FASHION INTERIORS MOTORINGclients.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/ne_monthly/pdfs/ne092005.pdf · Bespoke...

The lifestyle magazinefor the North-EastSEPTEMBER 2005

SHOPPING SOCIAL GADGETS BEAUTY GARDENING

The Northern Echo

McCOURT & McKAYA day at the races

MOTORINGMy life witha Maserati

FASHIONKids’ verdictson mum’sclothes

INTERIORSThe £200,000beach hut

2 September 2005

SHARON GRIFFITHSWhy working fromhome is greatHOMESBuilt on green foundationsHOMESGetting cabin feverHOMESThe £20,000beach hutINTERIORSThe homeofficeGARDENINGGood, old fashioned charmFASHIONYou’re not going out in that!ME AND MYWARDROBEHeather Carne

McCOURT& McKAYYork Ladies’ DaySHOPPINGMeeting theMugwumpsGADGET MANRecording TV theeasy-peasy wayBEAUTYLooking great the DIY wayMOTORINGMy life with aMaseratiNE CONNECTIONSStar spotting in adesert kingdomCOMPETITIONThe chance to winloft insulation foryour home

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magazine

74

contents

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20We are a friendly local business with 20 years experience in furnishings and furniture, with shops in Northallerton, Thirsk and Richmond. We pride ourselves on customer service with knowledgeable staff affording a product range to cover everyone’s taste.

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At Coates Couture we are bringing tailoring into the 21st Century by offering a design and consultation service which is modern in approach. The very best cut and the very best cloths are used to produce garments of the highest quality.

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WHILE centralheating is anecessity in themodern home,it has to beadmitted thatradiators aren’tthe prettiestthings. Onceanswer is tocover them upand RichardBurbidge hasjust addedmore radiator cabinet designs to the range.Each design is available in two sizes with theextendable radiator cabinets expanding up to1.82m in width. They are easy to assembleand also offer effective protection from hotradiator surfaces. Prices start from around£50. Contact Richard Burbidge on 01691678201 or visit www.richardburbidge.co.uk

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THE best thing about working from homeis that you don’t have to get dressed inthe morning. “Office clothes” take on awhole new meaning. Today’s outfit, for

instance, is an old silk T-shirt, once rather styl-ish but now lacking all shape, teamed with afavourite denim skirt that somehow acquireda bleach stain that has made it unsuitable forpolite company but perfect for a day at a deskat home.

But at least that’s better than the soot-stained nightie and smut-filled hair I had whenI interviewed fashion designer Nicole Farhi.That day I had woken up to a freezing coldhouse and discovered, yet again, that our oldcoal boiler had given up. When I tried to coaxit back into life, it had sent a spiteful showerof soot up in the air, all over the kitchen andall over me.

Then I suddenly remembered I had organ-ised an early morning telephone interviewwith Ms Farhi. I sat at my desk, talking calm-ly to her about her new collection, about theimportance of classic style and clean lines.And all the time, little flakes of soot were flut-tering from my hair and landing softly on mynightie and my notebook.

Thank goodness video phones hadn’t beeninvented.

The worst thing about working from homeused to be the isolation. You get a lot of workdone but when it was just me and the comput-er, it was easy to get stir crazy and be thrilledwith the arrival of the delivery man with a par-cel for next door. Human contact! Conversa-tion!

Then you get silly little niggling questionsinto your head – like which were the Beatles’first three number ones. And there’s no one toshout across and ask.

So hooray for e-mail. Idle thoughts, theequivalent of office gossip are easily shared.The ping of You Have Mail is the solitary equiv-alent of someone stopping by on the way to thecoffee machine and can cheer the lonely day.A liberation. Working from home is no longeran anti-social occupation.

What you don’t have is the day to day dis-traction of other people. No overheard con-versations about football matches or drunkennights out or complicated love affairs. No hav-ing to take messages about other people’sbabysitters or car repairs. You get a lot morework done at home.

But very best of all, of course, is the fact thatyour time’s your own to do with as you will. Put

the washing on… go out for lunch… preparesupper… go for a walk… As long as the workgets done, what does it matter?

I have never understood those people whoset up an office at home and then work officehours. Why? Hot summer days find me loung-ing in the deckchair, or pottering round thegarden. Work can be done in the cool of theevening, or on a rainy Sunday morning – sav-ing the sunshine for pleasure, not work.

Most important of all is to choose very care-fully the room in which you will work.

Many people use the kitchen table – and getbreadcrumbs in the keyboard and sticky fin-gers on the screen. The printer will disgorgepaper straight into the toaster and you neverknow whether that ping! means You Have Mail– or that your microwave meal is ready.

Years ago, in our last house, the only placefor a desk and computer was in an alcove of ourbedroom. Senior Son, then a toddler, remem-bers how comforting it was, lying in his littlebed, hearing me tapping away at the keyboardalong the landing.

It was also hopeless. You’d just be at a vitalstage of something with files and folders scat-tered all over the bed – and then it was bedtime,and they’d all have to be put away again.

It was bad enough sleeping in a room thatwas just like an office, which, not surprising-ly, gave me a lot of nightmares about work.Even worse was trying to work in a room sur-rounded by lotions and potions, dressing tablemirrors, tights hanging over the back of thechair.

Now we have the luxury of a study. After thebedroom alcove it seemed enormous, but 17years on, the clutter is taking over. One day Iwill have a grand sort out. One day.

In the meantime, I enjoy the view.If you are setting up a study, don’t choose the

obscure little box room with a view of thegarage roof. Instead, choose one with an at-tractive outlook – you’re going to spend a lotof time in it, so it’s a lot more important thana spare bedroom or dining room

Our study window is framed by late flower-ing honeysuckle. And I look out on to the gar-den where thrushes use the patio as a fast foodcounter to bash the shells off snails and squir-rels scamper along the top of the high wall.

It’s all very cheering. And yes, of course, it’ssometimes distracting – but not half as dis-tracting as working in an office.

The home office: see page 8

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4 September 2005

Lying down in nature’s lap

RICHMOND’S newest homes devel-opment is not easy to find. Butthat’s undoubtedly a good thing. Atrack off a quiet road north westout of the town leads to some farm

buildings at Aislabeck Plantation, but there’sstill no sign of the holiday homes being builtthere.

It’s only when you walk 50 yards downhill fur-ther on that you catch the first glimpse of a flo-ral rooftop. Yes, floral… The mix of red andwhite flowering sebum planted on the roof ofthe first eco lodge creates an overall pretty pinkeffect. There are no tiles, or slates, or brickshere, and the only concrete is hidden under-ground.

It means the homes have fulfilled their philo-sophical and planning aims of blending in withthe landscape, and offer true privacy to theirowners.

The houses are timber-framed with as strong-as-steel beams of Douglas fir to support thestructure and are clad in red cedar. All the tim-ber comes from sustainable forests.

Outside, lengths of cedar have been used forthe decks which, combined with the glassfrontage of each lodge, create a luxurious out-door room rather than simply a wooden patio.It’s their proximity to nature and ability tomerge with the landscape that is the appeal ofthese homes, and a crucial part of why theywere built in the first place.

Simon Spence, the man behind the develop-ment, inherited the 50 acres of land from hismother Christine, who bought it about 15 yearsago. “She had it as a hobby farm really with afew cattle and sheep. When it became too muchfor her, she passed it on to me and I became theguardian of it,” explains Simon.

Simon is vegetarian, so the animals soonwent. Instead, he turned to managing the landorganically as best he could to reinstate the oldmeadows and maintain the woodland and nat-ural scrub. But he soon realised he’d taken onmore than he could handle – nearly half theland is paddock but the rest comprises steepvalley sides that were difficult to manage.

“It became a drain on my time and re-sources,” admits Simon. “I had to make somedecisions but I couldn’t bring myself to sell it.I began to think seriously about how I could se-cure the land’s future without changing it dramatically.

“Eco lodges seemed to fit with the way I wasthinking. The land has always been a kind of re-treat for me and I thought that feeling could be

passed on. It seemed like a responsible way forward.”

Simon comes from a family that has moved alot and always been involved in property – hisolder brother is a chartered surveyor andyounger brother, Matthew, is an entrepreneurwho has managed property portfolios for foot-ballers and rugby players.

Simon, a painter and decorator by trade, hadrenovated houses before but had never builtanything from scratch so he teamed up withTim Crawshaw, an urban designer from Rich-mond. Between them they came up with theoriginal designs for the eco lodges.

“It had to be challenging,” says Simon. “Iwant to push the envelope all the time so it hadto be innovative to keep me interested.”

It is possible to buy flat-pack lodge-stylehomes but the sustainability principals towhich Simon and Tim were working took thehomes out of the realm of build-it-yourself.

“The green roofs, for example, meant thestructure had to be designed in such a way thatit could bear the load of the planting being con-tinually soaked with rain, as well as the effectof snow and wind,” Simon explains.

Three lodges have already been built and fiveare already sold to, among others, former Eng-land goalkeeper Ian Walker and Stoke City play-ers Gerry Taggart and Clive Clarke.

In total there will be ten lodges, which can-not be used as permanent homes, only as sec-ond homes and holiday lets. Their locationswithin the valley have been selected for priva-cy and also for concealment from people en-joying the countryside around: the Coast toCoast footpath runs near to the southernboundary of the land.

“When we were choosing the sites we liter-ally had people on the valley side waving flags.We were on mobile phones going ‘right a bit, lefta bit’ to find the right spots,” says Simon.

That turned out to be the easy aspect of build-ing houses from nothing on a topographicallyunforgiving site. Creating flat spaces to lay thefoundations meant digging into the hillside andshoring up the front edge with giant rocks.

Then all the services had to be brought to thesite – gas for the hobs, ovens and central heat-ing, and electricity for the dishwashers, wash-ing machines and lighting.

“The electricity comes from renewable ener-gy sources like solar or wind power which wedraw from the National Grid. It costs a bit morebut not too much,” explains Simon.

Spring water is collected and purified on site


Simon Spence: wants to preserve his land for future generations

5September 2005http://clients.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/ne_monthly

ForgetBeckinghamPalace.Footballerslooking forreal privacyare heading tothe YorkshireDales to buyholiday homesbuilt on greenfoundations.SARAHFRENCHreports

and a there is natural reed bed system for wastemanagement.

Less than a third of the way into the develop-ment, Simon remains enthusiastic, viewing eachstep as a challenge, not a chore. “I’ve got a veryshort memory. I get up in the morning and get onwith it. If you have a vision that’s strong enoughyou develop the stamina to see it through,” hesays.

That vision and the eco principals it’s basedon has not meant compromising on home com-forts or style inside the lodges. Each one has threedouble bedrooms, one with en-suite shower room,and a family bathroom. The main 8.5m x 5m liv-ing space is open plan with island-style kitchenarea. The flooring throughout is French oak.

Each lodge has a super efficient wood-burningstove and is insulated to a high standard usingrecycled newspaper treated to make it fire retardant.

Once the lodges are complete, Simon will setto work re-placing the barns on the site with of-fices for Ecobuild UK Ltd. “The fact that the pro-ject has borne a company which is growing fastand going from strength to strength is an addedbonus. It’s a fantastic place to come to work andthe guys have all really bought into the concept,”he says.

Simon sees the future of the company in build-ing homes for clients, as opposed to buying upland and creating more developments like Ais-labeck. The team can erect a watertight buildingwithin a week; it then takes up to seven weeks tocomplete the installation of services, deck,cladding, flooring, plumbing, plastering and therest of the interior.

He adds: “We are getting more confident andmore inquiries are coming in. We could replicatethese lodges but we want to develop, hone the de-sign and try new things.

“We’ve proved that we can build in this sort oflocation without disturbing the habitat toomuch. There are five deer in the wood and they’reworking with us – they’ve had their young anddon’t seem too worried.

“It’s given the land an alternative use, ratherthan it just being turned into agriculture andonce the lodges are finished it will become awildlife haven. Yes, there will be people here butnot all the time and the money we make means Ican manage the land better.

“It’s all been about preserving the land for thefuture and I think this is the right answer.”

For more information, tel (01748) 821828 or e-mail [email protected]

The lodges, builtalong strictly eco-friendly lines, blendseamlessly into theirsurroundings

Pictures:SARAH NICHOLSON

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THE closest most of us come to logs inthe house is the ones we put on the fire.But in an age where people want to getmore in touch with nature, are in-creasingly environmentally aware and

are keen to have more personal input into theirhomes, a house built of logs provides the idealsolution.

They’re quick to build, warm in winter, fit intothe rural landscape, cost less and come with anin-built feelgood factor. And if you choose thewood look inside too, there’s no decorating to do.

Mark Baty built his first house of logs withhis dad 33 years ago, though you’d never believeit was that old. At the time, they had a battle toget planning permission. The house, with itsopen plan living space, was ahead of its time andattracted plenty of interest among curiousneighbours.

Three decades on and the house, and otherslike it, are coming into their own as many buy-ers seek a more eco-friendly lifestyle and homesthat are more in harmony with their surround-ings.

Nevertheless, Mark and his dad George, whoran his own engineering company Euremica,learned the hard way.

“There were no power tools to speak of 33years ago so every log was literally hammeredin place with a rubber mallet. The timber hadbeen sittting at the Tyne docks for a few weeksbefore it got to us so the numbers on each piecehad worn off – it was like putting together agiant jigsaw,” explains Mark.

Years later, he was asked to build anotherhouse in Durham and then two more in Rich-mond, which the owner rents out as holidayhomes. Euremica Environmental Ltd, based inGuisborough, now provides a comprehensive de-sign, supply and build service for log homes,summerhouses, garages, barbecue huts andother structures. “We can make a building tosuit any requirements,” says Mark. “If it can bebuilt in brick or stone, we can build it in logs.”

As well as private homes, Mark says woodenhouses are ideal for farmers looking to diversi-fy into holiday accommodation and rural hotelsinterested in offering self-catering lodges intheir grounds.

Each bespoke design is sent to the Latviancompany Mark works with. The quantity of tim-ber is worked out on computer, then all the ma-

terials are shipped to the UK. The timber isspruce and pine and is sourced from sustainableforests.

The kit, delivery and construction of a typi-cal two-storey home with four bedrooms andtwo bathrooms costs around £45,000 plus VAT.The foundations, which are extra, are laid firstin the same way as for a standard house, thenthe walls go up. These can be either solid logsor there’s the option of outer walls of logs andwood panelling on the inside with thermal in-sulation and a breathable membrane sand-wiched in between.

“All the logs are numbered so we know whereevery piece of timber belongs. They all interlockwith double tongue and groove for an excep-tional fit and large wall sections have verticaltrusses. We can build a home to the roof withina month,” explains Mark.

The roofs are conventional, made from con-crete tiles or slates, although Mark is movingtowards Finnish and Latvian-style roofs of as-phalt shingle, which is more cost effective.

The outside walls have to be treated everyseven years or so. Inside, owners can choose tokeep the Scandinavian look, the downside beingall that wood to dust, or plasterboard can be putup for conventional decoration.

Either way, modern timber treatments ad-dress any concerns about damp and mould, rot-ting wood, bug infestations or susceptibility tofire. Inevitably there is shrinkage and expansionof the wood, but allowance for this is built intothe construction and in the way doors and win-dows are slotted in place. “Having wood interi-or walls does make it a bit darker than magno-lia, but if you want more light all you do is cuta hole and fit a new window,” says Mark.

Cracks and crevices that develop add to thecharacter.

In every other way the houses boast all thenormal services, double glazing and, naturally,can have solid wood floors.

The result is a solid, warm building thatcomes with its own fresh forest fragrance… andthe benefit of knowing, as thousands of redbrick housing estates are being thrown uparound the country, that you’re living in an en-vironmentally friendly way.

For more information, contact Euremica Environmental on (01287) 204020.

interiors

September 2005 http://clients.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/ne_monthly

Pictures: STUART BOULTON

In the story of the Three Little Pigs, the house of sticks was one the Big Bad Wolf blewdown. But a professionally built wooden home will defy not only the huff and puff of wildanimals but the worst of North-East weather too. SARAH FRENCH reports

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IT may be a two storey shack withno electricity but the asking pricefor this beach home overlooking

Embleton Bay in Northumberland is awhopping £200,000. The lack of modcons is compensated for bymagnificent views of the coastlineand nearby Dunstanburgh Castle. Youcan also have pals over to stay in oneof the three bedrooms and enjoythose long summer evenings in theroomy lounge.

Nick Rawlinson, of estate agencyGroves, said: “We sell about four ofthese a year and usually they go for£92,000, but this one is stunning andwith a great view. Anyone who thinksit’s just a hut should come down, feelthe sand between their toes, look outat the view and breathe in the sea air.They would soon change their mind.Normally these sort of places arepassed down from generation togeneration, so one coming up isreally rare.”

Pictures: North News

8 September 2005

PERHAPS the summer holidayshave finally convinced you thatthere’s more to life than all thatcommuting, those endless meetings

and boring office politics. Or perhaps timeoff with the family has pushed you intoresolving to strike a better work life balanceby working from home.

It’s an increasingly popular option butwhatever the reason – and even if you onlyneed a home office occasionally – you willwork better if that space is not onlycomfortable and practical, but stylish too.

Welcome your decision as a wonderfulopportunity to escape the conventionalworkplace and get away from impersonalstrip lighting and a dull, grey office desk.Instead, create a room where you canexpress your personality in your choice ofcolours and funky files, take pleasure in anantique desk, and surround yourself withinspiring photos and mementoes.

First, of course, you need to decide whereyou’re going to locate that office in yourhome. If you haven’t got a separate roomthat’s suitable, consider converting a diningroom, attic, landing, garage or even thecupboard under the stairs. Or you could buya wooden home office for a corner of thegarden.

Author Katherine Sorrell has a new book,Home Design Planner, which illustrateshow to set up a practical but attractiveworkspace.

She says: ‘‘The first requirement is a quiet

and private space where you canconcentrate without interruption. If youhaven’t got a dedicated room where you cansimply shut the door, and have to share thespace, you could create some sort of screenwith a room divider with shelving.’’

Sorrell believes the fun of a home workspace is tailoring it to your taste. ‘‘Yourdesk and chair can be in any style andpacked with personality as long as the deskis large enough for you to spread your workout and the chair is comfortable.

‘‘A desk can be a lovely block of polishedwood or a sheet of toughened glass restingon a pair of metal filing cabinets. Or itcould be a whiteboard so you can scribbledown telephone numbers and messages.Your chair could be upholstered to matchthe curtains or in a zingy coloured plastic.’’

If funds are really limited, you could pickup a bargain in a second-hand furnitureshop and sand away the wear and tear of awooden desk, then varnish or paint it, orspray paint a steel one.

Adequate storage is essential. For a lessstructured and more informal look thanfitted shelves and units, hunt aroundauctions, antique shops and markets forFrench armoires, old school lockers or evencountry style kitchen dressers, which are allideal for holding files.

Those who are going to entertain clientsin their home office and want to impressmight want to invest in wall-to-wall units.One of the specialists in bespoke fitted

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More and more people are deciding to work from home, but it paysto do your design homework if a home office is on the agenda

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furniture is Roundhouse, who combine greatdesign with beautiful materials such asmaple, cherrywood, and up-to-the-minutetouches like frosted glass cupboard frontsand slideaway file cupboards.

Keep your desk clutter-free with storageaccessories. The Cotswold Company has afaux leather set – a filing tray is £17.95.

Oka, with shops and a mail order service,has woven storage boxes and a desk set, aswell as a charming mini leather chest ofdrawers. The latter costs £59.

Home Design Planner by Katherine Sorrell(Ryland Peters & Small, £16.99)

‘Why I like working from home’

MONDAY morning feeling? Late forwork? Stuck in traffic? All things

of the past when you work from home.I swapped the office routine for

home work four years ago, and I’venever looked back. The diddy fourthbedroom became the perfect officecomplete with bespoke bookshelves,in-the-sale computer desk and anexpensive managing director’s leatherswivel chair – after all, I am themanaging director.

I dress properly for work – suit, shirtand tie – but who’s to know on a coldwinter’s morning that I sit in myslippers? But it is more than just awardrobe and commuting practicalitiesthat home office life overcomes; you

also need to consider the financialand psychological impact. In the hoursother people spend getting to andfrom work, I’m not only earning, butalso enjoying, the freedom workingfrom home affords.

Slip the fetters of office life andthere is no more Monday morningdread or office-induced claustro-phobia. You are free to choose whereand when you work and the only bossbreathing down your neck is you.

When you work when it suits you,the job becomes fun. And the fact thatany profits are just for me (and thetaxman, of course), is all themotivation I need.

Ian Lamming

JOHN Lewis has some attractive, well priced,self-assembly room divider furniture incorporating shelves and cupboards. Thebeech veneer Largo room divider, pictured left,starts at £19.50 and goes up to £329; whilethe half height unit starts at £19.50 and goesup to £195.

Philip Starck table and Charles Eames chairs furnish this modern, light-filled home office

TAKE A STYLE NOTE● Think about materials and colourbefore fancy finishes or decoration. Bluewalls promote creativity, while greencreates a calm, focused atmosphere. Orpaint one wall in a vibrant shade forinspiration.● Desktops: If the room is naturally warm,choose a hard, cool surface like glass, steelor granite as a stylish option. Otherwise,wood is a good choice for its beauty andwarmth to the touch.● Good lighting is a priority. Consider amixture of sources, such as tracklighting, spots inset into the ceiling, andtask lights like desk lamps.● Make sure power points and cables areaccessible, and where possible hide flexesso they don’t interfere with the use or lookof the space. Make sure you have enoughpower points for the computer, phone, faxand music system.

Suit and slippers man: Ian in his home office

10 September 2005

Two into one does go

gardening

LL YING at the end of a stony lanesurrounded by fields, HelenWelch’s home is every inch thecountry cottage. When she andher husband Norman moved

there 30 years ago, it was actually twocottages, and the couple spent hours of toilconverting it into one. Now retired andhaving a well-earned rest from renovating,they can afford to spend more time on thethings they enjoy – and for Helen, this isdefinitely gardening. “I’m the gardener,”she says, looking proudly over her work,“although my husband does cut the grass.”

In terms of the weather, I couldn’t havechosen a better day to visit the garden – itsvivid greens and delicate pastels areresplendent in the sunshine. Its scents, too,are pure sensory pleasure, yet modestly,Helen highlights another attraction. “Ofcourse it’s the view that sells the garden,”she says, pointing beyond its wall to thevast expanse of rape fields stretching rightto the Cleveland Hills.

The area in front of the house, wherewe’re now sitting on a wooden bench, wasonce divided by a fence, with one sidetaken up by vegetables. When Helen andNorman merged the cottages, they alsomerged the gardens, tidying them up in theprocess. “They were terrible when wecame. There was no patio and we had to cutand feed the grass,” says Helen.

Having extended the lawn into thesecond half, Helen set about making thegarden a place to relax in, laying a patioand installing the wooden bench. She saysit’s gradually evolved over the years. “Wehave overhauled the garden a few times.”

As we embark on a tour of the neatflower beds, she points out her pride andjoy – a flourishing hibiscus bush. Althoughnotoriously difficult to grow, Helen says itseems to like the conditions in its cornernear the stone wall. “The hibiscus comesout, very much to everyone’s surprise.There was a lady here once who said, ‘I’velived in South Africa and I couldn’t grow itthere. I don’t know how you grow it here’,”she says.

Moving around the garden, we come to agreen belt of herbaceous plants. Helen saysshe has tried to use a mixture of varieties,including summer flowers for colour.Although when I visit, these are not yetout, the different heights and shades ofgreen provide interest. The border is liftedby a row of dazzling blue irises.

Helen prefers metal frames to woodensupports, and a couple of these nestlediscreetly among the foliage. She has aspecial area to cultivate seedlings,protecting the most vulnerable with plasticdomes. However, she can’t always preventweather damage, and points out thebrownish tinge caused by frost. “There’sbeen quite a lot this year,” says Helenresignedly.

One of the garden’s prettiest features isthe pink clematis that adorns the old farmbuildings. Helen explains: “I put it theresoon after we came here and it was just alittle cutting off my mother’s.” Now itsprawls everywhere, a rambling mass ofcolour.

While the garden is carefully cultivated,with stone urns for decoration, Helen haskept it simple and unfussy. Despite thechanges, it remains quaintly old-fashioned,with the netty still standing alongside. Notone to see this go to waste, Helen hasadapted it as a garden shed, pilingequipment on the old seat.

Although not obsessive, she says shespends a fair amount of time gardening.“Every week I’m doing something. The bestthing I find is just to do a little bit everyday when you have free time,” says Helen.But amid all the hard work, she still makessure she enjoys the garden. “When Ihaven’t got hayfever, I sit out here all thetime.”

HELEN’S TOP THREE PLANTSHibiscus, delphiniums, poppies

ESSENTIAL PIECE OF EQUIPMENTA trowel

When theyfirst moved

in, HelenWelch and

her husbandNorman

spent hoursrescuing

theircottagegarden.

Far right,centre:Helen’s

prizedhibiscus,

which aredifficult to

grow in ourclimate


It may be small, but Helen Welch’sgarden is full of old-fashioned charm, as SARAH FOSTER finds out

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❛ Every week I’mdoing something.

The best thing I find isjust to do a little bitevery day when youhave free time

Pict

ures

:AN

DY

LAM

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12 September 2005

You’re notgoing out in

IT’S the school disco. You’re11. You’re about to leave Year6 behind and move up to thebig school. You’ve spent agesplanning your outfit and you

know exactly what you’re going towear. It’s cool, trendy and verygrown-up.

Then your mum or dad comesalong and spoils it. “You’re nnoottgoing out in tthhaatt!!””

Well, that’s how it used to be.And it didn’t stop at primaryschool.

I remember on my first day atsixth form college being hauledback into the house and ordered tooffload at least half of my careful-ly chosen strings of beads and cru-cifixes. Heighington’s version ofMadonna was a poor imitationafter that.

But times have changed, itseems. Either parents have gotcooler and more forgiving, or kidshave got wiser to what they can getaway with for there was little butmutual respect when we spoke toparents dropping off their young-sters at one school disco.

Short skirts apart (the most com-mon no-no among mums of daugh-ters) it was agreement and, for themost part, shared admiration allthe way among parents and pupilsat Barnard Castle PreparatorySchool, in County Durham.

❛ It’s quite difficult to find things thataren’t too young or too old for him


It used to be a big battleground, but now parents and children seemore or less eye to eye on the fashion front, says SARAH FRENCH

that!

KAREN FARROW AND SON WILL, OF STANWICKKARENHow much influence do you have overwhat Will wears?Not much, he has very definite ideas butluckily there’s nothing too outrageous. Hechose his outfit for the disco about threeweeks ago – he takes it very seriously.Is there anything you’ve put your footdown about?I’ve never had to say ‘you can’t wear that’.What would you like to see him wearing? I like what he wears. He recently joinedBlackwell golf club where they don’tallow trainers and t-shirts. He wasn’t

keen on putting on a shirt and propershoes but when he looked in the mirrorhe was quite confident and pleased withhimself.

WILLWhat do you think of your mum’s style?I think she looks good.Is there anything you’d like to see herwearing?I’d prefer it if she didn’t wear so manylayers. Layers are fashionable but not thatmany!Who’s the most fashionable person in thefamily?Me.

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JENNY PEAT AND DAUGHTER EMMA,FROM BOLDRONJENNYHow much influence do you have overwhat Emma wears?Until now I had quite a lot, but it’s allchanging very suddenly.What’s your favourite look for Emma?I like her best in jeans and cut-off trousers.She makes a fantastic tomboy.Is there anything you’ve put your footdown about?Yes, short skirts with high heels. She gotaway with the short skirt for the disco butI put my foot down about the high heels.

EMMAWhat do you think of your mum’sclothes?They’re all right, but sometimes she looksreally rubbish.What do you most like to see herwearing?My favourite look for her is long skirts andboots. I really like her best brown boots.Who’s the most fashionable person in thefamily?My dudey brother Josh.

VIVIANE JOHNSON AND SONTHOMAS, OF SHILDONVIVIANEHow much influence do you have over whatTom wears?Not a lot, just his uniform at school. Hewears what he wants to wear.What would you like to see him wearing? I like what he wears, he’s got good taste.Where do you buy his clothes?Mainly abroad. There’s a definite niche inthe market for his age group – it’s quite dif-ficult to find things that aren’t too young ortoo old for him. He does a lot of trials bikeriding so he wears mainly sports and skate-board gear.

TOMWhat do you think of your mum’s style?Cool.Is there anything you’d like to see herwear?Not really. Sometimes she asks me whetherI like what she’s got on and she will changeif I don’t like it.Who’s the most fashionable person in thefamily?Me.

LINDA RAPER ANDDAUGHTER VICKY, FROMSTAINDROPLINDAWhat do you like Vicky towear?I prefer her in more casualthings, combat trousers and thekhaki look.Is there anything you’ve putyour foot down about? Short skirts and cropped tops.Where do you buy her clothes?All over. Next, Mark One,Primark and Boyes mainly.

VICKYWho buys your clothes?It used to be my dad but now it’smy mum. I tell her the kind ofstyle I want, like gypsy ormodern.What do you think of yourmum’s clothes?She’s fashionable, she likes thelatest stuff. She likes stylishtops but she always checks withme first and asks if there’sanything she could do better.Who’s the most fashionableperson in the family?Me and my mum.

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me and my wardrobe

How would you describe your look?Smart and sophisticated fashion with anawareness of this season’s must-havelooks – as long as they suit me. The keyto my wardrobe is mixing designer labelswith high street favourite fashion storesto get an individual look.

What’s your favourite item of clothing?It has to be my Seven for All MankindJeans, which are very versatile whetherthey are worn casually with a jumper or

T-shirt for a game of footie or dressed upwith a sequinned top and heels for adinner date.

What are your favourite shops?I love Joseph as well as Zara, Logo andKaren Millen.

What has been your worst buy?A pair of very high, Prada black bootswhich I adore but unfortunately amunable to walk in for any period of time.

Dancing the night away is definitely outwhen wearing them.

What was your most expensive buy?A Joseph brown sheepskin full lengthcoat which feels like butter to the touch.I got it for £569 at Dalton Park – downfrom £2,000.

Which celebrity’s style do you mostadmire?Catherine Zeta Jones is a real woman,with a real woman’s shape. Whatever sheseems to wear makes her exude eleganceand her dress sense creates a real style.

●● Dalton Park is just off the A19 atMurton. Contact the outlet on 0191 5265140 or visit www.dalton-park.co.uk

Skirt and top from Joseph Pictures: BRIAN CLOUGH


❛ CatherineZeta Jones is

a real woman,with a realwoman’s shape

Heather Carne, 44, ismanager of the Josephoutlet store at Dalton Park,Murton. Smart certainlyrules for Heather at work,but when she gets home toson Jamieson, eight, thetracksuit or jeans come outfor a game of cricket, rugbyor football together Main picture: Joseph white suit and Joseph top. Above left: Seven for All Mankind

jeans, top from Oasis. Front cover: pink suede Joseph jacket

15September 2005

W HAT better way to spend a summerafternoon than with the girls atYork Races Ladies’ Day? Even ifhorse racing isn’t your thing. If you

love fashion, fun and copious amounts of cham-pagne, this is a perfect day out. We have to behonest – we didn’t see a horse running all day –but we saw some amazing outfits, had a littleflutter and came home happy!

MIKE CHARLTON MIKE, an estate agent from Richmond, was en-joying a day out with the gents. He was wearingcream slacks and a navy blazer with a whiteshirt and blue tie. Mike likes to shop when he’son holiday in Spain or the States; he finds theirclothes are lightweight, better value for moneyand a little bit different. He doesn’t do ‘labels’although he does appreciate quality and itshows. To keep fit, Mike recommends going tothe gym every day for 45 minutes, he never eatsfried food, tries to avoid wheat and has neversmoked.

ROBIN HOUSTONROBIN is 38 years old and owns the franchisefor Collagenics in Ireland. He was over for theday enjoying some corporate hospitality. Robinwore a pinstripe suit from Hugo Boss, whiteshirt from Prada and tie from Gucci. He admitsbeing a bit of a shopaholic and his favouriteshops are Brown Thomas in Dublin and Self-ridges in London. To relax Robin listens to alltypes of music but he’s particularly enjoyingJames Blunt’s new album. To look good, he rec-ommends lots of moisturiser and regular Botoxinjections from Collagenics.

JOLIE KELSEY JOLIE, a 28-year-old hairdresser from Barnsley,was at the races with her mum. She loves theglamour and eccentricity of the outfits. Sheloves shopping at Vivienne Westwood for the in-dividuality of the clothes and that’s where hershirt, shorts and tie were from. Jolie’s hat wasfrom The Hat Company, although she did cus-tomise it with the cards. Her bag was from TheBellagio Hotel in Vegas. Being a hairdresser,Jolie recommends leaving your hair to the pro-fessionals though she does recommend experi-menting with make-up.

RACHEL WALSWORTH RACHEL is a 37-year-old secretary from Leedsand said coming to York Ladies’ Day was a reg-ular event with the girls. Her dress was fromEmma Somerset in Harrogate. She likes to shopin Leeds because she reckons there’s loads ofchoice, and Harrogate because it’s got quirkieroutfits and it’s very pretty. Rachel goes to thegym three times a week and wouldn’t dream ofgoing to bed with her make-up on. She swearsby Clinique products. On her CD player at themoment is Renaissance, but she admits to beinga huge 80s music fan too.

RACHEL KIRWAN,RACHEL, 30, is a secretary from Leeds. Shelooked stunning in a dress from Tunstall inLeeds with a hat designed by India Honeybowlfrom Hats of the Ocean, also in Leeds. For a spe-cial occasion and when she can afford it, sheshops at Harvey Nichols. Her beauty regimeconsists of exfoliating and moisturising daily,which showed in her flawless complexion, andshe recommends a false spray tan to make youfeel better. Rachel loves music and has a hugeCD collection from classical to dance.

PHIL DAVIESPHIL, 40, is from Essex and was enjoying theraces with colleagues from work. Although hedoesn’t enjoy clothes shopping, he appreciatesquality, particularly Gucci, which is where hiswhole outfit was from. Phil enjoys listening toall types of music – at the moment it’s Coldplay.He admits to wearing Lancôme products on hisskin and gets his hair cut every eight weeks. Phildoesn’t like going to the gym. He prefers run-ning, which he says doesn’t take too much effort.

out on the town

McCourt & McKay

NE Magazine’sstyle experts,Judie McCourtand AllisonMcKay, take tothe socialhoneypots ofthe region insearch of styleand individuality

●● TV and radio presenter Judie McCourt andcelebrity hair and make-up artist Allison McKay,run AM Creative Productions, which specialisesin creative and social event management and PR

amcreativeproductions.com


RACHEL WALSWORTH

MIKE CHARLTON

JOLIE KELSEYRACHEL KIRWAN

ROBIN HOUSTONPHIL DAVIS

Tel and Fax:(01347) 821545

Market Place, Easingwold

N. Yorks Y061 3BJ

CHARLES HOBSONMARKET PLACE, EASINGWOLD. Tel. 01347 821545

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Suit Sensations SuitsThe names tell you the quality:Magee, The Label, Odermark - they are all here. Classic Business Suites, in grey and navy. Smart weekend Lounge Suites in soft country colours. Two and three button styles available.

JacketsA good range of quality jackets in various styles and cloths. Classic two button sports jackets in checks. Some fashionable three button jackets in plain cloths and lightweight fabrics.

TrousersClassic plain fronted, stylish pleased styles in many different cloths - grey flannels, navy, twills etc. - they are all here. Many up to 60”.

Growth isn’t just adding inches. It’s about

youngsters finding their feet

Here’s a creative leisure activity that helps 4-16 year olds grow.

Stagecoach teaches the skills they need to act, sing and dance. Before long they begin to stand better, move more freely, express themselves easily and clearly, grow more poised, self-confident and self-assured.

It’s ‘work’ with bubbly, like minded, groups of friends no more than 45 to a school. The Durham Stagecoach runs for three hours at weekends (11/2 hours for early stages 4-6 year olds) alongside the school term. There’s no audition, enthusiasm is all you need.

For a prospectus for a Durham School call 0191 417 5556.www.stagecoach.co.uk

NEW TE

RM

STARTING SOON

16 September 2005

STANDING in Durham market-place, the city’s character comesto the fore. The bustling square,replete with ancient buildings,seems trapped in history. At its

centre, tall and proud, stands a famous stat-ue – of the Marquis of Londonderry on hishorse. A little smaller, though no less dig-nified, is that of Neptune. The light stone ofSt Nicholas’s church towers high above thecobbles, and the quaint town hall, with itsleaded windows, forms a central focus.

Behind the bank of payphones – brightred like in bygone days – lies the Market Tav-ern, a real old-fashioned pub. There’s alsothe indoor market, selling everything fromfish and fruit to furry toys.

Proceeding to Silver Street, one of twomain arteries from the market place, there’sample evidence of modernity. Beyond theimposing banks lies a host of high streetfavourites, with Woolworths at the helm.Sloping down towards the river are Marks &Spencer, Barratts, Dorothy Perkins andother national chains, which share the busystreet with less familiar names.

One of these is Wishes, a relative new-comer to the city. Having previously been astandard charity shop, selling mainly sec-ond hand clothes, the store has switched toselling cards. It may be small, but the choiceis impressive, with something for all occa-sions. Along with cards is pretty giftwrap,quirky candles and other novel gifts, in-cluding candy striped baby journals. Man-ager Colette McCormick says that despiteits professional look, the shop has stayedtrue to its roots.

“We’re a charity shop that just happens tosell cards and gifts,” she says. “Every pennyof our profit goes to Cancer Research UK. Ithas over 600 shops altogether and at the mo-ment, only ten are Wishes shops.”

Colette says the card shop concept hasbeen well received – except that customersmight not spot the charity side. “Peopledon’t realise we’re a charity,” she says. “It’s

a case of trying to engage them in conver-sation and telling them. People often say,‘I’ll be back’ or ‘I’ll tell my friends’. They likethe idea of being able to buy something theyactually want and helping a charity.”

The other main street off the market-place, snaking up to the cathedral, is Sad-dler Street. In contrast with the modernshops of Silver Street, this has a distinctlyold-fashioned feel. A glance above eye-levelreveals the buildings’ advanced age, alongwith many period features. The black andwhite mock Tudor of The Art Shop andKemble Gallery, near the bottom of thestreet, is one of several things to note.

Walking past clothes store East, with itsrich fabrics and pretty jewellery, you cometo Scorpio, one of the city’s stalwarts. Itsyoung and funky style is reflected by theshoes displayed outside and although small,it packs in plenty of fashion footwear.

Further up the street the shops turn moretraditional, with Uncle Sam’s Sweet Empo-rium, its walls lined with jars, standing nextto the old-style barber’s.

One famous fixture, which turns 40 nextyear, is The Mugwump. Owned by Jean andPeter Jackson, on first glance the store looksdeceptively small. Yet step inside and it’s alabyrinth, with several rooms on threefloors.

To describe its product range as diversewould be an understatement. From gamesto ball gowns, glassware to greetings cards,The Mugwump seems to sell almost every-thing. Maria Morris, one of the “family” of

shopping


DU

RH

AM C

ITY

Meeting the Mugwumps

With its cobbled streets and sense of history, Durham is a city withboundless charm. SARAH FOSTER samples some of its one-off shops

❛ People don’t realisewe’re a charity. It’s a

case of trying to engagethem in conversation andtelling them

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17September 2005

From top:inside theMugwump;the CancerResearch UKcharity shopWishes andthe GeorgianWindow

Pictures:CHRIS BOOTH


assistants, says working there is a pleasure.“It’s a lovely atmosphere to work in – younever know from one day to the next whatyou’ll be doing,” she says. “There are five corestaff, a Finnish girl, a schoolgirl and a Russ-ian student – and I’m of Polish origin – sowe’re quite international. Mrs Jackson al-ways keeps us involved. She asks us if we likethings and if we think they will sell. We’re alla team – it’s like a little family.”

Although the shop appeals to everyone, at-tracting locals and tourists alike, it’s espe-cially loved by students. “We get studentswho have been to the university coming backon a day trip, who pop in and say they can’tbelieve we’re still here,” says Maria. “Theshop is an institution in Durham.”

While its stairs and sloping floors maymake it tricky to negotiate, Maria says theyonly add to its charm. She says it sits well ina place like Durham. “For a shop in a smallcity, there’s quite an unusual collection ofthings under one roof,” she says. “Peoplecome in here and they see things they haven’tseen anywhere else.

“Durham’s unique in that it’s a city but atthe same time, it has a very cosy, villagey feelto it.”

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18 September 2005

● Don’t missBurton’s Bytes– gamereviews in TheNorthern Echoevery Friday

Record TVthe easy-peasy way

DO YOU remember when your dadcame home with a video? Onceyou’d got over the shock of tapingthe TV, the next trick the family

wanted to try was recording a programmewhen everyone was out.

But setting the timer was a nightmare.Your dad would spend a fruitless night

pressing buttons or trailing wires aroundthe front room as he stabbed away at thewired remote. Then he’d get the instructionsout, before having “a quick run through” bytaping the Epilogue or something else no-body cared about. The next day the wholefamily would gather around the telly onlyto discover dad had recorded the test signalfor three hours. And despite all the advancesin VCR technology it didn’t get any better.

Even VideoPlus depended on your dex-terity in punching in a seemingly randomcode – and if the programme started late,you would just know you’d missed the end.

Today one of the beauties of owning a per-sonal video recording device like Sky+ is theease of programming. Just select the on-screen programme guide, hit the record but-ton and that’s it done. If a show overruns, thesystem compensates (usually) and if itstarts late, you won’t get three quarters ofan hour of Farming Today (or whatever).

But what if you still can’t bring yourselfto junk the vid? And don’t many DVDrecorders rely on the same tiresome oldmethods to set the timer? Well now there isa solution. What’s more, it’s a British inven-tion and it doesn’t cost the earth.

The Bluedelta Phantom PVR is a smallinfra remote about the size of a matchbox at-tached to a SCART adaptor. You plug theSCART into the back of a normal Sky box (orFreeview tuner) and leave the remote unob-trusively attached to the side of your video(it’s magnetic).

To record a programme, you select it fromthe programme guide and press the au-toview button on your Sky remote. The

Phantom does the rest – switching on yourVCR and taping your favourite show with-out any fuss.

Early Phantoms worked OK with videosbut not DVD recorders because a disc-basedunit takes anything up to a minute before itis ready to go. The latest Phantom Plus takesthis pause into account.

I used it with a JVC video and a Panason-ic DVD recorder. In both cases it workedwithout a hitch (although it sometimesfailed to switch the Panasonic off). It’s vir-tually foolproof and just like having Sky+ inthe spare bedroom.

And it only costs £32.95. Just think, for lessthan the cost of a night out you can leavehome confident you’ll never miss yourfavourite TV programme again. And as thePhantom Plus can be easily reprogrammed,you don’t have to throw it away when you re-place your VCR. What a bargain!●● Fancy a Phantom Plus? Then get intouch with Bluedelta’s Leeds-based stock-ist Brymar on 0113-232 0005.

WWHAT’S missing from iPod speakersystems today? Real stereo sound,for a start. Great audio perfor-

mance at any volume louder than back-ground noise would be pretty cool too. Andhow about some design flair to go with theclassiest-looking MP3 player on the planet?

All of this is now possible with i-deck, thenew, high quality companion music playerfor iPod.

Developed by Monitor Audio, the UK’s pre-mier name in loudspeaker technology, i-decktransforms iPod from a personal digitalmusic player into a stereo sound systemwith stunning sound quality and the iconiclooks to match.

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19September 2005

Lookinggreat

the DIYway

IT’S hard not to be tempted by eachnew expensive product, from bodyscrubs and creams to facial peels anddeep pore cleansers, all touted as thenext must-have, promising miraculous

results, even though the price of beautycreams has increased at five times the levelof house prices since 2000, according to re-search carried out by Olay.

But you can achieve great results withoutspending a fortune – and even better, youcan do it without leaving your house.

“Many basic store cupboard ingredientsare as good as, if not better than, fancy store-bought concoctions,” says Bharti Vyas,holistic beauty therapist and author of TipsFor Beauty Wisdom.

BATH OF THE FIVE NECTARS“In Ayurveda, milk, honey, yoghurt, gheeand banana are considered to be the fiveperfect foods, so this bath would be a realtreat to nourish, soften, smooth and re-energise your skin,” explains Bharti.1 banana, mashed2tbsp milk1tsp honey1tsp yoghurt1tsp ghee (can be found in your local Indiansupermarket)Combine all the ingredients together,before massaging the sweet-scented mixonto your skin. Plunge yourself into awarm bath and feel your skin graduallybecoming softer and strokeable.

GENTLE FACIAL EXFOLIATOR FORSENSITIVE SKINS“Oats and oatflakes have a gentle but deepcleansing action, and can correct skinimbalances, making them ideal for dry,irritated and sensitive skins,” says Bharti.This scrub can be used once or twice aweek, to get rid of the dead skin cells andto reveal more radiant skin underneath.2 heaped tsp fine oatmeal2tsp double creamCombine ingredients, apply to skin andrub with a very light action, using the

balls of your fingers, then rinse off. Do notapply sustained pressure to any particularspot.

NUTRIENT-RICH HAIR CONDITIONER Avocados and bananas are rich innutrients – both have moisturisingproperties and will leave your hair shinierand silky soft. This recipe is made withblackened bananas, so it’s a greatalternative to throwing out old bananasyou’d rather not eat.2 blackened bananas2 mushy avocadosCombine the two fruits together into apaste, which will apply easily onto yourhair. Leave the tropical puree in your hairfor 15 minutes, and then wash it out overthe kitchen sink.●● From The Doctor’s Book Of HomeRemedies by Dr Stephen Amiel (PanMacmillan, £20)

CLEANSING MASK“Runny honey is good for dislodging deadskin cells – it also has soothing, healing,emollient and mildly antisepticproperties,” says Bharti. This makes thismask ideal for congested skins.2 heaped tsp gram flour1tsp water1tsp runny honeyMix to a thick, sticky consistency. Apply toaffected areas and leave for five to sevenminutes.

ALL-PURPOSE OATMEAL SCRUBThis scrub is gentle enough to be used allover the body, and will leave behindradiant-looking skin. The quantities givenare enough for one thick application.2tbsp finely ground oatmeal1tbsp almond oilCombine the two ingredients together, andmassage into your body. Rinse off withwarm water and pat skin dry, making sureyou moisturise well afterwards.●● Tips For Beauty Wisdom by BhartiVyas (Vermilion, £8.99)


beauty

TREATMENT: ThalassotherapyWHERE: Timeless, a holistic salon inBlackhill, Consett (01207) 588 686 or0776 951 2722.

A S the sun blazed away outside onone of the hottest days of the year, Iwas smothered in a lotion made

from four different types of seaweed andwrapped up in a plastic sheet. I had twotowels on top of me, a silver foil blanket anda heavy duvet that which would have beenfitting for a cold winter’s night.

The aim was to open up my pores toeliminate any toxins with the aid of amenthol gel which was massaged into mylegs and tingled like an extreme dose ofDeep Heat. There was also a distinct aromaof the sea in the air.

This was my introduction to athalassotherapy treatment – thalassos beingthe Greek word for ‘sea’.

Timeless, a unisex salon in DerwentStreet, Consett, has just been opened bylocal woman Carole McNally, 41, who hasworked at several spas across the country.

Her aim is to bring an increased sense ofwellbeing to those who visit the salon andalthough her logo is a picture of Aphrodite,the Greek goddess of beauty, she is alsokeen to encourage men to try thetreatments. “There are quite a few who willuse a sunbed but most are afraid of beingcalled a cissy if they have a treatment,” shesays. “But the tide is turning.”

Carole gave me an Indian head massagewhile I closed my eyes and relaxed, listeningto the soft background music.

The full body thalassotherapy treatment isdesigned to eliminate toxins and mineralisethe skin using seawater or seaweed. Thesession started with a full body scrub toremove dead skin cells followed by a hotrock massage, using magnesium-enrichedrocks from a Mexican volcano.

She then moved on to thethalassotherapy, using seaweed solution todrain the toxins from my system. Theproduct Carole uses is called Algotherm,which is created by a French company andcomes from seaweed harvested in Brittany.

Carole thoroughly massaged the productinto my arms, legs, chest and back beforewrapping me up for 20 minutes while thetreatment took effect. Hot towels were usedto wipe the solution from my body beforeCarole gave me a refreshing spray with seawater. She then applied a fragrant bodyfirming cream to make sure I was in nodanger of being known as “the man whostunk of fish during the heatwave”.

My treatment cost £65 for a two-hoursessions and I felt relaxed, revived andrejuvenated.● As well thalassotherapy, hot rocktreatments and Indian head massage,Carole also offers Swedish massage, handand foot treatments, manicures, facials, eyecare, waxing, tanning and aromatherapy.

Gavin Havery

How to indulge your inner Neptune

We all deserve to be spoiledand pampered once in a while,but it’s sometimes hard tojustify the cost. SHEREEN LOWhas some tips for beauty onthe cheap

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20 September 2005

Maserati Quattroporte

L IFE turns full circle in the world ofmotoring. In the old days, discerningdrivers cared little for fripperies; allthat mattered was the engine and

chassis. If the car looked good, that was ablessing; if it had any luxuries, it was a bonus.

But as time progressed engineers got a lit-tle bit clever and before you knew it, cars hadbegun to sprout all manner of techno-wiz-ardry. Anti-lock brakes, electronic suspension,clutchless gearboxes with paddle shift, elec-tronic brake force distribution, anti-skid andelectronic stability programmes, to name afew.

Interiors received the same treatment: tele-visions, air conditioning, electric windows,key-less central locking, automatic lights, au-tomatic wipers, surround sound hi-fis andeven DVD players.

All this technology very quickly transferredits way from luxury marques to the main-stream and the mundane. So you are as likelytoday to find all of the above toys on a £8,000Toyota Yaris as you are an £80,000 Mercedes.

Meanwhile, the driving experience was for-gotten, with most cars feeling like huge ballsof cotton wool. They might be reliable and ef-ficient, but few excited the blood.

So what does the modern motorist requireto feel alive again? Well a three-pronged badgeon the biggest grille in history might just be astart. Italians are renowned for their love oflife, particularly behind the wheel. And whilethe rest of the world seems obsessed with cos-seting and smothering motorists, the engi-neers at Maserati remain hell-bent on con-struction; creating a motor car that stirs thesoul.

The GT and Spyder started the ball rollingwith a vengeance for the lovers of sports cars;the Quattroporte seeks to do the same forthose who require a saloon.

Trust the Italians to make even “four door”sound sexy, which is all Quattroporte meansin translation. Trust the Italians to make afour door look sexy, which is what the Quat-troporte undoubtedly does.

The shape, courtesy of style masters Pinin-farina, is simply glorious, from its huge retrogrille and contemporary lights, through flow-ing curves, to its superbly understated rearwhich contrasts markedly with the aggressionof the four oval exhausts.

It is a joy to behold from any angle and turnsheads wherever it goes. Passers-by ooh and

ahh their appreciation; small boys point whiletheir fathers mouth the word Maserati andsmile.

But sight is only one of the senses it stimu-lates; the other is hearing. The V8 burblecrescendos as the revs rise to a spine tinglinghowl that only Maserati and siblings Ferrarican manage. In town, just in case the Quat-troporte hasn’t been noticed, it is naughty butnice to drop to first gear and hear the cacoph-ony from motor and exhaust. It’s the one thingthat sets the Maserati apart from other V8models on the road, the operatic note that canbe mimicked by no other.

The driving experience parallels the sightand sound. While many super cars are sterile,the driver cocooned in a protective void, theMaserati enthrals. It drives like no other fourdoor saloon. In fact, it drives and feels like asports car, which is remarkable given its sheersize.

The ride is sports car hard but not uncom-fortable; the handling is sports car precise,agile, with tenacious grip; the responses aresports car sharp with incredible prowess.

Performance is electric with a snarling,rasping 400bhp under the sleek bonnet. That’senough for a politically incorrect 171mph topspeed and a shattering 0-60mph time of aboutfive seconds. Mid range is phenomenal, thanksto 451Nm of torque. Drive like that and fueleconomy is dismal, somewhere in the lowteens. Don’t and it isn’t, with 22mpg comingup on the trip computer on a slow road to theLake District.

The six speed sequential manual gearboxalso has an automatic setting and is operatedby Formula One-style paddle shifts behind thesteering wheel. Press the sports button on thedash and the changes are three times as quick.The system also changes the Skyhook adap-tive suspension making it even more sporting.

Inside, the toys are all there but are largelyirrelevant. More important is the character-istic elliptic clock, the trident badge and thebeautifully embossed leather seats. It has theair of an old fashioned sports car but with acontemporary twist.

If there are any flaws, they are too minor tomention (oh, all right, the boot isn’t thebiggest I have ever seen, but so what?). Thereis only pure old fashioned feelgood from a carthat harks to the classic days of motoring buthas a foot firmly placed in the 21st centurycamp. May the Maserati continue to turn fullcircle.

motoring

IN ASSOCIATION WITH


Stirring the soulFancy turning some heads? The Maserati will do it, says

Motoring Correspondent IAN LAMMING

21September 2005

connections

BEFORE I set off on my desert ad-venture in Oman – headscarf, lipsalve and four litres of water at theready – everybody I knew or mettold me the stars would be “amaz-

ing”. People who had enjoyed (or survived) sim-ilar camping excursions in Dubai, Egypt andTunisia raved about the unspoiled view of thesky on an Arabian night.

Armed only with this gem of expectationand a handful of stereotype images, my firsttrip to the Middle East began in Muscat,Oman’s capital. This lush, tropical-looking city,with grand white residences plotted in neatblocks and rich green palm trees lining its wideroads, couldn’t have been further away fromthe bustling, dusty place I had imagined.

Backed by rocky mountains, the city lies onthe Arabian Sea, and has several long sandybeaches lined with modern, upmarket hotels.Since Oman has mainly avoided the futuristichigh-rises of Dubai, a sense of its rich historysurvives alongside the five-star developmentsand glossy shopping centres.

The old port area, in particular, where thefish market and souk attract local and foreignbargain-hunters alike, is worth exploring onfoot. Other attractions include the GrandMosque, which dominates the skyline towardsthe centre of the city, and the many museumsdetailing the long seafaring heritage of Oman,its ancient Islamic roots and the varied natur-al wonders to be seen here.

Having travelled to the Sultanate during theholy month of Ramadan, we had arrived at ourhotel laden with discreet clothing and duty freefor private consumption in our rooms. Anymisgivings we might have had about the tim-ing of our trip were dispelled by the warm wel-come we received.

While it’s not a good idea to go about in ex-tremely revealing clothing, Oman is a relaxedcountry where all religions are respected. Ifanything, I began to regret packing oversizedlong-sleeved cotton shirts as most touristswore smart shorts and T-shirts.

The best time to visit is probably in the win-ter months, between October and April, whentemperatures are hot, but bearable. ThoughArabic is the official language, English is wide-ly spoken.

With the usual holiday watersports on offerat the hotel, and burgeoning dive centres dot-ted along the coast, there’s much to occupy anyvisitor here, but the city couldn’t hold ourgroup for long. We were bound for adventure,and packed up a 4x4 to head inland.

Accompanied by two French guides who hadmade their home and their living in Oman as

hosts and tour leaders for walkers, cavers androck-climbers, it became obvious as the slicknew roads of the coast gave way to the climb-ing dirt tracks of the interior that we were infor a rare experience.

Amid giant boulders and stark black peakswe came across pockets of lush vegetation,clear springs and dense carpets of brightlycoloured flowers. Cool white villages stackedinto cultivated hillsides appeared by surpriseon a bend in the track, as children from near-by farms waved at us from the backs of RangeRovers on their way home from school.

The truly spectacular scenery was worthevery bump and grind of the long drive.

Stopping for some sundown refreshment inthe market town of Nizwa, with its imposing17th century fort, we shared local sweet cakeand strong black coffee along with the menbreaking their fast in the square, while one ofour guides phoned ahead – yes, even the oldtribal groups are now equipped with mobilephones – to the Bedouin family we would bestaying with in the desert.

Rightly or wrongly, I was glad our Bedouinhosts were furnished with 21st century com-munication when we got lost in the pitch-blacksand dunes hours later. Finally spotting thecamp after some scary near-crashes withcamels, we pulled up alongside penned chick-ens and goats, unsure what to expect.

Ushered into a straw fenced area coveredwith rugs and rush matting, we could see shad-owy shapes cooking and murmuring in the cov-ered living quarters beyond. Served by the gig-gly children of the family, we ate fried chickenand rice with our fingers and began to relax.Later, we drank tea while the men and boyssang and danced for us, before being forced todubiously return the favour with some songsof our own.

Just as we wearily climbed into our sleepingbags for the night it occurred to me that therewas no form of electricity out here and theheavens above had been lighting our evening.Looking up at the vast dome of twinkling stars,it was more than the “amazing” sight I hadbeen expecting – but hopefully not once-in-a-lifetime.TRAVEL FACTS● Emily Shelley flew with Gulf Air to Oman as aguest of Oman Tourism. Gulf Air operates dailydirect flights from Heathrow to Muscat(reservations 0870 777 1717 andwww.gulfair.com). Oman visas can be arrangedthrough travel agents. Visitwww.omantourism.gov.om for more information.● Emily stayed at the InterContinental Muscat (00968 2468 0000/www.intercontinental.com).

IN ASSOCIATION WITH


LIVINGPURPOSEFULLY

ALL we have isnow. You don’t geta re-run of thislife. So just whatare you doingwith your gift oflife? Caught up inthe business oflife, we don’toften stop long enough to askthe question.

It’s not until we stop and havethe courage to ask the deeperquestions about our lives that webegin to see where we might bewasting time or even our talent.Answer honestly: how much ofyour time is spent watching TV orshopping for things that youreally don’t need? Do you everwonder if there is something thatyou could do with your time thatwould help make a difference?

Make a commitment to giveone hour of your time a month tohelp someone else. What betterway to use your gift of life?

"Life engenders life. Energycreates energy. It is by spendingoneself that one becomes rich."

– Sarah Bernhardt● Juliette Lee is a life coach andinspiring speaker. She can be contactedon: [email protected]; (01748)823010; www.juliettelee.co.uk

LIFE COACH

Twinkle,twinkle

EMILY SHELLEY finds afascinating mixture of the ancientand modern in the Middle East

The rugged interior of the kingdom is a millionmiles away from the plush hotels of the coast

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SOLO

01325 288 076 or 01325 369 3521B Union Place, Darlington DL1 1GP

DRIVE MASTERDRIVE MASTERDRIVE MASTERMOT & AUTO SERVICE & REPAIR CENTRE

• ALL MECHANICALREPAIRS UNDERTAKEN

• FAULT FINDING • CAM-BELTS• CLUTCHES• BRAKES • EXHAUSTS

• M.O.TS • TYRES etc. • FREE ESTIMATES• ALL PARTS & LABOUR

GUARANTEED• FAST FRIENDLY SERVICE

APPOINTMENTS NOT ALWAYS REQUIRED

NE For The Home

NE Ents and Leisure

For that perfect getaway!

T. 01287 610 182M. 07788 418285

Watermill Open Every Sunday 2pm - 4pm

Situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty, off Skelton Road, Guisborough. This ‘conservation award winning park’ is a perfect location for a holiday home.These Luxury plots are fully serviced and a fully licensed restaurant serves mouth watering cuisine every evening from 6pm - 9.30pm and daily Mon-Sat 12 noon - 2.30 pm.

The popular Sunday Carvery is served from 12 noon - 6.00 pm

Inn & Restaurant

A beautiful location for Wonderful Holidays!

The Countrymans InnNeil and Maureen Gardener invite you to their newly refurbished restaurant opening on Wednesday, 14th

September at The Countrymans Inn.

There you can enjoy modern English cuisine using fresh local, seasonal produce, prepared by chef Ian

Vipond formerly of the New Inn, Hunton.

Telephone 01677 450554 for bookings or further information or check out our website at

www.countrymansinn.co.uk

E N SUITE ROOMS ALSO AVAILABLE

The Countrymans Inn, Hunton,Near Bedale, North Yorkshire DL8 1PY

www.countrymansinn.co.uk

how stylish is your home?the north-east’s premier fireplace showrooms offer you

BALMORAL LITTLE THURLOW

01609 783777Standard Way Ind EstateNorthallerton DL6 2XE

C all into the showrooms for more information .

Many ex-displays ready to go!

0191 2578866Unit 3, East Percy Street,

North Shields, Tyne & Wear

fires & fireplacesDEKO

www.firesandfireplaces.net

the platonic collectionsimplicity of form

Mon - Sat9am - 5pm

Sun10am - 4pm

Manufactured in cast stone, the neo-classical lines of the Palladio bridge the gap between absolute modernism and a less demanding contemporary feel to work equally well in period homes.

The pivotal and original shelf fire, Platonic Shelf represents an interplay between traditional and contemporary styling to suit any interior.The bow fronted, three sided surround in cast stone frames a unique wave form shelf with a concealed burner, under an informal arrangement of fire objects.As a further style statement, the choice of wave form shelf or bow fronted shelf is offered.

The hole-in-the-wall fire with a difference. A framed opening is bisected with a glass panel behind which a section of virtual beach is exposed, with its sedimentary layers.Firestrata provides a stunning geological evocation, which is both ageless and digital-age at the same time.Firestrata is perfectly finishedwith either a polished steel, stoneor brushed steel surround.

FASHION INTERIORS MOTORINGclients.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/ne_monthly/pdfs/ne092005.pdf · Bespoke...

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