Could it be Beauty berry - Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii ‘Profusion’?

I was thinking that it looked like a Laurustinus (Viburnum tinus).

I think you may have the answer, Tugbrethil - the flower clusters are very Viburnum-like. I'm sorry, Drc, I know nothing about Callicarpa, so I can't tell you if you are right. Thank you both.

I have a large 14 year old Vibernum tinus and I didnt make the connection perhaps because you didnt mention its pink/white flowers.

Sorry, Drc, yes, I was forgetting the flowers, they are rather pretty pinky white and grow in flat-headed (Does one call them panicles?) groups. So a viburnum it is! Do they have any particular requirements? Ours seems to be dying in parts, whole branches within the bush just turning brown. We lost a big (sorry I don't know the proper name for it) pineapple tree that was growing right next to it a couple of years ago without any warning - it just failed to come back to life one Spring.

Could it be short of water? Mine was cut back very hard last spring as it was looking a mess and its lovely this year.

It is entirely possible, Drc, for such a large bush to be growing in such shallow soil, we shouldn't be surprised, I suppose. We do tend to get feast or famine on the rain front, and when we water the whole garden during drought, it would take a long time to supply something that large adequately. It has probably outgrown its space. I shall take your advice and be quite brutal with the loppers in Spring. Thank you.!

:))

I really must get to grips with smileys. It would save an awful lot of my verbal diarrhoea. :o) How was that one?