Weddings Inspiration foryour big day101 ways toenjoy thecounty thisEasterWeddings Inspiration foryour big day101 ways toenjoy thecounty thisEasterwww.blmgroup.co.ukBLMGROUPGROUPBLMwww.blmgroup.co.ukBLMGROUPGROUPBLMWWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NETA PASSION FOR LIVINGA PASSION FOR LIVING£2.60 APRIL 2012£2.60 APRIL 201201:Layout 1 16/3/12 09:07 Page 1BOSTON,LINCOLNSHIREAMarketTownRichinHistoryandCultureTake pleasure in Boston’s history by strollingdown the medieval lanes and vising St Botolph’sChurch (The Stump), Boston Guildhall Museumand Fydell House. Visit Marime Leisure Cruisesfor a cruise down the River Witham and just ashort walk from the town centre is the Maud Foster Windmill, one of the largest operang windmills in England. Enjoy a day out shopping atone of the largest general markets in Lincolnshire;stalls include local produce, flowers, foods, clothing, household items and more.BOSTON BUSINESS CENTRE, NORFOLK ST, BOSTON, LINCOLNSHIRE PE21 9HHWEBSITE: www.bostonbid.co.uk EMAIL: niall.armstrong@lincs-chamber.co.ukSing proudly on thebanks of the River Witham, Boston offers an experience like no other market town in Lincolnshire.Market Place Ready to Launch in March 2012NewBostonMarketWednesdays&Saturdays9am-5pmOpenairauctiononWednesdays02:Layout 1 16/3/12 09:12 Page 1Editor:Steve FisherJournalists:Steve Williams, Mike ShieldsElis Ballard, Michael Fisher. Photographers:Richard Picksley, Alan LongSales Director:Teri CooperSales Manager:Helen NewtonSales:Angela CooperJade SmithAccounts:Angela Sharman, John DownesCirculations:Dawn CookDesign & Production:Gary Jorgensen, Mark Casson,Rachel GreenAdvertising:Tel: (01472) 310302, Fax: (01472) 310312 Editorial:Tel: (01472) 310305, Fax: (01472) 310317Part Of The Business LinkMagazine Group: Armstrong House, ArmstrongStreet, Grimsby,N E Lincs DN31 2QEEmail: lincs-today@blmgroup.co.uk Website: www.lincolnshiretoday.net ISSN No: 1366-1299© All rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced, transmitted, photocopied, recordedor otherwise without express permission of thecopyright holder, for which application should beaddressed first to the publisher. While everyreasonable care is taken, neither the publisher nor itsparticipating agents accept liability for loss ordamage to prints, colour transparencies, negativesor other material of whatever nature submitted to thispublication. The views expressed in this publicationare not necessarily the views of those held by thepublisher.This magazine is now fully recyclable. Byrecycling magazines, you can help reducewaste and add to the 5.5 million tonnes ofpaper already recycled by the UK paperindustry each year. Before you recycle yourmagazine, please ensure you remove allplastic wrapping, free gifts and samples. Ifyou are unable to participate in a recyclingscheme, then why not pass your magazineonto a local hospital or charity?As I write, Lincolnshire has just enjoyed one of the hottestweekends we’ve had in a long time. Hopefully a taste ofthings to come, but should we dare to wish? Our farmersdesperately need water for irrigation and reservoirs are alreadydepleted. Rather than fix the leaks, it seems the watercompanies will soon be issuing us with a hosepipe ban.One wonders how utility companies overseas can performbetter than ours. Let’s face it, you could fry an egg on the pavement inSouthern Spain most of the year round, and yet they still have enough water tofill their swimming pools and run their automatic irrigation systems and yetunlike Britain, they’re not surrounded by copious amounts of the wet stuff thatlaps up freely on coasts around the country. I’m sure utility companies havethought of this, but then desalination plants cost money and God forbid theyshould dilute their profits.There’s another sinister side to the clement weather in this country, too – thatof untanned flesh. It always baffles me that men, who should know better,choose to whip their clothes off as soon as the sun puts in an appearance. Whocan handle the reflection from uber-white flesh as men up and downLincolnshire whip their tops off, or get their legs out – and we’re talking thesort of shorts that have neither been worn, nor in fashion since the earlynineties. Please, this has to stop.Before I bare my skin to the world, I always ensure it’s got a bit of a tan –after all, we don’t want the female population of Lincolnshire running for thehills. If male readers could follow suit that’d be most accommodating. Femalereaders can do their bit too – simply encourage your partner to keep his top onwhilst mowing the lawn, assuming we have lawns for very much longer. Soonwe’ll all have just patches of cracked earth if water companies get their way.Indeed with utility companies under the spotlight, this month we have atimely look at renewable energy and how to make your home more self-sufficient. Happily Lincolnshire looks great whatever the weather, as wediscover elsewhere in these pages - a visit to Stamford and Market Rasen, andideas to get the most out of your Easter break to name but a few. We hope youenjoy reading this latest issue as much as we enjoyed compiling it.Good reading, as alwaysSteve FisherEditorWelcome toLincolnshire TodayLincolnshireToday@lincstodaylincolnshiretoday.net03:Layout 1 16/3/12 11:27 Page 1Features26 Renewable EnergyLincolnshire is leading the world when it comes to new forms of energy32 Market RasenThe town that’s undergoing a quiet transformation56 Wedding SpecialPlenty of advice before you take the plunge66 Business LincsOur county continues to punch above its weight in business74 StamfordIt’s all going on at the foot of the county!Looking good42 Get the look!Be fun and flirty with some gorgeous outfits50 Spring styleBags, shoes and bold accessories are essential style statements52 Luscious looksHow to look glamorous and well-groomed this season54 Drink it inAre you getting enough water?At home16 A peaceful retreatMore than meets the eye in Ludborough20 Those finishing touchesA spread of tasteful items to make a house a home22 The enchanted gardenWe visit a serene setting in Burgh le Marsh42April 2012ContentsContents04-05:Layout 1 16/3/12 11:30 Page 1Leisure30 Lincolnshire WalksBarrowby, Casthorpe and The Grantham Canal34 Egg-citement abounds!Plenty of Easter ideas in Lincolnshire and beyondCounty Motoring76 Style meets substanceThe latest vehicles combining power andperformanceRegulars7 News Stories from around the county78 What’s On Forthcoming events across Lincolnshire83 The reviewOur critics review the latest books, music andfilms84 HoroscopesWhat will your stars say?Front cover courtesy ofwww.shutterstock.com / Subbotina Anna7656362604-05:Layout 1 16/3/12 11:30 Page 2The oldest street in Cleethorpes has just grown up!Sea View Street takes contemporary shopping to new heights. With its sophisticated array of specialist independent boutique shops, bespoke soft furnishings, restaurants and cafes,the area offers the very best in high-end fashion, luxury foods and beautiful crafts.join us on facebook search Sea View Street CleethorpesThink BubblesA Good YarnCote-EstEco SystemsTILLETTSP & L INTERIORSLa Cocinamuch, much more than just a sea view!La Flotte06-09:Layout 1 16/3/12 13:48 Page 1Lincolnshire YesterdayOur regular look at the world of antiques and collectablesA group of medals awarded to a formerdentist went under the hammer at auctioneersGolding Young & Thos. Mawer in Lincoln.Major GE Moss commanded the 6thMansfield Battalion of the Home Guard from1942 onwards. He was a native of Lincoln whojoined the Lincolnshire Regiment in August1914 and served in France that year, eventuallymoving to the Machine Gun Corp in 1917. Onreturning to the Western Front was attached tothe 51st Highland division. He was later takenprisoner and on the cessation of hostilities, heretired from the army with the rank ofLieutenant.Major Moss’ medals were a Great War forCivilisation medal, a 1914-18 medal and a Cityof Lincoln medal awarded for services in theGreat War. They sold to a local collector for£220, well above its estimate. Also under the hammer this month...A stoneware charger by potter David Leach sold for £420 as part of a collection ofover two hundred pieces of studio pottery amassed by a Lincoln man over the lastthirty years.Auctioneer John Leatt says, “The vendor collected these items of studio potteryover many years. The collection featured important pieces by potter David Leachincluding the stoneware charger decorated in the Japanese style which sold for£420. There were also several unusual pieces by Takeshi Taseda, Walter Keeler, RayFinch and Richard Phethean.”David Leach OBE was the eldest son of Bernard Leach, the “father of Britishstudio pottery”. He was chairman of the Craft Potters’ Association of Great Britainand exhibited widely around the world. He was awarded the OBE for his work instudio pottery and his three sons John, Jeremy and Simon are also potters.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY7LincolnshirenewsFresh inspiration forgardenersEarnshaws Fencing Centre at Brigg has undergonea major refit over the winter. The existing site hasbeen replanned giving additional space for carparking, new displays and the introduction ofexciting ranges of cabins, garden furniture, outdoorheating and lifestyle products. Daniel Earnshaw says, “Our existing customerswill find the same large stocks of fencing, gates andtraditional timber products that they are used to. Inaddition, we are offering the region’s gardeners freshinspiration from our striking and stylish newproducts.”Earnshaws Fencing Centre in Brigg is a family runbusiness, offering sustainable products, many ofwhich are made from timber sourced from their ownwoodland. Help and advice is on hand together witha well-stocked shop, delivery and installationservices.Explaining the NewBuy schemeThe Government has launched the NewBuy scheme as part of its Housing Strategy, but what does it mean forpotential home owners?David Marlow of Nottingham Building Society explains, “In essence the objectives of the scheme are three-fold – toencourage new home building, to increase the amount of lending and to decrease the cost of high loan to valuelending on new build properties.“Any initiative that can help stimulate the housing market has to be a good thing. However, there is a view thatthere is not enough affordable housing available. This isn’t one that we sharewholeheartedly as we have been offering high loan to value mortgages to homebuyersin Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and South Yorkshire since June 2008. In2011 alone, we helped 1146 first time buyers into their first home. “The real issue is that a lot of people don’t realise there are high loan to value mortgages out there, whereonly a 5% or 10% deposit is required. There are affordable mortgages out there for first time buyers and ourrecommendation would be to contact your local building society and see what they already have available.”06-09:Layout 1 16/3/12 13:48 Page 206-09:Layout 1 16/3/12 13:48 Page 3BIG focus on Portas pilotThe Market Rasen BusinessImprovement Group are making asubmission to the Government-backedPortas Pilot Scheme.The scheme will select twelve UK HighStreets and award them up to £100,000, tohelp fund improvement and regenerationinitiatives. Each entry must include avideo that has to be uploaded to YouTubeby 30th March. Filming of the MarketRasen entry is well underway thanks tothe co-operation of local businesses.Richard Hallsworth, member of the Business Improvement Group and Partner atNicholson’s Chartered Accountants, says, “We’ve got a lot to do, in a very short space of time, but the opportunity was simply too good tomiss. The team are being pragmatic about our chances of winning. Of course, we’d love the positive publicity and financial support to helprealise our ambitions for the town, but we’re all agreed that the exercise is valuable in its own right – as it will see us lay down a blueprint forpositive transformation in Market Rasen.”LINCOLNSHIRETODAY9LincolnshirenewsLincolnshire cheese turnsgreenSolar energy is being used to help produce one ofLincolnshire’s most famous exports.Lincolnshire Poacher cheese has been produced byTim and Simon Jones from their farm near Ulceby fortwenty years. Stow-based energy company Freewatthas installed a 50KW system on the store where twohundred tonnes of Poacher cheese are kept. This willhelp the power the milking machines for the farm’s230 cows, the equipment which makes the cheeseand the refrigeration units used to keep the Poacher atexactly the right temperature to mature and store it.The energy produced by the system is enough topower fourteen homes a year and will save nearly 22tonnes of CO2 per annum. Tim says, “We had beenthinking about solar power for some time but wewanted the best technology and to work with acompany we trusted and Freewatt was the obviouschoice. Even though the weather has been dull sincethe panels went up the electricity they are generatingis already outperforming our expectations.”P&L Interiors is the jewel in the crownWhen visiting Sea View Street in Cleethorpes, one of the jewels in the crown isundoubtedly P&L Interiors, offering a large range of interior decoration products to inspireall tastes and budgets.P&L specialise in bespoke curtains and soft furnishings created in their own workrooms.They also offer the county’s largest range of high quality wallpapers, paints, curtain tracksand poles under one roof. They are the only local stockists for Farrow and Ball paints andThe Little Greene Paint Company, so you’re assured of a professional, knowledgeable service.P&L are North Lincolnshire’s only Luxaflex inspiration dealer. This means all staff are fully trained in their ranges of high quality blinds, andthey offer a five year warranty with all Luxaflex blinds and awnings.P&L are also offering special deals on all Plantation shutter orders. Their trained joiner will come to your home and measure, advise andquote for the shutters which give the wow factor to any home or business. Visit www.plinteriors.co.uk to find out more.The Showroom brings people togetherThe first official MyplaceConference took place at TheShowroom this March. The two dayevent brought together leaders ofMyplace youth projects from acrossthe country.Across the two days, delegatesshared ideas and best practice on howto make their facilities even better andengage young people in the leadershipof the centres. Tim Loughton, theMinister for young people, addressed the conference, and said, “Young people are20% of the population and 100% of the future. The Showroom, like many Myplacefacilities across the country, is a fantastic place for young people, and organisationssupporting young people to come together.”The Showroom, run by Lincolnshire YMCA, is the county’s local Myplace facilityand offers Lincolnshire’s largest climbing wall, recording studio, sports cage andmuch more. An adjoined conference centre generates revenue for activities for youngpeople. For more information on The Showroom, visit www.theshowroom.org.uk.Karl McCartney MP and TimLoughton MP with Malcolm Barham,CEO of Lincolnshire YMCA06-09:Layout 1 16/3/12 13:48 Page 4Next >