Life in Haslemere Issue 1

ISSUE 1DECEMBER 2006JANUARY 2007

Christmas &New YearShopping

Fashion

Travel

Local Businesses, People, Eating Out, Property,Wine, Arts Diary and Directory

Gift ideas to inspire youfrom around the town

The sixth annual charityfashion show, organisedby Haslemere Chamber ofTrade & Commerce

Top winter destinations

Your local community lifestyle magazine

Contents

2

Contents

Editor:Nick Keith

Fashion editor:Geraldine Onslow

Sub-editors:Lucy Coates and Sarah Parson

Creative director:Andy Burke

Art director:Karen Holloway

Advertising manager:Sally Puddick

Marketing executive:Clare Rees

Marketing & production director:Gareth Gammon

Publisher:Anthony Parson

Contributors in this issue:Maddy Brown, Andrew Brownrigg,

Lucy Coates, Jessica Moon, Richard Royds

Designed & produced by:www.navigate-design.com

LIFE MAGAZINES LIMITED22 High Street, Petersfield, GU32 3JLTel: 01730 235669www.lifemags.co.uk email: [email protected]

Inside Life in Haslemere this issue ...

Welcome 4

ShoppingChristmas and New Year shopping in Haslemere, by

Jessica Moon 6

ProfileTurkish Delight, Nick Keith gets carried away by

Coldharbour Trading 10

FashionHaslemere s 6th Fashion Show, report by Lucy

Coates 12

Local BusinessSix pages of stories about local companies18

Travel: Top winter destinations, by Andrew Brownrigg24

HistoryLiterary luminaries, by Lucy Coates 26

HealthGet fit for living at Grayshott Spa 28

Wine The best for Christmas and New Year,

by Richard Royds 30

Eating OutLife s favourite local pubs for food,

by Oliver Gordon 32

SchoolsEducational directory in and around Haslemere34

GardeningHaslemere company wins national award 40

PropertyThe state of the local market, by Nick Keith42

Contact directoryClubs, organisations and events 46

ISSUE 1 DECEMBER 2006 / JANUARY 2007

3

Editor’s View

4

WelcomeHere s your new lifestyle magazine, speciallydedicated to the local community in Haslemere.

That s what makesLife in Haslemeredifferent, as the

first in a series of a new breed of magazines for

market towns. The magazine is full of quality and full

of colour; produced for local people and with input

from the local community, it is intended for your

entertainment and your pleasure.

In this Christmas and New Year issue you will find

tips about what to buy and where to go in Haslemere

for your presents; and our report of the sixth

Haslemere Fashion Show in November provides the

latest news from the local boutiques.

You will read the fascinating stories behind local

businesses, such as rug retailers Coldharbour Trading

and ironmongers R West; and discover what s going

on in the property market. We trace the literary

influences of literary figures, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

and George Bernard Shaw. We feature local experts on

travel and wine; and we provide detailed directories of

local schools, clubs, organisations and events.

The magazine will be produced bi-monthly, so it will

enjoy an eight-week shelf life between issues. Most of

the 11,000 print run will be delivered to selected

homes in the area, with copies also available in the

town s shops and hotels.

The highly experienced team to produce this

ground-breaking publication all have wide experience

in the media and publishing magazines. We are in

constant contact with the Chamber of Commerce, the

Haslemere Initiative, and the Town Council.

With your help. we want to makeLife in Haslemerea

success for your community. We hope you will support

us through news, articles, letters, photographs,

advertisements and sponsorship to boost your local

community.

Nick Keith

Editor

[email protected]

life in HASLEMERE : FEBRUARY - MARCH 2007, deadline

for copy 12 January 2007

Photo: New Hill Photography

DisclaimerLife in Haslemere is published by Life Magazines Ltd.The views or facts expressed in the content of the ofthe magazine editorial or advertising are not necessarily those of the editor or Life Magazines Ltd. nor dothey accept responsibility for any errors, inaccuracies or omissions or any legal implications arisingthereof. Life Magazines Ltd. retains © copyright over the content.Any material submitted to thepublishers is done so at the senders risk and may or may not be returned, and may be subject to editingwithout notice prior to publication. Life Magazines Ltd. does not necessarily endorse any of thebusinesses or services featured in this magazine.

The Life in Haslemereteam: Back row: Sarah Parson, AnthonyParson, Nick Keith, Gareth Gammon. Front: Lucy Coates, SallyPuddick, Andy Burke, Clare Rees


5

Shopping

6

The renownedHolly Park

on West Street contains

many beautiful items for

your home and specialises in

providing bespoke goods. It

boasts

made-to-measure furniture,

which can be painted in a

style of your choice.

There are a plethora of

French pieces including

wardrobes, chests of drawers

and side tables. In amongst

all the furniture are various

treasures including beautiful

lamps and shades, baths

oils, patchwork, cotton,

cushions, fabric covered

boxes, rugs, throws and

Christmas decorations.

Many people are looking to

give children something that

might tear them away from

the television and computer

screens. Look no further

thanRural Livingon West

Street

for thoughtfully chosen

beautiful produce for the

home and garden, nearly all

sourced in Britain and with a

story to entertain both adults

and children.

Truely original gifts include

100 year-old textile bobbins

transformed into imposing

candlesticks for £27,

working paraffin lamps,

framed photos and

traditional picnic hampers.

For your own home, there is

much crockery and bed linen

made without bleach.

For children, hand-carved

wooden rocking toys made

in Wales can be removed

from their rockers in order to

become ride-on pieces for

active children with a sense

of adventure. Woollen soft

toys, made by Polish disabled

people, can be warmed in the

microwave to make a cuddly

friend. Bird and bat box-

making kits (all made from

fallen trees and branches)

Shopping locallythis season By Jessica Moon

The beauty about shops in Haslemere is that they provide both wonderful produceto give to others but also to treat oneself both in the pre-Christmas rush and thepost-Christmas blues.

Holly Park

Holly Park

Rural Living

ShoppingISSUE 1 DECEMBER 2006 / JANUARY 2007

7

provide a long-term, fun but

educational project for

children and adults alike.

Just opposite isCheesebox,

a shop that is smelly for all

the right reasons and does

not let its name restrict its

produce to delicious

cheeses. A whole host of

scrumptious goods are

available from the shop itself

and more can be ordered

specially for Christmas

before 11 December.

Baby Colston Bassett

Stilton, Montgomery and

Dorset Drum Chedder

Truckles, Ashmore Mini Baby

Cheese, Ragstone Goat Log

and many more cheeses

bedeck the counters.

Similarly, organic salmon,

roast hams at £13.50 per

kilo, jams, pickles, and

Topping s award winning

pork pies are available in

abundance to tantalise the

taste buds of the lucky

recipient of these wonderful

treats.

From eating to cooking,

Classic Cookwareon the

High Street is another family

run store and is full to

bursting with every item one

could ever want in the

kitchen: from the practical

Christmas accessory, the

turkey lifter, to the majestic

Henry Watson Pottery, via

half a plastic doll to sit atop

a skirt cake.Cheesebox

Classic Cookware Jaqati

tLife

Shopping

8

Wine racks are a useful gift

for a man as are the

various gadgets and gizmos

available for peeling, slicing,

spicing and, well, cooking.

For women, go toJagation

Lower Street. Here, Jaki

Golesworthy makes her own

beautiful jewellery and is

always happy to make a

bespoke piece to order. If

you don t trust your own

judgement, why not take a

loved one s favourite outfit

in to show Jaki and ask her

to design a necklace, some

earrings or a corsage to go

with it?

Amy Hanigan t-shirts

printed with original photos,

Ruth M Taylor local

landscapes and Nikki

GolesworthySave Our Socks

toys are lovely things to give

or receive and are very

reasonably priced.

Do not judgeMr Timms

Haslemere Book Shopby its

cover as the outside belies

the large interior, which

boasts more than an

excellent range of books.

Talking books on CD and

tape, maps of the world,

stationary, wrapping paper

and even table napkins are

dotted around the shelves. If

you are having trouble

deciding, go for a book

token and take advantage of

their next day ordering

service if the book you want

is not in stock.

Upstairs hosts many second

hand books - all in good

condition and many of

which are difficult to source

elsewhere. The children s

section is especially

recommended as it conjures

many happy memories and

might allow you to share a

story you enjoyed as a child

with the younger generations

now many of whom have

missed out on the original

artwork you loved these

books are just the way you

remember them!

The wonderful treasure

trove that isObjets d Artis

well worth a visit particularly

for someone who wishes to

buy a more traditional gift.

Why not get a tankard or hip

flask engraved for your man

or a beautiful antique

necklace for a special lady?

The romantic Christmas

period makes this the perfect

place for young hopefuls to

come and choose from a

wide selection of

engagement rings (from the

more traditional solitaire to

coloured gemstones) or, for

the more experienced

romantics, to select eternity

rings, pearls and watches.

If you cannot choose, buy a

Haslemere Book Shop

Objets d Art

t Life

Advertisement Feature

ShoppingISSUE 1 DECEMBER 2006 / JANUARY 2007

9

Footprints stocks leading designer brands for children

aged 0-16 years, including Pampolina, Catimini, Oilily,

Gant, IKKS, O Neill, Quiksilver, Oxbow, Petit Bateau,

Berlingot and more.

Footprints, also offers a great selection of shoes from

Naturino, BMS, O Neill, Quiksilver and Replay from sizes 19

41. School shoes are also available in brown, navy and

black all year round in many different styles and up to a

size 41.

There are also new born gift sets, christening wear, baby

leather shoes, sleeping bags, swimwear all year round,

nightwear, hats, gloves, scarves, tights and a huge

selection of accessories!

Starfish stocks leading brands for both men and women,

including Whitestuff, French Connection, Great Plains,

Duck and Cover, Sonneti, Jackpot, Part Two, Cottonfield,

Gant Woman, O Neill, Quiksilver, Oilily and more.

Starfish, also offers a great selection of footwear from

Replay, O Neill, Quiksilver, Poetic Licence and more from

sizes 36 41 for women and up to a size 46 for men.

There s also a fantastic selection of bags from Oliliy,

French Connection, Jackpot and Great Plains as well as

belts, hats, gloves, scarves and swimwear from February t

August. The jewelry selection from Starfish is the most

talked about and recommended by so many customers,

necklaces from

£35 - £165!

Starfish is open Monday Saturday 9.30am 5pm.

Footprints is one ofthe largest stockistsof designer clothesfor children aged0-16 years in Surrey!

Starfish offers avaried selection ofhigh fashion brandsfor men and women!

Business Profile

10

Some 10 years ago Annie

and Colin were

approached by a Turkish rug

dealer called Suleiman who

was seeking an agent to sell

rugs in the UK. They agreed

and started buying rugs for

friends, and before long they

had a house full of rugs

we could hardly open the

front door, Annie recalls.

So Colin and Annie decided

to start their own business,

Coldharbour Trading, and to

source the rugs straight from

Turkey. At first they sold on

the hoof and at exhibitions,

but five or more years ago

felt like settling down and

giving up the travelling life.

At that time their premises

at The Ark became available

(for years it was known as

Ted s Shed where people

bought their vegetables). We

liked the unique quirkiness

of the premises to show our

rugs, Annie explains. We

are both local people and we

like the individuality of

Haslemere and its shops and

boutiques. The people here

don t seem to be in such a

rush and we have a great

variety of customers, young

and old.

So what is the secret of a

good rug or kilim? Annie and

Colin compare them to fine

wine, because they improve

with age. And the fleece

quality derives from the

climate where the sheep (and

goats) live. The richest

fleeces come from the

villages south of the

mountainous Anatolian

plateau where the air is

colder. The fleeces are thick

and oily, says Annie, and

rich in lanolin, which is like

natural Scotchguard.

Annie and Colin visit

Turkey three or four times a

year to buy rugs and kilims,

relying on their own

experience and judgement,

although they have contacts

and scouts pointing them to

possible sources along the

traditional silk route. They

travel extensively in search

of interesting pieces.

We fly to Istanbul or Izmir,

and travel inland, says

Colin. When we are buying

there are always great

negotiations, even for

experienced

buyers

because that

is the

Turkish way

of doing

business.

The rug

vendors are

often

nomadic but

all have their

cell phones and have a very

good idea of international

market prices, he adds.

Fellow traders tease us

about having a good

holiday but buying is

intense work and Turkey can

be extremely cold and

uncomfortable at this time of

year, says Annie.

They use a cheap and

efficient road transport

system to get their rugs

from the vendors to Istanbul

where they are collated,

repaired and washed before

being brought to the UK. The

process from purchase in

Turkey to delivery in

Haslemere can take up to a

month, and often the period

of going through British

customs can be the longest

part of the rugs journey.

Not all the rugs are new,

and a lot are between 30 and

60 years old (costing

between £90 and £7000 at

Coldharbour). Many of the

women weavers no longer

work from home but have

gone to urban workshops

where they weave to

repetitive patterns. We are

not interested in these rugs

because we want high quality

and uniqueness, so no

reproduction rugs for us,

Annie insists.

People often come through

the door and say they know

nothing about rugs, but the

secret of buying is to buy

what you like. And at

Turkish DelightsRugs and kilims have become a way of life for Annie Fabbri andColin Fletcher, the partnership at Coldharbour Trading which addsa colourful and exotic touch to Haslemere s Town Car Park. NickKeith reports

Coldharbour also sells cushions, handbags,purses and other accessories.

Coldharbour Trading at the top of Haslemere sTown Car Park.

Colin, Annie and Caffy the dog


11

You may be surprised to

know that improving

your smile is more

accessible and more

affordable than you would

think, and is available right

on your doorstep !

Leading practitioner

One of the leading

practitioners in the field of

cosmetic dentistry, Dr Barry

Oulton (see advertisement

on page 19) practises with

HDC (Haslemere Dental

Centre).A leading

exponent of the Smile Lift,

he coaches dentists in the

UK and US.

We pride ourselves in

offering you a fantastic

customer experience, from

friendly and welcoming

staff, fresh coffee and a

relaxing massage chair, to

DVD glasses to watch your

favourite films whilst your

dental care is carried out.

This is a dental experience

like no other!

Haslemere Dental

Centrelike to let our

customers to do the

talking! And smiling!Testimonials

They ve made me feel

younger. I think everyone is

jealous of my teeth, they re

so fab! Ms B

Thank you for giving me

back my smile. I m getting

used to my new smile with

no problems. Thank you!

Ms L

With our 0% finance offer,

why not speak to us about

our free, no obligation

cosmetic consultation? As

well as smile lift

transformations,HDC also

offers reshaping, cosmetic

dentures, Isolagen, teeth

whitening from as little as

£95.00 and the latest

Zoom power whitening.

* AACD poll 2004

Contact HDC

T: 01428 643506

W: www.somethingtosmileabout.co.uk

E: [email protected]

Before and after (above and belwo)

TestimonialI remember my aunt many

years ago expressing surprisethat I never opened my mouthwhen I smile: and withoutreally being conscious of it, ithas been like that until thelast couple of months - theyweren t awful but they werenot beautiful! Now I nevermiss an opportunity to give awide smile to everyone.

Advertisement Feature: Haslemere Dental Centre

Something tosmile aboutDo you smile confidently, or are you self-conscious? If you are unhappy with your smile,don t feel bad, as you are part of a staggering 76%of the population who feel the same. In fact, threequarters of the population don t feel confident

Fashion

12

This remarkable

evening, in aid of

Macmillan Cancer Care,

was divided into six main

sections. CompØred by

toastmaster Nick Smith,

the show provided ample

opportunity for the

audience to appreciate the

different clothes, footwear

and accessories on offer in

Haslemere

First off were the red,

white and blue clothes

which were designed and

modelled by pupils at

Stepping Stones School.

Wearing white t-shirts with

each pupil s impressions of

the USA printed on the front,

the imaginative designs

included both positive and

negative aspects of America,

from burgers to rocket

ships.

Wispers School pupilsalso

wore their own designs,

made largely by themselves,

around the same America

theme. These included a

beautiful fitted red dress

and a three-skirt,

extravagant number that

could be easily spotted in

a crowd.

Next came an incredibly

confident and charismatic

bunch of young models

who bopped along to the

music wearing wonderful

and unrestrictive

children s wear from

Footprintsand

Windmills. Accessories

from these outlets were

also shown including

fun, feathery bags in

pink, and cool

rucksacks claiming that

boys rule !

In-Trainingand Sports

Lockershowed an

impressive range of

sport and leisure wear

including an extensive

range of ski-wear for all

ages, tennis, hockey and

rugby wear.In-Training

showed a range of more

casual daywear too and

Sports Lockerhad

interesting jogging tops

with detachable sleeves

(to avoid over-heating)

and a clever, flashing

armband for safety on

dark nights.

Several Haslemere outlets

took part in Casual Days

including the only shop

selling solely menswear

Davids. The models

(including owner Joe Ball)

looked extremely

handsome as they

swaggered down the

catwalk causing quite a

stir in the audience!

The versatility ofCoCo s

snappy geometric

patterned wrap dresses

were shown dressed up

or down with heels or

boots.Luigi sstylish

shoes modelled with

Ultimate Vision s

sunglasses, and

handbags from

Osprey were

modelled beautifully

but perhaps the star

of this display was

the handbag used in

the new James

Bond film!

Blushexhibited

Haslemere steps outand struts its stuffThe sixth annual charity fashion show, organised by Haslemere Chamber of Trade andCommerce, was held in November. Lucy Coates went along to check it out

Blush

Windmills

Lily

a wide array of trendy

daywear, and announced

that they are now giving full

colour and style

consultations for £75 and

will have new brands after

Christmas.

Fat Faceand Starfishhad a

good range for the younger

generation while the Starfish

models raunchy

choreography seemed to

imply that if you could not

find a top you wanted, you

may just find a lover instead!

Amazing Gracestunned the

audience with beautiful

underwear modelled by

Hannah. In particular, a black

two-set covered in red

sparkles perfect for

Christmas and a gorgeous

green, sheer gown printed

with banana plant leaves.

The main message from the

Glamorous Nights section

was to invest in a little black

dress. Many styles were

displayed:Starfishstarted

with a chic, simple classic;

CoCo added interest and

detail to theirs with eye-

catching sparkles and a

animal-print trim;Blush s

black dress was fitted and

layered to give it a romantic,

floaty feel whilstLilyhad one

pulled in at the hip by a

black corsage and one full

length, flared number which

oozed Hollywood with its

glamorous cross-back.

The Wedding Belles

section showed beautiful

gowns, fromDanielle Prior,

Guests, andCoCo

Bridesmaids;and there was

some dashing menswear

from Davids.

Much praise goes to Julie

Brooker ofCoCo Boutique for

largely organizing the whole

event. Julie said that she was

pleased with the evening: It

was in a bigger and better

venue and a bigger and

better success! Due to

popular demand, Julie was

forced to change the venue

from the Georgian House

Hotel to Branksome/Verve

Venues; so the audience

almost doubled in size (from

roughly 100 last year to 180

this year).

All in all, this was a

wonderful evening, which

boasted a real community

feeling and celebrated the

stunning shopping

opportunities available to

people of all shapes, ages

FashionISSUE 1 DECEMBER 2006 / JANUARY 2007

13

Photos: Peter Searight - The Remarkable Studio

Stepping Stones Joe Ball models clothesfrom his shop, Davids

Hannah fromAmazing Grace

CoCo

�Life

Fashion

14

�

Life

Clockwise from top left: Adidas menswear from In Training; wedding clothes from ??; tennis gear fromSports Locker; more wedding dresses from Danielle Prior and Coco; and Sports Locker sports wear

ProgrammeSchoolsStepping StonesWispers

Boys and GirlsFootprintsWindmills

SportIn-TrainingSports Locker

Casual DaysStar FishBlushDavidsCoCo, Claytons Jewellery, &Ultimate VisionLilyFat Face

Glamorous NightsAmazing GraceStarfishBlushCoCo & Objets d ArtBlush

Wedding BellesDanielle PriorDavidsCoCo - Bridesmaids

FashionISSUE 1 DECEMBER 2006 / JANUARY 2007

15

Local Businesses

16

What is the oldest

business remaining in

Haslemere? R Miles, the

ironmongers in West Street

have a strong claim to that

title.

Founded in 1896, R Miles

continues to provide a

customer service under

family ownership. Now the

man in charge is Martin Burt,

whose father Frank took over

the running of the business

from the Miles family in the

1960s (having joined as the

manager in the fifties). At

the time the business was

run by Sydney Miles, son of

the founder.

In 1966 Martin joined the

business, and he remembers

the wooden floors and old-

fashioned range of drawers

which the shop had in those

days. Now he runs Miles with

the help of his wife, Angela,

who is company secretary,

and his daughter-in-law

Gemma (pictured).

The vast range of goods

still gives the ironmongers a

traditional feel, and

customers value the personal

service, which can include

free delivery if they wish.

Most of our customers are

served and helped directly,

in the old-fashioned way,

Martin said.

Yet the service goes well

beyond the four walls and

multiple shelves in the shop.

R Miles also offer to

undertake all kinds of jobs

around the house, including

glazing.

R Miles is a joy to behold

and, beauty, they say, is in

the eye of the beholder.

When you enter the shop you

feel excited because the

shelves are bristling with

bright and shiny and new

household goods. And

goods they are in every

sense, offering abundance

and stimulating the urge to

buy.

Many shops strive to

achieve this effect, using all

sorts of means to the end of

getting shoppers in the

buying zone. R Miles seems

to take you there effortlessly.

Contact: R Miles & Son

20 West Street, Haslemere

GU27 2AB

Tel: 01428 642686

December Shopping in HaslemereHaslemere is Open for Business on all the Sundays in

December up to and including Christmas Eve.

Free Parking on Sundays

Something for everyone to buy all in one place

Bring all the family for family shopping and a famil

day out

Eat, Drink (& be merry!)

Wide variety of shops, cafes, restaurants

Many of the shops stock larger, and often more

unusual selections than can be found in other towns

Lots of Independent Retailers offering Individual Serv

Find it in Haslemere

This series of profiles of businesses in and around Haslemere opens with arguabthe oldest in the area (R Miles), and includes the discovery of a couple of trein Wey Hill (Chamberlain Music and Aerial Systems) and colour and sparkle (Clay

Town’s oldestretail outlet

R. Miles & Son Ltd.

If you know a business or

retailer in the area which

is older than R Miles,

please contact the Editor

at: [email protected]

Martin Burt

Most of our

customers are

served and helped

directly, in the

old-fashioned

way...

Local BusinessesISSUE 1 DECEMBER 2006 / JANUARY 2007

17

You will find smiles all

round at Branksome since

the September relaunch of

this business and social

events location. You might

expect the staff to smile

because Branksome is

famous for its peerless

customer service but even

the Edwardian building

appears to beam as it gazes

down from its 32 acres high

above Haslemere.

Branksome is enjoying a

plan of steady refurbishment

and improvement as it

sharpens its focus as a

comfortable and capacious

venue for both business and

social events.

We get great feedback

from our customers for our

service, sales and marketing

executive Susie Brooker told

Life in Haslemerebefore

going on maternity leave.

We have a loyal, friendly and

experienced local staff, and

their excellent service

encourages customers to

come back to Branksome

again and again.

Business people bustle

around the 33 meeting

rooms, which can hold

groups of 10 upwards, and

the training zone includes

space dedicated to computer

training.. Many conferences

are residential, using

Branksome s 60 bedrooms.

The auditorium, at the hub

of the conference area, has

space for 150 people.

Since theHaslemere Travel

Show in October and the

Haslemere Fashion Show in

November, Branksome has

geared up for a busy

Christmas period, hosting

many business and social

parties.

Branksome is also

becoming a favourite for

wedding receptions with 20

already this year. In 2007 the

grounds will have a

permanent marquee from

May to October to cater for

wedding receptions.

Branksome has already

enjoyed a varied career as a

home, a school and a

corporate training centre.

Having acquired it for

conferences, Olivetti

commissioned Sir James

Stirling to design purpose-

built training facilities in the

seventies. Part of the Verve

Venues stable since

November 2005 › which will

soon re-brand to De Vere

Venues after the acquisition

of the hotel group

Branksome can look forward

to a bright future. It is part

of in the wide-ranging

property portfolio of the

Alternative Hotel Group

which also includes De Vere

Hotels, Malmaison and Hotel

Branksome isbeaming

Branksome

tLife

Local Businesses

18

You will discover a world of

pleasant musical surprises

inside the doors of

Chamberlain Music in

Weyhill. Front of house, you

find a general and

educational music shop

stocked full of pianos, brass,

and woodwind instruments,

and sheet music for a

national and international

market. They have 50,000

books for all musical

instruments.

Owner John Hughes-

Chamberlain says: Our

catalogue forms a big part of

what we do, as we supply

instruments and sheet music

to school and adult

musicians all over the UK.

In addition, the firm has

become the referral agency

for the world s leading

musical examination body.

Two years ago, the

Associated Board of the

Royal School of Music have

selected Chamberlain as the

provider of the ABRSM

referral service.

Another line lies in

distributing for the British

Choral Composer s catalogue

for the renowned choral

musician John Rutter and his

company Collegium.

Behind the scenes, in

cyberspace sheet music has

taken off online, and

Chamberlain Music have a

part in this development, in

cooperation with

www.tomandwill.com

John Hughes-Chamberlain

says he fell into the

business after starting a

bookshop in Guildford. At

one point he was running

the music and bookshops,

but found that Chamberlain

Music became the more

serious business.

In fact he comes from

musical stock: his mother

Anne runs the Hindhead

Music Centre and his wife

Charlotte teaches the

clarinet. I played piano and

violin (quite badcly when I

was young, he says self-

effacingly. My three children

and my wife are far more

musical than me.

Chamberlain was founded

in 1990 occupies 8,000

square feet in its third

location in Weyhill. While the

first impression is of a welte

of pianos and stacks of sheet

music you discover that a

small army of musical

experts beaver away behind

the scenes. Chamberlain

employ 25 people who, in

John Hughes-Chamberlain s

words are an amazing

collection of varied talents.

The point is that to have a

successful one-stop music

shop you need lots of

different skills and a huge

variety of knowledge to

answer all the questions your

customers might have.

Magical musical mysterytour

Chamberlain Music

The Chamberlain team

Keith Clayton has been in

the jewellery business

since 1969. Having trained in

London for three years he

moved out to Farnham and

in 2004 establishedhis

business in Haslemere,

where he has lived for the

past 28 years.

My business is based

round my knowledge, and

my ability to deal with

customers, suppliers, and

manufacturers, he says. I

believe people increasingly

want to travel less and shop

locally. In Haslemere they

like to support local

businesses and get good

service and choice from

independent retailers.

But his customer base

extends much further afield,

and he benefits from

Haslemere s attraction as a

great place to shop . He

offers a large selection of

coloured stones and

diamonds, with a growing

reputation for engagement

rings.

We stock contemporary

and traditional jewellery

watches. Plain elegance is

what we aim to have on

offer.

Also involved are Keith s

sister Tina and assistant

Ellie, who all worked at some

time for the Farnham

jewellery business.

Most of my customers

come in because they are

attracted by my displays,

have seen a small

advertisement or they are

driven to come by word of

mouth. Only last week a

young woman came here and

introduced herself by saying,

My best friend raves about

Coruscating colourClayton Fine Jewellery

Keith Clayon

�Life

�

Life

Local BusinessesISSUE 1 DECEMBER 2006 / JANUARY 2007

19

Local Businesses

20

At the foot of Wey Hill one

shop houses two distinct

businesses in a single space.

At face valueAerial Systems

does what it says on the

outside: they install aerials

for televisions.

This is one of three Aerial

outlets the others are in

Bognor and London with

over 14 highly trained staff.

When you are behind the

scenes at the back of the

shop the phone never stops

ringing, good news for

partners Jason Weller and

Howard Meikle.

Old friends for 12 years,

and both in their early

thirties, Jason and Howard

joined forces in August last

year, to offer clients in

Haslemere and elsewhere

their expertise, which is

necessary for the changeover

to digital television in the

next few years.

At present they are hard at

work on that effort, with a

dedicated staff of 14 (in

contrast to many similar

outfits which rely on contract

installers). As founder

members of the trade body

of installers, the

Confederation of Aerial

Industries Ltd, they are

determined to remain

leaders in the field.

At the same time Howard

Meikle has another interest,

Bluestone FX, which is one

of the newest businesses in

Haslemere. FX , of course,

stands for Foreign Exchange

and, during his time in

London, Howard built up a

reputation in a multi-million

pound plc.

When he left London two

years ago, he stayed in touch

with his client portfolio and

started this company to

service their needs.

Bluestone provides a

personal foreign exchange

service, trading worldwide

for individuals or corporates,

particularly in the

international property

sector, Howard said.

I have the contacts and the

expertise to save people

money in foreign exchange

if, say, they are looking to

buy a property abroad or

transferring funds. He

positions himself in the gap

between the banks and the

global inter-banks in FX

transactions. Typically he can

find margins in property

deals around £500,000

where the banks, broadly, do

not operate.

He has 10 foreign agents in

countries such as France,

Italy, Spain, Portugal and the

US. In a recent deal he saved

a client about £3,000 on a

property purchase of around

500,000 Euros. He aims to

take his experience into new

property markets, such as

Australia and New Zealand,

and into new sectors, such

as polo.

With two Haslemere

businesses to nurture,

Howard will have less time

for country pursuits such as

walking and shooting, but he

Two for the price of oneAerial Systems and Bluestone FX

The shop at 97 Wey Hill contains two businesses Howard Meikle, working at his computer for Bluestone FX

Aerial partners: Jason Weller and Howard Meikle

If you want your

business story told in

Life in Haslemere,

please contact us.

Tel: 01730 235669

Email:

[email protected]

tLife

�

Life


21

Local Businesses

22

The achievement of the

Haslemere Rewards

Scheme loyalty card in

winning the National AMT

Award 2006 bodes well for

plans to shift from pilot

stage to full-scale operation

in early 2007.

The rewards scheme,

created to attract customers

to the area s mainly

independent shops, had to

overcome competition from

80 other entrants to win this

prestigious award, The

award was the result of hard

work and persistence said

Melanie Odell, of the

Haslemere Initiative.

We established a good

partnership between the

retailers, the chamber of

trade and the town council

their support in legal and

professional matters was

crucial. I am confident that

the rewards scheme will

continue after February, and

we had a very positive

meeting with the retailers in

mid October, she toldLife

in Haslemere.

They told us that they

want to continue. The

Initiative will still be involved

although the retail groups

will have ownership. And

Haslemere has shown itself

willing to share best practice

with other towns.

Launched a year ago, the

town s smart card loyalty

scheme was developed and

piloted by the town and its

surrounding villages. The

scheme uses chip

technology, which allows

shoppers to use only one

card in the 30-plus

participating retail

businesses, and costs

around £5. It is recognised

for its creativity, its

innovation, its engagement

of the business community

and for its significance on a

local and national level.

Keith Clayton, of Clayton

Jewellery, said: The reward

scheme has been beneficial

because it gives people a

sense of supporting their

local shops. There s a

feelgood factor but we have

to make sure that we keep

customers aware of the

scheme.

Shoppers benefit from

discounts or points worth up

to 10% from the participating

outlets. Jane Scott, a local

Fernhurst resident said that

she uses her card regularly

around Haslemere, though

especially in the bookshop,

the children s shop and in

the two participating shoe

shops, I have found it to be

National award for rewardsscheme

Haslemere Initiative

Haslemere is a great

destination for shoppers

right now, with a number of

events and initiatives

organised by Haslemere

Chamber of Trade to get you

into the Christmas spirit.

The annual Christmas

Market returns for its sixth

year on Sunday 3 December.

Based in the High Street and

West Street it will be bigger

and better than ever with

over 100 stalls. Organised in

conjunction with Haslemere

Initiative and Waverley

Borough Council, attractions

include Christmas crafts and

gifts, farmers market, street

entertainers, Father

Christmas, and lots of

entertainment for all the

family.

On Wednesday 13

December at 7pm the annual

High Street Carol Concert

will include free mulled wine

and mince pies, served by

the Chamber of Trade, to

thank the people of

Haslemere for their custom

throughout the year.

Haslemere Town Band will

provide the music and The

White Horse Hotel and Plumb

Scaffolding are again

supporting the event. This is

a lovely traditional Christmas

event for all the family and

it s free!

Many of the town s wide

range of shops, including

independents and nationals,

will be opening each

Sunday up to and including

Christmas Eve. With free car

parking and lots of great

places to eat and drink, it

makes Haslemere a great

option for Christmas

Shopping and an enjoyable

day out for the family.

Finally Haslemere

Chamber of Trade would

like to wish you a very

merry Christmas and a

prosperous new year.

Get in the Christmas moodHaslemere Chamber of Trade and Commerce

L to R: Nick Paul (Chairman, Advantage West Midlands), Phil Bates(Chairman, Grayshott Pottery), Janet McWilliam (Project Coordinator,Haslemere Initiative), Iain Lynch (Corporate Services Manager, WaverlBorough Council) Melanie Odell (Chairman, The Haslemere Initiative),Julian Owen (Chairman OMT), Arya Ingvorsen (President of The Haslemer& District Chamber of Trade)

t Life

MAURITIUS ANDSEYCHELLES

Mauritius boasts fantastic

beaches and sporting

facilities, high quality hotels,

great service, wines and

food. Albeit with longer

flights and a limited amount

of local culture or historic

interest, this is nevertheless

a superb winter destination.

To avoid prevailing winds

and the worst tropical

rainstorms, go to the west

coast in winter.

Seychelles has some of the

most beautiful small island

resorts, many with just a few

chalets, renowned for great

food, beautiful beaches,

good fishing and a really

relaxing ambience.

The Maldives lie just off the

coast of Southern India, and

are a haven of minute atolls,

some with luxurious hotels,

some with a few beach

bungalows, and others with

over-water villas on stilts.

This is a real fly-and-flop

beach lovers paradise

destination.

INDIAThe diversity of historic

sights and local culture are

served by an expanding

variety of flights. They cover

the whole of this vast

country, from the Himalayas

to the spectacular cities of

Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur,

Jaisalmer and Jodhpur in

Rajasthan and down to the

old colonial south of Kerala.

Many high-class hotels,

beachfront and rural

boutique category, with

great beaches, colonial

history, inland waterways,

varied wildlife and many

classic fortresses of old.

CARIBBEANRegular flights to Jamaica,

Antigua, St Lucia, Barbados,

and Grenada with internal

connections to smaller, more

secluded islands. High-

quality hotels, good sports

facilities, reliable climate,

good beaches and local

cuisine.

There is such a contrast

between the islands of the

North Caribbean, with the US

and British Virgin Islands, the

Leeward and Windward

islands, the Grenadines and

Trinidad and Tobago near

the Venezuelan coastline.

Bermuda, Bahamas, Turks &

Caicos are also reachable by

air and host a first class

variety of hotels, with superb

fishing and diving

attractions.

MADEIRA, AZORES andCAPE VERDEDirect short flights with no

time difference; with much

more varied attractions than

the Canaries, plus attractive

countryside, sea and bird

life, and local culture.

Madeira and the Azores are

fast developing a good

variety of comfortable and

well-run hotels.

Cape Verde is the new up

Travel

24

The bestwinterdestinationsAndrew Brownrigg provides notes on some favouriteholiday destinations.

A lodge in East Africa

On safari in Kenya

Yanmar

and coming destination, with

a direct flight once a week,

and a fledgling tourist

economy. Highly recommend

a visit to these islands now

to appreciate an unspoiled

delight.

EGYPT AND MIDDLEEASTMany direct flights into

Cairo, Luxor, Sharm el

Sheikh, Hurghada and Taba

make this a special winter

destination. Historic

wonders of the world

aligned with good winter

climate, fine beaches,

watersports, snorkelling,

friendly service, great value

and good food.

Dubai offers a cast iron

climate, and an ever

developing choice of first

class hotels; fabulous

shopping, local culture,

wadi bashingand great golf

courses. With fairly short,

direct flights this is a

popular year round

destination.

Oman is a bit less

developed, has direct

flights, some good hotels,

and offers a more cultural

experience.

The United Arab Emirates

can easily be combined with

onward connections to

Thailand, Cambodia,

Vietnam, indeed all South

East Asia.

AUSTRALIA AND NEWZEALANDEver-popular with

independent travellers

visiting relatives or

combining with round the

world itineraries, this must

be one of the most

unbeatable areas for winter

travel. The vast continent of

Australia, to North and South

islands of New Zealand

provide a variety of

contrasts. The area provides

great opportunity to mix Far

Eastern cultures en route

eastbound and carry on

around the globe through

the Pacific and North

America, or even South

America.

AFRICAThe fantastic attractions of

South Africa, with great

beaches for surfing, the

Garden Route and the Wild

Coast near Durban combines

with a perfect winter climate.

There is a fascinating history

of the Zulu and Boer wars;

the many game parks with

such fine safari lodges,

providing great food and

wine; plus direct flights and

little time difference.

The growing attractions of

Mozambique, with vast areas

of mainland earmarked for

wildlife development, and

some beautiful untouched

beach and island resorts, all

of which can be combined

with the other established

game viewing opportunities.

Kenya and Tanzania offer the

best game viewing and link

through Nairobi or Dar Es

Salaam to the exotic and

fascinating beach

destinations of Zanzibar,

Lamu and secluded gems all

along the African Coast and

offshore islands.

Botswana, Namibia, Zambia

and Malawi also offer unique

game and adventure

experience, all of which can

be combined to create an

unbeatable selection of

independent itineraries.

CITY AND SHORTBREAKSOld-established short break

city favourites such as

Barcelona, Venice, Istanbul,

Seville and Florence are now

being chased hard by the

delightful Eastern European

gems of St Petersburg,

Tallinn, Riga, Krakow,

Dubrovnik, Budapest,

Prague, now much more

affordable with the growth of

low cost flights, and a

burgeoning boutique hotel

market.

North Africa offers some

winter sunshine ideas with

extra flights and the growth

of Riads in Marrakesh in

particular, with many other

good value hotels in

Morocco, and also in Tunisia.

SKIINGEurope and North America

are seeing a real boom in

skiing holidays, with

fantastic value in America

and Canada in particular.

With a variety of first class

accommodation and ski

facilities; popular ski resort

such as Whistler in Canada,

and Aspen and Vail in

Colorado are now joined by

Beaver Creek, Jackson Hole

and Stowe in Vermont as

more and more British skiers

venture further afield.

Snow reports in Europe are

already looking promising

for this ever popular activity

with chalets and great hotels

to suit both families and

adventurous skiers; well

known resort areas such as

the Trois Vallees in the

French Alps, the Dolomites

in Italy, The Bernese

Oberland in Switzerland and

the Tyrol and Arlberg

regions of Austria, will be

welcoming the British in

greater numbers this winter.

CRUISINGThere is an ever-growing

variety of winter cruise

itineraries from UK ports to

the Canaries; destinations

farther afield including

Caribbean, Far East,

Australasia, Africa, Antarctica

and South America are all

easily

reachable

by air,

and the

vast array

TravelISSUE 1 DECEMBER 2006 / JANUARY 2007

25

Local History

26

Haslemere s barren heath

lands lay relatively

untouched by the inner-city

types of London until the

introduction of the railways

in 1859. Suddenly it

became possible for people

to commute to and from

London allowing them to

avoid, what Grant Allen

described in his 1895 novel,

The British Barbarians, the

crowded town, [which]

stagnates and ferments,

polluted with the diseases

and vices of centuries.

There was an influx of

many notable literary figures

but descriptions of the area

by others before them are

pretty negative. The Devil s

Punchbowl provided a stage

for Charles Dickens

character Smike inNicholas

Nicklebyto imagine the foul

and treacherous murder

committed there by night :

The grass on which they

stood had once been dyed

with gore, and the blood of a

murdered man had run down

drop by drop, into the hollow

which gives the place its

name. The Devil s Punch

Bowl, thought Nicholas, as

he looked into the void,

never held a fitter liquor

than that!

William Cobbett denounced

Hindhead as certainly the

most villainous spot that

God ever made. J M W

Turner, visiting in 1807,

sketched what Trotter

describes as a gloomy,

uninviting landscape of bare

and barren hills and entitled

itHind Head Hill. The church

and its congregation were

described as dreary by a

settler who wrote:

Long had stood the old

Church building,

Old and dreary, dark and

mouldy,

And an old man droned

within it,

And the old Clerk droned

responses,

And a droning people

followed.

These somewhat gloomy

portents failed to deter the

literary figures after 1859;

indeed they merely added to

the romance of the area.

People had begun, once

again, to associate fresh air

with good health.

Beatrix (neØ Potter) and

Sydney Webb are associated

with the area. Gerard Manly

Hopkins lived and died at

The Garth in Haslemere and

is commemorated in the

stained glass windows of St.

Bartholemew s Church, as is

Lord Tennyson. Hopkins is

thought to be the only Jesuit

with a memorial in an

Anglican building.

They all shared a wish to

get as far away from the city

as possible: Grant Allen and

Lord Tennyson (Poet

Laureate) even went to the

extreme lengths of having

houses built to enable them

to live in the wilderness.

Designed by a young

architect whom Tennyson

had met at Haslemere

Station, Tennyson s

Aldworth was 800 feet up.

Tennyson already had

estates at Farringford on the

Isle of Wight but preferred

Aldworth as there were

fewer tourists. He jokingly

referred to his retreat as

this little hut as, what had

originally been intended as a

modest summer retreat, had

turned into a 10-bedroom,

Victorian Gothic mansion.

He is reputed to have

walked his dogs on

Blackdown wearing a dark

cloak and a black sombrero.

Winter and Collyer note that

he wore a whistle around his

neck in order to frighten

away any sightseers (fans).

Despite his longing for a

low profile, Tennyson did

share his passion for the

surrounding countryside in

his writing. InGeneral

Hamley he wrote,

You came and looked and

loved the view

Long known and loved by

me,

Green Sussex fading into

blue

With one grey glimpse of

sea;

Tennyson was especially

fond of the walk to

Grayswood and it has been

argued that the small stream

running along the way is

described in his poemThe

Brook. Tennyson s memorial

describes him as being

himself schooled by love and

sorrow - perhaps he felt the

ever-flowing water taunted

him as he grew older and

less steady on his favourite

walk along its banks: for

men may come and men may

go, but I go on forever.

The height of one s house

was of great importance for

George Bernard Shaw and Sir

Arthur Conan Doyle, both

living in the Haslemere

Hilltop LiteraryFigures by Lucy Coates

The London and South Western express train approaching Haslemere StationPhotos:Around Haslemere and Hindhead In Old Photographs(1991) Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892)

Local HistoryISSUE 1 DECEMBER 2006 / JANUARY 2007

27

district. They conceived a

bet: a surveyor would

measure the heights of both

their houses if Doyle s was

higher than Shaw s Blen-

Cathra where he wrote

Ceasar and Cleopatra(now

St. Edmund s School), he

would triumphantly rename

his house Overshaw , but if

it was lower, Undershaw .

Unfortunately for Doyle,

Shaw s house was the higher

and it is still possible to see

Undershaw on the South-

East side of the traffic lights

at Hindhead. This was where

he wrote his world famous

detective novels and was

built to provide comfort for

his consumptive wife who

had been given only a few

months to live in 1893 but

she lived there for 13 years!

Both Shaw and Conan Doyle

threw themselves into local

life. Shaw was always

attending this function or

speaking at that event ,

whilst Conan Doyle played

cricket for Grayshott, had his

own shooting club and

supported the first Hindead

footballers, using a billiard

table as a model pitch.

Local gossip has it that

The Spinney was the home

of Conan-Doyle s mother

and that she haunts it. The

last sighting was by a child

staying there who explained

innocently that the mist got

into my room last night.

Trotter points out that it is

strange that these literary

figures did not form a tight

community like the

Bloomsbury Group and,

instead started to drift away

from 1900 onwards.

Haslemere had become

popular with true

commuters: the middle

classes wanted a share of

wilderness and arrived in

droves. They too built

houses and pushed the wilds

further back.

The literati foresaw a built-

up Haslemere. Bernard Shaw

expressed inMissalliance:

The writing is on the wall!

Rome fell! Babylon fell!

Hindhead s turn will come!

Perhaps this was a fitting

tribute. For, although the

area has retained its natural

beauty, some has been left

to waste. Most notably

perhaps is Sir Arthur Conan-

Doyle s house as it stands

resolutely but with a

lessening sense of dignity as

it falls into disrepair.

Rumour has it that it was

turned down by the National

Trust and yet it was Sir

Robert Hunter who, whilst

living down the road from

Doyle in Three Gates Lane,

founded The National Trust

with two colleagues to

conservelocalas well as

national treasures.

The people of Haslemere

have a keen interest in

history. The wonderful

Haslemere Educational

Museum is firm evidence for

this. Yet, as Conan Doyle s

world-class reputation

continues to grow, his old

house an excellent

potential resource - falls into

the shadows.

This information brings

new weight to Shaw s

premonition. Perhaps the

plans for a new tunnel

through Hindhead will at

Undershaw Photo: Kathryn Ferry

Health

28

G: I treasure the sense of

peace, health and well-

being that people get from

Grayshott Spa, and this

feeling seems to be shared

by many of the enthusiastic

band of regulars who have

visited since its opening. You

can tell by their smiling faces

and relaxed demeanour.

Nowadays people go to

spas as much for nurture

and good nutrition as to lose

weight. They want to be

healthy, to exercise, to eat

well, to escape the rat race,

to take stock, and to

establish harmony and

balance in their lives.

N: We do hope that the

regulars are as enthusiastic

as we are about recent

changes. During the last 18

months Grayshott Spa has

undergone an enormous

facelift since it was taken

over by Simon Lowe, who

tells us that he is passionate

about design.

G: The place feels like a

luxury country house hotel

but the dress code is so

relaxed you can potter about

in your dressing gown all

day long.

N: It is also a place for

people of all ages. At

breakfast we sat next to a

young group who were

having a lively discussion

about music. Apparently

most of the visitors are

women but Grayshott is

definitely for men as well,

and I can heartily

recommend it as place where

everyone can unwind for two

or three days (or more) and

let go of the stresses and

strains of modern life.

G: What has been done is

fantastic the dØcor is

contemporary, stylish and

wonderfully comfortable. The

new rejuvenated interior sits

comfortably within its

impressive early Victorian

shell. I liked its calm, neutral

walls, accent colours in

plums and reds, the large

modern flower paintings, the

comfortable drawing room

with its big sofas and cosy

throws, and the Bubbles Bar

(once the billiard room).

Space and comfort suffuse

the whole spa the

bedrooms, two dining

rooms, drawing room,

cinema/lecture room, and

treatment and activity areas.

The treatment rooms have

an oriental character, painted

in a pale grey colour

suffused with lilac. And you

will find a huge choice of

treatments - too numerous

to list here.

N: Yes, I really enjoyed the

de-stress muscle massage

and the men s intensive face

and back treatment (which

lasted 65 minutes and left

me feeling like a new man).

And I arrived with some back

twinges, which were

dispelled by the osteopath.

G: After all that treatment

and exercise, you may feel

like a drink in the Bubbles

Bar, followed by food, in the

recently reopened

Conservatory Restaurant or

The Dining Room.

N: The Grayshott healthy

eating plan is OK by me for

a few days at least! You

apportion your food intake in

ratios of 50% fruit,

vegetables and salad, 25%

protein, and 25%

carbohydrate and within

Fit for livingGrayshott Spa aims to be a health and leisuredestination , successfully sending guests back into

the outside world relaxed, re-energised and betterequipped to manage their lives . Nick and GeraldineKeith tested the Spa s credentials for healthy and

Grayshott Spa

Fab food which fillsand keeps you healthy

HealthISSUE 1 DECEMBER 2006 / JANUARY 2007

29

those parameters you can

eat extremely well. I never

felt hungry, and I daresay we

would have lost weight if we

had not enjoyed a good

breakfast, and three-course

lunches and suppers but

we were there for only for

two days.

G: The food at Grayshott is

organic, colourful, healthy

and absolutely delicious.

N: Sports stars, such as

tennis player Annabel Croft,

credit Grayshott with putting

them on the right track in

terms of nutrition.

G: On my first visit to a

health farm 20 years ago I

can clearly recall three large

ladies sitting round a

formica-topped table in their

dressing gowns morosely

contemplating their supper .

They each had a mug of

Bovril and a peach and were

plainly fed up with each

other, with Bovril and with

peaches. They faced the

prospect of a long evening

ahead without even a small

gin and tonic.

N: The decision to re-name

it Spa instead of Hall

highlights the changes in the

business of health

management.

G: How things have changed!

The abiding memory of our

recent visit to Grayshott will

be of pax et salus (peace and

health): proper pampering,

top treatments, fantastic

food, and great design,

Offer:Grayshott s early 2006

Christmas present means

special prices to celebrate

the Spa s 40th birthday

40% off per person per night

between 4 and 21 December.

Rates for Christmas start at

£595 per guest for 3-5

nights; and from £495 for a

New Year stay. (Usuallly you

can get a two-, three-, or

four-day spa break with

rooms from £180 per

person, including meals and

at least two treatments).

Contact: Grayshott Spa,

01428 602000.

email:

[email protected]

Web.: www.grayshottspa.com

Life

Grayshott Spa Factfile

Once of the home of

Alfred Lord Tennyson,

Grayshott was acquired

by the Stalbow family in

1960, reopened as a

health farm in 1965 and

soon earned itself a

reputation as a leader in

this field.

Acquired in February

2005 by Simon Lowe,

owner of Fawsley Hall in

Northamptonshire and

the Park Resort at Wick,

near Bath, he immediately

appointed Peter Wood as

general manager to

oversee a three-year

refurbishment

programme.

In 2007, an additional

16 luxury suites will be

added to the existing 59

guest rooms.

Exercise facilities

include indoor and

outdoor pools, outdoor

and two indoor tennis

courts, a well-stocked

gym, a nine-hole golf

A treatment room

Wine

on Christmas Eve, in

anticipation of what is

to come, we have a light

supper of smoked salmon. A

crisp dry white, such as

Chablis or South African

Sauvignon Blanc, is the

perfect accompaniment.

After church on

Christmas

Day a

glass of Madeira hits the

spot and this goes well with

many Christmas goodies

nuts, glacØ fruit and

Christmas cake. You might

like to consider Madeira

instead of Port to

accompany mince pies and

Stilton cheese. I love good

Sherry and an Oloroso or

Palo Cortado dark but dry

are good alternatives for

those who don t like things

sweet.

A glass of

sparkling wine

is obligatory

while opening

the presents

before

Christmas

lunch.

Instead of

Champagne, try Blanquette

de Limoux from the foothills

of the Pyrenees or local

award winner Nyetimber

from West Chiltington.

Back to the turkey &

pudding! The English

tradition is to drink Claret

[Red Bordeaux] and jolly

nice it is too. If you are

feeding the five thousand,

go for a Lussac-Saint-

Emilion or Canon-Fronsac; if

you are dining deux

choose something with a

little more class. But bear in

mind that turkey is not very

strongly flavoured and

something softer may be

preferable to please

everyone.

I adore Pinot Noir, the

grape of red Burgundy, and

it makes lovely wines

throughout the New World

too. New Zealand, with its

cool climate, has a

great reputation,

but also look

out for

delicious South African,

Australian and North

American examples. For a

lighter European red, the

delicious cherry fruit of

Italy s Valpolicella or a

Dolcetto from Piedmont

would also go well.

It s not obligatory to drink

red wine with turkey and a

traditional alternative is

white Burgundy. But why not

consider a full-flavoured

Italian white from Veneto?

For a crowd-pleaser, go for

a Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon

blend.

With Christmas pudding I

prefer something fruitier

than traditional Sauternes,

such as a Muscat, and Italy

has several to offer. Try one

from Pantelleria (an island

near Sicily where they call it

Zibbibo) or a delightfully

light and refreshing Moscato

Frizzante [lightly sparkling]

from Piedmont.

If you are serving Port

remember to do it justice by

decanting. It s not just great

vintages that benefit. I

What to drink at ChristmasWith Christmas upon us again Richard Royds recommends what we should be drinking

30

WineISSUE 1 DECEMBER 2006 / JANUARY 2007

31

*We

can provideyour wines for

Christmas and theNew Year, from £4.25

per bottle. Minimum order is12 bottles (can be mixed).

You can order online from www.vintry.co.ukor call us on 01428 741165 and ask us for

our latest wine-list.II

The Vintry Wine CoPark Farm, Milland

Near Liphook

2004 Chablis, Domaine

Billaud-Simon, £11.50

2005 Pouilly-FumØ,

CØdrick Bardin, £10.99

Madeira, from £9.50 for

Barbeito Veramar Boal

(50cl)

Port, Churchill s Crusted

£17.00; other Ports, from

£8.99

Blanquette de Limoux,

£8.50

Nyetimber Classic CuvØe,

£23.00

2001 Ch teau du Gazin,

Canon-Fronsac, £8.99

2001 Ch teau La Croix de

GrØzard, Lussac-St-

Emilion, £9.99

Pinot Noir: from £8.99 for

2005 Hollick Pinot Noir,

South Australia

Valpolicella, from £7.99

for 2005 Falasco Organic

Valpolicella;

2004 Dolcetto di Dogliani

San Luigi, £9.99

White Burgundy, from

£7.99 for 2004 M con-

PrissØ

Veneto, from £6.75 for

2005 Falasco Garganega;

2005 Hollick

Sauvignon/Semillon,

South Australia, £8.99

2003 Morsi di Luce

Passito di Pantelleria,

£13.99

2005 Moscato d Asti

Aurum , Boroli, £10.50

Richard Royds ownsthe

haslemere cellar

01428 645081

Examples of some of the wines mentioned over:

Eating Out

32

Aproblem with some

gastro pubs is the price

they charge for often

indifferent food. My personal

preference in a pub is for

decent old-fashioned food at

reasonable prices. It seems

that Haslemere pubs

(fortunately) have chosen

this path.

To test the local market in

Haslemere, I have visited a

selection of pubs to try their

staple fare. To ensure a fair

test, each pub has been

judged on its steak sandwich

(and chips). A tough task,

and perhaps not so PC in

this day and age, but I love a

good steak and, well,

someone had to do it!

First stop in the High Street

was theWhite Horse, where

you can enjoy a first class

steak sandwich, tender, tasty

and cooked to order (with

good chips). My companion

(who will remain nameless to

protect the innocent)

professed himself happy with

his choice of a fish finger

sandwich the consequence

of being a father of young

children, he explained.

The next venue for this

dedicated research focused

on theInn on the Hill,

opposite Haslemere station. I

suppose this is the closest

you get to finding a gastro-

inn locally. But the more

modern dØcor still allows for

some pub-style nooks and

crannies, where you can eat,

drink and talk with privacy if

you so wish. Here the steak

sandwich came in fine strips,

with good salad and chips. It

was slightly more expensive

but still good value.

The third port-of-call in

this short steak crawl took

me to theFox & Pelican,

Grayshott. The pub certainly

offers a great choice of food,

which provided a big

temptation to leave the path

of steak and chips. However,

I stuck to my guns, and was

rewarded with a fine meal at

a fair price.

By the way, if you are in the

middle of your Christmas

shopping (or taking in New

Year sales) and don t feel

like a steak sandwich, go to

Arco Felice. Joseph

Guardaseione, who comes

from Naples, owns this

ristorante& pizzeria.

With its great position at

the highest point of the town

car park, Arco Felice offers

you a taste of Italian home-

cooking and a great choice

of pasta and pizzas.Ciaofor

Reputations at steakEating habits continue to change around the country, with decent food offered increasingly in pubsas restaurants. This kind of eatery-inn has become known as a gastro-pub in some places.

Dave Etchell and Clair Johnson at the Fox & Pelican, Grayshott

Inn on the Hill, Lower Street, Haslemere

Arco Felice above Haslemere town car park

by OliverGordon

Life


33

Tanning Levelin Charter Walk offer a

variety of services. The

three state-of-the-art lay-

down sun beds provide

year-round tanning in

comfort and style. Whether

you are after a holiday or

wedding tan, need a

vitamin D boost, suffer

from S.A.D, ecszema,

psoriasis or just fancy a

nice warm kip then

Tanning Level is for you.

They are truly

marvellous beds

Dr.Statham , Chertsey.

I ve never been on a bed

offering aromatherapy

before, it was great! Mrs

J Greensmith, Midhurst.

I found the staff to be

very friendly and

knowledgeable about

tanning Mr C Lovell ,

Petersfield.

Tanning Level also offer a

full range of nail

treatments , ranging from

Jessica manicures and

pedicures to acrylic and

u.v. gel nail enhancements.

Their experienced

technicians can pamper

you fully and make you

proud of your nails!

A variety of items are

available in the gift shop,

ranging from tan

enhancers, teeth whitening

kits and heated eyelash

curlers to lip volumisers

and nail care products.

Gift vouchers are also

available for both tanning

and nail services.

If you are after a break

from the hustle and bustle


JSW

The critically acclaimed restaurant has moved to20 Dragon Street where we can now offer

car parking, function room, 40 seat restaurant, courtyard for theSummer and letting rooms for the New Year.

We are able to take bookings for Christmas parties/dinner, ChristmasDay & New Years Eve.

We are open Tuesday - Saturday for lunch and dinner.

Lunch from £19.50 for 2 courses£25 for 2 courses on Tuesday, Wednesday

and Thursday Evenings.

Opening possibilities for Sunday & Monday areavailable for large parties.

JSW, 20 Dragon Street, Petersfield, Hampshire GU31 4JJTel: 01730 262030

“Consistently inventive cooking, offeringstrong flavours, handled with sensitivity”.

Hardens

“Absolutelydeliciousallofitfullstop”Sunday Telegraph

Schools Directory

34

Adult Learning:Adult Learning in Haslemere

State, male and female (over

16)

Website:

www.surrey.gov.uk/adultlear

ning

Bidbury for English

See Schools, column 3, this

page.

University of the Third Age

Adult learning

Telephone: 01428 682052

Website: www.haslemere-

u3a.org.uk/

WEA Liphook Branch

Voluntary organisation works

to develop education and

learning with and for the

community.

Chairman: Joyce Mounsey

Address: 43 Chiltley Way,

Liphook, Hampshire GU30

7HG

Telephone: 01428 723041

E-mail:

[email protected]

Website:

www.haslemere.com/schools/w

ea/

Independent Schools:Amesbury

Day School for boys and girls

(3-13 years).

Nursery, Pre-prep and

Preparatory Education

Headmaster: Nigel Taylor

Address: Hazel Grove,

Hindhead, Surrey GU26 6BL

Telephone: 01428 604322

[email protected]

.uk

W:

www.amesburyschool.co.uk

Barrow Hills School

A Catholic Independent Day

School for boys and girls

(aged 3-13 years). All

denominations welcome.

Head: Matthew Unsworth

Address: Roke Lane, Witley,

Godalming, Surry GU8 5NY

Telephone: 01428 683639

E-mail:

[email protected]

Website:

www.barrowhills.org.uk

Bidbury for English

Individual and small group,

professional and general

English courses, summer

school for young learners

and boarding school

preparation.

Also Adult Learning.

Head teachers: John and

Shireen Weston

Address: Greywalls House,

Hillbrow, Petersfield,

Hampshire GU33 7QR

Telephone: 01730 894246

E-mail: bidbury-

[email protected]

Website: www.bidbury.co.uk

Brookham School

Pre-Prep School for boys and

girls (3-8 years)

Head teacher: Diane Gardiner

Address: Highfield Lane,


7LQ

Telephone: 01428 722005

E-mail:

[email protected]

k

Website:

www.brookhamschool.co.uk

Conifers School

Preparatory School for boys

and girls in Easebourne near

Midhurst, 01730 813243

Please see advert on page 37

Haslemere Preparatory

School

Day school for boys (4-13

years)

Headmaster: K J Merrick

Address: The Heights, Hill

Road, Haslemere, Surrey

GU27 2JP

Telephone: 01428 642350

E-mail:

[email protected]


prep.co.uk

Highfield School

Day or boarding, (7-13

years)

Headmaster: P G S Evitt tLife

Educatonal listings in and around Haslem


35

Schools Directory

36

Address: Highfield School,

Highfield Lane, Liphook,

Hampshire GU30 7LQ

Telephone: 01428 728000

E-mail:

[email protected]

k

Website:

www.highfieldschool.org.uk

King Edward s School

Boarding and day pupils,

boys and girls (11-18 years)

Offers the International

Baccalaureate

Headmaster: P K Fulton-

Peebles

Address: Witley, Godalming,

Surrey GU8 5SG

Telephone: 01428 686735

E-mail:

[email protected].

uk

Website:

www.kesw.surrey.sch.uk

St Edmund s Schools

Prep School for Boys (2-13

years) and Girls (2-7 years)

Headmaster: Adam Walliker

Address: Portsmouth Road,

Hindhead, Surrey GU26 6BH

Telephone: 01428 609875

E-mail:

[email protected]

.uk

Website:

www.saintedmunds.co.uk

St Ives School

Girls and Boys Nursery and

Girls Prep School (3-11

years)

Head teacher: Sian Cattaneo

Address: Three Gates Lane,

Haslemere, Surrey GU27 2ES

Telephone: 01428 643734

E-mail:

[email protected]

Website:

www.stiveshaslemere.com

The Royal School

Mixed nursery (2-4 years)

and Girls School (5-18years)

Address: Farnham Lane,

Haslemere, Surrey GU27 1HQ

Telephone: 01428 63052

E-mail:

[email protected].

uk

Website: www.royal-

school.org

Wispers School

Boarding and day pupils,

girls (11-18years)

Headmaster: Henry Beltran

Address: Wispers School For

Girls, High Lane, Haslemere,

Surrey GU27 1AD

Telephone: 01428 643646

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.wispers.org.uk

Nurseries:Barnkids Ltd.

Independent, full day care,

nursery (1.5-5 years), after

school clubs and holiday

clubs (2-11 years)

Manager: Jeannette Walker

Address: The Barn, Penang

Farm, Combe Lane,

Chiddingfold, Surrey GU8

4XL

Telephone: 01428 685633

E-mail:

[email protected]

Website: www.barnkids.co.uk

Camelsdale Playgroup

Independent, boys and girls

(2-5 years)

Head teacher: Fiona Brodrick

Address: Church Hall, School

Road, Camelsdale,

Haslemere, Surrey GU27 3RN

Telephone: 01428 643495

Website:

www.haslemere.com/schools

/camelsdaleplaygroup/

Caring Daycare Day Nursery


(0-5 years)

Manager: Amanda Vaus

Address: Pitfold House,

Woolmer Hill Road,

Haslemere, Surrey GU27 1QA

Telephone: 01428 658666

Website:

www.caringdaycare.co.uk

Grayswood Nursery School


(2-5 years)

Supervisor: Mrs Monica

Thompson

Address: Grayswood Village

Hall, Grayswood, Haslemere,

Surrey GU27 2DE

Telephone: 01428 658931

Website:

http://www.haslemere.com/s

chools/grayswoodnursery/ind

ex.html

Hambledon Nursery School


(2-5 years)

Head teacher: Lesley Whittle

Address: Rock Hill,

Hambledon, Surrey GU8 4DR

Telephone: 01428 684892

Websites:


/hambledon/

Haslemere Preparatory

School Nursery


(aged 2-4 years)

Headmaster: K J Merrick

Address: The Heights, Hill


GU27 2JP

Telephone: 01428 642350

E-mail:

[email protected]


prep.surrey.sch.uk

Madhatters Nursery School

Independent, girls and boys

(2-5 years)

Supervisor: Mrs Chiverton

Address: Longmoor Road,


7NY

Telephone: 01428 727288

Messy Mornings

Independent, art and craft

group (18 months - 5 years)

Address: Camelsdale Scout

Hut, Marley Lane, Camelsdale

St Ives School Nursery

Independent, girls and boys,

(3-5 years)

Head teacher: Sian Cattaneo

Address: Three Gates Lane,

Haslemere, Surrey GU27 2ES

Telephone: 01428 643734

E-mail:

[email protected]

Website:

www.stiveshaslemere.com

The Royal School Nursery

Girls and boys (2-4 years)

Address: Farnham Lane,

Haslemere, Surrey GU27 1HQ

Telephone: 01428 605805

E-mail:

[email protected].

uk

Website: www.royal-

school.org

Timbers Pre-School and

Nursery


(3 months - 5 years)

Address: 7 College Hill,

Haslemere, Surrey GU27 2JH

Telephone: 01428 645 001

Toad Hall Nursery


(3 months 5 years)

Louise Nettle: 01428 654117

Address: Chestnut Avenue,

Haslemere, Surrey GU27 2JH

E-mail: haslemere@toadhall-

nursery.co.uk

Website: www.toadhall-

nursery.co.uk

Weydown Nursery School


(2.5-5 years)

Manager: Clare Hitchmough

Address: Parish Hall Our

Lady of Lourdes, Weydown


GU27 1BS

Telephone: 01428 654677

(School Hours) or

01428 722702

Website:

�

Life

tLife

Schools DirectoryISSUE 1 DECEMBER 2006 / JANUARY 2007

37

CONIFERSSCHOOL

Easebourne, Midhurst • Tel: 01730 813243 • email: [email protected] • website: conifersschool.com

A preparatory school for

GIRLS and BOYS

Come and see our new sciencelaboratory and new year 6 classroomcommon room and changing facilities

We ProvideHIGH ACADEMIC STANDARDS

SUPERB ART, DRAMA AND MUSICEXCELLENT RANGE OF SPORT

THRIVING EARLY YEARS DEPARTMENTDIVERSE AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITY

PROGRAMME • LARGE PLAYING FACILITIESAND STRESS FREE PARKING

Wispers School, Haslemere

Schools Directory

38

�

Life


/weydown/

Weyhill Montessori School


(2-5 years)

Principle: Mrs Dows-Miller

Address: Scout

Headquarters, Weyhill,

Haslemere, Surrey GU27 1BX

Telephone: 07774 936960

E-mail:

[email protected]

om

Website:


/weyhillmontessori/

Woodlands Montessori

Nursery School


(2-5 years)

Principles: Isobel Wood and

Lara Patrick

Address: Chichester Hall,

Petworth Road, Witley, Nr.

Godalming, Surrey GU8 5PL

Telephone: 01428 685463

State Primary Schools:Boys and Girls (4-11 years)

unless otherwise stated

Beacon Hill Primary School

Head teacher: Mrs Jenny

Dennett

Address: Beacon Hill Road,

Beacon Hill, Hindhead, Surrey

GU26 6NR

Telephone: 01428 605597

E-mail: head@beacon-

hill.surrey.sch.uk

Website:www.haslemere.com

/schools/beaconhill/

Camelsdale First School

Head Teacher: Sarah Palmer

Address: School Road,

Camelsdale, Haslemere,

Surrey GU27 3RN

Telephone: 01428 642177

Email: [email protected]

sussex.sch.uk

Website: www.camelsdale.w-

sussex.sch.uk/

Fernhurst Primary School

Head teacher: Mrs Margaret

Edwards

Address: Haslemere Road,

Fernhurst, Haslemere, Surrey

GU27 3EA

Telephone: 01428 653144


sussex.sch.uk

Website: www.fernhurst.w-

sussex.sch.uk/

Grayshott Primary School

Head teacher: M J. Hills

Address: School Road,

Grayshott, Hindhead, Surrey

GU26 6LR

Telephone: 01428 605596

Website:

www.schools.hants.org.uk/grays

hott

Grayswood C of E Infant

School(4-7 years only)

Head Teacher: Anne Bristowe

Address: Lower Road,

Grayswood, Surrey GU27

2DR

Telephone: 01428 642086

[email protected]

.uk

Website:


chools/grayswood/

Hollycombe Primary School

(4-10 years only)

Headteacher: Stephanie Fiske

Address: Wardley Green,

Milland, Liphook, Hampshire

GU30 7LY

Telephone: 01428 741332

Website: www.hollycombe.w-

sussex.uk

Holme CE Primary School

Head Teacher: Miss Helena

Rees

Address: Openfields,

Headley, Bordon, Hampshire

GU35 8PQ

DanceArt is an exciting

new dance school in

Haslemere, Surrey. In its

first year it has become

successful at festivals and

ISTD Competitions. This

year at Tudor Rose Festival

of Dance and Drama

DanceArt Gained 15 1st

Places, 14 2nd Places and

11 3rd places . Many

students gained an 84

mark which qualifies them

to the next round in the All

England Dance Festival.

DanceArt were also

awarded trophies for the

highest mark in

theircategories.

Summer School 2006

was hosted by DanceArt

pupils from other schools

attended, Students had the

rare chance to be taught

by professional vocational

tutors, who are actively

within the dance industry,

many of them ex-soloists

and principals.

We were very privileged

to have Mr Jeremy

Kerridge, a full time

teacher at Arts Educational,

Tring Park, and ex-

principal form Northern

Ballet Company and the

Royal Ballet. Charlotte

Gorton performing in

Guys and Dolls the West

End Company gave her

time at a Musical Theatre

Workshop.

This exciting week ended

with a small presentation

to the parents to show

what we had been working

on. A senior and

intermediate award was

given with a scholarship to

next years summer school

to Zoe Travis for the

intermediate group and


Schools DirectoryISSUE 1 DECEMBER 2006 / JANUARY 2007

39

Telephone: 01428 714409

E-mail:

[email protected]

.uk

Website:www.theholmeprima

rysch.ik.org/

Liphook (Voluntary

Controlled) Junior School

(7-11 years only)

Head teacher: Richard

Blackmore

Address: Avenue Close,


7QE

Telephone: 01428 722490

Liphook Infant School(4-7

years only)

Head teacher: Mrs E A Cole

Address: Avenue Close,


7QE

Telephone: 01428 722036

Northchapel Primary School

Head teacher: Miss Claire

Greenfield

Address: Pipers Lane,

Northchapel,

West Sussex GU28 9HZ

Telephone: 01428 707352


Shottermill County Junior

School(7-11 years only)

Address: Lion Lane,

Haslemere, Surrey GU27 1JF

Telephone: 01428 642096

E-mail office@shottermill-

jun.surrey.sch.uk

Shottermill Infant School(4-

7 years only)

Head Teacher: Miss M. E.

Johnston

Address: Lion Lane,

Shottermill, Haslemere,

Surrey GU27 1JP

Telephone: 01428 642902

Email: admin@shottermill-

infant.surrey.sch

Website:


chools/shottermillinfant/

Bohunt School, Liphook

Amesbury School Founders Day Dinner in November: Mark Wood(Chairman of Governors), Mayor Brian Howard, Viscount

Gardening

40

W e have been creating

gardens in Haslemere and

surrounding areas for many

years and so are thrilled to

have won this award in a

national competition, said

Simon Gray, Managing

Director of Transform. It

recognises the hard work

and expertise of our

dedicated team.

The winning garden, which

is on the outskirts of

Haslemere, presented some

significant challenges

including several access

points and changes in level.

Mr M Stead, the garden s

owner, said: We are

delighted with the new area;

it is now the most used part

of the garden, previously we

walked past with our eyes

closed.

Transform designs,

constructs, restores and

maintains gardens in private

and commercial clients. The

company, which was started

in 1988 by Simon Gray,

prides itself on courtesy,

enthusiasm and ingenuity

Transform wins nationalawardHaslemere-basedTransform LandscapeDesign and Constructionhave won a nationalaward for garden design.The award, for domesticgardens costing between£20,000 and £50,000, wassponsored by the BritishAssociation of LandscapeAward Industries, andTransform s managementteam went to London for

The Grayshott Spa Club

Indoor and Outdoor SwimmingPools, fully equipped Gym,

Indoor and Outdoor Tennis Courts,resident Tennis Pro, 9 Hole Golf Course

and so much more.Go on, indulge yourself!

For membership details, please callAmanda on: 07886 837638

Headley Road, Grayshott, Nr Hindhead, SurreyGU26 6JJ - www.grayshottspa.com

GardeningISSUE 1 DECEMBER 2006 / JANUARY 2007

41

Property

42

The two big factors in the

2006-07 property market

are: the internet and the new

Home Information Packs,

which come into force next

year.

Modern technology means

that people no longer need

to go to an office in London

every day, and many work

from home on one or two

days a week. Houses within

walking distances of the

station used to sell at a

premium, says Nick Harding

at Keats Harding in the High

Street. Now people search

increasingly for more rural

outlying areas.

The housing market in

Haslemere has rallied this

year after a gritty 2005, he

adds. Last year two-bedroom

flats fell from £185,000 to

£165,000 and have only

returned to their previous

values this year. Keats

Harding have sold a two-

bedroom flat in a converted

country house in The Lances,

Farnham Road, for

£215,000.

With demand strong,

homebuyers can expect to

pay around £500,000 to

£750,000 for a good four-

bedroom house. And Nick

Harding expects the market

to have a bit more bounce

next year, adding: We try to

make sure that houses in

Haslemere are marketed

properly, that we test the

market as fully as we can,

and we achieve the best

price out of the

negotiations.

Nick Harding joined Cubitt

& West as a junior in 1978,

saw that firm acquired by

Prudential Property Services

during the 1980s takeover

boom, and set up the

present firm with his partner

Andrew Meehan in 1990.

Keats Meehan has nine

franchised branches in

Surrey, Sussex and

Hampshire, each

independent but with shared

marketing and a central

database.

Founded in 1919, Clarke

Gammon Wellers has five

offices, including one in

London and the branch in

Haslemere High Street (which

opened in 2003). Steve

Cooke, who has lived in

Haslemere for nearly 35

years, believes that the

experience and local

knowledge of the staff

makes a major contribution

to serving clients.

Many Londoners approach

Clarke Gammon Wellers

seeking better schools, lower

prices and greater security.

The firm offers a wide range:

from a £140,000 flat at one

end to the £1 million Wood

House in Chase Lane at the

other with a gated

entrance, swimming pool in

secluded grounds and five

Somethingin the airEstablished as a commuter town since the arrival ofthe railways in 1859, Haslemere and the surroundingarea also benefits from having a great choice ofschools and a wide range of properties. But change isin the air, as Nick Keith reports

Orchard House, Church Lane,Haslemere, Keats Harding

Wood House, Haslemere,Clarke Gammon Wellers

tLife

PropertyISSUE 1 DECEMBER 2006 / JANUARY 2007

43

Property

44

bedrooms. They are also

much involved in selling new

developments.

Burns & Webber who also

have offices in the High

Street as well as in

Cranleigh, Godalming,

Farnham, and Guildford

tend to sell houses in the

range of £300,000 to

£900,000. The beauty of

housing in this area is that

there are properties to suit

all tastes, says Adrian

Hardwick. For us the market

is still driven by the railway

station and the schools.

Typical offerings from

Burns & Webber include a

two-bedroom cottage in

Fernhurst for just under

£240,000; a four bedroom

family home in Hindhead for

£475,000; and Wheelwrights,

a large house close to the

road from Haslemere to

Midhurst, with huge drawing

room and master bedroom

suite, plus a ground floor

annexe (a guest, relative or

staff living space).

In Grayshott, Clive Richards

at Gascoigne Pees says the

local market is buoyant . He

adds: Grayshott has

everything you expect from a

village people know

everybody and they are

friendly; there are lots of

shops and everything you

want in a community. The

style of property is varied,

having evolved through the

decades since the Victorians

came here. The market,

which is mainly middle to

upper, is still fizzing, even in

November.

Typical Grayshott houses

handled by Gascoigne Pees

include Woodpeckers in

Headley Road, with plenty of

downstairs rooms (snug,

conservatory and study on

top of the usual

accommodation), four

bedrooms and a third of an

acre for an asking price of

£695,000.

Barn Oaks in Tudor Close _

a modern detached

refurbished house with four

bedrooms was priced at

£445,000; and Lyon Lodge in

Glen Road, with 2/3

bedrooms, was showing at

£350,000. Neighbouring

Headley Down has

experienced substantial

development, and buyers can

find houses 25-30% cheaper

than in Grayshott.

Finally, the new Home

Information Packs are still at

the discussion and trial

stage, although the

Government is set to launch

the new scheme on 1 June.

Vendors will probably have

to provide key documents

such as searches, deeds and

energy efficiency.

So local agents are

adopting a wait-and-see

approach as the discussions

continue; and trials have

t Life

The Shealing, Headley Down,Gascoigne Pees


45

33 Chapel Street, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 3DY

Tel: 01730 265522 Fax: 01730 26923

www.annsprams.co.uk

ANN S PRAM

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Useful Contacts

46

Contacts inHaslemere

& District:Emergency Services:Fire:

Surrey Fire and Rescue

Service,St Davids, 70 Wray

Park Road, Reigate RH2 0EJ

Telephone: 01737 242444

Gas,Water and Electricity:

Electricity Emergency:

0845 770 8090

Gas Emergency:0800 111

999

Southern Water:0845 278

0845

Health:

Dr C Taylor & Partners,

Haslemere Health Centre,

Church Lane, Haslemere,

Surrey GU27 2BQ

Telephone: 01483 783000

Dr C.P. Taylor & Partners,

Fernhurst Surgery,

Crossfields, Fernhurst,

Haslemere GU273JL

Telephone: 01428 651040

Haslemere Health Centre

Telephone: 01483 783000

Haslemere Hospital

Telephone: 01483 782000

Holy Cross Hospital, Hindhead

Road, Haslemere GU27 1NQ

Telephone: 01428 643311

Homecall Doctor, Warrenden,

Weydown Road GU27 1DS

Telephone: 01428 654786

Royal Surrey County Hospital

Telephone: 01483 571122

Police:

Haslemere Police Station,

46 West Street GU27 2AB

Telephone: 0845 125 2222

Surrey Police, 6 Carshalton

Road, Sutton Surrey SM1 4RF

Telephone: 0845 125 2222

Arts Groups:DanceArt (3-18 years)

Telephone: Kahli

07830325426

Website: www.danceart.org.uk

Haslemere Players

Telephone: 01428 643334

Website:

www.haslemereplayers.com

Haslemere Symphony

Orchestra and Chorus

Telephone: 01428 605612

Website:

www.hmsconcerts.info

Haslemere Thespians

Telephone: 01428 643585

Haslemere Town Band

Telephone: 01252 331828

HHH Concerts

Telephone: 01798 831242

Website:

www.haslemere.com/music

Opera South inc. Opera

Omnibus

Telephone: 01428 684291

The Grayshott Stagers

Telephone: 01428 751898

Website:

www.grayshottstagers.co.uk

Helplines,SupportGroups & Charities:Alzheimer s Society:01428

642055

Arthritis Research Campaign:

01428 724741

BLISS:01428 642320

Books On Wheels:

01428 604558

British Heart Foundation:

01483 419774

Canine Partners for

Independence:08456 580480

Care In Haslemere:

01428 652505

Cats Protection:01428

604297

Celebrate Marriage:01428

652368

Childline:0800 1111

Citizen s Advice Bureau:0844

8487969

Crossways Counselling

Service:01428 644333

Environment Agency:08708

506506

Friends of Holy Cross

Hospital:01428 683144

Guide Dogs for the Blind:

01428 727617

Haslemere and District

Volunteer Bureau:01428

661166

Haslemere and District

Macmillan Cancer Care:

01428 605185

Haslemere Blind Club:

01428 643971

Haslemere Gateway Club:

01428 654496

Haslemere Hard of Hearing

Support Group:01428

658190

Haslemere Library:01428

642907

Haslemere Stroke Club:

01428 645855

Haslemere/Midhurst

Committee for Macmillan

Cancer Support:01428

652238

HAV4D: 07930905016

Hazlehurst Trust through

Surrey Community

Foundation:01372 861609

Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre:

01252 792400

Hindhead Community Group:

01428 607816

Home-Start:01252 737453

King s World Trust for

Children:01428 653504

Natural England (was

Countryside Agency):

020 7932 5800

Relate:02392 827026

Royal British Legion:

01428 642675

Samaritans:08457 909090

SPACES Young Parents Group:

01428 723910

Visitor Information Centre:

01428 645425

Women s Royal Voluntary

Service:01428 605498

Places of Worship:Church of England:

All Saints Church,

Grayswood GU27 2DB

Telephone: 01428 656504

Website:

www.grayswoodparish.org

Liphook Church Centre,

Telephone: 01428

723119/01428 725390

St Alban s Parish Church,

Tilford Road, Hindhead

Telephone: 01428 605305

St Bartholomew s Church,

Haslemere GU27 1BP

Telephone: 01428 644578

St Christopher s Church,St

Christopher s Green.

Haslemere

Telephone: 01428 644578

St Joseph s Church R.C.

Headley Road,Grayshott.

Telephone: 01420 472415

St Luke s Grayshott Parish

Church,Headley Road

Telephone: 01428

604540/01428 606703

St Margaret s Fernhurst,

Church Road GU273HZ

Telephone: 01428 652229

St Mary s Bramshott

Telephone: 01428

723119/01428 725390

St Paul s Camelsdale

and St Paul s Lynchmere

Telephone: 01428 642983

St Stephen s Church,

Shottermill GU271NS

Telephone: 01428 645878

Website:

www.shottermillparish.org.uk

Three Counties Church,

Church Office, Kings Road

GU27 2QA

Telephone: 01428 653011

Useful ContactsISSUE 1 DECEMBER 2006 / JANUARY 2007

47

Jehovas Witness:

Jehovas Witnesses,88 Weyhill,

Haslemere, Surrey GU27 1HS

Telephone: 01428 642080

Methodist:

Haslemere Methodist Church,

Lion Green GU271LD

Telephone: 01428 644334

Website:

www.methodist.org.uk

Quaker:

Religious Society of Friends,

Quaker Meeting House, Mill

Lane, Godalming.

Sunday Services: 10.30am

Roman Catholic:

Haslemere Catholic Parish

Cluster,21 Derby Road

GU27 1BS

Telephone: 01428 643877

United Reformed:

Beacon Hill United Reformed

Church, Churt Road, Beacon

Hill

Telephone:

01428608990/01428 606236

Places to Stay:Georgian House Hotel

High Street, Haslemere,

Surrey GU27 2JY

Telephone: 01428 656644

E-mail:

[email protected]

Inn on the Hill, Lower Street,

Haslemere, Surrey GU27 2PD

Telephone: 01428 642006


Lythe Hill Hotel and Spa

Petworth Road, Haslemere,

Surrey GU27 3BQ

Telephone: 01428 651251


Wheatsheaf Inn, Grayswood,

Haslemere, Surrey GU27 2DE

Telephone: 01428 644440

E-mail:

[email protected]

Sports and Leisure:Broadwater Park Golf Club, Old

Portsmouth Road, Godalming,

Surrey GU7 3BU

Telephone: 01483 429955

Camberley Health Golf Club,

Golf Drive, Camberley. Surrey

GU15 1JG

Telephone: 01276 232258

Champney s Forest Mere

Health Resort, Liphook,

Hampshire GU30 7JQ

Telephone: 01428 726013

Website: www.champneys.com

Cowdray Park Polo Club

Telephone: 01730 813257

E-mail:

[email protected]

Website:

www.cowdraypolo.co.uk

Cranleigh Golf and Leisure

Club, Barhatch Lane,

Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 7NG

Telephone: 01483 268855

Dean Farm Golf Course,

Bordon GU35 9NG

Telephone: 01420 489478

Haslemere Hockey Club

Director of Hockey: Heidi Wells

Telephone: 07973 345547

Director of Junior Hockey:

Mandy Jackson

Telephone: 01428 604643

Haslemere Recreation

Association

Telephone: 01428 661486

Haslemere Cricket Club

Telephone: 01428 654459

Haslemere Educational

Museum Telephone: 01428

642112

Haslemere Lawn Tennis Club

Telephone: 01428 661486

Haslemere Rugby Club

Telephone: 07771530510

Haslemere Youth Football

Telephone: 01428 656215

Hindhead Golf Club, Churt

Road, Hindhead, Surrey GU26

6HX

Telephone: 01428 604614

Hurtmore Golf Club, Hurtmore

Road, Hurtmore, Godalming,

Surrey GU7 2RN

Telephone: 01483 424440

Kinetika Gym, The Herons

Leisure Centre, Kings Road,

Haslemere GU27 2QP

Telephone: 01428 658484

AND The Edge Leisure Centre,

Woolmer Road,

Haslemere GU27 1QU

Telephone: 01428 644577

Milford Golf Club, Station

Lane, Milford, Godalming,

Surrey GU8 5HS

Telephone: 01483 419200

Nordic Walking

Andy Webb

Telephone: 07950031538

Shottermill and Haslemere

Football Club

Telephone: John 01428

642296/07770568793

The Herons Swimming Centre

Telephone: 01428 658484

The Wild Wood Country Club,

Horsham Road, Alford,

If you would like your organisation to be

added to this directory, please e-mail your

details to [email protected]

FAO Lucy Coates.

Dancers from Danceartperforming their routine atthe Haslemere Fashion Showin November 2006

Haslemere Rugby Club s studs!

Arts Diary

48

Friday 1st DecemberHandel s MessiahGuildford PhilharmonicOrchestraConductor: Malcolm ArcherVenue: Holy Trinity Church,High Street, GuildfordTime: 7.45pmBook tickets: 01483 444789

Charles Villiers Stanford:Arguably Britain s greatestall-round musicianHaslemere and DistrictRecorded Music SocietyGuest Presenter: JohnHumphries (ARIBA)Venue: Shottermill Hall, HolyCross HospitalTime: 7.45pm

Saturday 2nd DecemberMozart s Overture to MagicFlute, Mendelssohn s ViolinConcerto, Brahms Song ofDestiny, Handel s The King ShallRejoice and Schumann sSymphony No. 4Haslemere Music SocietySymphony Orchestra andChorusConductor: Darrell DavisonVenue: Haslemere Hall, BridgeRoad, Haslemere GU27 2ASTime: 7.30pmBook tickets: 01428 605612

The Parlay of Instruments,Telemann, Handel, Purcell andBachDirector: Peter HolmanVenue: Petersfield Festival Hall,Heath RoadTime: 7.30pmBook Tickets: 01730 261199

Sunday 3rd DecemberSalsa Dance ClassesEvery Sunday evening untilChristmas and again in JanuaryVenue: Hasleway, Lion GreenTime: 6-6.25pm, Free AbsoluteBeginners Intro; 6.15-7.15pmBeginners; 7.30-8.30pmImprovers; 8.30-9pm Music anddancing.

A Service For AdventThe Bartholomew SingersConductor: Anthea MortonVenue: St. Bartholomew s ParishChurch, Derby Road, HaslemereGU27 1BPTime: 6pm

Tuesday 5th DecemberJS Bach, DuprØ, Franck, Jongen,Mulet, Mushel, Sweenlinck and

VierneAlton Organ SocietyStarring International ConcertOrganist: Gillian WeirVenue: St. Lawrence ParishChurch, Alton, HampshireGU34 2BWTime: 8pm

Saturday 9th DecemberMozart s Mass in C Minor,Parry s Ode on the NativityGodalming Choral SocietyConductor: Nicholas SteinitzVenue: Great Hall, CharterhouseSchool, Godalming GU7 2DFTime: 7.30pmBook Tickets: 01483 422006

Musica Sacra EnsemblePetersfield Chamber ChoirDirector: Ann PinheyVenue: St. Peter s Church, TheSquare, Petersfield, HampshireGU32 3HSTime: 7.30pm

Carols By CandlelightTilford Bach Society and TheLondon Handel SingersVenue: All Saint s Church,Tilford, SurreyTime: 3pm and 6.30pmBook Tickets: 01428 713338

Christmas ConcertThe Waverly Singers and LockeBrass EnsembleConductor: Malcolm HicksVenue: St Andrews ParishChurch, Upper Church Lane,Farnham, SurreyTime: 7.30pmBook Tickets: 01252 613765

Sunday 10th DecemberSalsa Dance ClassesEvery Sunday evening untilChristmas and again in JanuaryVenue: Hasleway, Lion GreenFor details, see Sun 3 Dec

Tuesday 12th DecemberSchubert s Die Sch ne MullerinHindhead Music CentreVenue: Hindhead Music Centre,Hindhead Road, Hindhead GU266BATime: 7.30pmBook Tickets: 01428 604941

Wednesday 13th DecemberTown Centre Carol SingingChamber of Commercedispenses mulled wine, mincepies and Town Band providesmusicVenue: Haslemere War Memorial

Time: 7pm

Friday 15th DecemberChristmas Pr0grammeHaslemere and DistrictRecorded Music SocietyVenue: Shottermill Hall, HolyCross HospitalTime: 7.45pm

Saturday 16th DecemberThe Blues Band on tourVenue: Haslemere Hall, BridgeRoadTime: 8 for 8.30pmBook Tickets: 01428 642161

Handel s MessiahFarnham & Bourne ChoralSocietyConductor: Robin WellsVenue: St. Andrews ParishChurch, Farnham, SurreyTime: 7.30pmBook Tickets: 01483 425575

Sunday 17th DecemberSalsa Dance ClassesEvery Sunday evening untilChristmas and again in JanuaryVenue: Hasleway, Lion GreenFor details, see Sun 3 Dec

Friday 5th JanuaryJohn Eliot GardinerHaslemere and DistrictRecorded Music SocietyGuest Presenter: Paul Graber(Guildford RMS)Venue: Shottermill Hall, HolyCross HospitalTime: 7.45pm

Saturday 6th JanuaryTwelfth Night ConcertOpera SouthVenue: Georgian House Hotel,High Street, Haslemere GU272JYTime: 6pmBook Tickets: 01730 817547

Sunday 14th JanuaryThe Elixir of Love (L Elisird Amore) by DonizettiOpera South: Introductory talkby Tom Higgins, Director ofMusicVenue: Capron House, NorthStreet, Midhurst, W. SussexGU29 9DHTime: 2.30pmBook Tickets: 01730 817547

Friday 19th JanuaryCelebrating Elgar s 150thHaslemere and DistrictRecorded Music SocietyPresenter: Rhona MoreyVenue: Shottermill Hall,

Holy Cross HospitalTime: 7.45pm

Saturday 20th JanuaryPoulenc, Elgar, Laillet andBeethovenThe Louisa Denby Triobassoon, oboe and pianoVenue: St Peter s Church, TheSquare, Petersfield, HampshireGU32 3HSTime: 7.30pm

Tuesday 23rd JanuaryAlton Organist Society OrganConcertAlton Organist SocietyStarring international concertorganist: Thomas TrotterVenue: St Lawrence ParishChurch, Alton, Hampshire GU342BWTime: 8pm

Yeoman Of The GuardFarnham Amateur OperaticSocietyVenue: Farnham MaltingstbcTime: 7.30pmBook Tickets: 01252 726234

Wednesday 24th JanuaryYeoman Of The GuardFarnham Amateur OperaticSocietyFor details, see 23 Jan.

Thursday 25th JanuaryYeoman Of The GuardFarnham Amateur OperaticSocietyFor details, please see 23 Jan.

Friday 26th JanuaryTilford Bach Society ConcertVenue: Farnham Castle, CastleHill, Farnham GU9 0AETime: 8pmBook Tickets: 01428 713338

Yeoman Of The GuardFarnham Amateur OperaticSocietyFor details, see Tues 23 Jan

Saturday 27th JanuarySouthern Pro Musica MozartSouthern Orchestral SocietyConductor: Jonathon WillcocksVenue: Petersfield Festival Hall,Petersfield, GU31 4TFTime: 7.30pm

Arts Diary


23

Documents

Life in Haslemere Issue 1