essence issue 69

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‘Bearing’ allAdventurer Gordon Buchanan

Also inside this issue

WILD EASTIndia’s Nagaland state

KELLY SIMPKINJazz age meets Bladerunner

MINCING AROUNDJulian Clary on tour

RISING STARCar maker BAC

Issue69 | MA

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MARCH 2016 | essence-magazine.co.uk 3

8 | Interview | GORDON BUCHANANThe Scottish wildlife filmmaker recently won anaward for BBC Television’s The Bear Family And Me.essence talks to him as he embarks on a nationwidetwelve date tour.

16 | Travel | INDIA NAGALANDNagaland’s dazzling beauty is found right on the edgeof the India–Myanmar border. Until recently, some 16headhunting Naga tribes valiantly fought off anyintruders. Today it’s a shadow of its once savage self.

22 | Gardening | HTAAs the greys and pastel shades of winter graduallyyield to more colour, plant a rainbow to welcome inspring with Primulas and Polyanthus plants.

26 | Motoring | BACCheshire carmaker, Briggs Automotive Company (BAC),was ‘one to watch’ in the 2015 Sunday Times’ FastTrack 100 list. Euan Johns discovers more about therise and rise of a company flying the flag overseas.

34 | Fashion | KELLY SIMPKIN Kelly Simpkin’s collection for spring/summer 2016marks a turning point in her journey as a designer.

38 | Food | CRATES LOCAL PRODUCECrates chooses current seasonal offerings, includingpurple broccoli, culinary seaweed, beef and gin,together with recipes to enjoy.

42 | Baking | JEN’S CUPCAKERYTreat mum to a delicious carrot cake this Mother’s Day.

44 | Artisan food | EAT SURREYShirlee Posner of Eat Surrey introduces Secretts ofMilford, produce growers for star chefs and foodretailers to the public.

48 | Legal | MUNDAYSJudith Fitton, partner at Mundays LLP, discusses thelegal rights of cohabitees, examining a recent case.

50 | Finance | PMWSimon Lewis, CEO at Partridge Muir & Warren Ltd,looks at the economic issues that need to beconsidered before the choice is made about whetherto go it alone and leave the European Union or not.

54 | Parenting | THE MOTHER MAGAZINEActress Camilla Rutherford explains how shemanages to balance new technology and old-fashioned play with her young family of four.

58 | Leisure breaks | MONACOMonaco is the second smallest country in the worldafter the Vatican City, and has the world’s highest GDPper capita. Rebecca Underwood finds out more.

62 | Comedy | JULIAN CLARY He’s toured the world and remains one of thecountry’s most popular entertainers. Emma Cox talksto Julian about his current UK tour, The Joy of Mincing.

66 | Events | SURREYLinda Seward’s detailed diary of the best of what’s onin theatre, music, exhibitions, arts and countrysideover the month.

72 | Sport | ST ENODOCKnown as Surrey-on-Sea, Rock in Cornwall is home to one of England’s finest golf clubs, St Enodoc.essence discovers the club is an intrinsic part of theso-called ‘Rock life’.

Interview | GORDON BUCHANAN

MARCH 2016 | essence-magazine.co.uk 98 essence-magazine.co.uk | MARCH 2016

>>>

Gordon Buchanan, Scottish wildlife filmmaker, recently won an award for BBCTelevision’s The Bear Family And Me and gained over two million viewers forhis The Snow Wolf Family And Me shown on BBC2. After travelling the world,the married father-of-two is embarking on a nationwide twelve date tour: LostAdventures. essence talked to him about his life and work.

Gordon Buchanan

NATURALWORLD A D V E N T U R E R O N T O U R

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Brides to be: it is time to prepare. Whilst there may be a myriad of wedding decisionskeeping everyone occupied, make sure you think about yourself! This month we aregoing to explore alternative beauty treatments that may not have been considered, says Naomi Diamond of Epsom Skin Clinics.

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>>>

onaco is known for the glamorous Grimaldi royal family,now headed by Prince Albert II. In 1956 the world was

captivated when the elegant Hollywood film star Grace Kelly marriedthe dashing Prince Rainier III and since then the family has remained firmly in the public eye. Grimaldidescendants have ruled Monaco since 1297 whenFrancesco Grimaldi, disguised as a Franciscanmonk, seized the fortress on the Rock of Monaco.In 1633, Honoré II, the first prince of Monaco,achieved independent sovereignty from Spain andin 1641 Louis XIII of France signed the Treaty ofPéronne, leading to the Grimaldi family’s continuousrule, with the exception of two decades during theFrench Revolution when the family were exiled andthe palace seized and used as a military hospital.

The Prince’s Palace was returned to the Grimaldifamily in 1814 and restored by each successor. Today, the state apartmentsare open to the public from April to October and include the strikingMirror Gallery, used during state visits. The Red Room is sumptuouslyfurnished in the style of Louis XV and leads onto the York Room whereKing George III’s younger brother, Prince Edward Duke of York andAlbany, died in 1787 as a result of illness during a sea voyage bound forGenoa. The Blue Room, one of the highlights of the tour, is used forofficial functions and features portraits of the Grimaldi family hangingon walls lined with blue silk brocade and illuminated by sparklingVenetian chandeliers suspended from an ornate ceiling.

After the tour, be sure to take a leisurely stroll along the Place du Palaiswhere visitors gather to admire the striking palace exterior, reflecting amixture of medieval fortifications and Renaissance architecture. Minglewith the crowds and view the changing of the guard, which takes placeevery day just before noon.

Descendants of the Grimaldi family, including Princess Grace andPrince Rainier III, are buried in Monaco’s Roman Catholic Cathedral ofOur Lady of the Immaculate Conception, a short walk away from thepalace. Consecrated in 1875, the magnificent cathedral was erected onthe site of the first parish church built in 1252.

Monte Carlo, the administrative district of Monaco, is the place to be seen, and appeals to a host of international celebrities, royalty andprominent figures on the world stage, all keen to attend popular eventssuch as the annual Grand Prix motor race, which began in 1929. It is saidthat the 3.2 kilometre Formula One circuit takes six weeks to erect and isthe most challenging racing track due to its narrow tunnel, elevationchanges and hairpin bends. Stages of the Monte Carlo Rally are also heldin the principality and it is thought to be one of the most arduous rallyingevents attended by thousands of ardent fans.

For a more tranquil experience, head for the Terrasses de Fontvieilleand view the personal collection of vintage cars owned by the late PrinceRainier III. Highlights include the champion William Grover-Williams’Bugatti Type 35, which won the first Monaco Grand Prix in 1929, andthe Citroën DS3 WRC, driven by Sébastien Loeb, the champion of the2013 Monte Carlo Rally. The collection also includes some of the mostcelebrated models from Rolls Royce, Jaguar, Mercedes and Maserati.

Nature lovers will find a visit to Fontvieille Park and the PrincessGrace Rose Garden of interest. The picturesque lake bordered by lushlawns, colourful flower beds, swaying palms and olive trees is the idealspot for a breather. The garden features a meandering footpath with

Monaco, the second smallest country in the world after the Vatican City, covers only 200hectares and is subdivided into the traditional districts of La Condamine, which includes theport, Monaco Ville, known as ‘The Rock’, Fontvielle and Monte Carlo. Situated on the FrenchRiviera, overlooking the sparkling translucent waters of the Mediterranean, Monaco is a taxhaven and has achieved the world’s highest GDP per capita, writes Rebecca Underwood.

The glamorous Principality of Monaco

MThe Prince’s Palace wasreturned to the Grimaldi familyin 1814 and restored by eachsuccessor. Today, the stateapartments are open to thepublic from April to Octoberand include the striking MirrorGallery, used during state visits.

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Monaco's Grand Prix PHOTO COPYRIGHT: MONACO PRESS CENTRE PHOTOS

Prince's Palace, Monaco PHOTO COPYRIGHT: JOHNYPAN | DREAMSTIME.COM

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essence teamActing Editor: Andrew GuilorContributing Editor: Louise Alexander-O’LoughlinPublishing Manager: Rebecca PetersProduction Manager: Linda SewardDesigner: Sharon SmithSenior Designer: Jason Mayestelephone: 01932 988677email: [email protected]

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Contributors: Emma Cox, Louise AlexanderO’Loughlin, Shirlee Posner, Helen Heady,Subhasish Chakraborty, Rebecca Underwood,Judith Fitton, Simon Lewis, PJ Aldred, JenniferSutton, Naomi Diamond, Euan Johns, CamillaRutherford, Linda Seward.

essence magazineMaple Publishing Limited, the publishers, authors and printerscannot accept liability for errors or omissions. Any artwork will beat owner’s risk. All rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced in any form without the written permission of thecopyright holder and publisher, application for which should bemade in writing to the publisher. The opinions expressed in thismagazine are not necessarily those of the publisher.

essence is posted by Royal Mail to key addresses in Cobham,Oxshott, Esher, Weybridge, Guildford and outlying areas. Properties in all the major private estates, including St George’s Hill,the Crown Estate and Wentworth Estate, receive the magazine 10times per year.

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essence 69COVER: Scallop bustier gown by Kelly Simpkin

On tourTo some of us on the essence team, this time of year always heralded the annual rugbytour to some far-flung extreme of the British Isles, and was always accompanied by a mixture of trepidation and anticipation. Trepidation on two fronts: the first was notknowing the level of opposition to be faced, and the second was wondering if thereserves of stamina required to last the late nights and string of consecutive gameswould be enough. Tours, though, are terrific fun and seem to be a modern trend, not just for bands or entertainers, but also for a host of others from all walks of life.

In this issue, essence chats to wildlife photographer Gordon Buchanan and comedianJulian Clary, both currently touring the country and appearing locally over the coming weeks.

In addition, we travel to India’s wild east to experience native culture, and discover a rising star in the sublime shape of Cheshire-based BAC’s Mono supercar.In the garden, The Horticultural Trades Association has recommendations forseasonal colour, and Dunsborough Park prepares to open its doors for an explosion of blooms that is the annual Tulip Festival.

Female fashion is represented by Kelly Simpkin, whose designs offer somethingsimple and stunningly different, followed by Richard James’ menswear as thecompany serves up its spring summer collection. In addition, mother of four andactress Camilla Rutherford explains her battle to balance technology and traditionalplay with her children.

As usual, essence has health, legal and finance advice, together with the best of avariety of activities highlighting food, events and competitions to win Thriller tickets and a stylish Silent Pool gin gift set.

The essence team

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Gordon Buchanan, Scottish wildlife filmmaker, recently won an award for BBCTelevision’s The Bear Family And Me and gained over two million viewers forhis The Snow Wolf Family And Me shown on BBC2. After travelling the world,the married father-of-two is embarking on a nationwide twelve date tour: LostAdventures. essence talked to him about his life and work.

NATURALWORLD A D V E N T U R E R O N T O U R

Interview_Layout 1 01/03/2016 17:01 Page 1



>>>Gordon Buchanan


Q What do you think influenced your choice of career?A Definitely growing up on the Isle of Mull was a big influence –

for two quite opposite reasons. Mull offered freedom and a sense of

wilderness, but being an island it was claustrophobic and limited in

what it had to offer to someone with an adventurous spirit.

Q The late Nick Gordon, wildlife filmmaker, gave you your firstbreak; did you aspire to him when you were an earlycameraman/ presenter? And why?A Nick was the first ever person I had ever met who had a truly

enviable job, was ambitious, simply loved doing what he did and

strived to be the best at it.

Q What has been the highest point of your career so far?A For a job that is continually so rewarding, it is actually quite hard

to pick one high point. Maybe getting through to the finals of the

Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival for cinematography for Tigers

of the Emerald Forest. Didn’t win, so that high point was short lived.

Q Eagle Island was a very successful film: is it your favourite?A In some ways it was great to be back on Mull roaming around as

I did when I was a boy, but to be honest, it was a difficult one to

make. Our daughter was born that year and I was working from home

for the first time. To be a successful filmmaker you need 100%

commitment, to be a successful father you need 100% commitment.

It was a year I felt very torn.

Q What’s the most important thing you’ve learnt during yourtime as a cameraman and presenter, so far?A Work hard, follow your nose, trust your instincts and good things

will come in life and in the wild.


“I think a lot of people think my job is inherentlydangerous, but you build upa knowledge of the animals.Big cats are quite oftenscaredy cats themselvesand will run away.” GORDON BUCHANAN



Q If you had to be either a presenter or cameraman, which wouldit be? And why?A Cameraman! (but not just a wildlife cameraman). I think you can

convey so much in filmmaking: you can tell a million different stories

and provoke every emotion in a single film. There is so much art in

making a great film, and I love every part of it. Presenting is just

trying to be all the nice bits of you without swearing.

Q If you hadn’t been a wildlife cameraman and presenter, whatyou would you have done?A I wanted to be a bush pilot, but would’ve probably been a fisherman

or a diver if I hadn’t left Mull. An early career questionnaire revealed

that I’d have made a good nanny!

Q Have you found a balance between working and being withyour young family?A Nope! But I’m getting there. I see that as my next goal in life.

Q Have you ever missed an amazing filming opportunity?Perhaps due to being out of battery or tape or cameranonavailability?A I’ve seen amazing things happen unexpectedly, too fast to react to,

but that comes with the territory, so I don’t beat myself up. I messed

up pretty enormously one time. Can’t bear to put it in print; I’ll only

say it was one of those once in a lifetime shots that I was running the

camera on – or at least I thought I was running the camera on. I was

so excited I hit the button twice so the camera wasn’t recording…

Q What’s your record for the longest you have waited for ananimal to turn up?A Did a couple of 48(plus) hour stints without sleep with finger on

the button in Svalbard in the Arctic this summer waiting for Barnacle

Geese to jump off their nesting cliff with their young, and for Arctic

Foxes to show up to predate on them. It was mid summer so it is

perpetual daylight. Great for filming, bad for sleeping.

Q What’s been the strangest thing a fan has sent you?A A severed head…only kidding. Some guy once sent me a picture

of me with his sister and a cup of tea she had made me… To be

honest, I’ve never been sent anything other than letters. I have had

the exact same handwritten letter sent to me three times over the last

two years asking for a photo as if it were the first time she had

contacted me. I had sent her one after the first!

Q What are your hobbies and interests?A My work in one way or another really does incorporate all my

hobbies and interests. So other than that, I like music, clothes, good

food and drink, I’m addicted to good coffee and I simply love ‘people

watching’ possibly as much as I enjoy watching wildlife. We are all

animals after all.

Q What’s your favourite part of the UK? And the world?A In the UK, the highlands of Scotland around Aviemore has a


>>>



special magic; it has some of the most grand and wild looking pine

forest in the country. In particular, Abernethy Forest and the area

around Loch Garten.

Favourite part of the world? Alaska. It is the place most like the

highlands of Scotland! Only bigger scenery, bigger animals and

harsher weather. After many years of driving that road back to Mull,

I never tire of the drive over Rannoch Moor and through Glencoe.

Q If you were an animal, which would it be?A Depends on my mood:

– a happy dog, stupid but loved!

– a peregrine, nice to fly and hunt like that.

– a brown bear in Alaska, great food, great scenery.

Q What has been your closest encounter with a wild animal?A I’ve been chased by bears, elephants, tigers and many others,

but one of the first and most memorable encounters was in Sierra

Leone when I was 17, driving back to camp, when seven giant

fruit bats escaped from a holding container in the back of the car.

They were huge and they flapped and nipped me all the way back to

camp. Memorable only really because at the time I was slightly

terrified of bats!

Q What’s your favourite animal to film?A A hunting leopard takes some beating, but any bird in flight is

great fun and a challenge to film.

Q What’s your favourite wildlife programme?A Possibly a film called Hokkaido – Garden Of The Gods made by

Patrick Morris at the BBC Natural History Unit. I watched it a long

time ago, it was a very emotional film. I don’t want to see it again in

case it disappoints me all this time later. I love the memory, so don’t

need to see it again. The early Alan Root films I loved at the time in

my early teens. It’s what made me want to be a wildlife cameraman.

I think the Expedition series would do the same for me nowadays if

I were a young fella!

Q What’s your proudest sequence of filmmaking?A I think I am a better filmmaker each year and am learning all the

time. Some stuff I was really proud of a few years back, I look at now

and think it is really badly shot or quite rubbish. So I would have to

say something recent. I am most proud of the Russian Tiger film I

made back in January – I think that it’s the best film I have made so

far – by far!

Sequence wise, I am really looking forward to seeing the Barnacle

Geese from this summer too. We worked really hard to get it and I’m

proud of that regardless of how it looks.

Q Which do you prefer? Filming or presenting?A Depends on my mood, but both can be great fun and terribly

hard work. I can film without too much mental effort – so with

presenting I sometimes don’t like having to hide the fact that I am an

absolute idiot.



Gordon has worked in wildlife documentaries for the past 25 yearsand is passionate about raising awareness about the world’sendangered species and habitats. He has led expeditions around theglobe to places as diverse as South America, Asia, Africa, Papua NewGuinea, Russia and Alaska.

He is fast becoming a household name on the BBC having shot andpresented a long list of popular nature programmes including ‘TheSnow Wolf Family and Me’, ‘Super Cute Animals’, ‘Winterwatch’, ‘TheLost Land’ series, ‘The Polar Bear Family And Me’, ‘Wild Burma’ andthe award-winning ‘The Bear Family And Me’.

He has been incredibly busy having recently filmed three new wildlifecommissions for the BBC. The two part series ‘Gorilla Family and Me’was aired over Christmas. This year he is set to be a regular face ontelevision with two new exciting series: ‘Wildest Tribes’ and ‘Into theWild with Gordon Buchanan’.

Working on nature and wildlife programmes as both a presenter andcameraman, Gordon has contributed to award winning BBC, Discoveryand National Geographic wildlife series and documentaries. He hasalso received a Royal Television Award for his work on The BearFamily And Me.

Profile: Gordon Buchanan


essence INFO

Gordon Buchanan: Lost Adventures UK Tour22 March to 7 April 2016, various venues, and Friday 1 April at Dorking HallsWebsite: www.dorkinghalls.co.ukTelephone: 01306 881717

Q Wildlife or people?A I love the simplicity of animals and the complexity of people.

Q Birds or mammals?A I would have said mammals every time a year or so ago, but I am

really ‘getting’ and loving birds for the first time ever!

Q Spring or autumn?A I loved this last autumn as my life this year has mirrored the

seasons, so I’m looking forward to a dormant winter. I do love the

vitality of spring.

Q Analogue film or digital tape?A Digital is great – given the choice I would never ever go back to

shooting on film.

Q Finish the sentence ‘Wildlife filmmaking is…’A Nice work if you can get it.

Q Have you got a family of young wildlife enthusiasts?A My son and daughter both really love wildlife. I’ve tried to

instill in them that wildlife isn’t something you necessarily have to

go and look for. It can be a bird or a fox in the garden, or the leaves

changing colour; it’s something to try and appreciate in some way as

often as possible.

Q Are you optimistic about the planet they will inherit?A I have good days and bad days; sometimes I think it’s a great place

to live and other days you read something and think ‘well, what hope

is there?’ I thought my children were going to grow up in a world

where there weren’t any tigers left in the wild, but I think I’ve

completely changed my view on that. I think there will be tigers

living in the wild in 50 years time – we just have to make sure that

does happen.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a one-minutenews report or a one-hour wildlifedocumentary, the principles of telling a story in the time are the same.”NICK GORDON, WILDLIFE FILMMAKER


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Nagaland’s dazzling primeval beauty can be found right on the edge of the India–Myanmar border. It’s an otherworldly place where until recently some 16 headhunting Naga tribes valiantly fought off any intruders. Times, of course, change and today it’s a shadow of its once savage self with much of the south fairly developed. Subhasish Chakraborty seeks and finds a different travel experience.

INDIA’S WILD EAST

ALL PHOTOS COPYRIGHT: TUTC


Travel | INDIA NAGALAND


team of anthropologists from a Paris-based French NGO wanted to visit the northeastern Indian state of

Nagaland. They requested a French-speaking guide, so since I knew the lingo as well as the geography, I

found myself entrusted with overall responsibility for the tour.Arriving at Nagaland’s only airport in Dimapur, we were received

by representatives of the Touphema Tourist Village, our base for a weeklong sojourn. The tourist village was an enchanting and bewitchingly beautiful 100 kilometre drive through hills and valleys. This village, we were informed, showcases the very best of Nagaland’s tribal hospitality, and indeed we weren’t disappointed as a traditional Nagamese welcome awaited us.

We’d chosen this village to appreciate the tribal nuances that exist in the state. In the villages, hutments are not merely meant to provide shelter: they signify social status, relevant adjustments to local climatic conditions. They are built with a judicious use of locally available materials and age-old cultural traditions all interwoven in a unique blend.

The entire complex is spread over the highest elevations of the terrain. There was an exclusive reception centre with even a well-stocked pub! The clustered Naga huts were well dispersed and the community lobby, kitchen and dining room signify their importance being located on the higher levels of the village. The

kitchen is the central meeting place for guests of the village with comfortable seating arrangements and was spacious enough to store foodstuffs. The intricately designed goblets available for use are works of art and we were offered the locally brewed liquor.

As the sun set, our group was entertained by a high-octane cultural performance by locals in traditional dress, complete with bows and arrows. My distinguished French charges were suitably astonished, having never seen such a raw display of tribal culture.

This village, we were informed, showcases the very best of Nagaland’s tribal hospitality, and indeed we weren’t disappointed as a traditional Nagamese welcome awaited us.

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Travel | INDIA NAGALAND

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As darkness enclosed the village, we were urged to explore the huts. To our amazement, we realised they were theme based and the bedrooms were luxurious, with attached toilet and geyser. Solar battery powered lighting provided the biggest surprise and, in this remote corner of India, was something completely unexpected.

Touphema Tourist Village is one of the best places to experience the tribal culture of Nagaland: the innovative way in which the native Angami Naga culture is portrayed in this dreamlike village is stunning.

Kohima, the state capital, is located 74 kilometres away from Dimapur. The name ‘Kohima’ is derived from the Angami tribal word ‘Kewhira’ on whose land the township was established.

Kohima was designated as the headquarters of the Naga Hills by the then chief commissioner of undivided Assam, Colonel Keating, largely due to its strategic importance. This nondescript Naga town was the centre of global attention in April 1944 during the Second World War when the Japanese Army captured the town for 64 days. Today there is a war memorial dedicated to over 4,000 British and Indian soldiers who died there. In the Battle of Kohima, two VCs were won, a battle described as the Stalingrad of the east. A visit to the war memorial is a must.

Located 1,450 metres above sea level, the climate in Kohima is very comfortable. It’s a year round destination and offers a nice getaway from the humdrum of city life. A few of my French wards were keen trekkers so couldn’t resist the temptation to walk in the mountainous areas surrounding Kohima. The rest of us went for something less strenuous and visited buzzing bazaars, all a hive of activity and colour. Shops are stacked with hi-tech imported goods ranging from cameras to the latest laptop.

Kohima has a cosmopolitan air and is an amalgam of diverse Naga tribes such as Ao, Angami and Rengma that seem to have adapted to live in harmony with the modern world. With high speed internet and mobile phones, Kohima is on the verge of rapid economic growth, with plans to develop trade and commerce with southeast Asia.

An enduring landmark is the magnificent Catholic cathedral, ideally located on the impressive looking Aradurah Hill. The façade is notable for its geometrical design and it’s easily the largest cathedral of northeast India and a key place for christians.


As word gets out, numbers of tourists from western countries are increasing, as well as those from mainland India, who readily chat with locals over a sip or two of the locally brewed wine.

In spite of increasing modernity, Nagaland gives the outward impression of being in a time warp, insulated as it were from the rapid advancement of science and technology. The region has retained its sanity, which augurs well for the future.

Since we had visited with the main purpose of exploring anthropological traits of exotic Naga tribes, the Department of Tourism prepared an itinerary for our group that covered the Mokokchung – Wokha – Zunheboto tourist circuit with a day’s halt at each of these places where tribal wizardry is still in evidence.

In these remote villages, the government of Nagaland has devised a novel method of promoting ecotourism where local tribes

generate their own income through the community holding of tourism assets. At each of these locations, we found an exclusive ‘village tourism board’ run and administered by the villagers themselves. In order to maintain a rewarding traveller experience, the government routinely conducts workshops and seminars for villagers.

Mokokchung is the domain of the Ao Nagas. We were told that the smallest social unit of the Ao Naga is the family. After marriage, the bride and groom leave their respective families and establish a new household. If a younger member of the family quarrels with a senior, it is believed to be a bad omen, not only for the family but also for the village.

Ao Nagas also have clans and are patriarchal and exogamous. The ‘Morung’, or bachelor’s dormitory, plays a vital role in the social life of the village. Most Morungs are fine works of craftsmanship: they serve as both a guardhouse and clubhouse. Women are forbidden to enter a Morung, with young boys admitted every three years for practical training in order to become a ‘perfect man’. There is no chieftain and each village is run on democratic principles: every individual has an opportunity to take part in the administration of the village.

Our trips to Wokha and Zunheboto revealed that each Naga tribe has a dialect and culture of its own. The language is basically ‘Tibeto Burman’ and our group found the local tribes to be very hospitable as they attach great importance to friendship.

It’s a good idea to time a visit to coincide with the annual Hornbill Festival, held every December in the charming village of Kisama. The theme of the festival is very apt – ‘Window to Nagaland’ – and this particular festival is the largest, but there are many others held year round.

Mysticism and magic abound here, heightened by the remoteness and natural geographical isolation. There are opportunities to savour ancient practices and bond with some most fascinating tribes – surely enough to invigorate and intrigue even the most travelled of us?

Stepping inside a quintessential Naga village, visitors are bound by its tribal code of honour as a result of their intrusion. The resulting tribal hospitality extended is something to which the modern traveller is unaccustomed. It’s the element of unacquainted tribal generosity that awaits discovery. v

Nagaland fact file:Getting there: The only airport in Nagaland is located at Dimapur. There are regular flights to Dimapur from Guwahati and Kolkata, which in turn are well connected by flights from other parts of India and internationally.From Guwahati to Kohima, the distance can be covered in about five to six hours and the drive is beautiful as one passes by quaint tribal villages, stretches of tropical forest, undulating hills and good wayside amenities.Note that a number of insurgent groups remain active in the state and visitors should check the political situation before travelling. It is very important that foreign guests retain at least five photocopies of their passport and Indian visa before entering Nagaland.

Accommodation: If one desires to savour the quintessential Naga tribal hospitality, the best way is to seek rural accommodation located on the outskirts of Kohima. Places such as Khonoma Green Village and Touphema Tourist Village are much preferred by discerning guests. For visitors who intend to participate in the annual Hornbill Festival, www.hornbillfestival.com, one of the most outstanding luxury camp accommodations is Kohima Camp: www.kohimacampnagaland.com.

For further information, contact www.tourismnagaland.com and [email protected].

It’s a good idea to time a visit to coincide with the annual Hornbill Festival, held every December in the charming village of Kisama. The theme of the festival is very apt – ‘Window to Nagaland’.

IOTC FP March2.indd 1 25/02/2016 10:56


The greys and pastel colours of winter gradually yield to more and more colour, so help this along by planting a rainbow of colour to

welcome in spring. Pack patio pots and fill flowerbeds with Primulas and Polyanthus. These cheerful bedding plants offer great value, flowering their hearts out for weeks on end to brighten the outlook on the remaining dull days of winter as it gradually releases its grip.

New varieties are continually being bred offering outstanding garden performance with larger flowers and improved resistance to the vagaries of British weather. Although single-coloured flowers are always popular, look out for bicolours, double and rosebud types, plus wonderfully scented new varieties too.

Bold blocks of primulas always look striking, but impressive displays can also be created by combining them with other spring bedding, flowering bulbs and foliage plants too. Small pot grown plants are available now in full flower, making them perfect for creating instant displays in any garden, patio or courtyard.

Primulas are one of the most popular wildflowers too. Make a grassy meadow or plant banks, verges

Perfect primulasWe’re almost past the heart of the winter and there is a welcome feeling of increasing warmth and the occasional glimpse of the later setting sun on a clear evening. These hopeful signs mean that winter is on the back foot for another year and The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) has some timely advice to brighten up the garden.

Primulas for summer colourFor damp, shady sites and boggy or poolside gardens, there are several Asiatic Primulas that flower from late spring through into summer. Look out for:w Japanese Candelabra Primula (Primula japonica)w Chinese Candelabra Primula (Primula beesiana) w Orange Bulley’s Candelabra Primula (Primula bulleyana)

Primula in bloom PHOTO COPYRIGHT: ADAM PASCO MEDIA

Primula beesiana PHOTO COPYRIGHT: THE FARPLANTS GROUP


Gardening | HTA

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Spring planting combinations using PrimulasChoose from a range of spring bedding plants, flowering bulbs and hardy perennials to create colourful displays for patio pots and flowerbeds. Here are some ideas of flowers that could be chosen as companion plants for Primulas and Polyanthus:w Bedding Daisies (Bellis)w Bugle (Ajuga)w Daffodils and Narcissusw Forget-me-nots (Myosotis)w Grape Hyacinths (Muscari)w Heucheraw Hyacinthsw Pansies and Violasw Stocksw Sweet Williamw Tulipsw Wallflowers (Erysimum)

Cowslip in flower PHOTO COPYRIGHT: ADAM PASCO MEDIA

Primula vulgaris PHOTO COPYRIGHT: THE FARPLANTS GROUP


and other natural areas with dainty Primroses (Primula vulgaris) and Cowslips (Primula veris). Keep watered if conditions are dry and these hardy perennials will quickly establish, flowering and setting seed to slowly spread and cover the area with their progeny.

Primula enthusiasts often move on from growing bedding varieties to picking choice varieties of Auricula to grow and display in small terracotta pots on patios or shelved Auricula Theatres. A Victorian favourite, hundreds of exquisite varieties of these evergreen perennials have been bred over the years. Many have deeply coloured and patterned petals surrounding a white or golden eye, with rosettes of leathery leaves often intriguingly coated with a powdery bloom. v

essence INFOThe Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) is the trade association for the UK garden industry. Website: www.the-hta.org.uk

Literature | IVY PRESS

Heirloom PlantsA Complete Compendium of Heritage Vegetables, Fruit, Herbs & Flowers

This book is the perfect companion for every home grower who wants to fill their garden with old and interesting varieties while helping to save threatened or forgotten plants.

Heirloom plants often have a charm lacking in commercially produced varieties. Unless these seeds are grown and saved, they will not only be forgotten, but lost too.

Based on the seed catalogues of Thomas Etty, the book lists exciting cultivars, along with profiles and growing tips. Responsible gardening, certainly, but with more than a hint of romance; who could resist the lure of the splendid Hubbard Green Warty squash, or the Green Zebra tomato?

Thomas Etty Esq is the UK’s only dedicated heritage seed company and was set up over twenty years ago by Ray Warner. The company name is inspired by Ray’s great, great, great grandfather who himself dealt in seeds in the nineteenth century. Ray is the dedicated seedsman behind this heirloom seed company with Thomas Etty Esq sourcing seeds dating from the seventeenth century to the end of World War II, all from small-scale seed suppliers from the UK and Europe.

Lorraine Harrison is a keen practical gardener with a master’s degree in garden history. In addition to contributing to the gardening quarterly Hortus, she has authored a number of books, among them the bestselling Latin for Gardeners.

“A strikingly produced compendium of heirloom vegetables, fruit and flowers” – The Bookseller

By Lorraine Harrison & Ray Warner, seed catalogues written by Thomas Etty224 pages • Hardback • Illustrations throughoutISBN: 9781782403173 • RRP: £18.99

essence INFOPublished by Ivy Press Website: www.ivypress.co.uk

Top tips for growing Primulasw Deadhead regularly to remove faded flowers and keep displays

looking their best.w The compost in patio pots can get waterlogged during wet weather,

so always put a layer of coarse gravel or similar drainage material in the base of pots before filling with compost.w Raise pots off the ground by standing them on ‘feet’ to avoid

drainage holes in the base of pots becoming blocked.w Temporarily move pots to a sheltered position if snow or bad

weather is forecast.w Cheeky sparrows and other birds sometimes peck at primroses,

damaging their blooms. It’s hard to stop these antics, especially with plants growing in borders, but try moving pots closer to the house to scare them away. Some people have noted that blue varieties often avoid bird attention.

Fancy growing Primulas from seed? Check the flower seed range in the local garden centre to see what’s available.

Primula bulleyana PHOTO COPYRIGHT: THE FARPLANTS GROUP


Dunsborough House dates back to the fourteenth century and the dissolution of the monasteries. The land at Dunsborough

Park was originally granted to a local nobleman by Newark Abbey. Located in Ripley, less than 20 miles from central London, the house

is set in over 100 acres of grounds, including fields and woodland. Elizabeth Taylor spent one of her wedding nights at Dunsborough.

The owners of this stunning estate, Baron Dolf and Baroness Caroline Sweerts de Landas Wyborgh, welcome visitors at various times of year.

On the six garden open days, three are for the National Gardens Scheme (NGS) on 30 April, 12 June and 18 September. These raise funds for several invited charities: Shooting Star Chase, Naomi House Children’s Hospice, Art Research Creativity & Health (ARCH), Princess Alice Hospice and many more who benefit from attending the event and selling homemade teas. v

essence INFODunsborough Park is available for private garden tours and can offer an exclusive and romantic setting for spring and summer wedding receptions. Other activities are also available. For more information visit www.dunsboroughpark.com.

Festival | DUNSBOROUGH PARK

Festival of tulipsDunsborough Park, Ripley stages the spectacular Festival of Tulips next month with 20,000 new bulbs and over 15,000 one-year-old bulbs creating a breathtaking wild meadow at this country estate.

Profile Dutch born Baron and Baroness Sweerts de Landas Wyborgh moved to Dunsborough Park in 1994 and took on the task of renovating a tired house and transforming a six acre area surrounding the house into beautiful landscaped and formal gardens. These are now made up of a series of ‘garden rooms’ with their own style and charm, including:w The White Garden, with its ancient 300-year-old Mulberry tree,

anemones, Solomon’s Seal and Iceberg roses. w The Classic Italian Garden.w The Old Romantic Rose Garden, with subtle colours of mostly pink

roses, the Rose Walk with David Austin roses, including Queen of Sweden, Brother Cadfael, and scented Bourbon roses.w The Eighteenth Century Walled Garden is lined on one side with a

large, 45 metre Victorian greenhouse. w The Dutch Garden has a wonderful 70ft ginkgo biloba hedge.

This area is home to the wonderful tulip displays. w The Peacock Area with an impressive box parterre and a beautiful

‘peacock’ gate. w The Water Garden, originally created in the 1930s, features a

dammed brook that rushes to join the Ockham Mill Stream and the River Wey. A stone bridge provides an excellent viewpoint.


Motoring_Bac_Layout 1 02/03/2016 09:57 Page 1

RISING STARLuxury Cheshire car maker Briggs Automotive Company (BAC) was recently picked as ‘One to Watch’ in the 2015 Sunday Times’ Fast Track 100 list, heralding a rapid rise for the niche car maker. Euan Johns discovers more about the rise and rise of a British company firmly flying the flag overseas.

Motoring | BAC


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o roof, no windscreen, a single seat: BAC constructs thewell received and highly acclaimed Mono supercar. Thecompany earned its distinction on the Fast Track list dueto its recent expansion, and was lauded for its efforts to

increase awareness in international markets. Brothers Neil and Ian Briggs started the company in 2009 with the

aim of creating a pure driving experience. BAC’s team is able to knoweach of its customers by name. This provides the basis for an almost tribalconnection and feeling of pride and involvement in something veryspecial and different. The company boasts of its ‘total ownershipexperience’ emanating from a superbly made product and unparalleledlevel of service.

What’s on offer? Well, an intimate and visceral connection to a carthat fulfils the inner dream to sit at the controls of a formula car. Climbinginto the car’s central seat is an event in itself. There’s more than a whiffof formula here and the thought does flit through my mind: is thisseriously road legal?


“We are delighted to be recognised by Fast Trackand the Sunday Times for our recent success. Wehope to continue this going into 2016, and are wellplaced to do so with our new dealerships in Japanand Hong Kong. With strong sales in America, andour recently gained EU approval, we are wellplaced to take BAC onto the next stage of itsexciting development.”NEIL BRIGGS, BAC FOUNDER

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Motoring | BAC


So what exactly is all the fuss about? Well, the Mono is a lightweight,ultra high performance, road legal supercar designed and made using thelatest racing technology. So, it ticks all the boxes for drivers seeking a ‘pure’driving experience. Forget the children and dog, this is a toy for grownupsto enjoy. The design is superb: it’s got a single seat smack bang in themiddle of the car’s subtle and sculptured form. Being there means the caris perfectly balanced, enabling the power from the Cosworth 2.3 litreengine (2015 version) to be used to the full, especially when cornering.

BAC’s motivated staff of just 22 made it the smallest company on thelist of 10 rising stars. It enjoyed sales of over £2.4 million in the last year,selling 21 supercars worldwide, and has now attracted investment frominternational backers to help push this further. Investment has helped thefirm open several new showrooms around the world.

The result? BAC has already more than doubled sales for 2016, andis poised to accelerate even further.

The newest showroom was opened in Hong Kong’s Kowloon Baylast November: the dealership selling eight of its annual allocation of 12cars on the launch night alone. The presence in Hong Kong is furtherproof of the company’s strong position in the Far East, following asuccessful introduction into Japan earlier last year.

BAC’s unique nature appeals strongly to customers in this part of theworld, who value the car’s bespoke driver fitment programme offeringeach customer a custom-made seat, peddle reach and steering wheelpositioning, all built around and to suit the client’s frame. There’s alsoalmost limitless variations for personalisation with the choice of differinglevels of trim and paint options.

Far East customers will get the 2016 Model Year Mono, which comesequipped with an all-new 305bhp, 2.5-litre Mountune four-cylinderengine capable of a 0-60mph time of just 2.8 seconds. This ultralightweight supercar weighs in at just 580kg, and so can boast a staggeringpower-to-weight ratio of 526bhp per tonne.

It may appear a bit pricey at just shy of £80,000, and is of course totallyimpractical, but this sort of fun is surely priceless?

essence INFOWebsite:www.bac-mono.comFacebook: facebook.com/bacmonoTwitter: twitter.com/DiscoverMono


www.dsautomobiles.com


SHARP EDGE

Raspberry chino £125Printed weave shirt £75Blue flyfront mac £295


Fashion | RICHARD JAMES

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Since 1992, Richard James has established a reputation as a leading luxury brand, setting the standard for contemporary tailoring and menswear.

The first of the ‘new establishment’ tailors on Savile Row, Richard James has contributed to revitalising what has long been acknowledged as the world centre for tailoring with a bold, progressive take on the timeless and traditional. The Richard James’ philosophy is to produce classic clothing of quality and push boundaries through design, colour and cut.

Richard James Mayfair offers a well-edited collection of full tailored suits through to separates such as simple printed shirts and ties. Prices for a full suit start at £395 and shirts start at £65 each.

essence INFO:Website: www.richardjames.co.ukAvailable from House of Fraser nationally, as well as Peter Jones and John Lewis.

Forward thinkers

SHARP EDGE

Richard James Hyde Suit £845

Richard James Seishin Jacket Puppytooth £645


Fashion | KELLY SIMPKIN

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Kelly Simpkin’s collection for spring/summer 2016 highlights the designer’s sensibility and signature modern luxury aesthetic, marking a turning point in her journey as a designer.

Feminine, sculptural, with an urban edge, Kelly uses a skilled eye and the paradox of leather and lace to create romance.

From a Mongolian fur circle jacket, over a lace slip reminiscent of a 1930s’ siren, this key capsule collection is old school glamour with a modern take. To coin a phrase, this is jazz age cocktails meeting Bladerunner.

The show stopping piece in the collection is an extraordinary silk lined, leather bridal gown, with extravagant and billowing tulle like an explosion of blossom falling at the bride’s feet.

All fabrics are sourced from British suppliers, and all garments demonstrate Kelly’s eye for detail. The Mongolian circle jacket is lined with pink duchess satin and gold leather facing. As with all Kelly’s pieces, it’s the added detail that makes them truly unique.

essence INFOAll available via private appointment with Kelly Simpkin or via www.kellysimpkin.com.

Jazz age cocktails meet Bladerunner

Mesh circle coat £1870

Mongolian circle jacket £825Lace slip £275

Bridal gown £3200


Mesh cross over dress £1600


Fashion | KELLY SIMPKIN

Mesh bustier gown £2050

Lace bodysuit £660Ribbon over-skirt £385

Scallop bustier gown £4200

Culinary seaweedSeaweed is no stranger to the Japanese who havebeen enjoying it for centuries. Even around our own shores, it has been embraced since medievaltimes and was once the best source of nutrients forcoastal dwellers and, of course, free to collect. TheWelsh still eat plenty of it, often serving laverbread,whilst the Scots traditionally use it in soups andbroths. In Ireland, it is used in a wide variety ofdishes and dulse, a dark red seaweed, is dried andeaten like crisps.

It seems it is the English who have shunned thisgreat food source, but we now are rediscovering thebenefits. With up to 40 different edible varieties ofseaweed available in our waters, it is often cleanerwaters that provide the best source, especially theOuter Hebrides. A handful of producers are creatingthe most amazing seasonings from seaweedharvested from these cold, clean waters that canalmost totally replace the use of salt in a diet as wellbeing a fabulous source of natural umami.

Purple sprouting broccoliA type of cabbage, purple sprouting is far from anew fashion in trendy vegetables, but has beencultivated before Roman times. It is actually the truebroccoli with smaller, many more flower heads andthinner stalks, whilst the much larger, heaviervegetable we call broccoli is actually calabrese,developed from the sprouting variety. A couple ofhundred years ago it was considered as much of adelicacy as asparagus and came in different colours,including brown, cream and red.

A real treat so early in the season, this tendervegetable is best sourced as fresh as possible andeaten on the same day. It is packed with both tasteand goodness, but the flavour can quickly diminishafter picking, so choose wisely and avoid pre-packaged offers that are likely to have beentravelling for a while or even cold stored. Easy andquick to cook and, if tender enough, every bit of itcan be eaten, although larger leaves may requiretrimming and the very ends of the stem.


At their best right nowSeasonal and local food offers taste, health and even economic benefits. Crates LocalProduce highlights the amazing seasonal produce available from our region.

PHOTO COPYRIGHT: KAREN APPLEYARD | DREAMSTIME.COM PHOTO COPYRIGHT: HLPHOTO | DREAMSTIME.COM

Food_Layout 1 01/03/2016 16:56 Page 1

Food | CRATES LOCAL PRODUCE

BeefAny avid fan of the Archers, the longest runningsoap in the world, will happily reel off the virtues ofbeef from Brookfield’s herd of Herefords and,similar to the Aberdeen Angus, these breeds arewidely raised throughout the world. For even moreflavour, and to gain a knowledge of beasts ‘justdown the lane’, it is worth discovering locally-rearedbeef. With a few very exciting and dedicated farmersin our area rearing rare-breeds and cross-breeds tovery high welfare standards, the real taste of superiorbeef can be found.

In the Surrey hills, there is the distinctive BeltedGalloway, a hairy and hardy breed, particularlysuited to the rough grazing in the area and producingquality marbled beef. The Galloway has its roots inScotland, but is believed to have been a cross with aDutch belted breed. The Sussex, of course, has itsroots more locally in the Weald and is traditionally asmall breed that is easy to look after. One Sussexfarm is now producing incredible beef from Sussex-cross Wagyu and Angus cattle that is rapidlybecoming the most sought after beef by some of thearea’s top restaurants.

GinYou cannot escape the recent gin revival, brought backafter decades in the shadows, despite it once being themost popular drink of the country. However, we cannotlay claim to gin as a juniper flavoured spirit was firstdistilled in the Netherlands. English soldiers got thetaste for ‘genever’ when supporting the Dutch againstthe Spanish in 1585, hence the term ‘Dutch courage’. In later years, low rates of duty on English spirits andheavy taxation on imports ensured the success of gin,leading to the ‘gin craze’ of the 1700s. Blaming mostcriminal activity on gin consumption, the governmentthen introduced higher taxation, causing riots, but thedrink was destined to fall out of favour.

Today’s revival has been fuelled by the resurgenceof cocktails, creative bartenders and small distilleriescreating their own unique blends of botanicals. Theonly thing that gin must have is a dominant flavour ofthe juniper berry; apart from that it is all down to thedistiller’s imagination. Exploring different gins onoffer is a journey well worth undertaking and evenour local gins are already winning internationalawards. The difference in these small batch gins to thehigh street offerings is quite phenomenal, usually farsmoother and more complex in taste.


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Crates Local Produce is located centrally within the historic market town of Horsham andbursts with fresh, seasonal food sourced directly from local producers. For more details seewww.crateslocal.co.uk. Follow on Twitter @crateslocal or Facebook page Crates Local.

PHOTO COPYRIGHT: MORADOHEATH | DREAMSTIME.COM PHOTO COPYRIGHT: ALNAT | DREAMSTIME.COM

Food_Layout 1 01/03/2016 16:56 Page 2

Rapid steakteppanyakiServes two as main or four as starterwww.crateslocal.co.uk

Ingredients:Two beef steaks, fillet or sirloin One tablespoon rapeseed orsesame oilTwo garlic clovesFour tablespoons dark soy sauceTwo tablespoons mirin (or rice wine with a little sugar added)Two teaspoons butterOne shallotOne tablespoon tomato puréeOne chilli

Method:wFinely chop the garlic, chilli and

shallot and fry gently in the butter.wOnce soft, add the soy sauce,

mirin and tomato purée. Allow tosimmer gently.

wSlice the steaks into generous pieces.wHeat a flat skillet or heavy flat frying

pan and add the oil. Once smoking,add the beef and sear on one side.

wTurn the steak pieces over and pourover the sauce.

wAllow to sizzle for around a minuteand serve immediately with stir fryvegetables or rice.


Broccoli, sproutsand bacon Serves four as a sidewww.crateslocal.co.uk

Ingredients:200g purple sprouting broccoli400g brussel sproutsFour to six thick rashers back baconTwo cloves garlicTwo tablespoons rapeseed or olive oilOne tablespoon butterOne teaspoon dijon mustard

Method:wHeat the oven to 200 degrees

centigrade/gas mark 6. wRemove any woody ends and leaves

from the broccoli stems and cut thesprouts in half.

wFinely chop the garlic and fry withthe oil and butter.

wCut the bacon into pieces of aroundone to two centimetres and fry off in the butter and oil until they start to crisp.

wAdd in the prepared vegetables, tossthrough and fry for another coupleof minutes only.

wTransfer all into a shallow casseroledish or roasting pan and roast forfifteen minutes.

Gin toddyMakes two cupswww.crateslocal.co.uk

Ingredients:50ml ginTwo teaspoons brown sugarOne lemonCinnamon stickOne star anise

Method:wDissolve the sugar in a little

hot water.wSqueeze in at least half of the juice

of the lemon, add the gin and star anise.

wMix thoroughly with the cinnamon stick.

wAdd in around a quarter cup of hot water and serve immediately.

Orange cakeMakes one 20 centimetre layered cakewww.flavit.co.uk

Ingredients cake:225g butter225g self-raising flourOne level teaspoon baking powderHalf level teaspoon FlaVit SeaSeaweed Seasoning100g golden caster sugar100g brown sugarFour large eggsFinely grated zest of two oranges

Ingredients filling:150ml double cream and a topping of orange curd if feeling indulgent

Ingredients glaze:25g caster sugarJuice of two orangesOne clementine for decoration

Method:wHeat oven to 180 degrees

centigrade/gas mark 4. wGrease and line with greaseproof

paper two 20 centimetre, loose-bottomed sandwich tins.

wMeasure all the cake ingredients intoa large bowl (reserving some zestfor decoration) and whisk untilcombined and smooth.

wDivide between the tins and bake for20-25 minutes until well risen, lightlygolden and shrinking away from thesides of the tins.

wRemove from the oven, leave for fiveminutes and then move to a wirerack to cool.

wFor the glaze, put the sugar andorange juice in a saucepan, stirringconstantly to dissolve the sugar.Bring to the boil to reduce by half.

wBrush the glaze onto the undersideof one of the cakes and the top ofthe other.

wWhip the cream or use the orangecurd to sandwich the halves together.

wDecorate with clementine segments.

essence INFOCrates Local Produce24a Carfax, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 1EBTelephone: 01403 256435Website: www.crateslocal.co.ukFollow on Twitter @crateslocal orFacebook page Crates Local

Food_Layout 1 01/03/2016 16:56 Page 3

Food | CRATES LOCAL PRODUCE


Broccoli, sprouts and bacon

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Baking | JEN’S CUPCAKERY


Carrot, orange and cinnamon cake for Mothering SundayTreat mum to a delicious cake this Mother’s Day that not only offers asumptuous spoonful, but is packed with at least one of the five a day! One ofour bestsellers, the moist sponge is crammed with currents and raisins, has ahint of orange and cinnamon, and is then topped with a creamy mascarponecream cheese frosting. Truly a treat for mums (and all) this March.

Ingredients cake:w500g carrots, peeled and trimmedw260g raisinswFour large eggsw260g golden caster sugarw240ml corn oilwOne teaspoon good quality vanilla extractwGrated zest of one large orangew240g plain flourwTwo teaspoons bicarbonate of sodawTwo teaspoons ground cinnamonwOne teaspoon baking powder wPinch of salt

Ingredients frosting:w175g mascarponew175g cream cheesew250g unsalted butterw900g sifted icing sugarwGrated zest of one small orange

Method wPreheat oven to 180 degrees centigrade/gas 6. Grease

and line two eight inch sandwich tins.wGrate the peeled carrots into a bowl and add the raisins. wWhisk the eggs and sugar together until a creamy mixture

forms: this will take at least five minutes in an electricmixer, more if combining manually.

wAdd the oil, vanilla and orange zest and mix well.wSift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, baking

powder and salt into a separate bowl. Add to the egg and sugar mixture a little at a time, beating well. Scrape the sides of the bowl down to make sure all of the mix is included.

wAdd the carrots and raisins and stir until all is combined well.wSpoon into the two sandwich tins and place in the oven for

around 30 minutes to start. Check at five minute intervalsuntil a skewer comes out clean.

wLeave cakes to cool in tins for ten minutes and then turnout on to a wire rack.

wPrepare the frosting by mixing together all of theingredients as above. This makes plenty of icing and thequantities can be halved if preferred.

wWhen the cakes are cool, sandwich together with the icingand then using a palette knife or a piping bag, cover the top.Finish off with some grated orange, some sugar carrotsand/or wafer flowers.

essence INFOWebsite: www.jenscupcakery.comTelephone: 07751 553106Facebook: www.facebook.com/jenscupcakeryTwitter: @jenscupcakeryBlog: www.ilovejenscupcakery.wordpress.com

TOP TIP: When making the cream cheese frosting, mix the icing sugarand butter first until it resembles a crumb consistency, then add the creamcheese/mascarpone as this method makes for a smoother consistency.

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With an impressive portfolio of thirty differentbaby salad leaves on sale at the height of the

season, Secretts of Milford is famous for themthroughout the south east and London.

Used to decorate plates by many top chefs, it’s nosurprise that 1.2 tonnes are sold every week, ofwhich 550 kilos are transported into the metropolis.In context, the average weight of a bag of rocket in asupermarket is 30g, so in unit terms this is 41,300bags! Freshly picked to order too, this is a tightly run

business with a lot of early mornings.Organisation falls to Nicola Secrett whomanages the team of growers, pickers andpackers with great enthusiasm and is afountain of leaf knowledge.

Chefs just can’t get enough of thesegorgeous leaves: they add colour andtexture to dishes. Placed strategically ontop of scallops or scattered on venisonCarpaccio, combinations are endless. Matt

Edmonds, an award-winning chef formerly at theGherkin in London, has just opened his first eateriein Surrey, The Grantley Arms in Wonersh. Matt,when sourcing ingredients, was delighted to be ableto buy the leaves he had been using in London andcall them local. These leaves, he agrees, finish hisplated savoury dishes with naturally beautifulshapes, colours and flavours. It wasn’t that long agothat Secretts grew the first rocket for a Britishsupermarket as an experiment, and at that time thefarm had no idea these tender leaves would becomesuch an important element of future business.

Today Secretts is run by father and son teamCharles and Greg Secrett, but they partly owe theirsuccess to a fascinating heritage. The story startswith Charles’ grandfather (Frederick AugustusSecrett) who chose horticulture from the range ofoptions open to a young man in the early 1900s.Starting his first growing venture in 1908, Frederickwas, by the time he died, a legendary figure knownfor his innovative growing techniques, irrigationinventions and mobile glasshouses. In addition, hewas passionate about training and education andresponsible for igniting a passion for horticulture in

those with whom he came into contact.Frederick’s great grandson, Greg, has

carried on his tradition for growing andas well as supplying Secretts’ famoussalad leaves to virtually every restaurantin the south east of England, Greg alsogrows a huge range of specialityvegetables for many top Londonrestaurants. On direct dial to many ofLondon’s most feted chefs (I wouldn’t sayno to his contact list), Greg’s vegetableportfolio has cast iron street credibility.The 100 acre Secretts farm, whilst havinga thriving wholesale business, also growsfor its own farm shop, so while supply isseasonal, it’s food metres not miles here.

Known to be one of the most productive farmsduring the Second World War, Secretts was asupplier to local wholesale and retail markets. But like many growers, business was hard hit by theemergence of supermarkets and changing wholesalebuying practices. Cheaper imports and changingconsumer behaviour means that many of the originalcrops grown on the farm were discontinued. Leeks,for example, last year had an all time low price onthe market making them cheaper to leave in theground than to harvest. This is, sadly, an all toocommon reality for many farmers.

However, by creatively diversifying, Secretts hasfound a niche market for its young, tender vegetablesand leaves. In addition, a farm shop opened in 1977,and a ‘pick-your-own’ a few years later, have bothproven successful whilst being challenged by twolarge supermarket chains opening in close proximity.

Stocking the farm shop with a wonderful range ofartisan products and well known quality brands hasallowed Secretts to maintain a large and loyalcustomer base. For example, the cheese counter hasover three hundred cheeses and visitors travel from asfar away as Brighton to shop. The farm shop is alsofamous for its wonderful confectionery displays atChristmas and Easter. Regular ‘meet the producer’events are a hit with locals, as are Easter Egg huntsand farm animal petting events for children.


Secretts:Shirlee Posner of Eat Surrey introduces readers to Secretts of Milford, producegrowers for culinary stars and food retailers to the rest of us!

DIVERSIFYING DELICIOUSLY

Charles Secrett

Art Food_Layout 1 02/03/2016 09:56 Page 1

Artisan food | EAT SURREY

Innovation and experimentation is still importantto the farm today. It grows a range of produce andselects from hybrid seeds which can be more diseaseresistant than heritage (true to type) seeds. Heritageseeds are used to grow Secretts’ gorgeous golden andred candy stripe beetroots and multi coloured carrots.Seeds are planted almost every day in the growingseason and picked at just six weeks old. Famousthroughout the south east at farmers’ markets andfrom Secretts’ farm shop, customers love thesevegetables for their sweet taste and tender texture.

In addition, on a smaller scale for individual chefs,Greg also grows crops of more unusual vegetablessuch as scorzerona and salsify. More recently, he hasalso grown a vegetable called celtuce (a cross betweena lettuce and celery) prized for its thick stem. Chefslove the flavour and texture of this for accentingdishes. As part of the education heritage of Secretts,the farm hosts a chef event each year to allow chefs tosee the farm in growing season and understand theintricacies of horticulture. These events are growingin popularity and the pick your own area is used foreducation purposes out of season.

In addition to tender market vegetables, Secretts’asparagus is also a high profile crop. Thriving in thesoil here, even though the established beds areelderly (in asparagus terms), they still produce goodyields. Weather willing, asparagus should start tocrop in early to mid April with a characteristicallyshort season. Greg is currently looking at innovativemethods that could increase the growth and harvestof asparagus by at least a couple of months. Forlocals, asparagus going on sale in Secretts’ farmshop signifies the end of spring.

For food service enquiries, visit the farm page ofthe website for contact details and orderinginformation. To visit the farm shop it’s good to knowthey have an onsite tea room, Eliza’s Teashop,serving delicious home cooked food, salads withSecretts’ leaves and gorgeous cakes. Ethical clothingcompany, Jo’s Jumpers, also offering fair-tradejewellery, is opposite the tea room. On the thirdSunday of each month, Secretts’ hosts the SurreyFarmers Market which showcases local foodproducers. In the summer (from June) there is pickyour own, featuring berries, beans, apples and plums.

For information on opening times, click on the‘visit us’ page of the website. Shirlee Posner


essence INFOSecretts, Hurst Farm, Chapel Lane, Milford, Surrey GU8 5HUWebsites: www.secretts.co.uk and eatsurrey.coTelephone: 01483 520500

Goat’s cheese and roastedbutternut squash salad withpumpkin seed dressing Last year I photographed the new menu for Eliza’s Teashop, next tothe farm shop, at Secretts. The recipes were the work of talentedlocal food consultant and caterer Sally Iddles of Sally’s FabulousFood (www.sallyiddles.co.uk). With such great produce available onsite, it made sense to feature the mixed leaves on the menu. All thedishes we worked with on that day were fantastic, but this salad wasso colourful to photograph it made my job easy – it also containssome of my favourite ingredients! I have eaten this since at Eliza’sand it’s replicated beautifully each time.

When choosing a goat’s cheese, there are lots of options and it’sreally a personal decision. I like Sister Sarah goat’s cheese made byHigh Weald Dairy in West Sussex as it is locally made and has agreat texture. Whatever cheese is chosen, make sure it is not too soft,but still has a creamy texture to complement the roasted squash.

Serves 4 Ingredients:One small butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks One dessertspoon olive oil 75g pumpkin seeds 300g firm, creamy goat’s cheese (see note above) Two tablespoons pumpkin seed oil Two dessertspoons aged balsamic vinegar or balsamic syrup Salt and freshly ground black pepper One bag of Secretts’ mixed leaves

Method:wPre-heat oven to gas mark 6/200 degrees centigrade/

fan 190 degrees centigrade. wPlace the chunks of butternut squash in a mixing bowl and coat in the olive

oil by mixing vigorously with a metal spoon. Season and lay out on a bakingsheet. Roast in the pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes.

wPlace the pumpkin seeds in a small tin and place in the oven for the last tenminutes of the cooking time. Allow the squash and seeds to cool whilepreparing the salad.

wCut the cheese into even sized chunks. wMake the dressing by simply mixing the oil and vinegar together. Either toss

the leaves in the dressing before placing in bowls, or drizzle over as part ofthe assembly stated below.

wPlace four large handfuls of salad leaves in a salad spinner, wash gently andspin to remove excess water. Divide the leaves between four salad bowls.Place the cheese and butternut squash on top of the leaves. Drizzle with thesalad dressing and garnish with the roasted pumpkin seeds.

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Beauty | EPSOM SKIN CLINICS

Helpful tips leading up to the big day:• Stay hydrated! Whilst undertaking exercise routines,

attempting weight loss and to aid healthy skin, it isimportant to stay hydrated. We all know drinkingwater is good for us, but starving the skin of watercan lead to lost muscle tone where it will not supportweight loss. Also, invest in a dry body brush and useit every other day. Work in sweeping motionstowards the lymph nodes to help with cellulite: theaim is to get the circulation flowing and stimulatehard fat.

• Life is busy enough, but time becomes veryprecious leading up to a wedding. Set aside a fewhours at least once a week to treat yourself. Purchasea nourishing cuticle oil to promote strong nailgrowth and healthy cuticles for those ‘up close’wedding ring pictures. Phenomen Oil from Jessicahas vitamin E, rice and jojoba oils to deeplymoisturise and can also be used on dry elbows,knees or chapped lips. For dry skin or eczemasufferers, try various body lotions and potions, butremember a doctor can always prescribe somethingstronger to target stubborn areas.

For the beautiful bride experiencing problematicand oily skin: Many people suffering from acne may beat the end of their tether having tried multipletreatments, products and medications, which some mayfind have helped improve the skin, but not necessarilytargeted the route of the problem. AGNES is arevolutionary new treatment which carries out selectivesebaceous gland destruction. There are thousands ofsebaceous glands over the face and these help to keepskin lubricated with oil; in an acne-prone skin theseglands are more active and therefore over produce oilleading to spots. Studies suggest most acne recurs fromthe same damaged sebaceous gland and this is whereAGNES comes in. To treat the recurring spot, EpsomSkin Clinics use a radio frequency needle to coagulateand remove the gland resulting in less spots and less

future scarring. The same principle can be applied totreating fat pads under the eyes and sagging skin/eyebags using a non-surgical approach.

For the bride who wants to hide a tattoo:‘Think before you ink’ is a sentence that can come back to haunt from time to time, but there is another option! Laser tattoo removal, although uncomfortable,could reduce and fade unwanted ink before the big day. Epsom Skin Clinics offer the R20 Technique which means clients can have up to four treatments in one day and we have many brides starting soonerrather than later. Alternatively, or combined with lasertreatment, brides can use camouflage make-up. Askyour make-up artist about it and have a practice sessionbefore the big day.

For those worried about fine lines, wrinkles,scars and stretch marks: A collagen boostingtreatment can be used to treat aging skin or those withscars. EnerJet is a system which delivers immediate andlong-lasting results. Pneumatic technology providesprecise and controlled release of hyaluronic acid into thedermis which immediately makes the skin appearrejuvenated and hydrated with more volume. It can alsobe used to break down scar tissue and improve theappearance of stretch marks by increasing collagen.Complement this treatment with some good skincareproducts such as the Swisscode Genistein collection thatincreases collagen by 53% in 28 days.

So all you brides to be out there, book acomplimentary consultation with Epsom Skin Clinics atthe earliest opportunity to ensure there is plenty of timeto treat any concerns, have a flawless make-up readyand skin radiant. Let us take one thing off your mind.


Brides to be: it is time to prepare. Whilst there may be a myriad of wedding decisionskeeping everyone occupied, make sure you think about yourself! This month we aregoing to explore alternative beauty treatments that may not have been considered, says Naomi Diamond of Epsom Skin Clinics.

Bridal beauty tips

essence INFOEpsom Skin ClinicsWebsite: www.epsomskinclinics.comTelephone: 01372 737280 (Epsom) or 020 8399 5996 (Surbiton)

PHOTO COPYRIGHT: AMY GWATKIN

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P R O V I D E R O F

C R E A T I V E P RS E R V I C E S , C O P Y

W R I T I N G & F O O DP H O T O G R A P H Y

T O A R T I S A N F O O D P R O D U C E R S

Shirlee’s food reviews of independently owned cafes,restaurants, artisan food producers and farm shops in Surrey.

A supporter of the local food movement with an aim to promote, support and champion their work.

I always tell a personal story by taking the time to meet the people behind the products or the brand.

Read my reviews here www.eatsurrey.coTwitter: @eatsurrey

Instagram: @eatsurreyTelephone: 07917 891881

Email: [email protected]

a stunning SilentPool Gin gift boxThe black and copper foil gift boxcontains a bottle of award winning SilentPool Gin and matching Silent Pool ‘Copa’glass in which to enjoy delicious a ginand tonic over plentiful ice. Silent Poolrecommends Fevertree Tonic and a twistof orange zest over the top to spray aburst of citrus flavour over the gin.Silent Pool Gin is a classic, full-bodied gin, freshwith a great flavour produced from acombination of 24 botanicals. It’s a rich and cleanjuniper-driven spirit with floral layers of lavenderand chamomile, citrus and kaffir lime and thesubtle sweetness of local honey. It all creates awell-balanced, traditional and refreshinglyindividual gin.

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essence INFOTelephone: 01483 229136Website: www.silentpooldistillers.com

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The number of those cohabiting (and not marrying) is increasing in the UK.

A bulletin from the Office of National Statistics, published in November, revealed that the number of cohabitating couples grew by 29.7% between 2005 and 2015.

Whilst married and civil partners are still the most common family type in the UK (both with and without dependent children), cohabitees have now reached about a quarter of their total and are growing at nearly three times the rate.

But this isn’t matched by a growing awareness of legal rights amongst this group. I help such couples resolve disputes about their home or their children and many do not

understand that they have no personal claims on a split against each other under English law, even if they have been living together in a committed relationship for many years. There is no such thing as a ‘common law husband or wife’ and this can lead to misunderstandings or financial hardship.

Similarly, people do not often understand the ways in which a property can be jointly owned, the importance of formally recording financial contributions towards the family home or agreements about who is to own what percentage of the equity. It may be awkward to broach such delicate financial issues, but early legal advice can enable couples to avoid many common disputes.

The rise in couples living together

Judith Fitton is a Partner in the Family Team at Mundays LLP and has over 20 years of experience in the field of high net worth divorces.She has a particular skill in the forensic aspect of cases and investigating complex financial arrangements. Judith also has a niche practice in cohabitee matters and any disputes between non-married couples as to their property interests. She has recently been accredited as a Specialist in the fields of Cohabitee and Trusts of Land Disputes and Complex Financial Remedies on Divorce by Resolution (a national organisation of family lawyers).She has been mentioned in The Legal 500 UK as a recommended family lawyer and is known for her pragmatic and constructive advice to clients. She is a regular contributor to articles in the national press.

Judith can be contacted by telephone on 01932 590557 or by email at [email protected]: @judith_fitton

Mundays’ Private Wealth Department can be contacted via Julie Man by telephone on 01932 590643 or [email protected]

Judith Fitton, Partner at Mundays LLP, discusses the legal rights of cohabitees, examining a recent case in the courts.

PHOTO COPYRIGHT: LPOC


The case of the plumbing tycoon, his girlfriend and their country cottageThe need for early legal advice is neatly illustrated by the recent case involving plumbing tycoon John Hoggins, who had his claim to a £650,000 house in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, which he bought for his girlfriend, turned down by the First-Tier Tribunal of the Land Registry.

Mr Hoggins paid a deposit of £100,000 on the house, bought as a second home, in 2009 and thereafter paid the mortgage. He had been in a relationship with his girlfriend, Greta Cerniauskaite, for five years at that point and it was decided the house would be registered in her sole name. When the parties split up in 2013, the dispute arose as to who was the true legal and beneficial owner.

Mr Hoggins claimed the house was really a joint purchase, but that as he had debts, it was “easier” to get a mortgage this way.

But the Judge disagreed and accepted Ms Cerniauskaite’s evidence that both parties intended the house to be hers, although they never actually lived in it; it was one of a series of generous gifts by Mr Hoggins, who also bought her a £160,000 Bentley car.

It seems that Mr Hoggins made the gift when all was well in the relationship, but when things turned sour, he regretted the gift and sought to reclaim an interest in the property.

He failed because he could not prove that the parties had always intended the equity was to be shared – that they had a ‘common intention’. This can be shown by a written agreement or evidence that the parties had verbal discussions. But without it, his case was doomed.

The Court can only give effect to the intention of the parties. If the property is put into the sole name of one party, then this is clear evidence that this is how the parties intended the equity (or value in the property) to be held.

The Court does not have the power or discretion under the Trusts of Land Act to rewrite history and to adjust the shareholdings, unless there is clear evidence that the parties intended something else or that the claimant had made a clear contribution to the purchase and had then relied to their detriment upon an agreement that they would have a share in the equity. This is why it is so important to spell out the agreed split in a property at the time of purchase (ideally via a Deed of Trust, which our Private Wealth Department can assist with, as well as reflecting it in your Will). It is also crucially important to revisit that agreement each time the contributions to the property change (for instance when one owner funds an extension or refurbishment works without a matching contribution from the other owner).

Another aspect of this case is that the newspapers treated it as a ‘quasi-divorce’ claim and implied that Mr Hoggins’ girlfriend was seeking a share of his wealth. Despite several abortive attempts at reforming the law, cohabitees do not have personal claims against their former partners in this way and this is a prime example of the disparity between the position of a married spouse and an unmarried girlfriend. v

essence INFOMundays LLPCedar House, 78 Portsmouth Road, Cobham KT11 1ANTelephone: 01932 560500Website: www.mundays.co.uk

Legal | MUNDAYS

Ministry of Justice form errorIt has been reported that ‘thousands’ of couples who settled their divorces in the last twenty months may have to reconsider the terms of their settlements. It has been discovered that due to a faulty code in the divorce disclosure statement (the Form E) on the Ministry of Justice website, any debts of the parties would not have been reflected in the final total for the family’s net financial worth.

At Mundays, we have a separate software package and any Form E prepared by us on behalf of our clients will not be subject to this error. In any event, it is likely that in any case involving a solicitor, even if the Form was initially prepared on the MoJ software, that the figures would then have been transposed to a separate Excel spreadsheet. The totals would then have been recalculated and the problem avoided.

PHOTO COPYRIGHT: ALEUTIE | DREAMSTIME.COM

On paper the European Union (EU) issuch a good idea. A liberal democracy

with a population of 500 million providing theeconomic benefit and global influence thatcomes from scale and uniformity. Theproblem is that in many ways the EU isneither liberal nor democratic and morerecently, far from providing economic vigourthrough uniformity, competing internaldynamics have encouraged procrastinationand economic stagnation.

Nearly 20 years ago I spent a few days at the European Parliament as part of aDepartment of Trade and Industry trip foryoung entrepreneurs. We were granted aprivileged level of access and I travelled therewith a sense of excitement, only to returndisillusioned. I was startled by the scale of selfindulgent largesse and the evident waste ofEuropean taxpayers’ hard earned money. I lost count of the number of champagnereceptions I walked past, the number of idleinterpreters at the European Parliament andthe amount of parliamentary time wastedbickering about procedural issues rather thenmatters of substance. I was particularlydisconcerted by how far removed the bubble


0n 23 June we will be asked to cast our vote on whether the UK should remainwithin or leave the European Union. Simon Lewis, CEO at Partridge Muir & WarrenLtd, begins to take a look at the economic issues we need to consider before wemake our choice about whether to go it alone.

"The global economy is not growing enough to achieve theimprovements in prosperity that encourage peace andstability. In such circumstances, nationalism andprotectionism are likely to thrive.”

High Stakes for Brexit Gamble

of the Brussels elite was from the real worldand somewhat perturbed that they often onlydescribed themselves as ‘Europeans’ and weresomewhat disdainful of national identity.

You might be thinking that I am aEurosceptic poised to vote leave but the truthis I haven’t yet made up my mind. I amcertainly sceptical about Europeaninstitutions and believe that there is far toomuch cronyism and corruption. However, Ialso believe in the economic benefit of beingpart of the EU, provided that doesn’t requireus to surrender our national identity.

Over the next few months I shall continueto sift through the economic evidence andhopefully filter out some of the propagandaand scare-mongering that is a feature of bothsides of the public debate. I can then make aninformed choice and hopefully choosecorrectly from the perspective of my childrenand their future because this decision is likelyto have a more profound effect on how theUK will fare in the longer term.

I have unearthed some interesting factsthat have kick started my own thought

process. I shall cover some in this articlealthough the subject is so broad that I willneed to revisit it later.

Trade, Wealth and InfluenceThe long term prosperity of the UK will belargely influenced by its ability to trade freelywith the rest of the world. At presentapproximately 50% of the UK’s goods exportsare to the EU and a further 13% are tocountries where there is reliance upon theirfree trade agreement with the EU. In otherwords, 63% of the UK’s goods exports arelinked to membership of the EU. Contrastthis with the fact that the UK receives lessthan 10% of the EU’s exports. In other words,from the perspective of trade, it would seemthat the UK is more dependant on Europethan Europe is dependant on the UK.

It is certainly true that an independent UKwould be free to negotiate its own trade dealswith the EU but if we wanted full access tothe single market there would be a price topay. For example, both Switzerland andNorway are both required to accept the freemovement of people and make substantialpayments towards the EU budget in order toachieve their special status.

Of course, we would also be free tonegotiate trade deals outside the EU andother nations might well find it easier to agreeterms with an independent UK than dealwith the bureaucracy of Brussels.Nevertheless, we need to be realistic aboutour commercial appeal with our population ofonly 85 million potential customers, albeitrelatively wealthy ones. Other nations andregional groups are likely to be far moreinterested in devoting their resources tonegotiating access to the EU’s single marketof 500 million potential customers.

Another factor is that the goods andservices we wished to export to the EU wouldstill need to comply with EU regulations andhaving left the EU we would have even lessinfluence over how they were developed.

GeopoliticsThe global economy is not growing enoughto achieve the improvements in prosperitythat encourage peace and stability. In suchcircumstances, nationalism and protectionismare likely to thrive. Donald Trump’s rhetoricon this subject illustrates how the moodmight change. An independent UK would beless able to assert its influence in the worldand the EU, our largest trading partner,would be weakened by its absence.

Uncertainty for InvestorsThe lead up to the referendum is likely tocreate uncertainty for investors and there hasalready been a slump in sterling’s value.Nevertheless, most of the consequences ofBrexit are long term ones so I do not expectstock markets to be particularly affected bythe issue over the next few months.

I will look at immigration and red tape next time.

essence INFOSimon Lewis is writing on behalf of Partridge Muir& Warren Ltd (PMW), Chartered Financial Planners,based in Esher. The Company has specialised inproviding wealth management solutions to privateclients for 47 years. Simon is an independentfinancial adviser, chartered financial planner andchartered fellow of the Chartered Institute forSecurities and Investment. The opinions outlined inthis article are those of the writer and should notbe construed as individual advice. To find out moreabout financial advice and investment optionsplease contact Simon at Partridge Muir & WarrenLtd. Partridge Muir & Warren Ltd is authorised andregulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Telephone: 01372 471 550Email: [email protected]: www.pmw.co.uk

Finance | PMW


"An independent UK would be less able to assert itsinfluence in the world and the EU, our largest tradingpartner, would be weakened by its absence."


Literature | REVIEW

An Infamous MistressDivorced wife, infamous mistress, prisoner during the French Revolution and the reputed mother of the Prince of Wales’ child, notorious courtesan Grace Dalrymple Elliott lived an incredible life in eighteenth and early nineteenth-century London and Paris.Strikingly tall and beautiful, later lampooned as ‘Dally the Tall’ in newspaper gossip columns, she left her Scottish roots and convent education behind to re-invent herself in a ‘marriage a-la-mode’.The authors intersperse the story of Grace’s tumultuous life with anecdotes from those who knew Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, and who helped to abolish slavery, to those who were, like Grace, mistresses of great men. The book is a definitive biography of Grace Dalrymple Elliott, but is also much more; it is Grace’s family history which traces her ancestors’ origin in the Scottish borders. It follows them to France, America, India, Africa and elsewhere, offering a broad insight into the social history of the Georgian era.Sarah Murden and Joanne Major are joint authors, brought together through their shared passion for history and genealogy.

By Sarah Murden and Joanne MajorRRP: £25245 pages • Hardback • 16 pages illustrationsISBN: 9781473844834

Published by Pen & Sword Books Limitedwww.pen-and-sword.co.uk

Escaping HitlerA true story, covering ninety years, of a fourteen-year-old boy, Günter Stern, who, when Adolf Hitler threatened his family and future, resolved to escape from his rural village of Nickenrich in the German Rhineland. In July 1939 Günter boarded a bus to the border with Luxembourg, illegally crossed the river and walked alone for seven days through Belgium into Holland, intent on catching a ferry to England and freedom. The outcome was not exactly as he had planned. The author, Phyllida Scrivens, gathered her information through interviews with Günter, now known as Joe Sterling, and with those closest to him. During an emotional ‘foot-stepping’ journey in September 2013, Phyllida visited Günter’s birthplace, discovered the apartment in Koblenz where he fled following Kristallnacht in 1938, drove the route of Günter’s walk and retraced the final steps of his parents prior to their deportation to a Nazi death camp in Poland during 1942. Phyllida lives with husband Victor on the River Yare in Norwich. At the age of sixty she fulfilled a long-term ambition when awarded a Masters Degree in Biography and Creative Non-Fiction from the University of East Anglia. But it was a weekly biographical interview feature, ‘Meeting People’, published in the Farnham Herald newspaper during the 1990s, that unwittingly prepared her for this debut full-length biography.

By Phyllida ScrivensRRP: £25208 pages • Hardback • 70 illustrationsISBN: 9781473843646

Published by Pen & Sword Books Limitedwww.pen-and-sword.co.uk

Horror, notoriety and Suffragettes46 New Little Black Classics To celebrate the first ever Penguin Classic in 1946, Penguin has launched a further 46 titles into the Little Black Classics series this month, including authors and works new to the Penguin Classics list.Launched in February 2015, the extraordinarily successful Little Black Classics series has now sold over 2.2 million copies worldwide. The 46 new Little Black Classics contain more texts from the most loved authors – Tolstoy, Dickens and Shakespeare – as well as introducing intriguing, lesser known books.The list features works from pioneering female authors, including How To Be a Medieval Woman by Margery Kempe, the irrepressible creator of the first autobiography; one of the earliest English novels, Oroonoko, by spy and traveller Aphra Behn; and The Suffragettes, a new collection of speeches, pamphlets and letters from the women who changed the world.Following the popularity of horror stories in the list last year, this new batch of 46 titles will include Sheridan Le Fanu’s Green Tea, one of the greatest Victorian ghost stories ever written, and the sinisterly gothic tale of E.T.A Hoffmann’s The Sandman, whose eye-stealing character has inspired Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman.The new Little Black Classics also feature Jane Austen’s wicked early novella Lady Susan, the basis of the upcoming Whit Stillman film Love and Friendship and stylish fin-de-siècle stories, poems and illustrations from the notorious Victorian magazine.

By various authorsRRP: Paperbacks £1-2. eBooks available

Published by Penguin Books Limitedwww.penguin.co.uk

WEALTH MANAGEMENT. EXECUTED BEAUTIFULLY.

www.pmw.co.uk


When I was a little girl, technology was not part of mainstream living the way it

is today. My father was a journalist and one of my childhood memories was the sound of his typewriter as he wrote his articles. One day my father told me that there would, in the future, be an invention called ‘the internet’ – a library to roam via a computer. It would be vast and available to everybody. We loved our local library – the idea was fantastic.

Not long after my first child was born, his father and I, unfortunately, divorced. I was a single mother, balancing work and new motherhood. I did many activities with my son: taking him to dance lessons, to play football, cycling, and on play-dates. There were quiet moments too: playing, reading, drawing, and

chatting with him. Sometimes I was too busy to play and when Hector’s godfather gave him an Xbox as a present, Hector’s contentment when playing was an occasionally useful distraction.

I knew almost nothing about computer games, but thought of them as an interactive form of television, sometimes with amazing graphics and fun challenges. I watched my son’s pleasure as he played when I was busy around him.

We were living in an Edwardian house with two downstairs’ reception rooms next to the kitchen. One of the reception rooms became a playroom and the other my sitting room. I was able to get things done when he played. With no nanny, partner, or siblings, computer games were very handy when I was busy. When I spoke to other mothers it seemed to be what their sons

Actress Camilla Rutherford has four children and explains how she manages new technology and old fashioned play with her young family.

Old fashioned values in a new techno world

PHOTO COPYRIGHT: HELENE SANDBERG

MARCH 2016 essence-magazine.co.uk 55

Parenting | THE MOTHER MAGAZINE

were doing in their spare time too. Any moments of doubt that the activity was overly absorbing and perhaps not very good for you were met with guffaws. Playing computer games was good for eye-to-hand coordination and speedy reactions. Had people not said in the seventies that watching too much television would give you square eyes? Some people are so averse to change!

Hector did well at primary school. He was a popular boy, always aware of the latest fashion. Hector became a whizz at Instagram before I knew what it was. Social media was the way to communicate with friends, lots of fun and it seemed only a ‘fuddy duddy’ would have ignored it. His proficiency at

hashtagging and photographing ‘cool’ pictures of himself brought him many followers. I was impressed. I felt slow and behind the times.

Technology was everywhere, at school and at home, not like when I was growing up. Technology was to be embraced – it was the way of the future, the beginning of a new world, just as my father had said it would be.

However, my doubts prevailed. Playing computer games and the use of social media were invariably the activities of choice over other forms of play or stimulus: they had become addictive and stopping them put Hector in a bad mood. I did not want Hector to be unaware of popular culture, and even less for him to be unaware of modern technology, but I wanted to encourage Hector’s other interests: he is a very talented sportsman, dancer, and actor. These talents, amongst others, were not being developed as much as they could with an Xbox in the house. The start of secondary school required a more focused approach to school, work, and the classroom: not helped by spending time on social media and the Xbox.

I began to limit the playing of computer games and the use of Instagram to Friday evenings and weekends. Hector’s friends would come by, the Xbox came on, and the iPad was

used for Instagramming. The atmosphere was not wholesome or healthy. This attempt at the controlled use of technology for fun felt like a waste of time. It was only by giving up completely that a fresh approach to work and play could be enjoyed.

I sold the Xbox and put the iPad away. I would have disposed of the iPad entirely, but sometimes it is more comfortable to read a script in a reclining position. It no longer mattered to me that other boys had Xboxes in their bedrooms to be played with whenever they wanted. Hector was not pleased. He raged about unfairness. By then I was certain about ridding the house of computers for use as entertainment.

It is now alarming to me to see the use of technology to distract and seemingly amuse children. I now see playing computer games and children using social media as a way of distracting them from the real pleasures in life, in actual and not virtual things. Technology as entertainment hindered my child’s focus, imaginative playing, conversation, and it was addictive and vacuous.

There is, of course, nothing like retrospect. At the hairdresser the other day, one stylist held an iPad in a child’s eye line while another washed the child’s hair. It was the child’s mother who had requested this for her daughter. The shampoo bottles, sounds, smells and activity of this busy Knightsbridge salon could not penetrate the interest of the six-year-old girl. It has become de rigueur to use technology to distract children while travelling. The clouds, lights or fields from the window of a moving car, or indeed conversation, are considered not enough to spark the imagination of a young mind.

I was ignorant about how best to use technology when I had Hector and not confident about the things I do know. I know that sport and being outdoors is good for you, I know that learning and talking are nourishing and that discipline, however hard, brings greater long-term

“Acting is always what I wanted to do. Being able to act is like winning the lottery the first time. If Quentin Tarantino walked into a pub and said: “Do you want to be an actor?”, everyone would say yes. It’s not like wanting to be an architect or a doctor.”

“It no longer mattered to me that other boys had Xboxes in their bedrooms to be played with whenever they wanted. Hector was not pleased. He raged about unfairness. By then I was certain about ridding the house of computers for use as entertainment.”

>>>


satisfaction than succumbing to the hypnotic trance of watching TV or playing computer games. Being a mother was a new experience. It took time for me to have the courage to stick to my convictions. I know that being bored is not a bad thing. Just as ‘necessity is the mother of invention’, boredom leads ultimately to productivity and creativity – if not that, then time to be still and let the mind wander (a luxurious pastime later in life!).

Since the Xbox left the house and the iPad is out of reach, television is losing its daily appeal. Sometimes television is forgotten about altogether. Hector’s focus and concentration have improved. Now, not only does it not bother me when the children have ‘nothing’ to do, it pleases me. I know it is good for them. I watch what happens: imaginations kick in and pictures are drawn, games invented, conversations begin and flourish. Yesterday evening the children acted the witches’ scene from Macbeth!

Children should play, jump, talk, make noise, read, paint and feel – this is their childhood – a time to dream, dance, and laugh on a whim, when the sun shining on a dusty path can bring pebbles to life. In preparation for the future, children need also to learn the discipline of focus.

It has always been my dream to be a mother. I must make the best of my responsibility to show them how to enjoy life, live well, and reach their potential.

Since Hector was born, our household has evolved; there is not just me and Hector anymore. There is me and Dominic, Hector, Maud, Nancy, and my youngest son, Blaise. I have more experience and trust myself more. We will never have an Xbox again, but we love our computer. The easy access it gives us to information is even more amazing than the invention I imagined it would be when I was a little girl. We also love pens, paints, books, sport, cooking, the outdoors, and each other, and that is the most fun of all!

essence INFOWebsite: www.themothermagazine.co.uk This article was first published in The Mother magazine issue 71.

95THE MOTHER

Issue 71Autumn 2015

£5 / $9 US

Issue No. 71ISSN 1476-0150

Mothering& Intuition

Featuring:Camilla Rutherford Families and TechnologyElizabeth PantleyIntuition and SleepMichel OdentDo We Need Midwives?Naomi AldortIntuition or Anxiety?

ProfileCamilla Rutherford is an English actress best known for her roles in Gosford Park, Rome and, more recently, the television mini series, Fleming. Camilla grew up with her sisters in Holland Park. Her father was a writer for The Financial Times and her mother was a magistrate. She studied mathematics at Newcastle University and was a top model, appearing on the covers of Spanish Vogue and Spanish Harper’s Bazaar. Camilla was the face of Max Factor in 2004.She will next be seen in the film Alleycats, released later this year. Camilla feels happiest when she is being creative and has started a blog called ‘The English Mother’ as an outlet for her creative pursuits: www.theenglishmother.com.

PHOTO COPYRIGHT: FEATUREFLASH | DREAMSTIME.COM

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Monaco is known for the glamorous Grimaldi royal family, now headed by Prince Albert II. In 1956 the world was

captivated when the elegant Hollywood film star Grace Kelly married the dashing Prince Rainier III and since then the family has remained firmly in the public eye. Grimaldi descendants have ruled Monaco since 1297 when Francesco Grimaldi, disguised as a Franciscan monk, seized the fortress on the Rock of Monaco. In 1633, Honoré II, the first prince of Monaco, achieved independent sovereignty from Spain and in 1641 Louis XIII of France signed the Treaty of Péronne, leading to the Grimaldi family’s continuous rule, with the exception of two decades during the French Revolution when the family were exiled and the palace seized and used as a military hospital.

The Prince’s Palace was returned to the Grimaldi family in 1814 and restored by each successor. Today, the state apartments are open to the public from April to October and include the striking Mirror

Gallery, used during state visits. The Red Room is sumptuously furnished in the style of Louis XV and leads onto the York Room where King George III’s younger brother, Prince Edward Duke of York and Albany, died in 1787 as a result of illness during a sea voyage bound for Genoa. The Blue Room,

one of the highlights of the tour, is used for official functions and features portraits of the Grimaldi family hanging on walls lined with blue silk brocade and illuminated by sparkling Venetian chandeliers suspended from an ornate ceiling.

After the tour, be sure to take a leisurely stroll along the Place du Palais where visitors gather to admire the striking palace exterior, reflecting a mixture of medieval fortifications and Renaissance architecture. Mingle with the crowds and view the changing of the guard, which takes place every day just before noon.

The glamorous Principality of MonacoMonaco, the second smallest country in the world after the Vatican City, covers only 200 hectares and is subdivided into the traditional districts of La Condamine, which includes the port, Monaco Ville, known as ‘The Rock’, Fontvielle and Monte Carlo. Situated on the French Riviera, overlooking the sparkling translucent waters of the Mediterranean, Monaco is a tax haven and has achieved the world’s highest GDP per capita, writes Rebecca Underwood.

Take a leisurely stroll along the Place du Palais where visitors gather to admire the striking palace exterior, reflecting a mixture of medieval fortifications and Renaissance architecture.



Leisure breaks | MONACO

Descendants of the Grimaldi family, including Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III, are buried in Monaco’s Roman Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, a short walk away from the palace. Consecrated in 1875, the magnificent cathedral was erected on the site of the first parish church built in 1252.

Monte Carlo, the administrative district of Monaco, is the place to be seen, and appeals to a host of international celebrities, royalty and prominent figures on the world stage, all keen to attend popular events such as the annual Grand Prix motor race, which began in 1929. It is said that the 3.2 kilometre Formula One circuit takes six weeks to erect and is the most challenging racing track due to its narrow tunnel, elevation changes and hairpin bends. Stages of the Monte Carlo Rally are also held in the principality and it is thought to be one of the most arduous rallying events attended by thousands of ardent fans.

For a more tranquil experience, head for the Terrasses de Fontvieille and view the personal collection of vintage cars owned by the late Prince Rainier III. Highlights include the champion William Grover-Williams’ Bugatti Type 35, which won the first Monaco Grand Prix in 1929, and the Citroën DS3 WRC, driven by Sébastien Loeb, the champion of the 2013 Monte Carlo Rally. The collection also includes some of the most celebrated models from Rolls Royce, Jaguar, Mercedes and Maserati.

Nature lovers will find a visit to Fontvieille Park and the Princess Grace Rose Garden of interest. The picturesque lake bordered by lush lawns, colourful flower beds, swaying palms and olive trees is the ideal spot for a breather. The garden features a meandering footpath with contemporary sculptures displayed along the way and the fragrance of 8,000 rose bushes hangs in the air. Another attraction is the Jardin Exotique, which houses the world’s largest collection of succulents and cacti. Exhibits include species from Central and South America, South Africa, Eastern Arabia and the USA. Note the entry ticket for the Exotic Garden includes access to the Observatory Cave, 100 metres above sea level, at the foot of the cliff. >>>


Prince’s Palace, Monaco PHOTO COPYRIGHT: MONACO PRESS CENTRE PHOTOS

Monaco’s Grand Prix PHOTO COPYRIGHT: MONACO PRESS CENTRE PHOTOS


Another popular attraction is the Oceanographic Museum, located on the side of the Rock of Monaco. Founded in 1910 by Prince Albert I, the building resembles a palace, known as the temple of the sea. The palace reflects the architectural style of the Baroque Revival with a striking façade towering over the Mediterranean. Visit aquariums and view the extensive collection of marine life, which includes jellyfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, starfish and seahorses. Be sure to visit the six metre deep Shark’s Lagoon and Turtle’s Island located on the terrace where there is a café. Sit comfortably while enjoying a snack ‘al fresco’ and admire panoramic views across the ocean below.

For those with funds to spare and intent on ‘breaking the bank of Monte Carlo’, the Casino de Monte Carlo beckons, or others may prefer to splurge on a high end shopping experience at the Metropole Shopping Centre. Temptations include Max Mara, Kenzo, Tommy Hilfiger and Hugo Boss and if weighed down with purchases, there’s not far to go to

relax. The luxurious Hotel Metropole, which dates back to 1886, is steps away. The opulent accommodation is spacious and comfortable and the service is of the highest standard. Features include the Odyssey swimming pool, designed by Karl Lagerfeld, with plump sun loungers, verdant gardens and a sundeck overlooking the pool. For a very special dining experience, Joël Robuchon, the hotel’s main restaurant, offers a wide range of Mediterranean dishes. The ‘small portions’ menu is an interesting concept: proving popular with diners as they are free to choose any number of dishes to taste. The deep fried shrimps in a vermicelli coating with a delicious herb and jasmine dip need to be reordered.

For night birds, The Living Room Club, located on Avenue des Spélugues, is one of the ‘coolest’ places to be and an ideal spot to practice dance moves. Music is an eclectic mixture of disco, summer hits and classics, and the action begins at 11pm and continues until sunrise. Should visitors prefer a more relaxed spot, head for the terrace, which overlooks the casino gardens. Alternatively, for a quiet tipple accompanied by a jazz band, visit the Sass Café on Avenue Princess Grace.

Join the jet set and visit the Principality of Monaco for a taste of the finer things in life. v

A local at the Oceanographic Museum PHOTO COPYRIGHT:

MONACO PRESS

CENTRE PHOTOS

The Oceanographic Museum resembles a palace and reflects the architectural style of the Baroque Revival with a striking façade towering over the Mediterranean.

Hotel Metropole, Monte Carlo

The Princess Grace Rose Garden PHOTO COPYRIGHT: MONACO PRESS CENTRE PHOTOS

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Q Why have you named your tour, The Joy of Mincing?A I always like to get ‘mincing’ into the title. We’ve had Lord of theMince, Natural Born Mincer and Mincing Machine was my first tour in 1989.

I don’t know why; it sets the tone, doesn’t it? I suppose mincing, apartfrom being a means of walking around, is a way of life. The Joy ofMincing is a declaration of the joy of life despite disapproval, perhaps.

Q Do you still feel people disapprove?A Well, exactly. I think there probably is some (disapproval). Andmincing, which is an old fashioned word, was probably in its day borneout of standing up in the face of that disapproval.

Q Is the show as rude as ever – you haven’t toned things down?A No, I don’t think so. It’s the one time you can let rip a bit, on stage.I don’t want to be filthy for the sake of it, but I think it’s a comic device.You just exaggerate who you really are on stage. I’m quite fond ofmoments of vulgarity.

Q You’ve been performing for 30 years. How has comedy changedduring that time?A Yes, it’s my 30th anniversary next year. Comedy has changed beyondall recognition. It used to be an eclectic selection of people in small roomsabove pubs, in the 1980s. Our comedy was a reaction against the right-wing men in bow ties who were being offered as light entertainment inthose days.

Q And has your comedy changed?A Yes, a bit. I think you evolve, whether you want to or not. There was acertain amount of anger and delight in confronting people when I started,which has more or less gone now. Making people laugh is my main aimin life these days. I don’t think there’s so much to be angry about now.

Julian Clary has toured the world with his one-man shows and remains one of the country’smost popular entertainers. Emma Cox talked to him about his current nationwide tour, The Joy of Mincing.

Mincer of theBritish Empire

BOTH IMAGES PHOTO COPYRIGHT: EDDIE BOTSIO

Julian_Layout 1 01/03/2016 16:59 Page 1

Comedy | JULIAN CLARY


>>>

Q Do you have fans who have been following your career for that full 30 years?A There are, and they bring their children along now. I’m very fond of them, you know. You don’t know their names necessarily, but it’salways a joy to see a familiar face. There’s a delightful family fromTunbridge Wells I’ve known since the boy was 13 and now he’s a grown-up. It’s charming. We talk about the old days at the Hackney Empire, orour aches and pains. There’s a connection there, even though we don’treally know each other, because on one level we do.

Q What sort of stories will you be telling on this tour?A Well, there’s a rather long story about how I once saved Joan Collins’life in a swimming pool in St Tropez. It’s a true story, which I won’t giveaway now, but it’s a long, meandering tale that fills the first half.

Then the second half is about MBEs. I’ve noticed a lot of my friends in the business are getting these awards. They’re handing themout like Smarties. I think, “Ooh, I’d like one of those”, but it’s neverhappened so I’m obviously not favoured by the Establishment. I can onlyblame myself… So during the show, I give myself an award and call it‘Mincer of the British Empire. I’m making lots of these MBEs andhanding them out to people in the audience. Just the lucky few, youunderstand: it’s not included in the ticket price. I’m always looking for anexcuse to talk to the audience. That’s what keeps me going. You can get

bored if you’re just reeling off the same old nonsense. I’m alwaysinterested in the audience and their stories. People are very funny; theynever fail to amuse.

Q I assume that if you were offered an MBE in real life, you would accept?A I’d bite their hands off! I think I’ve been too rude about the RoyalFamily over the years, unfortunately. I’m probably on some kind of blacklist somewhere.

Q Is there anywhere you’re particularly looking forward to visitingon your tour?A I love Glasgow. My rule used to be that the further north you go, themore extrovert people are. But I’ve changed my mind about that becauseI’ve had lovely gigs down south as well as in grim northern towns. I’man ‘any time, any place’ kinda gal, I guess.

Q Do you find it difficult being on tour? Other comedians complain itis lonely and you eat badly because you’re constantly on the road.A Well, nobody’s making you do it. And there’s a Waitrose in every townthese days. It’s probably just the dreary, married heterosexual types thatcomplain. This is what I wanted to do 30 years ago, and I’m still doing it– standing on stage, talking about myself and getting applause for it.What’s not to like? I suppose it’s a bit weird coming off stage and beingon your own, but it doesn’t bother me.

Q What was your worst ever gig?A It was in Chatham, in Kent. I don’t know what was wrong with them,but nobody laughed for two hours. I was seething. I refused to ever goback. If you search through all of my novels, I’m rude about Chatham inall of them. It clearly scarred me for life, and I’m still seeking revenge.My children’s books are translated into twelve different languages andI’m refusing to change the name of Chatham in any of them. They willknow, even in Brazil, the horrible truth that Chatham is not a town wherethey laugh at Julian Clary.

Q Your personal life seems to have changed as much as your career– you’ve turned your back on partying and now live an idyllic, rurallifestyle in a village in Kent. Is that right?A Yes. Well that’s what I’m telling you anyway. I think there’s nothingdrearier than a 56 year old homosexual hanging around Soho in lycra.Mercifully, one grows out of that. Thank goodness.

Q You don’t miss those days, at all?A Absolutely not. You’d have to pay a lot of money to get me into anightclub, sniffing and snorting and dragging some trollop home withme. Yuck. I like to keep myself nice these days.

Q What’s happened to the old outfits?A I’ve still got them, though goodness knows what I’ll ever do with them.I might bring some of them on tour as it’s my 30-year anniversary… Akind of retrospective fashion show. I used to look at all these drawings ofrubber outfits covered in feathers and think, “My goodness, that’soutrageous, I couldn’t possibly.” But that was part of the fun.


Q Are you ever tempted to wear them again?A Don’t be silly. I sniff them sometimes. Just for old times’ sake. Scent isvery evocative, isn’t it? A lung full of my old diamante jockstrap and I’mimmediately transported back to the London Palladium in 1993.

Q Do you ever wear make-up anymore?A Only on tour. I like the glittery lips and all of that. Not for television. Ithink on high definition it looks a bit peculiar.

Q How do you feel about ageing – do you enjoy it?A It’s not on the top of my list of enjoyable things, no. Although I amthrilled with my grey hair. I’ve turned from a fluffy chicken into a silverfox. It’s very interesting: when you’re young, there are all these things youwant to achieve. Then when you get to your fifties you’ve either done themor you haven’t, so the physical deterioration is offset by the things you cantick off the list. In that respect, each decade is better than the last. AlthoughI’m sure one reaches a tipping point where that’s not the case anymore.

Q How do you feel when you look in the mirror?A I think it’s very easy to delude yourself. I might think to myself, “I needto lose some weight”, so I won’t have any butter on my toast, and the nextday I look again and think, “Gosh, I’ve lost two stone.” I’m fine aboutmyself, really. It could have been a lot worse.

Q What hobbies do you have?A I used to like yoga, although I haven’t been for ages. It started morphinginto an encounter group with people talking about depression and marriageproblems. I just wanted my hamstrings stretched. So I said “Namaste” anddidn’t return. I like pottering around my garden. Am I good? I’m very goodat walking around and telling my gardener what to do.

Q If I’d have told you years ago you would end up living in thecountry with dogs, pottering around your garden, would you havebelieved me?A I probably would, actually. Because as a child I was very into animalsand nature. Obviously I got distracted for a few years. With gay urbanand all the rest of it. So I’ve come full circle.

Q What do you think the public perception is of you, and do youthink they'd be surprised by your real life?A Maybe people imagine I’m camp and outrageous all the time and thatI wear full make-up and glittery outfits when I’m at home doing thehoovering. In fact I wear just a touch of raspberry lip balm and a drip-drykimono. Just like anyone else.

Q Are you well known in your village?A Well, who knows? Most people here have got better things to do thanget excited about celebrities in their midst. Mind you, I was in the frontgarden recently and a woman drove past with a friend and then I heardher car screech to a halt. I heard her say, “There he is, look, there he is.”Then she shouted out to me, “Where’s the other one?”, meaning PaulO’Grady, who lives in the same village. Quite rude, I thought. Probablyfrom Ashford. I am aware that I am sometimes slightly snappy withmembers of the public.

Q Your children’s book, The Bolds, was hugely successful. Did youfeel any pressure writing the second one?A No. I’m onto my third now. They flow out of me, I don’t know wherethey’re all coming from. Making children laugh is a whole new thing forme, it’s lovely. No child pretends to laugh – it’s very genuine.

Q What about acting?A I don’t have any burning desire to act. I’ve spent so long creating mypersona that it seems strange to let go and be someone else. I’m alwayslooking for a surprising offer, mind you. Good things often come alongas a sort of divine intervention. Just as you’re thinking, “What am I goingto do next year?”, something wonderful comes along. And if it doesn’t,I’ll think up my own fun and games in the privacy of my luxury home.And I’ll make sure I draw the curtains before I start.


essence INFOThe Joy of Mincing tours nationwide from 25 March to 27 May 2016 and atDorking Halls on 5 May. Websites: www.dorking halls.co.uk & www.julianclary.co.ukTelephone: (Dorking Halls) 01306 881717

Julian is a comedian, entertainer and novelist who has toured the world with his one-man shows. He became a household name in the late 1980s, and remains one of the country’s most popular entertainers. Julian hasappeared on numerous popular TV shows including Celebrity Big Brother(which he won), Strictly Come Dancing, This Morning, QI, Have I Got News For You and is a regular panelist on BBC Radio 4’s Just a Minute. Julian also hosted his own natural history series for ITV entitled Nature Nuts inAugust 2015. He has starred in West End productions of Taboo and Cabaret,and appears in pantomime most years. Julian publishes his second children’s book, The Bolds to the Rescue, this month.

Profile: Julian Clary

PHOTO COPYRIGHT: TONY BRIGGS


a pair of tickets toTHRILLER LiveNow in its record breaking eighth year,THRILLER Live is a spectacular concertcreated to celebrate the career of theworld’s greatest entertainer.Already seen by over 3.5 million people in over thirty countries, THRILLER Live continues to moonwalk around the world, takingtheatregoers on a visual, audio and electrifyingjourney through the magic of Michael Jackson’sforty year musical history.

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To win a pair of tickets to THRILLER Live at theLyric Theater, Shaftesbury Avenue, London,simply visit www.essence-magazine.co.uk andanswer the following question:

Who recorded ‘Thriller’ and made it a hit in 1982?a) Michael Bubléb) Michael Boltonc) Michael JacksonClosing date 30 March 2016.

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theatreRichmond TheatreRichmondTuesday 8 to Saturday 12 March

42nd Street

With a classic score including

Lullaby of Broadway.

Tuesday 15 to Saturday 19 March

Get Carter

An adaptation of the story from Mike

Hodge’s film starring Michael Caine.

Sunday 20 March

Ed Byrne Outside, Looking In

Comic on tour with new show.


Gangsta Granny

The world premiere of David

Walliams’ adventure story.

Tuesday 5 to Saturday 9 April

Goodnight Mister Tom

The Olivier award-winning

production returns to the stage.

Tickets: 0844 871 7651 or

ambassadortickets.com/richmond

New Victoria TheatreWokingMonday 7 to Saturday 12 March

The Last Tango

Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace

perform on their last tour.


Hairspray The Musical

Smash hit musical comedy.

Tuesday 29 March to

Saturday 9 April

The Bodyguard

Award-winning musical starring

Alexander Burke.

Tickets: 0844 871 7645 or

ambassadortickets.com/woking

Cranleigh Arts CentreCranleighFriday 18 March

The Noise Next Door:

Noise In The Hood

A night of mind-blowing songs,

characters and punchlines from

masters of off-the-cuff comedy.

Information: 01483 278000 or

cranleighartscentre.org

Dorking HallsDorkingFriday 1 April

Gordon Buchanan

An evening of recollections from

this acclaimed wildlife cameraman

and presenter of The Bear Family

and Me. See the interview with

Gordon earlier in essence.


dorkinghalls.co.uk

spotlight on...Kat Rusby in concert at G Live, GuildfordFriday 8 April, 7.30pm

English folk singer and songwriter Kate Rusby will appear at G Live for

one night only on Friday 8 April. Kate is known as a remarkably interpretive

singer with the ability to transport an audience via the simplicity of the

songs she chooses to sing. From being a nominee for 1999’s Mercury

prize – almost unknown for a folk singer then and now – to her second

solo album Sleepless to 2014’s Ghost, Kate has stayed true to her folk

and acoustic roots. At G Live she will, as ever, be joined on stage by the

best of British folk musicians who form her band, including husband

Damien O’Kane on banjo and tenor guitar; Duncan Lyall, double bass;

Nick Cooke, diatonic accordion and Steve Byrnes on bouzouki. Kate has

a winning combination of beautiful singing, engaging Yorkshire wit and

intuitive support of the band, all leading to an unforgettable concert experience.

Information: 01483 369350 or glive.co.uk

essence events


1 Mar 16_Layout 1 29/02/2016 18:26 Page 2

1 Mar 16_Layout 1 29/02/2016 18:26 Page 3

The Electric TheatreGuildfordThursday 31 March to

Saturday 2 April

The Man in the Moon presents:

James and the Giant Peach

Roald Dahl’s adventure tale

performed by the Electric Theatre’s

resident youth theatre.


electrictheatre.co.uk

Epsom PlayhouseEpsomThursday 17 March

Vienna Festival Ballet’s Coppelia

A magical and comical classic tale

for all the family.

Tuesday 29 March

Rapunzel

A familiar tale, with a new spin,

creating a musical for all.

Thursday 31 March

Lee Nelson: Suited & Booted

Bane of Kanye and Sepp Blatter,

Lee extends his tour into 2016.


epsomplayhouse.co.uk

Farnham MaltingsFarnhamTuesday 15 March

Backstage in Biscuit Land,

by Touretteshero

Two woman show comprising

comedy, puppetry, singing and more.

Friday 1 April

Ground Control

A perfect space tale for children

aged seven to 12 years.


farnhammaltings.com

Guildford FringeThe Star Inn, Quarry St, GuildfordSaturday 19 March, 8pm

Guildford Gag House Comedy Club

For the full line-up, see website.

Information: guildfordfringe.com

Rose TheatreKingston-upon-ThamesTuesday 8 to Saturday 19 March

Beryl: The Greatest Woman

on Two Wheels

Maxine Peake’s stage writing debut,

the play celebrates the life of

sporting legend Beryl Burton.

Sunday 13 March

Adam Hills: Clown Heart

Popular comedian on tour.

Recommended for ages 14+.


The Merry Wives

Northern Broadsides presents this

fun, physical comedy with a bevy

of colourful characters.

Information: 020 8174 0090 or

rosetheatrekingston.org

Yvonne Arnaud TheatreGuildfordSaturday 12 to Saturday 19 March

Our House: The Madness Musical

Madness hit songs are brought to

the Yvonne Arnaud by the

Guildford School of Acting.

Monday 21 to Saturday 26 March

Toast

Acclaimed drama starring

Matthew Kelly and Simon Greenall.

Tuesday 29 March to

Saturday 2 April

The Father

Kenneth Cranham reprises his West

End performance in this winner of

the 2014 Molière Award for Best Play.

Tickets: 01483 440000

or yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

musicThe BoileroomGuildfordMonday 21 March, 7pm

October Drift

Rising newcomers perform a

high energy live show for one

night only at The Boileroom.

Entry requirement: age 14+.


theboileroom.net

Cranleigh Arts CentreCranleighWednesday 16 March, 7.30pm

Júlia Pusker: violin

Hungarian violinist performs

Bach, Beethoven and more.

Saturday 19 March, 8.30pm

Jo Harman & Company

Female blues/soul singer.


cranleighartscentre.org

The Last Tango, New Victoria Theatre, Woking

October Drift, The Boileroom

The Noise Next Door, Cranleigh Arts Centre

Photo credit: Manuel Harlan


essence events

1 Mar 16_Layout 1 29/02/2016 18:26 Page 4

The Electric TheatreGuildfordMonday 14 to Saturday 19 March

The Guildford Spring

Music Festival 2016

The seventh Festival presents a

week of performances from

Michael Collins, University of

Surrey Big Band, the GSA Singers,

The Surrey Mozart Players and

many more.


electrictheatre.co.uk

Farnham MaltingsFarnhamSaturday 19 March, 7.45pm

Farnborough Symphony

Orchestra Spring Concert

The orchestra will be joined by

critically-acclaimed violinist

So-Ock Kim to perform Elgar’s

Violin Concerto.


farnhammaltings.com

G LiveGuildfordMonday 14 March, 7pm

The Stranglers

Veteran band on a UK tour

showcasing the legendary Black

and White album, along with other

material, both new and old.

Tuesday 29 March, 8pm

The ELO Experience

The acclaimed tribute band.

Thursday 31 March, 8pm

Christy Moore

The king of Irish roots music

performs for one night only.

Friday 8 April, 7.30pm

Kate Rusby

See Spotlight on page 66.


glive.co.uk

Occam SingersHoly Trinity Church, GuildfordSaturday 12 March, 7.30pm

Saint John Passion

A performance of Johann Sebastian

Bach’s masterpiece. Occam Singers

will be accompanied by baroque

orchestra Ars Eloquentiae and

conducted by David Gibson.


occamsingers.co.uk

Southern Pro MusicaHoly Trinity Church, GuildfordFriday 11 March, 7.30pm

Saint John Passion

The professional chamber orchestra

performs works by Haydn, Mozart

and Malcolm Arnold.


southernpromusica.org

exhibitionsThe Art AgencyEsherMonday 14 March to

Saturday 30 April

Pam Carter

Scottish artist Pam Carter exhibits

her strong and expressive landscape

paintings of Skye and the Outer Isles.


theartagency.co.uk

Corner GalleryCarshalton BeechesTo Saturday 2 April

Nicky Chubb

Surrey-based artist Nicky Chubb

continues her first solo exhibition.

Information: 020 8669 5899 or

corner-gallery.com

Dorking MuseumWest Street, DorkingUntil Saturday 26 March

Dorking 1915:

WW1 Home Front exhibition

Following on from Dorking 2014, an

exhibition focusing on the changes

and sacrifices made by the people

of Dorking during 1915.


dorkingmuseum.org.uk

Guildford House GalleryGuildfordSaturday 12 March to

Saturday 2 April

Surrey Photographic Association

Biennial Exhibition 2016

Showcasing the work of over 50

camera clubs in Surrey, west Sussex

and north-east Hampshire.


guildford.gov.uk/guildfordhouse

Haslemere MuseumHaslemereTo Saturday 26 March

Shared Art annual exhibition

A large range of artwork to view with

the theme: ‘Up the garden path’.


haslemeremuseum.co.uk

The Lightbox Galleryand MuseumWokingTo Sunday 8 May

John Constable:

Observing the Weather

An exhibition which concentrates

on Constable’s unique ability to

combine artistic skill with scientific

observation to record changes in

weather phenomena. The works

range from pen and ink studies to

watercolour and oil sketches.

spotlight on...Easter Garden Detectives and the Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt, RHS Garden Wisley, WokingSaturday 19 March to Sunday 10 April

RHS Garden Wisley has a multitude of events on offer this spring,

including the chance to take part in the trail of the Lindt gold

bunny. A full day of Easter fun is guaranteed from 19 March

to 10 April with arts and crafts sessions available, as well as

following the clues leading to a delicious Easter treat. In addition,

Wisley has its Spring Plant Fair running between Friday 18 to

Sunday 20 March where quality spring plants from specialist

growers and nurseries will be available. Other unmissable events

will be Wisley’s Shohin Bonsai Weekend, Saturday 2 to

Sunday 3 April, and the Birds of Prey Weekend on Saturday 9

and Sunday 10 April where agility displays by these magnificent

birds will take place at 11am and 2pm.

Information: 0845 260 9000 or rhs.org.uk/wisley

Children walk among daffodils in spring, RHS Garden Wisley. Credit: RHS/Adam Duckworth


1 Mar 16_Layout 1 29/02/2016 18:26 Page 5

To Sunday 13 March

Heath Robinson

– Saved for the Nation

A cross-section of Robinson’s

cartoons from the inter-war years.

To Sunday 10 April

Not all Contemporary Art

is Rubbish! The Ingram Collection

Works from up-and-coming artists.


thelightbox.org.uk

McAllister ThomasGodalmingSaturday 12 to Tuesday 29 March

Featured artists are Emma Haggas

and Dominique Kenway.


mcallisterthomasfineart.co.uk

New Ashgate GalleryFarnhamTo Saturday 16 April

Rising Stars 2016

Exciting new crafts by emerging

makers including jewellery,

stoneware, paintings and lots more.


newashgate.org.uk

Watts GalleryCompton, GuildfordTo Sunday 5 June

Poetry in Beauty:

The Pre-Raphaelite Art of

Marie Spartali Stillman

An exhibition demonstrating the

quality and importance of a most

admired female artist.


wattsgallery.org.uk

national trustNational Trust properties offer

perfect venues in which visitors

can play and relax. This Easter,

don’t miss the Cadbury Easter Egg

hunts. A few are shown here, but

visit nationaltrust.org.uk for more.

Box Hillnear DorkingFriday 25 to Monday 28 March,

10am–2pm

Cadbury Easter Egg hunt

Box Hill is also a great place to fly a

kite, ride a bike and lots more.

Information: 01372 220644

Claremont LandscapeGardenEsherFriday 25 and Saturday 26 March,

10.30am–4pm


With an Easter bonnet competition

and parade on Saturday at 3pm.

Monday 4 to Friday 8 April,

10.30am–12.30pm

Children’s craft activities

Holiday craft activities.


Hatchlands ParkEast Clandon, GuildfordFriday 25 to Monday 28 March,

11am–4pm


Chocolate prizes for solving clues, a

cinemasCranleigh Arts Centre 01483 278000 or cranleighartscentre.org

Farnham Maltings 01252 745444 or farnhammaltings.com

Odeon Esher 0871 2244007 or

odeon.co.uk/fanatic/film_times/s89/esher

Odeon Epsom 0871 2244007 or

odeon.co.uk/fanatic/film_times/s88/epsom

Odeon Guildford 0871 2244007 or

odeon.co.uk/fanatic/film_times/s92/guildford

The Screen Walton 01932 252825 or

screencinemas.co.uk

The Ambassadors Cinema, Woking 0844 871 6743 or

ambassadortickets.com/cinema

Cloister Lilies, 1891, watercolour and gouache on paper by Marie Spartali Stillman, Watts Gallery

Easter at Bocketts Farm

Cadbury Easter Egg hunt, Polesden Lacey, National Trust

essence events

© National Trust Images/Chris Lacey

Courtesy The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford


1 Mar 16_Layout 1 29/02/2016 18:26 Page 6

children’s natural adventure area,

Sylvanian Families Nature Trail plus

400 acres of woodland to explore.


Holmwood Commonnear DorkingSaturday 26 March, 1–4pm


A trail in woodlands once owned

by William the Conqueror.


Leith Hill PlaceDorkingFriday 25 to Monday 28 March,

11am–4pm


A musical trail to follow at the

childhood home of composer

Ralph Vaughan Williams.


Polesden LaceyGreat Bookham, near DorkingFriday 25 March to Sunday 10 April,

11am–3pm


A mystery trail to follow.


Runnymede andAnkerwyckenear EghamSaturday 26 and Sunday 27 March,

10.30am–4pm


Trail at the site of politics.


Swan Barn FarmHaslemereSaturday 2 April, 10.30am–3.30pm


Chocolate on offer with great

picnic and walking opportunities.


Winkworth ArboretumGodalmingSunday 27 and Monday 28 March,

10.30am–4pm

Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt

A trail with special activities for

children, along with impressive

displays of spring flowers.


nationaltrust.org.uk

out &aboutBocketts FarmLeatherheadFriday 25 March to Sunday 10 April

Easter Eggstravaganza

See newborn lambs, goats, cows

and follow an Easter trail.

Information: bockettsfarm.co.uk

BirdworldFarnhamWednesday 30 March

Easter Egg hunt

Crack the clues to claim an egg.

Monday 4 to Friday 8 April

Pirate Week

Themed shows, games and trails.

Information: birdworld.co.uk

Brooklands MuseumWeybridgeTuesday 29 March to Friday 8 April ,

10am–5pm

Easter school holiday family fun

On weekdays take part in the car

rides, look out for Bertie Bear or try

the family workshop.


brooklandsmuseum.com

Dorking MuseumWest Street, DorkingSaturday 19 March, 2–4pm

Family activity Saturday:

Easter Egg hunt

Follow the clues around the

museum to claim a prize.


dorkingmuseum.org.uk

George Irvin’s Ultimate FunfairHampton Court GreenFriday 25 to Tuesday 29 March

Traditional funfair on the Green.

Information: irvinleisure.co.uk

Godstone FarmGodstone, near CaterhamFriday 25 March to Sunday 10 April

Easter fun

Baby animals galore and plenty of

Easter activities on offer.

Information: godstonefarm.co.uk

The Living Planet CentreWokingTuesday 5 and Thursday 7 April

Panda power workshops

Create a collaged panda capturing

the world around us that WWF

works to protect. Suitable for

children aged four and over.

Information: wwf.org.uk/whatson

Loseley ParkGuildfordThursday 17 March, 7.30pm

‘Jane Austen at Home’ in the

Great Hall of Loseley House

A recital and dinner celebrating the

life of one of our greatest novelists.

Information: loseleypark.co.uk

Painshill ParkCobhamTuesday 29 March to Friday 1 April

and Monday 4 to Friday 8 April

Wild Easter Camp

Bivouac building and mud

sculptures for ages eight to 13.

Advance booking required.


painshill.co.uk

Surrey Wildlife TrustVarious locationsSaturday 12 March, 2–4pm

Coulsdon Common

A walk through newly-created wood

pasture and along hedgerows.

Thursday 7 April, 1–2.30pm

and 3–4.30pm

Undersea Explorers

Jump into a pool at Goldsworth

Primary School, Woking,

transformed into an underwater

environment. For ages seven to 11.

Booking essential.


surreywildlifetrust.org

sportHampton Court PalaceHalf Marathon 2016Hampton CourtSunday 20 March, start 9am

The Palace Half

Starting on the driveway of the

Palace, the course is flat

with a mixture of terrain.

Information: palacehalf.com

Undersea Explorers, Surrey Wildlife Trust

farmers’ marketsCamberley Saturday 19 March, 10am–3pm

Cranleigh Every Friday, 9.30–11am

Epsom Sunday 6 March and 3 April, 9.30am–1.30pm

Farnham Sunday 27 March, 10am–1.30pm

Guildford Tuesday 1 March and 5 April, 10.30am–3.30pm

Haslemere Sunday 6 March and 3 April, 10am–1.30pm

Milford Sunday 20 March, 10am–1.30pm

Ripley Saturday 12 March, 9am–1pm

Walton-on-Thames Saturday 5 March and 2 April, 9.30am–2pm

Woking Thursday 17 March, 9am–2pm

Courtesy SWT/Nick Blake


1 Mar 16_Layout 1 29/02/2016 18:26 Page 7


ocated on the Camel Estuary, opposite the lively andfashionable fishing port of Padstow, made famous of course

by celebrity chef Rick Stein, Rock is host to St Enodoc Golf Club. Itwas founded over 125 years ago and designed by the legendary JamesBraid to romp in between and up and down the natural contours ofthe seaside sand dunes, giving rise to a course considered one ofBraid’s greatest masterpieces. This revered championship links, asthe saying goes, is ‘once trodden, never forgotten’.

For many taking time off in Rock, a visit to St Enodoc is all part ofthe holiday enjoyment. Despite its venerable age, this forward-thinkinggolf club has shifted away from the stuffy scene that many of thetraditional clubs are so often associated with and today it welcomesvisitors, including families and children, with wide open arms.

St Enodoc not only offers a great round of golf, but the chance to havea lesson (it has a flourishing junior section), hone one’s skills over itsexcellent practice facilities or simply sit back, relax and take in thepanoramic views.

A recent renovation of the clubhouse in the New England style –suited to its coastal location – has created a bright, comfortable andrelaxed place to go and enjoy a beer or a Pimm’s on the terrace or indulgein locally-sourced lunches prepared by head chef, David Wheeler.

A local Cornish lad, David grew up just a mile down the road inPityme and cites Cornish mussels and asparagus, grown in theneighbouring farm to the golf course, as his favourite dishes to prepare inspring and summer.

The heart of St Enodoc is, however, its stunning golf course.Positioned in front of the clubhouse, high on the rolling dunes, StEnodoc’s Church Course offers some of the greatest sea and estuary viewsof any course in the world from almost every hole. Its spectacular vistasare liable to distract some golfers from the tricky, undulating greens andnumerous treacherous blind shots, including one in particular on the sixthhole where the green is protected by the mighty Himalaya bunker,reputedly the tallest in Europe.

However, it is the tenth hole that is often described as the course’ssignature hole as it winds its way towards the eleventh century St Enodoc

Once a quiet fishing village in north Cornwall, Rock is now better known as a holiday spot for the sailing,windsurfing and waterskiing set and the destination of choice by the likes of none other than Prince Williamduring his younger years. Indeed, such is the abundance of second home owners in the vicinity that Rock isoften referred to as the Kensington of Cornwall or, more recently, as Surrey-on-Sea. Rock is also home to one of England’s finest golf clubs, St Enodoc, that forms an intrinsic part of the so-called ‘Rock life’.

The par 5, 16th hole at St Enodoc Golf Club, Rock

Golf at StEnodoc intrinsicto Cornwall’s ‘Rock life’

L

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Sport | ST ENODOC


>>>

Church where Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman liesburied in the graveyard beside his favourite course. A challenging hole, it requires a good drive, followed

by an even better second aimed directly at the church porch in order toavoid the lateral hazard that runs the length of the hole which creeps evercloser to the left hand side of the green.

At 6,547 yards, St Enodoc is not long by today’s standards, yet thecourse record stands at 65, four under par, giving golfers a good indicationof how demanding the course really is. It is often said that many linkscourses are easy if there is no wind – even St. Andrews – but be warned,this does not apply to St Enodoc.

Today golfers still play the course as essentially laid out by Braid: atremendous tribute to this great golfer’s vision and skill as it has stoodthe test of time despite the enormous changes in clubs and balls in thelast 70 years.

Over the years, this championship links has lured a host of legendaryOpen Champions to its fairways, including James Braid of course, HenryCotton, Jim Barnes and Tom Watson, which has added to its prestige.

St Enodoc also boasts a second course, the Holywell, shorter than theChurch Course and so ideal for juniors, seniors and those looking forslightly less of a challenge. For those with less time on their hands, theHolywell offers the chance to play a full 18 holes in less than three hoursfor just £25.

Several of its original holes were of Braid’s design while holes 14, 15and 16 are often referred to as its ‘Amen Corner’, so the Holywell shouldcertainly not be discounted.

Both courses benefit from being situated in one of the driest parts ofCornwall and the fact that they are perched on sand ensures excellent golfthroughout the year. Thanks to the warm Gulf Stream climate, frost andsnow are rare even in the depths of winter allowing for good courseconditioning even in the winter months.

As well as giving its clubhouse a makeover, St Enodoc has invested a

Padstow, Cornwall PHOTO COPYRIGHT: ADAM GIBBARD

Buzzard on the 9th tee of St Enodoc


great deal into its two courses over the last few years, with both layouts benefiting hugelyfrom the refurbishments which included the laying of numerous new greens and tees.

In addition to the golf and water sports available in Rock, there are plenty of other thingsto do when visiting the area.

The nearby Camel Estuary, for example, provides many activities. Walking round theNational Trust coastal footpath to the north and south provide spectacular scenery and fromhere you can visit the Norman Church, set alongside the golf course which was only

uncovered from being buried in the sand dunes during Victorian times.Padstow, opposite St Enodoc, can easily be reached by ferry from Rock.From here, bicycles can be hired to ride along the old railway line up riverto Wadebridge on the Camel Trail.

Both towns have a good selection of quaint shops,artisan outlets and art galleries. Whilst Padstow’ssuccess in recent years is attributed largely to thesuccess of Stein and his famous seafood restaurants and cafés, it is also home to a host of independentestablishments and restaurants offering local produce.

Further afield, the biggest single attraction is TheEden Project (about a forty minute car trip towards thesouth coast) which showcases 100,000 plants from around the world intwo giant transparent domes, each recreating different climate conditions.Other well-known gardens include The Lost Gardens of Heligan and Trebah, whilst on the south coast the new Maritime Museum inFalmouth is worth a visit. For artistic types, the famous Tate Gallery hasa base in St Ives which includes the Barbara Hepworth Museum andsculptural garden.

So next time, when heading off down to Cornwall for some ‘Rocklife’, don’t forget to pack the golf clubs and book a tee time, a lesson orsimply a table for lunch at St Enodoc, now very much a part of theexperience and enjoyment for those visiting Rock and its environs.

Several of its original holes were of Braid’s design whileholes 14, 15 and 16 are oftenreferred to as its ‘Amen Corner’,so the Holywell should certainlynot be discounted.


essence INFOSt. Enodoc Golf Club, Rock, Wadebridge, Cornwall PL27 6LDWebsite: www.st-enodoc.co.uk Email: [email protected]

The Camel Estuary forms abackdrop to the green on the

par 4, 1st hole at St Enodoc

Clubhouse and terrace, St Enodoc

The National Trust's Porthcurno Beach, Cornwall


MORE THAN JUST A LAWN TENNIS CLUB

To arrange your private viewing contact 01932 268954 or 01932 843541

Membership provides lawn, indoor and outdoor tennis, all glass exhibition and glass backed squash courts, a heated indoor swimming pool and state of the art health and fi tness facilities along with a boutique spa. The historic Clubhouse is set against our lakeside terrace and our friendly sta� provide

a social environment in which to relax and make friends over lunch, dinner or after sporting activity.

The Club enjoys welcoming new members and visitors and hope that our passion and sense of pride for the Club encourages you to stay a little longer.

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essence issue 69

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