E
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‘EAST KENT LIFE AT ITS BEST’ ISSUE TEN / SUMMER 2014
COOL IT!
It’s the Seaside Issue
The Best… Seaside Shopping, Holiday Homes, Summer Cocktails
PLUS: Calais: A Foodie’s Tour / Chas & Dave / Seaside Travel Posters Dreamland Revived / Local Hero: Charles Hawtrey www.weekenderonline.net
Co-educational, day & boarding school for 3-18 years in South-East England
Strong academic results at 11+, GCSE and A Level Small classes offering close individual attention Exceptional facilities including 500-seat Theatre, Sports Complex and Indoor Swimming Pool Scholarships and Bursaries Available
Autumn 2014 Open Days Friday 3 October:
Junior School (3-11 years)
Saturday 4 October:
Senior School (11 - 18 years)
For further information and to book a tour:
Nursery & Junior School T: 01843 572912 E: jsadmissions@slcuk.com
Senior School T: 01843 572931 E: admissions@slcuk.com
www.slcuk.com
Ramsgate, Kent CT11 7AE
Contributors
This issue’s contributors tell us what lures them to the seaside
‘EAST KENT LIFE AT ITS BEST’ ISSUE TEN / SUMMER 2014 / FREE
Quinton Winter is a Whitstable-based illustrator and artist who has drawn for Mojo, BBC Wildlife Magazine, Time Out and many others. He is also compiler, curator and illustrator of www.weirdwhitstable.co.uk Do you remember your first seaside holiday? Rolling down grassy dunes with my dad in Exmouth, Devon. What does the English seaside mean to you? Looking for fossils, skimming stones, staring at the clouds and laughing with my daughter. How would you spend a rainy seaside day? Sitting in a beach cafe with a mug of tea staring through the running window, watching the rain make circles on the sea.
Dr Karen Shepherdson is Principal Lecturer in Photography at Canterbury Christ Church University and Director of the South East Archive of Seaside Photography. Do you remember your first seaside holiday? I first went on the beach at under a month old and have seldom been off it since! Even now I make sure I walk our dog along the shore each day or trot down after a day in the office for a few deep breaths. What does the English seaside mean to you? Firstly it means home, but it's also a theatre—to be at the seaside at the height of summer offers wonderfully watchable scenes and, as a photographer, it offers a wealth of visual opportunities. How would you spend a rainy seaside day? Ilove a rainy day at the seaside! I’m there with my camera recording sun bathers fleeing for shelter. If the entire day is rain sodden I head to The Old Lookout Gallery at Broadstairs Jetty. I meet artist pals, drink strong tea and gossip. Not a bad life!
Peter Dench is a Getty Images photojournalist who has worked in over 50 countries. His 2012 book England Uncensored—a laugh out loud romp through a badly behaved nation—is followed by Alcohol & England, published by The Bluecoat Press in the autumn. Do you remember your first seaside holiday? I grew up a two-minute walk from the beach at Weymouth. My first holiday was Great Yarmouth; Space Invaders in the games room and Blondie on the radio— marvellous! What does the English seaside mean to you? Youth, nostalgia, family and home. How would you spend a rainy seaside day? It would have to be an air hockey tournament in the arcade.
Editor’s Letter
are well worth booking into— even if it’s just for a weekend getaway. There are some handy tips too on how to let your beautiful home out to discerning paying guests. Talking of holidays, we sent food writer Tom Moggach off to Calais (page 34). Luckily for us, he returned to these shores with some superb wine and other culinary delights from this most underrated of French ports. And if a schlep across the Channel feels too much like hard work, why not stroll down to your nearest seaside town and support its independent shops (page 24)? Times haven’t exactly been easy for our High Streets but we detect a real sense of optimism, most noticeably in Margate with its so-called ‘Turner effect’ and Deal, recent winner of the Daily Telegraph’s High Street of the Year award. Elsewhere in the magazine we pay tribute to Carry On naughty boy and former Deal resident Charles Hawtrey (page 22), sip cooling cocktails served up by our favourite local bars (page 39) and meet cult cockney rockers Chas & Dave (page 13) who, hats off to them, once had hit which went: ‘You can keep the Costa Brava an’ all that palaver ’cos I’d rather have a day down Margate with all me family.’ Oh yes, and did I tell you that this is our tenth issue? That’s ten quarterly issues covering East Kent Life at its Best since launching in September 2011. Our remit then was to ‘inspire, stimulate and entertain’ and I hope we’ve stuck to our guns on that! Let’s compare sun tans and swap holiday snaps in the autumn.
Welcome to the summer issue.
Here at The Weekender, we don’t care much for long range weather forecasts nor the thoughts of St Swithin, but hope all the same that you’re having a fine time in the sunshine. As you may have guessed from the cover, we’ve lost our laptops, mislaid our mobiles and headed for the gorgeous Kent seaside. A collection of vintage railway posters promoting our favourite coastal resorts immediately took our fancy (page 7) but then we discovered some amazing photos held by the South East Archive of Seaside Photography (SEAS). If you want to know what it was really like to holiday on the Thanet coast—in the days before camcorders and cheap foreign flights—read our fascinating Tale on page 30. Of course summers in Kent are now de rigueur for visitors from all over the world and our featured Dream Holiday Homes (page 42)
Editor
on the cover:
Adapted from Eastbourne The Suntrap of the South, vintage travel poster, courtesy Rennies Seaside Modern, www.rennart.co.uk The Weekender 3
FOURTEEN NEW TWO BEDROOM APARTMENTS ON DEAL SEAFRONT
The Quarterdeck is a new development of modern apartments with contemporary interiors finished to a high specification and located in a central position on Beach Street in the heart of historic Deal overlooking the pier.
Call 01304 381155 or visit rogate.co.uk/quarterdeck
Contents Issue Ten / Summer 2014
30
7–19 OUT & ABOUT News, views and must-do events Illustrated story: Seaside posters Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize Red Ladies Q&A Chas & Dave If you are only going to do 3 things this summer… Folkestone Triennial It’s a Numbers Game: The Seaside Dreamland Revived East Kent Original 21 OPINION
22
Jane Wenham-Jones stands up for her local high street shops 22–23 LOCAL HERO Charles Hawtrey, Carry On star and notorious Deal hellraiser
Graphic Design dan@danadamsdesign.com Contributing Editor (Food & Drink) Tom Moggach Features Writer Peter Cocks
Contributors: Jane Wenham-Jones, Jo Willis, Johnny Homer, Paul Rennie, Karen Shepherdson, Quinton Winter, Melissa Gabbott, Mike Owen, Peter Dench, Dan Thompson, John Sainsbury
30–33 TALE The story of the Sunbeam Photographic Company 34–41 FOOD & DRINK A foodie’s tour of Calais Let’s Make: Summer cocktails The A–Z of Kentish Beer The Perfect Weekend… Fine dining by the sea 42–49 SPACE Dream holiday homes The Curio 50–51 DIRECTORY Your very best local shops, businesses and services
24–28 PEOPLE
52 JUST THE JOB
Exploring four seaside shopping meccas: Whitstable, Deal, Margate and Folkestone
Jason Llewellyn, fishmonger
24 Publisher and editor Dan Synge dan@the-weekender.net
39
The Weekender is a free independent magazine distributed to over 400 select outlets in and around East Kent. Copies are available quarterly in Canterbury, Whitstable, Margate, Broadstairs, Ramsgate, Sandwich, Deal, Folkestone and beyond. Subscribe to The Weekender for just £16 a year* (4 issues) *includes postage Details: info@the-weekender.net
54 MY EAST KENT LIFE Bibi Morelli on growing up in a Broadstairs ice cream parlour
See the issue online at: www.weekenderonline.net Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/theweekendermag Or follow us on Twitter @kentweekender For advertising enquires please contact: advertising@the-weekender.net For editorial enquires please contact: info@the-weekender.net
The Weekender 5
Steven Harkin leather bags Revived mid century furniture Homeware – lighting – gifts – art 15 Tontine Street, Folkestone CT20 1RN T: 01303 487690 www.anecdotesdesign.com facebook.com/AnecdotesDesign @AnecdotesDesign
NEWS, VIEWS AND MUST-DO EVENTS / OUT & ABOUT
all posters
© jdf/scmg
STEAMING DOWN TO THE KENT COAST The attractions of East Kent’s seaside resorts are encapsulated in vintage railway posters. Paul Rennie delves into his collection
OUT & ABOUT
T
he close relationship between the coast, its resorts, and the railway system is plain to see in railway poster art. Produced primarily to attract visitors, these images were carefully targeted to reflect the prevailing spirit of each resort and to appeal to specific demographic groups. After World War One, economy, simplicity and the craft traditions of lithography combined to define a dramatic style that we now identify as the golden age of poster design. These posters were rendered using the flat-colour illusion whereby two-dimensional shapes are transformed, by careful geometry, into comprehensible three-dimensional spaces. The addition of glamour and sophistication, implicit in the combination of bathing belle, sunshine and railway travel, further enhanced the allure of each resort. Leslie Carr, along with Kenneth Shoesmith and Vernon Danvers were the Southern Railway’s masters of this style. Leonard Richmond, a landscape artist, provided a more obviously artistic counterpoint. Laurence Fish and Claude Buckle continued this tradition after World War Two. The development of mechanical reproduction allowed for a wider variety of styles, including the integration of photographic elements into poster design. An unexpected consequence of the new techniques of design was an increased dynamism within the image. This reflected the general acceleration of life after the war. Reginald Lander, Kenneth Bromfield and Alan Durham are the names associated with the East Kent posters in this style. Edward Pond’s work for Network SouthEast, during the 1980s, used a
8 The Weekender
combination of photographic and cut-out elements derived from his experience as a textile designer. These posters are probably the last to be made in a recognisably individual style and to be signed by the designer. The more recent advertising of seaside resorts has largely been photographic agency work. Ranging from Whitstable to Dungeness, the East Kent coast includes every type of seaside development. There are industrial-scaled harbour facilities, mass-market pleasure resorts, small fishing towns and isolated communities. The posters and their distinct graphic styles therefore provide a form of capsule history of the coast and its resorts. In the eyes of the artist, Folkestone is a 19th century high-end residential and gardencity resort with harbour, while Whitstable is a historic traditional riverside settlement with sheltered waters. Herne Bay, meanwhile is a comfortable and family-orientated residential resort, whereas Broadstairs has the classic seaside combination of fishing boats, harbour and beach. Paul Rennie is a poster historian based at Central Saint Martins, London and at Rennies Seaside Modern in Folkestone. He collaborates with Richard Furness on the Poster to Poster project, a comprehensive documentation of the National Railway Museum’s poster collection. www.nrm.org.uk
OUT & ABOUT
Opening page: British Railways sold the charms of Whitstable and Broadstairs (1960s) Top row from left: Poster for the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway (1927); a Southern Railway poster for Deal,1930s; This 1950s poster identifies Herne Bay as a little more low-key than Margate but a bit more zany than Deal; British Railways poster for Margate emphasising its alllure for families (1961) Bottom row from left: 1930s Southern Railway poster, Dover by Leonard Richmond; 1920s poster showing the Leas and the newly opened Leas Cliff Hall with Folkestone pier and harbour in the distance; Network SouthEast poster for Dover by Edward Pond, 1989
all posters
Š jdf/scmg
The Weekender 9
Deal — The Daily Telegraph High Street of the Year
112 High Street Deal Kent CT14 6EE
dunlin & diver contemporary art and craft
Online shop now open at www.dunlindiver.co.uk info@dunlindiver.co.uk Telephone: 01304 373121 dunlindiver @dunlindiver
CLOD ENSEMBLE
RED LADIES THE RED LADIES ARE ON THEIR WAY. WHO ARE THEY AND WHAT DO THEY WANT? DO THEIR STILETTOS POSE A THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY? BE VIGILANT!
An undisclosed number of identically dressed women plan to infiltrate Margate.
25 - 26 JULY / 7.30PM
Theatre Royal Margate
Addington Street, Margate, Kent CT9 1PW
01843 292 795 theatreroyalmargate.com DO NOT VISIT REDLADIES.ORG Produced in association with Fuel.
OUT & ABOUT
No Ordinary Face
Red Alert
O
If you happen to be in Margate this July, watch out for an invasion of identically-dressed women. Infiltrating the town with a series of mysterious and visually arresting missions, they rendezvous at Theatre Royal Margate to perform their ‘theatrical demonstration’ in five movements. Part of the
rganised by the National Portrait Gallery, the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2013 comes to The Beaney in Canterbury this summer. A collection of 60 portraits showcases the work of some of the most talented young photographers from around the world, alongside that of established professionals, photography students and gifted amateurs. A panel of judges chose the work from over 5,400 submissions with the £12,000 prize eventually going to Kent-born Spencer Murphy for his stunning photograph of jockey Katie Walsh. 9 August – 2 November canterbury.co.uk/Beaney
Playboy’s Mansion
A
new boutique bolt hole comes to East Kent. The six-bedroom Mansion Hotel, is part of the rebranded Port Lympne Reserve and offers high end accommodation in a historic setting overlooking the coast at Hythe. Built by Sir Philip Sassoon, it was a backdrop to society parties, hosting guests such as Churchill, Chaplin and Edward & Mrs Simpson. It's also a venue for private parties, weddings and events — cue the sound of champagne corks popping. Mansion Hotel, Port Lympne Reserve Bookings 0844 855 0274
Turner Contemporary’s Summer of Colour, Red Ladies is created by Clod Ensemble, makers of genre-busting performances for nearly 20 years. Red Ladies Theatre Royal Margate 25–26 July theatreroyalmargate.com
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Summer Exhibition featuring Pearls in Modern British Jewellery Bespoke design – Commissions – Repairs Open Mon–Sat 10.30 – 5.00pm 13 Oxford St, Whitstable, Kent CT51DB Tel. 01227 277985 madelinecolesjewellery.co.uk or teresasamson.co.uk
12 The Weekender
OUT & ABOUT
CHAS &DAVE London duo Chas Hodges and Dave Peacock first broke into the top 20 back in 1979 with their hit ‘Gertcha’. They continue to tour and record extensively and their unique brand of cockney rock ‘n’ roll has found a new generation of fans. This year they celebrate 50 years in the business with a new album ‘That’s What Happens’. Chas Hodges puts down a pint and answers our questions What have been the highlights of your career? There have been so many, such as the first time we played Glastonbury or
appeared on This Is Your Life, but more recently we sold out the Albert Hall, which was an absolutely fantastic night. A woman who had worked there
all her life said she had never seen an audience react so warmly to anyone! Have you still got the hunger for playing live? You could call it hunger but it’s more a way of life. It’s like eating or sleeping; if I don’t do a couple of gigs a week I feel like I’ve missed out on something. Touring used to quite gruelling and we had a manger who would book us for Tiswas in the morning, a radio show in the afternoon then a club in the evening. That is gruelling. Now we just do one gig a day, which is great. Of course I don’t drink and smoke like I used to in the old days—that’s what knackers you! What do you remember about doing the Margate video? We had a great time. We hired an old fashioned 1950s coach and me mum came down with us—she’s in the video and you can see her on the coach with grey hair and glasses. I think we were going to do a song about Southend but we chose Margate in the end. ‘You can keep the Costa Brava and all that palaver’—funnily enough, the lyricist Don Black told me that was one his favourite lines.
If you are only going to do 3 things this summer… Pick up designer bargains in ‘Kent’s biggest ever sample sale’ at Margo Selby’s studio, Whitstable. Held during Oyster Festival week, items include trademark scarves and cushions (from £15) and sample jackets (less than half price). 26 July–1 August, 10am–5pm www.margoselby.com
Which of your songs are you most proud of? There are quite a few hits that we’ve gotta do when we’re up there, but we love doing them all. I wrote Ain’t No Pleasing You with Dave’s approval. I wanted to do a serious ballad sung in my own accent. A cockney ballad— I don’t think that has ever been done before or since. Does cockney rock travel well? Well, let me give you an example. The last time we played in Glasgow, we had 1,500 Glaswegians singing London Girls at the top of their voices. In America, they love the stuff that we’re doing. It doesn’t matter if they don’t understand everything, it’s just good music with a feeling. Wherever we play, we go down just the same. Your big break came from a TV ad for Courage Best. Were you given lots of free beer? No! We complained about that and after a while they did reluctantly offer—I think we got a couple of crates of light ale, but that’s about all. Margate Winter Gardens, 3 October chasndave.net/tour_dates
Pitch up at Lounge on the Farm, Canterbury’s chilled-out music festival which returns for the ninth year with a line-up that includes Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Peter Hook, Courtney Pine and local prog rockers Syd Arthur. 2 August www.loungeonthefarm.co.uk Shine up your DM’s, pull on your best Fred Perry and skank along to Ska Fest, Folkestone’s annual celebration of ska and reggae music. Featuring legendary acts The Pioneers, Symarip plus acts from Europe. 8–10 August www.folkestoneskafest.co.uk
The Weekender 13
OUT & ABOUT
Boltz From The Blue Just a few years ago, veteran rock guitarist Steve ‘Boltz’ Bolton was all washed-up and living in a caravan in Reculver, his favourite Fender Stratocaster in hock to the local pub. Having enrolled in the legendary Atomic Rooster in the early1970s, Boltz’s career has been one of soaring highs (playing with The Who and Bob Dylan) and crashing lows. Now a revived Boltz is back on the road, playing various venues in Kent and south London— performing either solo or with his band 6 Foot 3.
ONO, IT’S THE TRIENNIAL
F
olkestone is bracing itself for the arrival of the international art world. Yes, it’s Triennial time again and the town’s public spaces will shortly become a canvas for the world’s cutting-edge creatives. Artists who are invited to make their mark this year include Andy Goldsworthy, Pablo Bronstein (above) and Yoko Ono, who has written an ‘instruction’ to the people of Folkestone to be exhibited in the Quarterhouse in Tontine Street. Meanwhile, the lesser-known Something & Son get to use the flat roof of The Glassworks
Sixth Form Centre to address the world’s impending food crisis while local outfit Strange Cargo get ready to transform the railway bridge by Folkestone Central into a Lucky Gateway. Says curator Lewis Biggs: “The Folkestone Triennial presents an opportunity for artists who want the challenge of showing outside the gallery, museum or sale room. I have been careful to invite only artists who have something to say about contemporary life in a wider world and who want to engage with a broader audience.” www.folkestonetriennial.org.uk
Atomic Kitchen
T
he space age has inspired a new collection of British-made homewares. Launched by Planet Sputnik, the film location and prop hire people, there are tea towels, shopping bags, oven gloves, tea cosies and more. Says Planet Sputnik’s Sarah Bradley: “We love authentic 1950s styling and we’re committed experts in tracking down and lovingly restoring cherished finds from the mid-century modern era.” www.planetsputnikhomestyle.com
14 The Weekender
OUT & ABOUT
It’s a Number’s Game: The Seaside
Teatime with Tracey
S
he’s not often spotted in Margate these days, but Tracey Emin is back at the Turner Contemporary, this time with a new range of Emin International porcelain ware and limited edition prints. Choose from egg cups to tea pots and cake stands. www.turnercontemporary.org photo:
© karim rashid inc./taschen
Inn Style W
ho says that bars are just for boozers? Eating and drinking spaces also offer architects and interior designers the opportunity to let their hair down and new book Restaurant & Bar Design has the low down on some of the world’s most innovative establishments. We’d like to chow down at Karim Rashid’s Switch in Dubai—looks like he’s seen too many Stanley Kubrick movies. Restaurant & Bar Design, Taschen
9.5% of all day trips are to the coast
6.4m stay in holiday camps 250,000 jobs created by seaside tourism
21 recorded shark attacks off the UK coast
1/5 population of seaside towns are OAPs
20% rise in the numbers of seagulls
£200,000 Britain’s most expensive beach hut (2013)
The Weekender 15
Open 7 days a week 10am - 5pm, Mon-Sun
Ticket Prices
Join us for a journey through the history of Britain’s best loved toys! Featuring rare products from the Hornby, Scalextric, Airfix and Corgi archives. Track the history of Hornby’s iconic model trains from Frank Hornby’s early home-made toys in sheet metal,
Adults-£5 Child (Ages 5-15) and OAP-£2.50 Family-£12.50 (2 Adults and up to 4 children)
through the development of Hornby ‘O’ gauge and Hornby-Dublo. Don’t miss the spectacular model railway layouts. The Hornby Retail Shop offers an extensive range of Hornby, Scalextric, Airfix, Humbrol and Corgi products.
www.hornby.com/visitorcentre I Tel: 01843 233524 E-mail: visitorcentre@hornby.com WESTWOOD I MARGATE I KENT I CT9 4JX
www.facebook.com/ hornbymodelrailways
THE
On the A254 Ramsgate Road, between Westwood Cross Shopping Centre and Margate.
THEN & NOW SATURDAY
WEEKENDER
SUNDAY
AT HELLFIRE CORNER
13TH – 14TH SEPTEMBER 10AM TILL 4PM Farmer’s Market
* Crafts * Workshops * Activities
To book a stall or get involved contact tracy@baytrust.org.uk 01304 851 737
pinesgarden.co.uk
the bay trust
The Pines Garden Beach Road St. Margaret’s Bay Kent CT15 6DZ
OUT & ABOUT
Park and Ride
Dreamland Revived charts the history of the famous Margate amusement park from its beginnings in the 1860s to today
W
hitstable author Nick Evans’s late father Bill worked as a press officer for Dreamland in the late 1970s. Many of the 250 photographs shown in his new book were rescued by Evans senior during an office clear out before the Bembom Brothers takeover of 1981 and recall the park’s best-loved attractions. In his search for archive material, Nick uncovered a rare John Hinde postcard from the 1960s showing Margate’s outstanding illuminations (shown left). With the imminent re-opening of Dreamland, this book is a timely reminder of the kind of family fun that was once a staple of the south east coast.
Dreamland Revived: The Story of Margate’s Famous Amusement Park by Nick Evans
EAST KENT ORIGINAL Name: Joe Brown Age: “mid-30s” Profession: Shopkeeper Home: Margate
I
was practically born in Dreamland. In the days before Freddie Laker sent everyone off to the Costa Brava, my parents had various concessions in the park. When I was kid, it was a ghost town here and the shops had already moved out. I opened Margate Retro three years ago, and they were selling crack cocaine in the street but I scared the dealers off. I replaced the crack cocaine with a few vintage chairs. I like to keep the street clean and every day I go out with my brush. One of my customers said that in King Street the owners perfectly match their shops. I offer an old-fashioned service and I never forget that the customers are paying my wages. My enthusiastic sales patter comes from an enthusiasm to keep the business going; trading conditions are extremely challenging, and in the three years I’ve been open I’ve seen 46 shops come and go in the Old Town. Still, Margate is the place for me and I’m enjoying being part of its ongoing regeneration. Do I lead a vintage lifestyle myself? Well, we have a coal fire at home and eat dinner at the table. We also make tea in a tea pot and drink it out of a cup and saucer. The Weekender 17
We are a small, local company offering a mixture of 40 quality holiday cottages and superb beach houses in Whitstable & Seasalter. We are here to offer advice
and information to help make your stay just as you want it. We can tell you all about each property in detail as we have extensive knowledge about all of them, whether it is for a short weekend break, a family summer holiday or an off-peak mini break. If you haven’t visited Whitstable before then you really have a treat in store as our town has truly unique independent shops, award winning restaurants, an unspoilt beach and fabulous sunsets. Once you visit you will be smitten and will want to come back again and again. We loved Whitstable so much we decided to move here 25 years ago! For more information on our properties, either fill in an enquiry form on the website, send us an email at info@whitstablecottagecompany.com or call us on 01227 262173 and we will be more than happy to help you. We look forward to welcoming you to Whitstable.
Whether you’re looking for bike repairs, a studio space or a new place for coffee, we list local businesses, shops and services that really have something to shout about Simply turn to pages 50–51 for a selection
ADVERTORIAL
Boarding Is Cool BY MELISSA GABBOTT
F
rom Jennings to St Trinian’s to Malory Towers, boarding school life has captured children’s imagination in literature and film for generations. While modern boarding school life may be very different from the fiction, it is arguably no less exciting. The sense of adventure and camaraderie that many writers have conjured up still influences how some young people approach the experience. The ‘Harry Potter’ effect can be a big pull—it has opened up a whole new generation to the idea that boarding school can be fun and, when visiting the dining hall at St Lawrence College in Ramsgate for the first time, many a young person has been heard to gasp, “Wow, it’s just like Hogwarts!” Built in 1879, St Lawrence College has many traditional features within its pretty ivy-clad main building, including its very own Chapel, but the Victorian turreted school is complemented by ultra-modern, architect-designed modern spaces which sit sympathetically around the 45-acre site. Pupils benefit from purpose-built boarding accommodation (every bedroom is en-suite), a sports centre (with main hall, squash courts, fitness room, dance studio, climbing wall etc) and an impressive 500-seat theatre. According to a recent article in The Daily Telegraph, “The kind of Spartan conditions for which British boarding schools used to be associated are passing into history. Today’s boarding schools boast of creating ‘a home from home environment’, a warm human space where children are nurtured.” Indeed, boarding in independent prep schools is enjoying a slight upturn, with more flexible arrangements proving popular. Although the majority of full-time boarders at St Lawrence College are based in the Senior School, junior boarding is available from age seven as an occasional, flexi or full-time option. Pupils are encouraged to be independent within a supportive environment, overseen by their boarding house parents. They develop their social skills and learn tolerance and consideration for others. Children also feel comfortable with the continuity and routine of the day, and there is no shortage of friends to play with or talk to.
Photos (from top): The modern-looking Kirby House boasts some of the best boarding accommodation in the country with 10 dormitories, each with five beds and en-suite facilities; The college’s main entrance evokes a more traditional era; The atrium at Bellerby, a boarding house for senior girls
Taking advantage of the direct high-speed rail link to London St Pancras, many St Lawrence College parents work in central London. The school has also enjoyed a recent influx of families who have relocated from outside Kent, attracted by the blue flag sandy beaches and relaxed family-friendly lifestyle the area offers. For these families, the wrap-around care that the school offers is a huge benefit. With the option of breakfast or supper with the boarders to overnight stays with friends in the boarding house, parents are reassured that their child is being cared for in a safe and familiar setting. Boarding at St Lawrence is also becoming attractive to London families wanting an alternative to the frenetic life of a London day school, with all the travel and tutoring that is often involved. By offering continuity of education from Junior to Senior School and a vast range of activities on site, parents invariably find that boarding at St Lawrence allows them better quality time with their families whilst giving their children a happier educational experience. If you would like to find out more about flexible, modern-day boarding at St Lawrence College contact Simon Heard, Deputy Head (Registrar) at admissions@slcuk.com. www.slcuk.com The Weekender 19
ADVERTORIAL
Jacksons Show Gardens update
A
s you might expect when I was thinking about writing July’s pages for this and other local magazines, it would be pretty difficult for me not to mention this year’s Jacksons Show Gardens Design competition. In fact you’d probably think it was odd if I didn’t give you some sort of update, as at the time of writing this it is the week the gardens have been completed and we’ve had the two separate launches, one at our HQ in Kent for the two winning 2014 show garden designs opening, and then another launch a week later, for the rather unusual additional part of
the competition, which is the show garden that opened at the Ashford Designer Outlet, celebrating a summer of sport and especially the World Cup. Apologies if you are not local to us in Kent, but some of you may well travel around and decide to drop in to see our lovely gardens if you are in the vicinity. And for those of you who won’t get a chance to see them in the flesh, I can at least show you some pictures of the completed gardens now. This year’s winners are Sally Perigo, with Mediterranean Memories, Annie Berriman with the Tropical garden and Amy Roberts with Jacksons FC.
WIN
Jacksons Jakwall worth £250 Enter the free prize draw and be in with a chance to win £250 worth of Jakwall. Simply log on to your local page, address below and follow the easy instructions on how to enter. The draw closes 31.8.14. To enter go to:
www.jacksonsfencing.co.uk/ ashfordlocal
Above: Mediterranean Memories by Sally Perigo—all the raised beds were constructed from ungrooved Jakwall Left: Lush and colourful planting in Tropical garden by Annie Berriman—in the background you can see a bit more of Mediterranean Memories Bottom left: Me (centre left), Amy Roberts (centre right) designer of Jacksons FC and Samba Pelo Mar (the band!) at the opening of the show garden at Ashford Designer Outlet
If you are an avid reader of my monthly pages (said tongue in cheek of course!) you may well remember our recent product spotlight and free prize draw to win £250 worth of Jakwall. Well there’s a link here; the ungrooved version of Jakwall was used extensively in the build of the Mediterranean Memories garden. It looks fantastic, I’m sure you will agree, many visitors were impressed, as was the landscaper who built the garden. Ian Day said it was so much better than using sleepers, it was lighter and had very nice chamfered edges. Well that’s a definite thumbs-up for the Jakwall. So I think we will re-run the free prize draw to win £250 of Jakwall—see left. You can see more of the winning gardens and updated pics of all seven show gardens at: jacksons-fencing.co.uk/ showgardens / louise@ jacksons-fencing.co.uk
20 The Weekender
OPINION
Jane Wenham Jones Small is Beautiful
“ ”
T
photo: jo willis
You can walk there and tone your arms by carrying the bags back
here are times when it’s not practical or possible to use your local High Street—perhaps when you want a particular favourite perfume, a posh face-cream or are about to cater for the five thousand. But I do try to, as much as I can, both because it is a lovelier experience than flogging it to the nearest retail park, and because I firmly believe it is a case of ‘use it or lose it’. Our High Streets—think those who have managed to retain baker and candlestick maker—are a quintessential part of our heritage and it’s where you will find the quirky or unusual and the customer service that goes the extra mile. We don’t want to stare into the blank face
of corporate enterprise all the time. Or end up with an American-style landscape where every store is out of town. Now do we? Shop till you drop but keep it small. The benefits of buying close to home are manifold. Here are 10 reasons to use your local, independent shops: 1 The shopkeeper looks straight at you instead of somewhere to the left of your eyebrow/at her nails/towards the girl on the next checkout who is filling her in on what her boyfriend said after last night’s EastEnders. 2 She also says “Hello, love” and “How are you today?” 3 While the chap in the Post Office, and the owners of the butchers and off licence, even know your name. 4 You can walk there and tone your arms by carrying the bags back rather than spending half an hour sweating in the traffic, swearing. 5 Even if you pay a few pence more, or it takes a tad longer, the money
you part with is boosting the local economy in a very real way—sustaining a small business and providing jobs and income for people who live right here in the community. Not just adding yet more coffers to the purse of a conglomerate. You probably won’t have to queue either. 6 Independent shop-keepers are the ones who will advise on gifts, wrap everything nicely and will order in the items on your wish-list that you couldn’t find elsewhere. 7 They do not look blank, say “Nah” and suggest you “can probably get it on the internet”. 8 They also actually know about their products. 9 Nice little shops make for a nice little town and a place that people who live elsewhere want to visit. Visitors mean the restaurants, cafes, hotels, taxi firms, local theatres and the B&B around the corner get a look in too. This creates jobs, wealth and a sense of civic pride. 10 You get a nice warm, inner glow. Make this the weekend you shop locally. A High Street lost, is lost forever. But if we all do it, a pound of carrots, two pork chops and a greetings card could be all it takes to keep it. 100 Ways to Fight the Flab (and still have wine and chocolate) is published by Accent Press (£7.99) and on Kindle
The Weekender 21
LOCAL HERO
#10
Charles Hawtrey WORDS PETER COCKS ILLUSTRATION QUINTON WINTER
O
“There would be Charlie, sitting in his chair, sipping sherry, asking: ‘What am I doing in these dreadful films?’”
ne of Deal’s tourist landmarks is a photo op beneath the blue plaque in Middle Street which marks the former residence of the Carry On actor Charles Hawtrey. A casual enquiry, say at The Ship Inn, several doors down, would reveal the town’s near universal dislike for the man; both by those who remember him (he died in 1988) and those who repeat local legend of his drunken misanthropy and scandalous behaviour. He referred to the locals as “peasants”, ripped up their autograph books and told them to “eff off ”. A famous incident is of the actor, wearing a nightie and without his toupée, being carried down a ladder from his burning house by a fireman (his sofa was ignited by a cigarette end) while his rent boy companion legged it over the fence. It would be easy to leave Deal with a perfectly-formed image of an inebriated has-been whose apogee was as Private Widdle in Carry On Up The Khyber and who, rather than have his sclerotic feet amputated, lit up fag and said: “I want to die with my boots on!”
THE INFANT PRODIGY
Despite the grim picture, it certainly isn’t the whole story. George Frederick Joffre Hartree was the son of Bill, a Hounslow motor mechanic, and his pushy wife Alice, who enrolled her infant prodigy at the Italia Conti theatre school. Little Georgie entertained the local children in a chicken shed 22 The Weekender
and had already appeared in a silent movie, aged eight. Having changed his name in order to chime with that of the famed actor-manager Sir Charles Hawtree, Hawtrey learned to sing, tap dance and play the piano simultaneously, securing himself a recording deal as ‘England’s Leading Boy Soprano’. We must assume that, at some point, his voice must have broken (as far as it ever did) as young Charles soon graduated to the London stage. Evidence suggests that his appearances were ones that suited his elfin physique and high voice. A Lee Miller photograph of Hawtrey in drag is testament to his convincing ambivalence. Appearing as Peter Pan alongside the exalted company of Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester, however, he received praise for his “comedy sense not unworthy of his famous name”. His endless stage credits throughout the 1930s and 1940s do not take into account the many films he played in, produced and directed. He worked with Alfred Hitchcock and Powell and Pressburger and was a comedy foil to Will Hay. Then there were roles alongside Errol Flynn, Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier. Membership of this elite surely does not denote failure?
WHAT A CARRY ON
Hawtrey’s childlike voice also made him a natural for radio. He was a regular fixture throughout the 1940s playing juvenile characters, including the snobby Hubert Lane in Just William,
whose catchphrase “How’s yer mother off for dripping?” prefigured the later, catchier, “Ooh, Hel-lo!” Radio led to television in the 1950s and it was the successful sitcom, The Army Game which brought Hawtrey to the attention of Peter Rogers who was casting Carry On Sergeant. By the time he started working on Carry On films, Hawtrey had 40 good years in the business behind him, not to mention hundreds of stage, film, radio and TV credits that would be the envy of most thesps. It is safe to assume that Hawtrey considered the Carry On parts beneath him, and he fought constantly for better billing and more remuneration. As his co-star Barbara Windsor recalled later: “There would be Charlie, sitting in his chair, sipping sherry, asking: ‘What am I doing in these dreadful films?’”
TEAPOTS FULL OF WHISKY
His move to the gay-tolerant, smuggler’s town of Deal in 1968 (homosexuality was illegal until 1967) suited him, but may have in fact been his undoing. Unlike Kenneth Williams, an occasional visitor who was also unhealthily close to his mother, he found no solace in literature and friends. Instead, he found his fun in, and was later banned from, the many pubs of Deal which were then packed with members of the locally-stationed armed forces. As Williams observed: “He can sit in a bar and pick up sailors and have a wonderful time. I couldn’t do it.”
Disappointment and bitterness ran, along with teapots full of whisky, crates of port and millions of cigarettes, through the clogged arteries of Hawtrey’s later life, and finally killed him. He died of vascular disease, aged 74, in a Walmer nursing home having—it is said—thrown a vase at a nurse who asked for his autograph. Nine mourners attended his funeral. His last TV appearance had been the children’s TV comedy Supergran. But before we take leave of this caricature of the bespectacled, washed-up boy from Never-Never Land or the sad, soaked, misanthropic sprite, consider the bulk of what he did. Balance the early successes with the late failures, against which he had little armour and wonder how, having played Shakespeare opposite Vivien Leigh, he felt as Private Widdle of the Queen’s Own Third Foot and Mouth Regiment, up the Khyber Pass, losing his woolly underpants to the Khasi of Kalabar? Is he a true Kentish Hero? Well, he died with his boots on! Peter Cocks is the producer of The Private Widdle Social Club, Deal’s quarterly comedy cabaret club at The Astor Theatre. His introductory gambit is: “Charles Hawtrey aka Private Widdle, the infamous local after whom our club is named, was a degenerate, depressed, foul-mouthed, drunken old queen with a vicious tongue and his best behind him, so, residents of Deal…you should fit right in!” The Weekender 23
Independents
Day
BY DAN SYNGE, PETER COCKS & DAN THOMPSON
We’ve heard about the demise of the high street. About how online and out-of-town retailers have taken away customers leaving nothing but vacant shop premises and torn up business plans. But take four very different seaside towns, add a sprinkling of creative and commercial endeavour and it becomes clear that the old retail model is undergoing a critical reinvention. Smaller independent traders cannot always compete in terms of price or convenience, but they can give friendly service, expert advice and a talent for the unexpected. We take a tour of East Kent’s shopping hot spots
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PEOPLE
WHITSTABLE Topping a recent survey of uk towns for its diverse range of independent shops, Whitstable boasts a healthy array of butchers, bakers and fishmongers as well as upmarket gift and niche shopping. Finding a place to park isn’t always straightforward and getting in and out of the town at weekends can be a challenge, yet a stroll along the length of the High Street leads to some rewarding retail experiences, all with a whiff of salty sea air thrown into the bargain. Every town deserves its own neighbourhood bicycle shop and Herberts Cycles has all your cycling needs sorted. Inside you’ll find anything from children’s bikes to top-of-the-range racers and there are some well-chosen bike bits to help keep you on track. Nearby Hubbards Bakery is worth nipping into for a delicious poppy seed loaf or savoury sausage roll and the newly re-opened Copperfields sell an impressive range of products that serve a real purpose in the kitchen or home. Further along in Harbour
Street the shops become more gifty and geared towards visitors but an exception to the trend is Harbour Books who continue to wave the flag around here for real printed books that don’t arrive by post in a brown parcel. It’s the sort of place you’d go in asking for the latest EL James or Lee Child but leave with a book on Thames barges. For even more obscure literary offerings, try Oxford Street Books with their vast stock of second-hand publications. The independent spirit also rears its head at Jane at Graham Greener (bespoke flowers), The Fabric Shop, The Cheese Box and Harry and Co. Nobody seems to know who the eponymous Harry is or was, but now legendary Whitstable establishment can both cut you a set of house keys and sell you a Thermos flask and a garden rake while you wait. Fashionistas are best served across the road at Carole Ridley. Stylish Carole also has branches in Sandwich and Tenterden but her original shop is a must for shoes, bags, frocks, hats and other stand out accessories.
Atmosphere: vvvv Diversity: vvv Service: vvv Spend-ability: vvvv Quirkiness: vv
Discerning ladies might also be tempted by the colourful clothes racks of Urbanista and Marina (both on Harbour Street) while The Whitstable Trader (Wallace Pring) stock an ever-changing range of men’s and women’s clothing with labels including Hartford, Marc O’Polo and Birkenstock. Designer jewellery lovers, meanwhile, need only skip over to iS2 Gallery on Horsebridge Road or to Samson & Coles at the opposite end of the High Street for that special one-off piece. Perhaps the true ethos of this increasingly cosmopolitan seaside town is best embodied by Sundae Sundae. The previous owner put his idyllic coastal life for sale in a package that included his cottage, beach hut and shop/ business. Needless to say, the new owners are only too pleased to carry on with supplying beach hut accessories, fish and chip flavoured rock and an obligatory scoop of ice cream. DS �D
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PEOPLE
Atmosphere: vvv Diversity: vvvv Service: vvvv Spend-ability: vvv Quirkiness: vv
DEAL Back in 2009, things were looking decidedly bleak for Deal’s retailers. Woolworths had just closed and the most exciting thing to happen in the High Street seemed to be the arrival of Costa Coffee. Five years on, the scene is as buoyant as a fishing line dangling from the town’s nearby pier. Invigorated by the governmentfunded Town Team, who produce a free visitor’s map of the town, Deal won The Daily Telegraph High Street of the Year award in 2013 showing a viable model whereby independent traders could rub shoulders alongside Sainsbury’s, M&S and other retail behemoths. Canny traders have even got together to create the Deal Card, a customer loyalty scheme that encourages the use of the many specialist shops and services that exist in this unique seaside town. Food is something that Deal does particularly well, and on the High Street north of King Street you’ll find fresh fish (Jenkins & Son), organically grown fruit and veg (Allotment), savoury tarts (The Bake House) fresh cuts of meat (JC Rook & Sons or The Black Pig) and French cheese and charcuterie (No Name Shop). A bottle of wellchosen vino at Benoit Dezecot’s Borough Wines completes the gastro-centric walkabout before coming to the town’s burgeoning array of gift, craft and art shops. Occupying the site of a former CD shop, Dunlin & Diver offer a tastefully-presented range of ceramics, homewares and Kentish made crafts while Carried Away 26 The Weekender
is a hive of local gift shopping— choose from textiles, scarves and bags to quality beach and outdoor living essentials. Antiques have long been in the bloodstream of this creative coastal enclave and the annual Braderie in September brings in dealers from all over the country. Located in what used to be an old forge, Mileage is a joint venture of local traders and on a good day it’s chock full of antique sideboards, table lamps and sofas. Of course when people bemoan the demise of the traditional high street, they are often referring to specialist shops. Deal has always had these in abundance; there are greengrocers (Bartlett and White), pet supplies (Maxted’s), an electrical shop (Skinner’s) and even a place that will sort you out for curtains and blinds (Blind Illusions). This is just a sample of the many useful shops in and around the High Street. If you’re after good, old-fashioned service from people who really know their onions, find some deals in Deal. DS
Opening spread: A collage of Kentish shop fronts showing the colourful variety that the High Street has to offer Photos clockwise from top left: Deal print by Susan Taylor from Dunlin & Diver, Deal; Terry Neesom-Purser of vintage homeware shop Hunkydory-24 in Marine Drive, Margate; Vicky and Tony King of Papillon in Margate road test a Spun chair by Thomas Heatherwick; Nautical style ceramics from Whitstable
Atmosphere: vvvv Diversity: vvv Service: vvvv Spend-ability: vvv Quirkiness: vvvv
Photos clockwise from above: Beach-inspired printed fabric from The Fabric Shop, Whitstable; Ladies sun hat from Marina on Harbour Street, Whitstable; Lizzie Luckhurst (standing left) owner of the new Black Pig butcher’s shop in Deal
MARGATE It’s not often that an out-oftown development has saved a town centre, but that’s what’s happened in Margate. When the big shops went away, the town centre was left in the hands of the independents. The Old Town is what most people find when they visit; it’s tucked away just off the seafront near Turner Contemporary. The area has had over £10 million pumped into the restoration of old buildings, so be sure to look up and admire the architecture while you shop. The area is like a slimmed down, laid back version of Brighton’s North Laine or the hipper parts of East London; great vintage shops, quirky art spaces, independent cafés and comfy pubs. On your first visit, get kitted out Margate-style in Breuer & Dawson’s distinctly workmanlike vintage clothing or visit HFW Vintage for more youthful cool American shirts and classic denim. There’s plenty for the home too. Margate Retro do mid-century furniture, old typewriters and reclaimed signs spread across two stores and an outdoor yard. Owner Joe Brown and his partner Kelly will give you a warm welcome and point you in the direction of the latest hip secret. Often overlooked are niche stores like Comics & Sci-Fi World, doing exactly what you’d expect, and Chinese furniture shop Qing Art. After spending time in the Old Town, you can head two ways. You’ll find a similar vibe spreading up the High Street, and the bottom end of this important street has mod and skinhead emporium Rat Race, more vintage homeware at Hunkydory 24 and the best coffee in town at Proper Coffee, which also sells local farm produce. Don’t miss Henry’s, just across the road, a long-established local firm selling cameras, telephones, toys and pushchairs! If you’re feeling adventurous, Margate’s other main street is a little unloved, but full of really interesting shops amongst the junk shops and fast food. Turn left at the
end of King Street and follow the road round and up the hill through Cliftonville which was once Margate’s posh neighbour. It’s not exactly pretty today but the shops here are really special, and the 15-minute walk from the Old Town is well worth it. John Bello The Tailor has been in town for over 35 years, and he’s a former pattern-cutter to the Queen’s dressmaker Norman Hartnell. His incredible bespoke tailoring will look good for years to come. Martell Press have been in town for even longer, since the owner Henry started a business aged 13 with a single Adana letterpress. With stock built up over a long time, it’s stationery heaven. Across the road is what might be Margate’s oldest shop; Lovelys opened in 1891, providing art materials, offering picture framing and exhibiting not just local artists, but international names too. The fact that a shop like Lovelys can survive so long is proof that art isn’t just a passing fad here, and that the real magic happens in Margate’s small shops. DT �D
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PEOPLE
FOLKESTONE
Photos clockwise from above: Print from Seafront Studios, Folkestone; Hello Sailor mug from The Great British Shop Ltd, Folkestone; Bradbury Elderberry cushion by Lorna Syson from Anecdotes; Leather backpack by Steven Harkin, also available from Anecdotes
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Last year, the times voted folkestone the fifth coolest place to live in Britain. Coolness is, of course, intangible and while this effect is usually attributed to the Creative Quarter, the town’s ‘coolness’ probably derives more from its polarity: the rough next to the smooth. Independent retailers pepper the cobbled Old High Street, leading down to the working harbour where a sprinkle of cockle stalls sit and fishing boats bob alongside Mark Sergeant’s sleek, timber-clad restaurant, Rocksalt. A high speed rail link brings the hip from St Pancras, while a still-functioning funicular brings townspeople from the pretty Folkestone Leas down to sea level and the harbour. On the harbour, Bob’s Seafood Stall, along with Chummy’s and La’s (The Fishmarket and Stade) are family-run fixtures, generations old, purveying the freshest local cockles, whelks and crabs sluiced with vinegar and best washed down with a pint. Walking back from the harbour to Tontine Street, ‘restyled vintage furniture’ by Anecdotes will be first to catch your eye. The feel is mid-century furnishings with a fresher skew; owners Steven and Barbara produce their own leather goods as Steven Harkin Design and represent other designers, such as Lorna Syson and Tors Duce, who fit their vision. Doubling back up the cobbled High Street, Paul and Karen Rennie were Creative Quarter pioneers, selling British art and design through Rennies, governed by a Festival of Britain and Edward Bawden aesthetic. Their curiosity shop of a window display features everything from lead soldiers, enamel badges and tintype photographs to vintage Hermes scarves and earned them a shortlisting as Vintage Shop of the Year in 2013, by Homes and Antiques magazine. Nearing the top, The Great British Shop is a gift emporium with all products sourced from these isles. Colourful linen, homewares and ceramics jostle for
Atmosphere: vvv Diversity: vvvv Service: vvvv Spend-ability: vvv Quirkiness: vv
attention and an overall red, white and blue colour scheme bring a bright, attractive pop art patriotism to the merchandise. As the cobbled High Street turns into Rendezvous Street, Courting Lily and Space are two well-edited vintage shops with their own distinctive styles. Space also doubles as a gallery, with arty events throughout the year. Climbing a little further towards the chain stores, Moda in Rendezvous Street is owned by John Parry aka Moda John. He presides over a mix of distressed, up-cycled furniture and accessories with contemporary jewellery, ceramics and cards. Beyond the generic pedestrianised area, one or two independent shops grace the upper end of Folkestone’s Sandgate Road. Cross’s is a long established, wellstocked and comprehensive artist’s supplier and new independent coffee shops, micropubs and ice cream makers such as Bella Gelato are springing up along Cheriton Place and into Bouverie Road West. The latter is a parade of small shops that is almost Parisian in its elegance, reminding us of the bygone affluence of the West End of Folkestone, waiting for the tide to return. PC
The Weekender 29
HAPPY SNAPS A ‘lost’ photographic archive perfectly captures life on the Kent coast in the mid-20th century. Curator Karen Shepherdson tells the story of the Sunbeam collection
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T
he Sunbeam Photographic Company documented, on a vast scale, life on the south east coast. But while they are credited with producing seaside pictures, this was far from being their sole genre, having diversified into capturing civic, ceremonial and political events. For over 50 years, they produced promotional tourist images, landscapes and townscapes, broad commercial work, school photography and even eccentric animal portraiture. As local historian Anthony Lane notes: ‘Their roving photographers ranged along the promenades, patrolled beaches, penetrated the political conferences and emerged with a wealth of pictures at work and play.’ Sunbeam was founded by John Milton Worssell in 1919 and remained in the family, under the directorship of Worssell’s two sons Richard and Jack, until 1976. As early as 1912, Worssell Snr had gained a modest foreshore concession in Margate and between the wars, once Sunbeam was established, rapid expansion took place. From 1925,
a bespoke laboratory and offices were built in Sweyn Road, Cliftonville, facilitating a factory process of standardisation. Sunbeam also had a studio in the bustling Northdown Road, Cliftonville as well as numerous kiosks along the coast. During the summer season they had as many 300 employees, and not all of them were photographers.
AMATEURISH RIVALS
The company actively sought to distance itself from more amateurish rival outfits on the coast. They took pride in training many smart young men—and later women too—for the summer season, training them not only in the practice of picture making, but also in their approach to and handling of the general public. This informal professionalism led to Sunbeam being seen as a trusted company, whereby the man with a camera was perceived not as nuisance or hawker, but rather as a professional, as someone to engage with and trust. The company’s paternalism is illustrated by Jack Worssell’s letter to an employee: ‘The firm has, �D
TALE
Left: Bathing beauties at the Lido swimming pool, Cliftonville — the pool closed following a fire in 1964 This page (clockwise from left): Miss Lido on the podium at Cliftonville; Carnival goers dress up Wild West-style on Harbour Parade, Ramsgate; The Mayor of Ramsgate plays a game of cricket on the Goodwin Sands,1959; Celebrating Dickens Week at Broadstairs,1960
The Weekender 31
TALE
Clockwise from left: Children enjoy an ice cream outside Pelosis, Margate seafront,1958—note the entrance to Dreamland in the background; A body builder shows off his physique at the now defunct Ramsgate Marina Bathing Pool; Men in Victorian costume ride boneshaker bicycles at the Broadstairs Carnival
“The area was alive with photographic opportunities”
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TALE
during its existence, provided work for a great many local people, and also been responsible for introducing many young people into the photographic industry, providing them with a solid grounding in photography which they found to be most helpful in later years.’ Over the years, Sunbeam’s roving lensmen would include WG Wallis, Peter Rabbats, Chris Fright and Roger Allen. Throughout the summer they would photograph holidaymakers as they strolled along the promenade or sat on the beach. Their images, known as ‘seaside photographs’ or ‘walkies’, were produced during a period when most families still did not own a camera. Sunbeam therefore offered an affordable means of recording the family trip. Recalls Roger Allen, 80, who worked for Sunbeam in the 1950s and went on to become a successful professional portrait photographer: “People today don’t realise just how big the company was; Sunbeam were churning out 50,000 postcards a day, all of them processed by hand. They also had teams of photographic artists working for them. “The whole area was alive with photographic opportunities. Every hotel had parties going on and there were girls and celebrities like Danny La Rue at the Theatre Royal. We did Eric Morecambe’s wedding in Margate and took photos of politicians like Winston Churchill and Herbert Morrison. We were a bunch of young renegades really and we would do everything and anything.” Allen worked directly alongside Peter Nesbitt, Ben May and Chris Fright—“the king of the swingers when it came to beach photography”—and remembers that the company were no slouches when it came to quality control. “The boss was as strict as hell, and if you took a photo that he didn’t like, he would let you know.” Sadly for Allen and his contemporaries, business began to decline from the late 1960s onwards— Sunbeam’s heyday was well over by then and many people owned their own cameras to record their summer holiday. People were by now holidaying abroad and the south coast was beginning to lose some of its shine. These surviving photos, however, show the Isle of Thanet in its pomp with the promenades and beaches crowded with visitors. Photographed on one day and bought the next for just a couple of shillings, many can only be found within family albums.
SOURCING THE PAST
In an attempt to uncover and document such privately held pictures, the South East Archive of Seaside Photography (SEAS) has organised the digital archiving of Thanet District Council’s significant collection of Sunbeam negatives and provided numerous collection points and community collection days, encouraging members of the public to bring to the archive their own commercially-taken seaside photographs. The significance of these modest postcard-sized pictures becomes repeatedly clear. For instance, an elderly couple brought a single Sunbeam image of their child who had died at a young age. Another image donated by a woman was of her mother and father taken long before her own birth—it showed her parents as a loving young couple, with, on the photograph’s back, the fading stamp of a German prison camp. The image had been sent by her mother to her father via the Red Cross after he had been captured early in World War Two.
POIGNANT IMAGES
The diversity of the collection not only provides us access to the past’s public arena, but also numerous and poignant images within the domestic sphere drawing attention to the more passive and frequently stark home lives of the mid-20th century. Through such images we see their homemaking, their modest and often restrained celebrations and communities coming together to mark events such as the 1953 Coronation. At least the children were able to use the roadside as a place of safe play, uninhibited by the interventions of adults!
Does the collection have any real cultural significance? Certainly. Every photo has its own narrative history and those individual stories combine to provide insight and understanding of our own recent past. By conserving and allowing access to these seaside images, both present and future generations will have the opportunity to enjoy and engage with this rich heritage. Beyond the View, Reframing the Sunbeam Photographic Collection is at the Sidney Cooper Gallery until 22 August www.canterbury.ac.uk/sidney-cooper www.seasphotography.org.uk
Below: Roger Allen (middle) and colleagues pose next to a Sunbeam company car, 1957; Sunbeam print bag from the summer of 1937
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FOOD & DRINK
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A TASTE OF FRANCE Rare food delicacies and the world’s finest wines are just 90-minutes away from Dover. Tom Moggach takes a gastro tour of Calais
A
s Britain becomes a nation of foodies, the concept of The Booze Cruise has become a distant memory. In its heyday, car suspensions would creak under the weight of cans of lager and one in every seven bottles of wine consumed nationwide was purchased in the north of France. But the abolition of duty-free shopping in 1999, combined with a strengthening Euro, reduced the allure of these crossChannel shopping sprees. Now the Dover to Calais crossing is being reinvented to suit modern tastes, broadening our horizons beyond the cheap bottle of red. Calais, after all, is a mere 90-minute ferry journey from Dover. It’s cheap to get there too: prices start from as low as £35 for a family day trip (as foot passengers) or just £70 return with a car, an empty boot at the ready. I suggest that you start your jaunt in the right spirit with a fancy breakfast in P&O’s The Brasserie. In this upper deck oasis of calm, you can avoid the crowds downstairs and flick through the morning papers while waiters serve you a full English breakfast or smoked salmon with scrambled eggs. Simply book in advance or rush up quickly from the car deck and hog a table. Once you are settled here, you can sit back, butter another slice of
toast, and watch the French coastline slide into view. Calais itself offers all you might expect from a French town by the sea; there are fishing boats, food markets, elegant town squares, bars and wine shops and several excellent seafood restaurants. If you know where to go, the town offers an interesting and not excessively expensive day out for gourmands. After disembarking, gather your bearings in Place d’Armes, the wide central square in the old town. This is just a few minutes’ walk from the best places to eat and shop. A food market trades here every Wednesday and Saturday until around 12.30pm. Stock up on farmhouse cheeses, charcuterie, patés, honey, fruit and veg and jars of cassoulet or confit duck— all excellent items to stash away in your store cupboard at home. Around the square you can refuel at several cafés and bars, such as Le Bar a Vins (closed Wednesdays), a charming wine shop and bar open until 7pm. On the south side, at number 26, a hardware shop stocks a decent range of cookware—perfect for keen cooks searching for a terrine pot or mini blowtorch for their crème brulées. But an essential Calais old town stop-off is La Maison du Fromage et des Vins. This is the town’s best delicatessen with �D
“Sit back, butter another slice of toast, and watch the French coastline slide into view” a vast selection of cheeses and choice wines sourced from small producers. “We’ve been buying wines for 40 years now,” says owner and award-winning sommelier Arnaud Crespo. “It’s a passion of my family.” The selection is short and sweet, although the bulk of his family’s vast wine collection can be glimpsed beneath a porthole in the cellar of Le Channel, his restaurant nearby. For bargain hunters, there are at least a dozen options in the 5 Euro price range—all far superior to a typical £8 bottle from a supermarket back home. Before lunch, make a quick detour towards the sea where fishmongers run daily stalls in Les Aubettes on Quai Auguste Delpierre. The salty sea air certainly helps stir the appetite. Histoire Ancienne is a fine restaurant and a five-minute walk up Rue Royale. Proprietor Patrick Comte runs this atmospheric French bistro, offering a two-course weekday lunch for an incredible €16.90 (under £15). Calais, of course, also offers food for the brain. After lunch, swing a left into Rue Richelieu for a stroll in the park and pop into Musée des Beaux-arts, home to sculptures by Rodin. Should you walk further into town, a good stop for gifts is Chocolat de Beussent-Lachelle, a chocolate shop whose owners manage their own cacao plantation in the Amazonia region of Ecuador. But hardcore booze-cruisers may have little time for such frivolities. If you have a car, Cité Europe is a vast out-of-town shopping centre and the perfect place to load up for a party. Booze warehouse Terre de Boissons stocks more than 600 French wines, 200 champagnes and a thousand beers from around the world. It’s a staggering set-up, complete with its own bar and state-of-the-art tasting machine. Typical deals include three-litre wine boxes of South African Pinotage for €7.60. This shopping centre and entertainment complex also hosts a Carrefour supermarket on the floor above. If you’re staying in Calais for the evening, be sure to grab a drink at Café du Minck, back near Place d’Armes. Decorated with fishing nets and other nautical ephemera, this lively bar is a slice of old-school Calais and stuffed with locals. The last sailings home are just before midnight so there’s probably even time for dinner. Both Le Channel and Le Grand Bleu are top-notch restaurants and are an excellent way to end your foodie’s day out in Calais.
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Wining and Dining in Calais RESTAURANTS Histoire Ancienne 20 Rue Royale (closed Sundays & Monday evening) www.histoire-ancienne.com
Previous page: Calais food folk with just a few of their offerings. Arnaud Crespo (top right) is an award-winning sommelier with a wine celler to die for This page: The many sights and flavours of a nothern French port. If you know where to go, the town offers an interesting and not excessively expensive day out
Le Channel 3 Boulevard de la Résistance (closed Sunday nights & all day Tuesday) www.restaurant-lechannel.com Le Grand Bleu Quai de la Colonne 8 Rue Jean-Pierre Avron (closed Tuesday evenings and Wednesdays) www.legrandbleu-calais.com
BARS Le Bar A Vins 52 Place d’Armes Café du Minck 2 Rue Jean-Pierre Avron
SHOPPING La Maison du Fromage et des Vins 1 Rue André Gerschell Chocolat de Beussent-Lachelle 9 Rue du Commandant Mengin www.choco-france.com Terre De Boissons La Cité Gourmande Cité Europe 1001 Boulevard Du Kent www.terredeboissons.co.uk
The Weekender 37
LOCAL LOBSTERS & CRABS CAUGHT DAILY
Refined. Relaxed. Recommended.
Serving brunches, lunches & evening meals Wednesday to Friday 12pm - 2:30pm, 6pm - 9:30pm. Saturday & Sunday 10am - 3pm, 6pm - 9:30pm
2-3 St. George’s Passage, Deal, Kent CT14 6TA Telephone 01304 374389 www.victualsandco.com
Ranked #1 Restaurant in Deal on
Correct as of July 1st 2014
FOOD & DRINK
MINT JULEP
STRANGERS ON A TRAIN
Traditionally drunk from a julep cup at the Kentucky Derby, this simple cocktail laden with crushed ice and cooling mint leaves is the perfect way to chill southern style.
Let’s Make: Summer Cocktails
ingredients: 10–12 mint sprigs 3 shots of good quality bourbon, eg Makers Mark 15 ml sugar syrup or caster sugar Muddle the mint leaves in a glass. Add two shots of bourbon to start (you can add a third shot at the end). Fill a highball glass almost to the top with crushed ice. Add more mint to taste. Add caster sugar (optional). Recipe by the Glass Jar 15 Marine Drive, Margate
The main components of this drink are gin, vodka and sake (Japanese fortified wine) which aren’t usually mixed, but blend very well together here. It is a clementinebased drink, which gives it a wonderfully vibrant bright orange hue and adds a nice hit of acidity. STRANGERS ON A TRAIN
CUCUMBER & ELDERFLOWER MARTINI With flavoursome blends that are enhanced and freshened by cucumber, this is the perfect antidote to a hot summer’s day. ingredients: 37.5ml Hendrick’s Gin 15ml fresh lemon juice 15ml Martini dry vermouth 15ml elderflower cordial 3 slices of fresh cucumber Muddle the fresh slices of cucumber in the base of a cocktail shaker then add all other remaining ingredients. Shake with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a thin roll of cucumber. Recipe by The Champagne and Cocktail Bar Abode Canterbury
ELDERFLOWER MARTINI
ingredients: Rosemary gin 25ml sake 25ml orange blossom vodka 25ml lemon and clove syrup 25ml clementine 1 whole ice Muddle the clementine in the bottom of the Boston shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and add the rest of the ingredients. Shake vigorously. Taste to check if ingredients have blended. Serve in a champagne saucer and top with an edible flower, eg charlock. for the rosemary gin: 750ml gin 1 large sprig of rosemary Bruise rosemary. To enhance release of oil, add to the gin, leave for 1 week minimum, remove herb and serve. for the orange blossom vodka: 750ml vodka 25ml orange blossom water for the lemon & clove syrup 50ml lemon juice 20g whole cloves 800ml water 400g sugar Boil water, add sugar. Add lemon and cloves. Turn heat down to medium heat. Leave to reduce for 15 minutes. Leave to cool. Strain into jug/bottle. Recipe by Wild Goose The Goods Shed, Canterbury
MINT JULEP The Weekender 39
FOOD & DRINK
traditionally male-dominated industry such as brewing or not,” she says. “There are a lot more women in the industry now than when I started, which is great to see.” Brewing on a much smaller scale is Karen Goody, who alongside Peter McCabe set up the Goody Ales microbrewery. Based in Herne, they have produced award-winning beers since 2012. “Most of the time, people assume I don’t brew,” she explains. “But while I do a lot of office work, I am also the main brewer here, or brewster.” Both Goody and Timmins love the world in which they work. “Most ale drinkers are very nice, broad-minded people,” says Goody. “They are very positive about what I do.” “One of the reasons I like working in brewing is that it’s a generous industry with a free flow of knowledge,” explains Timmins. “Brewers like to see other brewers succeed.” Adds Goody: “I hope I’m among the first of many brewsters in Kent. It’s not something only men can do.”
The A to Z of Kentish Beer
B
by johnny homer
is for brewster, an ancient term for women brewers, of which there were once many. That was before beer was produced on an industrial scale, since when the men have ruled the roost. But after years of male domination the ladies are again making their mark, especially here in East Kent. At Faversham’s Shepherd Neame, Kent’s biggest brewery and one of the UK’s top regionals, Jean Timmons is a senior brewer. She started as lab manager with the company in 2002 and has held her current role since 2011. She remains unfazed by being a woman in an industry widely perceived as very much a man’s world. “You can have sexism anywhere, whether it is a
SEE ALSO...
Black Pig (4.8%): an awesome drop from Canterbury’s Wantsum Brewery. A powerful porter of the style so beloved by Russian Tsars, Pig is packed with heady hints of chocolate and burnt malt. The Butcher’s Arms: micropub set up in the village of Herne by Martyn Hillier back in 2005. Widely acknowledged as the original micropub, without the Butcher’s there would be no Black Dog in Whitstable or Bouncing Barrel in Herne Bay— two new(ish) micros which suggest the Great British pub isn’t in terminal decline, it’s simply reinventing itself once again.
Go on, you know you Wantsum!
The Perfect Drink for the Summer
COMES TOGETHER WITH
0845 0405980
40 The Weekender
www.wantsumbrewery.com wantsumbrewery@gmail.com
FOOD &DRINK
The Perfect Weekend… Fine Dining by the Sea words and photos by dan synge
A trip to the seaside might entail a visit to a seafront chippy or a
mug of tea and bacon sarnie while waiting for the rain to desist. In Deal they do things differently however, and a healthy proliferation of newish eateries in the town means that local diners are fast becoming a bunch of lucky so and so’s. Victuals & Co (old fashioned for ‘provisions’ and pronounced vittals) embodies this new trend to a T. Located in a small alleyway off the award-winning High Street (the building goes back to 1720), it is the fine dining venture of couple Andy and Suzy Kirkwood; he a former motor trade business manager, she a former fashion buyer who has traded the jet setting lifestyle for the cut and thrust of the kitchen and seems all the happier for it. Head chef Derek Bond, originally from Tasmania, comes with a true pedigree and has had stints as a sous chef at both The Marquis at Alkham and Thackeray’s. On first impressions, their cosy restaurant seems impossibly smart for Deal—perhaps it is better off situated in Tunbridge Wells—but having enjoyed a drink at the bar, it is clear that Andy and Suzy have created a relaxed yet professional atmosphere that has quickly found favour with locals and visiting DFL’s alike. Andy, it transpires, has travelled extensively throughout South East Asia, which explains the eclectic menu—they do a mean Duck Leg Curry with Fried Rice and other exotic dishes.
For those whose taste buds prefer to go less of a long haul, there are reassuringly British-sounding options such as Grilled Plaice or Ham, Egg and Chips. “You could describe us as ‘classic contemporary’ or ‘modern British’,” explains Andy before disappearing to refill another diner’s glass of chilled Prosecco. Having skipped lunch to eke the most out of the working day, my own taste buds were tickled by a lone onion bhaji which melted beautifully in the mouth and had me begging for more. As I waited, I couldn’t help but notice the colourful pop art on the austere grey walls. Someone obviously has impeccable taste around here, as the dark tables and low lighting contrast cleverly with the Warhol-a-likes and ethnic textiles adorning some of the chairs. Soft background music flashes back to an early 1990s chill out room. Next up was a plate of King Scallops (£9) from Loch Fyne, Scotland. As anticipated, they were soft and succulent and the Asian sauce had a zingy ginger/ chili hit. All were washed down superbly with a glass of Picpoul de Pinet, a bone dry white wine from the Languedoc region (£4.40 a glass). As I ate, Andy waxed lyrical about getting up early to buy his daily produce from Walmestone Growers in Wingham. He admits there is a slight premium to pay for such ingredients but is convinced it’s worth it. The proof of the pudding perhaps is the fact that at weekends they are regularly fully booked. Now it was time for my Duck Leg Curry with Fried Rice (£16). Free range duck always makes a welcome and more gamey change from the regular chicken and slowly cooked in coconut milk and ginger and served on a generous bed of rice, it is a hearty affair given a pleasingly complex texture by the addition of peppers and cashew nuts. There was just enough room for dessert, and sticking with the eastern theme I chose a refreshing Japanese Plum and Szechuan Pepper flavour ice cream (£3) which came with a mound of panna cotta topped with some delicious strawberries freshly picked from Wingham. As I left, Andy stressed the importance of his team to the success of
the business. “We’re like a small family,” he says proudly. And by the evidence of tonight, a decidedly friendly, relaxed and unpretentious family. Go try some of their victuals yourself. Victuals & Co, 2–3 St George’s Passage, Deal T: 01304 374389 www.victualsandco.com
Photos (clockwise from top left): The Victuals & Co ‘family’, from left: Derek, Andy, Tyler, Callum, Suzy and Martin; The restaurant is located in a small alleyway off the High Street; Taste buds were tickled by a lone onion bhaji; Duck Leg Curry was a hearty affair with a pleasingly complex texture; Ice cream in a rainbow of flavours and served with a mound of panna cotta
The Weekender 41
SPACE
10
DREAM HOLIDAY HOMES
Looking for a place to spend the summer holidays, a long weekend or crafty mid-week break? East Kent offers an incredible variety of accommodation; choose from cute fishermen’s cottages to stylish contemporary homes and historic buildings that are fit for a Lord
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photo: john sainsbury
@ fullaspect
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42 The Weekender
WS Y VIE T SA ! A TH OW W
SPACE
The Prospect Tower, near Faversham
N ER D MO & AL M NI MI
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You needn’t be a fan of the summer game to stay here, but it helps. The tower is on the edge of a private cricket pitch on the Belmont House estate. It was built by the first Lord Harris as a gardener’s lodge but served as a family summerhouse and later as a cricket pavilion—the players’ coat hooks remain fixed to the walls and their spiked studs pit the floorboards of the upper room. A roof terrace offers grandstand views of the main house and gardens as well as rural Kent beyond. Sleeps 2 / £413 (4 nights) www.landmarktrust.org.uk
Abbots Cliff House, Capel Le Ferne Perched at the top of a cliff outside Folkestone, Abbots Cliff House is a luxury seaside retreat. Regal grandeur is the theme inside and it’s had a thoroughly modern makeover that retains all the best original period features including floor-toceiling windows. Right outside await bracing cliff walks and a sandy beach at the bottom. The sea views towards France are truly hard to beat. Sleeps 10 from £1,008 per week www.mulberrycottages.com
Shanty, Whitstable 5
Located in the heart of Whitstable’s conservation area and only a short walk from the buzzy Harbour Street boutiques and the beach, this spacious and stylishly refurbished fisherman’s cottage comes with a sun deck and 120-foot west-facing garden. Upstairs there are three bedrooms and— unusually for Whitstable—two bathrooms. Flexible family accommodation with bags of character. Sleeps 6 / from £600 per week www.whitstablecottagecompany.com
The Shingle House, Dungeness
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Designed by Scottish architects nord, the Shingle House is just one of the stunning properties on the books of Living Architecture, Alain de Botton’s not-for-profit venture which aims to let people experience fantastic contemporary building design. Outside the house, which is clad in tarred black shingles, is the bleak but beautiful desert which has inspired artists such as the late film maker Derek Jarman, whose cottage and driftwood garden are nearby. The interior doesn’t disappoint either and it features glazed concertina doors in the living areas and a beautiful sunken black concrete bath that looks out to sea. Sleeps 8 / from £720 (4 nights) www.living-architecture.co.uk
The Weekender 43
SPACE
“What do you expect to see from the window of a guest house near Hythe?” Y OS S C E R FO UPL O C
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photo: john sainsbury
@ fullaspect
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Oyster Shell, near Whitstable
Y IRKDE U Q ASI ! SE UN F
This stylish, architect-designed retreat just off Seasalter beach couldn’t be further from your traditional fisherman’s cottage. The living areas shout out contemporary coastal-chic while each bedroom has its own en suite bathroom— the twin room even has a wet room with monsoon rain shower. Also equipped with underfloor heating, Bang & Olufsen stereo, Nespresso coffee machine and a whopping 50-inch TV, it’s got more mod cons than Paul Weller and Bradley Wiggins! Sleeps 8 from £1,400 (8 people sharing) www.uniquehomestays.com
The Grange, Ramsgate A stay at Grade I-listed The Grange offers not just a relaxing seaside break but also an insight into the life of Victorian architect Augustus Pugin, who built it for himself and his family. Guests are welcome to enjoy the panelled dining room, library, tower, and private chapel as well as the remarkable hand-crafted wallpaper, tiles and furniture. Sleeps 8 / £635 (4 nights) www.landmarktrust.org.uk
photo: john sainsbury
@ fullaspect
SPACE
Livingstone Cottage, Port Lympne Resort What do you expect to see from the window of a guest house near Hythe? Herds of wildebeest and rhino sweeping majestically across the plain? Well, actually yes, providing you are staying at Livingstone Cottage set in 100 acres of prime Kentish savannah, otherwise known as Port Lympne Wild Animal Park. Guests enjoy a magical night in luxury which begins with traditional African cocktails followed a guided safari and a five-course dinner. The bridal suite includes a four poster bed and en suite with stunning views and a roll top bath. Sleeps up to 8 / from £650 a night www.aspinallfoundation.org/shortbreaks
The Butlery, Sandwich Bay Tucked away within the exclusive Sandwich Bay Estate (access is via a toll gate and there are five miles of private beaches), this well-appointed half-timbered cottage boasts interiors that inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement led by William Morris. If the solitude all gets a bit too much, Sandwich town and its shops and cafes are just a short hop across the golf course. Sleeps 2–8 / from £600 per week www.uniquehomestays.com
Sea View House, Whitstable This Grade II-listed Victorian house is situated on Reeves Beach just a couple of minutes’ walk from the harbour. A quintessential Kentish weather boarded home, it has been renovated throughout whilst retaining its original folksy feel. And if the sun shines, you’ll get good use of the decked area in front and there is direct access to the beach. Sleeps up to 6 / from £1,200 per week www.whitstablecottagecompany.com
Tipis, St Margaret’s Bay The 4-star Wallett’s Court near St Margaret’s Bay offer a unique ‘glamping’ experience within the grounds of their country house hotel. While home comforts are admittedly a little thin on the ground (at least you are able to use the hotel and spa facilities next door!), what better place to revitalise the soul and feel close to Mother Nature? Note: tipis are deceptively spacious and have queen-sized beds with cosy Siberian goose down duvets and genuine Lapland reindeer skins for extra warmth. Sleeps 2 / £135 a night midweek, £165 weekends (inc. breakfast) www.wallettscourthotelspa.com
How to let your holiday home De-clutter and de-personalise your property. Provide plenty of space in the kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms. People expect to stay somewhere better than their own home, so invest in things like good quality linen. It’s the little things that count. A few carefully-chosen decorative touches to reference the locality of your holiday home will enhance your guests’ experience. Provide a well-presented information pack to include everything a guest might need to know about your home; appliance instructions, heating controls and any little quirks. Include useful information about your town; doctors, dentists, hospitals, as well as the fun things. Be sure to have professional photos taken; a good picture speaks a thousand words. When writing your property description, talk up your home, not the town. There will be information about the town online but only you can sell your lovely home. Provide the right amount of cutlery, crockery etc for the amount of guests your property accommodates. Everyone needs a seat and a bowl. If you welcome children, be sure to provide a high chair, cot and child-friendly crockery and cutlery. If you are maintaining the property yourself, remember that cleaning must be of the highest standard. Guests don’t want to be reminded that others have stayed there before them. Use professional cleaners (via a management company) for best results. Ensure you meet the proper regulations for a holiday rental property; a gas safety certificate, a fire blanket, smoke alarms and landlord’s public liability insurance are a must. Advice from Garrie Keeys from The Whitstable Cottage Company / www.whitstablecottagecompany.com
HOLIDAY RENTAL COMPANIES IN KENT ownersdirect.co.uk/england-kent.htm kentholidaycottages.co.uk gardenofenglandcottages.co.uk freedomholidayhomes.co.uk kent-cottage-holidays.co.uk cottagesinkent.co.uk curlewcottages.co.uk
The Weekender 45
ADVERTORIAL
Beach Street Buzz
A new residential development on Deal’s historic seafront offers the best in contemporary coastal living plus easy access to the awardwinning High Street
A
tour of Deal’s award-winning High Street and the charming conservation area around it gives a fascinating insight into the lives of our forebears. Most shop fronts retain their original character and the private homes in the surrounding streets and alleyways invariably boast beautifully rendered brick work and authentic sash windows. Behind each unique-looking door are winding staircases, detailed cornicing, secret passages and nook-like cellars. It’s a conservationist’s dream. Any rightminded buyer would make this area a must see on any whistle stop tour of the town’s properties. But what if you don’t want the bother of up-dating a period home or the maintenance and costs that go hand in hand with owning a property aged over 200 years? Look no further than the exciting new The Quarterdeck development that is taking shape in Beach Street, from Canterbury-based niche developers Rogate. Named after the part of a warship
46 The Weekender
where the commanding officer oversees his/her formal duties, the development comprises of 14 high specification two-bedroom apartments (10 with uninterrupted sea views) plus two retail units at ground level. To date, six of the apartments are reserved. The top floor boasts two large penthouses—one with over 1,500 square feet of floor space—and the building’s large modern windows open out directly to The Downs—a channel of water where Admiral Lord Nelson once inspected his fleet. Deal town has many charms including its long and crowd-free shingle beach, a Tudor castle, the Timeball Tower and a fishing-friendly pier with award-winning café; the latter begins right across the road from The Quarterdeck. But perhaps the biggest buzz these days is the shopping located on the fashionable High Street, winner of the coveted Daily Telegraph High Street of the Year Award in 2013. Rising up between the sea front and the town’s main car park, The Quarterdeck is therefore a superb base for sampling the town’s many independent shops and services—choose from artisan bakers and butchers to specialist wine shops and freshly caught fish. Meanwhile for a bigger shopping trip, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer are but a few steps away towards the railway station. A new high speed service is expected to link Deal to Ashford and London St Pancras cutting journey times to the capital to around 90 minutes.
When the building is completed next autumn, The Quarterdeck will be a welcome addition to Deal’s already handsome seafront. And in the spirit of the largely unspoilt Georgian architecture around it, the exterior will be rendered and painted in colours already found in the locale: pale greys, blues and off-whites. The height of each separate building is sympathetic to those of its neighbours, the shop fronts are built in traditional timber and there is even a Georgian-style bay window facing out towards the sea.
“A welcome addition to Deal’s already handsome seafront” Inside, each apartment is purposefully designed to be light, spacious and airy. There is Amtico flooring, fully-fitted kitchens with stone work plus chrome door handles, light switches and sockets. Each apartment is perfect for a cozy weekend spent gazing out to sea and deliberating over which restaurant, café, pub or shop to frequent downstairs. Prices from £199,000 to £700,000 Enquiries: Colebrook Sturrock, 01304 381155 www.rogate.co.uk
S SO HO O W NO N. HO W .. R M BE ES E C IN ER OM G VA I TA TIO NG KE N N! S
Quayside Homes launch The Knots at Willowbank, Sandwich
- The Knots at Willowbank A development of 1 to 4 bedroom homes. Prices from £145,000 to £425,000. There’s something for everyone at The Knots!
Sales and Marketing Suite 25 Willowbank, Sandwich, Kent, CT13 9QA Open Friday-Monday 10am-5pm
Tel: 01304 434047 www.quaysidehomes.co.uk
Photographs shown are indicative of interiors by Quayside Homes. Photo of Prince’s Golf Club, located approx. 5 miles from The Knots at Willowbank.
Margate Theatres Summer 2014 Theatre Royal Clod Ensemble Red Ladies 25th & 26th July Chamber Opera Chicago Jane Austen’s Persuasion Wednesday 30th July
Winter Gardens Heritage Open Days & Backstage Tours 13th & 14th September Gordon Clarkson Flashing Eyes 19th & 20th September Looping the Loop Festival Sunday 21st September Richard Marsh - Wingman Thursday 25th September Captain Flinn & the Pirate Dinosaurs 26th & 27th September
Yesteryears Theatre Co. We Will Remember Saturday 2nd August
Doubled Up Productions Get Happy Show Every Wed, Thurs & Fri 23rd July - 15th Aug
Cinque Port Music The Royal Marines Association Concert Band Sunday 28th September
Evolution The Rhythm of Life Friday 25th July
Chas & Dave Friday 3rd October
Stage Door Hairspray - The Musical 30th July - 2nd Aug Only One Direction Saturday 16th August Margate Open Darts Sunday 24th August Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra Ft. Mel C & Marc Almond Friday 29th August
Act 1 Theatre Group Peter Pan 6th - 9th August
Jimmy Carr Friday 10th October Aled Jones Saturday 11th October
Kent Youth Dance Dance Excerpts & Originals Saturday 16th August The Sooty Show Sunday 17th August
Level 42 Saturday 4th October
The Dreamboys Wednesday 17th October
Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick Sunday 28th September That is All You Need to Know - Bletchley Park Story Wednesday 1st October Great Expectations Friday 3rd October Marcus Brigstocke Saturday 4th October
Roundabout Festival 3rd - 7th September
The Lindisfarne Story Tuesday 7th October
New Perspectives Theatre Watching the Living Friday 12th September
Ha Ha Hood - Starring Su Pollard & Cannon & Ball Wednesday 8th October
Sixties Gold Saturday 18th October
The Roundabout Festival 3rd - 7th Sept Tony Stockwell An Evening of Mediumship Thursday 11th September
10CC Friday 7th November Frank Skinner - Man in a Suit Friday 14th November
London Theatre Trip War Horse Tuesday 16th September An Evening of Burlesque Saturday 20th September New Milkshake Live! Sunday 21st September
Background image by: Manuel Vason Clod Ensemble – Red Ladies
Working in partnership with
Box Office: 01843 292795 margatewintergardens.co.uk | theatreroyalmargate.com
SPACE
THE CURIO BY JO WILLIS
How do you define style? Ian: Whatever makes you feel good about yourself. Hester: Relaxed and homemade. I love wood, white tones or blue hues and Scandinavian style with a bit of New England beach mixed in. Why rent in Broadstairs? Ian: It’s peaceful with a friendly community, beautiful scenery and a high quality of life. Hester: It’s the closest to Holland that I can get Ian! Do you have an object of desire for your home? Ian: Solar panels. Hester: A veranda with lots of outdoor entertaining space. What couldn’t you live without? Ian: Sunlight. Hester: The Internet and a decent cup of coffee. Describe your perfect day. Ian: A day in which I learn something new or meet a new person I connect with. Throw in walking the dog on the beach and a beer watching the sunset with friends and that has to be it. Hester: Waking up by bird song and sunshine, walk the dog on the beach and have breakfast at Sam’s Beach Café in Dumpton Gap. Have a lovely massage in the perfect spa (which I still haven’t found in Thanet!) then finish with a barbecue in the garden.
www.thecurioinmargate.com
Ian (holiday homes manager) and Hester (make-up artist/ hair stylist) rent this property in the heart of Broadstairs. Renting often restricts the personal impact you can have on a place, but a mutually beneficial situation has allowed the pair the opportunity to decorate from top to bottom—their landlord has a well-kept and cared for property whilst Hester and Ian get a house that really feels like their own The Weekender 49
DIRECTORY
Are you a local business, shop or service with something worth shouting about? Then try our Directory pages. Place your ad here for just £55 and reach the most influential and independently-minded folk in East Kent. For details contact advertising@the-weekender.net
BISHOPSBOURNE CRICKET CLUB New Players Welcome Sunday matches at beautiful ground with great local pub Contact Sean 07811 885426
Micro love fresh coffee
For intrepid shoppers, an independent studio shop of decorative furniture, old objects and art Sumptuous yet with the economy of a haiku Open each SATURDAY
TRY OUR COLD BREW COFFEE, ALL SUMMER LONG 4 St Margarets Street, Canterbury T: 01227 634419 coffee@micoroastery.co.uk
Find us on the Sandwich Town Trail 6b Strand Street Tel 07913 603 739 fb haiku_on_the_Strand
Purveyors of Taste Sensations Rennies Seaside Modern are based in Folkestone. Working from a ship’scabin-of-a-shop, they are purveyors of English comfy modern — that’s vintage seaside posters, textiles, ceramics and objects for your home, beach hut or garden shed. Not forgetting vintage Hermes silk scarves for those blustery days at the coast.
www.rennart.co.uk 50 The Weekender
Breuer & Dawson and Breuer & Dawson Archive Two shops located in Margate’s Old Town specialising in classic men’s & women’s vintage clothing and accessories. Stocking international work wear, military, English tailoring & a broad range of women’s wear.
104 Tankerton Road Whitstable, Kent CT5 2AJ Tel: 01227 77 3141 www.wine-room.co.uk
Breuer & Dawson 7 King Street, Margate Breuer & Dawson Archive 8 Duke Street, Margate
Tel: 01843 225 299 www.breuerdawson.com
RESORT
studios gallery workshops margate membership/hire: resort.studios@gmail.com print enquiries: www.helloprintstudio.com
Fella is the destination for sharp mens haircuts in Canterbury. We are a highly trained and skilled team, who pride ourselves in grooming for the modern man. Visit one of our grooming experts for a new style or a fresh looking cut. 19 The Borough, Canterbury, Kent CT1 2DR Monday–Wednesday 9.30am–6.00pm Thursday 9.30am–7.00pm Friday 9.00am–7.00pm Saturday 9.00am–5.00pm T: 01227 780 382 www.fellahair.com
DAVIS DESIGN & ADVERTISING Folkestone
Unique Jewellery & Gifts Justin Richardson ~ Designer Jeweller 23 Sun Street, Canterbury CT1 2HX T: 01227 471693 E: justin@justinrichardson.co.uk www.justinrichardson.co.uk find us on facebook
• Small Business Branding • • Graphic Design • • Print & Digital Advertising • • Website Design • • Social Media Management • www.davisdavis.co.uk info@davisdavis.co.uk 01303 247766
FULLASPECT
produces stylish photography and marketing material for designers, architects and estate agents For more information email john@fullaspect.co.uk or call 07875 846779 www.fullaspect.co.uk
The Weekender 51
JUST THE JOB
Jason Llewellyn, Fishmonger
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ged just 17, Jason Llewellyn acquired the fish shop he had been working in since the age of 10. Nearly 30 years later his company Fruits De Mer is a thriving local business with seven staff and 18 boats handling up to 1m kilos of fish a year. He has supplied fish to the Queen as well as to Michelin-starred restaurants in Kent and London. He lives in Broadstairs and has three children. i get up at three in the morning and go to the store house where the boats land. I take the pick of the catch and then arrive at the shop at around 4am. Then I do all the orders —we supply around 300 restaurants—and get the fresh fish ready for display. Meanwhile, I’ll be trying to sell or buy fish in. We get our salmon and trout from Scotland, for instance, and we’ve just bought some squid from South Africa. We then open the shop at 5am. A lot of our customers like to get up early; the first in the queue get the pick of the day. you must be prepared to work hard. I’ve got three children and they never see me in the morning. I don’t think I’ve had a day off sick in 29 years! In winter your hands freeze and when there’s a run of bad weather it can take five or six weeks before any boats get out at all. It gets stressful at times too. You might catch 15 tons of fish but then have to offload it quickly. If there’s no demand out there, you are really up against it. the business has changed a lot. When I started, there were 15 fishmongers in Thanet and now there are only two. The customers
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used to be older people buying cod and haddock but now we sell up to 50 varieties of fish daily. Our Chinese and Asian clients have boosted the demand for live fish and we process up to 3,000 crabs a week as well as Dover sole and sea bass which are found locally. Whatever people say about dwindling fish supplies, we are catching as much fish as we have ever have done. fish is one of the last wild products left in the world and there is a great variety to be found around the Kent coast. Some customers come in with their cookery books and we are able to prepare whatever they request. I eat fish every day of the week and I believe that fresh fish should be simply cooked—it’s a really good product with health benefits and plenty of flavour. Cod remains our biggest seller but sea bass, bream, turbot, scallops and squid are all popular. Good fish doesn’t have to be expensive and locallycaught gurnard is really cheap—just a pound a portion. Locally-caught mullet is also very good value. being a fishmonger is a lost art. There are places where you can learn the skills but you can’t beat the experience of working in shop. It would take a lifetime to know everything there is to know. I hope that the business stays in the family. My kids are young but they like going down to the harbour and seeing the freshly caught fish. They even have plans to run a seafood stall at the front of my shop!
PROS The job is different every day
{ Dealing with customers — some people have never seen a real fish shop before!
{ I enjoy setting up the shop
CONS The early morning starts
{ It can be physically demanding with lots of lifting involved
{ Getting freezing hands when dealing with ice cold fish
“A Great Place to Stay for a Weekend on The Kent Coast”
The White Cliffs Hotel & Trading Co. and
The Bay Restaurant ‘Just a mile from the Beach at St. Margaret’s Bay near Deal’
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Bibi Morelli
Having first opened in Broadstairs in 1932, Morelli’s Gelato is now a global brand and their desserts are found in Harrods Food Hall as well as concessions in Monaco, Manila and Dubai. Heading the fifth generation, family-run company is Bibi Morelli, a former lawyer. She is married with one daughter and lives in Europe and Zimbabwe PARLOUR GAMES Growing up in Broadstairs was wonderful. We lived just above the shop and when I came home from school I’d go straight downstairs, where the factory was, to get my daily ice cream. I used to watch my father and his staff making the ice cream in their wellington boots and there was always that wonderful smell of freshlymade ice cream. Later, my family moved close to the North Foreland lighthouse, but I remember the Punch and Judy shows, the donkey rides and the trampolines. A day on the beach was always followed by an ice cream. Broadstairs is a lovely historic town, and in a world that’s always changing, it never seems to change; there is still the band stand, Bleak House, the Dickens Festival, Folk Week and of course the beach. It’s a children’s paradise on the English Riviera! PART OF THE FURNITURE When it comes to shop’s interior (many of the fixtures and fittings date back to the 1930s), we fight tooth and 54 The Weekender
nail to change as little as possible. The manager Chris Chalkin has been working with our family for 40 years now. He’s almost part of the furniture and the soul of the shop. Our customers cherish their memories of going there as children. I have a small daughter and it’s important to me that she has the same experience that I had. AN AFFORDABLE TREAT Like my ancestor Giuseppe Morelli, many Italian immigrants walked over from Italy to start businesses in different parts of the country. My family began in Glasgow but relocated to Broadstairs because it was a little warmer and by the sea. One of the main attractions of Italian ice cream is that it’s made freshly every day. Gelato is a product that is nutritionally healthier than frozen varieties and although we use cream, the ice is milk-based making it lower in fat with less calories. You also get a much cleaner taste on the tongue. The best ice cream—even if it’s just one scoop—is hopefully an affordable treat to most.
OLD FAVOURITES As a child, I was lucky enough to have regularly enjoyed great ice cream. Then I began travelling and realised that there was nothing quite like this in other places. I thought, ‘How can we encapsulate this and export it?’ The original Broadstairs ice cream parlour is very much the inspiration for what we do on a global level. We continue to evolve our menu—we’ve introduced pear and parmesan and gorgonzola flavours—but we keep the old favourites. Morelli’s must be one of few companies left to offer Banana Royale and Knickerbocker Glory—all served up in a beautiful Venetian glass. KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY Morelli’s has been going for 100 years now and I would like us to remain a real family business. I feel that I have a responsibility to carry forward this brand which has so much heritage. I hope my ancestors would be proud. Morelli’s, 14 Victoria Parade, Broadstairs www.morellisgelato.com
Photos from top: Bibi with a classic Banana Royale in the Broadstairs parlour of her childhood; The shop sign and interior décor have changed little since the 1950s; As a young girl outside the shop, summer 1975
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