What makes Manor of Groves one of the most distinguished wedding venues in Hertfordshire?

Hertfordshire is not a part of the UK that is poorly stocked with wedding venues. From charming period properties to more contemporary-styled buildings in which to host a wedding reception, this county has all of the options - so what makes Manor of Groves (http://www.manorofgroves.com) stand out? One only needs to pay a visit to the Hotel, Golf & Country Club to appreciate why so many people make it their choice of wedding venue in Harlow.

There could barely be a wedding venue that exudes more of that Georgian elegance so coveted by love-struck couples, not just in terms of the understated architecture, or even the 150 acres of surrounding idyllic countryside, but also the people here who ensure a service of the most exacting standard. People looking for an appropriate wedding venue in Harlow or Stortford tend to decide on Manor of Groves quickly, even before they have learned all about our prestigious wedding suites.

Whether it's a wedding or civil partnership ceremony that you are looking forward to, you can ensure that it looks and feels every inch the magical day that it is supposed to look and feel like when you choose our wedding venue in Stortford.

Of course, our suites make a big difference, with the Manor Suite, for example, being situated in its own building and providing sufficient room for 500 guests. The space is air conditioned and highly adaptable, and the magic only heightens once the doors are opened onto the magnificent Oriental Garden, with its pergola, gazebo, timber bridge, flowing waterfall and simply breathtaking views.

Or for nothing less than unmatched style and elegance, what about the Colonnade Suite? This is a room of exceptional history, beauty and character, as so many couples yearn for in wedding venues in Harlow, and as is only enhanced by the accompanying manicured garden. There's no shortage of fabulous photographic opportunities here, and there will  be no shortage of guests to enjoy your special day, in a suite that can accommodate as many as 120 people for a wedding breakfast, and 150 for an evening reception.

Such guests who take in the Colonnade Suite can also step out into the stylish Loggia, marvelling at its original neoclassical tiled flooring and glass facade opening out into the gardens. As for you and your beloved, even your entrance can be jaw-dropping in this suite, courtesy of a large outdoor Colonial staircase sweeping down in the direction of the pretty gazebo.

Both of the enchanting outdoor gazebos of our wedding venue in Stortford are licensed for civil wedding ceremonies and partnerships, raising the possibility of your vows being exchanged al fresco in the fabulous grounds. Meanwhile, at every stage, our dedicated team of wedding coordinators and your own wedding manager can help to ensure a truly fulfilling and memorable ceremony and celebrations. Here at Manor of Groves (http://www.manorofgroves.com), we know that we're here to create beautiful memories for you and your partner, and nothing will distract us from that goal.

Editor’s Note: Manor of Groves (http://www.manorofgroves.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Welcome to the Broadfeed blog!

With everything from horse food and rugs to wood shavings and dog and cat wormer in our well-stocked store, here at Broadfeed (http://www.broadfeed.co.uk), we're proud of what we have long offered both established and new customers here in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. We are a family-run business, so we always try to take that suitably family-oriented, personal approach in the service that we provide.

It might be a good idea to tell you more about us. We were established in exactly the same place that we operate from now, Unit 6 Spa Industrial Park, back in 1984 - but our history can in many ways be traced back to the late 1970s, when Alan and Dianne Broad first began to buy animal feed in bulk, as they sought to reduce the costs of their growing menagerie of not only horses, but also cattle, sheep, poultry, cats and dogs.

This gradually resulted in friends and family of Alan and Dianne asking if they could buy feed from them, and the rest - as they say - is history. Today, we are the complete pet and equestrian superstore, offering a selection of horse feed, chicken food, cat litter, dog collars and so many more vital products for our customers' pets and horses, that is simply unmatched by any other store. We now also employ nine friendly, professional and responsive members of staff.

By taking one look at our range, it's clear why, from humble origins as a side line, we have risen to become one of the South East's premier animal, pet food and saddlery superstores. With equine feed being one of our earliest strengths, it's unsurprising that we maintain such a good reputation in this area, with our feed being complemented by the finest horse bedding, tack, rugs, saddlery and grooming products, as well as health products and supplements.

However, we have also long served the agricultural market, with such items as electric fencing, poultry feed, poultry accessories, cattle feed, sheep and goat feed, pig feed, grass seed and fertiliser all available from us, to the highest standard and at the most competitive prices. Recent years have also seen us gain a strong reputation for the supply of all manner of items for dogs and cats, including beds, bowls, collars, flaps, carriers, grooming products and - of course - food.

Alongside this can be found a similarly wide range of products for small animals like rabbits and guinea pigs, including bottles, bowls, bedding, cages, hutches, food and toys. Elsewhere in our current broad range of products can be found fish food, anglers baits, items for wild and caged birds and all of the outdoor clothing and footwear that one could require, such as gloves, socks, reflective wear and Wellington boots.

Quite simply, we're confident that whether you need cat, dog or rabbit food Kent or any of a wide assortment of other equine and pet products, you'll find it here at Broadfeed (http://www.broadfeed.co.uk). Happy shopping!

Editor’s Note: Broadfeed (http://www.broadfeed.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Choosing an eCommerce Platform: Hosted, Off-the-Shelf or Bespoke?

When choosing an eCommerce platform it can be extremely daunting; there are so many options out there. Most of your available choices can be grouped into one of three categories—all of which are mentioned in this blog title. Here I give an overview of each option and list what I consider to be the pros and cons.

Note that you should not listen to anyone who insists that one is “better” than the others. As with most things it’s a case of choosing the right tool for the right job and the person telling you this is no doubt doing so because it suits them and not you.

So, here are the three eCommerce platforms (in no particular order):

Hosted

All websites are hosted somewhere; by “hosted” in this context I mean someone else hosts it for you. Hosted solutions mean you have no access to the software that runs your shop. This is all taken care of by the vendor. You just create an account and then immediately go in and start adding products. Most hosted solutions offer reasonably flexible templating systems that allow you to control most of the look-and-feel of your shop’s design. Hosted solutions require an ongoing monthly or annual cost.

Pros:

            •Can be up-and-running in a short space of time

            •No development required, only templating

            •Some providers offer free templates

            •You don’t need to worry about security, fixing bugs or any other issues associated with development

Cons:

            •You can’t add features of your own (though some do allow you to develop plugins in a limited fashion)

            •Generally higher ongoing costs compared to hosting it yourself

            •Limited customisation

            •No control over new features or software upgrades

            •If you have any non-shop areas to your site (e.g. forum) they will be totally separate to your shop

Off-the-Shelf

With “off-the-shelf” you buy a piece of software (some are free, some are not) and install it and host yourself. This route will require more technical expertise but once up-and-running, unlike “hosted” platforms, you have complete control. Since you have access to the platform in its entirety you can generally customise the site to a greater degree. Functionality can be extended to a greater degree, usually through plugins. There will likely be a community of plugin developers and if you want something really niche you can commission your own plugin.

Pros:

            •Similar to “hosted“ but offers more scope for customisation

            •Upgrade only when you see fit

            •Once you have the software you only pay for your standard web hosting

Cons:

            •There is generally no warranty with the software or you’ll be charged for support

            •Having too many plugins may slow your site down or cause it to break on upgrading

            •Niche features may still be difficult to implement as the platform wasn’t set up for you

            •As with “bespoke”, any non-shop areas will be separate from your shop (there are some exceptions to this but integration with your main website can still be difficult)

Bespoke

Bespoke means written for you. They’re unique and so it’s not possible to give an overview of the features.

Pros:

            •Designed to meet your needs exactly

            •No limitations with regards to what features you can add

            •If built correctly they are faster and simpler to use than their non-bespoke counterparts

            •Can be seamlessly integrated into other areas of your site

Cons:

            •Can be more time-consuming (see note below)

            •While easier to use they may not be as rich in features

General notes

Some general points:

            •When choosing any platform make sure product information and images, etc can be easily exported in case you want to change systems

            •Choose something that was made for eCommerce; don’t choose a platform that does something else but has an eCommerce plugin for it (for example, I personally wouldn’t use WordPress for eCommerce when there are so many other options out there more suited to selling online)

            •Avoid using pre-made templates; it may save you some time and money but the site won’t be designed for your business

            •Bespoke sites do not always mean you spend more time and money; I develop using a framework, for example, and can put bespoke sites together quite quickly

I tend to take a pragmatic approach; I let the client tell me what their requirements are and then find the right tool for the right job.

About Tim Bennett

Tim Bennett is a web designer and developer from Leeds, England. After graduating from Leeds Metropolitan University with a First Class Honours Degree in Computing, he went on to work in both private and public sectors. After developing all web content for a small Internet Marketing agency in Yorkshire he went on to set up his own company, Texelate, offering web design in leeds. For more information visit www.texelate.co.uk or call +44 (0) 1274 621113.

What are the merits of natural slate roofing?

So, the time has come to replace your home's roof, but you're wary of just choosing the same old roofing material as before - instead, you've fallen ever so slightly in love with natural slate roofing. There are plenty of good reasons for that, not least among which is its natural and elegant appearance. It's easy to presume that a natural roof tile would be limited in the range of looks that can be achieved, but there are actually many different colours, thicknesses, tints and patterns to choose from, such is the beauty and magic of nature.

Indeed, the very fact that natural slate roofing is natural may be enough in itself to recommend it, given the unique texture and design that sedimentary rock produces. There's also the durability of roofing slate tiles to consider: they have been in use for many hundreds of years, and have demonstrated their ability to survive the ravages of time. Natural slate roofing has a reputation for lasting many decades, as demonstrated by old churches that you may have encountered that were built more than a hundred years ago, but still retain their original tile roofs. This compares to other roof materials that may need to be changed or repaired every 20 years or so.

Nor is the environmental friendliness of natural slate roofing worth overlooking, again due to the lack of need to periodically replace it and send the old roof to landfill. It is also energy efficient, given the manner in which it enhances your home's insulation. Furthermore, slate roof tiles are even fire resistant, given that they are, after all, effectively just layered slabs of stone. It's one less thing to worry about when you next assess the fire safety of your home.

Of course, natural slate roofing isn't an absolutely flawless option, as the heaviness of the roof tiles can make the installation process difficult unless you have enlisted the highest standard of professional help, while the tiles can also break during this process if they are not handled carefully. Nonetheless, the results of a successful installation can be more than worthwhile, natural slate tiles often looking truly stunning, even on older buildings.

You will also need to find the right supplier of natural slate roof tiles - one that has extensive experience in sourcing and importing natural stones, and which sources its slate from some of the best international quarries. You will also want the slate that you choose to be fully guaranteed, as well as for the supplier to offer a good range of different colours and textures. Nonetheless, get all of these decisions right, and you'll be thankful that you opted for natural slate roofing for your home.  

Editor’s Note: The Natural Slate Company Limited (http://www.theslatecompany.net) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

IT contractors enjoyed biggest pay rises of 2013

As many an IT contractor in London looks ahead to 2014, so many will be able to look back on a lucrative 2013 compared to other temporary professionals, if a rate review of seven sectors is anything to go by. The Contractor UK website reports that the average IT contractor saw a 10 per cent boost to their pay packet over the course of last year, significantly higher than predicted increases of 7.5 per cent.

Although this 10 per cent or more average rise in salary was by no means exclusive to an IT contractor in London, also being seen among freelancers in other sectors, no sector saw the rises of as much as 20 per cent witnessed among temporary IT professionals. This may be especially unsurprising if the workers in question were senior professionals, such as directors. The findings back up earlier reports of increasing demand for temporary IT workers driving up pay, such as data released by Computer People in July 2013 showing that seven areas of IT contracting were offering between 7.6 per cent and 26.8 per cent more than they had a year earlier.

Referring back to the overall 2013 pay review, even the best contract engineers could not match the rate rises seen among temporary IT practitioners, with their wages seeing increases of up to 17 per cent. The equivalent figure among banking temps was 11 per cent, perhaps a surprise given this sector's traditional association with the highest wages. An IT contractor in London may also be heartened by their sector being revealed by the review as the best at putting aside cash for the taxman. However, such good intentions didn't translate into superior avoidance of tax penalties, with IT contractors being the most likely of the surveyed freelancers to have incurred one as a result of a late or inaccurate filing.

Nonetheless, the review was largely a good one for the average IT contractor in London, who will also be encouraged by a 9 per cent rise in spending on IT infrastructure among British businesses over the last 12 months. According to independent finance provider Syscap, the period had seen £1.5 billion of IT investment via leasing, compared to 1.37 billion a year earlier. The heightened spending on IT equipment was attributed to the increasingly widespread practice of companies supplying staff with tablets, the booming popularity of cloud storage and even the switch to Windows 8.

It is another development signalling an improvement in prospects for the ambitious IT contractor in London, Syscap observing: "Investment in IT by British businesses can be a huge catalyst for economic growth. It has a massive impact on how efficient and globally competitive UK plc can be."

Editor’s Note: SAIL Business Solutions (http://www.sailsolutions.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

What benefits are people with dementia entitled to?

It isn't just care in your own home in Gloucestershire, as provided by Bramble Home Care (http://www.bramblehomecare.co.uk), that helps to maintain your independence and quality of life after you are diagnosed with dementia. Indeed, critical financial support is also available via the wide range of benefits to which those with dementia and their carers can be entitled. Bear in mind, though, that some of these benefits can be more complicated to access than others, and that some are means-tested, being dictated by income or savings.

The forms can be long and detailed, so you shouldn't hesitate to get expert help with completing them if required. You may be able to receive assistance from a social worker, Citizens Advice Bureau or local welfare rights service. Age UK and the Benefit Enquiry Line can also advise on your benefits application when you are receiving dementia care in Gloucestershire. It may be possible for you to arrange a home visit with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), depending on the type of benefit applied for, or you may find the information that you need on the GOV.UK website.

The main benefits that apply to those receiving help at home in Gloucestershire from us are Attendance allowance, Disability living allowance and Personal independence payment. These aren't based on the dementia diagnosis, but your daily living, care and mobility requirements. They are tax-free benefits that are not means-tested or based on National Insurance contributions. Attendance allowance is for those aged 65 or over, and covers personal care needs - for example, with washing and dressing or taking medication.

Disability living allowance, meanwhile, is now being phased out, with people aged under 65 instead needing to apply for Personal independence payment, which covers daily living and mobility. If you are still in work while receiving our respite care in Gloucestershire, there are further benefits that you may be eligible for, depending on your individual circumstances. These include Working tax credit, a means-tested benefit that some people working on a low wage can claim - although it is being phased out from next year, and replaced by Universal credit, which is replacing many means-tested benefits for working-age people in Great Britain from October 2013.

You may also want to investigate Statutory sick pay, Employment and support allowance, Income support, Winter fuel and Cold weather payments, Housing benefit and Council tax support if you are receiving domiciliary care in Gloucestershire from us and still struggling to cover your vital expenses. If you are the person looking after someone with dementia for a minimum of 35 hours a week, you may be entitled to Carer's allowance - although you should seek advice on whether receiving this benefit may reduce the amount to which the person with dementia is entitled.

Those benefitting from Bramble Home Care's (http://www.bramblehomecare.co.uk) home help in Gloucester may also be interested in appointing someone that they trust to receive and manage their benefits money. If this interests you, simply contact DWP for more information.

Editor’s Note: Bramble Home Care (http://www.bramblehomecare.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

The post-War period - a momentous one for Sunspel

When World War II finally came to a close in September 1945, it was clear that the conflict had gone much further beyond even its deeply unenviable status as the deadliest in human history: it was one that had made a profound difference to the structure of the world. Many of the world's greatest cities lay in ruins, their people exhausted and straitened, and the United Nations (UN) was established with the aim of preventing future conflicts. Gingerly, Europe's economic gears began to whirr back into action - with the Englische mode manufacturer Sunspel (http://www.sunspel.de) playing its own role.

With the Japanese and Italian Empires crumbling as the United States and Soviet Union emerged as superpowers, European citizens opened their eyes to a new era of austerity. Along with the stresses and strains, however, came opportunity. The normally outward-facing Sunspel - that name having been adopted shortly before the War with its move to a factory in Long Eaton near Nottingham - was forced to turn its attentions firmly back to the home market. In doing so, the company began its rise to prominence as the country's premier manufacturer of luxury herrenunterwäsche.

Sunspel's associations with the military were not entirely over, with the emergence of the Cold War in the late 1950s and The War Office's continuing need for 'Drawers, Aircrew, Cotton, Short' for the Royal Air Force leading to the signing of a supply contract with the herrenbekleidung specialist. Nonetheless, much attention remained focussed on the development and refinement of what would become undoubted icon products for the business in the years to come.

For example, the company had been experimenting with the design of T-shirts since they first came to be in the late 19th century, but the 1950s saw them reach their definitive, simple look. No longer did they have buttons below the neck, or long sleeves. Any other decoration - whether in the form of collars, pockets or cuffs - was also long gone. The männer T-shirt had become a true classic, and the same basic design remains on sale in Sunspel stockists today.

Similarly, the polo shirt was making its mark as an unpretentious wardrobe essential, finely balanced between formality and informality, and Sunspel soon decided to make it, streamlining it to its essence without some of the fussy extras still favoured at the time by other manufacturers. This made the Sunspel männer polohemd - with its simple short sleeves, soft collar and three buttons - a design classic in its own right. 1947 also saw the introduction of the boxer short to the UK, thanks to a visit to the US by Sunspel's John Hill, who noticed the garment there and soon got to work on the simplification of the design for European sensibilities.

More was to come for the recovering Sunspel (http://www.sunspel.de) as the decades passed, but there was no doubt that the mode aus England firm had got its second half of the turbulent 20th century off to a fine start.

Editor’s Note: Sunspel DE (http://www.sunspel.de) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.