Business – The Brentwood Buzz

S4Ep12 The Lounge, Ingatestone – How to Succeed in Business On A Whim

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/

S4Ep11 Create Yourself Calm Brings Art and Mindfulness to Brentwood

Having had an overview of the activities on offer at King George’s Playing Fields in the last episode of The Brentwood Buzz, this week we’ve returned to focus in on one of the groups which meets at the Pavilion.

Create Yourself Calm is a Community Interest Company which runs sessions in the Borough of Brentwood combining creativity with mindfulness. They are run by three Brentwood women with backgrounds in primary school teaching, HR and counselling who, like so many women we’ve heard from on The Brentwood Buzz, needed to find something to do which fitted in with their personal and caring responsibilities, so they set up their own company.

The Brentwood Buzz has been along to one of the sessions to meet the team and those taking part in the art.

http://www.createyourselfcalm.art

S4Ep10 Keeping Everyone Active at King George’s Playing Fields

King George’s Playing Fields, with its new pavilion, splash park, children’s playground, rugby and football facilities, skatepark and woods is a popular place for people of all ages to visit throughout the year.

The Brentwood Buzz has been to meet Keeley Heasman, who is the General Manager for King George’s Playing Fields for Everyone Active, to hear more about what’s on offer for outside fun and entertainment.

https://www.everyoneactive.com/centre/king-georges-playing-fields/

S4Ep9 Health and Housing – Why Ingatestone is a Great Place to Live

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.

https://barringtonsproperty.co.uk/

https://studio35.goleadfunnel.net/ingatestone

S4Ep7 Classy Bars and Grassy Cars

Come to Brentwood High Street and you will see the Sugar Hut – formerly the White Hart coaching inn, and then central nightclub venue for the antics of the The Only Way Is Essex cast – and, if you are lucky, a glimpse of a tiny Smart car covered in fake grass.

Strangely enough, both attractions were brought to the town by the same man, Fraser Donaldson, who’s now the Managing Director of Easigrass Essex and Herts, based at the Hunters Chase Garden Centre in Hutton.

Fraser has been telling The Brentwood Buzz how he came to be involved with classy bars and grassy cars.

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S4Ep6 Getting Businesses Connected in Ingatestone

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/

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Architects and Interior Designers

S3Ep27 It’s Panto Season (Oh Yes It Is) in Brentwood

The Brentwood Buzz heads to Press Night at Sophisticated Entertainment’s Beauty and The Beast at the Brentwood Centre

There is nothing like a dame, especially one who’s singing Nessun Dorma while dressed in a glorious froth of hoops and ruffles and wearing a teapot on her head.

And that’s what you get in this year’s Beauty and The Beast Panto at the Brentwood Centre, together with some fabulous performances from a close team of young actors and a troupe of sassy and talented dancers who – in the main – are still at school.

Local production company Sophisticated Entertainment is putting on the show until 4th January 2026 (https://www.everyoneactive.com/news/the-brentwood-centre-activity-brochure/) at the Brentwood Centre, and invited The Brentwood Buzz along to press night for an all singing, all dancing night of entertainment.

S3Ep25 Time for Brentwood, Business and a Bacon Butty

The Brentwood Chamber of Commerce brings together businesses large and small from across the Borough of Brentwood, for support, networking and making a difference in the town.

The Chamber works with the Brentwood Improvement District through Brentwood Connected, and ensures the voices of local entrepreneurs are heard when change is afoot.

The Brentwood Buzz got up very early to join some of our local businesses for a bacon butty and a spot of networking at the latest Brentwood Business Breakfast.

http://www.greentornado.co.uk

successionplancoach.com

house of colour.co.uk

djkcleaning.co.uk

brentwoodchamber.co.uk

S3Ep23 Getting Festive with Figo, and a Conversation with a Cabbie

With Christmas and the New Year holiday season looming every closer, the Borough of Brentwood is getting ready to light up, have fun and welcome Father Christmas, many elves and plenty of parties.

The Brentwood Lighting Up Ceremony takes place this weekend – 22nd November – with a focus on bringing the magic of Christmas to the children of the town. Father Christmas will be joining the Rotary Elves on the High Street, Mrs Claus will be in her grotto at the Chicken and Frog Bookshop on Crown Street, and the North Pole Postmistress will be outside the Figo restaurant if anyone wants to send a letter to Santa.

The Brentwood Buzz has been to Figo to meet its Events Manager, Debbie Butcher, who combines events coordination with driving a cab, so is a cracking person to chat with for this latest episode of Brentwood’s most celebratory podcast.

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S3Ep20 Brentwood is the Place To Do Business – Brentwood Business Awards 2025

If ever confirmation were needed that Brentwood is the place to do business, the annual Brentwood Business Awards organised by Brentwood Chamber of Commerce is the place to go.

More than two hundred Brentwood business people, local dignitaries, friends and family gathered this week for a glittering awards ceremony at which awards were given for high Street Impact, Community Engagement, Customer Service and Brentwood Business of the Year.

The Brentwood Buzz was there to chat to as many of these fabulous people as possible.

Photos by David Hale