A podcast celebrating all that's good about Brentwood, Essex
The weekend of 4th July 2026 is Independence Day for the USA, but here in Brentwood it’s Independents’ Day, when our local independent shops and businesses encourage us to find them and use them!
The Brentwood Buzz has featured many of these independent businesses on the podcast in the last four years – have a listen to some of them by clicking on the Spotify links below.
Brentwood born and bred founder of Sophisticated Entertainment, Sophia-Marie Hornsey is this week’s guest on The Brentwood Buzz, Brentwood’s celebratory podcast.
Sophia-Marie appeared on the podcast last Christmas when she brought a panto version of Beauty and The Beast to The Brentwood Centre. Now she’s back having a chat about how she moved from Pilgrims Hatch Primary School to performing in the West End and on cruise ships to bringing panto to Brentwood.
The latest The Brentwood Buzz is another in our series of podcasts celebrating businesses which are part of Brentwood Connected, the innovative three-High-Street Business Improvement District for Brentwood, Shenfield and Ingatestone.
Nish Patel owns the Shenfield Wine Company, which is the go-to place in Shenfield to pick up a decent bottle of wine, a good whisky and a fine cigar.
The Brentwood Buzz joined him in his Cigar Lounge to talk screw tops, business and Cuban cigars.
https://www.brentwoodconnected.co.uk
Graphic designer and Brentwood mum, Jill Busby, of Hive Art Studios is bringing her artistic skills to the King George’s Playing Fields Pavilion on 14th May with a “Sip and Paint” evening.
Wineglasses are some of the smaller items Jill paints, as The Brentwood Buzz discovered when visiting Jill’s studio.
Brentwood’s independent record shop, Hey Joe Music, hosted the Essex leg of comedian Alastair Clark’s national tour in which he brings comedy to record shops.
Alastair worked in a record shop for ten years before giving up the glitz, glamour and admin duties of trading vinyl for the glitz, glamour and admin duties of life as a stand-up comedian.
The Brentwood Buzz caught up with him at the end of his gig in Hey Joe’s to talk about the tour, his forthcoming Edinburgh show, and collecting comedy records.
https://www.instagram.com/alastairclarkcomedy/
8th May – Rough Trade, Nottingham, 13th May – The Record Cafe, Bradford, 16th May – Vinyl Tap, Huddersfield, 22nd May – Rough Trade, Bristol, 30th May – The Vinyl Whistle, Leeds, 31st July – DayGlo Studios, St Leonards, 8-30th August – Slow Progress Record and Coffee, Edinburgh, 26th Sept – Rough Trade, Liverpool
It was an early start at Hey Joe Music off Crown Street in Brentwood this morning with record collectors gathering from just before midnight onwards for Record Store Day, and the chance to buy exclusive pressings of some of the world’s finest pop musicians.
The Brentwood Buzz joined Marc Sardinha of Hey Joe Music for the early shift and to meet some of the people who are willing to give up a night’s sleep to get the records they want.
In another of The Brentwood Buzz’s series of podcasts featuring businesses within the Brentwood Connected Business Improvement District, we’re back in Ingatestone to meet Julie Bell, one of the family directors of The Lounge in Ingatestone.
The Lounge has been offering tea, coffee, cake and wine to the good people of Ingatestone since 2023. It’s also a safe space for anyone dealing with domestic abuse, trauma or illness. Business is booming but it’s not been a smooth ride for Julie, as this week’s podcast tells.
https://theloungeingatestone.co.uk/
https://www.brentwoodconnected.co.uk/
The Brentwood Buzz has been back to Ingatestone this week to meet some of the people who make the village better, by helping residents keep fit and to find homes.
The two might seem like a heady mix, but with Mark Newman running his lettings and property business, Barrington’s, just round the corner on Market Square from his wife, Shelley’s gym – Studio 35 – it’s a combination which works.
With thanks to Studio 35’s manager, Fran for getting in touch with The Brentwood Buzz for a chat, and now please listen to this week’s podcast on why these two businesses find Ingatestone is a great place to live.
The Brentwood Buzz celebrates all that’s good about the people and places of Brentwood, Essex – and that’s the whole Borough of Brentwood, not just the town.
There are so many amazing people living here, with great stories to tell, and so many businesses, voluntary groups, arts collectives and societies who do great work in the Borough.
Currently, the three main high streets of Brentwood, Ingatestone and Shenfield, are also being celebrated and highlighted by the Business Improvement District project, known as Brentwood Connected.
This week Brentwood Connected held a networking breakfast in Ingatestone for some of its members, so The Brentwood Buzz popped along for a (very) early morning coffee and chat.
https://theloungeingatestone.co.uk/
https://www.brentwoodconnected.co.uk/the-ginger-tree
https://www.pinneytalfourd.co.uk/
https://www.thestarinningatestone.co.uk/
https://www.brentwoodconnected.co.uk/
The Brentwood Buzz is a regular visitor to Brentwood Theatre, reporting on many of the shows put on by local theatre groups, including Shenfield Operatic Society, Brentwood Musical Theatre Society, 1:4:9 Productions and The College Players.
Last year a new manager arrived at the theatre, Jake Bedson, a professional actor, director and former Haven Holidays host. He’s helping shape the theatre’s future, and has an exciting secret project due to be revealed later this year.
The Brentwood Buzz has been to visit Jake to find out more about what is going on behind the scenes at our wonderful local theatre.
You can find out more about upcoming shows at the Brentwood Theatre here: http://www.brentwoodtheatre.co.uk
Photo: Jake Bedson at Brentwood Theatre
Photo Credit: The Brentwood Buzz
The Brentwood Buzz