Of course, it’s not every day we check in a TV crew, electricians, builders - and three large, fiery and frankly quite intrusive guests…
Back in September, Producers of Five’s The Gadget Show approached us as a possible location for one of their popular reviews on the latest gadgetry. We wondered, what could they want with a farm in the middle of the Lincolnshire Fens?! It quickly became apparent that their visit would have little to do with the farm… and more to do with….well, fire!
The shows team explained that they would come to Elms Farm, stay the night and briefly enjoy some of the local area. How lovely! Of course we could accommodate them….oh, and could they bring three wood-burning stoves, install them in our cottages for a day, and take them home again?! After overcoming initial visions of builder’s dust everywhere, great gaping holes in our cottage walls and having to deal with the aftermath of it all, we agreed to the plan.
Everything seemed straightforward enough as we made arrangements for electricians to come in and make adjustments, builders to help remove and replace our stoves and so forth. However, when the producers discovered one of the stoves they had intended to try out in our cottages wasn’t going to fit, it all got rather more interesting!
The stove in question – a freestanding Stuv stove, comprising of a striking design mounted on a modern glass plinth, was quite a different sort of stove - but too tall to fit in our existing fireplaces. It was then suggested by the show that this stove could be fitted somewhere else – how about one of the other cottages, they probed.
This would involve moving the TV, aerial and power sockets, fit a chimney and move other electrics around – quite a job. We weren’t so keen at first – it seemed a lot of work for one stove, only to be whisked away again. The stove importer seemed very keen to feature the stove; if we weren’t crazy about having it installed and then taken away again, how did we feel about having it installed – and it staying there for good? A much better idea!
It was Thursday and the crew were due to arrive on Friday. Because of all the commotion surrounding the Stuv stove, it was a job to try and get it fitted that day to be ready for filming by the weekend. Despite the last minute request, the electricians and builders couldn’t wait to get on site and get started – they imagined they’d get a glimpse of The Gadget Show’s glamorous female presenter, Suzi Perry!
Unfortunately for them, Suzi was working on another job. We were joined by her co-presenter Jon Bentley and the crew on Friday afternoon. During a spot of dinner at our local pub, Jon created quite a stir when he was recognised by some of the locals; Hubbert’s Bridge isn’t known for its high population of TV personalities…
On Saturday morning the crew set to work bright and early. It was also the day of the Lincolnshire Sausage Festival, so we’d been out and bought some sausages to try on the BBQ fitted to the Stuv stove! As well as filming the stoves inside the cottages (using some super-posh, perfectly cut logs they’d brought along) the crew shot various aspects of the farm; across the meadow, near the farmhouse and around the outbuildings.
Even our Lincolnshire Buff Chickens got in front of the camera – their first TV appearance. Over the course of the day the team worked on reviewing three specific models of stove: the Hot-Pod, Euroheat and of course the Stuv stove imported from Belgium and fitted into Yew Cottage.
We’re very pleased with its good looks – it adds plenty of style to the cottage! With it’s rotating design, the stove allows you to tailor the burner for different purposes. Turn it one way, and there’s a crisp glass door covering the fire. Rotate again, and the glass slides back altogether – perfect for toasting marshmallows or barbecuing. Or if you want to keep it burning, but tuck it away for the night, the final rotation leaves a small opening with the rest covered. It’s no surprise that the producers were so keen to get it on the show - and now we have a state of the art, modern wood burner for our guests to enjoy.
If you would like to come and see our ‘Gadget Show’ Stuv stove, why not book a break in Yew Cottage this winter? Enjoy this gorgeous cosy cottage for up to 5 persons whilst you relax in the Lincolnshire countryside close to Boston, Lincoln and the many attractions on offer. We also have 7 other 4 & 5* holiday cottages available for weekly, mid-week stays and weekend breaks. Elms Farm is the perfect place for a break with family and friends and can sleep up to 32 people.
Many thanks to everyone The Gadget Show for staying with us at Elms Farm, we really enjoyed having you with us.
You can watch our appearance on The Gadget Show on Monday 29th November, 2010 at 8pm on Five.
