THE ART OF THE BRITISH CLOCKMAKER Enter the workshops of Comitti and the first sensation that attracts your attention is the warm aroma of wood accentuated with the pleasant tang of oils and varnish.The pace of life seems slower with a palpable lack of haste and a sense of pride in the hand production of fine and rare clocks and barometers. The equipment and techniques have changed little since the Comitti brothers first established their workshop in Clerkenwell in 1850 and today Comitti is the sole survivor of a once important clock making industry. In the 17th and 18th Century, London was at the centre of horological excellence with Dent, responsible for the great clock in the Palace of Westminster, Frodsham, Thompion and of course Harrison all producing ground breaking horology which changed the course of history and helped create the British Empire. The decline in the industry was due in part to the advancement of technology which made the mechanical movement redundant in a world of

Brethertons Solicitors are preparing for their 200 year celebrations with a series of client and community focused events which will take place during the course of this year.

Shaun Jardine, Partner at Brethertons explains: “Brethertons has been delivering legal services to our clients and the community for over 200 years and to celebrate this we have planned a number of initiatives to thank people for the support and loyalty which they have shown us”

The firm will undertake 200 hours of free legal work which equates to £35,000 on behalf of local charities and good causes.  Other activities will include the planting of 200 trees in Banbury and Rugby, sponsorship of events aimed at older members of the community the creation of a student law prize for younger members of the community, and a prize draw which will see one lucky Brethertons client and their partner visiting Kracow in Poland amongst many other scheduled events.

Brethertons has been practising law since 1810, when King George III was on the British throne and when Count William Ferdinand Wratislaw (1788-1853), a Bohemian nobleman, began his legal practice in Rugby, Warwickshire. 

The firm’s founder, Count William Ferdinand Wratislaw, was the third son of Marc Wratislaw (1735-1796), and it is William that founded his solicitor practice in Rugby – the forerunner of today’s Brethertons LLP. 

The Wratislaw family history goes back further than this, as William’s father Marc Wratislaw was a Bohemian descendent of John Wenceslau Wratislaw von Mitrowitz (Count Wratislaw). The Count had supported Prince Eugene of Savoy Carignan to rally reinforcements to fight in The Battle of Blenheim in 1704 in which the Duke of Marlborough, John Churchill, and the allied forces won and the French surrendered.  The Battle was a turning point in the War of the Spanish Succession and Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire was built by the Crown as a gift to Marlborough to mark the importance of the success of the campaign.

John Wenceslau Wratislaw’s name might sound familiar as he was a descendent of “Good King Wenceslaus” or the Duke of Bohemia (907-935), who was the son of Wratislaus the First of Bohemia – Vratislaus I (888-912) and who had been a lawyer in his early years.  The Wratislaus lineage can be traced all the way back to Krok the Munificent (born 614AD) who founded the city of Krakow in Poland.

Richard Pell, Senior Partner at Brethertons explains: “I am honoured to be Senior Partner at Brethertons during our 200th anniversary year. For 200 years our clients have trusted Brethertons with their legal needs.  Our bicentennial year gives us a unique, historic occasion to thank our clients and share our excitement about the future with them, our staff and the communities in which we live and work. Two hundred years ago Brethertons was a small, local firm based in Rugby serving a predominantly rural community we are now recognised as one of the Top 250 firms in the UK.”

Rugby world cup winner Martin Corry joined Brethertons and the breakfast clubs from the around the area at Rye Hill Golf Club last week. Martin was the guest speaker at the business breakfast that saw representatives from Witney, Chipping Norton and Bicester.

Martin entertained the breakfasters with stories from his rugby playing career including the world cup final in Australia and more recently in France. 'The best rugby match I played in the whole of my career was the vistory over the Australians in the quarter finals,' he commented.

Another amusing anecdote featured Scottish rugby commentator Iain Robertson. Iain had placed a bet that England would win the world cup after a dismal performance in the knock out stages against South Africa. At that point he got odds of 50-1 for the win. He commented to Martin that he wanted England to be victorious (unheard of from a Scot...), but in reality he mentioned the only reason he took the bet was to have the slip which gave such outrageous odds against the English winning!

Martin made important points about the value of teamwork within a side and how this can be put to good use within a business also.

The breakfast marked the first in a series of celebrations throughout the year to mark the 200th anniversary of Brethertons.

 

Based in Hinton-in-the-Hedges on the Oxfordshire/Northamptonshire border, Hunt Bespoke Kitchens has over the past nine years established an enviable reputation for uniquely-designed, hand-built wooden kitchens, cupboards and incidental furniture.
This month marks the beginning of a major new phase for the business, with the opening of its first dedicated showroom in High Street, Bloxham.  Displays will showcase a wide range of the bespoke furniture on offer – from beautiful kitchens and utility rooms, to study/offices and bedrooms.
Indeed, 2009 has been a remarkable year for the business, with increased turnover and strong demand, despite the prevailing uncertain economic conditions.  ‘It just goes to show, there is always a market for high-quality products, competitively priced and delivered with exceptional customer service’ says Director Nigel Hunt, ‘We are enormously proud of our work and we take genuine pleasure in working with our clients, many of whom return to us time after time for different projects around the home or when they move house’.  Nigel and co-Director Teresa Hunt oversee all aspects of each project, from design to installation.
All furniture is hand-built to order at the company’s workshops.   Two new employees joined the workshop team during the past year, bringing the total workforce to 12.  ‘We’ve worked hard to keep our business plans on track during this challenging period.  The new showroom represents a major opportunity for us to expand our market, reaching new customers and displaying the range and quality of our work’.
The new showroom is a further stage in the changing face of Bloxham High Street.  Formerly an art gallery, the Hunt Bespoke Kitchens showroom is the latest new addition to the retail offering, which now offers a range of local services.
Contact: Claire Oldfield, (01295) 721111

The coolest new mini car in town is set to offer value for money that’s as enticing as its vibrant good looks!

Set to arrive in Chevrolet retailers this month (February), the all-new Spark will be available from only £6,945 on-the-road, with a choice of two engines.

The entry-level Spark will be offered with a 1.0-litre engine developing 68PS, coupled to a five-speed manual gearbox. Despite being the smallest car in the Chevrolet line-up, it comes with six airbags as standard, proving that even the most compact cars can offer class-leading safety. The model recently achieved an excellent four-star Euro NCAP crash test rating, with a maximum five stars for child protection.

Models in Spark + trim, also available with the 1.0-litre engine, come with air conditioning, electric front windows and central locking, along with a USB compatible four-speaker stereo.

The LS, which is expected to be the most popular trim level, comes with a choice of the 1.0-litre or an 81PS 1.2-litre engine, and adds remote central locking, silver trim detailing, a sunglasses holder, 14-inch wheels, body-coloured door handles and mirrors, a chrome-effect grille surround, front fog lamps and a body-coloured rear spoiler.

For £500 more than the 1.2 LS, customers can add a plus pack – the LS+ gets smart alloy wheels, electric windows front and rear, a trip computer, heated electric door mirrors, roof bars and steering wheel audio controls.

The range-topping LT, which comes with the 1.2-litre engine only, comes with a level of equipment you’d normally expect of a much larger and more expensive car, including 15-inch alloys, climate control, interior detailing to match the exterior (depending on colour), an exterior body kit and a six-speaker stereo.

Options across the range include metallic paint, rear parking sensors and electronic stability control.

A full summary of prices is detailed below, and the Spark is available to order from Chevrolet retailers now. To find your nearest retailer, visit www.chevrolet.co.uk

An upmarket Banbury kitchen and bathroom specialist has beaten off competition from hundreds of competitors to become a finalist in a prestigious national showroom award. John Nicholls, whose Overthorpe Road showroom is part of a 43-year-old family owned business which turns over around £23 million a year, has beaten businesses across the country to a place in the finals of the Kitchens, Bedrooms and Bathrooms Review industry awards. The awards, in their 16th year, attract showrooms, retailers and designers from all over the UK. The winner will be announced at a glittering black tie dinner for 1,000 people at Birmingham’s Hilton Metropole hotel in March. Showroom manager Gary Moores explained: “It is a huge accolade to be selected as a finalist. Only a very small number make it to the shortlist and this really is the Oscars of the kitchen and bathroom showroom world. It underlines the dedication and passion our staff have for the business and we’re thrilled.” Judges, who will visit the showroom in February before selecting the overall winner, will be looking at how John Nicholls manages and plans its business and how successful it is in its target market. “We pride ourselves on our high standards and excellent customer service. We provide a full service form survey to completion to make the experience of having a new kitchen or bathroom enjoyable and stress free,” added Gary. “We have survived for so long, despite the economic climate, because of our passion for personal service and our excellent standard of work. We love our company and the dedication of all the staff makes it what it is today - successful, profitable and independent.” Customers travel from all over the Cotswolds, Warwickshire and London to view John Nicholls’ kitchens and bathrooms which include top names such as Sheraton, Omega, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Rational, Fordbrook Bespoke, Villeroy and Boch, Duravit, Lefroy Brooks and Matki.