BUSINESS
The smell of success
We meet the fragrance entrepreneur with grand designs
CULTURE
Strictly sensational
Dancers Kevin & Joanne Clifton sashay into Tunbridge Wells
LIFESTYLE
Christmas presence
Don't miss our brilliant festive gift guide for friends and family
YOUR HIGH STREET NEEDS YOU WHY SUPPORTING OUR TOWN’S SHOPS AND EATERIES IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER AND VITAL TO THEIR FUTURE
November 2020
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WELCOME
Editor’s LETTER
W
ith Christmas just around the corner it will come as no surprise to see a lot of our local independent retailers featured on our cover this month. To put it rather bluntly, now more than ever they need your support if they are to keep going during these tough times. With this in mind we spoke to Ross Feeney, CEO of Royal Tunbridge Wells Together, a company which helps to manage the town and ensure it is getting every opportunity to improve its economic and social standing. Ross and his team are working with everyone from retailers to restaurateurs in order to help boost footfall this Christmas and promote Tunbridge Wells as a safe shopping destination to meet all your festive gifting needs. The idea, says Ross, is to have a look at individual shop and hospitality websites make a note of items that would make great presents or dining experiences and then buy or order directly from them – not go down the Amazon route. It may take a bit more time and possibly cost more money, but we think you’ll agree it’s an idea that will certainly help to support all those in the town who are struggling to survive right now. And doing so is a pretty priceless feeling right? Turn to page 8 to find out more. Also in the issue we have a chat with former Strictly stars and siblings Kevin and Joanne Clifton about their new show ‘An evening with…’ which will be performed at
November 2020
Culture vulture: Where to go when this October
One to watch: Paul Dunton interviews rising star and local singer Kitty Montague
the Assembly Hall later this month. Turn to page 17 to find out what you can expect from this dynamic duo when they strut onto the stage. In addition to all the regular food, drink, culture, lifestyle and well-being content, we have our annual Christmas gift guide which is supporting a number of local independent retailers. We also have a chat with Helen Janousek from The Perfume Studio who explains why investing in one of their fragrance making experiences is so unique (page 26). We also chat to local interiors expert Joss Miller about how she turned her dream of becoming a design influencer into a reality (page 46) thus proving that if you put your mind to something you really can make a difference in life. Enjoy the issue,
Eileen Editor So magazine
Your town needs you: Ross Feeney from Royal Tunbridge Wells Together explains why we all need to support our town this Christmas – and beyone
36
13
From farm to fork: The Warren restaurant reveals how it’s coped with Covid to still ensure delicious dishes are served up to customers
21 26
41
It’s showtime: Tobias Cornwell from GOOMS on his version of an immersive version of A Christmas Carol Festive feeling: The definitive gift guide for all your present needs this Christmas Scent of success: We experience an afternoon making our own fragrance courtesy of The Perfume Studio
Natural approach: Botanica’s Naomi Murray on how to cope with stress courtesy of natural remedies and positive thinking
30
Care special: Our guide to choosing the right type of care for you or a loved one
Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @somagazines
Issue 148 SALOMONS ESTATE Tunbridge Wells Kent TN3 0TG Tel: 01892 779650 www.timeslocalnews.co.uk
EDITOR Eileen Leahy info@somagazines.co.uk
HEAD OF DESIGN Lee Smith lsmith8@markerstudy.com
SALES DIRECTOR Robin Singer rsinger@markerstudy.com
EDITORIAL Victoria Truman Karen Martin Naomi Murray
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Richard Moore rmoore@markerstudy.com
DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY David Sexton Rose Bainbridge
PRINTED BY: Mortons Print PUBLISHED BY
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contents
All rights reserved. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions relating to advertising or editorial. The publisher reserves the right to change or amend any competitions or prizes offered. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent from the publisher. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited materials or the return of these materials whilst in transit.
42
Hypnotherapy: Our resident hypnotherapist Karen Martin talks you through how to look for a new job if you’ve been made redundant
46 50
Interiors: Joss Miller shares her style secrets and passion for creating a dream home Seasonal splendour: SO’s gardening guru Victoria Truman on what to plant now for a late blast of colour
Strictly Confidential: We chat to dancers Kevin and Joanne Clifton about their new show P17 SO Magazine | November 2020 | 3
CALENDAR
Our edit of the most entertaining events happening this month With the ongoing coronavirus situation, some of the usual events that would be happening this month such as the Dunorlan Fireworks are unable to take place. At the time of going to press most of the following events were still scheduled to run but please do check with each venue before heading out somewhere… MUSIC TO OUR EARS When the Assembly Hall reopened last month music fans were thrilled to hear that the venue would be hosting a special Forum evening every Thursday. Entitled Forum Nights it is scheduled to happen every week until December 3 and will feature artists including Will Joseph Cook, The Paul Dunton Orchestra, Charlie Rivers Band, Indoor Pets and an Unfest special evening. See www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk for info on tickets and timings.
BROAD CHURCH Trinity Theatre is also doing its bit to ensure our local music scene is able to survive by hosting a series of jazz brunches and the odd special gig too. On November 7 it hosts talented singer Marie White who most recently appeared on the bill at Tom Kerridge’s Drive In Garden Party and last year’s Glastonbury Festival. Its comedy nights are also running still too. See www.trinitytheatre.net
CELLULOID CLASSICS Trinity is known for its excellent selection of cinematic offerings and this month on November 9 sees both Michael Caine in The Italian Job at 2pm and later that day at 8pm, Penelope Cruz in Pedro Almodovar’s Volver. For tickets and screening times see the venue’s website.
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM On November 12 The London Ballet Company will once again return to Trinity Theatre to perform their poignant piece ‘Poppy’ – a beautiful balletic homage to a family going through the devastating effects of World War 1. The show starts at 8pm and tickets cost £17.
ICE ICE BABY On November 13 the town’s popular ice rink, which this year celebrates its tenth anniversary, will open again for
the festive season. Obviously this year will be very different compared to any other due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis so there will be social distancing in place and limited capacity for each session. To celebrate its tenth birthday, young skaters who also turned ten this year will be awarded a free ticket (during the Saver Sessions). Ticket prices start from £8 for a child, £12 for adults and £10 for students. Santa Claus is due to arrive for his Christmas stint from November 28…
CHRISTMAS IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT It's the most wonderful time of the year, and despite this one being a particularly tough one the good news is Christmas hasn’t been cancelled! One of the best places to experience a little sprinkling of festive magic is at Bedgebury Pinetum. Take a walk through the stunning illuminated forest and marvel at the many colourfully lit trees and shrubs and Christmas trees floating on boats. Tickets cost £13 for children aged 5-16 and £19.50 for adults. A family ticket costs £60. Visit www.christmasatbedgebury. seetickets.com
JUST FOR LAUGHS On November 25 comedian Omid Djalili will be appearing at the Assembly Hall with his latest show: Schmuck For A Night. The successful stand-up is known for his clever, razor sharp observational wit so audiences will be in for a good night in his entertaining company. The show starts at 7pm and tickets cost £23.75 per person from www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk 4 | November 2020 | SO Magazine
FESTIVE THEATRE YULE LOVE On November 24 Tobias Cornwell and his GOOMS chums will put on their seasonal offering A Cratchit’s Christmas Carol at The Beacon. On until December 20 this immersive dining theatrical experience based on Charles Dicken’s classic tome, promises to be an event you’ll won’t forget! Tickets cost from £55 from www.gooms.co.uk See our exclusive interview with Tobias on page 13.
CULTURE CLUB As part of The Assembly Hall’s new series of monthly residencies which includes the English Touring Opera and various cabaret evenings, the venue is also hosting a monthly London Comedy Store pop-up until December 12. Make sure you check their website so you can see who’s appearing every month and enjoy a good dose of laughs from some of the country’s top and fledgling comedians on your doorstep.
SEASONAL SOUNDS The Lamberhurst Music Festival, which has been going since 2003, welcomes
DID YOU KNOW? Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol in just six weeks and would often walk around London for 20 miles or so in order to gain inspiration
CALENDAR
DID YOU KNOW? Omid Djalili’s BBC eponymously titled sketch show which ran from 2007-09 was the first ever hosted by an Anglo-Iranian
SANTA SPECIAL Over the weekend of November 28 – 29 Spa Valley Railway will host a special Christmas event for children and their parents who want to meet and make a magical journey with Santa Claus. Running every weekend until Christmas, visitors will enjoy a two-hour picturesque journey through the Kent and Sussex countryside and will have the opportunity for a socially distanced meet and greet with Father Christmas. Tickets cost £18 for adults and £16 for children
STRICTLY SENSATIONAL On November 29 brother and sister dancing duo Kevin and Joanne Clifton will be shimmying their way onto the dance floor of the Assembly Hall with their new show. An Evening With Kevin and Joanne Clifton will
see the former Strictly champions perform a number of mesmerising dance routines, sing and also chat about their life as dancers – and reveal if there’s any sibling rivalry between them! Tickets cost £33.75 and are available from the venue’s website.
CHRISTMAS ALL WRAPPED UP The Bell at Ticehurst is hosting a series of half day workshops courtesy of the Curious House. The sessions, which cost £50 each will run from 9.30am to 12.30pm and then 1.30pm to 4.30pm and include a Christmas Wreath making one on November 30 with Nicky Gaffney followed by a Lino Cut Christmas Card workshop on the same day with Clare Dales. The following day there will be a Luxury Christmas Bouquet making session with Lucinda Watts in the morning followed by a handy Creative Christmas Wrapping event with Emily Wood. Why not make it an extra special event by availing of the award-winning pub’s fantastic overnight rate of £110 (single occupancy) or £125 per room double occupancy including breakfast? For more information visit www.curioushouse. net or call 07747 106929
Photo © David Jenner
Voces8 to perform at St Mary’s Church on Saturday November 28. Starting at 7.30pm visitors can expect an evening of enchanting live music with a little festive flourish. Tickets cost £30 per person from www. lamberhurstmusic.couk
SO Magazine | November 2020 | 5
Music
Paul Dunton Music Editor
Follow Paul @PaulDuntonmusic
This month, SO’s resident music correspondent Paul Dunton chats to local talented singer songwriter Kitty Montague about her passion for performing. And reveals why, despite having to put most of this year on hold due to coronavirus, she’s still one to watch for 2021
6 | November 2020 | SO Magazine
How would you describe your style and sound? I would say my music comes loosely under Alt-Pop, my writing style is definitely pop inspired, with a soulful, jazz influenced vocal. And who are your main music influences and artists you aspire to? Lily Allen and Kate Nash were a few of my main influences, I remember them notably impacting me with the opinions and attitudes they displayed through their music. Currently, I’m loving artist like Jessie Reyez and Caitlyn Scarlett; I am in awe of their writing! What has been your most memorable experience so far in your career?
Supporting Gabrielle Aplin for Banquet Records is a gig that I definitely won’t forget. She was a huge influence on my earlier writing which made for an incredible full circle moment. It’s a real highlight in my career, and not a bad name drop either! Tell us more about your new single 'Bad Boy' and where can people find it online? ‘Bad Boy’ is about shrugging off toxic relationships and choosing yourself instead. It was written as a middle finger to those ex-boyfriends that keeping trying to crawl back for a second chance, after messing up their first one. It’s out on all streaming platforms now, including YouTube, where you can find the DIY video created during lockdown. With the current Covid situation resulting in the majority of live gigs being cancelled, have you been able to perform or watch any live stream gigs? Yes, they’ve been a great way of connecting, as well as meeting new artists! I’ve been involved in some amazing charity gigs, as well as more
interactive livestream projects such as Write Like A Girl and Camden Live – which have been a lot fun and feel slightly less like you’re talking to yourself! Pre-Covid-19, which did you prefer doing – an intimate venue gig or open-air festival stage? I have had some incredible, unforgettable, gigs which have also been my most intimate. However, I would have to say I really do like performing at open-air festivals! What are your plans and ambitions for 2021? I’m desperately missing the atmosphere of the live scene, as well as interacting with an audience. After being paused in one place for so long, I would love to get out and gig around the UK! Equally, I’ve been sitting on a lot of music that is ready to be recorded and released, so hopefully 2021 will be spent in and out of the studio too. Where can people find you online? @KittyMontagueMusic on all social media platforms
Photograph © Chris pope photography
How long have you been writing and performing? I fell into performing very early, after a surprisingly successful school play where I discovered a real love for being on stage. I began song-writing shortly after, writing songs instead of making friendship bracelets. It wasn’t until later, after briefly dipping into musical theatre, that I really decided to commit to singing and song-writing.
NOTEWORTHY GIGS TO SEE AT TRINITY AND THE ASSEMBLY HALL
Music
I am delighted to announce that Trinity Theatre and The Assembly Hall are staging some live music events and there are some cracking local acts to be enjoyed. All the shows are advance ticket only and seated, and audiences will be socially distanced with all safety measures adhered to. Local bands and our local venues need all the support possible during these difficult times and these concerts will offer great music if you are looking for a night of live entertainment: THE ASSEMBLY HALL THEATRE Nov 5 - WILL JOSEPH COOK + LILY DENNING + THOMA Nov 12 - THE PAUL DUNTON ORCHESTRA + SORREL NATION + CHARLIE RIVERS BAND
TRINITY THEATRE Nov 7 - MARIE WHITE with support from LAKY Nov 21 - MARK MORRISS All Show details and tickets at www.trinitytheatre.net
Nov 19 - INDOOR PETS + THE POLYGONS + THE RAMBLING CLUB Nov 26 - INFRARED + PETT LEVEL + NAPIA Dec 3 - LADYBIRD + Friends + Special guests Harvey Marwood & JC Palmer All Show details and tickets at www.assemblyhalltheatre. co.uk SO Magazine | November 2020 | 7
Cover Feature
WHY SUPPORTING LOCAL
With Christmas just around the corner it’s more important than ever to support your local shops says Ross Feeney (right), CEO of Royal Tunbridge Wells. Here he tells Eileen Leahy why it will be the perfect festive present for all our independent businesses
8 | November 2020 | SO Magazine
I
n 2019 Tunbridge Wells became a Business Improvement District (BID), in order to make it a more desirable town for entrepreneurs and companies to do business in, an appealing destination for both retail and tourists, as well as a key location for those looking to set up their leisure, hospitality or culture-focused projects. The team behind galvanising and delivering that vision is Royal Tunbridge Wells Together
Photography by: Rose Bainbridge
is the gift that keeps on giving...
(RTWT) which was formed in 2016 as a town centre partnership created and supported by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and numerous local businesses. At the time of its launch Karen Pengelly was put in charge as RTWT’s CEO. She was then succeeded by Ross Feeney at the beginning of this year who was tasked to continue the job of improving the town and its fortunes. “Royal Tunbridge Wells Together is focused on increasing the vitality of the whole town, not on single sector aims and
Our local businesses need a quick recovery to help them remain viable and open
aspirations,” explained Ross on taking over in January 2020. “We will work hard to deliver a well-connected town, a forward-thinking place to do busines, a stunning, historic leisure destination and a clearly defined and unique brand.” To say that since Ross was appointed he has had a baptism of fire is something of a huge understatement given that he and his team were thrown a giant Covidshaped curveball into the mix too. Since lockdown Ross and his team, who are based in Royal Victoria Place, have
had to ensure that Tunbridge Wells is a safe place to shop, socialise and do business in and have seen their original plan of improving the town eclipsed by the more brutal reality of sheer survival. There are still RTWT’s early ideas of trying to increase more footfall and less internet surfing by introducing initiatives such as such as £2 all day parking on Sundays, and ensuring accessibility and beneficial networking continues but these have, to some extent, had to take a back seat while Ross and his team tackle the issue of how to cope with Covid-19. Now one of their
Cover Feature
THIS CHRISTMAS OUR TOWN CENTRE NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT More than ever before says Royal Tunbridge Wells Together CEO Ross Feeney “It is not an understatement to say that the last seven months have been difficult for businesses across Tunbridge Wells. Last Christmas our shops faced the biggest challenge from online retail to date, and February saw us blasted with a succession of weather storms that kept people indoors. Just as trade was starting to pick up we were then plunged
into lockdown due to the coronavirus and businesses have been trying to recover ever since. Our local retailers and businesses now face many challenges: high business rates, high rents, competition from out of town centres, costly public car-parking charges - let alone we start to factor in the coronavirus. This Christmas our town centre needs your support more than ever before. With everyone keeping an eye on the R-rate it is understandable that many residents may
feel uncomfortable about coming into town. Our retailer and hospitality businesses have gone to great lengths to ensure your visit will be as safe as it can be, and therefore if you can visit the town centre we warmly encourage you to do so. By all means, spend some time online doing your browsing – so you know what you want to buy – but when it comes to those all-important purchases please shop in store and support our retailers.
key aims is to ensure businesses don’t go bust and that people feel confident and safe enough to support Tunbridge Wells. When lockdown measures started to ease in early summer, Ross and his team set about making sure the town was compliant with all the new social distancing measures. Stickers indicating how shoppers could keep a safe distance from others were placed everywhere, free face masks were distributed and special marshals were employed to ensure people were keeping to the rules. RETAIL At the time Ross, who is a member of the town’s Covid panel said: “Our local businesses need a quick recovery to help them remain viable and open. “We are working hard to ensure they can open effectively and safely, but local residents will only come back into the town if they feel safe and confident to do so.” Since June, shoppers have slowly returned back to the High Street and various other retail parts of Tunbridge Wells courtesy of RTWT’s ‘Get Tapping’ campaign – and Government schemes such as Eat Out to Help Out. Restaurants, bars and cafes all experienced a bounce when the Chancellor Rishi Sunak agreed to pick up 50% of the tab but Ross’s goal now is to ensure that customer support continues – SO Magazine | November 2020 | 9
Cover Feature
especially in the lead up to Christmas. When SO magazine spoke to him last month Ross was adamant that in order to ensure the town’s survival it’s clear we need to use it or lose it. “Pandemic or no pandemic we’ll always have the issue of going up against the internet and competing
with the likes of Amazon, which is why for this Christmas we have come up with the idea of browsing for ideas online first then completing your purchase in person in town to help support our businesses. “You can look for ideas on our retailers’ individual websites but we are also in the process of creating a
special RTWT one which will be a comprehensive guide for all your gifting needs. SHOP “By all means this year do your Christmas browsing online, but when it comes to making those purchases please come and shop instore. Your town really does need you…”
By all means, spend some time online doing your browsing but when it comes to those all-important purchases please shop in store and support our retailers”
WHAT IS A BID?
RTWT is now what’s called a Business Improvement District (BID) company. BIDs are tightly defined geographic locations (usually town centres or industrial estates) where businesses have come together to take greater control over the locality. They draft a business plan, put it to a legally binding vote, and if the ballot is successful the area becomes a BID for (usually) five years. During that time every business in the area must pay a levy, dependent on the rules set for the BID prior to ballot. In Tunbridge Wells the rules stipulate that every business within the area that has premises with a business rateable value of £15k or more would be eligible to pay the levy. Each year the levy is collected by the council and passed to us so we can deliver against the business plan/manifesto originally voted on. In Tunbridge Wells there are approximately 675 businesses or commercial premises (hereditaments) that pay the levy, and we collect approx. £475k to spend in the town centre. The money is invested each year by a board of directors made up of local businesses in the town centre. Tunbridge Wells became a BID town in 2106. Tunbridge Wells BID receives around £400,000 a year from local businesses in the town. www.tunbridgewellstogether.co.uk
Help give disadvantaged children a Christmas to remember One way you can show your support this year is through the Mayor’s Toy Appeal. Each year a fabulous group of people come together to collect toys to give to children across the borough who might not otherwise receive any gifts from Santa. Last year over 600 children received gifts, and we want to help beat that number this year. For Christmas 2020 if you buy a toy from any retailer in Royal Tunbridge Wells town centre valued at £10 or over you will be entered into a raffle to win £500 of high street vouchers donated by Tunbridge Wells Together. Simply make a purchase and
drop it into either Whirligig Toys or the Town Hall with your proof of purchase and you will receive a raffle ticket. We will draw the raffle on December 11 and will then deliver the vouchers in time for you to spend in town before Christmas. The more toys you buy the
RTWT BID MEMBERS: Every single business, regardless of regardless of sector, within the BID area [town centre] is part of the Business Improvement District This amounts to around 700 businesses in total Everyone from RVP to restaurants, hotels to solicitors and shops and pubs are all signed up For more information on BID and RTWT visit www.tunbridgewellstogether.co.uk
10 | November 2020 | SO Magazine
more tickets you will receive. We think this is a great incentive to support an incredibly worthy charitable cause but to support some of our retailers too. On behalf of the business community in the town centre we wish you all a healthy and happy Christmas.
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Culture
The shape of future live theatre
The cast of A Cratchit’s Christmas Carol
Immersive theatrical troubadours Get Out Of My Space – or GOOMS as the company is more commonly known – are back with a seasonal themed interactive production. Here director and founder Tobias Cornwell unwraps what A Cratchit’s Christmas Carol is all about it…
G
et the lowdown on GOOMS Get Out Of My Space (aka GOOMS) is all about creating exceptional experiences for small audiences. We don’t believe in packing a 2000 seat theatre where the audiences are miles away in the upper grand circle, squinting to get a look at the faces on stage. We want every audience member who comes to one of our shows to have the best possible time. Whether that’s the shows where we en-velop an entire space, such as a woodland or a country house, with actors and audience standing shoulder to shoulder in the world, or one of our dining experiences, where you’re never more than a few meters from the action. GOOMS is all about striving to show how the unconventional can be truly wonderful, and giving the audience a reason to get off the sofa and away from Netflix for an evening. Our latest production, A Cratchit’s Christmas Carol, is our 10th production now, and our past is littered with an eclectic mix of shows. From our first show, Boys by Ella Hickson, performed tradi-tionally in
Royal Victoria Hall, to Rotten States which was written by myself and involved seven actors running through a dark woodland, engaging in ferocious combat sequences and submerging themselves in a lake. It has been an incredible six-year journey that has been filled with so many twists and turns. One highlight has to be The 39 Steps by Patrick Barlow. This play was one of our first shows since returning to Tunbridge Wells from Exe-ter. We performed it in an amphitheatre at The Beacon and it proved to be a hilariously riotous run. Black Fate and Rotten States are also two other major milestones in our journey, bringing a previously unseen style of work to Tunbridge Wells. Each production saw up to 10 plays interlink with each other and performed simultaneously, whilst the audience held full autonomy to wander and watch whichever narratives they wished. This Christmas we’re putting on A Cratchit’s Christmas Carol at The Beacon and the piece is an adaptation of the Dickens classic. It was written by myself and another cast member, James Alston. Following the success of last year, Tobias Cornwell
where we used Patrick Barlow’s adaptation, we wanted to tackle our own version and have been working on this since January. It’s obviously been through ups and downs over the last nine months. However, having created our own script, we’ve been able to redesign the show in order to comply with all the new regulations and we are proud to say that we have ended up with a truly Christmassy show that makes no compromises on quality.
A CHRISTMAS CLASSIC WITH A TWIST YULE LOVE
On entering the show, you will be welcomed as an extended member of the Cratchit family to their annual Christmas feast. Bob, Emily, Tim and Martha Cratchit have prepared a dramatic retelling of how Scrooge learned to love Christmas, but they can’t decide who should play Scrooge. The only solution is a full Cratchit family vote! Once the audience have chosen their Scrooge, the remaining three must scramble around to fill in all 50 other roles. An evening of madness, hilarity and deliciousness ensues as every guest, alongside the theatricalities, is fed a three-course Christmas feast cooked by Emily Cratchit herself (and definitely not a team of professional chefs from The Beacon!)
If I could sum up A Cratchit’s Christmas Carol in three words they would they be: Delicious. Ambitious. Ridiculous.
Tickets to A Cratchitt’s Christmas Carol start from £55 with a three course meal. For more information or to book visit www. gooms.co.uk
As I’ve developed in my career, I’ve moved from performing on stage to directing the shows to writing them. The most magical mo-ment for me is during opening night, it’s there for just a fleeting moment, but it makes all the hours of hard work worth it; it’s when the vision that I had in my head at the beginning, whilst I was staring at a blank page, comes alive. The part that most confuses people is that the image in my head and the production itself are never the same, not even close, but I love that. It’s proof of all the hard work and belief of every single person that has touched the project, from actors, to sound designers, to set builders, to lighting designers. They all have an impact, and they all make it so much better than it would have been. Facilitation of creative ideas and combining them into a singular evening for the public to lose themselves in is the most in-credible job on this planet in my opinion, and I will carry on doing it until they physically force me into something else. Cyber, maybe.
HOW THE BEACON HELPS SHINE A LIGHT ON WHAT WE DO The freedom and trust that the venue affords us is absolutely invalu-able. Their willingness to run with us on our (often slightly mad) ide-as means we can exercise
SO Magazine | November 2020 | 13
Culture
“Facilitation of creative ideas and combining them into a singular evening for the public to lose themselves in is the most incredible job on this planet in my opinion”
our creativity in the best way. We have been performing shows at The Beacon since 2016 and this will be our sixth show at this incredible venue. They’ve allowed us to use their cellar, Grand Pavilion, woodland and even take over their entire building all on separate occasions. It’s safe to say that GOOMS wouldn’t be in the same place we are today without The Beacon’s support.
ALL PERFORMANCES WILL BE COVIDCOMPLIANT
Now being more of a dining experience production, we have turned towards how restaurants remain COVIDcompliant, rather than the West End theatres. This means that we are selling tables of up to six people as a booking, and each table is socially distanced from each other. GOOMS loves to bring the audience into the action as much as possible, but this time we’ve limited ourselves. Our actors will stay a minimum of 2m away from the audience at all times. We have set out the space and choreographed the show in such a way that everything will be COVID safe and secure, but with next to no 14 | November 2020 | SO Magazine
noticeable effect on the story being told in front of you. There are four of us in this particular show, and we have had to think very carefully about the safest way we can bring the best possible production to fruition. The solution we have come to is that we, as a group of four, are going to be creating a bubble in which we will be limiting all our social interactions to the bare necessities for the duration of the rehearsals and production. This means that two weeks before rehearsals commence we will isolate ourselves, then we will come together for two weeks of rehearsals where we will form a new bubble, and then stay within that bubble for the four weeks of performances. This will give us the freedom and security to interact on stage without putting anyone at risk.
LOCKDOWN AND THE LESSONS IT TAUGHT US
Lockdown was quite a shock, as I’m sure it was for everyone. We had just finished our run of Black Fate about a month before and were engaging in discussions for a London transfer, but that all suddenly ground to a halt. At first I
stayed positive that it would be over in a few weeks, so I got out my pen and I redrafted Black Fate, all 153 scenes of it. This was quite a good time for me, it gave me the op-portunity to focus and really think… but then we reached July and not much had changed. Then we got a slight glimmer of hope; we were told that outdoor performances were going to be allowed this sum-mer. I grabbed my pen again and I wrote and wrote, and three weeks later had curated a brand-new play, Rotten States, that was COVID safe and set outdoors. We successfully staged it this Septem-ber and that gave us so much hope for the future, and for A Cratchits’ Christmas Carol. During this difficult time for the arts I have learned most importantly that there is a creative solution for almost anything. There are a lot of creative businesses in trouble
at the moment, and that is truly heart-breaking, but theatre is by no means dead. Theatres, the brick and mortar establishments, are in serious trouble and in need of support. But beyond this, so much exciting beautiful theatre is emerging and it needs to be celebrated.
WHY THE FUTURE’S LOOKING BRIGHT FOR GOOMS
GOOMS has got plenty of plans, some more secret than others, but rest assured that we don’t aim to sit and twiddle our thumbs and waiti for all this to blow over. We are looking into another run of Rotten States, an intimate show with only six audience members and a few other exciting ideas. They say necessity is the mother of invention, and I truly believe that.
We are not planning shows that need to compromise on quality or experience because of COVID. We are planning shows that work, COVID or not. The reframing of this mindset means that we don’t have to wait for a vaccine or worry if the period of restrictions con-tinues for another year. We are ready come what may. This whole situation has been incredibly unlucky, unfair and heart breaking for many. I am extremely grateful for everyone’s personal sacrifices and hard work in embracing a new normal. I feel many things as we head towards putting on this show; grateful, proud, im-passioned and thankful. These new restrictions and rules have only pushed us to dream bigger, think differently and adapt faster. There’s a silver lining everywhere, you just need to find it.
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National & BREAKTHROUGH ACTS
the london ballet company
16 | November 2020 | SO Magazine
Celebrity interview
Once we get on stage we’ll probably want to out-do each other!
On November 29 the Assembly Hall presents An Evening with Kevin and Joanne Clifton. Here the Strictly champions - and siblings - reveal why they love dancing and singing together - and why this special intimate matinée show is potentially the only time they’ll get to perform together
SO Magazine | November 2020 | 17
Celebrity interview
How did you feel when Burn The Floor 2020 tour had to be postponed? Kevin: We've wanted to do a show together for so long. Obviously the 2020 Burn the Floor tour was supposed to be that show, but Covid-19 put a stop to that! We were midrehearsals when lockdown started, so we were all in great shape and raring to go. The show was shaping up to be incredible with a lot of new choreography and ideas, so obviously I was gutted when we found out it would have to be delayed. But as things stand we are going out next spring, although Joanne is already committed to something else, so unfortunately she can’t do it. That’s why ‘An Evening with’ will be so special, as we may never get to tour together again. Joanne: I was so gutted. The show was all ready to go! And it was the first time I got my passion for ballroom dancing back in an extremely long time, and the cast were incredible! I was so looking forward to it. Unfortunately, I already have some commitments for next year which means I won’t be able to do it.
Photos © BBC
How did the idea of a show in front of a sociallydistanced audience come about? Kevin: Our producers stayed optimistic the whole time throughout lockdown. Rather than bin the show which we were supposed to be touring Burn the Floor 2020 tour altogether, they kept following the guidelines with an attitude of 'What CAN we do?'. When it became possible it just became about making sure it was safe and everything was in place for a tour to happen. Me and Joanne jumped at the chance to get out there again.
audience. It's the energy created between performers and the audience that I get such a buzz from. I did my first in-person audition since lockdown for another musical a few weeks ago and it really hit home how much I've missed performing with, and for, other people. Joanne: I am so incredibly excited! I think just getting in front of an audience again, albeit socially distanced, just the thrill of it will be amazing. And of course performing alongside my bro!
Joanne: Kevin and I have always wanted to do a show together, so it was such a shame that we couldn’t do the big tour this year. We recorded an album together, so I think the producers were like ‘well let’s do a mini tour with all the songs from the album on etc’ and so we were delighted to give it a shot!
What can the audience expect from your new show? Kevin: This year my sister and I made an album of songs from our Burn The Floor show, past and present, so think of this like an album tour. It will be a more intimate show with us singing songs from the show, dancing, telling stories from our careers and taking questions from the audience.
Are you excited about the tour and what are you looking forward to most about it? Kevin: I'm just so excited to be back in a theatre with an
Joanne: There’ll be songs from our album, stories and dances. We have our dance partners too (we’ll be a bubble), so we’ll be doing dances separately and together.
‘An Evening with…’ will be so special, as we may never get to tour together again
Joanne: We have a video of our very first competition aged 4 and 5 years old. And we won - but we were the only ones in it. We were so proud of ourselves! Were you competitive siblings when you were younger and if so, are you still now? Kevin: It's funny, when we were younger I was really competitive and Jo was very passive. Now it's switched the other way. Jo is super competitive and I'm a lot more chilled. She's still my sister though, so there will always be banter. All I do is make fun of her! Once we get on stage I anticipate we'll probably want to out-do each other!
Tickets to see Joanne and Kevin Clifton’s special matinée show at the Assembly Hall cost from £37.75. Visit www.assemblyhall theatre.co.uk 18 | November 2020 | SO Magazine
What are your earliest memories of dancing? Kevin: Our first competition when we were really young. We were the only ones in our age group, but we were too scared to dance on our own so they had to bring an older couple onto the floor. When they gave us a first place trophy we thought we had beaten them!!
Joanne: We’ve swapped! Kevin was SO competitive as a child and I was so laid back! Now it’s me! That’s why I loved it when I beat him on Strictly!!
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Gift Guide
HAVE YOURSELF A
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SO Magazine | November 2020 | 21
Gift Guide
TIME FOR SOME ME TIME: Self Care Sundays boxes, £65 for a subscription or gift subscription (rolling, 3, 6, or 12 month) or £72 for a one-time box or one-time gift, www.selfcaresundaysbox.com
ETERNAL JOY: Diamond eternity ring (Total weight of diamonds, 1.40cts) £4,200, available in Platinum, Yellow Gold and Rose Gold, G. Collins & Sons, www.gcollinsandsons.com
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A TRIO OF DELIGHTS: Silver pearl necklace from £80, also available in gold, Gabriella Fine Jewellery, 01892 540216 PEARL FOR THE GIRL: Double freshwataer pearl chain necklace, £59, RAW Copehagen, www.rawcopenhagen.co.uk
GOLDEN HOUR: Gold hoops collection, £24 per pair, Catherine De Crevecoeur, www.catherinedc.com
IT’S A WRAP: Blue Aztec Scarf, £20, The Meek Boutique, www.themeekboutique.co.uk
GIFTS FOR HER: 22 | November 2020 | SO Magazine
AMAZING ARM CANDY: Gold All That Glitters Stack, £125, Bella Jane Jewellery, www.bellajanejewellery.co.uk
Gift Guide
JACKET REQUIRED: Camouflage Men’s Jacket, £39.99, TK Maxx, www,tkmaxx.com
GET THIS SHIRT ON YOUR BACK: Blue medallion print signature twill shirt, £160, Eton, available from Hoopers
SCENTS AND SENSIBILITY: This clever fragrance kit will enable you to create your very own bespoke scent, prices start from £49, www.theperfumestudio.com
BAG THIS QUICK: Antony Full-Grain Leather Messenger Bag £695, Mulberry, Fenwick, www.fenwick.co.uk
GIFTS FOR HIM: TIMELESS CLASSIC: Panthère de Cartier watch, medium model, quartz movement, yellow gold and steel, £7,700, G. Collins & Sons, www.gcollinsandsons.com
TIME FOR TEE: Green Fee Voucher, from £70, The London Golf Club, www.londongolf.co.uk
FOR THE MAN WHO HAS EVERYTHING: Treat them to a gift voucher for a Curious House arts session and lunch at The Bell Inn, Ticehurst, prices start from £110, for more details email philippa@curioushouse.net or visit the website is www.curioushouse.net
PUT THE BOOT IN: Casual Hiking Boots, £49.50, M&S Collection, www.marksandspencer.com
SO Magazine | November 2020 | 23
Gift Guide
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ILLUMINATING IDEA: Patchouli & Cocoa Bean luxury hand poured candle, £18, Vincenties www. vincenties luxurysoycandles.co.uk
COCKTAIL O’CLOCK: Cantium Gin, £40 for 500cl, available from www. cantiumgin.com
PACKED FULL OF GOURMET GOODIES: Create your own bespoke food and drink hamper, prices start from £15, Hattons, www.hattonrtwstore.co.uk
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GIFTS YOU’LL LOVE: Fullers has always been the local go-to butcher’s and deli for all your epicurean delights but they also sell some wonderful gifts for the home too. Check out these gorgeous olive wood boards, prices start from £11.50, www.fullers-tw.co.uk 24 | November 2020 | SO Magazine
Gift Guide
GIFTS FOR KIDS: HAT’LL DO NICELY: Hatley Boys Winter T-Rex Fleece-Lined Hat, £14, Stampede, www.stampedeshoes.co.uk
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PJ PARTY: Stella Mccartney Kids Ivory Festive Tree Tracksuit, £91 at Childrensalon.com
SO Magazine | November 2020 | 25
business
Experience THE SCENT OF SPECIAL OFFER The Perfume Studio are offering a Gold experience for 1 for free (value £49) to one lucky SO magazine reader. Simply email your details to Helen at helen.janousek@ theperfumestudio.com by November 25 and she will pick a winner at random.
Helen Janousek
During these testing times it’s all the more important for us to have a fun treat to look forward to and what could be more enjoyable than an afternoon spent creating your very own bespoke fragrance? Eileen Leahy went along to Salomons to find out what a Perfume Studio experience is all about courtsey of Helen Janousek…
HOW TO GET IN CONTACT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ tpskentandsussex Email: helen.janousek@theperfumestudio.com Tickets https://myfragrance.eventbrite.co.uk 26 | November 2020 | SO Magazine
C
onsidering so many of our liberties have been heavily compromised or taken away from us completely due to the coronavirus, any chance of having a fun time with a friend or family member is quite a rare thing nowadays. But thankfully it is still possible courtesy of companies such as The Perfume Studio who have cleverly remodelled their business in order to still be able to offer their popular and very unique olfactory workshops at this unprecedented time. The company, which was established over 10 years ago, is a national one with lots of different regional groups across the country. The one which represents Kent and Sussex is run by Helen Janousek, a local resident of Tunbridge Wells who has worked for The Perfume Studio for a number of years and after attending one of her masterclasses, it’s fair to say she definitely has a palpable passion for perfumes. Helen operates her monthly Perfume Studio sessions from Salomons Estate near Southborough. It’s the perfect venue she says because it’s set in glorious grounds and visitors
very much feel their perfume making experience is enhanced by visiting it. “One of my guests came recently and said Salomons was such a special place to be doing the fragrance workshop as she had got married here. How lovely is that? “Not only is it a grand venue you can also offer different types of packages for people to have such as our Gold Afternoon Tea where Perfume Studio guests can relax in the comfortable lounge afterwards and feast on a delicious cream tea.” When SO magazine arrives to experience a Perfume Studio session we’re greeted with a glass of bubbles – always a good sign – and ushered into the Gold Room, a beautifully gilded period setting which feels grand yet welcoming. “Usually,” says Helen once the other 11 other guests are seated at nearby tables, “we’d have twice as many people as this at our workshops but obviously Covid-19 has stopped all that.” She says they are happy to do public sessions such as the monthly one at Salomons or private ones at people’s homes including hen and birthday parties. Helen then talked us through the history of The Perfume Studio, explaining that the company is
simply ‘passionate about unique perfume and cologne, creating quality, bespoke fragrances for both men and women.’ “We asked fourth generation master perfumer François Robert, whose grandfather made Chanel 19, to design 21 fragrance blends for us across the family fragrance group which gives us the opportunity to make our own perfumes. What he doesn’t know about fragrance isn’t worth knowing! They are all exquisite blends sourced from world’s finest ingredients.” “Wearing scent is very unique and individual and that’s what taking part in this workshop is all about: making your own perfume becomes a reflection of you and your life story. So now when someone says ‘Ooh what are you wearing?’ You can reply ‘Eau de moi’! “Doing a Perfume Studio really is all about creating something that is bespoke to you and we create Eau de Parfum, the stronger version of Eau de Toilette.” Once Helen has chatted us through all the different blends available which are divided into base, middle and top notes, and explained the process of how we make our very own signature scent it’s time to get to work.
Firstly, Helen explains that she will start by spritzing a variety of base notes on blotter strips for us all to smell and decide whether we want to include any in our own personal perfume. She then walks around the room handing out the strips which are spritzed with everything from sensual musk and spicy wood to sweet gourmand notes to rich amber. Helen gently guides us through the myriad note sniffing saying there’s no right or wrong and that it’s totally up to us what we choose and for what occasion. “No one is going to go away smelling bad!” she laughs. “The only thing I’d say is don’t be tempted to make something you already have. Use this opportunity to create something different to what you normally wear. Try not to be influenced by each other – perfume is very personal so go with your instinct. I f you like the smell of something go with it – after all you will be the one wearing it.” As each of the 21 different blends, divided into base, middle and top notes are spritzed on tester strips and gently wafted in front of our nose, we’re encouraged to divide them into a pile of ‘likes’, ‘dislikes’ and ‘not sures’. “It’s best to have a system in
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DID YOU KNOW? Since The Perfume Studio began there have been over 40,000 bespoke creations made
HOW FRAGRANCE IS MADE Perfume is made of three different notes: top, middle and base notes Base – gives fragrance its longevity, and is the note you remember most Middle – also known as the heart notes which forms the essence of a perfume Top – those notes you smell immediately after the perfume touches your skin
FRAGRANT AFFAIR Eileen created the fragrance ‘ATTICUS 1971’ which is made up of: CITRUS x 1, 16 GENTLE FLORAL x 1, 17 TRANSPARENT x 1, 18 NEROLI x 1, 50 TONIC SPORT x 1 28 | November 2020 | SO Magazine
place as your noses will be working hard during the two-hour workshop,” advises Helen. “If you like the smell of one of quality blends put onto the testing blotters then place it on the left hand side and anything you really don’t like should go on the right hand side. If you’re not sure of anything, place it in the middle and keep trying it with other fragrances to see if they compliment.” She also gives us the top tip of smelling the inside of our elbow in order to cleanse the palate or to sniff the bag of coffee beans placed at each table setting as they also help to ‘reset’ our noses after too much sniffing. The idea is then to fan out the tester strips you like in order to build your fragrance. Sometimes, Helen says, the ones you liked individually don’t actually work ensemble – and sure enough as we
sniff and waft, she’s right: I immediately thought a heady floral would work well with a citrusy neroli, fresh ozonic but together they seem to just clash. “Perhaps try folding one of those blotters in half and then see if you like them together with less of one,” Helen suggests as she walks around the room helping us whittle down the number of scents, all of which are made from essential oils, to smell. After much wafting, folding, sniffing of coffee beans, smelling again and comparing notes with fellow wannabe perfumers we finally have made our choices and Helen is ready to create everybody’s scents. Before attending the class you have the option to purchase a specific Perfume Studio experience which starts at a small 5ml bottle (Gold Experience), 20 ml (Diamond Experience) and goes up to a 30ml size (Platinum Experience.) You can add afternoon tea for an addition fee. To create your olfactory magic perfume potion Helen uses a pipette to add your fragrances of choice into your chosen bottle size and then asks you to name it. It’s quite an emotional moment as you are presented with your very own, very unique scent that couldn’t be more personal to you. Helen advises giving the fragrance a day or so to settle and informs the participants that each creation has been registered to The Perfume Studio library so you can always reorder it. “I never tire of the creations people come up with,” says Helen as we get up to leave. “There’s always something different that I haven’t smelled before and that’s what makes it exciting. It’s a super day out and just so unique and you can always come back and create another fragrance!”
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SO Magazine | November 2020 | 29
CARE FEATURE
REMEMBER THAT YOU HAVE THE CHOICE WHEN IT COMES TO CHOOSING
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s with everything else, Covid-19 has affected the choices we make about both our own and our loved ones’ care. Some may feel that choosing a care home is too risky now given the rate of infection is still going up so are perhaps considering the prospect of a live-in carer. The biggest advantage of opting for this is you are able to choose who is providing your support and having the time and attention to build a relationship with them. You are enabled and encouraged to
remain as independent as possible for as long as possible, which means you can even maintain the normality of staying together as a couple. Importantly, if your loved one becomes unsettled in new environments, which may be due to dementia, then staying in their home with a live-in carer should be a definite consideration. Live-in care is often more affordable than a care home environment – with packages starting in most places under £1,000 per week. There are of course many different options to choose from including those for more complex care or caring for couples, and remember the latter is usually a
There are plenty of options to choose from
fraction of the cost of couples moving into residential care. With residential care there are also plenty of options and although it may not be possible to carry out extensive research in terms of visiting establishments you can still do a lot virtually. Most will have good websites where their policies and testimonials are listed, and you can always pick up the phone and talk to the manager. Talking to others who have personal experience of having a family member looked after in a home
you might be considering is another good way of gleaning first hand information. Over the next few pages we feature a number of possible options which will hopefully make any decisions just that little bit clearer and easier…
AU D L E Y C A R E W I L L I C O M B E PA R K We support you in your own home Our dedicated team of highly trained carers will support you based on your individual needs. With a Good CQC rating, we will help you with as little or as much as you want. You only pay for the time you use. We go the extra mile to ensure your needs are met in a safe way with all the correct protections in place. Personal support | Companionship Housekeeping | Specialist care Contact us to find out more
01892 278 286 info@audleycare.co.uk www.audleycare.co.uk
30 | November 2020 | SO Magazine
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Halliwell is a modern, 64-bed purpose built care home set in beautiful grounds on the outskirts of Tunbridge Wells and offers a home from home for discerning guests who appreciate the comfort, quality and exceptional care that we offer. All rooms have en suite facilities, many with walk in showers and views over the park and beautiful landscaped gardens, and provide nursing and personal care on a permanent or short stay basis. Halliwell has been awarded Platinum Status, the highest level achievable, under the prestigious Gold Standard Framework in recognition of its excellent end of life care. Open to visits subject to Public Health England advice. Our home is open to taking admissions. If you are interested in moving into Halliwell and would like to speak with the General Manager, we are able to offer a virtual tour and to speak face-to-face via WhatsApp or Facetime, to discuss any queries or questions you may have. If you would like to book an appointment please contact Eileen Allison, our General Manager, on Tel: 01892 525909 or email at: enquiries.halliwell@efhl.co.uk
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Kingswood Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 4UN Admission Enquiries: 01892 249042 www.efhl.co.uk
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32 | November 2020 | SO Magazine
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Local firm Thy Will Be Done takes national stage with best Will Writer nomination in The British Wills and Probate Awards
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To protect its most vulnerable older clients in the last few months, Worthing-based will writers and estate planners Thy Will Be Done have worked hard in arranging telephone consultations, setting up video witnessing and offering heavily discounted products and services in exchange for small donations to the NHS COVID-19 appeal. The company has also provided a fully Covid compliant office for their clients to drop their paperwork into while passing. As a result, they have been recognised in this year’s prestigious National British Wills and Probate Awards in the category of National Will Writer of the Year. Thy Will Be Done Director, Paul Blackmoore has a priority to communicate with clients in a straightforward, jargon-free and friendly way - and to provide upfront transparency on fees, which really helps less confident clients to forget any nervousness they may otherwise have about visiting a slightly foreboding solicitor’s office in order to arrange what can in fact be a fairly simple piece of estate planning, confident in the knowledge that they will always know in advance the precise amount that their work will cost. It is a rare achievement indeed for a small family-run firm from Goring to be in the final 3 of a prestigious national will writing award along with household names Farewill and Co-op legal services. Paul Blackmoore is very proud of the way the company he bought out of administration just over 3 years ago has, with the help of its hardworking staff and loyal customers, turned its fortunes around to become known locally for exceptional value and friendly service and now since lockdown, and the transition to holding all consultations remotely, to be competing for business on the national stage also.
Paul with Benny on the left and ‘’one eyed’’ Frankie on the right
Paul regularly appears in the local media with his two rescue French Bulldogs Frankie and Benny by his side. Paul says, “Frankie and Benny are a big hit with our clients, many of whom have reported that their presence in the shop helped them to quickly settle and relax.’’ Paul goes on to say that, ‘’wider recognition as one of the UK’s best will-writing companies in the British Wills and Probate awards is of special value to us because the awards are voted for by our industry colleagues and peers.” The finals of the awards will this year be held online on 22nd October and will once again be hosted by TV celebrity Jenny Bond. We wish Paul and his team at Thy Will Be Done all the very best of luck this year.
www.thywill.co.uk Brighton 977385 • Chichester 278303 • Crawley 278453 • Dorking 898089 • Eastbourne 364029 East Grinstead 457006 • Hastings 532029 • Haywards Heath 682047 • Horsham 458042 Pulborough 368003 • Redhill 423001 • Tunbridge Wells 278109 • Uckfield 278373 • Worthing 649021
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Food & Drink
‘Bringing food from our farm to the fork of the good folk of Tunbridge Wells is a joy’
The Warren is one of our finest restaurants, consistently pushing culinary boundaries to create something extraordinary for your plate and palate courtesy of its farm estate. Here its team tells SO how it’s coped with Covid and what its plans for the future are Firstly, let’s start by finding out how you are doing during these testing times? This year has certainly been challenging but due to the government guidelines we have successfully managed to put in place and adhere to them. And how has business been since you were allowed to reopen? It has been very steady, however we cannot accommodate all the customers who would like to dine with us due to Covid restrictions as we have to prioritise the safety of the customers within the venue. 36 | November 2020 | SO Magazine
How are you complying with socially distancing your customers? We have the right assessments in place and our staff have been thoroughly trained in the new rules. We have ensured that tables are the right distance apart and we do a daily Covid extra deep cleaning. Everyone is using PPE, and we provide hand sanitisers on all our tables. Thankfully our guests are very respectful of the 10 PM curfew. Has your customer base been supportive throughout this difficult period? Yes, absolutely – we have had very
strong support from day one of reopening and even during the period when the whole country was in lockdown we received several requests for vouchers to help our business to survive these difficult times. Do you feel that you may have to remodel your business if tougher Covid restrictions are enforced? Thankfully no, as we are very lucky to have a spacious three room dining area where we are putting in place everything so it is Covid-compliant which is why there is such a high demand for our venue as people do feel safe dining here.
What key lessons have you learnt from lockdown and beyond? The team effort between The Warren and its customers has been incredible. We value one another even more than ever as we have had to work together to protect each other’s health. Have you had to adapt your menu or are you still serving up the delicious dishes you are known for? We had to be very cautious of the costs as no one can predict the future after Covid so we had to do some financial cuts and move our dining experience more towards brasserie style which has received very good feedback!
Christmas Party cOnFErEncE anD EvEnts vEnuE
Raceday
This December relax and enjoy the thrill of six famous festive horse races on our large screens whilst being served a delicious three course festive menu in the restaurant at Salomons Estate. All the fun of Ascot without leaving your seat. Each guest will be given a pot of virtual cash, then simply review the runners and place your bets at the start of each race with our table service tipster. At the end of the event the guest on each table with the highest amount of cash, wins a bottle of bubbly.
Ladies Day dress code encouraged ✦ Tables of 6 guests available
Lunch Party EvEnts: 1pm-6pm... 3rd, 10th, 17th December DinnEr Party EvEnts: 6pm-10pm... 4th, 5th, 11th, 19th December ticket price includes a welcome drink, delicious three course festive feast and a track side seat for every race!
TickeTs
£37o.r50pp * pp 0 5 . 9 6 £
ht g overnig d includin an odation accomm st the breakfa g day* followin
To book please call 01892 515152 or email reservations@salomons-estate.com *overnight price is based on two guests sharing a double or twin bedroom at Salomons Estate
Food & Drink
What’s currently on your menu and what do you love about this particular time of year in terms of ingredients? The best thing about this time of the year is foraged food such as mushrooms, sloe berries, apples, venison, pheasant, rabbit and many more of the rich varieties all of which come from our Warren estate in Crowborough.
We specialise in contemporary British cuisine What do you enjoy most about running The Warren? Being able to work with the best team, operate in an amazing setting and being able to source our own produce… If you could sum up the epicurean ethos of The Warren what would it be? Contemporary British cuisine, fabulous personal service and our own unique produce which we genuinely bring from farm to table. www.thewarren.restaurant
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Doing our best to bring you a festive ding dong Join us for Creative Christmas Workshops on Monday 30th November and Tuesday 1st December Seasonal dishes served throughout December for parties of up to six Fabulous Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve Feasting MORE INFO EMAIL
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38 | November 2020 | SO Magazine
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First Drive
Motors
First Drive: Volkswagen I.D 3 The electric I.D 3 is seen as a very big deal by Volkswagen – but is that the case from behind the wheel? Jack Evans finds out WHAT IS IT? The new ID.3 is quite a crucial car for Volkswagen. As its first ground-up electric model, it represents a voyage into a completely EV future -and when the German firm starts throwing names like ‘Beetle’ and ‘Golf’ into a car’s comparisons, you know things are getting serious. Which is why the ID.3 really needs to be good. It’s the first car in what will become a long line of I.D-badged electric vehicles for Volkswagen and as such, it needs to succeed. WHAT’S NEW? Well, essentially everything. The ID.3 sits on its very own architecture designed from the ground-up as an electric vehicle. So whereas Volkswagen’s previous EVs like the e-Golf and e-Up! were electric versions of existing models, the I.D 3 stands proud on its own. There’s a bespoke powertrain – which we’ll get to in more detail shortly – and while the interior of the car uses many elements from the current eighthgeneration Golf, they’ve been packaged in a way which feels completely new and fresh.
WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? Powering the ID.3 is a 150kW motor linked to a 58kWh battery. In this setup, Volkswagen claims you should see up to 260 miles from a single charge, while thanks to rapid charging capability, a 0-80% charge can take as little as 30 minutes via a 100kW unit. However, if you’re planning to charge your I.D 3 at home – and most people will – then fully replenishing the batteries from empty will take nine and a half hours with a 7.2kW wallbox. When it comes to performance, the I.D 3 does well. A zero to 60mph time of seven seconds isn’t far off what you’d get from a Golf GTI, and flat-out it’ll do 99mph. WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? Volkswagen has worked to make driving the ID.3 as hassle-free as possible. Even the starting process is almost deliriously simple. Keep the key in your pocket or bag, approach the car and it’ll allow you in. Sit in place, use the side-mounted gear selector – which has more than an ape of the one in BMW’s i3 – to select drive, and away you go. There is a
starter button, but you don’t need it; once you’re in the car, it’s alive and ready to go. And being rear-driven, you’re made quite aware of how keen the ID.3 is to get going. Make no mistake, it’s not a tail-happy drift wagon, but ease out of a corner and the way the car pushes away has that distinct rear-wheel-drive assuredness. The performance on tap leaves most ordinary traffic for dead when going from a dead stop too, but even at higher speeds, the ID.3 has more than enough pep for motorway overtakes or dual carriageway merges. Our only real complaint is directed at the forward pillars; though a section of glass does alleviate some of the issue, they’re rather thick and obscure your forward vision quite a lot. WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE? It’s in the cabin where things take a real step up. There’s an immediate sense of space, with a large lounge-like setup creating an instantly relaxing place to be. As mentioned, some aspects are akin to those you’ll find in the current Golf, but whereas the Golf has to deal with mundane things like transmission tunnels and central gearsticks, the ID.3 does without – so there’s genuinely tonnes of space to play with. There are only a few quibbles to be had. The controls for the lights are placed awkwardly between the screen and wheel, and the gear selector itself feels as if drive and reverse are placed the opposite way around to how you’d expect. We’re sure that you’d get used to it over time, however. Those in the back will find themselves well-kept in terms of headroom and legroom and even the boot has a comfortably usable capacity of 385 litres. WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE? The I.D 3 has been initially launched in 1st Edition trim, which brings a host of
standard equipment. Much like the new Golf, there’s a distinct lack of physical buttons with touchscreens doing the bulk of the work instead. It’s centred around a 10-inch display in the middle of the dashboard and it’s here where you’ll have access to the vast majority of functions. For satellite navigation, media and phone call access it works well. We found that during our time with the car getting through to the controls for the heating and ventilation took a little longer than it needed to be, however. There’s also a 5.3-inch display ahead of the driver and it’s here where you’ll find the car’s speed, as well as key information such as range and battery levels. FACTS AT A GLANCE Model: Volkswagen I.D 3 Base price: £35,215 Model as tested: ID. 3 1st Edition Pro Power 58kWh Price: £35,745 (including PICG) Engine: 150kW motor Power: 201bhp Torque: 310Nm Max speed: 99mph 0-60mph: 7.0seconds Range: 260 Emissions: 0g/km CO2 VERDICT As we said at the start, the I.D 3 really needed to be good. Thankfully, this is one incredibly well-rounded EV, with a decent range and excellent on-road manners combining with a well made but high-end interior to result in a car which really does feel like the genuine article. Over the next few months, Volkswagen will introduce new variants of the ID.3, both with smaller and greater battery sizes, and resulting decreases and increases in range, which open the car up to an even larger audience. However, for now, even this initial I.D 3 is a confident step by Volkswagen into the fully electric future. SO Magazine | November 2020 | 39
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WELL-BEING
“This grand show is eternal. It is always sunrise somewhere; the dew is never all dried at once; a shower is forever falling; vapour is ever rising. Eternal sunrise, eternal sunset, eternal dawn and gloaming, on sea and continents and islands, each in its turn, as the round earth rolls.” - John Muir -
Photo © Arun Sharma
instantaneous relief from an exhausting treadmill of draining emotions that the observance of nature brings. It takes practice to be mindful in the present moment and not mindFULL. Worry is a thief of joy. And while at the moment it is difficult to control what is happening in the world at large, we can as individuals and collectively be present, minute by minute and hour by hour and find gratitude and peace in the natural world around us. www.botanicahealth.co.uk
Naomi Murray is the co-founder of the amazing apothecary Botanica Health in Rusthall. In the first of her new columns for SO magazine the herbalist and champion of natural remedies to aid our health and well-being looks at the issue of how to deal with anxiety…
I
think it goes without saying that there is a collective overriding sense of uncertainty in the world at the moment. We all know of those in our community who have lost their jobs, been furloughed, have had to adjust to working from home, feel lonely or worried for the future. So much has changed in such a short space of time. Depression has doubled during the pandemic according to the mental health charity MIN D, and there are rising ‘deaths of despair’ due to isolation and lack of social contact. Uncertainty manifests itself in feelings of despair, anxiety, depression and incessant worry but as the great master of living in the present, Eckhart Tolle tells us, ‘worry pretends to be necessary but serves no useful purpose.’ We have seen such an increase in people suffering with all aspects of mental health, from the young to the
elderly, especially due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the first step to becoming more resilient is in sharing and being able to talk. Much is gained from speaking out one’s feelings to someone who can be understanding and empathetic. During my 30 years in natural health I have seen the difference correcting a nutritional deficiency and providing a supportive herb for the ‘feeling’, whether that be sadness, low mood, despair, anxiety, depression or insomnia can make. Herbs have this wonderful multimodal action. If we take Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm) it is particularly suited to conditions of nervousness, depression, empathetic excess, panic attacks and insomnia but also in digestion, fevers and palpitations. Holy basil (Tulsi) is known in Ayurvedic medicine as ‘The Queen of Herbs’ and revered as an elixir of life.
Naomi Murray
Co-founder of Botanica Health
Tulsi has been shown in studies to have anti-depressant and anti-anxiety effects. Regular consumption of the tea has been shown to be calming, nourishing and nurturing. Fortifying B vitamins and magnesium support the nervous system and evidence shows how these reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Living in the present moment is the only realistic surety we have. It always has been and always will be, regardless of pandemics or other crisis. Even in times of uncertainty there are some things we can be sure of; the rising and setting of the sun, autumn turning to winter, the ebb and flow of the tides, bird song and the constant reassurance of nature. Peace and calm can really be found here. The constant chattering monkey in the mind just steals our peace but when we are able to engage in the present moment there can be almost SO Magazine | November 2020 | 41
PLOT OR NO Hypnotherapy
Karen Martin Hypnotherapist
This month our resident hypnotherapist Karen Martin looks at the effect of Covid-19 on employment and the economy and suggests strategies of how to cope if your job or business is at risk
D
espite the Chancellor’s prescriptions for economic recovery, unemployment is estimated to hit 12 per cent - or four million - by the end of 2020 and more than a million job losses are predicted by the middle of next year. Like ‘Long Covid’, the symptoms of the ailing financial crisis are going to be prolonged and nasty. As many previously healthy businesses are struggling to survive, it is inevitable that even the most secure of jobs could be under threat. The impact of this varies depending on circumstances. Hardest hit are the youngest and oldest workers in low paid hospitality, leisure and retail jobs. More than half of under-25s and over-65s have either been furloughed or lost their jobs compared to a third of those in between. Research from independent think tank the Resolution Foundation warns that mental health issues linked to coronavirus and economic insecurity have surged. Either way, the outcome for millions is unemployment and few jobs to be had in the short to medium term. After many years of supporting people through career changes and workplace stress, I’ve accumulated a toolkit of strategies to help them thrive and fulfil their potential. Some of this advice is particularly relevant in today’s circumstances. 42 | November 2020 | SO Magazine
WE ARE ALWAYS ON THE L
BACK TO BUSINESS We know from previous recessions and catastrophic events that the economy is a phoenix which eventually rises from the ashes of disaster and disease. Social, cultural, economic and technological progress is accelerated during times of crisis. Business leaders, from those running SMEs to global Plcs, are being challenged to creatively manage change and adapt to
HOW TO GET IN CONTACT WITH KAREN: www.hypnotherapy kent.co.uk karen@ hypnotherapy kent.co.uk
the new world order. Capitalist principles are being called into question as politicians are required to put lives before profit. Corporations are being run from kitchen tables while the glittering monolithic cityscapes of prestigious offices stand empty. Be hopeful for a future where a shift in values and priorities will help us recalibrate what’s important to us personally and in the wider world. At 100 years old, James Lovelock still
Many of our clients retain our s cases, pay our fees saving prope
expounds on the Gaia theory of how Commercial buildings for residential conv nature rebalances the earth’s buildings for redevelopment, buildings f resources. His view, expressed in for improvement, large sites on the edg ‘Novacene, the Coming Age of gardens in, is residential areas and major r Hyperintelligence’ that artificial intelligence will save the planet from the ravages of human destruction. Economist Yanis Varoufakis also speculates on how technology can forge a post capitalist era in ‘Another Now’. Great minds are turning our attention towards a better future.
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Contact Stephen Donnelly: 07739 514350 • 01892 579937 • steve@sjd-projects.com
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Hypnotherapy
ZOOMING BACK TO WORK The ubiquitous Zoom has become familiar to most of us. It’s one thing chatting to friends or relatives on Zoom, another matter altogether going through important job interviews with potential bosses online. I have seen a number of people who have been interviewed remotely and started a new job who have yet to meet their new colleagues in person.
OLDER AND WISER Age discrimination is rife in many professions. Often the older, more experienced and skilled workers are culled in redundancy rounds. Even though we’re expected to work for longer, it can be incredibly difficult for the over 50s to find employment commensurate with their expertise. Being forced to downscale career expectations can be humbling and financially challenging. Many dedicated and hardworking professionals are defined by their jobs. The status and rewards are part of their identity and how they value themselves. Suddenly losing an occupation which has provided purpose and fulfilment, structure and routine for decades can be psychologically devastating. Here are some ideas for planning for a happier future with a healthy work-life balance: n Conduct a comprehensive audit of your current situation covering finances, lifestyle goals, and health and wellbeing criteria. The Wheel of Life is a coaching tool which will help you assess every aspect of your life. There are several versions online, including this one: https:// wheeloflife.noomii.com/ n Brace yourself for change
by optimising physical and emotional health. Make sure you’re fighting fit, energised, optimistic and motivated. Couch potatoes won’t find work by sitting on the sofa getting fat and depressed. Get into an exercise habit and therapy if needed
n If you find yourself with a
BILLS TO PAY
bit more time on your hands, have a massive therapeutic, life enhancing de-clutter of attics and all the nooks and crannies of your life where rubbish and old stuff you don’t need any more accumulates. Tidy up finances and admin, decorate the house, weed the garden n Wake up your brain by
signing up for training or education which will improve your job prospects and give you a sense of achievement
n Tap into your inner
entrepreneur. For example, fabric face masks are selling online at £5+ a pop - kerching! Whoever started churning them out with an old sewing machine and fabric scraps back in March has probably made a fortune
n Don’t just apply for
advertised jobs, go and knock on doors. Sell yourself in person rather than with a CV showing an employment history which instantly brands you as an old codger. You’ll remember Norman Tebbit telling the unemployed to get on their bikes to find a job. Perhaps it’s time to get the bicycle clips out and start pedalling (but don’t go headbutting anyone if you get turned down)
n Follow your dreams. If you
have unfulfilled ambitions or aspirations, it’s now or never. Draw up a bucket list or create a vision board: https://play. google.com/store/apps/ details?id=com.mlab. visiongoal&hl=en_US&gl=US
44 | November 2020 | SO Magazine
After many years of supporting people through career changes and workplace stress, I’ve accumulated a toolkit of strategies to help
Mortgages, school fees, car loans, holidays, bills, bills and more bills. The middle England, middle income, middle class, middle aged majority have an expensive lifestyle to maintain. When your outgoings run to thousands every month, the Job Seekers Allowance or Universal Credits won’t come close to covering them. Just because someone has a six-figure salary, it doesn’t mean they’ve got piles of cash in the bank for a rainy day. Statistically, this demographic is less likely to lose jobs because of coronavirus. But some of them will. And there will be more highly skilled people competing for fewer well paid jobs as employers trim their payroll and shed some of their more expensive employees. My advice is this: n Do a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of yourself. This simple business development tool works well for humans too. It will help you review your career choices and adapt to a new path if the old one doesn’t work for you or is no longer available n Negotiate outplacement services with your previous employer as part of your exit
package. These can include retraining, career advice, coaching and counselling n Treat job hunting like a work project, using whatever professional skills you have to set goals and plan a strategy. Keep a spreadsheet of progress and structure days with a diary to keep you focused on tasks and motivated to get things done n Network, network, network. And, of course, update your CV on LinkedIn and start promoting yourself to potential employers n Pick good recruitment consultants in your specific sector. Write a job specification for your perfect role and ask them to find it for you n Make speculative inquiries to companies you’d like to work for, do some desk research on their business and pitch yourself to a named decision-maker who might just find or create a position for you n Take on short term contracts
or consulting roles if available. They will pay the bills, look good on your CV and might lead to a permanent job
n If you’ve ever dreamt of
running your own business, now is the time.
Here’s how to help yourself stand out in a Zoom interview: n Make sure you’re completely familiar with the technology. Do test runs for broadband signal, video and audio settings beforehand. n Make the space you’re in as neutral as possible. Remove Mein Kampf and Fifty Shades from the bookshelf and check what’s behind you within range of the camera for dirty laundry or clutter. n Elevate your screen to eye level or higher using books or a stand. Zooming up the nostrils isn’t a good look. n Shut pets and young children out of the room and make sure any noise they make doesn’t disturb you. n Wear workwear above the waist and remember not to stand up if you’re wearing just pants or pyjama bottoms. n Invest in a flattering selfie light and decent earphones (most laptops have good microphones but you could buy a better quality one). n Practice chatting via Zoom so you can get used to waiting for people to talk when there are signal delays or the screen freezes. Look at the interviewer, not yourself.
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SO Magazine | November 2020 | 45
Interiors
AN INTERIOR DESIGNER’S JOB IS TO ENHANCE PEOPLES HOMES AND LIVES
Joss Miller runs an interior design and home staging business based in Tunbridge Wells. Here she tells Eileen Leahy all about her passion for creating a dream dwelling and why calling on the help of an expert eye to style your home when you put it on the market will dramatically increase your chances of selling it…
46 | November 2020 | SO Magazine
O
ver the past eight months or so all of us have certainly become acutely familiar with every inch of our homes. So it’s no surprise to discover courtesy of recent Right Move and Nationwide surveys that lots of us are either thinking about a total revamp or putting our pad on the market. One woman who can help you with both these kinds of briefs if you’re not totally inspired by interiors is Joss Miller, a Tunbridge Wells based interior designer who also specialises in the growing trend of ‘home staging’ properties that want to attract the right kind of buyer at the right price. Joss can do as little or as much as you want, helping you whittle down colour schemes and furniture choices, to taking complete control and letting you sit back and relax while she comes up with the scheme of your dreams. So how did Joss get into the wonderful world of interiors? “I’ve always had a passion for it. My parents doubled the size of their home when I was six years old – at such an early age that was incredibly inspiring.
“When I was 25 I renovated my first flat – changing the layout and updating the scheme, and my husband and I have refurbished three properties together. Most recently we renovated and extended our current home to give us the large open plan living space we craved with a young child.” Joss gleaned her comprehensive knowledge and honed her expert eye by training on the job with an interior designer after having her daughter in 2016. “I decided to follow my dream to work with interiors and assisted an interior designer in London – styling luxury homes and dressing investment properties for developers to help them sell. The following year, I launched Joss Miller Interiors, offering interior design and home staging services.” Joss says that what she enjoys most about her job is the journey it takes her on. “I love the entire process of interior design - the buzz of a building site, meeting clients for the very first time and discussing how we will transform their homes – and their lives – right through to the design, sourcing and installing. “If I had to pinpoint something
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We’ve got designs on your garden
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SO Magazine | November 2020 | 47
Interiors
As anyone who runs their specific, it would be the design process and presenting the new own business knows only too well, it can often be a concept to the client. It’s such rollercoaster, where you an exciting time for both the experience both highs and lows. designer and the client because What does Joss enjoy most you are bringing a dream – that about being her own boss? they may have had for years “As a mother, – to fruition. As it gives me so a designer you I like to much flexibility. If know the new I want to take scheme is not think I can my daughter to only going to adapt and take the beach, I can make their lives – and I can work easier but on any style – in the evenings enhance their my portfolio or when my well-being.” husband takes By this she ranges from a her out at the means that a contemporary weekends. It’s home is also beneficial somewhere you bachelor for the client – can really feel ‘at penthouse in because I’m home’ and basically available thoroughly London, to at any hour of relaxed. “Even the day. I also prior to Covid Grade II believe being in 19 it should be listed country control of your one’s sanctuary. own brand Your shoulders homes. makes you push should drop as yourself. I don’t ‘clock off’ as you open the door, and I such - ever!” believe the space should make And although Joss doesn’t you smile, relax and inspire you. “When you wake, your home have a team behind her currently she says that working should spark energy within you closely with other designers, and when you rest your head, developers and trades is a great you should feel like your home is wrapping its arms around you. way to bounce ideas around and to avoid feeling like she is A stylish home should do just on her own. this – a home that is clutter “The Tunbridge Wells free, yet represents you and business community is also your personality. This is what I strive to achieve for my clients.” incredibly supportive,” Joss
JOSS’S LOCAL LITTLE BLACK ADDRESS BOOK: I work closely with a number of local suppliers and trades which is really important to me. I source the following pieces: Art works: these come from Iaysha Salih at the Art Hub Gallery on Mount Ephraim Fabrics: I usually source them from Tracy at The House Company in Southborough and also Jules at The Haines Collection Lighting: I’m looking forward to working with Melissa from lighting gallery lumière on a number of up coming projects. Bespoke joinery: I turn to Sam Cox Carpentry in Wadhurst. 48 | November 2020 | SO Magazine
Interiors
JOSS’S IDEAS ON HOW TO UPDATE YOUR HOME ON A BUDGET A fresh coat of paint can make a huge difference – and have a go yourself. If you can stretch to wallpaper, this will really transform a space. Home décor can also spruce things up – I don’t believe you can ever have enough cushions, throws, or good faux plants. Also, framed prints, which can be found online at a great price, can add colour and interest – it’s all about texture and personality, and it doesn’t have to break the bank. Favourite ways to give a room scheme a seasonal change include working with soft furnishings and scents. During the warmer months I love linen cushions and floral diffusers, and in the winter I like to cosy up with a chunky wool knit blanket and enjoy spicy aromas in my home.
continues. “I often pop along to networking events or to meet other creatives locally to catch up over coffee, and the attitude is always very collaborative as opposed to competitive.” The Covid-19 pandemic hasn’t made too much of a difference to how Joss operates as when she cannot meet clients in person so chats via Zoom and creates concept projects courtesy of digital boards and as the restrictions have started to ease she has managed to meet people safely in person. “As long as the client feels comfortable I like to visit a property and get a feel for the space and chat through the client’s requirements in person. Interior design is a very personal service, clients often become friends, so I feel it’s important to build those foundations from the beginning of a project where possible. You can get a much better sense of how the client uses their home, their style likes and
dislikes, over a cup of tea together rather than an internet call.” Another string to Joss’s bow is home staging which is fast becoming a very sought after skill for those who want to make a swift sale once their house goes on the market. How did she get involved with it? “In May last year, I began an exciting collaboration with local property developer Chris Hammond, of Beau Property Developments and Investments together we offer a bespoke, yet flexible and competitive, home staging service to residential clients and developers. “Home staging involves dressing a property with furniture and home décor to showcase its best assets – creating an aspirational lifestyle and enabling potential buyers to imagine themselves living there. “I strongly believe the scheme should be bespoke – to complement the
property’s style and be designed meticulously to attract the target buyer. When executed correctly there’s no doubt home staging sells properties faster and for the best price.” And when it comes to working with different styles Joss says she finds it relatively easy to switch from one style to another: “I like to think I can adapt and take on any style – my portfolio ranges from a contemporary bachelor penthouse in London, to Grade II listed country homes. But I’ve found, as my portfolio has developed, and I’ve documented my own home renovations on social media, I tend to attract clients who like my own personal style – the interiors scheme in my home is classic, with hints of industrial and Scandinavian design, which give it a contemporary edge. “ www.jossmiller interiors.co.uk
SO Magazine | November 2020 | 49
Outside Edge
SO’s gardening guru Victoria Truman explains why bulb planting is always top of her to do list in November
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planted as dry bulbs. hen summer’s Buy tiny bulbs like Galanthus bright colours (snowdrop),Crocus,Fritillaria and have faded and the Chiondoxa early and plant garden is put to bed for the winter I like to immediately as they dry out quickly and lose viability. With these bulbs I pull out my bulb catalogues and recommend buying in bulk as one have a good flick through, hundred tiny bulbs go nowhere. planning for spring. Galanthus nivalis, our British Daffodils are the most widely native snowdrop is the easiest and used because they produce a most reliable of reliable, bold display snowdrops to grow. from early to midI love Snake’s Head spring. However Galanthus fritillary, Frittillaria there are many more nivalis, our meleagris is a native which add British native of water meadows wonderful detail and flashes of seasonal snowdrop is the and a member of the lily family with colour, under trees, easiest and most fleshy, waxy bulbs in grass, amongst that hate to be out of shrubs and ground reliable of the soil. Plant cover planting. Some snowdrops immediately in moist may be tiny when in soil, in grass and full bloom but to grow under the light shade grouped together of trees and shrubs. they will create a big Smaller species of crocus are the impact once established. best for naturalising in grass, Cyclamen hederifolium flowers around trees and borders. These from late summer through to spread by self-seeding. Crocus autumn and boasts pink and white tomasinianus is one of the prettiest blooms with marbled ivy like and blooms sometimes before the leaves. It will survive and thrive in earliest snowdrops. dry shade on slopes and beneath a Another perfect combination for canopy of trees, plus it multiplies early colour is the buttercup yellow as long as it is allowed to seed and of Eranthis hyemalis and Anemona the seeds left undisturbed. In winter and spring, Cyclamen coum blanda. Soak the hard, tiny tubers for 12 hours or more, then plant in takes over the flowering display with more rounded flower and leaf, groups. Watering occasionally through winter. best planted when in leaf and www.victoriatruman.com flower as the corms rarely take if
NOVEMBER’S TO DO LIST 1. Oh the joy of falling leaves! Clear them up every day if you can so it’s not a huge chore at the end of the season. Invest in an electric leaf blower, much easier than raking for hours on end - unless you like raking! I leave a couple of small piles out of sight for hedgehogs and I push under the hedges for the birds and small mammals 2. Start covering or moving any tender plants, ideally a greenhouse is best or you could pop on window sills inside 3. Time to get that last weeding session or two in before winter sets in 4. Lawn lovers can do their last cut of the year. This may have already happened for some. I love winter in so many ways, one of them is not having to cut the grass every week! I love that it stays looking pristine for months instead of days 5. Bird lovers remember to leave food and water out, especially if it is freezing cold 6. Plant out winter bedding and bulbs (see main feature for more details) 7. Have a seasonal bonfire where allowed 8. Put your feet up and enjoy a rest!
Victoria Truman Garden Designer 50 | November 2020 | SO Magazine
SURGICAL RESULTS
SURGICAL RESULTS WITHOUT THE SCARS
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SURGICAL RESULTS WITHOUT THE SCARS
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E: hello@bellavou.co.uk T: 01892 257357 W: www.bellavou.co.uk