BRAINTREE DISTRICT

FINCHINGFIELD

Why we love… BRAINTREE

Whether you prefer hunting for a bargain around market towns, exploring historic sites or taking in the beautiful countryside, there is plenty to do here

MARKSHALL ESTATE

The Braintree district is home to three market towns – Braintree, Witham and Halstead – and each has something di erent to o er for shoppers and families alike.

Witham’s high street o ers everyday shopping combined with local independent traders and a range of Insta-worthy places to eat, while Halstead’s pretty high street lures you in with more independent shops and eateries like the Little Book Café located inside a 17th century cottage.

For serious shoppers, Braintree Village’s international brands attract visitors from across the world on the hunt for designer label deals. The Braintree district o ers fun for all the family. Treat your little person to a visit to Braintree Village where you can make the day of it – catch a film or get your bowling shoes on, and even have a go at the climbing wall at Namco.

Within Braintree town itself, you don’t want to miss the monthly street markets. Whether you're looking for a bite to eat or to do some shopping, the street markets are a must-do social experience with a great buzz allowing you to meet the local makers and producers behind the products you buy.

Each market town has a lovely public garden or town park and the villages which surround them are beautiful too. Finchingfield is the most photographed village with a gorgeous combination of duck pond and village green. Its pubs and tea rooms, overlooked by cottages, a windmill and a medieval church, make it an unbeatable experience. Coggeshall mixes brilliant bistros with a fascinating insight into Tudor England at Paycocke’s House and Gardens.

Just outside of Braintree, you can explore ancient woodlands and a worldclass arboretum. Markshall Estate is a wonderful place for a stroll, and you can finish o with lunch at its Orchard Kitchen. Markshall also hold regular events such as high tea and stargazing.

One of the most recommended attractions in the district is a walk or a cycle on the famous Flitch Way. Stop o at

Rayne Station and visit Booking Hall Café for a delicious doorstop sausage sandwich and generous slice of cake to make those exertions worthwhile! Connected to the Flitch Way is Great Notley Country Park, which covers some 100 acres of open space and is home to Sky Ropes – a high rope course for both adult and child adventurers.

If it’s history you are interested in, take a trip back in time and find fascinating exhibits, stories from the district’s past and regular fun packed themed days for all the family at Braintree Museum. Events in 2023 include an exhibition of the talented artists who illustrated Ladybird books for more than 30 years. You can visit Braintree’s newest café afterwards and enjoy a cup of tea in the surroundings of the museum – an old Victorian building. selection of locally made products, ethically sourced homewares, gifts and greeting cards.

The Braintree district is a great place to cycle, from quiet country lanes which meander through picturesque villages to more challenging hillier routes. If you really mean business, you could even retrace the 2014 Tour De France route through Finchingfield and Rayne and visit places of interest o the beaten track. If you take your cycling seriously you would be in good company when you stop o at Knead Food in Great Bardfield. Signed jerseys adorn the wall including Mark Cavendish’s world champion’s rainbow jersey. It makes the perfect pit stop.

THE WINDMILL AT FINCHINGFIELD HEDINGHAM CASTLE

“One of the most iconic attractions is a walk on the famous

Flitch Way” BRAINTREE STREET MARKET

Looking for something iconic? Within the ancient grounds and its grand imposing walls, Hedingham Castle creates a place unlike any other backdrop for outdoor theatre and cinema, medieval fairs and jousts, vintage and car shows and living history. Cressing Temple Barns near Witham o ers fans of the past a glimpse of olde England via perfectly-preserved 13th century barns, with a reward waiting at the world-famous Tiptree tea rooms on-site.

Blake House Craft Centre is full of charm. Once a traditional farmyard, with a beautiful Essex corn barn in a courtyard of restored 18th and 19th century listed buildings of stables and cattle sheds, this wonderful site is now a craft centre that houses a wide range of small and friendly local businesses. One of the newest there is the Artisans Hub where you can browse through a unique Plan your trip to the district at

visitbraintreedistrict.co.uk

or visitessex.com

YOU’RE LOCAL, WE’RE LOCAL

For you and your business

Business Law From start up to close down, from growth to recession, we’ll see you safely through the minefield of regulation, legislation and small print.

Commercial Property We’re here to add to your investment with swift transactions, sound reports and robust leases.

Employment Law Our complete HR and Employment Law service offers bespoke advice and support designed to meet the needs of your business. We specialise in advising on business restructures, redundancies, insolvency and TUPE.

Debt Recovery Our robust system for collection gets your money and it needn’t cost you a penny. Insolvency Our experts work with professional advisers and clients ranging from individuals seeking IVAs or averting bankruptcy, to family-run companies and major multinationals. Commercial Litigation Our specialist team gets quick results where necessary or seek alternative resolution channels that save you money and disruption to your business. Intellectual Property Our expert brand management team are here to help you protect and exploit your valuable intellectual property assets.

For you and your family

Divorce, Separation and Child Issues It takes years of training and experience to handle sensitive personal problems. We’ve got more than our fair share of both.

Wills, Trusts, Probate and Tax Planning You’ve worked hard for your money. We’ll protect it for you and your future generations.

Litigation and Dispute Resolution Our Specialist team can help you resolve disputes over land, property or money. We keep the costs in check and end in sight.

Property If you’re moving home or own a property portfolio, our property solicitors are as safe as houses.

Employment Our specialists advise employees and directors on all aspects of their employment including discrimination and unfair dismissal and frequently advise on exit packages and contractual restrictions. We provide representation for Employment Tribunal claims and mediations.

Personal Injury Claims Our team of claimant lawyers are among the best negotiators of injury settlements in the business, from relatively minor road traffic accidents to complex brain injury cases.

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PARTNEROF

Offices in Southend-on-Sea, Leigh-on-Sea and Rayleigh. Meeting space available by appointment in London.

ALANSIMPSON

IMAGINE THAT

Rachel Lancaster, Artistic Director of KURIOS, talks about the new show coming to London from the Cirque du Soleil team

RACHEL LANCASTER

Q How does it feel to be part of the KURIOS family?

A KURIOS is a very special show. We’re a cast and crew of 122 from 27 di erent nationalities and it’s an honour to be part of such a creative and brilliant team. I’ve been with Cirque du Soleil for 13 years now, working on a few di erent shows including Amaluna and CORTEO, and I joined KURIOS as Artistic Director back in 2016. My job is to oversee everything artistic on the show: I work with stage management, wardrobe, coaches and performance medicine, who are all experts in their fields, along with 50 world class artists.

Q Can you tell us a little about the show?

A KURIOS is a show that really celebrates the imagination. We follow the journey of a scientist, who believes that a hidden, invisible world exists. Set in the second half of the 19th century during the industrial revolution, the show takes aesthetic inspiration from this era, which was a time of great invention. It’s about the capacity to invent and dream, and we want people to leave the show feeling like anything is possible.

Q What’s unique about KURIOS?

A Every Cirque du Soleil show is di erent, and KURIOS is no exception. There are acts in our show that can’t be seen anywhere else in the world. An example of this is Acro-Net… imagine it like the world’s largest trampoline. The inspiration for this act actually came from the safety net of a trapeze act on another show, which was a bit too bouncy. The creative minds took this as an opportunity to explore something never been done before, so for Acro-Net they made a net even more bouncy, to allow a team of six acrobats to propel another performer up 45ft in the air. It’s a thrill to watch and a huge crowd pleaser, when audiences realise what’s happening you can hear the excitement. Much like the show, this idea that just because something doesn’t exist yet, it doesn’t mean it can’t be dreamt up and made a reality.

Q What goes on behind the scenes?

A We have a technical team who are in charge of everything from rigging and automation, to lighting sound, carpentry and props. KURIOS has the most props of any Cirque du Soleil show, 426 at creation, but we’ve also added a few more along the way! Their attention to detail is incredible, from big to small. We have a mechanical hand used in the show, which weighs about 750lbs and is driven by two artists underneath to drive the hand forward, and allow the fingers to move and come to life. Then we have wardrobe, who are a team that collectively maintain over 8,000 costume pieces – it’s phenomenal. The artists also do all their own makeup, which can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours every day.

Q What’s your favourite part of KURIOS?

A That’s a tough question! Acts like Acro-Net, Rola Bola and Aerial Bike are wonderfully acrobatic, but there’s moments of real beauty that come from simplicity too. Continent of Hands is a very special act, where an artist creates a world just with his hands. It’s projected onto a hot air balloon so everyone can see the magic. His grandmother and grandfather were deaf, so they communicated with their hands, and he learnt this craft from them. Non verbal communication is a wonderful part of what we do and what makes our show so accessible wherever we go.

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL

KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities runs at the Royal Albert Hall from 13 January to 5 March. Tickets on sale now at cirquedusoleil.com/kurios

ABSOLUTELY ATTENDS

THE DREAM FACTORY’S LADIES LUNCH

Back at the tail end of November, local charity The Dream Factory held an amazing ladies lunch afternoon. There was plenty of fun on o er for the 140 guests who attended, with a host of entertainers joining the charity’s patrons.

Special guests at the event in Lokkum restaurant in Woodford included Sir Iain

Duncan Smith MP, Michael Watson MBE,

Colin McMillan BEM, Christine Ohuruogu

MBE, and Harry Collett, an actor who has appeared in House of Dragons. Entertainment came from singer Kim Taylforth, saxophonist

Paula Borrell, Samsara the Belly Dancer,

Drag Queen Scarlet Diamonte, and Jon &

Dave from the amazing Souledout band.

Everyone came to entertain at no charge, and all prizes for the ra e were donated, as were the auction prizes. The event raised approximately £13,000, which will help the charity fulfil more dreams for children and young people.

This came on the back of the remarkable story of four-year-old Quinn Gosnell from

Harlow, who has recently been diagnosed with Wilms’ Tumor, which is a type of kidney cancer in not one but both of his kidneys. At the beginning of November, his dad Mike was overwhelmed with the support and comfort of friends and family. Mike wanted something good to come out of all this support and he decided to start fundraising for The Dream

Factory. So far, they have raised over £14,500.

The Dream Factory grants dreams to children and young adults between the age of 3 to 25 years, who su er from lifethreatening, life-limiting conditions or have severe disabilities. It was created by Avril

Mills BEM, who set up the charity in 2008, in memory of her son Oliver Mills, who died of Leukaemia at the age of nine.

yourdreamfactory.org

DRINK & FOOD

HART’S DESIRE

THE WHITE HART INN

A new venue in Essex has been listed in The Sunday Times prestigious annual list of 100 of Britain’s Best Hotels, in the East England category. Boutique hotel and restaurant the White Hart Inn on Mersea Island opened in June 2022, and has quickly become one of the most desirable places to stay and eat in the UK. whitehartinnmersea.co.uk