Digest
It’s not all about E2, you know. We like to get out of town now and again too. And, when possible, we like to bring a bit of the country back with us
WHY I ? A&W
By Stuart Semple – artist, image-maker, social commentator and visual spokesman
"I love Aubin & Wills’ idiosyncratic take on British classics, and the knitwear is especially brilliant. It seems to suit how I live, and what I like. It’s basic stuff – jeans, tees, cardigans – but done in its own way and with gorgeous materials and quirky little twists that give the garments their own identity. Something clicks with me and Aubin & Wills; it’s like it’s made for me."
Stuart Semple: The Happy House is on at Morton Metropolis, 41-42 Berners St, London, W1T 2ND, from 26 April-29 May
Aubin & Wills collaborations
Grenson Goodyear welted brogue boot & shoe
Both shoes and boots are a classic Goodyear welted brogue, the process that made Grenson a worldwide name in shoemaking in the second half of the 19th century. Originally based in Rushden, Northamptonshire, Grenson was an originator in its field and by the 1940s their shoes’ fame had crossed the Atlantic, being worn by the likes of Fred Astaire, Cary Grant and that quintessential English gent, David Niven. More recently they have been seen on Daniel Craig, Paolo Nuttini and Rupert Friend. Available in tan, and also white new for summer. They are still made in Northamptonshire, both boot and shoe are exclusive to Aubin & Wills and are available in selected stores (Brogues £298 & Boots £349).
Great British Eccentrics: No.2
Lord Rookery
Lord Rookery (1712-1800) was known as the ‘Amphibious Baronet’ because he rarely left his bath. Situated outside, it may well have been a forerunner of the Jacuzzi. A former Member of Parliament, he believed in giving every living being the widest freedom possible. He extended this love of self-determination to the sheep, goats, bulls, cows, horses and dogs which were given free run of his estate.
Lord Rookery would eat and drink nothing imported from abroad, insisting that Britain could provide more than enough for all. More predictably, he cultivated a beard that reached his knees and had a well-known fondness for going naked.
Square Mile to Square Meal
Ever dreamed of abandoning the city to follow your dreams in the country? You’re not the only one
HOTEL Nadim Sadek: Nadim sold his hugely successful market research company in 2003 to establish Inishturkbeg, an island off Ireland’s west coast that’s available to rent. It is also a way of life, encompassing smoked fish and free range meats, whisky, charitable arts and music festivals. They even do toiletries. It is, according to Nadim, "about having a better life, morally and spiritually." www.inishturkbeg.com
FARMER Liz Bateman: Swapping her London desk for a Hertfordshire farm in 2006, Liz and insurance broker husband Steve now have a smallholding of (mostly) organic and rare breed animals. With 50 cattle, 150 sheep, 100 pigs and 250 chickens, which they sell via their farm shop and at events like the Real Food Festival, they’re well-connected to like-minded producers and the public. www.hazeldenefarm.com
BRIDGING Polly Robinson: Rather than crossing rivers, former sponsorship broker Polly and her husband Tim bridge the gap between town and country, field and fork. The couple run Food Safari in Suffolk, organising hands-on classes and demos on everything from oyster-shucking to pig husbandry and game butchery, bringing together passionate producers, keen learners and urbanites wanting a taste of the country without the commitment. www.foodsafari.co.uk
GUITAR MAKER Jim Fleeting: Former IT manager at Fujitsu, Jim, 33, jacked it all in to follow his dream in music. Realising he’d never be a Jimi or a Slash, Jim trained to become a luthier – a guitar-maker. Now based in Ripon, North Yorkshire, he’s more than satisfied: "Buyers have been in tears because they love what I’ve done." Customers include Motown legend Michael Henderson. www.jimfleetingguitars.com
A Short History Of The Beach Hut
Designed to either conceal the ugliness or protect the modesty of female bathers, the beach hut - formerly known as ‘the bathing machine’ - was initially on wheels and pushed to the sea’s edge allowing prospective lady bathers to emerge unseen.
- First adopted by ‘Mad’ King George III, and subsequently Queen Victoria, the bathing machines became so fashionable that by the turn of last century thousands of these candy-coloured constructions had popped up along the British coastline.
- Since then, beach huts have been owned by the likes of Laurence Olivier, John Mills and Kenneth Williams. Artist Tracy Emin sold hers to the Saatchi gallery as a work of art entitled ‘The Last Thing I Said To You Is Don’t Leave Me Here.’ It fetched £80,000.
- Emin’s hut, however, was not the most expensive beach hut ever sold. A hut in West Bexington, Dorset, sold for £250,000 in 2006, but it did have two bedrooms and running water. Two years later in nearby Canford Cliffs, another shed without running water, toilet or electricity went for £100,000.
- An obscure object of desire for many, one beach hut in Whitstable has been covered in brightly-coloured fur fabric by its owner so that it’s like stepping into a fluorescent sock. The women next door, meanwhile, have turned their hut into something resembling a US Army Vietnam foxhole.
- Today, there are beach hut websites, associations and newsletters. There’s even a beach hut artist, Mike Kingston, who specialises in oil paintings of beach huts. "Aristocrats used to commission paintings of their stately homes," says Brian Roebottom, chairman of a Norfolk Hut Committee. "Not many of us would want our three bedroomed semi in Dorking immortalised on canvas, but our beach huts...now there’s something to be proud of."
BOTTOMS UP
Beer to sink battleships, chocolate Guinness cupcakes and cocktails big enough to row across – the weird and wonderful things being done with booze
Bompas & Parr: ‘Food architects’ Sam Bompas and Harry Parr started their business as jellymongers, creating bespoke moulds for leading chefs (Heston Blumenthal is a fan), corporate events and private parties. These days, they have widened their remit, taking on challenges such as creating a walk-in breathable gin & tonic in London’s Soho and a cocktail large enough to row across.www.jellymongers.co.uk
BrewDog: ‘Punk’ brewers James Watt and Martin Dickie set out to revolutionise the world of bottled beers back in 2007 and since establishing their brewery on Scotland’s north-east coast they’ve been unleashing a range of unusual beers on the unsuspecting public. From an artisan lager (which actually tastes of something), to craft cask ales and IPAs, their attitude to beer production is as irreverent as it is exciting. Their latest, Sink the Bismarck!, clocks in at a terrifying 41 per cent. www.brewdog.com
Choc Star: Few artisan chocolate producers are as innovative – or as mobile – as Choc Star. Petra Barran’s beautifully converted ice cream van will be delivering molten, frozen, baked or iced fixes to adoring fans at festivals throughout the summer. Find her and treat yourself to Venezuelan hot chocolate shots, Rocky Road ice-cream and, our tip, chocolate Guinness cupcakes.www.chocstar.co.uk
Sipsmith: The first distillers to be granted a licence in London for nearly two centuries, friends Sam Galsworthy and Fairfax Hall are bringing London gin back to the capital. Their converted garage in Hammersmith is now home to Prudence, Sipsmith’s bespoke-commissioned copper pot still. Only the finest English barley is used, and water is taken from the Thames source in the Cotswolds to produce exceptional spirits. www.sipsmith.com
New boundaries for A&W
The future looks bright for the new golden boy of English cricket – and he’ll be wearing Aubin & Wills this season
Young Somerset cricketer Craig Kieswetter, 22, has burst onto the cricket scene in a fashion reminiscent of Kevin Pietersen in the 2005 Ashes series. His safe hands behind the stumps, eye-catching stroke play and devilish good looks have got cricket insiders describing the young Somerset star as a possible ‘David Beckham’ of English cricket. This season Kieswetter and his Somerset teammates will be wearing a Somerset CC blazer made by Aubin & Wills using a cloth woven by Fox Brothers & Co Ltd. A modern cutaway jacket in a grey base with a Somerset-stripe silk lining will ensure that English cricket’s hottest new star will look the part whilst trying to force his way into an England side hoping to secure back-to-back Ashes wins. Limited Edition exclusively available for Aubin & Wills at Selfridges, London £298.
