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THE
ISSUE 116
I
FEBRUARY 2014
BRISTOL MAGAZINE
THE MAGAZINE FOR THE CITY OF BRISTOL
ION
Ex plorin
ANIMAL
A
g W TTR ild A C T Pl a ce
www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk
D N A L G N E F O R F L E U f Luxury d La
yo gerie n i L
T I E K I L U O Y A S at
ea re p s ak e S h c c o F a ct o r y ob a T e th n d w e m ee T a
d irect or
AndreW H i lt o n
ALL YOU NEED IS Va le n t i n e G i f L O V E t Id ea s
S u i TriEstMolU'sS I C B
h estras Or c t i o n c in A
THE VE RY BE ST IN L OCAL W RITING, WHAT’S ON, THE ARTS, LIFESTYLE, PROPERTY AN D SO MUCH MORE IN YOUR GUIDE TO LIFE AND LIVING IN BRISTOL
REFITTING SALE
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25% OFF SOFAS AND CURTAINS
35% OFF PAINTED SHAKER CABINET FURNITURE INCLUDING PAINTED CHILDREN'S PIECES Our refit is now under way, but most areas of the store remain open Any sofa style may be ordered in any fabric at 25% off – as illustrated All bespoke cabinet made to fit your space - wardrobes, fitted bedroom, fitted bookcase systems now also 25% discounted New cabinet orders 25% off – in any colour
25% OFF BESPOKE WARDROBE SYSTEMS We are just past Clifton Down Shopping Centre 56/60, Whiteladies Rd, BS8 2PY Mon-Sat 9.30 - 5.30/Sun 12 - 5
TEL: 01173 292746
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THE | CONTENTS
FEBRUARY
2014
20
56
22 12
ZEITGEIST
30
Five things to do this month
14
THE CITYIST BARTLEBY
38 42
BRISTOL AT WORK A portrait of Gavin Strange, senior designer at Aardman
20
LOVE IS IN THE AIR Gift ideas for Valentine’s Day
64 FIT & FAB
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
Beat the winter blues
66 RED ALERT
Bristol’s orchestras are some of the best
Enjoying the highest heights
18
WHAT’S ON Dates for your cultural diary
Talk of the town & My Bristol
16
70
78
ART & EXHIBITIONS What's showing in the city’s galleries
46
GREEN CITY Local volunteers are rolling up their sleeves for the Big Tree Plant
48
Pucker up with the most stylish shade
70 INTERIORS INSIDER Be inspired by the latest home products
76 GARDENING We introduce our new garden columnist
78 HOMES ON SHOW A woodland property that offers space, grandeur and individuality
WINING & DINING News from the Bristol foodie scene
22
LUXURY LINGERIE We meet Fleur Turner, the designer and CEO of Bristol-based luxury lingerie company, Fleur of England
24
28
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CITY LIVES What the movers and shakers are up to
The best homes in and around Bristol
BRISTOL twitter@thebristolmag
54
56
THE BARD IN BRISTOL Celebrating 15 years of Shakespeare productions at the Tobacco Factory theatres
PROPERTY
80 THE
FACE THE MUSIC Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory director Andrew Hilton picks his top tunes
BRISTOL UPDATES Business news from the city
52
IT’S A DATE Alternative ideas on where to take your loved one this month
26
50
FAMILY FUN Events and activities to keep the kids occupied this half term
ON THE COVER
ANIMAL ATTRACTION
All you need is love, designed by TBM
Wild Place Project: six months on
62
OUT AND ABOUT A walk around historical Cotham
thebristolmagazine.co.uk
MAGAZINE
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Knight Frank Feb:full page
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An outstanding Grade II* listed Georgian home (6,718 sq ) overlooking Christchurch Green to the front and views as far as the Welsh hills to the rear. 3 recep on rooms, kitchen, master suite, 4 further bedrooms, two further bathrooms. Self-contained courtyard apartment with si!ng room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. Extensive cellarage/ basement, mews garage with studio, shower room and kitchene e above. Enclosed garden.
KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knigh rank.com 0117 3171999
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A stunning lateral hall floor apartment (1,100 sq ) on a desirable tree lined avenue close to Cli on College. Drawing room, kitchen / breakfast room, 2 bedrooms (1 ensuite), bathroom, garage and communal garden. EPC ra#ng E.
KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knigh"rank.com 0117 3171999
Guide price: ÂŁ550,000
Stoke Bishop
An immaculate purpose built apartment (1,385 sq ) close to The Downs. Open plan drawing room / dining room, kitchen, u#lity room, master bedroom with ensuite shower room and dressing area, bedroom 2, bathroom. Communal gardens and allocated parking. EPC ra#ng B. Guide price: ÂŁ375,000
KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knigh"rank.com 0117 3171999
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.co.
Clevedon
Deligh"ul Grade II listed town house (1,966 sq ) on a quiet road close to the shops of Hill Road Clevedon. Double recep#on room, kitchen / dining room. Master bedroom with dressing room, 3 further bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 ensuite), ample storage. Garden.
KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knigh"rank.com 0117 3171999
Guide price: £499,950
Sidcot
Deligh"ul farmhouse (2,299 sq ) backing on to open country side. 3 recep#on rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, u#lity, stores. Master bedroom with ensuite bathroom, 3 further bedrooms, bathroom. Garage block (566 sq ), enclosed gardens, paddock. In all about 1 acre. EPC ra#ng E. Neighbouring 2 bed co$age available by separate nego#a#on. EPC ra#ng D. Guide price: £750,000 - £1,095,000
KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knigh"rank.com 0117 3171999
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A
s you’ve probably guessed from the front cover, we’re feeling all loved up this month. And in the spirit of Valentine’s Day (Friday 14 February – don’t forget!), in this issue we present you with a page of gorgeous gifts to give to your nearest and dearest as a token of your love, as well as a page full of suggestions for a great date if you’re after something more original than a candlelit dinner. On the theme of all things romantic, I caught up with Fleur Turner, designer and CEO of luxury lingerie company, Fleur of England, which has its HQ in Bristol, just off Gloucester Road. Fleur designs beautiful lingerie that is sensual, elegant and feminine, handmade from delicate lace and silk. Her pieces are truly exquisite and Fleur works hard to ensure that the company delivers perfection in everything it does – which has been noticed by a number of leading lingerie awards and praised in national fashion magazines. Read my interview with her on page 22 and discover more about her love for the job and how she manages to enjoy a home life with her family and run a successful international business at the same time. It was Duke Orsino in Twelfth Night who said: “If music be the food of love, play on” and in keeping with our theme of love, we take a look at the sweet music being played by Bristol’s brilliant amateur orchestras. Show your support for these ensembles and in return you’ll be treated to a feast of classical delights, performed at a very high standard by musicians who are passionate about music-making. Read more on page 38. In this issue we also chat to Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory director, Andrew Hilton, about what this year’s productions hold as the company celebrates 15 years and we drag him out of rehearsals to find out what his ten top tunes are – quite an interesting mix, actually. You’ll also find, as always, a bumper what’s on section, homes and interiors, family fun ideas, business news, food and drink, and we introduce our new gardening writer, Margaux Speirs.
SAMANTHA COLEMAN 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.
CONTACT THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE: Editor Email:
Samantha Coleman sam@thebristolmagazine.co.uk
Deputy Editor Email:
Georgette McCready georgette@thebristolmagazine.co.uk
Production Manager Email: Commercial Production Email:
Jeff Osborne production@thebristolmagazine.co.uk Lorna Harrington lorna@thebristolmagazine.co.uk
Publisher Tel: Email:
Steve Miklos 0117 974 2800 stevem@thebristolmagazine.co.uk
Contact the Advertising Sales team on tel: 0117 974 2800 Advertising Sales Email:
Kathy Williams kathy@thebristolmagazine.co.uk
Advertising Sales Email:
Sue Parker sue@thebristolmagazine.co.uk
Address:
The Bristol Magazine, 2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED
The Bristol Magazine and The Bath Magazine are published by MC Publishing Ltd and are completely independent of all other local publications.
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ZEITGEIST Practice your first dance with Michele Webber of Bristol Dance Factory
5
things to do in February
See
Visit If you are a couple planning a wedding you will not want to miss the bumper West of England Wedding Show being held at UWE on 8 & 9 February, hosted by Ocean Media, the country’s largest wedding organiser. Offering access to more than 120 of the region’s finest wedding suppliers, the day provides a chance to gather advice and information as well as buy and source everything you need for your big day. Seek advice on designers, planners, cakes, dresses, jewellers, photographers, beauticians, hairdressers, stationers, entertainment, venues, food, honeymoon destinations, wedding rings and more. There will also be catwalks showcasing the latest wedding and occasion wear. Bridal coach Michele Paradise will be sharing advice with brides-to-be on how to look and feel amazing and Bristol Dance Factory founder, Michele Webber will talk about her service tutoring couples in their first wedding reception dance. And don’t miss the presentation on how to prepare your speech and keep your nerves at bay. The day starts at 10am and finishes at 5pm, tickets cost: £7 in advance to include a goody bag and show guide. For further information and to book, visit: www.theukweddingshows.co.uk
Support An exciting range of events are planned in Bristol to celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight 2014, which runs from 24 February – 9 March. Fairtrade Fortnight will be launched at a Media and Business Fairtrade Breakfast at Burges Salmon on Monday 24 February, then SGS College in Filton will host a regional Fairtrade Schools Conference on 26 February, The South West Fairtrade Business Awards ceremony will take place at City Hall on Thursday 6 March, followed by a business networking lunch, and the Fortnight will conclude by a celebration of International Women’s Day at the M Shed on Saturday 8 March with a film screening, panel debate, music and refreshments. For ticket details of all events visit: www.bristolfairtrade.org.uk 12 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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A bold and dynamic re-imagining of Brontë’s Jane Eyre comes to the Bristol Old Vic this month, presented in two parts, drawing on dark fairy tales and folk tradition. It marks the return of director Sally Cookson to Bristol Old Vic’s stage after her triumphant production of Peter Pan in 2012. She brings her storytelling talents to bear on one of the most influential works of the 19th century with an ensemble cast of ten actors and musicians. This empowering and courageous production throws into sharp relief one woman’s fight for freedom and fulfilment and also realises a life-long ambition of Cookson’s to take the iconic figures and radically re-examine the characters we think we know so well. Bertha will be expressed and explored through live music composed by Sally’s long-term collaborator Benji Bower and questions her depiction as merely the madwoman in the attic. Jane Eyre is played by Madeleine Worrall. Previously at Bristol Old Vic as Wendy in Peter Pan, she has worked extensively in theatre, most notably as Irina in Michael Blakemore’s West End production of Three Sisters with Kristin Scott Thomas and Kate Burton; as Sonya in John Byrne’s Uncle Varick with Brian Cox for the Royal Lyceum, and as Cinderella in Stephen Fry’s original version for the Old Vic in London. Rochester is played by Felix Hayes, a regular company member of the RSC and Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory and Bertha is played by Melanie Marshall, a classically trained singer, acclaimed theatre performer and recording artist. Jane Eyre runs at the Bristol Old Vic from 10 February – 29 March. Tickets from £5. Book on tel: 0117 987 7877 or visit: bristololdvic.org.uk
Show some love
Card by Bristol Letterpress
On Friday 14 February send someone you love a Valentine’s Day card to show them how much you care – even if it’s your Mum or you’re a secret admirer – it will put a big smile on their face. There are a great selection of unique and thoughtful cards at Bristol-based company www.cappuccinocards.com – with none of the gushy pages of poetry, just straight from the heart pictures, motifs and words of admiration. All the cards are designed, and in many cases handmade, by artists, including local print company Bristol Letterpress which prints on a vintage Adana letterpress. All cards are priced at £3 with £1 going to charity.
Stargaze Enjoy an evening of star gazing at Bristol’s newly-designated Dark Sky Discovery Site on Durdham Down on Wednesday 5 February. The Star Party event runs from 6.30pm – 8.30pm and is being organised by the Avon Gorge & Downs Wildlife Project, Friends of the Downs and Avon Gorge, the Bristol Astronomical Society and Explorer Dome. Members of the Bristol Astronomical Society will be on hand with their telescopes to show you the surface of the moon, Jupiter, Andromeda Galaxy and how to spot winter constellations. Cost: £5 per person (including a hot drink and cookie). Booking is essential on tel: 0117 9030609
©Andrew Baker
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THE CITY The buzz... RUMOUR HAS IT Word on the street is that if Make Sundays Special returns this year (which we hope it will), the event will play host to a giant slide that goes all the way down Park Street!
SLEEPOVER AT THE ZOO A BBC documentary that has recently been filmed at Bristol Zoo, called Sleepover at The Zoo, is due to air at the end of February/early March. Keep an eye out for this programme, which features new filming techniques that allow us to take a closer look at the world of animal sleep, as a team of experts stay up all night to track – hour by hour – the diverse sleep patterns of a host of animals. Meerkats sleep huddled together for safety and warmth, bats sleep hanging upside down from a tree branch, and flamingos sleep standing up with one eye open on the lookout for danger... find out why on this show.
BOOK NOW Tickets have gone on sale for the Forestry Commission’s annual outdoor music concerts at Westonbirt Arboretum this summer. Taking to the stage on Friday 18 July is Irish boyband Boyzone who will be continuing the celebration of their BZ20 anniversary and on Sunday 20 July classical singer Katherine Jenkins will perform a selection of her favourite works as well as classic proms repertoire with the National Symphony Orchestra. Tickets can be purchased at the box office on tel :03000 680400 or buy online at: www.forestry.gov.uk/music. Other acts will shortly be announced too, so keep an eye on the website. Katherine Jenkins
My BRISTOL We ask HEMALI MODHA, owner of Amulet Boutique on Cotham Hill, what she’s doing this month... What brought you to Bristol? I came to Bristol back in 1994 after spending a year working as an artist in Spain. I’d been brought up in Southampton but didn’t want to go back there so I decided to visit some old friends in Bristol before heading to London where I planned to get an art studio and some part time lecturing work. I got here and discovered this exciting, rich, creative city and never left! What are you reading? I’ve got two books on the go at the moment. I’m reading Black Star Nairobi by Mukoma Wa Ngugi. A friend recommended it and I like a good crime novel. Also, I was born in Uganda and still have family in Nairobi so it appealed to me. The other is Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief which I'm reading with my seven year-old. What is on your MP3 player? I’m enjoying listening to Tom Odell and John Newman at the moment. Which café or restaurant takes your fancy? We’re spoilt for choice on Cotham Hill. I particularly like to go to Bravas on a Thursday or Friday night after work. Tapas is my favourite kind of food. It’s a popular venue and tables get booked early so sometimes you need to perch at the bar which is even more authentic and reminds me of happy times in Spain. Which museum or gallery will you be visiting? These days I don’t get much time to enjoy art galleries but we often head to the City Museum on a rainy weekend.
What are your hobbies or interests? Between looking after my kids and running a business there’s very little time for a hobby. My passion is what I do every day. I’m surrounded by beautiful things and have the great pleasure of helping women choose the right clothes and accessories for them and which also complements their lifestyle needs. What local event will you be attending? There are two important dates in the diary. The first is the Venus Awards Ceremony in March. The Venus Awards celebrate Women in Business. I’m very honoured to have reached the semi finals for the Entrepreneur category. The other event is the Penny Brohn Long Table Lunch which is a charity event to raise money and awareness of the amazing work the Penny Brohn Cancer Care Centre does. I attended for the first time last year and met some amazing and inspirational women and I look forward to supporting the event again this year. Favourite local walk? Snuff Mills is a favourite with me but the boys would rather be kicking a football around in a park or field. Any projects/work in progress? We've got lots of things planned for 2014. Look out for videos and handy hints and tips on how to put outfits together on our Facebook page and website – www.amuletjewellery.co.uk. We are also very excited to be sponsoring Miss Bristol, Kerri Ingram-Walpole, in her bid for Miss Universe GB. I’ve got lots of ideas for a spring/summer photo shoot that we’ll be doing where I’ll be giving her a very different look to the one she’s used to for her pageant events.
BOOK OF THE MONTH... JOIN IN AND SING The Bristol Male Voice Choir (BMVC) is inviting men of all ages to join their group of 80 choristers, who have for the past 45 years brought pleasure to people all over the world through their concerts, while at the same time raising money for different charities. Rehearsals take place on a Thursday evening at 7.15pm at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College, Filton Avenue, where you can sing and enjoy a great social experience. For further information visit: www.bristolmvc.org.uk
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Bristol Slavers by Peter Martin and Dr Isioma Nwokolo This is a book which discovers the truth about previously unknown aspects of Bristol’s slave trade, written by popular local character, Peter Martin, also known as Pirate Pete of Bristol’s Pirate Walks. Peter has been on a worldwide fact-finding mission for the past 12 years to write Bristol Slavers, which tells the history of the triangular slave trade from west country ports. Peter, who wrote the book with psychiatrist Dr Isioma Nwokolo, will be launching the project on Thursday 20 February at Plantation Caribbean Bar and Restaurant in Cheltenham Road, where guests can hear more about the journey to write the book and take a look at some of the evidence gathered. Tickets cost £10 if pre-booked or £15 on the door and include food, drinks and a reggae after-party until 3am. Books will be available to buy at the event for £10, signed by both authors. Book on tel: 0117 907 7932.
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Head up high
I
have an old friend whose father lived his whole life in the Lincolnshire Fens and rarely left. If you’ve ever visited that part of the country you’ll appreciate that fenland has two significant characteristics. It tends to be wet, and it is, as Blackadder might have put it, flatter than a flounder that has won first prize in a Flattest Flounder competition. I took a train across southern Lincolnshire recently and it was like travelling across the green baize of a snooker table. The sky was huge, the land apparently endless, and words like ‘up’ and ‘down’ really didn’t mean a lot. According to legend my friend’s father – or possibly his grandfather – lived for years without ever going further than the local market town; he had never been more than 20 feet above sea level in his life when he ventured further afield and for the first time stood on top of a hill. He took one look down at the trees and rooftops below, was seized with terror, and rushed back down again. That was, according to the tale, the last time he ever emulated the Grand Old Duke of York and his men, and he spent the rest of his life at sea level. I have to admit that I felt something slightly similar when we moved to Bartleby Towers. Our street runs along the spine of a hill and is oriented in such a way that sou’westerly gales buffet the back of the house and howl around the
“
chimneys. In the recent storms it has often seemed that the shambling old place might be ripped from its foundations and sent whirling away. It took some getting used to, this exposure to the elements, but the upside is a great view of all the firework displays on Bonfire Night and in fine weather a sense of being as close to the clouds as to the ground. Nowadays I feel a bit like my old friend’s dad (or grandpa), only the other way round. Put me somewhere flat and I immediately head for the nearest hill. After a few hours in the West End of London I long to be on Park Street, despite the effort involved in making the ascent. Life in a hilly city is hard work in some respects, but the rewards are many and various. A while ago I wrote something about south Bristol’s confusingly named Northern Slopes, but what I perhaps didn’t mention is how fun it is to see familiar surroundings – the local park, a block of flats – from a different perspective. To see well-known scenes from a new viewpoint is as refreshing as going somewhere different, and Bristol is full of surprising shifts in perspective. From some angles Cabot Tower seems remote on its hilltop, but climb up there and you realise you’re only a stone’s throw from the harbour. Our city is not very big, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in variety – of architecture, of people, and of perspectives. In the late 18th century, when the Romantic age was in full swing and dramatic landscapes were the in thing, the adventurous travelled deep into the wilds of Wales. The slightly lazier tourist, meanwhile, opted for Hotwells, where one could take the waters and then wander about in Avon Gorge. The young JMW Turner spent teenage summers perched on a rock here, sketching the cliffs and ships, and even with traffic roaring along the Portway there is still something sublime about the scene. Is there a link, I wonder, between Bristol’s fascinating topography and the city’s flourishing creative industries? Is it an accident that some of the most exciting work in new media is going on here? Or are creative minds inspired by the city’s hills, and their lesson that even the most humdrum scenes are alive with possibility. ■
After a few hours in the West End of London I long to be on Park Street, despite the effort involved in making the ascent
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BRISTOL AT WORK Our series of photographic portraits by Charlotte Stone shows Bristol people at work
Gavin Strange Senior designer at Aardman
I
came to Bristol about eight years ago now, as a young freelance designer, because I’d never lived anywhere else outside of my hometown of Leicester. I never went to university, instead I got a job in the industry as a young junior designer, and after four years learning my trade I left the design agency and started up as a freelancer, going under the name of JamFactory. I tried my hand at everything, from web design to t-shirt design to skateboard design. Working with lots of different independent stores, I got the chance to meet an artist by the name of Mr Jago, someone I was a huge fan of. I wanted to make him a website, because I was such a big fan, for free, and he agreed (in return for a gorgeous painting, which still hangs pride of place in my home). Even though we met in Leicester, he lived in Bristol, so one day I hopped on the train to go visit him and chat about the site. What I didn’t expect was to fall in love with the city. I vividly remember walking up Park Street, my legs burning and my eyes wide with excitement at this luscious green, vibrant city. It didn’t take long for me to pack my bags and start a new life down here in Bristol, and I’ve been here ever since. I continued to be a freelance designer, working with local skateboard store Fifty Fifty down on Park Street. A few years into my Bristol life I started advertising my services as a designer online, in the aim of getting more local work. One day I got an email with the subject “Hello from Aardman”… well, I’ve never replied to an email quicker in my life! It was from Dan Efergan, the creative director of the digital department at Aardman and he was looking for a senior designer to work with on a project for Channel 4. I jumped at the chance and popped in to Aardman to meet Dan and the place… that was nearly six years ago and I’ve been there ever since, loving every minute of it. It really is a dream job, it’s not even a job, it’s like the best thing ever, getting to colour in all day and create visual treats for people to enjoy – that’s a whole ton of fun that I happen to get paid for, I really am living the dream! I have a huge deal of pride being able to call myself an Aardmanite, the place is full of such talented, creative people, it’s really inspiring to walk around the building and see what everyone is up to, feeding off the fantastic things they’re making, whether it be a stop-motion film, an animated CG commercial or an interactive iPad app. To top it all off, I had the honour of being one of the Gromit Unleashed artists last year, with my effort being the big pink and gold illustration-covered Stats the way to do it, lad!, which was covered in illustrated statistics all about Aardman and Wallace & Gromit. I was over the moon when it sold for £29,000, all in the name of the wonderful Grand Appeal, raising money for the Bristol Children’s Hospital. I really am so lucky, to live in a beautiful city and do a job I absolutely adore. In my mind I’m still that young silly berk from Leicester that loves to colour in, terrified one day I’ll get found out that I’m just an excitable big kid with nothing more than a passion for pretties and not a lot else! Remember, you can’t make fun unless you’re having fun, and never, ever forget how far being kind and excitable can get you. ■
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bijoux gifts home interiors & dollshouse 127 Coldharbour Road, Bristol BS6 7SN T. 0117 329 1788 E: bijouxgifts@live.co.uk
‘Beautiful Valentine's gifts for that special someone in your life.’ ‘From heart shaped jewellery to romantic Woodwick scented candles, that crackle as they burn.’
‘We also stock a wide range of dollshouse miniatures.’
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HEART OF GOLD: Locked in Love pendant in solid silver and 9ct rose gold, from £70 at Nicholas Wylde, The Mall, Clifton
Carluccio’s Rosa di Cioccolato £4.50 individually or £24.95 for half dozen, £49.50 for a dozen, Carluccio’s, Quakers Friars
Sanctuary Spa’s Escape and Unwind Collection, £17, features bath soak, shower cream, body polisher, sugar scrub and body butter, available at Boots
ON THE ROCKS: below left, a unique handmade ring in 18ct white gold with three heart shaped white diamonds with a yellow round diamond in the middle, £3,250 from Julie Anne Palmer, Stoke Lane, Westbury on Trym Below right, diamonds of different sizes are scattered over entwined silver in this ring, £787, made by Shimara Carlow, available at Diana Porter, Park Street
ROMANTIC NIGHT IN: M&S Valentine’s hamper, £20. Includes bath and body treats, a box of Belgian chocolates and a bottle of pink cava
Cotton heart bag from the limited edition collection at Radley in aid of the British Heart Foundation
TOKENS OF LOVE A specially selected pick of our favourite gifts to give your Valentine on February 14th
Diamond circular pendant, £395 from Kemps Jewellers, Carlton Court, Westbury on Trym
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Lanvin La Rose Eau de Parfum, £49 (100ml) from Harvey Nichols
CHARMED: Above: Butterfly Necklace, £12 from Sweet Pea, 14 High Street, Westbury-on-Trym; below: Catherine Amesbury silver Sweetie Necklace with freshwater pearl, silver and crystal heart charm, from £125, Artemis, 214 Gloucester Road
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A Gift that
is Loved
Beautifully crafted engagement rings, wedding rings and fine jewellery designed and traditionally handmade on the premises. All types of jewellery remodelled. Efficient repair service. Shown here: Platinum and Diamond Cluster ring, Central oval stone is 0.53ct With round brilliant diamonds scattered over head and shoulders. total diamond weight 0.73ct. £3,495.
Gold & Platinum Studio 19 Northumberland Place, Bath BA1 5AR Tel: +44 (0)1225 462 300 www.goldandplatinumstudio.co.uk email: mike@goldandplatinumstudio.co.uk
9 Carlton Court, Westbury on Trym, Bristol, BS9 3DF www.kempsjewellers.com (online store) 0117 950 5090 Kemps Jewellers are a family business offering an extensive range of jewellery, both new and second hand, across a wide price range.
• Wedding & Engagement Rings • Bespoke Jewellery • Silver Jewellery • Beautiful Gifts • Watches
This Valentine's day let Kemps help you surprise your special someone.
• Jewellery & Watch Repairs • Registered Pawnbrokers • Gold purchased A 10% discount on any pair of rings purchased and off any further gifts for your wedding
You can now also purchase online. Quick & Easy. Visit www.kempsjewellers.com
“History, Tradition & Quality – the only Kemps Jewellers since 1881” Connect with us for the latest offers, competitions and updates. Opening time: Mon-Fri 9:30am to 5:30pm, Saturday 9:00am to 1:00pm, Sundays Closed
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LIVING IN LUXURY Samantha Coleman meets Fleur Turner, founder and CEO of Bristol-based lingerie company, Fleur of England
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’ve always had an interest in beautiful things, even at the age of nine I used to sketch corsets and use my mum’s fabrics to make pretty dresses for my dolls,” says Fleur Turner, founder and creative director of internationally renowned lingerie company, Fleur of England, which has its beating heart here in Bristol. Producing luxury lingerie that is sexy, elegant and comfortable, the Fleur of England office and design studio is based in the creative hub of Bristol, just off Gloucester Road, in a Victorian townhouse not far from Fleur’s home in Redland where she lives with her husband and two young sons. When she’s not working in her studio or training for the Bristol Half Marathon, you’ll often see Fleur in the coffee shops on Gloucester Road, sketchbook in hand, designing the next beautiful piece of lingerie or intricate lace pattern. “All designs are created at our studio and are unique and exclusive to Fleur of England, designed by women for women. It is from here that we perfect all the design, pattern and fitting work,” says Fleur. She says her signature style is “romance with a splash of sauce” and takes inspiration from the rich British heritage, using traditional techniques. The hand crafted garments, which are manufactured in the UK and Europe, are instantly captivating, with intricately beautiful designs, made from the most luxurious of materials. After 26 successful seasons, Fleur’s desire for the brand remains the same; “to create beautiful, feminine and sensual garments that inspire romance, elegance and sophistication.” Since 2001 Fleur of England has established innovative trends in the lingerie market and continues to set itself apart from other labels with its exquisite pieces and attention to style and fit. “It is no good just creating something aesthetically beautiful if it doesn’t also feel great,” says Fleur. “We are not just creating boudoir items but sensual lingerie that can be worn as everyday luxury. We live and breathe the word exquisite; everything we do or produce has to be exquisite – from the stitching, fit and quality, to the carefully chosen tissue paper and luxury packaging – I expect nothing but the best. If it is not exquisite it will not leave the door. I still personally design the collections and source the fabrics each season (many from the fabric exhibitions in Paris). I am present at every fit meeting and have final fit approval on all collections.” Each season Fleur designs the new collections around a creative story. “My inspiration comes from the things that I love, like my gorgeous rescue cat
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called Marni, whose lavender grey paws and fur has inspired the colour for three collections. And of course other designers and brands have had a huge influence on my designs – such as Stella McCartney, Valentino (I love his use of colour), Chloe, Alberta Ferretti and Alexander McQueen (the fashion house’s use of traditional techniques mixed in a modern, directional way is fascinating).” Fleur’s collections are all about something treasured and this unique style has been internationally recognised and led to a number of personal commissions from prestigious establishments, as well as significant critical acclaim from iconic fashion magazines including Vogue, which called the collection “luxe lingerie, sinfully seductive.” Fleur of England has also achieved impressive celebrity status, worn by Charlize Theron, Sarah Jessica Parker, Katy Perry, Emma Watson and Helena Christensen to name a few. But it hasn’t all just been dreams and wishes comes true; Fleur has worked exceptionally hard to get to where she is today. Born and raised in Guildford, Surrey, Fleur has always had a passion for fashion and fabrics: “At school they encouraged me creatively and then I went on to do A-Levels and a Foundation Course which gave me the freedom to let my imagination run wild with materials in the fashion and sculpture modules.” Fleur graduated from Newcastle University in 1998 with a degree in fashion marketing and then spent a couple of years gaining valuable experience in technical lingerie in the UK and Asia. “It was great, I learned about the business and got to see what people wanted, what worked and what didn’t; but I yearned to create my own garments.”
My inspiration comes from the things that I love, like my gorgeous rescue cat called Marni, whose lavender grey paws and fur has inspired the colour for three collections
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YUMMY MUMMY: main image left, Fleur can be found in the coffee shops on Gloucester Road sketching lingerie designs and lace patterns; left, Fleur of England pieces include Blush silk kimono, Jasmine boudoir bra and brief and Rose kimono Above, Fleur, pictured with her two young sons, George and Ernest, at their family home in Redland Right, from top, Fleur designs all the collections, personally sources the fabrics and does all pattern and fitting work for each piece Lifestyle shots © Paul Michael Photography
So at the age of 25, with just a small bank loan and some big aspirations, Fleur founded lingerie label Fleur T in 2000, creating garments made with silk and lace. It was an instant success with Fleur being commissioned to design limited edition collections for Liberty of London. Since then her portfolio of exclusive stockists has continually grown and now includes 65 boutiques worldwide including department stores such as Barneys in New York and Harvey Nichols. Fleur was even given a royal seal of approval in 2003, when Princess Anne presented her with the Fashion Export Newcomer award. Since then she has been recognised by both international trade forums and fashion press as a leader within the luxury lingerie market. Having followed her husband-to-be to Bristol in 2005, Fleur fell into a separate love affair with the city and has enjoyed living and working here ever since. “Bristol is so creative and there’s lots to see and do. I’m a member of Bristol Media and go to their meetings with my team – it’s great for personal development.” After getting married and having her first child, Fleur made the decision to rebrand the company in 2008 and changed the name to Fleur of England – to emphasise the British designs – and also launched an e-commerce platform, which increased sales dramatically. Last year the company launched a third generation e-commerce website and saw sales go up by 40 percent. Add to this a new collection launch and three prestigious UK lingerie award nominations, and I think you’ll agree that 2013 was a good year for Fleur of England. But has Fleur’s career success made it challenging for her to enjoy a home life as well? “Not at all,” she exclaims. “I’m pleased to say that as my business has grown, so has my family! James and I have two young sons – George and Ernest – and I take huge delight in juggling my two worlds of yummy mummy and creative businesswoman. “I hope to inspire young business women – it’s important to me to show them that they can have a family and run a business. There are so many opportunities for women in business. “But I consider my company to be my first baby, a daughter, and it is through Fleur of England that my creativity and naturally feminine style are fulfilled.” ■
Fleur’s rescue cat Marni, whose colour has inspired three collections, as seen below
Keepsake Kimono in lavender grey, inspired by the colour of Fleur’s cat, pictured above
Fleur of England is available online at: www.fleurofengland.com. WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK
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In the mood for LOVE We offer you our top ideas for a great Valentine’s date in the city, from chocolate making to science exploration and a magic show to dinner and dancing
Chocolate making at the River Cottage Canteen
River Cottage Canteen’s chocolate demo course, Wednesday 5 February, from 10.30am A perfect way to break the ice and avoid awkward silences on a first date – get creative and messy together at this cookery demo which will focus on how to make ganache, infusing the cream with different flavours. Chef will also demonstrate tempering chocolate and make petit fours and chocolate mendiants, a traditional French confection. Guests will all be able to tuck into the chocolate treats at the end of the session and will leave with a recipe for thyme and orange infused ganache to try at home. Cost: £30, including coffee on arrival and a two course lunch. Booking is essential, visit http://www.rivercottage.net/canteens/bristol/ or tel: 0117 973 2458.
innovative events in beautiful spaces. The debut happening is a Valentine’s dinner and dance in the Kings Weston House stately home. Guests will be welcomed to a world of bohemian decadence and revelry, where gastronomic delights and fine beverages create a heady mix with film, art, music and dancing. On entering the house you will be greeted with welcome cocktails before enjoying a three course meal provided by Bristol pop-up restaurant Mia Casa (dinner is served with mixed groups on large tables). Then dance until the small hours or relax and enjoy a film in the silent cinema. Tickets cost £45 for dinner and party, or £10 for the party only. For more information visit: www.maisonparadiso.com. To book tickets go to: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/maisonparadiso-valentines-dinner-dance-tickets-963912 9897 Kings Weston House @ Kevin Belson
After Hours: LOVE, At-Bristol Friday 14 February, 6.30-10pm Ever wanted to play in At-Bristol when the kids aren’t around? Well, now’s your chance! Join the science centre for a Valentine’s evening with a twist – whether you’ve got a date, are looking for love, or just want a fun night out with your friends – grab a drink and get hands-on with the exhibits. Take a romantic trip to the stars in the Planetarium, get up close and personal with real heart dissections, and, if you’ve exhausted your options with our own species, give Neanderthal Speed-Dating a go. Tickets from £6. Book on tel: 0845 345 1235 or visit: atbristol.org.uk/afterhourslove
Maison Paradiso at Kings Weston House, Friday 14 February Maison Paradiso is a new Bristol production company which is dedicated to creating 24 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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The Birds and the Bees at M Shed, Friday 14 February, 6pm-7.30pm Learn more about relationships in the animal kingdom with this special late night opening event delivered by the museum’s curators. Tickets: £8. Includes exhibition entry into Wildlife Photographer of the Year and free drink on arrival. Evening bar. Book on tel: 0117 352 6600.
In Between Time (IBT) presents Spirit with Florentina Holzinger and Vincent Riebeek at Arnolfini, Friday 14 February, 7.30pm Holzinger and Riebeek are renowned for radical theatre that challenges our understanding of beauty. Spirit is a part of IBT’s showcase series,
Learn about the birds and the bees after hours at the M Shed Image © Steve Race, True Love
bringing extraordinary international work to Bristol. Join a playful Valentine journey of discovery through yoga, pop songs and tarot cards. Tickets: £12/£10, book at: www.arnolfini.org.uk
Join Fanny & Johnnie Cradock for a red hot Valentine’s dinner date at Southville’s Hen & Chicken, Friday 14 & Saturday 15 February Treat your squeeze to a two-course dinner with great music and loads of laughs in this fun foodie evening starring Kate McNab and John Telfer as the Cradocks. Book tickets at: www.showofstrength.org.uk
Cheep Romance at Bristol Zoo, Friday 14 – Sunday 16 February Embrace all that is romantic without breaking the bank this Valentine’s Day with Bristol Zoo’s offer that Lovebirds at Bristol Zoo gives lovers and © Bob Pitchford couples the chance to enjoy a day out for two for £20. Visit the zoo’s own couples including Sir Edmund and Jasmina, the red pandas, Nato and Sirana, the hippos, Hogarth and Helen, the giant tortoises and Jock and Romina, the Western Lowland gorillas. Download the voucher from the zoo’s website: www.bristolzoo.org.uk
Kockov presents his from Russia With Love Comedy Magic show at Smoke and Mirrors, Saturday 15 February Kockov’s outrageous humour, mixed with some world-class mental-magic including card predictions, psychological influencing and mindreading, creates the perfect mix for a truly unforgettable night of entertainment. Come and witness the man, the mind and the mullet. Tickets from £7, for further information visit: www.smokeandmirrorsbar.co.uk
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2014 26 THEBATHMAGAZINE THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE xx 2013 | FEBRUARY | OCTOBER
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CENTRE STAGE Andrew Hilton, director of Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory, takes time out of his rehearsals to talk to James Russell about his top tunes
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ince he first arrived in Bristol in 1978 to join the Bristol Old Vic company, Andrew Hilton has contributed a huge amount to the city’s cultural life. After performing in more than 20 productions at the Old Vic he joined a group of actors to form the Show of Strength Theatre Company, which made its base at the Hen & Chicken pub on North Street, Southville. It was here that Andrew made his name as a director, with successful productions of new plays by Dominic Power, Brian Friel and Michael Gow, among others. In 1992 Andrew directed Show of Strength’s production of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, and he was evidently hooked. When mayor-to-be George Ferguson rescued the Tobacco Factory from demolition and converted it into a no-frills arts centre, Andrew booked the theatre space for a Shakespeare season starting on 9 February 2000. With no booking facilities, the first production of King Lear opened with no tickets sold and a first night audience not much bigger than the cast. But critics from The Independent and The Guardian were impressed, and by the end of the season (which also featured A Midsummer Night’s Dream) Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory (SATTF) was a commercial and critical success. For several years things just got better and better, then in 2004 SATTF became a charity and this move coincided with a dip in the company’s fortunes. During the 2006 season there was a real threat of closure, but the public rallied to an appeal for funds and have since been rewarded with a series of stellar productions. In 2008 Jonathan Miller stole the show with his Macbeth, while Andrew has received critical accolades for three Chekhov plays; The Times described his Uncle Vanya (2009) as ‘a marvellous blend of heartache and hilarity…’. For the company’s 15th season, which opens on 13 February, we can look forward to a fascinating pairing: As You Like It followed by Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia. Andrew is directing both plays but still found time to share his ten favourite tunes. Enjoy!
Gareth Kennerley singing I dreamed I did a mackerel wed in The Comedy of Errors (2011) © Farrows Creative
Cole Porter
excitement of hearing She Loves You for the very first time at a friend’s party, when I was probably in the 1st year sixth. I’ve chosen this album – and this track – because I genuinely prefer it to the authorised version with Phil Spector’s overdubs. McCartney claimed they over-complicated an album that was intended to have a rather spare style. He was right.
❻ Yann Tierson – Amelie Soundtrack
Andrew’s top ten:
This is my second choice inspired by my son’s musicality (he laughed when he heard I’d been asked to offer up my ten favourite tunes, living as he does in a permanent state of shock at how little of my life I devote to listening to music), for he is also a very competent pianist. I love to hear this, the film’s main theme, filling our ground floor.
❶ Take, O take those lips away …
❼ JS Bach – Suite for Solo Cello No 6
(Words by William Shakespeare, music by John Telfer) This is one choice among many I might make from the Shakespeare songs that John Telfer has set for Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory. Sung unaccompanied by Saskia Portway as the unhappy Mariana in Measure for Measure in 2001, it had a particularly haunting quality. We all liked it so much that my associate, Dominic Power, wrote a second verse for it.
I attempted to learn the cello while I was at school, but seriously lacked technical flair, so when I moved on to university I wasn’t good enough for orchestras or quartets at that level and so gave it up. But I still love the instrument and the Bach cello suites, despite their austerity, are among my very favourite music. Amazing to think that until Casals recorded them in the late 1930s they were widely regarded as mere practice exercises.
❷ Paganini – Romance for Guitar
❽ Buffy Sainte-Marie – Now That the Buffalo’s Gone In the late 1960s, at the height of the folk revival, I went to a concert in Manchester that featured a number of English but principally American artists, some of whom – like the Reverend Gary Davis – were legends in their own lifetime. We had to endure Julie Felix ‘going to the zoo’ but were recompensed by this charismatic and then relatively unknown singer knocking us out with this emotional appeal for the dignity of her fellow Native Americans.
I have always loved the classical guitar, and it has become a renewed passion lately as my student son has become a very able player himself. This is one of his favourite pieces, so I am fortunate to receive a shot of it on a fairly regular basis.
❸ Cole Porter – Night and Day (sung by Fred Astaire) I became hooked on Cole Porter when I worked at the Mermaid Theatre in London in the early 70s and we put on Cole, a compilation of his songs that ran very successfully for about a year. I choose the version by Astaire, because I have loved his films since I was a child. ❹ I dreamed I Did a Mackerel Wed (Words by Dominic Power, music by Elizabeth Purnell) This is my second choice from our Shakespeare seasons at the Tobacco Factory. Dominic wrote four new songs for The Comedy of Errors in 2011. This is perhaps the oddest, being about a man dreaming he has married a fish, but completely fitting within a play in which several characters feel they are going mad, and in which the sea – and the possibility of being lost in its depths – is so important. ❺ The Beatles – Let it Be (naked) I’m just from that generation. I shall never forget the extraordinary WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK
❾ Vaughan Williams – Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis I first heard this in an O-Level art class at school, when it was played to inspire us to paint. I don’t recall that what I was inspired to do on paper was up to much, but it was the beginning of a love for 20th century English serious music – Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Berkeley, Rawsthorne, Quilter, Britten and others – which I badly need to refresh. ❿ Reinhardt & Grappelli – Swing Guitars (1936) This is one of many tracks I could have chosen from the famous Hot Club of France recordings. I like the guitar in all its manifestations, but jazz is perhaps my preferred style for the violin and Grappelli is incomparable. I was lucky enough to hear him live, twice; once in London, a second time at the Edinburgh Festival, I think in 1982 when he would have been 74. I remember that in the interval when the other players went off for a break Grappelli entertained us at the piano. ■ FEBRUARY 2014
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15 years of the Bard in Bristol Making big Shakespeare productions work in small spaces is no mean feat, especially from a commercial perspective. Director Andrew Hilton shares the secrets of the company’s success with Lindsey Harrad and launches the 15th anniversary appeal
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here’s a fundamental plot flaw in any plan to stage a large-cast production of Shakespeare in an intimate space. A small theatre inevitably means a small audience, which leads to small ticket sales, making the concept unsustainable. But for the past 15 years, Andrew Hilton and the team behind the award-winning annual season of Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory (SATTF) have made it work, and attracted audiences, revenue and rave reviews. “The plan for SATTF simply came from my love of Shakespeare,” says director Andrew. “As an actor I had done a few large cast Shakespeare productions in small intimate spaces, especially at Bristol Old Vic. They were hugely popular and people just seemed to understand the play better when they had all that information you get in film, including the close-up expressions on the actors’ faces. Also, the actors didn’t need to boom the language, they could speak more naturally, which made the dialogue more realistic. But of course staging a large cast performance in a small space with a small audience capacity is a challenge, and the genre did rather fall by the wayside, not because it wasn’t wanted but because it didn’t work economically.” However, Andrew felt there was a way to make it work from a financial perspective. “I’d spent five years working with Show of Strength in Bedminster and we were always having to apply for this and that grant and it’s wearying work – not that I’m pretending I did most of the application work, I didn’t – but I just wanted to do something very simple with SATTF and run it on a commercial basis. Most people thought I was a bit mad to try it though.” After Andrew had left Show of Strength in 1994, the theatre company relocated to the Tobacco Factory. “When I saw their first production there I immediately thought this was where I wanted to do Shakespeare,” says Andrew. “So I went to George Ferguson and told him what I had in mind. He laughed quite a lot but said I could give it a go and gave us a generous deal on the rent. We used Show of Strength’s lighting equipment and ran our own bar and box office – which was basically my mobile phone – and we got by. We almost collapsed within a few weeks of opening, when King Lear only had 12 people in the audience, with 15 people on stage. But then we had this wonderful review in the Independent by Toby O’Connor Morse and another glowing review of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Guardian, and
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suddenly everything changed.” After 15 years and 15 seasons, the company, which has been operating as a charity for the last decade, is launching a special appeal to raise £15,000 to help promote SATTF beyond Bristol. It’s all part of Andrew’s desire to create more opportunities for actors, many of whom are under-employed, and to deliver the distinctive SATTF experience to audiences nationwide. “Our 15th anniversary appeal is all about extending our work outside Bristol,” says Andrew. “We did our first UK tour in 2013 with Two Gentlemen of Verona. We were backed by the wonderful Esmée Fairbairn Foundation for that tour and they will also provide backing in 2014 and 2015, but the grant will be reducing each year so we are trying to raise money to meet the touring costs. The reception we had on tour was fantastic. We didn’t get huge audiences because we’re not that well known yet outside of Bristol, but all the theatres we went to have asked us to come back, and small audiences are to be expected on a first tour. But we enjoyed the experience enormously, it was great fun.” So what can we expect from this year’s productions of Shakespeare’s As You Like It and Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia? “We always try to find a season that makes sense, either because the two plays complement each other in some way or they provide a wonderful contrast in mood,” says Andrew. “This year they reflect each other beautifully, with the pastoral dream coming back from the ancients in Stoppard’s play, set alongside the notion of Arcadia and the simple shepherd who sits discoursing on love in Shakespeare’s quite sceptical take on the pastoral dream in As You Like It.” Although SATTF has presented five non-Shakespearean plays in previous seasons – including The Cherry Orchard and The Changeling – Arcadia is the first completely contemporary production they’ve undertaken. “Arcadia is a wonderful play and many people consider it the best play of our times, and certainly it’s the best modern play that I’ve ever read,” says Andrew. “Although it wasn’t written specifically to be performed in the round, it features a wonderful great table in the centre stage, which straddles the two different time periods of the play – the present day and 1809 – which gradually gathers detritus from the two periods as the performance progresses, so you see coffee mugs alongside early 19th century books and a computer. I think it will work very well in the round at the Tobacco Factory.”
Like I do almost every play, I try to open it up for what truth there is
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IN THE ROUND: main image, the Tobacco Factory theatre is an intimate space, perfect for enjoying Shakespeare up close, and now boasts new comfortable seating. Above, Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory director Andrew Hilton, ©Graham Burke; and shots from last year’s production of Two Gentlemen of Verona, which went on a UK tour, © Farrows Creative
Andrew is reluctant to reveal too much about the staging of As You Like It. “It’s not going to be set in Shakespeare’s period, it’s much later, but we have been known to change our minds in rehearsals, so I’m not going to commit to anything at this point! Funnily enough, for a long time this was a play I didn’t like very much. I’d seen a few rather silly, camp productions, which didn’t work at all. Actually As You Like It is a serious comedy, which is my absolute favourite genre, and I will approach this production like I do almost every play, I try to open it up for what truth there is. There’s nothing like characters you can believe in for capturing your attention.” SATTF has survived for 15 years, even through occasionally turbulent times, so what’s Andrew’s secret to success? “I don’t think anyone else in Bristol is doing what we do, regularly presenting large cast Shakespeare in an intimate venue. I’m constantly asked ‘how do you do it?’ The quick answer is that we spend almost all our money on actors and high quality production, and run a lean
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company in every other respect. We also do fantastically well at the box office too!” “We’ll be presenting another season of what I hope will be intelligent, comprehensible, searching and adventurous theatre,” says Andrew. “You’ll also be able to enjoy the wonderful new comfortable seating at the Tobacco Factory with all seats reserved in advance so there’s no more queuing down the stairs before the performance – people have been asking for this for years and now we can finally do it!” ■ As You Like It runs from 13 February until 22 March, and in repertoire on 22, 23, 26 April and 1 & 2 May. Arcadia runs from 27 March until 19 April and in repertoire on 24, 25, 28, 29 and 30 April, and 3 May. For further information visit: www.sattf.org.uk. To book tickets contact the box office on tel: 0117 902 0344. To find out more about the 15th anniversary appeal or to make a donation visit: www.thebiggive.org.uk and search for SATTF as a keyword.
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CULTURE BOOK Our guide to this month’s top events in Bristol and beyond Infinite Lives at Tobacco Factory Theatres
Strictly’s Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace come to the Hippodrome
Early spring highlights at the University of Bristol Botanic Garden
Brandon Hill Chamber Orchestra, St George’s Bristol, Saturday 1 February, 7.45pm with pre-concert talk at 7pm Ewa Strusinska returns to conduct a programme which starts with Walton’s rousing Crown Imperial march. Britten’s Violin Concerto is performed by Thomas Bowes whose musical talents include leading the orchestra for the recent James Bond movie Skyfall, and a Bach pilgrimage which saw him perform solo Bach in 50 churches over two months. A London Symphony was, by his own admission, Vaughan Williams’ favourite and portrays the sounds and senses of London – including the Westminster chimes. Tickets £15/£13, students and under 18s £1, available from the box office on tel: 0845 4024001.
Argentine tango beginners’ classes, Wednesday evenings at the Redland Club, Burlington Road, 6.30pm – 7.30pm Quality tuition, friendly fun and structured classes with Tango West. These are drop in classes at £6 each or you can book a series of six for £30. For further information or to book, email michele@tangowest.co.uk, tel: 07981 756965 or visit: www.tangowest.co.uk.
University of Bristol Botanic Garden Tour, Sunday 2 February, 10am Curator, Nicholas Wray will show some of the early spring highlights including the delicate, fragrant pink blossoms of Prunus mume BeniChidori, Wintersweet and Witch Hazel. Tours are an excellent opportunity to hear of new developments, learn about new plants and see what exotics are flowering in the glasshouses. Admission: free to Friends, visitors £4.50. Meet outside the Welcome Lodge at University of Bristol Botanic Garden, Stoke Bishop. For further information tel: 0117 331 4906 or visit: www.bristol.ac.uk/botanic-garden.
Sir Mark Walport: The Planet in Our Hands – Responding to Climate Change, At-Bristol, Tuesday 4 February, 7 – 8pm (pre-event mingle from 6.30pm) Sir Mark Walport is the new Chief Science Adviser to the Government. With a background in immunology, he now turns his attentions to a pressing issue we face as a global society: our climate. In this talk he explores what science tells us, and asks what should we, as a developed nation, do in response? Tickets: £5/£4 from tel: 0845 345 1235 or visit: atbristol.org.uk/markwalport.
Infinite Lives, Tobacco Factory Theatres, 5 – 15 February, 8.15pm Tobacco Factory Theatres presents the first full scale production of Chris Goode’s Infinite Lives, directed by Director in Residence, Nik Partridge, who works with the theatre this year following receipt of a BBC 30 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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Performing Arts Fund Theatre Fellowship. Infinite Lives is an erotic, numerical and technological journey into a virtual world in which protagonist John is forced to question how much he is still in control of his own life. Like much of Goode’s work, Infinite Lives is hauntingly poetic; it explores what it means to be lonely in an age when we have more means to connect with each other than ever before. Tickets from the box office on tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com.
Ballad of the Burning Star, Bristol Old Vic, 6-8 February Supported by Arts Council England and Theatre Bench and produced in association with Tara Arts, Redbridge Drama Centre and The Lowry multiaward-winning theatre Ad Infinitum, Ballad of the Burning Star is an explosive tale. Armed with music, killer heels and a lethal troop of divas, an enraged Israeli executes a story of victimhood, persecution, aggression and love. With shrapnel-sharp voices and moves as smooth as an oiled tank chain, this cabaret troop invites you on a journey into the core of a conflicted Jewish state. This provocative production took the Edinburgh Festival 2013 by storm, winning three awards and critical acclaim across the board. Tickets £12 from the box office on tel: 0117 987 7877 or visit: www.bristololdvic.org.uk.
Benefit Concert for Fight for Sight, QEH Theatre, Berkeley Place, Friday 7 February, 8pm This promises to be a wonderful night of music, songs and stories all in aid of Fight for Sight, which has been funding research into blindness and eye disease for more than 40 years. One of the most popular ambassadors for acoustic roots music, Phil Beer headlines this concert. His impressive track record includes touring with Mike Oldfield and being a member of the Albion Band and Show of Hands, a band that has gone on to sell out the Royal Albert Hall three times. Tickets are available by emailing: mike@westburysurgery.co.uk or tel: 0117 9623706.
West Side Story, Bristol Hippodrome, until 8 February Leading the talented new cast is Katie Hall as Maria and Louis Maskell as her star-crossed lover Tony. Katie has most recently played Christine in the national tour of Phantom of the Opera and Cosette in Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre in the West End, while Louis has previously appeared in the national tour of Scrooge – The Musical. Djalenga Scott brings her energy and experience from Chicago, Flashdance and The Rocky Horror Show to play the pivotal role of Anita and in the rival gang, Jack Wilcox takes on the ill-fated character of Riff, Tony’s best friend and co-founder of the Jets. Jack was most recently in Singin’ in the Rain at the West End’s Palace Theatre and has also appeared in Wicked. This bright, dynamic new cast is directed and choreographed by Joey McKneely using the Jerome >>
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Kit Downes Quintet at the Hen & Chicken ©Eric Richmond
Robbins’ full, original choreography. Joey has worked extensively on Broadway and was the former assistant to Jerome Robbins, so brings with him the true essence of the original production. Tickets from the box office on tel: 0844 871 3012 or visit: www.atgtickets.com/bristol.
Exultate Singers: A Sense of the Divine, St George’s Bristol, Saturday 8 February, 7.30pm Singing music spanning 1,000 years, Exultate Singers perform choral works inspired by the universe, the moon, planets and stars. The centrepiece is a performance of Lux aeterna by Ligeti written for Stanley Kubrick’s iconic film 2001: A Space Odyssey and Vaughan Williams’ setting of Shakespeare’s words in Serenade to Music, marking the 450th anniversary of the playwright’s birth. Tickets from £13, available from the box office on tel: 0845 40 24 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk.
Out There Music Winter Concert, St George’s Bristol, Sunday 9 February 2014 7.30pm Mark Olver at The Wardrobe Theatre
Performances by Out There Choir, Orchestra, Chamber Choir, Children’s Choir and Trumpet Ensemble with music including Mozart, Bruckner, One Direction, The Lumineers, Eric Clapton and Elton John in aid of Changing Tunes. Tickets £8 (£5 under 18s), available from www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk or www.outtheremusic.net.
Kit Downes Quintet, The Hen & Chicken, Southville, Sunday 9 February, 7.30pm for 8.15pm At once dark and detailed, colourful and chaotic, this quintet is the new project from pianist and composer Kit Downes, featuring the talents of some of the UK’s finest young musicians from jazz and classical music: Kit Downes (piano), James Allsopp (bass clarinet), Lucy Railton (cello), Calum Gourlay (bass) and James Maddren (drums). Kit Downes is a real piano virtuoso. Classically trained and Mercury Prize nominated, he has been at the core of some of the most groundbreaking bands in recent years including Empirical and Troyka. Tickets £15/£13, visit: www.jazzata.com.
Comedy at The Wardrobe Theatre, above The White Bear on St Michael’s Hill, Monday 10 – Friday 14 February, 8pm Anton du Beke at Bristol Hippodrome
Once again Bristol comedian Mark Olver has put together an incredible line-up of comics to come and try out material at The Wardrobe Theatre. Five fantastic nights of top headline acts road testing new material before major UK tours. Tickets: £5.
Anton du Beke: Ballroom to Broadway, Bristol Hippodrome, Tuesday 11 February, 7.30 pm Anton du Beke is back with a new show featuring memorable dances alongside new choreography, timeless tunes from Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Jerry Herman and Andrew Lloyd Webber, and dazzling costumes to conjure up the elegance of ballroom at its best and the unmissable razzle dazzle of broadway. Enjoy the spectacle of a world class ensemble of dancers featuring Faye Huddleston, the Raymond Gubbay Big Band and special guest Summer Strallen. Tickets from the box office tel: 0844 871 3012 or visit: www.atgtickets.com/bristol.
Eric Ravillious: Watercolour, Wood Engraving and Wedgwood, Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, Wednesday 12 February, 7pm James Russell will talk about how Eric Ravilious (1903 – 1942) was inspired by the landscape of southern England, particularly the chalk downlands. As well as a wood engraver and printmaker, he designed a number of popular pieces for Wedgwood and he was made Official War Artist in World War II. Cost: £3, book in advance on tel: 0117 922 3571 or email: general.museum@bristol.gov.uk. >>
EDITOR’S PICK... Police Dog Hogan, St George’s Bristol, Friday 7 February, 8pm Tim Dowling is most well known for providing weekly insights into the drollness of everyday life in his weekly column in The Guardian’s Saturday supplement. But this month he takes to the stage at St George’s Bristol with his seven-piece band, Police Dog Hogan, which also features media creative James Studholme (whose production company Blink was responsible for the popular John Lewis Christmas TV advert). Their music is high energy Americana, so expect an entertaining combination of fiddle, banjo, mandolin, drums and guitars with knockout four-part harmonies in an exuberant fusing of country, pop, folk, and rocking urban bluegrass. The Sunday Times has called them ‘wonderful’ and BBC Radio 2 noted them as a ‘band to watch’. Their most recent album, From the Land of Miracles, was produced by Eliot James, who works with the likes of Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party and Noah and the Whale. Tickets £15 from the box office on tel: 0845 40 24 001 or visit: stgeorgesbristol.co.uk.
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Police Dog Hogan
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An Intimate Evening with Ruthie Henshall, St George’s Bristol, Thursday 13 February, 8pm
Ruthie Henshall comes to St George’s Bristol
Star of modern music theatre, Ruthie Henshall will take you on a musical journey through the stages of her career, from Lionel Bart to Les Misérables and from Chicago on Broadway to an Olivier Award in London. It is a personal and intimate show, with Ruthie telling her story through her own words and the music that means the most to her, singing favourite numbers from musicals and the Great American Songbook alongside contemporary pop songs that move her, accompanied by her expert piano trio. Tickets from £15, available from tel: 0845 40 24 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk.
Valentine’s Day Opera Gala, Colston Hall Friday 14 February, 7.30pm Bristol Choral Society, the Bristol Ensemble and a trio of distinguished soloists conducted by Adrian Partington present an evening of favourite arias and choruses from operas by Verdi, Wagner, Mozart, Bizet, Gilbert & Sullivan and Puccini including favourites O mio babbino caro and Nessun Dorma. Tickets from Colston Hall tel: 0844 887 1500 or visit: www.bristolchoral.co.uk.
Historical Walk: Explore the Old City, starting at M Shed, Thursday 20 February, 10.30am – 12.45pm This 1.8-mile walk around the heart of Old Bristol spans a millennium of history. Expert walk leaders will point out locations which saw the birth of the city, its growth and later decline as a major seaport and centre of commerce. Events, people and places that earned the city a place in national history, culture and the arts are highlighted along the way. Suggested donation £2. Book in advance at the information desk on tel: 0117 352 6600 or sign up on the day.
The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School presents The Merry Wives Of Windsor, Redgrave Theatre, 20 February – 1 March Visit wedding fairs at the Avon Gorge Hotel & Paintworks this month
This production aims to provide an evening of full-blooded, quintessentially English fun. Tickets £15 from the box office tel: 0117 973 3955 or visit: www.oldvic.ac.uk.
What The Frock! Comedy, The Mauretania, Park Street Friday 21 February, 8pm Joining resident MC Cerys Nelmes will be Suzy Bennett, Helen Keeler and Sola Ludviksdottir (So You Think You’re Funny? finalist). Tickets £10 in advance from http://www.wegottickets.com/event/244206 or £12 on the door.
Ukulele Funhouse Orchestra, Bristol Folk House, Park Street, Saturday 22 February, 7.30pm Hear 17 ukuleles, bass and drums playing music of all genres including opera, classics and pop. The Ukulele Funhouse Orchestra puts together music and comedy in a journey through a rich musical landscape. Tickets £10 available from the Folk House or tel: 0117 926 2987.
The Only Way is Downton at Tobacco Factory Theatres
Learn to dance Argentine Tango with Tango-y-Tu, Westmoreland Hall, Redland, Sunday 23 February, 2-4pm Guest teacher Ruth Zimmerman of Tango Oblivion will teach the core elements incorporating the fundamentals of tango. Cost: £15 with social dancing to follow from 4pm-7pm. There will also be a follow-on class on 23 March, the same time and place; and a weekly class every Monday at 7pm. For further information or to book, tel: 07767733948 or visit: http://www.tango-y-tu.com/bristol.htm.
Off to Wed Wedding Fair, Paintworks Event Space, Sunday 23 February, 11am – 4pm Off To Wed is unique in its efforts to connect brides and grooms to wedding service providers through idea sharing. The event is aimed at creative couples looking for something a little different. For those planning a boutique wedding, the design focused couple or the vintage aficionados, Off To Wed will offer loads of inspiration. For further information tel: 07403 047 371.
The Only Way is Downton, Tobacco Factory Theatres, 24 February – 1 March Direct from a West End season, this is the first national tour of Luke Kempner’s tour-deforce impressions comedy. Having made his name with YouTube hit Downstairs At Downton, and appearances in musicals including Les Miserables and Avenue Q, Luke Kempner’s debut solo show had sell-out audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe last year. As celebrities start appearing at the Abbey, cultures clash and eras collide in this brilliant new parody, which takes in many other popular TV shows and familiar modern voices to help the cast of Downton save the estate from financial ruin – again. This extended version of The Only Way is Downton features exclusive new material. Whether you’re a Downton expert or novice, this wonderfully funny show is sure to go down a treat. Box office tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com. >> 32 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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Free Jewellery, Silver & Watch Valuations
£5,150
£19,600
£41,500
£3,350
Clevedon Salerooms Specialist Sales have an enviable reputation for selling jewellery, silver and fine watches for the highest prices to bidders located around the globe. On Tuesday 4th February our Specialist Jewellery & Silver Consultant John Kelly, Fellow of The Gemmological Association, will be providing free verbal no-obligation sale estimates on all jewellery and silver. Watches will be appraised by Marc Burridge. No appointment is necessary. Next Specialist Sale 13th March.
Free Jewellery Valuations Tues 4th February 9.30am – 5pm
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Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers The Auction Centre Kenn Road, Kenn Clevedon, BS21 6TT AMPLE FREE PARKING
Tel: 01934 830111 www.clevedon-salerooms.com
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Dance ‘Til Dawn with Vincent Simone & Flavia Cacace, Bristol Hippodrome, 25 February – 1 March Strictly Come Dancing favourites Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace are back with a new show straight from the Golden Age of Hollywood, transporting you to a time of elegance with a band, world class dancers, flawless footwork and spellbinding choreography. Tickets from the box office tel: 0844 871 3012 or visit: www.atgtickets.com/bristol.
The Comedy Box presents John Robins: Where is My Mind?, Hen & Chicken, Southville, Friday 28 February & Saturday 1 March, 8.45pm
John Robins
John Robins (as seen on Russell Howard’s Good News, 8 Out of 10 Cats and Deal Or No Deal Mash-up) brings his Edinburgh Festival hit show on tour to Bristol with alter egos, ailments, love, nostalgia, indie-nights and belly-laughs. Raucous stand-up for anyone who’s tried to live in the moment, only to realise that moment happened over a decade ago. Tickets £12 from: www.thecomedybox.co.uk.
The Avon Gorge Hotel Wedding Fayre, Sunday 2 March, 10am – 4pm Meet the hotel’s wedding team and take the opportunity to tour one of Bristol’s most loved and iconic wedding venues. Experience the beautiful setting, visit the reception rooms and bridal suites with their spectacular views, sample menus with a glass of fizz and browse the exhibitors to find those finishing touches. Admission is free. More details at: www.theavongorge.com or tel: 01179 738955.
BOOK NOW FOR... Bristol International Jazz & Blues Festival, Colston Hall, 7 – 9 March Bristol plays host to some of the world’s most exciting and innovative jazz and blues artists for one explosive weekend in March featuring no fewer than 40 individual concerts as well as late-night jam sessions and an exclusive In Session With series of masterclasses with many of the headline performers. For a full line up visit: www.bristoljazzandbluesfest.com.
The Northern Lights Series at Colston Hall This spring, the Bristol Ensemble explores the atmospheric music of the Baltic region, areas visited in the months of darkness by the Aurora Borealis, the spectacular and mesmerising Northern Lights. The music from these lands is passionate, fiercely patriotic and full of haunting melodies and soaring lyricism. The Bristol Ensemble is joined by world-class soloists Chloë Hanslip, Peter Donohoe and Andrei Gavrilov for these three concerts featuring music from Finland, Norway and Russia. Dates: Thursday 20 March, Friday 25 April and Sunday 18 May. Box office tel: 0844 887 1500 or visit: www.colstonhall.org.
Literary evening, Bristol Grammar School, Tuesday 25 March, 6.30pm for 7pm Bristol Grammar School and Transworld invite you to an evening with author Rachel Joyce, talking about her new book, Perfect. Tickets £7/£5 from www.bristolgrammarschool.co.uk/Events.
Bristol Phoenix Choir: 50th Anniversary Concert, Clifton Cathedral, Saturday 5 April, 7.45pm An exhilarating programme of enjoyable music to celebrate the choir’s 50th season featuring Haydn, Nelson Mass; Haydn, Te Deum; and Purcell, Hail! Bright Cecilia. Presented by Bristol Phoenix Choir and Orchestra conducted by Paul Walton, with Molly Alexander (soprano), Rob Waters (countertenor), Tom Castle (tenor) and Andy Marshall (bass). Tickets £15 (16 and under free) from tickets@bristolphoenixchoir.org.uk or tel: 07968 291882. WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK
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Klavikon
BRISTOL NEW MUSIC Friday 21 – Sunday 23 February
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ristol New Music is a consortium of five key organisations in Bristol (Colston Hall, Arnolfini, Spike Island, St George’s Bristol and the University of Bristol) dedicated to bringing the very best international new music to the city, while working to create opportunities for emerging regional artists. Bristol New Music’s first venture is to present a weekend of new and experimental music in the city from Friday 21 – Sunday 23 February with a packed and stimulating programme of events that will showcase the best new music on the international arts scene. Bristol New Music welcomes Quatuor Bozzini, Canada’s leading new music string quartet, to the UK. The quartet will be in residence at the University of Bristol and will perform a Bristol New Music Commission and world premiere by Claudia Molitor alongside music by John Cage and Scott McLaughlin (Sat 22 February). See a new installation by artist Louisa Fairclough at Arnolfini called Jeannie, based on the visions and auditory hallucinations of a young composer living on the River Severn. The work comprises a recording on dubplate vinyl and live vocal interventions throughout the building, and is a Bristol New Music Commission in association with ICIA University of Bath. Tarab Cuts is the world premiere of a new concert-length work commissioned by Bristol New Music by composer and saxophonist John Butcher. Working with drummer Mark Sanders, John combines composition and improvisation layered over 78rpm recordings of traditional Sufi music. At 7pm on Friday 21 February take the ferry from Arnolfini to Spike Island and experience a ferry sound installation by Turkish artist Cevdet Erek. The installation is a world premiere and Bristol New Music commission to accompany Erek’s eagerly anticipated first solo show in the UK Alt Üst presented at Spike Island (15 February – 20 April). Cevdet Erek will dramatically open up and change the architecture of the gallery spaces at Spike Island, and Bristol-via-London duo Empty Set will give the world premiere of a live performance and soundscape, responding to the environment created by Erek. To close the opening Friday of events Klavikon, Roly Porter and Addison Groove perform at Colston Hall. In Klavikon, Leon Mitchener reimagines electronic music simply through an amplified prepared piano – no loops, no laptops, no sequencers. Mitchener delivers cascading percussion and abstract soundscapes through the use of found objects and his own inventions. A key figure in both the jazz and new music scene, pianist and composer Keith Tippett brings his Octet to Colston Hall to perform his latest work The Nine Dances Of Patrick O’Gonogon commissioned by Richard Wiltshire. The Christian Wallrumrød Ensemble performs the final concert to include music from the acclaimed new ECM album Outstairs. This all-acoustic show will also respond to St George’s particular sonic character, and will be preceded by a talk with Christian Wallumrod and Late Junction’s Fiona Talkington. Bristol New Music will announce more international highlight events taking place over the next few weeks so keep your eyes peeled. ■ WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK
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Playing for the love of it Support Bristol’s orchestras and in return you can enjoy classical concerts that are not expensive, performed at a very high standard by musicians who are passionate about music-making, says Charles Kinsey
W
e enjoy some great symphony concerts given by professional orchestras in Bristol, such as our very own Bristol Ensemble, but did you know that Bristol has at least eight amateur orchestras? Surely, no city in the UK outside the capital has such a vibrant amateur classical music scene. The musicloving Bristol public are missing out if they only attend concerts by professionals. Not only is the standard of performance extremely high but tickets for concerts performed by amateur ensembles are almost always less expensive than for events staged by professionals. Back in the 1970s the only amateur orchestra in the city which had any kind of profile was the Bristol Concert Orchestra. It continues to thrive and give great concerts, usually at St George’s, under the baton of professional conductor, Stefan Hofkes. Its recent repertoire has included some really taxing works such as Rachmaninov’s Second Symphony but they still occasionally perform lighter music. Their concert at St George’s on 28 June includes film music by John Williams and John Barry. Some of Bristol’s amateur orchestras boast a professional conductor who would be the only person, along with any professional soloist, who is normally paid. The regular members of the orchestras themselves actually pay to be able to play in their particular ensemble. So they are really playing for the love of it – and it shows in their music making. All the players are passionately committed and loyal to their respective orchestras. I know several musicians who play in more
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than one of Bristol’s orchestras, such is their love of playing, and I always see familiar faces in the ranks of ensembles such as the Bristol Metropolitan Orchestra and the New Bristol Sinfonia. All the Bristol orchestras need our support in order to survive and always welcome new sponsorship. They cannot afford to produce a great deal of publicity so music lovers need to look out for flyers advertising their concerts. The enterprising New Bristol Sinfonia always places an enormous banner over the facade of the Victoria Rooms a week before concerts, to advertise them. So who are the people who play in these orchestras? They are often professional people such as lawyers, doctors and teachers who have learned to play an instrument to a very high level in their younger days but who have decided against a career as a professional musician. A number of Bristol amateurs played in the National Youth Orchestra in their younger days and still wish to carry on playing. They still love the whole idea of playing in an orchestra – perhaps with an inspirational and enthusiastic young conductor, seeking to make his or her way in the profession. One of the up and coming conductors who works with the Brandon Hill Chamber Orchestra is Ewa Strusinska. She is the assistant conductor of the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester and has conducted professional orchestras in her native Poland and elsewhere in Europe. The BHCO concerts boast an extraordinarily high standard of playing. Conductor Douglas Boyd has described this ensemble as “probably the best amateur orchestra in the world.” This is an extraordinary accolade
I know several musicians who play in more than one of Bristol’s orchestras, such is their love of playing
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THE SOUND OF MUSIC: above and below left, the Bristol Concert Orchestra in rehearsals Above right, Bristol University Symphony Orchestra at the Victoria Rooms
but is well deserved. Young solicitor Tom Gauterin started the Brunel Sinfonia and later the Bristol Classical Players (BCP) and has been able to attract some star performers to play concertos with the BCP, such as Stephen Hough and Nicola Benedetti. Stephen in particular is keen to maintain a relationship with the BCP so they and the Bristol public are extremely fortunate that one of Britain’s top pianists is now regularly seen in the city. A cycle of Beethoven concertos is promised, so look out for the publicity. Well worth a mention is the Bristol Chamber Orchestra who give concerts in local churches around the city. Also not to be forgotten are the orchestras in Bristol made up of students. The standard of performances given during the last few years by the Bristol University Symphony Orchestra has been extremely impressive. Their conductor, John Pickard, has chosen many
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difficult works for them to perform and they have always risen to the challenge. Symphonies by Elgar, Walton, and Mahler have been performed at an astonishingly high standard together with unfamiliar works by composers such as Arnold Bax and Havergal Brian. About 70 per cent of the students in this orchestra come from departments other than the Music Department so this group can genuinely be regarded as amateur in status. The same is true of the UWE Symphony Orchestra who perform in Bristol Cathedral and the Colston Hall. The city’s senior youth orchestra, the Bristol Schools’ Philharmonia, does not get much publicity but there is an opportunity to hear them play at St George’s on 2 April. The amateur orchestras of Bristol make a point of supporting local charities. They certainly deserve our support. ■
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Musicroom and Yamaha in perfect harmony
One of the world’s most popular piano and keyboard brands has found a perfect home in Bristol, where its latest innovative instruments are showcased to their best advantage. visit to 30 College Green Bristol is to experience the Yamaha brand and the country’s leading high street music retailer in perfect harmony. There has been a music shop in this beautiful Grade II listed building for more than 30 years, and today, as Musicroom Bristol, it is flourishing as a magnet for musicians of all ages and abilities.
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Pride of place among the huge variety of instruments, accessories and sheet music of all types at Musicroom is the spacious piano room dedicated entirely to Yamaha. In fact it is home to the largest range of these hugely popular pianos and keyboards in the South West of England. Not only that, it is the only place in Bristol city centre where you can experience the award-winning Yamaha Clavinova collection. The array of instruments in the piano room all come with a very special accessory – enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff who
can help with queries, explain instrument features in detail and advise on the right piano for you. The team of piano specialists can also arrange a one-to-one demo so you can get up close and personal, and get a true feel of your chosen instrument. The friendly team will also deal with practical matters such as part exchange arrangements, and the various finance options, which include the 0% interest ‘Take it Away’ scheme for Students. Watch out too for the regular appearances by composers and performers who visit the store to showcase products and answer questions. As well as Yamaha, Musicroom is wellstocked with brands and items from across the entire musical spectrum. When you visit, you can take your time to explore the great selection of acoustic and electric guitars, ukuleles and folk instruments, brass and woodwind, amps, accessories, songbooks and sheet music.
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Our brand new Yamaha showroom is now open for you to browse all the latest instruments and accessories
NU1 NU1 is a new hybrid piano from Yamaha that combines the traditions of an acoustic instrument with the innovation of digital technology. Featuring the same acoustic piano action used in Yamaha upright pianos, and a refined, compact design, the NU1 is the perfect choice to bring the renowned Yamaha sound to any home.
BRAND NEW: TYROS 5 In Tyros5 Yamaha has created the ultimate performance keyboard, with outstanding sounds, enhanced DSP effects, and accompaniment. The realistic styles and unprecedented level of authenticity gives the illusion of being backed by the world’s finest musicians. Whether sketching composition ideas, carefully crafting the perfect arrangement or delivering a memorable performance, the Tyros5 is a perfect companion.
The CLP and CVP Clavinova Range This series brings the exquisite sound of a Yamaha concert grand piano to your home or studio. Can you tell the difference? It won’t be easy, thanks to the Advanced Wave Memory tone generation that uses multiple samples from the acoustic instrument to generate every note. The Graded Hammer keyboard gives each key a natural response. Each model in the series delivers hundreds of sounds, exciting accompaniment styles and a range of studio quality effects. Many models include a large full colour display screen and built-in karaoke functions. The Internet Direct Connection (IDC) feature expands music enjoyment into a new world of optional content. A Yamaha Clavinova is the ultimate versatile family instrument.
EXCLUSIVE reader offer Readers of Bristol Magazine will receive a FREE set-up service on all pianos and keyboards over £1500. This includes delivery and assembly at your home. You will also receive FREE headphones and piano stool with all digital piano purchases. To redeem this offer simply bring this magazine into the store. Offer valid until 30th June 2014. Limited to one per customer, not valid with any other offer. Not exchangeable in part or in full for cash. Deliveries within the UK only.
Musicroom Bristol 30 College Green, Bristol BS1 5TB • Telephone: 0117 929 0390 • Email: bristol@musicroom.com Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 10:00am - 6:00pm • Saturday 9.30am - 5.30pm • Sunday 11.30am - 4.30pm
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ON SHOW IN FEBRUARY Abigail McDougall: Bristol and Beyond, Coldharbour Framery & Gallery until 15 February
Abigail McDougall, Snowy Night, Arch House
Fred Terry, Guild Gallery 22 February – 15 March A retrospective show of the work of Manchester born artist Fred Terry. As a young man he was drawn to London where he studied at the Slade and the Royal Academy Schools. Fred kept on learning about art all his life, studying other artists’ work and taking influences from their different styles into his own pieces. His legacy is of styles from across the centuries and from around the world. There have been many exhibitions of Fred’s work before; this is a retrospective show in his memory, presenting a last chance to see a large collection of his work – oil and watercolour – together in one place. Guild Gallery at Bristol Guild of Applied Art, Park Street. Tel: 0117 926 554.
Oneself as Another
Oneself as Another, RWA 7 February – 26 March The Royal West of England Academy in partnership with bo.lee projects presents us with a provocative and challenging exhibition that brings together a select group of painters, sculptors, and photographers from the UK and USA whose work explores what defines an individual’s being in the world. Alongside works by Freud and Bacon whose brutal exposure of the individual psyche are better known; Oneself as Another presents work by artists who offer an alternative contemporary portraiture; one which acknowledges yet refuses the freak show of difference. Sanctae, a major new work by south west based Ione Rucquoi, supported by Arts Council England, provides the inspiration and centre piece for the exhibition, consisting of an architecturally devised inner space inhabited by larger than life photographic images of haloed, naked female subjects. Sarah Ball (2012 Welsh Artist of the Year) presents her Damaged Human Series, beautifully rendered miniature portraits taken from medical archive photographs that explore the narratives that lie beneath the physicality of a face. Works by London based painter Wanda Bernardino and BP Portrait prize winner Johan Andersson revel similarly in the notion of what is revealed or hidden, while renowned photographer Bob Carlos Clarke toys with the taboo, confronting us on the edges of decency. By bringing the un-seeable and un-sayable to the fore, this exhibition offers the viewer the chance to reconcile aspects of one’s own, personal narrative – through the acknowledgement of another. Oneself As Another will open with a private view on the 6 February from 6pm in support of Changing Faces, a UK-based charity giving support and information to people with disfigurements to the face, hands or body, and their families. Royal West of England Academy, Queen’s Road, Clifton, Bristol. Tel: 0117 973 5129 or visit: www.rwa.org.uk
Sanctae
Fred Terry, Protest
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Original watercolours by Abigail McDougall, one of Bristol’s most popular young artists. The Bristol scenes include several of Clifton in a glowing winter light, as well as paintings of the harbourside and canal where she portrays light and reflection on water in her own distinctive style. 111 Coldharbour Road, Westbury Park, Bristol www.coldharbourgallery.co.uk
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Georgians: Dress for polite society, The Fashion Museum, Bath Until 1 January 2015 The Fashion Museum’s special exhibition for 2014 celebrates the museum’s location in the Georgian Assembly Rooms in Bath with a selection of the finest fashions worn by those attending assemblies and other glittering occasions of 18th century life. On show will be more than 30 original 18th century outfits and ensembles from the museum’s collection, including gowns made of colourful and richly patterned woven silks, as well as embroidered coats and waistcoats. The exhibition will also include 18th century-inspired fashions by five top fashion designers: Anna Sui, Meadham Kirchhoff, Vivienne Westwood, Stephen Jones, and AlexanderMcQueen. Visit: www.museumofcostume.co.uk
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Celtic Connections, Lime Tree Gallery 30 January until 1 March Although Lime Tree Gallery is known for exhibiting Contemporary Fine Art from Scotland, over the years the gallery has also exhibited many excellent painters from Ireland and Wales. For its first exhibition of 2014 the gallery has put together some of the best contemporary artists from each country in a mixed show of varied and contrasting styles. Three artists were invited from each of the Celtic countries. Some of the artists will be exhibiting in Bristol for the first time, while others have been with the gallery for many years. As always, this exhibition is strong on painting and drawing, colour and light. It covers landscapes, still life and figurative work, from a good cross section of wellestablished artists, at the peak of their careers, and exciting young artists who are making a name for themselves. Lime Tree Gallery, 84 Hotwell Road. www.limetreegallery.com.
To be in with a chance of winning a family ticket (2 adults, 4 children) to the Fashion Museum, valid until the end of 2014, just answer the following question: In which iconic Bath building is the Fashion Museum housed? Email your answers, with your full name, address and telephone number to: competitions@thebristolmagazine.co.uk. Deadline for entries: Friday 28 February Adrian Gallagher, Sublime/Substance IV
“Milnton Barn” by Sam Cartman
Celtic Connections Jan 30 - March 1 Lime Tree Gallery, 84 Hotwell Road, Bristol BS8 4UB
Tel 0117 929 2527 WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK
www.limetreegallery.com
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Momentum, View Gallery, Until 6 March
Cevdet Erek, Week, sound installation, detail, Kunsthal Basel 2012
Momentum is a forward thinking exhibition showcasing a variety of interpretations of the word through the artists’ creative technique. Paintings by Tim Pavier illustrate rapid movement through his use of fluid and abstract brushstrokes and Louis Michel Masai’s depictions of birds reflect migration theories. Richard Twose’s beautiful paintings show abstracted figures moving transiently through mysterious scenes, Sherrod Barnes Ginifer’s sculptures capture the innocence and fearlessness of youth’s agility and Paresh Nrshinga’s abstract paintings, rich in colour and depth, illustrate a collision of colours representing the feeling of the birth of new beginning or perhaps capturing an explosive end. View Gallery, 159-161 Hotwell Road. Cevdet Erek: Alt Üst, Spike Island, 15 February – 20 April Kate Evans, Mountain Rapid
Turkish artist Cevdet Erek creates an immersive installation for the gallery at Spike Island based on the themes of sound, architecture, rhythm, measured time and site-specificity. Working with his own versions of rhythms and markers, Erek will bring into play his responses to the architecture of the gallery (the central atrium of a former factory), the sounds already present in the building and the wider context of the Bristol music scene. Part of Bristol New Music. Spike Island, 133 Cumberland Road. Tel: 0117 929 2266, www.spikeisland.org.uk Laura Robertson
Heather and Ivan Morison have established an ambitious collaborative practice over the past decade that transcends the divisions between art, architecture and theatre. For their first exhibition at WORKS|PROJECTS Heather and Ivan present an installation of black and white photographs and sculptures meticulously crafted from chalk and black ebonised timber that frame a narrative within the gallery, which in turn frames every action that takes place within the space. Permeating the installation is a narrated audio piece between a mother and young daughter. The two discuss the items in the space – sculptures, desks or donuts. Present in the conversation, the visitor is aware that it refers to the space they are in and the objects that surround them and that they are a component of the work. Commands are given, challenges to participate are issued. Sometimes the gallery staff will carry them out: move this, move that, dampen the sculpture, whisper these words, turn the lights off, leave the gallery. Sometimes the visitors will find themselves doing what they are told. WORKS|PROJECTS, Sydney Row, www.worksprojects.co.uk
Hiatus, Antlers Gallery 7 February – 1 March Hiatus is an exhibition of new work by Bristol based artist Kate Evans, which focuses on the need to find space; both physically and mentally. Uninhabited panoramic vistas and isolated cabins are set against large areas of negative space, which form literal metaphors, echoing this yearning for freedom. The process of mark-making and experimentation with colour are important elements within Kate’s practice as she works in mixed media; using a combination of watercolour, pencil and sometimes oil. Although her paintings are portrayals of landscapes, inspired by trips to Scandinavia, America and Europe, her intricacy of technique and use of space mean that they transcend mere representation. Representing the idea of a place rather than anywhere or time specific. Antlers Gallery, 11 Christmas Steps, www.antlersgallery.com
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Knives are Mothers, WORKS|PROJECTS, 1 February - 15 March
Moulin Rouge, Room 212 1 – 14 February There’s a Moulin Rouge theme for Valentine’s Day at Room 212 this month, for which all gallery artists have being invited to contribute. There will be original paintings, prints, ceramics, handmade cards and other individual gifts by local artists to woo or wow your loved one. Room 212, Gloucester Road. Tel: 0117 330 2789, www.room212.co.uk
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Black Pleasure, 2013, Eastside Projects, Birmingham
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New kid on the block
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f you haven’t discovered No.31 Urban Graphic in Baldwin Street, then make sure you put it on your to do list this month. Opened last year by Cliftonbased publishers of greeting cards, wrap and home products, this unique shop offers quirky and design led gifts along with the complete Urban Graphic range. No.31 just oozes style in a rustic but contemporary setting. You’ll find a vast range of unusual gifts for both him, her and the kids, for office, home and school, all sourced by manager Tim, who has a wealth of retail experience and assistant manager, Harriet, and Clare, who are both illustrators and accomplished artists themselves. There are gorgeous fragrances from Atelier cologne, Juliette Has a Gun and Tokyo Milk; leather goods from London design Conkca as well as super cool headphones from America’s LSTN. Grooming products from Baxter of California and French based Le Baigneur add to the diverse range available along with toys and soft furnishings from Donna Wilson, Maileg and Ferm Living. Scandinavian watch brand, Miro, is a recent addition to the collection as is the range of ingenious Gingko cubic clocks, perfect for those who love gadgets as well as sleek styling. On the walls you’ll find pieces of work from artists in Bristol and around the world, and the shop has plans to open its very own screen print studio in the basement soon.
WIN! No.31 Urban Graphic is offering one lucky reader the chance to win a black wooden Gingko cube clock, worth £28, that can tell you the time, date and temperature alternately in LED at the click of your fingers, clap or tap and automatically switches off when the room is quiet. Perfect if you don’t like a bright light shining in your bedroom at night. Just answer the following question: What is the name of the Scandinavian watch brand that is a recent addition to the shop’s collection of gifts? Email your answer, along with your full name, address and phone number to: competitions@thebristolmagazine.co.uk. Deadline for entries: Friday 28 February.
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Reap what you sow Local volunteers are rolling up their sleeves up for 2014’s Big Tree Plant, discovers Hannah Stuart-Leach
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cross the country this winter, The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) – the UK’s largest environmental volunteering charity – has been working with community groups to plant 70,000 trees nationwide. A figure expected to reach 150,000 after three years. The DEFRA-funded Big Tree Plant aims to brighten up drab parts of Britain’s urban areas with new trees such as beech, cherry, crab apple and oak. Work is already underway in Bristol, where the TCV will not only be planting for the huge national tree plant but other local schemes too. Having received additional funding for regional projects, including the Keen to be Green tree planting initiative with Western Power, they need all the help they can get. “WPD and TCV work together to identify and support tree and hedgerow planting schemes that benefit local communities,” explains Jason Leck, practical conservation training officer with TCV, adding that although numbers and locations have yet to be confirmed, the partnership has planted thousands of plants over the last three to four years and is set to continue. But what’s in it for volunteers who want to get involved in this or any other TCV planting project? People gain a lot from planting trees, says Jason, explaining that anyone can reap benefits from it. As well as learning new skills – how to use various tools and identify different species for example – they enjoy being outdoors, being active and meeting new people. “It brings communities together,” he says. “Volunteers also gain a sense of achievement and always feel good after a rewarding day planting, giving wildlife a helping hand.” This year’s tree planting projects are a great opportunity to get new groups involved in volunteering, adds the 31-year-old. Communities can either attend organised TCV planting projects or run their own events. If you’re interested in finding out more or getting involved, he advises contacting the Bristol TCV office on tel: 0117 929 1624 or visiting the website at: www2.tcv.org.uk. These planting schemes have enormous benefits for the people taking part as well as helping The Conservation Volunteers improve local green spaces. These three volunteers are already getting stuck in...
ROSE LEWIS COLE “I’m a TCV as part of my diploma in conservation management. We’ve done two or three tasks so far but coppicing is my favourite because you’re out in the woods. I love the fact that volunteering with TCV is really practical and hands-on because I did a degree in conservation that was very theoretical and classroom-based. There was not enough practical work and we were always aching to get out into the field. During a three-year degree, I didn’t physically do any coppicing. So I think this is so, so useful. It also forces you to get out twice a week and be outside – in winter, a lot of people just hibernate. For my wellbeing, I need to be outside!”
GEORGE RODD “I live in Bath and work three days a week as a primary school teacher. Two days a week I volunteer with TCV – partly because I want to spend time outdoors, rather than inside the classroom or at a desk, but also because I’m interested in ultimately moving into environmental education. TCV offer taster days and the first one I went on, in September, I learnt so much I wanted to go back. I learnt loads, such as how to use various tools, 46 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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GREEN | CITY and lots of information about different types of wood. Since then I’ve done hedge laying, pond clearance and coppicing. I’ve done a few little jobs at the Tree Life Centre in Kingswood, too – it’s a great place. TCV volunteers come from all walks of life, all doing it for slightly different reasons, but everyone gets on well and the social aspect is really good. I enjoy the teamwork and also, being on the receiving end of the teaching – it makes a nice change for me! I’m relearning things I knew as a kid, like the names of trees and identifying different species. It’s really nice to rekindle all those skills I’d lost over the years.”
KATIE LOW “I work as a volunteer media officer for TCV Bristol. Once a week, you’ll find me working at TCV’s base in the CREATE Centre, and twice a week I study for my diploma in environmental conservation which involves mainly practical conservation work. My role as media officer involves organising events as well as developing TCV’s marketing and web presence. I will also soon be training to take out conservation groups myself. I feel very lucky that I get to work outside and see lots of the beautiful countryside surrounding Bristol, as well as work on community projects within the city. I love the people, the staff and the volunteers – everyone is dedicated and passionate and all have fascinating stories to share. It is such a great mix. I also love the variety in the work. One day I’m on the phones at CREATE and the next I’m in waders in the middle of a pond.” ■
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FOOD | AND DRINK
WINING & DINING news and reviews News in Brief ■ The Watershed Café Bar on the waterfront has been named as one of the top five vegan-friendly cultural venues in the UK by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), who were particularly taken with the chickpea patties, wilted spinach and carrot and coriander puree featured on the winter menu. Other big crowd pleasers included the vegetable coconut curry, the roast crown prince squash baguette, and the popular mezze board served with chargrilled artichokes, olives, sundried tomatoes, roast squash, hummus, carrot and coriander dip and toasted pitta. The Watershed was praised for “mastering the art of finely prepared vegan food,” and helping customers choose meals that are as delicious as they are good for our health, the Earth and animals. Watershed's Executive Chef Oliver Pratt said: “I am delighted that Watershed has been recognised by PETA for our vegan offer, which has always been a really important, critical focus in our menu creation. Our aim is to produce vegan dishes of excellence and this award is a ringing endorsement of all of our efforts. Thank you to PETA and thank you to all of our vegan customers for their support!” ■ It has been announced that Eat Drink Bristol Fashion will return to Queen Square for another fabulous foodie fest on 1 – 11 May. Across the 11 days the tipi village will host tapas evenings as well as a fine dining area with leading chefs hosting various nights. Headed up by Josh Eggleton from The Pony and Trap, Eat Drink Bristol Fashion focuses on eating high quality excellent food all sourced within a local 60 mile radius. Eat, Drink, Bristol Fashion
■ West country chef Martin Blunos is to take up the helm of the restaurant of the newly refurbished County Hotel in Bath. A date is still to be announced but watch this space for more information...
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Foodie events...
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arvey Nichols is hosting a series of wine masterclasses at its Second Floor Restaurant on the second Thursday of every month. Join Taylor Faith from the Harvey Nichols food market and Ben Hunter from the restaurant for a journey around the world of wine as they introduce you to different grape varieties, with the opportunity to taste five wines with matching canapés each week. The monthly event kicks off on Thursday 13 February, tasting Italy’s most prestigious, regional wines from Piedmont, Tuscany and the Veneto and the North East. On Thursday 13 March the evening will focus on the best whites and reds from some of the lesser known producers in Italy’s warm south islands. For further information or to book a place on any of the masterclasses, call the restaurant on tel: 0117 9168899. Wine masterclasses are from 7pm and cost £25 which includes tutored wine tasting alongside canapés. River Cottage Canteen Bristol is introducing a series of cookery demos, based on the River Cottage HQ’s cookery classes. The taster sessions, starting this month, will feature some of the classics, with chocolate, bread and fish all on the menu.
Guests will be treated to coffee and tasty samples as they watch the chef at work, learning the basics from how to perfect their dough to filleting a fish and curing meat, followed by a delicious two course seasonal lunch included in the ticket price of £30. The cookery demos will take place on Wednesday mornings over consecutive weeks from 10.30 – 11.30am followed by lunch. Sure to be popular is the gluten free demo on Wednesday 26 February which will explain the best alternative ingredients to gluten based products and why they work well in a given recipe. Guests will learn how to cook a polenta cake, sample one that has just been made and leave with a recipe to try at home. For all dates, information or to book onto a cookery demo visit: rivercottage.net/canteens/Bristol or call the Canteen on tel: 0117 973 2458. Averys wine cellars has announced an exciting programme of events for the year, which can all be found on its website. This month sees Matthew Jukes’ 100 best Australian wines 10th anniversary tasting on Wednesday 12 February at 6pm. Enjoy the opportunity to taste over 45 wines from a wide variety of Australian producers and regions as you join Matthew, one of the world’s leading experts on Australian wine, to learn more about the amazing wines from this vast country and discover some new favorites for your cellar. Tickets cost £15. Book at: www.averys.com.
Connecting over food
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rom the 1 – 11 May Bristol is hosting a revolutionary citywide festival bringing people and food together, curated by Lorna Knapman of the popular Love Food Festivals. Aptly named Bristol Food Connections, the event will bring together the many vibrant food cultures and communities already thriving in Bristol and inspire visitors to celebrate and engage with them. In collaboration with the BBC, Bristol City Council, Bristol University and other Bristol institutions the festival will educate and build on Bristol’s pioneering attitude to food. Events will be affordable and accessible to all with an emphasis on knowledge, participation and fun. From a large celebration in Millennium Square to Eat, Drink, Bristol Fashion in Queen Square, Bristol’s streets will be alive with the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of good food for the full 11 days. The BBC Food and Farming Awards will also be held in the city for the first time during the event. The BBC will be hosting one of the main sites of the Food Connections Festival on the waterfront. Throughout the festival a wide range of BBC broadcast programmes will visit the site and there’ll be a host of hands-on activities designed to inspire a deeper knowledge of food and its role in our lives, as well as lots of help with everyday cooking skills. The festival will also harness other events taking place in the city during the 11 days. These include the Bristol Half Marathon and Bristol Walking Festival, helping to connect the dots between food and exercise. For more information and to get involved in this exciting event visit: www.bristolfoodconnections.com. The Food Connections team wants to hear from communities, individuals, restaurants, producers, chefs, volunteers and anyone interested in being a part of food connections.
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News in Brief ■ Award-winning Bristol architects, O’LearyGoss are set to transform a derelict 19th century former bakery, hotel, pub and restaurant in Clevedon into luxury apartments and shops. They aim to return The Regent, which was built in 1857, in the town’s Victorian Hill Road, to its former glory with work due to start on the £5.2M development this month. The design will restore much of the existing Victorian stonework and the new façades will be faced with smooth Bath stone. The 20 one and twobed apartments will have generous living spaces with terraces, balconies and dedicated parking, boasting high levels of insulation and electricity generated from photovoltaic panels on the roof. O’LearyGoss are also the architects behind the £2 million all-glass design for Clevedon Pier’s new visitors’ centre set to start later in the year. ■ Luxury residential property specialist Fine & Country will be opening a branch on Whiteladies Road on 17 February. Fine & Country, awarded Britain’s Best Prestige Property Estate Agent in the Estate Agency awards in association with The Sunday Times in 2011 and 2010, has offices in over 300 locations worldwide and the new Bristol office will extend the company’s presence across the city, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset. The branch will be headed by respected Bristol property professional Rupert Oliver. Rupert and his team will focus on selling property predominantly in excess of £500,000 and clients will be able to take advantage of finding buyers through Fine & Country offices throughout the UK and London. Rupert, 37, pictured right, has been an estate agent for over 17 years, the last 13 of which he has spent in Bristol, most recently as a Partner of Knight Frank LLP in Clifton. Rupert said: "The Whiteladies Road office is going to be incredibly special, and we welcome meeting any potential customers who are looking to sell their property in and around Bristol." ■ Tobacco Factory Theatres has been voted Best Local Theatre in the South West, winning the Netmums Favourites Awards 2014. Netmums, the UK’s biggest parent site, established the awards to honour children's theatre and recognise the contribution made to family performances. Beating off more than 70 other theatres across the south west, parents recognised Tobacco Factory Theatres as their number one choice.
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■ Bristol’s largest independent property group, Ocean, has taken a triple honours at the Estate Agents of the Year awards in association with the Times and Sunday Times. Not only has the team been awarded gold for the second consecutive year as the Best Medium Sized Estate Agent in the South West, but also a national silver award for the Best Customer Service and also silver for the Best UK Financial Services Provider. The judging panel, led by industry experts, commented: “The underlying ethos of this agency Ocean directors accepting the award is people, people, people. The central tenet of this philosophy is that the first class team doesn’t merely sell houses – they listen to people’s stories. Without exception, they share common goals and objectives with each understanding exactly how the brand needs to be represented.” Chris McLaughlin, director at Ocean said: “Accepting the awards on behalf of our fantastic team was a very proud moment and a testament to the hard work and dedication shown by all who work for us.” Ocean operates across Bristol from eight sales offices and five lettings offices and is entering its 30th year in business selling homes in the city.
Skill sharing in Bedminster
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edminster Town Team has unveiled its plans for BS3T For Skills, a series of events that will take over Bedminster from 31 May to 8 June, offering a chance for Bedminster businesses and individuals to share their skills with the public. Workshops will be held in venues scattered around the area creating a hop-scotch path for visitors to join in. A variety of local traders will be opening their doors to share skills as part of 100 programmed events including learning to produce handmade glass with Bristol Blue Glass; traditional crafts and
CITY BUSINESS
lost arts through the University of the 3rd Age; graffiti workshops with Upfest and crafty lessons with Paper Village. Grey Pride, a festival for the older generations, will kick the week off with a Walking Football contest based in St John’s Churchyard, sponsored by Bristol City FC Trust and featuring some of Bristol City FC players. If you are interested in teaching someone a skill, sharing your skills with others, or you are able to offer a venue for hosting skill sharing sessions, then please get in touch at skills@bedminster.org.uk.
An architect’s impression of the new visitor centre
Super Car project is speeding along The BLOODHOUND Project has announced a new partnership with NAMMO, the rocket propulsion specialists. The company, which has its headquarters in Norway, will supply its hybrid rocket technology for use in BLOODHOUND Supersonic Car, the 1,000 mph land speed racing car now being constructed in Bristol. NAMMO rockets are used by the European Space Agency to separate the stages of Ariane 5, the world’s most reliable and commercially successful satellite launch vehicle. The company is also developing powerful yet compact hybrid rockets at its test facility in Norway. A combination of these motors will be used in BLOODHOUND to provide around 27,500 lbs (123.75 kN) of thrust which, when combined with 20,200 lbs (90 kN) thrust from the car’s EJ200 jet, will generate the equivalent of 135,000 thrust horse power – eight times more power than all the cars on a Formula 1 starting grid combined.
■ A new heritage and learning centre is to be created for the Clifton Suspension Bridge, marking the 150th anniversary of Brunel’s world-famous river crossing. Rydon has been appointed as the contractor to deliver the project, after recently transforming Brunel’s Engine Shed into a business and innovation centre. The new buildings, designed by Bristol-based Alec French Architects, will be located on the Leigh Woods side of the bridge and the visitor centre will sit next to new offices for the Bridge Master and staff, and will replace a temporary structure to provide improved visitor facilities. It will be built to incorporate an existing stone wall and will include a pavilion featuring a large exhibition space, due to open in time to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the opening of the bridge on 8 December 2014.
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MEDIATION - an alternative approach to family breakdown Anne Thistlethwaite a family law specialist and trained mediator with AMD solicitors considers how mediation can help resolve issues on family breakdown “I know my marriage is over but I can’t face a long legal battle. Once courts are involved I know it can turn nasty and expensive.” Does this strike a chord? You may have heard of mediation and wonder what it is. It is an alternative way of approaching and resolving the issues that arise on a breakdown of a relationship. It isn’t a way of getting a relationship back on its feet but it can support couples going through separation and divorce through discussion and agreement. The role of the mediator is to facilitate the discussion as an independent and impartial third party. The mediator will ensure that the discussions are fair and balanced and that the participants feel safe. Mediation is confidential and can help couples make informed decisions and find solutions which will work for them. Rather than getting bogged down in recriminations and past history the mediator can help a couple focus on meeting their future needs and the needs of any children. It should be emphasised that mediation is a voluntary process. The mediator does not give legal advice but can help you reach agreements on both child care and financial issues. Mediation can also work well where the parties have their own solicitors available to give advice, which may be before, or between, meetings. “So we go to mediation. It sounds worth giving it a go at least. When should we start and then what happens?“ Discussions at mediation do not become binding on the parties without legal advice. The mediator can provide a record of the issues discussed and any proposals (called a Memorandum of Understanding) for you to obtain independent legal advice and for your solicitors to draft documentation if you wish to enter into a binding agreement. Anything that you say in mediation is private and will not be used in court proceedings (unless you both agree). You can contact a mediator directly before seeking legal advice. Alternatively your solicitor may recommend mediation or advise you to find out more about it before starting court proceedings. Anyone embarking on court proceedings will also find that the court will now be encouraging parties to obtain information and attend an assessment meeting to find out more about mediation. Outcomes that you have created together for your own family and circumstances are more likely to be successful than those imposed on you by the court process. By assisting and supporting couples to communicate with one another the potential for future disputes within the family may also be lessened. If you would like to know more about our Mediation Service please contact Anne Thistlethwaite who is a family lawyer and trained mediator by telephoning 0117 9621205 or email annethistlethwaite@amdsolicitors.com © AMD Solicitors
A local award winning law firm
Telephone us on (0117) 9621205 or visit our website www.amdsolicitors.com WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK
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News in brief ■ Creative Bristol, a website that helps people find out about classes, clubs and events in art, craft and design in Bristol, has celebrated its first birthday. Set up in January 2013 by local artist Sue Pickering as a way of passing on her knowledge of Bristol’s creative outlets, the project is run as an unfunded community resource, and Sue combines her work on Creative Bristol with her own art projects, looking after her family, and working as a volunteer at Hamilton House in Stokes Croft. The Creative Bristol website includes a directory of places where you can do classes and workshops, a list of shops that sell supplies for art, craft and design activities, plus information about where you can see work by other artists and makers, in shops, galleries, art trails and open studio events. There is also a Creative Bristol Facebook page and Twitter feed where information is shared daily. Visit: www.creativebristol.org or follow @CreatBristol. If you are running an event in art, craft or design in Bristol, Sue would love to hear from you at: creativebristol@gmail.com. ■ A Bristol woman who set up her own hat-making business after creating a fascinator for her daughter to wear to a wedding, has been nominated for the Customer Service Award at the Venus Awards, which celebrates women in business across the Bristol, Somerset and Bath region. Tricia Hamilton, 60, who runs Tricia Designs, said: “I pride myself on providing a good service, but it is really heart-warming to think my customers have voted for me for such a prestigious award.” Tricia set up her business four years ago and now designs hats for clients across the world. Her daughter Lisa, 28, said: “My mum has always been great at sewing and is very creative. She can crochet in seconds and has a natural flare with fabrics.” Tricia developed her millinery skills when she studied with top designers at Cockpit Arts in London and Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. Her bespoke designs are now available at Clifton Hill Period Costume and Textiles in Lower Clifton Hill and Pearl Bespoke in St Nicholas Street. The Venus Awards are set to take place at the Bristol Marriott on 21 March. Tricia and her daughter Lisa
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Beauty industry is looking good As a result of the success of the Chefs’ Forum, which exists to provide links between chefs and hospitality students in the south west, founder Catherine Farinha has set up the Style Forum to create a similar trade platform for hair, beauty and fashion Beauty students at City students. of Bristol College Simon Bracken, director of creative and leisure at City of Bristol College, said: “This forum is a fantastic opportunity for local employers to join something that is focused on sharing industry knowledge and techniques. It will strengthen relationships with local employers and inspire our students who are the next generation of industry professionals.” The Style Forum will follow the same model in linking hair, beauty and fashion professionals in Bristol with City of Bristol College and UWE through regular events. Young stylists, beauty therapists and fashion designers will now enjoy improved relations with leading professionals in local industry including award-winning hairdressers Doug Hobbs (Hobbs Hairdressing) and Sam Bell (Hair at 58) as well as networking opportunities with top salon owners including Maria Mason, proprietor of Beauty Time and UK Skills judge and April Hayward of Beautology. The first event was held last month at Berwick Lodge, sponsored by Bristol Audi, Bang and Olufsen and Ruinart Champagne, where fashion students showcased their designs on a catwalk, mentored by professional fashion stylist and boutique owner Hemali Modha of Amulet Boutique on Cotham Hill, who is also a Style Forum committee member. Guest speakers at the event included ex top model Kari-Anne Jagger (Roxy music cover girl) and Louise Masson, general manager at Harvey Nichols Bristol. Any local employers interested in getting involved in The Style Forum can email Catherine Farinha on: catherine@redcherry.uk.com. For further information visit: www.thestyleforum.co.uk.
BRISTOL PEOPLE Bristol skipper sails to victory
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icky Ellis, Bristol skipper of round the world yacht Switzerland, has won her first podium in Race 7 of the Clipper Race, the world’s longest ocean race, to complete the Australian leg. The only female skipper of the 12 yacht 40,000 mile ocean odyssey and only the third woman to skipper an entry in the history of the race, Vicky, 30, led the team to victory from Hobart to Brisbane. With some very tough racing and the equivalent of three Sydney to Hobart races in as many weeks, Vicky and the other 11 yachts in the fleet have now completed half of the eight-stage round the world ocean race. Vicky was also awarded the Jane Tate Memorial Trophy, which has been presented to the first female skipper over the line in perpetuity since 1994. A keen sailor from a very early age, Vicky, who lives in Clifton and sails at Chew Valley Sailing Club, was introduced to sailing by her father and grandfather and began her involvement as training skipper with the Clipper Race during preparations for the 2011-12 edition of the race. “The Clipper Race offers the type of sailing I really relish, on great boats with an inspiring crew,” she says. “For me, a job really doesn’t get much better than this. “Clipper Race crew all have a spark about them
Vicky Ellis
that makes them different to the rest of the world,” she says. “It makes them stick their neck out and pursue this wild dream when the rest wouldn’t dare. That’s what I love about this race.” Vicky is no stranger to many of the areas of the Clipper Race route having raced across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and it’s the North Pacific crossing that Vicky is most looking forward to. “Every sailor knows the reputation of the Southern Ocean, and it is undoubtedly an awesome place. But for me, looking ahead, the North Pacific leg is my real personal favourite. The Pacific may conjure up sunny, tropical images, but any vast ocean in winter is no place for the fainthearted or those who lack the perseverance and determination to cross it.” The Clipper Race started from London on 1 September 2013 and will return almost a year later. Follow the progress at: www.clipperroundtheworld.com ■
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BRISTOL IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS FROM CHINA Mark Pooley of local Chartered Accountants, Hollingdale Pooley, is visiting Hangzhou and Guangzhou in China in March 2014 as part of Red Dragon Advisors. Red Dragon Advisors (RDA) is a consortium of professional advisors in Bristol and London that provides Chinese and other overseas companies with a “one stop shop” advice service of how to set up a branch or subsidiary in Bristol, the South West, and the M4 Corridor. The consortium members are: • Gregg Latchams, Solicitors;
Do you want to become a be er leader? Part- me MSc Strategy, Change and Leadership
Free places now available
Designed for busy managers to fit around a demanding management role, this part- me programme will help you to: • enhance your impact as a leader • understand organisa onal complexity and issues affec ng success • improve your ability to manage change and uncertainty • make be er choices about growth and strategic direc on
Come along to our Open Evening on Wednesday 5 March between 6-7.30pm To register, email Cheralyn Dark at efim-scl@bristol.ac.uk or tel: 0117 331 7908 for further details For further informa on or to apply online, please visit: www.bristol.ac.uk/efm/courses/postgraduate/new/degrees
• HR and Training Solutions Ltd, HR Advisors; • Systemagic, Business IT Support; • Join in China, Business Advice Agency; • Hollingdale Pooley, Chartered Accountants; and • Wei Yang & Partners, Town and Country Planners. On the RDA trip in March, members will be meeting Chinese businesses who are looking to invest into the UK, together with Chinese government officials and trade organisations. RDA will also be holding seminars to MBA students and businesses while in China about the advantages of investing and trading in the UK. Government figures show that currently only 5% of businesses in Bristol and the South West export goods or services. China is the second largest economy in the world and growing rapidly.
Enjoying Bristol’s Restaurants Making new friends of all ages
RDA gives Bristol businesses the opportunity to make the first step in developing a strategy to sell their goods and services to a dynamic and growing economy, while encouraging inward investment to the UK economy. Mark will report back to Bristol magazine his experiences in China.
Hollingdale Pooley Bramford House, 23 Westfield Park, Clifton, Bristol BS6 6LT
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For more information: info@bristolsupperclub.org.uk
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Dinosaur Zoo comes to Colston Hall
rIp-ROaRIng F un
Use our guide to help plan quality time with your little ones this month and during half term. From family friendly theatre and boat trips to craft activities and science, there’s something for all ages to enjoy C h I n e se N E W Y E A R 2 0 1 4, B R I STOL M U SE U M & A RT G A L L E R Y C I T Y M U SE U M, S ATU RD A Y 1 & S U N D A Y 2 F E B RU A R Y
Sp r i n g A L I ve , At - B r i s t O l , 4 fe b ru a ry – 2 8 A p r i l
A weekend of celebrations to welcome the Year of the Horse – the seventh cycle of the Chinese zodiac. Take a gallop around the museum and enjoy lion dances and music performances, workshops, martial arts, tea tasting and family activities providing an exciting insight into Chinese culture.
Celebrate nature’s party season by taking a science look at living things. Discover the biology around us in spring as you investigate plants, examine eggs, and get seeds to grow. And don’t miss The Hatchery from 17 – 27 February: drop in and see some hatching eggs in Live Lab. Standard admission applies. Visit: www.at-bristol.org.uk for further information.
T h e C O ME D Y O F E R R O R S, r E D G RAV E T H E ATR E , S ATU RD A Y 1 & S ATU RD A Y 8 F E B RU A R Y , 1 0 . 3 0 am
fa m I l y C O n c e r t : A M u s I c a l S a fa r I , Tr I N I ty - H e n le a z e u rc, H e n le a z e , Su n d a y 9 f e b r u a r y, 3 p m
Bristol Old Vic Theatre School presents this Shakespeare comedy of mistaken identities, mind-boggling confusions and sheer nonsense, suitable for KS2 and above (suggested ages 713). For six years Bristol Old Vic Theatre School has been touring phenomenally successful productions of Shakespeare’s masterpieces, specially adapted for the understanding of younger audiences. This spring’s The Comedy of Errors is the perfect introduction to the play and the work of Shakespeare, performed in the company’s trademark mix of bold storytelling, imaginative staging, music and the power and beauty of the original text. All tickets £7 from the box office tel: 0117 973 3955 or visit: www.oldvic.ac.uk 54 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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Bring the kids, aunts, uncles, grandparents, mums and dads for this introduction to the wonderful world of classical music for children of all ages, presented by the Henleaze Concert Society. The Carnival of the Animals is a wonderful musical safari filled with furry and feathered friends, fantastic tunes and entertaining effects from the instruments of the Bristol Ensemble. Tickets: £5 per person, available from Henleaze Post Office or tel: 0117 973 0505.
B OA T R I D E S , M - S H E D , 1 5 – 2 3 F E B RU A R Y Take a boat ride on the Fire Boat Pyronaut and Mayflower. Cost: £5 adults, £3 child/concs.
C RA N E R I D E S, M - S H E D , 1 5 – 2 3 F E B RU A R Y , 1 2 p m – 5 p m Ride the small charge electric and steam cranes.
B r i st O l R O C k s , B R I S TO L M U SE U M & A RT G A L L E R Y , SU N D A Y 1 6 F E B RU A R Y , 1 0 A M – 4 PM Rocks and fossils take over the museum, with dressing up, handling specimens and activities with local specialist groups.
B U I L D A B I RD B OX , M - SH E D , TU E S D A Y 1 8 F E B RU A R Y , 1 1 A M – 3 PM Work as a family or small group with Avon Wildlife Trust, to make your very own wooden bird box to take home. Cost: £8 per family. Materials included. Booking essential on tel: 0117 352 6600.
T E A T I M E, TO B AC C O FACTO R Y T H E ATR E S , 1 8 - 2 3 F E B RU A R Y A wonderfully silly and colourful celebration of meal times through words, song, music and
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dance, inspired by the games we all play around the kitchen table. Tea Time is for anyone who has ever made an island out of mash with a sea of gravy, pretended a spoon of yoghurt was a steam train, or realised that food is just as much fun at the end of your nose as it is in your mouth. Age recommendation: 2 – 6 years and their families. Tickets £7 from the box office on tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com
M E D I e VA L M A Y H E M, M - SH E D , W ED N E S D A Y 1 9 F E B RU A R Y , 1 0 am – 4 PM
Discover the crafts of medieval Bristol, from spinners and weavers to dyers and potters. Handle real objects and join in with medieval inspired activities. Suggested donation £2.
d I N O S A U R Z O O, C O LSTO N H A L L , W E D N E S D A Y 1 9 F E B RU A R Y , 1 1 am & 2 p m
This live theatre extravaganza invites families to meet the Dryosaurus, Australovenator and Leaellynasaurus as these extraordinarily lifelike prehistoric beasts roam the stage. Direct from Australia, Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo features detailed puppets, from cute baby dinos to teeth-gnashing giants, including the most recent addition to the pack, a carnivorous theropod known as the Australovenator, the most complete meat-eating dinosaur skeleton yet found in Australia. Children can watch wide-eyed from a safe distance or dare to get right up close to the creatures. Look out for Danger Zone seats. Book tickets at the box office on tel: 0844 887 1500 or visit: www.colstonhall.org.
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C R E W C A P E R S STO R Y T E L L I NG , S S G R E AT B R I TA I N, W E D N E S D A Y 1 9 F E B RU A R Y , 1 2 p m, 1 p m & 2 p m
© Adam Gasson
Join resident storyteller Sarah Mooney to hear tall tales of life on board the SS Great Britain. Expect practical joking, fun and games. These drop-in sessions last approximately 20 minutes and are included in the price of admission. No booking is required but capacity is limited to 100 people per session. Ideal for families with children aged 4+
W I L D TA L E S, M - S H E D , T H U R SD A Y 2 0 F E B RU A R Y , 1 1 am, 2 p m & 3 . 30pm Nature themed stories for little ones with professional storyteller, Martin Maudsley.
W I L D WO RD S : T H E P I P E R, st G E O R G E’ S B R I STOL , f RI D A Y 21 f E B RU A R Y , 2 p m A vivid re-telling of the Pied Piper with storytelling, music, song, drama, participation and words from Robert Browning’s famous poem. Suitable for 6-10 year olds. Tickets £6 from the box office on tel: 0845 40 24 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk.
C O M I N G SO ON . . . G O a lO F T ! Visitors to Brunel’s ss Great Britain will soon be taken to new heights to experience the thrill and fear of a 19th century crew member on board Brunel’s famous ship. Those brave enough will be able to re-enact working life at sea by scaling the rigging and conquering the yardarm for an exhilarating view of Bristol – over 30 metres from ground level, up the mainmast. Go Aloft will open on Saturday 5 April and has been designed to represent as authentically as possible what the crew members had to endure when working on board the Victorian passenger liner, but participants will have the luxury of being strapped into a harness before ascending the rigging to a viewing platform at 27m above the deck. From here, you can traverse out along the main yard, taking the 9m out across the ship below, before returning to solid ground. Visit: ssgreatbritain.org/goaloft for more details.
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ANIMAL ATTRACTION Samantha Coleman pays a visit to Bristol’s newest family attraction, the Wild Place Project
Zebras graze in the Paddock Lemurs playing in
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t has been six months since Bristol’s new family attraction, The Wild Place Project, opened its doors to the public and I was keen to visit to see what has been achieved in this time and what exactly it offers its visitors. Many people I have spoken to about Wild Place Project have mistakenly thought that it’s another type of zoo for the city. But in fact, the 36-acre attraction, which sits just off junction 17 of the M5 (opposite Cribbs Causeway), aims to offer visitors an insight into ecosystems from around the world and highlight the conservation work of it’s sister site, Bristol Zoo. It houses exotic animals from Madagascar, east Africa and the Congo with zebra, eland, okapi, lemurs, pygmy goats and guinea fowl and will be welcoming two more arrivals this month – red river hogs, all in an effort to help conserve them in the wild, as most of these are endangered species.
❝ ... walk through the lemur area as they hang around in trees above your head
❞ Don’t be put off by the stony area which qualifies as a car park when you enter the site (formerly the Hollywood Estate, home to the White family who had links with the Bristol and Colonial Aeroplane Company) – there’s lots to see and do once you enter the large, open park. Everything about this place is built to encourage visitors to get outdoors and back to nature for a fun day out. Pick up a guide map from the shop when you buy your tickets (an unlimited annual pass costs £15 per child and £24 per adult) and follow the paths around the Secret Congo, Edge of Africa and Madagascar areas, seeing the animals up close and learning how the project is helping to conserve their species in the wild. See the zebras and eland eating, playing and sunbathing in the paddock; stroke the pygmy goats; hear the funny noises the helmeted guinea fowl make; discover the beautiful and graceful okapi, which are not seen very often in the wild; and walk through the lemur area as they hang around Children playing on the Barefoot Trail in trees above your head – there are binoculars available to use in the shelter to help you spot them. Along the route you’ll find pictures, maps and play activities in keeping with the theme of the exhibits, like the tipi, which kids will love playing in. Then take a stroll in the ancient woodland, past the ponds and apple orchard; relax with a picnic or have a good runaround in the Tower Meadow (so called because there stands a large clock tower which was built as an observatory to view ships coming into the Severn Estuary); admire the
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the walkthrough area beautiful flowers and discover the old air raid shelter in the Sanctuary Garden, and if it’s raining take cover in the Fun Fort which houses seats, a play area and toilets. There’s plenty here to keep the whole family happy, especially little ones with lots of energy to burn – you’ll find trampolines, a sandpit and play areas to discover along the way, including the Barefoot Trail, where you can take your shoes off and follow a path experiencing different textures like gravel, hay and sand under your feet. And at the end of your day, don’t forget to stop for tea and cake in the café and pick up a souvenir in the shop, which are both housed in old farm buildings. I was given a tour by head keeper Toby, and he was keen to stress that Wild Place Project it is still very much a work in progress, and when you visit you’ll probably find that there are people busy building fences to house new animals or laying paths; but then, that’s the whole idea about this place. The Wild Place Project is owned and operated by the Bristol, Clifton and West of England Zoological Society, which also operates Bristol Zoo Gardens. The Project is named as such because it is the first step towards the creation of a world-class National Wildlife Conservation Park which the society received planning consent for in 2010. There are big plans to expand the site, add more animals and continue to educate visitors about endangered species and the zoo’s conservation work all around the world through workshops, talks and interactive activities. Since the site’s opening last summer, more than 33,000 guests have visited the park. Dr Bryan Carroll, CEO of the Bristol, Clifton and West of England Zoological Society says: “We are very pleased with how the first six months have gone and how well the Wild Place Project has been received by the public. It is fantastic that we have been able to share the site with so many people and we would like to say a big thank you to all who have supported us. We are very much looking forward to the future and all the exciting plans we have for the site, as we continue with our commitment to grow the Project and make it a truly world-class attraction.” ■
For more information about visiting The Wild Place Project, visit: www.wildplace.org.uk or tel: 0117 980 7173.
The Sanctuary Garden All images: © Bob Pitchford
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Mum, voiceover artist and BBC Radio Bristol presenter, Faye Dicker, meets the Bristol businesses that make family life easier...
L
ike lots of families, when I was a little girl growing up, we had a series of childhood pets. The first was a rabbit, who chewed its way through everything. The second was a hamster, who doubled up as an escape artist. The third was the beginning in a long line of guinea pigs. In fact, my parents still have a pet guinea pig today, but that’s another story. So there is something quite intrinsic to family life for me, when it comes to having a pet. For a child to have another little being to help care for, love and protect, teaches so many lessons and values. I caught up with a woman who has dedicated most of her life to rescuing and rehoming animals to provide them with a safe haven and she shared her thoughts and experience when it comes to buying a family pet. Pauline Leeson founded Holly Hedge Animal Sanctuary in 1982, in a beautiful woodland setting in Barrow Gurney, thanks largely to benefactor Esmi Berni, who allowed her to buy the site. While the sanctuary specialises in cats and dogs, it has also been known to take in rabbits, guinea pigs, a family of rats and even a goat. Pauline’s first words were heartfelt – “don’t go straight to a breeder, think about rehoming a pet from a reputable rescue centre first.” The second is to be realistic – people often come in with predetermined ideas. The craze for buying a dog, so the owner can go for a run with it, isn’t always ideal. Not every dog wants to go for a long and hard run, with no time for sniffing and interacting with other pooches. In fact, when it comes to buying a family pet, despite their more recent bad press, Staffies make an ideal family animal. Female Staffies are even known as the Nanny Dog, such is their love of children. Pauline was quite pained to explain that she has had to rescue so many more recently, as their breed unfairly seems to have fallen out of fashion. And what about if you already have a cat and want to add a dog into the mix? “The trick is to make sure their first encounter goes well. Introduce them with the dog on the lead and the cat in the lounge, giving the clear message – the cat lives here first!” says Pauline. Families who already own a dog and are looking for a second can bring their dog to Holly Hedge and go for a walk with the new potential pooch. In fact, cats can do the same and be observed playing in the cat garden together. Given the level of success we had introducing a second rescue cat to our home, I wish this was something we’d done. Instead, Omar packed his knapsack and decided to live with our neighbour. Much like people, animals are sensitive to change. For pet owners expecting their first baby, Pauline suggests the owners carry a doll around the home, ‘burping’ it and even play baby sounds. It’s a process called desensitisation and helps pets to adjust. As for lower maintenance pets, what about the house bunny? As long as they have access to the garden, Pauline sees no reason why they shouldn’t live in the family home. A furry addition to the family can be richly rewarding and is the most satisfying part of Pauline’s work, she says, seeing them leave together. Though we’re in no hurry for another pet, Holly Hedge will be the first place we’ll visit when we’re ready. To hear Pauline’s interview in full, click on www.freelancebristolmum.co.uk. ■
Leadership Skills for Tomorrowʼs World
University of Bristol offers free places for part-time Masters in Strategy, Change and Leadership for senior professionals The University of Bristol is offering free places on its Masters in Strategy, Change and Leadership. This part-time programme is for aspiring senior managers and is designed to fit around the demands of a busy job.
Todayʼs leaders are facing the most challenging operating circumstances for a generation. The necessary skills and competencies have shifted from the motivation of employees in a buoyant economy to change management and strategic leadership in this landscape of budget cuts, increased hours, more sophisticated technology and leaner workforces. Few organisations have escaped these changes whether they are in the private, public or not-for-profit sectors. The University of Bristol has recognised this and designed a bespoke Masters degree in Strategy, Change and Leadership aimed at providing senior managers with the tools and techniques they require in order to navigate their organisations through such demanding times.
Programme Director Helen Ballard says “I am delighted we have the funding available to offer free places on our parttime Masters programme. Excellent leadership is critical in this challenging climate, and high performing organisations are recognising the need to further develop their managers. This practical Masters degree will offer a return on investment from day one.” To find out more come along to an open evening at the University on Wednesday 5th March from 6pm – 7.30pm. Contact Cheralyn for details: efim-scl@bristol.ac.uk
For further information about the course please visit www.bristol.ac.uk/efm/courses/postgraduate/new/degrees/ WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK
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THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE THEBESTOFBRISTOL PERFECTLYCOVERED BRISTOLSBIGGESTMAGAZINE PERFECTLYDELIVERED TOADVERTISETEL: 0117 9742800
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OUT | AND ABOUT
Historical Cotham This month’s walk is an urban stroll between two stations on the Severn Beach line. Starting amid the mid-Victorian grandeur of Cotham, it takes in the Georgian charm of Kingsdown before venturing along one of Bristol’s quirkiest Regency streets. It also visits the sites of three Civil War forts and goes past some of Bristol’s finest suburban hostelries, says Andrew Swift
L
eaving the train at Redland, head out of the station, turn left, left again across a footbridge and carry on up Lovers Walk. At the top, cross and head along Cotham Park North, beside Colston’s Primary School. At the crossroads, head straight on up Cotham Park, carry on as it curves left and continue past No Entry signs. The obelisks flanking the T-junction at the end originally flanked the gateway to 18th-century Cotham Lodge, demolished in 1846 when the area was developed. • Turn right and right again up Cotham Road. The church at the end, built as a Congregational chapel in 1842, was taken over by the Church of England in the 1970s. A memorial commemorates five Protestant martyrs burnt at the stake here during the reign of Queen Mary. Just past the second gateway, a plaque indicates the remains of Bewell’s Cross, which marked Bristol’s northern boundary. It was the custom to hang malefactors on a nearby gibbet until the early 19th century.
to defend the city. Grand villas were later built in the grounds, part of which became a quarry until they were landscaped, under the guidance of Humphry Repton, in 1804. In 1917, the Royal Fort was bequeathed to the university by HH Wills.
• Turn left down St Michael’s Hill past the Highbury Vaults, noted for its range of cask ales and a model train running round the bar. Opposite is Beerd, Bath Ales’ craft beer bar. Further along is the White Bear, a coaching inn with a pint-wielding polar bear above the entrance.
• As you go through the gateway, the 1920s Wills Physics Laboratory towers above you. Carry on along the north side of Royal Fort House, one of the finest Georgian buildings in Bristol and unusual in having three façades in contrasting styles. Continue along its west and south sides, before following the path as it winds around the fort’s perimeter. After passing the mirror maze below Royal Fort House, turn left along the drive, go through a gate, cross the bottom of Tyndall Avenue and walk along Woodland Road for 50 metres before turning right up St Michael’s Park. At the top, cross and carry on along Myrtle Road and Walker Street. The site of Colston’s Fort, also part of the Civil War defences, lies behind the houses facing you at the end.
• The gabled building on the corner of St Michael’s Park, built around 1670, is one of the oldest in the area. After crossing the zebra crossing, carry on downhill. Just past the Hospital for Sick Children, turn right uphill and bear right through a gatehouse. Apart from a short section of perimeter wall, this is all that remains of a fort built by Royalist troops around 1644
• Turn left past the Green Man – a Dawkins’ Ales pub formerly known as the Bell – and right along Portland Street at the end. Cross the zebra crossing and carry on along Clevedon Terrace. At the crossroads, look left to see some of the last remaining gaslights in Bristol and up to the right to see a two-headed goose.
• Opposite is the Western Congregational College, opened in 1906 and now housing a doctor’s surgery. Ahead is Hampton House Health Centre, originally a homeopathic hospital, with a foundation stone laid by the future Edward VIII in 1921.
• Carry on and turn left by the Wine Vaults along Kingsdown Parade, one of the most eclectic and fascinating Georgian streets in Bristol. It eventually leads down to Fremantle Square, whose Regency charm belies a bloody history. Prior’s Hill Fort once stood on this site. In September 1645, it was captured by Parliamentary forces after two hours of bitter fighting and the defenders were massacred. • At the T-junction, turn right, then right again up the east side of Fremantle Square. Carry on past Thomas Street North (where you can see a framed Banksy a few metres down to the left), continue along Somerset Street and at the end turn left down Montague Hill. Turn left along Dove Street, passing the Hillgrove and the Hare on the Hill, run by Dawkins’ and Bath Ales respectively. At the end turn right downhill. Turn left at the bottom and, after passing the Little Shop, cross the main road. Head to the right of the Salvation Army shop and, after a few metres, turn left along Picton Street. Dating from around 1820, it was named after General Picton, who 62 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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OUT | AND ABOUT
KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED: main image, left, Royal Fort; below, the two-headed goose on Clevedon Terrace Above, from left, a framed Banksy on Thomas Street North; a decorated house in Picton Street; and glass in Hillgrove pub
fell at Waterloo, and is one of the most vibrant streets in the city. No 21, on the right, was a boyhood home of Archie Leach – aka Cary Grant. A little further along, beside an alley leading to the bow-fronted elegance of Picton Lodge, is an early lock-up for the incarceration of miscreants. • Opposite the house proclaiming a welcome to Montpelier, turn left and then right up St Andrew’s Road – but not before carrying on a little way to look over at the Old England pub, built around 1760 as a country tavern, with pleasure gardens and an open-air swimming pool, known as Rennison’s Baths, nearby. • The park on your left as you climb St Andrew’s Road stands on the site of St Andrew’s church, demolished in 1969. A little further on, turn left past bollards to Montpelier station and the end of the walk. ■
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FURTHER INFORMATION ■
Distance: 4 miles
■
Dogs are not permitted in the grounds of Royal Fort
■
The Highbury Vaults opens daily from noon. Beerd opens daily from 10am. The Green Man opens at 4pm on weekdays, 2pm on Saturday & noon on Sunday. The Hillgrove opens at 4pm on weekdays & 2pm at weekends. The Hare on the Hill opens at 4pm Monday-Thursday & noon Friday-Sunday.
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HEALTH | & BEAUTY
News in Brief ■ After a successful first year in 2013, the Women’s Running 10k will return to Bristol on Saturday 2 August, starting and finishing at Bristol’s Blaise Castle, with the chance to go off-road. Model turned runner, Nell McAndrew is the ambassador for the race series which is organised by Women’s Running magazine. Christina Macdonald, editor of Women’s Running said: “The first event in Bristol was a real success and we received so much positive feedback, so we’re really excited about returning. Our aim is to inspire and motivate women of all ages and abilities to run, and these events provide the framework to make that happen. All women taking part will be encouraged to achieve their own personal goals, from simply getting around a 10k course, to achieving a personal best, and we will be there to help them every step of the way.” To help runners around the 10k course, the Women’s Running pacers will return to run with participants, to help them achieve their target time. Suitable for runners of all abilities, there will be a team of four pacers, targeting times of 50 minutes, 55 minutes, 60 minutes and a run/walk group aiming for approximately 70 minutes. The race experience also includes a warm up, led by an expert from Women’s Running Magazine, a tshirt, goody bag and medal for every finisher, a post-race warm down with tea and cake and a personalised text message containing your race finish time and personal statistics from the day. The event is now open for entries, with an early bird price of £24. For more information, top training tips and to enter, go to: www.wr10k.co.uk.
Above: Nell McAndrew with runners
■ Hammer Out, the leading charity in the south west and Midlands supporting brain tumour patients and their families, is holding a selection of challenges for thrill seekers this year in an effort to raise money for the the charity. Locally you can go firewalking, extreme bungee jumping, skydiving, abseiling, zip wiring and white water rafting; and further afield there’s a Kilimanjaro trek, walk to Everest base camp, the three peaks challenge and Snowdon climb. If you’re feeling super fit and want an adventure this year, then this could be for you. If you are interested in taking part in any of these challenges and you would like more details visit: www.hammerout.co.uk/fundraising or contact Helen on tel.01454 414355 or e-mail: fundraising@hammerout.co.uk
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FIT & FAB Products and the latest health and beauty news in the city
Beat the winter blues with brights
Clockwise from top left: For glossy lips with a burst of colour, try Phyto Lip Twist in coral from Sisley, £28, available at Harvey Nichols; get rid of dark circles and puffy eyes with the Mega bright dark circle minimizer from Origins, £32, available from House of Fraser; get a flirty flush from the Lollitint cheek and lip stain from Benefit, £24.50, available from Boots; introduce some zing into your life with the help of Crabtree & Evelyn tarocco orange, eucalyptus and sage Little Luxuries, £13; for a sense of wellbeing drink Get Happy Tea from Harvey Nichols; and relax and unwind with the Tender is the Night massage bar from Lush, £6.50
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POSITIVE PATHWAYS
Hypnotherapy
(Solution Focused Clinical Hypnotherapy) Clifton-based Practice.
Hypnotherapy can help with; Stress and anxiety, Depression,Addictions and Phobias, Smoking, OCD,Anger management,Weight management, Fertlity, Childbirth, Children's issues, Performance enhancement and Confidence issues.
Contact Amanda Gazidis (DHP) AfSFH Ba (Hons) on 07594440949 or at agazidis@yahoo.co.uk to book a FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION
THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE THEBESTOFBRISTOL PERFECTLYCOVERED BRISTOLSBIGGESTMAGAZINE PERFECTLYDELIVERED
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CARLO &beauty M
MOROCCANOIL ®
Stockists
Main stockists of REDKEN
TOADVERTISETEL: 0117 9742800
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Tel: 0117 968 2663 • www.carlohairandbeauty.co.uk 6 Rockleaze Rd, Sneyd Park, Bristol BS9 1NF
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HEALTH | & BEAUTY
The look of love Pucker up for Valentine’s Day with this season’s most stylish shade. We asked Lisa Piddington, from Harvey Nichols Bristol, how to wear red lipstick with confidence
F
rom Cleopatra’s beetle-stained lips to Marilyn Monroe’s iconic pout, red lipstick has for centuries been associated with pure glamour. Yet one false move with this most sexy of shades and it can be more harlot than starlet. Because red lipstick demands more care than your average day-to-day gloss many women tend to shy away, but there is no excuse for not having one waiting in the wings for special occasions. Five top tips that won’t leave you red faced: • Take the time to pick the right shade for your skin tone but don’t be afraid to experiment with something quite dramatic. For warm skin tones go for golden or more orange reds, while pale tones should opt for pinkier reds that will pick out the rose colour in your cheeks and stop you looking washed out. Deep, brick reds can work well whatever your natural colouring. If a solid block of colour isn’t for you, opt for a tinted gloss or balm. • Red tends to bleed more than other colours so apply a layer of foundation to your lips first as a base. A pencil line in a co-ordinating colour keeps the look focussed and classy. • A lip brush is a must to achieve the perfect pout. After applying your lipstick take another brush, dip it into some powder and gently pat along the outer edges of your lips to hold the colour place. • The trend for the season is statement lips combined with barely there eye make-up. Go for a bold lipstick and offset with black or dark brown mascara, a sweep of pale shadow and eye-liner on the top lid only to get the catwalk look. •: For a fuller look, dab a lighter shade of red into the centre of your lips and a darker shade at the corners of your mouth.
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1 Butter London Lippy - Come to Bed, £14. 2 Sisley Hydrating Long-Lasting Lipstick – Geisha Red, £32. 3 Eve Lom Kiss Mix, £16. 4 Louise Young Cosmetics retractable lip brush, £13.50. 5 Tom Ford lip colour - Cherry Lush, £36. 6 Tom Ford lip colour - Jasmine Rouge, £36. 7 Ole Henriksen African red tea exfoliating lip salve, £12.50. 8 NARS velvet gloss lip pencil – Dragon Girl, £17.50. 9 Shu Uemura – Rouge Unlimited Red, £19. 10 Laura Mercier crème lip colour – Truly Red, £18.50.
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All products featured are available from the Ground Floor Beauty Hall at Harvey Nichols Bristol.
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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Acupuncture is good for back pain By Henry McGrath, Academic Director and Acupuncture Course Director at CNM (College of Naturopathic Medicine). cupuncture is the insertion of tiny needles into certain points on the body, for the treatment of illness. It has been practised for over 2000 years in China, and is becoming ever more popular in the West. It is estimated that over one million treatments are given per year in the UK. Back pain is one of the most common conditions which acupuncture is used for: as an acupuncturist I treat many people with the condition. The traditional explanation as to how acupuncture helps lower back pain is that it unblocks the pathways of “qi”, or “vital energy”. Blockages may be caused by bad posture, stress, poor diet, or injury. Modern scanning techniques, using PET scanners, have shown that the acupuncture pathways are channels along which sub atomic particles, called positrons, flow. The research has also shown that the insertion of acupuncture needles into certain points stimulates the pain control centres in the brain, blocking the pain signal. Acupuncture has also been shown to release endorphins, chemicals which reduce pain. In 2009 the Government’s health watchdog NICE (the National Institute for Clinical Excellence) published a report which looked at the evidence. It examined seven studies which had been done on low back pain. Treatments were given once or twice per week for between four and twelve weeks. The groups varied in size, some with several thousand participants. Some studies compared real acupuncture with “sham” acupuncture, where the needles are deliberately placed in the wrong area. The report concluded that “acupuncture needling is beneficial in reducing pain and improving function” (p156). In other words, as well as reducing pain, acupuncture helped people get back to work, and get on with their lives. The report also said that “acupuncture costs less and is more effective than usual care” (p156). The “usual care” often consists of taking non– steroidal anti–inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). However, these often cause serious side effects: listed by the NHS as indigestion and stomach ulcers. Long-term use can cause anaemia, gastro-intestinal bleeding, and the development of holes in the wall of the intestines. This can allow toxins to enter the blood and create serious long term health problems. On the other hand, acupuncture has positive side effects: patients often report improvements in sleep, mood, and energy. This is because acupuncture treats the whole person, not just the symptoms. Back pain is often a reflection of other imbalances in the body. For example, stress or exhaustion can lead to a build-up of cortisol in the blood, which can lead to inflammation and pain, and prevent the body healing damaged tissue. Acupuncture
A
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has been shown to be effective in treating stress, and reducing cortisol levels, thereby reducing pain. So, the evidence is clear: acupuncture can be an effective way to reduce back pain and improve mobility. Acupuncture can not only treat pain successfully, but also be efficient for many other complaints, and in helping regain vitality and health. An extra advantage of Naturopathic Acupuncture, which is not covered in the report, but which is taught at CNM, is that qualified practitioners are able to give advice on making dietary and lifestyle changes, which can maximise the beneficial effects of Acupuncture needling, and so help prevent Henry McGrath further difficulties.
FREE CNM events in Bristol 1. Wednesday 5th February 6.30pm-8.30pm
FREE CNM Open Evening Find out about training with CNM Bristol for a career in Naturopathic Nutrition or Naturopathic Acupuncture.
2. Wednesday 26th February 6.30pm-8.30pm
FREE Health Talk 10 Keys to Healthy Eating, by Lorraine Whelan. For details, and to reserve your place at either event: 01342 410 505 info@naturopathy-uk.com
www.naturopathy-uk.com
FEBRUARY 2014
New classes starting
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Anxious, depressed, stressed? Need some help?
Regain your enjoyment of life call 07731 697 938 Free ps for crea ng happiness
Solu on Focused Hypnotherapy
see our website www.thecalmwaterprac ce.co.uk
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Fulcrum House, 3 Grove Road, Redland, BS6 6UJ
Launch & develop your business with us! The Bristol Magazine The Bristol Magazine has all the treatments and all the wonderful therapies to help your business feel fantastic! Health and Beauty advertising in Bristol’s brightest & most widely delivered magazine really works. Telephone 0117 974 2800
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CITY | LIVING
INTERIORS INSIDER Be inspired by the latest interiors news and products
Spring forecast Cat How, designer, creative director and co-founder of Bristol-based design emporium Howkapow.com, shares her insights into the new trends set to style your home over the coming season
W
e are anticipating that this year independent design will come into its own once more. This marks a shift whereby more traditionally crafted wares and limited-run goods will once again be valued for their enduring appeal and quality over and above fast fashion items. And style savvy consumers have already begun to invest back into quality pieces – especially those created by independent designers and illustrators. Here are some trends to watch out for: Pastel hues This spring will see the emergence of ice cream hues and gentle greys. These pastel shades are perfect for spring and summer as they inject soft, subtle bursts of colour that complement most schemes, and will therefore also work longterm – even if the items around them change. Our Silk Canisters offer a stylish and practical storage solution for any area in the home as they come in three sizes and six pastel shades. Our Dotty design jugs demonstrate a more subtle flash of pastel shades and can be used as water jugs, vases, or simply displayed as beautiful decorative items. The Memphis Cushion Series again features soft pastel shades, this time with an 80s graphic edge. A decade that has also influenced our new Rubi floor lamps which come in soft grey, black and white. While our deliciously vanilla-hued Stockholm clocks demonstrate classic Scandinavian cool at its very best. Eagle Eye for Animal Pattern Animal themes are ever popular and always make for timeless styling. Our feathered friends – especially birdbased patterns with a sharp graphic edge – will be spreading their wings across all manner of beautiful home accessories. This
includes our Juneberry & Bird lampshades and cushions, four breeds of bird table mats and our delightful Bird Breeds print. Felines were much in demand in 2013 and show no signs of cat napping just yet. Howkapow’s hand screen printed cat cushions were very popular last autumn and winter and look set to remain perched on sofas and chairs for the next 12 months at least. Fish too are also swimming strong. In fact our Sardine Run collection – one of our biggest sellers of all time – is a modern classic in the making thanks to its traditional aesthetic with a contemporary twist. ■ Visit: www.howkapow.com
Cat How launched colourful design shop Howkapow.com with her husband Rog in 2010 as they sought to provide a much needed platform for independent designers looking to compete against the mass produced. Howkapow arose from the How’s shared desire to nurture unsung design talent and, now in its fourth year of trading, Howkapow is internationally renown for its unique smile-inducing style. From kitchen and homewares, lighting, and prints to jewellery, accessories, and gifts – Howkapow showcases accessible design with a practical application.
Instant vintage Turn your home from frumpy to funky with an injection of stylish, vintage-inspired homewares. Here’s a pick of our favourite pieces from Bristol businesses...
Handmade cushion with vintage fabrics from Kingswood-based Kathryn King of Gracie Bows. Tel: 0117 960 8387 or visit: www.graciebows.co.uk
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1800s brass and velvet music stool, £450, available from Dig Haushizzle and Morris and Ling: www.morrisandling.com
Desk and Victorian garden chair from Dig Haushizzle, Colston Street or visit: www.dig-haushizzle.co.uk
CSKB DEC 13.qxp:Layout 1
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Over 20 Years’ experience of designing and installing Kitchens, Bathrooms and Bedrooms including carpentry and joinery works.
BeautiFul C S K B • 400 GLOUCESTER ROAD • HORFIELD • BRISTOL BS7 8TR TEL: 0117 924 6165
DESIGNS FOR LIFE!
E: sales@cs-kitchens.co.uk www.chippingsodburykitchens.co.uk
Open: Monday to Friday 9am – 5.30pm. Saturday 10am – 5pm.
Custom Designed. Computer Imagery. Total Project Management.
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We deliver to over 24,000 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 0117 974 2800 for card payment
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COMPETITION
Introducing a new Energy Efficiency Service for complete comfort, efficiency & control
T
hese are the key principles of John Lewis’s new Energy Efficiency service. We want to help our customers optimise the performance of their home. We can advise you on how to cut your bills, save money and improve the comfort of your home. Our experts can give you guidance in-store or over the phone; alternatively they may suggest a more in depth survey, at your home to help you make it fitter for the future. We offer advice on both the little and the big steps you can take, and also offer technical design and installation services. We install heating systems, heating controls, loft insulation, loft clearance and boarding, cavity wall insulation, solar electric panels and the latest smart controls.
Win an 'A' rated Vaillant boiler and 'OWL' smart heating control with installation worth up to £3,400. To celebrate the launch of their new energy efficiency service John Lewis are offering a fantastic opportunity to win a superb Vaillant boiler system and an ‘OWL’ smart heating control to a lucky reader of The Bristol Magazine in a special prize draw. Terms and Conditions apply (see below). To enter simply email your name, address and daytime contact number to: competitions@thebristolmagazine.co.uk Terms and conditions
John Lewis energy efficiency expert Tom Bardell (above) and a look at the ‘OWL’ smart heating control application
Take heating for example. It accounts for about 60% of the average energy bill. This means that having an efficient heating system can make a big difference to the ongoing running costs of your home. Modern, condensing boilers are about 90% efficient, as opposed to older systems which may have an efficiency as low as 60%. A simple way to think about this is that for every £1 you spend on your heating bill you may currently be getting only 60p of heat out of the system, as opposed to 90p with a modern system. John Lewis, Cribbs Causeway offers advice and installation of new boilers and full central heating systems to suit your home and lifestyle. And we do things properly. So when fitting a new boiler in your property, we always clean the existing pipework and radiators thoroughly using a process called ‘Magnacleanse’. We do this to remove any rust, limescale and other sludge and ensure that your new boiler can work at it’s optimum. We also fit a Magnaclean filter to ensure ongoing protection for your boiler. Ensuring that you have the right kind of boiler will also maximise your satisfaction with your heating system. We are proud to fit award winning Vaillant boilers which combine top notch German engineering with British manufacturing. These boilers have a proven quality, performance and reliability and are warrantied for 7 years. You can also save energy and money by making sure controls and settings are right for what you need; from thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) which control the temperature of each of your radiators, to room thermostats which prevent your home from getting warmer than it needs to be. We also supply and fit the latest smart controls such as the ‘OWL Intuition’ internet-connected heating control. This gives you increased control over your heating and hot water, and allows you to have remote control over the system using any Internet connected device – desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone – and from wherever you happen to be. The beauty of this system is that you can easily match your heating patterns to your lifestyle requirements and save money in the process. For more information check out www.johnlewis.com/energyefficiency where you can have a go at our energy efficiency calculator and contact an expert. Alternatively give us a call on 0117 9581 870 between 9-5pm, Monday to Friday.
WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK
1. This prize draw is open to residents of the UK aged 18 and over whose principal residence is a residential property in one these postcodes; all BS postcodes; BA1, BA2, BA3, BA4, BA5, BA6, BA11, BA14, BA15; GL1, GL2, GL3, GL4, GL5, GL6, GL7, GL8, GL9, GL10, GL11, GL12, GL13, GL14, GL15, GL16; NP16, NP25, NP26; SN12, SN13, SN14, SN15, SN16. 2. Entrants must not be employees of the John Lewis Partnership, their immediate families or their agents or anyone else connected with the promotion. 3. John Lewis is collecting your details for the purpose of providing you with energy saving advice and services that will help you reduce your energy use. By entering into this competition, you are opting into John Lewis contacting you by email or telephone, about energy saving advice and services that will help you reduce your energy use. 4. Entrants into the prize draw shall be deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions. 5. Entries must be received by Noon on 28th February 2014 . The Winner will be notified, by 8th March 2014. 6. Only one entry per household. 7. No responsibility is accepted for entries which are incomplete or illegible, or which are lost or delayed in transit or fail to be properly submitted. 8. Subject to qualification in Clause 9 and the rest of this clause, the prize will be awarded to the first entry to be drawn at random. The winner will win an ‘A’ rated energy efficient Vaillant boiler and an OWL Intuition from John Lewis with installation worth up to £3,400 at their home. The exact model of Vaillant boiler and Owl to be supplied and installed in the winner’s home will be determined by the results of the technical assessment of their existing central heating system and boiler. The technical assessment will be carried out by John Lewis’ third party contractor, and they will identify which Vaillant model boiler would be most appropriate. Where possible, the replacement boiler will be on a like-for-like basis (combi, open system or closed system) and will be situated in the same location as the existing boiler. The winner’s home must be on mains grid gas. 9. To qualify for this prize, the Winner must either be a home owner or private tenant (with the landlord’s consent for the installation of services) and must undertake a technical assessment. In the event the winner doesn’t meet either of these criteria, s/he will not be eligible for the prize, and another entry will be drawn and allocated the prize. 10. Some redecoration may be required following the installation of certain services, these costs are not included in the prize and are the responsibility of the winner. John Lewis accepts no responsibility for any costs associated with the prize and not specifically included in the prize. 11. John Lewis may contact you prior to the prize being drawn about their Energy Efficiency Service. 12. The prize is non-exchangable, non-transferable and no cash alternative is available. John Lewis will organise the prize with the winner directly. The winner may be required to take part in promotional activity related to the Prize Draw and the winner shall participate in such activity on the Promoter's reasonable request. 13. As the promoter, The Bristol Magazine’s decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into and standard terms and conditions apply.
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THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE THEBESTOFBRISTOL PERFECTLYCOVERED BRISTOLSBIGGESTMAGAZINE PERFECTLYDELIVERED TOADVERTISETEL: 0117 9742800
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203 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8NN
For a preview of the showroom search "Natural Born Flooring" on Google, visit their website at www.naturalbornflooring.co.uk or call 0117 942 7829. WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK
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GARDENING
A YEAR ROUND GARDEN Our new Bristol garden design feature writer, Margaux Speirs asks: “Is your garden beautiful yet?”
I
was moaning about the weather recently to a gardening friend and they reminded me that Britain is truly blessed by its weather. Without the warming effect of the Gulf Stream current we would experience the winter freeze and hot dry summers of many parts of central and northern Europe on the same latitude as us. Because of this maritime climate we can grow plants and trees from all over the world – lush jungle plants, savannah grasses, Mediterranean herbs, Japanese blossoms and mountain conifers. The history of gardening pioneers in the 17th and 18th centuries, who scoured the known world for new specimens to delight and impress visitors to their gardens, makes for surprisingly gripping reading. In her book, Brother Gardeners, Andrea Wulf points out that there are only four native evergreen trees in England (yew, scots pine, holly and juniper). Look around at how many there are now! Knowing where a plant originated helps gardeners to know what sort of conditions it needs to thrive. So for example, the lovely yellow, crocus-like Sternbergia lutea, which flowers in mid to late autumn comes from the dry mountains of Eastern Mediterranean so in England it needs fairly dry soil and warm sun to flower, doing best against a warm wall.
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Because of this maritime climate we can grow plants and trees from all over the world – lush jungle plants, savannah grasses, Mediterranean herbs, Japanese blossoms and montain conifers
❞ In another life I was a corporate lawyer, spending long days and often late into the nights poring over facility agreements and mortgage debentures. Since I stopped work to look after my children I have looked up, as it were, and I am constantly delighted by the variety and beauty of trees and flowers which I never really had time to notice when I was stuck into my first career; hence the birth of my second career as a garden designer. I trained with internationally renowned garden designers, Moira Farnham and Robin Templar Williams at the Bristol Botanical Gardens and now run my business from my family home in Clifton. I am now keen to share my delight in beautiful gardens with everyone! Whether your garden is a small courtyard garden, a family garden or a larger plot, it can be beautiful; a place where you want to spend relaxing leisure time or be proud to entertain family and friends. The right combination of trees, shrubs and flowers, paving, seating, perhaps a water feature or subtle garden lighting can make any outdoor space beautiful. It is widely recognised how therapeutic gardening or just looking into a 76 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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green planted area can be. Only this month University of Exeter published research showing that living near parks and gardens can boost long term mental health. It is for this reason that I am offering up to three charities a year a free garden design. I want the palliative and calming effect of a beautiful garden to be enjoyed by unwell or disadvantaged people – whether the elderly living in care homes, sick or disabled people or looked-after children. Out of pocket expenses and of course the cost of third party contractors, landscaping materials, trees, shrubs and planting costs would have to be met by the charity but all design and project management services would be offered at no charge. To apply for this offer please email me, margaux@margauxspeirsgardendesign.co.uk, describing in what way you think a beautiful garden would improve the lives of those served by your chosen charity and giving some idea of your budget. If yours is one of the chosen applicants I will contact you to make an appointment to see the relevant garden. For those new to gardening I am offering gardening advice, free for the first 12 months, where once a month I will email you with a list of seasonal tasks for the garden, including advice on what tools and products you need. The advice will include a recommendation for a plant of the month, with information as to its care so at the end of 12 months you will be well on the way to stocking your garden with amazing plants which will give it all year round interest. You will also know what to do to keep them flourishing. Please have a look at my website if you are interested in subscribing to this service – www.margauxspeirsgardendesign.co.uk. For the next 12 months I will be writing a column in The Bristol Magazine suggesting various ways to redesign a garden. If you would like to talk to me about what you could do with your own garden, then please email or call. ■
PLANT OF THE MONTH February’s must have plant is Chimonanthus Praecox Luteus (common name winter sweet). It has small, highly fragrant waxy yellow flowers on bare stems in winter. Grow in a sheltered position in full sun ideally beside your door so you smell the flowers as you come and go. It will grow to 2.5m (height and width) in ten years so allow plenty of growing space or be ready to prune it to keep it smaller. Generally pest and disease free and low maintenance. Requires little pruning but if you do so, then prune in late winter or early spring after flowering and give it a good feed (compost) afterwards. Widely available for about £15 for a young plant.
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Is your garden beautiful yet?
07903 779910
margaux@margauxspeirsgardendesign.co.uk www.margauxspeirsgardendesign.co.uk
WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK
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HOMES | ON SHOW
A WOODLAND PARADISE Individual yet luxurious, this opulent family home offers space to indulge and display, writes Marianne Swinkels
D
eliciously idiosyncratic, truly eclectic, coyly opulent... I’m mentally scanning through my personal repertoire of property speak descriptions in an attempt to justly summarise the substantial residence I’ve just viewed. But all this juggling around with a heady bunch of adjectives is not quite hitting the spot. Because this one-off property does not lend itself to everyday generalisations. Even its name, Sylverah, hints at a house which nods in the direction of the dramatic, conjuring up as it does, something somehow imaginary and grandiose in scale. An evocative name, suggesting ‘sylvan’, as in a woodland or forest setting; or a mythical mystery house worthy of a central role in some visually stunning TV drama or epic new Tolkeinesque movie production. As well it might, because this extravagant piece of real estate politely sticks two fingers up at the conventional. And does so brilliantly. Unique, yes. Quirky, possibly. Individual, certainly. This family home, originally built in 1940 and much extended and reconfigured over the last 20 years, resolutely defies any stereotypical labelling. Sylverah is not a building which conforms to the norms of any particular property era or type. It is a bespoke property which has been shaped and highly personalised by its current owners. Enter with an open mind. As I take the tour, a philosophical Chinese saying springs aptly to mind: “What you see, depends on where you sit.” And my word, in this eight acre plot off a private road atop the heights of Cadbury Camp Lane in Tickenham, there is ample space to contemplate just that. A handful of miles from Clifton and a couple from Nailsea, this elevated
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wooded spot – regarded as one of the premier addresses in North Somerset – boasts unbeatable southerly views stretching way down and out across to the Mendips. A vast swathe of landscape forms a panoramic backdrop from most of the rooms, balconies, timber walkways, decking and patios which skirts along the entire rear aspect of this three level house. No simple room with a view here. The entire building seems dedicated to the simple pleasure of looking out at the expanse of the world beyond. What you cannot glimpse from the array of arched windows, glass turrets and wall-to-ceiling glazing though is another, equestrian, world. Separate from the main dwelling and accessed from a second driveway, are two detached stable blocks providing 14 loose boxes, a manege/riding arena and horse walker, feed barn, machinery stores, covered wash bay, tack store, workshops and garage. And paddocks. And two two-bedroom staff flats. Even to the uninitiated, this is divine horse heaven. But you don’t have to be in the equestrian camp to be impressed, as these outbuildings and additional accommodations offer huge scope and potential for an array of income earning opportunities. The love of things equine is also evident in Sylverah’s decorative and airy interior, most obviously perhaps by a seriously show-stopping glass dining table supported by a large bronze statue of a swimming horse – its legs and body beneath, the animal’s head rising clear up through the clear glazed surface to happily gaze at guests. This multi-receptioned home grants you the space to indulge and display. The extensively travelled vendors have done just that and put their own stamp on the building: a commissioned stone fireplace with planets and symbols engraved in its curved surrounds and rotating marble orb; two life
... this extravagant piece of real estate politely sticks two fingers up at the conventional
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HOMES | ON SHOW
size male bronzes: a ‘jungle room’ housing a giant wooden crocodile and giraffes and animal print sofas which nestle among bronzed feather-painted mock columns; stone door surrounds reminiscent of a Roman/Greek temple and an overall feel of bold exotica. Bespoke wall-to-wall beech wardrobes; full air-conditioning, a computerised garden lighting system; classy en-suites to all significantly sized bedrooms; a 21ft galleried top floor sitting room with little more than a sofa to admire that Oscar- winning view; a 36ft long drawing room so spacious the grand piano is barely glimpsed... Sylverah positively hums with contented luxury. The finale awaits though. Leave the house, walk past the rockery garden, carp-filled pond, garden room with kitchenette and barbecue area and prepare to enter the third floor zone. Spanning the entire length of the building is a ground floor dedicated to leisure. Serious leisure. That’s a 12m heated swimming pool, hot tub, sauna, equipped gym, showering facilities, cinema, games room and sun room – it’s a place dedicated to heat up and chill out in style. As the vendors will agree, this is a big house with big personality: a family house, a party house, a showy house, a horsey house, a house to house your treasures, a house which offers much and still leaves room for more. Oh and I should add a little something here – the man who first owned the house had built two others nearby, one for each of his daughters. They were named Sylvia and Vera... ■
PROPERTY PROFILE: Where: Sylverah, Cadbury Camp Lane, Tickenham BS21 6RJ
What: Substantial three level family house with equestrian facilities, two x two bed staff flats and outbuildings. Ground floor indoor swimming pool, gym and leisure complex. Flexible accommodation offering 4-5 receptions, 4-5 bedrooms, 4 en-suite bathrooms. Woodland gardens and paddocks of 7.9 acres. Extensive southerly views. Detached stabling with 14 loose boxes, manege, tack room, feed barn, workshops. Guide price: £1,995,000 Agents: Knight Frank, Clifton office. www.knightfrank.co.uk Tel: 0117 317 1999 Email: bristol@knightfrank.com
WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK
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BRISTOL PROPERTY | IN FOCUS
M
ariners Drive is recognised as one of Sneyd Park’s most prestigious roads. There are a select number of detached family homes of ranging age and architectural styles set in established, mature gardens. Number 10A is approached via a private driveway leading to a paved parking area and garages. There is a large, welcoming entrance hall with solid wooden flooring which continues throughout much of the ground floor. The house is perfect for entertaining. The large solid oak kitchen/breakfast room comes with good quality integrated appliances and a utility room, and connects with the hall and drawing room which then flows out to a patio area and the garden. Also at ground floor level there is a study, cloakroom and a sitting/dining room which again has double doors to the garden. Upstairs there are five light and airy bedrooms, two of which have en suite shower rooms, and there is a family bathroom. The large and predominantly level garden provides plenty of space for the keen gardener or energetic youngsters. This immaculate turn-key family home is sure to appeal hugely, and can be viewed by appointment with agents Knight Frank. Knight Frank, Regent House, 27A Regent Street, Clifton, Bristol. Tel: 0117 317 1999
WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK
10A MARINERS DRIVE SNEYD PARK • Immaculate family home on highly prestigious road • 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms • 3 reception rooms • Private gated driveway • Large enclosed gardens • Double garage and ample parking
£1,295,000 FEBRUARY 2014
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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 81
Commercial Sales & Lettings
0117 949 1888 www.maggsandallen.co.uk
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Westbury On trym
£6,000p.a
Self contained office suite of approximately 300sqft arranged as 2 rooms to the rear of the first floor of this attractive period building situated on Westbury Road, Westbury on Trym. All inclusive rent (electric, water, rates and buildings insurance).
CliftOn
£135,000
Attractive freehold former dentist surgery (Approx. 544sqft Gross) situated just off Blackboy Hill, Clifton. Benefits from own entrance and courtyard. Potential for alternative D1 uses such as Beauty Salon, Physiotherapy, Medical/Heath services etc or possibly residential (subject to consents)
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CliftOn
£695,000
A rare opportunity to acquire this attractive period four storey end of terrace property arranged as (approx 2,900 sqft net internal floor area) office space benefiting from roof terrace, many original features, independent accessible basement level and off street parking for 6 vehicles.
tOtterDOWn
£450,000
Well presented Freehold Investment arranged as ground floor restaurant (with basement) and 2 self contained flats above. Situated in a popular location in Totterdown occupied by the renowned ‘Thali Cafe’. Fully let producing £34,616p.a (potential to increase to £38,616pa). Early enquiries recommended.
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City Centre
£550,000
City Centre
Attractive Grade II listed 5 storey building situated in a prime City Centre location arranged as ground floor bar with basement (tenanted) and 3 additional storeys above. There is potential for conversion of the upper floors to office space or residential subject to consents.
£159,950
Attractive double fronted shop arranged as open plan retail space (approx 650sqft) with further store and kitchen and toilet facilities to the rear. Currently used as retail, trading as a costume hire and joke shop, which enjoys a thriving business.
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Commercial Sales & Lettings CliftOn
£25,000p.a
Bristol’s fastest growing Commercial Agency
Well presented ground floor lock up shop unit (approx 500sqft) with additional basement level (approx 550sqft) providing further storage. Situated in a prime location on Park Street within close proximity to Bristol University, College Green and Bristol City Centre. New lease available.
mOntpelier
£7,500p.a
Very well presented first floor offices (approx 940sqft net internal floor area) with communal reception, kitchen and toilet facilities. The property benefits from gas central heating, alarm system, double glazing, air conditioning and off street parking for 2 vehicles.
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City Centre
£20,000p.a
Ground floor and basement shop (over 600sqft gross) situated in a prime location in Bristol City Centre, just off Broad Street within very close proximity to Corn Street and The Galleries. New Lease Available. Bristol Cameras are relocating next door, in the showroom above Bristol Optics.
Estate Agents
Lettings & Management
Maggs & Allen Commercial Feb .indd 1
paintWOrks
£220,000+Vat/£15,000p.a
Very well presented and improved self contained workshop/creative space (just under 1,000sqft gross internal area) with allocated parking. Situated in the highly popular Paintworks Development, Arnos Vale, Bristol’s creative quarter. Early enquiries recommended.
Auctioneers
Westbury On trym
£12,000p.a
Self contained retail unit arranged as approximately 536sqft situated in a prime location in Westbury On Trym within close proximity to the ‘Grupo Lounge’ and HSBC. New lease available. Early enquiries recommended.
Commercial/ Investment
Chartered Surveyors
fishpOnDs
£325,000
Spacious freehold mixed use investment arranged as 4 well presented self contained flats with additional lock up shop unit and rear garage. Fully let producing just over £30,000p.a. Situated in a pleasant location on the Fishponds Road, ideal buy to let.
Land/New Homes
Energy Assessors
17/01/2014 12:38
Bristol & Clifton’s premier Commercial Property Agents Keep up-to-date with our latest news and market comments at our website: www.burstoncook.co.uk
(0117) 934 9977
CLIFTON INVESTMENT – FOR SALE A substantial office/film studio extending to 7,832 sq ft net (10,373 sq ft gross). Let to Films At 59 until 2020 at a net rent of £100,665 pax. FREEHOLD £1,250,000 (Yield 8.05%).
INVESTMENT FOR SALE 29 HIGH STREET, CHIPPING SODBURY Occupying a busy retail location and fully let to an off licence and long established beauty salon. Net rental income of £22,000 pax. FREEHOLD £280,000.
BS1 – FREEHOLD OFFICE WITH RESIDENTIAL CONSENT 14 SMALL STREET, BRISTOL, BS1 Permitted development for a change of use from offices to 7 studio apartments and 1 x one bedroom flat
41 HIGH STREET, BRISTOL, BS1
93, GLOUCESTER ROAD, BRISTOL
Fully fitted fair salon in busy City Centre location. VERY HIGH QUALITY New lease – 703 sq ft. Rent £11,500 pax. Premium only £10,000
Large shop unit of 611 sq ft in busy location –
103 WHITELADIES ROAD
QUEEN SQUARE, BRISTOL
• Suites from 724 – 1,760 sq ft. • 3 car spaces. • Undergoing a quality refurbishment. • New lease £12.75 per sq ft, pax.
Open plan office suite of 1,868 sq ft in a prime office building.
Only £14,950 pax (low rates).
New flexible lease. Rent only £13.50 psf.
VIEWING RECOMMENDED.
• • • • Julian Cook
Jayne Rixon
Charlie Kershaw
Finola Ingham
FRICS
MRICS
MRICS
MRICS
Burston Cook Feb.indd 1
Sales /Lettings Acquisitions advice Valuations Landlord & tenant
• • • •
Rent reviews Development advice Investments Dilapidations
(0117) 934 9977 17/01/2014 14:44
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Quiet retreat of Botanical Gardens drives demand for Overton Court scheme
T
hanks to their idyllic situation with exclusive access to the former Botanical Gardens, only two properties now remain in Overton Court, a scheme of townhouses in Leigh Woods. Since coming to market the scheme has been very well received with properties purchased by professional couples, young families and retirees alike, revealing the location’s broad market appeal. Savills has sold the entire development to date including the original home and a number of the townhouses and coach houses off-plan, which are now fully occupied. The Overton Court scheme is a mixture of new build and refurbishment approached by a private road and surrounded by the former Botanical Gardens. Both number three and four Overton Court are spacious, four-bedroom new build semi detached townhouses with private landscaped gardens and large double garages. Thoughtfully designed and traditionally built by developer Devonshire Homes, both houses sit comfortably with the existing architecture at Bracken Hill and are built to high standards. The properties are being marketed by Savills with a guide price of £1.275 million each. Exclusive access to the former Botanical Gardens of Bracken Hill is available to all residents of Overton Court. Within the grounds there is a beautiful selection of flowers, plants and trees; the stunning borders and rock gardens offer areas teeming with year round colour. Richard Brooks from Savills who is marketing the property comments, “Leigh Woods is a quiet retreat that sits on the cusp of vibrant Clifton with it’s cafe culture, bars and restaurants. The nearby Nightingale Valley is perfect dog-walking and mountain biking territory and the gated community provides a sense of security, community and belonging. The gardens are maintained by a resident gardener who has worked the estate for many years and is on hand for green-fingered advice. More importantly, however, he does all the hard work on the gardens so at the end of a long week, the residents get to enjoy the amenity without breaking a sweat. Given the success noted to date, we are confident of the sale of the 84 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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remaining two properties and would urge any buyers to make early contact with us.” For further details and to make an appointment to view the properties in Overton Court, call Savills in Clifton on +44 (0)117 933 5800.
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www.alexandermay.co.uk Clifton branch: 01179 744 766 35 Regent Street, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4HR TC
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Syned Park
offers over £465,000 Ashley Down
VIEWS OF THE DOWNS, FRONT AND REAR GARDEN AND PRIVATE PARKING. This is a beautifully presented two bedroom garden apartment situated in a semi-detached townhouse. The property comes with a front courtyard garden as well as a laid to lawn garden and good storage to the rear. Well presented internally, the property consists of: Two bedrooms, both en-suite, open plan kitchen leading to the dining room and drawing room. French doors from the drawing room gives you access to the courtyard. EPC D
£349,950 Clifton
Suitable for Investors - This is a seven bedroom terraced house, with two bathrooms, separate kitchen and a rear garden. We believe the current rental income is £2,500 pcm. This achieves a 7% yield. Currently let to students this property also has scope for further development. HMO to be renewed by purchasers EPC: E
£289,950
This is a spacious first floor flat, two double bedrooms, separate bathroom, kitchen and living room. In need of modernisation and comes with a single garage and off road parking. Viewing highly recommended.
Long Ashton branch: 01275 393 956 50 Weston Road, Long Ashton, Bristol, BS41 9HH W NE ICE PR
TC
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Long Ashton
£749,950 Failand
Situated in arguably one of Long Ashton's most premier areas this substantial detached family home, built c23 years ago by Voisey boasts an internal footprint of over 3,300 sq ft (308 sq. m) and offers the lavishness that one would expect given its surroundings. The property is approached via a quiet lane and no through road where the property sits in a stunning elevated position enjoying countryside views across the valley and backing onto Long Ashton Golf Course woodland. EPC D
£499,950 Long Ashton
Extended family home, recently renovated throughout is located c2miles from Clifton Village. Offered to the market with no onward chain, this spacious home offers generous living accommodation including a superb, vaulted ceiling open-plan, kitchen-dining room, utility, study and sitting room with log burner. There are two ground floor bedrooms with contemporary bathroom and two first floor bedrooms, each with en-suite. Externally there is gated offstreet parking to the front and a generous level rear garden. EPC C
£425,000
In a tucked away position, enjoying elevated views, within close proximity to the well-renowned Northleaze Junior school, this four bedroom detached property offers excellent living accommodation and has been well-maintained throughout. The ground floor comprises two reception rooms, kitchen-dining room and WC, whilst the first floor offers four bedrooms and a recently refurbished family bathroom. There is a private rear patio and lawned garden to the rear with parking and single garage to the front. EPC D
Westbury on Trym branch: 01179 500 118 25 Canford Lane, Westbury on Trym, Bristol, BS9 3DQ N
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£725,000 Sea Mills
NO CHAIN - An individual modern detached family home with generous accommodation (circa 2200 sq ft) designed for modern living. Five bedrooms, two with en suites and a family bathroom. A large dining/family room that opens into the fitted kitchen, living room, conservatory and study with downstairs cloakroom. To the front is plenty of off street parking and to the rear is a manageable lawned garden and patio. Situated on a premier road, shops are close by and Westbury-On-Trym Village is approximately 1.5 miles. EPC C
£230,000 Stoke Bishop
A 3 bedroom semi-detached property with wonderful VIEWS over the River Avon the countryside. The property is on a good size corner plot with ample PARKING space, PATIO to the side and enclosed rear garden. The ground floor has an open plan dining/sitting room with access to a lovely CONSERVATORY/ GARDEN ROOM which can be used year round. There is a well fitted kitchen with pantry/understairs cupboard. Upstairs are three bedrooms, one to the front, two to the rear and bathroom. EPC C
£375,000
Modern style detached family home in a convenient location, extremely close to shops and amenities. Accommodation comprises, entrance hall, sitting room, large open plan kitchen/dining room, study, wc, four bedrooms (the master having an en-suite wet room) and a family bathroom. The property is double glazed and warmed by a gas central heating system. Outside there is an enclosed garden, mainly lawned with a large deck. There is also an attached double garage and further off road parking to the front. EPC D
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Property Concept February:Layout 5
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MANAGEMENT • SALES • LETTING • CONSULTANCY
A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO RENT A STUNNING APARTMENT AT BRISTOL COUNTY CRICKET GROUND, WITH PITCH VIEWS. Property Concept Lettings Department is delighted to introduce to the market a range of brand new one and two bed apartments to rent at Bristol County Ground. This spectacular and unique development of purpose built, high specification apartments are in an enviable location close to all major transport links, including the M4 & M5, the railway network, and approximately two miles from Bristol City Centre. Gloucester Road, a vibrant area with a wealth of independent shops, cafes and restaurants is nearby. These designer apartments are light and airy with floor to ceiling windows, high specification, contemporary fittings and the two bed apartments all benefit from secure, underground, allocated parking. This sporting venue is both nationally and internationally renowned and residents will have the unique privilege of views over the cricket ground as all apartments have balconies overlooking the pitch.
21 Princess Victoria Street
Tel 0117 970 6119
enquiries@propertyconcept.co.uk
Clifton, Bristol BS8 4BX
Fax 0117 970 6109
www.propertyconcept.co.uk
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Westbury on Trym
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£585,000 Westbury on Trym
£500,000
Westbury on Trym
£430,000
An exemplary example of a detached home built in 1929 and offering spacious and well proportioned family accommodation. This property has been presented to exacting standards and has been extended at ground floor level to provide a 17 foot kitchen/diner, utility room, and possible fourth bedroom with adjacent shower room. The plot occupies approximately 1/3 acre and has a charming and private rear backing onto Canford playing fields.
Located on Abbey Road, close to local amenities and schools and the exceptionally popular Canford Park, this property is marketed with a complete onward chain. extensions to the rear, side and to the loft alow this family home excellent square footage arranged over three storeys.
Offered to the market for the first time in 40 years this natural four bedroom semi detached house is marketed with no onward chain. On the exceptionally popular Parrys Lane, close to all the local amenities this position affords, not to mention being centrally and equidistantly situated to benefit from many excellent local school catchments. Brimming with classical original features this property will generate early interest.
Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973
Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973
Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973
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£399,950 Westbury on Trym
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£340,000
Westbury on Trym
£359,950
Located in a prestigious cul-de-sac, 6 Glen Drive has been lovingly and tastefully decorated throughout to an exceptionally high standard. The contemporary decoration is enhanced and complimented by many of the retained original features, including beautiful stainless lead inset windows to, and surrounding, the front door.
Less than 100 meters from the prestigious Westbury on Trym Church of England School, this three bedroom semi will be of unrivalled interest to families looking to be in the heart of Westbury Village. In a cul-de-sac located off a one way street the elevated position of the property allows stunning views over Westbury.
Nestled in the heart of Westbury on Trym village this period family home is still immersed in opulent period grandeur but has been lovingly restored and updated by the current owners to exacting standards. Major improvement's include a new roof, the removal of a wall to merge two original receptions into one large family room, a focal point at the heart of the house.
Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973
Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973
Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973
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Westbury on Trym
£320,000 Westbury on Trym
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£310,000
Westbury on Trym
£309,950
Located in the heart of Westbury on Trym village 21 Cambridge Crescent is a perfect example of a period family home in excellent school catchments, and close to all the local amenities that the thriving village has to offer. Internally the house offers stripped floor boards, open plan kitchen dining room and a separate living room, with bespoke fitted shutters to the bay.
A modern three bedroom townhouse presented to exacting standards and offering interesting and stylish accommodation over three floors. This development is uniquely situated in the grounds of an elegant country estate and consists of a well conceived mix of luxury apartments, houses and townhouses.
This delightful end of terrace property has been presented to a high standard and has a smart contemporary feel. The accommodation arranged over three floors offers flexible living. To the first floor is a 29 foot open plan Living/Dining/Kitchen room. To the second floor are two bedrooms with ensuite bathroom to the main, ensuite shower room to the second.
Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973
Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973
Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973
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£184,995 Clifton
£225,000
Clifton
£379,950
A two bedroom apartment situated on the sixth floor with views of the vibrant City Centre. Easy access to Cabot Circus shops, restaurants, nightlife and work. Light and airy open plan living room with double doors opening on to a walk out balcony. EPC – TBC
A stunning one bedroom hall floor apartment in an enviable position on Upper Belgrave Road. Views to the front over the Durdham Downs and views to the rear over the city and beyond from a private sun terrace. This impressive property is offered to the market with no onward chain. EPC - TBC
A substantial two bedroom first floor apartment within this lovely character bay fronted building. Conveniently located by the Clifton Triangle, the city centre is just moments away. Modernised throughout with off road parking for two cars. EPC – E
Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007
Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007
Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007
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Kingsdown
£495,000 Clifton
£535,000
Redland
£574,950
An attractive four storey character home with a wealth of features and spacious accommodation. Situated within walking distance of local shops and amenities, Bristol University and the BRI. The property has two separate reception rooms, open plan kitchen/dining room and three well proportioned bedrooms. There is a private 50' enclosed garden to the rear. EPC – E
A beautiful four bedroom, two reception, mid terrace Victorian town house conveniently located for the Durdham Downs and Whiteladies Road. Period features throughout with attractive lawned rear garden. EPC – D
A lovely 6 bedroom period family home with a wealth of attractive features including double bay frontage. Spacious accommodation set across four floors with two reception rooms, refitted kitchen and a basement cellar. A family home in an excellent location. EPC – E
Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007
Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007
Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007
Clifton
£599,995 Cotham
£624,950
Frenchay Common
£925,000
Call now to register your interest ........ Two newly built three double bedroom, two bathroom semi detached houses in Clifton with off-street parking. Completion due in February 2014. EPC - TBC
A semi detached period family home set in an elevated position with far reaching views. Three double bedrooms, 2 reception rooms, 21' kitchen/dining room, off-street parking for two cars and an enclosed lawned rear garden. EPC - E
Built circa 1800, this delightful 5 bedroom home has been modernized throughout. A detached home, it has a wrap-around garden which overlooks the river Frome. A 32” lounge opens out onto the garden through folding doors. There is an additional reception room & 3 bathrooms. Located on the common, this is a sought after property for someone looking for a village location with open views from the front and rear. EPC – E
Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007
Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007
Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007
Henleaze
Stoke Bishop
Henleaze
Positioned within Owen Grove with six bedrooms and three bathrooms within the upper two floors. This property offers three individual receptions; living room with access to garden, sitting room with stone inglenook style fireplace and dining room to front with bay. The ground floor also offers kitchen with heated flooring leading to utility/WC. EPC - E.
Superbly presented four double bedroom family home positioned within a cul-desac, offering open plan kitchen/diner with bi-fold doors onto a practical family garden overlooking sports field. The property also offers en-suite to master bedroom. In close proximity to Elmlea Infant and Junior School. EPC - D.
A four bedroom family home with open plan kitchen/diner to rear leading to conservatory and garden. There is a family bathroom with a four-piece white suite to first floor. The property is positioned within a quiet backwater within Oakwood Avenue, and offers gas heating and double glazing. EPC – E.
Price Guide £775,000
Price Guide £500,000
£450,000
Multi Award Winners 2011 & 2012 Triple Award Winners 2013
Bishopston
Horfield
Bishopston
Situated on the highly sought after tree-lined Egerton Road, No. 11A is a splendid three bedroom family home, within the Redland Green School APR, that benefits from a fabulous rear garden designed to make the most of the sun with a pergola and a walkway leading to the summerhouse. Internally the property offers two reception rooms, fitted kitchen/breakfast room and conservatory. EPC D.
A well-presented three bedroom property located in the popular Harwood Square Development. The property benefits from an allocated parking space and a private rear garden with both lawn and patio areas, ideal for a young family. Situated only a moments walk from Gloucester Road and all its shops and amenities as well as local schools. EPC C.
Ideally located within close proximity of Gloucester Road and many local popular schools, this substantial three bedroom Victorian terraced home comes offered to the market with no onward chain. In need of modernising it offers vast potential for any prospective purchaser to put their own stamp on this well-proportioned property. EPC D.
£375,000
CJ Hole Feb.indd 1
£325,000
£350,000
17/01/2014 12:42
Clifton t: 0117 923 8238 (sales) t: 0117 946 6588 (lettings) clifton@cjhole.co.uk
www.cjhole.com There is a lot of positive press around the housing market just weeks into 2014. Mid-January, the Halifax suggested that average house prices were up 7.5 percent in 2013 with economic confidence steadily increasing. There is a real sense of solid optimism for the housing market. My view is that we need to see fair and sustainable mortgage rates and a really decent supply of property to ensure that confidence; and both those factors are subject to a responsible word of caution. Low stock and changing interest rates can affect the marketplace quickly and dramatically in my experience. We should always be sensible and prepared when looking at the bigger picture.
I am not going to make any predictions for the year ahead. I am going to insist that my team continue do a great job making the buying, selling and letting process as smooth and professional as possible for each and every one of our clients in 2014. I am not in the business of hype. I am in the business of making sure we do an excellent job; we do the right thing; and that we make sure that a property move is a straightforward, transparent, positive experience. Howard Davis M.N.A.E.A Managing Director - CJ Hole Clifton
Clifton
Clifton
City Centre
An exceptional one double bedroom Clifton flat offered with a generous well-presented interior and private garden. Entrance lobby, hallway, vaulted cellar space currently used as a home office, bathroom, double bedroom and walk in wardrobe, spacious living area opening to a dining area, kitchen and double doors lead to the garden. There are also communal gardens beyond. The flat is offered with no onward chain.
A well-presented first floor two double bedroom flat with parking permit available. Conveniently located just off Clifton Triangle with the University, Clifton Village, Park Street, and City Centre close to hand. Living/ dining room, fully fitted kitchen, bathroom, and large private loft storage. Externally there is a period balcony and enclosed communal garden to the rear. EPC D.
An impressive two bedroom maisonette situated in the heart of the city with access to Clifton Triangle, Cabot Hill, The Harbourside and City Centre. This spacious and stylish property offers a generous open plan living/ kitchen area, shower room, useful storage cupboard, two double bedrooms with master bedroom having en-suite bathroom. EPC C.
£199,000
£269,950
£320,000
Clifton
Redland
Wraxall
A three storey modern versatile semi-detached residence comprising entrance hall, kitchen/ dining room, utility room, cloak room, first floor sitting room with double doors to balcony, bedroom with en-suite bathroom, family bathroom and on the top floor double bedroom and single bedroom, and garage which has been converted into two halves. It also has enclosed rear garden and off street parking for two cars. EPC C.
A versatile Redland house which is currently arranged as four self-contained flats. The annual rental income is £31,801.59 which could now be revised. To the rear there is a generous, south west facing garden. An ideal purchase for either an investor or a family who wished to convert the interior to a single dwelling and perhaps leave the lower ground floor as a separate self-contained flat. EPC C.
A large detached family house set in a good sized plot on the very edge of the Tyntesfield Estate. Built in the 1920’s, the house is well presented throughout and has lovely views from almost every room. 5 double bedrooms; 3 reception rooms; large family kitchen and utility; garage and driveway for several cars; landscaped gardens. EPC E.
£599,950
£690,000
CJ Hole Clifton Jan.indd 1
£735,000
17/01/2014 12:41
Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk
Sneyd park, Bristol
Guide price £999,995
Almondsbury, South Gloucestershire Guide price £1,500,000
This newly built detached house boasts a secluded position within Sneyd Park benefitting from a private garden and integrated double garage. The house is for sale with vacant possession, offering 5 bedrooms and 2 reception rooms.
This detached house offers a spectacular 180 degrees panoramic view of the Bristol Channel, the Severn Bridges and the Welsh Hill. Sitting proudly within its 10 acres, it provides 4/5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and 3 reception rooms. EPC Rating: D
Bristol City Centre
Clifton, Bristol
Prices from £110,000
Forming part of the well-regarded ‘Queens Apartments’, these individual studio flats would you make an ideal first time buyer, pied-a-terre or investment. EPC Rating: C
Offers in Excess of £550,000
Spacious 3 bedroom apartment near the Durdham Downs, occupying the entire hall floor. With over 1690 sq ft of spacious accommodation and finished to a high standard it offers original features throughout. EPC Rating: D
Hamptons Bristol
Sales. 0117 322 6362 | bristol@hamptons-int.com
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Sneyd Park - £1,150,000
A desirable, detached five bedroom family home set on one third of an acre plot in one of Bristol’s most sought after residential addresses. Lovely accommodation arranged over two floors, with 3 reception rooms, conservatory & large kitchen breakfast room with utility & pantry. Lovely mature gardens offering privacy to the front and rear. EPC rating D.
Westbury-on-Trym - Guide Price £500,000
A BLANK CANVAS! A decent size (c. 1600sq/ft) 4 bedroom 1930’s detached house on desirable Abbey Road with 150ft long level rear garden. Houses like this are as rare as hen’s teeth! Benefits from recent rewiring, updated modern heating system & recent UPVC windows, plus photovoltaic solar panels. No chain. EPC rating D.
Westbury-on-Trym - Guide Price £475,000
Stoke Bishop - £490,000
A comfortable & extended four bedroom semi set in a tucked away location within walking distance of Westbury village. With great family orientated accommodation; large kitchen/diner/ family area, sitting room, family room, conservatory, utility area, ground floor shower room & integral garage. Off street parking to the front & attractive manageable rear garden. EPC rating D.
Situated in the middle of Stoke Bishop in a desirable cul-de-sac this desirable extended four bedroom semi. Two reception rooms, extended kitchen/breakfast room. Conservatory & cloakroom. Upstairs there are four bedroom (the converted loft room having en suite wetroom) and a family bathroom. No onward chain. EPC rating E.
Westbury-on-Trym - £545,000 A beautifully presented 1930’s detached home extended and modernised throughout offering spacious 4 bedroom accommodation in a desirable location within level walking distance of the Stoke Lane shops and Elmlea Schools. Good size rear garden and off street parking to the front for two cars. EPC rating D.
Leese & Nagle February.indd 1
Westbury-on-Trym - £349,950
A well-presented three bedroom semi-detached house ideally positioned literally just along the road from the highly reputed Elmlea infant and junior schools and within a few minutes’ walk of the local shops and amenities of Stoke Lane. Potential to further extend. Attractive garden and off street parking. EPC rating D.
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Redland - £785,000
Grade II listed Georgian townhouse in central Redland with spacious family orientated accommodation arranged over four floors. Four reception rooms, six bedrooms two bathrooms and shower room. Lovely large farmhouse style kitchen opening onto a attractive patio. Gardens to front and side and off street parking. No onward chain. EPC rating E.
Redland - £425,000
An exceptional three bedroom split level garden flat with private rear garden, garage and off street parking. Attractively presented throughout and boasting circa 1500 sq/ft. Of accommodation we feel this is an alternative to a house in this popular area within a minute’s walk of Durdham Downs. No onward chain. EPC rating D.
Clifton - £350,000
Redland - £285,000
A two double bedroom, hall floor flat with private rear garden situated in a elegant Bath stone fronted period building just off Whiteladies Road. There is access to the rear garden from the second bedroom and from the side of the property. Offered with no onward chain. EPC rating D.
An incredibly stylish garden flat which forms part of this attractive Victorian semi detached house located in this very quiet Redland side road. Outside, both the front and rear gardens belong to the flat. The front gardens are laid to lawn and well screened by hedging, and the rear garden is a good size, laid to lawn. EPC rating D.
Clifton - £750,000 An elegant end of terrace stone fronted four bedroom, three bathroom townhouse with off street parking, integral garage and rear lawned garden in a prime Clifton location just off Whiteladies Road.
Leese & Nagle February.indd 2
Clifton - £189,950
A large converted one bedroom, lower ground apartment with private rear garden with the potential to improve. Situated in a converted Victorian property in a popular Clifton road. No onward chain.
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