insideKENT Magazine Issue 89 - August 2019 | Page 160

NEWS
LEEDS CASTLE CELEBRATES ITS 900th BIRTHDAY IN CLASSICAL STYLE
Saturday 13th July saw the 41st Classical Summer
Concert at Leeds Castle providing another
exceptional evening of music and spectacular
entertainment featuring the Band of Her Majesty's
Royal Marines Portsmouth and the first official
performance of ‘A Tribute to Leeds Castle’ in
celebration of Leeds Castle’s remarkable 900th
anniversary.
The concert opened as always with the guns from
The Garrison Artillery Volunteers followed by the
Royal Marines Corps of Drums marching down
from the Leeds Castle island to join the rest of the
band on stage, with their principal director of music,
Lt Col John Ridley.
The impact of the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal
Marines Portsmouth was stunning and diverse,
covering a whole spectrum of musical tastes from a
moving tribute to the veterans of the D-Day landings
in Normandy through to a medley of popular
favourites. The band’s vocalist, George Gissing, gave
an outstanding performance which included a medley
of Take That songs and Europe's ‘The Final
Countdown’ with guitar solo.
The 900-celebration piece ‘A Tribute to Leeds
Castle’, composed especially for the event by Tom
Hodge, was a unique experience for the audience
and received exceptional feedback.
"Once again the fantastic audience at Leeds Castle
proved that this event is rapidly becoming the
highlight of the social party calendar,” said
internationally respected conductor, artistic director
and host for the evening, Dr John Rigby. “In our
most diverse concert of music yet the atmosphere
was incredible and the soloists, orchestra and myself
had an evening that we will all remember for a long
time to come! Thank you to the people of Kent and
everybody at Leeds Castle!"
BIDDENDEN VINEYARD CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF ENGLISH WINE
Biddenden Vineyards’ 50th anniversary year
kicked off last month with a Biddenden sparkling
wine and Kentish afternoon tea, and an evening
celebration for over 400 specially invited guests who
have been part of the vineyard’s journey over the
last five decades.
The vineyard, which is family owned and run by
the second and third generation of the Barnes family,
was established in 1969 and has many to thank for
its continued success including staff, suppliers, friends,
family and fellow businesses and organisations both
within Kent and beyond. At a time when the English
wine industry is booming and new vines are being
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planted almost daily, it is quite a milestone to reach,
especially coupled with remaining a family business.
Having originally been home to apple orchards, it
was Joyce Barnes, owner Julian’s mother, who
suggested a trial planting of vines having listened to
a piece on Women’s Hour on English vineyards at a
time when apple prices were dropping and the family
were starting to look at ways to diversify. From the
initial one-third-acre planting, the vineyards have
now grown to 23 acres with 11 varieties of grapes,
including originals such as Ortega, Reichensteiner,
Huxelrebe and Scheurebe, as well as more recent
additions including Bacchus, Pinot Noir and Gamay.
Biddenden is open to visitors daily, with a self-guided
tour taking in the 23 acres of vines and a tasting
room where the full range is available to taste and
buy. Open tours run every Saturday until the end
of September and private tours are available to book
for those wishing for a more personalised experience.