From the joy of behaving badly to meeting remarkable animals
Martin Clunes
comes to the Bath Literature Festival
MAKING THE NEWS
Ali Vowles catches up with West Country presenter Sabet Choudhury
FROM BEIJING TO BATH
How identical twins Jake and Shane shook up the men’s skincare market
GRANDE DAME
We talk to Jane Austen’s great niece, actress Anna Chancellor
A FAMILY AFFAIR
Master of reinvention: local furniture retailer TR Hayes at 110
52
Meet
Andy Burden recounts the tale of the
Get
We
Melissa
Cathryn Spence takes
A
Ali Vowles
Meet Jake Xu and Shane Carnell-Xu, the twins shaking up the cosmetics industry
56 A STITCH IN TIME
Learn how City Tailors are changing the tailoring game
Escape to the South West Lakes Trust’s picturesque campsites
64
68
72
Discover a Bath-centric walk for wild swimming
Rosanna Spence pays a visit to Thermae Bath Spa
Andrew Swift sets out on the Cotswold Way 78
TR Hayes celebrates 110 years of fine
Elly West ponders the ancient majesty of ferns On our cover this month
Photo credit: Camera Press / Chris McAndrew
Photo by Joe Short
Anna Chancellor in Playhouse
photo by Ellie Kurttz
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FROM THE EDITOR
Selena Gomez ‘sh-sh-sh-shake(s) it up’, Taylor Swift ‘shake(s) it off (whoo-hoohoo)’ and Metro Station just ‘shake, shake, shake, shake, shake it’. Meanwhile in Bath identical twins Jake Xu and Shane Carnell-Xu do more than sing about it, having created Shakeup Cosmetics (with ‘Shakeup’ a melange of Shane and Jake) bringing a groundbreaking global brand that breaks down beauty barriers and promotes self-care for men. Kerpow. Turn to page 52 to read about how it happened and why it matters in the first of our Unlimited Minds interviews.
Martin Clunes wasn’t known for his exemplary skincare regime in Men Behaving Badly, and in popular culture he’s gone from being a lad with a fondness for beer and ogling women to a grumpy doctor, but in real life he’s a follower and friend of animals both on screen and on his Dorset farm. See Isabelle Blakeney’s interview with Martin on page 22 ahead of his appearance at the Bath Literature Festival in May.
Journalist and presenter Ali Vowles reunites with her erstwhile colleague Sabet Choudhury on page 48, finding out about his experience of racism, his journey into journalism, how he donated a kidney to his mum and becoming a film star (almost). Then on page 32 Melissa Blease finds the perfect cocktail for actor Anna Chancellor (‘Duckface’ in Mike Newell/Richard Curtis’s Four Weddings and a Funeral and Lady Anstruther in Downton Abbey). Anna is starring in April de Angelis’ Playhouse Creatures at Bath Theatre Royal this month and explains how the experience of women’s lives 400 years ago really resonates with those in the present day.
Anna is the great niece (eight times removed) of Jane Austen (although she professes not to be able to write a postcard herself), and we have a feature on page 36 about ‘Austens at the Abbey’, celebrating the 250th anniversary of Jane’s birth, which runs from 5 April until 27 September. Bath Abbey’s display tells the story of 15 individuals with memorial plaques who had connections to Jane and her family.
Add to all this an interview with Richard Hayes from family business TR Hayes who specialise in modern and classic furniture (page 78), men’s fashion inspiration (p18), some wild swimming (page 64), and the story of the Coneheads (page 16) – and here is our must-read, must-browse, must-engage serving for the month of April. *flamboyant bow*
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Financial Director Jane Miklos jane@thebathmagazine.co.uk
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Emma Clegg, Editor
Ed’s Easter picks
City updates
BATH RESTAURANT WEEK
Bath Restaurant Week, from 3–11 May, is a brand new nine-day event designed to celebrate the incredible array of restaurants, cafés and bars in Bath, and it has attracted big names in the food and beverage industry to sponsor its inaugural year, which kicks off in May.
The event aims to give visitors and locals in Bath the opportunity to try the diverse range of wonderful cuisines, dishes and venues that the city has to offer. Customers will be able to find offerings such as tasting menus, new dishes, signature cocktails, lunchtime opening hours or special offers.
The team at Bath BID has secured generous sponsorship from local and national partners, including Deliveroo, Birrificio Angelo Poretti, RWK Goodman, Bath Echo, Walcot House and The Wheatsheaf in Combe Hay. To promote the event and raise money for industry charity Hospitality Action, Bath BID is organising a Waiters’ Race on Monday 7 April at 11am. This will involve teams from local establishments racing (no running allowed!) in relays across the Royal Crescent holding trays full of glasses of water. Winners will be judged on their speed and their technique.
bathrestaurantweek.com
JOLLY’S GOOD SHOW
Department store group Morleys Stores Ltd will reopen Jolly’s store in Milsom Street, Bath in 2026, continuing to use the name Jolly’s. Councillor Kevin Guy, Bath & North East Somerset Council leader, said: “Morleys Stores is a fantastic fit. Morleys’ decision complements the investment the council is making in the Milsom Quarter. We have been working hard over the past 18 months to secure the future of this flagship store and a significant element of the plan is to make it once again the anchor store for Milsom Street.”
The new store aims to cater to the needs of the local community while also attracting shoppers from surrounding areas.
Allan Winstanley, Chief Executive of Morleys Department Stores, said: “We are thrilled to start preparations to open up in Jolly’s and restore this heritage store to its former glory. Our business treats all our stores as independent stores, designed to serve their local community with curated and considered product collections and store experiences. We will strive to provide an outstanding shopping experience for the community of Bath and its visitors.”
STRIKE A POSE
Fashion Museum Bath has been awarded a £200,000 grant by Arts Council England National Lottery to help launch their online Explore the Collections project. The initiative aims to develop the museum’s first searchable online catalogue in collaboration with Bath & North East Somerset Libraries, and will significantly transform access to the museum’s renowned collection. Fashion Museum Bath holds one of the world’s leading collections of fashion, spanning 400 years of design creativity. The museum closed in 2022 in order to undergo a major transformation, and its new home in The Old Post Office, New Bond Street, is currently undergoing renovations, preparing to open to the public in 2030. fashionmuseum.co.uk
Image: Pieces from the Fashion
Left: Cllr Mark Elliott, cabinet member for Resources; Councillor Kevin Guy, leader of B&NES Council; store manager Jess Merritt-Johns and Morleys chief executive Allan Winstanley
LET’S GET AUSTEN-TACIOUS!
Strictly Jane Austen Tours takes ladies and gentlemen of all ages on Regency adventures to the places made famous through their association with Jane. The tailor-made tours around the streets of Bath and to some of England’s finest stately homes transport you back in time to an era of dances and tea parties, bonnets and beaus.
Forthcoming events this April, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, include an insight into Jane’s Austen’s world with expert Zoe Wheddon (12 April), and an evening talk from author Gill Hornby (10 April), as she discusses her novels, including the critically acclaimed Miss Austen, which reimagines the life of Cassandra Austen (recently adapted for the BBC starring Keeley Hawes). You can also dive into the world of Jane Austen's novels and discover what truly matters in her timeless works with Professor John Mullan (7 April) or join author Sarah Jane Downing (11 April) for a talk exploring the fashionable trends of the era. For Bath Magazine readers quote BATHMAGAZINE for a £10 discount off the ticket price (six tickets available per event). For full details of all talks and to book tickets visit: bit.ly/SJAevent; strictlyjaneausten.com
Museum Bath collection. From L to R, John Galliano (1987); Vivienne Westwood (2010); Ossie Clark/Quorum (1969); Alexander McQueen (1996).
5THINGS TO DO IN APRIL
Mid-April heralds the start of 'tulip mania' at Dyrham Park, a celebration of the springtime favourite with huge displays, walks, talks, plant fayres, art and exhibitions. Thousands of brightly coloured blooms will light up the four long beds in the Avenue of the South Gloucestershire garden while the pear orchard will be transformed into a magical world of multicoloured joy with tulip heads shining like jewels through the long grass.
Back in December, the Dyrham Park team planted more than 20,000 carefully selected bulbs imported from Holland to achieve a dazzling display of colour in the spring. 22 April – 5 May; nationaltrust.org.uk/dyrham-park
Laugh out loud
Internationally acclaimed comedian Lou Sanders brings her brand-new tour show, No Kissing in the Bingo Hall, to Komedia on 27 April. The evening promises laugh-out-loud lines as Lou presents all her ‘deep, dumb thoughts’ on being human to the masses.
Learn about life among the trees
As spring bursts onto the scene, Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, comes alive with vibrant new growth. The longer, warmer days breathe life into the air, heralding the arrival of an array of plants and animals. This spring, why not discover more about this living masterpiece and what Westonbirt’s team are doing to encourage hundreds of species to thrive? Join one of Westonbirt’s guided spring walks or family-friendly events and immerse yourself in the beauty of this biodiverse haven. forestryengland.uk/westonbirt/springwestonbirt-arboretum
Get lost in music
Experience the tragedy, the pity, and the hope of the Easter story with Bath Abbey Lay Clerks & Girls’ Choir with David De Winter as Evangelist, accompanied by baroque instrumentalists Rejouissance. As we move through Holy Week towards Good Friday, hear J.S. Bach’s St John Passion, one of the most moving Christian works ever written, by one of the greatest composers who ever lived. Bath Abbey, 16 April. 7.15pm–9.15pm; Tickets from £20 adults/£10 children. bathboxoffice.org.uk
Feel on top of the world
And, just like Tom Cruise does his own stunts, she’ll do all her own jokes!
As seen on QI, Would I Lie To You, Mel Giedroyc’s Unforgivable, Taskmaster, Dancing on Ice, and The Late Late Show with James Corden. 27 April, 8pm; tickets from £22.50; komediabath.co.uk
Spend an evening ‘On Top of the World’ with A Tribute to the Carpenters at Bath Forum. Celebrate the legendary music of this era-defining group, with Gordy Marshall’s The British Carpenters, starring Sally Creedon as Karen Carpenter and an incredible cast of musicians straight from London’s West End. Enjoy all the classic hits including Close to You, Top of the World, Rainy Days and Mondays, Please Mr Postman, Goodbye to Love and many more.
25 April, 7pm; tickets £22.50. bathforum.co.uk
Step into spring
DTimeless Textiles
BY CYNTHIA WIHARDJA Beau Nash Antiques
uring my travels to Indonesia and Turkey this January, I fell in love with the vibrant world of textiles – especially Ikats and Suzanis. These fabrics are not just stunning to look at, they carry rich histories and stories that make them even more special. I’m so excited to bring them back to Bath to share with you, and I’d love to tell you a little more about them. Let’s start with the Suzani. A Suzani is a hand-embroidered textile panel, and the word itself comes from the Persian word suzan, meaning ‘needle’. These beautiful textiles originated with the nomadic tribes of Central Asia – think Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan – and are now cherished for their intricate designs and the incredible skill involved in making them. Originally, they were used in yurts (nomadic tents) for everything from wrapping up belongings to prayer mats and even seating. Suzani textiles were often made by brides and their mothers as part of a dowry, and they symbolised the joining of two families. They’re full of meaningful symbols, too – luck, health, fertility and protection were all woven into the patterns. Made from cotton or sometimes silk, Suzani designs often feature the sun, moon, flowers, pomegranates and other symbols of life’s cycles. The embroidery uses just four stitches, but the variety of designs is incredible. While it’s tricky to pin down exactly where they come from, Uzbekistan is widely regarded as the centre of Suzani production.
Now, let’s talk about Ikat. This fabric has been around for centuries, with origins in the Indonesian archipelago and across the world, from Southeast Asia to Central Asia. The Ikat process is a bit of a textile magic trick: the yarn is tied, dyed and then woven to create intricate patterns. It’s a labour-intensive process that requires incredible skill and patience, often taking up to two years to complete a piece. Ikat has long been used in important ceremonies like weddings, funerals and offerings, making it a symbol of both status and spirituality. Across Indonesia’s many islands, different regions have perfected their own Ikat styles, creating a rich variety of designs. The production of Ikat was so valuable that it even became a commodity in global trade, helping shape the history of the spice trade in the region.
Both Suzani and Ikat fabrics aren’t just beautiful; they’re pieces of history. They reflect the culture, creativity and craftsmanship of their makers, and through them, we connect to a shared legacy of artistry and tradition. These textiles are more than just things we hang on our walls – they’re living pieces of the past that tell a story with every thread.
Stephen Spicer is a creative professional with a background in fine art, graphic design and illustration whose career has seen the dramatic shift from hand‐typesetting to digital production. Most recently he completed his first BA at Bath Spa University.
Where did you spend your early life and what was your education like?
I was born in the World’s End area of Chelsea. At that time the area was bombed-out slums, so my parents moved to South East London to give us a greener environment. School was a nightmare on the whole. I discovered much later in life I had dyspraxia/dyslexia plus other educational needs that weren’t recognised then. I was good at reading and drawing, but that was about it. Grammar school was worse – I was bullied and even plotted with friends to blow it up (or at least let off a lot of fireworks!)
When did the creative spark strike?
I discovered my passion for print while I was still at school. I created newspapers for friends and got involved in the ‘Underground Press’ movement as a teenager, running a pirate print shop. We were shut down for publishing a gay magazine, which was considered obscene in the 1960s. Armed with printed material I was accepted into Chelsea School of Art to do Printed Surface Design at the age of 17, which was right on the King’s Road, one of the centres of groovy London. It was a fun, eye-opening time, and I learned a lot.
How did your career develop?
After Chelsea in 1975 I struggled to find work, but ended up at Boots, managing the photo department. Later I moved to Dixons and worked as an internal graphic designer in the head office. I came across a a prototype of the Apple Macintosh in 1983 and I took this and the Imagewriter printer that came with it. With those tools I could produce text and images on screen and print them out. That revolutionised my job, and there was no need to constantly retype things on an IBM golfball typewriter.
When the first Laserprinter appeared, I proposed the idea to
Dixons’ owner, Stanley Kalms, of using that for typesetting, avoiding the huge charges we paid for outside typesetters. He gave me the go-ahead to get one. The cost then was about the same as my annual salary, but Dixons recovered that cost in under six months, if I remember rightly.
What brought you to Bath?
Word spread and a newspaper did an article on Dixons and how computer-based design with Laserprinters was ‘the future of print’. By that time Dixons had the biggest network of Macs in the country. Chris Anderson saw it and invited me to come down to Bath and help automate the magazine production for a publishing company he wanted to start up. We came up with the name ‘Future Publishing’ over coffee. I moved to Bath, which was very different from what I was used to in London’s West End – I had the impression that people went to bed with Ovaltine at 9.30pm! We slowly automated Future, installed typesetters, introduced scanners and other digital production equipment. This was all leading technology at the time.
What did you do after your time at Future?
Apple offered me a job travelling around the South West helping publishers to switch to digital page-making. I think I helped the majority of publishers in the South West consider digital – although the Bath Chronicle was a notable abstainer!
After a time I wanted to get my hands dirty again, so went freelance as a graphic designer and trainer. In those days, if you produced digital output then you needed to get it typeset, or more accurately image-set as you could output pictures as well as letters. The machines, however, were very expensive. Apple had an Imagesetter as a demo machine, which retailed for approx £40,000 – I offered them £15,000, which was accepted. The bank manager agreed to the loan quickly, saying, “I lent you the money because you turned up in working clothes; had you turned up in a suit I wouldn’t have.”
The business prospered, with clients both local and national.
What other Bath work connections have you had?
I later became a teacher at Bath College, teaching media, publishing, art, and business studies for 12 years. Teaching had never been my plan, but as a freelancer you tend never to say no, so I had a go. I loved the students, and I found it rewarding. I am still in loose contact with a good few and it’s great fun to see how their lives have worked out.
Then at the age of 65 I decided to do a BA in illustration at Bath Spa University. Being a (very) mature student worked out roughly how I expected it to. As an older man I was largely politely ignored by the
Two of a series of interactive Mechanisms made for Stephen’s degree show. They are based on arcade fortune-telling machines, but with an enviromental message and hidden animations. They will be on display at the Pound Arts Centre in Corsham in May.
Self portrait covered in mud used for Degree final written project
regular students. Having said that I made some wonderful friends there and met some stunning artists who I’m sure will make their mark in the years to come.
I researched and used humour for my final project, where I created a comic book, for which I got a very good mark. For my degree show I built some machines similar to arcade games. They have either environmental angles or anatomical ones. They will be on show at the Pound Arts in Corsham later this year.
Why have you stayed in Bath?
I’ve stayed in Bath because of other people. My wife is Bath (almost) born and bred and my children all grew up here. Me? I’m still a Londoner – I miss the buzz of the West End, but I acknowledge that it’s not the same place I left. I doubt if I shall ever move, but I wouldn’t count it out.
How has Bath changed in the time you’ve been here?
It feels like it has sprawled and continued to gentrify. Or maybe I’ve been noticing it more. Almost all the useful shops are gone, Francis DIY in Moorland Road being a notable exception. Parking is a nightmare and expensive. But it’s not all bad – 44AD Gallery does a great job, the hospitals look after us and the Museum of Bath at Work proves it’s not all Austen!
What are some of your favourite haunts in the city?
My haunts are usually coffee shops. My wife and I have a running joke on Facebook where I photograph her drinking coffee in various establishments. Current favourites are Colonna & Small’s for their excellent expresso and Colombian Coffee Company for Bombon, their signature drink. I love the botanical gardens and BRLSI too.
What sort of work do you do now?
I produce the Bath Fringe Festival guide and design Automata Magazine, an international online magazine. I’m currently working on illustrations and graphics for two exhibitions in May, including one at Pound Arts Corsham. I have done covers for Komedia’s programmes, which like most of my work contain a self-portrait hidden somewhere!.
Tell us about your creative work.
My work has two or three main strands. There are illustration/ cartooning; making machines and objects; and graphic design. I’m wary of the cartoon label as it’s more humourous illustration and it nearly always tells a story or is in someway instructional. My comic Toes examined what happened when I got diabetic neuropathy in my foot.
Illustration is usually started with pen and ink. I like drawing and I like having a product I can put with other work – something that’s purely digital doesn’t do. Also, I use ink and watercolour and slosh those all over the paper. Often paper is secondhand or has been stained. My mantra is “Never start with a clean sheet of paper”, which means, build on previous work, and also more literally.
Despite my history of working with technology, for illustration my style is conservative – but for graphics and building machines I am current. I’m enrolled in Adobe’s Beta program and am looking at modern equipment for machine building. I use AI for sorting some images (normally restoring photos supplied for magazine work) and I am not afraid of it. I have seen enormous technological change in my working life, moving from lead type to what we do currently. I continue to learn and use these tools and I am lucky that in my world science and art synthesise.
What gets you up in the morning?
Two things: sunlight and several cups of coffee. Actually three, because the cat wants feeding. Bright sunshine is key.
Looking back, what advice would you give to your younger self?
On the whole, be more assertive. Perhaps school would have been easier if I had spoken up more. Things got better after I joined a motorcycle club and put on some weight (I was a very skinny youth), and working with Dixons taught me to stand up and fight my corner, all of which helped. I would advise my younger self to freelance earlier and learn more business skills. But also make full use of the opportunities that art school gave me.
What I do is what I am; it’s not a career, it’s a calling, I suppose. Everything feeds into what I do – work is indivisible from play. Projecting forward is a sobering experience, but it’s not depressing; it gives energy for the next thing to work on. Time may be short!
stephenspicer.co.uk
Below left: Page from ‘Detritus’ project, a book and a series of resin blocks that aim to record items of bits that make up our lives. Here there is a plastic coffin foot and a necklace made by one of Stephen’s children; below centre: an illustration for Komedia’s 2025 programme
Below right: With the encouragement of James Baggot-Brown at Bath Spa University, Stephen’s final ‘written’ project was a comic book on the stigmatisation of comic books
Naturals blog... by Andy Burden
The Naturals’ Coneheads were born in Bath in the 1970s, just as the city was recreating itself as a tourist destination. Andy Burden explains the story of how these memorable characters evolved, and why they are rarely seen nowadays...
The Coneheads scenario is one of the most iconic Natural Theatre Company pieces. Voted the best piece of street theatre back in 2014, this iconic performance has appeared on TV, on postcards and has even graced the front of an academic book about street theatre.
How did the Natural Theatre Company create this piece?
Well, obviously, the Coneheads arrived from space many years ago. They were in wonder and confusion as they roamed Bath, until they joined our company as performers. They are paid in the intergalactic agreed currency of Martian Gozzles.
Actually that is not strictly true. The real story of how the Coneheads evolved is a little more elongated than that…
Let me take you back to Bath in the late ’70s and early ’80s… The city was starting to return to its former glory. The soot-covered buildings were being cleaned one by one, revealing the bright splendour of the Bath stone. The Blitz-damaged buildings were being repaired and the rubble-filled spaces destroyed by bombs were being redeveloped. The city was given World Heritage Status and once again was becoming a tourist destination.
The arrival of coach loads of tourists was unusual in Bath in the 1970s and was a source of great amusement to the creatives in the company at that time. They would see visitors arriving, huddled in groups and nervously photographing the badly signed historic buildings with their Kodak Brownie cameras. There was real humour in the way they kept close together and shuffled through the town,
pointing at things that may (or may not) be part of the heritage of the city. The Naturals thought this was prime source material for a street theatre performance.
But what costume? Some members of the company had found it hilarious how many overseas visitors were dressed in very oldfashioned clothes as though the 1970s had never existed. So they sourced some 1950s beige coats and donned black trousers, white shirts and Oxford shoes. The addition of the Kodak Brownie camera and bank notes from overseas finished off the look.
The tourists piece was born. Except it didn’t work that well… it didn’t have anything special.
Coincidently a member of the company had returned from Mexico with a comedy facemask they had bought in a costume shop. (It is worth saying at this point that nearly every one of the original team in the company has claimed this was them, so who it was is unknown!)
The mask was an off-the-peg alien mask – the Conehead. Then it was suggested that the Tourists should wear the ‘Cone’ mask and so the ‘Alien Tourists’ had arrived!
Suddenly it worked as a much more playful piece of theatre… it was tapping into that feeling we all get when we are somewhere new, doing something new – the feeling of being an alien. The games evolved, including photographing dog poos, giving bonios to children, greeting bald men with a rub of their scalp and trying to buy long hair from people’s heads. The movements became more and more hilarious with the group moving as one joyful group of alien kids playing.
When I started as Director at the Naturals 12 years ago, the piece was over 30 years old. It had become a little tired. It was mechanical, like a tight choreography. Very well-timed, but the humour had been lost. We needed to find the play again, so in workshops we went back through the story I have just told you. The sense of being totally uncertain in a new place was hilariously rediscovered and the piece came to life again.
Sadly, in 2025 The Conehead masks are no longer made by those people in Mexico. We have a dwindling stock of masks, with many becoming perished or misshapen. This has made them a bit scary and very delicate to use. The piece goes out far less than it used to. We are looking at ways of creating a new version of the mask… or maybe we are awaiting an alien arrival from space…. and hopefully they will then join our company as performers.
naturaltheatre.co.uk
Model Search
We are currently searching for the New Face of Thomas Fortin to feature in our upcoming collections. This will involve professional photoshoots and lifestyle / product modelling for our e-commerce website as well as featuring in social media content.
Our aesthetic is classic, dapper menswear for the modern gentleman so we're looking for someone who embodies the sophistication of the Thomas Fortin man.
If you live in the UK and are interested in modelling for us then fill out our application form and get ready to suit up!
www.thomasfortin.com/modelsearch
We all deserve that fulfilling pleasure of wowing onlookers with impeccable outfits for those special occasions. Thomas Fortin champions the dapper days of yesteryear and encourages each customer to live every day just like the leading man in his own story. Here is a taste of the sartorial offering.
Hampton Salmon Pink Medallion Silk Tie, £78.
Lime Pocket Square, £57.50.
Wedgewood Blue Egyptian Cotton Pinstripe OTC socks, £24
Blue Contrast Collar Shirt, £140.00
Brown Braided Leather with Blue Elastic Stretch Belt, £74
Italian Cognac Leather Crochet Driving Gloves, £119.00
Rabbit and Carrot Rhodium Plated Cufflinks, £96.
Blue and White Striped Braces with White Braided Ends, £96
That’s entertainment!
From the Middle Ages to the Regency era, with some horror along the way, discover the best things to watch and read in Bath this month...
HEADING O U T
Starve Acre (2023) + Director and Author Q&A at The Little Theatre, 10 April
Dig in to a slice of modern folk horror in 2023’s Starve Acre, starring Matt Smith and Morfyyd Clark. In the rural setting of 1970s Yorkshire, a young couple find that there’s evil lurking in the land... Join The Little for a post-film Q&A with director Daniel Kokotajlo and author Andrew Michael Hurley as part of the Bath ArchaeoHeritage Film Festival. 10 April, 8.45pm–11.30pm BAHfilmfestival.co.uk; bathboxoffice.org.uk
Spring Talk – The Shaker Way at The American Museum & Gardens, 23 April
Visit the museum for a free, fascinating talk to find out more about the Shaker way of life and how Shaker design was a forerunner to architectural and design modernism in the 20th century. The talk will share more about Shaker design and their innovative workshop practices in making a range of domestic products, and their dominance in supplying garden and horticultural seed and herbal concoctions for small-scale buyers across the whole of rural America. 23 April, 2.30pm, The American Museum & Gardens, Claverton Manor, Bath americanmuseum.org
STAYING I N
The Novel Life of Jane Austen: A Graphic Biography by Janine Barchas
In celebration of Jane Austen’s 250th Birthday, this is a thoroughly 21stcentury take on what we know of the Regency icon. This vivid and compelling narrative illustrated by Isabel Greenberg beautifully celebrates the author’s challenging and triumphant life. Sprinkled with Easter eggs and witty references to popular screen adaptations of Austen’s novels, this is the perfect book for both casual and avid Austen fans. Publishes on 24 April, Greenfinch, £20
Flawed by JP Blake
Ruined by Marion, a wealthy and ruthless woman, Persy Adelard has been controlled since the moment she was adopted. Flawed is a fascinating, darkly humorous debut thriller set in Bath, which delves into the twisted mind of Persy, who is trapped in a deceitful web by her ruthless adoptive mother. With dark humour and suspense, it explores family loyalty, murder, and the thirst for revenge, captivating the reader until the very end. Troubadour Publishing, £10.99
Two Inches of Ivory by Malcolm Day
The recently released Two Inches of Ivory is a vivid imagining of the lives of Austen and her family within a novel. A fictional narrative carefully woven from letters, memoirs and biographies brings to life the world of Jane Austen in its most intimate expression. From birth to untimely death Jane’s path to becoming a successful novelist is constantly choked by unpredictable circumstances. The war with Napoleonic France, the press of poverty, fashionable Regency life and the romantic urge all shape the Austens’ lives and fuel Jane’s imagination. Questions of love, feelings and freedom for women are continually thrown up, while she strives to balance family duties with the ups and downs of her fortunes in publishing. Troubadour Publishing, £12.99
Animal instinct
Actor, director, television presenter, author and farmer Martin Clunes speaks to Isabelle Blakeney about his new book, his travels with Neil Morrissey, and his strong connections to animals ahead of his visit to the Bath Literature Festival in May.
Farmer’ might not seem like the most natural step in the career of an award-winning actor whose work has seen him star as two of the most beloved characters on British TV. But for Martin Clunes, being a caretaker of both creatures and characters is totally a labour of love.
Martin Clunes hit the big time starring as Gary Strang in the sitcom Men Behaving Badly (1992–1998) alongside Neil Morrissey, Caroline Quentin and Leslie Ash, which followed two beerguzzling flatmates whose comedic camaraderie (despite the pair’s flailing inadequacies with women) firmly landed both the series and the stars a place in the canon of comfort-watching TV.
While for Martin, that role (which earned him a BAFTA in 1996) defined a decade, in 2004 he embarked on his second careerdefining role as Doctor Martin Ellingham, the titular character of award-winning, medical comedy drama Doc Martin which stacked up a total of 10 series before coming to a close in 2022.
Alongside his acting, Martin has maintained a flourishing career presenting a host of nature and animal documentaries, including Martin Clunes: A Man & his Dogs (2008), Martin Clunes: Islands of the Pacific (2022) and the upcoming Martin Clunes: Islands of the Atlantic (2025), profiling his love of animals for those who feel the same, never afraid to get emotional (and shed tears) on camera in his interactions with them.
Naturally he doesn’t save his zoological interests for the telly, because home for Martin is a 130-acre working farm near Beaminster, Dorset, where he and his wife Philippa have five dogs, two cats, six horses and a miniature Shetland pony, nine hens and a handful of cattle.
When we speak, Martin has just returned from a walk with his dogs. Despite it being “absolutely freezing cold!”, he’s sounding very chipper.
“I’ve got a block of no work at the moment, which is just fabulous. I have a patchy day job, you know? So I’ve got a young horse that we’re bringing on who’s become a real project. We’re teaching him how to be a horse, so it’s great to have time to give him. We’re going to start him pulling stuff, too. I love to drive a horse and cart.”
In December 2024, Martin released his second book, Meetings with Remarkable Animals, which he’ll be discussing on 20 May at The Guildhall, as part of the Bath Literature Festival. The book profiles his own life-changing encounters with animals around the world, celebrating the intelligence, loyalty and companionship of the often extraordinary creatures who share and connect with human lives such as medal-winning pigeons and life-saving dolphins.
“There are amazing stories”, he tells me. “Like the story of a blind man with a guide dog who was in the North Tower of the World Trade Center on 9/11. They’d had a terrorist attack a few
Credit: Nicky Johnston
months before and they’d made everybody aware of the escape routes. And when the worst thing in the world happened, he and his guide dog headed straight for the fire escape, and as they were going down, he just said: “Look, my name is Michael. This is my dog. We know these stairs, stick with us and we’ll get you through.” And they did. I think, really, what he offered was the reassurance that the dog gave him.”
“ The [Dorset] farm is such an amazing place – we’re about 600 feet above sea level. We can see out to sea, which is 10 miles away, and I can’t see a single road. It’s pretty magical ”
Martin has always felt a connection with animals, and it became more of an everyday affair after his marriage to Philippa in 1997 when they got their own dog.
“We had cats growing up. And then later on, when my father died, we got a dog called Jemima. But when I was a kid, we were right on the edge of Wimbledon Common, and there was a dog called Jackie who’d
come with us and just hang out and be our dog for the day, so I guess I grew up surrounded by animals.
“But when you’re younger, you’re so preoccupied with yourself. So when Philippa and I were married, we got a dog called Mary who just became everything to us. And I guess that’s when we got silly about it.”
The couple gradually made the move to Dorset from London, first spending weekends at a cottage they’d bought, and then, when their daughter Emily was a toddler, making the move down permanently before settling in the farm where they live now. “The farm is such an amazing place – we’re about 600 feet above sea level. We can see out to sea, which is 10 miles away, and I can’t see a single road. It’s pretty magical.”
His affinity for animals played out in Doc Martin, too, where his onscreen co-star was Buddy, played by Dodger the Jack Russell/Westie mix. But Dr Ellingham’s relationship with his canine companion was slightly less enthused than his own… how did he ever bring himself to be grumpy with the pup?
“I never shouted at him!”, exclaims Martin. “I couldn’t. I mouthed at him, and we would add in the shouting later. He was a brilliant dog. The doctor hated dogs, but dogs adored him. Dodger was such a joy to work with. Sonia, his trainer, and I just had so much fun with him. He could do all kinds of tricks, like cock his leg on command – he wouldn’t actually wee, but we just added the sound later. Dogs are so smart. Other than spaniels [of which Martin has several] – there’s this saying that a Labrador is born half trained and a spaniel will die half trained.”
Martin Clunes with his Parson’s Jack Russell Jim
Martin Clunes as Nathan Williams in the ITV drama Out There
Martin with his family of dogs
Copyright Buffalo Pictures/ITV
Martin and Neil Morrissey filming their three-part road trip, Neil and Martin’s Bon Voyage. Copyright: UKTV
Doc Martin became a TV phenomenon and a cult classic, dominating our screens for 18 years, but after so long Martin was ready to say goodbye. “It was great, but I don’t miss it. It just felt like a natural time to stop. I’m 63 now, and GPs have to retire at some point.
“Port Isaac is gorgeous – when acting for cameras, there’s a lot of hanging around and waiting. So there we were, staring out to sea. I think I've stood outside the cottage that was the surgery, staring out to sea for more hours there than I have anywhere in my own garden! It was a really lovely gig, because virtually nobody was living at home while we were shooting it. So the crew were all staying in holiday cottages, rather than everybody desperately racing back to London every weekend. It was an amazing show.”
I’ve had so many letters from people who just say [Doc Martin] was a great comfort, I think because a bossy, posh man came in and fixed everything.”
The show was a real comfort to so many of its viewers, explains Martin. “People say that they reach the end and go back to the beginning. A lot of people who are undergoing chemotherapy, actually. I’ve had so many letters from people who just say it was a great comfort, I think because a bossy, posh man came in and fixed everything.”
Martin and his wife, producer Philippa Braithwaite – whose credits include romantic comedy Sliding Doors (1998), Doc Martin (2004) and Manhunt (2019) – collaborate frequently, having founded Doc Martin’s production company Buffalo Pictures together.
Buffalo Pictures’ most recent production is the ITV drama Out There, which aired in January this year. The series takes a much darker turn from his previous work, and follows Welsh farmer Nathan, played by Martin, whose life is thrown into disarray after his son is drawn into a ruthless county lines drug trafficking ring.
“We wanted to look at the very real threat of county lines drug dealing and that struggle, along with the farming side of things. And I guess there aren’t that many actors who can drive a tractor, so with me we were killing two birds with one stone.”
Working together professionally with TV producer Philippa has been pretty smooth so far. “We work together really well. In fact, it’s how we met. The thing is we don’t do the same kind of job, so we’re not treading on each other’s toes, but she’s a really, really good producer.”
While his work has taken him far from his role as the laddish 30something Gary in Men Behaving Badly, this character persists as one of his best-loved characters. “That show was a huge laugh, because that was the first time people learnt my name, I guess. I still get people writing to me about that, or they come up and tell me that they grew up watching me which I find a bit ageing!”
After 27 years Neil Morrissey and Martin have recently reunited in a show called Neil and Martin’s Bon Voyage, a new three-part TV road trip adventure through France with Neil, 62, showing Martin, 63, around the country Neil now calls his second home.
‘We ate. A lot. Neil has a place in the south, but we went all over –we went to these extraordinary caves with really beautiful stalagmites in Le Gouffre de Padirac in the Dordogne, and to Biarritz where we fished for some tuna which we then took to a restaurant and had cooked for us.”
“We were friends before, so it was great hanging out with him because he usually just comes down here for a weekend, or we go France, so to hang out with him for three weeks was pretty amazing.”
Martin’s documentary work has taken him to Madagascar, Greenland and Australia, and, in May he’s coming to… drum roll please… Bath!
“I love Bath – it’s a beautiful city. I’ve toured twice through Bath. But it’s really cramped backstage at the Theatre Royal! I mean, being on tour for weeks and weeks you get used to your timings, but then you’re coming down from the dressing room and you realise you can’t get behind the stage because it’s so small. Once I was late on stage because I was having to run underneath it!”
Does he have any plans for the rest of the day?
‘I’ve got to train this horse. And I have a cow with an eye infection to deal with.”
It really is a farmer’s life for Martin. n
Martin Clunes will be coming to The Guildhall as part of the Bath Literature Festival at 7pm on 20 May to discuss his book, Meetings with Remarkable Animals. Tickets £14; bathfestivals.org.uk
Meetings With Remarkable Animals is published by Michael Joseph, £22.
What’s on
LIVE MUSIC AT GREEN PARK BRASSERIE
n Green Park Brasserie, Green Park Road
Soak up live music alongside world class pizza, cocktails and craft beer every Weds, Thurs, Fri and Sat nights. Bookings and walk-ups available. greenparkbrasserie.com
WEDDING OPEN DAY AT BAILBROOK HOUSE HOTEL
6 April, 11am–3pm
n Bailbrook House Hotel, Eveleigh Avenue, London Road West, Bath
This exclusive wedding open day is the perfect place to begin collecting inspiration and information for your celebration. You will see the venues dressed for a wedding and meet with recommended suppliers. The picturesque venue, nestled on the edge of the city surrounded by peaceful countryside, offers a captivating blend of natural beauty and timeless elegance. The team will be on hand to discuss your requirements. You can even craft your wedding package and secure your date. Register your interest on the website. handpickedhotels.co.uk/bailbrookhouse/wedding-showcase
BENJAMIN GROSVENOR, HARRIET MACKENZIE & BATH PHILHARMONIA
8 April, 7.30pm n Bath Forum
Bath Philharmonia presents two of the most loved pieces of classical music as visionary pianist Benjamin Grosvenor performs Ludwig van Beethoven’s Emperor Piano Concerto and internationally renowned violinist Harriet Mackenzie performs Ralph Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending. Tickets from £28.50/under 18s and students £6. bathboxoffice.org.uk
SULIS HOSPITAL – EXPERT INSIGHTS ON SPORTS INJURIES
10 April, 6.30pm-8pm n The Oak Room, Combe Grove, Brassknocker Hill, Bath BA2 7HS Join Sulis Hospital experts at Combe Grove for an educational event on sports injuries. Find out more from leading orthopaedic consultant, Andrew Chambler, on the latest advancements in prevention and treatment including minimally invasive surgery and regenerative medicine which has revolutionised the way sports injuries are treated. A practice team member from
Combe Grove will discuss metabolic health and how it impacts your propensity for injury. Includes Q&A session. Pre-booking essential. Tel: 01761 422288. sulishospital.com/ about-us/events/patient-events
THE JERRY LEE LEWIS ROCK ‘N’ ROLL SONGBOOK
11 April, 8pm–10.30pm
n Chapel Arts, 9 Lower Borough Walls Elvis was the king of rock ‘n’ roll, but the first wildman of rock ‘n’ roll was Jerry Lee Lewis. In this concert-style show, Peter Gill captures the charisma and personality of the man nicknamed ‘Killer’, performing all the great rock ’n’ roll hits including Great Balls Of Fire, Whole Lotta Shakin, Be Bop A Lula, and Good Golly Miss Molly. Tickets £20/£18. chapelarts.org
SHERBORNE TRAVEL WRITING FESTIVAL
11-13 April
n The Powell Theatre, Sherborne, Dorset
The festival brings an exciting programme of talks to motivate, inspire and excite armchair and intrepid travellers. Authors include Victoria Hislop on her book Figurine; Sophy Roberts on A Training School for Elephants; Alan Edwards on I Was There, recounting his adventures globe-trotting with rock icons; and Jonathan Lorie, leader of the MA in Travel Writing at Bath Spa University, on turning journeys into stories. Tickets £10-12. Tel: 07515 554549. sherbornetravelwritingfestival.com
SCREENING: THE ROYAL OPERA, TURANDOT
13 April, 2pm
n Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford on Avon Featuring the ever-popular Nessun dorma,
THE PARTERRE SPRING SCENT EVENT
1–17 April, Weds to Sat 10am–4pm
n 14A Margaret's Buildings, Bath
To celebrate their arrival in Bath, niche luxury perfume brand Parterre invites you to their Perfumery for some exciting adventures in scent. Take adventage of the Spring Sale with 20% off perfumes and workshops. parterrefragrances.com
PARTERRE: PERFUME MAKING WORKSHOPS
11, 25 April and 3 May, 2pm–4.45pm n 14A Margaret's Buildings, Bath
Learn about the olfactive families and how fragrances are created, and delve into perfume creation. By the end of the afternoon, you will have a bottle of your own fragrance (50ml) that you have designed and blended yourself! £120, booking essential. parterrefragrances.com
ART OF PERFUMERY WORKSHOP
25 April, 10.30am–12.45pm n 14A Margaret's Buildings, Bath
An insight into the world of perfume –learn some fascinating stories about the history of perfume and discover how fragrances are made using natural ingredients. Informative and fun with lots of sniffing along the way! Can be booked with the Perfume Making Workshops on 25 April (see listing on 11 April) or on its own. £65, booking essential. parterrefragrances.com
Wedding Open Day at Bailbrook House Hotel
Puccini’s captivating opera of love and revenge is brought to life in a dazzling production. The beautiful but icy Princess Turandot will only marry a man who can correctly answer three riddles. Those who fail are brutally beheaded. But when an unknown prince arrives, the balance of power in Turandot’s court is forever shaken, as the mysterious stranger does what no other has been able to. £16/£9. wiltshiremusic.org.uk
ALDRIDGES
OF BATH AUCTION
15 April, 10am (viewing Sat 12 April)
n Online
Decorative and household sale, including Victorian, Edwardian, 20th-century and modern household furniture and furnishings, decorative china and glass, pictures and prints, mirrors and rugs. aldridgesofbath.com
JIM GARDINER: SHRUBS, ALWAYS THE BRIDESMAID, NEVER THE BRIDE
15 April, 7.30pm–9pm
n University of Bath Gardening Club, Room 1 Level 1, East Building, East Car Park, University of Bath, Claverton Down Jim is a former Director of Horticulture and a Vice President of the RHS. He has worked in horticulture all his life and feels that the appeal of shrubs is too often overlooked. This talk will provide ideas on how shrubs can be used, their ability to perform and their growing requirements. Open to all, annual membership £25, visitors £8. ubgc.org
SWITZERLAND BY JOANNA MURRAY SMITH
15-17 April, 7.30pm n Mission Theatre, 32 Corn Street, Bath
Watch this taut, psychological thriller, re-imagining the final days in the life of Patricia Highmith, the master crime novelist of The Talented Mr. Ripley, Strangers on a Train and Carol. This is Misplaced Theatre’s debut at The Mission Theatre with Joanna Murray
Smith’s high-stakes play that teeters dangerously on the cliff of reality. Ages 14+. Tickets £17/£14. missiontheatre.co.uk
NATIONAL GARDEN SCHEME: OPEN GARDEN DAY AT CAISSON GARDENS
16 April, 10am–12pm or 2pm–4pm
n Caisson House, Combe Hay, Bath BA2 7EF It's tulip time at Caisson Gardens, along with the riot of spring flowers. The apple, pear, damson and quince will be bursting into life with a succession of blossom. Such a vibrant time of year in the garden with the birds singing and the busy bees. The tea and delicious homemade cakes are not to be missed! Pre-booking essential on ngs.org.uk
OPEN GARDEN DAYS AT CAISSON GARDENS
21, 25, 26 April, 10am–12pm, 2pm–4pm
See details of Open Garden Days at Caisson Gardens in the previous entry. caissongardens.com/events
IAIN STIRLING: RELEVANT
20 April, 7pm
n Komedia, 22–23 Westgate Street, Bath
As the iconic voice of Love Island, star and writer of sitcom Buffering on ITV, and with his own stand-up special, Failing Upwards, on Prime Video, Iain hits the road once more with a brand new hour (of jokes) in his biggest tour to date! £22.50. komediabath.co.uk
ENGLISH BAKING WITH RICHARD BERTINET
24 April, 10am
n The Bertinet Cookery School, The Bertinet Kitchen, 12 St Andrew’s Terrace, Bath
Taught by Richard Bertinet, the one day English Baking class shows Richard’s take on his favourite British specialities such as a cottage loaf, scones, crumpets and a tea loaf. £245. thebertinetkitchen.com
MILES MORGAN TRAVEL: RIVIERA TRAVEL
24 April, 2.30pm
n Miles Morgan Travel, 8-9 New Bond Street, Bath
Join Marie and her team as they welcome Lloyd from Riviera Travel, who specialise in European & Worldwide Escorted tours, River, Ocean & Yacht Cruises along with Solo holidays. They have been consistently recognised for exceptional customer service and first-class products. Availability is limited so reserve your space by emailing
EVENTS AT BRLSI
BLUE GOLD: THE LURE OF INDIGO
10 April 7.30pm–9pm
Indigo dye, once banned in Western Europe, became the most prized of all the “spices”. Marie-Louise Luxemburg describes how indigo was grown and manufactured and how its pioneers dealt with the natural and social challenges of their day. £3–£6.
THE ARCHITECTURE OF URBANITY | DESIGNING FOR NATURE, CULTURE AND JOY
15 April, 7.30pm–9pm
Vishaan Chakrabarti explains why cities are the last, best hope for humanity, and why designers must, alongside political, business, community and cultural leaders, steward the healing of the planet. £3-£6.
FRANK SINATRA & THE FIRST CONCEPT ALBUM
25 April, 7.30pm–9pm
Matthew Zuckerman explores the origins of the album In the Wee Small Hours and delves into how Sinatra crafted 16 disparate songs into one long, dark night of the soul that helped to create a new genre. £3-£6.
n BRLSI, 16 Queen Square, Bath brlsi.org
bath@milesmorgantravel.co.uk or call 01225 486800. milesmorgantravel.co.uk
AN EVENING OF DRAMA: REGENCY MURDER MYSTERY DINNER
24 April, 7pm
n Sheridan Suite, The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa
Guests, dressed in Regency attire, will enter a fictional world alongside some of Jane Austen’s most iconic characters and take on the challenge of uncovering clues and helping solve an unthinkable crime. Written by actress and playwright Theresa Roche, the dinner will include characters such as Mr Darcy, Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Mr Elton. After fizz and canapes in The Library, a delicious three-course dinner will follow, shrouded in scandal and suspense. £120 per person. royalcrescent.co.uk
Continued page 30 ➲
Switzerland at The Mission Theatre
BEHIND THE SCENES GARDEN TOUR
25 April, 10am–11.30am
n Iford Manor Kitchen, Iford, Bradford on Avon BA15 2BA
Join a special tour of Iford Manor’s private garden with head gardener Steve Lannin who will give his top tips for jobs in the garden at this time of year. The tour also visits the private walled garden (with vegetable garden, glasshouses and cutting garden). Dress for the
BATH & COUNTY CLUB EVENTS IN APRIL
TALK WITH COFFEE AND PASTRIES
Tuesday 8 April, ‘Army Wife Life’ with Judy Wright. 10.30am for 11am. £10
SUNDAY CARVERY
Sunday 15 April, 12.30pm for 1pm. Choice of two succulent meats, with coffee, £32
TWO-COURSE EASTER
THEMED LUNCH & COFFEE
Wednesday 16 April, 12.30pm for 1pm, £29
ST GEORGE'S DAY DINNER
Thursday 24 April, three-course dinner and coffee, 6.15pm for 7pm, price on enquiry (see tel below).
TALK WITH LUNCH
Tuesday 29 April, ‘Patient & Public Involvement at the RUH’ with Laura Davies, 12pm for 12.30pm, two-course lunch/coffee to follow. £29.
Rooms also for hire. Event venue: Queens Parade, Bath BA1 2NJ. Booking essential, by email: secretary@bathandcountyclub.com or telephone 01225 423732.
weather and wear sturdy shoes. Includes a hot drink in the Iford Manor Café. £35 ifordmanor.co.uk
BATH TENNIS CLUB OPEN DAY
26 April, 12 noon – 9pm
n Bath Tennis Club, Park Lane BA1 2XQ
An opportunity to experience the club’s atmosphere and its new courts and facilities, and enjoy a day of tennis. After the morning for members, at 12pm visitors can explore the club and take part in tennis activities. Free with sign-up, and a BBQ (£10 per person) starts at 2 pm. The day will be topped off with evening entertainment until 9 pm. All ages welcome. bathtc.co.uk
THE FULLTONE ORCHESTRA: LATIN ESCAPADES
26 April, 7.30pm n Bath Forum
Join Fulltone Orchestra for a night where classical meets jazz, Latin rhythms, and cinematic flair. Includes George Gershwin’s Cuban Overture, John Williams’ Escapades with Vicki Watson on alto saxophone, and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with pianist Dominic Irving. Also Leonard Bernstein’s Mambo from West Side Story, Joaquin Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez played by Rosie Bennet and Arturo Márquez’s Danzon No. 2. Tickets £26. fto.org.uk
BATH DRAMA: UNCLE VANYA
30 April – 3 May, 7.30pm n Rondo Theatre, Bath BA1 6RT
An adaptation of Chekov’s play by Conor McPherson, with Bath Drama. Sonya and her Uncle Vanya have managed a Russian estate for years on behalf of Sonya's father. His arrival with his alluring young wife is the catalyst for change and upset. This is Chekhov's great play of quiet desperation, unrequited love and frustrated lives, but also of the importance of belonging. Directed by Andy Cork. £13-£17. rondotheatre.co.uk
LOOKING AHEAD
U3A: WALKING TO ROME BY CHRIS O'GRADY
1 May, 9.45am
n Bath Pavilion, North Parade Road
Join U3A for the uplifting story of one man’s solo four-month walk from Pershore, Worcestershire to Rome, Italy. At 50, Chris O’Grady decided to make a long walking journey to Rome and
repeatedly witnessed the kindness of strangers. Doors 9.45am for coffee. Free for members; donation of £5 for nonmembers. u3ainbath.uk
PHENOMENAL WOMEN WITH NOO SARO-WIWA
1 May, 5.45pm–7.30pm n Gainsborough Bath Spa Hotel, Beau Street, Bath BA1 1QY
Phenomenal Women is a series of dialogues with some of the most inspiring women. Noo Saro-Wiwa is a London-Based journalist and author of books Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria and Black Ghosts: a Journey into the Lives of Africans in China. All welcome. Tickets £15, including Prosecco and canapes. eventbrite.co.uk
BATH MINERVA CHOIR SPRING CONCERT: TOWARDS PEACE
3 May, 7.30pm–10pm n Bath Abbey
Towards Peace with Bath Minerva Choir features two of the most moving works in the choral repertoire: Fauré’s deeply consoling Requiem, and Vaughan Williams’ passionate statement on war and peace, Dona Nobis Pacem. Marking 80 years since the cessation of WWII, this concert features the young soloists Caroline Taylor (soprano) and Florian Störtz (baritone) and Bath
Philharmonia under the charismatic baton of Gavin Carr. £40/£30. bathboxoffice.org.uk
THE ARTS SOCIETY BATH: ART BEHIND BARS – BREAKING THE CYCLE OF RE-OFFENDING 12 May, 11.30am-12.30pm n Widcombe Social Club, Widcombe Hill, Bath/online
Years of working as an artist within the Criminal Justice System in England and Germany gave lecturer Angela Findlay unique insights into the destructive and costly cycle of crime, prisons and re-offending. In this thought-provoking talk she offers a deeper understanding of the minds, lives and challenges of offenders. Free for members, £10 for nonmembers (£7 on Zoom). Book by email by Friday 9 May: bath@theartssociety.org; theartssocietybath.com n
The Fulltone Orchestra: Latin Escapades
Taking the stage
Actor Anna Chancellor talks to Melissa Blease about her career, profound personal loss and the legacy of her late daughter, as she prepares to take to the Theatre Royal Bath stage as Mrs Betterton in Michael Oakley’s new production of April de Angelis’ Playhouse Creatures
If Anna Chancellor was a cocktail, she’d be one of the all-time classics: a complex, beautifully-balanced Negroni, perhaps, or a crisp, uplifting Gin Martini.
This rather random imagination-bounce occurred to me around 30 seconds into our interview, when Anna immediately shook me out of my daunt about chatting to an award-winning actor who captured the imaginations of millions as Lady Anstruther in Downton Abbey, or Diana Lethaby in Tipping the Velvet, or Lix Storm in The Hours. She’s also Jane Austen’s great niece eight generations removed, great granddaughter of former Prime Minister H. H. Asquith… and known across the globe for being the neurotic but entirely lovable/relatable Henrietta (‘Duckface’) in Mike Newell/Richard Curtis’s best-ever British romcom Four Weddings and a Funeral – oh come on, a bit of daunt was understandable, wasn’t it?
“You were daunted about talking to me?” Anna laughs. “Oh, I don’t think I daunt anybody; I just blurt things out, whatever’s on my mind –and you can, too!” And the Chancellor Cocktail took immediate effect.
I’m talking to Anna ahead of her visit to the Theatre Royal Bath towards the end of this month, when she stars as UK theatre’s legendary grande dame Mrs Betterton (Google her! She was fabulous!) in director
Michael Oakley’s new production of April de Angelis’ 1993 compelling, hilariously sharp and deeply poignant Playhouse Creatures, set in 17thcentury London and featuring an all-female cast.
“It’s all about the first women on the stage after the English Civil War had ended and the UK had been under puritanical rule, basically like the Taliban”, Anna explains. “King Charles II came back from Versailles with a serious, serious thing for women – he had, like, 15 mistresses – and he decreed that women can perform in theatre for the very first time. So, what happens? On the one hand, there’s a sort of revolution around female empowerment going on, with women being paid for work that didn’t involve being a servant – or, perhaps, a prostitute. But then there are the things that happen within all that: on the one hand it’s liberation, on the other it’s sort of the downfall for many of the women. It’s a fullon feminist play in a way, but what’s so weird is that the play still has so much relevance today.”
Ah, relevance: it’s impossible not to look for clues as to contemporary connections and significance in any revival. But can the experience of women’s lives 400 years ago really resonate with women’s lives in 2025?
When you’re in grief, like I am, if you can express your feelings and reveal your deepest depths of sorrow … you find compassion
“Well, for a start, Mrs Betterton was a brilliant actress, but she gets fired by her own husband because he needs younger actresses to be his partner,” says Anna. “We still see that happen all the time today; those old actors with their dyed hair and much younger women – it’s kinda funny, but it’s also…weird. And right now, we’re living in a world where really blokey, macho, dominant men seem to be growing in power and status again, almost across the board – there are extreme misogynists everywhere we turn. But of course, not all men are the same. So we have this complicated situation where angry women are blaming and attacking men for their behaviour, and the men who aren’t responsible for that behaviour end up being in the firing line when they shouldn’t be – they’re the guys who need the support of women because men need support to be men; I totally believe that’s true. It’s tough! But when all is said and done, I love being a woman. Not every woman feels like that, I know. And I know I’m an incredibly lucky woman - even though I’ve recently lost Poppy.”
Poppy was Anna’s beloved daughter, who died from leukaemia in September 2023 at the age of 36. Is it okay to talk to Anna about her devastating loss? Oh, it’s more than okay; in fact, she makes our chat the perfect, beautiful time to do just that.
“I was incredibly lucky to have had Poppy as my child,” says Anna. “Our relationship was very unusual and we were always very, very close. I admired her even when she was very young; she was the naughtiest child,
Anna Chancellor in Playhouse Creatures
but she made me laugh – she was so funny, properly witty. I was like, ‘oh my God, I can see you’re a force of nature; I’d better up my game!’ ”
I remind Anna of the adage along the lines of what’s in the cat’s in the kitten. Did she not see herself in Poppy’s brave and brilliant personality?
“It sounds as though I’m putting myself down when I say this, but I’m not,” she says; “Poppy was an upgrade. I adored her and supported her in everything she wanted to do, but she wasn’t only my daughter – she was my guide. She was very hardworking and successful in her work as an illustrator, but she’d done a lot of work with grief, too; she’d looked into death plans, to dying – all of it. She was my teacher, and she reached out to a lot of people. When she died, all these people that I didn’t even know came out and said Poppy changed their lives, because she was so kind and compassionate. Now, I have to survive all this in the most open way possible, because that’s what Poppy advocated.”
How, though, does one go about ‘surviving’ when one of the biggest tragedies that can possibly be foisted on a mother has hit? “One of the things grief can do is give you a bigger purpose,” Anna says. “For example, I probably would have been much more nervous at this point of bringing a new production to the stage than I was before losing Poppy: am I going to be good enough, what will people think of me? But now, I just am what I am: people are going to like me or they don’t, they’ll like the play or they won’t – it’s all fine. I have to keep on going and, in my current circumstances, I’m in the best possible situation I could be in, surrounded by great women in fantastic play; I honestly, genuinely couldn’t be surrounded by kinder, more wonderful people. When you’re in grief, like I am, if you can express your feelings and reveal your deepest depths of sorrow – and I have to do that, because I can’t not do it – you find compassion. Grief can be very bonding; everyone has felt deep sadness, everyone has suffered, right? I’m
learning too that we’re able to continue a relationship with somebody even though they’re physically not here. Being an actress, a large part of my career, my work, is my imagination, and I feel that’s probably put me in good stead because I’m open to be able to imagine another reality where my relationship with Poppy continues in a very different way to how it was when she was alive.”
And that relationship, alongside Poppy’s legacy of advocacy through grief, could well live on, through Anna. “I’m still in the early stages of this experience, but my hope is that one day I can set up a little grief centre to really help people who have been, or who are, going through what I’m going through. I haven’t quite worked out how or when I’m going to do it, but I believe it will become clear.” I wholeheartedly believe that too.
My Chancellor Cocktail is almost coming to an end; oh, how I’d love a refill, and more time to talk to a fascinating, humane, brave and spiritedly honest woman whose real-life story and experiences would make a compelling drama in its own right.
I ask Anna if she has ever considered writing a memoir? “No!” she says, emphatically; “I can hardly write a postcard!” But one of her relatives could. “Ah yes, Jane Austen!” Anna laughs. “She had a brother called Edward Knight and our family is directly descended from Edward Knight’s children. My grandmother remembered her great aunt talking about her great Aunt Jane - that’s quite amazing, isn’t it? Although I don’t think great aunt Jane liked being in Bath much…”
Something tells me that the new Mrs Betterton will have a very different opinion to her great aunt. n
Playhouse Creatures is at Theatre Royal Bath from 28 April –3 May; theatreroyal.org.uk
Anna Chancellor in Playhouse Creatures
Katherine Kingsley as Mrs Marshall and Zoe Brough as Nell Gwyn in Playhouse Creatures
This page: photographs by Ellie Kurttz
Brushing shoulders with Jane
Think of Jane Austen and you might imagine a solitary literary icon writing her books and penning letters in her home. Yet Jane lived a life in the Regency era, including her years in Bath, which naturally involved daily contact with friends, neighbours, professionals and those she encountered in everyday interactions. Bath Abbey has traced 15 individuals from its memorials that were in Bath at the same time as Jane, and are profiling them in a new display. Words by Cathryn Spence.
Bath Abbey’s remarkable Austens at the Abbey exhibition provides us with a unique opportunity to colour our understanding of the Austens’ lives with the personalities and characters who they lived amongst in Bath. Amidst those identified are three of the Langford-Nibbs family, who owned a slavery plantation in the Caribbean and were long-term family friends of the Austens. There is much speculation that their eldest son, James, who gambled away part of his family’s fortune and was disinherited and exiled to Antigua, was the inspiration for Tom Bertram in Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park.
The exhibition comes as a result of many years of work done by a team of volunteers at the Bath Abbey, who, after meticulously recording the names and biographies of over 2,000 individuals commemorated at the church, have selected 15 people who had links with the Austen family. The new display, running from 5 April – 27 September, explores those 15 connections. Here we introduce you to five.
William Bowen, the apothecary
William Bowen (1761–1815) was an apothecary, although he styled himself as a medical doctor. He successfully administered to Jane’s mother, Mrs Austen, in 1804, but less successfully in 1805 to Rev. Austen.
Jane Austen’s remaining letters show that she found her mother’s pessimism over her health difficult to cope with and her regular declarations of being infirm made her family think of her as a hypochondriac. In 1804, while the family lived at Sydney Place, Mrs Austen became seriously ill and so the family called in William Bowen. Upon her recovery, Mrs Austen wrote the poem shown on the previous page.
The following year the family called on William Bowen again, but this time it was for Jane’s father, the Rev. Austen. The treatment was not successful, and Jane’s father died quite suddenly on 21 January 1805.
Dialogue between Death and Mrs A
Says Death ‘I've been trying these three weeks or more
To seize on Old Madam here at number four,
Yet I still try in vain, tho she's turn'd of threescore,
To what is my ill success oweing’? I'll tell you, old Fellow, if you cannot guess,
To what you're indebted for your ill success;
To the Prayers of my Husband, whose love I possess, To the care of my Daughters, whom Heaven will bless; To the skill and attention of BOWEN.
Left: William Wyatt Dimond as Hamlet, by Thomas Barker, courtesy of Victoria Art Gallery, B&NES Council
Above: One of three memorials to feature William Bowen
William Wyatt Dimond, actor and theatre manager
It is well-known that the Austens enjoyed theatre and music, and thanks to William Wyatt Dimond (1750–1812) the Bath theatre had an excellent reputation. Dimond was an actor and theatre manager who first appeared in the Bath Theatre Royal repertory company for the 1774 –75 season and remained a favourite with Bath and Bristol audiences for about 25 years. One of his first performances was in Macbeth in September 1774. Playwright, Richard Brinsley Sheridan told Dimond that he performed Joseph Surface in The School for Scandal “in a manner more consistent to my own ideas when I wrote the part, than anybody else”. On the evening of Saturday 22 June 1799 Jane and her brother Edward saw Dimond perform in two plays at the Bath Theatre Royal, which was then on Orchard Street.
Venanzio Rauzzini, singer, composer and concert director
Jane Austen favoured the music of Beethoven, Hayden and Mozart. The last two composers were regularly performed at the concerts Venanzio Rauzzini (1746–1810) directed in Bath between 1777 and 1810. Mozart admired Rauzzini’s singing so much that he composed the motet (vocal composition), Exultate jubilate for him. Rauzzini enjoyed a multi-faceted career as a singer, composer and concert director. He began his career in Rome in 1765 as a soprano castrato and quickly established his operatic credentials. He was invited to become the primo uomo (the principal male singer) at the King’s Theatre in London for the 1774–75 season. Such was his success that the contract was extended, and he remained in Britain. He first performed in Bath in October 1777, and from 1783 he was responsible for organising Bath’s professional music offering, including the annual Musical Festival, which utilised national and local musicians such as Thomas Field.
Thomas Field, Organist and Director of Music at Bath Abbey
Thomas Field (1775-1831) was the Organist and Director of Music at Bath Abbey between 1795 and 1831, and performed at many venues across the city, often alongside Rauzzini. His playing and direction of Handel’s Messiah received great acclaim. With his wife Mary (1777-1815) he had seven children including Henry Ibbott (1797-1848) a prodigy pianist who played his first public performance aged 10, a duet with his father, in 1807. Both Mary and Thomas were buried in Bath Abbey, but only Mary’s memorial has survived with its heartfelt eulogy.
Mrs Mary Jeffrey, retired businesswoman
The intriguing, thrice-married international businesswoman
Mrs Mary Jeffrey (née Wilkes, sister of the radical politician John) retired to Bath in her late 60s. The life she led here was far from quiet. She owned a striking carriage pulled by four black horses, which went around the city faster than any other vehicle. For a woman living in the 1700s Mary was considered unconventional. She was well-read and thought to be opinionated. She enjoyed lively discussion and was known for her astute observations. She held literary soirees, attended trials at the Old Bailey, travelled widely and adored the theatre. Her friends included America’s Founding Fathers George Washington and John Hancock, Hancock’s wife, the hostess Dorothy Quincy and the historian Catharine Macaulay. Catharine lived in Bath and like Mary travelled in America and married a man 20 years her junior.
Mrs Jeffrey loved gambling and was reputedly highly eccentric and a great conversationalist. Any visitors to Bath with a reputation for wit and intellect were invited to parties at her house. It would be nice to think that Jane visited her, but Mary was known to prefer the company of clever men. n
The Austens at the Abbey Exhibition runs until 27 September, Bath Abbey; bathabbey.org/austen
Thomas Field, pastel portrait by Joseph Hutchinsson, 1795, Bath Abbey Collection
Signor Venanzio Rauzzini by Joseph Hutchinsson, courtesy of Victoria Art Gallery, B&NES Council
Mrs Mary Jeffrey by John Sanders, courtesy of Victoria Art Gallery, B&NES Council
Arts & exhibitions
Katherine Jackson, throughout April, Beaux Arts, 12-13 York Street, Bath
Beaux Arts host a debut solo show for a West Country painter who is a rising star. Katherine Jackson mainly paints quiet interiors and still lifes. A recent graduate from Falmouth, she already has a list of prizes under her belt. Alongside her exhibition will be a group show of established painters whom Katherine admires – local luminaries such as Saeid Dai, Charlotte Sorapure, Helen Simmonds, as well as Mark Entwisle, Jennifer McRae and Michael Taylor. Ceramics by Lara Scobie. beauxartsbath.co.uk
Spring Exhibition, 12 April –31 May (private view 12 April 4.30pm-7.30pm), Gallery Nine, 9B Margaret's Buildings, Bath
Featured artists are Peter Swanson, Louise Davies, Deborah Bird and Zsuzsi Morrison. Potter Peter Swanson uses reduction-fired stoneware and porcelain with handbuilt kilns to explore glazes and surface decoration. Louise Davies makes prints and paintings of landscapes using fluid line and vibrant colour, using etching and monoprint techniques. Deborah Bird makes abstract, light, open paintings inspired by nature, with intersecting brushstrokes of colour. Jeweller Zsuzsi Morrison works with enamel and precious metals, creating beautifully crafted earrings and necklaces. gallerynine.co.uk
Iconic: Portraiture from Francis Bacon to Andy Warhol, until 5 May, The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street, Bath
Iconic showcases works by major 20thcentury artists like Bacon, Blake, Boty, Hamilton, Richter and Warhol, exploring their inspiration from photography. The exhibition focuses on the 1960s, when artists used photographs as sources for paintings, often making them the subject. It also examines the impact of media and celebrity culture, with many works based on celebrity photos and reflecting nostalgia for the past. holburne.org
CORNUCOPIA: A COLLECTOR’S DELIGHT
9 April – 3 May, Sandra Higgins Art, Unit 11, 41 Milsom Street, Bath BA1 1DN
Visit the gallery space to discover a vibrant exhibition celebrating the joy of collecting and the boundless creativity in the melange of artworks by 17 artists. From the screenprints by Julia Atkinson to the abstract paintings of Gina Parr to pieces from dance photographer Rick Guest and watercolours from Marguerite Horner… Open TuesSat 10am–5pm; Sun 11am–4pm.
A selection of artists’ work curated by Sandra can also be seen at The Empire, Grand Parade, Bath – with viewing by appointment only (email sandra@sandrahiggins.com). sandrahiggins.art
Bath Contemporary Artists’ Fair, Sunday 13 April 10am–5pm Green Park Station, Green Park Road, Bath
The award-winning monthly Bath Contemporary Artists’ Fair (BCAF) is committed to bringing the best of contemporary art to the heart of Bath. It has created a regular space where artists can network, share ideas, connect with the public, and where the public can connect with art. Visitors can see the works of local artists and admire fine art, photography, sculpture, textiles, ceramics and much more, all under the vaulted glass roof of Green Park Station. For updates and exhibiting artists visit bcaf.co.uk
Mae West, Shirley Temple & W. C. Fields by Jann Haworth, 1967, mixed media
Flowers by Katherine Jackson
Above, left to right: Interchange Series 23 Version Orange by Julia Atkinson and Natalis amore III by Gina Parr
Summer Party by Lynn Keddie
Across the Sand Dunes by Louise Davies
A World of Colourful Possibilities, Armani Lawlor Art
Local artist Armani Lawlor creates striking paintings and fine art prints that celebrate the beauty and quirks of life. Through her artwork, she strives to tell stories, build connections, and reflect the rich tapestry of human experience. Crafting stunning pieces for individuals and businesses, her artwork is unique and bursting with colour, created to engage and captivate, serving as a wonderful form of escapism. She uses bold brushstrokes and vibrant hues to create evocative and striking pieces in a contemporary style. armanilawlorart.co.uk; Instagram: @armanilawlor
In Bloom, 1 April – 20 December, Museum of East Asian Art (MEAA), 12 Bennett Street, Bath
From Museum objects to contemporary art, discover how flowers have inspired generations of artists from across East Asia. Featuring the work of artists Hiroko Imada, WenHsi Harman, Ieong Tong Pak, Lihong Bai, Kristen Kong and Chen Yuping. In Bloom will also feature a rotating selection of floral-themed objects from the museum’s collection, changing with the seasons. This is a celebration of the enduring influence and symbolism of flowers in East Asian art, offer ing visitors a chance to experience a diverse range of artwork from 11th-century ceramics to contemporary installations. meaa.org.uk
An intricately decorated wooden screen inlaid with mother-of-pearl magnolia flowers (BATEA 1889)
Bathampton Art Group Spring Exhibition, Saturday 26 April, 10am – 4pm, Bathampton Village Hall, Holcombe Lane, Bathampton BA2 6UL
A sure sign of spring is the return of the annual Bathampton Art Groups Spring Exhibition. A wide range of artwork will be on show from this talented local group. Visitors can expect to see landscapes, seascapes, portraits and still life all in a variety of mediums. The majority of the ninety plus paintings will be for sale. The café will be open all day serving hot and cold drinks and homemade savouries, snacks and cakes. The tombola will return this year too with the chance to win a prize. bathamptonart.com
Coming soon...
The Newbridge Arts Trail, Saturday 17 – Sunday 18 May, 10am to 4pm, Bathampton Village Hall, Holcombe Lane, Bathampton BA2 6UL
This will be the 15th year of the Newbridge Arts Trail which offers a creative destination for local people as well as a brilliant way to support the artisan community. Work by 25 artists will be shown in 10 homes and public venues and this year Bath Spa University are presenting a series of exhibits across its Locksbrook campus. Learn about different styles of art – from painting and ceramics to printmaking and jewellery – and talk with artists about their techniques and influences, with some artists offering demonstrations. A range of cards and small gifts also available. Entry is free and venues will be open from10.30am–5pm across both days. Check opening times on newbridgeartstrail.org; Instagram: #newbridgeartstrail
Right: Spring Welcome by Elizabeth Barnes
Below (top): Biding Time by Anne Hines; Below (bottom): Daydream in Blue by Jo Thorne
Light and The Colour of Love by Armani Lawlor
Spring Exhibition 12th April - 31st May
Private View 12th April 4.30pm-7.30pm
Peter Swanson Ceramics
Peter Swanson Ceramics
Striking Lalique Rooster hits the market
A stunning example of René Lalique’s craftsmanship is set to take centre stage in our upcoming 20th Century Modern Art & Design Sale. This unusually large Lalique Rooster, standing at an impressive 46 cm tall, is a striking representation of the elegance and innovation synonymous with the renowned French glassmaker. Produced in very limited numbers, this rare piece scarcely appears at auction, making it a remarkable opportunity for collectors.
Lalique’s crystal sculptures are celebrated for their timeless artistry, and this piece, with its exquisite frosted and clear crystal elements, captures the beauty and dynamism of the rooster in breathtaking detail. Featuring the “Lalique France” signature mark, this sculpture is an authentic and highly collectible work of art.
With an estimated value of £1,000, this is a fantastic opportunity for collectors and design enthusiasts to acquire a masterpiece of 20th-century decorative art.
Don’t miss your chance to own a piece of Lalique’s legacy. Register now to place your bids before the auction ends on 11th April.
For more information or to arrange a viewing, please contact Lawrences Auctioneers at enquiries@lawrences.co.uk or visit www.lawrences.co.uk
Lawrences are welcoming consignments for their forthcoming Fine Art sales to include:
Lietz in Germany’s Rheinhessen region is renowned for its high‐ quality Rieslings, says Tom Bleathman
The larger-than-life winemaker, Johannes Leitz, firmly believes that the work of the winemaker happens in the vineyards as well as the cellar. Committed to sustainable farming and manual labour, he spends many gruelling hours on the ultra-steep slopes of his vineyard, located around 35 minutes from Mainz in Germany’s Rheinhessen region, in order to ensure that his vines reach their full potential. Within the Leitz range are several Grosses Gewächs (Germany’s equivalent of Grand Cru), with key sites including Rosengarten, Schlossberg and Roseneck, all available from The Great Wine Company.
Rosengarten
Rosengarten (Rose Garden) is one of the oldest parts of Leitz estate situated in the centre of the village Rüdesheim. The area is split into three; the ‘Kreuzgarten’ (garden of the cross), the ‘Bienengarten’ (garden of the bees) and the main site the ‘Rosengarten’ (garden of roses), which contains the oldest vines. The sights are situated next to the Rhine on sandy soils mixed with quartz providing excellent heat retention from sunlight bouncing off the river. These vineyards are some of the earliest ripening sites, producing one of the more fullbodied wines.
Rosengarten 2019 is incredibly approachable, with a juicy fruit salad character and a fragrant, elderflower lift. It is soft, creamy and easy, with fresh, balanced acidity. While very enjoyable young, this also has the potential to mature brilliantly over the next 10-15 years. £46.50
Berg Schlossberg
The next vineyard site, Berg Schlossberg, is situated beside the 11th century Ehrenfelz castle. This vineyard lies at the western end of The Rheingau, where the river takes a sharp turn to the north. The dramatically steep slope, southerly exposure, soils with superb drainage and protection from north winds by The Taunus Mountains make for an outstanding Grosses Gewächs site.
The Berg Schlossberg 2020 is a beautiful balance of power and finesse with complex aromas of beeswax, honey, white peach and honeysuckle. The aromas may suggest sweetness, but the palate is as dry and stony as the hillside on which the grapes are grown. It has terrific intensity now, but if you can hold on to a few bottles for a few years, it will get even better. £46.50
Roseneck
Roseneck, also known as ‘Devil’s Hole’, is the amphitheatre portion of the mountain. These are some of Leitz’s steepest vineyards where harnesses and pulley systems are used when cultivating and harvesting. The 2019 has orange sherbet and lime aromas, with more generous ripe peach and mango purée flavours evident on the palate. It is intense and concentrated, with amazing persistence, and hints of the savoury complexity that will develop with maturity. Fabulous wine, but wait a couple of years and then enjoy over the following 15-20. £46.50
Magic Mountain
Not classified as Grosses Gewächs but a wine which provides fantastic value for money is Magic Mountain 2022. Made using grapes from vines that are too young to qualify as Grosses Gewächs, this wine offers a taste of that experience at a fraction of the price. It is amazingly complex with honey, peach, mandarin orange, lime and elderflower. In the mouth, it is dry yet gentle and perfectly balanced. A chance to try an outstanding Riesling from a unique place at a fraction of the price. £27.50 n greatwine.co.uk
Berg Schlossberg
Ali Vowles meets Sabet Choudhury
Sabet Choudhury is a familiar face on ITV West, and is known for his warmth and humour. From his early days at BBC Points West to a cameo role in Bong Joon‐ho's latest film, Sabet’s journey is anything but ordinary. His friend and ex‐colleague Ali Vowles meets up with him to see how he’s managing without her.
Sabet Choudhury is one of the good guys – friendly, warm and a lot of fun. He’s also full of surprises, as you’ll find out! He now works as one of the two main presenters for ITV West. We first met working together at BBC Points West. Like me, one of the things he loves about the job is that no two days are ever the same and you never know what the day will bring.
We meet at the old HTV building in Bristol – now the HQ for ITV West, after he’s presented the lunchtime news, greeting me with...
“You know you were the first person to teach me the basics of presenting, Ali? And yes, I do still get nervous before the adrenaline kicks in!”
Sabet was born in Bangladesh, where his mother was a well-known TV presenter and producer. Although he moved to the UK at the age of two, his mother was determined that he wouldn’t forget his roots. As a youngster they travelled back and forth between the two countries, first moving to Bury in Greater Manchester for his dad’s job as a surgeon. The family moved to Gloucestershire when he was eight and he’s lived in the county with his wife, Kate, since then.
“We were the first Asian family in the town of Stonehouse, near Stroud, and dad used to work in the local hospital. What I remember is how nice people were. It’s a lovely place. Of course, as I grew up there were incidents. Racial abuse is a funny thing when it happens to you. It kind of wakes you up from a dream when you realise, ‘I am different to you, but you don’t like that’. As a child it’s very confusing. But I know I was lucky growing up in Gloucestershire. I’m in regular touch with my school friends and play cricket for my local team. It’s my community and I hope I never leave.”
Racial abuse is a funny thing when it happens to you. It kind of wakes you up from a dream when you realise, ‘I am different to you, but you don’t like that’
Alongside his news presenting role, Sabet is currently working on a national ITV documentary about the riots of last summer following the Southport stabbings and the attacks on the hotels where migrants are staying. He says it’s making him see how divided some communities are.
Sabet got into journalism via his local newspaper and then joined BBC local radio, national radio and then TV. So having spent a lot of his career working for the BBC, what was it like jumping ship and working for ITV, plus working with one of his best friends, TV presenter Alex Lovell?
“It was a bit of pressure when I got the job, as there have been some very well-liked presenters who’ve sat in the seat that I now occupy. It’s a real responsibility, but I love helping the young reporters that work here. When Alex made the same move to ITV it was great because she brings such warmth and friendliness to the programme. She is so likeable and she’s made such a difference to the newsroom as well.”
Ten years ago Sabet’s world came crashing down. His much-loved mum Sakina had diabetes, which quickly led to a diagnosis of renal failure and living on dialysis. The family were told she only had months to live. For many reasons, including cultural and religious ones, not many people in Asian or Black communities donate kidneys, and a match for her couldn’t be found.
Despite his mum’s reservations, Sabet put himself forward and was a match. “There was literally no other option, no other matches anywhere. And even if there had been, because my mum was 70 it would have automatically gone to a younger person. I’ll never regret that decision. We had some good years together before she died. And because I now only have one kidney I have to look after myself more and keep healthy. I’m also on a personal crusade to make more people from different communities donate.”
Talking about his mum, it’s clear Sabet was the apple of her eye and, like my mum for me, had proudly watched everything he had ever done in his career. She died within a month of him starting at ITV West Country and never saw him in his new role. It was a tough time, but there are some things he’ll never forget.
“I miss the love she used to show through food. That’s what an Asian mother does. She cooks and fattens you up with these amazing dishes. My dad and I are still trying to recreate her cooking. We are both trying to learn how she did it – but she was a typical Asian mother. She just threw in the spices, followed her heart, filled the food with love and it always tasted amazing. ”
Two years on from her death Sabet says life is good. He doesn’t worry about the small stuff anymore. He loves his job and is still the complete practical joker that I remember. “When I was at the BBC the weatherman Ian Fergusson and I had a long-running saga of surprising each other and trying to make each other corpse. During COVID he used to do the weather reports filmed remotely from a shed on the roof. I once hid in the shed for an hour so I could film him as I jumped out. After that it was tit-for-tat revenge stuff every evening. I’m surprised HR weren’t involved!”
And he had one more surprise for me. As I was packing up my recording equipment to leave the ITV studios, Sabet casually mentioned he was a going to a film première that night in London. “Actually I’m hoping my part hasn’t been cut out and that I’m still in it. I’m playing a reporter for director Bong Joon-ho’s sci-fi film, Mickey 17.”
“Yeah, yeah” I said as I was leaving. “Nice try Seb.”
Watch the first 10 minutes of the film – this time he really wasn’t joking!” n
Instagram: ali_vowles; sabetc
Photograph by Joe Short
Bath business
LOCAL BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY ORGANISATION UPDATES
IFORD OWNERS POISED TO TAKE OVER HISTORIC PUBS
William and Marianne Cartwright-Hignett, owners of Iford Manor, are hoping to give two much-loved historic pubs a new lease of life.
“We are thrilled to have had our bid accepted on The Cross Guns at Avoncliff and to be the preferred bidder and operator for The Inn at Freshford,” explained William. “These two pubs have been in my life as long as I can remember. They really matter to us, as does their place in our community. I am very hopeful that my family and I can be the ones to give them the long-term futures they deserve.”
The Cross Guns is a firm favourite for walkers on the Avoncliff-Freshford-Iford loop from Bradford on Avon, and The Inn at Freshford is beloved as a designated Asset of Community Value. Speaking about the timescales involved, William explained “Our intention is to reopen these much-loved pubs as soon as possible and get them back to serving the local community. We need to wait for the outcome of the Community Asset moratorium for Freshford; but if all goes well, we could have these two gems reopened by the end of May.” ifordmanor.co.uk
CAREMARK EXPANDS TO BATH & NORTH EAST SOMERSET
Caremark is thrilled to announce the launch of its new domiciliary care service across Bath & North East Somerset, dedicated to providing compassionate, high-quality support for individuals who wish to remain independent in their own homes.
Leading the service, which is based in Bath, is Managing Director Jonny Stevens, who will oversee all operations to ensure the highest standards of care. “I am passionate about making a difference and fully committed to delivering exceptional care that enhances the quality of life for people across our region,” says Jonny. With a team of dedicated, highly trained care assistants, Caremark Bath & North East Somerset offers a wide range of tailored services, including personal care, companionship, live-in care and specialist support. Every care plan is designed to meet individual needs, promoting dignity, independence and well-being, ensuring those in need receive the support they deserve. caremark.co.uk/bath
HIT THE GROUND RUNNING
Over 11,000 runners took to the roads in March for the GetPRO Bath Half, the city’s biggest annual sporting event. Abbie Donnelly came in first in the women’s race with a time of 69:54, while Jake Smith won the men’s race in 62:20. The Bath Half is the biggest charity fundraiser in the South West, and participants were decked out in the colours of more than 100 charities as they raised millions for causes close to their hearts, including the three charity partners Alzheimer’s Society, Cancer Research UK, and RUHX (the Official NHS Charity of the Royal United Hospitals Bath).
Entries for the 2026 GetPRO Bath Half are now open, with early bird entry costing £51.50. londonmarathonevents.co.uk/ bath-half
Jake Xu and Shane Carnell-Xu.
Photograph by Joe Short, an award-winning photographer based in Bath. joeshort.com
Unlimited minds
Jake Xu and Shane Carnell-Xu, co-founders of Shakeup Cosmetics
Brothers Jake Xu and Shane Carnell‐Xu are redefining men's skincare with innovative, easy‐to ‐use products from their Shakeup Cosmetics range. They’ve built a global brand that’s known for breaking down beauty barriers and promoting self‐care for men. Shakeup is one of the businesses within Bath Unlimited, who represent world‐class businesses based in the region. Jake and Shane are the first to be featured in our series of Unlimited Minds.
Identical twins Jake Xu and Shane Carnell-Xu run their business from adjoining houses in Bath. Shane’s commute involves scooping up his Devon Rex DouDou, opening his front door, and taking a few steps before entering Jake’s house.
The brothers are the co-founders of Shakeup Cosmetics, an innovative range of skincare-led cosmetics for men, first launched in 2019. They want to break down the barriers and stigma around men’s cosmetics by offering easy-to-use products with unique formulas. Stocked in over 1300 retail stores globally including the UK, Norway, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, China and Japan, their products are Peta-certified vegan and cruelty free and they are a Certified B Corporation. At their last count, one of Shakeup’s products sells every five minutes around the world.
There are big advantages to being twins in business, Jake explains. “We can put 100% trust in each other – both of us are looking after the business and looking out for each other, and our skills complement each other well.” He continues, “Shane is more commercial and numbers orientated. I’m on the marketing side, educating men about skincare and looking after our brand output, so I’ll research shiny new opportunities, but it will be down to Shane and the finance director to ask the questions. They are the ones reining back; I’m the one pushing out.”
Jake sees his and Shane’s journey to Bath from Beijing as serendipitous. When British universities went to recruit students at the World Trade Centre in Beijing, 17-year old Jake and Shane were there to collect some free pens and practise their English. They stopped, awestruck, in front of the Bath College banner. “It was an aerial shot of the Royal Crescent. We were struck by the Georgian grandeur and the honeycomb colour of the stonework. It’s just something you don’t see in China.” They talked to the Dean of Bath College and took home the prospectus. “We got hooked on the idea of studying here – it felt like a fairy tale.”
After studying at Bath College – Jake in ICT and Shane in Business Administration – they worked at Future Publishing in Bath, their skills in digital media and design laying the foundation for their later entrepreneurial ventures. They co-founded their first business, Xcetra Media, in 2007 (rebranded READY in 2015), a creative agency specialising in marketing for skincare and beauty brands such as Soap and Glory and Molton Brown. After 12 years in the industry, the brothers saw a gap in men’s skincare: “The men’s section is often overlooked, with few exciting options. We knew it needed a shake-up.” (The brand name ‘Shakeup’ is also a play on the names Jake and Shane.)
The launch of Shakeup came just a few months before Covid struck, so with the pandemic disrupting the UK, Shakeup launched in China in 2020, a true full-circle moment for the twins. The company’s first hero product, Let’s Face It BB Tinted Moisturiser, became a hit there, where skincare trends, influenced by South Korea, quickly gained popularity. Within two years, 90% of their revenue came from the Chinese market. Shakeup then diversified into Australia and Norway and into the UK in 2023, when their products (all made in the UK), went into Boots for a
year. Understanding the cultural differences in skincare awareness has been key. “Growing up in China, Shane and I learned about skincare from our parents, as it’s deeply ingrained in Asian culture, unlike in Britain. Here women grow up learning about these things through their female relationships, but men are taught to suffer in silence – they just have to tough it out and face the world. But why shouldn’t we have the choice to improve our appearance and feel better about ourselves?”
There was little innovation or excitement, so we realised that the men’s market needed a ‘shake-up’
At the start the brothers targeted high street retailers like Boots to make men’s skincare more accessible. “Men’s beauty can’t just be online –it needs to be visible for men to feel comfortable using it. ” Timing was crucial, especially with #MeToo reshaping views on masculinity and encouraging men to rethink toxic stereotypes. The rise of younger, more self-expressive generations and pop culture, like Love Island and TOWIE, has also helped normalise self-care for men.
“When we first launched, there were maybe one or two other brands. Now, there are many more, from the UK and internationally. Brands like Chanel, Clinique and Clarins already had men’s skincare lines, but the overall image for these is so closely tied to women that men don’t feel the connection. It’s also true that men want essential stuff that's easy to carry and portable.”
Different ethnicities also have different skin types, which affects skincare. “Black and Asian skin tends to be oilier, while white men may show signs of ageing earlier. It’s about balancing the benefits and challenges of each skin type.”
The stage that Jake and Shane have dubbed the ‘shit hits the fan’ phase is when men start focusing on self-care: they hit the gym, stop smoking, stop drinking and begin taking better care of their skin. “Understanding this helps us create marketing that resonates with them”, says Jake.
The other point, says Jake, is that men’s skin and women’s skin are structurally and biologically different. “Although the rights to skincare should be gender-less, our skin does have gender. Men’s skin tends to be thicker, with larger pores and more sebaceous activity, which means it’s oilier. Men also shave more often, which can damage the top layer of skin. Men’s skin also tends to age more slowly, but when it does age, it happens quickly and deeper lines form more rapidly. All these factors need to be considered when choosing skincare products.”
As a result, men need different products, says Jake. “It took 26 rounds of product testing to perfect our Let’s Face It BB Tinted Moisturiser to get the right matte finish.
Innovation and a close understanding of the market has led the development of the Shakeup product range. The Age Def-Eye Instant Lifting Eye Cream delivers a soothing, cooling effect and visibly tightens the skin around the eyes within 90 seconds, and it contains peptides that help reduce fine lines over time. “The key to its success is instant results –men typically don’t have the patience for long-term products.”
Shakeup Cosmetics is seeing growth in the UK, south east Asia and Norway, with strong direct-to-consumer sales. The recent launch in Japan promises much, as consumers there favour European indie brands. However China will need careful treatment, where low consumer confidence has squeezed the premium market. So while Shakeup remains excited about future growth, it is taking an adaptable approach.
Bath has always been the brothers’ base. “Bath has a blend of youthful energy and heritage which gives the city its unique vibe”, says Jake. Shakeup Cosmetics joined Bath Unlimited in 2024, a group of local high-achieving businesses that are global leaders in their field. This resonates with Jake: “When it comes to Bath’s business scene, the title of the Chinese movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon comes to mind because there’s so much more beneath the surface than meets the eye. So many of the companies here are doing incredible things on a global scale. I really love this city – it’s a privilege to live here.”
Jake’s conviction that it was destiny that brought him and Shane to Bath was reinforced when he went home to Beijing and found an old English textbook where the first lesson was an article about Bath, with a picture of Pulteney Weir. “I have a very spiritual perspective. I believe everything happens for a reason, even if you don’t see it in the moment.” shakeupcosmetics.com
Unlimited Minds
Shane Carnell-Xu
What are your ambitions?
We want Shakeup to become synonymous with highperformance, easy-to-use men’s skincare and cosmetics. Our goal is to break outdated grooming stereotypes, making skincare and makeup accessible and acceptable for all men. Through continuous innovation and education, we aim to be a global leader in this rapidly growing industry.
How do you innovate?
We innovate by combining cutting edge, science-backed skincare actives with men’s specific needs, creating hybrid products that just work. We listen to our customers, adapting formulations based on feedback. Product safety and sustainability are very important to us, so we continuously improve material we choose to use, and keep a close tap on global compliance with regards to ingredients and packaging.
How do you connect with the local community?
We support wellbeing charities such as Man Up, and Look Good Feel Better. We also collaborate with local influencers, and attend industry events. We foster open conversations about confidence and self-care, ensuring men feel supported in embracing grooming without stigma. We sit on the Advisory Board of the British Beauty Council. We are passionate about advocating for SME’s in the UK.
How do you motivate?
We foster a creative, inclusive, and purpose-driven culture. Our team thrives on passion, collaboration and shared goals, helping everyday guys to look, and FEEL their best, every day. We offer share options, making each employee a true owner of the business. This, combined with innovation, collaboration, and recognition, keeps our team motivated and invested.
Shake it up with Shakeup...
Let’s Face it – BB Tinted Moisturiser | £19.90 Hides blemishes, redness and uneven skin tone. Get natural‐looking flawless skin in an instant.
Hydrate in a Hurry Moisturiser Stick | £18.50 Mess free and stress free moisture on the move. For whenever your skin needs a boost of hydration.
Shakeup Cosmetics: Jake Xu and
All sewn up
City Tailors introduces a new, convenient alterations service where clients pin their own clothes at home using a helpful video tutorial, then send them in for professional mending. Emma Clegg finds out more from Ben Aydin.
The fast-fashion industry entices us with the allure of each new season’s trends, offering low-cost, mass-produced items designed for a quick turnover. However, by constantly buying new clothes in this way, we end up feeding a cycle of overconsumption and waste. As awareness grows around the environmental impact of this model, more people are turning to sustainable alternatives – caring for and maintaining their existing wardrobes, as well as opting for secondhand or vintage pieces that can be reimagined and given new life.
One of the simplest and most effective ways to extend the life of your clothes is through alterations. By adjusting garments to fit better, you can make the most of the items you already own and avoid the need to buy something new. This approach not only helps reduce waste but also supports a more thoughtful, sustainable approach to fashion.
This vision is at the heart of City Tailors, a family-run tailoring business based in Milsom Street, Bath. With over 15 years experience in the industry, the team at City Tailors, headed up by Ben Aydin, is dedicated to ensuring that your clothes fit beautifully, no matter their vintage.
Ben believes we can rethink our approach to fashion by embracing the longevity of well-made garments. “Tailoring allows us to give our existing wardrobe a fresh lease of life, ensuring that items that may have been sitting in the back of our wardrobes can be adjusted to fit us perfectly again.” This not only reduces waste, but promotes a more circular model of fashion, where good clothing is reused, reimagined, and preserved.
Bringing tailoring to your doorstep
Picking up on the growing demand for convenience and accessibility in a post-COVID world, the team at City Tailors has launched a new online alterations service designed to make professional tailoring available to those who’d rather avoid a trip into Bath for fitting.
The concept is simple but effective: City Tailors shows customers at home how to pin their clothes in order to adjust them to fit with a short video on the company’s website. The video will show you how to pin a garment, such as trousers or a dress, so it fits better. Once you’ve made your adjustments, you can simply send the item off for the final alterations, all without needing to visit the store in person.
“We want to raise awareness of how easy it can be to keep your clothes rather than buying new ones and we’d also like this message to reach young people, who may not know that they can keep the same clothes and make them work for them, instead of just discarding them and buying something new,” explains Ben.
Easy DIY pinning
The video is brief yet informative, lasting around a minute, covering the most common alterations like hemming trousers, adjusting skirts or taking in dresses. The aim is to give customers the knowledge to make simple adjustments at home – such as pinning trousers that are too long or a dress that needs to be taken in at the waist – before sending them off to City Tailors for professional alterations.
The videos are designed to help people pin their clothes for simple alterations, and Ben emphasises that for more complex or extensive alterations, such as a jacket or a very tailored garment, a professional touch is necessary. “There’s an art to pinning, and sometimes it takes two people, especially when it’s a more intricate alteration. But many alterations are relatively straightforward, so the videos show how to pin clothes accurately using safety pins before sending a garment in for the final steps.”
For those who need extra guidance, City Tailors also offers the option to book a virtual fitting, where the tailor can observe the garment on the customer via video call. With years of experience, the tailor can offer expert advice on how to achieve the best fit, saving time for those who might have otherwise needed to travel to Bath for a short in-person consultation.
Convenience without compromise
In a world where convenience rules, City Tailors is adapting to modern demands without sacrificing the quality and craftsmanship that the business is known for. “I thought about how I could modernise our very traditional tailoring services to make them more
convenient for people, and it became clear that the future of tailoring is about making it accessible to people”, says Ben. “We want to save people time, make the process risk-free, and still provide the same high-quality service we always have.”
Through their new service, City Tailors arranges collection and delivery via couriers, so customers don’t need to worry about dropping their garments off or picking them up. The cost of the alterations remains the same as their standard pricing in-store, with an additional charge for postage and pac king.
Sustainability isn’t just about making clothes last longer, but about rethinking the entire fashion cycle. City Tailors sees an opportunity to help people embrace second-hand and pre-loved items, giving them a new life. “Many of our customers are buying garments from places like Vinted or charity shops, and they bring those items to us for alterations. These are often high-quality, hardly worn clothes that just need a little tweaking to fit perfectly,” explains the tailor. “Instead of throwing something out because it doesn’t fit, you can invest a small amount in tailoring and have a wardrobe full of beautiful, sustainable pieces.”
The increase in remote working since Covid has seen clients at City Tailors moving away from formalwear and towards smart-casual, more relaxed clothing, with commissions and alterations typically focusing on blazers, chinos and casual jeans. As trends continue to evolve, City Tailors has been there to meet the needs of its customers, ensuring that their wardrobe staples – whether bought secondhand or brand new – are always the perfect fit.
As the fashion landscape shifts toward more thoughtful consumption and buying habits, City Tailors is leading the way, offering a modern take on traditional tailoring that helps people make sustainable choices while still presenting themselves at their very best.
City Tailors, First Floor, 25 Milsom Street, Bath BA1 1DG; Tel: 01225 920263; citytailors.co.uk; tailorit.co.uk (for alterations)
Education matters
NEWS FROM THE CITY’S LEARNERS AND LEADERS
FROM ST GREGORY’S TO FORMULA 1
Sixth form students at St Gregory’s Catholic College were treated to an exceptional careers talk when former student Michael Prest, now Principal Engineer – Structures at Williams F1 Racing, returned to share his experiences and extraordinary career in the world of Formula 1. Michael, who attended St Gregory’s from 2003 to 2008, shared insights from his remarkable journey from school to the pinnacle of motorsport engineering. A Level STEM students listened intently as he described his educational pathway before joining prestigious teams including Red Bull Racing and Aston Martin prior to taking on his current role at Williams. st-gregorys.org.uk
KES LAUNCHES SUMMER
HOLIDAY CAMP
KES will be running an exciting new summer holiday camp for kids in Bath, running from 14 July through to the end of August. Organised and run by the KES Adventure Team, the camp will offer an exciting range of daily activities, including nature trails and scavenger hunts, mini gardening, arts and crafts, parachute play and body zorb football. Based at King Edward’s Junior School, the holiday camp is designed to suit two separate age groups – ‘Mini Explorers’ (5-8 years) and ‘Young Adventurers’ (9-12 years) – with activities adapted to suit each group. The sessions aim to suit both busy parents and families looking to break up the summer holidays with some exciting activity days. kesbath.com/kes-adventures-holidaycamps
KINGSWOOD FATHER-SON DUO REPRESENT WALES HOCKEY
A remarkable family achievement has seen father and son, James and Owen Brown, both earn spots in the Wales national hockey teams. Owen has scored a place on the Wales U18s team and is preparing for an exciting series against Ulster over the Easter period, while James, Head of Boys’ Games at Kingswood, has been selected to represent Wales in the Over 50s category for the Masters European Championships. kingswood.bath.sch.uk
Fall in love with a lake this spring
Whether your passion is watersports, angling, walking, cycling or simply enjoying nature with loved ones, you’ll find the perfect escape at South West Lakes Trust’s picturesque campsites in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset
Book your spring getaway now at one of South West Lakes Trust’s five lakeside campsites. Choose between the majestic Wimbleball Lake on Exmoor and the idyllic Roadford Lake on the edge of Dartmoor, or experience a different view of Cornwall at Tamar Lakes near Bude, Siblyback Lake near Liskeard or Stithians Lake near Redruth.
All the lakes have footpaths and cycle trails to explore, woodlands to discover and play areas and cafés to enjoy.
Wimbleball Lake, Exmoor
Uncover the beauty of Wimbleball Lake, a designated Dark Sky Discovery Site, nestled in the rolling hills of Exmoor National Park.
The family-friendly campsite has various glamping options as well as a choice of hard standings, electric and non-electric pitches for tents, motorhomes and caravans. Rent a telescope and pay an after-dark visit to the new Dark Sky Discovery Hub to gaze at the stars. Hire watersports equipment, launch your own kit or learn something new with the friendly instructors. This year, the Activity Centre is offering E-foiling for the first time! You’ll also find a packed programme of
Lake
activities during the school Easter, May half term and summer holidays. Explore Exmoor and walk to Haddon Hill from Wimbleball.
The closest town to Wimbleball is Dulverton but it's also worth venturing slightly further to explore the popular towns and villages of Tiverton, Dunster, Taunton and Wellington.
Roadford Lake, Devon
The magnificent Roadford Lake is situated among the beautiful countryside of the Wolf Valley, with the dramatic tors of Dartmoor as its backdrop.
The scenic campsite offers a choice of spacious electric and nonelectric pitches for tents, caravans and motorhomes as well as a fantastic glamping bell tent called Bertie. Enjoy a treat from Roadford Lake Café while the youngsters let off steam in the new play area. Hire watersports equipment, launch your own or learn to sail, windsurf, paddleboard,
kayak or wing with the activities team. There is a packed programme of activities on during the school Easter and May half term holidays with bespoke tuition sessions available in April and May.
Roadford is also one of the best brown trout fisheries in the UK, with 700 acres of fishing to explore by boat or bank. It is the perfect base to explore Dartmoor National Park. The historic towns of Launceston and Okehampton are within easy reach and some of the best beaches in Devon and Cornwall are less than an hour away.
Siblyback Lake, Cornwall
With the striking backdrop of Bodmin Moor, a designated International Dark Sky Landscape, Siblyback Lake lies within the Cornwall National Landscape.
Right next to the lake, the small campsite has a choice of electric and non-electric pitches for tents and motorhomes. Watersports equipment hire and self-launch is available from May. Siblyback is also renowned for its fly fishing. It is regularly stocked with rainbow trout and home to a large population of resident brown trout.
A must-do on your visit to Bodmin Moor is Dozmary Pool, where, according to legend, King Arthur rowed out to the Lady of the Lake and received the sword Excalibur. Campsite opens 1 May.
Stithians Lake, Cornwall
Surrounded by farmland and moorland, Stithians Lake’s familyfriendly campsite has a choice of electric and non-electric pitches. If glamping is more your style, stay in one of the luxury bell tents, furnished with double beds and the option of camp beds for up to two children.
Hire watersports equipment, launch your own or learn to kayak, canoe, paddleboard, sail. E-foiling, wing surfing and wing foiling are also very popular here. Book for a packed programme of activities during the school Easter, May half term and summer holidays. The lake is open for fly fishing from March to November. Cornish landmarks the Minack Theatre, Glendurgan Gardens and Pendennis Castle are all within easy reach. Campsite opens 4 April.
Tamar Lakes, Cornwall
This idyllic location on the Devon and Cornwall border is perfect for exploring on bike (pictured below) or foot.
The campsite has a choice of electric and non-electric pitches for tents, caravans and motorhomes as well as a four-berth glamping pod. Hire watersports equipment or launch your own. Upper Tamar Lake is also renowned for its carp and match fishing. The Cornish coastal town of Bude, with its sea pool and popular beaches, is nearby. Under an hour’s drive from the lake are Dartmoor National Park and the ever popular beach resort of Newquay. Campsite opens 1 May. n
South West Lakes Trust is an independent charity dedicated to caring for and enhancing the region’s reservoirs and lakes. Your support helps keep these places special for people and wildlife. Find out more via the website swlakestrust.org.uk/activities
Wild things
Georgie Duckworth shares one of her favourite local wild swimming walks in this extract from her new book, Wild Swimming Walks Bristol and Bath (words and images by Georgie Duckworth).
With all the charm, splendour and magnificent architecture you expect from Bath, this walk, just to the east of the city, has a distinct wow factor. The iconic landmark of Warleigh Weir has been a popular place for a dip for well over a century, and rightly so – it’s absolutely beautiful. But do you know Dundas Aqueduct? I guided a group of wild swim-walkers around this route, and we greatly enjoyed swimming at both spots. Some preferred the sheer magnificence of the weir, while others favoured the tranquility of the aqueduct. But why choose one when you can experience both? On this route, you can swim in both places and decide for yourself which is best.
Starting at the Angelfish Café at Brassknocker Basin, the first stretch of this walk follows the Somerset Coal Canal. This was once a busy coaltransporting route, but it became increasingly obsolete as the railway network grew in the late 19th century. The vast majority of this canal, which stretches ten miles west to Paulton, is in disrepair, but this small stretch was restored during the 1980s.
Five minutes along the canal path, you’ll arrive at Dundas Wharf, where the Somerset Coal Canal joins the Kennet & Avon Canal in a wide basin, usually full of narrowboats. Here, you’ll walk across the truly spectacular aqueduct. Completed in 1805, this high, three-arched bridge seems to defy gravity by carrying the canal over the River Avon. It’s a mind-blowing feat of engineering designed by architect John Rennie –p to read the information board and learn about the aqueduct’s history.
Looking down to the river from up high on the aqueduct, the water looks particularly inviting, and there’s a great swim spot just below. Head down to find the wide steps in front of the Monkton Combe S chool boathouse. The river at the bottom of the steps is shallow, so you can wade out quite easily to where the water gets deeper. The current was gentle, and we swam upstream underneath the aqueduct.
Back on the path, you’ll cross the lock gate at Dundas Wharf and then begin the climb up Brassknocker Hill where you can pause for a moment on the way up to enjoy the stunning views down the valley.
Claverton Down at the top of the hill is a fine example of Bath’s open green spaces. Though predominantly a grassy plateau, the Down is also dotted with patches of woodland. One such patch is Long Wood, which has the most incredible natural play area as well as an ‘Elf and Fairy Foray’. According to the National Trust, this wood is home to a large colony of elves and fairies, and you’ll likely spot a few fairy doors, all decorated with paintings and glitter, as you wander through the trees. This is undoubtedly a great place for kids, but there’s no reason why adults can’t join in too!
Out on the plateau, you may notice how straight the path becomes. This is known as The Balcony and is part of an 18th-century carriage drive that would have been popular with the wealthy residents of Bath. Claverton Down was also once the site of an isolation hospital. Before the days of antibiotics, those afflicted with contagious illnesses would have been sent here in an attempt to contain the spread of disease. It’s said that chef Mary Berry was sent here in the 1950s when she contracted polio at the age of 13.
Heading down the winding country lane towards the pretty village of Claverton, you’ll pass Dick Willows cider farm, which hosts some brilliant open days during the summer. Continuing down towards the river, you’ll cross both the canal and the railway line before arriving at Warleigh Weir.
If you’ve not been to the weir before, you’ll likely be struck first by its beauty, then perhaps by the number of people here. Sadly, this is a wild swimming spot with some challenges. Since it was built between 1809 and 1813, it’s been a popular place for swimmers. In recent years, however, this popularity has ballooned, and the weir, plus its surrounding meadows, have been plagued by litter, parking problems and anti-social behaviour.
Climbing Brassknocker Hill
In 2018, wild swimming campaigner and enthusiast Johnny Palmer bought the weir and its neighbouring meadow, known as the Island. He set up the ‘Warleigh Weir Project’, which aims to obtain designated bathing status for the weir so that everyone can swim safely here. Another objective of the project is to encourage people to take better care when visiting. Now, through signs, council-provided bins and volunteer wardens, the land is looking in better nick; we can only hope it continues this way. If you see any litter, please do pick it up and take it with you.
On the day of our swim, other people were around, but it wasn’t overly crowded, and there was plenty of space for us all to enjoy the water. We sat for a picnic before changing and heading in for a swim. The water is shallow at first and only really deepens as you reach the far side of the weir. You can also swim from the ferryman’s steps just downstream of the weir. We decided to perch on the weir to enjoy the sunshine and the sound of the rushing water. It really is a beautiful place to watch the world go by. The handful of people around us were either sitting peacefully on the weir or giggling nervously as they dunked down into the cool water.
Deciding we’d had our turn, it was time to move on. We joined the canal path heading south back towards Dundas. I always love walking the canal path and admiring the array of narrowboats; some are neatand-tidy holiday boats, while others are houseboats brimming with character – plants, children, dogs, chickens, bicycles, dinosaur skeletons… the works! Before reaching Dundas, we were pleased to pass the Dawdling Dairy narrowboat, which sells ice cream from a hatch. It may just be a scoop from a tub of Wall’s ice cream, but on a hot day, it was very welcome.
Reaching Dundas Wharf, you’ll cross over the little bridge, skirt the basin (passing the small tollhouse, warehouse, and crane) before crossing the lock gate again and retracing your steps back to Brassknocker Basin and the Angelfish Café. n
Walk distance: 6 miles
Time: Allow 4 hours with swims
Map: OS Explorer 155, Bristol & Bath
Wild Swimming Walks Bristol & Bath is available via Wild Things Publishing, Hive and other standard retailers | £14.99 wildthingspublishing.com
Follow Georgie on Instagram and Facebook via @gowildgowest
Chilling at Warleigh Weir
Shake it up!
The Routine Revolution 4‐ step skincare set | £85 Because achieving great skin should never be complicated. Includes a Daily Face Wash, Clarifying Toner, Anti‐Aging Serum and Matte ‐effect Gel Moisturiser, plus a soft faux leather wash bag.
Age Def‐Eye Instant Lifting Eye Cream | £32 Say goodbye to fine lines and tired eyes in under 90 seconds. Instantly tightens, firms and revives skin around your eyes.
Shakeup Cosmetics is ruffling feathers in the beauty and skincare industries with its range of products specifically tailored to men’s skin. Founded in Bath by twin brothers Shane Carnell‐Xu and Jake Xu with the aim of enhancing men’s self‐being through self‐care, Shakeup empowers them to look and feel their best every day. Here are a few of the best‐ sellers, which you can buy online at shakeupcosmetics.com and on amazon.co.uk, or find in over 1,300 retail stores worldwide.
Let’s be Clear Oil Control Clay Face Wash + Mask | £17
Twice the clean and none of the sheen, 2‐in‐1 face wash + mask that keeps breakouts away.
You do the Mask Purifying Clay Mask | £18.50 Unclog pores, clear blackheads and fight off blemishes with this mess ‐free mask.
The Mane Event Oil
Enriched Beard Serum | £21
It’s time for thicker, fuller, softer facial hair. Say goodbye to scruff y, sparse beards and beard‐ruff !
A sensory feast
Rosanna Spence visits the world‐famous Thermae Bath Spa for the Twilight for Two Package – which includes a two ‐hour spa session and meal for two – plus a relaxing treatment
How much time do you set aside for self-care? I’m guessing it’s not as much as you’d like. Whether oversubscribed with work, family commitments or otherwise, we’re all guilty of neglecting ourselves now and then. But look around you, dear Bathonians… millions of people visit this fine city each year, and with good reason: one of its major draws being the spa culture. We live near Britain’s only naturally-thermal spa – the famous Thermae Bath Spa, which keeps the area’s world-renowned waters’ heritage alive and well. With such a unique experience on our doorstep, it’s about time you carved out an evening for some much-deserved relaxation under the stars, following in the historic footsteps of self-care seekers over thousands of years.
The Twilight session at Thermae Bath Spa might just be one of the best ways to unwind at the end of the day – whether you’re visiting on your own or with another. This special package has just about everything you might need to rest, reset and recharge: two hours to spend in the spa (including full use of the multi-sensory Wellness Suite, indoor Minerva Bath and open-air Rooftop Pool), a spa treatment, a sharing platter and seasonal side – plus drink – in the Springs Café, and complimentary use of towels and robes. We also upgraded our visit with a spa treatment. The last entry is at 6pm, which is ideal if you need to organise childcare or finish a day’s work before switching off and fully embracing the experience.
Arriving at the Thermae Bath Spa is a slick process from the very first moment. Your phone is put in a water-protective, locked pouch – providing the perfect excuse for a digital detox – and you’re handed a soft towel and robe. A pro tip if you’re worried about your footing is to bring your own clean flip flops as slippers aren’t provided. Make a mental note of the building’s layout as well using the map by the entrance, as there are indulgences to be found on every level of the spa via the Rotunda staircase – though there’s plenty of helpful signage to point you in the right direction once you’re inside and your belongings are safely away in the spacious lockers (you can access them easily throughout your visit via a digital wristband).
On our visit (the Twilight for Two package), we had about 30 minutes to enjoy ourselves before heading to the Minerva Treatment Suite for our spa treatment. We decided to spend this time in the Minerva Bath – the largest thermal bath in the building, named after the Roman goddess of health and wisdom – so it was an easy 10-second commute when the time came. The Minerva Bath’s waters flow gently like a lazy river and it’s wonderfully relaxing to enjoy gentle conversation while letting the current carry you; for people seeking even greater invigoration, there’s an integrated whirlpool.
Our chosen upgraded spa treatment was a 50-minute traditional full body massage in a warm, welcoming room, using high-quality Elemis products (including the Warm Up Massage Balm, which is now on my ‘to buy’ list). If, like me, you’re plagued with tension and muscular aches and pains, this medium-pressure massage including feet, legs, arms, upper chest, back, neck, shoulders and scalp is exceptional. My spa partner was a new mother and realised it was the first time in four or five months that she’d done anything just for herself. We had time to unwind in the relaxation area afterwards, sipping herbal tea in a dreamlike state,
View of the rooftop pool
The Minerva Bath
The Roman Steam Room
Infrared sauna
exchanging delirious giggles and wondering how long this bliss would last before desk jobs and babies beckoned our bad habits back.
It’s amazing how much you can fit into your Twilight package without feeling rushed. Once we finished our teas, we wandered up to Springs Café in time for our meal booking: a luxurious platter for two, complete with zingy tomato soup, fresh bread, and a selection of crackers, meats and cheeses – plus grapes – and a choice of drink. I went for a cranberry juice; my friend squeezed every inch out of a baby-free evening with a glass of white wine.
The remainder of our experience was spent touring the rest of the facilities at our leisure. A bitingly cold night meant that the rooftop pool looked awesomely atmospheric lit up, with steam rising off into the darkness of the city skyline. We pottered downstairs to the Wellness Suite – swapping stimulating sessions in the ice chamber with a choice of two themed elegant, aromatic steam rooms (with nods to Bath’s Roman and Georgian roots), a restorative glowing infrared room that transmits soothing infrared waves of light deep into the muscles and joints, and a serene celestial relaxation room waiting to transport us to a another dimension with heated loungers (inspired by the work of siblings William and Caroline Herschel, the Bath–based astronomers).
Even showering off in the Wellness Suite is a heightened sensory experience, almost impossible to recreate at home, with colourful lighting, fragranced air and music meaning your final moments enjoying the thermal waters become the perfect summation as to why it’s important to recharge our batteries – whether you’ve spent too long in front of a computer, are a new mother or simply need some ‘me time’. n
The Twilight package can be booked by calling Thermae Bath Spa’s Reservations team on 01225 331 234. Mealtimes are allocated at the time of booking. Friday evenings are very popular, so advance booking is advised. The package is available Monday to Friday (exc luding Bank Holidays) from 3pm, with the last full entry at 6pm. Subject to availability | thermaebathspa.com
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Nuturing Care in a serene and stunning landscape
Ivybank House provides Residential, Dementia and Respite Care, situated in beautiful grounds with stunning views over Bath City.
in for a cup of tea and a tour today - no appointment necessary!
“The whole team are fantastic. They have made my mother very welcome. The staff are so very kind. I felt very safe knowing they are looking after my mum. My mother enjoys the food, she loves her room and the surroundings are beautiful too. The whole place is very tidy and kept clean I am very happy that my mum was found such a lovely home.”
S M (Daughter of Resident), March 2025
“Ivybank stood out as having friendly, caring staff and a homely and welcoming feel. Everyone really supported mum during the transition period. She really loves her room, which staff helped us make her own. She says, “It feels really safe here. All the staff are so caring and helpful. It’s homely, warm, the meals are delicious, and I love joining in the activities. We all have a great laugh.” Mandy W (Daughter of Resident) December 2024
On Cotswold edge
Covering some beautiful sections of the Cotswold Way, this walk is full of contrasts, says Andrew Swift – from views of the Forest of Dean and the Malvern Hills in the distance, to a common in an abandoned quarry and a hilltop town.
Although only five miles long, this walk, much of which lies along one of the most scenic sections of the Cotswold Way, is full of contrasts – from wide open spaces to deep woodland, and from abandoned quarries to relics of the distant past. Best of all are the magnificent views to all points of the compass, as you follow the edge of the escarpment where the Cotswold plateau drops precipitously to the Vale of Severn.
The quickest way to the starting point at Haresfield Beacon is to head north on the M5. After leaving at junction 12, turn right along the B4008, and almost immediately turn left along a lane signposted to Haresfield. Turn right at a T junction and, a third of a mile further on, take the second right into Haresfield Village. Turn left after 300m up a narrow lane signposted to Haresfield Beacon, which soon narrows and starts climbing steeply. After passing Ringhill Farm, carry on for another 300m before pulling into a parking area on the right (SO825090).
Go through a kissing gate (KG) and follow a CW sign along a path bearing right. A handgate leads onto Ring Hill, the site of an Iron Age hillfort where substantial Roman remains have also been found. The path leads to Haresfield Beacon, which commands a panoramic view across Severn Vale, with the Severn Bridge visible on a clear day 20 miles southwestward. Such a sight demands a few moments rest to take it in – and if you are lucky you may spot a red kite riding the thermals high above.
From here, turn sharp right to follow a path along the north side of the promontory. After going through a KG, the path starts heading downhill. When you reach the lane you drove up earlier, turn left for 40m before following a CW sign to the right.
Gaps in the trees afford glimpses across the Vale to the Forest of Dean and, in the dim distance, the Malvern Hills, 20 miles away. Looking ahead, the tower of Gloucester Cathedral, six miles to the north, should be clearly visible. After half a mile, you come to an inscribed stone,
marking the spot where Cromwell is said to have stood to watch the lifting of the Siege of Gloucester on 5 September 1643.
Continuing on, you come to an elaborate well house, built in 1870. The survival of its winding gear and some curious carvings – especially inside the front walls and at the back – make it worth a closer look. Just past it, turn right up a lane (SO832094). After 300m, as the lane continues curving up to the right, carry straight on to follow a CW sign into Halliday’s Wood, which leads into Stockend Wood. After 850m, when you come to a gate, carry on along a path which soon broadens to a lane. After another 400m, follow a CW sign up a path to the right into
The view from Haresfield Beacon
Below the Cotswold Escarpment
Maitlands Wood. Carry on climbing and, when you reach a road, cross over and walk down to a gate (SO845092). Once through it, steps lead up onto Rudge Hill Common, from where there are views eastward across ground pitted with quarrying to the hilltop town of Painswick.
The Cotswold Way carries straight on, but this is where we leave it, to turn right up a steep path. The fence to the right of the path is to stop unwary ramblers falling into an old quarry. After 250m, when the quarry ends, bear right to follow a path back down to the road and cross over to re-enter Stockend Wood.
Bear left along a broad track, but, after 300m, when you come to a waymark pointing right, bear left uphill (SO841087). At the road, cross over and look for a stile a few metres along to the right. This leads into a large field where you have a choice of footpaths: take the one to the right, leading diagonally across the field, and head to the right of the building by the phone mast.
In the far corner a stile leads onto a busy road. Cross over, turn left along the verge and then right along a lane signposted to Randwick (SO838081). After 80m, turn right over a stile and follow a footpath for 500m until you come to a gap in a wooden fence on the left. Go through it and continue in the same direction along a broad woodland path.
You are now back on the Cotswold Way. At the top, after entering a car park, turn left and go through a KG to follow marker posts across open grassland to a toposcope commanding another magnificent view southward.
From here, turn sharp right along the north side of the promontory for 350m. Just before the road, turn left to follow a CW waymark downhill. After going through a gate at the bottom, when the path forks bear right uphill. A short climb and a final sprint up a flight of steps leads back to the starting point. n
Length of walk: 5 miles
Approx time: 3 hours
No facilities en route.
Level of challenge: Uneven, steep and possibly muddy sections, with stiles and steps; several minor road crossings. Livestock may be encountered en route.
Map: OS Explorer 179
Andrew Swift has written books such as On Foot in Bath: Fifteen Walks around a World Heritage City (akemanpress.com).
The path to Haresfield Beacon
Reading the room
When it comes to planning a kitchen redesign or enhancing interior spaces for modern living, where and who do you turn to for help? Aside from traditional high street retailers, Bath business Joel Bugg Furniture & Spaces has been designing and crafting exceptional spaces for their clients for the last 10 years. As they celebrate this milestone year, we hear from Joel directly about what makes his business differ.
It's quite possible that our name is unfamiliar, as we don’t have a showroom in the city displaying our kitchens and furniture. And this is simply because we don’t sell set ranges of furniture; every interior we shape is unique and so are the designs. But there is a common theme to our work. We dovetail form, flow and function to shape timeless, distinct spaces for modern living.
So how are we different? Well, first and foremost we’re a design
practice. Every project we start, starts with a blank piece of paper. We consider the room, its flow, the story it tells, then we start sketching. For us it's about crafting furniture that is architecturally harmonious, perfectly proportioned and truly tailored to its environment.
But what distinguishes us in the main is that we are specialists. With decades of experience, I’ve spent my whole career in furniture design, coupled with being formally trained in design and cabinet making. And I’ve been lucky enough to design fitted furniture for some of the UK’s most outstanding and historically significant architectural buildings. It’s with these foundations that enable us to provide a service and product that is truly bespoke and built to exacting and traditional construction methods. We specialise in heritage and period furniture, which means being
Bath based couldn’t be more apt, but I’m equally enthused by mid-century and contemporary design. Moreover, I’m passionate about giving the greatest consideration to every single feature of the furniture I design, from the shapes and sizes of the period moulding profiles in doors, cornices and skirtings through to the type of screw and decorative handle used.
Many of our projects start with the heart of the home – the kitchen. But that's just the beginning. We design for the whole house, from elegant bathrooms and functional boot rooms to tranquil libraries, stylish dressing rooms and immersive home cinemas. With us you are investing in an interior architectural design service at the outset, challenging how your space works, maximising its potential for improvement. We create master, general arrangement plans combined with a package of fullservice drawings for your building team, including plumbing and electrical drawings, lighting plans, flooring and tiling plans.
We always stress that it's never too early to have a conversation when planning a kitchen or interior spaces in general. Especially
if you’re thinking of expanding your home; speak to us at the same time you engage an architect. That way, the interior is considered alongside the structure, ensuring that space flows effortlessly and nothing feels like an afterthought. Ultimately, we spend more time inside our homes than outside, so why not give the same level of attention to the interiors as you do the architecture?
From initial design to final installation, we oversee it all. This includes the sourcing and supply of appliances, bathroom sanitaryware, stone worktops, lighting etc. With one accessible point of contact throughout a project it means nothing falls between the gaps. We often collaborate with architects, builders, interior designers to achieve a shared vision.
Call on 01225 583520 or visit www.joelbugg.co.uk
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Areas covered: Bath, Chippenham, Malmesbury and Tetbury.
Design notes
NEWS & UPDATES FROM THE CITY’S BEST INTERIORS BUSINESSES
Working with murals
Woodhouse and Law has recently completed their second project working alongside By Haleys, a family-run business creating bespoke handcrafted murals.
Founder Geoff Haley began as a craft apprentice at the age of sixteen over four decades ago and has been prolifically designing ever since. Now joined by son Richard, daughter Rebecca and daughter-in-law Anna, the studio blends traditional techniques with contemporary elegance, taking inspiration from the serene West Yorkshire landscapes that surround them.
Wallpaper is back!
From the get-go, the vision for By Haleys was to embrace and showcase a diverse range of artistic styles. This includes abstract art, and it is the Cascade range that Woodhouse and Law were particularly drawn to for the snug of their most recently completed project; the renovation of a beautiful family home in Bath. Without relying heavily on more descriptive elements, the design subtly nods to the wonders of nature through its melding of inks and bold artistic flourishes.
woodhouseandlaw.co.uk
Clair Strong has been using wallpaper to create interest in many of her recent projects. In a recent refurbishment of a Georgian villa, her clients wanted a talking point in their snug. They wanted to create a dark elegant space so the panelling and woodwork were painted in Farrow & Ball’s London Clay, a lovely rich earthy shade of brown. To create the required touch of drama they chose wallpaper from House of Hackney for the walls above the dado rail. The fabulous design (pictured) is called Zeus and is inspired by traditional chinoiserie. It features elegant cranes alongside weeping willows and delicate flowers against a ground of soft blush pink background.
clairstrong.co.uk
Southside charity undergoes an interiors refresh
Bath-based charity Southside has undergone an interior refresh led by renowned designer Lola Swift, creating an uplifting space for families affected by violence and abuse. The project involved a collaboration between local artists, Bath Spa University Interior Design students, and numerous local businesses who donated materials, furniture,and artwork.
Southside is a charity that has been at the heart of communities in Bath for over 27 years, supporting families and individuals whose lives have been damaged by violence, abuse and neglect. south-side.org.uk; lolaswift.co.uk
Photograph by The Bath Magazine
Richard Hayes, Managing Director, TR Hayes
TR Hayes: Family values
TR Hayes, which has been in the heart of Bath for 110 years, offers inspiration within its extensive showrooms for creating beautiful interiors. Its rich history and family‐run ethos spoil Bathonians with a curated selection of products to spark creativity and transform spaces. Emma Clegg meets the founder’s great grandson, Managing Director Richard Hayes.
TR Hayes in Walcot Street is a Bath institution. This extensive store specialising in sofas, beds, furniture, curtains and blinds is an invaluable resource for Bathonians, introducing them to a varied vocabulary of products to use for the creation of interior dreams. This longstanding local business arrived in Bath in 1915, 110 years ago, and has been run ever since by the Hayes family. That’s certainly cause for celebration. Managing Director Richard Hayes explains how it all came about.
“My great grandfather, Thomas Richard Hayes, started the business. From the 1850s our family were chair-makers in Bethnal Green, London and in 1915 the factory got bombed in a WW1 Zeppelin raid. We then decided to relocate the factory to Bath, initially in Widcombe, where one of the business’s principal customers, Bath Cabinet Makers, were based. As the craft of chair-making died away during the 1920s and 30s, the business evolved into a furniture shop.”
The business moved to the top of Walcot Street in 1927, originally occupying just one unit, which was formerly The Three Crowns public house. After the war, TR Hayes extended their services to include furniture removals. Over the years the Hayes family acquired neighbouring premises expanding the business sideways, upwards and backwards. The main store now features seven floors of furniture, a curtain and blind department and offices. As a result, the shopfronts don't fully reveal the extensive showrooms inside, which always surprises and impresses first-time visitors. Opposite the main store is TR Hayes’ smart contemporary showroom. This building – which in the 1950s was the car showroom that launched the Mini in Bath – was re-built 10 years ago under the direction of Richard’s father Derek, and offers a further two floors of exceptional contemporary furniture.
That’s a significant footprint and a substantial offering. Positioned on Walcot Street in the heart of Bath’s Artisan Quarter, the store is also surrounded by small, thriving independent businesses, ranging from Bath Aqua Glass to the Pencil Tree Gallery. “Walcot Street is a unique shopping area. It’s the polar opposite of SouthGate, which is populated with global brands. This area embraces the other, more intimate and charming side of Bath, with industrious, creative businesses providing a personal experience for its shoppers”, says Richard.
Other furniture stores come and go, but TR Hayes has been a constant and dynamic presence in the city, allowing residents to buy locally and
We like to include plenty of variation, including quality mainstream choices as well as design classics and products with a colour presence
conveniently. Notwithstanding its large space – or perhaps because of it –the offering at TR Hayes packs an independent punch just as much as its neighbours, with every aspect of the displays planned and presented with the utmost care. “As you walk around you will find many rooms of sofa displays with brands such as Parker Knoll, G Plan and Tetrad on display, along with ViSpring beds. Among these displays are all sorts of occasional pieces, which really help to finish a room. We are particularly proud to be key stockists of Ercol, an iconic British brand which needs no introduction, and can be found at the rear of the ground floor”, says Richard. There is constant reinvestment in the building and in the displays, to help inspire customers with ideas for laying out pieces in their own homes. “We are not like other furniture shops that just line things up and put a price label on them. We want the price to be right, but we also want all our products to look good in the space and to give customers the opportunity to stand back and have a careful look. When you have a display crammed with products, there is so much to take in that you lose the impact. It’s not like commercial brands where the actual range of product is quite shallow. We like to put in dividers, and theme products within a
Manet Dining Chair, mustard, £145
Ercol Highmoor Extending Dining Table (£2289) with Lugo Chairs (£399)
Every part of the store sees a constant shifting of products to keep them fresh and engaging
certain room. We like to include plenty of variation, including quality mainstream choices as well as design classics and products with a colour presence, with layouts designed to help people imagine what it would be like to have individual pieces in their own room.”
TR Hayes has recently launched a new website, so the products are easily accessible online for viewing and for making price comparisons. Richard recognises that the business has to be competitive with the whole country, not just local retailers – although for the latter there are none with the substantial showrooms of TR Hayes. “Our prices have got to be competitive with everyone, including the online retailers, so we’re not expensive.”
Walking around the store with Richard, it is impressive how connected he is to the showrooms and to the comings and goings of both customers and staff. He picks up on a missing price label and engages constantly with the activities happening throughout the store “There are not many businesses of this size where the managing director will come and serve you, and has such a thorough product knowledge – it is very unique”, says Commercial Director Garry Preston.
TR Hayes has over 250 suppliers on their database, and every part of the store sees a constant shifting of products to keep them fresh and engaging. Richard and Garry attend various major furniture shows and the advantage of their experience means that there is a track record of sales to draw from when evaluating new choices. However, that doesn’t mean there’s no room for speculative choices. “One of the benefits of having a family business”, continues Garry, “is that we are able to experiment with modern, statement looks and pieces – these may or may not sell, but we want to extend the customer experience in store. Will we sell a lot of them? Will it earn its place? Well, sometimes that comes secondary to offering the customer that ‘Wow! I’ve never seen that anywhere else’ reaction.”
When it comes to service, the approach is solicitous but relaxed. “I’m always conscious of the need to engage with people, and give them an introduction. If they are looking for something specific we’ll show them, if they just want to browse we’ll give them an overview. But we are never pushy. The furniture industry has a very bad rap for sales teams being too pushy and that is not our ethos”, says Richard firmly.
Most of all, this local company has provided employment for locals throughout its time in Bath: “All the history of the last 110 years is here,” declares Richard. “We have employed up to 1000 people over the time
we’ve been in business, and have got to know thousands of customers, many of whom have become personal friends.”
It seems the future of the business may be inherited by a fifth generation because Richard has three boys. “My great grandfather came here with his family in his thirties and spent most of his working life here; my grandfather worked all his working life here; my father started working at 15 and clocked up 69 years. I have been here for for 32 years. With my three boys, there is a strong probability that the next generation will be ready to take this on.”
Richard is invested in the future and his business values continue to be based on offering something for everybody with fair prices and highquality personal service. “We are here for the long haul – not to make a lot of money and disappear with bad reviews in three years time. We take it to heart if things go wrong and we have exceptionally good online reviews and that’s really important to us. We have a big, experiential store that you can walk around and browse at your leisure. And we will continue, as we always have, to reinvent the business.”
Velux windows Gutter, fascia & soffit replacement or repair
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Ancient survivors
It’s strange to think we probably owe our existence to ferns, writes Elly West, who ponders on the prehistoric plants we can include in our gardens to connect with our planet’s history
Ihave one border in my garden where the dreaded weed known as ‘horsetail’ is an issue. This border is supposed to be a cottage-style combination of lavender and Mexican daisies (Erigeron), both of which I love, but I also have a constant battle pulling out the roguish stems of this unwelcome weed, popping up between the other plants. When I see its weird, jointed stems and feathery leaves, I get my pointy trowel and try to get them out along with at least some of the root, although rumour has it these can run up to two metres deep, but they usually snap off and continue to pop up as soon as my back is turned all through the summer.
It’s got a strange, prehistoric look about it, slightly alien, and certainly doesn’t fit with the floral, pastel look I’m trying to achieve. This is a tough plant with extreme survival skills, so perhaps it’s not a huge surprise (although still fairly mind-blowing) that it’s been roaming the planet for over 100 million years, perhaps once providing a tasty snack for triceratops and other dinosaurs.
This gets me thinking about other prehistoric plants and their place in our modern gardens. On the other side of my garden in the shade is a beautiful tree fern and some other smaller ferns, which I’m perfectly happy with, and I’ve recently been asked to design a few gardens with ‘architectural’ planting, rather than frothy flowers, many of which have that jungly, tropical, prehistoric feel. Cycads, ferns, gunnera, tree ferns, monkey puzzle trees, conifers and Gingko biloba can all be found in gardens today, and are examples of ‘living fossils’ that have been around for millenia.
Ferns are some of the earliest plants we know of, going back 350 million years or more and pre-dating dinosaurs by around 100 million
years, helping to make the oxygen that other creatures needed for survival and evolution. Strange to think we probably owe our existence to ferns. There are an estimated 15,000 species, and new ones are still being found in unexplored tropical areas. They are unique in that they do not produce flowers and seeds to propagate, but instead have spores on the undersides of their leaves. In the garden, ferns are useful for providing textural ground cover in shady areas. Varieties such as shield ferns (Polystichum) and Dryopteris will cope well with both shade and dry soil, so are great for tricky spots under evergreen and deciduous trees. Others such as hart’s tongue ferns and Athyriums prefer damper conditions. Ferns are especially beautiful in spring, in my opinion, when they start to unfurl and spread out their leaves from tightly curled whorls.
Triassic trees
Conifers are found in many gardens and are among the oldest living tree species, flourishing in the Triassic period over 200 million years ago, long before many other plants evolved. These also have an interesting way of reproducing, with most having cones rather than flowers. Conifers are an example of extreme adaption for survival, enabling them to grow at high altitudes and extreme low temperatures. Thick bark protects them from the cold, waxy needles help to prevent water loss and the tough pine cones protect the seeds in harsh winters. Conifers vary in size from less than a metre tall, to the giant redwoods, Sequoia sempervirens, of which the world’s tallest known tree in California was last measured in 2019 at nearly 120 metres in height.
Another fascinating ancient tree is the aforementioned Gingko biloba I first came across this special tree at Kew Gardens when I lived in west
London, having vaguely been aware of gingko as a health supplement, without ever having paid much attention to its origins. Commonly known as the ‘maidenhair’ tree, it was one of the first trees planted at Kew in 1762, just three years after the botanic gardens were established, and is a seasonal show stopper when the leaves turn golden yellow in autumn.
Fossils of Ginkgo leaves have been found to date back more than 200 million years, and are almost identical to the leaves of today. It’s the only living connection between ferns and conifers, and scientifically unique in that it’s the only member of its genus (Ginkgo), which is the only genus in its family (Ginkgoaceae), which is the only family in its order (Ginkgoales), which is the only order in its subclass (Ginkgoidae). In layman’s terms, it’s a total loner with its own branch of evolution, and no relatives to speak of. Ginkgo is an endangered species, and although there are many in cultivation throughout the world and in modern gardens, very few grow wild – these are mainly found in China.
Most cultivated species are male, as the female trees produce seeds that are encased in a fruit that smells revolting, described as being similar to rotten camembert, and thought to have evolved to attract carnivorous animals. Interestingly, Ginkgo were the first trees to begin growing again after the atomic attack on Hiroshima. Six survived the bombing and are still going strong today, and seeds from these surviving trees are now being grown around the world as part of a project that distributes them to public spaces as symbols of peace.
Adding prehistoric plants to your garden isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about connecting with our planet’s history (horsetail weed aside). Ancient species are resilient, adaptable and often require minimal maintenance. Their striking forms and bold silhouettes can create a dramatic and exotic atmosphere, reminding us of nature’s incredible endurance and adaptability. n ellyswellies.co.uk
We specialise in design, manufacture and installation of bespoke kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, home studies and media cabinetry.
Plant of the month: Tree fern
It’s around this time of year when I start to anticipate the new fronds of my tree fern (Dicksonia antarctica) unrolling from the crown of the plant, where they have been neatly snuggled.
I always think they look a bit like monkey arms with their soft auburn fur, before they slowly roll out to form a majestic, widespreading canopy. Tree ferns are often bought as stumps, lying around in a nursery unplanted, as these tough plants can survive without roots, taking in moisture through the crown and trunk.
However, once planted they will put down roots that also aid with water uptake. They do tend to be expensive, mainly because they are so slow growing. The one in my garden has grown by around 30cm in 10 years. But they are well worth the wait, making striking plants for a sheltered shady spot.
www.skyinteriors.co.uk
E: enquiries@skyinteriors.co.uk
T: 01225 707372
In cold winters, consider protecting the crown with a handful of straw and wrapping the trunk with sacking, horticultural fleece or similar. Leave the existing fronds until the new ones start to grow, as these will also help to protect the crown from frost. You can also fold them over and tie in place for extra shielding. In summer, it’s important to keep the crown and trunk moist with regular watering, mimicking the conditions of a rainforest by watering from overhead and directly into the top. Melksham SN12 8BZ Showroom viewing Mon‐Fri 8am‐5pm Saturday via appointment only
Abeautifully maintained and immaculately presented 4 bedroom Grade II listed townhouse with a pretty ornamental walled, courtyard garden, located in a prime residential area to the rear of the Royal Crescent and close to excellent local amenities. The property is presented in immaculate decorative order throughout and offers accommodation arranged over 4 floors.
On the ground floor there is a beautifully fitted open plan Shaker style kitchen which overlooks the garden to the rear and is linked to a pretty dining/family room to the front which has a handsome period fireplace and a working gas fire along with quality solid Oak flooring throughout. At lower ground floor level there are 2 lovely linked reception rooms with attractive fitted cabinetry and a built in gas effect wood burning stove. At this level there is access to 2 unconverted vaults to the front along with a well-fitted utility room and a small rear ornamental courtyard.
The handsome master bedroom is on the first floor to the front and is linked via impressive wedding doors to a further bedroom to the rear, both have pretty period fireplaces and built in wardrobes. There are 2 further double bedrooms on the top floor along with a spacious particularly well-fitted bath and shower room.
Accessed from the ground floor hallway to the rear there is a beautiful well stocked, paved and walled ornamental garden with courtesy lighting and a timber framed storage unit.
37 Market Street, Bradford on Avon; Tel: 01225 866111
Northampton St, Bath
• 4 double bedrooms
• Well fitted open plan kitchen, dining and family room
• Spacious drawing and withdrawing room
• Impressive family bathroom
• Utility room
• Beautiful ornamental walled and paved garden
OIEO £1,250,000
The Old Post Office, Keevil
£550,000
Available for the first time in 40 years, this exceptional Grade II Listed home combines timeless charm with generous space. Enjoying picturesque views to both the front and rear, it’s a property full of character and appeal, offered with no onward chain.
• Grade II listed detached period home
• Over 1700 square foot of internal space
• 4 bedrooms and double garage
• Popular village location with enviable views surrounding the home
• No onward chain
Lower Camden Place, Bath
OIEO £950,000
A beautifully maintained and immaculately presented 3/4 bedroom period town house, enjoying spectacular far reaching views to the rear and with a pretty, well stocked south facing ornamental garden and sun terrace.
• 3/4 bedrooms, formal drawing room and family bathroom
• Withdrawing room/office/4th bedroom
• Contemporary wet room and utility room
• Well fitted kitchen and open plan living / dining room
• South facing ornamental garden with pretty sun terrace
01225 333332 | 01225 866111
Steeple Ashton, Wiltshire
Leigh Road, Bradford on Avon
Enjoy Life!
Residents at many of Anchor’s developments across England benefit from so much more than living independently in a beautiful apartment exclusively for the over‐55s. They can also sign up for the award‐winning BeWell360 service, a pioneering holistic health and wellness programme which is included as part of their service charge.
The programme supports a healthy, active and connected lifestyle and is individually tailored to each participant’s needs and abilities. Following an initial health assessment that tests blood pressure, BMI, cholesterol and blood glucose levels as well as strength, cardio and balance, a dedicated professional advisor works with them to develop a realistic action plan to meet their aspirations.
This might involve trying out a new exercise class, learning new skills, improving diet, taking up a new creative pursuit or simply meeting new people and making new friends. The programme works at both an individual level and through group activities. These include fitness classes, health workshops, mental wellness seminars and social events – a variety of resources specifically designed to help residents stay engaged, active and healthy.
Not surprisingly the programme has been very popular, and the results thus far impressive. A 2024 study of 204 participants recorded a significant reduction in average BMI and cholesterol levels, and blood pressure improvements from pre‐high to normal levels.
Feelings of loneliness were reduced by a massive 47 per cent, contributing to an overall wellbeing satisfaction of 91 per cent, an increase of 11 per cent. Other improvements included a 50 per cent increase in lower body strength, a 100 per cent improvement in balance and, notably, an average reduction in biological age of two years.
Residents at Pemberley Place, Anchor’s development of one ‐and two‐bedroom apartments for the over‐55s in Bath, are currently enjoying participating in the programme with one summing‐up its impact on her: ‘I feel happier. More motivated. More in control with what I can do to improve my own health.’
For more information on the award‐winning BeWell360 programme or to find out more about Pemberley Place call on 01225 591 351
The peaceful village of Neston is brimming with charm, featuring a pre-school and primary school, a country pub, and a vibrant community spirit with year-round events like a firework display and village fete. Just two miles away, the historic market town of Corsham provides a delightful mix of boutiques, cafés, and leisure facilities, including a state-of-the-art leisure centre. Surrounded by picturesque countryside and close to popular destinations like Lowden Garden Centre, this is village living redefined.
Peter Greatorex Unique Homes unveils modern new website & rebrand to reflect premium brand identity
Leading independent estate agency Peter Greatorex Unique Homes is excited to announce the launch of its newly redesigned website, www.petergreatorex.co.uk. This transformation is part of a broader rebrand to modernise the company’s digital presence, enhance its brand identity, and provide an improved experience for clients seeking exceptional properties in Bath and the surrounding areas.
Homes blends innovation with personal connection, ensuring every client benefits from tailored property expertise. The new website has been carefully designed to reflect the company’s values, creating an easy-to-navigate and engaging platform that resonates with prospective buyers and sellers in the mid-to-high-end property market.
“Our business has always been about more than just transactions, it is about the experience of finding the perfect home. We wanted our website to reflect that ethos,” said Peter Greatorex, Founder and Managing Director.
“This refresh allows us to better connect with our audience while maintaining the high standards and personalised service we are known for.”
Bath’s property market continues to demonstrate its resilience and desirability. The city remains one of the most sought-after locations in the UK, with strong demand driving an uplift in activity compared to twelve months ago. The unique character, rich heritage, and highquality lifestyle that Bath offers make it a consistently attractive choice for buyers and investors alike.
Commenting further, Peter says “Recognising the evolving needs of buyers and sellers in this competitive market, we saw an opportunity to refresh our digital presence and branding. The new look and website is a direct response to these market dynamics, ensuring our agency remains at the forefront of the industry by offering a sophisticated, refined, and premium online experience.”
The rebrand includes a refreshed visual identity and a contemporary website aesthetic, improved navigation, and a more cohesive brand identity across all platforms. Key enhancements include:
• Sleek, modern design that aligns with the company’s premium positioning
• Enhanced user experience, making property searches and enquiries more intuitive
• Consistent brand messaging to reinforce the agency’s values and expertise
• Responsive design, ensuring seamless access on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices
This strategic update strengthens the company’s presence in Bath’s luxury property sector, aligning with the increasing demand for highquality, premium service in this thriving property market.
Peter Greatorex. Managing Director of Peter Greatorex Unique Homes
Blagdon, North Somerset
Price Guide: £1,650,000
An elegant period home in Blagdon, The Old Parsonage boasts stunning lake views, beautifully restored interiors, and a luxurious top-floor suite.
• Stunning Blagdon Lake views
• Restored period features
• Open-plan family space
• Luxury top-floor suite
• Landscaped gardens & orchard
• EPC rating D
Hinton Blewett, Somerset
Price Guide: £2,250,000
A stunning Grade II Listed Georgian home in Hinton Blewett.
• Grade II Listed Georgian home
• Breathtaking Mendip Hills views
• Heated indoor swimming pool
• Two stylish self-contained apartments
• Elegant period features throughout
• Private mature walled gardens
• EPC rating: E
Properties for sale
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Widcombe, Bath • Guide Price £1,150,000
A stunning example of a four storey Victorian town house situated in the sought after location of Widcombe. Two reception rooms, kitchen/diner, four bedrooms one with an ensuite shower room, family bathroom, cloakroom/utility. Level garden. Residents on street parking. Council tax band E. EPC rating D.
Norton St Philip • Guide Price £975,000
A charming four bedroom detached family home surrounded by beautiful gardens and scenic countryside. Detached outside home office, off road parking for multiple vehicles and additional paddock, totalling 2.5 acres of land. Freehold, EPC D, Council tax band G.
We know Bath.
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Johnstone Street, Bath • Guide Price £1,950,000
A grand Grade I listed Georgian townhouse complete with a level east facing garden and garaging. Currently arranged as four apartments (student lets). Presenting an exciting opportunity to be transformed back into a magnificent family residence, pending the appropriate “listed and building consents.” Perfectly positioned off Laura Place. Residents permit parking.
Middle Lane, Bath • Guide Price £700,000
A well presented four bedroom family home situated in a quiet cul-de-sac with off road parking, garage, large garden and far reaching views across Bath. Freehold, EPC rating D, Council tax band F.
See our latest properties, let agreed
This charming period cottage is ideally situated to enjoy the most enviable panoramic views. Bursting with period features this property is a true delight. Beanacre • 3-4 Bed, 2 Bath £2,150p/m
A beautifully presented, well-appointed family home boasting light-infused and generously sized rooms. Countryside views to the rear are just breathtaking.
Bath • 2 Bed, 2 Bath, £1,600p/m
Immaculately presented and filled with natural light, creating a bright, airy atmosphere. This wonderful home offers contemporary yet comfortable living throughout.
