Lindfield welcomes AT The Salon

The much-anticipated refurbishment of Peake House on Lewes Road has finally happened and AT The Salon is open for business. The brainchild of Alice Townes, the salon represents her desire for a local working life, after 16 years specialising in the chaotic (and occasionally glamourous) world of film and theatre.
Her CV includes leading the hair and make-up team on Hairspray at the London Coliseum, working on the opening production of Harry Potter in the West End, and touring Asia for seven months with The Sound of Music. And the TV world of Downton Abbey, The Witcher and Bridgerton.

However, the pandemic changed something in Alice, and she sought something different on the other side. “During and immediate after Covid,” Alice explained, “I went back to renting a chair in a salon – which reminded me of my love for being in a salon environment. From that moment, I began looking around and planning to have my own place one day. And here we are!”

From her salon, they are able to help those who want an entirely bespoke service and that includes make-up. AT The Salon is open six days a week, will employ three stylists from the beginning of February and operates a completely ‘zero waste to landfill’ policy. “I’ve had an amazing reception since opening the doors before Christmas,” Alice said. “I really couldn’t have asked for better. The location is great; people just pop their head in on the way past, it’s brilliant!”

Tufnells gets a refit in Lindfield High Street

It is said that the High Street is always evolving, and this month we note that there will be (slight) reduction in the presence of Tufnells! Lisa Goodger opened her first shop in Lindfield in 2006, and seven years later took the plunge to open Tufnells Home further down the High Street. That was ten years ago, and now Lisa has made the decision to consolidate the two shops into one – the original unit at 75 High Street.
“It is really just a timing thing,” Lisa commented. “We have had ten good years down the road, but the lease was up and we have now decided to take the best lines from each store, and make a more efficient and future-proof the business, going forward.”

Lisa runs the business with husband Jeremy, and the pair are hoping the change will increase their chances of a holiday too! “We are grateful for a fabulous team and look forward to an improved work/life balance.”

The original shop will be closed for a few days for a mini-refit, while they reimagine the space to fit the best of both into one. “I love the merchandising side of the job particularly, and am looking forward to the refurb,” Lisa explained. Table cloths, cushions, candles, ceramics, art cards and photo frames are among the customers’ favourites to still be available.

Tufnells at 75 will be open seven days a week, Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm and will be reopening on Sundays 12-4pm from February onwards.

Lindfield shops can help reduce plastic in our shopping

By Isabella Mortimer, age 12

When we go food shopping most of the items that we need are in plastic or are covered by a material that isn’t degradable or eco-friendly. So, in this article, I will be sharing with you some of the best places and ways to get everything you need on your weekly food shop but also be eco-friendly.

In our village there are loads of different shops that offer us stations to fill up our pastas, washing up liquids, fabric conditioners and many different foods that, when we buy them in the supermarket, are covered in plastic packaging. For example, Cloughs, Ounce (the new shop in our village) and Truffles (the new bakery) are all helping the fight against plastic by providing alternatives.

Researching places that are near you and that sell foods in non-plastic packaging, doesn’t take long, but it makes so much of a difference to the planet. It involves some planning but all you need are some jars, like mayonnaise and jam jars or Ounce sell them.

Lots of swaps are possible when you make it yourself:

• Easy homemade bread buns (https://bit.ly/3seZdwd)

• Easy granola (https://bit.ly/2OLFHty)

• Easy coleslaw (https://bit.ly/3uPhySq)

Tortillas are a real favourite but they come in packaging that can’t be recycled and this recipe shows how easy they are to make and freeze. No kneading, no proving – they can be made before school and work. Ingredients for tortilla wraps (this makes 12): 180g of strong white bread flower, 200g plain or wholemeal flour, ½ teaspoon of salt, 250ml lukewarm water, three tablespoons of olive oil and ¼ teaspoon baking powder.

Instructions: Mix the flours, salt and baking powder in a bowl, pour in the water and olive oil. Stir until it becomes a dough. After that slice the dough into 12 pieces and roll out each one with a rolling pin. Then cook each one on a frying pan (no oil) until it forms air bubbles and or starts to harden. And that’s all you need to do! It is so quick and requires no waiting!

Enjoy some great spring lunches and suppers.

Lindfield High Street and the possible Traffic Restriction Order (TRO)

In 2019 an application was made to West Sussex County Council (WSCC) for a Traffic Restriction Order designed to limit HGVs from using the section of the Lewes Road between the High Street and Gravelye Lane as a short cut, avoiding WSCC’s recommended routing on the A272 and increasing pressures on the High Street junction. Despite all parties recognising the difficulties of the Lewes Road / High Street junction, residents’ support with over 1200 signatures and significant work by a group of Lindfield residents and Lindfield Parish Council (LPC), WSCC declined to support the application.

Since then, LPC and the residents have worked to gain further support, with Lindfield’s Mid Sussex District Councillors and Mims Davies, MP, visiting the junction and expressing their support.

Continued dialogue with WSCC has led to Highways advising that they are prepared to consider a further application to restrict HGVs but have recommended that a consultation be undertaken by a professional firm to independently analyse both the support for and objections against the proposal. Accordingly, as soon as coronavirus restrictions start to ease, the consultation will be launched by Lindfield Parish Council and the Project Centre via a dedicated website alongside direct communication with local businesses, schools, hauliers and other interested parties.

Lindfield Parish Council have underwritten the £6,500 cost of this consultation and MSDC hold ‘Section 106’ monies which can be used to implement the scheme, if the application to WSCC is successful.

Please look out for the launch of the consultation and contribute to it, both to evidence the support from the local community and underpin the reasons for WSCC to consider the application favourably.

Shopping local this Christmas

As we find ourselves in the midst of another national lockdown, it is clearly a time which provokes all sorts of emotions from many of us – but owners of retail businesses are going to feel the impact in a very real way.

Certainly not the only way to gauge community activity, a High Street provides a useful barometer for villages like Lindfield. And whilst it’s easy for us to ‘harp back to the good ol’ days’ when there were multiple butchers, a bank and a hardware store – that doesn’t really change anything for the better.

What could change things and help secure the colour and variety of window displays for years to come is us making decisions to support these businesses, especially when we come out of this current lockdown period. The businesses on the High Street are almost all independent traders – most of whom are having a pretty bad year! Could you think about what Christmas presents could be sourced locally? We are all romanced by the ease of global retail giants offering simple one-click purchases – but what is possible, if we make just a bit more effort? Some High Street shops have even begun offering ‘click and collect’ during this second lockdown.

At Lindfield Life we would like to encourage everyone to support businesses in the village, so we’ll be trying to connect and showcase these on our social media presence. But for those not active online, perhaps a walk down to the High Street could trigger some festive foraging inspiration?

Christmas shopping and your daily exercise; now that’s two for one value!

Lindfield High Street begins to open up again

Lindfield High Street sees new life after lockdown

By Mary Collins

As we start to emerge from lockdown, Lindfield is gradually returning to some sort of normality with the reopening of non-essential shops and businesses during June.

Most outlets that have been shut since March have rejoined those that heroically stayed open throughout the lockdown as the High Street takes its first cautious steps towards recovery.

To get a snapshot of how traders are faring in these uncertain times and what shopping will look like after almost three months in lockdown, Lindfield Life spoke to a selection of those that kept the village going throughout the lockdown, and some that have reopened.

Those traders spoken to have primarily talked about customer loyalty and the importance of local shopping and local supply chains, and whilst there is general confidence and optimism that the High Street will begin to trade normally, there is also a note of caution as the lockdown restrictions are lifted.

Staff at Cottenham’s, who stayed open throughout the lockdown, talk of the ‘intense, long and sometimes emotional days’ and the ‘eerie quiet of the village interrupted by the incessant ringing of the phone for yet another order’. John Cottenham said: “The last few months have been extreme! When panic buying stripped supermarket shelves bare, our relationship with local suppliers ensured we kept customers supplied and happy. We have been overwhelmed by the hard work of our staff and the support from our customers.”

Demonstrating the Lindfield community spirit, John adds: “It never felt stronger, with those of us that stayed open energising each other. We worked with Paul’s Greengrocer to combine some deliveries, and the Co-op was helpful with cooking ingredients.”

[Excerpt from July 2020 magazine]