The Bristol Magazine March 2014

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THE

ISSUE 117

I

MARCH 2014

BRISTOL THE MAGAZINE FOR THE CITY OF BRISTOL www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

MAGAZINE £3.00 where sold

PEELING BACK BRISTOL’S LEGACY OF

JAZZ•BLUES•SWING FOR A FESTIVAL OF TALENT


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.co.

Stoke Bishop

A beau$ful and private home (2,809 sq ) on Mariners Drive, with distant views. 3 principal recep$on rooms, library, study. Kitchen/breakfast room. 4 bedrooms, 2 ensuite bathrooms, shower room. 2/3 car garage & workshop (516 sq ), covered balcony. Enclosed gardens, parking. EPC ra$ng TBC.

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knigh#rank.com 0117 3171999

Guide price: ÂŁ1,295,000

Stoke Bishop

An individual family home (4,004 sq ) enjoying enormous privacy. Kitchen / breakfast room, 4 recep$on rooms. 5 bedrooms, 3 ensuite bathrooms, shower room. Integral double garage. Enclosed gardens. EPC ra$ng E. Guide price: ÂŁ1,295,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knigh#rank.com 0117 3171999


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Redland

An extensive bay-fronted Victorian family home (3,935 sq ) in a much sought a er Redland loca%on. Stunning drawing room, family room, kitchen/breakfast room with larder, u%lity. Master suite, 5 further bedrooms, guest bathroom, guest shower room. Level rear gardens.

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knigh$rank.com 0117 3171999

Guide price: ÂŁ900,000

Pucklechurch

A substan%al family home (4,739 sq ) in an elevated posi%on with far reaching views. 4 recep%on rooms, kitchen / breakfast room. 4 bedrooms, 5 bath/shower rooms (3 ensuite). Gym with sauna and plunge pool, study/bed 5. Roof terrace, integral garage. Landscaped gardens. Detached garage and stable block. Orchard, paddocks. In all about 1.57 acres. EPC ra%ng D. Guide price: ÂŁ925,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knigh$rank.com 0117 3171999


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Sneyd Park

Cli on

Guide price: £370,000

Guide price: £1,000,000

Leigh Woods

Sneyd Park

Guide price: £345,000

Guide price: £399,950

An immaculate ground floor lateral apartment (1,198 sq ) with its own private entrance close to The Downs. Bay fronted drawing / dining room, kitchen. Master bedroom with ensuite shower room, guest bedroom, bathroom. Parking, private courtyard, communal gardens. EPC ra%ng C.

A well-presented 2 bedroom apartment (934 sq ) sat within deligh$ul communal gardens. Si&ng room/dining room, kitchen. Master bedroom with ensuite bathroom, guest bedroom, shower room. Addi%onal storage. Allocated off street parking for 1. EPC ra%ng C.

A deligh$ul semi detached house (2,606 sq ). Kitchen / dining room, 2 recep%on rooms. 5 bedrooms, family bathroom, 4 en-suite shower / bathrooms. Cellar. Enclosed garden, off street parking. EPC ra%ng E.

A deligh$ul garden apartment (1,271 sq ) with views over The Downs. Entrance hall, drawing room, kitchen / dining room. Master bedroom with ensuite bathroom. Guest bedroom, bathroom. Private garden, parking. EPC ra%ng D.


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THE | CONTENTS

MARCH 26

2014 62

22 12

ZEITGEIST

38

Five things to do this month

14

THE CITYIST PEOPLE & PARTIES Snapshots from the city’s social scene

19

40

24

ALL THAT JAZZ

WHAT’S ON

36

BRISTOL CHOIRS The city’s songbirds are celebrating

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GREEN POET BRISTOL UPDATES

50

WINING AND DINING

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72 FIT AND FAB Natural beauty products for spring and health and beauty news

80 OUT AND ABOUT You’ll need wellies for this country walk

84 HOMES ON SHOW A house that’s perfect for people with green fingers

86 GARDENING

Foodie news and events

52

RESTAURANT REVIEW

How to create an outdoor dining area

88

PROPERTY The best homes in and around Bristol

Tasty tapas at Manna THE

54

FOODIE PROFILE Love Food Fest’s founder Lorna Knapman

BRISTOL twitter@thebristolmag

56

FAMILY FUN Ideas and activities for little ones

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FREELANCE MUM Building dens and rolling down hills

Dates for your cultural diary

Everything you need for your big day

Business news and movers and shakers

FACE THE MUSIC

Taking a look back at the history of jazz in Colston Hall as we prepare for the Bristol International Jazz & Blues Festival

28

46

BRISTOL FASHION

Local musician Andy Davis picks his top ten tunes

26

44

MUM’S THE WORD

Mark Heyes highlights his top trends for the new season

64 WEDDING CHECKLIST

What's on show in Bristol and beyond

BARTLEBY

Gift ideas for Mother’s Day

22

ART & EXHIBITIONS

Bristol poet Martin Kiszko’s inspiring work with illustrations from Nick Park

Time to adapt to change?

20

BRISTOL AT WORK The City Museum & Art Gallery Curator

Talk of the town & My Bristol

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86

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62 EXQUISITE DESIGNS We pay a visit to jewellery designer Julie Anne Palmer in her workshop

ON THE COVER Vintage posters and flyers donated by Charles Lockier to Colston Hall and reproduced with thanks to Colston Hall for the Bristol International Jazz & Blues Festival thebristolmagazine.co.uk

MAGAZINE


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B

ristol has always had a long and fascinating relationship with jazz and blues and you may or may not know that Colston Hall in particular has seen some of the world’s greatest jazz artists grace its stages over the last 60 years. You’ll notice that Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Charles among many others feature on old posters and flyers for the venue, shown on our front cover, and it’s their legacy which has meant jazz and blues music in Bristol continues to thrive today. A celebration of this comes in the form of the annual Bristol International Jazz and Blues Festival, which returns to the city from 7-9 March offering a jampacked programme of concerts at Colston Hall and workshops at Bristol Folk House. If you’ve never experienced live jazz music before and want to try it out, you can head to the Colston Hall foyer at any time during the festival, grab a drink from the bar and sit and listen to musicians playing free gigs for your pleasure. To mark the impending arrival of the festival, we take a look back at the history of jazz legends at the hall and offer our festival highlights on page 23. March also sees the spring/summer 2014 Bristol Fashion Week at The Mall at Cribbs Causeway and with the hope that spring is on the way, we asked Mark Heyes, celebrity stylist and presenter of The Mall’s fashion shows, to give us an insight into the new season’s fashion trends. From pretty pastels to magic metallics, see what we should all be wearing on page 22. If you are getting married and still planning your wedding, you won’t want to miss our checklist guide to recommended services in Bristol, with tips to help you make your big day as special and perfect as possible including first dance lessons and fabulous statement shoes as well as having a professional photographer and wedding rings that will last a lifetime. Don’t forget that it’s Mothering Sunday on 30 March, and on page 20 we have selected our pick of gifts to give to your mum to say a big thanks for everything.

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

CONTACT THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE: Editor Email:

Samantha Coleman sam@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Deputy Editor Email:

Georgette McCready georgette@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Production Manager Email: Commercial Production Email:

Jeff Osborne production@thebristolmagazine.co.uk Lorna Harrington lorna@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Publisher Tel: Email:

Steve Miklos 0117 974 2800 stevem@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Contact the Advertising Sales team on tel: 0117 974 2800 Advertising Sales Email:

Kathy Williams kathy@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Advertising Sales Email:

Sue Parker sue@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Address:

The Bristol Magazine, 2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED

The Bristol Magazine and The Bath Magazine are published by MC Publishing Ltd and are completely independent of all other local publications.

WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK

MARCH 2014

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ZEITGEIST The Book Hive

5

things to do in March

Listen

Lillian Boutte

Visit Bristol Central Library’s foyer has been transformed into a literary wonderland as it houses a mesmerising sculpture created by robotic artists Rusty Squid. Book Hive, as it is called, is an interactive installation which celebrates the 400th anniversary of Bristol merchant Robert Redwood handing over the keys to his King Street lodge to become the first public library in Bristol – and only the third in the whole country. The giant moving sculpture gives 400 old library books a new lease of life – one for every year of the library history in Bristol. See the sculpture open and close books at the library until 7 March.

The Bristol International Jazz and Blues Festival is back from 7-9 March with a jam-packed programme of performances at Colston Hall, workshops at Bristol Folk House and a film screening at the Watershed. Turn to page 26 to see some of the highlights and a look back at the history of jazz at Colston Hall.

See

Enjoy a treat Get family and friends together for a pampering event called The Splendiferous Occasion, on Saturday 8 March at the beautiful venue of Kings Weston House all in aid of Bristol based cancer charity Penny Brohn. The event is being organised by two local business women, Sarah Cook of The Beauty Event and Holly Hill, creative director of jewellery company Heather & Grace, and will feature stalls and beauty therapists, soap making demonstrations from LUSH, award winning cake designer Halima Jafari will be doing children’s cake decorating sessions as well as being a guest speaker for the event. Other guest speakers include the successful make up artist Jenny Davies who will be showing an audience how to create a polished look; personal Stylist Karen Lowe will be talking about how to embrace new season fashions without spending a fortune; Holly Hill from Heather & Grace will be making some special pieces of jewellery; and hypnotherapist Tamzin Brain-Evans and Guru of Brave Holistic Coach Sam Holman will also be doing inspirational talks. Tickets cost £10 each and children under 16 come free. For further information and to book tickets, visit: www.thebeautyevent.co.uk 12 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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© Bertie Gregory/ 2020VISION

Out of Town A whole host of big names in literature and a variety of great events feature at this year’s Independent Bath Literature Festival which runs from Friday 28 February – Sunday 9 March. There’s fiction, food, family and fun as well as money matters, mothers and Margaret Thatcher. The first weekend of festival boasts a spectacular line-up including comedy icon and national treasure Jennifer Saunders and the eccentric cricket writer and bon viveur Henry Blofeld, both on Saturday 1 March at The Forum. To see a full programme of events visit: www. bathfestivals.org.uk/literature

Some of the UK’s top nature photographers, Andy Rouse, Alex Mustard, Peter Cairns and Bristol-based young photographer, Bertie Gregory, will gather at St George’s Bristol on Monday 24 March to present an evening of spell-binding imagery and personal anecdotes from 2020VISION, an ambitious nature photography project. Focusing on 20 flagship projects – including the Somerset Levels – 2020VISION’s team of photographers have come together to tell an inspirational story about some of the UK’s ecosystems and the services they provide to us all. Tickets cost £10 and are available from St George’s box office on tel: 0845 40 24 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk. Jennifer Saunders


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THE CITY The buzz... CONGRATULATIONS! Well done to Bristol’s Nathan Filer who won the Costa Book Award for his novel Shock of the Fall, which is heavily influenced by his time working as a psychiatric nurse in the city. Nathan will be talking, reading and signing at Waterstones in the Galleries at 7.30pm on Thursday 10 April. Tickets are £5, available in advance from the shop.

LOVE FESTIVALS? A newly formed organisation called Bristol Festivals is asking Bristol to Love Your Festivals by supporting the creation of a Festivals centre for the city. The aim is to set up a shared festival centre and workspace in the heart of the city, to open in October, that will bring together the city’s major festivals and event organisers to work as one and share resources, expertise and information. Supporters of the fundraising campaign can receive rewards including free tickets and VIP hospitality to a range of festivals throughout the year. Further information about the fundraising campaign can be found at: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/showyour-love-for-bristol-s-festivals/x/6136565

My BRISTOL We ask KEDA BREEZE, producer and event and venue promoter, what she’s doing this month What brought you to Bristol? I came here in 2001 to attend Circomedia circus school, and apart from a year spent in London recently, and traipsing round the country for shows when I was a performer, I have never left. What are you reading? An Oscar Wilde biography. From that very quirky second hand book shop off Park Row. I can’t remember the name but it always feels like you are entering some wonderful secret literary den of treasures. Plus they always give you Jaffa cakes! What is on your MP3 player? Where to start…. everything from classical contemporary music like Nihls Fram and Max Ritcher, to experimental electronica like Aparart and Jon Hopkins. When I want noisy stuff I like Queens of the Stone Age. Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of what I listened to when I was at school like Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus and The Cure. My all time favourite band is Talking Heads. Which café or restaurant takes your fancy? Bell’s Diner, the food is great as is the service, but there’s always a nice laid back atmosphere too.

FLYING INTO BRISTOL It has been announced that the recordbreaking Wicked UK tour is coming to the Bristol Hippodrome next year. The awardwinning musical, which tells the untold story of the Witches of Oz, will run from Wednesday 18 February to Saturday 21 March 2015 and tickets are now on sale.

RACE A DRAGON There’s still time to enter the Rotary Dragon Boat Festival 2014 which takes place on Sunday 8 June from Baltic Wharf, in aid of Bristol charity 1625 Independent People, which prevents youth homelessness by working in schools. The race will see teams of all ages and abilities rowing dragon boats (similar to a long canoe) in a series of heats over 250 metres and most importantly, it’s a fun day and teams are encouraged to wear fancy dress. The deadline for registration is 8 March, visit: www.bristolrotarydragons.org.

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Image: Ben Price

Favourite watering hole? In sunny weather you can’t beat drinking cider with your legs dangling over the edge of the dock outside the Arnolfini. Evening in or evening out? Can I say both? I’m a very social creature and Bristol has so much wonderful night life. But I also love shutting the world away and hibernating with DVDs. This month I’ve watched lots of Jars Svankmajer who is an an Eastern European film maker/stop motion animator, and also a couple of films from Fellini, who is my favourite director. Film or play? What will you be going to see this month? I’m really looking forward to Death and the Ploughman, a promenade piece of theatre taking place at Arnos Vale cemetery. I’m interested to see how the theatre fits with the beautiful architecture of the cemetery. Which museum or gallery will you be visiting? Much as I love Bristol I must admit I like to go to London for exhibitions. I’m really excited

about going to the Sensing Spaces – Architecture Reimagined at the RA with my friend Jack Gibbon who runs Bristol’s roaming Antlers Gallery. I will also try and catch Paul Klee at the Tate. What are your hobbies or interests? I love walking, exploring and visiting new places, it always seems like there’s something new to do or see in Bristol so that’s great. Apart from that, transforming my home into a mini industrial vintage palace is a bit of a hobby of mine. What local event will you be attending? There’s a fun party at the Tobacco Factory to raise money for a Soap Soup Theatres puppet show. Contemporary puppetry is a really interesting art form so I think this is a great cause. It’s on 16 March in the Tobacco Factory Bar. Favourite local walk? Bird Cage Walk, it’s path that goes through a graveyard which starts by the Anson Rooms and comes out in Clifton Village. There’s beautiful iron work overhead, and the trees are grown to grow overhead too. In summer it’s lovely and leafy and in winter to feels more dark and poetic, either way it’s very evocative. Any projects/work in progress? I’ve just set up a new production company called Maison Paradiso which creates innovative events in unusual spaces. Events feature pop up dining but also draw on film and performance with plenty of cocktails and dancing thrown in for good measure. On 4 May Maison Paradiso will be at Kings Weston House as part of the city wide Food Connections festival. For further information follow @maisonparadiso on Twitter or search ‘maisonparadiso’ on Facebook.


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BRISTOL | SOCIETY

PEOPLE & PARTIES Snapshots from events, parties and launches in the city Phil Brown and Alice Bowyer from Bath Ales

Robin Couling, MD Bath Ales and Peter Able from Santander Bank

Ryan Spackman, Graze manager; Moussa Clarke, Rhian Abraham and Matt Hoskins

Graze Re-opening Graze Bar & Chophouse, Queen Square After a month-long refurbishment, Bath Ales unveiled a fresh new look for its Graze Bar and Chophouse on Queen Square. Designed by local business Simple Simon, changes include a complete overhaul of the kitchen to make it more efficient and functional, improved seating areas and a refreshed menu.

The Style Forum launch event Berwick Lodge Hotel The Style Forum launch event organised by Chefs’ Forum Founder Catherine Farinha was a great success. Fashion students from City of Bristol College and UWE met with local fashion, hair and beauty business owners for a day of knowledge-sharing and networking. Jenny Davies, freelance professional make up artist, mentors a City of Bristol College student styling Kari Ann Jagger

Louise Masson, GM of Harvey Nichols gives an inspirational speech on her career

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Photographer : Damien Lovegrove

Modelling one of Kari Ann Jagger’s dresses she wore in her career as a top model

Sam Bell, proprietor of Hair at 58 mentors a City of Bristol College student


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Knives are Mothers: Exhibition Preview

Carissa Andrew-Smith Director of PONY in conversation with Arnolfini curator Axel Weider

Works|Projects At the preview of Heather and Ivan Morison’s Knives are Mothers exhibition, their first at WORKS|PROJECTS, they unveiled an installation of photographs and sculptures meticulously crafted from chalk and timber that frame a narrative within the gallery. Permeating the installation is a narrated audio piece between a mother and young daughter, which refers to objects in the room. Images: Lucy Bentham

WORKS|PROJECTS Director Simon Morrissey (pointing) with David Drake of Ffotogallery

Claire Feeley and Nathan Taylor of Situations talks to exhibition artist Ivan Morison

The Paper Moon Band perform their new song

The Paper Moon Band Album Launch The Old Bookshop, North Street The Paper Moon Band, a Bristol-based swing quintet playing music from the 1920-40s, held a special evening to launch their independent 7 track EP. Swing dancers from Swing Dance Bristol were there to join in with the celebrations which saw an evening full of swing and joy. See The Paper Moon Band next on 11 March at the Coronation Tap.

Dancers from Swing Dance Bristol

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Time to adapt to change?

T

he crows were here long before us and will still be here long after we are gone. I’m not sure exactly where they live, but their cawing from the rooftops on the other side of the street often wakes us in the morning. They hop squabbling from one chimneypot to the next, flapping their wings as if they’re not quite sure how they work, then suddenly they’re perched in a line on the roof of the flats up the road, bobbing their heads at the passers-by. I wonder whether they nest up there, or whether they commute every morning from the tall trees in the park. Either way, I bet their ancestors hopped and croaked around our hilltop when it was a green hump on the edge of the city, and when the city itself was little more than a cluster of buildings around a castle and a bridge. Rather than flying elsewhere when the builders moved in, the intrepid crow ancestors adapted to the situation, taking up residence on the rooftops and enjoying a bit of petty larceny whenever the opportunity presented itself. What with all the recent flooding, adaptability has been in the news a lot. We humans are a resourceful bunch, and much better equipped than crows. What’s a beak and a pair of claws, after all, compared to opposable thumbs? Here in Bristol we took charge of the unpredictable tidal river two centuries

ago, building the Floating Harbour to hold a body of calm water and the New Cut to channel the sometimes violent tidal flow. At the time the project was a financial disaster but so far that pre-Victorian engineering has stood the test of time. The Avon may have overflowed its banks once or twice but we’ve been spared the Biblical scenes of 2014’s wild winter. Elsewhere, though, the extreme weather has shown up a modern failing: a lack of flexibility. Once upon a time people lived close to rivers in the summer, when it was safe to do so, then moved to higher ground for the winter. Later, the monks of Muchelney chose the site for their monastery with great care, building above the winter floodline. In summer they could walk to Glastonbury, but in winter they would need a boat. In summer their flocks grazed on rich pastures; in winter the monks caught fish and hunted duck. As mountain people spent summers among the peaks and winters down below, so inhabitants of the Somerset Levels adapted to the peculiarities of their situation. Today we’re much more fixed in our thinking. We expect to eat the same food, enjoy the same pleasures and travel in the same way, wherever we live and whatever the time of year. We each have, or aspire to have, our house and our car, and we rely on being able to visit the supermarket and keep the freezer running. We live in splendid isolation. I was chatting with someone the other day who, unusually, has lived in the same village all his life, and he told me that there were people in the village who had lived there five or even ten years and did not know their neighbours. Villagers used to rely heavily on one another, and this has been happening again in flood-hit places like Burrowbridge, where the pub has become a genuine and much-needed community hub. If, as seems likely, winter flooding is going to be more frequent for a while, I wonder how people will adapt. Will people on the Levels invest in boats and accept that they’ll need to use them through the winter months? Will we build houses that are more resilient to flooding, or change our work and shopping habits so that we don’t have to travel in stormy conditions? It’s been a while since we really had to adapt – there could be some interesting times ahead. ■

Once upon a time people lived close to rivers in the summer, when it was safe to do so, then moved to higher ground for the winter

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FLY AWAY HOME: bejewelled ladybird trinket, £32, from Bijou Gifts, Coldharbour Road

STAY CONNECTED: jigsaw necklace, £75, by Tales of the Earth, available from Amulet Boutique of Cotham Hill. A two part sterling silver necklace to wear and share with your mother

A HELPING HAND: Crabtree & Evelyn, available at John Lewis, is donating £1 of sales of selected items, including its Rosewater handcare range, to Breast Cancer Care

MODERN FLORAL: clutch bag, £29.50, from Marks & Spencer’s Collection range

MUM’S THE WORD A specially selected pick of our favourite gifts to give your Mum on Mother’s Day, Sunday 30 March, to say thanks for everything FEMININE TOUCH: Lalique de Lalique perfume, £47 for 100ml, No.31 Urban Graphic, Balwin Street

PEARLY QUEEN: Bella necklace in pink freshwater pearl with silver bird t-bar by Catherine Amesbury, £115, from Artemis, Gloucester Road:

COSY TOES: Bella Bunny Slippers, £16, for a cuddly mum, from Boux Avenue, Cabot Circus

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SAY IT WITH FLOWERS: call in to Edward Allen’s Flower Pop Up in Harvey Nichols and pick up a posy or bouquet for your mum

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Ladies and Girls Clothing and Accessories

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SPRING FEVER

Floral dress from New Look

Mark Heyes, celebrity stylist and presenter of this month’s Bristol Fashion Week at The Mall, Cribbs Causeway, gives us an insight into this year’s spring fashion trends that we should all be wearing, or at least making a nod towards

Fabulous Florals Florals return every spring and this season, they can be found in all shapes and forms from 3D blooms to laser cut styles. The key with florals is to remember the bigger the print, the bigger you look! For optimum flattery, try ditsy designs and small bouquets for the most slimming looks.

Skirt from M&S, £35

Outfit from River Island

Pretty Pastels We see pastels return season after season when the sun starts to shine. Top to toe pastels may not be the easiest way to wear this trend so simply inject a little splash into your outfits. A nude blazer will look sleek over the top of a lavender cami or mint clutch while last year’s favourite mac could be given an instant update with a peach pump.

Pumps from Gap, £29.95

Blazer from H&M, £24.99

The Rainbow Effect One of my favourite looks for SS14 is colour. We saw the runways awash with bold brush strokes, pop art and paint palettes and the easy way to inject this trend into your looks is by embracing some rainbow brights. Try a cobalt blue top and team up with a popping pink necklace or tangerine bag. Alternatively, that LRD (little red dress) that’s sitting in your wardrobe will look brilliant with a fuchsia heel and matching clutch.

Above, green dress from Topshop, £46

Left: yellow scarf from Jigsaw, £59; orange bag from Gap, £79.95

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Dress from Coast

Shine On Turn up the glam by introducing shiny metallics into your wardrobes. Metallics can be worn day or night and the easiest way to work the trend is with some statement jewellery. An oversized gold or silver necklace will give any shirt or jumper an instant spring feel. If you’re feeling daring, try a metallic tee with a pair of denims or cropped trousers.

Outfit from M&S

Top from Hobbs, £299

Metallic bag from Mulberry at John Lewis, £650

Monochrome Magic Monochrome combines two of the most wearable colours, black and white. If you’re curvy, then it is key to keep the black part of your outfit to your problem area, as we all know, black is super flattering. For a gentle nod to the trend, try a check bag or geometric shoe with a little black dress.

Shoes from Dune, £75

• All pieces available from The Mall at Cribbs Causeway

ristol Fashion Week will return on Wednesday 26 – Sunday 30 Summer florals March, showcasing the latest spring/summer trends with five days from John of fashion at The Mall at Cribbs Causeway. The city’s biggest Lewis fashion event features 18 catwalk preview shows displaying seasonal styles and must have wardrobe trends and colours. Hosted by TV fashion stylist Mark Heyes and celebrity hairdresser Andrew Barton, audiences can expect to be entertained with style advice, celebrity gossip and fashion tips. Each show features an array of models of all sizes, ages and genders, displaying a wide selection of fashions to suit all. The Mall is also hosting a makeover competition where five lucky people will win the opportunity to receive a personal styling session with Mark Heyes, re-style at top Clifton hair salon Tomlinson and cosmetic consultation with Bobbi Brown at John Lewis. The models will then get the chance to strut their stuff on the Bristol Fashion Week catwalk, revealing their new look. Mark Heyes said “One of my favourite parts of Bristol Fashion Week is the makeover models. The styling day is all about finding an on-trend outfit that makes the model feel and look fabulous as well as encouraging them to try something new! It’s always great to see the models take to the catwalk and the best part about the makeover is that they can keep the clothes after the show!” Bristol Fashion Week will also be supporting the £500,000 appeal for the new Bristol Breast Care Centre. The centre, which is opening this summer, will provide all breast services for the city in a sensitive environment tailored to the needs of the thousands of women living with or at risk of breast cancer in the Bristol area. The dedicated centre on the Southmead Hospital site will support women from North Somerset, parts of Bath and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire. Bristol Fashion Week tickets start from £8.95 and can be purchased from The Mall’s Information Desk or online at: www.mallcribbs.com. ■

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FROM YATTON TO WEMBLEY Local musician Andy Davis of Stackridge and the Korgis talks to Mick Ringham about his long, successful musical career which has seen him playing with some of the legends, including John Lennon and Stevie Wonder

Andy’s portrait by Dulcie Mae Carey

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ne of the things that strikes you on meeting songwriter/musician Andy Davis is that he is not about flashy celebrity or showbiz, despite having played with such musical legends as John Lennon and Stevie Wonder and performed in front of a vast audience at Wembley. Andy is a man comfortable in his own skin, with a passion and commitment to music which is acknowledged by many of his contemporaries. Born in the small village of Yatton, Andy has lived close to his roots in and around Bath and Bristol for most of his adult life. He says: “I didn’t show much interest in music until I was about 13 when someone gave me a guitar and I found that I enjoyed playing and as luck would have it, was good at it.” The Davis family home at the time was filled with music, with his older sisters playing Elvis and Everly Brothers records and his mother playing show tunes and classical works on the piano. His sisters were forced to learn the pianoforte at an early age but for some strange reason he wasn’t offered lessons – ironically given his later musical career. “I was the one who plonked around on the keyboards when no one was looking,” he recalls. That musical career has now lasted over 45 years, with Andy having written dozens of songs and recording 15 albums. He has undertaken five world tours with various bands and has worked with some of the great names in contemporary music. After years playing with local bands including Grytpype Thynne, Andy and fellow local musician James Warren formed Stackridge in 1969 and played their first professional gig at The Temple club in Soho. Extensive touring was to follow as the band gained in status. They signed record deals for major companies, appeared on the BBC’s Old Grey Whistle Test TV show and were booked as the opening and closing act for the first Glastonbury Festival in 1970. Stackridge went on to enjoy success and popularity through the 70s with members from time to time heading off to pursue other musical projects. Andy takes up the story: “The band had an open door approach to its line-up with guys drifting in and out and creating new musical horizons and influences, myself included.” Stackridge officially disbanded during 1977 and this enabled him to concentrate on a number of personal and diverse projects including forming The Korgis and reaching the top five charts in both the UK and the States with Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometime. There was also studio recording, working alongside artists including a stint with John Lennon on the legendary Imagine album, his solo ventures and song writing as well as touring the world with a number of different bands including Tears For Fears. You would be forgiven for thinking that after a lifetime in the sometimes fickle music industry he would be taking things at a more leisurely pace these days – you’d be wrong. Andy and his fellow musicians have just reformed Stackridge and are currently touring the UK once again; there are also plans to release a new and long awaited Korgis album in the near future.

Andy’s top ten: ❶ Carol King – Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? This lady is without doubt a rare talent and to my mind an absolute genius songwriter and under-rated singer. I prefer her version of this song, which is from her brilliant album Tapestry to all the other recordings of it. She released that album in 1971 and to date it has sold over 25 million copies worldwide. This particular track is the perfect heart-breaking love song.

❷ Bob Dylan – When I Paint My Masterpiece I met him on a rooftop swimming pool in Brazil while touring with Tears For Fears. He appeared a subdued figure, economical with his conversation but, for any hardworking songwriter his lyrics and particularly this track, cut like a knife. Here Dylan is expressing the forlorn hope that one day it will come right and your genius will be appreciated – we live in hope.

❸ Fred Astaire – Let’s Face the Music and Dance I’ve always loved songwriters from the post-war years, including Cole Porter, Jerome Kern and Irving Berlin, who wrote this wonderful number. We all value Fred as an amazing dancer but I feel he was a much underrated singer as well. WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Clockwise from left, Stevie Wonder, The Kinks and Fred Astaire

❹ Spirit – Nature’s Way One of my all time favourite west-coast bands. This track is from an album with a splendid title The Twelve Dreams of Doctor Sardonicus and reminds me of my of first flat in Bristol where we wore out the record by playing it so much.

❺ The Beatles – Baby You’re a Rich Man I could have chosen just about any Beatles record, but I tend to like their more experimental period and this song often gets overlooked. George Martin, who produced this, also produced our Stackridge album Man in a Bowler Hat a few years later. I like Lennon’s mocking lyrics on this track and was lucky enough to play with him on his Imagine album. Obviously a hugely talented man but also a real nice guy.

❻ The Kinks – Dead End Street Ray Davies is a British institution now. He managed to write so many mature, cultured songs when he was young – I still don’t know how he did it. The Kinks’ rough edged performance always seemed to add something indefinable but essential to his songs.

❼ Stevie Wonder – Superstition A few years ago I was recording in his Los Angeles studio. It was late at night and I’d heard from other musicians that Stevie often dropped by to check what other bands were working on. That night he did. We ended up playing duets on the studio’s grand piano together which was a great experience. He’s a lovely guy and one of the few genuine geniuses alive and working today. He played nearly everything on this record and there’s no faking the sort of tight but loose feel he naturally applies to his music ❽ Betty Wright – Clean-Up Woman The two guitars bass and drums on this track provide a master class in funk. I recommend that any band attempting to play r’n’b should listen closely to this great piece of music. All the instruments fit so beautifully together and Betty Wright’s effortlessly soulful singing is a joy. ❾ Blue Nile – The Downtown Lights Why this band are not superstars is truly beyond me. Their music is like good architecture, stunningly original concept, structure and production. Paul Buchanan processes one of the finest voices in rock music. If by any chance he reads this – I would like to work with him. I would also like to play rhythm guitar with the Stones but I’m probably not old enough!

❿ Beach Boys – God Only Knows I’d always admired Brian Wilson’s compositions so when Stackridge played with the Beach Boys at Wembley, it was quite a thrill. Whenever I get into an argument about classical versus popular music I quote this song. The closest comparison people usually make is with Schubert’s prodigious output of love songs. Read the lyrics as a poem and you’d better have some tissues handy. If you follow the melody and chord structure you realise the genius of Brian Wilson. I honestly believe this is one of the most beautiful love songs ever written. ■ MARCH 2014

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ALL THAT JAZZ From Louis and Ray to Ella and Duke, Aisling Mustan looks back at the history of jazz legends at Colston Hall as the venue prepares to host the Bristol International Jazz & Blues Festival 2014

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olston Hall has seen some of the world’s greatest jazz artists grace its stages over the last 60 years. Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and many other legends have played in Bristol’s most iconic music venue, which this month will see around 10,000 attending the Bristol International Jazz & Blues

Festival. A programme of over 60 concerts, workshops and jam sessions will encompass the entire history of jazz and highlight Bristol’s long, rich and fascinating relationship with jazz and blues. Renowned promoter Charles Lockier left a veritable treasure trove of archive material chronicling his career as a promoter to Colston Hall. He collected handbills, flyers, newspaper previews and reviews offering a fascinating insight at the golden age of jazz. Charles’ collection has provided an eye-opening insight into performances from the most revered jazz artists in history. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s Lockier brought a stunning array of the world’s greatest jazz talent to Bristol in package tours and as individual performers. The package tour was a popular way of presenting music during that era and could be described as the precursor of today’s music festivals. Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Count Basie and Dave Brubeck (to name a few) were the pop stars of the time with records high in the charts and who commanded sell-out performances at Colston Hall every time they visited the south west. Humphrey Lyttleton, Ken Colyer, & Acker Bilk played Colston Hall regularly during the ’50s, either under their own names or as part of package tours. When Stan Kenton brought his big band to the hall for the first time, in the late 1950s, a Musicians Union ban on US groups had been in place for 20 years. Every musician within an 80-mile radius, which was a huge distance in the 1950s, cancelled their gigs and flocked to Colston Hall where the Kenton

orchestra played to 4,000 people over two shows. One of the more controversial jazz performances at Colston Hall in the 1950s was when vibraphonist Lionel Hampton brought his band to Bristol on 29 October 1956 as part of an extensive UK tour. Hampton fell foul of jazz fans and journalists by daring to include some rock ’n’ roll in his show. Johnny Dankworth famously walked out of one of the concerts, demanding his money back, and respected music weekly Melody Maker declared “Spare us the trash, Hampton!” Louis Armstrong’s first appearance in March 1959 received a thunderous ovation from a sold-out Colston Hall, with Satchmo himself telling the crowd “you sure are a jumpin’ audience.” The Bristol Evening Post, reviewing the concert under the headline ‘The Fabulous Armstrong in Great Form’, said, “Jazz music is meant to be enjoyed and who better to enjoy it with than Satchmo, the man who has played more of it than any man alive.” In another article about the artist, Louis is pictured beaming at the camera, having his lunch, dressed in just his underwear. Johnny Dankworth returned to the hall with less controversy in February 1960, with his own big band to support the legendary vocalist Sarah ‘the divine one’ Vaughan. And again in November 1966 with another package show, ‘Jazz at the Philharmonic’, which hit the town with a band featuring no less than Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Coleman Hawkins, Zoot Sims, James Moody, Teddy Wilson, Louis Bellson, and blues legend T-Bone Walker – a phenomenal line-up in any era. The great Ray Charles’ visit to Bristol in 1964 was hailed as a triumph as he took to the stage with full big band and his female backing singers, The Raelets, performing two packed-out shows. The Evening Post reviewed Charles’s appearance with words such as “sincerity is his watchword” and “music just pours from his soul.” Throughout the ’60s, Colston Hall had a jazz programme to rival any

Jazz music is meant to be enjoyed and who better to enjoy it with than Satchmo, the man who has played more of it than any man alive

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Imelda May

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS... The Night James Brown Saved Boston screening followed by a Q&A session with Pee Wee Ellis and Fred Wesley, Friday 7 March, Watershed The Night James Brown Saved Boston focuses on the night after Martin Luther King was shot and killed, when James Brown took the stage at the Boston Garden for a concert that was televised live. The performance enthralled the residents of Boston, and prevented the rioting that many had predicted. The film includes interviews with Pee Wee Ellis and Fred Wesley, both members of the James Brown revue at the time. The screening will be followed by a set from funk and soul DJ Mike Shawe of Hot Buttered Soul in the bar. Tickets: £8. The Big Band Swing Dance, Friday 7 March, Colston Hall, 9.30pm – 11.30pm The venue will be transformed into a 1940s style ballroom for a night of lindy hopping, jitterbugging and jiving courtesy of the 17-piece Bruce, Ilett Big Band. The concert will be preceded by a taster class in swing dance from Swing Dance Bristol. Dress code: 1930s-50s. Tickets: £12.90.

FACE THE MUSIC: Main image, left, American saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis, who was a member of the James Brown revue and now lives in Somerset. Pee Wee will be performing once again in this year’s festival. Above: vintage posters and flyers for Colston Hall featuring some of the jazz greats, donated by Charles Lockier to Colston Hall and reproduced with thanks to Colston Hall

concert venue in the world: Ella Fitzgerald, Roy Eldridge, Count Basie, Erroll Garner, George Shearing, Oscar Peterson, Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz, and Buddy Rich all gracing the stage during this period alongside Armstrong, Ellington, Kenton et al. As the ’60s wore on, tastes were changing however, and jazz artists began competing for Colston Hall’s stage space with the likes of the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. Never again would jazz be such an accepted part of mainstream culture as it found itself forced into the shadow of the big rock and pop groups. Despite a shift in popular music tastes during the 1970s, jazz legends Ella Fitzgerald, Buddy Rich, Oscar Peterson and Duke Ellington continued to have sell-out shows at Colston Hall. Today, jazz and blues has a dedicated following in Bristol and the city has a world-renowned festival to be proud of. This year marks the 13th Bristol International Jazz & Blues Festival with over 60 events and 350 talented musicians descending on the city. Between 7 – 9 March, the Colston Hall will be steeped with the magnificent sounds of Zigaboo Modeliste & The Big Chiefs, Osibisa, Pee Wee Ellis & Fred Wesley Funk All Stars and Imelda May. On Friday 7 March, the hall will be transformed into a 1940s style ballroom for one very special event for an evening of lindy hopping, jitterbugging and jiving courtesy of the Bruce/Illett Big Band. The Gershwin Spectacular will be performing a unique celebration of Gershwin’s best songs in new arrangements by the Big Buzzard Big Band on Saturday 8 March, with guest soloist Jacqui Dankworth and four of Bristol’s finest choirs. And on Sunday 9 March, drawing on the energy, passion and excitement generated in sanctified churches across the American south, the incredible Lillian Boutte will raise Colston Hall’s roof for an unforgettable afternoon of joyous gospel music. ■ The Bristol International Jazz & Blues Festival runs from Friday, 7 March to Sunday 9 March. For a full line up of events visit: www.bristoljazzandbluesfestival.com. Tickets available from the Colston Hall box office, online at: www.colstonhall.org or tel: 0844 887 1500.

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The Gershwin Spectacular ft. Jacqui Dankworth, Saturday 8 March, Colston Hall, 2.30pm - 4pm This commission will feature the best of Gershwin’s songs in new arrangements by Ned Bennett and the Big Buzzard Big Band. This 17-piece orchestra, conducted by David Ogden, will be enhanced by The City of Bristol Choir, The Exultate Singers, The North Bristol Wellbeing Choir and Clifton College Choir. Also featuring guest soloist Jacqui Dankworth, daughter of Sir John Dankworth and Dame Cleo Lane and an established performer in her own right. Tickets: £16.13. In session with Pee Wee Ellis & Fred Wesley – A Funk Masterclass, Sunday 9 March at The Folk House, 4pm-5.30pm Funk legends Pee Wee Ellis and Fred Wesley present this interactive workshop using special backing tracks developed for ProMusicTutor. Participants will be organised into groups and will create their own versions of the music provided under the guidance of Fred and Pee Wee, with a performance at the end. An unmissable opportunity to meet, learn from and play with two masters of their art. Ticket price: £20. Imelda May, Sunday 9 March, Colston Hall, 9.15pm Irish rockabilly queen Imelda’s blend of old rock ‘n’ roll with rhythm ‘n’ blues takes you on a ride through influences by Wanda Jackson, Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent, all delivered by Imelda’s unique voice and lyrics. Tickets: £25.80. David Redfern Exhibition, Colston Hall Foyer One of the world’s most highly acclaimed jazz photographers, David Redfern, is exhibiting a selection of his favourite portraits. Beginning his career in the 60s, David shot all of the greats, with Frank Sinatra once exclaiming, “David, you’re one helluva photographer, keep shooting!” ✽ Don’t miss the free live jazz and blues in the Colston Hall foyer throughout the festival, featuring Bristol’s finest acts. Get a drink from the bar, enjoy the music and soak up the atmosphere.

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CULTURE BOOK Our guide to this month’s top events in Bristol and beyond Bristol Old Vic Theatre School present The Innocent Mistress

Russell Kane comes to Colston Hall

Jane Eyre, Bristol Old Vic, Until 29 March A bold and dynamic re-imagining of Brontë’s timeless masterpiece presented in two parts with an ensemble cast of actors and musicians. Part one of this vivid re-telling will take you from Jane’s childhood at Reed Manor, to Lowood School and on to Thornfield where Jane encounters the man who challenges her own passion and integrity. Part two follows Jane’s rage against the injustice of society, the discovery of bitter betrayal and, in turn, the ultimate decision to follow her heart. Directed by the highly acclaimed Sally Cookson (Peter Pan, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Treasure Island), and with an original score and live music led by Benji Bower the two parts will draw on dark fairy tales and folk tradition to create a vivid and compelling journey. Book on tel: 0117 987 7877 or visit: www.bristololdvic.org.uk.

Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory: As You Like It, Until 2 May Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory celebrates its 15th anniversary season with Shakespeare’s greatest exploration of the meaning of love, its madness and transcendence in the funny and moving As You Like It. Following the success of last year’s tour of Two Gentlemen of Verona, this production will embark on the company’s second UK tour immediately after its Tobacco Factory Theatre run. Tickets £12- £22, available from the box office on tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com.

The Railway Children, Newman Hall, Henleaze, 3 – 7 March Ship & Castle Theatre Company present an adaption by Tom Philips of ES Nesbit’s heart-warming story of The Railway Children. This is a slightly more grown up re-telling of the classic children’s book adapted to appeal to children and adults who remember the stories with fondness. Tickets £10 from the box office on tel: 0117 956 1695.

Happy Days,The Bristol Hippodrome, 3 – 8 March Happy Days are here again with the premiere of a new UK tour based on the hit TV series, featuring the unforgettable King of Cool, Arthur The Fonz Fonzarelli. Join the Cunningham family and the rest of the gang as they battle to save their beloved diner Arnold’s from demolition in this musical written by Garry Marshall, creator of the television series. Garry is also the director of hit films Pretty Woman, Beaches and The Princess Diaries 1&2. Happy Days the musical includes 21 original songs by award-winning songwriter, Paul Williams (Bugsy Malone, Evergreen, Rainy Days and Mondays) as well as the much-loved TV theme song. Tickets from: www.atgtickets.com.

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Mike Dilger talks at Bristol Zoo

Talk: My Garden and Other Animals by Mike Dilger, Bristol Zoo, Tuesday 4 March, 7pm Naturalist and One Show TV presenter Mike Dilger and his partner Christina spent a year creating their own wildlife sanctuary in their back garden. From otters to badgers, chickens to hedgehogs, and the best birdlife imaginable, what began as a seemingly straightforward mission soon became the adventure of a lifetime. Come and hear some of the fascinating encounters and hilarious incidents that happened just beyond Mike’s very own doorstep. There will also be a chance to buy a signed copy of Mike’s latest book, My Garden and Other Animals. Tickets cost £4. Book on tel: 0117 903 0609.

Russell Kane, Colston Hall, Wednesday 5 March, 8pm Fresh from his critically acclaimed Posturing Delivery show – in which he doled out advice to his imaginary child, Ivan – award-winning energetic comedian Russell Kane discusses the important of smallness in a very big world. Tickets from the box office on tel: 0844 887 1500 or visit: www.colstonhall.org.

Rob James, Smoke and Mirrors Magic Theatre, Friday 7 March From the House of Commons in London to the Magic Castle in Hollywood, Rob James is a veteran of over 2,000 performances. Here he presents a retro-modern magic show featuring elegant sleight of hand, baffling magical apparatus and inexplicable illusions, presented with humour and flair. See the original version of the beautiful Marvellous Orange Tree as romanticised in the film The Illusionist. For ticket information visit: www.smokeandmirrorsbar.co.uk.

The Innocent Mistress, Bristol Old Vic Studio, 7 – 15 March The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School present Mary Pix’s The Innocent Mistress, a scathingly comic portrait of London manners, fashions and hedonism. This dazzling drama from 1697 has all the hallmarks of great restoration comedy – colourful and profligate characters, intrigues, duplicity and misunderstandings. Box office tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.bristololdvic.org.uk.

Changing the World for Women and Girls, M Shed Saturday 8 March, 7.30pm - 10.30pm An evening of debate, film, music and Fairtrade refreshments to celebrate International Women’s Day 2014, organised by the Bristol Fairtrade Network in partnership with M Shed. Highlights include: Fairtrade coffee producer, Margarita Espinoza, from Soppexcca Co-operative; music >>


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Colston Hall

from The Cat’s Pyjamas and Mykala Cheung; film Screening of In the House, In Bed and On the Streets, direct from the Feminist Film Festival in London; panel debate on How do we end violence against women? and Fairtrade drink and nibbles. Tickets £8/£6 concessions, available from M Shed, tel: 0117 352 6600.

Bristol Metropolitan Orchestra, St George’s Bristol, Saturday 8 March, 7.30 pm Bristol Metropolitan Orchestra with guest violinist Charles Mutter, associate leader of the BBC Concert Orchestra, present: Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture; Korngold’s Violin Concerto and Dvorak’s Symphony no. 8. Tickets from the box office on tel: 0845 402 4001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk.

Interplay Series: Bill Evans and the Impressionists, Colston Hall, Sunday 9 March, 2.30 pm Jazz pianist Kate Williams and her trio and The Bristol Ensemble conducted by William Goodchild perform Bill Evans and the Impressionists. This inaugural concert in the Interplay Series (a series of concerts bringing together jazz and classical musicians) places the music of great jazz pianist Bill Evans alongside orchestral pieces by the French Impressionist composers with a programme featuring new orchestral arrangements of some of Bill Evans’ finest compositions with favourite works by Ravel, Debussy and Satie. Presented as part of the Bristol International Jazz and Blues Festival. Tickets £19.35 available online at: www.colstonhall.org or from the box office tel: 0844 887 1500.

Faustus, Colston Hall, Wednesday 12 March Folk trio Faustus came together in 2006 as an evolution of the award-winning band Dr Faustus, and consists of three leading lights of the folk music scene: Saul Rose (Waterson:Carthy, Whapweazel), Benji Kirkpatrick (Seth Lakeman Band, Bellowhead) and Paul Sartin (Bellowhead, Belshazzar’s Feast). Coming together as Faustus, the men are rooted deeply in the English tradition, and in 2007 they received a 75th Anniversary Award from the English Folk Dance and Song Society. Tickets available online at: www.colstonhall.org or from the box office tel: 0844 887 1500.

In conversation: Camila Batmanghelidgh and the BBC’s Dave Harvey, Clifton College, Wednesday 12 March, 7pm Camila Batmanghelidgh is the founder of children’s charities The Place 2 Be and Kids Company, currently working with some of the most traumatised young people in the country. At this special event hosted by the Quartet Community Foundation, she will be in conversation with Dave Harvey, the BBC’s business correspondent in the west. The evening will begin at 7pm with a drinks reception followed by the talk and then at 9pm there will be a curry supper and wine. Tickets £15 per person, free for 16-18 year olds, available from info@quartetcf.org.uk or tel: 0117 989 7700.

What The Frock! Comedy, The Mauretania, Park Street, Friday 14 March Joining resident MC Cerys Nelmes will be Jessica Fosteskew (“intensely talented and very funny” – Time Out), Alice Frick (“exuberant and perfectly pitched” – Three Weeks) and Tash Bartlett (“confident, cute and crude” – Open Comedy). Tickets £10 in advance, £12 on the door. Visit: www.wegottickets.com/whatthefrockcomedy

Dirty Dancing,The Bristol Hippodrome, 15 March – 5 April Dirty Dancing at the Bristol Hippodrome © Alastair Muir

The new UK tour of Dirty Dancing launches at The Bristol Hippodrome with a live experience featuring all the hit songs, romance and dancing. Opened in September >>

EDITOR’S PICK...

Death and the Ploughman

Death and The Ploughman, Arnos Vale Cemetery, 20 - 30 March, 8pm; matinee Saturday, 2.30pm The Mechanical Animal Corporation in association with Tobacco Factory Theatres present an evocative, semi-promenade exploration of human loss and love, set amidst the landscape of Arnos Vale Cemetery. Originally written in Bohemia, 1401, Johannes von Saaz’s scintillating dialogue was penned the day after he lost his wife in childbirth. Refusing to accept this fate, von Saaz and Death lock horns in an epic journey through despair, laughter and love, in this lyrical exploration of what it is to lose someone. Inspired by the late medieval fascination with the Dance of Death, The Mechanical Animal Corporation has created a compelling, site-specific interpretation, directed by Tom Bailey (Finalist for JMK Award 2013 for emerging theatre directors) and designed by Chris Gylee (Idiot Child and Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory). Parts of this performance will take place outdoors and in low light so bring a torch and warm, waterproof clothing and appropriate footwear. Book tickets at the box office on tel: 0117 902 0344 or can be purchased 30 mins prior to the show at Arnos Vale, for cash only and subject to availability.

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2011, the first UK tour wowed audiences across the country, breaking box office records and playing to standing ovations and five star reviews. Now there’s another opportunity to see this worldwide smash-hit story of Baby and Johnny, who come together in what will be the most challenging and triumphant summer of their lives. Tickets from: www.atgtickets.com.

Dawn chorus bird walk with Ed Drewitt, Tyntesfield Estate, Saturday 15 March, 5.30am – 7am Ed Drewitt, bird specialist and wildlife detective, will guide you around The National Trust’s Tyntesfield estate at dawn and tune your ears to all the different birdsongs. Finish the morning with a hot drink and a bacon or mushroom buttie. Adults £14.50, children £8 (includes refreshments). For further information visit: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/tyntesfield.

Bristol Concert Orchestra with Julia Hwang, St George’s Bristol, Saturday 15 March, 7.30pm Local teenage violin sensation Julia Hwang plays Bruch’s Violin Concerto No.1 with Schubert’s famous Unfinished Symphony, the thrilling Don Juan by Richard Strauss and Johann Strauss’ waltz Voices of Spring, completing the Bristol Concert Orchestra’s spring programme, under charismatic conductor Stefan Hofkes. Tickets £6-£15 (children £1), available online at: www.bristolconcertorchestra.org.uk or from St George’s box office tel: 0845 40 24 001.

City of Bristol Choir, St Alban’s Church, Westbury Park, Sunday 16 March, 7.30pm

Barry Humphries at St George’s Bristol © Greg Gorman

David Ogden conducts the 100-strong City of Bristol Choir in an atmospheric, candlelit concert of English choral music on the theme of light, accompanied by bells, organ and marimba including music by Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Bob Chilcott, Tallis and Holst. Tickets £15 (concessions £13, students/under 18s £5) available from tel: 01454 778477 or visit: www.cityofbristolchoir.org.uk.

Barry Humphries: Comedy Legend, St George’s Bristol, Monday 17 March, 7.30pm Legendary entertainer Barry Humphries will be in conversation with actor and comedian Marcus Brigstocke, picking memorable stories from a career that has spanned over five decades and created many of comedy’s most famous characters including Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson. Barry will also be presented on stage with the second Comedy Legend Award given annually by Slapstick Festival and Aardman Animations. Tickets from the box office on tel: 0845 40 24 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk.

Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba, St George’s Bristol, Tuesday 18 March, 8pm A family-band from Mali, with calabash percussion supplying a backbeat to the multiple ngoni – the traditional west African lute – that, through amplification and effects, Bassekou and his sons make into a powerful ancestor to the electric guitar. Bassekou’s music flows like water, with wailing vocals from Amy Sacko, his wife. The band’s latest album was produced by Howard Bilerman, famed for his work with Arcade Fire. Tickets £18 from the box office on tel: 0845 40 24 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk.

Gas Girls, The Acta Centre, Bedminster, 19 – 21 March, 7pm Acta premieres its moving new play, Gas Girls, a story about Bristol women munitions workers in the First World War. In 1918, Avonmouth was the centre of Britain’s chemical warfare industry, with two factories making and filling shells with deadly mustard gas, employing hundreds of local women and girls. Gas Girls tells the story of these women, the beliefs that drove them, the hardships they lived with and the friendship and humour that bound them together. A preview performance before it goes on tour around Bristol in June. Tickets £3 from: www.acta-bristol.com.

Bassekou Kouyate

The Northern Lights Series at Colston Hall, starts Thursday 20 March This spring, the Bristol Ensemble explores the atmospheric music of the Baltic region, areas visited in the months of darkness by the Aurora Borealis, the spectacular and mesmerising Northern Lights. The music from these lands is passionate, fiercely patriotic and full of haunting melodies and soaring lyricism. The Bristol Ensemble is joined by world-class soloists Chloë Hanslip, Peter Donohoe and Andrei Gavrilov for these three concerts featuring music from Finland, Norway and Russia. Dates: Thursday 20 March, Friday 25 April and Sunday 18 May. Box office tel: 0844 887 1500 or visit: www.colstonhall.org.

Gregory Porter, St George’s Bristol, Thursday 20 March, 8pm Jazz artist Gregory Porter comes to St George’s Bristol

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name on the international music scene. Bringing his sense of swing, intense vocals and tapping feet, he makes his long-awaited Bristol debut with his full jazz band featuring a piano, drums, bass and saxes. Tickets £24, available from tel: 0845 40 24 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk.

Bristol Cabot Choir: Musique Sacrée, St Mary Redcliffe, Saturday 22 March, 7.30pm Bristol Cabot Choir presents an evening of French sacred music including Duruflé’s Requiem and works from French composers Saint-Saëns and Gounod. The choir will be conducted by musical director Rebecca Holdeman, and is joined by two young soloists – Siân Newman singing soprano and Matthew Clark singing bass baritone. Andrew Kirk will be accompanying on the organ. Tickets £12, £10 (concessions) and £5 (students) from tel: 0117 949 7164 or visit: www.bristolcabotchoir.org.

Bristol Bach Choir, Bristol Cathedral, Saturday 22 March, 7.30pm Bristol Bach Choir will be performing Rachmaninov’s Vespers along with some of John Tavener’s deeply moving music, including his Song for Athene which was performed at the funeral of Princess Diana. The choir will be accompanied by soprano Vivian Yau, who will sing Tavener’s Lament of the Mother of God. Although just 18 and still a pupil at Wells Cathedral Music School, Vivian has already performed at New York’s Carnegie Hall, won international prizes for her singing and has been offered major scholarships at several world- renowned music colleges. Tickets available at: www.bristolbach.org.uk or tel: 0117 214 0721. Bristol Bach Choir

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Opening tour of The University Of Bristol Botanic Garden, Stoke Bishop, Sunday 23 March, 10am – 4pm Join an inspiring two-hour tour of the garden with the curator, Nicholas Wray. The early spring delights will include the highly fragrant wintersweet and the bright golden-yellow flowers of witch hazell. Escape the outside chill and experience the secret treasures of the Amazon rainforest in the exotic glasshouses. Admission: free to Friends, visitors £4.50. Please meet at Welcome Lodge. For further information tel: 0117 331 4906 or visit: www.bristol.ac.uk/botanic-garden.

Literary Evening, Bristol Grammar School, Tuesday 25 March, 6.30pm for 7pm Bristol Grammar School and Transworld invite you to an evening with author Rachel Joyce, talking about her new book, Perfect. Tickets £7/£5 from www.bristolgrammarschool.co.uk/Events.

Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory presents Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia, 27 March – 3 May Intriguing, challenging and witty – but also heartfelt – this play has been widely acclaimed as Stoppard’s masterpiece. In 1809 the grounds of a stately home are being reconstructed in the newly popular picturesque style. Amid towering crags and waterfalls will be a lonely hermitage, for which a real, living hermit will have to be found. Two centuries later, as an author and an academic pursue their very different lines of research, the hermit will be discovered to have been a madman. But what had driven him to madness, what was the purpose of the piles of notes discovered with his body, and what part had the young daughter of the house played in his tragic life? Crossing the centuries – and changing notions of the Arcadian dream – are mysteries of history, sex, chaos theory and Newtonian equations; and an accusation of murder against Lord Byron. This is SATTF’s first contemporary theatre production. Box office tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com. >>


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University of Bristol Botanic Garden Friends’ Lecture: What is a Herb? by Jekka McVicar, University of Bristol Thursday 27 March, 8pm

Jekka McVicar

At the University of Bristol Botanic Garden AGM at 7pm, the nationally renowned Jekka McVicar of Jekka’s Herb Farm, a member of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Council and RHS Fruit, Vegetable and Herb Committee, will be formally installed as the new President of the Friends. The AGM will be followed by an illustrated talk by Jekka covering the history of herbs and the diverse range of plants that are classed as herbs. Jekka will explain how and where to grow them and how to use them in the kitchen and in the home. Lecture Venue: Room B75, School of Biological Sciences, Woodland Road. Admission: free to Friends, visitors will be asked for a donation. No booking required.

Come & Sing Mozart’s Requiem, Colston Hall, Saturday 29 March, 11am (singers), 6.30pm performance Bristol Choral Society invite all singers to come and sing Mozart’s Requiem under inspirational conductor Adrian Partington, and then give a public performance with orchestra New Bristol Sinfonia and soloists. Tickets for singers and evening audience available at: www.bristolchoral.co.uk or Colston Hall box office tel: 0844 887 1500.

The Brunel Sinfonia, Victoria Rooms, Saturday 29 March, 7.30pm The Brunel Sinfonia is one of Bristol’s leading amateur orchestras and specialises in performing large scale orchestral works. For its next concert in the Victoria Rooms the programme includes: Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2; Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 and Arnold’s Peterloo Overture. Leader: Tina Mehta, conductor: Mark Gateshill and violin: Lukas Hank. Tickets: £15 (concessions £12, under 16s £1) available on the door or from Opus 13 on tel: 0117 9230164.

London Swing Orchestra, St George’s Bristol, Sunday 30 March, 7.30pm A fundraising concert in aid of St George’s and the Trusell Trust (which runs food banks around the city), presented by the London Swing Orchestra and director Graham Dalby. From early Ragtime through the Roaring Twenties of New York and Chicago, the first half includes music by Irving Berlin, Duke Ellington, Cab Colloway and Benny Goodman, while the second half charts the big bands of Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw and the rise of the superstar crooners in this programme of jazz and swing. Donations of non-perishable food will be gratefully received on the night. Tickets form the box office on tel: 0845 40 24 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk.

BOOK NOW FOR... Bristol Phoenix Choir: 50th Anniversary Concert, Clifton Cathedral, Saturday 5 April, 7.45pm An exhilarating programme of enjoyable music to celebrate the choir’s 50th season featuring Haydn, Nelson Mass; Haydn, Te Deum; and Purcell, Hail! Bright Cecilia. Presented by Bristol Phoenix Choir and Orchestra conducted by Paul Walton, with Molly Alexander (soprano), Rob Waters (countertenor), Tom Castle (tenor) and Andy Marshall (bass). Tickets £15 (16 and under free) from tickets@bristolphoenixchoir.org.uk or tel: 07968 291882.

Bristol Chamber Choir, Redland Park United Reformed Church, Whiteladies Road, Sunday 6 April, 3pm The Bristol Chamber Choir, conducted by Gordon Pullin present masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance with a programme featuring Gregorio Allegri’s Miserere; Antonio Lotti’s Crucifixus and Giovanni Anerio’s Missa Pro Defunctis. Tickets £10, concessions £8 and children free. Available from the choir secretary on tel: 07447 042 441 and from Opus 13, 14 St Michael’s Hill. For further information visit: www.bristolchamberchoir.org.uk.

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MUSIC

Bristol Cathedral Concert Choir

SONGBIRDS CELEBRATE We take a look back at the history of two Bristol choirs as they each celebrate a signifcant birthday this year

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ristol has always been proud of its many choirs, amateur and professional, and we are lucky enough to boast some of the best in the country. This year is very special for two in particular – The Bristol Cathedral Concert Choir and The Bristol Phoenix Choir – as they celebrate milestone birthdays and a lasting legacy.

Bristol Cathedral Concert Choir: 60 Years

Back in 1953 the much-loved Clifford Harker, then organist at Bristol Cathedral, wanted to perform larger-scale choral music than was possible with the Cathedral Choir and started the process of founding Bristol Cathedral Special Choir, now known as Bristol Cathedral Concert Choir. The first meeting took place in July 1953 and rehearsals started in October. The first concert was a performance of Brahm’s German Requiem in February 1954, the year that also saw Clifford conduct the first Christmas carol concert which has now become a feature of Bristol’s musical calendar and remains the only carol concert in the city with full orchestral accompaniment. From those early days the choir has maintained its connection with the cathedral – the organist is always the musical director and the Dean is its president and rehearsals are always in the cathedral. Most concerts are in the cathedral but recently summer concerts have been performed in village churches in the Bristol area. Since Clifford retired in 1983 the choir has been conducted successively by Malcolm Archer, Christopher Brayne and now, since 1998, by Mark Lee. The choir celebrated its Golden Jubilee in some style during the 2003–4 season, which reached its climax in a concert of Elgar’s The Music Makers and Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony. The following ten years saw many highlights including a charity concert to mark the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 disaster. The choir was joined by singers from other local choirs and accompanied by the New Bristol Sinfonia in a performance of Verdi’s Requiem and over £4,200 was raised for the Firefighters’ Charity. Another high point was a recent collaboration with Bristol Phoenix Choir in an exciting performance of William Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast. The choir will be celebrating its Diamond Jubilee in concerts throughout the year, including its celebratory event, An Evening with Mozart in the cathedral on Saturday 15 March which will feature some of Mozart’s finest choral music. Tickets are on sale from Opus 13, St Michael’s Hill, tel: 0117 9230164 or visit: www.opus13.co.uk. The choir goes forward from its Diamond Jubilee as a part of the great English tradition of amateur choral societies singing music from the mainstream choral repertoire. Its members are a friendly, welcoming group from a wide range of backgrounds and ages. For further information visit: bristol-cathedral.co.uk/music/cathedral-choirs Bristol Phoenix Choir: 50 Years The Bristol Phoenix Choir is a friendly choir of about 70 members with a wide range of ages and musical backgrounds. The choir, which gives at least three concerts each year in a variety of venues in and around Bristol, is this year celebrating its 50th anniversary with a special concert on Saturday 5 April at Clifton Cathedral promising an exhilarating programme of uplifting music including Haydn’s Nelson Mass; Haydn’s Te Deum; and Purcell’s Hail! Bright Cecilia. The choir’s director and conductor, Paul Walton, who has been involved in the classical music side of Bristol for over 12 years and who was appointed last January, says: “we have carefully selected these pieces for our anniversary concert to make it an enjoyable night for all. Purcell’s Pale Bright Cecilia is 36 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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all about celebrating music while Haydn’s pieces have a happy and joyous quality about them.” As anyone who has been to a choral concert before knows, setting is very important and Paul says of Clifton Cathedral: “It is the perfect place to hold our anniversary concert as the audience will be sat around the choir, creating a more intimate setting and will make them feel part of the celebration.” The history of the choir is quite a colourful one and over the years it has been under the baton of some of the city’s best conductors. It was founded by Ronald Short in 1963 and directorship was relinquished to Paul Stephens in 1990, successively followed by David Ogden until 1996, Ian Ball until 1998, and Leslie Bunt until 2012. One of the lesser known things about the choir is the origin of the name. One of the longest-serving members of the choir takes up the story: “The first members had belonged to a Bristol Youth Choir, and when they got beyond the age limit of 25 they decided they wanted to continue singing together. So in 1963 they approached Ronald Short to ask him to form a choir. Short was a singer, teacher and radio announcer and news reader, with a beautiful speaking voice. He agreed to form a choir, only stipulating that it should start out attached to an educational organisation. When they were thinking of a name, someone suggested Phoenix, since the choir had been reborn from another one, and so it was. The repertoire was quite diverse and Short was always very particular that they should pronounce words correctly and clearly.” The choir still continues to perform work of all genres, ranging from Charpentier to Arvo Pärt, Morten Lauridsen, John Tavener and contemporary Bristol composer Mark Lawrence. The choir’s recent repertoire has included established classics such as Tippett’s A Child of our Time, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis and Bach’s St Matthew Passion and Langlais Messe Solennelle. Choir member Judy Carver says: “Few of us could have succeeded as professional musicians, but in singing these great pieces, we have the sense of getting inside the music in a way you don’t always manage as a listener. Sometimes the very difficulty of a piece adds to the sense of achievement. Singing the Crucifixus section from Bach’s B minor Mass is a challenge for many of us, but surmounting it adds to the drama of the moment and finds its subtle way into the beauty of the music. For many of us, singing with the choir is a privilege as well as a pleasure.” Tickets for the anniversary concert are on sale now from email: tickets@bristolphoenixchoir.org.uk or tel: 07968 291882. ■ Bristol Phoenix Choir in rehearsal, St Mary Redcliffe, 2008


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BRISTOL AT WORK Our series of photographic portraits by Charlotte Stone shows Bristol people at work

Dr Jenny Gaschke Collections officer and curator of fine art at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery

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am a fine art curator and I have been working at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery since 2012. Since school I knew I wanted to study art history and after my PhD, which I did in Berlin, I worked as a curator at the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart and the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. I came to Bristol because the art collections here are really fantastic and because the cultural scene is so lively, but also for family reasons. (My four-year-old tries to persuade me to take her pictures to the museum...). In my job I look after the fine art collections pre-1900. This includes cataloguing works from the collection as well as researching their attribution, content and provenance. I suggest exhibitions and work on new acquisitions. If we lend a picture to another museum, often either me or a conservator accompanies the transport. I answer public enquiries, I give public lectures and tours and support the Public Program team. When there is time, I also try to publish academic papers and attend conferences to stay in touch with what other people in my field are doing. At the same time it is very rewarding that I get to work very closely with all my colleagues here at the museum – the learning team, front-of-house staff, conservators, technicians or the development team; all so that the public can access and enjoy the collections. Currently, I am working on a re-display of our Old Masters Gallery, which will include works from the Italian Renaissance and Baroque, Dutch 17th century paintings as well as Flemish, French, German and English pictures – almost exclusively from Bristol’s own collections. They are all wonderful highlights of international importance and in my preparation I get to select and research the pictures that are meant to go on display. I am working together with a small team to get the gallery installed and I provide labels and public tours. What I love about the art collections in Bristol is that you can study the history of Western art (we have over 1,200 paintings, 20,000 works on paper, sculpture, and increasingly video and conceptual art) within the wider context of Bristol Museum and Art Gallery’s other collections of Eastern art, world cultures, natural history and archaeology. It’s a really exciting place to work. ■ www.charlottestonephoto.com

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ARTS | & EXHIBITIONS

SPRING SHOWS

Vegetable Rug Needlepoint, 177 x 133 cm Courtesy of Hugh Ehrman © Kaffe Fassett Studio

The Colourful World of Kaffe Fassett, The American Museum in Britain, Bath, 22 March – 2 November World-renowned knitwear and textile designer Kaffe Fassett returns to the American Museum in Britain not only to celebrate 50 years of working as an artist and colourist, but also his 50-year-long association with the American Museum. When he came to live in Britain in the early 1960s, Kaffe stayed in Bath and was much inspired by the museum’s diverse collections – especially its many antique quilts. Kaffe was fascinated by the block patterns created in these textile Charleston Summer masterworks, but also by their audacious use Needlepoint, 60 x 65 cm of juxtaposed colours and printed fabrics. Of Courtesy of Hugh Ehrman the museum’s collections, Kaffe notes: “As an American I © Kaffe Fassett Studio am proud to see my aesthetic history so brilliantly displayed. Here at Claverton the textiles are a particular delight.” This exhibition will showcase how Kaffe lives by his maxim to “find colour in a grey world”. Designed by the celebrated theatrical designer Johan Engels, the exhibition promises to be as colourful as the dazzling 100 plus pieces of textile art on display. See a kaleidoscope of knitwear, needlepoint, beading and quilts alongside vibrant mosaics and still-life paintings by Fassett. Nearly all the objects on view are from Kaffe’s personal collection, the much-loved pieces that surround him as he creates. Part of the exhibition will be a recreation of his studio space. Carlo C The American Museum in Britain, Claverton Manor, Bath, BA2 7BD. Tel: 01225 460503, www.americanmuseum.org. Admission: museum, exhibition and gardens: adult £9; over 60s and students £8; child (5-16 years) £5; family ticket £25.

Harbour Lights by Angie Kenber

Beside the Sea at Lime Tree Gallery, 29 March – 29 April On the waterfront, overlooking the Floating Harbour on Hotwell Road, Lime Tree Gallery is a fantastic venue for exhibitions with a coastal or marine theme. For the gallery’s first spring exhibition of 2014, it asked three of its most collected artists to come up with paintings on the theme of Beside the Sea. Judith Bridgland, David Smith RSW and Euan McGregor have obliged with a show of varied and contrasting styles. As always, this exhibition is strong on painting and drawing, colour and light. It covers many aspects of the coast, harbours, beaches, seaside towns, piers, islands and seascapes, with wide-ranging interpretations from three wellestablished artists, at the peak of their careers. Lime Tree Gallery, 84 Hotwell Road. www.limetreegallery.com

Sea Changes, Innocent Fine Art 1 – 30 March The ever changing nature of the sea is celebrated in the contrasting work of gallery artists at Innocent Fine Art this month. This diverse collection of paintings includes: Chris Hankey’s elemental sky/seascapes, Anthony Garratt’s wave studies, dramatic Penwith coastal views by Paul Lewin and Sarah Brown and Angie Kenber’s bold, colourful abstracts inspired by the Cornish coast. Innocent Fine Art, 7a Boyces Avenue, Clifton. Tel: 0117 973 2614, www.innocentfineart.co.uk 40 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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The Blue Lagoon, Abereiddy by Euan McGregor


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“Brighton Pier” by Judith I Bridgland

Beside the Sea: March 29 - April 29 Jud i th I Bri d gl and , Eua n Mc Grego r, Dav i d S mi th R S W

Lime Tree Gallery, 84 Hotwell Road, Bristol BS8 4UB

Tel 0117 929 2527

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ARTS | & EXHIBITIONS

Matthew Gorst, Centrespace Gallery, 7-13 March A mixed media show of sketches, doodles, text, sculpture and design. A recycling of found objects and materials including cardboard, timber and rubber bands creating a tangible other worldliness constructed from the familiar while alluding to allegory. Centrespace Gallery, 6 Leonard Lane. www.centrespacegallery.com

Unity, Diana Porter Contemporary Jewellery, until 31 March Inspired by the detail and elegance of a single shared moment, this is a showcase of a hand-picked selection of intricately interlaced and knitted necklaces to tie the knot with. Featuring the work of Carrie Dickens and Mirka Janeckova. Diana Porter Contemporary Jewellery, Park Street. White necklace by Mirka Janeckova

Reflections VI: Renewal, The Guild Gallery, 22 March – 12 April

Reflections VI: Renewal is the sixth exhibition from the ever popular Reflections Group of Bristol artists. Although the work of each of the artists will be familiar from various local exhibitions, they have been developing new work in the last few months, promising an exciting and vibrant exhibition, full of colour, variety and texture, guaranteed to brighten up an early spring day. With each artist having their own highly original style this latest exhibition will include an eclectic line up of paintings, prints, ceramics, glass, enamels and textiles. There is bound to be something to please all visitors, whether your interest is in figurative or abstract images, jewellery or 3D work. All seven artists – Sarah Cowper, Christine Howes, Jo Hyam, Julia Rowe, Denise Lonsdale, Simon Melican and Jenny Urquhart – have exhibited within and beyond the Bristol area and are members of the highly successful North Bristol Artists group who show their work in houses and studios across North Bristol in the annual North Bristol Art Trail on the last weekend in November. The Guild Gallery, 68 Park Street, Clifton. Open between 10am and 5pm, Monday to Saturday. Catherine Hyde, The soft night descending

At the RWA this month... There’s still time to see the The Royal West of England Academy’s first show of the year – a series of themed exhibitions running alongside one another exploring the concept of identity and portraiture. At the core of this series is Oneself As Another, a major exhibition curated in partnership with London-based bo.lee projects, which brings together a select group of painters, sculptors and photographers from the UK and USA whose work explores what defines an individual’s sense of self. The exhibition includes works by great 20th century figures such as Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon, famed for their brutal exposure of the individual psyche, and presents these alongside work by artists who offer an alternative to contemporary portraiture. RWA, Queen’s Road. Tel: 0117 973 5129 www.rwa.org.uk

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Bird in the Blue, Sarah Cowper

Catherine Hyde, Sky Blue Framing & Gallery Until mid-March Signed limited editions by Catherine Hyde, a visual poet, weaving images and symbols into her work. The images linger like half remembered dreams, pure wildness and sheer earthy images. The hare, owl and stag in particular are highly personal symbols that she incorporates into her work. Catherine trained at the Central School of Art in London during the 80s and has shown her work consistently all over the country for over 30 years. Sky Blue Framing & Gallery, 27 North View, Westbury Park. Tel: 0117 9733995

■ Don’t miss the last opportunity to see View Gallery’s forward thinking Momentum exhibition, which runs until 6 March and showcases a variety of artists’ work interpreting the word Momentum. See paintings that illustrate rapid movement and bird migration as well as sculptures that capture the fearlessness of youth’s agility. View Gallery, 159-161 Hotwell Road.

Feona Ness, Room 212, 3 - 15 March Feona Ness is gallery Room 212’s featured artist this month and will be appearing for a meet the artist session on 8 March, 10am – 12pm. Feona’s background originated in design which developed her fascination with colour and texture as reflected in her oil paintings. After completing her PGCE in art at Newcastle in the 1990s she now teaches it part-time at Bristol Grammar School and is an exhibiting artist in her own right, working from her light filled studio in Bristol. With a distinct Turner influence, her works are bold and full of drama. Crashing stormy oceans some dark, some bursting with fiery colours sit alongside bright depictions of places you want to escape to. Feona’s work is semi abstract but remains rooted in the tradition of landscape painting. She paints directly from the environment, inspired by light, weather patterns and colour. Room 212, Gloucester Road. Tel: 0117 330 2789, www.room212.co.uk Feona Ness, Lyme Light II


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GREEN | CITY

Green poet, Martin Kiszko with his hit book of poems, Green Poems for a Blue Planet Below: Martin’s new book, Verse for the Earth

Poetry in motion Hannah Stuart-Leach talks to Bristol’s green poet Martin Kiszko about his inspiring work and new collection of ‘bioverse’

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ecently back from his second trip to India, local performance poet Martin Kiszko noticed audiences at the Mumbai LitFest and schools in Pune had firm favourites. Poo Power saw children and adults alike raising fists jubilantly in the air, while new rhyme Planet Poo had them in stitches. As the environmentalist prepares to launch Verse for the Earth: More Green Poems for a Blue Planet in Bristol this month, he explains the method to his madness. “It’s definitely humour people respond to most,” says Martin of the reaction to his poems, which tackle tricky subjects from renewable energy to excess packaging. “Of course they like to be entertained, but they understand there’s an important message in there too.” Like Martin’s previous book – the hit Green Poems for a Green Planet, published in 2010 – this follow-up collection of 54 poems confronts pertinent issues such as fracking in a whimsical, accessible way. As with the first title, it is also imaginatively illustrated by Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park. “We’ve known each other for 30 years,” explains Martin, who says they met while studying film – Nick in London, him in Bristol, but both showing films in the same arts club. Nick then moved to Bristol, and the pair became good friends. “Not to say that’s been of use in terms of this project,” adds Martin. “Nick, being the professional he is, judges each project on its colours – he was taken with the ethos of the poems, what they were about and how they could be useful.” Indeed, the first collection proved ground breaking – the only poetry book to address environmental problems in an entertaining, tonguein-cheek way rather than with a sense of eco doom. Martin’s background, however, is in classical music. He has composed around 160 film scores for the BBC’s Natural History Unit, and released eight albums with major European orchestras. But he has always enjoyed writing

poetry, and often uses it as a way to record memories and experiences, like photographic snapshots. It is a medium with potential for great impact, Martin believes, especially considering the short attention spans we now have. Thanks to our online communication habits, thoughts are often conveyed in as little as a symbol, or 140 characters on Twitter. “Poetry is like sending a text, or a postcard from your holiday,” he says, “the receiver remembers it because it’s short. It’s a good way of getting a big issue across in a sharp, punchy way.” Although a life-long nature lover, it wasn’t until his kids came home asking for help with homework that Martin felt compelled to learn more. “I decided to write one poem every week for a year to teach myself about the various topics which need covering, and I’m still going.” Since the first book was released, Martin has travelled all over the country and beyond, performing his one-man show of energetic recitals. His poetry readings, complemented by projections of Nick’s illustrations in the background, are captivating due to their dynamic, theatrical style. “Teachers tell me that when I perform in schools or workshops, the show especially brought it alive for boys. They like the movement; they’re surprised literature can be like that. “It’s all about surprise, entertainment and showing how poetry can be fresh and original.” Verse for the Earth is presented in conjunction with WaterAid, who Martin is also collaborating with for a national poetry competition. Poems on Water encourages youngsters to consider global problems they are unaware of. Every day, for instance, around 2,000 children die from unsafe water and inadequate sanitation. Martin wrote Water Walk to inspire entrants and help them envision a life without easy access to clean water. To reinforce this poignant message, children are invited to write their work on salvaged junk

Poetry is like sending a text, or a postcard from your holiday; the receiver remembers it because it’s short

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GREEN | CITY such as chip papers and plastic bags, and pass them around for others to read. This educational role Martin takes very seriously, but he feels being environmentally responsible is also a matter of balance. “Does it mean I’ve put solar panels on my roof? Does it mean I’m on my bike every day?” he says when asked about his green credentials. “No. But I’m on my bike some days, and I also try to recycle at source – so I don’t buy things I don’t need. I try to keep everything to a minimum, I really like that.” After the book launch, Martin will be turning his attention to 2015, when

Bristol becomes European Green Capital. There is already plenty in the pipeline, and although he’s keeping details under wraps he says, “I’m very keen to put poetry onto the streets, but I’m not going to tell you what that means. I promise I won’t make people recycle their poo into energy on the streets, but anything else will go!” ■ Verse for the Earth: More Green Poems for a Blue Planet will be available to order from 16 March via www.greenpoemsforablueplanet.com.

Poo Power In England’s green and pleasant land, Find a field that’s close at hand. Choose a cud-chewing herd of cows, That has no toilet training vows. Wait until they’ve finished tea, Collect their dung and all their pee. Stick the cowpats in a tank, Hold your breath ’cause it smells mank. Put a lid on firm and tight, Stir the slurry every night. Heat it to ninety-five degrees, Until well curdled and sludgy. Whistle a time-passing sweet refrain, As bacterial bugs create methane. Which, as you know, is biogas Your cows have made from eating grass. So now you’ve solved the ‘moo-ted’ question Of anaerobic tank digestion – A fancy term for making fuel Not from crude oil but from a poo! So entertain your friends for hours, Turning poo into power. C.2013 Martin Kiszko. All Rights Reserved.

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Illustration by Nick Park

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BRISTOL | UPDATES

News in Brief ■ Cliftons Estate Agents has appointed new team member Anthony Briggs as senior negotiator at its Portishead Branch. Anthony joins Cliftons Estate Agents with 5 years’ experience of working in estate agency in North Somerset. Call Anthony on: 01275 844 434 to find your dream home. ■ TV personality and local man Noel Edmonds paid a visit to Bristol’s only adult hospice to see first-hand the work of the nurses, carers and specialists there. Deal or No Deal star Noel visited St Peter’s Hospice in Brentry, along with his make-up artist wife Liz, as part of the charity’s Hospice Awareness Campaign which is running throughout 2014. During the visit Noel and Liz, who live in Bitton, met patients, families, volunteers and staff and had a tour of the facilities and gardens which are used by over 2,000 people with life-limiting illnesses every year. Noel said: “Liz and I really enjoyed our visit to St Peter’s Hospice and felt very privileged and humbled in equal measure. I am a great supporter of the work of the hospice. Everyone who works there is doing an incredible job.” John Flanagan, Head of Supporter Relations at St Peter’s Hospice, said: “It was wonderful to have Noel and Liz visit us at the hospice and lend their support to our Hospice Awareness Campaign; the hospice is for patients, families and Bristol, so it’s great to be able to spread the word.” To find out more visit: www.stpetershospice.org.uk Noel & Liz Edmonds meet day patient Sally Tutton

■ The Kings Weston Action Group (KWAG) is now two months into their programme of clearance on historic Penpole Point. The volunteer group began in January cutting down brambles and self-seeded saplings that had grown up between the ruins of Penpole Lodge and the stone dial. In February they returned to continue their work and their final scheduled working party on 15 March will hopefully reach the dial itself. The Common Land at Penpole Point was famous for centuries for its uninterrupted views across the Severn and Avon, but since the 1970s the area has been very much neglected. The area is already looking much more open and glimpses of distant views can again be glimpsed through the trees. For further information email: kwactiongroup@gmail.com

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■ Luxury residential property specialist Fine & Country has opened its doors to its new branch on Whiteladies Road, headed up by property professional Rupert Oliver. Fine & Country, awarded Britain’s Best Prestige Property Estate Agent in the Estate Agency awards in association with The Sunday Times in 2011 and 2010, has offices in over 300 locations worldwide and the new Rupert Oliver and Bristol office shall extend the Victoria Le Masurier company’s presence across the city and in the new branch including South Gloucestershire and North Somerset. The branch will focus on the company’s forte which lies in selling property predominantly in excess of £500,000. Clients will be able to take advantage of finding buyers through Fine & Country offices throughout the UK and London. For houses in excess of £1m the company also strongly draws on international buyers. To celebrate the opening, local sculptor Anna Robson Gartell was commissioned to create a sculpture which is on display at the branch named Bristol Perspectives. The sculpture, influenced by Bristol’s eclectic mix of architecture and its multilayered history contains a mixture of materials that emulate the city. For more information on Fine & Country, visit: www.fineandcountry.com

Tea dances for care homes

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new tea dance entertainment company for elderly people in care has ben launched by local woman Harriet Pocock. The Cat’s Whiskers Tea Dance Company provides engaging, specialist entertainment designed for those in a care home, combining familiar songs, afternoon tea and a group reminiscence session for an unforgettable afternoon. Each show aims to capture the traditional magic and community spirit of the tea dance, encouraging the audience to engage and

CITY BUSINESS Accommodation for trafficked children to open Bristol-based anti-trafficking charity, Unseen, is preparing to open the UK’s first care and accommodation service for child victims of human trafficking. It already runs a 24-hour safe-house for women survivors but is now responding to the acute need to provide a place of safety and refuge where children can recover and regain their childhood. The Children’s Project will care for children 24-hours a day within a family environment offering the specialised support they need. Children will be able to feel safe and secure and begin to let down their barriers so they can rediscover who they are and what they want to be in life. Unseen is running an urgent appeal to raise £100,000 in 100 days. The project will be selfsustaining once it’s up and running, but it desperately needs donations to get the project started. To donate, go to: www.unseenuk.org or tel: 0303 040 2888.

participate from beginning to end; dancing, singing and sharing memories. The experienced entertainers lead the audience in a sing along and dancing and can relax while being waited on for afternoon tea served in beautiful vintage china, complete with cake stands and tea pots. All Cat’s Whiskers entertainers have been trained by Age UK and have a wealth of resources to prompt the audience’s memories. For further information about the company visit: www.catswhiskersteadance.co.uk.

The Mercedes S-Class 2014 is the latest addition to Sybaris Chauffeurs’ fleet

■ Bristol-based Sybaris Chauffeurs is one of the first companies in the UK to have added the prestigious 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class to their fleet, taking comfort to a whole new level. Custom built to provide the ultimate in luxury travel Sybaris provides chauffeur services to both private individuals and businesses. Before investing in the new SClass Sybaris asked its clients to create a wish list of the things they most wanted or needed when travelling. In response they have added a host of additional features specifically designed to ensure that their clients can travel in absolute comfort, work efficiently or simply relax effortlessly on their journey. Features include airline-style tables that enable you to spread out and work comfortably, seats that recline to create a bed, goose down filled headrests and a hot stone massage setting. To contact Sybaris tel: 0800 311 8938 or visit:www.sybarischauffeurs.com


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THE CONTRADICTIONS OF TRADITIONAL FINANCIAL ADVICE

The perception of the traditional financial adviser is the belief that the service they offer lies in tertiary qualifications, product selection and investment performance (past, present, future). Equally, being independent, trustworthy, smartly dressed and turning up on time is what people expect. They are not benefits. Uunderstandably these are some of the commodities of traditional advice the public has lost faith in. Contradictions exist within every step of traditional financial advice: from identifying your highest risk tolerance and proceeding to position you to experience it; to save the most you possibly can; to inform you of past performance but evade what it means to you and then proceed to loosely pass off the reality that the projections cannot be relied upon. Surely the real purpose of our need for financial advice is for us to have confidence and comfort knowing that the dreams and aspirations we value will be achieved, and our families will be looked after now and in the future. Although I am certain most financial advisers would respond by stating that they are already doing this for their clients, the unfortunate reality is that many traditional advisory services contradict this basic premise.Advisers are trained to get clients to be realistic often for the purpose of maximising how much money you invest with them. From the risk and investment perspective traditional advisory services usually identify your maximum risk tolerance and then position you in a portfolio to experience it causing the anxiety that comes with volatile markets. Would it not make sense to invest in a portfolio strategically aligned to achieve your most highly valued goals with less risk than your maximum tolerance leading to a better understanding of purpose and less investment uncertainty? Are you familiar with a solution asking you to save more?Whilst this is all very noble, in the absence of knowing what is truly important to you it often results in you having to make unwelcome sacrifices to your current lifestyle. Traditional services monitor past performance, which is interesting information, but it cannot be changed. Performance reporting is nothing more than yesterday’s news. It has already happened and does not tell you what the performance means to you in terms of maintaining the lifestyle you want. It is a bit like going to the doctor after you are already dead!We are all familiar

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with the small print‘past performance cannot be relied on…there are no guarantees’. Financial decisions based on the past performance are unsound and cannot be controlled. Such actions can lead to an erosion of your wealth and you having to compromise fully experiencing the life you want with the time you have. Yes, there will always be a level of uncertainty in financial markets but the adviser should concentrate on and share the wisdom and strategies to give the client the reassurance he or she needs to get on with life without worrying unduly. Can you ever remember an occasion when you opened your morning post and read your investment projections which left you with feeling what a great day it’s going to be with your future secure? Or was it one of disappointing acceptance?‘Oh well, there’s nothing I can do about that’! Many traditional advisory services disclose away the fact that no one has any idea of whether things will work out as projected. Read the fine print and you will basically see that the projections should NOT be relied upon.This leaves you completely in the dark. It seems to me that people have life aspirations that have financial implications rather than simply financial goals. Money impacts on all aspects of our lives. It can determine how we spend our time, our relationships or act as a measure of our success compared to others. People have a lifetime of attitudes, beliefs and values around money, which can be quite profound. Financial statements and product information will never show us what we really need to understand in order to even begin to help us decide what to do next. A true financial planning professional will spend time to develop a deep understanding and clarity about your values, aspirations and what is truly important to you.This naturally leads to establishing the tangible numbers necessary to achieve the goals you have in life. There exists the responsibility to help you prioritise amongst your ideal and acceptable goals and deliver solutions to achieve those you value more than others. By combining the dreams you have and the goals you prioritise, the adviser will be helping you make the most of your life. Naturally, your circumstances and financial markets change. Regular or even on demand reporting will help you identify both problems and opportunities in advance giving control and comfort knowing what action to take before such events have a major impact on your lifestyle. Author: Steven Coles MScIT ACIB CFP • Tel 0117 9706958

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News in brief Kate Brindley

■ The Arnolfini Centre has announced the appointment of Kate Brindley as its interim director – she will take up post on 1 April. Kate is an experienced and respected visual arts professional whose career has been characterised by her curatorial and leadership skills. She joins Arnolfini from the Middlesbrough Institute of Contemporary Art (mima), where, as director, she has firmly established this ambitious, new-build initiative on the cultural map. In her previous role as director of Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, Kate was responsible for the successful £26m M Shed project. She also oversaw the Banksy v Bristol Museum project which attracted over 300,000 visitors. Kate said: “I am looking forward to working with partners and communities in the city to shape the next chapter for Arnolfini, a powerhouse of experimentation and artistic excellence at the heart of Bristol’s rich cultural identity.”

■ On 12 April, seven ex-Clifton College pupils will begin an epic 800-mile cycle from London to Varese, just north of Milan, to raise money for the Haematology unit which helped saved the life of their friend Luke Ponsonby, who was successfully treated for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia at the Ospedale di Circolo in the little known town of Varese. They will also donate to UK charity Lymphoma & Leukaemia Research. They hope to complete the trip in 12 days, covering an average of 70 miles per day. Follow their progress at http://londontovarese.wordpress.com/.

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Rowing to victory

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lsa Hammond, the University of Bristol student who will be competing in the inaugural Great Pacific Race in June, has been buoyed by the support she has had from sponsors. She has so far raised more than £20,000 towards building the boat she will row for three months across the Pacific. Organisations who have committed financial support to date include the University of Bristol, IT and mobile solutions provider, Excalibur, MBA Polymers, Blockchain.info and the Hatfield Trust. They are joined by a number of personal donors. The Great Pacific Race will start on 7 June from Monterey Bay, in California, and participants, including Elsa, will row around 2,400 miles across the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii. Rowing for up to 16 hours a day, Elsa and fellow contestants will face a number of challenges, including spending up to three months without any human contact. Elsa is the only solo female participant in the race from the UK. By taking part Elsa hopes to raise awareness of plastic pollution in the oceans around the world, supporting the charity, Plastic Oceans Foundation. Elsa’s campaign manager, Steve Bullock, says: “We have been overwhelmed by the support to date both in terms of giving money and equipment, as well as time in such areas as marketing and PR. We have made a great start and now need to keep the momentum going so that we can reach our target of £100,000.” For more information on Elsa’s bid visit: elsahammond.com.

BRISTOL PEOPLE Father and daughter put best foot forward In April father and daughter team Len (58) and Laura Collacott (29) from Bristol will be raising money for cleft charity Smile Train and All as One, a charity that takes care of orphaned and abandoned children in Sierra Leone, by undertaking the Marathon des Sables – an extremely challenging 250km footrace across the Sahara Desert. This will be the first time that Len, a care home operator and Laura, a communications consultant, have attempted the race, which is seen by many as the toughest footrace in the world. The conditions are extremely tough, with competitors forced to carry all their own gear; water is rationed and competitors have to withstand temperatures of over 50 degrees. The duo are looking sponsorship in order to reach their huge target of £10,000, which will be split equally between the two charities. As the Marathon des Sables is a very challenging race, Len and Laura have been training incredibly hard. Len comments, “Marathon des Sables is a one-off chance for me to take part in something I really want to do. I am lucky enough to be doing it with my daughter and I am very fortunate to be the father of three healthy children. This is my opportunity to give something back for my good luck and help out those who were not only unlucky enough to suffer from an untreated cleft lip and palate, but were born in the third world where help is not readily available.” For further information visit: www.SmileTrain.org.uk ■

■ The former England and Bristol rugby player Jonathan Webb, who lives in Abbots Leigh, is to become a patron of spinal injuries charity, the Southern Spinal Injuries Trust (SSIT). As a consultant orthopaedic surgeon, his medical and sporting background mean that he has good understanding of the potential risks and implications of spinal injuries. He says: I have seen first hand the good work that SSIT does and I am looking forward to helping raise awareness of the charity.”

■ BeBristol, a Young Enterprise company from Colston’s Girls’ School, has launched its Bristol merchandise with a reusable cotton bag that showcases Bristol’s famous landmarks. The bag’s design was supplied by Bristol creative agency Orca Design depicting some of Bristol’s iconic landmarks and history in a modern illustrative style. The tote bags are the initial product to be launched by BeBristol with other items to come. The bags are on sale via Facebook, email and Twitter and in selected retailers. Email: bebristol@colstonsgirls.bristol.sch.uk

Elsa Hammond in training

Father and daughter Len and Laura Collacott


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FOOD | AND DRINK

WINING & DINING news and reviews Graze expectations for Bath Ales bar

Quick bites ■ Josh and Holly Eggleton, The Pony & Trap’s brother and sister duo have swept the prestigious Budweiser Budvar Top 50 Gastropubs Awards winning Front of House Manager of the Year, Chef of the Year and being named third best Gastropub in the UK. The winners were determined by votes from the UK’s top chefs, food writers and journalists. These awards come in a year that has also already seen the pub retain its Michelin star rating for 2014. ■ One of Bath’s top hotels, The Bath Priory has launched a new dining area and bar to be known as the Pantry. The Pantry, which overlooks the celebrated award-winning gardens, offers guests a new environment in which to enjoy the Priory’s excellent hospitality. The menu has been created by Michelin starred chef Sam Moody, and ranges from a simple but delicious classic BLT to The Pantry’s signature dish of potted shrimp. Diners can complement the fare with local ciders, ale and cocktails. ■ Bristol Beer Factory has been enjoying a growing reputation in Bristol and around Britain as one of the country’s leading craft breweries, and now people on the other side of the world will be able to sample two of its award-winning beers. Southville Hop and Independence are on their way to The Beer & Cider Company in Perth, Western Australia. Let your friends Down Under know. ■ The Vittoria pub on Whiteladies Road has been given a new lease of life under the watchful eyes of new tenants. This traditional venue boasts a comfortable setting and features a new kitchen offering a range of wholesome food as well as a range of real ales, lagers, ciders, spirits and interesting wines and cocktails.

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ndependent local brewer, Bath Ales, has unveiled a fresh new look for its Graze Bar and Chophouse on Queen Square after a month-long refurbishment. First opened in November 2009, the restaurant was the original of the successful Graze concept – with namesake venues subsequently opened in Cirencester and Bath. Robin Couling, managing director of Bath Ales, said: “It is important to us that we continue to invest to support and extend the success we have seen with a quality proposition like Graze. The refurbishment is intended to update the Bristol location as we’ve refined the concept since it first launched.” Designed by local business Simple Simon, changes include a complete overhaul of the kitchen to make it more efficient, as well as improved seating areas in the way of new bar stools located by the kitchen to provide additional seating to the comfortable banquettes. Alice Bowyer, executive chef at Bath Ales, said: “The whole Graze concept is based around top quality British meat and this means having the best kitchen equipment as well as sourcing the finest ingredients.” At the heart of the kitchen is the distinctive Josper oven which is fuelled by charcoal and used to barbeque prime cuts of steak. The menu has recently been refreshed to include delicacies such as duck hearts on toast with dates and port sauce and smoked haddock kedgeree, cockles, poached egg. For the full menu visit: www.bathales.com/our-pubs/pid/graze-bristol/menu/main-menu/

Local wine expert raises a glass to the launch of Clifton Wine School A Bristol-based wine specialist is pouring years of experience into the launch of an independent local wine school. Ruth Wiles, a former regional tasting manager at Majestic Wine, is opening Clifton Wine School, offering Ruth Wiles tastings, events, courses, private parties and corporate events for beginners and experts alike in Bristol, Bath and Cardiff. Ruth, who holds a Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) diploma and is also a qualified WSET Educator and Assessor, is the latest franchise owner within the successful and rapidly expanding UK-wide network of independent wine schools – www.localwineschool.com – providing entertaining tastings and courses for people who want to learn more about wine. Ruth said: “I’m really looking forward to bringing more people into the wonderful world of wine and wine tasting. It’s a great pleasure to go out and open up this world that many people find confusing and complicated so that it can be enjoyed and understood by anyone with an interest. The local food and drink scene has so much to offer, and I’m thrilled that Clifton Wine School will now be a part of that. Wine lovers will now have a dedicated, relaxed, informal place to meet – right on their doorstep.” Ruth will be hosting a range of events – from cheese and wine tasting evenings to Saturday courses with lunch and Champagne and also has plans to work with local businesses and microbreweries to hold beer and cider tastings too. Clifton Wine School’s events will be held at the Radisson BLU Hotel in Broad Quay. The first introductory evening course takes place on Wednesday 12 March at 7pm. Saturday wine courses with lunch will be held at Goldbrick House on Park Street. For more information about upcoming dates and prices, visit www.cliftonwineschool.com or call Ruth on 0117 370 6576. Follow @CliftonWS on Twitter.


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FOODIE EVENTS... Incredible Edible Bristol, Monday 3 March, Hamilton House, 7pm

Guilt-free eating

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ie-lovers will now be able to enjoy tucking in guilt free as awardwinning Bristol-based Pieminister have launched a trio of new lighter pies, still brimming with all the flavour and delicious ingredients they expect in a Pieminister pie. The three new pies – each less then 440 calories – are lightly baked in a cayenne pepper, poppy seed and Parmesan crust and lifting the lid on traditional pie making, Pieminister has replaced the top crust with a seed and herb crumb. Like Pieminister’s classics, the emphasis here is on top quality ingredients, using 100% free range British meat and full flavours. All three recipes contain a careful balance of ingredients selected for their low calorie content and excellent quality and flavour. Enjoy the Kooky Chook, a free range British chicken, sweet potato, chilli and coconut pie, topped with a coconut, coriander and sesame seed crumb; the Chickalito, a free range British chicken and free range British dry cure ham pie with shredded courgette and celeriac topped with a pine nut, sunflower seed, basil and Parmesan crumb; and Light as a Feta, a butternut squash, sun-dried tomato and feta cheese pie topped with a pumpkin seed and feta crumb. Get your pie fix at Pieminister’s flagship Pie and Cider restaurant at 24 Stokes Croft and in The Glass Arcade, St Nick’s Market, or pick up your pies at the Tobacco Factory Market (Sunday), the Bristol Farmers’ Market (Wednesdays) and at Somerset Farmers’ Markets every weekend as well as markets in Gloucester and Stroud. And keep your eye out for Pieminister pies in independent shops, including The Better Food Company in St Werburghs and on Whiteladies Road. For further information visit: www.pieminister.co.uk.

The aim of Incredible Edible Bristol is to use the Incredible Edible ethos of community, learning and business, to empower groups to create beautiful areas of edible planting all across the city, which are then available to everyone to harvest. This is the inaugural meeting where speakers will talk about the project as well as food and growing. For more information email: ediblebristol@gmail.com

River Cottage Canteen Turns One, Thursday 20 March River Cottage Canteen is celebrating its first birthday with an evening of delicious food, cocktails and live music. Guests can enjoy a specially crafted three course set menu showcasing the best seasonal and local food and will be presented with a River Cottage goodie bag. For more information or to book visit rivercottage.net/canteens/bristol or tel: 01179732458.

Catalunya Tasting, Tuesday 25 March, Flinty Red, 7.30pm A supper celebrating the food and wine of Spain’s proud Catalunya region. Its location on the Mediterranean coast offers a generous and varied selection of ingredient options with seafood and vegetables dishes and the wines of Catalunya are varied and diverse. Tickets: £50. Places are limited and reservation is by payment prior to the event through Flinty Red or Corks of Cotham, on tel: 0117 973 1620.

Clifton FoodFest, 31 March – 13 April, Clifton Village Clifton FoodFest, the brainchild of BID Clifton Village and the first of its kind in Bristol, will celebrate Clifton’s diverse range of restaurants, cafés and delis by bringing together an assortment of its finest eateries, each offering an exclusive £10 offer for both lunchtime and evening meals. Venues already confirmed include Bridge Café at the Avon Gorge Hotel, Arch House Deli, Primrose Café, Somerset House, The Mall Deli, Rainbow Café and The Clifton. For more information visit: www.cliftonfoodfest.co.uk.

The Bristol Chocolate Festival, 5 & 6 April, Brunel’s Old Station, 10am – 6pm Indulge yourself in all things chocolatey in this world of multisensory thrills, allowing you to discover the best and newest artisan chocolates. Enjoy a tasting lounge, chocolate cafe, cocoa spa, brownie trail and chocolate market among many other features. Tickets from £5 for general admission, available from: www.festivalchocolate.co.uk.

The Bristol Chocolate Festival comes to Brunel’s Old Station in April The Kooky Chook pie

Have a curry party for charity Now in its second year, Karma Korma is safe water charity, Frank Water’s flagship fundraising campaign, supported by Bristol-based Bart Ingredients. Based on a simple idea – Karma Korma is a fun, sociable and straightforward way to raise money for Frank Water and individuals, businesses, schools and groups can all take part. Simply gather together a group of friends, family, colleagues or schoolmates for a curry night/lunch/party on World Water Day on Saturday 22 March and instead of paying for their meal, ask each guest to make a donation to Frank Water, to raise enough money for at least two clean water projects in developing countries. Every person that registers will receive a free fundraising pack, to include recipes, fundraising tips and a special spice blend, courtesy of Bart Ingredients. Frank Water has also recruited some of the UK’s best-known chefs and celebrities to donate their favourite curry recipes for the cause too. For more information about Karma Korma, visit frankwater.com/karma-korma WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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Manna 2B North View, Westbury Park, Bristol BS6 7QB. Tel: 0117 970 6276

REVIEW

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A TIME FOR SHARING

otato omelette is one of the mid-week dishes I sometimes cook at home. It’s generally greeted with a ‘meh’ when served – but put the same ingredients in the hands of a professional, serve with a dollop of homemade garlicky mayonnaise and the ‘classic tortilla with alioli’ gets whole hearted approval and is wolfed down faster than you can say ‘Viva España’. That’s the thing about what used to be called peasant food, but has now rebranded as artisan food. Simple but good ingredients, like lentils, broad beans or pearl barley, can be magicked into something really special and elevated to noble, if not aristocratic levels in the right hands. This wizardry is what makes for the best cooking the world over, from the dhals of India to the coq au vin of France. For a little corner of warm and sunny Spain – mercifully free of sombreros and gimmicks – try a visit to Westbury Park where Manna (opposite our family favourite the Italian Prego) is serving up its own twist on tapas which is going down a storm with the local senors and senoritas. I’ve visited before for food and for a delicious glass of chilled wine, some roasted nuts and a gossip with a friend, but the last time we went was for a pre-Valentine treat. Who wants to follow the herd and celebrate on the 14th? We were blown into Manna by a storm of Biblical proportions, the wind biting through layers of coats and scarves, the rain stinging our faces like icy needles. But once through the door of Manna all was warmth and light – the front of house was clearly warm enough as she was wearing a pair of sparkly flip-flops. A good sign, we felt as we divested ourselves of our layers. There’s a coat rack so you needn’t sit with your soggy outerwear. There’s a great party vibe at Manna which lifts the spirits and makes you feel part of a good time, with a soundtrack of contemporary music and a pleasant buzz of chatter. The tables are quite close together, but that means you get to have a nose at what your neighbours have ordered. It might have been busy but the service was swift and friendly. We were brought a recycled vodka bottle of water and menus, plus a wine list. The great thing about tapas is that it’s relaxed eating. The format’s simple. You order a few dishes, you eat them, you chat. Then, if you fancy it, you order more, eat them and chat. Repeat until satisfied. A bottle of robust well rounded Spanish red was ordered and as we sipped and thawed out, we debated our choices. If you’re dating, tapas is a great way

of dining together. There’s always the food to talk about and you’ll discover what tastes you have in common while plunging your forks into the same dishes. You’ll also find out if your date is a considerate sharer or a greedy guts. There are more than a dozen tapas dishes to choose from ranging in price from £2.50 for the delicious crunchy salted broad beans to the Badminton Estate venison and pork albondigas (meatballs) with toasted almonds, at £4.95. Most dishes are around the £3 mark and four is an ample starter. We ordered four and congratulated ourselves on a good mix of flavours. There was crispy (smoked haddock and leek croquetas with a tomato sauce), spicy (lentils with harissa and yogurt), garlicky (the classic tortilla with alioli) and meaty (a Spanish black pudding, morcilla de Burgos). They all arrived together in little terracotta dishes. We sat back, satisfied. Would we order more? As a rule of thumb around four tapas dishes and two sharing plates for a couple is about average. But you can adjust according to appetite. Sharing plates range from £5 to £8.95. We chose a sharing dish of seared Cornish scallops with tiger prawns (out of their shells and perfectly grilled), with grandma’s favourite filler, pearl barley, given a new – to us – and flavoursome lease of life with spices and coconut and studded with crunchy peanuts. A noble dish indeed. We paired this with a tapas dish of fava beans a la Hannibal Lector, but served as a vegetarian-friendly version. A nice warming dish of healthy pulses lifted by cumin, garlic and lemon juice. If you wanted to make a night of it Manna has a range of cocktails on the board as well as Orchard Pig ciders, and a selection of digestifs, including some fine Spanish dessert wines to put you in holiday mood. We didn’t feel the need for a pudding, but instead turned our backs reluctantly on the sunny warmth of Manna, reclaimed our coats and set out into the wintry Brizzle drizzle. Manna has a series of deals and offers. Monday night is tapas special offer night, with four dishes for £10 and a glass of house wine for £2.50, when served between 6pm and 9pm. From Tuesdays to Saturdays between 6pm and 7pm, there’s an early bird menu, with four tapas dishes, two sharing plates and two large glasses of wine (serves two) for £25. Georgette McCready

If you’re dating, tapas is a great way of dining together. There’s always the food to talk about and you’ll discover what tastes you have in common

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FOODIE | PROFILE

Spreading the foodie love Silvana Tann meets Lorna Knapman, whose aim to feed her son healthy, fresh produce has led to her running a series of award-winning family-friendly food festivals in the south west

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n her own words, she’s a food loving mum on a mission – a mission to bring the best of British produce together and to create a sense of community and pleasure in food wherever she goes. Lorna Knapman, the woman behind the Love Food Festivals, has a growing following for her mission with the festivals rolling out from Bristol to Bath and beyond. She explained how the concept began: “The idea of the food festivals came about partly through my upbringing in rural Dorset and my exposure to urban life when I moved to Bristol in my teens. I am extremely passionate about food and nutrition. This became even more important to me as a single mum when I had my son nine years ago.” This drive initially led Lorna to set up her company Bitesize, a business that focused on healthy food for young children for which she received support from The Prince’s Trust. “It soon became clear to me through my exposure to food festivals with my business, that the high cost fees for the producers’ stand coupled with the high entrance fees for people who wanted to attend, made access to these events selective. The festivals also lacked activities for children. I was convinced that there was room for a festival with a family focus with good produce, delicious and nutritious food stalls and great family entertainment. This is what really sparked the idea for the first Love Food Festival.” The inaugural festival in 2008 at the Paintworks in Bristol was a resounding success. “I had 35 producers signed up for stalls and a whole host of events for children; a stilt walking garden; open farm Sunday where a local farmer came along with animals and information with the view to offering an educational element; music performances and much more. The fees for producers were kept low and entrance to the event was free. “I’d sent out thousands of fliers and contacted the press. I thought that we might attract around 400 visitors, in fact we had over a 1,000 and queues were snaking back from the entrance.” The success of this event spurred Lorna on to organise successive festivals. It also led to her being awarded The Prince’s Trust Enterprise Award and to be an ambassador for the Trust. She was also invited to Downing Street to meet then Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

FOOD TO GO: main picture, Lorna Knapman. Below and right, scenes from Love Food Festivals in Bath and Bristol

Since 2008 Lorna has organised more than 50 food festivals across the region. She takes up the story: “The festivals and their community began to grow in number. In 2011 we held our first Love Food Festival at Green Park Station in Bath. Soon after this we teamed up with the National Trust hosting regular events at Dyrham Park and Newark Park in the Cotswolds. My original idea was to bring the countryside to the city, however working with the National Trust offers the opportunity to connect children in particular with fantastic rural environments.” Lorna is very keen for the festivals to be a positive experience for children. “At Love Food we run a range of events for children and adults. The aim is to have a fun day out, and have access to amazing food produce. We run cookery demonstrations and a number of creative events for children. Education and having fun are at the core of Love Food. As a single mum on benefits years ago I wanted to make sure that my son ate well. Financially it was tough, but it was possible. I believe that everyone can eat well and education is key.” At the heart of this campaign Lorna has an aspiration to take children from the inner city out to the countryside to what she calls Food Camps. “My aim is to take less privileged children to rural environments and allow them to see first hand how food is produced and understand the basics. It is something I want to do when Love Food generates enough profit.” Supporting small food businesses is also important to her. “Love Food offers considerable exposure to small producers. We get around 4,000 visitors to events and the website has almost double that number of visitors each month. We want to offer food producers the opportunity to showcase their great produce so we make sure that our stall fees are modest. At the same time the majority of events continue to have no entrance fees, making them more inclusive to the public.” Love Food has become more than a full-time job for Lorna. It continues to evolve and is becoming an even bigger platform in the region to showcase the great products and producers in the south west. This year, from 1 –11 May, Bristol will launch a city wide festival called Bristol Food Connections, which

I was convinced that there was room for a festival with a family focus with good produce, delicious and nutritious food stalls and great family entertainment

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FOODIE | PROFILE will be run in partnership between the BBC and Bristol City Council. Lorna has been asked to curate the event. This invitation has clearly come as a result of the success of Love Food. “I’m really excited to be involved with Bristol Food Connections. We are aiming to host a festival for people from every background. The idea is to connect all communities, to bring food back to basics while discussing all topics related to food. The launch will tie in with the BBC Food and Farming Awards. Food events will be showcased all over Bristol. We will have celebrity chefs involved, but the event is really about our communities, focusing on healthy and sustainable food. The BBC will broadcast live daily on the Radio 2 breakfast show, Radio 4 and go out live to the nation on BBC1. Our aim to is create the biggest food festival in the UK. It is incredibly exciting.” ■

UPCOMING EVENTS... 30 March: Love Food Festival presents Spring at Paintworks Love Food Festival will be going back to its roots to welcome the new season with the very best local producers and street food vendors in the region. As always, the children’s area will offer plenty of opportunities to make and create. Free entry, 10.30am–4pm. 3 – 5 May: Bristol Food Connections, Millennium Square Love Food Festival will be taking over Millennium Square for the bank holiday weekend as part of the groundbreaking 11-day Bristol Food Connections festival. There will be a huge market place where you can stock up on great food and listen to live demos from the nation’s best chefs. Free entry, 11am-5pm. 18 May, 20 July & 28 September: Love Food Festival at Dyrham Park Enjoy breathtaking views whilst tasting and buying delicious local produce at this beautiful National Trust venue. Outdoor activities for children too. Free entry, 10am-4pm. 22 June: Love Food Festival at Kings Weston House This is a new venue for 2014 where you can take in this elegant building while browsing market stalls and tasting some fabulous street food. Relax on the rolling lawns outside with your lunch. Free entry, 10.30am-4pm. 23 – 25 August: Love Food Festival at Treefest, Westonbirt Expect a local producer market, street food and an educational children’s area, on top of Treefest’s usual live music, woodland skills and other woodland activities. Usual Westonbirt entry fee applies, 10am-5pm. 26 October: Love Food Festival presents autumn at Paintworks Fun autumnal activities, plenty of fresh produce and fun activities for all the family. Free entry, 10.30am-4pm. To find out more about any of these events visit: www.lovefoodfestival.com.

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FAMILY | FUN

Wonderful Woodwinds at St George’s Bristol Image © Laura Tanner

WAKE UP TO SPRING Use our guide to help plan quality time with your little ones this month. From family friendly music and storytelling to forest craft activities and science, there’s something for all ages to enjoy

Spring Alive, At-Bristol, Until 28 April Celebrate nature’s party season by taking a science look at living things. Discover the biology around us in spring as you investigate plants, examine eggs, and get seeds to grow. Standard admission applies. Visit: www.atbristol.org.uk for further information.

Minibeats: Wonderful Woodwinds, St George’s Bristol, Sunday 2 March, 10am & 11.15am Join the Principal Winds of the Bristol Ensemble and presenter Laura Tanner as they explore the world of woodwinds. 10am: suitable for ages 35; 11.15am: suitable for ages 5-8. Tickets: £6. Box Office tel: 0845 40 24 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk.

How Do Wind Farms Work? M Shed, Saturday 15 March, 1pm- 5pm As part of Science and Engineering Week, design your own wind farm and have a go at a tabletop strategy game. It’ll blow you away! Suggested Donation £2.

Zimbe! Colston Hall Tuesday 25 March, 7.30pm A choir of more than 300 Bristol primary school children, Bristol Choral Society and the Call Me Al jazz quintet (all conducted by Adrian 56 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Partington) perform Zimbe! – a brilliant fusion of traditional African song and jazz – in a feelgood performance of this vibrant celebration of life, youth and music. Tickets £7 adults, £3 children available online at: www.bristolchoral.co.uk or from Colston Hall box office on tel: 0844 887 1500.

Michael Morpurgo – War Horse: Only Remembered, St George’s Bristol, Friday 28 March, 7.30pm Author Michael Morpurgo tells the powerful and deeplymoving story of young Albert and his beloved horse Joey. Seen through the eyes of Joey, who witnesses the pity of war on both sides of the trenches as he moves from life on a farm in peaceful Devon to the devastation of the Western Front in the First World War. Michael is joined by acclaimed musicians John Tams and Barry Coope, who accompany him with the rousing yet haunting songs specially composed by John Tams for the National Theatre’s awardwinning production of War Horse. Tickets £16, £10 (Under-16s). Box Office tel: 0845 40 24 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk.

Forest Discovery Day: Family Ties, Westonbirt Arboretum, Sunday 30 March Blow away those winter cobwebs by taking part in a special family trail to celebrate Mothering Sunday, then make a natural present or card to give to someone special. Free after admission.

Red River Hogs arriv e at

Wild Place

In last mon th’s issue, w e visited Bri newest fam stol’s ily attraction , The Wild Project, six Place months afte r opening, it has to of to see what fer. Now, w e can upda the news th te you on at two youn g red river instantly re hogs, cognisable for their br have arrive ight red fur, d at the cons ervation site happily snor and are ting and ro oting around undergrow the th in their ne w home. The called Ekund hogs are u and Mito (Congelese and river) an for red d are both just one ye ar old.


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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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f you go down to Leigh Woods today, you’ll be in for a treat, whatever the weather. It’s one of those hidden treasures, right on our doorstep, that allows you to escape the city skyline and delve into a woodland retreat. There’s something about Leigh Woods that captures the imagination. I recently met up with Nicole Armitage, who must have one of the best jobs in the city – she’s the ‘50 Things’ Engagement Ranger, as part of the Bristol Urban Programme. Doesn’t mean much to you? Perhaps if I told you about the National Trust’s ‘50 things to do before you’re 11 3/4’ idea, it might mean a bit more. The programme began after research that children spend less time outdoors, than their parents did at their age. The premise behind the 50 things programme is a series of simple challenges that capture childhood – with the aim of doing them, before they reach the ripe old age of 12. It’s Nicole’s role in all this, to help make some of those 50 things happen, right here in Bristol. Challenges range from simple activities such as rolling down a hill, to the more advanced, such as taking part in a night walk, which was held over the February half term. It’s a fab way of getting children engaged with the outdoor world and bringing nature to life for them. And it doesn’t stop there. If the 50 things isn’t your little one’s cup of baby chino, then there are plenty of other activities to choose from. Take the den building workshops that run in the heart of Leigh Woods. Den building workshops – how cool is that? It’s like every child’s dream come true. They are run by den building experts, who give tips in how to make great dens. When I asked Nicole what equipment they’re supplied with, her answer was simple: “just a dead wood and a lot of imagination” – does anyone need any more? There were some rather impressive dens in Leigh Woods when we took a walk and chatted together, some that had survived several storms. I got the feeling there were some den building experts in our midst and some Dads who’d had a lovely time getting involved. It was still squelchy under foot and I couldn’t but help think of one of our bedtime favourite story books We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and how much Jemima would love getting her welly boots muddy. On that note, they really have thought of everything in Leigh Woods, to help make it more accessible for families. There are pushchair friendly routes, so toddlers’ weary legs can take a rest in the buggy, before leaping back into their next puddle. With Mother’s Day coming up, you can make the most of the setting, just by having a picnic overlooking the Suspension Bridge, or you might want to take part in the Mother’s Day Cycle – whatever your energy level, there is something to cater for every one. As Nicole and I chatted away, suddenly the morning madness melted away – there is something about being outdoors that gives you perspective again. As spring starts to stir the senses, with its dappled sunlight and wild garlic, I think it’s time to start ticking the ‘50 things’ list – I wonder if I’m too old to take up the challenge? To hear Nicole’s interview in full as we walked around the woods, have a listen to: www.freelancebristolmum.co.uk ■

© Wendy Parry

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BRISTOL | PEOPLE

CIRCLE OF TRUST Samantha Coleman pays a visit to bespoke ring designer, Julie Anne Palmer, in her studio in Westbury on Trym to get a behind the scenes look at how she works

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here’s something special about a hand crafted piece of jewellery – especially when it comes to an engagement ring. It shows your personality, style and above all, it is incredibly personal – perfect if you want something a little bit different and truly unique. If you’re considering having an engagement ring bespoke made for your loved one, head to Westbury-on-Trym where you’ll discover Julie Anne Palmer working in her quaint workshop creating some really beautiful pieces. Julie has been making jewellery for over 30 years, after leaving college with a degree in jewellery and silversmithing. It was while she was doing a foundation course at college that she discovered her love for jewellery designing and making: “On my course I did a lot of 3D design and always used to make little sculptures. One day I stumbled upon the jewellery department and found that it suited me and my work beautifully,” says Julie. Since then she has worked in many different areas of jewellery including repairing antiques and restoring fine jewels, which she says was invaluable experience. “I got to know all about Art Deco rings and precious stones as well as different styles of jewellery through the ages and how each piece was constructed. It gave me the extensive knowledge that I use in my creations today.” Norfolk-born Julie went to live in London for three years after college but when living became too expensive, she moved to Bath to work as a jewellery designer in a workshop shared with potters. When the workshop unfortunately closed, Julie up-rooted herself to Bristol, and has stayed here ever since. “When I arrived in Bristol I did a lot of exhibitions in local galleries to get my name out there, but it was the arrival of the internet that really helped me branch out and grow my business,” she says. “It meant that people could see my work and what I do at the click of a button and could find me easily. I had people from all over the UK come and see me, and even a couple from Denmark.” Julie’s pieces are all exquisitely made, each

one captivating and unique. From wave rings featuring sapphires and diamonds and Art Deco style rings with square diamonds and clean lines, to rings with unusual edges and stone settings and rings with clusters of jewels; you can see that a lot of hard work and dedication has gone into the design and construction of each individual piece. Her passion is unmistakable in the way she speaks about her work. “What I’m doing is very niche,” says Julie. “I can make a ring in any style and create a piece of jewellery that has never been created before. I offer bespoke jewellery designed from your thoughts, through initial concept and stone selection, to being handmade in my studio, ensuring you get a one-off piece of jewellery to treasure. “It’s a very personal process and the customer has complete input in the design – whatever you want, I can make. You tell me what you have to spend and I will design and make your jewellery ensuring that you get the best stones that I can obtain within your budget. Stones are the most expensive part of any ring.” It is clear however, that regardless of your budget, you will get Julie’s full attention and she will put all of her effort into creating the very best piece of jewellery that she can – made with love, affection and absolute precision. She says: “I feed off people – their reactions and tastes. Talking to the customer is so important.” Specialising in platinum and palladium, she also works in 18ct gold and can make jewellery in all colours of gold including white, red, rose and yellow. On top of bespoke ring designs, Julie also offers a remodelling service. So if you have any old pieces of gold jewellery that you don’t wear, or pieces that have been passed down to you through generations that you have never worn or are out of date, Julie can melt all the gold down and recreate a completely new piece which is suited to your style but keeps the sentiment of the old pieces. A great way to give a special piece of jewellery a new lease of life that can be loved once again. “I love remodelling jewellery; I hear so many moving stories from people,” she says. “One customer came to me with a bowl full of gold dust panned by their grandfather who was an engineer with the survey unit of the army in 1952 at Squaw Creek in British Columbia. It had been left as gold dust ever

I got to know all about Art Deco rings and precious stones as well as different styles of jewellery through the ages...

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A LIFETIME OF LOVE: main image, Julie Anne Palmer at work in her studio. Left, pieces of jewellery designed and made by Julie include, clockwise from top, a diamond bracelet; and bottom left, a sapphire and diamond ring

This page: top row, left to right, large diamond ring; flower ring; Lily ring. Second row, platinum and diamond ring with gold dots; platinum ring with pink sapphire and diamonds; ruby and diamond ring.

since, so the customer asked me to remodel it into a solid gold ring. Another customer came to me with some gold rings that she never wore and asked me to turn them into identical pendants for her and her two daughters. Every story is different; it makes for a really interesting and exciting job.” Julie also has a selection of ready to wear jewellery for sale that she has designed and made herself. Stop by her studio in Stoke Lane during opening hours to take a look. ■

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Julie Anne Palmer’s studio is open to the public Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 2pm. Consultations of 30 minutes can be made for Saturdays from 10am – 2pm. Book on tel: 0117 962 1111. For further information about Julie’s work and to see a gallery of pieces she has made, visit: www.julieannepalmer.com. Julie will be taking part in the BS9 Art Trail in May. Stop by to see examples of her work and at the same time admire watercolours by Bristol illustrator Rosie Jenkins, who will be showing her art on the walls.

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BRISTOL | WEDDINGS

WEDDING CHECKLIST He’s got down on one knee, you’ve said yes and now your life is all about wedding planning. Well, we’re here to make it easier for you with this checklist offering our recommendations of some of the best wedding services in the city. You need look no further...

❶ THE DRESS Probably one of the most important things for the bride. You have to feel as fabulous as you look, so make sure you try on a few different styles so you know what’s right for you. We recommend: The Mews Bridal Gowns of Clifton Village. Offering timeless romanticism and enduring elegance, capturing the spirit of the past with an essence of today, it stocks a range of gorgeous dresses from Suzanne Neville, Stephanie Allin, Jenny Packham, Two Birds Bridesmaid and Maids to Measure. It has also just been confirmed as an exclusive UK stockist to French couture gowns from Laure de Sagazan and Rime Arodaky. The Mews, 30 The Mall Clifton Village. Tel: 0117 973 8784

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BRISTOL | WEDDINGS

❷ SHOES If you are wearing a shorter 50s-style gown, it is really important that you have the most fabulous shoes – as your guests will be paying as much attention to them as your dress. Equally, a dazzling pair of wedding shoes will be needed even if you are wearing a floor length dress as photographers will want to take pictures of your shoes before you’ve even put them on! We recommend: Harvey Nichols Bristol stocks bridal shoes by Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin, including below, these sparkly Jimmy Choos, £455

❸ ACCESSORIES Wearing a head decoration always gives extra elegance to your bridal look. If you’re opting for a vintage theme, how about a bird’s nest head piece or sparkly hairband; if your wedding is like a fairytale, then a tiara is a must; and for a classic wedding, nothing beats the timeless veil. We recommend: Create bridal mystery and allure with this outstanding Snow Swan veil, £600, by the talented Vivien Sheriff available at Carina Baverstock Couture in Bradford-on-Avon.

If you’re getting married in the summer, natural, tousled hair with minimal makeup looks beautiful; while if you are planning a winter wedding, you may want to opt for dramatic red lips and an updo to safeguard your hair from the elements.

These are the things that will last forever once the big day is over. A symbol of your love and devotion, wedding rings are one of the most special parts of your marriage, so make sure you choose a style that will last a lifetime.

We recommend: For classic glamour to full on vintage and retro styling, look no further then Bristol-based Beehive Brides, run by professional hair and make-up artist Fiona Maynard. Fiona is a fully qualified hairdresser with over 20 years’ experience – she has had work published in hair magazines and has worked across a wide range of film and television projects including Monarch of the Glen, Messiah and Cranford. Since becoming a mother in 2007, Fiona has chosen to specialise in wedding hair and beauty, with a focus on vintage and retro looks to really reflect her passion and experience in this area. Fiona has picked up lots of industry insider tips over her years in TV and film which can bring out your natural beauty and glow on your wedding day. Before the big event, Fiona will do a trail run and a detailed consultation looking at favourite styles, details of your dress and veil and hair decorations. She will take a series of notes and photos so that there are no surprises on the day and you can relax and enjoy the pampering. Experienced at calming the nerves and offering star treatment, Fiona will help your wedding day get off to a great start – on the day she will arrive in plenty of time you can enjoy the luxury of a professional beauty service in your own home. Using a make-up kit including ranges from MAC, Clinque, Laura Mercier and Clarins, she will recreate your chosen look perfectly. Fiona says the top trends for the new season include: feather motifs for hair decorations, dewy skin and red rouge for lips, high definition eyebrows, hair plaiting and vintage boho looks. For further information visit: www.beehivebrides.co.uk or to book tel: 07710 415365.

We recommend: Diana Porter Contemporary Jewellery on Park Street stocks a range of unique contemporary bespoke wedding and engagement rings, including these:

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❺ WEDDING RINGS

18ct rose gold ring with diamonds, from £1,025, by Malcom Betts. Channel set diamonds are offset by a hammered finish for a contemporary update of the traditional wedding ring

❹ HAIR & MAKEUP

9ct white gold etched ring, from £341, by Diana Porter. The unusual textured surface of this plain band works well for men and women alike Diana Porter Contemporary Jewellery, 33 Park St, Bristol. www.dianaporter.co.uk

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❻ THE VENUE

❻ FIRST DANCE

Being in such a diverse and cultural city, it means that you have the pick of quirky art centres like the Arnolfini, theatres and cultural venues like the Bristol Hippodrome and historical sites of interest like the SS Great Britain to have your wedding, as well as country retreats like the Cameley Lodge, complete with fishing lake just outside the city in Chew Valley.

Avoid any awkwardness with your first dance as a married couple – when all eyes are on you – with some lessons beforehand.

We recommend: © Holly Wallace The Avon Gorge Hotel, nestled in the heart of Clifton village overlooking the rolling Somerset hills, is one of the south west’s most loved wedding venues and provides the perfect location for a summer wedding. Offering unparalleled views of Brunel’s Clifton Suspension Bridge, the hotel terrace is the ideal place to pose for those all important wedding photographs. Licensed for weddings and civil partnerships, the hotel is able to cater for both intimate celebrations and larger gatherings with a number of summer dates still available in 2014. All wedding ceremony and reception rooms enjoy a spectacular view of the gorge and Suspension Bridge as well as access on to a private terrace, where you can enjoy a BBQ or hog roast for the evening reception if you wish. The Avon Gorge Hotel prides itself on providing the very best in personal service and the dedicated wedding team will stop at nothing to turn dreams into reality. There are a wide variety of packages to suit all budgets all of which can be adapted to add special personal touches. Packages start from £2995 for 50 guests. The hotel is hosting a Wedding Fayre on Sunday 2 March, 10am – 4pm. For more information tel: 0117 738955 or visit: www.theavongorge.com

We recommend: Dance Factory Bristol has been involved with more than 800 first dances over recent years. The first dance can provide one of the most lasting memories from the big day and it’s a part of the wedding that can be the most fun. Dance teacher Michele Webber has a few tips for married couple-to-be: • Choose a track that you both love. Open a bottle of something nice and listen to your playlists. It's best not to choose something just because it seems popular or because it’s a certain dance type. The song will form part of a special memory and it has to be right for you both.The music sets the mood and should fit with the ambiance of your venue too. • If you can join a dance class for a short while that’s a brilliant way to just get used to dancing together and coordinating things. Choose a class that doesn’t rotate partners – this is about you learning to dance together. A couple of private lessons will then ensure that you have a plan for your dance and can feel completely comfortable with it on the day • Take similar shoes in terms if height and style to your lesson and women should consider taking a long skirt to dance in to replicate the wedding dress. We frequently offer to come along to your venue for a last minute run through so that’s its all more familiar on the day. • First dances have in the past gone on a bit too long. Ninety seconds to two minutes is more than enough to meet the traditional requirements. Brides need to remember that it is the bridegroom who is leading the dance and we can help him with that. Your dance coach will also help you end your dance well. Whether it’s by walking elegantly off the floor to rapturous applause or whether you both take the initiative to go and grab a chosen loved one or close friend onto the dance floor, the role of the first dance is to get the party started. For further information about dance lessons with Michele visit: www.dancefactorybristol.com

❽ PHOTOGRAPHY Getting a good photographer to capture the special moments of your big day is so important. Don’t get conned into thinking that just because someone can take an okay photograph that it means they will be fine to take pictures at your wedding – it won’t. You need a photographer with a creative flair, an eye for detail and someone who is experienced at wedding photography – not only will they know what moments to capture and make them last a lifetime, but they will make your guests – and you – feel at ease. Very important if you want natural, happy people in your shots. We recommend: Cathy Waite and Katy McDonnell are a professional photographic team and their website www.theperfectday.uk.com is a testament to their passion for documenting weddings. Cathy and Katy met at art college 25 years ago and have been best friends ever since. During that time, Cathy has produced numerous film and television projects as well as working as a professional photographer. Katy has worked predominantly as a children’s fashion photographer covering major brands such as Laura Ashley, M&S, Crew Clothing and Mini Boden. They combined their talents four years ago to form The Perfect Day Wedding Photography and haven’t looked backed. They marry creativity with storytelling, a discreet and artistic photo journalistic approach which ensures that those special moments are captured forever without the photography dominating your day. They can accommodate any special requirements, formals or portraits and will come up with a bespoke plan to suit your needs. And if you want your perfect day on film? They have talented film makers that can record your day in full HD. Together their skills will ensure that the events of your wedding are photographed beautifully and spontaneously and will collectively tell the story of your perfect day.

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The Relaxation Centre To relax is to enjoy life

Spa & Treatment Centre

The Relaxa"on Centre is and enchan"ng spa and treatment centre offering everything the birthday-girl or bride-to-be could ask for. Whether it’s wallowing in the hot tubs, detoxing in the sauna, or refreshments in the blissful gardens or relaxa"on lounge, the centre is a luxury wai"ng to be discovered. There is also a full range of stress bus"ng treatments from full body Massage to Tai Yoga massage, Shiatsu to Reflexology.

Treatments from £30, Spa sessions from £20. There are special arrangements for Hen Par"es

9 All Saints Rd, Cli on, Bristol

Gi vouche availablrs e

Tel: 0117 9706616

www.relaxa"oncentre.co.uk

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HEN | PARTIES

Get together for a lampshade making party at Quincy Lampshades

A clucking good time So you’ve been given the task of organising a hen party – and let’s guess, it’s been causing you nightmares? Trying to keep everyone happy is not easy, especially when you have a group of people to cater for all with different budgets, tastes and ages. But we’re here to help and have got together a selection of ideas that should keep most groups happy – and better still, they are all close to home For crafty and creative types...

Unleash your creativity and channel it into gift wrapping in a Gift Frippery Workshop with Amanda White. Learn all the tricks of the trade from the basics of gift wrapping to finding new ways to use the bits and bobs around your home to help produce the most beautifully wrapped gifts. Amanda can hold the workshops wherever you wish and you can even learn how to make wedding favours and decorations too – a great way of involving friends and family of all ages in the big day. For further information visit: www.giftfrippery.co.uk. If you want to learn a new skill and create something gorgeous for your home or wedding venue, then a lampshade making party with Quincy Lampshades could be just the ticket. “Organise your lovely peeps, a suitable space and bring a few things,” says Ruth McAllister, lampshade maker and founder of Quincy Lampshades. “Each person needs half a metre of their favourite fabric and a pair of general purpose scissors. I bring everything else to make a drum lampshade in a choice of sizes, and because I don’t teach using pre-assembled kits, you will learn the fundamentals of lampshade making plus helpful hints for a professional finish with plenty of time for chatting. This is not one of those craft workshops where you end up chucking your halffinished project into the back of the cupboard. Oh no! You’ll be displaying your new lampshade as soon as you get home, admiring your handiwork, your unique home décor and pointing it out to visitors.” These hen workshops are good fun and if you have lots of friends who might not have met each other before, it is a relaxed and sociable way to get everyone working and talking together. For further information visit: www.quincylampshades.co.uk. Or try The Crafty Hen which offers fun craft workshops to make something beautiful and unique. The workshops are designed as enjoyable activities with your nearest and dearest, with time to make and create. The sessions are completely tailored to you and your guests, whether you fancy making garters, textile corsages and accessories, bunting, fascinators, textile bouquets and buttons holes or table decorations. There are also options for you to incorporate vintage fabrics and antique lace into your creations as well. Workshops can take place at any venue of your choice, be it your own kitchen, weekend accommodation, or your favourite café. For further information visit: www.thecraftyhen.co.uk

For foodies...

Bishopston Supper Club offers bespoke supper, lunch and afternoon tea events for private parties, perfect for a hen celebration. You can choose the kind of event you’d like and Danielle Coombs, founder of the club, will adapt the menu and price to fit. You can enjoy everything from a buffet, canapés or an afternoon tea to a Sunday roast, three course lunch or dinner or a super deluxe menu. The supper club room seats a minimum of eight and maximum of 16 and is situated between the country cricket ground and St Andrew’s Park. For further information, email bishopstonsupperclub@gmail.com. Or get the party started with cocktail classes at Charlie’s Bar, a cosy and trendy speakeasy-style cocktail bar tucked away on Whiteladies Road. Catering for groups from two to 30 people, cocktail classes are a great predinner activity that loosens everyone into the evening. The class takes shape 68 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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in the way of: a glass of bubbly upon arrival and a chance to let everyone arrive and have a catchup while a projector displays photos of the hen, and then you’ll be shown how to make three cocktails and invited to make your own. For further information visit: www.charliesbarbristol.co.uk. For a touch of glamour and a chance to dress up, enjoy a fancy tea party at the vintage palace that is Cox & Baloney on Cheltenham Road. Whether it’s just a few people or a whole gaggle, it’s the perfect place to have a girly celebration that can be tailored to suit you – from a relaxed sit down tea party to a loud knees up, packages are available for breakfast, lunch or supper. You can even enjoy an evening of teapot cocktails and hair and make-up styling – a fabulous way to get ready for your night ahead. We recommend the traditional English afternoon tea with a complimentary glass of Prosecco on arrival, an endless selection of finger sandwiches, homemade cakes and cream tea served with lots of pots of tea (there are 15 home brewed speciality teas). Or how about a tea tasting experience for any tea lovers? Cox & Baloney can even arrange fun activities like knicker making, burlesque dancing or life drawing. For further information visit: www.coxandbaloneytearooms.com. If you all enjoy a bit of healthy competition in the kitchen, then head to Folly Farm Centre in Chew Valley. A restored 18th century farmhouse that can be hired exclusively (accommodating up to 45 people), it boasts a communal area where you can gather to play games, enjoy wine in front of the log-fire or sit outside enjoying the sunset. Re-create a cookery show with a cook-off and demos with options including creating stone-baked pizzas in a wood-fired oven; make an evening meal with a mystery box of ingredients or host your own bake-off. For further information visit: www.follyfarm.org.

For outdoorsy types...

Plucky hens seeking out less clichéd activities for an alternative hen weekend can head to the Malverns to take part in a weekend of outdoor activities with woodland glamping experts, Babes in the Woods. Groups of between eight and 20 can spend the weekend indulging in good times, champagne, bushcraft and luxury camping in Californian domed bedrooms that boast comfy camp beds and a lounging area with wood burning stove. Activities include the chance to learn bushcraft skills such as fire and shelter building, wild walks, chill out time in front of a roaring fire, the chance to sleep out in the wild under a handcrafted shelter or make seasonal wedding favours such as hedgerow jams, garlic pestos or hedgerow lip balms. There’s also entertainment and pampering options too like meditation, a full body massage and storytellers, folk singers, guitarist or a comedienne. For more information visit: www.babesinthewoods.co.uk.■


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EDITH WILMOT Floral Wedding Design with Edith Wilmot

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A cut above the rest Kemps Jewellers in Westbury on Trym offers its top tips on what to look for when choosing your engagement stone

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he four characteristics used to determine the value of any Kemps diamond are the four Cs: clarity, colour, cut and carat. An understanding of these attributes is essential when choosing the perfect engagement ring. COLOUR The first thing you need to consider when choosing your diamond is its colour, or lack of. Many consider this the most important of the four Cs, as it has perhaps the greatest impact on the appearance of the stone. A colourless diamond allows more light to pass through it and therefore will emit more shine and sparkle than those with a yellow tinge. This is particularly important if you are looking to buy a larger diamond of two carats or more, because as the size of your diamond increases, any colour disfiguration will become more noticeable. To grade the colour of a diamond, Kemps refers to GIA’s professional D-Z colour scale which measures the degree of colourlessness in any given diamond. Perfectionists at heart will demand diamonds classed in the ‘colourless’ D-F range. The visible difference between diamonds of the same colour grade – colourless, near colourless, faint and so on – are very difficult to detect to the untrained eye, yet as far as pricing goes, the difference can be substantial. For this reason, Kemps’ diamonds are generally stocked in the H colour range, thus providing customers with excellent value while still achieving a very high quality and colourless finish. CUT Another important factor to bear in mind when selecting your diamond is the performance of the stone, or the cut. The cut of a diamond can be used to describe its overall shape – round, pear, emerald, marquis and so on – however, when discussing a stone’s cut grade, you should primarily consider how well the stone’s facets interact with light. Only the finest artistry and workmanship will ensure that a stone’s proportions, symmetry, and polish deliver the spectacular return of light only possible in a diamond. We select only those diamonds which display the best proportions for the carat weight to capture the maximum degree of brightness and fire. CLARITY This calls for a quick geology lesson. Natural diamonds are made from carbon which has been exposed to tremendous heat and pressure deep in the earth. This process can result in a variety of internal characteristics, called inclusions and external characteristics called blemishes. Evaluating the clarity of a diamond involves determining the size, number and position of these inclusions and blemishes, and, more importantly, how these affect the final appearance of the diamond. While no diamond is completely flawless, the purer the diamond is, the greater its value. CARAT The mass of a diamond is measured using carat weight. All else being equal, diamond price increases with carat weight. It is important to remember however that two diamonds of equal carat weight can have very different values (and prices) depending on the remaining Cs discussed above. Due to the high demand for certain classic weight groups such as 0.5-ct and 1ct, diamonds that fall very slight below these weights can be very good value and well worth considering. For further information please visit Kemps Jewellers’ online store at www.kempsjewellers.com, or call in to: 9 Carlton Court, Westbury on Trym, Bristol, BS9 3DF. Tel: 0117 950 5090. ■ 70 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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20 N 13 AT & IO 20 N 14 A Be L W st Br IN ida NE lR R eta ile r

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Carina Baverstock Couture Luxury Designer Bridal & Occasion Wear Award-winning principal stockist Suzanne Neville • Jenny Packham • Stewart Parvin Sassi Holford • Claire Pettibone • David Fielden Naomi Neoh • Alice Temperley BY APPOINTMENT

11 SILVER STREET, BRADFORD-ON-AVON, Nr. BATH, BA15 1JY 01225 866610 info@carinabcouture.com www.carinabcouture.com WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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HEALTH | & BEAUTY

News in Brief ■ Dr Newmans Clinic at Litfield House Medical Centre in Clifton is introducing Dr Karl Stainer to its team of medical experts treating cosmetic vein problems around the UK. Dr Stainer qualified in 1988 and has been practicing in Bristol since 1994. As a practitioner with a special interest in skin disorders, Dr Stainer is very familiar with the problems associated with disorders such as rosacea, the effects of sun damage and ageing causing visible thread veins on the face. Dr Newmans Clinic was founded by Dr Brian Newman in 1998. Dr Newman developed thermocoagulation (Veinwave) to treat facial veins; rosacea and leg spider veins and the clinics have continued to expand across the UK with a network of highly trained doctors who are focused on expertly delivering management of cosmetic vein problems. Dr Peter Finigan, medical director of Dr Newmans Clinic said “Dr Stainer’s expertise will be invaluable at the Bristol Clinic and we look forward to his enthusiasm in developing the clinic over the coming years.” For more information on treatments and procedures and to book a consultation, contact tel: 0800 542 2023 or visit: www.drnewmansclinic.co.uk ■ Members of the public, schools, clubs, pubs and workplaces are being asked to show their support for brain tumour patients and their families on March 7 – Bandanas for Brain Tumours Day – by wearing a bandana and donating £1 to the south west's only brain tumour support charity, Hammer Out. The Thornbury-based charity, which is running the day in conjunction with The Brain Tumour Charity, also hopes that people will be inspired to hold bandana-themed fund-raising events on the day – from zumbathons to pub quizzes and coffee mornings to sponsored sporting events. Bandanas can be ordered from the Hammer Out website. For more information visit: www.hammerout.co.uk/bandanas. ■ Teenage Cancer Trust is appealing to local residents to help the charity raise the last £200,000 for the construction of the first specialist cancer unit for young people in the south west by taking part in a walking challenge along the South West coastal path. The 22-mile Jurassic Coast Challenge takes place on 24 May, registration costs £55 and includes lunch, drinks and snacks. A minimum sponsorship of £200 is required. For more information visit: www.teenagecancertrust.org/southwest ■ A new non-invasive procedure to help people lose weight is now available in Bristol at the at Spire The Glen Hospital. The Obalon Balloon procedure is a new way to treat obesity that just involves swallowing a capsule with no need for anaesthetic. For further information visit: www.spirehealthcare.com

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FIT & FAB Products and the latest health and beauty news in the city

Get naturally beautiful skin for spring

Clockwise from left: The new Aveda spring/summer 14 limited edition makeup collection, Culture Clash (featuring eyeshadows, liners and lip colours all made with plant extracts, available from House of Fraser) sees a palette of rich, earthy tones and delicate pastels that work on all skin tones; help skin escape the ravages of wind and rain with Bristol-based Amphora Aromatics Borage Oil Cream (£4.80 from Amphora Aromatics on Cotham Hill) which is developed with essential oils and herbal extracts to soothe and rejuvenate dry and flaky skin; MooGoo is a natural skincare brand from Australia and its latest edition is the Fluffy Shea Butter, great for fine lines, scars and stretch marks as well as to relieve cracked hands and feet (£20.50, from Clifton Village Pharmacy); Aromatherapy Associates Soothing Face Oil (£44 from Space NK) is a nourishing blend that works to soothe irritated skin with German camomile to reduce the appearance of redness and evening primrose oil for softness and comfort

Enjoy life, says Sheila Singleton, hypnotherapist and healer We often wonder how we can be happier. Would a holiday bring more happiness into our life? Perhaps a quick natter might improve our relationship with a neighbour. Sometimes something quite dramatic may be called for to create more harmony in our lives. Whatever the answer, happiness and how we can attain it, is something never far away from our thoughts. There are many ways of becoming happier: doing things you enjoy, being more active and seeing your glass as half full rather than half empty, for instance, but when you caught up in long-held habits of negative thinking or are going through a time of feeling stressed, worried or depressed, it can be very difficult to turn things around. In my practice, I see people with a wide range of problems who want to overcome

them and feel happier. The approach I use to help them is Solution Focussed Hypnotherapy, a well-researched method that works quickly and simply using conversation and hypnosis. Instead of talking in detail about a problem, I encourage clients to focus on the positives in their life and think about solutions to creating what they want for themselves. With treatment they become more positive and start to bring about changes that make life more enjoyable and can inspire them to get them to where they want to be. Clinical hypnosis works with you and your goals and you are in very much in control. It provides you with support, ideas and motivation to help you make those changes. For further information visit: www.thecalmwaterpractice.co.uk. Or to make an appointment for a free initial consultation, tel: 07731 697 938 •Sheila will be holding a series of free talks this month: Creating happiness – a practical guide, Monday 17 March, 7.45-9pm and What makes for a good night's sleep? on Monday 24 March, 7.45-9pm. Both will be held at Friends Meeting House in Redland. To reserve your place, tel: 07731 697 938.


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tylish new salon Atelier opened its doors to Clifton Village on Sat 1st Feb. Located at 14 Regent Street this hidden gem is an inviting retreat where you could happily while away hours. The Atelier team, headed up by Creative Director Ella Hawkey, are professional, inspired hairdressers who believe in going the extra mile. The ambiance is serene, prices reasonable and you receive a complimentary Indian Head massage with all services. Atelier use Milkshake colour, an incredible natural product made from milk, fruits and honey which drench hair in moisture and are guaranteed not to fade in between services. Their styling range Label M is the official haircare brand used backstage at London Fashion Week and is famous for revolutionary products like ‘Sea Salt Spray’ and ‘Ressurection Dust’. Book in for a complimentary consultation and one of the highly trained team will tailor a unique cut and colour that will have you turning heads.Then sit back and enjoy the massage chairs, a complimentary beer or glass of Champagne whilst admiring your new style in the oversized ornate mirrors. A divine hairdressing experience awaits you, Atelier also plan to expand with a luxury Moroccan inspired Spa coming later this year so that you can have all of your essential maintenance and treatments under one roof.

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Clifton Hair Worshop

Atelier would like to extend

25% off discount to all new clients when quoting The Bristol Magazine

14 Regent Street, Clifton Village, Bristol BS8 4HG. T: 01179 734142 www.atelierclifton.com info@atelierclifton.com

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Anxious, depressed, stressed? sleep issues, phobias, fears, stop smoking, children’s problems

Need some help?

Regain your enjoyment of life call 07731 697 938 Free ps for crea ng happiness

see our website www.thecalmwaterprac ce.co.uk

Solu on Focused Hypnotherapy for posi ve change

Sheila Singleton BA(Hons), DHP

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

A Superfood in your kitchen By Sacha Marison, for CNM (College of Naturopathic Medicine).

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which eliminates the need to add any milk. Adding nuts and cinnamon or grating an apple are just a few ways to liven up what can be a rather bland cereal.

he humble oat: people typically think of oats as a bland grain used to make porridge or muesli. Oats are actually a superfoods and have been used as a herb to treat a range of ailments since the Roman times. First cultivated in Europe around 2000 BC, Avena sativa, also known as oats, are grains with very special qualities.

More than Just Fibre The composition of oats is well characterised with numerous vitamins, minerals and strong antioxidant phytochemicals. Oats are high in fibre, protein, B vitamins, iron, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, copper and zinc, as well as essential amino acids. As much as 16% of this unique grain is protein and up to 9% good fats. Oats have long been used to treat various skin conditions, such as dermatitis, allergies or infections. Oat baths are an excellent way to treat large areas of skin. Because of their widely recognised benefits, oats are commonly found as an ingredient in skin products and cosmetics, as they help moisturise and heal. Colloidal oatmeal has been recognised as a safe and effective topical treatment for dermatitis. The lowly oat has recently been getting a lot of attention for its benefits for heart health, where it has been associated with lowering blood cholesterol, balancing out blood sugars and creating a feeling of satiety. The soluble fibre component of the grain, -glucan, improves digestion by increasing gut function and influencing hormones responsible for satiety and hunger. Other therapeutic qualities of oats include lowering blood pressure, reducing cancer, improving immunity and acting as an anti-inflammatory. In herbal medicine the oat is considered an excellent herb for supporting and balancing out the nervous system. Your Everyday Superfood To ensure oats retain most of their nutrients and antioxidants, it is best to consume them as raw whole-grains. Using raw oats to make muesli originated in Switzerland, where they are typically mixed with nuts and fruit. Soaking oats in water overnight in the fridge brings out a soft and milky quality, 76 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Sacha Marison

Porridge is a very simple and popular food. In the winter it makes for a warm and nutritious breakfast: simply add water to whole oats and heat slowly on the stove until hot and soft. Mix in honey, cinnamon, nuts and raisins to turn it into a delicious meal. One can also buy oat milk as a tasty milk alternative.

The humble oat is a cheap and easily obtainable grain, which is far from bland when you consider its highly nutritious qualities and significant therapeutic activities.

FREE CNM Open Evening Thursday 13th May 6.30pm-8.30pm Find out about training with CNM Bristol for a career in Naturopathic Nutrition or Naturopathic Acupuncture. You can also hear more about our short course ‘Nutrition for Everyday Living’. For details, and to reserve your place: 01342 410 505 info@naturopathy-uk.com

www.naturopathy-uk.com


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A Vision for Spring Reawaken your senses this season and consider a more permanent solution to glasses and contact lenses with the Bristol Laser Vision Clinic at Bristol Eye Hospital.

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ith the arrival of Spring comes a sense of rejuvenation, a desire to dust away the cobwebs, spring clean your home, discover a new hobby or even refresh your look. If you suffer from poor eyesight, the chances are that you’ve wished for freedom from your glasses or contact lenses at some point. Whether you’re active and feel restricted in the things you can do, whether you hate the look of your glasses in photos or find them uncomfortable to wear, whatever your reason, there’s never been a better time to consider the increasingly popular, and more permanent, alternative to vision correction offered by laser eye surgery. WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Your eyes are precious so it’s important to choose your clinic carefully. The Bristol Laser Vision Clinic, located within the safe and trusted surroundings of Bristol Eye Hospital, is a unique service that offers bespoke vision correction, using state-of-the-art technology and allows you to see your Consultant Surgeon, Mr Philip Jaycock, throughout your journey. For further information, or to book a consultation, contact Bristol Laser Vision. T: 0117 342 1600 E: info@bristollaservision.co.uk W: www.bristollaservision.co.uk MARCH 2014

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A thoughtful approach to stress

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ll of us encounter ups and downs in our lives and each new day can bring its own stresses, whether work related, relationships or lifestyle. Which is why Bristol-based psychologist, Dr Amanda Kinsella, offers mindfulness sessions and courses, as part of her company, Mindful Psychology, teaching how to manage these everyday stresses and strains before they become a real problem to your health. Amanda says: “These days everyone is under a tremendous amount of stress at work, home and school. A lot of anxiety comes from thinking about your past and future and not focusing on the present, and it is this thinking that drives your behaviour to create unhelpful patterns. “I really want people to come to me before it becomes an issue. I teach preventative measures to help motivation and bring down stress. Through a range of Mindful in Action Programmes (MIAP) my team and I can help you to make positive change by training you to bring attention to your present state and working with your body.” So what is mindfulness you may be asking? “Mindfulness is very much a practice and can be used to support anxiety, restlessness, depression, addiction, stress, lifestyle changes and relationship difficulties,” says Amanda. “It is a way of paying attention to the present moment and changing the relationship you have with yourself, others and the world around you. It gives insight into your emotions and helps you gain clarity to make wise life choices. It gives you the ability to wake up to your life and step off automatic pilot, bringing tangible results where you can begin to respond compassionately to yourself and to others, and sustain change.” As the first UK company to offer this service, Amanda is keen to stress that it is psychological coaching, not therapy. Working from a comfortable and relaxed clinic in Clifton, there are three chartered doctors of psychology offering therapeutic coaching to improve mental wellness and help people to make positive changes. “We’re all clinically trained psychologists and use science to back up what we are doing,” says Amanda. “Our programmes are innovative and supported by cutting edge research.” In her mindfulness sessions, Amanda will get you to see that thoughts will come and go and will coach you how to create a sense of space, in order for you to think more clearly and not make compulsive decisions. Techniques include breathing practice and awareness and objectives to not be so impulsive and reactive. Amanda says: “Bodily sensations are connected to thinking and mindfulness is about bringing on the spot attention and awareness to how your body is feeling. For example, if you have a high heart rate from anxiety, mindfulness teaches you to use breath to work with your body instead of trying to ignore it, as a way of being present to daily life. It’s all about teaching preventative methods in order to cut through the fog of your mind.” Using exercises, coaching, psycho-educational and solution focused goals, Amanda says her clients usually see a change within a six week period. Amanda also works with businesses who seek change within the organization, helping managers to deal with conflict and stress in order to promote a positive and proactive working environment. “I work with a lot of CEO’s who are running multi-national companies and too much stress is causing them to eat and drink too much. But they are all seeking change and want to make a difference,” says Amanda. “Personally I have always been a bit anxious about public speaking but I practice mindfulness beforehand and it really helps. It is about stepping out of your mind and waking up to your life.” ■ As well as one-to-one sessions, Amanda also offers a four-week group course and Skype sessions. For further information about Mindful Psychology visit:www.mindfulpsychology.co.uk or to make an appointment, tel: 01179731332.

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Dr Amanda Kinsella. ©Stephen Morris

We talk to Dr Amanda Kinsella of Mindful Psychology about her practice of mindfulness which can help us all deal with everyday stresses and strains

POSITIVE PATHWAYS

Hypnotherapy

(Solution Focused Clinical Hypnotherapy) Clifton-based Practice.

Hypnotherapy can help with; Stress and anxiety, Depression,Addictions and Phobias, Smoking, OCD,Anger management,Weight management, Fertlity, Childbirth, Children's issues, Performance enhancement and Confidence issues.

Contact Amanda Gazidis (DHP) AfSFH Ba (Hons) on 07594440949 or at agazidis@yahoo.co.uk to book a FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Cornelius Krause

Q&A WITH CORNELIUS KRAUSE, DENTIST AT CK DENTAL AT NUFFIELD HEALTH BRISTOL HOSPITAL – THE CHESTERFIELD Q. Tell us about the dental services offered at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital. I am really excited to be based at the stunning new Chesterfield Hospital. Our patients benefit from state-of-the-art medical facilities alongside a warm and welcoming environment. We offer everything from general dentistry, check-ups and hygiene visits to more complex crown and bridgework, implants and veneers.

We are constantly looking at new materials and ways to improve our patient’s experience. A good example of this would be our use of intra-oral cameras where we are able to give our patients a close up view of their teeth so they can better understand the problem areas. To keep at the forefront of technological advancements, we are working with leading dental colleagues around the world to find better, more comfortable and more reliable ways to improve oral health and treatment procedures.

Q. What is the most common procedure you carry out for patients? As a result of advancements in technology we are able to offer teethstraightening without the traditional wire braces. New clear braces are practically invisible to the human eye and are more comfortable to wear. As a result, we are seeing an increase in demand from adults wishing to have this treatment. It’s never too late for a straight smile!

Q. Can you give us any tips for effective oral health? At a basic level, we’d advise brushing at least twice a day with good toothpaste, using small circular movements. You should also clean between your teeth every day with either dental flosses or interdental brushes. Make sure you replace your toothbrush regularly – every three months is usually about right. And of course, make sure you have regular check-ups with a dentist and hygienist.

Q. How do you think patients benefit from specialist dental care? Our approach is to ensure every patient is treated individually, tailor-making our treatment plan to take into account their age, lifestyle and budget. As a first step, we will carry out a thorough examination and assess the needs of our patients to determine what treatment options will suit them best. We have a team of expert dentists which enables us to provide the best possible specialist care for our patients. Q. What are the benefits of investing in private dental care? In private dental care there are no limits to the availability of materials or dental labs that we can use. Appointments are flexible, we take time to listen to the patient and their needs, and find the best oral health solution for them. Q Are there any exciting new technological developments in the industry? Nowadays we are able to use digital X-rays which appear in moments on our consulting room screens. This speeds up the consulting process, enabling us to talk the patient through what we’re seeing and our recommended plan of action straight away. Digital X-rays also minimise the amount of radiation our patients are exposed to.

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Q. What is your background? I qualified as a dental surgeon in Germany over a decade ago. After working for several practices in Berlin, I came to the UK and fell in love with Bristol – where I have lived for the past 10 years. I am especially interested in minimally invasive and cosmetic dentistry, in particular advancements in implants. There’s nothing better than knowing you have helped give someone the confidence and smile they’ve always wanted. Q. What else is available at the Chesterfield Hospital? The Chesterfield Hospital is a centre of excellence for minimally invasive keyhole surgery and the first fully integrated digital hospital in the South West. The hospital’s dedicated team of expert consultants and physiotherapists are highly experienced and specialise in a wealth of different areas, including orthopaedics, sports injury, endoscopy, weight loss surgery, cosmetic surgery, urology, ENT – and of course dentistry. Q. How can people find out more about dental services at the Chesterfield? Further information can be found on our website - www.ckdental.co.uk – or you can give our team a call on 0117 987 2727 to find out more.

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OUT | AND ABOUT

Welly walking This month’s walk is a four-mile ramble through unspoilt, if somewhat muddy, countryside on the borders of Somerset and Wiltshire. As well as superb scenery, the walk takes you past two large woollen mills, grand houses, ancient cottages, World War Two pillboxes and the remains of one of Somerset’s most important monasteries, before ending at a classic country inn, says Andrew Swift

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lthough not an easy drive from Bristol (especially as the A36 south of Bath looks set to close for three months from midMarch) an hourly train service from Temple Meads will take you to Freshford station, and the start of the walk, in less than 30 minutes. (Trains are less frequent on Sundays.)

to see the remains of a 16th-century building at the heart of Freshford Mill. As you carry on along the lane, you can see the leat running under the mill on the other side of the river. After 150 metres, follow a bridleway sign to the left at a T-junction. Follow the lane as it swings right past another pillbox. On the right is Dunkirk Mill, built in 1795 and now converted to housing.

• Head up the road from the station, turn left at the end and walk down to the Inn at Freshford (where there is parking if you are coming by car) (ST791600).

• Opposite the gateway to Middle House (ST785594) turn left along a path. Over to the left, you will see a hydro-electric turbine recently installed to harness the power of the river. After 350 metres, go through a gate, follow a bridleway sign towards the building ahead, but, when you reach a lane, turn right, crossing a cattle grid into Friary Wood (ST787590).

• Carry on over a 16th-century bridge and after 75 metres go through a kissing gate (KG) on the right. As you follow a path across the field, look over to your right to see a pillbox, part of the ‘green line’ of defences built in 1940 to protect Bristol in the event of a German invasion. The large 18th-century house to your left is Freshford Hall. • On the far side of the field, go through a KG and turn right along a lane. On your left is Freshford Mill, a former woollen mill, later used for making rubber components for the car industry. Since closing in 1993, it has been the subject of a controversial and fiercely-contested redevelopment project. Earlier this winter, much of the site, along with the surrounding area, was flooded. • Follow the lane as it turns left alongside the River Frome. Ahead – unless they have been repaired – you will see how the railings of the bridge were damaged by flood waters in December. As you cross the bridge, look back 80 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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• At the main road, cross and carry on along a lane. After passing 17th-century Stroud Farm, with a bell turret on its stable block, the lane swings right, passing a former lodge to Hinton House on the right. • Carry on, ignoring turnings to the left and you will soon reach a detached part of the village of Hinton Charterhouse. The main village is some 500 metres further on, but this part – known as The Green – contains both the church and the old school. • Bear right through a KG into the churchyard and follow a footpath sign to the right. Beyond the graveyard, go through a KG (ST777583) and follow a faint track ahead as it curves left across a large field. Over to your left you will see Hinton House, believed to have been built on the site of a monastic grange in 1701.


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OUT | AND ABOUT

A COUNTRYSIDE RAMBLE: main image, left, Freshford’s 16th century bridge Below, The Inn at Freshford pub, which offers great food and welcomes dogs and muddy boots too

• After going through two KGs, cross a road, go through another KG and carry straight on, veering slightly to the right as you head across the field to another KG (ST777590). Carry on, bearing to the right of the wooded area ahead. Through the trees on the right you will glimpse the remains of Hinton Priory, established in 1227. The overgrown ponds on your left are thought to be what survives of the priory’s fishponds. • Carry on through a KG, bear right alongside the fence, and after 50 metres go through another KG. Carry straight on towards a stile, but, two thirds of the way across the field, look for a faint track crossing your path and turn right along it, heading to the north of a lodge. • Go through a KG (ST779594), cross the A36 and turn right along the pavement. After crossing Abbey Lane, carry on for another 150 metres before following a footpath sign down slippery steps on the left and through a KG (ST780591). • Follow the path for 75 metres before bearing left through a KG and carry straight on along a broad path, which eventually leads between cottages onto a lane (ST783596). Turn right and after 25 metres turn left opposite Abbots Leigh Coach House.

• Carry on past Golden Lion Lodge – once a beerhouse – on the left, beyond which a row of 19th-century millworkers’ cottages can be seen climbing the hillside. On the right is Abbots Leigh House, built in the 1830s, with a panoramic view across the valley. • A little further along, high on the hill to the left, is the Hermitage, dating back to the 14th century, but much altered in the interim. After passing a former Methodist chapel and Sharpstone Cottage, a striking example of Regency Gothic, comes the war memorial and a view across to the church and the chimney of an old brewery. • As you approach 20mph signs, bear right across the grass, go through a KG at the end of a wall (ST788599) and bear left down a muddy path. (To avoid the muddy path, carry straight on and turn right at the T-junction.) At the bottom of the path, carry on through a KG to return to the Inn at Freshford. ■

FURTHER INFORMATION... ■

Distance: 4 miles

Time: 1.5–2 hours

Level of challenge: Some muddy paths and potentially soggy fields. No stiles but several kissing gates

Map: Os Explorer 142 & 155

The Inn at Freshford serves lunches from noon to 2.30pm Monday to Friday and noon to 4pm at weekends. (www.theinnatfreshford.co.uk; 01225 722250). Booking is recommended.

HAND CRAFTED KITCHENS

WE LOVE KITCHENS 0117 958 8797

www.duckeggkitchens.co.uk WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK

MARCH 2014

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INTERIORS

DESIGNS FOR LIFE Phil Harflett, showroom manager at Bradburys The Alno Store, in Bristol, shares a selection of his top design tips and inspired ideas to help you to make the most of your kitchen space

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lanning your dream kitchen is an exciting time and many people start by putting together a book of ideas which will help cement what you really want from your kitchen. However, as with any project, it is always wise to seek the advice and expertise of a professional to ensure the best result. Here at Bradburys we have over 50 years experience between us and are always on hand to answer any questions you may have about your kitchen’s design or installation process. We recommend you start planning your kitchen design as early as possible and ideally before any building work has started. This will allow you to spend time thinking about your kitchen in detail, and will enable the designer to develop a concept that is perfect for you while utilising the space in the best possible way. Open plan living… The modern kitchen is no longer simply a functional food preparation zone, it has also now become the centre of family life, in part thanks to the ever popular concept of open plan living. Bradburys kitchens are designed with this in mind. Why not think about: • Islands as a centrepiece will not only give you extra work surface but will create a real wow factor. Perhaps consider including the hob or sink to make it a practical workstation too. • Feature breakfast bars using the latest materials can give even the smallest kitchen a real design element and are perfect for more relaxed dining or casual entertaining. • Using complementing or contrasting finishes enables you to personalise the kitchen. For example mixed door fronts or contrasting grip rails. Storage… Alno Premium Drawers For the super organised and house proud among us, effective storage is key. Consider using the following features for the ultimate space-saving designs: • Pull out larder units and internal drawers – these offer a sleek alternative to exposed shelving or cupboards. • Deep pan drawers with clever storage compartments to keep your kitchen utensils safe and secure. • Pull down shutters – these will hide kitchen clutter while entertaining and are designed to enhance storage access where a traditional opening door may not be practical. Wine Storage… Both highly functional and stylish, wine cooling and storage units are perfect for wine connoisseurs, as well as those who love to entertain. The latest Miele state-of-the-art units feature innovative technology to give you precise temperature and humidity control, and with wood storage shelves – enough to store up to 178 bottles. These sleek, glass fronted storage units offer tempting benefits such as: • Multiple temperature zones to ensure that wines of all varieties can be nurtured in optimal conditions. • LED lighting to showcase your wines with maximum impact. • An Active AirClean Filter to prevent contamination and a UV filter to protect your wines from sunlight. 82 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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AlnoStar Satina matt finish glass in platinum blue and AlnoStar Fine matt lacquered white, with Cool White LED lighting

Worktops & Splashbacks… As well as being a functional necessity, worktops and splashbacks can provide an eye-catching focal point which can be installed in a range of colours and materials. Consider using neutral tones to help create a calm and space, or vivid blocks of colour for a bold statement. Current trends include: • To create a real showpiece, the glass can made textured, metallic or be backlit by colour changing LEDs that you can adjust to suit any scheme or mood. • Vary the thickness of your worktops to create clear definition of areas, for example between a preparation area and a breakfast bar. • For a hygienic and easy to clean splashback, why not opt for sleek, toughened glass or ‘glass look’ acrylic panels? With no grout to keep clean, these are quickly gaining in popularity and are both durable and stylish. Deco Glaze Azure Splashback

Lighting… Lighting is a vital aspect to any kitchen design scheme and it can help to create atmosphere and distinguish between different zones in your kitchen. Consider the following when planning your light installation: • Multi-level lighting in open plan living spaces will add depth and interest and can provide an eye-catching focal point above your kitchen island or units. • Internal cabinet lighting is great for any room, but particularly useful for kitchens with little natural light. They automatically turn on when a drawer or cupboard is opened. • A Bradburys favourite is LED strip lighting which not only adds a beautiful highlight to the overall design scheme, but can also serve to draw attention to key features and illuminate darker areas. Appliances… Cooking enthusiasts who are looking for ease and efficiency in the kitchen should look at the latest generation of appliances from Miele, which offer a number of sophisticated features designed to enhance your cooking experience and save you time in the kitchen. A great example of this is their new M-Touch and steam combination ovens. Their streamline design is eye catching yet maintains clean lines throughout. Miele ovens offer: • Sophisticated features such as the MoisturePlus, which uses a fine burst of steam during the cooking process to prevent food from drying out. • Cooking aids such as the Wireless Food Probe which monitors the core temperatures of meat, fish and poultry and adjusts oven settings for optimum cooking results. ■ For further inspiration, call in to the show room: Bradburys, 1 Bond Street South, Cabot Circus or visit: www.bradburysltd.co.uk


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Is your garden beautiful yet?

07903 779910

margaux@margauxspeirsgardendesign.co.uk www.margauxspeirsgardendesign.co.uk

A M A Z I N G W O R K T O P T R A N S F O R M AT I O N S

It fits over your existing worktop Our beautiful granite finish surfaces are only 8mm thick and are expertly laid over and around your existing worktops transforming your kitchen in just one day... ...and we don’t stop there. For complete peace of mind we offer a full range of sinks, taps and appliances to complete your transformation. For your free home survey and no-obligation quotation call us today

We go over the top to transform your kitchen!

TEL: 0117 937 3361 www.quartz-lite.com WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK

✓ Stain Resistant

✓ Scratch Resistant

MARCH 2014

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✓ Heat Resistant

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HOMES | ON SHOW

TALES OF THE RIVERBANK This detached character stone barn conversion offers glorious views, open space and an idyllic semi-rural setting, perfect for keen gardeners, writes Marianne Swinkels

I

f you’ve a penchant for paving slabs, a preference for gravelled yards and cobbled courtyards, or find that watering a potted plant or two plays havoc with your time management and stress levels you really might want to skip this page. Ditto if you’re an urbanite thriving in balconied simplicity and penthouse minimalism, or relish the terraced cosiness and cheek-by-jowl proximity of others, or find genuine comfort in the constant hum, throb and bustle of city living. This little gem is not for you. But if wide open space, glorious views, terraced gardens, woods and an idyllic semirural setting reminiscent of the TV drama The Darling Buds of May is more your métier, you’d be wise to act quickly. Very quickly. Because this rare find offers all that and, at just around half a dozen miles out of Bristol centre, you can kick off your wellies and soon be stepping out in town. It’s a best-of-bothworlds location for this highly individual converted barn in 2.5 acre grounds, offering as it does a winning opportunity to shift from cultivation to culture with real ease. Quite simply, it’s a cracker of a have-it-all hideaway in a well known settlement. Which is why, when the vendors first came across this tranquil down-a-

track patch in Barrow Gurney village, they virtually stayed rooted to the spot for a quarter of a century. Why leave a Garden of Eden which is within tempting reach of everything cosmopolitan Bristol and its international airport have to offer? Back then, the couple owned a large farmhouse – once one of a string of 100 acre farms on land belonging to the wealthy Gibbs estate, the owners of neighbouring Tyntesfield who made a canny fortune from selling sea bird droppings fertiliser. Years later, with children moving out and downsizing on the cards, the decision to upsticks was reluctantly on their agenda. And what a move it proved to be. Emotionally synonymous with cosmonaut Armstrong’s “that's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” man on the moon quotation, it proved quite a leap of faith as well as a significant challenge as the couple sold up the farm, kept the land, and literally walked away… but only for 50 yards, to take up residence in a rundown stone barn better suited to housing animals. Fifteen years on and this is the River House of today; a splendid oasis of a place that nestles in its expanse of paddocks, terraces, patios and copses on a

The magnet is the conservatory, drawing you in as it so splendidly does, to sit and marvel at the mini country estate beyond

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HOMES | ON SHOW

PROPERTY PROFILE: Where: River House, Barrow Street, Barrow Gurney BS48 3RU What: Detached character stone barn conversion within a small cluster of period properties in a semi-rural village location. Garden, grounds and woodland of circa 2.5 acres with outbuildings southerly facing slope of the Land Yeo Valley, the little river which flows through Barrow Gurney and powered the local mill. There is little evidence now of the neglected one-up/one-down shelter with its upper level store room accessed only by a ladder – or the occasional hysterics, doubts and downright difficulties which, like blood, sweat and tears, so often go together when major renovation projects get earnestly underway. No hot water. No heating. No kitchen. No living room. Not much of anything that is now the delightful four bedroomed, two receptioned Cinderella of a transformed home that is now for sale. The magnet is the conservatory, drawing you in as it so splendidly does, to sit and marvel at the mini country estate beyond, and the decked balcony, worthy of any Romeo and Juliet scenario, which extends from the master bedroom to take full advantage of the garden views. As far as the eye can see, as the saying goes, virtually is all yours here. With all its cosy stone walled character and snug woodburning stove comfort this house for all seasons melds with the great outdoors and almost organically merges into its expanse of land. From the figs to the ancient apple trees, the fruit bearing vines, wild cherries and herbs, the roses and English hardwood copse, the owners have lovingly planted, tended and moulded their plot. This house demands a gardening soul. It’s a patch to reap rich rewards in. Though if you’re a novice with the secateurs, don’t know a nasturtium from a nettle and need to Google the definition of a dibble, there would be no shame in settling for a hired hand. Fancy turning over a new leaf? If you fall for this place, I’ve a hunch you will. ■ WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK

The spec: Four bedrooms, dining room, sitting room, snug, farmhouse style kitchen, conservatory, bathroom and shower room

Asking Price: £625,000 Agent: Alexander May, Long Ashton office www.alexandermay.co.uk

Contact: email: sales@alexandermay.co.uk or tel: 01275 393956

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GARDENING

THE GREAT GARDEN REVIVAL Our new Bristol garden design feature writer, Margaux Speirs asks: “Is your garden beautiful yet?”

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hen I was growing up in the 1960s and 70s a normal family meal comprised a piece of meat or fish, a boiled vegetable and the ubiquitous potato (boiled, mashed or if you were lucky, roasted). Pizza and pasta would have seemed exotic and avocado was just the colour of the bathroom suite. There has been a revolution in our kitchens over the past 40 years. Even for those who don’t love cooking, we all take much more interest and enjoyment in what we eat and can name several celebrity chefs. In the next few years we can expect the same widespread awakening of interest in our gardens. Where Delia, Gordon and Hugh (to name a few) have opened our eyes to culinary delights, garden designers will lead you into new experimenting and knowledge with landscaping and planting. Rather than buying trays of busy Lizzies and pansies at the garden centre we will be confidently ordering and planting a huge range of trees, shrubs, grasses and perennials which will give grace and beauty to our gardens nearly all year round. We will expect to see summer clouds reflected in our pools of still water, sit under our rose arbours beside our gently splashing fountains and cook our evening barbecues in our tastefully lit outdoor dining areas: even if our garden is only a courtyard or roof terrace. Over the next few issues I hope to whet your appetites by introducing some basic garden design principles, suggesting at least one must-have plant for

that month and helping you to source landscaping materials, plants and furniture so that you can make your own garden beautiful.

Creating an outdoor dining area: Situate your dining area in full sun if possible so that you can enjoy outside eating for most of the day. You can shade it from the hottest sun with a parasol or planted pergola, the latter having the advantage of creating lovely, green, dappled shade (we will look at sourcing and planting pergolas in a later issue). As a rule of thumb allow 50cm gap between table and chair and another 50cm behind each chair, so for example, a 1metre diameter table needs a minimum 4m diameter dining area. Aim to buy a bigger table than just the size of your immediate family so you can comfortably invite guests to enjoy your garden too. It is easier to squeeze extra chairs round a circular or oval table than a rectangular or square one. Teak furniture weathers well going a lovely silvery grey with age, so you don’t need to put it away in winter, paint or varnish it. Britannic Teak based in Alveston, just north of Bristol, sells a fine range of locally made teak furniture but being a factory it is best to phone them before visiting (www.britannic-teak.co.uk, tel: 01454 411 601). Another local supplier, Kingsley Smythe also allows the public to view its stock in its warehouse in Fishponds (tel: 0800 292 2194 or visit: www.kingsleysmythe.co.uk).

Where Delia, Gordon and Hugh have opened our eyes to culinary delights, garden designers will lead you into new experimenting and knowledge with landscaping and planting

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GARDENING

Ideally surface the dining area with a landscaping material which blends with the material of the house or its boundaries; so a stone built house looks best with a natural stone terrace, decking looks better if there are nearby wooden fences, handmade bricks look great if the house has weather worn bricks in its construction, and so on. Gravel is not great under furniture as it is then hard to keep level or move around. Drainage issues are more complicated if the surface is not porous so consider butt jointing paving or mortaring with sand (or sand and soil mix) rather than laying on a mortar bed. Moss and small plants may grow in the cracks but personally I prefer that more rustic, weathered look. So that you can use the dining area in the evenings, give some thought to lighting, ideally before the terrace is laid so that cables can be put underground. Trees and plants can look fantastic at night, particularly if uplit. Unless you are an expert yourself involve an electrician in the laying of cables and buy good quality external use fittings as water and electricity make a hazardous combination. Candles in hurricane lamps are an easy alternative. Plant sweet smelling flowers near your dining area, at least some of which should have pale petals, as these look luminous at dusk. Try to avoid one of this and one of that when you are selecting plants: groups of the same plant repeated around one part of the garden have a much greater impact. Lavender is a great edging plant which is easy to grow and maintain. I like Lavandula angustifolia (Hidcote) but catmint, Nepeta racemosa, is also lovely. For a more modern look grasses such as Deschampsia cespitosa are great as they move even in the slightest breeze and look good for a very long season. If you like a sharp, smart look then box hedging is widely available and easy to grow. Plants should be spaced 20cm apart for a hedge less than 40cm high. It needs clipping two or three times a year. Finally, consider having an interesting focal point within view of the dining area, such as a small fountain, wall art or sculpture. Think of the difference a painting makes to an interior room – the finishing touch that gives you pleasure each time you see it. ■

PLANT OF THE MONTH This month’s must have plant is the shrub Garrya elliptica James Roof (common name: silk tassel bush). Make sure you buy the male plant as these flower in stunning, long, creamy coloured tassels in late winter and early spring. It doesn’t need much pruning or maintenance and can grow in full sun or part shade. Allow it room to develop as ultimately it can have a height and spread of between 2.5 and 4 metres. It is evergreen with dark green, crinkled- edge leaves so its presence is felt in the garden all year round. Expect to pay £12 to £15 for a 3-litre pot.

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. For further information visit: www.margauxspeirsgardendesign.co.uk

WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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BRISTOL PROPERTY | IN FOCUS

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otswold Lodge is an enormously versatile home in a secluded location in one of Stoke Bishop’s most sought after spots. The free flowing accommodation has open plan living areas, full height ceilings, galleried landings and quality fittings which include solid timber doors and double glazed windows. The spacious reception hall provides an impressive welcome to the property, an interesting feature being a deep cloak cupboard concealed behind faux bookcases. The sitting room forms the centre of the home and is overlooked by a galleried landing giving a real sense of space. There is a cosy fireplace and access to the outside terrace and ornamental pond. Beyond this is the garden room which offers year round enjoyment of the wonderful grounds. Also leading off the sitting room is a dining room and attached summer room, again making the most of the outdoor environment. The kitchen/breakfast room has been fully refurbished with a range of hand built units, granite surfaces and integrated appliances. Also at ground floor level there is a study/bedroom five, a separate shower room and the master bedroom suite with an en suite bathroom.On the first floor there are three further bedrooms, two with en suite bathrooms. Cotswold Lodge stands within a generous corner plot which has been beautifully planted and maintained. There are gardens, terraces and ponds visible from many parts of the house. The integral triple car garage offers plenty of parking or space to accommodate a workshop or DIY area. Knight Frank are agents for this lovely property and viewing is recommended. Knight Frank, Regent House, 27A Regent Street, Clifton, Bristol. Tel: 0117 317 1999

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COTSWOLD LODGE HOLLYMEAD LANE STOKE BISHOP • Beautiful and secluded family home • 4/5 bedrooms, 3 en suite bathrooms • Entrance hall and 5 reception rooms • Integral triple garage and parking • Enclosed and private gardens

£1,295,000 MARCH 2014

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A SELECTION OF RECENT TRANSACTIONS HANDLED NT ME SED T S HA TS VE IN URC LIEN P RC FO

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HELPING BRISTOL’S BUSINESS PEOPLE WITH THEIR PROPERTY NEEDS

(0117) 934 9977 Burston Cook MARCH THSI ONE.indd 1

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THROUGH THE BURSTON COOK TEAM S

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Bristol & Clifton’s premier Commercial Property Agents Keep up-to-date with our latest news and market comments at our website: www.burstoncook.co.uk

(0117) 934 9977

CLIFTON SHOP TO LET

CLIFTON – TRIANGLE SOUTH

Situated at 33 The Mall at the heart of Clifton Village –

Very prominent unit with retail / office use and restaurant potential.

To rent or purchase

Large unit – 1,538 sq ft.

Rent £12,500 pax

New lease – on application. FOR SALE – THRIVING CAFÉ PREMISES

90 COLSTON STREET Restaurant/bar in busy and established location.

Prominent and established location – fully fitted to a very high standard.

NEW LEASE

Ready to walk in and trade with immediate profits –

RENT ONLY £18,000 PAX

‘Freehold’ only £220,000 FOR SALE OR TO RENT

CLIFTON OFFICES

Clifton – mews offices with potential for 4 bed residential conversion –

At the heart of Clifton Village c 1,004 sq ft. Open plan offices with ground floor reception.

Currently fitted and used as offices –

New lease £13.50 psf.

Only £360,000. Rent on application INVESTMENT FOR SALE

CLIFTON INVESTMENT Substantial fully let investment of 10,000 sq ft gross –

29 HIGH STREET, CHIPPING SODBURY

Let to established tenant net rent £100,665 pax.

A busy High Street location fully let to established tenants.

OIRO £1.25 M (8 % yield 2 BEAUFORT ROAD, CLIFTON

INVESTMENT FOR SALE

Stunning office headquarters of 5,715 sq ft with 13 car spaces.

A single lock – up shop forming part of Andrews Estate Agents city office.

Mix of contemporary, open plan offices and fine period rooms.

Rent £6,750 pax. Price £80,000 ono.

TO LET.

(0117) 934 9977 Burston Cook MARCH THSI ONE.indd 4

Julian Cook

Jayne Rixon

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Bristol & Clifton’s premier W G ES NO ERIN SAL ION AN T Commercial Property Agents G F N OF TIO UNC OR M C J Keep up-to-date with our latest news and market comments at our website: AU CON LLIS O N www.burstoncook.co.uk H I ITH W EAST PARK TRADING ESTATE, FISHPONDS

41 HIGH STREET, BRISTOL, BS1

Modern industrial unit with yard of c. 4,792 sq ft.

Fully fitted hair salon in busy City Centre location. VERY HIGH QUALITY New lease – 703 sq ft. Rent £11,500 pax.

Established trade park. New lease - £5.50 per sq ft.

LE SA EED R AG

(0117) 934 9977

RETAIL SHOWROOM, STOKE BISHOP Offering a very busy main road frontage in BS9 and circa 2,500 sq ft retail space and excellent customer parking. New lease at a rent of only £25,000 pax.

103 WHITELADIES ROAD

BS1 – FREEHOLD OFFICE WITH RESIDENTIAL CONSENT

7 Hill Street (Off Park Street)

• Suites from 724 – 1,760 sq ft. • 3 car spaces. • Undergoing a quality refurbishment. • New lease £12.75 per sq ft, pax. VIEWING RECOMMENDED.

Clear open plan office suite of 2,482 sq ft + 6 car spaces.

14 SMALL STREET, BRISTOL, BS1 Permitted development for a change of use from offices to 7 studio apartments and 1 x one bedroom flat.

Latest ECO windows and new refurbishment. ONLY £11.75 per sq ft.

OAKFIELD ROAD, CLIFTON

FOR SALE/TO LET APEX COURT

Contemporary open plan office suite. 1,388 sq ft, 3 car spaces.

Modern office units from just 770 sq ft to 2,566 sq ft. Good parking and close to the motorway network.

New lease. New refurbishment. KING STREET, BRISTOL, BS1

HIGH ST, PORTISHEAD Adjacent the new ‘Lounge Café/Bar’ this large shop unit is c. 1,134 sq ft.

FOR SALE OR TO RENT. 2 interlinking period office buildings fitted to a contemporary style.

NEW FLEXIBLE LEASE AT A VERY COMPETITIVE RENT.

4,658 sq ft (NET).

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£585,000 Westbury on Trym

£500,000

Westbury on Trym

£500,000

An exemplary example of a detached home built in 1929 and offering spacious and well proportioned family accommodation. This property has been presented to exacting standards and has been extended at ground floor level to provide a 17 foot kitchen/diner, utility room, and possible fourth bedroom with adjacent shower room. The plot occupies approximately 1/3 acre and has a charming and private rear backing onto Canford playing fields.

An attractive and well located detached home that was built in 1989, it was built on the location one of the Coach houses that served the Napier Miles estate/Kingsweston House in the 19th and 20th centuries. The current owners have tastefully improved and updated the property and offer a spacious, light and welcoming home.

Located on Abbey Road, close to local amenities and schools and the exceptionally popular Canford Park, this property is marketed with a complete onward chain. extensions to the rear, side and to the loft alow this family home excellent square footage arranged over three storeys. With an integrated garage, extended kitchen diner and two further reception rooms, one being extended and a full family bathroom to the ground floor.

Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

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£470,000 Westbury on Trym

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£412,000

Westbury on Trym

£359,950

With much of the original lavish ornamentation originally so prevalent in Art deco styling still in situe in this light and airey family home an early viewing would be highly recommended to avoid disappointment. In good decorative order throughout, and located a short stroll to the local shops on Stoke Lane, and to Elmlea and Westbury Schools.

Offering exceptional square footage throughout and a short stroll into the heart of Westbury Village, this five bedroom family home is offered with no onward chain and is beautifully presented throughout. on the market for the first time in 30 years the property has been lovingly cared for by the current owners, and is a perfect for a family looking to be close to Westbury on Trym C of E school and Bristol free school.

Nestled in the heart of Westbury on Trym village this period family home is still immersed in opulent period grandeur but has been lovingly restored and updated by the current owners to exacting standards. Major improvement's include a new roof, the removal of a wall to merge two original receptions into one large family room, a focal point at the heart of the house.

Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

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Westbury on Trym

£320,000 Westbury on Trym

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Sim

£285,000

Henleaze

£249 950

Less than 100 meters from the prestigious Westbury on Trym Church of England School, this three bedroom semi will be of unrivalled interest to families looking to be in the heart of Westbury Village. In a cul-de-sac located off a one way street the elevated position of the property allows stunning views over Westbury. Neutrally decorated throughout and marketed with no onward chain. With Three bedroom, Two receptions, family bathroom and a separate Kitchen.

Conveniently positioned on Canford Lane between the equally desirable areas of Coombe Dingle, Westbury-on-Trym and Stoke Bishop is this wellproportioned three bedroom semi-detached property. The property benefits from ample parking for 3 or more to the front of the property. With many features to recommend it including parquet flooring, family bathroom, kitchen and dining room and a very good sized rear garden. Available with no onward chain.

This delightful end of terrace property has been presented to a high standard and has a smart contemporary feel. The accommodation arranged over three floors offers flexible living. To the first floor is a 29 foot open plan Living/Dining/Kitchen room. To the second floor are two bedrooms with ensuite bathroom to the main, ensuite shower room to the second.

Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973


Ocean fp March:Layout 1

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£149,995 City Centre

£239,950

Cotham

£280,000

One bedroom apartment with walk out balcony in Thomas Court. Open plan living room with sliding double doors opening onto a walk out balcony, fully fitted kitchen and a master bedroom that boasts fitted wardrobes. An ideal investment property offered with no onward chain. EPC – B

Two double bedroom third floor apartment with a secure allocated parking space. The property consists of a living/dining room semi open plan to the kitchen, two good double bedrooms; the master with en suite shower room and walk in wardrobe. EPC – C

Two double bedroom hall floor flat set within an impressive period property. Lounge/diner with elegant square bay window, and period style kitchen. This property also benefits from a communal garden and being within Cotham Residents Parking Zone. EPC – D

Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Redland

£299,950 City Centre

£357,500

Clifton

£379,950

Impressive and spacious upper floor maisonette in an enviable location. Presented over two floors and one split level consisting four/five bedrooms, kitchen/diner, lounge and a modern bathroom. The property benefits from the lease stating all occupants must be owner occupiers. EPC – E

First floor apartment on the corner of Queen Square with a balcony overlooking the floating harbour. Open plan living room/dining area/kitchen, two double bedrooms, and a utility room. The apartment has the benefit of lift access and allocated parking in a secure underground car park. EPC – D

Two bedroom first floor apartment providing spacious living accommodation within this attractive character bay fronted building. Benefits from off road parking for two cars with a car port, leading to a substantial storage outhouse. EPC - E

Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Redland

£499,950 Clifton

£599,995

Clifton

£675,000

Penthouse apartment with terrace promoting panoramic views. Apartment comprises a large open plan living room with floor to ceiling windows and doors opening on to the terrace surrounding the property. Both double bedrooms have an en suite and property benefits from secure undercroft parking providing an allocated parking space. EPC – D

Newly built three double bedroom house with the rare benefit of an allocated off-street parking space built by. Kitchen/dining room with trifold doors opening out on to the rear garden. Generous master bedroom with tri-fold doors and en-suite shower room and walk in wardrobe. EPC – C

Rare opportunity to purchase a modern four storey townhouse within Clifton. 66% sold, only four remaining. Each comprises large open plan kitchen/dining living area, separate living room and master bedroom with en-suite to the first floor. Second and third floors; four double bedrooms, bathroom and shower room. Each has an off road parking space, south facing rear garden and benefit from a 10 year building guarantee. EPC - TBC

Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007


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ANDREWS DPS Bristol:Layout 1

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Richard Harding fp MARCH:Layout 6

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Richard Harding Chartered Surveyors • Estate Agents • Auctioneers • Valuers

REDLAND guide £895,000

An immaculately presented & rather grand 6 double bedroom, 4 reception room Victorian semi-detached home located on a wide leafy road in the heart of Redland. Has an abundance of period character & features & a well-stocked 40ft x 29ft south west facing rear garden. A fine, civilised period residence situated on the sunny side of this highly regarded road. EPC: E

0117 946 6690 www.richardharding.co.uk 124 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2RP

REDLAND guide £895,000-£925,000

A handsome and beautifully presented 5 double bedroom, 3 reception Victorian period semi-detached family house with generous off street parking, attractive walled rear garden and garage in a highly prized location. Situated on one of Redlands best roads. A superb family home. EPC: E

An attractive & welcoming 4/5 bed (1 with en suite) 1930's detached residence located on one of Westbury Park's most sought after roads within just 500 metres of Westbury Park School & Durdham Downs. Further benefiting from off road parking & a 60ft x 35ft level s-westerly facing rear garden. A substantial 2 storey family home situated on the sunny side of the road with much to offer. EPC: E

WESTBURY PARK guide £750,000

Tasteful & stylish. A beautifully conceived 4 double bedroom period residence with exceptional contemporary additions, good sized garden and plenty of off street parking. Retains an original period cottage charm, which blends beautifully with the open plan, high ceiling & 21ft kitchen/dining room. Peaceful location near the Downs. EPC: E

SNEYD PARK guide £685,000

A spacious 5 bedroom, 3 reception Victorian period semidetached family house over 2 main floors in a much favoured location with own garden + access to nearby Clyde Park’s residents garden. Highly prized location: local Chandos Road shops just round the corner. An excellent family house in a prime Redland location – able to cater for evolving family needs. EPC: E

CLIFTON guide £650,000-£675,000

A light & airy 4 bed semi-detached Victorian home located in a convenient & central position. Further benefiting from a level 50ft x 25ft s-west facing garden, plenty of original features & a good standard of presentation throughout. Located in a central & convenient Redland location with the shops, cafes & restaurants of Chandos Road within a short level walk. EPC: to follow

REDLAND guide £635,000

To be sold for the first time in 19 years. An elegant & immensely appealing 5 bedroom, 4 reception five storey semi-detached grade II listed Georgian town house with a gorgeous well stocked rear garden. Central & convenient position between Bristol's attractive harbourside & The Cut. Ideal for city professionals or family home buyers alike.

An elegant & tastefully renovated 4 double bedroom, 3 reception, late Georgian style grade II listed period family town house with charming south west facing town garden in a much favoured location. Dating from circa 1850 in a classic late Georgian style terrace. An attractive & fine period property, stylishly presented throughout - previously featured in Real Homes magazine. EPC: D

REDLAND guide £685,000

Professional, Reliable, Successful

HARBOURSIDE guide £600,000


Clifton t: 0117 923 8238 (sales) t: 0117 946 6588 (lettings) clifton@cjhole.co.uk

www.cjhole.com The Housing and Lettings markets are both busy as we head towards spring. There are a good number of serious and credible buyers in the market who are well prepared and ready to move fast after the dearth of stock we saw over the winter. We seem to have an endless supply of ‘buy to let’ landlords, with one and two bedroom properties at a premium. We have all seen the devastation caused by the floods just a few miles away in Somerset. The large amounts of rain we have experienced locally has not affected our portfolio properties too adversely, however our Property

Management Team are always ready to quickly resolve any problems caused by the bad weather Now is the time to be tidying up gardens, paintwork and de-cluttering if you are considering a Sale or Let. The Directors here at CJ Hole would love to offer you a FREE market appraisal and an opportunity to discuss all your property requirements. Just contact the team on 0117 923 8238/ 0117 946 6588. Howard Davis M.N.A.E.A Managing Director - CJ Hole Clifton

Clifton

Clifton

Redland

This impressive hall floor studio apartment benefits from a parking space, communal rear garden and a convenient Clifton location. The grand living area has a large bay window to the front with shutters, wood flooring, and built in storage. There is a separate kitchen, and a fully tiled bathroom with bath and shower over. EPC G.

A superior Grade II listed first floor balcony flat with a private front garden, garage and parking. Excellent location close to the Village and Clifton Triangle. Offers a spacious living room, kitchen/breakfast room, bathroom and two double bedrooms both with French doors leading to the balcony. EPC D.

An exceptional top floor flat close to the Downs with extensive views of the surrounding area. Spacious hallway, two double bedrooms, kitchen/ breakfast room, living room and bathroom. Features include stripped wood floors, and original dresser in breakfast room. EPC D.

£159,000

£329,000

£275,000

Clifton

Cotham

Wraxall

A three storey modern versatile semi-detached residence comprising; kitchen/dining room, utility room, cloak room, first floor sitting room with double doors to balcony, bedroom with en-suite bathroom, family bathroom, double bedroom and single bedroom on the top floor. Also includes a converted garage, enclosed rear garden and off street parking for two cars. EPC C.

A renovated, four storey semi-detached house with two parking spaces and a garden. Currently laid out as two separate letable flats with private entrances; a one double bedroom ground floor flat with study, and an upper maisonette with 7 bedrooms. The vendor is prepared to sell as a going concern. Rental income currently - Ground floor flat £9,600 pa; Upper masionette - £32,100 pa. EPC D.

A large detached family house set in a good sized plot on the very edge of the Tyntesfield Estate. Built in the 1920’s, the house is well presented throughout and has lovely views from almost every room. 5 double bedrooms; 3 reception rooms; large family kitchen and utility; garage and driveway for several cars; landscaped gardens. EPC E.

£599,950

CJ Hole Clifton March.indd 1

£725,000

£735,000

17/02/2014 14:46


Horfield

Eastville

Greenbank

An attractive three bedroom end of terrace property located in this ever popular area of Horfield. Presented to the highest of decorative standards the accommodation briefly comprises; a lounge, open-plan kitchen/diner complete with a recently re-fitted kitchen, three bedrooms and a family bathroom. Further benefits include a garage, driveway providing off -street parking and gardens to the front and rear aspect. EPC E.

A substantial 1930’s semi-detached family home is presented to the highest of decorative standards with beautiful stained glass windows and benefitting from two reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, three bedrooms and a family bathroom. Further benefits include a larger than average garage, a driveway providing off-street parking and landscaped garden enjoying a southerly aspect. EPC E.

An exquisite Victorian terraced property packed full of character and charm, presented to the highest of decorative standards. The accommodation comprises an entrance vestibule, a bay fronted lounge, a large dining room, an extended kitchen, a ‘gallery’ landing with two double bedrooms and a large bathroom complete with a four piece white suite. Further benefits include a landscaped rear courtyard. EPC D.

£229,995

£245,000

£200,000

Multi Award Winners 2011 & 2012 Triple Award Winners 2013

Henleaze

Royal Victoria Park

Henleaze

Situated on the desirable Owen Grove within short walking distance of the amenities of busy Henleaze High Street and Henleaze Infant and Junior Schools, this well-presented family home offers three receptions and six bedrooms, one currently in use as a study, and refurbished bathroom and shower room. The outside of the property offers a southerly facing garden, parking and garage. EPC E.

This beautifully presented modern four bedroom detached house is positioned within a peaceful location adjacent to conservation woods and fields and in close proximity to the Bristol Free School. This family home comprises; bespoke kitchen/diner with central island and bi-fold doors to garden, two receptions, two en-suites and secure parking. EPC C.

Situated within the catchment area for both Redland Green and Henleaze Infant and Junior school, this family home offers four bedrooms, master with en-suite. Ground floor offers engineered oak flooring, two receptions; dining room with double doors onto garden and extended kitchen/diner, utility/workshop and off street parking. EPC E.

Price Guide £750,000

CJ Hole March.indd 1

£499,950

£475,000

17/02/2014 14:45


Grange Park, Henleaze

Price Guide ÂŁ1,500,000

Superbly presented detached family home positioned on the ever popular Grange Park is approached via central hallway leading to three individual receptions and separate office. Kitchen/diner with granite island and worktops and access to conservatory and south westerly facing garden with separate annexe. Five bedrooms, master with en-suite and dressing room, family bathroom and separate shower room. EPC D.

LE SA EED R AG

Eastfield, Henleaze

Price Guide ÂŁ1,500,000

Eastfield Lodge is a grand family residence dating back to 1812 approached via electric gates and is set in approximately 0.6 acres. The property itself offers herringbone flooring, four/five individual receptions, and access to lower ground floor with self-contained flat. The two upper floors offer six bedrooms, master with en-suite. Landscaped gardens and detached modern coach house style double garage. EPC D.

CJ Hole March.indd 2

17/02/2014 14:46


Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

Chew Stoke, Somerset A substantial five bedroom family home located in the heart of Chew Stoke village. Set back on Scot Lane, this well presented and upgraded property is situated in the centre of a one third of an acre plot with landscaped gardens and views over fields and the surrounding countryside. EPC Rating: C

Offers in the Region of £750,000 • 5 Bedrooms • 2 En suites & family bathroom • Conservatory • Kitchen breakfast room • Off road parking for 6 vehicles • Set in 0.303 acres

Hamptons Bristol

Sales. 0117 322 6362 | bristol@hamptons-int.com

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Hamptons Sales March.indd 2

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Fine & Country March:Layout 1

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Fine & Country March:Layout 1

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Clifton - £750,000

A modern four storey four bedroom townhouse offering comfortable accommodation arranged over four floors. The house has a rear garden, garage and off street parking for two cars and is within a minute’s walk of Whiteladies Road. Kitchen/diner opening on rear garden, two reception rooms, three bathrooms. No onward chain.

Westbury Park - £750,000

A lovely Edwardian family home situated within a few minute’s walk of Durdham Downs and Henleaze High St/Waitrose. Lovely spacious rooms with high ceiling and period detail. Fantastic contemporary and extended light filled kitchen opening onto west facing rear garden.Two reception rooms & spacious hall. Five double bedrooms and two bathrooms. Off street parking to the front.

Clifton - £500,000

Long Ashton - £560,00

If you are after something completely different then this Grade II listed former Georgian coach house could be the ticket. With accommodation arranged over four floors it offers adaptable space that has been imaginatively put to use by its interior designer owners. Three bedrooms, two receptions and a huge open plan studio on the ground floor.You have to view to appreciate this one.

Individual detached split level 4/5 bed house offers uniquely designed accommodation arranged to take full advantage of its far reaching elevated Southerly views over the village and surrounding countryside and is within 10 minutes drive of Clifton and the city. Double garage and off street parking.

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Redland - £345,000 Superb garden flat located in this quiet road just off Whiteladies Road. Entrance Vestibule, Entrance Hall, Large Sitting/Dining Room, Smart Fitted Kitchen with French doors to the garden, 2 large double bedrooms, a utility room plus a very nicely fitted shower room. Private rear garden with southerly aspect, communal front garden.

Leese & Nagle March.indd 1

Redland - £625,000

Lovely double fronted Victorian mid terrace house offering three reception rooms, kitchen/ breakfast room, cloakroom. Five bedrooms and a family bathroom. Tiered southerly aspect rear garden.

20/02/2014 14:13


Stoke Bishop - £550,000

Built in 1882 this four bedroom detached house represents a rare opportunity to purchase a unique family home in this desirable location within 10 minutes walk of Elmlea schools and shops on Stoke Lane. Provides large formal sitting room with fireplace. Open plan kitchen/dining/family area opening onto the garden. Large utility and cloakroom. Gardens, garage and off street parking. No onward chain.

Stoke Bishop - £650,000

A lovely four bedroom detached family house situated on a fantastic plot with very large level front and rear gardens backing onto playing fields. Two reception rooms, kitchen, utility area, ground floor bedroom and bathroom. Upstairs are three bedrooms and study/nursery and shower room. The house provides scope for further extension if required.

Sneyd Park - £470,000

Cribbs Causeway - £500,000

A lovely 4 bedroom, two bathroom, detached house with garage, off street parking, conservatory and landscaped garden in a select cul-de-sac in Glenavon Park.The accommodation is deceptively spacious and is suited to growing families or those looking to downsize to a manageable house within this desirable area.

A superbly maintained and improved detached four bedroom 1930’s home standing at the head of this small cul-de-sac offering convenient access to the city and motorway networks. This lovely house stands in a very generous plot with an unusually large frontage which can accommodate motorhomes, boats and caravans with ease. There is also a large detached garage.

Stoke Bishop - £380,000 A very attractive 1930’s semi detached home which occupies an elevated cul de sac position. The roomy, well presented accommodation briefly comprises: Reception Hall, Sitting Room with log burning stove, good size separate dining room, kitchen, utility room, 3 double bedrooms, bathroom and separate WC. Good size level rear garden, single garage and off street parking to the front.

Leese & Nagle March.indd 2

Stoke Bishop - £359,950

This is an absolutely stunning 4 bedroom terrace family house presented in a contemporary style offering roomy family accommodation, a quiet location and a lovely size rear garden. Good size kitchen, utility and cloakroom.Two reception rooms, conservatory. Upstairs there are 4 double bedrooms, one with en suite. This house is both ideal for professional couples, families or anyone considering downsizing.

20/02/2014 14:11


CONTEMPORARY OR TRADITIONAL 25% OFF SOFAS

Sofa Library March fp:Layout 1

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WE SPECIALISE IN BESPOKE DETAILS & SIZES IN UPHOLSTERY AND CABINET FURNITURE Any of our sofa designs or our cabinet furniture may be changed in proportion or style

Our cabinet furniture can be painted literally in any colour and we can design any piece

to suit your preference and space - made to fit bookcases and wardrobes are a speciality

We have the largest selection of available fabrics of any sofa manufacturer and the shortest lead time typically 2 to 3 weeks

25% discount still available on all cabinet and sofa orders for another few weeks

25% OFF BESPOKE WARDROBE SYSTEMS We are just past Clifton Down Shopping Centre 56/60, Whiteladies Rd, BS8 2PY Mon-Sat 9.30 - 5.30/Sun 12 - 5

TEL: 01173 292746


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