The Weekender, Issue Six by The Weekender

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The Weekender Issue Six Spring 2013

The Travel Special

www.weekenderonline.net

‘EAST KENT LIFE AT ITS BEST’ ISSUE SIX / SPRING 2013

THE TRAVEL SPECIAL:

ROLLING WITH THE ROCKERS

Wayne Hemingway: Designs for Dreamland Try Our Great Kent Quiz!

PLUS: The Insider’s Calais / Best Micropubs Cool Country Pads / Suggs’s Whitstable www.weekenderonline.net

AT PORT LYMPNE

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Contributors

This issue’s contributors tell us about their favourite journeys, both at home and abroad.

‘EAST KENT LIFE AT ITS BEST’ ISSUE SIX / SPRING 2013 / FREE

peter cocks pays tribute to local comedy legend Basil Brush. A writer, performer and producer, his latest thriller Body Blow is published by Walker Books in the autumn. His The Private Widdle Social Club is next at the Astor Theatre, Deal on 25 May. www.privatewiddlesocialclub.co.uk What’s your perfect weekend? Some real ale, a Smugglers Records gig, eating fish, sea swimming, forty winks, possibly a black and white film. What’s your favourite journey? Dover to Calais. Ever since school French exchanges, I have never lost the thrill of crossing the Channel. What’s normally in your travel bag? I try to go light but often fail. The capsule version includes a thick paperback, tobacco, iPod, cashmere socks, a credit card that won’t bounce and a change of comfortable pants.

natalie shirlaw has been a hairdresser for over 20 years styling many celebrities including Emili Sandé and Denise van Outen. She lives near Faversham where she runs a boutique salon. www.shirlawsanctuary.com What’s your perfect weekend? Waking up on the farm with my fiancé and our animals (she has dogs, a cat, chickens and pigs). We walk along the estuary or to the nature reserve beside our house. Eating out locally—The Three Mariners near Faversham or JoJo’s in Tankerton are favourites! What’s your favourite journey? Going to Spain to visit my dad. I love the weather, the food and the laid back lifestyle. What’s normally in your travel bag? I always pack a bikini, high factor suncream, flip-flops, sunglasses and a great book.

ross duttson is a property developer living in Broadstairs. He is also an aspiring TV presenter and is looking for houses in the area to style and “mess with the owner’s mind”. “In a good way!” What’s your perfect weekend? With family and friends surrounded by good food. To get the appetite going I like a walk on the beach, whatever the weather. What’s your favourite journey? I love letting the train take the strain. When the sky is blue and the sun is out, the countryside and property throughout Kent is breathtaking. What’s normally in your travel bag? An old, oversized cashmere jumper and a scented candle are both so comforting if you’re away from home.

Editor’s Letter “To awaken alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.” Freya Stark “Make voyages! Attempt them… there’s nothing else.” Tennessee Williams

eing able to travel is as essential as drinking water or love from another human being. After months of being cooped up in the winter lair, it is at this time of year that our minds and bodies demand a change of scenery and a boost for all the senses. So whether it’s that first bite of a crusty baguette on a French country road, the sweet aroma of a lemon grove or stepping off the plane into a blanket of heat on a tropical runway, a sudden change of landscape with a touch of fantasy thrown in for good measure, is a tried-and-trusted remedy for the soul. Much as we love the many and varied delights of East Kent, we’ve had to look further afield for inspiration in this spring travel issue. Not much further, you understand. With its fine dining, specialist shops and surprisingly hospitable locals, the old town of Calais (page 49) boasts many of the qualities that make us Brits return to France year after year. It’s also just a short ferry ride away from Dover, so we don’t have to discover it all in one go. If you prefer the train, what better way to travel than by luxury Pullman carriage? We took the famous trans-continental service to the lovely city of Bath (page 44), but it operates to a number of exciting UK destinations including our very own Canterbury, Deal and Folkestone. We’re also getting rather excited about the prospect of a new European airline opening up locally, with a service soon available to Amsterdam from Kent International Airport. How long will it be, I wonder, before we are all fluent in Dutch with a neat side line in market gardening and polder maintenance? Indeed our columnist Jane Wenham-Jones is so thrilled about the news that she admits on page 21 to being a PIMBY (Please In My Back Yard).

The other great piece of news around here is that the regeneration of the old Dreamland site in Margate moves a step forward with the appointment of Wayne Hemingway as its chief designer. We meet the Vintage Festival and former Red or Dead man (page 24) and quiz him on his vision for the project. Not straying far from the Thanet coast, we go in search of the tastiest slice of pizza (page 32) and discover that East Kent is a hot bed of new micropubs (page 38). If, perchance, you are sitting in one of these establishments with only a glass of fine local ale for company, why not try our Great Kent Quiz on page 14? I never knew that this county had quite so many strange tales! Elsewhere in the magazine we’ve got the extraordinary story of Channel swimmer Captain Webb (page 28), best-selling author Deborah Moggach (page 58), a stunning earthsheltered country home with views to die for (page 40) plus a cracking new recipe from The Ginger Pig (page 37). Perhaps the sheer unbridled diversity and competing cosmopolitan flavours of this issue will provide you, dear reader, with a kind of journey in itself. As it has already been said before: Travel is all about the journey, not the destination. See you again in July as we gear up for the summer!

Editor

on the cover: Sarah from Planet Sputnik by Horst Friedrichs The Weekender 3

40 can have fun “atAdults the seaside too! ”

OUT & ABOUT 7–19 News, views and must-do events Photo story: On the road with Britain’s style tribes UpDown Gallery, Ramsgate Herb Lester Maps Spiers and Boden The Great Kent Quiz Suggs Q&A If you are only going to do 3 things this spring…

Ben Dickson, Whitstable lino cut artist LEGO for grown-ups Folkestone Artworks It’s a Numbers Game: Travel Trends

Publisher and editor: Dan Synge dan@the-weekender.net Graphic design: dan@danadamsdesign.com

4 The Weekender

Contributing Editor (Food & Drink): Tom Moggach Contributing Editors (Photography): John Stoddart, Sean Preston Illustrations: Ben Dickson Contributors: Jane Wenham-Jones, Tom Moggach, Bess Browning, Lily GuyVogel, Natalie Shirlaw, Lynn Taylor, Ross Duttson, Peter Cocks, Martin Latham, Horst Friedrichs, David King, Kristin Peres

The Weekender is a free independent magazine distributed to over 300 select outlets in and around East Kent. Copies are available quarterly in Canterbury, Faversham, 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

Contents Issue Six / Spring 2013 OPINION 21 Jane Wenham-Jones simply can’t wait to fly from her local airport LOCAL HERO 22–23 Peter Cocks celebrates 50 years of Basil Brush PEOPLE 24–26 Meet the new Dreamland’s chief designer Wayne Hemingway

TRAVEL 44–51 Where’s Poirot? Taking the Orient-Express to Bath Exploring the old town of Calais The List: The Insider’s Guide to Calais

TALE 28–30 The incredible adventures of Captain Webb; the first man to swim the Channel

BEAUTY 53 Our new beauty experts on how to have great hair and skin whilst travelling

FOOD & DRINK 32–39 Pizza-loving Tom Moggach goes in search of the tastiest slice around The Perfect Weekend… Dinner for Golfers Let’s Make: Duck rillettes Plus: East Kent’s best micropubs

SPACE 40–43 A self-built home points the way towards modern country living Plus: Seven country houses worth leaving town for

INTERIORS 55 Ross Duttson spring cleans his home office Plus: Ideas for outdoor living JUST THE JOB 56 Cross-Channel ferry Captain David Miller on life at sea MY EAST KENT LIFE 58 Heartbreak Hotel writer Deborah Moggach and her passion for the East Kent coast

17 11 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

The Trench is a true story of a miner who became entombed in a tunnel during World War One. As the horror threatens to engulf him, everything in the darkness is not what it seems. He discovers a new, strange world beneath the mud and death. On an epic journey of salvation, the boundaries between reality and fantasy blur as he questions what’s real, what’s not and whether it even matters?

The Trench is presented in association with Step Short - Remembering the soldiers of the Great War

With music by acclaimed artist Alexander Wolfe. “A totAl theAtre experience of engrossing intensity – Must see show ”

www.stepshort.co.uk

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NEWS, VIEWS AND MUST-DO EVENTS / OUT & ABOUT

Revolt Into Style

A German photographer has spent 15 years documenting British youth culture; a journey which led from the legendary Ace CafĂŠ to the seafront at Margate

OUT & ABOUT

Opening page: Jake, Thomas and Sarah This page (from top): Tich, Old Manor Cafe Reunion; Trini, Ton-Up Day at The Ace Cafe; Steve, Busy Bee Reunion Facing page (from top): Imogen, Brighton; Angie at the Modernist Fashion Show

They are like a family, which â&#x20AC;&#x153; I felt privileged to be a part of â&#x20AC;?

8 The Weekender

OUT & ABOUT

s an aspiring photo-journalist, Horst Friedrichs spent the early part of his career travelling to and documenting some of the world’s most exotic and most untouchable communities. In Pakistan he observed followers of the Sufi sect, resulting in his book Troubadours of Allah. In West Africa, he journeyed into the wild and landlocked Republic of Mali, a country which remains on the edge of globalisation. Today he lives in London, and with a young family to help bring up, he must look much closer to home for subjects worthy of his camera’s inquisitive lens. When he first arrived from his native Frankfurt in 1997, he was immediately drawn to two of our most enduring youth subcultures; the mods and the rockers. Despite the lack of enthusiasm for his project from magazine editors at the time, he continued to painstakingly and sympathetically document the lives of those living at the cutting edge of the two culturallyopposed tribes. The resulting two books are now re-issued in paperback form. Hanging out with revivalist leather-clad ‘ton up boys’, with their colourful tattoos and twin-engined Triumphs and BSAs, took him to events up and down the country including a weekend at Camber Sands where he witnessed a sandstorm and a sea of gleaming 1950s cars and motorbikes. He says: “They are stylish people and most were very friendly to me. As they are in their own community, they are comfortable about themselves and there is never any trouble. I’ve watched both the mods and rockers for a long time now, and for them it’s all about creating an atmosphere with the right detail. For instance, both insist on playing vinyl records and having low-ceilinged dance floors; they are highly creative like that.” Friedrichs’s almost anthropological approach to his subject taught him all about the roots of the rockers from their early ‘clean look’ to the customised jackets from Lewis Leathers and meetings at transport cafes such as Jack’s Hill in Towcester or the Ace Café on London’s North Circular Road. He met and befriended several devotees including Trini, an original rocker from the 1960s who builds custom motorcycles from his shed in Eltham plus the Dawkins family; two generations of rockers who share a 1950s bungalow in Portsmouth. Friedrichs has an equally good relationship with the fastidiously-dressed mods whose numbers have swelled somewhat since he began documenting “a small scene of around 50 fanatics”. The project took him to locations as diverse as Scarborough, Brighton, London and Margate. And, as if one of the gang himself, he joined a hectic round of weekenders, all-nighters and music festivals. “They are like a family, which I felt privileged to be a part of,” he says. Another subculture to catch his eye is the ever-growing cycling tribe. His photos for the book Cycle Style have a distinctly more upmarket fashion feel, with its stylish urban riders dressed in a riot of chrome, tweed, and retro race colours. The book has so far sold 11,000 copies worldwide. Fashion is the core of his next project, a book on the 1960s boutique Biba, which has come about through his friendship with Biba collector and 21st century mod Angie Smith. So, after all this research on Britain’s youth cultures, is Friedrichs a mod or a rocker at heart? “I’m a mocker,” he laughs. “I own a real rocker’s jacket but I sometimes wear penny loafers with red socks.” Or Glory: 21st Century Rockers & I’m One: 21st Century Mods Both are published by Prestel, £14.99

112 High Street Deal Kent CT14 6EE

dunlin & diver contemporary art and craft

www.dunlindiver.co.uk info@dunlindiver.co.uk Telephone: 01304 373121 dunlindiver @dunlindiver

OUT & ABOUT

Home Is Where The Art Is

M I AM THE WALRUS

his stuffed walrus started life in Hudson Bay, Canada but has since been stranded for over 100 years in the natural history gallery of the Horniman Museum in London. Soon it is making the journey to Margate and the sea where it forms part of a new exhibition Curiosity: Art & The Pleasures of Knowing. Alongside the iconic ice-dwelling mammal, expect to see a wealth of weird and wonderful artefacts and artworks including a penguin brought back from Shackleton’s expedition to the Antarctic and watercolours by JMW Turner alongside contemporary works by Tacita Dean and Richard Wentworth. Curiosity: Art & The Pleasures of Knowing, Turner Contemporary Margate, from 25 May

argate has the much-touted Turner Contemporary, but a former London art dealer thinks it’s about time that Ramsgate was on the artistic map. Having already attracted star names such as Bridget Riley and Sir Peter Blake, Ramsgate’s new UpDown Gallery is a welcome addition to East Kent’s thriving arts scene. The gallery, which opened in November last year and has attracted over 1,000 visitors so far, is housed in a smart doublefronted Victorian town house located just a few minutes’ walk from Ramsgate station and the harbour. Visitors get a highly personal and accessible art experience with expert Kate Smith on hand to discuss the works on show. Smith, who is the gallery’s curator/director, grew up in Canterbury but after a prolific career in the New York and London art worlds she decided to bring her hard-won experience back home. She explains: “I love Ramsgate and I fell in love with the house straight away. I decided that it was perfect for exhibiting art works and it offers a friendlier, more domestic environment to view great art.” The gallery’s high turnover of shows—they generally change every six to seven weeks—aims to give visitors something new every time. Smith also believes that the public demand shows that are edgy and conceptual, but they also want the solid, more recognisable names. As if to prove the point, the opening show included up to 100 works by the Dartford-born godfather of British Pop Art, Sir Peter Blake while the more recent Let Me Introduce You… was a mixed exhibition of 30 of her favourite artists including Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Francis Bacon and Gavin Turk. “It’s like being a kid in a candy shop,” says Smith who lives with her farmer husband and two dogs in nearby Pegwell Bay. As well as showing such wide-ranging artists, Smith also offers an art consultancy service for both experienced and novice art collectors. With such high profile cultural activity sweeping along the Thanet coast, you could say that Ramsgate is definitely on the up. Lily Guy-Vogel

The UpDown Gallery, Satis House, Elms Avenue, Ramsgate www.updowngallery.co.uk

It’s All Mapped Out Never mind the satnav: a far more interesting world awaits with these new traveller’s maps from Herb Lester Associates. The publishing team founded by Ben Olins and Jane Smillie began dabbling in traditional fold out maps after deciding one day to chart their favourite local coffee shops, launching later with their debut map, How to Find Old New York. Since then, they have published a range of European and American vacation maps and they produce some highly practical luggage labels which hark back to the days when travel had a whiff of glamour about it. The tastefully-designed A2 and A3 maps contain the extraordinary as well as the everyday. Expect bars and restaurants but also park benches, dive bars, hat shops and haberdashers. www.herblester.com

PHOTO: SARAH EJ SMITH

The Weekender 11

We are delighted to announce our upcoming exhibition at the Gallery in Palace Street: ‘These Things Take Time’ will showcase the work of the talented landscape artist Garry Pereira.

Jonathan Stewardson ‘Fancy That’

Shani Osman ‘Untitled 13’

Elizabeth Akehurst ‘Fields Beside the Water ’

The show will run in the gallery and online at www.lilfordgallery.com from 6th – 25th April 2013. Please contact us at the gallery if you would like more info or if you would like to attend the private view.

Lilford Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in the heart of Canterbury’s city centre. Established in 2000 and now located on Palace Street, a stone’s throw from the Cathedral, we show works by both local and internationally renowned artists, such as Billy Childish, Tracey Emin & Damien Hirst. We also have our own in-house, bespoke framing service in our Workshop/Gallery in Castle Street, Canterbury. Our friendly and knowledgeable technicians have over 30 years experience in the field and can assist with any framing enquiry.

Garry Pereira ‘Or Take the Scenic Route’ (detail)

Lilford Gallery T: +44 (0)1227 639086 E: mail@lilfordgallery.com A: 3 Palace St, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2DY Lilford Framing T: +44 (0)1227 766616 E: mail@lilfordframing.com A: 76 Castle St, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2DQ

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Fine Limited Edition Giclée Art Prints The 24 Ravilious ‘High Street’ images. Each print is hand-numbered and hand-embossed, and comes to you conservation mounted. Price per print: £49.00. Each image is printed to the highest of Fine Art Trade Guild standards in low numbers (1/850) using genuine mould-made 100% cotton rag, and each print is sent to you carriage free via insured recorded delivery. See our web-site for prints by related artists: Bawden, Ardizzone, Nash, Power, Tschudi, Andrews and Wadsworth et al. You can order by ‘phone: 01273-682159; by email: shop@bookroomartpress.co.uk; or via our web-site: www.bookroomartpress.co.uk where you can also see the complete range. Images Clockwise starting top left: Model-Ships, Letter-Maker, Cheesemonger, Wedding cakes, Hardware, Knife-Grinder.

Garry Pereira ‘Or Take the Scenic R

OUT & ABOUT

More Front Than Brighton

n recent years, the traditional high street shop has come under increasing pressure from both large retail parks and the economic recession. High Street, with its colourful illustrations by East Sussex-born war artist Eric Ravilious, is reminder of how it was in the days when small family-run businesses ruled our town centres. Of the 24 shop fronts featured in the book only two survive — a clerical outfitters and a cheesemonger. This latest hardback edition is a facsimile version of the original 1938 publication. Only 2,000 copies were printed before the publisher’s lithographic plates were destroyed by air raids making High Street one of the most collectable artist’s books from the pre-war period. High Street, JM Richards and Eric Ravilious (V&A Publishing)

Dream Lover The classic children’s fairy tale, first transformed into a ballet by Tchaikovsky in 1890, is lavishly reworked into a high gothic romance by award-winning choreographer Matthew Bourne. Follow the heroine Aurora as she is cursed to sleep for a century, the action moving between different time zones with every scene a treat for jaded eyes. The contemporary setting of the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury promises to serve this popular production well as it completes its international tour. Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty, The Marlowe Theatre, 14–18 May www.marlowetheatre.com

Yes In My Back Yard

ren’t you sick of hearing those same old songs when your favourite band rolls into town? Contemporary folk duo Spiers and Boden put a welcome twist on the tired touring formula with their Backyard Songs Tour. Audience members are encouraged to suggest locally-sourced music for the duo to perform at every UK venue they pass though. By visiting their website www.backyardsongs.com, fans are able to leave suggestions and share their knowledge and traditions of their area. The duo appear at the Astor Theatre in Deal in April, so it’s time to unearth those lost musical gems from East Kent. Says John Spiers, who is an original band member of folk/ pop phenomenon Bellowhead: “It could be a song or dance tune from your town or its surrounding area or even stories or plays; the more the merrier! We’re also looking for suggestions for local acts who can contribute to the evening’s entertainment at any of the tour venues. Anything that shows a more local flavour would be brilliant.” Spiers and Boden, Astor Theatre, Deal, 25 April www.theastor.org The Weekender 13

OUT & ABOUT

The Great Kent Quiz S

o you’ve driven up and down the A2, gulped down native Whitstable oysters and know what an oast house looks like, but how well do you really know the ‘Garden of England’? Try this testing, multi-part quiz devised by Martin Latham, local historian and author of Kent’s Strangest Tales

4. Charles Dickens’ longrunning affair with his mistress was discovered after they were both involved in the much-publicised 1865 Staplehurst train crash. What was her name? a) Mollie Malone b) Elly Ternan c) Bessie Speedwell 5. A German magazine profiling Darwin’s life in Kent, said that the recluse lived a) in a moated castle for privacy b) in a house which could only be reached up a perilous mule-track c) anonymously in a terraced house in Chatham

LITERATURE 1. Which William Shakespeare play has a scene set on Dover cliffs? a) King Lear b) The Taming of The Shrew c) As You Like It 2. The fictional 39 Steps are on the outskirts of which seaside town? 3. Bus number 007 gave James Bond’s number as it ran past Ian Fleming’s house. The bus still runs. Where does it terminate?

Kent’s Strangest Tales by Martin Latham is published by Portico (£7.99) 14 The Weekender

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

a) Ashford b) Dover c) Sandwich

6. TS Eliot wrote his famous poem The Wasteland in a) the cloisters of Rochester Cathedral b) a Broadstairs lunatic asylum c) a Margate seaside shelter

ART 1. In which town did the artist Van Gogh once work as a schoolteacher? a) Ramsgate b) Canterbury c) Birchington-on-Sea 2. Which Kent resident designed Big Ben’s clocktower, in a state of nearmadness? a) Edwin Lutyens b) Augustus Pugin c) Charles Barry

KENT AT WAR 1. The World War Two dambusting ‘Bouncing Bomb’ was tested near a Kent town which houses a salvaged bomb in its museum. Is it? a) Faversham b) Herne Bay c) Hythe 2. In World War One, the Germans hated Lord Northcliffe (Daily Mail founder) so much that they a) attempted to kidnap his child b) placed a spy among his household staff at Broadstairs c) moored a battleship opposite his house and shelled it

WIN A PRIZE FOR LOCAL KNOWLEDGE! The winner of this competiton receives a signed copy of Kent’s Strangest Tales Please submit your answers by 3 May 2013 to info@the-weekender.net

1. Where is there a Time Ball, made to drop on the hour so that sailors could set their chronometers by sight (as opposed to the sound of cannon as in earlier times)? a) Westgate-on-Sea b) Deal c) Margate 2. Which local train has been knocked off its rails by a car at a level crossing? 3. The mysterious and so-far undated underground grotto at Margate has walls decorated with four million what? a) sea shells b) mosaic tiles c) egg shells 4. William Pitt, the Duke of Wellington and the late Queen Mother all held which official post? 5. Famous wife-murderer Dr Crippen was finally caught only because of a) a vigilant customs officer at Dover b) an early morning coal miners’ shift who spotted his car c) a small Broadstairs radio station 6. Britain’s only green public post box is in a) Elham b) Rochester c) Tenterden

SCORING: One point for every correct answer. In multi-part questions, each answer must be correct to get a point. GOOD LUCK! The answers will be published in the next issue of The Weekender, out in July 2013

OUT & ABOUT

SUGGS

The Madness singer goes one step beyond the normal gig What’s it like doing a one man show (as opposed to singing with Madness)? Does it get lonely on stage? It’s different and yes, it does get lonely. At the start of the tour when I first went on stage, it felt like I had contracted a tropical disease because my mouth went so dry. I literally couldn’t speak. But now I am getting the hang of it and it feels good. Why should we hear about your life story? What lessons can we learn from you? I don’t know if you’re going to learn anything, but I did as I was writing it. I learnt that at a certain point in life you have to let go of the past; what

If you are only going to do 3 things this spring… Book yourself onto a cookery course at The Shop, Margate’s newest hub for foodies. This latest venture from the people who brought us The Cupcake Cafe opens soon in the retail space which already offers a mouth-watering range of cooking and baking equipment. The Shop, 1 Duke Street, Margate, 01843 2313000

Catch Canterbury prog rock legends Caravan; still going strong decades after their seminal LP In the Land of Grey and Pink. Support from the critically-acclaimed Syd Arthur, a younger outfit reared on the sound of Soft Machine and other 1970s experimentalists. St Mary’s Arts Centre, Sandwich. 5 April smugglersrecords.com/events

Pick up vintage, upcycled and mid-century furniture and homewares at Mileage, based in a former garage in Deal High Street. Its Tea Station serves an array of speciality teas, cakes and savoury snacks. Here’s the deal: The Weekender readers are offered a free pot of tea for up to four people on presentation of this magazine throughout March and April. Mileage, 156 High Street, Deal, 01304 363311

is really important are the people around you now. What I do hope is that you will be entertained! Aren’t you breaking the mould somewhat doing stand-up after years as a musician? The thing is, it isn’t stand-up. One of the challenges has been conveying what this show actually is to people. It’s less of a stand up show and more of ‘an audience with…’ with a mix of happy and sad music. As a format, it’s ground-breaking. Do the Madness fans go along or are you entertaining a new, younger audience? I would say it’s a mix. A real 50/50 split. Do you like spending time by the sea? What sort of things do you get up to? I love spending time by the sea at my beach hut in

“Wonhen I first went stage, it felt like I had contracted a tropical disease

”

Whitstable. I love sitting there with a cup of tea cooking a sausage sandwich and taking in the bleak, grey sky. What are your favourite places in and around Whitstable? JoJo’s restaurant in Tankerton, The Old Neptune pub, Tea and Times café on the high street and of course my beach hut! I heard that you make a lot of things up in interviews. Is this true? Not in this particular instance, no. See Suggs in My Life Story in Words and Music Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury, 23 April Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone, 16 May Tickets: www.suggslive.com The Weekender 15

ALE AND CIDER HOUSE

CAMRA National Cider Pub of the Year (2011 runner up) CAMRA Regional Cider Pub of the Year (2011 and 2012 winners)

Kentish Menu / Kentish Wines /18 independently distilled spirits Live music Thursdays (from 8pm) Jazz session every third Sunday (from 4pm) Poetry and Song Night first Tuesday of the month

Kentish Menu / Proper Coffee / Kentish Wines / 18 independently distilled spirits Live music Wednesdays (from 8pm) & Sundays (from 6pm) Jazz on Mondays (from 8pm) Ode to Nowhere Poetry and Song Night third Thursday of the month

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Music of Pink Floyd Fri 22nd Mar

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OUT & ABOUT

Cut Out for Stardom

“Nothing’s that funny!” joked the late

George Melly after Mick Jagger once tried to explain away his legendary ‘laughter lines’. After viewing a selection of lino cuts by Whitstable artist Ben Dickson, there is no doubt that the wrinkled Rolling

Stones front man would make a worthy addition to his collection. With portrait subjects that include the late Chet Baker, Johnny Cash, Somerset Maugham and local hero Peter Cushing, it is also obvious that Dickson is not remotely interested in portraying the young, the beautiful or the adequatelymoisturised. “I like flawed icons or people with a story to tell,” he admits at his studio just a stone’s throw from Whitstable harbour. “Generally, I don’t do small, round-faced children or beautiful young women— I prefer to do old men with grizzled faces. Anyone who has a really lived-in face is perfect.” For those unfamiliar with the process first pioneered by German artists before World War One, lino cutting is when a design is cut into a linoleum surface with a sharp knife, chisel or gouge. The linoleum sheet, which is sometimes

sold in rolls like the flooring of the same name, is then inked with a roller (or brayer) and then impressed onto either paper or fabric. If done well, it results in a black and white or colour print which bears all the hallmarks of a unique hand-crafted object. “Cutting the lino is very time consuming and it can take a couple of days to draw it and then another day to make the print,” explains Dickson. “You get a lot of variants in the way you produce the cuts. It’s much more of a hand-crafted object than say a screen print.” Trained as an illustrator and graphic designer but with nearly ten years’ experience also as an art therapist, he rediscovered lino cutting after moving to Kent coast with his young family in 2003. One of his earliest efforts was his

imagined portrait of famous Whitstable resident Peter Cushing smoking a cigarette, a print which remains in popular demand today. “I think it’s because people still like the idea of him being here,” he says. “A Cushing souvenir has become part of drinking in the Whitstable experience.” Whilst many lino cut artists tend to focus on landscape or illustrative scenes, the father of three continues his search for strong, well-worn characters that might one day adorn the walls of somebody’s home. He recently got the nod of approval from country singer Roseanne Cash for his version of dad Johnny Cash’s El Paso arrest photo. And when not paying homage to some wrinkly jazz or country dude, he indulges his passion for stag beetles and ponders a perhaps controversial series of “remorseful dictators”. He adds: “I like to explore famous people and what lurks behind the public persona.”

“Imen prefer old with

grizzled faces. Anyone who has a really lived-in face is perfect

”

WIN A LINO CUT PRINT! Ben has three of his Peter Cushing prints to give away. Prizes go to the first three contestants who can answer the following: Which character did Peter Cushing play in the film Star Wars? Please send your answer by 3 May to info@the-weekender.net

The Weekender 17

OUT & ABOUT

GALLERY WITHOUT WALLS

C What a Carve Up!

workout on the treadmill or the repetitiveness of a cross-trainer all seem very dull in comparison to a session at Club Alpine personal training studio. Owner Tim Dudgeon, who was once a British Olympic skier, has pioneered the innovative BodyCarver which incorporates both fitness and skiing. This cutting edge equipment does exactly what it says on the tin; it works your hamstrings, quads and abs and ensures you get a full cardio workout. One of the main functions of the BodyCarver is to help skiers and boarders improve technique, either for a last minute trip to the slopes or next season’s snow. Users can set the machine for races and night-time skiing, also test out their new ski boots before hitting the slopes. Dudgeon explains: “The concept of Club Alpine is about fitness in a fun way. It’s a game that actually works.” Having been open for just over a year, the club has 35 paid up members. It is also proving to be a success with those carrying sports injuries or older people who require physical rehabilitation. “The rehab side has really taken off,” says Dudgeon. “There is zero impact on the machine, so for people coming back from injuries, this is fantastic.” With plans to one day create a franchise of Club Alpines, this former Olympic freestyle skier from Canterbury is set to take the fitness world by storm. Bess Browning Club Alpine, 20 Castle Street, Canterbury, 0845 8382811 www.club-alpine.co.uk

18 The Weekender

openhagen has the world-renowned Little Mermaid but Folkestone now has on permanent display its very own version by artist Cornelia Parker. The sculpture, which overlooks Sunny Sands beach, is part of a 16-strong collection of works which are rebranded Folkestone Artworks by The Creative Foundation. Originally commissioned for the 2008 and 2011 Triennials, the artworks on display can be found throughout the town and include pieces by Tracey Emin and Mark Wallinger. They are available to view for free all year round. Alastair Upton, Chief Executive of the Creative Foundation, says: “Looking at art outside the confines of a gallery encourages different ways of seeing, learning and thinking about contemporary art. It’s fun to explore and to discover the artworks as well as places in the town you may not have seen before.” The Folkestone Mermaid is a life-sized, life-cast sculpture modelled on local mother-of-two Georgina Baker (pictured). Some say that she’s a more confident and more knowing lady of the sea than Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale version! Folkestone Artworks launches 3–5 May, www.creativefoundation.org.uk

Let’s Go Dutch Europe and the rest of the world get that little bit closer this spring with the opening of Manston Airport’s new scheduled service to Amsterdam Schiphol. Starting in April, KLM will operate two flights daily from the Kent regional airport. If the cobbled streets of old Amsterdam don’t tempt you away, you can always connect to around 200 destinations worldwide. Anyone for a long weekend in Rio? www.klm.com

OUT & ABOUT

EAT,SHOP… STAY Spring is around the corner, and short breaks by the sea look just the ticket. The Allotment in Deal are offering stylish threebedroom accommodation above their shop and café in the heart of the old town. The beach is just a two-minute walk away via the town’s historic Conservation Area but guests might equally be tempted to sit at the stunning first floor bay window and watch the world go by. The Allotment Holiday Apartment, 119 High Street, Deal T: 01304 371719 allotmentdeal.com/stay

Brick by Brick W

hat’s your favourite East Kent building? Canterbury Cathedral or perhaps the Turner Contemporary building in Margate designed by David Chipperfield Architects? Whatever your taste, those talented folk over at LEGO have brought the work of great architects even closer to home with their new Architecture Series. The kits are made for old and young alike and are designed to bring about a ‘greater appreciation of the world’s most iconic structures’. We’d like to have a go at their scaled down Villa Savoye, Le Corbusier’s pillared ‘box in the air’ completed in 1931. www.architecture.lego.com

IT’S A NUMBERS GAME: Travel Trends research by lily guy-vogel

64%

percentage of UK trips made by car

6,826

Average number of miles covered per person annually

£3,890 Average spend by credit card holders on overseas breaks

4m 34m

Licensed motor vehicles in 1950

Licensed motor vehicles today

6 minutes

Average waiting time at airport border controls

1.5%

Percentage of domestic journeys made by air

£710

Average cost per person for a 10 day domestic holiday

The Weekender 19

Daryl McGregor STyLEd by

Kevin Mackintosh

Visit us in our Canterbury store HOTEL CHOCOLAT, 8-9 THE PArAdE, CAnTErbury, CT1 2SG or visit our nEW website â&#x20AC;&#x201C; hotelchocolat.com

PHOTOGrAPH by

EdiblE luxury

OPINION

Jane Wenham Jones Adventures of a PIMBY

“

I can take a tenminute car journey to Manston in the morning and be in Bordeaux midafternoon

”

here is no doubt that if you live in the furthest flung corner of East Kent, the worst thing about going on holiday is getting to the airport. I have lost count of the number of times that the crawl round the M25 to Heathrow or Gatwick, the parking, the waiting for the bus, the queuing, the frisking and the quarter mile trek to the boarding gate, has taken three times as long as the flight. Make that four on the return journey when you have to factor in the domestic over whose responsibility it was to write down where the car was left and the near riot over the waiting time at passport control. Hence my unparalleled joy each time a new operator comes to Manston (Kent International Airport, to

photo: bill harris

you), which is literally just up the road. When, last September, I filled in the survey sent out by the Dutch airline KLM to gauge customer interest in daily flights from Manston to Amsterdam, I had to stop short from begging. There may be those who bleat about noise or sniff sanctimoniously about my carbon footprint (tell that to China and India) but I am an unashamed PIMBY (Please In My Back Yard!), still misty-eyed over the brief glory days of Eurojet and Flybe leaving from Kent, before one went bankrupt and the other got cold feet. Desperate to support both ventures, I flew as often as I could while they were running, going to Spain and Jersey, Dublin, Manchester and Edinburgh and anywhere else I could conceivably

justify, both to encourage them, and because I never tired of the sheer novelty and delight of being back in my kitchen, wielding the corkscrew, a mere half hour after touchdown. Small is beautiful when it comes to air travel and why anyone would actively choose to leave from London, is beyond me. It’s not even cheaper. I flew twice to Bordeaux in 2012. The first was on EasyJet (enough said) and the second— after I had concluded that I am now too old and ugly to be shipped like a live export, thank you—on British Airways (I’d flown budget for so long I’d forgotten the relief of an airline where you can move your legs, check your bags in without being charged three times the original fare and actually get given a drink). But even with a civilised carrier, the train tickets/petrol costs/parking fees required to get oneself to the checkin amounted to as much or more than the fare itself and the process took most of the day (or, on the last occasion, the night too, after the French air traffic controllers, bless their cotton socks, had gone on strike). From this April, however, I can take a ten-minute car journey to Manston in the morning and be in Bordeaux mid-afternoon. And the total cost will be less. I’ve just booked for September. (I am leading a writing course at the gorgeous www.chez-castillon.com from 28 September to 4 October. Check it out if you think there’s a book in you). So, if like me, you’re dreaming fondly of sunnier climes, pack up your bags and head for the bijou Kent International Airport, where with transfer times of under an hour to Schiphol and onward connections to Europe, USA, Asia and Africa, the whole world is now East Kent’s oyster. It’s ‘use it or lose it’, as they say about sex drive and the local High Street. Who needs the M25? Jane’s latest book 100 Ways to Fight the Flab— The Wannabe Guide to a Better Bottom is published by Accent Press and available on Kindle now at 99p. To win a writing course with Jane at Chez-Castillon in September visit janewenhamjones.wordpress.com The Weekender 21

LOCAL HERO

Basil Brush By Peter Cocks

o anyone born in the 1960s or after, the words “Boom, boom!” are clarion call to laughter. While the familiar catchphrase was originally an old music hall trick played on a bass drum to flag up a weak punch line, for 50 years now it has belonged exclusively to the nation’s favourite talking fox. Basil Brush was the brainchild of artist and puppet maker Peter Firmin, who alongside the late Oliver Postgate, cofounded Smallfilms. Working out of a sprawling farmstead in Blean, near Canterbury, Firmin and Postgate gave us Ivor the Engine, Bagpuss and The Clangers. Basil’s genesis fits somewhere between these legendary shows which assures his televisual blue blood and lasting pedigree.

FROM ROADKILL TO TV STAR

Firmin’s first Basil puppet was just 18 inches tall with a real roadkill fox tail. Dressed as a country gent in Inverness cape, cravat and ‘weskit’, he passed himself off as an establishment figure from the start. Actor Ivan Owen gave Basil his voice, which was loosely based on that of comedian Terry Thomas. He had the same distinctive ‘county’ vowels and risqué sense of humour and told topical and political jokes; a balance that Owen saw as a distinctively English blend of stuffiness and anarchy. Despite his behind-the-scenes role, a career crouched in a box being upstaged by a talking fox reaped dividends for Owen. Having paid Firmin just £12 (including licensing agreements) for the fox, Owen made a fortune from Basil. In their heyday, the pair travelled everywhere in a Roll’s Royce, a habit that Basil tries to maintain today. Owen wasn’t the only sidekick to be upstaged. Swiftly outgrowing his first TV vehicle The Three Scampies, Basil became stooge to telly magician, David Nixon. Often viewed as the best thing on The Nixon Line, Basil was given his own show by the BBC in 1970. Showing little remorse for the tattered careers he left in his wake, Basil became a huge star. There are of course, the many ‘Mr’s’ who attempted to shine while Basil went about his business. Rodney Bewes and Derek Faulds survived what some telly insiders called ‘the curse of Basil’ but could you say the same about Messrs Roy, Howard and Billy, or latterly Mr Stephen and Mr Liam? These gentlemen actors would listen or read patiently while Basil, with childlike glee, thwarted their attempts to further their careers. As if he was their lord and master, Basil forced them to recount stories of his imagined ancestors, creating for himself a fictional hinterland in order to deepen his own legend. He would even introduce his ‘pet’, a wind-up dog, to divert attention from his wingmen, (and possibly from his own lack of legs) before introducing the stars of the day. Cilla Black, Petula Clark, Demis Roussos and Roxy Music were all lured, moth-like, to appear or duet with Basil on account of his impressive viewing figures. 22 The Weekender

DEMISE AND REVIVAL

But as in any meteoric rise, his star was soon to fade. By 1980 he had lost his BBC show and found himself, for the first time, out in the cold. Like Morecambe and Wise and others before, Basil flirted with ITV, not finding it to his taste, and returned to the BBC appearing on Crackerjack, and later other unsatisfactory vehicles and even the dreaded panto. He needed his own show again. The death of Ivan Owen in 2000 was a body blow. Owen had been looking after him from the start, but by the time of his demise, the showbiz excesses had also begun to take their toll. Basil allegedly couldn’t get out of bed, let alone appear on stage or TV. Rumours of an exile in a ranch-style caravan on the south coast and worse began to appear on the newlyarrived internet. Happily, our story has a positive outcome. Through the efforts of Kent-based TV producer Ged Allen, Basil was coaxed out of semi-retirement and into the Maidstone Studios, home of many a classic children’s TV series. There, for the BBC, Basil made a new series in 2002: The Basil Brush Show. Taking into

Basil has met everyone “from The Beatles to Muhammad Ali ”

account the appetite of young viewers weaned on Friends (as well as their baby boomer parents), the new show was a sitcom about some attractive young people living in an aspirational apartment, trying hard and failing gloriously in the company of a talking fox, their flatmate Basil Brush. It was an instant hit among viewers new and old, and during its six series run the production team fought hard against darker powers who urged Basil to don shell suits and baseball caps. This is not to say that for promotional purposes, Basil sometimes looked like a hybrid of Ali G and Jimmy Savile. However, the generic look was retained and Basil rejected all calls for fashionable makeover.

BASIL THE BOSS

I must put objectivity to one side here and confess that between 2002 and 2008, I was in the employ of Basil as his writer. I found him a generous but autocratic master and at times he could be quite demanding. It was not unusual to find an email at 3am from Australia asking for a quote for The Sydney Morning Herald, or a call from The Albert Hall asking

for a quick gag or riposte when introduced to the Prince of Wales —Basil has met everyone, by the way, from The Beatles to Muhammad Ali. I was even asked to contribute to his debate on fox hunting at The Oxford Union (he is a big supporter of hunting foxes; Beyoncé is number one on his list!) and to polish his banter on The Weakest Link, which he won. More recently, he finished 52 episodes of Basil’s Swapshop and he has appeared in panto in Plymouth. I made a point of speaking to Peter Firmin and Basil before writing this, as the latter can be quite litigious. Peter confirmed that Basil was born here in Kent, but was probably conceived in late 1962. So, given the 54 day gestation period of foxes and the several months spent blind and scrabbling for survival, we can legitimately claim that 2013 is Basil’s 50th anniversary. Happy birthday you smart-talking icon of classic post-war children’s television. Boom, boom! Illustration by Ben Dickson. A selection of his ‘Local Hero’ prints are for sale at www.originalportraitart.com The Weekender 23

PEOPLE

Dream

Dreamland

24 The Weekender

PEOPLE

“Who’s Wayne Hemingway?” asked a few of the locals when the awardwinning designer and his wife/business partner Gerardine first became linked to Margate’s—if not Britain’s—most exciting new urban regeneration project last November. But for those with more than a passing interest in fashion, design or heritage, it perhaps comes as no surprise that the team behind the Red or Dead label and the successful Vintage Festival brand are handed the task of bringing to life the long-neglected Dreamland site to create a 21st century amusement park of thrilling historic rides by the summer of 2014. Hemingway comes from the seaside himself. He was born in the Lancashire resort of Morecambe and is old enough to remember the days when the town had a funfair to match the once spectacular one in Margate, which closed in 2005. When not working for clients such as John Lewis, G Plan, Hush Puppies and Wimpey Homes, he spends much of his time at the family home on the Sussex coast near Chichester. One of Hemingway Design’s more recent projects involved converting a derelict 1950s block of seaside apartments in Bournemouth into funky, affordable ‘beach pods’ which won them the Best Regeneration Scheme at the LGC Awards in 2010. The images used inside the mid-century modern style chalets were sourced from The Land of Lost Content, Hemingway’s own ‘culture museum’ which houses hundreds of thousands of images and resources for students of 20th century pop culture. Even before they landed the mouthwateringly creative contract with The Dreamland Trust and Thanet District Council, there was clearly something going on between Hemingway Design and the English seaside. “What we are good at is looking at things that have seen better days, then bringing them back to mass market success,” says the straight-talking Hemingway referring perhaps to his work with revived interiors brand G Plan and Dr Martens, who became unlikely catwalk darlings via his Red or Dead label in the 1980s. At this relatively early stage of the £10m project, he is unable to give specific details of what we can expect to see

The designer who co-founded Red or Dead and the annual Vintage Festival has been asked to work his magic in Margate. But who exactly is Wayne Hemingway, and how does he intend to revive the town’s old amusement park?

once Dreamland’s doors open for fun. However, working under broad remit of providing ‘entertainment’ he is keen to point out: “What we are not doing is bringing back an amusement park. It’s going to be much more than that!” The project encompasses elements of urban design, regeneration, seaside culture and a whole lot of vintage heritage. Assets such as the park’s Grade II-listed Scenic Railway (the oldest wooden rollercoaster in the UK), its neighbouring 1930s Grade II-listed cinema building and even ‘Lord’ George Sanger’s Grade II-listed menagerie cages

dating back to the Victorian era await transformation by skilled local architects and craftsmen. Will the atmosphere at the new Dreamland end up being similar to one of his successful Vintage Festivals, the annual celebration of ‘seven decades of British cool’ previously held at London’s South Bank Centre or on the Goodwood Estate in Sussex? Albeit one that is open all year round and in all kinds of weather. Says Hemingway: “There will be an element of revival, but great heritage must have a lasting appeal to future generations. We are aiming at an aspirational modern audience and we have to widen the appeal of Dreamland. It must also go beyond being a seasonal attraction and I think it can mean something internationally. There will be rides of course, but it won’t just be for kids; if you look at old photos of Dreamland in the 1930s, you’ll see that adults can have fun at the seaside too!” Through his on-going work with The Dreamland Trust, Hemingway has got to know Margate and its people quickly and “intimately”. He says: “The town has some tremendous assets; there is the sea, the beach and some great architecture but above all it’s got a spirit. You can visit 20 seaside towns in the UK and not see the same spirit. I don’t think there would be any point in doing Dreamland if Margate wasn’t happening already. The timing for the project is bang on because people are talking about the town and thinking of investing in it. Britain has invested in Margate significantly.” Hemingway would be the first to admit that the new Dreamland has few precedents in terms of both design and function—there simply isn’t a project quite like this anywhere in the world. “It’s a leap into the unknown,” he says. “None of the designers, architects or planners have been involved in anything like this. This project is unique!” So what should we expect to be unravelled at Margate’s seafront come next summer? An obvious clue lies in Hemingway Design’s previous projects notably their affordable housing development The Bridge in Dartford and their earlier collaboration with Wimpey Homes, the 800-property Staiths South Bank in Tyneside, which has won a number of high profile design awards. The Weekender 25

PEOPLE

“

You can visit 20 seaside towns in the UK and not see the same spirit Then there are Hemingway Design’s core design principles such as the belief in providing value for money, practical problem solving and turning a ‘sow’s ear into a silk purse’. What informs the impeccable Hemingway taste these days? “We like good design and things that are not produced simply for the short term. For instance, we don’t buy shoes and get rid of them six months later or re-decorate our house when the wallpaper goes out of style. We genuinely like to do things that have enduring appeal. As a family, we are all thrifty and we don’t like waste.” The Hemingway’s have four children, with eldest son Jack and eldest daughter Tilly, who are both in their twenties, already playing key roles in the company. The family are also living

”

embodiments of the vintage lifestyle. Indeed, on a recent trip to Margate, père Hemingway admits to buying “some shoes and a mac” from Breuer and Dawson in King Street plus a melamine picnic set from Betty B’s across the road. Does he have any advice for smaller businesses like these who, until Dreamland lives again, will remain on the not-so-lucrative front line of Margate’s on-going revival? Hemingway hardly pauses for breath as he signs off: “Keep your overheads down, make sure you’ve got more than one source of income and use all the modern channels you can. You must also be part of a community to make it happen. We want all those fantastic businesses in the Old Town to work with us on Dreamland— that’s how projects like this work!”

Wayne’s World — 1961 Born in Morecambe, Lancashire. His father is native Canadian wrestler ‘Billy Two Rivers’ — 1981 Meets his future wife, clothes designer Gerardine, at Angels Disco in Burnley — 1983 Opens first Red or Dead shop after running vintage stalls in Camden Market — 1999 Sells Red or Dead for multimillion cash deal. Starts Hemingway Design specialising in affordable, social design — 2010 Launches the first Vintage Festival — 2012 Appointed chief designer and brand leader for Dreamland, Margate

It’s a family affair at the Vintage Festival. From left: Jack, Corey, Gerardine, Wayne and Tilly

26 The Weekender

Captain Marvel

The Victorian era produced a cast of notable eccentrics and daredevils. None came bolder than Captain Matthew Webb who conquered the Channel having set out one morning from Dover beach

TALE

he neat and perfectly white-washed South Foreland lighthouse atop the famous White Cliffs allows walkers an epic view over the Channel and, on clearer days, the French coast. If the weather is right, you can linger outside on the grass and watch the cliff shelf give way to the most glorious panorama of blue sea and sky. Meanwhile on the water, the vast ferry boats and other smaller shipping vessels go about their daily business. Just over 20 land miles from here is the Cap Gris Nez, the rocky cape which is the nearest stretch of coastal France to the UK, also a target destination for the hundreds of intrepid swimmers who attempt the crossing every year. From up here, France looks so close that you feel as if you can reach out and grab it. But for the many who have attempted, or are planning to attempt the journey, the reality is rather different. For a solo long distance swimmer, reaching the other side could mean an ordeal of over 20 hours with life-threatening dangers awaiting them such as rough seas, shifting tides, fog and hypothermia, not to mention hazards including fastmoving shipping, shoals of jelly fish, floating timber, oil slicks and mouthfuls of sickness-inducing sea water. This hasn’t deterred the hundred or more swimmers from all over the globe who, looking for the next big challenge, chance their luck against the tides every season. But over a century ago, the prospect of swimming unaided across this stretch of water must have felt a little like journeying by foot to the Arctic or traversing the Sahara by mule.

DIPPING IN AT DOVER

Despite an earlier failed attempt, one man remained utterly un-phased by such a challenge on the morning of 26 August, 1875. He was 27-year-old Captain Matthew Webb from Dawley in Shropshire. The son of a doctor and one of 12 children, Webb had learnt to swim in the River Severn. Later, whilst serving as a second mate on the Cunard steamship Russia, he distinguished himself by diving heroically into the treacherous Atlantic sea in order to save a man who had fallen overboard. Witnesses say that he spent a good three quarters of an hour in the choppy seas before returning to the safety of a life boat. Now covered from head-to-toe in porpoise oil in order to keep out the cold, and diving in from Admiralty Pier in Dover accompanied by the local lugger Anne piloted by George Toms with a safety crew and several newspaper reporters in tow, his second attempt was well underway. Sticking throughout to his preferred breast stroke, Webb began travelling in a westerly direction at an impressive rate of a mile and a half per hour. Newspaper reports of the time refer to him being ‘passed by the afternoon mail packet from Calais’ and indulging in ‘refreshments… in the shape of a half a pint of beer’. Despite the rising fog and the increasing heat of the day, Webb swam on purposefully, occasionally surrounded by live porpoises which were scared off by a volley of pistol shots which came from his pilot’s boat. At five o’clock it was reported that, while continuing his swim, the captain took a slug of beef tea then remarked that he felt “capital”. The lighthouse at Cap Gris Nez was sighted at around eight o’clock in the evening. Webb was about half way through his journey when he was stung on the shoulder by a jellyfish. Still he carried on, fortified at regular intervals by mouthfuls of coffee, beef tea and brandy. As dawn broke, Calais was in sight, but the sea became

captain took a slug “ofThe beef tea then remarked that he felt ‘capital’ ” rougher and Webb’s strength started to wane. Cheering from a passing rowing boat manned by men from the London, Chatham and Dover Railway packet service seemed to rouse the swimmer, however. By rowing on the windward side of Webb, they also saved him from the worst of the natural elements. At exactly 19 minutes to 11 in the morning, he landed on the Calais sands not far from the bathing machines to enthusiastic cheering from a crowd which had quickly gathered. A report from the Manchester Guardian, which was later telegraphed from Dover stated: ‘Captain Webb appeared somewhat exhausted, and stumbled as he left the water. He was immediately rubbed down and taken to the Hôtel de Paris. Some local physicians recommended him to take some port wine, and he did so, and then went to bed, where he enjoyed a sound sleep.’ Averaging an impressive 20 strokes per minute, the ‘Shropshire lad’ had been in the water for a total of 21 hours and 45 minutes.

BIRTH OF THE CELEBRITY SWIMMER

After this incredible achievement, hero status beckoned for Webb. In outpourings of national celebration akin to those witnessed during our recent golden Olympic summer, Webb became the poster boy for English sporting success and subsequently helped to promote the popularity of swimming in the late-Victorian era. Open water swimming became the new craze. Crowds turned up to greet him wherever he went and his face appeared on everything from comic books to match �D

TALE

boxes (Bryant and May matches were said to be the inspiration for Peter Sellers’s Inspector Clouseau character—perhaps it was the moustache). Tragically, Webb’s new found celebrity and record-breaking streak was not to endure. He drowned eight years later in a reckless attempt to swim across the Whirlpool Rapids at the bottom of Niagara Falls, aged just 35. A memorial to Captain Webb was unveiled outside the Burlington Hotel in Dover in 1910 and still stands on the site today. His moustachioed, impassive face stares unflinchingly out to sea. In the wake of his historic swim, hundreds of glory seekers tried their luck in the Channel, but it took another 36 years before they were able to emulate Webb’s feat. On his 13th attempt and helped possibly by wearing motorcycle goggles in the water, Thomas Burgess from Yorkshire managed it in 22 hours 35 minutes in 1911. Later, in 1926, Olympic gold medal winner Gertrude Ederle was the first woman to do it. Realising a promising marketing opportunity with the sport, luxury watch manufacturers Rolex cashed in with Mercedes Gleitze’s swim of October 1927— she was hauled out of the water wearing a still-in-tact waterproof Rolex Oyster around her neck. It was the start of Rolex’s involvement in sports sponsorship which survives to this day.

REGULATORS AND RECORD BREAKERS

It was around this time that the Channel Swimming Association (CSA) was founded in order to authenticate claims for crossings and to accurately verify crossing times. Since their formation in 1927 they have helped over 1,100 swimmers cross the channel safely and in accordance with their strict guidelines, which include the prohibition of wearing wetsuits or using ‘artificial aids’. By registering with the CSA, swimmers can be sure that they are put in touch with a reputable pilot boat and crew (this can cost applicants around £2,500). Experienced crews, such as the Brickell Brothers from Dover, can offer a number of crucial services in what is today one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. These include support and safety on the day and offering an inside knowledge of the local tides and weather conditions. They will also maintain radio contact with the coastguards throughout the crossing. “Enquiries to us about swimming the Channel simply do not stop,” reports Dr Julie Bradshaw who is an open water swimming coach as well as the CSA’s secretary. “There is definitely more publicity surrounding Channel swimming these days and with the widespread coverage of David Walliams’s swim in 2006 for Sport Relief and the

Previous page: (main photo) The Victorian hero poses for the camera; (right) Webb was fortified by mouthfuls of coffee, beef tea and brandy This page (right): Popular Captain Webb merchandise included collector’s cards and match boxes

inclusion of open water swimming in the Olympics, it remains one of the best known sporting challenges in the world.” Over 120 swimmers registered with the organisation last season (including relay swimmers) and Dr Bradshaw says that there is a “good success rate” with over 60% of their swimmers making it to the other side. Says Dr Bradshaw, who herself swam the Channel aged just 15 years and holds the record for the fastest crossing by butterfly stroke in 2002 (timed at 14 hours and 18 minutes): “To do it, you must have the right attitude and the right training. You must be prepared. One of the biggest challenges is the cold water temperature and being outside for so long. Then there are the changeable weather conditions and the big waves, the jellyfish, the floating debris and other annoyances.” But whatever the English Channel has in store for the world’s endurance swimmers, it seems that all the pain and the hardship pales in comparison to the warm glow and unrivalled sense of achievement that awaits every successful bid. It would also be impossible to imagine the romance and mythology of cross-Channel swimming without the story of Captain Webb and his memorable triumph during the glorious summer of 1875. Adds Dr Bradshaw: “It is amazing to start out from England and finish in France. I remember when I finished my crossing, it was night time on the French beach so I just sat there in the dark quietly collecting pebbles. I listened to the lapping of the waves; it was a truly amazing moment.” www.channelswimmingassociation.com www.getset4success.co.uk

STRAIT AHEAD

n the modern era, a number of records have been broken in the strait between Dover and Cap Gris Nez. ‘King of the Channel’ Mike Read swam it 33 times before his record was broken by Kevin Murphy in 1990 (he has 34 successful crossings to his name). Meanwhile former currency trader and ‘Queen of the Channel’ Alison Streeter has 30 The Weekender

swum it 46 times, more than anyone else in history. The fastest time between the two countries remains 7 hours and 17 minutes, which was set by American Chad Hundeby in 1994 and is yet to be beaten. Pics (from left): Captain Webb’s swim launched a national craze for open water swimming; a Channel swimmer gets ready to brave the waves

pinescalyx.co.uk | 01304 851 737

a natural choice that won’t cost the earth

A unique and sustainable venue, set in six acres of beautiful gardens and a stone’s throw from the beach at St. Margaret’s Bay. When you want to be green, the Pines Calyx is a natural choice for your wedding and it won’t cost the earth.

Run by The Bay Trust

pines calyx

Committed to providing a wide range of opportunities for people of all ages and

pinescalyx.co.uk

backgrounds to both

01304 851 737

experience and learn about practical sustainable living

The Pines Garden

within a low carbon world.

Beach Road St. Margaret’s Bay

Patron Sir Crispin Tickell GCMG, KCVO Reg Charity No. 1026765

Photography by Rebecca Douglas: rebeccadouglas.co.uk

Kent, CT15 6DZ

FOOD & DRINK

Looking For The Perfect Pizza

Do you like yours served up ultra-modern or on the traditional side? Tom Moggach tastes two different approaches to a popular dough-based creation

32 The Weekender

FOOD & DRINK

riginally from Naples, pizza is now officially the most widelyeaten food on the planet. But we all have firm opinions as to what makes for a perfect slice. “You definitely need something green on top,” says a friend, thoughtfully. Another admits to a craving for Pizza Hut, complete with an oozy cheese-stuffed crust. My personal quest for perfection has, over the years, led me from the backstreets of Rome to Verona, where the outlandish toppings at new wave pizzeria I Tigli include pigeon, powdered orange and Campari. East Kent is far from a barren wilderness for pizza lovers, as I discovered on a recent road trip up the coast. In Margate, the newly-opened restaurant from GB Pizza Company boasts a serene view of the emerald sea. It’s already heaving with customers, having found a permanent home at the end of last year after a summer of mobile catering from a pitch on the Harbour Arm by the Turner Contemporary. “We sold 100 pizzas on the first night,” says co-owner Rachel, who started the business with partner Lisa Richards. The pair decided to move to Margate after a period running an award-winning gastro pub in Wiltshire. Both loved catering but they craved a change. “It was a lifestyle choice,” Rachel explains. “We wanted to stay in the industry we both loved but make it work for us. We didn’t want the stress, pressure and expense of a fine dining restaurant.” Their sublime pizzas are Neapolitan in style, with a puffed-up, chewy crust and baked in a wood-fired oven. Bestsellers include their Margate-rita (£6) and a divine Pear & Cambozola (£7) made with a creamy blue cheese. Their flavours are on the adventurous side—Rachel admits to a disastrous attempt

with cauliflower and anchovy. Ingredients are sourced locally and seasonally, the dough made to their recipe by a local bakery. Puddings include ice cream from artisan gelateria Gelupo, whose offbeat flavours include malted banana, ricotta and sour cherry and fennel and pine nut. “I’m back working 14 hours a day, that’s the main negative,” says Rachel, tossing another beech briquette into the oven. “Having said that, I love it. I can still be creative.” A few miles down the coast in Broadstairs, Posillipo offers an ideal contrast—a quintessentially Italian and traditional approach to the pizza. The owners, childhood friends Enzo Esposito and Espedito Tammaro, hail from Naples, the dish's true spiritual home. Their much-loved Italian restaurant, which was opened in 1994, looks out over the spectacular Viking Bay. Inside, it’s the real deal; all dark wood, wine barrels and vintage coffee machines. Other branches are now flourishing in Canterbury and Faversham. �D Top: Freshly made and ready to go Middle: Another creation enters the wood-fired oven Bottom: Cheese please! GB Pizza are known for their adventurous flavours—this time Pear and Cambozola

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Unlike at GB Pizza, the chefs make their own dough, leaving it to slowly rise for 18 to 20 hours. “You can make dough in half an hour, full of yeast, but it’s very heavy,” says Enzo. “It looks nice but stays on your stomach for a couple of days.” Neapolitan pizza, he explains, is all about the crust— it should be raised and slightly chewy. The wood-fired oven needs to be at around 350 to 400 degrees Centigrade in order to cook the pizza in a minute or less. “The temperature pushes down the pizza and lifts up the crust,” he explains. Here, you’ll find creations such as their fiery Vesuvio, (£8.50) made with salami and chilli, or their signature Posillipo (£11.95) which comes laden with shellfish. The all-Italian staff express a passion for pizza that only their nation can muster. As if to illustrate the point, our waiter physically shudders at the thought of trying pizza in Rome, where the dough is baked flatter and crispier. “Why Broadstairs?” I ask Enzo, surveying his domain. Broadstairs has something special about it,” he explains. “My birthplace Naples is also by the sea and we like to be by the sea —I used to live in Finchley you know!” As these two restaurants show, a passion for pizza burns brightly in East Kent. Ultra-modern or more traditional in style? The choice is yours. greatbritishpizzacompany. wordpress.com posillipo.co.uk

34 The Weekender

Left: After a summer of mobile catering, GB Pizza now have a fully-fledged restaurant Middle: Enzo Esposito has served up traditonal Italian pizzas in Broadstairs since 1994 Bottom: Olives and wine complement the Mediterranean flavours of a Posillipo pizza

New England Dream The Bay Restaurant

at The White Cliffs Hotel

Arrive at The Bay Restaurant in the heart of the delightful seaside village of St. Margaret’s-at-Cliffe and discover somewhere quite special. The handsome weather-boarded buildings of The White Cliffs Hotel in which The Bay Restaurant nestles may remind you of those found in coastal New England and on stepping through into the beautiful interior with it’s refreshing and quite unique décor you'll find this is indeed a place with a soul. The Bay Restaurant sits in the hub of the buzzing hotel, the fresh coastal feel extending throughout the fantastically quirky bar into the cool restaurant and out back into the gorgeous sun-trap “beach garden” complete with pebble beach, wooden groynes and stripy deck chairs. Experience the enjoyable dilemma of being challenged in terms of choice - what to order when you want it all? A starter of home-made salt cod fish fingers in saffron batter with sorrel mayonnaise, sublime goat’s cheese fritters with a fig jampote to die for , pigeon breast with broad beans and black pig pancetta, or mussels steamed in Weston’s cider, thyme and cream. Mains of sea-bass with fennel, garlic and herb chips or Romney Marsh lamb with aubergine and red onion, minted yoghurt and grilled flatbread or free-range chicken breast with clams and chorizo in a tarragon sauce with new potatoes, Alkham Valley beef with summer truffle butter, woodland mushrooms and ‘real proper chips’. Then for dessert how about blackcurrant mousse with (heavenly) liquorice ice cream or double chocolate brownie with Kentish cherry ripple ice cream or a lemon crème brulée with a fabulous raspberry sorbet, dressed with mint ? In this simply yet elegantly styled space, with its wooden floors, stone walls, cheery staff and happy vibes. It’s easy to see why the place is buzzing, The Bay Restaurant is on to a winning formula!

The Bay Restaurant

at The White Cliffs Hotel Find on the High Street in St Margaret’s-At-Cliffe near Dover, Kent, CT15 6AT Featured in The Which Good Food Guide and AA Best Restaurants 2012 Open every day from 7am until 11pm for Breakfast, Lunch, Afternoon Tea and Dinner

Call reservations on 01304 852229

o r e m a i l m a i l @ t h e w h i t e c l i f f s . c o m www.thewhitecliffs.com

THE BLACK DOUGLAS COFFEE HOUSE “Good simple food, locally sourced”

Go on, you know you Wantsum !!

We are founded on the principles of good simple food, sourcing locally or direct from the producer with an emphasis on traceable and sustainable produce. Our menus are created with great care and we only serve the coffees, drinks and food that we love to eat and drink ourselves. Open Wednesday to Saturday evenings for pizza and wine.

Celebrate Kent’s rich History in 2013 with a pint or two of Wantsum! Gold Award Winning Black Prince Mild

available from 1st week of March Spring Ale Yellow Tail March to May & Red Raddle all summer All beers available in bottles & cask

See website for full list of stockists & pubs www.wantsumbrewery.co.uk wantsumbrewery@googlemail.com The Black Douglas Coffee House, 83 Beach Street, Deal Tel: 01304 365486

www.blackdouglas.co.uk

0845 0405980

FOOD & DRINK

The Perfect Weekend… Dinner for Golfers words by tom moggach photos by david king

n ancient highway runs from Deal to Sandwich Bay, where the coast now attracts pilgrims for that most difficult of sports—links golf. I’ve never played it myself, but my mission was to explore the food and accommodation at a lavish new development, The Lodge at Prince’s Golf Club. This windswept stretch of the bay is a fascinating and isolated area, a few minutes from Sandwich town yet tucked right away. The entrance is via a toll gate onto private land, past the exclusive Royal St George’s, hosts of the 2011 British Open. It’s a stunning area, stuffed with wildlife and rare plant species. Sheep roam a few of the fields, nibbling on salty grass. You’ll also find a bird observatory, clay pigeon shooting and an architectural hodgepodge of posh houses leading down to the sea and Prince’s Golf Club. Rewind the decades, and the main hotel around here was The Guilford, a favourite of author Ian Fleming which was finally demolished in 1974. The new Lodge is a 38-room hotel and restaurant by the golf course, built on the site of the old clubhouse which burnt down a few years ago.

Photos from top (clockwise): Chef Michael Fowler has brought fine dining to Sandwich Bay. Peach crumble for pudding; the dining area at The Brasserie on the Bay looks out onto a 9-hole golf course; fillet of sea bass

36 The Weekender

The revamp includes the hiring of chef and local boy Michael Fowler, who has bought fine dining to the Sandwich coast. Michael left the area years ago, working under famous names such as Marco Pierre White and Rick Stein, before moving back last year. “It feels right bumping into old friends and being somewhere where you’re recognised,” he says. “When you grow up somewhere, you’ve got a piece of it in your heart.” I started at the bar, where a trio of tiny appetisers appeared: a strip of seared venison with salsa verde, a veg-filled pastry parcel with red chilli and crunchy prawn toast. Once at the table, I tucked into a beef consommé crowned with single ravioli pasta stuffed with braised oxtail, which was intensely savoury and meaty. In contrast, the more delicate main course was pretty as a picture: two tender fillets of John Dory—a noble fish—served with a lemon-spiked mash. The fragrant sauce, made with tomato and fish stock, was subtly flavoured with fennel, aniseed, star anise, Pernod and a splash of coconut milk. So far, so good. Pudding was a

cunning, oozy baked chocolate creation with vanilla ice cream. After dinner, I stumbled back to my room, complete with a vast flat screen TV, Wi-Fi and a proper bath, before waking up to the delightful sound of the sea. Michael is a talented chef and clearly on top of his game—which is more than I can say for my golf! A three-course dinner costs £28.50 (not including wine). Rooms from £95 (single room) The Lodge at Prince’s, 01304 897903 www.thelodgeatprinces.co.uk

photo: kristin peres

FOOD & DRINK

Let’s Make: Duck rillettes

Rillettes is a type of pâté cooked in the natural fat of the animal, which ducks are well known for, making this a tasty pâté. Buy a whole duck and ask your butcher to cut off the breasts and legs, and to chop the carcass into four pieces. Use the legs and the carcass for this dish.

Serves 6 Ingredients — 1 duck carcass & 2 legs — 100g (3½oz) stoned prunes — 50g (2oz) sultanas, soaked overnight in 50ml (2fl oz) brandy — Sprig of flat leaf parsley, to garnish For the stock — 400ml (14fl oz) white wine — 200ml (7fl oz) water — 3 garlic cloves, crushed, peeled and chopped — ½ tsp allspice — 2 bay leaves — 2 sprigs of thyme — Sea salt — Freshly ground black pepper

1. Place the duck carcass and legs in a saucepan, add all the stock ingredients and bring to the boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 1½ hours, stirring frequently and adding a little wine if more liquid is needed. 2. When ready, the meat should be falling off the bones, so take the pan off the heat and leave to cool. Pick over the carcass and legs and place all the meat and skin in a food processor. Add the prunes and blitz until roughly chopped. 3. Remove the bay leaves and thyme from the stock. Add 200ml (7fl oz) of the liquid

to the meat, then stir in the sultanas and brandy. Spoon the mixture into a terrine dish or wide-necked jar, flatten the top and garnish with a sprig of parsley. Set aside to cool, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight. (Takes 2½ hours, plus 1 hour cooling). Ginger Pig Farmhouse Cook Book by Tim Wilson and Fran Warde is published by Mitchell Beazley in May.

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FOOD & DRINK

Proper Beer for Proper People Up and down the country there are a growing band of independently-run micropubs, and it all started in East Kent. Tom Moggach puts his drinking boots on to sample the atmosphere

e’re proud to say that East Kent is the epicentre of a remarkable and growing phenomenon— the micropub. Each of these wonderful establishments is unique, but all share the same spirit. They are small one-room pubs or independent free houses, which serve proper beers but no lager or spirits. In a micropub, you certainly won’t find pool tables, pub grub, blaring music or Sky Sports. Conversation is king. The owner simply brings over your drink, as there is no bar. Opening hours tend to be lunchtimes and evenings to suit the owner's lifestyle. They are a friendly refuge for those who are fed up with the more faceless chain pubs. At the last count, there were seven trading in East Kent, with another half dozen at the planning stage. The concept has inspired others as far afield as Derbyshire and County Durham. Yet the growing appeal of micropubs is set against the backdrop of a dramatic contradiction: the number of breweries in Kent has nearly tripled in the last three years, figures nationwide are at a 70-year high and cask ale sales are booming. Yet around 10,000 pubs have closed in Britain over the last decade. Now isn’t that something to ponder on while you cradle a refreshing local ale?

38 The Weekender

The Butcher’s Arms What? It all started here. The original micro pub, founded in 2005 by Martyn Hillier. It’s tiny—just 15 seats in an old butcher’s shop. Where? The picturesque village of Herne, just a few miles outside Canterbury. Extras. Don’t expect fancy frills. Ambience. A warm welcome, with an offbeat décor. Two butcher’s blocks act as tables. Every inch of wall is decorated with esoteric bits and bobs, including a life-sized cardboard cut-out of Kylie Minogue. Rubber chickens and pigs dangle from meat hooks. Verdict.Wonderfully eccentric. A work of genius, in fact. The Butcher’s Arms, 29a Herne Street, Herne T: 01227 371000 www.micropub.co.uk

The Just Reproach What? A bright, friendly micropub run by exheadteacher Mark Robson and his wife Bronwen. Where? Slap bang in Deal town centre, in a retail site that was also once a butcher’s. Extras. Kent Crisps, pickled onions and chunks of local Ashmore cheese. House wines from nearby Borough Wines.

Ambience. A chatty crowd. Mobile phones are strictly banned, with several old models nailed to the wall as warning. Raised benches around the walls mean drinkers share eye level with those standing up. “Everything we do in this pub is to encourage people to look inwards and interact,” explains Mark. Verdict. A cleverly designed micropub, with notably wellkept beers from as far afield as the Orkneys, plus ultra-local brews. The Just Reproach 14 King Street, Deal www.thejustreproach.co.uk

The Chapel What? An ingenious concept, like the layers of a Russian wooden doll: a pub inside a second hand bookshop inside an old chapel. Beat that! Where? The main drag in Broadstairs, just yards from two Italian legends: Posillipo restaurant (see our pizza story on page 32) and Morelli’s ice cream parlour. Extras. Occasional live music, local spirits, coffee, cakes and more. Ambience. Strictly speaking, this is not a micropub. The Chapel is a slightly larger space with a rudimentary bar and longer opening hours. But it ticks the same boxes. The atmosphere is creative and reverential: the old hymn board still hangs proudly and dusty works of literature line the walls. Owner Julian Newick prefers the term ‘ale and cider house’. Verdict. A brilliant idea from the man behind The Lifeboat ale house in Margate. The Chapel, 44/46 Albion Street, Broadstairs T: 07837 024259

FOOD & DRINK

“

We encourage people to look inwards and interact

”

The Bake & Alehouse

The Four Candles

What? A thriving micropub, with magnificent cookerythemed décor. Where? An old bakery turned micropub, hidden down a side street in Westgate, near Margate. While you’re there, also try the Why Not micropub nearby. Extras. Ashmore cheese, sausage rolls, pork pies and pork scratchings. Ambience. An interior to relish: colanders as lampshades; vintage cookware; baking recipes for wallpaper. Check out the lovely bathroom, complete with cut flowers. Verdict. Along with The Butcher’s Arms, this is an essential pitstop for those new to the micropub scene. Bake & Alehouse 1 St. Mildred’s Road, Westgate-on-Sea T: 07581 468797 www.bakeandalehouse.com

What? A relatively new micropub named after a Two Ronnies joke, which has already been mobbed by lucky locals. Where? The quiet backstreets of St Peters, on the outskirts of Broadstairs. Extras. English wine, Ashmore cheese, pork pies, pork scratchings, crackers and home-made pickle. Ambience. ‘Dogs and wellbehaved owners are welcome,’ says the website. Owner Mike Beaumont is a sparkly host: “We’re selling proper beer to proper people.” Verdict. Expect witty banter and a warm welcome from a loyal band of regulars. The Four Candles, 1 Sowell Street, St. Peters (Broadstairs) www.thefourcandles.co.uk

The Conqueror What? Kent Pub of the Year 2012, as voted by the Campaign for Real Ale. The Conqueror is named after a paddle steamer that used to ply the route from Ramsgate to France. Where? Just outside the

centre of Ramsgate. Extras. Pork pies with a choice of mustard, cream crackers, cheddar cheese, crisps and peanuts. Ambience. Walls are decorated with images of the Conqueror ship, including a crew portrait that includes landlord Colin Aris’s grandfather, who was the captain. Verdict. A sound micropub with a nautical theme. The Conqueror, 4c Grange Road, Ramsgate www.conqueror-alehouse.co.uk

For more info on micropubs visit: micropubassociation.co.uk Photos (from left): Mark Robson at The Just Reproach fills another customer's glass; Julian Newick opened his ‘micropub’ on the site of an old Chapel; a good choice of ales and ciders at The Four Candles; the sign outside says ‘fork handles’, not ‘four candles’; a drinker beneath the old hymn board at The Chapel; The Bake & Alehouse is tucked away in a side street in Westgate-on-Sea; Mike Beaumont's Four Candles has been mobbed by local drinkers

SPACE

The House That Fell To Earth A unique family home tucked away in the Elham Valley both changes our perception of country living and points the way towards a more energy efficient future

here comes a time in every townie’s life when the dream of country house living seriously starts to take hold. All well and good if you have the budget for it, of course, but what kind of living structures lie in wait amongst the winding rural lanes and dozy pastures of East Kent? For many, nothing less than a Regency manor house or epic Lutyens-style residence will do. Others, meanwhile, pin their hopes on extended thatched-roofed Tudor cottages or converted barns and oast houses. Few, you would have to admit, are likely to settle for a property which has no grand front drive, no discernible main entrance nor indeed any obvious indicator of the owner’s wealth or status. The acquisition of a country house is, after all, a sign that the lucky key holder has finally reached a comfortable and more ostentatious stage in life, perhaps one which has freed them from the reality and responsibilities of life on more mortal terraced streets—think Downton Abbey, Brideshead or Citizen Kane’s lofty Xanadu. But sticking two well-designed digits up to this rather old-fashioned notion is Pud’s Meadow, located in the heart of the gorgeous Elham Valley just a few miles south of Canterbury. Built in 2009 by artist and designer Pauline Karminski, this isolated home situated in the �D

Main photo: Pud’s Meadow looks out over the picturesque Elham Valley Above: The earth-sheltered building is insulated from top to bottom

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SPACE

“It’s a viewing station which you can comfortably live in

”

Photos from top: The exterior features a special weathering steel, also used on the Angel of the North statue; all the rooms offer unresticted views of the great outdoors; the house has three bedrooms, each with its own en-suite bathroom

chalky uplands above the village of Kingston does indeed lack the grand entrance or statement period architecture associated with your average country estate. To get there, you must drive up a winding country lane and find a gate with patch of gravel. The buried building faces away from the road so the only part of the house which is visible is the rear; essentially an overgrown mound of earth with a protruding air vent. However, sitting in its bright and open plan main living area looking at the stunning valley ahead with its ancient farmland, dense woods and undiscovered paths and bridleways, it is easy to succumb to Karminski’s alternative version of a place in the country. Having designed numerous homes in the past, most recently an 18th century barn conversion in Upstreet near Canterbury, which has views across the Stodmarsh Nature Reserve, Karminski decided it was time to build her first earthsheltered home. After 12 years of searching—both on foot and by bicycle—she found this special south-facing location. “I was surprised by the amount of beautiful countryside in Kent there was where you can get completely lost,” she explains. “And when I found this place I was knocked out by it.” “I like the privacy,” she says pointing to the view of browning autumn trees and lush meadows inhabited only by the odd grazing horse or cow. As the land around here is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), the buyer of this rare and unusual property will lose no sleep in 42 The Weekender

SPACE

worrying about any future developments that might spoil this bucolic idyll. Karminski is right to point out also that the views alone do the job of selling the house. “It’s a viewing station which you can comfortably live in,” she suggests. That is not to undermine the inspired structure that she has created with her team of local builders using materials ranging from concrete and glass to recycled timber and Core-Ten, a type of weathering steel which was most famously applied to Antony Gormley’s Angel of the North statue. At Pud’s Meadow, the discoloured metal theatrically overhangs each of the six glass doors that face outwards. The influence is decidedly Frank Gehry of Guggenheim Museum (Bilbao) fame. Look closely, and you will spot a series of ‘found’ rusty cart springs perched on top. Inside, the house boasts almost 3,000 square feet of living space with eight individual rooms including three bedrooms, each with their own en-suite bathrooms and unrestricted views of the great outdoors. The last room along is a generously proportioned studio, which would suit an artist or creative type down to the ground. You can expect no fancy brass knockers or neo-classical touches here; the front entrance is via the so-called ‘store room’, which isn’t as odd as it sounds. Once muddy boots, bicycles or garden equipment are dumped there, you eventually enter the large living area with its shiny floor tiles and cool whitewashed walls. Here, alongside her own abstract oil paintings and antique oak dining table, she explains how her earth-sheltered house came about. “I’m not an architect, nor am I technically-minded; I do all my drawings on graph paper. Architecture can be complicated but it doesn’t have to be.” Overall, it took roughly a year for the concept to become a reality. First the chalky ground had to dug deeply in order to accommodate the structure—a man from the village helped out with his JCB digger. Then the structure was created by pouring in vast amounts of Insulating Concrete Formwork (ICF) which gives the home its unrivalled ability to insulate and retain heat. As any architect will tell you, good insulation is 95 per cent of the battle towards becoming energy efficient. She says: “The poured concrete connects with a single seamless shell that goes right down to the floor, which means that there are no thermal bridges. There is a layer of earth on the roof and there are double glazed doors and the concrete stops any water from coming up through the ground. After you have a shower or a bath, the mirrors in the bathroom never steam up. I knew it would be efficient, but didn’t know it would be quite so effective.” Karminski is not alone in coming round to the idea of underground living. Stunning examples of earth-sheltered homes exist all over the world particularly in the US states of Colorado and New Mexico. In Switzerland there is even an earth-sheltered housing estate, and in Britain we have other examples in Cumbria and Wales. In Guadix near Granada in southern Spain, troglodyte families have enjoyed comfortable modern living in natural caves for generations. Perhaps the idea isn’t so far-fetched after all. According to Karminski, these type of dwellings not only lead the way in a carbon neutral future, but they are likely to outlast more traditional buildings. She adds with a note of triumph in her voice: “This house will be here hundreds of years after any normal buildings will have disintegrated.”

To The Manor Born Seven country houses worth leaving town for

(From top) Vincent Cottage, Manston Refurbished five bedroom detached house located in a semi-rural position £385,000 for sale www.belmonteonline.co.uk The Street, Worth Detached farmhouse (circa 1800’s) boasting four bedrooms and two receptions, set in private gardens with log cabin £395,000 for sale www.jenkinsonsestates.co.uk Bear Meadow, Lyminge Well-executed conversion of Victorian stables in an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty £575,000–£625,000 for sale www.fineandcountry.com Waterlock Farmhouse, Stourmouth Attractively situated village house standing in grounds of nearly one acre with views over the surrounding countryside £595,000 for sale www.colebrooksturrock.com Mead Farm, Stelling Minnis Grade II-listed 15th century farmhouse in a highly desirable rural location near Canterbury £650,000–£700,000 for sale www.fineandcountry.com The Old Farmhouse, Street End Attractive period property which comes with a delightful landscaped garden, hard tennis courts and paddocks £835,000 for sale www.chestertonhumberts.com Perry Farm and Stables, Wingham Quintessential Grade II-listed period farmhouse with many modern improvements £1,345,000 for sale www.chestertonhumberts.com

Pud’s Meadow is currently on the market for £900,000 For further details: www.struttandparker.com

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TRAVEL

Spring Break A day trip to Bath offers up a one-off spa experience plus a glimpse into travelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s golden age words by dan synge

Main photo: The on-board staff are a reminder of travelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s golden age Far left: The historic Pullman carriages have been restored to their former glory Below: The English countryside opens up

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It was the Romans who set Bath on its way to being the internationally-renowned spa retreat and tourist destination that it is today. Building a vast series of baths, steam rooms and a temple to the goddess Minerva on a site over the mineral-rich depths that continue to pump piping hot water into the city’s three main springs, these invading trend-setters were the first to introduce to the locals the concept of salus per aquam (health through water). Since then, legions of us have flocked to the West Country to enjoy a health-improving holiday or short break. During the 17th and 18th centuries you could hardly move for royals and other well-heeled socialites taking to the waters, and with its drinking properties said to cure a list of ailments ranging from rheumatism to gout, the city’s very own brand of spa water became the tipple of choice for Victorian health faddists. Spa culture is alive and well in today’s city, thanks largely to the opening in 2006 of the new Thermae Bath Spa, designed by Grimshaw Architects, famous for their work on the Eden Project in Cornwall. The building houses a five-storey complex of spa treatment and steam rooms, indoor bathing areas and a 176-metre square rooftop pool, which with its natural water supply pumped from below ground level at approximately 34 degrees Centigrade, makes for a marvellous antidote to a chilly winter’s day.

Spending the afternoon Roman-style, lazing in the ultramodern steam room or lounging in a hot pool located high above the streets below is an experience in itself, making it well worth the long journey from the other side of England. Not that this this city is lacking in other attractions; far from it. It’s hard to miss the splendid Georgian architecture fashioned from pale local limestone or the well-tended parks, squares and gardens. There is also excellent shopping to be had in its largely traffic-free streets and alleyways. Admittedly, we did not take the usual route by car to Somerset and the West Country via my favourite A303 and Stonehenge, but by a more effortless and decidedly more luxurious means; a British Pullman carriage on the sister train to the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. In stark contrast to the average daily commute, the journey begins fittingly with a glass of Champagne. As the historic luxury carriages rattle their way out of Victoria station and across the counties of Surrey, Hampshire and Wiltshire, all we had to do was relax into a well-upholstered armchair and let the uniformed staff on board serve us a delicious brunch. We were treated to smoked salmon, caviar and scrambled eggs cooked up by a chef who laboured manfully in a tiny kitchen just a couple of carriages away. It was an unusual but pleasant sensation to sit like extras in an Agatha Christie �D The Weekender 45

TRAVEL

Photos from top (clockwise): Piping hot spring water at the old Roman Baths; The modern Thermae Bath Spa offers a chance to relax with fantastic rooftop views; a leisurely breakfast begins on the Orient-Express

THE KENT CONNECTION

The British Pullman travels down to the Garden of England on various dates for a day out in the pretty and historic towns of Folkestone, Canterbury and Deal from London Victoria. After a delicious brunch onboard, explore the county’s beautiful sights before joining the train and indulging in dinner served with Champagne and wine. During The Golden Age of Travel signature lunch journey, the train takes a circular route of the Garden of England from London Victoria available on various dates throughout the year. Sit back, relax and enjoy a four-course lunch as the beautiful Kent scenery passes by. www.orient-express.com/uktrains

46 The Weekender

film adaptation, whilst waiters in starched white jackets with gold epaulettes ferried China plates and silver coffee pots expertly along the train’s narrow corridors. But it’s not just the on board staff who hark back to a different era. All the carriages and their fixtures and fittings date from the 1920s and 1930s and have been lovingly restored to give passengers a real taste of the golden age of travel. All around, there are buffed wood panelled interiors with expert marquetry, rare Liberty prints, Art Deco table lamps and even mosaic tiles on the floor of the lavatory, which appears to have been magically transported from Claridge’s. As we sipped black coffee and caught up on the weekend

newspapers, the English countryside finally began to open up. From out of the window, the legendary Brooklands race track came in and out of view. We spied canals and pumping stations, startled young deer and swooping hawks and, towards the end, the famous Westbury White Horse etched onto the slopes of Salisbury Plain. Having arrived at Bath Spa station, we had at least four hours to explore the city, which with its riverside location, old abbey and compact street layout has a similar feel to fellow World Heritage Site Canterbury. While it was tempting to head straight for the January sales or the Thermae Bath Spa to derobe, we started our tour at the nearby Roman Baths. Although you are no longer allowed to bathe here, you can walk freely amongst the ancient stones and statues for an authentic sense of how the Romans worshipped and unwound when they weren’t busy overseeing their unruly colony. Of course there is nothing quite like trying it for yourself and a drop of life-affirming Bath spring water followed by a warm soak in the modern day version just across the road did wonders for a 21st century throbbing headache and sore back. It was with renewed vigour therefore (not to mention the odd shopping bag) that we eventually returned to the station and the warm and inviting glow of our luxurious Pullman carriage. According to the itinerary, wine and a four-course dinner would be served just as soon as our ‘palace on wheels’ had pulled away. “Is this the right platform for the Orient-Express?” isn’t a phrase unfortunately that I often use when travelling, but it certainly feels good to say it. Orient-Express’ luxurious day trains the Northern Belle and British Pullman depart throughout the year from over 60 regional stations across the UK. Prices start from £195 per person. For more information and reservations call Orient-Express on 0845 077 2222 or visit www.orient-express.com/uktrains

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TRAVEL

Northern Soul

Don’t just drive off the ferry and onto the autoroute this spring. Have a good look at what Calais old town has to offer

or one reason or another, travellers to France arriving via Dover usually give Calais a wide berth. Once off the ferry, we’re often in a mad rush to get to Paris or the south. And if it’s a short stop-over, we’re quickly drawn to the newer and flashier hypermarkets dotted all over the town’s outer ring roads; some discounted wine, a few crates of bargain beer, some Camembert and perhaps a baguette or two make the crossing all the more worthwhile. Calais cannot claim to be the chic-est or most tourist-friendly town in France either, but if you have a weekend, a day, or even an afternoon at your disposal, you will find that there is far more to this rugged northern port than meets the eye. So instead of zooming away onto the baffling network of roads leading out of town, why not drive straight to the centre ville and leave your car in one of the town squares such as the Place d’Armes? Or you can walk or cycle from the port in just a few short minutes. Judging by the map, the old town is essentially a small island surrounded by canals and harbours; a bit like Amsterdam but without the trams and the crowds. The Place d’Armes is the hub of the old quarter and the local food market does brisk business here on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. We’re only 90 minutes away from Dover, but the wares on display are refreshingly exotic without a trace of the Anglo Saxon about them; scallops St Jacques, wild garlic, saucissons, foie gras, fresh flowers and cheeses that you probably won’t find in Sainsburys. Looking around, it is clear that the town suffered extensive bomb damage during the World War Two; over 70 per cent of the

town was destroyed during the conflict. The dominant architecture is therefore post-war, although a number of landmarks survive amongst the well-ordered streets, which seem purpose-built for day trippers. At the southern corner of the square is the old watchtower; a 13th century construction which, over the years, has been used as a lighthouse and a telegraph relay. A more modern lighthouse, which dates back to the 19th century also towers over the town despite heavy British and German bombardments. The nearby Notre Dame church reveals something of the town’s little-known English heritage. Much of the building dates back to the late medieval period after Edward III lay siege to the city after defeating the French at the Battle of Crécy. The town’s eventual surrender put Calais under English control for over 200 years, a legacy which survives in the church’s Tudor-style exterior and complete lack of French flourishes. �D

The Weekender 49

TRAVEL

For a decidedly more French experience, you need simply to wander the streets around Rue Royale. Here you will find speciality shops selling chocolate, cheese, gifts and wine. After bagging a few choice purchases, you will find yourself dawn to one of the many food stalls, brasseries or fully-blown restaurants that line the pavements. The Histoire Ancienne has a lovely Art Nouveau interior with belle époque murals and an à la carte menu which starts at just 15 Euros. The lunchtime crowd is a mixture of local connoisseurs and discerning day trippers, and it is well worth missing your return ferry slot for a relaxed and authentically French three course meal with wine. If you prefer to eat on the move, do not miss the Maison du Fromage et des Vins. Owned by sommelier Arnaud Crespo, the shop is a great place for sampling local and far-flung French cheese. He will also recommend a good bottle of wine or Champagne for you to take home. His nearby restaurant Le Channel is also worth a visit, and they offer a traiteur service so you can bring back specialities such as cuisses de pigeon or noix de ris de veau sautée. There isn’t a definitive local dish as such, but everywhere you go there seem to be bowls of moules marinières being served up. No trip to Calais is complete without taking a proper look at the town’s extraordinary Hôtel de Ville. Located over the Pont Jacquard past the entrance to railway station, the building operates as the main town hall and is a rare and imposing example of Flemish Renaissance architecture. Its outrageously ornate Gothic-style belfry, which stands 75 metres tall, has been recently restored and is now open to visitors. The view from the top isn’t bad either! Whilst relaxing in the gardens in front, you can’t miss Rodin’s iconic bronze statue Six Burghers which depicts the six local notables who offered themselves to the attacking English forces during the siege of 1347. Judging by this giant sculpture their fate doesn’t look very promising, but the ending is a happy one; moved by their self-sacrifice, the English queen pardoned them. For those interested in learning more about the town’s history, particularly during the turbulent 20th century, the Musée de Mémoire is just a short walk across the park. It is housed in a genuine bunker belonging to the German navy and recalls the four-year-long occupation which ended in 1944. Fishing, wool, tin and lace are just some of the industries which have sustained the working people of Calais over the years. In the 1800s, weavers came here from Nottingham to help the local lace makers, and the International City of Lace and Fashion displays some the earliest looms invented for this once thriving business. Lace production still continues, but in its heyday Calais Photos (from top): The bell tower at the Hotel de Ville offers 360 degree panoramic views; Calais bar with belle epoque murals; the town’s lace-making history is explored at the International City of Lace and Fashion

had over 2,700 looms employing around 30,000 people. If fine art and photography are more up your street, you might have a few minutes to dip into the Musée des Beaux-Arts which is housed in a 1960s building facing the park. By now, however, it could soon be time to catch the ferry and another sighting of the White Cliffs before home. Never mind, there is plenty more to discover next time you return. There are the nearby sandy beaches, the designer shopping malls, the state-ofthe-art yachting club and even an aquatic centre boasting five pools and a skating rink. Who said there was nothing to do in Calais? The Weekender travelled to Calais with P&O Ferries, www.poferries.com

THE LIST

Calais

The Insider's Guide Royal Dentelle The place to buy souvenirs made from authentic Calais lace. Choose from items such as tablecloths, place mats and lingerie. 106 Boulevard Jacquard Eating and Drinking Au Cote d’Argent

Gourmet cuisine with fish specialities. Diners are treated to panoramic views of the sea and the passing ferry boats.

1 Digue Gaston Berthe www.cotedargent.com

Histoire Ancienne Affordable bistro-style cooking with a lovely Art Nouveau interior. 20 Rue Royale www.histoire-ancienne.com L’Hovercraft This no-nonsense brasserie is the perfect spot for a midmorning croissant or glass of Pastis. 11 Place du Foche www.hovercraft-calais.com Le Channel From the owners of the nearby Maison du Fromage et des Vins, this is arguably the best restaurant in town with attentive service and a good fixed price menu. 3 Boulevard de la Résistance www.restaurant-lechannel.com Shopping Maison du Fromage et des Vins A popular local shop dedicated to cheese. It offers expert service and a good selection of wines also. 1 Rue Andre Gerschell www.restaurant-lechannel. com/notre-magasin Au Royal Chocolat Small shop selling fine chocolate and other exquisite delicacies. 67 Rue Royale

Base de Voile Tom Souville A sheltered yachting complex in Bleriot-Plage. Ideal for groups of beginners or for younger sailors. www.agglo-calaisis.fr ICEO Complex Family leisure with five pools with sauna and workout rooms plus a skating rink. Rue Martin du Gard www.agglo-calaisis.fr

Les Dunes

Cite Europe All your shopping needs are covered under one giant roof. Brands on offer include Benetton, Zara, Foot Locker and Espirit. www.en.citeeurope.com

A reasonably priced Logis hotel facing Bleriot-Plage. The hotel houses a good restaurant that specialises in seafood.

www.les-dunes.com

Hotel Meurice Smart, centrally-located mid-market hotel. www.hotel-meurice.fr

L’Usine Channel Outlet Store Impressive out-of-town fashion outlet shopping with designer names such as Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss and Lacoste. www.lusine.fr Museums and Attractions La Musée de Mémoire World War Two Calais remembered through archive material and everyday objects in this former military bunker. 39–45 Parc St-Pierre www.museeguerredecalais. free.fr International City of Lace and Fashion An interactive history of lacemaking in Calais. 135 Quai du Commerce Calais www.cite-dentelle.fr

Staying Over

Did You Know? Famous English dandy ‘Beau’ Brummell spent ten years exiled in Calais while escaping his many debtors. Also down on her luck, Lord Nelson’s mistress Lady Hamilton spent her last years here. She died penniless despite her association with the famous admiral.

Holiday Inn Coquelles Located in a landscaped 10-acre park just outside Calais, this country-style hotel is equipped with a swimming pool, steam room and offers spa/beauty treatments. www.hicoquelles.com For further information www.calais.fr

La Musée des Beaux-Arts

A good selection of art, sculpture and photography with some permanent exhibits by The Thinker sculptor Auguste Rodin.

25 Rue Richelieu www.calais.fr/-Le-musee-desbeaux-arts Le Parc Saint-Pierre A classic landscaped park in the centre of town complete with an ornamental lake, fountain and a children’s playground.

Don’t Miss A visit to the Hôtel de Ville’s belfry tower for a 360 degree panoramic view. Price: from €2

www.calais.fr

The Weekender 51

WIN

a holiday with Thomas Cook up to the value of ÂŁ5000 David Clarke (Whitstable) is proud to announce the opening of its new Canterbury central Canterbury. To celebrate this we are offering one lucky vendor in the Canterbury or Whitstable area the chance to win a holiday with Thomas Cook up to the value of ÂŁ5000.

Whitstable Canterbury Chestfield Terms and conditions apply

01227 274447 01227 782040 01227 793720

BEAUTY By Natalie Shirlaw and Lynn Taylor

Flight Stimulator We all love to travel, but any drastic change in climate or altitude can have a profound effect on our skin. In an aeroplane cabin, humidity drops causing the skin to go dry and lacklustre as the human body is made up of 50% water. Other than ensuring you drink plenty of water and try your best to stay off the inflight Champagne, there are other ways to guarantee that you have glowing holiday skin from start to finish. With airport regulations stating that you cannot take on board liquids in greater volume than 100ml we often leave our favourite moisturisers and skincare products in our hold luggage, as it can be a pain to decant them. Luckily, Heaven Skincare has come up with the Flight Kit containing all manner of goodies to combat the problem. So what’s in this special piece of kit? First up is nature’s answer to Botox, the Bee Venom Mask. It tightens and firms the facial muscles by boosting collagen production and is a welldeserved treat for your skin in compressed air cabins. Next, the Vanilla Pod hand and nail cream will stay on your skin for hours and is a must for your hands to combat a dry and cracked appearance; after all, if you have had a special pre-holiday manicure you want the skin on your hands to be just as splendid. A Hydro

Cleansing Milk cleans and seals the skin against moisture loss and it also doubles up as a relief for sunburn if you snooze on that sun lounger a little longer than intended! Accompanying the cleansing milk is a Peppermint Clarifying Lotion, which leaves a film of hydration on the skin’s surface to stop it drying out. This is also fantastic for guarding your body against coughs and colds in the atmosphere; something you really don’t want to get on holiday. To complete the kit, there is Heaven Scent, a spray containing patchouli, cedar wood, neroli and orange. These will help to lift your spirits and sooth any fears of flying as its aphrodisiac properties release happy thoughts in the brain. Heaven Skincare Flight Kit (£64) www.heavenskincare.com Local stockists: Room Ninety Two Whitstable, T: 01227 772884 www.roomninetytwo.co.uk Fleur Beauty Birchington, T: 01843 848223 www.fleurbeauty.co.uk

Magic Wand Try this Yogi Fat Barrel WAND. This lightweight item won’t weigh down your luggage and has a worldwide voltage so can be used in any destination. It’s super easy to handle and creates light waves giving your hair a soft look while eliminating frizz and adding shine. Let your hair dry naturally and then let the wand work its magic. It takes under 10 minutes and will give your hair that great salon look. www.yogihairwand.com

Ask Natalie

I like to take lots of photos when I’m travelling but when I review them, my hair always looks a mess. What can I do to cure bad travel hair?

There’s really no need for this embarrassing situation, because from now on, you are going to have fantastic hair on the move! One of the main problems encountered abroad, especially in hot sunshine, is UV. It’s not just your skin you need to protect but your hair and scalp too. Straw-like tresses and faded hair colour are not remotely glamorous, so the first product I’d recommend is Swimcap. Originally developed for synchronized swimmers in the US, it protects against UV and the harmful effects of the sun which can lead to hair breakage and colour fading. It also protects your hair from chlorine and salt water. Simply damp your hair down slightly and apply—it’s water resistant, so will last even if you have a dip in the sea or pool. After swimming or lying on the beach all day what better way to restore your hair than with a Moisture Balancing Shampoo and Conditioner? Both will deliver moisture and leave hair shiny and smooth and amazingly tangle free. It’s the chlorine and salt which make your hair look dry and frizzy, so be sure to wash your hair every day while you are away. Always use a high quality shampoo as many cheaper brands are like detergent—they strip all the natural oils out of your hair and some even then coat the hair shaft with silicone which feels nice to begin with but is damaging in the long run. When you get home, treat your hair to Elasticizer, which was created especially for Audrey Hepburn and has won the Best Beauty Buy award 2012 from Instyle magazine. For elasticity, bounce and shine, it’s hard to beat! All products by Philip Kingsley. www. philipkingsley.co.uk

The Weekender 53

ADVERTORIAL

Art Deco-style living with a decidedly modern twist comes soon to a traditional Kent village—and the beach is right on the doorstep! An exciting landmark development is currently under construction in the sought-after seaside village of Kingsdown, near Deal. Beach Mews is the latest project from well-regarded local building company ATS Developments. This prominent site on the edge of the village adjacent to the beach is for just seven detached houses. The Art Deco-inspired design evokes stylish images of the 1930s but with the benefits of contemporary low maintenance building techniques and the latest in kitchen and bathroom design. The houses offer a mix of designs leading off a central access road. Prices range from £475,000 to £575,000 with a choice of either 4 or 5 bedrooms. Options include using the second floor bedroom 5 (accessed by a spiral staircase) as a family room/look out. The spacious contemporary style kitchen/breakfast rooms are fully equipped with Luce appliances including stainless steel double oven, microwave, dishwasher, fridge/freezer, washing machine and tumble dryer with Corian worktops. Central heating is gas fired with under floor heating to the ground floors. Outside, the gardens will be landscaped with off road parking and garages. Given the beachside location, each house will enjoy Channel views; these vary depending on the plot chosen. Completion for the development is scheduled for July 2013 with two houses already sold. For more information or for an appointment to view, please contact the Kingsdown office of the sole selling agent Marshall & Clarke, T: 01304 381622 or email cb@marshallandclarkekn.fsnet.co.uk

54 The Weekender

Why Kingsdown? Kingsdown is a popular yet unspoilt fishing village offering a small variety of shops including a post office, newsagents, butcher’s and hairdressers and three pubs. There is a well-regarded primary school and village church, and the newly refurbished Zetland Arms (situated right on the beach) is within easy walking distance of Beach Mews! In addition, there are various water activities including the Downs Sailing Club at nearby Walmer. Kingsdown also boasts its own golf course with further championship courses in Deal and Sandwich. It is well situated for trips to the continent via the Port of Dover and the Channel Tunnel link and there is a fast rail link from Deal to London St Pancras. The nearby historic town of Deal also has a good variety of shopping, leisure facilities, pubs and restaurants yet still retains much of its character as a former maritime town.

INTERIORS By Ross Duttson

THE NEW INDOORS When spring arrives, we can start to view our garden as an extension of the living room. Fortunately, outdoor furniture manufacturers have finally recognised this, so you can say goodbye to those white plastic pub chairs! Let these hot new designer pieces help give your garden a well-needed makeover.

Above: Fun in the sun. There’s room for everybody on a Fatboy hammock Below: A Buggle-Up beanbag helps turn your outdoor space into an extra room

Use It Or Lose It As the days get longer, the idea of carrying out new resolutions doesn’t feel quite so bad. Saying goodbye to short, grey wintery days is a good start for me, and so is de-cluttering the home environment. Long ago in old Persia—where spring cleaning originated—they would clean every nook and cranny in anticipation of the year ahead. For us in the modern world, it’s about keeping a clean house and trying to organise ourselves better. I remember, back in the day, it was a family task that was taken very seriously and parts of the house might actually get painted while we were doing it. Weirdly, I quite enjoyed it—perhaps it was because I could hang out more with my mum, and we’d bake cakes in between the tidying! This year I’ve started to spring clean my home office. I have no idea how my desk got so ‘busy’ and, to be honest, it’s freaking me out. I reckon that if I clean my desk, file all the paperwork that’s worth keeping and fashion receptacles for the more important bits and bobs my life will run more smoothly. It’s a situation that many of working age are having to get used to as, like it or not, more of us are getting the opportunity to work from home. Whether you are full time, doing the odd day, or juggling school runs between getting your head down to do your ‘other job’, it’s no mean feat. For many, that means having a designated work space in the kitchen, sitting room or dining room. Only the lucky ones have an office space of their own. I was brought up to believe that a tidy ‘anything’ is a tidy mind. Albert Einstein had other ideas. He said: “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign of?” I’ve always rated Einstein, you know, that guy who won the Nobel Prize in Physics.

To learn more about the art of de-clutter, I spoke with interior designer Zoe Brewer of My Interior Stylist (www.myinteriorstylist.com/blog). “To de-clutter your house is to de-clutter your mind,” she tells me. “It really does make you feel less stressed, and that’s the best reason for doing it.” Before you get started on your spring clean, here are some top tips: 1) Organised chaos is great but it must be organised. 2) Everything needs a proper home; stationary, paperwork, reference books and so on. 3) Use it or lose it! If you haven’t used/worn/ admired an item for 18 months, get rid of it. 4) Enjoy yourself. Put the music on, make a cup of coffee (wine if really needed!) and go for it. I often call up one particular friend (I call her Little Miss Organised) and I feed her cake in return for her much needed assistance. 5) Be realistic. Says Zoe: “Do one room at a time and then you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment before moving on to the next.” Thanks to Zoe, I am glad to say that my home office is now done, but it’s bound to be messy within a couple of days. Einstein would be proud.

Fatboy Buggle-Up Beanbag (£225) These bean bags come in 18 fabulous colours to match any mood. You can sit, lounge and relax outdoors—never before has sunbathing been more comfortable. They are made of high quality durable material which is water repellent and dirt resistant, meaning they can stay outside (should you choose) all year round. Or, for even better spring/ summer outdoor lazing, try the Fatboy Deluxe Hammock (£339) Kartell Bubble Club sofa (£573) Made of polypropylene plastic and available in black or white, this Philippe Starck sofa (below) will sit happily in the garden resisting all kinds of weather. The Bubble Club range also includes a stylish arm chair and table. Great for patios or poolside. Why not join the club? Stockists: Papillon Interiors, 40 Fort Hill, Margate Old Town www.papilloninteriors.co.uk Found Home Store, 37 High Street, Whitstable www.foundhomestore.co.uk

@rossduttson / www.rossduttson.com The Weekender 55

JUST THE JOB

DAVID MILLER, Senior Master

photo: sean preston

aunched in 2011, P&O’s £150m Spirit of Britain passenger ferry transports around 2 million holidaymakers and commercial travellers each year, completing over 3,500 crossings of the busy Dover Strait annually. Senior Master David Miller is responsible for overseeing a quarter of these crossings from his position on the bridge. Surrounded by an array of sophisticated electronic charts and top-of-therange radar equipment (plus his team of two officers, a petty officer and a look out), he outlines his daily duties and argues the case for taking the slower route to France. Being the ship’s captain is a bit like running a small mobile town. At any one time there could be up to 150 people working onboard. The crew work one week on and one week off and some of us have sailed together for 30 years. As we spend half our life at sea the ship is our second home, and the staff become more than work colleagues; they are friends and neighbours. We get similar situations to those on Coronation Street or Emmerdale! Working on ships is the perfect livelihood for me. As a child growing up on the Essex coast, I sailed boats all the time. It was therefore natural to choose a

56 The Weekender

career at sea and my first job was as a cadet on cargo ships. In those days, we still had the last vestiges of the empire and I would voyage to South Africa taking out British manufactured goods and return with apples, oranges and pineapples. A round trip used to last 12 weeks, but container ships now do it in five. Then in 1980, after qualifying with a master’s certificate, I joined the ferries as a second officer. To become an officer you must do a three year cadetship with periods spent both on the ship and at college. I trained at Warsash Maritime Academy in Southampton but you can also study at South Shields Marine School or the Fleetwood Nautical School. Our industry has many managers, masters and officers coming up to retirement age. Young officers are in great demand and it is a career worth considering. When you are at sea, anything that can go wrong will go wrong. We train and prepare for every conceivable emergency and have a very stringent set of Fleet Regulations that meet International Maritime Organisation (IMO) guidelines. The Spirit of Britain is built to the highest safety standards and is the first passenger ship in the world designed to incorporate new ‘safe return to port’ and enhanced stability requirements. I’ve witnessed at least three incidents where passengers have fallen or jumped over the side. There have also been the inevitable medical emergencies such as births, strokes, fits and heart attacks. Out on the bridge, we have a flat, nonhierarchical structure. Everybody contributes to the success of the venture. The whole team acts as a check and balance on each other. As for bad weather, there are very few conditions in which we wouldn’t sail. The ship is designed to manoeuvre in a 50 knot cross wind and much beyond that the authorities close the ports. We offer a passenger service, but we are also an important conduit for British imports and exports. Whether they are motor cars or strawberries, most of the goods we buy come via Europe. We have many facilities on board the ship and you can configure your crossing to what you want it to be. We offer a great shopping experience but also a break in the journey to or from your holiday destination. My view of the Channel Tunnel is that it’s a bit like putting your car on the underground. Why would you want to do that it if it’s your holiday experience? I have a passion for classic cars. I own a 1969 MGCGT of which there only 450 left on the road. When I’m off duty, my wife and I often take it to France. We potter down the small country lanes to the Champagne region, which is under three hour’s drive away from Calais. Luckily the back seat is large enough for six cases of wine!

PROS Working with an “excellent team”

{ Being involved in the design and development of the ferries.

{ Doing a job he loves. “Looking back after 45 years at sea, I would not have chosen another career”

{ CONS “Few people understand our way of life. To most people, nights are for sleeping and weekends for relaxing. For us, they are just another duty period to be filled by one of the four Captains appointed to the ship”

{

NEW EXHIBITION NOW OPEN FOR 2013 Pocher models are recognized as some of the most complex and detailed automobile kits ever made. Featuring 24 rare and sought after models, Fiat F2, Rolls-Royce Torpedo Phantom II, Bugatti 50T Surproﬁlé Coupé. Included in the price of the Hornby Visitor Centre admission ticket. Ticket Prices

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MY EAST KENT LIFE

Right: Deborah loves Kingsdown but guards against ‘holiday cottage syndrome’ Bottom left: ‘Strangely wild and secret’ — Deborah often thinks out her plots whilst swimming off Kingsdown beach

Deborah Moggach

The best-selling author whose novel These Foolish Things was adapted for the hit film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, has a long-standing relationship with Kingsdown, near Deal. She explains her love of the East Kent coast and how it has helped shape a successful literary career COTTAGE BY THE SEA My mother bought a cottage in Kingsdown and had it as her holiday home for 20 years. I fell in love with the village for all sorts of reasons; it has real local shops and a post office but it’s also strangely wild and secret. I fell in love with the plants that you find down on the shingle beach— snakeweed, horned poppies, kale, spinach and fennel. The flora is unique. After my mother died, I bought a cottage for myself in North Road. I used to go every

58 The Weekender

weekend and friends and family would come and stay all the time. I am very aware of the ‘holiday cottage syndrome’ —when people come and bring Waitrose bags down with them and contribute nothing to the local economy. I want my place to be alive all year round! WILD ABOUT WILDLIFE By staying here, I have discovered the wonderful bird life along the coast. I go to Pegwell Bay and the hide there to watch the waders and

migratory birds. I sometimes take the harbour master’s boat out at Sandwich and go seal watching. One of my favourite trips in the area was a helicopter ride to the Goodwin Sands — it was one of the greatest days of my life! My daughter and I were completely alone on the sand for at least two hours, apart from the seals of course. I love the fact that this coast has been a powerful defence for the shores of Britain, and I find it strangely moving. Some of it is not that beautiful but it feels as if it's guarding the country, which I love. THE PEREFCT SMALL TOWN I love bicycling into Deal. It’s the perfect small town with a raffish edge to it and a good balance of people—it’s not too poshed up and not too elderly, and the high street is still ticking. I go to the Black Douglas for cake and coffee or buy fish and chips from the Middle Street Fish Bar. If you go the other way from Kingsdown, you have these really beautiful cliffs and the countryside is a protected area which is teeming with badgers. I quite often arrive by train and walk to the house from Walmer station through the woods and the common. You don’t really need a car here at all, which is great. A WRITER’S RETREAT Kingsdown is quiet, and so perfect for writing. I normally work in the dining room which is next to the garden. In the summer, I swim practically everyday. You have wonderful swims in the morning because you head into the sun. It’s pretty magical. Swimming in the

sea and train journeys are great activities for thinking out plots. I think the older one gets, the more obsessed you get about the sea. It’s like getting into opera. It’s very good for the soul. I wrote part of my new novel Heartbreak Hotel here. Being here frees the spirit and frees you from responsibility. I even like staying on my own, even if after a few days I do start to get lonely. HEARTBREAK HOTEL Hearbreak Hotel is about an old actor and veteran of many marriages who has the rather cunning idea of running courses for divorces. It’s a place where you learn the right skills, get empowered and meet other people on the rebound—his students end up doing up his house, repairing his car and de-weeding his garden and they are paying for it! How did I get the idea? I just thought that’s the kind of thing one needs when a marriage breaks up. The story is set as far away from Kent as possible because I’ve recently been going to Wales, where my boyfriend lives. However, I’m very fond of Kent and I love the possibility that you can always jump on the Dover to Calais ferry, eat some moules marinières and be back the same day. Heartbreak Hotel by Deborah Moggach is published by Chatto & Windus

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