YOUR TOWN YOUR CHOICE : Issue 38

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ISSUE 38

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InCannes Magazine is published byIndependent News Ltd (c) copyright 2011

Company reg. 06735182

Tel: 0871 2341991FAX: 0871 2341992

YOUR TOWN YOUR CHOICEMAGAZINE OFFICE

STUDIO C, 41 EDITH GROVECHELSEA, LONDON SW10 0LB

EDITORDuncan Williams

(Mobile 07960 829 615)E-mail: [email protected]

SALESNacer Dib

Jason CourageLouise Hill

Andrew PescudBev Smart

DESIGNStef Hayes

[email protected]

CONTENTSA brief history of pizza

Ryan’s Daughter - Movie Review

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8

12

14

16

18

20

24

26

28

LETTERFROM

THEEDITOR

VICTORY CITY!Feels great to be British again, doesn't it? ...

Cool Britannia is back in fashion and the Union Jack flag is onceagain an icon to be proud of.The hugely successful Golden Jubilee celebrations prove that

flag waving can be fantastic family fun as well as an excuse toindulge in a bit of old fashioned, unashamed patriotic pride.Although it's much more than a simple design label, the union

flag has burst into blossom once again and our national flag hasbecome the must-wear style trend of the summer ...

Just like you, we want to support those staying true to the red,white and blue!

You'll be pleased to know all our regional media groups areunashamedly backing Team Britain throughout the OlympicGames.We hope you will join us in raising a loud cheer in support of

our 2012 athletes.Enjoy the spectacle - we're going for Gold!

Yours faithfully,

Expert bathroom advice

Olympics bring out London’s best

Fast trip to France...

Sherlock Holmes is alive

London’s hidden venues

Cheap travel to the Alps

Flood defences

A feast of summer football

YOUR TOWN YOUR CHOICE

ISSUE 38

Duncan WilliamsEditor

PUBLISHERIndependent News Ltd

ISSN : 1758-1842


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THE Portsmouth Business Schoolhas re-structured its Executive MBAcourse to better suit the needs ofprofessional business people in full-time employment. A week inductionsession at the start of the academicterm is followed by just 16 teachingblocks throughout the two-yearcourse, a UK and European residentialand six Master Classes. Students needonly be on campus around 20 timesover two years and can access allresources remotely.

MBA student Heather Short, who isdue to finish the course this April,said: “I know it’s a cliché but the MBAreally has been a life-changingexperience and one that I wouldn’thave wanted to miss. All theunexpected extras and eye-openingopportunities made the course forme.”

Having previously worked at IBM,Heather was running her ownnetwork marketing business, buildinga small investment into aninternational network of 700 traders.

Despite being the driving-forcebehind this rapidly developingbusiness she was still keen to do more:“I felt I needed to streamline myideas, get up-to-date with the worldof business again and learn the theoryto back up my business experience.The MBA has helped me do exactlythat.”

To find out more please comealong to the next Portsmouth BusinessSchool open evening on Tuesday 19June, which will feature a guestpresentation from Will King, thefounder and CEO of King of Shaves.

tailor-made forbusy executivesMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBA

MBA student Heather Short hasnothing but praise for the course

For further details please visit www.port.ac.uk/pbsevents


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YOURTOWNYOURCHOICECITYLIFE

Anna Maria Volpi is a cooking instructor and personal chef. Visit Anna Maria’s websitehttp://www.annamariavolpi.com for step-by-step illustrated traditional Italian recipes for tiramisu,pasta, pizza, lasagna, risotto, gnocchi and much more, articles and food newsletter.

By our Foodologist favourite -Anna Maria Volpi

Pizza, the way we know it today, is aderivation from focaccia (from the Latinword for fire), flat bread that has beenprepared since antiquity in differentforms and garnished with herbs, olives,fat, raisin, honey, and nuts.

The word pizza in Italian identifies anytype of flat bread or pie-fried or baked.Although you’d find many types of pitasor pizzas around the Mediterranean, it isin Naples that pizza in the form we knowit today first emerged, after the tomatoappeared on the table in the 1700s.Naples has many records of pizza sincearound the year 1000; the first mentionscall these flat breads laganae, and laterthey are referred to as picea. In thosetimes, pizzas were dressed with garlic andolive oil, or cheese and anchovies, orsmall local fish. They were baked on theopen fire and sometimes were closed intwo, as a book, to form a calzone.

In Naples is also where the firstpizzerias opened up, with brick wood-burning oven, covered with lava stonesfrom the Mount Vesuvius. The chefs ofthose times ignored pizza because wasconsidered a poor people’s food, but thenew combination with the tomato, whenit entered the kitchen around the 1770s,must have raised some curiosity, even inthe royal palace. Ferdinand I Bourbon,King of Naples, loved the simple food ofthe people and went to taste the pizzasmade in the shop of Antonio Testa. Heliked it so much that he wanted pizza to

be included in the menu at the court. Hefailed after the opposition of his wife,Queen Maria Carolina. His son FerdinandII also liked all kind of popular food andhe loved pizza to the point that he hiredDomenico Testa, son of the now famousAntonio, to build a pizza oven in theroyal palace of Capodimonte.

Pizza became very popular, earning itsplace in Neapolitan folklore. Simple andeconomical, it turned into the food for allpeople, even sold on the streets, as shownin many illustrations of the time.

A famous episode extended thepopularity of pizza beyond the limits ofthe city of Naples. It was 1889, andMargherita, queen of Italy, was visitingthe city. She was told about pizza andwanted to taste it. A famous cook by thename of Don Raffaele, helped by his wifeDonna Rosa, was invited to cookpizza at the royal palace. Theyprepared three pizzas, typicalof that time: one with cheeseand basil; one with garlic,oil, and tomato; and onewith mozzarella, basil,and tomato. The queen,impressed by the colorsof the last pizza, whichresembled the nationalflag, preferred thatone. Since then thispizza is known as PizzaMargherita, and DonRaffaele is credited withits invention, even if weknow that it alreadyexisted for a long time.

At the beginning of the last century,with Italian immigrants, the first pizzeriasappeared also in the United States, wherepizza has become a mass phenomenon.Yet, even today the best pizza is found inNaples, where it is rigorously made withbuffalo mozzarella.

Superior pizzas are considered thoseobtained by moderate variations of thesimplest and most popular: PizzaNapoletana with tomato, garlic, oil, andoregano; Pizza Margherita; PizzaMarinara with tomato, anchovies, capers,and olives; and Pizza Four Seasons,divided in four quadrants, each dressed ina different way. Pizza with hot salami, theAmerican pepperoni pizza, is insteadfound in the Calabria region south ofNaples, where this type of hot sausage is

produced.

The dish that conquered the world


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Rebellion and a Village Idiot!A Love Triangle with Passion, Adultery

Ryan's Daughter **** 4 Stars (Excellent)

"RYAN'S DAUGHTER" is a love story that evolves into a love

triangle set in the epic splendor of an isolated village on Ireland's

scenic Dingle Peninsula. Like all love triangles, it ends in a disaster that

becomes a tragedy.

Rosy Ryan (Sarah Miles) seeks to find that certain something that is

missing in her life and thinks she finds it when she announces her love

for her former schoolteacher, Charles Shaughnessy (Robert Mitchum),

who is old enough to be her father.

Unfortunately for Rosy, her marriage brings her love but not

passion. It is passion she finds when she meets and instantly falls into

the arms of Major Randolph Doryan (Christopher Jones), a young

British officer assigned to the village.

Major Doryan is a World War I hero who ends up in the village as

part of the British occupation while the war continues on in Europe.

The villagers resent the British presence and will jump at a chance to

fight for their freedom.

Tim O'Leary (Barry Foster) leads a resistance force that awaits the

arrival of German weapons so they can finally arm and defend

themselves against the British takeover.

Infidelity

The villagers become aware of Rosy's infidelity through the village

idiot Michael (John Mills) who is mute and considered a half-wit, but

Michael is clever enough to steal away the major's uniform and medal

while he is busy making love to Rosy in a secluded island cave.

Michael adores Rosy but instinctively knows he has no chance. He

feels a kinship with Major Doryan as they both suffer from profound

limps. Both the limp and shell shock are from Doryan's war injuries.

Tom Ryan (Leo McKern) is Rosy's father and owner of the local pub.

He is a big freedom talker who is taken at his word to be a freedom

fighter by the rebel leader O'Leary, who leans on him for support in

gathering up the German weapons that are dropped off at sea and

floating to shore.

You just have to see the storm scene, huge waves are crashing

against the rocky shore while villagers are scrambling to recover

broken boxes of rifles, bullets and dynamite.

When the rebels seek to haul off the weapons stash, they are met

by British soldiers who have been tipped off by Tom Ryan. O'Leary is

shot by Major Doryan and captured while trying to escape. It is

assumed he will be hung for leading the rebellion.

Once exposed, the villagers consider the unfaithful Rosy to be the

"British officer's whore" as well as a disloyal and dishonorable

informant when in fact it is her father. Ryan, whose wife has died, has

spoiled his daughter growing up, and it is he who is the silent informer

for the British that is never exposed, even when he has an opportunity

to save his daughter from harm.

The villagers become a mob and eventually beat up Rosy's husband

Charles, strip Rosy naked and cut off her lovely long hair. This is

apparently the ultimate disgrace in an Irish village, being ostracized

and then humiliated.

Major Doryan ends up on the beach with Michael who has

recovered some dynamite. When Doryan realizes his affair with Rosy

is over, he uses the dynamite to commit suicide.

Rosy's husband is aware of her adultery but hopes it will run its

course, and he will be there when it is over. When he finds he is

unable to handle it, he decides to leave Rosy. They both know that

they must leave the village and are led out of town by Father Collins

(Trevor Howard), the Catholic priest.

Director David Lean had to wait a year before a storm dramatic

enough appeared on the Atlantic Ocean to film the weapons recovery

scene. This turned into a masterpiece of filming by Freddie Young who

won an Oscar for his effort.

Spectacular

Cinematographer Freddie Young captures the raw beauty of

Ireland with its ocean cliffs, green countryside, lazy pastures and

hidden forest love nest. Young shot the film entirely in a 65mm

widescreen format and in Super Panavision. It was the last such film

shot until 22 years later when Ron Howard filmed "Far and Away" in

1992.

The storm scene is nothing short of spectacular as well as real. Leo

McKern (as Rosy's father Tom) was injured and badly shaken up while

filming the storm sequence and nearly drowned. McKern was so upset

he vowed never to act again and did not for several years.

The film includes a passionate love scene between Major Doryan

and Rosy who was partially exposed (pretty hot for a film released in

1970). In addition to Young's Oscar, John Mills won an Oscar as Best

Supporting Actor for his role as the mute half-wit. Mills bowed at the

Academy Awards ceremony when receiving his Oscar and said nothing

in the shortest acceptance speech in Oscar history.

Sarah Miles received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress and the

film earned another nomination for Best Sound.

Mills also won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. Sarah

Miles (Best Actress) and Trevor Howard (Best Supporting Actor) won

Golden Globe nominations.

Nominations

A lot of critics at the time were not kind to David Lean as director

of Ryan's Daughter. Lean was no slouch. He earned two Best Director

Oscars for "The Bridge on the River Kwai" and "Lawrence of Arabia".

Lean was also nominated for a Best Director Oscar for "Doctor

Zhivago" which won 5 Oscars and had 4 other nominations. Robert

Bolt wrote Doctor Zhivago as well as Ryan's Daughter and "A Man for

All Seasons". Bolt was twice married to Sarah Miles.

Lean would outperform his critics. He was voted the 9th greatest

film director of all time in the BFI (British Film Institute) "Directors Top

Directors" poll in 2002.

Ryan's Daughter is a slow developing romance. The film runs for 3

hours and 16 minutes. Like almost all of Lean's films, Ryan's Daughter

was hugely popular with moviegoers and movie lovers alike.

Ryan's Daughter is a story about relationships and an epic film

worth watching or at the very least, seeking out at your local DVD

shop.


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12 www.ytyc.co.uk

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If you arenot sure anacknowledg-ment isimportant,listen to

Report by Peter Brown

Whilst many people today are uncertain about putting theirhouse on the market due to the difficult real estate climate andgeneral uncertainty about moving from place to place, there areplenty of those who are considering a makeover. After all, ifyou're not willing to or not ready to move to another building,as such, why not make the place you are currently living in a newexperience, instead? You might have been living in this home forquite a long time now without having put any real time andeffort into changing its overall look. You'd be amazed at whatyou are able to achieve if you set your mind to it and don't mindjust a little disruption.

This is often a very enjoyable and fun activity for the wholefamily. You can do brainstorming first to see what ideas otherfamily members have and try and incorporate all of theseconcepts in one way or another. In that way, you can geteveryone actively involved and, once again, this will help you allto get through that period of disruption that will inevitablyoccur.

Usually, a comprehensive home renovation will include thebathroom and kitchen, which are favourite areas for updates.When it comes to bathroom design a lot has changed in recentyears and you'd be amazed at the selection of individualcomponents available to you now. You don't have to betraditional anymore and it's not always necessary to lay out thisroom in a conventional style.

Many bathrooms, especially in older homes, are just a littlesmaller than you would like. Just because it's somewhatdiminutive, doesn't mean that you can't "live large" by taking acompletely different approach here. For example, did you knowthat you can get wall-mounted toilets now, where the tank itselfis recessed into the wall? You'd be amazed what space this cansave just by itself. Also, if you don't really use the conventionalbathtub anymore but may need to consider your options as some

When It Comes To Bespoke Bathroom DesignInterior Design Experts Can Help You...

You don't have to betraditional anymore

family members may be a little older or infirm, you can geta safety shower unit complete with a seat. In this way, safetycan be paramount whilst still paying attention to effectiveuse of the space that you have.

By being more creative with the room that you have youcould extend the reach of the vanity area, put additionalcabinets and storage areas in. Remember that by gettingeveryone in the family involved you'll be able to see whatworks best for the family unit and plan accordingly.

This is just one area that could benefit from theprofessional input provided by interior design experts whoare readily available and willing to come to your aid. Byturning to professional interior designers you can benefitfrom their recent experience, know-how and ability to findvirtually instantaneous solutions to some of your moreperplexing questions. After all, whilst there's a lot of fun forthe family involved in planning, sometimes it can be a littlechallenging and there is nothing wrong with asking for thatpiece of advice, when you need it most.

------------------------

Increation is an interior design service based in London. Formore information visit http://www.increation.co.uk/

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14 www.ytyc.co.uk

LLoonnddoonn 22001122

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A report byD.W. Lee

Will Bring Out London's Best

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While London always has its doors open forvisitors, the Summer Olympics 2012 will have thecity's tourism machine in high gear. If you have everconsidered England as a vacation destination, thiswill be the chance of a lifetime to see how adeptthe Brits are at putting on grand events. So, markyour calendar, get your tickets and pack your bags.

Since London is already one of the most visitedcities on the planet, organizers are anticipating andpreparing for a massive turnout. The British arewell known for their attention to detail and thereis no doubt that the Olympic venues,accommodations and transportation facilities willimpress the multitudes of tourists. Also, hundredsof local establishments will offer specialentertainment opportunities.

Naturally, the center stage will be the mammoth80,000 seat Olympic Stadium. This is the centrallocation where many of the games will be held, aswell as the gala opening and closing ceremonies. Inaddition, numerous athletic events will take placeall around town, giving visitors plenty ofopportunities to see a variety of sites in thishistoric city while taking in the games.

London is ideally suited for hosting the games,having plenty of existing facilities availableoutside the main stadium and many of thesespots are notable attractions in themselves. Forexample, Wembley Stadium will welcome footballfans and Wimbledon,of course, will host Olympictennis. Famous Hyde Park will feature triathlonevents, while Earl's Court will lend space forvolleyball.

Likewise, sightseers will be treated tocompetitions at the Lord's Cricket Ground, theRoyal Artillery Barracks and Regent's Park.Greenwich Park, the Horse Guards Parade andscenic Hadleigh Farm will also provide settings fora variety of events. These are all renownedsites on the lists of regular travelers and willbe all the more festive during the games.

As anyone who has visited London knows,there are many accommodations optionsavailable and these will certainly be rampedup for the games. In addition to hotels that fitnearly any budget, there will be hostels,apartments and houses for rent to give guestsa place to lay their heads.

Special attention will also be given totransportation needs for moving millions of peoplearound the city. The celebrated black cabs will beout in force and the airport, rail and bus systemswill be operating at peak capacity. Those who havea chance to visit during the games will certainlyexperience scenic London at its liveliest.

The Summer Olympics 2012 in London promisesto be one of the premier sporting extravaganzas ofthe century. However, the occasion will present afantastic opportunity for everyone, fans and non-

fans alike, as London rolls out the red carpet tovisitors from around the world.


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The nameenergy rerecycled ofuels likemined reproductioinstance).

Fossil fuegeneratefuels areenergy prpower aconversiofuels into

In modern westernworld the demand for energyhas increased dramatically in the pastcentury and it will grow even further andharder in the near future than ever before.The need for energy rises with upcomingmarkets that also need more energy. Energy isneeded for cars, buses, and other means oftransportation, but also to run our appliances andprovides us light. Energy is also important for oursafety. At night or in the dark a lot can be stolenwithout proper lightning. Energy is thereforeneeded for our development and safety.

The way we use energy today comes from knowledgethat has it's foundations in the past century andbefore. Great men like Newton and Philips have set thepath for us today to make proper use of energy. Thesources which we use for our energy demand areknown as non-renewable energy resources. Thesesources will be discussed here in the article.

NoEne

RenewableEnergy Resou

vAn environmental reportby Bryan Wong


News and currentaffairs commentaryby Lief Schneider.

e really explains it very well. Non-renewableesources are natural resources that cannot beor re-grown. These natural resources are fossilcoal, petroleum, and natural gas. It also includesesources such as the elements used in then of electricity (uranium and plutonium, forThese resources replenish itself in a quicker rate.

ls are very versatile. One of their functions is toelectricity. In order to generate electricity, fossilburned through the process of combustion. Theroduced from the combustion process is used toturbine. The turbine is responsible for then of energy produced from combusted fossilelectricity.

...fossil fuels

on-Renewableergy Resources

rces...

Natural gas is also used to produceelectricity. The electricity is producedthrough steam turbines and gas

turbines. Because the gas contains methanethe combustion emits less harmful gasses that have a negativeeffect on global warming. Thus natural gasses are better for theenvironment compared to petroleum and coal.

There is also another use for it and that is as fuel for cars. It is muchcheaper that gasoline and produces less harmful gasses. Thedisadvantage of running your car on natural gas is that you needmore fuel compared to gasoline and the car needs moremaintenance. In countries like Argentina, Brazil, Pakistan, Italy, TheNetherlands and India it is used as a fuel for cars.

• Coal •

Coal is one the most used fossil fuels. It is considertoo be the most important energy source toproduce electricity. The U.S. produces 50% of its

energy supply through the combustion of coal. The coal itself is abrownish-black sedimentary rock which contains carbon and otherassorted elements. It is extracted from the ground throughunderground mining or open-pit mining.

This fuel is the most talk about for thepast year(s). The prices for crude oil havegone through the roof and will be rising

even more. The demand is increasing while there is less crude oilavailable. The term black gold is now more applicable than everbefore.

The oil itself is very think in consistency and has a dark brown orgreenish colour characteristic. It is a complex mixture of differenthydrocarbons.

Crude oil or petroleum has various uses. It can be used as fuel orcars and different industrial machines. It is also used as a rawmaterial for products like plastics, solvents, fertilisers andpesticides.

Although the need for crude oil is high and the demand is risingthe available crude oil is decreasing. That leaves us no other optionthan to look for alternatives.Non-renewable energy plays a very important role in our daily lives.Non-renewable energy will be needed today and in the future.Because this energy source cannot be recycled or re-grown thereserves are limited. The consequences of the shortages of fossilfuels are experienced today and tomorrow. We will need to usethese fossil fuels wisely and will need to shift our focus to otherrenewable energy source. These are the sources that we need tofocus on today and years to come.

v’s

• Coal •

• Crude oil •

• Natural gas •


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18 www.ytyc.co.uk

A report byChris Haycock

For many a literary fan it is fun and exciting todress up and play the part of one’s favouritecharacter but it seems that no other character isquite as popular as that of a one Sherlock

Holmes. His quirky yet intelligent actions in the storiesof Sir Arthur Conan Doyle make him among the topliterary characters that are researched and requestedtoday. Even in death, he was a popular character, andthe public begged for his resurrection. Doyle finally didgive him back to the world and the fans, which wouldbe seen wearing black armbands around their arms inpublic to mourn for the loss of the popular character.

The fans of Sherlock Holmes still play the part,dressing up as various characters in the storieson regular occasions to act out a tale once aweek or once a month in a meeting of the fans.

Such interest in him is still so common that the museumin his name still sees thousands of visitors each andevery year. It is hard to believe that this character hassurvived for greater than one hundred years due to hisfans. He is the immortal detective. He is one that wasresurrected from the dead to once again grace thepages of Doyle’s novels and make his fans even moreadoring.

A society has even been started in his name.Members of this society regularly give updatesand offer small tidbits of news for the viewingof the public. People interested in the great and

glorious character can easily search the internet to findseveral topics related to the character or even fangroups and the all mighty Society of Sherlock Holmes.How many other literary characters have been soprivileged as to have their fans create their very ownsociety? This writer cannot think of any other thanSherlock Holmes.

The fans adore him, the readers are amazed byhim, and people still attempt to portray him.Sherlock Holmes is like the Elvis of Europe. He isreputed to still be alive even if only in the minds

of those fans who so greatly adore him. He is stillcommonly portrayed in full dress and fans still try tobecome him if even for only a few hours. His popularityhas never faltered due to this fan base. So, as a readerand a writer, I compare him to “The King” with hiscrazed but loyal fans and interesting impersonatorsand Europe or London to the Las Vegas strip where theaction is played out day after day after day.

His adoring fan base has probablyincreased the awareness of hisexistence much more easily than hiscreator did in the past and they are

also responsible for the great art of enactmentof him. It takes a genius to portray the life ofa genius. Sherlock Holmes is therefore stillalive, even if it is only in memory. He reallynever died if the decision was up to the fans.

Chris Haycock is an information publisher,one of whose many hobbies includes crimefiction. Early detective fiction in particular. Agreat favourite is Sherlock Holmes. If youwould like to know more about SherlockHolmes and an excellent offer, why not gonow to http://www.sherlockandwatson.com


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20 www.ytyc.co.uk

A report by Ronnie Harper

London's hotels, stadiums and racecourses offerconference organisers plenty of places to hold theirevents. The heart of British urban life offers history,modern style and infrastructure to meet the needs ofconference organisers. Since London's conferencevenues are so diverse, industry groups and companiesuse the city as a meeting place each year for theirconferences. A peek at the various groups that useLondon to stage their conferences can give otherorganisations inspiration when planning their events.

The medical and pharmaceutical industries in the UnitedKingdom bring in billions of pounds each year due tothe constant demand for medical care. National andinternational pharmaceutical groups have the resourcesto reserve conference venues in London with modernamenities and luxurious accommodations.

The typical pharmaceutical conference involvespresentations on new technologies and drugs byindustry experts along with vendor relations with thepublic. Pharmaceutical conferences allow privatehealthcare agencies and businesses to acquire the latesttechnology from medical suppliers, requiring a massiveamount of space to facilitate these events. Since drugcompanies, medical suppliers and other medicalbusinesses are big business in the United Kingdom, theseconferences represent a major boon to hotels and othervenues each year.

Another consistent revenue stream for conferencevenues in London is the constant demand from industrygroups for event spaces. Conference venues in Londonwork with industry groups peddling toys, electronics,clothing and home wares to arrange these massiveevents. Industry group conferences can be insider affairswhere vendors and buyers work out retail arrangementsfor the next year. These conferences can also involve thepublic by showcasing prototypes, speeches by fameddesigners and allowing consumers to speak to vendorrepresentatives.

While industry group conferences vary greatly in size,conference venues in London can rely on multiple eventseach year if they offer quality amenities and resources.

Human resources departments at major companies andjob recruitment firms use conference venues in Londonto hold job fairs. These fairs allow employers to meetwith eager applicants, hold quick interviews and presentavailable jobs to the public.

Job fair organisers use conference venues in Londonbecause they offer projectors, large ballrooms forseparated spaces and enough room for streams ofapplicants to move comfortably. Each job fair has to beheld at a conference venue located close to publictransit lines as well as high-traffic areas like universitiesand office buildings to maximize the impact of theevent.

London offers plentyof places to hold events

In the same vein as a job fair, book fairs are large undertakings that usethe best conference venues in London. Book fairs can be separatedinto industry events and genre-specific conventions with differentrequirements from the venue operator. An industry event featuringmagazine and book publishers allows authors, freelance writers andbook agents to promote their latest projects, hoping to find a homefor their artistic expressions.

Since publishing industry events can lead to contract signings andnegotiations, conference venues with office spaces and privatemeeting rooms are prized by event organisers. Genre-specificconventions in London allow sci-fi, romance and historical fiction fansto meet their favourite authors in the comforts of a hotel orconference centre. These conventions are more traditional thanindustry events with simple booths for book signings and a large stagefor breakout sessions with authors, agents and industryexperts.

Commercial organisers are not the only users of conference venues inLondon. Non-profit organisations, universities and think tanks holdpolicy conferences at venues in London because it is a central locationfor minds around north-western Europe. A policy conference's agendadepends on the topic area in question but most events feature paperpresentations, keynote speeches by luminaries and panel discussions.

Since policy conferences have dynamic agendas with varying spacerequirements, conference venues have to be flexible enough to changeroom configurations from hour to hour. Professors, politicians andwriters need to have access to computers and presentation equipmentto communicate their ideas effectively to attendees.

A final group that uses conference venues in London on a regular basisis the country's various political parties and action groups. Labour,Conservatives and other parties in the British political world frequentconference venues in London to gather supporters in a centrallocation.

The demands of political parties on hotels, conference centres andstadiums are significantly higher than industry groups due to theorganisational requirements for political action. For example, theLabour Party may use a London football stadium to hold a rally for itsleader as well as down-ticket candidates who need to mobilize voters.In this scenario, Labour Party organisers may need space for reportersto issue dispatches and booths for British luminaries in support of theparty's candidates. Since political parties in the United Kingdom arefollowed closely, venue operators need to be careful about crowdcontrol as well as ensuring that maximum occupancylaws are followed.

Conference Venues in London UKhttp://www.jigsawconferences.co.uk/ or call +44 (0)800 158 44 00


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Studio C, 41 Edith Grove, Chelsea, London, SW10 0LB Tel: 0871 234 1991

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Magazine advertising sales revenues... Or we promise to

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The legendcontinues...

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We offer leaflet drops,newspaper and mail

distributionservices at

excellent pricerates in eachof these key

UK cities -London, Portsmouth,

Poole & Plymouth.

Call our regional teams today on 0871 234 1991

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Cheap Travelto the Alps

A report by Jamie Forrest



INDEPENDENT travel to the Alps is not something tobe wary of any more. One of the biggest changes in theski industry over the last ten years is the shift from touroperators with flights provided, to independentcompanies and easily arranged transport. It's nowestimated that around a third of British skiers andboarders (350,000) are travelling independently, so how'sit done?

Your options are fairly simple:Planes, Trains, Auto mobiles... and Buses

By Plane: flying to the Alps is still the easiest andcheapest way to do things. Though to get the best dealsyou must know what you're doing. Luckily for you, nowyou do!

Early Early Early. Book everything as early as possible.Even better, sign up to the airlines newsletters and

they will tell you as soon as the new prices are released.This is when you get the £30 flights! - this happens in thesummer, normally in July and August for the budgetairlines.

If you can't commit to booking early, then you cangamble on a last minute package deal. This has good and badpoints; As well as some great low prices, it means that you can seewhere the snow is and hold out for those resorts; but of courseyour choices will be limited and you may not get the exact type ofaccommodation you wanted. But hey, that's why its a gamble, andif you know what you're doing and research well, then there's noreason you can't get a great deal.

Common sense stuff, weigh your bags beforehand, and checkthem against the airline's limits. Tie a bit of ribbon or string onyour bag so you can identify it, and label every bag. Get to theairport with LOADS of time to spare, at peak season there aremassive queues, and airports can be stressful enough as they are,no need to make them worse.

By Train: Travelling by train to the Alps doesn't always jumpout as peoples first choice, but its a comfortable and quick routeif you plan it well, and you entirely miss out all the stress of theairport!

France has an excellent high-speed train network called theTGV, these can get from Paris to the mountains in 5 hours,averaging over 170mph!

Combine this with the EuroStar, and you can go from London tothe Alps in 7 ½ hours, door to door.

The prices on French railways are fixed, they don't go up lastminute, and you can book a maximum of 3 months in advance.

The best route for the Central Alps (Chamonix, St Gervais,Megeve, Verbier, Morzine...) goes direct form Paris to St Gervaistrain station. There are then connecting trains or buses to thenearby resorts.

By Car: With the excellent French motorway system, you canget from Calais to your resort in under 9 hours.

The French toll roads will add up to about €100 from Calais toChamonix or St Gervais, and with a couple of tanks of petrol, theprice will add up a bit. But considering you can take your wholefamily for that price, it's not bad at all.

You then also have the option of stopping off on the way, ormaybe taking a couple of days over the journey and spending anice night somewhere en route. -Ferry companies: The mostcommon route is of course Dover to Calais, but don't overlookDunkirk (Dunquerque in French) or Boulonge as alternative routesthat can often provide cheap deals.

If you live further West, there are also Crossings from FromPoole, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Weymouth, and Newhaven, withmany of these crossings having the overnight option which breaksup the journey nicely if you've travelled from too far North.

To book a ferry, the best method is to use a price comparisonwebsite first, then have a look at the respective ferry company's

website, you may get it cheaper if you book direct.Or why not take the Euro Tunnel, with current offers (at time

of print) of £44return. Its a quick and painless journey, you don'tget the chance to wander around and get refreshments like on aferry, but is a very quick crossing, and works out cheap for biggroups, as you only pay for the vehicle, it doesn't matter how manypassengers you have.

By Bus: Hours and hours on a bus to the Mountains sounds likemany peoples idea of hell, but with new luxury coaches, and somegreat prices, it's really an option worth looking at.

Companies now offer an overnight drive, so you sleep throughthe main chunk of the journey, and arrive in resort in the morningfresh.

Prices start from just £94 for a return, or for a little more youcan opt for 'Royal Class' for a touch more comfort.

There are also Friday departures, so you can get to resort in timeto ski on Saturday!

So there are more options than just thestandard airport run, I hope I've helped.

Jamie Forrest is a passionate skier and chef, who has been runningprivate Catered Chalet Holidays for 8 years. He now runs three in StGervais sleeping from 4 -10 guests, and offering friendly service andgreat food. See why 'The Guardian' called him "the sweetest andmost devoted chalet host in the Alps" http://www.ski-bliss.com


By Kevin Williams

PROTECTING your home or businessfrom flooding is a fairly simple concept.Any objects that adequately blockencroaching waters can make goodflood defences but some things are moreappropriate for the purpose than others.Because floods can occur with little or

no warning, the method you use toprotect your home should be quick andeasy to set up. This is the reason whytoday's preferred modes of floodprotection are so similar to those used acentury ago.The first thing that may come to mind

when you think of flood protection is thehumble sandbag. These simple defencesare able to be stored flat and quicklyfilled as soon as flooding becomes animminent threat. However, their efficacyis heavily dependent on your ability tofind a large amount of sand andpossessing the time and manpowerneeded to get them filled.Fortunately, modern innovation has

provided a quicker and easier alternativein the form of an instant sandbag. To usethese flood defences, just fill them withwater and within a few minutes, you willhave an effective flood barrier. Best ofall, they will save you precious time andeffort and prevent you from having tolocate and store a huge mound of sand.This ease of use can be a critical factorwhen you need to protect your familyand property from flooding on shortnotice.Some kinds of flood protection must

be installed prior to flooding, but caneasily be taken down and stored oncethey're no longer needed. For example,door guards can be installed whenflooding is expected and can be removedto either for storage or to allow you topass through the doorway.Using flood protection barriers is

another popular way to safeguard yourproperty against flooding. These barriersare usually composed of glass andaluminum and are so lightweight that

only a single person is needed toinstall them. Besides protectingagainst flood waters, they also offerconsiderable defence againsthurricanes. Some types of protectionbarriers are permanent and meantto be installed around businesses.Others are portable and designedfor easy installation, removal andstorage.There are other methods of

flood protection you can use tobuy yourself some time untilflooding subsides. One of these isflood seal tape, which can beused around vents, doorways,windows and other possible entry pointsto temporarily stop water fromgetting in. This can provide youenough time to protect furniture andvaluables or to install other floodprotection measures.If you're in an area that is

frequently threatened by flooding,you may want to consider investing ina toilet seal. Even if your property'sexterior is adequately protected fromfloods, water can still come up throughthe sewer system and run out of yourtoilet. Naturally, this creates both ahealth hazard and an unsightly messthat can ruin your home. Toiletseals prevent sewage andwater from flowing upthrough your toilet, savingyou a lot of time and money.

For 15 Years Kevin Williams hasrestored flood damagedproperties ranging in size fromdomestic dwellings tocommercial factories.In 2010 Heset up Floodsense offering hisexpertise in Flood PreventionTechniques, Systems andServices.For free E-book,further info on FloodDefences, and professionaladvice on flood preventionfrom a leading UK floodprotection company, visithttp://www.floodsense.co.uk

Types andbenefits of

flood defences



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Pictureby RobPurbeck

EURO 2012 begins withthe first group game on FridayJune 8 and concludes with thefinal on Sunday 1 July.

That first group game seesco-hosts Poland taking onGreece – and, I concede, ishardly the most attractivefixture to get the ball rolling inthe tournament. But I would

add that there WILL be manymore games that will besuperb and I am really lookingforward to it gettingunderway – as I am sure areall football fans.

It is not being too over-the-topto claim that the Europeanchampionships are a better event

over the course of four weeksthan the World Cup is during asimilar period.

Sure, the World Cup is moreglamorous and colourful –essentially because it includes thewonderful Brazilians! – but thereare many group games early onthat pit weak teams against themighty.

EXCLUSIVEBy FRANK WORRALL

A FEAST OF SUMMER FOOTBALL

EXCLUSIVE

EURO 2012

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weekly sport previewIn the Euros there are almost no weak

teams – the 16 in the finals are almost all teamswho could pull off a win against others on theirday and that is confirmed by the fact that thelast World Cup final saw two European teamsdoing battle in South Africa … Spain beatingHolland to the trophy.

Of the 16 teams in the Euros I would arguethat only two fall below the level of the rest –the two in that opening fixture, Poland andGreece . At the next lowest level I would putDenmark , Ukraine and the Republic of Ireland. Then you have the Czech Republic , Russia andSweden .

Then it would be Croatia and Englandhovering at a mid table level – with a top tableof Portugal , Italy , France , Germany , Hollandand Spain .

So how will England and Ireland do, whowill win it and what are the best early games towatch?

Undecided

Well, starting with England – I am not thekind of pundit who likes to sit on the fence orhedge his bets…but I must admit I really amunsure how it is going to go for Roy Hodgsonand his team. One part of me says they couldmake the last eight if luck goes their way – theother says they could finish bottom of thegroup and head home in disgrace. They aretruly an unknown quantity because Hodgson isan unknown quantity at this level.

As I have said before, he is a recessionEngland manager for these recession times. Heis no Harry Redknapp – he is not taking us toPoland and Ukraine with any expectations ofsuccess, or even enjoyment, indeed he has donehis best to play down any excessive optimism.These are tough economic times and Hodgsonmirrors the outside world with his own views.In ambassadorial terms, he is superb – he willnever disgrace his country or let things get outof hand as Martin Johnson did with his Englandteam in the last rugby World Cup.

But my gut feeling is that Hodgson is not upto it tactically – and that he may well get foundout if England do get out of the group and meetone of the big guns. His reliance on 4-4-2 is,frankly, worrying. While most teams are tryingto emulate the tic-tac passing movement andspeed of Barcelona and Spain , Hodgson is likea dinosaur catapulted from prehistoric timesinto the modern era. A plodder who will be leftdazed and confused by the new world.

In the friendly against Norway he had JamesMilner and Stewart Downing on the wings withSteven Gerrard and Scott Parker in centralmidfield. Milner and Downing are typicalHodgson players – dour, dull andunimaginative, competent and grafters. Theyshould not be in the team but by relying on 4-4-2 Hodgson needs these players to keep that

shape.If he was a little more tactically flexible, he

could go for 4-2-3-1 which would allow a muchmore flexible, creative midfield with morefluidity and threat up front. I would have JoeHart in goal, of course, and a back four of GlenJohnson, Gary Cahill, John Terry and AshleyCole – which I think Hodgson would agree on.But then I would have two holding players infront of them – Scott Parker and either FrankLampard (if he is not forced to withdrawthrough injury) or Phil Jones – and a middlethree of Steven Gerrard, Mark Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott. That middlethree gives you creativity and speed and neitherMilner nor Downing are needed because of thesafety net of the two holding players. Up frontis Wayne Rooney from the third game (whenhis suspension is over) or Andy Carroll orJermain Defoe or Danny Welbeck for the firsttwo.

I applaud Hodgson for taking a gamble onyoung Oxlade-Chamberlain but I doubt he willuse him from the start. Hodgson got it wrong intwo particular positions – he should have takenMicah Richards as right full-back and JordanHenderson should not be anywhere near thesquad, not even as a stand-by. He is not goodenough – as his debut season at Liverpool

highlighted.

My gut feeling is that with Hodgson we havegot Mr Reliable who will never win anything butwill never cause any controversy either. A sortof modern Howard Wilkinson, if you will. Iwould love for him to prove me wrong – andyou never know! But even to get out of thegroup is going to take some doing – England’sfirst match is against the speedy French whohave have Ribery, Nasri and Benzema amongothers, their second is against Sweden (who weusually draw with) and the final one is againstUkraine, who will be playing in front of theirown fervent supporters in their own nationalstadium!

Outcome

So if Hodgson gets us to the next stage, he’snot done too badly. Sorry to be pessimistic andcautious – but Hodgson himself is the king offanning down flames of hope and has told us notto expect too much (no doubt to cover his ownarse as much as anything else!)

So who will win the tournament? No sittingon the fence with this one – I reckon theGermans will take some beating. They will havea backbone of players from Bayern Munich whowill be determined to win after theirChampions League meltdown against Chelsea ,backed up by talents such as Ozil and Khedirafrom Real Madrid.

Germany are the ultimate tournament teamand I take them to win it. They are strong,confident and powerful, both physically andmentally. I expect to see them collect thetrophy in Kiev ’s Olympic Stadium on July 1 –but I also expect a feast of great football overthe next month. Sit back in front of the box –and ENJOY!

FRANK WORRALL -WeeklySport.co.uk

I RECKON THEGERMANS WILL TAKE

SOME BEATING


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YOUR TOWN YOUR CHOICE : Issue 38