Inhouse Spring 2011

inhouseSpring 2011 Edition

The Property Lifestyle Magazine

Property, Style & Fashion, Motoring, Travel, Food & Drink, Sport and much more...

Where Better Homes Are Found

LAWLORSPROPERTY SERVICES

www.lawlors.co.uk

8 PROPERTY/PROPERTY SECTION

A selection of some of the finest

properties currently available in your

area from Lawlors.

60 SPORTS & FITNESS/THE HOLLIE TRINITY

Catch up with Olympic Triathlete Hollie Avil

as she races towards London 2012.

70 ARTS/COULD IT BE MAGIC

The enigmatic Derren Brown once again

prepares to cast his hypnotic spell over

audiences across the UK.

77 FOOD/A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS

Restaurant Sauterelle’s head chef Robin Gill

talks to Chris Peck about egos, inspiration

and Easter eggs.

82 FASHION/WEDDING BELLES

Leanne McGrath meets award winning Bridal

Designer, Ian Stuart, the man responsible

for more big days than Prince Charming.

90 HOMES/A WORLD OF POSSIBILITY

Chris Peck meets interior design pioneer

Steven Thorne to discover why there are

no limitations to his breathtaking designs.

96 ARTS/STAND UP AND BE NOTICED

Chris Peck meets Imran Yusuf, the UK

comedy scene’s brightest new star.

98 TRAVEL/THE SPICE OF LIFE

Known as the ‘Spice Isle’ of the Caribbean,

Grenada has inspired the creation

of fabulous tropical hotel resorts.

Claire Durkin has sampled their delights.

102 EVENTS/FURLONG MAY IT REIN

We discover what has made the Royal

Windsor Horse Show a jewel in the crown

of the social season.

110 MOTORING/CLASH OF THE TITANS

Torque ain’t cheap, but Kevin Haggarthy

argues that a Porsche and a Ferrari give

value for money.

Advertising: Tel: 0845 521 5221 E-mail: [email protected]

Editorial: Tel: 0845 521 5221 E-mail: [email protected]

© Cream Worldwide Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction is forbidden except by express permission

of the publishers. The content of this magazine is believed to be correct but its accuracy is not guaranteed and does not

form part of any offer or contract. Lawlors cannot accept responsibility for any omissions or errors.

The views expressed within editorials are those of the writers and not those of Cream Worldwide Ltd.

inhouse

T H E

C L U B

Contents spring 2011 collection

2 www.lawlors.co.uk

Hot on the heels of the last edition, we can barely

keep up with the pace of fresh instructions gracing

our pages in this, our latest Spring Edition. We are

bursting at the seams with properties from first-time

buys to multi-million pound mansions and everything

in-between.

There is not only food for thought in our business

reviews of the property market on pages 4 & 46 but

plenty to get your teeth into on page 77 with foodie

“Robin Gill”. Hopefully, a little bit of magic will rub

off on us with inspiration from Derren Brown’s

article on page 70. Enjoy.

Welcome

J C Lawlor FNAEA, Partner

www.lawlors.co.uk 3

4 www.lawlors.co.uk

That’s a heading that very few peoplecould have predicted last year. Strange as it may seem, there is

gathering evidence to suggest that pricesacross the areas covered by our threeBranches at Chigwell, Loughton andWoodford are starting to creep up. It became apparent after a flurry of sales atthe end of last year that something positivewas happening in the market place andspecifically through our offices. A number

of high-value sales were agreed in quick succession withcompletions appearing around this time, and upon furtherinvestigation it was clear that our company finished the endof last year in a much better place than it started. However,although we were cautiously optimistic concerning theprospects for 2011, we have been both delighted andsurprised to note that the time in which it takes for aproperty to be agreed from being placed on the market isstarting to shorten. As ever it is the prime properties thatare most likely to move first, but we are seeing a surge indemand from fresh buyers, who are now consideringmoving out of rented accommodation and firmly placingtheir stake back in the market. The supply of property ontothe market is barely keeping up with demand and this inturn will put pressure on house prices to rise. According to

recent media reports, although base rates are currently at a340-year low, there is pressure to raise rates because ofrising inflation. The consensus of opinion is that base rateswill only rise slowly and hopefully this will give buyers timeto adjust their budgets accordingly.

We have also seen the emergence of that timid creature“The Developer” returning to the market. We have beeninundated with enquiries from a wide range of developersand investment companies seeking plots for developmentwithin our area. Lawlors Consultancy has been instructed to prepare strategies and comparables for a slue of projectsthat, up to this point, had been mothballed pending an upturn.

Of course, this is purely an observation from theinformation received from our offices, which cover allaspects of the residential property market. Although it is up to each individual to balance these views and makedecisions accordingly, we think this is a really good time to buy and our offices are busy enough to prove that.However, we would appreciate it if you would keep it underyour hat and not mention it to any of our competitors,many of whom don’t share our optimistic view!

PROPERTY SERVICES

LAWLORS

Shh…IT’S A SECRET...

HOUSE PRICES MAY BE ON THE RISE.

J C Lawlor FNAEA, Partner

FACT: “Success breeds success and we are successful”

The Elite Homes Team at Lawlors PropertyServices are allowing themselves a moment ofcelebration from their busy work schedule.Three of the most imposing homes in TheydonRoad Epping have changed hands for a sum in excess of £7 Million Pounds.

Gerard Houlihan M.N.A.E.A, Manager of theElite Homes Department at Lawlors PropertyServices said “against a backdrop of negativity inthe media we have bucked the trend, we weredelighted to achieve the hat-trick of three multi-million pound deals in the first quarter of thisyear, especially as the properties are all in oneprestigious road.”

The first of the trilogy of sales was Theydon Towers. This spectacular Victorian

Mansion was purchased in 2005 fordevelopment and was converted intoluxury flats. Regrettably the downturn in the market affected re-sales and theproperties have been tenanted up to now.

However, substantial planning gainswere made and the infrastructure of the property greatly improved. Our Elite Team were approached by the Developers to provide freshmarketing options. Theydon Towers is a magnificent Victorian Mansion set on an elevated plot behind electric gatesbacking Epping Forest.

The Elite Team used their extensiveknowledge of specific buyers requestsand swiftly found a perfect purchaserwho leapt at the opportunity to acquirethis grand home with the intention ofbringing it back to its former glory as a substantial private residence. “The demand for large mansionproperties is still strong, so eventhough Theydon Towers is convertedinto apartments, it still made excellentcommercial sense for the buyer to re-renovate and it also provided auseful exit strategy for the Developer,which made everybody happy with thetransaction, which is of course ouraim”. Heidi Foster, Senior Negotiator,Elite Team at Lawlors Property Services.

Footballer Aaron Lennon of TottenhamHotspurs fame acquired Badgers,Theydon Road, Epping in early 2007.Having enjoyed the benefits of countryliving for a few years he decided itdidn’t really suit his lifestyle soreluctantly decided to move on.Badgers was also previously home ofanother footballer Michael Carrick, now playing for Manchester United.The appeal of the luxury indoor poolcomplex, magnificent views and discreetwalled surround made this a desirableFootballer destination. Once the EliteTeam was instructed, a local family fell in love with the excellent array ofaccommodation and facilities and

the property was swiftly snappedup.Theydon Road Epping is probablyone of the most sought-after locationsin Essex with its forest-side location and yet easy access to both Epping andTheydon Bois Central line stations

Bowlands Meadow, Theydon Roadis probably one of the grandestproperties in the area, with magnificentredbrick elevations set discreetly behind large wooden gates and walledboundaries. Formally the home of Mr Don Lewin, Chairman and founderof Clinton Cards, this exceptionalMansion has had no expense sparedover the years.

The property was marketed for a mere two weeks before a selection of serious offers were receivedculminating in an extremely quick sale.“A house like Bowlands Meadow is a once in a lifetime purchasingopportunity. The acreage is welllandscaped with garaging for over ten vehicles and the enormousswimming pool complex and staffcottage create the impression of a small private estate. The previousowner was moving to another area, so we were pleased to receiveinstructions to achieve a fast andefficient sale, which my team provided,so I am extremely proud of the Elite Homes Team efforts.” JamesLawlor F.N.A.E.A , partner, LawlorsProperty Services

As spring is upon us it’s a welcome signthat all levels of the market show signsof recovery, our Elite Team is a specialistdepartment established to handle allenquiries and properties valued at overone million pounds.

“We are aware that properties of this value need specific marketingstrategies and because of our wealthof experience and extensive generallocal knowledge gained over manyyears, we feel we are qualified to offeran excellent service. I think our resultsspeak for themselves and we lookforward to even more successes in the coming year.”

Signs that the top end of the market is picking up are evident.

E L I T E H O M E S

LAWLORS

6 www.lawlors.co.uk

Theydon Towers

Badgers

Bowlands Meadow

SOLDMARCH 2011

SOLDMARCH 2011

SOLDMARCH 2011

TheydonManor,CoopersaleLane, Epping £2,500,000

SOLE AGENCY

An imposing six bedroom detached residence situated in approximately 6 acres of grounds with far-reaching views in this desirable semi-rural location.

The property which has recently been the subject of a major renovation project offers bright and airy accommodation arranged over threefloors. Property benefits include: delightful kitchen/breakfast room, three elegant reception rooms, six bedrooms – two with en-suite facilities and family bathroom. Within the grounds the property also boasts a separate two bedroom detached annex.

E L I T E H O M E S

LAWLORS

Elite Homes: 020 8418 18908 www.lawlors.co.uk

interior designers • project managers

boscolo.co.uk

to discuss how boscolo can transform your property into your dream homecall a senior member of the boscolo team

office: +44 (0) 845 20 20 208 or e-mail: [email protected]

boscolo’s creative and distinguished team will design and create through passion and commitment whilst a personal project manager steers the entire project. innovative

designs will transform your property into a bespoke, dream home.

with many years experience developing prime london addresses – for a service which exceeds expectation – please call a senior member of the boscolo team.

Broadlawn,CoopersaleLane, Epping P.O.A

SOLE AGENCY

We are pleased to offer thisstunning executive residence, which has been the subject of a major extension and renovation programme to the exacting standards of thecurrent vendors.

The main residence offers an imposing sweeping staircase and galleried landing leading to the five bedrooms and family bathroom. On theground floor there is a spacious kitchen/breakfast room, a utility room, a cloakroom and four receptions. The property is discretely situated on atwo acre site behind electric gates with CCTV surveillance system. The detached modern indoor pool complex also comprises of a gymnasium,a sauna, a wet room, a Jacuzzi and cinema room.

E L I T E H O M E S

LAWLORS


St Mary’sClose,Loughton From £1,150,000

JOINT SOLE AGENCY

A magnificent gateddevelopment situated in the heart of Loughton. Stamp duty paid for a reservation by 30th April.

The specification within the St Mary’s Close development is second to none. Attention to detail and superb levels of craftsmanship can be foundin every room, from the solid walnut handrail to the bespoke designed coving and architrave throughout. With a little thought during the designprocess the developers have been able to incorporate a range of special features unique to these five bedroom properties. The lighting hasreceived special attention throughout each home with perfectly placed LED lighting allowing you to create the perfect atmosphere to suit yourmood or purpose at the click of a button. They have combined convenience with the latest technology to make each property the perfectplace to relax, entertain friends and spend time with the family.

E L I T E H O M E S

LAWLORS

Elite Homes: 020 8418 1890 www.lawlors.co.uk 11

E L I T E H O M E S

LAWLORS


The Sanctuary, Rolls Park, Chigwell £1,525,000

SOLE AGENCY

We are pleased to offer this charming family residence situated within the

prestigious Rolls Park Area of Chigwell.

The property offers total privacy and seclusion yet is only a short distancefrom all local amenities. This fine property which has been well maintained bythe current vendors also has the benefit of a self-contained one bedroomannex. The mature landscaped grounds extend to about two th of an acreand are set behind electric security gates.

Little Thorbens Barn, Toot Hill Road,Greensted, Ongar £1,250,000

SOLE AGENCY

Presenting this stunning Four/Five Bedroom Detached Barn within this

semi-rural location offering panoramic far-reaching views over the local

picturesque South-West Essex countryside.

The property offers a contemporary interior boasting quality fixtures andample light with flexible living accommodation. The exterior groundsboast landscaping with mature shrubberies and a detached garage.This is an ideal opportunity for a discerning purchaser to acquire animpressive and unique residence.

E L I T E H O M E S

LAWLORS


Richmond Park, Great WoodcotePark, Loughton £1,495,000

SOLE AGENCY

We are pleased to offer this exceptional Buckingham design detached

residence located in an open cul-de-sac position on the popular gated

development of Great Woodcote Park.

This particular property boasts especially high ceilings to the lower floor, anextensive audio system throughout the house and an L-shaped landscapedrear garden. There is also a swimming pool with glass retractable closure formaximum all year round use. Property benefits include: imposing receptionhall, cloakroom, study, drawing room, dining room, sitting room, kitchen, utilityroom, master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, four further bedrooms onewith an en-suite facility, family bathroom, rear garden and double detachedgarage.

Stradbroke Drive, Chigwell £1,750,000

JOINT SOLE AGENCY

An executive family residence situated in what is regarded as one of

Chigwell's premier roads. This spacious residence offers an abundance of

accommodation arranged over three floors.

The property benefits from a stunning reception hall, kitchen/breakfastroom, utility room, cloakroom, family room, open plan reception leadingto further open plan dining area, conservatory, six bedrooms - four ofwhich are en-suite and family bathroom. Externally there is a sweepingcarriage driveway providing off-street parking for numerous vehiclesand allowing access to an integral garage with electric up and overdoor. The rear garden measures 240ft by 60ft and has a patio area withremainder laid to lawn.

E L I T E H O M E S

LAWLORS


Manor Road, Chigwell £1,750,000

SOLE AGENCY

We are pleased to offer this delightful detached family property situated

on the sought-after and prestigious location of Manor Road.

The property offers panoramic views over Chigwell Golf course and alsooffers the potential for further enlargement subject to usual planningconditions. Alternatively the existing property can be demolished and a new property constructed as planning permission has been granted - Ref: EPF/1489/09. Property benefits include: Reception hall, open plankitchen/dining/family room, utility room, drawing room, four bedrooms withen-suite to the master and family bathroom. Externally, the property is setbehind electric gates giving access to the carriage driveway. To the front ofthe property there is extensive block paving providing substantial off-streetparking. The rear garden measures 162ft and is laid to lawn and planted with a wide variety of mature shrubs, plants and trees.

Manor Road, Chigwell £2,350,000

SOLE AGENCY

Situated within a commanding position on the prestigious Manor Road,

lies this Seven Bedroom character family residence.

The property benefits from many characteristics of the period such assolid oak styling throughout and many other fine 1930s details. Theproperty has an approximate frontage of 100ft and offers other finebenefits including swimming pool and a spectacular landscaped reargarden with stunning views overlooking the exquisite Chigwell Golf Club.The property is ideally located for the sought-after local private schoolsand the fashionable local parade with its numerous boutiques and theCentral Line with its transport links to the City and the West End..

E L I T E H O M E S

LAWLORS


Church Hill, Loughton£1,100,000

SOLE AGENCY

We are pleased to offer this delightful character property built in 1912

situated on a double frontage plot.

The property boasts an array of splendid features and we stronglyrecommend an internal viewing. The property is ideally located for theshopping facilities of the High Road and is in the sought-after Staples Roadschool catchment. Property benefits include: kitchen/breakfast room, utilityroom, cloakroom, sitting room, dining room, summer room, recentlyconstructed sound proofed media room, master bedroom with en-suitedressing room and bathroom, four/five further bedrooms, garage andmature landscaped rear garden.

Alderton Hill, Loughton Guide Price £2,000,000

SOLE AGENCY

We are pleased to offer this spacious residence situated on what is widely

regarded as the area’s premier residential road.

The property is offered CHAIN FREE and could benefit frommodernisation and is ideally located for access to the Central Line withits transport links to The City and West End and the shopping facilities ofthe local High Road with its array of fashionable boutiques and eateries.Property benefits include: spacious reception hall, fitted kitchen, drawingroom, sitting room leading to study, dining room, large galleried landing,four double bedrooms with en-suite to the master and secluded rear garden.

E L I T E H O M E S

LAWLORS


New Forest Lane, Chigwell £1,275,000 SOLE AGENCY

We are pleased to offer this charming four bedroom detached residence,

which has the benefit of planning permission for a two story rear extension

and loft conversion - planning reference EPF/1275/07.

The property is offered CHAIN FREE and is situated within this highly desirable

residential road. Currently the property comprises of : spacious kitchen/dining

area, cloakroom, two formal receptions on the ground floor whilst on the first

floor there are four double bedrooms and family bathroom. Externally, to the

front of the property there are electric gates giving access to the front

garden, which provides off-street parking and allowing access to integral

garage. Side access to the secluded rear garden, which measures 145ft

and consists of a patio area with the remainder laid to lawn.

Spareleaze Hill, Loughton £1,595,000JOINT SOLE AGENCY

We are pleased to offer this executive family residence ideally located for

access to the Central Line with its transport links to The City and West End and

the shopping facilities of the fashionable High Street.

Property benefits include: impressive reception hall, kitchen/breakfast room,

utility room, cloakroom/WC, sitting room, dining room, family room, six bedrooms

- two with en-suite facilities and two family bathrooms. To the front

of the property there is substantial off-street parking whilst the rear garden

comprises raised terrace with steps leading to the tastefully landscaped

garden. To the extreme rear of the property there is a summer house.

E L I T E H O M E S

LAWLORS


Swan Lane, GreatWoodcote Park,Loughton £1,250,000 SOLE AGENCY

Property benefits include: contemporary

modern fitted kitchen, drawing room, sitting

room, dining room, study, cloakroom, five

bedrooms - two with en-suite facilities and

tastefully landscaped rear garden. To the front

of the property there is hardstanding providing

off-street parking and leading to the integral

garage.

Connaught Avenue,Loughton £1,699,000 JOINT SOLE AGENCY

A five bedroom Victorian residence situated in

an elevated position in this sought-after area of

Loughton. The property is ideally located for the

shopping facilities of the High Road. The property

also has a superb indoor pool complex and

delightful rear garden, which measures 135ft x

120ft

Courtland Drive,Chigwell£1,395,000 SOLE AGENCY

Situated within this highly desirable location within

The Courtlands Estate is this well-presented family

residence. This fine family home offers a delightful

mature garden and the property offers the scope

for further enlargement as planning permission has

been granted for a side extension.

PROPERTY SERVICES

LAWLORS

Chigwell Office: 020 8281 0123 www.lawlors.co.uk 19

Hainault Road, Chigwell£1,195,000

SOLE AGENCY

An immaculate Six Bedroom Detached residence which is beautifully

presented throughout and is within easy walking distance of Chigwell's

Central Line Station and shopping at Brook Parade

The property benefits from a fantastic 122ft rear garden backing directly onto Chigwell's golf course. The accommodation boasts a large open planliving/dining area, kitchen, study, utility room and ground floor cloakroom. On the first floor there are three bedrooms with the master having superbviews over the golf course with an en suite and walk-in dressing room, there isalso a family bathroom. The second floor has three bedrooms and a showerroom. To the front there is parking for several vehicles and a garage.

Barnaby Way, Chigwell £1,095,000

JOINT SOLE AGENCY

Offered with no on-going chain is this beautifully presented Five Bedroom

Detached residence situated opposite the Brook and being within easy

walking distance to Chigwell's Central Line Station.

The ground floor accommodation benefits from a lounge/diner,kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, ground floor cloakroom, family roomand a study. There are five bedrooms on the first floor, three with en suiteshower rooms as well as a family bathroom. With under floor heating,good quality fixtures and fittings, an approximate 100ft rear gardenbeing of a southerly aspect, integral garage and carriage driveway withparking for several vehicles, viewings are highly recommended.

PROPERTY SERVICES

LAWLORS

Chigwell Office: 020 8281 012320 www.lawlors.co.uk

Lee Grove, Chigwell £999,995

JOINT SOLE AGENCY

Situated within a cul-de-sac location backing Chigwell's Police sports

fields is this well-presented Five Bedroom Detached house.

This delightful residence benefits from a lounge, dining room/sitting room,kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, ground floor cloakroom, two en suites, afamily bathroom and a beautiful galleried landing. There is an approximate144ft rear garden with off-street parking and an integral garage to the front.This property is within walking distance to Chigwell's Central Line Station,Brook Parade and local amenities.

Gainsborough Place, Chigwell £974,995

SOLE AGENCY

A spacious Five Bedroom Detached property situated within a gated

development.

This delightful residence benefits from a kitchen/breakfast room, utilityroom, three reception rooms, a study, cloakroom/WC, en suites to twobedrooms and a family bathroom. There is an approximate 70ft reargarden and to the front there is a double detached garage and off-street parking for two cars. With no on-going chain, viewings are highlyrecommended.

PROPERTY SERVICES

LAWLORS

Chigwell Rise, Chigwell £869,995

SOLE AGENCY

Ideally located to Chigwell's Central Line Station and Brook Parade shops is this Five Bedroom Detached family home.

The property offers four reception rooms, three bathrooms, cloakroom/WC,swimming pool, carriage driveway and being within easy access to BuckhurstHill, Woodford and neighbouring towns.

Fernside, Buckhurst Hill £795,000

JOINT SOLE AGENCY

This delightful Four Bedroom Detached house offers excellent accommodation throughout.

Set within a cul-de-sac location, the property boasts amazing views across thecountryside. This spacious family home benefits from a double storey extension tothe rear, three reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, ground floor cloakroom, ensuite dressing room to the master bedroom and bathroom. The rear garden is inexcess of 100ft, and to the front there is off-street parking and a garage.

Brook Rise, Chigwell £749,995

SOLE AGENCY

Just a short walk to Chigwell's Central Line Station and local shops is this stunningFour Double Bedroom Detached property situated within a quiet location.

This detached residence is beautifully presented and benefits from a modernspacious lounge/diner, a fabulous fitted kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, study,cloakroom/WC, family bathroom and a landscaped southerly aspect garden with decked patio area. Carriage driveway with off-road parking.

Tomswood Road, Chigwell £695,000

JOINT AGENCY

Offering excellent living accommodation is this Three Bedroom DetachedBungalow having ample opportunity to develop, subject to planning.

This property benefits from a spacious lounge/diner, kitchen/breakfast room,sitting room, laundry room, bathroom and a shower room. There is anapproximate 75ft rear garden and a frontage having ample off-street parkingand a garage. Being chain free, viewings are highly recommended.

www.lawlors.co.uk 21Chigwell Office: 020 8281 0123

Lyndhurst Rise, Chigwell £684,995

SOLE AGENCY

This family home is located close to Chigwell's Central Line Station and is situatedon the ever-popular Chigwell Park Estate.

This Five Bedroom Semi-Detached property benefits from having two receptionrooms, conservatory, kitchen/breakfast room, downstairs shower room, familybathroom, garage, an approximate 143 ft rear garden and off-street parkingfor several vehicles.

Lambourne Road, Chigwell Row £634,995

SOLE AGENCY

This beautifully presented Four Bedroom Detached house is situated within a semi-rural location.

The ground floor has a pleasant open plan feel benefiting from lounge, diningroom, kitchen/breakfast room with granite work surfaces, study, WC/utility room andconservatory. The first floor has a family bathroom, four bedrooms, one having ensuite facilities. The garden is mainly laid to lawn with a patio area and a detachedgarage to the rear.

Roding Lane North, Woodford Green £629,995

SOLE AGENCY

Having been totally refurbished throughout to a very high standard is thisFive/Six Bedroom Semi-Detached property.

The property benefits from a beautifully crafted fitted kitchen/dining room, aspacious lounge and a TV/family room, an en suite to one of the bedrooms, afamily bathroom plus a ground floor shower room. This property is offered chainfree.

Fontayne Avenue, Chigwell OIEO £599,995

JOINT AGENCY

A truly spacious and well-presented Four Bedroom Detached family home.

The ground floor comprises: three ample reception rooms, a downstairscloakroom/WC, a contemporary kitchen and sizeable utility room. To the firstfloor there is a bright family bathroom, four good sized bedrooms including an en suite to the master. There is also a southerly aspect rear garden.

PROPERTY SERVICES

LAWLORS


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Barnaby Way, Chigwell £629,995

SOLE AGENCY

A delightful Three Bedroom Detached family home situated in the heart ofChigwell and being just a short stroll to Chigwell Station.

The property benefits from many fine features including a spacious throughlounge, a good sized dining room, a country-style kitchen, ground floorcloakroom/WC and a family bathroom. Externally, the property offers ampleoff-street parking, a beautiful rear garden and garage.

Manor Road, Chigwell £599,995

SOLE AGENCY

An attractive four bedroom detached family home offering excellent livingaccommodation.

This well-presented chain free property benefits from two reception rooms,kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, conservatory, ground floor cloakroom, en suiteshower room to the master bedroom and a family bathroom. To the front there isoff-street parking and an integral garage.

Fontayne Avenue, Chigwell OIEO £560,000

JOINT SOLE AGENCY

Potential to extend, subject to planning, is this Four Bedroom Semi-Detached house.

The property offers lounge, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room and guestcloakroom. There is also an attached garage with off-street parking, with agarden in excess of 145ft. Viewings are highly recommended to appreciatethe potential this property has to offer.

Hoveton Way, Oakwood Gate £574,995

SOLE AGENCY

Situated within the popular Claybury Conservation Area is this extendeddetached house offering excellent living accommodation.

This substantial family home benefits from three reception rooms, kitchen, utility room, ground floor cloakroom, family bathroom, four bedrooms with the master having an en suite shower room. To the rear there is a landscapedgarden with iron railings to the side and to the front there is a block paveddriveway and an integral garage.

PROPERTY SERVICES

LAWLORS


PROPERTY SERVICES

LAWLORS

Loughton Office: 020 8502 558826 www.lawlors.co.uk

Luctons Avenue, Loughton £880,000

SOLE AGENCY

Situated within this highly desirable location of Buckhurst Hill is this unique

Four Bedroom Detached Property, which has been modernised to the

highest quality by the current owners.

This fine family home offers open-plan living accommodation, downstairs WCand en suite to master. Externally, the property benefits further from carriagedriveway accommodating several vehicles, to the rear of the house thegarden is in excess of 160ft where there is a summer house with power, oralternately subject to planning can be a separate dwelling with own access.Within close proximity to Buckhurst Hill Station and St John’s School, westrongly recommend a viewing.

Roebuck Lane, Buckhurst Hill £899,999

SOLE AGENCY

An opportunity to acquire this Four Bedroom Detached Property located in

the highly desirable area of Buckhurst Hill, situated on the very popular

Roebuck Lane.

This fine family home offers four reception rooms, four bedrooms with

en suite and dressing room to master. Externally, the property benefits

from; integral garage, off-street parking for several vehicles and large

rear garden with powered workshop. The Central Line with its transport

links to the City and West End, together with Buckhurst Hills fashionable

shopping facilities are all within easy walking distance. Call us today to

arrange your internal viewing.

PROPERTY SERVICES

LAWLORS

www.lawlors.co.uk 27Loughton Office: 020 8502 5588

Westfield, Loughton£875,000 JOINT SOLE AGENCY

We are very pleased to offer for sale this

well-presented Five Bedroom Detached

Residence, boasting accommodation which

briefly comprises; Entrance hall, guest

cloakroom, study, open plan lounge/diner and

a fitted kitchen. The property further benefits

from an integral garage with driveway, with a

sweep-around garden, perfectly situated in a

quiet cul-de-sac location just a stone's throw

from Epping Forest.

Algers Road, Loughton £775,000 SOLE AGENCY

This unique Five Bedroom Semi Detached Period

property is situated in one of Loughton's desirable

tree lined Roads, situated just a stone’s throw

from Loughton Central Line station and High

Street. Immaculately presented throughout with

many fine features such as tiled flooring, ornate

fire places, sash bay windows, Modern and stylish

kitchen and bathroom, garage and large rear

garden.

The Lindens, Loughton £715,000 JOINT SOLE AGENCY

A spacious Four Bedroom Extended Family Home

situated within the quiet location of The Lindens.

The property benefits from Four Double bedrooms,

en suite shower to the master bedroom and family

bathroom to first floor with three reception rooms,

cloakroom, modern fitted kitchen. There is ample

off-street parking to the front and un-overlooked

landscaped garden to the rear.

PROPERTY SERVICES

LAWLORS

Loughton Office: 020 8502 5588

Theydon Park Road,Theydon Bois £750,000 SOLE AGENCY

Situated on the ever popular Theydon Park

Road is this very impressive four/five bedroom

detached property ideally located for Theydon

Bois underground Central Line. The property

itself boasts; open living accommodation and

en suite to master bedroom. Externally, the

property offers detached garage and off-street

parking. Planning permission has been granted

to extend to the rear.

Tempest Mead, Epping£650,000 SOLE AGENCY

This very impressive Six Bedroom Detached

Property located in the modern and sought-after

development of Tempest Mead. The property is

situated just 2.5 miles from Epping Town with its

shopping facilities and Central Line Station

serving London. The property offers spacious living

accommodation which includes; three

reception rooms, study, three en suites, family

bathroom, double garage with off-street parking.

Roding Gardens,Loughton £515,000 SOLE AGENCY

This Four Bedroom Detached Family Home is

situated on the ever-popular Hanbury Park

Development. Property benefits include: guest

cloakroom, lounge, conservatory, dining room,

kitchen, utility room, master bedroom with

en suite bathroom, family bathroom, garage

and off-street parking.

28 www.lawlors.co.uk

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PROPERTY SERVICES

LAWLORS

Loughton Office: 020 8502 5588

Powell Road,Buckhurst Hill £750,000 JOINT SOLE AGENCY

Situated in the tree-lined Powell Road, one of

Buckhurst Hill's premier locations is this Four

Bedroom Detached family home with

panoramic views across the Essex countryside.

The property has been well maintained by the

current vendor boasting conservatory, large

garage and plenty of off-street parking.

Chapel Barn Cottage,Nazeing £515,000 SOLE AGENCY

This deceptively spacious Four Bedroom

Semi-Detached Cottage offers excellent family

living. The property itself has many fine features

and part of the dwelling dates back to the 1800's.

The property comprises; a beautiful bespoke

kitchen, good sized study, lounge, large

conservatory offering second living and

dining area, downstairs cloakroom, secluded

garden, with large workshop/games room.

Ormond Rise, Buckhurst Hill£850,000 SOLE AGENCY

This delightful Double Fronted Four double Bedroom

Detached Property with Annex is nestled in one of

Buckhurst Hills premier roads, situated just a stone’s

throw from the station and the ever popular

Queens Road. The property itself has been

maintained to a very high standard, with its designer

Kitchen/Morning Room and ample sized reception

rooms. The property offers everything such as

en suite, off-street parking, secluded

landscaped gardens.


PROPERTY SERVICES

LAWLORS

The Granary, Ongar £795,000

SOLE AGENCY

An opportunity to acquire this unique Three Double Bedroom Barn Conversion.

The property benefits from high ceilings and restored beams. The propertyboasts many fine features throughout including a galleried landing, a spaciouscontemporary kitchen, and panoramic views over-looking the countryside, and off-street parking behind secured electric gates. We highly recommendan internal viewing to fully appreciate the accommodation on offer.

Broadstrood, Loughton £775,000

SOLE AGENCY

This Four Double Bedroom Detached Family Residence is located within the sought-after location of Goldings Manor.

The property itself is in need of refurbishment, but has great potential to extendsubject to planning permission. The property benefits from Lounge/diner, cloakroom,kitchen/breakfast room and double garage. A must view for anyone looking for a project.

Forest View Road Loughton £899,999

SOLE AGENCY

An opportunity to acquire this Four Bedroom Detached Property located in a highly desirable area of Loughton.

The property itself currently has five reception rooms including open planlounge, sitting room and dining room. There is also the added benefit ofplanning permission applied for a complete rebuild of six bedrooms and fivebathrooms. You can view details online at www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk - usingref: EPF2047/10.

Goldings Rise Loughton £515,000

JOINT SOLE AGENCY

Situated in this elevated position with far-reaching views is this Three/FourBedroom fully Detached Chalet Bungalow.

The property is very spacious and has en suite to the master bedroom, alongwith a dual aspect lounge with balcony/patio overlooking the rear garden.With a beautifully maintained rear garden and a garage with own driveway,early viewings are highly recommended to avoid disappointment. So pleasecall today to arrange your viewing.

www.lawlors.co.uk 31Loughton Office: 020 8502 5588

PROPERTY SERVICES

LAWLORS

Woodford Office: 020 8506 082832 www.lawlors.co.uk

Monkhams Avenue, Woodford Green £999,950

SOLE AGENCY

Located in the highly desirable and sought-after location of the

Monkhams Estate, we are offering a charming four bedroom,

two reception room, Semi-Detached Edwardian Home.

This property offers a wealth of original features with beautiful stained-glasswindows and feature fireplaces. Upstairs there is ample bedroom space for agrowing family along with the family bathroom. Downstairs, the living spaceexpertly balances modern and period features. The rear of the propertybenefits from a 130 ft garden and to the front a driveway with off-streetparking. The property is ideally located for local schools, shops and Woodfordtube station with its direct transport link to the City and West End. An earlyviewing is highly recommended.

Chestnut Walk, Woodford Green £899,999

SOLE AGENCY

Nestled in one of Woodford Green's most desirable locations is this five

bedroom, two bathroom family home.

Beautifully presented and proportioned, this house offers a very highstandard of accommodation. The ground floor offers two luxuriousreception rooms and a recently fitted granite topped kitchen with alarge island and breakfast bar and integrated appliances. There is also a large utility room and separate coat and shoe room. Upstairs there are five generous bedrooms including a beautiful master suite on thesecond floor. The bathrooms are contemporary and stylish. Outside theproperty has a family friendly rear garden and off-street parking for threecars to the front. This property is ideally located for Trinity and Bancroftschools as well as shops and restaurants on Woodford's High Road.

PROPERTY SERVICES

LAWLORS

Whitehall Road, Woodford Green £549,999

This five bedroom, two bathroom, end terrace house makes an ideal familyhome, with two receptions and ample bedroom space to accommodate eventhe largest family.

The house is positioned well back from the road and offers a large rear gardenand parking to the front. This property would be ideal for those looking for aquiet position a stone’s throw from Bancroft’s School. Please call for yourinternal viewing.

Elm Terrace, Woodford Green £549,999

SOLE AGENCY

We are pleased to offer this unique three bedroom Victorian end-of-terrace property.

Immaculately presented throughout and with views over the green, this home isboth practical and beautiful with the added benefit of three bathrooms. Completewith garage and off-street parking as well as a lovely garden, this home is truly oneof a kind. Please call the office to book your internal viewing.

Oakland Place, Buckhurst Hill OIEO 649,999

SOLE AGENCY

A rare opportunity to purchase a four bedroom, two bathroom detached homein the popular Oakland Place development.

This double-fronted property offers two receptions, kitchen/diner, ground floorcloakroom and master bedroom with en suite. To the front there is off-streetparking for three cars and access to a single garage. To the rear, the secludedgarden backs onto the private woodland that Oakland Place is renowned for.

Raymond Avenue, South Woodford £675,000

SOLE AGENCY

We are pleased to present this practical and spacious Four Bedroom, Two Bathroom Extended Semi-Detached family home situated in the heart of the popular Firs Estate.

The house boasts two reception rooms and a modern kitchen. The fourspacious bedrooms provide ample accommodation for even the largest family.The garden has been well-maintained and there is off-street parking forapproximately three vehicles.

www.lawlors.co.uk 33Woodford Office: 020 8506 0828

PROPERTY SERVICES

LAWLORS

Woodford Office: 020 8506 0828

Worcester Crescent,Woodford Green £674,999 SOLE AGENCY

Located in the heart of the Monkhams Estate is

this semi-detached family home offering four

bedrooms, two bathrooms, two separate

receptions, a well-appointed kitchen/diner,

utility room and a double garage. With further

off-street parking to the front and an 80ft

approximately west-facing rear garden, this

property makes an ideal family home for those

wanting to move into the area for the popular

schools, local amenities and station.

Queens Avenue,Woodford Green £749,999 SOLE AGENCY

Situated in one of Woodford's most desirable

turnings, this Edwardian family home is a unique

opportunity. With four good size bedrooms, ample

reception space perfect for entertaining, and a

country-style kitchen/diner, this home could fit

many lifestyles. To the rear, there is a beautifully

landscaped garden and a garage. Offered to

the market chain free..

The Glade, Woodford Green£760,000 SOLE AGENCY

Located on the Knighton Estate lies this immaculate

four bedroom detached family home boasting two

receptions, kitchen/breakfast room, two bathrooms,

cloakroom/WC, garage and off-street parking for

two cars. The property offers a south-facing mature

rear garden of approximately 90 ft. Ideally placed

for local amenities and the very popular Bancroft’s

School. Chain free.


PROPERTY SERVICES

LAWLORS

Woodford Office: 020 8506 0828

Princes Road,Buckhurst Hill £519,999 SOLE AGENCY

A wonderful Victorian home boasting an array

of original features and contemporary fittings of

the highest quality. Comprising a double-

through reception with two matching fireplaces,

a sleek kitchen with marble flooring,

cloakroom/WC, utility room, storage cellar, two

double bedrooms both with fireplaces and a

very stylish bathroom featuring a Matki shower,

limestone flooring and Phillippe Starck fittings.

Chain free

Oakland Place,Buckhurst Hill £625,000 SOLE AGENCY

Situated within the highly sought-after Oakland

Place Development, we are offering this exquisite

four bedroom, two bathroom residence. This

home offers a fully fitted kitchen with granite

worktops, reception featuring integrated sound

system and guest cloakroom. On the first floor

there are four bedrooms with the master

bedroom having an en suite bathroom featuring

rain shower.

Oakland Place,Buckhurst Hill£699,999 SOLE AGENCY

Situated in this exclusive development on the

Woodford Green/Buckhurst Hill borders is this four

bedroom, two bathroom detached house

surrounded by peaceful woodland with potential

to extend (STPP). Consisting of a generously

proportioned through-lounge, spacious kitchen,

utility room and downstairs W/C and benefitting

from an integral garage and off-street parking as

well as gardens of approximately one third of

an acre.


PROPERTY SERVICES

LAWLORS

www.lawlors.co.uk 37Woodford Office: 020 8506 0828

Denehurst Gardens,Woodford Green £849,999 SOLE AGENCY

Set in the heart of the Knighton estate this

immaculate family home offers five bedrooms,

three bathrooms and is complete with many

luxurious touches including under-floor heating,

a bathroom on each floor and a high

specification kitchen/diner, this property is

second to none. The property features a

garage and further off-street parking as well as

a private rear garden.

Broomhill Road,Woodford Green £1,200,000 SOLE AGENCY

This Six bedroom, Two Bathroom, Two Reception

Edwardian home offers accommodation that is

second to none. The large kitchen/diner provides

a focus for the property complete with dining

area set within a bespoke timber-framed

orangery. Upstairs, there is a large master

bedroom and the remaining five bedrooms are

suitable for the largest family. Outside, the rear

garden is south-easterly facing, and has a

double garage.

Glengall Road,Woodford Green £915,000

We are pleased to offer this Five Bedroom, Three

Bathroom Detached family home. Complete with

lovely reception room and a warm practical

kitchen. The loft space is currently used as an office

but could easily be converted to provide further

bedrooms (STPP). This property also benefits from an

additional 'Granny Annexe' suitable for use as a

self-contained living unit.

Spareleaze Hill, LoughtonP.O.A Sole SOLE AGENCY

An Exceptional Five Bedroom Detached family residence situated within this

exclusive residential turning.This superb residence was imaginatively modernised and extended under

the auspices of the current owner to provide a stunning contemporary

property. A residence of such calibre rarely is available on the rental market

and this property exudes style and sophistication. Viewing is exclusively via

Lawlors Letting Services.

Oakley Traps Hill, Loughton£6,500

Lawlors are pleased to offer you this spectacular recently-built Six Bedroom Detached family residence which has been finished to the un-compromising standards of the current vendor.

This property has many benefits such as a Large reception hall,

cloakroom/WC, kitchen, lobby area, lounge, study, conservatory,

basement, all bedroom with en suite other than bedroom five with

en suite dressing room and substantial off-street parking.

E L I T E H O M E S

LAWLORS LETTINGS020 8502 3388

Lettings Office: 020 8502 338838 www.lawlors.co.uk

PROPERTY SERVICES

LAWLORS

Lettings Office: 020 8502 3388 www.lawlors.co.uk 39

LETTINGS020 8502 3388

Piercing Hill, Theydon Bois £8000 pcm

We are pleased to offer the exceptionally well-presented Executive familyresidence situated within what is widely regarded as this areas premier road.The property is ideally located for the shopping facilities of the charming localvillage with its transport links to the City and the West End. The property has been updated and modernised by the current owners toprovide a home of exceptional character combined with all requirements formodern living. Property benefits of this superb home include: impressive fullyfitted kitchen/breakfast room, six bedrooms – two with en suite facilities inaddition to two further family bathrooms, three impressive formal receptionrooms, vaulted entertainment room with bar, gym and study. Externally theproperty is accessed via electric gates providing access to the front of theproperty where there is substantial off-street parking and allowing access tothe double garage. The rear garden of approximately 4.5 acres has beentastefully landscaped and includes: heated resistance swimming pool withsafety cover, ménage and tennis court. The property also has wirelesssurround system and comprehensive security system.

Hainault Road, Chigwell £6000pcm

A delightful substantially extended family residence situated in this

commanding position.

This exceptionally well-presented property offers spacious living

accommodation on the ground floor combined with six bedrooms-three of

which are en suite to the first floor. The master bedroom also includes his and

her separate walk-in wardrobes. Property benefits of this stylish and elegant

home include: spacious hall, drawing room, sitting room, dining room, games

room, study, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room and cloakroom. To the front

of the property there is a carriage driveway providing off-street parking and

allowing access to the integral double garage. The landscaped plot has

been tastefully planted with a wide variety of mature shrubs and plants and

various coniferous and deciduous trees. To the extreme rear of the property

there is a substantial summer house which would make an ideal home office.

PROPERTY SERVICES

LAWLORS LETTINGS020 8502 3388

Palmerston Road, Buckhurst Hill £1,125 pcm

Wroths Path, Loughton £1,750 pcm

• Available March • First Floor • Two Double Bedrooms • Parking • Close To Station

• Available Now • Unfurnished • Four Bedrooms • Off-street Parking • Garage

Oakland Place, Buckhurst Hill £1,700 pcm

Tomswood Hill, Chigwell £2,250 pcm

• Available Now • Three Bedrooms• Two Bathrooms • Garage • Modern Decor

• Available May • Four Bedrooms • Three Reception Rooms • Garage• Part Furnished

Lettings Office: 020 8502 338840 www.lawlors.co.uk

LET

Albion Park, Loughton £3,000 pcm

Baldwins Hill, Loughton £4,000 pcm

• Available Now • Five Double Bedrooms • Unfurnished• Three Reception Rooms • Double Garage

• Modern Kitchen/Breakfast Room • Two Receptions• Five Bedrooms • Three Bathrooms • Stunning Garden Backing Forest

New Farm Drive, Abridge £4,500 pcm

Hainault Road, Chigwell £6,000 pcm

• Garage• Three Bathrooms• Unfurnished• Six Bedrooms• Available May

• Available End Of March • Seven Bedrooms • Heated Swimming Pool • Five Bathrooms• Views Over-looking Chigwell Golf Course

PROPERTY SERVICES

LAWLORS

Lettings Office: 020 8502 3388 www.lawlors.co.uk 41

LETTINGS020 8502 3388

Repton Park LETTINGS020 8502 3388


Brandesbury Square £3,500

Located in Repton Park is this substantial four

bedroom three bathroom townhouse with

integral garage. Offered with a large reception

with balcony overlooking the square,

kitchen/diner with additional utility room and

appliances, ensuite to both the master and

bedroom two ,ground floor W.C, large garage,

off-street parking, onsite gymnasium,

available now.

Tavistock House £2,150 pcm

We are pleased to offer this three bedroom, first

floor apartment. This property benefits from a large

living area, large bedrooms with built-in wardrobes

two with en suites, Kitchen with appliances and

modern decor throughout. There are two

allocated parking spaces with this property.

LET

LET

Due to high demand on the Repton Park development we are in need of more rental properties from onebedroom flats to five bedroom town houses. If you are considering the rental option then call in today to

arrange for a FREE valuation and to hear about our great offers for all new Landlords.

Rosebury Square,Woodford Green£2,800pcm

Located in Repton Park is this substantial fourbedroom three bathroom townhouse withintegral garage. Offered with a large receptionwith balcony overlooking the square,kitchen/diner with additional utility room andappliances, en suite to both the master andbedroom two ,ground floor W.C, large garage, off-street parking, onsite gymnasium, available now.

Repton Park SALES020 8281 0123

www.lawlors.co.uk 43

South Lodge, Repton Park £895,000

SOLE AGENCY

A rare opportunity has arisen to purchase this exceptionally stunning

detached Victorian gatehouse which stands in its own superbly composed

grounds, set behind electric gates.

This unique property successfully combines a bright contemporary interiorwhilst retaining all of its original Victorian character with charm, features and high ceilings. Architect designed, stylish, high spec and immaculatelypresented throughout boasting three proportioned bedrooms, twominimalist receptions and a breathtakingly bright conservatory looking outto landscaped gardens and decked area. This imposing house benefits froma strong sense of space with a tranquil water retreat at the rear of the largedetached double garage. Added potential of planning permission for a loft conversion and detached garage to be converted into a self-contained unit.

Brandesbury Square, Repton Park£829,995

SOLE AGENCY

A substantial Five Bedroom End of Terrace Town House with views

overlooking The Square.

The property boasts kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, dining room,conservatory, cloakroom/WC to the ground floor, the second floor offerslounge with balcony, two bedrooms plus a family bathroom. The masterbedroom sits on the second floor with en suite with two further bedroomsboth with en suites. The property also benefits from a remote-controlledinternal music system to various rooms.



Montague House,Repton Park OIRO £799,995 SOLE AGENCY

A unique opportunity to purchase this imposing

Grade II listed residence. This duplex apartment

is discreetly located behind electric gates within

these desirable grounds. The property benefits

from a spacious lounge, kitchen and

cloakroom/WC to the ground floor and has

ample storage space. To the first floor there is a

bathroom, two good sized bedrooms with the

master having an en suite and dressing area.

Sutherland House,Repton Park £489,500 SOLE AGENCY

An impressive Second Floor (top) Two Bedroom

Apartment benefiting from stunning views from

the spacious lounge. This apartment boasts

en suite bathrooms to both bedrooms, fitted

kitchen/breakfast room, study area, utility room,

cloakroom/WC together with ample storage.

There is allocated parking for two cars and

is offered chain free.

The Manor, Repton Park £724,995 SOLE AGENCY

Situated within a tranquil location is The Manor

which is set behind its own private gates.

This stunning Three Bedroom First Floor Apartment

has been individually interior-designed by

Sheree Davenport to the highest of standards.

This apartment benefits from a grand entrance

hallway, lounge/dining room with balcony, fitted

kitchen/breakfast room, master bedroom with

en suite, an additional bathroom and two sheltered

parking spaces.



Tavistock House, Repton Park £374,995

SOLE AGENCY

An excellent Two Bedroom Second Floor Apartment with stunning views over thegrounds of this popular development.

The property benefits include a lounge, kitchen, cloakroom/WC and a Jackand Jill bathroom. There is allocated parking for one car.

The Manor, Repton Park £494,995

SOLE AGENCY

Originally the Show Flat is this stunning Two Bedroom Ground Floor Apartment, which benefits from having its own gated entrance.

This freehold apartment has a delightful lounge with fabulous views from thebalcony, a spacious kitchen/breakfast room, master bedroom with en suite anddressing area plus a second bathroom, ample storage and an integrated soundsystem complete with two underground parking spaces.

Devonshire House, Repton Park £474,995

SOLE AGENCY

We are delighted to offer this Two Bedroom Top Floor Apartment benefiting fromno on-going chain.

This apartment boasts high ceilings, a grand hallway, master bedroom with en suite plus a separate bathroom, storage cupboards and a huge receptionroom with stunning views overlooking communal grounds. The property alsohas two allocated parking spaces.

Bartholomew House, Repton Park £449,995

JOINT SOLE AGENCY

Offered chain free and situated within the desirable Repton Park Developmentis this Two Bedroom First Floor Apartment with views overlooking the grounds

The apartment benefits from a spacious lounge, fitted kitchen, cloakroom/WC,en suite to master bedroom and two allocated parking spaces, one beingunderground.

SentimentMarket

Markets are all about sentiment and theproperty market is no different in this respect.Sentiment is based on a complex mixture

of variables: property market past performance,expectations for property prices in the future, currentaffordability of property, job security, social norms ofhomeownership (i.e. attitudes to long-term rentingversus home ownership), the current and future taxsystem and the interest rate outlook – and hencefuture mortgage and other loan costs.

Let’s look at each in turn.

British house prices rose more than 200% from1996 to 2007, a full market cycle. Prices in London,which the commutable home counties are most akinto, rose 310% (238% in real terms) during this period.

In the local area, the news is overwhelmingly positive.From September 2006 (the peak of recent propertyprices, pre-credit crunch) to March 2011, the averageasking prices in properties in Loughton increased 22%,in Chigwell 18% and in Woodford 5%. The greatestincreases came from detached houses, whereas askingprices for flats in Loughton and Woodford fell, by 13%and 4%. In Chigwell, flat prices increased by 18% duringthe period, according to Home.co.uk.

As for job security, the UK is barely – and onlytechnically – out of a recession, with the worstunfortunately not behind us, as the public sectorcatches up to the private sector in rounds ofredundancies. Markit’s Household Finance Index, a survey which started in February 2009, said that inMarch its respondents reached their most pessimisticabout their personal financial outlooks in two years,with wages constrained, inflation rising (currently at 4%,double the Bank of England’s target) and the sharpestdecline in job security in eight months.

However, in a strange and perhaps perverse way, the more prolonged the stagnant outlook of people’spersonal finances, the more stable the residentialhousing market. People adjust their expectations to thenew environment – for example, optimistic housingprices are readjusted downwards to a more achievablelevel – and those who were putting off a house movein the hope of a swift, sharp, V-shaped economicrecovery come to the realisation that life trundles on.

Retirees still, typically, need to downsize to releaseequity, allowing expanding families to move ‘up’ thehousing ladder, which frees up more housing stock for singles and young families.

Admittedly, the first-time buyer (FTB) is still findingthe prospect of raising tens of thousands of pounds fora mortgage deposit a fearsome task, but with growingnumbers of people renting for longer during thefinancial crisis than they otherwise would have planned,the lower-value end of the market will still find buyers,with or without the FTB conundrum.

The UK economy is forecasted to ‘bump along thebottom’ of single digit growth into 2013. This stagnationbecomes a ‘norm’ that people work into theirsentiment variables.

This is also tied in with the UK’s social norms ofhomeownership; us Britons cherish and value privatehomeownership in a way that has never caught on inWestern Europe, where rates of long-term residentialrentals dwarf that of the UK.

The main challenges to this outlook are:

• a sharp and unexpected dip back into recession,with higher-than-expected unemployment

• a dramatic change in the tax system that makeshomeownership so unattractive as to effectivelyfreeze the housing market, or send it into atailspin of falling prices.

Make no mistake, the Government will sell Walesbefore it allows the second aspect to occur. It haspumped billions of pounds into the system – in theform of Quantitative Easing – to stabilise asset pricesfollowing the ‘credit crunch’. Not only would this bepolitical suicide, it would certainly contribute to thelikelihood of the first element – entry into a deeprecession – far more likely.

Onto the interest rate outlook. There is reason tobelieve the Government is secretly lobbying for interestrates to remain low even as inflation creeps up, asmoderate levels of inflation corrode the mountain ofsovereign debt - £1.1trillion by the end of 2011 - that was accrued in the depths of the financial crisis.

The base rate has been held at 0.5% for two yearsnow and while bond markets are pricing in three rate

rises this year, these are expected to be shallow,perhaps 0.25% each. The Bank of England (BoE) doesn’t want consumers to take for granted record-low interest rates in their spending habits – andtherefore in their personal inflation expectations – butequally doesn’t want to choke off a fledgling economicrecovery. When rate rises come, it will be the BoEbarking, not biting.

Equally, the inflation rises the UK is experiencing ispredominantly driven by the spiralling oil price, which means it is an imported problem, not a domesticproblem. Stinging domestic shoppers with higherinterest rates and curbing domestic consumption willnot, therefore, bring down the inflation rate. In thatscenario, the Government and the BoE would be leftwith a double negative and no-one is a winner.

Low interest rates, bearing in mind 5% is the averagebase rate over 10 years, means cheaper credit, whichmakes mortgage debt more attractively priced. It alsomeans, to my mind, that tracker-rate mortgages lookattractive on a two-year outlook (if you can meetrepayments rising to below 5%) and fixed rate dealslook better on a three-year-plus outlook.

Those coming off tracker deals into standard variablerates might be better off not switching providers at all,saving themselves the typical £1,000 fee attached to aremortgage.

Other positive factors that could affect the housingmarket in your area include the 2012 London Olympicgames, which will improve infrastructure between EastLondon and the City centre and likely boost UK GDP;and the UK’s housing shortage is worsening,compounded by a vast number of developments beingscrapped during the credit crunch, and land –particularly in central London and its commuter belt -is at a premium.

So, yes, while each of these factors is a variable andsome more so than others, an environment ofsustained low interest rates, readjusted housing prices, a refreshed housing stock and a more stable but notnecessarily positive economy and jobs market, spell aresumption of business as normal; except this is the‘new normal’ now.

Anna LawlorEditorInvestment Adviser | FT Business

Anna Lawlor, Editor of Investment Adviser, Financial Times Business


LOUGHTON 020 8502 5588 SOLE AGENCY

York Hill, Loughton £395,000

A unique chance to acquire this delightful Two Bedroom Semi-DetachedCottage which was totally re-built in 1998 by the current owner.

The property boasts; reception room, a conservatory which has fully fitted airconditioning providing both heating and cooling options, outside storage andbeing offered chain free.

Parkmore Close, Woodford Green P.O.A

JUST REDUCED

This stylish Two Bedroom, Second Floor Apartment is immaculately maintainedthroughout, with a living room perfect for relaxing and a balcony giving access tooutside space.

The kitchen and bathroom are modern and practical and two double bedroomsprovide ample space. The property is located within communal gardens and hasan allocated car parking space.

UNDER £500,000LAWLORS

“We take you all the way up the property ladder”


WOODFORD 020 8506 0828 SOLE AGENCY

Calling all investors or first time buyers, do not miss this perfect opportunity to purchasethis Chain Free Two Bedroom Apartment. Recently decorated the property offers; a newkitchen and bathroom. Perfectly located for the High Street and Loughton UndergroundStation, this property is a must view.

Love Lane, Woodford Green £159,995

Benefiting from no on-going chain is this One Bedroom First Floor Flat with communalgarden. The property also offers a kitchen, lounge/dining room and a separatebathroom and is within close vicinity to all routes leading to Woodford, Chigwell andsurrounding areas.

This well-presented Studio Apartment would make an ideal first time or investmentpurchase. Complete with modern fitted kitchen, separate bathroom and garage it isideally located for shops, bars and Central Line tube connections at South Woodford. Agreat opportunity to get a first foot on the property ladder.

Arrowsmith Road, Chigwell £499,995 Swift House, South Woodford £149,999

This spacious Five Bedroom Semi-Detached family home offers excellentaccommodation throughout. The benefits include a through lounge, a modern fittedkitchen/breakfast room, dining room/TV room and a downstairs shower room. Thebedrooms are all good sizes and the master has an en suite. The rear garden is wellmaintained and the frontage provides off-street parking.

Located in this secluded, gated and private development is this Chain Free ThreeBedroom Town House. The property itself offers good living accommodation, en-suite tomaster, lounge and downstairs WC. Whilst externally there is off-street parking, and yetjust a short drive from the ever popular Epping High Street, with all it's local High streetshops, Bars and Restaurants.

High Elms, Woodford Green £215,000 Park Side, Epping £385,000

Situated close to Woodford Green Golf Club and overlooking the green, we areoffering this one bedroom apartment within a tasteful Victorian conversion. Theproperty offers a reception featuring cast iron fireplace, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom,private courtyard and garden. Share of Freehold. Chain Free.

Brooklyn Court, Loughton £170,999

CHIGWELL 020 8281 0123 SOLE AGENCY LOUGHTON 020 8502 5588 SOLE AGENCY

CHIGWELL 020 8281 0123 SOLE AGENCY WOODFORD GREEN 0208 506 0828 SOLE AGENCY

WOODFORD 020 8506 0828 SOLE AGENCY LOUGHTON 020 8502 5588 SOLE AGENCY


We are pleased to offer, on a Chain Free basis, this Three Bedroom Executive Apartmentsituated within this ever-popular gated development benefiting from extensive communalgrounds, tennis courts and a BBQ area. Accommodation comprises; Lounge, kitchen, videoentry phone system, master bedroom with en-suite and family bathroom.

Trinity Gardens, South Woodford - £359,995

An extended Four Bedroom Semi-Detached house which has been designed to avery high specification. This accommodation includes a lounge, modern fittedkitchen/diner incorporating the sitting room, utility room and cloakroom/WC to theground floor. To the first floor there are three good sized bedrooms and a familybathroom. The master bedroom sits on the second floor complete with en suite.

We are pleased to offer this beautifully presented two bedroom Victorian home. Ideallylocated for the Central Line tube at Woodford, the property benefits from entrancehallway with original features, double glazing, modern kitchen and first floor bathroom,along with dropped kerb for off-street parking.

Foresters Court, Loughton £235,000 Prospect Road, Woodford Green £299,999

This spacious Two Bedroom Ground Floor Apartment is available immediately. Theproperty itself is comfortable and spacious offering open-plan living, with en-suiteshower to the master bedroom. Externally the property benefits from off-street parkingand being ideally located for transport links, makes this apartment a must view..

A stylish Four Bedroom Semi-Detached house. The ground floor comprises fittedkitchen/dining area, cloakroom/WC and lounge with rear doors leading to a South Westfacing rear garden. The first floor provides master bedroom with en suite, two furtherbedrooms and a family bathroom. On the second floor sits the fourth bedroom with ensuite shower room.

Boleyn Court, Buckhurst Hill £399,950 Turpins Lane, Woodford Green OIEO £450,000

We are very pleased to offer for sale this immaculately presented ground floorapartment. The accommodation comprises; private entrance hall, lounge/diner, fullyfitted kitchen, three double bedrooms with en-suite to master bedroom. With twoallocated parking spaces and garage the property is set in communal privategardens behind security gates.

Aragon Lodge, Buckhurst Hill £385,000

WOODFORD 020 8506 0828 SOLE AGENCY LOUGHTON 020 8502 5588 SOLE AGENCY

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This Three Bedroom Extended Family home offers contemporary living for the modernfamily. The accommodation offers; three bedrooms, loft room, and off-street parking fortwo vehicles. The rear garden is in excess of 100ft backing directly onto woodland.

Englands Lane, Loughton £320,000

This Three Bedroom Semi-Detached Property situated in Loughton is being offeredChain Free. The property itself is within a short distance to Loughton High Road with itsrange of shops and cafes. The property has three double bedrooms, kitchen/diner,good size lounge and a large rear garden. Call now to avoid disappointment.

Located within this popular development is this well-presented Three Bedroom End ofTerrace House. The property has been maintained to a very high standard and offerslounge, dining room, kitchen and cloakroom/WC, two double bedrooms, a single and afamily bathroom. There is an approximate 50ft landscaped rear garden and twoallocated parking spaces.

St Catherine’s Road, Chingford O.I.R.O £369,999 Ludham Close, Oakwood Gate £349,995

Situated in a popular residential road we are offering a three bedroom 1930's semi-detached family home with two receptions, kitchen, bathroom, off-street parking fortwo cars and a west facing garden. This home has been recently refurbishedthroughout and has been extended to the rear. Close to the local shops on the HighStreet.

Situated within ever-popular Sunset Avenue is this Two Double Bedroom First FloorApartment. The property benefits from large reception room with balcony overlookingthe golf course, garage en bloc, large kitchen, en suite to master bedroom andseparate bathroom. This sought-after development offers communal gardens and a lift.Some refurbishment required and offered Chain Free.

Connaught Place, Loughton £250,000 Hobart Court, Woodford Green £325,000

This Two Bedroom Modern Apartment is being offered to the market chain free. Theproperty is ideally located for Loughton Central Line Station and the High Street. Openplan kitchen/lounge, master bedroom with the additional benefit of an en-suite.Externally the property is accessed via electric gates with telephone entry system.

Goldings Road, Loughton £320,000

LOUGHTON OFFICE 020 8502 5588 SOLE AGENCY LOUGHTON OFFICE 020 8502 5588

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We are pleased to offer this Two Double Bedroom Third Floor Apartment with a high quality,tasteful finish throughout. The property offers spacious reception areas and beautiful viewsover Woodford Golf Course. Benefitting from ample off-street parking, garage-en-bloc andlift and is SHARE OF FREEHOLD and offered to the market Chain Free.

Lombardy Close, The Avenue £439,995

This well-presented End of Terrace house offers three double bedrooms, lounge, diningroom, kitchen, ground floor cloakroom, en suite to master bedroom and a familybathroom. There is a landscaped rear garden, off-street parking and a garage to thefront. Planning permission has been granted to convert the garage into further livingaccommodation.

Arranged over three floors is this delightful Victorian detached house offering four doublebedrooms. Further benefits include lounge, kitchen/diner and cloakroom/WC to the ground floor. On the first floor there are two bedrooms and a family bathroom. The second floor comprises two bedrooms and a shower room. The property also comeswith off-street parking and garage. Offered chain free.

Jacklin Green,Woodford Green £275,000 Roding Avenue, Woodford Green £449,995

Located within a quiet cul-de-sac development is this completely refurbished TwoBedroom End Terrace House. This home benefits from a large lounge/diner, kitchen,downstairs w/c, two good size bedrooms, family bathroom and access to loft storage.Complete with off-street parking .

Situated in a quiet cul-de-sac location is this delightful Three Bedroom, Two BathroomTownhouse. Immaculately presented throughout, this home offers flexible, high qualityliving accommodation for all. The property offers a spacious East-facing rear garden, off-street parking and integral garage. This property is ideally located for Bancroft Schooland nearby Epping Forest.

Hubbard Court, Loughton £245,000 Hawthorns, Woodford Green £380,000

This immaculately presented ground floor apartment is being offered to the marketChain Free. The accommodation boasts; two double bedrooms, with en-suite tomaster, modern fitted kitchen and contemporary design throughout. This propertybenefits further from communal resident parking, completely private gardens whichare set behind private gates.

Cranfield Court, Woodford Green £399,999

CHIGWELL 020 8281 0123 SOLE AGENCY WOODFORD GREEN 0208 506 0828

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Martham Close, Oakwood Gate £494,995

A Four Bedroom Detached house offering a master bedroomwith en suite, lounge, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room,utility room. ground floor cloakroom and a family bathroom.

Mews Place, Woodford Green £465,000

Within conservation area of Woodford Green, lies this threebedroom detached family home, dating back to 1860.Refurbished with a modern and contemporary style throughout,superbly located for prominent local schools & tube stations.

WOODFORD GREEN 0208 506 0828 SOLE AGENGY

Octave House, Theydon Bois £219,950

This One Bedroom Modern Chain Free Apartment is ideallylocated close to the Station and High Street, the property offers; a large bedroom, lounge, separate kitchen, allocated parking.separate kitchen, and allocated parking.


Wimborne Close, Buckhurst Hill £235,000

Immaculate two bedroom, first floor maisonette - ideal firsttime/investment purchase. well-presented throughout, ampleliving room for entertaining & modern kitchen & bathroom.Ideally located for shops & transport links & offered Chain Free.


Forest View, Chingford £275,000

Delightful top floor apartment with panoramic far reaching viewsacross Chingford Golf Course. Benefits include kitchen withintegrated appliances, sitting/dining room, two bedrooms, familybathroom, allocated parking and security entry phone system


Karina Close, Chigwell £289,950

Recently refurbished is this well-presented Three Bedroom Semi-Detached House, the benefits include lounge, kitchen/diner, a ground floor cloakroom/WC and a family bathroom.

CHIGWELL 020 8281 0123 SOLE AGENCY

St James Gate Buckhurst Hill £112,500


Warren Court, Chigwell £247,500

Offered chain free is this two bedroom ground floor maisonette. The property benefits from a lounge, kitchen, bathroom, front and reargardens and is in need of modernisation.


Lambourne Road, Chigwell Row £199,995

A Two Bedroom End of Terrace Ground Floor Maisonette, the accommodation includes a fitted kitchen, bathroom,lounge/diner, front and rear gardens, garage and allocated parking.

CHIGWELL 020 8281 0123

Sutherland House, Repton Park £424,995

Spencer Close, Woodford Green £370,000

Situated in a peaceful cul-de-sac location is this beautifullypresented three bedroom, two bathroom converted bungalow.Benefitting from kitchen/diner, a decked landscaped garden with separate garage to the side and further off-street parking. The property has been fully refurbished and is within closeproximity to Woodford Green Central Line tube station. Chain Free.


Roding View, Buckhurst Hill £399,999

A beautifully presented Three Bedroom Detached Propertystands just a stones throw from Buckhurst Hill Central Line Stationand offers many fine features. The property has been tastefullydecorated throughout by the current vendors and benefits fromtwo double bedrooms plus open plan kitchen/diner toaccommodate the modern family.


Woolhampton Way, Chigwell Row £355,000

This well-presented Three Bedroom Semi-Detached house issituated within a semi-rural location being close to Hainault Forest.The property offers lounge/diner, fitted kitchen, cloakroom/WC,family bathroom, a 50ft rear garden with a good sized patio areaas well as having off-road parking and an integral garage.


CHIGWELL 020 8281 0123 SERIOUS OFFERS INVITED

This first floor One Bedroom Retirement property is situated in theheart of Buckhurst Hill. The property itself offers large reception,lift, communal areas such as gardens and social hall andparking for visitors.

It is said that the garden should be regarded as an

extension of the home, and – like the rest of the

property - should be re-designed and adapted to

suit the ever-changing needs of your family and

lifestyle. However, while most of us are quite happy

to give the sitting room a fresh lick of paint, and

pick out new curtain material to spruce up an old

bedroom, when was the last time you looked out of

the back door, and assessed the practicality and

aesthetic appeal of your garden?

No matter how big or small, this often-neglected

space can be easily adapted to accommodate the

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transform the way that you live. The overhaul needn’t

break the bank either. The changes you make can be

as simple as re-planting a few pots to bring life and

colour back to a long-forgotten patio, adding steps or

a terrace to allow easier access to a formerly difficult-

to-reach lawn, or installing a purpose-built play area

for the children to enjoy.

Now that spring has finally sprung, this is perfect the

time to get out into your garden and ask: ‘Does this

space really work for us anymore?’ If the answer is a

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For the past decade, Russell and Son Landscaping

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garden design, and have an extensive client base

which continues to expand throughout Essex

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The family run company specialises in creating low

maintenance gardens to fit around a busy family

lifestyle. Before they begin any garden overhaul

Russell and Son offer a one-on-one consultancy to

understand exactly what it is you want to achieve

with your outdoor space. No project is too mundane

or too extreme; whether you just want to install a new

deck, or you want to transform your garden into

mini-Morocco.

Russell and Son founder Russell Holbourns says:

“No request is too much for us. We always aim to

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For a free quotation and friendly, professional advice, please contact Russell and Son on 07736670531 or email [email protected]

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Like so many people I began 2011 fully

intending to get in shape and shed the less

than healthy ‘winter coat’ I had gained over the

indulgent Christmas period, by which of course I

mean Christmas and the three months leading up

to it.

So with the best intentions I pulled on my trainers

and hit the streets to start my new jogging regime and

to pound the pavements like a man possessed.

Unfortunately, within just a few hundred metres, as I

found myself hyperventilating and clinging to a lamp

post just to stay upright, I realised that the only thing

I seemed to be possessed by was an overpowering

urge for a cup of Earl Grey, an arm chair and the

Sunday newspapers.

And therein lays the problem for so many of us.

Despite our best intentions we just lack the necessary

inspiration and motivation to push past the

temptations and distractions of everyday life that have

a habit of holding us back.

But meeting up with triathlete Hollie Avil, one of

Great Britain’s hotly tipped stars for London 2012,

I believe I have at last found the source of inspiration

I so desperately need.

At just shy of 21 years old, Avil has already achieved

incredible things in her career, but aside from being a

phenomenal athlete she is also quite easily the most

enthusiastic person I’ve ever met. And as she casually

talks me through her intense training regime and the

incredible endurance required for her sport, I really

begin to see just how pathetic my own feeble efforts

have actually been.

“In competition we do a 1500 metre swim, a 40

kilometre bike and finish with a ten kilometre run,

and it takes around two hours. That means we have to

train for around 25 hours a week so it’s a fair amount”

she says with a beaming smile.

Now while I feel exhausted merely thinking about

such an epic feat of physical endurance, Avil actively

sought out triathlon specifically for its challenging

nature, as she recalls;

“I was a keen swimmer from the age of 11 to 15,

but was kind of losing my love for it and wanted a

new challenge. Triathlon was becoming more popular,

so my Dad suggested that I give it a go. It sounded

and looked appealing so I just thought ‘Yeah, I’m

going to give this a go’, and it really just went

from there.”

Before taking on the highly demanding sport of

Triathlon Avil was already something of a sporting

sensation having been selected for the national

swimming team and rated among the country’s top

ten runners over 3000 metres in her particular

age group.

This natural talent obviously helped her to make

the transition up to what is widely considered

one of the most demanding events in sport. Avil,

however certainly doesn’t take her natural talent for

granted and firmly believes that hard work always

beats talent. As a result she still trains extensively in all

three triathlon disciplines, but as she explains, her

natural talents do allow her to focus more intensely

on specific areas.

“Some people who come into triathlon don’t know

how to swim competitively so have to learn the

technical elements. Because I came from a swimming

background, I already had all of the technical aspects

of it as a sport so I find now in training that I don’t

have to swim as much as other people.

“But equally, I have to spend quite a lot of time

on the bike because some athletes have got years and

years of bike mileage, which is what I lack a little bit.

I’d also done a bit of running before, but never as

much as I do now as a triathlete, so I guess I spend

slightly more time on cycling and running.”

The Hollie TrinityChris Peck tries to catch up with Olympic Triathlete

Hollie Avil as she races towards London 2012

60

Avil took to triathlon very naturally and as a result

she has already won both the world junior and the

world under-23 championships, as well as being one of

the youngest members of team GB at the 2008 Beijing

Olympics. But how does she cope with the pressure of

performing at the very highest level?

“I work with a sports’ psychologist, not to deal with

the pressure of racing but for keeping my cool for the

two hours that I race. You’re not going to decide the

winner in the first few minutes of a race or even after

an hour and a half,” Avil explains;

“In triathlon it all comes down to the fact that it’s

not all over until you reach the finish line, so it really

is all about keeping your cool for the whole two hours

and sports’ psychology really helps with that.”

Avil’s positivity and focus is simply inspirational and

has no doubt added to her ability to perform at the

pinnacle of her sport. Carrying herself with a maturity

that is far beyond her years she is unquestionably

devoted to being the best of the best. But given her

age and the tireless pursuit of her sporting dreams,

does she ever feel that she has missed out on the things

that dominate the lives of other young people her age?

“A lot of people ask me if I feel like I’ve missed out

on things, but I actually think it’s the opposite and

that I’ve actually gained a lot. I’ve made so many

friends through the sport and through my training

group who I socialise with. I’ve also been to places

around the world to compete and train which are

amazing, and I wouldn’t be doing that sort of thing

if I wasn’t involved in my sport.

“Yes I might’ve missed out on a few nights out

with my friends, but I wouldn’t have missed out on

everything I’ve done or what I do now for anything.”

Competing across the world has become

commonplace for the determined triathlete and has

provided her with some invaluable experiences to learn

and develop from. One such experience was gained

at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 where Avil, one of

the youngest athletes competing for team

GB, was sadly struck down with an illness which

drastically affected her performance. However,

rather than dwelling on what might’ve been,

Avil characteristically looks for the positives from

the experience.

“I was absolutely gutted in Beijing when I fell ill,

but I gained so much experience from being part of

Team GB and being surrounded by so many athletes –

I’ll definitely take a lot of that experience with me

to 2012.”

And it is the London 2012 games that Avil now has

firmly in her sights, even deferring her Management

Sciences’ degree until after the Olympics to enable her

to dedicate herself to training full time.

“The Olympic games are coming up, so to qualify

for that is a massive goal, but my ultimate goal is to

win a gold at an Olympic Games, so of course that’s

the aim for 2012.

“Preparation is going well but I’m trying not to

think about it too much at the moment as I don’t

want to put pressure on myself. I’ve got to qualify first,

which means planning my training carefully with my

coach for the qualification races.” �

62

www.bancrofts.org

Woodford Green, Essex, IG8 0RF

Bancroft’s School has a well deserved reputation for excellence, with an outstanding academic record. Pupils don’t just excel in academic fields. Music, drama, sport and art all play important and vibrant roles in

school life. We offer a wealth of co-curricular activities and strong pastoral care.

Please come and visit Bancroft’s to find out more about the exciting opportunities we can offer your child. Contact the Admissions Officeon 020 8506 6761 for further information, including details of Open Days and Scholarships. Further details are available on our website.

“The wide range of opportunities enables all pupils to flourish” ISI Report

• HMC Day School • Ages 7-18 • Fully co-educational • Founded 1737

Bancroft’s SchoolA tradition of excellence

It is completely understandable that the incrediblygrounded sports’ woman is taking nothing for grantedand risking complacency in her preparations for thebiggest sporting events of them all. However, despiteher reluctance to think too far ahead and placepressure on herself to perform, Avil has allowed herselfto imagine what competing at the Games might be like.

“I think it will be amazing. I love racing at homebecause all your friends and family can get there towatch you, so for me it’s really special to know thatthey would all be there. Also, it will be quite an easysport to access and watch at the Games because it’sgoing to be in Hyde Park and free to watch from thestreets, so I think we’ll get a lot of supporters and that home crowd advantage will be a real benefit to competitors.”

Avil’s passion for the London Olympics goesbeyond just the prospect of competing. As a sportingambassador for Lucozade, the triathlete is alsodedicated to promoting sports to aspiring athleteseverywhere. Discussing her desire to encourage more people to get involved in sports and fitness Avil confesses;

“It’s something that sits closely to my heart. It’s soimportant for me to encourage people, particularlyyoung females, to get involved with sport. Sport is funwhoever you are; you don’t have to be at an elite levelto enjoy it. It’s good to get involved to be social butalso for the benefits it offers for a healthy lifestyle.

“That’s what is great about having the Olympicshere, it’s created a massive awareness around the UKabout health and well-being and a lot more money hasbeen put into schools and projects to encourage that.It really is fantastic the work that is going on becauseof the Olympics, it’s doing a lot for our country.”

Obviously, a great way for Avil to inspire furtherpeople to take up sport is to lead by example andcompete in front of the nation at the grandest ofsporting occasions. But if she strikes gold in London

next year having already won titles at world level, will she feel that she has achieved her goals and betempted to move on to a new challenge? Full ofconfidence and enthusiasm, Avil quashes such asuggestion as she declares;

“I think as an athlete you naturally create moregoals for yourself, so nothing is ever really goodenough. If I got the gold medal at the 2012 Games I’dthen probably be saying; ‘Okay well let’s do it again inRio and then again in 2020’. I could even go to 2024,some of the best triathletes are around their early 30’sso it’s do-able.”

As an individual who is no stranger to longdistances, the spirited sports’ woman has also givensome considerable thought to the long distant future and what she would like to do when her own competitive career comes to an end. And, unsurprisingly, it involves her utilising both her sporting experience and her infectious enthusiasm to inspire those around her.

“I definitely see myself doing something within thesport. I can see myself getting involved in some otherway whether it’s coaching or mentoring. I’d like to dosomething with young females or maybe put a youngsquad together from across the UK, but whatever I

do it will definitely be putting something back intomy sport.”

This of course can only be a good thing for athletesof the future. After all, if Avil can inspire this out-of-shape old writer to finally, at long last, stick to a fitness regime, then the prospects for the nextgeneration of British triathletes under her guidanceare already looking golden.

64

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You’ll be amazed at what’s included in your membership atDavid Lloyd Chigwell. I’m proud to boast of our expert teamthat are all on hand to help you get the best from all of ourfacilities. Our health and fitness instructors all hold relevantindustry qualifications and are all registered with REPs (theRegister of Exercise Professionals) All our Personal Trainershave specific areas of expertise so we can match a trainer toyou, who not only holds the correct qualification to train youto the very highest levels but who also shares an interest inperhaps the training that you prefer. We are committed tonot just getting you fit but also educating you to stay fit.

Our group exercise instructors are amongst the best in theindustry helping you get the most out of your class regime.

Our tennis team are all qualified via the Lawn TennisAssociation and we actively source only the highest qualifiedcoaches. And then there is the rest of the team. I am proudto say that the team at Chigwell will give you the very best

service ensuring that your health, fitness and racquetsexperience will be second to none.

Having worked for David Lloyd Leisure for over 10 years its great to be able to join a club as well renownedas Chigwell. We have a top rate tennis history with somegreat teams and great individuals competing regionally andnationally. On top of that of course there’s the excellentfitness suite, indoor and outdoor pools plus our superbclubroom.

Why not give us a call and come and have a look around.We can show you exactly how we can offer a huge range ofproducts and facilities to maximise your leisure time in anenvironment that you deserve.

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SEPTEMBER 2010

MARCH 2011OCTOBER 2010

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The enigmatic Derren Brown once again prepares to

cast his hypnotic spell over audiences across the UK

Words: Chris Peck / Photography: Gary Moyes

Throughout life we all experience certain

moments which stay with us forever. As an

unashamed and self-confessed magic geek,

one such moment occurred for me whilst sat in the

audience of a Derren Brown show. I can still vividly

recall the moment as if it was yesterday.

I sat motionless, frozen in my seat, gripped in place

by an intoxicating blend of adrenaline-fuelled fear and

exhilaration as a cuddly monkey tumbled through the

air straight towards me. With a deep breath I closed

my eyes and opened my arms ready for the airborne

chimp to land upon me and carry me off to an

illuminated stage where a journey into the

unknown awaited.

Now if you have never experienced master of

illusion Derren Brown perform live, my recollection

may well seem like the semi conscious ramblings

of a drunkard recounting an alcohol-induced

hallucination. But to witness Brown live is genuinely as

close as one can get to experiencing a dream-like state

without loss of consciousness or indeed, without the

requirement of chemical stimulus. A Derren Brown

show is unpredictable, awe-inspiring, and ultimately an

event you will never be able to either explain or forget.

As previously mentioned I am something of an

obsessive where magic and illusion are concerned.

I have had the pleasure of watching several magicians

perform live, ranging from disappointing children’s

entertainers right through to the likes of magic

superstar David Copperfield.

In each and every case I watch intently, scrutinising

the tiniest details of the performance, trying to defy

acts of misdirection and work out exactly how the

trick has been done. Now while this has led my long-

suffering girlfriend to believe that I am some kind of

Jonathon Creek-influenced killjoy, it has also allowed

me to develop a reasonably good eye for how so-called

“magic” is achieved. But every rule has an exception,

and that exception is Derren Brown.

Try as I might, Brown’s expertise at his craft leave

me totally baffled and amazed time and again.

His unique, enigmatic stage presence and approach to

magic have completely reinvented the art of illusion.

He has pushing the boundaries of unfathomable

mystery and succeeded in pulling off some of the

most audacious tricks ever seen, from playing Russian

Roulette on live TV to accurately predicting the

National Lottery.

So I caught up with the charismatic man of mystery

to find out about his upcoming UK tour ‘Svengali’.

But as with all great illusionists Brown is not one

to give away any of his stage secrets, least of all what

to expect from his latest psychological extravaganza

as he muses:

“Ah, it would be a shame to tell. I’m not going to

give anything away, and I shall ask the audiences to

be so kind as to do the same. What I can say is that it

will be a full evening of mind-melting based around

audience participation.”

And it’s this level of audience participation that

was the catalyst for the lasting memory I referred to

earlier. There are no volunteers raising their hands

to participate, fate and fate alone decides who is

destined to take to the stage to be a vessel for the

unexplainable. From my personal experience it was a

cuddly monkey that was thrown at random amongst

the audience to select Brown’s next assistant, but it

could just as easily be a hat or a Frisbee that fate

throws your way.

This completely random process of selection

provides each and every show with an element of

magic?Could it be

71

legitimacy that is absent from other shows of its kind.

While TV can be heavily edited and allow for

potential ‘stooges’ to be used, in a live show there is

no place to hide. And trust me, I know. The whole

experience is completely unpredictable, and not just

for the audience, as Brown himself explains in regard

to working with a live audience:

“I never really know how anything will go, or how

responsive anyone will be. Situations constantly arise

which are unforeseen. But that’s the point of doing it

– there’s none of the safety of the TV situation.”

Performing live on stage is always demanding

for any professional no matter what their chosen

medium, but generally speaking they are always

working alongside other trained professionals.

However, placing a large portion of the show’s

ultimate success in the hands of the random members

of the audience is not what Brown finds the most

challenging aspect of embarking on a new tour.

“For me the biggest challenge is writing it. It’s a

new show every two years, and each has to measure

up to the last. It’s always a mammoth exercise and a

bit terrifying knowing that dates are selling already

and I don't fully know what I'll be doing on stage yet,

but it's like that every year. For the moment, though,

it's great fun - thinking up things to freak people out.

What could be more enjoyable?"

Having recently celebrated a decade in television,

as well as being a successful writer of two bestselling

books, Brown certainly doesn’t need to constantly

place such great demands upon himself. But it is his

affection for live performance which drives him more

than anything else.

“I love it more than anything. I get to travel around

with great friends and work on improving the show

every night, and it’s the only time in the year that I

get any days free to concentrate on personal projects.”

The success of Brown’s previous tours has not only

seen him receive high critical acclaim and accolades

which include an Olivier Award, but also an

increasing demand for him to take his shows around

the world.

Following success in the United States with his

TV debut ‘Mind Control’, does the master of mind

manipulation intend to cross the pond like so many

other high profile celebrities to crack America and

light up Broadway? Brown’s response is

characteristically measured as he explains:

“As soon as I get time that would be a pleasure.

Broadway hopefully will happen in the next couple

of years and I would love to go to Australia and a

number of other places too. But it’s just finding the

time.” As someone whose psychic abilities appear to

defy explanation, it seems only natural to ask Brown

to turn his powers of perception upon himself and ask

what he predicts for his own future. So where does

“It's great fun -thinking up things to freak people out. What could be more enjoyable?"Derren Brown

�

72

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legitimacy that is absent from other shows of its kind.

While TV can be heavily edited and allow for

potential ‘stooges’ to be used, in a live show there is

no place to hide. And trust me, I know. The whole

experience is completely unpredictable, and not just

for the audience, as Brown himself explains in regard

to working with a live audience:

“I never really know how anything will go, or how

responsive anyone will be. Situations constantly arise

which are unforeseen. But that’s the point of doing it

– there’s none of the safety of the TV situation.”

Performing live on stage is always demanding

for any professional no matter what their chosen

medium, but generally speaking they are always

working alongside other trained professionals.

However, placing a large portion of the show’s

ultimate success in the hands of the random members

of the audience is not what Brown finds the most

challenging aspect of embarking on a new tour.

“For me the biggest challenge is writing it. It’s a

new show every two years, and each has to measure

up to the last. It’s always a mammoth exercise and a

bit terrifying knowing that dates are selling already

and I don't fully know what I'll be doing on stage yet,

but it's like that every year. For the moment, though,

it's great fun - thinking up things to freak people out.

What could be more enjoyable?"

Having recently celebrated a decade in television,

as well as being a successful writer of two bestselling

books, Brown certainly doesn’t need to constantly

place such great demands upon himself. But it is his

affection for live performance which drives him more

than anything else.

“I love it more than anything. I get to travel around

with great friends and work on improving the show

every night, and it’s the only time in the year that I

get any days free to concentrate on personal projects.”

The success of Brown’s previous tours has not only

seen him receive high critical acclaim and accolades

which include an Olivier Award, but also an

increasing demand for him to take his shows around

the world.

Following success in the United States with his

TV debut ‘Mind Control’, does the master of mind

manipulation intend to cross the pond like so many

other high profile celebrities to crack America and

light up Broadway? Brown’s response is

characteristically measured as he explains:

“As soon as I get time that would be a pleasure.

Broadway hopefully will happen in the next couple

of years and I would love to go to Australia and a

number of other places too. But it’s just finding the

time.” As someone whose psychic abilities appear to

defy explanation, it seems only natural to ask Brown

to turn his powers of perception upon himself and ask

what he predicts for his own future. So where does

“It's great fun -thinking up things to freak people out. What could be more enjoyable?"Derren Brown

�

the world’s greatest master of magic seehimself in ten years time, and will agealter his performing habits?

“I’ve no idea about ten years from now.But I’m pleased I’m not a pop star in thatregard. As a performer, I could be ninetyand suffering from severe paralysis, and it would only somehow add to the mystique.”

In hindsight I suppose it was a difficultquestion to answer, after all how does onepredict their own destiny when they, as an individual, are by their very naturedefined by unpredictability?

One thing however, which can bepredicted with some significant accuracy,is that no matter what Brown’s latest show

‘Svengali’ has to offer, it is once againguaranteed to blow the minds ofaudiences across the country, and leavepeople with lasting memories as well asleaving them baffled by his seeminglyotherworldly powers.

Could it really be magic? Brownhimself would be the first to tell you ‘no’,but once you have experienced him liveand attempt to explain it any other way…well, you’ve got more chance of predictingthe lottery.

“As a performer I could be ninety andsuffering from severe paralysis and itwould only somehow add to themystique.” Derren Brown

74

man for all seasons Restaurant Sauterelle’s head chef Robin Gill talks to ChrisPeck about egos, inspiration and Easter eggs.

“I involve my guys in every decision that wemake, and make them feel that whatever they do

has an effect on the success of the restaurant.”

77

There was once a time when most established

chefs were thought of as either idyllic

homemakers such as Delia Smith or Fanny

Craddock or charismatic eccentrics like ‘Galloping

Gourmet’ Graham Kerr or the late, great Keith Floyd.

Nowadays, however, these wholesome associations

have been replaced by something far more

intimidating. Culinary shows with titles referring to

hell and nightmares have re-established our vision of

chefs as terrifying tyrants who rule the high pressure

environment of the professional kitchen with an oven

glove of steel.

Seriously, how many of us, if faced with the full

fury of the likes of Gordon Ramsey or Marco Pierre

White would not collapse like a substandard soufflé

and flee the kitchen forever?

So stepping into the full intense heat of the kitchen

at Sauterelle, one of London’s most elegant and

refined restaurants, I approach Head Chef, Robin

Gill, tentatively; affording him the same level of

caution I would a sleeping Rottweiler.

But the first thing to strike me as I enter this hive

of culinary activity is not the aforementioned oven

glove of steel but rather an overwhelming sense of

calm. Irrespective of the fierce reputation that many

top chefs have earned themselves, it is with a

welcoming smile and handshake that Gill greets me,

his timid guest for the day.

Taking a moment away from running his kitchen

like a precision piece of machinery, Gill is quick to

distance himself from the hot headed approach taken

by other top chefs as he modestly explains;

“I have worked with many ferocious chefs with big

egos and that style, based on fear, doesn’t work. I

involve my guys in every decision that we make, and

make them feel that whatever they do has an effect on

the success of the restaurant.

“I am basically a guide that has the final say, so if

they make a mistake they are not scared but they do

feel as though they have let the team down, which is

much more effective.”

The affable Dubliner has ascended the gastronomic

ladder to gain the role of head chef at Sauterelle by

working in some of the world’s best kitchens, but

where did his love of cooking begin?

“Cooking has always been a passion of mine, I was

always cooking at home for the family and trying to

impress girlfriends, and I did quite well!” he says with

a mischievous smile.

“I was 17 when I started cooking professionally.

I felt I’d wasted enough of my parents’ money on

Left: Head chef, Robin Gill, is an aftable Dubliner and thedriving force behind Sauterelle.Right: Quality seasonal ingredients are the focus of the creativeand regularly changing menus, which feature such delights asjuniper-cured Venison Carpaccio (left), Beetroot’s royal purpleadds stunning colour to some dishes (centre), while carrot cake(right) is elevated to new heights.

78

schooling that I didn’t really enjoy, and I wanted toget into the real world. It was a struggle at first, butfrom the moment I stepped into a professionalkitchen I knew it was for me.”

Gill has since progressed through the gastronomicranks and is now the driving force behind theillustrious Restaurant Sauterelle, which occupies aprime location within the grandeur of London’s RoyalExchange. But with more top restaurants located inLondon than anywhere else in the UK, how does theIrishman manage to differentiate himself and Sauterellefrom the capital’s numerous high profile competitors?

“It is a challenge, but we are not trying to beanything new. It’s good to be adventurous but wedon’t over-complicate things. We source seasonalproduce from the best suppliers first and then cookingredients simply and gently, and match flavoursthat work.

“By changing the menu quite frequently we offerour regular guests variation, but we also have someclassics that will always be on, like the crab ravioli. I feel that by never being complacent and constantlyraising the bar, we deliver a great service which isreally hard to beat.”

The focus of regularly changing Sauterelle’s menu toreflect seasonality is not only something that Gill feelspassionately about, but something which he believes isvital to the success of any self-respecting restaurant.

“The need to promote seasonality is not as muchimportant now, as it is expected. Any restaurant thatis not offering seasonal produce is living in the darkages and likely to be out of business very soon.

“I am in contact with all of my key suppliers dailyand my menu is developed around them. Theyeffectively write the menu. I base my style and cookingcombinations around what the suppliers have which isat its best, and then create a dish with thoseingredients, and this happens throughout the entiremenu.”

While seasonal produce provides the centralfoundation for the menu at Sauterelle, the inspirationbehind the dishes which Gill ultimately producesfrom the ingredients is drawn from a breadth of areas.Discussing the inspiration behind the creation of hisbeautifully presented and exquisitely balanced dishes,Gill singles out two influences in particular.

“Raymond Blanc, my old mentor, has been thebiggest influence on me. His incredible passion and

vision were just so inspiring; he also has a great businessmind, which I hope to be able to emulate one day.

“Another important influence was that I wasbrought up on the coast in south Dublin where thereis some amazing seafood, so this has definitely had ahuge impression on me, one which I think is obviousthroughout the menu.”

And indeed paying homage to his Dublin roots hasresulted in several stunning dishes appearing upon themenu, which have charmed diners and restaurantcritics alike, as Gill explains;

“There is an old Dublin dish called ‘coddle’ whichis like a stew that my mum used to cook for me that I have put on the menu in a more refined version, and we also have a fantastic Guinness soda breadwhich we bake twice a day that is very popular.”

In stark contrast to the refined simplicity of thedishes based upon his own childhood favourites Gill,alongside chocolatier, Paul A. Young, was alsocredited last year for creating a dessert that was laterdescribed as London’s most indulgent Easter egg.

The dessert, comprising a 70 per cent Madagascandark chocolate egg inlayed with edible 23 carat goldleaf and sea salt caramel, and served on a nest of Gill’s

“I base my style and cooking combinations around whatthe suppliers have which is at its best and then create a dish with those ingredients.”

79

homemade muesli of toasted nuts, dried fruits and

sweetened parsnip crisps, amazed and delighted diners

with its deliciously decadent design. But are there

any plans to try and better it this year? Gill laughs

as he replies;

“I think that would be hard to beat and when

something works so well, why change it? We might

do it again though, as we have had so many people

requesting it I will just have to please them.”

When he’s not taking desserts to exciting new levels

of indulgence or checking with suppliers to find out

what produce is at its seasonal best, Gill also kindly

takes the time to share his considerable culinary

knowledge with others by publishing recipes on the

Sauterelle website.

Given that cooking is bigger than ever it would

be natural to assume that a talent as great as Gill’s will

soon be destined for the spotlight of the mass media.

However, this is one avenue the chef is less keen

to explore.

“I would love to do a book, and will someday I

hope, but the little TV that I have done has put me

off. I come from a showbiz family and when I started

to cook I always thought that I could do TV, but as

my career became more serious I decided that I did

not want to do it.”

So given that the call of television is not a serious

option for Gill, where does the chef see himself in

the future? Answering with a strong degree of

certainty and a characteristically ego-free response

Gill describes;

“My real dream is to have a restaurant on a

coastline somewhere where I would do a much

simpler style of cooking than I do now, based on local

foraged ingredients. Somewhere I might have time to

have a family, and slow down a little.”

But for any readers who have yet to experience the

fantastic food at Restaurant Sauterelle, fear not, Gill has

no intention of chasing that particular dream just yet.

“For now, I think I will stay in the fast pace of

London as the cooking scene is at its best and I am

enjoying every bit of it.”

Restaurant Sauterelle offers a chic and intimate dining experienceon the south mezzanine of the Royal Exchange.Its glazed archesoverlook the Grand Café, which is located in the centralcourtyard. This was once the trading floor of the third RoyalExchange building on the site, opened by Queen Victoria in 1844

80

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Wedding BellesLeanne McGrath meets award winning Bridal Designer Ian Stuart,

the man responsible for more big days than Prince Charming

Fact. A wedding dress can make or break what is supposed to be the greatest day of your life. As melodramatic as it may sound, in many

women’s experience, finding the “perfect dress” can be just as hard as finding “Mr Right”.

As anyone who witnessed the exploits of CarrieBradshaw in the ‘Sex and The City’ movie, a gown can be as luxurious and extravagant as the venue, or as subtle and modest as the woman wearing it. Soto discover more about the secrets of what makes theperfect dress, I met up with award winning designerIan Stuart.

Renowned for his theatrical designs, which areworn and adored by brides all over the world, Stuarthas more than a decade’s experience within theindustry. Throughout his illustrious career, Stuart hasbeen awarded the prestigious accolade of UK BridalDesigner of the Year no less than five times.

82

“It’s a magnificent achievement.” Stuart says, while

reflecting on his many awards adding;

“To have won it so many times in an industry rife

with amazing talent is a great honour. The competition

gets tougher each year, and I never expected to win

again, especially after receiving an outstanding

contribution award in 2008.”

As one of the most esteemed designers within the

bridal industry, Stuart began his training at Belville

Sassoon, one of London’s finest couture houses which

specialises in creating gowns for a number of high profile

celebrities, as well as members of the royal family.

Having studied fashion at college, Stuart’s natural

exuberance and limitless creativity played a significant

role in deciding the direction he would pursue in the

fashion industry.

“I quickly found my ideas were far too big for

day wear. I chose to specialise in bridal almost

immediately, as it allowed me to be more flamboyant,

and design truly beautiful dresses, without hampering

my creativity.”

Having trained at Belville Sassoon, Stuart is

accustomed to designing and specialising in the

creation of gowns for high society members.

With HRH Prince William and Kate Middleton’s

Royal wedding being one of the most talked about

social events of recent years, particular attention is

being paid to what the bride will wear on the day.

Will the gown be a timeless classic suited to today’s

standards? Or will it be a replica of the dress worn by

the late Princess Diana; an iconic puff ball meringue

gown, made of silk taffeta?

Stuart for one has no doubts about the direction he

would take if charged with designing what will surely

become the most famous gown of a generation;

“I would dress Kate Middleton in a luxurious

silk taffeta gown, with an off the shoulder portrait

neckline, leading into a fitted asymmetric trumpet

skirt. The dress would incorporate a billowing train.

The understated timeless silhouette is a fusion of

classic couture, and contemporary chic!”

Stuart explains.

2011 seems to be a popular year for marriage, with

two Royal weddings, as well as a handful of celebrities

joining in matrimony. As the spring/summer season

approaches, we are seeing a number of new looks and

designs being introduced to the market. Stuart

predicts that the new season’s bridal wear will see the

return of the theme of the princess fantasy, meaning

that the gowns will be taking a turn away from the

simple to the more extravagant.

“My prediction for the 2011 season is formal,

serious, splendid wedding gowns that give an

emotional feeling and bring tears to your eye. I think

2011 will see the return of the bridal fantasy, dresses

that reflect the vision of a three-year-old child,

who dreams of her wedding day.” �

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Creativity is evidently the key to Stuart’s collections;he is renowned for both his theatrical signature style,and for consistently pushing the boundaries of bridalwear traditions. But it is also his uncanny ability to fuseextravagant looks with comfort, which has cementedStuart’s enviable reputation within the bridal industry.

“I have a very theatrical, ornate, and sometimes over-the-top-style, while still being wearable! It is what I am known for in the industry, it’s the way I enjoydesigning, and it’s what brides want from Ian Stuart.”

Evidence of Stuart’s signature style is shownthroughout his new 2011 collection ‘Revolution Rocks’which, with its lavish and luxurious creations, perfectlycaptures the eclectic mix of inspirations that inform his designs, including one of history’s greatest fashion icons.

“I take my inspiration from many things around me, history books, oil paintings, buildings, and places, from Buckingham Palace to the London Buses!

“For the 2011 ‘Revolution Rocks’ collection, I tookmy inspiration from one of the first real style icons inhistory, Marie Antoinette. Her decadent style andrevolutionary attitude inspired me to combine thelavish dress of kings and queens with the anarchist eraof punk, and my goal was to create a collection which is both fairytale and cutting edge.” Stuart adds.

So much has to be considered when selecting theright wedding dress from the style, as well as the shape,and cut. Nothing can be left to chance. And with the new collection, all these elements have beenmeticulously thought of to help any bride achieve that distinctive Ian Stuart look. �

86

Cutting edge, theatrical, and beautiful, the gowns

come in a variety of colours including gold, amethyst

and powder blue and pink, and will compliment any

blushing bride.

“There are many different types of bride who are

looking for a more interesting and unusual dress.

Some brides want slim and elegant, but with a twist,

others want the biggest, most outrageous dress they

can find. I try to design a collection that will suit all

of those styles, as well as fulfilling my own creative

needs!” say Stuart.

But ‘Revolution Rocks’ is not just about colours,

and neither is Stuart, as fabric and embellishments

feature heavily throughout each and every one of his

collections. The embellishments on a bride’s dress can

really show off her physical attributes, and make a

simply designed gown into a timeless classic that

will be remembered in years to come.

A bride should always take this into consideration

when choosing a dress, and attempt to select a gown

that is stylish and in fashion, but yet one that won't

look ridiculous twenty years down the line. This is

where Stuart and his collections step in, by pairing

fashion with a chic, lasting design.

It’s easy to see how much thought goes into the

designing and production of a dress. As well as

embellishments, the dress has to be made of the right

fabric to suit the bride. Stuart uses many different

fabrics throughout his collections, and this can

completely transform his creations.

“Different fabrics have different personalities,

and can entirely change the look and feel of a design.

I use many different fabrics, such as the fine silks

traditionally used in bridal wear, as well as unusual

Italian fabrics.

“We have made our own textured fabrics this

season, using embroidery and reapplication.

Also hand beading using classic pearls, lots of

sequins, and Swarovski crystals. ” Stuart adds.

One of the key gowns within the ‘Revolution

Rocks’ collection, which will capture the attention

of even the fussiest bride, is the ‘Flower bomb’.

Truly elegant, the gown has exquisite eye-catching

details which have been encrusted with numerous

beads and crystals.

As the name of the gown suggests, flowers in tulle

and lace surround the magnificent skirt, as if a bomb

made up of flowers has exploded. Made of silk

dupion, and lace, the remainder of the gown features

a strapless sweetheart neckline, as well as a pretty

bodice. It’s easy to see why this gown is at the

forefront of the ‘Revolution Rocks’ collection, and it

looks like it’s a firm favourite amongst Stuart’s clients,

as well as the designer himself.

“It’s very difficult to choose just one favourite,

as within each collection I have at least 10!

They are usually the biggest ones! But if I had to

choose one, it would be ‘Flower Bomb’, because it’s

quite outrageous, and like nothing that has been done

in bridal wear before.”

88

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Why is it that whenever you watch one of the

endless home make-over shows on TV that

the homeowner and the designer are always

separated until the very end of the show? The home is

the most personal of spaces, so why on earth should you

entrust a perfect stranger to style it in their own vision?

Much like your own reflection, you have to look at

and live with your home every single day. You wouldn’t

have a facelift without meeting the surgeon first, so why

take the same risk with your home?

But fear not, because not all interior designers are

elusive spectres who simply appear at the end of a project

to tell you what they’ve done and why you should love it.

In fact, as I arrive to meet top interior designer Steven

Thorne at his stunning showroom, I discover it’s quite

the opposite.

Far from being separated from his clients, Steve,

(who insists on disposing of silly uptight formalities and

being called Steve even in print), is jovially guiding a client

through the various intricacies of working with suede.

Watching Steve work, two things become instantly

apparent, firstly his unbelievable passion for his work

and secondly, his absolute dedication to making clients’

dreams a stunning reality, no matter how flamboyant

those dreams may be.

Having provided the client with the benefit of his

astonishing wisdom and seen her leave the showroom

speechless at the possibilities available to her, Steve grabs

a precious, and rather rare spare moment to meet with

me, and within five minutes we are chatting over a coffee

like old friends.

“Clients are the most important thing” he tells me

as he sits back on a sumptuous Italian sofa.

“We work very closely with clients, it’s like a

relationship; you have to build trust and find out what

they like and don’t like. 90 per cent of my day is spent

one on one with clients because it’s all about the personal

touch, the service. Everything is about the service.”

As we relax in the breathtaking surroundings of some

of the many products and fittings which Steve and his

design team implement into clients’ homes, he explains

the full process that he takes clients through to ensure

that the finished product is always exactly as they

had envisioned it.

“We work very hands-on with the client at the

beginning. Our main criterion is to listen to them,

to make sure that we’ve got an understanding of

everything that they want. From that point we do

portfolios, 3D renders and also 3D walkthroughs.

It’s not like it used to be, where you were relying purely

on your brain to imagine the visual finish, we can now

use the computer to achieve an exact representation of

the finished requirements.

“The 3D walkthrough is identical to the finished

article. So if there is anything that the client isn’t sure of

when we take them through the room we can change it

before we even start. There’s no guess work.”

Understandably, offering clients the opportunity to see

and approve the finished product before the construction

and installation phases of the project have begun is a

massive benefit to both client and designer. And given

some of the highly individual and uniquely specialist

requests that Steve and his team undertake, achieving a

distinct look down to the last detail is absolutely vital.

However perfecting the design is merely the first of the

many challenges that Steve encounters on the path to

design perfection as he explains;

“One of our clients asked us to make their bedroom

look like a jewellery box. So one of the things we did was

source pure amethyst and lapis lazuli from the Congo,

and mother of pearl from Japan, which we

then had shipped to Germany and machined into

furniture panels.

“We then sourced timber from Russia, which has a

very rare veneer, and had handles made from solid gold

with monograms on them made in Paris. Finally, all the

components of the furniture were brought together and

built in the UK. All that was for one piece of furniture

and we had to project manage the entire thing.”

In the search to source the ideal materials to perfectly

fulfil a design brief, Steve is literally willing to go to the

ends of the earth. As a result, clients are presented with a

mind boggling variety of options.

A world of possibilityChris Peck meets interior design pioneer Steven Thorne to discover why

there are no limitations to his breathtaking designs.

Above: Steven Thorne

Tel: 01702 480072,

[email protected]

www.steventhornedesign.com ,

91

“We like to think that if a client has an unusual requestthat we can either instantly provide, or quite easily sourcethe materials to meet the most bizarre requirements. I’vespent 35 years travelling the world sourcing materials andcollecting unusual companies to do specialist projects forus. Everything about our work is in the miniscule details.”

The incredible attention to detail that every singleelement of each project receives is quite simply jawdropping. And the sheer array of materials, finishes andtechniques that Steve offers his clients regularly exceedstheir wildest dreams as he explains;

“We are able to cater to the entire spectrum of designtastes ranging from the classical right through to the exoticand unusual and that’s what really sets us apart. The thingis, when clients come in seeking the unusual, we can showthem things that they would never have given thought toin a million years because they didn’t know they existed.

“So for example, we did a project where the carpets were real zebra and the walls were all stretch crocodile.We’re also doing another project in an office that whenyou walk into it, the whole of the room becomes a movingpicture. It’s amazing how much science is becoming anincreasing part of our business.”

While Steve and his team offer total aesthetic wishfulfilment in every room of the house, the interior stylegenius never cuts corners with practicality and is quick toexplain one of the most important elements of his designphilosophy.

“Function before fashion. There’s no point having afantastic looking kitchen if you can’t work in it or abathroom where you go in and walk into everything. It has to be a working living space, so we take in all these requirements first and foremost and then we buildthe aesthetics.

“Our spatial designers meticulously plan all of therooms, they make sure everything flows really nicely andthere are no restrictions. We make sure it works perfectlybefore we add any of the glitz.”

One such room requiring intricate technical planning,as well as luxurious design, which Steve is increasinglyfinding in demand, is the home cinema.

“We’re getting a huge amount of business coming in forcinema design. Cinemas are the next big thing to have, sowe’re now working with the biggest home cinemacompany in the country.

92

“We’ve just completed one which has got electric glass

door entry. It’s crushed glass and when you walk up to it,

the doors open up and as you go in they shut and then

the room switches itself to black. It’s very unusual; all the

walls and the flooring are in stitched strips of leather hide,

so it’s a very unusual finish. But it’s all for the room’s

acoustics to absorb sound.”

The outstanding ability of Steve and his multi-talented

team to fuse seamlessly functionality with spectacular

aesthetics, and creatively utilise striking new materials in

cutting edge ways, has seen them gain a huge amount

of interest from the fashion world. Steve explains;

“We now have fashion designers coming to us because

they’re very linked to fabrics and we can help them with

materials which will help their designs. Because the

unusual finishes and materials we use are very couture,

we’re increasingly being asked by fashion houses to get

involved with them and promote their products alongside

our own.”

And as a result of these constantly blurring lines

between interiors and fashion, Steve has adapted the

promotion of his business accordingly, something

which has also further increased the interest of the

fashion world.

“We’re really changing the way we photograph

ourselves now that we’ve started going into the fashion

industry. Our photographer is David Lam, who

photographs for Vogue and Tatler.

“We actually get people calling us and saying; ‘Can you

put our shoes or our clothing into the shots in your next

publicity shoot?’. Whereas Armani and Versace have

moved from clothing into interior design, we’re moving

the other way round.”

So what does this mean for the future of Steven Thorne

Design? Can we expect to see a couture collection created

from fabulous exotic fabrics and unique materials gracing

the catwalks of Paris and Milan?

“We are very much a residential design company at

the moment, but we are increasingly being asked to

undertake commercial business. We’ve got a few irons in

the fire with boutique hotels and that’s a direction that

we would love to go in,” Steve explains with a

characteristic smile before continuing;

“As for fashion? We could certainly take some of our

fabrics and details and start incorporating them into

clothing. There’s no reason why we can’t – we’ll never

say never.”

Above: 3D render, which is a photo realistic, computer generated image

93

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STAND UPAND BENOTICEDChris Peck meets Imran Yusuf the UK comedy

scene’s brightest new star

Stand up comedy is very much like the

flying trapeze; you are out on a limb and

if things go wrong there’s no safety net to

catch you. The main difference between the

two however, is that no one ever heckles a

trapeze artist in the hope of making them fall.

Of all the performing arts, stand up is

without question the most unforgiving.

So what is it that drives people to put

themselves through such a terrifying ordeal, let

alone to quit a successful career to actively

pursue it? To find out we spoke to comedian

Imran Yusuf, the brightest and funniest new

star on the UK comedy circuit.

96

“Ever since I was a kid I've always wanted two things; to

perform and be a stand-up comedian and to make video

games.” Yusuf recalls.

Following his childhood ambitions, Yusuf initially opted

for the video games career path, but upon securing what he

believed would be a dream job he soon discovered that it

didn’t quite live up to his expectations.

“The video games industry was tough, although I had a

lot of knowledge and enthusiasm for it; the politics behind

it all were awful. Although you might have a great idea, the

individual coders, designers and artists will make it in their

own way.

“I wanted 100 per cent creative control, which is virtually

impossible, unless you're one of the elite producers from

Japan like Miyamoto, Kojima, or Suzuki. However, 100

percent creative control is exactly what stand-up comedy

gave me right from the start, so it was a natural progression

for me.”

Now it takes an individual with a certain level of

confidence and self belief to see walking on stage in front of

an unforgiving comedy audience as a natural career

progression. However meeting Yusuf it is easily

understandable why, for this irrepressible comic, it was not

only a logical move to make, but one which he was simply

destined for. He explains;

“I think I’ve always had a talent for making people laugh,

and I've always used humour to communicate with

everyone. Although sometimes I think people laugh more

at how animated I am or the silly faces I make, rather than

what I am saying.”

Succeeding on the comedy circuit requires a lot of hard

work; ironically it’s not simply all about being funny. Before

you can make an audience laugh you have to actually be

able to get to stand in front of one and before you can get

booked by the big clubs you have to build a reputation

for yourself wherever you can.

“To begin with, there were some clubs that wouldn't

book me so it was a tough start with several tough gigs.

“ Yusuf recalls.

And while the comedian’s unique brand of intelligent

social observations have since won him much critical

acclaim and admiration, some of the crowds he performed

for at the beginning of his career were not quite so receptive

as the comedian explains;

“The worst had to be in Bexley Heath in Kent, where a

heavily tattooed man confronted me after the gig. He was

upset over some material that he really didn't understand

and as he launched into his tirade, other members of the

audience came up to me and said; "That was great, but

you're too intelligent for Bexley Heath.” The heavily

tattooed man's anger sank into bewilderment as the rest of

the audience indirectly told him he was not smart enough

to understand the show, so I shook his hand and left.”

If appearing alone on stage as a stand up was not a

daunting enough prospect on its own, the potential to be

accosted after a gig by an irate audience member can

only further add to those pre-show nerves. But how does

one deal with such stage pressure and can it ever really

be overcome?

“I used to shadow-box before a gig to get the nervous

energy moving around my body instead of letting the

butterflies in my stomach keep it there. Although I do feel

comfortable on stage, I still get nerves, but only so I never

get complacent.”

Just as Yusuf has learnt to control his nerves to the benefit

of his stage performance, he has also learnt from the

experiences of his early gigs and used them to forge a quite

remarkable career.

“I never take stand-up for granted and always pay the

craft and the audience the respect they deserve for allowing

me to do what is the best job in the world.

“After those early gigs I persevered and developed brand

new material, and suddenly exciting things started

happening, all of which then exploded when I was

nominated for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh

Festival 2010.”

Having doggedly worked his way through the comedy

clubs it was with a certain irony that Yusuf achieved such

incredible success at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, largely

because it was totally unintentional.

“I went up to Edinburgh in 2010 with the sole intention

of doing an hour show only to hone the craft of doing a solo

hour, so that I could perfect it and then bring it back the

following year when it would be really good.

“In this endeavour I failed spectacularly, it turned out

that my show was actually a lot better than I thought it was

and it all kicked off. Suddenly, every day brought good news

for my career and I realised that my dreams were finally

coming true.”

To put this success into perspective, Yusuf ’s free show;

An Audience with Imran Yusuf saw him nominated for the

Best Newcomer in the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards,

the first comedian from the Free Festival to be nominated

for the prize in the history of the awards.

Naturally the recognition soon led to interest and

admiration from influential peers, with the likes of Michael

McIntyre and Steven K Amos both notable fans of the

performer. Having already appeared on the popular TV

series Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, Yusuf is

currently inundated with work as he explains;

“You can expect to see and hear me on many more TV

and radio shows in 2011. Some are still top secret at this

time, but for now you can look forward to seeing me in

Charlie Brooker's "How TV Ruined Your Life.”

Despite a wealth of upcoming TV and radio work,

Yusuf is also about to embark upon a UK wide tour with

his critically acclaimed show. But how does the comedian

expect to cope with life on the road and how does he

feel about headlining his own tour?

“Well I've just got back from holiday in Thailand, living

out of a suitcase, so I guess I'm ready for that aspect. But

I'm just really excited about the tour, it's amazing to know

that there are so many people around the entire UK

who want to come and see me do a solo show that is all

about me.”

With his stand up career going from strength to

strength and future appearances on TV also on the horizon

you could be forgiven for assuming that Yusuf had

achieved all his goals in life. But you couldn’t be more

wrong. When discussing his future Yusuf has some very

clear ambitions;

“I want to own a penthouse apartment on the Thames,

drive an Aston Martin, make a movie with Jackie Chan,

marry Keira Knightley, father eight children, build a family

home that looks like the ThunderCat's Lair and dive with

Great White Sharks.”

Now I’m no stand up comedian but even I’m willing to

take a risk and go out on a limb occasionally. And given

his incredible determination, self confidence and natural

talent I’d wager that it won’t be too long before Yusuf can

be found locking the front door of a Thames side replica

ThunderCat’s Lair while Jackie Chan and a certain Ms

Knightlyload up the Aston Martin with eight kids and

a shark cage. And I’m not even joking.

“I never take stand-upfor granted and alwayspay the craft and theaudience the respectthey deserve forallowing me to dowhat is the best job in the world.” Imran Yusuf

97

The Spice of Life

Ileft Gatwick early on a freezing cold morning,

when the world was still in black and white.

Ghostly outlines of trees and motionless animals in

the fields were only just discernable through layers of

mist. Just a nine and a half hour flight later, I stepped

down into a place of sultry warmth and vivid colour,

inhaled the almost oily air, and felt the warm beads of

moisture stand out on my face and arms. Grenada was

a sight for sore eyes.

Christopher Columbus must have felt the same way

back in 1498, when he came ashore and thanked his

lucky navigational stars for bringing him to this

geographical gem. Grenada is known as the “Spice Isle”

of the Caribbean and is the largest of The Grenadines,

an island chain, which includes Carriacou and Petite

Martinique, and is just 100 miles to the north of

Venezuela. Cooled by drifting trade winds, the

temperature ranges between a balmy 75 and 85 degrees

Fahrenheit. The rainy season is from June to December

but it doesn’t usually rain for more than an hour or two

and not every day. Grenada is in the Atlantic Standard

Time Zone, one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time

and four hours behind GMT.

All the lovely people, where do they all come from..?

Well, Grenada actually, but their heritage is African,

East Indian, English, French and Scottish, and what a

heady and attractive brew it is. Everyone seems to be

musical and calypso is the music of the native

Grenadian, but reggae and pop is the music of choice

at carnival time (and in the mini-buses).

St George’s is the capital, and the hilly streets are

bursting at the seams with market stalls, heaps of

coconuts, bananas, fresh fish, and thronging with

colourful characters. A variety of cruise liners arrive on

Fridays, laden with excited tourists who come to explore

the harbour, streets and beaches and pick up bargains in

the duty free. International flights land at Maurice

Bishop International Airport and visitors who continue

on, only have a short hop by inter-island charter to

Lauriston Airport in Carriacou. The seadogs who make

their way down by yacht have a choice of marinas at

which they can dock, clear immigration and customs

and stock up with supplies, as well as check out the local

scene or have an overnight break at one of the wonderful

hotels. The currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar,

but US dollars are accepted also. Grenada (Carriacou

and Petite Martinique) is an independent nation within

the British Commonwealth so English is the official

language spoken here, although you can sometimes

tune in to a local French-African patois.

Spice Island Beach Resort is positioned on the silver

sands of the world-famous Grand Anse Beach,

and Sir Royston O. Hopkin’s family-run boutique resort

is a haven of calm luxury. There are 64 fabulously

appointed suites, many of which have pools or direct

access to the beach. The hotel is family friendly and there

is a delightful kids’ club with many activities laid on for

all children aged between 3 and 12.

The Royal Clove Suite has what I believe to be the

most comfortable bed in the world and I found that

in the Janissas Spa, there is every type of pampering

available, from body polishing to massages. The Cybex

fitness centre is well-equipped to keep you trim but I

was too busy eating at “Olivers” beachside gourmet

restaurant with its live music to have time to worry

about that. The superb and beautifully presented food

is made mostly with local produce and exotic spices.

There is an extensive breakfast and daily table d’hotel

menu, and there are 7 courses at dinner. Call me weak,

but I couldn’t stop sampling everything... However,

there are casual alternatives to the restaurant as well as

room service, which are available at no extra cost.

One rather rainy evening, a group of us went to a local

town to sample “Fish Friday”, when traffic-free, music-

filled streets are lined with stands selling the catch of the

day, all sizzling and hot, with such tantalising delights as

yellow-fin tuna, marlin, red snapper, mahi-mahi and

flying fish. On my return, as I wandered from my suite

towards “Olivers”, the air was heavy with the fragrance of

coral-coloured bougainvillea and other exotic sun-loving

shrubs, while the solar lighting picked up glimpses of

powdery lunar moths pursuing their nightly haunting.

And then I heard it... Out of ”Olivers” was coming the

most wonderful music, not just a steel band, but a steel

orchestra. The drummers, seven in all, had drums tuned

to sound like different instruments, which produced

A Visitor’s Reflection on GrenadaKnown as the ‘Spice Isle’ of the Caribbean, Grenada has inspired thecreation of fabulous tropical hotel resorts. Claire Durkin has sampledtheir delights...

99

unbelievably beautiful music. Their impressive

repertoire included a version of the “Hallelujah

Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah, which left everyone

speechless, while “What a Wonderful World”, left us

all misty-eyed.

Grenada has some wonderful natural resources,

so there are some fascinating places to visit, such as the

Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Station, and the River

Antoine Rum Distillery, where apart from people’s

clothes, you feel as if you are stepping back in time.

The processes are unchanged. The Grenada Chocolate

Factory was more up-to-date, although in a tiny

building the size of someone’s house. The chocolate is

of such high quality that it is exported to the UK to be

sold in some of the most prestigious shops in the

country.

Grenada thrives on private enterprise and each

resident owns their own piece of land, so even in this

time of high unemployment, food can be grown and

the people are always looking out for each other.

Never was this so true than after the terrible Hurricane

Ivan in 2004, which devastated the island, leaving

many houses without a roof. People joined forces and

kept their spirits up, even when reduced to surviving

on endless tins of corned beef. Generosity and

kindness seems to have no limit here, and I was

aware of it from the moment I arrived.

Talent runs high in the Hopkin family and Sir

Royston’s brother, Arnold D Hopkin, is also a very

successful entrepreneur and provides a gorgeous

alternative just around the corner at The Blue

Horizons Garden Resort. Arnold is very interested in

tropical birds, and the resort’s lush gardens, which have

wonderful views over the west coast, attract at least 21

different, colourful species from violet-eared doves to

mangrove cuckoos.

The resort has different types of suites and rooms that

reflect its easy-going relaxed theme and I was treated to

a delicious dinner at a popular on-site restaurant called

“La Belle Creole”, where its tropical feeling was

enhanced by wide open windows and whirring ceiling

fans. The rather more bohemian side of me loved this

place and it makes the perfect spot for slipping in to

a different gear. Arnold Hopkin is a high profile

personality in the local community and has made it his

mission to put steps in place to ensure that every child

is taught how to swim.

All-in-all, these two Hopkin guys are putting on

quite a show. All their hard work over the years has

made a massive impression on this beautiful island and

it has been, and will continue to be, very well received

and appreciated by their visitors. So, thanks to them

and their staff for a fantastic experience, which I would

love to repeat, and to Vikki Moody of Beth Cooper

PR for arranging it all. For more information, visit

www.spiceislandbeachresort,com and

www.grenadabluehorizons.com.

Top Left: Some of the beautifully appointed Spice Beach suites have direct access to the golden sands of Grand Anse Beach. Top Right: One of the superb Spice Beach pools. Below: Grenadas’ glowing tropical colours are mirrored in the Spice Beach resort’s lobby.

100

Insight Showroom, Howe Lane Farm, White Waltham, Berkshire, SL6 3JP

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Opposite Page:Left: Wentworth Ebony driven by owner P J Gray.Right: Ridden Veteran Horse Class.

The eyes of the world will be upon the UK this

spring as HRH Prince William marries his

fiancée Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey.

The event is guaranteed to increase further the

fascination and admiration the world has with

The Royal Family and also generate a surge in tourism

to our shores.

In addition to the royal wedding, it’s highly likely

that visitors to the UK looking to indulge in all things

regal will also be seeking the chance to experience

some of the social season events which are synonymous

with the royal family. But how is one to choose which

event to attend?

There are certain events in the social calendar which

are so rich in their history and tradition with the

monarchy that they simply stand out above all others.

Events such as Royal Ascot, the Henley Regatta and

the Cartier International, always receive a strong royal

presence. However, there is one event above all others

that is considered to be the favourite of HRH The

Queen herself; The Royal Windsor Horse Show.

So to find out more about this most esteemed of

equestrian events and establish what exactly it is that

makes the Royal Windsor Horse Show such a firm

favourite with Her Majesty, we spoke to one of the

event’s key organisers; PR Manager Kelly Smith.

“The Royal Windsor Horse Show is held in the

spectacular setting of the private grounds of Windsor

Castle. It is the only time the grounds are open to the

public, by kind permission of Her Majesty The Queen.

Smith explains.

“This makes Windsor a really special show, where

the competitors really enjoy competing. However,

The Royal Windsor Horse Show is not just an

equestrian event – it’s a fantastic day out for everyone.”

As well as being the only opportunity for the

public to visit the private grounds of Windsor Castle,

another element of the show which differentiates it

from similar high profile events is the active

participation of members of the royal family in

competition. In the past both HRH The Duke of

Edinburgh and HRH The Princess Royal have

competed at the event.

But despite there being no participation expected

from any members of the royal family this year,

Smith has no doubt that the spectators and the

competitors will be of the very highest standing.

“Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness

The Duke of Edinburgh are real equestrian enthusiasts

and attend the show most days throughout its five

day duration. HRH The Earl of Wessex and his wife

Sophie are also often spotted at the show.

“Although we won’t announce which riders are

attending the event until entries have closed, previous

competitors have included world class riders such as

Michael and John Whitaker, Ben Maher and Tim

Stockdale.”

The scale of the show and level of competition is

little short of staggering. Held over a period of five

days from May 11th, the show encompasses a wide

range of equestrian disciplines. Elaborating further

on the show’s events, Smith reveals;

“There are more than 250 classes at the Royal

Windsor Horse Show with over 3000 horses and

ponies taking part. As well as top class show jumping

and showing, the show also holds a prestigious

international carriage driving competition:

The Land Rover International Driving Grand Prix.

“On the Saturday of the show, the ‘Marathon’

phase takes place, where competitors drive their

Furlong May It Rein Chris Peck finds out what has made the Royal Windsor Horse

Show a jewel in the crown of the social season.

103

carriages through a series of obstacles around the

showground, including the famous water obstacle,

which really is a spectacular sight.”

Given the grandeur of the show, its surroundings

and the esteemed competition, it might come as a

surprise to discover that aspiring young riders are also

given the opportunity of competing on the same stage

as their world class idols.

But as Smith explains, as part of the Royal Windsor

Horse Show’s Grass Roots competition, the equestrian

stars of the future have the chance to fulfil

their dreams.

“It was created in 2009 to give the chance for

anybody to be able to ride at Royal Windsor. Riders

compete in either Dressage or Show Jumping at their

local riding clubs, and if they qualify there, and at the

next round, they will come to Windsor to compete.

It’s a really popular competition and the finals are held

in the main arena at Windsor, which is incredibly

exciting for young riders.”

In addition to world class and grass roots’

equestrian events, the show also offers a magnificent

range of other activities and attractions which cater

for all tastes and interests. It is this accessibility which

has seen the show grow from strength to strength.

Whereas other events of the social season are largely

defined by their formality in terms of dress and

etiquette, the Royal Windsor Horse Show provides a

far more relaxed atmosphere. So for those who want

to dress down and enjoy the show casually, there’s

no need to wear your best threads. Equally, for those

who positively revel in the dressing up and the sense

of occasion, the opportunity is still there as

Smith explains;

“I think there was once a bit of a stigma

surrounding the show – but over the years it has

become a real friendly, fun show for all the family

and people attend in their tens of thousands.

“Any dress code is permitted. However, there is a

members’ enclosure which those who purchase a

members ticket can gain access to – and there is a

stricter dress code for that area.”

And indeed it is this superb level of choice and

variety which sees people flock back to the event every

year. Describing what this year’s show has to offer,

Smith excitedly explains;

“The show ground is host to ‘Windsor Castle Food

and Shopping’ – an area containing over 200 shops,

restaurants and food outlets, featuring everything from

country-wear fashion, art and furniture to jewellery,

food and wine.

“There’s also an exciting military zone where people

can explore the latest military equipment and have a

go at paintballing! While a brand new feature for this

year is the EcoVillage, an interesting tent showcasing

the latest sustainable products.”

Alongside the impressive range of events happening

during the day, the evening also offers visitors the

opportunity to enjoy the spectacle of the Windsor

Tattoo and give valuable support to the Royal

British Legion.

Celebrating its 90th anniversary The Tattoo is a live

action and musical celebration of the British armed

forces featuring military re-enactments as

Smith explains;

“This year’s show will feature over 600 troops

from Britain and overseas. 2011 has an exciting

Anglo/French theme and will include a number

of French personnel, working together with the

British military.”

“As well as featuring the very best military bands,

the Tattoo is choreographed to show the modern

military’s capabilities through arena action displays

including a battle re-enactment from The Royal

Marines. There’s also the Tattoo’s famous tribute to the

Royal Navy field gun competition, last seen in

its full format at The Royal Tournament in 1999.”

And for all those people looking to embrace fully

the romance of both one of the social events of the

season and what is undoubtedly the most eagerly

anticipated wedding in a generation, Royal Windsor

Horse Show is set to close in appropriate style.

“To end the Tattoo’s final performance with a bang,

there will also be a thrilling fireworks’ finale against the

backdrop of Windsor Castle on the Sunday evening.”

A sparkling end to what is undoubtedly one of the

jewels in the social season’s crown.

Left: Paulien ridden by Charlotte Platt owner Sarah Platt.Right: Jenny's Prince ridden by Allister Hood owner OliverHood- Middleweight winner & Champion Hunter.

104

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The practice’s design ethos is that form and function is crucial to any residential project, appreciating the importance of understanding a client’s lifestyle to formulate internal solutions that reflect the best use of space, which in turn informs the exterior design with placement of windows and doors. Added to the functional design is the appropriate selection of beautiful materials, creating the final design concept.

the designer approach...

The practice is as passionate about the interior design as that of the external architecture, incorporating the clients ideal requirements if clearly defined, or if not, providing the interior that best compliments that of the external designs, allowing a flow of design and class throughout.

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KBB Bathroom designer over £15,000 2011 finalist

Clash of the TitansTorque ain’t cheap, but Kevin Haggarthy argues that a

Porsche and a Ferrari give value for money.

110

If you’ve never sampled a Ferrari or a Porsche,

you may stall at the thought of paying over £100k,

or, in the case of our fully accessorised Ferrari

California, over £200k, for a largely impractical car

you may rarely use. Yet such debates completely miss

the point of these machines – once you’ve indulged in

the thrill of driving either of them, you view the

price/value equation debate in a new perspective.

Price versus Value

I usually test this equation by taking a typical Joe

Public car enthusiast for a ‘proper’ test drive, and

at the end ask, ‘So how much do you think it costs?’

Mostly they overestimate the price. And then,

would they buy it? Invariably the answer is ‘Yes…

if I had the money’.

What follows is no anorak ‘back to back’

comparison road test. Both cars deliver amazing

performance in their own unique way. Each is capable

of competently achieving top speeds not far off the

200mph mark, and hitting the benchmark 60mph in

under four seconds. Yet, in purist terms, these are very

different cars; the Porsche 911 Turbo S represents a

differently tuned alternative to other 911 variants

such as the GT3 RS (race car equivalent for the road),

the GT3 (hard core road car for the track) or the top

of the range GT2 (its speed a challenge for even a race

car driver), whereas the Ferrari California is, well,

just ‘the California’, a single spec model created to fill

a niche in Ferrari’s current range.

And two amazing driving experiences

Here, I simply want to share with you two amazing

driving experiences, for these are cars that bring back

the fire, emotion and passion into driving, delivered

with a spirit and a style that is unique and exclusive

to each of the brands. Porsche and Ferrari understand

the truly enthusiastic driver; once you and either of

these cars connect, you will be hooked ...for the rest

of your life. These cars make you want to be a very

good driver, so you can explore and master their

endless potential, and enjoy the crescendo of sound

that you drive to hear.

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112

Porsche 911 Turbo S

I have a natural weakness for Ferraris. Many years

ago the first ‘love of my life’ recommended that we

saved up ‘for a Ferrari’; I was so moved by the gesture

that I married her ...and bought a Ferrari. But the

Porsche has, over the years, earned my affections on

merit alone. So, nearing the end of my few days with

this Porsche 911Turbo S test car, it got harder and

harder to look out onto the driveway with the

prospect of saying ‘goodbye’.

First up, the Porsche looks and feels as strong as a

tank. It is so thoroughly well made; millimetre perfect

throughout. The bodywork and paint finish are such

that you’d want to wash the car by hand simply to

appreciate their quality and all round ‘toughness’.

It’s a sound investment for your hard-earned cash.

Inside the cabin, the Turbo S’ dash and cabin layout

is simple, functional, and purist. The rev counter sits

dead centre to the eye as the most important dial to

monitor, the speedo tucked up less prominently next

to it. This is a totally driver focused machine, no fuss,

just ready to do what it does best.

That starts, as does your heart-beat, with the turn

of the key; a deep powerful, throaty, razor sharp, roar!

Blip the throttle and the solid body structure shakes

in response to the 3.8l twin turbo-charged flat 6

cylinder engine’s 523bhp. All Turbo S models are

produced with a 7-speed Porsche double clutch ‘PDK’

transmission system, which means you have to drive

with paddle manual shift and auto; shame that, but I

have to say it works a treat.

The improved turbo boost power achieves a 30bhp

hike on power to 523bhp and adds 37lb of torque,

upping the latter to 516lb. It’s thirsty, but no more so

than its predecessor, averaging 24.8mpg; not bad for

the kind of performance we’re talking about here.

Above left: A touch of class – the 911 Turbo S outside Chewton

Glen Hotel, Southampton. Photo: Kevin Haggarthy

Below left: Form follows function – the rev counter sits dead centre

to the eye and the controls fall naturally to hand. Photos: Nick Perry

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The Sport Chrono performance pack comes

standard on this car, enabling the launch control

option, which usefully sharpens up the engine

response, and stiffens the damping for better ultimate

grip. Welcome standard features also include 19” RS

Spyder alloy wheels, dynamic cornering headlights,

and two-tone leather carbon-shelled sports seats.

Behind the wheel

The controls fall naturally to hand and you are

positioned for a committed but not intimidating

driving task – power delivery is precise and responsive,

but very controllable and only alerts you to its

stupendous potential if you ask the question with a

firm right foot. That’s the sign of a truly great car.

Pedal to the metal pins your head and the small of

your back to the seat, and cuts your passenger into

silence mid-sentence. Yet the Turbo S sits firmly

rooted to the road and an overwhelming feeling of

safety permeates the drive. Speed enhances rather than

dilutes steering feel, and the standard fadeless ceramic

brakes soon show their value. Point the Turbo S in any

direction at near on any common sense speed and it

responds with sure-footed ease.

In town, the Turbo S allows you to pootle around

in auto, proving that one of the most powerful cars in

the world can be used routinely for work, shopping,

and the school run. Alternatively, tank it up with fuel,

drive from London to Geneva via the Nürburgring

(for a hard core track day thrash en route), and drive

it home again. Do exactly the same the following day,

and the Turbo S won’t complain. The £100k plus

Porsche does the job of three good quality cars in one

– value for money, surely?

Above: The 911 Turbo S hugs the road

with sure-footed ease. Photo: Nick Perry.

�

The Ferrari California

And, for the first time, the Ferrari does the same,for the California is arguably Ferrari’s most user-friendly car. Make no mistake, it is raw, very fast andlooks, feels, sounds, and drives in every respect as thetrue Ferrari it is. But ...you could use it as your daily drive.

The key difference between the California and someother current Ferrari models is that the ‘FerrariExperience’ of noise, power, speed and presence, is notits dominating feature. It allows you the prospect oftravelling many miles listening to the Hi Fi, using theSat Nav, or even the integrated phone, as you’ll beable to hear the person at the other end.

Its usability goes a step further with the fullyintegrated retractable hard top; just 14 seconds toopen-topped joy on a fine day. ‘Our car’ had the 2+configuration seats, but it would be pushing it to arguethat it could seat anything other than two adults. Butfold down the rear seats, and you have 340 litres ofboot space, enough for golf bags or skis; even with topdown, you have a decent 240 litre so of boot space.

The California’s cabin is beautifully fitted to thesame craftsman-like standard of the Porsche, in leatherand optional carbon fibre, looking plush andexpensive. Our test car was an accessory indulgence,

showing off the Ferrari personalisation programme’spotential to the extent of an additional £70k, the mostobvious showcase extras being the various carbon fibreinserts and the forged matt grey 20” rim alloys; yoursfor an extra £8,027.

The California driving experience

The ‘driving experience’ is generated by a 4.3l 90°V8 direct injection engine, producing 460bhp ofpower at 7750rpm and 357lbs of torque. Enough? I think so – with 0-60mph in less than four secondsand circa 193mph top speed. It’s a dual clutch seven-speeder that’s a treat on the road with near on zerogear shifting times. Yep, it has launch control too…well you have to, don’t you?

Start the California from cold and the whole street knows about it. Curtains and blinds twitch inrecognition. Driving along, mobile phone cameraswill flash, and you’d better know your stats ready forthe Q&A session at every fuel stop. The hand carwash felt like a theatre performance as crowdsgathered to admire. Bit of a show stopper then? I think so.

On the road, even at only 65mph in lane three,other drivers will pull over in deference straight away– a Ferrari makes you Road Royalty. But what you

crave for, especially on a fast cross-country B road, is the feeling of the California’s commandingcompetence when pushed hard at speed. Switch the steering mounted Manettino dial from‘Comfort’ to ‘Sport’ and the gearbox, stability andtraction control systems integrate to give you an evensharper and quicker adrenalin rush than you alreadyhad, proving just how ‘pure Ferrari’ the Californiaexperience really is; the sound, speed, high-pitchedwail and thrust, is only tempered by the requirementsof an impending left or right hander.

So how good a driver are you? The Californiadoesn’t care, for within common sense boundaries itwill do whatever you wish, with attitude and style. If you’re a good driver, it makes you look even better,and if you’re a brave one, you’ll go into 7,000 plusrpm territory and end up a Ferrari convert for life.That’s why I am so pleased that I married my wife;anyone less understanding would have divorced mefor adultery …with a Ferrari.

I drove the Porsche first – it was the best, I had toown it. I drove the Ferrari California second – it wasthe best, I had to own it. Don’t be confused; I’ll take’em both.

Top left: The California’s seats can be personalised with different styles of superb upholstery.Bottom left: An accessory indulfrnce – forged 20” rim alloys improve the overall dynamic response of the wheel.Above: Open-top joy on a fine day is just 14 seconds away. Photos: Sorted Media Productions

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Steinway & Sons pianos are individually

created, which gives them their own unique

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Suffice to say that those at the top of their

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the best, invest in nothing less.

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VLADIMIR ASHKENAZY

Handcrafted Perfection

Inhouse Spring 2011

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