information on the EACH and to sign up for the £50 challenge please contact the Norfolk Fundraising Team on 01953 666767 or email norfolk@each.org.uk. 2016 August | 21

22 | August 2016

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FINEARTS

Something’s Coming! West Side Story opens at Norwich Playhouse in August!

cclaimed theatre company, Mixed Voice, are returning to the Norwich Playhouse stage in August with their ambitious production of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s classic musical, West Side Story. Inspired by William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and set in the mid-1950s, West Side Story explores the rivalry between the Sharks

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and the Jets, two New York street gangs. Tony, a former member of the Jets and best friend of gang leader, Riff, falls in love with Maria, the sister of Bernado, the leader of the Sharks and so ensues the chaos.

this fresh production to the Norwich stage. You will be amazed by the talent on display from some young, up and coming stars.”

Producer, Anna Goode, said “Many fans of the theatre cite this as their favourite musical. I think this comes from how incredible the music is and from the timeless nature of the story. Most people will know songs such as ‘America’, ‘Maria’, ‘I Feel Pretty’ and ‘Somewhere’ even if you haven’t seen the show or watched the film. Most people will also recognise some of the iconic dance moves. We are so excited to bring

Norwich Playhouse

West Side Story

Tuesday 23rd - Saturday 27th August, 7.30pm, plus 2.30pm matinee on Saturday 27th August. Tickets £19.50 / £18.00 Concessions & Group bookings of 10+ Buy tickets at www.norwichplayhouse.co.uk or call 01603 598598

2016 August | 23

FINEARTS

Gilbert and Sullivan

Norwich Theatre Royal’s favourite pantomime dame, Richard Gauntlett, returns to this well-loved venue this month but starring in a very different (but appropriate) role. Tony Cooper reports

rom traditional pantomime to traditional Gilbert and Sullivan, Norwich Theatre Royal’s festive favourite, Richard Gauntlett, returns to Theatre Street this month touring with the National Gilbert and Sullivan Company but swapping his heavily-stuffed wardrobe of multicoloured frocks to be fancifully dressed as Ko Ko in The Mikado and Major-General Stanley in The Pirates of Penzance - two popular, entertaining and agreeable works of the G&S canon. 24 | August 2016

Richard is, of course, best known to his legion of Norwich fans for writing, directing and starring in the theatre’s family-fun pantomimes. But not to worry, though, they don’t need to be too concerned about seeing him in a different guise as his G&S roles are pantomimetype characters to a degree and, therefore, fit Richard’s stage personality to a tee. But Richard’s no stranger to the opera stage as he has played some rather grand houses

over the years. For instance, he took on the role of Leopold in English National Opera’s acclaimed production of Richard Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier at the London Coliseum while proved a sprightly Puck in Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at La Fenice in Venice. He’s no stranger to the works of Gilbert and Sullivan either and has done quite a lot of cavorting about the stage in the name of G&S. For Opera Della Luna he played John Wellington Wells in The Sorcerer and for the Buxton Gilbert and Sullivan Festival he has been seen in a trio of formidable roles: Sir Joseph Porter (HMS Pinafore), The Judge (Trial by Jury) and Jack Point (The Yeomen of the Guard). www.finecity.co.uk

FINEARTS Undoubtedly, Richard - a trouper of the first class! - is an all-round entertainer and one that communicates with members of the audience as soon as he puts foot on stage. His personality jumps over the footlights without any effort. He has got what it takes! Full stop! And he states his two favourite theatrical events of the year are pantomime and touring with the National Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company. ‘It’s very exciting to be visiting Norwich’, he wildly exclaimed, ‘with something audiences have not seen me do before. Hopefully, it will introduce these wonderful comic operettas to a new audience or simply prove that I can still wear trousers.’ Neil Smith, one of the tour producers, said:

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‘Richard’s really top drawer. There are certain people who have a twinkle in their eye and know how to engage with audiences but none comes better or more prepared for the task than Richard. I often stand in the wings and watch what he does and wish that I could do the same thing. He’s very energetic and, of course, he’s well and truly loved in Norwich.’ One of Richard’s co-stars, Bruce Graham - who also appeared in last year’s pantomime, Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs, playing Igor the Henchman - takes on the roles of Poo Bah and Sergeant of Police. And all of this G&S fun kicks off on Friday, 1st September, as Theatre Street becomes Titipu

feature by:

Tony Cooper Writer tc@tony-cooper.co.uk

2016 August | 25

FINEARTS for The Mikado, the Japanese village where flirting becomes an offence and fun is poked at the layers of officialdom who police the community.

lot of humour in them and they’re respectful to the piece. The costumes are generally very traditional but we cherish that because that’s part of our heritage.’

Then a jolly romp is guaranteed the following day as swashbuckling pirates, a dotty General, his unwed daughter and a motley crew of bumbling policemen combine for a laugh-outloud treat in The Pirates of Penzance.

Neil also feels the combination of The Mikado and The Pirates of Penzance is a perfect way to encourage audiences of all ages to enjoy the magic and, indeed, engage with Gilbert and Sullivan who, incidentally, formed a great and successful theatrical partnership in the Victorian era. ‘The Mikado will have a traditional Japanese setting and be bright and colourful and to give authenticity to the production we’ve had specially made some lovely kimonos along with

Neil Smith further explained: ‘We brand our Gilbert and Sullivan as fun, friendly and for all the family. That’s what you’re going to get when you come and see our shows. There’s a

26 | August 2016

some fantastic costumes in the traditional style of D’Oyly Carte.’ The partnership forged between Gilbert and Sullivan was split between William Schwenck Gilbert writing the libretto (the words) and Arthur Sullivan - who was closely associated with the old Norfolk & Norwich Triennial Festival - the music. The two men collaborated on 14 operas between 1871 and 1896 of which HMS Pinafore, The Mikado and The Pirates of Penzance are all-time favourites. Over a very long period of time their operas have enjoyed a broad and enduring

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FINEARTS international success and are still performed frequently throughout the English-speaking world. Gilbert and Sullivan, by the way, introduced innovations in content and form that directly influenced the development of musical theatre throughout the 20th century. But it was the shrewd theatre producer, Richard D’Oyly Carte, who actually brought the deuce together and nurtured their collaboration. He built the Savoy Theatre in The Strand in 1881 solely to present their works which affectionately became known as ‘The Savoy Operas’. And, of course, one of the best of the ‘Savoy’ operas is none other than The Pirates of Penzance. ‘It truly is a ‘‘must-see’’ show,’ enthused Neil. ‘You’ve got a host of beautiful melodic songs in it and from a content point of view the show, which will be fun and energetic all the way, has a rich traditional Cornish setting. New costumes have also been made for this production, too, while the company, I’m pleased to say, tours with a full-size chorus together with the 24-piece Gilbert & Sullivan Festival Orchestra.’ The scenario of The Pirates, by the way, centres upon Frederic who, having completed his 21st year, is released from his apprenticeship to a band of tender-hearted pirates. He meets Mabel, the daughter of Major-General Stanley, and the two young people fall instantly in love. But Frederic soon learns that he was born on 29th February and so, technically, he has a birthday only once each leap year. His indenture, however, specifies that he remain apprenticed to the pirates until his ‘21st birthday’ meaning that he must serve another 63 years. Bound by his own

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sense of duty, Frederic’s only solace is that Mabel agrees, faithfully, to wait for him. As for The Mikado it remains the most frequently-performed Savoy opera and by setting the action in Japan it allowed Gilbert the opportunity of satirising British politics and institutions more freely by disguising them as Japanese. Gilbert, in fact, used foreign or fictional locales in several operas not just The Mikado but also in Princess Ida and The Gondoliers to soften the impact of his pointed satire aimed at British institutions. Overall, the National Gilbert and Sullivan Company promises great things on their début visit to Norwich while keeping the tradition and the works of Gilbert and Sullivan truly alive. But over the past few years there has, thankfully, been a renaissance of Gilbert and Sullivan.For instance, English National Opera will be reprising both Mike Leigh’s The Pirates of Penzance and Jonathan Miller’s The Mikado in their new season while The Old Vic are staging a new production of HMS Pinafore and Scottish Opera are currently touring The Mikado. On top of all this, English Touring Opera are planning Patience and Sasha Regan continues her blazing-trail tour of her all-male production of HMS Pinafore. ‘You just can’t get away from the fact that Gilbert and Sullivan is as popular today as it ever was,’ said Ian Smith, the company’s artistic director and founder of the annual International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival, now in its 23rd year. The three-week festival sees performances and fringe events attracting thousands of visitors from all over the world including performers, supporters and G&S enthusiasts.

At the festival - held in Harrogate since 2014 but previously held in Buxton - about a dozen or so amateur G&S performing societies compete on the festival’s main stage for a host of awards including the prestigious ‘international champion’ award while smaller venues host a plethora of fringe events and so forth. ‘We and the other professional opera companies performing G&S are not simply playing to a dying audience,’ enthused Ian. ‘There are more than 40 British universities that now have their own thriving and performing Gilbert and Sullivan groups and they’re helping to provide new audiences for what is still without doubt the world’s most popular and famous theatrical partnership.’ And that G&S partnership fuses together one more time at Norwich Theatre Royal this month. Enjoy! Performance schedule: The Mikado plays for a single performance on Friday 2nd September (7.30pm) and The Pirates of Penzance for a couple of performances on Saturday 3rd September (2.30pm and 7.30pm). Tickets £8-£35. Discounts for Over-60s and Groups. Box office: 01603 630 000 or log on to www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk For further information about the Gilbert and Sullivan Festival at Harrogate log on to www.gsfestivals.org

2016 August | 27

FINEARTS

Going Freelance by Daniel Tink

28 | August 2016

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any of you will have seen my photography appear in Fine City since its very beginnings in 2010, or perhaps you have visited my website at www.scenicnorfolk.co.uk. With ten years of self-taught photography under my belt, I felt the time was right to ditch the day job and concentrate on what I enjoy most – photographing our beautiful county of Norfolk, whilst perhaps producing more local books with my co-author (and feature writer for Fine City) Stephen Browning. My ultimate aim at this point in time is to launch my own freelance photography business, providing photo related services to Norfolk businesses, organisations and individuals.

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After working fulltime in website development for the same company for 15 years, it’s time for a change! But after all that time, to then go freelance is a bit of a nervous jump into the deep end for me, but hey, you don’t know until you try these things. It is very kind of our Fine City editor, to give me this opportunity to talk about my work, so a big thank you to Jonathan. I hope my services may be of interest to you, or somebody you may know. Just in case they are not, I hope you will still enjoy viewing my favourite architectural shots of our wonderful city of Norwich, where I was born and am based. Not forgetting the picturesque building of Pull’s Ferry on the front cover of this Fine

City edition. If you are interested in hiring me for your business photography, you can view my full portfolio on my website at www. danieltink. co.uk Ten years as a professional feature by:

Daniel Tink Photographer hello@danieltink.co.uk

2016 August | 29

FINEARTS

photographer has taught me a great deal and provided me with a wealth of photographic experience. In terms of what I can offer your business my services include, but are not limited to:

• Night photography. • Product photography. • Macrophotography. • Food & Drink. • Animals & livestock.

• Business premises & architecture (both exterior and interior). • People at work. • Shows & events. • Landscapes & Coastal scenes.

For more information on hiring me as your photographer please visit my website at www.danieltink.co.uk, call me direct on 01603 449109, or email me at hello@danieltink.co.uk

30 | August 2016

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FINEARTS

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2016 August | 31

FINEARTS

Good friends: Tom Primrose and Ben Johnson

Southrepps Classical Music Festival Norwich-based music writer, Tony Cooper, reports on the Southrepps Classical Music Festival being held this month

The festival - which is in the ascendancy flourishing like no other and gaining new audiences year upon year - heavily involves itself with young artists as nearly all of the singers and musicians engaged are in their twenties and at the start of very promising careers.

ust over five miles south-east of Cromer and 22 miles north of Norwich, the quiet, peaceful and tranquil Norfolk village of Southrepps not only has a good local, The Vernon Arms, but, since 2010, a good classical music festival, too.

Travelling to Southrepps is fairly easy and you can get there by train. Well, nearly! The nearest railway-station to Southrepps is Gunton served by Abellio Greater Anglia’s Bittern Line which runs frequent services between Sheringham, Cromer and Norwich. The last train from

Gunton to Norwich is 22.40 (MondaySaturday) and 22.05 (Sunday). This year’s festival (running from Monday 8th August to Sunday 14th August) see most of the concerts taking place in the medieval splendour of the village’s intimate parish church dedicated to St James. An initiative of pianist Tom Primrose, tenor Ben Johnson and Daniel Goode, the festival started out in a modest way with a coterie of 25 young and enthusiastic musicians while Mr Primrose’s father, Neil, a retired head teacher and a resident of Southrepps, gathered a core of volunteers together to support the artistic endeavours of the festival’s founders. Therefore, they organise everything from front-of-house management to stage management while Maggie Tranter (another local resident) looks after ticket sales and box office. In fact, Southrepps can be considered a ‘village affair’ inasmuch as over 30 families lend their support in providing accommodation and looking after the needs of the visiting artists. And at the end of the day, it’s down to The Vernon Arms, where good food, drink and convivial conversation can be enjoyed at leisure.

Robin Tritschler

32 | August 2016

The festival’s opening concert (Tuesday, 9th August, 7.30pm) marks the 400th anniversary of the death of Shakespeare and features the Southrepps Chorale presenting works www.finecity.co.uk

FINEARTS inspired by The Bard ranging from John Dowland (the English Renaissance composer, lutenist and singer) to Leonard Bernstein (the American composer who was one of the first conductors born and educated in the United States to receive worldwide acclaim). The concert (conducted by Stephen Richards) also includes some lovely Shakespeare settings composed by the likes of Arthur Greene, Peter Warlock, Arthur Sullivan, Edward German and Eric Coates. Henry Purcell - who’s buried in Westminster Abbey - was the first English composer of note to rival the European masters of the baroque era. Tragically, though, his life was cut short and he died at the early age of 36. But his musical legacy speaks volumes about the man and his best-known works are probably King Arthur, The Fairy Queen and Dido and Aeneas. And it’s the latter-named work that Tom Primrose will conduct (Wednesday, 10th August, 7.30pm) in what promises to be one of the highlights of the festival featuring a stellar cast headed by the brilliant lyric soprano Susanna Hurrell as Dido and the baritone Jonathan McGovern as Aeneas with Daniel Goode as the Sorceress. A solo guitar recital (Thursday, 11th August, 12.30pm) features Sean Shibe who’s making his festival début. Born in Edinburgh in 1992 of Scottish and Japanese heritage, Sean studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and with the inspirational guitarist, Paolo Pegoraro, in Italy. He’s the first guitarist to be admitted to the prestigious BBC New Generation Artists’ Scheme and the only solo guitarist to have received a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship. Over the last two years Sean has appeared as soloist with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra,

Martin James Bartlett

BBC National Orchestra of Wales and BBC Symphony Orchestra performing Rodrigo’s Concerto de Aranjuez as well as the Malcolm Arnold and Villa Lobos concerti. Drawn to chamber music and song, Sean has also collaborated with the Danish String Quartet in a recording of Boccherini’s Fandango and, indeed, collaborated with singers Ben Johnson and Robin Tritschler performing a varied repertoire ranging from 20th-century English song to music by Schubert, Weber and Seiber. And in the first of two specially-devised programmes celebrating song (Thursday, 11th August, 7.30pm) Ben Johnson and Tom Primrose will explore the synthesis of composers and poets, in this instance, focusing on Poulenc & Éluard, Schubert & Goethe, Lizst & Petrarch and Butterworth & Housman together with a cycle of First World War poetry scored for tenor, cello and piano composed by David Owen Norris. St James’ Church, Southrepps

The concert also features the young British cellist, Jonathan Bloxham, who studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School and the Royal College of Music and who has established himself as one of the most versatile musicians of his generation. He has given concerts to critical and audience acclaim across Europe, the USA and Asia and is a winner of international competitions not just as a cellist but also as a chamber musician and conductor. Passionate both about education and his birthplace in the north-east of England, Jonathan founded the Northern Chords Festival in 2009, a chamber-music festival based in Newcastle which brings world-class musicians to the region not only to perform but also to engage with and inspire young people in making music. The festival’s delighted to be welcoming to the festival for the first time the BBC Young Musician of the Year, pianist Martin James Bartlett (Friday, 12th August, 7.30pm), who’s already becoming an established artist in the world of classical music. His recent appearances on television - including an appearance at last year’s Proms performing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the RPO - won him many fans.

feature by:

Tony Cooper Writer tc@tony-cooper.co.uk

www.finecity.co.uk

2016 August | 33

FINEARTS Star soprano: Susanna Hurrell photo credit Eloise Campbell

Jonathan Bloxham

For his Southrepps recital he’ll present what promises to be a thrilling and exciting programme comprising Mozart’s A minor piano sonata, Schubert’s Impromptu, Op. 90, no 3, Poulenc’s Trois Pieces, Liszt’s Sonetto 104 del Petrarca, Arnold Bax’s Burlesque and Glinka/ Balakirev’s The Skylark while ending his recital with two popular works by Chopin: Ballade No. 1 and Étude Op. 10, No. 4. And in the second concert celebrating song (Saturday, 13th August, 7.30pm), Ben Johnson and Tom Primrose, with Susanna Hurrell acting as reader, will focus their programme on a sequence of songs and poems devised by Iain Burnside and based on Gerald Finzi’s inspiring song-cycle, A Young Man’s Exhortation, set to a text by Thomas Hardy. Friday night is music night! Indeed, it is! And on Friday, 12th August, 7.30pm, Ben Johnson will conduct the combined forces of the Southrepps Sinfonia and the specially-formed Southrepps Singers to present what promises Star tenor: Ben Johnson photo credit Chris Gloag

a thrilling and entertaining performance of Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music. The text’s an adaptation of the discussion about music and the music of the spheres in act five, scene one, of The Merchant of Venice. The composer later arranged the piece into versions for chorus and orchestra (the version that will be heard at Southrepps) and for solo violin and orchestra. Vaughan Williams wrote the piece (approximately 13 minutes’ long) as a tribute to the conductor Sir Henry Wood to mark the 50th anniversary of his first concert. Wood, in fact, conducted the first performance at his Jubilee Concert at the Royal Albert Hall on 5th October 1938, the year of its composition. The concert also features choral music that has been inspired by religious texts down the ages including Handel’s youthful Dixit Dominus while works by Stanford, Fauré and Bruckner complete the programme. A coffee-morning concert (Sunday, 14th August, 11.30am) features Jonathan McGovern introducing Vaughan Williams’ settings of the 17th-century Welsh-born English poet and Anglican priest, George Herbert’s Five Mystical Songs to the festival in its chamber-arranged version for piano and string quartet.

‘cheerful agnosticism’. The work received its first performance on 14th September 1911 at the Three Choirs’ Festival in Worcester with the composer conducting. The Gala Concert later in the same day (7.30pm) will see all of the festival performers gathering on stage to show off their party pieces in their best manner as well as springing one or two musical surprises on the audience. And giving a platform to new and emerging talent, Ben Johnson will preside over a public master-class (free admission) on Monday, 8th August, 2pm, at Templewood, Northrepps, where one will be given a chance to meet and hear this year’s team of Young Artists while on Friday, 12th August, 12.30pm, a Young Artists’ recital features Tom Primrose accompanying the singers in a series of well-loved song settings inspired by Shakespeare. One can order a festival pass or an individual ticket by contacting the festival treasurer, Maggie Tranter, on 01263 834691 or by emailing her at maggietranter@hotmail.co.uk For more information visit www. southrepps-classical-music-festival. org Sean Shibe, Photo: Kaupo Kikkas

Written between 1906 and 1911, the work sets four poems divided into two parts taken from Herbert’s 1633 collection, The Temple: Sacred Poems. The concert - featuring Martin James Bartlett and Jonathan Bloxham - will also include Mendelssohn’s D minor first piano trio. Vaughan Williams was an atheist at the time of writing the piece but later settled into a 34 | August 2016

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FINEARTS

Sue Perkins Live! In Spectacles

Sparkling wit, stories and spectacles – September 4, 2016

he much loved and irrepressible comedian, broadcaster, actor and writer Sue Perkins is bringing her sparkling wit, stories and spectacles to audiences around the country, kicking off a 14-city countrywide tour in Norwich at the Theatre Royal on September 4. As one half of humorous presenting double act Mel and Sue, who host television’s Great British Bake Off programme where they keep bakers Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood in check and encourage contestants through their nervous meltdowns, she will also be letting audiences in on a user’s guide to Mary Berry and the very best bits from her memoir Spectacles. And in a generous departure from usual ticket sales procedures, Sue is giving every ticket buying member of the audience a copy of her book, which is published in paperback on July 28, and she will be signing copies after the show. Sue is no stranger to East Anglia, having graduated in English from New Hall (now Murray Edwards College), Cambridge, in 1990. While at Cambridge, she was a member of the university drama society Footlights where she met her comedy partner Mel Giedroyc. Sue was also Footlights president in 1991/92. Since then, she has worked on a wide range of projects, including documentaries on art, popular fiction and history. In 2008, she appeared on the BBC show Maestro, culminating in her conducting at The Last Night of the Proms. She has also collaborated with food-critic Giles Coren on the Supersizers series, where the duo power-ate their way through five centuries of lungs, livers and testicles. In the last couple of years, she has travelled extensively throughout Asia, driving the Ho Chi Minh trail and exploring the length of the Mekong River. She is a regular contributor to Have I Got News For You, Just a Minute, QI and The News Quiz and has been crowned, officially, The World’s Greatest Liar in a hard fought contest in Cumbria, as well as presenting the quirky panel show Insert Name Here about famous people who share the same moniker. www.finecity.co.uk

And Sue is also currently reaching a new audience as one half of the presenting team of Sky Atlantic’s Thronecast, the companion series to Game of Thrones. Communications officer at Norwich Theatre Royal, Judy Foster said: “Sue Perkins is verging on becoming a bit of a national treasure and is loved for her quirky wit and warm presenting style. She has been a firm favourite on British television for nearly 15 years so theatre-goers are in for a treat to see her live and our Norwich audience will get to see her first.”

Listing: Sue Perkins Live! In Spectacles, Sunday, September 4, 2016, 7.30pm. Tickets £7-£24.50. BOX OFFICE 01603 630000. Discounts for Friends. For more info or to BOOK ONLINE www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk 2016 August | 35

FINEARTS

Cinema City

Norwich-based film buff, Tony Cooper, looks at special screenings at Cinema City this month Films to look out for: from Friday 29th July Jason Bourne (starring Alicia Vikander, Matt Damon and Julia Stiles)

Jason Bourne, now remembering who he truly is, tries to uncover hidden truths about his past.

Since self-delusional sales rep David Brent (Ricky Gervais) left the superb BBC sitcom The Office, he decided to follow his dream of rock stardom by touring with his frankly no-hoper band, Foregone Conclusion. Brent believes that filming their self-financed plod between predictably miserable gigs at working men’s clubs will guarantee their legendary status. The ensuing mockumentary delivers a plethora of the cringe-inducing moments that made the TV series such a big hit. As well as writing and directing, Gervais finds himself on top form and is aided by both rapper Dom Johnson (who co-wrote and performed the 2013 Comic

Relief hit ‘Equality Street’ with Gervais) and Razorlight’s Andy Burrows as his band mates. A soundtrack album is being released to coincide with the film that’s a glorious blend of The Office and This Is Spinal Tap. from Friday 26th August Julieta (starring Adriana Ugarte, Inma Cuesta and Michelle Jenner)

From director, Pedro Almodovar, Julieta is based on three short stories from the book Runaway by Alice Munro. After a casual encounter, a

The Commune (starring Ulrich Thomsen, Fares Fares and Trine Dyrholm) (Danish with English subtitles) A story about clash and personal desires up against solidarity and tolerance in a 1970s Danish commune. from Friday 5th August Up For Love (starring Jean Dujardin, Virginie Efira and Cédric Kahn) (French with English subtitles) A man finds the telephone number of a girl and decides to invite her for dinner. from Friday 12th August Finding Dory - the follow-up to the muchloved film, Finding Nemo, from Disney Pixar (starring the voices of Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Diane Keaton, Idris Elba and Kaitlin Olson) A friendly-but-forgetful blue-tang fish, Dory begins a search for her long-lost parents and learns a few things about the real meaning of family life on the way. Wiener Dog A cute dachshund puppy finds itself shuffled from one oddball owner to the other including two couples, a veterinary nurse (Greta Gerwig), a screenwriter (Danny DeVito) and a bitter woman (Ellen Burstyn). from Friday 19th August David Brent: Life On The Road (starring: Ricky Gervais, Doc Brown and Andy Burrows) 36 | August 2016

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FINEARTS

broken-hearted woman decides to confront her life and the most important events about her stranded daughter. Special Events Monday matinees: Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956) [PG] Monday 1st August (1pm) Discover Tuesdays: Tarkovsky season: Solaris (1972) [PG] (Russian with English subtitles) Tuesday 2nd August (8pm) Adapted from the novel by Stanislaw Lem, Solaris remains one of Tarkovsky’s most famous films. Remade many years later by Steven Soderbergh, this original version is a meditation on the nature of desire and memory and the self-imposed walls that keep us from realising our greatest wishes. Tarkovsky reportedly re-shot more than 40 per cent of the film despite constant protestations from his superiors on the Soviet www.finecity.co.uk

Film Board. The film’s visual sense and pacing are extraordinary while the central idea of a man’s wish to correct the mistakes of his past is given a cinematic quality that is its exact visual equivalent. Vintage Sundays: Some Like It Hot [PG] Sunday 7th August (5.15pm) Tarkovsky season: Stalker [PG] Sunday 7th August (7.15pm) / Wednesday 10th August (1pm) (Russian with English subtitles) Two men follow the Stalker across the forbidden zone. Conjuring extraordinary images with no need for special effects, Tarkovsky creates a world through the faith of the viewer alone.

Tuesday 9th August (10.30am) - exclusively for pre-school children accompanied by their parents or carers Narrated by Chris O’Dowd, this awardwinning animated TV show for 2-5 year olds focuses on nature and wildlife and the unique visual style of Puffin Rock promises to delight children and parents alike. The scenario’s set on an island off the coast of Ireland and sees Oona and Baba joined by a close group of friends who all help them in and out of trouble. Glyndebourne Opera: Béatrice et Bénédict [12A]

Monday matinees: Some Like It Hot [PG] feature by:

Monday 8th August (1pm). Toddler Time: Puffin Rock [U]

Tony Cooper Writer tc@tony-cooper.co.uk

2016 August | 37

Vintage Sundays: Pinocchio [U] Sunday 21st August (1pm) Tarkovsky season: Nostalgia [15] (Italian with English subtitles) Monday 22nd August (8.30pm) / Wednesday 24th August (1.05pm) A Russian scholar travels to Italy to research the life of an exiled composer and his conflicted longing for his homeland invades his dreams and desires. Vintage Sundays: Cinderella [U] Sunday 28th August (1pm) Star actor, Kenneth Branagh, brings his version of Cinderella to the big screen for Disney blending elegant visual effects with an outstanding cast that includes Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Derek Jacobi, Lily James, Hayley Atwell and Richard Madden. Blanchett’s turn as the Wicked Stepmother nicely balances heart and vitriol putting her up there with Glenn Close’s Cruella De Vil in 101 Dalmations in the annals of Disney villains. Ms Close is beautifully complemented by a prosthetics-laden Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother while Cinders herself is imbued with doe-eyed wonder and just the right amount of youthful wisdom by up-andcoming actress, Lily James (Downton Abbey). Richard Madden (Game of Thrones) makes for an intelligent, caring and chivalrous Prince Charming and the whole adds up a thoroughly modern (yet still magical) fairy-tale. (Sung in French with English subtitles) Tuesday 9th August (6.30pm) From Elizabeth and Darcy in Pride and Prejudice to Hermione and Ron in the Harry Potter series, the age-old premise of verbal sparring to mask true feelings of love or passion is employed to magnificent effect in Berlioz’s Béatrice et Bénédict. The composer selected the sunniest and funniest elements of Shakespeare’s popular play, Much Ado About Nothing, setting them to a ravishing score to create this witty love-hate duel. The opera’s overture explodes with a buoyant sense of fun and elegant wit and there are several splendid numbers for the female characters especially the sublime act I duet-nocturne described by one critic as a ‘marvel of indescribable lyrical beauty’. Seen through the unique vision of director, Laurent Pelly, Berlioz’s comic gem makes its long38 | August 2016

awaited Glyndebourne première at this year’s summer festival as part of the Shakespeare 400 celebrations. Robin Ticciati is in the pit with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Outdoor screenings at the Plantation Gardens Thursday 18th August (8.30pm). Sold out, returns only

Discover Tuesdays: Weiner [15]

Monty Python’s Life of Brian [15]

Tuesday 9th August (6.15pm)

Friday 19th August (8.30pm)

With unrestricted access to Anthony Weiner’s New York City mayoral campaign, this film winner of the Sundance 2016 US Grand Jury Prize: Documentary- reveals the human story behind the scenes of a high-profile political scandal as it unfolds while it offers an unfiltered look at how much today’s politics are driven by an appetite for spectacle.

The Princess Bride [PG]

Vintage Sundays: Barry Lyndon [PG] Sunday 14th August (7pm)

Saturday 20th August (8.30pm). Sold out, returns only Star Wars: The Force Awakens [12A]. Moderate violence, threat Sunday 21st August (8.30pm) The Goonies [12A]. Contains a hanging scene www.finecity.co.uk

FINEARTS

A Midsummer Nights Dream Open Air Theatre at Dalegate Market, North Norfolk Coast

o celebrate 400 years since Shakespeare’s death and the 10th birthday of Dalegate Market, the North Norfolk Coast shopping site is teaming up with Norfolk based professional theatre company, Strange Fascination, for a week of Open Air Theatre. The Strange Fascination cast will be performing a wonderfully funny and interactive version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, set in the 1920s. Performances begin on Saturday 6th August, with a matinee and evening performance, and run throughout the following week, with the final performances on Saturday 13th August. Strange Fascination unites Norfolk based practitioners Paul Andrew Goldsmith, Simon Michael-Morgan and Daisy Plackett to produce compelling original theatre whilst providing sustainable employment for local professionals. Their belief that ‘any area can provide a playing space’, has allowed them to perform at varied venues, giving the audience a unique theatrical experience each and every time. ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’ In Strange Fascinations version of the classic Shakespeare comedy, five actors multi-role, bringing the dazzling text to life in scenes of comedy, magic and delight. Expert quick

changes, keep the action pacey and exciting, and the skill of the cast performing different roles adds to the enjoyment of the piece. ‘The Course of true love never did run smooth’ In 1920’s Athens, we find a young lover Hermia in love with Lysander and he equally in love with her – whilst Demetrius is supposed to marry Hermia, and Helena is madly in love with him. The Duke of Athens tries to enforce the marriage, which leaves the lovers taking refuge in the woods and wandering into the midst of a dispute between the King and Queen of the fairies. Meanwhile, a small group of labourers attempt to rehearse a play to celebrate the impending nuptials, but the mischievous fairy Puck has other ideas for them all. Strange Fascination previously ran their version at Overstrand in the summer of 2015 to much critical acclaim: ‘Awesome show! The energy, set, acting, interaction, adaption….made it the most accessible Shakespeare I’ve seen’ ‘Outstanding’ ‘Brilliant’ ‘Exceptional’ ‘Hilarious’

So pack a picnic, relax and enjoy live open air theatre with all the family. Dalegate Market Dalegate Market, Main Road, Burnham Deepdale, Norfolk, PE31 8FB Tel: 01485 210305 www.dalegatemarket.co.uk/outdoor-theatre/ Saturday 6th August 2016, 2.30pm - 4.30pm Saturday 6th August 2016, 7.30pm – 9.30pm Sunday 7th August 2016, 7.30pm – 9.30pm Tuesday 9th August 2016, 7.30pm – 9.30pm Wednesday 10th August 2016, 7.30pm – 9.30pm Thursday 11th August 2016, 7.30pm – 9.30pm Friday 12th August 2016, 7.30pm – 9.30pm Saturday 13th August 2016, 2.30pm - 4.30pm Saturday 13th August 2016, 7.30pm – 9.30pm For ticket booking, please see: www.ticketsource.co.uk/ strangefascinationtheatrecompany Deepdale Café at Dalegate Market will be offering a pre-show dinner for the two Saturday evening performances, theatre goers are recommended to book ahead. They will also be hosting their regular Friday Night Feast for the show on 12th August. There will also be pre-order picnics available. Keshco Supermarket on site, will be open until 8pm each evening for all those essential Shakespeare watching snacks and drinks. Bring a chair, a picnic, a few drinks, and sit back and enjoy a wonderful Shakespeare experience.

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2016 August | 39

FINEARTS with the audience. The resultant sounds are transformed into moving images by Tombs, distorted, glitched and maligned to become the constantly evolving projections that surround the players and audience. Bill Vine said ‘By blending unusual traditional instruments such as alto and contrabass clarinets with cutting edge electronic technology and Dan’s visual manipulations we aim to create a performance environment that is genuinely exciting. We hope to give audiences an experience like they’ve never had before, by putting them right in the heart of it, breaking down the barriers that usually exist between composer, performer and audience. By moving around they effectively become part of the performance, more engaged and actively involved than in a traditional front facing gig environment’.

[UNIT]

Experimental live audio/visual project world premiere in Norwich at Shoe Factory Social Club

new concept in the presentation of live music debuts at Norwich’s new Shoe Factory Social Club at St Mary’s Works, Oak Street on September 2nd and 3rd. [UNIT], the title of both the show and the name of the artists collective who have created it will be staged within a custom built 360 degree ‘surround stage’ of seven video screens and octophonic sound system housing both audience and performers. In this immersive multi-sensory environment the audience is presented with a heightened bodily experience. Walking around within the space can affect both the sound and the visuals, becoming an integral part of the compositional process and the performance

Norwich audiences can be the first in the country to witness this unique event on 2nd and 3rd September with separate shows each day at 2pm, 7pm and 9pm.

[UNIT] is a collaboration between composer, sonic artist and electronic instrument builder Bill Vine, composer and musician Anthony Bailey and video artist Dan Tombs. Anthony has played with many professional orchestras, including the London Mozart Players, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the English Chamber Orchestra. Dan is a much in demand artist who also currently collaborates with Jon Hopkins, Gold Panda, East India Youth and The Charlatans. Vine and Bailey create music that is experimental yet accessible on a variety of wind and electronic instruments. This combines elements of classical composition with improvisation and spontaneous interaction

Each performance will be recorded binaurally to give a 3D sound effect and a download link will be offered free of charge to audience members. Bill Vine is available for interview, contact Steve Forster as above for availability, review tickets etc. Following the debut performances in Norwich and others in Colchester in January 2017 [UNIT] will tour nationally. [UNIT] are associate artists of Norwich Arts Centre. It is supported by Arts Council England, Norwich Arts Centre, Escalator Music, Electronic Sound Magazine, Watershed Studio, The Space and The Shoe Factory Social Club. www.unitunit.org

Listing info: Friday 2 and Saturday 3 September. 2pm, 7pm and 9pm each day. Shoe Factory Social Club, St. Mary’s Works, St. Mary’s Plain, Norwich NR3 3AF [UNIT] World Premiere Experimental 360 degree live music and video performances within 7 giant video screens and octophonic sound system that seeks to redefine traditional notions of performance and the relationships between space, performer and audience Created and performed by Bill Vine, Anthony Bailey and Dan Tombs. All tickets £5 from Norwich Arts Centre, www.norwichartscentre.co.uk 01603 660352

40 | August 2016

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Posh Plants

topiary, plants, shrubs and trees to hire or buy

Sue Huckle is the inspiration behind many award winning gardens, offering a professional and creative approach to the art and science of garden design. At Seven Acres Nursery we have a range of lovely plants and containers for sale, as well as our beautiful collection of large topiary plants available to hire for weddings, parties and your workplace!

07703 347014 email: sue@poshplants.com website: www.poshplants.com

Posh Plants, Seven Acres Nursery, Common Road, East Tuddenham, NR20 3NF

Contemporary, classic or chic modern

Kitchens and Interiors The kitchen is the heart of the home. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why at Graham Torbitt Kitchens and Interiors we provide quality craftsmanship, contemporary design, unique and fresh ideas to bring you the kitchen you desire. With over 25 years experience, let us put the heart back into your home.

Bespoke design and budget Creative solutions Integrity and expert advice Professional service Free consultation Inhouse at Premier Marble 3 Dewings Road, Rackheath, Norwich NR13 6PS

01603 327727 | www.gtki.co.uk | graham@gtki.co.uk 42 | August 2016

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FINEHomes

Historically and shown on very early photographs there has always been a garden set in the lawn near the house. This had become a messy jumble of plants. He was keen to keep a garden in the same position and he wanted a fresh start and a new look. After much drinking of coffee and garden talk we settled on an idea…the garden would reflect ideas that were being explored by Fibonacci around the time that the original building first arose on the site. This appealed to the clients interest in art and science and is a subject which has fascinated me for a long time. Fibonacci was a 12th century mathematician who explored the relationship between a sequence of numbers and patterns that occur in nature. This is the sequence of numbers: 1 : 1 : 2 : 3 : 5 : 8 : 13 : 21 : 34 : 55 : 89…and so on! As you can see the next number is created by adding the previous two. When these numbers are drawn as squares and a curve joins the opposite corner of each square a spiral evolves.

Posh Plants Garden design…Fibonacci

orking as a garden designer I’m never too sure what is waiting around the corner.

Enquiries come in from all sorts of clients; from those who want advice on what to plant in a shady corner, to those who have several acres to play with. Clients differ in their expectations, some know exactly what they want and just need a helping www.finecity.co.uk

hand, others are happy to hand over their blank canvas to me. I like it when the latter happens. It’s an act of trust and to a certain extent, bravery, to invite me to be involved in the creation of a garden!

In nature similar shapes occur in sea shells, snails and in the formation of seed heads. So…the big question is, how to create a beautiful and interesting space using this information? In the next edition all will be revealed! Sue Huckle

Mostly it works out well and over the years some of my clients have become good friends.

Posh Plants at Seven Acres Nursery, East Tuddenham… Garden design. Topiary, garden and interior plants for hire and sale

Recently I was invited to visit a gentleman who owns a beautiful old property with a long front garden.

www.poshplants.com sue@poshplants.com 07703 347014 2016 August | 43

Norwich Charity Darts Masters 2016 Over £12,500 Raised at Norwich Charity Darts Masters 2016

he Norwich Charity Darts Masters 2016 once again proved to be a sensational evening of darts whilst raising over £12,500 for the Lord Baker Community Fund at the weekend, when five of the World’s biggest darts legends; including three former World Champions appeared at Norwich City Football Club. This annual fundraiser organised by Lord Russell Baker of Little Moulton included Eric Bristow, Bobby George, Keith Deller (2015 Champion), Steve Beaton and BIG Cliff Lazarenko. The evening consisted of 10 audience games where 10 lucky people were drawn to play against the darting stars with each legend playing two matches. Both silent and live auction’s with amazing prizes up for grabs;

including a pair of Mohammad Ali boxing shorts, set the fundraising alight, and a mini darts competition between the legends playing for the Norwich Charity darts Masters Trophy, was eventually won by local darts hero and the former World Champion Steve Beaton, Steve beat the 2015 Norwich Charity Darts Masters Champion Keith Deller 3 – 1 in the final. Lord baker said, “This was a sensational night of top legends darts and some real showmanship by the players, I think the moment I loved most was Bobby George’s walk-on dressed in a replica King of India full length gown, made in India during his recent TV series, and carrying his signature candelabra with 5 lighted candles; what an entrance.” Lord Baker who is the NARS Patron added, “The fundraising at this year’s event has been amazing and will go a long way to

supporting my chosen charities this year who are; Norfolk Accident Rescue Services, Chapel Road School for Disabled Children in Attleborough, Star Throwers Cancer Care & Support in Wymondham, Norfolk Community Foundation and a local grant-giving scheme for Norfolk projects”. Steve Beaton the former 1996 World Champion said, “What a great night and a brilliant crowd. Great too play in my local City and raise a few quid for our charities. Also, it was good to win the trophy off my mate Keith Deller who I’m sure would want to win it back next year. Big thank-you to Lord Russell Baker for organising such a great night once again! I’m looking forward to the next one”. The next BIG darts event in Norwich is the Norwich Masters of Darts at EPIC TV Studio’s on Thursday 20th October 2016 and stars Adrian Lewis, Dave Chisnall, Jelle Klaasen, Terry Jenkins, Stephen Bunting and Wayne Mardle, with Eric Bristow and Keith Deller as the evening’s legends. Tickets on-sale now: www.amberdewevents.co.uk/event/

44 | August 2016

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Norwich Masters Darts Tournament 2016

Adrian Lewis

Dave Chisnall

Jelle Klaasen

Wayne Mardle

Steve Bunting

Terry Jenkins

Eric Bristow

Keith Deller

Russ Bray

Paul Booth

Thursday 20th October 2016

Doors open at 18:00 | Tournament Starts 19:30

EPIC TV Studios

Magdalen Street, Norwich NR3 1JD

TICKET INFO

www.finecity.co.uk

Tel : 0800 564 2220 www.amberdewevents.co.uk

2016 August | 45

FINEEVENTS

Porkstock 2016 Hardeep Singh Kohli announced as foodie headliner for Porkstock 2016

orkstock, winner of the 2015 EDP Tourism Awards Event of the Year, has announced that taking centre stage at this year’s event will be comedian, broadcaster and Celebrity Masterchef finalist Hardeep Singh Kohli. Porkstock, which takes place on Saturday 10th September, celebrates the best of Norfolk food and drink with a free, family-friendly festival during the day and an adults-only, ticketed party in the evening. For 2016, Porkstock is moving to White House Farm on Salhouse Road in Sprowston; allowing space for way more food and way more fun. Food is at the heart of Porkstock and each year, cookery demos from some of the UK’s leading chefs have been a major draw for Norfolk

46 | August 2016

foodies. The cookery demo stage is sponsored and co-ordinated by Porkstock patron Charlie Hodson, Executive Chef of the Great Hospital. Top of the bill for 2016 is Hardeep Singh Kohli, the well-known comedian, broadcaster, journalist and foodie. Hardeep is known to many for reaching the final of the BBC’s Celebrity Masterchef as well as his many TV and radio credits. Hardeep opened his own restaurant, VDeep, in Leith, Edinburgh last year.

Joining Hardeep on the Porkstock stage will be a procession of culinary talent: •M ark Poynton is the Chef/Owner of Michelin starred Alimentum Restaurant in Cambridge. Mark will be sharing some of his tips for achieving award-winning flavours. •R eturning to Porkstock is Scott Taylor, from the ultimate chef ’s website www.finecity.co.uk

FINEEVENTS

www.infusions4chefs.co.uk. Scott will be teaming up with Matt & Grant from the Fruit Pig Company for a fabulous demonstration of pig’s head charcuterie • Also taking the stage are leading lights of Norfolk’s Own Cook Book, Vanessa Scott and Mary Kemp. • Alan Paton, Executive Chef of Stoke by Nayland Hotel, Spa & Golf Course in Essex will be returning to Porkstock after supporting the very first event. • Norfolk based farmer Tim Allan, will be telling his pigs tale and then the Porkstock audience will be treated to a butchery masterclass by Icarus Hines and Jamie Archer – both amazing local butchers and previous winners of Battle of the Bangers in Norwich. • Last but not least, there will be a demonstration from Andrew Baker and

volunteers from The FEED – a social enterprise in Norwich helping homeless people get back into work through a mutual love of food. Along with the cookery demo stage, daytime visitors to Porkstock will be able to enjoy a fantastic selection of street food stalls, a real ale and Prosecco bar, live music, a sausage eating contest, games, kids’ activities and lots of family fun. The latest acts confirmed for the daytime event included the incredible Georgia Shackleton trio, Folk Steve, Fill Station, David Barwood, The Avi8ors and Two Bit Operators.

Porkstock is made possible by a team of volunteers and sponsors, including headline sponsor Comms Supply. Any profits from the 2016 event will go to Norfolk charity Nelson’s Journey which supports bereaved children and young people throughout Norfolk. Ticket price is £20. For more information about the free daytime festival or to book your tickets for the evening Knees-Up please visit www.porkstock.co.uk.

The Porkstock evening bash is one knees-up that Norfolk festival fans will not want to miss. Starting at 6pm and finishing late, White House Farm will be split into two party zones: • In the covered courtyard and outside area there will be some amazing bands on stage, a real ale bar, prosecco bar and an array of delicious street food stalls. For music fans, the massively popular Addison’s Uncle will be on stage, plus Night Train, Feral Mouth and loads more. • And what better place to dance than in the Porkstock Barn? Get ready for the return of the electro-swing gin palace with music provided by Tallulah & the Goodtimes Republic.

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2016 August | 47

Norfolklore: The Legend of the Black Shuck

ast Anglia has many treasures that put us on the map, but we have one treasure that is often forgotten: our legends. From our hills to our shores, our villages and countryside are filled with mysteries – and one of their most famous tales makes its home here in Norfolk, along the clifftops of the Cromer coast… A beagle circles his owner’s feet excitedly, eyes and nose alert for any dropped pieces of fish and chips. Further down the promenade,

a border collie sits calmly beside an older woman, both quietly watching the sea from their bench. On the sand, a cocker spaniel tugs impatiently at her leash until she’s freed to bound towards the waves. The seaside town of Cromer has long been a popular destination for tourists and Norfolk locals alike; between its busy blue-flag beaches and winding cobbled roads, it has been a playground for young families, a training ground for amateur body-boarders and a spot of beauty for day-trippers, holiday-makers and even famous authors to discover. Yet behind these bright arcades, welcoming pubs that the live music that spills from them, something sinister lingers – a legend, one that has haunted Cromer’s postcard paths for as long as they’ve stood: the Black Shuck. To many, Black Shuck may be an alien name, but if you are from the East then you have almost certainly heard it before. It has been whispered from the Norfolk Broads to the Cambridgeshire fens for hundreds of years – “scucca”, the old English word for demon, first muttered by the Anglo-Saxons in a time when Britain was filled with tales of spirits and old gods. Amongst these shadows and superstitions, Black Shuck built a reputation. He is said to be a wolf-like beast – an impossibly large dog with coarse, heavy fur and eyes “like saucers” in size. Usually yellow, sometimes green or even red,

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they are said to glow with the fires of hell itself. In some stories he only has one, burning in the centre of his face like a Cyclops, and like the Greeks Fates, his eye can see future misfortune. Shuck is said to appear on lonely paths, waiting around corners or on cliffs for doomed souls. In some tales, only the ill-fated can see the beast, whilst in others, he is not a warning but a curse – one that you can only escape if you avoid his fiery gaze. Whilst sightings of the Shuck are reported all over East Anglia, Norfolk and Suffolk have the most, and Cromer is widely thought to be the creature’s home. It’s hard to imagine, walking past Cromer’s cobblestone walls and candy-coloured houses, that anything spooky could be makes its home here. Wandering feet can discover curious boutiques, beer gardens with real Norfolk ales, impressive churches – yet if the stories can be believed, then any one of these quaint side-street Written by:

Alice Instone-Brewer

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FINELIVING walls, float, even transform from a puppy to an adult before your eyes. However, paranormal enthusiasts officially label him as a cryptid – a creature whose existence had been widely reported but remains unproven by science. Other cryptids include the Loch Ness Monster, Yeti and Sasquatch, so our Shuck is in famous company! But where did the legend come from? The earliest written eyewitness accounts of the Shuck date back to1577 AD, both from the same morning. The people of Bungay (Suffolk) had their church service interrupted by a violent thunderstorm. It pummelled the walls, wailed over the sounds of their worship and flung the heavy doors wide open. According to reports from the church’s Rev Fleming, a beast ran in with the wind: a black hound, impossibly large and fast. It streaked down the aisle and reportedly tore into the necks of two parishioners whilst they knelt in prayer, and struck many others with its claws. Where the beast’s claws struck, the wounds were apparently scorched, as if he had cut them with fire. The same morning, a nearby church in Blythborgh had an extremely similar experience. Caught in the same storm, the congregation were startled as a flash of lightening illuminated a black dog stood above them on the on the main beam of the church roof. It leapt down and killed two men, and again, was said to have scorching claws. This time, claw-like burns still exist on the inside of the church’s north door. The beast also supposedly caused the collapse of the church’s spire (although this could have been the thunderstorm…) How true were these stories? Well, in 2014, a surprising discovery was made: a 7-foot dog skeleton, discovered among the ruins of Suffolk’s Lieston Abbey, only a few miles from could be bring you face to face with the ghostly hound. On 27th April 1972, police officer Graham Grant told the East Daily Press about a strange sighting on Cromer beach. It was 4.45 am – Officer Grant was on a night shift when he saw a dark creature running across the sand. “What made me look was that the dog was running then stopping, as if looking for someone. I watched it for one or two minutes and then it vanished before my eyes. One moment it was there, the next it had gone.” At the time, Officer Grant – who was new to the area – had never heard of old Shuck. When he mentioned what he had seen, his amazed colleagues were quick to tell him about the legend. So what is the Shuck? In many stories, he is described like a spirit, able to walk through www.finecity.co.uk

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FINELIVING Bungay and Blythborgh. From the remains, it was estimated that the dog weighed around 14 stone, and judging from the pottery found nearby, it was believed to have died in the 1570s... So was Shuck just an over-sized animal, or something more? Traditionally, the legend warns against lonely paths by the sea, yet throughout the 1500s many of the sightings happened near churches. Henry VIII’s rule was a time of religious upheaval for the English, when the once safe Church became a place of uncertainty and fear. This fear grew under Mary 1st, who put many Protestants to the flames. Yet, eventually Shuck sightings moved back to their traditional location of coastal paths, whilst Elizabeth 1st ‘s England shifted its worries to the threat of Spanish fleets. Long before, when whispers of ‘scucca’ are believed to have begun, Anglo-Saxons also looked to the sea with fear, dreading the sight of Viking longboats on the horizon. Was the Shuck a figment of people’s fear - or a spectre that was drawn to it? Yet of all the towns along our coast, why Cromer? The beast is most commonly seen here, so what about the picturesque town appeals to the macabre mutt? Before the Victorians started their fashion for seaside visits, Cromer was a fishing town, its residents working with and against the sea to

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make their living. According to the Domesday Book, it was not alone. Instead, ‘Cromer’ was a part of a long chain of settlements across the coastline. Its neighbours were called Foulness, Clare and Shipden, but over time, all three settlements vanished. Erosion caused them all to be gradually swallowed by the sea, each falling to the thing that had sustained them. By 1610, all were gone. Of the three settlements, Shipden’s disappearance is most famous, for instead of collapsing in pieces as the others did, it is believed to still stand beneath the waves. The sea took it in the 1500s (that date again…), but for the next 200 years, the church spire could still be seen at low tide, and on stormy nights, the bells were said to toll, a ghostly sound from beneath the waves.

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Was it the fate of these settlements that attracted the Shuck? Whatever the reason is for its presence, Cromer has embraced its haunting hound. He is used to advertise pubs, drinks, shops, even ghost tours – he has even inspired famous works of fiction. In 1901, the author of a detective series visited Cromer, and whilst there he wrote to his mother about an exciting new novel; that author was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and that novel was Sherlock Holmes’ The Hound of the Baskervilles. The Shuck is also thought to have inspired JK Rowling’s character Sirius Black, who is able to transform into a large black dog. Harry sees the dog watching him from empty streets and is warned that the beast is a ‘Grim’ – an omen of death. In actuality, it is his godfather keeping an eye on him, but the wizarding world’s ‘Grim’ sounds an awful lot like our seaside spectre!

Next time you are at the Norfolk coast, look out over the Cromer cliffs and imagine how much has changed since Shipden stood there, or since the Anglo Saxons looked with uncertainty towards the sea. If you’re brave, and wander far enough, perhaps you will find the Shuck on your ramble – just remember not to look him in the eye!

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Great Summer Reads

We had a wonderful reaction to our feature in December, ‘Great Christmas Reads’: so here are some more recommendations for the summer days, both local and national. Happy reading! NORWICH IN THE 1970s: Ten Years in the Life of the City by Pete Goodrum, Amberley Publishing, paperback. Available from Norfolk bookshops and Amazon UK. I love this, the perfect combination of pictures and text. I could have chosen one of the previous volumes, Norwich in the 1950s and Norwich in the 196Os but I remember this period so well – for me Abba, Beatles, Teacher Training and very weak beer. A loving evocation of a period

in the city’s history and a great gift for those of us who are not – err – quite so young as we once were. DAVID COPPERFIELD by Charles Dickens, Wordsworth Classics, paperback. Available from bookstores and online sites such as Amazon UK at just £2.99. The perfect summer read, especially as much of the exciting activity takes places at Yarmouth, including the

most ferocious storm in English Literature. It is especially interesting as it is largely autobiographical telling of Dickens’ extreme distress at being put into a blacking factory at the age of 12, thinking that his dreams of being a gentleman were lost forever. Of course, it isn’t so but the novel is not quite sure if it is happy or sad sometimes, something that reflected the genius novelist’s own state of mind when it was being written. Is life like this? Maybe so. And what an ambiguous villain/hero we have in Steerforth. It is one of those books that will stick with you after you have read it but you won’t mind that one bit. PEDDARS WAY AND THE NORFOLK COAST PATH by Daniel Tink and Stephen Browning, Halsgrove, hardback. From bookshops nationwide and online sites. I have just put one of the books I have co-written with Daniel Tink here partly because it is summer and walking along the coast is fantastic and partly because the

feature by:

Steve Browning Writer @returningperson

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photography is awesome (neither of those things anything to do with me!). One kind reviewer said that his elderly Mum had the book and felt she could go for a walk along the magnificent and wild Norfolk coastline anytime from her armchair. BERTIE’S GUIDE TO LIFE AND MOTHERS by Alexander McCall Smith, Abacus, paperback. Available in bookshops nationwide and online at Amazon UK etc. Yes, I know, here I go again about one of my favourite novelists. At Christmas I recommended a book in the No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series but this is another venture altogether. It is light, beautifully written and features Bertie who will melt your heart as a five year old forced by his Mother to wear strawberry pink trousers, learn Italian and undergo therapy when it is more that obvious who really needs the last! He is a very loyal little boy and has a huge fan following in the ‘real world’and in this fantastic tale his Mummy gets kidnapped in Dubai and much joy ensues while he gets up to all sorts of un-PC things with his Dad. Lovely! HIDDEN RIVERSIDE NORWICH by Steve Silk, Halsgrove £16.99 from Norfolk

bookshops and online. This is gorgeous and explores the River Wensum by boat, bike and on foot. It is Steve Silk’s second lavishly illustrated book for Halsgrove and is a wonderful piece of original research which is bound to be popular with all explorers of the Fine City. WHEN HEROES DIE by Sue Smart, Breedon Books, £12.99 from Amazon UK. This is unusual in this collection as being published back in 2001. I came across it whilst researching my upcoming book ‘The Norfolk Coast in the Great War – the Critical

Coastline’. It details the Great War years at Gresham’s School in Holt and will at the same time break your heart and make you glad to be alive and appreciative of all those young men who gave their lives for freedom. The book mentions a cricket match on 18 July 1914 between the school and the old boys. Eleven of those on the field would die in the war. In total 100 old boys and one master never came home again. It is said that the headmaster in these years, George Howson, died in 1919 as he had ‘spent himself in grief ’. It contains some wonderful photographs of the generation of young men which Ronald Blythe describes as belonging to another, much more innocent age – the age before the War to End All Wars. THE KING’S ENGLAND: Norfolk – The classic guide by Arthur Mee, paperback, £9.99. This was originally published in 1940 and has been reissued. This is how guide books used to be written – in an extremely detailed fashion. Of course, there were no computers, iphones, tablets or television then and so people expected to take longer over their literature. It is wonderful to contrast the places then and now. This would make a really appreciated gift for anyone who loves the county. NORWICH BY Daniel Tink, PiXZ Books at just £4.99. This is a wonderful portrait of the Fine City by a great photographer. It is obvious that Daniel loves the city and it is no surprise that this book regularly features in the best-seller lists. Perfect, too, as a souvenir.

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An A-Z of Norfolk Food Summer in Norwich and Norfolk is very much about food and drink – from the Food Festival to celebrations of fine ales and celebrations of ‘slow’ food. Here is a light-hearted A-Z of interesting Norfolk people, facts, queries and stories about food. Photography by Daniel Tink

Apples. Once the pride of our county, the apple industry has fallen from grace as species have disappeared. Happily, old varieties are making a comeback now. Bloaters by post. Holidaymakers could once send a box of Yarmouth bloaters – salted smoked herrings – to their nearest and dearest with a ‘wish-you-were-here’ note, much like today you can send clotted cream from Cornwall, altho’ I should 54 | August 2016

imagine considerably less popular with the postman, and with those whose letters were transported in the same consignment. Booze. Norfolk has always been famous for its beer. One of the most famous breweries of old was Morgans in King Street. Tragically, the fumes were so strong that one of the Directors in Victorian times was overcome, fell into a vat, and drowned. At the other end of the scale, many impoverished folk in areas

such as Coslany, made their own and sold the dubious liquid to their neighbours in an effort to make ends meet. Pubs have been having a hard time in recent years due to the smoking ban and ridiculously cheap beer available from supermarkets. Some brewers, though, buck the trend. Ever resourceful, the trade as a whole is bouncing back and a thriving part of the business these days is the Micro-Brewery which, although maybe selling to only one or two pubs, produces beer of a fabulous www.finecity.co.uk

FINEFood standard. The Norwich Beer Festival on October sees enthusiasts queuing around the block to gain entry to the hallowed space of St Andrews Hall to sample their latest creations: not everything put on in this medieval monastic complex is ecclesiastical in nature! Cakes. Folk are spoilt for choice when it comes to cakes. At home, the cup-cake craze of recent years has not passed the county by. It is very good for children as the basic sponge base can be quite simple to make whilst the iced top can be as imaginative as you like, often looking far too good to eat. You will see many beautiful examples on sale at Farmers’ Markets and in Farm shops, as well as more ambitious ‘serious’ cakes utilising local produce such as honey, apples, cherries etc. There are also a number of excellent commercial caterers who specialise in their own-recipes cakes, chocolates and sweets. Children’s events. Some events, such as the Norfolk ‘highest jelly’ competition each year, are pure fun and guaranteed to make the young ones think about the textures and properties of foodstuffs (although what a few add to their basic jelly mix to make it stand up does not bear thinking about!) There is also a ‘Spring Fling’ in the Easter holidays at Costessey Showground where children from 4 to 14 can try their hand at making bread and sausages, watch eggs hatching and come into maybe their first close contact with birds and animals. Our own ‘home-grown’ chefs of the future may well become inspired here. Colmans. Jeremiah Colman was a Victorian entrepreneur par excellence. He introduced his famous mustard in a factory down by the river in early Victorian times. He was very unusual in that he cared for the workforce in a groundbreaking way – there was an ideal village (still there) where his employees might enjoy good housing and sanitation; he appointed a medical team to care for them; and his wife, in the early days anyway, produced a nutritious lunch of stew and bread for all which cost 3d (old pennies). When he died, his funeral cortege was said to be followed by grieving feature by:

Steve Browning Writer @returningperson

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FINEFood crowds as large as that which attended similar evens for the great and the good in London. He is buried in Rosary Cemetery, not far from the station in Norwich. Delia. ‘Our Delia’, ‘The First Lady of Norwich’ or possibly just ‘Delia’, Delia Smith is the most influential cook of modern times. Along with many others, I remember how she saved my bacon (sorry) at Uni by teaching me that cooking is not an impossible art even for an impoverished and ham-fisted (Oh dear) student. She currantly (bad to worse) has a restaurant in Norwich Football Ground. She is a Director of the Club and has been known to stand in the middle of the pitch and demand more support from the fans when things are not going too well. Eating well on a budget. I well remember, when I was a college teacher, that we had a catering department that ran a very fine restaurant at lunchtimes. It was in our neighbouring county of Essex. The students were encouraged to produce food of an international standard for a moderate fee. All the local great-andthe-good came in. I was late one time, and I remember the starter offered was either garlic mushrooms or snails. ‘Mushrooms are off, Sir’ (they recognised me, you see, as their not-always-beloved lecturer in the very hard subject of English). ‘We have French escargot, with lots of garlic. I am sure you would like that, Sir, especially cos’ you always encourage us to be broad-minded’. ‘Of course. Thank you, James’. I think I was with the deputy mayor and his wife. They got mushrooms. I didn’t, and my snails had enough garlic to blow your shoes. They were like rubber bombs that pulverised my insides for days. If you are out there, James, wherever you are, someday I will get you… There are an increasing number of student-run dining rooms in our county and it is a fine way to have an excellent lunch at a much smaller cost than a meal of equivalent standard would cost in a commercial restaurant. And, of course, it is very helpful to the students. Farmhouse Breakfast Week. This is an event that takes place in the county in the often dark days of January when folk are encouraged to try a new type of breakfast. It is part of folklore that a good breakfast will set you up for the day: well, here, is a wonderful chance to maybe try ducks’ eggs rather than chickens’, or Sourdough bread as opposed to plain white (heartily recommended). Many restaurants will also put on special luxury breakfast packages. 56 | August 2016

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FINEFood Good medicine and nice smells. If you wandered the streets of Norwich a couple of hundred years ago, the stench from raw sewage chucked out of windows, to say nothing of the – by present standards – general smelliness of you fellow man, was checked by holding a cut orange to the nose. Should you be invited to attend a banquet alongside important folk – perhaps to celebrate the victory of Waterloo – it maybe expected that you would wash and then cover yourself in a light coating of cornflour to which had been added a few essential oils. This absorbed the sweat and made you less obnoxious to those in the immediate vicinity. Much of our present medicine is based on old remedies – dock leaves for an aching leg, mustard baths for headaches and colds, garlic as an antiseptic, and ginger for perking you up and banishing the blues. There is still much to the Norfolk medical folklore to be scientifically explored Harvest. There is no more beautiful sight than Norfolk at Harvest time. When I was at school in Heacham, I remember the fabulous array of produce that we would bring into our local church which we kids would look at in wonder while singing ‘We plough the fields and scatter the good seed on the land? And all is fed and watered by God’s Almighty hand…’ I didn’t realize, tho’, that harvesting is not fixed in time but varies each year depending on the soil conditions, the weather – and we have lots of that in Norfolk – and other one-off things such as the breeding cycle of predators like rabbits. In other words it is an art born of long association with Norfolk’s idiosyncrasies. Have a go yourself… More and more folk are growing their own food as allotments rocket in popularity, as we highlight earlier in these pages

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Is? Is the Cromer Crab better than other crabs? Yes, of course it is. Jams, juices and jellies. We would venture a guess that in Norfolk we have more small enterprises producing these than anywhere else in the land. Chilli jelly, organic apple juice, gooseberry and ginger preserve and all sorts can be obtained fresh as you like at Farmers’ Markets. Kippers. It is possible that the kipper – a split and smoked herring – was invented by accident. A fisherman by the name of John Woodger had a massive catch of herring in Yarmouth in 1850. He sold some but, not knowing what to do with the rest, he hung them in a hut, kept arm by oak chippings and sawdust, for some days. And Lo! When he returned to sort out his catch, he found he had invented something new to eat. The bloater was subsequently ‘invented’ – this is much the same but the complete fish is smoked and also for a shorter time. A North Norfolk idea for cooking herring is to cut off the head, split open, and simmer for about seven/eight minutes: add lemon juice and butter (parsley butter is even better). Alternatively, wipe with goose fat (left over in the Victorian kitchen from your goose at Christmas) and griddle or hang above the kitchen fire. As a special treat, cover with boiling beer and leave for thirty minutes: serve with egg sauce and bread. 58 | August 2016

From 1270 Great Yarmouth held a great fortyday Herring Fair, famous throughout the land. As late as 1890 Hewett’s Short Blue Fleet comprised 220 smacks and fish carriers. Lavender. Norfolk Lavender in Heacham was only founded in 1932 and now exports worldwide. Most people are aware of lavender, soaps, oils, perfumes, creams and room fragrances but how many of us use it in the kitchen? It is quite strong but, used sparingly, is it fantastic. To begin, maybe dry some lavender – just hang up some fresh-cut flowers by their stalks in the kitchen – and crush the flowers into a jar of caster sugar. This can be sprinkled on ice cream, apple pie or cake. Dried lavender on its own can be stored for a year or so and can be used in all manner of savoury dishes and condiments – put some in your bread maker; mix with honey and Colman’s original mustard powder for eating with beef or gammon. Lavender honey is very special and sought after by aficionados, but only a small amount is produced each year and it sells out in double quick time. Sea lavender is an entirely different plant and very popular with bees and honey-makers. Regrettably, it is very hard to find now.

for serving only mushrooms for every course in all their infinite flavours and textures. In Norfolk, ideal growing conditions can be found in the disused airfield buildings of the last World War. The Norfolk Flat is brilliant and maybe someday a brave entrepreneur will feel confident enough to emulate our friends in the Far East. Norfolk Dumpling. In Victorian times, the Norfolk Dumpling got a bad reputation in some seaside resorts on the North Norfolk coats, notably Canister on Sea. Holiday makers reported that the guest houses would provide too many at dinner time, the obvious charge being that they were designed to blunt the appetite before the expensive meat course. Whatever the truth of the accusation, they are a Norfolk custom in their own right, being balls made of flour and water which are the thrown into a boiling pan for twenty minutes. They are generally eaten with gravy before a meal or with treacle

Mushrooms and World War Two. One of the great joys of visiting China or Taiwan is experiencing the variety and mushrooms on offer – one of the most satisfying meals I ever had was in a restaurant in the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung which was famous www.finecity.co.uk

FINEFood afterwards. It is not considered right to use a knife and fork, but two forks only, to eat them. Organic. Very much the current ‘buzzword’ in healthy food Pears. Three famous varieties which date back to the 18th and 19th Centuries are the fieryflushed, sweet and small Robin (ready for eating late summer) and grown in the county for hundreds of years; Hacon’s Incomparable, medium-sized and excellent for cooking as it won’t fall apart; and Blickling, which is really good for keeping and was first introduced to the world by the Head Gardener of the country house, Mr Allan Starter idea: Robin pears, washed, served whole with Stilton cheese. Salty and sweet, crumbly and juicy, simple and rich all at the same time! A word about Norfolk dialect: ‘pear’, ‘pair’ and ‘pier’ are all pronounced the same, so a visitor might look a bit confused if a Cromer resident says that ‘the best place to buy a pair of pears is on the fruit stall by the pier’. Quintessentially Norfolk food? Mustard, turkeys, chocolate, sugar, fish and chips, Samphire, organic veggies, kippers, lobsters… Raw Food. This is a small, but increasing, movement in Norfolk, the idea being that you do not kill off essential vitamins and minerals

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by cooking. We have all had ‘smoothies’, which are fantastic, and you can make some amazing cakes. Especially good for detox, the idea is big in New Zealand. Proponents point out that, humans apart, no other species know how to cook and they are doing just fine. Restaurants. ‘Norfolk? Restaurants? ’ ‘A joke?’ Not at all, although the rise of fine establishments to rival London has been so quick and impressive that many folk are taken by surprise. In Victorian times, many ‘top’ people fell in love with pristine communities such as Hunstanton, Cromer and Overstrand. This fell away, not helped at all by Dr Beeching, who closed many of the railways. Now we have another very welcome ‘invasion’ by top chefs. They may not always have known where Norfolk was to begin with – one told me that he thought Norfolk was ‘somewhere on the northern outskirts of London’ – but, once here, many don’t want to go home Samphire. June is the time to put on the wellies and go down to the muddy marshes of the Norfolk Coast to pick this wonderful free food. If you go to London, you’ll likely get exactly the same thing with plaice or lamb but it will cost a daft amount of money as it is very trendy in Notting Hill restaurants and increasingly rare. Named after the Patron Saint of fishermen, ‘Saint Pierre’ because it originally grew in rocky or marshy parts of the coast, it is sometimes

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In Norfolk, the finest county, we have a unique selling point in our food and food history. 60 | August 2016

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FINEFood called ‘poor man’s asparagus’. It can be eaten hot with butter, cold in salads or pickled. It was also once used to make soap. Shakespeare refers to the dangers of finding it among the rocks: ‘Half-way down Hangs one that gathers samphire; dreadful trade!’ (Hamlet, Act IV). Slow Food. This is an antidote to Fast Food and comes from Italy where, in the 1980s, Carlo Petrini began a war against the setting up of a fast food restaurant in Rome’s historic heart. The towns taking a lead in the ‘battle’ are called Cittaslow towns and these include Aylsham and Diss in Norfolk. In Aylsham, it all began with a Slow Breakfast for over 100 when, in January 2005, local muesli, bread, sausages, bacon and eggs were enjoyed by all. Much to the surprise of nay-sayers, the whole thing has snowballed and there are lots of ‘slow’ events all year round culminating in the annual fair in October. Smokehouses. Cley Smokehouse is one of the few remaining smokehouses in the county. It smokes much sought-after kippers, eels, salmon, haddock, trout, duck, bacon, prawns etc. The smoking process goes back several hundred years. Take herring, for example. It would come in fresh from the sea, be washed, gutted and then smoked in huge stainless steel ovens on the premises. What you got depended on the way it was treated. A bloater? Well, that is a complete fish, smoked to produce a lighter ‘smoky’ flavour and extremely juicy. A kipper? That is spilt, gutted and put in the smoking oven and left until it is dry but still succulent. A Red Herring? Now you are talking! This is the same fish but smoked for three weeks until it turns a distinct orangey colour There is cold smoking and hot smoking. On the whole, with the former, the food would still

need to be cooked; with the latter, it could be eaten straight away. Other foods have also been traditionally smoked – cheese, vegetables, plums and even teas. There is still a thriving business in some countries – where the smoking is away from the main dwelling house, for smell and fire issues – in all manner of smoking appliances. Taste Tourism. In these hard economic times, every part of the kingdom has to fight for income. In Norfolk, the finest county, we have a unique selling point in our food and food history. We have always had the best beer, chocolate, mustard, sausages, crabs, herrings, pork pies and veggies, if not always up there with the Continent in respect of our breads,

pastries and wines. This latter is now being addressed in spectacular fashion. ‘Taste Tourism’ has become an important part of the economy. Utterly. Can be applied to many Norfolk foods, like mustard, lobster and kippers. As in ‘utterly fantastic’. Vegetarianism. If you are creative, you can do wondrous things with the fresh, local veggies, eggs and – increasingly - cheeses. But Norfolk people don’t go a bundle on processed vegetarian foods such as ham, chicken, sausages etc. There’s not much of this in the shops. Whitebait Feast. Whitebait was a great delicacy in the 19th Century – there is no such fish, actually, ‘whitebait’ being the young and tiny sprats and herrings which travel together in great shoals for safety. London restaurants could not get enough. Each Whit Monday until the turn of the twentieth century the ‘Whitebait Feast’ was enjoyed all along the Norfolk Coast. Local Victorian recipes for preparing Whitebait included pickling, smoking, boiling, frying, fermenting or eating it raw. The fishes – ‘twoeyed steaks’ – are extremely nutritious. X- Factor. Well, yes, our food has that, doesn’t it? Yummy. Nuff said. Zzz… Quite excusable after a fabulous Norfolk lunch or dinner. This article is taken from ‘Norfolk Food Heroes’, by Daniel Tink and Stephen Browning and published by Halsgrove at £14.99

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All-New Renault Mégane GT Nav 1.6 TCe 205 EDC

he all new Renault Mégane GT 205 is a frenetic French fiend on the straights and on twisty turns of tarmac, too.

Like many warm-hatches, this car can actually be used as family motor, although the rear seats are perhaps better for the short of leg or for the kids. The boot is top-notch, though, and will fit a pram and the shopping in, no probs. Priced at only £25,500, Renault is bound to attract punters to this fourth generation of its 20-year-old Mégane range. Highpoints include a 1.6-litre petrol-turbo power unit, derived from Renault’s Clio RS 200. It produces a muscly 205PS and 207lb-ft of torque. Just like the Renault Clio, it comes with a factory-fitted EDC (Efficient Dual Clutch) seven-speed auto gearbox. The Renault Mégane GT 205 is buttressed by the French manufacturer’s four-year-old CMF (Common Module Family) platform. However, Renault Sport has sprinkled magic dust over the dampers, springs, engine breathing and steering ratio to make everything feel very 62 | August 2016

2016/2017. And you can let Renault off for sticking a fake tailpipe on – the twin exhaust look does work very well indeed. The automaker’s Sport division has also tweaked the Renault Mégane GT 205’s 4Control four-wheel steering. Shift it into RS mode and sub-50mph the car’s rear-wheels steer 2.7 degrees in the other direction to the front-wheels, honing turn-in on the bendier bits of bitumen. Beyond 50mph the front wheels operate 1.0 degree in the same direction, encouraging high-speed plantedness. The Renault Mégane GT 205 is one of a kind when it comes to its interior touchscreen. It’s the only car in its segment to house a vast portrait oriented 8.7-inch screen. This is accompanied by other tech that raises the bar even higher. Kit includes traffic sign recognition, launch control and attractive LED headlights. The Renault Mégane GT 205 sounds as awesome as it performs. Although, like the dummy exhaust, the sound isn’t all real. Some of the racing refrains are cleverly fed into the cabin through the car’s speakers.

The seven-cog auto ‘box is smooth and kicksdown nicely when you press on for pace. The gear selector paddles work well for manual shifting and look the business. You won’t use them though; I did for about five-minutes, but soon left it to the capable EDC transmission to do its job. Zigzagging my way across some of Britain’s rural routes, it became obvious just how capable the all-new Renault Mégane GT 205 is on corners. There’s little, if any, body lean and it’s all very comfortable, regardless of the stiffer, sportier suspension. That only becomes noticeable if you hit a particularly feature by:

Tim Barnes-Clay Writer @carwriteups

www.finecity.co.uk

FINEmotors

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2016 August | 63

FINEARTS motors large rut – but then pothole-peppered roads affect the ride in any car. There are lots of things to love about the all-new Renault Mégane GT 205. It’s a fun, energetic, agile and relatively practical five-door hatch – it’s also a handsome beast. You can’t go wrong with the £25,500 price-tag either. PROS ‘N’ CONS • Performance ✓ • Handling ✓ • Price ✓ • Kit ✓ •R ear legroom ✗ FAST FACTS • Max speed: 143 mph • 0-62 mph: 7.1 secs • Combined mpg: 47.1 • Engine layout: 1616cc 4-cylinder 16v turbo petrol • Max. power (ps): 205 • CO2: 134 g/km Price: £25,500

64 | August 2016

www.finecity.co.uk

Competition FINEmotors

Win A Mini! or £10,000 cash!

All you have to do is complete the following sections and return your form to ensure it is included in the draw. Or you can enter online at: www.WinaMini.website Only one entry per household Your Name:

How much is your home phone bill?

Your Address:

Would you like to pay less than that?

YES

Are you a home owner OR over 30 years old?

YES

Your landline contact number:

Would you like to have an extra income?

YES

Your email address:

Please send your entry to: C/O FineCity, Queens House, Queens Square, Attleborough, Norfolk NR17 2AE

Postcode:

The last prize draw took place in Telford on 20th March 2016. www.finecity.co.uk

Terms and Conditions apply. Go to www.winamini.website for full T’s & C’s

The winner was from King’s Lynn in Norfolk 2016 August | 65

FINEAdvice

Marketing

Join in our Success Story Welcome to the ‘FineAdvice’ section of FineCity Magazine About Us:

In a fast moving world, where the media seem to be ever more distant from people’s real concerns, it is vital that community lifestyle magazines like FineCity Magazine find and print the information and news that is important to local people. That’s where we come in; two years ago we added FineCity Magazine to our portfolio of publications which include; Dispatch Magazine in Attleborough & Diss and a second publication in Wymondham & Dereham. We also publish Norfolk on My Mind for North Norfolk and Suffolk on My Mind for Suffolk. Over the fifteen years we have been publishing magazines our publications have become some of the most well respected community lifestyle magazines, and a “must-read” across a Norfolk & Suffolk. Our distribution is enormous; Dispatch is delivered Free of Charge Door to Door to 30,000 homes and businesses. FineCity

Magazine is delivered or collected around the City centre by 12,000 people each month, and Norfolk on My Mind has 10,000 copies available for pick up across 800 pick up locations. Suffolk on My Mind is seen by 10,000 people in Bury St Edmunds and across Suffolk. This gives us a combined readership of 155,000 every month.

FineCity Magazine is growing throughout Norwich, now with a 12,000 print run every month, and available for pick up at our prestige partner locations which includes; John Lewis, Waitrose, Jarrold, Cinema City, MadderMarket, The Theatre Royal, The Forum, Norwich Library, The Norwich Tourist Information Centre, Norwich Airport, Castle Mall and Intu Chapelfield, and further copies are delivered Door to Door around Eaton, Cringleford, Easton, Newmarket Road and The Golden Triangle area of Norwich.

FineCity Magazine: Promote your business in our ‘FineAdvice’ section in our rapidly growing FineCity Magazine. We are inviting just one company from a few specialist market sectors, to feature in our new ‘FineAdvice’ section with a combination of editorial and an advert on a full page, in the same design and layout as this page is being presented to you. We are offering you the full page (normal cost £505.00) for just the cost of a half page advert £295.00. You pay for the advert we’ll give you the editorial (425 words) for FREE.

Come and join FineCity and be part of our success story!

The FineAdvice section is designed to offer readers advice, and enable your company to be the exclusive provider. Advice by:

In addition to the above, we will also include your company within our daily tweets and Facebook page completely free of charge.

FineCity Magazine @finecitymag 01953 456789

Meet The Family FineCity Magazine

Dispatch Magazine 2016

Norfolk On My Mind Magazine 2016

Suffolk On My Mind Magazine 2016

Issue 57

August

2016

It’s Ha p in Hin pening gham We tak arounde a look the his at village torical Hingh of am

FINEPL ACE

FINEFO OD

FINEEV ENTS

66 | August 2016

FINEAR TS

FINELIV ING

SUME FineCit IMAG y Fro ES Daniel nt Cover ph otogra Tink sh pher ow ca ses so m his am azing im e of ages www.finecity.co.uk WHAT Fine o ut in th ’S ON e Fine Events sectio n

FINEAdvice

Utilities

Utility Warehouse

Have you claimed your FREE energy-efficient LED light bulbs yet?

live locally and I represent a company that will replace every light bulb in your home with the latest energy-efficient LED bulbs, completely free of charge, thus saving you around 11% OFF your electricity bill forever! Free LED light bulbs typically worth £300-£500 They are bright, fully dimmable, light-up instantly, and use around 15 times less electricity than traditional light bulbs. Free expert installation by a team of professional fully trained fitters; they’ll visit your home and install your new LED light bulbs at a convenient time for you — completely free of charge. Free lifetime guarantee If a light bulb ever needs replacing, you’ll be sent a new one in the post — so you’ll never have to buy another light bulb again!

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Lower electricity bills - forever! In addition to helping to save the planet, your new LED bulbs will reduce your electricity bills by around 11% — FOREVER Who’s behind this initiative? It’s being provided by Utility Warehouse, the Nation’s most trusted utility supplier. In addition to gas and electricity, they provide landline, broadband and mobile giving you the convenience of all your utilities on one monthly bill. Utility Warehouse is operated by Telecom Plus PLC, a major British company whose shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange. The company provides its members with great value, great savings and the best possible customer service. Perhaps it’s not surprising that, in a survey, 93% of Utility Warehouse customers said they would recommend them to a friend. Utility Warehouse is very different to other suppliers because they’re a club - a Discount Club. They don’t have any high street shops and because (unlike their competitors) they don’t spend customers’ money on expensive

advertising campaigns on TV, they can afford to charge their customers less for the same services. They have also received numerous awards from Which? Magazine and Moneywise, and have around 600,000 satisfied customers. As a member of Utility Warehouse, you SAVE... • Single supplier for all your utilities • Award-winning customer service • Value that’s unbeatable • Easy to switch • Ready to claim your FREE LED light bulbs? Please don’t hesitate to contact me today. I’ll be delighted to explain how it works.

Advice by:

Jonathan Horswell Mentor @jonathanhorswel 07802 690589

2016 August | 67

FINEAdvice When was the last time you had a hearing test? By Karen Finch, audiologist and Managing Director of The Hearing Care Centre

an you remember when you last had your hearing tested? If you can’t remember or have never had one, you certainly are not alone. A recent study* highlighted that in the United Kingdom over half the population (53%) have never had a hearing test carried out. If you asked yourself when was your last dental check-up or visit to the opticians, you would probably say in the last 2 years. So why do we not take the same care with our hearing? There are currently 10 million people in the UK who are hard of hearing and our lifestyle means that the condition is becoming increasingly prevalent. Once an issue associated with old age, now anyone can find their hearing isn’t what it used to be. Thankfully, with the use of accurate diagnostics and fantastic hearing assistive

68 | August 2016

Health technology - it’s often an easily solved problem. A large part of the problem is that many of us presume, wrongly, that it isn’t something that could affect us. In fact, it’s thought that 18,000 of us are experiencing noise-induced hearing loss caused by or exacerbated by our workplace environment or hobbies. If you suspect you or a friend is experiencing difficulties with their hearing consider the list below: • Do you ask others to repeat themselves? • Do friends complain that the TV is too loud? • Does it become difficult to follow a conversation in background noise? • Does it seem to you as if people are mumbling? If you answered YES to any of these questions, you may have a hearing loss. If you have yet to have a hearing assessment, do not suffer in silence with an issue that can be readily addressed with hearing technology. If you are feeling hesitant about taking the next step remember that you are not alone. Consider the improvements in quality of life experienced by individuals who take action and address their hearing loss.

The experience can be life changing - hearing aid users say they grow in confidence, communicating in groups becomes easier and less stressful and they begin to enjoy life again. Our hearing allows us to connect with our surroundings and communicate with our loved ones. The ability to hear properly can go along way in helping to stay active. Correct communication with family and friends can mean the difference between a fun and enjoyable day out or a confusing and frustrating day. Book a hearing test with me or one of my colleagues at The Hearing Care Centre and start your journey to better hearing. Karen Finch is the Managing Director and lead audiologist at The Hearing Care Centre. The multi-award winning, family-run company has 22 centres across Suffolk and Norfolk. For more information visit www.hearingcarecentre.co.uk or call 01473 230330. *The study which was carried out by EHIMA (European Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association), focused on the UK, Switzerland and France, with over 43,000 people surveyed.

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FINEAdvice

Money What does success mean to you? If you want things to be different, YOU have to do it. Life doesn’t have a remote control, you have to change it!

re you looking for a change? Looking for something different? Need more money? Want to take control of your life? Or perhaps you’re bored or broke?

There are lots of massive opportunities out there if you’re energetic & ambitious and if you really want to create a better life for yourself and your family. If that sounds like you, I’d like to introduce you to a fantastic business opportunity that you can work around your other commitments, like your current job or childcare etc. Just choose one of the following which is most important to you? • Extra income • Financial freedom • Get out of debt • More free time

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• Have your own business • Personal development • Help others • Early retirement

of his how this business works. Last month he got paid for that conversation for the 216th time for that 35 minute chat, 18 years ago. That’s Residual Income explained!

Now, just ask yourself these few questions, and be completely honest with yourself when you answer them; Why did you pick that one? Why is that important to you? What are the consequences of not having that opportunity? And Why would that worry you?

So… how soon can you spare 10 minutes so I can answer all the questions I know you’ll have, and explain how this award-winning and trusted company can help you achieve what you want?

Do you fancy earning ‘Residual Income’ with my full help and support and the backing of a fast-growing FTSE 250 PLC, which provides the opportunity to build a substantial longterm “Residual Income” alongside your other commitments? Residual income (also called passive income) is income that continues to be generated after the initial effort has been made. Compare this to what most people focus on earning: linear income, which is “one-shot” compensation or payment in the form of a fee, wage, commission or salary which is directly proportional to the number of hours invested in it - 40 hours of pay for 40 hours of work. Here’s an example of Residual Income; In 1998 my college spent 35 minutes showing a friend

Remember this: “If you think it’s to good to be true, I still get paid. If you take a look and join me, we BOTH get paid. If you don’t join me, well I still get paid!” I can help you, but you have to take the next step, which is call or text me now: 07802 690589 or visit my website for more information: www. JonathanHorswell. co.uk

Advice by:

Jonathan Horswell Mentor @jonathanhorswel 07802 690589

2016 August | 69

FINEDirectory Shepherd’s Crook Shepherd’s Crook is extremely sumptuous with full-size double bed, freesat flatscreen TV, and fully equipped kitchen including fridge and dishwasher. And unlike a lot of shepherd’s huts, our WC and shower is truly en-suite - you don’t need to go outside! Based on the edge of Framlingham Suffolk

Call Becky on 07778 381953 for availability.

We stopped to look at our favourite view It’s the little things that make a funeral special Here for you every hour of every day

0800 0744362

www.eastofengland.coop/funerals for your local funeral director

70 | August 2016

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FINETweetS Spider Creative Media

FineCity Magazine

Dispatch Magazine

Norfolk On My Mind

Stunning responsive websites from the creators of Dispatch Magazine and FineCity Magazine. We Design, Build & Host.

FineCity Magazine is THE premier lifestyle magazine for the fine city of Norwich. Available for collection throughout the city centre. Also read online.

Dispatch Magazine is YOUR Community magazine in: Attleborough, Bury St Edmunds, Dereham, Diss, Watton and Wymondham. We have 152,000 readers every month!

Norfolk’s Premier FREE Lifestyle Magazine

SmithTurnerMarketing SmithTurner offers a great service in design, distribution, copywrite, social media, websites and direct marketing for Norfolk, Suffolk and beyond

Jonathan Trumbull

The Unthank Arms

The Waffle House

Top notch fashion since 1971, East Anglia’s

A lively pub, with a warm, relaxed

A buzzing, established family friendly

premier clothes shop for men. Armani, Paul

atmosphere, great food with a great wine

restaurant. Sweet & savoury crisp light

Smith, Hugo Boss, Stone Island, Burberry.

list. Fab garden and courtyard.Perfect for

Belgian waffles. Organic & free range

weddings, parties, BBQ’s and a good laugh

ingredients all at affordable prices.

Jake Evans

WorkingTitleClothes

Muffin Break

Roots

Designer at Jok Design, a multidisciplined

Independent menswear shop with brands and

An amazing place full of freshly baked goodies

Coffee Shop and Restaurant that shouts

design studio based in Norwich.

award winning @greysealcoffee in The Lanes.

and yummy coffee, see you in store soon :)

about Norfolk and the lovely people in it. Open

Contact: martin@workingtitleclothing.com

Swagger & Jacks

TheatreRoyalNorwich

Swagger & Jacks is a Gentlemen’s Grooming

Biggest and best regional theatre in the East.

Barbershop situated at 6 St Benedict’s

Range of high quality shows all year round.

Street, Norwich (Opposite Pizza Express).

Fully accessible. Tickets from £7/£8. 3 bars,

For appointments call 01603 611 000

1 Café Restaurant.

www.finecity.co.uk

10-5pm Serving Lunch 11-30pm-2.30pm.

The Norfolk Boutique Follow us on Twitter @BoutiqueNorfolk 2016 August | 71