insideMORPETH

Your FREE independent community magazine for Morpeth DEC/JAN 2013

FREE

Here’s to a merryMorpeth Christmas

WALKING IN A WOODLAND WONDERLAND

TAKING A STEP BACK IN TIME VOLUNTEERING TO PLAN TOWN’S FUTURE

2 inside Morpeth

Inside Morpeth is a community magazine published by Ian Leech Publicity Services. All rights reserved. Every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of material published in Inside Morpeth. All information is accurate at time of going to press. The publisher does not endorse any advertising material published in INSIDE Morpeth. No parts of the publication can be reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher. INSIDE Morpeth c/o The Lodge, Carlisle Park, Morpeth NE61 1YD

s 2012 draws to a close Morpeth can reflect on another difficult year in many respects.

It got off to the worst possible start with road works disrupting the traffic flow and consequently trade in the town centre for a good number of weeks and two-thirds of the way through the year flooding once again wreaked havoc albeit not on the scale of 2008.

There was disgruntlement among traders and residents at the arrival of controversial traffic lights at the end of Bridge Street – a situation which is as yet unresolved - and, of course, the recession has taken its toll in Morpeth as elsewhere around the country.

It hasn’t all been doom and gloom, however, and although 2013 will no doubt be another challenging year Morpeth has to look forward with optimism to brighter times ahead.

THIS ISSUES OUR CONTRIBUTORS

A

Medi Parry Sanderson Arcade’s manager says Christmas is best time of the year

Patrick Eyres Bin 21 owner’s recommendations for the Festive Season

11

920

Morpeth Town Council All the latest news in this edition of the Town Cryer newsletter

FRONT COVER: The face of this Christmas on Inside Morpeth

insideMORPETH

Editor of Inside Morpeth

Ian L��

WOODLANDS A TREASURE ON TOWN’S DOORSTEPGMDT project will open access to the gem that is Bluebell Woods on the outskirts of town

4

WORLD-CLASS TOWN CENTRE SPORT IN 2013Morpeth will stage a world duathlon championship qualifying event next Spring

6

COME AND JOIN US FOR CHRISTMAS AT MELDON PARK...’Everyone’s welcome at the two day festive fair at The Kitchen Garden at this country estate

11

YOUR VERY BEST CHRISTMAS GUIDE AROUND MORPETHWhat to do, where to go to enjoy yourselves this Christmas in and around Morpeth

14

TAKE A STEP BACK IN TIME AT TOWN’S ‘CURIOUS’ TEA ROOMSThe days of Edwardian afternoon tea elegance are brought back to life

20

GOOD ‘NEIGHBOURS’ READY TO HELP PLAN MORPETH’S FUTUREResidents volunteer to be part of the process of planning the future of the town

22

inside Morpeth 3

Editorial: Ian Leech, Tel: 07968 102 547 Advertising: John Matthews, Tel: 07751 156 160 Email: ian-leech@sky.com

Everyo� at Inside M�th w��s �l �r readers, contribu�rs and a�ert�ers a Me�y �r�tm�

and a Ha�y and Pros�r�s New Year!

4 inside Morpeth

Retired Newcastle University professor Alan Davison is staying close to home for the latest in a long line of environmental and conservation projects that have taken him to some spectacular locations around the world writes Ian Leech.

From the rain forests of Brazil to the outback of Australia, the icy wastes of Iceland to the Great Smokey Mountains of America, Alan has travelled the world working as a researcher into pollution, consultant and advisor on vegetation surveys and environmental impact assessments as well as setting up air monitoring programmes.

He began his career as a lecturer and then a professor at Newcastle University teaching ecology at a time as he says in his own words…’people didn’t know what ecology was!’ – but throughout his career

he has also been involved in a diversity of projects including the reclamation of local pit heaps including Big Waters at Seaton Burn and Cramlington as well as advising on tree landscaping for Alcan and further afield in Wales, Australia and Dubai.

Rarely has he been more passionate and committed to any project than he is, however, about his latest on his own doorstep just a short walk from his home in Morpeth.

Alan is working with Greater Morpeth Development Trust (GMDT) to both record and map what has been described as an

‘ecological gem’ in the town’s past. The feasibility work currently underway has been funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund as the site has a rich industrial as well as natural heritage, and it is hoped that the proposals being formulated by the stakeholder group will attract further support to deliver this exciting project.

The Bluebell Woods stretch from the edge of the town opposite the Tommy’s Field allotments to the Whorral Bank and form an important link in the woodland corridor that runs from Sheepwash to Mitford.

Woodland wonderHugging a tree - or more accurately measuring it to check its age - are Liz Young from GMDT and Alan Davison who also took our main photograph.

inside Morpeth 5

“As an Ashington lad I grew up playing in the woods at the Riverside Park and Bothal and I remember being fascinated by plants from the age of five when I learned to make paper darts from wall barley,” he said.

After attending King Edward VI Grammar School for Boys – now KEVI of course – Alan went to University and says he was the first on his mother’s side of his family not to work as a miner since 1590.

“When I retired nearly a decade ago I decided to get to re-know the local woodlands that fringe the Wansbeck Valley,” he said. “My first professor taught us that we should explore the history of any subject because it helps to explain the present and that is very true of local woodlands because what we see today is the result of past environmental conditions and human intervention.

“Most of the area around Morpeth consists of intensive agricultural land with few hedges and woodlands and what we have left survives where it was not possible to cultivate the land along the steeper river banks.

“Today we owe those woodlands to the fact that the Wansbeck Valley is narrow and steep-sided and the result is a magnificent corridor of woodland that originated as an oak forest around 6,000 years ago but has been altered by human management for at least the last 800 years.

“The native trees – mostly oak – were felled centuries ago and replaced with non-native beech and conifers to supply carpenters and farmers with timber and some of the beech trees in Bluebell Woods are at least 250 years old.

“Although few oaks are left many of the original herbaceous plants survive in huge numbers – bluebells, wood anemone, wood sorrel and garlic and altogether about a dozen of these ancient woodland species survive in Bluebell Woods. It is important, therefore, that we protect them by providing a suitable habitat and preventing invasion by other aggressive species.”

Over the next few months Alan will be developing a management plan for GMDT, specifically preparing an inventory of everything that is growing in the woodlands as well as monitoring its environmental conditions. With his friend Brian Harle, Alan will be mapping the woodland’s trees and trying to

estimate the age of the larger specimens found there.

“An important part of the inventory will be to identify areas where the ancient woodland species may be at risk, specific threats from aggressive species, and where the environment can be improved for other wildlife. At the same time we will be looking at how we can involve local people.

“So far we have identified about 100 plants and located the most important part of the woods, and the survey will continue through the winter then into next Spring so that we can map the ancient woodland species in great detail.”

Over the past few years Alan has been heavily involved in working with the Friends of Carlisle Park group and with GMDT on its on-going programme of encouraging more people to enjoy

Morpeth’s riverside and woodland walks.

Using his great local historical knowledge Alan has collaborated with another good friend artist and illustrator John Caffrey, to produce a series of GMDT interpretation panels that are greatly valued by local residents and visitors to Morpeth to help them enjoy and understand more fully the wildlife, flora and fauna to be found on walks in and around the town. As part of the Bluebell Woods project more panels and signage will, of course, be created to guide walkers of all ages around this ancient woodland.

“The work done by Greater Morpeth Development Trust on the panels and signage has greatly helped people appreciate how lucky we are to have such treasures on our doorsteps,” said Alan. “Equally, what GMDT is doing through its Bluebell Woods project I believe is so important because we have an absolute woodland treasure on our doorsteps that should be enjoyed in all its glory for generations to come by local people.

“In a way that sums up my involvement with the Trust because GMDT gets things done that I am interested in, rather than just talking about them.”

Ro Matheson, GMDT’s Environmental Director added: “After completing a major project through the woods from Whorral Bank to Bothal it is great to have a further opportunity to improve community access to another important environmental site in Morpeth as well as engaging key stakeholders and volunteers to first scope and then deliver this project.”

Bluebell Woods is an ecological gem in Morpeth’s crown writes GMDT Heritage Officer Liz Young.This beautiful woodland has been a source of enjoyment for local people and visitors alike for hundreds of years and hidden within the woods is a rich archaeological and industrial heritage that stretches back into pre-history.

For instance, an archaeological excavation near Howburn Woods uncovered the remains of a Romano-British farmstead that was occupied from the 4th Century BC. Evidence also suggests that this area was being visited sporadically during the Mesolithic/Early Neolithic period.

Later accounts offer the possibility that Monks once mined in the woods and there is some documentary evidence of harvesting wood during the 13th Century. A deep shaft was sunk at Howburn Colliery in 1860 but some 30 years later a flooding disaster was narrowly averted.

Flooding continued to be a problem and coal was eventually mined from the Morpeth Moor Colliery.

Nearby a windmill once graced the area and there are still traces of the Cottingwood race track.

‘The Northumberland Pauper Lunatic Asylum’ which opened in 1859 was built on part of the site of the old race course.

A tile and brickworks once occupied this areas as well as a gasworks and close by is the natural amphitheatre where events for the Morpeth Olympics were held.

There are two walks through Bluebell Woods to be enjoyed. The first is a walk of around one kilometre and the second a longer walk through the Howburn and back to Morpeth by Fairmoor and Cottingwood Lane.

Historical snapshot of

Bluebell Woods

“...I grew up playing in the woods at the Riverside Park and Bothal and I remember being fascinated by plants

from the age of five when I learned to make paper darts from wall barley,” Alan Davison

6 inside Morpeth

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Christmas Greetings to all our customers old and new!

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World-class sports event to be staged in Morpeth’s town centre Morpeth is to host a world-class duathlon event around the centre of the town next Spring reports Ian Leech.Working with the newly-formed Morpeth Town Team and Northumberland County Council, locally-based Vo2max Racing Events will stage the duathlon on Easter Monday April 1st.

The great news is that the race has been designated as a qualifying event for the ITU Sprint Distance World Championships to be held next August in Ottawa, Canada, guaranteeing a top class field of entrants for Morpeth.

The duathlon comprises a 6k run, a 29k cycle bike followed by another 4k run. Runners will start at the Telford Bridge end of Bridge Street before heading through the Market Place and across into Carlisle Park before completing the circuit in Castle Square.

They will then head out on their bikes into the countryside around Morpeth passing through Pigdon, Netherwitton and Mitford and heading back into town. The final 4k run will see the racers crossing the winning line in the Market Place.

Vo2 has grown out of the Tri Northumberland club which has been staging triathlon events at Woodhorn and Newbiggin for the past four years and has evolved to become the North East’s biggest event organisation of its kind in the region.

Gary Wright, one of the organising team, says the Morpeth event promises to be a major spectacle in the town. Being designated as a world qualifying event is a major achievement, he says.

The organisers are now working with the Town Team to build the event into a weekend Morpeth sporting festival that will include races for children and young people as well as a 5k charity fun run.

Morpeth Town Team chairman David Lodge (Chief Executive of Greater Morpeth Development Trust) says the event will be one of the highlights of a 2013 calendar they are working on to attract more people into the town.

“We already have a number of great events to build on such at the Morpeth Gathering, the town Fayre, Picnic in the Park, Heritage Open Days and the Christmas Lights.” he said. “The duathlon is one of a number of major new attractions we are looking at supporting to really put Morpeth on the map next year.”

Full details of the event will be publicised in the next edition of Inside Morpeth

EXCLUSIVE

inside Morpeth 7

Beautiful Christmas Crafts & Local Foods plus

Children’s craft making: Join Mrs Claus: 12pm – 3pm Lantern Making Workshop: Make your own withy lantern to

take home then stay and join the musical parade at 4pm. (Lanterns cost £1.50 - £3)

Free admission to fayre, museum and galleries All day parking £3. Tel 01670 624455

www.experiencewoodhorn.com

We also serve Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch and Afternoon Tea

If you are a business looking to say thank you to your customers and suppliers, or wish to send family and friends that special gift check out our website or

call in store.

www.corbridgelarder.co.uk18, Hill Street, Corbridge and Sanderson Arcade Morpeth

The Corbridge LarderDelicatessen and Coffee Shop

Festive Food Hampers available online or build your own in store

We have a fabulous new selection of Festive Foods from Cheese

and Crackers to Christmas puddings and everything inbetween,

including Food Gifts and Hampers.

Hamper winnerMorpeth resident Brian Pearse was the lucky winner of the grand Corbridge Larder competition in the last edition of Inside Morpeth.

His entry was first out of the hat and won him a fabulous hamper packed with more than £100 worth of festive goodies just in time for Christmas, from the town centre delicatessen and coffee shop.

Mr Pearse (right) is pictured collecting his prize from the Corbridge Larder owner Dave Robinson.

8 inside Morpeth

Whether you’re looking for the latest in flooring design or a more traditional twist, look no further than Castle Carpet for the perfect match to suit you and your home.

To fully appreciate the superb range of quality carpets, Karndean and cushion flooring as well as our friendly personal service make sure to visit our showroom.

We have the perfect match for you and your home.

Castle Carpets are approved stockists and specialist installers of Karndean luxury flooring.

All fitting GUARANTEED

FOR LIFE

Be sure to order soon to guarantee fitting before the festive season.

Unit 4a, Coopies Lane Ind Est, Morpeth NE61 6JT

Opening times: Monday to Saturday 9am - 5pm 01670 517881

inside Morpeth 9

It’s our favourite time of the year at the Arcade

The festive season came a little bit early at the new Curiously Wicked Edwardian Tea Room where the team got trimmed up for Christmas to mark their opening on Friday November 2nd – the Duchess of Northumberland visited to officiate which was a real honour for everyone and made the whole event a very special day.

We also had our first Halloween event at the end of October and it was great to see so many children of all ages taking part in the fancy dress parade to spooky music and decorating their own pumpkins. The evening was rounded off with a spectacular fire show.

Our ever popular Christmas Lights Switch On event pulled in the crowds once again this year. Metro Radio’s Brain Moore hosted the event with Santa and our VIP family switching on the Christmas Lights! And the Christmas entertainment doesn’t stop there!

Our late night shopping event starts on Thursday 6th of December, with shops open until 8pm on the three Thursdays in the run up to Christmas which also includes the 13th and 20th of December.

There will be live festive music between 5pm and 8pm as well as free mince pies

and mulled wine – what better way to enjoy the festive season and complete your Christmas shopping!

The Bedlington Salvation Army will also be performing on Saturday the 8th of December and we’ll be welcoming back the ever popular Jazz Men on Saturday the 22nd of December.

The Real Reindeers will be making yet again another appearance at the Arcade on Saturday the 15th of December from 9am until 3pm. Children will have the opportunity to feed the reindeers and remind them to call into their house this Christmas Eve!

If you’re finding it difficult to find that special gift this year – look out for our ‘Top Tips for Christmas Gifts’ which you can find on the Sanderson Arcade Facebook and Twitter pages. We’ll be focussing on

some of the fantastic gifts and offers in store with a top tip for every day to help with your Christmas shopping ideas.

Finally this month after weeks of voting from retailers and staff at Sanderson Arcade, last week it was announced that our adopted charity for 2013 is ‘The Sick Children’s Trust’ in Newcastle. Throughout next year a number of fundraising events and activities will be held at the Arcade in order to raise as much funds as possible and simply make a difference!

With lots of special offers, events, entertainment and giveaways this festive season - Sanderson Arcade has everything you need this Christmas!

For up to date offers and events at the Arcade visit : www.sandersonarcade.co.uk or follow us on Twitter @sandersonarcade and like us on Facebook.

DIARY DATES

Thursday 6th of December Late Night Shopping until 8pm with Harry Mears performing in addition to free mince pies and mulled wine.

Saturday 8th of December Bedlington Salvation Army performing 10am until 12 Noon

Thursday 13th of December Late Night Shopping until 8pm with Robyn Bartlett performing in addition to free mince pies and mulled wine.

Saturday 15th of December Real Reindeers on site from 9am until 3pm in the Piazza Area

Thursday 20th of December Late Night Shopping until 8pm with musical entertainment in addition to free mince pies and mulled wine

Saturday 22nd of December Jazz Men performance from 12pm until 3pm.

Christmas is definitely around the corner and Sanderson Arcade is in full swing and ready for our favourite time of the year!

By Medi Parry

Whether you’re looking for the latest in flooring design or a more traditional twist, look no further than Castle Carpet for the perfect match to suit you and your home.

To fully appreciate the superb range of quality carpets, Karndean and cushion flooring as well as our friendly personal service make sure to visit our showroom.

We have the perfect match for you and your home.

Castle Carpets are approved stockists and specialist installers of Karndean luxury flooring.

All fitting GUARANTEED

FOR LIFE

Be sure to order soon to guarantee fitting before the festive season.

Unit 4a, Coopies Lane Ind Est, Morpeth NE61 6JT

Opening times: Monday to Saturday 9am - 5pm 01670 517881

10 inside Morpeth

A wide range of stalls • selling Christmas gifts & delicious food

Food & craft • demonstrations

Carol singers •

Father Christmas•

Christmas trees for sale•

Tickets £4.00 per adult • free entry for children

inside Morpeth 11

The Cookson family are this year looking forward to a very special Christmas at the traditional Northumberland estate that has been in their family’s care for the past 180 years writes Ian Leech.

James Cookson currently manages Meldon Park estate seven miles west of Morpeth, while his wife Emily now runs The Kitchen Garden café and shop in the Victorian walled Kitchen Garden that for generations has grown the food for the grand family home.

To mark her first Christmas running the venture Emily and her staff are planning two days of festive shopping with a real difference. On Saturday and Sunday December 8th and 9th they will welcome more than 30 stall holders to the Kitchen Garden to tempt visitors with a feast of food, crafts and gifts made by talented local artists and designers.

Throughout the weekend carol singers will be entertaining visitors, there’ll be complimentary mulled wine and mince pies to enjoy, food and craft demonstrations, Christmas trees for sale….and, of course, Father Christmas himself will be putting in regular appearances.

“The festive season has traditionally been such a special time of the year for the estate ‘family’ and this year we so much want to invite our Fair weekend guests to share another magical Christmas occasion at Meldon with us,” said Emily.

The café will be open throughout the weekend serving up a mouth-watering array of seasonal food and drink. The café is open from Wednesdays to Sundays throughout the year offering a wide range of home-cooked light lunches, snacks and what they call ‘real afternoon teas!’

In another Kitchen Garden innovation this Festive Season, the Cooksons are joining with another long-time family business the Rutherfords, to open a

satellite version of their Morpeth store in the run-up to Christmas.

The Rutherfords ‘pop-up’ shop at Meldon is stocking a wide range of gifts, luxury homewear items and textiles as part of a business venture the two families hope will introduce new customers to one another.

“Our long-term aim is to strengthen the Meldon Park estate community by developing a sustainable and robust business and we see the ‘pop-up’ shop as a marvellous way of linking two local families in a new and exciting venture,” said Emily.

Richard Rutherford whose family has owned the Bridge Street department store since 1846, warmly welcomed the idea when approached by the Cooksons. “Businesses that try something different to reach out to a new customer base will be the ones that come out of the recession the strongest,” he said.

“This is an exciting venture that brings together two families with huge local histories. Meldon Park’s customers are also very much our type of customers so we are expecting the ‘pop-up’ shop to be very popular.”

Over the Christmas Fair weekend the Kitchen Garden will be raising money for St Oswald’s Hospice.

* The Kitchen Garden and Café will be closing on Sunday December 23rd at 4.30pm and re-opening after a short winter ‘hibernation’ on Wednesday February 13th 2013.

A wide range of stalls • selling Christmas gifts & delicious food

Food & craft • demonstrations

Carol singers •

Father Christmas•

Christmas trees for sale•

Tickets £4.00 per adult • free entry for children

Your invitation to Christmas at Meldon!

A snapshot of Meldon ParkJames and Emily Cookson are the seventh generation of their family to live at Meldon Park and manage the 3,800 acre estate.

Meldon Park was bought by wealthy Newcastle businessman Isaac Cookson in 1832 when he commissioned Tyneside’s legendary architect John Dobson to design a build a grand hall on the estate.

As well as his work in Newcastle, Dobson also designed a number of Northumberland county mansions including the adjoining Mitford Hall, Longhirst and Nunnykirk halls.

The Meldon Park estate is open at various times during the year and the grounds around the Kitchen Garden are freely open for visitors to enjoy a walk...and to even meet the estate’s very own dragon!

Emily Cookson and Richard Rutherford in the Morpeth store’s ‘pop-up’ shop at the Kitchen Garden.

12 inside Morpeth

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inside Morpeth 13

This Christmas, the award winning Northumberland Lights has joined forces with The Alnwick Garden, one of the UK’s top attractions, to produce a unique after dark Christmas experience set to dazzle audiences from across the region.

From Tuesday 18th to Sunday 30th December (excluding 24th & 25th) visitors to the ‘Festival of Fools’ will embark upon a magical evening trail through the glowing winter landscape at The Alnwick Garden, on a quest to unravel a series of riddles hidden throughout a spectacularly illuminated world beyond the Ornamental Garden gates.

Once inside, visitors will be whisked away on an exhilarating night time journey, with intrigue, mesmerising performances and quirky characters at every turn.

Absorb the surroundings in an attempt to solve The Fools’ riddle or simply take a magical winter walk admiring the sumptuous lighting designs and peculiar creations of this alternative world.

Northumberland Lights is delighted to bring its own unique brand of seasonal fun to The Alnwick Garden. Zoe Bottrell, Director of Northumberland Lights said: ‘We’re really excited to bring Northumberland Lights to this iconic garden and this newly created night time adventure will really appeal to families looking for something fun and different to do during the festive period. We want visitors to experience the Ornamental Garden in a whole new light and enjoy an evening of mischievous festive fun - so expect the unexpected!’

With hot food offers in the Pavilion Cafe and a luxury hot chocolate station in The Garden’s atrium, guests can fuel up before navigating the beautifully lit

hornbeam tunnels to enter a world of festive mischief at The Alnwick Garden’s non-traditional ‘Festival of Fools’.

Advance tickets for this must-see event are on sale now. The Festival of Fools will run from 18th to 30th December (excluding 24th and 25th) with timed slots every half hour from 5.30 to 8.30pm.

Booking is highly recommended. To purchase your ticket in advance, please visit www.alnwickgarden.com/festivaloffools or call 01665 511350 (option 3).

Advanced tickets: (on sale now) Adult: £12.50, Child (5-16 years): £7.50, Concession (60+ years, students, disabled): £7.50, Family (2 adults + 2 children): £32.50. Tickets on the door Adult: £13.95, Child (5-16 years): £8.95, Concession (60+ years, students, Blue Badge holders): £8.95, Family (2 adults + 2 children): £34.95

Northumberland Lights to stage... Night time spectacular at The Alnwick Garden

FARMERS’ CHRISTMAS MARKET

The busy festive market with Barnacre Alpacas, face painting and loads of stalls with seasonal food and plenty of gift ideas

Date: Saturday 1 December. Usual Market Saturday 5 January 2013 Time: 9am – 2.30pm Venue: Morpeth Market Place Cost: Free to public. £20 for producers Contact: For stalls call 0790 005 2446

LONGHIRST COFFEE MORNING

Enjoy coffee and Christmas shopping at stalls including cards and wrapping paper, jewellery, home-made preserves, hand-made gifts, alternative therapies and work by local artists

Date: Saturday 1 December Time: 10am – Noon Venue: Northumbria Suite Longhirst Hall Cost: £3 (adults) includes coffee, children 50p Contact: Jill Elphick (01670) 790764

THREE ARTISTS’ EXHIBITION

Friends Ivan Webley (painter), Gordon Thompson (photographer) and Tom Maley (sculptor) join forces for a three day exhibition and sale of their work

Dates: Monday – Wednesday 3 to 5 December Time: 9am – 5pm Venue: Morpeth Town Hall Cost: Free

MORPETH’S SWAN SONGSEnjoy the live music of local bands every Saturday night at the White Swan in Newgate Street.Dates: 1st December FM; 8th The Ska Toons; 15th Rockerfella; 22nd Alive and Kicking; 23rd The Poorboys; 29th Overdrive; 5th January Scratch; 6th The Poorboys; 12th Six Nowt; 19th Memphis Suns; 26th The Ska Toons Time: All 9pm except The Poorboys on 23rd December 4pm Venue: The White Swan, Newgate Street Contact: 01670 513532

MORPETH COMMUNITY CINEMAA seasonal special with the showing of the ever-popular ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens featuring the legendary Alistair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge and Michael Horden as Marley’s ghostDate: Friday 7 December Time: 7pm Venue: Morpeth Town Hall Cost: £7.00 includes refreshments courtesy of La Bodega tapas bar Contact: For tickets call GMDT (01670) 503866 or Morpeth TIC (01670) 535200

TRADERS FESTIVE MARKETPlenty of stalls with great gift ideas manned by local traders in association with Morpeth Chamber of TradeDate: Saturday 8 December Time: Starts 9am Venue: Morpeth Market Place CHRISTMAS AT MELDONTwo day festive fair at The Kitchen Garden, Meldon Park near Morpeth. Stalls laden with Christmas gifts and food; carols; Christmas trees for sale; and Father ChristmasDate: Saturday & Sunday 8 & 9 December Time: 10am – 4.30pm Venue: The Kitchen Garden, Meldon Park Cost: Tickets £4 (adults) & £3.00 (children) Contact: For tickets call (01670) 772341

MORPETH PEACE VIGILAn hour-long vigil for peace. All welcome. Bring your own banners and candles

Date: Tuesday 11 December Also Friday 11 January 2013 Time: 5.30pm – 6.30pm Cost: Free Contact: Nic Best (01670) 517915

LUNCH TIME CONCERTFeaturing the Sorella Brass Quintet from Glasgow’s Royal Scottish Conservatoire

Date: Wednesday 12 December Time: 12.30pm Venue: St George’s URC Church Cost: £3.00 Contact: Gillian Irvine (01670) 515870

CHURCH CHRISTMAS SOCIALFestive social followed later in the evening by a Life Remembered Service in association with Jacob Conroy & Son

Date: Thursday 13 December Time: Social at 2.00 Service starts at 6.30pm

Venue: St George’s URC Church

14 inside Morpeth

Christmas

Morpeth Town Council

If you are planning an event and would like it listed in our ‘What’s On’ pages contact Laura Robinson at Greater Morpeth Development Trust on (01670) 503866

More events this...

MORPETH MUSIC SOCIETYFeaturing the Hadyn Lute Trio of David Parson (lute and theorbo), Eleanor Harrison (baroque violin) and Miguel Calvo (baroque cello) playing works by Hadyn, Weiss, Falkenhagen, Veracini, Vivaldi, Corelli and David Parsons

Date: Thursday 13 December Time: 7.30pm Venue: Morpeth Methodist Church, Howard Terrace

Cost: £12 (adults), £2.50 (students). Children free when with adult

Contact: For Tickets call Aileen Cunningham (01670) 513369, Morpeth Methodist Church or Chantry TIC

CHURCH COFFEE MORNINGOrganised by Ladies Coffee Club with sale of Christmas floral baskets and decorations

Date: Saturday 15 December Time: 10am to Noon Venue: St George’s URC

CHORAL CHRISTMAS CONCERTThe Mid Northumberland Chorus in a Christmas concert including excerpts from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and Christmas Carols, conducted by Paul Toward, accompanist Peter Waugh

Date: Saturday 15 December Time: 7.30pm Venue: St George’s URC Cost: £6.00 Contact: Members of the Church and Choir for tickets

COMMUNITY CAROL SING-INA festive event for all the family and the whole community

Date: Monday 17 December Time: 6.30pm Venue: St George’s URC Cost: Free to all

inside Morpeth 15

CandlelitChristmasCONCERT TOUR 2012

THE ENGLISH PHILHARMONIC ENSEMBLEConductor: David Haslam

THE SINGERS Conductor: Donald Halliday

THE BEVERLEY SINGERS Conductor: Alan Spedding

14 December 7.30pmHexham Abbey, Hexham

Tickets: Queens Hall Hexham: 01434 652477Hexham T.I.C.: 01434 652220

15 December 7.30pmBeverley Minster, Beverley,

East Riding of YorkshireTickets: Beverley T.I.C.: 01482 391672

16 December 7.30pmSt. Cuthbert’s Church, Carlisle

Tickets: Tullie House: 01228 618700Carlisle T.I.C.: 01228 625600

17 December 7.30pmSt. George’s, Jesmond,Newcastle upon Tyne

Tickets: Newcastle T.I.C.: 0191 277 8000

Tickets available online at

www.candlelitconcerts.comMulled wine and mince pies available for sale in the interval

PROGRAMME TO INCLUDE GREAT CHRISTMAS CLASSICS:

Corelli: Christmas Concerto in GTorelli: Trumpet Concerto in DChoir - Unaccompanied Christmas MusicMorricone: Gabriel’s oboe from ‘The Mission’Vivaldi: ‘Winter’ from ‘The Seasons’

Interval

Haslam: Kyrie and Gloria with Suzanne ManuelHandel -Tarkman: Concerto for Flute and Cor Anglais

Choir - Unaccompanied Christmas MusicCarols - with audienceAdam: O Holy Night with Suzanne ManuelHandel: Christmas selection from The Messiah

Tickets:

£21.00 Adult£19.00 Senior Citizens£21.00 Wheelchair user(Complimentary ticket for carer)

£10.00 Children under 14£50.00 Family Ticket(2 adults and up to 4 children under 16)

AM LIVE XMAS FLYER 2012_AM LIVE XMAS FLYER.QXP 29/08/2012 16:46 Page 1

16 inside Morpeth

INSIDE Morpeth

Morpeth Town Council, Morpeth Town Hall, Market Place, Morpeth NE61 1LZ Call 01670 514314 email ednamtc@btconnect.com or mayormtc@btconnect.com or visit www.morpethtowncouncil.org.uk

Keeping you informed with the latest News from Morpeth Town Council

A very busy year in Morpeth town

TownCryer!

Morpeth Town Council

December already and by now Morpeth’s Christmas Lights will have been turned on reminding us that the Festive Season is just round the corner. Doesn’t seem like 12 months has passed since we last turned them on.In that time Morpeth has seen one-way systems, the “Best in Show” award from Northumbria in Bloom, increased footfall into the town centre, traffic lights, floods, the successful opposition to two large housing applications, Remembrance Sunday (pictured), the start of the Morrisons supermarket...and much more. So much happening in a town with only 12,000 residents.

Next year’s diary is already filling up with events such as Fair Day, a day in March honouring one of the town’s heroes Admiral Lord Collingwoood - the true winner of Trafalgar - the Gathering and then celebrations later on in the year for Emily Wilding Davison.

As well as these there are one-off prestigious events still at the planning

stage – you’ll have to wait until the next edition to hear about those!

You may have noticed that the dingy old toilet block in the car park next to St George’s Church has been totally revamped and is now no longer an embarrassing eyesore, thanks to donations from two of our local Northumberland County Councillors’ Small Schemes fund.

The town, although suffering from a reduction in people’s spending power, is riding the current economic storm much better than other similar towns across the country.

Our car parks are full most days

and hopefully will remain so in December. However, trading is still extremely difficult and all our town’s businesses, including those out of the town centre, need all the trade we can give them.

Finally the Town Council has been overwhelmed by the response from residents to the Neighbourhood Planning consultation. At the public meetings we were repeatedly told that Morpeth is a good place to live and that we were taking the town in the right direction.

Thank you all for your support, and you can continue to support us as we prepare the Neighbourhood Plan that will determine how Morpeth should develop over the next few years. To ensure that we “get it right” you, the residents, have to vote on the final Plan before we submit it. Visit our website to learn more and to participate.

Finally I wish you all a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

Councillor Mark Horton Mayor of Morpeth

inside Morpeth 17

Council Meeting Timetable - See noticeboards and website.

Meeting Timetable for the period 1st December 2012 – 28th February 2013. All meetings will be held in the Council Chamber of the Town Hall. Committee meetings commence at 6:30 pm and Full Council at 7:00 pm, unless otherwise stated on the posters or website (If there is more than one meeting on the night, the commencement times will be half an hour earlier, and this will also be indicated on the Town Council noticeboards and website)

Full Council 23rd January 2013

Planning and Transport Committee 5th December 2012 19th December 2012 16th January 2013 6th February 2013 20th February 2013

Finance and General Purposes Committee 12th December 2012 9th January 2013 13th February 2013

Property and Asset Management Committee 30th January 2013

Morpeth South Ward:MARK HORTON T. 01670 513758 E. mhcouncil2000@gmail.com

DAVID HERNE T.07980599471 E. dave4morpeth.south@hotmail.co.uk

DAVID PARKER T. 01670 516218 E. davidparker12@sky.com

PHIL TAYLOR T. 01670 503556 E. philtaylor.10cw@hotmail.co.uk

Morpeth Stobhill Ward:IAN LINDLEY T. 01670 515217 E. Ian.Lindley@northumberland.gov.uk

DEREK THOMPSON T. 01670 515419 E. Derek_Thompson@btinternet.com

MRS JEAN YANNAKOYORGOU T. 01670 513204 E. jyanna@btinternet.com

Morpeth Kirkhill Ward:

KEN BROWN T. 01670 515760 E. ken.brown1@talk21.com

ANDREW TEBBUTT T. 01670 511631 E. Andrew.Tebbutt@northumberland.gov.uk

ED HILLIER T. 01670 519599 E. edwardhillier@hotmail.com

Morpeth North Ward:DR NIC BEST T. 01670 517915 E. nickel@globalnet.co.uk

LES CASSIE T. 01670 516424 E. leshcassie@aol.com

MRS JO TANTAWY T. 01670 503027 E. J.Tantawy@tees.ac.uk

RICHARD THOMPSON T. 01670 510287 E. richard.thompson@wellway.uk.com

GRAEME TROTTER T. 01670 511377 E. graeme.trotter@ymail.com

MORPETH TOWN COUNCILLORS

Home addresses are available from the Town Council Offices or website

Morpeth Town Council

The Terrace car park public toilets With the help of County Councillors Andrew Tebbutt and David Moore (pictured), who provided funding from their Small Schemes Allowances, the toilets received a major makeover. The public toilets were in a poor state and were in dire need of an upgrade.

A total of £20,000 was spent on the refurbishment introducing a disabled toilet, baby change and attendant area. Both the internal and external improvements have made a huge difference for residents and visitors who can now spend a penny in comfort!

Boundary Drive play area Morpeth Town Council recently agreed to take over the play area in the Boundary Drive area of the town from Northumberland County Council as part of the asset transfer project.

The play area had been allowed to deteriorate in past months so Morpeth Town Council stepped in to replace the equipment and safety surfacing. New toddler swings, a gravity bowl for spinning and an activity ball maze panel have been installed all for the benefit of local families.

Morpeth Town Council want to provide play areas which provide children with the physical, mental and social play opportunities that they need.

Opened for your convience!Morpeth Town Council’s mission statement is “To make Morpeth a better place to live, work and visit” and they have done this by improving two community services in the last couple of months.

18 inside Morpeth

Adorable, affordable kit for kids• We sell new & gently used items or under 10’s• Baby equipment & toys• NEW fabulous Babble bibs• NEW Merry Berries hats• Funky Fairtrade Pachamama animal hats & mitts40 Newgate Street , Morpeth, Tel 01670 503818email: info@kidandkaboodle.co.uk www.kidandkaboodle.co.uk

Open Mondays to Saturdays - 52, Newgate Street, Morpeth - Telephone 07969 774019

inside Morpeth 19

LADIES & GENTS HAIRDRESSINGWITH STYLE AND PRECISION

SALON 5 CHRISTMAS GIFT VOUCHERS AVAILABLE NOW

5 New Phoenix Yard, Morpeth, NE61 1PQwww.salonnumberfive.co.uk

01670 518914 Opening times:Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri 9am - 5pmThur 9am - 8pm Sat 9am - 4pm

MOISTURE GIFT SETMoroccanoil Treatment 125mlMoisture Repair Shampoo 250mlMoisture Repair Conditioner 250mlRRP £54.85

Our experienced stylists are trained in all aspects of cutting, colouring,

perming and total re-styling using only the best hair products including

Paul Mitchell and Wella Colours.

We also offer a full bridal service including hair, make-up and nails

in the salon or at the location of your choice.

Well worth the wait...!It’s been a long wait for Wendy Smith to finally make the move she had set her heart on two years ago.After 25 years working in sales and marketing Wendy had decided on a career-change to make the most of the cooking and baking skills her mother and grandmother had taught her as a young girl.

But someone beat her to the premises in Newgate Street she had wanted for her café and coffee shop. Undeterred, however, she took over Café des Amis at the corner of Manchester Street but has now made the move further down Newgate Street to Number 52 which has been transformed into a light and airy, homely café and coffee shop with room for nearly 30 customers, where everything is cooked and baked on the premises.

“Two years ago I was ready for a change,” said Wendy. “I’d always enjoyed cooking and baking especially making nice cakes, so going into catering seemed the ideal choice for me.”

Café des Amis is now open six days a week serving up delicious light breakfasts, lunches, home-made cakes, quiches, speciality scones and bespoke sandwiches to eat-in or take away. In the run-up to Christmas Wendy and her staff will also be offering customers the choice of plenty of festive food dishes.

But Wendy’s plans don’t stop at opening her new café because she is already planning to create a coffee garden in what is currently an unused, outdoor space behind the café. That should be open in time for next Easter. “It was disappointing not to move in here two years ago but now it has been well worth the wait,” she added.Café des Amis

20 inside Morpeth

Upstairs, downstairs there’s a real air of elegance from a bygone age

The series set in Yorkshire has transported enthralled audiences on both sides of the Atlantic, to the more gentle bygone age of Edwardian England when the pace of life was far less hectic as well as perhaps much more respectful, than it is today.

Morning coffee or afternoon tea were largely the province of the rich and famous of the day, but now they are occasions to be enjoyed by one and all stepping back in time into the tea rooms with a difference that have just opened in Morpeth’s Sanderson Arcade.

Guests are welcomed by the appropriately attired butler, maids and footmen of the fictional Lord and Lady Cuwick to enjoy a few moments of pure escapism and theatre in the Curiously Wicked Edwardian tea rooms that were officially opened recently by Her Grace the Duchess of Northumberland.

The family business Curiously Wicked run by owner Krystyna Dodds, had its beginnings in far more humble surroundings than the elegant Chocolate Rooms and Snug where guests are now greeted.

After deciding on a career change from music teaching in schools Krystyna chose to learn how to become a chocolatier, hand-

making delicious chocolates that they began selling at regular and farmers’ markets around the North East – sometimes in the heat of summer, but also in the depths of freezing winter weather.

Like any new venture it had been important to research the market and competitors to see just what other chocolatiers were making and selling, although visiting every chocolate shop within travelling distance to sample their products would seem like heaven to most people rather than a business task to be undertaken!

The family made such a success of the business that they became the first chocolate makers to become members of the Guild of Master Craftsman which, in turn, helped give them the confidence 12 months ago to take over a ground-floor unit in the Arcade to open their first Curiously Wicked high street chocolate shop after being approached to do so by developer Mark Dransfield.

A few months on Krystyna recalls texting Mark at 2 o-clock one morning with her vision of expanding the business on to the floor above the chocolate shop, to create the sort of tea rooms that would offer customers a unique opportunity to sample a slice of life in the Edwardian era.

By 8.30am Mark had responded by confirming his backing and full support for the idea and the job began immediately of transforming 1,500 sq ft of empty space into the Chocolate Rooms and Snug complete with furnishings, fittings and decorations of the day.

“What we have tried to achieve is to give our customers a real experience that they cannot get anywhere else,” said Krystyna.

“It’s a step back in time where they can enjoy good food and fine refreshments, with a little bit of period drama theatre

mixed in as well.”

To set the scene staff have all been given roles to play as maids, footmen and butlers, curtesying and addressing their customers as ‘Sir’ or Madam’ just as their characters would have done 100 years ago. In a concession to the era they are trying to re-create, the use of mobile phones and laptops is discouraged in the tea rooms.

Twenty people are now employed in the business including Krystyna’s daughter Steffi and her fiancé Chris Smith who have both become accomplished chocolatiers in their own right.

Hayley Cadden-Downey has joined the business as a cake-maker along with Krystyna, while head chef David Hall has cooked for Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh during his time at The Sage in Gateshead.

“Everyone is using their skills some of which are traditional and some of which are old fashioned ones, to the very best of their ability to look after our customers in a way we hope they will remember for all the right reasons,” said Krystyna. “All the chocolates, for instance, are hand-made without the use of any machines.”

For the past few weeks of the autumn television schedules nearly 10 million viewers have settled down in front of their sets every Sunday evening to follow the fortunes – or in some instances the misfortunes - of the Earl of Grantham, his family and their servants at the fictional Downton Abbey by Ian Leech.

inside Morpeth 21

Upstairs, downstairs there’s a real air of elegance from a bygone ageThe reactions and comments of customers when they leave tell their own story in the visitors’ book. “One lady told us she had recently had afternoon tea in Claridge’s and that coming into Curiously Wicked reminded her of that……but only better,” said Krystyna.

“Another gentlemen told us that coming into the tea rooms was like going on holiday when you leave behind you everything going on in your life even just for a little while.”

When she officially opened the tea rooms the Duchess was heard to say: “To have something like this in Northumberland is wonderful.”

“The past 12 months have just been incredible and it was wonderful to mark our first birthday here in Morpeth by having the Duchess open our tea rooms. We are living and fulfilling our dream of running exactly the sort of business we want to be in,” added Krystyna.

Curiously Wicked is open seven days a week serving morning coffee, light and main meals, afternoon tea with home-made cakes, Sunday lunches, a choice of 18 speciality teas, single origin coffees and delicious hot chocolates. Both the Chocolate Rooms and the Snug are available for exclusive hire for parties, weddings or special occasions.

Tea M’Lady - the Duchess is served tea after the o¥cal opening

22 inside Morpeth

Shape of things to come

Together with Town and Parish Council leaders from Hepscott, Pegswood, Mitford and Hebron as well as prominent local figures from all walks of life, groups and organisations they will be adding their ideas, comments and suggestions to proposals that will be gradually encompassed into Morpeth’s very first Neighbourhood Plan.

Recently the Plan was launched at a series of public drop-in sessions in Morpeth Town Hall, the Market Place, Mitford and Pegswood after which around 200 people have already come forward and volunteered to be part of the Plan’s development process.

The next phase has already started and that is to set up four key topic groups covering housing, the environment, the local economy and heritage which will initially at least be led respectively by Morpeth Town Councillors David Parker and Nic Best, David Lodge (Chief Executive of Greater Morpeth

Development Trust) and Hepscott Parish Councillor David Cowans.

The four groups have held their first meetings to discuss the broad issues to be considered under the different topic headings, and each was attended by around 20 people. Before a first draft of the Plan is published the groups will consider the impact and implications of emerging ideas on transport, education provision, the local utilities and sewage facilities, sport and leisure opportunities, the environment and the heritage of the area.

“The idea of plan-led development shaped by the local community is clearly very appealing and we believe the whole process has got off to a sound start,” said Councillor Ken Brown who chairs the Morpeth Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group. “There was a positive response to the launch events and the people who attended genuinely want to be involved in the development of the Plan over the next few years.”

Earlier this year Morpeth Town Council was awarded ‘front-runner’ pilot status to draw up a Neighbourhood Plan which is part of the Government’s agenda to give local communities a far greater say in their local planning processes.

Under the Plan, Morpeth will be able to set its own policies to be used in determining local planning applications, designate protected areas and identify preferred sites for future development in and around the town. As well as Morpeth, the Plan will also cover the neighbouring parishes of Hepscott, Pegswood, Mitford and Hebron.

Once the Morpeth Plan has been examined to ensure it is broadly in line with a Local Plan currently being prepared by Northumberland County Council, it will be submitted to a referendum of everyone living in the town and neighbouring parishes.

Only then if the majority of people taking part in the referendum vote in favour of its content will the Morpeth Neighbourhood Plan be finally adopted.

Councillor Brown says it is likely to be the summer of 2014 before that referendum stage of the plan’s progess is reached.

“Until and before then people will be

regularly kept in touch with the progress of the Neighbourhood Plan and given every chance to continue to be engaged in its development at any and every stage,” he said.

Project Manager Ian Campbell – a former senior County Council planner – has been appointed to handle the day-to-day development of Morpeth’s Neighbourhood Plan while the free services of Planning Aid consultants will also be used to engage with local people, particularly those in what are being called ‘the hard-to-reach’ groups.

“There is no agreed template to be followed by any community in drawing up their own Neighbourhood Plan because no one has agreed one yet,” said Councillor Brown. “So it is going to take time to evolve.

“But one thing people have to clearly understand is that this is not a Morpeth Town Council plan – it is one for the whole community to be involved in and to agree before it is adopted by the Local Planning Authorty.

“The Plan is being launched at a time when there is already considerable local interest in planning issues because of recent controversies over proposed developments at Loansdene and Cottingwood Lane which many people opposed.

“One of the aims of the Morpeth Plan when it is finally published, will be to ensure those situations do not arise again in the future through building consensus around where future developments might take place.

“Perhaps partly as a result of that interest, we have got a lot of people signed up and we believe they will bring a comprehensive spread of ideas, expertise and local knowledge to the table. Even at this early stage, however, we do recognise that we have to get more young people involved and we are looking at ways of doing that.

“It will be a fairly complicated jigsaw bringing all their ideas and thoughts together into one plan, but hopefully by the time we reach the referendum stage there will be no new surprises and we will get the support we need to implement the policies and proposals that will help shape the Morpeth of the future.”

Around 200 people have signed up to play their part over the next 15 years in helping shape the Morpeth of the future writes Ian Leech.

inside Morpeth 23

Memoriesof MaryMorpeth businesswoman Mary Alice Baker (pictured) who died recently, fulfilled a dream 36 years ago when she opened her Sewing Box shop in Morpeth’s Newgate Street.

Born in Cheshire Mary moved North with husband Bill and their children Judy, Ann and Jill in 1963. She worked as a dinner lady, helped run a day centre and was an adult education dressmaking teacher before opening her fabric shop in one tiny downstairs room.

Later she opened two more shops in Ashington and Hexham and daughter Jill Fenwick still runs the Newgate Street business.

“She was a lovely wife, mum and grandmother to her eight grandchildren and will be much missed by all of us as well as lots of people who came into the shop and still have fond memories of her,” said Jill

Concerns that everything was going to ‘crash’ and that the world was heading for Armegeddon or just simply the spectacular celebrations that everyone around the globe enjoyed as the year 2000 dawned?

Around the world there are countless legacies of this moment in time including here in the UK a series of Millennium Greens that were created in communities right across the country.

At the time the Countryside Agency earmarked £10 million of lottery money for the Millennium Commission project, and Morpeth was one of the communities that successfully bid for a share of funding.

Thirteen years on Morpeth’s Millennium Green stands as a haven of peace and tranquility tucked away down the Old Bakehouse Yard just a stone’s throw from busy Newgate Street.

Today 10 trustees and some 35 ‘Friends’ manage the garden they helped create from what they freely admit was ‘a bit of a bomb site’.

Together they successfully bid for £33,000 from the Countryside Agency which they matched with money raised locally from supporters and sponsors of their project.

With the money they were able to afford the services of landscape architect Michael Hall to transform what had been a dumping ground wasteland into what they now lovingly call Morpeth’s ‘secret garden’.

Incredibly what is quite a small space is divided into woodland, marsh, walled and insect gardens where trees, shrubs, bushes and flowers bring a continuous splash of year-round colour as the season’s change that between them attract birds, bees, bats, butterflies and small animals such as voles, hedgehogs and squirrels to the Millennium Green, as well, of course, as some 200 human visitors each week.

Some are local residents; some are visitors to the town; some are Morpeth schoolchildren; and some are people working in nearby shops and offices enjoying their lunchtime break in the fresh air and peaceful surroundings.

Morpeth Town Council funds the employment of a part-time gardener to tend the award-winning Green which has received a Civic Trust Green Pennant for five successive years.

Throughout the year the Trustees organise events attracting visitors of all ages and there are interpretive panels helping people understand not only what the garden is all about but the heritage and history of the Old Bakehouse Yard itself which in days gone by housed a communal bakery.

The latest panel has just been installed through the support of Greater Morpeth Development Trust (GMDT) as part of its signage and interpretation strategy, working with various partners to raise the awareness of the town’s natural and industrial heritage.

“What we have tried to do through this project is to create a garden from wasteland that provides colour and interest throughout the year as well as a safe haven for wildlife and people in the very heart of the town centre,” said Trustee Rod Mathieson. “We hope we have achieved those goals.”

Barry Mead, GMDT’s Heritage Officer added: “The next phase of our signage programme will focus on Morpeth Market Place and work is already in production of the new panels.”

24 inside Morpeth

Millennium Green Trustees Mike Greveson (left) and Rod Mathieson preparing to fit the latest interpretation panel

The ‘secret’ gardenIt hardly seems possible that it is coming up to 13 years since the Millennium. Looking back what do you remember of this landmark moment?

What we have tried to is to create a garden that provides colour and interest as well as

a safe haven for wildlife in the town centre... Trustee Rod Mathieson

inside Morpeth 25

01670 514466Coopies Lane, Morpeth, NE61 6JN

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Specialist in qualitynew & used panelvans and pick-upsSMALL - MEDIUM - LARGE

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26 inside Morpeth

Patrick Eyres proprietor of Newgate Street’s Bin 21, writes another of his wine columns for Inside Morpeth.

Bouzy champagneguaranteed to addthe sparkle to anyfestive celebration!

So here goes...Turkey (no surprise there) goes well with a light red wine such as Tyrells Australian Pinot Noir around the £10 mark or J Moreau & Fils French Pinot Noir at around £8 will do the job very nicely.

Also consider a Beaujolais Village such as Louis Jadot at £10 which is currently drinking particularly well.

If it’s white you fancy then a new world Chardonnay and there are many out there for around £8 to £10 that will do the job very well, or old favourites like a White Burgundy from France such as Chablis around £12 to £15 or a nice Macon Villages and again producer Louis Jadot do a cracker at £10.

If you fancy something red that’s a bit heavier with your festive feast then try the Zinfandel grape also commonly now referred to as Primitivo in Italy, or a Rioja from Spain.

These wines are a bit more substantial without being too heavy. When it comes to heavier whites then an oaked White Rioja would be the

thing to go for or a Vouray from Loire in France which is a medium dry wine with depth and richness for all that lovely gravy.

Don’t forget dessert wines and ports too and the ones that will be on my table this year are Lourensford South African Late Noble Semillon Dessert at £10.99 for a half bottle and a Tawny Reserve Port produced by Dalva at £19.99.

However the most exciting thing for us this year is that we have sourced a Grand Cru 2006 Vintage Champagne from a small family producer called Georges Vesselle and it is only £29.99.

That is a truly great price for a Grand Cru Vintage Champagne that would normally be around £50.00.

There are only 17 villages in the Champagne region that are awarded the highest accolade of “Grand Cru” status and this one is the aptly named village of Bouzy is one of those.

Enjoy…Cheers !

As Christmas approaches we find ourselves at bin21 being asked: ‘What goes with the festive foods?’ It is always difficult to recommend wines that everyone will like, as we all have different tastes, however there are a few wines that are a pretty safe bet for most.

inside Morpeth 27

28 inside Morpeth

FESTIVALOF

FOOLS

northumberland

lights

18th - 30th December(excluding 24th and 25th)

Be whisked away on an exhilarating night-time journey through an illuminated world,with intrigue, mesmerising performances and quirky characters at every turn.

To buy tickets please call 01665 511 350 or visit

www.alnwickgarden.com

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