Opening with a BANG! Bodyguard The Musical

Bromley Buzz was invited to attend the opening night of the much-acclaimed The Bodyguard The Musical at the Churchill Theatre, and all we can say is, opening night opened with a BANG!

The show follows closely the storyline delivered in Lawrence Kasdan’s 1992 movie based on the book by Alexander Dinelaris and starring the late, great Whitney Houston. Rachel Marron, 6-time Emmy winner is receiving threatening hate mail from an unknown stalker and her Manager hires a bodyguard, ex-Secret Service agent, Frank Farmer, to protect her and her young son. The bodyguard, reluctant to get involved with anyone from the show businesses world, is swayed by the star’s young son, takes on the role and rolls out dramatic changes to better protect Marron. Initially difficult and resentful of the intrusion which she deems unnecessary, an incident in a nightclub where she is performing changes Rachel’s mind. The two grow closer and share a passionate night together, much to the dismay and jealousy of Rachel’s sister, Nicki. Realising his involvement with Rachel compromises his ability to protect Rachel, Frank breaks off the affair much to Rachel’s hurt and anger.

Following a home intrusion, Frank whisks Rachel, her entourage, and her son away to his remote log cabin where the want-to-be assassin finds them again. Tragedy ensues for Rachel, but she pulls herself together to turn up for the Academy Awards, sings the song she and Nicki wrote together, and collects her Oscar – the ideal moment for the assassin to pounce again! Frank foils the assassin’s attempt and he and Rachel share a heart-breaking scene before he leaves to take up a new assignment.

The theatre production delivers all the elements you could hope for. All the glamour, the excitement, the build-up of tensions both between Rachel and Frank’s character and with the darkly threatening assassin, the familiar and amazing soundtrack and the heart pounding finale and the heart-breaking conclusion – it’s all right there on stage for you to immerse yourself in and enjoy.

Whitney Houston is a tough act to follow, and she very much made the role of Rachel Marron her own. Melody Thornton’s vocals did her justice, and it was a nice nod to the late star to include some of her best loved non-Bodyguard-related hits within the storyline.

Ayden Callaghan turns in a stellar performance as the troubled professional in the titular role. Emily-Mae’s portrayal of the jealous and down-trodden sister Nicki was spot-on and provided a strong vocal for the part. James Groom was suitably hateable as the Rachel’s selfish and smarmy manager and provided some decent comic moments throughout.

Fletcher, Rachel’s son, has four actors subscribed to the role – it’s too much of a late night and a punishing schedule for one young actor to play every show! On opening night, Iesa Miller was on a stage and did a great job throughout – acting, singing, and dancing his way through the performance with a confidence and ability that foreshadow the star he’s sure to be!

The costumes were sparkly and glamourous, the set switched nicely between various scenes from dance studio to Rachel’s bedroom (do enjoy the brief glimpse of Ayden with his shirt off!) to the nightclub scene and to Frank’s log cabin, and finally to the Oscars. An imaginative use of lighting and projections lent an extra dimension to the storyline that would otherwise have been less impactive on stage than in the movie. The dancers provided strong back up to Rachel’s performances and the orchestra mastered the delivery of the music much to everyone’s resounding delight.

Due to the constraints of the environment, certain elements were omitted – there’s no scene of the chauffeur being given getaway driver lessons – and a couple of other parts of the storyline have been condensed or simplified to keep the running time to around two hours and twenty-five minutes. Fans of the movie will be delighted with the results – you certainly get a lot of bang for your buck with this one!

The Bodyguard The Musical is showing at The Churchill Theatre Bromley from Monday 15th to Saturday 20th of May. Tickets from £32, here.

Sarah Marsh-Collings & Zeenat Noorani, 17 May 2023

New sponsor for the Bromley Buzz!

Ian ‘live on air’ on the Business Bunker show

The Bromley Buzz has a new sponsor, Orpington-based estate agent Ian Wood of Ian Wood Property, who can also be found on the Nested website: https://nested.com/orpington.

We work with sponsors who share our values. The Bromley Buzz is a positive, community podcast, and Ian is a positive, community minded person.

Ian calls himself, as his website says, “A unique estate agent… If you work with me you will discover that I offer a special, outstanding service.

“I am an experienced estate agent, having worked for a mixture of small independents, large corporate companies, and managed a branch office in south estate London’s largest multi-brand independent estate agency. In addition to my expertise in residential sales, lettings and the new homes market, I also work in the commercial property sector.

“I really do care about people, hence my values: Personal service; Hard work; and Honesty.”

Supporting the Bromley Buzz shows a love of community, as we try to bring people together in our lovely borough. We also know and like that Ian supports local organisations and initiatives including the Let’s Talk Better campaign.

Ian does everything you might expect from an estate agent, and more. If you would like to get in touch with him, you can do so by email or telephone.

Email: ian.wood@nested.com; tel: 07507 703685.

Ian is also on social media:

Facebook – here.
Instagram – here.
LinkedIn – here.
Twitter – here.

We wish Ian every success with his business, and greatly appreciate his support.

The Bromley Buzz team

Titanic – a legend

Image: Pamela Wraith

Titanic – a legend. Inspired by one of the greatest maritime disasters in history, Titanic The Musical, hit Bromley town centre at the Churchill Theatre from 16th to 18th March. The ‘unsinkable’ ship sets sail for her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York, with a cast of 25 talented actors taking us through epic moments of passengers living their hopes and dreams, but unaware of the fate that awaits them.

Inspired by real-life stories of passengers, the music and lyrics written by Maury Yeston and book by Peter Stone presents a beautiful story-telling of soloist, duets and ensembles to convey the final hours of the RMS Titanic, 14th April 1912, where the ‘floating city’ vanishes beneath the freezing icy waters on the 15th April after colliding with an iceberg.

Having recently interviewed Abi Hudson (The Maid) from Bromley, the Bromley Buzz Podcast were excited and eager to see her performance and show.  Listen to her interview here.

As the curtains drew back, we are presented with a simple set that was spot-on, used to perfection, and the lighting was used to great effect, whether conveying the coldness of the air, the blinding brightness of the iceberg, or the eeriness of missed opportunities and the demise of key figures in the tale.  

The show begins with a rather long song that introduces us to the various characters who are about to set sail on the “unsinkable” modern miracle the RMS Titanic. We meet J Bruce Ismay, the owner, Thomas Andrews the designer, Edward Smith the ship’s Captain, the crew and the passengers from first-class billionaires to the second-class, the not so rich travelling to third class immigrants, the poor who have scraped enough money to get them to the promised land of America across the Atlantic Ocean.

Taking a box of tissues along, we were a tad bit disappointed that they remained untouched. Whilst a very good show put together with strong singing voices; with lots going on with long ballads this did not always give the characters time for the audience to connect and enjoy each character on an emotional level.  There was just too much jumping around from the first-class opulence to the cramped decks below of third-class.  A little more fleshing out of the third-class characters would help to make you feel more connected to them.

The majority of the tale is sung, therefore there is very little spoken dialogue. More dialogue would have given the extra edge to resonating with the characters more.

Yes, there were some really moving points within the production that provided some goosebump moments, like the moment when the lookout yells, ‘iceberg right ahead!’ and sounds the warning bell, and as the delightful elderly Strauss couple sang and danced their final moments.

The final scenes are moving as one might expect from such a tragic tale. Amid all the singing and dancing of the musical, more than 100 years on, one will never forget the terrible human tragedy of the Titanic and it will continue live on in history…

All in all, a good way to pass a few hours on a Friday evening.

Zeenat Noorani & Sarah Marsh-Collings

Wodehouse In Wonderland: a one-man wonder

Images: Pamela Raith

From the first chords of the Jazz music that heralded the opening of the show ‘Wodehouse In Wonderland’ at Bromley’s Churchill Theatre last night, and on until 11th March, a perfect note was struck that actor Robert Daws, performing as the late, great lyricist and literary humourist PG ‘Plum’ Wodehouse, sustained throughout.

It was a remarkable one man show. The scene was Wodehouse’s study in his home in the US, with Wodehouse by then a prolific, highly successful author in his older age. The subject was Wodehouse’s life story, sampling some of the iconic characters that he penned, including Jeeves, the incomparable gentleman’s personal gentleman; the good-hearted Bertie Wooster and his motley crew of fellow Drones Club members; aunts a-plenty; Lord Emsworth; and the porcine Empress of Blandings.

The words, fittingly for the story of an author responsible for some of the best comic prose in all of English literature, were scripted with a delightful lightness of touch by playwright William Humble. The direction of Robin Herford must have brought the best from Robert Daws, an actor with a fine track record, including playing Tuppy Glossop in TV’s Jeeves and Wooster alongside Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. The stagecraft he employed to exploit the full space of the stage was sublime: sitting, leaning, reading, singing, typing, declaiming, and interacting with some very clever noises off. A moveable feast of acting.

The form of the play, too, worked very well. It was, in essence, a mix of anecdote and life history, punctuated by occasional songs. I sat with reviewers from Entertainment Focus (their review is here), who agreed that Robert’s singing voice was outstanding. Along the way, we were treated to Daws’ Wodehouse recounting letters to his daughter Leonora, and a spiky interview with an American journalist looking for scandal. It was all rather well woven together. Robert Daws soon had the audience in his hand, as well as a martini or two. Much of the storytelling and reflections were as light and innocent as Wodehouse’s novels. However, in the second half the play went on to explore Wodehouse’s internment by the German military in World War Two, the greatest mistake of his life, and its sad repercussions. In this, I was unexpectedly reminded of Kerrin Roberts moving performance as the mistreated codebreaker Alan Turing in ‘Breaking The Code’ at Bromley Little Theatre. There was a touch of that same sense of a man rendered an injustice, a venomous response that marred his life.

Robert Daws is clearly a born raconteur, and he is so suited to this part. I had forgotten most of what I knew of Wodehouse’s life from reading his autobiography, ‘Wodehouse On Wodehouse’, and it was lovely to be so thoroughly reminded, with many a highlight depicted. Wodehouse’s ‘empire orphan’ upbringing, the Rise of the Aunts, his eventual daily routine, his singular appreciation of Shakespeare, these and other details added a pleasing depth to the show.

Wodehouse, who, as the play suggested (almost) ‘avoided real life altogether’, may well have been rather less charismatic in person than Robert Daws played him. Thus when Daws read scenes from a very small handful of Wodehouse’s books, the characters sparkled, brought to life even more than they had appeared in my own imagination when I first read them.

One of the songs of the show was ‘You’re the Tops!’ It would have been easy to deliver this show as a showcase for Wodehouse’s great characters and to lose the character of Wodehouse himself. Or to turn it into a laughter-fest sending up Wodehouse, his habits, and his quite narrow jolly writing tone and his unchanging (or timeless) characters. Neither occurred here. For Wodehouse fans, and lovers of a genuinely interesting story well told, this show is The Tops! 

Our Bromley Buzz podcast interview with Robert Daws can be heard here, and tickets are available here.

Darren, and Jacqui, Weale, 10th March 2023

Nine tries and a conversion

It felt as if the ground shook as the two teams, Bromley’s Westcombe Park Rugby Football Club (RFC) and Colchester RFC, in what amounted to a decider for the Regional 1 South East title, took to the field at Goddington Dene on Saturday 4th March. A mere £5 for a match programme saw me admitted.

Rugby teams don’t consist of the relative waifs found on football pitches, and a favourite moment of the whole game was an early massive collision in centre field between two strapping lads vying to catch an up and under. With a thud that could be heard across the ground they met, at speed, and got up, slowly, slapped each others backs, and were looking about them just in time to see Westcombe Park’s first points go on the board through a penalty. 3-0 soon became 8-0 with the first try, and then 10-0. Then another try, 15-0, and I was soon to lose count, forgetting to consult the busy scoreboard near one set of posts. This was one-way traffic from a Westcombe side sensing the glory of a return to the national league, I was told, for the first time in a couple of decades. A missed conversion was followed by another try, and I had time to ponder just how high a standard of rugby was on view. It wasn’t just that the referee’s whistle, much-used for tries and conversions, sounded just like what you hear on the TV for international games, here were slick moves, high quality handling, and precise kicking. These players might not be the man-mountains to be found in the international game, but they can play.

By then, at 29-0 to the ‘Combe’, I was touring the ground, chatting to people as I went, but still keeping my eyes and ears on the game. A player’s girlfriend told me that the Tuesday and Wednesday night training gave her a bit of time to herself, but that she also washed her man’s kit, clearly not an everyday wash. I passed the one stand to the left of the field, and an ecstatic black Labrador dog being stroked, one of several canine onlookers. The stand was filled with enthusiastic supporters of both sides, and I went onto ‘the mound’, where a naturally good view is to be had.

From there I went to stand behind the far posts and pass a few remarks with ‘Chairman Rugby Playing’, Steve Reynolds (above), as Combe scored another lovely try on the left wing. “Yes! That’s the bonus point”, came from Steve. He asked a player, “Still nervous?”, and the reply came back, “Not now. It’s good nerves. Channelled it.” More bluntly, as Colchester exerted perhaps their first pressure of the match, a player exhorted his team mates with the rallying call, “Right boys, let’s dig deep here. Let’s get f**king through it.” A disallowed Colchester try followed, then a fine finish for a first opposition try by one of the team’s Army contingent. Undaunted, an under the posts discussion as the conversion was attempted included another Combe rallying cry, “Let’s put another try on them before half time.” By then my companion Steve was getting a little nervous, “This ain’t over by a long shot”, he said as Colchester sought to exert themselves further. In a happier vein, soon he was to say, accurately, “Oh, we’re going to score here.” 34-7. But that one bonus point needed to be added to, and Steve revealed, “That means they’ve got to get to 41… it’s a good performance so far, a cracking performance.”

Half-time intervened and as the second half began, Westcombe didn’t slacken their efforts, rapidly scoring a disallowed try. By then the crowd had relaxed somewhat and had got on to discussing the finer points of rugby. In an already entertaining game, another Westcombe try was followed by a conversion attempt bouncing, unscored, off a post, but the magic 41 point mark had been passed. At that point Colchester, largely starved of possession, broke through for another try of their own. The crowd’s calls of ‘Come on, Combe!’ were answered again and again with more and more tries scored until the final score of 60-19 was achieved. I was lucky enough to interview bearded Westcombe fan Graham on the cusp of the final whistle, and the cheers can be heard in the audio recorded as it happened.

Both teams went into a post-whistle huddle to absorb what the day meant to them. As I went to photograph the players, one of the crowd said, “We won the league in style today.” He was right, and, as Steve Reynolds confessed, now he could sleep again for the first time in days.

I found one more interviewee, Westcombe Captain Harry Hudson, a very happy, proud man, and scorer of one try on the day. He and his team mates were tired, and as one tried to dispose of some rubbish, he said wryly, “I can’t even hit the bin now.” Yet the team had put over nine tries, and one conversion. Me. I will be back. Seeing that quality of rugby at that price, and what it meant to every man, woman, and perhaps dog there, means I am no longer an entirely armchair rugby viewer. Go, Combe. The National League awaits.

The club’s own match report and the names of all the scorers can be read here. Congratulations to Raf Dutta, named man of the match.

Our first podcast interview with a member of the club, Chairman John Vallely, is here (April 2022).

Darren Weale, 7 March 2023

Blood Brothers – Not a dry eye in the house!

Image credit: Jack Merriman

The multi-award-winning Blood Brothers production by Billy Kenwright, written by Willy Russell, didn’t disappoint one bit! For many years I’ve been wanting to see this and finally it is here in our home town, Bromley at the Churchill Theatre, playing until the 4th of March 2023.

This is a moving and captivating story about two brothers, twins, who were separated at birth. As the story unfolds from opposite sides of the tracks, we get a glimpse into two different classes, family values, and the true realities of living in Liverpool in the 1970s. The two brothers paths through unfortunate circumstances find serendipity gravitating them back together in adulthood, where the audience experiences a touching story of unconditional love…

From the get-go, the curtain rose with a stunning night scene of Liverpool. The production captivated the audience with ‘ooh’s’, ‘aah’s’, laughter, and tears…. There was not a moment of boredom. A truly wonderful show, everything was on point from start to finish, keeping every single one of us on the edge of our seats. The play is funny, touching, and honest.

7-year-old Mickey (Sean Jones) a grown adult, was superbly acted along with his Blood Brother Eddie (Joe Sleight). I wasn’t so sure how well this would work, but wow! It was so believable. The love and friendship portrayed by both these characters was truly deep and heart-warming. The mother of Mickey and Eddie, Mrs Johnston, (Paula Tappenden) played an outstanding performance of a hard-working mother who continually strives to keep the wolf from the door. It is no walk in the park for her. Her extraordinary performance brought the joy and sadness of her emotions right through to the audience.

Sarah Marsh-Collings (another Bromley Buzzer) accompanied me to the opening night and it absolutely ticked every box for both of us. The audience was thoroughly immersed into every second of the musical production from start to finish.  This is what Sarah had to say, ‘Great set, acting superb, accents fab, diction spot on (I hate it when you can understand what they’re singing about in a musical!) very moving. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when the final curtain came down. Standing ovation and 4 curtain calls.’ That says it all.

If you haven’t seen Blood Brothers, then don’t wait. I highly recommend see it as it might open your eyes up to a new way of thinking. A truly legendary production that will leave you talking about it all the way home.  The Daily Mail said about the show, ‘It brings the audience cheering to its feet and roaring its approval.’ It did exactly that with four standing ovations on this opening night!

Playing now at Churchill Theatre, Bromley from Tuesday 28th February – Saturday 4th March. Tickets here.

Zeenat Noorani, 2nd March 2023

Designer Death in Farnborough

Walter Pearce, Member of Parliament, isn’t much of an advert for modern British politics, as we discover in Rob Urbinati’s play, Death By Design, which was presented by the Farnborough Dramatic Society (FDS) in a 3-night run that concluded on 18th February. Pompous and philandering, he is central to the action of the play. Convincingly portrayed by Robin Walker, he is surrounded by an array of characters joining him in congregating at the home of Edward (Martin Dale) and Sorrell Bennett (Nicola Hollow), respectively a playwright of dubious talent and his narcissistic wife. Martin, hitherto outstanding in the earlier FDS production Dangerous Obsession, was once again in fine form, and he has a real talent for playing both innocence and evil. Here he was well-matched by Nicola Hollow, who did a fine line in sheer battiness.

As the night unfolds, more characters are woven in and are found to be related in more ways than at first meet the eye. Housemaid Bridget (Barbara Jones) develops a surprisingly pivotal role. Chauffeur Jack (Nick Abbott) deadpanned his way effectively throughout and had the best comic line of the night, featuring a popular meat product. Left-field and leftward-leaning politically Eric (Mark Hollidge) produced some of the night’s livelier moments. The liveliest of all are embraced with aplomb by Victoria Van Roth (Victoria Hollidge).

This is an oddball, slightly bonkers murder mystery directed by Holly Seijo, and Victoria was the oddest ball of all, sweeping, curvetting, and gasping around the stage, and that before she encountered several too many martinis. The simple set provided a suitable backdrop and, not for the first time, a lot of ‘alcohol’ is consumed on stage, suggesting the theatre has some good behind the scenes celebrations. The night passed quickly, and was constantly entertaining, absorbing and fun, and a reminder of just why, when we arrived early, there was already a queue outside.

Do pop along to Farnborough Village Hall and see an FDS production. They’re well worth it, and good value at around £10 a ticket. The next show is Wait Until Dark by Frederick Knott, on from 18th to 20th May 2023. Congratulations to the FDS on their 80th anniversary this year. The FDS website is here.

Darren Weale, 20th February 2023

Rock Of Ages at the Churchill Theatre

Image: The Other Richard

Dreams can come true. The musical show Rock of Ages now at Bromley’s Churchill Theatre deals with highs and lows of life in Los Angeles, California, where a love story unfolds at the famous Bourbon Room on Sunset Strip. A young girl, Sherrie (played by Gabriella Williams), from Kansas, wishes to become an actress, and is with a talented guy, Drew (played by Sam Turrell), from Detroit, whose desire is to be a rock star.

Kevin Kennedy (Coronation Street, Curly Watts) as Dennis Dupree, the owner of the Bourbon Room, is pretty cool at pulling the musical together, working the audience to join in with the music.

Rock of Ages sure got the audience going singing, clapping, and grooving along to many famous 80’s rock songs, where the show kicked off with, ‘We Built This City.’ A truly entertaining show with a cross between musical, comedy, and theatre with a bit of slapstick panto style banter thrown in! An outstanding hilarious performance as the cast shuffled across the stage to get their moment in the limelight, with comedy often full of innuendos.

Throughout the show, classical rock anthems rolled out, such as, ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’, ‘Can’t Fight this Feeling’, ‘The Final Countdown’, ‘Here I Go Again’, ‘I Want To Know What Love is’, ‘Oh Sherrie’, and ‘Waiting for a Girl Like You’. The songs, closing to one of my favourite inspirational tunes, ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’, fed their way into the production at perfect moments in relation to the storyline, and were performed loud and proud by an awesome rocking live band on stage.

Audience members commented that at times some of the singers’ microphones sounded unbalanced, losing some of the lyrics. But that did not stop anyone from thoroughly relishing the show.

Overall, this was an entertaining night where you can transport yourself back to the 80’s to feel Rock vibrate through your soul! A jam-packed, beautifully brought together performance, with awesome comedy, dancing and acting.

Don’t miss out on your chance to Rock with Ages, playing at the Churchill Theatre until; 11th February 2023. Tickets here.

Zeenat Noorani 7th February 2023

Swan Lake: Total awe

I was in total awe as I sat, immersed, watching the beautiful performance of Swan Lake presented by The International Classic Ballet Theatre at Bromley’s Churchill Theatre. Swan Lake is a tragic tale of love that triumphs over evil. Prince Siegfried, given a bow and arrows, heads off hunting into the forest where he meets and falls in love with Odette, Queen of the Swans, merely to be tricked into betraying her with devastating consequences. 

The beautiful performance brought back a flood of wonderful memories of my time as a ex-dancer and ex-professional ice-skater performing to the famous composer Tchaikovsky. Here, his music was exquisitely played by a full live orchestra. A score that will always be remembered. Every time I hear the tune, it gives me goosebumps- transporting me to another world. 

The company of international dancers touring now, from the United States, take to the stage with delightful pirouettes, grande jetes and battements, and incredible arabesques with such elegance and ease. The jester (a very good dancer) kept the audience entertained with his leaps across the floor and quirky mischievous actions.

International ballerinas were selected by the Artistic Director, Marina Medvetskaya, a former prima ballerina of Tbilisi State Academic Opera and Ballet. Each dancer is evidently chosen for their gracefulness, skill and flexibility, all essential for the classical style of ballet presented.

One of the audience, who had never been to a ballet performance before, told me that he found the performance interesting, but was slightly lost about the storyline until he read the brochure at the interval.  When asked if he would see it again and any other balletic performances, he replied, ‘Yes, as this has opened my eyes to something new and different to what I would normally see. It has given me a different perspective of the meaning of ballet. A great evening out!’

The International Classic Ballet Theatre perform Swan Lake at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley from Wednesday 11th to Thursday 12th January. They then move straight onto the Nutcracker, from Friday 13th to Saturday 14th January. Tickets here.

Zeenat Noorani, 12 January 2023

Hamper competition with Laura’s Larder

Post script: the competition was won by local resident Helen McDonald. Helen said:

“I was delighted to win this beautiful hamper from a shop I consider to be a real local asset given the range of products Laura stocks, some of which can be hard to find elsewhere; the helpful and friendly staff; the eco-friendly product refills… and not forgetting the excellent coffee and tempting cakes and other products for in-store or take-away feasting!” 

“I really wanted to get the Bromley Buzz answers right to be in with a chance of winning this fab prize – so did invest time in my competition entry. It’s very nice when that pays off – as well as having some luck on your side of course!” 

Background – original post

The Bromley Buzz podcast team have teamed up with Laura’s Larder in Petts Wood to offer a New Year’s competition. The prize is a hamper with a range of food and drink to get 2023 off to a lovely start for one winner. It’s crammed with a selection of Laura’s Larder’s best-selling fine food and wine in one of their beautiful signature grey wicker hampers, total value £100.

How to enter? Answer the following questions in an email to hello@bromleybuzz.co.uk, titled ‘Bromley Buzz competition 1’

1.   Name the local Bromley Members of Parliament who have been interviewed by the Bromley Buzz podcast

2.   Name the brand of garlic butter stocked by Laura’s Larder. Bromley Buzz co-presenter Darren loves it, especially the smoked garlic variety, and he has talked about it on the podcast. He will be again in January. Do go and try some for yourself from Laura’s Larder!

Entries should be sent by email by midnight on Friday 17th February 2023 to hello@bromleybuzz.co.uk titled “Bromley Buzz competition 1”. The single winner will be chosen, at random, from those who answer the two questions correctly, as judged by Bromley Buzz co-presenters Darren Weale and Zeenat Noorani. It would be helpful if you could supply a telephone number, which would only be used to notify you if you win.

This will be a collection-only prize, so anyone who cannot go to the shop in normal, published  opening hours to collect the hamper on or before 17th March 2023 will be disqualified and another winner chosen from correct entries submitted.

If the second (back up) winner drawn on the same basis from remaining entries and notified were not to collect the prize on or by 17th April 2023, the hamper will be donated to Bromley Foodbank.

The image is used for promotional purposes and is indicative. The final hamper and contents will vary from the selection in the image.

The only prize on offer is the hamper, and its contents are at the discretion of Laura’s Larder. There is no monetary or other alternative. Including the value of the hamper itself, the contents will be no less than to the value of £100 at retail prices.

Laura’s Larder is a specialist food store and delicatessen, bringing carefully curated, quality groceries, provisions and eco-friendly refills to Petts Wood and surrounding areas. You can hear Laura, a supplier, and a customer in episode 34 of the Bromley Buzz podcast .