< Previous70 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYBUSINESS LINCS - HOTEL REVIEWLondon is awash with hotels ofall shapes and sizes, but if you’relooking for something a littlemore individual, the Fox &Anchor in trendy Clerkenwell isjust the tonic – a proper pub withstylish and comfortable roomsand gastro food.This renovated traditional pub hasan almost country inn like feel and isa rare find indeed given its proximityto all the action. Steeped in history,the pub has served the traders ofSmithfield market for decades and hasbeen lovingly restored to its formerglory, attracting office workers andcity types through its huge mahoganydoors. The company’s strapline is ‘Hops &Chops, Cuvees & Duvets’ and perhapssums up what makes the Fox andAnchor such a hit. The rooms areopulent yet cosy and sit directly abovethe pub, two rooms to each floor sothere’s certainly no shortage of space.If you’re looking for something a littlespecial we’d recommend the marketsuite – true unadulterated luxury witha roll top copper bath and matchingsink and a drench shower. That’s notto mention the separate lounge withBose stereo, TV and egyptian cottonsheets. Even those on a more modestbudget can’t fail to be impressed - aswe entered our standard room thehardwood panelled walls and furnitureooze luxury and the tall leadedwindows hung with some of theheaviest drapes I’ve ever set eyes on.There’s even a comfy sofa at the footof the bed use to enjoy the TV andsound system (Bose of course) whilemy wife refreshes herself in theequally opulent en suite bathroom. Suitably recharged from our travelswe’re soon back in the pub below withits conker wood bar and timeless décorwhere I order a glass of real ale beforenoticing my wife scowling as she’s gother eyes set on a bottle of Krug! We browse the menu over drinksand the choice is vast – everythingfrom ham hock, champ and parsleysauce through to beer batteredhaddock (real ale of course), goose fatchips and mushy peas. Once we’ve made our minds up andthe chef’s had time to create it we’reshown to our table; a cosy candlelitnook in the rear of the pub, The foodproves delicious and the portion sizesas generous as you’re likely to findanywhere. The only trouble is, by thetime we polish it all off we’re toostuffed to even consider the dessertsHops &Chops,Cuvees &Duvets Hops &Chops,Cuvees &Duvets 70-71:Layout 1 13/7/12 13:21 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY71BUSINESS LINCS - HOTEL REVIEWwe’d heard so much about. Ah well,there’s an excuse to return - although,judging by my wife’s face, I don’tthink I’ll need an excuse to convinceher.We awake the next morning fullyrested, despite a bit of clattering fromthe Smithfield traders opposite, whichisn’t anywhere near as obtrusive asyou might think - probably due tothose thick chunky drapes. The marketis part of the charm after all and so,after a full English breakfast, taken inthe pub again, we venture off to enjoythe sights. A great place to explorefrom and get a real feel of what thebig city has to offer.FACT FILEFox and AnchorRates from £95 Room onlywww.foxandanchor.comTo book call 020 7250 130070-71:Layout 1 16/7/12 13:07 Page 272 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYWILDLIFEPHOTO PROVIDED BY SKEGNESS NATURELANDLincolnshire is serious about caring for its wildlife and the sealsanctuary at Skegness Natureland is a great example. Lincolnshire is serious about caring for its wildlife and the sealsanctuary at Skegness Natureland is a great example. A haven forWILDLIFE A haven forWILDLIFE72-73:Layout 1 13/7/12 13:22 Page 1park. If you want to do something tosupport them, and help save the sealsacross Lincolnshire’s coasts, then godown and visit Skegness Naturelandand watch the seals being fed. It’s notjust seals either, see other animals suchas Goats, Penguins, crocodiles,butterflies, rare birds… even meerkats! Natureland is at North Parade, Skegness,PE25 1DB. Call 01754 764 345 or visitwww.skegnessnatureland.co.uk Fact File Seals do not have to sleep on land,but can in fact sleep in the water. Theydo so by floating atop the waves like abottle on the surface of the ocean.When they dip below the waves theirnostrils close automatically until theybob back up again. LINCOLNSHIRETODAY73WILDLIFEThough Lincolnshire is famed formany different types of wildlife, noneare more easily recognised than theseals seen along our coasts, all the wayfrom the Norfolk border to the Humber.In order to find out more about theseincredible animals, we visited Duncanat Skegness Natureland, which has beenrescuing and releasing seals back intothe wild for almost fifty years. The first thing to know about theseals most commonly seen along theLincolnshire coast is that there areactually two different breeds. TheHarbour seals, often referred to ascommon seals, are usually found alongsandy coastlines. The largest singlecolony of them is at the Wash, betweenLincolnshire and Norfolk. Here thereare numerous sandbanks which becomeexposed at low tide, which the sealswill climb onto in order to sleep or givebirth to pups in safety. The second typeof seal is known as the Grey seal, whichspend more time at sea. The nearestbreeding ground for these is at DonnaNook, between Grimsby and Skegness. The two types of seal are widelydifferent in their habits, mostnoticeably in how they breed and reartheir young. Females of both speciesnormally give birth to a single pup, butthe Grey seal’s young are born fromOctober to December with a silky whitecoat and are quite helpless and relianton their mother. They are fed on thickmilk for around 21 days, by which timethey will have moulted and lost theirwhite coat. After this time the mother’smilk will dry up, and they will beexpected to fast for up to four weekswhile they learn how to catch theirown food.Conversely, the Harbour seal is bornbetween June and August, with amottled grey coat, having shed itswhite birth coat in the womb. What’smore, a Harbour seal can commonlyswim within five minutes of being bornand will accompany their mother asshe nurses it for between three to fiveweeks. Considering the Harbour sealspends more time in the water with ismother, it also learns to hunt fishmuch earlier. The problems come when theseyoung seals are orphaned or abandonedby their mothers. This happens,perhaps, because a seal pup gets lost, orthe mother falls to some form ofpredator, it’s not an uncommon sightto find young seals washed up onbeaches, where they would eventuallydehydrate or starve. That’s where Skegness Naturelandsteps in. Founded in 1965, Naturelandis dedicated to rescuing and providingsanctuary to abandoned seal pups,nursing them back to health andfattening them up before releasingthem back into the wild, off theSkegness coast. Young seal pups areoften weak and undernourished, andunfortunately seal mothers produce avery unique sort of milk which is over40% fat. To compare, cow’s milk is just4% fat. What’s more, seals suckle in avery different manner to other nursinganimals, and cannot suckle from abottle. To combat this, the young seal pupsare fed small sprats, which they are ableto eat with a little help. Often thesehave pills containing minerals andvitamins hidden inside them. Thesefeedings occur every two hours, andtake place within the Seal Hospital atNatureland. The carers will regularlytake the young seals out into a smallrearing pool, where they will be taughtto feed on fish in the water, and willgain the weight and strength needed tosurvive in the wild.After just a few months of intensivecare and feeding by the team, they willbe returned to the wild. Taken down tothe coast just behind the sanctuary,and released back into the waters. Allthe seals are tagged by the team, andsightings have been as far flung asFrance and Scotland, so we know theefforts they put forward are helping theseals live long and healthy lives.Helping Skegness Natureland Providing sanctuary and shelter to somany seals is not a cheap or easy ask.At Natureland, the process of rescuing aseal to release costs an average of £2000per seal, and the sanctuary receives nogrants or help from the Government orcharities. In fact they rely on donationsfrom generous individuals, and therevenue raised from visitors to their72-73:Layout 1 13/7/12 13:22 Page 274 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYEQUINEhat’s why many of the top eventing stars –including Oliver Townend and Piggy French –took part in this year’s event, held at Grange Farmin Wittering, and a Stamford rider was highlighted as astar of the future.The venue is the home of JumpCross with the conceptinvented by Grange Farm’s Robin Dunlop. The aim is tocombine the excitement of cross-country with the accuracyof show jumping, with fences that aren’t as intimidating asthe usual solid fences for horse or rider, yet still requirebalance, skill and respect in order to jump them cleanly. Thetrack features water crossings, combinations and joker fencesallowing riders to improve their score at the very end of theround.Many riders find it the perfect opportunity to enhancetheir skills – and be in with the chance of winning some ofthe £8500 prize fund donated by Lincoln horse healthproducts, including a £3000 first prize. In a close runcompetition, the 2012 winner’s purse fell to Fiona Hobby andRoyal Colours, the talented eleven year old.Fiona says, “It was a great competition and a wonderfulday. The prize money is excellent and I couldn’t be morepleased. Royal Colours is a careful horse and loved the track,JumpCross is a brilliant sport. The course was well designedand required the rider to really think about the approach tofences and the speed you were travelling at.”Riders took part in a two round competition, one in themorning and one in the afternoon with the scores from bothrounds combining together to determine the winner’s. OliverTownend riding Pepper Anne finished second after two goodrounds. Oliver is a regular at the Lincoln JumpCrossChallenge and this time he managed to scoop the £2250second place prize. Oliver says, “The course provided a greatopportunity to tackle a number of water crossings and wasThe Lincoln JumpCross Eventer’s Challenge is one of the most popular events in the equinecalendar – not just because of the prize money on offer but because of the fun andexcitement the JumpCross course offersGettingonejumpaheadFiona Hobby won the LincolnJumpCross Eventer’sChallenge on Royal ColoursTGettingonejumpahead74-75:Layout 1 13/7/12 13:23 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY75EQUINEvery well thought out. Pepper Anne went really well and itwas a great day all round.”Third place went to Zoe Adams and Satonamillion with thepair putting in a good performance to pick up £1500 in prizemoney and go one place better than in 2011. Robin Dunlopsays, “The Lincoln JumpCross Eventer’s Challenge is now wellestablished in the calendar. It was a great day, with top classcompetition and we are very grateful for the support fromLincoln.”Also running as part of the day was the JumpCross YoungRider Challenge, with a £1000 prize purse at stake. Young riderscompeting at JumpCross sites all over the country had qualifiedto take part with the eventual first place going to RachelDinwoodie of Stamford, riding Ringwood Abi. Rachel says, “Itwas a bit touch and go up to the final, as Abi had to have sometime off with a septic foot, but thankfully she came right in thelast ten days so I was able to start riding her again. To win the£350 first prize was just amazing and I would like to thank theorganisers for putting on such a brilliant competition.”To add to Rachel’s success she also won the LincolnJumpCross Team Challenge when her score was added to thatof her celebrity partner Daniel Delsart to run out the winnersand take home even more prizes. Congratulations toeveryone who won at the event!The best for yourhorse – liveYour Horse Live has for many years provided entertainmentand information for horse owners. This year’s event is held atStoneleigh Park in Warwickshire on Saturday 10th andSunday 11th November and promises to be an action-packedtwo days.Leading names Mary King, Ben Maher, Carl Hester andCharlotte Dujardin are headlining the event with brilliantdemonstrations and masterclass performances. These topriders will also offer advice and problem solving techniquesso you’re bound to find out something new. In addition theshopping is second to none and with more than threehundred stands there’s something for you and your horse.You can book tickets in advance by calling 0844 581 0770or visiting www.yourhorselive.co.uk – or you could win a pairof adult tickets for Sunday 11th. To be in with chance, simplytell us where Your Horse Live 2012 is taking place, and sendyou answer, with your name, address and telephone numberto Your Horse Live Competition, Lincolnshire Today,Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby DN31 2QE orcompetitions@blmgroup.co.uk.Your Horse Livetakes place at theend of the yearThe aim of JumpCross is to mix the excitement ofcross-country with the accuracy of show jumpingFOR A CARING ANDPROFESSIONAL APPROACHTO ALL YOUR VETERINARY NEEDS•Pre-purchase Examinations •Endoscopy•Stables & Theatre •Tendon Scanning•Reproductive Ultrasound •Mobile Xray Unit.Estate Office, Boston RdSPILSBYTel: 01790 752227Heath Road Trad. Est.SKEGNESSTel: 01754 767444110 High StreetMABLETHORPETel: 01507 478182Fenwold VeterinaryPractice Ltd74-75:Layout 1 13/7/12 13:23 Page 276LINCOLNSHIRETODAYactive lincolnshireI’m not normally involved in thisfeature, but when they came throughthe office looking for someone brave(insane) enough to be strapped onto aplane’s wing and flown aroundLincolnshire - that sounded perfect!Always being a bit of a daredevil, andgrowing up with a reoccurring dreamof flying (not to mention my thirtiethbirthday approaching), I was happy tograb the opportunity with both hands.It had always been on my list ofthings to do before I die, alongsidebungee jumping and sky-diving, butconsidering my husband’s thoughts onflying, and the rate at which his facedrains of blood in an aeroplane, Ithought it might be best to notmention this until my feet were firmlyback on the ground.Given the typical British weather,the original date had to be postponedand pushed back, which seemed togive my nerves the chance to gainsome momentum. The instantreaction of “are you mad?” fromeveryone I told about this wasn’thelping things. Richard Pickin from AerobaticsTactics met me down at ex-RAF baseWickenby Airfield, where I had seenhim completing the necessary safetychecks on his Boeing Steaman.Watching the plane glide through thesky was enough to get my heartracing, but at the same time I couldn’twait. Richard was quick to calm anyfears down, jokingly informing methat the hardest part about todaywould actually be climbing into therig. Then again, Richard has neveractually experienced wing walking,because he exceeds the heightrestriction of six feet, and the weightrestriction of twelve stone… while hehasn’t wing walked before, he hasflown for over fifteen years, and hashelped an array of people wing walk,including an 82 year old, who can’twait to do it again! Getting strapped into the five pointsafety harness and sporting my stylishsafety goggles, I was ready for take-off,and any sense of doubt or fear wasquickly replaced with an eager, thrillseeking excitement. When the engineroared to life and the propellers turnedto little blurs, I couldn’t help wavingone final salute to the spectators as wetrundled down the runway. It was alittle bumpy at first but before I fullyrealised it we were pulling up into thesky and I had an overwhelming senseof glee as I looked down to seeeverything getting smaller and smaller,until I could see nothing other thanactive lincolnshireThis month Becky from Lincolnshire Today teams upwith Aerobatic Tactics to demonstrate there’s moregoing on in our county than we might realise!Walking on airWalking on air76-77:Layout 1 13/7/12 13:25 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY77rolling green and yellow fields! WithLincoln Cathedral visible in thedistance, and what looked like littlecars driving around below, I couldn’thelp but grin ear to ear.It felt liberating and I had the mostamazing sense of achievement. I was alittle hesitant at first, gripping onto therig I was strapped into, but it didn’ttake long to settle into the experienceand by the time we had changeddirection to do a low level fly past forthe spectators, I couldn’t resist doingthe YMCA, and giving a huge thumbsup to anyone who could see me. Just as I was starting to feel moreconfident I felt as though we had justridden over a hump bridge (at135mph) and I seemed to lose controlof my limbs. Before I knew it we wereheading straight down towards theground towards the people who werewatching from the end of the runway!The engine was roaring and I wasscreaming uncontrollably fromexcitement and anticipation. As theactive lincolnshireactive lincolnshirenose evened out and pulled up fromthe dive and I laughed and gave morethumbs up to anyone I could see. Icouldn’t help but wish we could do itagain!We were only in the air for aroundtwelve minutes, but I seemed to last alifetime, yet at the same time I didn’twant it to end. The only thing I wouldhave done differently would be tohave brought some earplugs along,because the wind is really loud whenyou’re going that fast!As we approached the landing Ibraced myself for a rough affair, prettysure I’d come away with a few earnedbruises, but Richard showed hisexpertise, and the landing wassmoother than what I’ve experiencedon most commercial flights! Legs morethan a little shaky, I jumped downfrom the aircraft to give Richard ahuge hug and thank you, while alsofeeling inordinately proud of myselffor what I’d just done.It’s difficult to put into words justhow breathtaking an experience itreally is, and I cringe even as I say it’sone of those things that simply has tobe tried to be understood. I canpromise you won’t be disappointedthough! For me, an adrenaline junkieis born, and I’ll be fighting to get myfair share of these events in futurejournalists!Becky with pilotRichard PickinThings to NoteAerobatics Tactics operate the only UKregistered Boeing Steaman, fitted with fourailerons and 300hp engine, approved by theCivil Aviation Authority for wing walking inthe UK. There are limits and regulationshowever to how much the craft may safelycarry. There is a weight limit of twelve stoneon all wing walkers, and a height restrictionof six feet. For further details, do contactAerobatics Tactics directly, and they’ll behappy to tell you more! To find out more or book with AerobaticsTactics, visitwww.aerobatictactics.co.uk/wing_walking orcall on 07814 741 356 76-77:Layout 1 13/7/12 13:25 Page 278 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYCOUNTY MOTORINGHonda Accord Saloon 2.2 I-DTEC ES GTWithin the last decade the HondaAccord has flourished. It has turned froma nondescript, albeit dependable car intoa striking, solid executive carriage withreal road presence. It looks business-likeand it’s a proven, economical, motorwaymile-muncher. The latest Accord saloon,especially in GT guise, is a car you’ll bepleased to have as your company car. It isthe perfect BMW or Audi alternative andprojects a successful but self-effacingimage.Behind the wheel, the Japanese motorhas well damped switchgear and acomfortable driving position. The seatsare supportive and the half-leatherupholstery is sporty, yet elegant. The easy-to-operate central sat-nav unit is a boonfor business trips into the unknown, andthe thick leather rimmed steering wheel isa pleasure to grasp on those expeditions.The drive is smooth, with lots of pullfrom the 2199 cc diesel engine. The carwill accelerate from 0-62 mph in anunruffled 9.4 seconds, and it will poweronwards and upwards to 131 mph. Thefour-door saloon takes corners well, soaksups potholes, and generally feels wellplanted at all times. The Accord is not quite as engaging todrive as a rear-wheel drive BMW and itdoesn’t have the ‘string-of-pearl’ lightsfirst introduced by Audi, but it’s a Honda– a firm with a long-standing reputationfor good reliability. You’ll only need tospend upwards of £21,000 to get a newone.New Hyundai i30 Style 1.6CRDi The New Generation Hyundai i30 issimilar in size to the Audi A3 or VWGolf and its appearance is quite ‘cuttingedge’. The LED running lights are very2012 and the cabin looks as if it’s fromThe Jetsons. It’s all good fun andpractical too. The motor is fine forferrying colleagues to business meetings– there’s plenty of room for two adultsin the front and sufficient space for acouple of passengers in the rear. Lift thehatch and the boot is also big enoughto gobble up your essential items.The i30 is comfortable and holds theroad well. The steering is a little vague,but the Hyundai glides across our patchyBritish country roads acceptably and sitson motorways perfectly happily. For £19,860 your new Hyundai i30Style will come loaded with gear. Youget duel-zone climate control, anintelligent, fuel saving, stop and gosystem, parking sensors and hill-startassist control. Some of this kit onlycomes on the options list of rivalmarques. The i30 has also recently been namedCar of the Year and all Hyundai carscome with a five star triple carepackage, which includes a five year,unlimited mileage, manufacturer backedwarranty. If that’s not enough peace ofmind, you also get five years of roadsideassistance and annual vehicle healthchecks. Now that’s impressive–especially if, at the very least, all you’reafter is a hassle-free car for business.New Mazda3 1.6D TS2The Mazda3 is just about big enough ifyou use your car as a mobile office. Accessto the rear is particularly good in the fivedoor version and another tick comes fromthe load area. The boot is deep and wideallowing, for example, banner-ups forbusiness events to be lifted in without anyhassle.Aesthetically, the Mazda3 is appealing –In fact, it’s had a makeover for 2012,giving it a more muscular, aerodynamic,look. It has a new face, a different rearbumper and it features up-to-the-minute‘twist-spoke’ alloy wheels. Inside, there arefresh materials and Mazda’s designershave replaced the previous silver colour ofthe lower dashboard console with black.Behind the wheel, the dials and controlshave been ringed in satin-polish silver,making them clearer to see. As well as general improvements to itsappearance, and little tweaks here andthere to make it even more driver friendly,the Mazda3’s fuel economy has beenenhanced. If you’re careful, you can nowget a maximum of 65.7 mpg out of thehatchback. This is impressive – and largelydue to the new model’s refinedaerodynamics. The TS2 model delivers a good driveand is capable of 116 mph. It comes wellequipped with front fog lights, dusk-sensing lights and rain-sensing frontwipers. It also has Integrated Bluetooth, aheated windscreen and cruise control. Youwon’t get much change out of £20,000 ifyou want a brand new Mazda3 with thislevel of kit and a turbo diesel under thebonnet. The 1.6D TS2 will set you back£18,295 – in today’s market, that’sactually pretty competitive.It doesn’t have to beGERMANFor many years German cars have been envied for their engineering, design and luxury – but thereare plenty of other countries making decent motors too. Given the state of the global economy, wethought it would be worth looking at three non-Teutonic cars which are fabulous drives, but won’tcause you to dig too deep into your pockets.78-79:Layout 1 13/7/12 13:26 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY79COUNTY MOTORINGHonda Accord Saloon 2.2 I-DTEC ES GTHyundai i30 Style 1.6 CRDiMazda3 1.6D TS278-79:Layout 1 13/7/12 13:26 Page 2Next >