SPRING 2020 ISSUE 12
FREE Highly Commended Regional Press Awards 2019
INSIDE: EVUNA • THE HIVE • BEST NEW THINGS FOR SPRING • SO MARRAKECH DAVID TAG’S MY ALTRINCHAM • SALONS & SPAS • A-PLAN • LITTLE HEATH FARM KATE ROBERTS • BOOKS • HOTEL REVIEW • CARS • PROPERTY • BATCH DELI WHAT’S ON GUIDE • OUTDOOR RUGS • SCHOOL TABLES • EATING OUT GUIDE
Friday 10 – Monday 13 April MANSION * GARDENS * FARM * PARKLAND Magical trails with chocolate treats Egg & spoon races Meet enchanting characters Magic & Puppet Shows Lambs at the Farm Storytelling tattonpark.org.uk/easter
NEWS
SPRING 2020 ISSUE 12
EDITORIAL
Editor David Prior david@altrincham.today Editorial Assistant Jasmine Jackson DESIGN
Artwork Designer Angela Audsley-Hickie angela@taangerine.com SALES & MARKETING
Marketing Consultant & Advertising Sales Katherine Dunham kath@hyperlocaltoday.co.uk CONTRIBUTORS
Andrew Walker
Editor’s Letter This Editor’s Letter comes to you live from the 15.47 to Leeds, and all the ingredients of an early-2020 train journey are dutifully in place. Moments ago, the Manchester Victoria tannoy declared the cancellation of a train to Edinburgh owing to a shortage of train drivers; my train, meanwhile, was mercifully un-cancelled but suffering from a remarkable shortage of seats; oh, and for good measure the man opposite is wearing an anti-Coronavirus mask. How very 2020 indeed. Still, with HS2 now a reality, we only have just over 7,000 days to wait until bullet-shaped, seat-bearing vessels will be launching us over the Pennines in about the same time it takes to boil an egg. Oh dear, I seem to have kicked off our optimism-filled spring issue with 100 words about massive infrastructure projects and global pandemicsin-waiting. What’s this got to do with Altrincham, goes the perennial cry of the Facebook commenter. Well hang on. My point is that it’s sometimes all too easy to become downhearted by issues far beyond our control. The national and international news diet can seem overwhelming; as individuals, we can feel utterly impotent.
GENERAL
Editor-at-large Jo Prior jo@altrincham.today
But a fellow Northern journalist, Helen Pidd, wrote a piece in the Guardian recently that struck a chord with me. “I could do nothing to change gun laws in the US or to stop a bad Brexit,” she said. “But, if I thought small, maybe I could try to make things better.” SPRING 2020 ISSUE 12
FREE Highly Commended Regional Press Awards 2019
Her point was that she felt better by trying to fix the smaller things in life; in her case, by leading a bid for better walking and cycle paths in her home town of Romiley. Her perseverance and community campaigning paid off to the tune of a £3.9m grant that will be a particular boon for children walking and cycling to school. Her example is a timely reminder that for every big problem in the world, there are innumerable smaller issues on our doorstep, waiting for someone to grab them by the lapels. The big issues won’t disappear, but at least you’ll feel you are making a difference. Enjoy the issue.
INSIDE: EVUNA • THE HIVE • BEST NEW THINGS FOR SPRING • SO MARRAKECH DAVID TAG’S MY ALTRINCHAM • SALONS & SPAS • A-PLAN • LITTLE HEATH FARM KATE ROBERTS • BOOKS • HOTEL REVIEW • CARS • PROPERTY • BATCH DELI WHAT’S ON GUIDE • OUTDOOR RUGS • SCHOOL TABLES • EATING OUT GUIDE
David Prior
To enquire about advertising in our next issue, email kath@hyperlocaltoday.co.uk SPRING 2020 | ALTRINCHAM TODAY 1
NEWS
Contents SPRING 2020 | ISSUE 12 1 Editor’s Letter
Our editor introduces Issue 12 in the only way he knows.
28-31 10 New Things for Spring
NEWS
Well thank goodness winter is done and dusted for another year. But what to do now? Here are 10 ways to make this spring a memorable one – and they’re all a short trip from Altrincham.
4-6 The Catch-Up
32-34 Little Heath Farm Shop
A round-up of some of the most popular recent stories on our website.
8-17 What’s On
A comprehensive live music and theatre guide for the next few weeks, including global jazz sensation Joe Stilgoe Trio and Loz Speyer’s Time Zone.
LOCAL 18-19 A-Plan Insurance
With A-Plan Insurance recently opening its latest branch in Altrincham town centre, manager Matt Dodd introduces his team – and explains why they’re different.
20 My Altrincham
Local actor David Tag – Sylvester McQueen in Hollyoaks – shares his favourite things to do in Altrincham.
Little Heath Farm in Dunham Massey is renowned locally for its farm shop – but what about the National Trust-owned farm behind it? We speak to the tenants, the Jones family, to find out more.
SPRING FOOD SPECIAL 36-37 Evuna
As it launches a stunning new Sunday lunch offer, Evuna founder Jane Dowler reveals what inspired the menu.
MARKET
46-47 Silverwood Jewellery Silverwood’s locally made jewellery – combining wood and silver – is now available to buy at Altrincham Market. We spoke to founder Claire de Bezenac about how she realised her dream – and the complicated process behind each piece.
48-49 Market House Traders We round up all the fantastic traders that you can find inside Market House.
40-41 Batch Deli
CThey’re ‘buzzing’ off the success of Batch Bottlestore – and now Chris Bardsley and Will Brown have teamed up with Kings Cafe next door for a new deli launch offering “good food, coffee and wine”.
PROPERTY & HOME
50-51 Free Metrolink Travel for Alderbank Homebuyers 21-23 A Hive of Creative Activity
Red House Farm in Dunham Massey may have closed last year, but part of the site has already been reinvented as a community arts and pottery studio called The Hive. We catch up with founder Jeni Jacques-Williams.
25-26 So Marrakech
There’s a little slice of Morocco opening up in Altrincham. We speak to the pair behind a new cafe and retail concept on Market Street. 2 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
42-43 Kate Roberts Nutrition
The change can make many women feel run down – but there is much evidence for the beneficial effects of certain foods. Altrincham-based nutritionist Kate Roberts has some expert advice.
44-45 The Anatomy of a Great Sandwich What makes the perfect sarnie? Blanchflower owner Phil Howells is in no doubt.
It’s one thing living in a great town like Altrincham, but throw in free travel on the Metrolink and it is a pretty hard location to beat.
53 Most Expensive House Sales The 50 most expensive Altrincham house sales between October and December 2019.
54-55 Most Valuable Roads Check out the latest property trends to find out how valuable the roads are in Altrincham, Bowdon, Broadheath, Hale, Hale Barns and Timperley.
NEWS
70-71 The Old Familiar Places Neil Hughes has just celebrated 17 years of running the Bowdon Rooms - but his dream has always been to write a novel, and he’s had an emotional time trying to get it published. We sit down with him.
72-73 What Altrincham’s Reading/Book Review 56-58 Take It Outside
The popularity of outdoor rugs is all part of an overall trend where people are increasingly treating their outdoor spaces with the same consideration as their interiors.
60 Time to Move House
No matter what day, week or month you decide to make your move, relocating is a stressful experience for all those who are involved. Robinsons Relocation says that timing should be a key thing to consider.
62 Property News
EDUCATION 81-82 School Performance Tables
How do the local schools rate for some key performance metrics? Our tables give parents the information they need to know.
84 Schools News Round-up
Our regular look at the most popular books sold in Waterstones Altrincham, while Angela Prior reviews Michael Palin’s latest.
74-76 Hotel Review We take a trip down to the number one hotel in Manchester, according to TripAdvisor. Can it live up to the hype?
78-80 Car Review Andrew Walker test-drives the electric Peugeot e-208 – and he’s impressed.
Sir David Attenborough inspires a Loreto Prep pupil and a Paralympic gold medallist challenges Trafford College students to cook blind – it’s all here in our round-up of local education news.
FOOD & DRINK 86-88 Dining Guide
Whatever your preference, we have the complete guide to eating out in Altrincham, Timperley, Hale, Hale Barns, Bowdon and Dunham.
The plans for a new four-bedroom development in a prime Timperley location have been revealed.
LIFE Let us take the stress out of looking after your garden COMMERCIAL & DOMESTIC we can do it all 64-65 10 minutes with Dom Joly
Best known as the creator of Trigger Happy TV, Dom Joly is stopping off at the Altrincham Garrick this March as part of his first UK tour since 2011. We have a quickfire chat.
66-69 Fitness, Salons and Spas
A newly expanded run-through of all the health, fitness and beauty places that Altrincham has to offer.
Regular or one off visits Leaf clearing Patio laying Fencing & sheds Pruning Fully insured, reliable, family-run business
No job too BIG or small Call NOW for a FREE no obligation quotation. MOB: 07443 221 946 or 01565 830144 Email: chris.rocca@btinternet.com Web: www.tattongardenservices.co.uk Registered in England – Company mo. 11073603 VAT No. 268050307
SPRING 2020 | ALTRINCHAM TODAY 3
NEWS
The Catch-up
OUR PICK OF THE BEST-READ STORIES ONLINE
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Motown legend tops bill for Hale Barns Carnival Motown royalty Martha Reeves And The Vandellas and opera superstar Russell Watson will join 1970s hearthrobs The Bay City Rollers on the bill for this year’s Hale Barns Carnival. Last year’s event enjoyed a record number of visitors and raised more than £100,000 for the local community. All 100% of the ticket revenue from this year’s event – which takes place from July 17th to 19th – will again be donated towards community projects and charities.
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Long-serving Timperley councillor dies Tributes have been paid to long-serving Timperley councillor Ray Bowker MBE, who has died at the age of 83. Cllr Bowker was elected back in 1973 and served on nearly all the Council’s committees during his time as councillor. Council Leader, Andrew Western, described him as “honest, dedicated and caring” and said that “when Ray spoke people listened”.
4
Town centre continues to buck national trend
Major plan launched for Hale village
Altrincham has once again bucked the national trend with a marked rise in footfall – as a range of local businesses reported their best year ever. While the average decline for other UK market towns was -3.8%, Altrincham grew footfall in 2019 by 3.1% year on year. The independent data, from Springboard, maintains Altrincham’s sustained growth over the last five years, a period when vacancy rates in the town have also fallen from 19.4% to 8.6%.
Trafford Council has launched a major plan for Hale as it seeks to address the impact on the village of the resurgence of Altrincham – as well as the increased “churn” of businesses. The council has appointed Nexus Planning to prepare a ‘Village Place Plan’ for Hale that will create a new vision for the village and outline how it can best “provide clarity and confidence to attract future investment”.
4 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
NEWS
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6
Kutchenhaus to open in former Slug & Lettuce unit German kitchen retailer Kutchenhaus is to open in the former Slug & Lettuce unit in Altrincham. The 8,000 sq ft, four-storey building on Stamford New Road was sold by Cream Investments to Buzz Communications in a deal worth £915,000 back in November 2017, two months after the closure of the bar. Now the 2,000 sq ft ground-floor space has been let on a 10-year lease to Kutchenhaus. It will open its doors in April.
Altrincham Interchange recognised at Cheshire awards Altrincham Interchange has won the Transport for Greater Manchester award at the Cheshire Best Kept Stations Awards. The station, which reopened after a £19m renovation in December 2014, was named the winner in front of 170 guests at the Grange Theatre in Hartford by Kulvinder Bassi from the Department of Transport. Cllr Rob Chilton, the Mayor of Trafford, said the new Interchange had “turned a grubby and dated station into a modern hub of activity”.
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SPRING 2020 | ALTRINCHAM TODAY 5
NEWS
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8
The Old Post Rooms set for another relaunch
60 jobs saved as Tre Ciccio changes hands
The Old Post Rooms, the iconic former home of Altrincham Post Office, is to be relaunched as a new family-friendly space for local independent businesses. Hale Barns Carnival organiser Max Eden and Kids of Cheshire founder Riva Courtney have teamed up to redevelop the Stamford New Road unit under the brand ‘Alty Collective’. The community-focussed hub will feature a new familyfriendly cafe and a micro event space, as well as retail.
The immediate future of Altrincham Italian restaurant Tre Ciccio has been secured after it was bought out of administration. A newly incorporated company, Acorn 20 Ltd, has bought the assets of Tre Ciccio’s restaurants in both Altrincham and Ramsbottom. Tre Ciccio said the company has new investors and will be led by Ian Templeton. It’s not yet clear how much money is owed by Tre Ciccio Altrincham Ltd, which remains in administration.
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Long-running Timperley restaurant reopens with new name Hilal, the long-running Timperley restaurant which closed after half a century, has reopened under a new name. The Stockport Road restaurant has been trading since 1969 but closed earlier this year. However a new restaurant, Zafraan, opened on Monday 10th February. The new owner, Asif Khan, is a former employee of Hilal and has retained most of the staff.
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MP calls for “absurd” HS2 route rethink Sir Graham Brady has called on Boris Johnson to rethink the Golborne Spur section of HS2 – which he claims will bring “virtually no benefits” while splitting the village of Warburton in two and destroying ancient woodland close to Hale Barns. As Boris Johnson gave the green light to the controversial high-speed rail link, local MP Sir Graham said that the proposed siting of the Manchester Airport station a quarter of a mile from the actual airport was “absurd”.
NEWS
What’s On
MUSIC, THEATRE & FILM LISTINGS
March Monday 2nd March – Saturday 7th March When the Rain Stops falling Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, 7.30pm A fish falls from the sky and lands at the feet of Gabriel York; it still smells of the sea. That is how this compelling family saga begins. A play that will transport you back and forth in time from one generation to another, from 1959 to 2039, from London to Australia. A series of interconnected stories, centred around four generations, confronting their mysteries of the past in order to understand their future. From the same pen as last season’s beautifully poignant and critically acclaimed Things I Know to Be True, this play is epic in its scope yet at the same time extraordinarily intimate. Tickets: Monday £9, Tues - Friday £15.50, Saturday £16.50. Concessions and special student discount available Tues - Sat. There is an additional £2 transaction fee for each individual payment made by telephone or online. Book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 928 1677.
Thursday 5th March
Fergus McCreadie Trio The Cinnamon Club Lounge, 7.30pm Pianist Fergus McCreadie has developed a deeply personal style that has captured Scotland’s musical traditions and landscapes, while honouring his American and Nordic influences. Fergus McCreadie and the band have made a major impression in the UK, winning the 8 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
coveted Peter Whittingham Jazz Prize in 2016, as well as reaching the shortlist for the Scottish Album of the Year Award in 2019 – a rare feat for a jazz group. Tickets: £10, book online at thecinnamonclub.net
Saturday 7th March
Friday 6th March
The Sounds of Simon The Cinnamon Club Lounge, 7.30pm This is a tribute to the wonderful music of Paul Simon, through the years as one half of Simon and Garfunkel, to the enduring success of his solo career. Lose yourself to nostalgia as the band take you on a journey to the past, playing classics such as Mrs Robinson, The Boxer, The Sounds of Silence, You Can Call Me Al, and much more. Paul and Art are played to perfection, bringing in elements of their famously fractious relationship, as well as replicating the beautiful harmonies flawlessly. Tickets: £15, book online at thecinnamonclub.net
“He was so rude about people and so honest. I love him.” Dom Joly interview – Page 66
Nearly Dan The Cinnamon Club Lounge, 7.30pm Less tribute and more homage, Nearly Dan is a saviour to the growing legions of Steely Dan fans, desperate to hear the meticulously crafted grooves and allusive lyrical style of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. Nearly Dan’s approach is unique in spirit, bringing spontaneous humour to every concert. Nearly Dan promise all the Steely Dan album favourites in a two hour-plus show, featuring tracks from their jazz-rock album Countdown to Ecstasy, and the super cool celebrated album The Royal Scam. Tickets: £20, book online at thecinnamonclub.net
Sunday 8th March Kinky Boots The Musical (Screening) Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, 7.00pm Those kinky boots have finally arrived. Based on the hit Miramax movie and the long-running Broadway and West End hit, this joyous musical – which celebrates difference and finding oneself – boasts astonishing credentials. The choreography is by Jerry Mitchell who also choreographed Hairspray, with music and lyrics by the legendary Cyndi Lauper. Tickets: £13. Concessions available. There is an additional £2 transaction fee for each individual payment made by telephone or online. Book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 928 1677.
NEWS
March Tuesday 10th March Dom Joly’s Holiday Snaps Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, 7.30pm Dom Joly is best known as the creator of Trigger Happy TV. The writer and broadcaster is undertaking his first UK tour since 2011, giving fans a rare opportunity to see him live. Dom will be talking about his exploits as a serial globetrotter and seeker of dangerous travel spots. From North Korea through the Congo, and Syria to Chernobyl, he’s visited some of the most unusual places on the planet. The best-selling author will meet fans after the show to sign copies of his latest book, The Hezbollah Hiking Club. Tickets: £18. There is an additional £2 transaction fee for each individual payment made by telephone or online. Book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 928 1677.
Wednesday 11th March Mark Steel – Every Little Thing is Gonna Be Alright Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, 8.00pm Star of Radio 4’s Mark Steel’s in Town and newspaper columnist of the year, this politically conscious show is guaranteed to make the world seem even more chaotic than it is. But don’t worry, because Steel thinks that every little thing is gonna be alright. Steel is a regular on Have I Got News for You, Radio 4’s The News Quiz, and he’s also appeared on BBC2’s QI and Room 101. The Independent regards it as “essential viewing”, whilst The Sunday Times describes the show as “profound yet funny”. Tickets: £15. There is an additional £2 transaction fee for each individual payment made by telephone or online.
Book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 928 1677.
Thursday 12th March Psychic Sally – 10 Years and Counting Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, 7.30pm Following her gripping appearance on Celebrity Big Brother, the nation’s favourite psychic is back on tour with her all-new show, 10 Years and Counting. Wowing audiences young and old across the country for over 10 years, Sally’s show will have you on the edge of your seat as she brings mediumship into the 21st century. With her love, laughter and warmth, this show is a unique evening not to be missed. Tickets: £25. There is an additional £2 transaction fee for each individual payment made by telephone or online. Book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 928 1677.
Friday 13th March Gaz Hughes – The Music of Art Blakey The Cinnamon Club Lounge, 7.30pm As a sideman, Gaz Hughes has performed with numerous UK and international jazz artists, including Scott Hamilton, Harry Allen, Marshal Allen, Greg Abate, Alan Barnes and Patti Boulaye. He has since recorded his first album as band leader – a dedication to the great Art Blakey, who inspired Gaz throughout his life. The musicians on the album feature a line-up of some of the most influential musicians in UK jazz, and they are all performing at the gig. Tickets: £12, book online at thecinnamonclub.net
The Upbeat Beatles Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, 7.30pm The Upbeat Beatles are second to none – powerhouse vocals, precision harmonies and tight musicianship. The guys have an easy, happy rapport with any crowd, giving them a reputation to be envied as the best in the business. Watch out in particular for their version of Twist and Shout. If you love the Beatles you’ll love this show, and if you don’t love the Beatles you’ll still love this show! Tickets: £22.50. There is an additional £2 transaction fee for each individual payment made by telephone or online. Book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 928 1677.
Saturday 14th March 3 Hail Mary’s – by Tommy Marren Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, 7.30pm The play is set in a nursing home somewhere in Ireland in 2016. It’s a Friday morning and some of the residents are being moved to new nursing homes in different parts of Ireland for various reasons, and for Mary O’Toole, Mary O’Neill and Mary O’Brien it’s the end of an era. For over 10 years they’ve lived together in the nursing home and despite memory lapses, the odd tantrum and a lot of confusion, they have become almost inseparable. Tickets: £20. Concessions available. There is an additional £2 transaction fee for each individual payment made by telephone or online. Book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 928 1677. Listings: Jasmine Jackson
SPRING 2020 | ALTRINCHAM TODAY 9
NEWS
March Sunday 15th March
Podilya Ukrainian Dance Ensemble & guests present – A Taste of Ukraine Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, 3.30pm Podilya invites you to travel across the culturally rich plains of Ukraine. Experience the spirit of the Ukrainian people through the art of contemporary Ukrainian dance. Follow the dancers as they push the boundaries of performing arts with a unique blend of ornate costumes, innovative choreography, traditional melodies and backbreaking acrobatics. Be prepared for an enriching afternoon of entertainment. Tickets: £16. Concessions available. Book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 928 1677.
Thursday 19th March – Friday 20th March Oliver! – Performed by Ashton-onMersey School Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, 7.30pm Ashton-on-Mersey school will transport you to the streets of Victorian England in this musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist. Here you’ll meet Oliver, an orphan who escapes to London where he becomes part of a group of pickpockets, led by the infamous Fagin. Will Fagin, Bill Sikes and Nancy
be able to kidnap him to help with their thieving exploits, or will Oliver have the chance of finding a real family to love? Tickets: £10. Concessions available. There is an additional £2 transaction fee for each individual payment made by telephone or online. Book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 928 1677.
Friday 20th March
Thursday 26th March Altrincham Film Club The Cinnamon Club Lounge, 7.30pm (see page 8 for further details) J eremy Sassoon & friends The Cinnamon Club Lounge, 7.30pm Manchester-based jazz and blues singerpianist Jeremy is one of the UK’s most highly sought-after acts, either as a solo artist, or accompanied by his band. He has been wowing audiences since 2011 with his natural, soulful voice, and arrangements of jazz and blues classics, including songs spanning a wide breadth of genres. Tickets: £12, book online at thecinnamonclub.net
Monday 23rd March – Saturday 28th March Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf ? Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, 7.30pm This amateur production of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf ” is presented by a special arrangement with Samuel French Ltd (a Concord Theatricals Company). First staged in 1962, this Tony AwardFor exclusive dress rehearsal pictures of each Altrincham Garrick show, follow @altrinchamtoday on Facebook and Twitter
10 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
winning play examines the complexities of the marriage of middle-aged couple, Martha and George. Late one evening, after a university faculty party, they come across an unwitting younger couple, Nick and Honey, and draw them into their bitter and frustrated relationship. Tickets: £10. There is an additional £2 transaction fee for each individual payment made by telephone or online. Book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 928 1677.
Friday 27th March
oz Speyer’s Time Zone – L A Cuban feast The Cinnamon Club Lounge, 7.30pm Time Zone is currently touring their new album Clave Sin Embargo; their third album is a deep fusion of Cuban and jazz music. Soulful, catchy and rhythmically provocative, this unusual crossover music was born more than 15 years ago, when trumpeter Loz Speyer was living between London and Santiago de Cuba, studying and performing with local musicians. The collision of these two far-removed worlds shows through in the compositions, played with passion and commitment. Time Zone really takes the audience on a journey of the heart. Tickets: £15, book online at thecinnamonclub.net
EVENT GUIDE J U N E , J U LY, AUGU S T 2 02 0
WALK LIKE A MAN Time: 19:00 Access to all our events 24 hours before they go on general release. • Invitations to exclusive ‘Priority’ Events • Discounts on select events and activities www.bowdontickets.co.uk
Thursday 11 JUNE
General Admission: £27.50 Location: The Ballroom
Saturday 06 JUNE
DOMINIC HALPIN
MAGIC OF SOUL
Time: 19:00
Time: 19:00
General Admission: £13.50
General Admission: £27.50
Location: The Lounge
Location: The Ballroom
Friday 19 JUNE
FAULT Y TOWERS THE ORIGINAL DINING EXPERIENCE FATHERS DAY SPECIAL
Time: 12:00 & 17:00 Adult £55 - Child £35 Location: The Ballroom Tickets Include a 3 course meal When the audience become diners in the ‘Faulty Towers’ restaurant, pretty much anything can happen – because 70% of the show is improvised.
Sunday 21 JUNE
Live Music
Theatre & Comedy
Live Discussion
Gala Dinner
Souvenir Photo
The Bowdon Rooms, The Firs, Bowdon, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA14 2TQ
JUNE, JULY, AUGUST 2020 BOYZLIFE Time: 19:00 Meet & Greet £85 General Admission: £29.50 Location: The Ballroom Boyzlife is a supergroup comprising of Keith Duffy and Brian McFadden, who previously appeared as members of ‘90s and ‘00s boybands Boyzone and Westlife, respectively. With Boyzone, Keith Duffy has enjoyed six UK number one singles and 16 out of 17 of their first single releases making the top 5.
Friday 26 JUNE
DOMINIC HALPIN & THE HONEYBEES
AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH SIR TONY ROBINSON GAL A DINNER
Time: 19:30
Time: 18:00
General Admission: £13.50
VIP Tickets: £125 Thursday 02 JULY
Location: The Ballroom
Thursday 09 JULY
Friday 03 JULY
Location: The Lounge
AN EVENING WITH SHAUN RYDER Time: 19:00 General Admission £22.50 VIP Seating and Meet & Greet £55.00 Location: The Ballroom
Friday 10 JULY
As the frontman of The Happy Mondays and Black Grape, Shaun is a fundamental cog in the Madchester phenomenon that spread across the globe.
ED GAMBLE AND FRIENDS – THE ULTIMATE COMEDY SHOW JOHN BR AMWELL Time: 19:00 General Admission: £22.50 Location: The Ballroom
Time: 19:00 General Admission £22.50 Location: The Ballroom Following a twice extended sold-out UK tour of his stand-up show Blizzard, winner of the latest series of Taskmaster (UKTV/Channel 4), star of Mock the Week (BBC Two) and co-host of chart-topping Off Menu podcast.
Saturday 11 JULY
BOOK ONLINE - w w w . b o w d o n t i c k e t s . c o . u k The Bowdon Rooms, The Firs, Bowdon, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA14 2TQ
JUNE, JULY, AUGUST 2020
Friday 17 JULY
THE R AT PACK – SWINGIN’ AT THE SANDS
TWIST AND SHOUT
Time: 19:00 General Admission: £27.50
General Admission: £27.50
Location: The Lounge
Location: The Ballroom
Time: 19:00
Friday 24 JULY
AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH SIR LENNY HENRY GAL A DINNER
Time: 18:00 VIP Tickets £125 Location: The Ballroom Lenny Henry is one of Britain’s best-known and celebrated comedians, with a career which began with cult stardom on children’s television to becoming a writer, radio DJ, TV presenter, co-founder of Comic Relief and award-winning actor.
Saturday 01 AUGUST
Friday 07 AUGUST
Friday 14 AUGUST
Friday 21 AUGUST
NORTHERN SOUL
ELTON JOHN IT’S A LIT TLE BIT FUNNY
DISCO INFERNO
Time: 19:00 General Admission: £10.00 Location: The Ballroom & The Lounge
Time: 19:00
DIREC T FROM THE WEST END
Time: 19:00 General Admission: £27.50 Location: The Ballroom
General Admission: £27.50 Location: The Ballroom
‘ALLO ‘ALLO! AN EVENING AT CAFÉ RENÉ Time: 18:00 VIP Tickets £75 Location: The Ballroom Featuring original cast members live on stage. Welcome to the most famous cafe in all of Nouvion as we reminisce to a time of British airman and the French resistance. A sumptuous three course dinner will be served, providing Madame Edith can tell the difference between a mushroom and a turd stool.
Saturday 22 AUGUST
BOX OFFICE - 0 3 4 5 2 0 8 1 8 3 6 The Bowdon Rooms, The Firs, Bowdon, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA14 2TQ
NEWS
March / April Monday 30th March – Saturday 4th April The Lady in the Van Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, 7.30pm Adapted from Alan Bennett’s own short story, this play is based on his real-life experience with an elderly homeless woman living in his front garden for 15 years. Miss Shepherd’s stay might have been a blight on Bennett’s front garden, but it eventually allowed him to unravel the fascinating story of her life. It is said that charity begins at home; for Bennett it began at the bottom of his drive with a custard yellow van, inhabited by an irascible eccentric who refused to budge. Tickets: Monday £9, Tuesday - Friday £15.50, Saturday £16.50. Concessions available Tues - Sat. There is an additional £2 transaction fee for each individual payment made by telephone or online. Book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 928 1677.
Friday 3rd April
e Blow Monkeys The Cinnamon Th Club Ballroom, 7.30pm With hits like Digging Your Scene and It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way, The Blow Monkeys epitomised the glamour of mid-80s pop at its most graceful and sophisticated. The Blow Monkeys openly criticised the government policies, railing against social injustices and adopting an openly left-of-centre stance on issues of the day. As the 1980s progressed, so too did the band’s musical style, from a sound once dubbed “jazz punk” by the frontman Robert Howard, to a more soulful, jazzy style and an ever-increasing adoption of dance music. Tickets: £25, book online at thecinnamonclub.net
Sunday 5th April
Thursday 2nd April
tevie Williams and The Most S Wanted Band The Cinnamon Club Lounge, 7.30pm Making a swift return after sell-out gigs in 2019, The Cinnamon Club welcomes back this gorgeous quintet, playing Americana, blues and rootsy music. Always an amazing night of live music and original songs, mixed with favourites from Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan and Neil Young. Their style seamlessly flows with a high sense of entertainment and sheer class. Tickets: £10, book online at thecinnamonclub.net 14 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
Akram Khan’s Giselle (Screening) Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, 7.30pm In a co-production with Manchester’s International Festival and Sadler’s Wells, English National Ballet has transformed the story of Giselle into a gloriously rich and romantic production, with a startlingly modern and hard-hitting production, choreographed by Akram Khan. This production was filmed lasted year, and is the first English National Ballet production to be filmed for the cinema, in the Liverpool Empire Theatre. This dramatic multi-award-winning production is dance at its most powerful and relevant. Tickets: £13. Concessions available. There is an additional £2 transaction fee for each individual payment made by telephone or online. Book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 928 1677.
Friday 17th April e Animals and Friends The Th Cinnamon Club Ballroom, 7.30pm In 1964 a wave of new energetic rock and roll swept over the youth of the world. On the crest of this wave was The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and of course The Animals. From the banks of the River Tyne came the North East’s offering; a brand of rhythm and blues that the whole world seemed to grasp greedily. Animals and Friends members John Steel, Mick Gallagher, Danny Handley and Roberto Ruiz will return with classics like House Of The Rising Sun, Keep on Running, Gimme Some Lovin’ and more. Tickets: £25, book online at thecinnamonclub.net
Monday 20th April – Saturday 25th April A Streetcar Named Desire Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, 7.30pm Fading Southern belle Blanche DuBois depends on the kindness of strangers and is adrift in the modern world. When she arrives to stay with her sister Stella, in a crowded, boisterous corner of New Orleans, her delusions of grandeur bring her into conflict with Stella’s crude, British husband Stanley. Eventually their violent collision course causes Blanche’s fragile sense of identity to crumble, threatening to destroy her sanity and her one chance of happiness. Tickets: Monday £9, Tuesday - Friday £15.50, Saturday £16.50. Concessions and special student discount available Tues - Sat. There is an additional £2 transaction fee for each individual payment made by telephone or online. Book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 928 1677.
Friday 24th April oth Sides Now – The Joni B Mitchell Celebration Concert The Cinnamon Club Ballroom, 7.25pm Both Sides Now is a five-piece band showcasing the outstanding voice of Sarah Miller. During its debut year of 2018, the band played at some of the UK’s leading music venues. Sarah has worked with notable artists: Don Felder of the
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April / May Eagles, Badly Drawn Boy, Ruby Turner and Corinne Bailey Rae. This is not your usual tribute – it’s a group of Joni superfans dedicated to keeping her music alive. Tickets: £15, book online at thecinnamonclub.net
Sunday 26th April
The Merry Wives of Windsor (Screening) Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, 7.00pm According to tradition, Queen Elizabeth I was so taken by the character of Sir John Falstaff in Henry IV that she suggested that Falstaff find love, and so he began, outrageously chasing two ladies, at the same time, with the women suitably moved to revenge. After much door slamming, mistaken identities, cunning plotting, outrageous disguises, tests of fidelity, and a humiliating come-uppance, Shakespeare seems to have laid the template for the great farcical British sitcom. Tickets: £13. Concessions available. There is an additional £2 transaction fee for each individual payment made by telephone or online. Book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 928 1677.
Thursday 30th April Altrincham Film Club The Cinnamon Club Lounge, 7.30pm (see page 8 for further details)
Friday 1st May orthern Soul The Cinnamon N Club Ballroom, 8.00pm Paul Kidd, Steve Connelly and Ian Wills, along with two top guest DJs, will be bringing you the best Northern Soul sounds from over the decades. This turned out to be a huge success at The Festival Hall last time. If you love venues such as The Twisted Wheel, Wigan Casino, Top of the World and Tony’s Empress Ballroom, you won’t want to miss this one. Tickets: £5, book online at thecinnamonclub.net
e Stones tribute band Th Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, 7.30pm Since forming in 2007, The Stones’ show has grown into a full-scale Rolling Stones concert, leaving audiences mesmerised up and down the UK, Europe and further abroad. The group has experienced audiences of more than 30,000 people while headlining festivals. The Stones perform the music of The Rolling Stones faithfully, accurately and with all the excitement an audience expects. Tickets: £22. There is an additional £2 transaction fee for each individual payment made by telephone or online. Book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 928 1677.
Saturday 2nd May All Our Yesterdays Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, 7.30pm Another sensational show from the producers of Memory Lane, Rolling Back the Years and Memories are Made of This, All Our Yesterdays is one of the biggest shows of its kind in the UK, taking the audience on a breathtaking musical journey through the 50s, 60s and 70s. Songs by Barry Manilow, Buddy Holly, Frank Sinatra, Petula Clark and many more will feature. Over 160 amazing costumes choreographed for each decade, performed by West End and international vocalists. Tickets: £17. Concessions available. There is an additional £2 transaction fee for each individual payment made by telephone or online. Book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 928 1677.
Monday 4th May – Saturday 9th May The Shape of Things Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, 7.30pm Described as funny, intriguing, unsettling and creepy,The Shape of Things focuses on the relationships of four young people and the changes between them, taking a sardonic look at our preoccupation with surface appearances, and if there is a relationship between morality and art. Tickets: £10. There is an additional £2 transaction fee for each individual payment made by telephone or online. Book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 928 1677.
Thursday 7th May Jeremy Sassoon – The Ray Charles Show Supper Club The Cinnamon Club Ballroom, 5.00pm Manchester based singer-pianist Jeremy Sassoon performs his tribute to Ray Charles with his five-piece band, covering all the major hits, plus some hidden gems from the classic catalogue. Jeremy has performed his Ray Charles tribute at many well-known jazz clubs and festivals in the UK. The evening will start with an early supper, followed by two sets of music. The bar will be open from 5pm; a light meal of Mediterranean platters will be served at 6pm, and the gig begins at 7pm. Tickets: £24, book online at thecinnamonclub.net
Friday 8th May ictor Brox Blues Train V The Cinnamon Club Lounge, 7.30pm The Cinnamon Club welcomes back the mighty Victor Brox Blues train for Victor’s annual birthday gig. Known to many as a performer who rises to the occasion every time he plays good old fashioned blues, with a hint of rock and roll. This gig is a complete sell-out every time, so please book early for this gig. Tickets: £12, book online at thecinnamonclub.net
Friday 15th May varc Hanley Longhawn S The Cinnamon Club Lounge, 7.25pm Formed in 2012, the organ trio are a collaborative band performing original music, with influences from the classic organ trios of the past and current jazz musicians alike. The music is written as a group with an emphasis on both written material and extended improvisation. Jazzwise magazine says, “The trio join the dots between jazz-rock and Hammond funk, discovering an interesting angle for an old-school sound, mixed with some hyper-catchy hooks and grooves.” Tickets: £12, book online at thecinnamonclub.net SPRING 2020 | ALTRINCHAM TODAY 15
Kids Planet not only provide the highest standard of nursery care and education, but also a unique environment in which children are actively encouraged to explore, learn and interact with others. Kids Allowed are now part of the Kids Planet Group. • Outdoor play access • Babies through to preschool • Multi purpose/sensory room • Parent & toddler classes • Funded places available • Freshly prepared meals • Flexible opening times, only closed bank holidays
KIDS PLANET HALE 185-187 Hale Road, Hale, WA15 8DG 0161 980 0062 kidsplanetdaynurseries.co.uk
KIDS ALLOWED ALTRINCHAM 184 Manchester Road, Altrincham, WA14 5LD 0161 507 6900 kidsallowed.com
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May Delightfully Dusty The Cinnamon Club Ballroom, 8.00pm Dusty Springfield is delightfully brought to life by West End siren Joanne Dalladay. Joanne’s career has taken her worldwide in shows such as The Rat Pack – Live From Las Vegas, Dancing Queen, Chicago and more recently the West End hit Blood Brothers. Concert performances have seen Joanne singing backing vocals for Sir Elton John at Wembley Arena for none other than Princess Diana. Joanne brings her West End experience and own style to create a high quality show which is guaranteed to get any audience singing and dancing. Tickets: £27.50, book online at thecinnamonclub.net
Monday 18th May – Saturday 23rd May The Producers Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, 7.30pm Broadway producer Max Bialystock is desperate to get to the top of his profession again after a string of flops, and he finds an unlikely ally in mousy accountant Leo Bloom, who hypothesises that one could make far more money with a flop of a show than with a hit. Together, the two set out to produce the worst musical ever to hit Broadway, with the worst script, the worst director and the worst cast they can find! The scheme is simple – they will raise two million dollars to finance the show, and then take the money and head to Rio when the show inevitably closes after just one performance. A perfect plan... what could possibly go wrong? Tickets: £18.50. Concessions available. There is an additional £2 transaction fee for each individual payment made by
telephone or online. Book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 928 1677.
Friday 22nd May An evening with Dominic Halpin & The Honey B’s The Cinnamon Club Lounge, 7.30pm Continuing their ever successful run, the Cinnamon Club’s resident swing band returns for another night of Latin, jive and rock and roll on the largest sprung dancefloor in Cheshire.
Saturday 23rd May y My! The Cinnamon M Club Ballroom, 7.30pm My My! pays homage to original Swedish sensations Abba, capturing their great sense of fun, their incredibly unique sound and turning the show into a fun-filled evening of sing-along, dance-along magic. Featuring unforgettable hits like Waterloo, Mamma Mia, and Dancing Queen, this fantastic cast of West End performers and full band are guaranteed to liven up your night and keep you dancing till dawn. Tickets: £27.50, book online at thecinnamonclub.net
Orchestra and the Syd Lawrence Orchestra. Tickets: £20. There is an additional £2 transaction fee for each individual payment made by telephone or online. Book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 928 1677.
Sunday 31st May
Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man (Screening 12A) Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, 7.00pm Matthew Bourne takes the steaming story of Carmen and
transposes it to a small town in America in the 1960s. The arrival of a brutal, handsome stranger drives everyone even further into an explosion of lust, violence, betrayal, greed and revenge. This is a night from which no one emerges unscathed. This is Bourne’s most shocking piece, aided by Bizet’s music, hauntingly rearranged by Terry Davies, and once again beautifully designed by Lez Brotherson. Tickets: £13.00. Concessions available. There is an additional £2 transaction fee for each individual payment made by telephone or online. Book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 928 1677.
Thursday 28th May Altrincham Film Club The Cinnamon Club Lounge, 7.30pm (see page 8 for further details)
Saturday 30th May Foden’s Brass Band – A salute to Sinatra and the Swing legends Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, 7.30pm A salute to Sinatra and the Swing legends with Foden’s Brass Band, featuring Matt Ford (as seen on the BBC Proms with the BBC Big Band), the John Wilson
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Our personal service could save you the loyalty penalty A-PLAN INSURANCE
With A-Plan Insurance recently opening its latest branch in Altrincham town centre, manager Matt Dodd introduces his team – and explains why they’re different We’ve been settling in to our new branch at 52 Stamford New Road and have been delighted by the way people are valuing the personal service we offer. To those who may not be familiar with us, we give you a more personalised alternative to comparison websites. Whether arranging car, van, home, travel or business insurance, we do all the hard 18 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
work to find the right cover to suit your individual circumstances. Refreshingly, we don’t have call centres or call queuing and we’re completely impartial when it comes to offering advice. Citizens Advice have previously highlighted how certain groups of people are particularly susceptible to the home insurance “loyalty penalty”. They identified that “people
in vulnerable states” are particularly likely to be penalised. It reported that 32% of those paying the loyalty penalty are over 65, compared to 23% of the wider population, and those on low or limited incomes and the disabled were also found to be less likely to shop around when their home insurance policy renewed.
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A-Plan’s Altrincham team of (from left) Dave Williams, manager Matthew Dodd, Adam Taylor and Jack Jeffery
HOW CAN A-PLAN HELP?
To see if you can save for yourself or an elderly relative or neighbour, call into the Altrincham branch at 52 Stamford New Road or call us on 0161 341 2133. You can also visit aplan.co.uk/altrincham
We’ve helped clients save substantial amounts of money, particularly when they have had their home buildings and contents insurance with a mortgage provider or bank for several years. Such as Mr W, who was paying almost £500 a year. We were able to provide like-for-like cover for £230, with the addition of optional legal cover. He was very happy to be able to have all his policies under one roof. And for Mr H, who was paying over £700 for his home insurance with his bank, without accidental damage. We quoted around £400 less and included optional legal and accidental damage. The client was over the moon! We can offer qualified advice in our branch – we aren’t just reading from a computer screen. If you have any insurance related questions then the team and I will be more than happy to help, regardless of whether you are insured with us or not. We like to be where people can access us easily and where we have an opportunity to engage with local businesses and residents and really become part of the community. Altrincham is a great location for A-Plan and on a personal level I feel proud to play a part in the town’s vibrant economy. SPRING 2020 | ALTRINCHAM TODAY 19
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My Altrincham DAVID TAG, ACTOR
My favourite walk
I like Tatton Park, or just walking around Altrincham centre, through the market stalls and the high street. There’s always an eclectic variety of people and it never gets boring. Good stores, good food, and finish off with a trip to the Everyman. My favourite shop
I like Flannels at the end of George Street. If I’ve got a night out and need something for me, I’ll go there. They have pretty good sales and the staff know me and are very pleasant when I go in. My favourite building
I really like the market hall, where the food stalls are. I also like the new health and wellbeing centre – the way they’ve incorporated the old design in the new building is quite beautiful. The best thing about living here
My favourite pub/bar
I would say the Con Club. It’s a good open space with a great variety of drinks and a good buzz. My favourite restaurant
It would have to be Sugo. I love the way they constantly change their menu, and I like the seating arrangement – it’s quite informal and you can speak to your neighbours. Plus the service is excellent. 20 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
My favourite coffee shop
Gran T’s. The coffee is always great, and I love the seating in there and the big couches. The staff are great too and look happy to be working there. My favourite green space
I used to be a personal trainer in Hale and loved to go to the bowling green and sunbathe. I go to Hale Country Club now but my friend runs a gym in Altrincham so we’ll meet up and go for a coffee there once or twice a week.
I’m from Stockport but have lived here for about eight years. The best thing is that you don’t have to leave the area at all – literally everything you want is here: the cinema, bowling, amazing shops, and they’re all accessible by foot. In eight years I’ve never got bored and as we’re trying to buy a house now, I’m hoping to stay for a while. David Tag stars in Hollyoaks on Channel 4. Follow him on Instagram at @davidtagofficial. His girlfriend, Abigail Harrison, runs Poised Beauty salon on Moss Lane in Altrincham (poisedbeauty.co.uk)
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A Hive of Creative Activity THE HIVE
Red House Farm in Dunham Massey may have closed last year, but part of the site has already been reinvented as a community arts and pottery studio called The Hive. We caught up with founder Jeni Jacques-Williams ALTRINCHAM TODAY: Tell us a bit more about how Hive has come into existence – you started with your own pottery studio? JENI JACQUES-WILLIAMS: In 2017 I established my own pottery business, Lemon Studio, working from home teaching and creating ceramics. My classes quickly filled up and last summer I received a large order from the National Trust which resulted in pottery taking over the house – I’d outgrown the space! I also lead The
Warrington Creatives Collective, a group of 29 local artists and artisans and knew we needed a shared space as a number of us were struggling with the isolation that working from home can bring. I discovered that Red House Farm was closing but that they were going to repurpose the buildings. The Hive is in a stunning National Trust building that had been mainly used for storage, so it had to be completely renovated but I’ve worked really hard to keep its rustic character. SPRING 2020 | ALTRINCHAM TODAY 21
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AT: And now The Hive is a hub for other creatives? Can you tell us more about the other businesses who are based there? JWW: There are four other creatives based at The Hive. Antonia runs the Cheshire Soap Company making natural soaps, teaching classes and running children’s parties. Kirsty owns The Little Art House and can teach anything from printing to painting and drawing. Leanne is a graphic designer and runs Leanne Van Design and Illustration and hosts evening classes in acrylics and Alison, whose business is Birch Bark Creations, is currently working on ceramics. We also have a fantastic classroom and a beautiful shop stocking contemporary work by makers from across the North West. 22 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
AT: Is there a link between pottery and improving people’s wellbeing? JWW: Absolutely! I’ve run many projects with a mental health charity in Stockport and homeless shelters in Warrington. A few years ago a Japanese research project compared visual art and clay art therapy and found that the continued recovery post-course was higher for people who worked with clay. I often find that people open up when they are potting as it is very therapeutic, it takes people back to their childhood state, playing and building with their hands. There is a gentleness to the medium as it is so tactile and fun to handle. When people are playing with clay they don’t have to make eye contact with me or the other people in the room and that can really help break down barriers. At a Dementia Group there is a lady who has a medical condition that causes her to constantly rock to and fro. The only time I’ve ever seen her still is when she plays with clay. It is wonderful to see her body and mind at peace.
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AT: It’s great to see Red House Farm continuing to be used for the benefit of the community – what was it that drew you to set up here? JWW: The Hive is built on a community ethos, our shop is run by volunteers and takes no commission on sales, all money spent goes directly to the artist. Shared studio space means that resident artists can collaborate and benefit from shared knowledge, experience and friendship and our classroom is often used to teach charity groups. I’ve just worked with Room at the Inn, a homeless hostel in Warrington, to produce a tile mural for their walls. AT: For someone who hasn’t tried pottery before, why should they? JWW: I think many people have a creative itch but some are fearful about getting started. I really encourage beginners to just have a go as clay is very forgiving, if you don’t like it you can smooth it over and start again. My weekly classes are for hand-building where you will learn coiling, pinch pots and slab work, but having a go on a wheel is on a lot of people’s bucket lists, so its’ great to offer people the chance. With two wheels it’s possible to have a go with your friend or partner, and no, it’s nothing like that scene from Ghost! If you are struggling to get to The Hive, I offer a mobile service where I can come to you. I also offer Hen Dos and children’s pottery parties which means all ages can have a go at one of the oldest art forms. AT: Tell us about your event on March 29th.
JWW: We are hosting a Spring Artisan Market on Sunday 29th March, when you’ll be able to peruse the stalls, visit the studios and nibble some homemade cake! We hope you will join us and say hi to the gang.
If you are interested in finding out more about the classes or workshops at the Hive, please visit its Instagram and Facebook pages @thehivedunhammassey, or visit the website warringtoncreativescollective.com 4
1 and 3 The Hive founder Jeni Jacques-Williams 2 The shop selling contemporary work by North West makers 4 The Hive is based at Red House Farm Photography: Jackie Tucker
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It’ll be a feast for the senses... people will be blown away SO MARRAKECH
Altrincham’s vibrant Market Quarter is about to gain a little piece of Morocco with a brand new cafe and retail concept, So Marrakech. We speak to the people behind it, Blanchflower’s Phil Howells and So Marrakech’s Anissa Damoussi
Anissa Damoussi, Claire and Phil Howells, the team behind So Marrakech
ALTRINCHAM TODAY: You’re about to launch a completely new concept in a great new location in Altrincham – tell us a bit more about it ANISSA DAMOUSSI: I am very excited to be re-opening So Marrakech next month, 25 Market Street is such a fantastic spot and we have some wonderful plans for the interior. The space will comprise our homeware shop, celebrating Moroccan designers and artisans, in collaboration with Phil and Claire Howells (owners of Blanchflower), a daytime cafe serving contemporary Moroccan breakfast and lunch dishes. It will also be a base for our Moroccan interior design and experiential travel services.
PHIL HOWELLS: It will combine the wonderfully curated, handcrafted Moroccan homeware that So Marrakech is known for, but expanded. Along with this, there will be our contemporary take on authentic cuisine in a cafe. AT: You’ll be the only place making Moroccan food in Altrincham. Why do you think this will work? AD: I believe our cafe menu will be a welcome addition to Altrincham’s thriving food scene, it will offer something quite different. As consumers, we are constantly seeking new, authentic experiences, and I think our new concept will offer just that.
PH: For starters, Morocco is home to one of the planet’s great cuisines. Throw in the French influence that we will show off in the baking and you have a pretty awesome base for a cafe. As Alty’s food scene now has such strong foundations I think that a cafe or restaurant doing anything really well would have a good chance of succeeding, especially if it’s something different. Also, I hope people know us well enough from Blanchflower to know that we can really cook and bake. I hope they will find the idea of us bringing something different to Alty’s food scene exciting. We know the products we are going to present to Alty when we open and we are very comfortable that our instincts are right and this new cafe will blow people away. AT: What kind of retail experience can people expect? AD: Colourful displays of our carefully curated artisanal Moroccan homewares. With a continued focus on natural materials, our collections will include painted pottery, handblown glassware, wooden furniture, brass lamps, raffia baskets, wool rugs, cushions and more. Being of mixed Moroccan and English heritage, I have a very close connection with Morocco and take pride in showcasing our SPRING 2020 | ALTRINCHAM TODAY 25
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beautifully handmade products that have often been created using centuries’ old techniques. Our new space will be a real feast for the senses... a little piece of Marrakech in Altrincham’s vibrant Market Quarter. AT: And what will they find in the cafe? PH: First, as always, a warm welcome. One of the joys of this project has been diving deeper into Moroccan cuisine and our job is to bring something authentic but also modern and appropriate for the time of day we will be serving. We are shipping a stack of ingredients in from Morocco to ensure that the flavours are as close as you would find there as possible. Moroccan salads are different to the European version in that they are often based around one main ingredient and you would have several at a sitting rather than everything mixed into one. This is very similar to what you’d get at Ottolenghi’s restaurants in London. This will be a central core of what we do. We will bring to the menu our contemporary twist on tagines and bastillas (a filo-style tart) – two
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Moroccan cuisine staples, as well as ‘berber eggs’ for breakfast. We have created new bread for So Marrakech, and Moroccan pancakes that we are sure everyone will love. The cafe’s patisserie menu will boast three or four brand new cake recipes, and delicious choux ‘buns’... all Moroccan inspired. AD: In preparation for this collaboration, Phil and Claire have immersed themselves in Moroccan cuisine, spending time baking with our family cook in Marrakech, and sampling the best of the city’s cafe and restaurant scene. Food is a huge part of Moroccan culture, and we are really looking forward to bringing a taste of magical Morocco to So Marrakech. AT: How did the collaboration between So Marrakech and Blanchflower come about? PH: Claire and I were big fans of Anissa’s shop on George Street and we bought quite a few things. Also, Anissa would come to Blanchflower and eat brunch at the weekend, so we started chatting. Then we found that we were both interested in the shop in Market Street, but both thought it was a little
big for our needs so it seemed logical to see if we could do it together. I’m a great believer in serendipity. AD: As soon as we started talking about 25 Market Street and how it could work as a collaboration, the concept very quickly came together. It’s been a very natural partnership between So Marrakech and Blanchflower. Everything is made in-house at Blanchflower, and everything So Marrakech is handmade in Morocco... having a strong, authentic product is super important to us both. AT: Does this affect Blanchflower in any way? How is Blanchflower doing at the moment? PH: Blanchflower is doing wonderfully, thank you. So well, in fact, that Claire and I felt that we were ready to do something else. This is it. AT: When are you hoping to open and what will the opening hours be? AD: We are hoping to open our doors towards the end of March, and will be open Monday to Sunday.
So Marrakech, 25 Market Street, Altrincham, WA14 1QS.
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10 new things to do this spring EVENTS
By Jasmine Jackson
Well thank goodness winter is done and dusted for another year. But what to do now? Here are 10 ways to make this spring a memorable one – and they’re all a short trip from Altrincham 1. Bewilderwood
BEWILDERWOOD TO OPEN AT CHOLMONDELEY CASTLE This isn’t just another adventure park. Hailed by the Telegraph as one of the best attractions for families to visit with under 16s in the UK, Bewilderwood possesses a distinct charm unlike your typical park. So, it comes as little surprise that 300,000 people are expected to visit this rural beauty in Cheshire every year, once the gates open this spring. Bursting with mysticism and magical characters who will guide you on an imaginative trail through the 70-acre woods, where not only children, but adults – yes, adults – will be able to roam free, discovering face painting, storytelling, and arts and crafts. Even if you’re not what some would call a modern-day hippy, there’s something quite liberating and special about being at one with nature.
Bewilderwood, Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire SY14 8AH. Visit bewilderwood.co.uk
HILARY MANTEL RELEASES LONGAWAITED TRILOGY CLOSER The eager wait for Booker Prize-winning author Hilary Mantel’s conclusion to the Wolf Hall series, The Mirror & the Light, is finally over. The reenvision of Robert Bolt’s play, A Man for All Seasons, reimagines power-hungry Thomas Cromwell as a man of tolerance, talent and upmost loyalty to Henry VIII. After taking over from Cardinal Wolsey and becoming the king’s right-hand man, witnessing the overthrow of two queens, and seeking revenge despite lack of evidence, what has the fate of England become?
The Mirror and the Light (Fourth Estate), out March 5th 2020. Waterstones Altrincham is holding a free reading group dedicated to the trilogy on March 26th. 28 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
2. Waterstones Altrincham
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WEST SIDE STORY AT THE ROYAL EXCHANGE Inspired by Romeo and Juliet, the classic West Side Story’s 1950s Manhattan take has all the ingredients for a perfect love story, but two rival gangs (the Sharks and the Jets) from different ethnic backgrounds must win their battles first. Back at the Royal Exchange theatre by popular demand, West Side Story is still full of passion, spectacular choreography and an electric cast with even more spark than before.
West Side Story at the Royal Exchange, April 18th to May 30th 2020. See royalexchange.co.uk for more.
3. The Hallé CELEBRATE BEETHOVEN’S 250TH WITH THE HALLÉ Ludwig van Beethoven was unmatched in range, complexity and drama by any other composer. This year, the 250th anniversary of his death is being marked by the Hallé, in tandem with the BBC Philharmonic orchestra, at The Bridgewater Hall. The celebration of his complete cycle will of course include “Elegischer Gesang” (Elegiac Song), his leading edge “Ninth ‘Choral’ Symphony”, and some of his lesser-known pieces. In March, Beyond the Score will provide a “dramatic exploration” of Beethoven’s iconic Fifth Symphony, with live actors, stunning visual projections and excerpts performed by the Hallé.
Beethoven 250 at the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester. See halle.co.uk/beethoven for more.
4. The Royal Exchange
5. Jodrell Bank 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF JODRELL BANK OBSERVATORY It’s been 75 years since Cheshire’s Jodrell Bank Observatory first entered the world of science, a hugely innovative hub for scientific research. It is considered a site of “Outstanding Universal Value”, and was last year recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From April, a new daily Telescope Walking Tour and talk will take you through the early breakthroughs in radio astronomy, through the dawn of the Space Race and the height of the Cold War, to today’s cutting-edge technologies and latest discoveries.
Jodrell Bank: 75 Years of science, April 20th to November 13rd 2020. Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, Macclesfield SK11 9DL. SPRING 2020 | ALTRINCHAM TODAY 29
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6. Cheshire Cookery School
TAKE A COOKERY CLASS AT THE CHESHIRE COOKERY SCHOOL Looking to brush up on your cooking skills ahead of the summer barbecue season? A class at the Cheshire Cookery School will do the trick. Andrew and Lisa Warnes transformed their love of food into this superb cooking school 11 years ago, with classes covering Middle Eastern, Indian, Italian and more.
Cheshire Cookery School, Norman Rd, Altrincham WA14 4EP. See thecheshirecookeryschool.com for more
7. Hotel Brooklyn
FOR KIDS WHO LOVE TO SING!
NOW ENROLLING
NEW YORK-THEMED HOTEL OPENS IN MANCHESTER
LE IN ALTRINCHAM & SA
The team behind the acclaimed Hotel Gotham returns this spring with the launch of purpose-built, New York-inspired Hotel Brooklyn. As well as the 189 rooms, there’s an expansive ninth-floor banqueting space, the Runyon’s Bar and Restaurant with a giant Brooklyn Bridge mural, and The Snug, a cosy lounge with blue velour sofas and vinyl players spinning records from the Manchester music scene.
www.littlebelters
Hotel Brooklyn, 59 Portland St, Manchester M1 3HP. See hotelbrooklyn.co.uk for more.
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9. Back to the Future BACK TO THE FUTURE HAS ITS WORLD PREMIERE IN MANCHESTER
8. Dippy the Dinosaur
The unforgettable 1980s cult classic - which made icons out of teenager Marty McFly and the unconventional time travel inventor Doc Brown - has just enjoyed its world premiere at the Manchester Opera House and is on until May 17th. With the film’s original creative team of Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis involved, hopes are high. Great Scott!
Back To The Future The Musical runs between February 20th and May 17th 2020. See backtothefuturemusical.com.
DIPPY THE DINOSAUR IS COMING TO ROCHDALE The UK’s biggest celebrity dinosaur – Dippy – is back at Number One Riverside, in Rochdale’s town centre, after leaving The Natural History Museum in 2017 to set sail on a national tour of adventure. Originating from the Diplodocus family, this dinosaur is said to have first lived on earth between 146 and 152 million years ago! Today the beloved Dippy is known as one of the 10 replicas of the original Diplodocus. Rochdale will be the only North West destination on this tour. And it’s all completely free!
Number One Riverside, Smith Street, Rochdale OL16 1XU. See rochdale.gov.uk/dippy for more.
POKEMON GO SAFARI LIVERPOOL
10. Pokemon
Niantic Inc, the company behind popular mobile game Pokemon, has joined forces with Liverpool City Council team to bring this event to the UK for the first time ever. Liverpool is one of only three locations in the world hosting the events, with the other two in the US. The Pokemon Go Safari Zone comes to Sefton Park from Friday to Sunday, April 17 to 19, where tens of thousands of gamers from across the globe, known as Pokémon Trainers, will search the park on the hunt for augmented reality characters.
Sefton Park, Mossley Hill Dr, Liverpool L17 1AJ. See visitliverpool.com for more
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Why farming with nature is so important to our family business LITTLE HEATH FARM SHOP
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Little Heath Farm in Dunham Massey is renowned locally for its farm shop – but what about the National Trust-owned farm behind it? We speak to the tenants, the Jones family, to find out more.
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ALTRINCHAM TODAY: Many people know about the farm shop but Little Heath is of course a working farm too – can you tell people more about your farming? MARK JONES: Little Heath Farm is a livestock and arable farm run by the Jones family. Our cattle, pigs and sheep are reared at nature’s pace, we have very high welfare standards. Our Aberdeen Angus cattle are born and bred in Dunham Massey and reared predominantly on long-term herbal grass leys, and fed a small amount of brewers’ grains from local micro brewery Dunham Massey Brewery and home-grown crops and grass. This is a slower way to rear cattle, however, we believe it is better for the health of our cattle, soil health, biodiversity and especially the taste of the meat. Our pigs are home-reared in very high welfare social groups, fed a mixture of home-grown grain and provides delicious pork for the farm shop.
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We also have sheep on the farm that graze the fields all year and provide excellent free-range, grass-fed lamb, hogget and mutton. We will soon be lambing so keep an eye out for updates on social media! All meat is sold in the farm shop and we can ensure full traceability of our meat and are happy to answer questions about our farm. We grow arable crops in a rotation to ensure the soil does not tire. We use a direct drill to sow most of our crops which has many benefits including long term soil organic matter, an indicator of soil health, and reduces our carbon emissions. It’s been a challenging autumn for farmers across the country with the very wet weather but we are planning to grow barley, wheat and beans which could be destined for your plate or our cows! AT: You subscribe to something called ‘farming with nature’ - can you explain what that means? TOM JONES: We work very hard at the farm to encourage biodiversity and use minimum pesticides and herbicides, but of course farming with nature is a balance as we need to produce food for the public and support the family business. Farming with nature includes creating diverse habitats that suits the land we farm and corridors for wildlife across the land we farm. This has included creating small wetland areas, wildflower areas, rewilding corners and we take great pride in our hedgerow management. This includes only cutting or laying a third of our hedges each year leading to large wide hedges. They are such a vital habitat and feed source for farmland birds and for mammals to travel around the farm. Over the winter months we have been planting trees this winter and hedgelaying. We record farmland bird numbers and work closely with a few wildlife trusts and volunteers to help us. SPRING 2020 | ALTRINCHAM TODAY 33
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How much importance do you place on sustainability? SARAH JONES: Sustainability is incredibly important to us and makes so much sense! We consider ourselves custodians of the landscape and have always been very good at utilising waste such as returning farm yard manure to the soil and feeding waste feed products such as brewers’ grains from the local micro brewery. As a mixed livestock and arable farm we have the opportunity to be as self-sufficient and adopt as mainly circular agricultural practices as possible. The majority of our arable crops are grown for beer and bread making and the surplus is fed to our cattle and sheep, and they in turn help fertilise and establish arable crops. We also sow cover crops over the winter. Cover crops are designed to increase soil health and lock in nutrients over the winter but instead of being harvested they are usually eaten by our livestock or incorporated into the ground before an arable crop is sown again in spring. At the heart of everything we do is our aim to enhance the landscape we have been tasked to farm by the National Trust, and hope it will be like that for many years to come. We are aspiring to be modern sustainable farmers. We know there’s still plenty more we want to do and every time someone shops in our farm shop it helps us to achieve that goal.
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“Spring is a wonderful time on the farm, the first flashes of green and the swifts and swallows returning are some of our favourites sights”
1 The Jones family at Little Heath Farm (from left): Tom, Sue, Mark and Sarah 2 Sheep graze the farm’s fields all year 3 and 4 The Joneses in action on the farm 5 Inside the acclaimed farm shop and (6) a young customer
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AT: What’s happening in the farm shop and on the farm? SUE JONES: Firstly, a massive thank you to everyone over the festive period who supported our farm shop and bought Angus burgers and proper pork hot dogs at our barbecue at Dunham Massey Christmas Lights. It was wonderful to catch up with plenty of familiar faces and to meet so many new ones. Of course, there are many special occasions when we all get together with our families over the year including Easter. Don’t forget you can pre-order any produce and collect just like at Christmas. We will have the same great selection of beef, pork, venison, lamb and hogget. We usually require one-week advance notice for orders but please give us a call or pop into the farm shop if you have any questions. Spring is a wonderful time on the farm, the first flashes of green and the swifts and swallows returning are some of our favourites sights. We have been planting trees and hedge-laying to make our hedges even better! We will be sowing a lot of arable crops this spring after the very wet autumn and winter period. We will of course be lambing again too, so please follow us on social media if you want to follow their journey. We have lots planned for 2020 and can’t wait to share these with you soon! Watch this space.
Little Heath Farm Shop, School Lane, Altrincham WA14 4SE. Visit littleheathfarmshop.co.uk or follow them @littleheathshop on Twitter
SPRING FOOD SPECIAL
Sunday roast with a Spanish twist
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EVUNA
As it launches a stunning new Sunday lunch offer, Evuna founder Jane Dowler reveals what inspired the menu
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We all know that food to Spain is like Picasso to art. Food to a Spaniard is a source of pride, a way to live; part of their identity, and their way of life. It’s arguably the leading food nation in the world at the moment – in terms of ingredients, produce, chefs, restaurants and pushing the boundaries of eating out. La comida, or lunch as we say in Spain, is a bit different from what we’re used to in the UK. The large midday meal has several courses and usually includes five or six choices in each. It’s a time where family and friends get together to enjoy each other’s company, tell stories and of course share a glass of vino or two.
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Spanish Sundays Sunday Lunch Menu Three courses £22.95, two courses £19.95 * Kids menu also available at £12.95 for 2 courses Starters Calamares Mushrooms with Garlic Mayonnaise Iberico Ham Croquetas
Since February, Evuna has been marrying the tradition of la comida with our tradition of Sunday lunch. Sunday is family day and we invite you to enjoy a long, lazy, traditional Sunday roast with a Spanish twist. The menu has been inspired by Spain’s varying terrain and climate. Meat from the mountains, fish from the coastline and vegetables and chickpeas from La Rioja. If you ask any of our chefs for their favourite dish they would undoubtedly say their grandmother’s garlic chicken (Pollo al Ajillo), which is why our Sunday lunch meats and fishes are marinated for eight hours with garlic, thyme and rosemary to perfectly pair with our English trimmings of Yorkshire pudding, vegetables and classic roast potatoes. For vegans, we have created a beautiful half aubergine stuffed with chef Ali’s chickpea and spices recipe from Huelva in the North of Spain, providing a protein-packed accompaniment for the vegan roast. Evuna, 84-86 Stamford New Rd, Altrincham WA14 1BS. To book, call 0161 928 9898 or visit evuna.com. 5
Perfect Pairings Beef or chicken: Go for a Rioja, such as the Ogga Reserva
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Warm beetroot salad with hazelnuts and melted goats cheese Mains Slow Roasted Rib-eye served pink with Yorkshire pudding, roasted potatoes, seasonal vegetables and Evuna gravy Marinated Half Chicken with Spanish herbs and garlic served with Yorkshire pudding, roasted potatoes, seasonal vegetables and Evuna gravy Marinated organic Scottish Salmon, roasted, served with Yorkshire pudding, roasted potatoes, seasonal vegetables Vegetarian Roast - Half roasted aubergine stuffed with spicy chick pea and vegetables served with Yorkshire pudding, roasted potatoes, seasonal Vegetables and Evuna vegetarian/ vegan gravy (vegan friendly without the Yorkshire pudding) Desserts Almond cake served with lemon sorbet and orange sauce
Beef: Santalba Organic Reserva or Vina Hermosa Reserva
Crema Catalana (Spanish Crème brulée)
Chicken: Vina Hermosa Crianza or Costas Altas
Spanish cheese selection £2.00 extra
Salmon: Fuglet Albarino
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Padron Peppers
Aubergine: Any of the modern young reds on the list
Chocolate cake served with vanilla ice cream and PX sauce Spanish Cheesecake
1 Slow-roasted Rib-eye, Yorkshire pudding and a bottle of Rioja 2 Evuna founder Jane Dowler 3 A selection of starters 4 Chefs Andrea Pilo (left) and Atilla Takacs 5, 6 + 7 More Sunday delights at Evuna
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OFFER 15% OFF
To celebrate the launch of the new-look showroom, Rose & Grey will be giving all customers who purchase a sofa in store 15% off, with free delivery to addresses within ten miles*
Rose & Grey has relaunched its Altrincham base as a dedicated furniture showroom. The Atlantic Street store, which reopened to customers in early March, has received an extensive makeover, and now showcases larger pieces - including sofas, sideboards and dining tables. As the brand approaches the launch of its first in-house designed, exclusive furniture collection later this year, owners Lyndsey and Guy Goodger have decided now is the time to focus the showroom space on the core range of products. The re-work of the brand’s bricks and mortar showroom will house more of the made-to-order collection than ever before - helping customers find their perfect sofa, effortlessly. While seating will take up much of the refreshed space, side tables, rugs, drinks trolleys and chests of drawers will be styled within each area to inspire customers for their own homes. *offer valid from 6.3.20 – 31.5.20
The expert Rose & Grey customer service team will be on hand to discuss all the factors that go into choosing a sofa, with an extensive knowledge of fabrics, design and most importantly – comfort. Visitors are encouraged to take their time to browse the collections and ask the advisors any questions they may have. Ranges will be grouped together so shoppers are able to view all the choices available to them in their preferred style, whether it be mid-century, contemporary or more traditional – with fabric options on hand to help the decision-making process easy. Lighting, mirrors and wall-art can still be purchased in store, and the full collection will be available online – with local customers able to take advantage of the click and collect delivery option. Lyndsey Goodger, who founded Rose & Grey in 2008, said: “We have listened to customer feedback and created a showroom that is centered around our sofa and furniture collections. We know buying a sofa can be a big decision and we want to ensure we are showing all of the pieces we can and dedicating the time to chat through customers’ needs.” The furniture showroom is now open from Wednesday to Saturday 10am – 5pm and Sundays 11am – 4pm.
SPRING FOOD SPECIAL
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We’re bringing something different to the party BATCH DELI
They’re ‘buzzing’ off the success of Batch Bottlestore – and now Chris Bardsley and Will Brown have teamed up with Kings Cafe next door for a new deli launch offering “good food, coffee and wine”. Chris tells us more ALTRINCHAM TODAY: You’ve been running Batch Bottlestore for nearly a year now – tell us where the idea to open a deli came from? CHRIS BARDSLEY: Since opening we’ve got really friendly with Matt who ran Kings Cafe – as well as the obvious perks of this, we all seemed to gel really well. Matt was planning to do a relaunch/rebrand of the cafe and we regularly sat around spitballing ideas together until eventually the idea of combining forces came up. 40 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
While we have an obvious love of craft beer, we also love all things ‘small batch’, such as food, coffee and wine. The opportunity to be a part of something that could combine the four is something that excites us. We spend all our time in small cafes, restaurants and bars so we feel we can bring something exciting to the table. AT: What kind of place is Batch Deli going to be? CB: We want the philosophy of the deli
to be just like the bottlestore. A shop for all your takeout needs as well as a space to sit, drink, eat and relax. We’ve got our man Alan at Ma Maison et Moi to hand-make us another big long table for the deli, similar to the bottlestore. We’re big fans of the communal table approach, it’s always nice seeing different groups of people chatting with each other when they otherwise wouldn’t. The deli in short will hopefully be a nice little spot aiming to bring you good food, coffee and wine.
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1 The Batch Deli team: Deli manager Roey Beaumont, Batch Bottlestore’s Chris Bardsley and Will Brown, and chef Matt Brame 2 Batch’s Will Brown (left) and Chris Bardsley 3 The new deli will be located next door to Batch Bottlestore in Kings Court
AT: How is the Bottlestore going and how are you enjoying being in King’s Court? CB: Batch Bottlestore is going much better than we could have ever hoped – we absolutely buzz off it. Kings Court is a wonderful courtyard. All the units get on really well, drink in each others’ bars and are all on the same page in terms of the direction we want Kings Court to take.
Batch Deli, Kings Court, Altrincham WA14 2RS. Follow @batchdeli on Facebook
Photography: Karen Herman-Wright
AT: And what kind of food and drink will you be serving? CB: We’ve got a couple of different things on offer in the food department. During the day times we’ll be doing a selection of handmade sandwiches, salads and soups and then in the evening we’ll be doing meat and cheese boards with pickles, ferments, olives etc. On Saturday and Sunday daytime we’ll be offering a brunch menu and then finally on Sunday late afternoon into the early evening we’ll be making seasonal roast dinners. For drinks, we’ll be delving into the world of natural wine. We’re really getting into it at the moment and we think it shares similar ideologies that craft beers hold. Small independent winemakers producing wine from grapes that are hand-picked, with no added yeast or sulphites. Natural wines can be clear, hazy or even orange.
AT: Do you think there’s a gap in the market for this kind of place in Altrincham? CB: Absolutely, I mean while there are some incredible places to eat around Altrincham, there is just nowhere doing the food and drink in the style we plan to deliver. We opened the bottlestore because we believed we could bring something different to the party. We want Batch Bottlestore & Deli to become a key part of the Altrincham community.
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The best food to ease your menopause symptoms KATE ROBERTS NUTRITION The change can make many women feel run down – but there is much evidence for the beneficial effects of certain foods. Altrincham-based nutritionist Kate Roberts has some expert advice Feeling a bit under the weather? Well you’re not alone. The resolutions are waning and us mums can start to feel the strain of keeping up with the hectic pace of life. Throw shifting hormones into the mix and we can easily become run down. This spring, our focus is on menopause and discovering some simple nutritional steps that women can take to help keep well and foster healthier habits, manage our symptoms and protect our future health too. From our early 40s onwards we enter the realms of menopause, the onset of which – peri-menopause – can last up to 10 years. Symptoms include hot flushes, lack of concentration and fluctuations in mood, and as oestrogen levels fall we can suffer detrimental effects particularly to our bone and heart health. 42 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
Oestrogen protects our bones and decreasing levels can lead to an increase in the loss of bone mass and the development of osteoporosis. Hormone replacement therapy is the first line of treatment, but diet can help too. Making sure we are ingesting enough protein, calcium and vitamin D alongside weight-bearing exercise such as walking, running and yoga will give the body the building blocks it needs to maintain healthy bones. Most of us eat enough protein, however, dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yoghurt are good sources of protein and calcium. Try to consume three servings per day – a serving is equivalent to a glass of milk, matchboxsized piece of cheese or a yoghurt. Full fat and low fat versions will do the same job.
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During and post menopause, our risk of heart disease can also increase as oestrogen helps to maintain healthy arteries and cholesterol levels. As we age we tend to store more fat around our middle which is again linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. To try and mitigate these factors we can reduce the saturated fat intake of our diets by switching to more healthful unsaturated fats such as olive oil and make sure we are eating enough whole wheat and whole grain foods. Wholegrains such as oats, corn, barley and rye can help to mop up the cholesterol as well as providing fibre essential for a healthy gut. We should also strive to meet our five portions of fruit and veg a day and two portions of fish a week (one of which should be oily) as there is strong evidence to support the beneficial effects of including these whole foods and healthy fats in our diets. Try to eat more unsalted nuts, seeds and legumes (peas, beans and pulses) and limiting our intakes of salt and sugar, ditching processed foods will help here. Finally, alcohol can exacerbate menopause symptoms, limit alcohol to within recommended amounts. Two to three units of alcohol a day, with some days alcohol free and no more than 14 units a week (equivalent to one and a half bottles of wine) is sensible and will reduce your risk of other diseases and can improve your quality of sleep too. We can also make other lifestyle choices such as increasing our intake of phytoestrogens - there is limited evidence that these plant-based compounds that mimic our bodies’ own oestrogen can alleviate menopause symptoms in some women. They are contained in soya beans and soya rich foods as well as flaxseeds, sesame seeds, barley, grapes and tea. However, be careful when substituting plant-based milks for dairy as they do not contain the same matrix of healthful constituents and you may unwittingly be removing more nutrients from your diet than you gain.
Rhubarb and almond bircher muesli Serves 4
200g Rhubarb, cut into 4cm pieces 3 tbsp Runny Honey, plus extra for serving 120ml Fresh Orange Juice 120g Rolled Oats (You will need to soak the oats overnight)
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon 250g Greek Yoghurt, plus extra to serve 50g Toasted Flaked Almonds or Pistachios, shelled and chopped if you prefer 1 tsp Mixed Seeds
Method 1. Put the rhubarb in a large saucepan with the honey and orange juice and poach gently over a low heat for about 10 minutes, until the rhubarb has just softened. Cool and drain the cooking liquid into a jug, set aside. 2. Mix the cooking liquid with the oats, cinnamon, yoghurt, half the almonds, and half the rhubarb. Stir to combine and refrigerate overnight, allowing the oats to soak. 3. Serve the muesli topped with the remaining poached rhubarb, almonds a spoonful of Greek yoghurt, drizzle of honey and sprinkle of seeds.
In summary, stick to whole foods where possible, reduce intake of saturated fats, add in more whole grains, colourful fruits and vegetables and try and eat three serves of dairy a day. Take a vitamin D supplement (10mcg a day) to help the body use the dietary calcium and find a resistance exercise that you enjoy to protect your bones and help maintain a healthy weight.
See recipe, above right
For further information or to book a one-to-one appointment, please contact me directly via email hello@katerobertsnutrition.com or using the contact form on my website katerobertsnutrition.com SPRING 2020 | ALTRINCHAM TODAY 43
SPRING FOOD SPECIAL
The anatomy of a great sandwich BLANCHFLOWER By Phil Howells Sandwiches have been in the news a bit recently – or rather gourmet sandwiches have, so sorry Tesco Meal Deal, no one’s been raving about you. The chat has been about Japanese Sandos, a crustfree white bread sandwich filled with breaded fried meat and various sweet, pickled or hot condiments. Liverpool’s Belzan will do you a rabbit one for £12. It proudly claims to use Warburtons white sliced but that’s unforgivable in my book, la. The boys from Batch Bottlestore (we are fans) recently used the phrase “great sandwich” in a story on Altrincham Today. It got me thinking. At Blanchflower, we believe that we make great sandwiches, but what is a great sandwich? Can it be defined? We believe it can. So, in the spirit of freedom of information, here is our guide to the anatomy of a great sandwich and the three great sandwiches which helped shape these opinions. THE GOLDEN RULE Preferably you need to make all the ingredients to be in the running for greatness, however you might well be able to skip one. Two, and you are on shaky ground. BREAD Bread makes up the majority of your sandwich so it’s of equal importance to the main filling. Like a romantic film needs co-stars, it’s a symbiotic relationship with one relying on the other. House-baked is by far the best option. I appreciate that I would say that because at Blanchflower we bake our own bread, but that doesn’t make it any less true. The difference between great bread and bad bread is huge! Bread should provide texture and flavour, rather than be something just to hold the filling. 44 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
Fresh bread should be a given; unfortunately it’s not. Those baguettes that taste so great in Paris: they were a few baked hours ago at worst. Get as close to the product source as possible and you’ll take a step closer to greatness. The biggest criminals are wraps! You’ll be lucky if they were made this week, let alone that morning. THE MAIN INGREDIENT First, the harsh fact of sandwich making: hot/warm sandwiches are better than cold ones (normally). There are exceptions but I think in a top 20 run down you might get three or four cold ones in there. Some kind of pre-cooking prep here is helpful if you are aiming for the stars. The most regular is spicing and marinating but smoking and curing will change flavour (and possibly texture) even more profoundly.
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Coatings are vital in certain sandwiches and again an individual recipe should be used. For instance, our fried chicken sandwich coating initially contained whole oats for crunch and they were replaced in version two by uncooked poppadom. Details like this are hugely important. Again, using that example, we use soft focaccia and the chicken is also soft, so where’s the textural difference coming from if not the coating? Good quality hard cheese is a bit of an exception to this as it’s almost impossible to make in small quantities. I’d argue that a simple cheese toastie is a wonderful sandwich and that a nicely caramelised onion or sautéed leek helps it achieve greatness relatively easily. Toasting will also make the most of less fresh bread. Even white sliced tastes pretty good when holding melting cheese. CONDIMENTS On the whole it’s best to make relishes, chutneys and spiced sauces, like sriracha, from scratch. Mayo (we find Hellman’s to be the best by miles) and mustard are better from the shop. Homemade mayo is a bit rich on a sandwich, in our opinion. Heinz ketchup and HP Sauce are classics for a reason and there can be something good about the familiar taste of these. Phil Howells is the owner of Blanchflower and the soon-toopen So Marrakech (See Interview, pages 26-27)
THE THREE GREATEST SANDWICHES OF MY LIFE 1. Salt Beef Beigel. Beigel Bake, Brick Lane, London, E1. They follow the rules. They make the bagel and they make the salt beef, put a lot in and then slather it in English mustard. Open 24 hours, this is a London institution. 2. Doner in Lahmacun. Imren Grill, various S Berlin locations. Again, rules followed. Doner homemade (made of chunks of spiced lamb like a shawarma) and freshly made lahmacun (turkish pizza), sprinkled with chilli flakes and covered in garlic sauce. The best hot sandwich I have ever eaten. 3. Grilled Comte, Montgomery Cheddar & Ogleshield Sandwich, Borough Market c 2010. The only sandwich in my list that could be viewed as gourmet. This selection of pricey cheese in sourdough was grilled on a flat plate with the melted cheese being scooped back on top to be flipped and cooked into the bread. Possibly the best 800-calorie butty ever made. We ripped it off in 2011 when we started Caffeine and Co and it’s been ripped off a thousand times since.
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Silver and bold SILVERWOOD
Its locally made jewellery – combining wood and silver – is now available to buy at Altrincham Market. We spoke to founder Claire de Bezenac about how she realised her dream – and the complicated process behind each piece 46 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
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ALTRINCHAM TODAY: You’ve just launched a new jewellery business, Silverwood. Has this always been an ambition of yours? CLAIRE DE BEZENAC: I’ve been wanting to start my own business for quite a few years now. As far as the concept for Silverwood, it’s been something I’ve started looking into as a hobby for over three years, with the hope of one day being able to do it full time. And now that’s what I am finally able to do. I’ve dedicated a lot of time the last 18 months into making this project a reality. I am really excited. It hasn’t always been easy but I am so pleased with where it’s at and what the collections have become. AT: Tell us a bit more about the inspiration behind your style. CDB: The first idea was always to provide high-end jewellery that combined wood and silver. I thought the contrast between the two was
beautiful. The more I looked the more I realised there was very little out there. I found wooden jewellery but it tended to be a bit fussy or “ethnic”. It was beautiful but it just wasn’t the style I was after. I also wanted to make sure that high quality metal like sterling silver accompanied the wood. That’s when I started designing my own pieces. The collections are definitely inspired by nature and strong geometric shapes, often found in nature. They are also designed to be contemporary, very simple but exquisite. I wanted something bold, minimalist and slick. What I have learned is that simple is often very difficult to execute. For me, it’s really been about bringing together the quality of the components, the craftsmanship and the finish. AT: What kind of jewellery are you selling? CDB: My collections range from necklaces to bangles, earrings, rings and cufflinks, for both men and women.
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If I had to describe it in a sentence I would say I create modern yet timeless statement pieces. The jewellery is bold and unique and hopefully that resonates with a lot of people. It is high quality handmade jewellery. The jewellery will appeal to someone looking for something different that’s not on the high street but easily distinguishable. There is definitely something for everyone and every occasion with smaller everyday jewellery in the Lana collection, and signature statement designs in the Gaia range for example. It depends what you are after. An important aspect of what I do is keeping it local. The jewellery workshop team is in Manchester. Much of the woodturning happens in Cheshire, with some in Kent. It is truly a Made in the UK product.
AT: Can you give us an insight into the manufacturing process behind your jewellery? CDB: There is so much time and attention that goes into every piece and I love to talk about it with people. It makes the jewellery all the more special. Before the manufacturing even starts, there’s obviously the design phase where an idea is drawn up, amended, sometimes numerous times, and then finalised. A lot of time is spent understanding the best way to bring it to life. Bringing wood and silver together is complicated. For one, wood is very sensitive to heat or any type of chemical which would often be used in traditional jewellery making. I discuss the project with the jewellers and woodturners and we figure out the best way to approach each piece. Once the wood is cut and polished the jewellers have the complicated job of bringing it all together. First, prototypes are created. We’ll often need to have more than one try at a product. There is a huge amount of tweaking and perfecting at this stage to make sure everything is as close to perfect as we can get it. Most pieces of jewellery will include the wood and four or more silver components. We can then finally produce.
This involves getting the wooden elements hand turned and polished. This can take a lot of time to guarantee consistency. We also try to keep the wood as natural as possible using beeswax for polish. Then the jewellers can start putting the jewellery pieces together. Every piece is then sent to the Birmingham Assay Office to receive their brand mark and hallmark. This is an important sign of quality. AT: What’s your background?
CDB: I come from a marketing background, so very different to jewellery creation. But I have been involved in product development for many years, working across different sectors including fashion and accessories. I’ve always loved design. My past experience has of course helped give me the foundation needed to tackle this project. However I have to say, it’s also been a steep learning curve. Running your own business is a completely different ball game.
Visit Silverwood’s stall at Altrincham Market on Saturdays and Sundays Silverwood is offering a 10% discount on all products to Altrincham Today readers. To redeem, visit mysilverwood. co and use the code ‘altitoday02’ at the checkout (valid on all orders placed until March 15th 2020, and limited to one use per customer but can be applied on the full value of your order). Follow Silverwood on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @mysilverwood 6
7 1 Silverwood founder Claire De Bezenac 2 - 6 Pieces from the Silverwood collection
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7 + 8 Silverwood jewellery being created in the Manchester workshop
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Altrincham Market MARKET HOUSE TRADERS
RESERVE WINES
SAM JOSEPH
GREAT NORTH PIE CO
Owner Kate Goodman knows a thing or two about wine; she used to co-host BBC2’s Food & Drink, and has spent the last 15 years sourcing, tasting and selecting quality driven wines from all over the world. With a team of dedicated wine lovers, Reserve’s only wish is to make quality wine more fun and accessible for everyone and they love tasting with their customers so make sure you ask when you go! Since 2017, Reserve has also introduced wine on tap which is an innovative way to offer better value and more sustainable wines. Grab a half or litre carafe of Barbera or try one of their regional gins. They also have a growing collection of natural wines. Check out their bar in Mackie Mayor in Manchester’s Northern Quarter and in The Picturedrome, Macclesfield.
Owners Sam and Claire had previous lives as pastry chefs and that attention to detail shows in everything they do. Every single item at Sam Joseph Chocolates – including truffles, macaroons, pastries, ice cream and hot chocolate - is handmade by them in their Market House kitchen. Two of you? Try the chocolate fondue. Or head to The Picturedrome in Macclesfield for a taste of their legendary popcorn.
If you like pies, you’ll love the Great North Pie’s Company’s award-winning creations. The Swaledale minced beef and onion and the roast chicken and ham are both great; the Cheshire cheese and spinach is a good veggie option, and their new steamed suet puddings are a delicious treat on chilly days.
WOLFHOUSE KITCHEN HONEST CRUST & BAKERY
Home to some of the most delicious confections you’ll ever eat. Try the peanut butter caramel brownies or legendary cinnamon rolls. If you’re lucky, you might even get to grab a doughnut! And their sister venue, Wolfhouse Coffee at Mackie Mayor, is also worth a visit for coffee and cake. Looking for something savoury? The Kitchen’s new brunch menu is divine… Don’t believe us? Try the apple pie French toast! 48 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
Honest Crust’s two-tonne wood-fired oven has been shipped over from Napoli and turns out the best sourdough pizzas you’ve ever tasted. As winter is just around the corner, you’ll see locally grown squash and sprouts are back on the menu, as well as a seasonal kale and pecorino salad. This Autumn, Rich Carver and Damiano Rotunno have been harvesting olives over in Puglia, with this season’s olive oil available to buy as soon as it is pressed. Honest Crust is also available at Mackie Mayor in Manchester’s Northern Quarter and The Picturedrome in Macclesfield.
MARKET HOUSE COFFEE
Purveyor of loose-leaf tea, Italian pastries, Lovingly Artisan’s awardwinning sourdough toast and homemade jams and fruit cordials – not to mention home to J Atkinson & Co. coffee. Fancy trying something new? Try their plum and pear, blackcurrant and liquorice, or honey, lemon and ginger Winter Warmers – or even a hot toddy! Also available at Mackie Mayor.
MARKET
TENDER COW
LITTLE WINDOW
JACK IN THE BOX
Tender Cow delivers an unforgettable experience for even the most seasoned of meat lovers. Its expertly cooked flat iron or hanger steak are mouth-wateringly good and their triple-cooked chips are strictly non-sharing. Great for breakfasts and brunches, too, and also available at Mackie Mayor and The Picturedrome in Macclesfield. Talking of which, if you pop into the latter, don’t leave without trying Fin, their delicious foray into fish. The fishfinger sandwich is amazing!
Offspring of Honest Crust, Little Window was inspired by a trip to Puglia and its focus is on simple, seasonal plates that are a feast for the eyes – and the stomach. In for breakfast? Try the nduja eggs with spicy salami, pecorino and ricotta on focaccia, or the Farinata. They always have a seasonal Soup of the Day, too.
The original bar and bottle shop from Manchester brewery Blackjack, Jack In The Box showcases a revolving variety of handpicked British microbreweries as well as their own hoppy house pale ale and lager. They’ve got great cider from Dunham Massey, too. Their Mackie Mayor and Picturedrome bars are also worth a visit.
SPRING 2020 | ALTRINCHAM TODAY 49
PROPERTY & HOME
1
Free Metrolink travel for Alderbank homebuyers
It’s one thing living in a great town like Altrincham but throw in free travel on the Metrolink and it is a pretty hard location to beat.
50 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
Real Estate Investment Partnerships (REIP) is the company behind some of Altrincham’s most high-profile residential developments. The developer has just launched a special partnership with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) that will provide a pass for one year’s free travel across all Metrolink zones for the first year after you move in to one of their Altrincham developments. The deal is part of TfGM’s “Move in with Metrolink” campaign which aims to reduce congestion on the roads, tackle the environmental impact of cars and encourage more sustainable travel around the city and its suburbs. REIP is the first developer in Altrincham to partner up with TfGM to help drive earlier adoption of the Metrolink network, and to encourage residents to minimise their carbon footprint once they have moved in to one of REIP’s WA14
developments. Any new purchasers in 2020 will be given one ‘All zone annual travelcard’ for free, the cost of which is normally £1,154. The partnership with TfGM is the first of a number of partnership deals that REIP is looking to roll out to new purchasers of their homes. “The resurgence of Altrincham has been well-documented,” says Steve Slater, CEO of REIP. “Many of our team live in the town and we know the demographic is changing. More and more young people are moving here and older families are downsizing but want to stay local given the easy access into Manchester city centre and the thriving social scene in the town. “We know that homebuyers are looking for a complete package, contemporary homes with excellent design and finishes in a beautiful town as well as superb local amenities. Altrincham has that in abundance and can rival any city centre development.
PROPERTY & HOME
2
As a result we’re seeing more and more young professionals looking to live outside of the city centre. This is why we’re linking up with TfGM and a number of other local brands to offer our home buyers the very best that Altrincham has to offer. “We are working on some fantastic partnerships that will ensure our buyers can make the most of Altrincham and all of the brilliant things it has to offer. We want to make life as easy and enjoyable as possible, from the moment they collect the keys.” With three high profile developments in the WA14 area, collectively providing for 56 new homes, many of those residents will be looking to travel around Greater Manchester and commute into the city centre - and REIP is the first developer outside the city centre to sign up to the TfGM package. The team’s newest development, Alderbank, is just a few minutes’ walk into Altrincham town centre, with the range of amenities and transport links on the doorstep. Alderbank is a development of 40 magnificent homes, including 2-bed and 3-bed apartments and 1-bed mews houses, all designed around a central landscaped garden. All properties benefit from private outdoor areas and with floor to ceiling windows, that fill the homes with natural light.
Highbank at Green Walk, located opposite St Mary’s Church in the picturesque village of Bowdon, has proved to be huge hit with only a few properties left for sale. One is the stunning 3,000 sq ft 3-bed penthouse that has private lift access and a rooftop balcony. The property has lavish finishes chosen by UBER Design and it features all of the latest home automation with Lutron lighting, in-built surround sound speakers and underfloor heating throughout. The penthouse is one of just three remaining homes in Highbank, alongside the last 3-bed mews house and the 3-bed coach house.
1 Alderbank in Hale 2 Highbank in Bowdon 3 Bowhill Place in Altrincham
3
The third development, Bowhill Place, which is under construction on the prestigious South Downs Road, will offer the next generation of newbuild townhouses. It comprises five 3-bedroom townhouses set within landscaped grounds and with private basement car parking. Simon Gallanders adds: “We love living and working here in Altrincham. There is so much opportunity and we are actively looking for more development sites right across the town. We’re keen to continue building partnerships and working closely with other businesses in the area to ensure our residents enjoy quality living in beautifully designed and built properties - with a wonderful lifestyle right on the doorstep. We would like to encourage other local Altrincham businesses to make contact if they would like to partner with us and be a part of our WA14 lifestyle offering that we are rolling out.” For further information on Highbank or Alderbank, please visit www.highbankatgreenwalk.co.uk or www.alderbank.co.uk - or call 0161 929 6922 / 0161 929 8118. For information on Bowhill, please email live@bowhillplace.co.uk SPRING 2020 | ALTRINCHAM TODAY 51
Up to
£10,000 paid towards your stamp duty on your new property with us*.
If you think you’re ‘not ready’ for later living, think again. Our village offers an active and busy lifestyle with everything you could ever wish for.
Experience the beautiful village of Tattenhall, get in touch for more details:
01829 238 746 www.giffordlea.co.uk/stamp The Grange, Davenport Close, Tattenhall, CH3 9FQ *Terms and conditions apply.
PROPERTY & HOME
Top 50 Most Expensive House Sales in Altrincham PROPERTY TRENDS
1 / Barrow Lane, Hale
14 / Hawley Lane,
27 / Heald Drive, Bowdon
39 / Graysands Road, Hale
2 / Green Walk, Bowdon
15 / St Johns Road,
28 / Ravenwood Drive,
40 / Avon Road, Hale
3 / Barrow Lane, Hale
16 / The Mount, Altrincham
29 / Delahays Drive, Hale
41 / Mayfield Road,
30 / Orchard Road,
42 / Green Walk, Bowdon
31 / Acacia Drive, Hale
43 / Orchard Road,
£4,325,000 £4,250,000 £3,600,000
Hale Barns £1,275,000 Altrincham £1,250,000 £1,220,000
4 / Carrwood, Hale Barns
17 / Langham Road, Bowdon
5 / Stanhope Road, Bowdon
18 / Gorsey Lane, Altrincham
6 / Theobald Road, Bowdon
19 / Gorsey Lane, Altrincham
£3,380,000 £3,250,000 £1,940,000
7 / Barry Rise, Bowdon £1,630,000
8 / Park Road, Hale £1,595,000
9 / Chesham Place, Bowdon £1,566,000
10 / Chesham Place, Bowdon £1,520,000
£1,100,000 £1,070,000 £999,950
20 / Crescent Road, Hale £950,000
21 / Green Lane, Timperley £900,000
22 / Laburnum Lane, Hale £895,000
23 / Arthog Road, Hale £886,000
11 / Woodhead Road, Hale
24 / Willow Tree Road,
12 / Bankhall Lane, Hale
25 / Croft Close, Hale Barns
£1,510,000 £1,470,000
13 / Park Road, Bowdon £1,430,000
Altrincham £885,000 £825,000
26 / Cecil Road, Hale £820,000
Date sourced from Land Registry October to December 2019
£815,000
Hale Barns £810,000 £800,000
Altrincham £800,000
Bowdon £770,000
45 / The Firs, Bowdon
Timperley £770,000
£645,000
34 / Hale Road, Hale
46 / Medway Crescent,
£750,000
Altrincham £641,500
35 / Ashfield Road,
47 / South Downs Road,
Altrincham £730,000
36 / Ashley Road, Ashley
38 / Bowdon Road, Altrincham £695,000
44 / Wood Lane, Timperley £652,500
33 / Henson Grove,
Little Bollington £700,000
Timperley £681,050
Altrincham £669,459
32 / Westmoreland Close,
37 / Lymm Road,
£685,000
£677,500
£772,500
£710,000
£695,000
Altrincham £633,000
48 / Claremont Avenue, West Timperley £630,000
49 / Woburn Drive, Hale £625,000
50 / Leigh Road, Hale £625,000
SPRING 2020 | ALTRINCHAM TODAY 53
PROPERTY & HOME
Most Valuable Roads
TOP 20 MOST VALUABLE ROADS IN ALTRINCHAM (TOWN) 1 / Allandale
11 / Longcroft Drive
2 / Gorsey Lane
12 / Pennine Drive
3 / Harrington Road
13 / Hartley Road
4 / Bonville Chase
14 / Sylvan Grove
TOP 20 MOST VALUABLE ROADS IN BOWDON
5 / Groby Place
15 / The Close
1 / Theobald Road
11 / South Downs Road
6 / Bonville Road £1,187,000
16 / The Narrows
2 / York Drive
12 / Devisdale Road
7 / Wainwright Road
17 / Bradgate Road
3 / Catherine Road
13 / Bowdon Road
8 / Lyme Grove
18 / Dorset Road
4 / Consort Place
14 / Kings Acre
9 / Normanby Chase
19 / Bentinck Road
5 / Eyebrook Road
15 / Enville Road
10 / Hill Rise
20 / Normans Place
6 / Richmond Green
16 / Wolsey Drive
7 / Bucklow View
17 / Holmwood
8 / Windsor Drive
18 / Sandringham Close
9 / Charcoal Road
19 / Stanhope Road
PROPERTY TRENDS
£1,798,000 £1,454,000 £1,239,000 £1,220,000
£2,464,000 £2,205,000 £1,867,000 £1,715,000 £1,611,000 £1,588,000 £1,541,000 £1,521,000 £1,498,000
10 / Green Walk £1,495,000
£1,438,000 £1,435,000 £1,414,000 £1,368,000
£1,206,000
£1,136,000 £1,067,000 £1,062,000 £1,023,000
£1,022,000 £938,000 £930,000 £911,000 £904,000 £896,000 £866,000 £854,000 £817,000 £816,000
£1,325,000 £1,315,000 £1,308,000 £1,277,000 £1,267,000
20 / Pinewood £1,262,000
TOP 20 MOST VALUABLE ROADS IN BROADHEATH 1 / Aylesbury Close
11 / Heathermount
2 / Spey Close
12 / Somerset Road
3 / Medway Crescent
13 / Maximus Drive
4 / Pennymoor Drive
14 / Lansdowne Road
5 / Minerva Close
15 / Princes Road,
6 / Tweed Close
16 / Lawrence Road
7 / Norman Road
17 / Weldon Road
8 / Rutland Road
18 / Daisygate Drive
9 / Waveney Drive
19 / Applemint Close
10 / Jubilee Way
20 / Lock Road
£420,000 £412,000 £399,000 £391,000 £379,000 £332,000 £332,000 £332,000 £330,000 £329,000
54 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
£318,000 £315,000 £309,000 £299,000 £293,000 £292,000 £290,000 £272,000 £269,000 £269,000
PROPERTY & HOME
TOP 20 MOST VALUABLE ROADS IN HALE
TOP 20 MOST VALUABLE ROADS IN HALE BARNS
1 / Broadway
11 / Park Avenue £2,099,000
1 / Rossmill Lane £1,750,000
11 / Rivermead Avenue
2 / South Road
12 / Alan Drive
2 / Carrwood
12 / Elmsway,
3 / North Road
13 / Barrow Lane
3 / Brooks Drive
13 / Amberley Drive
4 / The Avenue
14 / Park Drive
4 / Hawley Drive
14 / Haslemere Avenue
5 / Hill Top
15 / Broad Lane
5 / Warren Drive
15 / Burnside
6 / South Downs Drive
16 / Planetree Road
6 / Wicker Lane
16 / Gorse Bank Road
7 / Rappax Road
17 / Bollinway
7 / The Paddocks
17 / Weygates Drive
8 / Park Lane
18 / Church Coppice
8 / Dobb Hedge Close
18 / Stonemead Avenue
9 / Hargate Drive
19 / Ashley Mill Lane North
9 / Hawley Lane
19 / Croft Close
10 / Lynwood
20 / Prescot Road
10 / The Coppice
20 / Shay Lane
£3,152,000 £2,846,000 £2,701,000 £2,600,000 £2,565,000 £2,401,000 £2,319,000 £2,301,000 £2,261,000 £2,259,000
£2,061,000 £2,049,000 £1,895,000 £1,874,000 £1,872,000 £1,856,000 £1,774,000 £1,665,000 £1,585,000
£1,117,000
£1,717,000
£1,064,000
£1,660,000
£1,020,000
£1,412,000
£861,000
£1,338,000
£858,000
£1,315,000
£833,000
£1,289,000 £1,189,000 £1,183,000 £1,168,000
£804,000 £792,000 £785,000 £761,000
TOP 20 MOST VALUABLE ROADS IN TIMPERLEY 1 / Rogerson Close
11 / South Meade
2 / Hulme Drive
12 / Somerville Gardens
3 / Leys Road
13 / Lincoln Drive
4 / Warburton Way
14 / Cranbourne Close
5 / Jackson Close
15 / Buckingham Way
6 / The Paddock
16 / Granville Road
7 / Henson Grove £662,000
17 / Kenmore Drive
8 / Oldbrook Fold
18 / Moss Lane
9 / Streamside Close
19 / Mayfield Road
10 / Vernon Park
20 / Meadow Bank
£813,000 £800,000 £748,000 £746,000 £711,000 £679,000
£660,000 £632,000 £625,000
*Based on Zoopla’s Zed-Index property valuation estimates
£621,000 £608,000 £592,000 £584,000 £577,000 £571,000 £564,000 £561,000 £549,000 £547,000
SPRING 2020 | ALTRINCHAM TODAY 55
PROPERTY & HOME
1
Take it outside OUTDOOR RUGS
The popularity of outdoor rugs is all part of a trend where people are increasingly treating their outdoor spaces with the same consideration as their interiors. Used to extend living space beyond the house, rugs allow homeowners to get cosy and creative outdoors. Outdoor rugs are also quite practical – bringing less dirt indoors from underfoot and covering ‘less than perfect’ grass. Advances in the materials used and construction of outdoor rugs means they’re very long-lasting and can easily withstand whatever the Great British weather throws at them. 2
We’ve picked seven outdoor rugs to suit any taste...
3
56 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
PROPERTY & HOME
4 5
6
1 Patio Flatweave Rug - Diamond Mono. £109 (160x230cm) 2 Clover Rug by Asiatic - Silver Cream. £319 (160x230cm) 3 Florence Alfresco Trieste Rug - Pink. £63 (160x230cm) 4 Patio Flatweave Rug - Deco Ivory. £109 (160x230cm) 5 Matrix Rug. £439 (160x230cm) 6 Florence Alfresco Padua Rug - Anthracite. £89.99 (160x230cm) 7 Florence Alfresco Trieste Rug - Yellow. £63 (160x230cm)
7
All rugs are available from Manchester-based The Rug Seller, which has one of the largest collections of rugs in the UK. For more, see therugseller.co.uk 58 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
Create the perfect home with a beautiful bespoke kitchen from Wells & Hewitt
Showroom:
6 Kingsway, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA14 1PJ www.wellsandhewitt.co.uk
0161 279 1670
PROPERTY & HOME
When is the best time to move house? ROBINSONS RELOCATION No matter what day, week or month you decide to make your move, relocating is a stressful experience for all those who are involved. To allow yourself the best possible transition, timing is a key factor to consider in your plans. Below are a few ways to ensure that your timing is most beneficial to suit your personal situation and that the transition is as smooth as possible. Time of the Day Moving house can be a very time-enduring process, particularly if you’re moving a considerable distance. Therefore, when it comes to the best time of day for you to begin your move, the earlier the better! By moving at the crack of dawn, you allow yourself more time to complete your move, unpack and settle into your new home.
Holidays Statistics show that it’s best not to move house around busy periods of the year, such as Christmas and New Year, and that the holiday period is often more expensive and rushed. To make your move more beneficial to you, you will find that it is best to move during late spring to early summer.
Monday and Thursday The majority of people moving house tend to do so on weekends. Whilst weekends are more conveniently suited for your working hours, it also means that moving companies are at their busiest time of the week. Therefore, in order to allow yourself the most available resources with the most available amount of time, it’s advised to make your move between Monday – Thursday.
Children Timing is not the only factor to consider when moving house. Moving is even more challenging when children are involved. Nevertheless, in order to move at the most convenient time to suit your children as well as yourself, early summer appears to be the best. With six weeks of school holidays, your children are given the time they need to settle into their new home and discover their new neighbourhood.
Seasons Moving house in the cold winter months may not appear to be the most appealing time of year. However, this also means that very few people decide to make their move during the colder seasons. As such, removal companies might be more likely to be flexible with dates and fees. 60 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
For more information, visit robinsonsrelo.com or call 0161 928 9980
1 Consistently selling more property in the Timperley area than any other agent
PROPERTY & HOME
Work begins on new Timperley development PROPERTY NEWS Work has begun on a development of three new four-bedroom homes in Timperley. Landmark Living, part of Landmark Property Group Ltd, is building the Brook Gardens development on Brook Avenue after acquiring and then demolishing the bungalow that previously sat on the site. The three three-storey properties being built – two semis and a detached – are due to be completed by May 2021. Each will have a square footage of 1,830. The semi-detached houses will be priced at £665,000 with the detached at £695,000. It’s the latest Timperley scheme for Landmark, who are also behind recent developments on Hartington Road, Wellington Gardens and Acresfield Road, as well as Albert Place in Altrincham.
62 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
BLOOMING BRILLIANT W O R K S PA C E 3 Barrington Road will provide Altrincham with environmentally-conscious modern workspace. Designed with the occupier in mind, the building champions a sustainable lifestyle and holds wellbeing at its heart. With up to 30,000 sq ft of light, bright, contemporary workspace across 4 floors, 3 Barrington Road is the perfect place for your business to flourish and grow.
Charlie Williams cw@willsill.co.uk
3barringtonroad.com
James Dickinson james@canningoneill.com
@3barringtonrd
LIFE
Dom Joly 10 MINUTES WITH Best known as the creator of Trigger Happy TV, writer and comedian Dom Joly is stopping off at the Altrincham Garrick this March as part of his first UK tour since 2011. We pick up a phone and shout loudly at him... 64 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
LIFE
ALTRINCHAM TODAY:
album?
Favourite
That changes every day but it would probably be David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. I just think that it was the first time I stopped listening to my sister’s albums and listening to my own. Bowie did something to me that was unlike anything that had ever happened before. The first thing I ever did when I came to London was find the street on which the album cover had been shot. I’ve got a terrible picture of me in black and white spandex trousers and a mullet, standing there. DOM JOLY:
AT: Favourite book?
DJ: It’s called The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain. Mark Twain is known by everyone for his Huckleberry Finn stuff but he was also an amazing travel writer. What I love about him is that even though he wrote more than 100 years ago, he remains completely relevant and modern. He was going out on the first cruise ships and going round the Mediterranean. He was so rude about people and so honest. I love him. AT: Where are you happiest?
DJ: I’m happiest in a place that’s three hours north of Toronto called Lake Muskoka. My wife is Canadian and she introduced me to it. It’s lakes where Torontonians go for the summer. It’s like Swallows and Amazons. You just go there and sit on a boat for a month. If you asked all of my family where they’d most like to go the answer would be Lake Muskoka. AT: Where would you eat your last supper? DJ: I love food and I particularly love Lebanese food. So if I was eating a favourite meal, or last supper, it would probably be somewhere like Maroush, in London’s Edgware Road.
AT: Biggest achievement?
AT: How do you relax?
Getting on A View From The Boundary on Test Match Special with Jonathan Agnew. My father loved cricket and he’d just died. And I remember going on wishing that my dad had known I’d been on TMS. He would have been so proud. It was at Headingley and weirdly the first Test Match my dad ever took me to was Headingley in 1981 when Ian Botham scored 149 and England came back from the dead to win. We nearly left after the first day because we thought we were going to lose. But it was a bit like Trigger Happy TV. It all happened really quickly and I didn’t realise how amazing it all was until long afterwards. My dad told me it was like going to the casino and winning the house.
DJ: I watch the worst television in the world. I’m obsessed with reality TV. There is no reality TV show that you could even conceive of that I haven’t seen. I’ll watch the worst trash TV. I love it. I really, really love it.
AT: Biggest regret?
AT: Most treasured possession?
DJ:
That’s a long list. But I guess it would be listening to other people. DJ:
What would be on your gravestone? DJ: Ruined it for everyone. AT:
AT: Best sporting moment?
DJ: The Olympics in Beijing, where I worked for The Independent. I went and covered the Olympics. The reason that came about was because everyone who goes to the Olympics is always an expert. And I wanted to write about what it was really like, for ordinary people. So I wanted to write about the Olympic Village and look at the buses with people doing archery or wrestling or ping pong. I loved that.
DJ: My
dogs, probably.
AT: What can people expect from your show at the Altrincham Garrick? DJ: A show about travel – why I love travel so much, and stories from some of the 100-plus countries I’ve visited. I often end up going to places where tourists don’t really go, like taking a ski trip to Iran, going monster hunting, or taking a coach trip to North Korea, and I will be explaining all about things like that. I’ve never done a tour like this before, so it’s going to be a new experience for me. I’m a writer who works mainly in telly, and I don’t do much live stuff, so I’m looking forward to the chance to talk to the Altrincham audience, and will be very happy to take questions and hear their feedback at the end of the show.
Dom Joly’s Holiday Snaps is at the Altrincham Garrick on Tuesday 10th March. For tickets, book online at altrinchamgarrick.co.uk or call 0161 928 1677. Another comedian, Mark Steel, will be playing the Garrick on Wednesday 11th March. SPRING 2020 | ALTRINCHAM TODAY 65
LIFE
Fitness, salons & spas LISTINGS
FITNESS Atlantic Fitness Unit 11 Bluechip Business Park Atlantic Street, Altrincham WA14 5DD atlanticfitness.co.uk Box N Burn Fitness Boxing fitness training 58 Stamford New Road, Altrincham, WA14 1EE facebook.com/bnbcheshire
Christine Kenny Nutrition and Fitness Ltd, 52 St Marks Ave, Altrincham, WA14 4JB facebook.com/pg/ckennynutrition
Chrysalis Lifestyle & Fitness The Square, Hale Barns, WA15 8ZN chrysalislifestyle.co.uk Twitter: @chrysalis_lifestyleandfitness Facebook: @chrysalislifestyleandfitness
CrossFit Trafford Unit 1 Blue Chip Business Park, Atlantic St, Altrincham WA14 5DD infinitifitnessgym.co.uk Contact: hello@infinitifitnessgym. co.uk Denise Renshaw Fitness Altrincham, deniserenshawfitness.co.uk
Douglas Bennett - Stronger Faster Fitter Contact: douglasbennett@ strongerfasterfitter.co.uk Facebook: @strongerfasterfitter42 Instagram: @Stronger.Faster.Fitter Hale Fitness 17 Cecil Rd, Hale, WA15 9NZ facebook.com/Halefitness
Hale Personal Training Bath Place, 8 Bath St, Hale, WA14 2XY hale-personaltraining.co.uk Hell Yeah Fitness 23A Stamford Park Rd, Altrincham, WA15 9EL hellyeahfitness.co.uk
H K Lifestyle Pure Gym 8-10 Stamford New Rd, Altrincham, WA14 1EJ facebook.com/TheHKLifestyle Pro-Fit Altrincham Total Fitness, Denmark St, Altrincham, WA14 2DE pro-fitpersonaltraining.co.uk PT360 The Gym, Units 2&3, Atlantic St, Broadheath, WA14 5FA pt360.co.uk
Sarah Clayton Reflexologist 210a Ashley Rd, Hale, WA15 9SN reflexologymanchester.co.uk
Si Edwards Personal Training and Nutrition 17 Cecil Rd, Hale, WA15 9NZ siedwardspt.com Sean Salinger Fitness Unit 11 Park Road Estate Park Road, Timperley WA14 5QH seansalingerfitness.com Soma Fitness 37 Hale Rd, Hale, WA14 2EY somafitness.uk
66 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
TBT Fitness 395a Stockport Rd, Timperley, WA15 7UR facebook.com/ TBTwomensfitnessandnutrition Zumba Altrincham Broadheath Community Hall Facebook: @jensouthzumba Instagram: @zumbaaltrincham
GYMS Altrincham Leisure Centre Oakfield Rd, Altrincham, WA15 8EW traffordleisure.co.uk Altrincham Weightlifting Club Unit 14, Atlantic Street Business Centre, Altrincham, WA14 5QN awlc.co.uk Atlas Physique 1 Market St, Altrincham, WA14 1QE facebook.com/atlasphysique1/ Bells Gym Denmark St, Altrincham, WA14 2SS bellsgym.co.uk
Bowdon Leisure Club Langham Rd, Bowdon, WA14 2HT 0161 941 1866 Crossfit Altrincham 12 Draybank Rd, Timperley, WA14 5ZL crossfitaltrincham.com
Hale Country Club and Spa Clay Lane, Hale, Timperley, WA15 7AF halecountryclub.co.uk Hale Fitness Gym 17 Cecil Rd, Hale, WA15 9NZ facebook.com/Halefitness
Pure Gym 8-10 Stamford New Rd, Altrincham, WA14 1EJ puregym.co.uk/gyms/Altrincham Runway Pilates 16 Goose Green, Altrincham, WA14 1DW runwaypilates.com The Gym Units 2-3, Atlantic St, Altrincham, WA14 5FA thegymgroup.com
Total Fitness Denmark St, Altrincham, WA14 2DE totalfitness.co.uk/clubs/altrincham
SALONS Air Hairdressing 120 Moss Ln, Hale, Altrincham, WA15 8AF airhairdressing.com
Beauty Bubble c/o Marco Pani Hairdressing 37 Stamford New Road, Altrincham, WA14 1EB Facebook: facebook.com/ BeautyBubbleAlty/ Instagram : @beautybubblealty 0161 941 6167 Dimensions 3 Navigation Rd, Altrincham, WA14 1LW facebook.com/Dimensions HairsalonAltrincham District 28 Victoria Rd, Hale, Cheshire, WA15 9AD districthairandbeauty.co.uk
Elements Health and Beauty 330 Manchester Rd, Timperley, Altrincham, WA14 5NH 0161 962 5522 Elliot McClarance 118 George St, Altrincham, WA14 1RF elliotmcclarance.co.uk Enhance Trafford College, Manchester Rd, Timperley, WA14 5PQ Trafford.ac.uk/enhance
Est.14 2 Ashfield Rd, Altrincham, WA15 9QJ est14.uk Finishing Touch Hair & Beauty 409 Stockport Rd, Timperley, WA15 7XR finishingtouchhair andbeauty.co.uk
FIXX Salons 1b Lloyd Street, Altrincham, WA14 2DD fixxsalons.co.uk Facebook: @fixxsalonsaltrincham 0161 928 6366 Grants 12 Kingsway, Altrincham, WA14 1PJ 0161 928 0643
Hair Icon 124 Moss Ln, Timperley, Altrincham, WA15 6JL hairicon.co.uk/salon/ hair-icon-timperley
Recycle more and waste less in 2020 Are you having a clear out?
Did you know there are 20 Recycling Centres across Greater Manchester you can use for getting rid of your waste and recycling from your home? You can recycle all sorts of things from your home, including dead batteries, old clothes and any broken electrical items. Before you visit a Recycling Centre please make sure you sort your waste and recycling first. Research shows that 43% of the waste that people put in the general waste container could have been recycled.
Carrying out home improvements?
If you are hiring traders to do up your home, whether it’s updating your kitchen, refurbishing your bathroom or sprucing up your garden – it’s the traders’ responsibility to remove all the waste for you. Make sure they include waste removal in their quote. You can’t take this waste yourself to any of the Recycling Centres as this is classed as business waste.
Paying someone to get rid of your waste?
If you pay someone to get rid of waste for you, it’s your duty of care to make sure they have a waste carrier’s licence. If your waste is fly tipped, you could face a £400 fixed penalty notice or an unlimited fine. FOLLOW THE S.C.R.A.P CODE BEFORE YOU HIRE SOMEONE TO REMOVE YOUR WASTE:
For more information, visit www.recycleforgreatermanchester.com
*Recycle for Greater Manchester is a partnership between the GMCA and nine councils in Greater Manchester (Bolton, Bury, Manchester City, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford City, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford).
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Hart 10 Kingsway, Altrincham WA14 1PJ facebook.com/ VictoriaHartleyHairstylist Hed Shed Beauty 26 Victoria Rd, Hale, Altrincham WA15 9AD Contact: 07779 311432
HOB Salon Hale 203 Ashley Road, Altrincham, WA15 9SQ Contact: Hayley2@hobsalons.com Instagram: @Hob_salons_hale facebook.com/hobhale House of Finesse 5-6 Goose Green, Altrincham, WA14 1DW Houseoffinesse.co.uk La Maison Salon 13 Ashley Rd, Altrincham, WA14 2DT lamaisonsalon.co.uk
Le Salon Cheshire 14 The Downs, Altrincham, WA14 5JW facebook.com/lesalon.cheshire.9 0161 926 9637 Madison Hair 25 Sinderland Rd, Altrincham, WA14 5JW facebook.com/ MadisonHairdressers
Marco Pani Hairdressing 37 Stamford New Rd, Altrincham, WA14 1EB facebook.com/ marcopanihairdressing 0161 941 6167 Opium Hair and Beauty 307 Hale Rd, Hale Barns, WA15 8SS opiumhairandbeauty.co.uk PAINT 1 Beech House, 1 Cambridge Rd Hale, WA15 9SY thepaintbar.co.uk
Paul Michaels Hair Salon 21 Stamford St Altrincham, WA14 1EX paulmichaelshair.com Red Angel Hair Co. 11 Oxford Rd, Altrincham WA14 2DY Redangelhair.co.uk
Revive Skin & Hair, and Blemish Clinic 103 George Street, Altrincham, WA14 1RN revivehairbeauty.co.uk Salon 6 223 Ashley Rd, Hale, WA15 9SZ salon6hale.com
Salon Girl Boss Ltd 12 Navigation Road, Altrincham, WA14 1NF
Sand 52-54 Greenwood St, Altrincham, WA14 1RZ sandhairdressing.co.uk Stranz 2 Cecil Rd, Hale, WA15 9PA twitter.com/stranzhair Terrence Paul 210 Ashley Rd, Hale, WA14 2UW terencepaul.com
The Knot Hair Studio 147 Ashley Road, Hale, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA14 2UJ Facebook: @theknotstudiohale Instagram: @theknot_studio Toni & Guy 72 Stamford New Rd, Altrincham, WA14 1BS toniandguy.com/salon/ Altrincham
Village Hair & Beauty 300 Park Rd, Timperley, WA15 6UA villagehairandbeauty.co.uk
BARBERS Alexander’s of Altrincham barber & shop 10 Regent Rd, Altrincham, WA14 1RP facebook.com/ thebarbershopofaltrincham 0161 927 9449 Ali’s Barber Shop 75 Manchester Rd, Altrincham, WA14 4RJ facebook.com/Alis-barbershop-184531524921862
Bert & Bert Albion House, 33 Oxford Rd, Altrincham, WA14 2ED Bertandbert.co.uk
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City Gent 119 George St, Altrincham, WA14 1RN citygentaltrincham.vpweb.co.uk Close Male Grooming 3 Moss Ln, Altrincham, WA14 1BA closemalegrooming.com Cuts Both Ways 236 Stockport Rd, Timperley, WA15 7UN cutsbothwayshair.co.uk
Est.14 Hairdressing 2 Ashfield Rd, Altrincham, WA15 9QJ est14.uk Flanagans 51 Railway St, Altrincham, WA14 2RQ flanagansbarbers.com Hale Barber Shop 161a Ashley Rd, Hale, WA15 9SD halebarbershop.co.uk
Hansons Barbershop 43 Stamford New Rd, Altrincham, WA14 1EB hansonsbarbershop.co.uk Hedz 8 Shaftesbury Ave, Timperley, WA15 7LY hedzinternational.co.uk
Howard Yuill Hairdressing 40 Hale Rd, Hale, WA14 2EX howardyuill.co.uk Izzy’s Turkish Barber Shop 34 Stamford new road, Altrincham, WA14 1EJ 07773 234567
MANE Male Groomers 203b Ashley Rd, Hale, WA15 9SQ mane-male-groomers.business.site Paul Michaels Hair Salon 21 Stamford St, Altrincham, WA14 1EX paulmichaelshair.com SNIPZ Hale Village Millfield Court, Hale, WA15 9BF snipz-hale.business.site
Stanlee’s Barber Shop 9- 11 Oxford Rd, Altrincham, WA14 2DY facebook.com/stanleesbarbers Toni & Guy 72 Stamford New Rd, Altrincham, WA14 1BS toniandguy.com
YOGA Ashtanga The Rowans, 100 Navigation Rd, Altrincham, WA14 1LL ashtangamanchester.co.uk Cheshire Cat Yoga Children’s yoga classes and family yoga sessions 43 Townfield Gardens, Altrincham, WA14 4DT cheshirecatyoga.com Facebook and Instagram: @cheshirecatyoga Hale Yoga Studio 161D Ashley Rd, Hale, WA15 9SD haleyoga.com
In Hale Yoga Progress House, 17 Cecil Rd, Hale, WA15 9NZ inhaleyoga.co.uk Jill Johnson Yoga 67 Hale Rd, Hale, WA15 9HP jjyoga.co.uk
Lucie Platt Yoga - Hatha Yoga Flow lucieplattyoga.co.uk Contact: Lucieplattyoga@gmail.com Facebook and Instagram: @lucieplattyoga Strong & Calm Yoga - 1:1 sessions Bow Lane, Bowdon, Altrincham Instagram & YouTube: YogaButterflyUK learn-121.co.uk Contact: 07889 859 732
Tiaga Simran Academy 16 Princes Rd, Altrincham, WA14 4EX kundalini-yoga-classes. business.site Treehouse 88 George St, Altrincham, WA14 1RF treehouseplay.co.uk
Yoga Life 61 Stamford New Rd, Altrincham, WA14 1DP yogalifealtrincham.com
1:1 Personal Yoga Sessions Bow Lane, Bowdon learn-121.co.uk Facebook: @helens.zumba Instagram: @Altrincham.Yoga
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SPA Hale Country Club & Spa Clay Lane, Hale, Timperley, WA14 1DP halecountryclub.co.uk Ki Day Spa Kings Court, Railway St, Altrincham, WA14 2RD kidayspa.co.uk
Oxford One Spa & Clinic 1 Oxford Rd, Altrincham, WA14 2DY oxfordonespa.com Rich Therapies Thornfield House, Delamer Rd, Bowdon, Altrincham, WA14 2NG richtherapies.com Zero Gravity Float Spa 26 Stamford New Rd, Altrincham, WA14 1EJ zerogravityfloatspa.com
BEAUTY Beauty at Peaches & Cream 128 Moss Lane, Timperley, WA15 6JL beautyatpeachesandcream.com Beauty by Clare 07881 736023 Instagram: @beautybyclare01
Hale Acupuncture Clinic 2 Carr Rd, Hale, WA15 8DX hale-acupuncture.co.uk
Hudson Health & Beauty 8 Draybank Rd, Timperley, WA14 5ZL hudsonbeauty.co.uk InSkin Kings Court, Railway St, Altrincham, WA14 2RD inskingroup.co.uk
Kokoa Eco Beauty Bar 13 The Downs, Altrincham, WA14 2QD kokoauk.com/pages/visit
Love Beauty at Meraki Hair Salon 28 Park Road, Hale, WA15 9NN lovebeautyuk.com Facebook: @LoveBeautyHale Luxe Beauty & Wellness 52-52 Greenwood St, Altrincham, WA14 1RZ facebook.com/ luxebeautyandwellness Meraki Hair and Beauty 28 Park Rd, Hale, WA15 9NN merakihale.com
BUFF Nail & Beauty Studio 12 Woodfield Road, Altrincham, WA14 4EU Facebook: Buff Nail & Beauty Studio
Nails etc 61 Stamford Park Road, Hale, WA15 9EZ Facebook: @nailsetchale Instagram: nailsetc_stamfordpark Tel: 0161 926 9136
Emmaline Tsui 182a Ashley Rd, Hale, WA15 9SF tsui.life
Natura Health Beauty Welman Way, Altrincham WA15 8WE louisenaturabeauty@gmail.com
Cheshire Retreat 2 Old Market Place, Altrincham, WA14 4NP cheshire-retreat.co.uk
Eye and Brow Clinic 52-54 Greenwood Street, Altrincham, WA14 1RZ eyeandbrowclinic.com Facebook and Instagram: @ eyeandbrowclinic
Face Values 138 Moss Ln, Altrincham, WA15 9SF facevalues.co.uk Grace Beauty Therapy 30A Park Rd, Hale, WA15 9NN grace-hale.co.uk
Nail Studio of Hale 191a Ashley Rd, Hale, WA15 9SQ nailstudiohale.co.uk
Nisha’s Tropics 3 Thorpe Close, Timperley, WA15 7WZ tropicskincare.com/nishasathi
Oasis Beauty Salon Cresta Court Hotel, Church St, Altrincham,WA14 4DP oasisaltrincham.co.uk Revive Beauty 103 George Street Altrincham, WA14 1RN facebook.com/reviveskinandhair 0161 929 8400
Sanctuary12 211 Woodhouse Ln E, Timperley, WA15 6AS sanctuary12.co.uk
Judi Quirke Hypnotherapy Vintage Therapies, Stamford Place, 35a Stamford New Road, Altrincham, WA14 1BL Judiquirke.com Facebook: @judiquirkehypnotherapy Contact: judi@judiquirke.com
Scarlett & Belle 49 Stamford Rd, Bowdon, WA14 2JN facebook.com/ lashesandmakeupbycathill
Rich Therapies Thornfield House, Delamer Road, Bowdon, WA14 2NG richtherapies.com Twitter: @richtherapies Facebook: @RichTherapies
Serene Skin & Beauty Pinewood House, 28 Victoria Rd, Hale, WA15 9AD sereneskinandbeauty.co.uk
The Beauty Spot 10 Heyes Ln, Timperley, WA15 6EA facebook.com/ TheBeautySpotAltrincham
The Fairy Housekeeper Mobile Beauty Service and Personal Training Contact: 07867 498519 Instagram: @the_fairy_housekeeper The Lash and Beauty Studio and Academy Atlantic Business Centre, Atlantic Street Cheshire, WA14 5NQ thelashandbeautyacademyco.uk
The Treatment Room @Est.14 2 Ashfield Road, Altrincham, WA15 9QJ est14.uk Facebook: @bellisbeautytherapy
WELLNESS Anatomy 20 The Downs, Altrincham, WA14 2PU anatomyretreat.co.uk Instagram: @anatomy_retreat 0161 928 4713
Babistic Baby and You 37 Heath Rd, Timperley, WA15 6BH babistic.co.uk facebook.com/babisticbaby Instagram: @babisticbaby Contact: samantha@babistic.co.uk
Ed Wardle-Davies - Chinese Medicine Practitioner Bow Lane, Bowdon, Altrincham Contact: 07900 227705 Hypnoshift Hypnotherapy, 37 Heath Road Timperley, WA15 6BH hypnoshift.co.uk Facebook: facebook.com/schypnoshift Instagram: @hypnoshift Contact: samantha@hypnoshift.co.uk
OTHER BDC Health 1A Ambassador Place, Stockport Road, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA15 8DB bdchealth.co.uk
Bowdon Dance Academy Jubilee Community Centre, The Firs, Bowdon, WA14 2TQ Contact: bowdondanceacademy@ gmail.com facebook.com/Bowdondanceacademy Calm at Work / Calm at Home Mobile massage therapist and meditation teacher calmatworktherapy.com Facebook: @calmathome and @ calmatwork Ice Lipo Clinic at Finishing Touch Hair & Beauty, 409 Stockport Road, Timperley, WA15 7XR icelipoclinic.co.uk Inspire Cosmetic Surgeons 2 Stamford Park Road, Altrincham, WA15 9EN inspirecosmeticsurgeons.co.uk
MoonChild Tattoo 122 Ashley Road, Hale Cheshire, WA14 2UN Facebook: @moonchildtattoohale 0161 641 6122 Simplicity Massages at HOB Salon Hale 203 Ashley Road, Hale, WA15 9SQ Instagram and Twitter: @ massageWA14
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Joy, tears... it was the most cathartic two hours NEIL HUGHES
Neil Hughes has just celebrated 17 years of running the Bowdon Rooms and promoting jazz at the Cinnamon Club. But his dream has always been to write a novel - and now he’s having an emotional time trying to get it published. We caught up with him ALTRINCHAM TODAY: Is the decision to write a book something you’ve thought about for a long time? NEIL HUGHES: Yes, I went to uni 36 years ago to study English and drama with the intention of writing but life has a habit of taking you along unexpected paths. And I guess you could say I have been procrastinating. AT: You’re using a pseudonym, Sam Emony. Why’s that?
NH: I thought I would use a different name as Neil Hughes is still very active with jazz promotion at both The Cinnamon Club and Southport Jazz Festival. Emony is such an unusual name with just two families in the UK I believe. It’s my maternal granddad’s name so I am very proud to use it. AT: Can you give some clues as to what the story is about? NH: This story is about Ruby and Freddie and the passage of time between their two funerals, 44 years apart. Freddie is a music lawyer in Manchester but spends a great deal of time in London and the tale takes place in both cities. Ruby is a strong character and her resilience is tested when she is widowed at just 35. This is where the story begins, at Freddie’s funeral and we are introduced to the storyteller Sonny whose life is then directed and manipulated over the next decade, but their love and friendship lasts a lifetime. Ruby is a dreamer and a writer and she leaves her diaries to Sonny when she dies, and he reads the personal notes on her life, from before they had met and then from the mid 70s right up to 2020. AT: Are there parallels with your own life? Is anyone going to recognize themselves?! NH: None at all, the story is complete fiction. 70 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
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I can only write when it’s completely silent - no music in the background, not even a dishwasher! AT: And you are looking to raise some funds?
NH: Yes, I have used Indiegogo, which is a nice platform for creative projects. I already had an account as I have helped fund several albums for people I know in the business such as Phil Meadows, Gwyneth Herbert and Mari Wilson. So the principle of purchasing a copy in advance is something understood in this market. In the first 10 days I have raised nearly 30% of my target. AT: What’s the money for?
NH: From the purchaser’s point of view the money is for a Limited Edition of my debut novel. From my point of view the money raised in advance is to pay for proof reading, editing and printing. The idea of grouping 300 people together in advance helps me plan the route to market. AT: Is there is a kind of “soundtrack”... song lyrics that resonate with you and with the characters? NH: Yes, the soundtrack is part of Ruby’s character, part of her DNA. She sees love and lessons in the tunes she listens to, and this is a key part of her relationship with Sonny. She reels him in with composers and lyrics, she inspires him to learn and excel and she moves him around the world with ease, something he knows nothing about until he reads her diaries. There are lyrics dotted all over the book.
AT: What’s the timescale? NH: I
want to publish the novel in April ‘21.
To contribute to Neil’s fundraising campaign, visit indiegogo.com and search ‘The Old Familiar Places’.
AT: Is there jazz in the book?
Yes there is jazz interwoven in the story. There are musical references from the very start. Puccini’s Chrysanthemums is played at the funeral and Sonny sees Freddie’s music room and grand piano at the wake. This is Ruby’s hook to keep him coming back, to assuage her guilt at losing Freddie. The lessons she learnt from her husband are passed on to Sonny and this is where The Old Familiar Places as a title is relevant. We all have our comforts, our go-to restorative havens and Ruby’s places become Sonny’s as surely as they became hers.
St George’s Parish Centre, Church Walk, Altrincham WA14 4TT
NH:
AT: Has the process of finding a publisher been straightforward? NH: The idea of pitching to someone and baring your soul with your plans and storylines was at first quite frightening. But once I started talking, I just couldn’t stop. It was the most cathartic two hours. Joy, tears and truly feeling the characters. All out, everything on the table; plot, deaths, timeline and twists. AT: Do you write at fixed times or suddenly have an urge?
NH: I write in chunks, great big chunks – it is the only way for me. However I am always taking notes, scribbling sentences and lyrics, building up stock for future use. But
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SPRING 2020 | ALTRINCHAM TODAY 71
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What Altrincham’s reading BOOK CHARTS
TOP 10 BESTSELLERS IN ALTRINCHAM
CHILDREN’S & YOUNG ADULT FICTION
TOP 10 NON-FICTION
1 BIG SKY, KATE ATKINSON 2 Pinch of Nom – Everyday Light, Kay Featherstone et al 3 Written in History, Simon Sebag Montefiore 4 The boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, Charles Mackesy 5 Milkman, Anna Burns 6 The Man Who Didn’t Call, Rosie Walsh 7 This is Going to Hurt, Adam Kay 8 Queenie, Candice Carty-Williams 9 Daisy Jones and the Six, Taylor Jenkins-Reid 10 The Five, Hallie Rubenhold
1 THE BEAST OF BUCKINGHAM PALACE, DAVID WALLIAMS 2 The Ice Monster, David Walliams 3 Wrecking Ball, Jeff Kinney 4 One Of Us Is Next, Karen McManus 5 The Meltdown, Jeff Kinney 6 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, J K Rowling 7 The Girl Who Stole an Elephant, Nizrana Farook 8 The World’s Worst Teachers, David Walliams 9 Dog Man – Fetch 22, Dav Pilkey 10 Bad Dad, David Walliams
1 THE VOLUNTEER, JACK FAIRWEATHER 2 BOSH! Healthy Vegan, Firth & Theasby 3 Break Point, Ollie Ollerton 4 This is Going to Hurt, Adam Kay 5 Lose Weight and Get Fit, Tom Kerridge 6 War Doctor, David Nott 7 Pinch of Nom Food Planner, Kay Featherstone et al 8 Surrounded by Idiots, Thomas Erikson 9 Feel Better in 5, Dr Rangan Chatterjee 10 Hinch Yourself Happy, Mrs Hinch
Ice Breaker BOOK REVIEW
By Angela Prior
Erebus: The Story of a Ship Author: Michael Palin Pages: 352 Publisher: Random House Publication date: September 20th 2018 72 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
Information supplied by
Michael Palin is, in his own words, no seafarer, yet he is drawn to the sea. No naval historian either, yet he has written a history of a sailing ship that ventured to the Antarctic and the Arctic between 1840 and 1847, when the ship and its companion disappeared without trace while on an expedition to further explore the Northwest Passage. Well researched and full of descriptions of the bravest of men, colossal seas, massive icebergs, flora, fauna and land never seen before, Michael’s voice comes through on every page. In 2013 he was invited to give a talk to the Athenaeum Club in London on a member of the club, dead or alive. He chose Joseph Hooker, who ran the Royal Botanic Gardens for most of the 19th century, having heard great stories of his policy of ‘botanical imperialism’, encouraging plant hunters to
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bring commercially exploitable specimens back to London. He soon discovered that this man, at the age of 22, had been on a Royal Naval expedition to the Antarctic under the captaincy of James Clark Ross. The ship was HMS Erebus, and together with HMS Terror, her sister ship, she made three expeditions to the Antarctic under the leadership of Ross, for the purposes of maritime research, and the Arctic under Sir John Franklin. Both sailing ships began life as warships, former ‘bomb’ boats, used to fling shells over coastal defences, but now stood down from Mediterranean patrolling to duty as exploration vessels, strengthened and fortified against the bitter ice and cold. Their Antarctic goal was to find the South Magnetic Pole, and three attempts were made without success, but HMS Erebus and HMS Terror were the first ships to break through the ice and discover that there was land underneath all the ice. On the Arctic voyage to discover the last miles of the Northwest Passage, so important to commerce, both ships foundered in the ice, and their whereabouts not discovered until 2014, when Palin began his research into these expeditions. This book will captivate you; it is an absolute gem. An extraordinary story not only of the men who had the vision to commission the expeditions, but also the courage and endurance of those who carried out the explorations over many years, of their self-sacrifice for the purposes of research, and it will astound you with the historical details of those men who braved the worst of all conditions – under sail. I recommend it without reservation.
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Call us today or visit our website, and we’ll get in touch within 24hrs.
Altrincham: 0161 928 9980
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SPRING 2020 | ALTRINCHAM TODAY 73
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Sound advice HOTEL REVIEW By David Prior
Hotel: Dakota Hotel Address: 29 Ducie Street, Manchester M1 2JL Miles from Altrincham: About five minutes’ walk from Piccadilly tram stop Cost: Doubles from £113 More info: dakotahotels.co.uk
In my experience, TripAdvisor is not usually the most reliable source of information. A useful guide, sure, but generally a bit of a untrustworthy attempt at introducing hierarchy to the food establishments of a particular place. Take Altrincham. Now we are blessed with an unusually high standard of eaterie in our town, but there’s something a bit fishy about a medium-sized town that can justifibly 74 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
have 21 better restaurants than Sigiriya, 24 better than Porta and <slaps hand on forehead> 80 better than Honest Crust. I mean, for goodness sake. So in accepting an invitation to visit Dakota, the cynic in me poured a giant bucket of cold water on the accompanying claim that this was, according to the aforementioned reviews website, the number one hotel in Manchester. Opening last May, this 137-
room hotel is actually the fifth Dakota and is a concept developed by hotelier Ken McCulloch, who famously bought the Malmaison brand for £100 and turned it into the UK’s first boutique hotel chain. With just over half an acre of car park to work with, the Dakota is quite an achievement architecturally and one that has a kind of brooding presence in Piccadilly Basin. The Manhattan vibes are strong.
Do you have a waste carrier’s licence? If you are a trader, own a business or offer a waste removal service, under the Duty of Care legislation, you will need a waste carrier’s licence to get rid of any waste from your business. This could include anything such as hardcore and rubble, electrical items or wood. It could be as small as a single bag to an entire truckload of waste. You must pay for the disposal of your waste using a licenced waste facility. If you carry out repair or renovation works on any building, it is your responsibility to remove all the waste produced. Make sure you include waste removal in your quote. DO I NEED A WASTE CARRIER’S LICENCE? You must register for a waste carrier’s licence with the Environment Agency if you do any of these things as part of your business: • transport waste • buy, sell or dispose of waste • arrange for someone else to buy, sell or dispose of waste To register for a licence, visit www.gov.uk and search ‘waste carrier licence’
YOU CAN BE FINED UP TO £5,000 IF YOU DON’T REGISTER. CAN I TAKE BUSINESS WASTE TO THE HOUSEHOLD WASTE RECYCLING CENTRE? No, it is illegal to use any of the Household Waste Recycling Centres for business waste. To ensure traders and businesses are not using them illegally, the following measures have been put in place: • Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) to monitor the number of vehicle visits across all sites • Extra staff have been recruited • Vehicle load checks
For more information about how you can dispose of your waste responsibly, please visit: www.recycleforgreatermanchester.com/business-waste
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McCulloch said when launching Dakota that, for him, the most important thing is a hotel that “makes you feel special”. And boy does he deliver on that front. You’re only yards from the Piccadilly rat run, but step inside this hotel and you enter a world that absolutely makes you feel better: whether it’s the subtle lighting that make it feel perpetually midnight, the unfailingly cheery staff, the lifesize shaggy textile dog in reception, or just the gorgeous design and furniture in every direction, this is a stunning place to be. It’s little wonder the stars seem to be staying here now in Manchester, including the Greatest Showman himself, Hugh Jackman.
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Our king-sized room, like all the rooms here, owed its meticulous finish to acclaimed interior designer Amanda Rosa, whose fondness for dark and plush textures is in evidence throughout. There are apparently 20 luxury suites here – the most in Manchester – and the Grand Deluxe penthouse claims to be the largest and grandest in town. We ate at the Dakota Grill, a classically inspired brasserie that doesn’t set out to do anything except the simple things well. There’s no pretension here, just wellexecuted food with some delicious combinations. My French onion soup with gruyere was a highlight, but the closing Bakewell pudding was a baked-from-scratch delight. The Grill deserves to stand alone on the Manchester dining circuit. Breakfast was excellent, too. So well done reviewers of Manchester, or however else you achieve a number one TripAdvisor ranking. For once, you have got it spot on.
Services for the individual: – Probate – Personal/Business Lasting Powers of Attorney – Wills – Advising the Elderly – Court of Protection – Inheritance Tax Planning
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Our team has over 45 years of experience in providing clear advice and will help you make the right decision at difficult times.
T: 0161 980 6046 W: collierlittler.com E: enquiries@collierlittler.com
411/413 Stockport Road Timperley Altrincham WA15 7XR
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Our new favourite small electric car MOTORING
By Andrew Walker
Model: Peugeot e-208 Price: £25,050 – £29,650 Battery: 50kWh Powertrain: Single-motor, frontwheel drive Range: 211 miles WLTP 100kW fast charge (20-80%): 20 minutes 7kW home charge (0-100%): 8 hours
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The next few years will see a plethora of new electric cars launched in the UK, especially in the super-mini sector. First off the mark in the battle of the new small EVs is the Peugeot 208, which we got to drive recently. Peugeot has, in our opinion, made the wise decision to make the e-208 look just like a normal 208. And, as the latest 208 is a seriously cute 205-GTI-throwback, that is a very good thing indeed. Renault’s Zoe and Nissan’s Leaf have been around for a while, but neither could
be described as sexy. The same could be said of the Hyundai Kona EV and sister model the KIA e-Niro, so alongside sister model the Vauxhall Corsa-e, which will also arrive in 2020, the e-208 will offer EV car customers the opportunity to buy a great looking small car. Electric it may be, but Peugeot still wants to offer customers a choice of driving modes, so the e-208 has three: Eco, to optimise range, Normal, optimising comfort and Sport, allowing the driver to prioritise
LIFE
performance. Reassuringly, the battery is covered by an eight-year, 100,000 mile manufacturer’s warranty. As with other electric cars, battery regeneration is available with braking modes. There are two options: Moderate, which offers a sensation close to that felt when braking with a combustion engine, or Augmented, for controlled deceleration by means of the accelerator pedal. Both are easy to use and don’t hinder the car’s enjoyment. Lots of hybrid and EV models suffer from a loss of interior space, especially in the boot. To get around this, Peugeot has its battery evenly distributed under the floor plan, so the e-208 offers the same interior space and boot space as the 208 petrol and diesel versions. More good news is charging speed. The e-208 sets the standard for rapid charging in the small-car class. Plug into a CCS 100kW rapid charger and it’ll deliver 100 miles of range in around 20 minutes, which no comparable rival other than the Corsa-e can offer, while a 50kW charger will do the same in 40 minutes. For comfort and convenience, all models feature a push button start, Bluetooth, DAB, Mirror Screen for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a six-speaker radio and a 12v socket. Outside, all versions come with body-coloured door handles and auto headlights which are also ‘follow me home’. Step inside the e-208 and you are greeted by an on-trend interior, dominated by Peugeot’s I-Cockpit and infotainment screen in the centre of the dash. Out and about on a selection of local roads the e-208 offers decent acceleration, with a 0-62mph time of 8.1 seconds, going on to reach a top speed of 94mph. Perhaps it’s the silence that does it, but it feels quicker and puts a broad smile across your face, especially with that instant pull that electric cars specialise in. Electric it maybe, but the e-208 comes with a choice of three driving modes: Eco, which slows everything 80 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
down and is perfect for the motorway; Moderate, which gives you a bit more get up and go, useful in urban traffic; and Sport, which sharpens up the throttle response and the steering, making it the most enjoyable to choose on winding, undulating roads. On well-maintained roads the e-208 travels in total silence. However, when we encountered a road which wasn’t well maintained — hello Trafford Council — the vibrations through the 17” alloy wheels were much in evidence. We were driving at the time in Sport mode and assumed wrongly that this was why the ride had hardened and become louder. We selected the Moderate driving option and then Eco, but the tyre noise and lumpy ride remained. This, though, was all we could find to criticise when driving the electric 208. The government is offering company car drivers huge tax incentives for running an electric car. The e-208 comes with a 2019/20 BIK of just 16% on all of the range, a full 10% less than the diesel 208 and you’ll pay nothing, yes nothing, in company car tax in tax year 2020/21. Business or retail customers will also get the government grant, currently £3,500, off the e-208’s asking price. So far so good, but what about charging? In Altrincham currently, Regent Road car park is closed, so you can’t access the two 7kWh chargers normally located there. That leaves you with a choice of four 7kWh chargers at Tesco Extra and four at Asda in Broadheath, plus two at Altrincham
Retail Park. That’s just 10 charging points for a town with a population of 50,000 people. Not great and another reason why car drivers are sceptical about electric vehicles. To counter this, we’d strongly suggest that if want an electric car, that you get at least a 7kWh home charger fitted, so you can top up at your leisure. We have a Rolec 7kWh charger at the office and it really takes the hassle out of owning an electric vehicle. Subsidies mean that these will cost from around £300 + vat, which is a sound investment. We didn’t quite know what to expect from Peugeot’s new electric car. Despite that uneven ride, no provision for cable storage in the boot, which some may bemoan, and a range of 211 miles — the latest Renault Zoe will power on to 245 miles — the e-208 is now our favourite small EV. If you’re looking for a small electric car, then the e-208 comes highly recommended. Andrew Walker is a member of the Northern Group of Motoring Writers and has been reviewing cars and vans since 1991. His website is companycarandvan.co.uk.
EDUCATION
Altrincham school performance tables An at-a-glance guide to the performance of Altrincham schools at Primary, Secondary and A Level stages PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN ALTRINCHAM School name
Type of school
Ofsted rating (with date of inspection in brackets)
% of pupils reaching required standard
% of pupils achieving at a higher standard
Average score in reading
Average score in maths
Altrincham CofE (Aided) Primary School
Maintained School
3 (Requires improvement) 27/03/2019
76
8
106
107
Bollin Primary School
Maintained School
4 (Inadequate) 09/03/2017
82
23
107
110
Bowdon CofE Primary School
Maintained School
1 (Outstanding) 08/11/2006
90
32
110
112
Broadheath Primary School
Maintained School
2 (Good) 12/11/2014
80
20
108
110
Cloverlea Primary School
Maintained School
1 (Outstanding) 14/06/2007
86
24
109
110
Elmridge Primary School
Academy
1 (Outstanding) 10/12/2007
90
27
108
110
Heyes Lane Primary School
Maintained School
2 (Good) 28/03/2017
81
24
108
109
Little Bollington CofE Primary School
Maintained School
2 (Good) 15/02/2017
38
8
103
103
Navigation Primary School
Maintained School
2 (Good) 19/04/2016
78
15
106
108
Oldfield Brow Primary School
Maintained School
2 (Good) 13/03/2019
71
10
104
106
Park Road Academy Primary School
Academy
1 (Outstanding) 27/11/2008
87
26
109
111
St Hugh's Catholic Primary School
Maintained School
1 (Outstanding) 15/05/2013
78
17
108
107
St Vincent's Catholic Primary School
Maintained School
1 (Outstanding) 14/10/11
90
29
109
110
Stamford Park Junior School
Maintained School
2 (Good) 08/03/2016
82
28
109
109
Well Green Primary School
Maintained School
1 (Outstanding) 15/03/2007
84
34
109
110
Willows Primary School
Maintained School
2 (Good) 06/11/2018
90
27
109
109
Other primaries in Altrincham do not make their data available
SPRING 2020 | ALTRINCHAM TODAY 81
EDUCATION
SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ALTRINCHAM School name
Type of school
Ofsted rating (with date of inspection in brackets)
Number of pupils at end of key stage 4
Progress 8 score
Attainment 8 score
% Grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSEs
Altrincham College
Academy
2 (Good) 08/03/2017
161
-0.24 (below average)
45.8
45
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
Academy
1 (Outstanding) 22/11/2007
170
0.85 (well above average)
78
97
Altrincham Grammar School for Girls
Academy
1 (Outstanding) 18/09/2008
206
0.91 (well above average)
78.6
99
Blessed Thomas Holforld Catholic College
Maintained School
1 (Outstanding) 20/06/2013
193
0.18 (average)
47.7
47
Loreto Grammar School
Academy
1 (Outstanding) 16/10/2008
157
0.8 (well above average)
73.3
99
North Cestrian School
Academy
2 (Good) 07/03/2019
69
0.02 (average)
49.6
46
St Ambrose College
Academy
1 (Outstanding) 09/07/2009
159
0.44 (above average)
69.1
96
Wellington School
Academy
2 (Good) 02/03/2017
237
0.3 (above average)
54.6
56
A LEVEL RESULTS IN ALTRINCHAM School or college
Type of school
Ofsted rating (with date of inspection in brackets)
Number of students with an A level exam entry
Progress score
Average point score
Achieving AAB or higher in at least 2 facilitating subjects
Altrincham College
Academy
2 (Good) 15/03/2007
43
-0.36 (below average)
26.27
6.9% (29 students)
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
Academy
1 (Outstanding) 22/11/2007
158
0.21 (above average)
45.04
52.6% (156)
Altrincham Grammar School for Girls
Academy
1 (Outstanding) 18/09/2008
168
0.1 (average)
48.33
49.7% (167)
Blessed Thomas Holforld Catholic College
Maintained School
1 (Outstanding) 20/06/2013
68
0.49 (well above average)
33.52
9.3% (43)
Loreto Grammar School
Academy
1 (Outstanding) 16/10/2008
125
0.01 (average)
43.36
33.9% (121)
St Ambrose College
Academy
1 (Outstanding) 09/07/2009
101
-0.21 (below average)
36.93
27.8% (97)
Wellington School
Academy
2 (Good) 02/03/2017
88
0.13 (above average)
37
11.8% (85)
Data correct as of February 2020
82 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
EDUCATION
School News Round-up Attenborough inspires Loreto Prep pupil
Blind world champion’s VIP visit to Trafford College Blind Paralympic gold medallist Lora Fachie MBE challenged catering students to carry out basic kitchen tasks blindfolded on a VIP visit to Trafford College. The Level 3 Professional Cookery students were asked to separate eggs, chop onions and correctly identify spices and vegetables using their senses of smell and taste. Catering tutor Paul Taylor said: “It’s fantastic Lora could come to visit Trafford College. Teaching students to be able to feel, smell and taste ingredients, rather than just see them, is an important part of these learners’ futures.” While most students correctly identified different spices, vegetables and chop onions, only two were able to divide the yolks from whites while blindfolded. The three times World Champion cyclist and reigning 3km pursuit gold medallist was taught to cook by her mother, who was a blind athlete in her own right.
Passionate environmentalist Alys Price-Jones says a handwritten letter from the ‘Greatest Living Englishman’ will inspire her to be an advocate for a more sustainable planet. The Loreto Preparatory School pupil, 10, sent her project on the planet’s threatened ecology with a letter of explanation to Sir David Attenborough and received a handwritten reply by return of post. Sir David wrote: “Alys, Thank you for your letter. You are quite right to be angry about the damage human beings are inflicting on the Earth and I hope you will do what you can and where you can to help. Best Wishes, David Attenborough.”
Well Green opens selffunded £20,000 track Well Green Primary School has opened a new £20,000 activity track after half the funds were raised by parents and pupils. The track at the Hale Barns school was partly funded by the school but the additional £10,000 was raised by pupils and their families through its Parent Teacher Association (PTA). The new track is already being put through its paces by the school’s 245 pupils, who use it in weekly PE lessons and running The Daily Mile. 84 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
New Oxbridge record for Altrincham Grammar Twenty 6th Form students at Altrincham Grammar School for Boys have been offered university places at Oxford or Cambridge this year – a new record for the school. The figure surpasses the school’s previous record, set in 2018. Ten of this year’s offers are for places at Oxford and the remaining 10 are for Cambridge. Head Master Graeme Wright said: “This is a fantastic achievement, both for the boys and the school. These offers are testimony to the ability and industry of our students, but they could not be achieved without the professional expertise and dedication of our staff.”
Rated
‘EXCELLENT’ by the ISI (May 2018)
A co-educational independent school for children aged 2-11
Whole School Open Morning
“We were looking for a well-balanced school where boys and girls would be encouraged to work hard and play hard. We found this at a vibrant little place called Forest.”
Saturday 14th March | 10.00 am – 12.00 noon You are warmly invited to attend a special open event for parents of children interested in joining Forest Prep School. The event will give you the opportunity to meet our Headmaster and staff, tour our facilities and experience for yourself the lovely environment that we all share at Forest.
To find out more and register please contact:
(Parent)
0161 980 4075
Moss Lane, Timperley, Altrincham, Cheshire WA15 6LJ
|
www.forestschool.co.uk
Find us on
|
@ForestPrep
FOOD & DRINK
Dining guide LISTINGS
By Laura Hudspeth
ALTRINCHAM British
A Bar Called Pi: Take an extensive range of bottled beers plus a wide range of real ales and add a mouthwatering pie menu – it’s the perfect equation for a good night out. Aurous: Bringing a touch of the exotic to Altrincham, this Shisha bar and restaurant delivers European/ Eastern fusion cuisine and an impressive cocktail menu. Blanchflower: Purveyor of unusually high quality breakfasts and lunches, with many items coming direct from the in-house bakery. Live their philosophy, ‘Everything in Moderation, including Moderation,’ and dine with them today. Common Ground: Under new management having been sold on by the trio of Olympians who originally launched it, Common Ground has recently expanded into the former barber’s shop upstairs – doubling the space and making way for a new kitchen. Now also open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.
Tender Cow’s steak with chimichurri sauce
86 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
House: Home is where the heart is and House is where the French and Italian food is. And the tapas. And the wine. And the pretty outdoor patio... Rustic: If you like your beers crafted, your burgers sliding, your fries loaded and your phones charged (never underestimate the joy of seating with this feature), bag a booth. Swan with Two Nicks: Its Cold Feet cameo may have been fleeting, but this inn’s popularity is long-standing.On Dunham Massey’s doorstep, log fires, real ales and home-cooked food are all on the menu. Tavern on the Green: Its New York namesake may have Central Park, but this tavern on Goose Green brings the live music, sport and pies to the table. Tender Cow: These Market House merchants take a fresh approach to beef, offering lesser known cuts from top producers. Favouring flat iron from the featherblade, the quality of their steaks is high. The Con Club: There’s nothing conservative about this stylish, open plan eatery and bar, often packed with the great and good of Alty. From sushi to Yorkshire puds, fine wine to its microbrewery ales, you won’t leave feeling blue. The George and Dragon: Serving hungry and thirsty travellers since its days as a horse and coach staging post, this 18th Century inn has serving good pub grub down to a tee. The Old Packet House: Whether you’re in front of the fire or basking in the beer garden, throughout the year you’ll find the ale cold, the welcome warm and the food home cooked. The Unicorn: The place for a good old Wetherspoons breakfast, a pre-match pint or drinks with friends, you won’t even need to walk to the bar; order from your table with their new app.
Toast: Launched by Justin Orange – twin brother of Take That’s Jason – Toast has proved a hit since opening on Stamford New Road and appears to be busy most of the time. Wolfhouse: From a small corner of the Market House comes big flavours and a host of dishes – from a glorious Full English at breakfast to Asian rice bowls in the evening.
Cambodian
Angkor Soul: This is the second restaurant from Chef Y Sok (and only the third Cambodian restaurant overall in the country). Delicious cuisine influenced by Thai, Vietnamese and French flavours, but with very much an identity of its own.
Chinese
Gonbay: Whether eating in or taking away, Gonbay delivers classic Chinese food. From crispy dim sum to chicken chow mein, take a trip to the Orient or let it come to you.
French
Bistrot Pierre: Fine french fare is served all day, from oeufs le matin right through to poulet le soir (here, the eggs come first). Red sign at night, this diner’s delight.
Indian
Double Tree: Classic curries are the order of the day as a taste of Bengal is brought to Altrincham. Relax in a stylish setting or take away to enjoy at home. Essence: Serving authentic traditional Indian food, but with a modern twist, in Essence, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Eat in or takeaway.
European
Icon Bar & Terrace: Completely transformed after a five-month renovation, the former Old Mill Hotel is the latest project for serial restaurant entrepreneur Barry Hogan. The menu is a delight – and if the sun’s out, you can nab one of the best people-watching spots in Alty on the terrace.
Indian
Mhariam: Lovers of this former Timperley based Indian restaurant will be thrilled that it has reopened on Goose Green. For a mix of the classic and contemporary, and with influences from Nepal and Malaysia, BYOB and head to GG!
FOOD & DRINK
Rasassi: Derived from the 15th century word Rassasy – meaning ‘to satisfy a hunger with a great meal’ – the former New Dilli on The Downs certainly delivers on its promise. Fantastic food and a masterclass in service.
Korean
Italian
Yara: Neighbours of this suburban lebanese and syrian eatery, will be no strangers to the tantalising aromas emanating through its doors. Follow your nose and BYOB.
Da Noi: This lovely Italian restaurant on Old Market Place takes its name from the Italian for ‘from us’. They say it’s better to give than to receive but lucky diners may beg to differ in this case. Honest Crust: Boasting dough which is naturally fermented and hand stretched, and top quality Italian toppings, their wood-fired pizzas are a Market House favourite. Honest! La Filia: Opening in October, La Filia on The Downs is a new launch for experienced restaurateur Jenny Yacoumis. Serving traditional Italian dishes with a contemporary twist, it’s influenced by “unconditional love, strong family values and a passion for good food”. Masso Italiano: Whether it is a business lunch or romantic dinner, or even just an informal meeting of friends and family, Masso covers all things italian – great for large groups and parties. Sugo: Want a restaurant which brings authentic southern Italian pasta dishes, passion and ambience to its sharing tables? Quite simply – you go Sugo. Tre Ciccio: Has endured an eventful few weeks after dragging into administration by a failing sister restaurant, but this Moss Lane trattoria remains a class act and a hugely popular destination for locals.
Sushi Kimchi: Oxford Road Cafe by day, but super stylish sushi and sashimi by night. Head here after dark for Japanese and Korean cuisine.
Lebanese
Portuguese
Nando’s: If you like your chicken fiery, flame-grilled and cheeky, this new Alty addition to the family friendly Portugese chain, has its peri-peri at the ready.
Sardinian
Sardus Cucina: This brand new restaurant is already winning rave reviews. Italian fayre with a focus on food from the island of Sardinia, the cuisine is famous for its wide selection of tasty preserved meats and cheese.
Spanish
Porta: Inspired by authentic wine and tapas bars, Porta’s ethos is as relaxed and informal as its bookings policy (none taken). So drop in and try their tasty fare for yourself. Evuna: The family-run Evuna has just opened its fourth restaurant, on Stamford New Road, having built up a great reputation for its other venues in Manchester city centre and Knutsford. A hugely anticipated new arrival on the Alty scene.
Thai
Nahm Prik: Deriving from the Thai word for ‘condiments’, this eatery believes in finding the perfect balance of such, to create dishes which are authentic and tasty. Phanthong: Authentic, Thai food in a spacious setting. Their Sunday special ‘all you can eat’ is a cut above, with a selection of freshly made dishes served directly to your table.
BOWDON British
Sushi at The Con Club in Altrincham
The Griffin: As legendary amongst locals as its namesake, this stylish inn is the perfect backdrop to any social occasion. Perfect for lunch with the family, dinner for two or a just a drink with friends.
The Stamford: One of Altrincham’s old favouries, The Stamford has enjoyed an impressive revival since reopening in July 2017 after a complete revamp. A warm and welcoming pub space sits adjacent to a modern dining space, with a mouthwatering menu faithful to its British roots.
European
Borage: With diners invited to take a ‘culinary trip around Europe’, take a seat and choose from a select menu of contemporary meat, fish and vegetable dishes – all without leaving Bowdon.
DUNHAM British
Axe & Cleaver: Contrary to its name, there is nothing threatening about this cosy and picturesque 19th century inn. A pebble’s throw from Dunham Massey, walk up an appetite and pop in for lunch. Rope & Anchor: A family favourite, this modern pub and restaurant is also the perfect port to dock for walkers and cyclists, looking to take a break from the Trans Pennine trail.
HALE British
Atticus: The former Hale Wine Bar remains a stylish venue that’s good for drinks or food – it’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. King George: This friendly community pub is popular with those who want to enjoy a relaxed meal with family or watch football on screens both outdoors or in. Riva: Sitting in the former Earle space, this modern British and Mediterranean offers an imaginative selection of small plates and a classic ‘from the grill’ line-up of steaks, chicken, lamb and halloumi. Victor’s: A favoured celeb haunt, this chic restaurant is invariably packed and a perfect place to be seen in the heart of Hale village. Expect modern international cuisine and fine wines.
Indian
Cinnamon: Get off the train in Hale and the first landmark you’ll see is the clock tower, the second is Cinnamon. Contemporary Indian cuisine is served up in a warm and friendly atmosphere. SPRING 2020 | ALTRINCHAM TODAY 87
FOOD & DRINK
Pizza Express in Hale has had a recent revamp
GupShup: Opening on Boxing Day 2019 in the former NatWest bank, GupShup – Urdu for ‘conversation’ – is an ambitious new concept from flamboyant entrepreneur Raj Somaiya.
Italian
La Famiglia: Before you’ve finished your anti-pasti, you’ll feel like one of ‘the family‘ in this bustling Italian. Dine by candlelight and watch the chefs work their magic, in this relaxed ristorante. Piccolino: There may be others, but this Hale branch brings individuality to this popular brand of Italian fare. With its distinctive green decor and attractive terrace, rain or shine, dine in style. Pizza Express: Hop off at Hale train station and you’ll be at this popular pizza chain before you can say Sloppy Giuseppe! Dine in or enjoy your dough balls in the comfort of your own home.
Japanese
Zumu: Serving modern Japanese food, the headline acts are sushi, sashimi and robatayaki at this stylish addition to Hale village. Go for lunch, dinner or take away a little piece of Japanese heaven into your home.
Sri Lankan
Sigiriya: This stylish Sri Lankan restaurant invites diners to enjoy not only a blend of Indian and Buddhist traditions in its spice-infused dishes, but in its hospitality too.
Thai
Dee Thai: With a facade as grand as its menu, enjoy classic Thai dishes served in stylish surroundings. Share a banquet, or choose from traditional curries, salads. and much more.
Italian
Cibo: A classic Italian restaurant with a big city feel, the third in the Cibo stable serves hand-made pasta, pizzas, seafood and meat dishes in the space formerly occupied by Carluccio’s.
HALE BARNS British
Bulls Head: In the heart of Hale Barns, this epitome of the village pub serves up classic British food alongside real ales, fine wines and cocktails. Can’t bear to leave? Check in and stay the night! 88 ALTRINCHAM TODAY | SPRING 2020
Italian
San Carlo – Fiorentina: This chic mainstay of the Manchester dining scene brings its brand of Italian to Hale Barns. Named after a region in Florence famed for its steak, enjoy theirs over a Chianti or two.
French
Brasserie Blanc: With a mix of classic French dishes and highlighted specials taking in influences experienced by Raymond Blanc on his travels, this stylish restaurant – slap bang in the middle of the Marriott – is a delight. A carefully designed menu executed to Blanc’s high standards with aplomb.
Syrian
Syriana: Formerly the Laughing Elephant cafe, Syriana offers a classic selection of Middle Eastern dishes and as proved a popular addition to the village.
TIMPERLEY British
Hare and Hounds: On the hunt for a friendly local where you can take the whole family, or enjoy a freshly cooked carvery any day of the week? Take a trip to this Timperley tavern. Moss Trooper: Award-winning cask ales are on the menu at this Moss Lane local – recently refurbished – along with traditional Great British pub food. Stop the cavalry and head on in to try for yourself. Old Hall: As its grand name suggests, this 19th century building offers a traditional setting which is perfectly balanced with its modern, fun-looking menu of crowd-pleaser dishes, for all the family.
Pelican Inn: This family friendly pub boasts an amazing range of beef steaks served on a hot iron skillet, and much more! With food challenges to boot, will you make it onto the Wall of Flame? Quarry Bank Inn: At the heart of the community, this pub caters for all the family, from over 60s specials on the menu, to mums and tots coffee and cake mornings. The Gardeners Arms: Reopened after a remarkable £380,000 revamp, this Timperley boozer is bringing the locals back with a new open-plan layout, a child-friendly menu and food that’s a notch above your usual. The Stonemasons Arms: After its initial botched revamp, the latest incarnation of The Stonies is a roaring success: the pub is back, but this time it’s a family-friendly version that manages to keep the adults happy, the food delicious and the booze well-priced.
Indian
Zaafran: Just opened on the site of the Hilal in Timperley village – which closed after more than 50 years in February – Zaafran is now owned by a former member of staff at Hilal and is promising to stick to a similar menu.
Italian
Little Italy: Let the team take you on a trip from Timperley to Little Italy. Navigate your tastebuds round the classic menu, with its wide range of dishes from pasta, to pizza to pollo porcini!
Indian
Darjeeling: This small but perfectly formed Indian has proved a hit with the locals since opening earlier this year. Friendly service and a good feed guaranteed, and the takeaway menu is recommended, too.
ONE MOMENT. FOR EVER .
14 RAILWAY STREET . ALTRINCHAM . WA14 2RE DAVIDMROBINSON.CO.UK