Wirral Life July 2017

WIRRAL LIFE

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WIRRAL’S No.1 FREE PREMIUM LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE JULY 2017

PAUL ASKEW THE CULINARY ARTIST

PROPERTY • MOTORS • FASHION & BEAUTY • FOOD & DRINK

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WIRRAL LIFE

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WIRRAL’S No.1 FREE PREMIUM LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Welcome to Wirral Life Magazine.

This month, we talk to Paul Askew, Celebrity Chef and owner of The Art School Restaurant in Liverpool, about his life, career and TV appearances in an exclusive interview. Paul is a great ambassador for the region; with a passion for supporting young people and promoting the Wirral.

Liam Hanlon of The Forshaw Group talks business and takes us through the history of the 70 year old company, and Andrew Wood, our history columnist shares with us the story of Wallaseyborn author and rebel, Malcolm Lowry.

We also have a bumper society section - as the Wirral Life team have been out and about covering all key events happening in the Wirral, take a look through the photo’s and see if you appear!

Finally, we have our popular food reviews - this month it’s the delightful Manor Restaurant in Greasby and our Gastro Grazer, Carl Housbey, takes us further afield to the beautiful Gower Peninsula in South Wales with a delightful review of The Beach House restaurant.

EDITORS

Si Hall Nicky Rigby-Smith FEATURE WRITERS Andrew Collinge: Hair Lynne Hague: Lifestyle Stephen Muff: The Butchers Cut David Green: Whisky Carl Housbey: Food Tony Yates: Cars Joel Jelen: Wellbeing Andrew Wood: History Conor Magee: Medical Norman Shum: Cars and Coffee Kate Kingston: Interiors Richard Gibson: Dentistry Annabel Birtles: Beauty Cover Shot: Mike McTigue - Leica TL OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER:

Enjoy Wirral Life!

Si Hall & Nicky Rigby-Smith

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Copyright Hall Smith Publishing 2017. All Rights Reserved. The content of the magazine is owned by the publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced - in whole or in part, including advertisements - without prior written permission from the publisher. While we take every care whilst compiling the magazine, we cannot be held responsible for claims made, or accuracy of content provided by advertisers or contributors. All prices and dates within the magazine were correct at the time of print. The editor reserves the right to shorten or modify any materials submitted. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily held by the editor or publisher.

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80 35 76 28 INTERVIEWS 16. Paul Askew FOOD & DRINK 24. The Butchers Cut 26. The Manor 28. Gastro Grazer PROPERTY 35. Editor Choice Properties 46. Interior Inspiration FASHION & BEAUTY 48. Beauty 50. Andrew Collinge 52. Glamour TRAVEL 64. Fred.Olson Cruises BUSINESS 70. Wirral Chamber of Commerce 74. The Forshaw Group 76. Whitfield Business

84 SOCIETY 80. The Wirral Ball 83. Sgt. Peppers Lunch 84. Red Fox Gin Festival 89. Lady Taverners Royal Ascot Day 91. Wirral Chamber Corporate Cup 92. IncuBabies Summer Ball 94. Brett Jones 10K 95. Ladies Charity Night 96. Rolls Royce Wraith

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HISTORY, ARTS & CULTURE 66. Malcolm Lowry 100. Photo Competition MOTOR 106. Cars & Coffee 108. Mazda MX-5 DIRECTORY

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IN BRIEF SIR TONY ROBINSON A WEIRD WORLD OF WONDERS

Sir Tony Robinson, acclaimed writer, TV presenter and actor, visited Birkenhead School to talk to children about his book series on the ‘Weird World of Wonders’.

During the inspiring talk, Sir Tony spoke about his fantastic series of books, ‘Weird World of Wonders’ in conjunction with Linghams booksellers in Heswall.

The talk was part of the School’s English Enrichment programme, which aims to go beyond the national curriculum to inspire and engage students at Birkenhead School.

After launching himself onto the stage with characteristic energy, Sir Tony entertained a packed Bushell Hall full of students from Prep, Seniors and visiting local schools (along with many members of staff – avid fans of his role as the bumbling ‘Baldrick’ in ‘Blackadder’).

Sir Tony’s boundless enthusiasm had everyone entranced as he took the audience through his unique way of looking at history. Sir Tony then spent time talking with students and signing their very own copies of his books to take away and treasure.

Paul Vicars, Headmaster commented, “We were delighted to welcome Sir Tony to the School in conjunction with Linghams. The children were thoroughly entertained and enthused throughout his talk. Particular highlights were seeing the pupils on stage re-enacting parts of history as well as teacher, Mr Mike Ryan, taking part in Egyptian Mummy embalming. I am sure that this will be a memory that will inspire and stay with our pupils for many years to come.”

Sir Tony Robinson is one of a number of high-profile speakers to the School this year that have included former English Cricket Captain, David Gower, OBE and The Right Honourable Lord Storey, CBE.

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NEW RETIREMENT WING GETS ROYAL SEAL OF APPROVAL

A new multi-million pound, state-of-the-art retirement home at Nautilus International’s Wallasey-based, Mariners’ Park Estate, welcomed its first residents following its royal unveiling.

The £2.7m Seafarers UK Centenary Wing – which includes £1.17m of funding from Seafarers UK – was formally opened by HRH The Earl of Wessex; who is also the President of Seafarers UK, and is an extension to the existing Trinity House Hub. The Wing has seen a further 22 apartments added which will now offer accommodation to a maximum of 26 eligible residents. The new apartments have been designed to meet the needs and requirements of retired mariners and includes a wet room and call alarm system. Additionally, two apartments have been set up specially for wheelchair users. In total, there are now 40 apartments in the Hub and new Wing combined. Designed by Manchester-based architects Pozzoni, the Seafarers UK Centenary Wing enhances the range of accommodation offered by the Nautilus Welfare Fund: the registered charity administered by the Union. Communal facilities have also been extended in the Hub – which was opened in 2014 by the Princess Royal – including the creation of a new activities room that has been made available for the use of all Mariners’ Park residents.

Speaking after the Wing’s opening, Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson said: “We are delighted that the new Seafarers UK Centenary Wing is now open and ready for use. Nautilus has been protecting the interests of seafarers for 160 years, and supporting the increasing numbers of retired mariners and their dependents – in particular those over 75 and over 85 years – by providing additional purpose built accommodation, is a key priority for us. These apartments allow 21st century care for our residents and it’s a testament to the likes of Seafarers UK and our architects – Pozzoni – that such a fresh and vibrant building will become home to so many people.”

For further information about Nautilus International or the Nautilus Welfare Fund, visit: www.nautilusint.org or www.nautiluswelfarefund.org.

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ALL ABOARD THE LOVE TRAIN AS BRIDE AND GROOM VOW ‘I CHOO!’

WIRRAL’S BLACKBERRY GROVE LAND TOP CHEF

Two AA rosette award winning Andy Jones has been appointed Head Chef of Independent Bar Eatery Blackberry Grove in New Brighton.

Jones’s former roles include Head Chef at Crabwell Manor in Chester, Head Chef and Operations Manager at The White Mare in Cumbria and most recently Head Chef at The Royal Oak in Kelsall, Cheshire.

Most couples opt for a fancy car or even a horse and carriage as their wedding transport of choice, but Steve and Shirley Davis wanted something a little bit different – a Merseyrail train.

The couple made sure their wedding got off on the right track by hitching a ride on a specially commissioned service to the ceremony and then back to their reception in Port Sunlight.

Steve, who has worked for Merseyrail for the past 32 years, is a station retailer at Port Sunlight in Wirral and wanted to incorporate his muchloved job into his big day.

Stephen Bradley, Head of Stations at Merseyrail, said: “Stephen, or Sumo to his friends, has been working for Merseyrail since October 1984 and works in our ticket offices on the South Wirral. Sumo is a big character both within Merseyrail and with our customers with his one liners and his awful jokes! Stephen approached me earlier this year to advise me he was getting married and that he would like to surprise his soon to be wife by having the station decorated. We decided to do a bit more than that and arranged free travel for 50 of his guests and greeted them with champagne and flowers. We received lots of great comments from our customers about how the station looked and Stephen and his wife seemed really happy with our efforts.”

The couple and their guests travelled from Port Sunlight to the registry office before returning on the train for their reception at a location near to the station. Steve and Sheila are now enjoying a well-deserved honeymoon!

Having worked with Marco Pierre White and Jean Christoph Novelli amongst other high profile chefs, Andy brings a wealth of experience to the relatively new establishment on The Wirral. The appointment clearly shows the ambition of owner Joanna Jones, “We are delighted to welcome Andy as our new Head Chef and we are all looking forward to working with him. He is a well-respected chef who is vastly experienced, something which was very important for me going forward.”

Blackberry Grove opened their doors in October 2015, with their mission statement being clear, ‘We have something for everyone’.

In addition to their vast array of meat dishes, they are well known for their imaginative vegan and vegetarian cuisine as well as their extensive gluten free menu. Within five months of trading, Joanna and the team were recognised by winning the ‘Outstanding Customer Care’ award at The Wirral Tourism Awards 2016. In November 2016, they were shortlisted and named as one of the best 20 places in the country for people with food allergies to eat out at (Free From Eating Out Awards 2016). Most recently they were recognised nationally again when shortlisted at The Casual dining Awards 2017, down to the final four with three London eateries for ‘Best New Dining Concept’. Joanna adds, “We’ve had a great start in these past 18 months, we’re ready to step it up a gear now. We are ambitious in cultivating young talent here at Blackberry Grove and we are confident that Andy will underpin our ambitions with his foundation of knowledge that can cascade to our less experienced members.” Featured in The Good Food Guide of Cumbria 2015, Andy says, “For me it was about coming back to the area, being close to family and very importantly, working for someone whose ambition matches my own. Jo is hungry for success, like myself, and hopefully we can make a great team and put Blackberry Grove on the Culinary map. I’m really looking forward to getting started.” wirrallife.com 7

IN BRIEF PURR-FECT START FOR CATS PROTECTION’S NEW NORTH WIRRAL VOLUNTEERS WHY NOT JOIN THEM?

WIRRAL RESTAURANT LAUNCH CREATES 15 NEW JOBS A new restaurant is set to open its doors on the Wirral this month, bringing 15 new jobs to the area.

The Twelfth Man on Greasby Road, Upton has closed to begin an extensive transformation that will see it re-open as Goodwin’s Bar & Kitchen on Thursday 20 July. The new venue will be a relaxed, modern restaurant perfect for everything from breakfast or a quick bite to eat at lunchtime to celebrating special occasions with friends and family in the evenings or at weekends. The new restaurant also welcomes a new general manager, Ronn Taylor. The interiors of the restaurant are set for a complete overhaul, introducing a fresh and modern environment for local diners from Wirral to enjoy.

ETHEL

Abandoned kittens, a cat pining for its late owner, and a hugely jealous tortoiseshell are just some of the cats helped by the newly formed North Wirral branch of Cats Protection.

The branch has made a purr-fect start since it began taking cats into its care for re-homing in January this year and is now looking for more volunteers so it can do even more for the area’s felines in need. The branch’s first success was with three 12-week-old kittens that were found dumped on a cold winter’s night. Albert and Ethel were huddled in a box in Royden Park, Irby, while Figaro was discovered in Arrowe Park, Woodchurch. Branch Co-ordinator Steve Riches said none would have survived that cold and wet January night if they hadn’t been found and taken to local vets Acorn Veterinary Surgery. “All three had significant medical problems, but they have pulled through, with Ethel and Figaro re-homed and Albert reserved for re-homing after spending five months in veterinary care with a perpetual ringworm problem. The medical costs for all three kittens’ recovery were paid by an anonymous donor, for which we are extremely thankful.”

The volunteers have now helped almost 100 cats, including: • a 17-year-old cat sitting on the doorstep waiting forlornly for the return of its owner who had sadly died; • a 12-month-old cat whose owner was reluctantly re-homing it because she faces a lengthy stay in hospital; • a tortoiseshell cat that adores people just as much as she dislikes the home’s other four-legged inhabitants, so has to be re-homed; • cats which needed new homes because job changes or relocations make continued ownership impractical for some people.

The communities the branch covers include Birkenhead, Wallasey, Moreton, West Kirby, Hoylake, New Brighton, Greasby and Frankby.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer call 0345 260 1376 or email co-ordinator@northwirral.cats.org.uk 8 wirrallife.com

A new menu will also be introduced, with a focus on fresh, British classics including an excellent range of freshly prepared hand pressed burgers and grass-fed and pasture-reared black Angus steaks, cooked on an authentic chargrill. The restaurant is currently looking for hard working, passionate foodies to join the team. It is looking to fill kitchen, front of house and management positions. If you are interested, please send your CV to goodwinswirral@gmail.com.

NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF SHAFTESBURY YOUTH CLUB APPOINTED The Shaftesbury Youth Club (SYC) has announced that it has appointed Janice Monty as its new Chief Executive.

Janice took up her position in June 2017.

Janice has an extensive background in youth work & child services, most recently as Contracts & Commissioning Manager in the Children & Young Person’s Department at Wirral Borough Council.

Having begun her career as a Youth Worker she had gone on to hold a number of important roles with Barnardos, YMCA & Include before joining the public sector. She holds a Masters (MBA) in Public Sector Management as well as Diplomas in Inclusive Management, Advanced Studies in Education and Youth/Community work. Commenting on her appointment, John E Jones, Chair of the SYC said: “We are delighted to have appointed Janice as Chief Executive. She brings with her a wealth of valuable and relevant expertise. In particular, her strong operational experience in other charities and public bodies as well as her focus on the interests of children and young people means that she is the ideal person to take the SYC forward as an innovative charity in the field of youth engagement.” Janice added: “Having worked in the child/youth services sectors for the majority of my career, I have always been conscious of the important place the SYC occupies in championing youth engagement. I am looking forward to working with the Chair, Council and staff of the SYC. The SYC has set a clear strategy for the organisation. There is much now to be done to ensure that this unique Club continues to innovate and grow in its sector for the benefit of local youth and the local community” To find out more about SYC please visit: http://www.shaftes.org.uk/.

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GB FIRST: RARE ANDEAN BEAR CUB BORN AT CHESTER ZOO

THE DUCHESS OF WESTMINSTER OFFICIALLY OPENS HOSPICE’S NEW EXTENSION AND LIVING WELL CENTRE IN CHESTER

The first Andean bear to be born in mainland Great Britain has emerged from its den at Chester Zoo – and it’s absolutely adorable.

The rare cub which is yet to be sexed, arrived to parents Lima (5) and Bernardo (7) in January and after spending months snuggled away in its den, has now started to venture out and explore for the first time. Made famous in the UK through the classic children’s character Paddington Bear, the Andean bear is the only bear to inhabit South America. They are found in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. The species is listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and conservation experts from the zoo say the birth of the cub is especially significant given how threatened the species is.

Tim Rowlands, curator of mammals at the zoo, said: “The cub was tiny when it was born but Lima is doing a fantastic job, particularly given that she’s a first time mum, and the cub is developing quickly. Lima is keeping her new charge close and she certainly has her paws full. But even though she’s not letting it stray too from her side, we can already see that her cub has a real playful side. This is a momentous breeding success for us. To become the first zoo in mainland Great Britain to ever breed the species is an amazing achievement – one that has taken years of careful planning, dedication and skill. Andean bears are still something of a mystery to conservationists and not a huge amount is known about them. But by working closely with the bears here, breaking new ground with this breeding, we’re constantly learning about this amazing species.

We’re able to relay much of this information to our field conservation teams and partners in the wild and it’s information that could be very important in terms of ensuring a long-term future for the bears.”

Population estimates for the species were last made a decade ago, placing wild numbers at just 20,000. Conservation scientists are convinced that their numbers have since continued to decrease but are currently unsure of exactly how many remain in the wild. The main threat to the Andean bear is habitat loss, with some 30% of the forests that contain sufficient food having disappeared in the past 20 years. Hundreds of bears are also illegally killed by farmers and business owners every year, largely to prevent them raiding crops and livestock - believed to be a result of climate change which has created a food shortage in the bears’ natural habitat.

The Duchess of Westminster has officially opened the new extension and Living Well Centre at the Hospice of the Good Shepherd in Chester.

This special occasion enabled the Hospice to thank everyone who supported the project and gave invited guests an opportunity to see the huge difference the new facilities have made. The Duchess was keen to meet some of the patients, members of staff and volunteers as part of the event while she was taken on a tour of the new building and Living Well Centre.

Margaret Wright, Chief Executive of Hospice of the Good Shepherd, said, “We were privileged to welcome the Duchess of Westminster to formally open the new extension and Living Well Centre. Hospice services have traditionally been seen as supporting people who are approaching the end of their life. We are extremely pleased with the new extension and Living Well Centre which provides vastly improved facilities for our patients and their families. Within the Living Well Centre, our aim is to involve people at an earlier stage.

In addition to supporting patients following a diagnosis, we are also able to provide support to their families and carers who are important to them.”

The new extension includes a welcoming reception area, inviting Coffee Shop, and staff offices. Whilst the Living Well Centre includes a multi faith room, spacious day room , four single en-suite inpatient rooms, private consultation/treatment rooms and offers a range of services, such as complementary therapies and physiotherapy. This has increased the capacity for day patients by 150%. The Hospice supports patients, families and carers with a variety of progressive conditions for which there is no cure, such as cancer, heart, kidney and respiratory diseases, and some neurological conditions such as Motor Neurone Disease and Parkinson’s Disease.

For more information about the services, events and volunteering please visit www.hospicegs.com wirrallife.com 9

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Prenton Preparatory School Boys & Girls aged 2 years 6 months - 11 years • • • • • • • •

Traditional teaching Small classes Dedicated and highly experienced staff High academic standard and excellent results at 11+ A firm but fair discipline Various clubs and sporting activities Pre and after school care Nursery grant available for 3 & 4 year olds

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PRENTON PREPARATORY SCHOOL MOUNT PLEASANT, OXTON, WIRRAL, CH43 5SY

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Accredited by the Independent Schools Council

IN BRIEF GREEN LIDS RAISE CHARITY FUNDS ON AN ISLAND PARADISE

UNESCO NOTABLE WORLD’S FIRST FOR WIRRAL MUSIC TEAM

The intrepid fundraiser, Swasie Turner MBE, along with his two fellow team members, Barry Phillips and Tim Cahill, have just returned from an 80-mile wheelchair push to every fire station on the Isle of Wight.

Two of Wirral’s top musical experts have brought about the world’s first exchange scheme for young classical musicians in conjunction with UNESCO.

The three proud Green ‘Lids’ raised funds for the Fire-Fighters Charity and the Royal Marines Charity. They also donated to the Ryde Inshore Rescue Service who had arranged free return ferry crossings to the island.

The Green Lids returned to the island after a successful fundraising trip three years earlier to complete another lengthy and physically demanding fundraising event.

This 2017 trek was a huge success and the generosity of the Isle of Wight residents and tourists was astounding. The route was challenging with some very steep hills, nevertheless, buses and coaches stopped to invite Tim Cahill to board vehicles and collect donations from passengers and drivers.

Road users and pedestrians also gave generously to swell the collection buckets as the team negotiated the lengthy and often extremely steep gradients.

Isle of Wight media ensured everyone was aware of the team’s efforts to raise funds for their very worthy charities. Fundraisers stopped at the ‘Propeller Inn’ for refreshments and the Inn’s hostess, Annie Parsons, and Shaun Williams were very helpful and generous.

The Isle of Wight charity wheelchair push was a huge success and raised almost £2000 from the people they met who gave so generously throughout the push to each Fire Station on the island for the two worthy charities.

To support Swasie on his fundraising initiatives, visit swasieturner.org.

The Orchestra dell’Arte, directed by Edward Peak and managed by Dr Valerie Warr, is well-known for being the cornerstone of the Wirral Arts Festival. The orchestra are equally at home playing the great symphonies and concertos as well as music from film and television.

As well as an experienced conductor, Edward is an experienced conductor, a top orchestral arranger and for 30 years, he was a performer and conductor with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Edward was recently honoured by Wirral and presented with an award for his work.

The UNESCO tie-up happened as a result of Liverpool having recently won the title of UNESCO Creative City of Music. UNESCO, which awarded the Maritime Mercantile City of Liverpool World Heritage Site status in 2004, has now recognised the city’s musical heritage, designating it a permanent UNESCO City of Music. Liverpool is England’s only representative. Music was crucial to that success and this latest prestigious award is seen as a natural progression of Liverpool’s cultural journey.

In May 2017, the first of a series of exchange concerts took place and Sacha Rattle and his wife, Zeynep Özsuca, jetted off to Bologna to perform a duo concert of music. In return, the young Italian pianist Pietro Fresa will be joining the orchestra on 17 September 2017 at Liverpool’s St George’s Hall. Many people work hard behind the scenes to make these exchanges happen and principal in this have been the Manager of Orchestra dell’Arte, Dr Valerie Warr and the head of Liverpool’s UNESCO City of Music, producer Kevin McManus.

Edward Peak says that The European link, thanks to the UNESCO connection, will open up so many new possibilities. This is a hugely exciting time for the young soloists and for Liverpool.

For more information visit, www.dellarte.co.uk wirrallife.com 11

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Photo by Paul Francis Cooper

SCORCHING CONDITIONS AS 1,700 RUNNERS TAKE ON PORT SUNLIGHT RACES More than 1,700 runners braved scorching weather conditions to take part in an annual running event at Port Sunlight Village.

The event grows in popularity each year, and this year’s race day saw a large number of families turn out to take part. The 5K race and two-lap 10K took runners on a picturesque route of the tree-lined boulevards of Port Sunlight Village – with places for both races selling out with two weeks to go.

Following the 5K and 10K races, almost 300 youngsters took part in their very own 1K Fun Run. They received a finishers’ medal and goody bag. This was the fifth annual Port Sunlight Village Road Race staged by BTR Liverpool, held in conjunction with Port Sunlight Village Trust (PSVT). Unilever – which was originally founded in Port Sunlight as Lever Brothers in 1888 – supported the race day for a fourth consecutive year.

Despite soaring temperatures, competition remained fierce and excellent times were recorded – including a new female 5K course record which was set by Helen Sahgal representing Liverpool Pembroke & Sefton Harriers. Helen clocked a time of 18 minutes 25 seconds – knocking 32 seconds off the previous record of 18:57 set by Megan Ball in 2015. She also came second in the BTR Port Sunlight 10K last year.

A group of 115 runners took on an extra challenge, running in both 5K and 10K races. A small group first did the combined 15K three years ago, this has grown year on year with the number almost doubling in size annually. In addition to their 5K and 10K finishers’ medals, the double runners also received two race T-shirts and goody bags, as well as special 15K T-shirt for their extra efforts. Plans are already underway to further increase the size of the group running both races to 200 for 2018.

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The winner of the 5K was Joseph Boden from Wallasey AC with a time of 16:12, narrowly missing out on setting a new record by just two seconds. He was followed by Paul Wathan from Eryri Harriers in second place with a time of 16:30; and in third place was Chris Yorke from North Wales Road Runners clocking a finishing time of 17:28.

Alongside Helen Sahgal taking the 5K female honours and setting a new race record; Gemma Morgans from Eryri Harriers took second place in 19:24; followed by third position Lisa Gawthorne representing Liverpool Pembroke & Sefton Harriers with a time of 19:37. Lee Jones from Deeside AAC took the top honours in the 10K race with a winning time of 34:27; Paul Wathan from Eryri Harriers running in both races again took second place with a time of 35:18; and third place finisher was John Cain from Liverpool Harriers in a time of 36:25. Taking the female honours in the 10K was Carmel Triggs who clocked a time of 39:21; Rachel Jacks from Southport Waterloo AC took second place with a time of 40:32; followed again by double racer Gemma Morgans from Eryri Harriers who took another top three finishing place in 41:35 making her third.

The event proved such a success that after officially starting the races and presenting winners’ prizes and trophies, Head of Unilever Port Sunlight, Cameron Jones and Paul Harris, CEO of Port Sunlight Village Trust, got into the spirit of the day and vowed to take part in the 5K race at next year’s event.

The date for next year’s BTR Port Sunlight Village Road Race is confirmed as Sunday, 17 June, 2018 and you can now enter at www.btrliverpool.com.

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WIRRAL CARE HOME IS RATED ‘GOOD’ BY OFFICIAL WATCHDOG A care home in the Wirral has been rated as ‘good’ following an unannounced inspection by the official watchdog.

The Hazelwell, a luxury ‘all-inclusive’, residential, nursing, palliative and respite care home in Heswall, which caters for 55 residents, opened on Oldfield Road in Heswall less than a year ago.

The Care Quality Commission, the independent regulator of all health and social services in England, rated The Hazelwell as ‘good’ for providing a service that was ‘safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led’. It found that the home was ‘clean, well-maintained and records showed that regular health and safety checks were carried out’.

The CQC report also stated that ‘all areas were furnished and decorated to a very high standard and people had a choice of comfortable sitting areas both indoors and outdoors’ and ‘medicines were managed safely and records confirmed that people always received the medication prescribed by the doctor’.

Representatives from the CQC chatted with residents, family members and reviewed individual care plans.

They also spoke with staff and Liza Millington, care home manager at The Hazelwell, who was commended for her role at the home.

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The report read: “Residents were very happy with their meals and told us that choices were always available. The members of staff we spoke with had good knowledge of the support needs of the people who lived at the home.

“The staff we met had a cheerful and caring manner and they treated people with respect. People who lived at the home and visitors who we spoke with, expressed their satisfaction with the care provided and with the staff.

“The care plans we looked at gave information about people's care needs and how their needs were met. They also gave detailed information about people's individual choices and preferences. There was a friendly, open and inclusive culture in the home and people we met during our visits spoke highly of the home manager.”

The Hazelwell was also recently named in the Top 20 Recommended Care Homes in the North West for 2017 by leading UK care home website, carehome.co.uk.

For more information about The Hazelwell, contact Liza on 0151 342 9654, email info@thehazelwell.com or visit www.thehazelwell.com

RETIREMENT LIVING AS IT SHOULD BE NURSING | RESIDENTIAL | RESPITE CARE

WEEKEND POP INS - TAKE A LOOK AROUND AND SEE WHAT LIFE IS LIKE AT THE HAZELWELL EVERY SATURDAY & SUNDAY - 10AM-12PM & 2PM-4PM - NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED, JUST POP IN

LUXURIOUS BEDROOMS

CINEMA ROOM

COMFORTABLE LOUNGES

The Hazelwell Care Home is a purpose built care home offering the highest standards of care and comfort to all our residents and day guests.

Situated in the heart of Heswall in the Wirral, we offer residential, nursing, palliative and respite care tailored to your requirements in a comfortable home-from-home environment.

Book a tour and experience The Hazelwell for yourself. Call our home manager Liza Millington on 0151 342 9654 or email info@thehazelwell.com

SUN TERRACE

Qualified, Experienced & Dedicated Staff Superb Facilities | Stylish En-Suite Rooms Full Activities Programme | Fine Dining Landscaped Private Gardens

9.9 Review Score on carehome.co.uk

OLDFIELD ROAD, HESWALL, WIRRAL CH60 6SG | WWW.THEHAZELWELL.COM

THE INTERVIEW: PAUL ASKEW

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AN INTERVIEW WITH PAUL ASKEW Wirral Life talk to Paul Askew - Celebrity Chef and owner of The Art School Restaurant in Liverpool - about his life, career and TV appearances.

Paul Askew grew up in a small terrace house in Cleveland Road, Sunderland in the North East of England. His father was a Captain in the Merchant Navy, working for Blue Star Line, whose main office was located in Liverpool. Many of Paul’s early years were spent travelling the world, from London to Dubai, where he went to school for 2 years - he then spent some time in Singapore and then back to the Wirral.

Paul puts it down to the spice and fish markets of Dubai and Singapore that ignited his passion for the culinary arts. Paul moved to the Wirral when he was 4, which remains his home today. He studied at the Grammar school and following his A-Levels went on to study catering at the local college (Wirral Metroplitan) before following a career in the industry that has seen him work on both sides of the Atlantic. Paul is the owner of the famous Art School Restaurant in Liverpool, and has appeared on Saturday Kitchen and more recently, Great British Menu. He is also the current Chairman of The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts in the North of England. Here we talk to Paul in a fascinating and exclusive interview.

It’s only a few weeks since we last saw you on TV competing in the North West heat of Great British Menu, so obviously our readers will want to hear all about your experience on the show.

Firstly, let’s talk about the low score Daniel Clifford gave for your starter, which must be really hard for a Chef of your calibre and experience to take - why put yourself through that pressure?

Ha ha, I thought you might want to ask about that! I loved the show it was one of the best and toughest challenges of my career.

I felt, as you can imagine, very surprised and a little puzzled as I had the dish on at the restaurant in the run up to filming and it was universally endorsed as a popular Art School favourite.

With Claremont Farm asparagus and summer truffles, I was sure the connection with the Wirral’s own Lottie Dodd, the 5 times Wimbledon winner would be absolutely in-line with the brief. Lottie was known as the Little Wonder and asparagus is something of a little wonder, growing up-to 5-6cm overnight.

Daniel obviously saw it differently, and as he is a two star chef

who has a lot of experience on the show you have to take that feedback. I say the same to the brigade in the kitchen and I expect a dignified response from them. I’m not sure if in his own little way he wanted to give me a little kick, maybe in his eyes to get the best out of me – or maybe he just doesn’t like duck eggs!

Either way I enjoy the pressure and feel I am at my best when it’s at its most intense. Chefs of my era and calibre know how to react to challenges and opinions, so I didn’t let it get to me and I was determined to get to the final day to cook for the judges.

Probably the most important thing for me was to represent Liverpool as a city, to my knowledge I was the first chef running a restaurant in the city to appear on the show. I wanted to bring some focus on the dining scene that’s happening in the city and the show was a great platform to do it.

You bounced back brilliantly later in the week with a stunning main course of hogget served four ways, called “Summer Memories with Marjorie” this scored a perfect ten from Daniel - how did that make you feel?

It was very emotional. The dish was invented for my mother who was sadly terminally ill at the time of filming and passed before the show was aired. Although we are sworn to secrecy by the production team I was able to share with her. So at the time it wasn’t about the show, or proving anything to Daniel it was about me doing the best dish I could, to honour my mother and show off some of the best rare breed meat that the North West can produce. It was massively emotional and thankfully satisfying and I guess as far as the show goes it put me right back in the competition and helped me cook for the judges in the regional final on the Friday. Clearly it’s now a signature dish at the Art School and features on our current excellence menu, guests are served it in exactly the same style as the show, complete with Hebridean Hogget Horn Jus jug. My mum would have loved not just the taste of the lamb but also the ceremony of the presentation.

I would imagine that appearing on both Saturday Kitchen and Great British Menu has been good for business - would you say that this is the case, and if so which show has made the biggest difference? wirrallife.com 17

Of course both shows have been massively beneficial for the restaurant and me personally in raising the profile and keeping the restaurant in the public eye. It’s impossible for me to say which one has had the most impact, the restaurant had been getting busier year on year which is obviously great news. After Saturday Kitchen was broadcast, we had 400-500 emails from all over the world, wanting to know more about us and to make reservations, Great British Menu picked us up and put us on another level really, on social media and with support from across the industry. The combination of the two, on the back of our Sunday Times top 100 and Taste of England success has really made it an exceptional year so far. I’ve enjoyed doing both shows and I’m looking forward to doing some more television in the future.

Our readers may not know that you have a cookbook coming out later in the year, will the book feature the amazing hogget dish we spoke about earlier?

Funnily enough it does! And there are a number of exciting dishes that focus on Wirral produce and the seasonal changes of the region and favourite dishes that have come from the Art School over the last three years. It will be a celebration of our regions ingredients and suppliers. It’s a lot of hard work to pull together with the new champagne bar and private dining room too but I felt it was the right time to do it.

On Saturday Kitchen you made reference to the fantastic local ingredients available from the “Costa Del Merseyside” which is your favourite ingredient and why?

The episode was all about comic relief so Costa Del Merseyside came out as a little quip. It’s almost impossible to pick one favourite ingredient, Asparagus obviously when it’s in season from Claremont and Formby. I could also say the watercress from Hooton, the potted shrimp from Southport, amazing meat from Callum Edge and of course the best fishmonger in the world at the gastronomic centre of the universe, Wards, in Birkenhead market! If you look at the dishes I created for Great British Menu and Saturday Kitchen I wanted to use as many ingredients from this region as possible. I think, wherever possible, and it’s an ethos I adopt in the restaurant, we showcase the best of local ingredients, we have some amazing suppliers, growers and producers in our region – some of which I’m pleased to have showcased in my forthcoming book.

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You have been on several trips to Northern Spain and eaten at many of that regions best restaurants - what influence if any has this had on the style of dishes that you cook at The Art School?

Yes, particularly San Sebastian and Bilbao are two of my favourite foodie cities, in Europe anyway. I have great admiration and affinity with the Basque chefs as I think they are at the pinnacle of the industry, if you look across France, Italy, Spain, I would still say that strip in Northern Spain is where it’s at. I think the innovation and the style of the flavours they put together work.

San Sebastian with a population of 250,000 has the highest number of Michelin stars per head of population, their national parade is led by the most senior chef in the City. They go to the market, get the best freshest ingredients and they cook - it’s one of the few places in the world where I’ve seen so much love and care put into the food and drink industry. That passion does rub off on you. I’ve been lucky enough to visit three Michelin star restaurants, countless one star places and many pinto’s bars As chefs we don’t copy dishes but you certainly take influence and ideas from them and two of my favourite chefs from the region, Martin Berasategui from San Sebastian and Eneko Atxa from Bilbao, have probably had the biggest influence on me in recent times.

You spend many hours in the kitchen cooking for other people, what do you like to eat on your days off?

When you spend a lot of time at work and you’re on the way home you realise you want something simple, comfort eating, rather than anything you would have in a fine dining restaurant.

I usually crave something simple when I get home from work it’s a ham and cheese sandwich and a beer. I like to cook a roast on a Sunday or a BBQ. I like good pub food and a good curry.

I think most chefs would say if you’re not cooking in your own kitchen or going to one of the very special places, you just want to relax and enjoy something simple.

There seems to be a current trend for Chefs to make guest appearances at each other’s restaurants, so if you had the choice of any Chef in the world to cook with you at The Art School who would you choose and why?

There’s lots. I have been lucky enough to cook with Martin Berasategui before for Xabi Alonso’s birthday party and I’ve

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always wanted to get him to the Art School so I’d love to cook with him again. Eneko Atxa, Albert Roux. I have cooked for Pierre Koffman at the Art School, but not with him so I’d like to do that. So many of the all-time greats but not just for their cooking ability but their spirit, their humour their wit, their passion - I think that rubs off on the brigade, I think that helps people understand the importance on food and drink preparation and making people happy. There’s been some discussion amongst the Great British Menu chefs to hold a series of dinners in our various restaurants, so that will be something to look forward to. There’s a lovely saying from a very good friend of mine, Steven Doherty, we have to think of ourselves as merchants of happiness.

This year The Art School has featured in The Sunday Times Top 100 Restaurants, and won many other accolades, most recently the Taste of England Award 2017, do you think we will also see that elusive Michelin Star on the wall in the future?

Well that’s not really for us to say. We’re obviously delighted with the progress we’ve made, we’re honoured and chuffed to be part of the Sunday Times top 100, to win the Visit England taste of England award, a first for the city. As far as progress towards Michelin, that’s really for the inspectors and others to say, we’ve got to keep a very high level of food and service and show consistently at that level. Our progression and most importantly keeping our guests happy is always our priority.

The dining scene in the UK has changed massively in the last 15 years, what do you think it will be like in the next 15? I think the meteoric rise of restaurants and the TV glamorisation on chefs has had a massive impact on the industry. But the food service side is drastically under resourced so we need to do something about that to attract the Somelliers, Chef de angs, Maitre D’s of the future. I think the style of food will continue to develop and evolve but there are challenges with sustainability, produce and environmental issues. There is the uncertainty around Brexit and what impact that will have on staffing. One things for sure, it will still be a very dynamic and exciting industry.

You have a great reputation for nurturing young talent, especially from the North West, but the hospitality sector as a whole still struggles to recruit staff - why do you think that is? and what more could be done?

I think the industry has things it needs to do on work patterns and salaries. We’re committed to developing our own home grown talent with apprenticeships and training.

I think businesses in the industry really need to make that commitment to the young people and not just talk about it, they need to put their time, energy, effort and resource behind attracting and developing talent.

Do you collect anything?

I collect cookery books! And some programmes from football, rugby and other sporting tournaments. If I’m honest, I don’t really have that much time to collect.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Gin. It’s not a guilty pleasure really - I enjoy good food, wine, beer, company and don’t feel guilty about any of it!

When you’re not working what do you like to do to relax?

Sleep! I like to spend time watching live sport, spending time with the family and friends. I find it difficult to relax.

Finally what advice would you give to any Wirral Life readers who may be thinking of following a career in hospitality?

Only go in to it if you are convinced that you are going to enjoy every minute of it. There are large parts of the industry that are very satisfying and enjoyable to do - there are equal parts that are massively challenging. People often come in to the industry without doing the day to day and then get a real shock. Make sure your passion matches the challenge, get good advice and do some hours in a good place, doing good things and experience the day to day.

To find out more about Paul and The Art School Restaurant Liverpool, visit www.theartschoolrestaurant.co.uk

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COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH

BY THE MANOR RESTAURANT

THE MANOR RESTAURANT BRINGS US ‘A TASTE OF SUMMER’ A celebration of Wirral gin - this cocktail is mixed with a healthy shot of this fine quality gin, alongside crushed ice, a slice of watermelon, a splash of Aperol, hints of juniper and topped with a refreshing ice cold fever tree tonic water. Delicious.

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CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION • STYLISH DINING IN RELAXED SURROUNDINGS • THE FINEST FRESHLY PREPARED FOOD • LARGE PARTIES AND PRIVATE DINING • EXCELLENT BANQUETING FACILITIES • LOCALLY SOURCED INGREDIENTS • SUPERB SUNDAY ROASTS • AL FRESCO DINING

THE MANOR • GREASBY VILLAGE, CH49 3NF • 0151 677 7034 • WWW.THEMANORWIRRAL.COM

THE WHISKY CONNOISSEUR

BY DAVID GREEN, THE RED FOX

It has been a couple of months since I reviewed a whisky here, so this one needs to be something special and a little different. Well drum roll please... and welcome Kilchoman (pronounced Kil-ho-man) established in 2005, this is one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland.

Based on a farm on the rugged west coast of Islay, which as you might already know happens to be my favourite region for whisky.

This was the first distillery to be built on the island for 125 years and has quickly become part of Islay’s whisky landscape with a range of critically acclaimed releases and awards.

Kilchoman is soon to be knocked off the perch as the new kid on the block when the brand new ‘Ardnahoe’ opens in 2018 becoming Islay’s ninth operational distillery. Kilchoman, is unique - as it truly is Islay’s farm distillery - from barley to bottling the whole process takes place on the farm.

For me, Kilchoman, displays all that is great about the grassroots traditions of Scotch whisky distilling that we should all be supporting and encouraging.

Everything at the distillery is very hands-on and the malting is no different. Kilchoman is one of only six distilleries to carry out traditional floor malting’s (3 of the six are Islay based).

Floor malting is the historic technique of preparing barley for fermentation; turning it into malted barley.

Two tonnes of barley is spread over the malt floor by the team, this then sprouts roots and begins to germinate over a period of 5-6 days. This is closely monitored and regularly raked and turned to ensure an even germination across the whole floor.

The traditional floor malting’s is extremely labour intensive with a lot of time and energy spent on this part of the process.

As well as being one of only a handful of distilleries still practicing floor malting, barley is also grown on the farm, making Kilchoman the only distillery to complete all parts of

the whisky making process on site. Kilchoman is one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland with an annual production of approximately 120,000 litres of alcohol.

Anthony Wills, the founder and managing director, ran his own independent single cask bottling company for 8 years when he came up with the idea of building the ultimate farm distillery – ‘taking whisky back to its roots’. Islay is very fertile and therefore, growing barley is no problem. It also has plenty of water and peat for drying the malt.

Kilchoman produce a range of single malt whiskies all nonchill filtered and natural in colour. They currently have 10 expressions in the range; Machir Bay (named after the most spectacular beach on Islay) is the flagship of range and it uses a combination of ex-bourbon barrels and Oloroso sherry butts.

First launched in 2012 when it won the prestigious IWSC 2012 Gold Award and more recently in 2016, it was awarded best Islay Single Malt at the IWC. Other expressions have included Port, Sauternes and Maderia casks to name a few, but the stand out expression for me is the 100% Islay.

First launched in 2010, a new edition of the 100% Islay has been released every year since, with the latest, 7th edition filled into ex-Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels in 2010 and bottled in 2017.

All parts of the production process have taken place at the distillery and they are rightly proud to claim to be the only Islay distillery distilling single malt from barley both grown and malted on Islay. Bottled at 50% ABV and peated to a lower level to that of other releases. This whisky has a light, fresh feel to it, the peat is only very faint. You get citrus and lemon notes coming through with a very soft and gentle peat smoke and a long smooth finish. This is my stand out whisky for this year so far.

Available at The Red Fox or grab a bottle for £53.48 at www.masterofmalt.com

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THE BUTCHERS CUT

BY MUFFS OF BROMBOROUGH

DRY AGED SIRLOIN STEAK DIANE WITH LOCAL ASPARAGUS & TRIPLE COOKED CHIPS This for me has to be one of my favourites and something I always do at home. It’s so easy and totally satisfying! I am always getting asked what is the best way to cook steak?

Well there are a couple of ways I like to do it but this is probably the best. You can prep this up in advance, then put it all together in a matter of minutes so it’s ideal for a dinner party (lucky guests!). This recipe will feed two.

INGREDIENTS • 2 x dry aged steak of your choice. Ask the Butcher what is particularly good. You should be looking for firm, slightly dark meat with a marbling of fat and off white/ivory coloured fat on the outside. If you don’t want the fat, cut it off after it’s cooked - it keeps the meat moist and flavours it at the same time.

• Wirral asparagus • 4 x medium King Edward potatoes For the Diane Sauce: • 1 x onion finely chopped • 3 x clove of garlic minced • 2 x rasher of dry cured bacon • Bunch of parsley • 3 tbsp Worcester sauce • 2 x tbsp tomato sauce • 3 x tbsp Dijon mustard • ½ glass red wine • 200ml cream 24 wirrallife.com

METHOD • Start off by taking the steak out the fridge - it will need some time to come up to room temperature.

• Peel and cut the potatoes into large batons. If they are too small they will fall apart.

• Thoroughly rinse the potatoes under cold water to remove any starch. Place them in a pan and add cold salted water to just cover them, then bring to the boil. Simmer for a few minutes until just cooked. You want them soft but firm enough to handle without falling to bits.

• Cool the potatoes in cold water to stop the cooking process and place on a cooling rack to dry off. Ideally place in the fridge or even better the freezer to cool.

• Deep fry at 130oC until the outside is golden and beginning to crisp slightly.

• Remove onto a cooling rack and chill. You can do this process in advance and keep them until needed.

• For the steak, lightly oil the outside and season with good quality sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Don’t be shy, put plenty on and rub it in really well.

• In a hot pan add a little oil, as the meat has already been oiled you don’t need much.

• Place the steak in the pan. You need a good sizzling noise when it lands. Ask your Butcher for cooking times. It varies in the size and thickness of the steak and how you like yours cooked. I cooked this for approx 1.5 minute either side and 1 minute holding it fat side down then the opposite side to this to seal all the edges. This achieved a nice medium cooked steak which was slightly blushing but not red and still really juicy.

• It is very important to rest the steak after cooking. Many people skip this step but trust me, you must do it. Think of the steak as a muscle that tenses up during the cooking process and needs time to relax again.

• While its resting you can make the sauce.

• In the pan you just cooked the steak in. Sweat off the onion and garlic until translucent. Then cook off the bacon. Add the wine and quickly reduce. Add the Worcester sauce, tomato sauce, Dijon mustard and cook off quickly. Add the cream and start to reduce quickly. Finally, add the freshly chopped parsley and season to taste.

• Plunge the asparagus in boiling water for about 1 minute and they are done.

• To finish, deep fry the chips once more at 180oC until golden and crispy, do this when you start cooking the steak.

summer is here MAKE THE MOST OF IT WITH

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Multi-award-winning Steve and John Muff only use the finest ingredients in their sausages, pies and puddings to ensure that they maintain the high quality for which they are known, not only in the North West, but across the whole of the UK.

Muffs of Bromborough. The Cross, Allport Lane, Wirral, CH62 7HQ. Tel: 0151 334 2002. www.muffsonline.co.uk

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THE MANOR

by Nicky Rigby-Smith & Si Hall

The Manor Restaurant, situated in Greasby, is a charming restaurant with a distinct elegance, set in idyllic surroundings. Established 20 years, the Manor is where tradition meets modern English cuisine with a few twists.

We were greeted with a warm welcome from manager, Jo Williams, who seated us at our table overlooking the English garden; by the grand piano. The smartly dressed waiting on team, were on hand to ensure that we had a fabulous dining experience.

Whilst perusing the menu, we ordered the manager’s choice of wine, a French Chardonnay, ‘Le Charme’ priced at £20 per bottle.

A great all-rounder with lovely fresh aromas of tropical fruit.

Highly recommended. We married our wine with the artisan bread and olives, served with a seriously good whipped balsamic butter. This was home-made baking at its best and interestingly

by Lee Hollywood (Paul Hollywood’s brother).

To begin, we opted for Monmouthshire Dried Ham, Heritage Beets and scallops. The dish was beautifully presented, the ham moist and succulent, served with a homemade cauliflower and shallot sweet piccalilli. The roasted heritage beets - a delicate dish, perfect for summer and refreshing on the palate; the balsamic and maple dressing complimented the entire dish. The hand dived scallops wrapped in prosciutto were fresh and tasty; served with a delicious pepperonata sauce – divine!

For mains, we ordered pheasant breast curry – the first time we had seen this dish on a menu - so definitely a must try. Rump of Peak District lamb and fillet of Turbot. The lamb was succulent and perfectly cooked. Served with delicate slithers of wild flower

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honey glazed parsnips, incredibly moreish. The rosemary infused gravy worked perfectly with the lamb. The simply grilled fillet of Turbot (Queen of fish) came served with a preserved lemon butter and tempura caper berries. This ‘Queen’ should award itself an OBE… Finally, the arrival of the much anticipated pheasant breast curry –it did not disappoint and was fantastic! The entire dish was beautifully cooked, with a warm blend of spice, sherry and cream which gave the dish a rather nice ‘kick’ – Fantastic and highly recommended!

Feeling very satisfied and a tad full… we took a short breather before sampling our dessert selection. A chocolate orange torte, cappuccino cheesecake and crème brulée tart. The chocolate orange torte was beautifully presented, served with a white chocolate ganache and Seville orange coulis – rich and sumptuous.

The crème brûlée was luxurious, served with poached rhubarb; a superb combination of flavours. The cappuccino cheesecake, perfect for coffee lovers was both creamy and crunchy. All three desserts were equally delicious. We ended our meal with the 3-cheese platter and perfectly blended iced margarita cocktails.

With its consistent high quality, extensive and yet value surprisingly great value menu, great service and ambience, what’s not to love about The Manor. Here’s to the next 20 years.

Top marks!

Booking is advisable.

Tel: 0151 677 7034 www.themanorwirral.com

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THE BEACH HOUSE

by Carl Housbey

I can’t believe it’s July already, the schools will soon be closed for the summer and many of you will be heading away on holiday, so I thought I would tip you off about a fantastic beachside restaurant on the outstandingly beautiful Gower Peninsula in South Wales.

The restaurant is appropriately named The Beach House, and is situated right on the edge of the beach, with fabulous views of Oxwich Bay through the windows. If the weather is particularly favourable, you could sit outside on the terrace basking in the sunshine whilst watching the boats bobbing in the water.

I suggest you look at bit closer at those boats because they may be out catching Lobster or Mackerel for your lunch, and you can’t get much fresher than that. Turn the other way and face the hillside and you will be looking towards Ty Syriol and Ammanford, which is where the pork and beef on the menu comes from.

Whatever you choose, you can be assured that Head Chef Hywel Griffith and his small team will expertly prepare and combine each ingredient into one of the most delicious meals you will have ever had. Hywel was previously Head Chef at The Freemasons in Wiswell, and before that he was at Paul Heathcotes Longridge Restaurant, so he really knows his craft.

Those of you going for dinner have a difficult decision to make, do you opt for the à la Carte, or the 5 or 8

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course tasting menus? My choice would be the 8-course tasting menu, so that I could enjoy that fresh from the sea Mackerel served with avocado, cucumber, apple and passion fruit, as well as a dish of the succulent Oxwich Bay Lobster, crispy sweetbread, charred gem lettuce, fondant potato and grapefruit butter sauce.

Next would come the mouth-watering Ty Syriol pork belly with roasted pineapple, black pudding, creamed potato and pork pie sauce, followed by some beautifully tender Ammanford beef sirloin, with treacle rib, spring onion, and hen of the woods mushroom.

The only dessert on my mind by this stage of the evening would be some of the lighter than air, Bara Brith soufflé with Lapsang Souchong ice cream, which is Hywel’s interpretation of a traditional Welsh classic.

Unfortunately, I can’t guarantee that you will get warm weather in the UK for your summer holidays, but I can absolutely guarantee that you will receive the warmest of welcomes from Restaurant Manager, Alice Aki, together with friendly and professional service with a smile from her front of house team.

So, get yourself booked in by clicking on www.beachhouseoxwich.co.uk or telephone 01792 390965.

To see what else I get up to follow me on Twitter @ carlhousbey

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STAMP DUTY SAVINGS AT OLD QUAY MEADOW NEW homes nestled between Neston and Parkgate are now available with Stamp Duty paid, saving buyers almost £15,000.

Three, four and five-bedroom properties at Old Quay Meadow are currently being sold ‘off plan’ ahead of a show home opening later this summer.

For a limited time only, Elan Homes is offering customers the chance to choose between having the Stamp Duty paid by the niche developer, using part exchange to trade up to a bigger, better brand new home or selling their existing property via Elan’s Easy Move scheme.

Marie Morris, sales director for Elan Homes in the North, explains: “When it comes to location, Old Quay Meadows is second to none, offering the perfect blend of countryside, coast and community. There are plenty of opportunities to explore the great outdoors close to home, but also a wealth of local amenities including shops, tearooms restaurants and sports clubs. The high specification homes we’re building are the perfect fit for the area. Rather than wait for the show home to open here we’re encouraging customers to visit our nearby developments and act now to take advantage of preshow home offers which could save them thousands or enable them to make their next move on the housing ladder with ease. They could simply part exchange their current property towards the cost of a brand new home or we could help them 30 wirrallife.com

sell on the open market with our Easy Move scheme.”

Current prices at Old Quay Meadow start from £299,995.

Available subject to terms and conditions, the Stamp Duty saving amounts to £14,500 for someone purchasing a fivebedroom detached Mellor priced at £489,995.

Elan offers a high specification as standard with kitchens boasting integrated appliances including oven, hob, microwave and fridge freezer and bathrooms and en-suites enjoying contemporary white suites.

“Show homes are undoubtedly a great way to showcase the homes we’re building, but one of the things customers tell us they enjoy most about buying a brand new home is the chance to make a house their home from day one,” Marie adds. “This is particularly true of those who purchase off plan and are able to choose the finish of the kitchen cupboards, drawers and worktops, plus the wall tiles in the bathroom, amongst other features.”

While the properties at Old Quay Meadow are currently being sold ‘off plan’ via Reeds Rains in Neston, a show home is coming soon and there are similar styles available to view at other developments including a five-bedroom Mellor at Westminster Place near Chester and a four-bedroom Bordesley at Sycamore Gardens, Congleton. For more information see www.elan-homes.co.uk/old-quay-meadow or call 0845 481 8807.

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BEST PROPERTIES OVER £750K EDITOR’S CHOICE

Hilstone Grange, Hoylake £1,875,000 An exceptional 7 bedroom period family house, occupying an extremely sought after location overlooking Royal Liverpool Golf Course and with views towards the Dee Estuary.

Hilstone Grange is a fine example of Edwardian architecture having been designed and built in 1911 for a local business man, J P Brocklebank. Constructed of brick with leaded light windows, impressive sandstone capped gables and high brick chimney stacks under a slate roof, the house has particularly impressive front and rear facades befitting what is believed to have been the intention of the architect to create “the best house on the road”. Internally, Hilstone Grange has some wonderful period features with a certain art deco influence, and include plaster moulded ceilings, parquet floors, impressive fireplaces, hardwood doors and decorated architraves, a panelled entrance hall and a fine oak turned staircase. Beyond the reception hall a wide doorway opens to the staircase hall which has an impressive oak turned staircase leading to a galleried landing. The kitchen provides a superb everyday informal living space with central brick fireplace housing a gas fire and seating area off. The property is set in approximately half an acre and is approached via in and out flagged drive to parking areas under the front of the house. Beside the drive are mown lawns, with along the front boundary a plantation of attractive Cypress Cedar trees.

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Cross Lanes Farm Old Moss, Nr Tarvin ÂŁ1,675,000 An attractive farmhouse with equestrian facilities occupying a tranquil yet accessible location adjoining open countryside.

Cross Lanes Farm occupies a private position standing in extremely attractive and well maintained gardens and grounds.

It was originally a 19th Century smallholding and in recent years has been re-built incorporating an attached brick barn forming a pretty courtyard with climbing roses, wisteria and clematis. The farmhouse is well appointed and constructed in reclaimed Cheshire brick under a slate roof with the benefit of double glazing and oil fired central heating. Internally the property offers generous and extremely adaptable family accommodation with scope to create a self-contained annexe within the converted barn and to extend into an attached 2 storey building against the east elevation of the farmhouse.

On the ground floor there are 3 principal reception rooms and a recently fitted open plan kitchen with dining area connecting to the family sitting room. At first floor level are master and guest suites together with 3 further double bedrooms served by a family bathroom and within the barn at first floor level is a large games room. The property has extensive outbuildings with garaging stabling and equestrian facilities, south facing gardens and tennis court beyond which are railed paddocks.

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Contact Jackson-Stops & Staff for more information on 01244 328361.

BEST PROPERTIES UNDER ÂŁ750K EDITORS CHOICE

Dunstan Lane, Burton ÂŁ650,000 A stunning four bedroom detached property which occupies a good sized private plot in the highly sought after village of Burton. The property enjoys far reaching views across open countryside.

The accommodation is immaculately presented with contemporary finishes that synergises perfectly with period features. On the ground floor there is an entrance hallway which leads into the main sitting room. There are two further reception rooms on the ground floor, a bathroom and an impressive open plan kitchen-dining room with bi-fold doors opening to a decked area. On the first floor are four bedrooms and a shower room. The master bedroom also has a dressing room and en-suite bathroom along with an en-suite in the second bedroom. Outside there are private mature gardens.

Offered for sale with no onward chain, early viewing is essential.

Contact Constables on 0151 353 1333.

Manor Close, Neston ÂŁ500,000 A rare opportunity to purchase this fantastic four bedroom detached property that has been largely extended and modernised to create a spacious family home in a highly sought after cul-de-sac location. This property is immaculately presented and sits on a large corner plot. Through the hallway into the kitchen which has been extended to offer a beautiful dining space with large glass windows out onto the private garden and there is a log burner. Off the kitchen is a utility room and there is an internal door to the garage. There are two further reception rooms off the hallway; one at the front of the property has a bathroom off, and could be used as a fifth bedroom. There is a very impressive second extension at the rear of the property that is a stunning open plan space, perfect for entertaining. The room incorporates sitting and dining areas and there is a projector system (may be available by separate negotiation) and a log burning stove. This extended part of the house also has a study. Outside the property has a large and private rear garden with patio area, lawn and established borders and a covered BBQ area. This wonderful property must be viewed to appreciate the space and quality of finish throughout and early viewing is essential.

Contact Constables on 0151 353 1333.

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Mostyn House, Parkgate ÂŁ385,000 This stunning luxury duplex apartment forms part of the popular development by P J Livesey, created by the conversion of the former Mostyn House School. The accommodation is arranged over two floors and is immaculately presented and finished to the highest standard with quality fittings throughout. The property has a large living room with French doors opening out to a spacious roof terrace. The living room is open plan to the kitchen-dining room; the kitchen has fully integrated appliances.

This floor also has a double bedroom and bathroom. On the upper floor there are two additional double bedrooms and two bathrooms, one of which is en-suite to the master bedroom.

This impressive property must be viewed to be appreciated and early viewing is essential.

Contact Constables on 0151 353 1333.

Sealy Close, Spital ÂŁ260,000 An impressive detached property located in a much sought after cul-de-sac in Spital.

The property has been extended at the rear to create and excellent open plan living space. The accommodation has a contemporary feel throughout and briefly comprises; entrance hallway, lounge, kitchen-dining room and conservatory. To the first floor are three bedrooms and a bathroom. To the rear of the property is an enclosed garden laid mostly to lawn with a paved patio. At the front is a double driveway leading to a garage.

Offered for sale with no onward chain, early viewing is essential.

Contact Constables on 0151 353 1333.

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BEST FIRST TIME BUYERS EDITORS CHOICE

Newtown, Little Neston ÂŁ165,000 Constables are delighted to offer for sale this 19th Century sandstone cottage situated on a quiet lane in Little Neston.

The property has many character features that synergise perfectly with contemporary finishes throughout, including wood block flooring, and exposed sandstone walls.

The accommodation is spacious and well presented and briefly comprises; lounge with fireplace, dining room and kitchenbreakfast room with integrated cooker, hob and fridge. To the first floor are two double bedrooms and a bathroom. To the rear of the property is an enclosed garden that is laid to lawn.

Offered for sale with no onward chain, early viewing is essential.

Contact Constables on 0151 353 1333.

Rydal Close, Little Neston ÂŁ152,500 A modern two bedroom semi-detached property located in a quiet cul-de-sac in Little Neston.

The property offers well-presented accommodation that briefly comprises; porch, lounge, and kitchen-breakfast room. To the first floor are two bedrooms and en-suite shower room and bathroom.

There is a lawned rear garden with large metal garage and to the front of the property is a driveway for off road parking.

The property offered for sale with no onward chain and early viewing is strongly recommended.

Contact Constables on 0151 353 1333.

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BEST COASTAL PROPERTY EDITOR’S CHOICE

Cerrig Mawr Trearddur Bay, Anglesey £550,000 A detached family house occupying a coastal location with spectacular far reaching views and within walking distance of the beach.

Cerrrig Mawr dates from the 1960’s and is part of the Ravenspoint development built in place of the former Ravenspoint Hotel. The house is constructed of brick, stone and block with white painted rendered elevations under a tiled roof and is served by gas fired central heating and double glazing. Internally, Cerrig Mawr provides spacious and adaptable accommodation suitable for either permanent occupation or as a second home. There is also scope to extend and/or reconfigure the house to create additional living space if required subject to obtaining any necessary consents. The accommodation is presently arranged with the majority of rooms facing west and overlooking the sea. Off the entrance hall is a lovely light sitting room with stone fireplace housing a gas fire, access to a sun room and the dining room presently used as a 4th bedroom. Off the hall there is also a double bedroom, bathroom, separate W.C and the kitchen which was re-fitted in 2014. There is also space for a table and chairs at the far end of the room looking towards the sea. To the side is a useful utility area along with a shower room. At first floor level there are 2 double bedrooms, one with a basin, and a store room which houses a Duval boiler but could be used as occasional single bedroom if required.

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Contact Jackson-Stops & Staff for more information on 01244 328361.

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Colourfence has been proven over the years in the harshest climate and high UV conditions of Australia. Colourfence also comes with a 25 year guarantee, virtually maintenance free except for the occasional wash down with the garden hose to keep it looking brand new.

Discover the benefits at Colourfence.co.uk For a no obligation measure and quote call Maxine Mitchell on 0756 531 5123

INTERIOR INSPIRATION

BY KATE KINGSTON

Kate Kingston, Managing Director of Kingston Shaw, an interior design company with offices on the Wirral, London and Dubai, shares with us the latest trends for creating the perfect home.

AT HOME IN THE HAMPTONS OR HOYLAKE? We at Kingston Shaw, have been busy this month designing the interiors for a beach house in Sag Harbour, USA. The brief was to bring the beach life indoors, with a contemporary twist. Whilst researching the ‘Hamptons’ look and the coastal charms of the east coast of America, it struck me that it is not that different from the lifestyle that we enjoy right here on the Wirral Peninsula! Bear with me! Its coastal, we enjoy wonderful views, an active lifestyle, close to major cities and have an array of interesting and independent restaurants and shops to amuse us, see, not that different!

So it begets reason that our interiors may benefit from the easy elegance that the Hamptons and the east coast is renowned for.

There is an effortless elegance about the style that our American cousins employ in this part of the world. They have a strict colour palette that requires discipline, there are 40 different creams and 110 different whites to choose from, navy and periwinkle are permitted but never use royal blue or your membership from the country club will be revoked immediately. Comfortable oversized sofas and expansive coffee tables are required, but do not get caught using a maritime theme it’s far too Maine!

Keep your walls to a warm ivory or parchment palette, accent only with blue hues and add a touch of coral for pop of colour. Use stripes and bleached wood in moderation and for that luxurious feel, adorn your house with cashmere and crisp linens. For a touch of independence, invest in a piece of local art! Below I have listed some of my favourite pieces that you can incorporate into your homes immediately for that sophisticated and stylish beach look.

Linen Wallpaper from www.textura.com

Art from johnlewis.com

www.eleanorpritchard.com Accessories from www.zara.com/uk

www.heals.co.uk

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tweedmill.co.uk

STYLING YOU AND YOUR HOME FOR OVER 20 YEARS

FASHION • FOOD & DRINK • HAIR & BEAUTY • HOME & GARDEN • TRAVEL & TOURISM LLANNERCH PARK, ST. ASAPH, LL17 0UY, NORTH WALES (JUST OFF THE A55). TEL: 01745 730072 www.tweedmill.co.uk *ALL ITEMS SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY

THE SUMMER CLEARANCE SALES STARTS AUGUST 5TH

BEAUTY STYLE

by Annabel Birtles

GET THE PERFECT SUMMER LOOK WITH LUSH COSMETICS — CRUELTY FREE Summer is here and to help create that natural summer glow - an ever-growing trend that is dominating the beauty industry - this month, I have picked the ultimate summer look so you can feel on holiday even if you’re not, by using one of the world’s leading cruelty free based brands: Lush.

The use of cruelty free products is a concept widely promoted by designers this season.

In a modern society surrounded by the vegan phenomenon it is important to explore and embrace the latest ethical trend and save the world one lipstick at a time.

OCEAN SALT ALCOHOL FREE Face and body scrub from Lush is rich in minerals and designed to be excellent for scrubbing and buffing the skin.

Containing silky avocado butter, coconut oil and seaweed the aim is to keep your skin smooth and conditioned.

Perfectly packaged into a small, accessible tub and available to use on dry and damp skin for the desired finish. This ocean salt scrub is the ideal body primer for that perfect seaside reminder and to keep skin looking healthy and happy throughout the summer months.

Ocean Salt Alcohol free face and body scrub - £13.25/ 250g

THE SUNBLOCK Solid sun screen block at SPF 30 high is the ideal time savour for those unexpected sunny showers. An even blend of organic sesame oil and cocoa butter perfectly covers the body for ultimate UV protection. Applied easily in the shower and when on the go, it is perfect for all day use. The floral scents of rose absolute, chamomile blue and eucalyptus blue linger throughout the day for that added summer feeling.

The Sunblock - £8.95/ 100g

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ANNABEL BIRTLES

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SHADES OF NUDE

Lush salty spray gives a light hold and glossy finish for the perfect beach wave for the days spent dreaming of the sea. Mineral-rich fine sea salt and sea water gives a volumised, beach hair look but with water soluble ingredients for an easy wash out. Ideal for a simple summer style available in a spray bottle for easy application.

To achieve a flawless summer look a nude lip must always be applied. Shades of nude is the ultimate product which allows you to tailor make your own shade to your desired effect.

Rich with organic Jojoba oil and organic rose wax means the pigments act as the ideal nourishment to your lips in the summer months keeping them hydrated and peachy for the perfect pout.

Sea Spray hair mist - £12.95/ 100g

Shades of Nude lip block - £20.00/ each

DAD’S GARDEN LEMON TREE

EMOTIONAL BRILLIANCE

No summer look is complete without a light fragrance.

Lush offers a variety of body sprays but garden lemon tree oozes summer with citrus scents and bold ingredients of zingy lemon and fresh lime. The soft bergamot and lavender twist is said to linger on the skin and in the mind.

Spray all over with the easy to use bottle for reminders of a summer garden on cooler days and to enhance the season on days that boast the summer rays.

Summer season golden rule is to avoid heavy make up and this season is all about the natural glow. Emotional brilliance elegantly creates a matte finish. The ultra-fine translucent powder offers a flawless finish directly on the skin. The use of Jojoba oil to nourish the face means you don’t have to sacrifice moisture for shine-free. A perfect skin compliment for the summer heat whether at home or abroad.

Dad’s Garden Lemon Tree body spray – £20.00/ each

Emotional Brilliance face powder - £12.00/ 8g

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SUMMER FESTIVAL

BY ANDREW COLLINGE

With no guarantee of good weather, ​it’s difficult to gauge how to style your hair for a summer festival. Adverse weather conditions can ​make it difficult to keep your everyday style in tact, whilst a lack of electricity immediately rules out some of your favourite styling tools. We give you the lowdown on the key hair products and styles you should be thinking about for the festival season.

The Products The right products will help you maintain any style and when it comes to festival shopping, there are a few essentials to keep in mind. CO by Andrew Collinge Invisible Dry Shampoo is a must for your festival hair kit. It’s designed to absorb natural oils and as a result, will keep your hair from looking greasy between shampoos. For those that prefer to keep hair loose, this is a great go to product as it will instantly add texture and fullness to your unwashed hair, helping it keep a tousled fuller body.

Whether you have long or short hair, hairspray is a must when it comes to festival season. Assured to keep your hair in place during windy weather, it’ll also give you the freedom to enjoy the festival safe in the knowledge that your hairstyle will remain intact. CO by Andrew Collinge Hairspray gives just enough hold and finish, whilst also allowing you to run your fingers through the hair without it feeling heavy or sticky. Our purse size option will provide enough product for a weekend and will fit nicely into any compact makeup bag.

The Styles Certain styles come and go, but braids are still on trend this summer.

The catwalks have seen micro braids incorporated into ponytails, braided chignons and classic double braids. Working a braid into your look doesn’t have to be complicated and whilst these styles look great, simple plaits are a casual alternative that can be useful for controlling unwashed hair. Summer 2017 has seen a resurgence of 90’s trends and we’ve seen many throwback styles make a comeback. Whilst the double top knot (or Space buns) remained a popular look at Coachella, the dishevelled top knot also continued to be a go to style for many. This easy to create hairstyle works with both short and long hair and is a great way to sweep hair from the face in hot or windy weather.

For those that prefer to keep hair loose and feminine, a quick way to add texture and waves to your hair is to braid or plait the hair prior to arrival. Once taken out, shake the hair to loosen curls, spray with hairspray and you’re ready to go.

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tweedmill.co.uk

STYLING YOU AND YOUR HOME FOR OVER 20 YEARS

FASHION • FOOD & DRINK • HAIR & BEAUTY • HOME & GARDEN • TRAVEL & TOURISM LLANNERCH PARK, ST. ASAPH, LL17 0UY, NORTH WALES (JUST OFF THE A55). TEL: 01745 730072 www.tweedmill.co.uk *ALL ITEMS SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY

THE SUMMER CLEARANCE SALES STARTS AUGUST 5TH

GLAMOUR

BY MONSOON

ARISTA LOW BACK MAXI DRESS £109.00 WWW.MONSOON.CO.UK

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MEREDITH PLEATED MAXI DRESS £129.00 WWW.MONSOON.CO.UK

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DEEMA COWL BACK MAXI DRESS £169.00 WWW.MONSOON.CO.UK

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tweedmill.co.uk

STYLING YOU AND YOUR HOME FOR OVER 20 YEARS

FASHION • FOOD & DRINK • HAIR & BEAUTY • HOME & GARDEN • TRAVEL & TOURISM LLANNERCH PARK, ST. ASAPH, LL17 0UY, NORTH WALES (JUST OFF THE A55). TEL: 01745 730072 www.tweedmill.co.uk *ALL ITEMS SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY

THE SUMMER CLEARANCE SALES STARTS AUGUST 5TH

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THE NATURAL APPROACH

BY RICHARD GIBSON

Richard Gibson, Principal of Wallasey Orthodontics and Consultant to Liverpool University Dental Hospital talks to us about dentistry.

Dentistry can be an emotive concept. For many people, it conjures up memories of childhood encounters and bank holiday problems. Much of this is related to how we’ve viewed and used dental services over the last couple of hundred years, but also how dentists have been taught and practised.

For years, we were mostly reactionary and through volume of experience and demand, became very efficient at diagnosing and managing dental disease. There was the odd slightly strange nod to prevention in the history of dentistry – for example, the prophylactic extraction of teeth at adulthood to prevent future problems with tooth decay and to get used to dentures nice and early!

Thankfully, the concept of prevention has developed and with our knowledge of dietary risk factors and scientific weight to support the use of preventative medicaments like fluoride, we are able to push the boundaries.

Today, we can afford to be more forward thinking and at my new patient consultations we can be aspirational in terms of the outcomes we aim to achieve. What would we like the smile to look like? And how do we achieve that by keeping the natural teeth in good condition?

As an orthodontist, I’m concerned with the growth of the teeth, jaws and face. I use a variety of appliances to guide, develop and position the teeth to maximise their appearance alongside the support they offer to the lips and cheeks.

Orthodontics is proven to have a positive impact on emotional and social well-being in both adults and

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children. But is it for everybody? Well the answer is yes!

If the teeth, gums and bone are in good health, braces can be used at any age to successfully improve the way the teeth look and work.

It’s true that the majority of orthodontic treatment in the UK is carried out on teenagers. A recent systematic review conducted in Sheffield amalgamated evidence from several studies which allowed them to identify significant improvements in the oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) of under 18’s who had been through orthodontic treatment. The same gains are possible for adult patients as well, with the exception of growth.

In good health, adult teeth move predictably and reliably allowing correction of alignment, prominence, crowding and to either avoid the need for restorative dentistry or facilitate it to maximise outcomes. The advances in dental materials only serve to further open this avenue for adults who aren’t prepared to compromise their teeth to achieve the perfect smile.

If you’re invested, as we are, in maintaining your natural teeth but are unhappy with the way they look or work together – why not give a thought to orthodontics.

For more information on the types of treatment we offer or the results we can achieve, please visit our website www.wallaseyorthodontics.co.uk or the British Orthodontic Society’s page www.bos.org.uk which has great sections for adults and children alike.

The Secret Behind a Beautiful Smile Incognito braces are the modern and invisible alternative to conventional braces.

Incognito braces are an advanced generation of brace that is hidden discreetly on the back of the teeth, not on the front like conventional ‘train tacks’. This allows people to go about their daily routine without feeling self-conscious because their braces are invisible from the outside.

Incognito braces are suitable for all age groups - children, adolescents and adults who want to correct their tooth position. The brace is custom made for each patient to maximise comfort and ensure precise results, this is achieved by using the latest computer technology when creating the brace.

Book your consultation today

154 Belvidere Rd, Wallasey, CH45 4PT E: braces@wallaseyorthodontics.co.uk W: wallaseyorthodontics.co.uk T: 0151 630 6345

See Seeyour yoursmile smiletransformation transformation before beforeyou youcommit committotoInvisalign Invisalign

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Our iTero Element® Scanner will show you within seconds Our OuriTero iTeroElement® Element®scanner scannerwill willshow showyou youwithin withinseconds seconds what your smile could look like after Invisilign treatment. what whatyour yoursmile smilecould couldlook looklike likeafter afterInvisalign Invisaligntreatment. treatment.

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Book Bookyour yourFree FreeSmile SmileEvaluation Evaluationtoday. today.

TEL: 0151-647-7226 WEB: hamiltonsquaredental.co.uk No. 31 Hamilton Square, Birkenhead, Wirral, CH41 6AZ

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THE “D” IN DENTISTRY NOW STANDS FOR DIGITAL

BY ANDREW MORTON, HAMILTON SQUARE DENTAL

In the last 50 years the world has changed enormously and so too with dentistry. The pace of change is exciting and who knows what is in our future ?

You will have noticed these changes every time you visit your dentist: the SMS text to alert you that your appointment is due, checking your medical records and signing in on an iPad maybe or being able to make your next appointment via the website but there is much more.

Digital radiography and imaging has meant quality images are instantly available. You may have seen your radiographs on a big screen rather than seeing your dentist squinting at tiny photographic films moaning about the developed image. With digital imaging, 3D images are possible making planning your implant or surgery precise and predictable.

Dental photography is now the norm with the ability to send images to specialists, dental technicians or hospitals. Shade matching can be achieved by a gadget and even decay diagnosed.

In our practice the digital scanner builds up 3D images of the mouth and within minutes we have shown our patients the possible ‘straight smile’ and can even initiate the manufacturing process instantly by the tap on our computer screen (something that took weeks just a few years ago).

So what lies in the future? Well who knows but I do know that the digital world is here to stay so maybe your kids should spend a little time playing computer games after all…

Hamilton Square Dental is an established dental practice on the Wirral dating back 90 years but it provides 21st century digital treatment.

Dr Andrew Morton, principle dentist, has been practicing Dentistry since 1985 and has extensive knowledge in the field but as well as general dentistry he has a keen interest in cosmetic treatment particularly Invisalign, helping patients to achieve their desired smile transformation using clear orthodontics.

For more information, visit hamiltonsquaredental.co.uk.

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DR DOLAN & DR JONES

PUT AN END TO YOUR SNORING AND ENJOY A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP Dr Dolan and Dr Jones of SDS Rejuvenate talk us through Nightlase Snoring Solution - a painless treatment to ensure that you (and your partner) get a good night’s rest.

How it works?

Snoring occurs when turbulent airflow causes tissues of the nose and throat (the soft palate) to vibrate. Fotona Nightlase Snoring Treatment is a gentle laser treatment that heats the tissue at the back of the throat to allow air to flow more freely. The laser has a gentle tightening effect by causing the contraction of collagen in the oral mucosa tissue. This effectively reduces the amplitude of snoring and improve quality of sleep.

Who is it suitable for?

There are no contra-indications to treatment although an initial consultation will be undertaken by the doctors and any individual concerns can be addressed.

Why is it important?

Annoying your partner isn’t the only problem with snoring and sleep apnoea. When you do not get quality sleep, you are likely to experience chronic daytime sleepiness, morning headache, fatigue, irritability and impaired concentration.

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What does the treatment involve?

3 to 4 separate treatment sessions over a 6-week period. Each session lasts approximately 20 or 30 minutes. A laser beam is directed at the soft palate which smooths and tightens the tissue. This is completely pain free and there is no downtime!

Are there any side effects?

As the Nightlase snoring solution is non-invasive, it is highly unlikely you will experience any side effects. After your 20-minute treatment, you can walk out of our clinic doors and get back to your busy day!

How long does it last?

This treatment helps to keep your airways clear for up to 12 months. After this period, you can book a top up treatment to ensure you can continue to get a better night’s sleep.

How do I access treatment?

Just call the clinic on 0151 625 8080 and request an appointment for a free consultation during which any further questions you may have can be answered.

Fast, effective treatments provided by experienced doctors in Liverpool & Wirral.

Snore no more.

Fotona Nightlase is a type of laser therapy that can treat your snoring problem and reduce or eliminate it all together. It’s non-invasive and there’s no surgery involved. A carefully monitored and controlled laser light is applied to the oral mucosa tissue to produce a tightening effect.

There is no downtime!

These procedures are performed exclusively by Dr Sally-Ann Dolan MB ChB or Dr Ian R Jones MB BCh MD FRCP

Call to arrange a free consultation today 158-160 Banks Road, West Kirby, Wirral, CH48 0RH Tel: 0151 625 8080

www.sdsrejuvenate.co.uk

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MOUTH BREATHING - A CURSE

TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH

BY JOEL JELEN, BREATHING EXPERT

Have you ever thought about how you breathe? I doubt it.

Most of us don’t until a shock, surprise or heavy cold hits us.

Once we begin to observe our breathing, many of us might be surprised how often we breathe during any one day... when we eat, using technology at work, exercising - even if only walking, whilst watching or when we are asleep (waking up with a dry mouth and needing a pee are tell tale signs!)

Essentially an incorrect form of respiration, mouth breathing can happen for a number of reasons. Some people do it out of habit. Their bite may be off, or the position of the jaw and teeth may be such that when they sleep, their lips don’t quite close.

A young person may also suffer from abnormally large tonsils, which can obstruct breathing. Mouth breathing may also occur as a result of a birth defect, like a deviated septum, that may make it more difficult to breathe through the nose. Older folks can end up mouth breathing as a result of taking medication.

One of the most common side effects of mouth breathing is an excessively dry mouth as mentioned above. Under normal conditions, saliva continuously washes bacteria from the mouth. If your mouth is dry, however, that bacteria can more readily take hold and cause problems like cavities.

In children, mouth breathing can also lead to permanent skeletal deformities. That’s because it promotes the growth of the upper jaw, rather than the lower jaw. The result is a large overbite and a gummy smile. Mouth breathing can also cause sleep difficulties, causing people to wake in the night if they aren’t getting enough oxygen. In children, lack of sleep may reduce their ability to pay attention and concentrate at school, which may be mistaken for attention deficit disorder.

In adults, mouth breathing can be related to sleep apnea, which causes people to wake frequently at night. You can end up feeling exhausted the next day. While a natural mouth breather may be able to stave off dryness by re-moistening the 62 wirrallife.com

mouth throughout the day, it will get dry overnight because you are breathing through your mouth all night, you dry out the soft tissues. Mouth breathers often have chronically red and inflamed gums, even if their oral health is otherwise good. Adults may also find they have bleeding gums, or may get frequent cavities. Because it is so drying, mouth breathing can also cause chronic bad breath. More serious conditions can occur over a longer period of time including high blood pressure because mouth breathing puts your body in fight or flight mode.

It’s important to determine why the mouth breathing is happening before you can correct it. If the cause is huge tonsils, then removing them might be an option. If the problem is structural and a child can’t, for example, close his or her lips over flared front teeth, then the solution may be orthodontic treatment. Using a humidifier while sleeping can help ease mouth dryness, as can replenishing with lots of fluids. It can be helpful sometimes to rub a small amount of vitamin E oil on gums before bedtime to keep them from drying out overnight.

A thorough dental exam will help determine whether mouth breathing is a problem. It’s also important for parents to look for signs of mouth breathing in children, so the problem can be corrected before it worsens. But my overriding message is this and like I said at the beginning, most of us don’t think about how we breathe. Start being aware of your breathing. Many who mouth breathe that I’ve treated or who have attended our employer workshops did so out of habit. We all creatures of habit or so they say but I agree. And just like we can become habitual bad breathers through the mouth, we can become good breathers through the nose. Breathe as often through your mouth as you eat through your nose.

Joel Jelen is founder of Reset Breathing and runs courses for employers and the general public. More details can be found at www.resetbreathing.com

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“IT BURNS!” HEARTBURN, INDIGESTION AND REFLUX

BY CONOR MAGEE MD FRCS, CONSULTANT SURGEON I’m currently watching the television- not BBC4, I’m afraid but Hollyoaks! During the break I chanced on advert that informed me there are liquids you can buy for “both kinds of indigestion. This brought a wry smile to my face- indigestion is just one name for a wide variety of symptoms patients can present with. At medical school we learnt of “dyspepsia”- simply meaning “disturbed digestion”. The difficulty with dyspepsia is that it’s different for everybody, fortunately the commonest cause for dyspepsia is simple to diagnose and can be treated very effectively.

Most patients will have “Gastro-oesophageal Reflux Disease- GORD”.

This describes the condition when contents from the stomach “reflux” (or head back) to the oesophagus (gullet). The oesophagus is the tube between your throat and the stomach whose function is to propel food down in to the stomach. The stomach then digests your foodit’s a muscular organ that churns food and secretes hydrochloric acid to break down proteins. The stomach has a protective layer to help prevent the acids attacking it- this layer is not present in the oseophagus. Normally there is a valve at the bottom of the oesophagus that stops the stomach contents from re-entering the oesophagus.

People who have GORD have a weak valve and this allows acid-rich stomach contents to reflux into the sensitive oesophagus causing a characteristic burning sensation in the centre of the upper abdomen that can radiate into the chest. It can be especially problematic at night- often in combination with a hot curry and alcohol- because when you lie flat it is easier for the acid to reflux back. In extreme cases the valve is so weak, patients will vomit undigested food at unexpected times! Often patients will also have an “hiatus hernia”. A hiatus hernia simply means that part of the stomach slides into the chest alongside the gullet. It’s incredibly common, but important to realise it is not a hernia in the abdominal wall- there won’t be a lump to feel- many times patients have asked me why they can’t feel their hiatus hernia!

Before talking about how to treat reflux it is of vital importance that patients should seek advice from their GP first. In some cases, reflux can be seen in patients with oesophageal or stomach cancerany patient, particularly in their 50s or older, with new onset reflux must see their GP!! For many patients the symptoms are mild and can respond to simple liquids that soothe the lining of the gullet (e.g.

Gaviscon) or tablets that help neutralize stomach acid (e.g. Rennies).

NISSEN FUNDOCPLICATION SHOWING STOMACH WRAPPED AROUND GULLET TO MAKE TIGHTER VALVE

General Practitioners often prescribe tablets that can reduce the amount of acid the stomach secretes or even abolish it completely - however it is prudent that patients should undergo a gastroscopy (telescope examination of the gullet and stomach) before starting treatment. Not only can this identify the inflamed oesophagus (oesophagitis) that is characteristic of GORD but it can rule out dangerous conditions such as cancer, or spot conditions that can give rise to cancer if left unchecked.

Many patients worry about having a gastroscopy, but it is a simple procedure that often doesn’t require sedation (I have had one and can say it was little more than uncomfortable!). But where do I as a surgeon come into this? Well, there are patients who continue to have severe GORD despite acid treatment- symptoms that rapidly become difficult to live with. I can perform an operation that will tighten up the valve at the bottom of the gullet. It involves freeing up the top of the stomach and wrapping it around the lower gullet. This operation is known as a “Nissen Fundoplication” and used to require a very long cut on the abdomen.

Today I perform this using a keyhole technique- patients are able to go home within 1-2 days instead of weeks!! It’s important that the wrap is given time to bed in and this means avoiding heavy meals and carbonated drinks for a few weeks after surgery. The results from fundoplication are dramatic- patients can sleep and not wake with a mouthful of acid or and durable. There is a real feeling of pride when I perform this elegant operation and patients get results that improve their lives immensely.

Mr Magee operates at Spire Murrayfield Hospital and can be contacted there. He can be followed on Twitter @mageefrcs.

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TRAVEL INSPIRATION FRED. OLSEN CRUISE LINES’ TO COMMENCE 2017/18 CRUISE SEASON FROM LIVERPOOL Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ 880-guest ship Boudicca is set to return to Liverpool’s iconic Pier Head Cruise Terminal.

spellbinding fauna, including puffins and whales, on a boat tour from St. John’s; or enjoy a stroll along the shores of the beautiful Bras D’Or Lake; or experience L’Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, where fascinating, UNESCOlisted archaeological sites await exploration, at the first and only Viking settlement in North America.

Fred. Olsen’s stylish Boudicca will be setting sail on a total of 10 unique adventures from the Port of Liverpool until September 2018. Itineraries include an eight-night ‘Lochs of Scotland’ cruise, taking in the very best lochs and scenic waterways that this picturesque country has to offer, and a 16-night ‘Glitz & Glamour of the French Riviera’ holiday, with highlight calls into beautiful Barcelona, Monaco and Cannes.

•

Justin Stanton, Sales and Marketing Director for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “Fred. Olsen is a frequent visitor to the Merseyside region, giving our loyal guests from the North West a greater choice of destinations and holiday durations from their local port. With its stunning vistas and proud maritime heritage, there is something very special about cruising from Liverpool, and it is a tremendous benefit to be able to offer our guests the chance to set sail from the world-famous Pier Head.”

8-night D1720 ‘Fjords, Mountains & Glaciers of Norway’ cruise, departing on 29th August 2017. Prices start from £999 per person* (with limited availability). There are photo opportunities galore on this exceptional foray into the Norwegian fjords, on smaller-sized ‘Boudicca’, with unforgettable cruising along beautiful waterways, and calls into charming Olden, the historic city of Bergen, and Flåm, renowned for its winding scenic railway.

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14-night D1723 ‘Azorean Island Discovery’ cruise, departing on 30th September 2017. Prices start from £1,899 per person* (with limited availability). This fantastic two-week cruise takes in the diverse, emeraldgreen landscapes of the Azores, visiting three of the archipelago’s most beautiful islands. Discover Terceira Island’s impressive volcanic structures, including Monte Brasil and Capelinhos; explore Faial Island on a 4x4 Jeep adventure, during an overnight stay in Horta; and marvel at the huge crater lakes of São Miguel’s Sete Cidades, from Ponta Delgada.

Boudicca’s cruise itineraries from Liverpool in 2017/18 include: •

16-night D1717 ‘Rugged & Rural Canada’ cruise, departing on 29th July 2017. Prices start from £1,599 per person* (with limited availability). Explore the rugged landscapes of rural Canada on an epic 16-night voyage.

Guests will have the opportunity to go in search of

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“Guests will have the opportunity to go in search of spellbinding fauna, including puffins and whales”.

Fred. Olsen will also be hosting a memorable ‘Summer Party Night’ in Liverpool, on the evening of Bank Holiday Monday 28th August 2017 (over-18s only). Boudicca will be in port overnight during the city’s annual ‘International Beatleweek Festival’, taking place from 23rd to 29th August 2017, and Fred. Olsen is delighted to have secured one of the best-known Beatles tribute acts around – the worldfamous ‘Backbeat Beatles’ – to entertain guests live on this very special party evening, along with the hilarious Stan Boardman, Liverpool’s favourite TV comedian. A late-night DJ will continue this special Merseyside celebration into the early hours.

During its 2018/19 cruise season, Fred. Olsen’s classic 804-guest ship Black Watch will be making a return to Liverpool, offering a record 18 unique cruise itineraries, from April to November – representing Fred. Olsen’s longest-ever cruise season from the city. Guests can choose from a 15-night ‘Greenland, Iceland & Norway’ adventure in July 2018; a 26-night ‘Canada in the Fall’ discovery in September 2018; and a nine-night ‘Mystery Cruise’ in October 2018, where only the Captain knows where guests are going!

For further information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, visit the website at www.fredolsencruises.com. *All prices listed are based on two adults sharing a twinbedded ‘Interior Room’, and include accommodation, all meals, entertainment on board, and port dues. wirrallife.com 65

WIRRAL TIME TRAVEL

BY ANDREW WOOD

MALCOM LOWRY AUTHOR AND REBEL

Clarence Malcolm Lowry was born at 13 North Drive, Wallasey, on 28th July 1909, the youngest of four sons of Arthur Osborne Lowry and Evelyn Boden Lowry. His strict Methodist father was a wealthy cotton broker who owned cotton plantations in Egypt, Peru and Texas.

The Lowry family moved to ‘Inglewood’ in Caldy when Clarence was two. Like his brothers, he was educated in uppermiddle-class public schools: Braeside Preparatory School, West Kirby (now closed), then Caldicote School founded in Hitchen, Hertfordshire, in 1904 by Heald Jenkins, and finally the Leys School, Cambridge, a Wesleyan Methodist foundation.

At home, the Lowry boys were encouraged to take part in all kinds of outdoor activities. Clarence himself became a good golfer, winning a junior competition at the age of fifteen; he was also a very good swimmer. However, he seems always to have been the black sheep of the family. He had an early inclination to escape from the austere atmosphere of home, first with an enthusiasm for jazz, which led him in his teens to dream of making a career as a song-writer. The same desire to escape what must have seemed to be his fate – to follow in his father’s footsteps – first to an active form in 1928, when he took the ferry to Liverpool one day and signed on as a cabin boy on the Blue Funnel Line’s SS Pyrrhus, a cargo ship bound for Yokohama.

The experience was not entirely pleasant, but that did not stop him, two years later, from sailing as a deckhand on a ship bound for Oslo, where he succeeded in meeting the Norwegian writer Nordahl Grieg, author of the novel “The Ship Sails On”, published in 1927, which had gained attention with its revealing picture of the hard life of Norwegian sailors, and which was to influence Lowry’s own writing.

Lowry disliked the name Clarence, preferring his middle name, which is the one he subsequently known by. His enthusiasm for literature led him into an exchange of letters with the American poet and novelist Conrad Aiken, whose “Blue Voyage”, published in 1927 had impressed Lowry. In the summer of 1929 Malcolm somehow persuaded his father to finance a visit to the USA, where Aiken took him in as a paying guest at his home in Boston, Massachusetts, as a sort of litery apprentice. In the following year Aiken won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for his “Selected Poems”.

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In the autumn of 1929, after his visit to Aiken, Lowry went up to St Catherine’s College, Cambridge. However, his encounters with Aiken, Greig, and other younger writers he met at Cambridge influenced his literary style far more than his academic studies. By the time he graduated in 1932, Lowry had already earned a reputation as an excellent writer – and a heavy drinker. Despite his excessive drinking, and a stew of selfdoubt, alienation and despair, Lowry had charm and charisma that drew others to him, particularly in the bars of Cambridge.

“Ultramarine”, the first of two major works published in his lifetime, was published in 1933, when he was 24 years old.

“Ultramarine” follows its main character, an educated young man, Dad Hilliot, and his psychological and social development during a sea voyage to the Far East. Hilliott is rejected and made the butt of the crew’s ribald jokes because of his upper class background and sexual inexperience. After weeks of isolation and internal anguish, however, he finally wins the men’s approval. Quite clearly, many of the elements of the story are based on Lowry’s own experiences on the SS Pyrrhus.

The critics were less than enthusiastic about “Ultramarine”. The chief criticism was that the narrative line failed to be sustained over the course of the novel. Lowry was also criticised for his perfunctory descriptions of the ports and countries that Hilliot encounters, focusing too much on his character’s inner thoughts and feelings. Although a few perceptive critics saw a potential for extraordinary writing in Lowry. “Ultramarine” was essentially a failure: of the 1,500 copies that were printed, barely half were sold.

After he graduated, Lowry spent some months in London, where he became friends with several other writers, notably Dyln Thomas, a similarly enthusiastic drinker. In April 1933, he became restless again and he began travelling through Europe with Conrad Aiken. It was while they were in Spain that Lowry met an American writer, Jan Gabriel, and after a lightning romance they married in Paris on 6th January 1934. However, even at the outset, their relationship was fractious and she returned to New York, leaving him in France. In 1935, Lowry followed Jan to New York, but he was drinking excessively and he was admitted to the psychiatric ward of Bellevue Hospital.

He stayed there for two weeks before discharging himself. He then went to Hollywood with the intention of trying to find work as a screenwriter. The following year he and Jan were

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briefly reconciled. They moved from New York, first to Los Angeles, and then to Cuernavaca in Mexico where they tried to salvage their marriage. They failed, however, and in late 1937, having been offered a job by a friend’s agency in Hollywood, Jan finally left him in Oaxaca, south of Mexico City. They were divorced and never saw each other again.

Lowry continued drinking heavily: it can’t have helped his mood that the main traditional festival in Oaxaca, celebrated at the beginning of November, is Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead). His behaviour became so erratic that at one time he was suspected of being a Spanish spy and thrown into jail. Eventually he was released and deported, after which he returned to Los Angeles.

Most of Lowry’s time in Mexico had been painful and disturbed, yet it was not without inspiration and insight. His pain and deep despair became the raw material of what was to be his literary masterpiece, “Under the Volcano”, which he had begun writing in an on-and-off way in 1936. He wrote and rewrote the book three times, but he was still unable to find a publisher.

Shortly after arriving in California, Lowry met and fell for an American former child-star of silent films and aspiring writer, Margerie Donner. When Lowry’s American visa expired he moved across the border into Canada and Margerie went with him. They were married on 2nd December 1940. For nearly fifteen years they lived in a squatter’s cabin that they built themselves, on the stony beach at Dollarton on the Durrard Inlet near Vancouver on the West coast. The cabin burned down in 1944 and the manuscript of a third novel, “In Ballast to the White Sea” was destroyed although other works in progress were saved. After some time living with friends, they returned to Burrard Inlet and rebuilt the cabin on the beach. They time that Malcolm and Margerie spent there was probably the closest that he ever came to being settled and content.

It was not until 1947 that “Under the Volcano” was published, to great acclaim. It is the story of Geoffrey Firmin, the alcoholic British Consul in Quauhnahuac on the Dia de los Muertos in 1938. His alcoholism has overshadowed his whole life.

(The reader may well conclude that there is a large element of

autobiography in the book). Firmin’s wife, Yvonne, arrives in the town to rescue both him and their failing marriage. She has been inspired by a vision of how their life together could be away from Mexico and the circumstances that have driven their relationship to the brink of collapse.

However, Yvonne’s mission to save her husband from himself is further complicated by the presence in Quauhnahuac of Hugh, Geoffrey’s half-brother, and Jacques, a childhood friend.

The elements of just one day unfold against a backdrop that powerfully evokes a Mexico that is both magical and diabolical.

It ends with Firmin’s murder and the contemptuous disposal of his body – and a dead dog after him – in a ravine.

“Under the Volcano” is one of the most searing and yet poetic descriptions of the human condition and one man’s struggle against the elemental forces threatening to destroy him. Lowry’s tragedy and triumph was that, without his own demons and addiction to heavy drinking, it is impossible to imagine that he could have ever written such an unforgettable book.

His own death came on the night of 26th-27th June 1957, at the age of 47. He and Margerie had left Canada for England in 1954.

On that June night, after they had quarrelled, he apparently overdosed on a mixture of gin and barbiturates and collapsed on the floor of the cottage in Ripe, East Sussex, where they were then living. Although there were rumours that Lowry had committed suicide, in an interview in 1975, Jan Gabriel said, “His own experience, his own actions, fascinated him as much as anyone else. So everything went down [on paper]. So […] there is no way that I can conceive of Malc committing suicide without there being […] copious notes, letters, something to indicate why. He was not a man to slip away quietly into the night”.

An inquest returned a verdict of “Death by misadventure”.

Lowry himself had presciently written, “The agonies of the drunkard find their most accurate poetic analogue in the agonies of the mystic who has abused his powers.”

Writing in “The Guardian” in 2007, the poet John Hartley Williams said, [“Under the Volcano”] for me at any rate, remains the single most potent novel of the 20th century.

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IN BRIEF WIRRAL CORPORATE CUP BRINGS MORE WINNERS FOR CHAMBER

NEW LAW FIRM BRAND OPENS FOR BUSINESS ON THE WIRRAL

Despite a day of near constant drizzle, the damp weather didn’t put off the eleven businesses taking part in the Wirral Chamber Corporate Cup 2017.

A new law firm brand has launched on the Wirral.

Complete Law Wirral covers all areas of personal and business law.

This year’s competition, organised by Wirral Chamber of Commerce in partnership with golf event specialists, Playfair Events, attracted business teams from Digitel Europe, Finsa UK, Inteb MS, Lexus Chester, Max Web Solutions, Premier Guarantee, Scantec, Smylie Ltd, Wabtec Faiveley, Whitfield Business Hub, and Wirral Chamber itself.

Managing Director, Kingsley Hayes, who has worked in some of the largest law firms in the UK said: “We are thrilled to launch Complete Law on the Wirral. We are a new-style legal services provider, delivering the highest levels of quality, service and value to Wirral residents and businesses. One of our key objectives is to remove the jargon from the legal process – so clients know exactly what is happening. The days of stuffy, unapproachable solicitors are long gone. As a consumer, I was a fast, efficient, no-nonsense service - and that’s exactly how we will deliver legal services to our clients.”

In the picturesque setting of Heswall Golf Club, the players teed off, driving towards a panoramic view to the River Dee, returning late in the afternoon to mark scorecards and then waited until the evening dinner to find out who would be the eventual prize winners.

Team Inteb MS were joined on the course by Roy Evans, former Liverpool FC manager and player, who stayed for the evening dinner and entertained the audience with tales of the boot room about Shankly, Paisley, Fagan, Dalglish and many other Liverpool legends.

Raja Khan, Commercial Director at Inteb Managed Services, said, “The Wirral Chamber Corporate Golf Cup is an important event in Wirral’s business calendar and, as a Chamber member, Inteb MS was delighted to support it. We were especially honoured to have such a famous sporting figure as Roy Evans as part of the Inteb team which also included some of our energy market clients. Everyone had an amazing day and agreed it was a fantastically well organised event - we’ll be back again next year but this time to walk away with the main trophy!”

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Complete Law combines legal excellence with a high-quality technology approach. Areas of Personal Law expertise include: Personal injury, Medical Negligence, Family, Wills and Probate, Residential Conveyancing, Criminal defence, Fraud and Regulatory, Holiday delay claims, Flight delay claims, Employment and Immigration.

Areas of Business Law expertise include: Corporate, Commercial Litigation, Debt Recovery, Commercial Property, Regulatory, Employment, Intellectual Property (IP), Corporate Recovery, Environment, Licensing, Planning, Pensions, Tax and Construction.

To mark its commitment to the area, Complete Law Wirral will be donating 10% of pre-tax profits to Wirral-based charities.

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WOODS SQUARED MOVE TO NEW OFFICE IN PRENTON

STEVE ROTHERAM TOURS WIRRAL MET CAMPUS

Accountancy firm Woods Squared have officially moved into their new office in Prenton after spending their first 10 years in Hamilton Square, Birkenhead.

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor, joins Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, Ken Skates, on tour of Wirral Met College’s campuses.

The open plan office was custom fitted by Aztec Interiors Limited and includes a breakout area as well as sit/stand desks. One of the key reasons for the move was to allow for expansion, the office easily accommodates the current team and will allow to more than double the existing team and still keep the open plan feel.

Wirral Met College welcomed Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure Ken Skates to its Wirral Waters and Twelve Quays Campuses. The Metro Mayor joined the Cabinet Secretary on a tour of the award winning Wirral Waters Campus before heading off to the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Centre and Logistics and Warehousing Centre at the Twelve Quays Campus.

The purpose of the visit was to demonstrate how the Liverpool City Region has invested significantly in skills development to support the regeneration of the local economy. Through collaborative, partnership work between public and private sector organisations, the multi-million pound Wirral Waters Campus, which specialises in providing training and education for the Construction sector, was created – it was the first key landmark on Wirral Waters, one half of the Mersey Waters Enterprise Zone. Enterprise Zones are a key feature of the Government’s local growth and Northern Powerhouse agenda, offering incentives for businesses to locate and grow at these key locations. Wirral Met’s STEM and Logistics & Warehousing Centres have been recently developed to meet the increasing demand for people with the skills and qualifications to support these growing industry sectors across the Liverpool City Region. The STEM Centre project received funding from the Liverpool City Region Growth Deal. In March 2014, the Liverpool City Region LEP secured a total of £232m of Local Growth Fund from the Growth Plan that was submitted to Government. This plan outlined an ambitious vision of unlocking the region’s potential with the long term goal of achieving economic growth and job creation.

Woods Squared hope that the new premises based on the North Cheshire Trading Estate will provide better facilities to clients and the good motorway links and free parking are an attractive extra too. Director of Woods Squared, Alan Woods adds “After 10 years on Hamilton Square we are happy to be in our new home in Prenton. We started to look for our new offices around 18 months ago as the layout of Hamilton Square didn’t fit with our core values as we grew our team. Our new offices are perfect for what we need and the modern open plan feel is exactly what we were looking for. We’ve only been here for just over a week but the positive impact on the team is already clear to see and the sit/stand desks have made a massive difference too. Looking forward to the next 10 years in our new home.”

The Woods Squared team looks forward to providing a range of business growth accountancy services from their new office to small and medium sized businesses in all sectors across the North West. The firm has won a number of awards including 2011 UK Small Practice of the Year in the Accounting Web Practice Excellence Awards, AVN UK Accounting Firm of the Year 2009/10, 2020 Firm of the Year 2015, Small Business of the Year at the 2016 Wirral Business Awards and Highly Commended in 2 categories at the British Accountancy Awards 2016.

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WIRRAL BUSINESS

by Wirral Chamber of Commerce

SHEDDING LIGHT ON BUSINESS GROWTH AT PACIFIC ROAD The doors at Pacific Road Business Hub are now open to welcome some of Wirral’s brightest and newest entrepreneurs which are looking for office space with a real difference.

The iconic building welcomes you with a professional feel, home to a number of businesses, including leading training provider, Progress to Excellence, and guitar specialists, KGB, which has resided within the unique street scene for over 17 years.

With an increase in demand for co-working and small business office space, Wirral Chamber of Commerce has provided the perfect platform for would be entrepreneurs to take a giant step to move from working in a spare room to enter into a new world of business by creating The Sheds initiative.

The Sheds comprises eight affordable newly built timber studios, together with copious open-plan desk space for businesses to make the most of the friendly, productive and vibrant co-working opportunities. The entire space is designed to encourage creative collaboration between its occupiers while providing networking and business support services from our in-house team.

Current co-working Sheds resident, Paul Malone of Moving Soon, said “The Sheds has provided me with the flexible office base I needed to develop my new business without needing to rent an entire office. It is a really relaxed atmosphere and you can see the possibility for collaboration between businesses in the space already.”

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With bottomless tea & coffee, the fastest wi-fi network, communal kitchen facilities and breakout spaces for meetings, The Sheds offers a relaxed, forward-thinking business environment unlike anything else available on the Peninsula.

Minutes away from bus, train, ferries and the Mersey Tunnels, The Sheds is an excellent location to base your business in Wirral and stay connected to the Liverpool City Region.

Come down and have a look and see what co-working can do for your business.

To find out more, or to arrange a tour of the space, please call 0151 650 6940 or email: hello@pacificsheds.co.uk

BENEFITS OF THE SHEDS • • • • • • • • •

A cost-effective alternative to traditional office space Access to superfast Wi-Fi, ensuring you stay connected Availability of on-site Chamber business support Registered Business Address Flexibility for you to come and go No 4 - an on-site Bistro Communal kitchen with bottomless tea and coffee Desk from £7.40/day +vat Shed from £90.00/week +vat

ROBERT LEATHERBARROW

ENTERPRISE HUB OFFERS HELPING HAND TO FLEDGLING BUSINESSES Starting up your own business is one of the most daunting propositions facing any would-be entrepreneur. Here at Wirral Chamber of Commerce we’re committed to offering a helping hand to those on the first step of their business journey to ensure the process is as painless and ultimately rewarding as possible.

Through a package of start up support sessions, one to one support, coaching and mentoring we offer you all of the tools to turn your idea into a reality.

We have supported and helped launch many successful businesses and have gained an understanding of the key areas that often need extra support when driving a new enterprise forward. With specialists in marketing, social media, finance, legal entity, finance – you name it - we can help you become your own boss.

The Enterprise Hub takes a fresh, creative and collaborative approach to address business support. Replacing the notion that advice should come from a textbook and instead be learned experts that have walked the walk. Blending peer support and mentoring with ‘all you can eat’ business support delivered 21st century style from aims to maximise entrepreneurs’ access to new knowledge, expertise and in turn accelerate their learning amongst each other.

Kate Eugeni, Wirral Chamber of Commerce Director of Enterprise & Education, said, “Our businesses are supported from the moment they start on a programme. They can interact with our business start-up and growth advisers with experience across all sectors, including social enterprises,

together with support by independent business mentors.”

Robert Leatherbarrow started his new catering business, Roberts Snackshack, with support from The Enterprise Hub, he said, “The support I was given was excellent and really helped me in developing my idea and turning it into a viable enterprise. I am now providing catering services for private functions, weddings and a wide range of other events across the North of England.”

The programme is a holistic package allowing entrepreneurs to develop Wirral’s businesses of the future.

To further help in starting a business a £250 grant is available subject to eligibility.

For more information about the start-up programme and package of support available to you, please contact The Enterprise Hub for an initial consultation on 0151 541 0976 or email enterprisehub@wirralchamber.co.uk

*Enterprise Hub is the enterprise gateway for business start-up support in Liverpool City Region with 10 delivery partners and 5 strategic partners working together to offer expert advice and guidance, building Liverpool City Region as a central hub for enterprise. Enterprise Hub is receiving funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. wirrallife.com 71

REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL AT THE LAURIES 1. Great facilities: Take any week from The Lauries annual calendar

and you will see no two days are the same. The variety of bookings taken for its event rooms really does reflect its inclusive access and professional service of the staff. For business events, The Lauries offers high quality conference space to hold meetings, seminars and training within the heart of Birkenhead. Excellent conference facilities can cater for up to 200 people using a variety of room layouts to suit style needs including boardroom, theatre, training, banqueting, u-shape classroom and cabaret. With in-house catering and refreshments, easy access to parking and local public transport, The Lauries is an ideal choice for a business event.

2. The Exmouth: A ground floor main multi-functional suite is easily suited

for seminars, conferences and large meetings. It can accommodate up to 200 people (dependent on room layout) with full disabled access.

Room Size: 1,833 sq ft

3. The Hughes: The elegant ground floor room is ideal for smaller

meetings and training events. It can accommodate up to 50 people (dependent on room layout) with full disabled access. Room Size: 730 sq ft.

4. The Training Hub: This first floor, training suite can accommodate

up to 30 people and offers a perfect learning environment (u-shape layout). Room Size: 829 sq ft

5. The Board Room: Located on the first floor, the Board Room can accommodate up to 18 people. Room Size: 452 sq ft. All rooms offer free access to Wi-Fi along with the hire of AV, and in-house catering and refreshments upon request.

6. Praise from Voyage Care (Healthcare, social care and support provider) said: “I found the staff at The Lauries very helpful and friendly. Nothing is too much trouble and that makes a big difference.

The room was immaculate and set up perfectly for the workshop I had to deliver. Coffee and tea facilities were replenished without prompting which was great. I train in venues across the country and The Lauries is definitely my favourite.”

7. Cost effective hire: Whether it’s a conference or a party, function

space might cost less than you imagined. Discounts available on room hire for Wirral Chamber of Commerce members.

- Exmouth: Half day £100 | Full day £200 - Hughes/Training Hub/Boardroom: Half day £60 | Full day £120 - Function hire £120 (5 hours) | £25 per extra hour.

8. @142thelauries bistro is our most recent addition to The Lauries

facilities and services offer. Open to the public, as well as being an ideal venue for informal business meetings, it offers freshly produced breakfasts, light bites and lunches on weekdays from a new menu designed by Chef David Turton and catering assistants Steven and Leanne.

9. Our @142 taster list offers some speciality dishes which includes the

signature @142 Deli Sandwich - Turkey, ham, smoked cheese, tomato, red onion slices, mixed salad leaves and Dijon mayonnaise. @142 Salad - Feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, peppers, olives, soft boiled egg, iceberg lettuce with a honey and mustard dressing. @142 Sausage or Bacon Batch - Sausages or bacon with smoked Applewood cheese, grilled mushrooms and caramelised onion on a buttered batch. Vegetarian and vegan options are also available.

10. Our bistro reviews: Great varied menu - healthy options and freshly

prepared food - lovely friendly setting and fresh décor | Lovely food with so many tasty yet healthy options loved it | Had a cracking lunch this afternoon. Delicious food, friendly staff and great value - definitely recommended | Great venue, amazing food at reasonable prices | Chicken panini and sweet potato chips - delicious | Fantastic venue, really helpful staff and the food was delicious. Thank you!

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OUR FREE OFFER FREE TEA, COFFEE OR SOFT DRINK WITH ANY MEAL AT @142THELAURIES If you are visiting Birkenhead call into @142 Bistro for a meal and if you quote 142WirralLife we will provide you with a free tea, coffee or soft drink.

‘BE IN BIRKENHEAD FAMILY FESTIVAL’ RETURNS IN JULY The ‘Be In Birkenhead Family Festival’ is once again coming to Hamilton Square, Birkenhead on the 26th July. Last year’s inaugural event was a great success and its impact on the area was rewarded by winning the Place Marketing - Small Location Award in the BID Awards 2016.

The event attracted more than 6,500 visitors from across Wirral and the Liverpool City Region, brought vibrancy and life to Hamilton Square, increased footfall and retail sales in the town centre and encouraged the local community to get involved, visit and take pride in Birkenhead. The festival delivered a range of free family activities with the support of organisations including Wirral Tram Museum, Tranmere Rovers FC, Wirral Gymnastics Club, Wirral Council, Wirral Radio and Merseyrail.

This is a free event and will be held between 11.30am and 4pm on Wednesday 26th July 2017.

Joe Scarth, Place Shaping Manager at Birkenhead First said, “We are really pleased to bring back this wonderful family festival again for 2017, last year the event attracted huge numbers of visitors to the town and this year we hope for even more people to join in the fun. The support given from local businesses has been wonderful.”

Gemma Stewart, Head of Business Services at Wirral Chamber of Commerce said, “Birkenhead has a wealth fabulous shops, cafes, restaurants and visitor attractions, in fact something for everybody. We are really looking forward to the Be in Birkenhead Festival and believe that great family event as this offers another reason for visitors to come to Birkenhead and enjoy the day.”

This year, visitors will once again be able board the Wirral Tram Museum’s lovingly restored vintage buses – the ‘Birkenhead Blues’ – and enjoy summer refreshments on the Square. There will also be children’s rides, craft stalls, Punch & Judy, and face painting.

The event is organised by Birkenhead First, a Wirral Chamber of Commerce initiative in creating Wirral’s first Business Improvement District (BID). It was established with the support of local business to improve and promote Birkenhead as a visitor destination in four key areas:

Wirral Radio will be hosting live broadcasts during the day, while craft and vintage stalls will offer scented candles, cosmetics, handmade jewellery, and antiques. On the day, visitors will also be able to choose from a variety of tasty treats from the stallholders and true gems of the Wirral retail scene, including, Amorini Antiques, Trophy Pets, Vintage Interior Fairy, and others.

There will be a host of activities to entertain children, which will include an inflatable maze provided by HYPE, Punch and Judy show, vintage ice cream van, children’s entertainer, Arts and Crafts by The Hive and circus workshops and activities provided

by Birkenhead’s Magical Circus.

• • • •

Cleanliness & attractiveness Safety & security Marketing & promotion Supporting business

Officially launched in April 2016, Birkenhead First aims to encourage visitors to the town, create greater investment in Birkenhead, and works with all business sectors to enhance the experience for visitors, shoppers and workers by making the BID area safer, secure, cleaner and more attractive. wirrallife.com 73

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LET’S TALK BUSINESS With recent government announcement’s that Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) within the Construction sector can remain optimistic about their long term opportunities, Wirral Life talk to The Forshaw Group.

Liverpool-based, The Forshaw Group, will be celebrating their 70th anniversary next year as a leading insurance industry building repair specialist SME. Liam Hanlon, joint Managing Director, takes us through the humble post-war beginning of The Forshaw Group and its growth over the past seven decades, against the backdrop of social and political changes that have shaped the multi-million pound company that he and fellow Managing Director Jay Calvert head up to day.

Tell us about the history of The Forshaw Group.

The Forshaw Group was founded in 1945 by Les Forshaw, when he returned from service in WWII. Les started work as a painter and decorator helping the regeneration of bomb damaged Liverpool. By 1948, he had established himself in Enid Street, Liverpool 8, married Lydia May and the couple had three children Susan, Leslie and Richard. As business grew, Les relocated to Wavertree, servicing the need for high quality and reliable painting and decorating services for the historic Higson’s Breweries - refurbishing many of Liverpool’s infamous and iconic public houses. Les also had the honour of painting the famous Beatles Yellow Submarine for the 1984 Liverpool International Garden Festival. The quality of work across all aspects of traditional painting and decoration saw Les being awarded the ‘Leyland Paints Contractor of the Year 1988’. Les sadly passed away in 1989 and the business passed to his son, Richard Forshaw, who carried on the family tradition of quality and reliability. The social changes of the 1980’s brought fresh challenges for the new generation at Forshaw’s and the need for a broader client base so by the mid 1980’s, Forshaw’s were a key maintenance contractor for the Liverpool Diocese of Church House and expanded its offering to businesses by providing emergency cover, repairs and maintenance to many listed school buildings. In 1995, I joined Richard Forshaw in the family business and following a chance 74 wirrallife.com

encounter with an Insurance Loss Adjuster, a new purpose, direction and opportunity arose for Forshaw’s. The success of our insurance repair market created steady sustainable growth and with the opportunity to increase our offering to the market, Les Forshaw Ltd, was established in 2003. Jay Calvert joined the company in 2004 and over the next five years, offices were established in North Wales. Innovation and investment in our digital back office management system CIMS enabled us to make the finals of the North West Construction Awards in 2009 and again in 2010. The philosophy changes in the finance market during 2010 produced a need for more direct partnerships with insurers so we launched The Forshaw Group Broker Alliance in 2011 to deliver a strong, proven, capable, responsive & committed proposition for all domestic, commercial, industrial and residential insurance related building repairs.

Quality was key to Les Forshaw, is this still the case?

With increased work volumes, our team grew and we recognised the strength of our traditional values and invested in our people.

In 2000, we were recognised under the Investors in People scheme. As staff numbers and tradesman increased there came a requirement for more detailed, auditable and transparent management process and procedures to ensure quality was maintained which is key to us. Quality is the foundation of our business and we were awarded ISO 9001-2008, accredited by Lloyds Register Quality Assurance LRQA in 2011.

Working within the construction industry, is the environment important to The Forshaw Group?

With a passion for preserving our environment and sustainability of natural resources, The Forshaw Group commit to the SMART CARBON protocol as recognised Sustainability Ambassadors of the Carbon Fix it Foundation - working for the future not for profit. We record our material use and waste disposal to monitor re-use and re-cycle.

Do The Forshaw Group Support apprentices?

In 2014, we launched an Apprentice Academy Model that would include additional charitable fundraising, community

involvement & adventure challenge days that would support the apprentices throughout their chosen vocational qualification.

The innovative success of the Apprenticeship Academy resulted in The Forshaw Group being awarded the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) SME Employer of The Year 2015, celebrating those who inspire our industry at the Pride of Construction Awards. We were also invited to the British Insurance Awards 2016 as part of the Aviva UK General Insurance team and won the Business Sustainability/Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative of the Year for the successful launch of the Insurance Industry National Apprenticeship Academy.

Do you invest in people within your organisation?

We are committed to the training and continued professional development of everyone involved in our business from our qualified team of surveyors and project managers, administration, accounts, restoration technicians to tradesman, apprentices and sub-contractors. We also have established working partnerships with The Chartered Institute of Building, The Construction Industry Training Board, City & Guilds, Apprenticeships UK, Sysco Business Skills Academy and Investors in People.

The Forshaw Group are also accredited with The National Flood School, DisasterCare Platinum, Belfor, British Damage Management Association & Dewpoint Restoration Partners. We believe in the physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing of every member of staff and take part in regular social team building and adventure days including, sporting challenges, clay pigeon shooting and off-road quad biking.

How do you see the future of The Forshaw Group?

As we look towards our 70 year celebrations in 2018, we will continue to invest and innovate in all aspects of our infrastructure, technology, training, products, service and staff. We aim to retain the unique atmosphere and working environment that we believe has been so important in our success. We are currently developing our new head office premises in preparation for relocation and this purpose built development will house the latest trade skills, training centre, technologies and services for the future of an increasingly specialised industry. Since joining this fantastic industry via the CITB Youth Training Scheme in 1984 at the age of 16, I have always retained the strong work ethic, values and commitment that are evident in The Forshaw Group today. We are all excited by the prospect and possibilities for the future generations of The Forshaw Group.

As a business, do you give something back to society?

Yes. In 2000, we formed The Forshaw Group tri-4-life team and charitable fund. The tri-4-life team participate in many worldwide challenging sporting and community events to raise awareness of healthy living for young people, to encourage participation in Sports, Arts, Dance, Drama and Education whilst raising funds for many international, national, regional and local Charities & good causes.

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JUSTINE MCLAUGHLIN & NIK ELLIS

WHITFIELD BUSINESS CELEBRATES IT’S SECOND YEAR Whitfield Business recently celebrated their second year, so we caught up with directors Nik Ellis & Justine McLaughlin to find out what’s been happening at the Hub. Heswall based Whitfield Business, provides serviced offices (rooms rented on an hourly, daily or monthly basis for a single fee that covers everything), telephone answering services and mailboxes, in addition to business support. Founded by Nik & Justine in 2015, Whitfield Business allows smaller businesses to present a professional, large image, have reception services akin to a large company and the flexibility to come & go without commitment. It’s a thriving hive of activity allowing individuals to engage with each other, either professionally or just for a chat in the coffee shop.

Nik & Justine set up the business support side of the company to provide an outsourcing solution to help the various businesses using the Hub. Their business model is simple; they provide all the services essential to the running of a company, allowing owners to concentrate on their core business function.

The demand for their services quickly grew beyond the Heswall base and they now have regular clients throughout the Wirral and beyond.

Nik said “Most small businesses don’t need full time people to do marketing, IT, social media, accounts etc - so we manage these functions on their behalf - allowing the owner to focus on what they do best, without stressing about all these essential 76 wirrallife.com

responsibilities. Taking an holistic approach to helping a business allows Whitfield to provide a very cost effective solution.”

Justine said, “Rather than hopping around several different suppliers, the entire support of a business can be done in-house, ensuring costs are controlled. We ensure brand consistency to give a professional image across websites, social media, stationery, signs, advertising; anywhere & everywhere.”

Their passion to help businesses grow has allowed them to expand. Nik said “We’re an unorthodox company, with a highly creative and buzzing environment. We work smart and play hard - if we need to finish a project, or help a client with a sudden problem, we’re happy to work late into the night.”

Nik & Justine seem to enjoy life outside the Hub too. They regularly attend local events, get heavily involved in Wirral charities and they even have a regular company ski weekend each winter. Wirral Life wish them every success for the future!

If you would like to find out more about Whitfield Business, please visit www.whitfieldbusiness.co.uk or pop into the Hub for a coffee & a chat.

Build your Brand Your logo is often the first thing that your customers will see before you get to tell them how awesome you are. The colour of your logo, its shape, design – it all counts towards portraying your brand in the right way.

Here at Whitfield, we can develop a range of artwork, from initial logo concepts and branding, right through to brochures and flyers. Our experienced creative team can support you and your business as it expands. It’s in our interest to help you grow!

0151 342 6365 grow@whitfieldbusiness.co.uk www.whitfieldbusiness.co.uk /Whitfield Business Support

@WhitfieldBizHub

Whitfield Business /WhitfieldBusiness

HISTORY OF THE FOUNDRY BUSINESS CENTRE The Foundry Business Centre based in Birkenhead is the original site of the construction of the Resurgam II built by Cochran & Co. and launched on 26 November 1879.

She was made mostly of iron and wood and was 45 feet long and 10 feet in diameter. She was the second of the two submarines designed by the reverend George Garrett, weighing 30 tons (30 t), and taking a crew of three.

It is hard to imagine being inside that vessel when it was powered by a coal fired closed cycle steam engine where the temperature could reach 140 degrees. She could produce enough steam to turn the single propeller for up to four hours.

After successful trials in the East Float at Wallasey, it was planned that Resurgam would make her way under her own power from Birkenhead to Portsmouth for a demonstration to the Royal Navy. On 10 December 1879, crewed by Garret, Jackson and Price, she set out for Portsmouth. However, during the voyage mechanical problems caused the crew to dock at Rhyl for repairs.

Once completed, and after trials, the crew set sail again on the night of 24 February 1880 in a high wind, towed by the steam yacht Elphin, which Garrett had bought

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in to assist. The Elphin now developed her own engine problems and the Resurgam's crew transferred to her to assist there. Because the entry hatch on the Resurgam could not be fastened from outside, the submarine began to ship water and the tow-rope broke under the added weight.

She sank in Liverpool Bay off Rhyl on 25 February 1880.

For many years her exact location remained a mystery until she was found in 1995 by Keith Hurley, while attempting to clear snagged fishing nets in 60 feet of water.

On 4 July 1996 Resurgam was designated protected wreck number 42 under the Protection of Wrecks Act. A replica of the vessel was put on display at Woodside, Birkenhead, in 1997.

Ten years ago, a local entrepreneur and builder bought the site and undertook a labour of love restoration to convert the site into suites of serviced offices. These are available to rent in various combinations and at very affordable prices with all-inclusive deals. The expensive conversion kept some of the fantastic original features of the works.

To find out more, call CNP Properties on 0151 653 5000 or visit www.cnpoffices.co.uk

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JONATHAN QUINN

WIRRAL INVENTOR LAUNCHES THE INTERNATIONAL ‘PUCMUG’ Wirral businessman Jonathan Quinn and his team have developed and launched The PucMug - the World’s first portable ultrasonic cleaner.

Jonathan noticed the coffee world blind spot in November 2016 and came up with the idea after his wife, Linzie, asked him to buy a latte in a well-known chain. He noticed that the server wiped the milk steam wand with a very dirty cloth after frothing. Within weeks, he had set up a company ‘Hygienic Innovations’ based in Bromborough, with a separate office and lab at University of Chester Thornton science park.

The PucMug rocketed to life through a swift six months of development from concept to prototype. Jonathan’s father built the first four prototype units in his workshop. Then the product was protected by patent, copyright and design rights for the World’s first portable ultrasonic cleaner.

The PucMug works using ultrasonic waves that vibrate at 30,000 times per second. This travels through the cold or warm water in the PucMug, maintaining cleanliness of the wand inside and out. This is intended to replace and improve upon the practice of using towels, cloths and sponges, that only clean the outsides of equipment and potentially become hotbeds for bacteria!

The cleaner is lightweight and zaps a steam wand free of milk froth in about 3-5 seconds. The PucMug also has many other uses such as cleaning of watches, jewellery, cosmetic brushes, cleaning boiler and water dispenser nozzles, beer taps, toys and much more.

When asked about the product, Jonathan said "We have been refining the design and we now have a market-ready product.

It takes exactly the same time as wiping the nozzle, a couple of seconds, but crucially it cleans inside and outside, removing all milk residue and other bacteria, scale and dirt."

The company recently won an Merseyside Innovation Award (MIA) in January 2017. MIA founder Brian McCann said: "The coffee shop market in the UK is massive and continues to grow at an astonishing rate. What makes this so ingenious is its simplicity and ease of use. As soon as this came before the MIA panel we all had the same reaction – brilliant idea. Jonathan has come up with a great product in a short space of time. There are many excellent coffee shops around Liverpool who take hygiene very seriously and it will be interesting to see the market reaction to the product.”

Hygienic Innovations are developing two versions of the product- a standard and premium - which differ in appearance, and in speed ultrasonic output power.

The first 25 units were picked up in late May and sent out to testers and early adopters on the English café scene. The units will be available from September for purchase and Hygienic Innovations will also be offering a rental contract.

More details can be found at www.hygienicinnovations.com.

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WIRRAL BALL 2017 The Wirral Social Ball took place in the beautiful setting of Hillbark Hotel.

The first event organised by the new fundraising committee - The Wirral Social, who are raising money for Helplink. Over 400 guests were entertained from start to finish, from a stilt walking lady wearing a red carpet dress, to a lady whose dress held 200 glasses of champagne, to a flash mob of gold dancers, caricaturists and a selfie mirror, the list goes on.

Guests danced all night long to a fabulous band, and amongst other fabulous prizes that were given, there was the opportunity to win a Boodles necklace worth ÂŁ4800 and a very special meal at The Art School, Liverpool. The event sponsored by Hillbark Hotel, Boodles, Rightmove, Kettle Design and Jackson-Stops & Staff, and media partner Wirral Life Magazine, raised ÂŁ14,000 for Helplink.

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SGT. PEPPER LUNCH With this year marking 50 years since The Beatles began recording their iconic ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ album, Radio City’s Cash for Kids were delighted to team up with The Beatles Story and BMD Law to present the Sgt. Pepper Lunch at The Hilton Liverpool One. Guests enjoyed a 3 course meal and a Q & A session with Julia Baird, John Lennon’s sister.

They were also entertained by The Mersey Beatles, the renowned international Beatles tribute band.

A brilliant time was had by all and most importantly, funds raised for Radio City Cash for Kids.

RED FOX GIN FESTIVAL The Red Fox, Thornton Hough held their third annual gin festival over the first weekend in July and it was a gin-tastic success!

Guests were invited to try over 100 gins and were entertained by local bands and musicians over the day. There was also a delicious BBQ and lawn games in the beautiful gardens.

Over 2500 gin and tonics were served and it was the third busiest day for the team, since The Red Fox opened.

If you didn’t make it down to the festival, don’t despair as The Red Fox has a dedicated gin bar inside with 130 gins available! Awesome!

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LADY TAVERNERS ROYAL ASCOT DAY The Lady Taverners Royal Ascot Coronation Day at Chester Racecourse aimed to raise funds for children with special needs.

Tracy Warrington, Chairman of Lady Taverners Cheshire & North Wales, said: “This event has proven to be very popular with our supporters, over 170 guests sipped champagne whilst entertained by Clara Bloom, in the Champagne Bar'. Guests enjoyed a 3 course lunch whilst watching Royal Ascot live on huge screens around the room.

The event was sponsored by luxury Travel Agents Elegant Resorts, Excello Law, Smiths Honda & Boodles. Valerie Reid won a pair of stunning earrings from the Boodles Roulette Collection in the raffle. Mrs Vivian Rankin won the top auction prize donated by Elegant Resorts, a luxury weekend for two at The Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Lake Como. We would like to thank our sponsors for their support, I'm delighted to say we raised just over ÂŁ14,300. Giving young people, particularly those with special needs, a sporting chance.

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WIRRAL CHAMBER CORPORATE CUP Despite a day of near constant drizzle, the damp weather didn’t put off the eleven businesses taking part in the Wirral Chamber Corporate Cup 2017.

This year’s competition event, organised by Wirral Chamber of Commerce in partnership with golf event specialists, Playfair Events, attracted business teams from Digitel Europe, Finsa UK, Inteb MS, Lexus Chester, Max Web Solutions, Premier Guarantee, Scantec, Smylie Ltd, Wabtec Faiveley, Whitfield Business Hub, and Wirral Chamber itself.

In the picturesque setting of Heswall Golf Club, the players teed off, driving towards a panoramic view to the River Dee, returning late in the afternoon to mark scorecards and then waited until the evening dinner to find out who would be the eventual prize winners.

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INCUBABIES SUMMER BALL The new charity, IncuBabies, supporting Arrowe Park Hospital’s Neonatal Unit held their first Summer Ball at Thornton Hall Hotel on Saturday 10th June 2017, raising a massive £33,000.

The event was compered by Liverpool legend Jan Molby with entertainment from the amazing Marcus Collins (X Factor) and singer Cliff Jenkinson. Over 280 guests including the beautiful Gillian Kearney (Emmerdale) and the charity’s patrons Dame Lorna Muirhead, Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside, and Ann McLachlan, Mayor of Wirral, partied into the early hours of the morning.

This fabulous event was organised by Mandy Molby, Trudi Brooks and Claire Gallagher with the support of Radio City’s charity chicks from Cash For Kids. Trudi and Mandy said “We can’t believe the generosity and support from everyone tonight and leading up to this event. This cause is so close to our hearts as the amazing and miraculous work the doctors and nurses perform every day at the unit must not go to waste or be forgotten.

Our neonatal unit is the best kept secret on the Wirral!”

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BRETT JONES 10K With torrential rain and warm winds threatening the start of the 4th annual Brett Jones ‘HEAVYWEIGHT’ 10K Fun Run, over 100 senior runners and 25 junior’s turned up to pay tribute to the memory of Brett whilst raising funds for the Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund, Wallasey Amateur Boxing Club and Prenton Rugby Club.

A sea of blue memorial t-shirts paraded the now familiar route along the Wirral coastline. The quickest time posted on the day was Gregg Jones in 35:58 from Wallasey Athletics club and the quickest female was Zoe Brunton from Merseytri clocking 43:43. There were memorable moments ‘Boxing with Brett’ at the turn point and the familiar ringing of the ‘Last Half Memorial Bell’.

Congratulations to all the runners, joggers, walkers, prampushers, dog walkers and wig-wearers for making this such a special event. The rain did stop and the sun did shine with plenty of hugs and smiles crossing the finish line. A huge thanks as always to Hoylake Community Centre, The Brett Jones event organisers, helpers, marshalls, time keepers, masseurs, photographers and Neston 2375 Squadron of Air Cadets. Presentations were made at a well-attended prize giving evening held at Prenton Rugby Club. We look forward to welcoming you for some more ‘HEAVYWEIGHT’ fun again next year.

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LADIES CHARITY NIGHT A fabulous Ladies Charity Night was organised by Debbie Bennett from Style at No 30 in aid of the new charity IncuBabies at Leasowe Castle Hotel.

The fabulous event was hosted by Diane Tremarco with music from jazz singer Becky Brooks and blues entertainment Shake, encouraging the 80 ladies to dance the night away! Local fashion boutique Fany’s in Oxton provided a stunning fashion show with a number of pop up stalls including Gifts For Me & You, Cheshire Candle Company Ltd, Derya Vicars Photography, Stitched With Love and Clothes Direct. This amazing event raised both awareness of this new charity and over £2000 towards their target. A huge thank you came from the trustees of IncuBabies Sheila Clarke and Cherry Povall, who said "We are overwhelmed by everybody's generosity and support but particularly to Debbie Bennett from Style at number 30 for organising such a wonderful event. We can't tell everyone how important this charity is to ensure we maintain our grade 3 status at the Neonatal Unit at Arrowe Park Hospital".

ROLLS ROYCE WRAITH

SIR GEORGE MARTIN SPECIAL EDITION

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Manchester held an exclusive ‘Inspired by Music’ evening at the The Beatles Story Museum, Liverpool.

The event was an evening of music and amazing memorabilia, and most importantly the reveal of this specially commissioned Rolls Royce Wraith; along with a very special guest; Lady Martin herself who of course experienced and witnessed the achievements throughout her husband’s ‘Rock and Roll’ journey.

Just nine remarkable ‘Inspired by British Music’ cars based on the ultimate Grand Tourer Rolls-Royce Wraith have been produced in collaboration with, and celebrating the legacy of, some of British music’s most revered rock and vocal artists.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Manchester acquired one of these unique cars which has been produced in tribute to Sir George Martin, by his son Giles Martin and chief design team at Goodwood, celebrating a true British music icon. As an accomplished writer and record producer, Sir George Martin was often referred to as the ‘Fifth Beatle’ and was most famous for his monumental influence on The Beatles early years and their original albums.

It is the only Rolls Royce Wraith in the world to feature the bespoke, hand-crafted and perfectly unique elements that celebrate the work of Sir George Martin.

This includes an original hand written arrangement of ‘Yesterday’ beautifully engraved in the copper flight on the inside of both doors.

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Wirral Life Photography in association with Leica Store Manchester BRIEF 8: WIRRAL HISTORY GOLD: PAUL ASHTON

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PHOTOGRAPHY

GOLD: AMY WILSON

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BRIEF 8: WIRRAL HISTORY

SILVER: AMY WILSON

SILVER: FLEUR DAVIES

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PHOTOGRAPHY

SILVER: GEORGE RENNIE

SILVER: MIKE McTIGUE

BRONZE: FLEUR DAVIES

THANKS TO ALL OF OUR ENTRANTS. BRIEF 9: WIRRAL SUMMERTIME. NEW SHOTS ONLY. DEADLINE: JULY 28. SEND TO editorial@wirrallife.com UP TO 3 SUBMISSIONS PER ENTRANT (NO PHONES). GOOD LUCK! wirrallife.com 103

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CARS & COFFEE

By Norman Shum

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Shot by Dan Bryant Walker & Paul Halliwell

Washout! The finest rain hit Chung Ku on Cars and Coffee Liverpool’s darkest day.

The monthly meet was hit for the first time ever by a down pour - wetting all those precious metals and what’s left of the high spirits. Amazingly - we’ve had two whole years of dry weather. Luckily, it didn’t dampen the gathering with a surprise full house on the day! As the saying goes...” The show must go on” for C&C Liverpool, meaning that regardless of what happens, us petrolheads will still play out as planned.

We sincerely thank our local 125 Field Company REME regiment (who kindly brought a 4 tonner with a built-in crane) for participating, especially when all military were posted towards the River Festival that morning.

Three vehicles stood out this month: one was Mr E’s highly polished ‘aluminium finish’ AC Cobra, loud and proud, thundering through the streets of Liverpool.

Did you know AC Cobra were originally built with British Bristol engines in it’s small-volume production, two-seater roadster open top with muscular bulbous arches. This was hand-built with a steel tube frame, and aluminium body panels that were made using English wheel machines. They were sold as the Shelby Cobra in the United States of America, is an Anglo-American sports car with a Ford V8 engine, produced intermittently in both the UK and USA since 1962.

In September 1961, American automotive designer Carroll Shelby wrote to AC asking if they would build him a car modified to accept a V8 engine. AC agreed, providing a suitable engine could be found. Shelby went to Chevrolet to see if they would provide him with engines, but not wanting to add competition to the Corvette they said no. However, Ford wanted a car that could compete with the Corvette and they happened to have a brand new engine - the Windsor (3.6 L) a new lightweight, thin-wall cast small-block V8.

Our second choice car was Mark Radder’s limited Edition Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R. Not only is it a mouthful to name but the only one in the UK! Yet another special vehicle that resides in the heart of Liverpool. This rare Mustang was shipped into Liverpool with the help of the Ford’s bosses. Let’s just say that these cars are bought by avid car fanatics such as Jay Leno (American TV Chat host). What you may not know about Mark, (a somewhat quiet visitor, that blends into the crowd) he’s a race driver on the F1 circuit in the Porsche Supercup Championship. Mark’s Mustang Shelby GT350 Rs is not only rare worldwide, its number matches up exactly with the production run of the even more rare 1965 GT350 Competition Mustang put together by Carroll Shelby.

And the last car of our choice is Alan Scragg’s Kermit green 1980s Porsche 911 RUF recreation with its fine short hips, shaved rain gutters - no trim, no frills beauty.

The 1980’s were all about big turbos, large spoilers, and rudimentary traction control. Not this car! This 911 was a velociraptor in sheeps clothing with its 469 HP and 408 lb-ft from Porsche tuner RUF. With a top speed of 211 MPH, not even the Ferrari F40 could catch it. This was definitely on the top of your Top Trumps pile of supercar elite cards.

Until next time, we must thank our chosen Charity Benjamin Gautrey Foundation, Richy from 125 Field Company REME, Matty from BMW Williams, David G from Lamborghini HR Owen, and our new supporter Jed M from McLaren, Jenni & Carly H from Tesla, Alan - Change Beverages, Lavazza, Charalene Lee, Simon L from Autorenew, Impact Solutions and especially to our hardworking and dedicated Cars and Coffee Liverpool Crew.

See you on the next exciting meet on the 30th July.

Please get in touch with carsandcoffeeliverpool@gmail.com for any help or interesting projects you have coming up. wirrallife.com 107

MAZDA MX-5 RF 160PS SE-L NAV

by Tony Yates

I am a big fan of the MX-5 – I always have been, because for me it’s the only two-seater sports car worth taking about for under £24k. Also, the styling has moved on so much since it first arrived back in 1989, which is yet another reason why I think the MX-5 is now one of the most desirable sports cars to own.

Now before we get a move on – I wanted to clear something up. There are three people who all live within a 600 yard radius of where I live who also happen to own one and are not shy to show it. One of them is the local vicar, one is a hair stylist and the other person as far as I can tell does nothing at all – or does he? Now I’m not prudish – but he does seem to be a bit of a ‘ladies’ man in his MX-5. And the reason for this becomes pretty obvious each weekend when he arrives home with what appears to be a different lady in his soft-top each time - which is ok, but this does beg a small question. If you are a single person looking for love – will buying an MX-5 greatly increase your chances of finding the one you have been waiting for – or will it make it a whole lot worse? Well I suppose we will never truly know the answer to that unless I pop round and ask the guy who seems to be doing pretty well out of it.

So, now we have that out of the way - we can dispense with all the innuendos about the kind of person who would own an MX-5 and get on with explaining what happened when the car I was testing arrived on my drive.

As I said earlier – a lot of people who live around me own one generation of the MX-5 or another, so as you can imagine – when they found out I had the new generation MX-5 sitting on my drive – it immediately caused quite a stir within said 600 yard radius.

To cut a long story short – I had so many visits that week - that I almost felt like I may have needed to move home or worse have the MX-5 taken into protective custody for all our wellbeing.

So, what’s new – well, the Mazda MX-5 now comes with a retractable fastback (RF) which if I am honest, looks stylish, practical and features a unique power retractable hardtop that fits in well with the award-winning shape and stunningly balanced proportions of the new generation MX-5.

Power and Efficiency: Fitted with a SKYACTIV-G direct-injection 2.0 litre

four-cylinder in-line DOHC, 16 valve petrol engine with 160ps @ 6000rpm, 200Nm of torque and a fantastic and nimble 6 speed gearbox that is pretty much perfect in every way.

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That’s the thing about the MX-5, it takes you to another place – a place where you can feel the connection it has with you and the road ahead. Put it this way, driving the MX-5 on a twisty road in my book is one of the best places to be.

Let’s not forget about its healthy 0-62 time of around 7.4sec and an impressive 40.9mpg (combined) along with a top speed of around134mph.

On the Road: Nimble, frisky and downright sublime – and that’s just to get you started. The handling is also just as superb thanks to the Mazda engineers getting everything right and getting all those all important components working together in perfect harmony. There have also been some new revisions to the shock absorbers, front stabiliser bar and rear springs, links and bump-stops on the front double wishbone and rear multi-link suspension – which all helps in giving the new MX-5 RF a more cultured ride.

Design and Technology: The design of the MX-5 has stood the test of time really well – even with the new LED lighting changes and the body boosting upgrades, you can still tell it’s an MX-5.

Sitting inside any two-seater sports car is tight – but for some reason the MX-5 feels spacious and not really that tight at all. Headroom and legroom are also good and I was really surprised that none of my limbs needed to be man handled into place before I could sit inside.

Additional standard equipment on the SE-L Nav includes; 17” Gunmetal alloy wheels, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Limited Slip Differential (LSD), Drivers and passengers front and side airbags, climate control airconditioning, 7” Colour touch-screen display and a Multimedia Commander, DAB radio, Piano Black fashion bars and power retractable hardtop roof.

To sum up: What can I say – the MX-5 is the perfect little two-seater that everyone should at some point in their life experience. I would recommend that you go out and test drive the new RF – and then immediately throw it around some fast bends with the roof down and the stereo set to ‘blast’.

Price: £23,395 (Standard Car OTR) tony@yatesmedia.co.uk

The MX-5 is a hell of a lot of fun.

You can throw it around the corners like a skateboard.

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