< PreviousLincolnshire´s Premier WeddingVenueCONTACT CONFERENCE & BANQUETINGT: 01522 793305 or conference@branstonhall.com From the moment you enter the long sweeping driveway leading up to the hotel, you realise that Branston Hall, nestled within the picturesque parklands, is the perfect venue for your special day. We specialise in weddings and with the help of our dedicated wedding co-ordinator, we help you to plan your special day with ease guiding you along the way to organise your perfect LIa?MLLQVO8PW\WOZIXPaWXXWZ\]VQ\QM[IZMMVLTM[[_Q\PQVW]ZOZW]VL[IVL_MKIVM^MVPW[\ÅZM_WZSLQ[XTIa[NWZIVM^MVQVO_Q\Pa special touch. Whatever you do, do not decide on your venue before you come and visit us at Branston Hall Hotel.www.branstonhall.comBranston Hall HotelBranston · LincolnLN4 1PDT: 01522 793305F: 01522 790734info@branstonhall.comBRANSTON HALL HOTEL • WEDDINGS • PARTIES • SPECIAL EVENTS60 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYAyscoughfee Hall is a beautifulGrade I listed building set in five acresof unique public gardens idealfor your photographs. This intimate venue, just minutes fromSpalding town centre, is licensed forcivil ceremonies for up to 40 people.Included are the services of our dedicatedWedding Coordinators and exclusive useof the south facing Garden Room forlight refreshments before and afterthe ceremony.There is ample public parkingnearby for your guests. Ayscoughfee Hall Churchgate, Spalding,Lincolnshire. PE11 2RAtel: 01775 764555 email: museum@sholland.gov.ukwww.ayscoughfee.org58-63.qxp_Layout 1 16/10/2018 09:48 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRETODAY61WEDDINGSoption is also advantageous as the planner will know theins and outs of their venue and will be able to shape itaround your unique wants and needs. Some people find the idea of a wedding planner off-putting, thinking that they micromanage every aspect ofthe wedding, leaving nothing for the soon-to-be bride andgroom to do themselves. This, however, simply isn’t true. Awedding planner will undertake as much or as little asrequired. If you just want to have them oversee thelogistical minutia of the wedding, then so be it. Plannerscan also help you make decisions, such as deciding on adress, or which colour scheme works best. Choosing the right venue is perhaps the most significantdecision to make when it comes to organising anywedding. Yes food, entertainment and the rest areimportant, but everything depends on the venue. If there’sone thing that will ruin your special day, it’s a subpar venue.As we’re sure wedding planners will advise, it’s importantthat you do your research. While online reviews can factorinto your decision-making process, they shouldn’t be thedeciding factor. It’s worth visiting any venues you’reinterested in to get a sense of the place and get a feel forhow your wedding would play out. If it’s a hotel orrestaurant, you could even go and have a meal there. Thatway you can sample the quality of the food and service. Many modern couples only have the formal weddingceremony in a church for the sake of tradition, even if theythemselves aren’t remotely religious. More and morecouples are departing with tradition and tying the knot in aregistry office before having the lavish reception of theirdreams or getting married on-site at a beautiful hotel.Many of the best venues across our region are licensed tohost weddings, meaning you can forgo the church entirely,should you wish. Traditionally, the new bride and groom would be givenhousehold goods as presents as they moved in together.But as couples typically live together and even have kidsbefore getting hitched, this practice has largely beenrendered obsolete. Although presents for the bride andgroom remain a popular pastime, there are some otheroptions. Some couples have asked for donations to achosen charity in place of presents for example.One of the traditions that few, if any, people depart withis the stag and hen dos. What a lot of couples are doinglately is opting to combine the two together for one bigcelebration bash. After all, the getting-drunk-and-hiring-strippers approach isn’t for everyone. Some people wantsomething a bit more memorable. Sport and outdooractivities will always be a favourite, from paintballing andairsoft to zorbing and assault courses. There’s a goodchance that not everyone you’re inviting to the weddingwill know one another, so this is a great opportunity to© Shuttertock.com/Candus Camera63 Á58-63.qxp_Layout 1 16/10/2018 09:48 Page 4Winter Wedding Offer£2019 in 2019*In the heart of the city on the beautiful Brayford waterfront, the DoubleTree by Hilton Lincoln has 2 stunning wedding spaces complete with rooftop terraces for your perfect wedding. From intimate receptions to big celebrations for up to 400 guests. Enjoy amazing views over Lincoln Castle and Cathedral as your backdrop. Don’t let life pass you by and seize the day with our incredible 2019 offer. Finish the year with a sensational winter wedding package available on a limited number of dates. ,QOFXGHVURRPKLUHFRXUVHZHGGLQJEUHDNIDVWKRWÀOOHGHYHQLQJUROOV'- 'LVFREDVHGRQGD\WLPHDQGHYHQLQJJXHVWVGet in touch for more details and to book your show around with our wedding co-ordinator!LINCOLN.DOUBLETREE.COM | :('',1*6/,1&2/1#+,/721&20_ 58-63.qxp_Layout 1 16/10/2018 09:48 Page 5LINCOLNSHIRETODAY63WEDDINGSSPRINGFIELDS EVENTS & CONFERENCE CENTRECamel Gate, Spalding PE12 6ET01775 713253Whether you are looking for a wedding venue for 20 or 200 guests,Springfields has the versatility to accommodate all your family and friendsso they can share your special day with you. We have two rooms licensedfor civil ceremonies. Our smaller Patio Room and our Marquee Suite, withits delightful pale cream lining, which can be used for your ceremony,wedding breakfast and evening celebration. Our chef will prepare a menu to suit your taste and budget, and ourexperienced events team will ensure that all your preparations cometogether on the day. Memorable photographs of your wedding can betaken in our 15 acres of show gardens. Our Main Hall can also seat 500 forwedding receptions.www.springfieldsevents.co.ukevents@springfields.netMuseumBoston’s beautiful, medieval Guildhall can be the setting for your special day. Have your ceremony in the stunning banqueting hall, used for centuries for celebrations and have your photographs taken in any of our wonderful historic rooms.For more information please contact usticboston@boston.gov.uk www.bostonguildhall.co.ukSouth Street, Boston, PE21 6HT (01205) 365954Boston Guildhall Museum@bostonguildhallFor more information please contact usguildhall@boston.gov.ukwww.bostonguildhall.co.ukSouth Street, Boston, PE21 6HT(01205) 365954break the ice before any possible awkward encounters on thebig day. For the perfect combined couples do, pair anoutdoor activity with a spa day and everyone will feel welllooked after and left with memories they’ll cherish. Should you decide to go for a winter wedding, it meansrisking a washout when it comes to the stag, hen orcombined do. So why not go the whole hog and embracethe winter chill. We’re talking ice skating, indoor snow slopesand the like. Or go one step further and have a reverse honeymoon. Instead of having a getaway after the wedding, whynot take your friends and relatives along before the weddingfor the hen and stag dos. This way everyone will feel includedand you don’t have to worry about the weather. When it comes to a winter wedding, you can either go withthe flow or go the opposite direction. So you could pick cooltones for your colour scheme and flower arrangements,echoing the snow and ice outside, or opt instead for fieryshades to bring your own little ray of summer. Instead ofopting for horses, you could try going for reindeer. It’s all stuffto talk over with your wedding planning, hotel manger and,of course, your fiancé. Perhaps the biggest draw of a winter wedding is thewedding photos. The end of autumn and winter bring with itsome of the most beautiful and dramatic skyscapes and givenLincolnshire is famed for its skies, you could really be ontosomething special. Though there’s never any guarantee forsnow, imagine how wonderful your wedding snaps wouldlook with a dusting of snow. Lincolnshire is blessed with some of the best hotels,restaurants and facilities in the country. These facilities, suchas the charming picturesque Dower House Hotel in WoodhallSpa, will help to realise the wedding of your dreams whetherits taking place in winter or summer. © Shuttertock.com/Valery Petrushkov58-63.qxp_Layout 1 16/10/2018 09:48 Page 6Stunning Cathedral views in the heart ofthe city, but it’s not just the views thathave got people talking, what else iscooking at this much-loved Lincolnhotel?The Lincoln Hotel is a restored 1960’shotel that offers guests comfortable rooms,delicious food and incredible views. Locatedjust next door to the stunning LincolnCathedral, which means that we are ideallyplaced for guests wanting to explore themedieval city.What have you been working on at theLincoln Hotel during 2018?It’s been a great year for us, we’ve seenour food and beverage outlets go fromstrength to strength and we’re welcomingmore diners from the local community whoare rediscovering the hotel and of coursethe view, which let’s be honest is almostimpossible to beat. Our commitment todelivering the best quality has beenenhanced this year with Billy Frost joiningus as Head Chef. Billy’s a fantastic guy andwe have a shared vision for the food &beverage operation. I won’t say too muchmore as you’ll be reading more about Billylater in the article.We’ve also kept the teams busy with ourongoing refurbishment of the hotel. Thehotel is simply too popular to close down afloor of bedrooms at a time to carry outrefurbishment works, so in order to followup on our commitment to always improveand to ensure our current guest experienceis never compromised we have beenrefurbishing rooms over the course of theyear. The rooms have a more moderncontemporary feel, we’ve worked hard toensure our sleep quality is a match foranyone and the feedback has beenamazing.Tell us what you love about the hotelOh, that’s an easy one, and I’m sure64 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYLINCOLN HOTELQ&AWe had a chance to meet up with the LincolnHotel, to not only see what’s to come for the yearahead, but to meet with General Manager,Stephen Marriott and Head Chef, Billy Frostyou’re expecting me to say it’s the views ofthe magnificent Cathedral just across theway. As much as the view amazes me everyday I can only award it second spot on thepodium. For me what I’m most proudest ofare the brilliant people we have here andtheir commitment to our ethos. The culturewe have been building within the businessover the past few years is now very evidentin all that we do, it’s an absolute pleasure tobe involved. And what’s next for The Lincoln Hotel?We keep moving forward, keep onchallenging ourselves, keep striving to delivernext level service, and embrace technology.In terms of larger projects and deliveringon the vision we have for the hotel, all I amgoing to say at this stage is… you’re goingto love it.GeneralManager,StephenMarriott64-65.qxp_Layout 1 16/10/2018 08:42 Page 1On the menuOn the menuLINCOLNSHIRETODAY65LINCOLN HOTELMeet the Chef Billy FrostBilly FrostTell us a bit about yourself and how you startedout in this industryI first started cooking when I was 14 years of age,a little naughty but I took an unpaid job in a pub,and that was my first experience of a professionalkitchen. I loved the buzz of the kitchen and thetogetherness of the brigade. I immediately startinglearning about the ingredients and how they wouldwork together, that was it, I was hooked. There wasno stopping me, my passion for creating dishes andunderstanding the provenance of the ingredientsgrew, I enrolled and studied at Doncaster College. Whilst at College I was honoured to be enteredthe student category of the Escoffier Challengeduring which I went up against the best young chefsin the UK. I was very proud to take the overall titleof Escoffier Master Chef. After graduating from college, I went onto workin the kitchen of the Ritz in London for a year, asyou can imagine this experience was a dream cometrue for a young lad from Doncaster. It helpedpropel me to the next level, my career has movedat some pace since then and I took up my firstHead Chefs position at 21 years of age andachieved my first AA rosette for culinary experience4 years later.FOOD HEAVENAnything Pork, my favourite meat towork withFOOD HELLOily Fish, just not for me, except forMackerelAWARDSBest under 25 Chef in the UK at theEscoffier Master Chef 2010North West commis chef of the year 2008Dish Winner at the Food Porn Awards 2017 AA Rosette for culinary excellenceThe Lincoln Hotel can be found at Eastgate, Lincoln, LN2 1PN, and if you’d like to find out moreyou can visit online at www.thelincolnhotel.com or call 01522 520 348 APPETISERSBLACK PUDDING BON BONSQUAIL SCOTCH EGGHOMEMADE BREADSSTARTERSGOAT’S CHEESE AND BEETROOT Goat’s cheese bon bon, beetroot, curedbeetroot, flat bread crisp, beetroot jellyPAN SEARED KING SCALLOPSHam knuckle compression, vanilla soakedgrapes, baked hazelnuts, pickled shallotWOOD PIGEONPork crackling, golden raisin crumble,beetroot, black berries, jusChef’s recommendationMAINSTRIO OF PORK Pork tenderloin, slow cooked bellypork, quail scotch egg, date puree,baby leek, jusFILLET OF SALMONSalmon belly bon bon, chivemashed potatoes, garden herbs,tender stem broccoli, sundriedtomato veloutéBRAISED BEEFChive mashed potato, pot roastroot vegetable, horseradish, redwine jusDESSERTCHOCOLATE DELICECandied hazelnuts, chocolate shards, clotted cream ice creamBRIOCHE TREACLE TARTLiquorice ice cream, roasted figCINNAMON POACHED PEARAlmond frangipane, blackberry sorbet, white chocolate64-65.qxp_Layout 1 16/10/2018 08:42 Page 266 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYRobins are one of the most distinctive birds to visitLincolnshire thanks to their obvious orange crests on theirchest and face. This distinctive colouration led to theirclassification as Erithacus rubecula, the term “ruber”being Latin for red. Of course most of us know the Robinby its common name redbreasts. Robins are mainly insectivorous birds, though they havebeen known to feed on spiders and worms, which theycatch by watching for movement from a perch beforeswooping down on their prey. However they areextremely tame and have developed a taste for fruit andeven cakes. Until such a time as a pair form for breeding,Robins will vigorously defend their feeding territoriesagainst intruders. So the Robin you see in your gardenmay very well be the same bird each time! In British folklore it’s considered a crime to kill a robin,and as such the species have grown relatively unafraid ofhumans. They have a particular fondness for gardenerswho are digging up soil, as they know that worms andother insects might be dug up, but have also been knownto accept food from people who can sit still enough. In December Robins start to look for a mate for thenext year, and like many English birds they seek to attracta potential partner through song. What might seem a bitmore unusual is that the red crests has absolutely nothingto do with mating like many birds. What’s more it isactually the female robins who will do the chasing in theirOne of the most iconic winter birds to visit Lincolnshire,we take a look at the life of the European Robin. LincolnshirewildlifeSeeing redResearch now suggests that the reason for the red crest onrobins is to be used as a threatening gesture in territorialdisplays and fights. Red triggers aggressive behaviour in males,and male robins have been known to attack other small birdsthat have red colourings. They will even attack fake birds thathave red tufts!© Shutterstock / S.Cooper Digital relationships. Once he is win over however, it is hisresponsibility to show his appreciation bybringing her gifts – usually in the form ofworms and insects.Official breeding most commonly starts inlate March, though the pair will have fleshed out a nest bythat point. Traditional nest locations include holes in treestumps, banks or walls and the nests are usually made ofgrass, moss and dead leaves, lined with fur or wool. Intoday’s world however there are also more than a fewrecords of Robins having nested in kettles, cars and evencoat pockets! Some people even like to provide small nestsfor any wandering robins to use, such as an open frontednest box. Once eggs are layed, it is up to the male to gather foodfor both himself and his incubating mate, who will stay withthe eggs as much as possible to keep them warm. It doesnot take long for the eggs to hatch however, and in a littleover two weeks there will be small mottled-brown chicks inthe nest. Once again the Robin shows just why it is such awell-loved bird by being incredibly attentive parents,gathering food for their young while also looking out forup to two other broods at the same time!Thankfully the chicks fledge after around fifteen days,though they will still lack the red breasts of their parents.This gives the parents a few months to rest and enjoy agood moult before the drama starts all over again!66-67.qxp_Layout 1 15/10/2018 14:08 Page 1© Shutterstock / SGALL 66-67.qxp_Layout 1 15/10/2018 14:08 Page 2This beautiful black deer head from Hurn & Hurn is an impressive piece of wall art, sure to stand out and be noticed. 68 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYCHRISTMASThe giftof giving Made from either walnut ormaple wood, this dimming lampfrom KSL Living is chargeable soyou can place it wherever youwant for maximum ambience. Although it isn’t Christmas for a little bitlonger, most will have already made a start ontheir shopping. To save you some of thehassle this year, we’ve collected up some ofthe very best gifts you can find. We’re surethere’s something for your loved ones here. 68-73.qxp_Layout 1 16/10/2018 12:35 Page 1Detailed and imaginative, the HippopotamusHIPPO from HolzDesignPur features amoveable jaw which can hold pencils andother implements making it a perfectaddition to a desk. LINCOLNSHIRETODAY69CHRISTMASThis checked pyjamas set fromCyberjammies is comfortable andstylish, making sure you not onlyfeel great but look it. Based on the Stormtroopers of theFirst Order, this mirror fromMenKind is as eye-catching as KyloRen’s lightsaber and more reflectivethan Captain Phasma’s armour. 68-73.qxp_Layout 1 16/10/2018 12:35 Page 2Next >