Vine | July 2011 | Issue 49

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YOUR FAVOURITE SEVENOAKS MAGAZINE W W W . V I N E D I G I TA L . C O . U K

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ISSUE 49

Celebrated biographer Mary S. Lovell examines the intimate family history of the Churchill dynasty

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2 vine July 2011 vinedigital.co.uk

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VINE

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ISSUE

49

• W W W. V I N E D I G I TA L . C O. U K

• YO U R

FAVOURITE

SEVENOAKS

What’s inside?

July 2011

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24 08 HEADLINES 12 COMMENT & OPINION 14 MONTHLY MUSTS 39 WALK OF THE MONTH 55 YOUR VINE 56 WHAT’S ON? 62 MUMBLINGS

FINANCE 32 INVESTMENT MATTERS Full Circle Asset Management inform us that as economic instability persists, understanding risk has never been more important for investors

VINE DINING 21 THIS MONTH’S TOP PICKS Vine goes for a meal at The Bull in Wrotham and visits The George & Dragon in Chipstead for a chat and a pint

FEATURES 17 AL FRESCO DINING Make the most of summer with Vine’s al fresco guide to outdoor dining 24 FAMILY MAN As well as being one of the most influential men in politics, Winston Churchill liked nothing better than relaxing in his beloved Kent home, Chartwell.

Celebrated biographer Mary S. Lovell examines the intimate family history of this legendary dynasty and tells Charlotte Luxford about her famous friends, fact-checking and aristocratic family dramas 50 GREAT DAYS OUT Vine brings you a comprehensive guide to the must-visit local attractions this summer, from medieval jousting to foraging in the forest

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Seveno r a Festivalks Roundup on p age 58

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WELLNESS 34 BOLD BRIGHTS Our favourite beauty buys to keep you looking great on your summer holiday PLUS Jason Crow explains why the over-45s should keep exercising

HOME & GARDEN 41 SLIDING SASH SOLUTIONS Shane Keens tells us how to inject some life into your fading sash windows PLUS Jessica Harris looks at what’s in her garden this month

FAMILY & KIDS 48 PINBOARD Vine’s regular family pinboard with news and events for your little ones Cover shot: Portrait of Winston Churchill at Chartwell taken by John Topham. ©TopFoto.co.uk

Welcome to Vine Dare I say it, but it seems that summer is finally here – exams are coming to an end; preparations are being made for that much-needed holiday and holding out for some decent weather is finally paying dividends.

There’s a real foodie feel to this issue and in between the torrential downpours and baking hot sunshine this month we have been putting together the very best of al fresco dining. What better way to spend a warm British summer afternoon than sampling the finest fare in your local area? In our guide, starting on page 17, you’ll find inspiring ways to deck out your garden for an outdoor feast and a shortlist of the best places to go when cooking isn’t on the agenda.

If you need ideas for entertaining the family during the summer holidays, continue the outdoors theme by visiting one of our recommended attractions on page 50, whether you’re after something educational or just great fun.

Also in this issue, the popular biographer Mary S. Lovell uncovers the intimate life of possibly the greatest British hero of the 20th-century, Sir Winston Churchill, in a fascinating biography of the Churchill family. I found her book totally gripping and the more I discovered about the lives of her subjects, the more I wanted to know.

She’s written about some captivating women in particular: not only the notorious Mitford sisters but also the 19th-century adventurer Jane Digby, Bess of Hardwick and aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart. Mary is an intriguing character herself: read my interview with her on page 24.

I hope that’s enough for you to get your teeth into, enjoy the issue!

Charlotte Luxford Editor charlotte@vinedigital.co.uk

vinedigital.co.uk July 2011 vine 7

HEADLINES

Another brick in the school

Sevenoaks Literary Festival

Cycling 1,000km across the mountains of Uganda is an extraordinary undertaking. This is the challenge facing Imogen Cust and her friend Lyn this August. £50,000 is the amount they hope to raise and every penny will go towards the building of the Kooki Primary School in Uganda. At the moment, the school has no walls, no desks and the nearest water is 1.5 km away.

They are working with the Tunbridge Wells charity Build Africa. Lyn was motivated to take part after surviving cancer while many people around her did not.

Imogen and Lyn both believe that this is a great chance to raise money to improve conditions and allow an additional 300 children in Uganda to have access to an education.

They will carry with them the first brick to commence the building of the Kooki School.

In June, Vine featured a fascinating interview with Rachel Campbell-Johnston, The Times’ art critic, on her book about Samuel Palmer.

We are very pleased to announce that Rachel will be opening this year’s Sevenoaks Literary Festival on September 19 at an event organised in conjunction with Vine.

This month we have an exclusive interview with biographer Mary S. Lovell about her new book on the family of Winston Churchill. Mary will be giving a talk at the literary celebration.

Other authors coming to Sevenoaks include award-winning poet Jackie Kay, who will talk about her memoir on the search for the parents who gave her up for adoption at birth. Vine will have a special interview with Jackie in August.

There is an amazing selection of writers booked and events taking place. Tickets go on sale at Sevenoaks Bookshop on July 30. See a full preview of the festival in Vine’s September issue.

n Go to www.anotherbrickintheschool.com to help support this worthy cause

Top tweets

Reader Giveaway

Vine and Sevenoaks Literary Festival have 10 tickets to Rachel CampbellJohnston’s talk on her Samuel Palmer biography to give away.

Email your details to win@vinedigital.co.uk

Catch Vine on Twitter @VineMagazine

Our pick of the best local tweets this month

Imogen and Lyn enjoying training before they set out on their 1,000km ride

Got home from a full day dancing to find a @VineMagazine on my doorstep!!

How lovely :)

You know you’re in Sevenoaks when you see men wearing cardigans tied around their shoulders!

My phone thinks Sevenoaks is literally in a different timezone. Social satire from HTC.

@torifootsteps

@emilihone

@Tdaplyn

Tonbridge Castle music

Tri-fest at Bewl Water

Choral singing and supper

Pantiles vintage fair

A spectacular array of music and opera can be experienced in the lovely outdoor setting of Tonbridge Castle from July 7-9. There is something for all tastes and ages to enjoy with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Magic Flute and a Candlelit Gala Concert rounding off the festival. Call 01732 770929 for tickets.

A new sporting event, Trifest, is launching at Bewl Water from July 8-10. This festival for triathlon lovers will feature a welcome party on the Friday, camping, entertainment and exhibits with 10,000 visitors expected. Over 3,000 competitors will take part in the main triathlon on Sunday. Visit www.trifest.co.uk

On July 16 at 7pm sip a glass of Pimm’s in the beautiful medieval courtyard of the 14thcentury Ightham Mote and enjoy some choral singing on a summer’s evening. This will be followed by a twocourse buffet supper in the Mote Restaurant.

Tickets £29.50, call 01732 811314 for more information and to book.

A vintage fair and flea market is being held at the Pantiles on the weekend of July 23-24.

There will be 1940s and 1950s-style entertainment and dancing. Visitors are encouraged to wear vintage outfits for this celebration of classic mid-century design, pre-loved items and retro style. Email markets@ pantilestraders.co.uk

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vinedigital.co.uk July 2011 vine 9

HEADLINES

Breast Cancer Care evening

Volunteers help at home and abroad Few people at home and abroad realise that there are areas of the United Kingdom that need help from volunteers and charities. An amazing scheme brings together teams of young people from both the UK and another country to help out in the respective locations.

This project is called Global Xchange and recently Laura Styles from Sevenoaks worked for three months in Aberdeen and three in Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, paired up with a resident there to focus on issues surrounding youth, health and unemployment.

For many of the overseas volunteers, it was a big shock to learn that there were people in ‘wealthy’ Britain who needed their help.

Laura said: “I appreciated the opportunity to help out local communities and learn more about my own country as well as life in Tanzania.” She would definitely encourage others to take part in such a voluntary scheme.

A three-course meal with best-selling author Martina Cole and former EastEnders star Marc Bannerman went for £600 at an auction to raise money for Breast Cancer Care last month.

The evening at Knole Academy was a sell-out, so far raising £4,789 for the charity that aims to get the best treatment, information and support to those affected by breast cancer.

Steph Harrison who organised the event has battled the disease. She led a question and answer session on the night with Martina Cole about her life and her writing.

She said: “It was a great evening, with an amazing atmosphere; it felt like the room was filled with love.”

Martina added: “I’m really happy to come along and support Steph; she has had some tough times and let’s face it, we all know someone who has been affected by this disease.” n For more information, contact Breast Cancer Care on 0808 800 600

Send us your stories Email your interesting stories, snippets and pictures to editor@vinedigital.co.uk or call the news desk directly on 01732 760823 and you could see your story in print

n For more information visit www.globalxchange.org.uk

A tale of two cities Intrepid Penny Farthing cyclists battled winds, rain, dodgy roads and French train timetables this June before pulling into 7 Hotel and Diner at Polhill for much-needed refreshments. Vine caught up with them there before they continued on their journey to London.

The riders from the United Kingdom, Canada and America cycled from Paris to London in five days, following Charles Dickens’ route from his 1859 book A Tale of Two Cities.

They then drove to the Guildhall under police escort where they were welcomed with champagne before the Pennies competed in the London Nocturne Series, a thrilling race around Smithfield Market. n Read more at www.antar.cc/trail_of_ two_cities

Events at Trinity Theatre

Balloons, bikes and Ferraris

The all-male company, Lord Chamberlain’s Men, will be performing Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the open air on the Pavilion Lawn at Leeds Castle from July 28-30.

Catch this entertaining tale in an idyllic setting.

Visit www.leedscastle.com for more information.

Trinity Theatre is welcoming comedy star Phill Jupitus for a warmup show on July 14. Also, local boy Jim Stapley will be returning to Tunbridge Wells for a gig on July 28 to launch his album, Jim Stapley – Live! Visit www. trinitytheatre.net to book.

Enjoy the combined attractions of Ferraris, Italian motorbikes, music, hot air balloons and the beautiful, romantic Groombridge Place Gardens on Sunday July 31. The gardens will stay open until 8pm. Call Jill Todd or Carrie Goodhew on 01892 861444 or mobile 07831 123987 for information and to book.

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VINE PUBLISHING LTD PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

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A Midsummer Night’s Dream

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Vine is published monthly in the UK by Vine Publishing Ltd. (Company reg no: 7195338) with a total circulation of 15,000. 8,500 land on the doormats of selected Sevenoaks households. An additional 6,500 are available through our extensive distribution network of over 150 pick-up points across the district. Printed in the UK by Acorn Web Ltd. Please recycle Vine.

The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions relating to advertising or editorial in Vine. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of the publisher. © 2011. All rights reserved.

Dreams that take shape At Kitchen Design of Sevenoaks we have over 30 years of experience in designing both contemporary and traditional kitchens. Choose from innovative features and inspiring technology to make your kitchen dream come true.

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vinedigital.co.uk July 2011 vine 11

COMMENT

COMMENT&OPINION Your monthly round-up of comments, views and interviews with figureheads and the public

SEC IEW V R E INT

New schools for old Westminster View from Michael Fallon MP which will get the same state funding per pupil as existing schools. They have to find suitable premises and start from scratch but I’m aware of two proposals to establish these in Sevenoaks, one with a strongly Christian outlook.

All this is long overdue. Children don’t have the same aptitudes and abilities: why should every school be the same? Councils don’t have a monopoly of housing – why should they have a monopoly in schooling?

I hope that we’ll end up with a rich variety of schools in the area – academy, denominational, council, grammar and independent – and thus more choice all round.

We need more choice and higher standards. Over the years we have been slipping in the international rankings. Since 2000, Britain has dropped from seventh to 25th in reading, from eighth to 28th in maths, from fourth to 16th in science. Too many children have failed to achieve five good GCSEs, and with them the chance of a fulfilling job.

Bureaucratic uniformity hasn’t worked: it’s time for change.

Schools are changing. Already there are four academies in my constituency, with two more awaiting approval. Academies are independent state schools that are free of council control; they can run their own affairs and set their own ethos: a longer school day, different timetable, staffing and management to suit their children’s needs.

Best known is the Knole Academy which opened last September, combining the former Bradbourne (girls) and Wildernesse (boys) into a single school. It’s still on two sites but the government has put up £17 million for a rebuild. But primary schools too, like Amherst in Riverhead, have seen the advantage of independence.

I visit schools every month (Dunton Green, St John’s, Sundridge and Brasted last month). One thing every head teacher tells me is how they want to escape from government paperwork – all those ministerial initiatives that cut across teachers’ common sense.

As well as academies, the government is also encouraging ‘free’ schools: completely new schools

Send us you rants and raves via twitter @vinemagazine

RANT & RAVE

@VineMagazine LIKE the video of Grapevine. Great event.

Standing on a train to Sevenoaks and @OfficeOccupiers a small French lady who speaks no English has decided to use my bag as a SEAT. Well, this is awkward...

Have only just discovered that there is Krispy Kreme in Sevenoaks. How did I not know about this!!!!?

@georgiadear

@APGolf

Every month we interview a notable member of your community

Cheryl Baker The music and TV star is always busy, appearing on our screens at the moment in the ITV series Pop Star to Opera Star. She also spends her time directing the local Bullfrog Summer Workshops for up-and-coming young talent What are you working on at the moment?

I am learning how to be an opera singer and preparing for a 30th anniversary show with Mike Nolan and Jay Aston from the original Bucks Fizz at the London Palladium.

I am also getting ready for the Bullfrog Youth Group production of West Side Story at The Stag on August 12-13, which I am directing.

What motivates you?

Life! Every morning is another fabulous day where you can do almost anything you want if you put your mind to it.

What in particular are you looking forward to about the Bullfrog Summer Workshops?

Working with the young, local talent again. I directed the previous shows, Footloose and Fame which were great.

West Side Story has such fabulous music and dancing, it will be wonderful to see them at the auditions on July 20 and watch them develop over the two weeks of rehearsal. It will be hard work for the cast but it’s so rewarding when they hear the audience cheer.

What is your favourite memory?

One in particular was when my sister and I sang ‘Mary’s Boy Child’ at a carol concert without accompaniment, just our voices in harmony. You could have heard a pin drop and we got a standing ovation. To say I was elated is a serious understatement!

What annoys you?

Untidiness, bad time-keeping and people who “can’t be bothered.” Actually, I am naturally an untidy person and I have always suffered from bad time-keeping so I really annoy myself!

How do you relax?

Sudoku or crosswords. I also like running, especially around Bradbourne Lakes or Dunorlan Park.

Do you have a favourite place in Kent?

Have just sat on a #southeastern train at Sevenoaks for 30 mins as the train across from us was on fire. Nice. Power is back...

@meacod

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60 OND

I love Kent and it’s so difficult to choose one favourite place. Ightham Mote is gorgeous; Bewl Water is fabulous; Sevenoaks town is lovely; the view from Bidborough Ridge is unbelievable and some of the Kent coastline – for instance Broadstairs, could be the Caribbean. n For more information on the Bullfrog Summer Workshops, visit www.bullfrogproductions.co.uk

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MUST-TASTE July 2011

Beautiful British cherries are in season this July. Celebrate this luscious fruit at the Brogdale Farm Cherry Festival July 9-10. Brogdale is home of the National Fruit Collection and has over 320 varieties of cherries including the lesser-known Frogmore Early, Napoleon and Smoky Dun. There will be cherry tastings, guided tours and cookery demonstrations. You can also buy punnets of cherries to make into a lovely cherry pithivier or just enjoy the juicy fruit on their own for a taste of summer.

MONTHLY

MUSTS A roundup of trends, what’s new and must-have buys from your local area

n Visit www.brogdalecollections.co.uk

MUST-READ For perfect holiday reading, indulge in the beautifully-illustrated book by Vita Sackville-West’s grandson, The Smell of Summer Grass, based partly on the long-out-of-print Perch Hill. Adam Nicolson, married to cook and gardener Sarah Raven, tells the story of all the triumphs and disasters that take place after he and Sarah arrive at Perch Hill in 1994, leaving their metropolitan lifestyle to create a personal Arcadia at a run-down farm in the Sussex Weald. The Observer says: “A delightful memoir – a reminder that the very best writing starts at home.” Harper Collins, £20 n Visit www.sevenoaksbookshop.co.uk

MUST-VISIT If you like your classic cars, this month you’re in luck with two spectacular events at some of the best heritage sites, so there’s something for all the family.

Enjoy a picnic at Chiddingstone Castle on July 10 where you can view beautifully-restored Bentleys with the backdrop of the picturesque castle and its lake. If you haven’t had enough, ‘Wings Wheels and Wartime’ at the stunning Groombridge Place has up to 400 vintage cars, plus a vast collection of wartime memorabilia, on July 3.

MUST-LISTEN Stem the Tide is the second album from Scottish folkie Paul McKenna and his extremely talented cohorts and offers a blend of traditional and contemporary Celtic music. McKenna’s heartfelt Scottish lilt, combined with some fine instrumental work from fiddler Rua MacMillan and flute and whistle specialist Sean Gray, makes for a stirring album that is bound to reach the acclaim of its predecessor. n Call The Compact Disc on 01732 740889

n Visit www.chiddingstonecastle.org.uk and www.groombridge.co.uk

MUST-HAVE MUSTTraditional craftsmanship (and printmaking in particular) has really made a comeback, especially in those pieces inspired by 20thcentury greats like Eric Ravilious and Edward Bawden. Bawden created many fantastic prints for Transport for London, which are now highly sought after. Sevenoaks artist Melvyn Evans has followed in Bawden’s footsteps by creating a spectacular digital print, Thames People and Tides, which won second place in the Serco Prize at the London Transport Museum. He has also produced linocuts inspired by Knole Park which are certainly worth a look. All prints are available from Melvyn’s studio at 33 Hitchen Hatch Lane, Sevenoaks.

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n www.melvynevans.com

MUST-SEE The Comedy of Errors kicks off a Shakespearean extravaganza this July (July 7 and 9) at The Churchill Theatre, where, if you’re a Shakespeare fan, you’ll certainly get your fix of the Bard. Alongside this lesser-known play are classics like A Midsummer Night’s Dream on July 31 and an open-air performance of Twelfth Night on July 10 at the Bromley Amphitheatre.

Prepare to be mystified, dazzled and outwitted by this comical collection of Shakespeare’s plays. n Visit www.ambassadortickets.com/The-Churchill

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FEATURE

Haxted Mill: a Mediterranean haven

AL FRESCO DINING

Make the most of summer with Vine’s al fresco guide to outdoor dining

The King’s Head?

C’est magnifique!

Haxted Mill becomes a romantic setting at night for a delightful meal on its candlelit terraces

The King’s Head at Bessel’s Green has recently opened under new ownership and this summer is the perfect time to visit for excellent food and to enjoy their wonderful outside space. There is a large decking section, a children’s play-area and each Saturday (weatherpermitting!), a barbecue is held outside with local sausages, 100 per cent beef burgers and a great range of salads as well.

Anne Peeks, who runs the pub with her husband Allen, is French, with French influences naturally present in the menu. This has

While not many restaurants naturally lend themselves to al fresco dining, Haxted Mill epitomises the enjoyment and ambience that surrounds the term al fresco.

Haxted Mill has enjoyed 26 years of success and offers a truly unique experience. Wonderful candlelit terraces filled with olive trees and geraniums overlook the mill race and pond, making it absolutely perfect for those warm summer evenings.

The restaurant is situated in the beautiful Eden Valley in the heart of the Kent countryside, where you can watch the sun go down over the fields and sip on a glass of well-chilled Meursault Premier Cru or a very

reasonably-priced house wine at £15.95.

There is a choice of menus: a fixed price menu offering a choice of three starters, three main courses and two desserts at £17.50 for two courses and £22.50 for three courses (excluding Saturday night) and a full à la carte menu featuring fresh fish and seafood and local beef and lamb from Hever.

For an intimate summer wedding or sophisticated celebration, the restaurant is available for small private parties and weddings of up to 52 people. n Visit www.haxtedmill. co.uk or call 01732 862 914 to book

been met with approval from the locals who are clamouring for more French food!

To celebrate Bastille Day, the King’s Head is hosting a French Night on July 14. There will be a special menu featuring the crème de la crème of French food. After a welcoming Kir Royal, Matt from Durrants Wines will be orchestrating some great French wine tasting as well as a celebratory three-course dinner, gastronomic questions, prizes, coffee and chocolates. Dishes include fresh seafood, foie gras with toast, fleur de sel and quince jam, steak béarnaise, wing of skate with black butter sauce, French cheeses and indulgent desserts.

Hopefully the weather for the evening will be as balmy as a night on the Côte d’Azur, allowing Kir Royals to be sipped in the garden. However, if the weather remains stubbornly British then the evening will be just as successful in the cosy interior of the King’s Head! n French Night tickets are £45 per person, to book call 01732 452081 delightful 18 The vine July deck 2011 vinedigital.co.uk in the garden

Tonbridge Farmers’ Market: totally delicious!

Gather together a selection of local and seasonal delicacies and enjoy them seated at the centre of the new, spacious Tonbridge Farmers’ Market, held outdoors at Sovereign Way on the second Sunday of each month. This is a really convenient location near the Waitrose car park in Tonbridge and parking nearby is free on Sundays.

Stroll round over 40 stalls selling a diverse selection of produce from across the south-east. Set among the stalls is a large, covered seating area, reminiscent of Borough Market or markets abroad.

When in need of refreshment, take a seat and enjoy a lazy brunch of local sausages; make time for elevenses with a slice of cake or spread out on the table a range of olives, breads, chutneys, cured meats and cheeses for an informal lunch. This is an incredibly relaxing and delicious way to spend a Sunday morning.

Barbecue Season Is Here!

Come in and try our prime cuts of beef, local free range sausages and our own home-reared venison, perfect for a summer barbecue Open Tue, Wed & Fri S 9am - 4pm HO P & Sat 9am - 3pm

Selling Our Owntown/just Home-Reared Ve 5 mins from Sevenoaks off A25 Free Farmyard Parking and Other Locally Sourced, Fine

n Visit tonbridgefarmersmarket.co.uk The next Tonbridge Farmers’ Market is July 10, 9.30am to 1.30pm

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Open Tue, Wed & Fri 9am - 4 Chart Farm, Seal & Sat 9am - 3pm Chart, Sevenoaks, 5 mins from Sevenoaks town Kent TN15 0ES Chart Farm, Seal Chart, t: 01732 761672 Sevenoaks, Kent m: 07976 726 469 TN15 0ES T:www.chartfarm.com 01732 761672 / 07976 726 www.chartfarm.com

The Chequers Inn: completely charming!

Beautiful hanging-baskets and contrasting tubs sporting vibrant red geraniums immediately catch your eye outside the Chequers Inn at Heaverham. The location is superb; only six miles from Sevenoaks town centre yet in a beautifully rural setting with local walks nearby and lovely views over the surrounding countryside.

There are over half an acre of gardens which provide an ideal spot to enjoy a jug of Pimm’s and some of the locally-sourced food, especially at the moment while the roses are in bloom. They have some great beers on tap and will be hosting a beer festival later this summer.

The traditional, timber-framed Tudor barn can be hired for functions and the pub offers tailor-made catering. If it is raining, enjoy the cosy interior of the pub but make the most of any decent weather outside with relaxed and delicious barbecues, live music and even a hog roast. n Email thechequers heaverham@live. co.uk or call 01732 763968

The Beacon: beautiful panoramic views Sip a drink and enjoy dinner on the veranda of the Beacon Bar and Restaurant near Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells. The outside space offers an excellent vantage point for superb, uninterrupted, panoramic views across the lovely Kent countryside.

The Beacon started life as a private house built in 1895 and it has a relaxed, informal atmosphere yet still maintains its original, elegant style. The bar and restaurant is set in 17 acres and is ideal for a friendly Sunday lunch, a party or a wedding reception.

The menu comprises fresh, local, ingredients, for example, Pembury Porker sausages and Weald smoked-salmon. The family-run team at the Beacon are also able to offer barbecues or a hog roast for a special occasion. Why not visit to enjoy one of their special wild raspberry bellinis and perhaps a sharing platter of charcuterie with homemade pickles on the veranda: how delicious! n For more information, call 01892 524252 or visit the website www.the-beacon.co.uk

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VINE DINING

nice & SIMPLE T

For irresistibly creamy, local and handmade ice cream, Simply Ice Cream is hard to beat, says Jessica Harris

he smell of sugar and sweetness fills the air at The Nook in Ashford. Molten honeycomb is poured onto trays to cool before being crushed with a rolling pin – a satisfying procedure – then folded into a base mix. This is where Sally Newall, who created Simply Ice Cream, meticulously makes by hand small batches of her delicious, smooth and creamy ices.

Sally and her mother have run a catering company for over 20 years, and they still do today. Sally’s ice cream has always been a hugely popular dessert and clients kept asking her where they could buy this ice cream so Sally decided to start her business, first of all supplying a local farm shop. Her ice cream proved to be a hit, selling in over 280 outlets, including 40 branches of Waitrose in the south-east of England. From this month it will be available through distributors into retail across the whole country. However, Sally, mother of four children, still whisks the mixture by hand.

This means whisking the cream, milk and sugar to the right consistency before freezing. No machines are used and definitely none of the preservatives, extra air, added water or skimmed milk powders which go into batchproduced ice creams. It is incredible that Sally is still whisking her ice creams by hand when it is now in such high demand, but she is determined to stick with this handmade process to ensure a really creamy and smooth ice cream.

Simply Ice Cream relies on excellent local, natural and seasonal products, allowing the quality and the

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flavours to speak for themselves. The milk and cream come from South East Dairy farmers and fruit such as strawberries, raspberries, cherries and apples are all local.

At the moment, Sally is working on her raspberry ice as the raspberries in Kent have been so early this year.

Ingredients such as vanilla and chocolate that come from warmer climes are sourced from the best Madagascan vanilla and the exquisite artisan British chocolate shop Demarquette supplies 67 per cent cocoa-solid chocolate.

Vine can reveal that Simply Ice Cream will be launching two amazing new ranges this summer: a selection of nut ice creams and sorbets. The flavours are mouth-watering and if anyone has tried Simply Ice Cream’s best-selling Heavenly Honeycomb Crunch, I know that the Toffee Waffle Hazelnut, Pistachio, Hazelnut, Chilli Chocolate Almond and Maple Walnut will also be loved. The sorbets will showcase delicious fruit: the four flavours are Lemon, Mango, Blackcurrant and Raspberry and the latter two will of course be made with local fruit. Simply Ice Cream is a wonderful example of a local, small-scale business making simply delicious ice cream and sorbets for everyone to enjoy.

▲ Sally whisks by hand fresh raspberries into the cream, milk and sugar mix n Visit www. simplyicecream.co.uk for more information or buy Simply Ice Cream from all good stockists

THE BULL IN WROTHAM

A gastronomic experience of the freshest seasonal produce and culinary excellence can be enjoyed at this charming 14th-century inn 01732 789800 | www.thebullhotel.com

A

ice cream. The bread and butter pudding is menu – each with a great choice of dishes. My short drive from the heart splendidly squidgy with a lovely crème anglais Spanish garlic and bread soup with a poached of Sevenoaks you will fi nd that maintains the delicious flavour of the hen’s egg is flavoursome, with essence of the tranquil and picturesque vanilla pods without being too heavy. smoked paprika and a subtle hint of garlic, village of Wrotham. While All of this is incredibly well-priced: pub while the deliciously-melted Welsh rarebit has it is a small place, it holds the lunch can start from £10 a head for two a lovely tang about it. jewel in the crown of Kentish courses or three courses à la We both choose dishes with cuisine and everyone is talking about it. carte can be had for £19.50. The locally-sourced meat from The Bull at Wrotham has just received superb Sunday roast lunch starts Hartley Bottom Farm for two national accolades: it was awarded an from £12, served until 8pm. the main course, but one is a AA Rosette for its outstanding ‘culinary Due to its competitive pricing, Rajasthani beef curry and the excellence’ and recently starred in The Sun The Bull guests excellent food, innovative cooking other is lamb cutlets with tender, newspaper as a great place to stay with and relaxed atmosphere, The braised leeks and a sweet yet ‘amazing food’. can eat with Bull attracts a significant amount piquant wholegrain mustard You don’t get an AA Rosette for simply confidence of customers from further afield. mash with a delectable jus. delicious food – a certain amount of skill is For those who have come that The lamb is superbly pink and and a sense of required for each dish. The Bull painstakingly extra mile, there’s the possibility succulent and the curry is wellputs together fresh and seasonal produce with anticipation of staying in one of The Bull’s flavoured with cardamom, garlic creative flair and innovation, which left the clean and sophisticated rooms, and tomatoes. Rather than its inspector saying: “The Bull guests can eat recommended by the AA Guide, spice, the fi rst thing that hits with confidence and a sense of anticipation.” or The Bull offer the unique you about the curry is its As I pull up to the 14th-century former inn, I service of a free taxi home, freshness. It has a sensible heat arrive ravenous and with high expectations as which is perfect for parties who have gone and the complex, individual flavours come I’ve heard such good things about it. out together and enjoyed some of Martin’s through for a rewarding mouthful.

Sitting in the beautifully-decorated delectable wine. See the reader offer for more Pudding consists of a moist ginger parkin dining area, there’s a rich sense of history details. with a spiced treacle sauce and vanilla ice and nostalgia here, with smatterings of cream; the parkin certainly has a kick, which intriguing wartime memorabilia such as words: Charlotte Luxford is complemented by the cool sensation of the posters and paintings. Biggin Hill pilots used to come and drink here during WWII. I’m greeted by a crisp and refreshing glass of Les Chapelières from Southern France, which is a sophisticated blend of Ugni Blanc and Colombard. Owner Martin Deadman has imported a 60-bottle selection of wine from Languedoc-Roussillon, with some of the vines dating back to 1898, so if wine is your thing, The Bull is spot on. However, their draft lagers and beers are just as well-sourced: our head of design had a lager from Chapel Down in Tenterden, which is known more for its award-winning wines than lager, but this was fruity and full of flavour.

On a Wednesday Reader Offer lunchtime, the place is practically full, which Free taxi home any day of the bears testament to week. Book a table and we will its success. We have organise a taxi to take you home at Martin Deadman celebrates The beautifully-decorated dining the choice of an à la no charge to you! Contact Boris with chef James Hawkes area has a rich sense of history carte menu or the bar or Emma for more details on 01732 789 800

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VINE DINING

The George & Dragon Chipstead

Address: Cheapest Pint: Tel: Opening times: Food: In a sentence: words:

My favourite seat is a little intimate nook by the traditional fireplace which must be the best seat in the house in winter and would make the perfect setting for a romantic dinner

39 High Street, Chipstead TN13 2RW £2.90 01732 779019 11am –11pm, seven days a week A true showcase of Kentish produce with bold simplicity and flavour

PUB

A relaxed yet sophisticated pub that shines through in terms of atmosphere and culinary excellence

of

the month

Charlotte Luxford

I

t is very possible that you have driven past The George & Dragon in Chipstead before if you live in this neck of the woods and it is even more likely that you meant to check it out due to a great recommendation from a friend. We always say we’ll get round to doing these things, but this pub is genuinely worth the follow-up.

The George & Dragon comes into its own in summer and winter months in particular – you only have to walk out into its glorious garden right now and you are instantly blown away by the fragrance of flowers and herbs and its picturesque nature; perfect for al fresco dining at the weekend. Inside, this 400-year-old pub is a haven of oak beams, antique wood furnishings and that classic Farrow and Ball grey/green colour which identifies it as a proper country haunt. My favourite seat is a little intimate nook by the traditional fireplace which must be the best seat in the house in winter and would make the perfect setting for a romantic dinner for two. The beamed splendour of the upstairs dining room is ideal for a relaxed and sophisticated meal and there’s the ‘treehouse’ for intimate dinner parties of up to 10 who want something a bit special.

The food is something to wax lyrical about and the staff at the George & Dragon take pride in every dish they serve up, whether it’s one of their legendary 28-day-aged rib-eye steak sandwiches with a Westerham Brewery pint (try their exclusive ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’ or the local Grasshopper) or a three-course meal.

Expect to start with something like the summer green pea and mint soup, which includes fresh produce from their very own veg patch or, for a larger group, I’d tuck into their ‘Deli board’, which really is a showcase for Kent’s fi nest produce with a selection of cured meats, cheeses, pickles and chutneys. The George & Dragon chefs believe the flavours should speak for themselves, so they keep dishes gloriously simple, such as the south-coast black bream and summer couscous salad or the more traditional bangers and mash from Bridge Farm. However, more than likely you’ll never fi nd the same thing on the menu twice, as it changes daily and is subject to availability, which speaks

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volumes with regards to the freshness of the produce and its seasonality. If you don’t believe that, their recent success at The Taste of Kent awards is testament to the success of the pub, despite fierce competition from the ever-growing number of ‘gastropubs’ in the area.

While the George & Dragon is good for food, don’t expect that you have to dress up for the occasion; the food may come with fi nesse but if you just want to slouch in one of their sofas with the paper and a pint or need a quick bite to eat, it makes absolutely no difference, the vibe is always the same – inviting, with understated sophistication. I’d defi nitely stop by for one of their cocktails though – July’s is a ‘Louisiana’ in a jam jar with ingredients including organic apricot jam and Southern Comfort. Surely it’s worth popping by for one of those alone. www.georgeanddragonchipstead.com

The George & Dragon’s inviting and sophisticated interior

PUB & PARENTS JOIN FORCES FOR CHARITY One small boy on the road to recovery sparks a rousing charity event at The Woodman in Ide Hill, after his parents decide they want to give something back to the Variety Children’s Hospital his body,” said his mother and event organiser Lindsay Hobson. The family were told that Joshua probably would not make it to the end of the pregnancy, but amazingly Joshua was born in September last year. In March, Joshua underwent 7.5 hours of surgery and has since responded very well to the care and treatment he received from the hospital.

“Mark and Lindsay want to give something back to the hospital, having provided them with amazing support and giving their son a second chance to live a normal life,” said landlord Heinz Klose.

“The staff work so hard and make such a huge difference to people’s lives but are always in need of new equipment or funds for research to make their jobs easier and more effective. We hope to be able to help them in some way,” said Lindsay.

On the day there will be a barbecue and three local bands – Hush, Coupe

De Ville and Wasted.

A raffle, tombola and an auction will also take place, with other activities throughout the day and an early-evening performance of Zumba Cabaret.

With the Woodman’s rockery; fishpond; dovecote; Harvey the gigantic rabbit; beautiful flowerbeds and good food, the pub will make an enchanting backdrop for this fun day out with a good cause. n For information visit www.thewoodmanidehill.co.uk Joshua Hobson after surgery (left) and now (right)

▲

I

nspired by the plight of one local family, The Woodman in Ide Hill has decided to put on a special all-day charity event, where children can enjoy a fantastic day of animals, music, facepainting and more.

On July 17 the pub will raise money for the Variety Children’s Hospital, King’s College Hospital London after the son of the pub’s regular customers, Mark and Lindsay Hobson, was diagnosed with cysts on his lungs at the 20week scan.

“Little Joshua’s expanding lung was compromising his heart and pushing it over onto the wrong side of

The

LIVE MUSIC

There is live music every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night and every fourth Monday we host an 18-piece Big Swing Band

Woodman Ide Hill Goathurst common ide hill Sevenoaks kent tn14 6bu www.thewoodman-idehill.co.uk

01732 750 296 We are proud to offer you restaurant-quality meals, cooked to order, prepared from fresh seasonal produce to create a variety of tempting dishes.

We are well-known for our South African speciality dishes. We serve food all day every day. We have an extensive wine list and a choice of traditional hand-pulled and cask-conditioned ales. Our air conditioned function room can be booked free of charge and is suitable for all occasions including wedding receptions, private parties, conferences, business meetings and club meetings.

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MAN 24 vine July 2011 vinedigital.co.uk

FEATURE

Sir Winston Churchill is one of Britain’s greatest heroes of the 20th century. As well as being one of the most influential men in politics, he liked nothing better than relaxing in his beloved Kent home, Chartwell, with his family. Celebrated biographer Mary S. Lovell examines the intimate family history of this legendary dynasty in her latest book The Churchills. Here, she tells Charlotte Luxford about her famous friends, factchecking and aristocratic family dramas

WORDS CHARLOTTE LUXFORD

M

© TOPFOTO.CO.UK

Charlie Chaplin,Winston and Clementine Churchill and members of a house party at Chartwell

ary is not only a prolific biographer, officially starting her career at the age of 40, but a woman whose own life deserves recognition. She says she prefers to write about ‘adventurous women’ and while merely hinting at some of the extraordinary things she has done in her time, it is clear that Mary is quite the adventurer herself. As an avid rider before she broke her back, she was a Master of Foxhounds; she has flown planes and has a passion for aviation; she was an ocean racer and still travels extensively with a penchant for Middle-Eastern deserts. While she writes about celebrated society figures Mary has her own cache of big names stashed in her little black book. She mentions her dear friend Debo (Dowager Duchess of Devonshire, Deborah Cavendish) and the Churchills among countless others during the course of our conversation.

Although Mary has written about the greatest hero of her time, Sir Winston Churchill (she recalls listening avidly to his speeches on the radio – “Winnie’s on tonight!”), she admits “I never really felt I got on top of him”. While Winston is the overriding focus of Mary’s attention in the book, The Churchills is a richly-layered portrait of the fascinating and extensive collection of family members within this illustrious clan, each with their own story to tell. Known to be ambitious, brave, impulsive, often impecunious and sometimes melancholic, the Churchill family share traits that have determined the triumphs and failures in their lives.

In The Churchills you get a sense that Mary prefers to focus on the strong female figures in the family and she is happy to admit that.

“I’ve always felt I could understand women better and empathise with them,” Mary explains. The majority of her biographies are written about women which gives testament to this, including Beryl Markham, Amelia Earhart, Jane Digby, Betty ‘Cynthia’ Pack, the Mitford Girls and Bess of Hardwick, only deviating to record the lives of male personalities Sir Richard Burton and Churchill. “With women I always feel on firmer ground and just as men say they will ‘never understand women’, I think it works the other way too.

Winston was my hero but I can imagine he would be very difficult to live with and although he adored his wife Clementine, he could be arrogant.”

While Churchill treasured his home in Kent, his wife loathed it.

Churchill purchased Chartwell for £5,000 at a time when money

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FEATURE

“

The Churchills is a richly-layered portrait of the fascinating and extensive collection of family members within this illustrious clan, each with their own story to tell

was tight and Clementine, who had grown up in a fractured family with a gambling mother, was paranoid about falling into debt. “Churchill wanted his own little piece of Blenheim,” explains Mary, “as his vision was to continue the family dynasty (Blenheim Palace was the grand Churchill family home). Although Clementine had forbidden it, Churchill had bought the place when she was ‘lying in’ after the birth of their fifth child Mary.

She was angry, but she did her best to always make it a place where Winston could relax. She had said to her daughter later in life that every bit of her went on their father at her children’s expense.”

However, Churchill’s relationship with his wife was an affectionate one and their daughter Mary Soames demonstrates this in Speaking for Themselves, a carefullyselected collection of letters which represents a portion of those that Winston and his wife ‘Clemmie Cat’ wrote to each other. “They exchanged hundreds of letters during a marriage that lasted over 50 years and it is incredible to see this tenderness in their letters on a daily basis – they would even send letters to each other when they were in the same house.”

The Churchill family had plenty of society beauties: there was Winston’s mother, Jennie, who reputedly had over 200 lovers, and also ‘the dollar princess’ Consuelo Vanderbilt who was forced by her mother, Alva, into an unhappy marriage to the morose ninth Duke of Marlborough, ironically nicknamed ‘Sunny’. Consuelo was secretly engaged to the love of her life and “the handsomest bachelor in society”, Winthrop Rutherfurd.

At the time of her marriage to Marlborough, she reportedly wept under her veil as she walked up the aisle. Mary herself honeymooned at Consuelo’s chateau, which was inherited by Diana Guest, and she

deeply empathised with Consuelo’s plight: having a granddaughter now around Consuelo’s age, Mary said she practically cried when writing about it.

Mary admits that she is a great hoarder and keeps everything – perhaps a trait from her 20-year career as an accountant. She is keen to correct my misapprehension of accountancy (I imagined a numerical-based role), which she says lends itself almost entirely to her current role as a biographer. “I was a project accountant, which meant I would research the information, collate it all and then write it up in as persuasive a manner as possible – really it acted as an apprenticeship for my biographical work.”

Like many of her subjects, Mary keeps a diary, recording all aspects of her life. As a biographer, Mary must know all too well the value of having written evidence straight from the horse’s mouth and I can imagine it would make for an interesting read. She’s quite coy about it though. “Having a diary is amazingly useful. I put on a picnic every year for Ascot – I was there today in fact – so I can look back and remember what I did last year; it’s more of a practical diary, not just ‘Oh I saw so-and-so today and my God hasn’t she put on weight!’ As Oscar Wilde said, ‘one should always have something sensational to read in the train!’ Not that my diaries are sensational as such, but they may prove interesting to somebody one day.” Mary does admit that her diaries contain plenty of secrets that she wouldn’t want to share until she’s gone – a biographer’s field day.

Mary herself still prefers traditional correspondence and writes faithfully to her friend Debo: “We write to each other most months. She’s terribly funny and utterly charming; it’s the little things she says that make you laugh.” Mary has been fortunate enough to meet

“

© TOPFOTO.CO.UK © BLENHEIM PALACE/JARROLD PUBLISHING

© TOPFOTO.CO.UK

26 vine July 2011 vinedigital.co.uk

© MITFORD ARCHIVE, CHATSWORTH* © CHARTWELL/NATIONAL TRUST

(Opposite page, far left) The newlyweds: Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine around the time of their marriage; (Opposite page, right) Family portrait: the 9th Duke of Marlborough, ‘Sunny’, and the ‘dollar princess’ Consuelo Vanderbilt with their children; (Above) Duchess: ‘Debo’ aged 17; (Right) A family home: Chartwell, which Churchill bought for £5,000, much to his wife’s annoyance; (Below right) Novelist: First edition of Nancy Mitford’s The Pursuit of Love, published by Hamish Hamilton, 1945

four of the six renowned Mitford sisters. The Times’ journalist Ben Macintyre bluntly sums them up in his article ‘Those utterly maddening Mitford girls’ as: “Diana the Fascist, Jessica the Communist, Unity the Hitler-lover; Nancy the Novelist; Deborah the Duchess and Pamela the unobtrusive poultry connoisseur.”

While this is clearly a simplistic summary of these complex and charismatic women, they certainly were an unconventional family.

I have to ask Mary that question: Did Unity really have an affair with Hitler? “She had a teenage crush and adored Hitler, but there was certainly no sex.

Diana, who also spent much time with Hitler, was convinced that this was the case and believed he wasn’t really interested in sex. However, if Unity had been asked, Diana said she would certainly have said yes.”

So why did he see so much of her? “Well, she was the cousin of Churchill and he may well have believed that she had a significant pull in the UK.” However, on the brink of war being declared she refused to accept its inevitability and said she’d rather ‘commidit’ (commit suicide) than choose between Britain and Germany.

On the day that war was declared on Germany, she attempted to take her own life and shot herself in the head. It was a miracle she survived. “The Churchill family also had problems with depression, suffering with melancholia as it would have been called then,” says Mary. “Even Churchill had a bout of ‘the black dog’ and subjected himself to electroconvulsive therapy.”

Mary had her first encounter with a Mitford in the 1980s. “I was introduced to Pamela Jackson at a dinner party in Gloucestershire: as hostess, she kept the table highly entertained and a remark was made about the Mitfords. It was then I began to suspect who she might be. I asked someone later who confirmed she was indeed one of the Mitford sisters. Remarkably, I was told that she had her Aga sprayed to match the colour of her eyes – and it was true!”

“I received a call from a Decca Treuhaft a few years later; the name didn’t mean much to me, until she said it was Jessica Mitford and that she’d read a copy of my book on Beryl Markham. Decca said she liked the book and it would make a great film so she passed it on to a well-known Hollywood lawyer. She was very kind to me, so it was a complete shock when I discovered that Decca was not so jolly as she had been with me. She could be very funny though and when I spent six weeks in Ohio State University reading through her letters, it was hard not to laugh out loud at times! However, I struggled with her politics and it frightened me to read on as I discovered more about her. When I met Decca’s widower Robert and he told me about her I remember sitting in his kitchen absolutely horrified and I felt that what he was telling me was too personal.”

So how does Mary avoid offending the families of her subjects? “You have to be careful to strike a balance; you want to provide your readers with enjoyment, but a biography is historical and fact-checking is so important to me. I don’t write off gossip, but when I do have a piece of information that may be legitimate and too important to overlook, I have to back it up by finding at least three or four other sources which relate to the same piece of gossip to even consider mentioning it. It’s not my style to say something happened for certain unless I am sure of the facts. These are people’s lives after all and I have an obligation to my contributors – the families of those I am writing about are my primary sources and nothing would make me want to upset them. I was lucky that those like Minnie Churchill and Mary Soames were supportive of my books, although I did feel awful when Diana Mosley said to me after reading the book that she never realised how much her sister Nancy hated her!

However, she still invited me to lunch afterwards so she must not have felt too bad about it!”

Many of Mary’s books focus on captivating women – but who does she consider to be the woman of the

* REPRODUCED BY PERMISSION OF THE DOWAGER DUCHESS OF DEVONSHIRE

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FEATURE

© MITFORD ARCHIVE, CHATSWORTH*

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something new. It’s terribly romantic – I love it!” She reads it religiously every winter when she stays at her son’s villa in Barbados by herself, taking a break from her hectic schedule. “I’m a bit of a loner actually.

I’m just happy to sit on the beach and watch people, especially couples, and read a good book.” While she likes a traditional paperback, she is wise to recognise the rapid rise of reading electronically on devices such as the Kindle. She says she’d buy one just so she could have all of Anthony Trollope’s books with her when she travels, another writer whom she greatly admires.

However, her prized possessions are her photographs.

“I have so many treasured photographs and photo albums. I have been lucky enough to have three wonderful husbands and the pictures and memories of my partners are just irreplaceable. There are ones from when we lived in California in the 1960s for example, when LA was a discreet town back then and my son was a little boy.”

Mary has written about hundreds of balls, dinners and parties, so finally I ask her: Who would she host at her ultimate dinner party? “Oh, it would have to be my heroine Elizabeth I and Lord Leicester so I could ask them the big question – did they ‘get’ together? I’d have Lord Burghley there too – Elizabeth was such a great picker of men! As was Queen Victoria for that matter; all her men ran the cabinet with vision, even when Albert died. I’d also invite Sir Richard Burton...gosh, I’d have to have a think about it. Maybe I can ask them all when I’m in heaven!”

© VERITY VOGUE

moment? She’s already written about Debo and the pioneering aviator Beryl Markham and says she doesn’t really admire anyone contemporary. “Well, Catherine Middleton isn’t worth writing about yet; only time will tell what mark she will make in history. I do admire Princess Anne. She has fantastic horsemanship and shoots from the hip, but I do like to write about truly adventurous women... there just aren’t many who inspire me now. Lady Gaga for example doesn’t turn me on at all and although she has a huge audience I’m just not that interested! I do admire the Queen greatly, so she would probably be my woman of the moment. I have to say though, Catherine’s mother, Carol Middleton is attracting a lot of attention right now. When I was at Ascot today, Carol was beautifully dressed and she was the most elegant woman at the Royal wedding.”

Mary is passionate about her books; as we talk she is looking around at her library, which contains a few thousand titles on wall-to-wall shelves. “I don’t think I could live without my books. While they’re not catalogued, when I need to look for a particular book I know exactly where it is.” Appealing to Mary’s adventurous streak, her favourite non-fiction book is Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T. E. Lawrence. “The adventure satisfies me,” she says. Mary faithfully visits Syria often and has previously led numerous tours there based around the life of the 19th-century adventurer Jane Digby, who married a tribesman and adopted Middle-Eastern customs. Mary says, “I just love Syria and I’ve been every year since 1993. It represents the foundations of western civilisation before Roman occupation. It demonstrates that the human condition has not changed one whit and I don’t believe we’ve really evolved at all actually – we still think and feel the same as they did in 3,500 BC.” Mary’s favourite novel is also a story of adventure: Shogun by James Clavell. “It’s based on an Elizabethan adventurer who sails to Japan and becomes the ruler’s right-hand man – every time I read it I discover

The Mitford family pose for a photograph at Swinbrook House, 1935

n Mary will be giving a talk on the Churchills at the Ship Theatre, Walthamstow Hall, Sevenoaks on September 30. Contact Sevenoaks Bookshop on 01732 452 055 to book. The Churchills: A Family at the Heart of History is published by Little Brown, £25

n For historical days out connected to the protagonists of this article visit some of Britain’s wonderful properties. Take in the grounds and English Baroque architecture of Blenheim Palace (www.blenheimpalace.com); see Churchill’s home at Chartwell with its amazing views over the Kentish countryside and mementos of his life (www.nationaltrust.org.uk) or visit the majestic Chatsworth in Derbyshire: the history dates back to the mid-16th century. Enjoy tours of the house, take children to see the farmyard and wander in the extensive gardens (www.chatsworth.org)

London House 77 High Street Sevenoaks Kent TN13 1LD t. 01732 452111

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01732 740999

vinedigital.co.uk July 2011 vine 29

The stock market.

Is it time to take the plunge or take a step back?

Full Circle Asset Management is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Please be aware that any references to past performance are not necessarily a guide to future performance and values may go down as well as up.

30 vine July 2011 vinedigital.co.uk

We know what we think.

And we’ll tell you for free.

Here at Full Circle Asset Management we’re not afraid to have an opinion.

Our views are formed by our experience and by studying the markets thoroughly every day. This approach allows us to verify existing investment positions and identify new opportunities across all asset classes.

What’s more, we share these views with our clients and anyone who shares our passion for investing, through our free fortnightly newsletter ‘Three Sixty’.

After all, we think if someone is kind enough to trust us with their wealth they deserve to be kept informed.

And that means making sure our clients are not only clear about the investment decisions we make but also why we’ve made them.

So, to get a clear view of the investment world as we see it call us on: 01732 746700

To register for your free newsletter visit www.fullcircleasset.co.uk

vinedigital.co.uk July 2011 vine 31

INVESTMENT MATTERS AS ECONOMIC INSTABILITY PERSISTS, UNDERSTANDING RISK HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT FOR INVESTORS Written by Andrew Selsby, Full Circle Asset Management.

Finance

E

conomic unrest continues to dominate world news. Questions are being asked regarding the future of the euro, the Greek debt crisis, the state of the banking sector, US monetary policy and general instability and oil prices in the Middle East. A key area that investors need to factor into their portfolios and asset allocation in these difficult times is the question of risk.

Risk can come in many forms.

To most it is known as capital risk (the danger that your investments lose money). This largely drives the psychology of investors and forces many into doing the wrong thing at the wrong time, buying at the top or selling at the bottom.

Risk can also take the form of counterparty exposure (the risk of the provider being unable to meet their liability). Although compensation schemes are in place to protect the average investor, the minimal coverage of £85,000 for bank deposits and £50,000 for investments does not cover all. Most people are not truly aware of their full exposure.

Another type of risk is inflation.

Over the medium-term, or even currently the short-term, inflation eats away at the future buying-power of your capital.

With interest rates stuck at emergency low levels to support the still fragile economic recovery and, perhaps more importantly, to assist banks to rebuild their balance sheets, the cash saver is currently suffering a negative real return. For example, the most recent UK inflation figures based

Andrew Selsby: “Focus on wealth preservation as much as wealth generation”

on the Consumer Price Index came in at 4.5 per cent. Current instant access deposits pay in the region of three per cent which, for a basic rate taxpayer, equates to a net 2.4 per cent per annum; a higher rate taxpayer would net 1.8 per cent p.a. and a 50 per cent taxpayer 1.5 per cent p.a. So in real terms, these three groups are suffering real negative returns of -2.1 per cent, -2.7 per cent and -3.0 per cent p.a.

The last ten years prove that there is not one asset class that can deliver a liquid, above average real return without acceptance of some degree or form of risk. In our opinion, the risk within the main asset classes of equities, bonds, property and cash is not set in stone as some of the investment industry would contest. We believe that the underlying economic

32 vine July 2011 vinedigital.co.uk

conditions, above or below trend economic growth, inflation and interest rate policy all help to provide clues as to the level of risk that the asset class represents, based on its current price or value.

For example, one method of equity valuation can be expressed as the yield in terms of dividends that the stock provides. When the yield is low, the investor is paying more to acquire those future earnings. Investment markets, in reality, are not as simple as this at individual stock level: a low dividend can also represent a company in trouble with declining profits, but when applied across the whole market and compared to long-term historical averages, one can try to obtain the ‘true value’ that is being purchased.

Looking at the long-term history of dividend yields in the

UK, a defined range (excluding some extreme outliners) exists between three and six per cent.

Buying equities when the yield for the All Share Index has been at or below three per cent has never represented good value in the medium-term. Conversely, buying equities when the yield is six per cent or higher has delivered above average returns over the medium-term.

At the time of writing, with a sense of unease in the markets and weakening global economic growth, the yield on the All Share Index is 3.09 per cent – historically the sign of an overvalued equity market.

In the equity markets, the old adage goes: “Sell in May and go away; come back on St Ledger Day.” Investors need to understand the risks they are exposed to and, with professional guidance from their financial or wealth advisors, ensure that they are within their comfort area.

n If you would like to receive free updates from the Full Circle investment team please visit www.fullcircle asset.co.uk where you can register to receive their regular newsletter ‘Three Sixty’.

Feedback can be sent to info@ fullcircleasset.co.uk. Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Services Authority

N E W 1 1 / 1 2 P R O G R A MME LAUNCHING MID JUNE 2011 N E W 1 1 / 1 2 P R O G R A MME LAUNCHING MID JUNE 2011

BE INSPIRED INSPIRED BE EXPERIENCE SOMETHING NEW WITH US EXPERIENCE SOMETHING NEW WITH US With 3500 new courses starting this year. There is something With 3500 new courses starting this year. There is something for everyone at Kent Adult Education. for everyone at Kent Adult Education.

Enrol now visit our website or call 0845 606 5606!

Enrol now visit our website or call 0845 606 5606!

vinedigital.co.uk July 2011 vine 33

visit www.kentadulteducation.co.uk visit www.kentadulteducation.co.uk

STYLE

BOLDBRIGHTS Bold and bright colours are all over the catwalks this summer with unusual colour combinations and inspiration taken from tropical fruits. Here is Vine’s guide to using colour – the classy way

share the experience of living abroad

▲

Add colour to your look by choosing a bright eyeshadow. Keep the lips neutral and use a colour palette such as this one by Estée Lauder to shade the eyes in summery, shimmering tones.

Kent International Club

The Kent International Club for Women is a social club based in Sevenoaks and the surrounding area.

Regular events include:

Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Island Oasis eyeshadow palette, £31 from House of Fraser

▲

This pretty blusher adds warmth to cheeks: apply by lightly sweeping up the cheekbones. It has a silky texture and blends in easily giving a natural, soft and youthful finish.

Monthly Coffee Morning (with speaker) • Badminton • Bridge Cinema Club • Country Walks • Gardening • Golf • Luncheon Group Mums and Under 5s • Book Group • Tennis • Ladies Night Out Theatre • Handicrafts • Ladies to London • Dinners • Wine Tastings

To discover more or join the club, visit www.kics.org.uk or call 07982 089559

Chanel Joues Contraste powder blush in Espiègle, £31 from all good stockists

▲

Yellow nail varnish is this season’s ‘must-have’ and it certainly provides a sunny and bright flash of colour.

However, it can often be tricky to pull off under British skies leaden with rain so opt for this buttery yellow varnish that will suit all skin tones.

Orly nail polish in Spark, £5 from Boots

▲

Use this stunning teal eye pencil which has a hint of shimmer to outline eyes for a subtle daytime look or build up with turquoise and gold eyeshadows for the evening.

Mac Surf, Baby! Powerpoint eye pencil in Blue Noon, £13.50 from Fenwick

▲

For bright yet pretty lips, use a rich pink colour such as this creamy and luxurious lipstick

by Yves Saint Laurent. Pair with natural eyes and a hint of mascara for a modern, fresh look.

Yves Saint Laurent Candy Volupte lipstick in 04, £21 from House of Fraser

34 vine July 2011 vinedigital.co.uk

Sevenoaks Area Mind invite you to;

Altered Art

Exhibition 2011 All exhibits are original works created by our Altered Art Group.

At the Orangery Knole House, Sevenoaks

Wednesday 6 July to Sunday 17 July Free entry to the Orangery and a chance to bid for some of the art works. www.sevenoaksareamind.co.uk

For more details contact:

01732 744 950

Opening from Tues-Sun

10.30am - 5pm

Personal Training one to one

Physiotherapy

Personal Training small group

Injury Rehabilitation

Weight Loss

Over Sixties

Nutrition Tailored Classes Rapid Transformations Sports Performance Individual Athletes Teams & Clubs

We have a friendly and dedicated team of graduate and postgraduate qualified exercise specialists and physiotherapists to cover your every requirement.

WELLNESS

ASK JASON Teenage Fitness

Jason Crow

Tiffany Cole

Chris Wharton

Steve Fusse

Lucy Curtis

Fitness professional Jason Crow answers your exercise dilemmas

Schools & Colleges

Q: I am 68 years old, why should I exercise?

Geoff, Riverhead

WIN

a free hair makeover!

Do you have unruly hair?

Challenge one of our stylists to either cut or colour your hair.

Simply email win@vinedigital.co.uk with your details

enjoy the experience

one team

one salon

01732 461988

www.matthewcross.uk.com 7 London Road | Sevenoaks | Kent | TN13 1AH

Bend me – shape me any way you want me... …the latest gym equipment, installed and delivered to your home.

Positive fitness and slimming results with regular use

A: Hi Geoff, thank you for your question. Whenever I write or present on this subject I always open with the same two statements.

The first is the inevitable cloud: “wear and tear exceeds the reparative capacity of our tissues.”

The second statement is the silver lining, coming from my 86-year-old ex-grenadier guard colour sergeant grandfather: “use it or lose it.”

Both these statements are true and the rate at which our body degenerates over time, especially past the age of 45, is directly proportional to our level of physical activity. The benefits of 89x136mm base strip AD:Layout 1 physical activity as we age are: 1. Maintenance not degeneration of metabolicallyactive muscle, maintaining your No yearly metabolism levels and gym staving off membership the increase in metabolicallyjust inert fat deposits.

4. Flexibility is thought to be conserved, or even improved, by gently taking your joints through their full range of motion each day.

5. Regular load-bearing activity can assist in maintaining your bone density. For you heavier ladies and gents out there (and as an ex-power lifter I put myself in this category), avoid too much high impact exercise on your load-bearing joints.

Your choice of physical activity must be appropriate not only to your age and physical condition, but also to what you are looking to achieve, whether it is 18 holes three times a week or outings with the grandchildren.

If you haven’t exercised for a while follow these steps: 04/01/2011 15:40 1 to 1. Pop in and havePage a chat

your doctor.

2. Try to find a venue like ours that not only caters for all ages but has a degree-qualified team of physiotherapists and exercise specialists that can help you improve by taking into consideration your medical or starting physical condition.

RESULTS

2. Reducing the decline of your maximal oxygen intake, therefore maintaining your fitness level (aerobic power) and allowing you to be more able to take part in physicallydemanding activities.

3. Start gently and build up at your own pace.

You choose a body, we help you get it!

n If you would like help with 3. Stronger leg muscles, losing weight, you can call one of especially maintaining the fastour professional trainers at the • Nutrition Better Body •Shop Physiotherapy • Personal twitch fibresTraining in your lower limbs, in confidence group training help1-to-1 keeporyou active and also• Sports Performance • Injury Rehabilitation on 01732 451979 or see our • Weight Loss stabilise osteo-arthritic joints• Individual Athletes website at: • Over Sixties Tailored Classes and• reduce the risk of falls. • Teams & Clubs www.betterbodyshop.co.uk • Teenage Fitness

From as little as £2.00 a day Training programmes provided Option to change equipment on same hire terms or buy outright Train and get fit in the privacy of your own home with times to suit you!

• Rapid Transformations

• Schools & Colleges

BETTER BODY SHOP - SEVENOAKS Unit 3, Sevenoaks Enterprise Centre, Bat & Ball Road Sevenoaks TN14 5LJ. Opposite the Bat & Ball station

0845 094 2292

e: mwall@hirefitness.co.uk Open 7 days from 8am-9pm

Call Alison on www.hirefitness.co.uk

01732 451 979

W W W . B E T T E R B O D Y S H O P. C O . U K 2X WINNER BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE & BEST LEISURE COMPANY

vinedigital.co.uk July 2011 vine 35

30 days of fitness for just £38*

r e m m Su e Up p a Sh

Revitalise your colon

Sevenoaks Leisure Centre Buckhurst Lane Sevenoaks Kent TN13 1LW

01732 470700

Edenbridge Leisure Centre Stangrove Park Edenbridge Kent TN8 5LU

01732 865665

White Oak Leisure Centre Hilda May Avenue Swanley Kent BR8 7BT

Follow us on:

01322 662188

www.sencio.org.uk @senciocommunity *Offer available between 1st June 2011 and 31st August 2011.

Offer is subject to availability, terms and conditions apply.

50% o

ff

spa bo ok a limit ings for ed per iod

Monday 9:30-8:00pm Tuesday 9:00-5:30pm Wednesday 9:30-8:00pm Thursday 9:00-5:30pm Friday 9.30-3.00pm Saturday 9:00-4.00pm Sunday closed

01959 565 415 22 High Street, Westerham Kent TN16 1RG

www.westerhamdentalspa.co.uk

36 vine July 2011 vinedigital.co.uk

a holistic approach to your wellbeing At the dental spa, our ethos is to provide a stress-free journey from your very first visit to us. An experience that is positive, unique and that you will look forward to again and again.

• Affordable payment plan allowing you to spread payments • Qualified Hygienist available for prevention and treatment of gum disease • Open late evenings and Saturdays • Emergencies can be accommodated at most times

dental GENERAL DENTISTRY • SMILE MAKEOVERS DENTAL IMPLANTS • FACIAL AESTHETICS • WHITENING INVISIBLE ORTHODONTICS • SNORING

spa ESPA • FACIALS • BODY WRAPS • MASSAGE OPI MANICURES & PEDICURES

WELLNESS

SALON of the MONTH The village of Brasted now has its very own baroque boutique, thanks to the new and exclusive hair salon Vanity London. Charlotte Luxford pays it a visit

T

hink of a buzzing boutique hotel with a hint of baroque glamour, complete with chaise longue and impeccable service and then apply that to Brasted’s most recent salon – Vanity London. While this is not a hotel, Vanity London hairdressing offers a haven of cosmopolitan style where even the most discerning customers can let go and put their locks in Vanity’s capable hands.

Andrew Marchant has put in much of the hard graft; his experience filming on Channel 4’s Grand Designs obviously left him with a penchant for interior design and he has helped wife and salon owner Helen Marchant design the salon to sit in-keeping with her already-successful Green Street salon in Orpington. While she is expanding the Vanity brand, the Brasted salon certainly has its quirks and you’ll notice a distinct Buddha theme, inspired by the two imposing statues at the entrance, left by the previous owners. You may also notice ‘Martha’ sitting proudly outside – her counterpart is ‘Eric’ – the couple’s much-loved Beetle and VW camper van.

While the salon offers experienced stylists and top-notch products, the service is friendly and you won’t be brutally assessed as soon as you walk through the door. There’s a sense of experience and expertise that pervades the place and you

immediately feel you are in safe hands as you collapse into one of their luxurious sofas with proper coffee in hand while you chat about the extensive possibilities of what can be done with your hair.

The salon offers a full range of services from cutting and styling, tint and colour to hair extensions (not rattailed artificial-looking things, but genuinely brilliant ones with natural hair) and tailor-made bridal packages.

The staff are all Wella-trained and only use products from the world’s most renowned trichologist Philip Kingsley and those by GHD. Vanity London wants to uphold its established reputation and entices clients back by rewarding loyal customers with a complimentary blow dry on their fifth visit and a £10 discount scheme for you and a friend if you recommend Vanity to them. Don’t worry if you can’t have the day entirely to yourself due to little ones as they are made welcome; there is pram and wheelchair access and the free parking makes it easier than trying frantically to find a spot in the notorious town car park – it makes for a much more civilised experience.

The salon is now also offering a Bio Sculpture Gel bar, where you can obtain a natural glossy finish, but with a product that actually strengthens and promotes growth of your natural nails. This service will be available from Wednesdays to Fridays, 10am - 3pm, so it’s probably best to book in advance. If you fancy some additional pampering, The Beauty Room at Green Street offers a whole range of treatments and proves very popular with regular clients.

Whatever you go to Vanity London for, there will certainly be reason enough to feel a little smug once you’ve been pampered by this stylish lot.

■ For more information or to book, visit www. vanitylondonsalons.com or call 01959 569739 for the Brasted salon

Reader Offer Recieve £10 off your haircut on your first visit or get 50 per cent off Bio Sculpture Gel nails until the end of this month – simply quote Vine Offer ends 31/07/11

vinedigital.co.uk July 2011 vine 37 The new salon at Brasted

Summer Holiday Tennis Camps!

At the brand new Hollybush Tennis Centre, Sevenoaks

Courses from £46!

KEMSING LTC OPEN DAY

Join us for one of our week-long summer holiday courses at Hollybush Tennis Centre.

Courses are divided into tennis groups appropriate to your child’s age and ability.

Early booking is recommended as these courses are extremely popular!

Courses start week of 11th July and run right through to 2nd September

Call 01959 523377 or visit www.tennisacademy.org.uk

Fantastic coffee shops serving hot and cold food all day, great coffee and friendly service!

The Lodge has free wireless, children’s toys and a children’s menu at both sites

01732 458158

38 vine July 2011 vinedigital.co.uk Hollybush • The Stag Theatre

Kemsing LTC, Heaverham Road, Kemsing, Kent, TN15 6NE Date: Sunday 10th July Times: 11.00am-12.00pm Juniors aged 5-14 years 12.00pm-12.45pm Exhibition match by Tennis Academy Coaches & BBQ 12.45pm-1.45pm Juniors aged 15+ and all adults 1.45pm onwards Social doubles and singles play

Come and join one of the local village tennis clubs for a fun day of coaching, games, matchplay and food. All activities FREE, just come along on the day.

For futher information call us on 01959 523377. All standards welcome, beginners to club players – Join us!

RACQUET ACADEMY One of the UK’s remaining racquet specialists staffed entirely by a team of Professional Tennis Coaches.

CHECK OUT OUR 24-HOUR ONSITE RACQUET RE-STRINGING AND RE-GRIPPING SERVICE 4 Sevenoaks Road, Otford, TN14 5PB

01959 525441

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of the month DETAILS Map: OS Explorer 147 and 148 Start & ďŹ nish: The Bull Hotel, Wrotham Distance: 4.5 miles Time: 3 to 4 hours Grade: Intermediate with one steep section How to get there: From Sevenoaks drive through Seal, along the A25. At Borough Green, turn left on the A227 and drive till you get to Wrotham. The hotel is on Bull Lane

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his walk starts and finishes at The Bull Hotel and a meal there makes for a wonderful reward following the exercise (see our Vine Dining feature on p.21). It takes in the North Downs going along a disused coach track to Trosley Towers manor house before descending to join the Pilgrims Way back to Wrotham. n At the Bull Hotel turn left away from Wrotham, walk past the Old Palace entrance. After 100 yards take the restricted byway on your right. Follow until you come to a road, cross over n Take the track marked â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Wrotham Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. At the end of the hedge turn left opposite an iron gate. Continue past Park Farm until you arrive at the main road (the A20)

More than just a delivery...

Sevenoaksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; leading courier/delivery company We aim to provide the ultimate top quality service

Sameday UK & euro deliveries Goods in transit insurance Satellite tracking 24/7 service Relocation and light removals Taxi van service Motorbike for urgent packages to London

n Turn right down the hill, cross at the island and turn up Nepicar Lane. Go under the motorway, up the lane to open fields. At the gate take the footpath on your right across fields to Wrotham Water then Wrotham Water Farm n At the oast house turn left, continue until you reach Trottiscliffe. Turn left up the hill at the crossroads past the farmyard with the duck pond on your left n At â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Cottageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, turn right, continue until you get to a bridleway. Take this to Trosley Church n Go back through the

farmyard, turn right up the path towards the North Downs. Walk through the swing gate up the narrow path to the Pilgrims Way at the end n Cross directly over, across the bridle path and a little forward onto the escarpment.

Go left onto the path, up the escarpment through a metal gate. This is a little steep so take your time n Turn left at the top, walk alongside the fence following the Blue Walk as you enter Trosley Park. Take the right-hand path through the trees, up winding steps to the top to join the old coach track to Trosley Towers n Turn left: it is marked the Blue Walk which you will see descends. Walk along the track which is called the Trim Trail to the Trosley Country Park cabin.

Take the path down to Vigo Hill Road then turn right up the hill n At the top turn left past the bus stop. Go down the track past the lodge gate on your right, follow the path through the bushes back down to the Pilgrims Way n Turn right, walk down Wrotham Hill, at the roundabout turn left and carefully cross the road at the island. Go over the bridge and take the path on your right. This brings you to the recreation ground where you turn left.

Go down into the village: The Bull Hotel is on your left at the T-junction

01732 456134 | 07778 791533 contact@express21.co.uk www.express21.co.uk

vinedigital.co.uk July 2011 vine 39 The beautiful Wrotham landscape

Karen Jackson Interiors A complete and personal interior design service giving you unique, stylish solutions that will look good for years to come Ca

01892 618619 07729 121594 www.karenjacksoninteriors.co.uk

ll us today fo r y initial m our eeting free of charge

OWEN PINE & OAK

furniture experts

A huge selection of contemporary, reproduction and antique pine and oak, and many exciting gifts and paintings With over 25 years’ experience in the pine and oak furniture trade we pride ourselves at being able to cater for everyone’s needs and budgets and offer a bespoke service.

Owen Farm - Well Hill - Chelsfield Orpington - Kent - BR6 7PW

10% OFF WITH THIS VOUCHER Valid until 30th August 2011

40 vine July 2011 vinedigital.co.uk

01959 534645 www.owenpine.co.uk

HOME & GARDEN

BOTOX FOR WINDOWS? Sash window expert Shane Keens from Sliding Sash Solutions reveals how to inject new life into your tired old windows

DESIGNED DESIGNED A AR RO OU UN ND D

YOU

WATCH THE DECADES FALL AWAY!

traditional sash windows without changing their appearance.

Sash windows can look fantastic, their traditional style epitomising the Edwardian and Victorian ages. Yet for many homeowners, their charm is blighted by rickety old cords, shaky sashes and rattling panes, not to mention wear and tear diminishing their appearance. Letting in noise, draughts and burglars also concerns people whose windows no longer fit neatly or which lack the necessary locks to meet the security needs of our 21stcentury lifestyle (and insurance policies!). So you’ll be pleased to know that our service will soon have your windows looking – and performing – better than ever before.

WHAT ABOUT LISTED BUILDINGS?

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To view the full range, visit To view the full range, visit www.jacksonsfencing-design.co.uk www.jacksonsfencing-design.co.uk or our Jakstore, 240 Stowting Common, or our Jakstore, 240 (Mon-Sat Stowting Common, Ashford TN25 6BN 7.30am-5.30pm) Ashford TN25 6BN (Mon-Sat 7.30am-5.30pm) For enquiries call 01273 750 393 For enquiries call 01273 750 393

A E RE TM N A EN RE

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Every single one of our unique products YEARS Every single one unique products AYEARS RANT is guaranteed for of 25our years, and designed AR NT A is guaranteed for 25 years, and designed around you, whatever your lifestyle. around you, whatever your lifestyle.

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RESTORE AND REJUVENATE

Our system is so discreet, it’s been approved for listed builds and conservation areas where replacement windows are deemed unacceptable. We often work with town planning departments and are happy to answer their questions.

INSULATE AND REAP THE REWARDS Efficient windows can help reduce your fuel bills, especially when combined with other methods of insulation.

Customers tell us they notice a real difference.

WE DON’T STOP AT SASHES We also apply our restorative magic to doors and other period windows. Please feel free to ask us for details!

For an assesment and estimate, contact Shane on 0800 731 5905 www.SlidingSashSolutions.co.uk

vinedigital.co.uk July 2011 vine 41

A5-L-colour-ads.pdf

7

Tuesday22/000003/2011

10:42

Bartlett Tree Experts Exceptional Trees Deserve Exceptional Care

TREE & SHRUB PRUNING . PLANTING . TREE REMOVAL . TREE STOCK SURVEYS WOODLAND MANAGEMENT . HEALTH & SAFETY REPORTS . DISEASE & INSECT CONTROL

PLEASE CALL 01959 525821 OR EMAIL sevenoaks@bartlettuk.com www.bartlett.com

42 vine July 2011 vinedigital.co.uk

HOME & GARDEN

HARD LANDSCAPE When you think of landscape gardening, you may be dreaming of your beautifully-arranged garden, but what about building the solid foundations first? Keeping Landscape Services do the hard work so you can be creative

K

eeping Landscape Services provides hard landscaping services, constructing the bare bones of the garden to allow you the enjoyment of planting and shaping your garden once the tough work is done.

Business owner Leo Keeping helps those who have tired gardens, who are renovating or who need their gardens correcting because they were initially constructed to a poor standard.

Belonging to the Guild of Master Craftsmen, Leo has a range of skills under his belt, from completing paving, patios and driveways to fencing, decking and turfing.

Keeping Landscape Services can help you source your materials as the company has established relationships and accounts to ensure customers get good value products. Leo says: “I usually send clients down to a reputable place in Sundridge to choose the materials, where prices can be seen and the showroom has it all laid out, so customers get a feel for what they are actually buying, rather than relying on brochure images. I can also take customers to previous clients’ homes to view examples of work if that helps them.”

After working towards getting all his qualifications after leaving school, Leo

knew that he didn’t want a run-of-the-mill 9 to 5 job. “What I like about landscaping is it’s so diverse, and I can work on plenty of different jobs and, in doing so, I build a bank of skills,” says Leo. “I’ll never be a millionaire, but I enjoy my work and I’m honest with people – if I can save them money I will and I get plenty of repeat business due to being reliable and offering sensible estimates for work.” n Call 07727 677011 or visit www.klskent.com for more information Two garden patios transformed by Leo Keeping

WEALDEN

Country Landcraft

Garden Management and DESIGN For all your design, construction and maintenance requirements, contact: Adam Sutton BSc (Hons) Environmental Science | Tim Playfoot BA (Hons) Garden Design Tel:01892 722699 | Adam:07979 362241 | Tim:07990 751353 | www.playfootgardendesign.co.uk

vinedigital.co.uk July 2011 vine 43

Every type of blind under the Sun

Just clip in for great looking blinds Manufacturers of quality blinds, from interior, conservatory and motorised blinds, featuring our hassle free innovative ‘no drill fit’ system, to Awnings and Plantation Shutters. Come and visit our Eastbourne showroom to view our superb range of quality window dressings.

Call 0800 840 9548 for a FREE home visit & no obligation quote Quality Window Dressings | Curtains | Blinds | Plantation Shutters | Security Shutters | Grills | Awnings

44 vine July 2011 vinedigital.co.uk

Unit 6 Harvington Business Park, Brampton Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN22 9AF Tel: 01323 501556 | Freephone: 0800 840 9548 Mon – Fri 9am – 5pm | Sat 9am – 2pm

HOME & GARDEN

PLAY IT COOL WITH INDOOR PLANTS

PRESTIGIOUS PRESERVATION

While you may enjoy pottering in the garden during the summer, don’t neglect your indoor plants. They’re not invincible, says Jennifer Hattingh

Vine finds out that Prestige Tree Care not only offer tree and hedging work, but they are a really passionate family-run business that takes an active interest in conservation

E

veryone seems to enjoy the warmth and sunshine that accompanies summer, and garden centres everywhere are churning out beautiful colours and textures for the borders. However, there are things that go slightly amiss during summer months – the plants and flowers in people’s conservatories and houses.

What do they really need?

Indoor plants are usually easier to maintain than their outdoor companions simply due to there being less environmental impact. This can, however, lead people to believe that their house plants are indeed invincible.

Conservatories are usually sun traps, so it’s important to remember most indoor plants don’t like direct sun, as it tends to dry them out very quickly or burn the leaves. This, coupled with the fact that there are some very hungry bugs out there, often leaves people confused and slightly ‘put off ’ keeping indoor plants. So here are a few basic steps to ensure a healthy plant during the

hotter months of the year.

Keep conservatory plants cool by spraying with tepid water. This is best done either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. This can be a two-in-one job if you get a liquid fertiliser from your local garden centre. Applied properly, the added nutrients in the spray promote vivid green leaves and healthy new shoots.

I’ve found the best routine is once a week, which helps add moisture to the air. Make sure tender, young or fragile plants are not on the windowsill; this tends to concentrate the sunlight even more.

Key note: always remove dead flowers. This helps the plant to put more of its energy into making new flowers, so you get to enjoy the display for a bit longer.

It’s relatively easy to keep interior plants thriving; the more of the plant’s natural habitat you can mimic, the happier it will be. n For more gardening tips, call Jennifer on 0788 575 9868 or email lionheartza@ googlemail.com

Bring nature inside with easy to care for plants

Tree-thinning, stump-removal and planting are all services offered by Prestige Tree Care

S

imon Fillis, who runs Prestige Tree Care, has years of experience and loves his job. Simon is a member of the Arboricultural Association, a world-leading authority on arboricultural best practice.

Prestige Tree Care is a member of Kent Wildlife Trust and the Woodland Trust. Simon’s interest in conservation is crucial to knowing which jobs to carry out when and why each season presents new challenges.

His team work on projects from small-scale gardens to large commercial sites across Kent, Sussex and south-east London, offering tree-thinning, felling, hedging, stump-removal and planting. Prestige Tree Care is also accustomed to working with ancient or mature trees which often have preservation orders on them: they will deal with all the applications and council

negotiations for free.

Simon’s father worked as a head gardener for the National Trust. His considerable experience means that Prestige is able to offer advice and recommendations for planting schemes: for example, a good specimen tree for small gardens would be an Acer or an Amelanchier. For a more substantial tree, Liquidambars and Red Oaks give fantastic autumn colour.

They always leave the area tidy, are fully insured and will provide free quotations for any job. Talk to the friendly family who run Prestige Tree Care for advice and information about tree work, hedging and planting: their enthusiasm and dedication to their work really shines through. n For more information visit www.prestigetreecare.co.uk or call 07703 195800

vinedigital.co.uk July 2011 vine 45

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HOME & GARDEN

ENGLISH COUNTRY GARDEN Jessica Harris looks at what is flourishing in her garden this July and what needs to be done over the coming month

A

combination of early warmth, a wet June and now more sun means that the garden is thriving at the moment. We eat outdoors whenever possible in the summer.

The trellis by the table is covered in honeysuckle and as twilight descends, the heady smell mingles with that of nearby pinks to provide a perfumed backdrop for a meal.

This July the sunny, herbaceous border is blooming: crocosmia, cosmos, gaillardia, nasturtium, verbascum and achillea are ablaze with colour.

The English country flowers – blush pink hollyhocks, spires of

exceedingly tempting for slugs and snails.

Hopefully I can dissuade the slimy visitors and we will soon be able to enjoy salad leaves fresh from the garden next month.

Top tip: mark a cross in either end of a grow bag; cut off the bottoms of two plastic water bottles; take off their lids and upturn into the soil. Pour water into the open ends to allow for much easier and more efficient watering of plants.

foxgloves, Sweet Williams and roses – are lovely. The David Austin rose, Graham Thomas, is particularly beautiful this year. In a naturalistic planting scheme, these traditional flowers provide necessary height behind lavenders, pink perennial geraniums and erigerons.

In the fruit and vegetable garden, raspberries, blackcurrants, whitecurrants, strawberries and gooseberries are ripening and have been netted to protect against peckish birds. Apples, pears, potatoes, celeriac, onions and tomatoes are growing at an amazing rate.

Over the coming month, keep the garden as well-watered as possible but remember, try to conserve water for use in dry weather. Tubs and grow-bags need particular attention. The weather has caused plants to shoot up but this has also benefited weeds so regular weeding is vital. Continue tying up sweet peas and harvest onions, shallots and garlic.

Apply organic slug pellets as needed: my little gem lettuces are proving

■ (Clockwise from top) Blooms of pinks; Graham Thomas and Deep Secret roses

R

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THANKS TO ALL THE TEAM WHO CREATED THE AWARD WINNING CHILSTONE GARDEN AT THE CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW 2011

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Victoria Park, Fordcombe Road, nr Tunbridge Wells, TN3 0RD Tel:01892 740866

vinedigital.co.uk July 2011 vine 47

mily pinboard fa s k a o n e v e S r You

Going to the zoo: children’s fun at Drusillas

hour ; an elephant at 40 km n An ostrich can run at 65 km per Children can test their sprinting kids? your are fast per hour, but how Tuesday July 26. on abilities at Drusillas Zoo at Alfriston can use high-tech ren child Day, ic lymp Zoo As part of this to compare their speeds run they equipment that measures how fast giraffes or elephants. They to different animals including cheetahs, their progress at the track will get their own record book to ts. even rent diffe ing one-dayThe following day, July 27, sees the excit acters Ben only visit by the popular children’s char of Little ent antm ench The y.

Holl Elf and Princess ren can Kingdom will come to the zoo and child meet the pair throughout the day. other Children and families can enjoy all the lemurs, ding inclu well as als anim attractions and py meerkats, racoons, monkeys, goats, cree ots parr uins, peng gos, amin fl ers, beav crawlies, and porcupines. n Call 01323 874100 or visit on www.drusillas.co.uk for more informati

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with their maths and Kumon can help your child progress and help them shine. e denc confi English studies, boost their Kumon programmes: needs • work at a pace tailored to your child’s t boos • give their confidence a real entration • develop invaluable study habits and conc success emic acad • establish a solid foundation for ulum curric ol scho the • complement and abilities Every day Kumon helps children of all ages centres 600 over With ntial. pote true their e to realis too. nationwide, it’s convenient Contact your local Instructor today.

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DON’T MIS

S!

Scotney Castle cycle weekend

Coo Summer kies Kitchen Cooking Worksh op Junior C ookies 2 6 Ju ly Sevenoa ks Creative Cooks 2 Tonbridg 8 July e

n To coincide with the Tour de France, Scotney Castle is opening a half-mile stretch of flat, smooth road between the Castle and Little Scotney Farm for children to come and cycle along.

Over the weekend of July 16-17, Scotney will provide a safe, friendly and fun environment for those learning to ride, toddlers on push-along bikes or the more confident cyclists.

The National Trust is really supportive of cycling, especi ally as many properties are surrounded by beautiful countr yside and this will be a really healthy, family-friendly day out.

If the weather is fine, why not make a day of it and bring along a picnic? There will also be a new kiosk open and the tea rooms will be serving a selection of refreshments. n Visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk or call 01732 810378 for more information

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vinedigital.co.uk July 2011 vine 49

FEATURE

TONBRIDGE CASTLE: STEP BACK IN TIME

GREAUTT DAYS O

to the mustmprehensive guide Vine brings you a co medieval this summer, from ns tio ac tr at l ca lo it vis in the forest jousting to foraging

HEVER CASTLE: TUDOR REVELRY This summer, Henry VIII and his courtiers will gather for a pageant at Hever Castle and families are invited to join in the fun. King Henry VIII’s Summer Pageant takes place on July 16-17 at the romantic castle near Edenbridge in Kent.

It’s a great opportunity to experience life in Tudor times, complete with jousting, have-a-go archery, Tudor dancing and minstrels.

Children can dress up as young knights or princesses and parade before the Tudor monarch (with prizes for the best costumes) and witness the magnificent Knights of Royal England return to Hever Castle to joust for the King on this special occasion. When visitors get hungry, there’s a medieval hog roast tent as well as award-winning restaurants for something a little bit special.

The programme of spectacular jousting tournaments continues over the summer holiday weekends, including Fridays, throughout July and August. You and your kids will be treated to an exciting display of action, stunts, falls and fights as the Knights of Royal England bring the medieval sport of jousting to life in this former castle of Kings.

Breathtaking displays of Tudor Falconry are planned during August where magnificent birds of prey will soar overhead before returning to their costumed historic falconers. Falconry displays will be interspersed with Longbow Warfare Demonstrations from ‘The Companye of the Whyte Boar’ and, if you’re lucky, there may be the

50 vine July 2011 vinedigital.co.uk

The lives of kings, archbishops, tyrants, heroes, mercenaries and murderers are interwoven within the story of Tonbridge Castle. Over 900 years of history took place in and around the stone walls of its motte and bailey.

The atmosphere of the late 13th century has been recreated with interactive displays, life-sized models, special effects and a personal audio tour for the whole family to enjoy.

Follow in the footsteps of the Red Earl as he waits to welcome back King Edward I from the Crusades; visit the armourer’s store to learn about chainmail, bows and arrows or endure a dramatic attack from siege tower and battering ram.

A restoration project has replaced two floors, repaired a spiral staircase in the East Tower and a roof has been put

Statue of woman at work in the Castl e

over the gatehouse to allow the castle to be enjoyed in any weather. The beautiful landscaped grounds, the proximity to the river and the ancient motte and bailey make this a really wonderful family day out. n Visit www.tonbridgecastle. org for more information

The magnificent Kn ights of Royal England joust for the King

chance for the whole family to have a go during the summer period.

For a relaxing afternoon, explore the historic castle and then step into the beautiful gardens, which are at their best this summer. Children can let off steam in the Adventure Playground with more fun in store at the unique Water Maze. Hire a boat from the Edwardian boathouse and complete the day out with a meal in the Guthrie Pavilion Restaurant which overlooks the picturesque 38-acre lake. n For more information on opening times and prices, call 01732 865224 or visit www.hevercastle.co.uk

THE HOP FARM: MUSIC, MAGIC & ANIMALS The Hop Farm will see the likes of the legendary Prince, Tinie Tempah, Eliza Doolittle, Hot Chip, Aloe Blacc, Noisettes, Brandon Flowers and Ocean Colour Scene this month, but there’s plenty of family-friendly entertainment happening at the country park this summer. You can still pick up tickets for the three-day festival if you’re lucky – the music-filled weekend kicks off at the beginning of this month and is certainly worth going to.

The music doesn’t stop there: enjoy a musical medley at ‘Camp Hop’ where your kids can experience everything from Glee to Grease. Between July 25 and August 31, children can look forward to six weeks of dance and music shows; sing-a-longs; dance and cheerleading masterclasses; instrument workshops and American ballgames.

Other exciting features include the new pirate cove; an innovative 4-D cinema zone; the children’s driving school for five to nine year olds, which teaches children the basics of the Highway Code on a fun circuit; the Magic Factory – a place full of tricks and conundrums; a Victorian carousel and a chance to meet the farm’s furry friends. n For more information and to book tickets, visit www.thehopfarm.co.uk

COOLINGS: CAKE, COFFEE AND FLOWERS Family-run Coolings has been voted the top garden centre in the country by Which? magazine for the second year running.

The Gardeners’ Garden Centre at Rushmore Hill near Knockholt has a wonderful supply of plants, shrubs, vegetable seedlings, hanging basket flowers and so much more. Each time you visit you notice new things: a new variety of basil or bee-keeping displays, for example.

It is always worth planning a stop at Arthur’s coffee shop (above) into your day. Those in the know flock to the airy barnstyle café and outside terrace for really delicious breakfasts or to savour their amazing selection of homemade cakes, pastries and scones. There is literally something for all tastes as they have over 100 cake recipes in their repertoire, including chocolate, lemon, walnut, Guinness fruit-cake and orange, honey and almond.

The incredible selection of plants and garden implements, the excellent customer service and the lovely coffee shop combine to make this a really interesting (and delicious!) day out.

The Hop Farm

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vinedigital.co.uk July 2011 vine 51

FEATURE

TOP 5 FREE

GREAT DAYS OUT Vine has chosen five free excursions for great days out on a shoestring

MODERN ART AT MARGATE For lovers of modern art, the new Turner Contemporary gallery at Margate is free and definitely worth a visit. The opening exhibition features a beautiful JMW Turner painting and art from six contemporary artists. Turner visited Margate throughout his life, capturing the colour and light of the Kent coastline.

The gallery is right by the sea so afterwards step outside to take in the amazing building that houses the gallery and enjoy a walk along the seafront. www.turnercontemporary.org

BIKE RIDES IN BEAUTIFUL COUNTRYSIDE There are excellent cycle routes in Kent that can be used for free and to take in the lovely countryside.

The Haysden Country Park near Tonbridge includes Haysden and Barden lakes and a stretch of the River Medway.

Since 2006, it has held a Green Flag award and it was designated a Local Nature Reserve in 2008.

The park has a wonderful array of wildlife, plants and waterfowl

as well as a a childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s play area and a well-laid bike route. For those who want a longer cycle, there is a great stretch between Haysden Country Park and Penshurst. Parking is only 60p for up to four hours so this is a greatvalue, healthy day out. www.tmbc. gov.uk

The new gallery at Margate

OLD-FASHIONED TOYS AT TUNBRIDGE WELLS

Walk around Barde n lakes or cycle at Haysden Co untry Park

Antique toys at the museum A wonderful way to entertain children on a rainy day is to take them to the little-known Tunbridge Wells Museum and Art Gallery, above the library. It has a wonderful collection of toys and games including Noahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arks, toy soldiers, trains, board games, teddy bears and dolls houses.

Some are more than 200 years old.

It also has collections of costumes, textiles and natural history specimens. This is a delightful little museum and it can be visited for free! www.tunbridgewellsmuseum.org

SUMMER SUN AT CAMBER SANDS Children love a sandy beach where they can explore long, open dunes, forage in rock pools and make sandcastles.

Camber Sands is perfect for a lazy, sunny day by the beach. The tide goes out a really long way giving plenty of room for playing on the sands and providing a shallow stretch of sea to paddle in.

Pack up a picnic, bucket and spades, sun-cream and a frisbee and head to the south coast for an old-fashioned and inexpensive day out.

If it is warm, take blankets and sit on the dunes to watch the sun go down. www.eastsussex.gov.uk

52 vine July 2011 vinedigital.co.uk

PLAY POOHSTICKS IN ASHDOWN FOREST

The dunes at Camber Sands

Enjoy wonderful views, great walks and fresh air in the Ashdown Forest. It is a great place to bring children: make sure you play Poohsticks and follow in the footsteps of the much-loved character Winnie-the-Pooh.

The forest is the largest free public space in the south-east of England.

It covers an area of 2,396 hectares and has been named a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to its unique ecology. Stop for an ice cream or afternoon tea at some of the lovely tea rooms nearby. www. ashdownforest.org

Children playing Poohsticks at Ashdown Forest

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Pond View Cafe in Otford has finally got the new sign it deserves after living with the old, faded, previous owner’s one for years. They applied to the local council and then waited for a long time. Local residents are so pleased and feel that Mrs Tayyib Shafi’s bright, clear café sign really enhances the village. I would recommend everyone to drop in for a cup of tea and to sample the food. The quiche and salad is marvellous!

YOUR LOG O

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THE PAGE THAT’S ALL ABOUT YOU!

Your Business

NAMES: Wimsey the dachshund is named after the 1920s detective Lord Peter Wimsey, created by Dorothy L. Sayers. All the pets in this family have detective names: they also have cats called Maigret and Lewis.

OWNER: The Delany family LIKES: Strawberries, apples, watching Desperate Housewives and cats!

AND DISLIKES: Sea water (to drink)!

FAVOURITE TREAT: Apple cores A WORD FROM THE OWNER: Wimsey is a tremendously loyal and friendly dog who loves to be part of the family and fall asleep on the sofa surrounded by humans and cats. Life is never dull when Wimsey is around: she comes tearing into a room, eager for attention, rolls onto her back and ensures that everyone makes a huge fuss of her! She’s a Dog Diva really!

▲ Painting the way: Watercolour of Sevenoaks and pen and ink drawing of Cranbrook by Anthony Nield

IS THIS YOU? If this is you in Tesco car park on 24 June 2011, send us photographic proof and you’ll win 2 tickets to a film at The Stag Theatre. If you know who it is, tell them so they don’t miss out!

Available until 05/08/11

vinedigital.co.uk July 2011 vine 55

WHAT’S ON? ART n 05 Jul, 02 Aug. Sevenoaks Visual Arts Forum. 19:00-21:00.

Stag Community Arts Centre, London Rd, Sevenoaks. 01732 450175 www.stagsevenoaks. co.uk n 14 Jul. Talk on Cave Painting, the earliest art. 20:15. Ship Theatre, Walthamstow Hall School, Hollybush Lane, Sevenoaks. Sevenoaks Decorative & Fine Arts Society 01883 625877, 01732 454575 www.nadfaskentarea.org.uk

ART EXHIBITIONS n 01-15 Jul. Donald Hamilton Fraser summer exhibition.

Bluemoon Gallery, 18 Camden Rd, Tunbridge Wells.

01892 540100 www. bluemoon gallery.co.uk

CHILDREN - FUN AND GAMES n 07 Jul. Teddy Bears’ Picnic.

11:00. Ightham Mote near Ivy Hatch www.nationaltrust.org.uk n 24 Jul. Porcupine Party for families. 16:00. Penshurst Place & Gardens, Penshurst near Tonbridge. 01892 870307 www. penshurstplace.com

BUSINESS n 06 Jul, 03 Aug. 1st Wednesdays Business Networking Event.

Plaza Suite, Stag Community Arts Centre, London Rd, Sevenoaks.

10:30-12:00. Free. Chamber of Commerce 01732 455188 n 13 Jul. Garden Party.

16:30-19:00. Hospice in the Weald, Maidstone Rd, Pembury. £25. West Kent Chamber of Commerce 01732 366653

CHILDREN – DRAMA n 01-06 Aug. Aladdin Junior summer workshop for 5-11 year-olds. 10:00-16:00. Stag Community Arts Centre, London Rd, Sevenoaks. 01732 450175 www.stagsevenoaks. co.uk Bullfrog Productions 01342 322411 www. bullfrogproductions. co.uk

n 15 Jul-05 Aug. Summer School for 14-16 year-olds. Tonbridge School. Thames Valley University Summer Schools 01753 852001 www.thamesvalleysummer.co.uk

CLASSES, COURSES & WORKSHOPS

n 14-16 Jul. Seussical the Musical. EM Forster Theatre, Tonbridge School. £10. 01732 304241. Performed by Hillview School for Girls

n 06 Jul. Flower Remedies Workshop. 10:00. Coolings Garden Centre, Rushmore Hill, Knockholt. £6. 01959 532269 www.coolings.co.uk

n 17 Jul. Circus.

Amherst School, Worships Hill, Riverhead.

07950 535630, 07816 887731 n 23 Jul. Postman Pat. Spa Valley Railway, Old West Station, Tunbridge Wells. 01892 537715 www. spavalleyrailway.co.uk

n 06 Aug. Aladdin Junior. 14:30, 19:00. Stag Community Arts Centre, London Rd, Sevenoaks.

Tickets £12 (concessions £10). 01732 450175 www. stagsevenoaks.co.uk Bullfrog Productions 01342 322411 www.bullfrog-productions.co.uk

CHILDREN – SPORT n 25 Jul-07 Aug. Junior Driving Days for over-11s. Ian Wright Organisation, Teston Rd, West Malling. 01732 529511 www. thewrightevent.co.uk

n 08-10 Jul. Creative Writing course. Canterbury Christchurch University, Salomons, Broomhill Rd, Southborough near Tunbridge Wells. £325. 01227 863458 www.canterbury.ac.uk/ summer-schools n 13 Jul. Propagation Workshop.

09:30-14:00. Penshurst Place & Gardens. £55. 01892 870307.

Organised by Hadlow College n 17-22 Jul. A Sense of Place in British Art course. Canterbury Christchurch University, Salomons, Broomhill Rd, Southborough near Tunbridge Wells. £450. 01227 863458 www.canterbury.ac.uk/summerschools

COMEDY n 07 Jul, 04 Aug. Stand-Up Comedy. 20:00. Stag Community Arts Centre, London Rd, Sevenoaks. £14. 01732 450175 www.stagsevenoaks.co.uk Outside the Box Comedy Club www.outsidetheboxcomedy. co.uk n 14 Jul. Comedy Café. Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells. 01892 678678

n 01-07 Aug (to be confirmed).

Cricket Summer School. Raleys Gym, Plymouth Drive, Sevenoaks.

Sevenoaks Town Council 01732 459953

COMMUNITY

n 01 Aug. Summer Swim School.

Sevenoaks & Otford. £35.

Angela’s Swim School 07990 570423 www.angelasswim school.co.uk

n 09 Jul. Friends of Stag AGM. Plaza Suite, Stag Community Arts Centre, London Rd, Sevenoaks. 01732 450175 www. stagsevenoaks.co.uk

n 06 Jul. Fortnightly. Lunch Club.

11:25-13:30. Social Club, Dunton Green. Age UK 01959 523157

DANCE n 03 Jul. Outdoor Barndance & BBQ. 16:00. St Julians Club near Sevenoaks.

n 01-07 Aug. West

Side Story summer workshop for over-12 yearolds. 10:00-17:00. Stag Community Arts Centre, London Rd, Sevenoaks.

01732 450175 www. stagsevenoaks.co.uk Bullfrog Productions 01342 322411 www.bullfrogproductions.co.uk

of Friends of Stag & Sevenoaks Youth Cafe. Friends of Stag/ Sevenoaks Youth Council 01732 450175 www.stagsevenoaks. co.uk

CHILDREN – SHOWS

Easy Rider

n 23-24 Jul. Chislehurst Artists exhibition. 10:0016:00. Coolings Garden Centre, Rushmore Hill, Knockholt. Free.

01959 532269 www.coolings. co.uk

THE UNRIVALLED SEVENOAKS LISTINGS GUIDE. £5. 01732 458261 www.stjulians. co.uk Sevenoaks Summer Festival www.sevenoaksfestival.org.uk

DON’T MISS! Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward at The Festival Theatre at Hever Castle. Labelled an improbable farce by the author, the events of the play follow on from a writer’s experiment with the occult and a séance that doesn’t go to plan. Directed by Ron Palmer, this production boasts a talented cast, and promises to be both entertaining and funny. www.heverfestival.co.uk • 01732 866114 n 04-05 Jul. Chance to Dance.

19:00. Stag Community Arts Centre, London Rd, Sevenoaks. £9 (concessions £8). 01732 450175 www.chance-to-dance. co.uk www.stagsevenoaks.co.uk

EXHIBITIONS n 01 Jul-07 Aug. A Family Affair exhibition. 12:00-16:00. Hever Castle, Hever near Edenbridge.

Adults £14, OAPs £12, children £8. 01732 865224 www. hevercastle.co.uk n 09 Jul. 11:00-17:00. King James Bible exhibition. St Botolphs Church, Lullingstone. 01732 461462 www.efl-churches.org n 23 Jul-07 Aug. Not Mon. Costume through the Ages exhibition. Orangery, Knole House, Sevenoaks. Free. 01732 462100 www.nationaltrust.org. uk/knole

FAIRS, FESTIVALS & FETES n 02 Jul. Village Fete. 12:00.

Village Green, Langton Green near Tunbridge Wells. 01892 861013 n 08-10 Jul. Festival of Music & Fireworks. Tonbridge Castle n 09-10 Jul. Town & Country Show. 10:00-17:00. Dunorlan Park, Pembury Rd, Tunbridge Wells n 06 Aug. Classic Vehicle Show. 11:00-16:00. Coolings Garden Centre, Rushmore Hill, Knockholt. 01959 532269 www. coolings.co.uk

FILMS n 05 Jul. Easy Rider film.

14:30, 19:45. Stag Community Arts Centre, London Rd, Sevenoaks. 01732 450175 www. stagsevenoaks.co.uk n 02 Aug. Black Beauty film.

14:30, 19:45. Stag Community Arts Centre, London Rd, Sevenoaks.

56 vine July 2011 vinedigital.co.uk

n 04 Aug. Mamma Mia film.

20:45. Festival Theatre, Hever Castle. £12. 01732 866114 www. heverfestival.co.uk n 05 Aug. Top Gun film. 20:45.

Festival Theatre, Hever Castle. £12. 01732 866114 www. heverfestival.co.uk

FLOWERS n 01-24 Jul. Summer Flowers Showcase. Coolings Garden Centre, Rushmore Hill, Knockholt. Free. 01959 532269 www.coolings.co.uk n 09-10 Jul. Lavender Festival.

10:00-17:00. Castle Farm, Lullingstone near Shoreham. Free (parking £2, tours £4). 01959 525303, 07973 560536 www. hopshop.co.uk

FOOD & DRINK n 23-24 Jul. Beer Festival. White Rock Inn, Underriver n 05-07 Aug. Chilli Fest.

Coolings Garden Centre, Rushmore Hill, Knockholt. 01959 532269 www.coolings.co.uk

GARDENS n 05 Jul, 02 Aug. National Gardens Scheme open day.

11:00-16:00. Knole House, Sevenoaks. 01732 462100 www. nationaltrust.org.uk/knole n 12 Jul. World Garden guided tour. 14:00-16:00. Lullingstone Castle World Garden, Eynsford. £10. 01892 820530 n 17 Jul. Open Garden Summer Spectacular. 14:00-17:30.

Chevening Gardens, Chevening Rd, Chipstead. Adults £4, children 50p. Ellenor Lions Hospices 01322 221315 www.ellenor lions.org

HISTORY n 07 Jul. Talk on Lord Leverhulme, robber baron or philanthropist. Community Centre, Cramptons Rd, Bat & Ball. Probus Club 01732 456964 n 07, 14, 21, 28 Jul. Guided tours. 13:30-14:30. Quebec House, Westerham. Free. www. nationaltrust.org.uk

CHILDREN – YOUNG PEOPLE n 08 Jul. Youth Quiz. Plaza Suite, Stag Community Arts Centre, London Rd, Sevenoaks. £3 in aid

01732 450175 www. stagsevenoaks.co.uk

▲ Chilli Fest: 5 – 7 August at Coolings Garden Centre

n 09 Jul. Historic Edenbridge guided walk. 14:00-15:00. Eden Valley Museum, Church House,

JULY EVENTS AT THE STAG What’s on at your local theatre and cinema?

72 High St, Edenbridge. Free.

01732 868102 www.evmt. org.uk

DANNY SCHMIDT

n 16-17 Jul. King Henry VIII’s Summer Pageant. Hever Castle near Edenbridge

Presented by The Flying Burrito Club.

Austin, TX-based singer/songwriter Danny Schmidt has been rapidly ascending from underground cult hero to being widely recognized as an artist of generational significance. With lyrical depth drawing comparisons to Leonard Cohen, Townes Van Zandt, and Dave Carter, Danny is considered a pre-eminent writer, an artist whose earthy poetry manages to somehow conjure magic from the mundane. www.brandywinemusic.co.uk

n 20-24 Jul. War & Peace Show.

Hop Farm Family Park, Beltring near Paddock Wood. 01622 872068 www.thehopfarm.co.uk n 22 Jul. Conservation in Action.

12:00-15:00. Knole House, Sevenoaks. 01732 462100 www. nationaltrust.org.uk/knole n 04 Aug. Talk on Wild Frontiers: overland from Nairobi to Yemen. Community Centre, Cramptons Rd, Bat & Ball. Probus Club 01732 456964

MOTORSPORTS n 22-24 Jul. FIA Formula Two/ International GT Open. Brands Hatch Circuit near West Kingsdown. 0845 453 9000 www.brandshatch.co.uk n 05-07 Aug. MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship. Brands Hatch Motor Racing Circuit near West Kingsdown. 0845 453 9000 www.brandshatch.co.uk

MUSIC - GENERAL n 08 Jul. Wilko Johnson Band.

Forum, Tunbridge Wells. £15.

Moles Music 01892 557333 www.molesmusic.com n 16 Jul. Local & Live music sessions. Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells. 01892 678678 n 17 Jul. Local Bands day.

Local bands, barbq, raffle, auction, facepainting, zumba cabaret. Woodman pub, Goathurst Common near Ide Hill. In aid of Variety Childrens Hospital. 01732 750296 www. thewoodman-idehill.co.uk

MUSIC - CHORAL & CLASSICAL n 10 Jul. Mozart concert. 19:30.

Pamoja Hall, Space Performing Arts Centre, Sevenoaks School, Tonbridge Rd, Sevenoaks.

Lydian Orchestra 0845 644 4712, 4713 www.lydian.org.uk n 21 Jul. Tacoma Youth Chorus.

15:00-16:00. Penshurst Place & Gardens, Penshurst near Tonbridge. 01892 870307 www.penshurstplace.com n 27 Jul. Spooky Men’s Chorale.

20:00. Stag Community Arts Centre, London Rd, Sevenoaks. £17.50. 01732 450175 www. stagsevenoaks.co.uk www. brandywinemusic.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPHY n 01-03 Jul. Edwardian Westerham photo exhibition.

Not Mon & Tue. 12:00-17:00.

Quebec House, Westerham. www.nationaltrust.org.uk n 06-31 Jul. Images of Marlpit Hill photo exhibition. Wed,

2 July, 8pm, £12

RUSSELL KANE LIVE! 2 July, 8pm, £16

Winner of the 2010 Edinburgh Comedy Awards. Don’t miss this opportunity to see 2010’s winner of the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award and co-host of ITV2’s I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here NOW! A new YouTube sensation with his Beyoncé Knowles’ ‘Crazy in Love’ routine for Let’s Dance for Comic Relief, Russell will be performing a preview of his much anticipated, brand new show. ‘A seriously good comedian’ The Times

LOUISE JAMESON DOUBLE BILL SHAKESPEARE’S MISTRESS / PULLING FACES 3 July, 5pm, £15, £12 conc.

Louise left RADA in 1971 with the Shakespeare Memorial Prize and has had a love affair with the Bard ever since.

Shakespeare’s Mistress is her Desert Island Disc choice from the canon which she will share with you alongside her very personal memories of the last 40 years: from Shakespeare to soap, from The National to stand-up. A life in performance. In Pulling Faces Louise plays 12 different characters in the course of one hour, as she guides you through a week in the life of presenter Joanne, doing battle with her nipped and tucked nemesis, the evil agent, and her anti-surgery daughter Rachel.

An evening of guilty pleasure.

PARENT/CARER & BABY CINEMA CLUB 5 July

ONCE UPON A TIME 15, 16 & 17 July, 1.30pm, 6.30pm, £12.50, £7.50 conc.

Once upon a time in, a land far away, two young children lived within a circus where they felt they never truly belonged.

Follow them on their journey as they search to find truth and happiness, and see the places they discover, and people they meet along the way.

A CLASSIC ROCK EXTRAVAGANZA 15 May, 7.30pm, £13, £12, £1 U 16’s

Presented by Brandywine Music Featuring Stray, one of Britain’s most enduring guitar-led rock bands, still going strong after all these years, plus recently re-formed 70’s cult rockers, Leafhound, the Growers of Mushrooms, and brilliant upcoming young rock band Black Water. A terrific headbanging, foot-stomping evening of Classic Rock sounds. www.brandywinemusic.co.uk

THE SPOOKY MEN’S CHORALE 27 July, 8pm, £17.50

Presented by Brandywine Music. Blue Mountains-based Spooky Men’s Chorale are a fearsome bunch of larrikins with a full range of body and facial hair configurations and the sometimes accidental ability to make audiences both laugh and cry at the hopeless beauty and hapless stupidity of their vocal machinations...A treat not to be missed. www.brandywinemusic.co.uk

THE TOY HEARTS 28 July, 8pm, £10

Presented by The Flying Burrito Club One of the UK’s hottest acoustic acts right now, Toy Heart’s music neatly places them at the forefront of the resurgence of interest in folk and Americana music. The band draws upon the genres of Bluegrass, Western Swing and Gypsy Jazz for inspiration but they have developed a unique sound that leaves their audiences breathless and ready for more!

CLASSIC FILM CLUB - EASY RIDER 5 July, 2.30pm, 7.45pm

Starring Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper and Luana Anders. Wyatt and Billy are two motorcycle riders (bikers) on their way to Mardis Gras, and encounter hitchhikers, a drunken lawyer, a jail cell, a whorehouse and the death of a friend.

OUTSIDE THE BOX COMEDY CLUB 7 July, 8pm, £14

With resident host Maff Brown...Over 16s. Chris Addison BBC’s ‘Have I got News for You’, Mark Maier - ‘Brilliant’ - The Guardian, Sean Collins, as seen on ‘Comedy Roadshow’ and Ellis James from Dave’s ‘One Night Stand’.Voted 4th best comedy venue in the UK (The Guardian)

THE RHYTHM OF LIFE 10 July, 6.30pm, £11, £9 conc.

Bullfrog Productions celebrate the second year of their Sevenoaks Youth Group with a mix of magical musical theatre moments, hip hop, tap and contemporary classics. Students from 4 to 20 years combine their talents in dance, drama and singing in a stunning show to be enjoyed by all.

Danny Schmidt

FOR MORE UPCOMING EVENTS & FILMS, VISIT WWW.STAGSEVENOAKS.CO.UK OR CALL 01732 450175 YOU CAN NOW BOOK AND PAY ONLINE! TEXT STAG123 TO 60777 TO RECEIVE CINEMA AND EVENT LISTINGS, NEWS AND OFFERS.

vinedigital.co.uk July 2011 vine 57

Fri & Sun 14:00-16:30, Thu & Sat 10:00-16:30. Eden Valley Museum, Church House, 72 High St, Edenbridge. Free.

THEATRE n 09 Jul. Comedy of Errors

by Shakespeare. 19:30. Yalding Gardens. Tickets 01622 758611 www.changeling-theatre.com www.hazlittartscentre.co.uk n 09, 17 Jul. Huge Nest. 12:00.

Tunbridge Wells. Applause Rural Touring. 01892 619075 www.applause.org.uk Galloping Cuckoos www.myspace.com/ thegallopingcuckoos www. tunbridgewells.gov.uk n 15-17, 20-23 Jul. Fawlty Towers. Salomons, Broomhill Rd, Southborough near Tunbridge Wells. £12 (concessions £8-10).

Pantiles Players 01892 534341, 507609 www.salomons.org.uk n 16 Jul. Whats Coming Out of the Box. 12:00. Rusthall.

Applause Rural Touring. 01892 619075 www.applause.org. uk Puppets & Dolls www. puppetsanddolls.org.uk n 16-23 Jul. Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward. 20:00 (+ Thu matinee 14:30), no performance Mon-Tue. Festival Theatre, Hever Castle. £12-18.50. 01732 866114 www.heverfestival.co.uk n 23 Jul. Huge Nest. 10:00.

Kings Hill. Applause Rural Touring. 01892 619075 www. applause.org.uk Galloping Cuckoos www.myspace.com/ thegallopingcuckoos www. kingshillparishcouncil.gov.uk n 29 Jul. Curtain Up evening at the musicals. 21:00. Beacon Hotel & Restaurant, Tea Garden Lane, Tunbridge Wells. £10 (concessions £8). 01892 524252

WALKS n 10 Jul. 5-mile walk around West Peckham. 14:30. Sevenoaks Society 01732 459001 www. sevenoakssociety.org.uk n 24 Jul. 5-mile walk. 14:30.

Meet Smarts Hill near Penshurst.

Sevenoaks Society 01732 458898 www.sevenoaks society.org.uk To see your event here, email full details to tic@sevenoakstown.gov.uk.

Edited by Bob Carpenter. Guaranteed insertions cost just £35 + VAT. Call us today on 01732 760823.

SEVENOAKS TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE Stag Theatre, Plaza Suite Tel: 01732 450305 Email: tic@sevenoakstown.gov.uk

WE SELL: Souvenirs • Books on local history • Stamps and postcards Maps and guidebooks • Theatre Tokens National Express tickets

WE HAVE INFORMATION ON:

What’s on in the area • Walking and cycling in the local countryside Holiday guides for the UK

WE PROVIDE: Photocopy service Accommodation advice and bookings

THEATRE REVIEWS

Guys, dolls, witches and heroes Journalist John Morrison shares his highlights of this year’s Sevenoaks Summer Festival n ‘Put the badge on!’ said the sour-faced security guard as he handed us a list of questions for our UK Citizenship Assessment. When did women win the right to divorce? At what age can you legally sell cigarettes to children?

As the audience for Sevenoaks School’s production of An Odyssey shuffled in to a darkened room behind a screen, we wondered if immigration would give us the okay. When the lights came up and the screen was lifted, we were plunged into the opening scene of a stunning three hours of drama. A half-naked male figure, washed up on a beach, was being prodded and interrogated by two officials. Why was he there? Where had he come from? Odysseus was soon clothed in an orange jumpsuit and told to explain the improbable detours on his long voyage back home from Troy.

Director Gavin Henry spread his cast of more than 40 around The Space, the school’s beautiful new arts centre, in a site-specific promenade production based on versions of Homer by David Farr and Simon Armitage. It was utterly thrilling, blending confident and committed actors with sophisticated lighting, sound, movement, mime, dance and puppetry.

Alex Tolcilli as Odysseus, Charly Solomou as the abandoned Penelope and Kitty Gould as a clipboardwielding immigration interrogator led a hugely talented ensemble. Although some scenes could have been trimmed, this was an outstanding theatrical event which broke the boundaries of school drama.

Sevenoaks Shakespeare Society’s production of Macbeth showed a similar spirit of innovation but was less successful. Director Rod Henderson boldly put the three weird sisters at the centre of the action, keeping them on stage throughout as sinister figures manipulating Macbeth and the other mortals for their own sport. This is an original and plausible way of seeing Shakespeare’s play, but to work successfully it needs more space for physical action than a small platform stage can provide. As a result the play seemed to be ‘cabin’d, cribbed, confined’ at the centre of the Plaza Suite. Cathy Bourne’s verse speaking made her an excellent Lady Macbeth, Alex Grist showed her versatility and experience in a series of roles including Malcolm, and the witches were impressively malevolent. More rehearsal time might have allowed for a greater development of the witches’ roles, and added more polish and conviction to the parts played by the male actors.

In The Stag Theatre, Sevenoaks Entertainers presented Guys and Dolls, hailed since its first outing on Broadway in the 1950s as the outstanding American musical of all time. Where some shows have hit songs with thin padding in between, this one serves up strudel and cheesecake – not just great music but deft plotting, cracking characters and sharp dialogue that would keep the audience fully amused even if the orchestra An Odyssey © DAVID MEREWETHER

58 vine July 2011 vinedigital.co.uk

were to go on strike. Luckily with top MD David Grubb in charge, nothing of the sort happened.

With Sheila Hook directing and Jessica McEwen as choreographer, this production fired on all cylinders.

It’s a huge challenge for an amateur company to make a success of a show which has been repeatedly revived in the West End, but the Entertainers rose to it splendidly. They are an exceptional ensemble with great strength in depth, whose productions seem to get better and better each year.

Rachel Kerry as Miss Adelaide, with a Brooklyn accent sharp enough to saw down trees, was an absolute delight. Jo Phypers as Sarah Brown the missionary was funny and touching, conveying the mixed emotions of a woman who has fallen for a gambler despite her better instincts. David Waller as Sky Masterson, the high roller who loses his heart to Sarah, revealed a sudden vulnerability that I hadn’t seen before in his many performances in Sevenoaks.

Mark Grist turned Nathan Detroit, Adelaide’s dithering fiancé, into a warm-hearted greenhorn struggling to keep pace in the tough backstreet world of illegal gambling. Add in the well-rounded figure of Sevenoaks’ very own pantomime dame Mike Hume as Nicely-Nicely Johnson and a string of excellent performances in supporting roles, and this was a show that had the audience whooping with delight at the classic songs ‘Luck Be A Lady’ and ‘Sit Down You’re Rocking The Boat’. Strudel or cheesecake? No need to choose – in a production as good as this one, you can enjoy both.

JOHN MORRISON Guys and Dolls

VINe

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Holly Seddon has the last word

© JAC CLINCH

W

62 vine July 2011 vinedigital.co.uk

e’ve moved. At weeks, of course, it all went wrong. last, a chance Despite my best efforts to make a to reinvent good start, on morning five in the ourselves. A fresh new house, the chickens burst out start, with fresh of their house at 4am and started attitudes and yelling their heads off. I realised too the renaissance of my neighbourhood late that I didn’t shut them in properly reputation. A chance to leave behind the night before and had to run the memories of curtains twitching around the garden, barefoot in my while I massaged a chicken’s bum in nightie, trying to shut them up (and the garden, only to find out that she’d shut them in) before I got my collar tricked me into it, she didn’t have an felt for noise pollution. egg stuck in her ‘vent’ and was just My youngest child had already run getting a bald belly. out into the garden and No more will I yelled over the fence Rather than get caught by the to neighbouring kids, neighbours wearing “Look at my willy!” and tuck my my house hat (which is I’d accidentally flashed pyjamas into exactly what it sounds the overlooking houses my UGG boots like) but no proper day because I got a vest stuck and pretend clothes other than a over my head and span house coat (which isn’t around and around like a they’re onexactly what it sounds dog in a new collar, trying trend harem like and is, in fact, a to get myself out, all the pants, I will dressing gown). while bouncing ‘free and actually wear In our new house easy’ in the window.

I will be New Holly.

We’d littered the on-trend things Rather than tuck my place with posters for (once I find pyjamas into my UGG our big, fat, half-tailed out what those boots and pretend cat who sulked for a week things are). they’re on-trend harem and then reappeared pants, I will actually after we’d wasted And I’ll stop wear on-trend things everyone’s time. carrying my (once I find out what I accidentally walked keys in my bra those things are). And to the shops having not I’ll stop carrying my put shoes on my son (he keys in my bra. didn’t make a squeak about it), happily Rather than putting emergency waving to (probably horrified) people Vaseline on my lips and scraping my as I went. The list goes on. hair up with a child’s hairband in No matter what message Madonna’s lieu of using a brush, I shall put adult career may have given, I have to make-up on and do my hair. I won’t conclude that it really isn’t possible to wear my eight-year-old son’s coat with reinvent yourself. my arms sticking out, either.

No matter where I live, no matter New Holly will be one of those what clothes I have in my wardrobe, proper adults, with perfectly-presented no matter how much I plan otherwise, children, a squeaky-clean house, a I will always be that woman in her to-do list that gets done and pets whose pyjamas rubbing a chicken’s bum. worming and flea treatments are up Holly Seddon runs the community site to date ... rather than panickingly www.sevenoakspeople.co.uk. retrospective.

Catch her on twitter too @hollyseddon Well, that was the plan. Within two

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64 vine July 2011 vinedigital.co.uk