the southampton directory issue 45

www.thesouthamptondirectory.co.uk2

Hello ResidentsHAPPy NEw yEAR To you All! 2012 doesn’t look like it’s going to be any easierfinancially than 2011 but theoretically, it should be as we’ve become used to high pricesand cutting back so watching the pennies is more the norm (tell that to my daughters).So, in a pathetic bid the save money, every year I vow to buy all my Christmas presents inthe January sales (see pg 4) but end up taking home items I wouldn’t normally buybecause just they’re a bargain (namely, one breadmaker, a pair of wetsuits and a kettle,

in case the current one breaks, which, of course, it hasn’t!). EdIToRIAl CHANgES. I’m implementing a few editorial changes this year startingwith a monthly celebrity interview (see Alfie Boe pg 36), and more competitionsinstead of the £100 ‘Find the Symbol’ competition. to help new businesses, I’mfeaturing ‘New Biz on the Block’ and I’m offering new businesses 50% discount onfour months of advertising (see pg 63 for details).HElP REquIREd. I’m looking for a part time advertising sales person topromote the magazine to businesses in your area. If you or someone you knowhas a few spare hours a week and is a good communicator then I’d like tohear from you (see pg 39). Until next time.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADVERTISE IN THE SOUTHAMPTON DIRECTORY?It’s a fantastic way to target potential customers and great value for money - visit ourwebsite at www.thesouthamptondirectory.co.uk or call Melanie on 023 8026 6388

Published by The Southampton Directory Ltd, 4 Firwood Close, Chandlers Ford, Hants SO53 1HNTel: 023 8026 6388 Fax: 0871 989 2756 Email: [email protected]

EDITOR’S LETTER AND CONTENT

04

£100hidden symboL

competition

10

CONGRATULATIONS!to our Winner of issue 43

J ThompsonCedar Road, Hythe

Symbol wasin Zumba Advert

COULd thISSUIt YOU?

?

36

Look out forQr codes

and save £££s

MelanieEDITORIAL04 Sale Time Again!

06 New Year’s Revolution

08 What’s On January

09 What’s On January continued

10 Exploring Country Churches

12 Speaker’s Corner

14 Unique Lanzarote

18 New Year New You!

22 Looking After Festive Plants

26 A Porsche from Nothing

27 Charity of the Month

29 Eating Out Guide

36 Interview : Alfie Boe

40 Only Smoking

42 It’s Child’s Play

57 Useful Numbers

58 Clubs & Societies

60 Regular Events

62 Advertisers Index

COFFEE BREAK19 Review of the Year

42

To advertise please [email protected] or call 023 8026 6388 3

There’s a wonderful Charles Addams cartoon fromthe New yorker of god knows how many years agoshowing a sale at a big department store, where ahuge poster advertises “genuine reductions!!!”There’s a queue of normal-sized people waiting togo in…and a line of tiny little people coming out.

Well, January sales can be pretty nightmarish, if notperhaps that nightmarish. but the crowds, theelbowing, the fighting over the priced-to-selldesigner schmutter… not my cup of tea, but somepeople seem to thrive on it. it’s either the hunter-gatherer instinct resurfacing, or just a submergedtaste for violence temporarily legitimised, but manyshoppers love the scrum so much they even queueovernight with sleeping-bag and thermos of hotsoup. (Which begs a question: where do they err, go,in the night? A very real problem when you’re gettingon a bit, and one reason why i don’t go campinganymore.)

Wikipedia having for once failed me, i’ve been unableto track down the first-ever January sale in history.but there’s a linen draper in philadelphia that hasbeen holding one since 1878: maybe not the world’sfirst, but a date that fits nicely into the history ofdepartment stores where January sales surelyoriginated.

it’s all about christmas. this wasn’t a big commercialevent until the second half of the 19th century – indickens’s A christmas carol of 1843, it’s almost a

normal working day. but by that time major citieswere already beginning to sprout department stores:kendals of manchester in 1836, bainbridge’s ofnewcastle in 1838, harrod’s of knightsbridge in 1849,Lewis’s of Liverpool in 1856, Whiteley’s of bayswaterin 1863 and so on.

Whiteley’s always claimed to be the first truedepartment store, but bainbridge’s had first used theterm in 1849: you pays your money, you takes yourchoice. if anybody can be nailed as being responsiblefor the commercialisation of christmas, it was thesebig department stores. And the January sale was anobvious way of ridding themselves of the season’ssurplus stock – not just christmas consumables, butwinter wear in general.

Little by little the January sales became more thanjust a festive afterthought but major events in theirown right, and an important injection of cash for thestores before the late-winter doldrums set in. by thedawn of the tV advertising era, some stores gavetheir sale more publicity than christmas itself. Andnothing seems to have slowed the juggernaut since:at the height of the harrod’s January sale last year,the tills were taking £20,000 a minute! (strictly, since2002, harrod’s January sale has been its “Wintersale”, since its opening moved to boxing day or theday after – so, no nice long christmas break forharrod’s staff.)

And i am now told by a friend with retail experiencethat the January sales are no longer even primarilyconcerned with clearing surplus winter stock, butthat fresh stock is ordered especially for the event.now, i’m no businessman, but this seems dodgy tome. don’t sale goods have to be displayed for 28consecutive days at the “established price” beforethey can be displayed as sale goods? i suppose thestores’ legal eagles have found a way round theconsumer protection Act 1987, but i bet that tradingstandards officers have pretty itchy trigger fingerscome January. And anyway, if they can make adecent profit selling goods at half-price in January,why not do the same in the other 11 months? i thinkwe should be told…

jaNuary 2012

sale time againNowadays is there any such thing as a genuine sale bargain?

TIME OF YEAR



TECHNOLOGY REVIEW

december is Christmas for most of us, but for thefitness industry the season to be jolly is in January.That’s when people take out expensive gym member-ships they’ll only use for a few weeks, buy treadmillsthat will soon be gathering dust in the garage andinvest in all kinds of quick fitness fixes. So how do youget help with your new year’s resolutions withoutwasting money on things you won’t use?

one of the best ways to motivate yourself is to keeptrack of your progress: seeing your performanceimprove is a great way to keep you on track. garmin’sForerunner fitness watches can be a big help: devicessuch as the fr60 (£119) log every mile andminute, monitoring your heart rate and howmany calories you’ve burned as well as thedistance you’ve travelled and the speed youachieved. the fr60 can also communicatewirelessly with your computer, enabling youto track performance over time and evenshare your results with others online.

Garmin isn’t the only firm offering to trackyour progress. the nike+ sportband 2(around £35) is a wristband that includesa removable nike+ sensor. the sensortracks your distance, pace, time andcalories burned, and when you get homeyou can upload your data to nike’s website.be aware, however, that the battery isn’treplaceable: it’s good for 1,000 hours, nike says, whichmeans it’s best suited to light use or training for aspecific event such as a 10k or marathon.

nike also makes smartphone apps to track your fitness,as does rival firm Adidas, whose micoach system isavailable in mobile phone form or as a stand-alone bitof kit. the micoach pacer (£110) doesn’t just track yourprogress, though: it hooks into your mp3 player anddelivers what Adidas calls “real-time audible coaching”:spoken encouragement to get you through yourworkout. As with nike’s fitness kit there’s a website thatyou can use to track your progress over time.

if you’d rather do your fitness at home, sticking a kinectsensor on your Xbox 360 turns the games console intoa home fitness hub. titles such as your shape: fitness

evolved are surprisingly gruelling, while dance gamessuch as dance Central or Zumba can help you tone upwithout the tedium of traditional workouts.

if your goal is weight loss rather than overall fitness, theki fit might help. it’s not cheap – prices start at £99 plus11 monthly payments of £16.50, rising to £129 plus 11payments of £18 if you go for the premium package –but the combination of an armband monitor and onlineanalysis promises to help shift unwanted pounds byworking out how many calories you’ve consumedand how much activity you need to do to compen-sate for that extra cupcake or pint ofcarlsberg.

no matter iwhat kind of fitness iroutine you’re considering, don’t forget the power ofmusic to motivate you. in-ear headphones such assennheiser’s excellent ie6 pair (around £64) can replacethe gym’s piped music or the sounds of traffic with yourown personal soundtrack, and if you’d rather go wire-free and avoid sticking anything into your ear canalsthen JayBird’s Sportsband 2 headphones (£99)connect to your music player via bluetooth. if youprefer aquatic exercise to pounding pavements, there’san option for you too: the universe Nu dolphinwaterproof Touch music player (£101), as the namesuggests, is designed to work underwater.

New year’s

revolutionThe gadgets that help get 2012 off to a great start


Tuesday 24th January, 7-9pm, FREEFree Fertility Information SeminarsThe Hilton, Chilworth SO16 3RB. Wessex fertility isteaming up with other fertility healthcare professionalsto host an information evening for people thinking ofstarting fertility treatment. presentations and questions(b) 023 8070 6000 or email [email protected]

The BrookJanuaryfriday 13th Legend - bob marley & the Wailers tributesaturday 14th Green-ish day - Green day tributefriday 20th the tiddly kinds & the small fakerssaturday 21st Guns n’roses experiencefriday 27th have some moore - Gary moore tributesaturday 28th doors Alive - doors tribute 2011Februarysaturday 4th - All right now - best free and badcompany tribute bandsaturday 11th - the south - beautiful south tribute bandsunday 19th - nick Lowe - the ‘Jesus of cool’ tours newalbum

The NuffieldJanuarytuesday 14th - big Gig in the comedy barfriday 17th-tuesday 21st Lady Windermere’s fan bysouthampton university players, ‘Do you trust yourhusband?’young and trusting Lady Windermere is hearing rumoursabout her husband and the mysterious mrs eriynne.devastated that he may be being unfaithful to her andfighting feelings of betrayal, she considers revenge.employing the witty dialogue for which he is stillremembered, Wilde's play shows us the destructivenessof gossip and examines the ambiguous sexuality andgender politics at the heart of the british ruling classes.this is oscar Wilde at his satirical best.tuesday 24th-saturday 28th the Graduate by themaskers theatre companyFebruarysaturday 21st-Wednesday 25th orpheus in theunderworld by southampton operatic society

Mayflower Theatreuntil 14th January – peter pan the new musical17th January-4th febraury – south pacific starringsamantha Womack5th february – sally morgan – pyschic sally on the roadthe russian sate ballet & orchestra of siberia7th february- sleeping beauty8th february – La fille mal Gardee9th-10th february – swan Lake11th-12th february – the nutcracker13th-18th february dreamboats and petticoats21st february – 3rd march sister Act5th-10th march – calendar Girlsbook eArLy

12th-17th march –derren brown20th-24th march – the king and i25th march – the osmonds final uk tour27th-31st march – Welsh national opera3rd-28th April – dirty dancing1st-26th may – oliver!29th may – 2nd June – Wonderful town starringconnie fisher31st may – 3rd June the Gruffalo Live on stage!4th-9th June – steel magnolias19th-30th June – Legally blonde the musical tour4th-7th July – porgy and bess9th-14th July Avenue Q16th-21stJuly – hair starring Gareth Gates30th september – Julian clary9th-13th october – Green day’s Americna idiot ukpremiere5th-10th november – the mousetrap. A classic.

ovation Restaurant, Mayflower Theatre9th-11th January ted and co the dinner show12th January & elvis tribute night16th January steisand – the main event6th february – mnichael buble tribute night

Hangar Farm20th-28th January – the Wizard of oz by cats

WHAT’S ON

JANUARY 2012 AND BEYOND


WHAT’S ON

They thrilled thecrowds at arenasacross the world;millions saw, heardand loved them onTV and the widerscreen. And yet forall these wonderful

achievements when they started at school or the localchurch choir they were known as ‘Boy Sopranos’!

were you ever a ‘Boy Soprano’? if so read on; you arehot property and much wanted!

the Romsey Male Voice Choir is continuing to growand every monday evening at 7.30 pm in the Abbeyhotel, romsey, over 60 lusty male voices cometogether to rehearse and sing numbers from the shows,Africa, opera and all the other rich sources of male Voicemusic. yet there is a slight imbalance, and that is why weare looking for at least three first tenors.

these special chaps normally have sung as sopranos ina school or church choir and were recognised for theirskill in hitting the golden notes. maybe you sang the‘once in royal david’s city’ solo at christmas? if youhave had any of this sort of experience, then you couldbe just the man to come and fill or grow into the shoesof a first tenor.

the Romsey Male Voice Choir prides itself on itscamaraderie and a monday evening is a social as well asa singing evening. We do not have an audition process,simply come along and sing with us for a few evenings,both of us will soon know if you have the makings of atrue first tenor. if yes great, if no we have a strong groupof 2nd tenors, baritones and basses to welcome youand if that does not seem right, well we’ll part goodfriends.

the Romsey Male Voice Choir performs around 6concerts a year (www.romseymvc.co.uk). We performwithout music and normally sing not just to entertain anaudience, but also to support young singers and charity.in the last 12 months the choir has helped raise over£10,000 for a variety of charities, both local and national.We look forward to a travel trip each year in earlysummer and alternate between the uk and europe.

in 2011, the choir have sung in Winchester, salisbury,romsey, chandlers ford and cornwall and we alsohosted a stunning ‘explosion of sound’ with choirs frombrecon, basingstoke, bristol and hart, some 240 voicesin all, at the thornden hall in chandlers ford.

so if you were once that boy soprano and want torelease those joyful vocal chords again or if you just likesinging in the bath, come and take a look at us nextmonday, or contact clive matthews, on 02380 663263.

hope to see you soon!

THe

Three Tenors

BY TOM TREBLE


There’s a scene early indownton Abbey in whichMatthew and Edith are touringthe local countryside exploringchurches. Church exploring wasonce the preserve of the leisuredclasses, but while attendingservices in church has declineddramatically in the last hundredyears, visiting churches simply tosoak up their atmosphere hasprobably never been morepopular. why?

Fullfilling a spiritual need Almost anyone you talk to will tellyou they love the atmosphere of little country churches.this feeling, a mixture of comfort and awe, has beendescribed perfectly by the poet philip Larkin in his well-known poem ‘church going’ (a title that is a play onwords). there can be little doubt that our enthusiasmfor visiting churches stems from some deep humanneed that is unfulfilled in our materialistic, oftenagnostic, lives.

but that doesn’t mean exploring churches must be aspiritual exercise. churches reflect our island’s historyand are architecturally absorbing, often beautiful. Andtheir interiors contain a great variety of aspects ofinterest – soaring architecture, sculpture in stone,carving in wood, richly ornate monuments. everychurch is different and is always more than the sum ofits parts.

Changes throughout the centuriesthe oldest churches to be found in hampshire werebuilt in saxon times, before the norman conquest.many more are norman, built in the 11th and 12thcenturies. none of them look today just as they didwhen they were built. much of the fascination ofchurches lies in the way they reflect the changingpatterns of religious worship. changes in the liturgy (theform of the services) brought huge changes in churchinteriors. henry Viii’s break with the roman catholicchurch in the 16th century resulted in the carvedscreens between nave and chancel being ripped out,carvings and statues broken, stained glass windows

smashed, wall paintingscovered in lime wash. Andit happened again, somewould say even more viol-ently, a century later in thetime of cromwell andpuritanism.

during these upheavals,which will have been hardfor ordinary people tounderstand or bear, thefocal point of the churchmoved from the altar to thepulpit. churches became‘preaching boxes’ with the

emphasis on the spoken word of the sermon andbiblical texts on painted boards on the walls. churchattendance became compulsory by law and preachinglikewise. Grim though it sounds, this movementproduced some handsome interiors, with clear glasswindows giving a beautiful light, fine box pews andmagnificently carved pulpits. church interiors becamesimple again, revealing something that catholicism hadobscured: the beauty of simplicity. but things were notto remain like that. for every action, there is a reaction,and in the church it was called the oxford movement,a group who believed that the church must return tothe forms of service and architecture of what they sawas the high point in its evolution, the decorated ormiddle-pointed Gothic style (roughly 1250-1350).

What i have said above briefly sketches some thebackground to the changes in church design that haveoccurred over the centuries. but what of individualchurches in our county? What to see, where to go?

Those worth a visitWith so many churches to choose from, even a randomapproach will yield much of interest. hampshire’sstrength probably lies in early (pre-Gothic), smallchurches in deeply rural settings, exactly the sort i likebest. so it is a few of these that i shall briefly describenow.

the church of st mary and st michael at stoke charity,east of sutton scotney, stands in a field, near a pond.inside it feels like a miniature cathedral. to quote the

exploriNg

country churchesa past time more popular than you think

HAMPSHIRE HERITAGE

MINSTEAd All SAINTSVIEw FRoM NoRTH EAST


church’s excellent guide book, it is a treasure house of beautiful andancient objects. the building dates mainly from the 12th and 13thcenturies, the norman nave and chancel perhaps being added to asmall saxon church.

in complete contrast, nothing prepares you for the Georgian churchof All saints in minstead, in the new forest . Viewed from the lychgate,the church could be mistaken for cottages, but for the later brick tower.stepping inside reveals an interior almost like a house. there were oncethree large private pews for the comfort of the parish’s gentry. theyeven had their own fireplaces.

the church of st nicholas at boarhunt should not be missed. the saxonwalls are mostly original and the interior wonderful – quite small, rather dark because the windows are very small,plain and simple. but hugely atmospheric.

Lastly, my personal favourite: the tiny church of st John at farley chamberlayne, in deep rural isolation northwestof hursley. it can seat only about 70 people, and apart from some fine monuments to the great and good, it isfairly basic. it is also utterly charming.

every visit to a new church is exciting. be warned, though, about the bane of the church explorer: the lockedchurch. in theory there may be a telephone number or an address from which the key can be obtained. but i’veseldom found it to be like that, so if a church is locked i simply move on. to me, a locked church is a contradictionin terms. but let’s assume that, happily, you find the door unlocked and are savouring the atmosphere of a brandnew (to you) church. my advice would be not to worry too much about historical identifications but to enjoy theentirety for what it is. nearly all churches have a little guide book on sale, which is well worth buying. it will helpyou learn about what you see, and you can build up a collection to look back on. finally, if you possibly can, doleave a donation in the box in the wall. the cost of maintaining our churches is frightening, and they are a uniquepart of our heritage. think of your great-great-grandchildren. how tragic if they were never to see an englishcountry church.

BY STEPHEN HARVEY

HAMPSHIRE HERITAGE

MINSTEAd All SAINTSgAllERy


SPEAKER’S CORNER

Here in Millbrook, myself andcolleagues regularly poundthe streets, knocking ondoors asking if we can botherresidents for a few minutes.Although I have been doingthis for over a year, almosteach and every weekend,there are still some of the11,000 people in my ward

that I haven’t spoken to or met.

the responses are getting better and there are muchfewer “must be an election on” or “we never see youround here”. however the challenge for any electedrepresentative; newly elected or otherwise is tolisten to what people are saying.

it may seem like semantics, but we should bestriving for a movement away from the oftenmaligned “consultation” to proper engagement.Within our fluid society it is no longer acceptable ordesirable to merely pass on information to ourelectorate, but to aid them in shaping a desirableoutcome to the issue at hand. in this way councillorscan act as facilitators and champions of ourcommunities.

We must move away from the one-way process ofconsultation between organisation and customer.community engagement is about empoweringcommunities by providing them with theopportunity to have a say about service delivery,providing them with the ability to help solve localproblems.

the idea of place shaping has been in vogue for anumber of years now, but has seldom been takenup by public sector authorities with any vigour. mycommitment to the people of millbrook is that bytaking an interest, they can make real changehappen on their street.

the mantra i use in all of my dealings with residentsis that i will listen to each of you, learn from yourexperiences and act on your behalf. reading thisyou may think, what a lovely sentiment. but i canhonestly say that as i dragged myself out of bed lastsunday morning, away from my wife and newbornbaby girl, i still feel that i want to make a differenceand i can make a difference, but only if people areprepared to talk, because i am here to listen.

Asa Thorpe, Councillor for MillbrookSouthampton City Council

Asa


TRAVEL


TRAVEL

BY SOLANGE HANDO

lanzarote is unique among the Canary Islands, whitehouses, green palms and lava framed by the bluewaters of the Atlantic. Much of its charm is due toCesar Manrique, artist, architect and town planner allin one, who pulled down the billboards and set towork, determined to preserve and enhance thecharacter of his native island.

Lanzarote’s volcanic landscape is awesome, especiallyin the timanfaya national park where temperaturesmay reach 140°c just 10 cm below ground and ‘badlands’ bear witness to eruptions, the last one in 1824.dig a tiny hole, pour a few drops of water and up comesa geyser, sprinkle a little brushwood and it catches alightinstantly. hilario, the highest volcano, rises above it all,with a restaurant on top, suitably named ‘the devil’,where lunch is cooked over a well filled withgeothermal heat, manrique’s idea, of course.

there are guided treks and dromedary rides across thelower slopes but the most popular way to explore is ona coach tour, crawling along a single lane road, nowtrapped between dark lava walls, now floating on top

of the world, looking down on a sea of craters, volcanicbombs, crumbling slopes and teetering rocks. scenesfrom planet of the Apes come to mind and tales of thelunar buggy ever since nAsA came here to study theterrain.

but watching volcanoes from a coach is one thing,living in a volcanic bubble underground is another. back

in 1968, manrique spotted a fig tree sprouting froma field of solidified lava, its roots deep down in avolcanic bubble. ‘this is where i will build myhouse,’ he declared. the land was so barren theowner gave it for free. today, taro, the ‘pile ofrocks’ where manrique lived, is the seat of an Artfoundation bearing his name. heading down intothe cave, you may expect darkness and gloom, butyou find cool living rooms with luminous whitewalls, art work set in a minimalist decor and anunderground garden where plants and trees shootup towards the light.

At the very centre of the island, the artist built afarmers’ monument with discarded water tanks,part recycling, part defiance on this arid land. hedesigned giant mobiles to play with the wind,turned a disused quarry into a circular cactusGarden and hid a panoramic mirador into a cliffface while in the Geria, vines grow in crater-like

hollows, covered with lava grit to retain moisture.

but most striking of all perhaps are the two volcaniccaves turned into concert halls where acousticsimpressed the great violinist yehudi menuhin. inJameos de Agua, you can spot rare albino crabs in thelagoon, marvel at the tropical garden and its turquoisepool and the 600 seat hall ready for the next festival.the caves are part of a volcanic tube, created 3000years ago and stretching both under the ocean and theland.

some say that one day, manrique ran naked throughthe lava fields to commune more closely with the rawforces of nature. for him, this was ‘one of the mostbeautiful places in the world’ and many would agree.

uNique

Lanzarote

TRAVEL

Much of the island’s charm is down one man’s vision


TRAVEL


BUSINESS SERVICES


HEALTH & BEAUTY

My boss gave me a self-help book for my 29thbirthday. I was so appalled that someone haddeemed me in need of ‘help’ that I quit and wentto Australia. So you can say what you like aboutthem, but they really do work…one way oranother! whether it’s a new diet, relationship orjob, there’s a book that claims it’ll help youachieve it.

Feel the Fear Anddo It Anywayby Susan Jeffers

they say a life lived infear is a life half-livedand feel the fear isbased on the principlethat doing somethingthat scares us, is agood thing. it prom-ises to show you howto ‘turn fear and in-decision into confi-dence and action’. packed with real-life examplesof people who have let fear dominate them, this isa very grounded and level-headed book. there arelots of practical tips and activities to help you startto face your fear, and end it.

The Italian diet by Gino d’Acampo

the dukan diet claims ‘three million french womencan’t be wrong’ but i say,one gorgeous italian manwho encourages us toeat cheese and pasta… isdefinitely right! the dietbook that looks like arecipe book, this is allabout eating healthilywithout depriving yourselfof the things you lovethe most.

How to win Friends and Influence Peopleby dale Carnegie

one of the most successful self-help books of alltime and not to be confused with the film ‘how toLose friends and Alienate people’, which could getyou fired. Although the original was published in the1930s, this master class in how to handle otherpeople continues to be relevant. With the exceptionof Willy Loman, there has never been a greateradvocate for being ‘well-liked’ than dale carnegie.

This Book will Save your lifeby A.M. homes

ok so it’s a fictionalsatire rather than self-help novel, but it mostcertainly is life-affirming.Written with wonderfullyquirky Los Angeles asa backdrop, it’s beenhailed as an antidoteto modern life. Whenreclusive stockbrokerrichard novak ends upin the emergency room,he’s forced to open his eyes to the world aroundhim. it’s the perfect accompaniment for welcomingin the new year and seizing 2012 with gusto.

why Men don’t listen and women Can’t ReadMaps by Allan and Barbara Peasei was going to go for the obvious ‘men Are frommars, Women Are from Venus’ here but decidedinstead to go for the comical pairing of husband andwife team Allan and barbara pease. With chaptersentitled ‘Women are touchy-feely’ and ‘Why menAre so thick-skinned’ you know you’re going to getan amusing and enlightening read. if this is ‘poppsychology’ then call me frasier crane. Let me pointout here that my dad mumbles so much we can’thear him and mum’s an excellent map-reader.

New year

new youwhat better way to kick-start 2012 than

turning over a new page, and a new leaf ?


HEALTH & BEAUTY


HEALTH & BEAUTY

Puzzle answers on page 63


HEALTH & BEAUTY


GARDENING

you may well have received alovely houseplant for Christmas orperhaps bought some as a wayof decorating your house for theFestive Season, without relying ontoo much tinsel.

houseplants such as cyclamen,poinsettia, christmas cactus, indoorazaleas and moth orchids have thepotential to transform any room inyour house, but neglect or care forthem wrong and you’ll end up with

a pot of dying leaves before new year. so, here are mytop tips for keeping festive flowers simply stunning:

Cyclamen with their showy pink, white or red flowersand exotically silver and green patterned leaves makea great indoor plant, but they are very easy to kill. thesecret of success is to keep the plants in as cool aroom as possible. if you want them in a warm room,put them there at the last possible minute and returnquickly. cyclamen easily succumb to grey mouldwhich attacks the stem base just above the corm andmakes the leaves yellow rapidly and die off, oftenwithin days. to prevent this happening, always waterfrom the base (by standing the pot in a saucer of tepidwater for 20 minutes, then letting the excess drainaway), and pulling off deteriorating leaves promptly.do this and your cyclamen could well be with you nextchristmas too.

Indoor azaleas also prefer a cooler room, and plentyof moisture is essential. Azaleas have an extensivefibrous root system and are often tightly packed intotheir pots so they dry out very easily and it’s worthsoaking the pot in tepid water at least once a day. if thecompost does dry out, stand the pot in water forseveral hours in order to allow it to re-hydratethoroughly. Watering with cooled black tea will help tosupply the acidic conditions they prefer.

Poinsettia with their screaming bright red (oroccasionally pink or white) flower-like bracts are theclassic christmas houseplant and they’re not difficultto look after. keep the compost just moist andchoose a draught-free spot in a warmish room. thesap of this plant is a milky-white latex which can causeunpleasant rashes, especially in the presence of

sunlight, so ensure they’re kept away from kids andpets. poinsettias can produce their red bracts again thefollowing year, but it’s an immensely complicatedprocess involving carefully managed periods of lightand dark. buy yourself another one or enjoy the oldone in its pure green state.

Christmas cacti usually with rich red, orangey, pink,cream or white flowers are easy to look after but theyneed totally different care to desert cacti. thechristmas cactus originates from forested areas, soprefers to be kept just moist and hates being baked inhot, dry conditions. try not to move them about toomuch once the buds have formed as they may welldrop off, losing the gorgeous display.

orchids really are a law unto themselves and it’sessential that you follow the care instructions carefully.the most popular type is the moth orchid (also knownas phalaenopsis) which you need to be careful not tooverwater. yours will have arrived in a pot with little ifany compost and soon the aerial roots will grow outof the top of it. there’s no need to re-pot when thishappens initially, as this is how the plant is naturally.Water once a week, ideally with rain water, or failingthat with cooled boiled water. most of it will runstraight out of the bottom of the pot but it’s meant to– whatever you do, don’t let your moth orchid sit inwater.

The Christmas Cherry is actually a type of solanum,related to tomato and potato plants. covered with itsmarble-like bright orange or sometimes yellow orreddish shiny fruits it can look stunning. it’s not fussybut doesn’t respond well to over-watering or being leftto stand in soggy compost, so only re-water as thecompost becomes dry. find a well-lit spot and it’s verytolerant of cooler temperatures, even surviving inwindow boxes in warmer uk cities.

The Hippeastrum also sometimes sold as theamaryllis, is a stunning houseplant bulb with thepotential to produce one of the biggest, brightestindoor flowers you’ll ever have. red, pink or white arethe classic colours. the pot may need to be stood in alarger, heavier one as they are often sold in ones thatsoon over balance once the flower spike is out, withdisastrous consequences. keep the compost just moistand supply a warm, well lit spot for best results.

lookiNg afTer

festive plantspippa greenwood shares her secrets to keeping them fresh


GARDENING


EDUCATION

26 www.thesouthamptondirectory.co.uk

MOTORING

It’s something every petrol head dreams of: Tradingup from nothing to a super car by buying and sellinga few motors in their spare time.but instead of dreaming, one day last year i decided itwas time to start doing it. the plan was a simple one –reinvest the cash from each sale into the next vehicleuntil i bought a 911.And to give people a reason to help, once the porschewas finally purchased it would be sold and all themoney handed to charity.now it’s worth declaring early that as well as writingfor this esteemed publication, i run trade publicationcar dealer magazine, so have a few contacts in themotor trade that others who’ve tried this beforedidn’t have.that assistance helped find the first cars to kick mychallenge off. both donated by dealers, i was handedthe keys to a Vw golf MkIII by Motorpoint and M25Audi gave us an S-reg A3.sadly the A3 wasn’t in the best of health and we wereforced to sell it on ebay for a little less than we’doriginally planned. it was bought by two motor tradersfor £790. the Golf didn’t hang around either – sellingto a local man for £250 on ebay.the second step involved spending £985.25 (includingtax) on an 02-reg Ford Fiesta. this one hung around alittle longer than we’d hoped and we were forced toreduce the price from an ambitious £2,500. that gotthe buyers interested and it was sold to a little old ladyfor £2,150.then came our masterstroke – the one that everyoneremembers – the Hyundai i10 football car. made by arenowned car artist to celebrate the car manufacturer’ssupport of the World cup, the i10 had artificial grasscovering every panel and plastic grass seats, not tomention a giant football and goal posts grafted on tothe exterior.After a whirl of publicity, which saw it feature in TheDaily Telegraph, countless local newspapers, websitesaround the world and even on the bbc news, we putit up for sale on ebay. it clocked up nearly 100‘watchers’ and eventually sold for £5,005 to a hyundaidealer who planned to use it for publicity.buoyed by our success we contacted anothermanufacturer and scored another cracking deal. thistime it was three Mazda MX-5s, one of which had

been reversed into a lamppost at quite some speed.the cars had been sourced by tV’s mr Wheeler dealermike brewer for mazda’s 20 years of the mX-5celebrations. All original mk1s, the two ‘good’ cars ofour trio both needed mots and some parts beforethey were ready to sell.A mechanic mate – who’d prove pivotal in ourattempts to reach our target – took up the challengeand soon had the two good cars roadworthy. We lethim keep the broken one as payment and sold theother two for a £2,220 profit.next up was a Mercedes ClK, which was bought for£6,000. the 03-model was a lovely spec and drovebeautifully, but after four weeks sitting on my drive,when i tried to start it again the hood failed.A trip back to mechanic matt proved more than fruitful– not only did he have it fixed in a week, he also soldit… to his receptionist’s mum! A further £2,250 profitwas banked.citroen then stepped into the fray with a C4 grandPicasso. the 58-plater was on their fleet and wesnapped it up for just £8,110 (including tax).unfortunately it proved a bit sticky and we couldn’tfind a buyer no matter how hard we tried.eventually a dealer offered to take it off our hands for£8,000, but instead of handing over cash we couldsimply take part exes off his site for the same value.knowing cheaper cars were easier to sell we picked aVolvo 940, a Skoda Fabia and a Renault Scenic. notour smartest move, as one dealer pointed out ‘we’dnow swapped one headache for three.’ he was right.We shifted them within a month but for a paltrycombined profit of just £775.that left £900 in the dealer’s bank account which wespent on a gold Ford Ka, which was sold in a week for£1,700.finally we’d reached the magic £10,000 mark and hadenough to buy an early 996-shape 911. eventually theright one popped up on Auto trader and afternegotiations i bought r97 rrk for £9,900.

We now plan to get our new baby fettled by porscheand polished up ready for sale – and then eventually,after 13 trades and 15 months, we can hand over a fatcheque to ben, the automotive industry charity we’vebeen working so hard for.

How i BougHT a

Porsche with £0james Baggot of Car Dealer Magazine explains

BY JAMES BAGGOT


MOTORING

THE GRASSLANDS TRUST In the last seventy years 98% of UK wildflowermeadows have been destroyed, a habitat thatsupports many of our best loved species-birdssuch as the barn owl, skylark and lapwing;mammals like the hare; plants such as the green-winged orchid; and many types of butterfly andbumblebee. the Grasslands trust is the onlynational charity in the UK that focuses exclusivelyon grasslands and we were established in 2002 toaddress the crisis facing wildlife-rich grasslands inthe UK. Many remaining grassland sites are sosmall and isolated they no longer provide asustainable home for the plants and insects thatdepend on them.

With generous funding from the heritage LotteryFund an exciting two year project, discovering OurGlorious Grasslands (doGG) is to be launched bythe Grasslands trust in december. the project willwork with local people across several sites ownedby Eastleigh Borough Council, local ParishCouncils and other organisations. It will provide

opportunities for people to learn about ouramazing wildlife-rich grasslands, why they areimportant and the threats which they are facing,enabling people of all ages and backgrounds toenjoy a variety of outdoor activities.

Following the recent successes at hocombe MeadLNR, our first community grassland project, we willagain be running a series of practical volunteeringdays covering a range of traditional country craftsand a programme of community events aimed atindividuals, families and organisations. Moreinformation will be available on the project websitewww.dogg-project.org when doGG is fullyunderway.

If you would like to hear more or be part of thisproject, either as a volunteer (practical or admintasks), or you run an organisation and would likemore information, then please contact:

The grasslands Trust for wildlife and [email protected] 650093www.grasslands-trust.org

CHARITY OF THE MONTH


PET SERVICES


EATING OUT GUIDE

AFRICANCoco Rio18a upper banister street, southampton so15 2ef tel: 023 8022 7700

AMERICANBuffalo Bills 3 commercial road, southampton so15 1Gf tel: 023 8023 6699

Frankie & Benny's West Quay rd, southampton so15 1retel: 023 8033 8622

que Pasa 104-108 Above bar st, southampton so14 7dttel: 023 8023 5930

BISTROBouzy Routeocean Village, southampton so15 3tntel: 023 8033 3221

Ninety degrees24 carlton place, southampton so15 2dy tel: 023 8023 4664

How to use this Guide...All the restaurants in Southampton are included inthe following pages. the entries are listed by foodtype and then alphabetically. Some of the restaurantshave paid for an enhanced entry featuring a series ofsymbols (see right) indicating facilities and otherhelpful information. Bon Appetit!

Also - if you have a smart phone...throughout the Guide you will see QR Codes like the one below, it contains offersfrom that restaurant. It’s easy to download details of the offers to your smartphone - here’s how:

1 download the free App ‘I-NIGMA’ and install on your phone

2 Scan the QR Code - using the App

3 Remember to claim your offer before time runs out

Ideal for large parties

Real fire

dogs welcome

Al Fresco dining

Entertainment

Ideal for Vegetarians

Free parking on site

Child friendly

wheelchair access

Your ComprehensiveGuide to Eating Outin Southampton

BISTRO continuedNo. 1010 bedford place, southampton so15tel: 01962 713171

CARIBBEANHudsons Caribbean Bistro 44 mary street, southampton so14 1nr tel:023 8023 2332

Turtle Bay 1 Guildhall square, southampton so14 7fptel: 023 8063 9568

CHINESECharlie Chan’s59 oxford st, southampton so14 3dLtel: 023 8023 3360

City Beijing137a high street, southampton so14 2bstel: 023 8023 7103

Fuchirumbridge st, totton so40 9dp tel: 023 8066 3838

Please remember to mention The Southampton Directory when you contact a restaurant30

EATING OUT GUIDE

CHINESE continuedFusion Noodle Bar 15 st mary street, southampton so14 1np tel: 023 8063 2221

Family House 53 commercial road, totton so40 3Ah tel: 023 8066 446

golden Palace 72 Above bar street, southampton so14 7dt tel: 023 8063 0211

Jade garden 85-87 Queensway, southampton so14 3hJ tel: 023 8033 1338

little Buddha Restaurant 10 shirley high st, southampton so15 3nh tel: 023 8078 1388

ocean dragon 17A Above bar street, southampton so14 7dX tel: 023 8022 6636

orchard Chinese Restaurant9 commercial rd, southampton so15 1Gftel: 023 8022 6988

orchid Chinese 9 commercial rd, southampton so15 1Gf tel: 023 8022 6988

oriental Paradise 323 shirley road, southampton so15 3hW tel: 023 8078 8868

Pearl Harbour 86 Above bar, southampton so14 7dt tel: 023 8063 9833

Pilgrim House canute road, southampton so14 3fJ tel: 023 8033 8008

Tang's 127 Above bar st, southampton so14 7fQ tel: 023 8023 5700

Tiger lilly portswood road, southampton so17 2nh tel: 023 8058 4777

CONTEMPORARYBanana wharfocean Village, southampton023 8033 8866

Cargo20-22 oxford street, southampton so14 3dJ023 8082 9042

Ceno Bar & Restaurant119 highfield Lane, southampton, so17 1AQtel: 023 8055 4400

CONTEMPORARY continuedovation

the mayflower, commercial road so14tel: 023 8071 1833

Pitcher & Pianoocean Village, southampton so14 3Jbtel: 02380 334392

Signature Restaurant at the dolphin Hotel 34-35 high st, southampton so14 2hntel: 023 8038 6460

Simons at oxfords35/36 Oxford Street, Southampton SO14 3dStel: 023 8022 4444

The old Forgeotterborne, southampton so14 3dJ023 8082 9042

The Vestry61 commercial road, southampton so15 1GG tel: 023 8023 1101

ENGLISHAspire southampton city college, st mary street, so14 1Artel: 023 8057 7377

Bentley's Restaurantbartley road, Woodlands so40 7Gn tel: 023 8029 3737

The Forest Inn Lyndhurst road, Ashurst so40 7du tel: 023 8029 3071

The Happy Cheese 189-198 Lyndhurst RoadAshurst SO40 7ARtel: 023 8029 3929

The Happy Cheese

023 8029 3929

PUBREStAURANt

www.happycheese.co.uk

189-198 lyndhurst RdAshurstSo40 7AR

An ideal country venue forall occasions. A friendly puband restaurant with loungeseating plus small or largedining areas. Parties upto150 catered for. Food served10am-9pm. With a bouncycastle weather permitting!

2 for 1ON COCKTAILSduring January

on FRI & SATnights only

25%OFF

Please remember to mention The Southampton Directory when you contact a restaurant 31

EATING OUT GUIDE

EATING OUT GUIDE


FRENCHHotel TerraVina174 Woodlands road, Woodlands so40 7Gltel: 023 8029 3784

le Chanteclerc romsey rd, cadnam so40 2ny

GREEKBlue Island 198 Above bar street, southampton so14 7dW tel: 023 8063 5045

Elias 79 canal Walk, southampton so14 3bh tel: 023 8022 2699

Fat Fig 5 bedford place, southampton so15 2db tel: 023 8021 2111

george’s Restaurant1-2 st michaels st, southampton so14 2Abtel: 023 8022 3749

INDIANAleha Cuisine Tandoori13 commercial rd, southampton so15 1Gftel: 01794 331437

The Aroma 37-43 Long Lane, southampton so45 2LG tel: 023 8089 7722

Asha Bangledeshi Cuisine 179 Lyndhurst road, Ashurst so40 7du tel: 023 8029 2885

Bengal Brasserie7 bedford place, southampton so15 2dbtel: 023 8023 0988

Bitterne Balti 9 manor farm road, southampton so18 1nn tel: 023 8055 3539

Coriander lounge130-131 high st, southampton so14 2br tel: 023 8071 0888

Eastern Nights 56 thornhill park road, southampton so18 5tQ tel: 023 8047 8269

Forest Spice 42 pylewell road, hythe so45 6AQ tel: 023 8001 5349

gandhi Indian Cuisine 52 commercial rd, totton so40 3AG tel: 023 8066 7866

gandhi of Portswood 211 portswood road, southampton so17 2nf tel: 023 8055 3121

Indian Melody 25 high street, southampton so14 2df tel: 023 8063 8998

INDIAN continuedJehangir347 Winchester road, southampton so16 7dJtel: 023 8070 5924

Jewel of India townhill Way, West end so18 3nu tel: 023 8046 2400

Kali Mirchi 98 shirley high street southampton so16 4fb tel: 023 8052 8200

Kuti’s Brasserie39 oxford street, southampton so14 3dptel: 023 8022 1581

little India 37 rumbridge st, totton so40 9dQ tel: 023 8088 6688

Manzil Tandoori54 onslow rd, southampton, so14 0Jntel: 023 8022 7423

Mirchi 4 bedford place, southampton so15 2db tel: 023 8033 8800

Poppadum Express48-49 oxford street, southampton, so14 3dptel: 023 8063 2444

The Rasraj India 1 oxford street, southampton so14 3dJ tel: 023 8023 3433

Taj 21 Lower banister st, southampton so15 2eh tel: 023 8033 4505

Tiger lilly3 Winchester street, southampton so15 2eL tel: 023 8036 6344

ITALIANASK Leisure World, West Quay rd, so15 1re tel: 023 8033 8588101 high street, Winchester so23 9Ah tel: 01962 849464

Bella Italia19 hanover buildings, southampton so14 1JXtel: 023 8033 9215

Bellini's 20-22 Queens terrace, southampton so14 3bQ tel: 023 8033 3711

Buon gusto 1 commercial road, southampton so15 1Gf tel: 023 8001 7249

Capers Pizzabeaulieu road, dibden purlieu so45 4pXtel: 023 8084 3166

EATING OUT GUIDE


40%OFF

20%OFF

ITALIAN continuedEnniostown Quay rd, southampton so14 2Ar tel: 023 8022 1159

la Margherita1 town Quay, southampton so14tel: 023 8033 3390

la Vista 18 shamrock Way, hythe so45 6dy tel: 023 8020 7730

Milan Restaurantsalisbury house, salisbury street,southampton so15 2AZ tel: 023 8033 0815

Piccolo Mondo 36 Windsor terrace, southampton so14 7sJ tel: 023 8063 6890

Puccinis325-327 shirley road, southampton so15 3hWtel: 023 8076 4522

Pulcinella 16 carlton place, southampton so15 2dy tel: 023 8033 5100

Scoozi 37a Oxford St, Southampton SO14 3dP tel: 023 8090 8700

Tosca 44 commercial road, southampton so15 1Gdtel: 023 8057 2844

JAPANESEyo! Sushi West Quay shopping centre, southampton so151Qe tel: 023 8008 0510

MEDITERRANEANolive Tree29 oxford st southampton so14 3dJtel: 023 8034 3333

MEXICANSharow Restaurantst mary street, southampton so14 1pf tel: 023 8022 3489

Cantina Restaurant & Bar2-3a bedford place, southampton so15 2bytel: 023 8022 0500

la Bariona29 portswood road, southampton so17 2eA 3et tel: 023 8067 7444

NEPALESEgurhka Kitchen5 canute road, southampton so14 3fhtel: 023 8023 3008

PERSIANyalda51 commercial road, southampton so15 1GGtel: 023 8063 8383

POLISHStacja 15 onslow road, southampton so14 0Jd tel: 023 8063 3339

The Korner 294 shirley road, southampton so15 3hL tel: 023 8070 0070

SPANISHla Esquina

40 oxford st, southampton so14 3dptel: 023 8022 5227

la Regata town Quay, southampton so14 2Ar tel: 023 8001 2031

STEAKHOUSES

Antico13-14 terminus terrace,Southampton SO14 3dttel: 023 (80) 333 260

Rancho Steak House 43-45 high street, southampton so14 2ns tel: 023 8033 9777

T Bone & Spaghetti House4 northam road, southampton so14 0pA tel: 023 8022 4362

THAIKuti’s Royal Thai Piertown Quay, southampton so14 2AQtel: 023 8033 9211

Mango Thai27 portswood rd, southampton so17 2estel: 023 8067 8877

The King & I 134 high street, southampton so14 2br tel: 023 8057 0670

TRADITIONALChristina's82 east street, southampton so14 3hQ tel: 023 8063 6456

Five Restaurant104 portswood road, southampton so17 2fW tel: 023 8058 4674

Taps shamrock Quay, southampton so14 5QL tel: 023 8022 8621

EATING OUT GUIDE

Please remember to mention The Southampton Directory when you contact a restaurant 35

TURKISHKara Restaurant & Meze Bar132 high street, southampton so14 2brtel: 023 33 7473

It’s a farfetched notion more likened to thedreamy desires of an opera character than afrustrated car mechanic working in the ratherunforgiving surrounds of Fleetwood. But for AlfieBoe, the realisation of some lofty Broadwayambitions can do nothing butoffer hope and belief toothers striving to realise theirpotential.

having just released his self-titled fifth album, with a uk tourcoming up, and appearingnightly in Les Miserables, all isgood in the life of the 38-year-old, even if his new coventGarden surroundings donothing to rid him of his‘Lancashire lad’ ways.

“I live just off Neal Street in the heart of CoventGarden,” he begins. “That, in itself, is dangerousbecause I’m amongst such amazing shops. I’malways tempted to go and spend money, but mostof the time I end up gravitating towards Neal’s YardDairy Shop, which is no more than a couple ofminutes from my front door.

“They sell the most incredible cheeses and I’m often

found sampling the many flavours they import fromaround the world... before leaving the shop withoutbuying anything! I think it’s fair to say my cardwill soon be marked if I carry on with this sort ofbehaviour,” he jokes.

“But I’ll defend myself by blamingthe intense aroma that wafts out ofthe shop. It hits you like a bigcheddar punch in the face and youcan’t help but to venture inside!”

boe moved to covent Gardenalmost a year ago, primarily for theconvenience of walking the 10minutes home from the Queen’stheatre on shaftesbury Avenue,where he’s appearing in LesMiserables.

though despite pledging to returnto America when his uk tour ends

in January, he admits he’s grown rather fond of thesouth and the new lifestyle his incredible success hasdelivered.

“It’s all still a bit surreal for me. My career hasexploded and there’s a very grounded part of methat’s still not so sure what’s going on.

“I’ve had to work very hard for my breaks. When I first

by Richard Aldhous, Interview Hub

BeCoMiNg

more like alfie

from the

factory floor

to the stage

door – alfie

Boe’s eyeing

up further

adventures


COVER FEATURE

decided to pursue my dream full-time I came toLondon and attended the Royal College of Music. Iwas there for nearly two years and it was hard. I didn’thave any money and wasmoving from one placeto another. Sometimes Ihad nowhere to go at all;I was virtually home-less, sleeping on mates’couches and worse. Theywere hard, hard times,and London seriouslykicked my behind in thebeginning. I feel I camethrough it, but it was likegoing 14 rounds.

“Now it’s being very goodto me, though. And I’mgrateful for that. Travellingaround the south ofEngland has shown methat it’s a place ofopportunity. People dohave different approachesto those in Fleetwood. It’sinspiring, but thedifferences can be difficultto get your head aroundat times.”

if the south of englandis a challenge thenconfronting America mustbe something altogetherdifferent.

“We have a place in Utah– it’s serious Mormoncountry and a nice placeto be - it’s safe and theweather’s fantastic. Mywife’s family live thereand when we had ourdaughter, I was on theroad travelling a lot so itmade sense for her to benear people she knew.America has taken to mewell – I think they ‘get’me... you can never bequite sure, but the novelty of who I am and what Ican produce seems to convey.”

you’re left to wonder if there’s anything that’s notgood about being Alfie boe at the moment. but withthe type of candour you’d expect from someone

with such grounded roots, he admits he wasdisappointed not to be invited to play a part in theforthcoming release of ‘Les Mis: The Movie’.

“Obviously I think they’ll do an amazing job but I’mdisappointed I’m not involved in it; it would be awonderful opportunity to transfer my role of Valjeanto the big screen. But when you’re up against HughJackman, there’s not much you can do”.


COVER FEATURE

WIN! AFLIE’S LATEST CD...

HOW TO ENTER... Simply enter onlinewww.thesouthamptondirectory.co.uk - it’s under

‘Competitions’ or text your name, postcode, thedate you received the magazine to 07900 307636

Closing date: Sunday 15 January


PROFESSIONAL SERVICES


WORKING FROM HOME

I know, as do we all, that smoking in the workplaceis banned. And rightly so. It’s a vile habit, andwhether passive smoking is as dangerous as theysay it’s still selfish and unpleasant to inflict the smellof cigarette smoke on others. And I say this as asmoker.

i remember the first time i walked into the newsroomat the Worksop Guardian, where i trained as areporter: it was almost impossible to see the far endof the room (and it wasn’t a large room) thanks to thecoils of lazy blue smoke that hung in the air. but thenon-smokers, who were in fact the majority, nevercomplained. i don’t remember the window beingopened – in fact i’m not even sure that it did open.that was then, “then” in this case referring to 1977;and it seemed to all concerned to be a perfectlynatural state of affairs.

i remember just as clearly the outrage more than adecade later (by which time i had moved on from theWorksop Guardian) when a workplace smoking banwas proposed. We smokers felt indignantly that it wasour rights that were being violated, and some of thenon-smokers even agreed; it took the asthmaticnon-smoker who had first made the proposal quitesome time to gather enough support to persuademanagement to back him.

there were some furiousrows and long-term damage tofriendships, butwhen i steppedback inside aftermy first ever fag onthe fire-escape, iimmediatelyrealised that theantis were right.it was nice to be ableto breathe! not longafter that (it wasJanuary) i got fed upwith the fire-escapeand quit the weed.

(A thought: does cigarette smoke smell worse thanit used to? in the old days, i don’t remember myclothes being absolutely rancid after an evening inthe pub, but now i notice the lingering pong ifanyone has had a fag anywhere near me. have thehealth lobby secretly had a “vile stench” chemicaladded to tobacco – or do we just notice it more nowthat we do it less?)

Anyway, i started smoking again a few years ago, butby this time i was self-employed and working fromhome. the smoking ban hadn’t come in, but with anon-smoking wife and two non-smoking kids (onlyone now, alas, the boy has taken to it as eagerly as idid at his age) it somehow felt wrong to infect theirair with my poison.

in fact, i did my best to conceal from the kids the factthat i smoked at all. they tell me now that i was prettysuccessful, and that it was a very long time beforethey realised why daddy sometimes smelt funny. theboy started smoking because his friends did, notbecause i did, thank God; in fact it was only when hestarted smoking that he identified the funny smell.

Anyway, i’m back on the metaphorical fire-escapenow, although these days it comes equipped withgarden furniture so at least i can pollute my lungs incomfort. And even though it’s a miserable business

in bad weather, i wouldn’t go back tosmoking indoors (although i still,with my rather old-fashionedsense of hospitality, dig the sole

surviving ashtray out when anaddicted guest comes round).but in general, it’s aworkplace; and workplacesshould be smoke-free.

except for vans and lorries. twodriver friends of mine have

recently been nicked forsmoking in their cabs. Whowere they harming, apartfrom themselves? And

haven’t the police anythingbetter to do?

oNly

smokingThere was a time when it didn’t seem so ugly


HOME INTERIORS & PROPERTY SERVICES



when decorating a child’s bedroom, remember thethree Fs: fun, function and flexibility. Children needstimulation – though too much brightly colouredplastic will make your eyes ache – and organisation,so that you can occasionally see the floor. But it’sflexibility that’s the most important. unless you reallywant to redecorate every couple of years, keep thewalls, floors and major items of furniture relativelyneutral, just changing the accessories, such as rugs,cushion covers, bean bags, blinds and lampshades, asnecessary. That way you’ll be able to create a roomthat will last right through from babyhood until yourlittle darling leaves home.

Nurseriesthe younger the child, the more ‘stuff’ they seem tohave, and for a newborn storage is all-important. youcould buy a set of free-standing shelves (if the shelvescan be raised and lowered when necessary, so muchthe better) or fix some ‘floating’ shelves to the walls.better still, if you have a period house with alcoveseither side of a chimney breast, consider turning theminto conceal-all built-in wardrobes. most baby toys canbe stored in colourful, soft plastic buckets, or indrawstring bags hung from the back of the door or apeg rail.

Avoid buying furniture that’s very baby-specific – heor she won’t notice it and it will date very quickly.instead, choose well-made, simple pieces that will stillbe useable (even if they have to be given a lick of paint)in decades to come. Arrange the room to suit you –middle-of-the-night visits are even less fun when youstub your toe on a sticking-out chair, and instantaccess to the cot/bed, storage and toys will make yourlife easier. As for décor, choose soft colours and ensureyour lighting isn’t too glarey. fitting a dimmer is a greatidea – usually a quick and inexpensive job for aqualified electrician.

older childrenthe storage theme continues as your children growolder, so increase the options (and avoid spending afortune) by thinking laterally and visiting junk-shops forchests of drawers, blanket boxes and the like. makesure they’re stable and don’t have any splinters; then

simply sand and paint, changing any knobs andhandles if necessary. for storage of small toys, felt tippens and so on, use washed-up tins (no sharp edges,mind), ice cream tubs or shoe boxes, perhaps coveredin offcuts of wallpaper for a unified look.

now’s the time to consider a raised sleeper bed –children of this age need plenty of space in which toplay. keep furniture to the edges of the room, sothere’s plenty of clear floor area in the middle. And fordecorative interest, how about fixing a large magneticboard to one wall, or painting a wall or a cupboarddoor with blackboard paint? Wall stickers are great fun,or you could hang artists’s canvas painted in brightblocks of colour, or else camouflage nets, bunting,maps or flags. string fairy lights across the ceiling, orglue lightweight plastic toys in formation across it; onwooden floorboards, meanwhile, it wouldn’t be hardto paint paw prints, a race track or a giant game ofsnakes and ladders.

Teenagersteenagers’ rooms need to be a combination of cosyden, chill-out zone and study area. you’ll need toprovide zones for homework and hobbies, socialisingand sleepovers – and good lighting in each area isessential. As well as general, overhead lighting, deskand bedside lamps, consider adding somethingdecorative such as a colour-changing Led light or a‘starlit’ ceiling using fibre optics.

Just like anyone working from home, teenagers needa good quality swivel chair, a spacious desk, plenty ofplug sockets, an internet connection and storagespace for books, files and so on. this could be in theform of built-in shelving or standalone units that canbe taken with you when you move. As for relaxing, asofa, some bean bags or even a storage ottoman willcome in handy. A well-lit dressing table (this coulddouble up with the desk) is important, too, as is a goodmirror. if you want your teenager to be organised, adda pin board or magnetic board on the wall, anaccessible laundry bin and some open-topped storagefor all those bits and pieces that you’d prefer not to endup on the floor.

iT’s

child’s playCreating a space that’s as practical as it is imaginative

BY KATHERINE SORRELL


USEFUL NUMBERS


CLUBS & SOCIETIES

HOBBIES


CLUBS & SOCIETIES

For more information on the above Clubs &Societies, and others not listed here, in and

around Southampton please visit our websitewww.thesouthamptondirectory.co.uk

If your club or society is not listed here andyou would like it to be please email

[email protected] the details, and space permitting, we can

include your listing in our next issue.

SPORTS


REGULAR EVENTS


Antico 33delicious dining card 28Grand cafe 31puccini's 31scoozi 35the happy cheese 30yuzu Lounge 31

AuCTIoNEERSbonhams 11

BATHRooMS1st porter call 54simply bathrooms 55tp Watts 43

BEdRooM FuRNITuREswan system furniture 41

BlINdS & CuRTAINScustom blinds 51solent blind & curtain company 15

KITCHENSspace kitchens 5Windsor kitchens 51st porter call 54

loFT & gARAgE CoNVERSIoNSLofts of space 44

uPHolSTERy & SoFT FuRNISHINgSpont furnishings 53

wINdowS & dooRSbritannia Leafletideal Windows 9Windows by Wise 47

AERIAlS, TV SERVICEShumphries digital Aerials 52dJ satellite & Aerials 50

APPlIANCE REPAIRJp Appliances 52premier electrics 50

BuIldINg SERVICESh & c maintenance 46brian Loades builder 54

CARPENTRytodd beverley 50

dRAINAgE1st porter call 54Able plumbing 56

ElECTRICAlbertwell electrical 54Ampfield electrical 56eec 24/7 46

ESTATE AgENCy & lETTINgSnorthwood 64

FASCIASAztec fascias 56high Vac 56

gARAgE dooRSA. A. Aldridge 54fixQuick 54solent Garage doors 46

guTTER SERVICESAztec fascias 56highVac 56

PlASTERINgAy plastering 44plasterforce 52

PluMBINg & HEATINg SERVICES1st porter call 43Able plumbing 56Aquatec 43first call heating 3G James plumbing 50Ge harding & sons Ltd 48tp Watts 43universal plumbing supplies 55

PRoPERTy MAINTENANCEdulux paint centres 49the flat pack people 44forest fitted bedrooms 52h & c maintenance 46handyman hero 44Vision property management 48

PRoPERTy SECuRITysouthern stronghold security centres 12

SolAR HEATINgfinesse energy 7

wASTE SERVICESrubbish clearance & Waste removal 46

wINdowS ClEANINgshiny panes 50high Vac 56

wINdow REPAIRShampshire Window surgeon 52ideal Windows 9

gARdEN MACHINERynew forest Garden machinery 24

gARdEN MAINTENANCE1st Garden maintenance 23mac’s Gardening 23

lANdSCAPINg inc FENCINg, PAVINgAble Landscapes 24Adapt Landcapes 23bay Landscape design & tree services 24ts Garden consultancy 23

TREE SuRgEoNSbay Landscape design & tree services 24Jon curtis 23mac’s Gardening 23

FITNESS fitskool 19nutritional health 4 u 20the club @ chilworth manor 17Zumba in hampshire 21

HEARINg ClINIChampshire hearing clinics 20

oRgANIC Foodriverford 20

PodIATRISTnoble feet 21

SlIMMINgnatural tone 21

Body REPAIRchipsaway 27

TAXIS & TRANSPoRTelite chauffeur 15

TyRESchampion tyres 27

FuNERAl SERVICESJ Lawrence & sons 11


PET BoARdINgWagging tails 28

PET FoodStrophy pet foods 28

EXTRA CuRRICulAR ClASSES

spell read Write 25

MuSIC TuITIoNsouthampton Guitarist 25

EMPloyMENT PRogRAMMEprince's trust 25Amalfi coast, italy 15holiday in croatia 13


oFFICE FuRNITuREhaywoods office services 16

PRINTERSeazy-print 16

ACCouNTANTSArlington Accountants 39Waterside Accountancy 39

FINANCIAl SERVICESWaterside independent 38

PG 28-35

PG 3,7,9,12,43-56

PG 5, 11, 43-56

PG 23-24

PG 15,27

PG 17-21

PG 16

PG 28

PG 13, 15

PG 38-39

PG 25

PG 11

ADVERTISER’S INDEX

63

All material published in The Southampton Directory(adverts, editorials, articles and all other content) ispublished in good faith. The Southampton Directoryaccepts no responsibility for any errors or omissions. TheSouthampton Directory does not endorse any companies,products or services that appear in this publication. Allmaterial (adverts, images, photos, trade logos and any othercontent) is accepted for publication on the understandingthat it is copyright free. The Southampton Directoryaccepts no liability for any subsequent copyright issues. Nopart of this publication may be reproduced without priorwritten contents of the publisher.

REVIEW OF THE YEAR QUIZ1 Paul McCartney2 Burqas3 James Caan4 the England riots5 the Archers6 the MPs expenses scandal7 to avoid disruption from the ash cloud8 Blue9 Chris Moyles10 Princess Beatrice's hat

PUZZLE soluTioNs

To advertise please [email protected] or call 023 8026 6388

New Bizon the

BlockARE YOU A NEW

BUSINESS?would like to be featuredas New Biz on the Block?

IT’S FREE!

The Southampton directory wouldlike to give new businesses in thearea a helping hand with SOMEFREE PUBLICITY so if you’d like tobe featured, please apply.

Conditions:• the business must be less than 12 months old

• the business must be based within the distributionof area of the magazine (visitwww.thesouthamptondirectory.co.uk for details).

• A photograph of the business owner or premisesmust included with the text supplied (no morethan 300 words).

• Editorial will be edited where necessary anddeclined if not appropriate.

• No advertising booking is required to be featured.

To be the next New Biz on the Blockplease [email protected]

the southampton directory issue 45

Documents