insideKENT Magazine Issue 100 - August 2020 | Page 6

WELCOME Welcome Back Kent!!! What a head-spinning, brain-fuzzing, anxiety-driven few months it has been. I’m swinging between belting out “I’ve made it through the wilderness…” (replacing the touched bit with leaving the house obvs….) and running with carefree abandon back to all my favourite Kentish places… To hiding in a quiet room psyching myself up to the thought of leaving the house and deciding if I need some kind of therapy to get over five months of homeschooling - sound familiar? But if there was ever a month for me, the iK team, and indeed your good selves, to edge back to some semblance of (socially-distanced, mask-wearing) normality it has to be this one! As not only are we celebrating the reawakening and rebloom of our Garden of England, we are of course celebrating the return to print of your favourite luxury lifestyle magazine; all in time for... drumroll please… the 100th issue of insideKENT and the 10 year anniversary of Sideways Media!! From an initial creative thought by our CEO a decade ago to launch a luxury mag like no other; free to read, distributed county-wide, and celebrating the best of Kent each and every month; here we are 10 years later, 100 issues in, leading the charge for all good things local! And we thank each and every one of our advertisers, team and of course you, our loyal readers for your unwavering support! Of course the decision to hold print for lockdown was essential. Keeping our team, readers and suppliers safe was our biggest priority, but rather that sit back and ride out a furlough wave, a mini iK team put out not one, but two special, not-forprofit, online issues; championing local producers, suppliers, chefs, and business; and we are proud that we continued to do what iK does best - showcase our beloved county! So for now we may not be able to celebrate with a swanky party with our beloved clients and supporters; but we are able to recognise the decade of hard work that has firmly established insideKENT as Kent’s biggest, and we’d like to punt best, luxury lifestyle magazine, in the only way we know how… a spanking new issue bursting with interesting reads and celebrating the best of Kent! There's a look back to three of our very first articles way back in the summer of 2010, which have been refreshed for a new decade on p9 (thank goodness for the change in that creative style!); we celebrate the Kent businesses who have adapted, reacted and are ready to welcome you back on p19; and we bring you the latest stories from across the region from p89. As we venture back out it makes perfect sense to utilise the abundance of outdoor opportunities on our doorstep, starting with Kent Staycation’s amazing al fresco days out on p23. If, like me, you have done nothing but stuff your face for the last 70-billion days since the 23rd March, move your wanton hunger outside and discover the pleasure of the picnic on p30; inspired picnic recipes on p33; and even this season’s must have picnic essentials on p46; hurrah for the perfect lazy summer’s day. Having a proper staycation this summer? Elevate your interiors with some serious hotel luxe style from p60; and find out all you need to shift your garden to greatness with our guide to garden rooms on p51 and swimming pool maintenance on p67; - we’ve even got the best of this season’s swimwear to have you summer-ing in style from p70. I feel so very proud of not only the awesome team here at iK but of all of you too! For supporting locals, for staying safe and for doing all we can for our wonderful county. I’m off to have a socially distanced Wild Box espresso martini (or 10!! - well it is our birthday!) and look forward to seeing you all out and about in Kent again soon! Here’s to the next 10 years! www.insidekentmagazine.co.uk Publisher Adam Ready Editor Samantha Ready Features Editor Sara Stephen Features & Online Content Editor Lisamarie Lamb Features Writer Jess Marshall Senior Designer Dave Leo Yogore Graphic Designer Lorna Morris Graphic Designer Kareena Ross-Cumming Senior Account Manager Jerry Barrett Account Manager Nadene Weed Account Manager Anna Lockyer Administration Manager & Fashion Editor Karlene Gannon Contributors Anna Sippel, Clare O’Connor, Hilden Pools, Holly Hurbert, Dr Mark Hudson- Peacock, Rick Schofield, Robbie Thompson, Ryan Schofield, Sam Norris, Steph Briggs Cover © Sideways Media Ltd. insideKENT Magazine is published by Sideways Media Ltd, Coachworks, Dover Place, Ashford, Kent TN23 1HU www.sidewaysmedia.co.uk For general enquiries, please contact [email protected] or 01233 226519 For all advertising enquiries, please contact Adam Ready on 01233 226519 or email [email protected] For all editorial enquiries, press releases or news stories, please contact [email protected] © Copyright 2020. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. Neither the publisher nor any other person associated with the production and publication of this magazine make any guarantees, warranties or claims as to the accuracy, currency or truthfulness of any of the contents of this magazine. No part of this magazine may be copied, reproduced or transmitted in any form without the publisher’s written consent. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited editorial, images or photographs published. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and the publisher takes no responsibility for omissions or errors. Publisher is not responsible for any variation in image colour due to printing processes. 6