WEST HOVE THE
May 2015
DIRECTORY
Back Pain? In-Clinic X-Ray Free On-Site Parking Excellent Results
best practice chiropractic
01273 560 888 Got around to making a Will yet? See page 35
MONTHLY BUSINESS DIRECTORY AND COMMUNITY NEWS FOR WEST HOVE
2
p u e z e bre to the Downs ids go
77
k
! E E FR flets See lea ails for det
You can now breeze up to Stanmer Park and Devil’s Dyke by bus seven days a week, and up to Ditchling Beacon at weekends. 5477
For times, fares, leaflets and walk ideas, go to www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/breezebuses or call 01273 292480 Or visit www.traveline.info/se to plan all your journeys.
to advertise in the west hove directory please call 01273 551021
Welcome... Page 5 Skeleton at Hove Lagoon Page 6/7 Old Photo Page 9 Local Events Page 11 Local Person Page 13 Local Events Page 15 West Hove Forum Page 19 Gardening Page 21 Catering Business Page 23 Toto Cat Feeding Page 25 Hove Civic Society Page 27 Local News Page 29 Funk the Family Page 31 Local News Page 33 Interfaith Event Page 34 List of Advertisers
3
Welcome to May’s edition Welcome to our May edition of your local West Hove publication and we are delighted to bring you a bumper edition this month with our largest magazine since we started dropping them through your letter boxes back in 2011! We follow up last month’s interview with international superstar Norman Cook with yet another coup this month whereby we feature an interview with locally connected Peter James, the crime writer who has recently won an award for being the best crime writer of all time! Have a read of page 5. With the festival featuring pretty prominently locally throughout May we have several items about some local things going on that you may be interested in. We also have other events featured as well as an interview with a local West Hove person which is very worthy of a read and is a reminder of the interesting and talented people we have living in our area. We hope you enjoy this month’s edition and have a great May!! See you all next month... The West Hove Directory Team info@westhovedirectory.co.uk Cover picture: Hove Lagoon by Peter Spells Publisher: Sussex Magazines Ltd.Ltd. 10 Hollingbury Road, BN1 7JA info@westhovedirectory.co.uk Printer: Gemini Distributors: Kempster The views expressed by individuals in any letter or article included at the discretion of the publishers are not necessarily the views of the Editor. Whilst every care has been taken in compiling this magazine and the statements contained herein are believed to be correct, the publishers of this publication will not hold themselves responsible for any inaccuracies. Inclusion of advertisers in this magazine is not necessarily a recommendation but we do hope they give a good quality service. No part of the publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior permission of the publishers and contributors. We take complaints you make about our advertisers seriously. We have the following policy on this: First complaint about an advertiser is logged here in our offices, if we receive another complaint we write to the advertiser concerned and notify them we have had two complaints and if we receive another complaint we will no longer accept their adverts. If and when a third complaint arrives we will verify that all complaints received were genuine and inform the advertiser that we will no longer be promoting their business and inform them why.
please send your local news to info@westhovedirectory.co.uk
4
ALL YOUR BUILDING NEEDS COMPLETE REFURBISHMENTS EXTENSIONS LOFT CONVERSIONS
CARPENTRY KITCHENS BATHROOMS PLUMBING ELECTRICS ROOFING
For a FREE No Obligation Quotation e-mail or call:
Office: 01273 509870 Mobile: 07789 722 741 st philips adv4
E-mail: atconstruction@hotmail.com 3/2/15
17:03
Page 1
St. Philips Church Hall Church Hall available for parties, events, wedding receptions & family parties
Use of kitchen
Wheelchair access and toilet facilities
Tables and chairs available
Off-road parking
Please call the Church Hall Lettings Department on 07808 154203 St. Philips Church Hall
New Church Road, Hove
BN3 4BB
to advertise in the west hove directory please call 01273 551021
LOCAL person...
5
This month we are delighted to feature internationally acclaimed crime writer Peter James...
SKELETON FOUND AT HOVE LAGOON! Peter James was born in Brighton and recently won the WH Smith award for The Best Crime Author of All Time. His 11th Roy Grace novel, You Are Dead, is published on 21st May and begins with a skeleton discovered at Hove Lagoon! West Hove and Shoreham Harbour are often mentioned in your books and Roy Grace owns a house here. Do you have any connections with the area? I lived my first four years as a child in Carlisle Road, Hove – and the Lagoon is almost at the bottom of it! I used to love playing with my toy boats on the Lagoon and whiled away many happy hours of my childhood
I lived my first four years as a child in Carlisle Road there. I was also fascinated, throughout my childhood, with Shoreham Harbour. When I was eight, and we lived in Withdean Road, I was given my first bicycle and allowed to go where I wanted. I regularly biked down to Shoreham Harbour and would spend hours there, looking at the cargo ships with their exotic foreign flags and strange names, watching the cranes and derricks at work, the bunkering station, the dredgers out in the harbour mouth. I found it all utterly fascinating and absorbing. Tell us more about your latest book… Well, a couple of years ago my friend, Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim), jokingly said to me, “Hey, why can’t you have a dead body near my Big Beach Café in Hove Lagoon?” So I thought. Ok!!!! YOU ARE DEAD begins with a young woman, Logan, driving home from work and into the underground car park of the flat she shares with her boyfriend, Jamie, in Kemp Town. As she enters the badly lit, rather spooky car park she sees a man in the shadows and is scared by him. Moments later her boyfriend, driving down the M23 from work and heading home, gets a phone call from her, saying she is not happy about this creepy looking man in the car park. Jamie tells her to drive straight back out. But an instant later she screams and the phone goes dead. Jamie phones the police who race around to the car park. They find her car there, neatly parked, but she has vanished That same evening workmen digging up an asphalt path outside the Big Beach Café in Hove Lagoon unearth the skeletal remains of a woman who has been dead for 30 years. At first to Roy Grace it seems there can be no possible connection. But gradually, as more women disappear, he begins to realize Brighton may have its first serial killer in 80 years.
We’ve heard you are doing a reading at The Big Beach Café with Norman Cook… I am indeed doing this on the evening of Tuesday May 26th. Norman is going to be doing readings from my book. But don’t worry, I promise I’m not going to be singing!!! A play based on the first Roy Grace novel is currently touring the country. How is that going? The stage play of DEAD SIMPLE is on a six-months tour (all details on www.deadsimpletheplay.co.uk) and is playing to packed houses everywhere. In Brighton it was sold out for the entire week and they had to put on an extra matinee. For those who missed it in Brighton it will be in Worthing in July. It has been very cleverly adapted by Shaun McKenna, who adapted my previous play THE PERFECT MURDER which toured last year. There are some really terrific shocks in the play – and the ending is totally different to the book, which I really like, and will make it a fresh experience for anyone who knows the novel. Is there any news on plans for a TV series or a film? There is going to be some news quite soon now. There is a lot happening behind the scenes that is very exciting and I hope to be in a position to make an announcement regarding a planned Roy Grace TV series within the next few months. ‘You Are Dead’ by Peter James (Pan Macmillan £20) is published on 21st May. For more details on the book reading, see www.peterjames.com.
please send your local news to info@westhovedirectory.co.uk
6
L AWRENCE ART STUDIO
LEARN TO DRAW AND PAINT
OLD PHOTO... KINGSWAY Kingsway in 1926 showing the newly made-up road. Note the large expanse of empty ground beyond, extending as far as Erroll Road. The garage was built in 1923, just to the west of what is now Saxon Road. Building on the vacant land to the west did not start until 1928, when the extensive Miles Nursery came onto the market. Thanks to the Regency Society for this image from their photographic archives, The James Gray Collection. You can see thousands more historic pictures of Brighton and Hove at www.regencysociety-jamesgray.com
Spacious, new Art Studio in Hove. Professional, tutored classes. Suitable for all levels.
• Life Drawing • Oils • Watercolour • Portraiture
To book a place or for more information go to, Facebook search: Art Classes BN3 or call 01273 505201 www.artclasseshove.co.uk
Reliable secretarial/office support (home or office based)
Do you need some extra help with admin tasks/paperwork? Local Hove Lady 30+ years office experience, incl e-mails and social media,can help with mail-outs, typing, sorting files etc Driver with own transport Call: 07572778270
to advertise in the west hove directory please call 01273 551021
7
WESTBOURNE GREENGROCERS 120 Portland Rd Open 7 days a week
Domestic Ovens Cleaned We also clean hobs, hoods and microwaves NO SMELL NO MESS ALL AREAS COVERED
All burnt carbon removed All cleaned to a pristine condition Call today for a FREE quote
DIRTY OVENS?
08456 030702 www.dirtyovens.co.uk
please send your local news to info@westhovedirectory.co.uk
es Rang Also gas &A
8
Is Pain ruining your life? Excellent Results for Sciatica Back & Neck Pain Headaches Arthritic Pain
Having suffered with a bad back for very many years I finally came on the recommendation of a friend. I am very pleased, not only has my back improved enormously under their care but I have felt encouraged to keep up a good fitness regime. Kathy
Free On-Site Parking Ground Floor Clinic In-Clinic X-Ray
Start Your Recovery Today
(01273) 560 888
www.chiropractor-brighton.co.uk
best practice chiropractic
34 Dyke Road Avenue, Brighton BN1 5LB
bespoke kitchens and furniture kitchens • bedroom furniture • storage • garage conversions
hillscarpentry.co.uk to advertise in the west hove directory please call 01273 551021
9
LOCAL event... There are lots of things going on in May and plenty to get involved in. Here are a couple more local events...
COME ON, BOYS...SHOW US YOUR BALLS! (Fear not, we supply those) Brighton Big Balls is back to protect those man parts. Brighton’s premier comedy run returns this May 10th in aid of male cancer charity Orchid, which focuses on prostate, penile and testicular cancers. The event sees entrants stumble over the beaches, groynes and man-made comedy obstacles of the city whilst carrying two large gym balls under their arms. The race number on the entrant’s hand matches the number on their balls and they must finish with their own balls. Apart from that - there are no rules! Brighton Big Balls has also become a spectator sport with celebrities such as Fatboy Slim plus Tom and Jack from Heart FM taking part. Although clearly aimed at men, lots of womenfolk also take part to show support. However, ladies are asked to wear a comedy moustache and run in a “manly manner”. The race commences at 12 noon from Hove Lagoon and runs to the King Alfred and back. Registration is online and costs £25. Entrants then raise sponsorship via the charity JustGiving page. For further information please see: www.brightonbigballs.com.
PREMIER WINDOWS
Doors and Conservatories
FREEPHONE 0800 0961696
Factory & Showroom: Units 4, 5 and 6, Southern Cross Industrial Estate, Freemans Road, Portslade. BN41 1GS
HOVE CARNIVAL BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY, 25TH MAY This year’s Hove Carnival will be on Bank Holiday Monday 25 May, at Hove Park from midday onwards. The carnival, organised by the Martlets Hospice, is a real community event, so expect all your family favourites as well as new content and surprises. In the main arena you’ll find a rolling programme of events including the Beleza Samba party, the Galloping Acrobats and the ever popular dog show where judges will be searching for the dog with the waggiest tail and cleverest trick! Organiser Antonia Shepherd said: “We are giving local groups the chance to perform and show off their skills. Hove Carnival is a traditional family day out and we want the programme in the main arena to have something for everyone. Over the years Hove Carnival has raised thousands for local charities including the Martlets Hospice and we hope that we’ll raise even more this year!” There will also be plenty of traditional activities on offer; you’ll find lots of kids entertainment, funfair rides, cake stalls, steam engines and rides on Hove Park’s miniature locomotives. Then, to mark the end of the day, there will be a memory balloon release.
www.premier4windows.co.uk
please send your local news to info@westhovedirectory.co.uk
10
56a Boundary Road, Hove BN3 5TD
01273 424444
• Wills, Probate, Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA), Deputyships • Family Law (Divorce, Dissolution, Pre-Nups, Financial disputes, Children matters) • Residential Conveyancing and Commercial Conveyancing, shop & lease sales • Personal injury - all forms of accident claims • Defending DWP Benefit Fraud investigations, Interviews under caution & Prosecutions • Criminal and Road Traffic Defence advice • Civil litigation / Debt recovery
£100+VAT for a new Will to any reader mentioning this advert
to advertise in the west hove directory please call 01273 551021
LOCAL person...
11
Delighted to feature this month West Hove resident Catherine Cottrell...
Local Person CATHERINE COTTRELL Catherine Cottrell lives in Glebe Villas with her husband and two young sons. She is also Deputy Executive Director for Unicef UK and is responsible for generating funds to support UNICEF’s much needed work around the world. Tell us more about your job... We live in an increasingly dangerous world for children. Unicef is the world’s largest organisation working for children, so I feel really lucky to be a part of it. My job is to ensure we raise as much money as possible in the UK for the world’s most disadvantaged children. I get to meet supporters, from marathon runners to going to Unicef’s glamorous Halloween Ball hosted by Jemima Khan. You have been out to see Unicef’s work. Tell us about your experiences… It’s been incredible to meet children around the world and see how Unicef is helping. In Lebanon, which hosts the highest number of child refugees from the Syrian crisis, it was hard meeting with families who had fled the bombs. However, seeing that Unicef was bringing clean water and toilets, getting children back to school and SFP_flyer-front-ol.pdf 1 05/02/2015 providing medical supplies gives real17:02 hope.
Catherine with a displaced family reunited by Unicef in South Sudan.
Where would you like to go back to? I’d most like to go back to Liberia which I visited before the tragic Ebola outbreak. Now we are working with the government of Liberia to ensure that the nation can come back stronger, using systems set up to tackle Ebola to now tackle malnutrition. How do you manage to combine that with bringing up two young children? It’s not always easy as I commute to Central London but I’m usually home for bedtime stories and work from home sometimes to do the school run. We make the most of family weekends, from taking the boys to swimming lessons or football training to pitch and putt on the seafront!
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
What do you like about living in West Hove? I love being close to the sea. It’s amazing to get away from London and go for a run on the seafront. I like the way that the Lagoon has been developed and I’m pleased to see so many new businesses, cafés and family-friendly pubs opening up. Is there anything about the area you would like to change? With the exception of The View there aren’t any sea-facing restaurants. It would be good if there could be more beach-front places to sit out at, especially in the summer. How can people help UNICEF? There are so many ways people can get involved, from donating, fundraising or campaigning for children, to giving your spare change on an EasyJet flight. All the information is on our website at www.unicef.org.uk/getinvolved. I’d like my boys’ school to fundraise for Unicef!
please send your local news to info@westhovedirectory.co.uk
12
Style, design & innovation in tiles & bathrooms Huge collection of tiles, mosaics and bathroom products
25% off selected tile ranges with this voucher code SM2015 Biggest stockist in the area | Free local delivery | Free parking Eurotiles & Bathrooms, 6c Freshfield Business Park, Stevenson Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 0DF Email: brighton@eurotilesandbathrooms.com Phone: 01273 605445 Other branches in Braintree, Guildford, Rustington, Stevenage and Twickenham. www.eurotilesandbathrooms.com
Landlords! We want your properties Guaranteed rents for landlords with no commission, or management and renewal fees. Up to ÂŁ63,000 over five years* For further information, please call 01273 292213 or 292164 or email guaranteedrents@brighton-hove.gov.uk
* based on maximum rates for an upper range three bed property
to advertise in the west hove directory please call 01273 551021
13
LOCAL event... Yet more May activities for you to add to your calendars...
CUSHIONS EXHIBITION AT ARTISTS OPEN HOUSES It’s that time of year again! The May festival, and with it, the Artists Open Houses. If you are an exhibiting artist like me it does seem to come around quickly.
I was born and bred in West Hove and there was nothing like the festival then. Many years, a life and career in London later, I am back here and glad to be so. I always visit the Open Houses as a customer. Aside from the art, I am a keen gardener and interested in architecture and interior design, so Open Housing lets me indulge all those passions. And then there is the tea and cake! I have friends who tell me that they favour the houses that do the best cakes! I will be exhibiting my cushions made with original vintage fabrics at two houses this year. The first is the Claremont Hotel, at 13 Second Avenue, and the second is at 35 Chester Terrace, part of the well-known Fiveways Trail. I will be at both venues at different times during the festival. See www.aoh.org.uk for more details. Do come and see me, especially if you are a textileaholic. I love all the textile-related conversations I have with people who share my passion for giving these textile pieces of the past a new and glamorous lease of life. Sue Milner
GUTTER PROBLEMS?
We can Clear, Clean, Repair or Replace
0790 002 0039
www.sussexgutters.co.uk
CHARITY GALA CONCERT SATURDAY 16TH MAY The Rotary Clubs of Brighton & Hove are staging a Charity Gala Concert for the Martlets Hospice on Saturday 16th May at the Windmill Theatre, Blatchington Mill School, Nevill Avenue, at 7pm. Doors open at 6.30pm. The performance will include well-known pieces from the 1940s to the 1970s, such as O Mio Babbino Caro, Mr Sandman, Chattanooga Choo Choo and Gershwin’s Summertime, performed by the male ensemble, Resound, the ladies ensemble, the Rebelles, and soprano Yvonne Patrick. The evening will be under the direction of the well-known Swedish opera singer Stefan Holmström, who has put together a cornucopia of choral works. The profits raised by the wine bar, the raffle and the tickets sold will be donated to the Martlets as a joint fund-raising event under the new initiative of the five local Rotary Clubs working together. Tickets are £17.50 from: Hal Mileham, The Garden House, 53 New Church Road, Hove, BN3 4BA. Tickets will be posted. Email: hal.mileham@tiscali.co.uk Tel: 01273 738043 Mob: 07703 561208
DRAPER BUILDING SERVICES LOCAL - PROFESSIONAL - RELIABLE Over 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE TRADE
TEL: (01273) 381716 MB: (0778) 9827281 GARDEN MAINTENANCE FENCING INTERNAL & EXTERNAL PAINTING MAINTENANCE & DECORATING
PLease mention west hove directory when responding to adverts
GUTTERING BRICKWORK PATIOS DECKING
14
There are times in our lives when we could do with some help and support with our interpersonal, children, adolescent and family relationship issues. Confidential professional service Flexible hours Tailored approach drawn from: • Solution Focussed Brief Therapy • Systemic Therapy • Crisis Intervention • Task Centred • Coaching
For an informal and confidential conversation please call or email me
Clodagh Kennedy 07900 988 060 clodaghken@gmail.com
to advertise in the west hove directory please call 01273 551021
LOCAL group...
15
Here is an update of proceedings at local community group The West Hove Forum...
NEWS FROM THE WEST HOVE FORUM Healthy Neighbourhood Fund Grants - The West Hove Forum has recently allocated Healthy Neighbourhood Fund grants to the following groups: • Stoneham Bakehouse were allocated £265 towards funding workshops with Happitots Pre-School. • Hove Civic Society will receive £250 for their street tree fund. • The Aldrington Social Group will get £150. • The Sundowners Club have been allocated £500 to fund coach trips. • The Vallance Social Club was granted £350. Police Attendance of West Hove Forum Our local PCSOs reported that they may not always be able to attend the West Hove Forum in future, as posts are not being replaced. This was a cause of concern to forum members. Portland Road Crossing
Stoneham Bakehouse
Martin Heath, the council’s Road Safety Team Manager, explained why the council had decided against a lightcontrolled crossing in Portland Road, near the new development, to be named Friese-Greene House, on
the corner of School Road. The Wish Park Surgery is due to relocate there in June and the surgery’s Patients’ Participation Group (PPG) believes there is a need for a light-controlled crossing, with increased numbers of pedestrians expected. Martin Heath said that the council had decided instead to upgrade the zebra crossing, widening it and raising it up to footway level, with a new Belisha beacon, so that it will be sufficient for larger numbers of pedestrians. However, if there are so many pedestrians crossing in the future that the traffic never gets through, this could be the catalyst for a light-controlled crossing. A raised crossing means that traffic speeds on approach will have to be lower and if pedestrians show an intention to cross the traffic should stop, whereas with a lightcontrolled crossing you would have to wait. Children don’t tend to press the button and wait, and as a city we have a slightly higher collision rate for a light-controlled crossing than for a zebra crossing. Edward Clay, Chair of the Wish Park Surgery PPG, said that the argument about people not waiting can also apply to zebra crossings, which depend on the judgement of the motorist. The next West Hove Forum meeting will be at 2pm on Wednesday 20th May at Churchill House, Hangleton Road. If you would like to attend on behalf of a residents’ association, business or other organisation, email us at westhoveforum@gmail.com or phone the Chair, Ron Gurney, on 01273 385361. Deadline for articles for the May edition of The West Hove Directory is 15th April. Please send your articles to info@westhovedirectory.co.uk
please send your local news to info@westhovedirectory.co.uk
16
Thinking of converting your empty loft space
• • •
to advertise in the west hove directory please call 01273 551021
17
PLease mention west hove directory when responding to adverts
18 The
and
Teacher led pre-school education Open 7.30am – 6.30pm also flexible hours Home Cooked Food – Prepared on Site Large Garden – Open Plan Rooms Term time childcare available Competitive rates
Now taking bookings for free pre-school places for September www.thegardennursery.co.uk info@thegardennursery.co.uk 01273 418089
The Garden Nursery and Pre-School, 201 New Church Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 4Ed.
Save Ê
Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê
in excess of £200* on your pet care Join the Healthy Pet Club TODAY!
Cut the cost of your pet’s health care –ÊÊ
YES, REALLY!
From just £9.99 a month including vaccinations, flea and worming and lots more savings!Ê
SOUTHWICK
01273 593341 SHOREHAM
01273 451586 HOVE
01273 727433 JOIN NOW & START SAVING!
Ê
www.southdownvets.co.uk
Ê
TheÊHealthyÊPetÊClubÊloyaltyÊschemeÊisÊrunÊbyÊCVSÊUKÊLimitedÊforÊitsÊveterinaryÊpracticesÊnationwide.ÊÊ*SampleÊsavingsÊbasedÊonÊsmallÊdogÊ weighingÊupÊtoÊ10kg.ÊÊBenefitsÊreceivedÊunderÊtheÊHPCÊloyaltyÊschemeÊinclude:ÊÊvaccination (including Kennel Cough), year’s flea and wormingÊmedication,Êmicrochip,Ê20%ÊoffÊneutering,Ê20%ÊoffÊselectedÊlifetimeÊmedication,Ê10%ÊoffÊproductsÊ&Êservices,Ê20%ÊoffÊwellnessÊtestÊ andÊunlimitedÊnailÊclipping.ÊÊTheÊcostÊofÊpurchasingÊtheseÊgoodsÊandÊservicesÊseparatelyÊ(basedÊonÊaverageÊpricesÊchargedÊacrossÊaÊsampleÊofÊ 25ÊCVSÊpractices)ÊwouldÊresultÊinÊanÊaverageÊsavingsÊinÊexcessÊofÊ£200.ÊÊBenefits,ÊcostsÊandÊsavingsÊvaryÊdependingÊonÊtheÊtypeÊandÊsizeÊofÊ yourÊpet.ÊÊFullÊdetailsÊavailableÊatÊwww.thehealthypetclub.co.ukÊ Ê
Ê
to advertise in the west hove directory please call 01273 551021
19
LOCAL gardening... Here is our monthly gardening feature written by Nareesa Sulaiman, a local garden designer...
In the garden... MAY 2015 As summer approaches and the sun comes out, many of us head off to the garden centre to see what plants are available. On the whole, garden centres stock plants that look good now. The consequence of this is that many of us have gardens that look good in late spring, early summer! Nothing wrong with that, but wouldn’t it be great if our gardens looked good all year round? A little bit of planning will go a long way... Trees and shrubs are used to give the garden its structure. If you are considering buying a tree, it is important to look at the shape and maximum size that it will reach. There are numerous varieties to choose from, but trees take up a lot of water and reduce the penetration of light into the underlying space so consider carefully before buying a tree. When choosing shrubs, select only a few, whether deciduous or evergreen, and repeat their use through the garden; this helps to create rhythm through the space. Herbaceous perennials generally grow through the spring, summer and autumn months but die down during the winter months; ornamental grasses can be grouped with the perennials. Select a few perennials that look good together and flower in early summer and another few that flower in later summer/autumn. It may be that their shapes look good together or that the colours work well collectively. Using only a few perennials Aquilegia vulgaris
is a good starting point and brings a sense of cohesion to the planting. Some people like to use a predominance of annuals in their garden and then replace them every year. My preference is to use them to fill gaps when a garden is young or to use varieties that self-seed so that I won’t have to worry about replanting in following years; this saves on costs too. Bulbs tend to look good during one particular season. I like to have a few spring, autumn and winter-flowering bulbs throughout the garden. Aquilegia vulgaris Mounds of fresh, green foliage give rise to long stems with nodding flowers. Aquilegias are not popular with everyone as they easily self-seed, but for me that’s part of their charm, and they are available in a wide range of colours. Great places to visit 11 Tredcroft Road, Hove This local garden is a great example of what can be done in a relatively small space with good design. Open on Saturday 16th/Sunday 17th May as part of the National Garden Scheme, entrance fee £3. www.ngs.org.uk Happy gardening! Nareesa
please send your local news to info@westhovedirectory.co.uk
20
Comprehensive Funeral Option £2,300.00 including: • Brighton Crematorium Fees & Doctor’s Fees • Hearse & One Limousine • A simple coffin, complete with gold effect furnishings and engraved name plaque • Funeral service performed by the Funeral Director
Why pay more? Call: 01273 411662 or visit: 15 Carlton Terrace, Portslade, East Sussex BN41 1XF www.jefferiesfuneraldirectors.co.uk
Taking care of families in Portslade, Southwick, Brighton & Hove and the surrounding areas. to advertise in the west hove directory please call 01273 551021
Local BUSINESS...
21
Now here is an idea I like! Take the strain out of dinner parties with local firm Samantha Jane Catering...
SAMANTHA JANE CATERING At Samantha Jane Catering we endeavour to provide a relaxing dinner party environment using only the freshest and most sustainable locally sourced ingredients, alongside trying to keep the food as healthy as possible. We produce unique dishes tailored to your needs to create a bespoke menu, and bring it to life in your home.
We can cater for a variety of events such as dinner parties, canapés and wine evenings, and birthday parties, or any other event that needs catering. This is great for anyone who has a hectic schedule but loves to entertain and enjoys great food. Turn your home into a restaurant to impress your family, friends and work colleagues. Samantha Jane is based in Hove but working all over the Surrey and Kent area as a freelance chef - call now to have your own personal be-
¥ ¥ ¥ ¥
Local Friendly Locksmiths 24/7 Emergency Call Out Gaining Entry Locks Upgraded & Replaced
07710 408 414 01273 465 336
spoke dinner party menu created and brought to life in the comfort of your own home. Also, if you’re looking to hold an event but don’t think you have enough room in your home and would like to hire somewhere, then Saltmarsh Farmhouse is a beautiful location in Cuckmere. We can organise marquees or you can make use of the newly refurbished farmhouse. We can put on events for you for large dinner parties or ladies’ lunches. Saltmarsh is a beautiful 16th century, Grade II listed farmhouse and garden set in the stunning rural location of the South Downs National Park. Let us take the work out of dinner parties by catering for you and your guests in the comfort of your own home. We can produce a tailored menu to fit your specific requirements and you can have your ideas brought to life. We also offer a variety of sample menus which you can choose from if you can’t decide. Take a look at the website’s menu page to get an idea of the type of foods we can offer. We will cook you up a feast so you are free to entertain and enjoy your evening. For more information on bookings, please take a look at the website -www.samanthajanecatering - or call on 07929 240243 to talk to us. Email: samjanebrown@yahoo.co.uk
We pride ourselves in offering complete transparency. We’ll give you a price over the phone so you know what you’re going to pay.
please send your local news to info@westhovedirectory.co.uk
22
We build fabulous spaces www.360-home.co.uk info@360-home.co.uk Call: 01273 358901 to advertise in the west hove directory please call 01273 551021
23
Local BUSINESS... Here we feature a very useful local service for all you cat owners...
Toto Cat Feeding Services Ever wanted a safe and reliable service that lets your cat stay at home whilst you go away? We provide a truly personal service dedicated to you and your cat… A ‘Toto cat’ is a happy cat. Toto Cat Feeding & Cat Sitting was established in 2010 with a very clear vision and purpose... to put your cat’s welfare at the heart of everything we do. Our service is safe and reliable. Less stressful for your cat and less worry for you; no journeys to and from the cattery, you simply close your front door and let Toto take care of your cat(s). Our 5 Star rated service... for you and your cat... • Our team can visit up to 3 times a day including our ‘Stay and Play’ service that has proven to be very popular... Our team arrive with a box of cat toys and the fun starts! • We are available 365 days of the year and all our prices INCLUDE parking fees. • We are happy to set a cat feeding machine each day for your cat’s next meal.
Take a look at the Toto website and see how cost effective our service can be. Read our reviews on our website or on Google. We love cats and would love to meet yours. Website www.cat-feeding.com Office Contact Number: 07545 847556
• We can open and close curtains, switch lights on and off and pick up post to make your home look occupied. • We use our own cleaning equipment. Dirty litter, used pouches and rubbish are always removed from your home leaving it clear of unwanted smells. • We send a complimentary text message on our first & last visit. • We offer an ‘extra cleaning service’ so that your home is clean and fresh upon your return. It’s simple and straightforward... We will meet with you and your cat in advance at one of our registration meetings so that we understand all of your requirements, complete some paperwork and confirm your first Toto booking. You can still register with us even if you don’t have any plans to be away from home yet... You will then have peace of mind that your cat-sitting arrangements are in place. Once registered it is even more straightforward... a simple and flexible booking process and your ‘cat-care’ is covered. Now relax... your cats are in the care of Toto... simply purrfect!
PLease mention west hove directory when responding to adverts
24
WEST HOVE LAUNDRETTE 312 Portland Road, BN3 5LP
SELF SERVICE & SERVICE WASHES ALL DUVETS & SPORTS KITS WASHED, DRIED & FOLDED CHEAP PRICES FREE COLLECTION & DELIVERY TO BRIGHTON AND HOVE & SURROUNDING AREAS OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Please Contact
07913869339 DRY CLEANING NOW AVAILABLE
LOCAL GROUP... The regular article from the Hove Civic Society....
Blue Plaques in Brighton and Hove I have the pleasure of representing Hove Civic Society on the city’s Blue Plaques panel. We consider applications and the research supporting them. The council funds one plaque a year (£1,000); others are funded by the applicants. The Regency Society has a Blue Plaques trail leaflet available. These most recently unveiled plaques are very diverse. St Mary’s Hall in Eastern Road, Kemp Town, was a private school for girls founded by Rev Henry Venn Elliott for the education of daughters of poor clergymen in 1836. Recently the Royal Sussex County Hospital has taken over the site. Doreen Valiente lived in Tyson Place, Grosvenor Street, off Eastern Road. She brought witchcraft into the 20th century, and the Mayor welcomed pagans from many countries to the unveiling on the Summer Solstice. The celebrations began by the Old Steine fountain with spectacular drumming by the Pentacle Drummers resplendent in red and green face paint and costumes. Local high priest Ralph Harvey led a ritual in Doreen’s memory, then
to advertise in the west hove directory please call 01273 551021
25
Doreen Valiente
everyone processed the plaque where a Morris side, Hunter’s Moon from Eastbourne, entertained us. Unforgettable. John Constable’s plaque is set at 11 Sillwood Road where he stayed in the 1920s. His local sketches include West
Blatchington windmill. He also brought with him unfinished canvasses and wrote, “I am looking for a month’s quiet here….. What a blessing it is thus to be able to carry one’s profession with me.” In 2014 five more plaques were unveiled. Brighton Town Hall is the site of Brighton Police Station where Henry Solomon, distinguished as the first Jew to be Chief Constable of Brighton Borough Police, was murdered in his office. The beautiful Regency church at the bottom of Waterloo Street was designed by Sir Charles Barry, better known perhaps as the designer of the Palace of Westminster and St Peter’s church, Brighton. At Brighton station plaques were unveiled for David Mocatta (architect) and John Saxby, who invented the signalling system still in place today. Above Infinity Foods, on the corner of North Road and Gardner Street, is the plaque to Ken Fines, the planning officer for Brighton Borough Council. In the 1960s the area was threatened with demolition, but Ken fought successfully to save it and North Laine Conservation Area is now a thriving community of independent shops and desirable cottages. What a hero! What a year! Elaine Evans BEM Please look at our website www.hovecivicsociety.org
Sussex Funeral Services Independent Funeral Directors ‘For caring, compassion and choice’
Just some of our services: Home visits available Free registration of wishes Prepayment Plans available Debit and credit cards taken
Why choose us? An independent company Passionate & committed With an emphasis on choice Offering traditional or contemporary services Providing a 24 hour family care service Members of SAIF (funeral trade association)
Call Phil or Sallie on 01273 736469 or visit our website www.sussexfunerals.com PLease mention west hove directory when responding to adverts
26 Local charity... Why not get involved with something new this Summer...
Hove’s best kept secret - anyone for Croquet? Hove Beach Croquet Club - one of Hove’s best kept secrets. I remember playing croquet as a child on family holidays. I beat my sister once, which was really hard for her to take and I remember watching from the side of the pitch, cheering as my dad won the final of the hotel tournament. So for me, croquet is like a comforting childhood smell, though for over 20 years it had never entered my head. Until January 2014 when I was having lunch at the Westbourne pub. In The Sunday Times there was a list of the top ten things to try in 2014. Sitting proudly at No. 2 was croquet. In early summer there was a piece about the Hove Beach Croquet Club in The Argus – saying it was one of Brighton’s best kept secrets. I had never heard of the club, but I had to go.
it became associated with gambling, drinking and philandering to such an extent that it was once banned in Boston as an immoral practice. It gives release to all the mischief in you. It makes you want to do bad things….it is a great game.” You should give croquet a try, you might just love it. The new season starts soon and I can’t wait. Amber Williams
Throughout August and September, I rekindled my relationship with croquet and discovered a little oasis of lazy days, easy laughs, curious people, interesting conversation, scrabble (not sure about that one), oh, and croquet. Now if you are still thinking that croquet is a weird game, I give you this quote from the club’s handbook. “At the end of the 19th century croquet was more popular than tennis. Tennis eventually came out on top because of croquet’s unsavoury reputation. In America
Hove Beach Croquet Club is a relaxed, informal, friendly club for anyone who would like to watch, learn and play croquet. Opening Times At weekends in good weather the pitches will be set up by 12 noon. We could be playing until sundown. On weekdays, ask in the café at the Bowling Club.
Green Fees 2015 Green Fees are £10 per hour per pitch Including equipment rental, pitch hire and a little basic coaching if you need it (weekends only). Limited concessions are also available.
www.hovebeachcroquetclub.co.uk Facebook: Hove Beach Croquet Club Twitter: @hovecroquet Visitors are welcome, children are welcome, there is a great cafe and a bar. We have regular barbeques and there are plenty of deckchairs.
to advertise in the west hove directory please call 01273 551021
27
Local news... Here’s a great show for children...
DEAN FRIEDMAN’S “SMELLY FEET” COMES TO HOVE! Dean Friedman’s “Smelly Feet” – a children’s musical that really stinks! – is at the Brighton Fringe Festival, 23rd & 24th May. People of a certain age will remember American singer Dean Friedman’s hit records in the late 1970s like Ariel and Lucky Stars. His kids’ musical, “Smelly Feet”, will have its Brighton premiere at the Dukebox Theatre @ St Andrew’s, Waterloo Street, Hove; 23rd and 24th May at 2pm and 4pm. “Smelly Feet” is a toe-tickling, tune-humming kids’ musical that debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last August, to rave reviews. Dean has written the words, music and book to “Smelly Feet”, which tells the very silly tale of Danny and his best friend Pete and their hilarious quest to find a cure for Pete’s smelly feet. The show is aimed at kids aged 3 to 8, but is great entertainment for the entire family, with a talented, Londonbased cast. Many of the songs will be familiar to families who’ve attended Friedman’s “Silly Song, Sing-Along” kids’ concerts in the past and audiences will be encouraged to participate throughout the show.
In addition, Friedman will be performing his ‘grownup’ concert, Dean Friedman: Words & Music, on 22, 23 & 24 May, 9pm, at The Dukebox @ St Andrew’s, Waterloo Street. Tickets to both shows can be purchased via the Brighton Fringe website: http://www.brightonfringe.org or by box office phone: 01273 917272.
We have received this letter from a local resident…
DOG FOULING IN WISH PARK Artist/Illustrator
Cycle Prints from £40.00 Excellent gifts for all cycle enthusiasts!
07908585703
www.peterspells.co.uk
“I enclose a photo – taken by the playground in Wish Park. As a dog owner, I feel enraged/ashamed (in that order) at the carelessness of some dog walkers, who should be keeping an eye on what their “pooch” is up to! This photo says it all. Do you echo my concern?” PMW of West Hove. Send your letters to info@westhovedirectory.co.uk or Sussex Magazines, 10 Hollingbury Road, Brighton BN1 7JA.
PLease mention west hove directory when responding to adverts
28
Higgins Joinery Units 2-6 Lion Mews BN3 5RA 01273777785 Bespoke Joinery Manufacturers Replacement doors and windows to match your existing and double glazed to latest regulations Listed building and conservation joinery Period moulding. Skirtings and architraves Bifold door sets Staircases.
Email: steve@higginsjoinery.co.uk f ‘Higgins Joinery’ to advertise in the west hove directory please call 01273 551021
Local event...
29
High quality music and entertainment for the whole family ...
FUNK THE FAMILY FESTIVAL SATURDAY 30TH MAY, HOVE PARK Following 2014’s debut, sell-out festival Funk The Family are back with a bigger, better location and fatter line-up. “Testing the waters” by launching at Hove Lagoon in 2014, Funk The Family’s organisers were “utterly chuffed” by the runaway success of their inaugural event. With tickets selling out months in advance, Funk The Family entertained 1,000 people for eight hours. 2015 sees the organisers relocate to the beautiful, centrallylocated Hove Park, allowing thousands more families much more space. Taking place during England’s largest arts festival, Brighton Fringe, Funk The Family’s ethos is simple: high quality music and entertainment for all the family. “Funk The Family Festival has succeeded in filling a huge gap within an abundant, untapped market,” Funk The Family’s founder and director, Lucy ‘Elle J’ Small, enthuses. “There are thousands of adults, like me, that love music, have done the festival circuit, and now have kids. We want to enjoy that festival vibe with our families, but not necessarily go camping with them!” Keeping things funky, the main stage’s line-up this year includes Britain’s Godfather of soul, Omar Lye-Fook
(with full band), rising dub/hip hop 12-piece, Nubiyan Twist, high-energy Brighton afrobeat band, Kalakuta Millionaires and Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer (clue’s in the name!). Other music includes Normanton Street, Bloco Branco, Euphony and Gyratory Allstars. The brilliant Circus Project are back, offering trapeze workshops for the whole family. Inside the Kids’ Big Top you can watch shows from Circus Pzaz, plus acrobalance, tumbling, unicycling and lots more. Meanwhile Funk The Family’s Elle J Small takes to the wheels of steel in the Club Tropicana DJ Bar alongside Jazz Room’s Russ Dewbury, King Tafari Love Soundsystem, Lynda Phoenix, Donna Dee and many more. Other family entertainment includes The Tree of Life (kids’ yoga, wellbeing area), The Outdoors Project (nerf wars and bushcraft), Miss Sparkle (festival fairy) and Fashion Academy (interactive kids’ workshops). There will also be delicious local food and drink stalls, craft stalls, proper coffee, art and drama workshops, storytelling... and much more... Funk The Family is an all-day festival on: Saturday 30th May, 11am-8pm, Hove Park. Tickets are available at: www.skiddle.com or 0844 8842920. Adults: £18.50 Kids (under 12): £8.50 Family Saver: £49.50 www.funkthefamily.co.uk
PLease mention west hove directory when responding to adverts
30
CLASSIC WOODEN BLINDS FOR SPACES OF ALL KINDS
To see these beautiful classic blinds in a range of colours visit our showroom at 36-38 Warren Road Woodingdean Brighton BN2 6BA
or call
01273 684848 to arrange a home visit
www.sussexblindsandshutters.com info@sussexblindsltd.co.uk
SUSSEX BLINDS
All shutters, blinds and awnings are made-to-measure & expertly fitted A6 Land_Layout 1 27/06/2014 15:44 Page 2
Wooden Venetian Half Checka.indd 1
04/08/2011 12:50
Glebe Villas Hall Parish of Aldrington
Churchhall hallavailable availabletofor Parties, Events Church hire Wedding for PartiesReceptions & Events & Family Parties • Use of kitchen • Wheelchair access and toilet facilities • Tables and chairs available • Off-road parking
Please call the church hall lettings department on 07808 154203 Glebe Villas Hall • Glebe Villas • Hove • BN3 5SN to advertise in the west hove directory please call 01273 551021
Local event...
31
Oh yes...almost forgot to say that there is also a general election going on in May...
YOUR ELECTION CANDIDATES Don’t forget the General and local council elections on May 7th. (As if you could, with all the leaflets coming through your door!) The General Election candidates for Hove are: Jenny Barnard-Langston (Independent) Graham Cox (Conservative) Dame Dixon (Monster Raving Loony Party) Christopher Hawtree (Green) Dave Hill (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) Peter Kyle (Labour) Peter Lambell (Liberal Democrat) Kevin Smith (UKIP) Local election candidates for Wish ward: Mark Barnard (Independent) Sue Baumgardt (Green – first choice candidate) Edward Crask (Labour) Al Emery (Liberal Democrat) Angus Gow (Independent) William Harden (UKIP) Robert Nemeth (Conservative) Garry Peltzer Dunn (Conservative) Anne Pissaridou (Labour) Anton Simanowitz (Green – second choice candidate) Caroline Wray (UKIP)
Local candidates for Westbourne ward: Tom Bewick (Labour) Sunny Choudhury (Labour) Denise Cobb (Conservative) Geoff Date (Liberal Democrat) Guy Davidson (Green – second choice candidate) Shaun Gunner (Conservative) Robert Harding (UKIP) Karen James (Green – first choice candidate)
Here is the next in our occasional series of items that look into what is behind the names of the streets in which we live...
SACKVILLE ROAD Sackville Road, formerly known as Hove Drove, takes its name from a family of very rich landowners – the Sackvilles. Hangleton Manor by Frederick Earp, © Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove
A branch of the family still owns Knole House in Kent, one of England’s largest houses. Sir Richard Sackville (c1507-1566) has a Brighton & Hove bus named after him. He was a Sussex MP and cousin of Anne Boleyn. He was knighted in 1549 and became Lord Lieutenant of Sussex in 1550. The Sackville family lived in Hangleton Manor – now a pub – for more than 300 years from 1601.
PLease mention west hove directory when responding to adverts
32
Join us for a night to remember! THE MARTLETS MIDNIGHT WALK
Saturday 13th June 2015 A 6, 13 or 20 mile walk for women through Brighton & Hove. Help raise money so we can care for local families when they need us most. Entry just ÂŁ15.
Enter online www.themartlets.org.uk/midnight Call 01273 747 455 for an entry form
to advertise in the west hove directory please call 01273 551021
Local event...
33
We received this article from a local resident with news of an upcoming local event...
Interfaith Events Coming To WEST HOVE In Brighton & Hove there has been an active Interfaith Contact Group (IFCG) since 1997. It is run entirely by volunteers and has the aim of promoting understanding and friendship between people of different faiths (or no particular faith) within our local community, an aim that we feel is all the more important in the light of recent events around the world, including Europe and the UK. The IFCG organises several open events each year, including an Interfaith Service in November marking ‘National Interfaith Week’. The IFCG has no premises of its own, so is reliant upon different faith communities allowing use of their premises for events. In 2015, two interfaith events will be taking place in Poets’ Corner at Hove Methodist Church. On Saturday 6 June at 7.30pm, an interfaith concert will take place with the Berakah Players, a group of musicians from various faith backgrounds that has won funding from the Arts Council for a tour of England this year. Proceeds from this concert will go to Chestnut Tree House Children’s Hospice. Tickets (£12 on the door, £10 in advance, £8 concessions) can be purchased at www.theberakahproject.org/brightontickets or ring Charlotte Gravestock on 07956 314380. Secondly, there will be an interfaith conference entitled, ‘Conversations about Life and Death’, at Hove Method-
ist Church on Saturday 31 October, 1pm – 6pm. This is a free event but donations will be appreciated and you will need to bring your own lunch. Programme details will be available later. You can find out more about the IFCG at www.interfaithcontactgroup.com. We are a friendly crowd and new members are always welcome. Charlotte Gravestock (local resident)
Kingsway LOFTS Recent conversion in Portland Avenue
with a passion for innovation, excellence and sustainability
• 15 years experience and client satisfaction • from concept to design • environmentally aware procedures • add value to your property • professional and committed craftsmen • clean and tidy Each project we are commissioned to undertake is unique and customised to meet the client’s vision and aspirations
01273 243941
www.kingswaylofts.co.uk
PLease mention west hove directory when responding to adverts
34
at your service... Admin Support Reliable Secretarial Support.............6 Artist/Illustrator Peter Spells.....................................27 Lisa Holdcroft..................................29 Art Lessons Lawrence Art Studios........................6 Bathrooms Eurotiles & Bathrooms....................12 Blinds Sussex Blinds...................................30 Bella Vista.......................................34 Builders Teamology.......................................32 Draper Building Services.................13 360 Home.......................................22 AT Construction Ltd..........................4 Carpentry Higgins Joinery................................28 Robert Hill.........................................8 Charity Royal Pavilion Foundation...............14 Chiropractor Best Practice Chiropractor...cover & 8 Cleaning Dirty Ovens......................................7 JP Cleaning.....................................31 Cooking Lessons The Masala Tin................................15 Counselling & Therapy Clodagh Kennedy............................14 Croquet Club Hove Beach Croquet Club...............26 Electrician Cox & Taylor....................................14
Estate Agent Paul Bott & Co.............................back Event The Berakah Players........................32 Martlets Midnight Walk..................32 Artist’s Open House..........................3 Fencing Draper Building Services.................13 Funeral Services Sussex Funerals..............................25 ARKA Funerals................................28 Jefferies Funeral Services...............20 Gardener Leaf.................................................19 Greengrocers Westbourne Greengrocers...............7 Gutters Sussex Gutters................................13 Hall Hire Glebe Villas Hall..............................30 St Philips Church Hall........................4 Kitchens Robert Hill.........................................8 Landlords Wanted Brighton & Hove City Council..........12 Laundrette West Hove Laundrette....................24 Locksmith Lee’s Locks......................................10 Seymour Locksmiths......................21 Loft Ladders More Than Loft Ladders.................24 Loft Conversions Deans Roofing Services..................16 Kingsway Lofts................................33
Nursery The Garden House Nursery............18 Deepdene School...........................16 Painting and Decorating Finishing Touch...............................21 Pet Services Toto Cat Feeding.............................23 Podiatry Podiatrust......................................10 Public Houses The Stoneham................................17 Restaurant Zamdani.........................................14 Shutters Sussex Blinds..................................30 Bella Vista.......................................34 Singing Singing for Pleasure........................11 Solicitors Crosby and Woods.........................10 Tiling Pentagon Tiling...............................10 Eurotiles & Bathrooms...................12 Transportation Breeze up the Downs.......................2 Tree Surgeon The Arbor Barber............................32 Vets Southdown Vets.............................18 Will Writing Thy Will Be Done...............cover & 35 Windows Premier Windows.............................9 Higgins Joinery...............................28
01273 303842
www.bellavistashutters.co.uk to advertise in the west hove directory please call 01273 551021
35
Concerned about your home being sold to fund your future care fees? The Issue
You probably own your home as joint tenants if you are a couple and solely if you are single. For couples this means you own it wholly, jointly and severally. Ultimately therefore you do not own it 50:50 as you might have assumed. You actually own all of it together and when one partner dies the surviving partner owns it solely and absolutely. It is sole and absolute ownership that enables a property to be taken into consideration as an asset by the local authority and puts the property in danger of needing to be sold to fund care.
The Reality
The Law (C.R.A.G - charging for residential accommodation guide) allows local authorities to assess your assets to determine if you need to pay for your own care. Currently if you have assets above £23,250, you are on your own and require care, you will probably have to pay for it all - currently averaging around £800 per week. Savings, cash and income would be used first and then your property would need to be taken into consideration. You would be expected to pay for all of your care until such time as your assets were depleted to below the £23,250 threshold. You would then pay for a proportion of your care until your assets were below £14,250 - at which point all your future care would be paid for.
The Solution
For couples, simply by changing the way you own your property well in advance of any care considerations i.e from joint tenants to tenants in common and by setting up two Trusts within a properly structured Will at the same time will in most cases, prevent your home from being taken into account by the local authority altogether should you ever require care in the future.
The children and/or whoever else is also nominated as Trust beneficiaries for that particular Trust will subsequently have access to that half of the property when the surviving partner dies. The first half of the property then is 100% securely in Trust for the beneficiaries and will not be at risk. As a result of this simple strategy the survivor is protected from having to sell the property to pay for their care should they need it because it is not possible to sell just their half of the property and the Crag guidelines clearly state that the market value of half a property is £0. The second half of the property will then ultimately go into Trust for access by the nominated beneficiaries when the surviving partner eventually dies. The beneficiaries will at that stage have both halves safe and secure in Trust and will be able to share and dispose of the property according to the wishes of the settlors (the original owners of both halves). By leaving 1/2 the property into Trust on first death, the surviving partner can still sell the property to downsize if they wish and are not restricted in any way with regards to what they wish to do to or with the property - it simply means that it is safeguarded and therefore will definitely be able to be appointed to the chosen beneficiaries when the time comes. For sole owners immediately conveying at least half of your property into Trust well in advance of any care consideration and becoming a Trustee and primary beneficiary of the Trust with others nominated to become beneficiaries after your death is usually enough to take away the risk of the property being considered as an asset to be sold if care is required as the property is not absolutely owned by yourself anymore and again it is not possible to sell half a house or force a Trustee to do something that is not in the ultimate best interest of the Trust beneficiaries. Call us now on 01273 911142 for a friendly chat about how this strategy could be of real benefit to you and your family.
For sole owners the process is simply to set up a Trust now and convey at least 1/2 of your property into it which will produce the same result.
The Reasoning
When you own your home as tenants in common you actually own half each. When the first partner dies, they leave their half into their trust. The surviving partner is the Trustee of that Trust and also the primary beneficiary which means that they have complete control over the property and what happens to it.
PLease mention west hove directory when responding to adverts
www.thywill.co.uk
36
to advertise in the west hove directory please call 01273 551021