MOTORING

This is Cindy and Pio’s first time in hospitality. The couple quit their London city careers a few years back, armed with a lifetime of honing skills in interior design (Cindy) and food (Pio, although, remarkably, he’s self-taught and before this worked in banking, training his palate “by eating out, reading and teaching myself to replicate restaurant dishes at home”), along with a pretty clear vision of what they hoped to create.

“A restaurant with rooms really, and we knew we wanted to be somewhere wild,” says Cindy. They didn’t want to be anywhere too “done” though, and had no intention of attracting “the Soho House, up ’til 3am” crowd. “We wanted to offer something more intimate and soothing,” Cindy adds.

Their search eventually led to a tired seaside cafe; a blank slate for a redesign, with five spacious en suites plus space for

Cindy and Pio to make it their home, it seemed a perfect fit. For Pio, being able to source local, sustainable ingredients was also important – and it’s rich pickings, with oysters scooped fresh from Porlock Bay, huge stretches of salt marshes sprouting wild samphire, and even a local coffee roaster.

They opened in 2018 and already have a string of repeat guests. Even at full capacity it’s never crowded but, during the pandemic, when allowed, they’ve been operating at reduced volume to enable social distancing. My two-night visit comes just in the nick of time before England’s second national lockdown.

The surrounding villages are all storybook-sweet brick cottages, proper tea rooms, and friendly locals, who all know each other’s names. Porlock Weir is weeny, just a few streets of houses, one pub, and a small row by the harbour where I spot a sign for pizza and a pottery (both closed today).

Backed by dense wooded hills and the endless heather-topped moors and grassy heaths of Exmoor, it really does have a touch of the wild. The bubbling rocky bay brings a fierce sea breeze and all year round, you’ll spot surfers out for the lateafternoon swell.

After my coffee, I take a walk and end up sitting on a rock to watch them a while. The third rainbow of the day streaks the sky, then just like that, greyness descends and the heavens open. Sheets of Skittles-sized hail pelts my cheeks and, within seconds, I’m drenched through.

It’s only a quick dash back to the Locanda, where a roaring fire awaits. I curl up with my book and an aperitif before Cindy calls me and the other couple of guests to our tables.

My starter arrives. That plump hunk of porcini now lies on my plate in artful slivers, so fine they’re almost transparent. It tastes all the better knowing just hours earlier it was still in the ground, metres away in the woods.

3. TYRES

HOW TO PUT YOUR CAR INTO WINTER HIBERNATION

The winter months can prove a difficult time for certain types of cars. Classics, in particular, don’t deal well with the additional salt and grit used on the roads at this time of year, while convertibles are unlikely to see as much use either.

One way to avoid potential damage is to put your car into winter storage. It’s a method used by many to preserve classic vehicles, but there’s no reason why you can’t put any type of car into winter hibernation. Here is how to do it.

1. A GOOD CLEAN

The best place to start is with a good clean. Go through the usual routine with of car-specific shampoo and clean water and don’t forget areas such as the wheel arches. If left unattended, patches like this can quickly develop into rust spots. Once finished, ensure your car is absolutely dry before progressing.

2. CHECK THE FLUIDS

It’s a good idea to make sure the car is topped up with all the right fluids. This includes fuel, oil and coolant, as well as windscreen washer fluid. And adding a fuel preservative to a full tank of petrol or diesel can help to make sure fuel lines don’t get clogged.

Before parking your car up for a long time, make sure your tyres are inflated to the correct pressures. Find these either in your vehicle’s handbook or on a panel behind the fuel filler cap. If possible, it’s best to elevate your car off the ground to avoid flat spots on your tyres.

4. FIND A PLACE TO STORE IT

If you’re wanting to take your car off the road for the long term, a garage is ideal. It will protect your car from the elements and take the edge off any frosts or colder temperatures.

Failing that, a good car cover can make a difference. Online retailers sell model-specific covers and it’s worth investing in a good one that fits your exact car. It’ll be better suited at protecting the vehicle if it’s the correct size and shape.

5. LEAVE THE HANDBRAKE OFF

If you’re leaving your car in a secure location such as a garage, it’s a good idea to leave the handbrake off and use chocks instead. Over longer periods of time - particularly on older cars - the handbrake can seize.

6. THINK ABOUT A TRICKLE CHARGER

When a car isn’t running, the battery naturally depletes charge as the days pass by. Often, this results in a flat battery. Use a trickle charger to avoid this. Plugged into the mains and then attached to the car’s battery, this feeds a low-voltage “trickle” of electricity into the battery.

7. CONSIDER SORN

If you’re able to store your car off the public road, then you can think about putting it on SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification). Once done, you won’t have to pay any tax on the vehicle, but it does mean you can’t drive it on the public road under any circumstances. If you store your car on the road, however, it’ll still need to be taxed.

8. THINK ABOUT A THIRD-PARTY CAR STORAGE COMPANY

If you’re not able to store your car yourself, then it could be worth looking out for a car storage company near you. These will often look after your car while it’s parked up and ensure the battery levels are kept topped up while keeping them spick and span ready for collection in the spring. They’ll usually charge a monthly fee.

JACK EVANS