74 _What’s On_07.2019The indoor fun continues with new brunches, quiz nights, and workouts to try. Plus the best places to get
ice cream, new restaurants rated and reviewed, skincare tips, movies, music and much more
NEXT MONTH IN WHAT’S ON
It’s always been about the people.
Not just those we wrote about in the magazine...
although they have been legendary. It’s also been about
the people who made the magazine, many of whom
remain in starring roles across the country. The 40th
anniversary of What’s On has brought back into focus
many former colleagues for different reasons.
We recently received an email from Mark Rickards, an
intern with us back in 1980, now a senior producer at
the BBC, asking if we remembered him and his Green
Desert feature? Of course we did, and we hope to catch
up with him again (after a small gap of 39 years) when
he visits for What’s On Party in the Park in November.
Meanwhile, Kate Simpson, who took over from me
as editor in the late ‘80s has been in touch, as has
Jack Pierce who was a couple of editors after Kate. He
wanted to be reminded of who he took over from for his
memoirs. It was Carl de Vanny.
But amid the celebrations, the month started sadly
with the magazine’s first designer, Brian Adams,
passing away on June 1 as the 40th anniversary issueIAN FAIRSERVICE
Managing Partner & Group EditorPROUDLY BOREDOM-BUSTING SINCE 1979WHAT’S ON... AND THE
PEOPLE WHO MADE IT
rolled off the press. Never out of touch, we spent his
80th birthday together at his beautiful farmhouse in
Devon last September. Brian was a massively talented
interior designer, architect and painter who acted as
(volunteer) designer during 1979 until we could afford to
employ Russ North, our first art director.
It really has always been about the people.RIP Brian Adams.A LOOK
BACK
AT...Some of the founding team reunite to celebrate Brian Adams’
80th birthday. From left to right: Jan Fairservice (sub editor),
Brian Adams (designer), Amanda Dee (advertising manager),
Jasmine Adams, and myself.