insideKENT Magazine Issue 66 - September 2017 | Page 155

NEWS
Finch House
ORPINGTON GAINING
REPUTATION AS FOOD
DESTINATION
Orpington, increasingly known as the London-Kent Gateway,
sitting as it does on the southern boundary of the London Borough
of Bromley and nestling just north of the Kentish countryside, is
fast gaining a reputation as a food destination.
Those from the area have had the good fortune to experience
the growing delights on offer over the last few years and now the
message is spreading further afield as the town’s reputation grows.
Wandering down a busy and attractive high street, the variety of
cuisine on offer is striking. A wealth of independents, including
the renowned Chinese restaurant Xian and the much loved Hisar
Meze Bar, sit comfortably alongside national brands catering for
family diners such as Pizza Express, Bella Italia and the recently
opened Nando’s.
Award-winning coffee shops such as Finch House have attracted
new customers into town and the Loungers group chose Orpington
as their first location in Greater London, with Pato Lounge. Food is
now the focus of many high streets but few have the quality and
choice that can be experienced here, something which is celebrated
in the town’s new food festival, ‘Flavours of Orpington’ delivered by
Orpington 1st Business Improvement District.
BIDDENDEN SPECIAL
MEAD WINS AT GREAT
TASTE AWARDS
This year’s Great Taste award winners
have now been revealed, with Biddenden
Special Mead scooping a 1-Star Great
Taste award. Regarded as the world’s
largest food & drink awards, over 500
judges including chefs, restauranteurs,
food critics and bloggers taste 12,500
products over 60 days before deciding on
the winners.
From the 12,500 initial entries only
3171 were awarded a 1-Star award,
which indicates a food (or drink) which
delivers fantastic flavour, and the judge’s
comments on Biddenden Special mead
included “A sumptuous body with good
layering of complex notes and rich grape
skins…Would be enjoyable lengthened with
sparkling apple juice/wine or over ice.”
Julian Barnes, managing director,
commented: “We are delighted to have
been recognised at the Great Taste
Awards once again, especially with one
of our newer additions to the Biddenden
range. We have worked hard to produce a
mead that delivers on taste whilst keeping
to our roots of wine and cider making and
it is wonderful to see this reflected in the
judges’ comments”.
NEW HOMES IN SANDWICH
Every detail has been meticulously considered in this impressive
new family home, built on the site of the old Hammill Brickworks,
Sandwich. It is one of a very select number of self-build properties to
be constructed in this delightful spot surrounded by countryside. 
Once over the threshold, you will be able to appreciate the
spaciousness available and the quality of the finish – from the oak
doors and staircase, leading from the good-sized entrance hall, to
the primary living space which incorporates large dining and lounge
areas with two sets of bi-folding doors that open out to the large
wrap-around terrace.
In between the lounge and dining areas is the magnificent kitchen
with its array of hand-built and hand-painted Tom Howley kitchen
fitments. There is also an adjacent utility room and cloakroom.
The large sitting room with patio doors and full-height windows
overlooks the garden at one end and has a bay window at the other,
making this a very light and airy room.
Once on the first floor you can really appreciate the lovely views
across the countryside from the bedrooms.
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