New Faces at The Red Lion

Having heard that Paul & June had moved on from The Red Lion in the heart of Milford on Sea High Street, it seemed only neighbourly to pop in to meet the new landlords. A warming welcome was immediate from our new mien-hosts, Stuart & Jayne Grieves.

As we chatted, I explained that I whiled away a few hours by doing some local web stuff in the village, fortunately this did not stop them from continuing our friendly chat.

I discovered the Stuart & Jayne were originally from Watford, and had previously lived in New Milton, Stuart working in kitchen fitting and Jayne in the motor trade.  However, Jayne had always fancied running a B&B, and Stuart a pub.  Watching how they welcomed the customers coming into the pub, it was obvious that they enjoyed the company of people, so the perfect new career was having their own pub with rooms.

Jayne explained that they loved a pub to be traditional, as well as a place to eat, so they wanted people to be able to simply enjoy a drink around a welcoming bar.  Being a dog friendly pub, it makes it easy for anyone wishing to slip out for a sneaky pint, simply to pretend they need some exercise and take the dog for a walk to the pub.  If you don't have a dog, perhaps you could borrow one from a neighbour for an hour or so?

As we all know our village is blessed with places to eat, from top class restaurants, cafés and of course the other village pubs, The Smugglers, The White Horse and The Gun Inn. The Red Lion has become know for wholesome homemade 'pub grub' at a great price, and Stuart & Jayne intend to continue to offer great value and tasty dishes.  Everyday there is a changing 'daily special' for £6 and the Sunday roasts are well worth a try at only £10 for two courses.

Over Jayne's shoulder I noticed a bottle of beer.  Not surprising in a pub I guess, but this particular bottle was a Benskins beer brewed to commemorate Watford FC's appearance in the 1984 FA Cup Final. 

The significance of this will mean little to most, but it was evident to me that I was in the company fellow of Watford Supporters.  Stuart and I were soon talking of our experiences following The Hornets, and that our children had even been born in the same hospital right next to the Vicarage Road Stadium.  Having spent many years as a season ticket holder and following the boy's in yellow around the country, my memories were stirred. Normally my Watford FC stories fall on deaf ears, but Stuart was attentive to my recollections of the many exciting away trips my wife & I had enjoyed, my day's out with the Watford legend Luther Blissett, the glorious day at the old Wembley watching Watford return to The Premiership in the Play Off Final, and even the freezing Tuesday evening I spent at Hull, when I was one of only 14 Watford supporters at the game.

Back to the pub. Stuart & Jayne are planning to keep people in the village well entertained.  Only last night they held a successful Charity Quiz Night with a full house having a good time, a bingo evening is also being planned, and Live Music is going to take place every few weeks.  The events below are already booked, so why not put them in your diary, or pop in before that to say hello. 

Saturday 27th April: The Elastic Party Band - www.theelasticpartyband.com
Saturday 25th May: Dog Ruff

These events along with other things happening in the village can be found at: www.milfordonsecalendar.org   

The Red Lion
32 High Street, Milford on Sea, SO41 0QD
T: 01590 642236 | www.theredlionmilford.co.uk

40 B4 40-Bluebird

No. 32: Bluebird, Lymington 

As we could not decide where to go and eat with our friends Colin & Tricia, we decided that Tricia could make it a surprise. 

Not only did we not know where we were going, but we did not anticipate we were also going back in time. 

click image to enlarge

A short drive to get there, and then even more miles covered looking for a parking space, we were eventually strolling through the cobbled streets at the foot of Lymington High Street. Charming as ever, but the biting wind had Colin & I walking at a pace not normally associated with our normal stroll. 

Our destination was The Bluebird Restaurant. Having passed by this quaint looking building many times, this was our first visit to dine. 

from the outside the Bluebird displays signs for its various offerings, part café, part restaurant and a B&B. Stepping inside I had visions of the 1980's. The tables & chairs were all made of wood, and the walls adorned with a mish-mash of pictures featuring racing drivers, sea and country scenes. 

A friendly greeting from the waiting team, and we were soon at our table. The laminated menus were certainly reminiscent of a café and the selection not to exciting, however the breakfasts looked good. 

click image to enlarge

The 'Specials Board' provided much more inspiration, with a great selection of fresh fish, homemade dishes, and a homemade pudding menu that was going to create an issue for me when it came to choosing.

It didn't take long for our drinks order to arrive, followed by the rolls, which were OK, but not homemade. The butter was in little foil wraps, a small pet hate of mine.

The food was to prove a lot better than the decor. For our starters my wife and Colin had tasty Calamari with Sweet Chili Mayonnaise, and my Deep Fried Goats Cheese with Pineapple Chutney was spot on. Both dishes came with a salad of mixed leaves, peppers, cucumber and carrot on the side of the plate, which raised a nostalgic smile.

Our main courses arrived and the main ingredients looked as good as they proved to taste. The girls and I had Grilled Whole Dover Sole with Lemon & Parsley Butter, and Grilled Halibut Fillet with Creamed Leak & Saffron Sauce.  Colin, being a major carnivore & offal eater, went for Liver & Bacon.  Each meal was fresh and well cooked.

The fish courses where normally served with new potatoes and vegetables. However, we all fancied chips, and the front of house team were happy to change our order. When the chips were served they were hot, crispy. and everything you want in a chip.  The vegetables were served in individual bowls and instantly bought back memories of how dishes were served a couple of decades ago. I really felt I should have been wearing flares, a tank top and platform shoes. Fortunately Colin was, so he felt right at home.

Time travel aside, the food had been very good and it was now time for sweet.

As much as I was being nice to my wife, offering her all sorts of inducements and even offering to put the bins out, she resolutely insisted she did not want a sweet. Of course, my real point was she ordered one for us to 'share'. On my last pleading attempt, I could see from the steely glint in her eyes that I was a nano-second from getting a fork in the eye.  This development encouraged me to abort my 'dual delight' mission.

It would have been easy to order six or so puddings from the comprehensive list of homemade delights.   However, my wife tends to torture me for several weeks with low fat food if I order more than one, so as a result only two puddings were ordered, but I never got a look in on Tricia's Forest Fruit Pavlova. She has perfected the art of speed eating when dining with me.

I have forgo the Apple & Rhubarb Crumble and creme brulée, and settled for the Chocolate Marquise, which was delicious.  Tricia's pudding was also sweet and tasty, or so I was told.  

As Colin was the day's nominate driver our alcohol intake was less than usual, however that will be rectified next time.  Well, it will be if I can convince my wife to drive.  Looks like I will have to make a concerted effort at a period of good behaviour.  Wish me luck.

Bluebird
5 Quay St Town Centre, Lymington SO41 3AS
www.bluebirdrestaurant.co.uk

If you are wondering what the 40 B4 40 Dining Challenge is all about, please click here and all will be explained.

The Last Train in Milford

Milford on Sea resident and author, Maureen Farenden has just published her latest novel, The Last Train. 

Below is an extract for the book that will give you a flavour of the story: 

All aboard, one stop only, destination unknown,’ announces the Conductor, smiling an eerie, almost sinister sneer as the train departs. And so the nightmare journey begins… Six strangers’ lives will unfold as the phantom train travels into the abyss and they discover that each of them possesses a ticket that is stamped ONE WAY ONLY – NO RETURN JOURNEY. Who amongst them has the darkest secret? Be careful what you do in life and how you hide your sins for the LAST TRAIN will always come to collect… Are you brave enough to mount the step, close the carriage door and await the final judgement aboard THE LAST TRAIN? 

Maureen sends her thanks to everyone in the village who supported and read her previous book, The Diary. 

The Last Train, is now available on www.amazon.co.uk and can be purchased in e-book and paperback form. 

Paperback 

www.amazon.co.uk/The-Last-Train-Maureen-Farenden/dp/1909224383

Kindle 

www.amazon.co.uk/The-Last-Train-ebook/dp/B00C2TJPXK/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364989569&sr=1-5

A Token for the Kids'

The Milford on Sea C.E Primary School have been selected to have a 'Green Box' at Waitrose in Lymington. 

Each month, Waitrose chooses three local charities to support, and donates £1,000 between them, according to how many tokens are in each box. The school has been lucky enough to be chosen as one of this month's charities in their bid to raise £10,000 for an outdoor "Science Hut". The hut will be used by the children to learn first-hand about the subject matter they are studying, while also enjoying the benefits of being in the fresh air. This will support the teachers in helping to deliver the new science curriculum, while also promoting pupils' confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning. 

So, the more green tokens they collect, the more money we will receive! 

Naturally, we would rather encourage you to do your shopping in the village, as it is quite amazing how much you can buy locally and of course every penny spent in our shops maintains the vibrancy of our village community. 

Should you find yourself needing to visit a large supermarket, there is now a good reason to select Waitrose, and if you do, please put your token in Milford on Sea C.E Primary School box.

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Talking of local shops, Hollands of Milford’s new website is worth a visit. Not only does it tell you all they offer, but it has a complete range of special offers that are updated on a regular basis. Click here to visit website: www.hollandsmilford.co.uk

Our Pork & Sausage King!

David Gates, Our award winning local butcher, who is already famous in the village for his sausages, bacon and hog roast, has won another set of accolades to add to his already impressive array of awards.

David has won two golds, four silvers and one bronze awards at the South of England Butchers Road Show for products from their range, including hickory smoked back bacon and Jubilee pork sausages.

The Butchers Shop in Milford on Sea village cure and smoke their own pork and bacon on the premises, which offers us all a excellent selection of local produce.

David also supplies grass fed free range New Forest beef from local farms, free range outdoor reared pork, and local Dorset and Hampshire lamb. It is no surprise to know that David is the current Hampshire Bacon Champion. To compliment their meat products, other quality items such as fresh cheeses, chutneys, pickles, mustards, honey, and local free range eggs from Kitts Merries Farm in Romsey are available.

David also does free home deliveries when you find leaving the house difficult. To complete his range of services, he also does a tasty Hog Roast for parties and events.

We of course are lucky enough to have two butchers in the village, with Dave Gregory also providing fresh meat from his butchers shop in the Keyhaven Road end of the High Street. Enjoy eating local!

The Butchers Shop, 3 Church Hill, Milford on Sea, SO41 0QH

Tel: 01590 642136

www.gatesbutchers.com

Money raised on the organ

On Sunday 24th March, the New Forest Organ Society hosted a lunch and concert in support of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance Service.

 

The Society is 34 years old, and their home hall is All Saints Church Hall in Milford on Sea, where they regularly enjoy an audience of 180 people.

 

The musicians are all top professionals and arrive from all over the UK bringing their own electronic organs and keyboards. They play a wide variety of music: big band, Latin, jazz, light classical and much more. (Not church music)

 

On this occasion the event was at Hoburne Bashley and all tickets were sold.  The attendees enjoyed a 2 course lunch, an afternoon concert followed by a cream tea and a raffle which raised many hundreds of pounds. The musician was Ian House who plays a Yamaha TYROS4 organ set up. Ian travels a lot for Yamaha playing concerts all over the UK and generously Yamaha sponsored Ian for this special event.

 

A successful and happy afternoon for 216 people resulted in the New Forest Organ Society announcing that £2900 had been raised for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance Service.

 

The organisers thank everyone that helped to achieve this excellent sum of money.

 

The New Forest Organ Society has held a concert at All Saints' Church Hall in Milford on Sea every month for more than 30 years!, and has 250 members.

 

Anyone interested in coming to a concert in Milford please contact Sandra Ebbetts: 01590 644724.

 

 

Brownies Got Talent

Last Monday 1st Milford on Sea Brownies put on an extravaganza at Milford Village Community Centre. The girls were kindly given the use of the facilities to stage 'Brownies Got Talent', and were able to showcase the wealth of talent which lies within our local Brownie Pack. They were also lucky enough to secure the services of Adrian Ellis who took control of the sound and lights.

Thirty one girls took to the stage in an evening of song, dance, drama, poetry and magic. Having had very little rehearsal time, and none on the stage itself, the girls confidently performed to a packed audience of family members, Trefoil Guild and representatives from the Guide Hut Committee and VCC.

Muffins baked at their Brownie meetings by the girls themselves, were on sale during the interval and a raffle took place, raising funds jointly for Hampshire West Showtime and 1st Milford on Sea Brownies.

The Brownies are now looking forward to their next event at Milford Community Centre on Friday 2 August when the older girls will host a First Friday Lunch.

If you or your daughter would like to know more about joining or volunteering at Rainbows, Brownies or Guides please visit www.girlguiding.org.uk/interested or call 0800 169 5901. Alternatively you can email the local team at milfordgirlguiding@gmail.com

40 B4 40-Hibiscus

No. 31: Hibiscus, Mayfair, London

It was our company’s 10th Anniversary, so we decided everyone deserved a special day out. To do things in style we booked the private dining room at Hibiscus, a 2 Michelin Star restaurant owned by Chef Patron, Claude Bosi in Mayfair, London. The restaurant features in the Top 100 World’s Best Restaurants and is 8th in the Good Food Guide, so things were looking good for a gastronomic treat.

 

click image to enlarge

Not everything went as planned! The evening before I was struck down with a mystery bug, however not wishing to miss our special day I made it to our first watering hole; The Burlington Arms, in Old Burlington Street. The team were in good spirits and I did my best to numb the bug with alcohol whilst trying to keep my germs to myself.

 

We were soon on our way across Mayfair to Hibiscus. The restaurant was stylish yet minimalist. The private dining room was downstairs and the ideal size for our party of 12. Not long after arriving the wine was flowing and the homemade bread with both salted and unsalted butter was joined by a rather tasty cheese puff canapé. Things were not looking good as I was struggling to eat either. Coughing was not however proving a problem!

 

Next came an ‘amuse bouche’ of a pomegranate and hibiscus foam, sounds weird, but delicious I heard. The starters of Celeriac Risotto, Slow cooked Hens Egg Yolk, Pomelo Fruit, or Smoked Label Anglais Chicken & Leek Terrine, Smoked Grape Seed Emulsion & Chicken Liver Parfait looked delicious and we soon devoured by the team.

 

Sadly, I was struggling just to breathe, and then the unthinkable happened, I had to give up and admit the only place for me in bed. I made swift apologies and headed for home.

 

click image to enlarge

Although I was now missing it, I wanted the team to have a great party, and they did when they tucked into the main courses of Confit of Rabbit Leg, Mustard Crust, Jerusalem Artichokes cooked in Hay, Artichoke & Mustard Puree, or Roast Cornish Cod, Pomelo, Wild Mushroom Orzo, Langoustine & Parmesan Sauce. This was followed by a sweet of Iced Blood Orange Givre, Orange Polenta Cake or Vanilla Pineapple Rice Pudding, Candied Walnut.

 

Finally, I heard some amazing petit fours were served with coffee.

 

Next on the agenda was a visit to Mews of Mayfair for cocktails. After a few concoctions, the team headed for the Cabin Bar at Waterloo Station which became a little more crowded as our lot enjoyed a couple of night caps!

 

In the following week, everyone in the company was infected with the bug and the office looked like the Marie Celeste at times. However, all had enjoyed a good to day out, so it was worth it.

 

Next time I will make it to the end!

Hibiscus
29 Maddox Street, London, W1S 2PA
www.hibiscusrestaurant.co.uk

Mews of Mayfair
10 Lancashire Court, New Bond Street, London, W1S 1EY
www.mewsofmayfair.com

If you are wondering what the 40 B4 40 Dining Challenge is all about, please click here and all will be explained.





 

Milford in Atmospheric Images

We have come across a local photographer who has done some atmospheric images of Milford on Sea. To see the pictures please click here.

 

The photographs were taken by Adam Lynk, of Lynk Photography. Adam has lived in Milford on Sea for 11 years with his wife, Lisa and two children who go to Milford Primary School.

 

Adam trained as a photographer at Bournemouth and Poole College of Art design in the 80's and 90's but ended up pursuing a career in recruitment. About 5 years ago he fell back in love with photography and over the last 6 months have been a professional photographer on a full time basis. He offers portraits, and has recently carried out a couple of commissions for local architecture. He also loves local landscapes, but living in Milford on Sea you can't help that! His mantra is; "Find a job you love and you will never work a day in your life!" A great thing to do if you can.

 

Adam’s wife, Lisa is an Accredited Network Childminder in the village, and runs ‘Little Poppins’ child-minding service. Little Poppins is within walking distance of Milford on Sea Primary School and Pre-school, and has a large enclosed rear garden, which provides lots of fun for outside play. The large decked area provides opportunities for playing with cars, sand and water, painting, chalking etc. Further down the garden there is a wooden playhouse, trampoline and a large raised flowerbed for children to grow vegetables and plants in. There is also a dedicated playroom which includes opportunities for messy play, early writing, role-play, construction, reading and much more including a quiet cosy corner.

 

It is always nice to discover businesses thriving in the village and to let people know about them.
 

Little Poppins: www.littlepoppinschildcare.co.uk

Lynk Photography: www.lynkphotography.co.uk

Valley Gate, Sycamore Close, Milford on Sea, SO41 0RY
Tel: 07590 333313 | sales@lynkphotography.co.uk

 

Hollands Deals Now Online

One of the great delights of Milford on Sea is the great independent shops we have in our village centre. One of the busiest, and most popular, is Hollands of Milford, an independent family grocer and supermarket situated in the centre of the High Street. 

Paul & Maureen Holland opened their independent village supermarket in 2000, and they now stock over 2500 Products, including all of the big brands you would expect to see elsewhere, and indeed everything you may need for your daily meals, naughty treats, kitchen cupboard stocks, household daily use and celebration times.

 

They also love to support local suppliers and stock a tasty range of local New Forest Marque produce. Another delight is the cheese counter & cold meat delicatessen, which is hard to beat for miles around. You can even get your lottery tickets, although winners can’t be guaranteed!

 

It is likely that you have shopped there many times, and like me, have been amazed how much can fit into such a small space! I wonder however if you realise all that they do? 

To keep you informed they have just launched their new website which tells you everything you need to know, and more importantly it regularly updates, and carries all of their current Special Offers, so a regular look at the website could certainly save some of your well-earned cash. You can view the current Special Offers by clicking here.  

Hollands of Milford certainly do their bit for the community, they constantly support village events and are always willing to help out wherever they can. Their Opening hours of Monday to Saturday: 7am until 8pm and Sunday: 8am until 7pm ensure they are open when you need them, and they offer so much more than your daily groceries.

All at Hollands of Milford pride themselves on the wide range of products and local services that they offer, all with competitive prices to make you smile. Paul & Maureen, with son, Rob and the team delight in serving our local village, happy holidaymakers and day trippers, and are always looking to offer a little bit more...  

The shop also offers a full Takeaway Service, with filled rolls & sandwiches made to order using you own choice of fillings from the wide range of options on the yummy deli-counter. The fresh bake ovens are constantly on the go, producing hot sausage rolls, pasties, fresh breads, croissants and other tasty hot delights. If you fancy a drink, there are hot takeaway teas and coffee, as well as cold drinks from the chiller cabinets. If you would like to order your filled rolls, sandwiches, hot snacks or picnic ready for your collection, please call the Takeaway Hotline on: 01590 641882.

Hollands also stock a wide selection of wines and beers along with some great offers, and they also have a glass loan service for your function or party. In fact, if you want something very different for your party, how about a Cheese Tower created with the stores delicatessen cheeses and made by Mandy at Elmsleigh Cakes.

Paul’s van is a regular sight around the village as he makes his home deliveries, and yet another way Hollands serves our local village. The Home Delivery Service provides a convenient and friendly way of doing your shopping. Anyone can use the service, you can simply place your order by telephone for later collection, or for Paul to deliver by calling: 01590 641882. Now of course, you can also see all of the current special offers on the website to aid your shopping selections. Alternatively just pop in and select your own shopping and have it delivered. Delivery is free for all orders over £50.

Hollands of Milford are also part of the 'Making A Difference Locally' Charity. This is a national charity which was launched to help independently-run local stores to add value in their communities through donations to local charities or good causes - such as local football teams, hospices or one of a thousand charities that run throughout the UK. The scheme is truly local as money is raised over time through the sale of specific products in our shop. We then choose the beneficiary for the money and a donation is paid to the charity or cause by the Making A Difference Locally Charity. To date Hollands have made donations of £1500, and they have £650 in the pot for our next donations. www.makingadifferencelocally.com

 

If you are not familiar with the shop, you will find Hollands of Milford right in the centre of Milford on Sea High Street, next to the village green. The High Street has free parking, and there are also a pay & display car park in Sea Road, opposite the store.

A unique village shop offering so much deserves our support, and I for one will try and buy more locally rather than using the large supermarkets so much. Why not join me, although best to come in when I am not there, I am pretty difficult to pass in the aisles!

See hollands new website now: www.hollandsmilford.co.uk

Hollands of Milford
49 High Street, Milford on Sea, SO41 0QG
www.hollandsmilford.co.uk | Tel: 01590 641882 | hollandsmilford@aol.com

 

Young Voices of Milford

Young Voices of Milford, the children’s choir started at MoS Baptist Church last year, participated in the New Milton Music Festival last Saturday.

 

We are delighted to let you know that they gained a 'Certificate of Distinction' from the adjudicator. They were very pleased, and we add our congratulations as well!

 

 

Open Top Tour Bus coming to Milford

click image to view the Blue Route

We have just discovered some very exciting news, the New Forest Open Top Tour Bus has a new summer 'Blue Route' for 2013, which includes Keyhaven & Milford on Sea.

 

The Parish Council and their Tourism Group have been pushing to be included for several years and it now looks as though their efforts have paid off.

 

The new 'Blue Route' will cover Lymington, Keyhaven, Milford on Sea, Shorefield Country Park, Barton on Sea, New Milton, Bashley, Burley and Brockenhurst. To do the complete round trip is around one hour.

 

The timetable starts in June 2013, and you will be able to buy your tickets from the driver when you get on. There is an option of 1, 2 or 5 consecutive day tickets.

 

The great news is that this will bring extra visitors in to the village from the New Forest area and provide an excellent boost for our local shops and eateries. It also recognises Milford on Sea as a tourist attraction within the New Forest, which has to be be good news for our local B&B's, hotels and self catering providers.

click image to view timetable

 

The Music Festival gets local support

It is that time again where the Milford on Sea Arts & Music Festival is fast approaching and this year’s committee are working tirelessly to make it bigger and better than it has been in previous years.

 

You may have seen our new collection boxes in many of the local shops which is a new initiative this year for the festival to help fund raise to ensure the longevity of this unique and free event.  To date over £364 has been collected.  The organisers thanks, as always, go to all the local traders who have allowed the collection boxes to be situated in their business, and especially to Deny at The Raft who has to date raised in excess of £300 – thank you.

 

The organisers would also like to express their thanks for the recent donation of £200 from The Big Community Breakfast. This is a very helpful dent in the £2,849.00 loss the festival made at last year’s event. (A copy of the accounts are now available on the website).
 

To keep fully informed as to what is happening, and when the acts are announced, please keep an eye on the website www.milfordfestival.org.uk There is also an active Facebook page: click here

The dates for this year's festival are the 1st to 4th August 2013 – so don’t forget to put it in your diaries!!

If you would like to support the festival by becoming a friend or volunteer during the event please email Sean at: sean@hwsolicitors.com 

 

Try your hand a bowls

Do you fancy giving bowls a try? If you do, then why not come along to MoS Bowls Club and have a go for fun. 

 

Milford on Sea Bowls Club are holding a Newcomers Coffee Morning at 10.30am on Wednesday 24th April. The open day is free and shoes & bowls provided.

The club was founded in 1933 and is situated in Hurst Road on Milford on Sea seafront enjoying spectacular views of the Isle of Wight and the Needles.  The Clubs Green has 6 rinks that are amongst the finest in the area, and they have an extensive social calendar as well as plenty of opportunities to play competitive or fun bowls.

 

In its 80th anniversary year Milford on Sea Bowls Club will also be celebrating with a full calendar of events and competitions. Members of the public are always welcome to come along and watch the action, whilst enjoying the great panoramic sea views from the bowls green.

The summer season is from early April until late September with the Short mat bowls season taking place most days in the clubhouse during the winter.

Experienced bowlers moving to the area and any residents wishing to play this enjoyable sport are welcome to contact the club secretary for further details.

You can even try your hand at lawn green bowls at other times during the year to see if you like it. A Club Steward (a playing member of the club) is on hand during the open sessions to help and give advice if required. The public visitor sessions are just £5pp including hire of shoes and bowls, and the fun is free!

www.milfordbowls.co.uk

 


 

Entertain the Kids'!

The Easter Holidays are fast approaching and you may be looking for ways to Entertain the Kids'!

Milford Pre-School Plus Ltd organise Holiday and After-School Clubs - for all primary school aged children.

Children can come along on a casual or arranged basis, all the Pre-School need is a registration form!

Holiday: 8.45am to 3pm - £16.50, 3pm to 5.45pm - £8.00
After-School: 3.15pm to 5.45pm - £8.00
Please call in or telephone to book: Lymington Road, Milford-on-Sea, Hampshire, SO41 0RF.

Telephone: 01590 644684 - milfordpreschool@aol.com
www.milfordpreschoolplus.co.uk

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Friday 12th April: Kids’ Workshops – Chocolate & Cup Cakes

 Kids’ love nothing better than getting messy with food! Why not book to bring them along to a morning or afternoon workshop session at All Saints’ Church Hall.

£10pp including ingredients.

To Book Tel: 07796 171008 or nicola@loveyum.com
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Space Academy | Holiday Club: 10am to 12noon - Monday 8th to Friday 12th April
The Holiday Club is held at the Baptist Church in Barnes Lane. It is open for all children aged 5 to 11 years. The cost is only £1 per day. Email the church in advance, or just register on the day.

Everyone welcome, come along and have some fun!!
www.milfordonseabaptist.org.uk
 

Temporary Road Closure

NEW FOREST DISTRICT COUNCIL

TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURE | B3058 LYMINGTON ROAD MILFORD ON SEA

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that New Forest District Council, acting as agent to the traffic authority, Hampshire County Council, proposes to make an Order to allow carriageway reconstruction works to be carried out , as follows:

ROAD TO BE CLOSED:  That length of B3058 Lymington Road Milford on Sea between its junction with A337 Milford Road and its junction with Barnes Lane.

 

ALTERNATIVE ROUTE: From the northern point of closure west via A337 to its junction with B3058 at New Milton; southeast via B3058 to the southern point of closure and vice versa.     

PERIOD OF CLOSURE: From 1st April 2013 for a period of 12 months or until completion of works whichever is sooner. (Notwithstanding the above it is expected that the closure will be required for no longer than 6 days.)

 

Reasonable facilities will be provided to allow access to adjacent premises while the work is being carried out.

 

If you have any queries regarding the above please contact Hampshire County Council, Highways Department on 0845 603 5633 or email operation.resilience@hants.gov.uk
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We understand that the works might take place anytime between the 1st April and end of June, but is likely to take up to about 6 days. The Parish Council said:

 

“The Parish Council has worked closely with Highways and County Cllr Mel Kendal in getting this resurfacing works undertaken. It has taken quite a while to get to this point and while the closure will affect us all, the new surface will ensure that the B3058 is safer for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians who use the Everton to School footpath”.

 

 

The Cave on the Green!

We have heard of a new venture coming to the village soon. I am sure many of us have seen the mass of renovation work taking place in Church Hill, next to The Butchers Shop.  Well, I can reveal that this will be a new family owned Independent Wine Shop and Bar.

 

The Cave is the unique creation of Jon & Stacey Crouch. Having spent many years in the hospitality industry, originally training & meeting in the one of the finest UK hotel chains. Since then Jon & Stacey have continually demonstrated that they are natural entrepreneurs with a burning passion for service, as well as recent parents to little Sam, and well respected members of the Milford on Sea community.

 

In recent years they have been involved in a number of successful local restaurant & café ventures in Lymington & Milford on Sea, not least of which is Verveine, Hampshire's finest fish restaurant and winner of numerous quality & service awards. Today the restaurant continues to prosper in Milford on Sea under the sole ownership of former partner & head chef David Wykes. www.verveine.co.uk.

 

Jon's passion for wine & hospitality is expected shines through at The Cave. He loves to see people enjoy good company, and experience quality wines and beers at any budget. His 'tasting sessions' are certainly not to be missed!

 

A warm welcome is expected at any time of day, from morning coffee through to a fabulous selection of drinks to enjoy in comfort, or to take home.

 

If you are dining in the village, you will soon be able to enjoy an aperitif before enjoy a great meal at one of the village's great eating places.

 

No date has yet been set for the opening, but we understand when it does open, they will be open 7 days a week.

 

The Cave, 2 Church Hill, Milford on Sea

www.thecavemos.co.uk

 

The Great Tram Hunt

Word has reached us that an interesting story has recently appeared in ' British Trams - Online news.'

 

It appears that somewhere in Milford on Sea village, in a garden, is the remains of a Tram that used to pass through Bournemouth?

Hmm, intriguing, can anyone throw any light on the subject?

Click here to read full article
 

La Perle in Fizzing!

If you have a taste for champagne, then a visit to La Perle, French Bistro in Milford on Sea High Street will tickle your taste buds.  Not only is there a rather nice selection of champagnes, even more fascinating are the stories that go with each.

Many of you will know that La Perle was opened two years ago by chef/proprietor Lionel Sene, who was originally from Hautvillers, Epernay in the beautiful Champagne area of France and the capital of Champagne.  Today, Lionel serves champagnes that he has carefully selected from in and around the village of Hautvillers, where his family still have vineyards.

Champagne Lombard et Cie

Lombard & Cie House of Champagne was founded in 1925 and situated in Epernay, the capital of Champagne. Lionel's father worked for many years for Monsieur Lombard, and the Champagne house is highly regarded. All the grapes come from the selected areas of the highest quality due to the soil, area & exposure.

Billecart-Salmon Champagne House

Still under the ownership of the original family, Billecart-Salmon also has close ties to Lionel's family. Lionel's brother-in-law is the Maitre Chai, looking after the vineyards & creating new blends & variations. The blend varieties used in the non-vintage wine has not differed in over 50 years & is a classic mix of varieties in the region.

Champagne Pessenet-Legendre

Pessenet-Legendre is owned by Sylvie et Cyrille Pessenet. Sylvie grew up in Hautvillers with Lionel as a child and is a close family friend. The grapes are harvested from the vineyards in Hautvillers where the family have lived & owned vineyards for generations. A young family with two small children, the Champagne is named after their eldest daughter Cléo.

Charles Heston Champagne.

The Cooperative Les Six Coteaux is based in the village of Pouillon, 6 km to the North of Reims. Using only grapes from their vineyard, they launched their own brand, Champagne Charles Heston, in 2010 and have already won many rewards from prestigious wine competitions. La Perle are pleased to offer a selection of these fantastic champagnes at our restaurant.

 

So there you have it, quite a unique selection, and certainly worth a try on the next visit, or special occassion.

 

Keeping to a more modest budget, some of the dining offers La Perle are currently running look worth a try; 1/2 Lymington Lobster & Frites on Wednesday nights for £19.95 (with 1/2 corn fed Roast Chicken for meat preferers - £13.95). Both include any glass of wine from the pouring list. The Lymington Lobster is from our local Fisherman who docks & fishes from Lymington Quay.

 

The 'Grillade' is now available every day. = Lio buys 28 day aged Hampshire Rib Eye, Bavette & Sirloin 'the entire loin' and steaks are cut and tempered to order, and prices start from £12.95.

 

Feeling hungry yet?!

(PS: Did you know, in France they say Bistrot rather than Bistro.  The 'T' was dropped in the UK to make the word look more attractive.)

 

www.laperlemilford.co.uk

 

 

Good Food Guide Again

The Marine on Milford on Sea seafront has once again gained an entry in the prestigious 2013 edition of The Good Food Guide. Entries are awarded based on restaurant nominations from customers, and susequent inspections by The Good Food Guide inspectors.

 

This is the second consecutive year that The Marine been featured in The Good Food Guide, since opening their doors for business in August 2010.

 

www.themarinemos.co.uk

 

Love our village conservation

A merry bands of locals do sterling work as Milford Conservation Volunteers. The group is made up of people of all ages, and  they get up to many various projects to ensure our village environment, habitats and wildlife are well cared for.

If you appreciate what they do, would like to know more, our fancy joining in, why not pop along to their AGM

MILFORD CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERS

Annual General Meeting

Friday, 8th March

Community Centre, Sea Road 7.00pm

 

Tea/coffee and biscuits will be available.

MCV are also taking this opportunity to publicise information about their new project - a Biodiversity Action Plan for Milford-on-Sea. Ian Barker from the National Parks Authority will be giving a short talk about Biodiversity Plans from other areas and from the County. If you are interested in finding out more do come along.

Non-members are very welcome.

The evening is open to all, and the more the merrier!

 

 

Recall Milford of Old Over Tea

The young people of MiCO (Milford Community Organisation) would like to meet anyone who spent much of their childhood growing up in Milford during the 70’s and 80’s, and who would like to share any memories and experiences of what it was like in Milford then!

 

If you have any photos or items documenting village life at that time that would be also be great……….

 

The MiCO Team are holding a Tea Party in the café area of the Community Centre on Thursday the 7th March at 3:30pm until 5pm, and invite you along to sample their home made cakes, warming tea and hopefully get talking and comparing the Milford of today to the Milford decades gone by……..

 

Please let us know if you would like to come along, and we look forward to seeing you!

 

RSVP: 15 Lawn Road, Milford-on-Sea, Hampshire, SO41 0QZ. Telephone: 01590 644961 | 07557 658495 Email: hellomico@yahoo.co.uk

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MiCO (Milford Community Organisation) is run by young people who are living in Milford-on-Sea, Keyhaven and Everton. Currently they are involved in a Lottery Heritage Project called “All our Stories” discovering more about the cultural heritage of our village.

 

In May they will be displaying exhibitions and performing at small events in locations including Milford School, St Barbe Museum, St George’s Nursing Home and the Community Centre in order to pass on what they have learned about the history of our village and what it is to be part of Milford’s community today.

 

 

 

A Five Star Stay

Milford Croft Self Catering bungalow has for the 4th year running achieved the Five Star Gold Award status as assessed by VisitBritain.

 

Just off the seafront in Hurst Road, Milford on Sea, Milford Croft was described as being: 'exceptional with a degree of luxury’. The owners, Tricia and Colin, are understandably delighted. www.milfordcroft.co.uk

 

Mulbery Barn at Old Walls is another five star self catering option in the village. Click here for more information.

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A New B&B

We have heard that the village has another new bed & breakfast, Juniper House B&B, to welcome visitors to the village. It looks pretty cosy, so why not check it out by clicking here.

 

Milford on Sea is naturally a great destination for visitors all year round, and to look after our guests comfortably there are many options on places stay. Indeed, there issomething to suit all styles and budgets.  If you know anyone coming to stay, why not get them to check out what is available by clicking here.

 

 

Thinking of Getting Married, or Divorced?

As it has just been Valentine’s Day it is probably a good time to give mention to people planning on getting married.

 

photographs by
helen rushton
photography

On Sunday 24th February from 10am to 5pm the New Forest Showcase takes place at many of the New Forest hotels, including our own South Lawns Hotel. The hotels will be dressed up to show potential brides and grooms how the venue handles weddings, they can also meet various local wedding suppliers, including Mandy Black of Elmsleigh Cakes from the village.

There are also a series of Wedding Showcases taking place every Tuesday evening, from 5pm to 8pm at The MacDonald Elmers Court Hotel in Lymington. Each evening the ballroom is decorated in differing chosen theme/colour, from chairs, sashes, table plans, place settings, cake and flowers. The lovely ladies responsible for the displays and also the photographer who captures the impressive displays, will be there for you to discuss your own ideas and requirements for your big day.

On Sunday March 17th there is an even bigger Grand Wedding Fair at Elmers Court Hotel in South Baddesley Road, Lymington, from 11am until 3.30pm ,where a number of wedding suppliers and services will come together for one large show.

Sounds a busy month for brides and grooms. 

Thankfully, I do not have a wedding to research, arrange, or pay for. Having done it twice already, I know exactly how much it can be, and that a divorce is about ten times the cost of any wedding!

I am thinking of taking a stand at the shows to gently point out to the potential grooms the exact risks he is taking. It is only fair that the poor chap should know both sides I feel. Yes, I am sure my delicate counselling skills would be really appreciated, but perhaps not by the brides and their mothers! The other wedding service suppliers also might not appreciate my presence, and the risk is quite high that I might get dunked in a chocolate fountain, (which wouldn’t be a bad thing), however, it is more of a concern where a wedding umbrella might end up!

 

www.elmsleighcakes.co.uk
www.helenrushtonphotography.co.uk
www.fundooweddings.co.uk

www.laureldesignstationery.com
www.thenewforest.co.uk

 

Verveine is 'Smoking!'

Our local award winning fish restaurant, Verveine in Milford on Sea High Street, was featured in an article in The Independent today.  Looks like David Wykes, Chef/proprietor and Hampshire Chef of the Year, is now making a mark for Milford on Sea on a national scale with his imaginative and flavour full cooking. All sounds very tasty to me!

No wonder they have won five major awards in the past two years.

Here is how Verveine was featured in the article:

"Although there's plenty of smoking going on in London – on the roofs of Mayfair, where Mark Hix and Richard Corrigan smoke their salmon, on the balconies of bistros and in the bars of speakeasies elsewhere in the capital – nowhere can it be more prevalent than the New Forest, where both Lime Wood and The Pig, the area's most-acclaimed restaurants, have their own smokehouses.

However, they can't hold a candle in variety to the fumes generated by David Wykes, chef-proprietor of nearby Verveine, tucked behind a fishmonger's in Milford on Sea. He smokes flour, eggs, butter, lobster shells, parsnips, celeriac, potatoes, vanilla – and chocolate, which is a huge trend among the artisan chocolatiers of New York and Chicago, but not generally available here.

"I'm working on smoked chocolate and cep-powder truffles at the moment," says Wykes, who believes smoking his lobster shells gives a deeper flavour to bisques, and favours smoked butter to wrap into mash. "We also have a smoking gun for infusing food under glass cloches," he adds, reporting that rapidly infusing herbs, flowers and spices with this latest culinary tool results in "wonderfully aromatic" dishes such as elderflower-smoked scallops and rosemary-scented spinach.

The gun comes out again at Verveine with a siphon charger to infuse alcohol. "Smoke is fed in, the top is screwed on and charged with nitrous oxide. This displaces the oxygen in the container and forces the smoke into the alcohol. Brandy smoked with elderflower is truly beautiful, as is red wine with oak smoke.

"We're also putting a screw-top Kilner jar on the table 10 minutes before the customer arrives; the jar is filled with smoke and pork skin transformed into smoked bacon crisps. The customer opens the jar as the first amuse-bouche, to enjoy with an apple-and-sage espuma."

Wykes is also burning hay to make smoked-hay ice cream and infusing brandy with cigar smoke for the ultimate digestif, perhaps cognisant that smoked spirits are a major feature of the London cocktail scene. The British vodka-distiller Chase reports that it has had to double its production of smoked vodka to cope with the increased demand for smoked Bloody Marys, and there are plenty of London bars that wield a smoking gun to inject instant fumes into bourbon or rye.

Wykes believes we've missed a beat by turning our backs on our culinary heritage for the past 60 years: "We never picked up our cultural identity after the Second World War, when smoking food was massive, although in those days it was mainly used as a preservative. It wasn't realised there's more to it than that – smoked food tastes so much more alive, less one-dimensional. It has more edge."

click here to read full article

 

Super Heroes in Milford

Chris and Jocelyn would like to say a big thank you to the 107 people who attended the Love Library celebrations at Milford on Sea Library last Saturday.

 

Also grateful thanks must go to all of the volunteers, the Knit and natter group, Alison for the fascinating felt making demonstration, Nicky for the delicious cakes, the ladies who lent their super art work for the display, the 40 children who took part in the Library's Super Heroes Trail and the 18 shops who displayed the Super Heroes!

You can see more photos from the day here:

www.facebook.com/MilfordonSea.Library

 

A Tower for Cheese Lovers!

Local cake maker, Mandy Black of Elmsleigh Cakes, has launched a new idea for parties, weddings and just about any celebration.

As just about everyone loves cheese, Mandy is now building 'Cheese Towers' as both a tasty and attractive centrepiece from people's events. The towers can be various sizes to fit various budgets.

 

Mandy's Cheese Towers are not simply a  stack of cheeses. Because she has a cake decorating background, all of the cheeses are arranged using cake separators, which means she can then decorate them with fresh fruit and flowers etc in the same way as you would do a cake.

 

To ensure Mandy can supply the whole package, she also supplies pickles in personalised jars decorated in the same theme as the wedding/function and baskets of crackers and fresh baked breads.

 

The pickles are from Spice n Easy, which are also made in the village and available on the shelves of Hollands of Milford.

 

The Cheese Towers not only look stunning, but they can also feed so many people. A stack of 5 cheeses, bread and pickles will easily feed over 100 peoples, so as part of a evening buffet they really go along way.

Mandy said: "At my last wedding fair at Rhinefield House I spent as mush time talking cheese as I did cake ,and I can talk for England but even I was exhausted by the end of the day!!"

 

The cheeses are supplied by Hollands of Milford in the High Street. Paul, Maureen and their team have a very impressive deli-counter laden with local, national and international cheeses, not to forgot a lot of cold meats and other goodies. Always worth a look to find a tempting treat!

 

www.elmsleighcakes.co.uk
www.milfordonseaweddings.co.uk

 

 

Keyhaven Lamb at Verveine

Award winning local fish restaurant Verveine is currently serving our own local Keyhaven Lamb.

Hampshire Chef of the Year, and owner of Verveine, David Wykes has been working his magic in the kitchen, and created both a starter and main course of Keyhaven Lamb for his latest creative menus.

His starter of Keyhaven Saltmarsh Lamb, sea garnishes , apricots and pickled trompettes sounds pretty tasty, and the main course of 15 hour cooked local Keyhaven Saltmarsh Lamb, Truffle and honey roasted root vegetables, creamed potatoes, caper and rosemary dressing irresistible.

The lamb come from Lisa’s Larder at Aubrey Farm, in Keyhaven Road ad it always proving a winner for dinners.

NOTE: We have also discovered that The Marine are also serving Keyhaven Lamb, so plently of choice in getting a taste!

www.verveine.co.uk

www.facebook.com/lisaslarder
www.themarinemos.co.uk


 

Brownies go Hi Viz

Lymington Rotary have generously donated 30+ hi visibility jackets for girls and leaders of Milford Brownies. The jackets have also been printed with Lymington Rotary & Milford Brownies branding on the reverse

 

The Brownies are very grateful for this donation as they will both help with keeping the girls safe and raising our profile when on trips in or out of the village.

 

The group are now also in the process of raising money for new camp beds for Pack Holiday and have recently received a donation from The organisers of Milford Road Race and through the Community Matters green token scheme at Waitrose. 

Next year will be the Brownie centenary and they will be hoping to raise a substantial amount of money to subsidise a special outing, as yet to be decided upon, for all the Brownies.

If you would like to find out more about our local Brownies, please contact: Rebecca Webb, 1st Milford on Sea Brownies. Tel: 01590 641644

 

 

Red Nose Jelly!

Comic Relief celebrates its 25 year anniversary on Red Nose Day 15th March, and local Jam Maker, Jen William of Naked Jam is looking to raise some donations with a fun new jam.

Comic Relief has asked our local mistress of jam to come up with a special edition to auction off at their head offices in London on the 25th February 2013. So, Jen has created a limited edition 'Red Nose Jelly' for Comic Relief, and you can bid for it.

Comic Relief have a promise that for every pound the charity gets directly from the public, a full pound goes to help people affected by poverty and social injustice to transform their lives. They are able to keep this promise because the costs of running Comic Relief are met in cash or in kind from all types of other sources including, Government, corporate partners and individual suppliers as well as through the interest generated on funds and through Gift Aid.

You can bid for the jam by e-mailing your bid to: perera@comicrelief.com or nakedjam@gmail.com

Jennifer Williams | Naked Jam | 07870 373795 | www.naked-jam.co.uk

www.rednoseday.com

 

MoS Pre-School Looking for Directors

Milford on Sea Pre-School offers an After School and Holiday Club to children from 2 years 9 months to 11 years. They are a Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity.

Applications are currently invited for two new Directors of the Board.

The successful applicants should be willing to attend approximately 6 meetings per year and attend other events when appropriate. For continuity we ask for at least 2 years commitment.

Appointment will be subject to satisfactory CRB and Ofsted checks.

To register your interest or for further information, please contact:

 

Emma Clark, Manager

Tel: 01590 644684 | milfordpreschool@aol.com

 

40 B4 40-The Filly Inn

No. 30: The Filly Inn, Setley, Hampshire

click image to enlarge

An excuse for a lunch is a good thing. But, we didn’t have one but decided to go anyway, along with our friends C&T, and C, our neighbour, who was happy to have an excuse to get away from finish her PHD Thesis.

We decide to go to The Filly Inn, on the Lymington to Brockenhurst Road.  We have visited the New Forest pub a couple of times before, but this is our first visit since the premises has had a refit.

 

The first thing we noticed was a new 'Garden room' which looked bright and airy and a large decked area with table, which seemed ideal for a sunny day, which this wasn't!

 

The old pub had lost none of it character, the wooden beams still abounded and the old fire was alive and crackling.  the refit looked successful, as the pub was still warm & inviting, with a crisp clean feel. 

 

Surprisingly busy for a midweek lunchtime, and after the boys first pints of cider, we were tucking into our selections from the menu, which it was pleasing to see included a good selection of local New Forest produce. (The restaurant is a member of New Forest Marque and Hampshire Fare)

 

Our starters consisted of Homemade Ham Hock Terrine with Crusty Bread, Country Pate with Red Onion Marmalade, and some particularly tasty Garlic King Prawns.

 

Our Main courses ranged from a very meaty Oxtail special, to Steak & Ale Pie, New Forest Sausages with Mash & Onion Gravy, a light Chicken Casserole, and a massive Beef Burger with Cheese, Bacon and Skin-on Chips.

 

The ciders had continued to go down well, and my wife again weirdly found a sweet 'not necessary!?'  However, the rest of us felt that it would have been rude not to have tried some.  So, we soon demolished portions of freshly made Lemon Tart, a Apple & Cinnamon Crumble, and Chocolate Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream. 

 

Whilst chatting, someone mention how they had heard of Balsamic Vinegar being served with Strawberries and Ice Cream.  No chance of strawberries in early February, but we did have ice cream.  The waiter was pretty bemused when I asked for the vinegar, particularly when he heard what I intended to do with it.  With a wry smile a little pot was soon on our table, and then onto to the ice cream.  Everyone had a taste, and the consensus was it was not bad at all. Strange thing food!

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The Filly Inn
Lymington Road, Setley, Brockenhurst, SO42 7UF | Tel: 01590 623449
www.thefillyinn.co.uk

If you are wondering what the 40 B4 40 Dining Challenge is all about, please click here and all will be explained.
 

Glorious Milford Sunset

Local photographer, Steve Hood has sent us a couple of photographs he took last Saturday afternoon (2nd Feb 2013) The images capture the spectacular Sunset from Milford Beach, cross Christchurch Bay looking towards the Purbeck Hills.

click image to enlarge

If your are interested, the technical details are as follows: Photos taken with Nikon D3000 DSLR @ 10mm 100 ISO / Shutter approx 240 seconds long exposure using a 10 stop ND filter.

We are very lucky to have such beauty on our doorstep.