Bristol Cover SEPT 2015.qxp_Layout 1 27/08/2015 09:59 Page 1
THE
WWW.THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK
Issue 135
I
sePTeMBeR 2015
MAGAZINE £3.95 where sold
JEMIMA SURRENDER: MEET OUR COVER STAR AND HER BAND ROCKING IT: THE AW15 SHOOT WITH SERIOUS ATTITUDE STRUT YOUR STUFF: AT BRISTOL FASHION WEEK STREET STYLE: TREND SPOTTING IN THE CITY
CURTAIN CALL: BEHIND THE SCENES THEATRE PREVIEWS EDUCATING BRISTOL: OUR GUIDE TO THE CITY’S TOP SCHOOLS
THE
N O I H S FA ISSUE
T H E C I T Y ’ S F I N E S T M O N T H LY G U I D E T O L I F E A N D L I V I N G I N B R I S T O L
SUMMER SALE
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Curtains and Blinds Sofas and Fabrics Bespoke Cabinet Furniture and Wardrobes
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THE | CONTENTS
SEPTEMBER 2015
58 85 80 29 16 ZEITGEIST
58 ARCADIA SPECTACULAR
5 things to do this month in Bristol
18 THE CITYIST
The Spider descends on the city
What’s hot on the foodie scene
20 SOCIETY
68 COMPETITION
The city’s social scene
70 BRISTOL AT WORK
Planes, trains and automobiles
24 FACE THE MUSIC With Bake Off’s Tom Hovey
26 STREET STYLE Our new monthly fashion feature
29 ROCK STAR SHOOT Featuring Jemima Surrender
36 FASHION NEWS What’s hot and what’s not
42 THEATRE PREVIEW Two not-to-be missed shows
50 WHAT’S ON
114 OUT & ABOUT Along the historic harbourside
WIN
Win tickets to Magic of Motown
22 BARTLEBY
106 FIT & FAB Let’s hear it for the boys
62 ARTS & EXHIBITIONS
My Bristol and the buzz
Stowers Lynch Antiques
72 FOOD & DRINK NEWS Things to tickle your tastebuds
120 GARDENING Inspired by past masters
122 PROPERTY PROFILE More than just one room with a view
127 PROPERTY Beautiful homes to buy or rent
76 BRISTOL UPDATES Business news
ON THE COVER
80 WRITTEN IN THE STARS The story of Andromeda
From our Rock Star fashion shoot, p.29. Millie wears: Jacket POA, by local designer Molly Mishi May, www.mishimay.com and leather leggings, £600, from Reiss. Image © Amanda Thomas
82 FAMILY FUN There’s still plenty to do in September
84 FREELANCE MUM Joins the preloved movement
85 EDUCATION SPECIAL
Plan your September events
School hunting? This will help
Even more great content online: thebristolmag.co.uk 6 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
42
|
SEPTEMBER 2015
Follow us on Twitter @thebristolmagazine
Like us on Facebook.com/ TheBristolMagazine
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Knight Frank Sept.qxp_full page 26/08/2015 13:02 Page 1
GET READY FOR SEPTEMBER To find out how we can help you please contact us
Knightfrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knightfrank.com
0117 295 0425
Guide Price: £985,000
New Instruction
KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk
Clifton Immaculate Grade II listed Georgian town house (3,062 sq ft) and self-contained apartment. Drawing room, study, kitchen and dining room, study. 3 bedrooms, family bathroom, guest shower room. Self-contained one bedroom apartment with kitchen/sitting room. Gardens to rear. Communal garden to front.
Guide Price £999,950 Clifton Beautiful Grade II Listed 5 bedroom period townhouse (2,872 sq ft). 3 reception rooms, bespoke kitchen. Master suite, 4 further bedrooms, contemporary family bathroom, town gardens to front and rear.
nTheMarket.com
Guide Price £1,095,000 Stoke Bishop Detatched family home (2,001 sq ft). 3 receptions, kitchen/breakfast room, master suite, 3 further bedrooms, bathroom, home office, gardens to front and rear. Parking for several vehicles. EPC D
Knight Frank Sept.qxp_full page 26/08/2015 13:02 Page 2
GET READY FOR SEPTEMBER Guide Price: £685,000
New Instruction
Cheddar A detached 3 bedroom period house (2,363 sq ft) enjoying south facing gardens and wonderful views across Cheddar Gorge, Jacobs Ladder, as well as the Quantock and Mendip Hills. EPC D
Guide Price: £950,000
New Instruction
Wotton-under-Edge Detached property (5,342 sq ft). 2 receptions, kitchen/ breakfast room, utility, shower room, 5 bedrooms (3 ensuite), Games room/bedroom, Garage/reception room. In all about 2.43 acres.
To find out how we can help you please contact us
Knightfrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knightfrank.com
0117 295 0425
Guide Price: £835,000
New Instruction
Bleadon Beautiful detached family home (3,211 Sq ft) with rural views. 4 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast, utility. 6 bedrooms (2 ensuite), family bathroom. In all 2.57 acres of gardens and paddock. EPC C.
Guide Price: £1,150,000
Guide Price: £525,000
New Instruction
Clevedon 4 bedroom house (2,020 sq ft) with wellproportioned rooms, enclosed private garden, off street parking, garage, yards away from the shops and restaurants of Hill Road in Clevedon. EPC B.
New Instruction
Chew Magna A charming detached former mill (3,698 sq ft) with a 2 bedroomed annexe (1,026 sq ft). 3 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, 2 WCs. 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Garden, paddocks, stables, garaging. In all about 3.99 acres. EPC F.
KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk
nTheMarket.com
Guide Price: £1,000,000 Badgworth An attractive Old Rectory (5,198 sq ft) adjoining farmland, with views to Crook Peak. 5 reception rooms, kitchen, larder, cellar. 7 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Garage, stables, tennis court, walled gardens. In all about 1.355 acres.
Knight Frank Sept.qxp_full page 26/08/2015 13:02 Page 3
Guide Price £1,895,000
SOLD
Guide Price £1,295,000
GET READY FOR SEPTEMBER
SOLD
Clifton
Sneyd Park
Impressive family townhouse (4,647 sq ft) on the edge of Clifton College. 3 reception rooms, kitchen/dining/sitting room. 6 bedrooms, 3 bath/shower rooms (1 ensuite), laundry, utility. Paved garden, garage. EPC E.
A fabulous detached home (3,212sq ft). 3 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room. 5 double bedrooms. 4 bath/shower rooms (2 en suite). Integral double garage, ample parking. Terrace, garden. EPC rating C.
To find out how we can help you please contact us
Knightfrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knightfrank.com
0117 295 0425 Guide Price £1,295,000
SOLD
Guide Price £1,250,000
SOLD
Sneyd Park
Stoke Bishop
A beautiful detached home (4,018 sq ft). 3 reception rooms, kitchen, breakfast room. 5 bedrooms, bathroom, 3 ensuites, dressing room to master. Double garage, cellar/stores. Parking, enclosed gardens. EPC E.
A beautiful new build house in about 0.6 of an acre. 2 reception rooms, kitchen/dining room, 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms (3 en-suite), garage, terraces, parking. Part exchange considered - ask for details. EPC B.
KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk Guide Price £399,950
SOLD
Guide Price £415,000
SOLD
Clifton
Stoke Bishop
Immaculate Grade II* listed penthouse apartment (1,118 sq ft) with roof terrace. Drawing room, kitchen / breakfast room. 3 bedrooms, bathroom, ensuite shower room. Ample storage, sun terrace, allocated off street parking.
Grade II listed upper maisonette (1,648 sq ft) with the benefit of a garage. Living room, kitchen / breakfast room. 4 bedroom, 3 bath/shower rooms (2 ensuite), WC. Garage.
Guide Price £845,000
SOLD
Guide Price £699,950
SOLD
nTheMarket.com
Guide Price £450,000
SOLD
Abbots Leigh
Sneyd Park
Clifton
A superb family home (3,025 sq ft). 4 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, utility. 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms (3 ensuite). Front gardens, parking, beautiful rear gardens with countryside views. EPC rating D.
An immaculate period hall floor apartment (2,050 sq ft). 2 reception rooms, kitchen/ breakfast room, utility, conservatory. 2 large double bedrooms, bathroom, shower room. Double garage. Courtyard garden.
Spectacular first floor balcony apartment (1,130 sq ft). Drawing room with private stone balustrade balcony, kitchen/breakfast room. Master bed with ensuite, bedroom 2, shower room, loft storage. Parking.
Guide Price £899,950
SOLD
Guide Price £365,000
SOLD
Guide Price £345,000
SOLD
Sneyd Park
Stoke Bishop
Stoke Bishop
A recently built detached home (2,485 sq ft) on the boundary of Sneyd Park and The Downs. 1/2 reception rooms, kitchen/dining room. 4/5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, garden, parking, double garage. EPC TBC.
A first floor apartment (1,220 sq ft) requiring modernisation overlooking The Downs. Drawing room, kitchen, full width balcony. 2 bedrooms, bathroom, wc. Parking and garage. EPC D.
A generous top floor apartment with fine views of The Downs (1,403 sq ft). Drawing room, kitchen/breakfast room. 2 bedrooms, bathroom, parking and garage. EPC D.
Knight Frank Sept.qxp_full page 26/08/2015 13:03 Page 4
Guide Price £650,000
SOLD
Guide Price £330,000
GET READY FOR SEPTEMBER
SOLD
Cotham
Clifton
A beautiful bay fronted early Victorian family home (2,446 sq ft). 2 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, utility, butler's pantry. 5 bedrooms, bathroom, shower room. Cellar, gardens, single garage. EPC rating E.
Elegant Grade II listed apartment (712 sq ft) with private balcony and attractive communal garden. Spacious drawing room with fine views, kitchen, 2 bedrooms, bathroom.
To find out how we can help you please contact us
Knightfrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knightfrank.com
0117 295 0425 Guide Price £425,000
SOLD
Guide Price £1.9m-£1.95m
SOLD
Leigh Woods
Clifton
A spacious apartment (1,152 sq ft) with views of the suspension Bridge. L-shaped sitting/dining room, kitchen. 2 bedrooms with ensuite facilities. Decked terrace, communal gardens, off street parking. EPC C.
An outstanding Grade II* listed Georgian home (6,718 sq ft) overlooking Christchurch Green. 3 reception rooms, kitchen. 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. 1 bed apartment, cellars, garage with studio above, enclosed garden.
KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk Guide Price £1,100,000
SOLD
Guide Price £965,000
SOLD
Clifton
Clifton
An impressive Victorian townhouse (2,998 sq ft) close to Clifton Village. 4 reception rooms, kitchen / breakfast room. 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Front and rear gardens, garage. EPC E.
Beautiful Grade II listed townhouse (2,939 sq ft). 3 reception rooms, kitchen. Master bedroom with ensuite, 3 further bedrooms, bathroom. Self-contained 1 bed apartment, vaulted storage. Gardens to front and rear.
Guide Price £465,000
SOLD
Guide Price £1,000,000
SOLD
nTheMarket.com
Guide Price £399,950
SOLD
Harbourside
Sneyd Park
Clifton
An immaculate harbourside apartment (1,293 sq ft). Open plan drawing/dining room, kitchen. Master bedroom with ensuite bath/shower. 2 further bedrooms, bathroom, utility cupboard. 2 sun terraces and garage. EPC C.
Impressive home with extensive gardens (2,905 sq ft). 3 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, utility. 6 bedrooms, bathroom, 2 ensuite shower rooms. Tandem double garage, gardens, off street parking. EPC rating C.
A superb 2 bedroom apartment (824 sq ft). Open plan kitchen/breakfast and drawing room. Master bedroom (ensuite), guest bedroom, bathroom. Sun terrace and allocated parking. EPC rating C.
Guide Price £525,000
SOLD
Guide Price £775,000
SOLD
Guide Price £1,250,000
SOLD
Clifton
Clifton
Long Ashton
An immaculate Grade II listed courtyard maisonette (1,861 sq ft). Drawing room, kitchen. 3 bedrooms, ensuite bathroom, bathroom, cloakroom. Courtyard gardens to front and rear, garage, communal gardens.
An elegant and beautifully presented Grade II listed maisonette with private garden (1,952 sq ft). 2 reception rooms, kitchen, utility. 3 bedrooms (1 ensuite), bathroom. Private garden, double garage, communal garden.
A detached house (6,379 sq ft) with views of open farmland. 6 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, conservatory, cellar. 7 beds, 4 baths, billiard room, studio. Parking, gardens, outbuildings. In all about 0.5 acres.
Editor's letter.qxp_Layout 1 28/08/2015 12:31 Page 1
THE | EDITOR
EDITORS PICKS FILM Macbeth Dir. Justin Kurzel
Not out until 2 October, but I can’t wait to see the brilliant Marion Cotillard play Lady M
BOOK The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston A beautifully written tale, half myth half memoir, of the author’s experience growing up as a Chinese–American woman
PLAY The Stick House from Raucous A haunting fairy tale performed in a found space beneath The Passenger Shed – it’s going to be incredible. Find out more on p. 42
from the
EDITOR
“Clothes change our view of the world, and the world’s view of us” – Virginia Woolf
WISHLIST
T
here’s no denying that I’m a shopaholic. I love walking into a boutique, feeling the cool air-con breeze in my hair, breathing in the smell of new clothes, and trailing my fingers along the racks of clean, crisp items, any of which could be about to become mine. So the onset of a new season is a particularly wonderful time for me, as it is the perfect excuse to indulge in a few ‘must-have’ (ahem) items for my AW15 wardrobe. This year I’m doubly excited, as there is an edgy rock n roll slant to autumn fashion that is a god send to people like me who always look a little dishevelled no matter how carefully we’ve preened ourselves in the morning. What’s great about the trend this time round is that it marries the tough materials you’d expect – like leather, suede and denim – with exquisite tailoring and soft fabrics for a sleeker and far more accessible take on the classic look, and I love it. So much so I’ve dedicated our AW15 fashion shoot (p. 29) to this wearable trend, handpicking items that will see you through this season and go on to become wardrobe staples, and asked local band Jemima Surrender to show us how to rock it with attitude. No matter what your personal style, though, one thing that will never go out of fashion is a good education. Here in Bristol we are spoilt in our choice of great schools, but nonetheless choosing exactly the right one for your children can prove challenging. But don’t despair, for inside the magazine this month (p. 85) you’ll find TBM’s 20-page guide to the top schools in the city, which gives you a clear breakdown of what each can offer in terms of teaching, pastoral care and extracurricular activities. And there’s so much more to read about in the September issue – a gargantuan metal spider taking over Queen Square (p. 59), GBBO’s Tom Hovey (p. 24), and a Bristol Fashion Week update (p. 38) to mention just a few. So tarry no longer and turn that page – happy reading!
JENNY HAYES EDITOR
@thebristolmag
12 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
| SEPTEMBER 2015
www.thebristolmag.co.uk
I love this delicate, ornate Victoriana top, £55 from Warehouse, and it’s perfect for this season’s elegant take on rock chick chic
Team with this black leather skirt, £40 from Warehouse, for that rock n roll edge
And complete the look with a slash of colour with this gorgeous red lippie. Silver Screen by Lipstick Queen, £35, available at Space NK, Queens Road
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THE
B R I S TOL MAGAZINE Follow us on Twitter @thebristolmag Acting Editor Tel: Email:
Jenny Hayes 0117 974 2800 jenny@thebristolmagazine.co.uk
Deputy Editor Email:
Georgette McCready georgette@thebristolmagazine.co.uk
Website Editor Email:
Lauren Morris lauren@thebristolmagazine.co.uk
Production Manager Email:
Jeff Osborne production@thebristolmagazine.co.uk
Publisher Email:
Steve Miklos steve@thebristolmagazine.co.uk
Advertising Sales
Kathy Williams Sue Parker Liz Grey
For advertising enquiries please contact us on: 0117 974 2800 Email: sales@thebristolmagazine.co.uk
Colourful Toys & Beautiful Clothes for BOYS and GIRLS between 0-8yrs
Financial Director Email:
Jane Miklos jane@thebristolmagazine.co.uk
The Bristol Magazine is published by MC Publishing Ltd. An independent publisher. The Bristol Magazine is distributed free every month to more than 20,000 homes and businesses throughout the city. We also have special distribution units in the following stores and many coffee shops, hotels and convenient pick-up points.
Pop in and say hello!
THE
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E: hello@picklesandpoppets.co.uk W: www.picklesandpoppets.co.uk Twitter: @picklesnpoppets
14 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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SEPTEMBER 2015
Telephone: 0117 974 2800 www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk Š MC Publishing Ltd 2015 Disclaimer: Whilst every reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to The Bristol Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. This publication is copyright and may not be reproduced in any form either in part or whole without written permission from the publishers.
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ZEITGEIST
The top
5
things to do in SEPTEMBER
GO EXPLORE
B GET A GROOVE ON
ristol Doors Open Day is back this September, giving you the chance to look behind the closed doors of the city’s bestloved and lesser known buildings. On Saturday 12 September, from 10am – 4pm, you’ll be able to peek behind the scenes at numerous venues across Bristol, including Circomedia, Colston’s Almshouse, The Wigwam and BBC Broadcasting House. Bristol 2015 is also the perfect year to highlight our greenest venues, among them Triodos and 117 Wilder Stree. Organised by the Architecture Centre. For details and a full list of venues, visit: www.bristoldoorsopenday.org.uk
Bristol International Jazz and Blues Festival is back at Colston Hall on Saturday 19 September with a triple bill of the UK’s best swing bands. Dust off your dancing shoes for an evening of jitterbugging, jiving and lindy-hopping as Colston Hall takes a step back in time to the golden age of jazz. The September Swing will comprise two events: The Little Swing, Bristol’s first ever swing dance just for kids and The Big Swing featuring the 17-piece Bruce/Ilett Big Band and the Big Buzzard Buzztet. Tickets: The Little Swing £10 for children, acccompanying adults go free; The Big Swing, £10 – £20. Book via the box office on tel: 0844 887 1500 or visit: www.colstonhall.org
© Architecture Centre
BAKING IN BRISTOL Aprons at the ready – The Bristol Bake Off is back! This September, you can help Above & Beyond make some dough for our hospitals, so dust off your doilies and hold a bake sale with family, friends, neighbours or at work. Whether you make brownies, cupcakes, or a classic Victoria sponge, it’s sure to be the sweetest way to raise funds for Bristol’s hospitals. Register now for your free Bristol Bake Off pack complete with all you need to make sure your bake sale rises to the occasion – including bunting, cake labels, posters and a chef’s hat. Just visit: www.aboveandbeyond.org or email: hello@aboveandbeyond.org.uk
CHORAL HISTORY On Saturday 19 September, Wild Men, the story of the Bristol Cathedral choristers who fought in WW1 will be told through an exciting collaboration between Hotel Echo Theatre Company and the Cathedral’s current choristers. In 1916, four choristers travelled to France – along with 55,000 other Bristolian men – to fight. Little did they expect to find something of their own past crumbling in the fields and with it, maybe, a reason to stay. Rewritten from a devised script, Wild Men celebrates the voices of a lost generation. Told using live performance and choral music, it is an emotive and important piece of theatre. There will be two performances, at 3pm & 7pm. Tickets: £10 adult, £6 under 16s. To book, visit: www.bristol-cathedral.co.uk
© Chris Bahn
PUT ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER On Sunday 13 September, thousands of people will descend on the city centre for the Bristol Half Marathon. Now in its 27th year, it attracts up to 15,000 runners and many more spectators, and raises thousands of pounds for charity. Whether you’re running or just offering moral support from the sidelines, there are beautiful views of Bristol all round the course, which goes through the harbourside, along the River Avon and through the mighty Avon Gorge itself. And the team at TBM would like to wish everyone who’s taking part the very best of luck! For more information, visit: www.runbristol.com
16 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
|
SEPTEMBER 2015
Classic Carpets V3 .qxp_Layout 1 27/08/2015 13:13 Page 1
Beautiful Carpets – perfect for any room Resdiential or Commercial
Classic Carpets of Bristol 3rd Floor, Gardiner Haskins Homecentre,
Unit 8B, Emersons Green Retail Park,
Straight Street, Bristol, BS2 0JP
Bristol, BS16 7AE (next to Costa Coffee)
Tel: 0117 930 4045
Tel: 0117 956 5667
gh@classiccarpetslimited.co.uk
info@classiccarpetslimited.co.uk
• Carpets and Rugs (500 rugs in stock)
• Carpets, Vinyl, Karndean, Wood, Rugs
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High Quality Carpets
Free Design Service
Experienced Fitters
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ist
THE CITY THE BUZZ
My
BRISTOL
We ask Mark Cosgrove, cinema curator for Encounters Festival at Watershed, what he’s doing this month...
Run free at Wild Place An obstacle course for children under seven will take place on Sunday 20 September to raise funds for the Giraffe House Appeal at Wild Place Project. The Wild Mini-Run will see children hop in and out of hoops, scramble over hay bales and wriggle through tunnels around the 300m course. The fun-run, which is sponsored by local nursery group Mama Bear’s Day Nursery and Pre-School, will take place on the same day as ‘Wild Run – Jog for Giraffe’; a 5k cross-country run also raising money for the attraction’s Giraffe House Appeal; designed to raise £750,000 to build an immersive state-ofthe-art giraffe exhibit which will symbolise the work the charity will be carrying out in Africa to save giraffes. Visit: www.wildplace.org.uk
Book now for... Bristol-based charity NACOA – The National Association for Children of Alcoholics – are celebrating 25 years of offering exceptional care and support for those affected by their parent’s or parents’ drinking. This November, the charity will hold its first Black Tie Dinner and Gala at the Passenger Shed, featuring performances from local bands like the Brunel Quartet and the Bristol Hornstars. There will also be a live auction and raffle, proceeds from which will join those from ticket sales to help support the future work of NACOA, which offers a range of services for children, young people and adults, including a free confidential helpline. For more details about NACOA and it’s work, and to book your tickets to the gala, visit: nacoa.org.uk
What brought you to Bristol? My job at Watershed. I'd say it took me 7 years to ‘get’ Bristol (I'm a Glaswegian), and now I love it. What are you reading? John Le Carré in preparation for events we are planning in October around publication of biography. What’s on your MP3 player? James Blood Ulmer – Memphis Blood: The Sun Sessions, and Emmy Lou Harris – Wrecking Ball. Which café or restaurant takes your fancy? North St Standard for breakfast, Zazu’s Kitchen (North St) for lunch and Kathmandu (Colston St) for dinner. Favourite watering hole? Tobacco Factory – my local. Evening in or evening out? More often than not evening in – if I’m if not hosting events at Watershed. Film or play? What will you be going to see? In my line of work – film! But I’m very much looking forward to Bristol Old Vic’s The
|
SEPTEMBER 2015
Which museum or gallery will you be visiting? Lime Tree Gallery on Hotwells Road, which always has interesting work and sometimes with a Scottish twang. What hobbies or interests will you be pursuing? I’d like to spend more time fly fishing, but never seem to get round to it... Favourite local walk? To and from work – I walk around the harbourside, past Spike Island and Aardman HQ. I sometimes get the ferry across to walk through Millennium Square, or continue to Brunel's Buttery for provisions. It’s a great mix of the historical and contemporary, and there’s always something going on. Any projects/work in progress? Encounters Film Festival is coming up at Watershed in September, and there’s some nice things on the programme this year. We have a few things in the pipeline too – we're developing our Conversations About Cinema website and planning a new festival for next year. For further details, visit: www.watershed.co.uk
PICK OF THE MONTH... Encounters Film Festival, Tuesday 15 – Sunday 20 September, Watershed Head down to Watershed this month to catch the best short and animated films from across the globe. Encounters Festival is Europe’s leading short film event, combining screenings, special events, industry masterclasses and workshops in a jam-packed, six day programme of activities. Running alongside will be the Encounters Festival International Competition, in which 219 short and animated films compete across 21 categories including live action, animation, music video, experimental, documentary and comedy. For more information, or to book tickets, visit: encounters-festival.org.uk
18 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
Crucible, which feels timely in its themes of witch hunting and demonisation of people who don’t fit in.
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BRISTOL | SOCIETY
PEOPLE& PARTIES SNAPSHOTS FROM EVENTS, PARTIES & LAUNCHES IN THE CITY
Baa-rilliant evening
B
arristers and clerks from St John’s Chambers invited solicitor clients and Bristol’s High Sheriff, Ros Kennedy as a guest of Kamala Das to a special summer ‘Baa BQ’. The evening was organised to support Chambers sponsorship of Shaun in the City Bristol Trail and fundraising buckets helped to raise monies for The Grand Appeal – The Bristol Children’s Hospital Charity. Over 90 guests gathered in Queen Square to meet Justice Lamb designed by Bristol artist Mike Ogden. This was followed by a ‘Sheep Trail’ with guests visiting five other sculptures in the centre of Bristol. The evening culminated with a Pimms and BBQ held at The Shore Bar. Visit: www.stjohnschambers.co.uk
L-R: David Flavell, Michael Eavis & Lesley Dean
Fundraising festival
G
lastonbury Extravaganza is one of the musical highlights of Somerset’s summer calendar, organised to raise funds for Glastonbury Abbey. Clarks Village hosted special guests and treated them to canapés and drinks, followed by picnic-style summer treats supplied by Pret A Manger at Clarks Village. The evening of great music from the headline act Ray Davis of The Kinks as well as The Shires and local band The Drystones. Entertainment finished with a fabulous firework finale. Visit: www.clarksvillage.co.uk © JonCraig.co.uk
Criminally good
T
he launch of Bristol writer AA Abbott’s latest crime thriller, The Bride’s Trail, attracted local entrepreneurs, readers and writers – hardly surprising, as AA Abbott works for large businesses when she isn’t writing fiction. “Doing temporary work as an accountant gives me time off to write,” she says. “It also means I don’t waste any words! My thrillers are action-packed, and they’re also well-structured – like Agatha Christie, I sprinkle clues throughout.” Visit: aaabbott.co.uk
L-R: Laura Rawlings, Kizzy Morell & Martin Evans
GRAND OPENING
O
ne of Bristol’s finest hotels, the Mercure Bristol Holland House and Spa, has undergone an extensive refurbishment, transforming its bedrooms and public spaces, so guests were invited to come along and see the new facilities. The refurbishment has transformed the public spaces, creating an extensive area for lounging, meeting, drinking and dining, in cosy bunks, booths, lounge areas and stylish seating. The space, now known as the Urban Bar and Kitchen, is relaxing and welcoming with a feel of café bar meets chic restaurant – a space for guests and locals alike to enjoy. Visit: www.mercure.com
20 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
|
SEPTEMBER 2015
A.A. Abbott & Angela Brooks © James Ratke
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Bad planning
E The experts in gentlemens grooming services. TI BR I SH BA
RBER CO
www.britishbarbercompany.co.uk 1 Wine Street, City Centre, Bristol BS1 2BB 17 The Mall, Clifton Village, Bristol, BS8 4DS 137 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 2PL
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lectric cars, trams, urban wind turbines… these are the sort of things people think of when trying to imagine Bristol in the future. Future cities tend to resemble the dream schemes of planners from the 1960s, the men (and occasionally women) who saw a city not as a place with its own unique culture and history but as an area of land which needed to house x number of people, and around which these same people needed to move in the most efficient way possible. The results of this kind of thinking are painfully obvious when one attempts to walk from one end of Stapleton Road (near Old Market) to the other (in Easton). One of Bristol’s more characterful streets, it is effectively cut in two by the great ring road that would have encircled the whole city, had ambitious transport plans been put into effect properly. As it was we lost half of Totterdown to a massive junction that was never built, but preserved Victoria Park, the Floating Harbour and a swathe of Clifton and Montpelier. Today’s urban dreamers still seem to be fixated on transport, which is interesting if you consider how much time we spend not going anywhere. A certain flatpack furniture emporium has used this to good effect in its advertising, reminding us that we spend much of our lives at home. At any moment the majority of us are probably either at home or at work, unless we’re having an evening out or a day off, in which case we’re likely to be in
❝ TODAY’S URBAN DREAMERS ARE FIXATED ON TRANSPORT, EVEN THOUGH WE SPEND MOST OF OUR TIME GOING NOWHERE
❞
a particular place doing something we enjoy (or buying DIY materials). The trouble is that we have to get from one place (e.g. home) to another (e.g. work), and the time we spend doing this is essentially time lost. Uberweb-giant Google sends a special bus to pick up its workers around San Francisco, California, so they can get busy with their laptops as soon as they step aboard, but for many Bristol people the daily commute involves sitting in queues of traffic. Travelling through Bristol in a moving car is quite fun, and rarely time-consuming; it’s all those other people who slow us down and use up our valuable time. So what’s the solution? The urban dreamers tend to imagine either bigger roads (rarely a good idea) or some fabulous public transport network. Don’t worry, we are told, Superbus will sort it! Yippee, here comes Megatram! The grandchildren of those 60s planners pore over maps of the city, drawing in the routes of dedicated bus lanes or light railways. In their mind’s eye they see gleaming vehicles full of smiling workers, whizzing from A to B in record time. What they don’t see is the effect of the new infrastructure on the people who aren’t travelling – i.e. most of us, most of the time – or who are travelling by bike or on foot. The scruffy path or patch of scrub that the planner sees as dead space is a child’s cycle route to school, or a haven for the less energetic dog walker. The trees that need to be cut down are home to birds whose song makes people nearby happy. We’ve seen what happens when transport planners are let loose on a city, but what can we do instead? Is it time, perhaps, to stop dreaming big and start dreaming small instead? To think not about how we move a thousand people five miles but about how each person organises their time? Is there any reason, in the internet age, for everyone to travel to work at the same time? Come to think of it, perhaps there is. Perhaps our collective desire to do stuff en masse is what makes us live together in cities in the first place. Perhaps we secretly love being stuck in a crowd or in a queue, somewhere we know we belong. n
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FACE | THE MUSIC
Mel Giedroyc & Tom Hovey with his sculpture for Shaun in the City, Star Bake
BAKED GOODS When you’ve got twelve showstoppers to draw in a week, what tunes do you turn to for inspiration? Jenny Hayes meets Tom Hovey, illustrator for The Great British Bake Off, to find out
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here’s only one thing that makes the end of the summer bearable, and that’s the return of The Great British Bake Off to our screens. It stars comedy legends Mel & Sue, lovely Mary, frosty Paul, a host of pretty handy bakers, and an exceptionally talented illustrator by the name of Tom Hovey. Each week, he translates the bakers’ recipes into colourful drawings that often look more delectable than the final creations themselves, and certainly leave my mouth watering at the end of each episode. So I was very lucky that this month, while the nation is gripped by Bake Off fever, Bristol resident Tom took time out from stealing the show with his temptingly good illustrations to Face the Music. He also found time to tell me more about his work, and whet my appetite further about what’s to come on the show. But first things first, how did he get started as an illustrator? “I’ve been drawing since I knew how to hold a pencil,” says Tom. “I studied art full-time from 16 onwards, doing courses in sequential illustration and then a degree in illustration. I always knew it was the right path for me, although I have changed styles a lot over the years. I experimented until I found a direction that really suited me instead of following trends, and made it my own way with a style that was unique to me. I was lucky to find success doing it.” And successful he’s certainly been, becoming a household name from the moment the BBC beamed The Great British Bake Off into our homes back in 2010. “Getting that job was a real case of serendipity,” Tom explains. “I moved to London to seek fame and fortune but I hadn’t organized a job to go to, so a friend managed to get me one helping out in the edit for a new amateur baking show for the BBC. I was working in the edit suite with the series director and editor when they mentioned that there was a visual element missing from the show, and that they were thinking of including some illustration. I said I could do it, pitched a few ideas and got the gig. Six years later and I’m still doing it.” It always looks like everyone working on that programme is having a blast. Is it really that much fun? “I certainly enjoy it more than I used to, and that’s due to a number of factors. I’m much happier with the way my work looks now that I work on it full time, and I love that I get to do the job I always wanted to do – drawing pretty pictures all day long!” How do you go about converting a recipe into one of the colourful, inviting illustrations we see on screen? “I get photos of the finished bakes after each episode has been filmed. I use them to sketch out all the bakes quickly in pencil to get the details, form and shape I’m after, and then work them up by hand into ink drawings that are then scanned and coloured digitally. I then add the titles and ingredients arrows. It’s a fairly streamlined process now, and it takes me about a week to complete all the drawings for each episode.” Has there been a favourite illustration among all those you’ve done over the years? “That’s a tough one,” says Tom, “because it changes every series as the skill level rises each year. I loved Luis’ eclairs from last year, and Nancy’s red windmill was pretty incredible and lots of fun to illustrate.” Does spending all day drawing all those cakes and bakes make you want to head to the kitchen and bake something yourself? “Believe it or not I don’t actually have a sweet tooth,” laughs Tom, “although I do have a weak spot for donuts. So when I’m at home I do all the cooking, and leave the baking to my wife.” So it’s not all cakes, cakes, cakes? “No, I’m very lucky that my work is incredibly varied. I am now producing a lot of food illustration work for a range of clients from editorial to foodie businesses. As I’ve been a freelance illustrator for nearly a decade I have a range of styles that I still use if the job needs them. My work as an on-site illustrator for Glastonbury Festival Free Press, for instance, is very different stylistically but just as fun to produce. It’s nice to draw people sometimes too.” If you’d like to find more information about Tom and his work, visit: www.tomhovey.co.uk
Tom’s top 10: ❶ Holocene by Bon Iver This was the song my wife walked down the aisle to. The solo guitar for the intro is magical and sets up the song perfectly, and I remember the other instruments kicked in perfectly as she walked toward me. This song will always transport me back to that moment. (I got married in May this year so most songs may be wedding related – sorry, not sorry). ❷ The Night Josh Tillman Came To Our Apartment by Father John Misty I love FJM for his deeply satirical lyrics, and this song encapsulates his wit exactly. I watched him at Glastonbury and he was amazing – I have a big man crush. I’m playing this album on repeat at the moment.
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The Ronettes, 1966
❸ Hummingbird by BB King It’s the ultimate blues love song by my favourite blues man, the King. I have it on a ‘Best Of’ 12” vinyl that I stole from my dad’s collection when I left home at 18. I love the slow and steady pace of it, which builds and builds until the backing singers kick in at the end, so that it finishes as a big, powerful, bombastic tune. ❹ Heart of Gold by Neil Young It reminds me of my dad who played Young to me a lot as a kid, and I never got it. I discovered how amazing he was by the time I got to uni. We both went to see him for the first time last year, and he played this song on just an acoustic guitar and a harmonica. It was amazing. ❺ Be My Baby by The Ronettes This was the first dance at our wedding. It was amazing to be surrounded by everyone we loved while we danced alone in the middle. It was great when the chorus kicked in too, because everybody spontaneously broke into song. ❻ You Never Can Tell by Chuck Berry As everyone was full boogying to our first dance, the DJ played this to follow and it sent everyone bonkers! I’ll never forget the whole dancefloor filled with people replicating the Pulp Fiction dance. ❼ Shape I’m In by The Band (live from The Last Waltz) Probably the best concert album of all time and my favourite song from a concert. Levon Helm sings while playing the drums and reminds me of Animal from the Muppets. I never tire of hearing this song. ❽ Hey by The Pixies (live at the BBC) This song reminds me of being at uni and living away from home for the first time. I loved this album so much, I played it non stop. I just couldn’t believe I had never heard this band when I discovered them – they were everything I had ever wanted from a band. ❾ September Fields by Frazey Ford I haven’t been able to stop playing this song since I first heard it a few months ago. She has the most sumptuous voice and it’s a wonderfully constructed song. ❿ All You Need Is Love by The Beatles This was played as our last song at our wedding. Everyone linked arms and formed a circle around us and sang every word while we danced, and my wife cried a lot. It was the perfect way end to the day. n
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BRISTOL | FASHION
Name: Idy Age: 39 Occupation: Security officer
Name: Amy & Laura Kay Age: 20 & 41 Occupation: Care assistant & housewife
Name: Sarah Age: 20 Occupation: Cabin crew, Thomas Cook
“My trousers and shoes are from Zara, and I got both the hat and shirt from a charity shop.” It’s difficult to pull off head to toe white, but Idy’s take on the look is cool, thrifty and stylish – an impressive combo.
“My scarf is from a shop in Spain, trousers from Topshop, shirt from New Look and bags from Accessorize and Etsy” – Amy “My dress is from Primark, cardie from Pull & Bear and shoes from SuperDry” – Laura
“My jeans are from Primark, my trainers from Converse, my bag was a gift and my top was given to me by a friend who was having a clear out.” We’re loving that snake tee to give this easy look a rock n roll edge.
Name: Adam Age: 28 Occupation: Works in building
Name: Jennifer Age: 22 Occupation: Fine art student at UWE
Name: Sabrina Age: 35 Occupation: Graphic designer
“My jeans are by Element and I bought them in Melbourne, my top is from a shop in Brighton, and my shoes were a gift.” A masterclass in making florals masculine.
“My dress is from Forever 21, my shorts from American Apparel, my bag from Ebay and the boots are so old I can’t remember.” Grunge meets girlie in this great outfit.
“My skirt is from River Island, my top and cardie from Asda, my bag from Primark, shoes Peacocks and sunglasses from Judy’s Vintage Fair.” Colourful and cute!
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STREET STYLE Jenny Hayes pounds the pavements in search of fashion inspiration from you stylish Bristolians
W
alking through the streets of Bristol this summer, I’ve been struck by just how stylish some of our fair city’s inhabitants are. It got me thinking… you don’t need TBM to tell you what to wear each month, in fact, we should be looking to you for inspiration. With that in mind, I hit the streets with super-snapper Amanda Thomas to find out what the Bristol trendsetters are wearing this month. As predicted, we found a whole host of gorgeous people successfully navigating the tricky transitional period between summer and autumn with style savvy outfits that incorporate some of AW15’s key trends. Think bold florals, crisp whites, and a healthy dose of rock n roll attitude. This month’s top picks hinge around these themes, and show you how they can be mixed and matched to create a capsule wardrobe that will see you through the ‘in between season’, into autumn and right through winter. For the boys, the Nick Grimshaw range – coming soon to Topshop at The Mall Cribbs Causeway – offers a modern take on the rock n roll look. This leather jacket (1) is sleek and understated, so works well with a patterned tee (2) for casual wear,
or a white shirt and cufflinks (3) for the evening. Finish your outfit with jeans and a pair of go-anywhere black Chelsea boots (4) and you’re working four items that will bring you bang up-to-date in the style stakes while also slotting easily into your existing wardrobe. Dressing to impress as a woman is a little more complicated, but these picks will again give you a foundation of on-trend items that are both fashionforward and easy to wear with your existing day-to-day staples. This paisley blouse from Warehouse (1) and pussy bow option from The White Company (2) pair beautifully with both M&S skirts (3) to create a classy take on the rock chick look. Equally you can team them with skinny jeans and flats for a more paired-down daytime style. Whites and florals meet in this pretty dress from Oasis (4), while these divine heels from Harvey Nichols (5) give a sophisticated nod to the floral trend. And, whatever your outfit, these statement pieces from local jewellery designer Alice Menter are guaranteed to get you noticed (6). n Thanks to all our Street Style participants. Shots taken at Cabot Circus and all are © Amanda Thomas, www.amandathomasphotographer.co.uk
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For the girls
1
Silk paisley blouse, £42 from Warehouse
Leather jacket by Nick Grimshaw for Topman, available at The Mall Cribbs from October
2 Pussy bow satin blouse, £79 from The White Company
GET THE LOOK
3 Leather-look skirt, £39.50 and sequin skirt, £39.50 from Autograph at M&S
2 T-shirt by Nick Grimshaw for Topshop, from October at The Mall
4 Flurio pop tea dress, £50 from Oasis
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3
Anya necklace, £205 and Poppy cuff, £239, www.alicementer.co.uk
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5
Paul Andrew floral pumps, £445 from Harvey Nichols, Cabot Circus
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M&S Collection square cufflinks, £7.50
Poste Chelsea boot, £110 from Office at The Mall
For the boys SEPTEMBER 2015
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Gold & Platinum Studio Handmade and Bespoke Jewellery
Fine jewellery designed and traditionally crafted on the premises Bespoke I Valuations I Remodelling I Repairs I Resizing
19 Northumberland Place, Bath BA1 5AR | Tel: +44 (0)1225 462 300 www.goldandplatinumstudio.co.uk | email: mike@goldandplatinumstudio.co.uk
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Rock Star
FASHION
It’s time to embrace your inner rebel, because AW15 style is seriously edgy. You need attitude to work these looks, so we asked Bristol grunge pop trio Jemima Surrender to show us how it’s done…
Adam wears: Mustard bomber jacket, £65, and black jersey hoodie, £20, both Topshop; oxblood brogues, £185, Reiss; jeans Adam’s own. Andy wears: Burgundy shirt, £30 and skinny braces, £10, both Topshop; Kersey suede slip on shoes, £89, Reiss; jeans Andy’s own. Millie wears: Chambers ribbed polo neck jumper, £90 and Frith woven leather bracelet, £25, both Reiss; Marigold print wide leg trousers, £40 and Jive black patent shoes, £46, both Topshop; Railway Chain statement collar, £15, Accessorize.
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Andy wears: Aintree slim fit button down shirt, £70, Champ knitted silk tie, £60, Vedder jeans, £95 and Dylan boots in navy, £125, all from Reiss. Adam wears: Archer airforce blue jacket, £425, Bruge crew neck jumper, £90, Bearnes jeans, £90 and Garbo silk polka dot hankerchief, £25, all from Reiss.
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Previous page Millie wears: Lace dress by Three Floor, £200 and Rebecca cuff by Alice Menter, £90, both Harvey Nichols. This page Millie wears: Mistle shirt, £115, Reiss; leather skirt, £40 and black suede courts, £59, both Topshop; necklace, £15 and tights, £9, both Accessorize; leather clutch bag, from £295 by Tovi Sorga, www.tovisorga.com
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Adam wears: Billie jacket, £245, Glover slim fit shirt, £85, Bearnes jeans, £90, oxblood brogues, £185 and red hankerchief, £25, all from Reiss. Andy wears: Diego denim shirt, £90, Habit tee, £35, Perisher jeans, £90, Dylan boots, £125 and Stuie belt, £45, all from Reiss. Millie wears: Chambers ribbed polo neck jumper, £90 and Dita waterfall skirt, £120, both Reiss; black suede courts, £59, Topshop; necklace (worn as a bracelet), £15, Accessorize; necklace stylist’s own.
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MEET THE BAND Jenny Hayes talks to frontwoman Millie Phipps and bassist Andy Wooldridge about music, inspiration, and the Bristol music scene
What inspired the name, Jemima Surrender? Millie: It’s the title of a song by The Band, and I chose it when I was working as a solo performer and wanted a name that sounded like it could be my own but wasn’t. I also really like the lyrics, which are hilarious.
Millie: It’s really hard to describe our music within one genre. Because of what we do and how we evolve, it naturally traverses quite a few. The forthcoming album is a mix of newer and older songs, so within it there’s some grungy pop, some jazz, and lots of other elements besides. What’s it like to be working within the Bristol music scene?
Where did it all start? Mille: In my final year studying French and Spanish at Bath University, I realised that I didn’t really want to pursue a career in that direction. I’d been playing music on the quiet throughout my degree, so the year I left I decided to try playing in a few bands to see where that would take me. At around the same time, I moved to Bristol to take up a receptionist job at BIMM (British and Irish Modern Music Institute), where I still work, although I’ve since taken my PGCE and am now a course leader. This is where I reconnected with Adam, our drummer, and we made an EP together two years ago. But when it came to making our first album we wanted to have a third band member. We were initially looking for a keyboard player, but then decided to get Andy in on bass. Andy: I’d known Adam since 2007, so when he mentioned Jemima Surrender were looking for a someone I tried out, and it just went from there. I started playing bass when I was 14. I loved Nirvana and had a friend who wanted to learn guitar, so we made an agreement that I’d learn bass and our neighbour would learn drums so we could form a band. It didn’t happen, of course – our neighbour wanted to steal the limelight so he learnt guitar too. But I did learn bass and ended up falling in love with it. What are your musical influences? Andy: Mostly, I like alternative heavy music, so bands that don’t do things in a traditional way. At the moment I’m really into Swans, who came out of the post-punk scene in the 1980s with this really abrasive, repetitive, almost not very nice sound. They split up in 1997, then got back together in about 2010, but despite that history they still sound fresh and unusual. Millie: My favourite genre is French Chanson, which covers a broad spectrum of styles but the melodies are always incredible and the lyrics have beautiful wordplay. The whole thing is so stylish, which really inspires me. I loved Veruca Salt, Tori Amos and Guided by Voices growing up, and nowadays I really like Torres. So I’ve always been into grungy music too. Andy: And a lot of grunge music isn’t afraid of a pop melody, which is what Jemima Surrender is about. That’s why we call our music grunge pop, for want of a better description. 34 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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Millie: There are loads of amazing bands in Bristol at the moment, and Howling Owl Records especially are putting out some incredible artists and staging great live shows. I think the city is slowly losing its trip hop reputation, and it’s open to putting some weirder acts on the agenda again. There’s a lot of off kilter, weird pop coming out from people like Wenonoah, Hysterical Injury, Cursor Major and Two White Cranes. Overall, the Bristol scene is very supportive. Most people are really lovely so you quickly make friends, and we’ve actually got loads of people involved in our new video. Andy: Most people are really keen to create a cooperative atmosphere within the scene, and that’s really good. Millie: There is a great DIY ethic in Bristol that sees people just getting out there and doing their own music, which is great to see. And there are also lots of opportunities to work with some really great producers in the city. On the flipside, there is a real problem with the shortage of venues. Although there are some brilliant bigger places, like Thekla and The Fleece, when it comes to staging a smaller gig as a local band, it’s hard to find somewhere with the right capacity. There was The Croft, Metropolis, The Birdcage and Be in Bristol, but they’ve all closed. Luckily there’s still The Louisiana, which is where we’re launching our album. What’s the new album called? Millie: It’s called The Uninhabited World, and it’s been quite a long time in the making. We wanted to make sure we had the space we needed to do it all properly. We spent time doing music videos, and sending out press releases, as well as all the other admin that goes with it – the charts and ‘to do’ lists seemed to go on forever! Andy: Having that time made it a better process for us, and also gave us the space to learn a lot along the way. n A huge thank you to Jemima Surrender for taking part in this shoot. Catch them this month at Mr Wolfs on Saturday 12 September, or at the album launch at The Louisiana on Thursday 22 October. If you’d like to buy tickets, or pre-order your copy, visit: www.jemimasurrender.com
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Millie wears: Cream leather jacket by Samsoe & Samsoe, £475, Erittonio Tuta jumpsuit by Pinko, £260 and DKNY shoes, £165.
Adam wears: Leather jacket by Belstaff, £850, floral top by Balmain, £430 and jeans by 7 for All Mankind, £195; shoes Adam’s own.
Andy wears: Zip collar shirt by Givenchy, £335, black Nudie Jeans, £90, red high tops by Giuseppe Zanotti, £445. All Harvey Nichols.
Photographer: Amanda Thomas, www.amandathomasphotographer.co.uk Stylists: Jenny Hayes & Toria Howell Hair stylists: Noel Halligan, Hayley Scott & Tom Kenehan from Seanhanna, www.seanhanna.com Makeup artist: Shari Knowles, shariknowles84@hotmail.com Assistant: Claire Attew from Cabot Circus, www.cabotcircus.com Art director: Jenny Hayes And a big thank you to our venue The Fleece – thefleece.co.uk, our sponsor Cabot Circus, and all the retailers involved in this shoot: Accessorize, uk.accesorize.com; Harvey Nichols, www.harveynichols.com; Reiss, www.reiss.com; Topshop, www.topshop.com
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FASHION | FLASH
FASHION NEWS Whose who from our fashion shoot, and other top items on the fashion calender for September
Meet the team... AMANDA THOMAS, PHOTOGRAPHER www.amandathomasphotographer.co.uk I’ve been a photographer for 17 years, and over the last 2–3 years have concentrated on portraits and fashion as I find that the two naturally dovetail. I work for a range of clients, including design and advertising agencies, independent designers, small businesses and editorial. I draw my inspiration from many things – the way light bounces off fabric, the texture of a wall... I love looking at paintings and find the ways painters use light just incredible. I also watch a lot of films and think about the way scenes are lit. And then sometimes I get the best ideas when I least expect it. My ideas for this shoot were based on stage lighting, the kind you would expect to see at a gig or concert, with a lot of backlighting to create added drama and atmosphere, with a few extra splashes of colour.
NOEL HALLIGAN, HAIR STYLIST www.seanhanna.com I’ve been working at Seanhanna Bristol for six years now, and I love the relationships I have with my clients there, as well as doing photographic work like this shoot. I’ve also recently completed the L’Oréal Professional ID Artist two year development program, which has given me the opportunity to work on shows and presentations around the UK and Europe. I’m inspired by fashion and music – with every genre and every decade there are different trends I can draw on. I also love being outdoors in nature – whether on a rugged coastline, or even just in the garden. For this shoot I worked with Hayley, who’s also a stylist at Seanhanna Bristol, to create a quite natural look. We shot in The Fleece, a fantastic live music venue, so we felt the hair should have a loose, lived in, rock star feel.
SHARI KNOWLES, MUA shariknowles84@hotmail.com My fascination with makeup started as a child, when I’d frequently steal my mum’s palettes and makeover my dolls! I qualified as a MUA five years ago, and although I specialise in bridal and beauty I’ve recently been working on a lot of fashion and editorial projects too. For this shoot, I was inspired by the fashion and accessories on set. I imagined Millie at a gig where she’d be changing outfits a lot, but only tweaking her makeup, so I chose a graphic eyeliner look that was a little classic, and a little rock n’ roll. I kept in mind the show stopping jacket by Mishi May that’s on the cover, and thought the strong lines would be so fun with it. I then just changed the lip colour depending on the clothes. A lot of the lip colours were custom ones I created, and my favourite was the dramatic navy lip.
YOUR AW15 WARDROBE SORTED Autumn Fashion Fix, Cabot Circus, Saturday 26 September – Thursday 1 October Autumn Fashion Fix is coming to Cabot Circus this September, with a whole host of exciting new activities happening for all fashionistas. Darren Kennedy, popular TV presenter, style entrepreneur and columnist from ITV’s This Morning, will host a series of digital catwalks, and five specially installed screens will showcase the latest fashion trends, styles and this season’s must wear colours. Giving all shoppers inspiration on how to update their wardrobe, and refresh their look. By downloading the Cabot Circus PLUS app, shoppers can also get their hands on discounts from retailers around the centre, and bag themselves some great items by taking advantage of the many offers available. For details visit: www.cabotcircus.com
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HARVEY NICHOLS Street Art of Style Weekend, Saturday 5 & Sunday 6 September, 1 – 5pm This September, as part of Harvey Nichols’ nationwide Art of Style month, Harvey Nichols Bristol will be collaborating with some of the south west’s most renowned street artists to host a weekend celebrating the city’s street art culture. Globally respected artists, Inkie, Cheba and Jody Thomas will be showcasing their distinctive styles as they create live artwork for customers to enjoy across the store. There will also be live DJs playing all afternoon. For more information, tel: 0117 916 8888 or visit: www.harveynichols.com
Dress of the Year, Wednesday 16 September, 6.30pm Also this month, Harvey Nichols Bristol is hosting an exclusive Dress of the Year inconversation event, focusing on the most influential names in international fashion. Fashion Museum manager Rosemary Harden, fashion expert Richard Lester, and editor Matthew Freedman will be exploring the top designers who have made the headlines and set the fashion trends. Dress of the Year is a roll call of iconic designers who have shaped the fashion industry over the last half century. Each year the Fashion Museum Bath asks a fashion expert to choose an outfit that they feel sums up the mood or look for that year, and the selected outfit becomes part of the Dress of the Year collection. An edited version of this collection, which started in 1963, is showcased at the museum. Tickets: £15, including a complimentary glass of Prosecco. Tel: 0117 916 8888 or visit: www.harveynichols.com
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BRISTOL | FASHION
AUTUMN STYLE
Accessorize Geo triangle crystal ear jackets £15
Zebra stripe blouse from the Topshop Mainline collection AW15
HOT RIGHT NOW
Ahead of Bristol Fashion Week, The Mall Cribbs Causeway’s stylist picks her top trends for AW15 While we can’t celebrate the weather getting colder, new season fashion is one big thing to look forward to in the autumn and this season’s styles are so fabulously flattering that there’s something for all shapes and sizes. If you can’t wait to hit the shops, here’s the lowdown of the biggest trends for autumn, which you’ll be able to see on the catwalk at Bristol Fashion Week. Luxe, ladylike style is making a comeback this season, so expect to see lots of neat tailoring, cinched in waists and more polished looks reaching the high street. Black is also back, so bring out your darker side with leather, lace and velvet this winter. Monochrome was big news in SS15 and it makes a return this season, so dig out those black and white pieces and look for 60s style illusion prints. These were spotted on the catwalk at Pucci and Valentino, but you can also find them on the high street at M&S, Topshop and Lipsy. If there’s one print to invest heavily in right now, it’s leopard print. It was shown on so many of the autumn/winter catwalks (including Celine and Burberry Prorsum) and the high street loves it, so it’s sure to be a hit. Leopard print is basically the new neutral, so mix it with denims, blacks, wool and whatever else you fancy right now – it’s great for layering. Faux fur is once again a hot ticket item; Louis Vuitton showed yeti-like coats in white, black and leopard print, while Stella McCartney showed ‘Fur Free Fur’ hooded coats. If you want to work faux fur in a hassle free way, a leather jacket with fur trim is a perfect way to pick up the trend without going head-to-toe in it.
Tea dress Lipsy AW15 Faux skin pencil skirt from the new Lipsy AW15 look
Pu faux fur jacket Michelle Keegan A/W15 at Lipsy £80
Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in 717 Coquelicot, £18 John Lewis
If you’re in search of a fashion-fix this autumn, head to Bristol Fashion Week from Wednesday 30 September – Sunday 4 October, where Denise Van Outen and Mark Heyes will be presenting the hottest high street styles on the catwalk this season. For tickets, visit: www.mallcribbs.com
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Dune Evita bag £69
Dune Natika belt £25 Dune - Bailey courts £79
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Indigo flare leg denim jeans from M&S £29.50
Dune Dinidiana bag £59
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Meet Denise... Jenny Hayes caught up with Bristol Fashion Week’s hostess with the mostest, Denise Van Outen
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ver the years we’ve seen Denise Van Outen transform from ladette to lady, and always manage to look bang on trend in the process. So it’s no wonder that she was The Mall at Cribbs Causeway’s top choice to host the highly anticipated Bristol Fashion Week this month. Who better to talk about the hot AW15 trends that will be showcased? Marrying great taste with a down-to-earth attitude that will make even the trickiest trends accessible to all, Denise is the girl the team here at TBM will be looking to for style advice this season.
What made you want to be involved with Bristol Fashion Week this year? I think a lot of people these days want to look as stylish as they can, and often want to know how to replicate the looks they see in magazines and on TV, but it’s hard to do that on a budget. Bristol Fashion Week seems like a great way to show that fashion can be affordable and convenient. What will you be doing in your role as host? I’ll be at Cribbs Causeway, presenting a fashion show with Mark Heyes. It’ll almost be like a fashion magazine in real life, because we’ll be introducing and talking about the trends as the models wear them. Hopefully I can give the audience some tips to take away, and get a few new ideas myself. How important is fashion to you? I wouldn’t say I absolutely have to be seen in the latest item – and I’m not one of those people who wears something once and throws it away. But I think it’s always nice to make an effort and it’s amazing how a little change to your outfit can make you feel better about yourself. I’m actually really into golf fashion at the moment – I think it looks really hot. Who are your favourite designers/labels? I don’t go too mad over designers – I think you can look just as stylish with something off the high street. I will make an exception for bags and highheels though... How would you describe your own personal style, and how did you find it? I’m not sure I’ve got a ‘style’ as such. I suppose it’s just trial and error really, and as you get older you know what looks good and what to hide in the bottom of the wardrobe. I don’t think I’ve had too many fashion disasters over the years but I’m sure other people might say differently! I do look at pictures of myself in the 90s and think it’s a bit tomboyish, with the cargo trousers and platform trainers. As I’ve got older I’ve become a bit more Essex – all about the fur and the bling. You have always looked great – in your 20s, 30s and now just entering your 40s – what would be your tips for staying stylish at any age? Thank you! I think my best tip would be just to wear what you feel comfortable in. I often think your confidence in yourself is quite important to your style and can make a total difference to how you look. If you feel good about what you’re wearing that’s all that matters. And don’t be afraid to be a bit adventurous from time to time.
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What are your top trend picks for AW15? I think a nice new jacket has got to be the top of anyone’s list. Something smart and warm – like those leather jackets with the faux fur collars. I’ll keep my eye out for one of those while I’m at The Mall Cribbs Causeway this month. n WWW.THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK
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KNOCK KNOCK... The door of The Stick House is open, but would you dare walk in? Jenny Hayes puts a tentative toe over the threshold to find out more
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n a country not far away from this, in a time not distant from our own, lives Marietta. When she was just 12 years old her father lost her to the beast in a game of cards and now, on the eve of her 21st birthday, the beast is coming to claim his prize. With a howling from the woods and lilies left outside her house he marks his territory. But Marietta’s love lies elsewhere, and there is no way she will go willingly. So where do you hide when the beast comes to your door? Such is the thrilling premise of The Stick House, a gothic fairy tale born from the minds of Pervasive Media Studio residents Raucous. This collective of theatre makers, scientists and technologists has fused film, music, performance and creative digital technology in a ground breaking theatrical production. The result will plunge an audience so deeply within this dark love story every heart will beat in time with that of Marietta when she hears that knock, knock, knocking at her door. As opening night approaches for what is set to be a seminal and transformative piece of theatre, both for Bristol and the UK, I spoke to writer Sharon Clark, designer Conor Murphy and video designer Alex Wright about how they went about creating this extraordinary narrative. Where did The Stick House begin? Sharon: About three years ago I started to think about using creative technology to make a piece of theatre that was more emotive and immediate for an audience. I thought it could be a way to remove the line that exists between them and the action, by using technology to make it more immersive and help us develop a narrative that takes place all around the audience, with action they can actually feel. So I approached the Pervasive Media Studio at the Watershed and asked if they could find me a creative technologist that I could talk to about my idea. They did more than that – they gave me a residency so that I had the time to really explore how creative technology could work in theatre. It was initially for six months, but I’ve been there for three years now, working with various people to make a piece of theatre that allows an audience to walk into a space and witness something extraordinary. Over that time, lots of different people have been involved with achieving this goal. Bristol University helped us look at anxiety and how to build atmosphere in a group of people, so that we could understand how to make our audience actually feel worried for the heroine, rather than just passively watching her fate unfold. They also measured sweat and how people respond to changes in mood, and some of the work we’ve been able to do around that has been extraordinary. We also worked with smell experts, experimenting with how various smells – such as burning and the musty scent of fur – make people feel, again to heighten the experience for an audience and immerse them deeper in the action. It sounds like it really will be an incredible experience for the audience, and also potentially slightly unnerving… Sharon: Not at all! We don’t do anything scary. We lead the audience round gently, deepening their experience as the story unfolds. What we are trying to achieve is a piece of theatre that is just a little more charged. We want people to move through the space and the story with a lot of oohing and ahhing. It is about taking stagecraft to the next level – music swells, walls spring to life and astounding things appear – our objective has always been to try and instil an air of wonder in the audience. Alex: It’s about a deepening of the experience and the emotion. There’s light, and sound, and touch – all the sensations you have in real life – but within the enchanted world that we’ve created, so it’s not limited to science fiction or fantasy. There’s a real element of magic to it all. I remember one of the first things Sharon said to Limbic Cinema when she approached us to see if we’d be involved with the project was that she was looking to strengthen the relationship between theatre and technology to enhance audience experience and the story itself. A lot of theatrical productions I’ve seen use projection, as well as other sorts of technology, but it always feels like an add-on. Sharon wanted to really mesh the two together to make it part of a cohesive experience, which is what was so exciting to us.
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Main image: Marietta trapped in The Stick House This page, clockwise: Sharon in coversation with Marietta, an eerie doll, Sharon discusses ideas, the Raucous team check the edits Opposite: Shooting the trailer for The Stick House
Sharon: Exactly. It wasn’t about just projecting a bit of film up on a screen, but making something that when it kicks in the audience doesn’t understand where it’s come from or how we’ve done it, but it’s all around them. Conor has heightened this through his set design. It’s all walk through, so events flow seamlessly into one another and the audience move along naturally with the story depending on what is driving it at that moment.
within it. As it happens, this setting invites us to do something really unique and it also enhances certain aspects of the narrative.
The vaults beneath the Passenger Shed at Temple Meads?
Sharon: It took us a long time to find anywhere to stage The Stick House. We specifically wanted a found space, so it would be an unusual place in which to tell our story. And when we did find it, we then had to work out how the narrative was going to work within the space and how the set was going to look. Certain things in the script have had to change in response, but I’ve always been open to that as I knew it was likely to happen. I’m not precious about it, and I appreciate it’ll probably change again when we actually start rehearsing in the space. We know the journey, but we are still orchestrating how magical we can make it design-wise. It was really Limbic Cinema who had to adapt the most to the space.
Conor: Yes. It’s a unique space and one that’s never been used for performance before so it requires quite a different approach from a designer than if it were in a proscenium theatre, for example. What is similar, though, is that the process is very collaborative, even more so than usual because of the number of creative people involved; lots of different skills being drawn together to achieve the best possible results from the space. Depending on where we had ended up staging it, The Stick House could have looked very different. Everyone involved in the project had to go in to the space with an open mind and work together to decide how best we could tell the story
Alex: That was really exciting for us. Over the course of two and a half years the team had looked at a few different places – all of which had their pros and cons – and the one we’ve settled on offers a lot of opportunities. Because the surfaces in the vaults are so unusual, we decided to build a 3D model of the space that we could play around with in the office to see how we could project onto the walls to make it look like objects were really coming out of them. It was also great that Sharon was willing to adapt the story to allow us to make the best use of the technology we have, and also to accommodate the other creative disciplines of the team involved. It put us all on an even footing,
Conor: That’s one of the things that attracted me to this project. My background has been mainly in opera design, where technology and projection mapping are used a lot. However, you don’t see it in this context, especially not in a found space such as the one we’re using for The Stick House.
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as we were all working together to best serve and realise the story for an audience. Sharon: That is the essence of what we are doing. We are always talking about the story, whatever we are making or doing. Whether it’s Alex saying that Limbic Cinema have got a great idea, or Conor coming up with a design, we always take it back to the narrative to ascertain if and how it will add to it. In the process of working together to tell the story, we’re also trying to showcase what Bristol is capable of. The Stick House melds together theatre, creative technology and science – the three big things this city is famous for – to explore a different way of working, which is definitely what Bristol is known for.
Sharon: It really is an amazing venue, and with so few theatre venues in Bristol it’s brilliant to have one spring up that is so beautiful and unusual, and that can support the artists who work in the city. And by opening up a piece of Bristol’s history, this new venue is not only introducing arts and creativity to the Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone, but leaving a legacy to the city. That’s what I’ve loved about this entire project. It embodies everything that Bristol is about – warm-hearted, open-minded people getting together on a DIY project to create something new – and that’s why it is the only city in the UK in which we could’ve realised The Stick House. The Arts Council in the south west are also extraordinary – they aren’t afraid to invest in an idea that appears to be a little large and therefore a bit risky. Bristol is a city of risk takers, and long may that reign. n
What will happen to the space once The Stick House closes? Sharon: It belongs to the Invisible Circus, which has been incredibly supportive of our project. Doug Francisco, founder of the Invisibles, wasn’t going to let anybody in to use it until next year, but he loved our idea so agreed that we could open the space and then he’ll start to programme it as a performance space – for theatre, cabaret and circus – afterwards. Next door is an old working men’s club that the Invisibles are transforming into a gorgeous bar, so when you come and see The Stick House, you can pop in for a drink. Alex: It’s a great space to work with, and it’s also an honour to be the first production to get to make use of it. WWW.THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK
The Stick House features projection mapping by Limbic Cinema (limbiccinema.com), robotics by Kyle Harini, puppetry by Elizabeth Johnson, film by Jack Offord and an original score by Tim X Atack from Sleepdogs. It is directed by Anna Ledwich, designed by Conor Murphy and written by Sharon Clark. The project is supported by Pervasive Media Studio at Watershed. It runs from Monday 7 September – Saturday 17 October at The Lo-co Club, underneath the Passenger Shed, Temple Meads, BS1 6QH. Tickets: £12 (previews, 7 – 10 Septembers), £18.50 thereafter, ages 14+. For more information visit: www.watershed.co.uk or raucous.org.uk SEPTEMBER 2015
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his September Tobacco Factory Theatres presents an in-house production of Brian Friel’s underperformed masterpiece, Living Quarters, in collaboration with Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory. The play recounts the story of Commandant Frank Butler, a military hero returning from a successful UN mission in the Middle East. His four children and second wife gather together to celebrate his return, only for events to turn sour when Frank discovers his wife was unfaithful while he was away. In many ways Living Quarters is a classic tragedy, but Friel sets it apart in his unique use of a narrator, known throughout as ‘Sir’, who serves as a master of ceremonies relating the story to the audience as a perpetual reconstruction. As the tale unfolds, the characters themselves break away from their lives to plead with this autonomous figure to alter the course of events, but he is relentless in ensuring they all follow the path they created for themselves that leads toward the moment that irrevocably changed their lives. This is only the second time the play has been professionally performed in England. The first was also staged in Bristol, at the Hen & Chicken just up the road from Tobacco Factory Theatres, over 20 years ago. It was brought to the city then by the same man who is now reviving it, esteemed actor and director Andrew Hilton. With a career spanning decades, Andrew is a key figure in the UK theatre scene, who founded Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory and remains its artistic director today. I caught up with him to find out why he revisited this play 20 years on, how he approached it this time round, and what it meant to work alongside Tobacco Factory Theatres on this highly anticipated co-production. So Andrew, when did Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory, and your relationship with Tobacco Factory Theatres, begin? My wife, Diana Favell, and I conceived the idea of Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory in 1999, and we followed the pioneering Show of Strength theatre company into the space in 2000, when it was still a building site. Producing there at that time was an entirely DIY project – we made our own theatre within 46 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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Ahead of Living Quarters opening at Tobacco Factory Theatres, Jenny Hayes talks to director Andrew Hilton about the play and Bristol theatre
the large open space, ran the bar and box office, and liaised with George Ferguson’s site manager. For our second season in 2001, Dan Danson came on board as our production manager, and at the end of that run he asked George if he could run the space as a managed venue. Since then, Tobacco Factory Theatres has gone through many changes, including becoming a charity, and of course the conversion of the whole building has been completed and the theatre established by Ali Robertson and his team is now one of the key venues in the south west. My company, Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory, has remained an independent producer, but beginning with the 2015 season now leads the coproduction of the spring Shakespeare productions with Tobacco Factory Theatres. Living Quarters, on the other hand, is a production led by Tobacco Factory Theatres in co-production with Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory. How did you find the process of working together in-house to co-produce Living Quarters? It’s an exciting project. Tobacco Factory Theatres seems the perfect venue for this play, and therefore it’s completely fitting that it should be an in-house production. The play’s particular structure requires both a theatre for the recreation of a fictional time and place, like any play, and a room in which that fiction is arrested and questioned. So the in-the-round space lends itself perfectly, as well as the evidence that remains of the building having been requisitioned as a theatre from a former use. Has using a different venue brought new possibilities to the play for you this time round? The larger space, and larger budget, have allowed for a very different approach to the design. In fact, the in-the-round space we have chosen is dictating that we take a rather more abstract approach to the creation of the Butler’s Donegal home than I used when I first staged it at the Hen & Chicken, just up the road, where we placed the audience in an L-shape. This time there will be no walls or doors, and we will also enjoy some space
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Main image: Tobacco Factory Theatres and Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory present Living Quarters This page, clockwise : Hayley Doherty, who plays Miriam Donnelly Director Andrew Hilton discussing the script Simon Armstrong, as Commandant Frank Butler Chris Bianchi, who plays Sir in this production All images on this page are © Camillia Adams
around and beyond the house and garden in which the narrative is set, which I expect will become important in expressing the more Pirandellian aspects of the play. What was it that made you want to revisit Living Quarters again, after 20 years? Quite simply, I had always had an ambition to do the play again, and Ali Robertson offered me the opportunity, which I seized immediately. I find the play immensely powerful, and so does everyone engaged in this production. I hope the audience will too… As a director, do you approach a contemporary play, such as Living Quarters, in a different way to that of a Shakespeare play? No, I don’t. I have no methods or systematic approaches beyond expecting the whole company to share in the exploration and understanding of a text. A Shakespeare play will probably demand a longer period sitting round a table trying to understand every word and phrase – and, of course, Shakespeare can be tweaked and edited in ways that a modern copyright text cannot be – but beyond that I am not aware of any difference. I just say, ‘Let’s start’, and take it from there. What inspires you as a director? I’m inspired by plays with a strong narrative, complex language, ambiguity and wit. Jonathan Miller was a key figure in my early years in the theatre, and also gave me my first break. But my main influence probably comes from having been an actor myself for decades and enjoyed working under good directors and endured working under bad ones – both kinds of experience being enormously useful to me now. You’ve been a key part of the Bristol theatre scene for many years. How have you seen it develop and evolve in that time? Since I first arrived in Bristol in 1978 to join the Bristol Old Vic company as WWW.THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK
an actor, the scene has changed beyond all recognition. Then, the truly Bristolbased actor, director, designer or stage manager was a rarity, and there were very few Bristol theatre companies. When I first tried to put on a fringe show here – it might have been about 1980, and it didn’t happen – I remember contacting one Bristol-domiciled actor to see if he would be interested in reading for a part, and his main concern was how on earth I knew he lived in Bristol. He thought it was a well-kept secret, since being based outside London was then considered a major disqualification. Either you didn’t take the business seriously enough, or you were a sad failure, or in semi-retirement. Fortunately, we can now own up to living and working beyond the Big Smoke, and Bristol companies are many and varied – so much so the city is once again short of venues. The Show of Strength seasons at the Hen & Chicken were an important player in this development, because they brought together many theatre professionals who, often unbeknown to each other, had been living that discreet life in Bristol never expecting to actually work here. Of course, the Metropolitan bias remains, and I daresay we shall never be rid of it. Currently London residents enjoy an annual DCMS and Arts Council subsidy of £69 per head, while the rest of us have to make do with a mere £4.58. But we make progress, and the live streaming of theatre from the South Bank, the RSC, the Young Vic and other venues is at last offering something worthy of the name of a ‘national theatre’. And I hope to see the Bristol ‘product’ reaching the countrywide audience before too long. So Bristol is an exciting place for theatre at the moment? Absolutely! n Living Quarters runs at Tobacco Factory Theatres from Thursday 17 September – Saturday 3 October. Performances take place each evening at 8pm and there is also a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. There are no shows on Sundays. Tickets: £16 (£13 concs) from the box office on tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com SEPTEMBER 2015
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CULTURE BOOK This month’s events and entertainments Bee and Pollination Festival, Bristol Botanic Garden
Smoking Puppet Cabaret, Tobacco Factory Theatre
Portway Sunday Butterfly Walk
DON’T MISS
Annie, Bristol Hippodrome, Monday 31 August –Saturday 5 September, 7.30pm
Lou Lou’s Vintage Festival, The Passenger Shed, Saturday 5 September, 11am – 5pm
Set in 1930 New York during The Great Depression, brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery and torment at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Determined to find her real parents, her luck changes when she is chosen to spend Christmas at the residence of famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. Tickets: £15 – £47.50 from the box office on tel: 0844 871 3012 or visit: www.atgtickets.com
Dig out some amazing finds at Bristol’s biggest vintage fair with fashion from the 1940s to the 1990s, homeware and more. Enjoy a cream tea at the vintage tea party, and get your hair done at the pop-up-parlour hair salon. Tickets: £3, for more information visit: www.facebook.com/bristolvintage
Wunderkammer, Tobacco Factory Theatre, Monday 31 August – Tuesday 1 September, 8pm
A world without strawberries, apples and chocolate would be bleak indeed. Find out the very latest stories on how you can help the bees and other vital pollinators. See incredible wildlife illustration, join a honey mystery tour and see live demonstrations and talks about beekeeping. Tickets: £4.50, for more information visit: www.bristol.ac.uk/botanic-garden
Welcome to the cabinet of curiosities: a collection of rare artefacts and objects that demonstrate the universal connection of all things. Exploiting the alluring grace of marionettes, Wunderkammer opens up a world where the senses are free to roam. Tickets: £16 from the box office on tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com
The Smoking Puppet Cabaret, Tobacco Factory Theatre, Thursday 3 – Saturday 5 September, 9.15pm The Smoking Puppet Cabaret is crammed full of mind-boggling, delightful, twisted and magical puppetry. Expect music, laughter and a few surprises as they flaunt puppetry’s seamy underbelly. Tickets are free, for more information visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com
Life Raft, Bristol Old Vic, Thursday 3 – Saturday 5 September, 7.30pm In a mysterious dystopia, against a backdrop of war, a lifeboat filled with children is adrift at sea – their passenger liner sunk by an unknown enemy. As darkness falls and their rations dwindle fear, superstition and madness start to take hold. Tickets: £10 – £22.50 from the box office on: 0117 987 7877 or visit www.bristololdvic.org.uk
Bee and Pollination Festival, Bristol Botanic Garden, Saturday 5 – Sunday 6 September, 10am – 5pm
Last Night of the Proms: Bristol Fashion, St George’s, Sunday 6 September, 4.30pm Join the Bristol Ensemble for a ‘Last Night’ performance full of the fun excitement we’ve come to associate with this very special, very traditional musical celebration. This performance also features works from the BBC’s Ten Pieces, and is suitable for older children and adults alike. Tickets: £12 from the box office on: 0845 402 4001 or visit www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk
FROM SEPTEMBER 7
Learn Argentine Tango with Tango-y-Tu, Westmoreland Hall, Sunday 6 September, 10.30am – 5.30pm Why not learn how to Argentine Tango with this one day intensive kick start course on Sunday, which is then followed by three Tuesday night classes on 8th, 15th and 22nd September. Course cost: £100, to book tel: 0776 773 3948 or email: janetvakis@googlemail.com
L’homme Content De Rien, Tobacco Factory Theatre, Friday 4 – Saturday 5 September, 8pm
Puttin’ on the Ritz, Bristol Hippodrome, Tuesday 8 – Saturday 12 September, 7.30pm
This UK premiere sees Rene, the undertaker, trying to conduct a funeral wake. A man who should be in control of his emotions, bursts out laughing. He stumbles over every word, has a fight with the microphone, and finally resorts to telling the life of the deceased man using food and objects from the funeral banquet. Tickets: £16 from the box office on tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com
Featuring dance stars Trent and Gordana, and Robin and Anya from the hit TV show Strictly Come Dancing, along with special guest, X Factor and Dancing On Ice singing sensation Ray Quinn. The all-singing, all-dancing production features music of Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and George Gershwin. Tickets: £21.40 – £41.40 from the box office on tel: 0844 871 3012 or visit: www.atgtickets.com
Bristol Burlesque Festival, Location Varies, Thursday 3 – Saturday 5 September, 8pm
Martyr, Bristol Old Vic, Wednesday 9 – Saturday 12 September, 7.30pm
This exciting three day festival in the heart of Bristol sees the stages graced by badass booty shakers, ecdysiasts, super strippers, cabaret clowns, go-go goddesses, drag divas and beautiful boylesquers. The events take place in three venues: the Queenshilling, Smoke & Mirrors, and Rip Roar. Tickets: £10 – £12 available from: www.bristolburlesquefestival.co.uk
Benjamin won’t do swimming at school. His mum thinks he’s on drugs or has body issues. But Benjamin has found God and mixed-sex swimming lessons offend him. Fundamentalism and tolerance clash in this funny, provocative play. Tickets: £10 – £22.50 from the box office on: 0117 987 7877 or visit www.bristololdvic.org.uk
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Bristol Doors Open, Various Locations, Saturday 12 September, 10am – 4pm Bristol Doors Open Day is a once-a-year chance to look behind closed doors and discover the city’s hidden treasures. You can explore fascinating buildings, join guided tours and enjoy a range of events and activities – all free for the day. Each year, the day proves to be a fantastic celebration of Bristol’s history, architecture and culture. Find out more at: www.bristoldoorsopenday.org.uk
Gloucester Road Market, Elmgrove Centre, Saturday 12 September, 10am – 4pm A fabulous market showcasing all things vintage: clothing, homeware, jewellery, vinyl, vintage makeovers and a great tearoom too. If you’d like further information, then find the event on Facebook. Heritage Open Day, The Curzon
Bristol Half Marathon, City Centre, Sunday 13 September, 9.30am Now one of the UK’s most popular half marathons. Entry opened in March but if you aren’t running and have a free day, why not go down and support the runners? For more information, and a copy of the route map, visit: www.runbristol.com
Autumnal Plants Walk, Avon Gorge and Downs, Sunday 13 September, 4.30pm – 6.30pm The Avon Gorge is internationally famous for its rare and interesting plants. Discover some of its seasonal delights with botanist Libby Houston, as you take advantage of a traffic-free Gorge on this special Portway Sunday walk. Tickets: £5.00, book on tel: 0117 903 0609 or e-mail mleivers@bristolzoo.org.uk
Bristol Half Marathon, Bristol
Heritage Open Day, The Curzon, Sunday 13 September, 4.30pm –6.30pm As part of the Scalarama film season & Heritage Open Days, the Curzon will open its doors, welcoming all to see the old balcony, have a peak in Stan the Camera Man’s projection box, see the kissing seats, the Christie Organ and the vast collection of projectors amassed from the last century of cinema. A perfect Sunday afternoon with cakes and cream teas on sale before the afternoon screening of Broken Blossoms with live accompaniment from Andy Quin (2pm). Tickets: £5.00, book on tel: 0127 587 1000 or visit: www.curzon.org.uk
Portway Sunday Butterfly Walk, Avon Gorge and Downs Sunday 13 September, 2pm – 3.30pm Enjoy the tranquillity of a car-free gorge on this special Portway Sunday event. Learn to identify butterflies with Martin Collins and Timothy Dowling (Friends of the Downs and Avon Gorge), and see how many of these lovely insects you can spot along the way. Tickets are free, but please book ahead on tel: 0117 9030609 or email: mleivers@bristolzoo.org.uk Hands Up For Jonny Wilkinson’s Right Boot, Redgrave Theatre
Bristol: Encounters Short Film Festival, Watershed, Tuesday 15 – Sunday 20 September, times vary Twenty-one years ago Europe’s leading short film and animation festival, founded by Aardman and a group of up-and-coming film-makers, was established to showcase the emerging talent in filmmaking. Now is your chance to see films from 90 seconds to 20 minutes that will make you laugh, cry, scream and squirm. Tickets: £5 available from: www.encounters-festival.org.uk
UK Tour of the Ocean Film Festival World Tour, Victoria Rooms, Tuesday 15 September, 7.30pm With its origins in Australia, this film festival aims to inspire you to explore, respect, enjoy, and protect our oceans. The Ocean Film Festival UK Tour will screen over two hours of the most inspirational, educational and entertaining films related to the ocean from independent film makers from across the globe. Tickets: £13 available from: www.oceanfilmfestival.co.uk Flash Gordon, Clifton Observatory
Wolf Hall, Bristol Cathedral
EDITOR’S PICK... Wolf Hall Brought To Life At Bristol Cathedral, Bristol Cathedral, Thursday 3 – Friday 4 September, 6pm Bristol Cathedral and Bristol Libraries will be running a one-off exclusive event which will see Hilary Mantel’s award-winning Wolf Hall brought to life in Bristol Cathedral – one of the main filming locations for the acclaimed BBC series. Audiences are invited to enjoy an exclusive tour of this fascinating building led by the Cathedral’s head guide and hear key passages from the book brought to life by actor David Collins – in the very spot where they were filmed. Although the Thursday tour has sold out, it has been extended to Friday due to overwhelming demand. Tickets: £6 and can be purchased from any Bristol library.
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Grape & Grain, Bordeaux Quay
Holly Hedge Fun Day, Ashton Court Estate
Holly Hedge Fun Day, Ashton Court Estate, Sunday 20 September The largest fundraising event of Holly Hedge Animal Sanctuary’s calendar, Fun Day 2015 is expected to attract up to 5,000 people and their dogs to the idyllic Ashton Court Estate. There are extensive attractions that run on the day including the popular Fun Dog Show, Photo Entry Cat Show, Doggie Sprint, children’s activities, Holly Hedge Doggie Games, refreshments and agility demonstrations (with the chance to have a go yourself) – not to mention the marketplace, which is brimming with everything from fine foods to beautiful art works. With such an extensive array of attractions, Fun Day is an event like no other and draws a diverse crowd from Bristol, Somerset and the surrounding areas. Entrance is completely free. For more information visit: www.hollyhedge.org.uk
Bristol’s festival of wine, beer, cider and all things drink combined with a selection of great food. Grape and Grain is a taste celebration that provides an opportunity to taste wine and beer from across the region, country and world. Tickets: £5 available from: www.eventbrite.co.uk
Bristol Classical Players Beethoven’s 9th, St George’s, Saturday 19 September, 7.30pm Bristol Classical Players joins forces with Bath Choral Society to start the 2015 season with one of the cornerstones of Western art – Beethoven’s mighty 9th Symphony, which has been described as ‘a Titan wrestling with the Gods’. Also enjoy the overture to Verdi’s opera and Strauss’s Four Last Songs. Tickets: £14 – £18 from the box office on: 0845 402 4001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk
Musicians On The Run, Windmill Hill City Farm, Saturday 19 September, 3pm – 6pm With over 30 musicians across 20 venues in Bedminster you are sure to find someone to enjoy and while away your afternoon, hopefully in the sunshine. Tickets are free, for more information visit: www.windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk
Crafty Women, M-Shed, Saturday 19 – Sunday 20 September, 10am – 6pm
FROM SEPTEMBER 16
Gilly Macmillan’s Burnt Paper Sky Book Launch, Bristol Grammar School, Wednesday 16 September, 5.30pm Bristol Grammar School and Little Brown are hosting the launch of book Burnt Paper Sky. Enjoy a reading from the author, followed by a Q&A, live music and refreshments. Tickets are free, please email to book your ticket: lshepherd@bgs.bristol.sch.uk
Hellfire Video Club Presents KUNG FU BANANAS!, The Cube, Friday 18 September, 8pm Presenting one of the most intensely bonkers Kung Fu films made by the legendary Shaw Brothers film studio – the delirious and insane fantasy epic Buddha’s Palm (1982). Tickets: £6, available from: www.cubecinema.com
Joyful Spirit Gospel Choir and Mendip Swing, Redland Park Church, Friday 18 September, 7.30pm Join an evening of inspiring gospel, jazz, blues and music from around the world. This twenty piece big band and 60 strong gospel choir are performing together with the first public performance of arrangements by Bristol jazz trumpeter and drummer Andy Hague. Tickets: £8 in advance or £10 on the door from the box office on tel: 0771 062 6704 or visit ; www.mendipswing.org.uk
Fred Macaulay, Lantern Theatre, Colston Hall, Friday 18 September, 8pm One of Scotland’s most beloved comedians and star of BBC Radio 4’s The News Quiz, Bridget Christie Minds The Gap and The Unbelievable Truth, Fred MacAulay is back on the road this autumn with a brand new show. Tickets: £23.90 from the box office on tel: 0844 887 1500 or visit: www.colstonhall.org 54 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
Grape and Grain, Bordeaux Quay, Friday 18 – Sunday 20 September, 5pm – 11pm
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For one weekend only, all are welcome to see the very best examples of craft in the region. Enjoy live demonstrations and find out more about what the Women’s Institute is all about. You’ll see the very best of painting, drawing, knitting, photography, dressmaking, cross stitch, bead work and a wealth of other categories. For more information visit: www.avonwi.org.uk
Eat Local, Windmill Hill City Farm, Saturday 19 September, 3pm – 6pm Eat and explore the best local food in a fun-packed day at the City Farm this autumn. Watch live demos and see delicious local produce, alongside live country music and local ales, plus a host of nature activities and games for children. Tickets: £3, for more information visit: www.windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk
Improving your Relationships with all you Meet, The Friends Meeting House, Sunday 20 September, 3pm – 5pm In this talk you will hear how your unconscious mind holds the key to creating the future you desire. Learn how to make profound changes in your life, let go of past fears and achieve personal goals. Talk held at 126 Hampton Road, Redland. Tickets: £5 for more information visit: www.bristolnlp.co.uk
Hands Up For Jonny Wilkinson’s Right Boot, The Redgrave Theatre, Tuesday 22 September, 7.30pm Commissioned to coincide with The Rugby World Cup 2015, this hilarious new comedy will embark on a rapid fire round-the-worldrugby-romp complete with songs, scrums, dazzling tries and iconic rugby rituals including the All-Blacks’ legendary Haka. Tickets: £12 from the Tobacco Factory Theatre box office on tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com
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History of Classical Music in 60 Minutes, St George’s, Wednesday 23 September, 6.30pm Using fun illustrations and a variety of musical excerpts, Jonathan James will take you on a whistle-stop tour of a thousand years of classical music, from medieval monks to modern masters. It’s ideal for new listeners looking for an easy introduction to classical music or for more seasoned audiences that would enjoy an entertaining recap. Tickets: £5 (free to members) from the box office on: 0845 402 4001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk
A Play, A Pie And A Pint, Tobacco Factory Theatre, Wednesday 23 – Saturday 26 September, 7.15pm Get your pies from 6.15pm and settle in for an evening of theatre. Originally created by Glasgow’s Òran Mór, this wonderful series showcases new writing from established and emerging playwrights. Tickets: £7 for play only, £13 for pre-show pint, pie and play from the box office on tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com
Antique and Vintage Fair, Ashton Court Mansion, Sunday 27 September, 10am – 4pm With 40 stalls selling antiques, collectables and all things vintage, complete with a cafe open all day, this is the perfect way to spend a Sunday. Car park access through Kennel Lodge entrance. Tickets: £2 on entry.
Bristol Bright Night, Bristol Harbourside, Friday 25 September, 12pm – 12am After the success of last year, join the collaboration between the Festival of Nature, University of Bristol and the University of the West of England for the second Bristol Bright Night. Celebrate Bristol’s place as a home for cutting-edge research through a free showcase of interactive, hands-on activities. For more information visit: www.bristolbrightnight.com Autumn Feast Night, Kilver Court
Philosophy
for living
Free 4 week course starts September 2015
This short Philosophy course explores the art of living in the present. You will be introduced to practical exercises that increase mindful awareness.
for living
Enjoying more stillness of mind, we naturally become less anxious, more self-aware and our actions become more natural and effective. The 4-week course will also explore the innate wisdom present in each of us, and how we can access it for the benefit of all. For those who wish to extend this introduction, a further 6 week course follows on immediately, cost £36 (concessions available).
BATH
Autumn Feast Night, Kilver Court, Friday 25 September Autumn is coming and it is bringing with it delicious, rich and comforting flavours. It’s time to celebrate this with a four course feast prepared by former Ritz sous chef Sven-Hanson Britt. Book now for an evening of good food, live music and a drinks reception in the Sharpham Pantry Restaurant and taste some of the finest fresh seasonal produce. Tickets: £35 available from tel: 0174 934 0415 or visit: www.kilvercourt.com
Flash Gordon, Clifton Observatory Saturday 26 September, 8.30pm Welcome to Bristol Sunset Cinema's outdoor screening of Flash Gordon – just in time to celebrate its 35th anniversary. Queen provide the film's amazing soundtrack – so you know it will be a great night. Tickets: £10 visit: www.ti.to/bristol-sunset-cinema/flash-gordon
Ghost Opera, Tobacco Factory Theatre, Tuesday 29 September –Satuday 10 October, 7.15pm Bristol favourites FellSwoop Theatre return with previews of their new production. Two strangers are both haunted by living ghosts in their everyday – one, her dying mother, and the other, his celebrity idol. Escaping to seek refuge at a spa retreat, the thirty year-old woman and the seventeen year-old boy meet, and together they try to resist becoming that which haunts them. Tickets: from £8, available from the box office on tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com 56 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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When? Tuesdays at 7.15pm starting 29th Sept 2015 Where? 30 Milsom St, Bath, BA1 1DG
BRISTOL
When? Thursdays at 7.15pm starting 24th Sept 2015 Where? Bristol Grammar School, Bristol, BS8 If you would like to know more or to register please contact:
Email: bathandbristolphilosophy@gmail.com Or call: 07873 230651 Bath and Bristol School of Philosophy: branch of The Fellowship of the School of Economic Science. Registered Educational Charity 313115
www.bathandbristolphilosophy.org
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The ELO Experience, Bristol Hippodrome, Tuesday 29 September, 7.30pm In 1970s Birmingham, a musical super power was established. Jeff Lynne and the Electric Light Orchestra became one of the world’s best known and greatest recording bands. Come and hear their greatest hits, like Mr Blue Sky, Wild West Hero and Sweet Talking Woman, reproduced by the exciting and incredible ELO Experience. Tickets: £23.90 from the box office on tel: 0844 871 3012 or visit: www.atgtickets.com
BOOK NOW FOR...
A variety of workshops, Windmill Hill City Farm, Throughout October and November
ecclesiastical robes’. Tickets: from £10 from the box office on tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com
Rob Beckett: Mouth of the South, Tobacco Factory Theatre, Sunday 25 October, 8pm Rob Beckett burst onto the comedy circuit only five years ago but within his first year he had won four new act competitions. After quickly establishing himself on the circuit, Rob’s cheeky chappy persona saw him winning fans starring on BBC1’s Live At The Apollo, Would I Lie To You, Channel 4’s 8 Out Of 10 Cats, BBC2’s Mock The Week, ITV2’s Celebrity Juice as well as his role as resident comedian in the jungle each year on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! NOW! Tickets: £15.50 from the box office on tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com
Whether you fancy knowing more about the fascinating world of fungi and want to learn techniques on cultivating your own mushrooms, are interested in smallholdings and animal husbandry, or quite like the idea of learning how to make your own natural gifts, there is certainly something for everyone at Windmill Hill City Farm. For more information visit: www.windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk
Verdi Requiem, Colston Hall
Outpost, Tobacco Factory Theatre, Monday 12 –Satuday 24 October, 7.45pm Deemed as ‘deliciously deranged’ this brand new production comes to Bristol after a highly successful European tour. A funny and thought–provoking comedy, this absurd production is filled with grotesque puppetry combined to explore nationalism, leadership and the terrible consequences of using another man’s toilet. Tickets: £9, available from: www.3choirs.org
Verdi’s Requiem, Colston Hall, Saturday 17 October, 7.30pm From the hushed pleading of the opening, to the ‘apocalypse now’ of the Dies Irae with its eight trumpets and cataclysmic bass drum, it’s no wonder that conductor Hans von Bulow called Verdi’s Requiem ‘an opera in
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WELCOME TO ARCADIA It’s not every day a giant, flame throwing spider descends on the city so Jenny Hayes met its makers, Pip Rush and Bert Cole of Arcadia Spectacular, to find out what’s going on
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P
icture this... in the heart of historic Bristol a giant arachnid, clad in metal armour, crouches over crowds of people. It fires flames high into the sky with a roar that rents the still night air and people twirl perilously from it’s pincers in time to the deep, hypnotic rhythms it emits. No, this isn’t the opening scene of a science fiction novel, but a taste of what is to come this September, when Arcadia Spectacular take over Queen Square. On Friday 4 and Saturday 5 September, this elegant corner of the city will be home to the Spider, a fantastic creature forged from a unique combination of unwanted military hardware and the mind-boggling imagination of Arcadia’s founders, Pip Rush and Bert Cole. Over the course of each night a show will unfold that weaves narrative and performance in and around the impressive architecture of this beast, gradually transforming the leafy green park into a futuristic utopia fuelled by dramatic pyrotechnics and some seriously banging beats. It sounds phenomenal and in reality it’s even better, which is why, since it’s inception in 2007, Arcadia has taken the UK festival scene by storm and is now making its presence felt across the world. And this month, as part of the European Green Capital celebrations, the Bristol-based company is bringing its infamous Spider home for it’s first inner city performance. So I caught up with Pip and Bert to find out more about their work, and what it means to them to be staging their latest show, Metamorphosis, in the city where it all began. First and foremost, where did Arcadia start? Bert: Well, we both had fairly unconventional upbringings growing up in Dorset. Pip is from a big family of artists who create all sorts of amazing sculptures, and he spent a lot of time as a kid travelling around with his brother’s company, Mutoid Waste, who use salvaged material to make giant mutant machines and sculptures. We’d both been going to Glastonbury since we were really young, and I spent time travelling the world putting up huge tents for festivals and events, so we shared a keen interest in free parties and were ambitious to try something new. It struck us that festivals weren’t that exciting because they only offered linear, two dimensional performances, and we wanted to experiment with changing that. So we started playing about, making things from scrap metal. The first thing we ever built was the Afterburner, which was constructed in a friend’s cowshed. It’s a 360° stage, much smaller than the Spider but still really beautiful and with a lot of integrity. We took it to Glastonbury in 2007, fired it up, and it created a magic that we’d never seen before at a festival. How did that initial Afterburner stage evolve into the Spider? Pip: A big part of that development came from moving to Bristol, where we met a whole network of performers, engineers and lighting specialists who could take our idea from being a dance stage to becoming a whole immersive experience complete with theatre, circus and other elements. The same year as Arcadia started to ignite in Bristol, we found some huge old Customs & Excise units. Bert commandeered three of them and dragged them down to our yard where he chopped them up and made an enormous tripod structure out of them. We lifted the Afterburner on top of the tripod with a crane and welded it on, then hung aerialists off the main structure and some of our lorries around it to create a big fusion of a show that we took to Glastonbury in 2010. And that was when it went mad – the whole festival was trying to get into our field to experience it, we had a few hundred thousand hits on YouTube, and everyone started to want to get involved. From there, we just kept building on the original structure – adding cranes and arms so the Spider became animated and could pick performers up, and then replacing the Afterburner with a huge pair of eyes that gave it more presence.
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Main image: Arcadia’s Spider stage © Charlie Raven This page, clockwise: Aerial performers © Charlie Barnard Performer climbing the Spider © Sarah Ginn Awesome pyrotechnics © Charlie Raven
And then it’s evolved again this year. We got some backing from the Arts Council that enabled us to collaborate further with other Bristol companies. Their input helped us add another dimension to the Arcadia experience and realise the new show, Metamorphosis, which takes the audience on a clear narrative journey over the course of the night, before the party kicks in later. It sounds like a massive project. How many other people do you have working with you on it? Bert: There’s been easily 500 people involved in making the Spider what it is today. They’ve all been from Bristol, and there have been a lot of volunteers. Many of them have been young people who have a lot of potential but don’t necessarily know where to direct it, so it’s really exciting getting them on board and harnessing that energy. And it’s been a catalyst for them to then go on and do all sorts of other things afterwards, which is just great to see. Given how closely entwined the history of the Spider is with Bristol, it must be a great feeling to be invited to stage Metamorphosis here this September? Pip: It was fantastic. We’d just come back from Bangkok, where we had our first taste of international success with the Spider, so to follow that with an invitation to stage the show right in the heart of Bristol where it was all made was incredible. Having gone so far away made it feel even more relevant to us to perform where it had begun. We nearly did a show in London first, but it just didn’t have the right feel to 60 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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it. As soon as we started talking about Bristol, though, it just seemed like the right place to do our first UK inner city gig. What was also incredible is that everyone was on our side. In the early days, we worked closely with the council, police and noise pollution officers to address and resolve any issues they had. Bert: It’s great that the Spider travels abroad as an export of a city that is renowned for making some amazing art and music, and now we’re really pleased to be bringing it back to where it was made. It’s exciting for people to get some ownership over it, and to be able to come and see it and experience it for themselves. Pip: It’ll be the first time that people will have the opportunity to encounter the stage outside a sell-out festival like Glastonbury. The Spider will be in the middle of the city, right on people’s doorsteps, so we’re really hoping it’ll entice some different people along to come and see it – whether you want to dance right underneath it, or stand at the back and just enjoy the show from afar. It’s part of the celebrations surrounding Bristol 2015, but people may be wondering how a giant metal spider, equipped with enormous pyrotechnics, fits with the green theme… Bert: Each of our structures – the Spider, the Afterburner and the Bug – are made from discarded military machinery and industrial components that would otherwise just be disused waste, so right from the start what we do is sustainable. This year, we’ve taken that a step further by adapting the burners on the Spider to run on biofuel, so it’s even greener than before.
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How long have you been developing that idea? Bert: We’ve been thinking about it for about three years and working through various stages, but it’s only been in the last year and a half that it’s really kicked into gear. It’s been amazing for us to finally realise it. All the biofuel used comes from Bristol’s chip shops and restaurants, which gives us a much shorter carbon cycle than if we sourced fuel from anywhere else, and it also means we are recycling on a really local level. Pip: We’re constantly pushing the boundaries of what we do, and we’re told a lot of the time that what we’re proposing to do is impossible. But that makes us more determined to continue to explore the idea because that’s when new things are created, and then experts come on board who understand the bigger picture of what we are doing and help us achieve what we set out to. Music also plays a key role in the Arcadia experience. Are you both involved in choosing who is going to perform? Bert: Yes, we do everything at every point during the process that transforms a grass field into the Arcadia show, and the music is a big part of that. Pip: For this event in Bristol, we tried to define the two nights so they have a different character and attract a slightly different crowd, because we want Arcadia to offer something to everyone. We try not to attach ourselves too much to one music scene or another, because we want Arcadia to be experienced by WWW.THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK
lots of different people, no matter what they are into. That’s a key part of what we do. This is an event that will go down in Bristol history. How would you like it to be remembered? Pip: That’s a tricky question to answer because we’re not trying to force feed anyone a particular narrative or political idea. We’re trying to inspire thought and encourage people to make their own interpretation of what they experience. So I guess I’d want it to be remembered in tens of thousands of different ways by each and every person who’d come along and had a great night. Bert: It’s also good for Bristol to be seen as a city that isn’t afraid to do this sort of thing. City spaces like Queen Square were originally made for communities to get together in and enjoy, and we see this event as part of that tradition. Bristol is brilliant for opening its doors up to this kind of thing. The council and the population here are really different, and I hope that it inspires other cities to do similarly ambitious things and really push the boundaries. n Arcadia Spectacular is bringing Metamorphosis to Queen Square on Friday 4 & Saturday 5 September. Adult tickets (ages 13+) are priced at £39.50 for the Friday night and £45 for Saturday, child tickets (ages 4–12) are £25 on both, adult tickets should be purchased for those aged 13+. To book tickets, visit: www.arcadiabristol.com, and for more information about Arcadia Spectacular, visit: www.arcadiaspectacular.com SEPTEMBER 2015
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ARTS | & EXHIBITIONS
SEPTEMBER GALLERY
Affordable Art Fair, Brunel’s Old Station, Friday 18 – Sunday 20 September
Avonmouth by Max Naylor, Antlers Gallery
The Affordable Art Fair returns to Bristol, bringing with it a kaleidoscope of glorious artworks all priced between £50 and £5000. The city’s fourteenth fair will bring together more than 500 contemporary artists from numerous galleries, including local favourites Antlers, Bristol Contemporary Art and Clifton Fine Art. Tickets: £4 – £10 (£3 – £4 concs). The Affordable Art Fair, Brunel’s Old Station, Temple Meads, BS1 6QH. Visit: www.affordableartfair.co.uk
In the Footsteps of Elephants, Nature in Art Museum & Art Gallery, Gloucester, Thursday 3 – Sunday 20 September Bristol-based wildlife artist Susan Jane Lees is holding an exhibition of her work inspired by the wildlife of Botswana. With 100-200 elephants being killed each year, this exhibition is dedicated to supporting the work of community projects that strive to improve human-elephant coexistence, and Susan is donating 50% of her profit to the charity Elephants for Africa which works across southern Africa to conserve the African elephant. Nature in Art Museum & Gallery, Wallsworth Hall, GL2 9PA. Tel: 01452 731 422 or visit: www.nature-in-art.org.uk
▲ Moonfleet by Peter Wileman
A Brush with the Coast, Sky Blue Gallery, September
After the Mud Bath by Susan Jane Lees
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Sasha Harding’s new book, A Brush with the Coast, is full of illustrations that document her 630 mile journey along the South West Coastal Path, from Minehead to Dorset. She constantly draws from her surrouindings, using the coastal environment as her inspiriation. Sky Blue Framing & Gallery, 27 North View, BS6 7PT. Tel: 0117 973 3995 or visit: www.skybluegallery.co.uk
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Ros Paton, Grant Bradley Gallery, Sat 5 September – Sat 3 October Drawing inspiration from the way our surroundings gradually degrade and disintegrate with the passage of time, Ros celebrates the transience of our built environment. With a love of surface, pattern and texture, these images became a series of beautifully textured artworks, offering up a wonderful, often startling, sense of nostalgia. GBG, 1 Bedminster Parade, BS3 4AQ. Tel: 0117 963 7673 or visit: www.grantbradleygallery.co.uk
Into the Light, Lime Tree Gallery, 5 – 30 Sept
Moonfleet by Peter Wileman (detail)
This solo exhibition by Peter Wileman, one of the UK’s foremost representaional marine painters, shows his bold and vigorous style, both in the use of colour and handling of paint. Seeking atmosphere through light and colour, he works in varying degrees of abstraction. Lime Tree Gallery, 84 Hotwell Road, BS8 4UB. Tel: 0117 929 2527 or visit: www.limetreegallery.com
Bristol and Beyond, Bristol Folk House, 4 September – 2 October This exhibition from Warren Sealey focuses on daily life in Bristol but also further afield. We often miss the beauty in everyday scenes because of our busy minds and lives. For example, the rain is often seen as undesirable, but for this artist it is a gift. Warren Sealey is classically trained and studied in Canada and Italy before returning to Bristol where he paints for galleries and on commission, as well as teaching in his studio and all over the south-west. Bristol Folk House, 40A Park Street, BS1 5JG. Tel: 0117 926 2987 or visit: www.bristolfolkhouse.co.uk
Beatrice Haines, Centrespace, Saturday 5 – Wednesday 16 September Following her residency in the gallery during August Beatrice shares with the public a thought provoking contemporary vision of the Old City with an invitation to delve into the multi-faceted urban world of the Old City streets. Centrespace Gallery, 6 Leonard Lane, BS1 1EA. Tel: 0117 929 1234 or visit: www.centrespacegallery.com
Bill James, Grant Bradley Gallery, Sat 5 September – Sat 3 October Bill James was a contemporary of David Hockney and Zandra Rhodes at the Royal College of Art. As a commercial artist his client list included Ralph Lauren and Ellesse, but his current work, in contrast, is vibrant abstracts. This exhibition, titled Pictures from Another Place, shows his experimental drawings that articulate lively ideas. GBG, Bedminster Parade, BS3 4AQ. Tel: 0117 963 7673 or visit: www.grantbradleygallery.co.uk
The Boatyard on a Grey Day by Warren Sealey
▲ An Enquiring Eye, Guild Gallery, Saturday 5 – Saturday 26 September This is an opportunity to see the huge diversity of creativity and work made by this year’s ‘A’ Level Fine Art students at Bristol Grammar School. The course’s experimental approach to ideas and materials can be seen in the students’ development of an individual aesthetic – one that draws on the art of the past. Bristol Guild Gallery, 68/70 Park Street, BS1 5JY. Tel: 0117 926 5548 or visit: www.bristolguildgallery.co.uk
Bristol to Cornwall, Clifton Fine Art, Thursday 3 – Wednesday 30 September To mark the end of summer, Clifton Fine Art is celebrating the Cornwall and Bristol connection. Neil Pinkett, who teaches at Newlyn School of Art, is showing iconic views of Bristol and Tom White, known for his urban street scenes, is exhibiting panoramic Cornish landscapes. There will also be new work from Steve Slimm and John Piper. Clifton Fine Art, 8 Perry Road, BS1 5BQ. Tel: 01453 891 900 or visit: www.cliftonfineart.com Clifton Suspension Bridge by Neil Pinkett
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Into the Light:
Sept 5 - 30 A solo exhibition by Peter Wileman
Lime Tree Gallery, 84 Hotwell Road, Bristol BS8 4UB
Dusk, Memories of Indigo
Tel 0117 929 2527
www.limetreegallery.com
Wise Owls flock to Clevedon
Set of four Sampson Mordan silver menu holders
Estimate £400 - £600 Clevedon Salerooms Quarterly Specialist Sale includes this charming set of early 20th Century silver menu holders by Sampson Mordan silversmiths. Hallmarked for 1913 and standing just 3cm high, these sage characters with their glass eyes are ready to hold cards bearing the name of your guests or perhaps what tasty morsels await them. Estimated at £400 - £600 they will be offered at the 3rd September Specialist Sale. To see the other 500 interesting and varied items at the auction take a look at the illustrated online catalogue now.
Quarterly Specialist Sale of Antiques, Fine Art, Collectors’ Items, Watches, Silver & Jewellery Thurs 3rd September at 10.30am On view Tues 1st 2pm – 5.30pm, Wed 2nd 10am – 7.30pm and sale day from 9am
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FREE VALUATION DAYS at the Salerooms
7, 8, 9 & 21, 22, 23 September 10am – 1pm and 2pm – 5pm
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Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers The Auction Centre Kenn Road, Kenn Clevedon, BS21 6TT
Tel: 01934 830111 www.clevedon-salerooms.com
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ARTS | & EXHIBITIONS
Nocona Burgess, Rainmaker Gallery, Thursday 16 July – Wednesay 30 September It’s the last chance to see this solo exhibition, in which Nocona Burgess presents strikingly modern depictions of men and women from the tribal Nations of the Southern Plains, demonstrating the evolution of traditional artistic styles into the now thriving contemporary Native art movement. By applying vibrant pigments to darker backgrounds, Burgess has perfected an approach that produces distinctive, richly contrasting colours. His paintings inspire and educate through their unusual techniques and positive dialogues between past and present. The artist urges us to update our perceptions of Native people and consider the intriguing and often highly politicised place of Native American portraiture. Painting for Burgess is a way of reaching out to others. With careful research, firsthand knowledge and raw passion, he strives for an intimate connection with each subject, conveying their unique stories within a wider historical and cultural context. Nocona Burgess is a member of the Comanche Nation and the great-great grandson of Chief Quanah Parker, one of the most revered Native American leaders. Rainmaker Gallery, 123 Coldharbour Road, BS6 7SN. Tel: 0117 944 3101 or visit: www.rainmakerart.co.uk
Beth Carter, Beaux Arts Bath, 7 September – 3 October Fresh from recent successful shows in the US and Paris, Beth Carter’s sculptures and drawings will be gracing the walls of Beaux Arts throughout September. Beth’s world of sculpture and drawing features a cornucopia of dream-like, circus, or half-man half-beast shape-shifters who embody human contrasts – honest thieves, tender murderers, superstitious atheists. Beaux Art Bath, 12 – 13 York Street, BA1 1NG. Tel: 0117 464 850 or visit: www.beauxartsbath.co.uk
Miinotaur and Moth by Beth Carter
Simon Caplan, Create Centre, 5 – 18 September In his first solo show of new work for almost four years, Bristol photographer Simon Caplan showcases his unique eye for unusual still life and abstract images. This exhibition, titled Extraordinary Ordinary 2 – Hidden Beauty in the Urban Environment, sees him once again transform seemingly mundane and everyday objects around us into appealing artworks. Create Centre, Smeaton Road, BS1 6XN. Visit: www.simoncaplanphotography.co.uk
The Secret Agent by Andrew Stevens
▲ Mixed exhibition, Hamilton House Gallery, 9 – 15 September Painter Graeme Robbins, sculptor Hamilton and photographer Andrew Stevens present a group exhibition of their intriguing work across three disciplines. Hamilton House, Stokes Croft, BS2 1AS. Tel: 0117 924 9599 or visit: www.hamiltonhouse.org 66 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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Uplifting Work by Simon Caplan
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WIN TICKETS TO MAGIC OF MOTOWN We’ve got two pairs of tickets up for grabs to get your groove on at Bristol Hippodrome
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n 1965 Diana Ross and the Supremes, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Stevie Wonder and the Temptations crossed the Atlantic for a UK-wide tour of ABC, Odeon and Gaumont theatres. It was the start of a process that saw these artists become musical phenomena on these shores. Celebrating 50 years of UK number one hit singles, Magic of Motown brings its brand new 2015 Reach Out Tour to town, and TBM has two pairs of tickets to give away. Direct from the USA, Magic of Motown promises five-star performances of 36 chart toppers back-to-back, that will authentically revive the style and sophistication of everyone’s favourite music legends. This year the show will include more number one hits than ever before. Classic hits from the Temptations, Four Tops, Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Lionel Richie and The Supremes are packed into the two-hour spectacular. As well as dazzling dance moves and glittering costumes galore, the elusive, authentic sound of the original artistes is recreated as the spectacular production celebrates its twelfth year on this tour. You can guarantee that the score will be – with a nod to the great Stevie Wonder – uptight... alright and out of sight! For your chance to win a pair of tickets, all you need to do is tell us: In which US city was the Mowtown label based? Email your answer with your name, address and contact number to: competitions@thebristolmagazine.co.uk, making sure to write ‘Magic of Motown’ in the subject line. Deadline for entries: Thursday 24 September. Magic of Motown is playing at Bristol Hippodrome on Saturday 3 October. Tickets are available from the box office on tel: 0844 871 3012 or visit: www.atgtickets.com
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BRISTOL AT WORK Our series of photographic portraits by Charlotte Stone shows Bristol people at work
Uncovering history at Stowers Lynch Antiques
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ristol is renowned for its independent spirit, with brave and committed people across the city daring to break from the norm and set up a business of their own doing what they love. Among them is Kieran Lynch, who stepped off the treadmill and in to selfemployment to establish Stowers Lynch Antiques. “My father used to collect antiques, so I grew up around them. I remember going to auctions as a child and I think that interest stayed with me, although it didn’t occur to me to turn it into a career until a few years ago. It was tough getting started, though, and I’ve got great respect for anyone who is self-employed no matter what they do. I initially approached all the dealers, restorers and shops in the area asking if I could work the odd day with them for free, just to get some experience. Most wouldn’t give me the time of day, but then Ian Chaney of Chaney and Brandt helped me get started. I owe a lot to
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him. I’ve now been running my own business, Stowers Lynch Antiques, for just under a year and it’s been a success so far. One of the trickiest parts of my work is the restoration process, as deciding what is history that needs preserving and what is damage that needs repairing depends a lot on who you are selling it to. Dealers like to think they are the first person to see a piece, so if you present it to them gleaming and sparkling it can work against you. But some customers will ask you to restore a piece as closely as possible to how it would have been when it was first made. My preference is to try and find a balance between the two, as some pieces have a narrative to them that you will lose if you remove all marks, bumps and scrapes. I have a bureau that has some old ink stains on the top, and I think that is an important part of its character. That’s one of the things I love about my job – dealing with beautiful objects that have a history. I remember working on an ornate 17th century chest, and I just thought ‘what has been kept in that chest over the years?’ There was also a set of dominoes carved by a prisoner of war during the Boer War, and one day someone brought in a writing slope that had a secret compartment that a colleague found and opened. Inside were coins and letters from 1852, perhaps untouched since that year. The sheer breadth of items that pass through the workshop is incredible – paintings, silver, china, ivory, clocks, furniture – the list is endless. And that means that I’m constantly learning, which is another element of my work that I really enjoy. Being my own boss also gives me a lot of variety. I do everything for the business so all in one day I can be a restorer, photographer, delivery driver and website manager. And it’s great doing it all in my home town. Although I moved away for university, and spent 18 months travelling around the world, I always knew I’d come back to Bristol. It was never a question that I’d live anywhere else. n For more information, visit: www.stowerslynch.com www.charlottestonephoto.com
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FOOD | AND DRINK
WINING & DINING news and reviews Great Bath Feast
■ From Thursday 1 – Saturday 31 October, foodlovers will be flocking to the World Heritage City of Bath to savour a menu of creative events at the greatly anticipated Great Bath Feast. It is the biggest food festival in the south west, and plans are already underway for the monthlong event, which will include tastings, tutorials, tea parties and a totally wacky after-dark Mad Hatter’s Masquerade Dinner to mark the 150th birthday of Alice in Wonderland. This magical evening will be conjured up in the extraordinary surroundings of Bath Masonic Lodge, formerly the Old Theatre Royal, one of England’s oldest Masonic Lodges. It will be an after-dark, adults only event in a building that has a suitably surreal atmosphere for an entertaining soirée. Other incredible occurences to look forward to include the transformation of the Holburne Museum into a gin palace, teepees and big screens under the stars, and a cheese festival in the glorious surroundings of Bath Abbey. The Mad Hatter’s Masquerade Dinner takes place on Friday 2 October and tickets must be booked in advance. To do so, and to find further information about the Great Bath Feast, visit: www.greatbathfeast.co.uk
Wine before beer? Grape & Grain Festival returns to Bristol to celebrate wines and beers from across the region, country, and world. Zero Degrees will be offering a full range of beers, Cowshed will be serving up first class BBQs, Bristol Craft Beer will also be on site with tasty beverages, and there’ll be Prosecco popping by Gancia. There’s also plenty for the little ones, with children gaining free admission and then having local ice cream, face painting, water fun, hair braiding and a cookery workshop to enjoy. If you need a quick bite to soak up the booze from all those tasting sessions, there’ll be street food stalls and traders, so you can last the day and enjoy performances from local artists across two stages. Grape & Grain Festival, 18 – 20 September at Bordeaux Quay on the Harbourside. Tickets: £5. To book or for more details, visit: www.grapeandgrainbristol.co.uk | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Do you need it spelt-ing out? Throughout October, Kilver Court Designer Village will be offering a new, delicious, spelt infused breakfast menu in the Sharpham Park Pantry as part of The Great Spelt Breakfast initiative. A cross between Emmer wheat and Goat’s grass, spelt has a delicious, distinctive, naturally nutty flavour and a unique yet pleasing texture. Unlike common wheat, it has not been hybridised or chemically altered, and it remains as pure and healthy as it was when it was first introduced to Britain over 2000 years ago. So head over to Kilver Court Designer Village to try it for yourself – it’s sure to get your tastebuds tingling. To book, tel: 01749 340 363 or for further details visit: www.kilvercourt.com
Support St Peter’s Hospice – have a coffee! The first ever St Peter's Hospice coffee shop has been launched in Horfield as an additional way to raise funds for patient care at Bristol’s only adult hospice. The Nonesuch Cup coffee shop, which has been named after the flower of Bristol, is located next door to the charity’s flagship department store on Gloucester Road and was officially launched following customer demand. The coffee shop will offer a host of locally sourced coffees and teas as well as breads, cereals, freshly made sandwiches and cakes with indoor and outdoor spaces available for customers to enjoy. As Bristol’s only adult hospice, St Peter’s Hospice cares for more than 2,670 patients each year as well as supporting family members, at a cost of around £18,630 a day. For £14,000 of that, the hospice relies on donations and funds generated by its shops. It is hoped that revenue from The Nonesuch Cup will help it continue to provide care free of charge to all those who need it. To find out more about St Peter’s Hospice please visit www.stpetershospice.org n
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Christmas at The Bristol Ram Celebrate Christmas at The Ram, with delicious Christmas dinner classics and creative seasonal dishes available throughout December. Come and enjoy our cosy log fire, friendly atmosphere and warm welcome. • Available for exclusive hire for up to 150 guests Mon - Thurs • • Private hire of basement bar available for up to 50 guests 7 days a week • • Buffet menu from £10 per person • • Sit down Christmas party menu, for tables of up to 30- £15.95 for 2 courses, 3 courses for £19.95 •
A quality local independent Italian that's family run and well established.
Contact us to book now!
The Bristol Ram Pub, 32 Park Street, Bristol, BS1 5JA, 0117 925 1975,
info@thebristolram.co.uk, www.thebristolram.co.uk Twitter: @therambristol Instagram: therambristol Facebook: The BristolRam
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WWW.PIAZZADIROMA.CO.UK 178 WHITELADIES ROAD, CLIFTON, BRISTOL, BS8 2XU OPEN 6PM TO 11PM TUESDAY TO SUNDAY (AND BANK HOLIDAY MONDAYS)
T: 0117 973 4183
FROM A ROMANTIC MEAL TO A PARTY BOOKING, YOU WILL BE WELL LOOKED AFTER
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SPECIAL OFFERS PICTURES & REVIEWS
ON OUR FACEBOOK &WEBSITE
15% off your food bill (eat in or takeaway) You must have the voucher with you, voucher cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer, voucher must be presented before ordering drinks or food, only one voucher per group or table, management reserves the right to modify or cancel this offer at any time, applies to main menu only not specials board, please let us know that you are using the voucher at the time of booking to avoid disappointment.
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WHAT’S | NEW
Building Bristol’s future The first group of children to be selected as part of the Future Brunels programme have this week graduated from the ss Great Britain Trust’s flagship educational initiative. To celebrate their remarkable achievements over the last five years, the students were treated to a special banquet on board the ss Great Britain. Working with four partner schools in Bristol, the Future Brunels programme supports the Trust’s charitable goal to promote the study of maritime and industrial engineering and science. A dozen students aged 11 and 12 were selected, based on their passion and potential, from four Bristol schools in 2011. In the following five years they have undertaken a raft of activities inspired by great engineers from the initiative’s name-sake – I.K. Brunel – to modern heroes of science and engineering. The programme is designed to inspire the Future Brunels to consider careers in those areas. For more information visit: www.ssgreatbritain.org
BRISTOL UPDATES Pickles and Poppets children’s boutique is the brainchild of local mum Rebekah who, after the birth of her first child, spotted a gap in the Bristol market for a shop dedicated to quality clothing and toys for children. Thus, Pickles and Poppets was born, and over the last year has gone from strength to strength, not least because of it’s carefully chosen stock from a range of well known and lesser known British and International brands, including Hatley, Frugi, Kite, Pigeon, Tutto Piccolo, Chamomile Baby and Baby Acorn. Rebekah also looks to support other local businesses, stocking items from Missy Cards, Rhubarb and Squirrel and Little Sausages. Pickles and Poppets, 9 Canford Lane, BS9 3DB. Tel: 07813 751 866 or visit: picklesandpoppets.co.uk
■ A new campaign designed to raise awareness about how to spot domestic violence and abuse launches in Bristol and the surrounding area today. Run in partnership between Bristol City Council, the Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner, Avon and Somerset Police, Neighbourhood Watch, Crimestoppers and other local charities and public sector organisations, the campaign calls on people not to ignore a gut feeling that something may be wrong. The campaign has been launched in response to recent domestic homicide reviews which showed that victims weren’t known to services, but their friends and family were aware that the abuse was happening. By raising awareness of the signs to look out for, and the fact that abuse can be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers, more friends and family may feel able to speak up. Help guides, support services and more information about the campaign can be found at: www.thisisnotanexcuse.org
Coast to coast for charity Hotel staff from Bristol Marriott showed their boots were made for walking when they set off on a scenic coast-to-coast charity trek across Cornwall. The team of 12 completed the gruelling 50-mile hike, successfully raising more than £2,500 for a group of local and national charities. Led by director of operations James Laverick, they set off from Padstow and walked to Portreath in just 48 hours. Each member of the Spirit to Serve team – Marriott’s corporate responsibility initiative – raised at least £75 of sponsorship, with pre-trip cake sales and dress down days boosting the final fund. The money will be split between three charities; The Great Western Air Ambulance, the Make a Wish Foundation and The Prince’s Trust. For details visit: www.marriott.co.uk
Fresh Arts Festival at Southmead Hospital
Sounds of the summer
■ Artists, musicians, dancers and choirs will join patients, staff and visitors at Southmead Hospital Bristol for the Fresh Arts Festival on Friday 18 & Saturday 19 September, to celebrate the role that creativity and the arts play in supporting health and wellbeing. Expect foottapping live music for patients on wards and pop-up choirs in public areas, and patients and visitors are invited to drop into inspiring origami, calligraphy, printmaking and woodworking workshops. You can also enjoy the mesmerizing Concorde Wheelchair Dancers, a giant knitted installation by local knitters, and performances from Bristol Art Library. There will also be a chance to tour the new hospital to find out more about Fresh Arts, the hospital’s ongoing arts programme. For more information visit: www.fresharts.co.uk
■ If you’ve been to a festival or live show in Bristol this summer, chances are City And Moon Backline provided some of the equipment used. The company provides a wide range of high-end, fully prepped and serviced backline and a good selection of musical instruments; they also sell tour supplies, have a large live room, a green room, a mix room, and lots of storage space. All backline and equipment is delivered and collected by the friendly and professional staff, and City and Moon are happy to provide support over the phone or in person. It has an impressive list of clients – including Colston Hall, Portishead, Roni Size, Femi Kuti, Sun Kil Moon – and it is growing fast. Bristol has never had a specialist supplier of backline, so it’s good news for the city and surrounding areas. If you’re part of the entertainment industry, City And Moon is well worth a look. For more information visit: www.cityandmoonbackline.co.uk
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Do you need to complete a 2014/15 tax return? If you have straightforward tax affairs and pay tax through PAYE you probably won't need to complete a tax return. But if you have more complicated tax affairs - or income from various sources - you may need to complete a 2014/15 tax return before the 31 January 2016 deadline. Tom Ogden of Hollingdale Pooley reviews the most common reasons needed for completing a tax return. These include:
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• If you are self-employed (including being a member of a partnership) • If you are a company director (unless you're a director of a nonprofit organisation, for example a charity, and don't receive any payments or benefits) • If you have income from a buy-to-let property, including holiday accommodation, you will be required to report income and expenditure on a tax return.
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• If you are 65 or over and receive a reduced age-related allowance you will need to complete a tax return.
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• If you have income from overseas - you must complete a tax return if you have any foreign income that's liable to UK tax.
• If your annual total income exceeds £100,000 or more you will need to complete a tax return. You may have higher or additional rate tax to pay that hasn't been collected through your tax code. • If you have made chargeable disposals, such as sales of property (other than your main home), shareholdings or antiques. • If you have lived or worked abroad or are not domiciled in the UK you may be required to submit a tax return. • You are a trustee or personal representative (including someone who manages the tax affairs of a deceased person) If you meet any of the above conditions, you should consider whether you are required to submit a tax return and we would be delighted to assist with your reporting requirements, For further information, or to book a free initial consultation, please contact myself or one of our partners, or email enquiries@hollingdalepooley.co.uk
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Bristol’s Biggest Magazine
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SCIENCE | ASTRONOMY
WRITTEN IN THE STARS Jenny Hayes heads to At-Bristol Science Centre to learn more about the upcoming autumn constellations 80 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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SCIENCE | ASTRONOMY
Main image: Perseus slaying Cetus, the ferocious sea monster, by Edward Burne-Jones, 1885 This page, right: Johannes Hevelius’ illustration of the constellations of Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Cetus and Pegasus, from the 1690 edition of Uranographia Below: The lunar eclipse on 8 October 2014, taken in California by Alfredo Garcia Jr.
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azing up at the stars on a clear night always fills me with wonder. As I cast my eye across the sky and spot some of the objects and constellations I’ve learnt about at the Planetarium over the last few months, I can’t help but marvel at the mind-blowing phenomena I’m witnessing, and the incredible tales that have been woven around them by our ancestors. It’s often difficult to fit both science and stories into just one article, so for the next two issues I’m going to indulge my love of both in a two part special about the constellation of Andromeda. This maiden in the sky is home to a number of fascinating deep space objects, but you’ll have to wait until October to find out about those. First and foremost, we need to know the myth behind her immortalisation in the heavens. The story begins not with Andromeda, but with her mother Cassiopeia, the beautiful but boastful queen of Aethiopia. Cassiopeia had quite the reputation for pronouncing her satisfaction with herself and her family to all who would listen, who were plenty in number since her dutiful subjects had no other choice. Forced to court her favour, they dared not roll their eyes or tell her to put a sock in it, no matter how much they may have wanted to. Over the years, Cassiopeia grew increasingly extravagant and careless in her claims, and that was when the trouble started. One day, she tossed out the remark that her daughter, Andromeda, was more lovely even than the enchanting Nereids – the sea nymph daughters of Poseidon. As we’ve learnt from previous articles, it is unwise to rouse the ire of a god, but foolish Cassiopeia was so wrapped up in her own self-worth she failed to adhere to this golden rule. And, as you can imagine, Poseidon was furious. In retaliation he conjured his giant sea monster, Cetus, from the depths of the ocean and tasked him to avenge the slight against his daughters by destroying the coast of Aethiopia. On hearing of the fate that was due to befall her country, Cassiopeia sought advice from the Oracle, which stated that the only way to appease an angry god was to make a sacrifice – she’d have to choose between her wealth, or her daughter. Unsurprisingly, the queen placed more value in her own comfort than the wellbeing of Andromeda, and decided to keep the money. Poor Andromeda was seized by her mother’s guards, marched to the coast and chained to the rocks to wait for Cetus to come and devour her. There she remained for hours, the waves lapping further up her body as she shivered in fear, her eyes scouring the sea for a sign of the beast that would be her doom. With each swell of water her heart pounded harder in her chest, but time passed and still nothing happened. As the sun waned low on the horizon, Andromeda began to wonder if Poseidon had taken pity on her and called off his monster. But just as this hope soared in her heart, the sea parted and Cetus reared, enormous and terrifying, to seize her and drag her down to her watery grave. WWW.THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK
That is how she would have died, had Perseus not at that very moment been flying past on Pegasus, fresh from slaying the fearsome Medusa and her two terrible sisters. A hero blessed with brains as well as brawn, Perseus was quick to assess the situation and threw himself into the path of Cetus, plunging his hand into the sack he carried and pulling out the head of the Medusa. The sea monster crashed straight into it, locking eyeball to eyeball with the hideous demon. Andromeda watched as he turned to stone and fell, smashing at the feet of her handsome saviour. Well, she was impressed – both by Perseus’ bravery and his admirable physical attributes, and he was equally smitten with her. So they married then and there on the rocks, and the gods placed them in the sky for all to remember. And you can see the whole story all play out with increasing clarity in the autumn sky. As September gives way to October, look up into the north-eastern sky where you’ll see the bright, distinctive ‘W’ shape of Cassiopeia. Just below her mother is Andromeda, who appears rather ignominiously as a giant sticklady in the sky, and who can be seen stretching out an arm to stroke Pegasus, with whom she shares a star. Snapping at her heels is the sea monster, Cetus, while Perseus swoops in from the left to save her. n With huge thanks to Lee Pullen for sharing his time and expertise. If you haven’t experienced the wonders of the new 3D Planetarium At-Bristol yet, then book your ticket now for Blue Marvel, which invites you to discover how space exploration inspired the environmental movement and has led to a deeper appreciation of our own planet. Be prepared to see your home as you’ve never seen it before! Tel: 0117 915 1000 or visit: www.at-bristol.org.uk
Look out for... The lunar eclipse on Monday 28 September. To be in with a chance of seeing the Earth’s shadow cross the moon, make sure you drink your after-dinner espresso the evening before, as it won’t start to happen until about 1.45am. The full eclipse should occur around 3am, and for those night owls among you who’d like to watch the event in it’s entirety, it will end at 5am. SEPTEMBER 2015
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FAMILY | WHAT’S ON
ACTIVITY PLANNER The kiddies may be back at school, but there’s still plenty of fun to be had
Science weekend at Butlin’s
Monkey Trousers Theatre
Space Explorers (2D), ongoing, At-Bristol, shows throughout the day
Jog for Giraffes, Wild Place Project, Sunday 20 September
Blast off into space and play pass the planet as we train you up to become a fully qualified Space Explorer. You’ll be star struck at this Planetarium show designed specifically for under 6s. Under 3s go free, for more information tel: 0117 915 1000 or visit: www.at-bristol.org.uk
Take part in this energising 5km fun run round the beautiful grounds at Wild Place Project, and help raise funds to protect the future of giraffes in the wild. Chase past the cheetahs, leap past the lemurs and whistle past the wolves across the multi-terrain course. The event is open to everyone, from seasoned runners to complete beginners. Entry is £18 (over 15s), £16 (ages 8–14) and includes free entrance to each runner and three registered guests. Anyone who raises over £30 sponsorship will also receive a free return ticket to Wild Place Project. For more information, tel: 0117 980 7175 or visit: www.wildplace.org.uk
The Astonishing Family Science Weekend, Butlin’s Minehead, Friday 18 – Monday 21 September Butlin’s has worked with leading experts from the world of science, technology, engineering and maths to create this truly original new family break, designed to show youngsters between the ages of 6 and 14 how interesting STEM can be. This unique weekend break will put the ‘element’ of fun into STEM by fusing Butlin’s expertise in entertainment with the fascinating world of science to give inquisitive families an experience that’s truly out of this world. With the help of the Science Museum and Aardman Animations, amongst many other STEM experts, the Brian Coxs of the future can embark on a scientific adventure with Butlin’s this September. For more information visit: www.butlins.com
Eat Local, Windmill Hill City Farm, Sunday 27 September, 11am – 6pm Eat and explore the best local food in a funpacked day at Windmill Hill City Farm this autumn, in association with fresh-range.com, Bristol and Bath’s online local food store. Watch the freshest local produce being cooked on a firepit in the paddock, take part in a pizza-making workshop, enjoy meat and veggies fresh from the farm on the barbeque, and explore and taste what
CHEEKY MONKEYS Chimpanzees in Dungarees by Rosie Webb, available from Room 212 Popular local artist Rosie Webb, well known and loved for her fun animal prints, is about to release a children’s colouring and counting book – Chimpanzees in Dungarees. “It’s always been a dream of mine to write and illustrate my own book,” says Rosie. “I like pushing boundaries a little and using a very loose style so that children’s imaginations can fill any gaps. I am constantly astounded by how much little minds can grasp visually and feel blessed to be able to connect with them through my work.” Rosie’s book will be available to buy at Room 212, Gloucester Road, from Thursday 17 September. For more information, visit: www.rosiewebb.co.uk or www.room212.co.uk
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Eat Local at Windmill Hill City Farm
Pose with a Nose, Wetnose Day, Friday 25 September Around 47 per cent of families in the UK own a pet, but not all our animals are safe and loved in our homes. Many unwanted pets end up in one of the nation’s many animal rescue centres, and it is the aim of Wetnose Day to raise much-needed funding to keep these centres up and running to care for sick and vulnerable animals. Wetnose Day has only been running for two years, but has already attracted a great deal of celebrity support from the likes of Ricky Gervais, Sue Perkins, Ben Fogle and Paul O’Grady. So why don’t you get involved this year with your own fundraising event? Whether it’s a bake sale, a bike ride, a BBQ, a film night or a fancy dress party, you can have fun while helping this great initiative. For more information visit: www.wetnoseanimalaid.com
our region has to offer from local producers’ stands. There will be live music and local ales, plus a host of nature activities and games for children, including seed planting, face painting and pond dipping. A great family day out. Entry is free, for more information tel: 0117 963 3252 or visit: www.windmillcityfarm.org.uk
The Chinchilla Thriller, Kelvin Players Studio Theatre, Sunday 27 September – Sunday 4 October Monkey Trousers Theatre and Mr Gotalots Gotalot Shop return to Bishopston with a spooky Halloween special. There’s a shadowy customer waiting in the Gotalot Shop, but does Mr Gotalot have the potion he needs for some dark deeds? Can Sidney, the ever-eager shop boy, help the shopkeeper with his sinister task? Or will Ms Barnet, the meddling landlady, finally get to evict them? Tickets: £7 each for ages 3+, or £25 for a family of four. Available from the Tobacco Factory box office on tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com. For more info visit: www.monkeytrouserstheatre.com
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Mum, voiceover artist and BBC Radio Bristol presenter, Faye Dicker, meets the Bristol businesses that make family life easier...
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s a mum of two young children, I know the rate of knots that we get through baby and toddler items. In fact, the smaller the child – the more ‘equipment’ you seem to need. Car seats, baby baths, cots, high chairs – they all come with a price tag. And don’t even get me started on clothes... every 3 months, it feels like a case of out with ‘not so old’ and in with the ‘newer’. But hey, these are growing children and their needs must. While there are some things you can make do without, there are other things that are a necessity. I couldn’t even hazard a guess at how much we’ve splashed out in the last three years and I wouldn’t even say we’ve been decadent. It would seem I’m not alone in my thinking, in fact Eva Fernandes and Becky Gilbert have taken it one step further and together have co-founded Bristol’s first Baby Bank. The Baby Bank is pretty much as the name suggests, pre loved baby essentials for families in need. Or, in other words, a bank of baby items to see you through your baby’s first 12 months. As the founder of the popular baby shop Born on the Gloucester Road, and mum of two teenagers, Eva is no stranger to the baby world. She wondered how she could help families in the light of austerity measures and hit on the idea of a Baby Bank. A place where preloved, but perfectly good items could be donated to families starting out. Realising she could be onto something, Eva got in touch with the Reused Network, who in turn tweeted out she was looking for storage space to get the scheme started. In the world of social media meets real life, Becky Gilbert saw the tweet – then by chance bumped into Eva. As a mum of a baby and a toddler, Becky was keen to pass on her preloved items to families that needed them. They were a pair well met. That was in May and it’s incredible to see, between the two co-founders, how far the Baby Bank has come. Already it has nearly outgrown its first storage space, donated by The Big Yellow Storage Space. It’s a clear reflection of how many parents are keen to help and are donating their old items. The question is – how do people qualify to receive items from the Baby Bank? That side of things relies on referrals from health visitors, children’s centres and other local professionals, who identify the families in need of support. In return, the Baby Bank provides them with a bank of items to get them started. It’s a simple idea, but the implementation of things is the most time consuming part! Just sorting through the donations is time consuming, but already the Baby Bank has attracted a team of 30 volunteers, all working in different capacities to keep the wheels in motion. The storage unit needs manning and keeping the word out relies on a social media team. You can tell by looking at the Facebook page alone, just how popular the scheme is proving. There are Cake and Donate days being held and grant applications being made. It’s early days – in fact you could say baby steps – but already they’re looking at gaining charitable status and opening other Baby Banks across the country. Speaking as a parent, there is something about knowing you can pass on your little ones belongings and help another new family, which feels right. Those first few months are hard enough getting started – so thank you to Baby Bank Bristol, for making the parenting world a slightly easier place. n For more info, search for This Mum Runs on Facebook www.freelancemum.co.uk
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Here’s to 425 years of success
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Headmaster of QEH Junior School, Martin Morris, with pupils
eadmaster at QEH, Stephen Holliday, is justifiably proud of his school and its history. “QEH celebrated its 425th anniversary as the ‘City School’ this year,” he says, “and is more thriving than ever, with 670 boys aged 7 to 18. Along with being the top performing day school in Bristol, QEH today is firmly amongst leading academic schools nationally. Most boys go to their first-choice of top universities or medical schools, including 10% to Oxford and Cambridge. Our record results, year on year, are part of the much greater package that we offer to boys in preparing them for higher education and successful future careers.” QEH Junior School headmaster, Martin Morris, adds: “Although QEH only opened its junior school in 2007 we have built an enviable reputation, remaining small enough to guarantee a happy, enriched educational experience for boys.” QEH, Berkeley Place, BS8 1JX. For further information tel: 0117 930 3040 or visit: www.qehbristol.co.uk
Redland High’s new head Stephanie Ferro, new headmistress at Redland High, says she was looking to lead a school that purposefully prioritizes giving young people roots and wings. She believes in promoting clear thinking, encouraging effort without fear of failure, and instilling a quiet confidence to pursue their interests, giving a sense of belonging and the courage to reach out to those beyond them. "It was the tangible sense that these values are deeply rooted in the culture of Redland High that convinced me that its distinctive ethos is one which I would be proud to promote,” she said. Stephanie arrives with over 20 years’ experience in top girls’ schools. Redland High School for Girls, Redland Court Road, BS6 7EF. Tel: 0117 924 5796 or visit: www.redlandhigh.com
Horses for courses As one of the leading academic equestrian schools in the country, Millfield has just launched an impressive new onsite facility which will enhance riders’ training experience and host national events. The new course, designed by London 2012 Olympic course designer Adrian Ditcham, uses the natural woodlands, fields and ditches of the campus and features a versatile water complex and a plethora of individually designed jumps, many with a school theme. This new facility will host the Millfield British Eventing show annually, as well as training days, clinics and potentially an inter-schools competition. For more information about Millfield tel: 01458 442 291 or visit: millfieldschool.com
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SCHOOL UPDATES
All change at St Brendan’s Situated just off the A4 in Brislington, St Brendan’s boasts a large campus, specialist staff and over 70 A-level and BTEC options for students to choose from. And this year is a time of exciting changes for the sixth form college, as the modern extension – home to 10 new classrooms and a second café – is officially open to students. There are also new rugby, football, netball, basketball and cricket academies, providing professional training sessions and matches, conditioning support, nutritional advice and sports therapy. For details tel: 0117 977 7766 or visit: www.stbrn.ac.uk
Emily Atkins was delighted with her results
Haberdashers’ Monmouth With a 400-year track record of delivering educational excellence, the Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools are geared to realise the full potential of girls and boys aged 3 to 18. The Schools passionately believe that each child’s talents and strengths should be nurtured alongside their academic education. Because of this specialist subject teachers and small class sizes ensure each child learns at their own pace and shines at what they love most. In addition, the schools appreciate that while girls and boys learn differently, their development is enhanced by interaction. Teaching styles, pastoral care, co-curricular activities and a coordinated sixth form timetable are tailored to suit each student. To ensure all pupils’ talents are allowed to flourish alongside their academic development, sport and creativity are also encouraged. For more information, tel: 01600 710 433 for Monmouth School, or 01600 711 104 for HMSG, or visit: www.habs-monmouth.org
n Doors are opening across the world for the Red Maids’ Class of 2015 thanks to their excellent A Level and International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) results. Many students will take their places at top UK universities, including six who received unconditional offers, while others will enjoy gap years before higher education, or move straight into industry. Headmistress Isabel Tobias, said: “Our students are consistently rewarded with the grades that help open doors for them in some of the most prestigious universities and companies. It is testament to the girls’ own hard work and the diligence and dedication of their teachers that they achieve such excellent results year on year.” Red Maids, Grange Court Road, BS9 4DP. Tel: 0117 989 8252 or visit: www.redmaids.bristol.sch.uk SEPTEMBER 2015
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Bristol Grammar School
Badminton School
Taunton School
University Road, Bristol, BS8 1SR Tel: 0117 973 6006 www.bristolgrammarschool.co.uk website@bgs.bristol.sch.uk Open Evening: Friday 2 October, 4.00pm – 8.00pm (7.00pm for BGS Infants and Juniors) Sixth Form Information Evening: Wednesday 4 November, 5.00pm – 7.15pm Autumn term: 3 September – 11 December 2015 Spring term: 5 January – 23 March 2016 Summer term: 14 April – 5 July 2016 Age of pupils: 4 – 18 years Number of pupils: 1300 approx. Fees: £2,440 – £4,495 per term Religious denomination: Non-denominational The curriculum: The Infant curriculum covers all the requirements of the National Curriculum. Lessons are linked in to a topic-based curriculum, which allows the children to explore a particular area while linking the subjects into a topic. In the Junior School children enjoy a breadth of education that stretches far beyond the national curriculum. In the Senior School and Sixth Form students enjoy choice and opportunity. They can discover their strengths through a wide range of optional subjects, within a curriculum that encourages them to realise their potential, explore their ideas and take their learning as far as they can go. In the Sixth Form students have the opportunity to take the Extended Project Qualification alongside their A Levels. Co-curricular activities: The co-curricular provision at BGS is extensive in variety. Activities and clubs can include anything from Mandarin to car maintenance or cookery, allowing each individual to discover a new interest, gain a new skill or develop an old one. Pastoral care: Feeling supported, being part of a family in a positive learning community brings out the very best in girls and boys at BGS. Part of that support comes from relationships formed with Heads of House, Heads of Year, Form Tutors and academic staff, maintaining our outstanding pastoral care. The House system provides continuity of pastoral care throughout the School. Name of principal: Mr R I MacKinnon Outstanding characteristics: Bristol Grammar School has excellent examination results and offers a huge range of options, both academic and co-curricular, to enable every child to reach their learning potential and to develop a love of learning alongside a sense of responsibility for themselves and for others. The new Performing Arts Centre is opening in September 2016.
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Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, BS9 3BA Tel: 0117 905 5271 Website: www.badmintonschool.co.uk Email: admissions@badmintonschool.co.uk Autumn term: 4 September – 11 December 2015 Spring term: 6 January – 23 March 2016 Summer term: 18 April – 6 July 2016 Age of pupils: 3 – 18 years Number of pupils: 450
Staplegrove Road, Taunton, Somerset, TA2 6AD Tel: 01823 703 703 www.tauntonschool.co.uk Autumn term: 3 September – 11 December 2015 Spring term: 7 January – 18 March 2016 Summer term: 18 April – 1 July 2016 Age of pupils: 0 – 18 years Number of pupils: 1,100
Day fees: £2,830 – £5,960 per term Religious denomination: Non-denominational The curriculum: Badminton consistently achieves impressive academic results which enables the girls to access a wealth of world class universities, Music Conservatoires and Art Colleges; but it’s our passion for a holistic approach to learning that makes us really stand out from the crowd. The curriculum and timetable are constructed to achieve a balance between academic achievement, personal development, life skills and other enterprising activity. The broad curriculum provides a rich and varied experience for the girls and the small classes ensure that all the girls receive individual help and attention from their teachers. Extra curricular activities: The enrichment programme is extremely important in the overall development of the girls in the shcool’s care, as it provides opportunities to pursue wider interests and to contribute to the community. There are many activities on offer and they range from clubs with an academic bias such as Greek and Science Research to those that allow the girls to pursue creative interests, such as Art, Drama and Cooking. Music is also an important part of School life, with nearly 80% of girls learning an instrument during their time at Badminton. Pastoral care: The Badminton community gives girls a chance to develop an understanding of the viewpoints of others and to think about contributing to the world around them. Girls leave Badminton ready to face the changing and challenging wider world and, when they do, they takewith them a strong network of lifelong friends developed through a wealth of shared experiences.
Fees: Boarding prep: £4,330 – £7,850; senior: £10,000 – £11,000; day prep: £2,550 – £4,810; senior: £5,900 Religious denomination: Non-denominational, Christian ethos The curriculum: The school has consistently achieved excellent GCSE results and some of the most exceptional A Level results in south west England. Approximately 96 per cent of all sixth form leavers take up university or college places. The International Baccalaureate qualification complements the A and AS Level programme, offering another effective pathway to university and the world beyond. Extra curricular activities: There are opportunities for pupils of all ages to seize the chances which the comprehensive programme of co-curricular activities has to offer – an important part of life at Taunton School. Pastoral care: Pastoral care is central to the school’s provision for pupils’ welfare. The school offers a supporting boarding environment for children from age seven to 18. At the preparatory school level, boarding life is very much an extension of family life and focus is on support for the children to learn to do things for themselves and become more confident. The young adults at the school have access to many activities and have the opportunity to develop life skills within a relaxed but well-controlled atmosphere. In the sixth form, each pupil is encouraged to make the most of the opportunities available to allow them to move smoothly towards higher education and the world of work. Name of Principal: Mr Lee Glaser MA
Name of Principal: Mrs Rebecca Tear Outstanding characteristics: Girls at Badminton truly enjoy their education and often excel beyond their natural ability. The individual attention they receive means that they gain in self-confidence, preparing them for life beyond school.
Outstanding characteristics: Mr Lee Glaser says: “My aim is to challenge, inspire and nurture our children so that they can achieve success in a global community. I firmly believe that every child has the right to an outstanding education and Taunton School is a wonderful place, packed with energy and passion”.
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Red Maids’ School
Redland High School
Colston’s Girls’ School
Redland Court, Bristol, BS6 7EF Tel: 0117 924 5796 Email:admissions@redlandhigh.com www.redlandhigh.com
Westbury Road, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, BS9 3AW Tel: Junior School 0117 962 9451 Senior School 0117 962 2641 juniors@redmaids.bristol.sch.uk, schoolsecretary@redmaids.bristol.sch.uk Autumn term: 8 September – 11 December 2015 Spring term: 4 January – 18 March 2016 Summer term: 11 April – 8 July 2016 Age of pupils: 7 – 11 and 11 – 18 years Number of pupils: 140 Junior School; 500 Senior School Day fees: Juniors – £2,915 per term; Seniors and Sixth Form £4,290 per term Religious denomination: Non-denomination The curriculum: The Junior School’s approach is to make learning fun, active and interactive. The teachers provide a rich and varied study programme including practical, individual and group work and make use of the latest technology to enhance the girls’ learning. The Senior School’s aim is to provide an excellent education for girls of academic ability. The choice of courses, selection of teachers and monitoring processes are all designed to achieve this goal. Its ‘Athena Programme’ provides additional stretch for all students, particularly those who have been identified as gifted or talented. Year on year, Red Maids consistently achieve excellent outcomes in their public examinations enabling them to go on to their first choice of university. Extra curricular activities: Curiosity and endeavour are valued highly – everyone joins in and has a go. A wide variety of lunchtime and afterschool clubs are provided to help inspire and motivate the girls to try new things. Pastoral care: Pastoral care is regarded with the highest importance. Each girl is treated as an individual and there is a network of people including teachers, a school nurse and specialist counsellor alongside to support them as they grow. Heads of school: Mrs Lisa Brown, Headteacher Junior School, BSc Hons, University of Leicester; Mrs Isabel Tobias, Headmistress Senior School, BA Hons, New Hall, Cambridge. Outstanding characteristics: More parents send their daughters to Red Maids' than any other Bristol independent school (Dept for Education, KS4 performance tables, Jan 2015). It sits within 12 acres of leafy Westbury-on-Trym with all essential facilities on site. Easy to reach by public and private transport, students can arrive from 7.45am for breakfast and stay until 6pm. It is the only school in Bristol offering the choice of A Level or the International Baccalaureate Diploma in the Sixth Form.
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Autumn term: 9 September – 11 December 2015 Spring term: 6 January – 18 March 2016 Summer term: 12 April – 8 July 2016 Age of pupils: 3 – 18 years Number of pupils: 450 Day fees: £2,640 – £4,230 depending on year group Religious denomination: Non-denominational The curriculum: A stimulating curriculum is in place throughout the age range, culminating in a wide range of A Level subjects. Junior School pupils benefit from specialist teaching in many subjects at an early age. Extra curricular activities: The extra-curricular provision at Redland High is wide, varied and very much part of what makes the school buzz. The school encourages all pupils to take part, to try something new, and discover where their strengths lie so that they can build confidence and self-esteem.
Cheltenham Road, Bristol, BS6 5RD Tel: 0117 942 4328 www.colstonsgirls.bristol.sch.uk Email:admin@colstonsgirls.bristol.sch.uk Autumn term: 1 September – 16 December 2015 Spring term: 4 January – 24 March 2016 Summer term: 11 April – 5 July 2016 Age of pupils: 11 – 18 years Number of pupils: 800 Day fees: The school is a non-fee paying all girls’ academy. Religious denomination: Non-denominational
Pastoral care: Redland High is an optimum size which means the school can know each individual child well and still offer a very wide range of subjects and extra-curricular activities. As every parent knows, there is nothing more important than the happiness of their child and happy children learn best. Pastoral care at Redland High enables all our pupils to develop to their full potential. Name of principal: Miss Stephanie Ferro MA(Oxon), MA(Lond) Outstanding characteristics: Redland High is a friendly and caring community where each child is valued as an individual. Tradition combines happily with modern facilities and expertise in the education of girls. There is evidence of achievement in every classroom and an air of purpose. Examination results are excellent and achievements in Music, Drama, Art and Sport are first class.
The curriculum: The school offers a broad and balanced curriculum through to A Level. As an academy with a language specialism, Colston’s Girls’ School is able to select ten per cent of its pupils on the basis of their aptitude for languages on admission. Eight languages are available: Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, German, French, Latin, Italian and Japanese. The school has a very strong academic record, focusing on developing its core values of resilience, responsibility, curiosity and respect. Extra-curricular activities: An extensive range of extra-curricular activities take place inside and outside the school, including music, sport, art and drama. Public speaking and charitable activities are encouraged, along with regular extended excursions and trips. A specific enrichment programme has been designed for the school’s sixth formers, many of whom go on to attend one of the coveted Russell Group universities. Pastoral care: The school’s excellent academic record is supported by outstanding pastoral care within a supportive, happy environment that encourages each member of the school to fulfil her true potential. Head of School: Mr Alistair Perry Outstanding characteristics: As an independent academy, the school retains its history and traditions, whilst sharing the high standards of education with a diverse intake of girls. The school has been rated outstanding by Ofsted in 31 of 35 categories. The award-winning £12 million buildings give the school first rate facilities.
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Sidcot
QEH
Colston’s School
Oakridge Lane, Winscombe, North Somerset, BS25 1PD Tel: 01934 843102 www.sidcot.org.uk Autumn term: 8 September – 18 December 2015 Spring term: 12 January – 18 March 2016 Summer term: 5 April – 8 July 2016 Age of pupils: 3 – 18 years Number of pupils: 583 Day fees: from £2,384 (Reception) to £5,343 (Year 13) per term. Nursery £20.00 per session Religious denomination: Non-denominational Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital (QEH), Berkeley Place, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1JX Tel: 0117 930 3040. www.qehbristol.co.uk Autumn term: 8 September – 11 December 2015 Spring term: 5 January – 18 March 2016 Summer term: 12 April – 8 July 2016 Age of pupils: 7 – 18 years Number of pupils: 670 Day fees: Juniors: £2,931 per term (£8,793 per annum) including pre and after school supervision until 5pm. Seniors: £4,485 per term (£13,455 per annum). Fees include text and exercise books, and essential education trips but do not include public examination fees or lunches. Religious denomination: Church of England, embracing all faiths The curriculum: The curriculum is broad but also offers the chance to study subjects in depth. The school expects pupils to work hard, believing a good education is a voyage of discovery to be enjoyed. The boys are stretched but not stressed. Extra curricular activities: QEH prides itself on the range of activities it provides, reflecting the wide interests of the boys and the commitment of the staff. Variety is key and all boys should find activities that interest them. From walking to Warhammer (a club run by the boys), Young Enterprise to life drawing. QEH is committed to outdoor pursuits, with around 150 boys taking part in Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme, many attaining Gold Award. Pastoral care: Pastoral care is second to none. Boys need to feel happy and safe and are free to enjoy their learning, exploring new opportunities with confidence. People often comment on how selfassured and well-mannered the pupils are. The boys' friendly spirit and good behaviour are partly the result of unobtrusive but strong pastoral care. Name of Principal: Mr Stephen Holliday, MA (Cantab) Outstanding characteristics: Bristol’s Best (and only) Boys’ School, QEH is recognized for its outstanding academic record and the friendliness and confidence of the boys is notable. The school is not socially exclusive, having a good mix of people. The curriculum is well-suited to boys’ learning - they learn as individuals, feeling they have space to explore and develop.
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The curriculum: Sidcot provides a creative and stretching education that inspires children to want to learn. To achieve this, the curriculum is shaped to meet government requirements without an exam obsessed and prescriptive syllabus. The curriculum and teaching methods are designed to foster students’ intellectual curiosity and creativity. The aim is to educate our students, rather than simply train them to pass tests. Throughout their time at Sidcot, students develop the self-motivation to enable them to take responsibility for their own learning. In this way, they are equipped with the skills and attitudes they need for further education and lifelong learning. It’s no surprise that these personal qualities go together with academic excellence. Results have been consistently excellent with average points per candidate always significantly higher than the world average scores. Extra curricular activities: Sidcot has an excellent rural location and top class facilities for sport, arts, crafts and environmental studies. In September 2015 they launch ‘PASS’; a very special co-curricular initiative based on the key values of integrity, stewardship, self-reflection, adventure and community. A range of activities are embedded at the heart of the curriculum, focused on bringing these values to life. Every year group will be involved in a unique range of activities. For example, Year 9 will focus on self-reflection and practical life skills, touchtyping, first aid, sewing, car/bike maintenance and money management. Whereas Year 11 will be visiting elderly people, running primary after-school clubs and working with people with disabilities. Pastoral care: The Quaker value of equality is evident in the open and friendly relationships between staff and students, and between students of all ages. It’s often remarked that students are extremely supportive of each other, making newcomers students, teachers and visitors - quickly feel at home. Name of Headmaster: Iain Kilpatrick Outstanding characteristics: - International Baccalaureate diploma Sidcot offers its Sixth Form the choice of both the IB and A levels. The ethos of the IB, with its broad curriculum and emphasis on study skills, community service and internationalism fits well with the school’s Quaker values. Riding The BHS approved Equestrian Centre at Sidcot is well known in the area. Students of all ages can learn to ride, and tuition in dressage, crosscountry and jumping is available. Boarding students are welcome to bring their horses to Sidcot and a full livery service is available. Location 30 minutes south of Bristol on the A38.
Bell Hill, Stapleton, Bristol BS16 1BJ Tel: 0117 965 5207 Email: admissions@colstons.bristol.sch.uk Autumn term: 1 September – 11 December 2015 Spring term: 4 January – 24 March 2016 Summer term: 19 April – 8 July 2016 Age of pupils: 3 – 18 years Number of pupils: 754 Day fees: Upper School £4,245 Lower School £2,310-£3,190 Religious denomination: Church of England The curriculum: Lower School pupils enjoy the full range of academic subjects including languages, design technology, ICT, art and music. From the ages of 11 to 16 all pupils follow a broad and balanced curriculum in keeping with national policy. Key Stage 4 (years 10-11): Most pupils take 10 GCSE subjects. There is a compulsory core of English, English literature, mathematics, science (all three), a modern foreign language (French, Spanish or German) and religious studies (GCSE short course). In addition pupils select three GCSE options and continue to follow a non-examined programme of physical education and personal, social and health education (including careers education). Key Stage 5 (Sixth Form): Most students follow four AS subjects in the Lower Sixth, followed by three full A-Level subjects in the Upper Sixth. Extra curricular activities: More than 50 clubs and activities are offered each term as well as the Combined Cadet Force, Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, ski trips, international sports tours, and cultural and language trips to various European countries. Pastoral care: Heads of house oversee teams of house tutors who are responsible for caring for pupils in tutorial groups. Tutors act as the point of contact for parents, and the pastoral structures are a notable strength of Colston’s. Name of principal: Mr Jeremy McCullough (Headmaster) Outstanding characteristics: Personal development is central to the Colston’s experience, and is secured through a wide range of activities and opportunities. Pupils are taught to display initiative and independence. The school encourages pupils to strive to be the best they can be. Colston’s is regarded as an extension to the family unit and each pupil is valued for his or her talents.
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Clifton High School College Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 3JD. Tel: 0117 973 0201 www.cliftonhigh.bristol.sch.uk admissions@cliftonhigh.bristol.sch.uk Autumn term: 3 September – 15 December 2015 Spring term: 6 January – 18 March 2016 Summer term: 12 April – 6 July 2016 Age of pupils: 3 – 18 years Number of pupils: 500 Day fees: £3,063 – £4,526 per term Religious denomination: Non-denominational The curriculum: Clifton High is the only fully coeducational school in Bristol to follow the Diamond Edge Model for years 7 – 9. Research has shown that boys and girls benefit from being taught separately during their formative years as they learn differently and value having their own space. Pupils in Year 7 learn separately in modern foreign languages and throughout Key Stage 3 in the core subjects of English, mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics and ICT but in mixed gender groups for all other subjects. Young people thrive and achieve their full potential socially and academically. CHS has a flourishing nursery school, so children can join from term in which they turn three, and an outstanding sixth form where approximately 80% of students are awarded places at Oxbridge or Russell Group universities. Extra curricular activities: CHS is outstanding in its provision of clubs and activities. Clubs range from astronomy and trampolining to robotics and the environment. A Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme and expeditions with World Challenge complement the range of visits at home and abroad. In addition CHS took a cricket and netball tour to Barbados in the spring of 2015 and a World Challenge expedition to Costa Rica during the summer. It is taking a skiing trip to the USA in 2016. Pastoral care: Class sizes at CHS are small. There is a thriving peer support system and parents comment on the excellent relationships between staff and pupils – relaxed but always respectful. The rapport, encouragement and support creates an atmosphere where everyone can develop happily and successfully Name of Principal: Dr Alison M Neill, Head of School. Dr Mark Caddy, Deputy Head of School. Dr Helen Pascoe, Deputy Head of School Outstanding characteristics: All young people are encouraged to believe in themselves and to face challenges with confidence, determination and a sense of excitement. Children learn to think for themselves, to do their best and to care for others in school and in the wider world. They discover and embrace their own talents and interests and develop the skills and qualities they need.
St Brendan’s St Brendan’s Sixth Form College, Broomhill Road, Brislington, Bristol, BS4 5RQ. Tel: 0117 977 7766 info@stbrn.ac.uk www.stbrn.ac.uk Autumn term: 1 Sept – 18 December 2015 Spring term: 4 Jan – 24 March 2016 Summer Term: 11 April – 1 July 2016 Age of pupils: 16 – 18 years Number of pupils: 1,750 Day fees: No fees for those aged 16 – 18 and resident in the UK. Religious denomination: St Brendan’s is a Catholic college which welcomes students from any religious or non-religious background. It is a diverse community with staff and students from a wide variety of backgrounds and traditions. The curriculum: St Brendan’s offers over 70 different courses at Level 2 (BTEC) and Level 3 (A-level and BTEC) plus GCSEs. Its courses can be taken in virtually any combination and are all taught on one site. Extra curricular activities: There is a huge enrichment programme available to students ranging from activities to enhance the courses you take (College drama production, Cine-Club, etc.); or ones that you feel passionately about (Fair Trade,CAFOD, etc.); or that offer a challenge or chance to keep fit (Duke of Edinburgh, gym, rugby, etc.). Pastoral care: St Brendan’s has always been highly praised for the pastoral care that it provides for all of its students – everyone has a Pastoral Support Tutor who is responsible for monitoring and supporting their academic progress and personal welfare. In addition the college has a dedicated team who provide additional learning support which is tailored to individual needs. All of this combined with the college’s distinctive catholic ethos, where every individual is regarded as a unique creation of God, in an environment of respect, care and tolerance of each other, means that all of the ingredients are here for students to fulfill their potential and realise their aspirations. If students are ambitious to achieve highly in a more adult atmosphere, the college would be delighted to welcome them and guide them to success. Name of principal: Michael Jaffrain Outstanding characteristics: St Brendan’s is the only dedicated sixth form provider in the area and the self-contained campus and state-of-theart buildings provide a unique community feel.
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Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls
Hereford Road, Monmouth, NP25 5XT Tel: 01600 711104 www.habs-monmouth.org Open Morning: 2nd & 3rd October 2015 6th Form Open evening: Wednesday 14 October 2015 Autumn term: 3 September – 11 December 2015 Spring term: 5 January – 24 March 2016 Summer term: 18 April – 8 July 2016 Age of pupils: 7 – 18 years Number of pupils: 610 Day fees: £3,383 – £4,508 Boarding fees (per term): £6,333 – £9,267 Religious denomination: Anglican The curriculum: A wide range of subjects is offered in Years 7, 8 and 9 in order to stimulate academic and personal development. They take care to ensure that no girl closes off the possibility of availing herself of the whole range of subjects for GCSE and A Level. Extra curricular activities: There are a wealth of lunchtime and after school opportunities which gives every girl a balance between work and play, helps develop some fantastic skills and truly enriches their learning. Pastoral care: The aim of pastoral care within the school is to create a caring and supportive environment both in and out of the classroom, helping each pupil to feel valued as an individual. The pastoral philosophy is to develop resilience, confidence and skills which take the girls through later life, while offering each pupil bespoke care. Name of Principal: Mrs Caroline Pascoe BSc (Hons), MSc Outstanding characteristics: Access to superb educational opportunities engages, enriches and inspires pupils. Sport, music, drama and art supplement academic achievement. Endowment income provides outstanding facilities and competitive fees. Scholarships and bursaries mean one in five pupils receives financial support. Close links with Monmouth School enable us to offer 30 A level subjects and many joint activities.
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The Downs School
Dauntsey’s West Lavington, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 4HE Tel: 01380 814500 Email: admissions@dauntseys.org Autumn term: 4 September – 11 December 2015 Spring term: 5 January – 18 March 2016 Summer term: 13 April – 2 July 2016 Age of pupils: 11 – 18 years Number of pupils: 795 Day fees: £5,780 per term UK boarders: £9,660 per term.
Wraxall Bristol BS48 1PF Tel: 01275 852008 office@thedownsschool.co.uk
Religious denomination: Inter-denominational.
Autumn term: 3 September – 16 December 2015 Spring term: 6 January – 23 March 2016 Summer term: 20 April – 8 July 2016 Age of pupils: 4 – 13 years Number of pupils: 280 Day fees: reception/year 1 – £3,350 per term year 2 – £3,765 per term year 3 – £4,120 per term years 4 – 8 – £5,085 per term Religious denomination: C of E The curriculum: The Downs is one of the few truly independent 13+ prep schools in the south west. 13+ Common Entrance and Scholarship exams are central to the academic curriculum which includes traditional subjects, two modern languages, theory of music and a programme in etiquette, woodwork and chess. The school also hosts an excellent Forest School. Extra curricular activities: The school achieves outstanding standards in sport but is genuinely inclusive. There is exceptional achievement in creative arts, 6 choirs, 85% of children play a musical instrument, 60% attend speech and drama lessons. There are numerous clubs including formula 24 greenpower racing, fishing and den making as well as exciting annual prep school camps and reciprocal trips to France, Spain and Holland.
The curriculum: The curriculum throughout the school is broad and balanced, offering all pupils the opportunity to study an extensive range of subjects. Lessons are delivered by specialist teachers in a challenging and stimulating environment that is conducive to a positive and enjoyable learning experience for the pupils. Dauntsey’s is keen to promote independent learning, enabling pupils to fulfil their potential and develop a range of key skills needed in later life. The timetable offers a great deal of flexibility with a well-structured weekly lesson arrangement and the extensive options system provides well for the different interests and aptitudes of all pupils. Extra curricular activities: All pupils discover a breadth and depth of education that takes them beyond academic achievement. Drama, music, art and sport all flourish and the rural surroundings provide an ideal setting for many outdoor activities which include sailing on the school’s very own Tall Ship, the famous 56’ gaff cutter, the Jolie Brise. Pastoral care: At Dauntsey’s each pupil joins a boarding or day house and is supported by his or her housemaster or housemistress and a team of tutors. Their aim is to ensure each pupil fulfils their potential and makes the most of the varied opportunities on offer at Dauntsey’s. Name of principal: Mr Mark Lascelles MA
Pastoral care: The essence of the school is to know and understand each of the children - and their families. The school is much in demand but there is no ambition to increase in size as this would prove detrimental to this core value. Matrons, tutors, form teachers and pupils themselves play an integral role in the process of providing outstanding, considered pastoral care. Name of principal: M A Gunn M.A.(Ed), P.G.C.E., B.A., I.A.P.S. Outstanding characteristics: Downs School children are outstanding; they are highly motivated and experience considerable all round success. They nevertheless demonstrate humility and unaffected good manners; confidence in contrast to arrogance is applauded. The stunning rural estate is unique in the area and essentially used to best effect. The entire community that is The Downs School is particularly close and happy in support of one another. Over the last ten years on average 50% of the Year 8 Leavers have won scholarships
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Outstanding characteristics: The equal balance of boarding and day pupils, the wide range of facilities, and the excellent pastoral support ensure that everyone feels part of the community. Visitors comment on the happy and friendly atmosphere; the energy, purpose and determination to do well.
Bristol Steiner School Redland Hill, Redland, Bristol Avon, BS6 6UX Tel: 0117 933 9990 info@bristolsteinerschool.org Website: www.bristolsteinerschool.org Open Evenings, Talks & Classroom Tours 2015–2016: AUTUMN TERM 2015: Open Evening: 6th Oct 2015. 7 – 9.00 pm at Main School All Welcome – no booking required. Introductory Talk: Find out more about Steiner Education. Wed 11th Nov 2015 at Main School (time tbc) Classroom Tours: 22.9.15, 14.10.15, 5.11.15, 8.12.15 Autumn term: 8 September – 16 December 2015 Spring term: 6 January – 24 March 2016 Summer term: 12 April – 15 July 2016 Age of pupils: 6 – 16 years Number of pupils: 170 Day fees: £6,996 per annum Religious denomination: Non-denominational The curriculum: The Bristol Steiner School offers a truly child-centred form of education which is as much to do with actively engaging with children’s willing and feeling, as with their thinking. Steiner schools use a curriculum which is structured to respond to the developmental needs of the children, and pupils are provided with the skills they need to become balanced, well-rounded individuals. As well as academic skills, including five core GCSEs in English, science, maths, art and French, pupils acquire a sensitive and caring interest in the cultural and natural worlds, identifying with fundamental issues of contemporary life. Co-curricular activities: In addition to developing a child’s academic skills, Steiner education also stimulates creativity, social skills and free thinking. The curriculum is based on the principle of educating the whole child “head, heart and hands” and is therefore rich and varied, balancing academic subjects with artistic and practical activities — and cultivating a genuine desire to learn without the need for external motivators such as exams or competitive activities. Pastoral care: There is a focus on the social well-being of classes. When children look forward to going to school, have a love of learning and enjoy a social life, discipline problems tend to be less frequent and less serious. Outstanding characteristics: Steiner schools form the largest group of independent, nondenominational and co-educational private schools in the world. Pupils leave the school as well-rounded, confident individuals who are academically advantaged with respect to their state or public school counterparts. Alumni consistently gain admission to top universities including Oxford and Cambridge with both Oxbridge and the Department of Education praising a Steiner education for producing free-thinking, intellectually curious students with exemplary social and communication skills.
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Clifton College
Monmouth School
Fairlawn Primary School
32 College Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 3JH Tel: 0117 315 7000 Web: www.cliftoncollege.com Email: info@cliftoncollege.com Autumn term: 2 September – 10 December 2015 Spring term: 6 January – 17 March 2016 Summer term: 12 April – 30 July 2106 Age of pupils: 2 – 18 years Number of pupils: 1,169 (Preparatory School, ages 2 – 13, 480; Upper School, ages 13-18, 689) Day fees: Nursery and Pre-Preparatory pupils from £2,140 Preparatory School day pupils from £5,120 Upper School day pupils from £7,670 Religious denomination: Church of England, embracing all faiths. Clifton also has its own Synagogue. Jewish pupils are encouraged to celebrate their Jewish identity, not only for their own benefit but also for the benefit of the wider College community. The curriculum: Clifton offers an outstanding all-round education. The College is equally strong in STEM, Literature, Languages and the Arts. Clifton inspires its pupils to become the best possible version of themselves. 2015 saw the highest ever A Level and GCSE results with 17 pupils gaining places at Oxford and Cambridge. Scholarships and bursaries are available at 11+ and 13+. Extra curricular activities: The extensive offering of games, activities and events that take place outside the classroom are more than just added extras; they form part of the all-round education Clifton is famous for. Specialised buildings such as the Joseph Cooper Music School and the Redgrave Theatre ensure pupils have access to first class facilities. The impressive sports grounds total more than 90 acres and include an on-site swimming pool and gym, an international standard water-based hockey pitch, 3G rugby pitch, indoor netball and tennis dome, and tennis, rackets, Fives and Real Tennis courts. Pastoral Care: The House System is one of Clifton’s greatest strengths. Pupils from different age groups can socialise with each other and older pupils take pride in encouraging the younger children. The College has its own on-site medical centre with fully trained nursing staff. College catering staff work alongside nutritionists to come up with healthy menus for every stage of child development. Name of Principal: Mr Mark J Moore MA Outstanding Characteristics: Clifton College is a traditional British Public School with modern teaching values. It offers an all-round education, outstanding pastoral care and limitless opportunities.
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Almshouse Street, Monmouth NP25 3XP Tel: 01600 710433 Website: www.habs-monmouth.org Open Morning: 2nd & 3rd October 2015 6th Form Open evening: Wednesday 14 October 2015 Autumn term: 3 September – 11 December 2015 Spring term: 5 January – 24 March 2016 Summer term: 18 April – 8 July 2016 Age of pupils: 7 – 18 years Number of pupils: 685 Day fees: £3,383 – £4,824 Boarding fees (per term): £6,333 – £9,267 Religious denomination: Anglican The curriculum: The Monmouth School curriculum is based on the National Curriculum but is not constrained by it. Pupils are introduced to a wide range of subjects in their early years and they usually go on to take nine or 10 subjects at GCSE. Over 30 A and AS level courses are offered in the Sixth Form. In addition to their A level studies, boys have the opportunity to pursue a variety of enrichment and supplementary courses. Extra curricular activities: Monmouth School offers a wide and varied extra-curricular programme. All boys are encouraged to take full advantage of lunchtime and after school activities and clubs. They develop confidence and make friends through chess, karate, reading, choir and many other activities. Pastoral care: Each pupil is allocated to a Tutor who is drawn from the academic staff. Both Tutor and Housemaster are able to get to know the boy well over a period of years and provide experienced and sympathetic guidance throughout his school career. They aim to ensure that all pupils gain the utmost from their time at Monmouth, not only in the classroom, but through all the other experiences that the School has to offer. Name of Principal: Dr Andrew Daniel BSc, MEd, PhD, PGCE Outstanding characteristics: With a strong emphasis on academic success (10 per cent of sixth formers gained places to Oxbridge this year), sport, the arts, music and CCF help shape the boys. Founded in 1614, endowment income ensures outstanding facilities and highly competitive fees. Scholarships and bursaries mean that one in five pupils receives financial support. Links with Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls enable the school to offer 30 A level subjects and many joint activities.
Fairlawn Road,Bristol BS6 5JL Website: www.fairlawn.bristol.sch.uk Phone: 0117 9424328 Autumn term: 1 September – 18 December 2015 Spring term: 4 January – 24 March 2016 Summer term: 11 April – 22 July 2016 Age of pupils: 4 – 7 years Number of pupils: 30 Day fees: None Religious denomination: All The curriculum: The curriculum at Fairlawn helps children understand the world while learning through experience, experimentation and inquiry. The rich and broad curriculum is taught with assistance from subject specialists in some areas, such as Music, PE and Spanish. At the same time the school has the highest expectations for the literacy and numeracy development of all pupils, and these skills are taught rigorously from Reception and embedded by practice across all curriculum areas. The curriculum focus on STEAM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths) will underpin the framework for pupil learning. While carefully following the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, the Reception syllabus covers a great deal more than the statutory minimum and is excellent preparation for Year One and beyond. Children benefit from spacious Reception classrooms complemented by sheltered outdoor teaching and learning areas. Extra curricular activities: There are a number of extra curricular activities including arts and crafts, languages and sporting activities. This programme will grow to include dance, drama, cookery and gardening. Pastoral Care: The school provides a safe, caring and supportive environment in which each child will be able to flourish. The health and wellbeing of every member of the school community is important. Head of School: Mrs Julie Molesworth Outstanding characteristics: The newly refurbished Victorian school buildings in the centre of a vibrant community offer a wonderful opportunity for pupils and families in the city. As part of the Colston’s Girls’ School Trust the school shares the same high standards of education across the Trust schools. The school develops strong relationships with parents and the wider community to enhance the education of the children. Working together, provision is outstanding.
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Alison Lawson September.qxp_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:30 Page 1
ADVERTORIAL FEATURE
They said she was unable to take GSCE’s, but then she achieved 38 grades above predictions!” Liberty had difficulty in retaining her learning, & needed to regularly go over the same ground to retain it, which was not that easy once her GCSE years had begun. In fact at Junior school, it seemed unlikely that Liberty would be able for GCSE’s. So however did she beat the predictions?.
Her ability to retain information also improved, however it really took her exams to prove it! Because at Junior school, it seemed unlikely that Liberty would be able for GCSE’s. Her predicted grades in her CAT tests were F’s and G’s. But in her actual GCSE’s her results were:
L
2 x A’s 1xB 5 x C’s 1 x D (Which was a year 10 exam)
iberty had difficulty in retaining information and she was a slow and reluctant reader. Also she was lacking in self-confidence, and very worried about getting things wrong & quite negative about her abilities. It was difficult for her to complete an assignment/paper in the time given. Spelling didn’t come easily for her & she would often need to check quite simple words. We wanted to address these problem areas for her – particularly with her GCSE’s in view. We had tried other options for Liberty earlier on in life, but things were still not easy for her. So when we heard about the Alison Lawson program, we were keen to try anything that might help Liberty to retain information and build up confidence. Completing the questionnaire prior to enrolling on the program helped to confirm that it was certainly worth trying, as lots of aspects seemed to ‘fit the bill’. The Alison Lawson program was an easy program to try, it is not long and fitted easily in after school and during the holidays. It was so satisfying to see the progress in reading by the end of the sessions. Liberty actually enjoyed the course, which made it very easy to complete. We felt as parents it was our responsibility to do what we could and as much as we could to help our Liberty to succeed in her learning. Liberty had tended to be embarrassed by what she couldn’t do & avoided challenges because she felt she couldn’t do them. The positive & encouraging help she received on the program was excellent & a big boost to her selfconfidence. So far we have seen in improvement in Liberty’s spelling, reading, writing, confidence and concentration. In spelling she is now able to spell without much help at all, whereas before she often asked for quite simple words. She is also able to read faster and enjoys it more than she has done & her accuracy has certainly improved. Prior to the treatment she was very easily distracted by noise, which is a distinct disadvantage as there is a lot of noise around us all the time! We also noticed that she is a lot more willing to work independently, with the confidence that she is able to do her school work without necessarily being helped. The improvement in her writing, being joined up, was pretty much immediate. Her reading had also improved by the end of the treatment. However her spelling improvement was more gradual, as was also her confidence. One thing I noticed about the treatment, is that it is easy not to notice small improvements, such as spellings, or even confidence growing. It helps if you look back to how things were before. I noticed, for example, instead of automatically asking for help with homework, she was doing it independently until she got stuck, which showed an improvement in her confidence. I didn’t expect such a quick change in her handwriting – changing to joined up writing, which has made her writing much faster – very important in her exams. WWW.THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK
When her school announced the results they actually announced her achievements ahead of those who had gained A’s and A*’s, because her actual combined results were 38 grades above what her predictions were supposed to be! Read more online So whether your child is dreading their exams next year or have just received crushing results, help is at hand. Don’t let them struggle any longer. Failure and the feelings of failure can have devastating long term results. Do what you can for them now and contact the Alison Lawson team on 01935 403260 or treatment@dyslexia-treatment.co.uk • Just 10 Power Sessions Configured in anything from 1-5 days a week – you chose. • Tackles the Root Cause Not just the side effects. With the root cause fixed, anxiety & frustration decrease. While understanding increases. Makes sense doesn’t it? • Far Reaching Effects Vision, Reading, Comprehension, Spelling, Maths, Concentration, Confidence, Handwriting, Tiredness, Headaches, Motion Sickness and much more. • Fast Results Often seen within days or weeks of completing treatment. • One off Life Time Investment “You mean I don’t have to come back?” No, that’s right!
Quick & effective dyslexia treatment
• Non invasive • 10 fun sessions • Life changing results
- UK SEPTEMBER 2015
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HEALTH | & BEAUTY
PEDAL POWER ■ Now’s the time to sign up for a life-changing adventure, in more ways than one. Entries for Above & Beyond’s Bristol to Paris Cycle Challenge are now open, offering you the chance to cycle through Paris in the springtime while raising much needed funds for our city’s hospitals. The event promises participants the journey of a lifetime, pedalling 430kms over four days – through rural England, medieval French towns and sleepy villages – culminating in a race across the Seine to finish beneath the iconic Eiffel Tower. The charity offers great support for all riders as they fundraise and train, and all money raised in this year’s event will deliver new ultrasound technology to Bristol Children’s Hospital so that complex operations can be carried out with even greater precision. If you’re ready to sign up, or would just like further details, visit: www.aboveandbeyond.co.uk or email Toni Collier at: toni.collier@aboveandbeyond.org.uk
■ The third and final of 2015’s Cycle Sunday events is happening on Sunday 20 September. The day will see a rare closure of the Downs to cars and other vehicles, so thousands of cyclists can enjoy safe passage round the beautiful area with their families. Whether you’re an old hand on a bike, or introducing some younger children to cycling, it’s a lovely, friendly event for everyone involved. There is a festival-feel all day long. Vicki Cracknell, founder of the Cycle Sunday campaign, said: “We are looking forward to another fun, safe, car-free Sunday morning on the Downs. We hope to welcome even more families this time round, who are keen to see parts of the city’s amazing and beautiful wildlife in a fun and sustainable fashion.” Cycle Sunday consists of a growing group of families in North Bristol who want their children to have the opportunity to enjoy traffic-free cycling in the city.
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FIT & FAB
A few ideas to help you combat the stressful school holidays
Let’s hear it for the boys Men’s skin needs some TLC too...
• No man (or woman) is fully dressed until they’ve added a drop of signature scent to complete their outfit. The fragrance you wear each day is as important as the outfit you choose, and you can’t go wrong with Intenso by Dolce & Gabbana £42. Available exclusively at Debenhams, Broadmead, or visit: www.debenhams.com • But before you get to spritzing on a fragrance, you need to prep your skin so it looks great. GLAMGLOW SUPERMUD, £44.99, is a miracle product that detoxes and restores skin with high quality ingredients. Great for soothing razor nicks and coaxing out in-grown hairs. Available online, visit: www.glamglowmud.co.uk • Speaking of which, shaving is the bane of many a man’s morning, but it needn’t be so if you use the right products. Aveda do a fantastic range that is gentle yet effective in preparing skin for shaving, and then soothing it afterwards. Our top picks are Pure-Formance shave cream, £17.50 and Botanical Kinetics Hydrating Lotion, £34. Available at Debenhams, Broadmead, or visit: www.aveda.co.uk
A new look for Virgin Active Virgin Active Bristol has been revamped, and now boasts industry leading facilities. These include a brand new group cycle studio, airy group exercise studios, a new free weights area, children’s facilities and an expanded gym floor with the latest equipment sourced from health and fitness innovators around the world. General manager of the club, Jim Heskin, said: “It is hugely exciting to reveal our refurbished club with its new look and feel to the community. On behalf of the team, I want to thank our lovely members for their patience during the refurbishment. We hope the new facilities were worth the wait and will inspire and motivate more local people to come and see all that Virgin Active has to offer.” Virgin Active, Hunts Ground Road, Stoke Gifford, BS34 8HN. For more information tel: 0117 974 9740 or visit: www.virginactive.co.uk
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CITY | BEAUTY
Beauty
BAREMINERALS LIMITED EDITION BRILLIANT BRUSHES SET, £49
NOTES
Exclusive to Harvey Nichols, get start-to-finish radiant results with this sumptuous set of professional brushes. Featuring five individual brushes – for face, cheeks and eyes – encased in a decadent gold clutch, it’s the toolkit any makeup maven needs
EVE LOM GOLDEN BRONZING POWDER, £42 Eve Lom's shimmering Golden Bronzing Powder blends effortlessly and reflects light to illuminate skin and disguise imperfections while adding a subtle, bronzing hue to your complexion
THE PERFECT CANVAS Make-up artists often refer to the face as a canvas, starting by building a smooth complexion, enhancing the structure of your face and then accentuating key features through the use of colour and creating impact through a selection of techniques. Louise Masson, General Manager at Harvey Nichols Bristol selects the tools, products and colour palettes that will create the perfect work of art.
TOM FORD TRACELESS FOUNDATION SPF15, £64
All products are available from Harvey Nichols of Bristol via Collect Instore from harveynichols.com
Tom Ford's Traceless Foundation SPF15 is a 3-in-1 foundation that delivers a balanced, glowing complexion which is full of vitality and radiance. Extremely lightweight and luminous, it includes the skin-nourishing Tom Ford Infusing Complex to help protect skin and promote its vibrancy from within
RODIAL INSTAGLAM™ AIRBRUSH PRIMER 30ML, £34 Rodial's hydrating, lightweight Airbrush Primer combines hyaluronic acid to plump the look of lines and wrinkles, with gransil and osilift® to instantly tighten appearance of the skin and blur imperfections with a matte finish
SERGE LUTENS LIP PALETTE, £120 Serge Lutens' covetable lip palette includes four vibrant colours, perfect for developing a stand out pout
SHU UEMURA FALSE EYELASHES, FARFALLINA, £23.50 Shu Uemura creates beautifully high quality false eyelashes to help emphasise the eyes for a dramatic, high-impact look BENEFIT HIGH BROW PENCIL, £16.50
EYEKO EYE DO EYELINER, £15 Enhance and define eyes with Eyeko’s Eye Do Eyeliner. Waterproof and carbon black in colour, the easy to use precision tip creates the perfect line to subtly accentuate the eye or create a dramatic cat eye
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Benefit's High Brow Pencil highlights your brow bone for an instant brow lift, illuminating the entire eye area
LA PRAIRIE LIGHT FANTASTIC CELLULAR CONCEALER, £50 La Prairie's multi-tasking, portable tool instantly refreshes and illuminates your eye zone while concealing imperfections such as puffiness and dark under-eye circles
LAURA MERCIER LIMITED EDITION EYE CHROMES PALETTE, £32 Laura Mercier’s Limited Edition Eye Chromes Palette features four shimmering shadow foils with chic glitter effects that dance on your eyelid. Dry application delivers a shimmer foil effect while wet application delivers a high coverage, metal chrome effect
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CONCEPTION CONCERNS M
aking the decision to start a family is an exciting and emotional milestone in a couple’s relationship but it can also be stressful if you struggle to conceive straightaway. While it might seem that for many falling pregnant is easy, it is quite common for couples to experience difficulties, with around one in six facing fertility issues. You might think that IVF is the next step however there are many other options you should investigate first. Mrs Uma Gordon and Mr Peter Wardle are leading consultants in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery based at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, The Chesterfield. On Wednesday 7 October they will host a free Meet the Experts evening offering 10 minute, one-to-one appointments, for women and couples to find out more about options available to them. Uma Gordon said: “The majority of couples come to see me because they are concerned it is taking a while to fall pregnant. We would expect most couples, where the woman is under Uma Gordon 35 years, to conceive within a year. Around 80 per cent will fall pregnant within the first six months and 90 per cent within twelve. If it’s taking longer, or if you are over 35, then it’s certainly worth seeking help.” Peter Wardle added: “In the 1980’s the average age of a woman who would come to see me was 26 years-old, nowadays women are waiting until they’re in their mid-30’s. A woman at this age has fewer eggs and from the age of 35 onwards the chances of conceiving in the first year are reduced to 50-60 per cent. “The NHS will usually only treat those who have been trying for a baby for at least two years, losing valuable time for those moving into their mid to late 30s.” Fertility patients at Nuffield Health Bristol Peter Wardle Hospital, The Chesterfield, receive extended consultation appointments, providing a relaxed and trusting environment to discuss delicate fertility issues. A detailed history will be taken and initial tests and examinations given to help develop an outline action plan. Peter Wardle continued: “By taking a thorough look at your medical history we can often develop a clear idea of what might be causing problems with conception or maintaining a pregnancy. It might be that you have pelvic WWW.THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK
scarring from previous surgery or ovarian cysts, tubal problems, hormonal imbalances, ovulatory problems, or even something as simple as a vitamin or mineral deficiency.” “And it’s not just women who should come to see us”, added Uma Gordon. “Around 40-50 per cent of fertility issues are actually linked to the man, for example low sperm count or slow mobility of the sperm, so it’s vital that both partners meet with a specialist like Peter or myself.” Uma Gordon and Peter Wardle are able to assess and treat a range of conditions which affect male and female fertility, often helping patients to achieve a successful outcome without the need for IVF. Tips for couples hoping to conceive: - Ensure you both have a healthy diet, rich in vitamins and nutrients - Completely stop smoking - Keep alcohol intake to 5 units or less per week if you’re female woman and 10 units or less for men - Have intercourse around three times a week - Take folic acid – it is now standard advice for women looking to conceive and throughout the first 12 weeks of pregnancy
Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, The Chesterfield, is hosting a free Meet the Experts Women’s Health and Fertility event on Wednesday 7 October from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. The event is open to everyone and offers the chance to meet with Mr Peter Wardle and Mrs Uma Gordon. In addition to fertility issues, both are also able to help with women’s health concerns including Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, recurrent miscarriage, early ovarian failure and hormone disturbances leading to menstrual irregularity or excess hair growth. One-to-one sessions must be pre-booked. For more information, visit www.nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/bristol or call 0117 405 8756.
Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital The Chesterfield, 3 Clifton Hill, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1BN Tel: 0117 405 8756 • www.nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/bristol SEPTEMBER 2015
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Paediatric specialist staff
Child Health
Spire Bristol has a large resource of highly-skilled, extensively-trained medical professionals working at the hospital. Every child is assigned a paediatric specialist consultant within the chosen area of specialty – ranging from dermatology, general surgery, oral surgery, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, general paediatrics, ENT, plastic surgery or urology – Spire has the widest range of specialties compared to any other private hospital in the region. Each consultant has a minimum of 10-15 years’ experience of treating children within the NHS.
Spire the Glen Hospital Bristol is expanding it’s children’s services
Highest level of patient care
S
pire the Glen hospital Bristol, the largest private healthcare provider in the South West, is expanding its children’s services in Bristol. The private hospital is the only one in the region that is able to offer its services to children from as young as three years old. Giving families access to high quality care in a comfortable and clean environment, Spire Bristol has a wide range of treatment options and state-of-the-art facilities available.
Throughout their experience with Spire Bristol, parents are kept well informed. The family is invited to meet their child’s consultant in advance and also tour the facilities. When staying for a surgical procedure, each child gets to stay in a private en-suite room, with a TV and DVD player. The rooms are also large enough to accommodate a parent wishing to stay overnight. Paediatric surgery is led by specialist nurse, Lisa Cree, who has over 20 years' experience working in both the NHS and in private hospitals. Commenting on the service that Spire is able to provide to children, she says: “We know that when children need to come in to hospital, it can be an anxious time for the whole family – that’s why we offer children and their families an all-important opportunity to visit the hospital prior to admission, become familiar with the surroundings and meet the experts who will be involved in their care. Spire The Glen Hospital Bristol offers a comprehensive range of high quality treatments, services and diagnostic facilities. Since 2010 it has invested £30 million pounds to give patients access to state-of-the-art facilities and quality care in comfortable surroundings. Spire Healthcare Group PLC, of which Spire The Glen Hospital Bristol is part, was named Hospital Group of the Year for the second year running at the 2015 HealthInvestor Awards. It was recognised for its high standards in patient care, development of core services and investment in facilities. To find out more about the children’s services available at Spire Bristol, visit: www.spirehealthcare.com/bristol or contact the dedicated team on 0117 980 4080 or info@spirehospital.com
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• Email: info@gkhealth.co.uk • Tel: 0333 332 1491
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STILL SMILING This month, Jenny Hayes returns to Beau Monde Dental to have her Six Month Smile braces fitted
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hose among you who read my review of Beau Monde Dental Care last month will not be surprised to learn that I was very excited about returning to the friendly practice on North View this month to have the lower arch of my Six Month Smile brace fitted. As always, it was a pleasure to step into the light, pretty surgery and into the capable hands of Dr Catherine Spalding and dental nurse Jade Slade. Once I had settled into the comfortable leather chair, Catherine explained what would be happening during this appointment, making sure that I was happy with each stage and reminding me that if I felt any discomfort or needed a break at any time, to let her know. Having been a patient of Catherine’s for nearly four years now, I didn’t really have any concerns to begin with as I know she is always extremely gentle and precise in her work, but I really appreciated being informed of exactly what was going to be happening so that no element of the treatment would be unexpected and I could relax throughout. Initially, my teeth needed to be cleaned so that the glue that would hold the transparent brackets of my brace in place would adhere properly. Once that was done, Catherine applied the blue, gel-like glue to my teeth, and warned me that it didn’t taste very nice. Fortunately, she applied it with such care and Jade rinsed it away so efficiently that I barely noticed it in my mouth, so didn’t find the process unpleasant at all. Next came the fitting of the brackets, which arrive from the specialist lab in America in a plastic tray that is placed over the teeth, ensuring they are in exactly the right position for the wires to do their work and pull the teeth 112 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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into alignment. Once in place, Catherine shone a light over each of my teeth in turn to set the glue, and then removed the plastic surround so only the small, clear brackets remained. Then Catherine began to attach the tooth-coloured wires, a process that I would imagine could feel unpleasant as a certain amount of pressure is needed to slot the wires into the brackets and then tighten them around the teeth. Not so in Catherine’s hands. She wove them in with meticulous care, checking in with me regularly to make sure I was doing ok. The whole process took 1hr 20mins, although it really didn’t feel like that long to me as Catherine and Jade maintained easy conversation throughout, and Catherine regularly paused in her work to let me relax my jaw, or have a rinse, just to make sure I remained comfortable and relaxed. It is this level of thoughtfulness and awareness of a patient’s needs that, in my eyes, really sets Beau Monde apart as a practice, and it is something that has been consistent throughout every appointment I’ve been to – whether just for a quick checkup, or a more complex procedure such as this. As Catherine had warned may happen, over the next few days I did experience some pain as the wires began to encourage my teeth to move, but it was completely manageable with Ibuprofen and the knowledge that it was all part of my path toward that perfect smile. And I can happily assure you that, a week later, I can barely remember life without my brace, and I’m looking forward to having my upper arch fitted next month. So watch this space... n Beau Monde Dental Care offers a full range of services, from routine dentistry for all the family to more specialised cosmetic procedures like Six Month Smiles and teeth whitening. Six Month Smiles can take between 4–9 months depending on the treatment required. The cost for both upper and lower arches is £2300, and Beau Monde offers a variety of payment plans to suit you. Beau Monde Dental Care, 35 North View, BS6 7PY. Tel: 0117 330 3495 or visit: www.beaumondedental.co.uk
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A HEALTHY CAREER CHOICE “Re-training as a Naturopathic Acupuncturist enabled me to overcome my own health problems. It has also given me a career which is rewarding both personally and financially.” Amanda Banks, Graduate of CNM (College of Naturopathic Medicine).
I
suffered persistent bouts of painful Interstitial Cystitis along with gut problems for years. Western medicine was unable to give me any answers, despite extensive testing. In a quest to resolve my health issues I tried many different things, including sporadic sessions of acupuncture, which I’d found really helpful but I felt it could do more. I instinctively knew there was another piece to the jigsaw. My own research eventually led to an improvement in my gut health, though at one stage my weight plummeted as my diet became so limited that I was eating only 6 foods. I desperately needed to learn more as the Western medicine I was being offered was not helping. My research led me to CNM, where I could train as an Acupuncturist and a Naturopath combined, the extra piece of the jigsaw I was looking for. The naturopathic approach combines a number of other therapies which alongside acupuncture can help to resolve long-standing issues. I gained important knowledge and tools, which as a practitioner I use to re-educate patients on diet and lifestyle choices. My aim is to uncover and address the root cause of health issues, treating the whole person mind, body and spirit. Acupuncturists believe that we all have meridians or channels within the body and disease or illness occurs when these meridians are out of kilter. Inserting the acupuncture needles at appropriate points along these meridians brings them back into balance and hence stimulates the body’s natural healing process. My CNM training was a huge turning point both personally and physically. The course pushed me way out of my comfort zone, with essays to be written and exams to be passed, but the knowledge I was gaining allowed me to improve my own health. We had a very close study group and under the guided supervision of the lecturers we treated each other; in turn we started to notice changes/improvements as we began to understand more about our individual cases. The course requires hundreds hours of clinical practice, and a very busy student clinic facilitated a huge amount of hands-on experience with a wide range of health issues. Having graduated I set up clinic and within the first 6 months I was seeing about 20 clients a week and a year later, approximately 35 clients a week. The combination of Naturopathy and Acupuncture has proved to be an excellent selling point for me and enabled me to build a good reputation, particularly in the area of supporting people with Interstitial Cystitis. I made what I am sure will be lifelong friends on the course. I also now work closely with a CNM Nutrition Graduate doing workshop days educating patients on the WWW.THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK
Amanda Banks
benefits of acupuncture and nutrition. We cross-refer to each other and both enjoy the benefits of being part of the larger CNM naturopathic community. I am convinced that the results I see in clinic are due to the excellent teaching staff at CNM and the fact that with naturopathy you can educate your patients on how to improve their conditions/diseases outside the clinic. All in all, a good return on the investment I made to study; a wonderful career, the flexibility of being my own boss, job satisfaction, and it’s financially beneficial. I have no regrets!
Attend a FREE CNM event in Bristol this September! The Organic Detox Monday 7th September 5.30pm – 6.30pm
CNM Open Evening, Nutrition Thursday 10th September 7.00pm – 9.00pm
CNM Open Evening, Acupuncture Thursday 17th September 7.00pm – 9.00pm
The Great Diet Debate Wednesday 23rd September 7.00pm – 9.00pm For details & venues and to book your free place, visit:
www.naturopathy-uk.com 01342 410 505 SEPTEMBER 2015
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OUT | AND ABOUT
TREASURE ISLAND TRAIL Andrew Swift takes us on a swashbuckling walk around the harbourside
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n 19 September, the Long John Silver Trust will unveil a Treasure Island Trail around Bristol’s docks, with old barrels planted with palm trees marking sites of interest en route. This month’s walk takes the trail as the starting point for an exploration of Bristol’s maritime past, and, in honour of Long John Silver, Bristol’s most famous pirate-publican, there are pubs – past and present – aplenty, plus the chance to visit the ss Great Britain en route. We start at the Neptune statue in the Centre. Unveiled on a conduit in Temple Street in 1725, it now stands amid fountains where the waters of the River Frome once flowed. On your left – looking towards the cascades – is Broad Quay, where ships unloaded their cargoes, and where a line of pubs once stood. The last to close was the Sedan Chair at No 4, now home to the Urban Tiger ‘gentlemen’s club’.
● Walk along Broad Quay to the George V fountain, and bear left towards the pink-painted Merchants Almshouses, built in 1699, and the site of the first barrel. This, as far as Treasure Island goes, is where the story starts. One of the ex-mariners who lived here was William Williams. He wrote a novel called The Journal of Llewellin Penrose, which included an encrypted pirate treasure map and provided Robert Louis Stevenson with the inspiration for his classic tale. ● The Chinese restaurant next door also has a literary connection, for it was Bristol’s first library, built in 1740. Ahead lies King Street, once lined with pubs, several of which survive. The Small Bar – the letters StN on its wall indicating that it stands on the boundary of St Nicholas parish – was the Bunch of Grapes. Opposite, the King William Ale House originally occupied the two-storey building at the back before being extended forward. The Naval Volunteer was also much smaller, starting out as a beer and lodging house. Further along at No 7 was the Royal Oak, but beyond that is one of Bristol’s most celebrated pubs, the Llandoger Trow, originally owned by the master of 114 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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a trow that ran between Bristol and Llandogo in Wales, and the site of the second barrel. There were inns with similar names – such as the Cardiff Boat and the Chepstow Boat – nearby, but they have long gone. It originally occupied only the building on the right, before being extended into the adjoining two in 1962. ● The Old Duke opposite was originally the Duke William. There were two more inns – the Cardigan Arms and the Britannia – to the right of it. The Britannia was lost to bombing, the Cardigan to developers. ● Turn right at the end along Welsh Back, which was also lined with pubs. The Cross Keys, the Bell, the White Hart and the Golden Bottle all survived into the twentieth century, before being lost to bombing and redevelopment. Opposite Mill Avenue – once known as Ferry Avenue because a ferry to Redcliffe Back ran from here – is the third barrel. ● The fourth barrel can be found at the end outside the Hole in the Wall, originally the Coach & Horses. It is famous for its ‘spy house’, a tiny room on the waterfront with narrow windows from which a lookout was kept for press gangs, and may have been the inspiration for Silver’s Spyglass Inn. ● Carry on along the Grove past the former Sailors’ Home, founded in 1851. In the early nineteenth century a ship converted to a floating chapel for the use of seamen was moored in the Mud Dock opposite. ● Turn right into Grove Avenue, left into Queen Square and on into Royal Oak Avenue. Royal Oak House, on the left, stands on the site of an inn bombed in 1941, while on the right is the former Seamen’s Church & Institute of 1880. Turn left past the Shakespeare Tavern, part of a grand townhouse built around 1725, and cross Prince Street Bridge, where you will find the fourth barrel at Merchant’s Landing on the left.
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OUT | AND ABOUT ● Turn right along the harbourside past the M Shed and a replica of The Matthew, and carry on to the ss Great Britain. ● Turn left along Gasferry Road, and after passing a derelict malthouse, turn right along an alley past a dry dock. Head towards the Orchard pub – originally the White Horse – turn left along Hanover Place and left along Cumberland Road. After passing some imposing early-Victorian houses, you come to modern flats incorporating a fragment of St Raphael’s Church, built in 1859 with six almshouses for ex-seamen attached. The bridge on the right was built in 1935 to replace a ferry over the New Cut. A little further along, the ruinous gatehouse of the old gaol was built in 1833 to replace one burnt down during the Bristol Riots. ● At the end, head to the right of The Louisiana – originally the Bathurst Hotel – along Bathurst Parade. Bathurst Basin, on your right, was built between 1804 and 1809, on the site of a millpond, to link the floating harbour to the New Cut. Steam Packet House, two doors down, was once the Steam Packet beerhouse. The end house has a stone marking the old boundary of Bristol and Somerset. ● Carry on past a warehouse built in 1874, with two-tone brick teased into exotic exuberance, and cross the bridge. To the left of a tunnel, through which the harbour railway ran to Temple Meads, is the eighteenth-century Ostrich Inn – and the fifth barrel. ● Head up Guinea Lane past the old General Hospital. Opposite the Golden Guinea – originally the Victoria – on the corner of Alfred Place is a former beerhouse known as the Old Arm Chair, once famous for the chair that hung above its door. ● Head along Alfred Place, cross Redcliffe Parade and, a little way along to the right, head down a ramp leading past Redcliffe Caves to the sixth barrel. Bear right along Redcliffe Wharf past the final barrel, cross the road and, just before the bascule bridge, bear right down a slope beside the river. Carry on along a cantilevered walkway and turn right along an alleyway. Turn left along Redcliffe Back, once home to numerous dockside inns, and bear left past a barrier into Buchanan’s Wharf. After passing an Archimedes screw from an old warehouse, walk through a covered area alongside the harbour. Turn right past the Exploration sculpture, and head along Thomas Lane, to the right of the church, to the final port of call, the Seven Stars, one of Bristol’s most celebrated inns, where a plaque commemorates its role in the abolition of the slave trade. n
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AHOY ME HEARTIES: main image: Redcliffe Wharf; this image: Small Bar on King Street
FURTHER INFORMATION... ■
Distance: 3 miles
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Time: About 2 hours
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Level of difficulty: Easy
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Information about the Treasure Island Trail can be found at www.longjohnsilvertrust.co.uk
SEPTEMBER 2015
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BRISTOL | BUSINESS
A NIGHT AT THE CIRCUS An evening to remember at Park Furnishers, Bristol’s largest independent furniture store
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BRISTOL | BUSINESS
H
idden away on a little cobbled lane to the rear of East Street, behind one of Bedminster’s main commuting routes into the city centre, lives Park Furnishers – Bristol’s largest independent furniture store. Trading since 1967, Park Furnishers is one of Bristol’s longest running furniture businesses. After a career as a Tank Commander in the 7th Armoured Division (The Desert Rats) and 8 years as Chief Administrator in the newly formed N.H.S., Park Furnishers’ founder, Len Coller, took a shrewd change of direction in his career, setting up a mobile greengrocer’s. However, to call him simply a greengrocer is a disservice, for – as long as it was good quality – it seems that Len would pretty much sell anything. During the early 60s, whilst holidaying in Portugal with his family, he stumbled across a beautiful dining set, which he decided would be perfect for his kitchen at home. The money was exchanged, the set went up on the roof rack and the family Coller were on their way home. Back in England, the new furniture drew lots of compliments from friends, and a few jokey requests that if Len ever went back to Portugal he should bring a set back for them. The following year the family did return to Portugal… with a lorry. “Len was a truly perceptive character,” says Park Furnishers’ marketing manager Paul Marshall. “He embraced change and innovation throughout his entire working life, putting all of his efforts into growing a business that would make other people happy. And this is an attitude we maintain today. Every member of the team feels as though our customers are extended family, and we never try to push anyone into buying anything they are unsure about.” Park Furnishers is still run by the Coller family, with brothers Tim and James at the helm. It was always Tim’s ambition to expand the business in line with what his father and grandfather had achieved and to this day Park Furnishers remains Bristol’s largest furniture store. The new generation of Collers are keen to promote the constantly changing nature of the business, to encourage ambition and enthusiasm in their staff’s approach to furniture sales, and to continue the careful consideration of customer needs that has so contributed to the success of the store over the last 48 years. “Park Furnishers is introducing more and more ranges that spark the imagination and can create a unique – even quirky – designer look in anyone’s home,” says Paul. “We want people to know that we aren’t just about providing quality furniture but we also care about well-designed, exciting contemporary pieces. We also display artwork by a range of local artists and have plans to redevelop the space we currently inhabit, making it more accessible to the modern market, redesigning the coffee shop and designing murals for the store interior.” Each year, the store hosts a customer party to say thank you to their loyal clients, and also showcase the wide range of furniture in store. The circus-themed Big Top in the Big Shop featured fire-eaters, street circus, stilt walkers, a hog roast, and plenty of Pimms and bubbly to enjoy under the red and white stripes of the big top canopy. Later in the evening the back yard was stage to fire performers, the Sizzlin’ Sisters, who wowed customers with their perilous pyrotechnics. “Over the years we have run a number of themed events, aimed at giving our customers a good time,” explains Paul. “Our theme this year was chosen because Bristol is home to a plethora of circus skills spaces and performers, so what better way to celebrate this great city than with a circus event?” As a local independent business, Park Furnishers places great value in supporting the surrounding community. In light of this, every spectacle of the evening was sourced from local suppliers – the big top fabric from Bedminster’s Calico, the hog roast from specialists Bowberry Fayre, and the performers from a local circus business. “It is always good to support your local community and Bristol is one of the best places to do so,” says Paul. “The community attitude in this city is almost impossible to define, but we try to reflect the ‘big village’ feeling in the way the store is run and by supporting other local businesses.” So if you’re looking to revamp your interiors this month, look no further than Park Furnishers. And with the planned in-store developments and whisper of a new unit opening soon, there’ll be even more to see there over the next few months. n
Main pic: Magnus Cromarty entertains customers in store This page, from top: Iris West & Elly Clibbens, the Sizzlin’ Sisters; Elly Clibbens shows a young guest how to hula hoop; Magnus Cromarty dazzles a crowd in the courtyard; things heat up with the Sizzlin’ Sisters in the evening All © Park Furnishers
Park Furnishers, Willway Street, BS3 4AZ. For more information tel: 0117 966 9253 or visit: www.parkfurnishers.co.uk
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GARDENING GARDENING
PAST MASTERS This month our garden expert, Margaux Speirs, takes a break from her own garden to draw inspiration from garden designers of the past
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ardeners traditionally take time off from work in the garden in August and September in order to sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labours. It’s a great time to visit other people’s gardens too, not just for the sheer pleasure of it but to get ideas for your own garden. Hestercombe Garden near Taunton is one of my favourite gardens to visit and for me it’s a masterclass in design techniques. It is actually three gardens in one: an eighteenth century romantic landscape (it has the feel of visiting a Georgian painting with shady dells, streams and ornamental lakes and lovely vistas which you come upon unexpectedly); a Victorian terrace laid out with annual bedding plants using Victorian plants and patterns which is completely dug up and changed twice a year; and the best part – an Edwardian formal garden laid out by the famous architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and plantswoman Gertrude Jekyll. It’s the only garden Lutyens designed without also being the architect for the adjacent house and the story about this made me smile: apparently he was not successful in his tender to re-design the house. Consequently, in his own design your eye is not drawn to the house at all from the garden, which entailed massive earthworks to sink the garden below the terrace, diagonal paths and large water features at the end of the rills so you focus on those rather than the house. However did he persuade the home owner to finance the outworkings of his strop like this? The garden came close to being tarmacked over in the 1970s: it was owned 120 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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by Somerset County Council and used as the headquarters for the Somerset fire brigade who wanted to use the area as a training ground. Luckily a local man with a vision to restore the gardens came along and for the past 25 years he has devoted himself to making it beautiful again. Since May this year the house is also open to the public and is used as a restaurant, book shop and contemporary art gallery. Lutyens worked on the hard landscape designs – ornamental ponds, fountains, arbours, rills, steps, terraces and an exquisite pergola – while Miss Jekyll worked on the planting schemes. We take for granted a combination of shrubs, grasses, annuals and perennials in gardens but this style of gardening was pioneered by her. Another legacy was her use of limited colour palettes in particular areas of the garden, the best example being the grey walk, which is looking particularly lovely in September. I especially like her combination of Echinops bannaticus – a gorgeous blue-grey globe thistle, planted with Eryngiums which have spiny, silvery white bracts. (Both these plants will continue looking good over the winter as their dry seed heads have such appealing shapes.) The structural planting in the grey walk includes lots of Santolina whose foliage makes soft, feathery balls (most gardeners cut off the yellow flowers and just keep the plants for their shape and leaf colour), lavender and Artemisia ‘ludoviciana’ to continue the misty blue-grey theme. One of Miss Jekyll’s gardening tricks was to put plants grown in pots into the gaps left by perennials which had finished their show – so when the
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GARDENING
delphiniums had gone over, for example, she nestled pots of Gypsophila into the border to disguise the gaps. Another lesson to learn from Miss Jekyll is her use of plants for edging borders and under planting roses. At Hestercombe you can see masses of Bergenia (huge, leathery green ‘Elephants’ Ears’) edging a number of the large, formal beds. These plants are easy to grow and will thrive in any soil, in sun or shade. Once established they make dense ground cover, especially if grown in a group. The leaves take on purple tints in winter. Miss Jekyll used them in combination with lush planting in strong, bright colours, including Gladioli and Canna, where more flimsy border plants would have been overwhelmed. Along the front of some of the herbaceous borders are large groups of Saxifraga × urbium (known as ‘London Pride’). This is an evergreen perennial with pretty rosettes of scalloped edged leaves, growing in time into dense mats which also suppress weeds. Small, pink-flushed white flowers are borne on airy stems from early summer. This is much more romantic plant than the Bergenia and goes well with the Old English roses. Other beds in Hestercombe have Stachys byzantina for edging and under shrubs. Well deserving its nick name ‘Lambs' ears’ this is now a well-known ground-covering perennial, popular for its soft, fluffy foliage. It goes especially well with purples and whites. The leaves are often retained quite late into autumn or winter in mild areas, but the plant is not properly evergreen. If you don’t want it to flower buy the sterile cultivar, ‘Silver Carpet’. The plant nursery at Hestercombe is not very big but has a really nice selection of plants to buy, including many of the things you will have seen growing in the garden. In November and May when the Victorian terrace is re done those perennial plants which the gardeners don’t want to store over winter are sold off. This year there will be lots of gorgeous Sedum lydium for sale. n Margaux Speirs is a pre-registered member of the Society of Garden Designers and runs her business, Margaux Speirs Garden Design, from her home in Bristol. Tel: 07903 779910 or visit: www.margauxspeirsgardendesign.co.uk
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PLANT OF THE MONTH: Eryngium x. oliveranum flowers from July to September and then its dry seed heads continue to look good in the winter. It is one of the most useful sea hollies for a sunny border, having large vivid blue flowers with dark green, clearly veined leaves forming a loose rosette at the base of the plant. It survives in a wider range of soil types than many more difficult Eryngiums, and can even cope with poor gravelly soil and heavier ground provided it never becomes waterlogged. The flowers attract bees and other insects, and are good for cutting or drying. It has the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
SEPTEMBER 2015
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HOMES | ON SHOW
ROOMS WITH A VIEW Marianne Swinkels discovers there’s something to see from every window in this glorious property in Dundry
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ew folk, it is fair to say, can lie in bed and honestly boast a bird’s eye view of Brunel’s mighty Suspension Bridge. Barely credible you might think, if they don’t even live in the Cliftoney side of our city. What’s more we are talking proper views; not those sneaky, takea-peek-if-you-can, bend over sideways type glimpses of something vaguely special yet often ramped up in ‘must-see’ marketing spiel. You know the sort of thing: holiday apartment with sea views (if you stand on the loo to peer out of a skylight); a balcony which grants ocean/mountain/countryside et al views, or indeed up-sell anything that might appeal to an ‘if we can just get you here and get away with a big it up description of any teensy slice of view’ then all well and profitably good. So what if I tell you, hand-onheart, that you can well and truly savour the sight of that renowned masterpiece of engineering design across that gorgeous gorge not from one window – but a goodly number? Utter piffle and nonsense I hear you retort. Yet perched high on a hillside plot, this Dundry home on the south of 122 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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Bristol outskirts offers just that, overlooking as it does a spectacular cityscape that spreads out far and away below the house like some glorious distant urban petticoat. From the Welsh Hills to the west it’s a vista which pans across Bristol landmarks, suburbs and skylines and yes you can clearly see that famous bridge. Where buildings fade into fields as the heights of Dundry village kick in, you’ll need to do a visual double-take as the scene shifts to an uninterrupted swathe of fields, woods and water. Yes water! There is a rare and oh so very covetable lakelike view over Barrow Gurney reservoir. And we are talking ‘full-on’ again here – not that there aforementioned glimpse. It is this rich countryside meets built environment meets big open sky aspect which forms the first, striking impression of North View, offering as it does an extraordinary panorama from most rooms. It was this winning combo which stopped the current owners in their tracks several years ago. The lofty two acre plot, the commanding views and the potential to extend what was then much smaller house, fired their
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HOMES | ON SHOW
PROPERTY PROFILE Where: North View, Dundry Lane, BS41 What: Detached 5–6 bed contemporary family home in private and rural setting and close proximity to Bristol city centre. Extensive lateral accommodation over three floors, terraces and balconies overlooking two acres grounds and panoramic city/country views.
Guide price: £1,300,000 Agent: Knight Frank (Bristol office), www.knightfrank.com Contact: E: bristol@knightfrank.com, t: 0117 317 1999
imagination. And what a Cinderella of a job they have achieved as they took the plunge to transform and create a contemporary beauty – a handsome three level, super-spec five-six bedroom family home, beautifully engineered to take advantage of this prime setting. Design priority on this one-off detached house has been focused on creating abundant space, light and access to that spectacular vista. Where else I ask you, can you wash up at the kitchen sink and gaze out at the world beyond? Not, of course, that you’d need to. This open plan bespoke kitchen, with its right on trend peninsula breakfast bar, is superbly kitted out. Airy dining and living room zones are also incorporated in this classy and contemporary designed space, flanked by a wrap-around decked terrace – one of an array of terraces, balconies, BBQ areas and garden spots offering everything al fresco at its best. The spacious drawing room which, with its size and classy simplicity serves well as a gallery to display the owners original artworks, also does full justice to that scenic backdrop. With
this architect designed living space – indeed an entire middle floor opened out and dedicated to sophisticated R&R and entertaining – North View blends minimalism and cosiness with ease. Here also is split level living at its best: the central social space, an upper level given over to a splendid array of sleeping quarters and en suites – every one of them with dedicated balconies or private terraces – and a lower level dedicated to the sumptuous master bedroom. Suspension bridge, water, space and light all in striking distance of a top league city. Does it get any better than this? It does. Just slide open those glazed bedroom doors, step outside onto the private terrace beyond, head for the Mediterranean style garden/BBQ area, sit in the hot tub with a glass of fizz in hand and raise a toast to it all. Promise you’ll invite me to join you when you’ve bought so I can watch the swifts, hot air balloons and city firework displays fly, float and whizz by. You’ll be seeing quite a lot of me then... n
❝
THIS IS A HANDSOME THREE LEVEL, SUPER-SPEC FAMILY HOME
❞
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SEPTEMBER 2015 | THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 123
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SEPTEMBER 2015
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The General 1/2.qxp_Layout 23 25/08/2015 11:02 Page 49
80% of available homes at Wapping Wharf snapped up
Victorian-era fountain brought back to life at former General Hospital
H Computer generated image for illustrative purposes only
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apping Wharf has now sold 80% of its available homes 1– and with many of the apartments boasting views across Bristol and the rolling Mendip Hills beyond, it’s no surprise the city’s newest harbourside development is proving popular. The views on offer from the balconies of some of Wapping Wharf’s phase one apartments were evident when dozens of hot air balloons took to the skies last month (August) in preparation for Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, Europe’s largest ballooning event. Set to become a new, vibrant and community-focused neighbourhood for the city, Wapping Wharf is expected to feature 600 apartments, complemented with independent restaurants, cafes and shops. The site is the final piece in the jigsaw that will complete the regeneration of the iconic floating harbour. Positioned in an area steeped in history, the new quarter will retain and restore several key listed buildings and the old gaol gates to enhance the City Docks conservation area. The neighbourhood will include a new tree-lined pedestrian and cycle route linking south Bristol to the city centre. Many of the apartments have been bought by buyers in Bristol and the South West, providing a strong base to build a thriving local community. Stuart Hatton, director at Umberslade, the developers behind Wapping Wharf, said: “The views from Wapping Wharf of balloons taking flight across Bristol are a wonderful illustration of the fact the development sits at the very heart of the city’s vibrant cultural and leisure hub, with major landmarks and important cultural venues and events only a stone’s throw away.” The homes at Wapping Wharf are available to purchase now. This phase of development includes 168 apartments, with prices starting from £335,000 for a two bedroom apartment and from £415,000 for a two bedroom penthouse (price correct at time of publication). Wapping Wharf Living is being developed by Umberslade in a joint venture with Muse Developments. To view the Show Home or to find out more, prospective buyers should visit the development’s Marketing Suite which is open seven days a week from 10am to 5pm, or visit www.wappingwharfliving.co.uk 1
–Homes available as part of phase 1 of Wapping Wharf.
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eritage expert City & Country has given a beautiful, bespoke stone fountain a new lease of life at The General, Bristol’s former General Hospital. The developers, who pride themselves on the expert restoration of listed buildings, quickly identified the fountain as a key feature to be fully reinstated during the restoration of the hospital, which is being converted into a range of luxurious homes. The fountain was originally The fountain in its heyday located in the hospital’s main courtyard, but had been moved during World War II to enable better access for ambulances. In the subsequent years it was left to decay in non-working order in an ancillary area of the hospital before City & Country’s intervention. Now it has been lovingly restored to full working order, taking pride of place once again in the tranquil courtyard, which has also undergone extensive landscaping. The fountain’s ‘Banana’ flute detailing has been restored, while defective sections have been repaired and re-joined using stainless steel pins. City & Country has also recreated the original Victorian dolphin sculpture that stood within the fountain bowl, and it is now gracefully positioned at the heart of the development, creating an attractive centrepiece for home owners. Helen Moore, Managing Director of City & Country, comments: “We pride ourselves on restoring and reinstating original features at all of our developments, and we knew that the fountain held great architectural significance at The General. This delightful feature is now fully restored, taking its original place in the serene, landscaped courtyard, protected from the hustle and bustle of the nearby city centre, creating an oasis of calm for residents”. The courtyard itself has been elegantly landscaped, with planting colour schemes chosen to create a natural look that complements the history of the hospital. Evergreen plants, including Buxus, have been chosen as they keep their leaf year round, and they sit elegantly alongside herbaceous plants and a small multistem tree. Richard Dixon, Director of Dixon Landscapes Ltd, says: “We’ve constructed a green, sustainable look using a range of plants from the continent. The herbaceous plants will be particularly pretty in the summer months, while we have also planted roses in a separate area of the courtyard, creating a tranquil retreat away from the action of the city”. The fountain’s reinstatement coincides with the latest range of new homes to go on sale at The General, which include a luxurious waterfront penthouse and a number of mezzanine apartments with views of the courtyard. Prices range from £220,000 for a stylish, one bedroom apartment, to £995,000 for the penthouse.
For more information visit: www.cityandcountry.co.uk or call 0117 9255 333.
The courtyard
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BRISTOL PROPERTY | IN FOCUS
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umber 13 is an immaculate Grade II listed Georgian townhouse in a quiet, leafy enclave to the south of Clifton Village. The house has been beautifully maintained and has accommodation over five floors offering beautiful period dimensions and features and some delightful views. In brief the accommodation comprises: Ground floor: Dining room and Harvey Jones kitchen with engineered oak flooring. First floor: Elegant reception space with drawing room to front and study/library to the rear. Second floor: Master bedroom with Jack & Jill period style bathroom. Third floor: Two (potentially three) further bedrooms with shower room. In addition to the highly flexible family space on offer there is a separate self contained apartment on the lower ground floor which comprises a sitting room, kitchen, bedroom and shower room. The house has enclosed level gardens to the rear as well as a sunny patio courtyard garden. To the front is a communal garden with level lawn. This stylish and tasteful family home will appeal to many buyers and viewing is highly recommended. Agents are Knight Frank of Clifton.
Knight Frank, Regent House, 27A Regent Street, Clifton, Bristol. Tel: 0117 317 1999
WWW.THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK
13 HOPE SQUARE CLIFTON, BRISTOL • Three (potentially four) bedrooms • Self contained apartment • Tastefully decorated and beautifully maintained • Enclosed level rear garden and front communal gardens • Elegant period style family bathroom plus shower room.
Guide Price £985,000
SEPTEMBER 2015
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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 127
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 FULLY FITTED A3 CAFÉ CLARE STREET BS1
FOR SALE Prime waterfront café premises in Portishead Marina –
Very busy city centre location – new high quality fit out –
Fully fitted to walk in and trade –
Rent only £15,000 pax –
Only £375,000
Premium – On application
WHITELADIES ROAD – SHOP
30 QUEEN SQUARE, BS1
LARGE SHOP ALSO SUIT OFFICE USE –
TO LET-
From 750 sq ft to 2,500 sq ft –
2 good quality office suites of 411 sq ft and 1,194 sq ft –
Prominent location –
Prestigious location –
New lease – No premium
New lease available
PRINCESS VICTORIA STREET – CLIFTON
CLIFTON – SHOP TO LET
New ground floor lock up A2 office unit –
Rare opportunity to rent a small lock up shop in Clifton Village –
Single room of 131 sq ft –
New lease – Only £8,750 pax
New flexible letting terms 30 WHITELADIES ROAD, BS8
CLIFTON OFFICES
Prime Clifton offices c 1,450 sq ft –
High quality office space ideally suit creative / media occupiers –
New flexible lease –
405 – 908 sq ft –
Rent on application
New flexible lease
PRIME OFFICE SUITE
QUEEN SQUARE, BRISTOL
A light and airy refurbished contemporary office suite of c 1,200 sq ft + 2 / 3 car spaces –
Modern open plan offices in prime queen square location. 2,506 SQ FT.
Clifton / BS1 boundary –
Only £12 per sq ft – TO LET.
New lease – Rent O/A
Julian Cook FRICS
Jayne Rixon MRICS
Burston Cook September.indd 1
Charlie Kershaw MRICS
Finola Ingham MRICS
Tom Coyte BA Hons
• • • • •
Sales / Lettings Acquisitions Valuations Landlord & tenant Auction Sales
• • • • •
Rent reviews Property Management Investment Sales / Purchase Development & Planning Dilapidations Advice
24/08/2015 13:51
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
FOR SALE CITY CENTRE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY... Planning consent for:2 x three bed flats • 2 x two bed flats • 1 x one bed flats 1 x three bed coach house £795,000 freehold
12D & 12E COTHAM ROAD, BRISTOL, BS6 FREEHOLD FOR SALE – DAY NURSERY Substantial property totaling a gross internal area of c 4,000 sq ft with existing Day Nursery use –
(0117) 934 9977
TO LET – MAY SELL 18 LAWFORD STREET, BRISTOL, BS2 ODZ A substantial office building, close to Cabot Circus, providing studio style space totaling C 6,586 sq ft net + 12 on site car spaces – Terms on application
THE MEETING HOUSE, LEWINS MEAD, BS1 *TO LET OR FOR SALE* Superb open plan studio office space in an iconic City Centre building with secure parking –
Freehold guide - £1,200,000
6,301 sq ft – Price / Rent on application CLIFTON VILLAGE
502 WORLE PARKWAY FOR SALE/TO LET
Large ground floor office / showroom fitted to a high standard –
4,575 sq ft modern office building with 26 car spaces.
Suit office, retail or clinic uses –
EXCELLENT VALUE.
New lease – Rent O/A
Julian Cook FRICS
Jayne Rixon
Burston Cook September.indd 2
MRICS
Charlie Kershaw MRICS
Finola Ingham MRICS
Tom Coyte BA Hons
• • • • •
Sales / Lettings Acquisitions Valuations Landlord & tenant Auction Sales
• • • • •
Rent reviews Property Management Investment Sales / Purchase Development & Planning Dilapidations Advice
24/08/2015 13:51
www.maggsandallen.co.uk
0117 973 4940
Commercial Agency
22 Richmond Hill, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 1BA
R DE R IRED UN FFEREQU O LAR
W ON NE CTI U R ST
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CLIFTON
£14,400p.a
CLIFTON
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Very well presented lock up shop of approximately 350sqft with additional basement of a further 370sqft. Situated in a popular location just off Whiteladies Road, Clifton. The accommodation was refurbished throughout approximately 2 years prior. Would suit retailer, D1 user i.e beauty salon, dentist, chiropractor or A2 occupier (letting agents/financial services) subject to obtaining all the necessary consents. Offered for let on a new Full Repairing and Insuring basis.
R DE R IRED UN FFEREQU O LAR
R DE R IRED UN FFEREQU O LAR
SIM
SIM
£12,500p.a
Double fronted retail unit situated in a prominent location in Clifton Village next door to’ The Mall’ public house. The property offers approximately 300sqft of ground floor retail space with additional kitchen and w/c. In addition there are two offices/stores rooms to the basement of approximately 220sqft. New lease available from the 1st August 2015 .
HENLEAZE
£19,922p.a
Retail unit of approximately 750sqft situated in a prime position on Henleaze Road. The property benefits from kitchen and toilet facilities and pedestrian rear access. Notable neighbouring occupiers include ‘Costa’ coffee shop, ‘Wine Rack’, ‘Boots’ and ‘The Co-Operative Food’. Available by way of a Internal Repairing and Insuring lease assignment. Early enquiries are recommended.
Are you looking to sell your business?
£22,000p.a
Café/Restaurant of just over 1,500sqft situated in a prime location on North Street in Southville. The property is mainly open plan and benefits from a full extraction system and rear access. Notable neighbouring occupiers include ‘The Hen and Chicken’, ‘Coffee No. 1 and the Co-Operative supermarket. New Lease available. Early enquiries are recommended.
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REDLAND
£175,000 / £12,000p.a
Attractive and well presented retail unit of just under 600sqft with additional basement storage, rear garden and further outbuilding providing additional office space. Situated in a popular location on Zetland Road just off Gloucester Road. Available To Let and also For Sale.
We are experiencing high demand for restaurants, bars, cafes and takeaway premises throughout Bristol.
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£180,000
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SOUTHVILLE
HENLEAZE
Spacious shop of approximately 930sqft (gross internal area) previously arranged as a ladies gym. The property comprises retail/ sales area to the front with additional rear treatment room, storage, rear access and w/c. Situated by the junction of Henleaze Road and Henleaze Park Drive.
Freehold & Leasehold Properties
Licensed Premises & Cafes
Lease assignments with premiums paid
A3/A4/A5 Premises urgently required
R DE R IRED UN FFEREQU O LAR I
SIM
Contact us today to arrange a free, no obligation valuation R DE UN FER OF
LD
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BEDMINSTER
£80,000p.a
Two storey well presented and prominent office building of approximately 10,000sqft. Currently arranged predominately as open plan offices with partial warehouse. In addition there is an enclosed and secure car park for 16 cars and an additional forecourt providing off street parking for a further 14 cars. Situated just off York Road the accommodation is ideally located within easy reach of Temple Meads Train Station and the City Centre.
D CE DU T RE REN
BEDMINSTER
£17,500p.a
ST ANNES
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£25,000p.a
FISHPONDS
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£25,000p.a
REDLAND
£250,000
S ES ALE SIN R S BU FO SE EA
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£89,950
Recently renovated self contained shop unit benefiting from A2/A1 use (Professional/Financial Services and Retail) of approximately 278sqft. Situated in a prime location in Redland, this attractive shop unit is located within a mixed parade of shops and amenities within close proximity to ‘Waitrose’ super market and the Durdham Downs. For sale with vacant possession. Early enquiries recommended
Commercial/ Investment
BISHOPSTON
Freehold mixed-use investment property comprising a ground floor retail unit of approximately 550sqft with a self-contained one bedroom flat above. The property is well presented throughout and has been subject to an extensive refit on the ground floor by the current tenants. This prime investment is fully let producing £15,640 per annum and is situated in a prominent position on Gloucester Road in Bishopston.
RE
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SIM
Period semi detached building currently arranged as a Dentist surgery (approx 1900sqft net internal area) with parking to the front and rear. The accommodation would therefore suit another D1 occupier, i.e Nursery or Doctors Surgery. Situated in a prominent position on Lodge Causeway between Kingswood and Fishponds. New lease available.
Lettings & Auctioneers Management
Maggs & Allen Commercial September.indd 1
CITY CENTRE
Established Indian restaurant in a City Centre location with staff accommodation above.
Commercial Team: 0117 973 4940 IN
£12,000p.a
£800,000
Sale agreed on this stunning riverside bar, restaurant and family house with thriving wedding trade.
W ON NE CTI U R ST
Very prominent retail unit of approximately 1,000sqft gross. Situated in a bustling position on the pedestrianised East Street enjoying a fantastic footfall. New lease available.
Estate Agents
SOUTHVILLE
New lease granted with premium paid for this A3 premises in a prime location on North Street in Southville.
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BRISTOL CITY CENTRE
£110,000
BUSINESS FOR SALE WITH FULL INVENTORY - SUBJECT TO A RENT OF £25,000PA. Well established Indian restaurant offering fully fitted kitchen, beer cellar and basement storage (approx 172 covers). Above the restaurant is a 5 bedroom maisonette providing staff accommodation. Situated close to Bristol City Centre within close proximity to Bristol Temple Meads train station.
Chartered Land/New Homes Surveyors
Energy Assessors
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Cotham £550,000
Waterfront £449,950
Set over four floors, currently arranged as two one bedroom flats and a three bedroom maisonette with huge potential to be converted back into a family home. No chain. EPC - D
Bright seventh floor apartment measuring over 1200sq ft with a 32’ open plan living room/kitchen and wrap around balcony. Rented until April 2016 at £1800pcm. EPC - C
Sneyd Park £275,000
Clifton £269,950
Top floor flat located in the heart of tranquil Sneyd Park. Private balcony, single garage, and first come first served parking. EPC - E
Sold in the first week of viewings with multiple offers. Similar properties required. Hall floor apartment close to Clifton Village and Victoria Square. EPC - C
Westbury-on-Trym £695,000
Henleaze £634,950
Nestled in a privileged and elevated position on the crest of Westbury Road giving far reaching views of Bristol, with contemporary twists and stylish finishes throughout. EPC - B
Having undergone substantive expansion and renovation in recent history, this original four bedroom home now encompasses three reception rooms. EPC - D
Blaise £325,000
Westbury-on-Trym £250,000
Exquisitely presented modern townhouse with smart contemporary decor throughout. The four bedrooms are arranged principally over two of the four floors. EPC - TBC
A private little oasis that exudes charm and character, located on but set back from Waters Lane. Unique and in excellent school catchment areas. EPC - E
Clifton Office 0117 946 6007
Eastfield Road - Six bedroom house
The Beeches - Three bedroom flat
Castle Wharf - Three bedroom flat
Royal Park - Two bedroom flat
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Westbury Road – Five bedroom house
Fallodon Way – Four bedroom house
Sunny Cottage – Two bedroom cottage
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Blaisedell View – Four bedroom house
oceanhome.co.uk
Ocean September.indd 1
20/08/2015 17:17
Waterfront £399,950
Clifton £397,000
Clifton Village £355,000
Stunning fourth floor balcony apartment offering elevated views and an allocated space in the secure underground car park. Offered with no onward chain. EPC - C
Just off the Triangle is this 3 bedroom top floor flat with additional study room, large light and airy landing, living room and separate kitchen. EPC - C
Two double bedroom period balcony flat situated in this enviable location overlooking Christchurch Green and the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge. No onward chain. EPC - D
Sneyd Park £250,000
Clifton £225,000
Cliftonwood £189,950
Spacious second floor apartment with off street parking. This attractive property benefits lift access, level approach to Durdham Downs and ample storage. No chain. EPC - D
Beautifully presented hall floor flat within an impressive Georgian terrace. This elegant property will suit first time buyers and investors and is offered with no chain. EPC - C
Hall floor apartment tucked away toward the end of this cul-de-sac with an off-street parking space. Offered to the market with no onward chain. EPC - F
Stoke Bishop £485,000
Westbury-on-Trym £475,00
Westbury-on-Trym £450,000
Nestled in a family orientated cul-de-sac this beautiful home retains much of its art deco grandeur complemented and contrasted with modern styling. EPC - E
Sold in less than one week. Similar urgently needed. Situated in a prime cul-de-sac and ideally placed in close proximity to Two highly rated Schools. Beautiful gardens. EPC - TBC
The gardens wrap around three sides adding to the sense of tranquillity and isolation but within the city boundaries, with many nooks and crannies to explore. EPC - E
Queen Square Apartments - Two bed flat
Julian Court - Two bedroom flat
Queens Avenue - Three bedroom flat
Gloucester Row - Two bedroom flat
Melrose Place - One bedroom flat
Bellevue Crescent - One bedroom flat
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Haytor Park – Three bedroom house
Eastover Close – Three bedroom house
Canford Lane – Three bedroom house
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Westbury-on-Trym £218,000
Henbury £185,000
Royal Victoria Park £184,950
On a summers day the apartment’s at Greenacres really come to life, with views over the allotments from both double bedrooms and from the front balcony. EPC - TBC
Excellent decorative order in a modern contemporary style. Fantastic access to Motorway network and to Cribbs Causeway shopping centre. EPC - C
Modern ground floor apartment, perfect for first time buyers or buy to let investors. With off street parking located to the rear. Open plan kitchen reception room. EPC - C
Greenacres – Two bedroom flat
Norton Farm Road – Two bedroom coach house
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Strathearn Drive – Two bedroom flat
20/08/2015 17:26
Property Concept Sept.qxp_Layout 5 20/08/2015 17:02 Page 1
MANAGEMENT • SALES • LETTING • CONSULTANCY
Clifton £800,000 Property Concept is delighted to introduce to the market this beautifully presented end of terrace house in the very heart of Clifton Village. Situated in sought after Princess Victoria Street the location is perfect for easy access to the cafes, restaurants and independent shops that this vibrant area has to offer and is within close proximity of well-regarded local primary schools and independent schools and nurseries. The current owners have cleverly and sympathetically created a stylish and modern home yet have retained the charm and integrity of this period property. The flexible accommodation, over three floors, incorporates on the ground floor a master bedroom, with contemporary en-suite, and a garage with utility area at the rear. The first floor affords two double bedrooms and a family bathroom. The light and airy living accommodation is situated on the second floor and incorporates a stunning sitting room with exposed beams and stripped floor boards with access out to both the garden at the rear and also a separate garden to the side. Both gardens are landscaped to make the most of these delightful spaces, one being laid to lawn, with the added advantage of access from Caledonia Mews whilst the garden to the rear is arranged to make an ideal and sheltered space for al fresco dining. The sleek designer kitchen has a full range of integrated appliances and is beautifully finished with granite worktops. There is the added advantage of a wine cellar/storage space accessed via steps below the sitting room floor. Homes of this calibre and scale, in such a central location, come to the market rarely and early viewing is strongly recommended. EPC Rating E.
Clifton £385,000
Leigh Woods £495,000
Property Concept is delighted to bring this contemporary and stylish apartment to the market. Situated on the second floor of this impressive building, No 47 North Contemporis offers plenty of light via the floor to ceiling windows from the sitting room and master bedroom. The apartment is accessed via a communal entrance hall where you can either take the lift or walk the stairs. The accommodation comprises; sitting room with tastefully positioned contemporary kitchen with integral appliances, master bedroom with en suite bathroom and dressing area, second bedroom, shower room, storage cupboards in the main hallway and video entry system.The property also boasts a secure underground parking space and secure bike store. EPC Rating C
An absolutely stunning ground floor maisonette set in this handsome building in leafy Leigh Woods, a short distance across the Suspension Bridge. The master bedroom suite has 12ft ceilings and a square bay window, and exudes space and light. The en suite has a bath with a shower over, wash hand basin and wc. On the opposite side of the stair case a fully integrated modern kitchen with white units and granite worktops leads into an equally amazing sitting room with a working period fireplace and stunning cornicing. Downstairs is an extremely generous second bedroom with fitted wardrobes across the whole width of the room, a second bathroom with a large walk in shower, wash hand basin and wc. A utility area is housed under the stairs. This property also benefits from private allocated, guest parking and communal gardens. EPC rating E
21 Princess Victoria Street
Tel 0117 970 6119
enquiries@propertyconcept.co.uk
Clifton, Bristol BS8 4BX
Fax 0117 970 6109
www.propertyconcept.co.uk
Richard Harding September.qxp_Layout 6 25/08/2015 10:53 Page 1
Richard Harding Chartered Surveyors • Estate Agents • Auctioneers • Valuers
An extended & tastefully renovated 5 bedroom detached family home situated within just 300 metres of Elmlea School. This property benefits from an open and sociable living space with bi-folding doors leading onto a 56ft x 45ft rear garden as well as off street parking and a garage. Renovated and extended by the current owners in 2007/08, this fabulous and individual property enjoys a bright and stylish interior with a high specification throughout. EPC: D
WESTBURY-ON-TRYM guide £795,000
REDLAND guide £545,000
To be sold for the first time in 65 years and now in need of renovation but with exciting potential; a classic, elegant, 4/5 bedroom, 3 reception room, Victorian period semi-detached family house arranged over two levels with charming good sized gardens in a prime location. Residents parking zone in operation plus off-street driveway parking for one car. To be sold with no onward chain. EPC: F
REDLAND guide £795,000
Exciting potential to renovate and create your perfect home – this individual and roomy 4/5 bedroom detached residence is set within a generous overall plot and is located on one of Sneyd Park’s desirable residential roads close to Durdham Downs. Wonderful level lawned gardens to front and rear of the property, off street parking and garage. EPC: D
An elegant and tastefully renovated 4 double bedroom, 3 reception, late Georgian style grade II listed period family town house with a charming south west facing town garden in a much favoured location. Dating from circa 1850. Bright civilised accommodation retaining a wealth of period features & character. Much favoured location in a friendly neighbourhood with Whiteladies Road/Blackboy Hill a short walk away and the Downs nearby.
A rare & special rural retreat in a truly amazing & beautiful countryside heritage setting but not isolated or remote an easy 6 miles from Bristol city centre. A superbly presented 4 double bedroom (or 3 bedroom, 2 reception) character residence, circa 2619 sq ft, forming part of a magnificent grade II* listed country mansion estate offering tranquillity and a touch of genteel grandeur in a spectacular location surrounded by rolling green acres, deer park, woods and parish church.
CLIFTON guide £750,000
Professional, Reliable, Successful
A smart and contemporary 3 bedroom detached mews Coach House set in a discreet location ‘off the beaten track’ yet in the very heart of Redland. Imaginatively conceived and built to very high standards with particular care taken to blend in with the surrounding area. EPC: C
SNEYD PARK guide range £850,000 - £925,000
BARROW GURNEY guide £785,000
0117 946 6690 www.richardharding.co.uk 124 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2RP
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Clifton t: 0117 923 8238 (sales) t: 0117 946 6588 (lettings) clifton@cjhole.co.uk
www.cjhole.com September. Officially Autumn - although you might be forgiven for thinking that it started in August! Traditionally we see an uplift in the number of new properties coming to market now and already after the summer lull that’s definitely the emerging pattern. Bristol very definitely appears to be high on the current attractive destination scale. A city with a lot to offer, we are witnessing new, exciting and extensive regeneration in the city centre, a high speed London train service just around the corner and the interest
of investors and families fed up with London prices. It’s our job to make sure whether you are selling, letting, relocating, renting or buying to make sure that it is a stress free and respectful process. With years of experience and expertise under our belts the CJ Hole Clifton team would be delighted to advise on any property matter. Call us on 0117 923 8238. Howard Davis M.N.A.E.A Managing Director - CJ Hole Clifton
Harbourside A lovely and stylish detached town house set over three floors within the Merchants Landing development, close to the Harbour area and City Centre, with a variety of restaurants, theatres and pubs. A real feature is the beautiful walled garden which is well stocked with shrubs and trees. There are two seating areas to catch the sun throughout the day. The property benefits from a garage and off street parking. EPC D.
Price £610,000
Sneyd Park A stunning and beautifully presented Grade II listed two double bedroom apartment in an elevated position with spectacular views. The property enjoys a lovely open plan living area with a feature arched window and quality fitted kitchen, both bedrooms with en suites, engineered oak flooring and cast iron period style radiators throughout. There is off street parking and communal laundry room with bicycle storage area. EPC D.
Offers Over £295,000
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Wetbury-on-Trym
Royal Victoria Park
Westbury-on-Trym
Marketed with no onward chain is this characterful three storey Victorian family home with four bedrooms, three reception rooms, French doors to Westerly facing garden, kitchen/breakfast room with dual aspect and solid wood worktops.. EPC E.
A contemporary three storey family home offering four bedrooms, two with en-suites, family bathroom, kitchen/diner leading to a practical garden and integral garage. No onward chain. EPC B.
A recently renovated, semi-detached period cottage with living room, modern kitchen/ diner with solid oak kitchen, French style doors onto a 17m westerly garden, two double bedrooms and large open landing ideal for separate study. EPC C.
£485,000
£450,000
Price Guide £375,000
Henleaze
Westbury Park
Henleaze
Substantial Victorian semi-detached home with eight bedrooms, four bathroom/ shower rooms, four receptions and 11m family kitchen/diner; many original features including fireplaces, sash windows and ceiling roses; private garden, garage and parking at rear. No onward chain. EPC F.
A semi-detached bungalow offering a spacious kitchen with opening to dining area/conservatory, living room to front, two/three bedrooms, a westerly facing private rear garden and off street parking. No onward chain. EPC D.
Offered with no onward chain is this bright and spacious three bedroom family home with open plan lounge/diner, kitchen with family garden and rear access providing off street parking and garage. EPC D.
£1,000,000
CJ Hole September.indd 1
£375,000
£360,000
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Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk
NEW INSTRUCTION
Ambra Vale East, Bristol ÂŁ489,995
Occupying a sought after residential position in Ambra Vale East with views towards Bristol Harbourside and beyond, lies this beautifully presented 3 bedroom town house. EPC Rating: E
Clifton, Bristol ÂŁ575,000
An exquisite Grade II listed penthouse apartment occupies the top floor of this impressive converted semi-detached Victorian townhouse. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, drawing room, 2 parking spaces.
Hamptons Bristol
Sales. 0117 322 6362 | bristol@hamptons-int.com
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Redcliffe Bay, Portishead Offers In Excess Of ÂŁ625,000
A stylishly presented contemporary home with 5 beds, 3 reception rooms, beautiful sea views, landscaped garden, integral double garage and ample parking. EPC Rating: C
NEW INSTRUCTION
Batsford, Failand ÂŁ1,200,000
A beautifully appointed, detached residence with spectacular views and 2.6 acres. 4 to 5 bedrooms, 3 reception rooms, 3 bathrooms, gardens, paddock, private parking, outbuildings,equestrian, views, 2.6 Acres. EPC Rating: E
Hamptons Bristol
Sales. 0117 322 6362 | bristol@hamptons-int.com
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CLIFTON | BRISTOL
GUIDE PRICE ÂŁ1,450,000
An outstanding Grade II Listed townhouse (circa 3440sq.ft), with a self-contained one bedroom apartment, discreetly set behind electric gates with an expanse of parking, generous garden and separate garage. Kitchen, dining room, drawing room. Utility / cloakroom. Four bedrooms. Two family bath / shower rooms. Lower ground floor one bedroom flat. Gated off-street parking. Wonderful enclosed garden. 23' brick built garage.
Fine & Country Bristol 147 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2QT Tel: 0117 973 3081 Email: bristol@fineandcountry.com bristol.fineandcountry.co.uk
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CLIFTON | BRISTOL
PRICE ON APPLICATION
A delightful detached family house set within enclosed gardens to front and rear, complete with a 25' tandem garage and stunning 35' family kitchen / dining room. Two generous reception rooms, study. 35' family kitchen with professional quality kitchen appliances. Secondary kitchen with AGA. Five double bedrooms. Two bath / shower rooms. Two cloakrooms. Generous storage. Fully enclosed gardens. 25' tandem garage. EPC Rating: F
fineandcountry.com
Redland - £335,000
An elegant period 2 double bedroom, 2 bathroom first floor apartment with balcony situated in a convenient central Redland location, within easy walking distance of Whiteladies Road, the BRI, Bristol University, BBC and Redland Train Station. This flat boasts well proportioned, bright and contemporary accommodation. We highly recommend a viewing at the first opportunity. EPC - TBC
Abbots Leigh - £795,000
A beautiful 5 bedroom family home with parking has been substantially remodelled and extended by the current vendors, located in this quiet cul de sac adjoining farmland.This outstanding very well presented home offers incredibly good size family living space with 3 generous reception rooms to the ground floor all of which overlook the wonderful rear gardens. EPC - E
Westbury Park - £325,000
This unique detached house has a lovely quirky “upside down” arrangement with the living space on the first floor and the bedrooms on the ground floor. Why buy a flat when you can have this great house for the same price! This is a fantastic option for young professionals that want a lovely home - PLUS a completely separate detached annexe/work space all for the same price. EPC - C
Leese & Nagle September.indd 1
Bishopston - £695,000
A wonderful 4 bedroom family home which has been very well updated and extended by the present owners, located in one of the top roads in Bishopston.This remarkably deceptive home offers ideal family living space and boasts period features.This fuses seamlessly with the modern touches and improvements to create the lovely home that we offer to you today. EPC - D
Redland - Guide Price £275,000 A stunning, new and cleverly constructed two bedroom contemporary style house located in a highly regarded area in central Redland. Beautifully presented with brand new fixtures and fittings and state of the art technology installed. This house is both ideal for professionals or investors. We recommend a viewing at the first opportunity. Offered with no onward chain. EPC - B
Clifton - £419,950
A particularly bright and airy two double bedroom hall floor apartment with good size kitchen and allocated parking space. Located in this sought after road in Clifton, Miles Road is located on a quiet residential road a short distance from Whiteladies Road and Clifton Village. Viewing is highly recommended. Offered with no onward chain. EPC - E
20/08/2015 17:08
Stoke Bishop - £675,000
A rare opportunity to acquire this substantial period 4 bedroom semidetached family home that would benefit from some updating and remodelling on desirable Stoke Hill. Superb level south west facing garden. Huge loft ready for conversion. Extended ground floor ready to open up onto the garden. Integral garage and car port.Viewings commence Saturday 12th September. EPC - E
Coombe Dingle - £375,000
Light, bright and airy this beautifully presented 3 bedroom semidetached house sits on a quiet side road with extended open plan kitchen diner opening onto a large level rear garden. Garage and off street parking. EPC - E
Stoke Bishop - £715,000
A substantial and beautifully presented 5 bedroom 1930’s semidetached family home benefitting from a 130 ft. long rear garden. The house retains a great deal of its original features, charm, feeling of space and yet is wonderfully appointed for modern family living. EPC - D
Kingsweston - £465,000 A beautifully presented extended 4 bedroom detached family home set in attractive gardens in a tucked away location. The spacious well thought out accommodation is suitable for families, professional couples or even those considering downsizing to a lower maintenance home. EPC - D
Properties urgently required in Stoke Bishop, Westbury-on-Trym, Sneyd Park and Coombe Dingle. Large number of disappointed proceedable buyers waiting for properties.
Leese & Nagle September.indd 2
Coombe Dingle - £625,000
Unexpectedly Re available. A great opportunity to stamp your own mark on this detached 1950’s built house set in this delightful area within approximately a third of an acre of glorious gardens with a ‘country’ feel yet only 3 miles from Clifton. No onward chain. EPC - F
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