The Bath Magazine January 2015 by MC Publishing Limited

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ISSUE 148 • JANUARY 2015 www.thebathmag.co.uk

£3.00 where sold

H A P P Y 2 0 1 5 F R O M T H E C I T Y ’ S F I N E S T M O N T H LY G U I D E T O L I V I N G I N B A T H

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THE | CONTENTS

@ thebathmagazine

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THE ‘MUST-DO’ LIST

5 things to do in Bath this month

10 12 14

THE YEAR AHEAD Highlights of what’s happening in 2015

18 SET IN STONE The stories behind Bath’s statues, fountains and monuments

DREAMING OF SUNSHINE The beautiful Greek island of Kefalonia

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6 OF THE BEST

CLASSICAL EYE Profile of international architectural designer Anthony Paine

GARDENING Jane Moore suggests the best shrubs for year-round colour and interest

PROPERTY PORTFOLIO Homes for sale and to rent

Even more great content and features can be found online at www.thebathmag.co.uk

BATH LIT FEST 2015 Highlights of this spring’s event

THE WALK Branch out to north of Bristol

CITY PEOPLE Bath’s movers and shakers

PERSONAL CHALLENGE The Bath father who’s going to tackle the toughest race on Earth

GALLERIES GALORE The first of the new year exhibitions

FOOD HEROES

Places with meat-free menus

32 BENEATH THE SURFACE Artist Jeremy Gardiner takes inspiration from the ancient Jurassic coast

Sylvana Tann profiles the talented Chris Staines, head chef at the Allium

26 WHAT’S ON The new year’s cultural calendar

WINE COLUMN

HOMES & INTERIORS Designer Clair Strong shows us how to work the new big bold florals

Angela Mount picks wines that are lighter on the wallet and the alcohol

FACE THE MUSIC The story behind one of Bath’s most popular buskers

MRS STOKES January: really a time to give up drink?

Neill Menneer’s portrait subject is Rodney Dowding of the Regency Cleaners

THE CITYIST Learn more about The Guild working hub

BATH AT WORK

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NEW YEAR RESOLUTION Hannah Sturgeon helps us pick the right exercise session

ON THE COVER The Angel of Peace in Parade Gardens is given a ‘Warholesque’ makeover by designer and illustrator Lorna Harrington

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ere we are at the start of the year, an exciting time, with so much ahead of us and the chance to wipe the slate clean and begin afresh. New Year’s resolutions needn’t be those dull old ‘give up this’ and ‘stop doing that’ – instead they can be positive gestures. I will see more of my friends, I will try new experiences, I will make the most of living or working in Bath. So, we thought we’d kick off 2015 with a fresh look at our city, with a tour of some of the statues, fountains and monuments that see all around us but may not have taken much notice of before. We hope you’ll enjoy the stories we’ve uncovered behind Bath’s public art. Also on the streets of Bath are the city’s buskers, part of what makes the place interesting and lively. These musicians are people we walk past every day, but how often do we stop to wonder about their lives? Mick Ringham has done just that by interviewing Jerri Hart, one of the most accomplished – and most popular – musicians to play for free on the streets, and asking him for his own top ten tunes, see Page 14 to find out Jerri’s choices. In our first issue of 2015 there is the usual smorgasbord of cultural happenings to look forward to this month, as well as a longer view about what’s coming up locally and nationally, from the dates of key festivals to the events such as the Rugby World Cup and the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo. We hear from Viv Groskop, writer, stand-up comedian and artistic director of the Independent Bath Literature Festival, who is inviting us all to take part in picking our favourite novels of the past 20 years, to coincide with the festival’s 20th anniversary. Take part in person, or by adding #Best20Books to your choices on Twitter. There’s gardening (the best shrubs for all-year interest), interior design (big, bold florals), a walk (from the Severn Beach railway line) and architecture (a profile of designer Anthony Paine). There’s even a bit of Greek sunshine in our travel feature and healthy advice on where to go in Bath for veggie food or an exercise class to suit different lifestyles and personalities. In short, I hope we’ve included something to amuse, entertain or inform you to make the best of life in this beautiful little city.

Georgette McCready Editor

THEBATHMAGAZINE Editor Email: Tel: Deputy editor Email:

Georgette McCready georgette@thebathmagazine.co.uk 01225 424499 Jenny Hayes jenny@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Production manager Email:

Jeff Osborne production@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Commercial production Lorna Harrington Email: lorna@thebathmagazine.co.uk Publisher Email:

Steve Miklos steve@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Contact the advertising sales team, tel: 01225 424499 Advertising sales Liz Grey Email: liz@thebathmagazine.co.uk Advertising sales Email:

Kathy Williams kathy@thebathmagazine.co.uk

The Bath Magazine and The Bristol Magazine are published by MC Publishing Ltd, 2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED, and are independent of all other local publications.

All paper used to make this magazine is taken from good sustainable sources and we encourage our suppliers to join an accredited green scheme. Magazines are now fully recyclable. By recycling magazines, you can help to reduce waste and contribute to the six million tonnes of paper already recycled by the UK paper industry each year. Please recycle this magazine, but if you are not able to participate in a recycling scheme, then why not pass your magazine on to a friend or colleague.

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ZEITGEIST

things to do in January

See

Lighten up

You may have seen these beautiful botanical paintings on postage stamps or on a recent episode of the BBC’s Countryfile. They’re by Bath artist Julia Trickey, who has been a botanical watercolourist since the 1980s and has won four RHS gold medals for her work. She is an Associate of the Royal Botanical Artists and lectures in her art. We can see her work close up in a new book by Julia, Plant Portraits by Post, or in February when she has an exhibition of spring blooms paintings at Kew Gardens. And speaking of snowdrops, they’ll be out soon . . . then can spring be far behind?

The dark nights of January – when people are suffering post-Christmas winter blues – will be livened up by a week-long mini festival of light in Bath city centre. Illuminate 2015 takes place on eight evenings from Saturday 3 to Saturday 10 January, between 5pm and 8pm. Thanks to the Arts Council, Bath Spa University and Bath and North East Somerset Council we’ll be able to enjoy all kinds of installations and light surprises for free. Just remember to look up when you’re out.

Challenge If you’ve tried and failed to get a place in the London Marathon you’ll be delighted to hear that a new west country marathon, the Bristol Bath Marathon, has been announced. The 26-mile route along closed roads, will begin in the centre of Bristol and wend its way through a total of three counties, before finishing here in Bath. If viewing the sites and the countryside along the way inspires your running, then this promises to be a good race to enter. Organisers Go2 haven’t yet revealed the route at the time of writing but runners can register their interest in taking part by visiting www.bristolbathmarathon.com. The marathon takes place on Sunday 25 October, giving Vitality BathHalf runners plenty of time to get those extra miles under their belts.

Read February sees the 20th annual Bath Literature Festival take place, with a plethora of big name writers descending on the city for our entertainment and enlightenment. Artistic director Viv Groskop, in her second year at the festival’s helm, has booked Richard Madeley and Judy Finnegan (pictured), Alistair Campbell, Melvyn Bragg, Jonathan Dimbleby and Bel Mooney (two of the festival’s original founders) along with comedians Helen Lederer and Omid Djalili, historian Simon Schama, Andrew Motion and Antonia Fraser. The Bath Literature Festival’s major sponsor is The Independent newspaper. Tickets go on sale on Monday 19 January, visit: www.bathfestivals.org.uk/literature. For more highlights, see page 48.

Detox Beat the January blues by indulging in some sybaritic pleasures on your doorstep. Bath Tourism Plus is offering a special deal for visitors to Bath, which includes the chance to spend four delightful hours in the soothing warm waters of the Thermae Spa – but why should visitors to the city have all the pleasure? Bathonians can enjoy a staycation by booking overnight accommodation, from £75 per person, which includes a four hour session at the famous baths including use of robe, towel and slippers. This is the ideal opportunity to treat yourself, with a spa session followed by dinner at your favourite restaurant and a good night’s sleep in a luxury hotel bedroom. New Year Detox packages will be available to book from www.visitbath.co.uk/detox. For more spa information visit www.visitbath.co.uk/spa-and-wellbeing.

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THE CITY The buzz Farewell

A woman with one of the best contact books in Bath and who has worked tirelessly for good causes in the city, Sue Tucker, has retired from her job as a fundraiser for the Royal United Hospital’s Forever Friends Appeal. Sue has worked for 13 years for the appeal, during which time the hospital has been able to open the fabulous Dyson Centre neonatal unit and buy a Gamma CT Scanner. More recently Sue has been one of the driving forces behind the campaign to raise £8.5m for a new cancer centre, serving the half a million people in the hospital’s catchment area. One of the peaks in her career was Sir James Dyson confirming a donation of £4m towards the target. Sue celebrated her last day with a party. A friend and supporter of The Forever Friends Appeal, Angela Calvert-Jones surprised Sue with a cheque for more than £9,000 for the charity raised through the recent History Makers of Bath Exhibition. Sue worked with Angela on the development of the History Makers of Bath, an outdoor exhibition celebrating the great men and women of the city. The exhibition attracted thousands of visitors to view the 30 panels. Tim Hobbs, head of the fundraising team at the appeal, and who has worked with Sue for 13 years said: “Sue’s compassion and dedicated spirit has enabled her to build strong relationships with charity supporters and has helped provide medical services for every member of the community living in BANES, Somerset, Mendip and Wiltshire. I know that one of her other lasting memories will be the role that the Appeal played in helping to fund the magnificent premature baby unit here at the RUH – The Dyson Centre for Neonatal Care. Sue has had a stamina and commitment to supporting the NHS over the years that has never waivered – we will miss her, but wish her well in her new life with husband Mike and her family in Devon.”

Sponsor

Bath Ales has agreed to be a sponsor for a big cycling event Bike Bath 2015 which takes place on Sunday 5 July. This is the third year the event will have been staged in the city, offering cyclists the chance to take part in 25, 50 or 80 mile rides which take in some beautiful countryside, beginnging and ending at the Rec, just off Great Pulteney Street. There Bath Ales will be running a marquee and bar offering post event refreshments. Bike Bath is organised by Iconic Cycling Events and last year attracted 1,300 participants. To take part visit: www.bikebath.co.uk.

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My BATH We ask Tatjana Humphries manager at The Guild, coworking hub at the Guildhall Bath what she’ll be doing in January What brought you to Bath? Work. I’ve lived in the south west since I was five. After graduating in 2010 I moved back and forth between Bath and London before finally settling on Bath in Feb 2012. The tech and creative industries are absolutely thriving here in Bath, so it made complete sense to base myself here. What are you reading? I’ve just finished Bolano’s 2666 which was recommended by one of our Guild members, and I’m about to start The Slynx by Tatyana Tolstaya (also recommended by a member – I think he saw the name connection and thought I have to read it). What is on your MP3 player? A complete mixture from Muse to Bastille to Elton John. I tend to mostly listen to film soundtracks and scores and at the moment its mainly Hans Zimmer. Which café or restaurant takes your fancy? There is so much choice in Bath and we have a number of great places here at The Guild. If we’re talking coffee it has to be a flat white from Society Café, and for lunch Jamie’s Deli. Which museum or gallery will you be visiting? I love The Fashion Museum, especially the Dress of the Year collection – but I’ll have to wait a bit for the new addition. In the meantime there is an amazing collection to see and it’s based in the beautiful Assembly Rooms. Your passions? What hobbies or interests will you be pursuing? Reading is a real passion of mine - we’re thinking of starting an informal book club at The Guild. F1 is another huge love of mine – I’m more of a watcher than a taker part, but really looking forward to the start of the 2015 season. I’m also involved in Bath: Hacked an open data group set up over a year ago. So far we’ve held three hacks in Bath with over 150 devs turning up to get involved. We’re hoping to hold more hacks and getting the community involved. What local outdoor activity or event will you be doing or visiting? I really enjoy cycling along the towpaths out

near Bathampton but I think it may be too cold for that at the moment so I think I’ll be hitting the vintage and antiques market at Green Park to pick up some bargains for home and the hub. Film or play? What will you be going to see this month? Both! I don’t manage to get to the theatre as often as I wish, but the film I’m most looking forward to seeing is Foxcatcher, the reviews have been really strong and I caught the trailer before Christmas and it looks incredible. Steve Carrell is unrecognisable. What does 2015 hold in store for you? It is going to be such a great and strong year for the Guild, we’ll be kicking off Year Two at the centre with some great events, including the return of The Social Media School run by member Imogen Woodford. We’ll also be launching Gaming at The Guild a new games social to be held monthly where we’ll be showcasing the latest in gaming. Bath: Hacked will return later in the year for more hacking fun, but in the meantime there is the Ruby Conference (for Rubyists, who are users of the programming language) which is being held on Friday 13 March at The Assembly Rooms in Bath which is being organised by hub member Simon Starr. We’ll also see the Guild continue to expand and flourish with more interesting and awesome people and companies joining the space. The Guild, in the High Street opposite TK Maxx, is a for hire workspace for temporary or permanent use. It has more than 40 members and offers meeting rooms, quiet and lively office space, showers, coffee, secure bike lock-up and the chance to network with your fellow members, most of who work in the creative industry. For more information visit: www.theguildhub.co.uk. For more information about the international Ruby Conference visit: www.2015.bathruby.org.

We’re following @FGW – train operator First Great Western. Its 124,000 followers are kept up to date with the latest travel news, from delays and disruptions to wayward swans on the line. This feed will be useful when the line is electrified later this year.

JANUARY 2015

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Mrs Stokes

Sobering thoughts for a new year

©www.robbiddulph.com

takes a sideways look at life in Bath

queezed into both a dress and a corner at a glitzy Bath party last month, champagne flute in hand, I wondered just how realistic it is to achieve Dry January. Actually the concept hadn’t even occurred to me until earlier that evening when my sober companion mentioned it (she was on antibiotics for a pre-Christmas cold, so I guess she was feeling a bit sanctimonious/jealous/irritated by my rude good health). You see, just as November is now known as Movember, a month when men grow ‘taches to raise awareness for men’s wellbeing, the first month of the year has also been appropriated by charity. One that wants to educate us about the perils of drinking too much. Now, I know first-hand how rotten alcohol can make you feel – and not just because I’ve had hangovers-from-hell either. I once spent a year working in Germany, where I was hospitalised for two weeks with a suspected stomach ulcer at the tender age of 21, a condition the doctors thought was probably induced by downing too much Sambuca at the end of my waitressing shifts (the customers used to buy me drinks rather than give me actual cash tips). For my part, I insisted that the acidic, freshly squeezed orange juice I drank every morning was responsible. Needless to say, I avoided surgery, partly because I effectively “dried out” on a hospital ward with other young women there for the same reason and since then I’ve taken the drinking a lot easier. But that’s not to say I’m antibooze. Over the years it’s given me the permission to enjoy myself in awkward situations, like when I had to start meeting new people when I moved to Bath from London and needed some Dutch courage to initiate conversations. It’s also helped me to stay up all night and experience the best part of the day – that fragile space just before dawn, when electric bulbs swap places with natural light. Then, there’s an overwhelming sense of quiet followed by birdsong, something you can only know if you work shifts, drive a lorry, nurse a baby or run a market stall. Or party all night. So I’m not quite sure that giving up completely is for me. It’s the all-ornothing principle that I find so difficult. The whole idea of forgoing something I enjoy just makes me crave it even more – when I diet, I end up putting my face in a cake on day two and feel racked with guilt which makes me buckle again, rather than just ration myself to smaller portions, thereby losing weight at a slower pace and feeling smug. For the same reason I wonder if giving up alcohol completely is such a good idea for anyone, because surely, by the time February 1st comes round we’ll all be giving into the instinct to bathe in Bath Gin, rampage down George Street to sup at the altars of Revolution/The Porter, or slip a few bottles of Chateauneuf du Pape in our Waitrose bags-for-life as we whip round the aisles ostensibly in search of superfoods. That’s why if you are thinking about abstinence this month, think again. Unless you’re practically tee-total, in which case you won’t even be considering joining in anyway, can you really see yourself getting through the next, 31 grey days knowing you can’t drink even if you want to? The odd glass of red/white/craft beer could help you through what is in any case, a depressing time of year. Why make it harder? And if you have a serious problem, seek professional help, because just like giving up smoking, a short break might mean you’re stuck in another pattern of bingeing – which isn’t good for anyone’s psychological wellbeing. No, I won’t be going Dry this January. In fact, I’m planning to invite the neighbours round for a post-Christmas party, to give us all something to look forward to after the stress of the festive season. This month I’m going to throw resolutions out of the window and drink to the year ahead – why don’t you join me in a toast to giving yourself a break too? n

@mrsstokeschina

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FACE | THE MUSIC

THE MAN WHO’S STREETS AHEAD Mick Ringham talks to Jerri Hart, who has a long and successful career as a musician and now wins new fans on the streets as one of Bath’s favourite buskers

here are any number of characters who contribute to the Bath scene, but perhaps some of the most intriguing and certainly most visual of these are the city’s buskers, who entertain hordes of visitors on a daily basis, but hopefully and I say this with mixed experience, bring a smile to us residents going about our everyday business. One of the most gifted of these street entertainers is the celebrated jazz singer and musician Jerri Hart. He can be found in his trademark hat belting out classics from the crooners of the past. Favourite numbers with the Bath crowds include anything by Nat King Cole or some Frank Sinatra numbers. Jerri says he has been known to ‘test the mood’ with Cole’s Unforgettable, and of that goes down well he knows he’s got a responsive audience. Generally when Jerri sings or plays the mood is good. People smile as they listen, some stop, others applaud and there is even the occasional outburst of dancing as bystanders get carried away by the music. Born in Bristol, Jerri and his family moved to Edinburgh, where he went to the Rudolf Steiner School in the city. He appeared in various shows for the Edinburgh Festival and worked with the Phoenix Festival Company for over five years. During the late 1970s Jerri decided to move south and head for the bright lights of London’s West End, working in theatres as an electrician and fly man. By this period in his life the showbiz bug had been well established but ironically enough it was the wilds of the Cornish coast that saw him start his musical career. As he says “I needed a holiday so decided to take a couple of weeks break in Cornwall and never returned to London.”

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WHEN I FIND MYSELF GETTING DOWN I WATCH THIS VERSION OF MARSHMALLOW MAN . . . AND IT NEVER FAILS TO LIGHTEN MY DARKNESS

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It was a ticket to the Glastonbury Festival to see the legendary musician and trumpet player Hugh Masekela that influenced him to take up the trumpet and start busking on the cobbled streets of Newquay. After a short period perfecting his act he started a local reggae band and started playing gigs around the south-west. Gaining in confidence, and by now on vocals as well as trumpet, he started his own ten piece band, touring the UK and supporting famous names in the ska and reggae world including Lee Perry and Desmond Dekker. Jerri went on to establish a varied and eclectic mix of creative pursuits on the entertainment circuit, including a jazz based comedy show-band The Rhythm Doctors and toured extensively with them throughout Europe. The band was to win many awards and appeared on numerous TV shows over the 12 years they were together. His love of music coupled with his ability to lighten the mood of any audience with the gift of humour, would later see him working duo comedy acts and also his own solo stand-up routine, a fact not lost on the crowds attending Glastonbury, where he has made an astonishing 22 appearances. However, as well as the up-side in Jerri’s career there has also been a substantial degree of turbulence in his life. It was in 2000 that the musician was diagnosed with degenerative ankylosing spondylitis, which affects the spine and other areas of the body, a debilitating condition which has no known cure. 14 THEBATHMAGAZINE

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FACE | THE MUSIC

ENJOYING THE GREATS: Django Reindhardt Minor Swing, Louis Jordan with Five Guys Named Moe and Rat Pack favourites Frank Sinatra with Dean Martin duetting on Marshmallow Man He quips darkly about how this condition has affected his body: “I have gone from 6’2 tall to 5’4 in ten years and if it continues at this rate I shall be two feet tall in 50 years’ time.” Forever the optimist, Jerri remains upbeat regarding his professional life which now finds him writing and directing award winning short films, playing the clubs as well as private functions, selling his many albums and of course, performing on the city’s streets for his loyal following of fans and admirers. One of his musical projects is a musical film The Oliver Complex, in which the central character fantasises that his everyday life is actually part of a musical. And with Jerri’s voice ringing out along the street as people sway to the tune, or join in with the familiar lyrics, you can easily see where the inspiration came from for the film As for Jerri’s musical taste, it is as varied as his career, but his favourites include the jazz greats including Charlie Parker, Nat King Cole and Billie Holiday. His personal life revolves around his wife and three children and their home in Devon. I asked him what he considered to be the best busking pitch in the city. “I have a preference for the bottom of Milsom Street, the acoustics suit me and the view is fabulous.” Let’s face it, you don’t really need an X Factor stage to perform on – just talent, a quality that has never eluded a class act such as Jerri Hart.

Jerri’s choices: George Gershwin – Rhapsody in Blue My favourite recording of this is a two piano version from 1925 played by Gershwin. Though I love the full orchestral version this particular one demonstrates Gershwin’s prowess as an incredible pianist. My first band was an eight piece reggae outfit and we actually used quite a few phrases of this recording as horn riffs, with apologies to George! Django Reindhardt/Stephane Grappelli – Minor Swing On my tenth birthday my Father gave me a record of The Hot Club of France. I played it incessantly and when I was 13 years old I was lucky enough to see Mr Grappelli in concert with Michel Legrand and subsequently met him after the show. It was a great thrill that has stayed with me to this day. Chloe Hart – Good Morning Baltimore When my eldest daughter Chloe was about 12 when she told me excitedly that

she’d seen a show that was ‘written for her’ called Hairspray. She said that she wanted to play the lead part in the West End when she grew up. Chloe was a keen singer and dancer, so like all good parents I wanted to be encouraging while trying to maintain a sense of reality, as I knew how difficult it was getting into the world of professional theatre. Eight years later her dream came true and she played lead for a year before going on to be in Les Miserables and Wicked. Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody I remember the day this was released and was literally blown away by it. I went straight out and bought the single and became a firm Queen fan. A masterpiece of composition and performance. John Barry – Into Miami This is from the 1964 Bond film Goldfinger. Though a mere 50 seconds long and only designed to accompany the establishing shot of Miami, this is my favourite John Barry composition. It’s loud, swinging, exciting and loads of horns – terrific! The Beatles – Strawberry Fields Forever There are so many good Beatles songs it’s difficult to choose just one, however Strawberry Fields is one I can play again and again. Apart from the record itself, George Martin’s input is inspired and truly a milestone in pop production history . Louis Jordan – Five Guys Named Moe I had a comedy jump-jive/swing band called The Rhythm Doctors and we were lucky enough to tour continuously for 12 years mostly in Europe and Scandinavia, but we did get as far as Singapore and played in Canada many times. This song became our opening number and invariably it’s infectious rhythm got the audience up on their feet and dancing. Dean Martin/Frank Sinatra – Marshmallow Man Everyone gets down at some time and we all have our different ways of coping with it. Some turn to drink or drugs, others may take a healthier route such as yoga or alternative therapies. When I find myself getting a little down I watch this version of the song taken from Dean Martins’ 1967 Christmas Show and it never fails to brighten my darkness. Martin gets the lyrics wrong and Sinatra’s socks fall down, but their friendship and exuberance make me smile, especially as it’s such a banal song. Blood Brothers – Tell Me It’s Not True I worked backstage in the West-End on many wonderful shows for five years. This particular show stood out for me as one of the finest musicals ever written, not least because when one is working on a show with eight performances a week it’s usual to become a little bored, this never happened with Blood Brothers and it’s still as fresh today as it was back then. Chet Baker – Let’s Get Lost I am often asked who my favourite trumpet-player is and it has to be this guy. His mellow tone and faultless phrasing inspires me – not fast, nor flashy but beautifully played. I also picked this because Chet’s singing voice is just so hauntingly beautiful. He really was the master of cool. n You can contact Jerri at email: jerrih@hotmail.co.uk

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LOOKING | AHEAD

PEERING INTO THE FUTURE What does 2015 hold in store? All sorts of excitement from sporting fixtures to festivals. We’ve rounded up some of the highlights to look forward to in the next 12 months

MYSTIC: picture courtesy of make-up artist and Bath designer Katie Fishlock

hat will the coming year have in store for us, aside from health, wealth and happiness of course? We may not have a crystal ball but we did ask around about what projects are planned for 2015 and this is what we found. On the global front, this year marks the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo. On 18 June 1815 Napoleon was finally defeated by the British, led by the Duke of Wellington in Belgium at Waterloo. More than 7,000 volunteers have already signed up to take part in a re-enactment in June on the battle site. Expect to see a flurry of stories surrounding this event throughout the year. The year of Waterloo was also the year that Bath’s open air swimming baths Cleveland Pools was launched – then for gentlemen swimmers only – beside the River Avon in Bathwick. Having secured Heritage Lottery funding for the baths, the team of volunteers who are working towards the restoration and re-opening of the pools to swimmers have planned a year of celebrations. A programme of events starts in March, and continues through till autumn, with the high point being the Party at the Pools, on July 4. There are also plans to build a new landing stage on the riverbank, so visitors will be able to arrive by river. Visit: www.clevelandpools.org.uk for more information or to find out how to become a volunteer to help with events. Many people have been upset and disturbed by the needless loss of life in Bath city centre, after four young men in the last couple of years have fallen into the River Avon and drowned. But now steps are being taken to prevent further loss of life. Just before Christmas temporary safety railings were fitted along part of the River Avon in Bath, by the Environment Agency. The railings, down the left-hand side of the sloped riverside pathway leading down from Green Park Road, will be replaced by permanent railings being installed by Bath & North East Somerset Council from midJanuary. In February lovers of sublime music will be able to enjoy the Bath Bachfest, with a programme put together by artistic director Amelia Freedman. The three day festival runs from Thursday 19 to Saturday 21 February. La Serenissima will open the festival at St Mary’s Church, Bathwick with a concert of sacred concertos and motets by Antonio Vivaldi, the Venetian ‘red priest’ indelibly associated with that city. Angela Hewitt, acclaimed for her sensitive and considered interpretations, will play Bach’s Art of Fugue in an 11am concert at the Assembly Rooms on Saturday 21 February. The Academy of Ancient Music, directed by violinist Bojan Cicic, will return to Bath with a mainly Bach programme including the Concerto in D for two violins. More fine period-instrument players will take to the stage on Friday 20 February when four soloists from the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment give a lunchtime concert. This will feature trio sonatas from Bach and Handel plus a suite in the French style from Telemann and a harpsichord-led suite by Rameau. To close the weekend Paul McCreesh and the Gabrieli Consort & Players will devote their Bath Abbey concert to Handel in Italy, specifically Rome where he wrote a cantata thanking the Virgin Mary for protecting the city from earthquake, and his setting of the Latin psalm, Dixit Dominus. Full details: www.bathbachfest.org.uk. Tickets, from £10 to £34, from Bath Box Office on 01225 463362. Here at The Bath Magazine we’re looking forward to the Vitality Bath 16 TheBATHMagazine

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Half marathon, which takes place on Sunday 1 March. We’re delighted to once more be media partners for this event, which attracts thousands of people to the city, as participants and enthusiastic supporters who line the route. Last year the atmosphere among the crowds on the streets was electric as watchers cheered themselves hoarse in support of the runners, who range in ability from the super elete to those running their first half marathon for a charity close to their hearts. While the general entries are fully booked there is still time to gain a place as a runner raising sponsorship for a good cause. Have a look on the BathHalf website and see the wide array of projects and charities which would appreciate some help. You could, for instance, raise money for the Bath Abbey Footprint appeal. This year is going to be a big push for this massive project, which includes fixing the historic Abbey’s collapsing floor and installing loos, a refectory and choir rehearsal space, as a total of £19.3m is needed for the work to be carried out. The Heritage Lottery fund has pledged £10.4m by 2016, but that depends on the Abbey supporters raising the rest of the money. The annual Bath in Fashion festival of frocks runs from 21-29 March this year with guest visitors from some of the leading names in fashion past and present. A host of events are lined up, including Claudia Croft, of the Sunday Times Style magazine, talking to designer Roksanda Ilincic whose clothes have been worn by The Duchess of Cambridge, Samantha Cameron and Michelle Obama, while Alexander McQueen is the subject of an event hosted by Susannah Frankel, Fashion Director of Grazia and Tim Blanks editor-at-large for Style.com, which will coincide with a retrospective exhibition at the V&A. Jolly’s is the main sponsor for Bath in Fashion, reflecting the fact that the Bath store, which has just undergone a major makeover, has always been a trail blazer, being one of the first stores to offer fixed price merchandise before championing ready to wear clothes. Another happening with a Bath focus is the new book Dress of the Year which chronicles the Fashion Museum’s collection over the past 50 years; each dress chosen by a leading fashion writer, featuring clothes from Mary Quant, Jean Muir, Ossie Clark and Karl Lagerfeld, to Giorgio Armani, John Galliano, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Donatella Versace, Tom Ford, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood and Sarah Burton. Selvedge Magazine will be staging one its very popular fashion fair to the American Museum and there’ll be many more other events. Tickets will be on sale from early February. Visit: www.bathinfashion.co.uk. There is a festival for virtually every month of the year, but two of the biggest and brightest are the Fringe Festival, which runs from 22 May to 7 June, and always offers a varied programme, and the main Bath International Music Festival, which runs from 15 – 22 May. We have been told that despite losing its Arts Council funding, the festival will still open with the Party in the City free event, which sees bands and musicians playing at indoor and outdoor venues all over the city. Bath is a great place for entertainment. The Theatre Royal starts the year well with offerings which include Hairspray, Twelve Angry Men, King Lear and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, while over at Komedia

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LOOKING | AHEAD

COMING UP IN 2015: clockwise from top left, Bath in Fashion takes place in March, Beryl Cook at Victoria Art Gallery, willow work by Laura Ellen Bacon, a Canaletto on loan from the National Gallery, Tom Odell is playing at Westonbirt and Britain’s Best Potter may be the new Great British Bake Off on the BBC

in Westgate Street audiences will be entertained by comedians Simon Amstell and Stewart Francis, as well as Richard Herring’s Lord of the Dance Settee, which is worth mentioning for the title alone. Visitors to the National Trust property Dyrham Park will notice some work going on at the 17th century house over the coming months. Thanks to a grant of £85,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund exhibitions and activities will continue to run while in the background the leaking roof is replaced and a new energy efficient biomass boiler installed. From March visitors will be able to see, hear, smell and get more of a feel for the 17th century, with new maps, signs, leaflets and talks. An exhibition will explain the history of Dyrham Park from 1692 and a store area will provide the opportunity to see some of the historic collection, while the repair work is in progress. From May people will be able to ascend a scaffold tower and lift, and enjoy a walkway around the roof to see the work in action and look out over the park and garden. It is anticipated that the work will be completed in time for 2016. People of all ages are fascinated by the miniature world contained in dolls’ houses and No 1 Royal Crescent is hosting an exhibition dedicated to them. Small Worlds opens in May in the Brownsword Gallery and will feature dolls’ houses and furniture from the 18th and 19th centuries from a private collection, including a Victorian dolls’ house made in Bristol for the children of chocolate maker Francis Fry. These houses have never been on public display before and will be accompanied by lectures and events, including workshops, storytelling and handling collection sessions. Looking ahead to warmer days, the Wiltshire town of Corsham is holding a walking festival over the weekend of 12 – 14 June. The Corsham Walking Festival comprises a series of 21 varied walks to choose from, with evening entertainment at the Pound Arts Centre in the town, which has established itself as a great venue for all kinds of events. Bookings will start on 1 March: www.poundarts.org.uk, or visit: www.corshamforwalking.org.uk. The very talented and highly acclaimed singer-songwriter Tom Odell, who wowed audiences at Glastonbury and V Festival and has won the 2014 Ivor Novello award for Songwriter of the Year, will be coming to a forest near us this summer. Tom, the voice behind

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the John Lewis Christmas advert singing John Lennon’s classic Real Love, will be at Westonbirt Arboretum near Tetbury on Saturday 20 June. Tickets are £34.50 (plus £3.40 booking fee) from the Forestry Commission box office, tel: 03000 680400 or online: www.forestry.gov.uk/music. Later in the year Bath’s rugby fans will be getting excited about the Rugby World Cup 2015, which is being staged on home turf here in England and Wales. Sadly the Rec isn’t hosting any of the tournaments, which attract huge crowds, but there will be games at cities including Brighton and Milton Keynes. Kick-off for the world cup is 18 September, with the finals on 31 October. Fans of the Great British Bake Off – and there are legions in Bath – will be intrigued to hear that the BBC’s next big talent show is going to feature clay. Britain’s Best Potter (a working title at the time of going to press) will give the country’s amateur potters the chance to show off their skills in a number of techniques. A call has gone out for entrants, but the deadline is 4 January. Back in the city’s public art galleries, there’s an eclectic mix of exhibitions for 2015. At the Victoria Art Gallery the work of popular artist Beryl Cook, depicting jolly women generally having a good time, will be displayed from 7 March to 3 May. The gallery will at the same time be showing a masterpiece by Canaletto, pictured above. A Regatta on the Grand Canal is on loan from the National Gallery and it will be shown alongside Venetian views from the Victoria Art Gallery’s own collection. Over at the Holburne Museum there will also be a Canaletto centred summer exhibition and we can also look forward to seeing works lent by other galleries, including the Royal Collection, which is contributing to a Gold themed show at the museum. There’ll be the usual exciting juxtaposition of classic and contemporary, including an installation by British willow sculptor Laura Ellen Bacon. Last, but not least, although tickets for this year’s Glastonbury festival have sold out, there will be the chance to apply for them in the spring when some go on re-sale. This year’s festival runs from 24 to 28 June, and no, we don’t know who’s playing this year. Whatever you’re doing, have a very good 2015. n JANUARY 2015

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CITY | LANDMARKS

CITY’S PAST SET IN STONE Georgette McCready takes a tour of Bath’s statues and monuments and looks at the stories behind them With special thanks to Bath in Time for archive photographs www.bathintime.co.uk The mighty Jupiter in Royal Victoria Park and below, the cherub at the bottom of Milsom Street

hat’s your favourite Bath statue? Is it the young Mozart playing his violin in Parade Gardens, with the little squirrels, doves and mice at his feet? Or perhaps it’s Rebecca at the fountain outside Bath Abbey, the lifesize white marble Biblical figure dispensing water – or least that’s what she used to do when she was set up in 1861 by the Bath Temperance Association. The engraving reads Water is Best – a moral message to Bathonians who preferred to quench their thirst in one of the many city centre pubs that have long since closed. This is intended to be a quick waltz through the city centre’s fountains, statues and monuments. Generally we can enjoy more of the stories from Bath’s past if we train ourselves to take notice of what we walk past every day, and to look up to find more. Let’s begin our walk in Bog Island, beside Terrace Walk. Thousands pass it every day, most of them with not even a second glance at the ornate urn atop the fountain with its four plain supporting pillars and surrounded by iron railings. Yet this simple structure, once known as Pieroni’s Fountain, in Terrace Walk where the tourist coaches and buses spill their 18 TheBATHMagazine

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loads, has a much more illustrious past and is worthy of more attention than it gets. The fountain, as older Bathonians will recall, used to stand outside the Roman Baths in Stall Street at the wide square which separates the baths from Bath Street. And if you cross the road from Terrace Walk and look down into Parade Gardens you’ll see the statue of Bladud, legendary discoverer of Bath’s natural hot water springs, standing next to a modern statue of a pig. But the stocky figure of Bladud once enjoyed a more elevated view of the world, as he originally stood on top of the fountain by the Pump Rooms. But that fountain has seen several changes since its inception, and Bladud was just one of them. The fountain was originally erected after a competition launched by the Hot Water Fountain Committee and won by designer James Palmer, who was an upholsterer by trade. It had originally been planned that the fountain be ready in time to celebrate the end of the Crimean War, but the deadline was missed and the Tite Mineral Water Fountain (named after William Tite, MP for Bath) started spouting water, drawn from the city’s famous natural hot springs, for the public’s delight, in 1856. Locals enjoyed the sight of unwary people putting their

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CITY | LANDMARKS

ON THE MOVE: above, Bladud as he is today, with piggy companion in Parade Gardens From the top right, Peironi’s Fountain in 1888, when it stood in Stall Street, topped by Bladud and flanked by maidens representing the four seasons Middle, the Mineral fountain as it became known, without statues but with a public drinking fountain, as it looked in 1905 Below, Rebecca at the well, beside Bath Abbey, was erected by the Bath Temperance Association in protest against the locals’ preference for beer and gin rather than water Peieroni’s Fountain is the subject of a new book by Colin Fisher Pieroni’s Fountain: an Italian immigrant’s Search for respectability in Victorian Bath, published by Akeman Press, price £10 Visit: www.akemanpress.co.uk

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hands out into the water and then being surprised to find it was hot: “a sudden drawback of the body is shown to the bystanders, who are a little amused at the shock of agreeableness to the novice,” recorded The Bath Chronicle at the time. Sadly, as with so many projects in Bath, the fountain came in for a lot of criticism. Someone said it was little more than a receptacle for rubbish and dead cats and encouragement for small boys to get up to mischief. In 1859 the fountain was remodelled. The celebrated Italian plasterwork artist Stefano Pieroni, who had settled in Bath and taken British citizenship, decided to create a statute of Bladud as a humble swineherd in his simple tunic. He also added four figures representing the four seasons and put an iron railing around the whole thing to prevent small boys from jumping into the water and fooling about. There was some trouble with the flow of water and an invitation from Pieroni for public donations was not entirely successful, and while some praised the new-look fountain, one self-appointed critic said Bladud had the head and body of a large man on child’s legs and that the four seasons characters resembled ‘misformed applewomen.’ People continued to snipe at the – largely waterless – fountain until builder James William offered to cart Bladud and the four maidens of the seasons off to his home at Entry Hill. The fountain enclosure was filled with flowers and, a few years later, a drinking fountain was installed beside it and an ornate run had been placed on top. Ivy crept up and over the structure in the decades that followed, with few paying it much attention. But in 1927 it featured in the news as a group of striking Welsh coal miners, walking on their way to protest in London, stopped in Bath, where they took the waters at the fountain, attracting a crowd and a lot of interest. In the 1930s it was refurbished again, but Bath’s industrial grime in the air rendered it dark and neglected looking for future generations. It was finally moved to its current site in Bog Island in 1989, while Bladud was rescued from Entry Hill in 2009 and put next to a pig statue in Parade Gardens, where he now watches over small boys and girls climbing on the pig. If we stroll up to Royal Victoria Park we can see more evidence of the Italian Signor Pieroni’s contribution to the city. Opposite the Botanical Gardens, peering out from among the conifers in a massive and rather fiercesome face which has startled many a passerby as they’d caught its stern gaze leering from about 20 feet above their heads. This is the bust of Jupiter, carved by John Osborne and weighing in at a hefty six tons. Osborne was a self-taught sculptor who died in JANUARY 2015

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ANCIENT AND MODERN: clockwise from top left, the Victorian statues of Romans around the baths, one of the lions on the gates to Royal Victoria Park, Queen Victoria on the side of the Victoria Art Gallery, King Edgar and King Coel beside the Thermae Spa, Resurrection, beside Bath Abbey, and the obelisk in Orange Grove, erected at the behest of Beau Nash as a tribute to William of Orange who visited Bath poverty. The head was given to the city by Pieroni and Thomas Corbould, landlord of the Lamb Brewery in Stall Street. It was set on a plinth in 1861, designed by James Wilson and carved by H Treasure. This is an unusual piece of sculpture, carved in Bath stone and a rare example of colossal Neo-classical sculpture. Also in 1861, the giantic stone bowl on a stand, which features so often in tourism photography showing the colourful flowerbeds in the foreground, framing the Royal Crescent behind, installed in the park. While this might look to us like a giant birdbath, it’s actually known as a tazza and formerly bore Pieroni’s name on the side, although this has worn away. Close by that spooky yet majestic head of Jupiter, set in what is known as the dell, is another relic of the Victorian age, the stone garlanded Shakespeare altar. This has been used, until recent years, by members of the Bath Shakespeare Society, when a floral garland is traditionally placed over the monument. There is a story which wouldn’t look out of place in an episode of Dad’s Army, as told in Colin Fisher’s new book Pieroni’s Fountain, in which, in April 1864, every organisation in Bath seemed to be involved in a grand parade on the day the Italian leader Garibaldi passed through Bath on the train. The assembled crowds, including the Mayor crowded onto the platform in the hope of seeing their hero, who refused to get out of the carriage, but instead waved to his admirers and shook the hands of as many women as he could through the train window. Following this excitement the various parties were to process to the Shakespeare monument in Royal Victoria Park where a platform had been erected to hold the bigwigs. There were brass bands and groups of marching men from different organisations, including the Foresters, who refused to pay the toll to cross North Parade Bridge, so marched out to Widcombe, and were therefore late joining the others. A bizarre scene unfiolded as the brass bands played brisk tunes while the mayor and his party tried to march as slowly as possible to allow the Foresters to catch up. One can imagine the Mayor, like Captain Mainwaring, eyes rolling as the two groups finally converged and with a grateful sigh he took his place with the other dignitaries and press on the platform. But no sooner had they all climbed on to it than the platform collapsed, toppling on to their backsides. The town crier, a 20 TheBATHMagazine

portly elderly man, was left lying on his back shouting: “Where is my bell? Where is my bell?” We shall draw a veil over the ensuing mockery and laughter from the watching crowds. Near the entrance to Royal Victoria Park is the once famous Batheaston Vase on its stand. This is actually just a copy of the original, which was taken from Cicero’s house, near Rome, and brought to Britain in the 18th century. Lady Miller, who loived at Batheaston used the vase in parlour games. Guests would drop their poems in to it and these were read out aloud, with prizes awarded for the best verses. Before we leave the park, by the Queens Parade entrance, we stop to admire the noble black lions atop the pedestrian gates, each with a paw on a golden ball. Children in Bath are often teased that these lions get down off their gates at night and prowl through the park. They were a gift from benefactor G Geary in the 1830s. I don’t find them quite as unsettling as the human-headed lions, or sphinxes, which sit at the Marlborough Lane entrance to the park. Cross the road and you’ll find the obelisk with three lions at its foot, set in the middle of the road. This was erected in 1837, seven years after the 11-yearold Princess Victoria came to Bath to open the park, and was put here to celebrate her 18th birthday. The people of Bath were clearly fond of Queen Victoria. Back in the city centre, on the corner of Bridge Street, stands the Victoria Art Gallery, built to mark the Queen’s 60 years on the throne. There’s a rather fine frieze depicting great men, along the side of the building plus, a little incongruously I always think, a statue of the old queen in a plinth. This statue was by Andrea Carlo Lucchai and has a very detailed skirt – as far as one can see from the pavement. The statue was paid for by the women of Bath. A nice sisterly touch. From the Victoria Art Gallery, turn the corner into the High Street and look up. Perched on top of the Guildhall is the lead figure of the Scales of Justice, harking back to the days when the city’s magistrates sat in wood panelled splendour inside the Guildhall. Head off to Upper Borough Walls and look up at the side of the bulk of Continued on page 22 >>

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STREET SCENES: left, the Angel of Peace in Parade Gardens once stood on George Street, while, bottom right, the Laura Place fountain used to be an altogether grander affair, top, as it was in the winter 1929 when the waters froze

the Royal National Mineral Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases to see a triangular frieze depicting the Good Samaritan from the Bible, giving water to a thirsty man at the roadside. The large donkey at the side must be one of the few donkeys honoured in British statuary. If you’re an animal lover you may have noticed the horse trough which still stands in Walcot Street in front of an ornate Victorian drinking fountain set in the wall near the foot of the Paragon Steps. Sadly the Ladymead fountain no longer quenches the thirst of man nor beast. If you’re walking down Milsom Street ahead of you on the side of the building in Bond Street, is a chubby little cherub stands in an alcove. He was once part of the Melfort Cross, huge ornate baroque cross assemblage set up in 1687 at the Cross Bath to celebrate the fact that James II’s wife Mary of Modena, fell pregnant after taking the healing waters at Bath. The statues around the Roman Baths are seen every day by thousands of visitors but how many of those visitors wonder how old they are? They are of Roman emporers and soldiers and were made, all but one, by sculptor GA Lawson for the 1897 grand re-opening of the baths. If we pop down to Bath Street there are two very worn statues high up in alcoves beside the Thermae Spa. Number 8 Bath Street was known as the House of Antiquities as it was built to store archaeological findings uncovered in Bath during the 18th century. The statues above the front door are of King Edgar and King Coel and originally formed part of the 17th century Guildhall. Finally, to the fountain that’s used as a roundabout. The one that students like to fill with foam in celebration. The Laura Place fountain, which, let’s face it, without any adornment let alone water, is a bit of a sad, sorry thing – particularly given that it’s surrounded by tall, Georgian graciousness. Legend has it that the residents of Laura Place fancied something grand for the centre of the open space – perhaps a tall column like Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square, they thought ambitiously. By 1877 sufficient funds were raised but then it dawned on them that it might just loom over them, casting shadows and spoiling their perfect view. The people of Bath seem to favour an obelisk rather than a statue of a king astride his horse. The Queen Square obelisk (1738) was organised by Beau 22 TheBATHMagazine

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Nash and dedicated to Frederick Prince of Wales, and Nash was also the driving force behind the positioning of the Orange Grove obelisk, erected originally in 1734 as a tribute to William of Orange who visited Bath. If you nip round to the south east door of the Abbey you’ll find the statue The Resurrection of Christ, rising up and breaking free of his funerial winding sheet. This was carved in situ by local sculptor Laurence Tindall in 2000 as part of the Abbey’s celebrations of the millennium. We can now retrace our footsteps back to Parade Gardens to one of my favourites, the winged Angel of Peace which stands at the top of the steps protectively. This beauty was put here in memory of Edward VII, in tribute to his skills as a peacemaker. This once stood on George Street – where one can imagine it making a fine sight to anyone looking up from Milsom Street. There was a time in the 1990s when displays of sculptures were put out in the streets of Bath for all to enjoy. After a time, public art from leading sculptors such as Sophie Ryder, creator of the graceful hares, was replaced by the lions of Bath project. The last notable piece of public art was the torso of the swimmer, modelled on champion swimmer Mark Foster, which was placed at the entrance to SouthGate shopping centre, but that has been since moved to stand beside the City of Bath College. There have been calls for a statue of Jane Austen to be erected in the city – but even if this project was realised, you could put money on there being people who didn’t like it. Maybe the Georgian splendour is best left ungarnished? I personally would like to see a fountain set up in Brunel Square, round which people could sit while waiting for arrivals to come out of the station, and which would sparkle in the sun to welcome visitors as they stepped off the train. I have barely touched the tip of the iceberg in this tour. We haven’t taken into account all the coats of arms and carved lions that can be found around the city centre, or the statues and busts to be found inside museums and the Guildhall. In my travels several people have pointed out that Bath owns a great treasure trove of art, some of it three-dimensional, which cannot be seen because it’s kept in storage. But that is a story for another issue . . . n

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WHAT’S ON in January Events are listed in chronological order

Eric Ravilious

Cinderella Until Sunday 11 January, performance times vary Theatre Royal, Sawclose, Bath The best-loved panto of them all, Cinderella brings magic and sparkle to those bleak days of the new year. Family fun and lots of laughter from the Ugly Sisters and Bath’s own cheeky chappie, Jon Monie, starring as Buttons. Tickets: 01225 448844. Visit: www.theatreroyal.org.uk.

★ Editor’s pick Eric Ravilious: a life in pictures Monday 5 January, 7pm The top gallery, Holburne Museum, Bath Bath Evening Decorative and Fine Arts Society hosts this talk. Based on the James Russell series Ravilious in Pictures, James Russell explores the life of the multi-talented British artist through a selection of his mysterious, emotionally charged watercolours. The paintings are a delight, the story funny, moving and full of surprises. Visitors welcome: £7, full-time students free, pre-booking essential, tel: 01225 742819 or visit: www.bedfas.co.uk To KIll A Mockingbird

Also at the Theatre Royal this month Regent’s Park London Theatre presents: To Kill a Mockingbird Monday 12 – Saturday 17 January, performance times vary Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize winning classic is essential reading for all young people, tackling as it does a lot of relevant issues, from racism and bullying to justice and morality. London’s award-winning Regent’s Park theatre company brings this professional staged version to Bath. If you have a teenager in your house, do take them to see this enthralling production.

Meet the Artists: Edwina Bridgeman and David Brayne Thursday 8 January Victoria Art Gallery Join Somerset artists Edwina Bridgeman and David Brayne for tours of their sculpture and painting exhibitions. David’s talk and walk is from noon to 12.45pm and is free, while Edwina’s is from 1pm-1.45pm, which is free to exhibition ticket-holders.

Reconstructing a dress from a Gainsborough portrait Sunday 11 January, 2.30pm Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street, Bath Artist Jenna Miller will be showing how she created a replica of Louisa Byam’s dress in Gainsborough’s portrait. She will talk through the different stages of undergarments to the outer dress and there will be an opportunity to closely examine and handle her work. To book tel: 01225 388569.

Bath Drama presents Return to Wonderland Wednesday 14 – Saturday 18 January, performance times vary Detail from piece by Jessica Palmer Alice at the Rondo Theatre

The Rondo Theatre, St Saviour’s Road, Larkhall Local writer Alison Farina was commissioned by Bath Drama to write a fresh version of Alice in Wonderland. It is 1918 and Alice has grown up. After serving in France as a volunteer nurse in the war, her adventures in Wonderland are a distant memory and she is struggling to find her way. It is only when she catches a flash of herself as a young girl in a mirror that she is awakened to the healing powers of Wonderland where this new adventure begins. Tickets from: www.bathboxoffice.org.uk or tel: 01225 463362.

Fringe 2015 Open Meeting Wednesday 14 January, 6pm Burdall’s Yard, Anglo Terrace, London Road, BA1 5NH Attend the open meeting to talk about possibilities, find out how the Fringe works and how absurdly simple (and, compared to other Fringes, how cheap) it all is. If you want to put on a show or event, go along or visit: www.bathfringe.co.uk, admin@bathfringe.co.uk. This isn’t the annual volunteer meeting, that’s later in the year, though volunteers are welcome to attend and join in the conversations or listen.

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Impossible Gentlemen

Bath Philharmonia Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a concert, a film, champagne and a rose! Wonder Ice spectacular Saturday 17 – Sunday 18 January, 11am – 7.15pm St Gregory’s School, Odd Down, Bath Skate off the winter blues on a super smooth synthetic Superglide rink. Family-friendly sessions with a cosy winter tea room serving refreshments. Skating is available for all ages and there are fun, penguin ‘skating helpers’. All prices include the hire of equipment. Adults from £7.95, children from £6.95, family from £25. Visit: www.iceskatingtickets.co.uk/saintgregorysbathicerink. All proceeds will go towards fundraising for Phase 2 of The New Sixth.

David Lean’s 1945 Classic Film

Brief Encounter & Rachmaninoff’s

Piano Concerto No.2

Paper-cutting workshops with Jessica Palmer Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 January, 10am – 4pm The Museum of East Asian Art, Bennett Street, Bath Celebrate the Lunar New Year of the Sheep with artist Jessica Palmer. Leaping, skipping, on a mountain side, curly or long horned – the possibilities for interpreting sheep and rams are endless. Or take along your own animal image and Jessica will work with you to turn it into a beautiful paper cut design. All work will be displayed in Bath as part of the celebrations of the Lunar New Year. £35 includes tea and coffee, and use of all tools and materials. To book email: palmerk@outlook.com or tel: 01225-284598, saying which day you’d like.

Bradford Roots Music Festival Saturday 17 – Sunday 18 January from 11am Wiltshire Music Centre, Ashley Road, Bradford-on-Avon BA15 1DZ The talented people of Bradford-on-Avon will be putting on two days of all kinds of music, plus children’s activities, jam sessions and workshops, plus real ales and food. Tickets: weekend pass, £18 (adv) £14 u18s, day tickets, Sat £13 (adv), Sun £8 (adv) Visit: www.wiltshiremusic.org.uk. Tel: 01225 860100.

Also at the Wiltshire Music Centre this month The Impossible Gentlemen Saturday 24 January, 7.30pm Anglo-American supergroup of four great stars of the world jazz scene; Gwilym Simcock, Mike Walker, Steve Rodby and Adam Nussbaum. Tickets: £18. Tel: 01225 860100 or visit: www.wiltshiremusic.org.uk.

Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Saturday 31 January, 7.30pm Perennial favourites at the music centre, the OAE are back, playing period specific wind and string instruments. The concert opens with Mozart’s Serenade in B flat Gran Partita, followed by Myslivecek’s Wind Octet and then a selection from Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Tickets: £32/£16 u18s. Arrive at 6.30pm for pre-concert talk.

Noises Off by Michael Frayn Tuesday 20 – 24 Saturday January, performance times vary The Mission Theatre, Corn Street, Bath The Next Stage Theatre Company celebrates The Mission Theatre’s 10th birthday with a revival of its 1999 production. This comedy centres around a theatre company which is facing a leading lady on the point of collapse, backstage bitching, clandestine affairs and frayed nerves. A classic farce. For tickets visit: www.missiontheatre.co.uk or tel: 01225 428600.

Ian Bostridge on Schubert Wednesday 21 January, 7.30pm St Swithin’s Church, Walcot, Bath Singer Ian Bostridge has turned his talents to writing Schubert’s Winter Journey, which interprets the composer’s masterpiece Winterreise, a setting for 24 poems by Muller. Tickets: £10 (redeemable against book purchase) Tel: Topping & Co 01225 428111. Continued Page 28 >>

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Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No.2, the haunting theme to David Lean’s Brief Encounter, played live by the orchestra and international soloist Alexandra Dariescu A screening of the classic film Brief Encounter in its entirety Champagne and long stem roses for sale in the lobby!*

Saturday 14 February The Forum, Bath 7:30pm Tickets £15 for adults and only £8 for children under 18, available at the Bath Box Office 01225 463362, www.bathboxoffice.org.uk, or by phone & online through Ticketline 08448 889991, www.bathforum.co.uk *quantities limited

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Romeo and Juliet Saturday 24 January, 7.30pm Pound Arts Centre, Pound Pill, Corsham, Wiltshire Adhoc and Rondo Theatre Companies present Shakespeare’s classic tale of love and tragedy in a new production prior to a run at the Madinat Theatre in Dubai. Tickets: £10, tel: 01249 701628 or visit: www.poundarts.org.uk.

Also at the Pound this month Bristol Old Vic Theatre School presents: Julius Caesar Saturday 31 January, 3pm A rollercoaster tale of murder, politics and loyal friendships betrayed. This new version, specially adapted for young audiences, reimagines the play in a modern world of media manipulation, digital information and 24 hour news. The students at the world famous theatre school invariably go on to have glittering careers in the theatre, on television and on film. Age guidance five and over. Tickets: £9 (£8 concessions; £6 under 12s).

Planning ahead Seth Lakeman Friday 6 February, 7.30pm Seth Lakeman

The Forum, Southgate, Bath Multi-talented west country folk singer/songwriter and violinist picks Bath as just one of 11 venues he’s chosen to launch his new album Word of Mouth. For ticket details: www.bathforum.co.uk.

Also at the Forum in spring Saturday 7 March The Levellers: showing of their film A Curious Life followed by a live performance. Suitable for age 15 and over. Tickets from £24.50.

Valentine’s Day showing of Brief Encounter and a performance by Bath Philharmonia Saturday, 14 February, 7:30pm

Brief Encounter Bath Decorative Antiques Fair

The Forum, SouthGate, Bath True romantics will love this event, as the Bath Philharmonia performs Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto with international soloist Alexandra Dariescu. See the film whose soundtrack it inspired, David Lean’s 1945 classic Brief Encounter. There will be champagne and long stem roses for sale in the lobby. Tickets: £28/24/20/18 (£10 unreserved), tel: 01225 463362, www.bathboxoffice.org.uk, or through Ticketline, tel: 08448 889991, www.bathforum.co.uk.

Bath Opera presents: Peter Grimes 19 – 21 February, performance times vary The Wroughton Theatre, North Road, Bath Bath Opera is putting on a fully staged production of Benjamin Britten’s operatic drama, to include all the composer’s Orchestral Sea Interludes. Tickets will be available from Bath Festivals Box Office or from any member of Bath Opera, or tel: 01935 475219.

Bath Decorative Antiques Fair Friday 6 – Sunday 8 March,11am – 5pm daily The Pavilion, Bath This will be the 26th year the fair has been staged in Bath. It’s always a delight to visit, stocking as it does collectables of all kinds, including French painted furniture, early folk art and tactile textiles. New to the show this year is Bristol based Dig Haushizzle, which specialises in funky, unusual contemporary and industrial inspired furniture and accessories. Tickets to the exhibition are £3.

Charity event in aid of Children’s Hospice South West Saturday 7 March, 7pm Fire walking

Bath Racecourse, Lansdown John is running the gruelling Marathon des Sables in April (see our story Highway to Hell). He is organising this black tie event with speakers from the word of sport and adventure and from Children’s Hospice South West). There’ll be live music, an auction and entertainment. For details, tickets or to get involved/sponsor the event email: runthesaharaevent@gmail.com.

Forever Friends appeal Fire Walk Sunday 15 March, 6pm Alexandra Park, Bath Are you brave enough to walk barefoot over red hot embers heated to over 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit? The Forever Friends Appeal is inviting people to take part in the challenge of a lifetime, a fire walk being organised by Time4Change and its founder Cliff Mann, the most experienced firewalking instructor in Europe. Entry is £30 and entrants are expected to raise at least £100 towards The Forever Friends Appeal’s RUH Cancer Care Campaign. To sign up visit www.foreverfriendsappeal.co.uk or tel: 01225 821535.

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UNITED IN SONG

MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Francis Faux with some of Bath’s choral singers

aydn’s uplifting oratorio The Creation will make an appropriate vehicle for the launch of an exciting new choral group at the beginning of this year. The performance in Malmesbury Abbey on 9 May will mark the first public appearance of a new choir formed by bringing together singers from two choral societies. Bath’s Organum choir and Corsham Choral Society are both established groups with long and successful histories of music-making behind them. However the resounding success of some recent joint ventures has convinced their members of the greater range and scope of musical performance that they and their audiences can enjoy by merging to form a single, larger choir. The common factor uniting the two choirs has been the musicianship and charismatic leadership of musical director Francis Faux who, together with accompanist Will Ashworth, has inspired both choirs to new levels of musical ambition in the scale and quality of performance they can achieve. Francis took over as musical director of Organum in 2009 and of Corsham Choral at the end of 2011. The choirs first combined in 2013 to give a stirring performance of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana at the Wiltshire Music Centre. This proved to be a springboard for still greater things: in May 2014 the two choirs gave a highly acclaimed concert in a packed Bath Abbey as the flagship event of Bath’s commemoration of the start of the First World War. The concert, held in conjunction with the Royal British Legion, included the European premiere of Christopher Tin’s Kia Hora Te Marino and concluded with a spellbinding performance of Karl Jenkins’ mass for peace, The Armed Man. The choirs later repeated this work as the centrepiece of the Redcliffe Remembers event at Bristol’s St Mary Redcliffe Church on 4 August, contributing to the national Lights Out commemoration of that historic day. The final collaboration of the two separate choirs was A Christmas Celebration, a concert of seasonal music at St Luke’s Church on 20 December. Alongside the undoubted success of these joint concerts the musical friendships between the members of the two choirs were consolidated during a shared concert tour in Tuscany in the summer of 2013 – an experience that is to be repeated with a similar tour to Prague in 2015. Corsham Choral Society traces its origins back to the Corsham Choir which began giving concerts in 1858 and continued to flourish, with a change of name along the way, until 1932. It was the vision and energy of local musician John Nourse that saw the revival of Corsham Choral in 1989, leading to another 25 years of choral singing in Corsham under three different musical directors including Colin Howard and finally Francis Faux. Organum grew out of a small group of singers in the village of Colerne to become, in 1996, a Bath-based choir under the leadership of Colin Hunt. Initially drawing much of its membership from the east side of Bath, the choir steadily grew in size and continued for many years to fulfil its original objective of bringing choral music to the villages in the environs of the city. These two choirs, each with its own distinct character and background, are now to merge and take their musical life forward into fresh challenges and fresh opportunities under the new name of Lucis (meaning ‘of the light’), which will rehearse on Tuesday evenings from 7.30pm at St Luke’s Church, Wellsway. When their members come together to celebrate with a grand launch party in February and present their first concert performance in May, they will know that it is above all a love of shared music-making and the pursuit of ever higher standards that has united them in taking this bold step into the future. If you would like to be part of this new choir, contact Francis Faux on francisfaux@hotmail.co.uk for further details. n

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Celebrating British Heritage in our Homes Tetrad Harris Tweed Calvay Chair

BATH’S LARGEST FURNISHERS

ver the decades, Harris Tweed has been recognised across the world as a uniquely stylish, heritage brand representing the best in true British design. Hand-woven and dating back over a century, Harris Tweed rises above fad and fashion and has been embraced by royalty, celebrities and couture designers as an affordable, must-have luxury staple. Richard Hayes of TR Hayes furniture store in Bath looks at the latest collaborative range of comfortable and stylish furniture from Harris Tweed and Tetrad, and gives his thoughts on why this is furniture that why this is furniture worth investing in. Harris Tweed has grown in popularity over the years as a brand that represents the best of British design and heritage through its subtle look, hand-woven texture and classic Montrose Sofa patterns. Remaining true to its time, Harris Tweed uses 100% pure wool and age-old techniques, passed down from one generation to the next in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It’s these sustainable credentials, combined with its natural strength and softness, that make Harris Tweed so appealing and modern. Hard wearing and expertly crafted, the latest collaborative range from Harris Tweed and Tetrad features beautiful cushions, footstools, sofas, armchairs and beds, and is sure to add a touch of warmth, style and British tradition to your home. Classic and timeless in style, the Bowmore group has two sizes of sofa and an armchair that are both understated and sophisticated, with Edwardian inspired Chesterfield designs, elegant curves and simple lines that will complement any décor.

TR Hayes is offering fantastic reductions on the Harris Tweed range and across the store in its Winter Sale lasting until the end of January 2015. For a more traditional English looking sofa, the Chesterfield would never look out of place, and is individually hand buttoned, with feather filled seat cushions that will be a source of comfort for many years to come. The perfect choice for country settings and more contemporary homes, Harris Tweed offers a varied range of “feature” furniture pieces that are timelessly stylish, and that can be mixed and matched to create a more eclectic look. Montrose and Stornaway are a classic example of this, combining deep forest check and leather detailing that work in harmony when combined together through their complementary range of sofas, armchairs and footstools. For more information on the latest Harris Tweed and Tetrad range visit the TR Hayes store on London Street or online at www.trhayes.co.uk. Local Delivery is free, and there is a large customer car park at the side of the store.

Braemer Sofa

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LANDSCAPE | ART

TAKING THE LONG VIEW A new exhibition by Bath artist Jeremy Gardiner shows work inspired and informed by the ancient history of the south coast

ike many an artist before him, Bath painter Jeremy Gardiner is inspired by the sweeping curves of the English coastline – but Jeremy’s vision extends beneath the surface to look at the geology of the landscape, which takes in many millennia. Jeremy’s knowledge of fossils and rocks is brought to a new exhibition at the Victoria Art Gallery in Bath with the Jurassic Coast as its theme. The exhibition at the public gallery, which is owned by Bath and North East Somerset Council, runs from 17 January until 1 March and the work on show links two UNESCO World Heritage sites, Bath and the Jurassic Coast, which is just over an hour’s drive away. The Jurassic Coast stretches 95 miles, from Orcombe Point in East Devon to Old Harry Rocks in East Dorset. Its geology spans the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, covering 185 million years of earth’s history. Gardiner studied specimens of fossils from the area – ammonites, plesiosaurs, brittle stars and plant-like forms called crinoids – all of which occur in his artwork. Also included in the exhibition is an accurate 3D map displaying the locations of the picture, which were painted over a 20-year timescale. He said: “For several decades I have been exploring the ancient history of the Jurassic Coast in Dorset and Devon, on long walks, boat rides and flights, forever seeking out new points of view for my landscape painting. Erosion by sea, weather and human activity has resulted in a huge variety of landforms; cliffs, beaches, landslides, arches and caves, providing an incredibly rich resource.” And although Jeremy’s travels have taken him to other places of geological interest, including the volcanic forms on an archipelago 300 miles off the coast of Brazil and the Greek island of Milos, he is always drawn back to the Dorset coast for the inspiration it provides him. He says: “My sense of atmosphere and form has been strongly influenced by this natural environment on the coast while my colour palette reflects this connection; sometimes the methods I use for constructing a painting are forced in new directions by a desire to honour specific features in the landscape.” Jeremy Gardiner maps patterns of information into his pictures – taken from science, geomorphology, new technologies as well as physical engagement with the Dorset coast. In an attempt to emulate the effects of geological time, his working method involves scouring, building up layers of paint, collaging and sanding down. He penetrates the outer crust in order to explore underlying structures and history. Also included in the six-week show are monoprints, their images suggesting a downward slice through the landscape, like the view of layers of time often found on the Jurassic Coast. The notion of a single view is something Jeremy seeks to dispel. Instead, he considers his prints to be like a musical score, composed of themes and variations. Entrance to the exhibition is £3.50, while concessions and the under 21s go free. A visit may inspire more of us to head down to the coast and see Dorset in a fresh light. Find out more about Jeremy’s work in the book

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The Art of Jeremy Gardiner: Unfolding Landscape. A short film, A Page in the Book of Time, by local award-winning filmmaker Jesse D Lawrence will be showing alongside the exhibition. In the film the artist can be heard talking about the brevity of time in geological terms and his lifelong relationship with Dorset. n

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ART | EXHIBITIONS

A NEW YEAR DAWNS A major new exhibition exploring the links between music and art launches at the Museum of East Asian Art this month – just one of the fascinating shows in Bath which open 2015 The Museum of East Asian Art Bennett Street, Bath. Open Tuesdays – Saturdays, 10am – 5pm, Sundays, noon – 5pm. Admission: £3 adults

A first century man dancing, from nearly 2,000 years ago. He wears a long robe, which covers him down to his feet except for the tip of his left shoe. During this Han Dynasty it was common to bury figures of servants and performers in tombs so that they could serve the master in another world.

Music in China Saturday 17 January – 31 May Exploring music in Chinese culture and its importance to different levels of Chinese society. The ruling class sees refined music as a tool to sustain a harmonious society. The masses enjoy the entertainment of popular music. Musical traditions from other cultures also enrich Chinese music and have a huge impact on its development. This exhibition explores three different aspects of music in China. The relationship between music and governance where state ceremonies are generally accompanied by music played on standardised instruments. Here, the Book of Songs, a compilation of song lyrics, is one of the Five Classics that form the Confucian canon. Music from outside China investigates how Chinese music was influenced dramatically by various nomadic tribes who occupied China in different periods of time, as well as by the introduction of Buddhism, music from Central Asia and India through the Silk Routes. Music, Legends and Performances looks into the music which accompanied dramas and operas based on ancient mythologies and folktales. Books from SOAS Library (School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London) gives more insight to each part of the exhibition. There are songs, lyrics, melodies and illustrations covering music from ancient to modern China. Highlights are an illustration from the book Collection of Qin Music (Qin qu ji cheng) which contains music from the Tang dynasty (618-907) to the Republican period (1911-1949), and a selection from Repertoire of Operatic Songs and Terpsichorean Melodies of Mei Lanfang. Mr Mei (1894-1961), was one of the most famous Peking opera performers in modern history. The set of

books is bilingual which shows the popularity of Peking opera in and outside China. There will also be a selection of Chinese instruments on display, and visitors can get a real sense of their sound from the interactive screen in the gallery. A programme of events accompanies the exhibition. Through funding from the Arts Council the MEAA is exploring ways to make East Asian arts and culture more accessible and will be running workshops in the wider community Art produced at these workshops will form the body of a new exhibition starting from June, making 2015 the year of music at the museum.

Lacquer box from Qing dynasty, Jiaqing period (1796-1820). This type of box was made in southern China, possibly the Guangdong (Canton) region, and sent to the court in Beijing. It would have been used for sweetmeats to offer visiting relatives at Chinese New Year

Rostra Gallery George Street, Bath Tel: 01225 448121

Early Morning Mist by Nick Cudworth Nick Cudworth Gallery London St, top of Walcot Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 445221, visit: www.nickcudworth.com Winter Works Until 31 January An exhibition of prints of winter scenes in Bath and new works by Nick Cudworth which include the views from the artist’s studio towards Bathwick during moonlight, after snow and looking through the mist. The gallery is closed on Mondays.

Fresh Talent 10 January – 9 February Highlights include Marc Heaton who creates fun eye catching paintings that reflect his love of shape and colour, Naomi Greaves creates hand-printed papercuts inspired by Victorian collections; entomology and antique book engravings and Anna Marrow’s bold screen prints combine everyday objects with exotic creatures and characters. Rostra Gallery also welcomes Genista Copeland’s intricate beach hut sculptures inspired by the British coastline, screen prints by The Lost Fox who blend contemporary illustration with bold geometric forms and new jewellery artist Laila Smith dazzles the gallery with her silver and gold collection which utilises clean lines and silhouettes and hints at her interest in architecture, repetitive elements and grid structures. Sculptures by Marc Heaton

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Silent Night by Emma Rose

ART | EXHIBITIONS

Hilton Fine Art 5 Margarets Buildings, Bath Tel: 01225 311311 Mixed Winter Show Until 31 January This exhibition features artists including; Rose Hilton, Neil Pinkett, Ellie Hess, Bo Hilton, Martyn Brewster, Tom Hughes, Paul Wadsworth, Ruth Stage, Arthur Neal. Plus sculpture by John Huggins and ceramics by Mary Kaun English and Tanya Gomez. All works are in an under £1,000, or under £500 category, making it interesting, diverse and accessible.

Dark to Light 2 – 31 January A fresh new year is heralded at Emma Rose Art Works with a new exhibition of paintings reflecting the changing seasons. Bleak to beautiful. Beaux Arts 12 – 13 York Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 464850 www.beauxartsbath.co.uk Winter Show Throughout January, 10am – 5pm Enjoy the chance to see the brilliant animal ceramic sculptures by Nick Mackman. He travels to Africa regularly, where he observes animals in the wild and studies their body language. Also on display a mixed tableau by gallery favourites such as Nathan Ford, Akash Bhatt, Simon Allen, John Maltby and others. Jo Oakley, a British artist based in London and Whitstable, will be featured in Bath for the first time.

Sweet Peas and Tamarisk by Jo Oakley

9am on Carlton Road, Bath, November by Tom Hughes

Emma Rose Upstairs @ 78 Walcot Street www.emmaroseartworks.com

From Land to Sea I by Boo Mallinson Bath Contemporary 5 Gay Street, Bath BA1 2NT gallery@bathcontemporary.com www.bathcontemporary.com tel: 01225 461230 12 – 23 January As the new year settles in Bath Contemporary airs a selection of favourite works from a mixture of established and emerging gallery artists.

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Victoria Art Gallery By Pulteney Bridge, Bath Open Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm, Sundays, 1.30pm – 5pm Tel: 01225 477233. Edwina Bridgeman: Ship of Fools Until 11 January The popular local artist has a distinctive style of making art from found materials and turning them into something appealing, magical and unique. The Ship of Fools is a large boat set up in the gallery and surrounded by a throng of over 150 little characters – the passengers. Admission to the show is £3.50. Concessions and under 21s free. All pieces are for sale. JANUARY 2015

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ART | EXHIBITIONS

Lane House Arts Nelson Place East, Bath BA1 5DA Tel: 07767 498403 www.lanehousearts.co.uk New Narratives January

Introducing beautiful delicate vessels and lamps from new gallery artist, contemporary ceramic designer, Louise Hall, alongside provocative and powerful work from emerging talents Gina Brown and Zsolt Dudas. Gina Brown’s rich oils translate an archive of old photographic material to create covetable paintings that are of the present but haunted by the past. Hungarian Zsolt Dudas draws from personal experience and uses drawing and sculpture to support his paintings to measure the body and explore its boundaries.

Sweet Peas by Lynne Cartlidge

The Place We Knew by Gina Brown

Umbrella Girls by Sandy Cleland (Royal Photographic Society)

Simple Beauty: the William Scott Project and Royal Photographic Society exhibition Simple Beauty: The William Scott Project is an exhibition by Action on Hearing Loss artists, all of whom are deaf with additional needs. This selection of 2D work has been chosen by founder of 44AD Art Space Kate O’Brien. The artists hope the simple beauty of the work will shine through, and lift the spirits of those – patients, staff and visitors to the hospital – who encounter it. All works are for sale. The Visual Art Group of the Royal Photographic Society showcases its Members’ Exhibition. Simple Beauty by Amanda Harman

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David Simon Contemporary, 3-4 Bartlett Street, Bath www.davidsimoncontemporary.com Tel: 01225 460189 Mon – Sat 10am – 6pm, Sunday 2pm – 5pm Small Works, 10 January - 6 February 2015 will begin with a gallery packed with small works of art by Lynne Cartlidge, Christine Feiler, Ann Gover, David Ralph Simpson and Julie Christian Young. This exhibition features paintings, original prints, ceramics and sculpture.

Adam Gallery John Street, Bath

Life in New York by Pedro Rodriguez Garrido

Royal United Hospital Combe Park, Weston, Bath

Pedro Rodriguez Garrido Throughout January Garrido, who was born in Huelva, Spain in 1971, and educated at the University of Seville is an artist in the urban tradition of Edward Hopper and Richard Estes. He has been drawn especially to the charms of New York which provides a backdrop to much of his work. Garrido’s interest in the city’s infrastructure can be seen in his work, from the busy highway scenes to the panoramic views taken from tall buildings. Garrido lives in Spain and for this show he has painted several street scenes and views of the Thames, but there are also views of American cities scenes from Spain, including Seville.

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nick cudworth gallery

Snow Flurries – oil on canvas and prints in various sizes

WINTER WORKS From 2 – 31 January An exhibition of prints and new works that include the views from the artists studio towards Bathwick during moonlight, after snow and looking through the mist.

5 London Street (top end of Walcot Street), Bath BA1 5BU tel 01225 445221 / 07968 047639 gallery@nickcudworth.com www.nickcudworth.com

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BLUE SKY THINKING in the midst of winter our thoughts turn to sunny days and warmer times ahead. Georgette McCready recharged her batteries on a visit to the beautiful greek island of Kefalonia

t’s no coincidence that hedonism and sybarite are both Greek terms for enjoying the good life. There is so much about a Greek holiday which is about sheer pleasure, from the sunshine and warm seas to the friendly people and some great food. And the height of indulgence is floating in an infinity pool, with a clear blue sky overhead, a view over a deep azure sea and the prospect of a cold beer beside a sun lounger when you do finally haul your lazy self out of the water into the heat of the day. Villa holidays with your own private pool mean you don’t have to bag your sun lounger with a towel, nor do you have to befriend Dougie and Sandra from Croydon over a hotel buffet. You’re free to get up when you like, breakfast on the terrace, go where you please and dine in or out, as you fancy. And with the beautiful island of Kefalonia to explore, we would have been very remiss not to prise ourselves away from that pool and find out more about what’s to see and do. So, one morning we got up early, hopped into our hire car and drove to the island capital Argostoli where when the fishing boats come in with their catch each breakfast time, the giant turtles appear to swim around the boats in perfectly clear waters, in the hope of picking up some titbits. These beautiful and endangered creatures, a mottled green-grey and the size of dustbin lids, turn balletically as they swim. They’re quite a tourist phenomenon, attracting a small crowd each morning. While in the capital city we explored the streets, laid out in grids, looking at the shops and quietly remarking to each other that Argostoli could hardly be described as a pretty city. And there’s a very good reason for that which is brought sharply to life with a visit to the earthquake museum. Here you can see black and white photographs of the scenes of devastation on 12 August 1953, which virtually flattened the entire city – homes, schools, shops, businesses and churches – in less than a minute. More than 600 people in the area were killed. Sailors from the British Navy were first on the rescue scene, picking dazed survivors out of the rubble, and they were later helped by the Israelis and the Swedes. Standing in the comfort and warmth of the sunshine today it is sobering to think what the Kefalonian people had endured. First occupation by the Italians during the Second World War, then by the Germans who massacred so many Italian soldiers on the island, in scenes later depicted in the novel, and later the film, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. After this the Greeks endured a civil war, followed by the earthquake of 53. The island today relies heavily on tourism. Family run businesses, such as 38 TheBATHMagazine

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Unique Villas, are really switched on to what British visitors want. Unique has even employed Graham the concierge, a great man to go to whatever your needs and a far cry from the package holiday reps keen to push boat trips to the Blue Lagoon. Graham’s customised service begins before you’ve even packed your case at home. Via email he finds out what sort of holiday you’re looking for. It might be a spring break in which you’d be looking for some mountain walks and the chance to enjoy the wildflowers, or you might be in search of waterskiing or want to hire a dinghy. The personalised service runs to finding you a private chef to come to the villa and prepare and serve dinner – great if you have children as there’s no need for a babysitter. We were treated to the services of Viva one evening, the Greek mamma with a fabulous New York accent, who arrived at our door with all the ingredients for a three course feast. She took over the kitchen while we sat in splendour on the terrace, watching a spectacular thunder and lightning storm roll in across the bay. Graham prides himself on being able to source all kinds of things for his clients – his proudest moment, he says, was finding a mandolin player to serenade a couple when a man wanted to propose to his girlfriend. We stayed at the Villa Ionian Beach villa, one of a handful of Unique Villas scattered across the hillsides overlooking the tranquil bay of Lourdas on the southern coast of the island, a mere half hour or so’s drive from the airport. Graham meets all Unique Villa holiday visitors at the airport to make sure they they feel looked after. On arrival at our superb modern villa we found a welcome pack, that’s standard, which included tea, coffee, bread, bacon, cake, milk, water and a very good local wine (made from grapes). The three bedroom, three bathroom villa was equiped with everything we could wish for, from a dishwasher to a CD player. We weren’t overlooked in any way, so we felt like rulers of all we surveyed as we lolled our elbows on the side of the infinity pool, floating, and enjoying a view of sea and sky that you would never tire of. The village was a few minutes’ stroll away and the beach down the hill, via a calf-tightening 164 steps. Still, it’s good to take a little exercise to walk off all the moussaka and Mythos. If your idea of a beach is all strip lighting and nightclubs, Lourdas probably isn’t for you. It’s unspoiled, with little more than a few tavernas

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SUMMER | TRAVEL

TO INFINTY POOL AND BEYOND: main picture, the pool and view at the Ionian Beach Villa. Above, Argostoli, the clear blue sea and the turtles swimming beside the fishing boats

along a seafront dirt track beside some allotments. But the beach is sandy, albeit gritty sand, and the waters quite safe. A ten or 15 minute stroll along the beach takes you around some rocks to more beaches – most of them quiet. We were there in September when most of the holidaymakers were middle aged or older. A lot of those on the more secluded beaches chose not to wear costumes to swim or sunbathe, so there was a laidback, casual air. You could spend the whole holiday completely relaxing and unwinding, and we did pretty well on that score. I only switched on to social media once all week, which has got to be good for one’s emotional wellbeing. Lunchtimes were spent in the shade at a little beachside taverna, enjoying delicious fresh fish or a classic Greek salad and in the evenings there was a wide choice of places to eat within walking distance of the villa. We drove across the mountains one day to visit Sami on the east

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coast. I would recommend taking a road trip on at least one day of your holiday. We drove through beautiful mountain scenery, passing sleepy little villages to arrive at Sami, where yachts line the harbour wall. You could spend another day, as we have on a previous holiday, driving north to visit Mount Assos and the now gentrified fishing village of Fiscardo where the smart set moor their floating gin palaces. Unique Villas is always adding to its portfolio of property and is happy to talk to British investors too about which houses will give them a good return. In 2015, the business is adding four new luxury villas, from £1,710 low season to £7,066 during peak season. Classic villas range from £553 during low season to £3,168 during peak season. (Figures based on December currency rates.) For further information and bookings, visit www.uniquekefalonia.com. Follow on Twitter @VillasUnique. n

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Bath@Work Our series of photographic portraits by Neill Menneer shows Bath people at work. View a gallery of our Bath@Work subjects at: www.thebathmag.co.uk

Rodney Dowding Engineer at the Regency Cleaners

was born in 1959 in what was for some unknown reason called Chinatown, or Innox Road, in Twerton. There was an old shed on the corner of our road from which an old lady with a rather vicious Alsatian dog used to sell vegetables. It was much more rural round there then and my mates and I used to regularly scrump apples from the nearby orchards which are now covered in housing. I remember vividly going through the allotments to see what was probably the last steam train pulling up the tracks as it went. This would have been on the old Somerset / Dorset line from Green Park around 1966 when it closed. Twerton High Street was full of characters then. ‘Peg-Leg’ Latham was the cobbler where the new gym is now and Davies Garage was where the Co-op has built a supermarket. I used to take my motorbikes there to have them mended. I went to West Hill School (now Culverhay) but I was dyslexic so didn’t do so well and left at 16. My first job was at Prices Rubber Works in Box. They used to make golf balls made of rubber. It was pretty tedious work so when I got the chance I joined my mother at The Bath Steam Laundry on The Lower Bristol Road (Now Regency Cleaners). She worked there for 45 years and my first job was as parcel boy. I had to wrap all the finished goods and load them onto the vans for delivery to the clients. There were 120 parcels per van and 15 vans so it kept me pretty busy. The best trip was when we had to go to Monkton Combe in the winter. We would then toboggan down from Hill House to the bottom on two large hampers. I then ran the wash house for about 11 years and that was surprisingly heavy work as I had to lift out all the wet sheets to take them to the spinning machine. I ended up as foreman of this operation but often gave the engineers a helping hand mending the machinery. Tinkering with motorbikes was a passion and I was fascinated by how all machinery worked. It was this interest that led me to my present job as engineer in the laundry. Learning on the job by watching how things were done was probably the best way to learn. I think this sort of apprenticeship is better than sitting a whole load of exams which many people are not good at. In February next year we are replacing the Steam Return Line and when that happens I will have installed all the existing machinery in the whole works. I belong to a bikers club called Bath Shamens and we’ve done a number of charity runs for the British Legion. My motto is ‘Give it a go’. I even did some ballroom dancing once in Moorland Rd but to be honest it was more like strictly come fighting. PORTRAIT: Neill Menneer at Spirit Photographic www.capturethespirit.co.uk Tel: 01225 483151.

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THE WINE COLUMN Angela Mount, wine and food critic picks some tipples which are lighter on the wallet and the alcohol

ne blink, and Christmas is gone, New Year fireworks are over, and the harsh reality of mid-winter sets in. January has a polarising effect – some view it as a fresh start, and set out new resolutions; others hate its gloominess, cold and starkness. This is the month when purse strings tighten and post Christmas diets kick in. In my mind, January is probably the worst month to take such radical action – it’s cold, it’s miserable and spring seems a long way away. This is a month where we need comfort, so I’ve been searching out a few wines which won’t break the bank, which are slightly lower in alcohol, but just one glass will still bring a smile at the end of a working day. Reichsrat Von Buhl Riesling 2013, Germany (GWW £12.50) A dreamy, elegant white, with subtle, but impressive charm. Fragrant and fresh, with aromas of apple blossom and pink grapefruit, which lead to tangy, citrussy, passion fruit and fresh lime-streaked flavours – gentle and caressing, it’s supremely refreshing and light, at a refreshing 11.5% alcohol – charming and elegant – a classic with spicy, warming Thai curries, or ginger and lemongrass steamed salmon. Chateau Laulerie, Sauvignon Blanc, Bergerac 2013, France (GWW £8.95) Close to the popular Dordogne holiday destination, Bergerac is an area that produces wines in similar, although more simple styles than Bordeaux, but at far better prices. This is all about crisp, fresh flavours, with a citrus kick, yet simple and easy drinking. Much lighter and gentler than New World Sauvignon, it’s crisp, light and refreshing, with subtle hints of gooseberries and crunchy green apples. View it as your little indulgence with that healthy, crisp salad. Also lovely with simply grilled white fish, or a bowl of mussels. 12 e mezzo Negroamaro 2012, Puglia, Italy (GWW £10.95) This is a recent discovery for me, and I was so impressed, that we served it to over 300 guests at the recent Bath Good Food Awards. Negroamaro is a southern Italian grape, which usually produces big, chunky, high alcohol blockbusters; however 12 e mezzo means 12 and a half, which is exactly the level of alcohol in the wine. Highly unusual for a southern Italian red, but all the better for it – it’s rich, soft and velvety, with not a harsh tannin in sight. Full of gorgeous dark cherry and damson plum fruit, overlaid with a sprinkling of wild thyme and a dusting of cocoa powder, its’ an alluring, wintry red, with a freshness and softness of style, that ‘s not overpowering. Try it with warming Mediterranean stews, slow roast lamb shanks, or a midweek pasta supper. Santa Ana Malbec 2013, Argentina (GWW £7.95) Another great winter red to ease the gloominess of January, without tugging too hard at the purse strings – in a recent online wine survey, Malbec was the most searched for red wine on internet sites, and there’s no doubting the popularity of Argentina’s favourite grape variety. However the pricing and style range of Malbecs is vast; some of them are produced in tiny quantities, are incredibly complex and concentrated but command very high prices. For January, I’ve chosen a soft, spicy, yet bold style, well under £10, which will warm the proverbial cockles and provide a decent glass of very versatile red. It’s fullbodied, with fig, baked plum, blackberry and mocha flavours, and a dead cert with steak and kidney pie, Sunday roast beef or spicy meatballs, or for a glass of warming red in front of the fire, with a slab of decent Cheddar. All of the above, plus a mixed case can be ordered through our website. Enjoy a 10% Great Western Wine discount by entering the code on Angela’s wine column. Visit: www.thebathmag.co.uk

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A Serial Award winning Restaurant with International reputation English Curry Awards 2014 BEST IN BRITAIN AWARDS (BIBA) 2014 November 2013 British Curry Awards November 2013 Asian Curry Awards

4 Argyle Steet, Bath BA2 4BA. Tel. 01225 466833 / 464758 • www. Rajpoot.com Connoisseurs choice for 34 Years. Open Daily.

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FOOD | HEROES

Silvana Tann talks to Allium chef Chris Staines – and discovers he’s on a lifelong quest to find fresh and exciting ways to serve food for the pleasure of his diners

A MAN ON A MISSION

hen Chris Staines took up the position of head chef at the Allium Brasserie in Bath back in 2012 the broadsheet food critics sat up and took note. He had created a stir of anticipation and they hurriedly trooped down from London to sample his food and write about his menu. Their columns have been crammed with praise. John Walsh said: “he’s a chef in a million”, while Jay Rayner wrote that dining at the Allium was “something worthy of the journey.” Chris is no stranger to the highly discerning clan of critics, having been accustomed to the spotlight as a Michelin-starred head chef at Foliage at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge for a number of years. He has quite a pedigree. Prior to Foliage he worked alongside Michelin-starred titans Marco Pierre White at the Oak Room in Piccadilly and Nico Landenis in Park Lane. The appeal of setting up a kitchen in Bath for Chris was to offer something fresh and new working alongside the owners of the Abbey Hotel and the Allium, Christa and Ian Taylor. He says: “Our aim has been to engage with Bathonians and visitors. We want to offer interesting and affordable food in a central location.” It is really about moving away from the lowest common denominator of offering a humble sandwich for lunch, and at the same time avoiding the opposite end of the spectrum of hushed formal dining rooms that can leave a guest feeling self-conscious and let’s face it, sometimes be as much fun as eating a sour umeboshi pickle. There are subtle points of difference in the restaurant to the mainstream and high-end outlets in town. Allium is aiming for the middle ground in the market by serving interesting plates of food without fuss and formality. Here you can eat a two course lunch or early evening menu for £17.50 or enjoy three courses for £23.50. The a la carte main dishes start at £18 or you can stop by for tasty morsels off the snack menu and tuck into scotch quails eggs or Serrano ham croquettes from as little as £4 per plate. There are no table clothes in the bright, airy restaurant, in line with the general diners’ movement towards less complicated food and simpler settings. And so to Chris’s food. The menu at the Allium is clever, the techniques well executed and similar to an energetic young boxer, Chris has each dish

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punching out full fists of flavour. There are hints of fusion dishes as you read through the choices; the cleverly conceived mandarin segments served with shrimp jam, peanuts and coriander, that dance and explode with flavour across your palate; an escabeche of quail, a dish that is full of textures with palm hearts, avocado, peanut jam and a citrus-flavoured ponzu Japanese dressing; pan fried fillet of plaice with cauliflower pakora and other subcontinent delights. And how about a lychee pannacotta with a lemongrass and ginger granite for pudding? Several of the dishes have made quite an impression on diners. “It’s great when guests ask for dishes,” says Chris. “We took the lychee pannacotta off the menu for a while and diners kept asking for it to be re-instated. So we did just that.” Dishes with a European leaning are also embedded in the menu and will leave the diner fully satisfied on many levels as everything is taken to a higher plane. The slow cooked pork belly with black pudding and pancetta for example will melt in your mouth as it is so beautifully cooked. Off this January’s menu ordering the salad of Jerusalem artichokes will not disappoint. It is served with a ballontine of chicken and truffle, with granny smith apple and hazlenuts as part of the garnish and the Jerusalem artichokes are served up in six ways. Teasing out the textures and flavour of one ingredient is a cornerstone of each dish. All of the plates of food on offer draw on Chris’s classical training. It is however the careful experimentation and blending of flavours that really captures his imagination. “I became captivated by Thai flavours when I met David Thompson, the Australian chef and author of Thai Food. From there I haven’t stopped exploring the flavours of the Far East.” Since that initial meeting he has ensconced himself in a library’s worth of cookery books and dined in a veritable telephone directory full of restaurants over many years, with a particular leaning towards Vietnamese and Far Eastern food. His quest for knowledge about food and ingredients never ceases. The food that Chris and his brigade at the Allium serve shows that they have an innate understanding and ability to manage disparate flavours and textures. The term fusion can leave most diners feeling a little nervous. It can feel like a step too far and for some it is like crossing the Rubicon and then

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FOOD | HEROES

TREATING OUR TASTEBUDS: opposite, Chris Staines puts the finishing touches on one of his dishes, which are as tasty as they are beautiful

desperately looking for a path back – in short it can be a bad experience. But in Chris’s food it is just brilliant. The playful cohesion of spices, or a hidden dash of fish sauce or smoky black rice vinegar only enhances his dishes and will leave you savouring the layers of flavour. It is an art that few chefs can perfect, but Chris is a master at it. “I think the mandarin segments on the menu really sum up what I want to achieve with a blend of flavours,” he says. Perhaps because of this, along with the popularity of the dish with diners, these mini taste exploding fruit segments stay permanently on the menu. Allium is now well established in the community and has become a favourite place to eat for locals. Chris and his team have put together an alluring menu. At the same time they have been organising ticketed events which have proved popular, such as the dinner with Tom Kerridge who came to town to cook alongside Chris and Giles Coren who held a book launch served up with Chris’s food. And Chris has regularly been involved in the annual Great Bath Feast line up, where the city’s finest chefs showcase their food in demostrations or at ticketed dinners.

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Under this umbrella the locally based BBC Masterchef winner Ping Wan Combe served up a Malaysian dinner with Chris at the Allium last October. That was so popular and successful that it will be run again on 27 and 29 January by the same pair working together to create a new menu. There are plans to refurbish the hotel’s ArtBar that has built up quite a following, serving cocktails expertly put together by the inhouse mixologists. The restaurant will also be revamped at the same time this month and the Malaysian supper will be the first event held in the newly designed area. The plan, Chris tells me is to “make the bar area flow a bit more and make the restaurant cosier.” Detail is in everything at the Abbey Hotel and indeed at The Allium Brasserie. But what really works so well is the relaxed atmosphere in the dining room, making it all seem effortless. The reality is that there is great deal of thought and skill in every plate of food served, making Chris’s experience and talent very apparent. It is now clear why Chris’s move to Bath generated such a great deal of interest, as this culinary pugilist is making a profound impact on our local food scene. n

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THE DINER’S

SIX OF THE BEST Vegetarian dining

DIGEST

Begin the new year by resolving to eat more healthily – and that could include cutting your meat consumption. Melissa Blease picks some delightful spots for vegetarian menus in Bath

Metropolitan Café

Acorn Vegetarian Kitchen

The Bloomsbury Store is one of Bath’s most reliably satisfying go-to shops whenever you’re stuck for properly inspirational gift ideas, crammed to the rafters with imaginative knick-knacks, unique jewellery and all manner of things you didn't know you wanted until you started browsing. Similarly, the cosy but chic little cafe upstairs is the kind of place where you think you’re going to stop by for a speedy shopping-break coffee but end up ordering a full-on lunch from a vibrant, fully vegetarian, largely organic range of soups, wraps, ciabattas and similar daytime delights – if, that is, you manage not to make a full-on meal of the cakes, biscuits, muffins and more that flaunt themselves along the counter. If you can grab a table by the window overlooking the bustling Milsom Street/New Bond Street/Old Bond Street crossroads you’ve found one of Bath’s best people-watching vantage points too. Metropolitan Café, 15 New Bond Street, Bath BA1 1BA Tel: 01225 482680

We’d be crazy not to begin our forage of Bath’s best meatfree menus without starting at Acorn Vegetarian Kitchen, previously known to many as the highly-acclaimed vegetarian bistro Demuths. Head chef Richard Buckley bought the restaurant from its founder Rachel Demuth in 2013, leaving Rachel free to concentrate on her Vegetarian Cookery School (in itself well worth investigating if you’re keen on cutting down on meat) and giving himself the onerous task of rebranding, revitalising and (gently) reinventing a long-standing institution. And what a marvellous job he’s done! This welcoming contemporary diner offers meat-free sustenance options ranging from speedy workday refuelling opportunities to slow, sumptuous suppers by way of tapas dishes and splendid face-free Sunday roasts. It doesn’t wallop you over the head with self-righteous mission statements about why we shouldn’t eat meat, opting instead for offering you the opportunity to learn more about what’s happening right here, right now on the veggie/vegan chef-led scene. Acorn Vegetarian Kitchen, 2 North Parade Passage, Bath BA1 1NX Tel: 01225 446059.

Blunos Okay, so there is some meat on the menu at the smart, eponymously-named gourmet playground for Bath’s much-loved, Latvian-born, walrusmoustachioed superchef. But you’d have to be a pretty confirmed carnivore to overlook the joys of the Blunos USP: fresh, sustainable, daily-changing fish and seafood dishes as understatedly glamorous, quirky and chic as the backdrop itself. This is the sort of restaurant you could happily make merry in during the dark, dank winter days (bearing in mind that the restaurant closes for January and reopens again at the start of February), whether you’re after a grand celebratory feast (oysters and fizz? Lobster Blunos?) or a blast of much-needed midweek cheer: the daily-changing Market Menu comes in at circa £22pp for two courses, and an equally cheerfullypriced wine list. The venue thrums with a staycation ambience whatever weatherbombs the British winter throws at us – one whiff of Martin’s mussels and you’re instantly transported to Juan-les-Pins poissonnerie far removed from the rather prosaic Pulteney Road. Dive in! Blunos, 18-19 Pulteney Road, Bath BA2 4EZ Tel: 01225 481188; web: blunosrestaurant.com

Yum Yum Thai The overall mission statement of this cheerful, fuss-free contemporary Thai diner is refreshingly straightforward: organic, free range and locally-sourced produce is pushed to the fore, MSG is banned and the meat in most dishes can be effortlessly replaced with tofu to create vegetarian versions of Thai classics such as Pad Thai and green/red curries (and the YTT’s renditions of the latter are exemplary). If you’re super-strict about your veggie regime, be aware that the curries do contain fish sauce, but ask any member of staff for guidance on any given dish and you’ll be offered a full and frank breakdown of exactly what goes into every pot, pan and casserole dish in the kitchen. The final tally at bill-paying time is equally straightforward: the majority of main courses are around £10.50 inclusive of rice or noodles, and you can supplement your choice with a side order from a 15-strong cast list all fluctuating around the £5-7 mark; it has to be said, though, that the generous main course portion size negates the reason for such excesses, treatsome though they may be. Yum Yum Thai, 17 Kingsmead Square, Bath BA1 2AE Tel: 01225 445253

Green Rocket Café I was brought up as a vegetarian and didn’t eat meat until I was at least 25 (apart from a shameful mini-affair with a slimy hotdog from a street vendor in an act of teenage rebellion when I was 14). If there had been more options like these when I set my personal SatNav to seek out steak, I wonder if I’d have been so easily dragged off the path of righteousness at all? The Green Rocket Café is an excellent case in point. From breakfast and morning coffee through luscious, hearty lunches, spiffing sweet treats and supper Thursday-Saturday evenings, this really is an all-things-toall-people haven of good taste, regardless of whether you choose to eschew meat on a permanent basis or not. Phil Pearce opened the Green Rocket in 2013 with an aim to convince even the most devoted meat eaters that meat doesn’t have to be the main ingredient in our diets, and today offers accessible dishes that are interesting, tasty, seasonal and fresh. Everything is made in-house so doubts about provenance are never an issue, and dairy- and gluten-free options are excellent too. Green Rocket Café, 1 Pierrepont Street, Bath BA1 1NY Tel: 01225 420084.

CHAPEL ARTS CENTRE In a recent review for this very magazine, our editor declared that she was in two minds about sharing the delights of the Chapel Arts Centre Café with our readers for fear of not being able to find a table for herself on her next visit. But share she did, and I have no qualms about taking her lead and urging tasteful Bathonians to make like we do and head here at your earliest opportunity. French sisters Lindsey and Sue took over the cafe almost two years ago and have infused the whole affair with their passion for fantastic meat-free food and impressive baking skills. On the savoury front, the flatbreads are the way forward, topped with an impressive selection of global inspirations (my favourite has to be the Aubergenie, topped with a winning combination of soft, sweet, smoky aubergine, goats’ cheese and caramelised red onion), while salads, mixed platters, soups and an amazing range of homemade sweet treats make up the rest of the totally tantalising array. The café is open on evenings when events are held upstairs at Bath’s alternative arts scene and offers early bird dining deals for ticket holders (any flatbread, salad and a glass of wine for £9.95) Chapel Arts Centre, Lower Borough Walls, Bath BA1 1QR Tel: 01225 920256.

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LIT | FEST’15

THE TOP 20 BOOKS @20 Viv Groskop artistic director of the independent Bath Literature Festival asks readers to nominate their favourite fiction from the last 20 years to compile a Best 20 Books list to mark the festival’s 20th anniversary. Look out for #Best20Books

t’s hard enough to figure out the 20 best books you’ve read in your life, let alone the 20 best books of the past 20 years. But when a big literature festival like Bath hits its 20th birthday, it’s the kind of anniversary that prompts an examination. For every year of the festival’s existence, what should we have been reading? What did we miss? And how does that list compare, say, to the results of the Booker Prize? The Literature Festival is all about celebrating the latest great reads and we’re thrilled to welcome Kazuo Ishiguro, Rachel Cusk, Kate Mosse, Fay Weldon, Linda Grant, Sadie Jones, Andrew Motion and over 150 more authors on this year’s programme. But it’s also a chance to look back. Over the next few weeks in the run-up to the launch of the Independent Bath Literature Festival at the end of February, I’ll be consulting a team of literary editors, reviewers and prize judges to put together a definitive list of the top 20 novels of the past two decades. Before we announce our final list in February, I have my own frontrunners: from The Information by Martin Amis (1995) and Brick Lane by Monica Ali (2003) to Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller (2003) and Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel (2012). Above all this is a great opportunity to talk about what the last two decades in fiction represent. How do they differ in character to novels published in the 1960s through to 1980s? Which authors have really come through in the last 20 years? I think, for example, to omit Hilary Mantel would be a huge oversight. The last ten years have almost belonged to her. Then there’s the effect of the digital revolution to consider. Has the volume of titles and the speed of publication changed the quality of fiction on offer? Or does it mean that the best really do float to the surface because there is so much around that you have to be truly excellent to capture anyone’s attention? It’s obvious who the main contenders are, many of them are singled out already for attention by the Booker. During the first year of the festival, in 1995 Salman Rushdie was riding high with The Moor’s Last Sigh (but Pat Barker scooped the Booker with The Ghost Road). From the late 1990s: Graham Swift’s Last Orders, Margaret Atwood’s Alias Grace, Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things, JM Coetzee’s Disgrace. An early favourite is Headlong by Michael Frayn, a fabulously prolific British talent appearing at this year’s Festival to talk about his latest collection of sketches and monologues, Matchbox Theatre. Some personal best reads from this century: Fingersmith by Sarah Waters (2002), The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst (2004), Mother’s Milk by Edward St Aubyn (2006), The Clothes on Their Backs by Linda Grant (2008). Then there are all the novels I’m sure other people would choose but I just couldn’t get along with: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (2009), The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson (2010), The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton (2013). And there are plenty of controversial years where there is no obvious stand-out novel that will be easy to agree on. Should we choose Kazuo Ishiguro’s When We Were Orphans (2000), a novel I reckon very few people have read? (Though perhaps they should have done. I don’t know. I haven’t read it either. I will find someone who has.) And should we reward novels that have become a huge international success thanks to a Hollywood adaptation and need no further help thank you very much? I’m thinking of Life of Pi by Yann Martel. But it’s not just about my taste. We’ll be taking a series of factors and opinions into account, including the views of readers everywhere who can reach us with their tips via email, Twitter and Facebook. Or if you’re “old school” – and we very much embrace a combination of the old and the new at the Independent Bath

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Literature Festival – then drop into the Bath Box Office next to the Abbey and tell them what you think. They will pass the message on in the timehonoured fashion of face-to-face human communication. If your New Year’s resolution is to embrace all things digital, however, do investigate our Big Bath Read 2015 page on Goodreads (www.goodreads.com, more details below). It’s a great website for book reviews and so easy to navigate. There’s a lot to think about and I can’t wait to get this debate started. I’m secretly hoping that someone will say that there are too many books published and not enough time to read them all. Or maybe I just already said it. Oops. Never mind. This list should at least help as a starting point for managing the tsunami. As for the best of the best? For me, the most memorable book of the past 20 years has to be Ian McEwan’s Atonement. I’ll fight anyone who disagrees. Message us on Twitter: @TheBathMagazine @bathfestivals @vivgroskop #Best20Books, or you can send your suggestions by email to info@bathfestivals.org.uk. See our Goodreads group for more discussions on all of this year’s Festival books: http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/152023-the-big-bath-read2015 Viv Groskop is the artistic director of the Independent Bath Literature Festival. Anniversary Event: The Best Books of the Past 20 Years with Viv Groskop and guests is on Monday 3 March at 3pm in the Guildhall. For tickets go to www.bathfestivals.org.uk or call 01225 463362. n

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LIT | FEST’15

WHO’S WHO AT THE 2015 FESTIVAL

ver the past 20 years, since its inception in 1995, the Bath Literature Festival has brought the world’s leading writers and thinkers to the city, where they have shared their ideas, experiences and philosophy with appreciative audiences. And it looks as if this spring’s festival, which runs from 27 February until 8 March and is supported by The Independent, is no exception, bringing an exciting smorgasbord of culture to our doorstep. There’ll be a celebration of the poetry of the late Ted Hughes, who appeared at the very first festival 20 years ago and read his poems to over 1,000 people in the Forum. His daughter, the poet Frieda Hughes will be helping to recreate this historic event with a prestigious line-up, including broadcasters Melvyn Bragg and Jonathan Dimbleby and poet/playwright/rapper Kazuo Ishiguro Kate Tempest, winner of the 2013 Ted Hughes Prize for Brand New Ancients. Journalist Bel Mooney, one of the founders of the original festival, will be hosting this event. Award-winning writer Kazuo Ishiguro, author of The Remains of the Day (turned into a film starring Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins and filmed largely at Dyrham near Bath) and Never Let Me Go, is coming to talk about his first novel for ten years. The Buried Giant, which is about ‘lost memories, love, revenge and war’ is due out in March, so this will be an exciting preview for us. Alistair Campbell, the ex-political spin doctor, will be talking to journalist Gavin Esler Emma Bridgewater about his new book, Winning, which is about leadership and the psychology behind a winning mindset, while the Queen of Shops and champion of the retailer, Mary Portas will talk about her new memoir, Shop Girl. We can expect laughter from Helen Lederer and Omid Djalili and strong ticket sales for appearances by the country’s best read couple Richard and Judy, historian Simon Schama and popular ceramicist Emma Bridgewater. Last year’s Bliss lectures, short talks on a variety of topics, were so well received that festival artistic director Viv Groskop has brought them back. Turkish writer Elif Shafak will be speaking about her homeland, while Omid Djalili writer Fay Weldon will talk on the subject of editing and Lynne Truss – she of Eats, Shoots, Leaves fame – will be speaking on the sound of one’s own voice . . . uninterrupted. Thoughts of the First World War will be rekindled as actress Annette Badland (currently playing Aunt Babe in EastEnders) will be reading Vera Britten’s Testament of Youth, while the city’s affection for the works of Jane Austen will be giddily Fay Weldon acknowledged by the popular festival act Austentatious. The players will be taking on the 1,500 seater Forum this year, having sold out last year. They’ll be giving us a fresh interpretation of one of Austen’s novels. For more information on the events and how to buy tickets for the 2015 Independent Bath Literature Festival – which go on general sale on 19 January – visit: www.bathfestivals.org.uk or tel: 01225 Mary Portas 463362. n WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

STUDY LANGUAGES IN BATH Evening classes starting in January and February in

• ENGLISH • GERMAN • • FRENCH • SPANISH • • ITALIAN • CHINESE •

St Gregory’s Catholic College, Odd Down, Bath, BA2 8PA For information contact 07894 913322 or email: info@languagesinbath.co.uk

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SINGING AND SPEECH LESSONS For performance, presentations and job interviews or simply for enjoyment

with professional actor/singer Lloyd Notice, from The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London. (credits include “Mufasa “in West End ,”The Lion king.”

The Royal Shakespeare Company, film and radio.

Lloyd has taught voice for over 15 years and has helped clients in performance, win scholarships’ and job interviews through vocal training. Private 1:1 or group sessions available in all aspects of voice training.

For more details contact Lloyd anytime: 07949 173 034 “Lloyd is a fantastic and encouraging teacher. He has helped me become a better singer, with the confidence to produce my own cd.” Sybil Mansfield

“Lloyds infectious enthusiasm for voice, even my voice has filled me with greater confidence in public speaking.” Dr Rick James MBA

Lloyd has guided children and adults in gaining scholarships and employment for the last 15 years.

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Safety and excellence with Swimcentral Join our small swimming classes and become a confident swimmer. We offer private or group lessons for children and adults in the centre of Bath. 'We think the lessons are great…. I personally love the pool!' ‘Kelly’s intuitive and encouraging manner of teaching has enabled me to conquer my fears in a way I would never have believed possible.’ Julie Blackman Lead a more active lifestyle! Take your children swimming and make the most of your holiday by the pool. It’s never too late to learn and with this free trial offer, you’ve got nothing to lose.

Why not try a free swimming lesson for you or your child?

Book your free swimming lesson online: www.swimcentral.org.uk/free-trial To speak to an instructor, call Kelly on 07790 210401

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JANUARY 2015

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Ever thought of hosting international students?

New year, new goals?

Part-time MSc Strategy, Change and Leadership

Bath Spa University is currently looking for people within the Bath area to become homestay hosts for international students. There are numerous benefits to hosting international students. You will get the chance to rent out an unused room; welcome new international students to the UK; experience new cultures and traditions and discover more about the wider world; as well as supplementing your income in a way that’s enjoyable and rewarding. Key homestay requirements include: • Making the student feel at home and treating them as a member of the family rather than a paying guest • Providing a kind, caring English-speaking environment • Providing a comfortable private study bedroom with internet access • Being close to transport links to the University For further information and application form please visit our website http://www.bathspa.ac.uk/university-life/ accommodation/becoming-a-homestay-host or contact Student Housing Services on 01225 875843 or email accommodation@bathspa.ac.uk.

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Free places now available

Designed for busy managers to ﬁt around a demanding management role, this part-time programme will help you to: • enhance your impact as a leader • understand organisational complexity and issues aﬀecting success • improve your ability to manage change and uncertainty • make better choices about growth and strategic direction

Email Cheralyn at eﬁm-scl@bristol.ac.uk or Tel: 0117 331 7908 for details www.bristol.ac.uk/efm/courses/postgraduate/new/degrees Come along to our Open Evening on Wednesday 25 March between 6-7.30pm. To register, please email Cheralyn at eﬁm-scl@bristol.ac.uk

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THE | WALK

VISIT PASTURES NEW Historian Andrew Swift has compiled a book of 16 walks, all reached via the Severn Beach railway line. We dip into one of them, a ten-mile journey which takes in some surprisingly rural scenes

ur neigbouring city Bristol is only a 15-minute train journey away, and provides a excellent destination for walkers, offering a choice of urban and rural walks to enjoy. Our new year walk starts and ends at Montpelier station, which is three stops out of Temple Meads on the Severn Beach Line. It is also surprisingly rural, taking in Purdown, Stoke Park, the Frome valley and the villages of Frenchay and Stapleton. The Severn Beach line has survived against all the odds. Like so many branches earmarked for closure by Beeching, it could so easily have become a barely remembered thread in the city’s history, its course now obliterated by redevelopment. Yet how much poorer the city would have been without it, not only as superbly scenic and civilised way of traversing its northern suburbs, but also as a gateway to the riches explored in the walks in my new book Walks from Bristol’s Severn Beach Line – of which this is one. Arriving at Montpelier, cross the footbridge and turn right at the road. Carry on at a crossroads and, at a T junction, turn right down Hurlingham Road. At the main road, cross and head down a footpath to City Farm. Head to the left of the frm café. At a T junction, turn right, then bear left and right at another T junction, following a sign to St Werburghs and the city centre. After a few metres, turn left past self-build houses, go under the railway and follow the lane left. Carry on as it turns to a rough track and heads right uphill. At the road, cross and head across the grass, bearing slightly right to go through a gap in the hedge in the corner, and bear left through another gap. Carry on to go through a gap by an old stone gatepost on the far side and follow a track as it curves left along the escarpment edge. At the corner of the field, turn right through a gap in the hedge towards a house, before bearing left along a path beside a high wall (ST606758). At a road, turn right through a kissing gate (KG) into Sir John’s Lane. Carry on to the right of Purdown BT Tower and past Purdown Camp, a Second World War anti-aircraft battery. The path continues through a gateway into a large meadow, where you will see Stoke Park, now converted to apartments, ahead. To your right is the spire of Stapleton Church and the tower of Glenside Hospital. In the next meadow, the ground falls away and you will see a small stone monument ahead (ST618771). As you head towards it, look to the right to see Duchess Pond, filled in when the M32 was built but partially reinstated in 1993. Just past the monument – all that remains of an obelisk erected in memory of the daughter of the Duke of Beaufort – you will see two ways into the 54 THEBATHMAGAZINE

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woods. Go through the one on the left, carry on for few metres, turn left at a T Junction and, when you come to a stile, cross it and carry on, heading to the left of the spur of woodland ahead. Once past it, turn right, keeping the woods on your right before following a track into them (ST 617775). Just past a bridge over another path, cross the ditch on your right, following a Hermitage Walk waymark. After 125m, when the path swings right, bear left along a narrow path. Go through a KG and turn right along a road. At the main road, turn right, cross at the traffic island and cross a stile beside a gate. Cross another stile and go through a gateway. Follow the fence on your left before veering right to head towards a stile into the woods. Cross it and follow a path heading steeply downhill to emerge in a meadow. Head towards the motorway, and, when you reach a hedge (ST630777), bear left alongside it and carry on between high hedges. Go through a metal gate to follow a green lane. After 300m the lane swings right and then, after a KG, left. Cross a stile at the end and turn right under the motorway. At a T junction, turn left and then right along Lynton Way. At the end, carry on along a hidden footpath on the right. After crossing a busy road, carry straight on along a footpath. Cross a minor road, carry on along another footpath which leads into a lane, and at the end turn right along a road. When it forks, carry straight on past the Friends Meeting House, with Frenchay Common on your left. Bear right when the road forks. After passing a succession of grand houses, you come to a seventeenth-century Unitarian chapel, with a weathervane depicting Halley’s Comet.

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THE | WALK

ALONG THE WAY: opposite, Stoke Park today and inset, as it was in 1910 Above, Snuffs Mill Weir – although snuff was never actually made at the mill

Head across the common to the right of the church and walk along a path past the churchyard gates. Turn right and then left, before turning right by the White Lion and left downhill at the end. Turn right across a bridge, then right again to go down a flight of steps and follow the River Frome downstream. After 1300m, cross a bridge (ST629765) and carry on alongside the river, passing the remains of Whitwood Mill and Snuff Mills Cafe. A lane leads to a main road, where a left turn leads back across the river. Cross at the traffic island and carry on uphill before turning right down Wickham Hill (ST620762). Sixteenthcentury Wickham Court on the left was where Cromwell and Fairfax held a council of war before the second siege of Bristol in 1645. After crossing Wickham Bridge, turn right along a narrow path. When it forks, bear left through the remains of a KG and carry on uphill. After going through a squeeze stile, carry on uphill past an eighteenth-century gazebo. At the road bear left. Cross a zebra crossing, carry on past the

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old Bell Inn and after another 75m turn right along a footpath signposted to Purdown. After going through a tunnel, turn right up steps at a crosspath. Carry on along a path curving to the right of Beech House. Turn left at a minor road, left again at a T junction, and on your right you will see Linden House, converted from a windmill. Turn right up Heath House Lane and cross the M32. As the lane bears left, go through a KG on the right (ST611762) and follow an overgrown path diagonally uphill. When you come to a broad path at the top, turn left along it. This leads back to Sir John’s Lane, from where you can retrace your steps to Montpelier station. Terrain: Mostly along rough paths through woods and fields. This walk is adapted from Walks from Bristol’s Severn Beach Line, by Andrew Swift, published by Akeman Press (www.akemanpress.com), with a foreword by George Ferguson, the Mayor of Bristol. n

FACT FILE Length of walk: 10 miles Map: OS Explorer 155 ■ Refreshment stops: St Werburgh’s City Farm Café, daily except Tuesday, 10-4; 0117 9080798 www.swcityfarm.co.uk The Farm Pub, Hopetoun Road, BS2 9YL; all day from noon; dogs welcome; 0117 9442384; www.thefarmpub.co.uk. White Lion, Frenchay Common, BS16 1LZ; daily from noon; food served all day; 0117 9568787; www.whitelionfrenchay.co.uk. ■ ■

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A DV E RTO R I A L F EATURE

Four Strategies for a Smart Divorce By Sharon Giles, Sharp Family Law - Bath Divorce Solicitors. Producing Resolution not Prolonging Conflict

he decision to separate and divorce is nearly always distressing, challenging and sad. Difficult transitions must be made, emotions managed, children co-parented and financial realities addressed – all happening at a time when couples are not at their best. Rational thought and common sense are frequent casualties. As a result, mistakes can be made that can later turn into regrets.

❝ DIVORCE DOES NOT END A FAMILY - IT MERELY CHANGES IT

❞

The following strategies help separating couples to cope more effectively with divorce, and to move forward with hopefulness and integrity. 1. Learn about the different options for divorce so you can make good informed decisions. Divorce Court litigation is not inevitable. There are a range of process methods that can help you to maintain control of the process and minimise conflict, expense and time. 56 TheBATHMagazine

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2. Do not position your divorce as an end to your family. Divorce does not end a family – it merely changes it. It’s important for children to know they still have a family. They need and have a right to love both parents. Research on the effects of divorce on children has shown that it is not the divorce but the way you divorce that impacts children. Parents who learn how to work together for the sake of their children have a better outcome. 3. Understand that divorce will affect your emotions. Many divorcing couples feel hurt, anxious, fearful, depressed and more. These emotions are normal in divorce and can affect behaviour. You may feel yourself becoming pettier, meaner and angrier than you had ever imagined. Support from professionals, including divorce coaches, is available to help you manage your emotions. 4. Focus on your future. Divorce is not a transactional event; it will affect the rest of your life. Actions taken and the decisions made will define your future for years to come. A settlement given careful consideration will be more satisfactory and last longer. Focus on what you want the future to look like and take actions to move you toward that vision. It may not seem like it today, but with the right mind-set and support team, you will experience new joys in life.

Sharon Giles The family solicitors at Sharp Family Law represent many separating and divorcing clients who want to protect important relationships after divorce and avoid prolonged conflict. Partner Sharon Giles encourages clients to look beyond their present situation to visualize their life beyond marriage, to preserve relationships for the longterm and make informed and realistic decisions to shape their future.

sharp F A M I LY L A W Sharp Family Law: 5, Gay Street, Bath, BA1 2PH, UK email: info@sharpfamilylaw.com m: 07766 107527 t: 01225 448955 website: www.sharpfamilylaw.com

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CITY | PEOPLE

NEWS IN BRIEF ■ Bath Tourism Plus has appointed David James, currently chief executive at Peak District & Derbyshire Tourist Board, as its new leader. He succeeds Nick Brooks-Sykes who was Bath Tourism Plus’ chief executive for three years. David starts work at the beginning of January. ■ Bath charities will benefit from a share of £18,500 raised from the city fireworks display organised by the Rotary Club Bath and sponsored by Bath Building Society. The money is being shared between Bath Gateway Out & About (BIBS’ charity of the year) and other local charities. Funds will also be given to The Bath Scouts and Bath RAG who supplied volunteers on the night. Expect something special this year, which will be the 40th for the Rotary. ■ The Georgian townhouse museum, No 1 Royal Crescent, has been highly commended in the restoration of a Georgian building in an urban setting category of the Georgian Group Architectural Awards 2014. Sponsored by Savills, the awards are won by teams and individuals who show clear vision and a commitment to recreating Georgian buildings and landscapes. Lead architect Simon Morray-Jones collected the award from His Grace The Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry. ■ Members and guests of the Institute of Directors’ Bath and Wiltshire branch have enjoyed the first of what will become a regular monthly networking event at the Abbey Hotel. It follows in the footsteps of a similar monthly event in Bristol and is designed for new and existing members to meet others in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. Bath and Wiltshire branch chair Jane Bishop of Bishops Law, in Salisbury, and Ian Taylor of The Abbey Hotel welcomed guests who included Sophie Hibbert, of Hibbert Design, and Tom Cannon, of Moore Stephens, who have been selected as two of 99 young entrepreneurs in the UK to represent potential future IoD leadership. The IoD has more than 34,000 members in the UK and overseas, with around 5,000 in the south west. The next event is at The Abbey Hotel from 6 – 8pm on Tuesday 10 February.

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Specialist apartment service launched The city’s oldest established estate agent, Pritchards, has launched a new division specialising in the sale of apartments. The Quiet Street office, with its window displays, supported by a constantly updated website, now has a direct service for people looking to buy or sell apartments. Managing director Michael Hughes said: “Pritchards has been trading since 1785 and pride ourselves on providing a bespoke, attentive and professional service for our vendors and purchasers. The new apartments division, which is headed up by Oliver Tozer, gives another dimension to our service, making life easier and simpler for our clientele.” The new service offers full colour brochures, accompanied viewings, viewing feedback within 24

hours, advertising in the press and via social networks and competitive rates. Bath’s apartments – particularly its Georgian homes – are a honeypot for buyers, attracting interest from young professionals, retirees, second home owners and people moving down from London to enjoy the lifestyle and culture that Bath has to offer. Pritchards has a new year proposition, offering free professional photography, upgraded website listings and video tours for the first ten new apartments that come on to the market with the agency in 2015. For more information contact Michael Hughes or Oliver Tozer, pictured, on tel: 01225 466225.

Adult learning courses for part-time study Adults are being invited to broaden their knowledge and skills by signing up to part-time Love2Learn courses at the City of Bath College. The college is offering all kinds of leisure courses such as art, craft, photography and cooking, practical areas such as plumbing or woodwork, or useful courses such as holiday languages. People can brush up their computer skills, learn graphic design or find out about the architecture of the British home. New courses this term include create your own Android app and an Introduction to Model Engineering, or students can get to grips with digital marketing, or a quick introduction to psychology or how to sing with emotion. The college also offers professional qualifications, such as the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants Diploma. Many

courses run in the evenings and on Saturdays. The Love2Learn prospectus is available from the Student Advice Centre in the Roper Building on James Street West. To enrol, email courses@citybathcoll.ac.uk, tel: 01225 328720 or visit www.citybathcoll.ac.uk . The English Department at the University of Bristol is also inviting people of all ages to enrol on its day and short courses. Part-time programmes, offered in the evenings and at weekends include eight week courses on literature and the environment and literature for life, Saturday courses include writing autobiography, memoirs and family history and study days on the poetry of two world wars. To enrol visit: www.bristol.ac.uk/english/part-time or email english-lifelong@bristol.ac.uk.

Writer uses crowd-funding to finance second book A serving police officer in Bath turned novelist has employed crowdfunding as a way of financing her second book. Sandy Osborne, whose first book, Girl Cop told the story of a fictionalised account of what it’s like to be a woman in the police and on the beat, has now written a stand-alone sequel called Girl Cop in Trouble. Sandy, who lives in Bath, created her character PC Sally Gentle and then wanted to share her story with the world. She decided that self-publishing would be the best option and the first paperback yielded good sales and a lot of interest. Just before Christmas Girl Cop in Trouble was printed, thanks to a successful crowd-funding campaign. Sandy invited donations and even offered to namecheck people in the novel. Sandy will be launching launching the book at Waterstones, Bath on Wednesday 14 January from 6pm. The book is also available from other

bookshops in Bath and on Amazon. PC Sally Gentle goes on another adventure in this second novel, although Sandy is at pains to point out that you don’t need to have read Girl Cop to enjoy this romantic comedy. The aspect that will appeal to Bathonians is that the characters inhabit the city in the 1990s, with scenes in Moorland Road, Milsom Street and on Bathwick Hill.

There’s even a scene at the Bath Half marathon. As with the first book a percentage of the sales will be donated to the Police Dependants’ Trust and St Peter’s Hospice. You can hear Sandy speak at the 2015 Independent Bath Literature Festival, on Saturday 7 March at the Royal Mineral Water Hospital, when she’ll be talking about how crowd-funding worked for her.

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

2014 AUTUMN STATEMENT Whilst as expected, only a few new tax announcements were made in the recent Autumn Statement, there were still one or two unexpected changes. There was the already widely publicised Stamp Duty Land Tax changes which will benefit many people when they move house, and the more “typical” adjustments such as the increase in the higher rate tax threshold, but we have focussed on some of the changes that have a business angle. Note that these are based on the initial announcements and draft legislation where appropriate, and so are subject to any potential changes that might be made before the legislation becomes final. Entrepreneurs Relief on incorporation

2015/16 personal allowance

With immediate effect Entrepreneurs Relief will not be available to reduce Capital Gains Tax on disposals of the reputation and customer relationships associated with a business (the ‘goodwill’) to a company to which the seller is related. This was perhaps a surprise to many people and it has immediate effect from 3 December 2014. Based on the draft legislation available it means that one of the extra tax benefits from incorporating your business has gone, and as a result the individual’s capital gain on the transfer of the business to a company will now be subject to the normal 18% or 28% capital gains tax rates rather than 10%. In addition, the company will no longer be able to claim corporation tax relief on the amortisation of goodwill acquired on or after 3 December 2014 from a “related party”. Based on the draft legislation and initial guidance available, at least businesses that incorporated before 3 December 2014 will not be affected, and should continue to be able to claim tax relief on writing off the goodwill that arose. Note there are still ongoing annual tax savings to be had from incorporating for certain businesses. Also the 18% or 28% tax rate on selling your business to your new company might still be palatable depending on the specific circumstances, and there may also be alternative methods of incorporation that could be considered to deliver other tax efficiencies.

Whilst the small increase in personal allowance to £10,600 for 2015/16 was not big news in itself, it is just worth pointing out that this means that the optimal salary for the director of a one-man company will be £10,600 in 2015/16 assuming you can claim the £2,000 NIC employment allowance.

Entrepreneurs Relief on deferred gains Some better news regarding Entrepreneurs Relief. The Government will allow gains which are eligible for the relief, but which are instead reinvested into investments which qualify for the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) or Social Investment Tax Relief (SITR), to remain eligible for the relief when the eventual gain is realised. This applies for gains deferred on or after 3 December 2014. This will result in a cashflow benefit in terms of deferring the tax and also preserves the 10% tax rate, but bear in mind that keeping all the cash from the sale now might still be more favourable for many people, even though they would have to pay 10% tax now.

Research and development From 1 April 2015 the R&D tax credit multiplier for SMEs will increase from 225% to 230% and the “above the line” credit for companies in the “large company scheme” from 10% to 11%. This continues the pattern in recent years of encouraging R&D activity, and adds to what is already quite a generous tax break for qualifying companies. We have a lot of experience and a good track record in this area, securing claims with HMRC for companies that undertake qualifying R&D.

Jon Miles

And finally.........personal tax deadlines looming The deadline for filing 2013/14 personal tax returns and paying tax due is 31 January 2015, as well as being the deadline for making amendments to your 2012/13 return. Penalties apply for late submission of returns. Also, note that any tax due for 2013/14 that remains unpaid after 30 days from 31 January 2015, attracts an unpleasant 5% penalty. Please contact Jon Miles or Geoff Don on 01225 325580 to discuss any of the above.

Employers’ National Insurance changes In addition to the removal of Employers’ National Insurance from under 21s from April 2015, from April 2016 employers will also not have to pay it in respect of the wages they pay to apprentices aged under 25 earning up to the upper earnings limit (which, as a guide, will be £815 a week for 2015/16). Whilst this may not immediately affect all businesses, for those who do use apprentices it should be a welcome saving off the bottom line, and should hopefully also be an effective incentive for other businesses to try the apprentice scheme. WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

www.richardsonswift.co.uk 11 Laura Place, Bath BA2 4BL • 01225 325 580 JANUARY 2015

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Call Monahans Financial Services now on 01225 472800 Lennox House, 3 Pierrepont St, Bath BA1 1LB

Specialist advice across a range of financial services

www.monahans-fsl.co.uk

Planning for retirement? Worried about Inheritance Tax? Our financial planning advice delivers solutions tailored to your needs.

Moving income to your children for tax advantage Parents often transfer shares in their companies to their younger children to try to avoid tax by making use of the child’s tax free allowance and lower tax rates. These attempts can of course be overturned by HMRC using ‘settlement legislation’ which means that the dividends paid to children (minors) count as the income of the parent. However there is merit in the arrangement, as the tax that the parent pays won’t be any more than it would have been otherwise and when the child reaches 18 the rules won’t apply; the parent won’t be paying tax on the dividend and the child can potentially begin to receive a tax free income (a great help for University fees). Capital gains tax needs to be considered when the shares are transferred, but with planning the issue can be minimised, especially if the transfers take place in the early years of the business. Another benefit - the company can buy back the shares when the child is older or they can be sold to the parent; both routes offer tax free opportunities and can help get some very useful funds to a child. This subject is of course different to paying salaries to family members, which was covered in a previous month. At OCL we have been looking after SMEs (start ups to turnovers of £3 million) for more than twenty years; we would be pleased to meet you to discuss any tax, financial and accounting matters that would help you, including how we can help you save money. See our website for more – and download our FREE guides

“For us, in our 30 years experience, OCL Accountancy is the best fit we have found” Call Marie Maggs or Mike Wilcox on 01225 445507 to arrange a no-obligation meeting 141 Englishcombe Lane, Bath BA2 2EL

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ON THE HIGHWAY TO HELL Training for the Vitality Bathhalf? One runner explains why he’s going on to tackle the toughest footrace on earth for charity

very runner taking part in March’s Vitality BathHalf marathon will have their reasons for tackling the 13-and-a-bit mile course, but for one man, father of two Johan Grobler – pictured here taking part in the Celtman Extreme traithlon – the race is a warm-up for the mighty challenge of taking part in the Marathon des Sables, the world’s toughtest footrace. On 6 April Johan, who lives in central Bath with his family, will be joining runners from all over the world to tackle the gruelling six-day race through the Sahara desert. He’ll be running in the blistering heat – 50C – covering the equivalent of five marathons, 251km over mixed terrain of sand, rocks and mountains. Participants carry their own food and kit, sleeping overnight in tents in the desert. Why is Johan putting himself through this? He says: “To many people this will seem strange or even pointless but to me it’s a personal challenge; it’s a way of reminding me that anything is possible. In 2009 I had my last cigarette, I weighed over 100kgs and couldn’t run 5km. Less than a year later I was down to 76kgs and had just finished my first Ironman race in 11 hours – ‘impossible’ no longer registered. “Last year I met two men who were about to row across the Atlantic Ocean to raise money for the Children’s Hospice South West. I was amazed that they would put themselves through such an ordeal. I have two children, a daughter of nine and

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a son who is nearly seven, and when I heard how the hospice supports families who go through every parent’s worst nightmare, I understood. No sporting endeavour could ever be compared to the ordeal these families cope with every day of their lives. I knew that I just had to do this to raise money for those families. My goal is to try and raise £15,000 for the Children’s Hospice South West – the cost of caring and supporting one family for a year. I know my run is going to hurt and I know there will be dark times, I’ll hit ‘the wall’, climb over it and hit it again. I’ll keep doing this until I finish so I can achieve my goal. “My training involves running over 80kms every week, doing strength training and trying my hardest to learn how to run with over 7kgs on my back and two full water bottles on my front. Visit my donations webpage www.uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Johan

GroblerMDS2015 where you can donate or follow my blog highwaytohell2015.blogspot.com/.” He added: “I have inspired by seeing people who were older than me achieving stuff that I thought only pro athletes could ever do. I was scared of getting old before my time and not be able to have the energy to play with my kids. I also needed something in my life that was mine, something that I could work at and achieve just for me, not for family or friends.” CHSW has places for more runners to take part in the Vitality BathHalf. Visit: www.chsw.org.uk/bathhalf to sign up. Families are also invited to register for the one-mile fun run on the day of the BathHalf, which is open to all ages. The Bath Magazine is proud to be a media partner and supporter of the 2015 Vitality BathHalf. n

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR Whatever your age or shape there’s an exercise session in Bath to suit you, as Hannah Sturgeon discovers

arling you are looking marvellous, and, so slim!” Hang on! Didn’t I look marvellous and slim the last time you saw me? Is it just me not being able to take a compliment, or are we all the same, aspiring to look fantastic, but only being able to achieve it some of the time, and that is assuming the lighting is dim. So how do you stay fit and keep slim(ish)? Or don’t you worry about it? But if you plan on continuing to enjoying active holidays (by active – I mean walking) into your 60s or 70s or 80s, you’ll need to exercise regularly. According to expert Dr Neils Vollaard, lecturer in human and applied physiology at Bath University, if you don’t, you won’t be able to enjoy these types of holiday in your later years. Dr Vollaard said: “People tend to get less active either as a result of the inevitable aging process or because of other reasons (busy job, stress, kids etc). Less physical activity will reduce fitness and health. “There is substantial evidence to suggest that any regular physical activity, will, in the longer term improve quality of life and may help reduce risk of developing chronic disease and therefore prolong your life.” The importance of keeping your body fit and strong today, tomorrow and next year will dramatically reduce physical problems at a later age and ultimately improve the quality of your life right now and in the future. But there are no short term fix-it solutions to getting fit and keeping healthy, the fact is you need to take regular exercise, no matter what type of activity you embark on. Whatever you do, it needs to be a life-long commitment, not just a few months. If you think joining a gym in January and giving up by February will keep you fit – think again, this attitude simply will not cut the mustard. The key, according to Dr Vollaard, is to do an activity that is manageable, one that can seamlessly slot into your life and become so regular that you begin to take it for granted and make it part of your day-to-day life: “The less you think about it, the better – make it part of your routine, get used to walking or cycling to work, make it your normal life.” Fortunately for Bathonians there is a plethora of engaging and unusual ways to get, and keep, fit. The city is swamped with personal trainers (PT), exercise studios, gyms, a hot yoga studio, bootcamps and more. I talked to a few of the local experts to find out what they can, if anything, do for you and share their vitality secrets. Claire Watson, founder and PT at Lansdown based Bath Yummy Mummies, thinks people tend to spend more time looking after their car than themselves and that having a personal trainer is not just for the famous, the rich or celebrities, but for everyone, because as she says: “A trainer will push the boundaries that your motivation may prevent. People need to place a higher priority on looking after their physical and mental well-being.” Bath Yummy Mummies, is, according to Claire, the only women only personal training studio in Bath. It offers its clients an entire lifestyle overhaul, specialising at focusing on the whole person and not just the physical aspect. Claire says that her clients leave their sessions mentally and physically lifted. But surely, rather than forking out for a PT or a gym membership, we should just put on our trainers and go for a run? Or rather than join a gym we can enjoy free exercise classes online, sweating it out secretly in the comfort of our own home, rather than embarrassing ourselves in front of the uber fit

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WINTER WARMER: new season’s Blackspade Thermal sports top, £20.95, available in sizes S-XL from www.amazon.co.uk Below, Zita Alves leading a Zest Bootcamp session. Opposite, the Bath Osteopathy and Pilates Studio – isn’t this home-based exercise just as good as going to the gym or a Pilates class? “I understand that some people simply cannot afford a PT so we offer sessions, where a client can share an hourly rate with friends,” says Claire, and she’s not the only PT or studio who will do a deal. Diane Lee at the Bath Yoga Studio is offering 10% off and 40% for students. Meanwhile, Zita at Zest Bootcamps offers a trial week for £10 and a reduction following that. All of the health professionals maintain that exercising, either one-to-one or in a class is not only the best way to support and encourage yourself and others but also ensures you are working out safely and under the eagle eye of a professional. Claire’s top tip for a healthy life style is: “I go with the 80-20 rule, I stear clear of any nasty processed foods, limit sugar, alcohol, drink two litres of water daily and place a high priority on sleep. Have a goal in January to work towards, i.e. an evening out, a new dress, write your own food diary so you really know what your eating!”

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

Bath Yummy Mummies is just one PT studio in Bath. Alex Silvester offers PT packages which she will do at your home, in a studio or outside, as does Simon Watson at Bath’s YMCA and Helen Pettemerides, who has a PT studio in Batheaston, to name just a handful that have been recommended to us. Meanwhile, Zita Alves at Zest Bootcamp, offers her clients a structured four-week programme using a variety of training methods and all based outside, she calls it: fresh-air fitness. Zita, who keeps her classes small so that the level of coaching is high, readily admits that a simple word like bootcamp is enough to send some people running for the hills: “Yes, bootcamp conjures up images of shouting army style drill instructions, while making you do 100 press ups in the mud. However, we are far removed from that.” She adds: “I have been that stressed out, overweight, ill, lethargic, unhappy person so I want to help people feel the best they can. I speak from the heart, I have done it.” Zita’s secret: “I work on what I call the FIT principle: Frequency, intensity, time. It really makes the difference, doing something really tough once a week won’t get as good results as doing something three to five times a week. Also, a good body starts in the kitchen, you cannot train with a bad diet – nutrition is key.” Meanwhile, Susie Lecomber, of The Osteopathy & Pilates Studio, says that many of her clients wish they had discovered the benefits of Pilates years ago. The practice teaches better posture, strength, flexibility – it helps to reduce back pain and will reduce degenerative changes to joints leading to arthritis. Susie’s oldest client is a 93-year-old man who has been practicing Pilates for ten years. Teachers at the Osteopathy & Pilates Studio also provide sports massage and dietary advice, many of them have worked with the Bath Rugby Team who also use Pilates to help them stretch and ease tightness, they even have their own Pilates equipment at the training ground. Susie’s top tip? “Try not to binge! Drink plenty of water. Enjoy fresh unprocessed food, the occasional glass of wine, friends to laugh and cry with, fresh air and of course Pilates.” “Your health should not be compromised”, confirms Diane Lee, yoga sports coach and yoga teacher at the Bath Yoga Studio, which specialises in hot yoga. Diane sees a huge range of people from teens to those in their 70s at her studio, where teachers specialising in different styles classes and says they have helped five clients to avoid surgery due to praticising yoga regularly. At its core yoga claims to be a unique form of exercise, which can make you feel better both physically and emotionally. Krissy at Priya Works in north east Bath, agrees: “Yoga will lengthen, strengthen, create body and mind awareness, self-confidence, improve your core, boost your emotional network through your breath, posture and strength of mind, release endorphins and ultimately make you feel stronger, well balanced and fitter.” It is never too late to start becoming physically active, Dr Vollaard says, you can easily start in your 60s, 70s, 80s or later. So go! Get involved, join a class, run along the canal, discover yoga, Pilates, a bootcamp – you’ll enjoy life more with a spring in your step. Bath Yummy Mummies: www.bathyummymummies.co.uk Zest Bootcamp: www.zestbootcamp.co.uk The Pilates Studio Bath: www.bathpilates.co.uk The Bath Yoga Studio: www.bathyogastudio.com PriyaWorks: www.priyayoga.com The DoJo Bath: www.thedojobath.com SunshineYoga: www.sunshineyoga.co.uk

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BIG BOLD BOTANICALS Bath interior designer Clair Strong looks at 2015’s fresh take on florals and offers tips on how to make your home more of a stylish Secret garden than grandma’s blowsy chintz

loral prints have always been in fashion. From the elaborate wallpapers of the Victorian era to the whimsical designs of the 1960s and the delicate ditzy prints of the early noughties, our love for a good flowery print has endured. Today, we’re favouring a whole new look altogether. The subject matter remains the same but the overall effect is different to anything we’ve seen before. Enter bold botanicals, a trend that will be huge in 2015. We’re seeing a move towards more organic, illustrative floral designs. The patterns are bigger and much more colourful but still very tasteful. I’d describe it as greenhouse meets artist’s paintbrush. Although it’s a modern look, it definitely has roots (excuse the pun) in those classic vintage styles.” Take a look at the vivid prints in the main picture, above, by Jane Churchill for Colefax and Fowler. Intrigued? So were we when we first saw Jane Churchill’s beautiful designs. But how do we make such a striking trend work in our own homes? 1 Go Big The bigger, the better. This trend is all about size so I suggest choosing a large scale print for your wallpaper, fabric and accessories. Surface View’s (surfaceview.co.uk) fantastical wall murals, wall stickers and tiles feature truly enormous blooms. And yet despite the size, there is an air of subtlety about the designs because they appear to have been painted and sketched. Many of them have been sourced from the V&A and the Royal Horticultural Society so you know you’re in safe hands. Large floral prints will invigorate even the most tired of rooms. You can breathe new life into your space with just a carefully placed rug. But the print has to be big and it has to be colourful if you really want to make an impact. 2 Keep Everything Else Simple Let the botanical print be the centrepiece of your room and keep everything

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else simple. Neutral hues and minimalist accessories act as a frame for the mural/curtains/sofa/rug and highlight the pattern. This soft-handed approach is sophisticated and understated but still has that wow-factor. You can choose traditional neutrals, like white and pale green, which will make the space feel light, airy and fresh. Or you can go for an ultra modern look with dark walls in grey, navy and black. Both palettes work equally well with floral prints so it’s really down to you and the style you want to create. 3 Or Go All Out Subtlety isn’t for everyone, in which case you could go all out with lots of contrasting patterns. When done well, this look is inspired. But it can teeter on the edge of garish and overworked so it requires a lot of planning and rearranging to get it just so. Eclectic, clashing rooms may look like they were just effortlessly thrown together but it’s actually very difficult to get right. It takes time, patience and a really good eye for design. If you want your home to look more Secret Garden than Grandma’s chintz, follow these basic rules: l Limit your use of colour. I would recommend sticking to a palette of no more than four hues. The colours should complement each other too; clashing colours will just look garish here. l Use colour to tie the room together. With your set colour scheme you can unite that floral print sofa with the blossomadorned rug, even if the prints and styles are completely different! l Experiment. Don’t settle on the first way you arrange things. Try creating different vignettes and layouts until you find the perfect one. Have fun with it! 4 Accessorise Another approach altogether is to just inject a hint of this trend into your existing decor scheme. Accessories are one of my favourite ways to quickly and affordably update a space.

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INTERIOR | TRENDS

BLOOMING BIG: main picture, Colefax & Fowler by Jane Churchill, inset teardrop pendant Bodo Sperlein. This page, top Surface View Bunches mural and right, duvet set by Bluebellgray

Spruce up your bedroom with a showstopping watercolour duvet set like those designed by Bluebellgray (bluebellgray.com) and add a few contrasting throw pillows to complete the look. More throw pillows and lamp shades give the living room a whole new feel, while framed fabric creates unique wall art for the study. You can let the trend grow in the kitchen too, with beautiful crockery and tableware. Liberty (liberty.co.uk) known for the delicate floral prints they’ve been manufacturing for over 100 years have embraced the bold botanical look. Their Betsy collection is perfect for those who like the idea of bold botanicals but prefer a more traditional aesthetic. And finally, for a taste of the unique, consider sculptural lampshades and light fixtures in organic shapes. Bodo Sperlein’s (bodosperlein.com) teardrop pendant is adorned with hand-made bone china flowers. The delicate flowers are highly detailed and incredibly life-like. It’s everything this trend embodies; striking design, true craftsmanship and natural beauty. n Clair Strong Interior Design is a small, friendly, creative business based in Bath and London, providing services for residential and commercial clients. Visit: www.clairstrong.co.uk or contact Clair: clair@clairstrong.co.uk.

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DESIGN | HEROES

A CLASSICAL APPROACH At the start of his tenure as Master of the Art Workers’ Guild we talk to Bath-based architectural designer Anthony Paine about his long illustrious career and his philosophy on working with historic buildings in the 21st century

CLEAN LINES: opposite, the New York Times featured this rotunda bookroom, designed by Anthony Paine for an exhibition of British interior design Above, left, a river in Germany was diverted to afford a watery view from this thatched folly Right, Anthony Paine in his Bath study Contact: Anthony Paine Limited www.anthony paine.com tel: 01225 331935, email: enquiries@anthony paine.com. Art Workers’ Guild, visit: www.artworkers guild.org

aving spent much of his professional life devoted to beautiful buildings, it is fitting that renowned architectural designer Anthony Paine has chosen the World Heritage city of Bath, with all its inspirational architecture, as his home. Anthony, who is Fellow of the Chartered Society of Designers and the British Institute of Interior Design, has been elected Master of the Art Workers’ Guild, the national society of artists, craftsmen and designers – a post he will take up in January. Anthony comes from a successful building family and it was expected that he would take over the family firm. But, after training in building and later surveying, he set up his own architectural and interior design practice in London at the tender age of 27. Since then he has gone on to work for clients all over the world, building a reputation for his use of classical architecture in a contemporary context. This unusual education in the construction and design of buildings triggered a passion for creating classical and vernacular architecture which has characterised Anthony’s work for the past 35 years. During the 1980s and 90s, he was listed as one of House & Gardens magazine’s top designers for his work in Chelsea and Belgravia, but since 2000 most of his residential work has been overseas, for a small group of loyal clients from all over the world. His diverse projects range from a private palace in Morocco to a classical lakeside villa in Bavaria, a hotel in Frankfurt, to a traditional chalet and underground swimming pool complex in Switzerland. He has also worked on a farmhouse complex in Provence, and a thatched folly by the Baltic. On international projects, Anthony’s focus is on the conceptual and aesthetic design, using local architects to project-manage while he maintains close scrutiny and control of the building process and implementation of his work. Many of his projects involve the design of entire environments including buildings, interiors, landscaping, garden buildings and pools, and yet he keeps his practice intentionally small, producing all the designs, drawings and illustrations himself. In retail design, Anthony is known for his work for the bespoke

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tailors, Gieves and Hawkes. In 1994, he redesigned its flagship store in Savile Row with such success that he went on to design 120 stores worldwide, including Sloane Square, Selfridges, Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taipei and Tokyo – and Bath, where his elegant shop front and interiors remain almost unchanged 17 years on. Over the years he has also designed a wide range of furniture for G&H as well as a set of satirical Christmas cards and cartoons which hang in their stores all over the world. Considering Anthony’s specialist skills and passion for Georgian architecture, we were surprised to hear that he has not yet undertaken any projects here in Bath, and asked him why. He said: “I’d love to but I haven’t had time. We (he and his wife Alison) only moved to Bath in 2007 and until this year I have been working flat out – 50 shops in China followed by large houses in London, Germany and Morocco.” So why did he move to Bath? “To be able to work from home in a fine Regency house with a fabulous view. There are very few places in this country with a built environment of such outstanding beauty and quality as Bath. For a designer of classical and traditional buildings it’s an absolutely inspirational place to live and work. Coming from London I love its relatively small size and the opportunity to get out into the countryside on my bike.” What does he think of recent developments in Bath – are there any buildings he’d love to get his hands on and how would he transform them? There is a long pause before he replies: “I know this will be controversial, but since you ask, I would demolish the Holburne Museum extension and build something more sympathetic to the original building and its gardens. There seems to be a fashion at the moment for insisting that extensions to classical buildings must “express their time” by looking different and obviously new, and a notion that “classical” architecture can only mean pasticheimitation of the old. I disagree. Architecture can take many forms. Used properly the language of classical architecture is a living language, like English, with a rich and expressive vocabulary and rules of grammar and syntax, which can be used to create beautiful modern buildings to meet JANUARY 2015

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DESIGN | HEROES

GLOBAL CLIENTS: left, a mountain chalet and right, an underground swimming pool which has echoes of the classical era with its simple stone columns

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21st century needs while blending with their surroundings.” The Master of the Art Workers’ Guild is based in an elegant house in Queen Square, Bloomsbury. The Guild was founded in 1884 by a group of young architects and craftsmen who were keen to reach out beyond the traditional confines of ‘fine art’. Their aim was to promote the highest standards of excellence in all applied arts, and bring together on an equal footing practitioners in many different fields. A new Master is elected from the membership every year and it is regarded as a great honour; Anthony’s predecessors include distinguished architects Sir Edward Lutyens and CFA Voysey, illustrator Arthur Rackham, and designer William Morris. Membership of the Art Workers’ Guild is by referral only and based on submission of a portfolio of work. Anthony was elected

JanUaRY 2015

a Brother of the Guild in 1990 after winning The World of Interiors award at the British Interior Design Exhibition. He became an active supporter, serving as Honorary Secretary from 1993-2004. Anthony says: “I love the Guild because I share its core values and attitudes, particularly its emphasis on the interdependence of all types of aesthetic arts and crafts in the creation of beautiful environments.” Each Master is responsible for their year’s programme of lectures and other activities, such as visits to studios, workshops and places of interest. Anthony’s programme of speakers includes knitwear designer Kaffe Fassett, former Arts Council Chairman Sir Christopher Frayling, and the furniture designer Thomas Messel, all well known in Bath. n

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COMFORT AND JOY a selection of evergreens can keep your garden looking good until springtime says Jane Moore

ack in the heady days of my horticultural youth I had strong opinions on anything and everything. Bulbs were cool, bedding was not; ceanothus was a must-have shrub, cotoneaster most definitely not; and evergreens, as a general rule, were very 1970s, lumpen, dull and lacking in any real taste and refinement. But, along with many of the steadfast, strident beliefs of my youth, my views have softened towards all of the above, especially evergreens. The trick with evergreen planting is to use it to add structure to the winter garden, supplementing other winter interest plants, without dominating. In other words, think small and select. Small shrubs make for tasteful evergreen shapes and won’t take over the garden. Also place carefully and don’t overdo it – a garden stuffed with evergreens is plain boring. Most evergreens are wonderfully easy growing shrubs and many produce flowers and berries as well as looking green and lush through these bleak months. Make sure you keep shapes trimmed and within bounds throughout the summer and, when planting, place evergreens with bulbs and winter stems such as Cornus alba Westonbirt to create highlight areas that can be seen from the cosiness of the living room sofa. That’s winter gardening at its best.

rounded shrub with small dense leaves anyway and if you clip it a bit it only pronounces its natural inclinations. Don’t clip too hard though, or you’ll lose its other abiding joy which is the wonderfully heady vanilla scent of the insignificant flowers in December and January. One small plant in the front car park has actually had a burly delivery driver asking me what it is – a first. Myrtle I have long adored for its evergreen shiny, tiny leaves studded with fluffy cream flowers in autumn followed by those lovely berries. It needs a sunny, warm spot – remember it is a Mediterranean sun lover – and you can clip it although somewhat loosely or you lose all the flowers. Anna, my evergreen assistant, has recently clipped one into a cloud format to great effect at a client’s garden and you can expect to see a few cloud myrtles appearing at The Priory next season.

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For showy winter blooms topping bold evergreen leaves you really can’t beat mahonia. In the average sized garden one is certainly enough as these aren’t subtle plants and some people can’t abide their sulphur yellow flowers. I was one of these people but in the past decade I’ve warmed to the sheer power of the mahonia to occupy a corner of the winter garden with undeniable pizzazz. Nurseries have also been busy bringing in some great new varieties which combine colour and flower with a neater habit than many of the original species and hybrids. I particularly like ‘Wintersun’ with its sturdy fragrant flowers in deepest winter and its compact habit. Remember these are also incredibly tolerant plants ideally suited to our heavier clay soils, For a more delicate look and needing a correspondingly nurturing spot Daphne is a beautiful shrub to own anyway, the fact that it’s evergreen is purely a bonus. The most readily available daphne odora Aureomarginata is also one of the best with a rounded habit, green leaves thinly rimmed with yellow and clusters of pink, very fragrant flowers in late winter. It’s a bit slow to get going but, given a sheltered spot and a moist fertile soil, it will grow steadily to 1m or three feet or so tall.

MOST EVERGREENS ARE WONDERFULLY EASY GROWING SHRUBS AND MANY PRODUCE FLOWERS AND BERRIES

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Best for shape

Box shapes are some of the best evergreen interest you can add to your garden. One or two balls or cones will go a long way to add interest all year round, but especially in winter. It will cope very well with deep shade and will tolerate full sun too as long as it’s in a moist soil. However buying ready bought shapes is expensive and they take a fair amount of time to train into shape yourself. Also they do inevitably add a certain formality to the garden which you may not want. Myrtle and sarcococca may fit the bill better for the more relaxed style of gardening. Both also have more interest than box in that they flower and produce glossy black berries too. There’s a clue to the clippability of sarcococca is in its common name of Christmas Box. Naturally it becomes a 74 TheBATHMagazine

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Best for flowers

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WINTER | GARDENING

EVERGREEN STARS: clockwise from top left, sarcococca, Ilex Golden King, mahonia, daphne, varigated pittisporum and myrtle

Big but not too bossy What would winter be without holly? There are lots to choose from but I think the best for the garden is Ilex Golden King with its brilliant yellow margins to the not-too-spiky leaves and lots of scarlet berries. Keep it shaped as a shrub or crown lift it to make a small tree and plant it just about anywhere and in any soil where you need a nice splash of colour. Pittosporum isn’t fast growing and does need careful placing as those little leaves really don’t like cold winds. But despite its somewhat delicate nature, once you have it established, it will reward you with winter colour for years. Our pale green and white variegated shrub makes a lovely support to a scrambling pink rose in the summer months but shines out in the dark winter days.

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There are plain green, golden and some lovely purple forms too, as well as dwarf varieties which could be just the job for the smaller town garden.

Old favourites Don’t forget the usual suspects such as sage, lavender and rosemary. These need a warm, sunny spot and some judicious pruning to keep them nicely shaped. Not only are they incredibly useful for hotspots and low maintenance corners but they’re also handy for the kitchen. n Jane Moore is the award-winning head gardener at the Bath Priory. She writes regularly for the Telegraph and can be followed on Twitter @janethegardener.

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TEL: 01225 424499 Advertising that keeps working

Pritchard PIF JAN15.qxp_PIF Full Page 16/12/2014 10:29 Page 85

PROPERTY | HOMEPAGE

his charming grade II listed farmhouse dates back to around 1630 and has wonderful open views over rolling countryside to the Bybrook Valley, Colerne and Slaughterford. The property is set around a courtyard with a further detached 2 storey period barn, large former milking shed and a range of other outbuildings offering enormous scope for multi generational living, ancillary accommodation, home office or a potential holiday let (subject to permissions). The main house is full of period character with mullion windows, beams and an impressive Tudor fireplace. Standing in large attractive gardens, there are approximately 2.5 acres of land which include a substantial rear garden, paddock, pond and secret garden. There are so many possibilities with this lovely, traditional home that viewing is a must. Contact agents Pritchards for an appointment or visit www.pritchardsbath.co.uk for an online video tour. Pritchards, 11 Quiet Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 466225

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MILLS PLATT FARM BOX HILL, BOX • 3 Bedrooms • 3 Loft rooms • 2 Receptions • Rustic kitchen/breakfast room • Outbuildings suitable for a variety of uses • 2.5 acres

Guide Price: £1,000,000 JANUARY 2015 | TheBATHMAgAziNe 77

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Watermill for Conversion, Beckington, Nr Frome and Bath A beautiful detached Grade II Listed former mill, dating back in parts to the 1500’s. A unique waterside setting on the River Frome. • For conversion with detailed planning consent granted • 3/4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 reception rooms • Set in outstanding landscaped gardens (approaching 3 acres in total) • Option to refit 4kw turbine to provide electricity for the properties & National Grid • Internal area 2,926 sq.ft. (272 sq.m).

Offers around: £725,000

Kingsdown An outstanding individual detached property, recently renovated with panoramic views overlooking the Bybrook valley. Video tour online. • 4/5 bedrooms two with en suite & bathroom • Open plan kitchen/dining room, sitting room & snug • Decked terrace • Good sized garden • Off road parking for several vehicles with the potential for a garage (subject to necessary consents) • No onward chain • Internal area: 1941 sq ft/180.3 sq m • EPC rating D.

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pritchards-bath.co.uk

Bathampton A fine detached house in a small peaceful "no through road" in the heart of this desirable village on the popular north eastern fringes of the city. • 4 double bedrooms, bathroom & cloakroom • Delightful south west facing gardens • Garage & driveway parking • Just over a mile from Bath • Total appox. floor area 1683 sq.ft/156.4 sq.m • EPC rating D

Guide Price: £500,000

Sydney Mews A deceptively spacious two double bedroom mews house built approximately 19 years ago and conveniently situated within a level walk of the City Centre amenities, Canal and Sydney Gardens. • 2 double bedrooms, sitting room and kitchen/dining room • Close to Sydney and Henrietta Gardens • Garage and driveway parking • No onward chain • Floor area approx. 1072 sq. ft (99.6 sq. m)

Price: £450,000 11 Quiet Street, Bath BA1 2LB

Tel: 01225 466 225

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pritchardsapartments.co.uk

Catherine Place, Bath A rare opportunity to purchase a spectacular Grade II Listed, ground and lower ground floor maisonette which has been renovated to a high standard within the past 7 years. Video tour available online. • 3 double bedrooms • Superb, extremely light and airy drawing room • Private entrance • Prestigious location • Walled rear garden • Internal area approximately 2344 sq ft/218 sq m • Video tour available on our new Pritchards Apartments website

Guide Price: £850,000

Warleigh, Bathford A stunning penthouse apartment with delightful private roof garden within a fabulous Grade II listed Manor House. Spacious light and airy accommodation. Internal area: 2095 sq ft/195 sq m. • 3 double bedrooms all with en suites • Elegant drawing room • Private roof garden and communal gardens • Garage and additional parking • Approx 51/2 from Bath • Floor area approximately 2095 sq.ft. (195 sq.m.) Video online

Price: £685,000 11 Quiet Street, Bath BA1 2LB

Tel: 01225 466 225

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Bath’s Premier Removals Company Thomas Firbank Removals and Storage is a family run business that offers a personal and business service of the highest quality. For seventeen years we have ensured that all of our clients enjoy a stress free move and a great deal of our business is generated by referrals from satisfied customers. We tailor your packing and removal to suit your needs, and give you a prompt quotation without any hidden costs.

Tel: 01225 31 44 33 www.firbankremovals.co.uk

Crafting beautiful homes In and around Bath

BAR Number T050

We deliver to over 20,000 addresses every month. But if you live outside our distribution area or would like us to send a copy to friends or family then we are able to offer a mailing service for only £15.00 (6 issues) or £25.00 Euro zone; £30.00 (12 issues) or £50.00 Euro zone World Zone 1 £95.00 World Zone 2 £120.00 To subscribe just send a cheque payable to MC Publishing Ltd 2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED or Telephone 01225 424 499 for card payment

Subscription Form Mr/Mrs/Ms ................Forename ..............................................

01225 79115 5

ashford-homes.co.uk 82 TheBATHMagazine

JanUaRY 2015

Surname .............................................................................. Address ............................................................................ ..........................................Postcode ............................ Daytime telephone No ..............................................................

The Old Farmhouse, Lansdown A choice of three tastefully refurbished one and two bedroom apartments located in a historic building originally dating back to 1600, and rebuilt in the late nineteenth century. Situated on the lower slopes of Lansdown, the apartments are a short walk from Bath city centre and offer convenient access to the M4 Motorway.

*An administration fee of £420.00 inc. VAT applies.

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Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

Lych Gate Perrymead ÂŁ3,500 pcm Hamptons are delighted to offer a rare opportunity to let a gracious detached residence built in the Arts and Crafts style situated in beautifully manicured gardens. The property is fully furnished. Lych Gate is set within extensive private grounds and has access to surrounding beautiful countryside privately owned woodland. Lych Gate makes a wonderful family home, swift viewing highly recommended.

Bath Office

Lettings 01225 458546 | Sales. 01225 459817

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PROPERTY | THINKING

A stamp in the right direction By Peter Greatorex, Managing Director of The Apartment Company looks at the all important changes to stamp duty announced in the Autumn budget statement.

hen buying a new apartment one of the major costs, aside from your deposit, is the stamp duty. We have been pushing for change in the way the stamp duty land tax was applied and finally this week we got our wish. The Chancellor, George Osborne made a surprise announcement in his Autumn Statement in regard to reforming the stamp duty system effective immediately.

The HM Revenue & Customs pre-reform stamp duty land tax (SDLT) used what was known as a ‘slab structure’. This meant that you paid tax on the entire amount of the property, rather than that over the threshold such as with income tax. What are the changes? Thankfully the ‘slab structure’ has gone and been replaced by a graduated system, as you can see below. Residential properties* Purchase price of property

Rate of SDLT (percentage of portion of purchase price)

£0 - £125,000

£125,001 - £250,000

£250,001 - £925,000

£925,001 - £1.5 million

10%

Over £1.5 million

12%

How does this work in practice? If you were purchasing an apartment for £300,000: • You would pay no tax on the first £125,000 • 2% on the next £125,000 (£2500) • 5% on the last £50,000 (£2500) That’s a total of £5000 compared with £9000 under the previous system. ** There is no doubt that these changes will have a positive effect on the housing market and we will see an influx in buyers looking for their first or next home. Remember don’t under estimate the attraction of an apartment especially in Bath. If you would like more information on how the stamp duty will affect you, we are always here to help. For our sales team, call 01225 471144, lettings team 01225 303870 or visit our website www.theapartmentcompany.co.uk

*HMRC. ** The Guardian 3.12.14

86 TheBATHMAgAzine

JAnUARY 2015

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NEW DEVELOPMENTS

BRUNEL CRESCENT CASE STUDY

e looked for a long time for a property of high quality which worked as an investment and provided a home for later life with the benefit of care provision if ever we needed it. At Brunel Crescent the care and concierge services are provided at cost and none of the management charges are marked up which makes a huge difference. Our first impressions of Brunel Crescent were of the high standard of finish and the available facilities. Moreover, the thought put into the design of both the whole complex and the individual apartments, down to small but important features, is very impressive. This complex is far superior to any other flats we have seen in the area, let alone those for assisted living accommodation: the apartments are light, airy, modern, high tech, secure, well thought out, and spacious with good open views. Despite providing the required facilities for assisted living, the design of the apartments would certainly suit people of any age, and thus remove 88 TheBATHMagazine

JanUaRY 2015

any qualms about downsizing and moving into assisted living accommodation. In addition, all the staff of Blue View Properties have been outstanding throughout the process of buying our apartment: informative, friendly and extremely helpful. Charlie Tull, the developer, is passionate about this building and we perfectly understand why. The attention to detail at Brunel Crescent is exceptional and beyond our own expectations. Mr and Mrs H, Bath Knight Frank, 4 Wood Street, Queen Square Tel: 01225 325999

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fidelisinbath.co.uk GUILDPROPERTY.CO.UK

ÂŁ350,000

The Empire An Elegant 1 Bedroom Apartment forming part of a Landmark Building in the World Heritage City of Bath set amongst Classic Georgian Architecture featuring Particularly Fine City and River Views Grand Entrance and Foyer with Magnificent Staircase | Living/Dining Room | Kitchen with Integrated Appliances | Double Bedroom | Shower Room | Passenger Lift | Communal Garden | No Onward Chain | EPC Rating C

Proud sponsors of Beechen Cliff School Fidelis January.indd 1

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01225 421000

Fidelis

ÂŁ325,000 South Avenue An Immaculate and Particularly Chic 2 Bedroom Victorian Home with Stunning Panoramic Views Located just a short Walk from Oldfield Park Station Living Room opening to Dining Room | Kitchen | 2 Double Bedrooms | Large Bathroom | Versatile Undercroft Room | Generous Garden | Presented for Sale to a High Standard | EPC Rating D

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SOLD

WELLSWAY

SOLD

BLOOMFIELD AVENUE

SOLD

HAYSFIELD PARK

SOLD

ST LUKES ROAD

SOLD

MAPLE GROVE

SOLD

BLOOMFIELD ROAD

SOLD

CARLINGCOTT

SOLD

COMBE DOWN

k Mar r o l y a N

selling quality

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SOLD

HINTON CHARTERHOUSE

SOLD

MILTON AVENUE

SOLD

SHELLEY ROAD

SOLD

LONGFELLOW AVENUE

SOLD

BLOOMFIELD AVENUE

SOLD

PRIORY CLOSE

SOLD

WESTFIELD CLOSE

SOLD

BEAR FLAT

homes throughout 2014

Ralph Allen Drive Guide Price £1,200,000

This superb home is located on Ralph Allen Drive, a continuation of Prior Park Road and therefore one of Bath’s most popular addresses. Set just across the road from Prior Park Gardens and college, this stylish home offers beautifully presented accommodation over just two floors and wonderful views across Rainbow Woods and down to the city. EPC:C

You can count on us to help you move in 2015

Corston Guide Price £1,750,000

Temple Court is an impressive attached family home predominantly of Edwardian origin. The beautiful interior is complemented by landscaped gardens of approximately two acres with magnificent far reaching views across the valley towards Kelston Round Hill. Hill House Cottage is the adjacent substantial property with its own grounds and driveway and therefore this unique package could be the perfect solution for extended families or those who wish to work from home. EPC:D and F

Bath Office

Sales. 01225 459817 | Lettings 01225 458546

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Richmond Place

Guide Price £650,000

This delightful Grade II Listed period gem offers the most stylish accommodation with open plan living on the ground floor and three first floor bedrooms. Situated in arguably one of the most attractive terrace of period cottages in Bath, the house also benefits from both front and rear gardens. EPC:Listed

Vineyards

Guide Price £699,000

This character Grade II Listed house provides many retained features including a copper wash boiler in the kitchen. Offering highly versatile accommodation of four reception rooms, five bedrooms, bath and shower rooms along with a walled garden in the city centre. EPC:Listed

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Cavendish Lodge

Guide Price £635,000

A second floor apartment within one of Bath’s most prestigious and luxurious residences. Cavendish Lodge is within easy reach of Bath City Centre and is situated in approximately four acres of private grounds. There are two en-suite bedrooms and a triple aspect reception room along with an integrated kitchen. EPC:C

Lansdown Crescent

Guide Price £575,000

A stylish apartment situated on the first floor of this beautiful Grade I Listed landmark Georgian Crescent. The property offers two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a well proportioned drawing room with enviable views over the city. EPC:Listed

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Bath Orchard View is a stunning contemporary seven bedroom house, built from green oak sourced from the Duke of Somerset, Frome. Situated on the edge of Bath it has all of the benefits of living in the World Heritage city while overlooking beautiful countryside. “The house was designed to meet the needs of a growing family.” Denise explains, “As well as the five bedrooms upstairs, we have created a two bedroom self contained annexe; perfect for family, visitors, a home office, gym or cinema room.” “It has been a wonderful family home,” Brendon continues, “In the nine years we have been here we have seen our daughters grow up. “The south facing aspect ensures that the main living space of the house is always light and bright. The large French doors off the kitchen overlooking the garden has been an added bonus with children.”

Set in about one and a third acres, Orchard View has a beautiful garden which is perfect in summer. “It is a fantastic retreat,” Denise says. Situated on the edge of the National Trust skyline walk, Orchard View is perfect for those who enjoy a country lifestyle but want to remain close to city amenities. “We feel that we have had the best of both worlds.” Brendon says, “Easy access to Bath, whilst feeling like we live in the country, we often choose to walk to the railway station and the city centre because of the splendid views.

“Orchard View is situated with easy access to some of the best independent and state schools in the country. Bath University is also very close by.”

CLAVERTON DOWN OVER AN ACRE OF GARDEN • MODERN SPACIOUS HOME • SEVEN BEDROOMS • THREE RECEPTION ROOMS • HANDMADE KITCHEN • SELF-CONTAINED ANNEXE POTENTIAL • PARKING FOR SEVERAL CARS • EPC RATING: B

Contact: 01225 320032

£1,100,000

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Shaw The Barn House is a seventeenth century property located in the village of Shaw, Wiltshire. Bought by the current owners two and a half years ago. The Barn House has been lovingly restored with the help of skilled workmen and superior materials. The result is a low maintenance property with a high quality finish and beautiful period features. “The Barn House is full of character. It is made from natural Bath and Cotswold stone with mullion windows, but it’s not listed, which is a great plus.” says Jonathan. “One of the things we were first drawn to was the location. We wanted a home that was very close to Stonar School, an international independent equestrian school that our children were attending. It is only 2 miles from the house,” says Rachel. “The location and the sheer size of

the property is wonderful; it is like three houses in one! The main lounge in the east wing, which is our favourite room, is 84 square metres with a vaulted ceiling and wooden beams coupled with a second lounge in the west wing with an open fire, means that when you have a large family and other relatives to stay, everyone can enjoy their own space.” The Barn House not only benefits from a quaint village setting, but is merely a 15 minute drive from the centre of Bath. The property benefits from 5 bedrooms and separate accommodation in the form of ‘Barn Lodge’ which currently has a king size bed and sofa bed, with en-suite facilities.

“The Barn House is practical and would suit a large extended family.”

THE BARN HOUSE DETACHED BATH STONE PROPERTY • 2 RECEPTION ROOMS • KITCHEN/ BREAKFAST ROOM • 5/6 BEDROOMS • STUDY/BEDROOM 6 • GARAGE AND PARKING • EPC RATING = F

Contact: 01225 320032

£749,950

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North Road Iconic Grade II listed 1930s villa set in its own secluded and private grounds in this highly sought after area

Crisp Cowley Ralph Allenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Town House York Street Bath BA1 1NQ 01225 789333

www.crispcowley.co.uk

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Park Lane A beautifully presented Grade II listed semi-detached Georgian house in a superb location

Crisp Cowley Ralph Allen’s Town House York Street Bath BA1 1NQ 01225 789333

www.crispcowley.co.uk

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Grosvenor Delightful Arts and Crafts family home on the east side of Bath

Crisp Cowley Ralph Allenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Town House York Street Bath BA1 1NQ 01225 789333

www.crispcowley.co.uk

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Lyncombe Hill A superior and spacious semi-detached Grade II listed Georgian townhouse on the lower southern slopes within walking distance of the station and City Centre

www.crispcowley.co.uk

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