Gardeners thank the US...

9:10am Friday 4th July 2008

Seeing as it’s Independence Day, I thought it might be interesting to reflect on the plants that we grow in our gardens which have come from the USA.

Exchange your shopping habits

9:20am Friday 4th July 2008

For someone who works in fashion - seeing collections often two seasons in advance of them coming into the shops - I can usually say that I’m a little ahead when it comes to knowing what’s winging its way on to our high streets. But now there’s a shop that’s got me stumped! With designer labels from stores around the world, this shop not only houses unique female, seasonal clothing, but also shoes, sandals, handbags, hats, fascinators and jewellery - from collections that many of us might never come across here in the UK. There are whole outfits, put together from top-to-toe, very cleverly, by someone who has searched far and wide to bring together the look for a very special occasion - perfect for a friend’s wedding, prom-night or party. OK, so there must be a catch. Well yes, many of these pieces did cost the earth - out of reach to a lot of us, but that’s not the catch. The catch is that they have been brought to the store by their previous owners, most being as-new outfits... but many having never been worn at all. Walking among the rails of The Exchange, in Kendal, I can feel my heart racing, such is the adrenaline brought on by the heady realisation that there are pieces here that I would not even have come across in Harvey Nics. Gathering handfuls of gorgeous things I decided to inspect, close-up, the quality of the clothes and shoes. Never mind only being allowed to try four items at one time, owner Sally Hill lets you take as much into the changing room as you like, so that you can mix and match, try shoes and bags with outfits, and generally have a fabulous girlie time. Three of the pieces I tried on still had the labels attached. The beautiful leather shoes that fitted me like a glove had never been worn. Sally is very fussy when it comes to accepting stock - it must be in superb, as-new condition, and all garments are steam cleaned again on the premises. If you have an overcrowded wardrobe full of impulse buys, gorgeous clothes that no longer fit you, or that you bought at great expense for that one-off special occasion; if you have shoes or sandals that you wore only once or twice; if you have an abundance of hats, scarves and handbags that are as good as the day you bought them - then take them along to The Exchange. Sally gives 50 per cent of the re-sale price back to you - a fabulous way to earn money from the clothes you don’t need, in order to buy yourself some that you do! While in the store I noticed that many of the ladies bringing in their unwanted items to sell then went on to find other pieces from the rails, to take back home with them. I’ve only ever come across one other ‘Exchange-style’ store that has such taste and quality in as-new-stock as this one, and that is in Hampstead Village, London... a testament to our Lakeland ladies, their sense of style and their resourcefulness in recycling their wardrobes through the store. I put together a few looks across the ages that I feel would look fabulous at any wedding this summer, with the help of 14-year-old student Isabelle Nicholson, 17-year-old student Alex Edmonds, and Exchange owner Sally Hill, all photographed by Steve Barber.

Hairy bikers give sausage support

1:00pm Monday 30th June 2008

Hairy Bikers Si King and Dave Myers (who is from Roa Island) have declared their support for the campaign to protect the Traditional Cumberland Sausage.

Cruise along with Chris Evans

6:19pm Monday 30th June 2008

WHEN Johnnie Walker slid out of the BBC’s Drivetime presenters seat a couple of years ago I was gutted.

Proud to be local

9:26am Thursday 26th June 2008

With recent media coverage of non-accredited markets, Orton is proud to celebrate its local producers at the next market on Saturday, July 12.

Lee Mead portrait to be raffled off

Updated 8:11pm Friday 4th July 2008

A painting of Joseph star Lee Mead is to be raffled to raise money for charity, his fan club has announced.

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