Hebtroco Merino Wool Jacket: British-Made

Hebtroco (Hebden Bridge Trouser Company - see below), makers of excellent British-made clothing, have added a three season merino coat to their range. Made from a  Melton weave lightweight merino woven in Yorkshire by Hainsworth and tailored by Cookson & Clegg in Blackburn, Lancashire, it's a truly British-made product.

Lined with an attractive denim blue cotton viscose twill, it comes in regular and long lengths (I'm wearing a 38L which, at 6ft tall, leaves the sleeves slightly too long for me but does give extra body length. Unless you're very long in the arm or very tall, I suggest you go for a regular length). 

The cloth is lighter weight than you'd find on, say, a pea coat, making it perfect for the recent early spring weather, mixing chill and warm sun. Limited in numbers to 100, it's good value at £300 for a beautifully made British jacket.

Hebtroco was founded just over three years ago by Ed Oxley and Brand Richards (left and right above) who dreamed of reviving trouser manufacture in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire. Although manufacture is now elsewhere, Hebtroco has just reached the £1m mark in turnover, weathering the challenges of both Brexit and running a small business with true Yorkshire grit. 

The business started with trousers and now sells a wide range of products. It works with makers from Yorkshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. Its partners range in size from Cookson & Clegg, a 159-year-old business with a state-of-the-art factory that produces 2,000 garments per month, to Thomas Greenwood, a blacksmith and belt-maker who forges his buckles on an anvil.

A true British (Yorkshire) business that deserves our support.

Links:
https://hebtro.co/
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I was sent a coat for review. No payment has been made. All views are mine alone.

Watch Style 2: Wearing a 1991 Rolex Sea-Dweller

The Rolex Sea-Dweller is one of those watches which gets somewhat overlooked. Being in the shadow of the popular and sought-after Rolex Submariner keeps down its value as a vintage and used watch, despite the fact that the Sea-Dweller was designed as a more robust diving watch capable of being used a depths far greater than the Submariner. 

Wearing my 1991 Rolex Sea-Dweller as part of a smart casual look - image Tom Edwards Photography

The diameters of the two watches were until recently the same at a reasonable 40mm, although the Sea-Dweller is slightly deeper, with a thicker case to withstand higher pressures. It also has a discreet helium escape valve on the side of the case opposite the crown (which I think is pretty cool) and no cyclops magnifier over the date. Rolex fans get very heated over details like the cyclops - I have no preference either way, but some do.

The Rolex Sea-Dweller is now a large and chunky 43mm and has been joined by a rather blingy 44mm Sea-Dweller Deep Sea.

The older 40mm versions of both of these watches have a quiet, functional beauty which encourages their use for everything from smart business use to workaday wear in the garden, garage or on the boat. Here I wear my 1991 version of the Sea-Dweller here with a smart casual look based around a check jacket and linen trousers from New & Lingwood, but I could equally have worn it with a suit or jeans and jumper.

All in all, the 40mm Rolex Sea-Dweller makes a useful all-round watch that, for me, has the advantages of even greater robustness (not that I'm going to check it) and less obvious styling than its sibling, the Submariner or the new, larger and more flashy watches. For more on the modern versions, see Rolex's website.

Knoll House Hotel: A Short Break in Dorset

Some 27 years ago my wife and I took our two very small children to Knoll House Hotel, a perfectly positioned family and dog-friendly hotel on Studland Bay on the beautiful Isle of Purbeck in Dorset. I was delighted, therefore, to be asked back with my wife and Harry as a guest of the hotel to spend a few days rediscovering the delights of this unspoilt corner of English coastline.

Knoll House Hotel, Studland Bay, Dorset

Knoll House was opened in 1931 and still has the flavour of a thirties seaside hotel. Period furnishings, painting and photographs underline the history of the place - which was a favourite of Enid Blyton's. The dog and family-friendly nature of the hotel is unchanged since our first visit. The staff are welcoming, warm and helpful, adding to the relaxed atmosphere. With a good restaurant and bistro, play facilities for the young and a spa for the slightly older guests, there is something for everyone. 

Harry on the beach below the hotel, Old Harry (no relation) is in the background

We enjoyed a champagne afternoon tea which included not only a glass of bubbly, but sandwiches, scones and excellent cakes - the best of a very English tea. Our comfortable room had views across Studland bay towards the Isle of Wight and Old Harry, the chalk cliffs and rocky formations that mark the entrance to Studland Bay and Poole Harbour for ships approaching from the English Channel. At breakfast we saw deer on the lawn in front of the hotel - roe and sika deer live in the surrounding heathland.

You can walk straight from the hotel either onto surrounding heathland or down to the sandy beach. The beaches stretch northwards past National Trust land to Shell Beach opposite exclusive Sandbanks or you can head south and after twenty minutes or so be climbing up onto downland cliffs towards Old Harry and the Coastal Path. 

Being able to relax with a dog while on holiday is essential and Knoll House enabled us to do this

Views across to The Needles on the Isle of Wight and inland over environmentally invaluable Dorset heathland and cliffs make the Isle of Purbeck a fascinating destination for all ages. Not only is there glorious countryside and beaches, but beautiful towns, villages, pubs and historic sites, all within a walk or short drive. Knoll House Hotel commands a central position and offers comfortable, homely accommodation for all ages and a fine welcome and good food and drink throughout the day.

We loved our stay and Harry was made especially welcome - not always the case even with hotels advertised as dog-friendly. We're hoping to plan a return visit with both children and dog at a future date.

See Knoll House Hotel for more information.

Follow Knoll House Hotel on social media:

https://www.facebook.com/KnollHouseHotel

https://twitter.com/knollhousehotel

https://www.instagram.com/knollhousehotel/

We were guests of Knoll House Hotel, bearing some of the costs ourselves. All views expressed here are mine alone.