'Bubblemaker' Children's Scuba Diving Lesson in Bristol

Garry and I were recently invited to brighten up a drizzly Tuesday with a luxurious afternoon tea at Malmaison, Brighton.

Situated right on the waterfront, Malmaison offers unparalleled views of the marina, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a terrace for seating on sunny days - of which this was not one!

Garry and I hopped on a bus and arrived at the hotel at 3pm. Entering through the reception, we were immediately struck by the contemporary interiors, which were offset by quirky, retro decorations. There was even a ‘reading room’ to the right of the reception which looked like something straight out of Mad Men – minus Jon Hamm brooding in the corner and sipping a scotch, of course.

As we entered the hotel we were greeted by the friendly receptionists on duty, and Sophie, who had organised our afternoon tea for us. We were then shown to the best seat in the house: a big, squashy sofa with a long table in front overlooking the terrace. On this particular day, the outdoor seating had been put away, but even the gloomy drizzle couldn’t dampen the unspoiled view of the marina, with the water stretching out underneath us and birds flying overhead. 

We put in our order: one vegan afternoon tea for myself, and traditional for Garry (...although we'd soon learn this was actually a very non-traditional afternoon tea.) Starting with drinks, I ordered a peppermint tea, while the tea-averse Garry went for a Diet Coke. We spent a relaxing few minutes lounging on the sofa, chatting and looking out at the view, as the inner-life of the hotel bustled around us. After a short wait, the afternoon teas arrived. They were served on a modern twist on the classic cake stand, a cool black granite colour. You could tell by looking that these weren't your average afternoon teas. 

I started with the savoury layer, because I was so excited to see a mini vegan burger slider. The patty wasn't the standard bean burger, but a real 'Moving Mountains' patty which looked and tasted exactly like meat! The bun was soft and the filling had just the right amount of lettuce and tomato. I could have eaten 100 of them, but that would kind of negate the appeal of afternoon tea. 

Garry's 'traditional' afternoon tea featured the meat equivalent to my vegan burger, which he said was delicious. We cheated a little bit on the traditional "savoury, scones, sweet" running order of afternoon tea by following up our burgers with something from the sweet layer: fruit shakes! After all, burgers and shakes are a classic combination. Both our shakes were served in adorable little milk bottles with straws, a cute way to present a slightly healthier option. (Although, afternoon tea is not really about being healthy!)

Next on the menu were some grilled flat-breads with chunky tomato houmous. Anyone who knows vegans will know we subsist on houmous (and self-righteous pretentiousness, of course.) I appreciated the garlic element of the houmous had not been skimped on, and devoured this part of the meal pretty quickly. To complete the savoury layer, a VEGAN FETA - yes, you read that right, in case the capitals didn't help, VEGAN FETA - wrap with grilled vegetables and pesto. It really reminded me of the toasted mozzarella and pesto paninis I used to enjoy before I cut out meat and dairy... those were the days... 

The rest of Garry’s savoury layer consisted of a coronation chicken mini-baguette, a vegetable and feta wrap (the dairy equivalent to my vegan version), and a beautifully presented prawn cocktail. I thought this was a great way to mix up traditional favourites with more innovative, unusual choices. 

Next, onto the vegan scones. I really appreciated that Malmaison had included plant-based scones in their vegan afternoon tea, as they’re not always easy to come by! I tucked straight in with a big spoonful of raspberry jam while Garry enjoyed his traditional scones with jam and clotted cream. 

Finally, we moved onto the sweet layer. Although I was already very full, I notice there is always a secret second-stomach for pudding – which is just as well, as there was plenty to go around! My sweet layer featured a passionfruit and poppy seed macaron, an orange and pistachio financier, vegan Battenburg (!!!), a chocolate brownie cake, and of course the mixed berry shake I had already devoured. 

Meanwhile Garry had a coffee and walnut cake, frangipane Bakewell tart, a GIANT raspberry Viennese whirl and - star of the show - a seasonal fruit shake! Garry remarked that his shake tasted like the Jamba Juice smoothies he buys when he's in America. The whole afternoon tea definitely had an American twist on the classic British meal, which was a nice change from the usual. 

Full, satisfied and happy, we sipped our tea (or Diet Coke, in Garry's case), snacked on the remains of our meals, and watched the view of the marina from our seat by the window. Our drizzly afternoon was successfully brightened! 

Mother's Day is coming up, and I for one don't know where my mum is going to put another orchid in her house - there's only so much shelf space. The best gifts don't take up space, so instead of making your mum's house look and smell like a florist, why not gift her with a memory instead? Make her feel like the special person she is with a luxurious afternoon tea in cool and contemporary surroundings, featuring incredible views of the marina and friendly, efficient service. I can't think of a better gift for Mother's Day, and the great news is everybody's catered for, with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options available. It'd be rude not to, really... 

We’d like to say a huge thank you to Sophie and the fabulous team at Malmaison Brighton for our delicious afternoon tea. I'd highly recommend this experience to anyone looking for a special afternoon out in Brighton - vegans and meat-eaters alike!

Hidden Depths and Experience Days have been partnered for many years now, and we wanted to get to know the-Bristol-based scuba school more! Offering a range of courses, from Discover Scuba Diving and, Children’s Scuba Diving Lessons, all the way to a PADI Open Water Course, Hidden Depths welcomes anybody and everybody to give scuba diving a go. Read on to discover advice for a first-time diver, and an insight into the UK’s underwater wildlife!

Can you tell us a bit about the background of Hidden Depths Scuba School?

Hidden Depths Scuba School was formed in 2012 by PADI dive instructor Greg, with the aim of providing high quality scuba diving courses to Bristol and the surrounding area. Since the dive centre began, we’ve also added an active dive club, offering scuba dive trips around the UK and dive holidays abroad, and have increased the size of our teaching team. This allows us to offer more flexibility in our lessons, keep our instructor to student ratios small, and our training quality high.

What can you expect out of an introductory discover scuba diving experience?

Fun! Your first scuba dive is full of fun and excitement, as it’s not every day that you get to breathe underwater! With our knowledgeable and friendly team, you will be guided through a safety briefing and have time to get familiar with the scuba kit on the poolside, before we gear up in the water for your dive.

Once you’re comfortable with the sensation of breathing underwater, we progress deeper into the pool and introduce fun underwater games, as well as having plenty of time to swim and get used to moving smoothly through the water. We even introduce basic dive skills to show you what it’s like when learning to dive!

Do you have to be a confident swimmer in order to dive?

No, but a general comfort in and around the water is a must. There are no specific swim requirements when joining us for a Discover Scuba Dive, however if you decide to continue into a full certification course, there is a requirement to swim 200m and complete a 10-minute float as part of your course.

What advice would you give to a first-time diver?

Relax and enjoy it! Our experienced team will help guide you through your first scuba dive experience and will always be right by your side to provide guidance and tips on making the most of your experience.

How best is it to take the plunge from indoor pools to open water diving?

With our fantastic dive team, we make this transition smooth and as easy as possible. We always make sure you are fully comfortable in the swimming pool environment before moving into open water for the next step on your journey. Once there, you will see the amazing world beneath the waves, and enjoy exploring the endless number of dive sites we have around the UK coastline.

What types of wildlife can you expect to see on a UK open water dive?

The UK has a wide variety of wildlife, which often comes as a surprise to people I talk to. We have bright and colourful fish like the cuckoo wrasse, strange fish like the John Dory and many crustaceans like lobsters and crabs to spot on your dives. One of my favourite British sea creatures has to be a grey seal, which can be found all around the coast, but some of the best places to dive with these playful creatures is around Lundy Island and the Farne Islands, which both boast large seal colonies. If you’re really lucky you may even spot a basking shark, the largest fish to be found in the seas around Britain… but fear not - they only eat plankton!

Thank you for reading!

Thank you to Hidden Depths Scuba School for answering our questions, we can’t wait to come and give it all a go ourselves on our visit next month!