issue six
WELCOME ...to issue number six Well, we have a gardening page this month. It’s not something we particularly envisaged when we sat down and discussed the sort of features we would include in the magazine but that’s mainly because the editor isn’t in the slightest bit green fingered. The reason that there’s a gardening page in this issue is because Wilmslow Wells for Africa got in touch to ask us to include the Open Gardens fund-raiser day in our What’s On page. It was immediately apparent however, that this is an event of significant local interest; in terms of its geographical spread, its community focus, its charitable aspirations and the fact it brings people into Alderley Edge and Wilmslow in ever increasing numbers each year. I mention all this because this is how we work. We plan magazines like all normal publishers but we are more than happy to react to stories that evolve locally at short notice. The moral of the story being: let us know what you’re up to, we might consider your story to be more interesting than you expect.
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News
Bramhall Hall and Dunham Massey
6
Miss Wilmslow
Her name is Rio
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Isabella Bridal
Celebrating a year on Underbank
8-9
Fashion
Everything’s going swimmingly
10-11
Making Headway
Celebrating the hat
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Gardening
Everything’s gone green. And gold.
14-15
Travel
Holidays closer to home
16-17
Ashley Roberts
An exclusive chat with the Pussycat Doll
20-21
Mosley Jarman
A new face on the streets of WIlmslow
24-25
Sidney Jackson
The second part of our profile
29
What’s on
May days out and about
31
Music
The best of the new releases
Stockport Office 0161 244 9896
Publishing Director Publishing Director Editor Marketing Director Photographer
Paul Taylor Chris Roberts Paul Day Heather Roberts Matt McNulty
07901 557788 07805 149850 07981 086684 07790 634011 07757 287285
paul@shoutmediauk.com chris.roberts@shoutmediauk.com paul.day@shoutmediauk.com heather.roberts@shoutmediauk.com signol1000@ntlworld.com
Wilmslow Office 01625 541106 www.alderleymagazine.com www.wilmslowmagazine.com @WilmslowMag Wilmslow Magazine
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UNIQUE GIFTS & MEMORABLE TOURS FOR ALL DADS THIS FATHERS DAY
Large Sunday Lunch + Brewery Tour just £19.95 per person or £14 for kids kids under 16. Booking essential Call: 0161 612 4100 to book your tour today events@frederic-robinson.co.uk www.robinsonsvisitorcentre.com
beauty
MISS WILMSLOW
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n Thursday 24th April a packed house at Stockport Plaza saw the crowning of the new Miss Wilmslow - the first for 25 years - at the climax of an entertainment packed show.
Earlier the 1000 plus audience had been entertained by an introduction from David Gest followed by an opening number from Stockports Debut Dance academy. Acts between the judging rounds included Wilmslow’s Ewan Sim, Henry Gallagher, Vicky Nolan, Alexander Stewart and Roy Bennett with a special appearance from S Club who rocked the house with renditions of their number ones Reach and S Club Party. Following rounds of leisurewear, fashion and evening wear the 10 judges, including Brendan Webb from main sponsor Merseyway, had the difficult task of choosing 10 semi-finalists from the original 35 contestants but it fell to Mayor of Stockport Chris Murphy to take on the less taxing job of crowning Rio Tuli, a Stockport College student from Wilmslow. Rio will now go through to the Miss England Semi Finals on May 19th. We spoke to Rio after everything had calmed down and she’d had a little time to acclimatise herself to her new status. A year ago would you have ever imagined you’d be entering a competition like this? Honestly, not at all. I’ve done some modelling over the past few years but this was my first pageant. That’s why winning Miss Wilmslow was such a shock to me, especially as it’s the first one in 25 years. How did you find the experience on the night? It was so much fun! I expected it to be really nerve wracking but everyone was lovely. The girls I met were so sweet, we all made friends and it made the whole experience so much more relaxed and gave us a chance to enjoy it too.
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What’s the reaction been like from everyone at Stockport College? Everybody’s really happy for me. It’s been so overwhelming but I never knew how many amazing, positive people were rooting for me. Seeing people genuinely happy for my success is one of the best feelings in the world. Do you even remember S Club 7? Of course! I was backstage dancing and singing to them the entire time. Most of the other girls were nervous and just wanted to find out the results, but I was having a blast. They were my favourite band as a kid! Have you any idea yet what sort of things you’ll be doing as Miss Wilmslow over the next 12 months? I’m just excited to see what’s in store for me over the coming year. So far it’s been interviews and talks with the local press, but I’m excited for the events where I get to speak to people and socialise, such as the Wilmslow Show in July. You’re soon off to study business in London I believe, but would you rather make a living from modelling? My parents have always encouraged me to pursue modelling but my education will always be my number one priority. I want to create a stable foundation for my future and show people what I’m capable of intellectually too. I’d love to maintain a modelling career as well as studying for my International Business degree though - who says you can’t have the best of both worlds!? Organiser Paul Taylor was almost equally happy, “The night was a spectacular showcase and a landmark event for the town, we now have a deserving brand ambassador for Wilmslow” he told us. Rio’s first task as Miss Wilmslow was to provide us with this month’s Music Top 10 - see page 31.
FULL RESULTS Miss Wilmslow 2014 Rio Tuli Runner up Carly McIlroy Second Runner Up Courtney Mc William
ISABELLA BRIDAL
H
aving opened on Little Underbank last April, Isabella Bridal are celebrating a year of supplying wedding gowns to the beautiful brides of Stockport and beyond. Owner Maggie is from a fashion background and, after graduating, worked for a bridal company for three years, during which time she researched the bridal gown market in depth. That notwithstanding, when Maggie came to get married herself, she encountered the sort the problems that Isabella Bridal has set out to overcome, “We struggled. A lot of the dresses I liked were so expensive and very few places could turn one round in the three months we had until the wedding.” And so the idea was formed that the Maggie should open her own shop, supported by husband Joe who runs the company’s website. Despite living in Manchester they searched long and hard before settling on Stockport.
Maggie decided to concentrate specifically providing dresses for the bride although they do offer a small, imaginative range of bridesmaid dresses too. The most important part was ensuring that the dresses she were offering were well designed and reasonably priced. Whereas most bridal boutiques will offer a range of stock samples, order the nearest size then alter it to fit the bride, Isabella Bridal offer a range of samples which they have designed
style
themselves. When the prospective bride finds a style she likes, the dress will then be made specifically to her measurements, incorporating any changes the bride might want to incorporate. As Maggie explains “Our wedding dresses will be made to fit your shape and curves exclusively. This will ensure that the proportions of the dress will be correct and no detail will be lost in alterations.” The style of the dresses reflect the style of the boutique itself: simple, elegant and contemporary, aimed at the younger customer who will probably appreciate the relatively modest price range of £499 to £899. The pair are aware that wedding dresses can be bought for £200-£300 online and have dealt with brides who initially went down that route: “we’ve had people come in here having bought one and they just don’t want to wear it, the quality really isn’t there.” Maggie has also eased the time pressure on getting yourself fixed up with a dress. Eight to ten weeks is the standard delivery time but if you’re willing to pay a bit more you could have it in four. The consultation process is taken seriously - a bridal lounge is provided for the private use of the customer and their family. Maggie goes out of her way to advise the bride that they should bring up to three people with them, to make the process more relaxed.
Isabella Bridal 36 Little Underbank, Stockport, SK1 1JT 0161 477 3967 www.isabellabridal.co.uk
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HAT WORKS MUSEUM B In the 19th and early 20th century Stockport was the thriving centre of the UK’s hatting industry, hats made in the town were exported across the world! The town’s important role is celebrated at Hat Works, the UK’s only museum dedicated to the hatting industry..
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n recent years, there has been a renaissance in the UK hatting industry with an emphasis on unique and high quality design, demonstrated by milliners such as Philip Treacy and Stephen Jones but the focus of the revival is centred in London and the south.
Through open competition 13 of the UK’s best up and coming milliners have been selected to take part in a professional development programme which will result in the creation of two new design collections of hats inspired by Stockport’s wonderful museums collections.
Wth an exciting new project that goes by the name of Making Headway, Hat Works museum run by Stockport Council aims to bring the creative hatting industries home to Stockport and once again make the town a creative hub for contemporary millinery. This seems only fitting as it was in the North West that the UK hatting industry was born.
Making Headway will explode onto the public arena with two spectacular, free catwalk shows which will be hosted in St.Mary’s Church in Stockport Market Place on Saturday 17th May. The first of the two new hat collections will be shown at this event against the spectacular backdrop of the atmospheric church and an installation created by students from Manchester School of Ar-
chitecture. It promises to be a great afternoon of cutting edge fashion and everyone is welcome to enjoy it! Following the catwalk shows the new collection of hats will feature in a brand new exhibition at Hat Works Museum which opens on Saturday 24th May. For the very first time the hats in the exhibition will be for sale, giving you a wonderful opportunity to purchase a unique handcrafted hat by an emerging millinery talent. Making Headway being made possible by funding from the Arts Council strategic fund and Manchester Airport and of course Stockport Council.
Hat designers, (l to r) : Francisco Rico, Marina Walger, Marie Halewood (Photograph by: Karen Rangeley) Opposite page: Margaret Woodliff – Wright (photograph by Karen Rangeley)
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events
M BRINGS HATTING HOME
Participating milliners are: Beth Simpson of Lady Go Red Francisco Rico Jane Bailey Marina Walger Victoria Shearing Marie Thornton Sue Wood Margaret Woodliff-Wright Marie Halewood Victoria Shearing Kate Jones Sue Carter Rhian Kempadoo Making Headway – The Catwalk Show St.Mary’s Church , Stockport Market Place, SK1 1YG Shows at: 1.30pm & 2.30pm. ALL WELCOME! Making Headway – The Exhibition Hat Works Museum, Wellington Road South, Stockport, SK3 0EU 24 May 2014 – 24 May 2015 For more information about the catwalk shows and the exhibition visit: stockport.gov.uk/museums or call Hat Works on 0161 474 2399
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www.wilmslowshow.co.uk
gardening
GARDENS DAY 2014
F
or a couple of decades now, Wilmslow Wells for Africa have been running an Open Gardens Day event in June, which has raised more than £10,000 to help provide sources of clean water in rural African communities with projects bringing relief to many drought-stricken areas all over the continent.
be visited between 10.30am – 4.30pm on Saturday June 28th.
June 28th 2014 will be their 22nd Gardens Day, an occasion which now not only attracts interest from local residents but from those further afield who travel here especially for the day.
“There’s truly something for everyone and lots of ideas to inspire.” explains Grazyna Moore, “The gardens are located throughout the Handforth, Wilmslow and Alderley Edge areas and refreshments will be on sale at several of them. In addition, lunches will be available at St John’s Church Rooms on Knutsford Road in Wilmslow as usual.”
For the 2014 Gardens Day, the opening hours have been extended so that 21 gorgeous gardens can
Seven of these gardens are new to the scheme this year and they range in size from a compact courtyard garden to one which extends over 3 acres.
Visit the charity’s website: www.wilmslowwells. org for details of all the participating gardens. You’ll find the names and addresses of the participants, descriptions of what you will see there (A half-acre organic ornamental kitchen garden with over 200 edible varieties at Peter Woolam’s) and what else might be on offer (bacon rolls at the MacAulay’s) Advance sales (£9) from Shirley (01625 522552), Helen (01625 250368) or Donna (01625 535296) Tickets are also available from Chelsea Flowers, Chapel Lane and Alderley Flowers, London Road. Or it’s £10 on the day - buy your ticket from the first garden you visit.
GROWING FOR GOLD
T
he RHS have announced that the theme of the 50th Britain in Bloom campaign will be “Growing for Gold” and they are encouraging community groups across the UK to plant golden pollinator-friendly flowers in public spaces. Incredible Edible Wilmslow responded “This is a lovely theme for us, yellow/orange peppers, tomatoes, courgettes, gourds, chilli peppers, yellow beetroot, yellow podded peas and beans, rainbow chard... and then there’s the edible flowers - sunflowers, marigolds, nasturtium. We’re going to have lots of fun with this bright and happy theme turning Wilmslow golden” Edible Wilmslow In Bloom is a partnership between Incredible Edible, Wilmslow Town Council, Wilmslow Business Group,
Friends of the Carrs & Wilmslow Dean Rotary Club supported by Streetscape, Cheshire East Council. Anyone who wants to help out can meet up with the team on a weekly basis - see What’s On (p29) for details - or dress up your own house front with golden flowers or edibles. And why not get the kids involved? Sunflowers can be planted up until the end of May and will flower in August. www.incredible-edible-wilmslow.co.uk
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travel
GREAT BRITISH ECCENTRICS
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his month we are taking a look at a small selection of the properties owned by The Landmark Trust, a charity that rescues important buildings and gives them a new and secure future.
They take on historic places that are considered at risk and carefully and sensitively restore them. By making them available for holidays, they ensure that they can be enjoyed by everyone, now and into the future. The Trust fit out their buildings with comfortable furniture, a well equipped kitchen, modern bathrooms and good quality bed and bath linen (sheets and blankets). Most have at least one open fire or stove. But in other respects they are quite different from the mainstream and none has a television, radio or telephone. An extensively researched History Album, written for each Landmark, explores the story of that building and its rescue. while each Landmark also has a library of books selected to illuminate aspects of the building or locality. The Landmark Trust was founded almost 50 years ago by philanthropist John Smith to try and prevent the loss of the sort of smaller historic building with which neither the National Trust nor the Ministry of Works was concerned. They currently have nearly 200 buildings in their care, most in in Britain but also several in Italy and France. John Smith was already a leading figure in the conservation world: a committed enthusiast for buildings and other historical structures. His experience led him to conclude that “a body was required to tackle cases too desperate, troublesome or unfashionable for anyone else.” And so, in 1965, the Landmark Trust came into being. Over five decades a cavalcade of extraordinary buildings has been rescued. They include the Gothic Temple at Stowe, Lord Dunmore’s exuberant pineapple pavilion near Stirling, the world’s first industrial housing in Derbyshire and the 23 buildings and fragile eco-system of Lundy in the Bristol Channel. Among our most recent projects has been the rescue from utter dereliction of Astley Castle in Warwickshire, where medieval and modern have been fused together in a bold new scheme. www.landmarktrust.org.uk
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BECKFORDʼS TOWER, BATH Beckford’s Tower was designed by eccentric connoisseur and collector William Beckford as his museum and treasure house, its main interiors are as gorgeous as the objects they housed. Perched above Bath, there are fine views of the city from the gilded belvedere tower. 1 Twin, 1 Double 4 nights from £361.00
FOX HALL, WEST SUSSEX The Palladian simplicity of Fox Hall’s brick exterior belies the exuberant decoration of the upstairs sitting room and with the bed nestling in a gilded alcove it makes an extremely elegant bedsit. 1 Twin, 1 Double 4 nights from £353.00
CROWNHILL FORT, PLYMOUTH Built in the 1860s to protect Plymouth from attack, Crownhill Fort retains its tunnels, earth ramparts, parade ground and cannons. You stay in the Officers’ Quarters and have free run of the Fort once the gates close for the evening. Sleeps 8: 1 Twin, 1 room 4 beds, 1 Double 4 nights from £402.00
GARGUNNOCK HOUSE, SCOTLAND A graceful and pleasantly old-fashioned Scottish country house with a classical air, in parkland at the foot of the Gargunnock Hills Sleeps 16 : 4 Twin, 4 Double 4 nights from £803.00
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talking point
ASHLEY ROBERTS Her dad was a drummer with The Mamas and the Papas and she was one sixth of the huge entity that was The Pussycat Dolls but Ashley Roberts has headed off in her own direction. Over the last year she’s been a regular face on British telly, Imagine FM’s ChellceAJ talks to her about it Being an ex-Pussycat Doll do you randomly get people asking you to do high kicks and things like that? No, I don’t actually, Kimberley might though because she was the one always putting her leg above her head. At the moment we’re seeing you in Saturday Night Takeaway, before that there was Dancing on Ice and of course I’m A Celebrity, you’ve done loads... I’ve been busy, yeah. Its been a good year. I have to pinch myself at times. How horrendous was the jungle? I watched the series after it was over and I don’t think you really get to see how hard it is. There’s so much down time and you’re isolated and you’re stinky - I think it’s much harder than it appears on TV but it was an amazing experience at the same time. On TV you’re always sat around a campfire, it looks quite cosy... I know! But you miss your family and there’s no stimulus, no phones, no magazines. And it looks a lot bigger on TV, it’s actually quite small and you’re not allowed to go and venture off. And of course you’re hungry, especially when you’ve got Helen going out trying to get stars for ten days, you get quite hungry. Have you spoken to Helen since that? Yes I have, she’s reached out to me a few times and I’ve seen her at events. But not having to bring you food? No, luckily. And then you did Dancing on Ice? Will there be any more of that for you? That was the end of it as far as I’m aware. It was exciting for me though, especially having come out of the jungle having worn maroon for a month to get dressed up and feel fabulous again. I’ll miss it though, I had fun. It was definitely a good place to go work at but when one door closes another one opens.
But all you’ve ever really wanted to was music That’s been my passion and my drive since I was a little girl. My father was a drummer and I danced and sang and while I enjoy the television - it’s a lot of fun - this is why I get up in the morning. The music and the art and the creativity. And you’ve just been recording in some very famous studios haven’t you? Yes! Metropolis, over at Chiswick. Rihanna’s been there, Amy Winehouse, Will I Am... And Jay Z was there the other day, I ran into him. It’s a cool place and when you go in and record it takes it up a level. It has that energy to it. So you’ve recorded an album there, what’s it called? I want to tell you but we’re going to do a big announcement. But I have another single out at the beginning of July and the album will follow it. Your current single is Clockwork, and there are lines like “you’re in and out of my head” “you’re like clockwork” who’s it about? Well, it’s about a relationship when you know it’s exciting and passionate but it’s probably going to leave you with some scars but you keep running back to it, knowing that you shouldn’t. That it’s wrong, but sometimes right in a bad way. It’s wrong! Is that a theme of the album? I’ve pulled a lot from personal experiences but there are different facets of that and different sounds throughout. So, what can we expect from you in the near future? So, we’re switching gears towards the music right now but I’ll be popping on the telly for little things here and there. The music is what I’m about but I’ll be back. Clockwork is released on 25th May
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BE PART OF OUR WINNING TEAM The Wilmslow & Alderley Magaines have rapidly become the area’s leading lifestyle magazine and our growth has meant we are now looking for another
SALESPERSON If you want to be your own boss, dictate your own income and work your own hours why not drop us a line?
info@shoutmediauk.com
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homes
MOSLEY JARMAN L ess than three years ago a striking new shop opened in Bramhall. It took a second glance to realise that it was “just another estate agent” because it certainly didn’t look like one. With its striking grey and orange colour scheme, uncluttered windows and contemporary furniture it could easily have been a bar. Since then Mosley Jarman have gone a long way towards proving that, in fact, they are not “just another estate agent” and now they are out to prove that to a new market, having opened their second office on Alderley Road in Wilmslow.
The driving force of the company is Nick Mosley who cut his teeth in the industry with Gascoigne Halman and Bridgfords, ironically the two agents that sandwich his Wilmslow office. “I got to a point halfway through the recession where I thought it was now or never,” he recalls, “I was 30, I didn’t have any kids and I thought I had a few years in me where I could really get stuck into it. I suppose like anything it’s just having the bottle to actually do it, because I had quite a comfortable life.” Relatively speaking Nick’s partner Ian Jarman is a background figure but his presence has been essential to the development of the business, “I used to work with Ian at Bridgfords. He had semi-retired but he told me that if I wanted to start up on my own, he would sort out the HR, the invoices, budgeting, the accounts... all that sort of thing. And there’s no way I could have got the business off the ground if I had had to do all that. I couldn’t have done it without him.” It might seem counter-intuitive to start an estate agency business during a recession but there was logic to Nick’s timing, “When the market’s flying, any agent can sell a house because in a good area the demand is there. So I thought if I start a business in that climate I’m not going to get my foot through the door, people will stick to who they know. When we opened in Bramhall the market was in a bad state and houses were struggling to sell. A lot of the estate agents had become very reactive in the good times and they’d forgotten how to be proactive. So many of the first clients we had were people who were struggling to sell their houses and were trying the new kids out of desperation. As a result of that we started getting a reputation for being able to sell those houses.“ And this is where not being “just another estate agent” began to pay off. Nick was aware from the beginning that most people’s frustration with their estate agents was not born out of their inability to sell a property, but the lack of communication. As such, Nick made customer service one of his main priorities when he started up on his own. Choosing Bramhall as that starting point was not a difficult decision, “It’s where I grew up. I went to school there and I live in Woodford now. Opening here however, wasn’t really part of the plan..We never expected to open a second office within three years but it just went so well in Bramhall that we were in a position - when this place was offered to us - to take it. I suppose had it not been in this row, with the other agents,
we wouldn’t even have considered it. But we thought that if we didn’t take it someone else would and we’d never get this sort of opportunity in Wilmslow again.“
From his home in Woodford Nick is ideally placed to divide his time fairly between both offices and technological wizardry ensures that whichever office you call, you can be put directly through to him. It’s that customer service. It’s that communication.
If residents of Wilmslow are looking to what Mosley Jarman might bring to the area, then the company’s extra-curricular involvement in Bramhall should provide some indication. Last year saw the first Bramhall’s Got Talent event - organised by independent retailers within the Village Square but made possible by the generous sponsorship of Mosley Jarman. This year’s Bramhall Park Duck Race - an event of extraordinary popularity - is also taking place with Mosley Jarman sponsorship. Independent operators on the High Street deserve our support but it’s gratifying when you see them giving something back. “I think as a local independent business it’s really important.” Nick explains, “People have a tendency to use local independent businesses because they want them to thrive, because they want the village to thrive and they’d like to see those businesses reinvesting within the community, and I think that’s important if you want to keep the individual identities of the villages and towns of South Manchester. And as soon as we’ve got this business established in Wilmslow, we’ll be looking to reinvest in this area as well.” Surprisingly, the very distinct grey and orange identity that Mosley Jarman have adopted is not the effort of a trendy design consultancy. “No,” says Nick, slightly take aback by the suggestion, “It was a case of a bit of paper and ‘this is what we’ll do’. I suppose you try and be a bit different if you are coming into a very established area, you don’t want to be perceived as just the same as everyone else and I suppose the grey and orange is a bit different.” But while the second office mirrors the first in terms of design, it is opening into a completely different market. “Price-wise the market has risen abut 5% in the first quarter of this year. So we’re now in a position where there’s competition amongst the buyers and at this moment in time it’s harder for us opening this office than it was for us to open Bramhall. There’s a much stronger market, but what we have got going for us now is that we’re not a cold start. We’ve hopefully got the goodwill, the referrals and the word of mouth that Bramhall has built up.” The assets that are goodwill and word of mouth can, in one respect, be measured on the website www.allagents.co.uk - essentially a tripadvisor for estate agents. At the time of writing there are over 21,000 estate agency offices reviewed on the website and Mosley Jarman are ranked 31st in the country and number one in Cheshire. It looks like all that communication is paying off. 44 Alderley Road , Wilmslow SK9 1NY 01625 444 899 wilmslow@mosleyjarman.co.uk www.mosleyjarman.co.uk
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SIDNEY JACKSON & SON FORD DEALERSHIP
Above: The site as it is today, with the original, two-car showroom in the foreground and... Near left: as it was in the beginning. Far left: Accountant Alan; Sales Executive Simon; Liam, the General Manager and Sales Executive Steve Below: Then and now. A Sidney Jackson line-up from the 80s and one from last year. Five of the original eight are still with the company
Sidney Jackson & Son Ltd Wilmslow Road Garage Wilmslow Road Butley MacclesďŹ eld SK10 4LG 01625 829248 / 01625 828692 www.sidneyjackson.co.uk info@sidneyjackson.co.uk
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Motoring
T
he Sidney Jackson & Son motto is “Part of the family” and those of you who read the first part of this company profile will immediately see how appropriate this is. By way of a recap, Sidney Jackson set up business on this site in 1920, his son Jimmy turned it into a Ford dealership and his son, Tim is the current Service Director. General Manager Liam Riley has ‘only’ been with the company since 2008 but already seems part of the family himself. It was Liam who took us to see Jimmy at his home for the first part of this feature and it was Liam with whom we sat down to compose the second. His career in selling Fords began in 2000 and he has worked at some of Ford’s largest dealer groups before taking over here. “This business is still run as a family business,” he says, “ how we were then is how we are now. It has the same ethos and the same ethics as it has always had. Even the way we invoice customers... it’s all quite old school but on the other hand, we’ve completely refurbished the showroom, we have two iPads for the customers to use and there’s wifi around the whole site. So we’ve moved forward in many respects but we are still holding on to the original, traditional values. “ Clearly, when a business has been in a family for three generations, it builds up a loyal customer base organically, and that has been essential for Sidney Jackson which, on Wilmslow Road in Butley, isn’t exactly on a major thoroughfare. So existing customers need to be retained and must be so satisfied with the service they receive that new customers are attracted via word of mouth. “ We have to sell it on customer service,” explains Liam, “because we’re out here, we sell it on the fact that we’re a bit different. Most people who come here do so because they’ve heard of us from someone else. Maybe that was three or four years ago but at some point they’ve thought ‘let’s try them’. Perhaps they’ve
had a faceless experience at one the bigger dealerships and decided to act on a recommendation. They’re often delighted to realise that anything those dealerships can do, we can do, but with a personal touch.” On the other hand there are many customers who have been visiting the dealership for years. “We have customers who have been coming in here since Jimmy was first setting the business up. People who have literally been coming here for 30, 40, 50 years. One customer drew up a list of every car he’d bought from us and there were 18 or 19 cars on it.” So there is the three generations of Jacksons and the long-standing customer base; the third side to this “Part of the Family” triangle is the staff. Staff retention at Sidney Jackson is nothing short of extraordinary. As the photographs opposite show, five of the team pictured in the 1980s are still at the company today. And this being a Ford dealership, there is no chance of them becoming complacent in their role. As Liam tells us, “Ford have technicians. They are the ones that have done the training courses at the Henry Ford college in Daventry. Our technicians have to complete level assessments every couple of years. The technology is changing so fast that we need to ensure we’re on top of it. Especially with the new range of one litre, three cylinder turbo-charged engines - they are completely different to what’s gone before. These are 12-18 months old so we’re just seeing them coming in for their first services now. They use a special oil and they have to be serviced in a particular way.” Sidney Jackson has found the perfect balance between the perceived reliability of ‘the good old days’ and the technological capability to survive well into the future. Just as Jimmy advised Sidney that they should be selling cars as well as repairing them, so the present team are clearly capable of moving it on to the next level. Whatever that might prove to be.
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MAY Every Tuesday Gardens in Town Join up with Incredible Edible Wilmslow either as a one-off to pick up tips or as a regular volunteer as they plant herbs, fruit & veg and edible flowers for anyone to pick. There are two teams, the Town Centre Team which meets at the library car park and the Dean Row team which congregates opposite Wilmslow Garden Centre. www.incredible-edible-wilmslow.co.uk 14.00-15.00 Also: first Sunday of every month: 14.00-16.00 Every Thursday Modern Jive Mottram Village Hall A non profit-making jive club of eight years standing Doors open 7.30-11.00. Beginners’ lesson 7.45-8.15, repeated 9pm. Intermediate lesson 9 - 9.30pm. All welcome. £6 Saturday 10th May Local History Fair To celebrate Local History Month and Adult Learners’ Week, Wilmslow Library are holding their annual Local History fair on Saturday 10th May. Exhibitors include Alderley History Group, Cestrescire, Wilmslow Community Archaeology Group, Wilmslow Historical Society and the Romany Society. Also: back by popular demand: at 10.30am local author and resident, Ray Acton, will be sharing his memories of Wilmslow Recalled 1930-1950. Places are limited so please collect your free ticket soon. Wilmslow Library 10.00-12.00pm Wednesday 14th May Evening Tour of the Quarry Bank Mill Gardens Join the Head Gardener for a fascinating walk through this once-secret garden. 1900 - Onwards Adults £8. Thursday 15th May Could you be a Golfing Goddess? Ladies - come along with friends to find out if you could be a Golfing Goddess. Whether you’re absolutely new to the sport or wish to rekindle your love of the game, we have a fantastic offer to suit all abilities. Fun golf competitions and quiz, an introduction to Golf from the Club Professional and complementary Hot Drinks 7.30pm - Free Alderley Edge Golf Club Thursday 15th May Events Makeover Estee lauder will be demonstrating some of their best selling beauty products at Caroline Charles in
what’s on
Wilmslow. Offering three-minute beauty tips and tricks to getting the perfect look for the perfect outfit. Visitors are promised a relaxing and enjoyable afternoon with Prosecco and cakes. Caroline Charles 6 Springfield House, Water Lane. For more information or to book a place tel Barbara Drew on 01625-530486 11am - 4pm.
Races is a steeplechasing race meeting that is a great family day out. In addition to the steeplechases and pony racing there are plenty of other activities for all of the family. The racing starts at 1pm with two flat races for the up and coming sport of Pony Racing for children under 16 years. The first of the seven steeplechase races is at 2pm Tabley Hall 13.00
Friday 16th May Alderley Edge May Fair Bowling and Fun Run a round-robin crown green bowling match in the park for all the family starting at 5.30pm. Anyone can join in and bowls will be provided if you haven’t got your own. Then the fun run leaves the park at 7pm. This is a 5k run which will return to the Park about 8pm. There will be entertainment in the marquee starting at 7pm, a bar and plenty of foodie treats to sample. Alderley Edge Park
Friday 23rd May Comedy @ The Yard. Two acts, a compere, food and laughter. Featuring Ian Cognito’ and Vikki Stone. Advance booking only on 0538185926 or email Tom at shop@theyardalderleyedge.com . Have your credit or debit card ready. £15 including a curry with a vegetarian option. Fully licensed.
Saturday 17th May Alderley Edge May Fair The May Fair starts at 10am on the Saturday, and the parade passes through the village at 11am. There are two arenas with entertainment throughout the day, fairground rides, zorb balls, Punch & Judy and much more. There will also be a Fancy Dress Competition organised by Kids Unlimited and a Fun Dog Show organised by Paul Chilton and Dorothy Carpenter. The Tug of War this year will be organised by Sam Etchells of the Bosley Tug of War team. Saturday 17th May Alderley Edge Orchestra Simon Conning will be returning to make his third appearance with the orchestra on Saturday, 17th May with a performance of Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto. Also on the programme will be Vaughan Williams’ Second Symphony, better known as his ‘London’ Symphony on account of its evocative tour of such familiar city sights as Bloomsbury, the Embankment and the Strand - not to mention the famous Westminster Chimes. Rossini’s familiar Thieving Magpie gets the concert off to a brisk start. Conductor: Timothy Kendal Alderley Edge Methodist Church - 7.30 pm. Tickets cost £7 adult (£1 under 18). You can reserve tickets by ringing the helpline on 07704 557575 Sunday 18th May Artisan Market Over 100 of the very finest food, drink, art & craft stall holders, music, entertainment and activities. Wilmslow Town Centre, 10.00-16.00 Sunday 18th May Knutsford Races Point to Point Organised by the Knutsford Races Club, Knutsford
Saturday 24 May Neff Cooking Demonstration Day Something for all the family at the in-toto’s first birthday with a famous Neff chef cooking fabulous dishes live throughout the day, together with fabulous chocolate specials by Oli Dunn. Free entry intoto, Wilmslow Green, Wilmslow. 01625 530792 Sunday 25th May Adlington Hall Plant Fair There will be free guided tours of the garden by the Head Gardener, Anthony O’Grady throughout the day. Traditional teas and fresh homemade cakes available. Well behaved dogs on leads welcome. 10.30am - 4pm Fair and gardens: £3.00 Monday 26th May Dead Good Day Out! Macclesfield’s family fun day is reborn as Dead Good Day Out! There will be something for everyone, a seriously fun packed day for all the family. For the price of one ticket you’ll have an all inclusive full day of activities and entertainment. West Park, Macclesfield www.deadgooddayout.co.uk Saturday June 7th Seashell Trust Vintage Hollywood Ball Last year’s ball raised over £47,000 to help children and adults with complex and severe learning disabilities. It was also a complete sell-out, which is why we’re giving you advanced notice this year. To get your ticket or for more information, contact Hannah on 0161 610 0170 or email hannah. selby@seashelltrust.org.uk
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