THE LOCATION

You will find Macknade just off the A2 on the Selling Road and less than two minutes from the M2. You may not be bowled over by its outward appearance – a converted agricultural building. However the amount of cars in its car park will soon tell you that this is THE place to go in Kent for the ultimate foodie experience, be it food shopping for you or heading to the café and Food Village to let them do the hard work for you.

Turn left upon leaving Macknade and you will find miles of rural Kent and an abundance of fields where much of the local produce at Macknade has been either grown, reared or made. A lesson to not let first impressions deceive you.

THE LOWDOWN

Before we go any further, it is important to know the history as that is what really sets Macknade apart from its competitors. It is the ultimate marriage (quite literally) of British farming, from 1847 with Fredrick Neame Snr at the helm, with continental food culture when Fredrick’s great great granddaughter, Patricia, married Renato Cuomo who was originally from the island of Ischia in the Bay of Naples.

Together they built Macknade to be one of the country’s leading food halls serving not only local produce but also stocking the very best food and drink from Italy and all over the world. Macknade is now run by Renato and Patricia’s son, Stefano.

These days, Macknade is not only 10,000 sq ft of foodie heaven, the clever team are also all about creating spaces and experiences that bring communities together around a shared love of food and drink so have expanded its on-site gym, launched a new countryside sauna experience and opened up a dedicated massage therapy space – all run by trusted local partners.

THE VIBE

It’s rustic and rural here and that is definitely part of the charm as many of the businesses are housed in farm buildings on the land around Macknade’s Food Hall.

That community vibe too is evident too with some of the other local businesses on site. Need a good vet? Swale Barn Vets are on standby to help with all your pet needs as the practice is equipped with advanced tools to handle complex pet health issues, including a high-resolution CT scanner. There are also plenty of thoughtful touches, such as designated dog and cat wards, to alleviate any additional stress.

You will be pleased to hear that the wine store is dog friendly, so four-legged friends are welcome if you need to scoop up supplies for the weekend. And if they don’t have what you had in mind in stock, they can order in for you which is all part of that authentic neighbourhood business vibe.

We love the down-to-earth appeal and approach of Top to Toe Fitness, the on-site gym, which offers a mix of indoor and outdoor group fitness classes with views of the fields beyond. Thankfully it is not the kind of place where your fellow gym bunnies are preening in the mirror as here, it’s all about getting stuck into the circuits with a lot of laughing along the way too.

THE EXPERIENCE

Macknade’s mission was to create a ‘more balanced approach to for their customers’ health – whether through movement, nourishment, rest or recovery’ and you can see how they have carefully picked local partners to reflect this mantra.

We kick-started our day with a one hour HiiT class with the irrepressible Charlotte at Top to Toe Fitness. As well as being a highly qualified fitness trainer, Charlotte is also a mum who appreciates how difficult it is squeeze in classes so has specifically created a timetable and classes that are fun and results driven, so you can really make the most of your session.

As we know, HiiT is all about working out in short bursts for a short amount of time and my favourite part – if performed correctly, it can burn fat for 24 hours even after you have finished training. I took along one of my fittest friends so we could be put through our paces together.

It’s apparent that there is a regular crew of women who meet up for the Friday session especially as they had all booked a group sauna for after the session. But it’s not daunting as a newcomer as there is a very welcoming vibe with all shapes and sizes within the group plus varying age groups too.

Charlotte sets the HiiT routine with demonstrations for each stage so you are familiar with each move. We loved how much different gym equipment was at our disposal – monkey bars, skiergs, rowing machines, exercise bikes – to vary things up a little. You are put into pairs, the music is cranked up and it’s over to you and your partner to work through five exercise stations on a continuous loop for the next 40 minutes.

It is intense (the monkey bars and I did not get on) so I planked instead but there is a euphoric sense of working out together with the countryside air blowing in from the farm fields beyond, plus an element of competition with several duo acts whipping through the roster of activities. As newbies, we were assigned an instructor to be on standby to help us find and work the equipment so you feel in safe hands at all times.

There was a sense of a triumph as we completed our circuit and that we now truly deserved our sauna, cold plunge and hot tub experience at Sea Scrub Sauna. Built on the Nordic tradition of heat and cold therapy, the Macknade site is the latest jewel in the crown for the team at Seascrub Sauna following its highly popular locations by the sea in Margate and Whitstable. We hear members of Coldplay have been seen at the latter one, just saying…

The Sea Scrub Sauna experience is positioned in the field beyond the car park and there was some initial concern that we would be baring our bodies to all and sundry visiting Macknade on a busy Friday afternoon but it is discreetly positioned away from prying eyes so you do feel like you are in a world of your own, and there may have been an actual gasp of astonishment when we saw the view of the countryside from within the sauna.

The endearing pixie hats to use in the sauna may seem comical at first but do protect your hair and keep you cooler for longer so you may have the last laugh in wearing them.

We were given a pot of peppermint and rose sea salt to lather over you body which brightens up your skin helped by a cold bucket shower to truly wake up your senses. It’s an exhilarating feeling especially if you mix it up with a dunk in the cold plunge barrel, full of icy water, overlooking the idyllic countryside view.

You can top up your Sauna and Cold Plunge visit with a soak in their wood-fired hot tub to reward those weary limbs. It all feels very organic and that you are getting back to nature as the experience is very earthy and unfussy. You can pay for exclusive use of the area but with a capacity of eight people at one time, the space does not feel over-crowded. If you are not feeling too free-spirited, you may be relieved to hear that there are two private changing booths as well as a communal changing room

The last taxing agenda on the day was a visit to Serene Massage Therapies who completes the new Wellness trio at Macknade. You can find Vicky, who is a well-known name locally for her incredible massages, in the upper floor of Macknade, next to the Apple Loft Events Room.

The space is very stylish with cream and bottle green hues and potted plants scattered around. Even though it is above a very busy shop, you do feel tucked away and able to relax into the massage in hand.

Vicky is known for her incredible Deep Tissue treatments so I signed up for a 45-minute massage with an additional 10for10 treatment – £10 for ten minutes of a foot massage or you could opt for a hand massage. An essential add-on to any visit, with the gentle rhythmic kneading movements on my feet as the perfect antidote to the hard grafting on my back to relieve those deep-down knots caused by too much time hunched over a laptop.

Hot stones are a big part of Vicky’s deep tissue massage method, using the heat to get deeper into the muscles and she will talk you through your preferences in the consultation beforehand. I love a firm approach and Vicky stepped up to the brief – it’s no wonder that she gets so booked up.

You can choose to go for the massage before a sauna to help loosen up your muscles or as a relaxing reward post a work-out – either way, Vicky’s smiley face is a lovely way to start or finish your visit to Macknade.

ANYTHING ELSE?

Keep an eye out for Wellness events coming up so you can get a taster of all of these elements. On 14^th June, they are hosting a Recharge and Reconnect Day at Macknade with two experience sessions – one for the early birds kicking off at 8.45am and the latter starting at 10.45am.

Expect high-energy workouts, immersive sound baths, sauna and cold baths with a nourishing lunch cooked by Merilees Parker who has over 30 years experience working as a chef and TV presenter cooking for royalty and elite athletes. Priced at £85 per person, get in touch quickly if you want to book a space.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

GOOD FOR? This ticks so many boxes. Go with a group of girls and take over the sauna and wood-fired hot tub following a group work-out or alternatively seek a more solace approach by taking time-out by yourself with a massage and sauna. We also love the idea of an alternative date at SeaScrub – I mean those pixie hats would really get the mood going…

NOT FOR? Those who want a fancier set-up with proper changing rooms (plus hair dryers and the like) and a more polished and glossy look but we LOVED the get-up-and-go attitude and community spirit of it all.

THE DAMAGE

One hour session at Top To Toe Fitness costs £12.50 for a drop in but £9.50 when buying a block of ten or £100 a month for unlimited classes.

45 minutes of deep tissue Massage at Serena Massage Therapies was £45 plus £10 for the ten minute foot massage top-up (essential)

Sea Scrub Sauna – 60 minute session starts from £14 (member) with £5 for the Hot-Tub add-on

Macknade Fine Food, Selling Road. Faversham. Kent ME13 8XF, 01795 534497, enquiries@macknade.com www.macknade.com

Food, fitness – oh and a sauna! Why Macknade, Faversham is one feel-good experience

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