Our Patch'– Spring 2018 (Chiswick Edition)
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OUR PATCH PROPERTY NEWS, EVENTS, CULTURE AND LIFESTYLE IN W4 ISSUE 17 SPRING 2018 BOTTLING IT How a garage start-up turned into a distillery with a world profile ThePatchFeb18_ThePatchFeb1801/02/201818:49Page1 THE HOGARTH CLUB Personal attention Personal space Results you want Whether you want to get in shape using the best equipment, be expertly led in inclusive personal training sessions or classes, play tennis, squash, swim in our mood lit pool, or dine in the Crucial Cafe, our professional, friendly team are on hand to welcome you. Call Jo or Joe now on 020 8994 0500 and arrange a Club tour. The Hogarth Health Club Airedale Avenue Chiswick London W4 2NW www.thehogarth.co.uk 020 8994 0500 THE AIREDALE The Airedale, Crucial Cafe and NEW Hogarth MediSpa MEDISPA are open to non-members THE HOGARTH CLUB ThePatchFeb18_ThePatchFeb1801/02/201818:49Page1 OUR PATCH SPRING 2018 CONTENTS THE HOGARTH CLUB Personal attention Personal space Results you want WELCOME TO OUR PATCH FROM PAUL COONEY t’s springtime and, just as Chiswick is resplendent, the property market is in full bloom. Expecting to gently ease into 2018, I was knocked for six by the Iimmediate pace of the market. January was a record breaker for sales agreed, with several sales negotiated off market. February has been equally COVER STORY successful and the pace is set to THE CRAFTY WAY TO START A DISTILLERY 4-6 continue. As such I’m pleased to report How a bright idea to begin gin production in a copper still in a I simply haven’t seen the effect of the Hammersmith lock-up succeeded in changing the world’s drinking habits dark cloud that supposedly hangs over the property market. TALKING HEADS WHAT'S ON THE NEW PARENT POWER 7 YOUR NIGHT OUT 18-19 January was a record breaker How schools are relying on Gigs, comedy and footie. for sales agreed, February parents to fix budget woes Don’t miss a thing! has been equally successful EAR TO THE GROUND ASK THE EXPERTS Chiswick continues to top the list as NEWS FROM OUR PATCH 9-15 DOWNSIZING 20-21 West London’s most desirable area. The A full round-up of what’s Size is everything when you village atmosphere, the independent going on in W4, W6 and W12 look for life’s next move and family-run shops on the High Road, Devonshire Road and Turnham LOCAL LIFE LOOKING BACK Green Terrace, the superb state and THE NEW CINEMA WAVE 16-17 THE PRESS BARONS 22 independent schools, the abundance of New cinemas mean film fans How a band of calligraphers transport connections and the variety have a huge choice of screens created publishing beauty and quality of properties available Whether you want to get in shape using the best equipment, can’t be beaten. With over a century of be expertly led in inclusive personal training sessions or classes, combined experience in West London property, we know W4 and agreed play tennis, squash, swim in our mood lit pool, or dine in the Crucial Cafe, PROPERTY NEWS, more sales in 2017 across Chiswick, our professional, friendly team are on hand to welcome you. EVENTS, CULTURE AND Hammersmith and Shepherds Bush than any other agency. Built on a foundation LIFESTYLE IN W4 of honesty, integrity and the desire to go Call Jo or Joe now on 020 8994 0500 and arrange a Club tour. the extra mile, our success stems from PUBLISHED BY Our Patch is distributed our ability to deftly pair the best buyers Horton and Garton to 21,000 homes across hortonandgarton.co.uk Chiswick. We hope you enjoy it. with their perfect property. This year To suggest a story or topic, The Hogarth Health Club Airedale Avenue Chiswick London W4 2NW please send an email to: our community outreach will extend DESIGN AND PRINT [email protected] www.thehogarth.co.uk 020 8994 0500 Hammerprint to supporting more charities and local 020 8753 2235 organisations than ever before. Watch DISTRIBUTION DISCLAIMER this space! For informed advice on how Letterbox Distribution We thank our advertisers THE AIREDALE for supporting Our Patch, the market is moving in your particular Published four times a but Horton and Garton does not accept responsibility patch of Chiswick, or to nominate a year. To advertise, email: for goods or services offered The Airedale, Crucial Cafe and [email protected] by advertisers local charitable event for our support, NEW Hogarth MediSpa MEDISPA don’t hesitate to get in touch. are open to non-members THE HOGARTH CLUB OUR PATCH SPRING 2018 COVER STORY WHEN THE SPIRIT MOVES ‘We’re pinching ourselves!’ The guys who reinvented gin clink glasses with Tim Harrison 4 / 5 OUR PATCH SPRING 2018 t’s hard to believe that it’s only everything – brewing, distilling, clothes, more of a role than that. He not only nine years since two childhood pals coffee…’ The US was going from ‘big is unlocked that space for us, but he began sold their flats, put the money into beautiful’ to saying ‘small is wondrous’.” using our distillery as part of his pitch to leasing a garage in Nasmyth Street, So they took the decision to go into other people thinking of buying houses Hammersmith, and set up the first business, assisted by master distiller Jared in that road! We always tip our hat to new copper pot gin distillery in Brown, the third of the three amigos. To John when we pass Horton and Garton’s ILondon for nearly two centuries. their amazement, they discovered that offices; we really appreciate his help.” The Sipsmith story is a phenomenon; what they were planning was illegal! Five years on, with demand far a soaraway success which still leaves Back in the 1820s, in an effort to stem outpacing Sipsmith’s capacity to supply, its founders shaking their heads in production of cheap back-street gin and the swan-neck copper pots were moved amazement. “It’s been a bit of a rocket contain the effect it was having on from Hammersmith to Chiswick. ship ride,” admitted Sam Galsworthy, London’s population, the government who opened the distillery with his chum outlawed small-scale distilling. There were 12 gin distilleries Fairfax Hall in March 2009. “We are still The clampdown meant it was harder pinching ourselves.” to hide from the authorities, making in the UK when we started... In those nine years, the operation has the drinks industry easier to regulate. now there are 480 shuffled half a mile across Ravenscourt The law had never been repealed. So Park and Stamford Brook to its Sam, Fairfax and Jared set out to There are now four – Prudence, Patience, current home in Cranbrook Road, change it. “We’d quit our jobs with Constance and Cygnet – in a hangar Chiswick. Sam had previously been great trepidation and sold our flats,” behind the homes in Cranbrook Road. working a hop, skip and jump away said Sam. “We spoke to our MP, and The role of Prudence in this good in that other local temple of drink to drinks trade associations, and news story shouldn’t be understated. production, Fuller’s brewery. He to revenue and customs.” Their Mass produced spirits are made in was then in his early 30s, and had badgering led to an amendment stainless steel, which can produce harsh spent 10 years in beer – six of buried in the footnotes of the flavours which then need adjusting with them promoting brands such as 2007 Finance Act, which said filtering and additives. But Sipsmith’s London Pride in the USA. that – after a gap of nearly 200 copper stills have the effect of naturally “It was while I was in the years – small distillers could once removing harshness. States that I saw the momentum again apply for a licence. Combine that with only taking the behind consumers wanting The boys were in business. best part of the distilled product (the authenticity in what they were With the help of estate agent first and last parts of the process – the drinking,” he told Our Patch. John Horton, at Horton and head and the tail – are removed) and “They were really buying into the Garton, suitable premises were you have a drink that does not need to ‘why’ of products; the US craft found at 27 Nasmyth Street, be filtered. In a way, Prudence is the real scene was proving to consumers Brackenbury Village, and star of this saga. that they deserved more.” Sipsmith was born behind a pair It’s fair to say there has been The idea of setting up a new gin of anonymous blue garage doors. It was something of a revolution in gin distillery came about after several long an address which felt right. distilling since the first Sipsmith bottle conversations between Sam and Fairfax. Fairfax realised that the former was savoured by a public which had lost “He’s my best friend; we grew up tenant, whisky expert Michael Jackson, touch with its 18th century passion for together in Cornwall,” Sam explained. was someone with whom he’d had an the product. “There were 12 gin “I said ‘Look what’s going on in animated chat at a wedding. Before that, distilleries in the UK when we started,” the building had done service as a pub’s said Sam. “Now, as a result of the law Left: Sipsmith is master distiller micro-brewery. The signs were good.